Misiunea Unei Regine
Ketti: OMGNEWSTORYYAY Lithi and I did this ages back. And now this is the beta'd version courtesy of Jubalii fixing what I was too lazyblind to catch.
"This is your first solo undercover mission Seras Victoria, don't screw it up." The aged woman's voice drawled across the large room as easily as her cigar's smoke before she snuffed it.
Seras was elated, if that had anything to say about it. For the last 30 years Seras had been unable to go on such missions because they couldn't spare Hellsing's only trump card. But now that her Master was back, she was allowed to go on such missions she had been waiting for.
One happy Seras Victoria phased out of the room with a skip in her step (right through the door) ignoring Integra's huff. The missions file swung in her hands as she continued to ignore her Master's stalking habits. After all, it was completely by accident that she kept... slipping away from his sight.
Now that Seras was almost on par with Alucard, she could play games too. She thought about this with a grin that was also on par with her Master's as she ducked out of his radar once again.
Seras eventually sat on one of the sofa's in Integra's study (deciding to give up the game once she realized she had ended up in Integra's presence once more) and swung one leg over the other, opening her manila folder (of doom) and triple reading (just in case!) the document.
The mission seemed simple, she was only supposed to infiltrate a private school for girls and find the vampire(s) infesting the area. Of course it was only rumors, but Hellsing could never be too sure, especially with some FREAKs still running around here and there.
She ignored the extra weight on her side as her now permanently red eyes focused on the report (for the 10th time) and ignored the foreign warmth her Sire provided her. "What're you reading, Seras?" He cooed, walking his fingers up the side of her arm, and she shivered. "My mission details." She answered with carefully neutral tones, furtively glancing at Integra (who was doing her best to ignore the vampires) before glancing under her lashes at the figure of Alucard looking oh so cozy and mirroring her pose. Her brows arched slightly in amusement and she casually began to swing her foot from side to side, wondering if her Master would mimic that as well.
He curled his lip back in a show of fang as his right foot kept tempo with hers and his fingers reached her shoulder to walk across the top of her jacket and drop down onto her left arm possessively. "is that so?" He drawled and tippeed his head down to peer at her over the tops of his tinted glasses. (She was sure he wore them just to do that to people, it was a bit intimidating.)
"Mhm." She answered, and flipped the page to stare intently at its contents (despite having memorized them at this point), a secret inner smile hovering in her thoughts. He made a low sound in his throat, and his fingers tightened minutely on her shoulder before pulling her flush to his side and resting his chin on her collarbone to gaze down at the folder with her. "Fascinating." He drawled, clearly bored. "Your first undercover mission, and it's alone." His tone held a hint of mockery, and Seras felt a flicker of something from Integra before the woman cleared her throat meaningfully. Alucard pretended not to notice for a moment before straightening up and flashing his teeth at his Master in a roguish grin. The elderly head of Hellsing shook her head and muttered under her breath before continuing with her paper work. "Bloody vampires flirting in my office..."
Seras felt a flush creeping up her cheeks and did her best to compose herself, "That's right, Master. Now that you're back, Sir Integra can spare me for a few days on missions like this." The bubble of happiness was threatening to burst, and her eyes glimmered with excitement. (Such a childish thing, she didn't want to look like a child to him anymore...)
"Oh, is that so? I figured after the war there would be less FREAKs around." He was still peering over her shoulder, but it was obvious he wasn't even reading the darn thing. Probably just trying to make her feel uncomfortable, she figured.
It had been around a week since her Master had returned, and for the past week he has been sleeping for the most part, so they haven't had any time to tell him about the 30 years of missed time. Seras knew this was one chance she had to tell him something. "We thought so too, but unfortunetly that isn't the case. During the first 10 years, it was worse then ever, but over the last 20 years activity has dimmed considerably, and your return is just what I needed to be able to go on my first solo undercover mission, since undercover usually take excessive amounts of time." Seras explained, bright red eyes still trimming over her papers for missing details.
"Mmm," he drawled, sounding bored, "and, how, exactly do you plan on explaining away your eyes, Police Girl? Red eyes aren't very common." His tone was neutral, but she felt the mocking bite behind it as he shifted his gaze over top his glasses to stare directly at her. (She had to fight the urge to shiver, god damn she loved his eyes.)
