Cross Effects- The RP

[Cherry Lover]

“Yeah, I protect my family, just like mummy and daddy”, Kiyoshi said. “I'm in the kitchen because Connor asked me to cook some chicken soup for Sakura-nee”, he added, proudly.

Before Rin could reply, though, the idiot vampire from upstairs came down.

"I doubt that Dickless wonder is related to him in any way. And considering he threatened to put my eyes out, the kid needs a shrink Auntie”, he said.

Kiyoshi frowned.

“You tried to attack my sister, and you hurt Forest. I was just defending my family and friends from a murderous psychopath...”, he said, angrily.

Then, he noticed Ryoko come down the stairs, clearly shaken up.

“Are you alright, Ryoko-nee?” he asked.

But, she was too traumatised to notice, instead heading towards Lancer and the idiot and obtaining a drink.

[Elf]

The tension sprang within Forest again, and she arched towards Finn like a bow string pulled taunt.  Her legs tightened around his waist as her inner walls collapsed around him.  A cry escaped her as she rode the wave of bliss out.

She felt Finn swell even more before taking one last deep thrust.  Pleasant warmth spilled into her, and she could feel him shuddering inside of her; pleasant little jolts.  She kissed him one last time as he slid out of her, exhausted from perhaps getting the crap beat out of him and blood lost. 

Carefully, she arranged him on the bed and covered up, hearing the shower roaring in the next room.  There was a sickening crawling with in her and she grimaced as she felt both men's seed sliding from her body.  Absently she rubbed her arms, looking around when the water shut off and Tom appeared from the shower.

A towel was wrapped around his waist and he was looking for his clothing.  She bent forward and handed him his pants and boxers.  "So," she began, "I'm sorry about . . . well, everything."  She couldn't meet his eyes as she handed him what she found of his clothing.

******

Lancer's eyebrows rose at the kid's words as he threatened a being that could just turn him into a bloody smear.  The kid, Kiyoshi was his name if he remembered correctly, turned his attention to Ryoko who was in his arms.  Lancer eyed the kid and shrugged.

"She's exhausted, lad.  Rough night," he explained.

Then, looking around and making sure the elder Rin couldn't hear him, he whispered, "I'll put her to bed and I'll be frank about everything that just happened."

The kid had pluck.  Lancer could give him the truth while probably everyone else would molly coddle him.

[YOLF]

"... unless this world is very strange, or we are in the deserts of the Middle East, I do not believe there is a royal family here," Valda said very carefully, because she would admit her ignorance was showing here. "The castle is likely kept as a symbol of cultural heritage rather than lived in."

She supposed she could ask, though not long ago she would have been too ashamed of her lack of knowledge to do so ... right.

Valda was standing up and approaching a random person at a table near the door, holding her arms akimbo on her hips, and looking down at them past her glasses. "You there: tell me what country we are in, what state or province of that country, what the date is, and who is the nation's leader."

Her list of demands was quite reasonable, she thought.

If it was possible, the completely ordinary looking business man shuddered in conjunction with his chair, bringing up his leather briefcase to stand between him and the very intimidating and commanding lady.

"Ah - eh - hum..." He opened his mouth and closed it several times while trying to force the words out. Then he shut it firmly and swallowed before actually managing to spew out a retort. "I-I'm pretty sure we're in the United States even though Ihavenoideawhatstatethisisbut -"

Valda's increasingly intense stare made him hold himself and take a deep breath.

"The Mayor..." he started, before descending into mutters among the which the words "blood pressure pills" and "drink" seemed to stand out.

He suddenly shot out of his seat facing Valda wide-eyed.

"Anyways, the corporations are what really keeps the trains running! I don't know about anything closer to an... an o-of-official public power around here."

The tall, frosty, intimidating, dapper lich then choose that time to approach the man. The guy 'meep'-ed as Sir Bonesington stared him down and questioned him.

"What about that castle over yonder, eh? What can you tell us about that?"

"C-castle? I don't know anything about that - there didn't even use to be a castle there! It's like it rose up overnight or somethin'..." Having said that, the man shrunk on his feet and took the hovering skeleton's moment of pondering to slip through him, leave a large bill on the counter, and scurry away through the door without looking back.

[Aiden]

That being said, Valda looked over her shoulder to Luka and adjusted her glasses. "And thus, we are informed. There is no royal family and there never has been; the rulers of the country are elected by the people, and likely the same with the city. We have nobody of any real authority to introduce ourselves to, and businesses run everything of importance."

She turned around completely after that to approach the counter and deposit the cold and floating life-shell's payment to the cashier, fulfilling her end of the bargain.

[Alice]

A towel was wrapped around his waist and he was looking for his clothing.  She bent forward and handed him his pants and boxers.  "So," she began, "I'm sorry about . . . well, everything."  She couldn't meet his eyes as she handed him what she found of his clothing.

Tom gently took the pants and boxers from Forest before shaking his head. "No. I am the one who owes you the apology. I am the one who lost control of myself the way I did, you are not to blame for that." He found it difficult to meet her eyes as well, but he did his best. "I-I... I'm sorry. W-what I did was..." His gaze quickly fell on the floor, his cheeks now a bit flushed. "A-are you alright? Are you hurt?"

