Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: editing...
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"There are three great clans that serve as defenders of the human race against the Children of the Night. A clan that wars directly against the monsters, a clan that lends its support through magic, and one clan that maintains the safe houses and supply routes for the other clans. We are of the clan that supports through magic, regardless if its through direct conflict, teaching the basics of arcane arts or as record keepers of history of all the clans. We are a matriarchal clan, the other two are patriarchal clans, and the agreement is that we do not interfere with the traditions of the clans. We stand united as a whole while retaining our own unique positions."
"When a daughter is born with the active potential for magic, we keep the girl, if the girl has a passive potential for magic we regulate them to the sub clan. We do not tolerate any male children; without magic are discarded into orphanages, with magic are given to the Warrior Clan to be raised among their own. You are the only male child to still be under the Belnades clan, though being a medium would imply that you can be transferred to the other two clans should you desire it."
Valencia paused to take a sip of her tea while the two with her were allowed to absorb the information. Ralph had moved off to sit at Kazuaki's side, and her visibly shocked son seemed be listening to the plush toy. But Kazuaki 'did' state that he could talk to the thing so... why not?
"Just because its a matriarchal clan doesn't mean that the males needs to be banished though, why send them away?" Kazuaki asked finally, both he and his dog turning to look at Valencia. Odd how that toy could convey emotions despite its static, cloth face. Just the small twists of features as though it wanted to convey an emotion.
"There is a very real fear within our clan that a male will kill off his female rivals to take on the role of heir of the clan." She pointed out and watched as the pair started in surprise and look at her, thus she shrugged and elaborated.
"Its a patriarchal world, men who respect our wishes back in those days were not the movers and shakers of the world. Rather they were the poets and beatniks of their time and it is the world leaders who hold the power. Women are fewer in positions of authority or power, and even when we are in equal title positions we are respected less." She shook her head slightly, "there is nothing protecting our rights in the Clan. To the outside world we would be looked at with pity for being 'weak' and the male would retain power. Even if murder is illegal with no other active female the male would 'have' to retain his position of Clan leader."
"So what changed to make the clan accept me?" Kazuaki asked, concerned by how quiet Yoko was, but given what he had already been told. Their mother had already noted that Yoko knew a good chunk of the history, so more than likely his big sister was sorting out this information with whatever information she had already been given. Yet her incredible levels of silence was unnerving to him.
"What makes you think they know I allow us to interact with you still?" Valencia countered with a lifted eyebrow before taking another sip.
Kazuaki blinked in surprise at the suggestion, that while he was still in some tedious way, connected to the clan they didn't know he was.
"Grandma. This is why we've never gone back to grandma's house."
Yoko's voice had never been so quiet as she spoke into the brief silence of the apartment. Her thoughts turned inward to when they were young and Kazuaki had been so tiny. Memories of how grandma didn't even put a plate for food out for Kazuaki, suddenly made sense. Grandma in the kitchen with home baked cookies that she offered Yoko, but Yoko thought nothing of sharing with Kazuaki. But she did remember when she was woken from a sound sleep by their mother. Ordered firmly to get up because they had to go home. Years of believing that Grandma was just getting senile took a darker turn suddenly. "She wasn't forgetting food for him, she was actively shunning Kazuaki?" Yoko looked at her mother, switching back to Spanish in some vain attempt at not bringing the details to Kazuaki's full attention.
Like stone, Valencia didn't flinch under the scrutiny of her daughter, or at the clear attempt from her son to remember Spanish. Yoko leaned back in her seat and stared at the ceiling as though an answer would be found there.
"If the clan hasn't changed its way, well, why have you changed yours mother?" Kazuaki asked finally after a pregnant pause. He took up Ralph in his arms and was in constant motion, as though he would grip and hold the toy for protection like a child. Yet at the same time not wanting to appear weak before his stern mother who already expressed her disdain for such items.
"One who all the clans are taught to respect and welcome when he appears. He has begrudgingly tolerated your sisters' behavior, and has advocated her cause. More over, he pointed out the fact that those we have abandoned either end up in the service of our enemies or one of their offspring becomes so. That perhaps the issue of why witches serve our ancient foe is not because they are male, or born from a male. But because we have denied them the knowledge of the Craft in their very blood. Forcing them to stumble through their lives with magics they know not how to wield or understand. That it would make sense that they would retreat to our enemy when he offers shelter to all the Dark Children, even if its as a member of his army." Valencia placed her cup down before making a sweeping gesture with her other hand towards the apartment.
