#alucardxd

[yugenwrites]

∗ —— Adrian “Alucard” Tepes x D.

∗ —— Part one, part two, part three, part four ( coming soon ).

∗ —— NOTES: This story is inspired by some of the fanart that is done by tender miasma / suzannart! The worlds of Castlevania and Vampire Hunter D are connected to one and another.

“Belmont said that you have fought with his ancestors. How old are you D and now many of his ancestors have you worked alongside with?” Sypha asked the dhampyre but the man did not answer, only sighing in response. He didn't feel like striking up any type of conversation, he just wanted to get away from the three of them since they did nothing but bicker.

“He's very old,” the left hand spoke like D had done a couple of minutes ago, he had dug his nails into the face of the parasite but this time with an irritated scowl.

“Enough of your foolish antics.” D was bothered by not only his companion but the three fools behind him. “Once we are finally free from this area, I will be parting from the three of you. I did wish that it was four.” Of course he was referring to the fourth person as his hand.

“If I could leave you, I would but you would be absolutely miserable without me,” the hand exclaimed at the dhampyre who curled his fingers downward and into his palm, nails digging into the flesh for the third time. “That hurts you bastard!”

“We all need to stay together. The faster we can get to Dracula's castle the quicker we will be able to put an end to this.” Sypha took a couple of steps forward in a quick motion, now walking beside D who didn't bother to look at her.

“I work alone and the people of Wallachia will need someone to look after them before they get devoured by night creatures.”

“I'm sure that they would have some dislike towards you as well, you may be half of a human but I am sure as long as you have vampire blood or genetics, you will be seen as a monster nonetheless,” Alucard stated as D began to turn away from the trio.

“Anyone can be considered a monster whether they are human, vampyre, or a demon. Even if I am a vampyre hunter, I am aware of the many things that a mere man or even a child is capable of doing. No one in this world is truly innocent but it is enough to try to change such a thing and help those who are in need of it.”

“And what if they aren't willing to take some of your generosity? Would you still provide aid to those even when they push you away?”

“I cannot force anyone and shall not do it. Not everyone is willing to accept aid and some will look down upon it.” Alucard couldn't help but to think back. To think back how a year ago was when his mother was burned down to ashes because of her so-called witchery when the only thing she wanted to do was help those who needed it. “I'm sure that you three alone would be able to make it to the castle by yourselves without my aid. I will make sure that the creatures of the night do not come in between you or your travels.”

“So . . . You are helping us basically?” Trevor questioned.

“In a sense, yes, but it's more for the people and not for your benefit.” D had paused in his tracks and turned his head to look at Alucard, eyes narrowed and nothing but a frown worn upon his face. “You. Be wise of the choices that you decide to make.” With those words, D had continued to walk away from the trio and Alucard found himself averting his gaze.

Alucard knew that the man didn't trust him, he thought that he was going to end up like his father and become full of rage to the point where even he was going to cause destruction to Wallachia and its people. The blonde wasn't a fool, he was able to control his emotions despite being saddened and upset about his mother's death. As much as it was unfortunate, it was something that was bound to happen one day.

The only one that seemed to really believe that he had good intentions was Sypha and the other speakers who believed in the story of the sleeping soldier despite it seeming more dramatic than what it needed to be. Lost in his thoughts, he had walked away to clear his head in a secluded area while Trevor and Sypha went to meet up with her people. He would join them a little bit down the line but for now he needed some time to himself even if he had spent a whole year sleeping in a coffin. Some things needed to be planned out and organized and he wanted to do such in silence.

The night was rather cold, the fear that the people had worn on their faces was nothing but clear. D held his suspicions of Alucard. Even if he had swore that he was going to kill his father before he creates any more damage, he doesn't know what he may do afterwards or even beforehand. “Maybe you were a little too rude to him. He's just a kid,” his left hand commented despite his own rudeness to the dhampyre earlier.

“He is no child, he is a full adult. I'm sure that he is able to handle the things that will be thrown at him with the decision he has chosen to make.” Even the parasite of a hand could think that the dhampyre was rather cold towards others at times, such a thought was rare considering his own personality.

“Don't give me that shit, you could have been a little bit nicer to him and you know it.” After all, Alucard had just lost his mother a year ago and to be able to stop the upbringing madness being caused and the possible end of the existence of humans, the blonde would have to kill his own father. A soft huff escaped D’s lips, maybe he could have but he wasn't going to during all of this. There was business that needed to be taken care of.

