HELLSING WITCH HUNTER:1616

DIANAPRINCE31

Chapter 15: The Circus is in Town

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing

Berlin, Germany 1616

Being poor had its challenges and those challenges sucked. The cold, the hunger, the looks people give you could drive one mad, but Irmeline Schneider was made of tougher stuff. She had been on the streets for most of her life and pick pocketing was second nature to her. By being plain and unassuming, Irmeline avoided detection or getting caught. She lived in a small hut in one of the many dirty alley ways of the country's capital with her three children. There was a fourth son, but he had been lost, well honestly, she had abandoned him. It was that damned shapeshifter's fault! Her son was born with the ears and tail of a cat! Even the poor have standards and she refused to be seen with an animal as a child. So, when he was six, she left him at a fruit vendor's stall and never looked back. The brat had made a name for himself as a capable thief and she had seen him on a couple of occasions, but because she kept her face covered, he didn't recognize her. One day the circus came to Berlin and they were looking for new acts for their show, mostly freaks and the unusual. They were offering up to 100 gold coins to anyone who would bring them any new additions. Finally, her son would do something useful. With the gold coins Irmeline could get clothes and food for her children. So Irmeline searched the streets for the cat-eared boy. By now he would be about fifteen years old, but not necessarily look the age. Irmeline searched everywhere but could not find him. Where could he have gone? He couldn't have been caught, could he? The beggar woman asked a local butcher who said; "Hmm, I remember about a couple years back, some sword wielding blond said that urchin was hers. Don't know where she took him. She spoke perfect German, but I know she was a foreigner." Irmeline soon found out the description of the woman who had her son, she was tan, with blond hair, blue eyes and for some reasons wore men's suits. After some more eavesdropping and asking around, Irmeline learned that the woman had adopted her son as her own, lived in England and was from the Hellsing family, one of the wealthiest families in Europe. Even the name sounded scary. After doing a couple of 'favors', Irmeline found passage on a London bound air-ship. Soon those 100 gold coins would be hers.

Hellsing Estate

Seras patted Kitten on her neck, while the horse munched on some apples; "I wonder why Kitten is getting so fat lately."

"It's probably because of all the treats you bring her" said Integra.

"Oh, she's not fat, she's pregnant" said Schrodinger.

Both Huntresses looked at the cat-boy in shock.

"SHE'S WHAT?!" screamed Seras.

"I meant to tell you, but I keep forgetting or getting distracted."

"How many months?" asked Integra.

"Umm…eight months."

"That's the same number of months I've been here!"

"So, you mean as soon as Kitten got here some horny male just got on top of her?" snickered Sam.

"That's a crude way of putting it."

"Who's the bastard that knocked up my Kitten?"

Schrodinger looked uncomfortable and said; "I think I hear someone calling me!" He would have scampered off if Integra hadn't grabbed a hold of his shirt. "Answer the question. Who's the father?"

"It's Baskerville!"

At hearing his name, the stallion looked in their direction, with what could be a smug expression on his face. However, Integra looked as embarrassed as her horse looked proud.

"I'm sorry mom, by the time I got there, he was in the middle of doing it."

Integra groaned; "I should have him castrated!" Sera hugged Kitten; "You're going to be a mommy!"

"So is every female horse in this pasture" laughed Sam. "Integra, I think your horse has a more vibrant sex life than you".

Integra punched Sam in the arm and retorted; "And apparently more vibrant than yours or you wouldn't be trying so hard to get with me."

Seras turned to Integra; "We're going to have a baby, Sir!"

"Please don't say it like that Seras, it sounds so wrong."

"So, who keeps the foal?" asked Schrodinger.

"Seras can keep it" replied Integra.

"Oh, thank you Sir, for letting me keep our baby!"

"We're not having a baby, Seras."

"Yeah, Seras you two are not having a baby, at least not before Sweet Cheeks and I get it on."

Integra groaned again and decided to head back to her office. As Seras watched her leave, she sighed; "I'd like to be a mother someday."

Glancing at Schrodinger, Sam asked; "Why? It just looks like hard work to me." The cat-boy stuck out his tongue at the assassin, while Sam continued; "That's just hormones raging because Kitten's pregnant."

"I don't think it works that way. I think it's more than that, oh well at least I get a cute foal."

Meanwhile Irmeline had finally made her way to London and it reminded her of Berlin, crowded and bustling with people going on about their daily lives. She had to find where Hellsing was, but how? She tried asking several people, but either they ignored her; because what would someone like Hellsing want with a beggar or their directions were too complicated. Finally, a kind hearted old farmer agreed to take her to where Hellsing lived. On the way there, the old man went on and on about Hellsing and the King's Hunters. Irmeline would have preferred if the man would be quiet, but beggars can't be choosers. When she reached the estate, she was astounded, the place was so big. Irmeline had never seen a house so big. When the gates opened, the guards searched her for weapons and finding none, she was permitted. At the front door, she was greeted by a man named Walter, who insisted that she get cleaned up and a change of clothes before meeting with the head of the house. Only after Irmeline was deemed presentable, did Walter lead her through several hallways to an office where he announced; "Sir Hellsing, there is a woman here named Irmeline Schneider, she claims to be Schrodinger's biological mother.

