(A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but with Thanksgiving and everything, I haven't had much free time on my hands. Plus this chapter was difficult to write. But it's here now, so I hope you enjoy it.)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 11: Last Stand
Seras gulped as they approached the church. She really didn't want to go back in there. She didn't think she could handle seeing Integra in that state again. Not to mention there was the freak that drove her insane.
Glancing at her master, Seras wondered if he had once been as twisted and evil as his clone. She knew he had been monstrous in the past, but he changed since then, though he was still undoubtedly sadistic.
'Just remember what he told you' she reminded herself. 'Acting out on your nature is one thing, to do it just for the hell of it is another.'
"You worry too much, Police Girl." He told her.
Seras jumped and blushed. Was he reading her mind again? She hated it when he did that; she felt to exposed. Maybe that was why he did it; he loved pushing peoples' buttons.
"Can we really do this?" she asked uncertainly. This so-called Dracula had managed to overpower the king of vampires. Could her added strength really make that much of a difference?
"You doubt yourself too much, Police Girl." He told her. "You are a vampire. One of my own making. You have power. Now that you've accepted yourself as you are, it's time to behave like a proper vampire."
Seras made a small squeaky noise. "I'll try."
"No. You'll do it."
He kicked open the door. The church was, predictably, empty. But underneath it, through the secret door, body of humans and other dark creatures littered the floor, courteous of Seras in her state of bloodlust.
Alucard gave the mutilated bodies a look of approval. Turning to Seras, he gave her a grin. "An impressive job on taking out your enemies, Police Girl. I applaud your work."
Seras felt her face heat up in embarrassment. "Um, thanks… I think." Was this something to be praised for?
Alucard noticed her discomfort. "Don't forget, Seras, these people would have done the same to you and anyone else for mere sport alone, and they would have dragged it out and made it a lot more painful than you did. Don't pity them."
Seras' eyes narrowed as she remembered what these creeps had planned on doing to her. She kicked a dismembered head with such force that it splattered against the wall.
Alucard smiled. "Good girl. Now lets go."
Feeling more determine, Seras nodded. "Yes, sir."
They continued through the hideout in silence, the only sound coming from the sickening crunch of meat and bone beneath their feet. And soon they came to a large hole in the wall that had once been a door to Junior's so-called thrown room.
Alucard traced his finger over the broken stone. "You made quite an entrance."
Seras bashfully looked down, tapping her index fingers together. "I guess I got a little carried away."
"On the contrary. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."
They continued into the room and came to the door that led to Integra's prison. Once they entered it, they saw the former Hellsing leader still chained to the floor, looking like she was attempting to ripe open her mouth wider than it allowed. Her cheeks were already ripped open as she pulled on her lower and upper jaws.
Seras made a small noise and looked away. Integra turned to them and let go of her mouth, the rips in her cheeks immediately healing. Her red eyes lit up with excitement and insanity as she crawled across the floor to get as close to them as the chains would allow.
"Police Girl," she hissed, "come here, Police Girl. Police Girl, get your fucking ass over here!"
Seras felt like crying. "Oh, Sir Integra." She looked at Alucard. "Is there nothing that can be done for her?"
In answer, Alucard shot his former master in the arm. Integra didn't seem to notice the pain, but what she did notice was the blood flowing out of the wound. She grinned excitedly and began gnawing at the wound, lapping up her own blood. When the wound healed seconds later, she screamed in protest and began clawing at her arm, trying to get more of the sweet red essence.
Alucard turned back to Seras. "Does that answer your question?"
Seras didn't reply. She didn't need to. There were two possible options for Integra's case. Death, or a lifetime in an insane asylum for the people there was no help for. And Seras knew that if the old Integra were here, she would choice death without hesitation.
"Give it!" Integra shouted, clawing at the air in an attempt to reach the other two vampires. "Give it! Give it! Give it! Fuck! Damn it! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
She grabbed the chain and bite down on it. Her vampire teeth were strong, but the chain was blessed, and her teeth shattered against them. She screamed in protest and began punching the ground.
Seras covered her eyes. "Master, I can't stand this anymore! Please, do something!"
Alucard moved closer to his former master with a frown on his face rather than his usual smirk. "I will make it fast." He told her, as he watched Integra claw at her neck where the chain was attached.
He summoned up a Hell Hound. The large beast appeared and looked at Integra hungrily.
Noticing the presence of the large beast, Integra turned to the overgrown dog and grinned. "Big dog! Big fucking dog!"
The Hell Hound charged at her and she charged right back as if she were the predator. It didn't take long before The Hell Hound was chomping down on the former Hellsing leader. And the whole time it was happening, Integra was laughing, even as she was eaten alive.
