Disclaimer: I do not hold any legal rights to Hirano's work, nor his characters. I also do not own songs by the following artists: Matthew Good Band, Ani Difranco, Holly McNarland, The Cure, Leonard Cohen, Luscious Jackson, Lost Prophets, Our Lady Peace, and Guns 'n' Roses. This story is purely for entertainment and is without any momentary gains. My original character is the only thing aside from the plot that I can claim as my own and is not to be used by others without my explicit permission. Thank you.
A/N: If you like it, review; if you don't, then stop reading. I'm not here to cater to everyone because it's impossible; I'm doing this purely because I am being blackmailed to write (They kidnaped my mounted squirrel O.o' I can't even begin to fathom the mental state of some who would actually want to do that). So if you sole lot in life is to just bash simply because you can, you will be ignored because you are irrelevant to my interests. Good Day n.n
He found her in the back of the van sitting cross legged on the ground, alternating between fiddling with her mp3 player and furiously scribbling something on the wall.
Despite what many thought of his peculiarities (which he found odd that they could formulate opinions about his habits when he never seemed to exhibit any besides being a silent witness to things.), Hans was curious by nature; though that usually only applied to things he felt at ease around. And right now that innate curiosity was peaked by Heather's odd behavior. So he climbed in only to startle her with the shifting of weight and the sound his footfalls create.
Her black sharpie must have jumped along with her because it had eliciting a grumbled curse from her and frantic scrubbing to fix her mistake before it was too late.
During that time he crawled up to her right to peer at work and then at her. After she was satisfied that the rogue marking was gone she craned her neck to meet his eyes.
"Yes? What is it? Is there smudge marks on my face again?", she blinked up at him.
He simply looked at her then nudged his head towards the object of her interest.
"Oh that? That's just a whim. Starring at the same walls day in and day out (well night for you guys) gets just plain boring, so I decided to change things up a little by writing out song lyrics on the walls, maybe throw in a couple sketches here and there."
He stared incredulously at her wondering if that was permanent marker she was using, and if so, began to worry about Walter's reaction to this…addition to their environment; none of the scenarios in his head played out well.
She must have seen and understood the look his face wore because she piped up.
"Don't look so worried, it's only those wha-cha-m'call-it white board markers. As long as you don't leave it there for too long (which I don't intend to), it will come off."
He arched an eye brow at her.
"There is method to my madness you know, I didn't just pick any songs; each one has a reason why it was picked."
His eyebrow arched farther.
"Really!"
He sat there looking at her with his eye brow arched, then pointed at the one she was currently working upon.
"Walter's.", was her simple reply coupled with a shrug.
Both eye brows shot up only to twist into a look of "huh?".
She sighed before proceeding with her explanation, "This is Walter's song; I put it up because it makes me think of him." She turned and pointed at the opposite wall, "Yours is over there."
He followed her pointing finger to the wall behind them and surveyed her writing.
"And Seras' is the one to the left of yours." Again he followed the line of sight set by her hand, "And this one here next to Walter's is Alucard's."
His eyebrow cocked back up again after a period of rest in a bemused expression. He silently admitted to himself that she had picked the perfect one for Alucard.
"Which one's mine again?"
Both the werewolf and the girl whipped their heads to the back of the van at the addition of the new voice, only to be greeted by the familiar face of Seras.
"That one over there." Heather pointed it out once more. "I have to tell ya, you are one hard girl to figure out a song for."
The police girl climbed in on her hands and knee's to where the other two sat, "Oh? Had trouble decided which song to use or just had a hard time finding one?"
"The first one; I had three songs to choose from: Burn by The Cure, Cry Ophelia by Leonard Cohen," At that one Seras exclaimed a pleased 'oh!'. "And finally Holly McNarland's Numb."
"Which one did you choose?"
Heather gestured with a sweep of her arm, "See for yourself."
Her voice belied her less then thrilled reaction, "Holly McNarland's Numb."
"You don't sound pleased?"
"Well, it's not that I don't like the song it's…" Seras trailed off.
"Just not what you had wanted." Heather finished her sentence for her.
"Well…um…" Seras fidgeted with the hem of her pink t-shirt distorting the cartoon kitten on it in an odd way.
Heather gave a light laugh, "That's okay; you don't have to put up with it simply for my sake you know. I'll change it to Ophelia since you seemed so happy to hear that was one of the options. How's that sound?"
At that amiable suggestion Seras visible relaxed, "That would be lovely."
"Cry Ophelia it is for the little lady!" Heather turned from the blonde Draculina to the other occupant, "While we're on the topic of song choice, I've compiled a list of several songs over there." She gestured to aforementioned area. "I can't decide which to write out, how about you pick it, seeing as it is your song and all."
As he moved over to the wall to survey her choices, Seras continued to chatter on with Heather.
"It was the dead man bit wasn't it?" Seras said offhandedly while sorting through the music on Heather's mp3 player.
"Hmm? What was?" Heather look up from writing down Walter's song.
"That 'Numb' song, you picked it by cause of that 'wake up dead man, can't you see I'm starving' line didn't you." She stared at Heather with a pointed look at which she bristled with indignation.
