Cross Effects 3.0 - October 21, 2015—June 23, 2016

[Panda]

Seras

Within the coffin of steel and dumplings, Seras could barely hear what Garou was going on about. However, she could clearly feel each impact of his fists with the ruined vehicle. An endless rain of blows that shattered and smashed the truck even further than it already was, before he leapt away all of a sudden.

Good god, are you finally-

And then the truck exploded, scattering the vampire's flesh every which way as the general area was consumed in an inferno.

And now we're on fucking fire!

Even worse, so are the dumplings.

Oh god, those could've fed a lot of people.

On the bright side, so are your clothes.

Oh bugger it all!

From the mass of the shadows that was all that was left of the vampire, buried beneath the burning ruin of steel and dumplings, a gloved hand popped out, soon followed by a Frenchman with a nice hat. Or at least his head and torso, anyway. Pip snatched up one of the dumplings that had survived the explosion, gave the charred snack a quick look-over, and popped it into his mouth.

"Not bad," he noted, "Bit on the crispy side, but what can you expect from such a violent chef?"

With that, he slipped back into the shadow, Seras already starting to reform from the constituent chunks, still buried beneath the rubble.

[Thedoctor]

Jeanne

The blond woman eventually let go of Sakura, apologising for her sudden hug. "I'm sorry mast-Sakura, You were just so cute and....oh no what am I saying." She stuttered out clearly embarrassed. Gathering herself she turned to Shirou whom she had regretfully ignored so far and spoke to him. "Your fiancé is really kind Shirou."

Taking a breath before continuing, now adressing both of them. "While I do appreciate your willingness to spend money on me Sakura, it doesn't really sit well with me if I can't give you something in return for it. I'd feel like I was living off of your charity."


Archer

"You must be imagining things Rin, probably a side effect from your lack of sleep." He told her while hiding the souflle behind his back.

[SINIB]

Shirou Emiya

Shirou was extremely surprised by the blond servant's outburst. He hadn't ever met someone this genuine before. She just seemed to let you know how she was feeling, right then and there, and without any false pretenses.

It was going to be nice to not have to deal reading through feelings and masks all the time, even if Sakura would most certainly continue trying to hide when she was feeling bad or angry from him.

He let out an inaudible sigh. Even if it annoyed him, he couldn't bring himself to hate it.

He smiled again. It's just who she is.

Eventually, Ruler let go of Sakura and began to embarrass herself, and from the looks of it, Sakura too, who appeared unsure of how to deal with her new servant. She then turned to Shirou with a regretful expression, and said, "Your fiancé is really kind Shirou."

Shirou smiled at the shorter women and nodded. "She's a really wonderful person, and it's one of the many reasons I fell in love with her."


Sakura Matou

Sakura blushed beet red when she heard Shirou's praise, looking down at the ground trying to hide a huge smile, only looking up because Jeanne began to prattle on about how she didn't deserve the clothes and charity Sakura was giving her.

Her face still flushed, Sakura seemed to twirl over to Shirou and wrapped her arms around him. "It's not really charity, Jeanne, although I would still buy you this anyway. You're going to protect me, and more importantly, Shirou, right?" Shirou stiffened for a split second at her assertion of him being more important, but just as quickly relaxed, after only an instant. "That's worth more than any sum of money to me, and on top of that we're friends! This is the absolute least I can do for you! You deserve so much more for the service you're rendering to me!"

[Umbra of Chaos]

Numina

The redhead had been wandering the area for quite a bit before stumbling upon the fight. Earth had been torn asunder and fire littered the earth as she found her seat on a parked car and tried to watch the speeding figures as she ate noodles from a cup. It was a bit spicy and probably too salty to be healthy for any normal human but it was still tasty despite being unhealthy.

From what little Numina could make out both were strong, fast, and durable. They would be excellent children if one was left to die and she could save them. She was interrupted from her thinking when the male crushed the blonde with a vehicle and as a dumpling flew from the scene into her now empty cup with wet thud she was rather certain it was time to make sure the other one wasn't dead.

