New Beginning [Chapter XV]

[sebastian]

ooc: Sorry about the length of this post. Lots of details to be included. It's not everyday you get a chance to build a mansion.

bic:
It was daybreak outside, and a very slight trace of light in the sky did nothing to improve the view. There was a light breeze playing across the ravaged town, dust and bits of grit were picked up by the shifting air. The first few bedraggled humans who occupied this area were already up; starting to scavenge through rubble for possible things that would help support life. The smell of death and rotting corpses of the unlucky; the sense of suffering and despair f those who'd lost all hope... He was rather sickened by it all, and he'd been here for under 24 hours. It really was a sorry sight; even the lights on the horizon seemed too grey to be a true sunrise in about an hour.

He was standing just outside of a magnificent wrought iron gate, a variety of artistic swirls connected the bars. The metal was already glittering with a sort of beauty in the very dim light. The gate was part of a reinforced fence which surrounded the ground of the new Hellsing Manor. Sebastian smiled to himself as he turned to walk through the gates, closing them behind him without a sound. The metal didn't so much as creak, the construction was just so perfect. The new Hellsing butler paused inside the gate, and looked up at the mansion in satisfaction. He'd come here after creating a contract with his new master the previous night. Originally, he had considered requesting that everyone who lived or took shelter there to step out for two hours; but he'd decided against it. He doubted anyone would take kindly to such a request from a butler they had never met before. So, he'd waited until everyone had fallen asleep; and then set to work.

Not one sound had come from the area throughout the night, he'd devoted all the time that evening and early morning had to offer to repairing this rundown mansion. Walls had been rebuilt with various materials, windows replaced, lighting also replaced and working, and every speck of dirt removed from anything inside. He had taken out unusable furniture and replaced them with furniture of his own creation. He had dug through Hollowton and explored miles of land in all directions around the city to gather all materials he needed, and then used different tools which he'd also made to make replacements for everything. He'd even made paint using a variety of plants and certain chemicals he'd retrieved from the destruction; and repainted every square centimeter of the mansion. When everyone awoke, they would find themselves in a building which looked brand new; and was in a way. Using memories and mental images; as well as logical guesses from what he knew so far of Integra, he'd refashioned her home until it was almost a perfect copy of the Hellsing Manor she had grown up in.

There were many things about the decor that he wasn't quite sure of; there was no way he could have found out exactly what her original home had looked like. But he had gotten the layout perfect at least; and used decor that he did know of to finish making the place into what he thought was a halfway decent environment to live in. He could only hope that his recreation of the place was close to accurate of Integra's true home. Even if it wasn't, at least it was a true mansion now; restored to the former grandeur it had possessed in who knew how long. The grass which existed between the new gate and the mansion itself had been trimmed until every strand was the exact same height as all the others. There were no weeds or invasive plants, but there were multiple gardens and some decorative hedges as well. Most of the plant decor had simply been torn up from another location outside the city and replanted here. He'd made some fountains as well; which had created a soft, but constant trickling sound in the grounds. In sealing the contract, he had non-verbally sworn to blow her mind with what he could do. Waking up in a new mansion which hopefully resembled her old one might come as a pleasant surprise. If she was displeased.... Well, he'd deal with that later if it really happened.

Sebastian proceeded toward the great mahogany double doors which served as the main entrance, the Hellsing coat of arms was beautifully engraved upon the handsome doors which had a gloss of their own. He looked at his pocket watch, and smiled as he entered the lobby which shone with it's cleanliness. There was a great staircase at the end of the lobby which would take him up to his new master's room; but he had something to do first... He entered the kitchen at a fast pace, brewing the tea Integra had told him she wanted at 5 o'clock every morning and evening. He added a generous amount of milk, two teaspoons of sugar, and poured the pot of still steaming tea into a silver pitcher. He placed the pitcher, along with a single teacup which also carried the Hellsing coat of arms on opposite sides, on a silver platter which had intricate designs inlaid with gold. He'd discovered the gold in a hidden bay a pretty good distance away from the city; and used tools and a hand-made blow torch to make plates, teacups, utensils, and many other things he hadn't been able to find in the mansion itself.

