Chapter 41: New Identity
Both Evas surfaced from the lava and saw the recovery crew and other NERV staff members waving at them. When the crane reeled in as much as it could, it sounded with a clack and a whirl of a motor not moving. Hearing this, Unit-01 crawled along and off the crane. Reaching the ground, technicians began moving Unit-02 to be set down. Once on the ground, the staff began their procedure to remove the pilot from the damage but still intact D-Type suit. Shinji stayed in his Eva and moved off to the side waiting if they needed him to help with anything. When the staff's procedure was done and the Second Child was escorted out of her unit, he was told to eject as well.
After Asuka exited her entry-plug, she was pointed to head toward the waiting tent that was next to the mobile research lab. Reaching it and entering, she saw many fans on blowing cool air around. There were a couple of benches among the crates of supplies and a portable table with laptops and more fans. Switching out of the anti-heat mode, her suit deflated and went to the normal skin tight mode. Adjusting a couple of the fans, she sat down and felt relief from all air blowing at her. The entrance of the tent opened a little and Misato walked in.
"Asuka, good work down there despite the little draw back," she said to the Second Child as the teen sighed feeling her hair move around from the fans.
"Hmph. It was easy," the red head said with a smug on her face. "By the way…what the hell happened to psycho idiot?"
"…" Misato said with pulling one corner of her mouth down from her constant name putdowns of the male pilot. "Ritsuko said that he was having an episode."
"At least that explains all that insane crap he was spewing," Asuka said then thought of something and frowned at the Captain.
"Alright Misato, spill the beans. Why did I have to wear that ridiculous anti-heat astronaut's suit when the Third's Eva withstood the lava without having to wear one?"
"I don't know. Ritsuko stated that he should have melted upon contact. It is possible that he deployed his AT-Field to be concentrated on the Unit's surface. But, I am just guessing here."
"…great," Asuka muttered frowning. "Saved by the lunatic and he has an upper hand on me with power…damn him."
"…" Misato said and started fanning herself from feeling very warm. Turning around and looking out of the tent, the Third Child was walking toward her direction. However, his right eye was closed. Noticing him turn his head toward her, he continued walking to her. When he was close enough he stopped and bowed.
"Greetings Miss Misato."
"Hi Shinji. Good job giving Asuka support. Is something wrong with your eye?"
"Thank you. I think I caught something in it while leaving my entry-plug. Is there a wash station or sink nearby that I may use?"
"There should be a wash station outside,' Misato stated which he bowed and left. Turning back to Asuka, she had her eyes closed and was just letting the fans blow air on her.
Outside, Shinji found a portable hand wash station. Going to a sink station, he cupped his hands and pumped water into them. Seeing the water hold, he brought it to his face and slowly opened his right eye. It was still very sensitive from what happened in the cockpit.
"…" he said seeing the color of it still black and red.
Letting the water fall threw his fingers, he formed holding of a tight narrow tube with one hand. Cupping his other hand under it, he tested it to see if water would hold in it. After a couple of attempts, he got water to stay in the tight cup hold he had. Blinking, he carefully brought his hands to his right eye. Pushing his hands against his eye, he couldn't see any light entering. Keeping the secure hold, he tilted his head up feeling the water hit his eye and started blinking.
"Cheer up Asuka. For doing a good job, let's hit that hot spring place. We can rent the whole place for ourselves!" Misato said exiting out of the tent with the Second Child.
"Really?!" Asuka perking up a little. "The whole place?"
"Yeah!"
"Then what are we waiting for. Let's go!" the female pilot stated with a smile.
"We will be heading over in that van over there. It has your clothes inside that you can bring to the hot spring. The doors should be unlocked," the Captain said seeing the red-head start walking over there. Smiling, she looked around for the male pilot. Finding him at a wash station, he was doing something odd.
'Is he washing out his eye?' Misato asked walking toward him. Upon closer inspection, she saw his uncovered eye blinking from time to time. Glad he was just washing his eye and not losing his marbles, she stopped some feet away. About to open her mouth, he started tilting his head down still having his hands against his eye. Bending forward, he moved his tightly held hands from his right eye and over the wash sink.
