*Disclaimer, I do not own House of Anubis all of that belongs to Nickelodeon, Hans Bourlon and Gert Verhulst. I, however, own Cammie and her little storyline :P I hope you enjoy!*
Series 1, Episode 47~ House of Venom
Of course, Nina and Camilla where itching to tell the Sibuna's what they had overheard, but they still had the rest of Sarah's funeral to be respectful of. Which actually was a blessing to both girls – with everyone around Victor couldn't do much more than sulk, also because he joined in on the toast Trudy had to pick them up from the care home so he couldn't even grill them on the ride back to the house.
Nina called the Sibuna meeting the moment everyone was back in the house – no one commenting on the twin's awkward encounter as they lowered themselves into their normal seats next to each other at the dining room table. Clearly the stubborn Rutter gene was still working hard against them both and neither of them was going to crack easily. Camilla knew their fight was stupid but she had reasons not to let her emotions out, reasons Fabian knew better than any of them. He knew of her fears about her powers. Yes, she had some level of control over them now but the control she had was minuscule, she knew with the sheer emotion that washed over her when she heard the news about Sarah scared her with what could have happened if she didn't contain it.
"Awkward..." Alfie murmured to Amber who promptly hit him as they settled down opposite the twins. This was not the time for his comments even if they did lighten the mood the twin's tension brought to the table.
Nina thankfully launched straight into the explanation of what they had seen and overheard, "And Rufus is defiantly one of them..." She concluded.
"Or was one," Camilla chimed in, the fact Victor and him where arguing gave her the idea that he may not be a part of the little cloaked Gang Victor had going on.
"Oh, and listen to this," Nina added ignoring Camilla's interruption, "He said Joy was the Chosen One."
"I told you she was part of it!" Alfie was quick to pipe up pointing towards Patricia who simply scoffed at him.
"Alfie, she's not part of it!" Patricia argued back, causing a disbelieving look to flit from Alfie and Amber as they glance to Nina. Clearly the words ringing through their ears, Joy had to be involved somehow if Rufus of all people knew about her. "Maybe she's not choosing to be Chosen?" Patricia argued, "we need to get a hold of her." Camilla couldn't help but agree with that, a lot of things would balance out if they could just find out what Joy knew.
"So, Rufus was one of them?" Amber pipped up, going back to Camilla's point.
"They kicked him out," Camilla explained with a shrug,
"Or he left... or something," Nina added. "Oh, Victor also thinks Rufus has the puzzle pieces," Nina told Fabian with a smile, clearly, they two had been worrying about them without the rest of them knowing. "Only, he called them... eh..."
"Ank pieces." Camilla reminded her.
"Yeah, Ank pieces, I think they are more than just clues," Nina told the table at large.
"Okay guys," Fabian jumped into action, "listen up I have some news as well. I overheard the teachers talking and tonight they are going to initiate Jason fully into the society."
"So, we're going back down to the cellar?" Alfie asked the question they all could sense was hanging in the air. This caused Nina and Fabian to throw Alfie sympathetic glances but before either of them could say anything a voice called out from the hallway.
"Miss Rutter, Miss Martin," the group all turned to see Victor at the entrance to the room, "A word in my office," with that he turned on his heel, clearly not giving the girls a choice.
Camilla simply rolled her eyes at the older man's dramatic nature as she pushed out her chair and walked towards the door, only pausing to watch Nina look around at the Sibuna's worried before copying her actions. The girls didn't say a word until they were in the man's office, both sat in the chairs opposite his at his desk. Where Nina was sat upright clearly scared of what Victor was going to ask Camilla was relaxed, using her time once again to look around the room for the necklace with the Goddess Isis pendant on it. For the first time all year, she wasn't being drawn to it in Victor's office so she could only assume he had moved it somewhere else, maybe to wear during the ritual that night. Camilla was pulled out of her thoughts as Victor started to speak, "I know that you two know, that Emily Grant was, in fact, Sarah Frobisher-Smythe, so let's not pretend, shall we?" Victor was pacing behind them; Camilla could feel his annoyance as it rippled out in waved behind them, probably more at her casual laid-back manner as she crossed her arms and started tapping her fingers gently – as if waiting for him to get to his point, than at Nina who was fidgeting not giving anything away about what she did or did not know. "I also know that you two are aware of her link to this house!"
Victor glanced to the two girls, both of whom stayed silent watching him as he rounded his desk and sat down opposite them.
