Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in.
AN: I'm soo sorry it took me so long to update! But thank you guys so much for the reviews!! I really appreciate them! Reviewer Responses are at the end of the story!! Okay, onto chapter two!
Chapter 2: The Aide
Integra paced restlessly along the expanse of her office as she puffed heavily on a quickly disappearing cigar and thought over her 'situation'. She had been fidgety ever since Alucard had left the previous night once they had reached their 'agreement'. Even Walter had commented on it that morning when she had been constantly twirling her pen as he briefed her over what was scheduled for the day. She never thought she'd ever say it, but Integra needed more work to keep her mind off of their bet. However, seeing as that she only had two weeks to do the near impossible, she had spent a good portion of the morning and afternoon pacing, and thinking of who might be the best choice for her to ask for help. The list came up very short. There was, of course, Walter who would always help her, but she had a feeling that the steward would have a problem when it came to choosing clothing and some mannerisms. Things like that really needed a woman's input, and the only other woman in the organization was Seras. The only problem with Seras was the fact that she would more than likely talk to Alucard about it, and the last thing Integra wanted was for Alucard to hear about her misadventures at femininity.
Integra walked to her desk and promptly extinguished what was left of her cigar in the ashtray and sat down heavily in the chair. Dismissing propriety, Integra placed her elbows on the desktop and set her chin on her folded hands. But even if Seras did talk about it, what other choice did she have? With a disdainful sigh, Integra picked up her phone and hit the first memory button.
It rang once before Walter's familiar voice answered.
"Yes Sir Integra?"
"Walter could you bring Seras up here for me, and bring up some strong tea, enough for three, please." The tea was an afterthought; anything that could possibly calm her was a blessing.
"Three, Miss?" She could hear the curiosity in his voice.
"Yes, I want you to hear this as well."
"Yes Ma'am."
Integra sat the hand piece back in its cradle and brought her hand up to cushion her chin once again. 'Now how exactly am I going to explain this?'
*~_~*
"She wants to see me?" Seras asked, stupefied.
"Yes Miss Seras. She says she has something she wants to tell you and I."
"But not Master?"
"No, Sir Integra said nothing of Lord Alucard."
"Alright, I'll be up in a moment." Seras hung up the phone as she stood from the table that sat in the middle of her room. Why did Sir Integra want to see her but not Alucard? Could it have something to do with her Master? Or did her Master already know? Seras shrugged her shoulders indifferently; it wasn't her place to wonder why, though she couldn't help it sometimes. She absently ran a hand over her hair to make sure none was sticking up everywhere as she walked out the door and stepped into the hallway. Seras stopped in half-stride when she noticed her Master leaning nonchalantly against the wall at the base of the stairs that led up to the main floor of the manor. He was without his hat, glasses and coat, which was odd to see, but he did have his usual smirk on his face, so there was some normalcy.
"What does she want?" He asked causally as he followed her movements closely with his eyes.
"She wants to talk to Walter and I about something." Seras said simply as she shut the door behind her. It had long ago stopped surprising her that he knew just about everything that went on in the manor. She could practically feel his eyes on her, it was most unnerving, causing her to shiver. Would he be upset that he wasn't being called for as well?
"No idea about what?"
"No Master."
To her surprise he chuckled darkly as she walked up to the base of the stairs and stopped next to him. He looked genuinely pleased about something, but about what was beyond her.
"You're not angry?" She asked shyly.
"Angry? No, I have a feeling I know what it's about. But it's nice to have a few surprises every century or so, so I'm not going to push it." His smirk widened into a grin as he pushed away from the way and began toward his own room.
"Have fun Policewoman." His voice drifted back to her even though his body had already faded from even her sight.
With a shake of her head, Seras swiftly climbed the stairs up to meet with her Master's Master.
*~_~*
Integra's gaze remained steady as Walter and Seras practically gaped at her as if she had just told them she was pregnant with Enrico Maxwell's child. In reality she had just told them of what had happened last night between her and Alucard and that she needed to ask a favor of each of them. Walter seemed to recover first as he gingerly picked up his tea cup and drained it in one gulp. Seras looked at her blankly before blinking once, then twice, which seemed to shake her out of her revive.
