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

[Panda]

"Well, I'm telling you, that's why I said that's all there it is to it. Life is a pain in the arse sometimes, but that doesn't mean interesting stuff like this doesn't come once if a while. And that's how life is, sometimes sweet, sometimes crummy, and that's all there it is to it." Neo replied.

"But huh," he continued, still proud of himself, "By the way you call me 'kid', it seems as if you have this smug preconception that you have seen it all. I believe that I told you earlier already that there's no such thing as seeing it all, and those who think of such are those overtly-bitter and miserable fools who think there's not much to life than only cruelty and lies."

"And see, this is why I am right: You're asking me about the definition of furfag, as if you never encountered it. Of course, you didn't." Neo then pulled out his box of Lucky Strikes from his pocket and picked out a stick before putting it back. He then began to light up the stick on his mouth using the spit of flame he conjured using the flick of his fingers, and started smoking. "To put it in words you understand, furries are people who are so hilariously obsessed with animals, that they think of themselves as one and want to have sex with either another furry or with real animals. Being a werewolf doesn't make you a wolf, you shouldn't be too proud of it. Else, you're a furry and you want to shag real wolves. Disgusting."

"First off, yeah, that's actually kinda weird," Guts admits, "Not quite like that one pagan orgy I walked in on where the guy with the goat-mask turned into an actual guy with a goat-head, but..."

"Anyway," he says, "Let me clear something up right now. I'm not calling you kid because I think you've seen it all. I'm calling you a kid because apparently all you can do is bully those weaker than you, if your performance against that...'furfag' over there is anything to go by. Show me that you can take care of yourself when things go to shit, and I'll stop. Besides, I'm going to hell anyway, so what's it really matter? Not figuratively, by the way. Remember how I said Griffith sacrificed the Band of the Hawk to ascend to a God Hand? Well, we all got hit with these Brands."

At this point, Guts pulls the collar on his cloak down enough for Neo to see the Brand marking his jugular, "This marks me and everything I am as free game for demons. Also has this annoying habit of attracting all sorts of evil ghosts and demons and stuff like that, which makes getting a good night's sleep a bit of a pain. Fortunately, this place doesn't seem to have those kinds of spirits...Anyway, we should probably get going before the cops show up."

[Ivan The Mouse]

"First off, yeah, that's actually kinda weird," Guts admits, "Not quite like that one pagan orgy I walked in on where the guy with the goat-mask turned into an actual guy with a goat-head, but..."

"Anyway," he says, "Let me clear something up right now. I'm not calling you kid because I think you've seen it all. I'm calling you a kid because apparently all you can do is bully those weaker than you, if your performance against that...'furfag' over there is anything to go by. Show me that you can take care of yourself when things go to shit, and I'll stop. Besides, I'm going to hell anyway, so what's it really matter? Not figuratively, by the way. Remember how I said Griffith sacrificed the Band of the Hawk to ascend to a God Hand? Well, we all got hit with these Brands."

At this point, Guts pulls the collar on his cloak down enough for Neo to see the Brand marking his jugular, "This marks me and everything I am as free game for demons. Also has this annoying habit of attracting all sorts of evil ghosts and demons and stuff like that, which makes getting a good night's sleep a bit of a pain. Fortunately, this place doesn't seem to have those kinds of spirits...Anyway, we should probably get going before the cops show up."

"I don't care; I'm not caught up with your damned affair." Neo said indifferently. "As long there's all these grown-ass ignorant beasts with hair-triggers show themselves up, I'm always up for a fight."

He billowed another puff of smoke and went on. "And as for this goddamn furry, I believe I would have tore his heart out and fed it to him without your help, but apparently you're too smug enough to think I couldn't make it without you, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and just let you call me 'kid', because obviously you think I didn't survive things worse than a furry wanting to rape me or something."

"And 'weaker'? Huh." Neo scoffed. "There ain't no such thing as weaker. There's only 'willing' and 'not willing'. I don't want to condescend to anybody, you know that?"

[Elf]

Forest

Forest grinned at the man's wish for food.  She said, "Thank you, but I don't need anything."

Lancer smirked and said, "I'm good.  Knock yourself out."

