Chapter 3: Surprising Prayers, Adventure in the Labyrinth, and Bed Woes.

The timeline got a bit wonky around the end, just so you know. Eh heh...Also, this story is loosely based on the mangas, just so you know. I say 'loosely' because I'm going to change some events and stuff and timelines and whatnot. Okay, I'm done talking now, disclaimer and blah. Oh, and thank you to those who reviewed! -waves cheerily- I suppose I should thank everyone who endeavors to read this story...thanks for putting up with me and possibly enjoying it as well!


Determined to figure out what the hell the blank piece of paper meant, I began to seek the counsel of those around me. But before that, I went to bed, since it had been three in the morning. Waking up a noon, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I flounced out of the room with the blank sheet of paper in tow, searching for someone slightly intelligent to help me with my mystery. Figuring that Integra would be a good candidate, I made my way to her office and let myself in.

"Could you possibly help me with-" I stopped abruptly as I received the coldest, most murderous look I have ever seen from Integra, who had taken the time to look up from busily scribbling her signature on an undoubtedly important piece of paper. Wordlessly, I slowly backed out of the room and closed the doors as quietly as I could. "Shit that was scary." I turned and rested my back against the thick wooden doors. "I'm never going to enter a room without knocking again."

Figuring that it would be best to forego Integra's insight for the time being, I decided to look for the person I deemed the most sane. "I wonder where Walter's gone off to?" Since I had nothing else to do (and couldn't think of anyone else to ask, knowing that Seras and Alucard were sleeping and probably wouldn't take too kindly to being woken up) I decided to wander around aimlessly for a while. I held out the piece of paper and stared at it as I walked.

"Hmm…I wonder if she did that on purpose, even. I know she's absent minded sometimes, but so am I, and I would never forget to write a note before giving said note to the intended recipient of twice-mentioned note." I turned a corner and before I knew what had happened I found myself sprawled on the floor, a bewildered Walter trying to save what tea things were still on the ornate silver tray he was balancing on one hand. It was then I became distinctly aware of the intense burning sensation on my right forearm.

"AUUGH!" I sat up quickly and started waving my arm around like a lunatic. "It buuuuurnssssss!!"

"Oh dear! My apologies, Miss Alexia!" He set the tray down on the floor and helped me onto my feet.

"Errgh…no, it was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. I was looking for you, anyway." I hissed at the pain of the burn and jumped from foot to foot. Good thing I had put my shoes on, because the ground was covered in bits of sharp, shattered teacup that crunched lightly under my feet. "Don't tell me…those were bone china or something else equally expensive or precious."

Walter sighed sadly. "It was part of a set that has been with the Hellsing family for generations."

"Well, at least there's a whole set of it and not just that one." I paused, looking at him suspiciously. "Riiiight?"

"Well, it's certainly not a complete set anymore." He sighed again and picked up the tray. "If you follow me, I can bandage up your arm as I get- what's this?" He picked up the piece of paper Brandi had given me, which was now completely soaked. For a moment I was jealous that pieces of paper couldn't feel pain. Walter straightened out the soggy piece of paper, somehow managing to do that AND balance the tray at the same time. He stared at it for a couple of moments before giving me a strange look. "Were you trying to find me to give this to me?"

"Uh, no. I was going to ask if you had any idea about how I might go about finding out what Brandi had given it to me for."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I think the message is quite clear, miss."

"BaWHUH!?" My eyes flew open with surprise. "Let me see that!" He handed the piece of paper back with a jovial chuckle. I gasped in surprise at what the sheet of paper said.

I pray that your heathen, blackened soul endures endless torture in the deepest, sulphurous bowels of hell. Oh, and by the way, I'm GOING to the school in the Vatican, no matter how stupid you think it is!

-Your Friend Always,

Brandi.

"What a bloody weirdo." I breathed as I finished reading the letter. "She says all then, then signs it 'your friend always'?" I thought for a moment. "And when did she get water-activated ink? I didn't think that existed! What a BITCH! OW!" I started waving my arm around again in a vain effort to alleviate the pain. "That's not a very nice thing to pray for, Brandi. I hope you DON'T go to hell, because I sure don't want to have to be down there with you for an eternity!" I spat on the piece of paper before throwing it on the floor and stomping on it a couple of times. I stood still for a couple of seconds before turning to Walter. "Sorry. I'll clean that up after I get my arm bandaged."

