A/N: Another Monday, another chapter, and a request to all my readers. If anyone finds a mistake, please tell me. My perfectionist nature really hates them. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!
Internal struggles within
Give rise to self doubt.
Seras strolled quietly alongside Alucard as they left the Hellsing mansion's grounds. Because the mission was one of stealth, she had decided to leave her harkonnen behind. The huge weapon would be too noticeable and the destruction the shells caused would annihilate any valuable evidence they might find.
Walking past the huge front gates, Seras suddenly remembered one of her earlier questions. While they'd been flying to the ghoul-infested village the previous night, Alucard had somehow known where to go.
"Master, how did you know where to find the Freak? We weren't told where the village was" she hesitantly asked, believing he would avoid the question. Alucard seemed to like acting mysterious toward everyone, even her. So she was surprised to receive a straight answer.
"The Freak had undoubtedly made ghouls, which have a particular aura around them" Alucard said, as he continued to walk past the mansion's many buildings. "Vampires have the ability to sense this aura. A useful skill when tracking your enemy or the ghouls they've created. However, for now we'll practice another transformation. I hope you like fur, Police Girl" he said, entering the surrounding forest.
"Huh?" Seras said, then she caught on to what he was talking about. "You mean a wolf, don't you?"
"Yes. The ability to change into a wolf will be useful for our scouting mission. So long as no one gets a good look at you, they'll just assume you're a large dog. And Police Girl" he said, turning his head toward her, "you think I'm mysterious, do you?" He gave her a mischievous grin, as Seras blushed a bright red. She'd let her thoughts slip again.
Entering the clearing where he'd taught her to change into mist, they stopped.
"This is far enough, Police Girl. Now, get down on your knees" he said casually, as if they were doing nothing out of the ordinary. He watched passively as she hesitantly obeyed his command.
Seras, unlike Alucard, felt ridiculous. She wondered if kneeling was really necessary, as she appeared to be bowing before her master. Alucard loomed over her like a giant, and didn't seem to notice her discomfort as he continued to speak.
"Clear your thoughts and concentrate on the ground beneath you. Imagine running through the trees, hunting your prey. The smell and sounds of the dark night calling to you."
Seras closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on what Alucard had told her. For a long moment she felt nothing, and was about to open her eyes when something began to happen. Suddenly she noticed an itching sensation, beginning from her hands and traveling to the rest of her body. She reached up with one hand to scratch, but found that she could not hold her balance. Looking down at herself, she saw two large paws where her hands should be. She looked behind her, finding a bushy tail in place of her clothing.
Rising to her four feet, Seras experiment with her new form. Walking around the meadow, she recognized that her wolf's body had advantages and disadvantages to her other transformations. She was now faster than the mist, though noisier, and she could attack with this body, but the bats had the asset of height.
Seras saw that Alucard had turned, not into a wolf, but into a giant dog. He resembled a hell hound, with the red eyes and fur as dark as coal. Spiked collars around his neck and front right paw added to the effect. What she couldn't take her eyes from, however, were the four extra eyes atop his head. The lids were currently shut, but she guessed they were also red.
"What form is that?" she asked curiously. Seras couldn't recall any tales where the vampire turned into a giant hell hound. She wondered if she was able to change into a form like that.
"My familiar's form. You have one, though at your current abilities there's no way you can bring forth the beast."
"Oh" she answered, disappointed with her lack of training.
As they jogged their way along the streets, Seras noticed something odd. With her now heightened sense of smell, she found that the scent of sea air was growing fainter. They were heading further away from the harbor.
"Master, where are we going?"
"We're taking a small detour. I have an old acquaintance to see."
Alucard would say no more as they ran among the narrow streets of the capital. Seras noticed he was leading them to an older portion of the city. The buildings were larger and traffic had become nonexistent.
Following a few steps behind her master, Seras saw him suddenly leap upward. She screeched to a halt and watched with amazement as he landed gracefully on one of the flat rooftops. He'd easily jumped thirty feet, without the apparent use of his vampiric powers.
"Police Girl, get up here. Your body isn't that of a normal wolf's, so stop wasting time and jump!" he ordered.
"Y-yes, master" Seras replied, staring at the distance needed to reach where Alucard now stood. Gathering her courage, she began to run toward the building. At the last moment when she thought there was no chance of her making the leap, a voice in her mind told her to jump. So she did. Seras watched the structure's walls fly before her and suddenly she was lying on her stomach with Alucard beside her. Though her landing wasn't as elegant as the elder vampire's, Seras had managed to jump the distance to him.
