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

[SINIB]

“Just one second, I’ll try to open the door!” Noel ran up to the door and yanked it, pulling hard on the handle. After a few seconds she managed to pull it open, stumbling backwords a few steps. Noel shortly returned and offered the soldier support.

"Do you need help walking?"

[Panda]

Seeing the girl manage to pull the door open and haul the soldier, a Stormtrooper, judging by the Carapace armor, away from the crash Grendel relaxes for a moment before regaining his composure as he approaches the two. Then stops and turns to the Arbites to find him already returning to his vehicle, likely to vox for help. Appreciative of the initiative displayed by the officer, he turns back to the pair, taking in the soldier's condition before speaking.

"Stormtrooper," he says, "If you are not critically wounded, then identify yourself."


Well, Guts notes as he looks around the bar he's found himself in, Good a place as any to get drunk.

With this in mind, he makes his way over to the bar, next to some blond kid who honestly seemed far too young to be here.

Not like it matters anyway.

With this in mind, he slides onto the chair next to the youth, metal arm clanking down on the bar as he calls for the barkeep.

"Beer," he calls, "Don't care what kind."

[Ivan The Mouse]

Well, Guts notes as he looks around the bar he's found himself in, Good a place as any to get drunk.

With this in mind, he makes his way over to the bair, next to some blond kid who honestly seemed far too young to be here.

Not like it matters anyway.

With this in mind, he slides onto the chair next to the youth, metal arm clanking down on the bar as he calls for the barkeep.

"Beer," he calls, "Don't care what kind."

Neo

Neo, still feeling disappointed from the events unfolding from the last few hours, opted to relax himself in the nearest bar he knew from the hospital. He promised to himself that he wouldn't spend any money he had right now on liquor, but he had no choice but to do so after getting frustrated and bored. Besides, he thought to himself, he wasn't like Rattus who drowns all his sorrows and angst in alcohol, so it is okay for him to drink just a bit.

As he took a sip from his glass of Jack Daniel's, he noticed the man sitting next to him. This man was noticeable because of two things. First, he was armed to the teeth with various medieval weapons, including some sort of weapon slung on his back that, in Neo's own vocabulary, could be described as an abortion of a sword. It was an incomplete specimen and it was hulking in size, so he only thought to himself that it could be best described as a giant iron cricket bat.

Second, the man also had a prosthetic metal left hand, so much that it almost looked robotic to him. To Neo, it gave him the impression that the guy next to him is someone who has, at least, experience in war, more so when the blonde punk felt as if the guy had the same aura as his own employer, except Rattus didn't lose an appendage.

This invited curiosity from Neo, and so he stroke up a conversation.

"Nigga, wha' tha fuck happened to yo' dick skinner, man?" Neo asked him about his arm. "Seems like you can bitch-slap an elephant or land whale without hurtin' yo' arm, ya' know?"

[Panda]

Neo
"Nigga, wha' tha fuck happened to yo' dick skinner, man?" Neo asked him about his arm. "Seems like you can bitch-slap an elephant or land whale without hurtin' yo' arm, ya' know?"

"..." Guts stops for a moment, then slowly turns to the youth with a slightly perturbed look on his face, "What on earth does any of what you just said even mean?"

[Ivan The Mouse]

"..." Guts stops for a moment, then slowly turns to the youth with a slightly perturbed look on his face, "What on earth does any of what you just said even mean?"

Neo's head almost exploded when he heard the man speak. It reminded him of his childhood, when he was raised by his father to speak in a certain British accent, which he never quite have known which region in the British Isles it came from. Before Neo went to the United States, he spoke in this certain accent, which had imprinted itself well on him. Even if Neo had adopted a more grating American accent that mixes different regional variations to produce the desired effect, this specific British accent never left him, and he still uses this one in order to make sardonic or ironic statements with some theatricality. But this time, he would have to use it in a sincere manner, in order to communicate with the man in the iron hand.

"Ah, bloody hell." Neo sighed, finally talking his native accent. "Alright, let me make it a little clearer to you: What happened to your left arm? I'm just curious myself, you know, it seems like you've gone through a war or something." With a change of his accent, Neo sounded infinitely more pleasant to the ears, and it made his voice clearer.

[Kotomine_Rin]

...

Lorenzo's expression turned into a sudden gloom at the revelation, the very idea that someone couldn't enjoy the simple joys of lovemaking was to him an inconceivable misery.
But the man asked Lorenzo not to mind him, knowing that, the pirate judged it would be preferable to hide his dismay and pity.

"Sake you say? Well, let's not waste any time then! Sir Rattus, if you may, we need the biggest barrel filled with the hardiest sake to be handled, and as many sand witches as our mighty stomachs can handle.", Lorenzo roared merrily.

"This will be a feast worthy of a king!", and as he spoke, Lorenzo suddenly took hold of Yukina's hand before softly adding "And if you do not mind, you can be my queen...".

[Panda]

"Ah, bloody hell." Neo sighed, finally talking his native accent. "Alright, let me make it a little clearer to you: What happened to your left arm? I'm just curious myself, you know, it seems like you've gone through a war or something." With a change of his accent, Neo sounded infinitely more pleasant to the ears, and it made his voice clearer.