"Ah, yes. In regards to that, please follow me." I followed Walter (who had to wait for me several times because I had a habit of stopping and staring at the paintings hanging on the walls, with my jaw unhinged, going 'oooh' and 'aaaah') down the labyrinthine halls until he stopped at a rather unremarkable door. He swung it open and motioned for me to go inside.

"If you'll just wait in here for a few moments, I'll be right back after I drop this tray off in the kitchen." He turned to leave.

"WAIT!" He stopped abruptly and half-turned to look at me. "You're getting tea for Sir Integra, right?"

He nodded affirmatively.

"Get her that first. Lord knows she needs it more than I need medical help." Walter gazed at me questioningly, but nodded in agreement then left, closing the door behind him. "And maybe half a bottle of Zoloft to chill her out." I wasn't entirely sure if antidepressants could help with stress relief, but it was the only thing that came to mind at the moment. I found myself in a small, sterile room. There were two standard doctor's office waiting room chairs to my left, sitting right beside a mysterious door. There were also some cabinets and crap. Who cares about that though? The mysterious door was way cooler to focus on. I slowly walked over and reached out for the doorknob. However, I hesitated as my conscience randomly decided to kick in. I hate that. Always when you're going to do something fun.

Don't do it! Who knows what might be behind that door!?

"I'll know what's behind that door if you just let me open it!" I growled to the little voice in my head.

It could be dangerous!

"Or it could be cake." I shrugged, ignoring the fact that I was arguing with myself. "We won't know until we go in and find out, now, will we?"

What is there's something deadly there and it kills you?

"Walter isn't stupid," I scoffed, "he wouldn't leave me in a room with a dangerous thing behind nothing more than a door."

…You're dormed with vampires.

"Touché, myself." I whistled at my own observation. "Regardless, I'm going in." With that being decided, I grabbed the knob and turned. I gave the door a little push and let it swing open, watching with great anticipation at the grand unveiling of the mysterious realm beyond the equally mysterious door. I was greatly disappointed to find a blank wall just a few feet in front of the door I had just opened.

"That was a bit of a letdown." I stuck my head through the doorway and looked in to find that it was actually a small observation room. "Huh." I sauntered in and sat down in one of the few chairs that had been placed near a window. There was a light switch to the right of it. Feeling reckless, I flipped it on to see lights flicker on in what looked to be a dissection room. There was an operating table in the middle of the room, it's cold metal reflecting the overhead fluorescent lighting. There was a small trolley in the far corner, adorned with what I assumed were operating/chopping/hacking/mutilating tools. The room was rather large, so I couldn't tell. The wall on my right side was lined with those little drawers you have in morgues. You know, the ones you shove the dead bodies into. I don't know what they're called, but the entire wall was one solid black of 'em. A couple pairs of scrubs hung limply from hooks on the wall.

"Whoah…" I took in the view, my eyes scanning the scene as a whole. "Awesome and creepy. Reminds me of that one room in Resident Evil: Code Veronica where you get the crossbow, I think. Isn't that where you either get or have to use the code from the painting?" I looked for a painting on one of the walls, but my search came up fruitless. "And I don't remember seeing any numbers anywhere. Or a keypad here, for that matter." I shrugged then stood up. "I'm starting to creep myself out."

Switching off the lights, I exited the observation room, creepy chills running up my spine. "Ugh. I'm not going to be able to sleep for nights now." I closed the door as quietly as I could and sat down in one of the bland chairs beside the not-so-mysterious-anymore door. It was then that I noticed my arm wasn't constantly hurting anymore. "Huh…maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought it was." I looked at my arm and saw that it was still red and blotchy where the water had splashed me. Scowling slightly, I poked it, which, in retrospect, wasn't a very smart thing to do. Pain shot up through my arm again, and the dull, throbbing pain that usually comes with burns was back again in full force.

