I don't own Vampire Hunter D, except for the Bloodlust DVD and the novels 1-15. If I actually did have D, he would be doing my chores and looking awesome while he did them.

Title: Following His Footsteps

Rating: T, for teen.

Summary: Traveling with the dhampir who may (or may not) be his brother, Dualarc learns that with D actions are louder than words.

Interlude: Letters to Mina

Hey Mina,

Dualarc here. I'd ask how you are, but I think you're the same as last time. My situation has changed quite a bit, however. There's good stuff and bad stuff and same old shit stuff. I'll start with the good.

First off, I GOT OUT OF BIRCH! I always said that I wanted to see the world and now I'm doing it, Mina. The only way this could be more awesome would be if you and Adolf were here with me. I've already been to so many places. Actually been there and not just looked at picture in a book. The ocean is bigger than you can imagine and (the following has been crossed out) the water really does taste like salt 'salt water' isn't just a name. Not that I drank it, you understand. That's just what the dockworkers and fishermen I met at the pier told me when I was getting a boat.

Second of all, I FOUND D!

Now for the bad stuff.

First of all, I FOUND D! Take the biggest icicle in the world, carve a (the following has been crossed out) pretty handsome face onto it and wrap it all up in black. That's D. The guy is so frigid he makes Mr. Johan look nice. Yeah, that bad.

Second of all, the previously mentioned icicle man won't teach me. He says I'm a kid and I should go home. Screw that! I'm fifteen now and if he thinks he can (the following has been crossed out) scare me pressure me into leaving with his (the following has been crossed out) death aura scary face constant ignoring me, he's got another thing coming! It's not like (the following has been crossed out) I can go home I'm short on time, so I'll wear him down eventually.

So, now on to same old shit stuff.

We crossed the border to the next sector earlier this morning (sector 23, in case you were wondering) and we've been on the road towards the nearest town ever since. I need to get some new clothes (a needle and some thread will only carry you so far in the wilderness (the following has been crossed out) and I'm sick of using my spare set of pants as a cowl) and I'm pretty sure D needs to stock up on some stuff too. His bags have been looking lighter, anyway. I've managed to do a few chores in the last town we came across, so at least I have a bit of money. With any luck, I'll be able to get something that actually fits.

It's been almost a month since the whole Skethagen fiasco and I haven't heard so much as a whisper of other vampire activities since then. I don't like it, but I think I'm going to have to get used to it. I can foresee a lot of 'kill a vampire, wander, wander, wander, kill a vampire' in my future. Remember when we were little and used to sneak under the tables in the tavern to listen to those Hunters' stories while they passed through? Well, I definitely don't remember them mentioning how they walked around for weeks, waiting for a job to show itself. You think the average problem in a Hunter's life is the threat of death and dismemberment, but it's not. It's the boredom, Mina. The boredom is killing me, slowly but surely. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if D doesn't get a job offer soon, I might actually try to steal his hat again. I'm that bored.

(We were two days out of Skethagen, my face was burning without my hood and I was desperate. It did not end well, so don't ask for details.)

I think D might be restless too, not that I can actually tell for certain. Sometimes I think I can hear him talking to himself. He even changes his voice to sound different. I'm hoping this is just him venting through his secret hobby of ventriloquism, because otherwise he's insane. Mina, if D is insane, then I have a big problem. If he is insane and decides that murder is the only way to get of me (which it pretty much is, let's face it), then I am screwed. It's D vs. little old me and I'm not dumb enough to think I have a chance of winning.

Anyway, missing you and all that stuff. I'll write more later.

-Dualarc