Young Dracula Season 5: Outtakes

More family stuff, I was going to do this for the next outtake but I changed my mind, so the next outtake will be about the vampire we 'love to hate' Malik and his best buddy Asan.

I'm glad you all liked my return of Zoltan and agree he should have been in the last two series. He won't be in this again I'm afraid but I'll try and put him into other stuff I'll be doing after this.

This is a long one, so be warned...

I don't own Young Dracula.

Reunion – based during episode 4 of season 5

Vlad didn't look anywhere but the ground when he led his mother and sister back to the throne room. He had predicted this that his family would see him as a monster and he had been right. Vlad just wished he could prove them otherwise but he couldn't because they were right, he was a monster.

Vlad peered into the throne room and gave a sigh of relief when he saw no one was in the room currently. That was good because the last thing he needed was his father or sister getting in the way.

Just like only a few days ago, Vlad went to sit in his usual place and slumped against the table, putting his arms on the table and his head on that. He felt like he had a cold again, his head felt like it was spinning from the emotions rushing through him right now.

George walked over and frowned but sat down watching her brother carefully. Sally sat next to her not looking at Vlad but her daughter, worried if she was safe.

"Do you think he's okay?" George asked her mother, the worry plain on the young girl's face.

Sally stiffened briefly questioning what kind of mother she was. She hadn't stopped for a second to think how Vlad might feel about all this, she was so concerned with her and George's safety that she didn't think how this might affect Vlad.

"I don't know," she admitted and looked at him. He still had his head on the table, and probably could hear them too. Sally had never seen anyone act this way before, it was like he was trying to shut the world out or something.

George leaned over and gently poked her brother's hand, noticing his skin was colder than hers. "Vlad? Are you alright?"

Vlad looked up, George expected to be scared but she wasn't. Vlad looked like a scared child with his head still on the table and the water in his eyes.

He then pulled himself up. "Sorry, I'm acting a little childish about this, I guess." Vlad looked embarrassed. "I just didn't want you to know the truth." Vlad looked at George.

George tried to smile but found she couldn't because of the look on Vlad's face made her more worried.

There was silence for a moment, but George decided to break it knowing her mother wasn't going to.

"Does this mean… that you're a vampire?" George asked Vlad.

Vlad nodded. "Half and half. Half human, half vampire But my vampire side is dominant, it has been for well over a year… kind of."

"Kind of?" George was confused. "I don't understand."

Vlad frowned. "I don't want to scare you any more than you are." Vlad could see Sally was paying attention too and they both nodded as if to say they could handle it. "Okay, where do you want me to start?"

"How about the beginning?" His mother suggested. "We still don't know much about you."

George nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "Yeah, is Vlad your real name then, because you don't go by Adam do you?"

Vlad smiled faintly. "No I don't Dad changed my name. I never knew that was what I was called until you told me." He then took a deep breath. "My real name is Vladimir Dracula," Vlad pronounced the 'Dracula' the Romanian way just like his sister. "I'm the heir to the Dracula throne, son of Count Dracula and the Chosen One."

Vlad then leaned back, frowning when he saw their faces were awed and confused.

"So your Dad, who looks like a rock star, is Count Dracula. Like the one in the book?" George asked surprised that he looked so young for someone who was probably so old.

"More or less," Vlad shrugged. "The book has quite a few inconsistencies, like the fact vampires can have children… things like that."

"Go on," Sally told him.

"Okay," Vlad paused trying to decide where to carry on from. "Like I told George I was raised in Romania, we still call in Transylvania or the 'old country' as Dad and Ingrid call it. We, well Dad really, got in a mix up with the leaders of the local village." He didn't go into details because Vlad knew it would scare them. "The village rioted and we had to leave. So we moved to Stokely in North Wales instead. For the first time in my life I managed to live a partly normal life, where there was no bats or blood…"

Vlad smiled slightly at the memory thinking of Robin and suddenly felt a pang of guilt that he wouldn't see his old best friend again. "I went to school and made some friends there. Unfortunately being a vampire has its hazards and one of the teachers turned out to be a slayer."

"So they exist as well?" Sally frowned, concerned for her son's safety. "They may try to kill you."

Vlad rolled his eyes like it was no big deal. "Don't worry about them Mum. They were sorted out long ago." Sally looked alarmed. "No, I don't mean killed." He assured his mother. "I mean we have a peace treaty with them to stop them slaying us. They can't touch us now, not without the war breaking out again and they don't want that and neither do we."