"That won't be a problem." Sir Integra interrupted their little staring match with a quirk of her lips, "we were prepared for this, nad while Miss Victoria may never pretend at blue eyes again, turning red to brown is a simple matter of specially made colored contacts."
The woman reached into her desk and withdrew a small box, very thin and not bigger than her palm. Glancing down at it for a moment, Integra's lips twisted further, "In fact..." she almost hesitated, "Walter made these before the attack on London specifically for Miss Victoria to go out in public without unnecessary eye wear." She shot an amused look at Alucard's google sided amber lenses and pushed the little box across the paper strewn surface of her desk to balance it near the edge within easy reach of a passerby.
Seras shook her head and tsked, "You really should stop hoarding Integra, I heard it's bad for your health." She teased, but it was obvious she felt some amount of worry for Integra's need to hold onto Walter's things. Integra's eye twitched and she looked like she was about to argue, or throw something in Seras' general direction before Alucard broke the short silence ina grave tone, "Walter, hn? So you've both so easily forgiven him for what he's done? For betraying us all? And if you haven't recalled, the gun he made me blew up." Alucard's voice was scathing, as if scolding a child. "And you trust this device he made?"
Integra looked for a moment as though she had swallowed a lemon, then glanced down at the box. Her pursed lips tightened before smoothing into a carefully bland expression, "I've had it tested." She started in a quiet tone, "And nothing harmful has been detected in the countless trips to our labs, so yes, in this instance I do." There was a challenging light in her remaining eye then as she lifted her gaze to Alucard, daring him to question her judgement further. Walter's betrayal still stung, and thirty years was truly not enough time to soothe the wound.
"And I said nothing of forgiveness." She whispered, almost to herself.
Seras looked nervously between her Master and her Master's Master. She always broke up the fights Integra started with other people, like the round table, but she knew better then to try and tell her Master to shut his trap. At this thought, she felt a hand squeeze her thigh rather roughly (Though she didn't know when he had moved it there) and she had to stifle a groan.
Integra didn't seem to detect anything out of the ordinary, but her mind was probably too preoccupied now thinking of Walter's betrayal.
Soon Seras had grown tired of the silence and simply phased down through the couch and straight through many floors (startling a few soldiers) and making her way to her own bedchamber. Seras vaugly wondered how she had 'escaped' her Master's vice grip, but shrugged it offm throwing the file onto a desk nearby before throwing herself into her open coffin.
During the time she had grown closer to Integra, it was suggested that she had a coffin custom made shortly after the war was resolved and the new members of the round table were chosen. It was a bit like her Master's with crimson velvet lining the insides, dirt from her birthplace beneath a comfy layer, the outside was pure obsidian. Though it had no phrases like her Master's 'bird of hermes', if you looked closely enough a signature could be found in the corner reading 'For Integra's pet Monster'.
(*_*) ^(*_*)^ (*_*)
Seras woke groggily at the crack of dawn, stumbling blindly through her room as she gathered up the last of her things. Her assignment was at a private, all girls high school, (and she was still wondering how Sir Integra would get around the in campus dorm policy) and she was to join the Juniors in their daily activity. 'It's a damned good thing I can stand some sunlight.' She grumbled to herself as she nearly crashed face first into her bathroom door to grab a quick shower before changing into her uniform. (Thankfully, she didn't need to take P.E.)
When she emerged fifteen minutes later, she looked more awake, but grumpy. "They call this a uniform? The principal must've watched too much anime, I swear..." The skirt was pleated, and blue and black plaid, the little white stripes matching her knee high socks and obscenely short shirt. Her midriff mocked her as she tugged at it to cover her bellly button. "Ugh! Perverts! All of them." Tapping her blue and black sneaker clad foot on the stone floor in agitation, she growled, grabbed her bacckpack, and phased up to the main floor to wait for Sir Integra at the front doors for a last breifing on their drive over.
Her Master, of course, was there, and leered openly at her as she appeared. She huffed and resisted the urge to cross her arms protectively over her chest. "It's not funny."
