Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito
Ever After
ONE
The great library was nearly infinite in size, the rows of books stretching off into the distance and all of them needing to be organized. At one time it had been managed by Lilith and Eve together, then by Lilith all alone, and now the two had returned, the great quest over once more... Or at least it was over for now.
Lilith finished sorting another shelf of books and sighed softly, the busty blonde climbing down from the ladder carefully. The eyeball hat blinked again, looking much like something that would be worn by a witch, and similarly echoed by her clothes which resembled the product of a earlier age. She was gorgeous, but oddly so, almost as if she wasn't quite... normal.
"It wouldn't hurt to take one look," Lilith murmured to herself as she looked around her warily before walking over to a certain set of shelves. She drew down the book and carefully opened it, light shimmering as she gazed into another world...
Hazuki had slipped away from her classes again, the tall black haired young woman sitting on the roof of her school. She gazed off into the distance with a expression of painful longing on her beautiful face, then reached into her pocket. Flipping open her phone she gazed at the display, where once a image had been, then finally murmured to herself sadly, "Hatsumi."
Lilith gently closed the book, feeling a deep ache of regret. When she and Hazuki had set off across the worlds together Lilith had known about Hatsumi, understanding that she was an aspect of Eve. Once Eve had left Hazuki's world they couldn't be reunited the way they had once been, and in the end things had ended in tragedy.
"How is she?" the gentle voice echoed in Lilith's mind and she jumped up in surprise. Eve gazed down at the book with a expression as nearly as melancholy as Hazuki's had been, then the slim blonde looked up at Lilith with concern. Like in all her human incarnations Eve was mute, but at least in this place she could communicate with her thoughts.
"Lilith was not checking up on her," she quickly said with a blush of embarrassment, "I was just... curious, that's all."
"Of course," Eve smiled at her gently.
Lilith ran a hand caressingly over the cover as she said softly, "Hazuki still looks for your picture... she won't forget."
Eve closed her vivid eyes a moment, her expression touched by a deep pain. In her last human incarnation she had lived as Hatsumi, the adopted sister of Hazuki, and a love both fierce and powerful had grown up between them. Not the love of siblings or family members, but a romantic love that verged on the passionate. Love letters were sent secretly, each sister unaware of the intensity of the other's feelings until it was too late.
"I'm sorry," Lilith said to her quietly, feeling just a bit surprised to realize that she really meant it. She had joined in Hazuki's quest to find Eve more seeking a kind of revenge against Eve for leaving her stuck running the library all alone, but traveling along with Hazuki had changed her a little. Even Lilith had to see the love that had existed between the two women, no matter what temptations were thrown Hazuki's way.
And there were a lot of temptations.
Traveling across the worlds Hazuki and Lilith had many adventures in their quest to find Eve, and many lovely companions who were draw to Hazuki. On their first adventure there had been the lovely spy, then later a barbarian sacrifice, the Princess Fuji and many others... and all of them were far too clingy to Hazuki for Lilith's comfort.
"I wish she could be happy," Eve almost looked like she wanted to cry.
"Hazuki is so stubborn," Lilith remembered that trait fondly, "she never gives up, even if it would be good for her."
"I know," Eve agreed softly.
Lilith turned away with a sigh, knowing that there was work to do. "Let's get back to work," she said reluctantly.
Eve's voice was intense as she asked, "If you could make Hazuki happy, would you?"
Lilith blinked in surprise as she looked back at Eve to see if she was joking. The slim blonde looked deadly serious, her eyes touched by a hint of pain, but her smile was hopeful, somehow. "Yes," Lilith answered, wondering where Eve was going with this.
Eve hesitated a moment then asked, "Do you love her?"
"What!" Lilith screeched, "I do not..." The look that Eve gave Lilith made her trail off just a bit uncomfortably. In all honesty Lilith had developed a certain... affection for Hazuki, but she wasn't sure she'd call it love.
"What about when Quill approached Hazuki?" Eve reminded her.
Lilith scowled at that annoying memory. The buxom young savage girl had latched on to Hazuki like a puppy soon after they arrived in that world, much to Lilith's annoyance. Even worse, after Hazuki had saved Quill from a savage god she had been prepared to offer her all to the lady warrior, until Lilith had intervened.
"You wouldn't have been so jealous," Eve pointed out gently, "if you didn't care for her." A faint smile, "I especially liked it when you decided to be the sacrifice."
Lilith actually blushed faintly at that reminder. After Hazuki had killed off the savage's god the villagers had decided to make Hazuki their new god, planning to sacrifice Quill to her. Refusing to allow her that pleasure Lilith stepped in, carrying through the ritual until leaping into Hazuki's arms and purring for her to eat her.