"What?" came the surprised response.

Integra got a good look at the woman who came into her office. The woman was rather plain and homely, with dirty blond hair. She was also thin, because the clothes that she was dressed in her hung loosely on her, no matter how much the maids who cleaned her up tried to make them look good on her. At least the maids got rid of the smell. The small woman flinched under her predatory glare and Integra had to smirk at that. "Whatever it is you want, you have come to the wrong place. If it was for money, I am not giving you a single coin and if you want your son back, that is if you are not lying, well you're not getting him back either" said the Huntress icily.

"But he is my son! You stole him!"

Integra rolled her eyes and said sarcastically; "Yes, that is exactly what I do, steal homeless children from foreign countries."

"I will report you to the police!" Irmeline was getting desperate she need that money that only giving her freak of a son to the circus could provide. However, Integra was not going to give up Schrodinger to some beggar woman, even if she did threaten to report her to the police. "Woman, the sight of you offends me, I believe it is best if you leave immediately before you sour my mood even more." But Irmeline insisted that she be given back her son. So, Integra decided to let Schrodinger make his own choice. If he wanted to go back with Irmeline to Germany, Integra would do nothing to stop him. When the boy entered the office, Irmeline was surprised by how much he had grown and how well he looked. Schrodinger was dressed in a white collared cotton shirt, brown pants made of dungaree and shiny knee high black boots. On his head, sat a round brown cap at an angle that showed one his silky black ears and around his neck he had a pair of expensive looking goggles that were made of fine brown leather, brass buckles and frames, with amber lenses. Schrodinger didn't recognize the woman standing in Integra's office, so he asked; "What's going on, mom?"

"This woman claims to be your biological mother and wants to take you back to Germany."

The cat-boy looked more closely at the woman. Could his mother really want him back? Could she have come all this way just for him? But there was something wrong, this didn't seem right. The look in her eyes certainly didn't say love, there was something in them, but love was not it. Schrodinger took a couple steps back from the woman. "I'm not going anywhere with this schlampe!" exclaimed Schrodinger angrily. "She abandoned me! I don't have to go do I?"

"Not if you don't want to."

Schrodinger left the office, while Irmeline stood in shock over what happened. Walter gave Integra a sheet of paper; "This was found on her person." When Integra saw what on it, she considered shooting the woman in the face; "You wanted to sell him to the circus?!" Irmeline was escorted -none too gently-off of Hellsing property. Meanwhile in one of the stables Schrodinger sat in an empty stall, with his arms wrapped around his knees. He had thought that he was over his mother, but here she was and demanding that Integra hand him over. Could she truly want him back? What if she did? But she was poor and could hardly feed herself, so going back to Germany would not be wise. And the look she gave him certainly was not one of someone connecting with a loved one after a long time, so what was it she wanted? Just then a paper was dropped into his lap. Schrodinger read it:

WANTED: Any new acts and freaks, such as

Abnormal humans, animal/human hybrids. Willing

To pay up to 100 gold coins for all acceptable acts.

The paper also listed the time and place where one 'contributions' could be made.

"The bitch wanted to sell you to the circus, that's the reason why she was here" said Integra dryly.

"She didn't want me?"

"I'm afraid not, she just wanted the money she would have received."

"W-what's wrong with me?" Integra took out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears that had begun to fall from Schrodinger's eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with you. She's the one with the problem."

"I thought…is it wrong for me to want her to love me?"

"No, it's perfectly normal. Just remember that I will always love you."

As Schrodinger hugged Integra, he thought back on the last six years, they had been the best years of his life. No begging for food or sleeping in the streets. He had clean clothes, his own room and all the food he could eat. He also got to work with horses, but best of all there was someone who loved him, cat ears and all, like a true mother should.

"I love you, mom."

Integra gently tweaked one velvety ear before replying gently; "I love you too."

"And I love that ass, Sugar Lips" said Sam.

"SAM!"

"Hey, I thought we were all loving and stuff!"

"Not you, you imbecile!"

Sam swatted Integra's butt before running out of the stable with the heiress hot on her tail. Schrodinger had to laugh, nothing would ever make him give up this family.

A couple of uneventful days later, one of the stable hands burst into the office looking frightened, dazed and out of breath. He also had a large welt on the back of his head. The man handed Integra a crumpled sheet of paper; "Sir! They took your son!"

Chapter End

Author's Note: Cliff hanger! Don't you just love those? Well we met Schrodinger's biological mother and we can clearly say, she's not a stand up gal in the least. And now some goons have kidnapped Schrodinger. I feel sorry for the kidnappers. Will Irmeline sell her son to the circus? When Integra find her, how will she react? Will I ever stop asking questions? Find out soon! See you in the next chapter!

*schlampe is German for bitch*