THE HARSH ROAD THAT BLEEDS YOUR HEELS

“Tell me do you think wearing a fake human skin makes you human angel?”

Kaworu turned in the darkness of the room which only had one light source which was shining down on him. The dark voice spoke again. “It changes nothing you know your still a scummy fucking imitation, its why even from this distance I can see you, the real you.”

Kaworu moved towards the light trying to put his hand through it only to feel the pain causing him to pull away sharply. The dark in human voice spoke again. “Want to pretend you live in the light then pay the price!”

There was a long pause as he heard hoof like sounds as the thing in the shadows moved which meant whatever it was, it wasn’t human. “You’re just a dream. I do not care for dream monsters they are brought on by fear and misguidance in the waking world.”

He watched as a single black eye filled with red circles of colour appeared in the darkness. “Nothing ever changes does it? You’re still a self-absorbed pretentious little bastard who thinks he matters.” There was a slight laugh which was chillingly cold and made him feel like someone had just walked on his grave. As well as making the hairs on his body stand up on end along with a smell hitting his nose which smelt like rotting bodies and it made him feel sick.

It stopped as the single red and black eye narrowed. “Soon you’re going to know suffering and soon you’ll realize you are nothing, and you’ll realize that all things end. See it as retribution for what you stole from me in my other life time. He should have been mine he belongs to me, not you!”

Kaworu blinked in confusion hearing the hooves again. “Are you Kallikantzaros? Because if you are I don’t worship you and you hold no sway over me.” The single red and black eye narrowed but more in amusement. “You’ll know me soon angel, but allow me to give you little a parting gift.”

Kaworu narrowed his gaze. “I want nothing from one I don’t worship and you will not trick me in to worshiping you with gifts.” The light suddenly faded away as everything went dark as he suddenly felt a huge hand wrap around his throat as he was dragged upwards as he felt his feet kick out at nothing but thin air.

The red and black eye got closer and he saw a flash of huge set of jaws filled with razor sharp teeth as it spoke again with its strange voice that was hard to pin down gender wise, as it sounded like a mixture of both. “Don’t talk to me about worship you worthless little shit. You don’t get a choice in my gifts their given, because soon I’ll be the only god worth talking about in your pathetic little world. Very soon you’ll all love me and despair.”

Kaworu felt another clawed finger touch his face as it spoke again. “The cycle is about to begin a new and I will be reborn on to this world once more and since you’re not a full angel this time around you won’t be an issue.”

The single eye opened wider. “But still like all good angels you don’t deserve to look human. So you should find out what it is to not fit in again just like you deserve, since you stole what was mine.” The clawed finger sliced in to his face causing blood to flow free causing instant intense pain as he started to panic fighting harder to get free of the grip.

Kaworu’s eyes snapped open as he sat bolt upright in bed breathing in deeply as he blinking away the strange dream which made sense at all he put his hand to his face feeling no wound even though it had felt so real. He turned seeing the first rays of the morning sun in the sky from Shinji’s bedroom. He got up stretching slightly before making his way slowly to the bathroom as he needed to take his medication.

He hated stupid nightmares like this and he hated it when random ones got through since he’d done so much therapy to stem them. He breathed in opening the cupboard as he took out the medical gun that had his medication for walking dead syndrome as if he didn’t take it he’d turn white skinned and his eyes would go a deeper red and he’d look terrible. He breathed in pushing it in feeling the medical gun fire. He breathed in only to feel a sudden stabbing pain which caused him to almost drop the gun.

He leaned forward unable to stop himself crying out as the pain hit his stomach followed by every other muscle. He looked up at the mirror only to watch in utter shock as his skin’s pink colour slowly faded away turning back to white followed by his eyes turning from dark brown to a pure glowing red and his grey hair began to slowly turn white, only for the pain to stop suddenly.

He stared in utter shock feeling the panic take over as he opened the gun eyeing the medical cartage which was correct by the medical markings.

He grabbed the draw nearby pulling it open harshly grabbing a second cartage from the set of eight loading it in to the gun as he pulled it up to his neck firing it a second time even though he knew he wasn’t meant to ever have two doses as it was very dangerous but clearly the first dose was empty or faulty.

