Castlevania: Reunions

21: Van Helsing

"Dad... This is Gabriel van Helsing" Stella says seeing her father in the kitchen "So that's why Ruby was so happy" Trevor says "Also, your bow is about to break" "Right, I was planning to ask about that" Stella says and they hear Leon outside, cursing like only a Belmont can "Relax" Sypha says "Just come in Lianne, Ruby and Adrian said they would visit, maybe you'll feel more at ease then" "Dad what in gods name is the meaning of that?!" Leon asks "What?" Trevor asks "The deer you were going to skin and cook, his girlfriend works in an inn" Sypha says "Oh I like your brother" Gabriel whispers to Stella, who grins "Told ya", he tenses up when Rose runs in and hugs Stella tightly "She's harmless" Stella says hugging the girl tightly "Harmless? She-" "Is outside during the day, please don't raise you weapon against my daughter" Ruby says walking in carrying a bag and you can see the exact moment the van Helsing recognizes her "You killed Godbrand" "Actually-" "She did" Trevor says "And you helped save humanity from Dracula" Gabriel adds "With Trevor, Sypha and Adrian yes" Ruby says picking up Rose "Quite the party you have here Trevor, what's the occasion?" Adrian asks "And you forgot her coat" he adds looking at Ruby "My bad, Lisa said she packed everything" Ruby says "Family dinner" Trevor answers "And if Sypha catches you using a weapon you're dead". Rose, having mastered the art of teleportation, takes the hat Gabriel refused to take off "Well this is great" Sypha says "Ruby Adrian, can you two go hunting? We need more then I thought since Trevor forgot he already hunted, we can't use everything" "We can go hunting, but-" "I'll go, you two-" Ruby looks at Adrian, who's holding their daughter and at Gabriel, who's holding a loaded crossbow "I better not find out you two got into a fight over something stupid as a hat". When she comes back she drags the deer to the kitchen "Sypha took his crossbow" Stella says and it's no surprise the human hunter tries lifting Ruby's crossbow and fails "How do you carry that thing with one hand?" he asks "Easy, I grab it and pick it up" "Still can't believe they let you keep it" Adrian mumbles "I switched ammo to non silver arrows" Ruby counters "Besides, it wasn't my idea to keep it" "Wait... You live with a dhampir?" Gabriel asks looking at Ruby "And I married Adrian, so?" she asks "But you're from one of the best hunter family, why-" "Gabriel" Stella cuts in and he wisely shuts up "I like the hat" Rose says "It's not yours honey" Adrian says "Give it back alright?", Rose pouts and Gabriel sighs "I want it back when I leave alright?" "Yaay, hear that daddy? I can borrow it for now" Rose says, it finally, finally clicks that Rose is Adrian's daughter "You two don't have the air around you that most vampires have" he says "Correct" Ruby says "Neither does Lisa, wonder why", she could sense any vampire, but not Lisa, her brother, or Sypha.

Dinner goes smoothly, Lianne is scolding Leon for never telling her he's a Belmont and Stella is talking to Gabriel about their last hunting trip "You know, there are worse things then Dracula" Stella says when the topic comes up "Godbrand won't stay dead" "Next time when they're dying we'll burn his body first" Trevor comments "They were poisoned and had we waited any longer they would have ended up worse then they did" Sypha adds "You nearly died fighting a vampire?" Gabriel asks looking at Ruby "Shit happens to everyone, even to dhampir's" "Do I need to remind you that you two would've been dead too many times to count had you been human?" Trevor asks "And do I need to remind you that you would've been dead a long time now if you hadn't reached Gretis, Sypha would still be a statue and Adrian probably would've been woken up by Lisa and me" Ruby counters crossing her arms "Because Trevor, while you were being a drunkart I actually did something with my life" "Right, like nearly being killed-" "Trevor" Sypha warns him when Ruby clenches her fist "I'd like to see you sutvive that at that age" Ruby says before disappearing "Fuck" Trevor says "I hadn't meant to say that" he says "Let her, her mother found out two days ago and she's been in a terrible mood ever since" Adrian says "Shit, how did that go?" "Their usual discussions, but a lot worse" Rose says while yawning "How did she find out?" "Not sure, you should ask Ruby when she comes back from her werewolf hunt", this makes Trevor worried "You realize there are a lot of werewolves in this area right?" Sypha asks "The forest here is an easy hunting ground" "If we go after her what do you think will happen?" Leon asks. Adrian is up before Trevor can register the scent, but he's handed Rose "Adrian wait!" Sypha says, but the door's closed "I'll go after him" Gabriel says and he follows the dhampir.

Gabriel is stopped when he wants to enter a small clearing, in said clearing is a group of werewolves surrounding an injured pitch black wolf with familiar blue eyes "Now what do we do?" he askd quietly "We help, get in a tree" "What about-", but Adrian runs forwards, shifting into his wolf form. They manage to scare the werewolves "Ruby are you an idiot?" Adrian asks "I'm fine" she says "You don't look fine" Gabriel says "I said I'm fine" she snaps "Ruby calm down, how did your mother found out?" Adrian asks "She read my journal after finding it in my room" Ruby says "I know the others wouldn't have told her, so I... prevented a dracula 2.0 action and may have shot her with a sleeping dart" "Was her reaction that bad?" Gabriel asks "Yes it was, except she has the forces to kill everyone in a week or two, if not less" Ruby says "And I've been in this terrible mood since then, she wouldn't listen, wouldn't stop cursing and throwing death threats for all the humans" "I'm glad I wasn't there" Adrian says 'What did mother say?" "She said and I quote 'You saved the world once you can do it again', but this woul be different for me".

When Trevor hears what happened he sighs looking at Ruby "I'm sorry for being an inconsiderate ass" "Do you actually know what that means Trevor?" Adrian asks, Gabriel is, surprisingly, letting Rose sit on his shoulders, the young girl is a perfect mix between a Belmont and a Tepes and it was amusing to watch "I need some sleep" Ruby says "No I take it back, I need a lot of sleep". "Mommy" Rose says "Grandma's here?", at that question both Adrian and Ruby shoot to their feet and the doors closed before anyone else can react "Look I may have overreacted" Carmilla says "Yeah considering she went werewolf hunting" Adrian says so Carmilla goes to check her daughter for injuries, well more injuries "I'm fine" Ruby says "You're not fine" Carmilla says "I will be once you finally learn that not all humans are the same, now where's the damn portal?" "Ruby-" "Where is it! I need to talk to Vlad and Lisa", Gabriel raises an eyebrow at the name 'Vlad' "I guess we're stuck watching Rose again" Stella says "Isn't Vlad Dracula?" Gabriel asks "No, Vlad is a big teddybear, Dracula's a mean guy" Rose says.