Oh wow. Hallo. Still remember me?
So yeah, what did I say last time? That I would get a new chapter out before Christmas? Boy, really screwed that one, didn't I? I am so sorry that this update took like forever and I know this is an old excuse but it's true: life gets in the way. Most of my time is now taken by the school I'm in and while I love learning the arts of filmmaking it is time consuming and tiring. When I have free days I just want to relax. So that's why updating this chapter took so long because I only got it a little piece at a time made.
I did however get some motivation recently. Firstly, the episode 9 of Hellsing Ultimate came out. Come on people, that was awesome! I also saw a remake of Fright Night starring Colin Farrell. Not as good as the original which is one of my favourite vampire movies, but still better than I expected. Scary monster vampires, just the way I like 'em.
And also, I realised that next month is going to be really busy so I hurried this chapter finished. I have no idea when I'll update next time so I won't bother making any promises.
Big thanks for all the people who reviewed the last chapter: Sobeyda S. Dracul, JIN-HayTeR, BigKwell, hellsingfan101, VladLover, Breezybiatch (love the name), Soul93, always faithful Irena, Mortimer S and Attack 224. Thank you so much!
Disclaimers: see previous chapters.
CHAPTER 36: MASTER OF MONSTER
Round Table Conference Room, Buckingham Palace 1989
This is going to be one of those days, Sir Hugh Island thought, as he rubbed his eyes.
The entire council of Round Table was gathered in the room, along with the Queen herself who stayed at the end of the room. Between them stood a group of three. A twelve year old girl with long blonde hair and glasses, dressed in a men's suit tailored for her. An old butler of Hellsing family Sir Island had met many times. And a vampire Sir Island had only met briefly decades ago, dressed in a red Victorian coat and red sunglasses, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"I'm sorry, Miss Hellsing, but could you repeat that?" one of the council men said, even when everyone had heard her the first time.
"I said that starting immediately I'll be taking over the position left behind by my father, Sir Arthur Hellsing, as the head of the Hellsing organization and member of the Round Table Council" the twelve year old girl said, her voice not wavering the slightest.
One of the council men cleared his throat. "Miss Hellsing, it is very admirable of you, but perhaps for time being we should appoint a temporary head for the Hellsing organization. Someone more suited for the job..."
"Just until you have reached more suitable age" another council man hurried to say. "Perhaps Sir Penwood could..."
Sir Penwood looked alarmed and was about to raise an objection when Integra spoke again. "Have any of you gentlemen ever looked a vampire straight in the eyes?"
A silence filled the room.
"Have any of you gentlemen killed a ghoul when it's about to tear you to pieces and eat your flesh? Have any of you gentlemen ever smelled the rotting stink of the undead mere inches away from your face?"
Some of the council men shifted uncomfortably in their chairs.
"No? Well, I have. And I dare say that makes me more suited for this job than anyone of you" Integra said.
Walter had to admit he was impressed. After what had happened between Integra and Richard, who officially had met an unfortunate car accident, Walter had been worried that Integra would break. But whatever pain and nightmares she carried inside of her she seemed to use them to fuel her. To give her energy to go forward. It was both admirable and frightening at the same time.
From the corner of his eye Walter observed Alucard. The use of a red Victorian coat reminded him of a portrait of Abraham Van Helsing, hanging in the office. The vampire chose to appear closely like the first man who defeated him. Walter wondered Alucard's reasons for this. Maybe it was just a mood swing or maybe he wanted appear more like a hunter instead of a monster to Integra. It was impossible to say.
Walter noticed that Alucard was not his stone calm self today. In the eyes of anyone else he would not have appeared to be anything but standing still there, but for Walter who had known him and battled along with him noticed something peculiar. Alucard was fidgeting. His fingers were twitching and his shoulders just ever slightly shaking. Walter knew from experience that Alucard rarely showed such excitement unless in the battle.
He's enjoying this, Walter realised. He enjoys seeing her take command.
"Miss Hellsing, no one is unsympathetic to your recent... experiences but..." yet another council man started.
"But nothing, sir" Integra said, raising her voice a little. "My father often told me about the Council of Round Table. For centuries you, since the days of King Arthur himself, have ruled what happens in these islands and protected them. A duty passed from father to son. While times have changed you have not. In the past the high lords ruled in open, now from the shadows. I am only claiming what is rightfully mine: my right and duty to protect this country as only my family could. And if I am not fit enough for that part the Council should not be alarmed. In that case my life expectancy would be very short".
Walter nodded his head. Alucard looked like he wanted to clap his hands together.
But it wasn't Alucard who clapped. It was the Queen. "Wonderful, truly wonderful. I see that the vampire here is not the only one who can't change. The stubbornness of Hellsing seems to carry on".
The council men looked at the Queen in disbelief until Sir Hugh drew everyone's attention by clearing his throat. "Those in favour for Integra Hellsing taking her father's place as the head of Hellsing and member of Round Table? Raise your hands".
Sir Island and Sir Penwood raised their hands immediately. The others hesitated for a moment, but soon couple more hand were raised. Then couple more. And more. Less than a minute all the hands were up.
Queen approved. "So nice to have this decided this quickly. I do hate it when these meetings go nowhere" she said, more to herself than anyone.
