Oho! We've got new reviewers! Sweeet! Okay.
Anendee: Thank you, I try.
Pyromanic! In truth, I like them both. I could see either or happening, and in the Anime, it seems to lean toward AxI anyway. But I think I prefer AxS because Seras is just so...I don't know, innocent? cute? Whatever. They're both hot. Maybe the next story I write in Hellsing will focus more on the relationships. Who knows?
Devil Man: Yes, nice catch, it is in fact Raziel from Legacy of Kain. Props to you.
Lyn: But of course my dear, just because you asked so nicely.
And now, Anime Deliquent, and the (two?) people associated with you.: Thanks alot. Its nice to see that I can still knock people out. Its probably one of the best things any humor writer wants to hear. And this story is only half/humor! HAHA! I've still got it baby!
Oh and to everyone!I told you I''d be faster! Now! On with the story.
Order 1.10
She was standing in a murky, haze filled room. Noise pressed in on all sides around her. Men talking, laughing, yelling, fighting. A look of disgust forming on her face, she strode forward.
Suddenly, a light shone down, as the rest of the world was plunged in darkness. Within the center of the light was a young teenager on a stretcher, seemingly asleep. The problem was she did not know why. And she had no idea as to how to wake him up.
A strange feeling was blossoming within her. This was wrong. This was all wrong! But against her will, she reached out and touched the boy. His head rolled, revealing the German symbol on the back of his neck.
Frightened, she tried to retreat but found she could not move. She tried with all of her might to run, to move something, anything. She focused on the arm that still rested on the boy's shoulder.
"Now, now, there's no running away." Said an disembodied voice. She noticed something attached to her wrist. A near-invisible strand of wire. With her eyes, she followed the wire upwards where a giant man stood, holding wires attached to the rest of her limbs.
His grey hair tied back in a pony-tail, the man with the monocole and the wires laughed at her. "You must play out your role! Finish what you started! Gracefully, as if dancing!" The giant man twitched some of his wire and involuntarily she entered into slow dance, twirling, waltzing, moving to an unknown rhythm.
The world returned, and the men were banging on their tables. "DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! GIVE US A SHOW!" They roared, and the banging increased. "You are bound by your Duty!" The old puppeteer said with merriment, while pulling strings and twitching wire.
"Play out your role! DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! The DANCE OF DUTY!" The men hollered.
Then she saw one particular man, standing out from the rest. Wearing a blood-red coat and a fanged grin, he spun on his stool to face her. "YES!" He yelled, raising a dirty mug. Beer slopped inside it and splashed to the floor. "What will you show us now? Let us see you Dance, Integra! Hellsing!"
The noise increased.
Integra bolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat. Was that a dream? Or a nightmare? She decided upon nightmare; her mind's eye lingering on Alucard's grin.
She suddenly noticed the hammering on her door. Pulling herself together, she got out of her bed and hurried to her bedroom doors. Opening them quickly, she looked outside. "What!" She snapped. Walter took an actual step back, and Integra tried again. "What do you want, Walter?" She asked more softly than before.
Walter stepped back up to the door, and Integra backed away without thinking. "My lady are you alright?" Walter asked, "You are soaked. Would you like me to fetch your robe?" Walter asked, stepping into the room.
"No, no, no!" Integra said hurriedly, and a bit louder than she meant. "I mean, no Walter that won't be necessary, I can fetch it myself." She told him, while pushing him back out of her room.
"Lady, why are you looking at me like that?" Walter asked about Integra's suspicious stare.
"Looking like what?" Integra asking, composing her face to show a look of wonder instead.
"Are you sure you are alright Lady Integra?" Walter asked, wondering about her strange behavior.
"I'm fine!" Integra shouted, (more for herself than for her butler) "What did you come here for Walter?" Her tone professional and agitated.
Deciding that she was back to normal, Walter delivered his news. "One of the students we've been watching, one that was sent home the other day, attacked his mother half an hour ago. His father was the witness to the act. He say the boy seemed crazed, and had a wild look in his eyes.
"When the father stepped in to intervene, he too was attacked, but his attack was cut short, as the boy fell unconscious and slumped to the floor. All three of them are in the hospital now. The father is doing well but the mother is in critical condition. Both are covered in teeth and claw marks." Walter said with some significance.
"Teeth and claw marks?" Integtra repeated, her suspicions of Walter fading with her dream and replaced with this new information.
"Yes, and that is not all. The boy is also in intensive care. He has once again slipped into a coma and all of the bones in his body are broken."
"His bones? Broken?"
"Every single one. From his skull, to his ribs to his feet my lady. Every one."
"But how? Did he sustain a fall of some sort? No." Integra said, dismissing that idea as she spoke it. "No simple fall could do that to the human body….." She said, thinking aloud. "Summon Alucard and Seras. They should still be awake." Integra said, checking her watch. 3:36 in the morning.
