A/N: Thank you all so much for the favs, follows, and reviews! I love them and all of you so much~!
And remember when I said no time skip? I lied. Well, it is time for some action so it is not a big one! lol!
Anyways, I hope you enjoy! I welcome all new and returning readers!
Even when he was busy with meetings and paperwork, Sir Hugh Islands always made sure to stop by Arthur's office for lunch at least once a week.
"I see you are still as disorganized as ever." Hugh sighed into his teacup, eyeing the growing mountain of dishware and papers on Arthur's desk. "You are the adult here so please don't wait for Walter to clean up after you."
"Ah, I would!" Arthur grinned, leaning back in his chair. "But Walter tells me he rather enjoys cleaning up after me! So who am I to deny him?"
"Liar!" Hugh snapped, nearly throwing his cup and the tea pot at his friend. "I swear, you work him too hard. And the same goes for Ms. Olivia! Arthur, they may be your subordinates but they are also children."
"I didn't hire children, Hugh," Arthur replied evenly, moving to stare out the window. "I hired soldiers. This is an organization, not a daycare. I wouldn't have kept them if they didn't meet standards."
"That may be true." Hugh waltzed over to his side. "But let them enjoy their youth too. One day Walter and Ms. Olivia will be our age; they should be able to look back on something other than fighting."
"For your information, I plan on sending Walter to Oxford for his university studies. As for Ms. Olivia, she is free to join him or she can stay here and continue being home schooled. As long as they perform their duties properly, they are free to do whatever they please."
Not exactly pleased with his answer, Hugh resigned himself and took a sip of his tea, eventually noticing that Arthur was staring at something.
Following his line of sight, he spotted Walter and Olivia pulling weeds in the garden. They appeared to be having a competition to see who could pull the most; Walter seemed to be more focused while Olivia was simply laughing.
"Well," Hugh cleared his throat, snapping Arthur out of his trance. "I'm glad they are close at least. And…I'm pleased Ms. Olivia is fitting in. How long has it been since her arrival? A year?"
"Yes, I'd say that is about right." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully before a grimace spread across his face. "And I wouldn't say they are close….at least when I'm not in sight."
Not a second later, Walter threw a handful of soil at Olivia's face and she tackled him to the ground, shoving the excess weeds into his mouth.
"Tsk!" Arthur unlatched the window and threw it open. "WALTER! OLIVIA! BEHAVE YOURSELVES BEFORE I COME DOWN THERE MYSELF!"
"Yes, sir!" They replied in unison, ceasing their attacks and hurrying back to the manor.
"HEY! DON'T YOU TWO EVEN THINK ABOUT STEPPING INSIDE COVERED IN RUBBISH! WASH OFF IN THE FOUNTAIN!"
"Yes, sir!"
This time, Olivia pushed Walter aside and sprinted away, laughing at the top of her lungs while Walter was hot on her heels, calling her every explicit known to man.
"Ugh!" Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This is why I don't have children; I can't handle them."
'I don't know, Arthur.' Hugh hid his smirk as he took another gulp of tea. 'You looked like any other parent to me.'
"Let them be, Arthur." Hugh placed his cup down and reached out to close the window. "Ms. Martha will tend to them like her job stipulates."
"Thank God for that." Arthur rubbed his temples and walked back to his seat. "I need some scotch."
"By the way," Hugh added, sparing one final glance over his shoulder to see the two kids splashing at each other in the water. "I think it is rich you of all people are lecturing them over a bit of dirt."
"Shut up." Arthur snickered, sticking his tongue out at him.
Days turned to weeks; weeks turned to months, and months turned to years.
Like Olivia's parents had predicted, the possibility of war was becoming a reality and the affairs between the European countries continued to deteriorate, especially with Germany annexing Austria and forcing Czechoslovakia to give land to Hungary and Poland. British Prime Minister Chamberlain along with much of the major powers had signed the Munich Agreement in hopes of preventing further territorial demands; Sir Hellsing had called this a cowardly act of appeasement.
It hurt Olivia to see her home country side with Germany and Italy, which were becoming more aggressive, but she knew if Sir Hellsing ordered her to fight them, then she would.
Therefore she had to be ready.
So with every passing season, Olivia continued to study and train diligently.
