Sakura Wars Starting Over

by ArionWong

(Part 2 Ongoing) AU presentations in my UPA universe. Yes, these -are- Sakura Wars fanfic. Finally decided to slice up my chapters...

2. Making Loose Ends

      New Trafford

      Luthien of the Inner Sphere

      2394

      Patrick shrieked with terror.

      "Lowlife," a voice sneered.

      Patrick's mind found the time from the pain to reflect on how it all started.

He was minding his business as usual on the street. It was a normal day's walk towards work.

      But today, it was different. There was this pretty lady at the grocers, buying some fruits. There was also another guy there, and both were dressed elaborately. A lord and his lady.

      'Nobles,' he had thought. 'They are nothing but trouble,' he thought, remembering what his grandmother often told him.

Despite their friendly demeanor, Patrick decided to steer clear of them. No sense making trouble out of nothing.

      Then something happened. An apple fell from the lady's hands and rolled to his feet. Without a thought, he picked it up, and gave it back to the lady.

      In the process, Patrick touched her hand. It was most lovely, as soft as a feather. Before he thought better of it, he looked up into the lady's eyes. The lord had glared at him as he returned the apple.

      Patrick was thrown back to the present when a vicious kick cracked his ribs.

      "Making eyes at the lady, eh!?" the voice said.

      Patrick gasped in pain, struggling to breathe. He could feel blood all over his hands.

      "Sorry kid, but ya just another worm in the dust. Nobody's going ta miss ya," the voice continued.

      'That's not true! My family! My home-!'

      A sharp object stabbed into his chest repeatedly.

      As Patrick died, he only remembered what his grandmother told him.

      "Nobles. They are nothing but trouble. Someone should get rid of them."

An

Unlimited Parallel Adventures

presentation

-A Story in the New Memories arc-

SAKURA WARS / HELLSING

-A Side Story-

MAKING LOOSE ENDS

by

ARION WONG

(April 9 2003)

Teito the Imperial City

Luthien of the Inner Sphere

2394

It was early spring in the Imperial City. The Sunday afternoon sun shone brightly.

      "I can get use to this," Jason declared. He was sitting down and leaning against a shady tree in the courtyard of the Grand Imperial Theater.

Beside him was a woman in her early twenties with platinum blonde hair. Any self-respecting, art-loving citizen of Teito would instantly recognize her as Maria Tachibana of the famous Imperial Opera Troupe.

"Yes, it has been so peaceful," Maria agreed.

      They were having a picnic by their twosome. A picnic basket and a blanket had been spread over the soft grass. Half-eaten sandwiches and two glasses of red wine lay on it.

      "Yeah. It's been so long since we actually sortie the Koubus."

      "Oh? Does the great Exodusian feel a lack of action is boring him?" Maria asked teasingly.

      Jason sat up and shushed her lips with a finger. "Don't call me that! I'm supposed to be a secret, remember?" he said with comically, exaggerated, bulging eyes.

      Maria laughed. Nearly –everyone- in the Grand Imperial Theater who was party to its secret as a military base also knew of Jason's true name and history. For Jason was actually an Exodusian: a normal human turned by twists of fate to be ageless immortals. Hated by some, hunted by a few and feared by others, Exodusian enjoyed/suffered some of the widest range of negative emotions thrown at them.

      "You people never take me seriously," he grumbled good-naturedly.

'You people' were the Teikoku Kagekidan, the secret defense corps of the Imperial City. The Hanagumi was the leading division of the corps. It had been several weeks since their hard fought victory over the Kuronosukai, a sect of supernatural enemies bent on the destruction of the city.

      "My, are you angry?" Maria asked lightly.

      Jason smiled. "Nah, I'm just kidding," he said. He craned his neck to take in the full view. "At least they are serious with the rebuilding. Can't wait for everything to be done though."

      In the recently concluded Second Demon War, the Hanagumi were forced to abandon their home/base. It suffered extensive damage as the result of a direct attack from the Kuronosukai.

      Maria nodded. "It's as if everything will go back to the way they were."

      "Not everything," Jason muttered. She agreed silently.

      The final battle took place in an island far away, but before that the Kuronosukai ravaged the Imperial City. Many buildings were burnt and destroyed in the fierce fighting, leaving many homeless. Even now, outside of their tranquil theater, the citizens were trying their best to rebuild their shattered homes.

      "Still... most of the city is back on its feet," Jason remarked. "I wonder if the Hana-Yashiki is back in business."

      "Do you really miss seeing the toys of war?" Maria asked.

      Jason turned to face her. "No, silly," he said with a wry grin. "I'm talking about the amusement park."

      "Oh?"

      "Yeah. I didn't get the chance to go on the rides," he reminded her.

      Maria grinned. "That was your own fault. You were too busy gawking at the Hana-Yashiki research labs."

      "I am too old for rides," Jason said stiffly, causing her to smile. "Well, I –am-! I'm 400 years old!" he said in mock indignation.

      "Then why does the old man want to visit the amusement park now?" she asked, eyes twinkling.

      "Oh, I just want to go with you somewhere," he said airily, twirling a finger in the air.

      She smiled. "Is that an invitation?"

      "Should I make it a request?" he asked in return. Maria shook her head, and Jason beamed in her show of consent.

"Good, good... actually, I do have another reason to go there with you," Jason added with a grin.

She cocked her head quizzically. "What is it?"

"From what Kanna told me, you screamed a lot on the coaster," Jason snickered.

"You rat!" Maria laughed as she punched him in the shoulder.

      A tall figure's shadow suddenly fell on them.

      "Yo!" Kirishima Kanna greeted.

      "Kanna! Good timing, help me! She's killing me!" Jason yelled, clutching his shoulder in a show of pain.

      "Nuh-uh," Kanna declined with a shake of her head. "I make it a policy not to interfere with domestic affairs ya know," the tall redhead teased. It caused them to blush madly.

      "Aw, Kanna!" Jason whined even as he felt his face heating.

      She let him talk to her hand. "Save it, partner. What I said is what I saw."

      "Kanna..." Maria admonished half-heartedly.

      Kanna pouted, curling her bottom lip. Then she turned serious and folded her arms. "Well, enough of that. The chief wants to see you two. Sounds important."

      Jason frowned. "I remember you saying that once before. As I recall, it was bad news," he reminded her.

      Kanna smirked. "Nah, I don't think so this time. Maybe he wants to give you two a honeymoon leave!"

      She laughed and easily sidestepped out of the way when Jason leapt at her.

---

      "Are you alright?" Maria asked as she accompanied Jason to Yoneda's room.

      Jason stifled a groan as he limped beside her. "Remind me not to charge at Kanna ever again," he grimaced.

      Maria chuckled.

      When they arrived before the door, Jason stood up straight and assumed a solemn mien. He knocked the door twice.

      "Enter," Yoneda replied from inside.

      The duo entered Yoneda's room and shut the door behind them.

      "You wanted to see us, sir?" Maria asked.

      "Yes. Have a seat, both of you," Yoneda said from behind his work desk.

      Maria and Jason shared a quick glance before sitting down.

      "What is this about?" Jason asked.

      Yoneda mumbled as he shuffled the papers on his desk, searching for something.

"Ah, here it is!"

He pulled out a clipboard and leafed through the papers. Then he rifled through his desk's drawers and retrieved a thin envelope. Satisfied, he placed it on the desk and coughed discreetly to get their attention.

"Ahem. With all the publicity about the Second Demon War, we can hardly call ourselves a secret unit anymore."

Indeed, during their battles with the Kuronosukai, the Koubus of the Hanagumi became widely known, although the identities of its pilots remained a secret.

Yoneda grimaced. "Thus, I'm temporarily suspending the Hanagumi's activities for the time being."

"What?!" Jason exclaimed.

"Sir, is that right?" Maria demanded.

Yoneda held a hand up to stall their arguments. "Hold on... I'm not saying I'm going to disband the Hanagumi, only deferment until the media heat is off."

"So what are the Hanagumi suppose to do in the meantime? Practice plays, rehearse lines and sing songs?" Jason asked bluntly.

"Those –are- what an opera troupe is supposed to do, you dimwit," Yoneda replied sarcastically. He beamed at Jason's sour expression.

Then he turned serious and faced Maria instead. "But no, there will be no plays for the time being."

"What? But the theater..." Maria said.

"It will be closed for further renovations and repairs. I'm guessing a few months at most," Yoneda answered.

"Eh? Just what do you have planned? An extended holiday!?" Jason demanded.

Yoneda nodded. "Yes, think of it that way. I already told the others. Kanna is returning to her home in the southern islands, while Sakura will do the same in the north. Sumire would be busy helping her father in Kanzaki Industries, while Kohran would be working to upgrade the Koubus, traveling between the Hana-Yashiki and Du Kang. And Iris' parents authorized me to book for her a first class ticket to Champagne; she will be leaving to visit her parents."

Jason's eyes widened, and then narrowed quickly. He drew in a deep breath. "Well, you're a quick one," he said under his breath.

"Thank you, punk," Yoneda growled.

"Everybody's leaving huh? Just like Ogami..." Jason muttered.

Maria said nothing. Ogami had announced his leaving for a navy tour of duty in the southern hemisphere a few weeks after the end of the Second Demon War. She recalled the sad looks on the Hanagumi that day, there was no telling how long he would be gone.

"Not permanently. You will all be back here soon enough," Yoneda reminded them.

Maria leaned back on her seat. "So commander, you're telling us that this is a vacation."

"Not quite. I have a mission for you."

Jason and Maria immediately sat up straighter.

"The esteemed Count Hanakoji's niece is returning to New Trafford soon. The count has specifically asked for Maria as her escort," Yoneda said, pushing the clipboard towards them. Maria obliged and picked it up.

"I didn't know the count had a niece here," she said a moment later.

Yoneda shook his head. "Not really a niece... she's more like the daughter of a good friend. She came with her father to visit the count recently, but the father had to leave early for business. I want you to accompany her, she will be returning via a cruise ship. You will also pass this envelope to her father."

Jason threw his arms up in the air in exasperation. "Great, a babysitting run –and- a milk run. I'm too old for this," he grumbled, his last comment caused the sides of Maria's lips to twitch in the beginnings of a smile.

Yoneda did not bother to hide his own grin. "I don't recall asking –you-, you thick-skinned idiot."

Jason opened his mouth to retort, said nothing and closed it again. "Boy, do I feel sheepish," he said a moment later, eyes down.

This time, Maria did smile. "As you said, it is just an easy assignment. I think I can handle it by myself."

Yoneda's grin vanished. "Unfortunately, that is not the case."

"What? Can you stop being so cryptic? It's driving me nuts," Jason complained. "Explain!"

"It seems that there are several supernatural incidents being reported in New Trafford," Yoneda replied.

"Kouma?" Maria asked worriedly.

