Chapter 42: Battling One's Self
The silver eye voice was about to speak when all the murky blood water from the pool started vibrating and lifting into the air. After the bottom portion of the pool water was lifted out, the water from it started falling back into the pool emitting hot steam everywhere. What remained in the air was a thick vicious blob of hot blood in which the iron smell was pungent and nauseating. Without warning, it rushed at them like a large tidal wave. The dark figure was swallowed by the flow of red followed by the other three. Shinji felt the rush of blood hit him hard as he struggled to remain standing. It lasted for about a few seconds of being encapsulated with red before going away.
Blinking and wiping away the blood from his eyes, he heard the two voices. They were on their hands and knees coated in blood. Coughing from the sudden surprise of the rush, both were spitting out blood from their mouths. The silver eye voice stood up and put on his glasses with irritation. His signature shotgun weapon materialized and pointed it at the dark figure.
'I don't know who you are,' he said annoyed and pumped a shell in the chamber. 'But I run this operation of control.'
'…heehee…' the evil voice giggled from its featureless form. 'control-CoNtRoL-CONTROL…youuuuuuuuu say?'
'…' Rana said slowly sitting on the ground and backing up. She kept a fearful eye on the shadow silhouette. Reaching behind and feeling someone's foot, she looked up to see the male pilot standing and dripping with crimson. Quickly moving back more to be behind him, she slowly stood up still keeping her eyes on the dark figure.
'…a…R…e…Y…o…U…a…S…e…E…d…O…f…M…e…S…h…I…n…Z…i…N…?' the dark figure asked in slow motion.
'I will ask questions,' Shinzin stated and fired the shotgun at the figure. A chunk of its shoulder blew off sending black blood onto the floor and pool. Thinking that would hurt the corrupted voice, it only moaned in pleasure.
'THAT FELT…pppplllleeeeaaaasssaaaaannnnntttttt…aRe We ShArInG pAiN!?' it asked with an elevated distorted voice.
Two scalpels pierced outward from where its eyes would be. Both started cutting out an opening for the visual sockets as blood was oozing and dripping out profusely. When the blades stopped cutting, they sank back into the figure's head. Black-red color eyes bore back at the three. Pumping the shotgun again, Shinzin fired at the figure blowing a chunk off the other shoulder of the figure.
'You don't seem to listen well,' he said pumping another shell in the chamber. 'I will ask the questions.'
The three saw a crude mouth line form on the face of the shadow silhouette. No blade came out to cut the line open. Instead, the figure opened its jaw started pulling the upper and lower lips apart. A few segments of skin had formed over the mouth and were being stretched. One by one, each would make wet scrunch pop with black blood leaking out.
'sadist $^%$MASCHOVIST$%^# $tyrant(*#$ ^ #$ INFERIOR#$ #$ &wwwww # #% *$(&$aaaaarrrrr#^* eee-y-o-u?' the evil voice said in and out of static. It was giving a menacing toothy grin.
Frowning, Shinzin clicked the auto-fire on the shotgun and unloaded all the remaining shells at the dark figure. Black blood and innards spewed outward in a fanned range from where the three were standing. The only parts that were still standing were the figure's legs. Pale white bones were sticking out of the blown off portion of the thighs.
'About time you were blown to pieces,' Shinzin stated with a grin and made his shotgun disappear. Taking off his glasses, he turned around to look at the two behind him. His eyes widen as Rana immediately darted pass him.
'What?!' he said startled. The dark figure standing where he thought the Third Child was standing. It was beaming evilly at him as its mouth seemed to stretch wider from the reactions it was seeing.
'Shinji!' Rana shouted.
Throwing her towel to the side, she entered the heated pool. Quickly shuffling to where he was, he was floating head down in the pool. Turning him over, his face was blown off as well as large sections of his chest and abdomen region. Other than the large amount of blood flowing out of the body, the female voice froze. Looking at his torso, she could see the lungs and heart working calmly.
'…!?' she said hearing shallow breaths from the blown off mouth region.
There was no lower jaw and the tongue dangled down from the throat. Seeing his limbs move a little, she was overwhelmed by the smell of heated red blood and the black blood that smelled revolting. Turning away and holding her mouth, she climbed out of the pool in time to hurl onto the floor. The bile from her stomach spewed alongside the blown off body parts and blood that stained the ground.