The next moments caused intense pain all over his body enough for him to fall down on the bathroom floor as the pain hit his stomach which felt like his guts were being twisted in on themselves which caused him to cry out in agony. His hands grabbed at the sheep skin rug as everything went in and out of focus as the side effects of the over dose suddenly hit.

He grabbed at the toilet seat pulling him-self up only just managing to throw up in it and not on the floor. He turned despite how dizzy he felt grabbing a long towel as he heard Shinji’s footsteps coming to the bathroom which he had no lock and only a blind.

He pulled the towel over himself trying to hide as much as possible knowing though that it was in part a lost cause since he’d see his feet and legs. He looked up as the blind went across as Shinji came running in. He came closer to him his concerned voice hitting the air. “Kaworu are you…” Kaworu raised his hand speaking with far more anger than intended. “Stay away from me! Don’t look at me!”

His next words were stopped as his guts suddenly twisted again and he found himself over the toilet bowl again as he threw up and the room started to spin. The other man’s arms were around him in an instant though he had no idea what happened next as the full effects of the over dose kicked in as he started to feel his eyes close and his body go numb.

He was carefully put on the floor in recovery position by Shinji who’s voice was becoming distant as he heard him run to the phone opposite calling the emergency Nerv number as everything went in to darkness accept for the sound of his own beating heart echoing in his ears.

8

Rei breathed in feeling the deep nervousness take over as her father’s office doors were opened by the guards and she stepped through seeing Asuka follow behind her. They had both not had breakfast yet and the card said they had to go to her father’s meeting despite that she didn’t want to be here for a second time.

She slowly walked in taking up her position breathing in sharply closing her eyes for a long moment as she turned seeing Asuka take up her position behind her, though her face was readable. She could still see the hint of fear in her good eye it was subtle but she knew when it was there as she’d seen it many times before now.

She turned watching as the door opened as Ritsuko and Gendo came in both taking up their desks seats in silence which only added to her mounting feeling of fear. She just had to get through this crap and ask for her photos and movies of her mother that was why she was here. She had to remember that and use it to push herself to ask despite that once again she feared punishment.

Gendo’s calm voice hit the air breaking her out of her thoughts. “How is your progress going since quarantine Rei?” Rei looked down not wanting to answer it was an insulting question and it wasn’t like he cared, so why should she care to answer?

Gendo turned seeing that no answer was forth coming his daughter was ignoring him outright the same way his son sometimes did. He turned to Asuka who suddenly looked very concerned and uneasy her face said it all. As just like him, she was waiting for a reply from the younger woman. “How has her process been since quarantine Asuka?”

Asuka turned sharply ever since she’d been here he’d always referred to her as second child or German girl or woman, never by her name or second name and it made her feel uneasy and out of place. “I won’t answer your daughter’s feelings, with my own.” She took a slow step back. “I don’t speak for her.”

Gendo eyed her seeing his daughter gaze become deeply cold. “Very well, if you wish to do this way then I’ll do it this way.” Rei spoke unable to keep the cold bitterness out of her voice. “Yes please can we get this over with? I’m not interested in your fake empathy, or you making out that you care for my wellbeing.”

She watched as Ritsuko and Gendo looked up the surprise showing mildly in their faces but maybe it’s because it was off her tone and how cold it was. Gendo breathed in deeply as he pressed his desk controller bringing up a holographic screen with the escape pod which he turned slowly. “What was the ship you were on called and what did it look like?”

Asuka looked up slightly. “It was called the Hatshepsut the leader of it told me its name herself it’s some kind of underwater ship. They told me because they said if I tried to escape I’d drown.” Gendo looked at her for a long moment. “What did it look like?” He pointed to the hologram. “Was the design like this?”

Asuka eyed the hologram sadly feeling nothing click in her mind no matter how many times she’d tried to remember escaping it was just all black and she couldn’t recall anything. “I don’t remember.” Gendo put his hands together. “How can you not remember this?”