[Panda]

"Suit yourselves," Henderson says, making his way over to the gas station, once inside, he soon finds what he was looking for. Donuts, to fill the belly and absolutely nothing else, not that it was needed for anything else. He then finds himself at a bit of a loss over which ACDC album he should get, the odd couple at the bench already long forgotten.

"I don't care; I'm not caught up with your damned affair." Neo said indifferently. "As long there's all these grown-ass ignorant beasts with hair-triggers show themselves up, I'm always up for a fight."

He billowed another puff of smoke and went on. "And as for this goddamn furry, I believe I would have tore his heart out and fed it to him without your help, but apparently you're too smug enough to think I couldn't make it without you, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and just let you call me 'kid', because obviously you think I didn't survive things worse than a furry wanting to rape me or something."

"And 'weaker'? Huh." Neo scoffed. "There ain't no such thing as weaker. There's only 'willing' and 'not willing'. I don't want to condescend to anybody, you know that?"

Guts shrugs at the blonde's mini-monologue, as something in his subconscious starts tugging at him again.

I do not have time for a-

Then he registers the clicking of claws on concrete.

Grabbing the kid mid-speech with his metal hand, he pulls Neo down sharply just in time for the werewolf to come sailing over their heads before it lands in a crouch a distance away from them. More dead than alive, the werewolf is held together only by the slowly healing flesh below its sternum.

"Wonderful," Guts mutters, "These things are worse than Apostles about healing."

[Ivan The Mouse]

Guts shrugs at the blonde's mini-monologue, as something in his subconscious starts tugging at him again.

I do not have time for a-

Then he registers the clicking of claws on concrete.

Grabbing the kid mid-speech with his metal hand, he pulls Neo down sharply just in time for the werewolf to come sailing over their heads before it lands in a crouch a distance away from them. More dead than alive, the werewolf is held together only by the slowly healing flesh below its sternum.

"Wonderful," Guts mutters, "These things are worse than Apostles about healing."

"Ass." Neo snarked out with disappointment.

"Goddamn it, I already fucking told you...!" He then picked a fist-sized piece of stone from the wrecked concrete floor, ran headfirst into the werewolf and shoved the stone into its chest cavity through its healing wound. He then grabbed the heart of the creature while his hand was inside its chest and pulled it out forcefully enough to rip out the organ from the werewolf.

[Panda]

"Ass." Neo snarked out with disappointment.

"Goddamn it, I already fucking told you...!" He then picked a fist-sized piece of stone from the wrecked concrete floor, ran headfirst into the werewolf and shoved the stone into its chest cavity through its healing wound. He then grabbed the heart of the creature while his hand was inside its chest and pulled it out forcefully enough to rip out the organ from the werewolf.

Deciding to give the kid the benefit of the doubt, Guts watches, as the blonde proceeds to make good on his promise, literally ripping the creature's heart out before Guts could finish readying the cannon, just in case he turned out to be all talk.

That was hardly an instant death blow to the werewolf, though it certainly did take it's toll, the werewolf's retaliatory swings a pale imitation of their formerly inhuman power and speed.

[Ivan The Mouse]

Deciding to give the kid the benefit of the doubt, Guts watches, as the blonde proceeds to make good on his promise, literally ripping the creature's heart out before Guts could finish readying the cannon, just in case he turned out to be all talk.

That was hardly an instant death blow to the werewolf, though it certainly did take it's toll, the werewolf's retaliatory swings a pale imitation of their formerly inhuman power and speed.

Still holding the heart of the creature, Neo decides that whatever he did was not enough as he could see it still trying to fight back. He then threw the disembodied essential muscle aside and drew out his butterfly knife again.

He then approached the werewolf one more time, in order to grab the snout of the weakened beast and slice a Glasgow grin in its cheeks. And, with a massive amount of force, he ripped the werewolf's jaws apart in order to separate them into two, just as an effort of stop it from regenerating again.

[Panda]

Still holding the heart of the creature, Neo decides that whatever he did was not enough as he could see it still trying to fight back. He then threw the disembodied essential muscle aside and drew out his butterfly knife again.

He then approached the werewolf one more time, in order to grab the snout of the weakened beast and slice a Glasgow grin in its cheeks. And, with a massive amount of force, he ripped the werewolf's jaws apart in order to separate them into two, just as an effort of stop it from regenerating again.