“This is no time for mourning and treating him with sympathy. The fate of the world lies within his hands.” His eyes narrowed underneath the tip of the hat that he wore so low and his lips were curled downward into a frown.

Only a couple of hours had passed until the sun slowly began to shine within the sky, the people who were hiding in their homes soon coming out to see that they were alive. D made sure that the night creatures didn't lay a single hand on a civilian or even glanced in their direction. Not many had shown up, maybe at least seven. Most of them were killed in the horde from earlier on when night took its course. The vampire hunter walked around and tended to people's needs even though they were skeptical of him due to his vampirism.

“Ye could have fuckin' stopped this!” There was one man who pointed at the black haired hunter, poking him directly in the chest.

“No, I couldn't have. The only thing that I can provide for you right now is safety from the creatures of the night after the people decided to burn down that woman you call a witch.” The hand was swatted away and the tip of his hat was pulled downward to hide his irritated expression.

“Cause she was a bloody witch!” The man shouted, rather angrily. D fell silent upon those words. He knows well that marrying a vampyre would be more than enough to get her killed though he doesn't know the whole story. After a couple of seconds, he had found himself walking away from the male, hearing curses escape his rather vulgar mouth. Humans in Wallachia didn't seem like the best group of people, rather inappropriate and stupid; blind. Seeing that most of the people were fine, he decided to leave them be for a moment and see if there was anything that he himself had needed.

“Hunter D!” He heard a familiar voice come from behind him which made him turn his gaze.

“Speaker . . .have you grown tired of them already?” As much as it seemed like it was a joke, the tone of his voice was serious.

“Well yes and no. I left the two of them alone so I would be able to find a covered wagon and some horses for travel. We can't move as fast as we want to on bare feet, you know?”

“That didn't seem like the best idea to leave them alone with one another. Maybe they are going at each other's throats right now.”

“I wouldn't be surprised. They haven't stopped their stupid bickering.” The female would let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes in the process. “I was wondering if maybe you can tag along with us. I know that you wish to tend to the people but it will be faster if we were to all travel together, don't you think?”

“As much as that seems to be true, I do not think that I will have the patience to deal with those two and if I went off on my own and fought off those night creatures before they reached you, it would make travel much smoother.” Sypha nodded her head, that would probably be the best option and she is sure that the small dispute between him and Alucard may get worse.

“Just promise that you won't get yourself killed, alright?”

“How insulting, I am a hunter. I am only doing my job.” D turned himself away but before he could walk away, a bag of coins was tossed in Sypha's direction which was caught. “This should pay for what you need for now. Between the three of you alone, I am sure that you wouldn't have enough.”

“Thank you, I'll make sure the two idiots don't get a hold of it.” With that being said, she watched D as he began to walk away from her before leaving herself to go the opposite direction. She knew it may take some time for her to find someone who sold wagons, nonetheless horses. It was likely that the night creatures could have destroyed them to stop the people from leaving but with their journey, the trio needed one.

[yugenwrites]

∗ —— Adrian “Alucard” Tepes x D.

∗ —— Part one, part two, part three, part four ( coming soon ).

∗ —— NOTES: This story is inspired by some of the fanart that is done by tender miasma / suzannart! The worlds of Castlevania and Vampire Hunter D are connected to one and another.

D sat himself at the back of the tavern, in a corner that wasn’t occupied by a single soul. His back faced towards the very few people inside and surprisingly no one had noticed him; or at least no one bothered to comment on his presence. He wasn’t planning on drinking anything, the beer had not interested him. To him the beer smelled foul but he wouldn't expect any better from a place that was in shambles.

He listened in to the questionable conversation that was being held between the brothers who sat at the bar. Nothing about what they had to say seemed important in the slightest. The dhampyr closed his eyes for a moment until a young looking man barged in, panting like he was trying his best to find some air and eyes wide, about to pop out of sockets. "Ale! For Christ's sake,” he exclaimed in distress. Everyone seemed to shift their attention over to him, including D.

"Piter! We were just wondering if you'd spotted any attractive sheep on your ride out. What's the word mate?" Once the bartender  poured the young man a mug of ale who had immediately begun to chug it down before breathing heavily once more. "The horde's been seen, sweeping west!"

