A/N: My first offer to the sacrificial altar of the gods of criticism.
Integrating Shakespeare into the Hellsing AxI pairing was a challenge I gave to myself out of the blue; my version of the AxI cliché. I've done what I could not to make this a sappy fic.
Basically this is manga-set, but the characters might have a mix of anime.
I recommend you read 'Romeo and Juliet' first before reading since this isn't exactly a parody of the play itself. I've merely taken some elements of the play. Hopefully, I didn't butcher both Hirano and Shakespeare's works.
Run-on sentences and fragments are intentional.
Disclaimer: I'm not of the male persuasion, which already says something.
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The clock said one in the morning.
She was still to be found behind her desk, just as it was the day and the night before.
She had told her butler that she had lots of work to do, the load doubled in fact, since the attack of the Valentine brothers. She refrained from telling him that she dared not sleep.
She reached down for her pills in a desk drawer. She downed those pills that would once again snatch away the warm invitation of sleep; and then lit a cigar.
She took a deep breath and returned to her computer as she was finishing typing up the summary of today's…yesterday's events. She had to keep a record of what was happening everyday, to keep the evidence that they were indeed doing their jobs. After that, she began arranging her schedule for today.
When she had finished, she stared at her printed schedule, Typical.
Then she turned to the several sheets of blank paper in front of her and began to write in cursive:
Mrs. Rockwell
We are sorry to inform you that your son has died in action.
She stopped, suddenly remembering that she had to identify herself in the letter. She crushed the paper and threw it in the waste bin.
OoOoOoOo
It was two in the morning.
Walter entered several leaves of paper in his hand. She lit another cigar. Apparently, there was an influx of FREAK attacks today. Perfectly timed, her two vampires had returned from their mission, as had the captain of her new armed force, Wild Geese's Captain Pip Bernadette.
She gave the older vampire three locations with the biggest number of FREAKS and ghouls. She then ordered the much younger vampire to go with the Wild Geese to the next two locations.
"Dismissed."
One didn't leave. She spoke to him, "Is there something wrong, Captain?"
His uncovered eye stared at the last leaf of paper in her hand, "There's another case."
She reclined in her chair, "I know. I'm handling it."
Pip was taken aback, "But—"
"I assure you, Captain, I am perfectly capable of dealing with damned creatures. Need I remind you that I am the leader of the Hellsing Organization?"
The Frenchman was silenced, "What about HQ?"
"Walter should be more than capable of taking care of business here," she exhaled a puff of smoke, "The locations I assigned to you were ones in close proximity with each other. No doubt the number of ghouls will multiply by the time you get to this lone location." She took another drag of the cigar, "Besides, morning is the best time to exercise, is it not?"
OoOoOoOo
She wondered how a FREAK managed to get to the Isle of Wight. She thought that just as they defied the conventional virgin rule, they might as well defy other vampire restrictions.
The building was quiet. She stepped inside and immediately saw the ghouls devouring their meal a couple of meters away. She managed to kill three in succession before they were able to react and went towards her. She killed three more coming towards her, cursing as she went. The vampire would be alerted by the gunshots by now.
When the ghouls were too near for the gun to be effective, she drew her sword and slashed around her; beheaded ghouls falling to dust at her feet. She stepped to the dance of death, her sword was her accompaniment. They were slow and clumsy; the ghouls weren't worthy dance partners for her. However, she herself wasn't as quick as she had liked.
Instinct yelled at her to look behind her. The vampire had finally charged. This one was inexperienced, charging her head-on. She drew her gun with her left hand and pulled the trigger. The dust blew on her face as something grabbed her ankle and pulled her down. She fell heavily and cursed as she let her guard down. A bullet drilled its way to the accursed ghoul's head. She rose up quickly as she finished the ghouls off, leaning on the wall for support.
A ghoul had then attacked from the side. She only had time to raise her right arm only to have her hand bitten. Hell that was my sword hand! She gritted her teeth as she raised her arm and shot the ghoul's chest from under her elbow. Dust rained on her bloodied hand and dirty clothes. She gingerly sheathed her sword as tried to catch her breath. How could I even let a damn ghoul touch me?
She fished a cigar with her left hand, placed it between her lips, and lit it with the lighter in her left hand. I need to learn to be ambidextrous.
OoOoOoOo
The clock rang five in the morning.
