Castlevania: Aria of the Ascending Soul
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Empty of life, the hallway where Pope Alexander had gone showed how shattered the church was. For no one was standing guard outside of his private suites, because there just was no one left. The rug was ripped in places, stitches torn from the weave poked out as the trio walked. Blood was splashed across the walls and along the ground as though an angry painter had cut loose. Or Julius was doing his job.
"They haven't disappeared..." Leon observed quietly. "Alucard, I never got the opportunity to speak with someone who understood this.. But why do the zombies and undead disappear upon death?"
"Yoko," Alucard prompted as he walked. His thoughts were more invested on the realization that the Holy Oils had been tampered with. It had been beneath him to be used as a mere lab rat, perhaps it would have been a better idea in the long run.
"Undead are already decomposing corpses, the power that animates them is infinite but once the body sustains sufficient damage the power leaks out. Like a balloon. Undead tend to fall in on itself and decompose so quickly because the longer dead the less the souls connection to its original body thus easier to control. So undead have this sweet spot of time where its the best to reanimate them because they have full range motion. But they're not connected to their souls any longer and are not 'so' decomposed that they crumble upon their first motion." Yoko's back had stiffened and she had recited it in such a manner it reminded Leon of some of the priests of his time. A bit too stuffy and 'learned', he preferred when Mathias was teaching him his letters.
"I see, yet what of open wounds? Exposed ribs, an arm long gone, surely that would be a spot that the power could 'leak out'?" Leon followed up with.
"Well the body, even in death, remembers its original shape, it would recall the arm and the energy would flow as though the limb or flesh was still present. We've seen proof of that in the modern era with scans. But I suppose back in your day, unless you're a Dark Child of a particular type you might never see it yourself," Yoko explained, her tone turning thoughtful as she thought about modern science and Dark Children physiology.
"And demons from hell?" Leon asked as Alucard reached the door.
"Since they're summoned they burn out the energy they're using to stay here and are forced to return to hell. Or they choose to die here because being weakened here means being weak there and they become prey to other demons. Higher ups tend to have a means to stay safe and regain their strength in private, weaker ones don't." Yoko recited from Alucards' cool, distant 'lessons' she received growing up.
Alucard made no effort to knock, instead he seemed rather patient, at least to Yoko. 'He can maybe hear the others moving about?'
"My kin greets you, Yoko," Leon announced in good humor as the door began to open.
That slow stilted manner that announced to any Cherub that the one opening the door wasn't Yoko. As the door swung open, it revealed the stuffed bears and dogs that Yoko had been known for years by her fellow clergy. With Simon, larger and clearly made from a different company looming a bit over all of them as he stuck his head out.
"Bout damn time you got here Leon... Oh don't you look pretty, did you get a bath?" Simon began when another bear fist and two dog plushies sacked him and sent themselves tumbling out of the room in a heap.
"Simon did you forget your manners!?"
"Can't forget what he never had!"
"I wish I was born a girl."
"And why are they behaving like this?" Alucard inquired with all the possible disdain he could muster. And after 600 years there was a great deal of disdain to go around.
"Simon insulted me, Christopher and Richter are making an effort to scold him and Juste has lost faith in my clan and regrets being a man... I would guess because it denied him the Belnades clan as a place to be reassigned?" Leon explained, his lips even lifting to show his smile.
"You got it!" Yoko beamed down at Leon before she bent down and grabbed Simon, extracting the bear from the rest of his family.
Alucard just walked into the room while the stuffed toys dove out of his way watching as the dhampire moved.
"I've erected magical shields around the home housing the Cherubs," Juste informed Leon with a meaningful point with his muzzle. "But I suspect those children's parents are going to come collecting them as soon as they can. Beyond that, Julius is keeping company with the prior Pope though Richter could tell you more of the Vault.
Leon recited Justes' message promptly when his ear flicked as he realized the 'man' line.
That actually gave Alucard pause as he recalled Richter, and turned in response to find which particular toy was the hunter. "Which of these is Richter Belmont."
"He hasn't changed in centuries," Richter noted as one ear flatted itself against his head while he lifted a paw for a wave.
With Leon's polite bow of the head towards the brown furred dog, Alucard found himself looking at the dog in quiet contemplation. His sight saw nothing different than a toy dog, neither high quality in production or magical in nature. 'Though perhaps it is merely another sign of my weakened state...'
"What can you tell me of what happened," Alucard commanded while ignoring Yoko's struggle with the bear in her arms.
