Duty

C1: Freelance

[Disclaimer: Kouta Hirano owns "Hellsing."  I own whatever I write/create.  Don't steal and don't sue.]

The Hellsing house was very quiet at three o'clock in the morning.  Seras Victoria hurried through the front entrance and leapt down the stairs to her basement room.  She gathered what possessions she had and stuffed them into an over-the-shoulder rucksack.  The young vampire was only in a rush because she knew how quickly the person who had just kissed her could move.

Seras knew for a fact that no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be able to stop Syn from leaving Britain for parts unknown.  She needed an answer out of the no-life-king, so if Syn wasn't going to stop, Seras was going to go with her.

The master of the Hellsing house had given her permission to leave, as well as to acquire some of Alucard's blood to become her own vampire.  Seras hurried back up the stone stairs and out of the Hellsing house once more.  The blond-haired woman quickly thought of the direction Syn had walked away in and ran that way.

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Syn stood at the railing of a pier, staring out at the black water.  The place she remembered best for having an overpopulation of vampires was America.  Her memories were blurry, and she could just remember some of the vampires she had managed to kill were freaks.  Her last meal—the blood of both Heinkel Wolfe and Yumiko Tagaki—was more than enough for her to get across the Atlantic and to a safe haven somewhere on the eastern coast of the United States.

The sun wouldn't rise for a few more hours.  She would be safe, if she left immediately, and went fast.  Syn had to smile at the last thing she had done at the Hellsing house.  Seras was probably out of her mind with questions and doubt.  The black-haired vampire put her right foot on the railing, getting ready to jump and leave Britain for a very long time.

"SYN!"

The shout broke her concentration, and her left foot caught on the railing as she leapt.  Syn fell face-first into the icy water with a resounding splash.  Seras Victoria ran to the edge of the pier and knelt down, looking into the water for any sign of un-life.  Syn's head broke the surface of the water after a moment.  She spat water from her fanged mouth and swam to where Seras was kneeling.

Seras gave Syn her gloved hand and helped her from the water.  Syn shook her head and sighed, smiling.

"You know, Seras, I'm damn sure I'm in love with you, but don't push your luck." Syn murmured, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I want to know why you…did that." Seras blushed and couldn't bring herself to say what happened.

"What, kissed you?" Syn stood up and shook her shoulders to get some of the water off herself, "Well, I just said that I love you.  Did you miss that, or do you not know what it means?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" Syn checked her gun, the Blade, to see if anything was damaged, "Dammit, everything's soaked.  I'll need to dry it all before I even thinking of shooting it.  You're cute.  I'll forgive you."

"Why do you…love me?" Seras was blushing madly, "I mean, I've told you at least a dozen times that I hate you."

"I don't know." Syn replied, "I like cute girls, and you're cute.  You just happened to tickle the rest of my fancy.  Who knows why anyone loves anything?  Listen, Seras, the sun's going to come up in a few hours, and I need to cross the Atlantic by then.  If you'll excuse me."  She hopped up to the railing and started to leap away again, but Seras grabbed her foot.  Syn flailed in midair, and then started to fall right back towards the water.  Seras held her just above the dark water, an angry look on her face.

"Give me an answer, or I drop you." she threatened.

"An answer to what?" Syn asked, twisting to look up at Seras.

"Why you keep saying you love me when we both know that's not true."

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Syn snapped, "People have been telling me that they hate me for the past four hundred and twenty years!  I don't listen to that when I know they aren't telling the truth, and you don't really hate me!"

"Yes I do!" Seras yelled angrily, throwing Syn into the water.  It took a moment before Syn reappeared.

"You really don't, and I really need to get moving." Syn shook her head with a sigh, "So, I'll see you around."  She started up out of the water towards the west.

"Oh no you don't!" Seras shouted.  She dropped her rucksack and leapt at Syn.  The blond vampire crashed into the black-haired vampire and both splashed down into the water.  Syn rolled her eyes and grabbed Seras by the collar.  With a single heave, she flung Seras clear out of the water and at least twenty feet into the air.  A shockwave drove the water around her away and she flew back swiftly to the pier.

Before Seras could hit the ground, Syn was there and caught the young vampire.  Seras stared at Syn in shock, both of them dripping wet, and she in Syn's arms.  Syn put her down with a playful smile.  After a moment, she flicked Seras in the nose.

"Ow!" Seras yelped, holding her nose, "What was that for?"

"Your showing up and dumping me in the drink has cost me about twenty minutes." Syn replied, "I needed all the time I had to get across the Atlantic and find a spot to sleep as a dog.  Unfortunately, you cost me the time I had to look, so I need to wait until tomorrow night."

"Why?" Seras asked.

"Vampires can't stand sunlight, stupid." Syn rapped on Seras' head sharply, "Is there a brain in that pretty head of yours?"

"But I've been able to go out during the day."

"You're young.  You still have some resistance to sunlight.  I, on the other hand, will roast like an unhappy hot dog.  Thanks very much, nitwit."

"That's what I mean!" Seras snapped, waving a finger at Syn's nose, "You insult me all the time!  Why would you insult someone you love?"

"Because I tease, and you don't have a shred of humor in your undead body." Syn moved Seras' hand away and stood nose to nose with her.  Seras blushed crimson from the close quarters.  Syn smiled at her, gave her a swift kiss, and then turned and started to walk away.

"I'm going to go find a nice tree to sleep under." she said, "Bye."

"Wait!" Seras hurried up and grabbed Syn's arm, "I'm coming with you if you won't give me a straight answer.  I have an idea."

"Wonderful.  What is it?"

"Why don't we sneak aboard one of those ships and make sure one of the passengers doesn't show up?  Then we could both get to the United States, and I'm sure no one would care if one of their paying customers brought a pet."

"One problem.  You don't drink fresh blood."

"I brought some blood packs."

"Clever girl.  Very well, let's get ready!"

—to be continued—