Asuka looked down tracing the floor with her good eye. “Because I just can’t, the last thing I remember was being experimented on and the crazy scheisse they were spouting.” Ritsuko looked at her speaking calmly. “What we’re they saying to you?”

Asuka tensed seeing that Rei was still remaining quite. “Some crazy scheisse, about me being a destroyer of worlds and a sleeping god in human form...” She laughed slightly though it was horrible nervous laughter even to her own ears. “I mean that’s crazy right and there out of their minds? They are mixing up what happened with Bardiel as godhood or something.”

Gendo looked at her. “Before you go on Asuka let me be clear we know who these people are. We know they once formed part of your step family and we know Mari your step sister is their granddaughter. We also already know they tried to drown you as a small child. Make no mistake we are very clear on knowing that family tree. As your older sister opened up about it privately and gave us the full report.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He sat up slightly. “So we know that the Pharaoh is the Hyena of Vasai and there one and the same and that her full name is Gabriella Adelardo Langley.” He paused. “So you need not hide this information in anyway as we are already well aware of your predicament.” He looked up. “So you have no need to cover up your step families history, you can be honest.”

Asuka felt her good eye dart. “I never intended to hide that fact and my older sister and I have spoken at length about this.” Gendo took his device changing the picture to reflect the family tree including Mari and herself. “You will tell me though if these people laid a hand on my daughter right now and if they committed any acts of sexual violence towards her.”

Asuka breathed in feeling the shock and horror sink in because worst of all she just didn’t know because Rei’s holding house had been above her prison the whole time. “I…don’t know….” Gendo stood up sharply the anger suddenly showing. “That’s not a good enough answer from you, you will answer me!”

Asuka felt the sudden fear and terror setting in and the over whelming helpless of the situation as well as the guilt hit her hard. As if they had done that to Rei there was no way she could have even stopped it, as she’d been bolted to a chair. “I was tied down they had me in some kind of chair, her prison room was above me.”

She suddenly felt the tears coming before she could stop them. “You think I didn’t fight to get free? I tried so hard the chair was stronger than me. It was specially built to house me, even with all my rage and anger I couldn’t break it. I wanted to break it to save her because I failed to save her at the auction!”

Ritsuko stood up everything about this was making her uncomfortable and normally she wouldn’t care but Asuka’s actions rang of victim’s guilt and it was so hard and saddening to watch. She raised her hand instantly getting Gendo’s attention. “Maybe you should stop now, it seems very clear Asuka was a prisoner and does not know the answer to your questions.”

Rei turned the anger suddenly exploding out of her as Asuka stepped back even further trying to recompose her-self. “They didn’t touch me father not in that way!” Gendo turned sharply to her. “You finally speak!”

Rei eyed him in disgust. “Everything Asuka says is the truth I was housed above her they said they didn’t want to hurt me because they feared your wraith. They even spoke about how you hurt your enemies for hurting us. I just didn’t believe them, because I know you don’t care about me or Shinji.”

She breathed in deeply. “Like Asuka says they were more interested in this idea that she’s some destroyer of worlds and they captured me as they wanted to use me to change her mind so we would both betray Nerv and Asuka would become god and I only played along so I could see her as they wouldn’t let me leave the prison room otherwise.”

She looked up slightly. “The last thing I remember was Asuka being experimented on with some type of camera.” Ritsuko looked up sharply. “What kind of camera?” Rei raised her hand. “It was a nineties video camera but it looked strange with gold markings and strange lens in different colours and they shone it on her. It’s the last thing I remember then I woke up on that beach next to Asuka and neither of us remembers getting out.”

Ritsuko slowly put on her glasses as she raised her tablet speaking in an unsure tone. “Since quarantine, have ether of you experienced strange things happening things which you just couldn’t explain?”

Rei breathed in yes they’d had mind blowing sex and Asuka had screwed her in were tiger form but when she said that in her head it sounded crazy and if she said it aloud. It would reveal that they’d gone against the twenty four hour none sex rule. “Other than you both calling us up here no nothing strange has happened.”

