An hour after the tribrid completed the transition was when the red sky and the storm that came with it finally faded away. The tribrid had wanted to take care of it once she noticed it, but she wasn't sure how she had created it, much less how to reverse it. It was something unlike anything she had ever seen. She knew regular humans would somehow find a way to excuse the paranormal, mark it as a rare but natural occurrence or pretend it never happened.
It was only a matter of time. But Hope couldn't help but be concerned about the humans that did know about the supernatural already. The mere thought of that caused her to feel as though she was being crushed by a weight of guilt. Hunters would be coming here to investigate. She knew it. It was yet another problem she caused where people would get killed, whether it was supernatural or the hunters that would come.
Forcing the thoughts out of her mind, she flipped through one of the books in the library at the Abattoir that Marcel had let her go back to. He had showed her which books he had that had belonged to her family, and she searched them for answers. However, it was hard for her to find answers to that when she still had questions on how her heart stopped beating. She knew it wasn't Marcel who had done it to her, but he was the only one she had narrowed it down from.
She knew she didn't eat or drink anything at the party, so she knew she couldn't have been poisoned. Besides, it would be difficult for anyone other than Marcel to target her with food or beverage, considering there was no guarantee she would have been the one to eat or drink it. She also knew that it wasn't caused by a weapon since she hadn't been attacked. Besides, she healed faster than she lost blood. It would have been unlikely someone could have killed her that way, even if they tried.
The only logical thing she could come up with was it being a spell that caused this, a spell that stopped her heart. The question was who could have done this and why? To most people, she was just a girl or just a witch. The only people that knew otherwise were Mikaelsons, Elena, and Marcel's inner circle. Though witches could sense she was an abomination, surely, or rather an abomination in their eyes. But surely the witch would either have to be at the party or have something of hers to link the spell to. It wasn't as though Hope had many belongings in this time, and she hadn't exactly been bleeding lately, not since she was in Mystic Falls.
So how did her heart stop?
The tribrid let out a sigh as she continued flipping through the pages, reading with her vampire speed growing more and more natural to her, the more she tried. It was as easy as breathing, though she did prefer taking her time. But she knew that she couldn't just sit here, flipping through the library until she eventually read everything slowly. It would take too much time. She could go through things slower once she found something that could be helpful.
"Reading at vampire speed? It took me a bit to pick up that one" Marcel admitted as he stood in the door frame.
"Well, it's not something that people generally think about when they consider vampire powers" Hope pointed out. "Though that might be due to people's lack of interest in reading these days."
"Do you like reading?" He questioned, walking inside the room and closer to her.
"I do. Though reading for research purposes isn't exactly on my list of fun things to do" she said as she looked up at him before continuing to read quickly and closing the book with a sigh before picking up the next one in her pile. Marcel took the book from her, causing the tribrid to let out a "Hey!"
"You're done looking at these for now. We are getting you out of research mode" her brother declared as he set the book back down in the pile.
"But I have to figure out a way to get back to my time. And I need to figure out who triggered my vampire side" Hope protested.
"You can do that later. You're a newly transitioned vampire, or part vampire. You deserve to be able to live a bit and explore your activated vampirism" Marcel said.
Hope looked reluctant, used to prioritizing problems over her own happiness, but finally she signed and stood up. "I suppose giving myself a break from the research wouldn't be too bad. I can look at it all with less frustrated eyes later." Though truthfully, she knew her mind would not rest but rather continue trying to figure out who could have killed her.
"Alright, then lets get to practicing your new abilities" He headed out of the Abattoir, and she followed after him, unsure of if she really needed practice. So far, it had come naturally to her. She was born to be this, after all. But between her family not asking to see her very much since her parents died and how she felt being the cause of their and Elijah's death, she hadn't seen Marcel a lot. The idea of her brother showing her how to be a vampire nearly caused her to smile.