Seras couldn't watch. She had to look away. Watching her former master and friend be devoured was too much. She only opened her eyes again when the sounds of the Hell Hound feeding had stopped. And when she did open her eyes, she saw Alucard staring at the bloody mess he had left behind, not moving, not saying a word.
"M-Master?" she asked carefully, but got no reply. "Um, master?"
Alucard turned to her. A single tear of blood ran down his cheek, which he was quick to wipe away. "It's nothing. Just another job. Let's do what we came here to do."
He began walking away. Seras felt a little worried about him. "Master, are you sure you're alright?"
"I said it's nothing!" Alucard snapped.
Seras winced. She knew that his tone was an indication to drop the conversation. "Yes, sorry, sir." She took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of herself. "So, where do we go from here?"
Alucard didn't even look back. "He's supposedly a clone of me. So we should think somewhat alike."
"You're nothing alike!" Seras found herself saying, wanting to defend her master.
"I said think alike, Police Girl, not are alike."
He walked over to the wall and rested his palm against it. A small smirk appeared on his face and he fazed through it. Seras blinked a few times before puffing out her chest. "Alright, here we go!"
She took a running start and ran at the wall… slamming into it painfully.
"OW!!!" she cried, rubbing her head. "What the hell?" She glared at the wall, touching her hand to it. "Ok, let's try this again." She pushed against the wall and went right through it, falling to the ground when she came out the other side. "That hurt."
She looked up and saw Alucard staring at something in the room. That something was a coffin, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was inside it.
"Master, is that?"
"I would imagine so." He walked over to the coffin and looked down at it. The words 'The Bird Of Hermes Is My Name, Eating My Wings To Make Me Tame' were written on it. "Indeed, we do think alike."
Seras joined Alucard's side and bent down to read the inscription. "Um, master, what does that mean?"
Alucard merely cocked his gun. "It's a phrase from the Ripley Scrowle. I will explain it to you later, but stay focused for now. You'll have an eternity to get your questions answered. But only if we remove this scum from our lives."
An arm burst through the coffin, grabbing Seras around the neck and pulling her down. Dracula's head burst through the coffin, his red and black eyes shining excitedly. "Scum, am I? And what does that make you and your little bitch here?"
Alucard fired. Dracula took a bullet in the head and released Seras, who retreated behind Alucard.
The clone went back inside his coffin and kicked the lid open. His head was already healed by the time he got to his feet. He ran his tongue over his rows of teeth as he looked at the two vampires.
"I knew you'd be back." He told them, talking more to Alucard than Seras. "After all, I would have come back." It was then that he noticed the absence of a certain presence. "Where's my bitch?"
Seras glared at him from behind Alucard. "If you mean Sir Integra, she's beyond your reach."
Dracula was silent for a moment. "I see. In that case, I'll take you, little whore." Alucard's fist collided with Dracula's head, knocking the clone over. Dracula sat up, an evil look in his eye. "Possessive, aren't we? I can understand. First I took your master, now I'm going to take your fledgling."
"You will take nothing." Alucard growled. "This time, it is you that shall fall." In spite of the situation, he found himself grinning. "Police Girl, the time has come. Do it now."
Seras nodded. "Yes, right, of course, sir. Approval of Situation A regarding the Cromwell invocation recognized! Unlock ability restrictions for maximum power!"
Alucard's grin widened as the markings on the back of his hands began glowing. "Approval confirmed. Restriction systems lifted for maximum power."
His body was engulfed in an unholy red light. The transformation had began. Alucard's feature became form demonic, his jet black hair grew until it reached his waist, his crimson clothes changed to black leather, and his copper eyes turned blood red, glowing with murderous intent.
"Now then, it's time to put your so-called superior power to the test!" he snarled as his familiars came forth.
Dracula raised an eyebrow. "So, you're getting series now. We're you holding back last time?"
Alucard just grinned. "I admit, I wasn't focused. But now I am ready and fit for battle." He turned to Seras and held out his hand. "Police Girl, it's time."
Seras nodded and stepped forward. Dracula raised an eyebrow, wondering what they were up to. "What's that little tramp going to do?"
Alucard's hand closed gently over Seras' and he turned back to his clone. "If you truly don't know, then perhaps we are more different than you think." His grin widened. "Seras, let's begin."
Seras' eyes began glowing. "Yes, my master."
She summoned her own familiars as her body exploded into a black mass. Both hers and Alucard's black aura swirled together, shielding them from Dracula's view.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
Alucard's laughter came from within the giant mass of darkness. "Something I learned while in the service of Hellsing. Something I didn't understand in my darker days. Power is fine and dandy, but no one can do everything on their own. You, my clone, are completely alone."
"But we have each other." Seras finished.
