Present Day
“Are you ready, Hansel?” Gretel asked her brother as they stood in front of a tall building fenced in by a black gate that towered over both twins. Gretel sucked in a deep breath as she faced the large building. It was rather simple in design, compiled of brown bricks and barred windows.
Hansel sighed and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
They walked through the gate and headed for the large wooden door. Beside the door, mounted on the wall was a plaque that read “Ministry of Defense Against the Macabre” in faded letters. Years of training had finally paid off and the twins were ready to start their new lives a certified witch hunters.
Hansel gripped the handle to the door and, with a bit of effort, yanked it open. They were greeted by a long hallway and bright lights overhead. Gretel stepped inside before Hansel and looked around, wiping her boots on the mat located just inside the doorway. The floor was tiled and shiny and the walls were plain and bare save for a coat rack that was empty.
Gretel decided to keep her coat on as they began to walk down the hall, the heels of her boots clicking against the tiles.
Once they traversed the length of the hall, they reached a room with a few chairs and a receptionist desk. At the desk sat a well groomed brunnette male with glasses and his hair pulled back into a ponytail. In front of him, on the desk, was a nameplate that read Henry Jekyll. He looked up from his computer he was typing on and gave the twins a gentle smile.
“Hello,” he greeted them warmly. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Hansel cleared his throat, brushing dark brown locks out of his face. “We’re Hansel and Gretel Grimm. We’re here to meet Dr. Frankenstein.”
Henry blinked and looked down at a sticky note stuck to the corner of his computer screen. “Ah yes, the Grimm twins. Have a seat and I’ll call Dr. Frankenstein.”
“Alright,” Gretel breathed before sitting down in one of the chairs. Hansel joined her and Henry picked up the phone and dialed a number.
“Hello, Johnathan? Is the doctor in?” Henry asked into the receiver. “Good, may I speak with him?” After a moment of silence, Henry spoke up again. “Hello, Victor, the Grimm twins are here in the lobby. I believe they have an appointment with you.”
Gretel adjusted her glasses as she listened to Henry talk.
“Okay, very good. I’ll let them know. Goodbye.”
As Henry hung up, he looked back to the twins. “Dr. Frankenstein will be with you shortly. Oh, I’m Henry Jekyll by the way, I’m the secretary here at the Ministry. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Jekyll,” Hansel said earnestly. Something about Hansel’s words seemed to make Henry uncomfortable, and he nervously looked down at a pile of paperwork as if it needed his attention desperately.
“So how long have you worked for the Ministry?” Gretel asked. Dorothy had never mentioned a Henry Jekyll.
“Ah, nearly two years now,” he said in a grumble, looking through the pile of papers.
Hansel and Gretel exchanged a look and Gretel wondered why Dorothy never got around for mentioning the secretary. Perhaps they just forgot? After a few moments passed, the twins began to grow bored of waiting. Hansel played with his bright scarf, twirling it about and brushing it against Gretel’s face to annoy her. She batted it away just as a tall man entered the room.
Gretel looked up to meet his face. He had a gruff appearance, with facial hair and unkempt brown locks that fell past his shoulders. A pair of goggles sat proudly upon his head, and he sported a white coat and red scarf much like Hansel’s.
“Hello,” he greeted them. “You must be the Grimm twins. I am Doctor Victor Frankenstein, head of this organization.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor,” the twins said in unison. Frankenstein smiled at them both before turning.
“Allow me to give you a tour of the building.”
The twins rose from their seats and followed the Doctor.
“To your right in the public set of restrooms,” he announced, pointing to a door marked with the symbol for a restroom. “And through these doors is the rest of the Ministry.” He lead the twins through a door with an scanner near it. “You’ll both be receiving your ID badges soon,” he informed them, flashing his ID under the scanner. There was a loud click and Frankenstein pushed open the door. The twins were ushered in and they looked around to face a long hallway.
“Alright,” Frankenstein pointed down a long corridor. “Over that way is the Library which contains the Archives as well. Shall we head there first?”
“Sounds good, Doctor,” Hansel said, keep pace with Frankenstein. Gretel trailed behind them, examining a few paintings on the walls. The trio walked in silence for a bit before reaching the doors to the library. The doors were grand and a golden name plate declared the room the library. The doctor gave the twins a small smile before opening up the double doors. Gretel gasped as she stepped into the room, noticing with awe that the library itself was two stories high.
“Wow,” she breathed. Frankenstein’s smile did not falter as he ushered the twins through the room. A woman with unruly brown curls sat upon a chair, a large red book opened on the table before her.
“Ah, Miss Daae,” Frankenstein said warmly to the woman. She looked up curiously at the doctor and gave the twins a warm a smile. “These are the Grimm twins, Hansel and Gretel. Hansel, Gretel, this is Christine Daae, our residential phantom expert.”
“A pleasure to meet you both,” she welcomed them with a thick accent. Hansel gave a flirtatious smile.
“Hello, miss.” He purred. Gretel rolled her eyes and gave her brother a playful smack. Christine giggled.
“Ow,” Hansel rubbed his arm, glaring at his sister playfully.
“Now, we should really be on our way,” the doctor said.
Gretel hesitantly tore her eyes away from the shelves of books while Hansel begrudgingly looked away from Christine. Frankenstein held the doors open for them both as they walked through the doorway.
As they exited, a man with long brown hair with braids running through it walked past them. He glanced over at the trio with interested blue eyes. Gretel noticed a long scar ran down his face just under his right eye. He dressed in a dark trench coat and pants so tight it made Gretel blush.
“Well, doctor, what do we have here?” the man asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Mr. Beowulf,” Frankenstein nodded. “What a pleasure to see you today. These are the Grimm twins, our newest Witch Hunters. They’ve recently completed all their training under Dorothy.”
“Witch hunters, eh?” Beowulf gave them a smile. “I prefer beasts but to each their own.”
“A pleasure to meet you, sir,” Gretel said, already sick of introductions.
The day passed with more introductions, and Gretel could hardly keep track of all the faces that she had been introduced to. But everyone had seemed nice to her, and she was happy to get to meet all sorts of hunters. There was even a man who hunted demons specifically in the form of ravens.
“Now,” Frankenstein said. “I’ll be showing you my office and the Science Lab.” He spoke of the Lab warmly. Gretel could only guess as a scientist that he was very fond of it. They continued down a long corridor until they meet with a door with two nameplates reading “Johnathan Harker” and “Victor Frankenstein”.
“Johnathan Harker?” Hansel asked, looking up at Frankenstein.
“Yes, he’s my partner and one of the best vampire hunters alive,” Frankenstein informed them as he opened the door. Sitting at a desk was a tan man with black hair cut just under his ears. Around his neck hung a crucifix and over his shoulders was a light brown coat.
“Hello, Doctor,” the man said. “Are these the twins?”
“Greeting, Johnathan, and yes, this is Hansel and Gretel,” he gestured to the twins. “And this is my partner Johnathan Harker.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Harker,” Hansel said extending a hand. Harker took his hand and shook it, his lips not once turning up to a grin. He then looked to Gretel.
“Hello Miss Gretel, it’s nice to meet you as well.”
“Likewise, Mr. Harker,” Gretel responded.
Suddenly there was a loud boom that shook the walls of the room. Gretel squeaked and clung on to Hansel as the shaking subsided. Frankenstein’s features contorted from surprise to worry as he raced out of the room.
“It must have come from the Science Lab!” Harker informed the twins, following after Frankenstein.
“Shall we investigate as well?” Hansel asked.
Gretel nodded and the two of them headed towards the source of the noise.
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