Mandy Jefferson

1101 Comp TR 8:00

Mrs. Allison Ross

December 31, 2011

In the Arena

Has anyone ever wondered what would happen if Dracula were placed in an arena with Edward Cullen? While the idea has been thought of before, has anyone really looked at it? In modern day pop culture, there are two very prominent groups: the sappy romantics that enjoy Twilight, and the more realistic and dark beings that enjoy Dracula. For the last five years, the majority of teenagers have become infatuated with the scintillating microcosm of Twilight. In that same amount of time, vampires have taken up center stage in teenage media. "The Vampire Diaries", "Moonlight", "Blood Ties", and "True Blood" are only a few examples. Though all have a slightly different version of vampires, none really take on the complete disregard for tradition that Twilight does.

Within Twilight, Edward Cullen is apparently a teenager in a small town, who doesn't feel any attraction to the local girls. When the heroine Bella appears, suddenly Edward has an uncontrollable attraction to her, and vice versa. He then goes on to court her as he would have done in his human life, 110 years earlier. His tortured soul longs for redemption and he is constantly blaming himself for everything that could possibly be his fault. Edward also reads the minds of everyone within range of him, except for his lady love. Eventually, he gets married to her, sparkles in the sunlight a lot, and they have a child. Edward does not get hurt by silver, crucifixes, or stakes. He also does not have fangs that he does not use to eat people. Edward is a vegetarian vampire who only eats animals because he believes that people are friends, not food. Edward has stone skin that keeps him safe from any weapons that humanity has within their possession. Only a tag-team of werewolf shape shifters or his kind has a chance of ripping him to shreds and burning the remains, as is the only way to kill vampires within Twilight.

Edward's eyes are what give away his hunger, not lethargic movements that the other species of vampires exhibit when they become very hungry. When he is well fed from his strict deer and mountain lion diet, Edward has light caramel eyes. Until his next feeding, those eyes will darken until they become an all consuming black, along with deep bags under the eyes. The bags have nothing to do with sleep, as Edward doesn't sleep.

Most vampire lovers could deal with the angst, mood swings, over bearing affections, and the lack of fangs. It is the sparkling that does in Edward's appeal. To be honest, if some humanoid creature leapt at any normal human, sparkling like a diamond, the human is going to start laughing. What did Edward do? Did the man roll around in a giant pile of glitter before Stephanie Meyer got the idea for him? It would not have mattered if Edward suddenly gave up his inability to like himself, he would still be disliked because of his affiliations with glitter.

When the new guy turned into a sparkler, most turned their adoring eyes back to the reigning King of Vampires. Once again, Dracula is on center stage. The heart broken and betrayed ex-Twilight lovers looked to the Great Count for their vengeance. What better way to gain back their faith in the darkness of vampires, than to illustrate Dracula literally destroying Edward? While outsiders might look at these feelings with confusion, the logic is actually very refreshing.

Count Dracula is the five hundred years old plus vampire that literally shapes the modern translation of the vampire myths. Count Dracula is irresistible to women and knows it. He moves through the night, nearly undetectable if it were not for the bodies that seem to follow him. Dracula is the embodiment of what vampires were meant to be. He is seduction; the only predator that out ranks humans in the food chain. He looks like a human, walks like a human, talks like a human (with a heavy accent), but he is something more and subconsciously humans recognize that fact.

Though Dracula has a behemoth amount of supernatural powers, his weaknesses are also very endearing. Dracula can manipulate minds, and weather, and objects. Dracula lives forever, changes his form to wolf, or mist, or bat. Dracula drinks the blood of any unfortunate enough to stand in his path. While he has power over all of this, Dracula can still be defeated by mere humans. Dracula can be harmed by silver, holy water, crucifixes, and holy writings. The Count can be killed by being beheaded or run through the heart by a wooden stake. He also has to sleep in a coffin with soil from his grave, or he will become one of the true dead.

One can not forget that Dracula is also a Prince. He fought the Turk Empire in his mortal life and won. Such a man would not be a fool. Thus, Dracula is also a master strategist and a possible genius. When faced with this perfectly round character, it is easy to see why so many generations have sympathized with the undead man. He experienced heart break when his wife threw herself from the castle walls before he could save her. He experienced hatred for the god that allowed his wife to commit such an act. He experienced bloodlust for the Turks who invaded his home land in his childhood and ripped him from his family. He is so human, yet so unnatural at the same time. His appeal goes much deeper than his attractive qualities or his diet. It might have something to do with turning to dust in the sunlight instead of sparkling.

