To Love A River

Love proceeded to explain to the Head General what she had already explained earlier in the day to the handsome Helsing Captain, minus hearing the voice of a potentially psychotic vampire of course.

'Ouch. Psychotic?'

'Shut up.'

"Alright, I understand. It sounds to me as though you may have had an unfortunate run-in with a rather skilled vampire. They're likely older and more powerful than the average if he was able to selectively erase a memory in this way…" General Del mused, frowning lightly. 

The voice in Love's head stayed silent but why did she feel as though the thread that pulled against her mind was…a little smug?

As the General had taken a moment to ponder, Love supposed that now was as good a time as any to declare her intentions. 

"Er - actually, I am glad that these circumstances brought me here ma'am." Love began a little awkwardly. She was unsure of how to pitch to such a Unit, when she herself was not actually ever intending to be a part of it if she were not under duress. 

"Oh, how so?" The General asked with a slightly amused expression.

"I would like to request a transfer to Unit 2-18." Love stated bluntly, her expression calm and confident. 

General Del's eyes appeared to twinkle in amusement for a moment as her thin-lipped smile grew a little wider. 

"And why, may I ask, should we accept you into our Unit, Miss Aikawa?" 

Love paused for a moment, deciding that perhaps she should provide some truthful information. The best lies after all, were based on truth.

"I know my military records may be a little limited being from an outer zone, but I believe that I have the necessary skill to be part of your team ma'am. After I left my last foster home, I was raised and trained in most forms of combat by the previous Commander of the 7th Zone." She explained clearly and confidently. 

The Head General's face stilled as she heard the young woman's final words. 

"Are you speaking of Commander Bryce?" She asked. 

"Yes. He trained me for 5 years." Love replied flatly.

General Del seldom interacted with other bases due to the nature of her own Unit, and yet even she had heard of the eccentric past Commander of Base 7. He was known to have been skilled enough to command any Unit he wished to, but for reasons unknown to anyone else, had elected to spend the entirety of his career fighting alongside his team on the front lines of any dangerous situation he could find. Both in the outer zones and the wastelands beyond them.

Even Delilah's own father had known Commander Bryce, and often spoke highly of him. She had been saddened to hear of his death, but was unaware that he had chosen to take in a protégé. Not to mention a young woman such as this, whose past continued gaping holes of missing information and was likely found without a penny to her name, wandering the streets of the outskirts. 

Was this why she felt strangely intrigued by this woman when she'd first stepped into her office? Was it the Commander's influence that had given her such a confident and steady gaze?

The General thought for a moment before asking the cold and impassive Private another question. 

"What do you know of the Helsing Unit?"

"As much as anyone I suppose. But I understand that the main objective is the subjugation of vampires that have broken the treaty…and that this is often carried out as an extermination order." She replied, expressionless.

"And is that what appeals to you?" General Del asked, staring fixedly into her cold silvery eyes.

Love stared back, unfazed by the obviously probing question. 

"I'm sure it already tells you in my records that my mother was killed by a crazed vampire. But no, that is not the appeal. I am not the type to seek revenge." 

"Oh? Then what type of person are you?"

"A survivor." 

General Del leant back in her chair smiling widely once again. Suddenly she let out a soft chuckle. The young woman had replied instantly and with a firm sense of conviction that communicated over two dozens of years of gruelling hardships, fighting for survival every day that passed by in the dangers of the outer zones. 

"Yes, a survivor…I suppose we all were." Her voice sounded a little melancholic as if she were recalling a dark and distant memory.

She turned back to study the younger woman again. She truly was beautiful, but cold too. As though her fair skin should be covered in countless scars, she had obviously endured many hardships before entering the General's office today. 

"We don't accept just anyone you know. Tomorrow, you can join the sparring session with Captain Hunter's team, he will test you." 

Love nodded calmly, but inside of her mind a certain annoying vampire was mock cheering her efforts. 

'I couldn't have done better myself! I was right to choose you, kudos to me!' He cheered.

Love sighed internally, a fresh determination to murder this man one day sparking inside her. 

'I have to pass the test first. Don't celebrate so soon.' Love reminded him. 

'Ah I have full faith in you there. It'll be a breeze.' He replied dismissively. 

Whilst this short internal exchange continued, General Del spoke again. 

"You can stay here tonight, but before you go, it would be odd for you to join the team of a Unit you know so little about, so let me give you a brief lesson in our history." General Del rose from her seat and walked behind her, fetching a large decanter of a strange amber liquid.

"First of all, what do you know of the Last War?" She asked, smiling wistfully as she poured out two glasses, pushing one softly across the table to Love.

**