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

[Umbra of Chaos]

David

The hooded figure watched patiently as Mordred struck the dagger out of the air with her spear and her charge ceased. If she would not come to him then he would simply give her no other option but to engage him in close quarters. With that in mind he tossed another dagger with speed even greater then the previous one and if she would not come closer he would simply increase the speed and throw another and another until she had to come closer or be slain by the impossibly quick projectiles.

[Kat]

Mordred

The hooded figure watched patiently as Mordred struck the dagger out of the air with her spear and her charge ceased. If she would not come to him then he would simply give her no other option but to engage him in close quarters. With that in mind he tossed another dagger with speed even greater then the previous one and if she would not come closer he would simply increase the speed and throw another and another until she had to come closer or be slain by the impossibly quick projectiles.

Is it adjusting the speed just to gauge my skill? It is ridiculous how fast it is even if playing around. I bit more than I could chew off She knew that nothing obviously detrimental happened to her last time she activated her Token, so Mordred was worried about the side effects, but her pride did not allow her to not go all out if she could. She decided to activate the spear when she was sure that she would not handle next attack. That would throw the opponent off-guard in her opinion.

[Knick]

Rebeca

Rebeca stuffed her hands into her jacket as the woman’s thoughts came to the forefront. Lands filled with snow, a massive castle, and vampires of both friends and enemies. It was an odd experience, converting sound into images. But it still happens none the less.

She did not let her faze her, at least externally. “Yep, it’s kinda a no-no zone for people. Also a lot of people don’t like talking about it.” She shrugged, “They really don’t like being reminded there is an entire population that basically views them as food.”

It scared people, even if they didn’t acknowledge it. People are just afraid of things bigger than them; it’s why most people in the Nexus don’t even talk about the supernatural. Because it is something more, something bigger than them, something they cannot control or really even defend against.

It was even more horrifying for Rebeca, because the supernatural could not hide from her, and because she understood how everyone felt. She was more aware of it as a side effect. And it horrified her.


Mia

As Shirou walked over to her Mia ran over, at a normal speed, her bells jingling with every step. Then suddenly she jumped and rocketed at Shirou like a torpedo, her arms outstretched to give him a hug.

[Elf]

Forest

Forest winched as Law was given a blanket before he completely flashed himself.  The sickly-sweet and sour smell of vomit over rid the stench of dead blood emanating from the place.  She wondered if it was because the entity inside of him, or he was just squeamish, or some other supernatural trait.  It wouldn't be the first time she encountered someone with a sensitivity to the dead.

“Go inform Saber that we’re here. I’ll watch after Mia for now,” Shirou said.

Forest nodded and said, "I'll be back with Her Highness."  Then with a tiny salute she began to head towards the crime scene.  She was suddenly aware of her lack of proper clothing as she heard a few wolf whistles as she approached.

She heard Riggs shout at her, "Hey Lady Law, I've got something to suck on."

"It would probably take me until sunup to find it," she retorted as she saw the tiny blond with another detective she'd seen in passing, some other guy she didn't know, and a beautiful young Asian girl with stunning aquamarine eyes dressed unsenseablely in a mini-skirt.

Saber turned to approach her and her green eyes widened.  Forest pointed and said, "So, there's this wanker outside who knows you that shot me in the back."


Saber

Saber rubbed her forehead as some interloper, wearing a blanket as a cape and without pants threw up in a near-by trashcan.  Then she saw Forest approach.  Before she could wave to the blond she noticed the tattered remains of her clothing and the responses that some of the other officers and detectives were giving the vampire because of it.

The former king noticed the charred remains and slash marks.  The look on Forest's face wasn't her normal sardonic mask, but something of annoyance.  "So, there's this wanker outside who knows you that shot me in the back."

Saber frowned and asked, "Shirou shot you in the back?"

"Yeah, didn't even have the stones to come down and look me in the eyes before trying to kill me," Forest said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

Saber bit her lip and asked, "Where is he?"

"Outside, waiting for you," Forest said, gesturing at the door.