"Damnit! Why am I so stupid!?" I whimpered and cradled my burned arm. "This is all Brandi's fault. I hate her. If I ever see her again, I'm going to punch her in the sternum, knee her in the head, then spit on her." I pouted. " Where's Waaaaalter?"

Just then, Walter opened the door and strode into the room. "How does your arm feel?"

"Like it's been burned." I replied coldly. "Sorry. I was just thinking about how much I hate Brandi. Bitch…" I grumbled some choice expletives under my breath as Walter rummaged through the cabinets, grabbing this and that. Satisfied that he had everything he would need, he walked over to where I was sitting and crouched down, grabbing my arm gently. He then covered the burn in some sort of…stuff…that cooled the area, then wrapped it tightly in gauze and secured the end with tape.

"There. How does that feel?"

I blinked dumbly and flexed my hand for some reason unbeknownst to me, even. "Feels like ten and a half bucks." He looked at me uncomprehendingly. "Well, it sure as hell doesn't feel like a million bucks, but assuming that having it chopped off would be zero bucks and having it perfectly fine is fifteen bucks, one could say that it feels much better."

Walter smiled and gathered up the medical items he had brought over and made his way back to the cabinets. "Very good. If you wish to change the bandage, everything is in here." He stated as he closed the cabinet door soundly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be back to my duties."

"Okay! Thanks, Walter!" I smiled cheerily, which was something I didn't often do. He smiled in return.

"My pleasure." He gave a little bow before walking off. I sighed and got up.

"I suppose I should find something to do now." I got up an left the room. Contemplating my situation a bit further, and taking a long, hard look left and right down the hall, I realized that I didn't have the slightest clue as to where the hell I was. "Uh-oh…"

I ended up wandering around for quite a few hours. Most of the Hellsing manor was devoid of life, and I would have nosed around a bit more if a majority of the rooms hadn't been locked. And I wasn't good at picking locks, either, which kind of took away most of the fun I could have had.

"I should have paid attention when I was following Walter…" I grumbled angrily to myself, passing the same doorway for a third time. "All right, I don't think I've been down this way…" I went in the direction I didn't think I went in before and ended up back where I had first run into Walter.

"FINALLY!!" I somehow managed to suppress the urge to fall to my knees and kiss the floor in joy. I settled with throwing a jubilant punch into the air and doing a random happy dance. I was twirling around when Integra turned the corner and stood stock still, staring at me, looking none impressed with my happy dance. I slowly ground to a halt and stared back after briefly checking my watch.

"I've been lost for the past three hours." I explained meekly, feeling a slight blush rise to my cheeks. Integra just rolled her eyes and walked past me at a brisk pace. I watched her walk down the hall and around the corner. Sure that she was, in fact, gone, I began to dance once again.

After a couple minutes of triumphant dancing, I made my way back to my shared room, a renewed spring to my step. "Oh yeah…I p0wned…the labyrinth…uh huh…I'm awesome…" I continued to sing disjointedly as I entered the room, only to find Seras looking very unhappy and growling at Walter, who was smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Miss Victoria, but it was on Sir Integra's orders." I looked closer to find Seras pointing towards a wood coffin sitting on the floor where her bed had previously been. So that's what she was so angry about. I laughed and smiled smugly at Seras.

"Ha! At least I still…have….mine…" My jab seemed to have backfired, as, upon further inspection, my bed had been replaces with a coffin as well. I sputtered angrily and glared as Seras now smiled smugly at me.

"WAALTER!" I raged, storming over to where he was standing. " I understand why Seras would have to sleep in a coffin, seeing as how she's a vampire and all, but ME!?" Walter could only shrug in apology.

"That was also a part of Sir Integra's orders."

I could feel my left eye twitching as Walter turned back to Seras, who was sniggering quietly at me.

" And Alucard said this: 'You have yet to drink a drop of blood since becoming a vampire. If you do not sleep in a coffin, in the ground from whence you were born, your strength will slowly drain from your body.'" Walter paused. "Well, he said something to that effect, anyhow." Walter shrugged. Seras frowned sadly. I laughed.

