Cross Effects 3.0 - November 16, 2014—April 13, 2015

[SINIB]

LANCELOT

The Berserker roared in impotent fury at the blinding light. He continued his charge, smashing his street sign through the space where his instincts best judged her last location to be. Instead of flailing around aimlessly however, Lancelot spread his legs and held his ground, holding his weapon in front of him in a defensive posture, waiting until he heard the scuffle of feet on the ground or the swish of his enemy’s spear.

"?" The raging madman suddenly calmed down. Mordred had a bad feeling about this, and suspected that one wrong move would made him detect her. She was not most stealthy person, so she decided to supernaturally augment her luck in order to sneak away into more favorable position. She had a last ditch plan, but born out of desperation, To make it work Lancelot would have to regain sight and Mordred to be in safer location.

(She used Contract of Beneficent Fate)

Faust continued walking up his stairs, the circle following behind him as he ascended, beginning to pulse more and more rapidly. As the pulsing reached a crescendo, he said a few words, and snapped his fingers. The circle pulled back, and a large beam soared out, sailing its way towards the black knight.

[Elf]

Forest

"Yeah, you got discovered," Forest said, frowning at the female vampire's words.  Wait, Kindred . . . Vampire the Masquerade!  I watched that show, it was bloody horrific . . .

She struggled to remember about the show, different Clans having different abilities and the guy who played the Judge on Buffy was some ugly Nosferatu or something.  There was also a bunch of Anne Rice twaddle too.

However, there was something else too.  She might be some Vampire Scientist or some such.  Better than that cult that worships that punk Frost on 11th . . .

"This is the Nexus.  There might be other Clans from your world, but this place holds vampires from a variety of different worlds with different temperaments and abilities.   I mean, my friend Saber and I had to bring down a poor Japanese school girl a couple of weeks ago because she was just a mindless monster in pain.  Me?  I fight the forces of evil because I'm a bit bent like that."

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

Exiting the premises of the Timothy Horton's like the refined gentleman I was, carrying a roughly girl-sized sack o'er my shoulder, did I feel the tug and weight of metal upon me.

"Por que, mon amour?" I stated with clear sense of self and a deliberate mixing of two languages for added articulation, before the very breeze in my lungs swept out of me as I was pulled from my most peaceful walk. A hasty look down revealed to me it was a chain around me, tugging me away from my chosen route.

My feet flew walked the air as my lungs grasped for breath, my mind quite simply reeling by what could possibly be happening, until forsooth had I landed in a pit of vile pungency and decay, a lair to vicious rodents and uncouth vagrants.

T'was a miniature detritus quarantine... box.

At least, that's how I'd write it if I was some crackpot. I don't even know what forsooth means.

She then noticed where they were. “Uhh, are we in a dumpster or something?"

"Nah," I told her from maybe a foot away, sprawled on my back over  an uncomfortable, hole-ridden and somewhat bloody mattress. "We're in a miniature detritus quarantine box. Calling it a dumpster is so last week."

I looked up at the sky, realized I was dizzy and my heart was beating hard enough to shake my body, and decided it was time for a break. Yeah, I was going to stay on this real nice mattress for another like, five minutes.

I don't even know what the fuck just happened. It felt like I just got dragged into a powerthirst commercial as one of the extras, like, a poorly-edited dog piloting an f-16 into Las Vegas before someone screams the magic word:

MENERGY

I started giggling. Those commercials were always so... Yeah.

[Knick]

Crest

Crest raised an eyebrow to the mention of ‘pawns’. Not to mention how cordial she was being. She was obviously a half demon; she did not even try and hide her magic when we fought that thing. He did not ever see a demon like that, they normally don't take human forms. Damn this place it is weird.

Well, still a welcome change from every half demon he has ever met trying to kill him with incredibly zeal. Especially that little kid, fuck she was creepy as hell, that game was definitely not a fucking game.

A game of tag is not trying to chop up the other person with a fucking demon sword, especially one of that level. It gave him the chills just thinking about it.

