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

[Ivan The Mouse]

"Knowing what that little girl is capable of, she's probably safe," Guts says, "With only her Cursed Brand attracting demons, they should be able to take care of her easily enough, and they don't seem the type to abandon someone..."

At this point, Guts turns to Neo again.

"It would be in your best interests not to ask me that question again," Guts says simply.

Neo snorted out of amusement when he heard the man's answer. It seemed as if what happened to Casca was a typical example of a rape victim, he thought to himself. "Alright." he conceded.

"By the way, I heard you complaining about the drinks they serve here in the bar." The blonde killer said. "I'm an alchemist, man. Making strong liquor is a basic exercise for someone like me, and I think I still have a few jars of strong moonshine back at home. How does that sound to you?"

"Jeez, are you trying to make my debt even larger than it already is?", Lorenzo asked in a slightly cheeky tone before pouting.
But as he suddenly noticed the strange structure that this "bathroom", he became intrigued by it's use. After all, Lorenzo never had seen something quite like it in his life as a captain, Lorenzo had nbo idea of what to do when confronted to such a thing.

"Fine mate, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have you show me the ropes, but better not regret it lad!."

"Alright. Follow me." Rattus said, before heading into the bathroom.

While there, he explained to Lorenzo how to use the shower and the toilet in a concise way, as well as any accessory parts of the whole room, such as matters regarding the soap and shampoo.

After the whole lecture, Rattus then concluded, "...And I believe I have fully explained to you how to use the parts of this bathroom in the more precise way possible. I would be fetching you fresh new clothes while you take a bath, so take your time in cleaning yourself. And, as a final reminder, please keep the bathroom clean after use. Are there any further questions?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

"Aye, sure thing Rattus.", he cheered before walking in the tub and casting his cloth away.
His toned muscles and body now completely exposed, he turned to face Rattus, his phallus dangling freely between his legs akin an elephant's trunk.

"No question sir, thank you very much for the help." He then turned on the faucet and beheld the running water as if it was a majestic river, before he filled the whole tub with steaming hot
And with that, Lorenzo took his very first bath, it was quite unusual. He had learned that whale fat could be used to cleanse oneself, but he would have never realised that such a pleasant smelling thing could be used as well.

*Scrub Scrub*
"Mhhh, this feels pleasant..." He muttered in a relaxed tone.
*Scrub Scrub*
"I could do this... for ever..."
*Scrub Scrub*
"...yeah..."

And with that, Lorenzo fell asleep in the bath.

[MissingMandible]

Corporal Mathew Blackburn:

Mathew did a quick gasp in pain when he suddenly found himself standing up, arm draped around Noel once again. However, the pain itself was beneficial, for it cleared his mind and made obvious how much of a fucking stupid idea it was to sleep on a snow-covered bench, after receiving a head injury, with no Medicae personnel around.

Well, the last part quickly became false; a box-like car with flashing lights rolled right up, and out the rear emerged two men with a stretcher. Fortunate, for he was quickly becoming sleepy once again...

"Don't trust the Inquisition," he warned the woman in a hushed whisper, quiet enough that the robed man couldn't hear. And with that, his world started to darken once again while the two medicae attendants took the Dragoon from her.

[SINIB]

The ambulance rolled up at the nearest street with its sirens blaring, soon followed by a convoy of fire trucks. The firefighters quickly got to work in a seemingly vain attempt to put out the fire. The paramedics rushed over with a stretcher and deftly loaded Mathew onto it. As they were putting him on the stretcher, he whispered to Noel

"Don't trust the Inquisition,"

Noel nodded at him, and responded to the robed mans question. “I am going to accompany him to the hospital, I don’t want to leave him alone.” That said, Noel rushed off to catch up with the paramedics.

[Ivan The Mouse]

[...]

Rattus nodded as soon as Lorenzo disrobed himself in order to start bathing, then started leaving in order not to disturb the pirate in his bath. Even if Lorenzo was a woman, any kind of nudity will not faze the German businessman, mainly because he has seen the naked human form so many times, especially during a certain dark time in his nation's history, an era which only piqued feelings of guilt and self-loathing in him. In fact, Rattus himself started to feel a bit depressed when he saw another naked human body, which made him leave quicker than he normally does.

After the arms dealer had fetched clothes for his guest, he went back to the bathroom in order to leave the white shirt, underpants and black pants in the counter. When he got there, however, he saw that the man had fallen asleep in the bath tub, which indicated exhaustion and possibly drunkenness from the rum earlier. Rattus decided to let Lorenzo sleep in the tub for a while, so he quickly exited the bathroom for the last time in a while after leaving the fresh clothes in the counter.