Finally; he placed a box of matches and Integra's preferred cigar brand on the platter. He honestly didn't understand why she liked smoking, he found that the fumes really messed with his rather sensitive nose and eyes. They didn't smell all that pleasant, no matter what flavor they were. To top it off, smoke couldn't be good for poor human lungs... But he would never understand some of the crazy things humans did. Sebastian balanced the platter evenly on his right hand, then left the kitchen to proceed up the stairs. The more of his handiwork he saw, the more satisfied he became. It had been a good night's work. Lucky for him, he didn't need much sleep to get along. A few hours a week was more than enough for him. He stopped before the doorway of Integra's room, marked by another mahogany door which had its own unique designs upon it. He raised his left hand and knocked on the door with the back of his knuckles, it was exactly 5 o'clock in the morning. "Master, I have come with your morning tea." He called softly, then waited to be admitted.

He had to admit that being nervous was an unfamiliar feeling to him. How would she react to waking up in that room? And why the hell was he so intent of keeping her happy already? Did he really fear and respect a human being to that extent so soon...? It seemed so... Integra radiated intimidation that was enough make him eager to please. He'd used the utmost care when designing and rebuilding her room; making absolutely certain not to wake her up as he shifted her into a new bed with fresh sheets. Her room was unrecognizable from the trash heap it had been the day before, just like the rest of the mansion and its ground. This had all been a rather drastic change on his part, maybe it would be overwhelming to her. Maybe she'd be completely furious with his attempts to make it like her former home. He had no idea of her preferences in such situations, maybe she wasn't the type who wanted o be reminded of her past. Well... If she was unhappy, he'd ask her for a list of what she wanted done to her mansion; and he'd correct his mistake immediately.

[Stranger]

Integra had woke moments before he called for her. She was already in the process of getting dressed when she returned, "You may enter." It was still dark in the room, but she had indeed noticed the changes as she woke. The stiff mattress she slept on before was now soft and to her liking. The sheets were just right and the decor reminded her of a place she did indeed miss.

She had her back to the door as he would enter she was pulling on her long sleeve white shirt and began buttoning it. Integra was pleased that she had gotten up only recently to see him exactly on time. But she was more pleased to see the walls were no longer charred black from what ever was stuck on them. Her fingers came to the collar which she buttoned gently and ran them down her sleeves buttoning both sides evenly.

"Beyond my expectations Sebastian. A welcoming change of pace. However, you are now tasked with explaining to Seras that it was aliens who did this and that she shouldn't concern herself with such things. A cruel fate, but I understand why Alucard used to tease her."

[sebastian]

Sebastian opened the door and hesitated before entering, seeing that she was in the process of getting dressed. He closed the door behind him, directing his gaze at the nearest wall as he proceeded to place the platter on her bedside table. It was strange, not having to help his master get dressed; as he'd done so with Ciel. But Integra was, in fact, a woman; and he wasn't a handmaiden. In the past, he'd merely put on a black blindfold when intruding on a lady's dressing space; it was easy for him to help them get clothed even without sight, no feeling around required. He smirked a bit as he poured some of the tea from the pitcher into the cup. Women... He wasn't even remotely interested in them, though he had certainly run into some humans who had expressed interest in him.

Once she had finished putting on her shirt, he turned back around; carrying the tea to her as well as a cigar and match. He'd also decided to start carrying around his own box of matches in an inside pocket of his tailcoat, should she ever need her drug re-lit. When he finally made eye contact, he felt an immense surge of relief that she seemed quite happy. Her words only backed up her mood. He bowed to her, then held out the small plate with the teacup on it. "I'm glad you approve, Sir Integra" He said softly. "As for explaining to Seras, it won't be much of a problem. If she just happens to catch on to the fact that I did this; my explanation will and will always be the same." There was a glint of amusement within the crimson hues. His catch phrase of sorts. "I'm simply one hell of a butler... And I'll let her think that over for a while."