"Did you get that thing in your eye-!?" Misato started then stopped seeing blood flow through his fingers. Opening his hands, a small short flow of blood came through them. Shinji began pumping water out of the sink faucet washing the red away from his hands and sink.
"Yes Miss Misato. I was able to," he said calmly using soap to clean any areas blood splashed out of the sink.
"R-Really?" the Captain said cautiously and alarmed that there was that much blood from his eye. "Are you going to be okay?"
"…" he said grabbing a paper towel and patting his right eye a little. Turning to her, she saw his right eye looked normal. It wasn't even bloodshot.
"I believe so."
"That's…good," she said slightly confused but shook her head. "We will be heading to the hot spring place in a bit. Your stuff is in the van so head over there."
"Very well," Shinji said with a bow. As he started walking to the vehicle, Ritsuko came out of the mobile research lab. Misato turned toward her and nodded. The scientist nodded and headed back in the lab to make a call to NERV. The other line picked up.
[Report doctor] Gendo stated.
"Based on today's actions, we could not capture the Angel Commander."
[What caused the failure?] he asked not sounding pleased.
"When we captured it in the electromagnetic cage, it seemed to have triggered the Angel's rapid growth from embryo to adult form."
[Was it eliminated?]
"Yes sir."
[What is the report on the Third Child?]
"He suffered a mild-seizure in the midst of the operation, but operated under control. He dove into the volcano and assisted Pilot Souryu in defeating the Angel before it could drag Unit-02 with it in the magma. Captain Misato has signaled me that they are ready for heading toward the hot spring," Ritsuko said impassively over the phone.
[Is he being cooperative?]
"Yes sir."
[Very well, I will send Rei. Your orders are to escort the Captain, observe, and record any information on the pilot. Use means necessary to get information from the Third Child. I will expect a report afterwards. You are dismissed.]
"Yes sir," she said and the line went dead.
'Use means necessary?…damn bastard,' Ritsuko thought frowning putting the phone down. She told Maya her instructions which she nodded. Exiting the mobile research lab, she walked to where Misato was outside.
"So what's the course of action?" Misato said as fell into step with her friend. They headed toward the dark colored van.
"Observe and seek out information from Pilot Ikari," the faux blonde stated as she lit a cigarette.
"…okay…any hints on how to?"
"The Commander said use means necessary to get information from him."
"You have got to be kidding," the lavender haired woman stated as both reached the van.
Misato walked toward the driver's side of the vehicle. Ritsuko entered the passenger side and rolled down the windows. Taking a slow and deep breath in, she exhaled it out of the window. Opening the driver side door, the Captain got in and looked at the two pilots. They were not sitting near each other. Asuka was sitting in the first row behind the driver seat all the way to the right. Shinji was sitting in the back row all the way to the left. Both of them were looking out the window next to them with unreadable expressions. Closing her eyes, she tried to be her cheery self.
"You guys ready?" Misato asked smiling.
"Yes!" Asuka said smiling.
"Yes," Shinji said turning his head and nodding. He didn't express anything and turned back to the window.
'At least one person looks happy,' Ritsuko thought seeing Misato start the van. As it rumbled to life and started moving forward, the scientist wondered how the retrieval of information from the Third Child was going to go. Misato felt a foreboding feeling from thinking about getting information from the male pilot. After some distance and time, they reached their destination.
"We're here!" Misato said as everyone got out. The hot spring resort was placed on a mountain side. The building looked like a traditional Japanese structure with the roof curved upward to a point. The nearest neighboring structure was down the slope a ways.
'Never been at a hot spring before,' Shonj voiced looking the place over.
'On the contrary, we have been in a "hot spring" before,' the silver eye voice stated moving his spectacles up.
'Figuratively yes, technically no,' Shoji stated walking toward the entrance doors.
'…' Shinji thought listening to them. Their discussion seemed to trigger something as his body warmed up from a memory. A remembrance of days being drenched in the bleakly-hot red liquid shot through his senses. His skin felt sick and slick as the iron smell filled his nostrils. Everything started to have a tint of red as his tongue felt and tasted blood in his mouth.