It was odd really, it was almost if they hated him more than the damn Saint, and he was responsible for what, the collapse of entire half demon cities?

“Eh, no harm no foul. Not like I am hurt at all from it.” He did spare a glance at his now slightly damaged scarf, he really liked it too. What a pity.

He still felt like something was off when he used Rejection of Existence, he has barely ever done it before, but that feeling was… it was not bad? It wasn’t good though.

It just kind of felt right like that was how it was suppose to be? No, that’s not right. He couldn’t really describe it, it was just that weird.

He picked up his bow, testing the string a few times before putting it on his back. He then leaned up against the wall nearby.

“So, do you know where we are? Don’t tell me it’s the demon lands. That’s the last thing I need today.”



Rebeca

"Nah," I told her from maybe a foot away, sprawled on my back over  an uncomfortable, hole-ridden and somewhat bloody mattress. "We're in a miniature detritus quarantine box. Calling it a dumpster is so last week."

I looked up at the sky, realized I was dizzy and my heart was beating hard enough to shake my body, and decided it was time for a break. Yeah, I was going to stay on this real nice mattress for another like, five minutes.

I don't even know what the fuck just happened. It felt like I just got dragged into a powerthirst commercial as one of the extras, like, a poorly-edited dog piloting an f-16 into Las Vegas before someone screams the magic word:

MENERGY

I started giggling. Those commercials were always so... Yeah.

Rebeca almost felt a vein pop, could this guy not go on a tagant for a moment so she could figure out what was going on? She already increase her music to avoid another episode like that, she couldn’t get more then surface thoughts.

And man, they were so much nonsense. If it was another time she might actually be smiling.

“Could you focus for one minute? What happened? What’s going on? All I heard was the noise and…” She trailed off.

That’s right, that noise, it was different. There… there was not really another way to explain it. It was like… trying to fit a cassette into a CD player; it was just not something her mind was able to interpret. 

That actually scared her a bit. What the hell was that?

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

“Could you focus for one minute? What happened? What’s going on? All I heard was the noise and…” She trailed off.

"Yes, I can focus for a second," I said in a wise-ass tone, pushing myself from my lordly throne-bed.

There's an idea for the memo, if ever I become a king, make my throne a bed.

Focus, right, I can do that.

"I have no idea what happened, and I'm pretty sure I have less of an idea of what's going on than you do, because you're talking about some noise. The only memorable noise I've heard in the last five minutes was you screaming your ass off."

I shifted my eyes for a second, maybe crossing them at some point or another for dramatic effect.

"Unless that's the noise you're talking about. In which case I still don't know what happened after."

Yeah, if she doesn't remember it, I probably shouldn't tell her about how I slung her over my shoulder like a sack of potatos. My lips, in this case, are sealed.

Thank god she can't read minds!

[Knick]

Rebeca

He… he carried me like a sack of potatoes? Really? She didn’t know if she should be thankful or annoyed.

“I-I was screaming?” She asked honestly surprised. Now that he mentioned it her throat was kind of sore. But she couldn’t remember that. There was just pain. But she has never screamed from what she has heard before.

She just kind blanked out.

“Can we get out of this box please?” She continued, noticing how bad it smelled.

[Kat]

"Yeah, you got discovered," Forest said, frowning at the female vampire's words.  Wait, Kindred . . . Vampire the Masquerade!  I watched that show, it was bloody horrific . . .

She struggled to remember about the show, different Clans having different abilities and the guy who played the Judge on Buffy was some ugly Nosferatu or something.  There was also a bunch of Anne Rice twaddle too.

However, there was something else too.  She might be some Vampire Scientist or some such.  Better than that cult that worships that punk Frost on 11th . . .

"This is the Nexus.  There might be other Clans from your world, but this place holds vampires from a variety of different worlds with different temperaments and abilities. I mean, my friend Saber and I had to bring down a poor Japanese school girl a couple of weeks ago because she was just a mindless monster in pain. Me? I fight the forces of evil because I'm a bit bent like that."