...Really is just a punk, isn't he?

Guts can't restrain a mirthless laugh, "Yeah, I've seen a few wars. Didn't lose the arm from those. What's it matter to you?"

[Ivan The Mouse]

Lorenzo's expression turned into a sudden gloom at the revelation, the very idea that someone couldn't enjoy the simple joys of lovemaking was to him an inconceivable misery.
But the man asked Lorenzo not to mind him, knowing that, the pirate judged it would be preferable to hide his dismay and pity.

"Sake you say? Well, let's not waste any time then! Sir Rattus, if you may, we need the biggest barrel filled with the hardiest sake to be handled, and as many sand witches as our mighty stomachs can handle.", Lorenzo roared merrily.

"This will be a feast worthy of a king!", and as he spoke, Lorenzo suddenly took hold of Yukina's hand before softly adding "And if you do not mind, you can be my queen...".

Yukina blushed again when Lorenzo held her hand and flattered her by her looks. She then smiled and shyly said, "But Remei-san, I do not want to drink right now! I still have a lot of things to do!"

"Captain Remei, I suggest that you cease your requests for Yukina to take any liquor for today, it might only give her an impression of being forced to do something she doesn't want to do right now." Rattus sternly said, still wearing the chicken hat. "As for any containers of liquor, I'll have to inform you right now that people no longer store such drinks in wooden barrels nowadays. They only buy bottles of them and only beer can be bought by the keg in these days." He then removed the chicken hat, before adding, "Or rather, it seems as if only beer gets contained in kegs nowadays."

"And uh, I could cook you something better than sandwiches, Remei-san." Yukina told the pirate. "If you want, I could cook curry for you!"

---

...Really is just a punk, isn't he?

Guts can't restrain a mirthless laugh, "Yeah, I've seen a few wars. Didn't lose the arm from those. What's it matter to you?"

"Well, I don't know, really." Neo answered. "But, I'm telling you right now, despite of appearances, I'm a veteran of wars myself." He then showed the man his pendants of dog-tags. "See these? I have fought three wars, and I bet you that they're deadlier than any war you have ever seen in whole life."

[MissingMandible]

Corporal Mathew Blackburn:

"Yes, ma'am!" Blackburn quickly said.

He took the woman up on her offer, and wrapped his left arm over her shoulder. Even with her help, it was still quite a strain on his leg. Within a few steps, the pain was almost unbearable, causing him to start gasping for air.

When a man in a robe approached the pair demanding his identity, Mathew stopped in his tracks. "Cor...Corporal Mathew Bl-...Blackburn" He stated between gasps, "1st Comp-...1st Company of the 833rd...Harlech Infantry Regiment...Dragoon, not Storm...Stormtrooper."

[SINIB]

"Yes, ma'am!" Blackburn quickly said.

The man wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and put his weight on her. She wrapped her right arm around his torso and grabbed his underarm; she easily accepted the burden and began slowly helping him walk away from the crash. However, after only a few steps he began gasping for air. He’s hurt pretty badly, she thought to herself, worried for the man.

“Do you think you need to go the the hospital?” She asked with a concerned tone. Before the soldier was able to respond a robed man with a monocle walk up to them with an air of authority and after glancing over his shoulder bluntly ordered, the injured man to identify himself.

"Cor...Corporal Mathew Bl-...Blackburn" He stated between gasps, "1st Comp-...1st Company of the 833rd...Harlech Infantry Regiment...Dragoon, not Storm...Stormtrooper."

Noel winced slightly every time Matthew gasped, and introduced herself as well.

“My name is Noel Vermillion, former lieutenant of the NOL. I think we should get away from this crash, it’s probably not a good idea to linger too long.”

Noel turned away from the robed man, and made her way towards the bench she had been sitting on before the crash, intending on letting Matthew sit down.

[Panda]

"Well, I don't know, really." Neo answered. "But, I'm telling you right now, despite of appearances, I'm a veteran of wars myself." He then showed the man his pendants of dog-tags. "See these? I have fought three wars, and I bet you that they're deadlier than any war you have ever seen in whole life."

Guts takes a moment to look the kid over, then his drink arrives. Putting his payment, a piece of paper with a number denoting its value as opposed to proper coinage, down on the table, he takes a quick drink of the beer, feeling utterly bored with himself.

"Well," he says, turning to the youth completely, useless right eye closed out of long habit, "Believe what you like, kid. You've seen some action, I'll give you that."


"Well then, Corporal, we should probably get you to a Medicae," Grendel says, slipping back into the Inquisitor's persona he'd long since developed. He quickly moves next to the Corporal, wrapping the Dragoon's right arm over his shoulder to help support him. No sense damaging good soldiers unnecessarily, especially when this one seemed to be the only one he'd be finding any time soon.

Harlech. Forge-world. Main product is the Ryza-pattern Hotshot Volleyguns, if memory serves. No Chaos incursions within recent memory, but the condition of the craft tells a different story.