Marcel and Hope walked along the street of New Orleans, passing through the crowds. They didn't say much immediately, and Hope knew he was still adjusting to the whole time traveling daughter of Klaus Mikaelson, especially since she knew Marcel and her father were not on good terms- At least that Marcel had issues with him. Otherwise, he would have found Klaus and told him he was alive. After all, if Marcel knew about Klaus' successful hybrids, surely he had a general idea to his whereabouts.
If only Hope could get them to sort things out. If she just had confirmation this was creating an alternate timeline, perhaps she could help a future version of herself. have the life she always wanted with her family. Maybe this... all of this... was a way to help some other version of her to be able to be happy. To not have to suffer all the time and take burdens so no one else would have to. Maybe she could create a universe where she would let herself be happy, even if it wouldn't be her. What if she gave it a little nudge?
"What's on your mind?" Marcel questioned as he looked over at her.
"I don't know. A lot of things, I guess. It's strange being a vampire now. But it also feels right. Like all of my worries about becoming one were nothing and that everything is as it should be. I just..."
Marcel didn't say anything as he continued walking, spotting the conflicted expression on her face. There was something she wasn't saying, but he didn't want to push her even though he wanted the answers. Besides, despite him accepting this as the truth, he was still having trouble knowing that she was Klaus' daughter when she acted so differently than him. Even moreso, he hadn't thought it was possible for Klaus to have children, and while it was hard to believe, the proof was walking beside him. He believed her. No matter how crazy it sounded. After all, her retaining her magic, her being a werewolf witch and now a vampire still capable of using her with and werewolf side? The only logical thing, no matter how insane it seemed, was that she was Klaus' daughter as she claimed to be.
"It's just... Vampires can't have children. I never really gave deep thoughts on if I wanted it. I like the idea of it. I love my family. The concept of family is really important to me. And I might have wanted to build one on my own once things settled down and I graduated, but now ... I'm part vampire. So even if or when I'm ready to have kids, I can't. Not biologically. And while adoptive family is just as important and I would be more than happy to adopt, just knowing I can't-" Hope sighed softly. "Though maybe it's for the best. People are afraid of me or hate me just because of what I am and who I'm related to. I wouldn't want to burden anyone with that unless that ceases."
"Hope, it's okay to want your own flesh and blood child. I know your-" Marcel paused but only briefly "-Aunt Rebekah wanted a child of her own. So many centuries after she turned, that never changed." It was hard for him to talk about Rebekah. Betraying her, letting her think he was dead, was the hardest part. Though she had never come back to New Orleans. If she had, things would have been different. "If your father was capable of having you, then perhaps you can have a child of your own as well. After all, you are... unique."
"You really think it's a possibility for me?" Hope questioned as she looked over at her brother, hope shining a bit in her eyes at the thought of eventually being able to build a family, hopefully with the guy she loved so dearly.
"A possibility, yes. But the only way you'll know for sure is-"
"Yeah, I know" Hope said, not wanting him to continue further. It was weird thinking about that part of the topic with someone that was her brother. Especially since she had never actually done it with anyone.
Marcel walked over to the side and stopped at an entrance to an alley. Hope looked at him curiously and followed him over there, wondering what this was about. It wasn't as though it was to keep people from overhearing. Humans didn't typically pay much attention or just brushed things off. And supernaturals were capable of overhearing them even if they stepped to the side, if the person so chose to. Well, except for witches. They were the only one out of the main three supernatural factions that didn't have super hearing.
"What is it?" She questioned, her gaze on him as she wondered what was on his mind.
"You're a new vampire. And while you certainly seem to have better control over handling the sounds and lights around you than you did while you were in transition, it's still not the same as learning more control over what you are focusing on. I said we would explore your vampirism. So let's get started" Marcel said with a grin.
"Alright. What's first in my course of Vampire 101?" Hope teased, though that wasn't far off from the basic class of vampirism at The Salvatore School.
"Controlling your hearing from here. Focus. What is that man across the street, near the window, saying on the phone?"
Hope closed her eyes and focused on where she knew the man was, her hearing finding the sound of his voice. "He's talking to his wife or girlfriend, telling her about his business meeting that he supposedly just had, though the sound of his heartbeat indicates otherwise."
