God Save the Queen

(SirJianTess)

WARNING: This story is rated MA-LV for strong language and graphically violent scenes. Reader discretion is advised.

Integra smashed her cigar down into the ash tray!
"Can it be fixed, Walter!?"
The enigmatic butler stood compliant and cordially bowed to the dear lady.
"Sir Integra, we have been working hard on it for several days now. Our technicians need time to amplify the power of this device before they can reactivate it."
Integra nodded coldly, and reached down to grab another cigar from her drawer. Her gleaming eyeglasses made her gaze look indifferent and lifeless to Walter's focused and smiling demeanor. A lighter was snapped.
"So Walter, you're sure that this device can be used to repel Freaks?"
"Quite so, milady. It produces an unusual type of essence throughout the air that vampires utterly despise. Those "Freaks" wouldn't dare come within 60 feet of the Hellsing headquarters for fear of being smothered to death by the fiery powder that lights up on their skin."
Integra's eyes bursted wide with concern.
"What about Alucard and Seras?"
"They will be quite alright, milady. Master Alucard has already learned to endure the atmosphere without any protection. As for Mistress Seras; she will to remain underground for the time being. But fear not, we have almost prepared a specialized suit that repels the effects of the powder. Thus, she would be able to walk freely around Hellsing without fear of harm."
Integra nodded coldly again and snapped her fingers.
"That'll be all Walter."
Walter turned and walked towards the door. He just began to open it when a technician came rushing up to him like a crazed fanatic. Walter recoiled when he saw the zealot, but he stopped in between the door and talked to him. The technician raised his head and began spilling out some information. Walter heard and nodded, and then turned around again.
"Milady." He announced.
Integra raised her head from the paperwork.
"Yes?"
"Milady; I've just been informed that the device was prepared a few hours ago."
"Already?"
"Yes. The technician came by to inquire as to whether you needed to be present during its activation. As President of the organization, it is your duty to oversee an organization-wide change."
Integra bit her lip and smiled curtly. Then she rose from her crimson chair and quickly paced out of the room.
"Let's get this over with. I have important duties to attend to."
"It will be simple, milady."

The Hellsing Secret Weapons Lab was bustling with the crowds of nit-picky technicians pacing back and forth relentlessly. They were all in casual white labs with standard business glasses on their eyes. Integra sternly stood in the back of the room, arms crossed, cigar in mouth, waiting for a response. Finally one of the technicians noticed.
"Sir Integra Windgates Hellsing! What a pleasure to have you here!"
Integra smiled in her little cordial, icy manner.
"Dispense with the pleasantries. Where's the new device I was brought here to see?"
"Oh. Right over here. We're just about to activate it."
The technician walked to the center of the square room where a group of scientists were gathered like surgeons doing a real critical surgery. Integra followed them, and upon seeing her, many technicians backed away from the center. The device lay in the middle of the crowd. It looked like an atom bomb with several vents cut along the side. A series of tubes were connected inside and out of each opening, as if the machine were processing out its own power. Integra bit her cigar upon seeing this eerie looking thing. All the scientists stood up and at attention. All were male and noticeably towered over the Head of the Organization. Integra chewed on her cigar a bit more, while everyone else waited in anticipation. Finally she simply announced
"Activate it."
The technicians all nodded in agreement. They moved away from the vicinity of the device and escorted Integra to a safe part of the room.
"There are no protective walls." Integra commented.
"Don't worry Sir Integra. The device is completely harmless to human beings. We've tested it several times."
Integra nodded in agreement. The technicians flew to four control panels located at four areas of the room. Each put his hand on a certain level in each of their control boards. The main technician next to Integra held up his hand in preparation. When the other technicians were prepared; he threw down his hand!
"NOW!"
The levers were pulled and a strange sizzling sound went through the entire room. There were a few light failures but everything stabilized and red gas began pouring out of the vents on the device! All the technicians turned around and breathed in the powder harmlessly and were totally unaffected. The technician pointed to the vents in the wall.
"See. The gas will eventually pass through our air vents out into the entire Hellsing organization. Soon, every single room in this building will be completely protected from any vampiric presence."
Integra nodded. But as the red fumes passed by her, she began to feel a tingling sensation in her stomach. It almost felt like motion sickness, but was coming from the inside out. She coughed, and her cigar fell out of her mouth.
"Miss Integra?"
She fell on her knees, and the technician was just about to call the thing off when Integra held up her hand in protest.
"I'm fine. It's passed by now."
"It must just be the initial shock of the fumes entering into your system for the first time."
The lady coughed again. Walter stood by the door, ready to escort her out.
"Madam..."
She got up and turned to the exit, her hand still gripping her stomach. But other than that, she was standing straight and looked healthy and as stern as ever. Walter opened the door for her and she exited the lab.

