Dracula was looking at the screen in confusion. "Is this some kind of joke, Mr. Berkeley?"
Ace shook his head, "No sir. In this universe, you created video games based on the fight between the Belmont clan and you. You've been making these games since the mid 1980's. Though there hasn't been one since the 2010's. We'll be watching you talk about your history and the games."
Lisa was smiling a bit. "I can't wait to see this world!"
The screen came to life as it showed Dracula dressed in a white button up shirt, brown leather jacket, brown pants which seem to flare out at the ankles while rocking a belt and rather large square glasses and his hair in a ponytail. Text on screen came up showing, "California, USA 1978." As music played in the background with Dracula walking down what looks to be a boardwalk.
"Love the look, darling. You should put your hair up more often." Lisa said, kissing his cheek.
"Not exactly the kind of clothing I'd picture Dracula in." Trevor said while scratching his head.
Adrian was trying his best not to laugh because of how outlandish the pants were.
Carmilla was failing to contain her laughter, "Rather interesting choice in pants, my lord."
"It must be the style of that era, I'll admit, it is strange." Dracula said.
VEGA chirped in Ace's earpiece, "Just wait until he sees his reincarnation's clothing."
Ace snorted.
As he walked, the sound of laughter caused Dracula to stop, walking into the building he saw children, teenagers, and even some parents around machines of light and sound dropping money into the machines as they cheered and smiled, interacting with the shapes and colors on the screens.
"What are these machines?" Dracula asked.
VEGA replied, "This is the humble beginning of video games, and what you see are known as arcade cabinets."
Sypha and Lisa both asked, "And you pay to play them?"
"You always put in at least a quarter to play one of these. They were everywhere and while they still exist to this day, the advent of video game consoles kinda killed them a bit." Ace answered.
Dracula smiled a bit seeing the happy faces of the children, it reminded him of his own children. Looking at the counter, he walked up and asked the owner, "So what is this place?"
The owner, who is a young man, answered with a smile, "This is the Arcade Emporium, where games and fun is our goal." Dracula nods as he watches the games. Listening to the young man talk, "Rumor has it that you'll be able to have arcades at home soon, if I had the money I'd invest into those companies and make my own games."
Dracula stared at a boy and girl who were laughing playing a game called pong, while in his head the gears were turning at such an idea. "Yeah, that would be a good idea."
Lisa smiled, "So this is where you got such an idea, to entertain and see children smile." She laid her head on his shoulder, looking at him. "You're such a big softy."
Dracula was slightly embarrassed, but had a smile.
"If only my great grandfather could see this. Maybe he wouldn't have thought so badly of him." Trevor said.
Sypha sniffled slightly, making Trevor look at her. "Are you crying?"
The camera zoomed in on Dracula as a montage begins, showing Dracula buying out an office building, filling it with workers building computers, and all while he changed to wearing mostly a button up white shirt and dark pants, however the years pass as his company produced arcade cabinets, then cartridges, up until finally it catches up to the reveal of Castlevania as he smiles at the cheering crowds.
"How long did that take him to make?" Isaac asked.
"Judging by the attire, I'd argue it took him quite a few years to create it." Carmilla spoke.
VEGA chirped, "It is said in one interview that Dracula took a thousand United States dollars to make the initial investment into his start up company. But by the time he made Castlevania he was already making close to 2.6 million a year from the sales of arcade cabinets, game cartridges, and exclusive distribution rights alone."
Trevor coughed on his drink as he shouted, "What!?"
Hector was drinking some soda before coughing and spitting it out. He hacked and punched his chest before looking at the screen. "HOW MUCH!?"
VEGA repeated, "2.6 million, however that's not including inflation."
"Inflation?" Carmilla asked.
Greta chuckled, then started cackling like a mad woman, "I'm dating the son of a rich man! I've hit it big!" She was laughing while VEGA answered Carmilla,
"Inflation is the accumulation of wealth over time as well as adjusting with the economic environment."
"So that number got bigger overtime!?" Carmilla nearly exclaimed.
Lisa giggled. "Well it seems like you still can surprise your wife, my husband is a business genius."
VEGA replied to Carmilla's question. "Yes,"
Back at the screen, Dracula walked to the stage and began speaking. "I was walking down a sidewalk when I saw these arcade machines and how much joy it brought to children, so I thought of something brilliant. I wanted to create my own game. I started Tepes Visuals a little over five years ago to begin bringing new arcades that children can play."
The audience clapped and Dracula continued. "But that wasn't enough. I didn't want to make games simply for kids. Everyone of all ages has the right to play these games. That is why I am pleased to announce my newest game. Castlevania. The story of good and evil that will take place in the fortress of Dracula, King of all Vampires."
