Cross Effects 3.0 - November 16, 2014—April 13, 2015

[Panda]

Cole

Of all the things Cole had been prepared for when he'd woken up this morning, being sent flying by a fish was not one of them. After a few miles, the Conduit found his journey rudely interrupted by a house. Thankfully, the exterior wasn't brick.

Crashing in through a wall, the Conduit lay there for a moment slipping in and out of consciousness as the world spun around him. All things aside, that hurt like that one time he got distracted and ended up taking a train to the face.

Come on...Gotta be a power line around here somewhere...

Fumbling around for a moment, Cole soon felt the familiar shape of an outlet under his hand. Deciding his didn't feel like hunting around for a screwdriver, the Conduit took a deep breath to collect himself, then reared back and punched straight through the drywall, finding the powerlines within. No sooner had he wrapped his hand around them did the electricity start draining into him, rejuvenating the Conduit as his accelerated healing was briefly overcharged. He held on until he couldn't feel the steady hum of electricity buzzing through the wires any more before extricating his fist from the wall and shaking the drywall loose. A well-placed bolt makes short work of the lock, and after a quick look around the outside, Cole soon finds a manhole. Lifting the cover off, the Conduit slides into the manhole, falling for a moment before he lands in the sewers.

Okay then, now let's get out of here.

With that, Cole makes his way through the sewers, putting as much distance between himself and that scene of carnage as he can.


Guts

With that mess out of the way, Guts simply continues along his way, still stewing about the mess he's personally dreading having to clean up while he does his best to forget about that stupid kid from last night.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

"So you are not from here either?" asked Vangard. Yes, there was no mistake, Caster had definetely involved himself with this woman. If possible, he wanted to find out more.

[Kat]

Vanguard

"So you are not from here either?" asked Vangard. Yes, there was no mistake, Caster had definetely involved himself with this woman. If possible, he wanted to find out more.

Mordred

"Yup, I guess there are many who got lost like me and ended up here. I'm lucky that I claimed my own apartment, it must suck to be a hobo here. Though I'm no much different, I had to spend last night in a desolate building because I couldn't afford going back to my home" she sighed. She wanted to forget as soon as she could the events of last night.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

"Yes, most definetely. Still, this city has it's share of oddities, some more pleasant than elsewhere I'd say." Vanguard nodded.

"If you mind, and forgive me for snooping, have you encountered a man who went by the name of Caster?"

[Kat]

"Yes, most definetely. Still, this city has it's share of oddities, some more pleasant than elsewhere I'd say." Vanguard nodded.

"If you mind, and forgive me for snooping, have you encountered a man who went by the name of Caster?"

Mordred

Caster? Wasn't that by chance Faust? She remembered something about Servant classes, and logically Faust would fit that class most. However, could that man be a Servant too, perhaps trying to pick a fight under pretext of continuing this Holy whatever War? Suspicious!

"You know, you haven't introduced yourself. Even if knew somebody called like that, I would not tell a complete stranger whose name I don't know." she retorted. If she failed to hide she knows Caster, she could at least learn under what name this man went.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

"Oh, you are most definitely right. Excuse me for this poor behavior of mine..."  He muttered while taking an apologetic bow.

"My name is Vanguard. Wether you wish to tell me your name or not, It does not matter either way. Now that you know of my identity, speak. What do you know of that man?"

[Umbra of Chaos]

Aisha

The First Mother glanced over to the younger woman who had spoke again."Apologies are useless. The conversation served no purpose other than to answer his question and so I could rebuke him for his foolishness, and that was finished by the time you began to speak."

Her gaze shifted to the burns on the Child's arm and her trusty dagger appeared in her hand once more. She held her hand out over one of the girl's arms as the edge of the blade bit into her palm and whit blood flowed freely. Once the first arm was healed she moved onto the other one.


Caedia

The monster hunter was lost in thought for a few seconds. If her bow was no longer usable for the foreseeable future then she would need to make sure her other tools were still usable. As she left the house she held out her right hand and purple lightning danced across her palm. Then it leaped from one hand to the other before she pulled her hands apart and the wild energy was confined into the shape of a whip.

She could feel the tiredness creeping into her bones as she stopped at the entrance of the house and experimentally swung the whip a few times. It flowed from her hand like an extension of her arm and Caedia was rather glad she hadn't become too rusty with her spells. It had been a while since she had used any magick other than her bow.

