Cross Effects 3.0 - June 23, 2016—April 02, 2018

[Aiden]

Muramasa Katase

The demon sword registered the damage to its current shell as the debris buried them and halted her advance. An influx of energy from the blade gave her a surge of strength with which to repair herself and escape from the pile, returning to her feet. The dragon's absence was noted, as was the sheer amount of dust everywhere.

how filthy

And now some human was whimpering and whining behind her, it noted with a quick glance over the shoulder. "Leave. Now." Murderous pinpoints of crimson light shining through the eye holes of her helmet ten regarded this interloper for a moment more, the equivalent of a double-take. Wait, this wasn't a human at all. Now it had to split its shell's attention between this new potential threat and the dragon. Lovely.

[Thedoctor]

William

The dark mage turned around, his interest seemingly grabbed by something else in this strange lab. He turned his back to Vanguard as if he didn't care what the man would do. Was this arrogance or was it something else?

"You do realize I could kill you any time I so desired. You're hardly what you'd call an enemy you'd regret making. Oh I'm sorry, have you gotten so old that you can't even see what's infront of you anymore?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

Kill me? This one speaks of things he cannot understand, even less do. How funny.

"Of course I can, all I see is a pathetic little babe drunk on power. But I digress, there is no pleasure in beating children, even less one as insolent as you. Besides, you are already doing it for me. It is a shame you were not born a little more deformed, a circus might put such foolishness to use. If that was the case your life might just have some modicum of worth."

He chuckled and mocked the mage with his eyes. If one had nothing intelligent or worthwhile to say, one should stay silent.


Methuselah

Scary...so scary. For a second the great warrior glared at him, and he could feel his legs give in a little. Crap, this was bad. Honestly, after seeing something like that he wouldn't mind doing as he said. Leave, go home and watch tv again. To hell with it, he'd rather sit through decades of CSI reruns than have to deal with that. But just as he was about to turn away, the dark god noticed something.

Yet another skull for the mighty throne.

Was that... a body? And burned, how awful! The sight was enough to make him sick, that was right. If there were innocents involved, there's no way he could let such a thing unfold again. That poor person, surely it didn't deserve such a fate. Only a god of scum would be able to run away, tail between legs, and watch television after such a thing. Swallowing his fear, the Dark god took a hesitant but ultimately resolved step towards the samurai.

"No. Let me assist you, this monster is too dangerous to be left free. I can't do much in a fight, but I can at least do this." He said, partially fearful. But he couldn't let the fear hold him back, if this went on any further many more could die. He had a duty to stop it, far more important than any job. After all, he made a promise didn't he?

With a final step, he held out a hand towards the warrior as the ground sundered beneath waves of darkness, cracking through the concrete imposingly.

[yinsukin]

Relius Clover

He is stalling.  No its something more...  Relius thought to himself as he continued to work.  He was going back and forth between installing new equipment and fixing minor injuries.  For the most part, Vanguard was rebuilt enough to battle if he needed to.

"Willam.  I am growing tired of your games.  Cut to the chase or I shall do it for you.  I told you before, there is much work to be done."  He announced, moving one hand into his cape.   

[Cherry Lover]

Sakura

Sakura smiled back at the Count as she pondered her answer. It was certainly true that she used her magic in battle, but whether she would describe herself as a "sorcerer" she wasn't so sure.

"I am a magus, yes, although it is not the only method of fighting I am capable of", she said, politely, a smile on her face. "In fact, my magic is especially attuned for use against spiritual entities."

[SINIB]

Oka Kurosawa

As Jin turned around to scold her, he would be able to see that she had already popped one in her mouth and was chowing down on one of them, a delighted expression on her face. Wormy had come in too, and seemed be be enjoying it even more than her, going by the sounds he was making and how his body was shaking.

"Sorry, I guess I should have known you wouldn't like hot stuff. My brother always called me weird." Oka said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"They've cooled off now though, so please, try one." Oka said in a sweet, soothing, apologetic voice. "I'm sure you'll like it."

[SINIB]

IRON=SAKURA

Sakura brought her hand to her mouth and giggled at Breeze's enthusiasm. "You certainly have your priorities straightened out, don't you? Your mind runs on one track, and that track happens to be cute girls, right?"

"So um. Do you really think I'm cute, then?" Sakura asked, suddenly blushing and looking away.

Auspicious Breeze

The former gladiator blinked at the question, wondering what a 'track' was here but kinda getting it. Cute girls were important, so she concentrated on cute girls and helping them be safe and happy. It was just kinda how things were! Speaking of which...

"Of course I do! You've got these great eyes, and this long purple hair, and you look curvy and sweet but there's a bunch of hard stuff under there making you strong and cool too!" Auspicious Breeze nodded to herself while counting them off on her fingers. "So you're definitely super cute."

IRON=SAKURA

"Oh, um... Thanks... I guess." Sakura said awkwardly, averting her eyes. She'd never really considered herself cute, really. She didn't really see how any man would consider a several-ton superhuman monstrosity like herself cute. Other than Tager, but her dad didn't really count. He was even bigger and more ridiculous than her, after all. She could get cool, maybe, but cute?

Tears began to stream out of her eyes, and she didn't understand why.

[SINIB]

Rider

Rider sighed. She knew Sakura was hiding something, but Rider knew she didn't want to talk about it, and pressing her likely wouldn't help. So, instead, she just nodded.

"OK", she said, smiling. "Now, where should we go to eat?"

Sakura Matou

"Uhhhh, I don't know!" Sakura said to her, reflexively swapping back to German now that she was alone with Rider. "We could just wander around until we find someplace that looks delicious! And exercising is good for the body!" 

[Thedoctor]

William

"This is no game."

