Chapter 1: Graveyard

Seras felt Pip Bernadette stir inside her. It was a strange feeling, knowing he was just a soul, but was still tangible. Somehow.

What is it? she asked.

Pip shrugged, or gave the impression of doing so.

Ah, mignonette. He tried to sound lighthearted. It's a little surreal attending one's own funeral.

Seras sighed. Of course. The funeral was surreal to her as well. For her, there was a sense of déjà vu. It wasn't too long ago when they had a funeral like this, soon after the Valentines' ambush.

This time, it was the mercenaries who were given a proper burial.

They were only mercenaries, but as Seras once heard Integra say, they were her men too. They had fought and died for Hellsing, when all sorts of adversaries, both the fanatical and the insane, attacked London.

Mignonette…

Mr. Bernadette, please stop calling me that. My name is Seras.

Pip chuckled a little. "This from the girly who calls me Mr. Bernadette. My name is Pip.

Seras mulled over this.

Pip.

Better. and he continued. Is Sir Integra going to collapse?

Seras glanced at the solitary figure who stood some way off. No. She's tired, that's all.

Seras doubted that Integra had slept much. Four days had passed after the battle, during which Integra had been busy contacting the other knights and making sure the Queen was safe. Seras had helped, but it wasn't the same without Walter.

But Walter wasn't with them. It had taken Alucard some effort to capture Walter, or the shell of him. Alucard had said that he would prefer the thing dead, but he knew Integra might be… displeased. So Alucard had simply taken away Walter's deadly wires and locked him in the basement of the Hellsing headquarters.

Integra hadn't said much, but Seras could tell she was grieving.

She thought, If Walter's here, he'll be giving the eulogy. Just like last time…

Now, Integra was struggling for words as Seras and the surviving mercenaries watched on.

"They… they were men from another country. They signed up to destroy monsters for England… They didn't sign up for crusades or holocausts."

Integra grimaced.

"They were caught in a war and fought bravely and killed the monsters that invaded Hellsing. For the men who laid down their lives for England and Queen, salute!"

And everyone obeyed.

When they left, Seras said softly to Pip.

She's right you know.

What?

You didn't sign them up for crusades or holocausts.

Pip was silent for awhile.

Perhaps. was all the reply he gave, but it sounded sad.