Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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Sitting down, leaning back as far as he could with an unamused frown on his face.
That was how Leon expressed his annoyance at anyone attempting to touch his mane, and they did start being respectful about his mane. They kept the path he was walking open to him, but it didn't stop them from pushing and clamoring for a chance to touch him. It was becoming increasingly unsettling for the European as well.
Such polite demeanor and suddenly they were beginning to jostle and push, Leon was starting to worry about the people in this growing pile. Was there going to be an accident? Someone falling over or being shoved away? He noticed a number of elderly people approaching and his newly created animal senses were..
Just every part of his lion form was almost bristling with awareness at all these people. He felt their touch before their hands touched his coat of fur. Under the pads of his paws he felt the road and how different it felt than the roads he knew...
The crowd followed with rapt attention and interest, chanting, and praying as they followed the large lion around. He was a magnificent being, his fur a smooth sleek coat and so long as no one touched his mane... Approaching a pedestrian light, they waited with him until the light changed over, while people got out of their few cars or abandoned where they were going to follow instead. A crowd of 20ish people began to balloon into 30, then 40. Children and elderly alike followed, squirmed and struggled to see this sacred lion.
Ahead he saw a couple he knew from the shrine. There was a booth that Lady Mina would manage, giving 'protective wards' and such at. The woman was old, living with her friend and her family and was mostly blind at this point. They came often and the first time Lady Mina had Leon out in the booth the old woman had picked Leon up and cradled him.
"Ahh Grandmother lost her child and husband in a bad accident, and it cost her most her sight. Please don't be upset," Lady Mina begged as she worked to help him settle his back in his spot in the booth. "That is Grandmothers' friends' daughter and she has been living out of the country for a while..."
The pair of old woman shuffled over, and Leon was left assuming someone was explaining to the growing number of people. He was prepared to walk over to greet them properly, or as properly as a lion 'could'. But he watched in growing disapproval as several people rushed between him and the older ladies. Walking around the growing numbers he approached the older women directly, and waited patiently as they spoke with the crowd.
'Grandmother' had scars that covered her eyes, they had long since healed but her eye color was no longer the dark brown of these others Japanese people. They were paler, and her head swayed a bit to the left and right while her hair was pure white. Unlike her friends' graying hair, and it was knowing she had lost her family in such a way.
Granted Leon didn't 'want' anyone touching his mane, even as a lion to him it was his 'hair'. Yet it was unbecoming to ignore someone's plight. 'I understand they see me as some elevated being, and perhaps in a way I am due to being a spirit. However; if I can brighten their day...' he thought to himself as he sat down and extended his paw. The silence that consumed everyone as he tried his absolute best to lightly paw the woman's hand to guide her.
'They don't shake hands but she can't see a bow...' he noted as she grabbed his paw with both her hands... 'I didn't realize how big my paws are compared to a human hand...' he mused as she bent herself almost double to press her forehead against it. Her friend rested her hand on his shoulder as he sat there listening to the strange language be babbled before him.
Yet he saw that there was a comfort to what she was saying as tears rolled down her face. Granted everyone seemed to break down into tears when he permitted the contact, 'perhaps having died and seeing the other side is what makes this seem so grandiose...' he mused to himself as he let his tail curl up around him.
When she finally released his hand, he got back up and resumed his trek, and it was actually much more interesting now. In the air he smelled foods, even if he couldn't recognize 'what' the foods were. 'Clearly this is their foods, but some of it smells enticing', he thought to himself. It mingled with the less savory smells that he couldn't place beyond it growing when one of the 'cars' or 'buses' passed him by.
It was this growing spectacles that caught the news and brought them out. The streets became noisy as crowds would stop in the road and get out to follow Leon as he walked. Children were presented in the milling crowd, and it was just so ridiculously noisy. While shadows grew long in his vision as the sun began to dip down into the west. But he could see the shrine much better now and he followed the sidewalk with growing relief.
The walls that surrounded the shrine were more to protect the integrity of the hill it rested on. Large stones that were stacked high, clean and gray, shaded in evening dusk and Leon was growing incredibly happy to see it. When the bottom of the stairs appeared, though he didn't stop, he was amused by what he saw standing there.
