Yet more Refugees

[Ayen]

After arriving at Kari it was decided that the Moon Valley refugees would be moved to Hallowton as the rest of Kari's resources focus on repelling the demons pushing their way through Aircano and so the refugees would be safe should something happen to Kari and luck didn't strike them twice. Upon finally making it to Hallowton they were directed to the Hellsing organization that has been taking in refugees since appearing in the city. They stood at the gates of the manor, thirty in total, waiting to be brought in. Tori was there with her friends Shinta, his sister June, and her other friends Lily, Nex and Mary with their parents and Kara's parents by their side. Emerald green eyes looking over the outside of the manor and the guards stationed there. She knew very little about this Hellsing organization, it made her curious what they were all about. The rumors that has been flying around town has both been positive and rather negative.

“So, this is the place that houses the most dangerous woman in Jherra,” said June.

“Respect,” said Lily.

“D-do you really think there are monsters inside?” asked Mary.

“What difference does it make? We were among monsters ever since settling into Jherrazad,” said Shinta.

“But from what I hear in town these are worse.”

“I hear they kill people with tuning forks,” said Nex.

“What?”

“Cool story, bro.”

“Don't you cool story bro me!”

“Shh!” shushed Tori. “Keep that up we'll be kicked out before we even make it through the door.”

“Sorry.”

[sebastian]

Within the kitchen of the manor, the butler was in the process of polishing the final tuning fork which would be placed into the display case at the far side of the kitchen. The forks were more or less for that purpose only, display; but they were genuine silver, therefore they had to have tarnish removed. The crimson gaze rose to the large window behind the sink; which allowed a view of the main gates into Hellsing grounds. He could hear the voices, as see the large number of people milling about outside. The man sighed and turned to place the fork back into its display; before making his way out of the kitchen as he pulled his white gloves back on, once again concealing the Faustian symbol on the back of his left hand.

He had been expecting a new set of refugees, they came from Moon Valley; but he hadn't thought they would be arriving for another hour or so. As he made his way down the hall into the lobby, the eyes flicked over to the large table he'd set up earlier. It was covered with a spotless white tablecloth, and had a wide variety of different gourmet meals and drinks available. This was merely the reception, but he had intended to make it a special occasion for the refugees; a party one would say. These refugees might not have had a decent meal in years. There were already quite a few Hellsing inhabitants in the room; other refugees who would be welcoming the new arrivals. There were also a few guards; but simply to ensure no violence erupted. It just wouldn't do for the entire welcome to be ruined by some battle-loving arrivals. The guards were also placed to make sure no refugees decided to start exploring the mansion. Once this entire meet and greet was over, he would escort the new arrivals to their quarters within the building which served as a dormitory for refugees. That building was as well cared for as the mansion itself, thanks to him; it would be like staying in a five star hotel for these people.

Sebastian walked through the lobby to the large, highly polished, mahogany, double doors which were the main entrance; the exquisite smell of the food wafted out side as he did so. He proceeded to the wrought iron gates, tall and imposing, with a pleasant smile of greeting. Once the padlock had been removed, he pushed the doors open without a sound; somehow making even that simple movement elegant. He rest a gloved right hand on his chest and sank into a deep bow. "Welcome to the Hellsing Manor." He said softly, straightening up after a moment; and proceeding to prop open the gate. "I am Sebastian Michaelis, the head butler of this estate, at your service. Should you have any questions or needs during your stay, please don't hesitate to find me. Now if you would be so kind, please follow me. There is a welcome reception awaiting your presence within the main lobby of the manor." He turned and started to walk down the perfectly white concrete path to the main entrance; gesturing at one of the nearby guards to close the gate once all the new arrivals were through. Once the butler reached the large double doors; he pulled both of them open and stepped aside to grant the newcomers entrance. "There are refreshments available to the left, restrooms to the right. I must ask you all to remain in the lobby however; wandering around this structure presents its own set of dangers." He would bow again as they passed; and then close the doors behind them all once everyone was inside. "Please enjoy yourselves."

[Ayen]

"Welcome to the Hellsing Manor."

