tampered | Getting Out

Current Mood: anxious

Getting Out

When; May 23rd
Rating; Hmmm...let's start with PG?
Characters; Henry Townshend (

wisom_rcvr) and 'Girlycard' (

tinyvampiregod)
Summary; Henry, thinking that he'd been pretty good friends with this Alucard before his death and memory loss, agrees to go meet 'her' and maybe play some chess.
Log;

It had been long enough that he'd completely forgotten what the outside world was like; and even though this was only a mockery of a 'world,' it was still enough to hold onto while they were here.

He took the time to breathe in the smell of both the stale and the fresh air, and surprisingly, no one stopped him on his way. They seemed to move away, letting him slip between the shadows, largely unnoticed.

He made it to the small park they had both agreed on and waited nervously. He really wasn't supposed to be out of the mansion, but the prospect of meeting someone new, someone who'd help him remember, too....well, it was tempting. He didn't know how much he could trust things in the mansion.

Besides....he could use as many friends as he could get. He was still surprised to find out he had them at all. So he was here and hoping that it would turn out okay. He kept an eye out for her and infrequently fiddled with the collar of his shirt.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She saw him as she arrived, but kept him waiting- it was what a gentleman was supposed to do, wait for the lady. At last, she approached, nervousness hitting her like a physical smell in her olfactory cells, "Henry," she smiled and sat down.

"I'm glad you could come, to be honest, I wasn't sure if you would really be able to leave or not," Then flashed a smile full of even, white teeth. "But I'm glad you did." And reached out, with a gesture, chess board and pieces appearing before them.

"You look nervous, I hope it isn't on my account."

Henry smiled when he saw her and looked embarrassed when she says he seemed nervous. It wasn't exactly blushing- his skin was too dark to do that terribly often. But it was close.

"I'm sorry....I'm almost always nervous, lately..." He sat as well, settling into a slouch almost immediately. Odd how he could slouch and look so uncomfortable all at the same time.

He watched with an open mouth as the chess board and pieces appeared, then addressed what she'd said before. "Leaving was...hard. No one tried to stop me, but....uh, I don't know." He couldn't just say what it was that was keeping him there. He just felt a pull, as if that was where he should be.

But he'd rather not talk about that, so he tried changing the subject. "I'm...uh, I'm really bad at chess, just to warn you. I hope you don't mind teaching me about it..."

She smiled sweetly as he changed the subject, allowing it for now, "I don't mind. You're a quick study. ." Hinting at at a past that did not exist. Not that Henry knew any better.

Leaning forward so that her cleavage strained at the low cut confines of her strapless, flowing dress, she pointed at the pieces on the board and explained them and their respective movements. Her hands pressed over his as she guided his fingers to touch them and show him some basic movements.

He was surprised to hear about being 'quick' about anything. But maybe this was one of the many differences in him, something else that had changed. Or maybe he could pick up chess okay. He had to try, right?

Henry did his best to pay attention to the instructions and not to let his mouth hang open. It was a struggle, but he seemed to accomplish it. And he was really concentrating on what she was telling him, stopping occasionally to ask (what seemed to him) really dumb questions. If she's expecting him to be able to play at all, he'd better at least attempt to learn it.

After a few minutes, her hands pressing over his became less awkward, and his shoulders finally relaxed into their default lean.

She fielded his questions with smiling patience and ease, uncaring of whether or not the things he asked were simple or repetitive. "The game is quite taxing; one must always think of how one's move will cause the opponent to counter. A player must be five or more steps ahead."

Then pouted and leaned her chin on her hand, elbow at the top of the table, as she caught Henry's eyes, "I don't prefer to think so much, usually. But I thought this might help with your. . memory loss. This must be a hard subject for you, I hate to keep bringing it up, Henry."

Henry shakes his head. "No, no really, it's good...it's good to talk about it. And anything that will help is...uh, something I want to try."

An awkward pause followed, and he tries to think of something to fill it up with. Finally, he just comes out with what he's been wanting to ask for awhile. "Am I...really very different? From how I was...?"

"A bit more nervous, perhaps," Alucard replied, straightening and looking at Henry as though thinking. "And sad. You were so happy with us, Henry. And then you left and they wanted you to do terrible things. . very terrible things."

"I supose who a person is, is a matter of who they want to be. I know you didn't want to be that type of person, you're struggling, even now, aren't you?"

Henry doesn't even think that she might not be telling the truth- he doesn't really have much to go on, does he? And she's been really nice to him. That seems to help.

"I...uh..." He's never really known what he's wanted. For the longest time, he figured he didn't want anything. "I keep feeling...a pull. Like that mansion is where I'm supposed to be. But it makes me feel sick, too....I don't know what to think."

