Van Helsing Quirk #10: In the scene where Anna and Van Helsing were striding through what was left of the windmill {coughsleepyhollowcough}, I noticed Van Helsing picked up a salvaged bottle of Absinthe (Amazing as it might be, for the ENTIRE windmill kinda BLEW UP, leaving nothing to spare, but apparently, it didn't want to destroy its alcohol supply).
Well, the first thing that came to mind was, "Great, Moulin Rouge; now we're going to have green pixies fluttering in our faces singing "The Sound of Music."
Though, when Van Helsing placed his hat on Anna to keep her out of the rain (and my friends mourn for that scene we dubbed "Van Un- Cooling His Hat"), the bottle that the Absinthe was kept in made me think, as Anna was nonchalantly taking a swig to show "Ha! I can do it!" (And me wishing desperately that she would pass out from that one sip), "Hmm…Listerine booze."
That's when they fell.
The power of minty freshness can really put you to the test, if you get my drift.
Shadows danced in his groggy vision as he tried to make out what the situation was. Flames and figures crowded his sight, strange green and gold leaf. He felt the bite of cold, but it didn't wake him up. He tried to fight through the boundaries of sleep, but temptation gave in, and he fell back.
Scorpion tore his finger on a ceremonial dagger, and began to trace out special hieroglyphics onto Van Helsing's body with his blood. He drew a pair of Udjats on his clavicles, a large Ankh on his torso supported by a Ka, and set of Uraeuses on his temples. Stopping the bleeding, Scorpion now placed trinkets on Helsing's body in certain areas.
He placed an Ushabtis on Helsing's sternum, and another, more materialized, ankh on his throat. He also left an Ieb over where Van Helsing's heart was, and lined the symmetry of his body with scarab charms. And last, he balanced a Maat Feather charm on Helsing's forehead. Scorpion now cut Van Helsing, and mixed his blood with his own on his hand.
Carefully placing his bloodied hand on Van Helsing's forehead, his eyes rolled shut, and the ten ceremonial priests began their incantation, slowly circling back and forth as their voices picked up. As they went deeper into their chant, their voices grew passionate and their movements more rigorous. Van Helsing's hand twitched, but he still lay inert on the table. Scorpion suddenly flinched but he didn't remove his hand from Van Helsing's forehead, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.
The bite mark on Van Helsing began to bleed.
The priests were now literally swinging around the table, their arms raised to the ceiling in chanting praise. They went in a continuous cycle: Arms raised, knees and head to the floor, bow once on their knees, and rise up again with outstretched cupped hands. Something blue and wispy started to exit from Van Helsing's slightly opened mouth and snaked around the Ushabtis. It started to mold itself into a shape, starting with the feet first. Even though Scorpion's eyes were not open, he could see the shape forming in his mind.
Next came its strong legs, fur coating them in thick layers. He could see the claws practically grow from its powerful paw- like toes, fur tufts sprouting from between each toe.
Van Helsing's shape began to jerk and transform. Blood seeped from the reopened wound as though the mark was fresh.
The shape's muscular torso was almost completed, sleek fur rippling down over the muscles. Scorpion was both horrified and mystified. The blue image was now almost done with the shoulders, starting on the thick neck. Stray hairs starting to grow through Scorpion's hand and Van Helsing's face.
The priests weren't helping at this point; they were now crying at the top of their lungs, bowing continuously now as they repeated their last phrase.
The creature's eyes began to form, fur encircling them. Then the snout began to weave itself onto its face, fangs protruding through deep blue gums. Then its pointed ears were mounted to the top of its head. The eyes began to get its toxic yellow tinge and finally, in a blinding flash of blue light, Van Helsing's past image was animated. It squalled at the priests, saliva flying from its now bright pink and black jaws.
As it roared, Scorpion and Van Helsing let out their own, fangs growing from their mouths. Van Helsing's body arched upwards while it let out a tremendous bellow. Within seconds, a symphony of howls and squalls flew from the deepest parts of the temple, making the torches shudder in fear.
