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

[Lycodrake]

Just

He turned to the man… no the entire group of three. “It would be best if you were to leave. We are going to begin checking out structures to see where it is safe to go, it would be best if no one was in our way.” He told them, his voice stern and gold. Gone was the nice old man from eirler, who was relax and at ease, and before them now stood the leader of the Guard of the Saint.

Gintoki

"Let's go guys. If they don't want to tell us anything, it's their business, I'm not in a mood for arguing more. I'll buy you parfait or whatever."

Sarse

"Before we go, please answer me this. May I trust you, Just?" He asked, looking straight into the man's eyes.

Than'Sanel, Selesnyan Planeswalker

"Do as you will, Gintoki."

His annoyance at Gintoki was set aside the moment the half-elf heard that Just, Kern, and the other men under their command could be walking into structurally unsound buildings - or so he intuited. While no architect, he had worked for some in a plane-wide city near his Guild, and he trusted his elementals in their common desire to protect life.

"If I may interrupt you for but a moment, Sarse, I would like to point out to Sir Just and Sir Kern that I may be able to assist if they and their men are in danger."  He made sure to only suggest, not demand, this. "While only one use for them, I can offer the assistance of plant elementals that would act as temporary pillars and supports for these structures - if you would have them."

[Knick]

Just

Just saw the man tell his group they are leaving, and so Just turned his attention back to his guard and began to issue orders.

Then a voice called out and interrupted him, it was Sarse. "Before we go, please answer me this. May I trust you, Just?" He asked, looking into his eyes as Just craned his head to look at him.

Just stared at him for a moment before chuckling, “I don’t know, can you?” He replied.

To ask someone if they can trust them… that was a foolish thing, only you can decide if you trust someone. To simply ask someone that question shows your lack of trust in your own judgement.

This leads to questioning oneself, which leads to regret, which lead to misery.

“Only you can figure out who you trust, and I recommend you figure it out for yourself, and soon. There are dangerous things in the city that would certainly love to gain and use that trust against you.”

He then looked that the odd man, that walked with him, the obviously not human one. “And no, we do not require your… help. My guardsmen are more than capable, I should know, I trained them.” He stated, refusing his offer.

[YOLF]

Sarse

"I see," Sarse responded simply. Just was correct. More so, his words rang true, at least from his own perspective. Only you could determine who you trusted. But that was precisely why he had asked.

The angel smiled politely, and said, "I believe in paying trust forward. My inquiry is not from doubt in my own judgement. It is part of it. Yours is a right answer, so for now I am satisfied." And so he turned around and began to walk, before stopping to look back at the aged man. "At this time, I wish you luck and I hope I will be able to trust you based on your actions."

Content, he walked off.

[SINIB]

Sakura

Risky? Sakura was confused. How exactly was it risky? All mages, well, all mages from her universe, utilized the mana of the air. Right? That's what she'd thought anyway.

Well whatever. I'll ask Faust to teach her how later.

With the issue resolved, she got down to business, picking up the broken plates and repairing them slowly.

"Nee-san—did I show you your room yet?" Sakura awkwardly asked, trying to switch topics away from magic. She didn't want to talk too much about magic, after all.

[Panda]

Seras

The vampire shrugged as well as she could manage with one arm, though the shadow-mass appendage managed a decent imitation.

"'Course not," Seras said simply, "First you tried to stab me after I picked you up, then that bugger in the middle of the whole mess blinded both of us. Not surprising that you didn't get a decent look at me, honestly."

[Elf]

Rin

"Nee-san—did I show you your room yet?"

Rin shook her head and said, "No, not yet.  We've been kind of busy with stuff."  She smiled as she tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and rose to her feet.

Shirou said, "Sakura, why don't you show her around?  I can finish cleaning up here and when you two get back, maybe the three of us could start cooking."


Abigail

Abby tugged on Law's hand and said, "Maybe we should get inside so we can take Mr. Crumblebottom out before those gangsters come running.  Corbie, you'll help the nice people, right?"

"Shiny!" was the crow's eager reply as he kept tugging at Lancer's earring.

Abigail nodded and said, "I'll take that as a yes, come on, Law."  Then she started to drag him to her town house.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Abigail

Abby tugged on Law's hand and said, "Maybe we should get inside so we can take Mr. Crumblebottom out before those gangsters come running.  Corbie, you'll help the nice people, right?"

"Shiny!" was the crow's eager reply as he kept tugging at Lancer's earring.

Abigail nodded and said, "I'll take that as a yes, come on, Law."  Then she started to drag him to her town house.

