Off Time #7: The Japanese Alphabet Road with Chinese Bellflower's Sweet Smell
By: SleepyNinja
Disclaimer: Don't own Hellsing and not making a dime. I'm not even making any pennies off of this whatsoever. The entire idea goes out to the creator of the show itself, not me.
A/N: Review. Seriously. I'm not kidding around.
A/N: If you can tell me where the title comes from you get a gold star.
A/N: This is a chapter of vengeance and horror and ACT- err wait, the story seems to have been replaced by a Hugh Grant movie. God dammit. So just a warning ahead, no violence in this one. The other chapters have plenty of it though.
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Seras yanked on the wires toward the trees on the other side of the street. She pulled slowly, not wanting to take Jack's head off, at least not at the moment. She drew in into the tree line and released the wire from his neck. As she pulled the wire back it snapped against Jack's throat causing a small wound.
Jack's hand instinctively went to his throat and wiped away the blood. Before he could move his hand back down he was shoved into the side of the tree and pinned there by Seras.
"Anderson?!" She shouted as she pushed harder into Jack's shoulders. Her fingernails broke through his shirt and started to break the skin. "You left to kill Anderson!? What were you thinking?"
Jack tried to straighten his posture to regain control of at least a little of this situation before it got too out of hand. He had to do this right. In her state, Jack didn't doubt that she'd start ripping off limbs.
"Answer me!" she yelled at him.
"I wasn't thinking." He tried to keep his cool. "I don't know why I did it. It's probably the dumbest thing I've ever done. If I was given the choice again I wouldn't! I should have tried to contact you a little more and about a thousand other things!" He looked her dead in the eye. "I'm sorry. I know your upset but I want to make it up to you. All I'm asking is the chance that you'll let me try… please Seras? One more chance to make things right for me and you? Please?"
Seras drew her nails out of Jack's flesh, but kept him firmly pinned to the tree. He was telling the truth and she knew it because in some ways the bond forged between them that fateful night wasn't even chipped. "Why should I let you get off so easy? You just get up and leave and expect me to act like it never happened?" She didn't want to be angry with him, but she couldn't help it. She was a woman and women were not all mild tempered as most men probably knew – Sir Integra being a prime example.
"I'm not really asking for that from you, Seras. All I'm really interested in is that you give me one day of your time to be with you."
"Why should I give you a day?" Seras continued. "You disappe—mmmph!" She stopped talking as Jack pressed his lips against hers.
He felt her tense up, and then melt into the kiss. Jack's mind settled down. His head was still on his neck and there weren't any large holes in his torso. "Crisis averted." He thought to himself as he ran his hands down her arms, feeling the soft material of her clothes under his touch.
They separated, but it wasn't for air it was so that Seras could look into his mind as he was now relaxed in her grip. Jack tilted his head back to look at the stars in the night sky. "Do I get my day?"
Seras rolled her eyes. "Oh fine, but it better be one Hell of a day." She took a step back and let Jack go from her death grip. "Lets go before Frick and Frack wake up." She said as she motioned to Heinkel and Yumi, who were still out cold on the pavement.
"Seras, your fingers." Jack's voice held a hint of concern for her.
She looked down; the tips of her fingers were covered in blood. She casually sucked the blood off each finger as they walked. She noticed Jack was looking at her. "What? I haven't had a blood bag in a couple days, gimme a break."
He laughed at her carefree demeanor. 'I'll never understand women.' He thought. "One minute they're about to tear our your throat and the next their as happy asa clam."
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"Please Master," Alucard spoke into the phone, "I can smell the Catholic's fear. I can see their pathetic city. Give me the word and it will be in a glorious flame by morning." Alucard looked over the edge of the building he was on toward the Vatican. Oh how glorious the slaughter would be.
"No."
"It would be so easy Master. Just say yes. I promise I'll be good for the rest of your lifetime."
"That's quite alright."
Alucard wore a disappointed grin as Integra once again rejected his offer. "Well my offer still stands." He said in a low tone of voice.
"I'm sure it does," the woman on the other line replied. "Just get back to the point Alucard, I would like to get at least a few hours of sleep."
"Ah well they seem to have tucked themselves in for the night."
"I thought the rooms only had one bed."
