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

[Kotomine_Rin]

Darcy Hugh

Darcy picked a cigarette from his pack absentmindedly and lit it. He inhaled the smoke, savouring every moment of it. Then, he turned to the girl Mitsuba.

"What makes you say that?"

[Kat]

Mitsuba

"She has nightly schedule and rumors say that certain supernaturals are not too photogenic. Are you sure she's not a one?" Honestly, the picture could have been just too shitty in quality, but she still tried to bait D'Arcy into confirming or debunking her 'theory'.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Darcy Hugh

Darcy fiddled a bit with his lighter before answering.

"Oi, oi. Don't be stupid! Everyone knows vampires aren't real. They're just kids stories, just like goblins, faeries and narwhals. The picture's just shitty. Didn't think you were into that whole superstitious mumbo jumbo."

[Kat]

Mitsuba

"But narwhals do exist. Go check a library if your memory or education is faulty." She caustically remarked, smile not disappearing from her face. "And maybe I didn't mean vampires, maybe you just revealed what is your target. Maybe you're not most devout looking, but a priest who hunts vampires certainly is not something too out of place. Oh, come on, just admit it."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Darcy Hugh

The priest shook his head and looked genuinely confused at the girl, as if expecting a punchline to a joke that never came.

"I have no idea what you could be talking about." He said simply. "I just have to deliver something, that's it. Don't believe me?"

[Aiden]

Annabeth

The Hunter watched as Ron puzzled over how to make do with the position of both of them in the bathtub, ending up taking so long over it that he ended up having to turn the water off before it overflowed. A frown made its way onto her face as her patience grew thin before she simply grabbed him and pulled him in with her, his back leaning up against her chest as she leaned him back against her with a giggle. Resting her head on his shoulder, she allowed a content sigh as she felt both the warmth of the water and the warm body next to her seeping into her.

"This work, Ron?" Annabeth mused, grabbing a nearby bottle of what she guessed was some sort of liquid soap and starting to rub it into Ron's back for a few moments before her hands started to trail over to his front almost absentmindedly.

Ron

"Hey!" he yelped out in momentary dismay, squirming in Annabeth's arms for a moment until his brain could catch up with the new position he was in. Then Ron felt her chin settle on his shoulder and began to settle down and relax in her arms. All the tension started to seep out of him as he took in the warmth and the quiet and the opportunity to actually approach the contentment that had been fleeting for him since his life started falling apart the other night.

He was about to answer the bounty hunter's question before his nose recognized the scent of the soap she was using. His brow furrowed. "Well, I normally wouldn't complain but... Anne, this is shampoo."

[Panda]

Annabeth

"A pretty girl rubbing you down, and all you can think about is whether the right bath product is being used?" Annabeth snapped in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment before starting to work the shampoo into Ron's hair instead, "You really are hopeless, aren't you?"

Feigning an exasperated sigh, the Hunter soon dipped her hands into the water, wiped them clean, and picked up a bar of soap, wondering how she'd missed it earlier. Armed with the soap, Annabeth went back to scrubbing Ron down as best she she could manage.

[Aiden]

Ron

"No," Ron said once Annabeth was done rubbing her fingers through his hair and soaping his head up, "but you fell for my ploy perfectly just now. Mwahahaaha."

He closed his eyes to avoid soapy retaliation to his face, still incredibly relaxed from the head rubbing and getting moreso with the everything else rubbing. He grabbed for what he knew even with his eyes closed was another, smaller and mostly used up bar of soap, and lowered his hand under the water to press it to Annabeth's leg by his side. He started to return the favor under there too.

[Panda]

Annabeth

Annabeth felt whatever weariness had gathered melting away in the warm bath, allowing a sigh as she felt Ron starting to work at one of her legs with some soap. After a while, though, a hint of mischief started to work its way into the Hunter's thoughts. Working her way around to his front, the Hunter thoroughly scrubbed down his chest before moving lower, fingers dancing teasingly across his belly before she continued scrubbing at whatever dirt she could find.

