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

[miraclewhip]

Shit. [ He repeats. He gave them a hell of an openning to get at the other two, didn't he? He knew there was a chance of this and he didn't care because it meant getting Sypha back. It's easier to regret it now she's safe. ]

...sorry. Should have known they'd jump at the chance to get to you.

[cryptsleeper]

You do realize that I also very much provoked the matter, right?

[Alucard gives up. The hand on Sypha's side rises, and reaches over to brush against Trevor.]

Could've sat there and done nothing.

[miraclewhip]

Of course you fucking couldn't have.

[ His tone isn't quite warm, but it's trying for it. It was only a day or two ago, depending on how one counts days in the small hours of the morning, wasn't it? That Trevor had told Alucard that he was a monster, but that it was his own refusal to accept it that it was wrong. That he shouldn't have been denying the existence of half of him just because it was more comfortable that way.

And that was tempting fucking fate, wasn't it? Because he's not been letting the others accept what he is, either. It's humiliating, having Alucard see him as he is. ]

[cryptsleeper]

...You're right.

[Of course he's right. Alucard let the world take from him exactly once and since then he's become his father when the world tries to do it again. It's...it's the thing that being called a monster forced him to accept, in the end. That if there is any point to be compared to his father, then let it just be this. Sparked by deep love and protectiveness, enough humanity in there to keep something truly terrible from happening.

Alucard's hand doesn't squeeze, doesn't dare demand more from Trevor. Holding onto the Belmont too tightly is fraught at the moment.]

We've been trying to figure out ways to make sure none of that happens, you know.

[Trevor should know.]

[miraclewhip]

I- probably could have guessed that, If I thought about it.

[ He didn't know, but- he really could have guessed if he'd tried. Because of course they were doing that. Of course with a hundred thousand other, more important things to do, they'd be procrastinating with the one that didn't matter. ]

You don't need to. I was born for this. Just- think of it as an opportunity to get used to puny human lifespans.

[cryptsleeper]

If there was ever going to be a place with resources to fix this, it'd be here. We'd be fools not to take advantage of it.

[He does flinch at the comment regarding lifespans. How can he not? But that isn't the point, the point is the basic stupid fear that drives the vampire.]

I'm not letting anything else take away those I care about, Trevor.

[It's possessive. It's weary. It's admitting to the fear of it all.]

[miraclewhip]

Selfish fucking-

[ No. No. It's frustrating (He's ready for this. He's been ready all his life. It's easier to be ready if there's no alternative, and every struggle against it makes it harder and more painful. He's been paid in full for what's being taken - he's a Belmont, he's benefited from that. He uses his training what seems like every day, the least he can do is pay his fucking debts for it). And maybe it is selfishness on Alucard's part.

But it's for his sake. It's because the two of them love him that they're doing this, and he can argue whether it's wise or foolish to do that, but that doesn't change the fact that they do. They do, and he wanted them to. ]

-sorry. I didn't mean- just don't let it distract you from the important shit.

[cryptsleeper]

And don't ever lump her in with those words either.

[This isn't just an Adrian's anxiety and fear issues thing. It's a Sypha thing too, it's about them, and it's about feeling the need to try everything in their power before they let anything whisk Trevor away.

The dream was easy, wasn't it? Too simple. Too clear. It'll be so much worse whenever the time comes, even with Sypha in the lead. They're agreed on that much, that the vampire cannot do the talking even if he's still regent. He's shitty at words and liable to make everything worse.

Alucard sighs.]

Really, you'll leave me an opening to point out that you're the important shit?

[miraclewhip]

Right, right. Sloppy of me.

[ He sighs and finally, finally, reaches over Sypha to touch Alucard's cheek. ]

I can't be more important than the city. I signed up for this and they didn't. But- thanks.

[cryptsleeper]

Mmm. I won't tell you details, just in case that....creature...can get that far into your head. [The vampire has no idea if the Queen was a part of a true dream or just imagination.] You'd yell at me for shitty strategy if I did.

[The vampire is so very still at that touch. He's colder than he ought to be, and hell if he could explain it should he be asked.

He can't respond to the city comment. They both know the vampire would throw the city aside for this.]

[miraclewhip]

Damn right I would.

[ The lack of a response is telling, and he hates it. He doesn't voice it any further, they're already fresh out of one fight and one disaster. They don't need him going around opening wounds that don't need opening.

(He wouldn't forgive him, if he sacrificed innocent people for his sake. Even though negligence, rather than by choice. The city has to be more important. This is what they are.)

His hand remains still on Alucard's cheek, not stroking, just there. Trembling, maybe, a little. But mostly just proof that they're both here, in their own room, with Sypha between them. ]

Not that this'll be how it works, but at the well you cover the fairy you're trying to steal with a coat of your own, so the queen can only see your own possessions. Traditionally it's green, but I don't think the colour matters that much.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard's quiet for a moment more. He's useless in the real times of crisis, it seems. Trevor has strategy, Sypha has not only her magic but her words, and he's basically a thing with a sword to wave about, rather than contribute anything else. It was Trevor that did the lion's share of the shit to do with the necromancer. It'll be Sypha carrying them forward against the fae.