Deborah

"Different worlds?" Deb raised her brow at the expression "Only rarest of those mortal heretics called Mages could have been capable of transportation between parallel words. None of miracles permitted by God allows for such feats" she commented, her statement could have hinted she dabbled in sorcery as well. Knowing that some vampires are distrustful of sorcerers among them, it could potentially get her into trouble. "And you have a draugr problem? Just pray it did not spread, they are instinctually driven to turn their victims and escalate the issue. This friend of yours is one of us too?" she hoped that was the case, openly fraternizing with mortals only courted disaster. And hearing Forest's comment about 'fighting forces of evil' only made Deborah more convinced she is misguided about what vampires are meant to be. Their purpose is to serve God, but not as a force of good, but a necessary evil. Truly wicked are on the list whom they should target, but there are also mortals like Job to test.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Costin Andrei

In the deepest of the night, a lone silhouette stood alone enveloped by the darkness, and in annoyance, clicked his tongue.

This strange place, Nexus City, he had no memory of how he got there, but all he knew was that the city felt unwelcoming to his kind in the first place.

Feeding was for the first time in his life a chore. The taste of blood was nothing but dry, putrid and void of the thick richness he used to find. At this point, he could barely recall the fresh and sultry flavour of one's very life essence... And it displeased him to no end.

He longed to feel something again, to feel the joy of battle and bloodshed, to destroy and be destroyed, to feel the warmth of blood and the coldness of death.
He wished to truly feel alive again, but alas, as he reflected on it, al he could form was a twisted rictus, it was foolish, he wasn't alive in the first place.

In the darkness, a chuckle echoed, as the heretic dug his nails into yet another cadaver, trying to take the little nourishment he could, for the sin of inhumanity had to be paid in blood, no matter how vile.

Thus he ate once more, pondering on the next action to take. After all, until then, all he did was observe, never directly involving himself with any of the conflicts that took place so far.

There was this woman, a beautiful tall woman with golden hair and a presence that smelled of blood and death as well. He took great interest in her, perhaps he could find in her the fading spark of life he wished to witness once again...

She would be exquisite, he was sure of it.

The figure rose, and in the blink of an eye the body contorted, twisted, bent and snapped itself as ebony fur grew until the dead apostle took the shape of a great hound.

He decided: her flesh would be his for the taking.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Caedia

“So, do you know where we are? Don’t tell me it’s the demon lands. That’s the last thing I need today.”

"They call it the Nexus. From what little I gathered from the city before coming here it seems to be taking people from different worlds and dropping them here." She continued to lean against the tree this whole time. Her breaths were a bit shallow but for the most part she was fine. 

[Panda]

Saber

More than half of the words that this Grendel spoke made little to no sense to Saber.  He was speaking of fantastical things like other worlds, emperors, emperor's light, and then he proceeded to question Saber for eating.  The former king felt heat spread across her cheeks as she glared at Grendel.

"What you are speaking is utter nonsense," the tiny blond said in a steel laden voice,  "Also, we have no Emperor or king of Nexus.  If there was, they would be over thrown within moments of their coronation."

She shook her head and said, "As for my eating at the crime scene I quite careful and know not to contaminate it."

Her emerald eyes met Grendel's as she remembered what Forest suggested to say to once someone questioned her eating habits.  "I have a condition where my metabolism burns at an incredibly high rate.  If I do not have proper nutrition my glucose levels will drop dangerously low and I will become weak, dizzy, and ill-tempered.  And I am not one that is pleasant to be around when I am ill-tempered.  I am not a barbarian slob spraying crumbs and drool everywhere.  If I thought I would contaminate the scene, I would eat elsewhere."

Grendel sighs as he takes this all in stride, "First of all, He is not the king of the Nexus, He is the Emperor of Mankind, also sometimes referred to as the God-Emperor. Truly, this world must have been lost for many centuries...Or perhaps I've stumbled into a planet lost in a Warp Storm...But I digress... I've never heard of that kind of condition before, but this place seems to be off the records anyway, but what is that you do not understand about what I've said?"

