Waiting.

That's all he seemed to do now-a-days. Waiting for something, anything to happen. He swirled his wine and watched the red liquid almost spill over the edge. His coffin called him, telling him to rest his boredom away. He looked next to him to find his friend's chair empty. He had watched Death break down in front of the other reaper, cry and say 'they're here, they're real' over and over into the other's arms.

This unnerved him. Death had been so cold, emotionless when it came to his duty. He had always been a bit softer around the No-Life King, but never like he had been. Something had cracked and he truly wanted to know what.

On a different matter, his master had hired some mercenaries, the Wild Geese if he remembered correctly. He wanted to know who they were, but he had to wait for the right moment.

"Alucard, you can't go up there," Walter stated, crossing his arms.

His senses picked up sounds from his master's office, and that was his cue.

"Alucard!"

0oo00oo0

Pip, who had just been thrown across the room by the busty blond's finger- her finger, damnit!- rubbed his head.

"So your saying she really is a vampire?"

"Damn right she is," Alucard stepped in through the wall, pausing halfway out for his own enjoyment of the looks on their faces. "Police Girl might be the lowest of the low, but a vampire is still a vampire."

"I'm so sorry, Sir. I really did try and stop him. As a warning, he proceeded to tilt every painting on the way here," Walter huffed. Integra groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose behind her glasses.

"And if you two are vampires, who's zhat over there?" Pip question the Lord of Night, pointing to a seemingly abandoned corner. Alucard looked and smirked. Oh, him.

This was going to be good.

"So your saying you can see him? How odd. Not many can," Integra inquired. Pip just looked at her, then to his comrades. They shook their heads; so they couldn't see him. "Do you really think that he would let just anyone wander around looking at him?"

"So, he's here, then?" Walter asked, blinking and looking around.

"Ah, yes, I forgot that you couldn't see him, Walter. Yes he is here, the other one," Integra clarified.

"So who is he?" Pip questioned, irritation clear in his tone.

"That is for us to know and for you to find out. Though, when you do find out, it will be to late to tell anyone," Alucard cackled at his own inside joke, the being in the corner shaking his head.

"I don't see how he can deal with you."

Alucard cackled a bit more, watching as the room grew colder from his words. The smell of death settled in the air, the oblivious humans looking for some kind of draft.

"Well, holy Hell," Pip shook his head at the most unbelievable shit that had been thrown at him. A chuckle from Alucard at the irony of his words, he continued. "Of all the crap that haz happened today, I wouldn't be surprised if he was the reaper."

The room got colder, and Pip's eyes widened. "I was right, wazn't I?" Everyone tensed and the steel eyes of the Light Reaper rolled.

"At least some of the living are somewhat intelligent," Byakuya chided. Alucard shook his head in amusement.

"Now that introductions settled, a rather interesting letter arrived for you, Sir Integra," Walter informed, a knowing smirk on his lips. Integra took the letter and read the messenger.

"From Vatican's special operations, Division Thirteen, the Iscariot organization, Enrico Maxwell," she read off, dread filling her every word just as much as her deep loathing. "What do they want?"

"Ah, so these are the people guarding your tomb, my friend?" Death strolled in, no one sure from where. "Let us hope that they are up to it, yeah? " Brown eyes traveled over the humans that are to guard the Hellsing Mansion. Amber mixed quickly with steel and then traveled to the deep green of the French captain.

"And who are you?" Pip asked.

"Another of those who cannot be seen by dogs," Alucard smirked, indignant shouts coming from the Geese.

"Good, good. Now then," Walter instructed, letting Integra leave to prepare for her meeting with the enemy. "We have a few rules in Hellsing. Rule one," a gloved finger went up as he went, "don't go in the basement. Unless of course," he pointed at Alucard, "you want to be eaten."

"M-Master, you wouldn't really... e-eat them, would you?" Seras asked, his big, blue eyes wide.

"Depends on if they disturb me," Alucard chuckled, smirk growing at the look of horror.

"Rule two: try not to disturb Sir Integra unless needed. Sir Hellsing is a busy woman and has quite the temper. It would be wise for you not to anger her.

"Anything else?"

"Simple things. Don't wander to far and call Sir Integra 'Sir'. She hates it when people call her 'Miss'," Walter chuckled.