Numina speared the dumpling with her chopsticks and placed the cup to the side. She took in the grey of the city, the red of the fire, and the blues that made up the sky before blinking. The moment her eyes had opened again the world had turned into a writhing thing of many colors. A bioluminescent organ shone bright and had taken the place of the sun and a thousand other chunks of flesh mirrored the physical world with its movements. She focused on the victor for a moment and the living universe lurched towards it and the terrible sound of Fate twisting and turning reverberated through her head before she blinked again and her vision returned to normal.

Now that things had been put into motion she began stuffing her face with the free dumpling and watched. If he was smart he would probably leave and she could check on what had happened to the girl. Hopefully she was alive enough to take in. It would be a shame if she died.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Garou XIII

Smells like dumplings...

Garou gazed at the hell of his own creation and scowled before growing into a sick grin.

"Tch. I should've said eat this instead. Damn shame, hehehe...hehehehahahaha! GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! I WON! That's right. It has now been proven that no monster or human can stand in my path!!! Absolute destruction is the only perfection possible, and thus, i am perfect!! You thought you stood a chance!? Don't make me LAUGH!! Beautiful, strong, fortunate, happy fodder like you is only fit to be crushed under my heel! What's that? CAN'T HEAR YOU DUMBASS!!"

The flames and smoke rose higher and higher, he clutched at his head trying to contain a mad howl, but he could not. He scratched his head, tearing at his skin and letting that sweet sensation come to him, to drag him to the heights of valhalla.

"Feels good...FEELS GOOD! HYAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!! INVINCIBLE!! UNBEATABLE!! IMMORTAL!!! Oh, what's that!? Wanna cry to mommy? Didn't put all your beliefs in it? Thought the power of friendship would help you win? Or was it justice!? Hopes, dreams, bonds, those happy little things you are all so damn proud of... IT MAKES ME SICK!! I'LL DESTROY THEM ALL!!! HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

[Panda]

Seras

As the man ranted and raved on, the truck continued to burn, his words seeming to not reach the being beneath. Suddenly, as the wheels of fate turned the wrong way, the discordant screeching echoing throughout. At that, the ground crumbled beneath them, sending them plummeting to a dark hole with the only light being the still-burning truck of dumplings, landing with a crash of steel and glass.

Suddenly, tendrils of shadow burst through the side of the truck, tearing a hole in it like the steel siding was no more than wet toilet paper. A figure climbed out of the hole that resulted, familiar yet not so, her form trailing faint shadows like wisps of mist. Landing soundlessly on the ground, the figure silhouetted by the flaming wreck behind her, all but her eyes cast in shadow. Scarlet eyes, outright glowing with bloodlust as they bored into Garou's own. What seemed like a glint of recognition shone in those eyes, just before a terrible smile, all jagged bone-white fangs, appeared on what could be presumed to be the shadow's face. Stray shadows floated behind the being, wreathing her in blood-tinged tendrils as she took one step forward, then another, then stopped.

"So you think yourself a monster?" the being said in a voice that was both Seras's and at the same time not quite, "I think I'll show you what a real monster is like."

With that, another eye opened up on the figure, still silhouetted by the burning wreckage behind her, then another, and another still, until the being's form was covered with eyes, which soon spread to the shadows behind her as well. The shadow itself spread around her, the ground itself soon sprouting eyes. And every last one of them was focused on Garou, watching for even the slightest move.

"Come, Garou," the creature called, "Show me what kind of monster you are!"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Garou XIII

Just as he was about to turn back and leave, the ground crumbled beneath his feet and opened like a crevice. He rubbed his head and groaned, annoyed by the sudden mood killer while crouching miserably, collecting himself. He had lost a lot of blood, he needed to get out of there. And then, he heard a noise.

"Ow, what the hell..."

His eyes turned to the fire. A blurry silhouette crossed over the flames, barely visible to his eyes. Something dark, malicious, far viler than even hell's underbelly crawled forth from the flames. A shadow darker than the darkest, blackest night, with eyes as red as a carnage filled battlefield, and teeth of a pure white as brilliant as the moon. It couldn't be, it shouldn't! Was he hallucinating? There was no way in hell anyone could have survived that, and yet she did! How? HOW!?