The next day...

Something was wrong.

Integra's eyes swayed back and forth dizzily over the letter she was supposed to be reading. She rubbed her eyes in frustration, but she couldn't relieve that blurry vision.
"Damn powder..."
It had come periodically throughout the day. However, Integra had never been feeling 100% healthy throughout that whole 24 hours when she had seen the device activated. Constant pangs of nausea coupled with random bouts of dizzy spells haunted her. The technician assured her it was merely a matter of adapting to the new environment, and that it would pass soon. She listened to his advice with little objection. If it would protect her men, then she was fine with it.
However as she tried to read the print on a letter from one of Hellsing's contacts, her eyes kept fazing in and out, and she was unable to focus her vision. She stabilized herself with both hands on the table and gritted her teeth. A little sickness wouldn't stop her from working. She picked up her pen and proceeded to mark up certain parts of the letter when suddenly her vision became an indecipherable blurry cloud and she collapsed altogether.

Walter found her asleep at her desk. He cleared his throat and the sound succeeded in awakening her.
"Walter?"
"Milady. Apparently she had drowsed off."
"Drowsed...ah yes...but it..."
"Is it the powder? Shall I find a doctor!?"
"No." She held up her hand. "Leave it. I'll adapt."
"But you're ill, milady..."
"I'm fine Walter."
She sat up erect in her chair.
"Tis' of no consequence. You're dismissed."
Walter sighed out of annoyance.
"As you wish, milady."
The butler turned to walk toward the door. Halfway there, Integra called to him again.
"Walter!"
He flipped around.
"Yes, milady?"
Her hair was a tangled mess and her glasses almost seemed to be falling off.
"I must ask you a question...Walter."
"Yes Sir Integra." He stood at attention. She was breathing heavily.
"How long have we been together?"
"Your whole life, milady. 24 years."
"Can I ask you a personal question, Walter?"
The butler's eyebrow raised in speculation.
"If you wish, milady."
"Walter..." Her face was crimson mad-red with concern and fear. "...throughout all my years as president..."
"Yes?" He eyed her with a growing suspicion. Something was not right.
"Walter." She sighed and slowly stood up, but then steadied herself with her hands on the desk.
She raised her head and looked her butler straight in the eyes.

"Do I look fat to you?"

Integra was swaying back and forth in her chair, and her position appeared very uncomfortable. Walter kept his eyes glued to his master.
"Milady what was the meaning of that question?"
"Question...?"
She lay sideways in her chair like she was trying to make a good resting spot. Her breath was still heavy, and her white gloved hands were still rooted on the table for reassurance that she was rooted here. Her hair was a mangled mess, like a blonde-haired maiden that had just undergone the most traumatic experience in her entire life! She writhed in her chair a bit more, until one hand left the table again and clutched her stomach in utter pain! Walter's eyes shot open and he broke out of his obedient demeanor.
"Milady! You need a doctor this instant! It's very apparent that you cannot function properly in the state the Hellsing manor is in right now!"
"It's all right Walter..." she moaned somberly, her eyes squinting from the stress of the pain. Her teeth were gritted and her movements were beginning to rock the chair like an electric seat.
'This is not just a matter of readjustment...' Walter thought silently. He went to grab the phone on her desk. Integra didn't bother to stop him. As soon as Walter's gloved hand touched the ivory handle, Integra lost concious and collapsed to the floor, her body sprawled out like a beautiful, broken dummy. Walter's eyes were in shock; horrified, he grabbed the phone and dialed up the medical professionals in Hellsing.
"It's Madame Integra! She's passed out! Please send a medical unit down to the main office immediately!"
Integra lay still, barely breathing. Walter immediately set down and grabbed her head lightly and attempted to readjust her body in a normal resting position. Throughout all this, her shimmering glasses had managed to still stay on. Her collar was completely torn down, and her hair looked like it had been pulled by her own two hands during her crazed convulsions. Walter sighed, took out a hankerchief and wiped the sweat from his face. He could only wait now until the doctors came.