Tori looked over to the man that came out to greet them. Fortunately for Sebastian red eyes weren't all that uncommon in Genesis, neither was purple, so Tori had no reason to suspect he was anything else other than human like herself.

"I am Sebastian Michaelis, the head butler of this estate, at your service. Should you have any questions or needs during your stay, please don't hesitate to find me. Now if you would be so kind, please follow me. There is a welcome reception awaiting your presence within the main lobby of the manor."

The refugees followed, silent for the most part bar the teenagers who talked quietly among themselves.

“I don't like that guy.”

“You don't even know him.”

“He's too proper. And the gloves. I don't trust people who wear gloves.”

“I think he's cute.”

“You shouldn't say such things,” said Mary to Shinta.

“Somebody's jealous,” said Lily to Nex.

“Me? Jealous? Ain't nothing to be jealous of.”

"There are refreshments available to the left, restrooms to the right. I must ask you all to remain in the lobby however; wandering around this structure presents its own set of dangers."

Tori's eyes scanned the lobby as they entered through the main entrance of the Hellsing estate before Sebastian closed the door. Needless to say she was impressed alongside the other people there. She hasn't been in many places like this before. While it wasn't as nice as the castle back in Jherrazad it was certainly beautiful in its own right and it was the first mansion Tori and the gang had ever stepped into. It was a shame this couldn't have come under better circumstances.

“Wow, what a mansion!”

The others let out a chuckle as their parents spread out to greet the other refugees leaving Tori and the others alone. Nex was the first one over to try out the refreshments while June and Mary walked off to explore the right side of the lobby while Shinta and Lily went off to the left. Tori couldn't help but notice how clean everything was, though she had no way of knowing that was due to a woman with OCD that cleaned everything she came into contact with even if Sebastian had already cleaned it. Tori poured herself a cup of fresh cool lemonade, leaning back against the wall by the table and crossing a leg around the other as she drank from her drink.

[sebastian]

The entire conversation between those teenagers failed to go unnoticed by him. He could hear every word well; due to his own enhanced demonic senses. It was rather amusing, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk. So, one of the boys disliked him because he was proper... And wore gloves? The boy probably didn't realize exactly how much filth gathered on human hands throughout the course of a day. He wore gloves to ensure none of that filth was shifted into food, drink, or otherwise cleaning duties. Of course, there was also the purpose of concealing the pentagram on his hand. Perhaps he could understand the boy's mistrust of gloves... Gloves could certainly hide many things...

Then there were the words of that other boy; he greatly resembled a female. He made no reaction to suggest he had heard the words, but he did feel a trace of disgust starting to rear its ugly head. So, this boy was similar to Grell then? The demon butler had long since grown used to the amorous longings of men and women alike, he tolerated and managed to keep his sanity. But what they never realized was that he held no desire to become involved in a relationship; or to engage in sexual intercourse at that. True, he would on occasion perform what humans called "flirtation" toward a lady; but he had reasons for that. He found human emotions, instincts, and actions quite entertaining. Seeing the color rise to a woman's face, feeling a sense of hormones kicking in whenever he got too close...

Those were all things he was unable to do; thanks to being a demon. There was a difference between male and female, but both types of humans naturally carried a rather unpleasant smell. Unpleasant to his over-sensitive nose, at least. Throughout his service to humans, he had trained himself to ignore the sickening human scent; but when it came to excitement which rose from lust... The smell grew tenfold in strength, even changed entirely at times. So there was a certain level of fascination with it all. So his main reason for any... Suggestive... Motions on his part were simply from boredom. But of course... Humans in their excitement always thought it was something different... That was also amusing.

"Wow, what a mansion!"

The butler smiled inwardly as he shut the mansion's front doors. The new refugees were quick start start spreading out, and began to socialize with others. He made his way toward the refreshment table, which was technically blocking the only entrance into the main kitchen now. He had done that for his own purposes. His motion ended up making him pass the red head, but he kept his gaze focused ahead. She was the only one not running around and being social... That was often a bad sign, enough to make him suspicious. He had a feeling that she might have been in the process of planning something, though what those plans consisted up; he had no idea. All he could do was discreetly keep an eye on her.