With a breath dismissed the whip and didn't even make a sound as bolts of lightning fell from the sky near her and left black burns in the earth. The strain on her stamina was gone and she felt exhilarated despite her loss. She hadn't climbed a beast for quite some time. If she got the chance to she had no doubt it would be just as enjoyable as the first time.

With that in mind she simply gestured towards her compatriot to follow her and began to walk. At that moment the Arisen would have killed for a map.


Mata Boyd

It was unsurprising to the sewer worker that today was going to be terrible. That's because most days usually were. The sewers of most cities were bad but they paled in comparison to the disgusting cesspit that was the sewers of the Nexus. The smell was bad enough but the fact that monsters found the dark and dank pleasing made the place increasingly dangerous.

She had spent the last hour crushing a few abnormally fast creatures. They almost looked like rats if it weren't for the fact that they lacked any fur and had grayish pink skin. There was also the part where their teeth were filled with razor sharp teeth. Oh, she had a good guess on what exactly they were but there Mata doubted that she would get into any trouble by squishing a few of them.

Regardless, now she was occupied with inspecting a large crack in the wall that was a little troubling. She would probably need to get that fixed later. Before she could give this any further thought she was broken out of her thoughts by the loud sound of footsteps echoing in the sewers. She tightened her gas mask and smoothed out the creases in her confining, grey uniform before turning around.

Then she shone her flashlight on the stranger who almost looked like a vampire. Or at least some guy who had been locked in a basement for a few years. That skin was too pale to be considered normal. "Who the hell are you?"


Destroyer Shadowkhan

The warped creatures reacted instantly. The ones in front transformed their arms into blunt clubs and smashed the spears of water away while those in the back scrambled up the walls and began to speed across the walls towards their attacker. Then those still on the ground shifted their natural weapons into blades and sped towards the water user. They lacked any traditional formation but they were far enough from each other to avoid any larger attacks without them all getting crushed.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Tohuw Balagan

“Hehe, thank god I have plenty more.” The demon chuckled, licking his lips in delight. Yes, he had at the very least gotten himself out of this mess. A close call, really.

It’s truly a bad sign when a demon of all people thanks god. If demons are people at all that is (hint: they are not). But either way, the demon was now in a dark alleyway, away from these brutes.

He needed a break, he really did. But first of all, he needed to much on something. Human food was really something, but it wouldn’t be enough to quench his hunger. Souls on the other hand…

“Yes, I will get my collection out with utmost haste…”

The demon patted his pockets, expecting the touch of a familiarly shaped box he cherished so much. To his surprise, his pockets appeared to be empty.

“Aaaany moment now.”

Frantically, the demon searched trough every gap, every hole that his refined white clothes could posess. Instantly, his face twisted in sheer horror. It was a sheer heart attack.

“Any moment…”

Yes, no matter how hard he searched for, there was but one fact that stood. The demon understood this very well.

“No…”

His souls, the collection of a thousand souls he had spent his life collecting, a thousand souls of the utmost purity and quality he had earned. This collection, this work of a lifetime was simply… gone.

“No. Way. No way, no way no way no way no way no way no way no way nowaynowaynowaynowaynoway…”

By now, the demon was bawling uncontrollably, not unlike a child who had just been slapped copiously. Water streamed from his eyes like a waterfall, or a garden hose, or a toilet sink, or a shower, or rainfall, or whatever the hell you want to associate crying with. Clawing at the ground, the fabulously clothed demon cried.

[SINIB]

Irisviel

Irisviel laughed nervously at Saber’s discomfort at their reunion, somewhat confused. She smiled at her bright flushed cheeks. Then Saber asked her what Kiritsugu would think of this. Irisviel frowned. “Saber-Kiritsugu died over a decade ago.” She said to her, walking forward and touching her cheek. "Remember?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lorenzo Remei

“ Hey, I’m not foolish. I’m Lorenzo!” the pirate rebutted, poking the stranger’s forehead gently and giving Medaka a slight pat on the back.
 
“Well, complain all you want about what you want, I wasn’t going to let her stay in the cold like that. If I was dyin’, then so be it. A dead man doesn’t need clothes. But I’m alive now, so where is the need to gripe and moan about this? Besides…”

“I can manage just fine now, thank you very much.” Said, grinning all while taking hold of the woman’s brown haired head, and rubbing it playfully with a giggle, messing her hair a bit.