He realizes suddenly that he doesn't even know what to call this woman in front of him. He's always been awful with names, but he doesn't think he even asked her. And now it's too late to ask; she must think he knows already.

So instead of calling her by name, he just looks in her eyes, cautious and scared, and asks, "What terrible things did I do with them?"

"You hurt people, Henry. Tortured them. Probably killed them. I- I do not tell you this lightly, or to upset you. It's just. . you have a new chance. ." Then gave a bitter laugh.

"The pull. Of course the pull. No one can be sure waht they did to you, Henry, all I know is, one day you went from a sweet man who enjoyed the pleasures of life, to someone who gained pleasure from harming others. The change in you was so abrupt, it was unnatural. ." A hushed whisper, a brush of hands clasping his.

Her eyes were earnest and diamond bright with unshed tears.

Henry stared at his hands, unable to look at anything else, but he could hear the tears in her voice. "...I see."

What else could he say to that? He had asked, and he had even mostly known what to expect. But that wasn't what he had wanted to hear. "I can't- can't." His voice was cracking, and his mouth felt dry. He couldn't stand this. "I can't understand how I c-could do something...kill people. I'd never-" But clearly he would. He must have been weak, whatever it was they did to him. He must have fallen for that.

"I'm- god, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry...." he murmured, seemingly unable to say anything else.

She rose swiftly and moved to his side, embracing him without hesitation. "Oh Henry. . Henry, it wasn't your fault, not at all. ." Her soft voice was soothing, though edged with pain.

"Please. . please don't be sad. It wasn't you, not really. That's why they killed you. You were starting to remember, starting to rebel. . they took away your memories after using that awful resurrection. ." Her voice cracked and the warmth of her body embraced him fully.

He didn't move for a few seconds, but eventually he gave in and hugged her back. He was shaking- the news definitely hit him harder than he expected. But she was warm, and that definitely helped calmed him.

"But I....god, they did? They killed me? But-" That doesn't sound right, but very little has for a very long time. "God. Why....why didn't anyone tell me?"

Her hands came up around his shoulders, stroking from there, down his back as she murmured against his ear, "They probably resent you," she pulled back. "Xulchibara. . he captured people- tortured them and stole parts of their souls to resurrect you. People are angry."

Then embraced him again, "But Henry, if only they knew. I stayed quiet, it's my fault too, I didn't tell them. But I was afraid. The Red God said he would hurt you again, and kill me, too."

Her eyes widened, "But what will he do now. . especially if he finds out you know. He could hurt you again. He could make you believe all those awful things like you did before!"

Oh. Right. People were hurt and hurt badly just so he could come back. To this.

And now that he knew, he was putting more people in danger. Still nagging at the back of his head is the feeling that something isn't right, that he should run back home- but he's been feeling that since he got here, since he left the mansion.

"He- he won't find out..." Henry said, not sounding nearly as confident as he hoped. Henry was a bad liar- his only hope was to go unnoticed, and that was hard to do at home.

He shuddered again and hugged her back. "But I don't...I don't know what to do. I have to go back...." Did he, really? He wonders if he could fight it.

"Do you have to go back? I suppose they might send someone after you, if you don't," she murmured, continuing to hold him close. "But Henry, if you ever change your mind, and I hope you would, there is a place with me always open to you."

She smiled tenderly at him, "I would do my best to make sure you could lead the kind of life, be the kind of person you want."

He stared at the tree behind them for a long while. "I don't....I don't know if they'd send anyone, but....you'd have to keep me from leaving," he finally said, sadly.

He was still reeling about everything she had said. He couldn't just accept it- and yet, it was just as hard not to believe it. He knew his 'family' had done things- terrible things- and he'd been involved with them.

He hugged her and said in a shaking voice, "I don't want to be that person anymore."

"You don't have to be that person," She replied, smiling, pulling back slightly and taking Henry's face between her palms, thumbs stroking his cheeks with a spidery caress.

"Not anymore," And offered a smile, "I'll help you in whatever way you want or need."

"I...uh..." His slack-jawed expression now contained a hint of a smile. Maybe- maybe he could be redeemed for all these things he jsut vaguely remembered. "Thank you. Can I....Do you really think I could leave for good...? I'll try...."

Her smile widened at the hint of his own and his words, "Of course you can. You can accomplish anything if you put your whole will into it."

Then rose and offered him a hand, "Let's go home, Henry."

He stared at her for just a moment, then takes her hand. "Okay. Let's do that," he said, the smile still threatening to break on his face.

Why did everything always feel so wrong? He told himself that this was for the best. He'll get away from that influence and then things will be better.

Smooth fingers closed around his hand, and with a reassuring smile backwards, the vampire led him to the Hellsing apartments.

((OOC: End here? And feel free to post about it, GC already alerted Arthur they would have a guest <3 ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Getting Out

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject