Author's Note:So this was originally supposed to be the first chapter of the second part of Cross Rogue Effect, but the formation of every antagonistic character from Cross Tag became a bit bigger than expected. 6 pages to be exact. Not as big as the other chapters I write, (Especially when bringing persona 6 in the comparison) but the problem is that the chapter ended up a bit to comical then what I've been wanting to start part two on, but since I already ended the crossing over event back at part one in a dramatic note, the only way I can past this chapter now, is as a One shot. Thank you for your time, and hopefully, I can post part 2. Enjoy.
An Abandoned High-Rise Facility
The air inside was stale. Flickering light panels buzzed, half-dead, while long-forgotten screens blinked static. Dust swirled in the silence, disturbed only by a sudden pulse—a low hum, like a heartbeat beneath concrete. A cauldron portal tore open mid-air. From it, Hazama dropped like a ragdoll, twirling once mid-fall before landing smoothly on one foot. His fedora tilted, and that snake-like smile slid across his face.
"Hee~eh… It's been a while." He glanced around the empty room. The insignia of "SKYEYES" stared down at him—long dead, long buried. A perfect graveyard for secrets. "Sky…Eyes… So this is the possibility I fell into? *Tch* Classy."
BOOM!*
The room shook. The ceiling flickered with unnatural light. Distorted rifts ripped through the air like jagged scars, and portals bloomed one by one.
Nu-13 spiraled out of the void, landing on her knees, eyes wild. Must determine location. Accessing data.] She looked around, eyes twitching. [No data found. Location unknown. This presents a problem.]
Hazama grinned. "Sounds like you need some help."
Nu's eyes widened as she turned toward him with eerie familiarity. [Hazama Honoka… Human vessel of Susano'o.]
Hazama's grin faded. "Well, hello to you, too, sweetheart. Still broken, I see."
Nu glared at him, but before she could react, a brutal impact smashed through the floor above.
SMASH!* *THUD!*
Azrael landed with a thunderous thud. "I SMELL A CHALLENGE—wait. Hazama!? I thought you were dead!"
Hazama chuckled. "My death was greatly exaggerated. Now I'm starting to wonder if I'm going to see more familiar faces."
That question was answered as Tohru Adachi stumbled through a portal of yellow fog.
"Well, that's a new face," Hazama noted.
"Who's the weakling?" Azrael growled.
Adachi yawned. "...Great. More supernatural crap." He eyed the group. "I'm just going to assume you three are responsible for this."
"And it sounds like you don't have good manners regarding strangers. Mr... Whoever you are," Hazama replied dryly.
Adachi raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Carmine skidded out of a blood-slick purple rift, grinning. "Tch. Whoever threw me here better be ready to bleed."
Azrael grinned. "Sounds like I found my first challenger."
Carmine smirked. "So it was you, huh?"
Hazama facepalmed. "Well, that doesn't make us look suspicious at all."
"You better give back the fun I was having, because you'll be red from head to—"
ANOTHER interruption. Merkava crashed in, shadows swirling around him.
Hazama stared."Another Arakune? Is there a cauldron somewhere here?"
"Oh great, a Void followed me!?"
A question mark appeared above Hazama, Nu, and Azrael—unfamiliar with the term."Void?"
Adachi blinked. "Void? That's what you call your pet Shadow?"
Another round of confusion from the BlazBlue trio."Shadow?"
Carmine's head pulsed with irritation. He would've said something if Merkava hadn't attacked first.
"RAGH!"
A card floated down in front of Adachi. He grabbed it. "Persona."
CLASH!*
A black-and-red figure appeared, blocking the strike.
Azrael roared, "What is THAT!?"
Carmine scoffed."An EXS guardian, just like that Licht Kreis bitch,"mistakenly picturing Orie.
Merkava surprised them all by speaking clearly. "My will... belongs to no one!"
The momentary shock gave Merkava the upper hand, pushing the Persona back into Adachi and knocking him down.
