Chapter 3
Seras
Seras Victoria stood in the shade of a nearby tree as she watched Sir Integra and Danny Phantom's older sister Jasmine have Afternoon Tea together. Both of them were silent except for the polite giving and receiving of biscuits and offers of sugar and jam. Jasmine broke the ice first as she said, "What are you planning to do with my brother." Seras saw the look in Jasmine's eyes; it reminded her of Sir Integra's own, only half as threatening. Sir Integra took a sip of her tea before answering, "It is my hope that he will become an ally to my organization." "Your organization of vampire hunters," Jasmine said, "that has a vampire helping them." Sir Integra then bluntly stated, "If you have something to say, say it. I loathe people who don't speak directly."
Jasmine looked her square in the eye and said, "You want to control Danny, don't you?" Sir Integra sat there for a minute before saying, "No, I don't. I want him to help me." That got Seras and Jasmine's attention. "You have heard of the 'Zeppelin Incident', over 3 million in London killed, and your own White House attacked as well. I was there in the thick of it, and I'm telling you right now that it was vampires who were responsible for it." Sir Integra then looked Jasmine in the eye with a look that made her go pale, "I watched as men, women, and children were torn apart with bullets, rockets, bare hands, and even teeth. I personally fought the mad man that led that attack and I put a bullet in between his eyes, he shot my left eye out before I sent him to Hell. I have seen things that not even the most shell shocked soldier could watch and keep their sanity.
"Against such evil I have done and ordered horrible things for the greater good. When I meet Our Maker I have much to answer for, but while I'm still on this Earth I will do whatever it takes to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. And I think that your brother can help me reach that goal. He has powers that vampires can only dream of; under my tutelage he can truly make a difference in the world." Jasmine was silent before she hung her head and said, "You want to throw him to the wolves." "He has already faced the wolves," Sir Integra shot back. "You're going to send him after bigger ones," Jasmine stated.
The two of them just looked at each other before Jasmine said, "How can anyone be so cold." Sir Integra smiled at this and said, "Ask me again at Supper and I'll tell you." She then got up but before going back into Hellsing Manor she said, "I hope you have a strong stomach." Seras realized that was her cue and dutifully said, "If you'll follow me Miss Fenton I'll take you back to your room." "Call me Jazz," Jazz said and followed her. "So," Jazz asked as they entered Hellsing Manor, "What's your story?" Seras stopped for a moment and said, "Sad… and painful. You don't want to hear my life story then hear Sir Integra's, it will only depress you." Jazz looked like she was even more interested, but stayed quiet. "If you brought any good clothes I suggest you wear them for Supper," Seras told her, then left to tell the rest of Jazz's family.
Danny
Danny was sitting in a chair in one of the few good outfits he had, a simple grey suit with a white undershirt and light blue tie, talking to Sam on his cell phone. "It's a lot less fancy here than I expected," Danny told Sam. "Really?" Sam said, surprised. "Yeah, this mansion looks more like a fancy hotel than some ancient family house. I haven't taken any chances to talk to Sir Integra about it, yet. I plan on saying something at Dinner; or 'Supper' as she calls it," Danny told her, saying the word 'supper' with an atrocious mock-British accent. Sam laughed at the horrible accent then said, "What about that vampire girl, Seras?" "She's actually pretty nice. I asked her what she did to eat, apparently she gets blood supplied by the Red Cross to feed her, she just drinks it right out of a bag," Danny told her. "If only the people of the United Kingdom knew what their tax money went into," Sam said then Danny heard a knock on his door. "Supper is ready sir," Jefferson said from the other side. "Gotta go Sam, time for 'Supper'," Danny said, again saying 'supper' with an atrocious mock-British accent. "Bye Danny, I love you," Sam said, "Love you too Sam," Danny said and hung up.
Danny stepped out to see his parents and sister were dressed up as well, Jazz in a conservative blue dress, Maddie in a sleeveless black dress, and Jack wore a matching black suit and tie with a white undershirt. "Wow Dad, I didn't think you'd ever wear anything except your jumpsuit after that camping trip," Danny said, only for Jack to lightly pull down his left coat sleeve to reveal his orange jump suit. "Let's just say that I'm feeling a little paranoid about all this vampire business. And the name Hellsing rings a bell for me, but I can't remember when's the last time I heard it," Jack explained. "I know, I feel the same way, but I can't quite remember either," Maddie said as Jefferson led them all to the Dining Hall. The Dining Hall was huge with numerous tables where men in uniforms sat eating their Supper. "ATTENTION!" Jefferson bellowed and all the men simultaneously stood up and snapped to attention. Danny then heard Sir Integra say, "At ease," and they all went back to eating.
Sir Integra was the only one left standing at the head of a table; she was now in a blue business suit with a red cravat and white undershirt and with what looked like a long brown cigarette in her mouth and white gloves on her hands. Sir Integra took the long brown cigarette out of her mouth with her right hand and indicated with that hand, "Would you do me the honor of sitting at my right hand, Daniel?" "Okay," Danny said and Sir Integra said, "Lewis, Kennedy, and Davis, help our guests with their seats." Three men in another table immediately stood up and said, "Sir!" The three soldiers along with Jefferson then helped Danny and his family with their seats; Danny at Sir Integra's right, Jack to her left, Jazz next to Danny with Maddie next to Jack. Once they were all seated two servants entered the room and placed a tray in front of everyone seated at Sir Integra's table. "For appetizers we have Belvoir Crumpets, followed by Beef Wellington with new potatoes and red wine gravy for the Main Course and finally Chocolate and Meringue Bombe Glacée for Dessert," one of the servants proudly announced. "Very good Rothechild, send my compliments to Gaylord and Britfield for me," Sir Integra told the servant.