"I would say that that's being excessive, but considering what it regenerated from before..." Guts trails off as the blonde proceeds to literally rip the creature's face open.

Meanwhile, the werewolf simply crumbles, bleeding all over the place as its tongue lolls around its torn mouth, falling out altogether as it literally taste the pavement. Despite all this, the werewolf still continues to attempt to get up, struggling feebly as its body struggles to regenerate from all the damage inflicted.

[Ivan The Mouse]

"I would say that that's being excessive, but considering what it regenerated from before..." Guts trails off as the blonde proceeds to literally rip the creature's face open.

Meanwhile, the werewolf simply crumbles, bleeding all over the place as its tongue lolls around its torn mouth, falling out altogether as it literally taste the pavement. Despite all this, the werewolf still continues to attempt to get up, struggling feebly as its body struggles to regenerate from all the damage inflicted.

"This shit righ' here is a fuckin' joke, man." Neo was pointing at the werewolf, commenting on its hardiness. "If I did shit like dis in all dem assholes out there in the streets right now, it'll be like the sweet ol' days."

He then folds he arms in front of him and stroked his chin, while pondering and saying, "Dey say silvah will get rid of these mo'fuckahs faster than ya' can slap a faggot out of a fight club, but we ain't got that."

[Panda]

"This shit righ' here is a fuckin' joke, man." Neo was pointing at the werewolf, commenting on its hardiness. "If I did shit like dis in all dem assholes out there in the streets right now, it'll be like the sweet ol' days."

He then folds he arms in front of him and stroked his chin, while pondering and saying, "Dey say silvah will get rid of these mo'fuckahs faster than ya' can slap a faggot out of a fight club, but we ain't got that."

"No," Guts agrees, unbuckling Dragonslayer again and hefting the blade in one hand, "But they certainly don't heal instantly."

With that, he brings the sword down once more, this time separating the werewolf from its legs before the blade smashes through the concrete. Letting go of the blade, Guts then pulls a repeater crossbow out of a pouch and attaches it to his arm, loading up some bolts as the werewolf starts to try crawling away, dragging itself by its hands as it struggles to drag air into collapsed lungs.

[Ivan The Mouse]

"No," Guts agrees, unbuckling Dragonslayer again and hefting the blade in one hand, "But they certainly don't heal instantly."

With that, he brings the sword down once more, this time separating the werewolf from its legs before the blade smashes through the concrete. Letting go of the blade, Guts then pulls a repeater crossbow out of a pouch and attaches it to his arm, loading up some bolts as the werewolf starts to try crawling away, dragging itself by its hands as it struggles to drag air into collapsed lungs.

"Damn, nigga." He said when he saw the mercenary's repeating crossbow attachment and used it on the werewolf. "If I wasn't outta potions, I would have blasted this mo'fuckah apart, y'know?"

But then again, Neo remembered something: They were at a bar, where liquor is readily available. He then jumped over the bar counter and began looking the bottles of liquor, before he found himself some Bacardi 151. He then grabbed this bottle, jumped back out of the bar counter, poured the drink all over the bolt-ridden remains of the werewolf and lit the whole thing up using the spit of flame from his fingers.

[Panda]

"Damn, nigga." He said when he saw the mercenary's repeating crossbow attachment and used it on the werewolf. "If I wasn't outta potions, I would have blasted this mo'fuckah apart, y'know?"

But then again, Neo remembered something: They were at a bar, where liquor is readily available. He then jumped over the bar counter and began looking the bottles of liquor, before he found himself some Bacardi 151. He then grabbed this bottle, jumped back out of the bar counter, poured the drink all over the bolt-ridden remains of the werewolf and lit the whole thing up using the spit of flame from his fingers.

As the flames consume the beast, Guts steps back, a bored look on his face as he looks around the bar, "I think we've killed it enough. Besides, cops are probably going to be showing up soon..."

[Ivan The Mouse]

As the flames consume the beast, Guts steps back, a bored look on his face as he looks around the bar, "I think we've killed it enough. Besides, cops are probably going to be showing up soon..."

"Yeah, enough bullshit already." Neo agreed, as he began heading out the bar. "Let's leave this FUBAR to the pigs."

[Kotomine_Rin]

...

Eyes open wide at the revelation, Lorenzo's heartbeat stopped, as if hit by the honest and kind wisdom of the woman.