"She..." Nina started carefully, glancing to Camilla for encouragement before looking Victor in the eye, "She told us she used to live here, but who knows she wasn't exactly Sarah- Clarity- Smythe."
"Listen to me," Victor spoke softly if it wasn't for the whole interrogation thing Camilla would even have considered it as Victor's odd way of acting concerned about them, "Rufus Zeno is an extremely dangerous man, you have surely seen that for yourself!"
"You don't need to tell us about Rufus's dangerous ways," Camilla pipped up, "but we have survived so far, and we are a lot tougher than we look."
Victor almost smiled at her confidence, she could see his mouth turn up for almost a minute before the situation at hand came back to him and his mouth fell back into its natural frown. "I can't protect you if you don't let me in..." Camilla's head tilted at the word protect as if something about it connected her and the man in front of her. His use of it caused a comforting feeling to her, which was odd. Victor was clearly talking to Nina and not her the way his hands gestured in her direction made that clear, but that's not what caught Camilla's eye. She had never really taken much note of the caretakers' hands before, but now with them on his desk something caused her to look. On his right pinkie, there was a slight colour difference, as if a small ring with a circular top used to lay there. It had been taken off a few months ago otherwise the colour variation in his skin wouldn't be obvious. With the man's focus on Nina, she took the opportunity to glance at her own right hand where the golden ring with the circular stone on it that Sarah gave her lay snuggly on her middle finger. It was the size of a ring that would be worn on a man's pinky, and Victor had said he had had a ring similar which he had given to an old friend... could this ring be his?
Nina's voice broke Camilla out of her thinking, "I don't know anything else," Nina spoke innocently looking up at Victor, "except Rufus is after Joy's dad for some reason and that's why she's gone into hiding."
For once Nina's 'lie' wasn't one that could easily be seen through and it took everything in Camilla not to whoop as they probably were going to get out of this with nothing more than Victor being extra attentive to what the two girls were up too.
Camilla couldn't help but add, to aid her friends bluff, turning to Victor with a sweet clearly fake smile "That's what you told us, Victor, so..." The man gave the female twin a look that clearly read as un-amusement, however before he could say anything a call came from the hallway.
"Victor!" Trudy called up to the office. "Delivery!"
"Get out of my office!" the man all but yelled at the two girls, who didn't need to be told twice. Their chairs scratching against the wooden floor as they got up and hurried from the room. Camilla amazed that they got away so lightly but wasn't going to complain to the man about that.
Camilla followed Nina down the stairs neither of them saying a word but both of them sending smiles to their fellow Sibuna's who had been waiting downstairs for them. Victor followed behind his interest in the wooden crate that a cute delivery guy was holding. The delivery boy's attention more on Patricia, who clearly wasn't interested, than anything else. Nina, Camilla and Fabian, of course, watched Victor with curious eyes as he signed for the package and ushered the boy away taking the box off him. Part of Camilla wanted to know what was inside but the other part of her knew, when Victor wanted to reveal whatever it was, they would know.
"Thank you," Trudy called to the boy as he was pushed out the door, before Victor turned on his heel and raced back to his study, "I'm sure he's thrilled with... whatever it is."
Once the door was shut the woman exchanged confused glances with the Sibuna's, it seemed even she hadn't a clue what Victor was up too. That was all that was needed for Amber and Alfie to shrug their shoulders and lead the group back to the dining room, they had more pressing matters to discuss... like Victors little chat with Nina and Camilla.
"Are you okay?" Fabian asked Nina, causing Camilla to frown a little as she sat down in her chair.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Nina told him with a reassuring smile.
"I'm good too," Camilla chimed in with an annoyed tone in her voice which caused Amber to shoot Fabian a look she didn't understand, clearly the two had been talking about her whilst she had been in Victor's study, "Thanks for asking."
Fabian opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it again as Nina spoke, clearly from Camilla's tone and her body language – she didn't want to talk to him just yet.
"Just trying to shake the Victor off us," Nina joked trying to lighten the mood that the twins had made awkward again.
Amber, after another pointed look towards Fabian, spoke up, "So, what's he got in the box?" She asked the table at large.
They all looked at each other unsure, and Fabian spoke up, "Something for the ceremony maybe?"
Of course, Jerome decided that was the moment he would wander into the room looking for his partners in crime. "What box? What ceremony?" He asked, causing everyone to look round at him.