His smirk said otherwise.
Seras glared at her Master, turning her head away from him defiantly, even as she phased through the large front doors. Knowing Integra, she was already waiting outside most likely.
The Draculina tried not to laugh when she noticed the door guards jump in surprise, but frowned when she realized her Master had followed her out. She was hoping his hate for the sun would keep him inside. After all, he was Dracula, he was immune to the sunlight, but it didn't mean he liked it.
"This is my mission Master, what are you doing here?" Seras complained, ignoring the confused looks the guards were sending their way.
He gave her an almost poisonous smile as he followed her down the steps and towards the limo, next to which stood Integra (smoking as usual). "What, I'm not allowed to leave the house when I please?" He leered at her, and nearly bumped into her with each step, invading her personal space quite ruthlessly.
"Seras is quite correct, Alucard." Sir Integra cut in, blowing a ring of smoke, "it's her mission, you are to stay at Hellsing with me." She paused for a moment, casting her eye over her two pet vampires, and sighed inaudibly, "But I know you well enough, and you are welcome on the drive over."
Seras wanted to protest, but she knew as well as Integra did that when her Master got like this nothing short of an order would get him to back off (and even then he'd likely find a way around it). Casting her eyes skyward as though to plead for patience, she walked around the back of the car to the other side, muttering. "I am so not a morning person."
Integra tossed her a smirk as she opened her door and slid into the cushy back seat, "Neither am I, vampire."
Alucard chuckled as he watched his females and their antics, simply phasing into the car as Seras' door closed behind her rudely. He sat across from them, leg crossed at the knee, and made himself (obscenely) comfortable.
"Right..." Seras groaned, running a hand over her face. "Let's rehash this one last time."
"You are to infiltrate the school and find the creatures terrorizing the students there. This mission has no time limit, i just ask that you solve this before too many casualties are committed." Integra leaned closer to Seras and handed her the little box with the contacts inside, and lingered for a minute longer close to Seras' side. "I want you to be careful, Seras. We have no idea if this is just a simple FREAK infestation, or a real enemy."
"I've taken on a werewolf, old woman. I think I can handle a few of my own kind." Seras grinned feraly. She'd been trying to hide the fact that when it came to bloodshed, she had started to become excited just like her Master, but she knew he'd figure it out someday when she went into bloodlust.
It was likely it would be a long time before any blood was shed, but she couldn't keep the excitement out of her face. Seras looked into Integra's lined, worried face and she softened a bit. "But I'll be careful, my Master." Her shadow arm imitation wrapped half around her in comfort.
Seras had noticed that as the years past, even more so after Walter's death, Integra was having a harder time hiding her worry for her servants. It was evident she didn't want them to leave her too, and only had Seras for the past 30 years, and even she had given up on Alucard returning.
A playful glint lit the blonde's crimson eyes as the comforting arm tightened and she leaned in close to whisper in the older woman's ear, "So, what's this line I saw about my 'undercover' name being Seras Hellsing... Mom?"
Integra stiffened and a red flush threatened to bloom on her cheeks as Alucard burst out laughing across from them. "Well, I had to get you in somehow..." The elderly woman growled, and shoved the hand from her shoulder to scoot back to her side of the limo irritably. Lord it was bad enough her vampires acted like children, now she had to claim Seras as her supposed daughter. Faintly the aforementioned undead caught a grumbling thought from their human Master about 'round table will never let me hear the end of it if they catch on...' and Seras shot her Sire a look to no, shut up, it's not funny.
"Just don't tell me he's my father." Seras joked, sending her Sire another sideways glance.
Integra seemed to sober up and gave Seras a look that told her she knew something she didn't want to know. "Oh god pl-""No, no, it's not that. The other option was to list him as your husband, but I knew you wouldn't like that." Integra tried to make it sound like a joke, but Seras' face was a deep red as her Master barked a laugh from his seat across from them. "Seras Tepes, what a wonderful name." He teased, hand over his chest as if he couldn't stop laughing at the idea.
Seras was quiet for the rest of the ride after she put her contacts in, and it was no time at all before they arrived at the front of the school.