Adachi groaned. "Oh geez… another talking one... just like that bear." Teddie flashed in his mind.
For Carmine, a talking Void meant one thing. "Oh shit! You're THAT Void!"
The BlazBlue trio stared in confusion. "I do not know what the heck they're talking about," Hazama said to Nu and Azrael, "but if that pre-Black Beast lookalike was another Arakune, he'd never speak in full sentences."
Azrael snarled. "GAH! ALL THIS THINKING IS MAKING ME HUNGRY!" He pointed at Carmine and Merkava. "I don't care what kind of drives you two have—"
"Drives?"they both thought.
"All I know is, I came here for a fight, AND I AIN'T LEAVING UNTIL I HAVE MY—"
Two more portals opened. Gordeau landed with a grunt, still chewing his toothpick. Hilda floated out of a violet slit in space.
"You guys are here too!? I told you both that I don't work with people," Carmine facepalmed as Merkava got into a stance.
"Looks like I crashed the wrong party. At least one member of Amnesia's here," Gordeau muttered as he sees the familiar Carmine and Merkava, and the unfamiliar Adachi and the Drive users trio.
Hilda chuckled, hand to her lips. "If I'd known you'd be my escort, I'd have dressed more appropriately, Gordeau." She looked around. "What an interesting gathering. I doubt the host is the Void-minded lobster or the Void pretending to be human."
That set off the Under Night duo. "THE FUCK DID YOU CALL ME, BITCH!?" / "DIE!" They charged.
Gordeau sighed and pulled his scythe. "Honest as always, huh, Hilda?"
"Whatever it takes to see you fight, handsome," she replied. "But I prefer to make it a dance."
They clashed—2v2. Four EXS users.
"Fuck it, I'm getting in on this." Azrael cracked his knuckles.
"Does this have anything to do with you?" Adachi asked
"Nope, but I'll be damned if I ignore this new cuisine. IT'S EATING TIME!"
Before it escalated further—
"Ouroboros!"
WRAP!*
Hazama summoned a long chain, restraining the EXS users. "You know, I hoped one of you could be the sane one. Guess it's up to me."
Azrael raged. "You deny me my MEAL!?"
Hazama sighed. "It wasn't your fight to begin with. And it won't tell us who made the portals."
"I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T CARE!" Azrael snapped. "IF I CAN'T EAT THEM, I'LL EAT YOU IN—"
ZAP!*
"STEAAAAAUGH!"
THUD!*
Azrael dropped.
Adachi twirled his gun as his Persona faded. "The fedora man is right. This back-and-forth is getting boring. I'd rather be back in jail."
Hazama smiled. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Mr...?"
"Adachi. Toru Adachi."
"I'm Hazama Honoka. Let's call a truce until we figure this out."
"Sounds good."
They both turned to the chained EXS users.
"She started it!" Carmine shouted.
"Oh, grow up," Hilda scoffed.
"Hilda, given the situation, maybe a ceasefire is best," Gordeau suggested.
"Fine. Only because you begged."
"I… wasn't," Gordeau muttered.
"I'll cooperate—as long as nobody pisses me off," Carmine said.
Merkava nodded.
Hazama smirked and released the chains. "Good. Because, thanks to your squabbling, my acquaintance wandered off. Let's go find her."
Nu wandered off after the Under Night quartet's fight broke out. [Data on Void: zero. Data on Shadow: zero. Data on new faces, including the pre-Black Beast-like creature: zero. Must gather data.]
Rattling*
Nu heard a noise and chased after it. It changed direction. So did she. She realized it was coming from above. She looked up and spotted a figure—a woman—though the angle obscured a clear view. Nu gave chase until she reached a computer room… where she found the woman—and a familiar face.
The Ever After
Neo Politan had been through a lot. From her days as Trivia Vanillie to her betrayal by Cinder Fall, and most importantly, the death of Roman Torchwick, she had clung to one thing: revenge. But after finally getting a taste of vengeance against Ruby Rose, Neo realizes something devastating—that killing Ruby doesn't bring Roman back. It didn't fix anything. What she truly missed… was companionship. Something she had lost for good.