Inside, the image was now swept around Van Helsing and Scorpion like a soul whirlwind. Each slowly raising their heads to the ceiling, they let out a symbiotic cry to the night, setting the whirlwind ablaze. With one last ounce of sanity, Scorpion wrenched his hand from Van Helsing's forehead, and as he fell back. Van Helsing's unconscious body slumped back down on the table, a bloody handprint smeared on his forehead. Both were breathing hard, but Van Helsing was twitching constantly.
"Scorpio." The priestess wearing the Anubis mask helped Scorpion up.
"Estoy bien. (I'm okay)." He stared back at Van Helsing's shuddering form, and suddenly felt a swell of pity and sorrow within himself.
"Ahmbahro…" He told the priestess to bring Van Helsing back to his tent, but to clean him of the blood first.
The priestess and three others lifted Van Helsing's body and carried him out top the Oasis that lay near the temple. The one wearing the mask of Khepri grabbed Van Helsing's mane of brown hair and began to dunk him continuously. Until the Anubis priestess shook her head, and gently washed Van Helsing's face of blood. Even though his face was covered, the Anubis priestess could sense he was glaring at her.
Van Helsing was redressed and placed back in the tent him found himself in. He moaned slightly while snuggling into the furs. The Anubis priestess removed her Nemes godmask and revealed quite a seductive face. It was the one with the Sas on her face. She scanned him over with sympathetic eyes, and left him alone.
…………
Lub- dub, lub- dub, lub- dub…Blood was on his hands and hair.
Lub- dub, lub- dub, lub- dub…
A body lay at his feet.
Lub- dub, lub- dub, lub- dub…
Someone was coming for him.
Lub- dub, lub- dub, lub- dub…
"Ohhhh Gabrieeellllll…"
Stay away, you deranged psychopath…
"How long has it been? Three, four- hundred years?"
How about "never"?
"Allow me to…reintroduce myself."
No.
"I am Count-"
Stop it.
"Vladislus-"
I said stop it!
"Draculia. Born, in 1442. Murdered, in 1462…"
I don't care!
"Your memories."
Things are better left forgotten.
"A few details from your thwarted past..."
Thing are….better forgotten….
"Do you want me to refresh your memory?"
Things…are forgotten…
"Gabriieeelllllllll…"
STOP IT!
"We are part of the same game, Gabriel…"
Shut up.
"We are just on different sides of the board…"
Shut up!
"I will give you your memories back…Your life…Gabriel, don't you want it?"
I SAID SHUT UP!!
"Gabrieeelllll…"
Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!
Van Helsing jerked awake, sweat drenching his body. He suddenly jumped, wiping furiously at his arms and chest. Where was that scent coming from?! BLOOD?! Van Helsing tried as hard as he could, but in his subconscious- state of mind, all he could see was him soaked in blood and a heartbeat reverberating in his ears.
He delirium stopped short when he heard a set of feet outside. Waking up, Van Helsing carefully looked through his tent flap. It was still well dark, the stars still gleaming in the night canvas. With observant eyes, Van Helsing saw Scorpion staggering towards a tent nearby, bending over as though he were to throw up any second. His breathing was hoarse and dry, and sometimes he stopped and keeled over while crying out in pain like he had just been punched in the stomach. Van Helsing watched him disappear into a tent mark with an Udjat, and came out some time later, this time being helped to his tent by a female inhabitant, speaking softly in his ear. The way he was walking, where the girl was supporting him…Had he been drugged?
His questions were answered when the two of them entered his tent (Van Helsing pretended to be asleep) and lay Scorpion down in his pile of furs. Scorpion's eyes fluttered briefly, and he passed out. The girl would have walked out of the tent without hesitation but for the one motion that caught her eye.
She hadn't thought Van Helsing was pretending to be asleep, but one twitch of his finger gave him away. She leaned down so low that her nose was barely touching against his. She stared into his face hard, her breathing brushing down his cheeks.
