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

[Aiden]

Annabeth

The Hunter considered that little complication for a moment, closing up her aura nodes and going into Zetsu to speed up her recovery.

"Well, probably some place that's nice and open, but without windows," Annabeth said, "Maybe a warehouse or something. As for the problem of the moon...hmm..."

The Hunter took a few moments to consider the problem, thinking back to when Ron had first seen-

"Ah!" she perked up as realization struck, "Well, the moon only affected you when you saw it, right? So what if you were blindfolded?"

Ron

"Well, I can think of a few places along the waterfront," Ron said, frowning in thought as he leaned back in the tub a little more. That's when Annabeth made her suggestion. "But as for the moon- wait, what? A blindfold?!"

Bewilderment definitely showed on his face. "Uh, how am I even supposed to see where I'm going with a blindfold on?"

[Elf]

Forest

"Ah, well, we were talking about why that perfume was horrid," Forest said with a chuckle.

Then she straightened to her full height and held out her hand.  She was thankful she did a touch-up on her nails a couple of nights before and that the metallic plum polish wasn't overly chipped.  The sheathed blade he was wearing didn't escape her notice either.  So she canted her head with a smile.

"Still, it's nice to meet someone who knows his stuff about make-up and carries a broadsword."

[Cherry Lover]

Rider

Rider watched on with a smile as Shirou lifted Sakura off the floor, giving her a piggy-back, before asking her where to go with a smile. She was glad to see Shirou looking out for Sakura, as always, an opinion Jeanne seemingly shared, judging by her response. Sakura, too, seemed happy, giggling and smiling as she pointed them towards where they could find a map.

Rider, having nothing useful to add, simply followed after Sakura, basking in the happiness of everyone around her, especially her beloved master. Whilst she certainly was trying to cheer Sakura up, she was also genuinely happy to be here with her, and her spirits were certainly high, something that would probably be somewhat noticable in the way she walked and in the genuine smile on her face.

[Aiden]

Forest

"Ah, well, we were talking about why that perfume was horrid," Forest said with a chuckle.

Then she straightened to her full height and held out her hand.  She was thankful she did a touch-up on her nails a couple of nights before and that the metallic plum polish wasn't overly chipped.  The sheathed blade he was wearing didn't escape her notice either.  So she canted her head with a smile.

"Still, it's nice to meet someone who knows is stuff about make-up and carries a broadsword."

Gadreel

The exile smiled back to Forest and wrapped her hand in a firm grip by human standards, nodding his head to her words. "You are the first person to comment on my sword since I got to this city," he said in amusement. "It is as if everyone were determined not to notice such things."

Her hand was certainly not covered in the typical smooth skin of a modern teenage or young adult woman. This one was either quite the laborer, or knew her way around a weapon herself! She dealt well with the grip, on top of it all.

"I find it a little foolish that there are some who find the two interests incompatible in a man."

[Elf]

Forest

Well, he has a grip on him, she thought as he shook her hand.  It wasn't the macho-posturing bullshit grip that other vampires, humans, or other various supernatural creatures would try on her.  It was just a firm handshake, maybe a bit testing so she returned the gesture with the same amount of pressure he was giving.

Her smile widened when he smiled back at her and replied in an amused tone.

Is he flirting?  I think he's flirting.  Bloody hell, what do I do?  I mean, flirt back yes, because broadswords and makeup and very tall redheaded man who would most likely be a tasty treat and Lord and Lady I am so out of practice at this.  And considering that grip he probably knows how to handle himself in a fight.  Please don't be gay.  Or at least please find neurotic vampire girls attractive.

She shrugged, smirked and said, "That's the sad part about Nexus.  There are a lot of people who don't want to acknowledge what they're actually seeing unless it tries to eat their face, but that's . . . That's a rant for another time.  Frankly, it's refreshing to talk to a guy who knows what I'm talking about when I start gushing about Urban Decay's newest eye shadow palate or if I start waxing poetically about a Dane Axe."

[Aiden]

Gadreel

"Well, your appreciation for the brand is sensible given your color preferences," he conceded with a knowing nod. "They seem, pardon my word choice, positively addicted to variations on purple."

Dane axe? Now where had the angel heard of that before? Danes he obviously knew, he had met more than his fair share of such men when he followed the routes of the Varangians in reverse with much interest centuries back. But that specific designation for a axe... perhaps that was what she meant?

At this point Gadreel released her hand, and then with a curious expression on his face held his arms out as if attempting to demonstrate the length of such a weapon. "About this long, flat head, curves rather elegantly at the edge, and could double as a butcher's implement? Popular among Norse and Irish mercenaries back before Europe finally discovered how to implement gunpowder? If so, yes, I know Dane Axes."

He found himself grinning, and lowered his arms before he looked like a fool.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Numina

Relentlessly, the child pushed and clawed at the boundaries imposed upon it. Numina's abdomen shifted and stretched grotesquely and the sound of breaking bones and tearing flesh could be heard, yet she remained asleep. Asleep even as baby made itself heard. A hymn of words like daggers against the mind and rasping noises that were both disorienting and unsettling.  The gentle, joyful cry of her newborn as it reached the final stretch of its birth.

[Elf]

Forest

"Yeah, but they haven't come up with a good purple lipstick.  Apparently it's a pigment thing; a lot of purple lipsticks are streaky or too in the blue or pink spectrum," Forest said with a grin as he let go of her hand.  "Funnily enough, one of the best lavender lipsticks I've ever bought was from NYX . . ."