"Anyway, eventually after a series of incidents… Dad found out about their being a slayer in town and the slayer's – Van Helsing – son found out we were vampires. Dad very nearly got dusted. We got very lucky. Things carried on but after that there was a constant tension in the air like something big was going to happen." Vlad paused, almost in a dramatic way. "I didn't understand why at the time and I don't know if the others sensed it either…"

"We had close calls on both sides several times," Vlad sighed remembering his fight with Jonno, even though he didn't even try to fight. "Then a month or so before Ingrid turned sixteen I started falling asleep randomly."

"You must have been tired," George guessed but had the feeling there was more to it than that.

Vlad laughed without humour. "I wish it was that. I'm going to explain that I'm the Chosen One now. If you need me to stop, just tell me." He took a deep breath. "Hundreds of years ago a prophecy was made saying that when lots of vampires turned to dust a powerful vampire, the Chosen One, would come about and make sure everything was set right."

"And you're the Chosen One?" Sally asked.

Vlad nodded almost sadly. "Yes, when I started falling asleep I slipped into the dreamworld. The place vampires go at sixteen when they sleep." He paused again, deciding to tell them something he never told anyone, not even Robin or his father. "I'm going to tell you something no one else knows. When I was there, I was told I was the Chosen One. I was thirteen, I hadn't transformed even though my powers were developing, and I didn't want to become a vampire. So I didn't tell anyone, I didn't believe my dream." He paused sadly full of regret and guilt. "I regret that decision now because had I told someone then I could have stopped all the dustings that happened not long afterwards."

"It wasn't your fault," Sally assured him seeing how guilty Vlad looked. "You had every right not to believe it, after all you are half human."

"I didn't know that at the time either," Vlad admitted trying to put the blame back on himself. "I always wondered why I was different. Now I understand why but at the time I didn't."

"If you didn't want to be a vampire, then how come you are?" George asked. "Don't you get a choice?"

"No, I didn't stand a chance. Like I said my vampire side is dominant… kind of. I'm best explaining it in terms of what happened to Ingrid first. At sixteen we turn from humans with some of our vampire abilities, to a vampire. We have to face our own reflection that comes out of the blood mirror. The reflection is an evil side of you. Ingrid almost ran away from hers because it threatened to kill her boyfriend – at the time. But when her reflection managed to trap him she merged with her reflection and became a vampire." Vlad twitched uncomfortable, thinking of when his reflections took him over.

"The same happened to you," Sally realised.

"Sort of," Vlad sighed. "I thought I had won. See our reflections can take over us, but if you have to strength you can control them. When I turned sixteen I thought I won. Turns out otherwise, over six months ago I was sent into the blood mirror to find I had a thousand evil reflections, probably because I'm the Chosen One. Using their combined strength, they took over my body and I was helpless to do anything. They almost killed Dad, Ingrid and planned to bite my girlfriend at the time."

"You're not like that anymore are you?" George asked, concerned.

Vlad smiled faintly and shook his head. Sally and George sighed with relief. "I remember it from both my reflections and my perspectives. Just as my reflection was going to bite my girlfriend, Erin managed to get at me. She told me I could win. I believed her, and I did win. I saved Dad and Erin saved Ingrid. I won over my reflections… but I ran away because I needed to time to balance myself out without anyone there for me to hurt."

"You ran away?" George repeated disbelievingly, and Sally frowned beginning to realise how hard life must have been for Vlad for him to run away.

"I almost did it when on my thirteenth too when I thought I was going to transform early, I didn't. Still, it's been a backup plan of mine for years." Vlad admitted dissmissively. "I never wanted this, I was willing to do anything to avoid it."

"What changed your mind?" Sally asked thinking it must have been serious for Vlad to choose otherwise.

"Being the Chosen One, it's given me the opportunity to make some good in the world and try and change vampires." Vlad said simply. "The Grand High Vampire got dusted by my cousin not long after Ingrid transformed. So they were going to name a new Grand High Vampire. Then the prophecy started coming true and every vampire that wore the Grand High Vampire's crown turned to dust. Dad was next, and I knew he was going to be swept up like the others. I also knew I was the Chosen One. The ghost of the Grand High Vampire kept persisting that I was the Chosen One. I stole the crown, and my friend Robin convinced me to try it on. It didn't kill me but Ingrid stole the crown back from me."

