Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: Ahhh these innocent days before the Plushy Patrol became the thing... oooh these days...
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Yoko gave herself a hurried look over of herself in the mirror, taking in the maroon qipao dress with its rising gold threaded peacock pattern and making sure she looked good. Never knew when she was going to run into a future husband! Next she dashed over to the last things she needed before leaving her hotel room, gathering up her keys, pocketing her cellphone, her purse, her wittle baby brothers' birthday gift before rushing to the door. Throwing it open while charging up to her mad dash forward...
Only to fall back with a shriek of "MOTHER! AHHHHHH!"
Because who expected their mother to be standing at the door of their hotel room without warning? Not even pretending that she was about to knock or let Yoko know she was standing there, staring... with those hard, hard eyes. Cold, hard eyes and that box in her hands. Yoko was seriously beginning to wonder what on Earth could possibly be so important that her mother was walking around with it non-stop? In fact the only thing different about today and yesterday was that her mother had opted out of the normal dark stern colors she usually wore, and wore a mixture of light blue with a bright yellow shirt. If she toned down the level of seriousness in her expression and the stern bun hair style she would have looked almost approachable.
"And for what reason do you need to scream a greeting?" Valencia demanded without raising her voice an octave.
"Mother! Why didn't you call to say you were coming? Or knock? You know be normal rather than be surprised that I would react like this!?" Yoko demanded, before gesturing for her mother to step into the hotel room.
"Because I know you're going to your brothers' place and there's no reason for us both to drive to the same location."
That's when Yoko remembered that her mother 'had' mentioned something about a 'male' birthday going on in Japan, hence her presence. Mother plus son on birthday equaled celebration for normal people. Her mother tended to treat Kazuaki like some wild and dangerous being that she didn't want to face or deal with. Watching her normally stoic mother act like she was expecting some form of violent divine retribution for getting near Kazuaki had its fun points, still...
"You're... here for Kazuaki's birthday? Are you sure?" Yoko asked, still flabbergasted that her mother was actually here for 'that'.
"Are. We. Leaving. Now."
Valencia's eyes had now narrowed and taken on that look that Yoko knew very well, she was past thin ice and was now pulling a Jesus and standing on water.
"Yes, yes we are Mother," Yoko quickly stepped out and shut the door behind her. Locking up she hurriedly led her mother towards the elevator, while her mind tried to figure out why her mother would willingly go to her son's birthday when she never had before. But then perhaps that explained the box that mother had been holding with a death grip. What could have happened to cause her mother to change her normal routine?
"I was notified last night that there has been an incident in China and your friends who were on their way here to meet with Cruz have been delayed. Therefore, I will be leaving tomorrow morning to lend assistance instead of my original plans," Valencia stated as the elevator reached the ground floor.
Yoko gave a sigh that earned her a stern look from her mother causing her to shake her head. "Its Kazu-kun's birthday mother, and Soma is still being targeted by those groups, is it too much to ask for time off?"
"Our 'time off' was supposed to happen when Dracula was defeated during my time, daughter. But the reality is different than what we wanted, perhaps there is truth in the saying 'Heaven wants nothing to do with him and Hell is afraid he'll take over the place.'"
"One letter different, huh?" Yoko mused aloud ruefully, only to catch her mother's look and sighed. "You know, So-ma So-ra... you know what never mind."
"This is a video game reference isn't it? Is there nothing that you've done in your life that you feel badly about subjecting Alucard to?"
"Not really, after that retro cartoon watching stage I went through and made him watch some of it. But mostly because he started referring to me as 'Ms. Pinkie'." Yoko sulked as she remembered that discussion and seeing her mother's growing flabbergasted expression egged her on. Even as they stepped outside of the elevator and made their way to the parking garage. "I totally saw myself as Twilight Sparkle, but he kept saying 'Magic wise maybe but you are that Pinkie Pie one.'"
"You... You made him watch..." Watching her mother trying to process this fact was growing hilarious. "You made the prince watch 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'? Is it too late to disown you!?"
"Well considering my age? Yes," Yoko began grinning seeing her mother reeling from the dismay of another discovery from Yoko's childhood. When a thought hit her, "wait, how did you know the name of that show?" She asked, and as her mother's outraged expression froze she went from grinning to giggling. Leaning over she comically asked, "so what's your Pony Persona?"
Her mother had zipped her lip after that accidental disclosure leaving hotel in silence as they loaded up into the car drove into town towards where Kazuaki lived. She still couldn't fathom that her mother ever watched cartoons or for that matter that her mother was even here. Though realizing that her mother was a Twilight Sparkle that never found her Ponyville was amusing and sad simultaneously.
