multiversallogs | i won't sympathize anymore

Entry tags:

i won't sympathize anymore

Who: Integra and Dean to start, open to all expat Hellsing operatives eventually.
What: Integra returns to hq and is interrupted by a familiar face.
Where: Outside the Helling Guild Hall.
When: A little while after Alucard's post.
Notes: Start new threads as you need to! Otherwise, party post after the initial one.
Warnings: Uh. Dean. And... Alucard.

In the weeks since Integra's arrival to Baedal, she has had only infrequent cause to observe the cohort network. She rarely fraternizes with anyone - new arrivals like herself or natural citizens - outside of work. Despite the name, she certainly doesn't feel particularly aligned with anyone else in the city, and hasn't ever had anything to say to anyone.

It's not unusual.

But the network gets used, if not by her, and so there's a girl on staff that checks for Integra, and alerts her to anything relevant to Hellsing. Said assistant, just moments ago, scurried up with eyes only slightly wide (to her credit), clutching her CiD, and in an almost-tremulously reported: "Mister Alucard has done something."

The things she puts up with. Honestly.

Hellsing's guild hall is a bit of a hike from any of the transport lines, but that doesn't mean it takes Integra very long to get back - and that's where she is now, stalking at a purposeful pace towards the main gate, coat fanned out behind her, expression of stop at your own peril clearly etched on her face.

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Wait until he sees the house. Saints have mercy.

"The technology is fairly inventive," she says, leading him further into the building, through more doors that are clearly meant for security. (She pins a charmed pass badge to his shoulder after the second one.) "And ways in and out have left me puzzled, so far. Alucard couldn't get out, and the research from past generations all turns up incomplete or resulting in dead ends. There was a Mr. Jones on the new cohort looking for data concerning it, so I forwarded it to him; perhaps someone else can make more sense of it."

She doesn't sound terribly confident, however. In her opinion, if the magic is strong enough to trap Alucard, they're pretty much fucked.

The Hall is well-kept, just old - it's plain in the stone hallways, but clean, and the large windows to one side display the courtyard out in the back. It's overgrown, but past that clearly used. Charming, in a way, and certainly more comfortable than their last headquarters. "We were quite lucky to find this place. It's quiet, out here."

"I like it," he says simply. "And quiet in this city seems to be a rare thing."

"From the badge, can I assume that you'd still like to have me as a member of Hellsing?" For practical reasons, he knows that he needs to find work as soon as possible, but he also wants to work for Hellsing and Sir Integra. He trusts her judgment and knows that he's suitable for the sort of work she might want him to do - be it repairs or anything else.

She nods, agreeing. Integra prefers the solitude, being used to it, and also it offers far more privacy for the work that they do. While most people, by simple virtue of existing in Baedal, have rather broad minds and accept the necessity of violent ends for violent offenders, there will always be a factor of unease concerning things that go bump in the night. (Or the basement.) Particularly when they end up screaming during interrogations.

"I've been assuming you'll come back," she admits. "Unless you've already found other work, in which case I am fully prepared to bribe you." Friendly: a setting she indeed capable of.

Sound proofing is a wonderful thing that can be enhanced with a suitable application of spells. Should Integra ever worry about that, both Sebastian and Malfoy could probably suggest a whole host of charms. Ahem.

"I'd be happy to return, but you're still welcome to try and bribe me. Although, I should warn you, I can't stand chocolate," he says with smile that reaches his eyes. It says something about him that his default bribe is something harmless like sweets. "Without access to my vault here, I'll have to adjust my figures to show equipment rental."

(It says something that he's so enthused about going back to work at Hellsing, too.)

"I'll have to come up with something less mundane." .. And probably not magical; Integra is not one for having her food bite, explode, or hop away from her. "That's fine. We have a number of industrial resources here already, which should help. Though.." ... Ahah. "The hall isn't in much immediate need. With the Princess here, I think I might ask you to do some work for me back at the house, first."

"Might take a bit of work to get it up to standard?" Although he asks the question, Sebastian is already familiar with Integra's priorities and he's sure he knows the answer. From his behaviour in Bete Noire, she might be aware that it's a task that he'd be pleased to take on.

"Well, I got the power on." ... And that's it? That's it. (No, she cleaned, did some other patching up; with Lyla and Dean about it's been better than it was before, but Integra still spends most of her time at work.)

She points through one of the windows - from where they are, it's just a line of trees, but there's something back there. "It's a bit of a hike."

"I don't mind. If you've other things to attend to, I can show myself about, but if not, I'd be grateful for the company." Sebastian knows that he walks slowly and that Integra's daily schedule is only slightly less frightening than Alucard himself.

"I've noticed that nearly all those of us who came from Bete Noire arrived along different timelines. I had a whole three months at home before this city took me."

"This is on the list of things to attend to," she assures him, beginning to walk. Yes indeed, making sure the Princess has somewhere to stay that isn't in complete shambles is important - there's nothing wrong in essence with remaining in the hall proper, but it's comforting from a strategic perspective to have a more personal stronghold. (She'll never forget the Valentines. Thanks, Jan.)