Adrian chuckled, "In a way I guess we are children at heart."
Sypha tapped her chin, "In a way it would make a great adventure, I mean if I was to write a book of the things I have seen and done, I would probably never need anything again."
Dracula hummed, thinking about the different inventions he could possibly do when they got back.
The audience clapped once more before the screen revealed the beginning screen. Simon Belmont in 8-bit walking towards the gates with the castle in the background and that classic beginning song playing.
Lisa couldn't help but giggle again, "Oh my it's adorable!"
"Is that how games looked back then?" Isaac said, tilting his head slightly.
"Yeah pretty much, but as technology improved, the games started to look better, some to the point of almost looking very much like real life." Ace said.
The classic song of the first game melted to another montage as it shows Castlevania hitting the top 5 of most sold games for that year, along with clips of Dracula posing on magazine covers, as even news segments play with a child who said, "Castlevania is awesome!" With the largest smile he can give as he holds up the NES cartridge.
Lisa smiles, "Oh look dear, look at the joy you brought." She said seeing the happy children playing her husband's game.
Greta was shaking her head a bit. "He made it to the top five... I don't even wanna know how many he sold and how much he made."
Dracula watched and held Lisa's hand, perhaps there was a chance to make a better world.
Dracula then announced the sequel, Simon's Quest, which was considered an amazing sequel.
Trevor raised an eyebrow, "Simon's quest?" He asks unsure how to feel.
Dracula spoke at the next convention, "Simon's Quest will see you returning as Simon Belmont. He has been given a death curse by Dracula right before defeating him. It is up to you to find the bones of Dracula and burn them in order to lift the curse. In this game, it will not just take place at Dracula's Castle, but it will take you all across Transylvania. There will be secrets, there will be various boss battles and a day and night transition."
Sypha was glued to the screen as she was taking down notes like a mad woman, "Amazing!"
"Quite remarkable, I must say." Carmilla said, petting her baby beaver and panther.
Lisa's smile never left her face, "Why you never decided to be an author of stories, I'll never know."
"Perhaps when we get back, I will." Dracula said, looking at her.
After the release of Simon's Quest, it helped kick start Video Game Award ceremonies, much like the Oscars with Simon's Quest earning Game of the Year.
A segment is seen of Dracula accepting the award with a smile, before more time passes as the bit wars began showing the consoles being the SNES, Sega, and many others.
Hector claps his hands, "Well done my Lord! To win an award must be rather good."
VEGA chirps into Ace's ear. "Yes back when gaming meant something... before the era of the loot boxes and microtransactions."
"So many different consoles, the technology must have improved a lot." Sypha said with wonder.
"Was I ever in a game?" Trevor asked.
VEGA's chirp was heard as he answered, "Yes, in fact you were in the third game which we will be coming to soon."
Onscreen gaming magazines showed Dracula being mysterious as the question was on all the covers, "Whats Next for Castlevania?" Until it comes to E3 as the stage is dressed up like a castle graveyard with fog showing that Dracula is gonna make a dramatic entrance.
Lisa rolled her eyes as she said with a jovial voice, "Oh sure, just flaunt your money around. Not like your humble or anything."
"Oh come now, it's all flair and theatrics." Dracula said with a chuckle.
Adrian went to say somthing until Greta spoke up, "Hush now, the show's about to begin."
Dracula walked towards the stage, wearing his traditional vampire like clothes. He spoke in a dark voice. "There is a curse upon the land of Wallachia. Dracula's reign has begun, and it is up to Trevor Belmont, the ancestor to Simon Belmont, and others to stop him."
Those watching were on the edge of their seats, while Lisa was impressed with her husband's acting skill.
Trevor narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute... That's... That's what we did. This is our adventure he's talking about."
Adrian was honestly shocked, "I must ask, is this timeline one of a few where a divergence happens?"
VEGA replied, "Yes, in this timeline all events are as they are, however there are key differences such as Carmilla not pushing to take over the world."
"Well that's disappointing." Isaac said with a straight face and a monotone voice.
Carmilla looks at Isaac as if saying 'Really?'
The scene behind Drac played a moving picture of Belmont fighting the shadow beast with his flaming whip as the spotlight shined down on Dracula.
"You won't just be playing as Trevor Belmont. You will also be able to play multiple characters. Such as Sypha Belnades, a Speaker Magician who can use the elements to take down monsters and create platforms for her to get through. Grant Dynasty, a pirate who can climb walls to get across tricky situations. And finally, Alucard, the Son of Dracula who can turn into a bat to make several platforming levels completely easy." Dracula announced.
