Hellsing Vigillante 6

You dreamed of a never ending sunset on the end of the horizon that you stood in and your mother, who stood on the end of horizon that was shrouded in night. No matter how far you ran, though, or for how long, the sun would always follow. You wanted to catch your mother, so you could talk to her and ask her questions, but she needed the night, and as you came, you brought the sun with you. She'd shield her face and cry out at the pain and run deeper into the night. You found yourself pushing the limits of your speed, running faster here than you had at the mansion, trying to leave the sun behind long enough just to get to your mother and tell her you were sorry for hurting her before it caught back up. However its speed always matched yours and bounced in your vision with each of your strides, and as your steps became less of a bounce and more of a smooth, quick flowing motion, the sun became less of a ball and more of a streak. Your eyes began to water as well as you saw that your mother was getting farther away. Finally you tripped, and watched your mother run crying, and looking around her night-realm calling your name and telling you to stay away from the sun too. You called her until you couldn't see her anymore then looked at your hand. You'd scraped them and the blood was pouring out. It seemed like it was being pulled from your body and swept into the ocean that separated you from the horizon. Rivers and seas of your blood came out of your hands and began to paint the twilight scene red as if you were looking through a piece of red glass at it. Suddenly you saw your father right on the horizon, on the water, in front of your blood drenched sun. He seemed to cleanse the blood, but only to the edges of the now pure yellow sun. You stopped crying and tried to run to him, but your blood had stuck to the ground and you could do no more than stand, and lean forward. He called out to you and held out his arms and told you to come. You wanted so badly to be near him, now that your mother was gone. You stood and dug your feet into the sand, pulling your hands harder and harder and away from their chains. Soon the blood began to crack and break and you catapulted onto the water. You decided that you were going to run to him so fast that you stayed on top of the water, and that's exactly what you did. But as you made your way across the ocean against a constant blood-red sky, the night of your mother's realm followed you and as you ran your father seemed to be on a sliding floor, rolling away from you as fast as you were gaining. As you began to notice that he, too, was beyond your grasp, your steps slowed, and you fell into the water. When you did it seemed like he'd totally lost sight of you and looked around calling your name, the same as your mother did, though he was telling you not to go into the night because then he wouldn't be able to ever find you again. He began to walk off now searching in a different direction, and you didn't bother calling out to him as he was just like your mother. You began to cry now, bawling and adding your tears to the salt water you sank below, still breathing though. Through the top of the water you looked at the red sky, and it began to ripple, like a curtain, and soon you saw Alucard's face above the sky as it was now his big, red overcoat. He called out to you once, calling 'Lady Nothingness, dusk walker child' and immediately you were forced to the surface of the water. He held out his gargantuan hand directly in front of you. You were scared to reach out for it though, as you thought it would somehow be ripped away from you like the others, but Pip's hand came too, and Seras', Sir Integra stood above them all, not reaching out, but looking at you as if expecting you to take one of the ones being offered. With so many, you thought it might be safe to try and reach, and you grabbed Pip's and Alucard's hands, as they were closest, and in that instant you were thrust up into the clouds where they could stand straight up, but just as you were about to break through the last of the clouds to see all their faces, you woke up. You rose and rubbed your eyes, looking for Seras' coffin, but as the lights were turned off, you had trouble seeing little more than the edge of your nose. You got out of the bed and felt around like a blind person near your knees for the coffin. The first thing you came into contact with, though, was a wall.
'Must've missed it.' You thought, turning around.
"Seras. Seras, wake-up…Get up!...Where the heck are you?" you said having come back to the bed and then hitting another wall, this time with a door and light switch. You hit the lights, and after allowing your eyes to adjust, found that there was no coffin in the room at all.
'D@mn, now what?' you thought crossing your arms and leaning on the wall. You decided to leave the room and look around for anyone who might still be in the house. You walked up the staircase you had been led through previously, and emerged in one of the many identical hallways.
"Seras!" you called, "Seras, where are you?!" you kept calling her for about 5 minutes, then, "Walter! Walter, I know you're here somewhere!" After a few minutes though, you'd made it back to your room, and could easily find your way to whatever now. As you woke up more, you grew tired of walking on your pants and rolled them up to expose the toes of the socks that were sliding off your feet. You yawned and redid your hair, as the ponytail holder was only just dangling onto your head, and made your way to the kitchen. You ate another bowl of cereal, this time being Corn Flakes, then made your way up to Sir Integra's Office. Eventually you made it to see Sir Integra there, at her desk, and Walter bowing an exit.
