Cross Effects 3.0 - April 13, 2015—June 23, 2016

[SINIB]

Irisviel

Irisviel paid no heed to what the dragon was saying to Sakura, she was just relieved that Sakura had gotten the message and had made him go away. The flea formerly known as Towuh buzzed loudly in her ear and spoke in a squeaky, annoying voice, defending himself from “the slander” as he seemed to think it was. Irisviel looked around and thought it looked fairly accurate to what had happened. When the flea didn’t stop making these annoying noises she vigorously shook her head around, leaving herself with an annoying headache as she almost pushed Sakura into the car before she herself followed suit.

After Irisviel got in, she buckled up and put her hand on her head. “Just-just give me a second before we go.”

[Kotomine_Rin]

Tohuw Balagan

"Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry." the fly demon thing squealed in an even lower voice, a voice so low even Irisviel would hardly hear it. His buzzing ceasing, he fell in the pits of what could only be described as a sickening gooey golden-brownish thing.

Worst. Day. Ever.

A single tear rolled down his flea eye, and alone, he cried silently.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Caedia

A small smile appeared on Caedia's face at the beautiful girl's obvious embarrassment. Her hand was soft and delicate, and the Arisen doubted that she had participated in many fights. Caedia took the moment to appreciate Rebeca's looks again. She was a bit thin but even as her eyes took in the girl's other features they always returned back to her eyes and hair.

For someone who had already traveled across a land and learned of its people and creatures there was a powerful curiosity and attraction to new and interesting things. There was little doubt in the Arisen's mind that she would like to know this person a bit more. Oh, it had been so long since she had given people gifts. It almost felt nostalgic.

Her other hand drifted towards one of the smaller pockets in her pouch and pulled out one of her rarer gifts. A glass orb the size of a baseball that contained a Drake's Tear: a red, wondrous liquid exacted from the eye of a slain drake that was so unique that a forgery could easily cost around 50,000 gold pieces. The color was bright and magnificent in the daylight, and nearly matched Rebeca's eyes. Anyone could tell that the beautiful, red liquid that almost seemed to glow was worth no small sum.

The Arisen pulled back her hand from the handshake and held out the Drake's Tear with her other without saying a word.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Abigail

Abigail toyed with one of the edges of one of the blankets in the cart.  She scowled at the whirlwind of emotions she was sensing from Archer, shook her head, and met his gaze.  She replied, "You know, it's never too late to try to save someone.  And Mercy Killing is for rabid dogs, not people."

Archer let out a low, sad laugh. "You don't think I've tried?"

Despite his hesitation, Law was sort of forced to agree. "There's some things you just can't be saved from you know. Sometimes blood's the only thing that can atone." Pushing the changing room door open, he stood tall. "So, um, how do I look?"

The dark grey hoodie was slightly too large for his lanky frame, but barely noticeable. It actually seemed to fit him better, along with the baggy jeans. "I guess this will do until I can find some milsurp place..."

[Panda]

Emily

As Emily flew up and away from the scene, she did what she could to shout a warning back down to Mordred.

"Run!" she shouted as best she could before turning her gaze downwards.

The sight that met her eyes, of the woman choking Mordred as the latter struggled to break free, stopped her cold.

Emily quickly sorted through her Contracts, racking her mind to see if there was anything she could do to help Mordred. To her frustration, there was nothing she could do.

Turning away, Emily sped away from the whole scene with the speed of a gale-force wind.

Priorities. Priorities. I've got money, Glamour, and Goblin Fruits. I need clothes, food, and a place to stay.

Speeding through the city, Emily soon found what she was looking for.

Huh, who would have thought they'd have Targets here. Then again, given that I know next to nothing about this place...

Swooping down, Emily slipped into through a ventilation fan, navigating the ducts therein as she tried to make her way back to the changing rooms. Those would be the best place to appear from, perhaps someone would question a customer appearing who they hadn't seen entering the store, but that in itself was highly unlikely.

However, it would seem that fate had other plans in store for her. To her relief, she managed to find a grating over top of a changing room. To her surprise, the Contract chose that exact instant to wear off, with Emily popping back into corporeal existence just above an grate that was most certainly not designed to support her weight. This became evident when said grate gave out from under her, Emily having only time for a short yelp before fell through.