"How do you know about all this?" Lilith asked after a moment.
"I was watching," Eve shrugged slightly as she explained, "even where I was, I wanted to know that Hazuki was all right."
Lilith thought about saying something scathing about peeping toms, then she thought about her own spying on Hazuki recently. 'No, I'm not in a position to throw stones,' she admitted. Getting back on topic she asked, "How can I make her happy?"
Eve looked into the distance, her expression remote. "Certain things are written," she out a special emphasis on the word written, "such as my being reborn in Hazuki's work and becoming her daughter. They are destined, unchangeable."
"I know all that," Lilith started impatiently only to be cut off.
"But whatever else happens to Hazuki is still unwritten," Eve said to her softly, "such as who is with her..."
"You mean... me?" Lilith felt a small smile tease her lips.
Eve nodded, her own faint smile returning. "Hazuki was fond of you, even after your quest ended. We just have to build on that emotion," she explained.
"But how do I win Hazuki over?" Lilith asked softly.
"I have an idea," Eve purred then began to explain.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Hazuki strode away from her classes, feeling a flash of guilt as she went up to the roof once again. Her long black hair flowed in the breeze, her skirt swirling, and she looked out into the distance irritably. All day she had felt an odd foreboding, almost as if a storm were rumbling off on the horizon. Reflexedly she drew her phone out, flipping it open then she froze in surprise.
Hatsumi's image was back.
"Ahhh!" with a cry and a flash of light the figure appeared from thin air, plummeting at Hazuki from above.
Without thinking about it Hazuki ran forward to catch her but it threw her off balance, both of them falling to the roof in a tangle of limbs. "Lilith?" she blinked as she instantly recognized her, "what's going on?"
"She's gone!" Lilith blurted out.
"Who?" Hazuki demanded though she thought she knew the answer. Her heart began to beat faster as she looked into Lilith's eyes, feeling acutely aware of how close together they were sprawled on the rooftop.
"Eve," Lilith scowled cutely as she explained, "I don't know if she just got bored again or if she was taken away, but she's gone!" Kneeling beside her she grasped Hazuki's hands, looking intently into her eyes as she said, "You have to help me find her."
Hazuki barely hesitated, meeting Lilith's eyes for a moment. "All right," she felt a strange excitement as she got to her feet, reaching out to gently help Lilith to get up too. "Do you have my sword?" she asked.
Lilith patted her pockets first, frowning cutely, then untied the front of her shirt, revealing a generous amount of cleavage. Hazuki looked away, blushing, only gazing back as Lilith exclaimed, "Ah ha!" Holding the little knife Lilith focused her will, a blue light shining around it.. then it was transformed into a samurai's blade.
"Thank you," Hazuki took the sword, hefting it comfortably. "Do you know where she went?" Hazuki asked confidently.
"Not entirely," Lilith conceded, "but I'm sure I can pick up the trail soon." She offered her hand, smiling faintly, "Shall we go?"
Hazuki took it, smiling back as she took the other woman's hand. "Lets," she agreed, the two disappearing once again across the worlds.
Observing them in another world Eve closed the book, slipping it away smoothly. Lilith was giving her a day's head start, and with that kind of lead she felt confident she could keep them chasing after her for weeks, maybe more. That time would give the spark of attraction that existed between Hazuki and Lilith a chance to grow, eventually becoming love.
As Eve disappeared she smiled faintly with amusement as she thought, 'Lilith and Hazuki will make very good co-mothers.'
End
Notes: I used information printed in Newtype USA Vol 3 #1 for reference, but any mistakes are my own. I liked this series, but was terribly disappointed by the ending... This basic idea has been sitting around for awhile, originally sparked by comments on the shoujoai discussion boards, but I decided to write it up now.
Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
HELLSING: One
"Now where are we?" Hazuki asked as they looked around them, both a bit disoriented after traveling to another world. The black haired young woman held her katana at her side, her eyes sweeping their surroundings warily. Together they had embarked on another quest to find Eve, and this time it seemed their journey was even stranger.
"I'm not sure," Lilith admitted as the bosomy blonde adjusted her costume, the odd eyeball hat she wore gazing about curiously. This was the sixth world they had traveled to together, both facing jeopardy as they quested for traces of Eve.
There was an ominous sense of doom around the place, an oppressive feeling surrounding them, pressing down like a deathly chill. The city they had landed in looked like it had been through a brutal war, all the buildings as far as the eye could see shattered and broken and the streets deserted of people or any sign of life. Off in the distance a low moaning sound could be heard, something like the howls of the dead.