"Ah, Good afternoon, then." Integra said.
"Good Afternoon." Walter repeated.
"Morning mon Cap-ee-tan(captin). Morning 1st mate." You replied.
"I'll be off then, Sir." Walter said, turning back to Integra.
"Very good." She replied turning back to her paperwork. He turned and left. After the door closed, you took a seat in front of Integra's desk, arms folded on the table, your head in your arms, and stared at her work. You looked at her and back at her work then outside, then repeated the motion until she stopped working to look at you. She sighed, raising an eyebrow, and shaking her head. You just popped your head up and smiled. She went back to her work; you went back to giving distracting looks. She sighed again, without looking up.
"Would you like to go outside?"
"Oh GAWD yes! Thank-you!" you said sighing heavily.
"I think it would be alright as long as you don't cause trouble or get caught. Be back before dark, then."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Sir."
"Ma'am?"
"Adress me as 'Sir'."
"Ah, but you're a ma'am." you replied slyly, walking out the exit. You heard her sigh heavily before the door closed. You ran back up to your room and put on the second shirt, Pip's hat, and the boots. You also let your hair down and let your bangs fall over your eyes; more people would recognize your ponytail. You then walked all the way to the front entrance, a ten-minute journey, and out the door. For a half-vampire, you sure were enjoying the sun a lot in the drive-way/ court-yard. You passed a couple of guards by the exit gate, who opened it.
"We were told to expect you back before nightfall." One said, all up-right and army-like.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. At ease G.I. jittery." you said giving an annoyed and lazy salute. He and the other soldier skoffed.
"Stop worrying, I'll be back. Girl scout promise. I swear I won't put your jobs at risk, so just calm down." They rolled their eyes, but were otherwise agreeable. You began to walk down the shaded path, thinking about where to go. The thought of being half vampire kept creeping up on you though.
'I know I'm still me,' You thought, 'but somehow I feel like it'd be awkward to be around...normal people.' You walked to a tree at the very edge of the tree lined rode, and sat in its shade.
'It's like a door that was in my home. Once I found it, and it was opened, I can't go back to pretending I don't know what's in there. I don't even feel safe in my own home anymore.' you thought, hugging your body, 'I need to feel at home somewhere.' Suddenly a thought popped into your head, and you got up and headed off quickly. If you needed a home away from home you knew the perfect place: Peter's house. His mom was always happy to see a friend of Peter's- since she worried he didn't have any- and because you were both his and Bobby's friend, she especially liked you over. You came often especially when she was preparing delicious meals. To top it off, she was the only adult who knew you were orphaned. She'd be the perfect person to spend the day with. You had forgotten your backpack and money at the estate, so you ended up walking for a few hours to get there. You didn't mind- you'd missed the fresh air and the exercize- though you stayed as far away as you could from most people. Eventually, judging from the sun, probably somewhere near 1 or 2, you made it. You knocked on the door 3 times.
"Who's there?" You heard her call.
"Jasmine." you answered.
"Ah? Shouldn't you be in school, darling?"
"I was a little under the weather yesterday, I'm better today, but better safe than sorry."
She laughed, "Yeah, right. Come on in, it's open." You opened the door. It smelled like laundry, and you found the source filling baskets in her small living room: 4 loads that were in need of folding. You continued on down the hall and came into the kitchen where she sat feeding her 18 month old girl, Analyse.
"Hello, darling." she said, without looking up.
"Good morning." you said, walking over to give her a hug, as you were accustomed to doing or getting when you entered her house. She kissed your cheek, still watching the baby.
"My, my all that hair." she said, feeling the cascades on your face brush hers. You just shrugged.
"And how's my best girl, huh? How are ya, Annie?" you said turning with a smile and tickly fingers toward the baby.
"Dathy, Dathy!" she called, giggling after getting a gerber on her cheek.
"Say, 'I'm teething'." Her mother said, putting another spoonful of what smelled of fruit medley in the baby's mouth.
"Ooooh," you said taking off your hat, and holding it to your chest, playing, "my condolences." You put the hat back on and sat at the table.
"So how are you?" she asked.
"I'm fine, how are you?" you assumed Peter and Bobby told their mother nothing of your kidnapping.