Five minutes later, no one had arrived. Walter stamped his foot in impatience! His eyes turned toward Integra who was still breathing quietly on the ground.
'If it is the powder, then I've got to get the Head of Hellsing out of this mansion. I shall discuss my disdain with the pretentious technician when this is all over...'
He reached down to try and pick her up. However, just before he could get near her...
her eyes snapped open! She coughed, coughed and coughed again and rolled over on the floor still holding her stomach.

Then...

Integra rolled over all around the floor, moaning and groaning like someone having a child. Every part of her body was tightening up out of stress and pain; she gripped her hands and held them close to her chest. Her eyes were shut and her face was red. Then something happened.
While Integra gripped her hands together, the cuffs around her wrist began tightening. Slowly but surely; it almost appeared as if her shirt cuff was shrinking. Upon closer examination, Walter noticed that her wrist almost seemed to be swelling. Veins were pushing out like steel tubes against every piece of fabric on her shirt cuff. Her hand was noticeably larger too, almost like it had swelled as well!
"Oh dear..." Walter grumpily muttered. He ran over to the telephone!
"Where is that blasted medical unit! Hellsing's Head is in peril!"
The sound of Integra's painful groans attracted the attention of Hellsing security guards walking by her office. They rushed in immediately to see what was the matter. What they saw was Integra sprawled out on the floor, still writhing around! The guards rushed to help her, but then stopped upon noticing the change in her body.
Integra coughed violently, and a loud SNAP signified that her wrist had burst open the cuff link on one arm. The guards backed off in horror when they saw her whole body convulsing again.
There was a second SNAP! signifying the second cuff link had broken off. Integra's brown business suit also seemed to be noticeably stretching as if something was expanding underneath it. She thrashed out a leg out on the ground and her bare leg shot right out of her brown pant leg. Her entire pants leg seemed to be expanding as well. The leg underneath was getting larger and the fabric couldn't contain it! RIPP!!...Her pants began bursting apart at the seams. Even her shoe seemed to swelling up and her foot eventually exploded out of it altogether.
As she cried out in pain, her neck was noticeably longer than before. Her gloves, which fit so perfectly on her, were no bursting due to increasing knuckles which stuck out of them. Her second pant leg split apart and now her brown business pants were in tatters. White, smooth windy legs gleamed from the ruined pants; it was like she was wearing cutoff shorts.
Finally her chest and upper body were last to go. As her arms grew longer, they ripped apart the jacket sleeves that contained them. Her backbone did the rest of the work and her jacket fell off altogether. The last thing was her white undershirt which was also swelling as well. Eventually she rolled over enough to show her breasts swelling up and punching their way through the white fabric! Her shoulders were like iron paper shredders tore apart the main seams of the shirt and her undershirt was in utter tatters a few moments later.
Finally she gasped and then collapsed to the ground altogether. Integra, who had only stood about 5 feet tall originally, now measured the height of about 7 1/2 feet tall. Sprawled out on the floor, she looked unchanged except for the fact that her body had just massively swelled in size. The Hellsing guards recoiled in horror! They had never seen anything like this before!
Finally Integra cat-like eyes opened and she turned her head to Walter who was twiddling his finger, patiently watching her. Integra raised an eyebrow.
"Walter, what happened?" She was totally oblivious to the situation.