No. No! Nope, nope, NOPE! SO MUCH NOPE!

Stray shadows floated behind the being, wreathing her in blood-tinged tendrils as she took one step forward, then another, then stopped.

"So you think yourself a monster?" the being said in a voice that was both Seras's and at the same time not quite, "I think I'll show you what a real monster is like."

And for the first time since the beginning of this battle, Garou wore a different face. A face filled with fear. She couldn't be, there was no way! Vampires and immortals didn't exist! They were nothing but fiction, fucking fairy tales! And yet-

Yes, this had always been a fight of monsters, but Garou finally realized that it was not he who was the true monster. A monster far beyond his imagination, something dark, filthy and yet so beautiful. It pissed him off and yet he adored it. Without knowing, Garou had been subjected to an emotion quite like hate, but it was not.

It was love.

Garou murmured in shock, perhaps to himself, crimson tired eyes filled with awe and surrender. "What are you...?"

Her fierce eyes, her body, her soul, her being. He wanted it, he wanted it all. To consume, to adore, to destroy and to let it destroy him. Her brillant eyes shone with a light far more beautiful, far more deadly than anything he had ever seen.

"Come, Garou," the creature called, "Show me what kind of monster you are!"

Suddenly, something in his eyes changed. He gritted his teeth, clenched his hands and slowly rose. He walked towards her, slowly at first, before picking up the pace. Before he knew it, his heart was beating like a drum and he was running full speed at her, ready for his last stand.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

A human? A dog? A monster? No, she was something far more. Far more beautiful. As his readied fist approached her, he realized what he had been looking at all his time.

She was his death.

[Panda]

Annabeth

The Hunter watched with some interest as Ron shifted down to a human form, unable to help finding some amusement in how his human form was still quite scruffy.

"Good to hear," Annabeth noted, "So you can get used to the transformation, after all."

His next comment, however, drew a slight pout out of the Hunter.

"Not my fault my hips are numb," she huffed, crossing her arms under her chest, "...well, I suppose it kinda is..."

[Aiden]

Ron

The werewolf straightened up a bit at her response, a grin overtaking his face completely as he reached over and closed the bathroom door. Then he turned around and leaned over the bounty hunter so he could start running the bath.

"Let's be fair," Ron said with his breath by Annabeth's ear, turning the handle for the bath water to hot, "I'm at least half responsible for this."

[Panda]

Seras

As the being watched, something within Garou's eyes seemed to change, showing something that she hadn't seen until now.

Fear.

It wasn't long, however, before that fear was replaced by something else. Some mad glint that resembled hate but wasn't quite it. If her heart was capable of beating, the creature that wore Seras Victoria's skin would have no doubt that hers would be thundering in her naked chest, possibly beating in time with Garou's as he closed in. As the fist closed in, however, it wasn't the creature that moved. Instead, several hands shot up from the shadows beneath Garou, grabbing at his feet to slow him down just a little bit as Seras moved in with a punch of her own, aimed at Garou's midsection.

For the first time in a while, it wasn't the Seras Victoria that still clung to every last shred of humanity, the one that might have been embarrassed that the fight had completely obliterated her clothes, that was satisfied. Instead, it was the Draculina that was also her but not, at last finding a good fight for the first time in far too long, by that creature's own reckoning.

[Panda]

Annabeth

The Hunter couldn't help but feel her face starting to heat up as he leaned in closer, speaking into her ear as he turned the water on.

"That goes without saying," she shot back, reaching up with her free hand to rub at his ears in retaliation, "I wonder how you like your tub, though."

Offering him a little smile as she rested a hand on his back, Annabeth moved with suddenness and dexterity that contradicted her inebriated state, grabbing Ron, leaning back, and pulling them into the tub with that smile on her face the whole time, sighing as the hot water lapped at her sweat-soaked skin.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Numina

When she heard voices within the hole that had opened up to swallow both combatants Numina realised that they were still fighting. It was kind of ludicrous  at this point. The girl had already been reduced to a smear and the man had looked half dead from where she was watching. What was the point of fighting anymore?

