A little slow on this chapter...Writer's block, but in the end I decided to split this chapter into two parts. Yeah. Enjoy!
Christmas-Day
Alucard rose slowly from his coffin. He checked his internal clock. It was exactly 6:47 minutes and 34-no 35 seconds. Bleary-eyed, he momentarily fought of the urge to return to his slumber and scanned his dungeon for the source of his wake. He spotted it instantly. His room had been decorated with ribbons and baubles of red white green and gold.
"Ah, of course. Its that time of year again. But why the decorations? Integra has not done something like this for the years that I've known her…at least, not for my room." Alucard wondered what had taken place during this past year that was different from all the others. A glimpse of a full moon and a vampire priest entered his memory.
"Obviously. It wasn't Hellsing after all…. SERAS!" Alucard grabbed his Casull off of a table nearby, and proceeded to blast the Christmas ornaments off of his walls. Then his line of sight fell onto Walter's "box". Alucard vaguely remembered promising Seras to return the "box". But only very reluctantly, and only because he actually thought he'd die again from all the nagging.
"…This blows" Alucard said, using a phrase he, just at that moment, considered to be the best phrase of all time. Alucard thought about it for a second, then shrugged. Alucard stepped out of the black coffin and lifted Walter's stash.
He phased through the ceiling towards Walter's room and placed the item(s) on the old butler's nightstand. The note he had pinned there last night clearly visible. "Merry Christmas, perv." Then he morphed into a shadow to wait for the look on Walter's face.
Sure enough, Walter soon woke himself and spotted his treasure. Walter leapt out of bed and pulled the box into a loving embrace. Alucard emitted a half snort-half laugh that Walter couldn't hear.
The butler proceeded to stuff it back under his bed, but not before drawing a Hustler away from its companions. Alucard decided to head for the great hall next. This was not something he wanted to see.
Alucard sat in one of the expensive, yet comfortable sofas and scowled at the lit tree. He stayed this way for an hour, having a silent staring match with the tree, before he felt other life stir in the mansion.
Pip was waking somewhere on the second floor, being the commander, he didn't have to sleep with the rest of his men. Integra was already pacing around her room, and various maids and housekeepers (The assistants of the assistant, Walter) were bustling around, cleaning or making Christmas breakfast.
On the tree, a light flickered and died. Alucard stood up, crossed to the tree and twisted the said light. It stuttered back to life. Alucard formed a sadistic grin. "You blinked." He crushed between his fore finger and thumb. "Pansy".
"Well, Alucard, you must really be bored to stoop to destroying simple ornaments." Said a tall, silver haired man. He was averagely built, but had sharp blue eyes that shone as if emitting their own light.
"Oh, shut up." Alucard snapped.
"Aren't you in a fine mood today?" Death asked, sweeping back his newly acquired platinum-blond hair. Alucard's scowl returned. And just before he could say anything, Death was pulled away.
Seras dropped her voice down to a whisper, so that even Alucard, (who didn't seem to be listen anyway,) couldn't hear. (Unless he was listening). "Sir Integra says he's got PMS." Death's eyebrows raised. "Some, pre-massacre symptoms or something like that…just don't get on his nerves…Why are you laughing!" Seras asked, quietly as Death broke into silent chuckles.
"PMS?" Seras noticed Alucard's ear twitch. "HAHA! Oooohh…I was there for the first one. It was pretty soon after he 'joined' Hellsing. Damn, do I feel sorry for the mortals…." Death said, with a smile.
"How can you take this so lightly?" Seras asked, wide-eyed. "From what I've heard, this is really serious!"
"How can I take this so lightly?" Death asked, his eyes glittering. "Because, being Death, I know death not. I cannot die, Seras. But man is this going to be ugly. Seras, I like you, so I'm going to help you out. The easiest way to keep the Alucard calm, is to keep fresh blood away from him at all times. Its not so bad now, but eventually you won't want him getting too close to human life. And be sure to keep Integra safe. Alucard would never attack his master, unless he felt he had to. "
"What do you-?"
"It is not my place, Seras. But let me tell you, there are secrets within these walls that would make your head spin." Death told her firmly. Then he suddenly dropped the dark and mysterious routine and clapped his hands together. "Now then! I've been gone for a century! Who's going to show me around?"
Seras was the one to begin the grand tour, but Alucard soon took over after she got lost several times. Repeatedly. It wasn't that she had no sense of direction, but she was still new. There were rooms in the mansion that she had never seen before. Eventually though, they made to Integra's office, and that's when all the fun began.
"Alucard! Seras! May I ask what you are doing?" Integra asked, having watched them wander the mansion for over an hour. "We are showing my guest here, the many chambers in the mansion." Alucard told her.
"Oh? First, only Hellsing personnel are allowed on this floor. But, we'll get into all of this later." Integra rose from behind her desk. "Well, won't you at least introduce us, since you've already broken protocol. What is your guest's name?"