"For us, being a Medium is not a magical gift, you would be discarded by our clan, yet you 'do' have an ability. I have inquired of the other clans if they would be willing to take you in so that you can receive more acceptance by your bloodlines." Valencia offered while her fingers lightly tapped on the box on her lap. "Personally I would suggest the hidden clan, since they provide us with safe houses when we travel as well as supplies. That clan is not combat bound by nature, so you would be able to learn more about the families and what you are a part of it you so desired."
"So how would that even work? Grandma and the others would know that you kept Kazuaki? How do you even know if they'll take him in? Sure they don't actively pursue combat but they're a rough and tumble sort," Yoko asked, with her eyes traveling the floor for invisible scurrying thoughts.
"Say Ralph, what do you think?" Kazuaki asked his toy while fixating an unnecessary amount of focus on said toy.
Ralph's answer was to hop onto Kazuaki's lap, then get on its hind legs and plant its front paws on the young man's chest. Then with a bit of straining the golden retriever styled dog began rubbing its right paw on the guy's shoulder in a sympathetic motion. When Kazuaki began smiling faintly and rubbing one ear, the dog sat down patiently.
"Ralph says that normally he'd be supportive of me being in the Grants' clan. But right now Alucard needs someone to meet and look after Soma? That Alucard is pretty tied up right now and that Soma needs people to be around him to interact with. He hasn't been so far, in fact he hasn't left Alucard's current sanctuary save for the Church in a while. Its not healthy but since this Soma person and I are closer to the same age..."
"YOKO!"
Kazuaki's head snapped up as Ralph's jerked around to look at Valencia, who was glaring nuclear bombs at Yoko. Yet Yoko was sitting up ram rod straight and staring openly slack jawed at her baby brother like he had just grown a second head. Staring between the pair in mild alarm, he began clutching his plushy dog in concern.
"It wasn't me!" Yoko blurted out, turning wide panicked eyes on their mother, raising her hands and waving them as though to wave off potential blows.
"Yoko Belnades I have told you over and over again to never discuss private information with outsiders! Regardless of the current topic of discussion, dragging your brother into it is simply unacceptable!" Valencia blustered hurling a fire ball at her daughters' head.
Which in turn Yoko countered with a snow ball leaving a splash of cold water to splatter about her leaving dark spots on her dress. Meanwhile Ralph sat back on his haunches his chest puffed out a bit and the head leaning just far enough back. If he had working eye lids they would have been narrowed on Valencia at that moment.
"If it wasn't you, who else would have told him about them?!" Valencia demanded hurling another fireball.
"Uh, Ralph told me? He says that Yoko knows how to do it better now, but when she was a kid she was uh.. fusing..." Kazuaki sat there watching his mother's expression grow into one that brought panic into his heart. When he saw her blue eyes zero in on the toy dog on the couch the only thought that he could muster was grabbing the mutt and shelter him, before mother figured out how to tear the stuffing out of him. "Mother, please, he's been my friend for as long as I can remember! Please don't destuff my pup!"
"What does he mean by 'fusing'?" Valencia bit each word out and there was just a hint of smoke rising from her breaths. Fire dragon or ice dragon?
"Ah, well from my time working with Soma. I learned how to take souls he had collected and fuse them to the weapons he had on him increasing their power..." Yoko slowly began as she realized that Ralph was basically saying that the process of creating Snuggy, Ralph and Leon was the same as creating an enchanted sword. "But I don't have to do half the same stuff with Soma as I have to do when I created you little fuzz faces."
"Ah he says that he asked his wife about that, and Sophia says it probably has to do with the fact that the monsters belong to Soma and do as he says. Even get fused. Where as when you're not fusing demonic souls... there's a... greater..."
Valencia had finally snapped, her hand shooting out like a cobra and gripping at Yoko's neck and choking her daughter. Panicked Ralph made a desperate dash across the coach and despite being a soft fluffy toy dog, began headbutting Valencia in the stomach in desperation. Kazuaki desperately following up from behind as he gripped his mother's shoulders and tried to pull her back.
Yet that box his mother had been holding was suddenly shoved into his face. "Here dear, this is your birthday gift, I had one of your distant aunts in the Aulin branch make it." Her tone had suddenly shifted to a sweeter, more doting tone that seemed to be impossible for her. Even Ralph's head tilted to the side as though he couldn't be sure he heard that right.
"Ahh! Cool! Thank you mother!" Kazuaki gushed over the idea of a gift and rushed back to his seat. It was simple brown wrapping paper with a thin rope like string to hold it together, very simplistic really and he was excited.
"You realize the reason why she gave it to you 'now' right?" his two spirit guardians whispered into his ear causing him to look up.