Richter turned to look at Leon and for a time they merely stared at each other, "do they not all speak as Sir Leon does?" Alucard inquired as he turned his gaze to resettle it on Yoko.
"No, I never made them to have a voice box. Leon's shell was purchased and Little Mina picked a voice box to be included which is how he can speak. Whatever was done to him to make him turn into a real lion has helped him with that ability as well. But the other five can't speak," she explained.
"'Five', which Belmont is in the dog that your brother keeps?"
"Trevor."
"You realize that any Belmont he's met when alive and might have passingly thought of as a friend is a plush toy now." Christopher noted as Richter finished updating Leon.
"I hope this doesn't push him into the arms of evil," Juste joked.
"Very well, Richter has recounted the events I had missed, however; I must insist we not hold this discussion in ear shot of His Holiness. Merely due to disturbing his slumber," Leon announced as he tossed his head slightly back to indicate the door.
"You go, I'll check on him to make sure he's comfortable then I'll join you," Yoko was already on the move as she said that. Looking about for the Pope she found him sleeping on the couch, there was an afghan draped over him. His shoes were off and while his eyes showed the drooping rings of fatigue it was better than how she saw him before. So he was resting well as far as she could tell, freeing her to check the room out. It wasn't destroyed, everything appeared normal, so the Thralls stayed respectful. 'That's a relief...' she thought while Simon continued to struggle in her arms.
"WOMAN RECOGNIZE ME!" Simon roared before Yoko went and dipped into a cabinet. "What are you doing?"
"They said the oils are tampered with Simon... If that's the case I can't keep these here," Yoko sound boarded out, eternally unaware that she was actually answering the Belmonts' question, as she put Simon down and began removing the bottles. "In fact after everything that happened its probably for the best I take them. Don't need someone to secret out the tampered bottles, I need proof."
"Good idea," Simon agreed and held out his arms to take what bottles she could pass down to him. 'There are others, the not holy water as well. Leon's going to have a lot to relay to the others and I can't imagine anyone is going to be thrilled by it.' The hunter thought to himself.
Yoko popped open one of the oils bottles and took a whiff before as a frown crossed her face. "It smells the same as it always has, but again, is it the actual oils or fake?"
"Well I can't smell, well I 'can' but it involves those brats singing to me. But I never smelled the original proper oils so its all cursed blood under the bridge for me." Simon confessed as he studied the bottles in his arms. They weren't fancy bottles, in fact they appeared thin, brittle almost, 'well its not as though the Popes through out time ever had a Rugby or Baseball throwing arm.'
"Oh I can test the holy water though..." Yoko ducked her head down one shelf and started scanning before a dark hmm escaped the back of her throat. "Most are true Holy Water bottles but..." She extracted several bottles, "these are clearly fake, but I need space to check if they have a scent, like if they're just perfumed or something."
Simon nodded and began carrying the bottles he had been entrusted to the door, Yokos' footsteps were behind him and soon the pair were on their way out of the room.
Where they found Leon holding court with his fellow plushies and Alucard as the only 'person' in the group.
Alucard turned to acknowledge Yoko and Simon's arrival, his gaze dipping down at the sight of the bottles. He didn't frown, rather he turned so that she would have space in their circle while his displeasure warred with his concern. Yoko wasn't stupid or vapid, those bottles had to hold the false oils. He knew they were kept as the absolute last line of defense along with the crucifixes for the Pope.
They were not warriors...
"Somehow I am less surprised that Benedict was turned..." Alucard frowned as he counted the bottles before looking down at Simon and counting the ones he carried. "These were meant to be tools to protect the Pope. Contaminated Brauner would have less force against his entry into the suites and he would have an easier time integrating with his supposed 'fellows'."
"I beg your pardon? Who is this 'Benedict?'" Leon asked in confusion.
"Its Pope Dionysus' real name before he became Pope," Yoko explained as she knelt down in front of Leon. She put down the bottles in her arms and opened one of the bottles of fake oils. "I know you don't have something to compare it to, but this is a fake oil, can you detect anything?"
The first Belmont blinked at Yoko before looking down at the bottle she presented to him. Even where he was sitting he could smell the oils. The stench of the dead from his time alive and fighting the undead were not really noteworthy. Outside of being incredibly strong and he was ever thankful for his time outside or near open windows. "My apologies dear lady, if there is something here I can not smell it. Save that I smell nothing that brings to mind the undead or demons."
"Its possible that Brauner did not make them," Alucard amended, "LeCarde stated there is a hunters lodge that claims itself one who hunts the Dark Children. I would not be surprised if they found some abandoned disgruntled male Belnades."