"Hey Third," Asuka shouted at him. "Move it you slow poke!"
Blinking, he looked around to see that he was the only one standing outside while everyone else was waiting at the entrance. Nodding and picking up his backpack, he walked up the steps to them. All went to the front desk and Misato talked to the receptionist. The elderly woman behind the desk found NERV's group name reservation. She went to an open room nearby and waved at someone. Rei stepped out in her school uniform.
"Rei?" Misato said with a pleasant surprise. "You are here for the hot springs too?"
"Yes. The Commander told me to participate," she said stoically.
'…great…' Asuka thought keeping a straight face and headed toward the changing rooms.
'…' Ritsuko said glancing at the First Child then began walking to the changing rooms.
"How nice! Go ahead to the changing rooms Rei," Misato said smiling at her.
"…" Ayanami said looking back and forth between her and the Third Child who was still in his plug suit. Wondering if the Captain was going to explain a tactic on how to retrieve information, she nodded her head and walked on.
"Aren't you going in Shinji?" Misato asked seeing him looking at a picture on the wall.
"My apologies. I will in a minute," he said turning around and bowing.
"Well we got this place to ourselves, so take your time."
"Very well...thank you," he said with a slow nod. Misato smiled and headed toward the changing room. When she couldn't be seen, he turned around and headed for the front entrance. Opening the sliding door, there was a delivery man carrying a medium-large box up the steps.
"Is that a delivery for NERV?" Shinji asked calmly.
The man nodded his head and placed the package at the door. Grabbing the clipboard that was on top of the box, he handed it to the male pilot. After signing it and parting, Shinji picked up the box and walked back inside the building. Closing the sliding entrance door, he set the package down on the ground and kneeled. He grabbed a tape end and started removing it going to another. The box popped open with a warm water penguin fluttering his wings vocalizing his annoyance.
'Damn you unshaven man! This is animal cruelty sealing me in a box with no lights! My fins have cramps!'
"Greetings Mr. Pen-Pen. I am sorry your trip lacked much comforts because you had to be smuggled in," Shinji said calmly to the bird. Seeing the penguin calming down and looked at him, the pilot lifted him out of the box to the floor.
"Wark wark!(Male butler!)" Pen-Pen said happy and hugged him.
"Good to see you again sir," he said patting the penguin's head a little then pushing him back to stand straight. "The hot springs are to the left pass the receptionist's desk."
"Wark? (Is there beer?)"
"There is, but I will be unable to obtain some due from being underage. My apologies sir."
"Wa-wark. Wark. (No biggie. Thanks.)"
"You are welcome sir," Shinji bowed his head then stood up watching the penguin race toward the hot springs.
Cleaning up the trash from the packaging, he headed toward the male changing room. The first room was the holding area for bathers to take a bucket and washcloth to the baths. Adjacent to entering the room on the left, was the changing room. About to enter, he side stepped and watched his voices exit hurriedly and in excitement. Going inside, he removed his plug suit. Checking himself, nothing seemed to be showing. Wrapping himself in the provided bathing attire around his waist, he set his belongings in a locker.
After closing the container, he grabbed a towel and exited. Turning left and walking to the sliding door, he opened it to the hot springs area. It was a massive man-made pool carved in the bedrock. To his right was the central divider between the male and female sides. A wall composed of large thick logs of about 50 feet or more in length and stacked up at around 15 feet high. In both sections, there was a waterfall that flowed into the pool.
Shinji found Pen-Pen cooing as the penguin swam across the water. Closing the sliding door, he walked a couple of feet and stopped. Merely staring at water, he watched the small ripples hit the outer side wall of the pool. Slowly, the bluish color water turned murky red. Blinking, he looked to his left at some of the bedrock benches. There was one that had a shape of a lawn chair. Going toward it and laying a towel down on it, he sat down while his voices came out of the forestry on the other side of the pool.
'Hot springs!' Shonj said jumping in with Sno following suit. Two splashes were heard as the adult voices just stepped in and sat down.