"We arrived here directly from Bete Noire. Alucard thought that we'd be making it home, but dimension-hopping is beyond even his skill to be an adept hand at." Her irritation with that is resigned, alas.

"I ended up in my London, with Malfoy at my side, and that's...well, he's not wanted for his part in the war merely because he's been dead for so many years," he remarks, looking out over the grounds and still settling into the feel of the place. Sebastian knows that when he's involved in a project he cares about he, rather literally, tends to put a bit of himself into his work.

"Somewhere there's some minor demon of irony laughing himself sick over that one."

"Wars have their ways." A bit more subdued. She still doesn't speak of the particulars of what was going on in her home - Seras did, she knows, but ... cold-hearted as it is, Integra prefers to put Seras out of her mind. It's too difficult, and she isn't equipped for it. Not after all that.

Integra takes the long way to the back doors, so that she can show Sebastian around. It's in neat order, functional, but old. The wards, while unsubtle and clearly crafted by no artist, are aggressive and effective. Outside is far less well-kept; perhaps they've hard gardeners in all of once, since sticking a flag in the place. But the field past the courtyard doesn't seem to need much attention, being well-used and beaten-down.

"There's stables back that way," she says, indicating the southeast corner. "It's sensible for this area."

When they approach the doorway, Sebastian breathes into his hands, rubbing them together before running them over the moulding on the side and nodding. "A good charge here. D'you know if they put in a sort of 'release' value? A bit like mystical ballast? Or if they left any diagrams about where the wards run? I can always act as a magical stud finder, but I wouldn't want to miss something and then end up electrocuting myself, as it were."

There are times when Sebastian is deeply odd.

"There are old diagrams for when it was built, I have them at the house," she clarifies. It's nice to see Sebastian a bit less morose and reserved - she assumes it's half his vacation and half that his mad family isn't about the place. "I did work on the lay-lines, and Alucard... helped."

... Yes.

"Good, blueprints always help. And, ah, I'm not too experienced with ley lines, knowing where they are will help." It's not so much feng shui, as being aware that adjusting buildings can serve to amplify, or correspondingly lessen, wards and other magical influences. "Is there anywhere you'll want to be a magical null zone?"

"I'll have to think about it." It's something that's crossed her mind, being a strategist, but she hasn't sat down with any concrete plans - she's had other things to do, and so far, having been able to back up the threats around town has kept anyone from attacking. But more and better wards are something she want, and so this topic is one that Integra plans to approach with an eye for detail.

Fortunately it's not terribly muddy outside - it's rather pleasant, actually. She spares a glance to Velcro, wondering for a moment what a normal dog might think of all the smells and all else is out here, bu tit's brief. "If you're still amenable, I'd like to discuss keeping you on as a consultant for things beyond repair work, as well."

Velcro will stay at Sebastian's side during today's tour, but once he's started working at the hall there will be plenty of time to run about and snuffle in all the corners.

"I'm interested, but what sort of consulting do you anticipate needing?" While the knowledge remains, he's lost most of his ability to do magic and he was never very good at strategy.

Trek, trek. Integra lights a cigarette. (If she dies of lung cancer, she will consider it a victory over her lifestyle. Suck it, death in the field.)

"I anticipate needing everything. Such is the nature of this work, in this place."

His attention flicks from her to the cigarette for a moment before returning to the conversation, "So long as we're clear on where my limits now lie."

"I can sense a ward or drive away a dementor, but for everything else practical -- " He doesn't finish the thought, leaving his reply clipped short instead of trailing off. It's clear he's tempted to say something more but is unsure if he ought to continue. "That's what other consultants are for."

"Sebastian." First names? Goodness. She gives him a bit of a look. "You were instrumental in strategy concerning the dementors in Bete Noire, and your insight into beings and practices have been very helpful. Unless you've sustained a debilitating head injury in the months you've been away, I assume you remain as useful as before, and thus someone I value being on my staff."

"No more debilitating than usual." That is not a helpful answer, Sebastian.

"And, thank you," he says quietly and sincerely. Moody once told him that the only thing worse than dying young in war is living on beyond into peacetime: not only are your skills wasted and your views out of step with the times, but all too often you're dismissed for being able to see the coming conflict. While Integra's offer is not a position in war, it's a way that he can really be useful and he needs that. "Even though I've been out for a few years, it's strange to adjust to a non-wizarding world."

"Magic isn't the end of it all," she assures him, content that he's not going to wallow in self-depreciation. "Most problems are still solvable through proper planning or hitting it hard enough."

Problem solving and hitting things: stuff Hellsing is good at.

"Don't sell yourself short. Average people always end up running the world."

"No one here knows, not even Malfoy, but even though I hadn't really come into my talent -- not old enough yet, no real training -- I was damned good and I hit the hardest." There's an odd bit of emotion to his voice; it's not precisely pride or sadness, but the acknowledgement that once he was a holy terror. "And, I have no desire to run the world. I'll leave that to you and content myself with being indispensable."

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i won't sympathize anymore

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