"Tell me, Corporal Blackburn, were there any other survivors on board your Valkyrie or any other ships following you here?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

...

"Oi oi, didn't any harm or anything, was just teasing her, there's no wrong in that...", Lorenzo jokingly stated before adding in a more serious tone  "Please do not take it badly Yukina, I would never force upon anyone a fate of my choosing. You have my word that I am not that kind of man, only vermin would do such a thing... not ever in my heart of hearts have I ever desired for such."

Lorenzo was now of a gloomier mood, he did not wish to abuse of his companion's hospitality, for in his mind it wouldn't be fair to be the only one enjoying himself. That said, he replied to the woman's proposition

"There is no need to go to such lengths, really. You both have done more than enough for me already. Do not trouble yourself further, I will take my leave at haste. But mark my words, I will come back, and when I do, I will repay your kindness, generosity and hospitality a hundredfold. Of that, you have my utmost sincerity."

Rising from the table, he bowed to the pair, smiling warmly with sincerest gratitude.
"My wounds seem to have healed, I do believe I can handle the rest myself, but if it isn't too much to ask, is there a place where  I could wash myself and change of clothing?"

[YOLF]

Sarse

The blade of flame tore through the enemy's body multiple times - but even the largest, deepest gash in its metallic flesh barely gave it pause as it poised to counterattack. Sarse cursed as it took the brief pause following his heavy strike to form a new weapon. The angel's senses tingled from the power contained within.

He took a step back defensively, and his foot was slammed down on, the blinding blade turned on him. Sarse's glare followed the bright light coming for him in tandem, and without pause he twisted the celestial sword, raising the hilt and angling the blade down. The weapons clashed, the bronze man's strike stopped by the Seraphim's guard. Then, taking advantage of the short space between them, Sarse let go of the sword with a single hand, to reach for his foe's shoulder. Grabbing strongly, he pulled it down as his free leg flexed up.

The bronze cracked loudly as Sarse smashed into the already damaged torso with a knee strike. The impact separated them, and released his foot. Allowing not a single idle second, he grabbed the fiery sword with both hands once more and seamlessly flowed forward into an attack stance. Sarse swiped rapidly and swiftly, separating the entity's hand from its arm alongside its weapon.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Law sat in the uncomfortable steel folding chair in the too large clothes the forensics team inbetween snickers had dug up for him to wear. Across from him sat an Asian police officer, Japanese from the look of him. He squeezed the bridge of his nose in between his fingers as he collected himself before opening his eyes again to look at Law. This was a classic "Are you fucking kidding me." look. Law couldn't blame the officer for this.

"So," the cop began, tapping his pen against his clipboard. "You're saying... Death herself in the form of a, and I quote here, 'pretty damn hot chick,' jumped into your car, and tried to give you a handjob while using magic to disintegrate your clothes."

"Yes."

"Are you fucking high?!?"

"No. A tiny bit drunk maybe though."

"Not drunk enough to hallucinate this though. Dammit, why do I always get the smartasses."

Law shrugged. "Your fantastic attitude?"

"Funny. Now just... just get out. I don't have time to deal with this. Feel lucky I'm not chucking you in the drunk tank." His glance at the door gave Lawrence all the implication he needed that he should be somewhere else, somewhere fast. Law exited the interview room into the police station proper, moving towards the lobby.

I still don't know why you didn't fuck her. You're gonna get blue balls sooner or later.

BECAUSE FUCKING DEATH IS FUCKING DEATH!

[Knick]

Rebeca

Rebeca felt the blood rush to her face and she turned away more, trying to hide her face. Why was she reacting like this, she had heard people think she was cute before, it’s not uncommon.

So why did it feel like she was boiling, why shouldn’t she control he blush. Come on, have some self-control. You have listened to people having fucking sex, this should not make you blush.

She desperately tried to get her blush under control, until she heard what Aki was intending to say before she said it, turning to her slightly. 

“Are there no inns for travelers to rest in this city?” she asked.

It was an honest question, although Rebeca was a little annoyed that accepting an offer to get help would be viewed as a sign of weakness or something by her.

“Well, there definitely is. But there are a few issues; I have no idea if your currency you have from wherever you come from would be accepted.” But Rebeca knew that it was the weakest of the rationales, but before she got into the real reason she was offering she paused, trying to figure out a way to explain it.

“…There are dangerous things in this city.” She began, her blush having faded and her voice more subdued, “Some of them you can’t see coming, some of them enter your mind; others are faster than you can react, and others use magic or some weird powers. The night… well, the night belongs to them.”

She gestured to the empty street, “All these people hide at night because they don’t want to get caught by one of those things…” She trailed off and seemed to be debating if she should even say what she was about to, “But they can’t catch me… I can avoid them; I know when they are coming. I know what they want and how they will get that, so I can avoid them perfectly…”

That was all her ability was ever good for, she could run and hide from almost anything. Her power that she really did not like, that let her understand others better than anyone else, was something that could only be used for herself.

“So please, let me at least give you a safe place to stay, at least for a night.”

For once, she wanted to use it to help people.