[Puck-Chan]

Costin Andrei

In the deepest of the night, a lone silhouette stood alone enveloped by the darkness, and in annoyance, clicked his tongue.

This strange place, Nexus City, he had no memory of how he got there, but all he knew was that the city felt unwelcoming to his kind in the first place.

Feeding was for the first time in his life a chore. The taste of blood was nothing but dry, putrid and void of the thick richness he used to find. At this point, he could barely recall the fresh and sultry flavour of one's very life essence... And it displeased him to no end.

He longed to feel something again, to feel the joy of battle and bloodshed, to destroy and be destroyed, to feel the warmth of blood and the coldness of death.
He wished to truly feel alive again, but alas, as he reflected on it, al he could form was a twisted rictus, it was foolish, he wasn't alive in the first place.

In the darkness, a chuckle echoed, as the heretic dug his nails into yet another cadaver, trying to take the little nourishment he could, for the sin of inhumanity had to be paid in blood, no matter how vile.

Thus he ate once more, pondering on the next action to take. After all, until then, all he did was observe, never directly involving himself with any of the conflicts that took place so far.

There was this woman, a beautiful tall woman with golden hair and a presence that smelled of blood and death as well. He took great interest in her, perhaps he could find in her the fading spark of life he wished to witness once again...

She would be exquisite, he was sure of it.

The figure rose, and in the blink of an eye the body contorted, twisted, bent and snapped itself as ebony fur grew until the dead apostle took the shape of a great hound.

He decided: her flesh would be his for the taking.

Time

It was truly a cold night as Time's ears grew red from the biting frost. The lingering smell of booze stuck on him despite closing in the bar so early at the bequest of his employer. Not that he minded, but the dilapidated apartment lacked the heating. No, more like the air conditioning had a mind of its own. An useless contraption that the swordsman was tempted to cut in half out of exasperation.

Of course, he dialed the same way that odious landlady told him to do. But the damned thing can't even do anything right. Cold for hellfire and hot for frozen tundra. Technology definitely has become advanced, but it got useless. Surely, he hasn't botched up on such simple instructions... Right?

"Hm?"

Something reeked of iron. The familiar scent of blood tingled his frozen nostrils. Nothing good ever came from that scent. Time knew quite well, but curiosity urged him forward. Something was there. There was that sense of foreboding welling up in Time as he heard chortling that accompanied the stink.

"Having a bit of early holiday cheer there, sir?" he finally asked with a growing smile on his face. His fists resting on his hips nonchalantly.

From what he could make out, it looked like a person of sorts-- with a lot of hair and a wolf-like muzzle.

"You look like you're very warm. Mind sharing some of that fur with me?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Time

It was truly a cold night as Time's ears grew red from the biting frost. The lingering smell of booze stuck on him despite closing in the bar so early at the bequest of his employer. Not that he minded, but the dilapidated apartment lacked the heating. No, more like the air conditioning had a mind of its own. An useless contraption that the swordsman was tempted to cut in half out of exasperation.

Of course, he dialed the same way that odious landlady told him to do. But the damned thing can't even do anything right. Cold for hellfire and hot for frozen tundra. Technology surely has become advanced, but it got useless. Surely, he hasn't botched up on such simple instructions... Right?

"Hm?"

Something reeked of iron. The familiar scent of blood tingled his frozen nostrils. Nothing good ever came from that scent. Time knew quite well, but curiosity urged him forward. Something was there. There was that sense of foreboding welling up in Time as he heard chortling that accompanied the stink.

"Having a bit of early holiday cheer there, sir?" he finally asked with a growing smile on his face. His fists resting on his hips nonchalantly.

From what he could make out, it looked like a person of sorts-- with a lot of hair and a wolf-like muzzle.

"You look like you're very warm. Mind sharing some of that fur with me?"