[Arch-Magos Winter]

“You tried to attack my sister, and you hurt Forest. I was just defending my family and friends from a murderous psychopath...”, he said, angrily.

Hurt? Seriously?

"Has anyone explained the birds and the bees to this kid? Because he's about the right age for that. Also, I'm not a murderous psychopath, you're the one who'd put someone's eyes out without even knowing them."

[lantzblades]

Rin had heard Lancer and was about to reply when the vampire spoke up. Standing Rin turned to him. "you attacked my daughter. My daughter who was helpless in bed, you clearly are as dangerous as Kiyoshi treats you. You are every bit the monster my father in law spoke about. I'm honestly not sure why you've been let stay here, if I were to hazard a guess I'd say because Forest is out of her mind for the moment and a bleeding heart otherwise. In short, take the bottle and vacate the kitchen you twit" she replied.

[Elf]

"Well, I didn't turn you away either.  That's my fault," Forest replied.

I should have listened to Gabriel.  Damn him for being right, she thought with a shake of her head as she reached out and touched Tom's shoulder.  She managed to look up at him, tilted her head in a very corvid like fashion, and gave him a lopsided smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"It always hurts, and that's not your fault.  I mean, if the situation and the like would have been different . . ."  She shrugged with a sigh and a shake of her head.  "Still, I'm sorry.  Your first time should have been with someone you cared about and . . ." 

Not some daft vampire who completely lost control when bitten, she thought to herself.

******

Lancer found an empty room to put Ryoko in.  The girl was already mostly asleep.  His keen hearing picked up more bickering from downstairs.

Alright, that's it, I'm going to start knocking heads, he thought as he got the girl settled into bed and headed back to the kitchen.

[Alice]

The psychic managed to hear her thought. He sat down beside her and, somewhat awkwardly, put his own large hand on her shoulder. "You are hardly to blame. The bite was the cause, not anything you yourself had done." He squeezed his eyes shut. "No, it was my own foolishness that was to blame. But Ryoko... I trusted her... But... as much as she betrayed me... the things I wanted to do to her when I saw her. All those thoughts I had when I was making love to-"

The full weight of everything he had done and thought during that time came crashing down on him. His hand came off Forest's shoulder, and he cradled his head in his hands. "...oh God."

[Elf]

"Hey, hey," Forest said, guiding Tom to the bed where Finn was still passed out and was now starting to snore.

She gently pushed the large man down and sat beside him, rubbing his back.  "Ryoko thought she was helping.  It happened; it was just a bunch of weird events."  She stroked his hair back from his face.

Talk to me, the vampire prompted, Hiding from it is only going to make it worse.  I know from first hand experience.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Rin had heard Lancer and was about to reply when the vampire spoke up. Standing Rin turned to him. "you attacked my daughter. My daughter who was helpless in bed, you clearly are as dangerous as Kiyoshi treats you. You are every bit the monster my father in law spoke about. I'm honestly not sure why you've been let stay here, if I were to hazard a guess I'd say because Forest is out of her mind for the moment and a bleeding heart otherwise. In short, take the bottle and vacate the kitchen you twit" she replied.

"Well, if you'd sit down and listen to someone who isn't dickless there, I didn't attack her. And your father in law? Who the fuck is that, and how the hell would I know him?"

Hefting the whiskey bottle, I gauged it's worth as a club in case this got violent.

"Don't push me Satan Woman. It won't end well for anyone here."

[lantzblades]

"I admit Connor isn't bright but he's not an idiot so if he says you attacked my daughter I'm inclined to believe him. Your threat is acknowledged but it only proves you're a brute, now leave this room" Rin replied keeping her guard up and palming a jewel.

[Alice]

"Hey, hey," Forest said, guiding Tom to the bed where Finn was still passed out and was now starting to snore.

She gently pushed the large man down and sat beside him, rubbing his back.  "Ryoko thought she was helping.  It happened; it was just a bunch of weird events."  She stroked his hair back from his face.

Tom flinched instinctively as he was pushed down, but he knew Forest didn't intend to harm him, so he went along with her. "I just wish she had decided to do so in a way that was less... cloak and dagger," he muttered. It did help dissipate some of his anger towards the girl, however. ...And intensified his guilt over what he'd wanted to do to her...

He didn't know why, but a small smile graced his face for a moment when Forest stroked his hair back. Just for a moment, but even for a moment, there had been a genuine smile.

Talk to me, the vampire prompted, Hiding from it is only going to make it worse.  I know from first hand experience.

The psychic responded to her telepathically, wanting to keep his feelings on this private. It was hard enough taking to someone about how he felt, period. But, somehow... He felt more open to voicing his thoughts than he normally did. Perhaps it was the weight this had on his heart, perhaps it was Forest's comforting tone, he wasn't for certain.

I... Well, I always knew I was a monster. My true form, it reflects this. I was created as a living weapon, as one of the most powerful beings in existence in my world. Many come to fear me, and rightly so. But all my life... well, humans at least... always sought to use me for their own purposes as well. That's why when Ryoko... Well, it hurt. I trusted her. Even if she meant well, I trusted her. But... 

