Only Human

Chapter 2 - Finding a Solution Part I

"Oh, no. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!"

Dracula was frantic as he looked himself over, feeling that same wave of panic that he felt when he first saw himself as a human. Now, he was still faced with the same fangless, frail (and somewhat pudgy) body that he had been stuck in since that day. He snatched the ray from Mavis's hands, attempting to zap himself with it again. And then again. And again. But each time the ray's red light washed over him, he still came out looking the same.

Mavis gasped and snatched the ray back before he could try it out for a fifth time. "Dad, no, stop! You might hurt yourself or break it!"

"What? No! Give it back, Mavy!" Drac cried, trying to grasp it again, but she held it just out of reach. "Please! I need to be a monster again!"

"But it's not working!" Mavis protested as the others began to gather around.

"What is going on here?" Murray asked, trying to hide his distaste at Griffin being disrobed again.

"Drac's not transforming back!" Griffin explained. He cocked his head toward the distraught man, who was holding his head in his hands and pacing around madly. Ericka had come up next to him and was trying to speak soothingly in reassurance.

"Honey, please calm down. I'm sure we'll figure out what's wrong," she said softly.

But Dracula shook his head. "Oh, Ericka, I don't understand! Why didn't it work? I need to try again!" He tried to make towards Mavis again, but she held him by the shoulders.

"Drac, don't! You tried multiple times and it didn't work. Mavis is doing what she can!"

Drac gave a little wail and plopped down on the ground, practically hyperventilating. He peeked at his daughter through his fingers as she fiddled with the ray. Then he gazed up at his wife. "Oh, Ericka... what's happened?"

She shrugged apologetically. "I didn't even know about the monsterfication ray and what it could do until Mavis and I went to go see great-grandfather. He told us about how the ray was going to continue mutating Johnny until he stayed a monster permanently." She thought about it for a moment, tapping her finger against her chin. Then her eyes widened. "But maybe..."

Drac's eyes lit. "Maybe what?"

Ericka's face turned grim as she looked at him. Glancing up, she met Mavis's gaze. She had stopped trying to mess with the monsterfication ray and was now wearing the same expression as Ericka. She had already realized what the woman was about to say.

"Oh, Drac..." Ericka said, clasping her hands. "It's possible that we didn't transform you in time."

Dracula paled. "W-what do you mean?" he stammered.

Ericka sighed, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "Honey, maybe whatever power was in the ray kept mutating inside of you. We just couldn't see it happening, and now..." She trailed off, feeling terrible for his situation.

Drac processed the words slowly. "So... I'm stuck... like this... forever?!" He yelled out at the last word, exasperated and horrified by the prospect of staying human. Trapped in a body that was weaker and prone to sickness and injury, and bound to grow old and die whilst the rest of his family and friends lasted for centuries more. "Oh, no, no, Ericka, this can't be!" He gripped her by the arms and stared desperately into her eyes. "Turn the blimp around, honeybat. We'll go back into the cave and find a better crystal from the cave, a stronger one that can change me back!"

Ericka opened her mouth to protest, but Murray beat her to it.

"Woah, woah, woah, Drac, we can't do that!" the mummy cried out. "First of all, we're already half-way across the Atlantic! And second, do you not remember what we had to go through when we went to get this crystal for the ray? I almost got fried!" He shuddered to remember that terrible cave with its falling stalagmites and blasting volcanic magmas that nearly burned him.

"Uncle Murray is right, Dad," Mavis agreed. "Besides, that was the crystal that the ray led us to. If there was another, we would have known."

Ericka patted her hand on Drac's slumped shoulder. "We can ask great-grandfather what to do when we get back. Maybe he'll know how to fix it."

The vampire-turned-human groaned more. Van Helsing was the one that got them into this mess! He wanted to change back now. He had had enough of his human self, and he missed the powerful Count he used to be.

Looking at his distressed father-in-law, Johnny couldn't help but also feel a little guilty. He approached Drac, his hands clasped together. "Drac, I'm sorry... this is all my fault."

Drac whipped his head up at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Well, if I hadn't overacted the way I did I wouldn't have mutated as much and caused you guys so much trouble in trying to change me back to being human. You would've probably been able to change back if all that time hadn't been wasted." He hung his head.

Drac couldn't believe what he was saying. He grabbed Johnny by the shoulders and made him look him right in the eye. "Johnny, do NOT apologize for that. You were right to react the way you did. I lied to you about something I shouldn't have." Ensuring that Johnny believed his words, he pulled the redhead in for a hug, the human startled at first but then happily returning it.

"I know you lied, Drac," Johnny said. "But it doesn't mean you have to suffer this type of consequence!" He gestured at Drac's human body. Then he turned to address the others with determination on his face. "Come on, guys! We've still got half an ocean out there to cross. Maybe we can find a way to help Drac before we even get back to Transylvania!"

The monsters exchanged glances with one another first, then looked back at Johnny and gave him nods.

"Count me in!" Murray said.

"You'll be good in no time, buddy!" Frank said.

"Yeah, we got your back, Drac!" Griffin said.

"You'll be a control freak vampire again before you know it!" Wayne assured.

Ignoring the urge to frown at the werewolf for that last comment, Drac pushed down his worries and tried to be optimistic as he saw his friends huddle together and brainstorm. Perhaps, they really would find some sort of solution. At least it wouldn't hurt to try.

He hoped.