The cultists had already tossed her cup to the ground and strolled towards the opening in the ground with the last piece of a dumpling in hand before crouching down to try and see what little she could. Did they fight for fun? For vengeance? For petty, moral concerns? How stupid. None of these reasons were worth it. Happiness, satisfaction, justification, all these things were useless to the dead.

As she finished off the last bit of her dumpling at the edge of the dark pit she supposed that it was a human quirk to fight for things that didn't matter, but that didn't mean she had to leave them like that. Maybe one of them would be left broken and bleeding in the end. Then she could show them what it truly meant to be happy

Almost unconsciously, her hand drifted down to her abdomen. How long had it been since she had a child? Weeks? It had already been far too long. She felt so empty without them. Purposeless. She couldn't keep her babies with her but perhaps she could have one of these fighters soon. The thought brought a calming smile to her face.

[NinjaQ]

William

While he too was appreciative of the warmth provided by the sphere of fire, yet he was bothered by two main things. The first being that for the time being, he was stuck as a bystander in this conversation for what appeared like it would be some time before either his traveling companion or this unknown being had their fill of correspondence as Aptera was the one with the information of where the library was. The second being this magic that was drawing his attention.
<You know, that could probably kill us.> That is what I have a problem with. Seeing how our magic does not even brush that level. It may be simply that whatever this is has more magic to spare. <You’re overthinking it. You said it yourself when we got here. Wasn’t it “The likelihood of us encountering someone who will help outweighs the risk of making an enemy”?> … No matter, it does us no good to stand by idly. <… Right.>
With that, William’s eyes drifted around the environment, looking around for something to occupy his time with. His eyes landed on what appeared to be a fairly normal restaurant.
<No.> Why not?
Before his other side could get its point in, he turned back towards the two in conversation. “If you will excuse me, I will be waiting in the restaurant over there. As for the present, I am slightly hungry.” He said, letting the simple lie leave his lips as if it was a fact. In truth, he rarely ate breakfast and would likely get hungry some time in the later evening. With that, he left to walk into the restaurant.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Garou XIII

Hundreds of arms suddenly burst from that shadow of hers, grabbing hold of him to stop his charge. He gritted his teeth, feeling the blood boil and fill up in his stomach, in his throat, in his mouth. At this moment, there was only one thought filling the recesses of his deranged mind. Not survival, not anger, not pain. His soul was filled with only one thing, the one thing he hated the most.

Only one thought.

I won't lose... I can't lose.... I won't lose anything ever again!!!

His heart was filled with DETERMINATION!!

"WRAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

And so he struggled, he fought, and even as the deadly fist approached he battled against the legion of limbs that brought him down, the same society that always brought him down. He would change this rotten world, he would destroy it and burn it down to the root if he had to, but he would not have it any longer. And he would be the most rotten, the most despicable of all if he had to. His weaken, battered, bloody body... he would walk all over it if he had to.

And in the end, just as her fist was about to pierce his body, he broke free, and struck her fist with his own, meeting her force with the entirety of his being and causing both limbs to explode in the impact. Immediately, his bloody leg shot like a bullet towards it's head, quite literally like a deadly spear.

[SINIB]

Oka Kurosawa

Oka ran back into the bathroom and quickly took her hair dyes out of the bag as if they were prizes she'd won at a carnival game.

"Now let's see! What to do, what to do..." Oka looked at her hair and began playing with it. "What should I make my new look?" Many hmms and haas later, she came to a decision.

"Allright. Lets do this."


About twenty minutes later, Oka emerged from the bathroom with a big smile, her hair triumphantly purple, with a single long lock dyed neon green on the side of her head. "Wow that hair dye is really really good." She ran up to Wormy and showed off her hair to him. "So, so, how does it look?"

Wormy

Wormy bobbed up and down excitedly, taking care not to mess anything up. That'd have been quite rude if he smashed a pot or something.