"Shit, you think they'll reach us?" "I think they might pass us by. I don't know, I hope. I'm told they're closing on Gresit." "Serves 'em right. Stuck - up bastards." "Ah, come on . . ." "No. No, it all comes down to the families and the houses, doesn't it? The great houses of Gresit." Bosha spits upon the ground. "Vlad Dracula? An old family. The capital? All run by the great houses. And they're not even the worst. The Belmonts?"

The conversation had gotten much more interesting which was the reason for D to turn his head so he was able to see the four slightly better. He looked at them from the corners of his eyes and behind them sat a drunken man who grumbled under his breath, seeing that he had run out of alcohol. The man was no one other than Trevor Belmont himself.

"We should have killed all the Belmonts." Trevor turned away when the eldest brother spoke. He raised a hand to cover his face all the while mumbling a soft “shit” under his breath. He hunched himself down, as if not trying to be seen or caught. "It's all about these old families, like the Belmonts, who control all the power and go to war with each other. And who's caught in the middle?"

"We are." "We are! Because we don't matter. Do you know why? Where'd you come from?" "Well, out of your aunt, according to you." "You came from shit. I came from shit. We all came from shit." Trevor muffled their words from out of his ears as he grunted before looking at his empty mug. With a sigh, he walked up the front while knocking over his mug in the process. "Slaves to great old families and their games."

"Sorry. Can I get my ale . . ?" Trevor stood next to Piter with one arm leaning on the counter. "It's just that I think I'm sobering up."

"All right, all right, but wanna see some coin from you now." The bartender sent a glare in his direction and Trevor groaned before he reached down in his pockets and tried to search for his money but after some seconds, he realized he barely had anything.

"Hey, what's that on your chest?" Bosha pointed at the family crest and Trevor looked down while shrugging his shoulders, mumbling the words: “My shirt”. He then ignored the brother and looked at the bartender again. “Just one more tankard, eh Something to keep me warm while I find a tree to sleep under.”

"That's a family chest. I know it."

"I don't. Just one more drink and then I'll leave, all right?" Trevor attempted to ignore the man again, expression hardened and flashing with annoyance.

"That's a Belmont crest."

"Really? Look, here's the money." He tossed the money on the counter and backed himself away but he was stopped by the bickering man.

"You're a Belmont, aren't you? House of Belmont, family Belmont!"

"It seems trouble cannot be escaped." D mumbled under his breath before he stood on his feet, the chair scratching against the chair as he did so. He turned himself to face the others fully now with eyes narrowed.

"Never met them. Listen, just forget it. I'll just go." When Trevor tried to walk away, he was pushed back and nearly stumbled on the floor. Only from that  point forward did everyone give him a look of anger, all except for D. "No, you're a Belmont! This is all your fault."

"I don't know what you're talking about " "Yes, you do."  "Yes, you do. Everyone knows the Belmont dealt with black magic. The Belmonts dealt with monsters." "The Belmonts fought monsters, son . . . So I've been told. This is just an old shirt." "The Belmonts were excommunicated by the Church, banished, disowned, their lands taken because they were evil." "Evil." "And now Dracula's hordes are abroad in the land. And who's fault is that?" "Well it ain't mine." "The Belmonts traded in black magic, and now black magic is all over Wallachia. I think you know exactly whose fault that is.

"I'm leaving, okay? I'm leaving now." Yet again, as Trevor tried to excuse himself, he was pushed back. "So you can lead your monster friends back here?" "So I can find somewhere to piss and somewhere else to sleep." "No, you can sleep right here." "You haven't got your shovel."

As Bosha raised his fist to punch Trevor, his fist was caught by a rather cold hand. He looked up to see a man with a hat that covered the majority of his face but he was able to see dark blue eyes piercing down at him. “Who the fuck are you?!” He asked while his voice trembled but he tried to hide his fear with an angry expression.

"Dear god, you fucking taste gross!" Bosha looked down at his fist when he heard a muffled voice. It took him a moment when he realized that his fingers had been licked. With a high pitched scream he pulled his hand away and Kob did nothing but laugh. “And you scream like a damn girl.”

"If you stepped in before he started harassing you then that would have been perfect." Trevor looked at D and blinked but despite his words of rudeness he stepped over to the dhampyre and stood behind him.