He can lean against the hand on his cheek though. The vampire's hands are otherwise occupied with supporting himself up or resting on Trevor's side, thumb stroking softly against the fabric there.]

I'll remember that. The whole thing seemed...too easy, you know. Those aren't True Dreams, are they?

[miraclewhip]

Depends what you mean by 'true'. None of it's real. It won't- work like that. With the hunt. Can't, over here. Don't think it even works that way in Europe.

[ He smiles weakly at Alucard when he presses into the touch. It's nice. The awkwardness isn't gone entirely, but- it's temporary, and this is as good a reminder of that as any. ]

They're real in that they're messages. 'Hi, remember that you owe us', reminders like that. I don't see them in person over here, so. Dreams. Suppose they wanted to use the opportunity to send you the message this time, instead.

[ And the message is ours. ]

[cryptsleeper]

What I meant was she's...well and truly there, remembering any interactions had.

[Meaning she knows that the Belmont isn't going to be hers without a fight.

The vampire's not moving from where he is, which means Trevor's hand will keep being cold.]

They can fuck right off with that message though.

[miraclewhip]

Not Herself. Debt reminders are't exactly a matter worthy of a Queen's attention. One of her servants, more than likely. But yes- she'll know.

[ Cold is good. He's been curled up against Sypha basically constantly for the last few days, cold is fucking wonderful. But he chuckles, stroking Alucard's cheek finally. ]

Yeah, kind of a shitty message.

[cryptsleeper]

Ugh. Well, that removes the element of surprise, unfortunately. She's [Alucard's eyes move down to Sypha] going to be unhappy with me for that.

[There are so many problems when your girlfriend's a furnace.

Alucard's eyes flutter closed when he feels that motion, and he breathes out so much anxiety as well.]

Our imaginations should never be allowed in the same dream.

[miraclewhip]

Yeah, sorry. Consequence of that fucking spell. It'll stop soon.

[ Hopefully.

He sighs. ]

Just- don't beat yourself up over it, if the worst happens. I- am happy, that you love me. And if you can find a way out of this, I'll be grateful, but I don't expect it of you. Never have. End of the day, I already got my side of the deal. And I'd rather this than Europe be teeming with fae-vampires.

[cryptsleeper]

We've both probably been too exhausted for it to kick in earlier.

[They were running on fumes for a week before Sypha was even back with them. Now...now they're just using sheer willpower to make sure she has every need met, aren't they?]

You know that the first part is an impossible request, right?

[miraclewhip]

Yeah. Not been doing a whole lot of thinking in general these days, awake or otherwise.

[ That's a big fucking lie, but it's an easy one. ]

Just fucking try to mope about over it. I'll claw my way back just to snap you out of it with the fucking Vampire Killer.

[cryptsleeper]

I think that's the first time anyone in this house has ever been happy to be threatened with that whip.

[He's serious as he says it, but it belies a more important fact: he's taking that as a promise.]

If anyone could manage it, it'd be you.

[miraclewhip]

What can I say? I make good fucking threats.

[ Sypha stirs, just a little, and all attention has to be on her for a few moments. His hand leaves Alucard, moving back to comb through her hair, and he doesn't speak more until she's still again. When he does it's with more gravity than he was discussing the fae bullshit. This is Actually Important. ]

I'll be teaching her to use a gun, once she's back on her feet.

[ He doesn't really know if Alucard will grasp what a big deal that is, but he ought to know anyway. ]

[cryptsleeper]

[She's the force that brought them together, so there's no surprise that the moment Sypha makes a noise, Trevor's hand goes right to her. The vampire's does too, rubbing her side softly like that'll actually help.

The change of subject is...not welcome, but it is important.]

For the best. No mage is going to expect to fight someone with a firearm when it's known she uses magic.

[He gets it. Speakers are non-violent, but he won't voice the obvious.]

I can clear out an area in the backyard for a proper shooting range.

[miraclewhip]

That'd be- yeah, that's what I was going to ask. Where she could learn safely. I'll keep her on normal rounds until she finds her feet, then ask Bunicuta where she goes for the silver ones once we know she's not going to shoot anyone by mistake.

[ A long pause. ]

She said- she said she'd carry it if it meant she could always make it back to you. It was sweet. Thought you should know.

[cryptsleeper]

I'll block out an area tomorrow. No one comes around to these parts, and if anyone's sneaking onto our property, well...that means they've broken a great many enchantments and are something to worry about anyway. Just let me know when you go out to use the range.

[He just wants to be in the loop, and to avoid the area, silver bullets or not.

On the vampire's face there is suddenly a very, very weary look, mixed with the kind of soft, fond smiles that Sypha always drags out of him.]

Thank you that...that is very her, isn't it?

[miraclewhip]

It is.

[ Such massive sacrifices she's made for both of them, now. Her old life for Alucard, her old identity for him. He wants to talk about it, about how massive it is. About how much he owes her.

But he can't find the words, so he just combs his fingers through her hair one more time before finding Alucard's hand and lacing their fingers together over her. ]

This doesn't happen again. It can't.