The different characters and actions can be seen as the people were eating it up.
Adrian was shocked to see his father actually model him and give his in-game counterpart a unique ability. "Father… I... I don't know what to say."
"Son, you know I love you, right? You think I'd leave you out of the game?" Dracula asked him.
"Now wait, I think I speak for everyone when I ask... Who the fuck is Grant Dynasty?" Trevor asked.
Isaac spoke up, "He was the captain for whom gave me wise advice of the sea."
Sypha however was blushing as she said, "The portions are so wrong My breasts are not that big!" This caused Trevor, Adrian, and even Carmilla who was now looking at her chest with raised eyebrows.
Dracula looked at his wife with a raised eyebrow.
Lisa giggled as she patted his arm. "It's a woman thing."
He then shrugged, deciding it wasn't worth trying to pry.
After the release of Dracula's Curse, it was renowned for the new characters and designs, but was also said to be the hardest Castlevania game to date.
With that, came the end of the NES line up and into the SNES era with Super Castlevania or Castlevania IV.
The sight of an interview is seen as a reporter asks, "With the video game market growing as it is, does Tepes Visual plan to expand to other countries and genres of games?" Showing Dracula dressed in his signature white shirt and black pants.
"As a matter of fact, it does. While Castlevania has been our most popular and profitable game series, we want to push the boundaries of technology and games. We want games to be stories. Stories you can interact with and watch them unfold as you play." Dracula answered.
Greta whistled, "Slow down! You got a great thing going with Castlevania!" Showing she's more muscle than brains.
Trevor nodded, "Yeah! Why do you wanna try and branch out?"
"Because they don't want to just be known for that series, they want to create more memorable series." Dracula answered, sighing at their shortsightedness.
Lisa sighed, "Not all of us can be blessed with our looks and brains dear." She said, patting his back.
Soon the years roll on to the 1990s as the next E3 shows a post apocalyptic stage with Dracula walking out in a blue jumpsuit, "Welcome to the post nuclear wasteland of California." Dracula says as low eri music plays in the background. "You have known Tepes Visual for making our award winning and beloved Castlevania series, but watch as we take the next step into the personal computer gaming market with a brand new role playing game set in post nuclear apocalypse America."
Carmilla raised an eyebrow at the introduction. "Post apocalypse? As in, after the world has already been destroyed?"
VEGA chirped, "Yes. The game series Dracula is about to introduce is also a timeline where the world's oil supply was running out which resulted in a series of wars, until finally America and China after years of fighting caused a nuclear holocaust which is referred to as the Great and or Final War that lasted two hours."
Sypha was shocked to hear this. "Well...aside from the fact it's a real timeline, what of the game?"
Lisa had a feeling of dread from the nuclear bombs used.
VEGA chirped, "The game series would go on to become a cultural icon and even lead to many other great stories being developed as well as younger game studios who would join Tepes Visual including one Todd Howard who would reinvent the games formula."
"Fascinating." Hector said.
Dracula smiled as he lifted his arms showing the title of the game, "Welcome to Fallout! A game where you can write your own story! But your goal early on is simple, save your fallout shelter, or Vaults, failing water chips. How you do that though is wholly up to the player! In a game with real player choice and freedom!" He smiled as the people and gamers cheered and the sales showed another hit for Tepes Visual.
"Tepes Visuals has given us a new successful series with Fallout, a big departure from the Castlevania series, but shows how diverse the company is in terms of gameplay and storyline." A reporter said.
Soon a news article shows Adrian shaking hands with his father as the title reads "Son joins father and starts a sister company!" As Adrian is seen dressed in a more laid back Jean's and basic t-shirt with a leather jacket.
Adrian at that moment coughs on his drink while his mother was none to happy, "Adrian Tepes! What are you wearing!?"
Carmilla was Intrigued, "So the son joins the father, but makes his own separate company?"
Hector looked at Ace while VEGA ignored Lisa giving Adrian the 5th degree, "So what does the prince's company do? In terms of games I mean."
"Well you're about to see their first game." Ace answered.
At a convention, Adrian walked to the stage and smiled as he started, "As many of you know, I joined my father by creating my own sister company, Alucard Entertainment. We strive for games that will push the boundaries of what we know. We want to make games that will make people love and hate us at the same time. As such, I would like to introduce you to our first game." He didn't say the name of the game, but simply let the screen show it.
A loud brass was heard as fire began rising to reveal a dragon emblem. A man shouted, "MORTAL KOMBAT!!"
VEGA chirps into Ace's earpiece, "It is still such a shame the government tried to shut them down." To which Ace nodded.