'curious…you are,' the dark voice stated as its form started changing. Its aura became horrific and grotesque making Shinzin feel his stomach turn.
'CuRiOuS, yOu ArE,' it stated more deranged sounding monstrous. Rana felt very weak as she could feel a stronger vile aura than before. Being on her hands and knees, more bile was rising out of her stomach.
'cUrIoUs, YoU aRe!' it said louder.
The silhouette's body took the shape of a clone copy of the male pilot. Shinzin took a couple steps back and regurgitated on the floor. He was overwhelmed with disgust and sickness. By the time he spit out the remaining of his stomach content, the new clone was in front of him. It grabbed his hair and pulled him up straight harshly.
'CURIOUS, YOU ARE!' it shouted in front of his face as Shinzin saw its face up close.
'…!?' the voice said as his eyes widen with horror and shock on why his face looked like that.
A sawed off shotgun blasted into his mid-section creating a gaping hole and his insides to splatter in pieces on the floor. Feeling immeasurable pain from gunfire, blood spewed out of his mouth hitting the odious looking Shinji in the face. The clone's stretched toothy grin went even wider as skin broke and tore. Black blood started oozing out of those fresh ripped wounds as his face and eyes were shaking. The barrel end of the shotgun was felt near under both of their chins.
'YOUARENOTCURIOUSREJECT!' it raged in front of his face as he pulled the trigger. Both barrels fired blowing both their heads off. Having a mild whiplash effect, the bodies fell backwards to the floor with a fleshly thud. Red and black blood started flowing out of their neck regions as it colored the floor.
Lying in the pool, Shinji didn't feel really present again. It made him ponder on why. Since his face was blown off, the only senses that he could use was touch and hearing. The chunks of flesh messing from his chest burned making breathing difficult. Short and shallow breathes seemed to not make things painful.
'This feeling occurs when all the voices are present and take a human form,' he thought moving his arms a little. 'However, it is more so with the current fragmentation.'
'It asked me if I remembered…does that mean one of the voices has known him for a longer period of time?' he stated in his mind slowly getting into a crouching position and standing up slowly. The heated dark red blood water stung if it got into any exposed areas. The pain from his blown off face and chunks of his torso was sharp and burning.
'If that is the case, then I should have memories of seeing it during childhood…strangely, I can't recall them directly. I only see flashbacks of them due to triggers,' he thought. Shuffling slowly through the blood water, she breathing became rapid and short while moving. Feeling ripples of water softly hit him, his ears picked up the sounds of Pen-Pen still enjoying the hot spring pool. Continuing, he reached the edge and gingerly climbed out.
'It is strange…the flashbacks as a child…even a year or so after meeting the sisters…don't feel like my own…it is almost as if the memories were someone else's…' Shinji thought.
Slowly shuffling forward, he headed to where he remembered his body was last. Each dragging step was felt with a slush of blood, kicking body parts and organs. A couple of times, he almost slipped but was able to recover. However, it caused him to wheeze and give throaty coughs. If he coughed too hard, blood would shoot out and cause him to gargle.
'Is that something of significance or a coincidence…I…I don't know,' the male pilot pondered continuing to shuffle onward. Taking a small step forward, he gently hit a body. Tapping around with his foot, he felt broken glasses.
'That is Mr. Shinzin,' he thought and shuffled around until he stopped. The floor felt different. It was dark, wicked, ice cold, reeked of death, and vile.
'That is the new alteration,' Shinji thought and slowly continued passed it. '…or is it an old one?'
Thinking he was near the bedrock lawn chair, he moved his hands out a little. Feeling a moveable chair, he then felt the round table. Slowly moving around, he felt the other chair that was near the rock furniture. Letting go of the table, he shuffled slowly till his foot tapped on a small structure. Bending down a little, he felt a pair of legs. Working his way up, the torso and mid-section were intact. Feeling the face, it was not blown off. Slowly turning around, he gingerly laid down on top of the body. After waiting for a couple of moments, the snail speed of assimilation back into his body began.