"I can't complain."
"Yes you can."
"Alright, so my backs been hurting a little bit. I'm not totally sure why."
"Well, that's simple. It's because you carry a whole house-hold on your own. True hero."
"I think maybe it's just cuz I'm old."
"Well, that ain't exactly helping, either."
She laughed, sitting back, and pausing the spoon, "I'm not 20 anymore. In a couple of weeks, it'll be the 23rd anniversery of my 21st birthday."
"Meaning to say you'll be...44?" you said after a moment of thought for the math.
"Yep."
"Bweh, bwah, beh-beh-beh, Ma!" Annie said, patting the tabletop of her high chair.
"I know, I'm sorry, love." she said, sitting back up and continuing.
"Tell you what: as part of an early birthday gift, I'll fold all your clothes. If you have back problems I doubt that's going to be any fun."
"Ah, but you're a good girl. I had a feeling I should leave those alone for a while."
"How long's a while?"
"Since yesterday afternoon."
"Aha, so you expected me to come then, eh? Knew I'd do it for you, eh?"
"Ah, but a mother knows it all. Thanks, darling." she poked out her head and gave you another kiss on your way out. You went and sat on the floor in front of their little old TV in the midst of the laundry.
"Ma Lions, where's the remote?" you called to her the way you had been taught early on.
"Did you check under the cushions, darling?" You checked the sofa behind you.
"Found it. Thanks." You cut the TV on. This TV only got good reception with about 42 channels, so you chose the one that showed kiddy shows early in the morning. You didn't mind watching the idiocy on screen and repressed the feeling to say "the friggn 'A' is right there!" or "that equals 4! 4! Stop asking what it is, I said 4!" focusing more on your work. By the time you had finished a basket- half a load- you heard the slide and click of the high chair and the start of the kitchen sink. A few seconds later, Annie came running in on her short, chubby legs and crashed into one of your folded piles- the towels- to get to your lap and watch Angelina Ballerina. You groaned, but smiled.
"Oh, my dear, you've knocked down my pile and disabled me from doing the clothes. You've got to move, love."
"Naaaah!" she said, grabbing one of your pants legs and looking at you before looking back at the TV screen.
"I know what'll loosen that grip," you wiggled your fingers by the sides of her face, she began to giggle and hide her neck behind her shoulders, "Tiky Fingies!" you called tickling her now exposed sides. She let go of your pants and rolled her little self off you, and onto the floor. She stopped an inch from the TV and immediately went back to watching. You grabbed her little ankles and pulled her back. The little dress-type shirt she had on slid up over her and you pulled it back down to her shorts. She didn't seem to notice. For the next few hours, you spent your time first re-folding, then folding the clothes- taking breaks to entertain Analyse on commercials. You had to wrestle her once; it was funny to see her get so into it. She ended up winning- she had you pinned with her whole body on your face. You told her she won- though she still looked super determined, and put the hat on her head, laughing. After she finished the dishes, Ma Lions swept, dusted a little, picked up the baby's room and finally began to vacuum, which you paused your folding to help with. At the sound of the vaccum cleaner, Annie got up excitedly and raced to it- the giant hat popping on and off her head as she ran. She liked to stand in front of where her mother vaccumed and then run away squealing with joy whenever it came near. After she had finished, Ma Lions turned it off, let her climb on it, and then turned it back on and brought her back to the living room. She giggled and rolled off into your lap.
"Life is just good for you, ain't it?" You said smiling. She started chattering away in baby talk, which made you laugh- it was funny to see her try to carry out her end of the conversation. Everytime she stopped you'd cover your end and let her talk again, dragging clothes over her face to make her laugh before folding them. At some point there was a phone call. Ma Lions was busy in the bathroom.
"Could you get that, darling? Peter said he might call."
"Yes, ma'am." You picked up the phone, "Hello, Lions residence?"
"Mom? Is that you?"
"Hi, Peter."
"Jazzy? You're on the phone? No way, you got out?!"
"Sort of. I'm on a kind of leave."
"Whoa." you heard Bobby in the background 'what happened' then a muffled 'Jazzy sprung the joint- she's at the house.' 'no way!' 'That's what I said. Hey, go catch Dmitri. He should know.' 'okay.'
"So how'd you get out?"
"I just asked."