Fully robbed, the priests of the temple were out in what appeared to be full force. They were placed on either side of the stairway with Mina standing in the center. Pale and anxious and fighting silently to be 'not' pale and anxious. While the people noted this and spoke among themselves he continued, pausing only long enough not to walk straight into the street.
From there he paused as Mina gave a polite bow to him...
'I have no idea what you want me from Lady Mina.' Leon thought to himself in amusement, especially since how 'did' one bow as a lion? He tried bringing his right paw in and ducking his head a bit before she walked to his side. They ascended the steps while her family stayed behind and began addressing the crowd by the sounds of it.
"This has been quite the day..." Leon finally sighed out once the noise from below was distant enough he was willing to risk speaking.
"Indeed. My father and the others are telling the crowd that you are a messenger to reassure them after the seal began to break down." Mina explained quietly, her lips in a tight line. "Lions are sacred to us, fierce protectors, and I fear that they may associate you with me... Despite my ineffectual skill as a priestess."
"Ahh much akin to a unicorn. That I am here and 'aiding' a maiden fair," Leon nodded while he saw something golden peeking in the distance.
"So I'm a real dog!" Trevors' voice could be heard calling down softly along with a 'woof' sound. "Apparently its the singing... whatever Soma did is affixed to children singing."
"Trevor has transformed as well?" Leon asked, and watched as Mina's silhouette nod.
"Yes, while I was changing into my robes, Kazu tried playing similar music and Trevor transformed as well. Which I guess means that the others at the Vatican have all transformed as well. Given there is a children's choir," Mina explained while in the distance she could see Trevor. A rather sweet golden retriever form. With the rich reds and purples above them, seeing Trevor brought a smile to her face the way his form expressed emotion now.
"I see, but will this cause trouble to your shrine? I was never planning to stay on like this forever. What will happen when I leave given, well this..." Leon asked as he turned and looked up at the young girl.
"Oh that's fine, miracles aren't meant to stay visual forever, and there's enough proof of your presence. I wouldn't be surprised if someone builds a shrine or three to you through out the city though." Mina explained, as they continued walking up. "There were cameras so Kazu and Mr. Trevor are waiting at the very top for us."
"Wise. My senses are far sharper than when I was alive, and I can still here the conversation clearly down below. Despite my inability to understand what is being said, though I did encounter several of your regular guests."
"Yes, ahhh this are most certainly interesting times..." Mina confessed, even as she felt relieved to just be with Leon and not facing the rest of the masses below. "They are very excited at what you symbolize, and I'm grateful that the crowd didn't do anything to offend you. There have been times..." Mina began when Trevor flattened himself to the stairs and began crawling down. His tail was a lovely plume of golden fur waving like a windshield wiper back and forth.
"Glad to see you in one piece Leon," Trevor called down.
"You're certainly eager," Leon mused in good humor as he watched Trevors' persistent belly crawl.
"I've been a stuffed dog for ages, if I were still in that form I wouldn't be able to come down. Now I can, of course a dog is strange, but a self moving toy dog? It would just add to the chaos." Trevor pointed out.
"True, and given the attraction children have to stuffed toys, I suppose my actual shell could become... marketed...?" Leon offered though his voice carried his confusion over the words.
It brought a smile to Mina's face as she thought about that adorable plush lion she had been carrying around. Just more of them...
"The seal is in place though, so there's nothing really more active than the fact that we're now real animals," Trevor added.
"We just need to reach the Vatican and make sure our family is safe there." Leon agreed with a slight bow of the head.
"To hell with the family, I'm scared for the kids! If you heard the things Simon would rant about !" Trevor retorted, his tone causing his dog mouth to drop into a gap grin of amusement.
Leon's mouth settled into a chastising frown as he raised his head up. "Trevor..."
"Look Leon, its Simon, I realize you might not know his full history, but he's fought your ex best friend twice. Once as a decaying zombie. Nothing is going to take him down, but he can take down a great deal when motivated." Trevor pointed out, but it did nothing to sooth Leon's clear displeasure.
"I'm sure the others are safe, I've been told their plush forms can not suffer any damage. No matter what, they'll be ok. We just need to worry about those in and around the castle," Mina pointed out. "Which brings to mind the lady of the castle. Mr. Leon could you reach her and find out what is going on?"