Yoneda shrugged. "I doubt it. Many of these reports have no solid evidence to back them up, most are eye-witness accounts that are not a hundred percent credible."

"But you think this is something more? Despite your doubts?" Jason suggested.

Yoneda nodded grimly. "Yes. New Trafford may be a city of myths and legends, but we can't afford to take any chances. Therefore I'm sending both of you on this mission. Once there, someone will give you further instructions."

"Who? Wait, don't say anything, you would have told us already if you wanted to... So what if we –do- find the source of these... supernatural... things?" Jason asked.

Yoneda leveled a serious look at him. "Stop it by any means necessary."

---

New Trafford,

Luthien

Three days later...

      Like the other cities on Luthien, New Trafford was entirely powered by steam. Embracing the 1920s lifestyles and cultures, other citizens of the United Kingdoms would find New Trafford to be a throwback to the Victorian era of Earth.

      Other worlds that view the steam-power of Luthien as backward were mistaken. Luthien boasted one of the most efficient industrial cities of the human colonies in New Trafford. And like the other cities on Luthien, it had a relatively unpolluted environment.

      All of that was not on Jason's mind as he stepped off the cruise ship.

      "Wah, its cold," he said, his breaths visible in the cold weather.

      "I find it quite pleasant," Maria commented.

"Yeah? Well, you Russians seem to live in the cold," Jason snorted, rubbing his gloved hands together to keep warm.

      "You won't see me sweating in the Imperial City's summer either," Maria said, almost smugly.

      "Bah," Jason scoffed. "When you have the time, I'll show you my home country on Earth. Then we shall see if you sweat or not under the hot sun."

      Maria chuckled briefly. "Perhaps, when we have the time. But now we have work to do," she said, nodding towards a person standing several feet behind her.

      She was a young girl, with long, straight hair, with a pale shade of blonde. Big, round and rimless glasses framed her startling blue eyes. She had some Englishwoman features, an angular face with a sharp chin and a high nose. She was dressed in a simple white blouse with an ankle-length blue dress.

      Jason sighed as he looked at her. "Good kid. But the whole trip here could have been a little more enjoyable if she could only loosen up a little."

      "Perhaps it's because the way you reacted when you heard her name," Maria suggested, half in jest.

      Jason grimaced. When Yoneda introduced her name, Jason had reacted in visible disbelief. Ever since that awkward meeting, the young girl had tried her best to avoid him in the entire trip.

"Maybe you're right... why don't you check for our transportation arrangements while I try to make amends?" Jason replied.

Maria smiled. "I'll explain to her. Good luck," she said.

She went to converse with the young girl. After several moments of hesitation, she nodded, and Maria continued on her way.

The young girl reluctantly approached him. 'She couldn't be anymore older than Iris' age, maybe even younger?' Jason wondered.

"Yo," Jason greeted casually.

"...Good morning, Mr. Bourne," the young girl replied hesitatingly.

"Please, call me Jason," he immediately said. "So, are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she replied dully.

Jason grinned wryly. "Well, it doesn't sound that way to me."

She avoided his eyes, saying nothing. Jason sighed and knelt before her on one knee. He gently tipped her head up with his fingers on her chin.

"Miss, I think we got off on a wrong foot. I apologize for my poor behavior. Shall we start over?" Jason offered.

The girl's eyes twinkled at his humility, but she was unsure on what to say. Jason saw the slight change in her mood, and offered her his hand.

"Young lady, my name is Jason W. Bourne," Jason said formally.

Slowly, the girl reached out and shook his hand. Then she smiled brilliantly, gaining confidence from his warm grip.

"I am Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. I am delighted to meet you," she replied in her distinguished accent. Jason remained impassive for her benefit. When she nodded her satisfaction, Jason grinned.

"The feeling is mutual. Once again, I apologize for my inappropriate behavior previously," Jason said in the same, formal tone.

Integral looked at him incredulously. Jason caught her look and frowned.

"Anything wrong?" he asked.

She giggled. "I never thought you could speak so eloquently!"

Jason sighed and looked up at the heavens in disbelief. "Only a few minutes in and she's already laughing at me. What am I doing wrong?" he asked in mock misery.

"Your clothes!" she said imperiously while trying to stifle her laughter.

Jason looked at his customary clothes: black, ankle-length trench coat, fingerless gloves, white t-shirt, blue jeans and black boots.

"What's wrong with them?" he demanded.

"They are so different from what I have seen other people are wearing!" she pointed out to the people walking around. Indeed, the good folk of New Trafford were well-dressed in the distinguished British style of the early 20th century. Several of the more snobbishly minded ones pointed at him and whispered to each other in gossip.

Jason rolled his eyes. "This is what I get for my vacation," he muttered under his breath.

"Vacation?" Integral asked.

"Nah, forget it," Jason said dismissively.

      "I'm sorry if I have inconvenienced you in anyway," Integral said softly, eyes downcast. It caused her oversized glasses to slip down her nose a little.

      "Young lady, there's nothing for you to apologize about. This is my work; this is what I'm supposed to do."

      "But-" the young girl started to protest.

      Jason wagged a finger to stop it. "No buts, young lady. Anyway, we should get going. Your father must be anxiously waiting for your return, isn't that right?"

      The bespectacled girl beamed happily. "Yes, I'm sure he is!"

      "My, I see you two are becoming friends at last," Maria said as she approached them.

      "We're getting along quite famously, thank you," Jason said smugly as he stood up.

      "I find it hard to believe," Maria replied archly.

      "I have to, since he begged for forgiveness and I can't do well to refuse," Integral deadpanned. She shared a laugh with Maria at the look on Jason's face.

      "Ye gods, two against one, I lose," Jason despaired.

      ---

      A short ride later...

      "This place looks great," Jason said blandly.

      "A masterpiece of understatement," Maria replied.

      They were standing before the gates to Integral's home. It looked like a stately mansion: huge, grand, and extremely –expensive-. It reminded Jason of the United Kingdom's Buckingham Palace, more functional than and not as extravagant as France's Versailles.

      "Despite what Sumire says of her home, I think –this- must be the biggest private residence on the whole of Luthien," Jason exaggerated.

      Integral blushed furiously. "Stop teasing me! But... it can't be true... can it?"

      Maria folded her arms and smiled. "It certainly is the largest home I have ever seen."

      "So, um, how do we get in?" Jason asked. The trio stood before the towering steel gates. It was apparently automated; there were no guards and no manual means of opening them.

      "The doorbell, silly," Integral replied and reached tip-toe to press it. It was hidden and discreet so that only those who knew of its existence could find it.

      For a moment, there was no reaction; Jason had thought it was broken or malfunctioning.

      "Lady Integral!" a voice suddenly called out. A tall figure soon appeared as the doors swung open inwards.

      "Walter!" Integral called back excitedly.

      The man was tall and thin, walking in a dignified manner with hands clasped on the small of his back. He was a man in his mid-forties. His black hair tied back in a ponytail, exposing the lines on his forehead. His Vulcan-like, pointed ears combined with his wrinkles gave him an overall look of a man who had experienced much. Dressed more like a tailor rather than a butler, he had a monocle on his left eye.

      "Walter!" Integral exclaimed again as she jumped into his open arms.

      "Lady Integral, welcome home!" he said as he knelt down to hug her. Then he let go to get a good look of her.

      "You have grown up while you're away, my lady," he said.

      "Walter, I have only been gone for a month," she protested.

      "Even so... And your father misses you terribly," Walter said.

      Hearing that, Integral beamed.

      "I apologize that I could not get you myself, your father had a pressing business matter for me to attend to," Walter said.

      "Oh, it is alright, Walter... it gave me the chance to meet Miss Tachibana here," Integral said, sweeping an arm towards Maria behind her.

      Walter stood up straight to greet them.

      "My name is Walter Kum Dornez, steward of the Hellsing home. Thank you for escorting Lady Integral here," he said.

      "It was nothing, please; do not stand on the formalities," Maria replied.

      Then Walter turned to face Jason. A flash of recognition lit up his eyes. Maria saw it and glanced at Jason from the corners of her eyes.

      Jason had clapped a gloved hand on his mouth during the entire exchange, eyes wide open.

He recognized Walter too.

      Before Maria could say anything, Jason slipped back to his normal self and extended a hand towards Walter.

      "I'm Jason W. Bourne... a pleasure to meet you," he said, baring his teeth in a wolfish smile.

      Walter grinned back in return. "The pleasure is mine, dear sir."

      ---

      Walter led them into the Hellsing estate and up the grand staircase. He paused before a stately wooden door.

      "Your father is inside, Lady Integral," Walter said.

      "I have something here for Sir Hellsing," Maria spoke up, holding up the envelope entrusted to her by Yoneda.

      Walter nodded. He knocked on the door twice.

      "Sir, Lady Integral has returned, and she has brought guests."

      "Enter," a distinguished voice replied from within. Walter opened the door and stood aside as Integral went running in. Sounds of joy and laughter filtered out from the room.

      Maria paused to allow them a brief moment of reunion. After several moments, she too entered the room.

      When Jason did not follow, she looked back questioningly.

      "You go ahead, I'm... not feeling well," Jason said. The look on her face told him that she did not believe him in the least.

      "I will show you to the restroom," Walter offered. Jason nodded and turned to follow him.

      Maria did not stop him. She knew she would get her answers later.

      ---

      Jason washed his hands, not looking at the mirror. Behind him was Walter, leaning against the wall.

      "It's been a while," Jason said as he closed the water tap.

      "Indeed. Where have you been all this time, Arion?" Walter asked as he offered him a hand towel.

      Jason accepted it and slowly wiped his hands dry. "Here and there. You know how it goes. And call me Jason."

      Walter mouthed a silent 'ah' in understanding.

      Jason turned to face him. "So, what's –your- story?"

      "I have none," Walter replied.

      There was a moment of silence.

      "Oh come -on-!" Jason exclaimed indignantly. "You're Walter D[1]., a Hunter-Warrior[2]! I can still remember the time that you tried to collect the bounty on –my- head."

      Walter folded his arms. "That was in the past. What about you? Last I heard; you were on New Eden."

      "Long story."

      Walter nodded knowingly. "I see... trouble?"

      Jason waved it off. "Forget it, like you said; it's all in the past. Just tell me-"

      "What are -you- doing here?" they asked each other accusingly.

      They stared at each other, dumbfounded. Then they laughed.

      Abruptly they stopped.

"I'm a theater usher/family butler," they said simultaneously.

      They looked at each disbelievingly. Then they laughed again.

      ---

      When Walter brought Jason back to the room, they found Sir Hellsing making small talk with Maria while browsing through the pieces of paper from the envelope.

      Sir Hellsing[3] was a man with a dignified bearing, with whitening hair and a goatee that somehow made him look even more distinguished. He was seated behind his grand oak desk, surrounded by great shelves full of books.

      "Ah, you're here... feeling better?" Maria asked Jason, who simply nodded and smiled.