She was lying again it was scary how used to this she was getting. How she could just say it to people faces and they’d believe her even when she was lying. She was starting to get why Asuka had lied so much in her youth. It gave you this sense of power over others and though it wasn’t healthy, it was addictive.

Gendo looked at his daughter for a long moment there was something very off with her. He could feel it even from here but he knew she didn’t normally lie, but right now she was doing so as he knew she had not spoken with Ritsuko the other day. “Lying does not become you Rei, you have no tact for it as we both know you weren’t at the meeting Ritsuko’s meeting the other day.”

He ignored Asuka’s genuine shock over that comment as he looked up slightly. “So let me repeat Ritsuko’s question have you experienced anything strange these past few days? It’s very important we need to know.”

Rei felt a sneer form on her lips it was more because of he was lying now, not her. She’d been there she remembered walking the corridor to the room. “I was there, I don’t know what you’re talking about and to be honest I would love to have missed it, it’s not like I enjoy talking to your new wife, or have you not figured that out yet?”

She ignored Ritsuko’s confused look as she took a step forward not caring that she was coming of as challenging and putting herself in a very dangerous position to be punished. “What were you to cowardly to come and meet me because I look like mum? So you farmed me off to her for girl talk.”

Asuka turned watching as her girlfriends eyes slowly turned to glowing red and it was clear she wasn’t the only one seeing it as Gendo gaze was also very clearly on it as was Ritsuko’s. Rei moved a step closer. “You know I came here because its routine but personally right now I just want to smash those glasses off your face father. The only thing stopping me is first I want my mother pictures and videos the ones you keep from me and Shinji, the ones of her being my mother and not the scientist and it’s not a request. I want them now!”

She felt her teeth turn to razors as the explosive anger came out before she could stop it. “Or I’ll make you wish you had!” Gendo stood up fully. “You do not make demands of me you’re here to do a job, which is to pilot, you do not make threats towards me!”

He eyed Asuka raising his gloved hand. “This is you isn’t it? You told her to do this.” Asuka breathed in deeply. “No Commander that’s what you utterly fail to understand. I don’t tell her to do anything, this is what she wants it has nothing to do with me.”

Ritsuko stood up suddenly realizing just how close this was getting to an explosion and she could tell by the cold hated in Rei’s glowing red eyes that she was deadly serious and she wasn’t bluffing and Gendo was now in the danger zone. He just didn’t realize it since a pilots strength seemed to enhance once the teeth were out and unlike Asuka, Rei didn’t have the same discipline over it. “Dear please give Rei what she wants.”

Gendo turned sharply. “No I will not give in to her childish desires just because she wants to threaten me.”

Ritsuko eyed him as she sat back down. “I’m serious you give her what she wants right now or today because she isn’t bluffing and I highly doubt you’d like a repeat of your youngest child trying to punch you over your desk like your older one did two years ago.”

She tensed slightly. “Shinji was rather hard to restrain and I feel your youngest in her current state might be somewhat harder.” She eased out a cigarette lighting it. “I would prefer to not have a repeat of that event as it made you look bad within the company as the employees love to gossip. As they know your relationship with your children isn’t good.”

She watched as that sank in as he realized what she was saying and he eyed Rei speaking coldly. “Very well, I will see that done today.” Rei narrowed her gaze. “I do hope do or I will be back here to get them personally.” Ritsuko eyed them as she breathed out her cigarette smoke. “And we will have that personal chat at some other time when your moods better.”

She paused knowing that Gendo would hate this but this was the only way to defuse this situation completely. “You can both go now.” She breathed in her cigarette before breathing it out slowly as she met Asuka’s good eye. “Tell your sister Mari we will be talking to her very soon. As it’s very clear she knows more about the crooked family tree than you do.”

Rei turned grabbing hold of Asuka’s arm not looking back as she walked towards the double doors. “Come on Asuka we are leaving.” Asuka breathed in about to say something but stopped she wanted out as much as Rei and right now everything just felt horrible and out of her control. Maybe that was why she was happy to just be led out of the room as it gave her chance to wipe away her remaining tears as the doors were closed behind them as Rei carried on walking her down the long corridor ignoring the concerned looks from the two sets of guards.