She mentioned someone named Alucard... He wasn't sure who that was, he'd only gotten a faint sense of a bond with the guy through his own connection with Integra. He'd been able to work out who and what Seras was with a bit of thought, she was clearer in Integra's mind than this Alucard. But he wasn't one to pry or ask many questions. If his master wanted him to know about Alucard, then she'd share the information she felt like sharing with him. He found asking personal questions like that to be rather rude and inconsiderate. He placed the platter with its cigar and match on the edge of another nearby table, before her retrieved Integra's shoes from the base of her bed. He had also laid out a freshly cleaned black overcoat and dark red necktie on a nearby chair should she feel like wearing them. He'd help her put those on if so. The butler knelt by her feet with the footwear. "May I?" He asked politely, intending to put the shoes on and tie them for her. It was improper for one of her status to do such minor tasks herself.

[Stranger]

"You may," Integra said unbuttoning her pants to make it easier for herself to tuck her shirt in. She refastened the button and put her tie on working it into place. She was pleased with his work so far, she only hoped others wouldn't wake up in a panic to the area around them. There was a long list of things for her to do today. Of them she personally only had to handle one.

There was a long silence as she sat in the chair and allowed him to put her shoes on while she sipped her tea. In truth, Integra didn't care if demons laid her eyes upon her flesh. There was no physical reason for her to be ashamed of her body, nor was there any reason for her to hide from her own butler. Truth of the matter, she had been doing this for so long now that she'd become insensitive to praying eyes.

[sebastian]

This routine was so familiar... He hadn't realized that he'd actually regretted losing the easy to-do list once Ciel had become a lost cause. Wake up at a certain time, prepare breakfast and tea, clean up a bit, then proceed to wake the master and carry out daily duties. It was so simple and not complicated, and the fairly frequent moments of Ciel carrying out the Queen's will through his butler had been his entertainment. He had only been providing for demon Ciel for a short while, and the changes had been so obvious and missed. Now that he had entered this new realm, things were rapidly falling back into the same old routine. And he was quite thankful for it. He had needed a break from the personal hell in which he'd resided. He was extremely happy to be back in the butler world, with unknown adventures ahead due to his new contract.

Sebastian pulled the shoes onto her feet with a gentle but firm strength; something which had come quickly from long experience. It took no time at all for him to secure the shoes to the feet with the laces and single buckle; making certain the footwear was snug, but not uncomfortably tight. Once he had finished, he rose back to his feet and leaned forward to fix her necktie. His hands moved with the speed and grace of an expert. It had been a bit crooked; and he, being the perfectionist that he was, had been bothered by it. With that minor annoyance fixed, he retrieved her coat from the other chair; draping it over one arm as he extended the other gloved hand in an offer to help her to her feet out of habit. He would pull the overcoat on and fasten the silver buttons for her, then retrieve the platter and its cigar. He wasn't sure if she'd be interested in a cigar so early in the morning, but he'd brought it with him just in case. "This morning's breakfast consists of Prawn Curry and French Toast with ginger. I have a plate prepared for you in the main dining hall, as well as some more tea and coffee in case you are interested. There will be enough for everyone who resides in this mansion to satisfy themselves."

He didn't know exactly what he'd do today, as the mansion had only just been rebuilt. There was nothing to clean, except for the pitcher and teacup Integra was currently using. He'd cleaned up the kitchen from cooking breakfast just before he'd gone outside to inspect the entrance gate. Without any cleaning at hand, he could do nothing really except trail behind Integra; be available in an instant should she require his services. "May I ask what your schedule is for the day, master?" Back in the Phantomhive manor, it had been he who set up the daily schedules; as Ciel had been too young to do such things himself efficiently. But Integra was more than capable of planning out her own days; his duty was to simply follow and obey.

Then he remembered something. With the greatest care, he pulled a fairly small box wrapped in black velvet from a pocket. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I took the liberty to polish this for you. I wasn't sure if it was important or not, but I figured I may as well clean it along with all the other silver in this manor." He opened the velvet box and held it out to her; revealing the silver necklace with its large crucifix charm. The trinket glittered in the dim lighting of the sunrise which filtered through Integra's window; no trace of discoloration or tarnish remained. Taking care of things made from silver was an easy matter on his part; he'd done it often enough in servitude to his former lord. He had found it amusing to polish the thing, as he and Heaven were strangers to each other; but that hadn't stopped him from using extreme caution while handling it.

[Stranger]

A relaxing day so far. With a Butler to aid her in her tasks it would go smoothly from here on out. At least, she believed so. With dress and appeal out of the way she downed her tea and was helped to her feet. Her jacket was the last thing on her attention list before it was brought around her body and fastened tidily in front of her. She reached inside her jacket pocket and pulled her two white gloves out putting them on one by one.