While Edward Cullen and Dracula are both vampires, both sex icons, and both in the mind of every teenage girl of the English language, they are so very different. Their surface similarities are easily stripped away by an ice cold eye. Edward is a good character, but he never grows. He is the same in Twilight as he is in Breaking Dawn, except he is no longer a bachelor. Edward is appealing at first glance, but every new toy gets replaced. It is the favorites that stick through the years and are always kept close at hand.

So, if one were to place these two seemingly similar characters into an arena Dracula would win. His victory would not come about simply because he is the strongest, or the most loved, or the coldest. He would taste victory because he has tasted loss. He has watched his life burn and been powerless to stop it. He has killed so many people, both innocents and guilty. Dracula has accepted the darkness within himself, and it at peace with his demon, while Edward Cullen is waging a war within himself. Edward Cullen refuses to accept his vampirism. How could he ever be a challenge for the balanced Count?

For Dracula is the more powerful of the two. Not simply because of his age, past, or abilities. Dracula is the more powerful of the two because of his weaknesses. For Dracula is a reminder to humanity that no matter how much more powerful the adversary may be, they can still be conquered. Dracula gives humanity faith within themselves, for humanity could kill the Count. Edward is only a speck in the sand that will fade with time. A shallow romance, no matter how big or how hot, never burns long in the heart of man, but hope smolders eternally.

ASASASASASASASASASA

Alucard looked at the paper for a long moment, wondering not for the first time, why he was reading it. For one thing, there had been no satisfying death of the Edward character. In fact, it had swatted the entire concept of Edward away as though it were a mere child. Alucard sneered at the thought, Edward was an abomination. A child was innocent, and rather delicious should the night allow. He was a monster after all, unlike the Cullen creature.

Alucard stood from his throne-like chair and walked swiftly through a portal into the police girl's room, holding the paper. Seras looked up at his arrival in surprise, though she didn't jump as she used to. "Need something, Master?"

Alucard regarded her with his cold red eyes for a moment before grinning, and though there was no true malice within it, it still chilled her dead bones. He glided over to her bed and sat down, "Police Girl, I seem to have come into possession of an interesting piece of literature. The writer is some American college girl. Don't ask how it came into my possession, as I'm sure you won't enjoy the so-called "gory details". I digress from my astute point. The verisimilitude of the matter is, I can't come to a conclusion over the author's fate. So, her life completely relies on your reaction." He thrust the essay under her nose and spoke as though he hadn't been the one to seek her out, "Read it."

Seras took the offered papers and began to scan the pages. Alucard watched her face closely, knowing that she never guarded her emotions correctly. He found a gently humor in watching her face contort into the many different emotions that the essay brought about. After a few minutes, Seras lifted her head and looked at her master, "This is actually really logical, Master."

Alucard regarded her thoughtfully, "Explain."

Seras gulped. She always got nervous when he looked at her like that. It just never ended well for her. She calmed herself and spoke evenly, "Well, she makes valid points. Edward is an idiot, and you can tell that she really wanted to come out with the Twilight hatred, but she kept herself removed from the paper so that it would be without utter bias."

Alucard leveled his eyes at her over the glasses, "I am not humanity's stepping stool."

Seras smiled at him, finally understanding what this was really about, "Of course you aren't. She obviously prefers you to any other vampires, or you wouldn't be the focus of this paper. Though, Bram Stoker's Dracula is humanity's stepping stone. They watered down the character. She is only calling it the way humanity sees it."

Alucard regarded his fledgling with a new interest, "No longer clinging to your last shreds of humanity?"

Seras looked at him flatly, "I've realized that just because I am a vampire, doesn't mean I have to be a monster. If I don't have to be a monster by being a vampire, there is no reason that I should shun my abilities."

Alucard chuckled wickedly, "Maybe there is a reason I turned you after all!"

Seras shook her head with a smile, "Well, if you had decided that you should have never turned me, which would have been admitting that the great Alucard, also known as Count Dracula, made mistakes." Alucard shot her a dirty look that would have made the old Seras and all humans, run for their lives.

He frowned, "Now, now Seras. You may be damned, but that is no reason to speak such blasphemy."

Seras smiled and walked towards the door, "I have a mission tonight, Master. You will have to excuse me."

Alucard appeared before her in a flash, a disturbing smile on his face, "I'll escort you, instead."

Seras cocked an eyebrow at the man, "But why, Master? Don't you have other things to do on you nights off?" Alucard made her place her arm around his in the proper position. They walked around the stony dungeon until they came to the staircase. Seras realized that her questions would be ignored, but she still asked another, "Master, why not just transport us to you master's office?"

Alucard shrugged after a minute, "This will piss her off more. Remember, Police Girl, my master is very impatient. It will prove to be her undoing one day. Then, I will be free."

Seras looked around quickly, hoping that no one heard that. She turned to her master and hissed, "Don't say such things, Master! We will be punished!"