"WHAT!?"
The head of Hellsing stared confounded at all of her servants. Her body was sprawled in a snake-like fashion across the ground. Since her transformation, she was too shocked to move from her position. Her eyes swept from one person to another. Those present in the room were the five Hellsing guards that had rushed in earlier, Walter, her butler, the Head technician who had been in charge of the Anti-Vampire project, and a special physician whom Walter had called in place of the entire medical team.
The special physician was a calm and calculating man, with a curled mustache, finely combed hair and cleanly trimmed eyebrows. He also possessed a very cold demeanor. He constantly snatched cigars from Integra's desk without her permission, despite the glowering, piercing eyes from his patient. Integra, despite her dislike for this fellow, was not in a position to argue. The physician blew out a hazy cloud of smoke from his smoldering cigar and turned to speak.
"As I said, a affliction to the body's chemistry. To put it simply, a mutation caused by the unexpected invasion of the powder in the neuro-system." His voice was cold and sonorous. Integra lowered her gaze and spoke in an equally controlled voice.
"Is it reversible?"
"Yes. Quite so. In fact, I suspect the powder's influence will dissipate if you are taken to a location away from it."
The technician twiddled his thumbs in patience. Integra simply groaned in disdain.
"Mutation..." she said solemnly "...is it similar to an allergic reaction?"
The physician raised an eyebrow.
"That would be quite a simple definition for this state. However, allergic reactions are not this extreme."
There was muttering among the Hellsing soldiers upon hearing this. Walter sighed and raised his hand to speak.
"I suppose the first order of business would be to shut down that infernal device we have activated in the laborotory!"
The technician reacted immediately with a frightened response.
"No! That wouldn't do any good right now! It would take several hours for the vents to clear out all the powder that has spread out to every room of the Hellsing manor!"
"Then let's get Madame Integra to an sterilized location until the powder clears out!" Rebuked Walter angrily! The technician nodded in dismay and then sank back into the group. For years, he had been working on this project; his expectations for it defeated any fear of failure or vampires that could possibly hinder it's success! But now, one person had reacted negatively to it's influence, and he was going to have start everything over from scratch again! The black vortex of loss formed within the man's soul and he sighed in depression. The physician, indifferent to any of their reactions was silently looking at the shadowy end of the room and gave his reply.
"Even if Madame Integra was taken to a clean location, it would be a very slow reverse process. Too much of the powder has already entered into her system and has caused too many changes to bodily chemicals. I suspect that the time it would take for this condition to clear up would be..."
He counted his fingers.
"...about two months until she was fully healed."
There was muttering and gasps from the crowd. Walter crossed his arms and gazed fiercely at the physician.
"And if she stays here; will the condition worsen?"

A cigar was smashed into the ash tray on Integra's desk. The fumes expelled from the glowing end of the stub.
"There's no way to say for sure..."
Walter shot a fierce gaze at the technician, who wimpily backed off deeper into the crowd.
Integra lowered her head in shame over this situation. Her golden hair fell like a divine curtain over her embarrassed visage. With a low voice not directed toward anyone in particular, the Head of Hellsing simply declared
"Swear in the name of the Hellsing Family that you will not tell ANYONE the details of my absence."
All the servants nodded in response. The physician collapsed into the headmaster's chair and lethargically began smoking another cigar like he owned the place.
"I wonder...would it be possible to create another substance that would nullify the effects of this powder?"
Everyone turned their heads toward him. The technician jumped out in earnest attention. He jumped and down with glee at the thought of saving his reputation.
"I'm sure it's possible! The chemicals of the Anti-Vampire powder can be easily countered in experimental settings! However, it's going to take time before we create a substance that we can use on a human being..."
"Well then, it's probably up to the majority then."

The decision was made and all hands were raised in support of it. Integra somberly complied without so much as a nod. The physician shrugged his shoulders and repeated the final decision.
"Agreed. Thus, we expect the technicians to be making full use of their time in devising an antidote that will alleviate the plight of Madame Integra."
The technician sighed bitterly.
"But we don't know much about the biological factors of..."
"Then I will assist you!" Promptly replied the physician in his sonorous and cordial manner.

Integra flashed her eyes at the physician. Something was suspicious about this individual. Where had Walter obtained him from?
Suddenly, Integra's line of sight was dimmed. She flinched and then tried to open her eyes slowly, staring at the crowd. However...