"None of your business." Patricia instantly snapped back, causing Camilla to groan internally and Alfie and her to exchange knowing glances. Shutting Jerome out would only cause the boy to dig deeper – they knew this from experience and they knew they were now treading on a thin line.
Jerome looked from Patricia to Camilla who raised her eyebrow at him. She knew the look he had on his face, and if he thought she was going to say anything he clearly thought a lot less of her than she thought. Jerome seemed to read Camilla's expression of 'as if' as clearly as she read his meddling one so turned his attention to his other best friend. "Alfie?" he asked, almost innocently though no one at the table believed the tone of voice.
Alfie had looked down at the table the moment he and Camilla's gazes broke as if he knew Jerome was going to pray on him. With Jerome's question came the rest of the Sibuna's gazes his way. "Eh," he started before glancing to Amber next to him, who subtly shook her head. "Victor's got a box..." he started slowly, "and... and..." Camilla could see the gears in Alfie's brain whizzing as they came up with some elaborate lie and from the looks around the table, she wasn't the only one worried about what was about to come out of his mouth, "I said, that maybe he's trying to build himself a robot girlfriend. And then..." Alfie continued through fake laughter, "and then get married!" this caused Amber to start fake laughing, causing Patricia and Fabian to join in. Camilla only shook her head fondly with a smile on her face, crossing her fingers under the table Jerome would buy the lie or at least give up for now.
"Right." Jerome bitterly spoke, "fine. Your little secret. I could not care less." He all but shouted before leaving the room, causing Camilla to feel a little guilty but at the end of the day the fewer people who knew the truth the better. Jerome could become hurt – especially with Rufus on the loose. The fake laughter turned to real laughter around the table as Alfie let out a huge sigh of relief.
After the Jerome outburst, the Sibuna's decided to wait until nightfall until they met again. At around 9.30 Fabian wandered into the girl's room, playing with the pocket of his dressing-gown looking nervous. "Eh, Cam..." he spoke up after a moment causing the girl to look up from the book in which she had hidden Sarah's letter to her. She was re-reading it but wasn't quite ready to share it with the Sibuna's just yet so decided to hide it. "Can we..." Fabian broke off and looked down. Camilla could read the situation though; he was done fighting and was waving a white flag. It was time for the Rutter twins to be at peace.
"I'll grab my stuff," Was all Camilla said with a smile. They were sneaking out to see what Victor was up too, it was easier to sneak from Fabian's room than to go all the way back up to her room for her slippers and a jumper again.
Camilla jumped off her bed and grabbed Fabian's jumper (something she knew he would appreciate and read as she too waving a white flag), and pulled on her slippers. Not missing the not so subtle thumbs up from Amber Fabian received – it seemed the house had the blonde goddess to thank for the tension leaving now the twins were making up. Of course, the twins didn't bring up the reason they fought as they settled in Fabian's room to watch a movie – Mick more than happy to munch on their stolen snacks from the kitchen – part of the reason they didn't fight often was because they understood each other. So, the time in silence had caused them both to think from the others POV and no more was needed to be said. Camilla understood where her brother had come from and his worry, just as much as Fabian understood Camilla's fear of what would happen if she let her raw emotions out and her need to be there for Nina. So that's how the twins, in their oddly simplistic way, became fine again.
Camilla was shaken awake by her brother around midnight, having fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. She looked around the room and saw Mick splayed out on his bed, drool leaving his mouth and pulled a face. Good luck to whatever lucky woman ended up with him one day – he clearly was a bed hog. Before she could giggle at her own joke Fabian had pulled her from the room. Thankfully the twins were back at performance peak and it took one silent conversation between them as Fabian silently shut the door to his room for them to come up with their plan. Camilla was going to wake Alfie – because boy that boy could sleep through anything if he tried hard enough – and Fabian was going to play lookout for the girls so they could sneak down safely.
Thankfully Camilla had snuck into Alfie and Jerome's room way too many times during her time at school, so she knew the exact way to turn the handle so the door wouldn't squeak, though she made sure to slip in and shut the door as quickly as she could. The smile that crept onto her face was one she couldn't help as she gazed over her boys asleep in their beds, they could almost be described as innocent though she knew better. Time was essential for them tonight so Camilla hurried over to Alfie's bed, stepping over all the clutter with ease though it looked like she was doing some weird spy dance across their room, not knowing what of the strange objects would start blaring music or noises if she stepped on it.
"Are you awake Alfie?" She whispered placing a hand on the boy as she sat down on his bed, causing it to creak a little.