"I will Sir," Rothechild said, then turned to Danny and his family, "And what shall we provide for drink?" "I believe Merlot would suffice for me and Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, what do we have for squash?" Sir Integra said. "Squash?" Danny asked his parents quietly. "It's a type of fruit juice," Maddie explained to him. "Well," Rothechild said, "we had lemon, pomegranate, apple and elderflower last time I checked the inventory." "I'll just have water," Jazz said, "Lemona…squash," Danny said. "Very well," Rothechild said, and departed to get the drinks.
"So, Sir Integra, how did you come to run 'The Royal Order of Protestant Knights?" Jazz asked their host. Sir Integra smirked and said, "It all started with Dracula." Jack and Maddie laughed at this then stopped when they realized that she was dead serious from the look in her one eye. "You have all probably heard the story of how Count Dracula came to England in 1897 in an attempt to conquer, only to be killed by Professor Abraham van Helsing. Well, that was the story Bram Stoker told, the truth is that Van Helsing didn't kill him, he defeated him and using numerous magical and alchemical formulas derived from paganism and Kabbalah, along with his own formulae enslaved him. In return for stopping Dracula, Queen Victoria made Professor van Helsing an English citizen, gave him a Knighthood, and the land upon which Hellsing Manor is constructed," Sir Integra said. "I am his great-granddaughter and for generations after Van Helsing's victory, Dracula was my family's greatest weapon against the undead menace.
"We experimented on him to discover the weaknesses of vampires and to make him resistant against them. My Father, Sir Arthur Hellsing, did the greatest amount of experiments and when he was done he renamed him Alucard." Integra paused to gauge everyone's reaction. When she looked at Danny he thought, she's not joking, her family owns Dracula! The REAL Dracula! Sir Integra then continued talking when she saw that she had their undivided attention. "In 1969 my Father sealed Alucard away, in his own words Alucard 'had become too powerful a drug to be used as more than an occasional medicine'. I was born 8 years later. My mother was Lady Elizabeth Conway; she met my father in India, same as her parents. When I was 3 my mother caught an incurable strain of cholera. Father brought me back home and raised me with help from our servants and my Uncle Richard Hellsing."
Sir Integra paused then and sucked from her long brown cigarette-thing and exhaled smoke before continuing. "Two months before my twelfth birthday Father discovered he had lung cancer, terminal. Three weeks after my twelfth birthday he died; and I discovered that my Uncle Richard was not so trustworthy. On his death bed Father declared me the Head of the Family and the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, and told me about Alucard. Uncle Richard was most displeased that I was made the Head over him and tried to have me killed. I narrowly escaped through our air conditioning vents and made my way to the dungeon where Alucard was sealed. Inside I found a dried out old corpse, and there Richard found me. He shot me in the right shoulder and some of my blood fell on the corpse.
"Just as Richard was going to finish me one of his bodyguards screamed, "The Corpse! It's moving!" Just then the servants came in and started serving the Beef Wellington. Danny only then realized that his drink had already arrived as well. Everyone stopped and took a few sips of their drinks and bites of food, digesting Sir Integra's story along with the food. Dracula was real! Danny thought. His respect for Sir Integra shot up as he digested how her life had been, he couldn't imagine having an evil Uncle that tried to kill him. After five minutes Sir Integra resumed her story, "Everyone turned and saw the corpse lick my blood off the ground, it was bound in a black leather straight jacket. We watched as its skin returned to a near human shade, yet too pale to be fully human and its eyes glowed red. Alucard sprang into action and tore apart all three of Richard's bodyguards and ripped his arm off. Then he turned his attention to me.
"'Are you the one who awakened me?' he asked. 'Your blood is the first blood I've tasted in 20 years. It was most delicious.' I took one of the bodyguard's guns and shot him until all the bullets were gone. He didn't even act like it had hurt. He sprang towards me, forcing me against the wall and said, 'If you ever have a problem, call on me, and they will all fall!' I knew that he wasn't sincere when he said that, and said so to his face, refusing to be his slave. He said, 'Give up, it is no use, become my-' I interrupted before he finished, telling him that 'I will never surrender; it is my pride and duty as leader of Hellsing.' Alucard laughed and then bowed to me, saying, 'You truly are your Father's daughter. My Master, what is your bidding?' Just then Richard tried to shoot me, only for Alucard to block the bullet. I personally shot Richard dead and Alucard swore his undying loyalty to me and my heirs. And thus, I became the leader of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights."
Sir Integra finished her story and Danny and his family all looked at her with mixtures of respect and fear. Everyone was silent for the rest of the meal. After it was over Sir Integra said, "I would like to ask you all a favor." "What?" Jack asked for everyone. "What you see and hear in Hellsing Manor stays in Hellsing Manor. We do not need everyone to know that vampires are real," Sir Integra said. "We'll think about it," Danny said, and started walking back to his room; it had been a long day.