It looked like someone had dropped an enormous, blood-red sheet over Integra's gaze. It slid down like an enormous waterfall and all the figures in front of her slowly melted away.
'What!?' she instantly reacted. Shaking her head several times, she assumed it was the powder doing it's work again. However, then she realized that she didn't feel physically dizzy. She turned around and examined all the corners of the room. Sure enough, the crimson waterfall had enveloped everything and she was trapped in a blood-red cylinder. She shot her gaze upwards and viewed...an enormous pentagram circling around in the sky surrounded by a plethora of red lightning bolts. The maiden closed her eyes and screamed with all her might!

"ALUCARD!!!!!"

She felt herself falling into an abyss; there was no ground to hold her up anymore. Her eyes dwindled and her arms covered the rest of her body. Wind blew down from the sky and the lightning bolts resounded with CRACKLES and ZAPS that suggested the approach of a thunderstorm. The maiden's hair was blasted back by the breeze. Flinching through the crimson chaos, Integra saw the culprit materialize in front of her; wide-brimmed hat and all.

"Finally Integra, your true form has been revealed! How does it feel to be a queen, a dominatrix, A GODDESS, dear Integra!?"

Dark sunglasses with glimmering ivory teeth sparkled menacingly within the red clouds. Integra was unmoved by this approach.

"Alucard! What is the meaning of this!?"
"Don't give ME that ignorant response, 'master'..."

Integra's eyes flared with such anger that countered Alucard's brimming insanity.

"Are you the one responsible for this!?"

Alucard plunged down his pistols into the clouds as if they were swords and sneered wickedly.

"What if I am, Queen?"
"Insolent cur! As your master, I order you change me back now servant!"

Alucard's high pitched hackle resounded throughout the entire crimson cylinder! The screeching echo was so intense that Integra slammed her hands over her ears! The vampire still held his floating position five feet away from her and still snickered with glimmering fangs.

"Change you back? Is this not who you really are, 'Madame Integra'? You make such a claim to be 'MASTER' of this organization that I think it fitting that your physicality reflect that!"
"You wretched...!"
"I can bow down to a Goddess Integra, but not a wench! All you have been to me is a WHINING WENCH!"

He then threw his hand over his face curled his fingers into an animalistic claw!

"I am a monster! You have always treated me as such, using my abilities to slay your foes in rivers of blood! My position is stained in the Protestant Church; it cannot be undone!"
"What does that have to do with anything!?"

A great, shadowy jagged spear shot out like lightning out of the pentagram on Alucard's hand. The fatal point stopped mere millimeters away from Integra's forehead.

"I have no reason to complain now, Queen. You humans are so concerned with your physical appearance in society! One little change of proportion and your whole world falls apart! So now, how does it feel to be the outcast Integra! Your femininity is prevalent...explicit! You wanted to be the Head of Hellsing, and now you will be worshipped as such...the Goddess!"
"ALUCARD!"
"Pure maiden of manipulation and power...your humble servant gladly dismisses himself from your divine presence."

Alucard lowered his hand and began disintegrating into the red swirling clouds. Integra struggled to free herself and gain back his attention, but soon he was gone and the illusion was over.
She was back in her office, still clothed in the rags she had been wearing earlier. A new premonition of fear sank into her heart. Now, with even one of her most trusted servants against her, this change in circumstances was disturbing...

Walter was standing outside of Integra's bedroom with a plate of tea. Lightly, he rapped on the door several times, but to no avail. "Madame! Please, I assure you that the servants are professional enough not to be distracted by this change of circumstances! I insist you come out!" Integra responded in a low and sullen tone. "Forgive me, Walter. I will not come out now. Attend to your duties and leave me in peace." "But what of your duty, dear director!?" "Everyone knows their priorities. Tell them to attend to their stations and alert me if something drastic comes up." "Are you sure of this, Madame? Is this what your father would have expected of you?" "Leave me! That's an order!"

Walter gave up the struggle and took the tea tray with him, not knowing how to handle the situation. Apparently, Integra was never ready to accept an audience after this occurrence. Yet, all the duties of the Hellsing's directorial chair lay upon her shoulders. He knew that, in all respects, this was an ailment. However, he was shocked by her inability to cope with it. Nothing had ever dampened her strong will before. This was most certainly a change in circumstances.

