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

[Aiden]

Forest

"Around here there are people who you can't make forget.  The police have one on staff, a tiny blond thing," Forest said, clinching her fists at the thought of one Noel Vermilion.  "She's got immunity."

And I'm telling some random vampire I just met to stay away from a cop who's immune to mind powers.  For all I know he might have no moral compass.   Yet he's working with Petra.  He's also polite too, and not arrogant and full of himself.

She silently graded him, deciding he was somewhat dangerous when pushed, but not outright evil.  Anything else she'd have to find out by either interacting or observing him.  She did note he didn't say a word at her sudden viking behavior.

Liam

His eyebrows went up toward his hairline. Folk immune to memory wipes weren't any kind of good. "I'll keep an eye out for short blonde dames in uniform, then. Thanks for the intel."

This Forest was a helpful sort at least. Had a grudge, probably weren't the sort who liked authority in the first place, but was a little... humane still. Probably weren't all that old. Or was an amazing actress, throwing people off by acting a lot younger than she was. One of those.

"Well don't let us get in your way, Miss Forest. We're all here to break a few criminal knees and confiscate stuff, yeah? I'm pretty sure the fine law enforcement sorts can overlook taking a cut for yourself."

[Umbra of Chaos]

Erica

Red crept into the blue haired girl's cheeks. It was a nice, deep color that contrasted pleasantly with the rest of her appearance. She liked hearing her laugh. "For the most part my time has been spent well. I was recently cajoled by a man into spending most of money on food that would only last one meal. My funds have diminished significantly as a result." She glanced at her own cart which only had a loaf of bread and cheese.

"But I am incredibly glad that you are well."

[Aiden]

Lucy

"Well, I'd think you'd have something more to offer than just an apple. Surely you can try a bit harder than that?" She allowed herself to relax and simply rested her body against him as she waited a response. And she ever so gently squeezed his hand once or twice.

Gadreel

The exile, still somewhat exhausted from Lucy's earlier failed attempt to restore him to his true celestial glory, began to lay back on the couch. It was such a rare occasion that prompted this angel to feel tired in any sense other than emotional. He was beginning to have difficulty keeping his eyes open. "It supposedly worked when I allegedly tried it with Eve. Forgive me for... revisiting the classics."

He did not dissuade her from resting on top of him for now. She was so lightweight that Gadreel could scarcely feel her anyway.

[yinsukin]

Medaka Kurokami

The words of the mysterous man were starting to get to her.  Tears began to flow from her eyes, even as they remained passionate and strong.  It was unbelivably painful to talk to him.  Each sentience was like a wasp sting striking her heart.  It would have been easier to let him leave.  However....

Shinobu grabbed a hold of his hand as he left, her voice meek as she begged him not to leave.  Medaka's eyes widened with disbelief.  In the months that she has known the elder vampire, she has never seen her act so desperate. 

With a powerful stride, the young vampire walked up to the man and grabbed him by the same arm as the blond.  She gazed up words with that same look of raw passion.  This time, tears rolled down her face in a rapid stream.  "No that is not true. I still live, even after putting my life before others.  I have still found you, despite being the most powerless.  And most importantly, I managed to take on your pain without anyone getting hurt." 

She let go of his hand and walked in front of him.  "I do not really understand what you meant.  You say Theodore is dead, yet, you speak to me as though you know me as well as he did.  Are you another form of Toe?  Or are you a part of Theodore, something that remained from his 'death'?  Who are you?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

If an immortal who had witnessed eons of history could be as much as surprised, it would surely be something called an absurdity. And yet, it seemed he had met someone more absurd than reality. He didn't suspect, less understand, why the two of them would react so.

He did not understand why anyone, even less her, would cry for him. Even if he had seen her memories, the notion that anyone would shed even a tear for him was utterly alien. He did not understand why, but he knew that he felt that display of hers annoying. If this was trickery, he found it utterly distasteful.

Still, for some reason he could not refuse, so he stayed. He turned around and looked at Medaka casually, as if aloof and bored.

"Tohuw is Tohuw, Theodore is Theodore, I am me. Explaining to you is an exercise in futility, and besides it won't bring back what you lost. Let's just say I'm not so different from you. If it is closure you seek, know that you will never find it, nor will you ever confront the one you seek. You have your sins to bear, as do all."

Vanguard seemed sad for a second, but not quite. Perhaps it was more akin to disappointment, or perhaps he was simply annoyed. Either way, it did not matter to him. He smiled, but even if it was no different than before it seemed fake.

"I cannot bring back what you have lost. If you wish to reclaim it, you will have to do so with your own hands. Having someone else liberate you is unacceptable, what you lost is a product of your own choice. It is cowardly and selfish to expect others to save you from your predicament.  Just as how I had to kill him in order to reclaim what was mine, you must do the same to me. But you will not, because for as similar as we are there is one fatal difference between us. "

He turned cold distant, and upon the last word the cruel harshness of before returned, stronger than ever. It wasn't her, or the blonde one, or anyone in particular that was victim of such rage. Even that detestable Erica's insolence did not enrage him anymore. He said so himself, he was simply an angry man lashing out.