Without a word, Saber headed out side.  Her chest tightened at the sight of the familiar tall man with white hair and bronze skin.  "Archer," she whispered before she noticed the bright red threaded through the white and that some of his skin was still fair. 

This wasn't Archer.  This was Shirou.  A Shirou who could very well become Archer.  Biting her lip, she headed to him and said, "Hello, Shirou."

Then a young girl with white hair and crimson eyes clung to him, tiny bells ringing.  The resemblance to Iri and Ilya was uncanny, yet she didn't feel like a homunculus.  "And greetings companion of Shirou.  I am Saber."


Fanged Foursome

Drusilla smirked at the newcomer and said, "Your spear.  Tasted the blood of Christ, it did.  Was it sweet?  Does it sing to you?  Does it speak to you?  Who will you pass it on to when its time for you to die?"

Buffy and Spike met each others' eyes and smirked.  Neither one was going to shy away from a good fight.  Angelus on the other hand held up his hand and said, "Wait.  I want to hear what they have to say."

[Alice]

Rin's eye caught a man throwing up in response to the dead bodies. He was almost naked except for a pair of heart boxers. Her eyes quickly turned away. It was none of her business for now. The sickly man was followed  in short measure by a tall, attractive blonde woman. Who, she happened to notice, was missing good chunks of her clothing. She heard one of the officers shout something at the stranger.

"Hey Lady Law, I've got something to suck on!"

What a creep.

"It would probably take me until sunup to find it."

Judging by the response, Rin concluded that this was likely Forest, the woman Saber had been talking about.

Saber turned to approach her and her green eyes widened.  Forest pointed and said, "So, there's this wanker outside who knows you that shot me in the back."

Yep. That's her.
Rin followed close behind Saber, letting her speak first. Rin didn't even know this woman after all.

Saber frowned and asked, "Shirou shot you in the back?"

"Emiya-kun did what?!"

Rin blushed at her outburst, before trying to put on her usual mask, allowing the other two to continue.

"Yeah, didn't even have the stones to come down and look me in the eyes before trying to kill me," Forest said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

Saber bit her lip and asked, "Where is he?"

"Outside, waiting for you," Forest said, gesturing at the door.

Saber quickly made her way towards Shirou. Rin made to follow, but stopped for a moment.

"Er, sorry about Emiya-kun shooting you for whatever reason. I'll lecture him if Saber doesn't."

Nearly bowing but recognizing that Forest had been speaking English a moment ago, Rin just hurriedly made her way after Saber, her blush increasing.

The cold air hit her like a wall, but she persisted onward nonetheless. Her eyes widened as her eyes fell on a familiar form.

Shirou, but yet not Shirou. Skin mottled with both light and dark, caught between boy and man, Emiya-kun and Archer, hair white as the falling snow. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

Biting her lip, she headed to him and said, "Hello, Shirou."

Then a young girl with white hair and crimson eyes clung to him, tiny bells ringing.  The resemblance to Iri and Ilya was uncanny, yet she didn't feel like a homunculus.  "And greetings companion of Shirou.  I am Saber."

Rin stepped forward, slowly, surely. She kept stepping forwards until she was a foot behind Saber.

"Emiya-kun..."

Rin was about to ask him how he was doing. Maybe even give him and Saber a moment. ...but instead something else slipped out instead.

"How could you shoot some random woman?! How could you be so careless? You'd better give me a good answer, Emiya-kun!" Her hands were on her hips. Her cheeks were flushed, a part of her realizing the possibility of such an outburst being embarrassing, especially during what had been such a touching moment before then, but she held her ground.

[Kaze]

EMIYA SHIROU

Mia slammed into him like a cannonball, knocking him straight off of his feet and onto the pavement with a thud. Shirou groaned, not even trying to get up from his prone position while his charge gleefully held onto him in a tight hug, completely unaware of the pain she had just inflicted on him. With a sigh, he carefully got back to his feet, unbalanced by the preteen clinging to his midsection.

“Hello, Shirou.”