Once he reached the table, he moved through the small gap between the far end and wall; placing himself behind it on on the kitchen side. Already, some of the sandwiches were running low, so he moved back into the kitchen to make some more. He had returned within a few minutes, quickly restocking the sandwiches and any other food or drink which was running low. During his work, those fierce crimson eyes flickered back to the red haired girl, checking to make sure she was still there. He wanted no trouble during this reception.

[Ayen]

Tori didn't have anything planned at the time of Sebastian's suspicion but as he went into the kitchen Tori saw a raven-haired woman with a pentagram carved into her throat pass the lobby and walk down a corridor. Nex began pestering a couple of the guards by the corridor that the pale woman had walked down giving Tori an opportune time to sneak on by and followed the woman so by the time Sebastian had returned Tori would be nowhere to be found.

Unfortunately for Tori neither was the raven-haired woman once she reached the corridor. But Tori continued walking down the hallway regardless. Her head turning to the left and right at the random paintings on each side of the walls as she kept a look out for any signs of life. She came to a stop at a single black door at the end of the hallway and turned the knob only to find it was locked. Looking around to see if anyone else was there she pulled out a lock pick from her pocket and attempted to pick the lock open.

[sebastian]

The butler's eyes narrowed when he noticed that the female was missing. Irritation swelled up at that moment, and took a great deal of self-control to hide the emotion. He squeezed back through the gap between the wall and table; and walked over to where the girl had been standing moments ago. He took a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes; familiarizing himself with her own human scent. A moment later, he began to follow the trail; moving past the guard who was talking to one of the newcomers. The guard looked curiously at him as he passed, but did nothing; apparently unaware someone had already slipped by him. He saw no reason to rub salt into the wound once the man found out he'd let someone by.

Sebastian stalked down the corridor, following the girl's scent with ease; now that she was away from the cluttered smells back in the lobby. He passed only a few other residents of Hellsing, most had already gone down to the reception; despite the fact they were no refugees. The party was open to all of Hellsing, so there was no reason for anyone to be wandering these halls. Within a few moments, he had turned a corner into a hallway lined with pictures; and there was the refugee. It seemed she was trying to get through the door... His eyes hardened as he started down the hall; his footsteps echoing in the emptiness. "I wouldn't recommend you open that door, Miss." He said softly. He came to a halt a short distance away from her, disapproval rolling off him in waves. "Every mansion has its secrets, some which would be better left undiscovered. Strolling about uninvited in someone else's mansion strikes me as quite inconsiderate." He said in a firm voice. Why was she here, really? Had he been right in suspecting her as someone who was a possible danger?

[Ayen]

"I wouldn't recommend you open that door, Miss."

A chill shot up her spine and up the back of her neck as she heard Sebastian's voice. Busted and to cap it all off she wasn't even able to find that woman and learn more about the pentagram on her throat or what tides she had to this organization. Was she a slave? She heard the rumors about their being supernatural creatures under the command of Sir Integra that made her so dangerous in the first place. Was she one of them? Was he one of them?

"Every mansion has its secrets, some which would be better left undiscovered. Strolling about uninvited in someone else's mansion strikes me as quite inconsiderate."

“And carving some unknown symbol into the throat of someone strikes me as quite inconsiderate,” came Tori's retort. Despite technically being in the wrong she'd hold her ground regardless. “Just what kind of an organization are you people running here?”

[sebastian]

So she was a fighter? Turning his own words back on him like that, she seemed to be the strong type. This girl was either really brave, or extremely stupid. Nevertheless, he could give her some credit for that; and the open disapproval began to fade. The demon tilted his head slightly to the right, considering the human who stood before him; as she mentioned a symbol in someone else's throat. Of course... So that was what had dragged her out of the reception in the first place? "You speak of Maricul. That woman is strong; she is among the leadership of Hellsing. That symbol she wears upon her throat was earned from Sir Integra, a mark of her ties to the organization." That was it... He had made it sound as if Maricul had been given a choice; made it sound like an honor to bear the symbol, which wasn't entirely untrue; without revealing exactly what she was. Sebastian took a single step closer to her at the next question. If she felt an urge to back up; as most humans would have at this point, she'd find herself pressed against the very door she had been trying to open.

