A/N: So this crossover was born from me and my friend's love for both Van Helsing and POTO. We were simply talking about the two one day and I suddenly said: "Dude, imagine a crossover between them" and thus this idea came to see the light. Bear in mind that I am merely having fun with this, writing it for the enjoyment of my friend and I (although I really hope you all like it too!) and that I can be a pretty slow updater… so if you decide to read and tag along for the ride, prepare to have to kick my butt into gear on occasion xD
I guess I should explain a few things before we begin:
While this follows the Van Helsing movie a bit, it is not the exact same and some of the events happen in different ways to different characters (I don't want to completely copy everything after all). The ages have also been changed a little and I imagine the characters to look like their 2004 movie counterparts. Now, onto the characters:
Christine is 20
Erik is 32
Nadir is 30
Meg is 21
Raoul is 25
Madame Giry would hit you with her cane if you asked her how old she is.
Now, I've gone on long enough so… Disclaimer and then on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own POTO or Van Helsing but I sure as hell wish I did.
…
"Van Helsing, you murderer!"
Placing her hat firmly back on her head, the dark-clad figure turned away from the scene below. Clouds moved to cover the quarter moon, shrouding the streets of Paris in darkness as she made her escape into the night. Descending down to the back streets below, she retrieved her liver chestnut mare and spurred her to a brisk gallop with only one destination in mind. The echo of the mare's hooves as they struck the damp cobblestone was the only sound in the empty side street.
Silently she cursed herself, she was not supposed to have killed her target but instead bring him back to the Vatican City church back in Rome. She sighed, her breath appearing as a fine mist in the cold night air. Yes, she was going to be receiving an earful for this one.
…
It took nearly a month on horseback to reach the church and needless to say both horse and rider were exhausted. Christine led her horse to the stables, brushed her down and made sure she had plenty of fresh water and oats. "Good girl Sigur," She soothed. "You did well my friend."
Afterward she headed into the church itself, walking down the hall toward one of the confession booths. She entered it and closed the door behind her, clasping her hands together as if in prayer. "Forgive me for I have-"
"Sinned." Came the sharp voice from the other side. "Yes, I know. That is always the case isn't it?"
The panel in the confession booth opened and light flooded in from the other side, causing Christine to turn her head away slightly with a grimace. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust but when they did she could now clearly see the stern, aging woman on the other side. "You broke a church window, you know?" She sounded so irate that Christine couldn't help but give the barest of smirks in amusement.
"I'm sure the good lord will forgive me, Madame. Besides, it was our dear friend mister Hyde that shattered the window." Christine told her, the small smirk of amusement never fading.
"I'm sure," The woman spoke curtly, not finding humour in the situation as the young woman beside her did. "And where, pray tell, is this… dear friend of ours?"
She knew what had happened, Christine knew, the older woman simply wanted to hear it come from her lips. With a sigh, Christine once again turned away from the woman and leaned back against the back of the confession booth. "Mister Hyde is presently… indisposed."
"Your methods of stopping these creatures attract far too much attention, Van Helsing," The older woman snorted, turning to glare at Christine with a stern, icy expression that never failed to put anyone in their place. "Seriously my dear? There are wanted posters practically all across Europe!"
Christine fought the urge to roll her eyes at the name. "The good people of Europe decided to give me that name, it was not I that came up with it. Besides, Madame Giry, they still think me a man. They have no suspicions that it is really a woman beneath all that dark clothing."
"If you continue on this way I have no doubt that they will soon uncover the truth," Madame Giry warned. She turned away and straightened herself, placing her hands firmly in her lap. "And I would have preferred you kept Hyde alive and brought him back for examination."
"Well, we do not always get what we want in life-" She stopped immediately at the tight-lipped look Madame gave her and scowled like a disobedient child.
"When the order found you as a lost child on our doorstep we knew that the lord had sent you here, that you had a purpose and were meant to do god's work." Madame Giry told her.
"And why couldn't he do it himself?" Christine snapped.
"Do not blaspheme," The older woman growled, pulling a lever that released the secret door in the back of the confession booth. "Now come, we have much to discuss." And with that she grasped a torch and began leading Christine down the winding stone stairs.
"I'm not going to like this am I?" Christine muttered, following Madame Giry down to the order's secret underground headquarters. She had been down here several times before, before the order would send her away on missions.
"Whether you like it or not you have no other choice but to accept." Madame Giry told her, leaving no room for argument. "It is the duty of the order to protect the people of Europe from evil, and it is your duty to serve the order."
"So you keep reminding me." Christine mumbled.
"Cease your mumbling!" Madame Giry reprimanded, hitting her over the head swiftly with her cane. "It is highly un lady-like."
"Nothing I do is very lady-like," Christine growled through clenched teeth, rubbing the tender spot on her head. "And hitting people with canes doesn't seem very becoming either."
Madame waved her hand dismissively. "There is no time for this, I must give you your assignment and send you on your way quickly. This is a highly urgent matter."
"How urgent?" Christine asked, her eyes wandering over the various gadgets and weapons laid out on the table before them.
"The 'people are dying' kind of urgent," Madame stated. "We need you to go back to Paris. No doubt you have heard of the fire at the opera house during your travels? The previous owners have told our intelligence that a monster, a ghost, had been haunting the opera populaire, making demands and causing havoc and killing people when those demands were not met. He was called The Phantom and not even two weeks ago he cut down the chandelier and set fire to the opera house in a rage, killing several people in the process."
"But you do not believe that he is a ghost?" Christine guessed. "You think that he is a mortal that can be stopped?"
"What ghost physically strangles people to death?" The older woman answered flatly. "At first it was thought that after the blaze this mysterious phantom had left, but as of recently anyone who has dared enter the remains of the building has never been seen again. Few people have ever seen him and lived to tell the tale. They claim that he is inhumanly tall and thin, that his skin is like yellowed parchment and his face looks like death itself, with blazing golden eyes and a hole where a nose never grew."
"And you want me to go and stop this monster?" The brunette guessed, running a finger over the barrel of a repeater lying on the table. "Will there be no time for my horse and I to recover? Sigur is exhausted from the trip, it would kill her to try and make it once more."
"Then take Cesar," Madame Giry instructed. "He is a young and fresh horse, has not been worked in well over a week. He will serve you well."
After gathering up supplies and new weaponry, Madame Giry led Christine through a shortcut to the stables. She looked over her shoulder at the young woman, her eyes betraying a hint of her concern. "I advise that you take someone with you."
"Madame," Christine said shortly. "You know that I work alone. Having someone with me will only serve as a hindrance."
"Then be careful my child," The older woman told her, clasping Christine's hands in her own in a rare moment of tenderness. "According to the owners of the opera, this phantom has been terrorising them for years and not once has he been caught. He will undoubtedly be quick and cunning, do not underestimate your target."
"I will not Madame," Christine assured her, fitting a saddle and tack to Cesar as she spoke. She placed her supplies into saddle bags and then mounted the pitch black stallion. Nudging his sides lightly she spurred the horse into a steady walk, and then looked over her shoulder with a small smile that could almost be considered cocky. "Besides, I am always careful."
And with that she jabbed her heels into Cesar's sides and with a cry of 'yah!' the young stallion broke into a gallop.
…
A/N: Yay! Finally, I got the first chapter done. It took me a bloody long while, I get waaaay too distracted. I know this one was short, but it is only the first chapter and I do promise that they will get longer as the story progresses.
I'd love to know what you all think, so reviews are appreciated. Til next time! :D