"Very good Sebastian. I believe I will actually be eating real food today, Police Girl is a horrible chef... And a horrible maid," Integra said taking the cigar and match from him, both of which she placed in the inner pocket of her jacket. She walked to the mirror checking her appearance. While she personally cared little for sex appeal she needed to appear professional in case they got an important visitor.

However, she wouldn't allow royalty or her equals to come to the Hellsing Manor while it was in the condition it is in now. The mansion itself was pristine, as ware the grounds, but the refugee's the surrounding area and crime rate wasn't suitable. It was one of the things on her list for the coming week. Another thing she tasked Seras with: live training with hostile refugees.

"Aside from breakfast I will be visiting Joann in the tomb behind the mansion. As for the rest of my schedule, it is clear for most of the day until around lunch time where I'll be meeting with an important visitor," Integra replied to his query.

Sebastian then pulled the old crucifix out which he had polished to a fine shine. It had been years since she had wore it, "I haven't worn such a thing since Alucard disappeared. There was no need anymore. I have long since given up on practicing religion, that thing is more of a memory than anything else." Integra turned from him and began for the door.

[sebastian]

"You have not been given proper meals during your stay here?" He asked, raising his eyebrows as disapproval glittered within the fierce gaze. Perhaps he would go to this girl and teach her the proper way to be a butler; or maid in her case. Either way, she was apparently supposed to serve Integra; which she had failed miserably. But if she was human, then her abilities would be limited when it came to her job. "I shall take on cooking as a main task. Neither you nor those who serve under or visit you will go hungry." He'd heard from countless people in the past that his cooking was beyond amazing; and some had said he really had a good taste in meal choices. But to be honest, preparing food wasn't something he prided himself on. He had never tasted human food before, his diet was strictly human souls. Eating human food would make his rather ill, and he had no plans on putting the stuff in his body anytime soon. No taste testing, or anything like that. So he normally had no idea what he was doing when cooking; he simply used the ingredients that smelled like they would go well together. Over time, he'd come to memorize the best recipes he'd come up with; and remade those for certain events.

Sebastian watched as she made sure everything was straight in her mirror. She seemed to be uncertain about something, but had come up with a plan to deal with it. He chose to disregard that for the time being, there were other things to be done. He listened carefully to the day's schedule, and nodded. He would accompany her to visit Joann, unless told otherwise. He needed to introduce himself and do his best to start off on good terms with others within the organization. "I will prepare a special lunch in welcome to the visitor then. It shall be ready at 11:00 sharp." He said softly, already working through the seemingly endless list of past meals which had been thoroughly enjoyed by guests before. She then spoke of the necklace, and he tipped his head in a nod of understanding as he closed the lid of the box. "Then it will be placed on a display shelf with other silver articles; as a memory keepsake." He followed her out of the room; picking up the platter, pitcher, and teacup as he went.

He passed Integra like a shadow as he went on ahead; getting to the kitchen multiple floors below before she had even reached the first set of stairs. The three things were sparkling clean and locked away in their display cupboard by the time Integra reached the ground floor. He rejoined her there; leading the way into the main dining room where a long, white tablecloth covered table had one place at its head set with breakfast. There was a large, gold edged plate which had curry and french toast arranged artistically upon it; along with a second plate which had a wide variety of fruits for Integra to chose from. There were two pitchers and two cups as well; one set for coffee, the other with more tea which already had the sugar and milk added. Three different sauces for flavor enhancement were also there, in small cups. He was about to pull back the chair for his master to take her seat, when a sudden realization hit him like a blow across his face. The mansion...

The moment he realized the error, he was forced to stifle as sigh of irritation as he rested his forehead on the tips of his fingers. How could he had not seen this coming? This area was ravaged, a place of mass destruction. He had been so set on restoring the building, that he hadn't stopped to think about how out-of-place it would seem. Now that he'd repaired every inch of it; it stood out as much a black bean would in a pile of white rice. There would be more than just questions from the mansion inhabitants to deal with. Every being who lived outside of the mansion would immediately have their eyes drawn to the magnificent structure. He should have left the grounds and the outside of the mansion untouched; and only fixed up the interior. That was the important place anyway; as it was where they all resided. He shot a glance out of the nearest window, seeing that it was still dark. The sun had yet to raise its glory above the horizon; he had to time to correct his mistake before hostile eyes could be fixed upon the the impressive building.