Sally didn't seem too surprised but George did.

"Is she really that evil?" George asked and Vlad nodded.

"She got worse I'm afraid." Vlad admitted. "There was a fight between the vampires and slayers before Dad could put on the crown. Ingrid's boyfriend, Will, got dusted. She didn't take it well. The slayers were going to kill us. I had no choice, I heard the Grand High Vampire tell me I'd know I was the Chosen One when I chose my family over my human life in Stokely. So I put on the crown and used it to mindwipe all the humans in the room. They forgot vampires even existed."

"Wow," George muttered impressed but also worried Vlad might do the same to her and their mother for their own protection.

Vlad shrugged like it was no big deal, which in his mind it wasn't given he would probably mindwipe the whole world now. "I was unconscious after that, it drained me too much. I was too young to put the crown on and hadn't even transformed. I had ordered all the vampires to leave but Ingrid and Dad. Dad was stuck in a UV cage and Ingrid went crazy. If the battery on the UV cage hadn't have run out, and Dad escaped with me and Renfield, then Ingrid probably would have killed us both."

"But she's your sister," George pointed out. "I'd never do that to you."

"Doesn't matter to her. She wants the Dracula throne and will do anything to get it. Even if it means dusting Dad and me." Vlad frowned. "She tried again when I turned evil but I was too powerful for her. I still am, it's why she hadn't tried since. Ingrid will try again if she doesn't report us."

"What happened after that?" Sally asked trying to keep Vlad from getting to miserable and distract him.

"We moved here," he told her. "Ingrid was left behind in Stokely. We had some peace for just over two years. Then the slayers went after Ingrid to try and get at me. I went straight into their trap, but I still stopped them. That was when I met Erin. I also got a tutor called Bertrand who started training me to use more of my vampire powers…" Vlad paused, admitting something he normally woulsn;t. "I owe a lot to him, I'd be dust without him but he's gone now too. We had a few close scrapes, Ingrid started plotting again. But we all, slayers and vampires, united against a common enemy not long after I came back from running away. After that the peace treaty came into play. I thought it might make things better, but it just made everything so much worse."

"But peace is a good thing," George said knowingly.

"That's what I think, but vampires and slayers have been attacking each other for so long it's still going to take a while before they got over their animosities." Vlad admitted. "The peace treaty caused trouble, and I almost got forced into marrying one of the clan leader's, Ramanga, daughter. Both of whom wanted to kill me. Erin got caught in the middle and almost died… I had to turn her into a vampire."

"I thought you didn't bite people"? Sally leaned back a little repulsed but didn't let it show.

"I don't," Vlad frowned remembering how he acted afterwards and cringed with guilt. "I just… I loved Erin. I was willing to do anything to save her. But she turned against me and sided with a sibling of mine – not Ingrid. He, Erin and his mother almost killed me and Dad. If not for Ingrid I would be dust. We got rid of his mother, and he and Erin fled. We haven't seen them since."

Vlad smiled slightly, happy to get to the part of his life he considered the best so far. "I ran away again, I managed to get over Erin and travelled the world. I met Talitha and we became friends and travelled together. Unfortunately I had to come back after two months. I fell ill – I had a cold – and found out I was half human and here we are."

"That's one long story," George muttered, trying to take it all in.

"I've missed a lot out," Vlad added. "I didn't want to scare you with the details of everything that has happened in the past five years."

"You never knew you were my son all that time," Sally said sadly.

"No, Dad knew he could get ashed for it. But he wanted a son so desperately that he kept me. He didn't tell me I was half human for 'my own protection'." Vlad laughed, a slight tinge of resentment there, he still resented his father somewhat for not telling him about what he was.

"You've never had a normal life," George added and looked at her mother. Sally shook her head, she knew George was wanting to Vlad to live with them but they couldn't force him. Plus, from the sound of it, it sounded like Vlad had responsibilities as a vampire he couldn't give up.

"I've tried. It just ends in disaster." Vlad gave her a genuine smile to tell her he was okay with his life at the moment. "I bring trouble just like the rest of my family. Like I told you, I'm more like them than I seem. If you get to know me properly you'll see I'm a lot like Dad. Which terrifies me."

"There isn't anything normal about your life then?" Sally asked.

Vlad shrugged thinking about all the things he tried to make himself normal. "I love rugby, I used to play on the school team in Stokely. I love pizza, it's one of my favourite foods and I'm a vegetarian. I believe in animal rights. I tend to meditate or read in my spare time when I'm not trying to hold back my family, preserve the treaty or study for my exams."