      Walter caught the slight change in her eyes when she saw him. He found it interesting, making it a point to ask Jason about it later. But now he bowed before the lord of the house.

      "Sir Hellsing, this is Jason W. Bourne," he introduced.

      "At your service," Jason said, merely nodding his head.

      "I see... it's good of you to join us at last. I suspect Miss Maria here was getting a little bored by my company," Sir Hellsing said self-depreciatingly.

      Maria held up a hand, embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression..."

      "It was a joke," Sir Hellsing said good-naturedly. "Again, I must thank both of you for bringing my daughter home safely."

      "It was our duty," Maria replied.

      "Yes... duty..." Sir Hellsing repeated softly. Abruptly he looked up at Walter, who was standing at one side attentively.

      "Walter, make sure we are not disturbed," he ordered gravely.

      Walter bowed once and went to lock the door. Then he slid open a small panel on the wall, revealing an electronic device. Several keystrokes later, he slid the panel back.

      "The room is secured now, sir," he reported. Then he smiled wryly, hands on the small on his back as he walked back to stand beside Sir Hellsing's seat.

"It seems that our guests are armed."

Maria's eyes narrowed, Jason's fingers twitched.

But Sir Hellsing brushed aside their suspicions. "Of course they are; how else could they protect my daughter?"

      "Oh?" Walter asked, glancing at Jason.

"In any case, it's of no consequences, they are trustworthy," Sir Hellsing continued.

      "How can you be so sure?" Jason asked, not a little nettled by Walter's attitude.

      Sir Hellsing tossed the papers he was holding onto the desk.

      Jason nearly leapt up from his seat when he saw the contents. The first page had the profiles of him and Maria. It was a profile that had Maria's picture in the full uniform of the Hanagumi.

"Oh," Jason muttered.

      "I know who exactly you two are," Sir Hellsing said simply.

      "What is the meaning of this?" Maria asked, raising her voice.

      "Don't even try it," Walter warned.

Only now Maria realized that Walter's hands were suddenly gloved, fingers stretched out as if he was grasping something invisible.

      "Don't move, Maria... he can cut through steel," Jason said slowly, keeping his eyes on Walter's fingers.

      'Cut with what?' Maria wondered.

      The steward's monocle glinted as he smiled maliciously at the compliment/caution. Jason gritted his teeth, his fingers twitching.

      The atmosphere became tense, as each man was ready to spring into action that could lead to bloodshed.

      "I wouldn't do anything if I'm in your shoes," Sir Hellsing said gravely. "Someone might get killed," he added, a thinly veiled threat that hung in the air.

      "Really? I wonder who's the one getting killed," Jason challenged, baring his teeth in a feral grin.

      Sir Hellsing leaned back into his plush seat, locking his fingers together. Maria held her breath, not really keen to hear the answer.

      "Why, me of course," Sir Hellsing replied nonchalantly.

      Jason went "Ah!?"

      "I'm an old and sick man. Walter could probably slice off your gun, but a mistake from either of you could kill me instead. I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm at the most risk here," Sir Hellsing explained with a broad smile.

      Jason and Maria stared at the Englishman in disbelief. Then Jason shook his head, chuckling.

      "Alright, alright..." he said, showing his hands in mock surrender.

      Sir Hellsing motioned with his fingers and Walter relaxed, putting his hands behind his back once more: a picture of a subservient butler, so different from the cold look in his eyes that Maria saw just moments ago.

      "Sir Hellsing... please explain!" Maria demanded, once she saw the threat of danger had passed.

      Sir Hellsing smiled. "But of course. I know your question."

      The Hanagumi duo nodded.

      "Why did your superiors gave me information on the Hanagumi? Well, I asked for it."

      "And they gave it? Just like that?" Maria said, incredulous.

      "Let me explain. You two are within the base headquarters of the Royal Knights of England[4]."

      Jason's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The Royal Knights?"

      Sir Hellsing nodded.

      "Incredible. The Royal Knights, right here in Luthien! An English special forces HQ in the Japanese capital world!" Jason muttered.

      "I can't tell you the why or the how, but suffice to say that we know of Luthien's unusual... guests..." Sir Hellsing answered.

      "Guests? You mean..." Maria started.

      "...the supernatural disturbances?" Jason finished.

      "Correct," Sir Hellsing nodded. "We are aware of the many unnatural phenomena occurring on Luthien. You may be surprised by the forces working together to stop these destructive guests."

      "Then, why are we here?" Maria asked.

      "The Hanagumi had ample experience dealing with the supernatural while defending the Imperial City. In any case, I apologize for the cloak and dagger approach... will you help me?" Sir Hellsing said, standing up and extending a hand.

      Jason and Maria shared a glance. Without words, they found mutual understanding and nodded. They stood up to face the Englishman.

      "We will help," Maria said, moving her gloved hand to shake Sir Hellsing's.

      "Thank you... now, please, sit down, I think this will come as a shock to you," Sir Hellsing said. They did so, sitting up straight to listen attentively.

      "Are you familiar with the story of Jack The Ripper?" Sir Hellsing started ominously.

      Jason blanched. "Yes, the infamous killer who preyed on the streets of London even before the age of space travel," he said.

      "Who was never caught," Maria added evenly.

      Sir Hellsing nodded gravely.

      "We may have a copycat in the streets of New Trafford."

      "What!?" Maria exclaimed.

      "Naturally, we kept a tight control on the news, so everyone is still in the dark. Otherwise there will be widespread panic and hysterical witch hunts."

      "This is the 24th century! Are you telling me forensic science today can't catch the killer?" Jason demanded.

      "Unfortunately, the killer is living in the 24th century as well," Sir Hellsing replied, almost sarcastically.

      "How many so far?" Maria asked.

      Sir Hellsing bowed his head. "There have been six murders. The last three had been descendants of nobility."

      "You didn't warn the later victims when you found the killer's modus operandi!?" Jason yelled.

      "We did. But we couldn't reveal the true nature of the threat, so you can guess how dismissive the nobles were of our warnings. Anyway we aren't a 100% sure of his M.O.," Walter answered.

      Maria folded her arms. "And so... how do you expect us to help? This sounds more like a job for the police and crime investigators... we are soldiers and you can't expect us to deal with a murderer."

      Sir Hellsing narrowed his eyes. "Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of the murders, I can't depend on the police. Besides, I suspect the killer is not just a mere human."

      Jason narrowed his eyes. "Just –how- the victims were murdered?"

"It was as if they were killed by a sharp wind," Sir Hellsing said.

"Wind?" Maria asked, dubiously.

"The wounds still show some residue of spiritual power. It was as if the blade or whatever instrument the killer was using had enhanced it with his internal energies."

      The pair was aghast.

      "Miss Maria Tachibana..." Sir Hellsing intoned, causing her to look up. Then the Englishman turned to face Jason.

      "...Mr. Jason Bourne, no... Arion Wong," Sir Hellsing said. The use of Jason's real name startled Maria.

      "Call me Jason," Jason quickly said, showing no real surprise. After all, Walter was there.

      "You can see how serious this is. We must stop him before the killer strikes again."

      Sir Hellsing then retrieved several photos and passed it to Jason.

      Maria watched silently as Jason's eyes widened, and his hands started to tremble as he browsed through the photos. Wordlessly he passed it Maria.

      Each photo depicted a noble, their faces emotionless as if they were sleeping peacefully. All were fully dressed in elaborate and expensive garments. And each had a large, bloody 'J' carved onto their torsos.

      "Bozhe moi" Maria whispered in Russian.

      "Arion, we will need all the help we can get," Walter said.

      Jason felt as if he wanted to throw up.

      "...Call me Jason," he managed to say. After several minutes, Jason calmed down.

      "Sir Hellsing, I'll do whatever I can," Jason said grimly.

      ---

      "Well, I certainly didn't expect –this-," Jason complained.

      He was standing before a full-sized mirror, working his fingers on a tie that seemed to defy his best efforts to look tidy. Sir Hellsing had commissioned tailors and got him a brand new formal evening suit that very day.

      "400 years and you still can't tie a tie?" Walter sighed.

      Growling with frustration, Jason pulled the tie off and threw it over his shoulder.

      "Love the suit, hate the tie," Jason grumbled as he smoothed over his suit. Indeed, it was to his tastes, somehow conveying a sense of formality and yet almost casual at the same time.

      Walter moved to pick the tie up. "This –is- a formal event," he reminded Jason. Jason sighed and took it back.

      "I shouldn't be here," he said.

      Walter smirked. "As if you had a choice after you had agreed to help Sir Hellsing."

      "Just why is he holding a ball anyway? It's a risky way to try to bait the killer," Jason demanded as he tried once more.

      "Sir Hellsing always has the reasons. It's bait, yes, but it's also a party to welcome Lady Integral back," Walter replied as he stepped away to a discreet distance.

      "Two birds with one stone. Does she really want such a party?" Jason asked as he fumbled around with the tie. He stifled a curse as he tried to untangle his fingers.

      "Of course, she won't be in attendance, she's too young," Walter replied.

      "He's worried about his daughter being a potential target?"

      "It's a risk Sir Hellsing is willing to take, but no, her being absent is not due to that reason," Walter said defensively.

      Jason stopped his hands, dropping them to his sides. He looked at Walter's reflection on the mirror.

      "I don't think Sir Hellsing sent her to the Imperial City just to avoid the copycat killer... am I right?" he asked, almost accusingly.

      "...That is not something you should ask me," Walter said after a pause.

      Jason turned around to look at Walter in the eyes.

      "She wasn't there for fun, was she?" Jason asked.

      Walter bowed his head to avert his stare.

      "Huh. Things are getting better by the minute," Jason snorted.

      ---

      The Hellsing estate boasted a grand ballroom. Chandeliers and elaborate lights lined the ceiling, which had a great painting of hovering angels on it. The marble floor sparkled flawlessly, so that each step made a satisfying 'click'.

      Two long tables were lined together for a great spread of buffet. Various delicacies and bottles of expensive wine gave the impression of an expensive meal indeed. A respectable orchestra played music on one corner.

      According to Sir Hellsing and Walter, the guests were various high-ranking officials and nobilities of the merchant-cities of Luthien. All were splendidly dressed, the younger men and women gay with laughter and cheerful banter, unaware of the danger they were all in.

      "What a crowd... fops and birdbrains," Jason grumbled.

      "Yes, I know the feeling. Sir Hellsing himself often tells me how much he loathes some of them, shallow-minded and ego-maniacs," Walter stage-whispered.

      "Guhh, the tie is killing me," Jason complained, fiddling once more with it.

      "Hush," Walter admonished to no effect. Jason removed the tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, instantly relieved. He handed the tie to Walter.

      "Here, keep this."

      Walter gave him a disapproving look. Then he grinned. "I think I know the real reason you're so uncomfortable. It's about Miss Tachibana, isn't it?"