"No!" Heather hung her head in defeat, "Yes."
Hans heard Seras laugh at Heather while he continued to figure out which song he wanted. After a moment more of deliberation and not finding the song he wanted, he turned around and grabbed the mp3 player out of Seras' hands. He ignored Seras' squawk of annoyance as he scrolled through in search of the song he did want.
Heather, figuring what he was doing, crawled closer to peer at the tiny screen over his shoulder. After bouncing between several songs, he decided upon the one he wanted to be on the wall to represent him. He put it up closer to Heather's face in order to convey his wishes.
She starred at his selection incredulously "Matt Good's Hunting Rabbit's song?" She looked up at him, "Really? You want that one?"
He nodded.
"Never would have thought that one but alright, While We Were Hunting Rabbits it is!"
"Hey Heather?"
"Hmm? Yes?" Heather turned towards Seras who at that moment was looking at the other songs on the walls.
"Which one is yours?"
"Oh, mine's not up there yet. To tell you the truth, I don't know which one to pick for myself either; there are just so many choices."
"Well which ones do you have so far?" Seras scooted over next to Heather as Hans moved to get up and out of the van after giving her back her mp3 player.
"I was thinking of another Matt Good song (well from his band actually but you know what I mean) and one from Lost Prophets." She didn't look up from the screen as she scrolled through. "Oh and this Ani Difranco song; can't forget her."
Seras chuckled at Heather's rambling, "'Course not. What are the names of the songs?"
"Oh, sorry! Whispering in the Dark by Matthew Good Band, um, Last Train Home by the Lost Prophets, and Not a Pretty Girl by Ani Difranco." She finally looked up at Seras. "Wha'dya think? Tough choices huh?"
Seras looked over at the other songs on the walls and mused, "That they are." Her eye's settled on a particular song and she had to laugh, "Let me guess: that one is Master's isn't it?"
Heather nodded and they shared a giggle.
"You know," Seras said after a moment, "I figured you would have picked Naked Eye by that Jackson woman." Seras snapped her fingers in thought trying to remember the singer's name.
"You mean Luscious Jackson?" supplied Heather.
"That's the one! I figured you would have leaned towards something like that."
"Your picking that one because of that river incident aren't you?" Heather stared at her with a pointed gaze.
"You ran towards the river yelling 'water! I need water!' stripping all, and I mean all, of your clothing off!"
Heather crossed her arms, turned away and pouted, "You weren't the one covered in ants and mud (amongst other unpleasant things). Let's see you fall into a mud flat and not want to get clean."
"Why were there ants in a mud flat anyway?" Seras wondered mostly to her self.
Heather shrugged, "Beats me."
Seras continued to pursue the subject at hand, "And that's not the only time you've decided to forgo clothing. I seem to remember a certain incident involving a lake and taunting a certain Butler by throwing your brassier at him."
Heather put her hands up in defense. "Come on, you have to admit the look on his face was worth it."
Seras had to giggle and nod at that point, "So anyways, what song are you leaning towards the most?"
"Hmm, I was thinking Whispering in the Dark, but the same time Last Train Home has just always kinda been my song." Heather scrunched up her face in a perplexed fashion.
"Well maybe it's time for a change?" Seras inquired.
"Maybe your right; you know what," Heather smacked her knee, "I'm putting up the Matt Good one."
"Nice choice."
"Matt Good is god." Seras giggled at Heather's statement then thought of something.
"So, which one is Walter's anyways?"
"Yes, which one is the Angel of Death's?"
Both girls jumped with an exclamation on their lips.
"Master! Don't do that!"
"Shit man! Are you trying to give us a heart attack?"
"It's quite impossible to give Police Girl a heart attack seeing as she's already dead. You on the other hand…" He leaned in with that evil smile of his that spoke of less then noble intentions, and it most certainly wasn't sexual.
Heather automatically shied away. "Uhhh…that's nice."
He straighten with a serious look, "So what is that you two are doing anyways? Something about Walter?"
Seras was the one that answered, "Heather was just writing up song lyrics on the walls."
Alucard looked around from outside, "Hn, I can see that Police Girl. But what does it have to do with Walter?"
Heather pointed at the one she was currently working on, "I picked this song to write on the wall because it reminds me of him, that's all."
He read the title out to himself, "Our Lady Peace - Naveed." His eyes traveled over to the one next to it and paused before scrunching up his face in confusion, "Sympathy for the Devil? What kind of a title is that?"
Both Heather and Seras tried to hide their snickering knowing full well whose song that was.
Further confused by the girls' reaction, he contemplated scanning the mortal's mind to find answers but decided against it; it wasn't worth the effort. Besides, he probably did not miss anything that was too important.
On An End Note: That's right people, yet again another excerpt from a larger story that will probably never get posted here because….because….well because I'm lazy. Yes, I am laughing evilly right now. Ha.
Any constructive criticism is welcomed (in other words: For heaven sakes people, tell me what I'm doing wrong!), all non-constructive criticism will be ignored. :p