"What was happening before all of this was none of my business." D's voice sent a shiver down Trevor’s spine. The dhampyre looked at Bosha who hid Kob, fearing for his life. He didn’t want to become possible food for the talking hand. “You are childish for a man who is in his fifties.”

"What did you just — ?!"

Before Bosha could even think about finishing his sentence, D turned on his heel and walked out of the tavern and Trevor walked behind him, but not before he was given the opportunity to flip the farmer off with a grin that said “eat shit”.

“Is there a reason why you’re here, Hunter D?” Trevor crossed his arms over his chest, his expression became serious. The dhampyre turned his head to look at the man before he had answered him.

“You know more about the situation at hand than I do. Don't you, Belmont?”

“Don’t answer my question with another question, you bastard!” D rolled his eyes and walked forward but Trevor had begun to walk along with him. “So I’m gonna kind of guess and say you’re here because of the whole Dracula and his wife situation?”

“Why else would I be here?” D asked and there was a grumble from Trevor.

“Do you believe in this so-called sleeping soldier?” Trevor let his arms fall to his sides. “It’s been the only thing I’ve been hearing for the last couple of days. I can’t believe how fucking stupid people are. How can you trust someone you don’t even know about?”

“The sleeping soldier is no one other than Dracula’s son.” Trevor gave the dhampyre a shocked expression while he paused his steps but D did nothing but continue to talk.

“We’re fucking doomed.”

[yugenwrites]

∗ —— Adrian “Alucard” Tepes x D.

∗ —— Part one, part two, part three, part four ( coming soon ).

∗ —— NOTES: This story is inspired by some of the fanart that is done by tender miasma / suzannart! The worlds of Castlevania and Vampire Hunter D are connected to one and another.

"When we first got here, they were saying that the Belmonts and the speakers were the cause of all of this. If the fucking church was the one who burned Dracula to ash, wouldn't you think they would have enough common sense to think it was y'know . . . the church!?" D hummed in agreement at the left hand's words.

"The people depended on the church more than anything else. They saw her as a witch because she practiced medicine and of course was married to Dracula. They would not see the actions of the church as a form of wrongdoing. If they would have listened to the warning he gave one year ago, they would not be a part of such a predicament." D sneaked along, making sure that no one from the angry mob had seen him.

The dhampyre noticed that Trevor was surrounded by a bunch of angry Wallachians who started to close in on him. But when they had gotten too close, a ring of fire would surround him as protection, making the people back themselves away in fear. "Witch!" A priest had yelled, pointing his short blade at a woman who stood on top of a building.

"No! I am a Speaker, and a scholar of magic. I serve no demon and I do no evil." After she spoke, she made a pathway for Trevor who would walk down it.

"You never told me you were a magician." "You never asked." "Though I guess I now understand why it was you who went down into the catacombs to look for your sleeping God. What are you doing here?"

D's brows had risen under his hat. He now understood why Trevor had been gone for so long instead of trying to help. It seemed that he had a calling. "Fine." Trevor stopped in his tracks and turned his head and pointed at the priest. "You!"

"Kill them! Quickly!" The priest shouted, directing his hand at Trevor.

"No. Just you and me. Come on. You're very big at telling other people what to do. Getting the good people of Gresit to commit murder for you. Let's see how you do on your own." The ring of fire that separated the two had vanished and Trevor took steps toward the priest who did nothing but back himself away with a glare. "You and me. I can see that you're carrying a blade. I wonder if the people of the great City of Gresit have ever seen a priest draw a knife before."

The people gasped and whispered to each other. "Your long knife, my short sword. Let's go." The priest stared at the Belmont who got himself into a fighting stance. "Come on, you had no problem beating an old man this morning. Huh? You had no problem lying to these people about the speakers!"

"The speakers brought this upon us!" The priest yelled out, pointing at Sypha.

"No, they didn't, and you know it. The speakers stayed here to offer aid. It was your bishop who brought all this down on us. Your bishop who started it all by killing a defenseless woman. You have made murderers out of these people, but the only one here who isn't innocent . . ." Trevor had pointed his sword at the man with rage in his eyes. "Is you." A man had pushed his way past Trevor, plunging a knife right into the Priest in the abdomen while others began to join in, killing the man while screaming at him. But while that happened, a group of townsmen ran forward, and their lives were taken by sudden flame.