0oo00oo0

The darkness lapped at him, welcoming him into the blackness. He let his glamour fall, the engraving in his flesh making themselves known. His empty eyes were closed, but the only telling was that the absence of the white sphere that served as a pupil. The moonlight shivered over his tanned, cold skin, frightened in the face of the Moon Slayer.

White orbs appeared again, looking at the inky emptiness that has been calling his name for a long time. The large pine tried to catch him with their long, twisted fingers, only for him to slip through them like water. Nothing mattered anymore. It was only him; him and the darkness.

His lizard friend crawled out of the trees, his size different from cat to a tiger. It prowled next to him, watching his back. It's six glowing eyes blinked in their own rhythm, seemingly disconnected from each other. The flowers that grew from his flesh seemed open slightly and take in the night. The moon was full, it's face lighting him up even through the trees.

"Do you feel it, Doragon? The night is young and calling out to us," Death sighed. His cloak became shredded, his bare feet hovering above the ground. His long, dawn strands flowed in the nonexistent wind. The shadow dragon sat next to his friend.

'Come on, King. You can let loose now. The Earth is safe, we have Moon Beam back! Let's let loose!' Shirosaki cheered.

'I agree, Ichigo. It's time you let it all out,' Zangetsu's low voice spoke, soothing out any worry in his wielder's psyche. Ichigo sighed as all his access energy roll off his body in waves, letting his muscles relax. He closed his eyes, the white pupils disappearing instead of his lids falling, letting the feeling wash over him.

"What are you doing?" a voice echoed, but Ichigo didn't need his eyes open to know his old enemy.

"Washing it away," Dawned Death responded, white dots reappearing and shifting to the side. Black hair blended into the night and shadow and the shadow-lizard sat next to him as a guard. "You know, you haven't showed me your face," a smirk accompanied the remark.

"Why should I show you?" was the retort.

"Please?"

"No."

Ichigo resorted to playing dirty.

"I'll tell the kitchens to make you those sugar buns you like so much."

Silver eyes narrowed.

"But they can't see you."

"Doesn't mean I can't have Lady Hellsing tell Walter."

"You are cheating." A smirk met the comment; Byakuya noticed how pointed his teeth were now. "Fine, I'll give it a try." True to his word, Byakuya pulled his energy and made it slip and peel off the glamour that he unconsciously put up. Ichigo watched in fascination as engravings in his friends skin came to life.

It looked like he had chains crawling over his skin. Heavy, metal links slithered up the sides of his face, seemingly constricting his head. Ichigo was reminded of the Hell Chains that constricted his own arm. His eyes were opposites, pure white with black pupils.

"Come on, let it all out!" Ichigo goaded. Narrow eyes rolled, but the surge left a rush going down Ichigo's spine. Much like himself, he now hovered, too divine to touch the soiled ground. Chains wrapped his being, covered by ragged, white cloak. His power raced through him and Byakuya couldn't help but awe at himself. "Don't you feel better?"

"I feel so... powerful."

"Isn't it amazing?" Shirosaki smirked, appearing and eyeing the Captain of the Sixth with a leer. "You know, you look really good in chains." This comment earned him a wack on the head. He still cackled, rubbing the growing knot in his head. Ichigo floated gently over to the newly awakened Grim and brushed his knuckles over his cheek.

"See? We are now together and part of my family has returned to me. Too much to ask for," Ichigo whispered to him.

"That is so selfish," Byakuya smirked. "Finally, you think of yourself."

Ichigo huffed, pouting childishly, before he straitened out again.

"You know, I've been here a while. I've learn something," Ichigo spoke tiredly. Byakuya moved a bit closer to him to hear. "Everyone dies. I knew this already, but in my time here, it's been drilled into me. It was so painful... Is it bad that I don't feel anything now?" He sounded haunted, someone who had seen too much.

"Getting use to it never makes it easier, Ichigo. Only makes us numb."

Ichigo growled and bared sharpened teeth. Wanting to comfort his friend, he wrapped his arms around the ex-Substitute Shinigami. There was only so much the once teen could do to help his sanity, and if he were honest, it was his time with the count that had helped him the most. That violent, ruthless count that has slain so many innocent.

"You know, Alucard is simple once spend five-hundred years with him," Ichigo chuckle. "You'll warm up to him eventually."

"Oh, joy."