20s AU Post

[cryptsleeper]

"Land of the Dead" (Watch on YouTube)

Current Carmilla plot outline
--Post-fire, Carmilla and Mr. Peanut team up mostly to use each other. Carmilla's spent the past several months (since November, it is now February 1925) networking, and it's clear to her that Alucard's not suited for the position and that the other two are the obvious weakness. Mr Peanut needs something back, so this is perfect on her end. Mr Peanut can only imagine the joys of vampire blood in his work, and he'd like an army of vampires for his own ends.
--Shit stirring from Mr Peanut (all of March?)
--Mr Peanut also begins to sell mis Miracle Serum, which has vampire blood in it.
--Gang is very much trying to murder Mr Peanut during this.
--Start of April, vampire gets a call from one of the blood bank contacts that 3 patients have come in and are displaying some bizarre signs. Investigation yields the fact that they're in process of turning, and they've all taken the same serum.
--Additional investigation reveals O FUCK IT MR PEANUT
--Meanwhile Carmilla's been made aware of a familiar she didn't sire, so she knows something's up. Big fight with Mr. Peanut and thus Mr. Peanut is left depowered
--Gang commits a murder
--Carmilla's well sured up on her contacts now, and it's time for open rebellion (mid-April)
--In a more subtle attempt to let Alucard just step aside, she cuts the breaks on demon car and shows up to gloat/suggest he not pull a dad and go to deal with his grief quietly while she runs the city. The how he wants to do it is up to him (black widow joke goes here.) Treffy and Sypha walk in.
--1 week of straight up rebellion; feedings, no help from allies, need to do damage control instead of fight carmilla, every dracula rule is
--MEANWHILE IN GRAVITY FALLS, triangle shows Vlad what's up to try and psyche him out, somehow this finalyl snaps Vlad out of his depression and he heads home
--Just in time for Alucard and Carmilla to be tearing each other to bits in one of the bayous, it's not going well
--Vlad coming in means the king of vampires is accosted by a belmont with a pair of blessed knitting needles and a speaker with a fucking gun and he's just like what the shit happened to the world while i was gone
--Wards around the fight means that only demon car can break the wards, everyone has to pile in.
--Carmilla gets her ass kicked AND SENT TO THE JUSTICE DIMENSION

THEN THERE WERE FAERIES.
--Prior to all of this the vampire and Sypha have done a shit ton of research on how to get their Belmont back
--Sypha has also been practicing debating with dad, which leaves everyone Very Tired.
--When Trevor is actually snatched up (1 year after marriage, it takes fae effort. Taking Arn's shape fails, so it's a lot more kidnapping by force), Sypha and Alucard go into Faerie
--But they're playing this as politics, not as heroes rescuing their damsel, so that means the faeries are just "wait what now excuse u?"
--There are 3 gates and 3 trials (the particulars we're still bullshitting.) Each is asked to sacrifice 3 things. (Alucard: voice, his titles as bestowed upon by his father and his people, i forget the third; Sypha: her human form (she's a birb), fuck what were the other two)
--They enter the court at the end of the third trial. After LITERALLY ALL THE TITLES Sypha declares she Speaks for Trevor Belmont
--Claim debate over Trevor, turns out that the rules are in Sypha's favor.
--But that means debating to leave Fae without giving up what they've chosen.
--Sypha lawyers it all out, Alucard is a safety deposit and hangs out with Fae!Trevor
--In the end, safe passage out of Faerie consists of Sypha giving up her memory of the necromancer (billed as a great mage she studied under), the vampire gives up his immortality, and Trevor is replaced with Carmilla (dad was aware of this option and OK with it), but Trevor has his ability to swear taken. He now soundslike a rubber ducky when he tries
--Everyone gets home okay, except for the AU of this AU where the gang fails, but Trevor's on their doorstep like a bat out of Hell because time doesn't work right and he's been in Hell for a WHILE.

Comments

[willpowerful]

[Sypha is listening to the radio show. This is because Sypha has only ever, in her entire life, missed one day of her radio show (probably), and even that was quickly mitigated. It is a staple, a constant. It is Important™. And she's much better these days about not being so hyperfixated on it that she ignores everything else around her, but — well.

She's still more than distracted enough that she doesn't really realize what Trevor's gotten out for them until the show is over, and she looks up to wine and mugs and who actually needs more than wine and mugs for romance, anyway.]

My, my. Do your grandmothers know you have that?

[She says, as she makes grabby hands for her mug, which is probably affirmation in and of itself.]

[miraclewhip]

You think anything happens in the church without them knowing? Especially how the good father distributes this stuff among the thirsty masses?

[ Which is to say only the one who's a bad fucking influence. He hands Sypha the ceramic mug that's painted with orange cats. His own is a white and blue tin one. ]

This is all I get for the rest of the month, but it seems like a good night for it. Got a lot of shit to talk about our dear Absent King. Lot of great ideas about where he can shove a stake or three.