"What kind of an organization..." He murmured, the seemingly soulless crimson eyes locking gazes with her own green one. "The Hellsing organization serves directly under the Queen of Hallowton. If by 'kind' you mean what our purpose is; we fight against and destroy the supernatural evils. We are protectors of Hallowton." His smile was almost bemused now. "That is even more reason for you to be careful where you wander. Not everyone beneath this roof will be quite so accommodating of your adventure as I am. However... Your curiosity is understandable. It is much like that of an innocent little puppy who knows no fear..."

"If you wished for a look around the manor, you needed only to ask. It would have reflected better upon your given first impression, rather than sneaking around has done. Perhaps I can assuage your curiosity..." He stepped past her then, the edge of his tailcoat brushing against her side as he took a large ring of many keys from an inside pocket of the coat. He unlocked the door and held it open, standing to the side so that the girl could get a good look at the spiral stone staircase which led into a black abyss. A chilly air seemed to rise from the depths below. "There is nothing for you down here. These stairs lead into the underground depths, where the dungeons are located. Creatures who serve as weapons for Hellsing reside down there, beings who prefer the environment below ground. None of them would take kindly to you suddenly appearing amongst them."

He shut the door again and re-locked it; before returning the key ring to his inside pocket. Sebastian turned and looked down on her again, a firm warning within the crimson gaze. "Do not wander anymore; it is for your own safety. He offered a more genuine smile then as he gestured down the hallway in the direction from whence he had come. "Now then... Perhaps you would like to return to the party? It would be awful if one of our newest refugees got lost within the manor." To be honest, he wouldn't have cared; but he had a reputation to live up to, along with his own honor code. He would escort her back down to the party, and continue to keep an eye on her.

[Ayen]

"You speak of Maricul. That woman is strong; she is among the leadership of Hellsing. That symbol she wears upon her throat was earned from Sir Integra, a mark of her ties to the organization."

“And she couldn't think of anywhere else to stick it except on her throat?”

Sebastian would be able to tell by the tone in Tori's voice she didn't completely buy that story. Even if she did it sounded like something a cult would do and the thought of being under the same roof as a cult wasn't all that appetizing.

"What kind of an organization... The Hellsing organization serves directly under the Queen of Hallowton. If by 'kind' you mean what our purpose is; we fight against and destroy the supernatural evils. We are protectors of Hallowton."

“You must have had quite the selling pitch. Hallowton's citizens are known for their pacifist nature.”

Tori knew little about what has happened up here due to the demon invasion of her home happening around the same time as the Vulture attack and not having access to a television or any other outside source to learn how much Hallowton has changed since then. And since she just arrived to the city for the first time in her life she was still under the assumption that not much has changed from what she knew of the city from her parents and school.

"That is even more reason for you to be careful where you wander. Not everyone beneath this roof will be quite so accommodating of your adventure as I am. However... Your curiosity is understandable. It is much like that of an innocent little puppy who knows no fear..."

“I'm not a little puppy.”

"If you wished for a look around the manor, you needed only to ask. It would have reflected better upon your given first impression, rather than sneaking around has done. Perhaps I can assuage your curiosity..."

That time Tori didn't say anything. He was right, that's what she should have done if she really needed to know about Maricul and that mark on her throat. The sudden appearance of the woman and her natural curiosity caused her to act without thinking. Additionally while she didn't get a good look at the pentagram she recognized some of the markings in the symbol that looked similar to the alchemy in her own world and it was a subject she was interested in learning more about. Tori watched as Sebastian unlocked and opened the door and then looked to the staircase that led down to pitch blackness.

"There is nothing for you down there. These stairs lead into the underground depths, where the dungeons are located. Creatures who serve as weapons for Hellsing reside down there, beings who prefer the environment below ground. None of them would take kindly to you suddenly appearing amongst them."

“The rumors are true then. Sir Integra does have supernatural creatures under her command. Are you one of them?”

"Do not wander anymore; it is for your own safety."

