They all stared at Leon and Seras. The elites watched the two tell the story before, intent and pressed for each word. This would be their first mission, being informed in the mission room, still with it's crimson walls and gold accents. Even Jack Wilson sat quietly, watching the two with minimal display or irritation.
"We... we'll be covering for Seras and Alucard. They would normally be right next to Integra," Leon began to wrap up," guarding her very move. Our job is be placed strategically and spread with eyesight's on the entire lot. If these 'Underground Umbrella' bunch want to show their faces, we'll be ready to blow them to hell."
"So..." Seras ended, looking around," no questions? Good," she said when none came," remember, this is a formal club, so dress to impress gents and ladies!"
"Get some rest guys, you'll need it," Leon said and the group began to disperse. "You're rather cheery," he said as he turned to Seras.
"What?" the vampire looked to him. "What do you mean?"
"You've been acting odd. I've noticed," Leon said and Seras turned away, her hair blocking his sight of her face. She blushed and lightly jumped from the stage. "What's up, bloodsucker?"
"Hey, I don't like that word," she turned and jokingly glared at him. He flinched, and she remembered that her face was red. "Sorry, I wasn't actually-"
"It wont happen again."
"No, no," Seras walked closer back to him as Leon jumped down. "I've... I have been acting kinda weird, haven't I?"
"A little, yeah," Leon nodded.
"Sorry, it is a little... odd to have someone other than Alucard, Walter, or Integra so close, you know?" She tried explaining. "I feel like it's been years since I've really known anyone else other than them."
"Well, it does kind of feel like we've been together a while, doesn't it?" Leon admitted, leading the two of them out of the room, dimming the lights behind him. "I guess two weeks together while fighting for your life does that to a person. You suddenly think you know someone down to their core."
"We don't?" Seras turned to Leon, who stopped a moment later to look.
"Seras..." Leon paused," we've known each other for three weeks."
"I've heard of shorter stories," Seras stated, walking closer. "So..."
"Seras, you know these sort of things are dangerous. People get close, they get hurt. We stay away from most people, and they won't be hurt when you are," Leon said, holding a hand up away her.
"Nothing can happen to me," Seras said, suddenly confident, a voice in the far reaches of her mind ushering her towards what she wanted," I've gotten hurt by bullets, silver, even splashed with holy water... but I can outlast it. I can suffer past it."
"And what would happen if I got hurt?" Leon posed," how would you handle that?" Seras paused, staring at him, and his eyes latched onto her stare. "I'm used to getting hurt. I've been broken before, hell, once I was almost a parasitic host... but regardless," Seras gave him an odd look," if I die, I die."
"Leon... I could keep you alive," Seras reasoned with him," it's no longer just life or death. There's a gray area."
"I don't know if I'd like that," Leon admitted.
"Staying with me, you mean?" Seras asked, blinking.
"No! No, no, I mean being a vampire... I've just fought so long against... well, non-human entities, and I can't see myself becoming something else. If I have to die, I will have given it all my worth and that's that." Seras stared at him, and began to laugh. "What is it? Seras?" she had begun to cry.
"I... I understand that completely. I thought I would go down fighting for my life, surrounded by enemies. But it wasn't like that, Leon," she continued," I couldn't even fight for my own life. All I had in the end was a choice."
"To live or die?" Leon asked.
"Not even live... just to keep going. As something else, as something new," Seras admitted. Her arm possibly without her own knowing, began to sway and fade into it's shadow-like form. "I don't regret what I became."
"Even slightly?" Leon asked, staring at her arm. "No good food, or painless sunlight, or even good T.V.?"
"Well, T.V. was horrible to begin with anyway," Seras admitted cheekily," But now... I'm a super-hero, Leon. I can stop people who want to hurt others, or even you. And... until it happens, I can't be stopped."
Leon stared at her, his eyes closely inspecting her face. She showed no signs of fear or doubt and he could not help but give a little to her argument. She, together with him, had fought monsters that baffled his knowledge of what could and could not exist. Granted, he was certain under certain conditions she may be beaten, she may not be destroyed. He could live with that. Or at least he sighed.
"Seras," he started, and her eyes widened and a smile grew on her lips, and his possible argument was shot down, as he was certain her mind-reading abilities had connected his cognitive dots," we can consider it."
"A date?" she asked, desperate for an answer, almost bouncing.
