Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: Woah, this chapter has some of the LARGEST overhauls seen so far. The tone is intended to be darker without compromising the future chapters that were already done.
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Soma sat at the window of his new room, a frown crossing his lips and a distant gaze in his eyes. On his right hand, a ring had been forced upon him made of gold inlaid with multiple jewels that caught the light and sparkled in the afternoon sunshine. Akin to that of a lethal snake shimmering in the light of the sun. Caught lying under the flowers of a warm day and able to kill with a bite. Somas' coat rested on the bed behind him, and his black button on shirt and bell bottom jeans were all he wore at the moment besides that cursed ring. In fact, given the way he looked and how still he sat, one would have thought he was posing for a 'thoughtful young man' painting.
Outside, the lavish expensive mansion rested within a large encircling of trees that cut off the fact that the mansion was anchored to the island of Japan. On an island where space was a precious commodity this lavish mansion and land, could be seen as second only to the royal family themselves, all but screamed the power the lone owner.
There were five full bedrooms, three converted into offices, one that had been converted into an office but back into a bedroom. Upon the decision that Soma should stay under Arikados' supervision. While one office, oddly enough, was located in the basement split in half, with one half the office, the other half the work out room. Two full bathrooms, a kitchen fit for fairies serving for humans, though one could sum up the whole of the place in the dinning room. Elegant in its furniture but bare in anything else, no elaborate displays just the bare necessities and expensive at that, but that was 'that'.
A stripped down Baroque period style of design that, instead of building up from the front door towards the office or where ever Arikado would stylize his 'throne room', lead misleadingly to several different rooms. In fact whenever Soma walked through the mansion he felt like he was walking through a modified, more benign, version of the very castle he escaped from. From the curved steps that led up to a foreboding and intimidating porch, through a red oak door that felt enchanted to challenge a person's right to merely knock on it. Yet somehow Soma didn't feel surprised that Arikado would surround himself with a mansion that would frighten people away from contacting him.
The grounds were sterile with nothing more than the standard grass, not even wild flowers grew on the land. Perhaps it was because this place felt like a subdued version of the Castle, that Soma wasn't bothered by the lack of visible boundaries between the mansion and the rest of the world. Even when Arikado drove them up there he never saw the mansion until they finally reached the grounds. The road itself just went on forever until suddenly the mansion offered to show itself to the driver.
It was an exile, an isolation, a banishment from humanity for simply being a, little, trigger happy when made incredibly angry, while not fully recovered. There was this unspoken confidence that the Church had for when, not if, 'when' Soma snapped like a brittle twig from the pressure, that Arikado would kill him. Or at least have him contained long enough for help to arrive. Though they didn't say it outright, they left just enough hints to suggest that he be aware. For which he retorted in the same indirect manner that he was aware that he was on borrowed time by their point of view. Which made them happy thus he was left to his own; allowing him to be happy that he wasn't being overseen by a bunch of happy meals waiting for...
"Great Master it is time for Lunch... the Young Master would like for you to join him if that is acceptable?" The Fairy had materialized inside the room, in a emerald green gown with long blond hair and a small crown of flowers on her head. She hovered above the ground her wings beating rapidly to hold herself aloft.
"Why... do you call Arikado the 'Young' master and I the 'Great' master?" Soma asked, giving the being a distracted glance of the eye. It felt weird to be younger than Arikado yet hold a higher rank than the guy. Soma was no stranger to having authority over people just by entering the room, but Arikado was so unique. Soma knew on an deep level that he could just order the agent around like a puppet.
"Because the Great Master rules over all of the Dark Children, while the Young Master rules over us few who serve him." She replied humbly while hovering a respectful distance from Soma.
"But why 'young' why not just 'master'?" Soma argued, trying to figure out the strange way the servants viewed the residents of the mansion. But she merely shrugged and he gave up on that distraction before standing up.
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Soma reached the dining room with the fairy guiding him the whole way which was just as well. The last time Soma had been here he had not been in any condition to walk around, the servants had tended more to him than anything else. Though he didn't know how he managed to find Arikado in the mansion on his own back then. Soma reached the dinning room without fanfare, Arikado was already seated at the right hand of the more ornately designed chair at the head of the table.
"Arikado, why the sudden invite?" Soma asked as he walked up to the table settling himself at the head of the table with Arikado on the right.
The dark suited Dark Child faced him calmly, without an emotion flickering in his eyes. The room was lit by a chandler that hung above the table with countless tear drop shaped crystals and casting a myriad of lights about the room. It was odd, that as stern as the mansion appeared, Arikado looked completely removed and detached even from his surroundings. A man who allowed for the bare necessities without really revealing himself.