      Jason flushed. "W-what?! Get lost!"

      Walter chuckled. "Oh, there she is!" he said suddenly, motioning behind Jason, who immediately turned around to look.

      "Ah, my mistake, so sorry," Walter said, rocking on his heels and looking up innocently.

      "You no-good..." Jason threatened, and stopped.

      "My, what's wrong?" Maria asked as she came up to him.

      "Uh... nothing..." Jason muttered, almost dropping to a whisper. His eyes were a little glazed as he stared at her.

      "...Jason?" Maria called, a little worried by his reaction.

      "I think he's trying to convey a sense of being smitten by your beauty, Miss Tachibana," Walter said dryly.

      "W-Walter!" Jason yelled, suddenly back to his normal self.

      "Was I wrong? You don't think Miss Tachibana here is beautiful?" Walter asked. Maria was attired in an elegant, spaghetti-strap evening dress in a light shade of purple. She wore long, elbow-length, white gloves and a tasteful golden necklace. A white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders.

      "Of course she is!" Jason snapped without thinking. "She's the most beautiful person-"

      Suddenly he realized what he had blurted out, and hastily clapped a hand over his mouth. Eyes wide, he slowly turned to face her.

      Maria was blushing.

      Beet red himself, Jason dropped his hand.

      "Ah... please, er, it's... ah..." he stuttered.

      "You were lying?" Walter suggested.

      "Of course I'm not! It's the truth!" Jason answered quickly. Then he clapped his forehead in exasperation and groaned.

Maria couldn't help but laugh.

      'Need to get away before I make an even bigger fool of myself,' Jason noted to himself.

      "I, uh... let me get you something to drink?" he asked.

      "Thank you, Jason..." she replied.

      "I don't require one, so please, enjoy yourself. I will keep Miss Tachibana here company," Walter said, a sly grin on his lips, enjoying the look on Jason's face.

      "Nghhh," Jason growled through gritted teeth as he walked away. He took the opportunity to sort out his mind.

      'Man, but does she look great... and those eyes! Quite different from when I first saw her. I think she wanted me dead when I first came to the Grand Imperial Theater...' he thought to himself.

Then Jason straightened up and smiled.

      'Never thought I could feel this way about anyone ever again... I guess I'm still human after all...'

      ---

      "I say, Philippe, do you know who that ravishing creature is?" Owen Stuart[5] asked his distracted friend.

Philippe[6] was a mild-mannered, French aristocrat. He was young and cultured, handsome, regal and yet modest. Right now, though, he was engrossed in a conversation with a young lady, a doe-eyed, black-haired Japanese woman.

      Seeing that Phillip was hopelessly enamored with his companion, Owen Stuart gave up. Instead, he concentrated on looking at the new arrival to the party.

      Owen had little incentive to come to New Trafford. To him, the English city was an eyesore, trying to copy itself after the majestic buildings of New Yorktown and the architecture of Neo Paris at the same time. Some might find New Trafford a great city, but not Owen Stuart.

      In fact, the only reason he had flown all the way from New Yorktown to attend this high society party was at the insistence of his partner, Brent Farlon. Owen could not stand being in the presence of these nobles, all presumptuous and pretending that their blood was better than others.

He could hardly call them his peers, other than the fact they were all rich and influential.

      But seeing the platinum blonde beauty in the party, Owen Stuart began to forget about his previous protests to come here. True, she was older than some of the other beauties in attendance, but then again, Owen considered himself as an adult, unlike Philippe and the others who were still in their teens.

They were like little boys and girls pretending to be grown-ups, really. He had his share of playthings, but there was something different about this woman...

There was something exotic and mysterious about the way she moved through the crowd to greet a scruffy looking guest and that Hellsing steward.

There was an aura of danger around her.

      It excited him.

      ---

      There was no attentive servant around, and Jason resigned to get the drinks himself. Jason nearly dropped his two empty glasses when someone accidentally jostled his elbow.

      "Hey!" he called out in reflex.

      "Ah, you should be more careful," said a deep, feminine voice.

      "What? –You- banged into –me-," Jason replied as he carefully set the glasses down onto the table.

      "Ridiculous! As if I would make such a mistake," the voice said angrily.

      Jason remembered what Walter said about some of the people in attendance. Shallow-minded and ego-maniacs.

      He turned around. "And pray tell, why couldn't –you- make such a mistake?" said Jason, hands on hips. Then he had to look down because the speaker was younger and shorter.

      The deep voice belonged to a young girl, maybe 14, 15 years of age, much too young for her voice. Her long, blonde hair was swept heavily over the right side, so that a thick tail of it rested over her right shoulder. She had blue eyes that reminded Jason of the sea; complemented by sparkling, diamond earrings. She was dressed in a navy blue dress with silvery buttons and form-fitting white pants. A belt with a small golden buckle adorned her waist.

      Right now, she haughtily tossed her blonde hair, causing Jason to have a case of déjà vu about a certain heiress to Kanzaki Industries.

      "Because –I- am a daughter of the prestigious Bleumer family," she replied proudly.

      Jason stood motionless as his eyes first looked right and then left in a show of exaggerated disinterest.

      "How dare you ignore me!" she said fiercely.

      "I don't -know- you," replied Jason blandly.

      She was taken aback at his reaction. She certainly did not expect that. But she regained her composure quickly.

      "You must be a foreigner or just plain ignorant," she said, just a little mockingly.

      "I –am- a foreigner," Jason said in the same bland tone. She stared at him in disbelief, and then she laughed.

      "Very well, let me introduce myself. I am Glycine Bleumer of the great Bleumer family, descendants of the Dukes of Normandy," she proclaimed proudly.

      Jason stifled his reflex to reply, 'I'm Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod[7].'

      Instead, he merely said, "I am Jason Bourne from the Imperial City. I am afraid I can't match your pedigree."

      "Well, I'm sure you can't," Glycine said bitingly.

      "Huh. Yes, well, now that we're formally introduced..." Jason said, leaving the sentence hanging.

      "...What were we talking?" Glycine asked a moment later.

      Jason rolled his eyes. "You bumped into me."

      "Oh, did I?" said Glycine.

      "Yes, you did."

      "No, I didn't!" Glycine denied.

      Jason threw up his hands, giving up. "Oh alright, whatever you say. I don't care," he said exasperatedly.

      Glycine narrowed her blue eyes dangerously.

      "If we were not in someone else's home, I would have challenged you to a duel for such disrespect immediately," she hissed.

      Jason snorted. "You expect me to fight a girl like you?"

      Her nose flared angrily. "Such chauvinistic person like you should be crushed!"

"Me? Chauvinistic? I don't think so. I'm suggesting that you get a little older first. If you win, it would be a case of a younger defeating an older. But if I win, others would only view it as an older bullying a younger. There is nothing for me to gain, you're too young."

      The French aristocrat held her chin thoughtfully.

      "You're right. Very well, I can wait several years for the duel. In the meantime, I expect you to practice, I assure you that –I- will not be lax," she said finally.

      "I, uh, may not be coming back here," Jason warned. He wondered how he even got into this mess in the first place.

      "It is of no big problem. When I feel the time is right, I will look for you in the Imperial City. And I –will- find you," promised Glycine.

      'She's really serious,' he mused, displeased but unable to back out now.

      "Alright, well bargained and done," Jason said aloud.

      "Good. Now we shall shake on this and I will leave this miserable party," Glycine said. Jason eagerly extended his hand to see her disappear.

      They shook hands, and then Glycine marched off. When she had disappeared into the crowd, Jason stared at his hand and groaned quietly.

      As he turned to get the glasses, yet another person jostled his elbow.

      "Ah, I'm so sorry~!" a musical, feminine voice replied. It was another person, her Japanese was heavily accented.

      "Forget it," said Jason dismissively, wearily. He was preparing to fill the glasses, already forgetting the incident when the same voice came near him.

      "What kind of reply is 'Forget it'!?" the voice demanded.

      Startled, Jason dropped the ladle back into the bowl. Imbalanced, the ladle slipped and sank deep into the punch bowl, leaving Jason grasping at air helplessly.

      "Now look what you have done~!" the voice huffed.

      Jason stood up straight, clenched his fist, took a deep breath, mentally counted to 5 and turned to face the speaker.

      She was a young teenager, perhaps 15 or 16 years of age. She had long, raven black hair which curled fashionable at the ends, tied back and up. Her eyes were green, though not as startling as Maria's. The girl was dressed in a strapless, red, flowing gown with black gloves and dangling golden earrings.

      'Could be Japanese if not for her accent and tan,' Jason mused.

      "Honestly, Japanese men are so clumsy~" she complained, immediately dispelling his notion.

      Gritting his teeth, Jason said, "I'm not Japanese."

      She stopped, batting her eyelashes as she stared at him. She had the looks of an Asian, and yet she also had the features of a European.

      "Well, you could have fooled me~," she replied in her strange accent.

      Jason finally noticed that she kept adding a 'desu' to her sentences, elongating the pronunciations. It was a peculiar habit to say the least, but understandable for a non-Japanese settler of Luthien. Jason himself needed some time to adjust to the fact that everyone on Luthien spoke Japanese despite their race[8].

      "Who are –you- then?" Jason asked bluntly.

      "How rude~!" she exclaimed.

      Jason sighed.

      "Alright, my fault. I'm Jason Bourne, from the Imperial City."    She nodded regally. "I am Soletta Orihime[9] of Florentina's Red Nobility. Perhaps you have heard of me."

      Jason shook his head. "I don't have the pleasure," he replied.

      "What? How could you not heard of me~? I, Soletta Orihime, have always brought the house down at the Teatro Dell'Opera di Italia[10]."

      "Umm, where?" Jason asked.

      Orihime gave him a look that showed an interesting mixture of horror and disgust, conveying a feeling of 'You -don't- know!?' to Jason.

      "You are just a boor~," she said.

      "And you're a brat," Jason instantly replied.

      "Dimwit!"

      "Snob."

      "You are a very annoying man~," Orihime said, nettled by his responses.

      Jason waited for a moment before asking, "Are you going to challenge me to a duel?"

      "A duel? Of course not! How barbaric~!" Orihime replied indignantly, her incredulity disappearing.

      "Good, at least you're not as unreasonable as that Bleumer woman," Jason said bluntly.

"Bleumer...? Oh, -her-," Orihime said. Then she smiled, apparently that got her into a better mood.

"You say you're from the Imperial City?"

      "Yes, I did," said Jason, wishing that she would disappear.

      "Then perhaps you can tell me whether these rumors about those so-called steam monsters are true~."

      "What? You want the truth?"

      "Of course~!" she replied.

      "You can't handle the truth," Jason smirked. "Ask me something else," he offered before she burst into anger.

      "You have a strange sense of humor~," Orihime complained. Then she brightened up, saying, "Well, at least you're not Japanese. Then maybe you can tell me about the Grand Imperial Theater? Surely you must know about –that-~!"