"I mean... sure," Leon gave her the satisfaction, and she lunged at him, giving him a strong hug. "Woah, okay there," he said, sure he felt similar strength from larger, meaner monsters than her," we'll have to set the time out-"
"And get the right attire-"
"Of course, find out what kind of food we could eat-"
"Not to mention blood packs being available-"
"Ahem," Walter said, catching the two of them off guard. They turned to face the butler who eyed them both, a clever smile on his lips as usual. "I take it the meeting with the soldiers went well."
"Oh, yes, it did, very much so," Seras nodded enthusiastically, as Leon looked at her, certain she was almost in a daze.
"Must I even ask?" Walter asked to her. She shook her had, hugged Walter briefly, and darted past him, almost skipping along the way. "I don't think I've ever seen her so bright in the face."
"At least she isn't sparkling," Leon admitted. Walter turned away from the gone draculina," did you want to talk about something else?"
"Yes, I did," Walter said, walking with Leon in the opposite direction," Integra proposed an interesting idea earlier that I do believed the two of you missed. When she will be meeting in the round table conference, she will be with several who can potentially lend us personnel."
"What kind of personnel?" Leon inquired.
"Military types," Walter elaborated," those who are serving, or have served, branches of authority in militaristic or police work."
"I thought the idea of us being here was that we wouldn't need any more members, due to our skill?" Leon pointed out.
"Indeed, and this theory was proven days ago, with yourself and Mr. Mercer. However, it still goes to show that all of us are completely mortal. This line of work never can deny extra help, can it?"
"I suppose not. As long as these men are trustworthy, I don't think I see any other flaw in this idea. Will I be running these people around H-Q like I did before?"
"Oh no. These are the men who will respond to more menial work. Guard duty outside of the building, internal patrol, and escort for yourselves, the Hellsing Elites," Walter explained.
"The Hellsing Elites?" Leon repeated," makes us sound kind of tough."
"I suppose so."
"Fine with me. Until my men can prove themselves though, I can't see us as being any kind of real Elite. Not yet anyway."
"Fair enough. Would you like to follow me to Sir Integra? I was to escort her towards the training platform, as your men and women would not be using it today," Walter asked casually," I'm sure she would like to speak with you."
"She... would? What else is there to talk about?" Leon asked, almost in awe. It was one thing for Integra and Walter to be asking him for advice on recruitment of more men, but now wanting more personal talks. Leon wasn't entirely sure what to make of it all.
"Oh, nothing of the serious nature. Contrary to popular belief, she can be quite the conversationalist when she wishes to be."
"Really?" Leon asked, trying to picture Integra as a more social and outgoing type, something he found very difficult to picture.
"Quite. I hate to bring him up twice in a conversation, but even Mr. Mercer would have been able to attest to that," Walter said with a sad smile. Leon nodded firmly, and let Walter lead for the most part, putting his feet on auto-pilot.
Maybe it was the gentile way Walter spoke of Zohall, or maybe it was that he was on his way to speak with Integra on a personal level, or maybe it was he still wasn't sure what he had gotten himself into by getting this job, but Leon felt off. There was a tug in his gut leading into his stomach that he wasn't used to. The fast pace of his heart, or the chill of his spine, these sudden reflexes to terror he could almost ignore now, but his ability to move from professional to informal in this new life of his seemed impossible.
With Zohall it had always been an informal interaction. The two teased, mocked, and enforced each other like brothers. With Walter, Leon had his best formal attitude mixed with professional courtesy. Positive, attentive, and constantly aware and thinking when he was with Walter and Integra. Blurring these lines seemed like something he had never been good at.
These thoughts preoccupied Leon until they arrived at Integra's office doors, and she walked into the hallway, carrying her sword.
"Walter, for the last... Leon," Integra noticed the addition to her butler's company, and her mood changed, the intense irritation morphing into surprise. "Was there something I needed to speak to you about?"
"No," Leon said," Walter just had me tag along, and I guess... I didn't see any problem with that."
"Ah. Well then," Integra glared briefly at Walter," lead on."
What followed seemed like minutes of tense atmosphere between Walter and Integra, although Leon noted it seemed to be mostly Integra providing the mood, as her eyes iced over and she said little to nothing on the way out. When they arrived to the hedge maze, Integra removed her jacket, and handed it to Walter.
"Thank you Walter, I can handle this on my own," Integra stated. Walter bowed and started off towards the building. Leon instincts had him get up and carry on with Walter, but as he did, Integra spoke. "Mr. Kennedy, might I ask you some questions?"