From around a corner they came, shambling forward, eyes empty of reason as the gray faced men charged forward at them. Their clothes were rags over bodies that seemed to be rotting away, their teeth still gleaming amid all the decay.
"Behind me," Hazuki ordered Lilith as she drew her blade, swinging to cut through the rotting undead with ridiculous ease, the shining blade sending them screaming away.
"Vampires," Lilith blurted.
"I thought they were a myth," Hazuki answered as she cut another of the shambling horde, being careful to stay clear of their grip.
"In most books they are," Lilith said as she popped open her blouse, rummaging about past the swell of her breasts, "but in this one they're real."
"What are you...?" Hazuki asked, blushing faintly.
"Ah ha," Lilith pulled a small box of matches out. Lighting a match she held it above her head... where it exploded into pure sunlight, sending the undead scrambling backward.
Then a gun roared out, and the running vampires were swiftly cut down by twin weapons, cannons reducing the surviving numbers to ash and ruin. "There's someone else out there," Hazuki kept her sword drawn at her side.
The two emerged from the shadows, walking forward calmly. The blonde haired young woman was dressed in a military style uniform while her companion wore a stylish red suit, the cloth hugging her shapely form. Both had the most eerie looking eyes, the color of blood.
"My name is Seres Victoria," the little blonde said.
The woman in red pushed her circular hat up, revealing pure white hair tied back by a leather band beneath it, "And I'm Integra Hellsing. What are you doing in London? Don't you know it's controlled by the vampires?"
"Aren't you vampires?" Lilith asked pointedly.
"Not by our choice," Integra bit out the words with obvious resentment, "and we do not feed on.. living humans."
"We're here looking for a lost friend," Hazuki said, holding her weapon at the ready, "we don't want trouble."
"Though we always seem to find it," Lilith muttered.
"Hush," Hazuki fought a slight smile.
"If your friend was in London when Lord Alucard took over, they're dead, wish they were dead or turned into his ghouls," Seres said quietly, "now leave here for your own safety. If you can get out of town before Alucard realizes his ghouls were destroyed you might make it."
"No," Lilith shook her head, "we know she's somewhere nearby here.
"Fool," Seres drew her pistol...
...when Hazuki struck like the wind, her silvery sword cleaving the weapon in half and sending the pieces clattering to the broken cement beneath their feet. "Don't try to threaten Lilith," she said to her flatly, "or answer to me."
Integra reached out to stop Seres from moving on both woman as she studied them thoughtfully. "There's a place we're gathering to fight," she said calmly, "your friend might be there. Follow if you choose."
With that they turned and strode off. "That was my favorite pistol, why did you stop me?" Seres complained softly.
Integra checked to see if the two were following as she said, "There's something unusual about them... they could be useful."
"Thank you," Lilith said to Hazuki softly as they fell into step behind Seres and Integra, keeping a wary eye out for more of the undead.
"You're welcome," Hazuki answered quietly. She looked up, gazing across the city at the broken clocktower that loomed against the cloudless sky, "That looks like photos of Big Ben, but I can barely believe we're in London..."
"I've never been there," Lilith admitted, "but it's possible."
Moving a bit closer to Integra and Seres she tentatively asked the two of them, "How could this have happened?"
"Because of my failure," Integra said flatly.
"Lady Hellsing, it wasn't..." Seres started.
"I trusted Alucard," Integra cut her off, "even knowing what he once was. When the Nazi's attacked London I chose to let him turn our fallen to ghouls, to aid in the defense, as well as to stop those damn Catholics."
"What happened then?" Lilith asked eagerly, sounding almost like a little girl listening to an exciting story.
"Alucard succeeded in defeating the leader of the Nazi's and then consumed his essence," Seres revealed grimly, "and in the process broke free of the mystical bonds that had held him under Hellsing's control. He turned the army of ghouls on us, as well as taking the Nazi army for his own... we never had a chance."
"But you two are vampires," Hazuki studied them warily as they reached a larger building and began to pick their way through the rubble, "why doesn't Alucard control you?"
"I was made by a punk vampire just before Alucard killed him on a Hellsing operation," Seres revealed, "apparently Alucard felt that Hellsing could use me."
"And after Alucard tore me open in revenge for controlling him for so long," Integra said, "Seres turned me."
"Get in," Seres pulled open a hatch in the floor, revealing tunnels beneath.
"Hazuki?" Lilith hesitated.
Reaching out Hazuki took Lilith's hand and squeezed comfortingly. "Let's go," and together they descended into semi-darkness.
They walked down a long hall lit by torches, eventually coming up to a door guarded by a man dressed in formal wear. He bowed, the balding man's motion revealing that the sleeve of his shirt was empty, his one arm was gone, "Welcome back Lady Hellsing."