Sebastian turned to face Integra, and immediately dropped into another kneel before her; right knee on the ground while the upraised left knee supported his left arm. He rested his right hand on his chest again, more habitual impulses; and felt his frustration shift to determination. The head bowed and his voice spoke in a tone that was heavy with sorrow and annoyance directed at himself. "Master, I'm terribly sorry. I've already committed a blunder unacceptable for a Hellsing Butler. I hang my head in shame... And I beg that you will allow me to atone. He paused for a moment, trying to ignore how unnaturally upset he was. Messing up so soon... It hadn't happened to him before; and it was a hard thing for him to accept. He proceeded to explain after a very short moment. "Your mansion... In my eager attempt to show you what I am capable of; I failed to consider that your home would stand out far too much in this destruction zone. There is still time for me to correct my error before the sun lights up the building for all to see. If you will allow me, I shall have the exterior of this mansion remade so that it blends in with its location; by the time you finish your breakfast. At the very least, it would remove suspicion of hostiles unless they came within the structure itself; in which case I'd give the intruder a proper welcome..." The last two words, despite his apology; were spoken pointedly. A "proper welcome" would most certainly include imprisonment; or even loss of life if necessary.

ooc: Aw, poor Sebastian. He hates making what he thinks are mistakes. Nice new signature, by the way.

[Stranger]

Integra enjoyed the scenery as she walked down the stairs to the kitchen. It was almost on par with the original manor. She had a keen eye to notice some differences, but it wasn't anything major, it was just that Sebastian had no way of recreating the pictures that hung on the wall of the old mansion, the ones of her family. This didn't bother her one bit however, they were morbid additions entirely.

She entered the dinning room and sat in the chair listening to him basically scold himself for a blunder he had made. Finally she held her hand up to silence him before saying calmly, "There will be no need for that. The squatters do not come out until night fall and by then they'll if they show up to the mansion Seras will be waiting for them at the main gate to show them the true horrors of the Hellsing mansion. I will increase security of the grounds as well."

Integra picked up the tea and drank from it eyeing the food. They would have some time before the rest of the manor would be acquainted with the new butler. Setting down the tea she would begin the main course for the morning. A much better change in pace from every other morning. The toast wasn't burnt.

[Thank you, I figured adding the two different pentagrams to it was a very good touch.]

[sebastian]

Sebastian said nothing as she seemed to blow off his thoughtlessness; and denied his request to put things right. So, she wanted to attract attention and unwelcome guests? Her mind worked in strange ways... And that only increased his fascination with her. He was becoming more certain that he'd chosen the perfect soul for his next meal; and that in itself was enough to make him determined to play his part as a loyal pawn well. This Seras person Integra mentioned sounded like quite a ally of her's; "true horrors" could mean so many different things. He was highly curious as to what Seras was, and what she could do. He had gotten a strong sense of blood lust from Seras' mental presence in Integra's mind, as well as a trace of her unusual scent. But he had been unable to learn any more from the bond of the Fuastian Contract, it was still too new to allow such knowledge to be easily acquired.

When she had finished speaking, he rose back his feet and straightened up; still rather upset about his making an error so soon. What kind of a butler made such foolish mistakes? Well, now that he thought about it, no normal human butler could do what he had done with the building; so they never had to worry about committing a blunder like he had. That thought lightened his mood somewhat, and tipped his head again in a slight bow to Integra. "Very well, Sir Integra." He said, regaining his normal tone of voice and composure within moments. He turned and left her to her meal for a moment, re-entering the kitchen to check on the food; making sure the brass and copper pots on the stove were still steaming as he lowered the stove heat to level 1. That would keep the food warm and fresh until the others who resided here got a chance to eat. Satisfied, he returned to the dining room.