Trevor upon hearing the music somehow got pumped up. "Holy hell, what is this game!? And can I play it!?"
The screen revealed a man wearing black and yellow ninja like attire with blank white eyes facing a blue and black ninja. The two traded blows, watching blood fly all over the arena. The yellow ninja raised his hand and a kunai flew out and stabbed the blue ninja before he shouted, "GET OVER HERE!!"
He pulled him forward before kicking him away. The blue ninja conjured an ice ball and tossed it at him which froze him. The blue ninja uppercut the yellow ninja, which broke him out of the icy prison, and the yellow ninja punched him which caused the blue ninja to be stunned. A voice shouted, "FINISH HIM!"
The yellow ninja ripped off his mask to reveal a skeleton before breathing fire at the blue ninja which caused him to scream and melt down to a skeleton.
"FATALITY!!"
The people cheer going nuts at how violent a game could be while Dracula backstage was still nervous as he says to an assistant who looks like Hector but younger, "Make sure our lawyers are prepared incase of any backlash."
The man nodded as Adrian had a huge grin on his face, "Wicked right!"
Trevor throws his arms up, "I wanna play this game!"
Dracula looked intrigued while Lisa looked horrified.
Lisa said in a worried voice, "Must it be so violent? I mean it could cause your father's company trouble."
Greta waves her hand, "It's clearly not made for kids. I mean what stupid kid is gonna play a game made for those of older age?" Greta says almost testing fate.
Ace simply hissed as he knew what was going to happen. VEGA asked in his earpiece, "Should we tell them?"
"I think they're about to learn in a bit." Ace answered.
Once again the game was a hit, as now it cuts to another news story showing Adrian's company working on a new title called DOOM!
Isaac raised an eyebrow, "Doom?"
"Interesting title." Carmilla said.
Lisa still couldnt help but feel worried for what's to come.
Soon the showcase opens with a bang as Adrian comes out rocking the Doom theme on a guitar as he headbangs a bit, his blond hair flying abit, all to much fanfare.
Greta was bobbing her head as Adrian blushed, "I hope your skills are as good as his." She says with a predator grin.
"Well, well, well! As if Mortal Kombat wasn't enough, we have yet another game that will definitely get us locked up." He joked and the audience laughed. "But with all seriousness, we want to bring you something you have never seen before. We want to bring you games that are from the character's perspective. You saw it first hand with Wolfenstein 3D, and now we bring you the future of First Person Shooters. DOOM!"
A montage is shown of the player going around killing DEMONS with guns as the music plays all with the crowds loving it. "The story you ask? Simple! You're a marine on Mars, FIGHTING OFF DEMONS FROM HELL!" That got a huge reaction as he smiles, "Yeah! Who doesn't like the idea of some demon killing with a shotgun!" He laughed.
"Well this sounds familiar yet different at the same time." Trevor said, taking a drink from his mug.
"Why do I act more like a child there than I am here?" Alucard asked.
Sypha chuckled, "Honestly, I'm happy to see you unwind. It's refreshing to see you enjoying what you do."
Lisa however didn't say anything as the feeling of dread didn't leave her.
Once again Doom was a hit, but like with everything, all good things come to an end as tragedy strikes, "It's confirmed that there is an active shooter in the school!" It cuts to another angle as a birds eye view is seen with police trying to get children out. "The police are trying their best to get the students and staff out while also attempting to apprehend the active shooters."
Everyone's eyes widened as they watched a school be attacked. Lisa gasped and put a hand to her mouth in shock.
Carmilla's glass dropped and shattered on the ground.
The news doesn't get better as they report, "The two mass shooters were youths who were radicalized by violent video games such as Mortal Kombat and Doom, however whether this is true or not is up for debate as many gaming companies are being summoned to senate hearings to testify against such allegations."
Adrian was shocked, them saying it was his other self's games that caused this… this horrible act!? "No! They did no such thing!" Adrian growled out.
Drscula's eyes widened before he snarled and gripped his armrest, nearly crushing it. "They want a scapegoat!"
Carmilla snarls before laughing, "Oh they chose the wrong people to try and blame!"
Lisa grabs her husband's hand as she looks at him worried, "My love." She said, of what might happen to his other self.
It was 1993 and the Congressional Senate hearing was underway. Dracula and Adrian were wearing professional suits as they sat at a table.
The leading senator was being aggressive as he asks, "Mister Tepes, out of all the games on the market, yours is the most violent and as we have seen was one of the factors behind the shooters violent behavior which lead them to carrying out such a vile act, so I must ask, do your video games being so violent cause people to commit such acts?" Adrian had a small twitch in his eye as it was clear this man had an agenda, but he listened to his father, and team of lawyers, and would let him take point on this.