      Jason paused. "What about the theater?"

      Orihime arched an eyebrow. "I have heard many stories about the Grand Imperial Theater and its Imperial Opera Troupe. Are they really as good as people say~?"

      "Oh, they are very, very good. But you have to see for yourself their magnificence, I have no adequate words," Jason smiled broadly.

      "I'm a pianist and an actress myself!" Orihime gestured proudly at herself. "I'm considering... visiting... the Imperial City someday."

      "Oh? You have someone there you want to meet?"

      "I don't care for Japanese men~!" she snapped.

      "Sorry. But the Imperial City –is- a beautiful place..." Jason said half-heartedly, eager to get rid of her.

      Orihime touched her forehead, as if feeling a momentary headache. She quickly dismissed the slight irritation.

      "I'll consider it. Now, I must leave, there is something bad in the air~!" she said as she headed towards the open balcony.

      "Yes, well, bye," Jason answered, relieved. He turned around and noticed that a Hellsing servant had already replaced the bowl of punch.

      "Where –were- you?" Jason snapped at the servant, who was startled by his outburst. Jason then apologized.

He quickly filled his glasses, eager to get away before more interruptions.

      It was turning quite a chore just to get two glasses of punch.

      ---

      "So, Miss Tachibana..." Walter started to say.

      "Please, call me Maria," she interrupted.

      Walter nodded. "Only if you call me Walter. Tell me, Miss Maria, how did someone the likes of that shabby fellow get acquainted with you?" he said.

      "Is this a personal question? I hardly know you well enough, Walter," said Maria.

      "Ah, but I know him well enough to know that he keeps his past all clammed up. And yet, you knew. It makes me wonder, that's all."

      Maria smiled. "Yes, I know. Let's just leave it at that. What about you? How did you get to know him?"

"You can say me and... Jason... we go way back."

      "Several hundred years?" Maria asked, baiting for clarification.

      Walter chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no, I'm not one of –his- kind of people... we –do- have some bitter history, but the passage of time... and my new life here... I don't feel animosity towards him now."

      "What happened between the two of you?"

      "Oh, the usual. I was young and successful, arrogant and willful. I wasn't after the prize on his head, but for the fame. We fought, drawing blood, causing mayhem and etcetera," Walter explained breezily.

      "And he never held it against you?" Maria replied incredulously.

      Walter adjusted his monocle. "After everything was done, he only said that he can't keep making enemies all the time. I think he wants to convert his foes to friends, for they are precious few in numbers now."

      Then he smiled wryly at the memory.

      "Besides, somebody else was foolish enough to attack –both- of us at that time. We made short work of –that-."

      Maria bowed her head, trying to digest the information.

      "But from what I've seen, I think he has found a very good friend in you, Miss Maria," Walter added, lightening up the somber mood.

      She blushed. "We are... comrades."

      "Ah, I see..." Walter said knowingly. He was about to ask more when one of the party guests came up and interrupted them.

      "Excuse me," the man said arrogantly.

      Walter clearly recognized him; Maria saw a flicker of disgust through his eyes.

      "May I introduce to you... this is Mr. Owen Stuart from Douglas-Stuart Industries," Walter said.

      "Thank you, old man," Owen said snidely. Owen noticed that his name did not seem to matter to Maria in the least. "Perhaps my dear friend Brent Farlon was right in insisting me coming here after all," he continued, hoping to impress upon her on his connections.

Walter noticed how Maria stiffened when Owen introduced Brent's name.

      Owen swooped down and took Maria's hand. He kissed her gloved hand before Maria could say anything.

      "Always a pleasure to meet a beauty such as yourself," he said smoothly, not letting of her hand. One can literally feel the ooze of a used car salesman.

      "Thank you," Maria replied curtly, trying to keep her own feeling of distaste hidden.

      Owen straightened up. "And you are...?"

      "My date," a voice answered menacingly from behind him.

      "Jason," Maria called, letting relief flooding into her voice.

      Jason stood there and nodded; a glass of punch on each hand.

      "Sorry it took so long, traffic was murder," he deadpanned as he passed a glass to her, who took the opportunity to remove Farlon's grip.

      She gave Jason one of her very best smiles, causing Jason to struggle to keep his 'tough guy' act together. He distracted himself by handing the other glass to Walter, who received it with surprise.

      "Isn't this yours? I didn't ask for one," said Walter.

      "Suddenly I'm no longer thirsty," Jason replied as he glanced meaningfully at Owen.

      Unfortunately, Owen did not take the obvious hint.

      "I beg your pardon..." he began indignantly, "...but you're interrupting our conversation here."

      "Am I? You must be mistaken," Jason replied.

      "Are you calling me a liar?" Owen demanded.

      Jason looked at Maria. "Were you having a conversation?"

Maria shook her head, knowing what he was up to.

"Mr. Stuart here was just introducing himself."

      Jason gave him a withering look.

      "Well, I –was- introducing myself, but-" Owen began.

      "Are you calling –her- a liar?" Jason cut him off, lowering to a dangerous tone. The look in his eyes stopped Owen from mounting any more words.

      "I, uh..."

      "Perhaps you should go," Jason suggested.

      Furious but not daring to raise the ire of the stranger, Owen mumbled some words and quickly left the scene. Nearby bystanders who caught the exchange tried their best to laugh discreetly.

      "Damn those two! I'll remember this!" Owen hissed under his breath as he strode away, his face burning red with anger and embarrassment.

      "Owen?" a voice called.

      "Leave me alone!" Owen snapped, without even giving the voice a look. He angrily left the hall to get a smoke.

      ---

      "Nicely done," Walter complimented dryly.

      "Well, it looked like you two didn't like his company," said Jason.

      "Thank you, Jason, but it may be a little too much..." Maria replied.

      "In hindsight, it might even be a bad move," Walter added.

      "Why?" Jason asked.

      "Well, he's a big shot in Douglas-Stuart Industries. Believe me; although that company is not as powerful as Kanzaki Industries, it has its fingers in every pie on this planet. Rumors has it that they were involved in some shady business practices as well."

      Jason grimaced. "I seem to get bad attention from big companies," he noted.

      "Brent Farlon..." Maria said to herself.

      "I notice that you recognize the Farlon name. Do you know that New Yorktown family?" Walter asked.

      Something flashed through Jason's mind at the mention of that city. It was where Maria had worked as a freelancer before joining the Hanagumi.

      "A name from the past... an unlikely coincidence. In any case, it's just something to think about for another time. Right now, are we prepared?" Maria asked, changing the subject.

      Walter nodded. "I have a squad of our troops around the perimeter. If any 'uninvited guests' show up, we will be notified immediately."

      "What if he's already in here?" Jason asked suddenly.

      Walter grinned. "Well, that's why –we- are here, isn't it?"

      ---

      A slender, beautiful aristocrat stood at the balcony. She looked up at the full moon longingly, her mind a thousand miles away as she sifted through memories.

      "Mama?"

      She turned at the call. In the soft moonlight, one could almost mistaken the visitor to be her sister. They share many similarities, the way their hair curled, the green eyes, the tanned skin.

      Indeed, Orihime looked very much like her mother, Carrino Soletta. Seeing that no one else was around, they spoke in their native Italian.

      "Yes, Orihime?"

      "Why are you out here in the cold, mama? It won't be good for your health," Orihime said.

      "I wanted to see the moon, dear."

      Orihime frowned. "But there's a party going on in there, and you're here alone!"

      Carrino smiled at her daughter. "Thank you for your concern, but I wanted to be alone," she said.

      Her daughter sighed. "This is all grandfather's doing, isn't it? I knew that you did not want to come..."

      "Your grandfather is a... persuasive man," Carrino said wryly.

      "Yes, he is willful," Orihime replied. Then her eyes turned hard. "Unlike Japanese men," she said harshly.

      "Orihime-" her mother started to admonish.

      But the daughter only shook her head angrily.

      "Please, no more talk about –him-... let me get you something to eat," Orihime said, and swept away before Carrino could say anything further.

      ---

      Owen stood in the moonlight, leaning against the wall. The courtyard was deserted; he had arrogantly dismissed the Hellsing guards who were there.

He slowly lit his cigarette and took a deep drag from it. He let the nicotine and chemicals from it wash over his body like a drug. As the wave ended though, he was still seething with anger.

      Owen remembered the conspiratorial smiles the pair shared when that ruffian humiliated him. It was a particularly to see the woman scorning his attentions like that.

      "She will pay... she will pay!" Owen said angrily to himself.

      'They all will,' a menacing voice whispered in his mind.

      Owen nearly leapt out from his skin, dropping his lit cigarette in the process.

      "Who!? Who said that?!" he yelled, terrified as he nervously scanned the surroundings.

      'Run...' another voice whispered, a gentler one.

      Owen whirled in panic. "Who are you!?"

      '...you have a trace of... someone special recently?' the first voice interrupted.

      Owen gripped the sides of his head in panic. "Get out of my head! Get out!!" he yelled, tears of fear beginning to flow.

      An alert Hellsing guard rushed out at the commotion. He was smartly dressed in uniforms, with a Luthien-approved gun at the ready.

      "Sir, are you alright?" he asked, approaching Owen.

      But for Owen, the guard was might as well be light years away, for the awful voice occupied his entire mind.

      'Because the crime committed on me was done by a noble...' said the second voice.

'...therefore all crimes are done by nobles... and they will all pay...' the menacing voice continued.

      "I'm not a noble! I hate them!" Owen shrieked.

      The guard near him began to reach for his radio to call for medical assistance.

      '...then watch/run...' the two voices said together. '...how I do unto others what the others do unto me...'

      And Owen watched.

      "This is Guard 11, there's a situation..."

      The guard watched in amazement as his radio was taken away by an invisible force. Then, right before his eyes, a shadow slowly materialized, a hand forming to hold the radio.

      Mouth agape, the guard watched as the shadow slowly solidified into a dark figure brandishing a knuckle full of knives.

      "Good god..." the guard whispered, taking a step back.

      "There is no god," the figure replied.

      The guard screamed.

      ---

      Not known to outsiders, there was a dungeon underneath the Hellsing estate. It was dark and dank, made of solid blocks of rock in the style of medieval prisons.

      Known to even less people was the fact that there was a single inhabitant in the dungeon. He was dressed in a straight-jacket, chained to the wall and locked in a place where the sun could not shine.

      His hair had grown long, his eyes closed and skin as pale as the moonlight.

      He had been asleep for many, many years.

      When his sensed the dark presence on the Hellsing estate, he considered waking up to have a look.

      But he had made a pact with the lord of the house, and he went back to sleep, knowing that the future held even more interesting events for him...

      He idly wondered if the next Hellsing was as good as the current lord. Yes, young Integral Hellsing seemed to have a promising prospect as his master indeed[11].

      ---

      The party abruptly halted when a piercing scream cut through the air. The guests and servants stopped whatever they were doing.