"It's them, they're coming!" Sypha stood beside Trevor and a horde of night creatures began to run forward. D made his way over to the two of them while he removed his blade from his sheathe on his backside. "It's you." Trevor turned his attention to D and Sypha did the same with widened eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Back to the far side of the square! Pikes! Up front, now!"

"What—?" A man holding a pike turned to face Trevor, terror in his eyes and face. "Why?"

"Because I'm the only man here who knows how to fight these things." Trevor walked over to the male and D let out a soft huff. "Everyone with a pike or a long weapon, get out in front with me. Six in front, six behind, and in between, pikes forward. Hold steady. I need a priest, one who was properly ordained in a church." A priest from the crowd had raised his hand, stepping forward. "Grab some people. Go to the nearest well, start drawing water. You know what to do with water, yes? For the aspersion? Go. Sypha?"

"Yes." "I want them walled in when they hit the square. I want it so that they can only come toward us. Is that something you can do?" "Will ice do?" "Better than fire, anyway. Let's hope so. I want salt over here! As much as you can find!"

The people began to line up buckets of salt upon the ground and Trevor picked up a handful, covering it with his blade. "Everyone with a sword, wipe their blades in the salt. Now!" Trevor walked back to the front with Sypha and D, holding a bucket of holy water. As the demons came closer, D looked down upon the speaker and Trevor's eyes narrowed. "Sypha, walls."

Ice began to surround the demons, making sure that they couldn't escape the area. One touched the ice and shrieked with its hand sizzling from pain. Trevor threw up the bucket of water, making it touch two different demons, causing them to groan, flesh sizzling. "Well. That priest really could make holy water after all. Pikemen! For steps forward! Sypha, close the door behind them."

When the door closed, one of the demons growled and dashed itself forward towards the small army, getting ready to attack and kill. "Rear pikes up!" When the demon leaped in the air and attempted to attack, it would land upon the pikes and shriek. "Cut him down!" A man with a sword had sliced the demon in two. "Salt kills demons! Don't forget — spread the word!"

D took a couple of steps back before he had lunged forward into the very back of the small group of demons. While he came down, slicing one in half and piercing another directly in the head before throwing it at the ice, causing it to sizzle, burn, and explode. Trevor threw a bucket of salt within the air and Sypha would cause the bucket to explode with ice, and with the ice covered in salt, it had struck two demons and killed them instantly.

One stepped forward, fire forming in its mouth and aiming at the group who avoided the attack running into groups of two, letting it hit Trevor while mumbling "shit" who cleared it with his whip and attacked the demon in the abdomen causing it to explode.

Sypha looked at him in wonder, but Trevor looked at his whip. "It's consecrated . . . for fighting vampires and demons. Swords!" As Trevor raised his hand and kicked another bucket, men with swords ran forward with the holy water spreading forward and to the sides. They pierced the demons which filled the air with even more agonizing shrieks.

Blue fangs only groaned and lept in the air, landing on the ground which caused Trevor and Sypha to dash away. He swiped at Trevor and injured him and dodged the large block of ice that Sypha created above him. He whipped the demon across his face who hissed and hit the ground before charging at the Belmont. Before he could reach him, Sypha raised her hands and ice came out from the ground which pierced the demon's jaw all the way up to his head.

"There's an army of us! An army . . . From hell!" Right after that was said, D's blade had struck the top of his blade and pinned him to the ground before his blade was removed. Trevor whipped at the creature and D moved, watching it as it exploded.

"You—" Sypha looked at D and began to speak but before she could finish her sentence, the ground shook and crumbled beneath them. Before they could run from it, they fell in.

As the three fell down into the catacombs, Trevor pulled Sypha close with his whip and she created a landing for the two while cold air formed at the bottom . . . but they rolled on the floor and into some planks which opened a path. D on the other hand had no problem with the fall and landed on his feet. He was down before the other two and was waiting until they got themselves situated but they landed with trouble. He walked himself over as the two stood up.

"You could have helped us, you know?" Sypha glared at the dhampyre who remained silent, practically ignoring her. They looked at their surroundings before Sypha spoke once more. "The catacombs again. I think we're deeper than I went before."