“Y-yes. I'm sorry I took off like that.”

"Now then... Perhaps you would like to return to the party? It would be awful if one of our newest refugees got lost within the manor."

“I would like to see more of the mansion if it isn't too much trouble.”

[sebastian]

"It seems as if you have not been updated about the status of Hallowton, Miss..." He said, shaking his head slowly in sorrow. "Hallowton citizens were pacifists. Isafaro launched an attack upon it not all that long ago; reducing many parts to mere rubble and slum life. They had no quarrel with Isafaro, the enemy simply struck a blow without any provocation. If you were to walk around the city some, you will see for yourself the horrors which have been committed. Many Hallowton denizens have been reduced to the level of beasts, doing whatever it takes to simply satisfy their hunger and thirst; to stay alive. That is why Sir Integra first came in. Her goal is to help provide a new life for these people, and she wishes to take down Isafaro for its crimes as well. That is why the Queen hired Hellsing to work here under her. It is war now." The crimson gaze shifted over to gaze out of the nearest window, the eyes darkened slightly. He really didn't care about the fate of Hallowton, it wasn't his concern. But, had all the problems not come up; then he wouldn't have been given the opportunity to contract with Integra. So in a way, he could only feel grateful to Isafaro for helping to provide him with his next meal. But that didn't make him fond of them. He was submissive to his master. Integra's enemies were his enemies, her friends and allies were his friends and allies. That was all there was to say about the matter.

“The rumors are true then. Sir Integra does have supernatural creatures under her command. Are you one of them?”

Sebastian turned his attention back to her; his smile bemused. So the rumors had spread all the way to Moon Valley? Interesting... He tipped his head pointedly at the black door he had only just locked. "Those rumors are true, the proof is right there in those dungeons. There is no better way to take down the supernatural, than to fight back with your own supernatural. Some of the beings Hellsing has faced would not have been able to be defeated by man power. As for myself... I am merely one hell of a butler, and nothing more." She could believe what she wanted to about him. Whether he was human, or something supernatural; he wouldn't be giving that answer to her. If she poked around enough; asked the right people, she might have been able to identify that he wasn't human. The speed and efficiency with which he carried out his duties was evidence enough of that. But exactly what he was... Only a select few knew; including Integra, Tyrion, Seras, and Joann. Everyone else could only say he was an extremely capable human.

"Your apology is not necessary. As I said, I understand your curiosity. However; in the future, I would recommend you be careful with where you chose to explore." He listened to her request, and hesitated. He pulled out his pocket watch and flipped it open, examining the time. There were plenty of guards down at the party; he could only hope no one else felt an urge to explore in his momentary absence. A moment later, he closed the watch and returned it to his pocket; before putting on a genuine smile, no trace of sarcasm or sardonic remarks. He wasn't going to leave her alone to wander these halls, there was too much risk that she could stumble upon something best left undiscovered. "I suppose there is some time before you will all be led to your residence hall." He bowed to her, then straightened up and extended a gloved left hand to her. "Very well then... With your permission, I shall be your escort for a private guided tour. As long as you are with me, no one will question you for being in a place you shouldn't be."

[Ayen]

"It seems as if you have not been updated about the status of Hallowton, Miss..."

“Tori. Tori Jacobs. And no, I'm afraid. I've been a little busy.”

"Hallowton citizens were pacifists. Isafaro launched an attack upon it not all that long ago; reducing many parts to mere rubble and slum life. They had no quarrel with Isafaro, the enemy simply struck a blow without any provocation. If you were to walk around the city some, you will see for yourself the horrors which have been committed. Many Hallowton denizens have been reduced to the level of beasts, doing whatever it takes to simply satisfy their hunger and thirst; to stay alive. That is why Sir Integra first came in. Her goal is to help provide a new life for these people, and she wishes to take down Isafaro for its crimes as well. That is why the Queen hired Hellsing to work here under her. It is war now."

“War on top of war. And in such a peaceful place. How tragic.”