The one he was insulting, the one he was most furious against, had always been himself. Because there was only one sin he could never forgive.

"You are a good person, Kurokami. But goodness cannot save the dead, nor can it save you. A dog needs claws and teeth."

[yinsukin]

Joe

Joe sighed and said, "For the last time, we don't have beer.  This is a rental boat."  His voice sounded purposefully exhausted, like he railing on a younger sibling. Then, he turned to Rin and smiled.  "That actually sounds pretty interesting,"  he said in a more energetic voice.

[YOLF]

Methuselah

"I'm afraid that won't do, Rafalia. I do not need any riches, fame or intense joy, nor do I want to be subject to any deep despair. Temples, servants, battles, grandeur... the view from the peak has grown tiresome to me. No, that won't do at all."

For a moment, Methuselah smiled and looked at the clear sky.

"All I seek is to live a peaceful, quiet life, like a plant. A little happiness is more than enough for a little god like me, if I could find someone to belong to, to find somewhere to return to... that would be enough."

Rafalia Tredecim

"That's all?" Her voice strained, eyes fixed on his face. For an instant the starry void loomed over them, enclosing all feeling in darkness longer than the span of time and drowning all thought in the journey that would take to reach a single light. All he desired was something so measly and simple in the face of infinity? Something scratched inside Rafalia's head, and she blinked over her violet orbs like nothing had happened. Complexity didn't mean anything. What you were willing to do for happiness, and what made you happy, those did. So maybe, this was okay. And it made for an interesting story.

"Shouldn't be so hard then," the rider chuckled, nudging an elbow playfully into his side. "A little mortal effort for a change. If you really want it you can't let yourself get discouraged."

Rafalia took a step back and rubbed her chin, scrutinizing his looks "Maybe if you wore something less gothic... but that would diminish the inherent charm."

[Kat]

Mitsuba

At this point of the day she was supposed to meet with a potential customer. Mitsuba has learned over time how to advertise her services in the local internet without getting caught, using proxies and other exploits to hide her identity. She switched to her original Cover and had her other Cover stationed on sort of autopilot to maintain the illusion that "Minato" was just taking rest at her place.

But before she went looking for the blond haired man, she searched for her partner in this whole assassination business. Without a sword it would be foolhardy to meet with someone she didn't know. Fortunately, she was accustomed to how Aether emitted by Muramasa felt, so she didn't have that much problem tracking her down.

"Had fun? I guess you sneaked out because you were bored." As Katase walked through the street she would run into Mitsuba, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a slight frown on her face.

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

Shirou was now thoroughly confused, as the look on his face would show. He knew Rider was dead, he'd even watched her die, and that wasn't even in this world. How could she possibly be here? At the same time, though, he saw no reason for the girl to be lying, and she seemed nice enough, as was demonstrated by the concern she was showing for his health, albeit unnecessary, so he didn't want to be mean to her.

"I'm fine, but thanks for the concern", he said, politely.

"I definitely saw Rider die, though. I don't know how she could be here.", he continued, pausing for a moment to consider the possibilities. "Hmm...."

He knew, from Rin, about the Second Magic and the possibility of parallel worlds, where things were different. Maybe a different Rider had been summoned into some other world, and made her way here somehow. Or, maybe, even the same Rider. After all, they had met people who were definitely not from their world here already, not to mention the girl in front of him, who could have easily been Sakura's twin, why could there not be people from worlds which were somewhat more similar?

"Well, Rider is a class name, so perhaps she's not the same person", he added. "Or she could just be from a parallel world, I suppose."

Shirou started to think deeply, wondering what this world was like. The girl seemed to associate Rider with the name "Sakura", somehow, so it was a good guess that the two were connected, but he had no idea how, or why she had survived.

"Hmm, did this 'Rider' know someone called Sakura, then?" he asked, curious.

[Kat]

Anastasia

Huh, what she was even doing here? She really just wander without no clue about what to do. She couldn't work at the moment, and it made no sense to just go home and sleep as it was still a bright day.

"Good question, I don't know. My superior told me to stop working today and take a break, but I honestly don't know what to do." She looked at Malcolm as if she awaited any proposal or suggestion.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Malcolm

Malcolm gave her a curious look.

"Well, I s'pose I was looking around for a bite. Maybe you can go to lunch wit me or a coffee or something." He said casually. "This isn't a date though, so don't expect me to pay or anything."


Methuselah

The dark god of the eternal abyss met her stare with pulsating white eyes filled with the glaring suns of nuclear doom and the eternal death of the universe, and he gulped. Honestly, being stared at like this was a tad bit uncomfortable. But right now, he wasn't focusing on the awkward or downright creepy atmosphere. Listening to her words, he managed to mutter but one word.

"Eh?"