The air felt frozen at his words. Then the dark mage slowly turned around. It was like time itself was compressed as he turned. A heart beat and another one passed as he was still turning. They say time itself slows to a crawl right before you die. Could that be what was happening? Could something so extraordinary truly be happening right before them?

The eternal instant finally came to an end as the dark mage completed the turn. No more words were spoken. No words were necessary. His clouded eyes spoke for themselves.

   

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

----!!

The air bit Vanguard with a cruel chill at the command of the mage's words. No, it was more appropriate to say it was the words themselves that caused such a chill. Everything seemed to move slowly as if time was about to stop. He had perhaps miscalculated, a lion or a sheep did not make a difference. After all, whatever stood in front of him was not merely playing.

It was neither expected nor planned, but it seemed that the mage had shown traces of his true colors. Even as he grew more aware of the beating of his own heart, Vanguard remained as still as a mountain. He could count this as a victory, although to think a child would remind him of fear. Ridiculous, it was not only absurd but impossible.

It wasn't his mind or spirit that feared that boy, but his own heart, beating with the sole desire to live. His body had already proven to be a meddlesome thing, even annoying at times. But such involuntary reflexes were vital for his plans. 

But the words reminded him that one needs to be careful. He could not die, nor would he consider being killed a loss. But for the sake of his victory, he could not and would not fall. Because he was an ideal, and ideals may never die. Even if he fell here, there would always be another Vanguard.

Perhaps he was not the first, but he had vowed to be the last. This never ending chain that spiraled down, just how many tugs would it take until it broke? Thinking of that, he smiled peacefully and nodded.

"Yes, you are right. Then what is it that you want of me?"

[Panda]

Michael

The fight had provided at least a modicum of entertainment for the immortal, even as they moved into an abandoned house. Though he was tempted to follow as Rikuyo left, Michael decided that there would always be another chance to meet her later and remained where he was. Barely holding back a laugh as Oren literally flushed herself down the toilet, if the noises he was hearing from there were any indication, Michael couldn't help an approving grin as Oren finally shifted into that dragon form she'd used against him earlier.

The damage to the dilapidated building proved to be too much, however, an entire side of the structure crumbling to provide a better view of the action. Of course, Oren quickly submerged herself once more, leaving sword girl waiting. The immortal stood up to stretch a bit, only to catch a new voice. Turning his attention back to the fight, Michael spotted a strange figure who seemed like he was shrouded in darkness. Or perhaps he just looked dark? It was insignificant either way. Of greater importance, however, was the fact that he was apparently trying to interfere in the fight again. The immortal couldn't sense any manner of killer instinct from the man, allowing a sigh as he realized that this was probably some naive fool who would probably watch his footsteps so as to not step on any ants, at least under normal circumstances.

Hm. Another potential player, though the chances are too small to offer serious consideration. At this point, a nuisance who's going to get himself cut down at this rate.

Allowing a sigh, the immortal took a moment to gather himself before honing his focus. For most, the distance between his current vantage point and an ideal spot between swordgirl and newface would be a number of steps he couldn't be bothered to count. For Michael, however, it was a different case altogether, skill that defied all precepts of logic allowing him to reduce the distance to nothing more than a single step, landing on one knee as the street under his feet cracked under the force of his landing.

Drawing himself up to his full height, the immortal turned his gaze upon the man, staff already in his hands as his gaze bore into the bloody seas of the other man's eyes. Having shown himself, the immortal decided to stop concealing his presence, letting some of his own killing instinct, honed to a razor's edge by more battles than he could count, seep out. If nothing else, it would provide at least some insight into the man if he could gauge the newface's reaction.

"You would be better served in leaving," the immortal said sternly, "This battle is between those two alone."

[Umbra of Chaos]

Lucy

Hmm? What was- oh. The only thing worse than a hobo was an undead, burning, grabby hobo. Didn't they have laws against this? She mumbled something incoherent as Mammon indulgently patted her head. Then the demon simply began speaking directly to the skeleton's mind.

"I'm afraid that if you don't let go of my hair I'll have to call the authorities." Mammon soon followed the head patting with a light massage. Ever so slowly the demon relaxed the building headache in her master's head, something that Lucy was rather thankful for.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Lorenzo Remei

If he had paid a little more attention to the girl, he'd have noticed she didn't open her mouth to speak to him. Sadly he didn't, but it didn't stop him from hearing her loud and clear.

"Aye, sure thing princess." He  chuckled with a burning skeletal grin, and being a man of honor he complied and let go of her hair. Suddenly, he sat with no warning or permission on the bench they were occupying, pushing her chest down the seat with the crushing weight of a keg of ale.

As he made place for his butt, he took advantage of his position to wrap an arm around the rich looking lass and crossed his legs as aloof and relaxed as a sailor can be. Yo-ho-ho!

"Soooooooo, what's up?"

[Aiden]

Muramasa Katase

This... creature was somehow deluded, but also clearly dangerous. The way the environment suffered by his very presence was alarming, and his statements about not being useful in a fight fell on a suspicious mind. Katase moved its shell back a step to a potentially safer distance, and held its blade out in a threatening posture. "What are you even propose-"

She did not have time to complete the sentence. Another, more distant cracking sound alerted her to an addition to the scene. Yet another interloper had appeared, and this one was dangerous in a more subtle way. This one was a warrior, the kind who did not need to take a stance in order to be ready to dispose of a threat - or serve as one.

how did we miss this?

How long had he been there?

[Umbra of Chaos]

Lucy

From Lucy's back a set of small unseen hands emerged and inaudibly snapped their fingers. Suddenly the skeleton heard the sounds of bones cracking. There was a yelp of terrible pain from the girl as her ribs began to cave in and Mammon took that moment to widen her eyes and try to shove the skeleton off.