When Rattus returned to the living room, he saw Yukina playing Animal Crossing in her 3DS in order to alleviate boredom. He then looked at his wristwatch and saw that it was about time for one of his appointments.

He then picked up the suitcase laying in the side on one of the chairs and told Yukina, "Captain Remei is asleep in the bathroom. If he needs something, attend to him."

Yukina then nodded in agreement and asked, "What should I do if he is about to leave?"

"Give him a business card. The white one." He answered. "I shall leave now."

"Alright." She then smiled. "Take care, onii-chan!"

"Don't worry about me, Schwesterchen. I will do so." He affirmed, then walked out of the manor. Yukina then went back to playing her game and she was left alone in the manor.

[Panda]

Neo snorted out of amusement when he heard the man's answer. It seemed as if what happened to Casca was a typical example of a rape victim, he thought to himself. "Alright." he conceded.

"By the way, I heard you complaining about the drinks they serve here in the bar." The blonde killer said. "I'm an alchemist, man. Making strong liquor is a basic exercise for someone like me, and I think I still have a few jars of strong moonshine back at home. How does that sound to you?"

Guts says nothing for the moment, taking a moment to look around the bar, figuring out how many people would get involved if he slugged the kid right now, then thought better of it.

...The heck is wrong with me? A few months ago I wouldn't have thought twice...anyway.

"Tempting," Guts admits, taking the next glass of whiskey slid over to him and downing it, "Especially now that I don't have demons and various other evil things trying to eat me at night, but if this is how you are sober, then hanging around with you drunk wouldn't end well."

[Ivan The Mouse]

Guts says nothing for the moment, taking a moment to look around the bar, figuring out how many people would get involved if he slugged the kid right now, then thought better of it.

...The heck is wrong with me? A few months ago I wouldn't have thought twice...anyway.

"Tempting," Guts admits, taking the next glass of whiskey slid over to him and downing it, "Especially now that I don't have demons and various other evil things trying to eat me at night, but if this is how you are sober, then hanging around with you drunk wouldn't end well."

"I usually don't get drunk for reasons, you know?" Neo replied. "And the obvious reasons don't count. I get high instead."

[Panda]

"I usually don't get drunk for reasons, you know?" Neo replied. "And the obvious reasons don't count. I get high instead."

"Even so, I think we'd be better off staying here," Guts insists.

And then a burly-looking man in ragged clothes walks in, the rest of the patrons falling silent as he makes his way to the other seat next to Neo, it's former occupant quickly leaving upon sighting the new arrival. Guts takes a bored look behind him, then returns to his drink.

"Guess what time of month it is, Barkeep," the newest patron says with a slight growl.


Grendel follows the paramedics into the ambulance, joining Noel in the vehicle before the paramedics slam the doors closed and get in, the ambulance taking off for the hospital soon after.

"Corporal Blackburn," he starts "If you're still conscious, there is something you should know. This place we are in, this Nexus, is beyond the Emperor's light."

[Ivan The Mouse]

"Even so, I think we'd be better off staying here," Guts insists.

And then a burly-looking man in ragged clothes walks in, the rest of the patrons falling silent as he makes his way to the other seat next to Neo, it's former occupant quickly leaving upon sighting the new arrival. Guts takes a bored look behind him, then returns to his drink.

"Guess what time of month it is, Barkeep," the newest patron says with a slight growl.

Upon seeing the raggedly man take a seat next to him, Neo regressed back to his Mixed American accent, walked away and complained, "Awww shit, who da fuck is dis motha'fuckin' bum, huh?! I swear, man, e'ery goddamn time a smelly bum walks into a fuckin' bar, it's like a literal goddamned joke!"

[Panda]

Upon seeing the raggedly man take a seat next to him, Neo regressed back to his Mixed American accent, walked away and complained, "Awww shit, who da fuck is dis motha'fuckin' bum, huh?! I swear, man, e'ery goddamn time a smelly bum walks into a fuckin' bar, it's like a literal goddamned joke!"

The newcomer turns to look at the retreating youth, then turns back to the barkeeper.

"I'll be right back," he says, to which the barkeeper only offers a quick nod.

With that, the burly man leaves his chair, making his way over to the blonde and laying a firm hand on his shoulder, "If you're gonna leave after pulling a stunt like that, you're leaving in a bag."

Meanwhile, Guts sighs to himself before leaving the Barkeep a sizable sum of money.

"I'm gonna mess the place up a bit," he warns.

At this point, the barkeep just takes cover behind the table.