[willpowerful]

Oh, you changed back.

[Is she disappointed? Not to see Adrian, certainly, but maybe a little bit that she is being deprived of the chance to snuggle with a big fuzzywuzz.]

It's a fort. Made out of cushions and pillows, and a blanket. It's very important, for warmth purposes, or something like that.

[cryptsleeper]

Hm, that sounds closer to Trevor for this is going to annoy the vampire, so I must do it to my utmost.

[Alucard pauses, catching the look on Sypha's face. There's a scoff, then a very resigned:]

Did you want me to remain in that form?

[willpowerful]

Then we will have to enjoy ourselves enough tonight to last a month's worth.

[She takes the mug gleefully, turning it around to look at the cats (her favorite, the orange ones) before offering it out for a pour, one hand underneath and one hand wrapped around the side.]

The vampires have better in quality, I think, but the careless ones forget and put blood in it and ruin it for all the ones who aren't vampires.

[miraclewhip]

You can't say that and then tell me I get to choose dinner. You know I'm a spiteful fuck.

[ Close is allowed. Encouraged, even. Close doesn't change anything of note, and their hosts are in possession of the same kind of sadistic streak that drives children to tear the wings from insects. Close means that they can tear the vampire from their tribute, when the time comes, with all the giggling joy that comes with it. ]

She deserves first choice. I'm- fairly sure I don't need to eat, like this, and she'll be ravenous. But if she can't decide, something quick. We can have fancy food later, you getting back to us sooner is more important.

[cryptsleeper]

I would hope you might consider restraining your spite for maybe a minute to give me an actual answer. [A hope that has already been dashed.] Pasta, then. It'll cook quickly and she'll be satisfied. I think I have sauce in the freezer.

[The vampire had learned to freeze things for late night meals some time ago. It has serves the three of them well ever since.]

But the point remains, you get to pick the fancy food. I'll try and make one of your grandmothers' apple pies and you can tell me how I have failed.

[He knows that to be this close runs a risk. But there was an agreement before any negotiations were finalized, Sypha would have to run the draft by the vampire. So tearing cannot happen so easily.]

[miraclewhip]

Wouldn't know.

[ And he uncorks the bottle, filling Sypha's mug. ]

Some of us aren't allowed to drink without the vampire sniffing the glass between every sip. Not even I'm that desperate.

[ Belmonts are really, really likely targets for poisoning, okay. ]

[willpowerful]

Do you want to be cuddled while you are large and furry with ears? If not I will cuddle you with two arms and no fur, just the same.

[The cuddles themselves, however, are apparently non-negotiable.]

[willpowerful]

Mmmm. You weren't there, at the one where the vampires tried to get me to drink blood without knowing.

[SHE SAYS, OFFHANDEDLY, JUST LIKE THAT, AS SHE ACCEPTS HER ALCOHOL.]

It's fun when he's protective, though, isn't it?

[cryptsleeper]

[It's at this point that Alucard's careful to shift himself from laying down on the floor. It isn't comfortable, and the vampire has a theory about how high the peak is. He fits under it, just barely, and that feels very much on purpose.]

It's harder to kiss you if I have four paws.

[miraclewhip]

I'm pretty sure I photosynthesize right now. Excuse me for not being great at thinking about food.

[ It's said in good humour, at least. And it doesn't have to be gallows humour. It's only a gallows if someone dies at it, after all. And Sypha might still succeed. ]

Balmos. Your choice of what to serve it with. Some kind of meat, probably.

[ He doesn't want to think too hard about meat, right now. He knows what kinds of things the court eat, regardless of whether they actually need to. Alucard's need for blood is one thing. Their hosts' taste for boy and girl-flesh that they don't even need is something else entirely. ]

[willpowerful]

Oh? And what do paws have to do with it, hmm?

[She scoots over, putting herself just close enough that she's technically within what one might call arm's reach.]

It seems to me that's something you would use your snout for, not your paws.

[cryptsleeper]

Oh, so you can know you photosynthesize but I have to fight you about if limbs grow back. I swear, Trevor.

[His put upon sigh is so very fake. The limb argument is stupid, always will be.]

Grilled vegetables over top. Bell peppers to begin with, onions as well, I don't know what else. Whatever the market can offer me. Or else I'll have a roux and figure out what to add to it.

[Some kind of meat can be figured out in a bit. Alucard had witnessed fae food habits exactly once and he wanted no part of even thinking about what was on the table.]

[cryptsleeper]

Too hard to hold onto you.

[He sees that scoot, along with the distance that feels so very, very deliberate. So what else is a vampire to do but reach out to Speaker that's decided he's hers and drag said Speaker into his arms with a little too much enthusiasm.]

I couldn't do that, for example.

[miraclewhip]

Hey, whatever the fuck I'm doing to not need to eat right now, it's been pretty fucking demonstrable since the first year or so. If you can prove that a limb wouldn't grow back right now, be my guest.