She got out of the car and hid her right hand in her pocket. She went straight to her office and got the bandages. She noticed Seras' report and a book on her desk, "Happy birthday, Shakespeare." She muttered under her breath.
She sat on her chair and withdrew the reddened glove from her hand. Blood was still dripping. She reached for the alcohol but it wasn't there.
"Shakespeare is overrated. I'm surprised you actually read romances, master."
Her vampire was seated opposite her, his hand grasping the bottle of isopropyl alcohol.
"Commemoration isn't in your vocabulary, Alucard?" she said as she pressed her hand for the bleeding to stop.
His voice sounded like one always on the verge of laughter, "He's already immortalized in literature. Need I care?"
The bleeding wouldn't stop, "You're upset because no one commemorates Bram Stoker when Dracula is of literary fame as well?"
The grin faded a little, "I beg to differ, master."
The reply was wry as the blood pooled at her feet, "You're hardly one to beg."
He reappeared kneeling before her, held her wounded hand, and started to lick the blood, "If I profane with my unholiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with tender kiss."
She stared down at him and answered his mockery, "Good servant, your devotion shows by far too mannerly and too courtly: masters have hands, which servants nay touch, and kiss not."
His eyes flicked to hers as his tongue cleaned her every finger, "Have not masters lips, and servants too?"
"Ay, lips which they must use in speech."
"O then, my dear master, let lips do what hands do, and grant it, lest I rage of blood."
Her hand was completely healed, "Down, boy."
Grinning, Alucard transformed to a hellhound, her hand now between those sharp jaws. She raised an eyebrow, "You'll bite the hand of your master, pet?"
You prefer me to bite somewhere else?
"Dare bite anywhere and you'll be locked in your kennel."
And a good morning to you too, Integra.
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The hands had divided the clock in two, the left from the right.
She was working on the latest reports when Walter came in with her breakfast, the newspaper, and a new box of cigars.
"How is the Millenium investigation, Walter?"
"We're currently researching the identity of the surviving officers from the Third Reich."
She stared at her father's portrait, "Don't fail, Walter."
"Of course, milady."
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The clock struck seven.
The shower was icy cold but she put herself under it anyway. She let the water cleanse her body of dirt, sincerely wishing the water to rinse off the things that could never be seen, even though she knew perfectly that it would never wash off her.
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By eight o'clock, she was back at her desk.
She spoke with the contractors who were going to repair the manor. Apparently, the estimate cost was two million pounds. The helicopter with sidewinders would have to wait then. She began allocating the budget. As of the moment, her priority was improving the defense and offense of the Wild Geese. She didn't want to lose anymore people anytime soon.
The next item on her desk was an envelope with a red candle wax seal. Iscariot. Lighting a cigar, she read the letter and promptly burned it. She called Walter, "Tell that pig Enrico Maxwell that I'm too busy to wallow in the mud with him as of the moment."
The Hellsing butler smirked, "Gladly, Sir Integra."
She went outside and checked on her soldiers' training. It seemed to her that the mercenaries were still fascinated with Seras Victoria; or rather, Officer Victoria's assets. They'll be fine. I pray to God that they will be fine.
OoOoOoOo
10 am.
She was sitting at the right side of a long table. In front of her was the cuisine England's best chefs could offer. At the head of the table was Queen herself. At Her Majesty's order did she come to Buckingham Palace to eat lunch. It was rather unusual of her to do that. Usually, the Queen would just send her messengers to convey her message. What added to the strange situation was that Her Majesty had also ordered Alucard to come, who was now standing behind her.
"Sir Hellsing, you know why you are here, correct?"
"Of course, your Majesty."
Alucard didn't.
"I believe that the best compromise would be artificial insemination." She said, all the while feeling Alucard's presence becoming ever sharper.
"Artificial insemination?" the Queen was amused, "You wish to retain the name Iron Maiden."
"I have too much work to do to be involved in trivial matters such as marriage." She replied as she heard his growl in her ears.
"Indeed? Then do tell, Sir Hellsing, who would carry the child? A surrogate mother?"
The turn of her neck was sharp, "Absolutely not. I will not allow anyone else except me to carry a Hellsing."
The Queen smiled at the Hellsing director, "You have said it yourself. You are too busy."
She gave the Queen a wry smile, "This is nothing compared to what my ancestor had to go through," she mentally smirked at the vampire behind her, "Besides, Her Majesty has a lot more work than I."