Yep, free of the box, Valencia was now using both hands to both choke and shake her daughter and Ralph was trying to stop her. Of course the reality of a small toy dog trying to push a body was rather hilarious. "Ahh mother please stop!"
"Valenica, stop trying to murder our children!" The kids' father stood in the doorway, a white box holding undoubtedly the birthday cake in his hands. The man was decked out in the white chef apparel and shaking his head as he saw the madness before him. Sachiho walked towards the table and put the cake down before he strolled over to the group. "Now what is this about?"
Of course he had to ask that while walking over and pulling Valencia's hands off of Yoko's throat. "You sit on the other side of your brother and I will sit here." He instructed for Yoko, gasping for air as she stumbled to obey, while Kazuaki gripped the box against his body so he could help her. Allowing for his father to settle down at the couch and give Ralph a fist bump out of the stuffed toy's gratitude.
Trust his father to defuse a possibly bad situation just by his presence. He wasn't traditional slender Japanese man, indeed by Eastern standards he was fat, by Western standards he was on the light side of pudgy. But Sachiho was big on self confidence, so despite being considered rather passive, when his mind was set on something he was more stubborn than yelling at a brick wall. Which explained a lot of the bond between the couple. Valencia was very self contained, but like her daughter, once motivated she was persistent. But if Sachiho found something was deserving for him to put his foot down, it had a tendency to make Valencia actually pause and think. "Well?"
For a spell there were no words out of the humans in the room, until Valencia gave a disgruntled sigh. "It would seem that Yoko has bound the soul of one of the highest of respected ancestors of my extended family to that dog by your side."
Sachiho looked down at said dog with a raised eyebrow, "is this true Mr. Dog? Are you an esteemed ancestor?"
Ralph got himself on his hunches so he could shrug his answer out, before turning to Kazuaki to have the young man translate. So long as Yoko wasn't sitting by her mother there was no harm in telling everyone the truth right? But found said person was more invested in opening the box on his lap, pulling the bow loose then pulling the paper off. And found himself curious as to what Valencia had gotten her son. So he hopped himself back up to all fours and made his way over to Kazuaki.
The young man pulled out a glass orb big enough that he had to hold it in both hands. While sparks of light danced within it.
"I recall that you were always interested in the elements when you were smaller, it took some time but the Aulin branch is skilled at enchanting and wielding enchanted items. So I had invested some time with her and we crafted that for you. It harnesses lightning, fire, and ice so all you have to do is will it to display one of those three elements. Though ice is just a glorified snow globe at times because of that. It projects light, but I'll leave you to figure out what it does fully as something to occupy your time." Valencia looked quite pleased with herself as she explained her gift to her son, which meant she translated his tears properly.
Indeed he was completely moved by the fact that she recalled something from his youth when he still lived with her. Not only that but opted for an impractical gift for him, instead of some functional gift that would be more in line with her personality. Eagerly he began trying it out, resting it in his hands and willing flames into existence.
His focus was so intense he actually missed the fireball that his mother flung at Yoko just behind his head. Having leaned over a bit much akin to someone reading a book as he gazed into the ball.
"Valencia, stop trying to fry our daughter."
Sachiho sighed, covering his face with a hand as Yoko blocked with another ice spell, but the moment he pulled his hand away from his face he found himself nose to nose with Ralph.
"Our daughter did 'this' to one of my ancestors!"
"Ah... Kazuaki, do you know who Mr. Dog used to be?" Sachiho asked as he pulled the dog away from Valencia and placed said dog between himself and Kazuaki.
"Huh? Oh he said his name is 'Trevor'," Kazuaki answered absently as he continued playing with his new gift. Allowing the gift to be the excuse he could use while he struggled to sort through the fact that he was essentially unwanted and would have been kicked out of the family had it not been his mother. But what had happened to make his mother change from the traditions of a family as old as they apparently were? Who was this 'esteemed' person? The only one that he could think of was Mr. Arikado, considering the man's connection to the government. But the man was clearly bigger than even that.
"'Trevor'? I can say that! Why have you made me say 'Mr. Dog' for all this time?" Saichiho demanded as he lifted the dog up into his hands and gazed at the dog who stared back at him. His cloth mouth twisting a bit implying an expression was involved.
"Ah he says because you're like him, you would have slipped up and told mother. And its not his fault that you can't say the 'l' in 'Ralph'." Kazuaki reported, a tightness to his voice as the weight of what was going on draped itself on his shoulders like an overwhelming mantle. "Besides, he used to use 'Ralph' as a name, when he had to travel to towns where his lineage would have caused him problems. So he doesn't have problems responding to that name unlike Simon."
"Simon?" Valencia spoke.