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

[Kat]

Mordred

"If by willing participation you mean getting roped into what you have done to Corbin, then no, I will pass. I don't want to show up in Dateline." Mordred snarked, obviously unwilling to accept any arrangement like that. Over her dead body! Still with a frown on her face, she accepted the bottle from Corbin. "You too don't fall for it. Even if she needs energy, she is not an adult. Children shouldn't do such scandalous things."

[SINIB]

Sakura Matou

"It's not part of healing, we were transferring prana. Because of what happened in our grail war, he needs regular injections of prana or else he'll revert to being a blob of flesh. she thought at Jeanne, blushing, but still maintaining a straight face. She wiped her lips with her sleeve, and turned to face Jeanne. "You want to meet Archer, don't you? I'll introduce you to him." She said, standing back up and pulling Shirou up with her, walking towards the kitchen, sure she had it right.

[SINIB]

Shirou Emiya

Shirou nodded at Sakura, and blushed the same way that she had, following behind her as she walked to the kitchen.

[yinsukin]

Relius Clover

"Sounds like we have a deal."  The puppeteer responded politely.

[YOLF]

The priest nodded solemnly. "Indeed, that is a troublesome conundrum."

Darcy needed to think for a while. He pondered on his options and what he could do. Well, fighting was already out of the window, but if he could use this to his advantage...

He suddenly lit up and smiled, as if the priest had a sudden revelation by god.

"Oh! I might have a solution my good sir." He declared brightly with a warm friendly smile. What a nice priest.

General Drakkallion

He roared in surprise and antecipation, making his weapon ring as he pulled it back then drove the blade further into the hard street.

"UUOOOH! You do?" Drakkallion asked, enthused and pleased at the fortunate turn of circumstances. What a helpful and convenient mortal. "Inform me at once!"

[Thedoctor]

Shinobu

Shinobu kept pressing the scalpel against the poor doctor for a moment before suddenly lashing out with her other hand, hitting him hard enough to knock him out. While still holding the scalpel in her hand she searched the room until she found some bandages, she then walked over to where Medaka was lying on the floor and kneeled next to her.

The vampire wrapped the arm that had been infected first, to stop any bleeding, she then leaned over the blue haired girl and tended to any major wound in order. "Can you hear me Medaka?" Shinobu asked her.

[Panda]

Michael

In spite of himself, the immortal couldn't help cracking a grin at the sight before him. The woman's embarrassment at the affectionate gesture really just topped things off. Truly, there were some moments that ought not be interrupted, when you just wanted time to slow to a halt so that the moment could be savored to the fullest-

Michael's train of thought was cut off rather sharply when his own stomach made its demands known rather audibly.

...May the infinite hells of the Divines torment the source of this interruption for eternity for the sins it has wroug- Wait no, I need my stomach to eat. Ah well, absolution for its sins it is, then.

The immortal did his best to look confused about the source of the aforementioned interruption in the meanwhile.

[The Man With All The Cute Boats]

Sakagami Kenzo

Kenzo muttered under his breath, as if to engrave the name into his mind. "Arufa Brodduedji..."

The oni smiled. He liked her, and he liked the name. It was very pretty, which suited her well. A drink was finally presented to him, which he accepted gladly. With one full swing he chugged down more than half of the glass before slamming the glass down and letting out a relieved sigh.

"Sakagami Kenzo. I've been here for, um... I think it's been about forty-three days?"

His russet eyes analyzed the shiro shoujo with absolute attention, piercing every nook and cranny of her body as if to understand something. He seemed confused about something, or curious.

"You're not a human Arufa, are you?"

Alpha the bloodedge

Forty three days. The words carried with them the power of heavy consideration for Alpha. If he'd been here this long and managed to, well, manage, he must have had help. Then again, by his scruffiness, he could have been squatting for all she knew.

She was about to ask him when he bluntly asked his next question.

"Geez, what is with today and that topic," she grumbled, scratching her hair. "Look, I don't care what I am in your eyes. To me, I act human, I get hungry like a human, and I get pissed like a human. I'm a human no matter which way I see it."

She chugged her drink in a single go, abandoning her idea of questioning him. She just wasn't in the mood anymore.

"So, unless you had a reason for bothering me, I'm going to go," She said, getting off of her seat with her hands on her hips in a way that screamed 'well, out with it'.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Darcy Hugh

Darcy blinked, every part of his body showing but awe before the massive creature. Smiling gently, he stepped in lightly only for his lip to approach Drakallion’s to-be ear, and that despite their awkward size difference to say the least. Shirou’s assessment was absolutely correct, he was at ease, almost terrifyingly so.

For this was his one, true and only talent. Prying into the hearts of others, he could produce countless identities, acts for any situation: faces that induce affection, shadows that provoke resentment and clowns that incite belittlement. Mind control was already one of the strong suits of the clergy.