'Oh man…this feels like heaven,' Shino moaned feeling his muscles instantly relax from being in the heated water.
'Indeed,' Shoji agreed with a pleasant sigh. The silver eye voice placed his glasses on a coffee table near Shinji before walking into the pool.
'Is there something wrong Shinji?' Rana asked seeing that he was the only one that did not entered. Shinji glanced at him seeing that he had a full length towel wrapped around himself covering from his armpits down.
'Hello Rana. No, there is nothing wrong. I just don't feel like getting wet right now,' Shinji thought. 'Please, enjoy yourself.'
'Oh…okay,' the voice said with a small smile. Going to ward the pool, he oddly stepped in the water and didn't remove his towel. Looking at all the voices, it was different to see them enjoying themselves. The Third Child was so use to being constantly abused and barraged with their attacks without warning, it started to make him feel uneasy.
'…' Shinji thought. Pushing the aspect aside, he leaned back on the towel against the lawn chair bedrock. Staring up at the sky, he closed his eyes and waited. On the female side, the four women were taking in the relaxation of the hot springs.
"Ah, this feels so nice," Misato stated with the water up to her neck.
Ritsuko, who is next to her, nodded in agreement. She smile at the soothing warmth of being in the clear liquid. Asuka was in the middle of the pool laid full out on an inclined piece of bedrock. It was underwater, but kept her head above water. A small towel was on her forehead as she sighed from comfort feeling her body easy up on the tension build up from earlier. Rei was on the opposite side from the two older women and a bit away from the Second Child.
'It is warm and relaxing,' she thought.
Looking at the water steam, it evaporate in the air. Seeing her bare arm, there were bubbles attach to it underwater. A slight brush scattered those small pockets of air in a frenzy making them dance underneath the water. She took a glance around herself at the forest environment. It held privacy from the high walls behind them and a wall that separated the female and male baths.
The wooden wall seemed to be wide and high enough to not provide direct communication with the male members. However, looking to her right was a small pathway. Where it led to was unknown but she assumed it was to the men's bath. Looking back to the water, the First Child closed her eyes. Taking in the warm water temperature, she felt her body ease itself as well as her mind.
A while after, Ritsuko and Misato ordered sake and beer. The Captain tender to her drink which increased her smile length each time. It made her feel more and more relaxed than the last drink. Ritsuko sipped hers while observing her surroundings. She already knew Misato was in her little world. Asuka seemed to be snoozing as well as Rei. Sighing internally from thinking about the Info-Gave Operation and Gendo's orders, she turned to the Captain.
"Guess we should start," Ritsuko stated taking a sip.
"Hmm? Start what?" Misato asked after a sip of her beer.
"Gathering information," she said. Rei's ears perked up and she opened her eyes.
"Oh? And prey tell how we are going to do that?" the Captain said looking her friend. Rei could only hear a little bit and started getting closer.
"As the Commander said, use means necessary. The question is how to approach him."
"You really think seduction is the answer? I'm sure it would work on a normal teenage boy."
"Never said we should use seduction Misato," Ritsuko said smirking at her. "But knowing you, you have tried that haven't you."
"Oh shut up," Misato said sternly and took another sip of her beer. "Bet you got personal experience too from that sleepover at his house."
"…" Ritsuko frowned. Both looked sternly at each other when they felt small ripples hit them. Turning to the source, it was the First Child.
"What's up Rei?" Misato asked.
"Wouldn't a direct approach be the easiest?" she asked with a stoic face. Both adult women's eyebrows shot up; however, Ritsuko started to feel the corners of her mouth tugging upward a little.
"In what way Ayanami?"
"From my interactions with Pilot Ikari, being direct with him seems to be the most effective."
"Really?" Misato said blinking. "I have asked him directly before and he was hard as a rock. No amount of a shakedown I did got him to loosen up."
'Oh my,' Ritsuko thought. Suppressing from shaking her head from how that sounded, it opened a door for teasing.
'How vulgar…and she is supposed to be my guardian,' Asuka thought a bit disgusted from overhearing Misato statement. She was only half listening to the conversation.