"They do." Alucard waited for a response. Nothing. "Master, I think you've been watching too much late night TV. Owens is on the floor. Of course," he grinned, "if you're looking for someone to share your bed, I will follow any orders you give." Alucard quickly moved the phone away from his ear as his Master's shouts rang into the night. He was going to get locked away in the basement for another twenty years for that, but it was worth it. Well, not as worth it as getting her iron-toe boots flung at his head for watching her get dressed from a late night shower- now that was pleasing. Alas, but a vampire did need his share of the mortal world's fun every now and again.
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Jack awoke a little after dawn, just as planned. He let out a yawn. He was still tired, expected since he'd been up late making phone calls, mostly in Japanese so Seras wouldn't find out what he had planned. He grabbed the nightstand he was sleeping under and pulled himself up.
He noticed Seras wasn't in the room. Good, he needed to do a few more things before they left. He went into the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water, brushed his teeth, then wiped his face off with one of the towels next to the sink. He went over to his dresser, took out a white t-shirt, and dropped it to the ground. He took his blue one off and put a finger through one of the blood soaked holes Seras had made the night before. He shook his head and tossed it into the trash can next to the nightstand. He picked up the clean shirt off the carpeted floor and put it on. He thought of changing his pants, but his faded blue jeans were probably okay for the time-being.
He checked to make sure his wallet and a few other things were in safely in his pockets and headed out the door. He opened the door to find Seras on her tip-toes holding an envelope toward the lights on the ceiling.
"Whatcha got there?"
Seras jumped. "Ummm..." she extended the envelope toward Jack, "this was waiting for you at the front desk."
"Thanks for picking it up for me." He grinned as he took the envelope. He turned around, opened it, and pulled out the contents. He moved a little to the left and the right when Seras tried to peek around his shoulder. He reached for his wallet and placed most of the things inside. The last items were a note written in Japanese and a set of car keys. He read the note over, and stuffed both of them in his pocket. He turned back around, "Ready to go?"
"I would like to know what we're doing first."
"Too bad."
Jack grabbed her hand and almost dragged her down the stairs and out of the lobby. Jack pulled out the keys as they entered the parking lot and followed the sound of the car's horn as Jack hit the lock button on the remote. They eventually arrived at a shiny black BMW parked at the end of the lot. The windows were heavily tinted.
Jack unlocked it and opened the passenger side door for Seras. Once she was on the tan seat, he shut the door and went around to the driver's side. He started up the car and started driving.
"There are sunglasses in the glove compartment if you want some." Jack said as he pulled out a pair of blue tinted glasses from his pocket and put them on. "The Sun is only going to get worse, so might as well get them now."
She opened the glove compartment and rummaged around. "Where are we going first?" She pulled a pair of sunglasses out of the glove compartment and shut it.
"Well, I think the Coliseum is up first."
"A historical tour?"
"A little. If we wanted to know ancient history we'd just ask Alucard." Jack said sarcastically earning himself a laugh from the blond beside him.
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After the Coliseum, they wandered about the city, hitting some key touristy places like any normal people would do. Around noon they got back into the car.
"Noon already?" Jack said to himself.
"What's so special about noon?" He silently berated himself for saying it out loud, but quickly came up with a cover up.
"We're doing something special."
"Oh, where at?"
"Oh you'll see." Jack got a light punch in the upper arm for that one.
Seras looked as he took a right turn. "Jack, we're headed towards the Vatican."
"Yeah so?"
"Jack…you do know they're trying to kill us right?"
"And why would they have reason to suspect we'd be out at noon?"
"Jack, this is crazy."
"Which is why we won't get caught. Trust me on this one." He turned into Vatican City and kept on driving, but he did notice her worried frown and the way she was wrinkling her nose. "Oh come on, don't you think it makes it more fun this way?"
Seras shook her head and looked out the window, counting all of the probable Section XIII agents. She was up to seven by the time they stopped.
Jack opened his door and climbed out. He walked around, opened Seras's door and headed towards the massive building they had parked next to. Seras got out and stopped dead in her tracks as she looked at where they were about to go. The Sistine Chapel. Jack really was crazy. She should have brought weapons. Section XIII was going to burst in and they were both going todie.
Jack waved at her to follow him in. "What ya waiting for?"
Rather than getting the hell out of the area, like the rational part of her mind was screaming at her to do, Seras followed Jack inside. She looked around, waiting for Catholics to jump out and start shooting.
"Wait a minute…"Seras said as she looked around, "no one is here. Why isn't this place packed?"