"That sounds normal," George grinned, glad they had something in common. "Pizza, sport and exams. That's my life. But I have telly and gaming too."

Vlad laughed. "I can't really use tech much. Dad hates it. Even though I used to be a good gamer myself four years ago."

"Ingrid has a computer," George pointed out. "We could go against each other on that."

"I know," Vlad shrugged. "She got it behind his back, I'm guessing, but it's useful for me. It's how I found you, and I can use it as leverage against her. If Dad finds out he will go bats. I doubt Ingrid will let me on it though again especially after what has happened."

He crossed his arms and let a smug smile cross his face despite what he had said.

"Looks like you can handle her," Sally said, surprised he had the confidence to stand up to her.

"I like to think so," Vlad sighed. "But sometimes… I can't stop her. I don't know what she is up to at the moment if I'm honest. All I can tell is she has big plans."

"Who has big plans?" The Count flitted in. "I know you do Vladdy, but…"

Vlad scowled at his father. "George knows," he said simply to warn him to behave himself.

"Oh good," the Count clapped his hands together happily as he sat down. "I hate pretending to be human."

Vlad shook his head. "Dad, you're a hopeless cause… but you did a better job than Ingrid."

George snorted. "The pink was excessive." She told them and Vlad and the Count laughed.

"She hates pink," Vlad muttered sniggering. Sally smiled slightly, laughing at siblings was a normal thing and he wasn't laughing at George so that was good.

"And she looked ridiculous." The Count added with an amused chuckle. "I hope the High Council finds out about it."

Vlad rolled his eyes at his father, now serious. "I think they have put her through enough as it is. She is really angry at them, and us. It wouldn't take much to push her off the edge, and you remember what happened when that last happened."

Sally and George could see the warning in Vlad's eyes as he looked at his father. The Count nodded in response as if they were having some unspoken conversation. George felt almost jealous when she realised her and her mother had a similar thing where they could almost communicate without speaking.

"Vlad has just been telling us about his life," Sally said to the Count, hoping he could tell them more.

"Ah," the Count raised his eyebrows at his Vlad but he wasn't looking at him anymore. "Vladdy, have you been telling tales on me?"

"He barely mentioned you," George said honestly, trying to back up her brother. "He made out Ingrid was the bad one," she didn't mention that Vlad backed Ingrid up because she felt that the Count would tell Vlad off for that. Vlad mouthed 'thank you' at his younger sister and she smiled at him.

"Well, that much is true. She is the biggest trouble of all of us." The Count said calmly. "Vladdy has led a… challenging unlife for someone so young. My problems didn't start until I was around three hundred."

Vlad knew exactly what he was talking about, but the others didn't.

"Artur, Dad's older brother was killed three hundred years ago," Vlad told them. "Dad thought he was responsible, but he wasn't."

"I would never dust my brothers," the Count murmured.

"So Dad got the Dracula throne," Vlad concluded. "I think he's almost found it more trouble than its worth."

The Count shook his head. "It's worth it Vladimir. In time you will see that too when you get the throne."

Vlad rolled his eyes.

George started looking at the table, frowning now she had processed this she realised she may had a few mistakes since coming here.

"George, what is it?" Sally asked.

"I think I offended Vlad earlier today," George looked at her brother guiltily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"No problem," Vlad smiled, he knew what he was talking about and dismissed it. Just like he did with Ingrid, except with George he could forgive her much easier than his other sister because George would never try to kill him. "You're not the first to say that and I doubt you'll be the last." He shrugged. "Anyway, I prefer to see myself as a different vampire. If I can't be a normal human, then I'm not going to be a normal vampire."

"Thanks," George murmured, still concerned. Then Renfield came in with his trolley, late as usual.

That was… intense. Probably my longest outtake ever. I know it goes on a bit, and I could have skipped the babble by saying 'Vlad explains his life' or something, but when I read that in books myself I find myself getting angry because I don't know what they have said or if they have missed anything. This way I have told you what Vlad said and how Sally and George reacted, rather than glossing over it. I really wanted Sally and George to know more about Vlad, just like how George explained her life to Vlad in a previous outtake.

I have no doubt the next outtake will be significantly shorter, but hopefully it won't be as chatty.

Thank you for reading and please review!

C

xx