Integra waited until the tapping of Walter's footsteps were no more, and then she sighed. Most certainly it was a draining experience for her too. Her initial reaction was to simply ignore this change and continue giving commands to the Hellsing team like she was supposed. However, after her unfortunate run-in with Alucard...the vampire that had swore to serve her was now acting under different prerogatives. She had seen it in his eyes when he enveloped her in that crimson vision--something was different about him. Although he laughed and ranted in his typical insane manner, he seemed to also be holding some form of anger...against her. An undeniable grudge had awoken and consumed him. If this was true, and he was to wrestle out of her control, it would have grave consequences for the entire organization. Their best weapon would become their worst enemy.

'Perhaps it was the activation of the beacon, which vexed him so...' Integra thought to herself. But she also considered the fact that she might be becoming more nervous and sensitive. Despite her increase in physical size, she felt extremely weakened. The change in size reflected a breaking in the chain of command. It was a catalyst that usurped the order of the organization and caused chaos in her surroundings as well as within her.

"'Matriarch' indeed..." She reflected back to Alucard's statements. "Right now, I'd be lucky to even have the courage of Alice." But then again, even the White Rabbit never turned around and pointed a gun at the little girl's head...

Integra collapsed on the floor...on bedsheets that she had spread out for herself. The bed was basically useless to her now seeing as she had shot up to about 9 feet tall in the last few hours. Strangely enough, she was still dressed...technically. Her glasses had to be discarded, as they were more of a hindrance than help. She had discarded all the ripped sleeves and ragged pant leggings. Her coat still covered her midsection. So it looked like she was wearing some kind of sleeveless business suit coupled with fabric short shorts. However, it was not the clothes, which bugged her though. It was the unusual draining of vitality this new state had brought upon her.

She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep...

"Alice, my little Alice..."

The sound of a whisper in the room awoke her. She immediately jumped up and sought out the source of the voice. But as she rose her head, she noticed something was wrong. The floor she had been sleeping on was no longer present. Rather it had become a grass field. She turned around on her back and stared up at the vibrant night sky. This was not the Hellsing Organization!

"Where am I!?" She cried out, fumbling around and trying to raise herself up.

"Alice, you've fallen into the rabbit hole..."

The voice was undoubtedly male. It was a sonorous and haunting tone--one that swept throughout the vast expanse of the field and made the grass rustle.

Alucard? Her eyes darted back and forth, but all she saw was more grass as far as the eye could see. She felt something twitch in her eye. She went to rub it and then she noticed, miraculously enough, that her glasses were back on her face!

Did this mean she was back at her normal size again? Excitedly, she checked her position in relation to her relation to her surroundings. The grass tickled the bottom of her foot. The BOTTOM OF HER FOOT!

She looked down and in horror, realized that she had not changed at all. If anything she was bigger than before. She estimated the grass and it to her new perspective. The Head of Hellsing gulped. She guessed she was about 30 feet tall. Fortunately her clothes were still on her--sleeveless, as they had been when she was in the mansion.

A great fury overtook her and she cried out

"Is there anyone who wants to fess up to this!? This is a juvenile charade, and you should be ashamed for being so immature! Where have you taken me!? What is this place!?"

"Alice, I hear your sweet voice..."

"Alucard!? Is that you!? Come out you sow! Your master commands you! In the name of the Protestant Church..."

"I serve no one, wench!!"

The stars in the heavens seemed to aim their light at a certain location. In the center of the grass field, a breeze blew swiftly and fiercely--chopping up the ground and migrating to a single location. Every element in space seemed to be swirling around this certain spot. Suddenly, the space seemed to convulse. At that point, a several feet away from Integra, the sky seemed to pulsate like a heart. Pretty soon, a figure oozed out of that black expanse. He plopped onto the grass, dripping with slime. Suddenly, wings shot out of the figure's back! Enormous bat-like wings that seemed as hard as steel and as flexible as leather. The figure rose from his fallen position, straightening himself up, until his eyes met with Integra. The director gasped as she recognized the figure of...

"Dr. Lechster!"