Even her illusion of Torchwick knew that. "To have what they have… what a thing, huh," the illusion murmured.
Neo approached the pit of twigs and leaves connected to the Tree, the supposed final resting place that would reincarnate her into someone new. "So, that's it then?"
She looked back at the illusion. It touched her cheek. "Yeah… I know. I'm not real."
On cue, the illusion dissolved into cherry blossom sparkles. And there she stood, face-to-face with her enemies: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, and Jaune Arc.
"What about her?" Jaune asked.
Neo, mute as always, simply pointed to the group with her umbrella. She curtsied, removed her hat, and jumped in, umbrella open, gently descending toward rebirth.
She heard Ruby's parting words: "She'll find herself. One way or the other."
Or at least… that was how it was supposed to go.
BOOM!*
Neo awoke mid-fall, shocked by an explosion. A red backdrop surrounded her. Above was a hole. Below, another. She wasn't falling into the Tree—she was falling through a portal. Panicked, she twisted mid-air. She passed through the lower rift, stumbling out in a dusty, abandoned building. Despite her usual grace, the sudden shift made her stagger. She caught her balance and sprinted down a hallway, desperate for answers. She heard footsteps from below. She glanced down and saw Nu-13 racing toward her. Neo didn't know who or what Nu was, but she assumed she was back in Remnant—and considering her actions there, that was the last place she wanted to be. She bolted. The chase ended in a computer room. There, she found a young boy and a strange puppet-like construct, unconscious. She approached the boy to check his pulse. Then, Nu arrived. Now, face to face, the two stared each other down.
[Data on subject: Carl Clover. Organic son of Relius Clover.]
[Data on construct: Nirvana. Nox Nyctores, host of Ada Clover's soul.]
Neo tilted her head. She had no idea what any of that meant.
[Data on new subject: zero.]
Neo raised an eyebrow. Even though she was a wanted criminal in her world, this strange girl didn't recognize her.
Carl stirred, and Nirvana twitched beside him. "Ngh… what just happened?" He looked at Neo and flushed slightly. "Gah! Sorry! I don't know how I got—" He spotted Nu. His eyes narrowed. Nirvana stood. "Nu."
[Target hostile. Murakumo Wings activating.] Swords floated from Nu's body, forming wings.
"Ma'am, get behind me," Carl said to Neo. "This Murakumo unit is unstable." Neo looked unimpressed. She drew her umbrella and pressed a button, revealing a hidden blade. Carl blinked. "Oh! You can fight. Heh." Neo nodded with a confident smirk. "Do you know her?" Carl asked. She shook her head. "Let me talk to her." Carl stepped forward. "I don't know what you want now that Ragna's, now that he's gone, but—" He paused."Rag...na...? Why did I say that?"
Nu also twitched. [Rag...na?] A flash of a white-haired man with red and green eyes passed through her mind. [No… NO! YOU'RE DEAD! DEAD! STOP IT! PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THIS ANYMORE!]
Carl stared, stunned. Nu never reacted like this before. "Nu?"
She glared at him. Her voice broke, human-like: [Don't. Call me. BY THAT FUCKING NAME!"
A sword was launched at Carl, Nirvana, and Neo.
They braced for a fight—
"Ouroboros!"
WRAP!*
Hazama's chain snagged the sword and its user.
"Long time no see, Carl Clover."
Carl turned. "Hazama!?"
Hazama looked at his captive. "Now that's a new reaction from you, Nu."
"SHUT UP! I'M NOT NU! I'LL NEVER BE NU! I'D RATHER BE A HUSK BACK IN THE CHURCH THAN SPEND ANOTHER MINUTE WITH—"
ZAP!* "YOOAAAAUGH!"
Adachi lowered his gun as Nu collapsed. "What? She was freaking out. Besides, we've got leads right here. For all we know, they're responsible for the portals."