The freelancer’s eyes widened slightly and he turned to face the girl-King who’s heroism he had for so long tried to live up to. She was wearing a sharp business suit instead of Rin’s old hand-me-downs and her hair was pulled into a ponytail as opposed to the regal bun he remembered, but there was no mistaking who this was. Even if he were to be dragged to the depths of hell he would never forget the night this woman saved him.

“Ah – Hello Saber, and… Tohsaka?” Shirou was caught entirely off guard by the striking young Japanese woman wearing twintails walking up behind his former Servant. Déjà vu washed over him as he stared at this girl who looked so much like Rin before it clicked in his mind.

This was Rin Tohsaka from 12 years ago, before the Magi Association and the training lessons, before they had even graduated from school. Shirou blinked in confusion, wondering why his longtime friend was here, and why she looked so much younger.

He had barely opened up his mouth to ask what was going on before Rin exploded at him with the same fury that had shocked him speechless during their first meeting. Shirou felt like a teenager again, being yelled at for his moronic hero tendencies. He flushed slightly as she continued to rage at him. I’ve always been too weak to surprise attacks, he thought to himself while looking back and forth between Rin and Saber, completely at a loss for what to say in the face of this sudden and unexpected development.

[Elf]

Forest

"Er, sorry about Emiya-kun shooting you for whatever reason. I'll lecture him if Saber doesn't."

Forest blinked at the Japanese young woman's proclamation before she trotted off after Saber.  The blond blinked and rubbed the back of her neck.  She tilted her head and said, "You go right along and do that, dearie."

Then she looked at the detective, lifted up her hand and said, "'Aloo.  I'm Forest and . . ." The blond blinked as she looked around at the bloody carnage around her.  Her throat tightened at the sheer stench of dead blood, no longer hindered by the smell of Law's vomit.  It made her eyes burn and her stomach clinch as she lifted her hand to her mouth. 

There were sprays of blood anywhere, and nothing that could have been done with a blade or a gun.  She'd seen this sort of unique spray before, whenever Wynn would protect herself with her Shadows.  "Lord and Lady, it looks like Wynn went on a bender here . . ." she said to herself.  Even though she knew fully well that the Faerie wasn't here. 

If Wynn was here, we'd know it.  I've taken enough of her blood through the centuries that if we were in remotely the same area we'd both know it.  Then she'd come and try to molest me because that's how Wynn rolls.

Then she saw the child's body.  Steeling herself, she walked over to it, lifting up the tatters of her duster so they wouldn't contaminate the crime scene.  She looked at the detective and said, "There's at least six different people's blood on these walls, but the only body here is this poor lad's.  Judging from all of this blood, the other folks obviously didn't make it, but there are no remains.  If something ate them there should have been at least some bone or fabric remnants.  Plus, I really don't see any signs of struggle other than the tentacle bender."

She bit her lip at the boy's body.  Gabriel had been that age once, and it had been before the Wild Hunt had come for him.  He liked books and learning about magic he could never use.  He liked arithmetic and botany. 

What did you like, lad?  Video games?  Helping your mum cook?  Cars?  Fighter planes?  Superheroes?  Forest thought to the dead child before she stood to her full height.  She inhaled deeply, trying to push past the blood stench around her.  There was something else, something that made her nose curl.

"I smell sewage," she whispered to herself before making a face.  And I'm suddenly wishing that Quinn was here.  He would have figured out what did this, why it did this, where the bodies had gone and wrapped all of this up by sunrise.  She looked at the detective and said, "This thing either lives in the sewers or spends a lot of time traveling there."


Saber

Before Shirou had a chance to reply, Rin lit into him, demanding why he had shot Forest.  Saber smiled at the familiar sight.  At least that part of Rin never changes, she thought with a shake of her head.

She decided to take Shirou's defense; she knew how worked up Rin could get about such things.  "He attacked her because she was a vampire," the blond said with a sigh, "He thought ending her existence would save others.  One life to save many, an even trade."