"It is just me or do you seem a bit...tense," Annabeth mused, hands dipping lower for brief moment before continuing.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Lumen

The Patchwork blinked in confusion a few times at the term 'vampire'. There were mutant humans that needed to drink blood? They could spread it like a disease? There was something really wrong with these people and this world. Walking corpses and mutant blood drinking humans.

"Wait, what? There are human leeches running around? How did that even get started?" There was no small amount of confusion in her tone. This was ridiculously strange. It wasn't impossible but it was so odd. What god would even make such a creature? It could be a curse but it seemed too harmless to be such a thing.


Numina

The cultist watched the two combatants depart and sighed. That was really disappointing. She threw her cup into the hole in frustration as an aching emptiness gnawed at her. Either of them would have been wonderful children. Now neither of them would.

Numina was distracted by the sudden ringing of her phone. She picked it up and answered, and the news she received quickly brought a smile to her face as she listened to the doctor on the other side of the phone. One of the ones she had talked to was finally ready. It was time to go to hospital.


The large, white building hadn't changed at all since Numina had last seen it. Some of the doctors and nurses still gave her an angry look when they thought she wasn't looking but they directed her to the room nonetheless. Magic had quickly invalidated the generic image of a hospital she supposed. Any smells were masked by spells and every used room had enchantments woven into the the walls, floor, and ceiling to project a myriad of illusions. In some she could see shimmering auroras and oceans of stars
The normal rooms were only seen in unoccupied areas or individuals that had such volatile and sudden issues that made any distraction at any time dangerous even for the medical professionals.

When she reached her destination and opened the blank, white door she knew she was in the right place. The room had been arranged back into its normal fashion and any personal touches had been removed due to the fact that the occupant would soon be leaving. He was around her own age but whatever sickness or curse he had contracted had devoured him from the inside out. The various treatments and procedures gave him a gaunt look that Numina supposed wouldn't look far different from that of a decaying husk.

Her voice was carefree and casual. As if what they were about to talk about was normal conversation. "So you've said your goodbyes? You won't recognise them after this. It's... better to get it done all at once."

"I have. I just need to know. Will I still be me?" There was a the slightest touch of fear, of doubt in his voice. A lingering thought that he had confessed to her many times before. It was expected, and it was also nothing more than a formality. None who had come this far and seen this much had ever refused in the end. She made sure of it.

Numina closed the distance between the two of them, pulled over a chair, and sat next to his bed. "You will in some ways and in others you won't. Some memories will be gone. Others probably won't seem as important anymore, but that vital core of your personality will still persist in some way. No matter how this ends the person you are will live on. Even if the perspective changes motivations, desires,  and even habits can remain. I didn't offer you another chance to destroy everything that you are."

She watched some of the unease flow out of him and he nodded. "Then we should get this over with. Before I get the chance to question myself again."

Numina smiled at the finality of the choice. It was a pure, honest smile. A smile that belonged to someone who had managed to save a life.

Then she began to take off her clothes. The sickly occupant watched but immediately shut his eyes as her skin began to shift hues. Her flesh twisted into dark and angry reds. Her eyes were swallowed by growing meat and replaced by solid black orbs that saw perfection. Hands devoured themselves and grew into sharp claws and a similar change came to her feet as well. The Maker reached down and ever so gently pushed the child against her. His flesh fused with her own and while it started with his head the rest of his body soon followed. The acceptance of it all made it so much more peaceful and comfortable for her.

In the end, all that was left of him was torn clothes. Numina gradually changed back to normal and put on her clothes but there was a subtle change to her. A slight roundness to her belly and a healthy glow that permeated her body. She never felt more content than she did like this. The cultist could already feel him squirming and growing inside and their mutual joy delighted her. This was what she lived for. This was why everything was worth it. Nothing in the world could make her more joyous than the wholeness of pregnancy. Of mother and child.

With almost palpable excitement Numina left the building and ventured back forth into the city. Right now, there was nothing that could ruin her day. Not even those potential children from before or those idiotic, judgemental doctors who didn't even try to understand what she had given those people. What they had given each other.

