A.N: Phew, looks like its finally coming together. In this chapter the Iscariot finally make their appearance. If anyone would like to maybe contribute a fic that goes with this setup that would be a wonderful Christmas gift! Keep up the suggestions; they have given me some great ideas. And yes let me again remind everone this is MANGAverse. So any AlucardxAnyone will be a bit diffrent from how I write Animecard.
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Enrico paced back and forth in his office, as he had been doing a lot as of late. No matter how many complaints he lodged, or how loudly he protested all the way up to the Pope it looked like he was spending Christmas in England this year.
If he was going to be spending time in the den of his enemies, he may as well make the best of it. With a small sneer the young Iscariot leader went over to his intercom and sent for his top three.
A few moments later Heinkel, Yumiko, and Anderson stood in his office before him, waiting for their briefing.
"Well, ladies and Alex, despite my best efforts it looks like even I can't get us out of this
one." he began.
"You can't seriously expect us to spend the holiest of days in that nest of vipers!" Anderson spat, his hands clutching in white-knuckle rage at the very prospect.
"It's not that I expect it, it's the Holy See himself who expects it." Enrico replied, carefully keeping his own ire buried below the surface.
"Ridiculous." Heinkel simply said, as Yumiko beside her just proceeded to look a little green.
"Indeed. But I believe something can be gained here. I propose we use this time to our advantage. This is the perfect opportunity to gather information about the stronghold of our enemy and start to rebuild their trust in us." Enrico said with a vicious sneer as he moved to sit behind his desk.
"So you propose ve use this as a time for reconnaissance?" Heinkel asked, starting to see the possibilities.
"Precisely." there was that smirk again. "No doubt Hellsing's resident abominations will be in attendance as well. The elder I feel we know a good deal about from...previous encounters."
Anderson silently fumed at the reminder of said failed encounters with the Hell beast Alucard.
"But the younger of the two, the female vampire is relatively fresh and new to her undeath. I believe she can be swayed and corrupted against the Protestants before her loyalties are too deeply ingrained. I heard she is not yet bound to the Hellsing by anything other than word." The young leader trailed off, looking reflective as possibilities whirled through his head.
"We would never actually take a vampire into our organization, would we?" Yumiko asked in a small shocked voice.
"No of course not. After we had gleaned what we could from her we'd destroy her along with the rest of the heretics. Now comes the issue of how to gain her trust. You of course," he said looking squarely at Anderson, "no doubt wholesale terrify her."
Anderson just grinned wickedly. He still fondly remembered the she-demons screams of abject terror quite vividly.
"If you do meet with her, you will be courteous and keep conversation to a minimum. However you two," now he looked to the two female members of section XIII, "have yet to meet this vampire. With your shared gender and duty I have no doubt you can build some kind of friendly report with her." Enrico himself couldn't remember ever actually speaking with the vampire in question, and while he had no doubt he could use his charms on her to their fullest, he had a feeling he would be occupied with another female come Christmas.
"So you want us to, to...Make friends with it?" Yumiko asked a bit aghast. If anything her green pallor had only seemed to intensify.
"I have faith in you. Now onto procedure. There will be no lethal combat of any kind during this gathering. I expect all obvious weapons left behind..."
-The morning of December 24th-
All throughout the manor the staff rushed around finishing the preparations with great haste, for Integra in her office this was also the case.
On this clear frosty morning no soldiers trained in the barracks or field, for on Christmas day this was the one time Sir Hellsing would allow them to yield.
The resident vampires lay resting still in their snug coffin beds, respective visions of presents and Hellfire dancing in their heads.
The great tree was brilliantly alit, the presents laid out and the stockings hung with care, in hopes that the Iscariot's plane would crash into a mountain before it got there.
Integra sat at her desk, adjusting her long blonde hair while looking into an antique hand mirror. For some reason she had gotten almost no sleep last night, and this morning her restlessness had increased tenfold. Thankfully she noted her naturally warm complexion seemed to cover up any trace of dark circles she might have had.