"Sooo do you know what Kazuaki looks like?" Yoko asked after some time of silence, while driving.
"You may not believe this, but I 'do' video chat with your brother on his birthdays, though I concede that my... handling of your brother may seem harsh."
Her mother was staring straight ahead at the road and somehow for just a moment, Yoko got a glimpse through a never opened window to a harried woman. Was there more to her mothers' life that she didn't know? "Why didn't Kazuaki ever tell me?"
"Because I ordered him not to. As far as our family is aware or concerned he no longer exists."
Yoko blurted out a wordless series of sounds in disbelief, sure her mother threatened to disown her, but Kazuaki?
"I will explain when we get there. There were things I was supposed to teach you when you came of age, however; I chose to wait until your brother did. Which, by the by, is why I've had you excluded from family events." Valencia explained calmly, and that window seemed to open a little more.
Yoko didn't know what to say for once, so she sat in silence driving towards her brothers' place. Trying to accept that her family didn't know that Kazuaki was alive. She remembered visiting their grandmother with him once after all. But there was a subtext that her mind was shying away from that made her heart hurt as it grasped fully what it was. Somehow the world didn't seem so bright like it had when she had climbed into the car. She felt a lump of clay in her stomach at the idea of what her mother had just said. How was she supposed to celebrate her brothers' birthday now?
She began to wish that Alucard was around, though it might have appeared strange that she took such comfort from the distant Dhampires' presence. But people didn't live her life, so all those times he had helped her and supported her in his own cold, aloof way was hard to explain. How could anyone ever believe that such a self contained Vampire Prince was able to provide comfort or security to a perky modern witch? Even 'he' had lent Kazuaki support during his childhood and her own clan didn't?
She was able to confide in Alucard all manners of things that she never felt comfortable talking to her mother about. Simply because her mothers' cold, detached attitude towards life, made approaching her awkward at best and impossible at worst. Yet Alucard, not being family, and his begrudging tolerance of her antics was more than what her mother offered. So when her brother called in tears that the school took Ralph away, she had rushed to Alucard first for help. Without a word of comfort the man had shooed her out of his office again, but the next day her brother had been much happier, saying that they had changed their stance on his dog.
"So.. what's going on in China?" Yoko finally asked, trying to get her mind on business other than family now that she knew a bit of what was going on.
"Alexander caught wind of an attempt at a Black Mass and they have put their focus on saving the would be virgin sacrifice," Valencia explained in her text book tone of voice. Then after a pregnant pause, "will there be cake at this event? Because if not, I think I should bring one which means I need you to make a stop."
"Don't you think you're a little late to be playing the role of long distance but caring mother?" Yoko asked not bothering to hide the miffed tone of her voice. "And no, 'dad' is getting the cake despite the fact that Kazuaki is too old for cake." She placed a stronger emphasis on their dad, who had always been accepting of his kids unlike their mothers' behavior towards Kazuaki. Realizing that it was because of the clan just made her all forms of angry.
"Are you angry that I didn't get rid of Kazuaki? I admit that this has not been the ideal situation for anyone, but the alternative 'is' abandonment." Valencia replied, her tone as calm as ever which bothered Yoko as much as the idea of just abandoning her baby brother appalled her.
"No, of course not, I just don't understand," Yoko answered, now seriously wishing Alucard was the one in the car instead. Or Soma, Mina, Julius, His Holiness, anyone rather than her mother.
"You will Yoko, you will."
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The front of his apartment looked the same as the other apartments of the structure, the normality of just parking the car and getting to the apartment allowed for Yoko to go on physical autopilot while her mind cackled with a mantra to just calm down and be happy. It was Kazuaki's birthday and she had to stay happy, no matter what. That when Alucard was back she was going to lock herself in his office with him along with a gallon of ice cream and have a 'proper' cry fest.
She stopped at his apartment door and knocked with her mother at her back, and for a moment entertained the idea of jumping through the door. Shutting it shut behind her and leaving her mother outside. Immature? OH HELL YES! Then again it was no different than a small child covering their eyes and trying to pretend the world would stop existing if they stopped looking. But it was the duty of a big sister to protect her precious baby brother!
When the door opened there was the light brush of mechanically chilled air and her green eyed brother stood before her. He looked more like their dad, with fully slanted eyes, black hair and Asian features that skipped her or got altered. He wore a pair of jeans and a button on white shirt, and outside of the color of his eyes he looked like the average Japanese guy. Just the average guy going to collage and the worlds' most powerful, though unknown, spirit medium.
