Chapter 233
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Note: Adrian Griffin and Cecelia are from the 2020 version of "the Invisible Man." Jack Griffin is frm the original 1933 classic. The second Monster Squad is from the 1976 television series of the same name. It's unrelated to the 1987 movie, but thanks to me they are all together. Enjoy.
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In college Phoebe learned how for centuries the ruling class threw elaborate parties. The point was not neccessarily to give pleasure to their friends, but often to show off their wealth. People didnt come because they liked the person throwing the party, but because they were afraid of them. Such was the case with this party at Castle Dracula. Those who came seemed to be doing better than the other peasants, they owed their relative success to Dracula, had to stay on his good side, praying that he had one. There were plates and goblets made of solid gold, anyone could drink from them. But only Dracula himself could touch one plate, made of what was once the most valuable material in the world, aluminum. Nobody here dared mention that aluminum had become much more common since Dracula's time, let him have his delusions. His vampire minions provided security, which also included versions of the invisible man, including Jack Griffin and Adrian Griffin. Dracula was speaking to the mummy, who in life had been the pharoh Imhotep. A cruel pharoh who enslaved many peoples, slaughtered entire villages, and tortured his servants for sadistic pleasure. Somehow Dracula had brought him back to be his servant, before they were defeated by the Monster Squad. Now, in Hell, Imhotep was Dracula's right-hand minion. Phoebe deduced that a king who once claimed to be a god, probably didn't like serving anyone else, maybe she could exploit that. Dracula brought her out in a fine dress, made it clear that no other man was allowed to touch her. Still, Imhotep came to brief Dracula on something, Phoebe spoke to him.
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Phoebe: I've never met a real pharoh before, it's an honor.
Imhotep: Thank you.
Phoebe: This castle must be quite an adjustment after living in a pyramid.
Imhotep: It is, but we must all adjust to this place.
Phoebe: Must be more difficult for you, going from being worshipped as a god to working for someone else.
Imhotep: It has been difficult, yes.
Phoebe: Yeah, I mean Dracula was what, five hundred years old, you were three thousand? I mean to work for a much younger tyrant...
Dracula: Fortunately my friend here is wise enough to choose the winning side. Let us dance.
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Dracula dragged Phoebe to the dance floor and gestured to the orchestra to begin playing Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach. Phoebe was not suprised that Dracula enjoyed this particularly eerie music. He also used this opportunity to threaten Phoebe as they danced.
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Dracula: You think I do not see that you are turning my minions against me?
Phoebe: Worth a shot.
Dracula: Do not bother. Your friend, Frankenstein, will die when he comes, you will see that. I will kill all of your other friends in front of you. But before your brother dies he will see me defile you. Then, you will die, and your head will decorate this castle.
Frankenstein: Phoebe.
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Dracula and Phoebe turned around. It seemed that Dracula had been right, the Frankenstein monster did come for her.
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Frankenstein: Let her go.
Dracula: Very well. But only so I can destroy you first. You have been corrupted by Good, I will destroy this weak being that you have become.
Dracula 2: He didn't come alone.
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This entrance was more suprising. Another Dracula showed up, he didn't look exactly like his counterpart, but they had similar tastes in fashion. He also brought with him a werewolf, Bruce W. Wolf, and another Frankenstein monster, Frank N. Stein, and Walt.
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Dracula: Who the hell are all of you?
Walt: Haven't you heard, we're the Monster Squad.
Dracula 2: A different universe than you. We try to make amends for our past deeds and fight crime.
Frankenstein: Now, let my friend go.
Dracula: I will destroy all of you.
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The epic battle began. It soon became clear that Imhotep had desserted Dracula. Whether he had always planned to betray his master, or whether Phoebe convinced him to desert, he didn't yet know. He evidently told the heroes where exactly the invisible man was located. Adrian had been abusive to his girlfriend Cecelia, to the point where she attempted suicide to be free of him. Eventually she killed him in self-defense, now she repeated history and killed Adrian to help rescue Phoebe. During the battle Phoebe used this opportunity to escape and try to rescue the rest of her friends. But before she could get to the dungeon others had already arrived. One was detective Rich Sapir, her father's old partner. The other was the wolfman, the same one who once served Dracula and was killed by the Monster Squad. Evidently he had learned to control his beastly nature and now fought alongside Van Helsing. They escaped while Frankenstein and the other Monster Squad destroyed the evil Dracula. Ofcourse it was only a temporary solution, he would rise again, as he always did in the movies. Still, it was a chance to escape. The heroes all met up again at Van Helsing's new camp.
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Sean: So you guys are the good versions of the monsters?
Dracula 2: Sort of. We were Wax figures in a museum where Walt here worked. Then we came to life, with all the memories of our past selves. We wanted to make up for our past mistakes and fight crime.
Sean: It's actually kind of cool to be on the same side as one version of Dracula.
Van Helsing: So Dracula is defeated?
Sean: For now, but if I've learned one thing from his movies, he always comes back.
Van Helsing: At least this gives us the chance to regroup. If you want to go back I will understand.
Sapir: Yeah, I've had enough of Hell, I'd like to go to some version of Earth again.
Mary: Same here. My sister Brynn escaped. As much as I'd like to have a few words with my sister, I'd rather just get out of here.
Frankenstein: Me too.
Cecelia: Same here.
Van Helsing: You've done good work, good luck.
Dracula 2: I'm staying, hoping to make up for my bad deeds.
Frank N. Stein: Me too.
Van Helsing: Glad to have any help I can get.