Who: Irisa and Alucard When: After Christmas Where: Alucard’s place What: 1st training after Xmas Rating: Low Status: Complete
Irisa was looking forward to their first session back after the holidays break. The snow had finally melted but in it’s wake there seemed to be a crime spree spreading through the streets of the OC. If there was a better time to be working on her technique, she had yet to find one. Knocking on the big front door of Alucard and Integra’s house and waited for a response.
Alucard was also looking forward to working with Irisa after their rest period, he was keen to get her upping her difficulty level and taking on things which were a little more out of the ordinary. After all living here meant it might not be normal things she would be taking on. Hearing the knock on the door he opened it and welcomed her in, “Good to see you Irisa, I hope you’re ready for today” he smiled.
“Ready and raring!” Irisa trotted into the hallway and turned to face him, looking bright and enthusiastic. It had been nice living with someone again, more so someone her own age. Myrcella was a great girl, pretty much the complete opposite to herself and they worked well together, but she was looking forward to doing some more training. “How were your holidays then?”
“You certainly look brighter” Alucard nodded in approval, he’d been worried about her being on her own then when her young friend had insisted Irisa move in with her Alucard had worried he’d done the wrong thing but obviously it was working. “Quiet and pleasant, just as Integra and I enjoy it” he smiled, “And yourself?”
“Well, new year, new challenge,” Irisa shrugged, hefting her bag up on her shoulder as she did. “It was good, we hung out, cooked, played some games, but pretty quiet too,” she told him. She felt lighter, now that she didn’t have to worry about hiding her solitude from everyone. Myrcella wasn’t all that angry. At least not as angry as she thought she’d be which had been a relief. “Did you guys have anyone around over the holidays? Family? Friends?” she didn’t know much about Alucard and she wanted to know more.
“I’m glad you had fun. Myrcella seems like a nice girl, sensible” Alucard said, and fiercely protective despite the fact that Irisa was much more capable than the kind blonde girl but Alucard respected that. “A friend of ours came over for Christmas Eve drinks. I have no family and Integra’s father is in the UK” he informed her, amused by her interest. “Come, let us go to the training room” he said leading the way.
“She is, she balances me out I guess,” Irisa joked. She knew she was a little more wild than most kids her age and Myrcella was pretty much the opposite. “You have another friend? Who is this person? I must meet them!” she teased with a grin as she walked alongside him.
“Mmm you need someone to keep you grounded” Alucard teased her before chuckling, “Cheeky this morning aren’t we? He’s an old friend of both myself and Integra” he informed her a smirk on his face.
“I’m cheeky every morning, you just don’t normally see me in the morning,” Irisa replied cockily as she trotted along beside her mentor. “I don’t see why you’re complaining, you just get to beat it out of me anyway,” she grinned. “So how do you all know each other then?”
“True. Myrcella saved me from that, along with teenage mood swings” he teased her with a smirk. “Ah this is true, there are such perks to this training routine” he said in an almost wistful tone. “Family connections back in England” he informed her.
Irisa grinned up at him proudly at his wistful tone. “Who do you have back in England? I remember Integra has her father, does she still speak to her mom? What about you? Any family?” she asked, aware she being incredibly nosey, but since she was in a good mood for once and interested in someone else’s life she decided to let her inquisitive side take over.
Alucard’s eyebrows raised at her nosey questioning but he couldn’t really blame her. She knew very little about him or Integra and yet she trusted them. That deserved rewarding. “Integra’s mother died when she was younger, killed in front of her” he added softly, “And as for me the only family I have now is Integra”
“Her mom was killed in front of her too?” Irisa whispered in wonder, slowing her pace a bit, before caught herself and carried on on. She hurried to get back in step with Alucard. “What happened? To Integra’s mom?”
“Allegra Hellsing refused to give up her purse to a robber and as a result the man stabbed her and then left her to die” Alucard informed her, “Integra doesn’t discuss it” he added just to make it clear to Irisa it wasn’t a subject for conversation.
“Has she only ever spoken about it with you then? How old was she? No wonder she’s so strong,” Irisa remarked.
“Me and her father. But even then very little. She was ten years old and dealt with it with the grace of a much older woman” The respect Alucard held for her was obvious as he spoke.
Irisa nodded, her eyes on the floor in front of her as they walked. Irisa couldn’t really say she’d dealt with her parent’s deaths with much grace. She’d been a little younger than Integra, but had retreated into herself to the point of being mute. Only Nolan’s persistent efforts had brought her out of her shell, and that was mostly by way of teaching her how to fight and defend herself. Knives had been his key to communicating, after Irisa showed herself to have a somewhat natural aptitude for throwing them. She felt herself grow a little sad at the thought of Nolan. She missed him every day despite how she tried to stay strong.
Integra had retreated but it had been Alucard who brought her out and helped her. But she hadn’t spoke of it. Had moved on and become a strong and determined young woman, much like Irisa had. Alucard, in a rare display of affection for someone other than Integra, reached over and wrapped an arm around Irisa’s shoulders. “Missing those we love is natural, not a sign of weakness” he told her.
“I’m fine, it’s nothing,” Irisa shook her head and straightened up, her good mood diminished with thoughts of Nolan. Trying to rid herself of those thoughts, she put her chin up and set her jaw defiantly. “So what are we going to learn today?”
“I was thinking we could move on to weapon work? If you think you’re ready of course” he added with a sly smile.
“Ready? Alucard, I’ve been throwing knives since I was nine,” Irisa told him, a cocky stride in her steps as they made their way to the gym.
“Well then, you should easily be able to impress me shouldn’t you?” he said with a smile as they entered the room to begin their training.