There was a moment of silent shock before Law followed her in, clutching her hand tightly like a life line. It certainly drew him out of his sudden realization as he hung around the place - there was a haunt nearby. Some time in the distant past, a death had been violent, or sympathetic enough, to create a link from the underworld into reality. There could even be an Avernian Gate somewhere around here if he poked around. Not in the same building likely, but close.

"I'm coming," He grumbled, following the Changeling towards her apartment.

[Kaze]

EMIYA SHIROU

It was like observing a train wreck in progress. It’s horrible and hurts to look at, but you must keep watching. Which is exactly what Emiya Shirou did until Mia turned to pout at Caster, declaring that it was “her turn,” the shift in conversation snapping him out of his horrified trance.

“Mia, I’ll tell you about dragons and lizards when we get to the hotel. For now let Caster and Shendu talk,” he said, praying to whatever deities may be listening that she heeded him. He had no idea who Shendu was and what he was after, but he was clearly someone they did not want to upset.


AKIHOLARME

Aki stopped rifling through another unfortunate sucker’s bag upon hearing Crest roar, crying out in agony. She whirled to see him up against a locker, begging no one in particular to make it stop. she took two steps closer to him before she noticed Rebeca.

The girl was standing completely still, eyes unfocused, but that wasn’t what had caught the last dragonborn’s eye. Wisps of something black were radiating off of her, something she couldn’t identify. It was clearly supernatural, probably some kind of magic, but nothing like she had ever seen before. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, she suddenly collapsed to the ground in a heap.

“Rebeca!” Aki called out in surprise, rushing to the girl’s side. She pushed her onto her back and, upon determining that she was still breathing, held one hand just above her chest and closed her eyes, concentrating her magicka. A soft gold-white glow surrounded the outstretched hand, then spread across Rebeca’s entire body, the healing spell searching for any internal damage to repair.

[SINIB]

Sakura

"Well, Senpai...if you're sure..." Sakura told him after a short discussion. "Make sure not to throw the pieces away though, we can fix them!" Sakura leaned forward and put herself right in his face. "Got it?" She said very seriously. After he nodded, she turned back to Rin.

"All right, it's this way!" She proclaimed cheerfully, leading the way.

[Elf]

Rin

Shirou nodded with a smile that made Rin's chest a little tight as he said to his lover, "Of course I'm sure.  You and Tohsaka need to get caught up, and I won't throw the pieces away."

Rin followed Sakura out of the kitchen and caught up with her, lacing her arm with the other girl's.  Had Sakura not been so depressed before her arrival, Rin would have teased her about getting the best room in the house.  Instead she quietly held her sister's arm, lightly patting it from time to time.


Abigail

Abigail opened the door, and immediately a brown and white English Bulldog came waddling towards them at a brisk pace.  His tongue was lolling out of is mouth as he looked like he smiled up at his master before skidding to a stop in front of her.  She bent down and began to rub his soft fur as he gently chewed on the fingers of her left hand.

"Hey Baby, did you miss me?  Did you miss me, Crumbles?  Come on, let's get you out side so you can take a giant dump on Mrs. Ratchet's petunias again," Abigail cooed at the dog before looking at Law.

"This is my baby, Mr. Crumplebottom."  Crumplebottom wallowed over to Law, wiggling in his eagerness to be petted.

[Kaze]

KOTOMINE KIREI

As the weird ball of fuzz shrank within the tentacle’s grip, yet increased in weight by several magnitudes, Kotomine’s eyes widened in an expression of mild surprise. He yearned to know what the creature was, what made it tick, but alas, now was not the time. It saddened him, but there were more important and pressing matters to attend to.

Suddenly, the crumbling earth gave way beneath the now miniscule fuzzblob, dropping it into a pit several meters deep. With a few quick lashes from some of the larger tentacles, the sides of the hole shattered inward and almost completely filled up the pit with cold, soil. With any luck, it would suffocate before it managed to get out.

His opponent effectively buried alive, the tentacles withdrew back into the earth as the man in priestly robes turned to survey the situation. The boy throwing around fire before wasn’t anywhere to be found, perhaps having been killed and joining the multitude of corpses littering yard. Instead, the Halloweeners had turned on each other, wildly shooting at anything that moved in sheer panic. One particularly undisciplined human nearly grazed the priest’s ear with a spray of bullets, but a quick glare had him turning on his heel and sprinting around a corner.

He really should have put forward the effort to invest in more professional mercenaries.