[Kat]

Mordred

"Vanguard? That's weirder name than mine. I guess this world seems to be fond of oddballs."

Mordred was not sure what to do. She could have lied to Vanguard, but she was not tricking people, contrary to stereotypes on her kind. Still, she did not know about Vanguard's intentions, so hoping he would not see through her, she lied after: "Nah, I don't know anyone going by that name. Sorry."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

“Don’t lie to me. I have spoken my name with sincerity, I expected better from you. You do no not make a suitable whelp who adepts to treacherous ways, so cease this foolishness.” said Vanguard with a dull echoing tone. He was now seemingly displeased, almost annoyed.

For one, her expression, while seemingly stoic, betrayed her for even a fraction of a second. Instincts did not lie, and her sudden change in voice and stance told him enough to tell she was being untruthful.

He did not take kindly to deceit, although he knew full well he was the last person who could complain of such a thing. 

“I know Caster has been with you, you have certainly at least seen him. His magical residues would certainly not deceive me, and I know how they resemble. If he has not revealed his name, he has at least cast a spell in your vicinity. I will ask once again, what do you know of that man? Do not make me repeat myself, would you kindly.”

[yinsukin]

Medaka

Medaka looked at the girl, who was now healing her with her own blood.  Her third degree burns on her arms were now healing.  Then she looked at Lorenzo, who was now playfully teasing the girl.  She stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt their conversation again.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Aisha

Aisha directed a smoldering glare at the hand that was playing with her hair. With a frown she reached over to Lorenzo and calmly ripped out a bit of his hair.

"Do not touch me. You were being foolish, Fool. If you had any desire to live then you would have held onto that coat until your last breath. You would have struggled to survive until the end. Instead you gave into the inevitable. If my shame in you was any greater I would be unable to look at you."

[Cherry Lover]

OOC: this is a retcon of http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,505.msg29391.html#msg29391. All subsequent posts by Rider, the Sakura she is contracted to (i.e. not my Sakura), Faust and Calico Shirou from that post to this one are also retconned.


Rider smiled as Sakura's lover tried to talk her down once more, pointing out that this Shirou could not be dissuaded. Unfortunately, though, Sakura simply frowned, and denied his right to live his own life.

Rider looked at Sakura sternly. Whilst she understood Sakura's protectiveness, Shirou was very stubborn. There was no way he would simply accept being told not to protect people. Further, she was highly confused. Her Sakura had never been this controlling, demanding or greedy. Of course she wanted Shirou to be safe, but she would never try to take control of his life in that manner.

Fortunately, though, as he left, the other Shirou responded affirmatively to her question about contact details, telling them that they could find him in the North Western area of the Nexus.

Hopefully that should calm her down a bit.

“Rider, go get him! Get him and bring him back!”

Or, maybe not....

Rider sighed, and looked in the direction of her obviously-insane master, clearly aghast at her decision.

What the hell is she thinking? Has she forgotten the other Shirou?

Still, as much as she knew this was a terrible idea, if Rider refused, Sakura would simply order Faust to do the job instead, and would likely lose trust in her. If she were Sakura's only servant, then Rider could perhaps refuse, take her home and talk some sense into her, but if she attempted that right now, Faust would act to "protect" his master, and she would lose any chance to help fix her obvious insanity, as well as putting her at further risk from whatever retribution might come.

Sakura, do you not need me to take the Shirou you love home as soon as possible? she asked her master, confused at her master's prioritisation of the Shirou she had no connection to over the one who she loved dearly.

Knowing that Sakura would not react well to any delay, even as she was asking, she moved towards the edge of the building, unenthusiastically but still somewhat quickly, jumping off and chasing after the white-haired Shirou. She caught up with him quickly, and spoke.

"I'm sorry, but Sakura is most insistent that you come back to hers, she won't take no for an answer. In the state she's in right now, I dare not argue with her, she'll just go even more insane. Could you please come back with me so we can straighten things out?" she said, politely.

This Shirou wasn't someone she had any particular love for, but she knew Sakura wanted him protected, and it would be much easier and faster if he were to just come willingly, and it would hopefully allow her to demonstrate to Sakura that he could keep himself safe.