"AAAhahahahahaaa!! You fail as a vampire!" I pointed and laughed a bit longer before walking over to my coffin and sitting down heavily on the lid. Seras glared at me coldly. "What!? I can't help it if you suck. I'm more of a vampire than you, and I'm not a vampire at all!" I grinned evilly, but that grin quickly turned to a scowl as I thought about my predicament. "So why are they treating me like one, then!?" I growled and looked at Walter. "Why do I have to sleep in a coffin too? It's not faaaair!" I whined angrily at Walter, who once again shrugged.

"I get the impression that Sir Integra just doesn't like you very much." He said, completely serious. My mouth dropped open and my left eye began to twitch.

"Well, that's nice." I drawled sarcastically. "What's next, she's going to force me to drink blood, too? Oh, yeah, that'd be fun, except for the part where I DIE."

Walter sighed and shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry Miss Alexia, but there is nothing I can do."

I frowned, not fully believing him. "I believe you." Did I ever mention that I lie a lot? Yeah. I do. "I also believe that I'm going to go insane any time now." The room went silent. This silence was effectively shattered by the loud grumblings in my stomach. I doubled over. "Hnnng…I'm hungry."

"I'll bring you some dinner right away." Walter nodded in my direction and left, seeming happy to be out of the room and away from Seras and me. I got up, shoved the lid off the coffin, and jumped in. It was lined with some sort of foam and a soft velvety material, so it was actually fairly comfortable. "Hey, mine's black on the inside. What's yours?"

Seras removed the lid from her coffin and peered inside. "Pink."

"BWAAAHAHAHAHAAA!!" I laughed for a while and sighed. "Heh heh…pink." I burst out laughing again. Seras glared daggers at me as she climbed in and sat down, wiggling around in an attempt to make herself comfortable.

"I suppose this wouldn't be a good time to mention that I'm claustrophobic."

"No, this wouldn't be a good time to mention that you're claustrophobic." Great. Not only was I stuck in a room with a bitchy vampire, but a bitchy claustrophobic vampire forced to sleep in a coffin. Life didn't get any better than that. I gave her a small frown before looking over to the door as Walter carried in a small platter.

"Here's your dinner, Miss Alexia." He set the platter down on a small table in the middle of the room and removed the lid with a flourish to reveal-

"AWESOME! A cucumber sandwich!" I lumbered out of my coffin and stuffed half the sandwich in my mouth. "Fanf awot, Wallltah!"

Walter smiled and bowed before leaving. I chewed my sandwich with reckless abandon and looked up to see Seras watching me, a wistful look in her eyes. I stopped chewing and gave her a creeped-out look. She jumped a bit and smiled embarrassedly.

"Sorry. I just wish I could eat things like that, too." She sighed sadly. I swallowed my mouthful of food and cocked my head to one side.

"What, you want to trade? My humanity for your vampire-ee-ness?"

She scowled deeply. " Don't even say that when you know it can't happen!"

I raised my eyebrows and grabbed the other half of the sandwich. "Trust me…if it could be done, I'd do it." I shoved the rest of the sandwich in my mouth and wandered back to my coffin. " I'd haf no pwoblem wif drinkin blood." I managed to get the sentence out with my mouth completely full. Seras just stared at me. "Wha? Why doef efweyone do dat?" I chewed some more then swallowed. "It's starting to annoy me." I checked my watch. "Ugh. When the HELL did it become eleven o'clock!? No wonder I'm so bloody tired.. Where did the day go?" I shook my head, seriously wondering exactly how long I was dancing in tat hallway for. "Eh, no matter." I got up and got ready for bed-er, coffin. After finding a blanket and pillow, I climbed into my new coffin and snuggled in. "G'night, you pathetic excuse for a vampire." I smiled, calling cheerily to Seras.

"Good night, you messed-up example of a human being." She called back, walking out of the room. I grinned to myself as I pulled the lid closed.

"Hey, maybe this isn't going to be half bad. At least I don't sleep at the same time Seras does, so I won't have to put up with her irrational fear and the night terrors that'll most likely ensue."

Yeah...I'm not the happiest with this chapter, but...yeah. Reviews are appreciated, per usual!