"For real? You just asked and the let you go? That's crazy!" he exclaimed. Annie must have heard it, cuz she came chattering over to the phone.
"Hold on, Annie wants to say something." you said, holding the phone out to her. She took it and started jabbering into it, walking around like a teenager having some in-depth conversation, which made you laugh. 'Alright,' you heard the phone eventually say, 'give it back to Dathy now.'
"Bah-bah." she said before handing it over.
"Bye-Bye, love." it said, reaching your ear.
"Oh, are you hanging up?" you joked.
"No, no, stay on! Oh yeah, I forgot; I called to tell mum I was gonna be home early- I don't have a detention today."
"Weird. Thought you might have like 4 hours for skipping yesterday."
"Yeah, me too. Bobby and Dmitri got off as well."
"Uber weird."
"Okay, well, Bobby just got Dmitri, so I'm gonna take off. We'll see you when you get there."
"Bye, then."
"See ya." you both hung up.
"What was it about, dear?" Ma Lions asked, drying her hands as she came out of the bathroom.
"Oh, it was just Peter calling to say he and Bobby were gonna be home early. He said they're bringing Dmitri, too."
"Oh dear, that boy can put it away, too." she sighed with a smile, "good thing I'm only making fish and chips. I'll make a couple extra servings. Would you get the food from the freezer?"
"Of course." As you went into the freezer, you peeked in at the TV room. Annie, hat covering her whole head and face as she lay on her stomach, was conked out curled up on the last unfolded item: Peter and Bobby's favorite old t-shirt, that you had been told came from their late dad. It was big- Bobby usually slept in it, while Peter wore it out sometimes. It was just big enough to make a little pallet for Annie to rest on.
"She's asleep isn't she?" you nodded bringing the food back.
"Yeah, she usually takes her nap around now so she can be full of energy when Pete and Bobby get home. Too bad her schedule got thrown off." you both laughed. Ma Lions turned on her kitchen radio to some station that played only acoustic versions of songs. She hummed as you both worked and by the time the boys made it home all that was left to do was set the table.
"We're home!" Peter called, he walked over and kissed Annie on the forehead, then nose, then cheek like he always did- his way of saying I love you only to the females in his family- sister and mom.
"Hi, Mrs. L!" Dmitri called as well.
"I told you, hon, call me Ma L." she responded.
"You guys are just in time," you announced as the two older boys came to the kitchen, Bobby opting to pick up Annie and also fold the shirt, "Set the table, would you?"
"Ah, I just got home, and already I gotta work."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah- your mom and I slave over a hot stove and your tighty-whities, and we get lip when you gotta set the table? Peter- tsk, tsk, tsk." you said wagging a finger.
"What are you doing folding his underwear?" Dmitri asked.
"I've done it before." you answered.
"It doesn't even weird me out anymore." Peter added.
"Do you fold her underwear, too?" Dmitri asked, astounded.
"Heck, no! What do you think this is? I may have flipped a few skirts in my day, but I don't go on panty raids or nothing. Too old school."
"So speaks the delinquent." you added.
"Hey, if you're on some kinda roll, I got some undies that need folding." Dmitri offered.
"Boy, set the dag-gum table."
Mrs. Lions laughed as you all continued to joke setting the table and having dinner. You all ate, and were thankful for, the delicious meal, save for Annie who had to down mashed green-beans mixed with squash, mixed with roast beef, all heated in the microwave. The smell alone was enough to rush the rest of you through the meal, though there was nowhere in the house you could go to escape the smell. Mrs. L had cookies from a cookie jar and milk prepared for desert. You all went in the family room to eat it. You put all the piles in a basket and moved them to the side so you all could watch the TV. When it came on it was the news.
"In the international news," the lady on the screen said, "We witnessed a mass murdering today in Argentina. There were two armed suspects: an unidentified male and an unidentified female." Alucard and Seras's picture appeared onscreen. The cookie you were holding dropped from your mouth.
"Jeezus, look at that guy," Dmitri said, "He's got a big red cloak on. He's practically begging to be targeted."
"I know, he's even smiling in that picture." Peter said waving a disapproving cookie at the screen, "the girls kinda cute, though."
"Ah, so he's got his eyes on the murderous type. Okay, fella, I see how you roll." Dmitri teased nudging him from behind you as you bent in close on the carpet to watch.