He nodded a little bit. "Alright, that's good, but try with your eyes open. If something is happening, you wouldn't want your eyes shut while listening and trying to watch something as well."
The tribrid turned to face Marcel and crossed her arms over her chest. "Down the street is a little girl asking her mother for cookies n creme ice cream, and the mother responded with telling her that they don't have time to get ice cream now because the tour starts in 13 minutes. Over there, that woman near the counter in the bakery is complaining about how the gluten free cookies are a couple of dollars more expensive than the regular cookies."
Marcel nodded. "Good" he said. "Though its harder when you're even more smack in the middle of a crowd, like at a party"
"I had werewolf hearing. Vampire hearing is better, but I'm still experienced with handling enhanced senses." she pointed out as she turned and headed out of the alley, Marcel walking alongside her.
"That makes sense. I suppose it is better than having to get used to your werewolf and vampire sides at the same time. "
Hope nodded and hesitated. "I never wanted to kill anyone and activate my werewolf side. I know that the werewolf gene is a part of me, but I was okay with having it locked away if it was for the best. The last thing I ever wanted to do was for someone innocent or human to be killed because of me."
"How did it happen? If you don't mind me asking" Marcel couldn't help his curiosity as he wanted to know more about her life.
"It was an- an accident. I was killing a group of dangerous vampires with my magic, and a human got caught in the crossfire. That's all you need to know."
"Alright" He said, not prying her any further. "Well lets get something to eat. Human food, and we can just talk and maybe practice some more of your abilities."
"I like the sound of that" Hope smiled a little at the thought of spending more time with him, just hanging out. She was glad he now knew the truth about her. It was like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She knew it was dangerous, but now all of her family, besides those that married into the family, knew who she was except Aunt Freya, who was currently asleep who knew where.
Marcel headed over to Rousseau's and headed inside with her by his side, and they got a booth over at the side, both wanting to sit somewhere a bit more private than the bar, despite the place not being very full yet. Hope remembered coming here in the future, though she hadn't gone many times. She was suddenly grateful that Camille wasn't on shift because she didn't want to increase the chances of Camille and Marcel talking if they had yet to meet properly. Speaking of Camille, as much as she didn't want to mess with the mind of someone she knew was close to her dad, she knew it might be best to compel her to forget what she saw Hope do.
"I was thinking we could test your compulsion on the bartender soon, see how naturally that comes to you" Marcel said.
"That's a good idea" Hope said before ordering a water and cheese fries from the list of snacks on the menu. She looked around the place and let out a small sigh, wishing she was here on better circumstances, though what were better circumstances? She wasn't sure when it came to New Orleans. Any time she was with anyone in the past that she loved, she was happy to be around them, but there was always the heavy burden of trying to do what was right, even if it was hard. And sometimes she managed to do what she thought was right, but other moments, she had let herself be selfish and enjoy her time in this time. If she knew for sure this was an alternate timeline, she would allow herself to relax some more.
"So when do we meet? How old were you?" Marcel questioned, snapping Hope out of her thoughts. She might have mentioned it when telling him before, but he knew he had been overwhelmed in processing that she was Klaus' daughter.
"I mean, you saw me when I was younger, but the time I remember meeting you was when I was seven," She replied, unable to help the small smile that formed on her face at the memory of when Marcel became her friend. "It didn't take very long for me to consider you my friend and want to help you."
"I guess trusting each other comes pretty easily to us. I mean, I don't trust your dad. And you were a werewolf witch hybrid. Two species that aren't very fond of vampires. And yet since I met you, I just wanted to know more about you. And then I believe what you're telling me no matter how hard it is to believe since this has never happened before."
"It means a lot that you're trusting me. And I'm sorry I can't give you all the answers you want. I have a theory that if correct would make me be able to tell you everything. But if it's wrong, then I am messing up my timeline so much already. Even if it's just in small ways. And especially in the larger ways"
"Like me knowing who you are" he commented with a small nod.