Costin Andrei

The vampire was surprised, shocked even.
"Is this man a fool?", he wondered.  Surely even the greatest madman could tell from the pile of corpses around him that approaching him would be dangerous.

Yet he faced him, the foul stench of alcohol and filth reeking from the man fought it's way trough the corpse's odour, until it reached Costin.
The hound-like fiend could not speak, nor had any desire to do so. He felt a strong presence from the man, perhaps he was sent by the church or the association to destroy him. That would not do at all. Since turning back into his vampiric form could buy him some time, it was best to settle it in the instant. Even without his full strength, he could easily kill the man if he hurried.

He let out a cold growl as he readied himself to pounce, but as he prepared himself to leap at the man's throat, his breath stopped short.
In that fraction of a second, at the very same time he tensed his muscles to go for the kill, he saw a flash of light, he saw his own body cut down and eviscerated.
The hound gasped for air, that was no illusion he witnessed, he was sure what he saw would have become reality, he would have died had he not suddenly stopped.

No, to attack recklessly would not end well, that man was not to be taken lightly at all, he would surely be destroyed if he was to take half hearted measures.

As a black fog oozed from the hound's pores, he howled in rage. The disgrace of being forced to turn back into his normal form, the humiliation of being cornered like that, and the vision, the vision of his own demise...
That man would pay heavily for making him see such things.

The voices grew louder and louder, scratching into the back of his head like nails on a chalkboard, he felt his very stomach churn as his blood boiled with fury.
So, as the dark fog covered his figure, Costin chuckled bitterly, having turned back into his ordinary vampiric form.

As the Heretic slowly walked towards the man, his eye wincing as a smile curled on the vampires face, he asked: "You, who are you?"

[Kaze]

EMIYA SHIROU

Mia lightly rapped on his forehead with concern, having noticed the sudden change of atmosphere. He looked at her again and offered a smile that probably wasn’t very convincing.

“I will be fine, Mia,” Shirou said, his tongue almost tripping over the simple statement in English, to his chagrin. He wasn’t at all interested in sticking near the blond vampire, but if he was going to meet Saber and help the little girl like he’d promised, he would have to tought it out, much as it disturbed him.

Besides, if she can read my mind it’s probably already too late. Nothing to lose anymore.

Forest and the new vampire continued their talk, with the former stating that she “fought the forces of evil,” which was nonsense. Vampires existed to hunt and prey on humans who couldn’t defend themselves, and that was something that nobody could change. Besides, even if this vampire actually could resist her natural calling, if she wasn’t a true Dead Apostle yet then her sire could still command her to attack the innocent. Still… it was strange that Saber would tolerate such a person’s existence, let alone be an acquaintance. He didn’t have the whole picture yet.


LANCELOT

He shouldn’t have been able to evade the attack – his vision was only just starting to recover and by the time he could hear the sound of the magical beam being fired it was too late, but something alerted the dark knight to the danger he was in.

He threw himself to the side, the beam obliterating the space that he had just vacated, gouging a huge pit into the asphalt. Lancelot ‘s sight slowly returned to him, and he could start to make out both Mordred and the servant Caster, who had just attacked. Taking an offensive posture, the tiny shred of reason left to him wasn’t sure whether to attack the magician or the changeling first.

[Puck-Chan]

Costin Andrei

The vampire was surprised, shocked even.
"Is this man a fool?", he wondered.  Surely even the greatest madman could tell from the pile of corpses around him that approaching him would be dangerous.

Yet he faced him, the foul stench of alcohol and filth reeking from the man fought it's way trough the corpse's odour, until it reached Costin.
The hound-like fiend could not speak, nor had any desire to do so. He felt a strong presence from the man, perhaps he was sent by the church or the association to destroy him. That would not do at all. Since turning back into his vampiric form could buy him some time, it was best to settle it in the instant. Even without his full strength, he could easily kill the man if he hurried.