      "Looks like our 'guest' has arrived," Jason remarked.

      Maria nodded grimly.

"Go greet him," said Walter, "I'll handle the guests."

      They arrive to see a passed out Owen Stuart and a heavily bleeding Hellsing guard. There was also a large, shadowy figure hovering above the guard, it was busy crunching the radio with rows of hideous teeth.

      "Not human indeed," Jason muttered.

      Maria raised her gun at it.

      "Foul kouma," Maria said, and opened fire.

      The monster shrieked as the bullet struck it. It fell heavily on to the ground, seeping black blood.

      "Argh... you... hurt me... so... you're the special one I sensed..." the creature gasped.

      They stared as the creature's form slowly shriveled into a humanoid form. Before, it had stood towering even above Kanna's height, now it was no larger than the size of a young teenaged boy. A mass of liquid darkness swirled up and down its body, like quicksand trying to draw its victim down.

      "Please... no more..."

      "What are you!?" Jason demanded, raising his own gun at it.

      The darkness seemingly melted away to reveal a young boy's face, tortured and in pain.

      "Please sir... I'm... just..."

      "Why did you kill those people!?" Maria yelled.

      The boy coughed, as if trying to stop the liquid darkness from enveloping him again.

      "It... it wasn't me... please..." he pleaded.

      Then the darkness covered his mouth. A vicious maw filled with jagged teeth appeared, giving Jason a case of déjà vu about Venom and Carnage[12].

      "What's going on..." Jason whispered.

      "...I...they..." the boy struggled to say. Then the darkness surged some more.

      "They... deserved to die!!" the mouth uttered, despite the tearful eyes of the boy which were still visible. He writhed in pain, rolling on the floor, trying to tear the darkness away.

      Mara's gun arm wavered.

      "What do we do?" Maria asked uncertainly.

      "What –can- we do?" Jason returned.

      "Hey, what's going on there~!?" Orihime's voice called nearby.

      "Oh no, not now!" Jason growled as he glanced back.

      The moment the monster noticed his distraction, the black liquid fully engulfed the boy. Suddenly, the reformed monster leapt towards them with a hand full of jagged edges.

      "Maria!" Jason yelled in warning. But he was too slow as he pushed her out of the way.

      Maria cried out when the black knuckle swiped the side of her abdomen, ripping the thin cloth and drawing blood. She tumbled away in pain even as the monster leapt up to the balcony.

      A terrified woman shrieked at the monster, and she too was slashed by the monster.

      "Oh, she's a sweet one..." the monster taunted as its long tongue slavered over its bloody hands. The bullet wound caused by Maria began to close.

      "I'll find you some other time! Ha ha ha!"

      Seething, Jason fired ineffectively at the disappearing creature.

      "Damn it!" he cursed. Then he went to check on Maria.

      "What happened here~!?" Orihime demanded as she came up. She gasped when she saw the scene. Jason ignored her.

      "Maria! Are you alright?!" he asked urgently as he cradled her head. He pressed one hand over the wound to staunch the flow of blood.

      "I... I was careless..." she said slowly, her face pale and sweating.

      "Shh... you'll be ok," Jason hushed, fighting his rising panic. She gave him a wan smile and passed out.

      "Good god!" Walter exclaimed as he arrived.

      "It escaped. Get medical here, you got a guard down... a guest too up on the balcony," Jason said tersely. Walter nodded grimly.

      Jason looked up at the night sky.

      'Whatever you are... I'll find you...' he promised silently.

      ---

      Jason sat waiting for Maria, who lay motionless on a bed within the Hellsing estate. Jason watched her slow, regular breathing with an expressionless face.

      "How is she?" Walter asked.

      Jason shook his head.

      "No change. Life-signs are stable, her bleeding's stopped... but she just won't wake up."

      "I see. It's the same with the other victims. They share the same symptoms," Walter said.

      "Whatever she took from that creature, it's not a disease. It's like... her life force was polluted by the creature," Jason mumbled.

      "In short, it can't be explained medically," said Walter.

      "I just feel so helpless!" Jason replied angrily, his fists clenched tightly.

"Then perhaps the only way to help them is to cut off the source of their plight, before their lives expire," Walter suggested.

      "We need to find it first," Jason said despondently.

      Walter smiled. "We know where it's going," he said, much to Jason's surprise.

      "How?"

      "It seemed that it mistook Fergusson's radio as a snack. It has a built-in tracking device, and it is still active. Here, take this," Walter said, handing him a small device. A red blip slowly twinkled on its screen.

      Jason shot to his feet. "What are we waiting for then!? Let's get going!"

      Walter shook his head. "My first priority is the safety of the Hellsing family. Although the signal is still active, there's no guarantee that it will lead us to the monster. Therefore I will have to remain behind to protect Sir Hellsing and Lady Integral."

      "I understand... but I don't think I can handle it alone," Jason said doubtfully.

      "Don't be silly," Walter scoffed. "Of course you are not going in alone. Two specially trained Royal Knights will accompany you."

      Walter snapped his fingers and two men dressed in full body armor appeared. Jason raised an eyebrow in appreciation at their gear. They looked more like Earth's 20th century SWAT officers or US SEAL soldiers, slinging 24th century versions of submachine guns. Vastly different from the blue-uniformed, truncheon-swinging, friendly and jovial policemen Jason saw often on the streets of the Imperial City.

      "State-of-the-art... you sure this is legal in Luthien?" Jason asked wryly.

      Walter ignored him to introduce the newly arrived duo.

      "They are Anders and Fergusson[13]. These men are veterans in our organization; they will know what to do. They won't get in your way; they will be your backup."

      "You guys alright with this? I'm being placed over your heads," Jason warned.

      Harry smirked. "We're getting old; this is going to be our last job. It would be best if you can handle it yourself and save us the bother."

      His partner snorted. "Speak for yourself. I plan to keep doing this for a long time," Fergusson said.

      Jason liked their attitude immediately. "Thanks, Mr. Anders."

"Call me Harry. I'm not –that- old yet."

Jason grinned. "Alright, I guess we're all set?" he inquired.

      "Not quite. There's someone who wants to join in the hunt," Walter interrupted.

      "What? Who?" Jason asked.

      "Ah, here she is now..."     

      "You have got to be kidding me," said Jason in disbelief when he saw the new arrival.

      "I do not 'kid'," Walter replied curtly.

      "It's you~!" Orihime said as a greeting. Jason noticed her eyes were red, a sign that she had been crying.

      "What are you doing here?" Jason asked, his tone neutral.

      "I can ask the same of you~," Orihime retorted.

      Walter chuckled. "Ah, I see you two have already met. In any case, let me formally introduce the both of you. This is Soletta Orihime, of Florentina's-"

      "Red Blood, I know," Jason interrupted.

      "That's Red –Nobility-!" Orihime said waspishly.

      "Whatever," he replied dismissively, causing Orihime to simmer angrily.

      "Well, do you know that she's a member of the Hoshigumi (Star Division)?" Walter continued.

      "The what?"

      "The Hoshigumi, the elite squad of the Merchant-Cities of Luthien," Orihime answered haughtily.

      "Oh," Jason merely said, while giving Walter a dubious look.

      "The Hoshigumi was formed as a precursor to the Hanagumi... they were the first to test out the theory of spiritual-powered machines," Walter explained.

      "You mean Koubus?"

      "Well, their version is called the Eisenkleid. And Miss Soletta here is one of the pilots."

      "I'm leaving that lousy squad soon. How do you know all this anyway? It's all secret~!" Orihime asked.

      "I can know whatever I want to know," Walter answered cryptically. "Anyway, Mr. Bourne here is a member of the Imperial City's Hanagumi," he continued.

      "Him? A male~?" Orihime exclaimed in astonishment.

      Walter raised his hands to stop Jason's ready retort.

      "Enough! We don't have much time, who knows how long the victims will last in their condition! You two have to work together!"

      "But why –her-!?" Jason continued to protest.

      "Jason, like Maria, Orihime's mother was also attacked by the same monster."

      Jason closed his mouth.

      Orihime folded her arms. "I can't be bothered with such a useless man, who can't even protect his own companion~!"

      Jason glared at her.

      "Anyway, she's one of the best," Walter continued.

      "Gahh. Aren't you guys going to say anything!?" Jason asked the Royal Knights, who shrugged indifferently.

      "Nope."

      "Not my problem."

      "Argh," Jason despaired.

      "She could prove useful," Walter interjected.

      "What can she possibly do?" Jason snorted.

      "She has a high psychic rating. I understand that she had a partnership with another Hoshigumi member, and it was highly successful."

      "Oh, you're must be talking about Reni~," Orihime said, and Walter confirmed it by nodding.

      But Jason was not yet convinced. "Walter, I don't –need- her. Not this... slip of a girl!"

      "Really. How old was Miss Chateaubriand when the Hanagumi fought the Kuronosukai?" Walter countered.

Jason sighed at his words. Walter had him there. Other kids at Iris's age should be starting school instead of piloting steel machines and kicking monster ass.

"Oh alright..." he muttered, defeated.

      "Still, I can't see how a male could be in the Hanagumi," Orihime wondered aloud.

      "I'm special," Jason growled.

      "I doubt it~!" Orihime said to his face.

      "Brat!"

      "Barbarian!"

      "Children-" Walter started.

      "Who are you calling 'children'!?" they yelled at him at the same time.

      Walter sighed.

      "... and I thought this is going to be easy," Harry whispered to his fellow Royal Knight, who simply shook his head.

      ---

      "A cemetery. It had to be a cemetery," Jason grumbled to himself.

      The group had followed the signal before coming to a stop at the cemetery. There were the usual spooky mist and eerie night sounds that seemed to accompany any cemetery scenes. A large mausoleum dominated the center of the graveyard.

      "Are you sure this is the place?" Jason asked the Royal Knights.

      Harry nodded, waving the device given by Walter.

      "Check it again," Jason insisted.

      Orihime smirked. "Are you that afraid of a cemetery~?" she said snidely.

      Jason was about to reply when Harry cursed. "Damn!"

      "What's wrong?" Jason asked.

      "We lost the signal. But it's definitely somewhere in there," Fergusson answered.

      "Great, just great," Jason mumbled.

      "You're really that afraid~!" Orihime said triumphantly.

      "Will you quit it!?" Jason yelled exasperatedly. The Royal Knights tried to stifle their laughter as best as they could.

      Suddenly a foul breeze blew past them. Immediately all four of them dropped their relaxed manner and became businesslike. The men wordlessly prepared their weapons.

      "It's here..." Orihime warned quietly. She closed her eyes, concentrating her thoughts.

      "It's in the mausoleum," she announced. She saw the look of doubt on Jason's face. "You don't believe me~?" she demanded.

      "Alright, let's kill us a monster," Jason said grimly.