[Ivan The Mouse]

The newcomer turns to look at the retreating youth, then turns back to the barkeeper.

"I'll be right back," he says, to which the barkeeper only offers a quick nod.

With that, the burly man leaves his chair, making his way over to the blonde and laying a firm hand on his shoulder, "If you're gonna leave after pulling a stunt like that, you're leaving in a bag."

Meanwhile, Guts sighs to himself before leaving the Barkeep a sizable sum of money.

"I'm gonna mess the place up a bit," he warns.

At this point, the barkeep just takes cover behind the table.

Neo sighed. It seems like this day will be crummy for him, he thought to himself, and now someone is threatening him over his comments again. The blonde punk is used with this kind of encounter, so he had no choice but to do the same old exercise he has practiced since he was a little kid.

"Fuck you." he uttered in the deadpan tone.

Then, in one fluid and quick motion, Neo took out and unfolded his butterfly knife and targeted the raggedly man's neck from the side.

[Panda]

Neo sighed. It seems like this day will be crummy for him, he thought to himself, and now someone is threatening him over his comments again. The blonde punk is used with this kind of encounter, so he had no choice but to do the same old exercise he has practiced since he was a little kid.

"Fuck you." he uttered in the deadpan tone.

Then, in one fluid and quick motion, Neo took out and unfolded his butterfly knife and targeted the raggedly man's neck from the side.

The man doesn't bother dodging, taking the knife across the jugular and cartoid arteries with a blinding spray of blood before the wounds quickly close up.

Then he smiles, revealing a mouth full of fangs before picking Neo up and throwing him into a nearby table.

"Kid," he says, form shifting as he hunches over, hair bursting from his body as his limbs elongate, face narrowing and gaining more canine features as he stalks over to the blonde, "That wasn't smart."

[Ivan The Mouse]

The man doesn't bother dodging, taking the knife across the jugular and cartoid arteries with a blinding spray of blood before the wounds quickly close up.

Then he smiles, revealing a mouth full of fangs before picking Neo up and throwing him into a nearby table.

"Kid," he says, form shifting as he hunches over, hair bursting from his body as his limbs elongate, face narrowing and gaining more canine features as he stalks over to the blonde, "That wasn't smart."

After Neo crashed at a nearby table, he looked back at the ragged man, seeing that he has turned into something resembling a dog hybrid.

"I told ya' already, you fucking furfag: Fuck you." Neo retorted. He then quickly took a piece of wood from the smashed table and quickly approached the werewolf in all due haste, using the splintered piece of wood to stab a wound into one of the eyes and intending to leave it there in order to prevent the wound from closing.

[Kotomine_Rin]

...

It was a vast sea. The sun as harsh and unkind as ever,  the Fiery Fortune was once again sailing into unknown territory.
And watching it all, one man stood alone, his name was Lorenzo Remei. "... where is my crew?", a simple thought filled his mind. Searching high and low, he could not find a single soul  left aboard the ship. The sun's beating growing stronger by the second, Lorenzo gasped for air.

 "... shiver me timbers.", the lone man murmured as desperation and fear began to take hold of him. "Thomas, Ruperd, Anyone?" he yelled atop of his lungs, but not a single soul was left to hear his cries.
Suddenly, the Fiery Fortune shook, a tremendous booming noise could be heard from all sides. Before Lorenzo knew it, hundreds of tentacles came crashing down upon the ship, blowing him away into the sea...

Lorenzo struggled to keep his head over the surface, but it was no use: the tentacles grabbed his body, crushing it under the weight of the monster before the man was violently dragged down the depths of the sea. A burning sensation bursted trough his chest as if his heart was about to tear itself apart. Water slowly filled his lungs, his mind was slowly fading away as he sank further and further.

The saltwater seeping into his nostrils, the man's vision blurred before he gave a final breath, but as he lost what little consciousness he had left, Lorenzo could recognize a familiar silhouette. "... Cap' Buck?"

A sharp pain.  Eyes open wide, Lorenzo gasped before rising from the bathwater, letting out a terrified cry. One couldn't tell the water covering his face from his tears. "... a nightmare?", Lorenzo whispered before beginning to sob once again.

[Knick]

Hamara

Hamara froze slightly as the girl hesitantly gave him a hug, before he slowly put a hand on her back, trying to comfort her. It was… odd for him, to say the least, to do something like this.

Slowly he separated from her, and looked her in the eye. Then, he held out a hand, the offer clear. She was welcome to come with him should she wish.

Grenth

Grenth nodded when the man before him complied, before he gestured to a chair against the wall next to his desk, “Now, have a seat so I can explain what exactly happened to you.”