Back on the female side, things had calm down a little. Asuka was back lying on the bedrock recline in the middle of the hot spring pool. Placing a towel on her head again, she wasn't going to listen to any of the adult conversation and just relax. She put in extra effort to not even think or care about the First Child. Thinking about her made her irritated. As for the Third Child, she didn't want anything to deal with him at the moment.
Misato had gotten back into the hot spring pool and was sitting next to Ritsuko. At first, she was glaring at her for what she did; however, she forgave her a little from her friend stating that she will get the next rounds. Both talked back and forth about what to do next then changed to overall gossip. Rei was lying down on a lawn chair away from the heated pool. Thinking back to the conversation again, she shook her head.
'The Commander never said that was an effective method…given Ikari's condition, that would be counterproductive,' she thought opening her eyes. Sitting up, the dizziness went away. Looking around at where everyone was, they were back in the same places they were before.
'It seems that neither of them are going to gather information from Ikari,' Rei thought and turned to the wall that kept the males and females side separate.
'Despite the Captain not getting results from a direct approach, I seem to be able to…Ikari's method of conversation is direct. He even told me to ask him a question that I wish to discuss about.'
'Since I have questions that I wish to discuss, he can provide answers to. Therefore, having a direct Q&A will deliver the best results,' Rei thought standing up. The towel that was over her came down. Blinking and looking at it, she picked up and walked forward. Looking at the two options to go to the men's side, each had their own drawbacks and benefits.
The pathway going back into the building and going into the men's side was one. It would prevent her from being seen or questioned by three women in the pool. There was also the receptionist that probably was standing by watching somewhere. The pathway going alongside the forestry was another, but alerted attention to the occupants on the women's side. Thinking about being stopped by any of them made her frown a little. Deciding that the building pathway was better, she wrapped the towel around her and headed toward the sliding door.
Opening it quietly, she glanced behind and saw that she hadn't alerted attention. Entering the holding area, she quietly closed the sliding door. She walked through it and peered through the drapes on the other side. There was no one looking around and there were no cameras that she could tell. Exiting and entering the men's side quietly, there was no one in the holding area. Continuing, she walked to the sliding door and opened it.
'It looks like the mirror image of the women's side,' Rei said entering and closing the sliding door.
Walking into the area and looking around, the space was clean and empty. The only person she saw in the pool was Pen-Pen. He was at a shallow part with his fins resting on the edge. Looking for the other occupant, she saw him lying down on one of the bedrock furniture. Walking toward him, Ayanami got a couple of feet away from him.
"…" she said blinking and looking at him. Shinji was lying on the rock recline chair with his eyes closed. With arms at his side, he looked relaxed. His mouth was parted as he was breathing calmly.
"…" Rei said seeing him mostly bare. The only thing that was a cover was the traditional towel that males wore to cover their genitals. Seeing him mostly naked made her recall the sleepover night. It reminded her of him in the bathroom. Staring at him now, it started to make her feel strange again. What the doctor said earlier came into her head, making her blush heavily again.
'…no…that is counterproductive,' Ayanami thought shaking her head then went back to staring.
'I'm here to ask Ikari questions,' she thought feeling her heart beat a little faster.
'If I wake him and ask him questions, then these sensations will stop,' Rei thought getting closer and bending forward.
"…Ikari…" she said quietly.
"…" Shinji said still sleeping.
"…Ikari…" she asked again then slowly placed her right hand on his right breast. It felt warm and firm in her hand.
"…" he continued sleeping.
'His pulse is slow,' she thought sliding her hand a little to his heart region. It was slow as well despite how faster her heartbeat was in comparison.
"…" the male pilot said still not waking up.
"…" Rei said feeling her face still warm. Looking at his face, the image of what the Second Child almost did during the sleepover came to mind.
'…why am I thinking of that now?' Ayanami thought shaking her head again. '…do…do I…want to do that?'
Seeing his parted mouth, it made her blink and slowly press her lips together. Pulling her hand away from his chest a little to try and back away, her hand loosely formed into a fist. The strange sensation was stronger than she remembered and wanted her to go forward.
"…" Rei said looking back at his chest. Opening her hand and gently placing it on it, it felt nice and warm to her. Looking back at his face, she slowly got closer to it.