      They proceeded at a slow pace towards the mausoleum. It was large, a vast mausoleum of marble and granite. The heavy wooden doors were ajar. The Royal Knights moved forward to inspect it.

      "She's right. Signs of recent entry, real recent," Fergusson said.

      "You see! I'm right~!" Orihime exclaimed. Despite the situation, Jason cracked a smile at her expression.

      "You owe me an apology~," Orihime continued.

      Jason's smile vanished. "What for?"

      "You know, you're quite dense~. Are you really part of the Hanagumi?" she asked in an annoyed manner.

      Jason was about to reply when a violent gust of wind suddenly blew from within the crypt. A column of air blasted out, crashing the heavy doors open.

      Before any of them could react, a shrill whistling sound passed them, like wind rushing through reeds.

      Or the sound a sharp blade makes when it slices air.

      Fergusson collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain. Blood burst from the left side of his face violently. As he fell over backwards, splotches of the red liquid fell on Orihime's dress.

      "Fergusson!" Jason yelled, quickly kneeling beside the fallen man.

      As Orihime stared in shock, Harry brought up his submachine gun and opened fire into the crypt. He couldn't see who had attacked Fergusson, but he fired anyway, reacting in an instinctive manner.

      "You two get him out of there!" he yelled as he raked the maoseleum with continuous fire.

      Jason quickly pulled Fergusson away from the doorway. Orihime stood rock still, eyes wide and focused on the blood that had stained the doorsteps.

      "Orihime! Get over here!" Jason called when he saw her inaction.

      Harry spared a glance behind him to see the shell-shocked Italian still unmoving.

      The distraction proved deadly as another piercing sound literally slammed into his chest.

      "Aaaargh!"

      Harry was thrown back violently from the impact, crashing into Orihime, snapping her out from her reverie. Jason quickly pulled them away from the doorway. 

      "Damn it!" Jason cursed as he propped Harry against the wall.

      "...I'm... I'm alright..." Harry gasped, clutching his chest. He coughed violently, spitting blood in the process.

      'Internal bleeding,' Jason thought to himself. He looked at the unconscious Fergusson. The Royal Knight had a long wound on the left side of his face which was bleeding slowly.

      From within the crypt, laughter rang out.

      "Gyah hahahahaha! Useless, useless!" the voice mocked, its laughter faded as the source went deeper into the crypt. Jason seethed angrily.

      "Brat, you stay here. I'm going in to finish this," Jason said to Orihime. When she didn't respond, Jason turned to look.

      She sat there on the soft grass, eyes still wide in shock, staring with morbid fascination at Fergusson's facial wound.

      Jason grabbed her shoulders and shook her forcefully.

      "Snap out of it!" he yelled.

      "I... I..." Orihime stammered.

      "You're worthless," Jason sneered. "Red Nobility, what a joke," he contemptuously threw the words at her.

      Orihime's green eyes flashed angrily at him. She grabbed Fergusson's sidearm.

      "Don't make me laugh. You'll probably shoot yourself in the foot," Jason snorted derisively.

      "How dare you!!" she said, jumping to her feet.

      Jason ignored her.

      "I'll show you!" Orihime yelled. Without even thinking, she brushed past Jason and ran headlong into the tomb, gripping the gun tightly with both hands.

      "Idiot!" Jason said, aghast, and ran in after her.

      ---

      Jason's long strides meant he quickly caught up to the Italian aristocrat.

      "Orihime, you brat! Slow down!"

      To his immense annoyance, she ignored him and continued running down the crypt. A sudden gust of cold air blew past them, causing them to shiver despite their running pace.

      'I wonder if this thing goes all the way down to hell,' Jason thought to himself. He pushed the morbid thought away from his mind and increased his past.

      They arrived at a large hall of sorts. For all purposes, it looked like it was an underground church, complete with stained glass and marble statues. There were a few torches at irregular intervals along the hall. The ceiling stretched high above them, their every footstep echoing in the cavernous hall.

      It was a dead end. There was no way out from the hall except from the way they had entered.

      So where was the monster?

      Jason and Orihime spent several tense minutes looking around them.

      "Nothing..." Jason said disbelieving. "There's nothing here."

      Orihime exhaled loudly, she had been holding a breath and did not realize it. Her knees suddenly felt as if they were made of jelly, and she slumped onto the cold floor in a sudden shock of relief. When she recalled the bloody images of the injuries on Fergusson and Anders, she covered her mouth and began to retch in dry heaves.

      Jason shook his head, beginning to feel pity for the girl. He reached into his pockets and passed her a handkerchief.

      "Take this," he offered. Orihime's glared at him, hand still covering her mouth. Then her pride melted just a little and she angrily swiped the handkerchief.

      "You're new at this, aren't you? I mean, actually fighting and seeing blood outside of a Koubu..." Jason asked softly.

      Orihime stared daggers at him, but finally she relented and gave a single nod in affirmative. She steeled herself for a sharp insult.

      Jason chuckled softly. She looked up at him in surprise, not expecting the gentle laugh. Instead, it was more like a bitter one.

      "What are you laughing about?!" she demanded.

      "Nothing," he answered mysteriously, "oh yeah, something's that had been bothering me..."

      Orihime frowned, a little annoyed by the cryptic reply.

      "What?" she snapped.

      "You said you're in the Hoshigumi..."

      She nodded in reply.

      "...but why did you call it a 'lousy squad' when we were introduced by Walter?" Jason finished harshly. Orihime cast her eyes downward to avoid his eyes.

      "Suffice to say... I don't enjoy being there anymore..." she said softly. She wondered why she was saying this to Jason.

      "Ah," Jason said knowingly.

She looked at him again in surprise.

"Let me guess: problems with the squad members? You should try to work things out before giving up," Jason said sagely.

"It's no use. It's been that way... for too long," Orihime slowly replied, shaking her head.

"Well then, maybe you should join the Hanagumi instead," Jason suggested brightly.

"Eh?"

"It's just a suggestion," Jason said breezily.

"A stupid one," Orihime answered sharply. But it got her thinking. Going to Teito, the Imperial Capital? Perhaps... could she even find him...? She quickly brushed the though aside furiously.

'The lowest of the low... leaving my mama all alone!' she fumed inwardly, trying to erase her curiosity with anger.

      "Oh, by the way, the captain's Japanese. And a guy to boot," Jason added.

      Orihime was about to retort when she caught a movement high above them.

      "Look out! Above you!!" Orihime shouted.

      "Huh?"

      Jason looked up and behind to see the creature high above them, its shadowy figure hiding in the playing light of the torches. Its long, slavering tongue wagged; as if taunting them.

      "Uh-oh."

Then the monster heaved a huge block of marble right at them.

      Orihime froze, her body could not move as her mind blanked out at the impending fate of being crushed to death.

      "MOVE!!" Jason yelled as he tackled her out of the way.

The falling chunk of marble crashed with a thunderous sound onto the ground, causing a large crater. The stained glass of the maoseleum burst into pieces at the tremendous impact.

Jason opened his eyes to see the creature leaping at them, its jagged-edged knuckled aiming for them. Jason violently pushed Orihime away to one side and rolled away to distract the monster.

The monster's heavy blow struck the ground where they had just been a few seconds ago. The monster ignored Orihime who knelt trembling behind it and instead chose to face Jason, who had drew his gun and aimed it at the monster.

"You! I remember you! You and that woman hurt me earlier!" it snarled angrily.

      Jason stood steady, hands unflinching on the gun.

      "That 'woman' is Maria," Jason hissed angrily.

      "Oooh, Maria! My my, aren't you an angry one. What's the matter, did I hurt your poor lady friend back then?" the monster taunted and laughed uproariously.

      "I've come to finish the job," Jason seethed. He was about to pull the trigger when a gentle rustle lightly touched his shoulder. He glanced to see a shower of dust slowly sifting down from the ceiling. The ceiling was unstable; being underground meant the entire chamber was being pushed by incredible pressure.

      'That boulder he threw must have loosened the foundation, everything could collapse on us!' Jason thought with a start.

      Seeing his distraction, the monster roared and sprang suddenly at him. Jason managed to fire a short before feeling a sharp pain ripping through the outside of his right arm.

      "Yeargh!!" Jason growled in pain, gritting his teeth to avoid biting off his tongue. He dropped his heavy handgun in the process; it clattered noisily onto the floor.

      Before he could react, the monster rushed at him and delivered a massive backhanded blow to his face. Jason literally flew several feet before slamming on the hard wall. As he fell, he left an imprint on the wall; such was the force of the blow.

      The creature stood triumphantly before him.

      "Haha! No more big words?" it sneered.

      Jason breathed heavily, gasping for air loudly like a fish out of water. A trickle of blood slowly seeped from the corner of his mouth. A wide gash had opened on his cheek where the monster had struck him and bled profusely as well, adding to the growing pool of red on the dusty floor.

      "Even if I don't finish you off now, you'll die anyways. You can't do anything now; you can't even harm a fly!" the monster taunted further.

      Despite the pain, Jason managed to grin, infuriating the creature.

      "What the hell are you smiling about!?" it screamed.

      Jason's grin grew wider. "You're right... I can't do anything right now. But..."

      "But nothing!" the monster roared in anger and stomped a step towards him.

      "...but my friend can," Jason continued, nonchalantly wiping the blood from his lips.

      "What!?" the monster exclaimed. It turned to glance behind him.

      Orihime was kneeling on the ground on both knees, her clothes ruined. Smears of dust and dirt lined her face, arms and hands. But her emerald eyes were flashing brightly and determinedly at the monster.

In her hands was Jason's jet-black AGL Arms .45 Long Colt Revolver. She had it aimed directly at the creature.

"She always brings the house down," Jason laughed despite his injury.

With a smooth motion, Orihime raised the gun so that it was pointed directly at the ceiling spot right above the monster.

"This is for mama," she whispered.

When she pulled the trigger, the recoil was so great that she was knocked onto her back.

The bullet struck the already loose ceiling blocks of the underground crypt. It was like the final snowflake that caused an avalanche.

The monster wailed in despair as tons of rock and marble crashed down upon it, burying it instantly.

As soon as she was certain that the monster was buried, Orihime slowly closed her eyes and surrendered to the darkness, unaware of the still falling rubble all around her...

      ---

      Orihime was hearing footsteps. She had the sensation of being moved in an uneven up-and-down motion. And there was something warm close to her. Something wet seemed to drip irregularly on her arms.

      She blearily opened her eyes, and found herself being carried on the back of Jason Bourne.

      "Ah, you~!" she exclaimed, all of the sudden she was wide awake.

      "Heh... so... the Sleeping Beauty's... time is over," Jason wheezed as he struggled up the staircase. Orihime looked around and recognized that it was the way where they had descended to find the monster earlier.

      Jason panted with the effort of carrying the Italian girl up the dark staircase. He paused to shift her weight on his back a little.

      "Man, you're heavy!" he grumbled.

      She slapped the back of his head.

