Cross Effects: Rebirth (2.0) The RP

[YOLF]

"What-"

(...)

"You may expect a call from me in the future, Homunculus."

The King's voice did not sound pleased as he ended his call.

Fate allowed himself to blink at the momentary obliviousness in the King Of Heroes's voice (and the sound of tearing metal on the other end), before the latter cut off the call with evident displeasure at something.

Offhandedly wondering what could have happened with Gilgamesh, Fate picked up his cup of coffee and rose from his seat in the direction of the large windows of his office. With a snap of his fingers, the mechanicals blinds rose to reveal the night skyline of Nexus City. Holding back some surprise at the veritable burst of daylight that overwrote the night, coming from behind the skyscrapers of Golden Rule in the direction of Tokyo Tower (most likely the alleged 'phoenix' that had taken up residence at the Statue Of Liberty), Fate pondered on his plans.

He had much to do. And pursing those thoughts, he brought the cup of his favorite drink back to his lips.

Fate Averruncus scowled.

"It's gone cold."

Speaking those words to himself with the slightest edge of disappointment on his tone, he prepared to ask his secretary for more coffee and the paperwork he needed to put his newly obtained resources to use.

[Kat]

Ash smirked and said, "Prostitutes love.  Pay one enough money and they'll do anything."

"Men, you mean? B-because I don't swing that way" Ellen mumbled confused. At least she thought she did not swing that way. "And sorry, I don't have any money on me. People probably think I'm missing, and I may be pronounced death." She noticed after a while the folly of her statement, and said resigned "Gosh, I'm already dead."

[Lycodrake]

Lycodrake Aptera - Nexus Subway

"Hungry?"

With this, he approached the unknown drake and offered the strange cooked bird to it.

While the other humans fled, this one did not and dressed similarly to the humans the wingless dragon most often interacted with. Lost and without an ally or friend in this strange city, Lycodrake Aptera was relieved to meet someone who was not afraid of him or treated him like a monster.

But when the human spoke, it wasn’t just addressing him. The words and inquiry reached beyond sound and addressed his core. His eyes widened slightly. The sensation was different and certainly unknown, but not intrusive or demanding. There was no threat behind the strange way the green-haired being - for he did not know humans to speak in such a way - had addressed him.

He shook himself out of surprise and turned his gaze upon the food he was offered. It smelled of cooked bird, and he was certainly partial to such meat - though he often got in trouble with Rocs for his diet.

“Ah, yes, I am hungry enough for a snack, thank you.” The wingless one paused and redirected his thought to his current goals, “Do you know this strange city well?”

[Ivan The Mouse]

Ragna stopped for a second and looked behind him, to the girl in the green dress. A nosy onlooker, it seemed.

"Mind your own damn business," he said, turning back around and walking off. Rather he would have walked off, but a few steps later a dizzy spell forced him to rest his right hand on a nearby lamppost to keep steady.

"Damn," he said, covering his face with his other hand. "This is serious bullshit."

Yukina observed the stranger in red with a worried look even when she was told off by him. Rattus, on the other hand, just carefully observed the two of them. And when he tried to walk away from the two, he tried to balance himself from a lamppost to avoid collapsing on the floor. The Japanese lady was about to catch him when she saw him do that and Rattus walked a few steps more towards him upon hearing him curse his condition.

Rattus then tipped his glasses by its bridge and said, "It's clear that minding our own business and leaving you here alone will jeopardize your condition more. I, for one, would not be bothered to stop here if not for her request to do so." He looked at him more for while before he continued, "I suggest that you help yourself from that state of health and come with us."

"Yes." Yukina nodded and affirmed. "Please do not refuse our help. We can give you food and nurse you back to health. We know that you need it, stranger." Her tone was that of concern.

[Daiki]

Ah, yes, I am hungry enough for a snack, thank you.

Enkidu peered in the grey eyes of Lycodrake. The words of the dragon were only sound to his ears. He knew there was a sense behind them but couldn't hope to understand it. Without departing from his gentle smile, he sat where he was.

Do you know this strange city well?

Another moment of silence followed. Enkidu thought that he owed an explanation, it just took him a bit to choose his words.

"I can not understand the common language. Sorry but I will not be able to communicate well with you."

He felt ashamed. It was a pity that he would not have the means to hold a proper conversation with others. Things were easier in his era. One Language to unite the people, one Law to teach the people and one King to lead the people. But now, everything looked alien to him. Technology seemed to have regressed in some domains while the quality of life appeared to have improved. It was akin to watching an old man with newborn features. Disturbing but familiar at the same time. Modern Society had taken a strange turn. He didn't know what to make of it, and thus, didn't like it.

Still, there ought to be things that would still apply to this age. Like introducing oneself.

"My friend calls me Enkidu, so that would be my name."

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

Rattus then tipped his glasses by its bridge and said, "It's clear that minding our own business and leaving you here alone will jeopardize your condition more. I, for one, would not be bothered to stop here if not for her request to do so." He looked at him more for while before he continued, "I suggest that you help yourself from that state of health and come with us."

