Castlevania: Reunions

28: Recruited

"You sure Tony?" Steve asks when they're in the tower's kitchen "Yes" Tony says "We don't know anything about her, just that she isn't human" Bruce says "If she isn't human, what is she?" Steve asks, making Bruce answer "I don't know, but think about it, since we met them, they kept to themselves a lot, only visiting town when they need to" "Well I wouldn't mind meeting them formally" Steve says "They live in the wooded area, I think Nat went to visit today".

Steve is met with a surprising sight, Rose dragging some deer towards the house where Ruby and Adrian are talking with Nat "I see." Ruby says quietly "I'll find her Ruby" Natasha says "Maybe it's for the best" Adrian says putting an arm around Ruby "But please keep looking." "Dad, dinner." Rose says, making her father nod a 'thank you' before heading inside. "Hector came by, he's wondering if we decided what we're going to do, he has a building available" Adrian calls from the kitchen "Why don't you open a clinic?" Ruby asks and Steve clears his throat getting their full attention "Good afternoon Steve" the assassin turned agent says "Afternoon, I figured I'd meet the person Tony is interested in, not that way, in for the past few day" Steve says "Interested?" Ruby asks confused "He wants her to join the Avengers?" Natasha asks surprised "That's how the others reacted" Steve says "But yes, he wants Ruby to join the Avengers.". Ruby sighs, they weren't aware they are half vampires and she hoped to keep it like that "I have to decline, sorry" she says "Besides, I want to spend time with my family".

Tony isn't surprised with the answer "It's very funny though" Natasha says 'They sometimes speak like they belong 500 years in the past" "That's oddly specific" Wanda says "It is?" Tony asks "Anyway, she might go to the Belmont family meeting" "She said she wouldn't despite the invitation, hoped to visit her brother in the mountain around that time" "And she tells you that because?" Clint asks looking at his partner in crime "Because she's actually quite nice and gentle, despite how she looks, Adrian too. Rosemarie is a mix of both, sometimes she's a sweet little angel and other times she's a deadly as a demon." "Weird you use the word demon, we ran into one when we were on our way back to the car and Ruby simply told it off and it left" Bruce says. It gets even stranger when Peter returns with a stack history homework, accompenied by Rose "Our new teacher gave us this entire stack" he says "It's not that bad" Rose says "Speaking of the devil" Steve mumbles "Why are you here kid?" "Mom and dad are clearing out the forest and told me to be back by dinnertime, anyone know how to make pancakes? I wanna surprise them" she says "Look at how adorable she is!" Pepper says seeing Rose "I uh-" "Pepper, take it easy on the kid, she hasn't had it easy, doesn't even have a school yet" Tony says "I do actually, I'm starting next month" Rose says with a smile "But am I really that adorable?" "I wouldn't go that far, but you do have your charms, now why do your parents sometimes talk like they are 500 years in the past?" Natasha asks "That's... oddly spicific, but my dad was brought up in an envirement which came with many formal settings and mom just learned it from him I guess, she was always on the road traveling" Rose says "Why do you ask?" "Well... we're trying to figure some mysteries out, that's all" Bruce says, giving her a smile "Pepper can teach you how to make pancakes" Tony says making his wife tilt her head "She wants to surprise her parents with dinner". They get some more information on the three when Peter comes home with a history book on Wallachia "Our teacher wrote it himself" he says "So now he's a writer? Typical, any excuse to spend time inside his study" Ruby says scaring everyone there "You know my teacher?" Peter asks "Yeah, Vlad D. Tepes, he's my father in-law. He's more like my father since I lost mime, but that's not the point. Anyway I am here because Adrian suggested I'd give this Avengers thing a try" Ruby says "Wait my teacher is Rose's grandfather?" Peter asks earning a nod "Wouldn't have known, anyway, I have to read this before next week" "I could tell you" Ruby says plopping down on a chair "I just need to know the basic things" "Well that's easy".

Ruby returns home that evening and she is greeted by Trevor "You look tired as hell" he says "Haven't had a good nights rest since day one" Ruby says "Figuring out what to do, then decide not to because everyone has to think you're a human, it's all very tiring" "I can imagine, we found your mother, well Sypha did" "Really?" "Yes, but she had gunshot wounds, silver bullets and we couldn't get any informatiom before she passed out". This gets Ruby thinking "Well shit, there's a whole group after vampire blood" she says "Where is she?" "Lisa's doing what she can, but this era brings more dangers to us then the previous one" Trevor explains "Anyway, Rose made some tea" "I could use that".

The next morning barely at dawn Adrian wakes up and he looks outside to see a group of people "Ruby, we have company" he says heading downstairs as Ruby gets up as well "Excuse me" he says "But what business do you have this early in the morning?" "Looking for a kid we saw heading here" "Right and this kid-" "Stop pretending not to know anything you va-", Ruby swiftly shuts him up with a bullet to the knee "What time was that?" she asks "Two hours ago" another man says "Hm, Rose, were you outside two hours ago?" Adrian asks seeing his daughter walk down while rubbing her eyes "No, did hear something near the stables mom is building, went back to sleep right after that" she says "I'll go and check the stables" Ruby says putting on her coat before picking up her gun again "These things are convenient" she says "I agree, but I still prefer a sword" Adrian says "I'll get started on breakfast, Rose, can you call Sypha and Trevor and see if they're awake?" "Course" she says running back upstairs.

Ruby enters the half finished stables and she looks around, someone had been there alright, still was "Please don't hurt me" someone says making her look up "Start with who you are" she says quietly "Gabriel van Helsing, those men want to use me to draw out Dracula at his castle" "Gabriel..." Ruby trails off, remembering her niece's boyfriend "Named after my ancestor" he says "They think he married a Belmont, but there's no proof of that" "Stay here and I'll come back soon". The men are hyperaware that Ruby still has that gun in her hand when she walks back "Nothing, kid must've left" she says "And no, I will not contact you if something like this happens again, it's my land, I'll deal with problem". Adrian sighs seeing the boy "Where are your parents kid?" "Dead, they refused to coöperate" he says "Seems I am going to the Belmont reunion, they should be able to keep him safe" Ruby says taking a sip of her tea "Why not let him stay here?" Rose asks "You're starting school soon, Adrian has a clinic and Tony is expecting me at the tower during the day" Ruby says "I'll take the kid" Trevor says "You sure?" Adrian asks "Yeah, Sypha would love to take care of him, he looks like Stella doesn't he?" "Little bit yeah" Rose answer "Y-you know my great grandmother?" the boy asks and the siblings exchange a look "Great grandmother? Stella died soon after her first- well shit" Trevor says "What about Gabriel?" "Well I never met him, he died a few weeks before grandpa was born thanks to demons I think" "Is your great grandmother alive?" Ruby asks earning a nod "She's at home now, I never understood how a human could live that long" "We're taking you home" Ruby and Trevor say.