"Oh, uh, sure," Leon spun around, and approached," if this is about the extra man power you'll be asking for at the conference, I like the idea, as long as they are trust worthy."
"Oh, good," Integra said retrieving her sword from the sheath," but that was not my intended question. However, no that you mention it, inform your men and women of this."
"Right."
"I have had a persistent nagging feeling with me for some time. My gut tells me to come out here to fight it out- have you ever had those feelings?" she asked him, as she paced around the platform that many had sparred with Seras before.
"Sure. Our gut can say a lot we don't fully get," Leon added, walking over to one of the benches.
"This feeling won't leave. I admit, I feel as though these sessions with myself are little effective anymore, considering my skill level already is considered if anything, impressive. I can't tell what this feeling is, and I can't keep jogging off to practice just to try to rid my of this feeling."
"What makes you think you can by being here?" Leon inquired. Integra stalled her movement, and turned to him half way.
"When you and Mercer arrived," she started," you remember? my sparring match I had with him here," she gently tapped the platform with the tip of her saber," right here we dueled."
"Yeah, I admit Walter and I were watching," Leon sighed.
"I feel as though for the first time in years, since before Hellsing became a skeleton crew, before I even knew of Seras, I hadn't had such a... fun time," she admitted, furrowing her brows, making it seem as if to talk of fun for her was almost unnatural.
"Well, you two were dancing around here pretty damn well. I guess it could have been fun for you, especially if you had just been routine practicing," Leon admitted. Integra stared at him, and he got the idea of something. He gave a small sigh, and stood up. She locked her eyes onto him as he slowly walked onto the platform, while removing his knife. "I'm no fencer, remember. This might be different for you."
"Of course," she nodded. She slowly took her stance, and lunged. In the split second she used, he was already in the air, spiraling above her, his arms tucked in as he attempted to slash behind her. She dodged, sliding low towards the ground and slashing up.
Leon was able to avoid the slash, and land upright, turning back to Integra. Rather than charge again, decided to circle him. Leon stood his ground, watching her carefully.
"Let me know if I should restrain myself," Integra added cautiously. Leon smiled, and turned to her.
"Don't worry. You're fine for now," Leon admitted.
She struck again, and he avoided, stepping back and letting the sky-bound slash rise past him. He took the advantage and stepped closer, cutting at her with his knife. She constantly avoided as he advanced hastily, slashing and stabbing away, targeting vital areas of combat ability, until she regained posture and swung at him, and he leapt away, only to charge in again.
Their fight lasted for several minutes, the two exchanging leadership of pace, sometimes Integra gaining the upper hand and forcing Leon to avoid and maneuver around her, and often times finding herself at his mercy which, to Leon's ability, was limited. The experienced agent, through the fight had slowly gained an understanding of her fighting ability and skill, something that he realized, he had not gotten the chance yet to accomplish. She was sturdy, and able to maintain perfect stance to her fencing style, and Leon knew she, underneath the aristocratic visage, had a strength not to be underestimated. He finally saw how it was that Zohall had such a time dueling her.
"I think that will do," Integra said, slowly standing to her fullest, removing herself from her stance.
"You sure?" Leon asked, slowly replacing his dagger back into it's sleeve. "Sorry I can't quite get the style you'd like to fight against, but I'm certain if I blocked that sword, you'd break my knife."
"That is perfectly fine, Leon," Integra said as she stepped away from the platform," perhaps next time you will not refrain so much, though?"
Leon blinked. "You could tell, huh?" he asked, following her.
"Of course. I've seen you fight to your fullest. I stood next to you during Blackwind Isle, didn't I?"
"I'm surprised you were able to watch me with all that going on at once," Leon admitted, as she collected herself and turn around to him.
"Being a director of such a militant body has certain benefits and responsibilities," she admitted," and consistent vigilance and observation is something I needed to adapt along the way."
"Well, are you feeling any better?" Leon asked.
"Yes... thank you, Leon," Integra nodded, and started for the mansion. Leon gave her a moment ahead, and followed, only to stop, as she had too. She slowly turned, her eyes unfocused, clearly deep in thought. "I... wish to ask you something personal."
"And the sparring wasn't?"
"Do you miss him?" Integra asked quietly. Leon stood perfectly upright, his mouth slightly open. Maybe it had been Seras who had shaken his mind away from his deceased best friend, or perhaps just the idea that he would be spending time alone with Integra, but he suddenly found himself troubled.