"As you are now going to be living with me, I decided I needed to lay the ground rules for you. Preferably before you bring chaos into my sanctuary." Arikado stated in a tone that said 'you are not going to argue with me on this.'
Of course Soma's answer was to start waving his newly ringed hand to bring attention to it as though to answer with a 'oh really?'.
"Soma there are countless beings in this world the same age and gender as you who can bring down the wrath of pure chaos on any location, and unlike you? They have no power other than what they can produce on their own. I expect you to be no less destructive or chaotic in whatever endeavor you attempt." While Soma sat there twitching as he repressed the desire to beat the living hell out of his guardian, Arikado continued. "I refuse to let you blow anything up in my sanctuary at your pleasure."
"You're a jerk." Soma fumed as the Fairy ladled a bowl of soup for him.
"And the only one willing to keep watch over you." Arikado replied agreeably as he caught an anger flung bread roll before it hit his face. "Tell me. Are you truly turning 21 this year?"
"In the fall..." Soma grumped sulking that Arikado caught the roll.
"You may use your sword during practice should you desire to do so, I have a small training room next door to the office you found me in during your first stay." Arikado added as the fairy began ladling soup for him.
"Oh... Is that why part of the walls in your office were made of stone?" Soma asked sounding still a little miffed, but willing to be distracted at least for now.
Arikado nodded before continuing, "my familiars will provide you with what you need, in terms of food or guidance through out my sanctuary."
As Arikado went on about the rules Soma noted how Arikado spoke, never referring to the mansion as his home rather as his 'sanctuary'. His mind went back to when he was talking to Arikado back in The Castle, a phrase Arikado has used. Before he could think more on the topic though a sudden realization of a 'rule' broke his thoughts. "WHAT GIRLS?! WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!" he demanded heatedly.
"I'm merely attempting to stop any potential baby Soma's or baby Mina's from running all over the place." The righteous outburst of teenager denial deflated and became an embarrassed look. Watching Soma quietly shrink into his shirt and the chair was almost traumatizing to the ancient Dhampire. But than again, what child 'relished' the idea of a parent being intimate with another person? Regardless of who that person was? "Oh I see, so you 'were' planning on such behavior here."
Soma seethed at the idea, a part of his mind roaring against being accused of being a virtual Incubus. Instead he grabbed another bread roll and went to town nibbling away with such intensity that he almost looked like a pissed off squirrel. "Have you been drinking? I can't imagine why you would actually tease me." He grumbled once he managed to swallow down some soup after a good three hefty sized bread rolls were devoured.
"I'm not teasing merely pointing out that any child you father will be a Dark Child. There is no guarantee how that child will grow to the world, even if you reject the throne how will you know if your child does not decide to take the throne for themselves?"
"You know with a personality like that, if you could market it? I don't think a contraceptive on earth could have as good an effect." Soma grumbled glaring up at his guardian.
"It is not my intentions to stop you from procreating, just to stop you from being irresponsible about it." Arikado pointed out. Soma as a father. Nope, if not for the fact that it sounded like a better statement to make Arikado would not have said it. And he was too well groomed to shudder, because once again, parent having sex, DO NOT WANT!
"You make me not want to touch anyone." Soma grumbled in response staring ahead of him.
"Even better, if you have no children I won't have to protect them as well." Arikado replied sounding almost pleased with that.
"Why would you have to protect them? Are you immortal or something?" Soma sulked.
"No, just smart enough not to rush head long into every danger until sooner or later something kills me." They began what would be one of many stare downs following that statement. In the end it was a business call that pulled Arikado away from the table to a private discussion while the Fairy continued cleaning the mess Soma had made. She finished just as Arikado finished his phone call and returned to the table and the meal.
They finished the rest of lunch in silence, Soma clearly lost in thought while Arikado went through his meal with all the serious demeanor of someone eating before King William of England. It was odd how the pair was able to have a whole meal together in complete silence and not be bothered by it. Comfortable, that was probably the best word for it, there was a solid feeling between the two like families often had. No need for words, the silent trust that if there 'was' an issue it would be spoken about. Without thought Soma handed over condiments not even needing to be asked while the Fairy towed in light snacks for the pair. It wasn't until the mini battle for the croissants began that it looked like anything could disturb this meal.
"How can you possibly be that svelte when you want to eat this much?" Arikado asked his fingers stubbornly guarding his croissants.