She turned to face Shirou.  Her green eyes met his mismatched ones as she folded her arms around herself.  "I understand the motives, but that does not give you an excuse to attack her from behind.  At least be honorable enough to face her head on," she said with a sigh before her shoulder's slumped.  "I would have hoped you would have imparted at least that chivalrous notion from me."

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Law managed to control the shivering his body was feeling, wrapping the blanket around his body. The chill of death was sobering, the plasm flushing the alcohol from his system slightly faster. He swallowed, the acidic taste of his own vomit mixed with rum disgusting, but not unexpected.

"Six, yeah. Died fast too, clean cuts. Violent, some sort of... bladed instrument, I'd guess." He focused more on the echoes he could feel. "Christ. It went through like a mulcher. Probably... several weapons. Judging by the blood splatter. Maybe multiple people?"

The kid was more clean cut, just looking at him. "Yeah. Impaled. Whatever did that, lot of force behind it. Not as quick. Punched through the spinal cord, destroyed the heart and lungs. Insides are probably a pulpy mess. It took him a few seconds longer to die than the others. Christ."

Does this unnerve you that much?

It's a dead kid. Can't be much older than six or seven.

Seven years. Nine months. Eight days.

Dead for less than six hours.

Whatever did this, it's not something you can face.

Lawrence closed his eyes before responding to the Driver. I know. At least they didn't stick around, the ghosts. Lucky for me, I guess.

[Umbra of Chaos]

David

Is it adjusting the speed just to gauge my skill? It is ridiculous how fast it is even if playing around. I bit more than I could chew off She knew that nothing obviously detrimental happened to her last time she activated her Token, so Mordred was worried about the side effects, but her pride did not allow her to not go all out if she could. She decided to activate the spear when she was sure that she would not handle next attack. That would throw the opponent off-guard in her opinion.

As his throwing began to attain a competent speed The Hidden watched in surprise as Mordred actually managed to begin blocking the daggers with some skill. Considering her difficulty in deflecting the first one she had somehow taken a massive boost in speed or was holding herself back in the beginning. Whatever the case it didn't matter. If she would not come to him then he would simply go to her.

With that in mind The Hidden pulled out three knives and tossed them at a speed that rivaled bullets. One was aimed at the head, another at the heart, and the last at the stomach. Then he pulled out an especially long dagger and began to approach the knight himself with a pace the kept him just behind the knives.

[Knick]

Mia

Mia giggled as Shirou tried to get up after he fell from her hug. Then two other people showed up, and standing at Shirou’s side, holding onto him, he looked at them. And the moment Mia’s eyes landed on the blond one her eyes drifted to her blade. And the moment her vision landed on it Silver roared at her. It was not words, but rather it was just a feeling that flowed though her entire body. She understood it only because Silver was part of her.
 
Rend! Cut! Server it! Young hopes, young dreams! Weak! Weak! Weak! Cut it to pieces! Nothing remains! Weak child! Born of Man! I am greater! Show them! I am greater! Victory is weak! Human dream! Weak story!

Mia simply stared at the sword for a moment before her eyes moved back to the woman’s face, Silver's anger not even being noticed, taking in the features before looking at the other woman, a girl with twin tails the one who yelled at Shirou. Her eyes narrowed a bit as both of them were being mean to Shirou.

“HEY! Don’t be mean to Shirou!” She demanded while holding tight to his arm.

[Kat]

As his throwing began to attain a competent speed The Hidden watched in surprise as Mordred actually managed to begin blocking the daggers with some skill. Considering her difficulty in deflecting the first one she had somehow taken a massive boost in speed or was holding herself back in the beginning. Whatever the case it didn't matter. If she would not come to him then he would simply go to her.

With that in mind The Hidden pulled out three knives and tossed them at a speed that rivaled bullets. One was aimed at the head, another at the heart, and the last at the stomach. Then he pulled out an especially long dagger and began to approach the knight himself with a pace the kept him just behind the knives.