"Portals?" Carl asked.
"Yeah," Adachi said. "I was sitting in jail, then a yellow crack exploded open. I fell through."
Carmine spoke, "Hey, that's the same thing that happened back at Kanzakai!"
"Kanzakai?"Hazama thought. Neo tilts her head in confusion
"Kanza-what?" Adachi asked
"Kanzakai, man! Where the hell do you live under, under a rock!?"
"Wow. You don't listen, do you?" Adachi snarked.
"Why you-"
Gordeau has the blade of his scythe between Adachi and Carmine. "Easy does it, this is a truce, remember? How about I take over?" Carmine pouts as Gordeau continued. "Anyways, same thing in Kanzakai. Purple crack. We fought Voids, robots, and monsters that glitched out when defeated."
"Glitched out? Those must be Shadows," Adachi muttered.
"Shadows?" "Care to explain what a Shadow is?" Gordeau and Hilda asked.
"Sure—if you explain what a Void is."
"I'm a Void," Merkava rumbled.
Neo finally noticed Merkava. Visions of Grimm flashed in her mind. She drew her umbrella blade.
"Oh my," Hazama said. "Didn't see you there. We won't hurt you—well, most of us won't—if you tell us about the portals." Hazama turned to Carl. "Don't think I forgot about you. You'll talk after she does."
Neo eyed Hazama suspiciously. Something about him reminded her of Torchwick. Charming, cunning… dangerous. She decided to play along. She pointed at Carl. Then at Hazama's group.
Carl squinted. "You want me to switch sides?"
She nodded.
He sighed. "Come on, Nirvana."
Neo stepped forward, hand glowing with cherry blossom sparkles. A wooden sign appeared: My name is Neo Politan. I fell through a red portal.
Hazama, Gordeau, and Hilda nodded thoughtfully.
Carl and Adachi raised their brows. Merkava tilted his head.
Carmine scoffed. "You summon SIGNS? What kind of lame-ass EXS is that?" Face palming from those surrounding him ensues despite Adachi and the drive users not knowing what EXS is
Neo's eyes narrowed. The sign changed: First of all, I'm mute. Second—what the hell is an EXS? I'm using my semblance.
Everyone blinked.
"Semblance?"
Now Neo stared wide-eyed: You don't know what a semblance is?! Hazama, gentleman with the black and red summon, what do you call those powers that you displayed?
"My Drive."/"My Persona."
"What the hell is a Persona?!" Carmine shouted
Gordeau is now in thought. "Ok, let's take a couple of steps back right now. We're all strangers. We fell through different colored portals. We all have powers—just different names for them. If I didn't know any better, I would assume that we came from Different dimensions."
Carl's eyes widened.
"That would explain everything," Hilda muttered.
"Even if that's true, it would only explain how, not who," Gordeau said.
"As promised," Hazama said. "Carl's turn."
Carl approached—but a rift opened beneath them. A Blitztank emerged.
Unsurprisingly, Carmine asked the one question that's on everyone's mind now: "WHAT THE FU—"
THUD!*
The ground shook, the tank shot something digital at the computer screens, and the computers booted up. The name on-screen: SYSTEM XX.
It projected the last 24 hours: the Alucard castle invasion. Gii is breaking the keystone.
Hazama chuckled, "I don't know who's in that tank, or what this System XX is, but I'd say we've got a witness."
Everyone turns to a now dark-faced Carl.
"You mean we were dragged into this...Different Dimension Convention because of a child!?" Hilda shouted.
"At least we found the mastermind," Gordeau muttered.
"This doesn't just count as evidence, it counts as confession, and in my former line of work, we call that a Case closed," Adachi said.
Carl could only scream, voice filled with frustration: "ALUCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!"
Author's Note:Fanfic Commissions Now Open!
Like what you're reading? I'm writing custom micro-fics for $5 on Ko-fi—short, character-driven scenes based on any fandom I cover./kingtallzilla
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