The Wish
Van Helsing is given the chance of one wish; he can have anything in the world. What will he wish for? And what will happen because of his choice?
Disclaimer: I don't, sadly, own Van Helsing or any of the characters within said wonderful movie, but the fortune teller lady is mine...
"Come in, troubled one," said the old lady, smiling up at him from her table as he entered. "You are confused."
Van Helsing sat in the small chair in front of her table. "How can you tell?"
The fortune teller smiled knowingly and tapped the black crystal ball sitting in a twisted metal stand on the table. "If you know how to look, then you can see."
"So tell me. What am I supposed to do?"
The old lady was suddenly serious. "You have a choice," she said.
"A choice for what?" Van Helsing found he couldn't move, his eyes trapped by her own glittering, swirling ones.
"You may have one wish, Gabriel. Anything you want. Eternal life, riches, your memories back..."
Van Helsing was silent. He could know who he truly was. . . but- "Why are you doing this?"
The old lady smiled at him sadly. "Because it is my fate to ask, and yours to answer."
"Anything at all."
"Anything."
Van Helsing took a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh. "I wish. . . I wish I never killed Anna Valerious."
"Granted," said the old lady with a brilliant smile. Her face vanished in a swirl of multicolored lights, and Van Helsing found himself falling into an inescapable darkness.
Xx
"Hmm," muttered Carl to himself, inspecting a blown-glass ball that spun in the slight wind. "Where is Van Helsing?..."
The ball started spinning faster, fading into dancing colored lights before Carl fell into darkness as well.
Xx
Carl gave a shriek as the darkness faded, finding himself standing in the rain inside a ruined castle, holding a silver stake in one hand. The giant black werewolf backed away from the fallen form of Count Vladislaus Dracula, growling. He turned his silver wolf eyes towards Carl, then spun at Anna's shout.
"For God!"
Carl watched helplessly as the werewolf lunged, slamming into the Transylvanian princess and the two crashed into the far wall. It was happening all over again...
Looking down at the silver stake in his hand, Carl took a deep breath and started to run towards the werewolf.
With a roar, the werewolf spun around and caught his wrist before Carl could plunge the stake into his back. Carl gulped, seeing the slather dripping from the huge fangs, so close to his face.
The werewolf looked down, as did Carl, and the friar watched in relief as the werewolf pulled the empty syringe from his side and dropped it to the stone floor.
Remembering what had happened the last time, Carl started forwards, saying, "Anna?"
The werewolf turned away from the friar, reaching down to lift up the still form of Anna. Her eyes were closed.
And she was breathing.
"Oh, thank God!" breathed Carl.
The muzzle shrank, the fur dropped away, and Van Helsing turned back into himself. Tears ran down his face, but he was smiling.
Xx
"I have never seen the sea," said Anna wistfully, watching Van Helsing and Carl pack their things.
Van Helsing looked up. "You want to?"
"You mean that?"
"Of course."
Anna gave a shriek of childish delight and crushed him in a hug, then ran upstairs to pack.
And they all lived happily ever after.
___________________________________________________________________________
Me: Okay, I know, rather childish of me but I couldn't help it... Anna wants to see the sea; fine. Van Helsing, take her with you.
Van
Helsing: But-
Me: No buts! Now hurry up.
Van Helsing: *long tortured sigh*
Me: Oh, shut up.