The three of them began to walk forward and D's eyes shifted to look at the machinery. His left ear twitched slightly and he tossed the two of them on opposing sides of his shoulders before running forward. As he ran, some type of trap had already been set off and made an attempt to crush them but thankfully they managed to make it through safely. Although there was yet another jump and he slid down a wall, holding the two and being careful to make sure they would not get harmed. He let them go right after and stood on his feet as if nothing happened.

"This place is going to be filled with traps and we're bound to die if we don't stop moving." As that was stated the ground beneath then crumbled and fell in. Sypha used cold air to land upon the mechanic wheel, D leaped onto it, and Trevor had stumbled before jumping at the last second. Upon connecting them to another wheel, Trevor made his way over to Sypha and D while trying to balance himself.

Their gaze shifted to the surface and Trevor made a tightrope with his whip. Sypha began to go float her way over, Trevor swung himself and groaned during the impact once she made her way over safely, and D had yet again leaped his way next to Sypha. What Trevor bumped into began to crumble and he quickly grabbed onto his whip. The three watched as everything went down before their support did the same. Once they hit the ground, they fell into another hole and landed roughly upon the ground with soft pants.

They shook it off and began walking forward only to see a coffin. As they continued to walk, Trevor stepped on some sort of button and the magician and dhampyre glared at him. "I didn't do that." Smoke came from underneath the coffin and the top of it began to open. A shirtless man with a scar across his chest along with his hand against it came arising from said coffin. His head had then lowered, hair following suit. His hand had clenched his chest before he spoke."Why are you here?"

"Aren't you the messiah that sleeps underneath Gresit! The one who will save us from Dracula!" Despite Sypha's praise, Trevor and D glared at the blonde man with looks of distrust. It was hard to tell who had seemed more irritable by the sight of the man.

"And I take it that you two are in search of a mythical savior as well?" The man asked the two men.

"I fell down a hole," Trevor answered and looked over at D who lowered his head slightly with his hat covering his eyes but the snarl he had was more than present.

"You are more than some so-called messiah. You're his son, aren't you? Adrian Tepes is your name, is it not? But the people of Wallachia refer to you as Alucard." The other dhampyre seemed very much surprised by that information he knew and Sypah's eyes widened.

"You're Dracula's son?" She asked only for Alucard to close his eyes.

"And your father has released his horde on Wallachia. I don't think that you are a messiah at all, just someone who the people believe can save them. They don't know that the man they have been worshiping is the son of the very man who wants them dead," Trevor spoke in a bitter tone which made Sypha glare at him.

"Belmont!"

"And he is the same as me, yet you trust him more than you trust me?" Alucard asked as his golden eyes shifted so he was able to look at D.

"He is a vampyre hunter. He has fought alongside my family since the beginning of time. Of course, I would put him over you. Any time of the day." Trevor grinned and placed his arm on D's shoulder, but the man simply removed it.

"The both of you are vampyre hunters. A dhampyre and a Belmont from the house of Belmont." Alucard observed the both of them, looks of interest. "Are you two going to kill me?"

"That answer could be dependable." Trevor shrugged his shoulders and D remained silent, keeping his eyes on Alucard as his feet touched the cold floors of granite. "Depends on if you are going to help us or not and make yourself the messiah that the people have been longing for."

"If you do intend on killing me, you are not going to get far, Belmont." Alucard took a step forward and so did Trevor. There was a tension between the two of them and it was easy to be sensed.

"If you are planning on killing each other do it at another time, there are people up there fucking dying," the left hand exclaimed and for once D did not try to hush him because he was right. "You can kill each other after that old fucker is dead!"

"What the fuck was that?" Alucard looked at D's hand to see that there was now a face morphed into it. "Did your hand just . . . talk?"

"Of course, I did, you're looking right at me, aren't you?! Think for a se — ow!" D dug his fingers into the face of the hand and within seconds he vanished but not before mumbling a soft "fuck you" under his breath.

"We could need all the help that we could get. The stories said four people would be the ones to take down Dracula and if you ask me, we have our four." Sypha gestured to all of them, and everyone looked at one another in surprise.

"You knew?" D asked as he looked at Sypha who gave a proud nod of her head. The dhampyre had turned on his heel and began to walk away from the three while Alucard went to grab his sword and his coat.

"A speak magician and two vampyre hunters, never would I have thought these would be the companions I would fight with."