Integra shut her door and fetched her robe. Unprofessional clothing, but this was short-notice.
Seras knocked on her Master's door, which creaked open under the small amount of force. Raising a questioning eyebrow, she slid inside. "Um, Master? Are you here? Sir Integra has called us. Are you coming?"
Seras found him slouched in his chair, looking sour. "What's the point?" He asked slowly.
"Excuse me?" Seras asked, confused.
"What's the point of it all Seras? I serve that woman day in and day out….but I still don't know the meaning of why I do it. Other than the fact that I am bound…."
"Did you just call me, Seras?" The fledgling asked, her bewilderment growing. Her master had only called her Seras on one occasion that she could remember, when he had faced the Judas Priest for the first time.
"That is your name, is it not?" Alucard asked her. "I really shouldn't call you Police Girl all the time. I'm sorry for that. I should show you more respect."
"Okaaayyyy…." Seras said slowly, getting closer to being creeped out. The show of respect was overall great, but so suddenly? And under the circumstances that Walter had explained….. "Master I think you'd better come with me."
Alucard wasn't listening. Or he was refusing to move. Instead, he focused his attention on trying to keep his peacock feather in the air by blowing on it.
"Please?" Seras asked. Alucard stopped and considered her as the feather fluttered to the floor.
"Oh fine, Seras, if I must." Slowly he rose from his chair and stood next to her by the door. He stopped and waited.
"What, master?" Seras asked. This time Alucard looked confused. "Ladies first." He said, moving aside and allowing her passage through the door. He seemed as though this had been obvious.
Seras blushed and quickly went through. "Thank you Master." Alucard closed the door behind them. "Shall we go then?" Alucard asked, extending a bent arm for her to take. Seras' blush deepened and she took hold of the arm, allowing Alucard to lift them through the ceiling.
When they reached the floor they needed, Seras instantly let go of her master, feeling as if her face were on fire. She hurried ahead of him and found Walter and Integra waiting for them.
Seras tugged Walter aside for a moment, and whispered low. "Walter, Alucard is acting reallllllyyy strange."
"More so than he has been?" Walter whispered back. Seras nodded. She told him what Alucard had said in his room, and about the "Ladies First." "And he's already called me Seras, twice."
"Oh dear….he may be transgressing to the second phase. He's moving much faster than we had expected….I'll inform Lady Integra later, and as well as Pip. But right now, sit down, you might need to hear this."
Seras went and sat down, a little further away from her master than usual. Not because of the whole PMS deal. But more because of how, well….nice….he was being. She had barely batted an eye when she found out that he was an ancient blood-sucking vampire that killed regularly for a job. In fact, she chose this life! But now, he was acting like an old-fashioned gentle-man.
Alucard looked over at her and she was reminded of their dance at the ball…. Feeling as though her face could not hold anymore blood, she inched further away.
After Pip had entered, looking rather pissed off at being woken so early, Integra informed them on the new info.
"All of ze bones!" Pip asked wide-eyed. It seemed to be the most surprising bit of news.
"How?" Seras asked.
"We don't know." Integra said. "But it's become apparent that Millennium must have done something to them." She noticed Alucard picking absently at his coat. "HAVE YOU EVEN BEEN PAYING ATTENTION!" Integra shouted.
Alucard didn't look up, and continued picking at his coat. "Of course I have, Master. I just happen to be removing werewolf hairs from my coat at the same time. I swear, they are worse than dogs…their hair and fur get every where….."
"Werewolf hairs?" Integra said, non-believing. She felt her anger swell, but suddenly it was gone as shocking realization struck her. "Werewolves….and the children…the bones! Oh my god." Integra said, the blood draining from her face. "That's it!" But before she could elaborate, she was interrupted by Walter. No one had noticed the soldier come in and whisper to him until just then.
"Sir Hellsing. Intelligence informs us that a large group of Freaks are heading toward the hospital where the children are being kept."
"Children?"
Walter nodded. "Two more monitored students have acted as the first did, attack, coma, broken bones. And the Freaks are marching toward them."
"It all fits…" Integra said speaking into clasped hands. "Okay. Seras! Alucard!" She said, snapping the vampires to attention. (At least Seras anyway. Alucard looked slowly toward her with his face lacking any interest).
"You'll have to head the Freaks off and keep them at bay until the troops can arrive and give support. We can't let them into that hospital."
Seras rose, and Alucard followed suit was a long sigh. Integra stood as well. "You have your orders. I'll send the soldiers as soon as possible. I repeat. Do not let them into the hospital. Hurry. Move out!"
Oooohh. Getting closer now. The plot thickens. Review.