He let out a cold growl as he readied himself to pounce, but as he prepared himself to leap at the man's throat, his breath stopped short.
In that fraction of a second, at the very same time he tensed his muscles to go for the kill, he saw a flash of light, he saw his own body cut down and eviscerated.
The hound gasped for air, that was no illusion he witnessed, he was sure what he saw would have become reality, he would have died had he not suddenly stopped.

No, to attack recklessly would not end well, that man was not to be taken lightly at all, he would surely be destroyed if he was to take half hearted measures.

As a black fog oozed from the hound's pores, he howled in rage. The disgrace of being forced to turn back into his normal form, the humiliation of being cornered like that, and the vision, the vision of his own demise...
That man would pay heavily for making him see such things.

The voices grew louder and louder, scratching into the back of his head like nails on a chalkboard, he felt his very stomach churn as his blood boiled with fury.
So, as the dark fog covered his figure, Costin chuckled bitterly, having turned back into his ordinary vampiric form.

As the Heretic slowly walked towards the man, his eye wincing as a smile curled on the vampires face, he asked: "You, who are you?"

"Good boy, now come get some."

He had its attention alright, with fangs bared and eyes full of bloodlust. Time couldn't help, but let a smirk slowly curve the corner of his mouth as his left hand grasped the sheath hanging from his hip. It's been a while since he was in a situation as dangerous as this. His right hand itched to unsheathe his blade and let it tear into this creature's hide.

It wouldn't be a completely boring and freezing night at least. The exercise ought to keep him a bit warm for a while. Or so he thought as that thing froze in place. As if apprehensive at some otherworldly image privy only to it. What could it have seen? The incoming doom that is no doubt coming for this skirmish?

"Oh c'mon. It was going to get good," Time thought irritably.

After opening its maw to howl, it took on a more human form to finally form a rather simple question.

"Man, you ruined the fun," the man sighed in reply, "But I suppose I can't fault you if the inevitable scares you this much."

Time dejectedly shrugged in disappointment. What kind of fun would it be to cut down someone who doesn't want to fight?

"I'm just your friendly neighborhood bartender in these parts. How about you, puppy? What brings you here to make the bloody mess of things here?"

As he spoke rather nonchalantly at the creature, Time eyed at the evidence of the kill with disdain. The grisly marks of death utterly sickened him. But he wanted to know why this thing is here.

"Depending on your answer, we may or may not have a problem."

[YOLF]

Sarse

"So you sensed it as well. It seems that I have family here, little angel! We haven't seen each other for quite a while. War has always been very busy with his little games and I'm usually just there to clean up his messes."

So he was not mistaken when he identified the power that had stretched with a thunderous sound through the symphony as War. But Little brother? Another like her? Sarse was vaguely reminded of a set of lines in the scriptures of Catholicism. In truth, there was no such thing as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Final Judgement would be announced by the seven blows of Archangel Gabriel's horn. But that only went for his world.

Noticing the accident blocking their lane, Sarse began to slow down, and took in breath to ask Ann what to expect from the meeting; but then the motorcycle went veering off to the opposite lane and incoming traffic, as Death incarnate suddenly slammed his vehicle with her scythe.

Sarse paled as she held back onto him and a large jeep honked its obnoxious horn at them in a collision course. He cried out, "Heavens -!"

"I do hate waiting in traffic and this seems like it will be a bit faster. Hopefully you can weave through traffic well."

Sarse made a sudden turn towards the sidewalk, making them both lean sharply to the left with the vehicle.  The tires screeched as he accelerated past the beeping vehicle that almost ran them over, and the angel straightened his motorcycle from the half-S manuever, dodging a truck and putting their course straight.

"I'M SORRY! I'm sorry!" He yelled back, expressing the apologetic lament in his heart. Sarse drove along the middle of the road before changing back to the right lane and speeding up.

His exasperation was obvious when he leaned his head back to make sure Ann was listening. "Is this your idea of a date?" He complained, almost like he was scolding her, forgetting for a moment he was driving around with the approximate concept of Death itself.