"…" Rei said blinking. Thinking about what the Captain said, the female pilot tried putting the pieces together. Recalling a couple of discussions she overheard at school, one seemed to come to mind.
"Captain, I have heard that this motion for a male is how they loosen up," the female pilot stated lifting her right hand out of the water. She grabbed an imaginary pipe and made a forward and back motion with it.
"I am not sure why it would. Is it true?" Ayanami asked.
"…!?" Misato and Ritsuko's mouth dropped in shock. Asuka grabbed the towel from her head and turned to see what the First Child was showing to the two older adults.
'W-W-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING YOU WONDERSLUT!?' Asuka shouted in her mind with a shocked expression.
"…uh…wha…umm…" the Captain said blinking seeing that the female pilot had a neutral face.
'And I thought Misato was bad…this is too good to pass,' Ritsuko thought. Putting a hand on her mouth, she tried hard not to snicker.
"Misato…what kind of discussions are you having at your home?" the scientist asked with a smug on her face.
"WHAT!? The hell I talked to them about that stuff!" Misato said in protest. Her friend couldn't contain herself and started chuckling out loud.
"Damn you!" the Captain said crossing her arms irritated.
"Captain?" Rei asked with her head tilted.
"…" Misato said with an irritated sigh ignoring someone still giggling. "Yes Rei?"
"Would that method work in gathering information from Pilot Ikari?" she asked calmly.
"…!?" Misato said surprised again. Ritsuko stopped laughing and saw that the First Child was being serious.
"LIKE HELL IT WOULD!?" the Second Child shouted and started walking angrily toward the female group.
"…" Misato stated. Putting a hand on her face, she groaned seeing Ritsuko imitate the thinker pose without hunched over. A mischievous smirk was on her face.
"It is not an effective method?" Rei asked seeing Asuka stop in front of her seeing her face a little red.
"T-That's…that's…" the red-head said recoiling a little. She didn't know if the First Child was completely dense at what she said or playing around.
"It is a method Ayanami, but not the most effective," Ritsuko said with a small smile.
"Is that so? What is a better method?" the First Child asked looking at the scientist.
'This is a joke!?' Asuka thought shocked and mouth open. 'THIS HAS TO BE A JOKE!?'
'I am so going to kill her,' Misato thought rubbing her face with her hands.
'I'll go one step further then stop,' the faux blonde said. Still having a mischievous smile, she lessened it towards the female pilot. She whispered into Rei's ear a short description of the method then moved back to her spot. Rei blinked.
'…but…that's…' she thought blushing heavily.
"…I…I see," Ayanami said looking down at the water. Feeling light headed all the sudden, her vision started to blur a little. It made her head start to bob a little from losing a sense of balance.
"Alright! Enough already," Misato said with an irritated face. "We are not doing anything like that to him!"
"…understood…" the First Child said quietly and moved to the edge of the pool. "I think…I will go lie down."
Watching her exit, Ritsuko held her snickering while Misato got out making sure Rei didn't fall down on her way to a lawn chair. Asuka still had red on her face and felt that faux blonde was more adult and mature than Misato. It made her ponder if the scientist knew how to capture a difficult male's attention and get them to view them differently.
On the male side…
'…' all the voices said. They were listening at the wall with huge ears and red on their faces except for Rana and the silver eye one.
'W-What are they talking about over there?!' Shonj asked.
'Sounds like entertainment,' Shoji stated smirking.
'Adult entertainment,' Shino voiced smirking as well.
'You guys wouldn't even make it there alive,' Sno said with a frowning but blushing face. All the sudden, the two teenage voices were picked up by the adults.
'H-Hey!' Shonj said being picked up by Shino.
'Put us down!' Sno stated being picked up by Shoji.
'Boys, it is time to make yourselves men! Onward to the other side!' both adult voices stated together. They went toward the pathway at the end of the center divider next to the forestry that presumably would lead to the female's side. The silver-eye voice just smirked while floating in the pool. Pen-Pen swam through him as the penguin hummed to himself enjoying the heated water.