Mordred

The tip of the spear glowed green once again. Though certainly it was nothing compared to what she displayed against the raging black knight, she still managed to parry those knives in succession. She surpassed realms of what normal human could achieve, but what price she had to pay? "Heh, I wish you were more talkative, but it's enough you are coming yourself instead of just standing there like before!" she bragged, taunting the familiar to get any reaction. Deep down she knew though it was more of a borrowed power than her own abilities. Was it possible for her to match one day those opponents she have fought today with her own might?

[Umbra of Chaos]

David

With supernatural speed Mordred knocked away all the daggers but The Hidden was already closing in. The spear gave her reach but his speed easily surpassed what she had shown so far. Even with that extra length she would still be incapable of hitting him and the robed figure was sure of this. With that knowledge he pulled out a second dagger to match the on he held in his other cloaked hand and rushed at her with the entirety of his speed. One dagger was held out to parry the spear and the other dagger was aimed at her throat.

[Kat]

With supernatural speed Mordred knocked away all the daggers but The Hidden was already closing in. The spear gave her reach but his speed easily surpassed what she had shown so far. Even with that extra length she would still be incapable of hitting him and the robed figure was sure of this. With that knowledge he pulled out a second dagger to match the on he held in his other cloaked hand and rushed at her with the entirety of his speed. One dagger was held out to parry the spear and the other dagger was aimed at her throat.

"!" It was not time to complain right now, but clearly the familiar aimed to kill her given what it aimed for. She barely moved away for the dagger to scrape her shoulder, her armor clanged as the blade brushed it. It must have sounded weird for any spectator who only could see her red jacket.

[Umbra of Chaos]

David

The Hidden reacted to the unforeseen defense with the experience of a seasoned fighter. A dagger lashed out against the shaft of the spear with enough force to knock it out of Mordred's grasp and the other obscured hand dropped its dagger and curled into a fist before moving to strike the knight's seemingly armored chest with enough force to shatter concrete.

[Mooncake]

Ezra Longinia


Ezra stared at her blankly for a moment. He craned his head past her to look at the other vampires, and then back to Deborah. The spear-bearer just shook his head at the huntress, in complete disbelief.

"I got saddled with someone crazy again, huh? A spiritual successor... I'm sorry to say it, but I can't hold back in that case. It would shame the memory of my ancestor."

"Your spear. Tasted the blood of Christ, it did. Was it sweet? Does it sing to you? Does it speak to you? Who will you pass it on to when its time for you to die?"

"Yes. Yes. No idea. No. Not really. At this point probably no one."

Ezra stated a harsh truth simply, in the manner of someone who has come to terms with such things. He didn't look concerned even though he was more than likely about to fight five vampires – because he had already made peace with the fact of death.

"What I have to say? ...What is there to say? Vampires cause trouble for other people. Some recklessly and with abandon, some reserved and with hesitation. Dead people are still people, even if parts of them have changed. Well, I don't worry about that part of classification. There are many things on this earth that harm the people of the earth. When something gives up its soul, it isn't a person anymore, and begins to harm those people, right?"

Casually beginning to twirl his spear, to one side, then to the other, than back again, Ezra walked forwards, seemingly unconcerned but in truth focused on every aspect of the vampires in front of him.

"Vampires are cowards who could not bear the weight of humanity, so they chose something greater and lesser to escape. Some of them were forced. Some of them jumped at it. Whatever the cause, death has changed their reason from 'spreading life' to 'bringing death'. I suppose you could say," He gestured to Deborah with his spear. "That as repentance the descendants of Longinus were charged to clear away the evils of this earth, to bring peace to humanity from the things that have forsaken God. Something like a vampire, that has no soul, has fled from the burden of having one, has most certainly turned their back on God... you see where I'm going with this, right?"


Cristo

That which thou hath given my father

And my father's father

And his father before him

I beg of thee to grant to me once more

That I may be as the Shepard of the Earth

And spread peace in the name of the LORD of Hosts


"'Do not suppose that I have come to send peace unto you, for I have come not to bring peace, but a sword...'" Ezra gripped the Lance tightly, the two prongs wrapping into each other and around each other until the true form of the Lance was revealed, as an ashen spear with a razor-sharp head, like that of a fallen leaf. "Matthew 10:34. Amen."