"Sorry...", a weak murmur, almost inaudible.

Hearing Yukina's sorrowful words, silent tears rolled down Lorenzo's cheeks. He could feel the pain in her voice... no doubt his weakness had opened the woman's old wounds. Such a thing could not be forgiven easily, especially not by him. But somewhere in his heart, Lorenzo felt strange, somewhat... fuzzy.

"You know, I haven't been honest with you. I am not the greatest pirate of the seas, if I was My crew, my life's work, my ambition, my foolishness, my greed. It all-"

But he never finished his sentence, he remembered a word, one that had shaken Lorenzo's very world on that day.
It was a hopeless battle, a bout agains an impossible monster that was to crush him and all that he held dear. Lorenzo most surely fought well and bravely, but it just wasn't enough. He remembered the last word his companion, his best friend, his bother told him.
"Live."

"Live, and they will live on in me...." , the pirate muttered. And with that, he sobbed once again, but make no mistake: these were no tears of sorrow, but tears of joy. "You are right miss Yukina, I have made a terrible mistake. I tried to forget, to make myself believe it never happened, but their death... They died to protect my life, but it was my duty to do so for them!"

The man was now shaking, the crying had finally stopped, but in it's stead was a dead silence. "... I understand, If my crew sacrificed their life for my sake, to protect me, I must make sure to live no matter what. Your words, they touch me, I understand now, if I do not life to the fullest, their death would have been for naught, and I would only dishonour their sacrifice..."

In a hair's breath, a sudden noise could be heard from the bathroom, one couldn't tell if it was a crying lament or a tearful laughter, but one sound would forever erase Lorenzo's broken world.
The door was suddenly open, standing in front of Yukina was a smiling man, his pained yet serene face wet with tears and his body inert and unmoving. He was covered by a thick towel wrapped around him, moonlight reflecting off his gleaming body. A lean body covered in countless scars and old battle wounds.

Instinctively, almost as if his mind was being controlled by some alien force, Lorenzo hugged Yukina.
"Thank you. Thank you...", he murmured softly over and over again., his head resting on her shoulder.

Sniffling, Lorenzo whimpered and wept, never before had he talked about his feelings in such a way to anyone, the feeling of getting such a burden off his chest was...

"...I'm sorry... I am sorry... sorry for showing my weakness like that... i'm being silly and pathetic, ain't I?"

[Umbra of Chaos]

Ascended

The heavenly being was not as prepared as its opponent and had been sent flying by the explosion. He laid on his back and the brutal cut that had been inflicted on him and been worsened by the blast of force that knocked him back. But there was a greater problem the celestial creature faced as it sat up to stare at Sarse.

Its body was falling apart and melting. The bodies of the Ascended were marvelous things that were made specifically to withstand channeling enormous amounts of Light, however this particular one was far from experienced and his body was not very tough yet. This was best shown as he fell back down as the bottom half of his metallic body was transformed into liquid.

He offered no final words and his gaze lacked any hostility as the light in them was snuffed out and the rest of him became a shiny puddle on the ground. But death does not come easily to those who stand within the heavens. Even as his body dissolved the Ascended's soul was still bound to every drop of his body. Immortal, patient, and perfectly willing to wait until he was retrieved by his brethren and forged anew.


Wiseman

"Your gift? You mean the teleportation? That being a property of the flesh that formed your body is fascinating. Perhaps it still holds a connection to that realm?"

The warlock formed a ball of water that shaped itself into a shape resembling Butler and also made a myriad of smaller orbs along with one large one. "If it is perhaps your gift is simply pulling you back into the realm of this omnipotent being. Thousands of strands of water then emerged from the larger orb and linked to all the other orbs and to the Butler shaped water construct. Then the construct was yanked into the larger orb.

"It may be possible that this one supreme realm is connected to all other worlds and you're simply jumping into it using your body and then popping into one of the worlds that it is connected to." The Butler shaped construct then traveled through the strands of water and landed within one of the smaller orbs.

"Of course, this is all simply speculation. However we can solve the issue of your soul in a much more simple way. I can awaken your Wings of Heart. If your soul is still human then you should have wings no matter what they look like. Otherwise you'll have nothing."

A curious fire burned in the sorcerer's eyes. "Care to try it out?"