[ Photosynthesis isn't quite right, but it's something like that. Maybe later he'll regret not investigating how the fuck it works, to feed on sunlight and birdsong, because it's a very Belmont thing to need to know more about. Or maybe later he'll forget and regret nothing.

And- fuck. The first year or so. He's spent the span of what must be his entire lifetime so far away from them. Away from anything. It hurts, a little, to consider that he's been alone here for so long and he pulls Alucard tighter. ]

Don't really care what it is, just want to eat at the table with the both of you again.

[miraclewhip]

What the fuck, vampires. [ Aka basically the Belmont family motto. ] Human blood, or-

[ If they were trying to turn her and he wasn't informed then he and Alucard are going to have Serious Words About Shit The Belmont Needs To Know. But for now he just pours wine into his own mug, setting the rest of the bottle down on the coffee table and settling into the couch next to Sypha. ]

You know I'm still too sober to admit that. [ And he chuckles. ] Maybe a little.

[cryptsleeper]

[The first year or so he says, and the vampire cringes for it. It hasn't been a year. It's been a day. A really long, exhausting day that just feels like so many more days instead. The exhaustion has helped in it's way. It's prevented him from making a scene, from demanding how dare anyone pull this on the three of them after all they've been through (and Sypha has told him to behave.)

He sighs.]

I'm pretty sure that dubious science experiments would be looked upon poorly. Even if I want to do something spiteful.

[It was easier to be spiteful around vampires, after all. For a time Alucard was in charge of them, spite meant showing off his station and keeping everyone in line. That...does bring up something though.]

Soon. Soon as she's able to finish. [They're wrapped around each other now, aren't they? Not as they normally might be, the configuration of limbs here is stranger than normal, but it is still there.]

I...there's something I've been wondering for a time now. The second time you were on my doorstep, [our doorstep, your doorstep] Damien was muttering something inane about a prophecy or tale. Do you know what he was referring to?

[miraclewhip]

I- don't remember a whole lot from back then. [ He admits, before realizing that here, here that means something different. (And that might be the case, there's a lot he doesn't remember even like this. Unimportant things, like the name of Alucard's city or how the roads go. He remembers the two of them. He remembers his grandmothers. He remembers Katerina and the endless fucking line of suitors she has, mortal and vampire alike and none of them good enough in his grandmothers' eyes. The things that matter.) ] I don't think I remember much from back then even normally. Just that fucking curtain pole. It was- kind of a weird time to be in my head, I think.

Do you remember what he said? He was one of the old world ones, and there's a fuckload of prophecy bullshit comes from europe.

[cryptsleeper]

I hated that curtain pole.

[Hated it, but he's still kept it. It's locked away in a trunk now, along with all the other stupid little things that mean something to the vampire. One of his mother's dresses. The first pair of shoes Sypha ever danced her entire way through. All the precious things that he knows he'll want to cling to when they're gone.

(He told Sypha to barter his lifespan if it would help. It's selfish, maybe, making sure his time without them is shorter.)

It's easier to focus on that damn thing than the rest of what he's said. Forgetting certain elements of that nightmare, that's understandable. Better that it be something he chose to block out than this place made him forget.]

Not really. I cut him off before he could get too far into it, reminding him that the house was far more concerned with future things than dusty old world prophecy.

[miraclewhip]

I liked it. It was a good curtain pole.

[ Were it anyone else, he’d be terrified if he knew what Sypha might be trading. Offering your time to the fae doesn’t necessarily mean a shorter life, more likely a life of service to them. But Sypha is clever with words. She won’t let that happen. ]

...did he mention Sypha? [ There is one prophecy he knows of. One that would match the false devotion that Damien had to Alucard. ]

[cryptsleeper]

It was a shitty crutch, in all sense of the word.

[Some times, you just have to go Full Arwen with what you're giving up.]

In so much that she existed and all the bullshit possessiveness vampires have? Yes. [He's including himself in that statement, at least.] Beyond that, I probably would have torn his throat out.

[miraclewhip]

[ He considers it further for a moment, and then gives a bark of laughter. ]

Well shit, that was a hell of a fucking accusation he was making.

[ And also, well shit, he had the world’s shittiest vampire pegged as a Soldier and that’s adorable. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard pulls back, just for a moment. Just so Trevor can witness the what the fuck did you just figure out? face that's all narrowed eyebrows and fangs accidentally slipping out.]

You can't figure this out and then not share with me.

[miraclewhip]

He thought that you were trying to usurp your father’s throne. He was accusing you of preparing to kill him.

[ Which is the stupidest fucking thing and who could even imagine such a thing happening???? ]

It’s a prophecy that the Speakers used to tell us, to try to dissuade us from fighting your father. They’d say it wasn’t the right time yet. The reign of Dracula will end only when the Prince becomes the Soldier, with a Scholar as his sword and a Hunter as his sheild.