Sebastian walked over to of the large, glass-walled display cases were were up against one of the walls; and took the velvet black box from a pocket. He opened it and pulled out the silver cross, leaning it against the lid of the box as he put within the case; next to other silver articles that really weren't impressive. He closed and re-locked the case using one of many keys he had hooked on a ring which he carried within an inside pocket of his tailcoat. In reconstructing the mansion, he had made the locks and corresponding keys for multiple locations. He had considered giving the keyring to Integra; but decided against it. She might not have appreciated carrying around the thing; and it was his job really as the butler to open doors for her. He planned on constantly being at her shoulder, like her own shadow; just as he had with his many previous contracted masters.

Sebastian returned to stand near the table, giving Integra plenty of personal space; while still being close enough to act should his services be required. He stepped forward to refill her tea and coffee as necessary, before moving back again. All the while he kept his eyes on the entrance to the dining room, half-expecting more hungry mouths to feed to come in; most likely burning with questions and confusion about what had happened to their trash heap of a home. He figured Integra would be more than capable of answering such questions, while he would focus on serving more plates and drinks.

((It was a good touch. It does a great job of displaying the power she has in controlling certain pawns in her game.))

[Stranger]

Not long after she finished up her plate and Sebastian had wandered back to her side the core group of Hellsing began entering the room. The Wild Geese all had their questions but they knew better than to interrupt Integra during her tea time. The last time someone had interrupted her they spent the entire day scrubbing the kitchen after Seras set it on fire by accident. Finally Seras herself showed up.

She wore a blood red version of her usual Hellsing uniform. This color matched Alucards and showed more leadership in her. Her hair remained the way it had been for the last 15 years, blond and neat. The main difference in her was the way her eyes stared, almost seductively rather than childish as she once was. Seras spoke up, "Sir Integra. What happened to this place? It's almost the same as the old mansion... Over night though."

Integra set her tea cup down and simply said, "Meet Sebastian. He is one Hell of a butler."

[sebastian]

Sebastian allowed a pleasant smile to return to his face as the people came in. So that was the girl Integra was so fond of, Seras. He felt a new flash of amusement as Integra introduced him, she had used his favourite phrase. He sank into a low bow to the confused newcomers. "It's an honor to meet you all. If you would please take your seats, I shall go prepare a plate for everyone." He swept out of the dining room through a side door which connected directly to the kitchen; the V-shape of his tailcoat fluttering about behind him. It took him under ten seconds to turn off the stove and shift the pots, a stack of silver-engraved plates and bowls along with one gold set, silverware, cups, and more pitchers of tea and coffee onto a white tablecloth covered cart. This tablecloth had the Hellsing coat of arms on each corner. As he was unsure of how much sugar and/or milk the others would want; so he added an extra pitcher of milk and bowl of sugar to the cart.

Then he was back in the dining room, pushing the cart with its load toward the table. He served Seras first, deeming it appropriate. With an undisguised grace, he poured her a cup of tea and another with coffee. "Here you are, Milady." He said softly; placing the cups before her then turning back to his cart. He filled a special bowl, edged with iridescent gold swirls, with the curry; and added some of the ginger french toast and fruit on another gold decorated plate. These he also laid before her; then preceded to do the same for everyone else at the table. "I any of you require more food or drink, please let me know." He left the cart near the table, in case the refills were needed; and then resumed standing near Integra. As plates were cleared, he would take them up and place them in a bin on the second shelf of the cart; he'd clean all of the dining materials at once after everyone had finished.

[Stranger]

Seras took a seat along side all of her men. It was unusual for her to not have to prepare the meals of the day, and very welcoming. Integra would interrupt Sebastian for future reference, "Make sure Seras gets her morning blood. I do not need a weak vampire leading my men." Seras was already blushing from the service she was getting, she then lowered her head at Integra's words almost disgraced.

"Chin up Police Girl, you are British, act like it," Integra said finishing her coffee and standing up. She brushed the wrinkle out of her coat before looking over the table at every man sitting there. "Enjoy the meal, training begins yet again at normal times. However, due to the mansion being restored to its full potential I will require extra guards to be set up in sniper positions and at the front gate. Seras, tonight if a riot stations itself at my gate, not a single one gets through alive. Understand?"

Seras nodded her head, "Yes Master."

"Very good," Integra said making way for the door. It was about time she visited Joann, it had been a while since the two had spoken.