"Walter," Integra smiled, "how is everyone holding up?"
"Tense," Walter summarized, "but we're holding up well." He looked curiously at the others and asked, "Newcomers?"
"Yes, they were dealing with a band of ghouls before we found them," Seres revealed with a impish smile.
"They can fight? Then welcome," Walter nodded to Hazuki and Lilith, "to the Royal Order of Holy Knights."
"Or what's left of us," Integra added bleakly as the door opened and they headed inside.
The room was surprisingly brightly lit, so much so that Integra whipped out a set of round sunglasses and put them on. There were maps on the walls, blueprints, and several radios of different types. People rushed about with papers and personal computers, sorting and gathering data, even as they could see into nearby rooms where soldiers and others talked.
"We've confirmed that Alucard has moved into the Palace," one young man reported, "we've got the plans from the National Archives and are looking into routes inside."
"Very good," Integra nodded briskly with confidence.
Seres snagged another officer, "Any news on the Royals?"
"Prince Harry was the last to go," he shook his head regretfully, "Alucard has made a clean sweep of the Royals."
"Not unexpected," Integra kept her voice even, "we may have to look to a foreign branch of the family to reestablish the Monarchy."
"Do you really think they can?" Lilith asked Hazuki softly.
"I think," Hazuki answered softly so that none of the others could hear, "even if they can't win she has to act like she believes she can."
A third young man spoke up, "We've got photos of Alucard's latest brides."
"Is there anyone important?" Seres asked briskly as they crowded around the table to look at the photos.
"Several actresses and singers," he shrugged as he gestured to them, "and a few unknowns."
Hazuki peered over a shoulder in morbid curiosity only to gasp. "Let me through," she elbowed a trooper aside and snatched up the photo of a familiar girl with a sweet smile, her forehead visible through her bangs. "Hatsumi," she said weakly.
"Eve," Lilith confirmed.
"That's your lost friend?" Integra looked at them with surprising sympathy as she said, "She's as good as dead."
"Not if I can help it," Hazuki said flatly. She looked over at Lilith, "Looks like we'll be paying Lord Alucard a visit."
"Eve always picks the most exciting places to play," Lilith said with a sigh.
To be continued...
Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
HELLSING: TWO
Lilith's long blond hair flowed around her as they made their way through the throne room, the battle rippling around them. Seres Victoria and Integra Hellsing had lead them on this raid of the vampire lord's home, the two English vampires determined to destroy their foe and dangling Eve in front of Hatsuki to get her to help!
'Tho I doubt they lied,' Lilith admitted, staying close to Hazuki as the agents of Hellsing fought the vampire horde. Whatever else could be said about Sir Integra, Lilith felt certain she wouldn't lie to someone when the truth would work just as well.
Hazuki was a dark wave of death, her shining katana slicing down vampires left and right. Lilith followed her close, watching her back as she used her limited magics to keep them safe. "Where is she?" Hazuki asked as she cleaved another vampire in two.
"Up ahead of us," Lilith pinpointed the energies associated with Eve and pointed across the vampire infested room, "that's the chamber Seres thought was a harem."
"Harem?!" Hazuki growled, offended by the very idea of her sister Hatsumi in a place like that.
Lilith shook her head as they charged forward through the vampires, once again astonished by her companion's single mindedness. "Heh."
"Alucard!" Integra yelled as she swept the room with her guns, the woman dressed in a red suit cutting the vampires down with bursts of firepower.
A black shadow seemed to flow through the wall into the room, materializing as a dark, regal figure. Black sunglasses concealed his eyes, matching the pure ebony of his suit, the cloth seeming to suck the light in. His skin was eerily pale and his fangs gleamed as he said, "Sir Integra, it's been so long since I saw you."
"Not long enough," Integra growled as she opened fire on him with what were once his own guns, two replicas of the Jackal.
The powerful arms staggered even Alucard, but he shook it off as he looked Integra over. "And you've been raiding my closet?" he teased.
"I thought the trashman of Hellsing should be easily recognized," Integra answered simply.
Alucard casually sauntered over as the battle died down, most of his ghoul servants struck down. "You know, I was really too hasty trying to kill you," he reached out to Integra, "I should thank Seres for turning you."
"You're welcome," Seres Victoria said coldly as she rose from across the room, hefting her heavy cannon Harkonen. An explosive shell screamed across the room to impact with Alucard's chest, exploding as it blew him apart.
"Come on!" Lilith said as they scampered across the battlefield to the door to the harem. She tugged on it, frowning as it wouldn't budge. "Locked," she pouted.