The moment her hand touched him, Alfie shot straight up and clutched his duvet to him. He looked around the room frantically before focusing on Camilla and letting out a breath of relief, "I am now."
Camilla didn't say anything but clearly Alfie was still jumpy about everything that had happened, which was to be understandable, she whispered as she stood up from the bed, "Come on, we have work to do."
As Alfie clambered out of his bed there was a grumble from across the room, "What are you two doing?" Jerome asked groggily.
"We are planning a prank on Victor." Camilla quickly lied, "once we have figured out the details, we will include you,"
"At midnight though?"
"We need to measure his office!" Camilla hissed, before opening their door and letting Alfie out before shutting it behind her. Jerome was becoming too nosey and she knew he was going to get hurt if he kept going the way he was going and couldn't help but worry.
Alfie and Camilla reached the kitchen just as Fabian, Nina, Patricia and Amber (who was holding a pink back stuffed with something with her) ran into the kitchen.
"Amber?" Camilla whispered as the girl put the bag onto the kitchen top, "What's with the bag?" she couldn't help but ask the question she could read had been on Fabian's mind clearly.
"Supplies for our stakeout," Amber explained in a whispered tone as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "In case of an emergency."
"Where's Victor?" Nina asked Fabian, due to him being the one on lookout for the man.
"I don't know," the male twin replied with a shrug.
"What if he's already down there?" Alfie asked.
"I don't know if I want to do this guys..." Amber suddenly spoke up, the confidence she had had moments ago suddenly gone as the realisation of their situation hit her. They were going down to the cellar at night to witness Victor and his friends do some creepy ceremony. Not their craziest plan to date but not the sanest one either.
Camilla felt Fabian nudge her, it was time to invoke the plan – while the two were watching the movie Fabian had come up with the realisation that people might back out of the mystery again not due to not believing in it like last time but because it was getting creepier by the second. So, they came up with a very simple plan, make it look like the house was on their side – using Camilla's magic. Camilla put her hand with her ring on it behind her back and motioned to the fake oven door – in one swooshing motion, it opened causing everyone's heads to turn towards it bar the twins. Fabian quickly holding out a tissue for Camilla who could feel the blood about to drip from her nose.
"Thanks," she whispered to her twin, mopping up their bloody evidence before Nina or Patricia put two and two together.
"Okay, I certainly I don't want to do this!" Amber told her friends in a freaked-out whisper as she looked from the secret door to them.
"It's the house," Nina spoke up with confidence her eyes not leaving the open oven door, causing the twins to share a smile. "it's the house guys, it's okay," Nina reassured them all. "It's telling us its safe to go down there."
"I hate it when the house talks," Amber muttered to no one in particular, causing Camilla to let out a soft laugh and Alfie to nod his head in agreement to Ambers mutterings about the house.
"Okay," Fabian spoke up, "let's do this." He looked to Nina who nodded her head.
"I'm going to stay here," Patricia spoke up from behind the American. "there's... something I have to do." Nina and Amber didn't seem surprised at this reveal from Patricia.
"Joy?" Nina asked knowingly, causing the twins and Alfie to share a confused look. Clearly the girls had had some conversation while upstairs they three didn't know about. Patricia nodded her head slightly at this, and Nina gave her a smile, the two seemed to now be in an understanding.
"Sibuna." Nina and Patricia spoke as one.
"Sibuna." Everyone else copied putting their right hand over their eye before they moved off to do what they needed to get done.
Camilla was looking forward to the day they wouldn't need to sneak down to the creepy-ass cellar at night to watch a cult lead by their maintenance man. To be honest the girl was looking forward to the day she would get a full night's sleep without some dangerous mystery looming over her and her friends head. Fabian lead the descent into the cellar and Camilla was as disgusted as ever at the weird laboratory set up Victor had down waiting for him.
"Okay," Fabian whispered pointing his torch to the opposite side of the room, "down here." With that, he led them to a wall that would hide them from view. One by one they settled themselves on the floor, knowing it would be a long wait until Victor and his friends would appear for their ceremony.
"Its cold down here," Alfie moaned quietly as he pulled his legs to his chest trying to keep as much heat in his body as he could.
Camilla and Nina copied his actions instantly, Amber, however, took her time in opening her bag, a knowing smile creeping onto her face as she did. Once the bag was open, she pulled out three of the fluffiest jumpers Camilla had ever seen and a Fluffy blanket. Instantly she handed two of the jumpers to Camilla and Alfie who gratefully took them and pulled them on, before she turned to Nina and Fabian with a knowing look, "Anyone else?" she asked holding up the blanket to Fabiana.