He looked away from Forest, unable to hide the shame he felt. ...What I wanted to do to her, what I allowed myself to do to you, was something I never thought I had in me. Even if I was created as an instrument of destruction, I always at least took refuge in the fact that it didn't go so deep as... He shuddered. I thought I merely resembled a beast in the form I was born in. I never thought I truly was one.

[Elf]

Forest continued stroking Tom's hair back as she reflected upon his words, silently biting her lip.

Someone had made him to be a weapon, used him, and betrayed him.  He was fighting against instincts instead of listening to them and tempering them with reason.  If anything he was going with too much reason. 

She scooted closer to him and took his hand.  "Tom, I don't think you're a monster.  I've seen monsters before, those with faces even more lovely than yours, and you're not a monster."

Beasts aren't monsters.  They are two different things.  Being a beast doesn't make you a monster.  You lost control, because no one taught you about it.  So what if some wankers made you to be an instrument of destruction?  You don't have to be.  What you are doesn't make who you are.  I am a vampire, so?  That's not who I am though.  You're Tom, not some weapon of mass destruction.

She gave his hand an earnest squeeze and offered him a smile.  Repressing yourself isn't healthy either- again, something I know all too well about.  Sometimes you have to be who you are, but learning how to temper it and control it isn't an impossible thing.

Her cheeks turned bright pink as she looked away for the last part. . . .I actually sort of liked it when you did that.  That I shattered your control so much.  That someone wanted me like that.  I mean, if there had been more foreplay and . . . The tone of her mental voice changed, became shyer and a little sheepish.  I probably would have let you done whatever you wanted.  Within reason.

[Alice]

Forest continued stroking Tom's hair back as she reflected upon his words, silently biting her lip.

Someone had made him to be a weapon, used him, and betrayed him.  He was fighting against instincts instead of listening to them and tempering them with reason.  If anything he was going with too much reason. 

She scooted closer to him and took his hand.  "Tom, I don't think you're a monster.  I've seen monsters before, those with faces even more lovely than yours, and you're not a monster."

The gesture surprised him, at first. No one had reached out to him like this in years. Only when he had been small, a boy by human terms, had someone reached their hand out to him. His hand shook a bit as he gently took the hand Forest had offered him into his own, his fingers intertwining with hers.

His reply was tinged with bitterness, as was the weary smile that graced his handsome face. "I appreciate those words, but... I know I am a monster. I killed the majority of the scientists working at the laboratory I was being kept in the day I escaped, if not all of them. I may have been persecuted and tortured, but I also know I myself am no innocent."

Beasts aren't monsters.  They are two different things.  Being a beast doesn't make you a monster.  You lost control, because no one taught you about it.  So what if some wankers made you to be an instrument of destruction?  You don't have to be.  What you are doesn't make who you are.  I am a vampire, so?  That's not who I am though.  You're Tom, not some weapon of mass destruction.

I... I suppose that's true, isn't it? I suppose I learned to control my abilities, so this isn't so different really, but... Something that's so deeply rooted within me, how do I temper it?

He sighed. I mean, my predecessor sits around in caves waiting for people to fight him. I don't think he's even aware he has a human form. He had a few moments where he spoke normally, but... he was so obsessed with battle that it consumed him. From what little I was able to get out of him, he wasn't always like that. I suspect it may be due to some neural imbalance that resulted from the process not having been perfected yet when he was created, and I probably don't have much to be concerned about, because it should have happened to me by now if it was going to happen but... 

His eyes met hers. I... I don't want to lose myself like that. All I have that keeps me from truly just being a weapon is the fact that I have intelligent, rational thought. I... I don't want to lose that, not for anything.

She gave his hand an earnest squeeze and offered him a smile.  Repressing yourself isn't healthy either- again, something I know all too well about.  Sometimes you have to be who you are, but learning how to temper it and control it isn't an impossible thing.

Her cheeks turned bright pink as she looked away for the last part. . . .I actually sort of liked it when you did that.  That I shattered your control so much.  That someone wanted me like that.  I mean, if there had been more foreplay and . . . The tone of her mental voice changed, became shyer and a little sheepish.  I probably would have let you done whatever you wanted.  Within reason.

His eyes widened in surprise at that. He sat there a moment, silent, a bit shocked. Suddenly, his own cheeks flushed, red and bright. He sat up and looked her straight in the eyes... before nervously having to look down.

Y-you... enjoyed that? I-I mean, I would have to work on my self control of course, but... Y-you liked me being so predatorial in bed? He flushed even brighter. N-not that I didn't enjoy it myself, for all my reservations about the circumstances, certainly. I-if there's one thing I would have to say I liked about all this is that I did find it quite... His eyes studied her form, quite appreciatively. A-and your body... The way you smelled and tasted and everything was quite... erm...

He blushed as hard as he could blush and looked away. He wrapped his arms around himself and looked down at the bed, shocked that he'd even said that out loud. Well, telepathically out loud. ...Well, Forest had heard him say it anyway, so it counted.