"Ben Dover Sdrawkcab" Alucard told her with a straight face. Regardless, Integra's face was reddening. Luckily, "Ben" stepped in.
"But most people just call me Alex. Honestly, I have absolutely no idea what my parents were thinking when they gave me that name." "Alex" said light jest in his voice.
"What is your business here, Alex?" Integra asked.
"Oh, just visiting my old friend here," Alex clapped Alucard on the back. "Haven't seen him in ages."
Immediately, Integra searched Alex's eyes for any trace of red. "Oh don't worry, fair lady. I am no vampire. But I do have my ways of getting around." Alex winked at Seras. "But, I can only visit for a short time, before I must return to my duties. So in light of this I ask you, Mademoiselle, what do you do for fun around here?"
Integra's look was sour. She found it hard to believe, but this 'friend' of Alucard's might be just as irritating as the vampire himself. Barging into Hellsing headquarters, without notice, and immediately asking to be entertained. 'This man obviously has no respect, or he doesn't know to whom he speaks. Or both. Trust Alucard to bring in some loud-mouth from who knows where…. Alucard! Oh…he obviously needs the boundary line to be redefined. I'll get him for this.'
She found herself agreeing to something Alex was saying. Integra did it all the time, let her mind wander when someone was bothering her, and her body went on auto-pilot, nodding or shaking its head to get said person away.
Several minutes later, as she was standing in knee-deep snow, she decided that the auto-pilot needed to be re-checked. "Walter, explain to me why I am out here again." The old butler seemed to be holding back a laugh. "Well, Integra, sir Alex suggested a snowball fight and you accepted the invitation."
"That doesn't explain why I'm out here Walter. I realized my mistake and declined."
"Ah, but it was too late, Sir Integra, if you remember, Alucard put up the case of a man and the bond to his word. You were forced to comply." Walter said, a faint smile on his face.
"Walter, no more blood to Alucard for a week."
"Are you sure, sir Integra? Given the circumstances…."
Integra scowled. "I suppose you are correct Walter. Let him have his blood. But I swear Walter, he will pay-AGH!" Integra was cut off as a large white ball of snow covered her face. She angrily wiped it off and looked for the simpleton who had thrown it. She spotted Alex, laughing from a few yards away. "I will not partake in this childish game of yours!" she shouted at the stranger.
Alex shrugged. "Hey, this is a snowball fight, and if you plan on just standing there, then…." Alex demonstrated his meaning by throwing two more snowballs with unerring accuracy. One after the other, they covered exactly one half of her face each.
When the snow had fallen off, a mad gleam had entered Integra's eyes, not unlike Alucard's usual manner. She crouched to scoop together a large ball of snow and ice. Walter was silently chuckling. "Sir Integra, I thought you said you wouldn't play this game?"
"I'm not Walter" Integra replied. "This has escalated to War."
Three complete hours later, they all trooped in, soaked and frozen to the bone. Seras had had no idea how strong Integra's throwing arm was. 'Alex' was still caught up in the fun of it all and was laughing non-stop. It made Seras wonder how dull grim reaping actually was. But in fact, only Alucard (who was dragged outside as well. "If I have to go, then you have to go!" Integra had told him) seemed to not have enjoyed himself.
"Snow blows." Seras caught him saying. "What's the point of it?"
"You can't pretend like you didn't enjoy it Master." Seras said. "I saw you smile when Walter got his monocle knocked off." Seras now noticed that Alucard was completely dry, yet 'Alex' had hit him with more balls than anyone else.
'Must be a trick I don't know yet…. Sure would come in handy though.' Seras thought as she looked down at her freezing clothes. It was becoming harder to move every passing minute.
"Of course he enjoyed it!" Alex said coming up behind them, sopping wet. Seras supposed he liked just being able to feel it. "He's just in a downright pissy mood." Alucard glared at him, Alex took no notice. "Look Alucard, babe, what you need to do is-" Alex was interrupted as a bellow of rage burst from Integra's office. They crept toward the door. "What's wrong Integra?" Walter asked.
"The band for tonight's ball can't make it. Apparently their major players and the composer were injured last night in a alcohol-induced car accident." Integra told him, the frustration heavy in her voice.
"There seem to be a lot of those going around lately." Walter commented.
"What are we going to do Walter! I can't find anybody else on short notice!" Integra continued. Alex burst in, smiling widely. "That's where I come in, my dove. I'll handle it."
Integra eyed him suspiciously. "And what can you do?"
"I happen to know quite a few decent bands, I'll have your ball on schedule just trust me!" And with that incredibly vague notice, Alex swept from the room and grinned at Alucard and Seras. "All right! Things are heating up, we'll make this the best ball ever! We'll turn it into a real party!" Alex said, rubbing his hands together.
Seras sighed. This wasn't going to end well.
That chapter, finally done. Phew.
Now, who can decipher 'Ben Dover's' last name? (Sdrawkcab)
Review!