Brooding the Night Away [Closed | Dracula]

[notquitedracula]

[Interior Castlevania, midnight. It's always night there. Good little vampires have retired to their beds, leaving only Vlad awake, brooding on his throne.

Well. Vlad and Soma, who was doing some brooding of his own. You know what goes well with brooding? Wine. Know what goes even better?

Company.

Which is why Soma is currently walking into the throne room, carrying an earthenware jug and two flatish drinking cups. There's a Ouija table following him, and a couple of chairs. Why are the chairs moving? Well, he talked the spirit possessing the table into bringing them along. The planchette has been quite thoroughly removed, though. It kept spelling out 'whimpering' for some reason.]

((Backdated to just after the Easter shenanigans))

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[what_is_a_man]

[Vlad simply watched as the rather odd procession entered the throne room. The curtains were drawn back from the windows allowing the moon light to illuminate the room well enough on its own. Once Soma had approached, he finally spoke.]

...What are you doing?

[notquitedracula]

[The moonglow was a nice touch, but it needed something else. Soma called up a couple dryads, making them take the form of cherry trees. In full bloom.]

The same thing you're doing, only with more style. [He waits half a beat, because he KNOWS that statement is going to annoy Vlad, but there's a good reason for him to be here.] Actually, I need to talk to you. It's... kind of important. And since I know you can't stand my company sober, I thought I'd make an occasion out of getting drunk.

[what_is_a_man]

[That got an arched eyebrow. The kid had guts if nothing else. So, instead of having the dryads attempt to strangle him, he would humor Soma. For now.]

I could say a good many things about your style, none of them kind. [Kids these days...]

And what is so important that you would come to me for guidance?

[notquitedracula]

First off... I'm sorry. About Lisa. [He bows in the Japanese fashion, though his eyes never leave Vlad.] I could no more keep her here than you could. And neither of us thought to give her a ruby circlet, even knowing this eventuality. We were both fools.

[He sighs, rises from the bow, and then takes one of the two chairs he brought along.] Gomen nasai. Kami but I miss her. Your memories do not do her justice, Vlad.

[He pours two saucers of sake, and takes one for himself. The invitation for Vlad to take the other is heavily implied.]

[what_is_a_man]

Giving her a circlet would not have saved her. Even if it did go with her to our world, there was none that could have come to her aid. When she was taken, both Adrian and myself were otherwise indisposed. If burning did not work, crucifixion or hanging would've been the next attempt, and it would only cement the claim of her being a witch in their puny minds.

[He makes a hand motion, the saucer lifting up from the table and floating slowly to his hand where he simply stares at the contents for a moment.]

Would that I had more.

[notquitedracula]

[He sighs, admitting defeat.] That's... probably true. People were stupid back then. Still are, to some extent. I won't deny that Targoviste deserved its fate; hell, if I'd been there, I'd probably have helped.

There's plenty more in the bottle. Or, if you prefer... [He takes another bottle from his coat, this one filled with a deep red liquid. In the same motion, he gestures at the door behind the throne - it closes, for a little while at least. He makes a sealing gesture Vlad probably isn't familiar with, but which will be easy enough to break when he wishes.] I think, for one night, we can do without the whispers. There's something I wanted to let you know, about Lisa's soul. Yours wasn't the only one reincarnated in my generation. And she is by no means Christian, in her new life.

[what_is_a_man]

[Vlad arches an eyebrow, silently wondering where Soma got the booze. Surely he wasn't stupid enough to raid his wine cellar and offer it as a peace offering to its owner. Still, he'll call the bottle of red wine to his side.]

And yet she is not Lisa, just as you are not me. Reincarnation is like alchemy in that regard. The components may be the same but the end result is something wholly different. No, Lisa is forever gone. However if you do not protect her, you will feel my wrath all the same.

[notquitedracula]

[No, he bought both the red and the sake in town. Using money earned from his job, not coins scavenged from the castle.]

And yet, her soul lives on, and has returned and sought out yours. I wouldn't call that coincidence - not when it's happened twice. Or did you not remember Elisabetha, the beloved of Mathias?

[Soma sips at his sake, letting the burn of alcohol take his attention for a moment.]

You and Yahweh may not get along, but it seems someone else has decided they like you. In your travels, I'm certain you learned of other gods - and other concepts besides. Do you remember something called the Wheel of Samsara?