Jack grinned. "I know a guy who knows a guy."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"Nope. This place is empty for another twelve and a half minutes. Just you, me, and a giant masterpiece of the Renaissance."
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They left approximately twelve minutes later to avoid being seen. They walked at a brisk pace toward the car and had the car started in a matter of seconds.
"Jack," Seras said as she buckled her seatbelt.
"Yeah?"
"Get us the hell outta here."
"Good idea." He backed up, pressed down on the clutch, put the car into first gear, and slammed his foot down on the gas.
"I can't believe it…" she thought. "I mean the Sistine Chapel?" She rubbed her neck; it was a little soar from looking up. "You're crazy you know that?" She said.
"Maybe, but you have to admit that was worth it."
"I'm not arguing that, but I'd rather not do it again."
"Heh, Maxwell's heart would probably explode if he knew anything about it."
"Probably most of his major organs actually. So now what?"
"I have to pick up a suit, and you need a new outfit."
"So I get to go shopping then?"
"Mhmm. Just remember, we have to fit it all in the car afterwards."
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Jack tossed the suit in the back of the car and waited for Seras to come out. In the time it took Jack to stand in line, try to find someone who didn't speak just Italian, prove he had ordered it, and manage to take possession of the suit, Seras had picked out a dress and whatever else she wanted. She had refused to show him what she picked out and had it placed in a box to make sure that Jack couldn't look. Seras closed the trunk and got back into the car.
"We can take this stuff back to the hotel and lie around for a while," Jack said, "or we can drive around for a while."
"Hotel." Seras said as she leaned back into the seat. "All this running around and sun is making me tired."
"Alright, but you can't sleep too long."
"Oh and why not?"
"We have dinner reservations." He looked at Seras who was visibly shocked. "We're not going to pull someone off the street don't worry."
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After her nap, Seras retrieved the box from where she had stashed it and went into the bathroom to get changed. When she emerged she was wearing a sleeveless dress that was roughly the same shade of red as her eyes and clung to her figure. It started at the bottom of the neck and extended down just above the knee. She had managed to find a pair of matching gloves and close-toed high heel shoes.
She turned to Jack, who was sitting on a chair on the opposite side of the room, "What ya think?"
He looked at her, his eyebrows noticeably rising. "I don't know how you would manage high heels," he chuckled.
Seras glared at him.
"You look fabulous." Jack was already in his suit. It was a standard navy blue coat and pants combination with a light blue shirt underneath and a regular blue tie. He had managed to find a pair of black dress shoes lying around and had polished them earlier. Jack stood up and walked toward Seras. "Ready?"
"Of course."
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Jack and Seras were settled in their seats chatting away. The table was on the portion of the restaurant had outside. There were two levels on the outside portion, one was on the same level as the rest of the restaurant, and the other was sunken in. Two staircases in the middle lead down toward the lower level, which was mostly a dance area, and had room for a band, but no one was playing tonight. Even so, calm piano music came through carefully camouflaged speakers around tables.
There was a large metal structure over most of the area with a machine that would take a plastic tarp over everything if the weather was bad. The area was surrounded by ivy covered stone walls of the building next door.
"So anyway," Seras continued, "Integra grabs his throat, picks him up, and then tosses out of her door. And Walter and Renaldo are just standing there bug eyed trying to figure out what to do next," she giggled.
"You'd think a priest wouldn't even know those words." Jack opened another bottle of, as Seras figured, expensive wine. He filled his glass and held it up as he put the bottle back down on the white linen. "To Father Maxwell, may Integra throw him many more times."
"I'll drink to that." They tapped their glasses together and took a drink. It had been a very pleasant evening. "So how many favors did you call in for today?"
"At least thirty give or take a few."
Seras looked around. She suddenly felt like she was being watched. "Jack, we're leaving."
"Huh?"
"I think we're being followed."
"Alright, let me go pay and we'll leave." Jack scooted his chair back and headed inside.
"Right." Seras scanned the horizon. Something was defiantly not right. She looked up toward the windows of the surrounding buildings. There was a telescope pointed downward in one of the windows. This wasn't good. She looked behind her, Jack was coming back.
"Let's go," he said as he grabbed the bottle and corked it. They went inside past the main dining area. Seras scanned the room. No one suspicious was here, but she could be wrong.