"True," the Queen laughed, "Very well, deliver the Virgin birth, Sir Hellsing. I expect you already have a list of possible donors?"
"Of course, your Majesty."
By the time they left, she had relaxed while Alucard was still agitated.
"So, Juliet is to be engaged to Paris." He remarked
She glanced at him without breaking her stride, "Why ever not? He is a gallant, young nobleman, quite worthy of the proudest maiden in Verona."
Alucard's voice was smug, "Lest Juliet forget, she is already wed to Romeo."
"They have already separated, for Romeo has committed sin."
"Ah, a deed he has done in the name of Juliet."
"Juliet asked for no such thing."
"Does not a knight defend his lady's honor?"
"As will Paris."
"In the duel for the lady, Paris had fallen to Romeo's sword."
"Not when Juliet tells him otherwise."
"Juliet was unaware and will wake up to find dead Paris at her feet."
OoOoOoOo
The clock showed a single line pointing up.
She went back to her desk and popped more non-drowse pills before returning to her car for the Round Table Conference.
OoOoOoOo
Four in the afternoon.
She returned to the manor, her forehead knotted, her teeth gritted, and her hands clamped as fists, as she went to the armory. She abandoned the earmuffs and protective glasses as she went straight to the gun rack.
Her hand was near the pistol when it changed direction and grasped a large rifle instead. She shot the heart and the head in the space of two seconds. Next, she shot where the prominent joints would be. She fired at the neck, the shoulders, the elbows, the wrists, the hips, and the knees.
She could almost hear the moans of pain.
She then traded her rifle for a shotgun with lead pellet buckshots. With careful aim, she blew the holed target to oblivion.
That was when the room heard her sigh of satisfaction.
OoOoOoOo
The clock struck five times.
She was in the library, studying the latest technology science had to offer. Walter came in bringing chilled red wine.
"Clone research, milady?"
"Still in its early stages," she replied as she held the glass, "Not a bad idea, actually."
"The Vatican thinks otherwise." Her butler remarked as he poured red wine in the held glass.
She smirked, "Precisely why Roman Catholicism and science don't mix. Take Father Anderson, for example." She swirled the wine around the glass, taking in its scent.
Walter paused for a moment, "Sir Integra, are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"
She stared at him coolly, "When you think about it, cloning isn't such a bad idea after all," she took a deep drink, "Perfect soldiers, who would not think of anything else aside from victory and absolute loyalty."
"Don't you already have a perfect servant?"
"Servant, yes. Soldier, no. Besides, he cannot be in several places at the same time, with those restrictions on him," she answered.
"Isn't that what the Nazis wanted? An Aryan master class?"
She smiled wryly, "For the sake of England, I need soldiers who would not be missed by anyone."
Walter stared at her, "Soldiers who would not be missed by anyone except you, you mean."
"I am the commander, after all."
OoOoOoOo
The clock said seven.
She had ordered the Wild Geese and Seras to do their missions.
A smug voice said, "You never did get to commemorate Shakespeare today."
She said, "I wonder, if Romeo had ever truly loved the lady Rosaline."
He raised an eyebrow at her, his voice brimming with amusement, "Hark, is the lady Juliet jealous?"
"Of course Romeo was never known for monogamy."
"Lady Rosaline, as radiant as she was, was true to Benvolio's words. The lady Juliet shone far too brilliantly."
"Yet Romeo was not able to get her."
"Nay, Romeo came to her. And that was when Juliet embraced the invitation of death to be with her beloved."
Walter came in with the new sightings of ghouls. As she rose to go to the locations, she was stopped by the hellhound.
Let me play with you.
OoOoOoOo
Five in the morning.
She was in her balcony, waiting the rise of the sun. When she looked down, she saw her vampire staring at both, "Oh, you."
"O speak again, dark lady, for such you appear, being over my head, like a winged messenger of death where mortals fall dead at your feet."
"Ah, Alucard, Alucard. Foolish servant Alucard. Defile my father and refuse thy name, for your sake? Nay, that I wilt not, be a child of night, and I always will be a Hellsing."
He then appeared behind her, grinning widely. Her vision started to blur, to darken, until finally all went black. As she fell, he caught her and laid her to bed.
"Sleep my Juliet. Sleep the two days your poison has given you. When the time comes, Romeo will come to you."
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A/N: Oh crap, everything sounded cheesy.
Constructive criticisms are most welcomed. I don't mind flames, as long as you justify them. XD
Oh please, do review!