The calm and calculating physician who had diagnosed Integra's condition was now some kind of bat-winged monstrosity with a crooked smile and blood-filled eyes. Every inch of his body seemed to pulsate with vitality. His build looked similar to that of Adam from the paintings of Michaelangelo. However, he looked, by all accounts, to be a son of Satan as opposed to God.

He opened his mouth and unleashed a shrillful laugh. He then resumed his sturdy posture and smiled at Integra. He had fangs that glistened in the moonlight.

"Nice to see you again, dear Madame. As you've probably concluded--Alucard is not the only demon watching over you!"

Integra unleashed a sharp gaze at him.

"What do you want?" She inquired coolly.

"I'm going to make this quick, dear director. Walter didn't invite me, I invited myself. I was the one who formulated the concept of the Anti-Vampire Beacon and sold it to your Hellsing employees. My disguise was so perfect--a physician who cures human abnormalities. In an institution that fights the abnormal, who could ask for anything more? Oh my, but as for the device--it had quite the intended effect."

"You managed to repel Alucard?"

"No, my dear. I managed to change YOU." He licked his lips in anticipation.

Integra simply tossed him a confused glance. She crossed her arms.

"Well, unless you haven't noticed...I'm quite large in comparison to you."

"Yes, exactly! Quadruple the size, quadruple the fall!"

She turned red upon hearing this. This fellow was already on her enemy list. However, she didn't know what actions to take as his motives were still unclear.

The wind blew aghast and knocked her hair up. It stimulated and knocked her out of her stupor. If she could somehow manage to get closer to him, she felt that he would be easily restrainable. But no, she had to clear her immediate ambitions! This could easily be an illusion--a situation where she was led to believe that she had the advantage, and yet.

But her immediate ambitions overrode her caution. For as she stood there, gaping at him, she felt a strange sensation in her stomach. She didn't need to look around--she could feel that she was growing again. Slowly, but surely, his figure was becoming more and more distant from her. She estimated that if she grew about another 20 feet tall, her arms would be long enough so that she would be able to snatch him right from where she was standing, hopefully taking him by surprise. But she had to keep him distracted until then.

"You haven't told me what you came here for. Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want?"

"Integra, my dear, it's difficult to explain in one sentence. Thus, I'll expand it to several..." He opened his arms in a gesture of embrace. "I am an Incubus. You might have heard legends and folk tales about my kind, but I assure you we're not all as bad as we're made out to be. We don't feed purely off of, well...forbidden acts. We seek mainly to give people nightmares. That's suitable enough for us. The fear those dreams generate feeds our souls just as blood feeds the vampires..."

"So is this a dream?"

"You haven't heard the whole story yet! We, the Incubi, despise the Vampires. We won't be satisfied until their kind is eradicated from the face of the earth. Your vampire-exterminating organizations would be the perfect medium for us to achieve that goal. Thus, I thought I would be infiltrate the organization and...well, take over! A calm and collected individual such as myself would never be questioned working for another faction. However, just one factor..."

"I stood in your way." Integra finished the sentence for him. Her growth was accelerating. She could feel her clothes tightening around her even more. She was almost at the point where she would be able to grab him.

Lechster grinned slyly. "Yes, dear Madame. You did prove to be an obstacle for us. You and that annoying vampire. Well, the anti-vampire beacon was the answer for him...this is the answer for you."

"Not if I can help it, sow!"

She had hit a good 50 feet, and shot her arm to grasp him. He jumped out of the way just in time, extended his wings and flew up into the air. He decided to fly in circles around her face.

"Oh Excellent! Frustration! Confusion!" He hackled.

She swatted at him like a fly and tried to grab him again, but he maneuvered as quickly as lightning, zigzagging around her. Finally, he flew out to a good distance from her position.

"Temper, temper, Madame Integra."

"Why are you doing this, you hellspawn!?"

She could feel herself still increasing in size. 60 feet...70 feet...her rate of growth was accelerating. Lechster just yawned.

"Fear is what we feed upon. Fear is spawned from hatred and confusion. An extreme distortion of one's physicality is a perfect way to instigate those feelings. You hate me because I'm manipulating your very being, and you're confused because, well...you can't control yourself!"