      "Ow!"

      "You deserved it~!" Orihime said indignantly.

      "Quit playing around! There's debris everywhere, I don't want to fall and split your skull due to –your- distractions!"

      "Hmph!" was all she said. But the fact that she could still die from such a simple thing as a fall frightened her though, and she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.

      "Urgh! I... can't... breath!"

      ---

      They finally emerged from the crypt, to be greeted by intense spotlights pointed at them. Jason and Orihime had to squint away from the sudden brightness.

      Seconds later, the sound of guns clicking and cocking could be heard. Jason opened one eye, then the other when he got adjusted to the light.

      "Oh, here comes the cavalry," he remarked.

      "Do try to hide your joy," Walter replied dryly from the ring of guns. Jason grinned and allowed Orihime to get off his back and stand for herself. Walter motioned the Hellsing troops to stand down.

      "How's Fergusson and Anders?" Jason asked.

      "See for yourself," Walter replied. Jason looked over where he was pointing at and grinned. The veteran Hellsing soldiers were being attended to by the medical staff, but even as they winced at the bandages being wrapped around them, Jason could hear them bickering.

      "...oh yeah? The NDD? A sissy's outfit," Fergusson grunted.

      "You take that back or I'll break your face. You're getting old, Fergusson. You remind me of my friend[14]... you should settle down with a wife and get a couple of kids or something," Anders suggested, "maybe you should get a dog too."

      Jason did not catch Fergusson's reply as the duo was wheeled into an ambulance.

      "They will live," Jason said, more to Orihime's benefit than his own. He felt she needed to hear that they were alright.

"And your mission?" Walter asked.

      "You're too late for the grand finale. It was a classy funeral too," Jason said. The Italian caught the private joke and grinned.

      Walter touched the earpiece microphone he was wearing, listened for a while before answering.

      "You'll be happy to know that the ones you're trying to save are doing better now."

      Jason exhaled in relief, while Orihime fiercely grabbed Walter by the lapels.

      "Are you sure~!? My mama is getting better!?" she demanded.

      Walter gave her a gentle smile and slowly removed her hands from his clothes. "Yes, her life signs have stabilized. She would be back on her feet in a few days."

      Despite her best efforts, tears began to well up on her green eyes.

      "Thank goodness..." she managed to say, trying her best not to break into sobs.

      The Hellsing butler placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

      "Now young lady, it's time for a check on –your- health. It must have been an ordeal," he said, "that is a lot of blood there."

Walter motioned at her blood-stained arms. Orihime stared at the dried blood with wide eyes, noticing it for the first time.

      "Stay here, I'll get someone to help you with that," Walter said and left.

      Incredulous with the fact that she felt no pain, she quickly brushed the caked blood with her hands. The dried blood flaked away in small pieces.

      "I-I'm not wounded..." she said, turning her arms this way and that to confirm it. "Then... whose blood..."

      With a start she turned and stared at Jason. She remembered now, the sensation of liquid dripping onto her arms while she was being carried up the stairs by Jason...

      It was dark in the tunnel, so she couldn't see the extent of Jason's injury. But now on the surface, she could see. There were bloody wounds on both his cheeks, and a particular deep cut running diagonal across his forehead. Traces of dried blood ran all down his face and chin, giving him a kind of look if one was to cry with blood instead of tears.

      It was his blood that had stained her arms.

      But it was not the gore that caused Orihime to gasp and cover her mouth with her hands in shock.

      Her eyes stared at Jason's face, stunned. Each of Jason's dreadful wounds slowly and surely closed up, miraculously healing themselves, leaving no scars and no evidence of the injuries.

      All the while, Jason did not avert from her gaze. His black eyes looked directly at her as she watched.

      And when the healing was completed, Jason continued to hold his stare at her. She felt his eyes, so cold and empty... and yet, so utterly stark and devoid that it was sad and perhaps, even pitiful to contemplate.

      She couldn't understand it.

      "Y-you're..." she stuttered.

      Jason turned away. "Maybe, to you, I'm a monster too," he said simply. There was no anger, no regret in his voice.

      He began to walk away, leaving her staring at his back.

      "W-wait!"

      Jason paused and glanced back.

      "You're just an annoying man~!" Orihime yelled. Then she smiled.

      Jason looked at her in disbelief. Seconds later, he cracked and burst into laughter.

      "Orihime, you did well," Jason said with approving nod. "We will meet again, brat."

He melted into the crowd and disappearing from her view.

      And Orihime's misplaced perceptions of the infamous Exodusians being evil incarnate simply disappeared from that day on.

      ---

      EPILOGUE 1

      Hours later, Orihime found herself crying in her mother's arms. Carrino Soletta did not know the ordeal her daughter had went through, but she did not worry about it.

      All she could think was the amount of love she felt from her daughter, and she was grateful to her wayward husband who had brought Orihime to her world.

      As for Orihime, the experience was terrifying. But it was also enlightening.

      She found confidence in her own abilities. Before, she was always sure of her prowess. But this was the first time she had actually proven it to herself.

It felt good.

      It gave her the confidence she needed.

      Maybe she will go to Teito after all.

      EPILOGUE 2

      Long after the Hellsing cleanup crew had left the cemetery, a lone figure arrived. He carefully removed the security seals that had been placed on the crypt's entrance, to be placed back later.

      He was a tall man, Caucasian with deathly pale skin.

      He easily descended into the crypt. He walked with a casual speed and familiarity, because he had been here before.

      When he reached the underground hall, he stopped. Most of the room had been buried under tons of rock. Even the Hellsing crew gave up on their attempts to dig out the rubble to recover the monster's body.

      But the man did not need to do anything. He knelt near the rubble to examine something on the ground.

      A pool of black blood had seeped out from within the debris.

      "Just who or –what- are you?" the man wondered aloud as he touched the pile of rocks.

      Then to his considerable surprise, someone answered.

      "I... am... Patrick... save... me..." the thin voice croaked.

      The man grinned evilly.

      "Why should I?" he demanded.

      "I... will... serve... you... forever..." the voice painfully replied.

      "And so you shall," the man said.

      He turned to leave the room. Time to make some calls. He directed a glance at the rubble before leaving.

"I'll get you out. In return, I, Brent Farlon, will be your master."

      "Yes... master..."

      Brent Farlon grinned with evil satisfaction[15].

      EPILOGUE 3 

      Maria woke up to a sensation of being utterly refreshed. Her eyes fluttered open to a view of –white-. As her vision cleared, she saw that the white was the ceiling, splashed with the brilliant morning sunlight.

      She found herself on a bed in a hospital room. The large window's curtains were drawn apart to allow the sunlight in. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind.

      Then she realized something was beside her, and her right hand was being grasped by something warm and heavy.

      With a start, she looked at the source.

      Jason had clasped her hand with his, and had fallen asleep laying his head on it.

      She smiled slowly at the sight.

      'He looks so peaceful... so... human...' she thought. Maria found herself idly touching his hair, wondering what he was dreaming about. Jason stirred but did not wake up, a faint smile on his lips.

      It would be a shame to wake him up now.

      'A beautiful day,' she thought.

Leslie Cheung – A Thousand Dreams Of You (3:31)

The End

SAKURA WARS WILL RETURN

in another

New Memories

Author's notes:

ARGH! I can't believe I wasted four months on this! On the same amount of time I wrote 56,000 words for SW1. Compared to that, this one had a measly 15,000. This will teach me to try to write more than 1 fanfiction at the same time.

I can't believe how much time I had wasted on this, on the amount of rewrites. Initially I had planned for bigger role for young Integral Hellsing, and then as time wore by I couldn't come up with anything for her. I had wanted to write a more active role for Alucard as well, but I just can't see how (well, actually I did but I can't do it, maybe next time).

Even Orihime's role was unplanned; I had originally wanted to put Reni instead of the Italian. But I realized she would have a bigger role in the next story (hopefully).

Anyways, thanks for reading this (all five of you).

Arion Wong

July 9, 2003

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[1] Walter D. – Walter Kum Dornez is an actual character in 'Hellsing'. I modified his history to fit in the UPA universe. Walter D. is based on another real-life friend named Walter. Unlike Walter Kum Dornez, he does not wear a monocle; instead he has a glass eye.

[2] Hunter-Warrior – reference to the anime 'Battle Angel Alita'. Hunter-Warriors are licensed bounty hunters.

[3] Sir Hellsing – father of Integral Hellsing. The anime made no mention of his fullname. On another note, Integral's full name is based on the manga, the anime did not mention 'Fairbrook'. This fanfic is set before the anime, even before Integral's flashbacks shown in Order 10.

[4] Royal Knights – a Hellsing fan website mentioned that there was a Royal Protestant Knights Organization before Sir Integral Hellsing came of age and led the 'Hellsing Institution'. I'm presuming that the Royal Knights were the precursors to the Hellsing Institution.

[5] Owen Stuart – Not sure of the spelling, but the main villain of Sakura Wars the Movie was a Brent Farlon who was the president of the Douglas-Stuart Industries. Owen is my creation.

[6] Philippe – reference to Sakura Wars 3. The Japanese woman is Hanabi, this fic is set before Philippe's death.

[7] Connor MacLeod – reference to the movie 'Highlander'.

[8] Everyone speaks Japanese – a little dig on anime... on how animes involving global conspiracies, corporations, international organizations and yet almost -everyone-else speaks Japanese.

[9] Orihime's accent – I'm not sure on how to bring her notable feature out, so I just add tildes to emphasize her accent.

[10] Teatro Dell'Opera di Italia – my 24th century version of the 'Teatro Dell'Opera di Roma' in Rome.

[11] Dungeon Guy – in case you have not seen Hellsing, this guy is the ultra cool Alucard. As revealed in Order 10 of Hellsing, Alucard was imprisoned and sealed in the dungeon, until circumstances freed him to serve Integra. He's the go-to guy in Hellsing, the best in low-level trash disposal section (read: eliminating the undead).

[12] Venom and Carnage – Venom is the ultra-cool villain of Spider-Man. His symbiote mimics Spider-Man's powers, and can even morph to clothes. Venom is big with a cool black and white motif. Carnage is the red wannabe, a serial killer in an alien symbiote with similar properties.

[13] Anders and Fergusson. – reference to Hellsing. Harry A. is Harry Anders, the National Defense Department agent who contacted Seras Victoria and was her father's friend. Fergusson is the commander of the Hellsing special forces in the anime. His name should be spelled Fargasson, but I prefer Fergusson as Hellsing is set in England and the latter spelling is a true English name. Here I'm implying that these two worked together at the Royal Knights before separating in the anime background (Harry to the NDD, Fergusson onwards to Hellsing).

[14] Ander's friend – this is a reference to Seras Victoria's father.

[15] Patrick & Brent – Patrick is the Brent's henchKouma from Sakura Wars the Movie. Yet there was no explanation for their partnership, so I made one up here.