Alucard laughed at her obvious discomfort and regarded her with the kind of tenderness one would a young child who asked if the moon really is made of cheese, "Come now, Police Girl, did you really think that I enjoy my supposedly illimitable villenage?

If she could have, Seras would have blushed at the scrutinizing gaze. She giggled nervously, "Well, I never really thought about it much, Master."

Alucard opened the door at the top of the stairs and shot her a look, "I would suggest your rectify that quickly. You'll want to make a fully formed decision on the sides you take."

He dropped her arm and opened a black portal. Seras looked after him in confusion, "Master, what are you doing?"

Alucard turned to her with a wicked grin, "I believe I am proving your earlier question about my plans right. Good Night, Police Girl." With his signature laugh, the King of Vampires disappeared through his portal. It closed as soon as the lapels of his overcoat disappeared within its inky depths. Seras sighed and continued walking to Sir Integra's office. It was just like her Master to be so cryptic. He always made allusions to something that he never truly explained.

She got to the office without anything truly interesting happening. Her red eyes seemed to scare the new soldiers, as three had flattened themselves against the wall when she walked past. She knocked on the door, and her boss's usual sharp answer sounded. Seras opened the door and saw Integra watching her intently. The blond woman sighed, "Would you enlighten me as to why your master is acting like a kicked puppy with anger problems."

Seras smirked, "He somehow got a hold of a college kid's comparison essay on Dracula vs. Edward Cullen. Personally, I thought it was a rather interesting paper with some valid points. Master can't get over the feeling that Dracula is a stepping stool for humanity."

Integra looked thoughtful, "That sounds like something that would get his fangs in a twist. So, on to that mission of yours tonight. As Alucard won't be available for back up, it is rather straight forward. We have a single new FREAK in An Comann. She doesn't seem to have gotten too many people turned into ghouls, but that could be faulty information. Search and destroy. As few civilian casualties as possible, if you will." Integra turned back to her work as Seras waited for more. After a moment, Integra cocked one frosty eyebrow, "Are you still here?" Seras opened a portal to her room and disappeared, not wanting to invoke her boss's wrath. Once she reached the armory, she couldn't help but be thrilled that her portal had worked flawlessly.

Walter watched her with mild amusement, "Good Evening, Miss Victoria."

Seras smiled widely at the man, her excitement still going, "Hi Walter! I've got a big mission tonight! Can I get some extra ammo for the cannon?" The old man nodded and handed her the necessary equipment. She sent him another smile and he returned it. She tried to open a portal to her room, but it didn't work. She giggled nervously and walked out of the room in a cloud of embarrassment. Walter chuckled at the young vampire's antics and returned to his many jobs around the manor.

ASASASASASASASASASASA

Her boots crunched over the gravel street loudly as the half moon shone down on its child. Red eyes flashed as she silenced yet another ghoul. The creatures were a bit more docile than expected, but they made up for the lack of aggression with sheer numbers. Seras gritted her sharp teeth as the foul blood splattered across her once crisp uniform from one ghoul's former head. The streets were thankfully deserted. The majority of the small population had taken to their homes, barricaded the doors and windows, and found whatever weapon they could. Seras smiled in a disturbingly close replica of her master's, and thought bitterly that at least some people had some common sense. She wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of civilians getting in her firing range. She loaded another round in her favorite cannon and quickly obliterated ten ghouls. The majority of ghouls had been destroyed. The minority of still groaning ghouls were making their way to a cliché old Victorian home. Seras snorted when she saw the FREAK glaring at her from the second floor window, red eyes blazing. Someone had been watching to many horror movies in life.

Seras trudged to the home, ready for the mission to be over with so that she could go home and get into a nice warm shower. Alucard would be back by then, she guessed, and they could continue their discussion from last night on the torture devices of modern day verses those of the Prince's time. He did always like telling her about his days on the battle field now that Millennium had been destroyed. Seras growled, if only the stupid FREAKS would get the memo. At least they had been able to save Walter from the chip within his mind. It had been a grueling few weeks while he mourned the second lose of his youth. Apparently, he had a few plans to fulfill with his reclaimed abilities. Seras did not want to know!

