Chapter 8
Seras woke up that evening with Integra waiting for her. The knight was dressed as she usually did without her jacket on. Integra lifted up her arms and Seras got out of her coffin and wrapped her in a hug. "I can't believe we have to do this again," Integra whispered in her ear, "Another army of monsters. I had hoped that I could die without having to face such a nightmare again. I should have known that God wouldn't deal me such a light hand." Seras hugged her a little tighter, "We're stronger than we were then. We will get through it just like last time." Integra gave her a kiss in answer, and then told her, "We have work to do. We need to talk to Akiko and find out everything she knows about what we might be facing, these 'Yokai-gumi'."
"That could be difficult," Seras said as they walked together to Akiko's room. "Why?" Integra asked. "For one thing, there are over one-thousand different creatures in Japanese mythology identified as yokai," Seras said. Integra stopped dead in her tracks and stared at her. Seras nodded and Integra rubbed her good eye, "I'll need a drink after this is over." Integra then knocked on Akiko's door, and the kitsune said, "Come in." Seras and Integra entered and saw a chart on the wall with many pictures of…creatures, yokai.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes were shown on the chart on the wall, many of them crossed out and many more with question marks on the pictures in red ink. "I've been working on trying to figure out what we might be facing," Akiko explained. She had dark bags under her eyes and looked like she needed a large meal. "It was tough narrowing it down," the kitsune said with a sigh, "But I think I've narrowed it down. We won't be facing every species of yokai out there…maybe about three dozen or so."
"That's still a lot," Integra pointed out. "Yes…but only a few species of yokai are of human intelligence. If we find those and take care of their leaders then the rest should go back to Japan. As Akira-nii-san showed, there are other kitsune here, along with at least one, maybe more, yuki-onna, a kind of snow demon. Others that may be in charge are oni, which is sort of like a large ogre, and tanuki, raccoon-dogs. One other that we might encounter would be the tengu, a kind of bird-human hybrid. They can be very tricky for they are extremely wise and amazing martial artists. Any other yokai we face will be followers, I'm sure of this," Akiko explained.
"Very well. Seras, you and Akiko will draw up a list for me of all the yokai we may face. I want it done within three hours. I want their names, descriptions, and most importantly; how to kill them," Integra ordered. Akiko's jaw dropped and she immediately yelled in Japanese, "Anata wa kurutta furui meinu! Anata ga watashitachi ni nani o suru yo no tanonde iru no ka, gozonjidesuka!?" Sir Integra looked at her with a cold intensity that could almost freeze blood solid as she said, "You have your orders. And if any of what you said is an insult, I will punish you. I suggest you hop to it."
Akiko sat down in a chair and cursed, "Kuso sono furui meinu." She turned to Seras and said, "Well, do you think that you can type up really fast? Otherwise this will be impossible."
Three Hours Later
Sir Integra was trying to pacify her mind with a slow cigar. It wasn't working as well as she had hoped. Vampires? Simple. Werewolves? Rare but manageable. Japanese demons called yokai? What in God's good Earth was she in for? Integra's imagination was running wild, she had done some of her own research when she learned that they would be fighting yokai, and now her mind was filled with monsters of a million shapes and sizes from tiny worms that ate people slowly to giant skeletons, from weasels with scythes for paws to giant spiders with bull heads.
For whatever differences vampires may have had, they at least were the same species, but yokai was such a wide-ranging term that the old vampire hunter wondered if she shouldn't give Seras and Akiko a week to make up their list. She was about to call Seras to let her know they had more time, when someone slammed into her door. Sir Integra quickly drew her gun and aimed it at her door before saying, "Identify yourself now!"
"It's me," Akiko weakly said, and then Seras opened the door for her. An even more weary Akiko walked in holding a manilla envelope stuffed with papers. She put the envelope on Integra's desk, paying no attention to the gun in Integra's hand, and said, "Here's your list you wrinkly old bitch. I'm going to sleep now, and nothing you say or do is going to stop me from sleeping at least six hours. Good night!" Akiko then stood up and marched out with her head held high and her fox tail standing straight up. Integra opened her jaw in shock at what had transpired that her cigar fell from her lips. Only Seras' vampire speed let her catch it before it hit the floor.
Seras lifted it to Integra's lips and the knightly woman took it before putting her gun away and saying, "I think I might have pushed her too far." Seras nodded, "She worked very hard on this list, if I hadn't been the one transcribing it, I doubt we would have gotten it finished in time." Integra nodded and sat down to look at what Seras and Akiko had found out for her.
Six Hours Later
Akiko was awakened by a knocking on her door. "Go away," she groaned. "You told my Master six hours. It has been six hours," Alucard said on the other side of her door, "She requests our presence now so that we may plan our strategy to meet our enemies." Akiko got up and reluctantly put on her Hellsing uniform before walking out to see Alucard sans his fedora waiting for her. "I've heard from Seras about your attitude towards our Master," he said as they walked to Sir Integra's office. "I was very sleep deprived and stressed out," Akiko explained. Alucard chuckled, "That would be a good explanation. My Master doesn't often tolerate someone commenting on her age from what Seras told me. That being said…" Alucard turned his blazing red eyes to Akiko and darkly said, "I suggest you mind your tongue in the future." The kitsune swallowed and nodded as they reached Sir Integra's office.
Seras and Sir Integra were already waiting for them. "Good, you're here," Sir Integra said, and then announced, "England is in grave peril once again. This time from creatures known as yokai, who come all the way from Japan with apparent plans of conquest. I will not allow any such creatures to lay claim over my native soil, allowing them to run free and prey upon her people. After extensively reviewing all of the intel you, Seras and Akiko, have compiled I have set our computers to examine any signs of supernatural activity that has been reported either to police or social media. For now, all we can do is wait for the reports. Once we have signs of activity from the Yokai-gumi, we will strike. Go and prepare for battle." With this, the vampires and kitsune left her office.
As Akiko headed to her room, Alucard stopped her. "You are nervous. Fear rules your heart," he told her. Akiko nodded. "Don't let it control you. Out of all of us, you may be the most prepared to face our coming challenges," he assured her. Akiko responded, "We have a lot of fearsome challenges ahead of us. I hope that you and Seras are up to facing them." Alucard only smiled at this, "We shall see."