Disclaimer: I don’t own Hellsing, Alucard or Anderson. Geneon, Kohta Hirano, and Young King Ours all own some part of it. I speak rudimentary law-nesse.
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Alucard quickly ran along the edges of the narrow pathway hewed into the rock. The bleak, mountain wind whipped his clothes around like many live snakes. But the Nosferatu didn't waver. He had far too much to plan. Simple mortal inconveniences, but time consuming none the less. He adjusted the bundle carried in his coat that threatened to spill without breaking stride. Material possessions meant little to him, but this rare bit of dried and crushed plant within had perfected his little game with his pet.

Colorless and odorless when boiled, it gives the user a lost sense of time and a slight chance of paranoia. It had been used sporadically through the ages for religious purposes by heathens. Now, it was used to make the whole thing seem unreal and much longer to his pet.

Alucard grinned slightly as he thought back on it. He had completed the first part of what was needed. The most important part. His beloved pet was not a fledgling. He had made sure of it. However, no matter what happened, he could reach his pet. Make him think things that he believes are his own thoughts. Even now, he could hear what his pet was thinking. Anderson was his. His entertainment; his bitch. His alone.

~~~
Anderson woke for the first time since being rescued in his own bed. The past couple of days were harrowing to say the least. He was apparently found naked in the room furthest from the front of the castle. Heinkel naturally led the rescue. Arriving first, she tried to rouse him and failed, but she calmed down when she felt his breathing and heart. He was alive and physically unharmed.

From there, he was covered in a robe and carried out of the castle (Not an easy task, even for three men) back to the camp in the middle of the surrounding forest. From there, they continued to the closest village. It was there where he had his first conscious thought since being rescued. He woke up screaming and panting; clawing at thin air. It took him the better part of twenty minutes and Heinkel's voice of reason until he could put two words together and ask what happened.

He had returned to the orphanage since then. Many of the children were happy to see him back. To be honest, he was simply elated to be back to some sort of normalcy. Even Dante came running up to him to give him a large hug. (Later inquiry found that the sisters of the orphanage never found Dante missing. The most eventful thing to happen was Dante waking up from a terrible nightmare about vampires.)

After that, he was allowed to return to his own room with no duties for the next few days. (Not even Sister Alarm Clock would send a messenger to wake him for the next few days.) Never the less, he would have to find something to do. Just to have something to do. Something normal.

Anderson reached over to the table to grab his new glasses and put them on. Maybe it was all a bad dream. Some nightmare. He desperately wanted to believe that. Standing in his boxers, he looked in the mirror. He looked tired still. Haggard. He looked... blurry? Anderson blinked a few times. He put his hand clumsily on his face to feel his glasses, to make sure they weren't broken. They were there.

Anderson slowly took them off. His vision was perfect. Ever since he was a teenager, he never had perfect vision. Why now...? A thought came from the dark corner of the back of his mind.

He was tainted. He had vampire blood in him. It gave him perfect vision. He was tainted. He hand slowly closed over his glasses. No; it couldn't be true. It couldn't. His hand closed tighter around his glasses, nearly breaking them, when he stopped. He stared at his reflection. Blank expression. He knew what he had to do. For his own sanity.

Slowly, methodically, he popped the lenses out of their frames. First the left, then the right. He put the frames back on. He looked the same as always now. He tossed the lenses in the trash and began dressing for the day ahead.

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WOOOOOT!!! I'm done.
*Falls*
I must say, this has been one Hell of a ride. I actually can't wait to get to the sequel. Although, I will be taking a break. At least until all of my other ideas are on paper. Then I shall return to this and you shall see part 2.
Well, I want to thank everyone who has been patient with me and my writer's blocks. Nasumaru for being herself and for drawing the wonderful pictures. ^_^ To Minxy for being a beta. And to Dan for putting up with my writer's urge.
I may be changing this slightly as my beta reads it. (No, this isn't beta-ed. This is hot off the press.) So, be forewarned, I will post updates in my journal.
So, thank you all of dA, I love you, good night!

- Purity A.