Catcher Upper: Nixa woke up, ate breakfast, and went to meet Seras who was waiting in the weight room. "Let the training begin!"

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"Right punch! Left jab! That's it, just a few more!" Seras was a tough trainer. I wasn't exactly in shape but I loved the feel of sweat trickling down my forehead. I'd never felt it before. My arms were stinging but I didn't care. It was exhilarating.

"Good, good. You can rest now. You're a natural, Nixa." She grinned at me while I took a swig out of the water bottle and than smiled.

"Thanks. This is great."

"That's not exactly what I said when I first came here." A silence…oh how I hate silences. It's like a silence says more than needs to be said.

"What's it like?"
"Huh?"

"What's it like to be…a vampire." Seras frowned and I thought that I had said something wrong. She shrugged.

"It doesn't suck too badly. I just won't drink blood."

"Why?"

"I don't know, it seems inhuman." Seras took to pulverizing the punching bag. I didn't know that it wasn't to her full potential, but she was weakening from not drinking blood.

"But, you're not a human anymore. Why don't you…" She interrupted.

"You sound like Master." She slammed her fist into the punching bag.

"Yeah, well, your Master is always right." It was Alucard's voice. I whipped around to see him standing by the door to the weight room. Seras acted as if she already knew he was standing there. I didn't know it then, either, but she had sensed his presence for a while.

"We're almost done with the punching bag and then we're moving to hand on hand combat training. Nixa's a natural puncher."

"I noticed." Alucard smirked and approached me. I was still sitting on the bench, griping the water bottle. "Finish up in here and then I want to talk with you both." Seras shrugged and I nodded. He grinned, satisfied, and left in a cloud of smoke.

"What do you think he wants to talk with us about?" I got up and began to pound the punching bag unmercifully.

"There's no telling with that guy." We both grew silent and concentrated on our training. Seras was in the corner, jumping rope while I continued to beat up the bag. I suddenly heard resounding laughter inside my thoughts. It felt like an invasion but a lullaby…a twisted lullaby.

There's just no telling with me, Luna. You'll have to wait and see. I can see great potential in you. Keep it up. It was the weirdest feeling! I stopped punching the bag and gaped at the bag. Seras noticed.

"What is it? Oh, that. Yeah, he does that all the time. You get used to it. I can still feel his presence. Hello, Master." Seras shrugged and then continued jumping rope. I did the same and continued training.

A few hours later, after learning how to block a hit and the good places to punch, we went to meet Alucard. Seras said that he would always show up in her room so that's where they went. Surely enough, there he was, sitting at Seras' table with his boots propped up on it. Seras groaned.

"How many times do I have to ask you not to put your feet on my table?"

"A few more, Police Girl. Have a seat, both of you." We sat down and waited intently for him to start talking. He smiled and began.

"You two are a good pair for a mission." Seras grinned and Alucard continued. "I was thinking that you two could partner together for our next mission. Integral has left this matter to me and I'm asking you. Luna, do you think you're prepared for a mission in a few weeks maybe?" I nodded vigorously, liking the idea greatly. Seras laughed.

"I'm in. Sounds fun. Nixa's going to be tough competition for any ghoul that gets in her way!" Alucard laughed quiet and deep.

"Yes, well, be training Police Girl. You need to stay a step ahead of her because I'm leaving her to you. I've got better things to do." That almost sounded vicious but I didn't care. I was being put on a mission.

"Are we done training for today, Master?" Seras cracked her knuckles unconsciously.

"Yes, I suppose. Just don't stay up too late tonight. You need to get sleep for tomorrow. You'll be training harder come tomorrow night." We both shook our heads and sighed when he left.

"This is going to be fun, Nixa. I've been on a mission before but only with a whole bunch of disrespectful men!" We both giggled. As the night proceeded, we talked and joked around. About an hour before the sun would come up, I left for my room, giggling at a few things that Seras had said before. When I reached my door, I heard his voice behind me.

"I was very impressed with you tonight. You're coming along great already, Luna. I'm looking forward to working with you. I'm sure that Seras has told you all you need to know. Good night, Luna." He didn't give me time to speak. He vanished. I shrugged and trudged into my room. Sighing, I lowered myself onto my bed and drifted to sleep.

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