"Sis!" He released the door to immediately hugged his sister in excitement despite it being a yearly event. Then again, Yoko didn't live a normal safe lifestyle, they had an unspoken understanding that her job was dangerous. And he could never visit her because of her nomadic lifestyle could leave him stuck in Italy with nothing to do.
Valencia watched the pair hug and babble greetings for each other and did her best to not start tapping her foot or sighing. No matter how much of a time waster this greeting seemed to her, the reality of what she was going to be explaining to them was more than enough to make her back off. Let them keep up with their private traditions. Computers were nice in providing video call functions, she had been using them for five whole years after all. But the gradual growth of Yoko verses the once a year video sprouting development of Kazuaki was interesting.
But her moment of being an observer ended as Kazuaki turned his head and caught sight of her.
"Mother?"
Well time to face the fire that was her son and not make an excuse of having to save the world to duck and run. Which would probably start after she stopped seeing the top of his head and her sudden rage abated.
Because suddenly at his feet there was a Labrador plush dog sticking its head out of the door to the apartment and looking around. Because of course Yoko had to make a toy for her kid brother as well as herself. Followed by said dog being called 'Ralph' in mutilated Japanese, which lacked a proper 'L' in their language, didn't make her feel any better.
It was Kazuaki's 21st birthday that day and there he was gathering up a stuffed animated toy like a real live dog those rich idiots had. But he gestured for her to enter the apartment, and she did as guided because it was better to get this over with now, rather than later.
Stepping into her son's apartment was rather interesting, since his office where they normally spoke over was pretty standard. Two shishi statues stood on either side of the doorway with active spiritual energy emanating from them. She knew from her interactions with the temples in Japan that these were normal statues, normal if one lived in a shrine, temple or a tomb. But it was odd to see such a pair in a person's apartment especially Kazuaki's apartment.
He seemed to notice her confusion as he gave a rueful smile, "forgive me mother, but odd things seem to have been going on. They insisted on coming inside to consolidate their power."
"That... isn't a good thing..." Yoko noted as she followed her mother and was removing her own shoes before noting. "Dad hasn't shown up yet?"
"Ah, no, he is picking up the cake and was delayed a bit, we have about an hour before he'll make it here," Kazuaki explained apologetically.
"Why do you have a pair of Shishi here though?" Valencia asked, eying the lion and lion dog statues that resided on either side of the hallway. Yoko clearly knew what they were about and despite not having any real contact with Kazuaki she was pretty sure she should have had an idea as to why such a measure would be needed.
"Um, I'm a medium? They, along with Ralph, keep me safe from the stronger more dangerous spirits and grounded so I don't confuse things." Kazuaki replied tentatively as he slid open the door that led to the dinning room living room combo area. "Please, have a seat? I will get you a cup mother," he gestured towards the seats on the other side of the room before turning towards his kitchen. The table was laid out for three people, more proof that Valencia's presence was a complete surprise.
Valencia didn't make a comment on the 'medium' answer, rather she looked around in apprehension. She still held the box in her hand and as she moved to the couch she watched as the stupid toy ran ahead of her and made a flying leap that got it on top of the couch.
"Ralph says you can sit next to him, might make this easier," Kazuaki called out distractedly as he finished pouring out a cup of green tea.
"He can 'talk'?! When?!" Yoko asked, her voice dumbfounded and amazed as she plopped herself down on the other side of the couch.
"Oh well I hear him the same way as I hear ghosts," Kazuaki answered with a warm laugh, before offering the cup to their mother. "Since he's forcibly in the toy." Then he refixed his attention on his mother and added, "also because of the Shishi the others can't come in. But he wants me to tell you 'We're glad you came'?"
The walls were a warm brown of polished wood, with the off white couch they were now sitting on, and the typical matted style floor under foot. The doors were the same color as the floors, sliding doors that helped provide as much space to the small apartment as possible. She knew Kazuaki had been living here on his own when he came of age to move out by Japanese standards, but she had never been here herself. She wanted to say it was a minimalists' dream, she kept thinking it needed more to look homely.
She moistened her lips on the heated tea, the box on her lap and the toy to her left before she decided that she might as well. "Now that you've both come of age I will tell you about the Clan to which you were born a part of. Yoko knows the deeper details, but there are things that I have excluded from her so that I could tell you both. Because you are the first, and probably the only male, Belnades in the history of the clan."