The nightmares never went away—they were especially vivid after a mission—but she kept herself centered by reminding herself she was in control and not to lose sight of the reason she came to Hellsing in the first place.
Deep down, Olivia knew she would never truly understand the inner workings of Hellsing, but she learned to accept it and pressed forward alongside her new family.
And in the blink of an eye, three years had passed and Olivia had grown into a strong and confident soldier.
"Something is different about you, Little Rabbit." Alucard mused from his throne, observing her doing push-ups while balancing a 'wine' bottle on her back.
"Really?" She grinned, stopping and wiping sweat off her brow. "Do I look tougher?"
"Did I tell you to stop?" He fired back, resting his cheek on his knuckle. "For that, I'm increasing the weight."
His shadows reached out and placed a second bottle on Olivia's back, earning a huff from the young lady.
"Well you are the one who interrupted me." She muttered, continuing her set of fifty, silently pleased her arms only quivered slightly now.
Alucard didn't say anymore and waited until she was finished before sending his shadows out to place to the bottles back on his side table.
"Whew!" Olivia sighed, flopping onto her back and flexing her arms. "Let me take a break before we continue on."
Alucard continued to inspect the girl lying at his feet before nudging her side with his boot.
"Get up."
"Why? Did I do something amiss?"
"Just get up and come over here."
Puzzled, Olivia did as he asked and stood in front of him, her knees touching his.
"What is it, Mr. Alucard?"
Still resting his cheek on his knuckle, Alucard lifted his free hand up and rested it against the side of her face.
Olivia patiently stood still as he inspected her face, turning it this way and that; she learned long ago to not overanalyze Alucard's actions and just wait for him to explain himself.
After studying her face, he ran his fingers through her hair, noticing it had become longer and thicker over the years.
"You've grown up, Little Rabbit." He finally said, weaving his fingers through a lock of her hair. "I almost didn't recognize you."
"But you see me every day, Mr. Alucard." She laughed, clasping her hands behind her back and bouncing on her heels. "And humans do that. They get older every day."
"I know. Rather fascinating, isn't it?" His tone was laced with a touch of wonder. "I honestly thought you would look the same forever, and yet here you are."
"Goodness, I haven't changed that much, Mr. Alucard!"
It was true though. Now twelve years old, her baby fat was fading away, causing her face to become more angular. And she had grown taller, though she still had to break her neck to look up at Alucard.
"You still speak to me so formally." He smirked, wounding more hair around his fingers. "I thought I was your family, but you address me like a stranger."
"Well, it's because I respect you!" Olivia hummed. "But I can call you something else if you so desire. Hmmm. How about Allie?"
His response was to give her hair a harsh tug, causing her to flail around in pain.
"Ouch! Ouch! It was a joke!"
"Why don't you try that again?' He growled, still having an iron grip on her hair. "What are you going to call me, Little Rabbit?"
"Alucard! I'll just call you Alucard! Alright?!"
"Good girl." He chuckled, releasing her hair. "Now, was that so onerous?"
She stuck her tongue out at him and rubbed the sore spot on her scalp.
'I'm going to end up going bald if he yanks on my hair every time I upset him.'
"Your voice is different too, Little Rabbit." Alucard pointed out, tapping a finger against her throat. "More adult-like."
"You think so?" She smiled and spun around. "So, all in all, do you think I've grown up a lot? Am I pretty?"
"Give yourself fifty more years before thinking that."
"Are you saying I'll only become pretty when I'm sixty-two?!"
"I'm saying you'll become beautiful when you are older. But, I guess for now," He reached out and pulled at her cheek. "You are what my master would call 'cute'."
"Meanie." Olivia nudged his hand away with a smile, knowing Alucard was only teasing.
Well…only partly she guessed.
"I should get going. It is getting rather late and my bedtime was hours ago." Olivia sighed, bending down to slip on her socks and shoes. "I'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Or maybe sooner." He chuckled, reaching out to tug at her hair again. "I have a feeling tonight will be a beautiful night."
"We have conflicting views on what is beautiful." She wiggled her hair out of his grip. "Have a good night, Mr. Alu-I mean,….Alucard. Have a good night, Alucard."
Alucard chuckled at her fumbling and made a shooing motion.
"Go on or the monsters will come get you, Little Rabbit."