"You," Integra started as the car stopped and the driver got out to walk down the length of the limo to open the door for her, "will stay inside the car, Alucard." Her eye shone with warning that she would indeed make it an order if need be.
The male frowned and sat forward as though to protest, when Integra raised her hand to slap him and he bared his teeth in a vicious parody of a smile, "Yes, my Master." He conceded, and neither woman took it to mean he would behave for long.
She eyed him warily for a moment before nodding, "Good. We shall return shortly to Hellsing, wait for me here, Servant."
Seras and Integra both slid out through the opened door and the driver bowed his head as he shut it and walked back to lean against his door (Seras thought he was scared to be in the car with her Master alone) as they passed and walked side by side up to the front of the school. Seras eyed the various loitering students and noted that all their uniforms appeared as ill fitting as hers, and reaffirmed her theory that the principal was clearly male. She opened the door for Integra, resisting the urge to bow flamboyantly, a playful smirk quirking her lips as she wraggled her brows at the elderly woman (who smacked her on the head) as she passed.
"That's no way to look at your mother." Integra remarked dryly, and pretended not to see the childish expression on Seras' face in response as they took a left and made their (sedate) way to the main office to sign the last of the registration papers and pick up Seras' schedule.
"Yes mother." Seras sing-songed.
Sir Integra wished she had a newspaper to roll up and smack the impudent girl's head with. (Ah, that brings back memories...)
When they arrived, the secretary took one look at them, arched a brow, and calmly buzzed them in, "The principal will see you now." She announced a moment later.
"That was fast..." Seras muttered. Well, clearly they were expected, they didn't even need to introduce themselves.
"Ah, ladies, such a pleasure to make your acquaintance in person." A very tall (and skinny as a rail) man with very little hair left on his balding head said as he turned to grace them with a (false looking) smile and the rather unnerving stare of his hazel eyes that seemed to bulge from his head. He wore a rather out of date cream suit (that went quite badly with his complexion) and ill fitting white gloves that he extended in a gesture of greeting before gesturing the women to take their seats (somewhat beaten but nonetheless comfortable small armchairs) as he stood behind his desk and shuffled some papers around. "It is an honor to add Miss Seras to our esteemed school. My name is Dick Ballinger, and I've been the head of St Beerha's Academy for the Advancement of Women's Education for the past ten years now. There are some formalities to settle and papers to sign, as Miss Hellsing is entering quite late in the year." His smile soured a bit, but was swiftly hidden by more fake sincerity as his gaze drifted over the younger blonde and lingered inappropriately long.
"Yes, of course." Integra cut in with a carefully bland tone.
"First there is the matter of the dorms," Mr. Ballinger started, and was swiftly cut off by the elder Hellsing.
"We've arranged an empty room already through your secretary and the matron of the housing complex."
"Right, yes, of course. Well there are a few simple rules..."
Seras listened with half an ear, bored to tears by the man's droning voice. It was bad enough she had to be awake in the day, but listening to him go on and on about how only the seniors were allowed off campus during school hours and other such nonsense was mind numbing.
At last the torture was over, she was forced to shake his hand (she swore he was staring at her chest again) and she received her schedule as well as instructions to see Ms. Lawler for her room and locker keys.
Sir Integra hesitated a moment before they were to part ways at the office, looking almost concerned. Seras was quick to reassure her with a smile and a gentle pat on the hand, "It'll be fine. I'll be in contact every day." She was careful to keep her smile close lipped to not accidentally give the (prying and eavesdropping) secretary a peek of her fangs. The elder blonde favored her with a bittersweet smile of her own before gently ruffling Seras' hair and departing down the hall.
Seras made an indignant sound and reached up to straighten the mess of her spiky locks as she turned the opposite direction to fetch her keys. (Not that she'd need them, really, but she was supposed to keep up appearances after all.)
Seras eyed her reflection distastefully in the mirror in her secluded dorm. Not only was her shape slightly wavy and transparent, but she disliked her now brown eyes. She'd grown to like her crimson eyes that much resembled her beautiful Master's. The Draculina supposed she could take her contacts off while alone, and Walter found a way to prevent them from drying out, but she figured it wasn't a good idea.