Both men looked up at her, Trevors' tail thumping harder against the steps. She couldn't hear him clearly, but Leon was clearly heard and understood by people. So she must have been trying to guess what they were discussing. Leon nodded at her input, rather pleased at her thought process.
"You are correct, I shall see if I can reach Lady Elizabetha." Leon agreed.
"You might need to wait until after the camera crews leave though, it will look odd to see a 'sacred lion' going to various areas of the shrine." Trevor pointed out, his amusement slipping from his voice as he grew serious. "People are serious about their faiths' that's true, but you've seen tourists and they don't need to get any ideas."
"Indeed, so I will wait until the priests below return to the top of the shrine. They should know best if its safe for me to go about my business.." Leon agreed, even as the tops of the sliding doors to the shrine appeared...
'How will I open the doors with these paws? I mastered it with my toy form... however...' Now Leon was likely going to tear those thin delicate paper screened doors if he tried to go inside... As would Trevor and given Simon and Christopher were both bears. Perhaps that is why Trevor is so flippant about Simon. A bear in the Vatican will clearly cause chaos, and I can imagine they will send their warriors to try and fight him...'
Kazu was visible in the distance now, and the young man looked worried and anxious until he saw the top of Mina's head. Leon got high enough to see the relief on the young man's face.
"We were on the bus when we passed you by Mr. Leon! I'm glad that you got here safe," Kazu announced as he made his way over.
"Indeed, I had not realized how 'special' a lion would be..." Leon confessed as he sat down and watched everyone give him this flat look. His ear flickered, the closest he was going to give to a raised eyebrow... if lions could 'give' that expression to start with.
"Well were it any other circumstance you probably would have been shot with sleep inducing darts, then when that didn't work. The panic would have started." Kazu began slowly when Trevor spoke up, even if no one save Leon heard him.
"Or if we were in America they would have started with the guns and become alarmed if you didn't die to the first bullet to the brain."
Both of Leon's ears slipped down and he sighed, "fair point Trevor. Shall we retreat within the shrine until night has truly fallen? While I would like to find out what has happened at both locations... Well," his tail flickered as he turned his head and looked down at the stairs they had just ascended.
"Yes, that is probably for the best," Kazu agreed allowing the four of them to turn their steps towards the shrine.
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"Trevor no! We do not lower ourselves to eat like animals!" Leon could be heard roaring from the other side of the home...
Mina looked over at her mom.
Mina's mom giggled...
The pair made their way to the other side of the house where the men were stepping in from dealing with the crowd Leon had brought. They approached the room where the Belmonts had once came together for a meeting. Now, through the crack of the door they could see Kazu sitting there with a deep bowl of rice and Trevor was trying to get away from Leon.
"I realize that, however..." Leon continued as he tried to run around the table, when he bit at Trevors' plume of a tail.
He yanked backwards and it sent Trevor face first into the bowl of rice that Kazu had been holding. Trevor stood there for all of a second, his nose lost to the rice like a birds' beak and then he began a mad rush to eat as much rice as he possibly could.
"Trevor!"
Kazu glanced over and sighed with a faint grin on his own face. "Trevor wants to know what our food tastes like. Mr. Leon, however; insists that since they can not follow our etiquette due to limitations of their forms..."
He left the sentence hanging before Trevor finally came up for air with his muzzle covered in rice. Between licks of his tongue to snatch up what he could he followed his nose and went for a small plate...
"Ahh Trevor I told you before that is rather hot!" Kazu warned as Trevor, unable to bite without eating the plate just slurped it up with his tongue. He gulped it down only for tears to spring up in his eyes... And his tongue rolled back out of his mouth in heated protest...
"I have never been so humiliated in all my life or afterlife..." Leon bemoaned as he covered his face with his paw.
"Wait til we get to the Vatican and you have to fish a child out of Simon's mouth. Even if he doesn't go through with it. He's shoving a kid in his mouth," Trevor pointed out, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. "So this is why you eat everything with rice. Tastes good, but hot."
"Yes well," Kazu shook his head as the others stepped into the room.
"It pleases me that Mr. Trevor enjoys our foods," Mina's mother commented as she brought another bowl and settled down next to Leon. "Here, we will assist you, so you can sample our food, oh Divine Lion."
"Forgive the difficulties that this transformation may have brought upon you," Leon replied as he lowered his paw. This was becoming such a day...