Regardless, Numina was in a good mood and the baby was in a good mood. There was nothing to be worried about. No issues or aching emptiness within. Just completeness. Although, she was rather hungry again. Maybe she would find another place to eat at. That sounded like an excellent idea, and the soft kicks of the child could be interpreted as nothing else but agreement.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Count Greyskull

The skeleton shook his head. It was odd, didn't everyone know what vampires were? Movies and books about them were quite abundant in his libraries.

"That's not quite it. Think of them more as revenants, once deceased beings who need to plunder the essence of the living to make it their own, mostly trough the consumption of the soul trough the blood. Some change and tamper with their body and soul to achieve such form, while others are turned by fellow vampires. There are few who believe it would grant them longer, eternal life, greater power and prosperity. They are wrong, and in the end it will only delay the inevitable."

For a moment, his tone was grave, solemn.

"Know this, no matter what you do, you cannot escape death, nor can you cheat it. There's no point in such things, it is much better to make use of what little time you have and live however you see fit, to appreciate every passing moment for what it is. Those who cannot even accomplish that do not deserve even an extra second." He said sternly.

[SINIB]

Oka

"Damn." Oka swore. She'd really been hoping he'd have had some booze. That would've been loads of fun. "Ah well." She said. "Well, it doesn't matter." Oka smiled shyly at Jin. "Carry me to the bed, Jin."

[SINIB]

Sakura Matou

It didn’t take long after the group bought Jeanne’s clothes for them to arrive at the food court and purchase food. They quickly got a table in the back corner, away from prying eyes and ears. “Jeanne, about what you’d need to defend against, you’ve heard about vampires, right? There are alot of them in the Nexus, and they’re always after you, all the time!” She whispered at Jeanne. “There are obviously other threats, too, but they’re the most diabolical of them.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I have... I have bug magic, basically. I’m really good at making familiars, and I have all sorts different kinds of them. I also have a magical shadow, that I can store things in and cut things with.” She smiled at Jeanne. “What about you?”

[Lycodrake]

Lycodrake Aptera

He watched William leave, confused how and why the lady had disturbed the young man. He paid attention to her words, and felt loss at the lack of warmth from her flame. "I am glad to be capable of communicate with other species. Your points are well received, thank you for the advice. I can not say I know William well, for we have only traveled together less than a morning's time, but I think Nexus is a drastic change compared to his home world. Not that that excuses him from being passive aggressive." The wingless one shook his head. He knew a being that treated passive aggressiveness as natural interaction, and it had never helped.

The wave of heat washed over him and he was certain, were he able, he would have purred in contentment. Warmth was a comfort he preferred to not live without. He settled for sitting down and wrapping his tail somewhat around a leg, unashamed that the tip was swaying as though in time with a lullaby "Ah, yes, that would make sense. If Nexus truly is a managerie of worlds drawn together, then the information in any library would be limited at best. I had not thought of it like that, thank you for that insight."

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

AKATSUKI

With a deft pop, the cap to a milk bottle came off, and Akatsuki quickly chugged the milk. By keeping up this ritual, no doubt she'd obtain the same kind of body as Nagato.

The bottle finished, she breathed out in a manner most undignified, and yet traditional for the post-bath ritual of the naval base. She went to the finely woven basket that was holding her clothes, her rigging equipment sitting next to it, and started getting changed.

She's just finished putting on her skirt when she heard it. A scream, a shout, a howl the which she'd never heard before, a sound filled with anguish and fear.

She hastened to put on her clothes and most importantly, her rigging. The gloves came onto her hands and were activated instantly, sending a slight shock through her body and making a bit of hair slightly raise on its own.

Then, she start running to the source of the noise. As she did, she heard the floor crack under her through the sheer force and weight of every one of her steps.

Her sonar led her to a room, to which she quickly slammed open the sliding door. She was greeted a bloody sight, a massive spray of blood covering the walls, and in the middle of it, Kenzo, sobbing and trying to force two halves of a body back together.

Her first reaction was to activate her searchlight, and look around the room to make sure they were alone. She inched towards Kenzo, keeping alert and with an expression that hid her surprise and fear.

"Kenzo, are you alright?" She asked, gently putting a hand on his shoulder, after deactivating its glove.