Trevor scoffed as he tossed his drink, "Oh fuck you!"
Hector shook his head, "Politics, worse than any kind of battlefield."
Dracula growled, much like a lion from the senator's antagonistic behavior.
"Mister Senator, my son's video games may be more violent than most, but that is all it is. A video game. After all, isn't it in your Constitution that everyone is allowed to express themselves in their own way, including art. Besides, DOOM is about destroying demons, there should not be anything offensive about that, should there?" Dracula asked.
The senator looks like he swallowed a lemon as he trys to push another angle, "Freedom of speech is not what we're talking about here mister Tepes, it's the fact your company's game is linked to a mass shooting of a school."
Lisa just couldn't believe this guy as she says, "It's art! Art shouldn't be held accountable to one's actions! If my husband drew me naked in a sexual way and then after seeing said image causes him to want to have sex with me, do I blame the painting!? No! My husband's love is to blame!" She finishes before giving a huff.
The screen paused and everyone looked at Lisa, unsure of what to make of that.
Lisa shouts at them, "What!?"
Everyone looked back at the screen.
"Do you have any evidence to suggest that they are linked? Aside from the fact they played them? Do you have any evidence saying the games told them to kill those children? Any subliminal messages? Our video games are meant to appeal to the adults, but clearly not to you if you're blaming us for the actions of those murderers." Dracula said, glaring at the senator.
"The way I see it, something in their lives caused them to go on a shooting spree. Possibly their lives at home, or abuse in school. There are factors much bigger than just a collection of pixels." Dracula finished.
Adrian chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Guess it's not so bad to have you back me up."
"Son, I'd fight to the death for you. Never forget that." Dracula said, reaching forward to place a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
The senate hearings were over as Adrian was walking out with Dracula now smoking a cigarette, "Sorry for my langue dad, but this is such bullshit! Can't these over glorified pencils pushers stay out of our business!? Fucking pisses me off." He exclaimed as he blew out some smoke from his cigarette.
Dracula sighed before grabbing his cigarette and inhaling some of the smoke before blowing it out as well. He hands it back to his son before speaking, "Son, these politicians don't want to get to the complex part of the problem. They want the simple solution. A scapegoat. It's very easy to blame someone else, instead of researching for the actual solution. Your games may have been played by those shooters, but that does not make you guilty. After all, who is to blame? The manufacturer of the gun, or the one who pulls the trigger?"
Adrian was seen deep in thought as he answered at the same time as his counterpart, "The one who pulls the trigger is truly the one to blame."
Trevor nodded, "I agree, hell it sucks that your games are getting heat because those guys are cowards."
Dracula placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "You now have a choice to make. You can decide to keep going, make the type of games you want, or you can decide that too many people were killed because of this and you can stop. I would support you with whatever you choose, just know this... You are my greatest creation. Not any of these games I helped make. You are. I just want you to be able to learn from this experience."
Adrian smirked, "I'm no coward dad, and besides both our company's motto is to push the boundaries of technology, create amazing stories, and inspire the next generation." He said with a smile as he snuffs out his cigarette before turning to the sun. "So come on, dad! Let's go see what tomorrow has for us!" Adrian says with a huge smile as he walks down the steps to the waiting limo with both their company's logo on them.
Dracula watched his son with a smile before walking down the steps with him.
Carmilla watched it with a smile, "Well that was a nice way to end it."
"Indeed, I'm rather interested to see what they come up with next." Isaac said.
Lisa smiled, "I'm so proud of you two, even when faced with trouble from the government, you still continue to push on."
"Wait, VEGA, didn't you speak of a universe similar to this?" Hector asked.
VEGA chirped, "Yes, the DOOM universe."
"This is the one where I slaughtered demons over a rabbit, yes?" Dracula asked.
VEGA replied, "Yes."
Trevor asked, "May we see it?"
VEGA chirped as he answered, "No, not yet. That is planned for later."
Some of the audience members groaned. "Hey now, don't fret. We're about to start the next one soon. This one is music based." Ace said.
This interested Dracula, Sypha, Carmilla, Lisa and Hector.
"We never did see how music evolved, I can't wait to see what we get to listen to." Sypha said.
Lisa smiled as she hugged both her husband and son. "I'm so proud to see you two working together to bring joy to the next generation." She breaks the hug a bit looking at both with a wide smile. "And not taking shit from anyone!" She says with a firm tone.
"Language, Lisa." Dracula jokingly reprimanded her as he hugged her and his son.
Lisa smiled as she thanked whoever's out there for blessing her with a wonderful family.
The End.