8

Maya looked at Kaworu who for the first time in hours was finally starting to come around. She couldn’t believe this had happened he’d overdosed on his special medication and right now was lucky to even be alive. Because the over does could have destroyed his liver and kidneys as it was that dangerous.

She still couldn’t think of what had compelled him to even do this and now she wanted answers and it wasn’t going to be pleasant for him on any level. She could see Shinji waiting behind the glass of the hospital room but he would have to wait slightly longer as they had only just stabilized him and it would take a while for the drip to give him the reverse medication which had to go in very slowly over the course of hours as it would counter what he had taken.

She breathed in deeply watching as his glowing red eyes adjust to light as he blinked clearly in pain. “I’m glad you’re finally with us Kaworu.” She paused raising the medical gun Shinji had given her so he could see it. “I don’t need to tell you that Stizomazeia is dangerous in high doses with your condition but you already know that. So instead, why don’t you tell me what compelled you to take two doses?”

Kaworu tensed painfully in the hospital bed as he looked up slightly speaking although every word hurt to get out. “You gave me the wrong medication, that isn’t working.” Maya eyed the gun. “No I had this checked by the medical team to made sure because we feared that like Asuka and Mari someone might have slipped in a another drug, but it came up that this had the right drug in it.”

She paused. “So tell me why you took more than necessary, it’s very important.” Kaworu sat up despite that it hurt all over. “No it’s the wrong drug! I took it and it didn’t change my skin, hair or eyes, so I took it again.” Maya looked at him for a long moment Kaworu was never one to lie he always spoke from the heart. She lowered the gun. “So you’re saying your medication isn’t working at all?”

She turned as his blood results came up on the holographic screen opposite though it was beeping and showing a red marker on the DNA holographic strand. She walked over to it looking at it in utter confusion. “How is that even possible?” Kaworu looked up painfully. “How is what possible?”

Maya breathed in deeply. “I ran your blood when you came in, there something wrong in one of your chromosomes one of your base pairs appears to be faulty but I’ve never seen anything like this before and there is no documented history of this ever happening with Walking Dead Syndrome. Because the common misconception is people with your condition are sickly and weak. When they are not they are always perfectly healthy internally and genetically and have really good stamina.”

She leaned closer. “I’m sorry Kaworu I will have to repeat this test and I know you don’t like blood tests. You will have to stay in bed all today as I can’t release you till I know you can walk out of that hospital door healthy and this fault in your genes won’t hurt you long term.”

Kaworu breathed in frustration. “Great, so I’m stuck here.” Maya looked at him as she loaded the gun which was especially for bloods. “Yes at best I can let you out tonight and you will have to go home with Shinji and he’ll have to monitor you over night.”

Kaworu breathed in deeply. “He cannot see me this way, I look like a dead shit in low tide!” Maya breathed in deeply she recalled reading Kaworu’s divisions reports that without his medication he could turn extremely moody and foul tempered but this was the first time she’d ever seen it in person. “Would you rather stay in here overnight?” Kaworu breathed in deeply as he spoke calmly. “No I want you to fix this, that’s your job to fix me. So I don’t look like a freak of nature and a walking corpse.”

Maya looked at him for a moment before looking at the hologram. “This is not something I can fix Kaworu I’ve never seen anything like this before. This will need to be sent to specialist teams in two branches and it could take them a week or more to fix it so your meds work again.”

She moved forward pushing the gun in hearing him wince as it filled two veils with blood then an injection went off which was to stop any bleeding. She pulled it away looking at it. “You’re going to have to live with this and you’re going to need to be patient and let Shinji help you, till we can get this fixed. Misato, Ritsuko and the Commander have already been told as have the bridge crew that you over dosed this morning.”

Kaworu eyed her. “I don’t want him to see me like this. You think he’s going love me looking like this?!”

Maya looked at him for a long moment. “If he loves you like I think he does, this shouldn’t be an issue for him.”

End of part 42

Silvermoonlight