Drakallion was but a weathercock, reading his actions and emotions was hardly more intricate than inhaling and exhaling air for the holy man. For a man who carried so many different names contradicting in nature, what else could you call such a man but the devil?

“What if, and I mean hypothetically, someone was to intrude into this castle and threaten its foundations, only to be stopped by the mighty and all powerful general Drakallion? As long as we keep others from stealing the spotlight, this could be your chance to shine. Naturally, this would only be pretending, an act. No one would actually endanger this place and its lord, but they don’t know that. To your master, you would be the great hero who fought valiantly and saved the day. Do you catch my drift, pal?” He spoke softly, his whisper of a genuinely helpful tone as cheerful as a friend can be.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alarice

The tree growth only being a suit was immensely comforting to the Chosen for a variety of reasons. First of all a blast of fire wouldn't completely annihilate him if she used it and it also meant that there was probably something human under all that wood. The foolishness of a silly man were much less frightening than that of some alien tree being that might not be acting. 

The noble followed her lord to a room that emanated energy. In fact, as she walked in to stand on hot rock and sand she could taste the mana. The twisting energy formatted and controlled was molded in every way that screamed Greyskull. "I am well aware of your excellent handiwork, Lord Greyskull. It would be remiss of me as your vassal to not know your works on sight. Now, how would you prefer that we begin this spar?"


Numina

Eventually the cultist was certain they had lost the fox girl but she wasn't going to let them stop until she could smell the salt breeze in the air. Even in the cold weather she was working up far too much sweat than she would have liked to as she ran alongside her youngest child. Her breath was short and she was sure that if she was anyone else her chest would feel painfully tight and her feet would be burning but she really didn't care about that or what anyone who saw them running thought.

Time and events started to blur together and her head almost felt like it was pounding but after a few wet tearing sounds that issue seemingly vanished. Her gaze refocused and she could see the ocean, and she was never so glad to see a giant mass of salty liquid more in her entire life than now. Numina fell to her knees and finally relaxed as the scaled humanoid ran right past her and charged into the water.

It took to the water with natural grace as its mother finally began to realise how disgusting she was. Her clothes were drenched in unhealthy amounts of sweat and they stuck to her skin like stubborn leeches. The redhead took a few cursory looks around just to make sure the area was abandoned enough before peeling off her clothes and hanging the garments on the bent back of a palm tree.

Numina took a few tentative steps towards the grasp of the tide and almost recoiled at the chill of the water but instead ran forward. After all the fire and constant running she just wanted to get a little colder and slow down. It was almost relaxing as she got used to the temperature. Or she was growing numb. It didn't really matter in the long run.

How long had it been since she'd done anything like this? Maybe three or four years ago? She was sure that she had done it a few more times after that but the retreat on the islands by the west coast was her most vivid memory. That time before they were fully initiated and any true responsibility had fallen onto their shoulders. It made her almost nostalgic. No one wanted to kill her, or murder her babies, or rip her children out of her womb, or interrogate her, or convert her back then. Those were simpler, easier times. It was only when she thought back on things like that did she begin to remember why some people would oppose what she could offer.

She had already lost sight of her child but she was sure it was close so she drifted farther out without much concern. It was only when she was submerged up to her neck that she returned to thinking about the encounter. Numina couldn't really say that the fox girl's reaction was inherently wrong. What the New Flesh offered wasn't something that most could really understand, and reactions like that weren't uncommon. She was sure that if she meditated and looked within her faith could show her a reason why such resistance was wrong but she clung to her doubt. There was still something more comforting to her about oceans of grey instead of white and black. She couldn't really tell if that was a failing or a success on her part.

But she was jostled out of those thoughts by a clawed hand tugging on her leg. The cultist looked down to see her child staring up at her from the water with pitch black eyes. A screech from underwater could be heard easily b her and she simply nodded. With violent motions hands tore into her abdomen and clouded the water with grey blood as the scaled being harvested substance to begin growing the New Flesh in whatever way it could.

As it finished up and swam away the redhead's guts and flaps skins came alive and grew hooks to pull themselves together. Wherever more tissue was needed it burst out of black cysts that developed along the inside of her body along with squirming mouths that greedily drank up the salt water that had gotten in. However, despite all of this, a faint smile creeped over Numina's mouth as her child vanished from view. She supposed she could be comfortable with some absolutes. It didn't really matter if the halfbreed mongrel was wrong or not. She threatened her children, and if the Ascendant ever got the chance she would attach her to the body of a new mother and let the wretch transform over centuries. She would watch her world crumble around her and grow to love it.

Numina let out a calming sigh and closed her eyes. She really needed this break from everything. It was very, very helpful.

[Cherry Lover]

Rider

Rider smiled as the waitress accepted the girl's presumably-fake ID and returned it to her, not failing to notice the sweet girl's happiness at the acceptance. With her drink and food order taken, Oka addressed Rider again.

"Mhm. He used to be a cute little larvesta, but then he evolved into a cute big Volcarona", she said.