The werewolf that she had fought had not died. When she bit him, she had somehow disrupted his own chip. Captain Hans had declared himself in her eternal service, and should she ever require the help of the world's oldest werewolf, she had merely to ask. He had disappeared into the German country side after the battle, taking with him a communicator that only Seras had the ability to contact. She hadn't used it. Though she did consider doing so on those nights that her Master was out on an espionage mission, which she was never to go on, because the manor got rather uninteresting after ten years of living there. Seras smiled at the thought of talking to the man. He hadn't spoke under the Nazi control, but she had found out that it was because they couldn't get his undivided loyalty, as he was already a supernatural being when they had captured him. Apparently, he had been able to declare their horrible intentions whenever they were one espionage mission. He was a bit suicidal at the time, and it got his vocal control taken away completely. He couldn't speak at all. Seras smirked, when Hans had awoken from unconsciousness, he had found the Major's body and called the man so many things in about five different languages that Seras, an ex policewoman, had to shut her ears with the vulgarity of it. Then the werewolf had stomped on the man's ribs and walked away. There had been a lot of built up aggression.

She decided to contact Hans when she got back, as she walked up the creaking steps. Really, had she walked into a horror movie or something? If the FREAK tried to use her super speed to appear all over the house, Seras was going to end up laughing at the pathetic situation. A few more bullets and there didn't appear to be anymore ghouls. Seras walked into the home, and found that it was beautifully furnished between antique and modern furniture. Seras walked to the foyer and looked up the steps. A hooker stood at the top. Long bleached blonde hair, painted on leather pants, some kind of shirt that covered less than a string bikini, and the smuttiest pair of heels Seras ever had the misfortune of seeing. The red eyes and pale skin gave the girl away. Seras sighed, "Go ahead. Get the ridiculous monologue over with."

The whore looked at her in disgust, too stupid to realize that this was a vampire, "Who do you think you are?"

Seras rolled her eyes, "Listen, I have other things to do with my time. I've got a guy to talk to, and another to find and other things before the sun is up. Can you just get it over with?"

The slut smirked, "Oh, I can get it over with." She flashed down beside Seras, and she couldn't help but hiss at the gun holder. Seras rolled her eyes, so not impressed with it. She reached out and grabbed the FREAK by the throat.

The FREAK was obviously surprised at being grabbed in such a strong grip by a human until she finally noticed the ruby eyes. Seras smirked and laughed, "I didn't mean make it so easy for me! You aren't even worth being a FREAK. You're more like a worm." She threw the thing into a wall and laughed harder at its groan. She leveled her cannon at her, "If you insist on being so pathetic, you aren't even worth playing with." Unlike her master, who always played with his food, Seras had no use for cliché fools. She pulled the trigger and the FREAK screamed pathetically. Then, with a loud bang, it was over. Seras sighed and walked out of the house. After a moment, she heard someone else's boots crunching over the gravel beside her. Her grip tightened around the gun as she called the shadows to her. She turned, and instantly recognized the grinning face of her master.

Alucard smirked at her, "Good job, Seras, but it was a bit anticlimactic."

Seras shrugged, "Wasn't worth playing with."

Alucard thought about it, "You mean you don't find it bloody hilarious when they attempt to reenact a human horror movie?"

Seras glared at her master, "Who would? Just too predictable."

Alucard laughed at her and they reached the extraction team, "Give them your equipment. We are going by portal." Seras followed orders and gave the soldier her things. Alucard opened a black portal and waited for her to walk though first. Seras cocked an eyebrow at the show of chivalry, but she knew better than to ask. She walked through and he followed her. They stepped out into his chambers.

On the table, Seras saw the essay, "So did you ever find the author?"Alucard nodded. "Did you kill her?" Alucard shook his head. "What changed your mind?"

Alucard smiled and removed his hat and glasses, "She had a picture drawn of me using Edward's limbs as firewood to warm a virgin's blood. How could I kill that?"

Seras nodded, "Ah, that does sound interesting. She had no idea you were there, did she?"

Alucard smirked, "I might have left her a note."

Seras shrugged and walked towards the door, "I'm going to take a shower."

Alucard appeared before her and looked at her seriously, "Why not just use mine?"

Seras looked at him incredulously, "Why would I? The last thing I want to do is take off my clothing around you."

Alucard smirked, "I'm still not seeing a problem here."

Seras sighed, "The reason I agreed to be your mate is still lost on me."

Alucard looked her up and down, "Not on me. I have had a few years experience under my belt."

An hour later, Walter walked into the room with a bucket of blood bags. He looked around the room and saw Seras sleeping in her master's throne like chair. Alucard walked into the room through the wall and smirked at the shocked butler.

Walter gulped, "Why is Miss Victoria in here, wearing only your white shirt?"

Alucard smirked dangerously, "That's a secret."

ASASASASASASASASASASASA

I've been having some writing issues lately, and then this popped in. I hope everyone likes it. Any questions, likes, enjoyments, or flames should be directed through review. This is a one-shot, so don't look for any other additions to this. I enjoyed writing it. Any flames had better be constructive criticism or you will really find out the meaning of flames. Happy New Year everyone!

~Mistress of the LivingDarkness