[Umbra of Chaos]

Lucy

The girl simply smiled and shut her eyes. Just a bit of rest wouldn't do either of them harm. Probably.

She nestled her head into the crook of his neck and simply waited. Maybe he would even fall asleep? That would be interesting in and of itself.

[SINIB]

Shirou

Shirou was now thoroughly confused, as the look on his face would show. He knew Rider was dead, he'd even watched her die, and that wasn't even in this world. How could she possibly be here? At the same time, though, he saw no reason for the girl to be lying, and she seemed nice enough, as was demonstrated by the concern she was showing for his health, albeit unnecessary, so he didn't want to be mean to her.

"I'm fine, but thanks for the concern", he said, politely.

"I definitely saw Rider die, though. I don't know how she could be here.", he continued, pausing for a moment to consider the possibilities. "Hmm...."

He knew, from Rin, about the Second Magic and the possibility of parallel worlds, where things were different. Maybe a different Rider had been summoned into some other world, and made her way here somehow. Or, maybe, even the same Rider. After all, they had met people who were definitely not from their world here already, not to mention the girl in front of him, who could have easily been Sakura's twin, why could there not be people from worlds which were somewhat more similar?

"Well, Rider is a class name, so perhaps she's not the same person", he added. "Or she could just be from a parallel world, I suppose."

Shirou started to think deeply, wondering what this world was like. The girl seemed to associate Rider with the name "Sakura", somehow, so it was a good guess that the two were connected, but he had no idea how, or why she had survived.

"Hmm, did this 'Rider' know someone called Sakura, then?" he asked, curious.

Oka Kurosawa

Oka nodded affirmatively, the pokemon on her head again mimicking her movement silently. "Sure does. She's her master or whatever. You sure you shouldn't lie down?"

[SINIB]

Shirou

A look of confusion came over Shirou's face at both the girl's question, a feeling that was only confused by the fact that the sheet with a drawn-on face on the girl's head was somehow mimicking her movement, as if it were alive. The only "Rider" he knew of was the one who had been Shinji's stolen servant in the Grail War. And, whilst he trusted Sakura when she said the servant was not as bad as he had once thought, the fact remained that she was dead. So, how could this girl know her?

"I have met her", he said, obviously confused, "but she died several years ago, before I arrived here."


Rider

Rider, listening in to the conversation between Ron and her master as she awaited her food, felt somewhat offended by his failure to mention the full range of delicious ingredients. Knowing that Sakura had previously expressed a liking for the food of her homeland, and that Garlic sauce was a common ingredient on kebabs sold in Japan, she decided to add some extra suggestions.

"You could also add some olives, or cheese. The feta cheese should be especially nice with pita bread. They also have garlic sauce, if you want that instead of the options Ron gave", she added with a smile.

Sakura Matou

"Alright, I'll have the chicken!" Sakura exclaimed as she spun around to face the cashier.

"Chicken what, miss? We have many different kinds." The cashier replied would much emotion, as if this was a commonplace occurrence he was tired of.

Sakura turned back and looked at Ron expectantly, waiting for him to answer for her.

Ron

Is this girl legit? Well, nothing for it then. He was gonna have to make a more detailed suggestion for her. "What else can you put on the Chicken Kebab on Pita?" The werewolf asked the man. Who liked olives and chicken together, really?

"Lettuce, tomato, onion, and we also have hot sauce, barbeque, and white sauce."

Ron turned back to Sakura. "That sound about right, then?"

Sakura Matou

Sakura flashed a smile at Rider and Ron and then turned back to the cashier to order. "I'll have the lettuce, tomato, onion with the barbeque sauce. Hot sauce hasn't been agreeing with me lately."

The cashier nodded politely and then turned to Ron. "And what would you like, then?"

[Elf]

Rin

"Well," Rin said, "There once was a wizard.  A very powerful wizard who had found the power to travel to dimensions other than his own . . ."

Then she proceeded to tell them both a non-biased version, from what she could gather from the story from Zeltrech himself, about how the Wizard Marshal defeated the Crimson Moon.

"However," Rin said, eying them both, "Zeltrech didn't leave this battle unscathed.  No, during the fight something must have happened, maybe when they were locked in combat, or when Zeltrech was keeping the moon from hitting the Earth . . .  When the Wizard Marshall wasn't the only victor here, because, somehow, the Crimson Moon had turned into a vampire as well, stripping a great deal of the Wizard's power."


Forest

Okay, it might be incredibly petty of me for warning a vampire who's intentions I don't know about Vermilion, but it feels kind of satisfying, Forest thought as Liam watched her.

She snorted, shook her head, and said, "It's just Forest.  Also, I left the files in that safe in tact and pretty sure that suit case I threw at Petra's feet was full of something unsavory.  I mean, if she wants to sell it herself, just tell her she needs to stay away from Chestnut Street, Oak, and Vine.  I catch anyone who is peddling that poison where I'm trying to set up is gonna get all kinds of broken."