"Step back," Hazuki ordered then swund her sword, the silver blade glowing a eerie green as it sliced the metal easily.
The door swung open as they entered the harem to be greeted by a scene of horror. The many young women taken by Alucard had already been fed on, the virgins becoming vampires while the others were mindless ghouls. From the back the vampiresses commanded the ghouls to attack, the shambling wrecks charging blindly.
As Lilith generated lights to blind them Hazuki attacked, her sword cutting into the undead as they pushed forward, both searching for something amid the attacking dead. 'Where is Eve?' Lilith thought, trying to see past their attackers. "There!" she pointed.
"Hatsumi!" Hazuki yelled to the achingly pretty blond vampire, the girl tilting her head to the side in mute question. "It's me, Hazuki! Remember!"
Eve hesitated, something in her eyes changing as she watched them fight nearer. Then her expression blanked oddly as a eerie green light began to engulf her.
"No!" Lilith bitched, "Not now!"
Before they could get any closer Eve disappeared, presumedly moving on to the next universe down the line. "Damn it all!" Hazuki cursed, taking advantage of the confusion that mysterious event caused and fighting to get them clear of the vampires. They reached the doorway and ran through, slamming it shut as Hazuki asked, "Can you follow her?"
"Not immediately," Lilith admitted as they barred the door behind them, "I'll need some time to gather my strength."
Outside, the battle had come down to three figures, facing each other by the throne. Alucard looked as deadly and confident as ever, his smile a mix of cruel and amused. Integra faced him confidently, Seres by her side, the other vampires and her army having destroyed each other in battle.
"This has been very fun," Alucard admitted with a smile, "in fact, I haven't enjoyed myself this much since I gutted that old hag, Queen Elizabeth." He dropped the smile as he said coldly, "But now it's time to bring things to a close."
"I won't let you hurt Integra," Seres said as she moved in front of her protectively.
Alucard nodded, "In fact, I wasn't going to hurt her."
"Huh?" both Integra and Seres looked startled.
Alucard gestured towards a broken window, showing the battered, deserted city of London outside. "It would be far more interesting if you would join me," he told them, "I could teach you the hidden depths of a true nosterafu's powers."
"No way in hell," Integra said in her usual crisp manner.
"Should we...?" Hazuki murmured.
"No," Lilith shook her head, marshaling power for the jump between words.
"Then I suppose I must...," Alucard sighed as he stepped close to Integra.
"No!" Seres tacked him, the busty blonde struggling to hold the taller man back.
"Alucard," Integra met the struggling man's eyes, "Codeword: Mina Harker!"
The vampire Alucard stiffened in shock as he felt controls he had long thought destroyed kick in once more. "How...?!" he demanded as his own body reshaped against his will, reforming the straight jacket he had worn when Integral had found him as a child.
"You don't think my ancestors didn't expect you to betray us eventually?" Integra asked him coldly, her hair gleaming.
"What now, master?" Seres asked Integra softly as Lilith's transport spell began to carry her and Hazuki both away.
Integra pointed her gun at Alucard's head, "I won't pass this mess along to another generation." With that, she pulled the trigger...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The familiar sense of vertigo washed over Hazuki and Lilith, the two thankfully emerging in what appeared to be a deserted wood in the height of suimmer. The two gore splattered heroines soon found a stream where they washed off, then reluctantly stripped to clean their clothes.
Lilith enjoyed watching the nearly naked Hazuki wash up, taking in the tough girl's surprisingly well developed body. 'She's so cute,' she thought, wishing Hazuki had chosen to wear a set of more revealing underwear.
Meanwhile, Hazuki was trying not to notice the very skimpy bra and panties Lilith wore, feeling vaguely disloyal to Hatsumi. It didn't help that Lilith wore what resembled thong panties and a bra that was more lace than bra, if you know what I mean.
Lilith looked up, her breasts bouncing a bit as she frowned, "Someone's coming!"
Hazuki grabbed for her sword as she saw two women fly up over the hill then descend to the clearing where the stream ran through. The blue haired girl's boots seemed to generate a path for them in midair that she rose, while beside her a orange haired girl rode along with her while carrying two advanced looking pistols.
"I am Enforcer Teana Lanster of the Time Space Administration Bureau," the orange haired girl declared, "you were detected using an unauthorized gating method into a protected zone."
"Easy," the blue haired girl put her hand on Teana's shoulder. "I'm Enforcer Subari Nakajima," she smiled at them, "mind telling me what's going on?" She smirked, "Getting dressed might help, too."
As the fiercely blushing Hazuki jumped for her clothes, she wondered how they were going to talk their way out of this one...
To be continued!