"Are you feeling well Sir Integra?" she asked worriedly. Integra rolled her eyes and stood from her seat.
"I am perfectly fine. A little frustrated perhaps, but I am well." She said somewhat curtly as she paced away from the desk.
"But what possessed you to agree to such a thing?" Walter inquired seriously.
"Pride." Integra sighed dejectedly. "And rebellion. I want to show him up at his own game for once."
"You can be rather prideful at times Sir Integra." Walter offered as Integra's shoulders drooped as she stood in front of her father's portrait.
"I know."
"And haughty sometimes." Seras quipped from her chair.
"Yeah." Her head was hanging now.
"And demanding."
"And obsessive."
"Alright ALREADY!!" She roared as she whirled on them. Both fell sullenly silent as she stomped back over to the desk.
"I need your help. Both of you."
"What do you need us for?"
"I need Walter to show me all the mannerisms and such that I was supposed to learn growing up that I never learned or forgot."
"Did you forget intentionally?"
"Maybe." Integra glared at Walter for a moment. After her father had died, she had often thought of Walter as a second father of sorts, and he definitely had the nagging part down pat. She quickly moved her gaze to Seras, who fidgeted slightly in her chair.
"And I need your help because you are another woman, I seriously doubt Walter would be much help with picking out clothing. Not to mention that there are some things that you know that Walter doesn't."
"So we get to go clothes shopping, huh?" Seras mumbled contemplatively.
"Yes. Unfortunately all I have is my suits."
"Do I get to do makeup too?" She asked excitedly. Personally, it had always bugged her that Sir Integra hid behind her paper work and men's suits. Call it a side effect from taking several classes of Fashion and Cosmetology in school, but she was absolute dying (again) to give her Master's Master a makeover.
Integra looked horrified the briefest moment before regaining her composure. "I'm not going to wear makeup if I can help it." She sounded remotely disgusted by the idea, but Integra could see it in her eyes that Seras was already working out shades and outfits in her mind's eye. 'What have I done?' She wondered worriedly.
"And how long do you have again Sir Integra?" Walter asked; his voice laced slightly with worry.
"Two weeks."
"Well," He said as he stood, closely followed by Seras. "We'd best get started promptly, don't you think?"
"Yes," Integra agreed coupled with a shallow nod of her head as she picked up a cigar and lit it. "But what should we start with." She finished, half mumbling as she walked away from them.
Walter and Seras watched her walk away and glanced at each other out of corners of their eyes.
"How about your walk, Sir Integra." Walter offered.
"My walk?" Integra asked incredulously as she turned to face them. "What's wrong with the way I walk?"
"Well, um…how can I put this?" Walter looked helplessly at Seras when he couldn't think of a polite way to word it. 'Screw politeness. She needs the truth.'
"You walk like you have stuff hanging between your legs." She said bluntly. Integra nearly dropped her cigar and the tea that Walter had just sipped came back for a visit.
AN: Sorry for the crappy ending. And the fact that it's probably not funny, but ah, that's the way it goes! Next Chapter: The Walk (aka Integra's adventures with alcohol and stiletto heels).
Reviewer Responses:
Kurayami – Wow, thanks so much for the review! I absolutely love you Checkmate story; I reread it all the time. Sorry this chapter wasn't up very soon, but I'll try to improve that.
Allyn – Thanks so much!
jesi – Sorry I didn't update sooner but thank you for the review!
animechick – He may not have her as well as he thinks he does ;) Thanks for the review!
NinjaNao – Thanks for the review and I hope you like this chapter too!
chibisan – Thanks so much for the review!!!
bratkitty – Thanks for the review and I hope you liked this chapter too!
Angie – Oh I've got much better plans for Alucard! *laughs evilly* Thank you so much for the review!!!!
CCS Sakura – Sorry I didn't update sooner but I think the hamster that runs the power wheel to my creatively either died or had a seizure. But I found a replacement so the Chaps. Should come out faster now!
Vorsith – Now, why would he use a syringe? That would take the fun out of everything!! =) Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this one!!
nada – Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!!
Daniera Turnic – I'm sorry I didn't update sooner but thank you for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!
General Mevneriel – Thanks for the review!!!
Saiera – I hope you liked this chapter too and thanks for the review!!
Victoria – Thanks so much for the review!!!