Hallowton was once the most peaceful city in all of Jherra, despite living right across from the most dangerous city in the form of Isafaro. Many knew it was only a matter of time though before Isafaro decided to attack this place. It sounded like when they finally did they hit it hard. It was heart-breaking for Tori to hear and she didn't even have much first-hand experience with the city. Or maybe it was the simple parallels between Hallowton's situation and her own. Both Moon Valley and Hallowton has been sent to hell at exactly the same time. Only difference is Hallowton wasn't being controlled by demons bent on world conquest.

"Those rumors are true, the proof is right there in those dungeons. There is no better way to take down the supernatural, than to fight back with your own supernatural. Some of the beings Hellsing has faced would not have been able to be defeated by man power. As for myself... I am merely one hell of a butler, and nothing more."

“And what exactly has Hellsing faced in the past?” she asked curiously.

"Your apology is not necessary. As I said, I understand your curiosity. However; in the future, I would recommend you be careful with where you chose to explore."

“Yes, Sebastian. Thank you.”

"I suppose there is some time before you will all be led to your residence hall. Very well then... With your permission, I shall be your escort for a private guided tour. As long as you are with me, no one will question you for being in a place you shouldn't be."

Tori accepted Sebastian's hand and smiled up towards him.

“Lead the way.”

[sebastian]

He bowed his head as she accepted his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Jacobs." The butler turned after a moment, releasing the hand as he started down the hallway; expecting that she would follow. "It is indeed a tragedy. To see such a peaceful city in this state as a direct result from another city's dominance; it is enough to win over the sympathies of a powerful organization such as Hellsing." As he walked, he was considering where to take her first. There were so many places that a guest might be interested in visiting, and there was only a limited time to show her more of the mansion. He next question dragged his attention away from his own musings. The head turned slightly, so that he could watch her through his peripheral vision.

"I have only been serving here for slightly over a month. I'm afraid I know very little about Hellsing's past battles. But from what I've heard, one of their greatest battles was against a large organization by the name of Millennium. Originally, the purpose of that organization was to research and create a military force using supernatural beings as soldiers; vampires as the main species. At the time, the organization was against Hellsing and the city it defended. Millennium was defeated by Hellsing eventually; but there were drastic losses. " He paused, filtering through the information swimming around in his head as he decided on what to say next. "The organization wasn't finished, however. Ten years later, a group of remnants emerged who were led by a God of Death named 'Anubis'; adding undead soldiers to its army of supernatural beings. This army was also defeated bu Hellsing's best, and Anubis was killed. But the end of the Death God also meant the end of their reality. So that is how Hellsing came into this world; and they now fight to defend Hallowton."

Sebastian sighed as he came to halt; they were now standing not far from the entrance back into the lobby where the party was taking place. "I apologize, but that is secondhand information; it may or may not be accurate. As I said, I haven't been serving here long." He gestured toward the grande staircase which would lead them into the upper floors. It was time to refocus on the tour. "As you can tell, this mansion is vast; there is far too much for you to be able to see within the hour. Is there anywhere in specific you wish to see? Name a location, we most likely have it somewhere." The crimson gaze flicked back to the lobby entrance, listening carefully for any sounds of trouble. Everything seemed to be moving along smoothly for the time being.

[Ayen]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Jacobs."

“Please. Call me Tori.”

"It is indeed a tragedy. To see such a peaceful city in this state as a direct result from another city's dominance; it is enough to win over the sympathies of a powerful organization such as Hellsing."

Tori followed Sebastian, listening to his words as she looked around the halls of the manor.

"I have only been serving here for slightly over a month. I'm afraid I know very little about Hellsing's past battles. But from what I've heard, one of their greatest battles was against a large organization by the name of Millennium. Originally, the purpose of that organization was to research and create a military force using supernatural beings as soldiers; vampires as the main species. At the time, the organization was against Hellsing and the city it defended. Millennium was defeated by Hellsing eventually; but there were drastic losses. The organization wasn't finished, however. Ten years later, a group of remnants emerged who were led by a God of Death named 'Anubis'; adding undead soldiers to its army of supernatural beings. This army was also defeated by Hellsing's best, and Anubis was killed. But the end of the Death God also meant the end of their reality. So that is how Hellsing came into this world; and they now fight to defend Hallowton."