"Oh hush," She laughed before running out into the corridor and up the stairs.
Once Olivia was back in the hallway, she closed the metal door and propped the portrait back on the wall, adjusting it until it was perfect.
"You're late."
Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around to find Walter leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a lantern resting on the table next to him.
"What are you doing out of bed?!" She hissed, clutching her chest. "You scared me to death."
"You are the one out of bed visiting the mongrel in the basement. It's not my fault I caught you sneaking up here like a rat."
"Hey, hey!" Olivia stuck a finger in Walter's face. "I haven't 'fawned over' him since you had your little jealous fit three years ago, so get off my back. Besides, I was training. What's your excuse for roaming the halls in the dead of night?"
Walter just rolled his eyes in reply.
Now at the age of ten, Walter had grown quite a bit too. He had shot up a few inches but still only reached up to Olivia's nose. However, he appeared to going through a growth spurt so it was only a matter of time before he surpassed her in height; Olivia prayed that day wouldn't come for a while since he wouldn't be her 'cute brother' if he was taller than her.
Walter may hate Olivia calling him her brother, but that didn't stop her from referring to him as so in her mind. Soon he would grow up and cease to be a cute little boy, so she was going to enjoy him like this while it lasted.
"You should be thanking me. Sir Hellsing has called for an emergency briefing and I saved your sorry ass by offering to 'wake you up' instead of Ms. Martha." He reached out and flicked her on the nose. "So you're welcome."
Olivia deflated slightly at that. Regardless of how he treated her, Walter always watched her back and kept her trips to the basement a secret even when he claimed not to care whether she was caught or not.
Sighing, Olivia bent down and kissed him on the cheek.
"I'm sorry, Walter. Thank you for looking out for me."
"Meh." He grumbled under his breath, lightly touching his cheek. "It's nothing to thank me over."
"C'mon," She held her hand out. "Let's go see what this is all about. If it is a huge mission, I call first shots on the vampire."
Walter smirked and took her hand.
"Not if I get to it first. Alucard may call you a rabbit, but you are slow as a sloth on the field."
They laughed and shared a few playful punches before heading to Sir Hellsing's office.
"Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee~! Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day~!" Olivia sung, swinging their hands back and forth. "Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away~!"
"Ugh!" Walter flinched, turning away in disgust. "What a terrible singing voice."
"But it is better than before right?"
"Well," He mused, cleaning his ear canal with his pinky. "I guess it is less high pitched than before."
"Thank you, Walter! Maybe we can sing together one day!"
"Don't push your luck. You may be older than me, but that doesn't mean I will listen to what you say."
"Have you ever listened to me though?" Olivia shot back, a teasing grin gracing her face.
"No." He snorted, stuffing his free hand into his pocket.
Olivia beamed and bent down rub their cheeks together.
"Never change, Walter. Just stay like you are forever: an annoyingly cute brat."
"Oh piss off." He kicked at her heels, fighting back a smile.
Soon they reached the office doors and with a quick nod, Arthur gave them permission to enter and the two of them stood at attention in front of his desk.
"Pardon the delay, Sir Hellsing." Walter bowed. "What is this emergency briefing about?"
"Has something dire happened, Sir?" Olivia inquired. "Please give us your orders."
Arthur had a peculiar grin on his face as he clasped his hands together.
"There has been some interesting activity reported in Devon, particularly around the moors. I want the both of you to investigate and, if there is a threat, eliminate it."
"So it is a reconnaissance mission." Olivia nodded, excited since those were far and few in between. "May we see the case file?"
The grin on Arthur's face increased and his response was to toss a large book in their direction, which Walter caught with ease.
Both inspected the cover and glanced at each other in utter confusion, wondering if their superior was playing a joke on them.
"Um…I'm afraid I don't understand, Sir." Olivia started but was interrupted by a scoff from Walter.
"How amusing, Sir Hellsing."Walter handed the book to Olivia. "Are you telling me we are chasing fictional characters now?"
Arthur just laughed and Olivia glanced down at the worn novel, tracing out the letters printed on the cover.
"The Hound of Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
"Who's to say what is reality and what is fiction?" Arthur smirked, holding his hands out in amusement. "This is no jest, my soldiers. That novel is your case file because my sources have informed me there have been sightings of a supposed hellhound stalking about the moors, causing quite a bit of unrest in the local village."