"What's got you so worked up?" Jack asked as they went out the front door.
"I think we're being watched."
"I take it I should drive fast then right?" Jack grinned.
"Feel free," she said, opening the car door.
Jack climbed in and turned on the engine. "You might want to buckle your seatbelt," he said as he hit the gas.
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"Think it was Section XIII?" Jack asked as he peaked his head into their room.
"I doubt we'd be alive if it was."
"The room clean?"
"Probably…" Seras didn't feel like they were being watched but something was off.
"Well I'm going to change. If I have to start running, I'd rather do it in comfortable pants." He grabbed his street cloths from off the back of a chair where he left them.
Seras sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off her high heels. It was murder to walk in those things. She took off her gloves and propped her head up on a pillow. She reached over to the nightstand for the remote. Some mindless television would help, if there was anything in English anyway. She hit a few buttons and fiddled around with the menu screen. There were two movies in English, one was a stupid action movie, and the other was a stupid romance movie.
She pondered the choice for a moment and chose the stupid action movie. She was in the mood for mindless entertainment.
"What ya watching?" Jack said as he walked out dressed in his white T-shirt and blue jeans.
"Stupid action movie."
"Oh really now?"
"Yeah. Tell me what happens I'm going to get changed." She went over to her duffle bag and grabbed a fresh set of clothes.
"Alright." Jack rolled onto the bed and started watching the opening credits. He was thirsty. Now where did he put that? He swung his legs around so they went off the other side, pushed himself forward, flipped his torso upside down and looked under the bed. There it was. He pulled a small blue cooler out from under the bed and brought it up to the bedspread. He unzipped it and grabbed the last two blood bags inside. He zipped it up and dropped it beside the bed.
He tore the top of one of the bags off and started to drink. He rolled his eyes. When Seras came out of the bathroom, clothed in a pale yellow t-shirt and skirt, he threw her the other bag.
"It's the last one I have so make it last."
Seras sat down next to Jack and relaxed. She bit the top off and started to drink. Her eyes widened.
"Like it? It's Master Hirano's blood. Gave me two pints of his blood as a parting gift. I wouldn't expect any less."
"So what I miss in the movie?"
"Well a terrorist guy managed to highjack a nuclear missile and kill an entire village, but leave the single most competent ninja alive."
"Why can't we deal with people that stupid?"
"It's just a movie; we aren't blessed with convenient scriptwriting."
They laid there for a while, blood long gone, the empty bags discarded in the trash. They were usually on the brink of nodding off now and then. Jack had rested his head on Seras's shoulder, positioned for maximum comfort and viewing.
"You know Seras, there's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah Jack?"
"This movie is terrible."
"I know." Seras looked blankly at the screen for a while. "Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
"You're beautiful."
They didn't say anything else until they fell asleep.
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Preview:
Walter: Wasn't the ending just touching?
Integra: No! I need a bucket of cold water and a hose for those two!
Alucard (Who's tied up in the basement): MMMMMPH!
Integra: You be quiet!
Seras: What's going on?
Integra: You get back here right now!
Seras slumps: Oh alright.
Walter: Cheesecake?
Seras: You seriously need to stop that, it's not funny anymore!
Order # 22: Border Break
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A/N: Before I get all sorts of people complaining about lack of violence, coherence, or it being totally out of the spectrum of what may reasonably happen in Hellsing, I know. The next chapter will be much better. It has a car chase. Mmmmm, car chase.
A/N: This was really weird to write, because I had to fill in long spans of time, and I usually just skipped it. How do you say they were staring at pretty artwork for 20 minutes and make it interesting? You can't. And I don't even know where the Coliseum is in Rome. I mean I'm not gonna go find a damn map and see where they hell they went! I'm lazy! Suspend your disbelief for me. Please.
A/N: Incase your wondering how Jack cleared out the Sistine Chapel, I think a Japanese company actually owns the rights to the images (that's the reason why you can't take pictures inside). I'm not 100 sure but let's just say that's the way things are, and so Jack just pulled a few strings and such.
A/N: That's right, Jack can drive a manual. Like all real men can.
A/N: I did have an entire thing done which had little greater than or less than signs encompassing stuff said in a language other than English, but I just realized that doesn't let me publish the greater than or less than signs. I'll fix it eventually.
A/N: I fixed up some of the earlier chapters, only unlike George Lucas's updates, mine are a good thing.