"Yes." Yukina nodded and affirmed. "Please do not refuse our help. We can give you food and nurse you back to health. We know that you need it, stranger." Her tone was that of concern.

Ragna listened halfheartedly, his thoughts centered more around his balance, the lack thereof and the weakness he was feeling all over.

"Back off! I don't need your pity," Ragna yelled angrily after a moment, pushing himself off of the post. He stumbled the first few steps, took a deep breath, and made to cross the street with somewhat more stability than before.

[Lycodrake]

Lycodrake Aptera - Nexus Subway

Without departing from his gentle smile, he sat where he was.

"I cannot understand the common language. Sorry but I will not be able to communicate well with you."

‘So I can understand him, but he cannot understand me. That truly is a shame. Even if I wrote down my statements in the languages I know, it would be for naught.’

Lycodrake Aptera was not used to being unable to communicate with others. Even those elementals without speech he was acquainted with were literate in at least one of their shared languages. He could only hope that body language and “charades” would help to convey his meaning.

"My friend calls me Enkidu, so that would be my name."

Enkidu: the whole of the Mediterranean knew the name of the hero who fought alongside the demigod - and hero himself - Gilgamesh. They fought against great monsters and creatures and even against Ishtar. Their friendship was held in the highest esteem. Was this indeed Enkidu or only someone named after him? The wingless one did not know.

He would wait to find out for himself rather than assuming either way. He turned his body in such a way that his shoulder spikes were clearly visible and looked between Enkidu’s eyes and the shame that the prideful members of his race ridiculed him for: no wings. He had neither wings nor the ability to fly without them like the Eastern dragons were said to possess.

And yet that was a part of his name - Aptera, the wingless. A name he was given by [Athena] Nike himself. What was draconic pride to the worth of a name given him by her?

[Ivan The Mouse]

Ragna listened halfheartedly, his thoughts centered more around his balance, the lack thereof and the weakness he was feeling all over.

"Back off! I don't need your pity," Ragna yelled angrily after a moment, pushing himself off of the post. He stumbled the first few steps, took a deep breath, and made to cross the street with somewhat more stability than before.

Yukina felt humiliated by the man's words and deflated her posture, saddened by the fact that he refused to be helped even in his condition.

Meanwhile, Rattus, with his observation about the red-clad person's personality, came up with an idea. He then started to continually approach him and began speaking. "I'm surprised with your determination, young man. I'm impressed, in fact. But since you don't want to be helped, I suppose that you can help us instead." He was following him. "I can only assume that you are a long-time resident of this city. We just had our house transferred here for some unknown reason and we know nothing about the place. Can you tell us country this city belongs to, the whole date on this present day and the way out of this city? We need your help on this, I implore you."

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

"I'm new here too. The entire place is foreign to me, now go bother someone else," Ragna said over his shoulder, keeping his weak stride across the street. "I'm busy."

[Mooncake]

"You're still here..?" Placing an index on her mouth, she continued. "I was sure to have pushed you with enough strength for you to fall all the way down, though."

Gilgamesh's eye was twitching, a vein visibly pulsing on his head as the True Ancestor completely ignored him, the Golden King. An explosive breath of air left his mouth as he suddenly calmed. Contrary to what many believed, he did know his limits, and a battle with a True Ancestor would not necessarily end in his favor.

He still felt that same irritation as she happily munched on her hamburger, though. Gilgamesh was not used to being so blatantly ignored - or, for that matter, ignored at all. His eyes narrowed as the Ancestor's wandered, looking in every direction but his. Gilgamesh was about to speak when he felt the sun's warmth, the sky turning to day as a Phoenix, one of the rarest Phantasmal Beasts, floated right behind him.

"What a shining phoenix!! Come over here!!" She gestured for the Elemental to come closer. "A friend of yours," she demanded, eying Gilgamesh.

"I have but one friend, Ancestor."

The Golden King approached the Phoenix carefully, approaching the firebird as the great light from it dimmed.

"And yet, I remember you... you visited my palace long ago. Do you remember? The priestesses were afraid of you, yet you came forward so eagerly. It impressed us, and you lived outside the palace for a while. Do you remember this, sunbird?"

Gilgamesh's voice held a wistful tone as he held out a hand to the Phoenix. Links to the past, of a more ancient age, were rare. Even in this city, where so many times and dimensions blended together, there had been no recollection of Uruk save for in his memories and the tales of others.

[Daiki]

Enkidu - Subway Station

Enkidu seeked the intent behind the behavior shown. The Dragon didn't look really proud this instant. Perhaps was it a little anxious or shameful which was rather odd for the fierce species. The Creation of Enki patted the beast between the shoulders. There, something was missing. No wings. Not even protuberances.  Nothing which would allow the creature to soar through the sky. It was forever denied reach a domain it could only contemplate.

An all too familiar feeling for someone who walked side by side with Gilgamesh. A mere doll made of clay once questioned his own existence and theorized that he was only meant to be a tool. But it was only a misconception on his part. Something the King corrected by gifting him with the most cherished present, far more precious than any treasure resting in the royal vault.