"But the hound in the novel was but a normal dog covered in phosphorus." Olivia pointed out. "How does this concern Hellsing?"
"I never said this particular case followed the novel word by word." Arthur placed his hands on his desk and stood up. "And who said it is actually a hellhound? It may be something else."
"So you think it is a vampire taking the form of a hound?" Walter asked, tapping his foot impatiently. "That doesn't sound like a mission worth the three hour trip, Sir Hellsing. Can't you send one of the soldiers stationed near there to kill it?"
"That's the thing, Walter. There is no confirmation that it is a vampire we are dealing with. All we have to go one are rumors and one incident, though it has been passed off as a hunting accident since none of the bodies were found. However, there haven't been any ghouls appearing either. So, Ms. Olivia." Arthur gestured in her direction. "Do you have a guess what we may be dealing with here?"
"Well," Olivia weighed the book in her hand, recalling everything she had read over the years. "It has been reported to be a hellhound and it has only attacked a group of hunters, meaning it stays in the woods and harms those who venture far enough. So….it could be a demon."
"Very good." Arthur nodded, taking a seat once more. "But we have no solid evidence. All we have to go on is mostly gossip, so I am sending the both of you out there to uncover the truth and see whether it is worth Hellsing's time or," He pointed to the book, "whether it is nothing more than a story."
"Yes, sir." They replied in unison.
"The two of you will masquerade as siblings visiting the moors for the weekend, so bring forth your best acting skills but also your best interrogation skills. Nip this case in the bud as soon as possible. Do you both understand your mission?"
"Yes, sir." Walter bowed and Olivia nodded, but she also had a question.
"Pardon me, Sir Hellsing," She raised her hand. "But wouldn't it be strange for two children to be vacationing in the moors by themselves?"
His smile dropped at that.
"Well," Arthur sighed, rubbing his forehead "That is why I am making a special exception. Not just for the vacation façade, but also because this may be a demon—which neither of you have fought before—so precautions need to be taken."
"You don't mean…?" Olivia's eyes were practically glowing.
"Yes, I am sending Alucard to accompany the both of you."
A squeal of joy slipped from Olivia's mouth as she bounced in place, while Walter just grumbled something under his breath.
"I am more than capable of slaughtering a demon, Sir Hellsing."
"I know, Walter, and you are my best soldier, but I have to be prepared for anything. You understand that, right?"
"….Yes, Sir Hellsing." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"Oh lighten up, Walter." Olivia beamed, wrapped her arms around him and spinning around. "This could be rather fun!"
"If you say so, Olivia."
"Your train leaves at seven sharp." Arthur cleared his throat, prompting the two kids back to soldier mode. "Go pack and make sure you are prepared for everything. I expect a full report every day until you kill or unmask the damn thing."
"Understood, Sir Hellsing."
"Excellent. You are dismissed."
A/N: Family Road Trip! But when I learned Baskerville was Alucard's familiar, I always wanted to write about when it happened! And I wanted to do a mission where Olivia fought alongside Walter and Alucard! Anyways, the song Olivia sings is "Beautiful Dreamer" by Stephen Foster. Some of you will remember hearing this from "Drake and Josh" because it is the song Drake sings with Craig and Eric in the dumpster. Hehe! There is a link to it on my profile under the fanfic section, along with the song by The Real Tuesday that inspired the fic name. (The reasons for naming it this are in the lyrics, but they become more relevant in the later parts of the fic. But you can give it a listen and guess who it is about. Hehehe! It is also one of my favorite songs too.)
But yeah! Olivia is now the same age as Integra when she became head of the family! And I thought Alucard would be fascinated by Olivia getting older and Walter and Olivia are still tomodachis for life. We shall see some action and horror in the upcoming chapters~!
And here is some fun stuff now! If L'amour Et La Mort was in a Studio Ghibli Howl's Moving Castle AU, who do you think would be who? I imagined Alucard being Turnip Head and almost passed out from laughing! And would the title be "Alucard's Moving Coffin"? I mean, in The Dawn, we see his coffin actually has a mind of its own!
Hehe!
I hoped you enjoyed the chapter! Please leave a review and look forward to the next one!