Anyone else just lost all sense of time since lockdown? What is time? What month is it? Are days even real anymore?

-YD-

The Crown still hummed nearby, urging Vlad to put it back on. He hoped it would get used to the fact Vlad had to leave it off at times - he was hardly going to wear it to school, although Vlad thought he might have to take it with him. Leaving it where his dad could find it was just asking to come home to a dust pile.

"Vladimir! I am waiting for an explanation."

"What explanation? You know what happened. We were all there."

Vlad wanted to lie down and adjust to the awakening of his powers, the forceful yanking at his vampire side still smarting. Using powers when untransformed was difficult and draining, which was why it only tended to happen by accident until the month before said transformation.

"Yes, of course, but that means you knew you were the Chosen One and just, oh, failed to mention it? More than that, you lied to me!"

"I didn't really believe it at first. And then I decided it didn't matter since there was another Grand High Vampire. And then I just didn't want to deal with your reaction."

Naturally, his father began to start preparing to explode. Ingrid, who'd been surprisingly quiet until then, leant on the table next to Vlad, arms crossed and expression neutral.

"If I were you, I'd remember you're talking to the new Grand High Vampire before you start getting too angry. I'd bet he can dust you if he wanted to."

The Count scowled, but Ingrid's words seemed to stop his tirade in place. With a loud growl of frustration that made the castle rattle all around them, he leapt out of sight. Renfield looked around, made a non-committal noise and scuttled off himself.

"Thanks."

"Oh, don't thank me yet. I'm not afraid of you, and you owe me an explanation."

No longer neutral, Ingrid looked a little bit murderous. Vlad winced inwardly.

"Alright. I will. But I need to sleep first. That whole thing really knocked me down."

The tight set of her crossed arms did not relax, but Ingrid's expression clearly said Vlad looked as wrecked as he felt, and so she seemed agreeable to letting him get some rest.

"Fine. I'm going out to enjoy the rest of the night anyway. But don't think this means you get out of giving me answers."

"Yeah, cus I have no experience with your single-minded stubborn nature."

There was a hint of a smirk on her face, but Vlad knew he was by no means off the hook with her. Or his father, but the Count was somewhat easier to deal with - tune out the ranting and let him blow off all his steam, then give him as small an answer as possible. That usually frustrated him, which usually hastened the end of conversation.

Ingrid, on the other hand, wouldn't let it go until she had the answers she wanted. Vlad wasn't that against telling her anyway, if he was honest. He'd only kept it to himself because he didn't really want to deal with it. And, as she'd just proven, Ingrid did appear to be on his side still. For now. He knew her moods were rather changeable.

Vlad picked up his Crown - his now, he'd taken it on - and took it up to his room. Leaving it lying around seemed like he was asking for trouble. Vlad looked around his room for a good hiding place his dad wouldn't find it, settling on in his school bag. No high tech security other than his fathers utter disinterest in Vlad's breather education. The bag was hooked over the chair near his bed so it was close by, and he threw his clothes over it as he undressed from the coronation.

That would probably do it. He locked his door - Ingrid would let herself in somehow if she decided to invade his sleeping time, he was certain - and pulled on some pyjama bottoms before crawling in to bed. His head was pounding and everything hurt, but there was still that thrumming deep inside him, the power of the Chosen One awakened and refusing to be put back in the box so Vlad could fall asleep easily.

Still, he was exhausted enough that he did doze off surprisingly quickly. His sleep was fitful, littered with strange images and it felt as though whispers lingered at the very edge of his awareness. It wasn't quite the Dream World he'd found his fate in, but it was no ordinary 'human' dream either.

He woke a couple of hours later, physical exhaustion lessened but still feeling mentally drained. Vampire instinct pushed him to immediately seek out his Crown again, and found it exactly where he left it. Relieved, he rubbed his face, sitting up and glancing at the sun starting to ease itself into the sky. For his own peace of mind, Vlad padded over to the tower window, waiting for the first rays of daylight to reach his skin. Braced for pain, he felt more relief as the sun left no mark, no pain.

"Close them, would you?"

Sure enough, despite his locked door, Ingrid was standing in the doorway. Vlad closed the window shutters so she'd not fry in the sun.

"How'd you know I was up?"

"Heard you stumbling around. You're not exactly graceful first thing and you have creaky floorboards."

He supposed she was pretty spot on. It took a minute before he realised he was still shirtless, though Ingrid's eyes seemed to be staying above his neck.

"So, explanations?"

"Let me use the bathroom first, unless you want to see me bursting for the loo."

Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Ingrid stepped aside so he could run to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face, stared at his reflection as he brushed his teeth. What he expected, Vlad wasn't sure, but he sort of thought he'd look... different? And yet the same young, round face stared back at him. Maybe a little paler, but that could have easily been put down to his having just woken up from a short, not-so-restful sleep.

Ingrid was sat on the edge of his bed when he came back, feigning inspecting her nails but clearly intent on questioning him. Feeling a little better after washing his face and brushing his teeth, Vlad dropped himself into a seated position on his bed and pushed himself to sit up against the headboard, shoving his pillow behind him for comfort.

"Do you remember when I asked you if you ever had weird dreams?"

Ingrid's lips pursed slightly, thinking to herself. Her face clouded, and Vlad knew she was remembering that it co-incided with the discovery they were siblings. A particularly tense time for the teen vampires who had something of a budding romance before.

Not that the realisation had truly managed to quash inappropriate feelings, but that was another worry for another day.

"Yes. I told you not to pass out when I was annoyed with you."

Vlad snorted. He remembered that, despite the haze of exhaustion that had followed him around.

"Well, I was having weird dreams. I was in the school, and everyone was vampires. Then I was in this forest I've never seen before, and sunlight burned me and my hand got cut, which is when I woke up bleeding in the real world."

"Is this story going to go on forever?"

Vlad rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting there! Anyway, so in these dreams, I was being attacked by vampires. They were from the VHC, and they were there to... stop me? Challenge me? Not quite sure. After all that, I was here in the castle again. And the Grand High Vampire was here..." Vlad swallowed, and opted not to mention that Ingrid was the one he was forced to fight for "and he made me fight him. I tried to get away. He tried to stake me. We struggled. He told me I was going to succeed him right before he crumbled to dust."

Ingrid cocked her head, thinking.

"Wasn't that right around the time the actual Grand High Vampire was slain?"

Vlad nodded.

"Yes, but! My dad said that other vampires weren't part of my Dream World, so it shouldn't have mattered. I think he was slain by someone hoping to take over. If the Crown was waiting for me, it would have dusted anyone who tried. For all we know, several VHC members ashed themselves having a go. A janitor or waiter."

"You're clutching at straws here, but whatever. Doesn't really matter now if its yours."

"I guess. But I would never have slain anyone. Especially not the Grand High Vampire. If anyone ever found out I might have done it, I can still be put on trial and sentenced to all manner of painful deaths. So... if you could keep that to yourself?"

Ingrid tsked, but nodded.

"Your secret is safe with me. So... what happens now?"

-YD-

I apologise for being so scatty, but just like the vamps, I get unwell when the sun is out (summer seasonal affective disorder is a thing and it sucks), and so I'm really struggling to even function lately. I love you all and I still smile seeing the lingering love for Young Dracula (and Vlad/Ingrid) so many years after it ended. Hope everyone is safe out there!