Yoko appeared to almost deflate in front of Leon at the suggestion, causing the lion to lift one of his massive paws and gently rest it on her shoulder. "You have done no wrong, same as your brother. I realize from my kin the dangers your sibling faces. So long as we are here, I swear to you that you, your brother and mother will be under my explicit protection."
"Because we're chopped liver," Richter scoffed before going to Yoko's side to rest against her.
'She's going to start bawling...' Simon realized as he mentally sighed. She was shaking, just slightly, the same way the earth did hours before an earthquake hit and he couldn't even blame her for being a stupid witch. But so much of this was out of her hands, predated her and yet as the 'current Belnades' she was going to be expected to take all the blame or shove it on her mother. "Its going to get ugly if Brauner some how got the other male Belnades to join with him. But it would help explain how he got access to the Vatican when he's a vampire."
"However they should not have access to the oils core recipe, how would they know how to tamper with it?" Juste pointed out as he sat though growing increasingly thoughtful.
"No wonder Yoko..." Christopher began only to shake his head. "It explains her mother as well, obviously they had no idea that this happened. But it coincides too much, Valencia just deciding to keep her son while this group knows how to tamper with the oils?"
It was all he needed to do to seed the question into the minds of his fellow hunters. 'Such heinous violation left a massive crack within the solidarity of the Belnades clan. I can support Lady Valencia's decision all I want. But it would be reasonable to believe that she sided with these off shoot males. I know none of these people in depth enough to stand for their character beyond my own position.' Leon thought as both of his ears began to dip down and hide under his mane.
"We need Trevor or rather, we need to hunt this group down. As bad as the oils are they need to go onto the back burner. Bringing them up, revealing these wanna be hunters could destroy Yoko or her family." Juste agreed before lifting his head up. "We can get the Freelance group to do it. With Soma no longer a true threat they would undoubtedly appreciate a globe trotting hunt for something that could endanger the clans."
"Yes, you're right, and that Alucard has always been kind to Yoko would encourage the LeCarde twins into aiding the hunt." Simon agreed, thoughtfully. "After all every hunter has something unique to their name with Julius' time done and his children not able to take up the cause, it would grant the off clans their time to shine."
Leon's ears perked back up from under his mane as he turned his gaze back up to Yoko.
"I should go and see to Julius and Benedict, I will suggest that you stay here with Sir Leon and the others. Sir Leon's roar and mere size will keep a great deal of threats away from him thus between the two of you I trust the current Pope will be safe. As for the oils we will deal with that once we've found and eliminated Brauner." Alucard instructed Yoko, "there is far more damage that could be revealed dealing with it if we deal with it now. As even I do not know how to make the oils yet somehow this 'hunting' group that involves a male does. No, it shall wait."
"Yes sir," Yoko was about to reach for the bottles when the rest of the Patrol started picking up bottles and moved off to the pope's suite door.
"Give Julius and his Lordship my greetings, I shall see them later I suppose," Leon instructed to Alucard before grabbing the last bottle into his mouth.
"Actually be careful yourself, the oils still hurt you before," Yoko pointed out as she went to open the door to the suite. "You may be grumpy but you're still important to us."
"As you wish my lady."
"Oh that's going to go to her head..." Simon groaned as he walked into the suite.
'Yoko is strong enough to extract souls of the Belmonts from the Afterlife back into those bodies. No member of the clan has ever come close to such a feat considering the childs' age when she created the first bear.' Alucard noted as the little group continued into the suite before Leon turned to shut the door with a bow of the head and a nudge of his paw.
The hallway was empty, the thralls and living were gone and beyond the door before him he could hear Sir Leon attempt to give sound counsel to Yoko.
"What am I going to do?"
"This is not your fault my kin stand with you. Yes, even Simon... Simon please do not make me step on you."
But Yoko's life and happiness served well to give comfort to Soma, and if she grew clouded with dark thoughts. Well Soma would try to cheer her up as well, 'this modern age has done my father well it would seem.' He mused as he turned and made his own way off to find Julius and the now 'Vampire Pope of the Dark Children'. 'What foolishness, in this day and age believing such idiotic lies. If a Dark Child craved it so there are so many other means to get their soul assuaged than turning someone into a vampire.'
That moment when an idiot blond could show more wisdom, talent and insight than the whole of normal humanity. 'Sometimes mother I question your dedication to your kind,' Alucard grumbled to himself.