"Exactly. But I need your help in figuring out what happened to me. I survived so it isn't a huge deal, but if the person tried again, I need to be ready" Hope said.
"What have you figured out so far?"
"That it had to have been a witch that killed me. More could have been involved, but magic had to have been included. It's the only thing that makes sense with what I know. But were they there? Or was there a linking spell?"
"You were the only witch invited, the only one at the party. My guys aren't exactly fans of witches, and they don't really like us either."
She couldn't help the small sigh that escaped her. "I don't know much about the feud between the vampires and the witches in New Orleans. But I do know you shouldn't just judge someone based on what species they are. I have a group of friends in the future that consists of vampires, werewolves, phoenix don't ask about that, siphoner witches, and me the tribrid. We all work together. There doesn't have to always be a constant war going on"
"If only it was that simple, Hope"
She sighed and took a bite of a cheese fry, once they were set down in front of her. "Alright, so if it wasn't a witch at the party, it had to have been done with a linking spell. Linking spells can be tricky. Youd need something of mine. Stuff I own, hair, blood of mine... It's not like I'm from here. There shouldn't be something that could have been used to stop my heart. And if it was just my heart stopping, I think it would have to be my DNA. I just don't know how they managed to get hold of it."
"You'll figure it out. And I'll do what I can to help you. I doubt you want to end up dying again. Though what can kill a tribrid"
"I have no idea" Hope said. "But I don't want someone else figuring that out either"
"If killing you was their objective"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean" Marcel began as he looked at the tribrid, "what if the reason they killed you wasnt to kill you?"
Realization sunk in, causing Hope to frown. "You think someone killed me with the specific intent to trigger my vampire side? But who would do that and why? It doesn't make any sense."
"That's what we need to find out. Whether I'm right or not" he said as he looked at her.
Hope opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly an uneasy feeling washed over her. Feeling like she was being watched, the tribrid looked around the bar, immediately searching for who could be causing her to have this feeling. "Someone is here. Watching me."
Marcel instantly looked around, trying to see whoever it was that caused Hope to suddenly be alert and feel like she was being watched. "I don't see anyone watching" he said after a minute.
"I don't see anyone either, but I feel it. Something's wrong, and someone is watching me. I just don't know who it is," she explained as the feeling grew stronger as well as her sense of danger. "Alright, we need to get out of here." She stood up and threw some of the money Klaus had given her onto the table before quickly heading out of Rousseau's. She looked around once she was outside, still feeling the same thing as before, but she wasn't able to pinpoint the source.
"Hope, what is it? What's wrong?" Marcel asked once he reached her.
"I don't know. Maybe it's nothing. I probably just need to get my mind off of it" she sighed as she looked over at Marcel, though deep down she knew whatever caused her feeling wasn't nothing. But it wasn't like she had any leads on what could have caused it.
"Do you like art like Klaus does?" He questioned abruptly, switching the conversation to help her get her mind off of it.
"Yeah, I do" Hope said as she pushed down the feeling with a small smile. "I've loved it ever since I first started trying to color when I was a little kid. I love painting and sketching. I use oil pastels and colored pencils too, though not as much as I love painting."
"I'm by no means an artist, but we can speed read. Maybe we can try speed painting", Marcel grinned at her.
A laugh escaped Hope's lips, the previous worries forgotten as she looked at her brother. "That sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"What? The tribrid isnt up for a challenge?" Marcel teased.
"Oh, you're on. Though if paint ends up all over the place, it's not my fault"
"Fair enough"
And with that in mind, they bought what they needed from a nearby store before heading to the Abattoir to begin their speed painting activity. And surely, like Hope said, it was a recipe for disaster. Soon enough, even Hope's painting had splashes of color that didn't realistically (which realistic was her intention) represent what she had been trying to paint, a meaningless painting of two people in a meadow. And while it came out a mess, it still was clear of her intention. And so, two distorted girls stood in the meadow, one with dark hair and one with blonde.