Daughter of Darkness

by Tatsurou


Responsibility

Luna sighed thoughtfully as she stared across her desk at the man who sat there. Yes, man, as she had to remind herself. She had deliberately brought another human to this world. She doubted Celestia would be pleased, but if things worked out as she hoped, it would smooth things over. In the meantime, it was time for the major reason she'd brought him here...a job interview. "My apologies for not giving you more notice before summoning you," she began carefully.

"No need for that, Your Highness," the elderly man offered urbanely. "After Miss Victoria terminated my previous employment so abruptly, I found myself with a great deal of time on my hands and nothing to do with it. Even at my age, a bit of adventure is always welcome...and this one seems most interesting."

Luna winced. While admittedly she'd heard nothing good from Alucard regarding his former Master, it was something of a sore spot knowing she was sheltering someone who had - from what she'd heard - brutally murdered someone for a rather callous reason. Admittedly, said woman was sired by her husband, so she really should expect such conduct... She quickly banished such thoughts. "I am sorry to hear about Sir Integra," she began gently.

The man across from her pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Though I hate to speak ill of the dead, perhaps it was for the best," he allowed thoughtfully. "Ever since Miss Victoria managed to complete the mission of the Hellsing Organization-"

"Wait, what?" Luna interrupted, caught completely off guard.

"Oh, did she not mention that?" the man asked curiously. "That is so like her, so modest. She managed to slaughter all vampires, werewolves, and other creatures of the night that refused to obey the laws of man in such a thoroughly vicious display of power that all the rest became completely cowed. And then she obliterated our rival Iscariot organization, almost as an afterthought."

Luna's eyes widened in surprise. "She's that powerful?"

"Oh, easily," he confirmed. "Though admittedly, her sire is orders of magnitude more powerful...but that's a different matter. You see...Sir Integra didn't adapt well to not having any enemies anymore. She was so used to living as though just about everyone not on her payroll was in some way connected to people who wanted her dead that...well..."

Luna nodded. "I understand. You don't need to say anymore." She idly crossed her hooves. "Tell me, what exactly were your job duties working for Sir Integra?"

The man grinned widely. "Allow me to give a proper introduction...my name is Walter C. Dornez. I worked as both Vampire Hunter and Butler for the Hellsing Organization in my life. I answered the door, I cleaned up the estate, and I took out the trash...whether inanimate in cans, or self entitled little vampire twats making a mess on my nice clean floors."

Luna smiled sagely. "Well...you sound like you just might be able to keep up with my daughter and her friends. Almost."

"Really?" Walter asked in surprise. "Well, I admit the daughter of a Goddess such as yourself is probably a handful, but isn't her father any help?"

Luna sighed ruefully. "Her father is a loving, dedicated, and nurturing husband and father...but if ever there was a poster child for mental instability, he probably shot him for shits and giggles."

Walter's eyes widened in shock. "...Alucard?" he asked finally.

"I figured you'd met," Luna murmured thoughtfully. "He recommended you when I told him what I was looking for as far as this job was concerned."

Walter swallowed convulsively. "Well...Alucard actually settled down...I must say, I never thought I'd see the night." He carefully managed to compose himself. "And...what job is that, exactly?"

"Alucard has much the same job under me as he did under Integra," Luna explained. "There are monsters in Equestria that make the things he fought in your world look like a sackful of puppies, and most of Equestria doesn't know those monsters even exist. Alucard's job is to make certain it stays that way. However, that does mean he's away from home for extended periods of time. And while my work keeps me here in Canterlot most of the time...my daughter's life is down in Ponyville."

"So I am to act in loco parentis?" Walter deduced thoughtfully.

"I'm pretty certain Alucard provides all the 'loco parentis' Scootaloo could need," Luna observed dryly.

Walter blinked for a time, then chuckled. "It will be a novelty to work for an employer with a sense of humor. But I hardly think a few young girls would require a man of my talents to reign in, even if one of them is a demigod."

Luna smirked as she felt amusement at Walter's naivete. "The three girls have a club called 'The Cutie Mark Crusaders'. They actively seek out their Cutie Marks - a concept that would take far too long to explain here - in increasingly dangerous, reckless, and noisy manners, to the point that the local citizenry thought they were disciples of Discord...who by your terms, you would call a Chaos God."

Walter chuckled softly. "Well, children of any sort can be rambunctious-"

"And that was before Scootaloo started mastering her powers and was gifted Schroedinger - now called Jerry - as her familiar," Luna interrupted. "Now imagine all of that added into the mix...oh, and Seras involved as her 'big sister', now that she realizes that's what the sire relationship meant."

"Oh...oh my," Walter concluded nervously. "And my job is...?"

"To keep the house neat and clean, make sure Scootaloo does her homework and eats her vegetables, and ensure there's always one person in her home life that's relatively sane," Luna explained firmly.

"...I take it the 'relatively sane' part is what led Alucard to recommend me?" Walter deduced.

Luna nodded. "So...will you take the job?"

"I feel I should ask about the pay scale," Walter began thoughtfully.

"200 bits a month, plus job related expenses and bonuses," Luna explained.

"...and a 'bit' is?"

"A one ounce gold coin that is the basis of Equestrian currency," Luna explained. "In terms of how much it can buy you, the average Equestrian citizen can live comfortably on 150 a month."

Walter rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Enough to cover expenses, unforeseen 'human specific' needs, and amass savings? Quite a generous offer."

"It goes up to 300 a month if Scootaloo tolerates you enough to not try and kill you in your sleep by the Summer Sun Celebration," Luna offered. "That's the Solstice."

"...she is her Father's Daughter then, Mum?" Walter asked dutifully.

"More than I'd like to admit," Luna allowed ruefully. She then blinked in surprise. "Mum?"

"A good British Butler is to show proper familiarity with his employer and their family," Walter explained. "That means only referring to them by title when discussing them to others or introducing them, and only in conversation with them when confirming a new directive."

Luna managed a smile. "Here's hoping introducing you to Scootaloo goes as well..."