"I'm a growing boy!" He retorted sharply throwing his head back imperiously.
"You haven't grown since 2031." Arikado replied calmly.
"How would you know?" Soma asked amazed at that.
"I'm your Guardian."
"You sound more like a Stalker." Somehow Soma got the feeling that the phrase 'I'm your Guardian' was going to become a catch phrase for every question Soma had regarding Arikado's invasion into Soma's life. "I bet you have a couple of hundred pictures of me stashed away on your computer somewhere." He jibbed in a sulky tone.
"179,109 from the first decade of your life, I have 291 since you turned 20." Arikado corrected causing Soma to pale at the admittance. "In case you require reminding. My whole current existence, my employment to the Japanese government, my affiliation to the Catholic Church, you could say my whole life is centered around one thing only. Ensuring the destruction of Count Dracula, which was accomplished, however; as with all things it seems you just can't stay out of trouble. Either as a Dark Lord or as a teenager, and while some would suggest taking the easier route. I am attempting to refrain from such vulgar actions, which, is all the harder when you keep throwing yourself into danger, with all the foolishness of a child who thinks he is immortal."
Soma slammed his hand onto the table in frustration of more than just the feeling of overwhelming personal invasion to his whole life. But also the fact that he was constantly being told that, essentially, he was an unwanted burden to the world. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You think I like putting lives in danger when I can handle it myself?"
"Handle what? You gave in to the violent hate that Dracula lives by, you killed Celia instantly, and ripped the control of the false castle from her and made it you're own. Are you trying to tell me that your idea of 'handling things' is to make Yoko, Julius and I hunt you down?" It was a cold reminder of Soma's ability to be manipulated, and his lack of emotional self control. "You're so strongly attached to the people around you that the moment one is in danger you rush off to deal with it. Never once thinking of the fact that you are putting more than that one person at risk. Not only that, even when there is proof that you are being deceived you don't bother to listen."
"In for a penny, in for a pound. Even when I do nothing the hunters will come for me so what's the point of listening after that?" Soma argued as he grabbed a newly presented plate of croissants and went to town on it.
"And your sadistic murder of Celia?" Arikado countered, coldly.
"That fraud just was using me to keep her own powers? Why should I waste my concern on her? She's just another sign of the times we're living in, I'm not taking responsibility of this age of people being put into power by corporate sponsorship! I didn't tolerate it then, so why start now?" Soma shot back his annoyance clear.
Arikado listened to Soma, his expression an ever neutral but in his mind the gears were still turning though not necessarily in a good direction. He relaxed against his seat, his voice as neutral as inhumanely possible as he asked, "so are you 'Soma' or 'Dracula'?"
"I want you to check this thought out," Soma retorted in a mockery of lightheartedness, "what makes you think that two different names equates two 'separate' entities."
"Again, which is it? I need to know this Soma," Arikado snapped at him, his tone the same but the anger that was building was clear to some in the room.
"You can't handle any deeper depth of my person, the very fact that you're trying to neatly shove me completely between a Saintly Soma, or a Satanic Dracula is proof enough of that. You can't sit there and proclaim I have emotional control issues when you, yourself, refuses to see me as anything in between."
"I am not, but my research into reincarnation-" Arikado began only to have Soma cut him off.
Throwing himself further into the chair and settling into a more comfortable position, Soma mockingly asked, "do tell, I'd love to know your first hand experience at being reincarnated. Seeing that between the two of us only one of us is going through with it, and spoilers, its not the guy in the black suit."
That was the line that finally pushed Arikados' 'outrage' button quite firmly.
"I spent my whole life unaware of all this history in my past, then suddenly I get every past moment in my life ripped open so I remember. Then slammed shut again in an instant, nothing like realizing that you have issues that can lay waste to countries at a time. While simultaneously unable to remember what started the whole messy affair. And there you sit acting like its one extreme or the other, you blatantly admit that you've stalked me my whole life. Yet don't even have a grasp of my normal, unstressed personality and assume I'm some out of control child."
"Well, seeing that you have everything under such perfect control," Arikado bit out before standing up. "I'll see myself out, I have business that needs to be attended too." He stalked down the door, when suddenly he found his body frozen to its spot between the dining table and the exit.
"I'm going to have to work on this. We're just too alike to have certain topics discussed between us easily I guess." Soma called out wearily before Arikado found himself able to walk on his own again.
Fanning the flames of his outrage at his fear that maybe his father had been playing with them all along. Maybe Alucard 'should' have killed the teen as an infant.