“Their reality was destroyed? I'm sorry.”

"I apologize, but that is secondhand information; it may or may not be accurate. As I said, I haven't been serving here long."

“There's no need to apology, Sebastian.”

"As you can tell, this mansion is vast; there is far too much for you to be able to see within the hour. Is there anywhere in specific you wish to see? Name a location, we most likely have it somewhere."

“How about the library?”

[sebastian]

"As you wish, Tori." He said politely, smiling pleasantly at her request to use her name. He shook his head slightly at her apology. "Your sympathy will not be welcomed by the Hellsing leaders. They have learned to move on." He directed his gaze toward a guard who was passing by, and extended a hand to rest on the Wild Geese member's shoulder. The man turned at once, nodding a cheerful greeting to the butler. "If you would be so kind, please remind the guards to remain on the alert. I don't want to find anymore wandering guests in the manor; this building is too vast to guarantee their safety." The guard's eyes flicked over to fix on Tori for a moment, before he nodded a hasty apology to Sebastian. He then walked back into the hall; instantly making a beeline for one of the sergeants. The butler nodded in approval, then turned back to Tori, still smiling. "Ah, the library... One of the more fine rooms."

He turned and made his way up the grade staircase, making sure he could hear her footsteps going after him. The library was up on the second floor, at the end of a large and richly decorated hallway. He approached the great double doors, and pushed them open. Standing in front of one of the doors so that Tori could walk in, he gestured at the many shelves which rose the lofty ceiling; each shelf was stocked to bursting point with books. "These all came from a rather generous donation from the Queen's palace, there are many necessities of research to be done by those who reside here. I'm afraid refugees are not granted access to our library without express permission from Sir Integra or myself. Should you ever require a book or a topic to be studied, don't hesitate to ask me so that I may bring the books to you. Or otherwise help you search for what you look for." He would give her some time to look around before shepherding her out of the room. While they were on this floor, perhaps the armory would be a good place to tour next.

[Ayen]

"As you wish, Tori."

That's more like it. As the saying goes, “Mrs. Jacobs was my mother.” Okay maybe that's not how the saying goes exactly but you get the idea.

"Your sympathy will not be welcomed by the Hellsing leaders. They have learned to move on."

“That's good. Still, I feel it would have been rude of me not to offer it.”

"If you would be so kind, please remind the guards to remain on the alert. I don't want to find anymore wandering guests in the manor; this building is too vast to guarantee their safety."

Tori thought to herself for a moment, imagining what would happen if any of the others from her group wandered off. Shinta and Mary were likely not to do it without just cause. Lily and June would begin exploring the mansion, Lily out of her rebellious nature and June out of pure curiosity probably getting in trouble. Nex would get lost and do something extremely stupid to get himself hurt. They had probably already noticed she had wandered off too.

“And please let them know that I'm fine.”

"Ah, the library... One of the more fine rooms."

Tori followed Sebastian up the grand staircase with her excitement growing. She enjoyed simply just reading in ordinary libraries back home. She couldn't imagine what the library here must have looked like with how much bigger everything was. And with what they were fighting the knowledge of demon lore and the likes must have been extensive. When they arrived at the library she wouldn't be disappointed.

"These all came from a rather generous donation from the Queen's palace, there are many necessities of research to be done by those who reside here. I'm afraid refugees are not granted access to our library without express permission from Sir Integra or myself. Should you ever require a book or a topic to be studied, don't hesitate to ask me so that I may bring the books to you. Or otherwise help you search for what you look for."

“Oh. Oh, wow.”

Tori could spend an entire week locked up in this place to read and still have a ton more books left waiting for her. The redhead wasted no time running from shelf, to shelf to get a feel of the kinds of books that were in here. There were books on the Hallowton people, the city's history, Jherra history books that dated back hundreds of years and of course all kinds of books on magic, vampires, demons and other creatures that walked the grounds of Genesis. Even books on Alchemy that she had been searching for extensively back in Moon Valley. Tori pulled a couple out and held them up to Sebastian.

“Would you object terribly if I took a couple of these with me back to my room?”