Extended summary: Vlad's 16th birthday is near, the day he will transform into a full vampire. Robin is super excited for his friend to finally become a real bloodsucker and the Count has big expectations in his son's destiny of being The Chosen One. Vlad stubbornly tries to continue his life as normal as possible, he doesn't want to be evil and he definitely doesn't want to bite breathers. But the battle against his dark side turns out to be much harder than he thought.

*set in Stokely, leaves canon after s2ep10*

I wanted to write an alternative to how Vlad's transformation could've gone and display his struggles of good and bad a bit more. Also, I wanted Robin in it.

If you're reading this, after the show has ended four years ago, I love you, and if you leave a review then I'd love you even more!

"I'm scared."

"What are you scared of?"

Robin asked while chewing on his sandwich. The sunlight reflected on his black t-shirt and Vlad thought longingly of the warmth from the sun. Only one week and he would never feel it again.

"What do you think Robin?" Vlad tilted his head towards the sun to relish in one of the last sun rays he'll ever experience. At first it was nice, comforting but after a few seconds he grimaced, it felt too hot, too uncomfortable too soon so he reluctantly withdrew.

He hastily checked for any signs of burns on his face and body but there were none. Yet. Vlad sighed and faced Robin. "My birthday is in a week and this whole year has been a complete nightmare."

After Vlad turned 15 some of his powers started to manifest. Not all of them since the full extent of his powers was going to get revealed on his 16th birthday but they were still enough to overwhelm him and make his quest of living a normal life a whole lot more difficult.

He had no way to fully control them yet, they were unpredictable and there were slip ups that sometimes led to unfortunate accidents involving Robin or other students. Vlad still grudgingly remembered that one time he set the classroom on fire, accidentally of course. His emotions got the best of him and what was a small fireball turned into bigger fire and the entire class had to be evacuated. The only thing that he had mastered was hypnotism but he wasn't particularly proud of that.

Quietly, so that no one could hear it even though the two boys were the only ones on the bench and around it, he said, "I don't want to become a vampire."

The other boy scoffed. "Wow, I've never heard that one before." Vlad glared at Robin for his (unnecessary) sarcastic comment but didn't respond to it. Robin knew how Vlad felt about his own nature but Robin was also slightly bitter that Vlad was living his so called dream and he didn't even want it. It was a constant argument that the two had.

Vlad decided to ignore Robin's words and continued: "I keep having those...visions and dreams and as far as I know there's no vampire who has ever turned out good after their transformation and I'm...I'm scared of what it will do to me." He looked down, not daring to meet Robin's eyes, this confession took a lot for him to say out loud. It's what he thought about all the time but he never admitted it to his best friend. He was absolutely terrified of what would happen to him after the transformation.

There was a short silence where neither boy knew what to say, Robin fiddled with his bracelets. Vlad wouldn't, no he wasn't going to-

"What, you think you would become like evil?"

Vlad shrugged.

Robin then let out a laugh. "That's a good one. As if you would ever become evil, you're already a shame to all vampires Vlad." Vlad furrowed his eyebrows, that was not the answer he wanted to hear. But what could he expect from his human friend?

"Thanks Robin, thanks a lot." He knew he wanted reassurance that he wouldn't come out evil but having Robin insult him like that made Vlad tense. He didn't want to be a shame to vampires, he wanted to be a good vampire.

Instill fear into people, shed a little blood, terrorize and betray, no one would laugh at him then. He clenched his fist at the invading thought in his mind.

There was a crack and then suddenly he held a piece of wood in his hands. He had gripped the bench so hard a piece splintered from the rest. And it wasn't a small one, Vlad stared at it dumbfounded.

"Damn Vlad, did you do that?" Robin looked at him with a look of astonishment on his face. Vlad didn't know what to say, he didn't even notice that he'd gripped it. It was an unconscious reaction, Robin's words upset him, apparently more than he was willing to admit and his temper and strength got the best of him.

"I...I didn't mean to." He wasn't going to tell Robin that the voice inside his head that was thinking of murdering people caused his little strength display. He immediately felt ashamed.

It wasn't me, I didn't think that, I don't want to be a good vampire. I don't want to be evil.

Are you sure about that?

"Okay", Robin leaned back and reached for his water bottle. It was obvious in his tone that he didn't believe Vlad. "I'm serious!" Vlad exclaimed, his frustration and anger getting the best of him and as if on cue the water bottle exploded and the liquid poured out all over Robin's clothes.

Both boys didn't say anything for a moment until Robin broke the silence. "Okay I believe you, no need to make me wet", he chuckled but Vlad didn't find it funny. If his mind was now going against him and if he was going to destroy something everytime he got a little upset, how was he supposed to survive this week?

He groaned, "Robin, I'm sorry."

"What is going on?" A higher and younger voice made an appearance and a short, blonde girl came into view. Her ususal cheerfulness was drained from her face and she looked worryingly at the two boys.

"It's nothing Chloe, you can go now." Robin scowled at his sister and fumbled for a tissue in his pockets. Chloe looked down and saw his wet trousers and rolled her eyes. "I don't want to know."

"Then what do you want?" Robin snapped. Robin and Chloe's relationship wasn't as good as it used to be. Ever since she stopped hanging out with Vlad because "it was too dangerous" and disapproved of Robin's continued friendship with Vlad it went downhill.

Chloe now hung out more often with them again after Vlad had a long discussion with his father about breathers and eating habits and eventually got his father to stock blood bags and bottles. There were no more animal or human incident mentions in the newspaper - and Vlad wondered if the Count just hunted elsewhere and was more discreet about it - but it never quite went back to the way it was. And Robin was too stubborn and proud to do anything about it.

"It's the end of break, you don't want to come too late to class, again."

When Robin made no indication to answer Vlad stepped in. "We're coming, thanks Chloe." He gave her a small smile and Chloe felt compelled to return it but as soon as she realized what she was doing, she stopped. She nodded at Vlad instead and then hurried to not come too late to her next subject.

Vlad sighed, Chloe really felt repulsed by him but he couldn't blame her, his family and his nature caused her enough trouble and pain. "Come on Robin." The vampire geek rubbed feverishly at his jeans with the tissue but eventually gave up and threw it in the bin. Fortunately his jeans were black so that you couldn't see that they were wet and the warm sun would dry it quickly again.

"You know Vlad", Robin spoke as they walked over the vacant school yard to their next class, "you worry too much. You're not gonna be evil if you don't want to, easy as that."

Vlad wished he shared Robin's optimism. If only it was that easy, he thought.