Somehow, her smile grew as he began to talk about the Dane Axe, even using gestures to describe it.  She nodded and said, "Pretty much right on the head, even though the 'Irish" mercs who used them were actually Scots, but they used an Irish name so . . . and a good chunk of the Scottish population was of Irish decent anyway.  Not to mention they had great reach, weren't overly expensive to make, and were downright nasty in a fight if the wielder knew what she was doing."

She laughed, shaking her head as she felt a rush of nostalgia for "the Good Ole Days".

[Aiden]

Forest

"Yeah, but they haven't come up with a good purple lipstick.  Apparently it's a pigment thing; a lot of purple lipsticks are streaky or too in the blue or pink spectrum," Forest said with a grin as he let go of her hand.  "Funnily enough, one of the best lavender lipsticks I've ever bought was from NYX . . ."

Somehow, her smile grew as he began to talk about the Dane Axe, even using gestures to describe it.  She nodded and said, "Pretty much right on the head, even though the 'Irish" mercs who used them were actually Scots, but they used an Irish name so . . . and a good chunk of the Scottish population was of Irish decent anyway.  Not to mention they had great reach, weren't overly expensive to make, and were downright nasty in a fight if the wielder knew what she was doing."

She laughed, shaking her head as she felt a rush of nostalgia for "the Good Ole Days".

"Thus, they were in fact Irish," Gadreel concluded as if she had just proven his point. "And probably a little Norse. They sowed their oats across every shore they found, for certain... oh, I'm being unfair. Everyone who ever visited another shore did."

He shook his head to dismiss the tangent from his mind. "So, Forest, is there much cause in these parts for needing to know what one is doing? I mean, aside from typical concerns about criminals and children wishing they were criminals because they saw the wrong set of films and their parents need a good smacking about."

[Elf]

Forest

"And sometimes they stayed on the shores they found," Forest said with a shake of her head, thinking about the father she never got to meet.

She sighed at his question.  Going right into, "Hey supernatural is real and wants to eat your face!" wasn't exactly the best idea considering Oka.

Yet this guy carries around a broadsword and knows historical facts, almost as if he lived them, she thought before folding her arms around herself.  She answered, "Well, Nexus City isn't exactly wholesome and good by any stretch of the world.  If Gotham City and Sunnydale could shag and have a baby, it would be this place.  And if you don't understand that reference, I'll start by saying there's some really unsavory elements here."

[Panda]

Annabeth

While his reaction wasn't entirely unexpected, his reasoning most certainly was. The Hunter stared back at him with a flat look.

"...I'm going to be leading you," Annabeth said, "I'm certain a few warehouses along the waterfront won't be too hard to miss. If it helps, I can carry you there."

[Aiden]

Forest

"And sometimes they stayed on the shores they found," Forest said with a shake of her head, thinking about the father she never got to meet.

She sighed at his question.  Going right into, "Hey supernatural is real and wants to eat your face!" wasn't exactly the best idea considering Oka.

Yet this guy carries around a broadsword and knows historical facts, almost as if he lived them, she thought before folding her arms around herself.  She answered, "Well, Nexus City isn't exactly wholesome and good by any stretch of the world.  If Gotham City and Sunnydale could shag and have a baby, it would be this place.  And if you don't understand that reference, I'll start by saying there's some really unsavory elements here."

Gadreel

He tilted his head to the left a little, attempting quite sincerely to imagine what such a spawn would resemble. In the end Gadreel had to revert to a culture reference of his own - though a relevant one. "So what are you telling me is," he began by saying, "I am on the set of Batman versus Dracula."

His mirth slowly disappeared from his face. "You are being serious with me on this, yes? A land of dark sorcery, less dark sorcery, and monsters of dubious intent toward the people among us?"

Oh, they must be making the lady at the counter uncomfortable by this point.

[Elf]

Forest

Okay . . . lots of bonus points for making a Batman vs Dracula reference.  He can speak Geek!

"That would be the Cliff Notes version, yeah, except the 'Dracula' part is more prominent than the 'Batman' part.  Don't get me wrong, there are those who try to help but yeah, I am being quite serious.  Dark sorcery, parallel worlds, and monsters of dubious intent," Forest replied with a nod.

Indeed, the lady at the counter was pointedly ignoring them now.  She winched and said, "Maybe we should go somewhere else and talk about it, even though I gotta give you points for not saying I'm a raving looney and running away."

Had she been able, she would have been several shades of pink as she added, "Well, you're getting a lot of points all around but . . . never mind."

[Aiden]

Gadreel

"Then I find myself on familiar ground. How fortunate," the exile said, sighing after the fact. "Yes, let us go somewhere else and you can tell me about where I'm making points and where I need improvement."

His smile returned, a touch more subdued than before.

"Food court, then? I admit, I haven't had something to eat in ... much too long. I will not have much of a preference at the moment, I'm sure."

[Aiden]

Annabeth

While his reaction wasn't entirely unexpected, his reasoning most certainly was. The Hunter stared back at him with a flat look.

"...I'm going to be leading you," Annabeth said, "I'm certain a few warehouses along the waterfront won't be too hard to miss. If it helps, I can carry you there."

Ron

"I can do without the carrying," Ron insists a little forcefully. "But... ugh, maybe I should turn into a wolf for that? At least then I can use my ears and nose."

Of course, it completely escaped Ron's attention that this would give her an excuse to make this even more entertaining for herself.

"... so now, or later?"