As Nina looked away, Fabian couldn't help but smile a little at the blondes forward-thinking glancing to Nina before saying, "Actually, yeah."
Amber was more than happy to hand over the blanket to the male twin making sure to say, "See, the bag wasn't such a bad idea after all." Amber looked to Nina as she pulled another fluffy jumper out her bag, "Nina?"
"No thanks." Nina whispered pushing the jacket back at Amber, "it's too bright, they'll see us" Camilla and Amber both looked at the bright red jumper and they couldn't help but agree with Nina. "I'm fine." She added, almost too quickly causing both Alfie and Camilla to snort at how obviously not fine the American was.
"You can use this if you want too?" Fabian asked, holding up his blanket making it clear there was defiantly room for two. Causing Amber and Camilla to share a knowing look which they didn't bother to hide from Fabian who rolled his eyes before handing Nina some of his blankets. Fabiana was going to happen, Camilla and Amber were determined it would be the endgame for the two in front of them.
The Sibuna group didn't have to wait long before they heard keys in the door to the cellar and light filtered in from the stairs above, Nina put a finger to her lips and the five students all grouped closer together as they heard people change into robes and light candles around the room.
"Time to become a full member of the society Jason," Victor spoke out loud, causing Camilla to peek her head out from behind the wall… she wanted to see if her pendant theory was right or not. Of course, she was once again greeted to the creepy looking group of adults in their off-orange cloaks – Victor's being gold – as they stood in a semi-circle around Jason. Camilla could see the pendant around Victor's neck and she couldn't help but frown. It must be important or mean something to his society, but why was she so drawn to it? Why did she feel like it belonged to her?
She could feel her friends as they peered around the corner too and it took everything in her not to laugh, they must have looked like some strange scene out of scooby doo everyone's heads on top of one another.
"you already know about the elixir of life," Mrs Andrews spoke up.
"Brewed by Victor's father to slow down the ageing process," Jason answered the woman. "Yes."
"I am living proof. How old do you think I am, Jason? 95 years of age," Victor informed the man in front of him which caused a very unflattering facial expression to appear on Camilla's face. One she was glad no one saw. "I am 95." With that, Victor turned his back on Jason to grab a bottle with a golden liquid in it from his set up.
"You look amazing… for 95." Jason said in awe, thinking the exact thing Camilla was thinking.
"It's a potent beverage," Victor spoke as he lifted the bottle up, "but unfortunately this is all we have left."
"Sadly, Victor's father had an accident before he could pass on the secret." Mrs Andrews explained for Jason – and unknowingly the Sibuna's.
"He's tried many times over the years to replicate his father's recipe, but he has alas been unable to do so." Mr Sweet added.
"but that won't matter soon," Victor spoke up after putting the bottle back on his desk, before turning and starting to circle Jason, before turning to a statue of Anubis "once we unify the Ank with The Chosen One, we shall no longer need elixir. We can tip the scales of life, and all become truly immortal."
"Legend has it," Joy's dad spoke to Jason, "that when the Elixir of life is drunk from the Ank…"
"That's Joy's dad!" Alfie whispered to them all.
"…the person drinking from the cup of Ank gains immortality."
"And one day very soon," Victor continued for him, "we shall achieve this!" with that he turned to Jason and placed an Anubis mask over his face before starting a chant which the others joined in on. Camilla had seen this already and slipped back behind the wall, trying to make sense of what they had just heard, hoping Patricia had had more luck in her task.
"Welcome new novice," she heard Victor chant, not bothering to look out as she knew one of the others would inform her of what they saw. "we deliver you from the Valley of the Dead onto the mountain of eternal life." With that, the annoying chanting started up again.
"Yuck!" Amber exclaimed, causing Camilla's head to whip around at her and the rest of the Sibuna's scrambled quickly around the wall all of them closing their eyes and almost praying they wouldn't get caught.
"What was that?" Joys dad asked softly, and Camilla held her breath as soft footfalls grew closer to their spot. Of course, just then the world's biggest rat decided to come to join the party and she felt Amber from next to her grab her hand and squeeze it so hard she thought the girl might have broken one of her fingers. All they could do was pray to all the god's Victor wouldn't find them. And Pray to all the gods Camilla did at that moment.
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