[sebastian]

The demon butler smirked as he cleared away Seras' untouched food and replaced them on the cart. "So you are a vampire... No worries, Miss Seras. I have some blood here. I do hope you'll forgive me for serving human food at first; I was unsure of what you were. Vampire scent is something I haven't smelled in a while." He returned to his cart and picked up a rather large black bowl; filled with the dark liquid. He wasn't too fond of the blood smell, but there was nothing to do about it. He placed the bowl before Seras, and bowed again.

"May I ask what creature blood you prefer? This is bear blood, the only other like you I have been associated with preferred the wild beasts." He waited for her answer, then raised his head to see Integra was leaving. Sebastian took yet another set of cleared plates from the table, and placed them into the bin. He fixed those red eyes upon the girl whom Integra had referred to as Police Girl, and smiled pleasantly. "You were in charge of cooking before my arrival, am I correct? If you will be so kind, I would be grateful if you could return the cart to the kitchen once everyone finishes their meal. I'll clean it all when I return."

Without waiting for a reply, he bowed again; then turned to follow Integra out of the room. Once he was walking at her side again, he spoke. "I had a hunch about Seras' difference, Master, but are there any others with unusual eating habits in residence I should be aware of?" He'd been prepared this time, but there was no guarantee he always would be. He had yet to learn about all who lived here.

[Stranger]

"It uh. Doesn't really matter," Seras said before she was kindly asked a favor from him which she simply nodded to, "Alright." She was too busy blushing at him than anything else. Perhaps she was taken back by how he handled the situation so timely, it was unknown as Sebastian left the room to rejoin Integra who had stopped at the front door.

"Keep blood on hand as for everyone else. The regeneraters rarely eat and tend to themselves weekly. Iscariot knights reside outside and typically cook food for the refugee's where they also eat. Joann doesn't eat at all, she has no need for food," Integra paused to briefly think, "Ah yes. I have forgotten one thing. Table scraps are to be brought down to the dungeons and left in the first cell. The plate may be retrieved by sunrise the next morning and replaced with another plate."

she turned away from Sebastian and pushed open the front door walking out into the sunlight. Given that he would be following her she decided to talk and walk, "Heinkel typically handles the Iscariot business here. The two you saw me with the other day, the regenerators, are apart of his elite forces. Those you see wearing priest clothing are the knights." She continued to walk around he left hand side of the mansion until she was face to face with the stone tomb door.

"And this is Joann's home."

[sebastian]

"For everyone else...?" He repeated, tilting his head slightly. "Is everyone in the dining hall a vampire...? I may as well go ahead and get rid of the food if so." When she mentioned scraps being brought down to the dungeon, a rather malicious look came into his eyes. The dungeon was one of few places he had left untouched in his rebuilding of the mansion, there was no reason for prisoners of beasts down there to live in luxury. "Anything or anyone down there will be getting first class food every day then... I suppose my being here is a benefit to them as well." When they had reached the front door, he had been about to hold it open for her; only to find she had already done so herself. Yet another difference between her and his previous master. She did some things without his aid in the simplest matters.

He walked out after her, closing the door behind him; before turning to face the beautiful grounds of the Hellsing manor. Now that the sun had risen, it really was quite a beautiful sight. The many gardens and flower bushes, the fountains, the hedges, even the grass was green and evenly cut. He had placed concrete pathways throughout the yard to all major areas; so that walking on the grass to get from place to place would be unnecessary. It wasn't that he was worried about the grass dying, but it just wasn't right for noblemen and women to get bits of grass into their shoes. He trailed after her, listening carefully and nodding when she had finished.

When they came before the tomb, he was suddenly quite glad that he hadn't worked on the tomb as well. To be honest, he'd seriously considered simply removing the unsightly cavern altogether; it was quite out of place on the Hellsing grounds. But there had been a sense of foreboding about the place, and he'd chosen to leave it as it was out of discomfort at the thought of disrupting restless souls. If he was attacked by upset souls for defiling their resting place, he would be forced to swallow the said soul. But if it had been dead for longer than a few days, then the soul would end up making him really ill; the equivalent to a human eating rotted meat. He hadn't wanted to risk that, so he'd done nothing. Now that he knew someone who served under Hellsing resided there; he immensely relieved that he had left the place alone.