"Ya-know," Misato said in a low voice feeling buzzed. "Why are those kids so difficult? I'm mean…just difficult. It's like they're, like, bottles of nitroglycerin...especially the two here."
"Well, they are Eva pilots. They are handpicked for a reason," Ritsuko said feeling buzzed as well.
"And don't get me started on Mr. Stoic pilot. How messed up do ya have to be?"
"He defiantly is a rare oddball."
"Still can't believe ya rung me from those openings."
"You were pretty wide open and you weren't even buzzed yet."
"Shuddaup," Misato said taking a sip of more beer. "Well, at least I know Rei won't do anything that rash."
"You think so," Ritsuko said turning to look at where the First Child was.
"Yea," Misato said turning around. "Cause she…she…"
"…" both adult women said looking at where the First Child was laying down. The lawn chair was empty. Blinking, both women looked at each other.
"…" Misato said.
"…" Ritsuko said.
'SHE WOULDN'T!?' both thought and got out of the hot spring quickly.
"God…so noisy," Asuka said quietly and went back to relaxing.
Both went into the holding area and grabbed towels to wrap around themselves. Going through the drapes of the women's side, they immediately entered the men's side. Misato was about to slam the sliding door open when two hands grabbed her shoulders.
"Wait a minute Misato," Ritsuko said quickly. Before blazing in, she wanted to test something first. Knowing that the Captain was a little buzzed, she could be a little more flexible.
"Let's check discreetly first. Maybe she is actually just asking him questions since they both have had small talks sessions at school."
"…" Misato said narrowing her eyes. "…alright. But if there is any funny business, I will have your head. Knowing the Commander, he will have mine if he finds out."
"I'll buy you a refrigerator's worth of beer if that happens."
"My head value is not that low," Misato said. Both went to the sliding door and opened it slowly and quietly. Peering through the opening, both looked into the men's bath.
"There's Pen-Pen," Misato whispered seeing him at one end of the hot spring pool. Both leaned forward a little and looked to the left.
"…!?" both women said looking at the other two occupants at the sitting area.
'She really is…' Ritsuko thought with her mouth open in shock from what the First Child was doing.
'…at second base!?' Misato thought seeing how both of them had little to no clothes on. Especially how the female pilot didn't even have a towel around her. Looking at how they were placed, it reminded her of the story of sleeping beauty except reversed.
Rei stopped seeing that she was face to face with him. She didn't feel the towel become undone and fall to the floor. Surprisingly, he was still sleeping. Her lips felt his gentle breathing in which seemed to feel pleasant. Matching his breathing, she felt her lips part a little and lean slowly down.
'Come on,' Ritsuko thought staring hard at the First Child. 'Just a bit further.'
"…!" Rei said seeing the image of the Commander in her mind. Blinking and looking at what she was doing, she reeled back slightly. A confliction and frustration ripped through her that made her close her eyes. Standing up and turning around, she tried calming down. She didn't see two female adults pulling back into the holding area.
'Damn…so close,' Ritsuko thought with a small frown, but it changed to a small smile. 'On the other hand, it clears up any speculation.'
'Damn that was close,' Misato thought breathing out the air she was holding in relief. 'Who knows what would have happened if he woke up.'
"Wark-wark? (Hey, whatcha doing?}" Pen-Pen said standing next to them in the holding area. Misato was about to shout in fright when Ritsuko covered her mouth.
"…?" the penguin said blinking and tilting his head a little. He saw both women make the quiet sign with a finger perpendicular to their mouths.
"Hey Pen-Pen, you want to come over to the other side. There is plenty of beer to go around," Misato said quietly with a small smile. The large bird made a happy expression and nodded his head.
"Go ahead, I will watch them," Ritsuko said quietly.
The Captain nodded and picked up her pet. Watching the two leave, she slowly looked back into the male side area. Her eyes widen with horror. Bloodshed and body parts littering the entire male side area. The pool was a murky dark crimson color and the forestry in the background was half red and green. A heated aroma of blood and something vile made her put a hand over her nose feeling nauseated. Looking at the area that the pilots were, the First Child was still standing with her eyes closed naked. She was standing in a pool of red and black with two dead bodies nearby with missing heads.