Still, Integra felt unusually preoccupied with her appearance today. She couldn't figure out why she felt so imperfect today. Her deep red suit and black cravat were impeccably pressed without a hint of a wrinkle, and her long hair had been brushed out in golden waves that hung down her back. Why was she so worried about what she looked like for those Vatican pigs?
Nevertheless, a strange feeling seemed to have lodged itself in her stomach; much like tiny birds alternately flapping their wings and gnawing on her innards in turn. She assured herself it was just suppressed murderous intent, but here she found herself looking in the mirror and pinching at her cheeks.
-Meanwhile-
Walter hummed merrily as he finished up preparations in the kitchen. The load wasn't terribly heavy in the food department this year, as the bulk of the refreshments were being catered. But still the Hellsing retainer insisted on preparing a few of his holiday specialties.
His oh so exclaimed glazed yams were presently baking away in one of the restaurant grade ovens. Next to them his gingerbread man cookies that were always Integra's favorite as a child were filling the house with the warm smells of Christmas.
Presently, Walter was stirring the massive crystal punch bowl full of his home made eggnog. He ladled a bit into one of the delicate crystal glasses and took a sip. It was nearly perfect, and lacking only the secret ingredient. Walter fished around in the cabinets until he found it, rum.
He carefully measured out the amount and slowly mixed it in. Taste testing it again, he decided they were all adults here, and added a bit more. That done, Walter set the bottle down next to the punch bowl and went to bring Sir Integra her morning tea.
-Meanwhile still-
Pip nearly cackled as he skulked around the mansion, blending in with the shadows as he carried with him his prize: An extra large box of mistletoe. Oh this was going to be such fun he thought to himself.
In every darkened corridor and every nook and cranny he hung his little bundles of holiday tradition. Door frames and balconies and even bedrooms were not safe as he made sure that every room housed at least one of the scourges of the Christmas season. Finally he made it to the last place on his list: The kitchen. Looking both ways he slipped in silent as death. The cheery smells of cooking greeted him, but no one seemed to be presently attending the room.
One more piece of mistletoe he hung over the small dining table he always ate his pilfered goods from the kitchen at. It also occasionally doubled as a poker table for him and the boys. With a grin he imagined all the chaos these would bring to this little Christmas gathering. No one could say it would be boring.
On his way out, the light flickering on the glimmering crystal punch bowl caught his eye.
"Eggnog?" he murmured, sampling a bit of the contents. "A bit bland." he shrugged, then picked up the bottle of rum and took a swig.
Now that's good stuff! He said to himself, before empting the bulk of its contents into the punch bowl. Hopefully that would also add a little life to this thing.
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Integra put her cigar out before standing up and pacing a bit more. She had to find something besides paperwork to do or she was going to go crazy.
With a sigh she got up, heading downstairs to ask Walter how the preparations were going. As she made her way down the steps, the sound of voices pricked at her ears.
"...Welcome. I see everything must be well as you are early." Walter's voice floated up to her as her heart beat a bit painfully in her chest.
"Well no one would accuse us of lack of punctuality." another of so unfortunately familiar voice followed.
As she finally gained a full view of the front door, her worst fears were instantly imagined. They were here, the Iscariot, in her home.
"Ah Miss Hellsing! How wonderful to see you!" Enrico's smarmy sweet voice called to her as she came to stand at the base of the steps.
"Maxwell." she said simply, hoping all the venom was carefully kept out of her voice.
"Merry Christmas." He told her with a smirk, before holding out a planter of pure white poinsettias to her.
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And Enrico and Integra finally see each other face to face. What will happen now? Will they end up clawing each others eyes out? Will Integra dump his planter and refuse to say Merry Christmas back?! Will Seras and Yumiko become friends and string popcorn for the tree? Its all up to you guys!