Evolved? Rider thought, confused, as Dante responded to her, questioning her taste in pizza toppings.

"What do you mean, evolved?" Rider asked, curiously.

Then, she turned to Dante with a smirk.

"Really, I don't see any debate. Olives are delicious", she said.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Sakagami Kenzo

No.

A chilled shiver ran down Kenzo’s body. He didn’t want this. He didn’t wish for any of this. He had just wanted to connect with her, to talk to someone. But just as he was about to reach her, she slipped away just like everyone else. No matter what commandment he’d use, he could not in the end form a bond. Not even with her.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

The oni’s voice was shaking, his eyes began to water. It was much like a child who had just been yelled at by his mother for a reason he did not understand. He begged, but it was already too late.

« I… I didn’t…I just…I’ll do anything…I’ll…”

And suddenly, something in his eyes snapped. Deep down, he knew the truth, he always had. Sakagami Kenzo was a strange being, one who was many things. But he was not stupid. Deep down, he had always known the truth, he had only chosen to be blind to it, to ignore it and walk away.

What Alpha had said and done was far from extreme, but it was the culminations of years after years of suffering. The straw that broke the camel's back.

He knew that look fully well. The look that Alpha gave him, the same that Oka gave him, the only look anyone ever gave him. He was quite familiar with those eyes. Fear, disgust, hate, annoyance, impatience, dislike, anger… he knew those all too well. He could see through their excuses and petty lies, through their disgusting deceit.

Humans were such ugly, petty, deceitful creatures...

He had simply chosen to smile and shrug it off to make the pain go away. He knew that, and he knew that nothing would change. Seasons change, tastes change, but people… people never change. He wouldn’t change, because Kenzo was Kenzo and humans were humans. The two were mutually exclusive.

One could only be what one was; therefore the fact that Kenzo could never be human was only logical. But deep down, he had hoped that somehow, anyhow, things would change. That at least someone, ANYONE would accept him.

That was why he had endured this humiliation all this time, of living all alone in an universe where he wasn’t even alive. The demon giggled like it was a funny joke, but his heart was only bleeding. That is, if a wretch like him had a heart to begin with.

[Elf]

Rin

Geeze, who does this bitch think she is, lecturing me like that? Rin thought, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly at the other woman.

"And no one cares.  See," Rin gestured to the people already staring to walk away, pointedly ignoring them.  "This place . . . it's rules are completely different.  Hell, I'm pretty sure there aren't any real 'rules' and more like 'guidelines'."

She then turned to Garou and answered, "Rin, Rin Tohsaka." 

After living three years in England, it was starting to become old hat to give her given name before her family name.


Corbin

"Well, I wasn't going to volunteer myself; after a while that would become dangerous for me and possibly the person who's sucking on me," Corbin said with a shrug, "Maybe someone her own age or someone who sells their juju when it suits them."

[yinsukin]

Medaka Kurokami

Still lying down on the floor, Medaka was ripped out of her unconscious state by the feeling of something sharp puncturing her skin.  When she lifted her eyelids, it revealed a world distorted and blurry.  She could lightly make out a yellow form next to a whitish one.  For a moment, there were two large figures in front of the yellow one, coupled with incomprehensible screaming.  Then, one of the large figures either vanished or teleported, Medaka couldn't tell.  Then, the yellow form began guiding the white forms movements, or at least thats what it looked like.  The white form then disintegrated or perhaps teleported to the ground.  She blinked and the yellow form appeared before her.

"Can you hear me Medaka?"  Called out a familiar voice. 

Shinobu!

As that thought exploded into her mind, Medaka used her body control to force her brain to make sense of the stimuli.  Within moments, the blur cleared, revealing the gentle white skin and vibrant yellow eyes of the vampire.

"Yes.  I can hear you.  I think I am alright now.  What happened?"

[Kat]

Julius

Again, there seemed to be no one other than the child there. If it was an inn, then her parents must have been away or something was amiss. This young girl spoke like she was a bit confused what to do. It would be rude of him to question her what happened here. But if he were to guess, maybe she were practising fencing with some relative. She held a sword, she was not bleeding and her clothes bore sings of cuts. Surely whomever she fought with held back against her. But if that was the case, her relatives were now away, and the girl before him looked somewhat lost about what to do. Children usually helped their parents run such establishments, so maybe she was recently entrusted to her relatives? If she was an orphan then he'd better not ask her about her parents, certainly that would open wounds.

"Ah, then I found the right place." The nobleman answered the question. This sounded like a calm place where he could collect his thoughts without tumbling down a cliff again. And the girl was all left alone. No way he would leave anyone alone in such wilderness. He reached for his pouched filled with golden coins and presented it to the girl, smiling: "Will that be adequate, young lady?" People who cared about money might have scoffed at his display of generosity, but he feeled like patronising this establishment. He doubted many visitors have graced this inn with their presence given its remote location, so he bet they were more in need of money than he was.