The dark mass opened somewhat to reveal Alucard and Seras. The black mass of their bodies was joined at the waist of a single torso. Black leather clothed from the waist up before it became the dark aura that swirled around them. Both Alucard and Seras were attached to this body, there heads attached by the same neck, like a creature that was attempting to merge as one, or perhaps split in two. Both of them had a twisted demonic smile plastered on their faces.
Alucard wasn't easily surprised, and being his clone, Dracula wasn't either, but this certainly caught him off guard. But the sight before him still made him grin. "Well now, this is a pleasant surprise. Hopefully you'll prove to be more of a challenge to me this way. After all, being powerful is nice, but it's so hard to find a good opponent I can go all out with."
"Stop talking." Alucard growled.
"And show us what you've got." Seras finished.
Dracula beamed. "Gladly!"
He flew through the air at them, summoning up his familiars as he did so. The two black masses collided together with the sound of thunder. The physical parts of them dissolved into mist, swirling around together in a dance of death.
Barely visible within the black mass, arms of darkness waved around, grabbing anything they came in contact with and tearing it apart. Dracula's face appeared within the darkness, surrounded by these black arms as he searched for his prey. "You can't beat me." he declared.
Alucard's gloved hand appeared beside Dracula's head, wielding his gun. "We'll see." He said, and fired.
Dracula's head blew open and seemed to melt into the darkness. A moment later, one of his Hell Hound appeared and bit down on Alucard's hand. Two more Hell Hounds appeared, ones that didn't belong to Dracula, and attack the other one. They held it in place as Seras' Harkonnen swam through the darkness and blew a hole straight through the beast's head.
The Hell Hounds head turned into a mass of purple eyes, which began growing into hideously deformed creatures. Dracula hadn't been kidding when he claimed to have taken all the failed experiments. Seras felt a mixture of fear and disgust from them and withdrew her presence back into the darkness.
Two red eyes swam forward. One became Dandy Man and the other became Rip Van Winkle. Dandy Man threw a handful of magic cards and Rip Van Winkle fired a magic bullet. Dracula's familiars were sliced to pieces and blown apart. They immediately became whole again and melted back into the darkness.
Dracula's head swam through the black aura. A swarm of centipedes crawled all over and began eating through his flesh, but he ignored them as he found what he was looking for. Opening his mouth, he bit down, his teeth sinking deep onto Alucard's head.
Seras appeared beside them, biting into Dracula's neck. Snarling, he released Alucard and the vampire king turned to him, summoning up two more familiars. Father Anderson appeared and stabbed Dracula's head with his holy blades. Integra appeared beside him, the insanity no longer present in her eyes.
"Payback." She said, and fired at Dracula's head.
The bullet blew a hole through the clone's head. He bared his fangs at her before melting into a pool of blood and dissolving back into the darkness.
Seras swam through the darkness, trying to distinguish what of the dark aura was Dracula and what was her and her master. Several bats flew in front of her and merged together to become one of Dracula's Hell Hounds. The beast opened its mouth and swallowed her floating head whole.
It didn't have her long though. It's forehead split open and Seras flew out of its skull. She summoned forth Pip. He appeared next to her and fired at the Hell Hound, blowing several holes through its head, then both he and the Hell Hound disappeared.
Only the three of them were aware of what was happening within the dark mass. Had anyone else witnessed the battle, they would have merely seen a large mass of darkness swirling around.
But finally the darkness exploded and Dracula was thrown from the black mass. He slammed against the wall and slid to the ground. He looked up at the large black mass as it approached him. Both Alucard and Seras were visible again, looking down at the clone hungrily.
The surprise look on Dracula's face was similar to the one Alucard had when he was defeated by Van Hellsing so many years ago, as were his words. "Have I… been bested?"
It was with great satisfaction that Alucard repeated his first master's words. "Yes, you are bested."
"And you are in deep shit." Seras told him, surprised by what she had just said.
Regardless of his position, Dracula suddenly grinned. His eyes shined with excitement as he looked up at the two vampires. "So, you've beaten me. I admit defeat. But what are you going to do now? Kill me? Familiarize me? Torture me? Enslave me? Imprison me? I'll take anything you dish out with the utmost pleasure."
"Oh no," said Seras, wearing a wicked smirk similar to her master, "we've got something special planned for you."
"Indeed." Said Alucard. "We're going to tear your very soul apart, and send you to the deepest pits of Hell in pieces."
They closed in on the clone, and Dracula couldn't help but to laugh, even as the darkness consumed him.
(A/N: Phew, that ends that. I'm telling you, that final battle was not easy to write, and the fact that I've had a writer's block didn't help, but how'd you like it? This isn't quite the end. There's one more chapter coming. I'll se you then.)