'…wha…what happened!?' she shouted in her head. Lying on the bedrock furniture was another dead body with its face blown off and large chucks of its chest and stomach missing. About to call the First Child, the body on the recline chair slowly sat up. The scientist's mouth parted in horror watching in suspense as the dead body's head slowly turned its head with cartilage snapping loudly. It stopped and was staring at her.
'…!?' Ritsuko said. Reeling back from the opening, she immediately felt creeped out. Not wanting to stay here alone, she walked back to the woman's side.
"…" Shinji said.
Blinking, he saw the faux blonde's head disappear from the doorway. Looking down at himself, there was no blown off pieces of himself. The pain also was non-existent. Turning his head to the left a little, he saw the First Child naked facing away from him. Looking down at the ground was a towel. Not sure what transpired, he didn't feel any different. Quietly picking up the towel, he slowly stood up.
'…why did I want to imitate what Pilot Souryu attempted?' she thought feeling herself warmer than usual.
'This want to…this fear to…and this feel of betray is too conflicting and confusing,' Rei thought opening her eyes and grimacing. A headache was brewing in her head as she felt her heart and brain were fighting each other. It almost seemed like her insides were trying to rip each other apart.
"What do I do?" Ayanami asked quietly.
"Miss Ayanami?" Shinji asked calmly behind her. Flinching, she blinked then turned around to the Third Child standing nearby behind her. He offered her the towel that fell off her.
"I believe you dropped this."
"…" Rei said slowly reaching and grabbing the towel. Feeling startled still, she brought the cloth in front of her without wrapping it around her.
"Is something wrong Miss Ayanami?"
"…n-no…"
"Has something occurred that you needed to tell me something?"
"Why would you say that?"
"You are on the men's side and Dr. Akagi was looking toward us at the door entrance to the bath," Shinji said with an impassive face.
Rei blinked wondering why the doctor was only looking in. It brought up what Dr. Akagi told her which made her look down a little. Heavily blushing again and shaking her head, the mental images, the sensations, and the confliction continued to battle inside of her. Placing a hand on her forehead, a pulsating sensation throbbed making her grimace.
"Are you well Miss Ayanami?"
"…" Rei said as the sensations and migraine increased making her drop the towel to hold her head with both hands. Shinji blinked and bent down to pick up the towel. Putting his hands under the towel, he stood up and gently grabbed the First Child's elbows.
"Miss Ayanami, do you wish to lie down here or inside?"
"…I…think…insi—" the female pilot said before fainting and falling backwards. Shinji leaned forward and caught her before hitting the ground. Setting her on the floor, he laid the towel over her to cover her. Standing up and looking around, he was the only one that was on the male side. Thinking about leaving and telling the receptionist about the situation, the person would probably find it unfavorably.
"…" Shinji said looking down at the First Child. Thinking about what he had to do, his arms and legs began to shake a little. His right eye twitched a couple of times. Standing to her left side and kneeling, he held his arms forward to grab Ayanami. His arms were giving strong tremors. Retracting them, they shook less.
'Without them or being in blinding pain…touching someone will be with consequences,' Shinji thought.
Suddenly, he felt an intense malice aura in front of him. Looking up, it was the dark clone with his head still blown off. It mimicked his position on the other side of the First Child. The appearance of looking down the voice's neck was a bit distasteful to say mildly. It was pulsating and twitching with black and red blood oozed out.
'DDD #$ #*#%$^OOOOYYY# $OOOOOUUU& #$% $WWWAAAANNNTTTTPPPPAAAAIINNNN!' it spoke in a deep demonic and throaty voice as its neck spewed out black blood and repulsive breath.
'…' Shinji thought. Closing his eyes, he felt the voice's guts splash his face and nauseate him. Hearing the dark clone breathing deeply and haggardly, it seemed to radiate elation along with its normal aura. The Third Child wiped his eyes a little and opened them slowly. The black blood didn't seem to sting as much as the red version.
'Yes sir. If I am under the influence, I will be able to move Miss Ayanami inside the building,' he thought blinking.
'hOw…' it voiced as its neck region started ballooning toward the male pilot's face.
'…MuCh…' it stated as the ballooned expanded to the size of an oversized bowling ball.