"I... uh..." Leon struggled to grasp words. He looked to her, and she withstood his peering eyes. Hers stood strongly, gazing at Leon, looking for an answer. "I do. Every day, there isn't something right with the world knowing that crazy bastard isn't running around chopping zombie's heads off."
He stared at Integra, who only stared back. For a moment, he was sure he spotted a moment of weakness in her eyes, perhaps a flutter of the eyelid, a quick blink, or maybe just a quiver of muscle, but he then only saw the back of her head, as she turned away to the manor.
"Do you?" he called out to her. To this, he did not get a response as she climbed the stairs, and back inside.
The agent climbed back inside the large building and sought out Seras, who was busy chatting with Amber and Lars, per usual, and he pulled her aside. After informing her of what had happened, he asked for an opinion.
"What? What do you mean?" She asked with confusion. "You think you might have upset her?"
"No, or... maybe, I don't know. She just seemed indifferent about it. It worried me," he explained. Seras gave him a look and smiled. Not a pleasant smile, but deriving of knowing something either obvious or saddening.
"I think that's just her being who she is," Seras contemplated. "She isn't your average woman, after all. She makes herself stronger than she can be, because she thinks she has to."
"Seras, do you think she had... strong feelings for Zohall?" Leon asked after a moment. Seras had the notion dawn on her as clearly as night to day, and she considered.
"I... suppose it's possible? They did butt heads quite a bit, didn't they?" She asked. "I also don't know if Integra would like someone who served under her orders, or constantly got into arguments with."
"Maybe she missed that."
"She missed getting into fights?" Seras asked, staring at Leon with confusion.
"Not the actual scuffles between the two," Leon clarified," but maybe the times when he stood up and gave a piece of his mind."
"Why would she miss that?" Seras asked, still not understanding.
"Well, not to say you guys sort of roll over and play dead whenever she asks," Leon started," but she gets what she wants here... here," he continued," think for a second. For all your life, you've gotten what you've asked for, and in the best possible way. You're tested and pressed and constantly being pulled for help and your ability. No one is there under your command to doubt you and you have complete authority."
"Then comes one man, who isn't used to the routine," Leon continued," and just doesn't get chain of command. He always second guesses her commands, and sometimes outright rejects her orders. So, she becomes irritated with someone who she cannot necessarily have killed or removed. So she is forced to deal with him some one on a personal level, rather than a professional monster-hunter level."
"Integra doesn't do so well with the personal life stuff," Seras admitted.
"Not really, huh?" Leon said, and then continued," but maybe Zohall gave her a chance to open up, even in a negative and emotional way differently than she had... before he came, I don't know, most of this is guess work with my special agent training."
"Well, you had me fooled you were a psychologist," Seras smiled. "Still... they did get on each others nerves, didn't they?"
"You'd think that'd make sense, but I've seen otherwise," Leon stated. "There's always a certain special quality that can make us re-think how we see someone."
"Like what?" Seras asked, looking at Leon with a certain glint in her eye. Leon looked back, and chuckled, aware of the intent in her question.
"Well, I like a girl that can hold her own in a pinch," Leon admitted, with a small smile. Seras raised her eyebrows and smiled back, wider than before.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Couldn't tell you why. Maybe I just like knowing someone I like I can also depend on when the shit hits the fan."
"Or maybe you like it when a girl can kick your ass?" Seras smirked at him.
"...Maybe that," he laughed, and walked past her with a pat on her shoulders, and walked to Lars and Amber with Seras. As Leon sat down with the men and woman, he checked the time. It was seven, and soon enough, in two days, they would finally be getting back. Wesker, or Agent One, or whoever got in their way were going down.
'nother Firday update! This chapter was brought to you by anticipation! Anticipation, it's what makes crashes in movies cool... wait, no, that's the million dollar budget into special effects...
Heh. Anyway, for those of you interested, I've been going back (yet again) and fine tuning the earlier chapters I wrote years ago. YEARS!? Wow. I need to wrap this damn thing up already. But you can tell in what chapters I've recently touched up a bit- they no longer have my Author omakes. Currently I am at chapter 12 of updates, but I intend to go through all of 'Book One: Time Trouble'.
In other news, another chapter is ready, but I feel as if maybe two in one day may be a bit much. So expect it Monday, as usual. Unless you guys really want it. XD
Its time to get into some cool shit once again. :D
EZB