"This is all the footage that we could capture on the scene." the woman continued before a clip began rolling on-screen. It showed the front doors to a large luxurious looking hotel. You could hear gunshots inside, then a long pause. Even the boys were quiet and intent on the screen. All of a sudden about 5 bodies came flying out the door and high into the air before each was impaled in a flagpole outside. You grabbed Bobby and covered his eyes, but you were too focused to move your fingers back when he spread to peak through them.
"DAY-YUM!" the other boys both exclaimed, leaning back. Normally, you would have done the exact same, but now you were too focused. A minute later a red figure came out to meet a white figure. The red one was obviously Alucard, but you had no idea who the white one was. All of a sudden there's flashes of movement. Your barely following them but apparently Alucard was shooting and the white figure was throwing little, white squares that exploded or sliced. Soon the fight got closer to the news camera and as the people got caught in the fray a couple of bystanders got their heads sliced off by the man in white. Another stray square and there was an explosion right in front of the camera, and it went staticy and cut off.
"Jeezus Christ," Bobby said amazed, and otherwise speechless, moving your hand off his face but not letting go of it.
"Yeah- that was just...brutal." Dmitri said quietly.
"OhmiGod." you mumbled.
"The suspects were said to have left in a helicopter and headed due north-east. The man driving was said to have an exceptionally long braid and eye-patch-"
That would be Pip.
"They had the guy with the eye-patch drive? Seriously, these guys are insane." Dmitri commented.
"And the helicoter was black with-"
"Oh now they wannna be discreet? Only on the esc-" Peter began.
"Shh!" you exclaimed, listening intently, and staring off. "Do you hear that?" you asked them.
"What?" Dmitri asked.
"Shh!" you repeated, pushing mute. In the distance, you heard the faintest fluttering, and soon they heard it too: Helicopter blades. You all rushed to the window, and threw back the curtains. Sure enough there was a helicopter flying overhead, that in the failing light, you could just barely tell was black. You all held your breath. But wait- Failing light? It was almost nightfall! You had to get back. You sprung off the window sill and over the sofa.
"MA! MA! I need to borrow some money! Can I please?"
"Calm down, darling, how much?" You gave her the amount for cab fare to the end of the shaded walk, and she handed over the money and kissed you good-bye as you ran and kissed Annie, taking your hat and finally racing out of her kitchen. You sped-walked back into the room. The mute was still on and the captions at the bottom of the screen were scrolling, 'If you have any information, contact...'
"Omifriggn- their here! It's the crazy killer and his one-eyed driver! We're gonna die!" Bobby exclaimed.
"No we're not." Peter said, unbeleiving.
"Don't forget his cute murderous mistress." Dmitri added. You sped to the door.
"Hey, where you going?"
"I gotta go." you said halfway out the door, panicking. Peter grabbed your arm, he looked at you sternly, "You're not going back there, are you?"
"I have to- I have to go." You said trying to pull out of his strong grip. "You know-" you began, "I- gotta go. Peter let go of me." you began trying to push and peel his fingers off of you. By this time Bobby and Dmitri came to the door, too.
"Jasmine, you're out, why do you want to go back?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, you're safe here. Isn't that right, Peter?" Dmitri added. Peter gave a strong nod but never broke his stare or his grip on you.
"No," you began, "No." pushing at his hand was getting you nowhere. If it got dark before you got back, you had no clue what they would do, and the last thing you wanted was trouble for these people even more than yourself. You had to get out.
"Peter you let me go, or so help me I'll scream and hit you." you said glaring back at his stare, no longer pulling at him. He gripped you harder and pulled you in.
"You get till three...one...two...three! AEE-" he pulled you into his chest before you got a good scream out. You almost cried right there, but there were more important goings on at that moment and you took advantage of his release of pressure and broke away, running into the night as fast as you could, practically jumping in front of the first open taxi you found. You climbed into the taxi you'd stopped, closing the door quick.
"Take me where I tell you and step on it! I have to get home before dark or there'll be he!! to pay with my mom and dad! I kid you not, they will kill me AND you if I'm not there by nightfall!" You exaggerated. But he took you as fast as he could without being totally reckless. You thanked him, pretty much threw the money, and sped off out of sight in the shaded trees, reaching the gate completely out of breath and with burning legs and chest, but within 5 minutes to sundown. The guards looked relieved to see you.
"Told ya." you huffed shuffling through the gate.