'…' Rana thought. Narrowing his eyes, he watched at the ones going toward the discreet pathway. Looking back at the two remaining versions of itself, one was floating in the pool looking at the sky. The other was lying down on a bedrock lawn chair. Finding it boring to just sit there, Rana stood up and walked over to the one not in the water.
"…" Shinji said. Opening his eyes, someone walking toward him. Looking down with his eyes, it was the blue-red eye voice.
'Did you have a nice soak Rana?' the male pilot thought.
'I did…though it got boring with no one to talk to,' he replied holding onto his towel. Both heard someone emerge from the murky blood pool and walk toward them. The older teenager voice had a mischievous smile on his face.
'Greetings sir.'
'Hello Ikari. Not afraid of water are you?'
'No, I am not. I don't feel like getting wet at the moment.'
'Smells like you are hiding something…are you?' the silver eye voice said with a grin.
'…' Shinji said blinking and turning his head to look at the voice. 'From what I am wearing, what is there to hide sir?'
'Ha ha ha' the voice said with a short laugh. 'Fine. I will let it slide…for now.'
'Very well sir.'
'Um…' Rana said looking toward the other voice. 'I don't believe we have introduced ourselves. I'm Rana.'
'Hmmm…Rana…shouldn't you be a female?'
'…?' the voice blinked in surprise and looked down at itself. 'I…don't know…I do feel that I am a female despite my physical characteristics.'
'Ohhh,' the silver eye voice said grinning wider. His eyes seemed to shine evilly.
'Why don't you change your appearance then?'
'I…I can change how I look?' Rana asked raising his eyebrows.
'…' Shinji thought. Knowing that the voices sometimes alter their shapes at times, they have been maintaining a clone form of himself for a while. A couple of times when all of them were assembled, he felt a weird sensation of being hollow inside.
'Yes,' the older teenager voice said. He reached out and grabbed Rana's towel surprising him.
'Why not change right now!?'
'H-Hey!?' Rana stated as the other voice pulled the towel away. Immediately snatching the towel back, the blue-red eye voice looked at him irritated.
'Geez, honestly…' Rana began to rewrap the towel when a couple of things felt off.
For some reason, the chest seemed larger than before. Looking down, protruding breasts were seen. Blinking, bangs were felt on the forehead and on the side of the face. Grabbing some hair that was felt on the shoulders, a small tug was felt being connected to the back of the head. In surprise from feeling something missing, the voice reached down between its legs. There was no attachment in the groin area. Instead, a female's anatomy existed there.
'…what…the?!' Rana stated recoiling from the change in voice.
It sounded more feminine than before. Putting hands on its face, the angular face soften a bit. Looking down, the body was shaped differently. It had a bit more curves to a slender frame. The waist seemed wider and a little higher than before. Rana became a female version of the male pilot in a blink of an eye. The only attribute that was the same was the blue-red color eyes and the brown hair.
'My, my, my, what a pleasant surprise,' the silver eye voice said smiling.
'…it just happened and I felt nothing from it,' Rana stated feeling ambivalent.
On one side, the body felt correct to what her mind leaned toward. On the other side, there were many changes that made her feel odd and weird. Looking at the laying figure of the Third Child, the interest in him from before seemed more than what she remembered. Feeling self-conscious all the sudden, Rana looked at herself seeing the towel cover the necessary regions.
'Is something wrong Rana?' Shinji asked looking at her while still lying down in the same position.
'What? N-no," the voice said spreading the towel out in front of her and wrapping it around herself. About to ask the male pilot a question, all three of them felt something emitting malice nearby.
"…" Shinji said blinking and standing up.
The other two voices turned toward where he was looking. All three of them saw a silhouette behind some trees outside the hot-spring area. A loud blood splattering explosions were heard that instantly rained crimson onto the forestry. One head rolled out of the pathway which belonged to one of the four voices. Hearing a demented deep chuckle, the silhouette moved toward them silently and slowly to the floor area. All three blinked at the same time and saw the black figure stood instantly a meter away from them. The intensity of its aura was higher the closer it was. It was completed dripping with blood on its featureless figure. Moments of edgy silence went by as the floor beneath the black silhouette became heavily spotted with the red.