And that is how Integra Hellsing became Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing.
###
The Hellsing Organization had done a good job. Vampire and ghoul sightings on English soil had become rarer and rarer in the course of decades. Yet, like cockroaches, they did tend to appear from time to time.
This hunt however differed from the usual ones to the soldiers. Alucard and Integra had joined the hunt. The vampire made the men nervous. Most of them were young and had never seen Alucard before his slumber, though they had heard from those few who had lived to old age about a vampire who fought alongside Hellsing. And here he was, one of the most powerful, if not the powerful midian, fighting with them.
And then there was Integra, their new leader and commander. What had happened in the cellar with Richard was kept secret, so naturally everyone in the Hellsing household knew. And while the men felt respect and admiration for someone who had killed a ghoul in such a young age, it was still difficult for grownup men to take orders from a twelve year old girl. Integra knew this also and for past weeks it had created a strain in the household. So when a ghoul sighting had been made she had come along.
The ghouls had been sighted in a small village north of London, one of those small idyllic English villages that people knew from movies. The police had quarantined the village so Hellsing could work undisturbed and out of the medias eye, something which had become harder and harder with each passing decade. The Hellsing groups had surrounded the school building where the ghouls' nest was. By the time Integra arrived to the scene, accompanied by Walter and Alucard, the first group had already entered the building.
"I don't remember giving them orders to enter yet" Integra muttered as she jumped out of the car.
"I suppose they still have hard time taking orders from you, sir" Walter said. He still had to get used to calling her "sir". He would have preferred to address her as ma'am or young lady, but Integra would have none of it, demanding the same titles her father had had.
Integra grumbled something very un-lady like under her breath. "Well I suppose they better get used to it before somebody dies".
A scream was heard from inside the school building.
"Too late" Alucard grinned.
The trio marched to the squat leader giving orders to the troops. When he noticed Integra he turned to her.
"Sir Hellsing, keep back. We have everything under control here".
"Captain! Who gave those people permission to enter the building?" Integra demanded.
"As I said, we have everything under control" the captain repeated, obviously undermining Integra's authority.
Another scream was heard.
"Evidently, you do not" Integra said.
"Bloody hell, what is the situation there?" the captain demanded to the radiophone.
"It's the children, Captain. They've turned the children into ghouls. They're small and harder to hit than grown ghouls. Also-" came the reply.
"Also what? What?"
"Sir, it's the vampire! It's here also-" the line went dead suddenly.
A sudden crash made everyone turn their heads. A small girl child ghoul, who could not have been older than Integra, had jumped, or fell, out of a window and was currently on top of one of Hellsing soldiers. The man was trying to push the ghoul away with his gun but the creature wouldn't budge.
"For the love of Christ! Help me!" the man shouted as the ghoul brought her mouth closer to him.
A gun shot was heard and the ghoul's head exploded right above the man. The captain turned to see little Sir Integra with a smoking gun in her hand. He hadn't even noticed she was carrying one.
"Captain, pull your men out. This is an order" Integra muttered through her teeth to the shocked captain. "And Alucard..."
"Yes, Master?" the vampire said.
"Go in there and destroy the ghouls and their vampire master. Use any power level you deem necessary".
"Are you alright with that, Master? You did see that ghoul, right? It was no more than a child. There might be a room full of them. Is it really okay for me to just kill them? Remember, I can do it, but it is you who must command it" Alucard said, his voice barely able to contain his excitement.
Integra turned to look him straight in his red eyes. "You have your orders, monster. Search and destroy! Leave nothing stand in your way and nothing live to tell about it!"
The vampire let out a blood chilling laugh and before any of the men could blink their eyes he had entered the school building.
"Aw, hell" the captain muttered, finally coming back to reality. He gave the order for men to pull out while thinking This is no longer a battle for humans.
Alucard couldn't deny it. He had missed this.
The thrill of the hunt. The smell of gunpowder and blood in the air. Soldiers putting brave front when they sweat bullets. The sound of ghouls exploding when he fired them with his new gun Walter had made him. It was big, and would have given any human who used it physical damages when fired. The ghouls blew up to pieces.
He loved it. He loved it. He loved it.
Alucard would have wanted to stall and enjoy longer, but sadly child ghouls didn't offer much challenge and their vampire maker turned out to be a weakling who had arrived to England thinking it was easy picking.
Yes, well, I did make the same mistake also...
Fifteen minutes later all the ghouls had been eradicated. Alucard emerged from the building and gave his usual grin.
"Mission accomplished. Target has been taken care of".
"Good. Alright, captain, start cleaning up. We need to talk to our people in media and make a believable story of gas explosion or something which tragically destroyed the many lives in this school. Report back to me, first thing tomorrow. Understood?"
Captain raised his hand and saluted. "Yes, sir" he said, swallowing his pride.
Alucard spared a glance to the soldiers who were all looking what had just happened with marvel written to their faces. They looked at this girl and saw a leader. Now they all knew who the boss here is.
It was only in car where Integra let herself go and tried to force the shaking in her hands stop.
To be continued...
So, hope that works for you guys. I really am sorry that updating is not punctual as it once was, or was it ever, but such is life. Still hope you like it and if you feel like reviewing that would always be great.
Till next time!