Fortunately, something broke her fall. Or rather, someone. Specifically, a scruffy Caucasian man in a dark hoodie and baggy jeans. The Changeling lay there for a moment, dazed, before recovering enough to recognize her current situation.

"Thanks," Emily says, blushing slightly out of embarrassment as she hops up off of the man and helps him up, "Sorry about that..."

With that, she trails off, unable to find a way to reason out the current situation. To make matters worse, there were two people watching them.

"Umm...Friends of yours?" Emily asks tentatively, taking a moment to dust Law off.

[Cherry Lover]

Sakura watched with some confusion as Irisviel started to shake her head violently for a moment as they approached the car.

What is she doing? she thought.

Irisviel was clearly in a hurry to leave, practically pushing her into the car, and Sakura obliged, putting on her seat-belt rapidly and mentally preparing herself for the woman's insane driving. However, instead of getting into gear, Irisviel put her hand on her head and spoke.

“Just-just give me a second before we go", she said, clearly having some sort of problem.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

[Milbunk]

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald

As expected, the demon practically ignored any defenses he had conjured up, but the distraction was enough, it would buy him time to escape if he could.

Still facing forward, Kayneth held his hand to the wall behind him close enough that sparks of magical energy could be seen fizzing between his gloved hand and the wall but he refused to touch it directly, if thing could morph at will the consequences of such a mistake such as making direct contact could be deadly.

Analyzing he basic structures that composed this monstrous creature he was able to confirm his beliefs about the thing. He knew of what it was composed of, various flesh like materials as if the walls themselves were a giant blob of biomass, such flesh while granting great regenerative process had to have some sort of weakness.

As he continued to hold his hand behind his back he began to mutter rapidly to himself channeling as much magical energy as he could into the hand behind him, his gloves were enchanted to help the process of magical energy transference and by using his great magical stores he could summon a create curse in seconds.

"Nigris in pestem!"

His concentration lay full in his casting, his nose began to bleed slightly and he cringed in pain from the enormous rush of prana that coursed through his activated crest but he continued to stand in open defiance of his foe.

It was an old European curse that spread death and disease, it specialized in causing necrosis in the flesh an ancient curse often used for torture or death, and in Kayneth's case by channeling great amounts of magical energy into his palm very quickly he aimed to cause a rapid effect that would emerge inside of the great bulge of flesh in mere seconds.

His goal was to weaken the walls further, anything to create yet another distraction against this foul demon, but would it work?

[Kaze]

KARIN ZARAZA

Brian stopped a few meters away from the armored man, resting one hand on the hilt of his sidearm, hidden beneath his coat. When the guy burst into a run, Brian drew his pistol but fumbled with the safety in a panic. A flash of fabric blocked his vision, just before suffering a crushing blow to his solar plexus. He fell to the ground in a heap, gasping desperately for breath.

Karin heard the scuffle and turned to see what was happening. She caught a glimpse of someone in armor right before Mordred kicked her face with both legs. Karin didn’t even flinch at the blow, but the force succeeded in pushing the blond out of her grasp. She frowned in annoyance. This was becoming more complicated than it had to be.

The brunette gave Mordred a swift kick to ensure she stayed down, using more force than the punch from earlier, since that level of strength was apparently insufficient. She then turned and ran at the poor dumbass in armor who had involved himself in her affairs. She didn’t intend to leave any witnesses.

Or corpses for the police to find later.

[Kat]

The brunette gave Mordred a swift kick to ensure she stayed down, using more force than the punch from earlier, since that level of strength was apparently insufficient. She then turned and ran at the poor dumbass in armor who had involved himself in her affairs. She didn’t intend to leave any witnesses.

Or corpses for the police to find later.

Mordred

It became apparent for Mordred that for some reason that woman was not trying to kill her. She had opportunity to do so, but instead her did her 'best' to ensure the Changeling would stop resisting her. The kick was much stronger than before, breaking few ribs. Thrown like a ragdoll, fortunately her arms were still intact. Landing on the ground, she saw glimpse of the living armor she faced before. What a twist of fate to see it again here in such circumstances. Still, even if she had to rely now on Vanguard, she wouldn't just stay down for the rest of the fight. She reached for the pouch Caedia gave her, forcing herself to eat the herb even if she felt nauseous.

Roxas

Roxas paused for a second.  He realized that Rikuyo was not coming up right away as he thought.  He thought he heard her shouting but it was muffled by the distance between them.  They were just sparing so he decided to wait for her.  Perhaps she realized his intentions and decided to go along with him.  In retrospect it was probably just a good idea to ask her anyway.