He took advantage of her plight and flew over next to her ear. He whispered coldly...

"Oh, Alice. How are you going to go back home now? You won't be able to fit. You won't be able to see old Dinah again..." "SHUT UP YOU!!" Integra screeched and began swatting every which way and that. Running around trying to chase this insect while simultaneously experiencing the pangs of growth quickly exhausted her though. She collapsed onto the grass field. She turned around and peered up at Lechster's eyes, who was looking straight down at her.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen. You were always a strong willed woman, Integra. I admired that most sincerely. A strong woman should have a formidable size. You want to be an idol for those who follow in your path."

"No..." She was breathing real deeply. Her clothes were actually beginning to constrain her more and more. Somehow, she wouldn't tear! It was almost if they were indestructible! As a result, they cut off her circulation as her body mercilessly continued to expand. Breathless, she fought against her plight and stared fiercely at the incubus.

"No...I serve...only...the church..." "Well, you can forget that. At 100 feet tall, you're exactly the kind of member the church DOESN'T want to have."

He flew down close to her and whispered "Feeling tired Integra? Don't worry, it will all be over soon."

She tried to snatch him, but she found her arms becoming rigid due to lack of circulation. Her ever-tightening clothes would be the death of her. She could only close her eyes and wait for the worst to come. Lechster's shrill laughed rang through the air. But suddenly there was another sound...BANG!

A gunshot had pierced through space and time! Integra's eyes shot open. She saw Lechster floating above her writhing in pain. He snarled and screeched, just as another bullet whizzed through the air. His chest exploded in a bloody mess, and he screamed a death scream.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!!!!"

Just then, Integra summoned up the last of her strength, and forced her numb hands to grab his wailing figure. While he wriggled within her grip, she straightened herself up and tried to find the source of the gunshot. Sure enough, a purple portal had opened at the other end of space...

"ALUCARD!"

The vampire's enormous gun had fired across several yards. He held it aimed steadily before him while he hovered in space.

"May I dispense with this usurper, master?"

She held him in between her two fingers, and lined up his flailing figure directly with Alucard's aim.

"Do it." She commanded. The vampire grinned sadistically.

"Time for morning, nocturnal damnation."

Another shot was fired! But as soon as it hit...

Integra woke up with a start. She was in her own bedroom at the Hellsing manor. She stared at her clothes--she was in her nightgown to boot. The sheets covered her completely--she was completely normal again. She looked around her and noticed that it was morning.

"Damn..." she muttered to herself.

That very same day, she went back to her duties. Upon asking around, she uncovered that nobody had even heard of such a ridiculous device as an "Anti-Vampire Beacon." According to Walter, some of the technicians thought she was crazy for bringing up such a topic.

"Shall I thoroughly describe each of their individual complaints, Madame?" "No need, Walter. That's all I needed to know."

She dismissed him immediately and went back to her own duties at her desk. The details of the previous night still haunted her immensely. Midday throughout the day, Alucard suddenly warped into the room as he usually did.

"Your skin has been shattered, ice queen." He proclaimed.

Integra lit a cigar. "I suppose you know more about this than I do. Right servant?"

The slouched, shadowy figure pointed a long, sword-like finger at her. "There you go again." "What?" "Pride." He retracted his arm and continued. "The incubus uses such emotions as raw material for his food. You could say that he takes them, digests them, and shits them out again in the form of nightmares." He grimaced. "I really hate those dirty devils. They are cowardly--always seeking the sneaky way around to get their food. They never will take it to a good fight. I wouldn't be surprised if Satan spit them out every time they fell into his domain...like the one last night did." Integra's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Just how much of it was an illusion, then?" "Life is an illusion! Get that into your head now! Only existence is real. As for this particular situation, it was many levels into limbo."

Integra nodded her assent. "He only sought to drive me insane then. He thought he had avoided you by going into my mind."

Alucard stood still and grinned. "Don't underestimate them, master. An ice queen like you melts from fire real quickly." He turned to leave, but then stopped to open a portal where he could easily exit. Integra smirked as she saw him fade away into the mists.

END