Enkidu looked back at Lycodrake Aptera and started talking calmly.

"What you were granted with at birth. What you were denied from the moment of your first breath. Each and every parts are what constitute you as an entity of value. As a whole individual. It does not matter if you are a different. It does not make you any less valuable."

He gave a friendly tap on Lyco's muscular shoulder.

"I was born without a soul. I didn't have a sense of self. No man was like me for I was only a mere construction to be tossed after my assignment completed. I only had a role and I failed to fulfill it. Truly, there was no need for something like me to even continue to exist. Yet..."

He paused.

"... This man accepted me by his side. I had tried to kill him and after my failure, I had nothing to offer. I thought that I would simply disappear. But he chose me as a friend. He gave me more than I could ever repay. Me, a soulless creation with no worth."

Enkidu had an happy expression.

"What I am trying to say is that even a defectuous tool like me could find something to be proud of. You, Wingless One, have no reason to feel ashamed for being how you are."

[Lycodrake]

Lycodrake Aptera - Nexus Subway

Enkidu looked back at Lycodrake Aptera and started talking calmly.

"What you were granted with at birth. What you were denied from the moment of your first breath. Each and every part are what constitute you as an entity of value. As a whole individual. It does not matter if you are a different. It does not make you any less valuable."

"What I am trying to say is that even a defective tool like me could find something to be proud of. You, Wingless One, have no reason to feel ashamed for being how you are."

Lycodrake Aptera was overwhelmed by a sense of empathy, both toward himself by Enkidu, and toward Enkidu. He felt alone in his shame. He had been called a defect by his arrogant, prideful kin. He nodded and agreed when [Athena] Nike and Marie told him otherwise, but the self-doubt still haunted him.

He had thought “what worth is there in a dragon - beings of fire and air - without flight?” countless times.

Yet this time the words weren’t just from those who cared about him yet did not understand or had not experienced it, but from one who had struggled with existential doubt. He smiled solemnly then in thanks to the green-haired man, gracious for his understanding and heart-felt encouragement.

[Daiki]

"I have but one friend, Ancestor."

Arcueid caressed the Elemental's  feathers with a distracted expression. She let Heroic Spirit and Phoenix  interact with each other for a moment before crossing her arms and leaning forward with a frown.

"No good. That's no good at all, Mister Twitching Eyebrows. You should go and meet new people."

She opened her arms to embrace the Nexus.

"This city is pretty big. Surely you can find find people to get along with. Or maybe you're antisocial?" She considered him for a second. "Hm, indeed you look the part. Even your clothing sense is all wrong. Guess I'll have to help you." She sighed dramatically. "I intended to go back early to watch some new movies but now I can't leave and simply ignore a sad and lonely puppy like you."

With a finger pointed towards the King of Heroes, she yelled.

"I hereby declare Operation One Thousand Friends start now!!"

[Ivan The Mouse]

"I'm new here too. The entire place is foreign to me, now go bother someone else," Ragna said over his shoulder, keeping his weak stride across the street. "I'm busy."

"So where do you plan to go, then, if you are foreign to this city too?" Rattus asked him. "By the looks of it, you have nowhere to go because if you have one, you won't be walking around in such a weak state. At least I and my companion here have our home transported to this city. We also have a private mean of transportation too. We have enough money to last us a lifetime and we are speaking as immortals in this context. Yes, I am sounding off as an arrogant and ostentatious person here. You might not want what I offer to you but, whether you admit it or not, you will need it." He momentarily paused. "You say you are busy, but you have nowhere to go. What you said is a paradox. But I won't force you anymore. For us to preserve you is your gain, for us to not to is your loss." He then turned his back on him and started walking away. He then said to the green-haired lady, "Let's go, Yukina. We can't help those people who don't help themselves."

She then walked towards him a bit and then said to the man in red with a raised voice, "Goodbye, stranger! I hope you will always be safe, alright?!"

[Knick]

"And yet, I remember you... you visited my palace long ago. Do you remember? The priestesses were afraid of you, yet you came forward so eagerly. It impressed us, and you lived outside the palace for a while. Do you remember this, sunbird?"

Gilgamesh's voice held a wistful tone as he held out a hand to the Phoenix.

Phoenix let out happy chirps letting his warmth roll of it like waves. Letting the King's hand touch its beak.

Its friend remembers it. Phoenix could not be happier in this moment. It isn’t alone anymore. So happy, so happy, so happy, so happy, so happy.

Then the Gaia child began talking.

With a finger pointed towards the King of Heroes, she yelled.

"I hereby declare Operation One Thousand Friends start now!!"

FRIENDS! Phoenix began to chirp excitedly. MORE AND MORE FRIENDS!

Phoenix began to shake, feathers bellowing off it, until there was only a cloud them where it once stood.

And then from the cloud the Phoenix emerged with the feathers scattering to the winds floating into the city, now the size of a falcon the sunbird began flying above both the Gaia child and his friend in a circle around them.

"SCRAWWW"