'…PAIN!?' it shouted with distorted glee. The bulging membrane sphere burst like an exploding watermelon. Black gore shot everywhere as Shinji closed his eyes and got splattered again. Opening his eyes, the clone's head had formed. It was grinning inhumanly wide with its black-red eyes shining. Black and red blood drenched its face.
'Enough to numb my senses sir,' Shinji finally said calmly without blinking.
'…WoNdErFuL…' the voice said pleasurably and hissed viciously in his face. The Third Child saw two tentacles extend out of the dark figure and reached behind his back. Two piercing stabs followed by downward cuts along his spine were felt. Without stopping, ice cold flesh grabbed his spine in two places and instantly ripped out his spine.
Shinji dropped to his hands and knees feeling blinded and his senses gone. It felt unexplainably painful as a sharp high pitch sound was ringing in his ears and mind. Just focusing on breathing, his sight started coming back. Looking at the floor below, it was moving as a slow ripple. The sensation on his hands and knees felt like he was slowly going up and down. Looking below him again, he was hovering across the First Child who still lied on the floor unconscious.
Shuffling a little, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up into a sitting position. His back muscles flared as everything felt weak and numbing. Almost losing balance, he placed his right foot forward. With his knee up, he leaned her against it. Taking the towel, he painfully wrapped it around her with his facial muscles flinching continuously. Once completed, he got one arm around her back and the other under her knees. Breathing slowly in, he pushed up with both legs to carry her in a standing position.
"…" Shinji said feeling all his senses warping with torture.
It felt like he had fainted a little from how much more the pain increased. Blood flowed out of the elongated cutout section of his entire spine. Every single inch of his being had a burning sensation of needles stabbing everywhere. Seconds passing by which felt like minutes. He felt dead, numb, and ice cold. Grimacing and clenching his teeth tightly, he proceeded forward towards the sliding door. The wicked voice chuckled in dark mirth in his head watching him continue through the immense pain.
Back on the female's side, Misato had just served Pen-Pen a beer when she heard the sliding door at the entrance open. Looking behind, it was Ritsuko and she was slowly heading towards her. Turning back to her pet penguin, he started drinking. The sound of the doctor's footsteps stopped near her.
"How are those two doing?" Misato asked as Pen-Pen exhaled pleased after gulping his drink.
"…They're," Ritsuko said then fixed her facial expression from remembering. "Just talking."
"Really?!" the Captain asked with relief. "That's good. Do you happen to know what they were talking about?"
"…" the the scientist said pouring herself another cup of sake. "No, I was too far away and couldn't hear."
"They do tend to talk quietly," Misato said pouring herself another cup of beer. "It's almost like their related somehow."
"…" Ritsuko said not responding to that question and continued drinking a bit.
What she saw was still in her mind and made her shiver. Thinking about it more, she wondered what happened after she left. Deciding to not think about it, both women continued to drink for a bit. After a minute or so, they heard someone walking in the water toward them. Looking up, it was the Second Child.
"Well you looked refreshed," Misato stated seeing the red head smiling and stretching.
"Yep. What are you two drunkards talking about?" Asuka stated with hands on her hips.
"Oh, nothing in particular."
"Yeah right, I heard you talking about the other two. What did that idiot do this time?"
"…" Misato said thinking fast about how to answer. "Shinji? He hasn't done anything."
"…" Asuka said looking not convinced.
"Why do you think it is just him?" Ritsuko asked wanting to not talk about it. Both saw her look and point to her left. Tracing where the Second Child was directing at, both Misato and Ritsuko looked surprised.
"The First Child is still there after you told her to lie down," Asuka said turning back to them. Oddly, both of them looked confused.
'How did she get back there?' Misato asked still surprised, but at the same time relieved that nothing happened to her.
'How…I didn't hear her,' Ritsuko asked pondering.
As the Captain and Second Child began discussing about other things, the three women never heard the sliding door close slowly. Turning around, Shinji headed back to the changing room. He was able to change his expression back to his stoic one. However, he was blue in the face as he used the wall for support. Feeling anemic, blood continued to spill out of the cutout section of his spine as he walked. Reaching the changing room, he fell on a bench and passed out.