Story Time For Integral

Walter turned and looked down as he felt a tug on his sleeve. There grasping his shirt was seven year old Integral.

"Ah Miss Integral, what can I do for you." asked Walter as he knelt down by the young Hellsing.

"Walter I can't sleep. The sun is too bright and…and I just don't feel sleepy. I'm always tired all night when Daddy says that I'm supposed to be up but when I go to bed in the morning I never feel tired anymore."

Walter smiled a little sadly. "That's because the schedule we keep has to match the vampires we hunt. Even though it takes some getting used to since our bodies tell us to be asleep during the night and awake during the day. It must be really tough on someone as young as you."

"Oh that explains it," said Integral. "But what's a shed jewel?"

This brought a surprised laugh from Walter and he picked Integral up. "Come on Miss Hellsing how about if I read you a bedtime story. Will that help you get to sleep?"

Integral shook her head up and down energetically causing her hair to hit Walter in the face several times. She stopped when she realized what she had done. "Woops, sorry Walter."

"Think nothing of it." He said as he untangled a few strands from his monocle and with that they both went up to Integrals room.

Once in the room Walter shifted his grip on Integral and with a shout of "Flying Integra!" he lifted her up and spun her around the room. Integral loved this game Walter played with her and she extended her arms pretending to be a super hero wooshing thru the air. After a few moment of flight Walter gently set her down on the bed.

Once she was settled under the covers Walter went over to a pile of books that sat in the corner. "What do you want to hear tonight? Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland? He continued naming book after book as he took them off the pile."

"Walter…I don't want to hear story from a book tonight."

Walter turned around. "What do you want to hear then?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

"I suppose that wouldn't be a problem. After all a John Bull like me ought to be able to think up some good bedtime stories."

"Aw Walter your not old. Old people are wrinkly and…well ok you are a little wrinkly but how many other wrinkly people can cut up pizza with dental floss?" Asked Integral obviously convinced that this statement would win her case.

Walter smiled and scratched his head embarrassedly. "From you I'll take that as a compliment. In any event what do you want to hear a story about?"

"Vampires!" said Integral immediately.

"Ah I see." said Walter. "But you have lessons every day with your Father learning about them, why would you want to hear more for a bed time story."

"Because the things that Daddy tells me about them are boring." said Integral. "It's all stuff about how to kill them. I want to hear a story ABOUT them not just things like how to use silver and holy water on them."

"Well I think I can help you there. In my day I've met a vampire or two and your right that some of them are interesting."

"So you'll tell me a story then?" asked Integral.

Walter nodded. "You need to understand that your thoughts were correct. You need to understand that not all vampires are as violent and mindless as they are sometimes made to appear. You need to understand that in the times to come there will be instances where you will need to outsmart a vampire instead of using force. So yes young Hellsing I will tell you your story."

Integral smiled. "That's silly Walter. I don't need all that stuff…I don't even understand what most of it is anyway. Can I just have my bedtime story?"

Walter smiled. "Of course. Tell you what, I'll tell you the story of a vampire I met a long time ago."

"Wow you knew a vampire?" asked Integral, her eyes getting wide.

"Oh yes. You could even say that I knew him quite well."

"What was the vampires' name?" asked Integral.

Walter paused for a second at this. "I'm not sure I should tell you. He's still alive and if you should ever meet up with him I don't want you to handle him any differently then you would any other vampire."

"Well then make up a name for him silly." Said Integral as if this was the simplest thing in the world and Walter was being purposefully dim.

Walter looked into space for a moment and then a broad grin spread across his face. "Alright then, in that case the vampires name was Red. Big Red."

CH2: Black Eyes