She began to roam her little get-away-from-home and was surprised to find her coffin placed in the room, a rather large bed above it to hide it. She knew if she were younger, when she was just a little Fledgling, she would have preferred the bed, but ever since her Master had vanished and she spent the first five years in her Master's coffin, wishing for his return, she had grown to love sleeping in coffins.
Seras moved her fingers over the signature, looking at the otherwise blank top and remembering her Sire's engraving, and also remembered that he had chanted these words to release his full powers. She vaguely wondered if it was just a side-effect of the gloves, or her Master being odd.
The Draculina was tempted to go to bed, as she wasn't used to being up at daylight, but thought against it; classes were (DOOMED) to start in only a few minutes.
Seras groaned and decided it really wasn't worth it to sleep in – no matter how much she wanted to – and miss her day of class. With a sigh she dropped onto the bed and rummaged in her pile of papers to peer at her schedule. She knew she didn't have P.E. but beyond that...
Homeroom: room 308
First Period: Trigonometry - room 107
Second Period: World History - room 309
Third Period: English - room 202
LUNCH
Fourth Period: Study Hall - Library
Fifth Period: Chemistry - room 109
"Great, marvelous, fan-fucking-tastic. Of course the classes next to each other aren't after the other. Ugh. And Trig? What the bloody hell? I'm going to kill Integra for this!" Seras snarled to herself as she threw the paper to the floor in disgust. Ugh!
When she looked up, she realized there was a problem. A very big problem. "They... messed up. Shit." She had a roomie. The other bed she'd overlooked earlier she now realized had the specific clutter of being lived in.
Trying to reign in her urge to swear worse than a sailor on shore leave, Seras pursed her lips and stared at the other bed balefully. Maybe if she... Turning to the small built in linen closet, she pulled the extra sheets from the pile and climbed up on top of her bed to carefully arrange the opaque fabric in a privacy curtain. Fortunately she was in a corner already, so it wasn't too difficult after finding the thumbtacks (and subtly using a hint of her powers to ensure they stayed in place).
"Well, that's not unwelcoming." A voice drolled from the other side of the hanging sheets and Seras nearly jumped. How the hell had she not sensed the girl?!
"Sorry," Seras poked her head out from between the overlap, and grinned sheepishly (though still closed lipped) as she made her way off the cushy mattress to the floor. "I like my privacy at night, and my mother told me I was getting a single."
The girl grunted something, and waved her hand, "Not enough spare rooms. Them's the breaks." She was rail thin with mousey brown hair and limpid chocolate eyes. Seras didn't like her much already.
"I guess, yeah. My name's Seras, by the way." The blonde chirped, and smiled good naturedly. The brunette rolled her eyes and turned away, grabbing her backpack before leaving the room, "Yeah, whatever."
Seras' eyes flashed and a vicious sneer curled her lips as her arm rippled and a shadow tendril escaped to snake across the floor and raise itself just as the girl took another step. Through sheer force of will alone Seras did not laugh as the girl fell face first into the door jamb, her arm returning to normal shape and color instantly as she too grabbed her things and pretended at concern for a moment. Her (rude!) roommate muttered obscenities under her breath and stormed off, face red - from embarrassment or impact, Seras wasn't quite sure.
"Well, that went splendidly."
'Indeed.' The dulcet tones of her Master's voice oozed into her head, and she jerked, straightening as she cast her gaze about suspiciously for prying eyes. She saw none, but knew he was there.
"It's not nice to spy, Master." She admonished, then wanted to smack herself for speaking aloud.
His laughter rumbled between her ears, but he made no further comment. She was damned suspicious, now, that he would be running a commentary in her head for his own amusement.
"Ugh." Glancing down at her schedule, she sighed, and decided to make her way to Homeroom early. Classes would be starting in about thirty minutes, and she needed to learn her way around (no matter how tempted she was to phase through the floors...) to appear normal.
When she arrived the room was empty and unlocked. Shrugging, she dropped herself in a desk at the far corner away from the window and the crowd of close pressed bodies. "I think i hate this mission already."
'Such a shame, I think I love this mission already, Police Girl.'