Van Helsing tried as hard as he could not to react, but he could almost see the girl's face scowling at him. He tried, he really did. But he couldn't help it. He broke down and gave a smile before snickering. That's when he was sedated BIG time. He didn't wake up until tomorrow evening because of his reaction.
Great, he thought before falling unconscious again. Back into Dreamhell.
…………
Van Helsing slowly opened his eyes, making sure he wouldn't burn his eyes from the sudden orange sunlight that happened to shout, "SURPRISE!" in his face.
"Muhhh, Carl?"
No answer.
"Carl, are you there?"
"No, but Ie am." The crystal blue eyes started to come into focus, "Yu reelly don't need tu shout, yu know."
"KAH! Vampires!" His sudden explosion of memory mixed with fact set him on a reel of hysteria, "Where is he?! Where?! What?! AHH!" Van grabbed his head.
What was going on?! It felt as though someone had set loose to all of the memories he knew, from Cian McDougal to Anna to Dracula to Velkin. Everything came in a meshed tumble; screams, laughs, crys, roars, squalls. And then the feelings.
"Van Helsing! VAN HELSING!!" Scorpion finally resolved to the only thing he could to: He slapped Van Helsing clear in the face with the back of his hand. Van Helsing's face was still turned in the wake of the slap, but his eyes were wide, finally taking in his area. His breathing came in and out in short gasps, his heart pounding.
Carefully, Scorpion pushed Van Helsing back down with his hand to Van's forehead, and called in Carl.
"Watch over him while I go get someone." Scorpion left in a hurry.
"Van Helsing, what's wrong?" Van Helsing was just staring at the ceiling, slowly recapping what had just happened.
Why did he have a break- down? He had had worse nightmares before. No, not as bad as these were becoming. Scorpion came back, out of breath, with the girl that had the Udjats on her cheeks. She spoke comforting words as she massaged his temples, calming him down rather surprisingly. When Van Helsing finally got his act together, she and Scorpion walked outside the tent, and she told him a piece of grim news she had heard from her connections.
(They are coming for you. You must leave. We will not be able to stop him. Take Helsing; he may be your only salvation.)" Scorpion tried to fight against it, but he looked up to this woman like she was an older sister.
(N/A: Sorry, I don't know Egyptian, so I'll write it already "translated", 'kay? Danka!)
" Neihko…" He bowed his head, but he knew she was right.
"¿Cuando? (When?)"
"(As soon as possible. Today, if best.)" She placed two fingers on his ankh forehead.
"(He is calling for you. You must not give in!)"
"¡Yo se! (I know!)" Scorpion swatted her hand away.
Realizing what he had just done, he bowed his head in forgiveness. How could he have slapped the hand of the high priestess?
…………
"Wee must leave. Ahora." Scorpion was saddling up for the trip the next day.
"Where are we going? What are we going to do?" Van Helsing had gotten his arsenal, hat and coat back, and was already sliding his gloves on.
Scorpion grinned through his mask.
"Mummy hunting."
"I like the sound of that!" The three of them were on horses; Van Helsing was riding his recuperated black stallion, Carl was riding his chestnut, and Scorpion rode on a silver mare.
Scorpion shouted a farewell sign to his village, which had all gathered up at the entrance.
"Allah hu mana!" The village returned with the same.
(N/A: That's really the only Egyptian I know (Mummy Returns; I know).)
They turned their horses and raced out into the desert.
They should have known who was waiting for them outside of safety.
Right, just wanting to clear up something. Now, some folks had written to me "Is Van Helsing going to meet up with the O' Connells?" Well, here's your answer. Van Helsing, as I'm writing it, takes placed in 1888. The Mummy and Mummy Returns takes place in 1923 and 1933. I think we have a problem there. So, sorry; this is a Van Helsing solo mission (besides Scorpion and Carl).
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VVVVVVVVVV……VAN……
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HHHHHHHHHH……HELSING…...
HHHHHHHHH
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VAN HELSING…
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