"I can't believe I just did that!" she said excitedly, overcome with pride. Then her thoughts turned to puzzlement. "Wait, how did I know when to jump?"
"Perfect instincts, Police Girl" Alucard answered, watching her unsteadily climb to her feet. "Let's put them to the test, shall we?" Seras stared at her master and thought she could almost see the large dog grinning mischievously.
Alucard suddenly bounded across the rooftop and leapt to a neighboring building. Seras followed quickly, focusing her attention on keeping her master in sight and not falling off. She was led for some distance, using her wolf's instincts to keep from losing her balance. She noticed with some alarm that Alucard's speed was steadily increasing, until the passing structures seemed like blurs to the fledgling vampire. There seemed no limit to their swiftness, and Seras was beginning to feel the exhilaration of using her vampiric powers.
Then suddenly Alucard stopped, causing Seras to nearly slam into him. Looking around, she saw they were standing on a normal rooftop, with one decidedly large difference. Situated at one end of the flat roof was what appeared to be an elevator, and at the other stood a small mansion.
Alucard assumed his normal form and approached the strange building, with Seras following suite. Reaching the two large wooden doors which barred entrance, he pushed them open and stepped inside. When Seras entered, she saw large stacks of books scattered around the room, with a hall leading further back into the building. Dust covered much of the area, while cobwebs dangled from the ceiling. A single candle, lit beside a Victorian era chair, was the only sign that someone occupied these strange quarters.
Seras jumped as she heard Alucard shut the doors behind her, the silence of the room grating on her nerves. Now the only source of light came from the candle by the chair.
"What is your reason for disturbing my reading?" a voice called from the darkness. Another candle was suddenly lit, illuminating the room and revealing the person who had spoken.
Seras was stunned by the figure before them. The person was a little girl who appeared to be no more than twelve years old. She wore a snow white dress and had light blond hair which reached to her waist. There was one difference which told Seras that the child before her was more than she appeared. An unnatural light burnt in her eyes, showing the mark of a vampire.
"Helena, it's been awhile" Alucard responded, giving the small girl a short bow. Seeing Seras, he motioned for her to step forward.
"Whom have you brought with you this time?" Helena asked, noticing the fledgling now standing beside Alucard. She approached Seras and stared at her intently. "A young vampire, and her blood is familiar." She suddenly turned to Alucard with slightly widened eyes. "You have made a child" she stated, rather than asked.
Seras stood between the two, her curiosity aroused by what Helena had said. "How did you know I'm Master Alucard's fledgling? And who did he come with before?"
"We don't have time for idle talk, Police Girl" Alucard interrupted, before the child vampire could reply. "Helena, what do you know of these human vampires?"
"So that is your business here" she said to Alucard, though her eyes never left Seras. "I can give you very little information which you do not already have. I know only that the force behind these manufactured vampires is searching for you. Over the last few years there have been many questions asked about your whereabouts. Though why they wish to know, I cannot tell you."
"As I suspected, by the way they've so blatantly attacked us. Well" he said, turning toward the door "if you have nothing further to tell us, we'll be on our way." Seras distractedly began to follow her master to the exit, contemplating what Helena had told them.
"One moment. I wish to speak to Seras before you leave" Helena suddenly said, causing the two to turn in surprise.
"Should I leave?" Alucard asked, though made no movement toward the door.
Helena turned to Alucard and gave him a small smile. "There is no need. If removed, you will merely read her thoughts later."
Alucard smirked but did not dispute what she'd said. Nor did he leave.
Turning to Seras, Helena looked directly into her eyes. "I wish to give you some advice, child. You are still unsure of the life you have chosen, and how you must now survive by taking life from others. Don't regret your decisions, Seras, but make the best of what you now have. Life, even an immortal one, is too short to let guilt consume you."
Seras looked at Helena with astonishment. She'd spoken her deepest doubts and thoughts.
"Now go you two. I believe you have a mission to attend to." The doors swung open of their own accord, telling the two that their conversation had come to a close.
Alucard walked out with a stunned Seras close behind. Gazing at the stars, he noted the time and realized they had little night left to complete their mission. He changed into his familiar's form but noticed with annoyance that Seras did not transform. She appeared to be deep in thought, still pondering what Helena had told her.
"Seras, snap out of it" Alucard said to her, biting her arm to get her attention.
"Ow!" Seras yelped, jumping back in surprise. She rubbed her now slightly bleeding wrist. "Did you have to do that?" she asked angrily.
"We don't have time for your night dreaming" he told her, bounding across the roof in the direction of the harbor. Seras sighed and changed into her wolf body, running to catch up to her master.