Kotomine briskly strode past the madness going on around him, the last of the gang doing a fine job of finishing themselves off, and made his way over to the facility entrance. He effortlessly tore the doors off their hinges and went inside. It was long past time he found what he was here for, there was still much work to do this night.

[YOLF]

Tar

Henry grumbled as he was bodily picked up by Noel like a sack of potatoes. The unchained registered that internal sensation of budding irritation again, and stored it away, shooting Mata a withering gaze as Henry. Warning her, 'not one word about this'.

The bloodlust of the rats had dispersed for the time, and the larger monster that stood in their way had been utterly destroyed, giving them an avenue of action. And while he desperately wanted to leave, it was true Saber and Lancelot were still there and they couldn't just leave them.

The detective lowered his gun, but kept it ready as he looked up at Noel, one hand covering his stigmatized cheek. "Hurry it up," he said. A frown formed over his face, down his brows, and his mouth set itself in a thin line. "There's a lot of things I want to ask you later."

They zoomed back inside the sewers, floating through the progressively darker passages they had run by in silence. Henry kept his light pointed in their path, looking out for any other enemies. As they turned deeper inside to follow the path of their lost companions, the demon felt his sixth sense wane. A roar echoed through the passages with an intensity that seemed to shake the walls. Noel speed up at that instant, and Henry once more accessed the occult pathways of the world with his mind.

When they turned the corner, they were met with a thunderous crash and a savage scream. Raw, undiscriminating hostility sent a shock through Tar's aethetic mind and Henry Barthow's composure as they saw Lancelot in the throes of rage, busting through a wall to reveal Saber and a multitude of monstrous critters.

He cursed out, "Motherfucker!"

[Panda]

Adjutor

As Adjutor watched, the tentacles holding the fluffball pushed down further as a rift in the earth beneath it gave way, dropping it out of sight before the new pit promptly caved in on itself, burying everything within. With that out of the way, the priest made for the facility that served as Adjutor's vantage point, seemingly oblivious to the carnage around him aside from a near miss from one of the gangers.

Xarrest?

Of course.

Adjutor looked around a bit before spotting a door marked tower access. Making his way over, the teen opens the door to a blast of hot air strong enough to loosen his grip on the door. The wind subsides after a moment, allowing Adjutor to look in to find himself staring at the furnace itself, its flames substantially reduced by the Fire Elemental feeding on it. The sight quickly dissuades the teen from climbing down, as even if he didn't cook on the way down he'd be quite exposed upon exiting the chimney.

Frowning under the armor, Adjutor shuts the door and decides on a more direct route. Slipping into his own shadow, Adjutor lets himself fall for a bit grabbing onto what looks like the shadow of a cat-walk and pulling himself up onto it. By now, Xarrest has managed to discard Fire in favor of Sound-proofing.

Ready?

And waiting.

Muttering the Focus Word, Adjutor slips out of the shadow...and has to reach out for the cat-walk, grabbing one of the railings as he falls past the structure.

Damned Blast Furnace. Of course the shadows wouldn't be over the actual cat-walk in this light.

Quickly pulling himself up, Adjutor scans the facility for the priest before managing to spot him, having just torn the doors off their hinges to get in.

Calling for Rahab, Adjutor settles into his vantage point, moving back along the catwalk into a darker section as he watches the priest.

[yinsukin]

Medaka

Medaka looked down as she searched her memories of the incident.  Her memories were hazy and filled with sadness and conflict, much liker her own psychological state.  She tried to start from the beginning in order to organize her thoughts.  Then, she looked the officer in the eyes and began her tale.

"It all started at the police station.  Lorenzo and I were actually being questioned about another indecent that happened earlier today, when the interrogator offered Lorenzo a job."  She said honestly.  She turned her head to the side, searching her mind for more information.

She didn't want him to go then.  She was scared she would no longer be able to protect him, to be there for him.

"We were actually talking about the idea when this strange black substance appeared.  It ate up everything in sight.  We....."  She continued before trailing off.  She had forgotten about something important, or rather someone important.  She slammed her hands on the table and stood up, her face filled with horror and vulnerability.

"GUTS!" Medaka screamed  Guts was in the building before it....  Oh no."  She said before trailing off.  Her expression intensified.  Tears rolled down her cheeks as she slowly descended back into her seat and sat there, crying silently.   

[SINIB]

Irisviel

"I-don't think that's a good idea, Sakura. I don't know how things work where you come from, but there are some extremely strong things here, that it is a bad idea to tangle with. We should let the police handle it and go eat, ok?" She tried to talk to Sakura, completely ignoring Toe's comment.