He maintained his battle stance, still focused and ready to move.

Rikuyo

"Man, that was a good warm-up" she said as she finally climbed the building, sweating a bit. Her opponent was already on guard, ready to meet her challenge. So she charged on without much hesitation. It might be a fun after all, as her sparring partner had superior reach with that blade. Who knew, maybe she would have to get more serious in order to win this battle. Jumping forward, she attempted to kick Roxas from above.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

That man had fallen to his powerful blow, but had managed to keep himself conscious. Commendable, but troublesome. Swiftly, he grabbed on the man's head, still enrobed with Vanguard's cape, and sent an electrical shock directly to him, enough to knock a man out. He wasn't going to take any chances with this.

Then, he tossed the man at the running woman. If she was going to take her time to deal with him, then Mordred could hopefully escape. That kick was strong, but he knew the extent of Mordred's
will. It wasn't enough to have her falter.

As the man was flung at the woman, he whipped his cane at her knee. A crashing blow hard enough to shatter bone.

[Kaze]

KARIN ZARAZA

Karin didn't hesitate in the slightest as her own partner was tossed her way. His body bounced right off of her and fell to the icy ground like a rag doll. A ranged strike came out to strike her in the kneecap, but the brutal brunette pushed off the ground, snow and stone crunching beneath her feet. She easily cleared the swipe from the cane and landed back on her feet, now directly in front of the armored man. With no reason to hold back, Karin twisted her hips and rammed her fist into the seam where the breastplate met leggings with titanic force, intending to smash straight through the armor to get at the man hiding beneath.

[Kat]

Mordred

The herb she ate at least helped alleviate the pain, but that wasn't sufficient to mend things like broken ribs. However, the last night she got battered up Goblin Fruits from that Trod patched up her nicely. But even if she stood up right now, she had no much chance against that brute. Not the current her. She had the will, but lacked the strength. Still, there were things she could do.

As her enemy was preoccupied with Vanguard, she gorged on her leftover Goblin Fruits. Her body would still be injured, but worst of her wounds healed. She could have tried to escape, but if Vanguard failed here the enemy could catch up with her. She could at least provide distraction with right timing if odds tipped in favor of that woman.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

That woman was quite skilled, to evade like that. Vanguard would have almost commended her for managing to break trough his vessel. Almost. Truth be told, he was expecting something from her at the very least.

But a measly blow like that was nothing more than an infant's to him. He did not even budge or flinch as her fist crashed trough his body. Instead, he grabbed onto her arm, gripping it so tightly it looked as if he would tear it off.

"Did you really think you could do something with those tiny fists of yours?" he growled with an absolutely calm voice.

"Even if you could do something-"

As soon as he said that, he moved his arm back, his fist clenching. The earth seemed to tremble for an instant, and he roared.

"YOU COULDN'T DO IT AGAINST ME!"

Faster than a storm and mightier than a deadly gale, his furious fist came crashing down on her face.

[Knick]

Rebeca

Rebeca just looked at the gift in shock. It was… it was beautiful. She has never seen something that shade of red. And the way it flowed in the glass, the way it did not stain or stick to it. It was almost as if someone melted down the most brilliant gem in the world.

And this girl was giving it to Rebeca, just because she wanted to get to know her better, just because this Caedia wanted to get to know her.

“I-I can’t accept something like that… it’s too much.” Rebeca couldn’t take her eye off the object though, even as she said that. She was blocking off almost everything else. That’s how much it has enraptured her.

“But… if you want to be friends, I would like that.” Rebeca finally was able to meet the other girl’s eyes, and gave her a beautiful smile.

[SINIB]

Irisviel von Einzbern

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked Irisviel with concern. Iri, after waiting a moment more, responded. "I'll tell you in a bit, hold on. I-I want to get away from here first. I'll tell you everything as soon as we get to my home."

Without any further ado, Irisviel took hold of the steering wheel and floored it, embracing the calming feeling of being pushed against the seat as she sped up. After a short leisurely drive down the road at 90 kph, she finally caught sight of her castle.

"We're here!" She told Sakura as she decelerated slowly for the sake of her passengers who she doubted would have liked what she normally did.

"So what'do you think?" She asked Sakura.