11

[looselips]

Characters: Shinji Matou and OPEN
Setting: The dormitory floors
When: Forwardated to the 15th
Format: Action preferred
Summary: Shinji "enjoys" his new life as a worker unit
Warnings: Standard event-based body horror, blood and organs, will add anything else that comes up


[The first thing Shinji becomes aware of is a dull, wet splat.]

[He doesn't know where the glistening, pink chunk of flesh in front of his feet came from, nor does he remember how long he has been standing where he is now, in front of one of the dormitory bathrooms. There is no blood on his hands, but then, his hands aren't quite what they should be anymore, held in front of him and still curled as though they had been cradling something. Their shape is the same, but they're composed of something else entirely now—something glowing and not quite solid.]

[But despite the wrongness of the picture, their appearance isn't completely unfamiliar, either. He can remember the way the Moon Cell deleted him, that black light starting at the tips of his fingers and toes and spreading upward to consume the rest of his body. Even without the pain of being erased, the sight of his hands in this state is still enough to make him panic and scream—except that he doesn't, his mouth not opening even when his mind demands it.]

[Instead, he merely leans down, fingers curling around the squashy, cooling lump he dropped and scooping it from the floor again. (There is a mess here. It must be cleaned.) Not even his expression changes to match his horror, the same light that makes up his arms and legs blotting out nearly half his face like a stain.]

Comments

[vermicompost]

Shinji?

[Kariya pauses at the sight of the boy who isn't his nephew, in spite of looking like him and bearing the same name.

There's undeniably something wrong with Shinji, but Kariya doesn't know what it is. He takes a step toward him, face wearing an expression of concern. What's happened to his arms and legs? And his face...! Kariya's good eye widens in horror.]

What's the matter? What happened?

[looselips]

[Shinji looks toward Kariya at the sound of his name, but the movement is mechanical more than anything done of his own will. He still can't force his tongue or lips to move, so the only reply Kariya receives is a single, slow blink of his right eye, the left one blotted out entirely along with much of that side of his face. On the right, more light twists beneath his bangs and down his brow, the pattern almost like blood from a head injury.]

[And then he brushes past without a word, mound of flesh cupped neatly in his hand as he moves to dispose of it.]

[vermicompost]

Shinji.

[Kariya is only growing more alarmed by the moment, and the worms inside him start to stir. When Shinji goes, he follows, close on his heels.

The administrators must have done something. This is some new torment they've devised, he's sure of it. Shinji's only a child. They shouldn't do this to him. He doesn't even want to know what it is Shinji's carrying, and that's the least of his concerns right now.

There has to be something he can do, but he doesn't know what. That won't stop him from trying.]

Shinji, say something. Can you hear me? It's Kariya.

[looselips]

[Shinji's body continues on, heedless of whatever his mind's opinions on the matter may be. (Where should he take this? The incinerator, probably. It's a useless part now, just trash.) He wants to yell I can't! at Kariya's request, but all he manages is to bite his lip. His fingers dig into the flesh he is carrying, and while the feeling would normally be enough to make him feel sick, having something to focus on is nearly a relief.]

[For his efforts, Kariya receives a slight nod.]

[vermicompost]

[Kariya lets out a relieved breath as there's some response from Shinji, however slight.]

I'm here for you, Shinji. I won't leave you.

[And, as he says this, he continues to follow the boy.]

Can you not talk? [No, he doesn't really need to ask. It seems like he can't, or, Kariya is sure, knowing Shinji, he would have said something by now.] I'm so sorry they've done this to you.

[swordofzero]

[Both Luffy and Shinji had been missing for a few days, as had Rolo and now people were back. And it was as bad as Suzaku had suspected.

He saw Shinji, saw the light coming from where his arms and legs should be.] Shinji...

[angramaintsu]

[ It was time to begin the hunt. When her Servant disappears, Rin's left looking for him in frustration. Instead of Archer, it's her "younger brother" she finds. ]

Stupid Shinji, what are you doing? [ The best way to greet a child, she doesn't even realize at first there's something wrong. ]

[looselips]

[Automatically, Shinji turns toward Rin when she speaks. With him facing her, the alterations are plain on his face—in a very literal sense. His expression doesn't change, but he slowly looks from her back down to the squishy, slick piece of meat in his hands, as though that's meant to tell her something.]

[looselips]

[Kariya's words take him by surprise, and there's a moment where he mentally reels as though he had been struck. (It would be quickest to use the elevator.) But where he might in another circumstance feel angry at Kariya for pitying him, here he feels abruptly and powerfully relieved.]

[His body won't move like he tells it to. He can't even talk. It's horrifying, and he's scared. He doesn't want to be left alone now.]

[There's another slight movement as he shakes his head this time, not that Kariya really needs to be told. He wishes he could say something, but his body only doggedly continues fulfill the task given to it.]

[looselips]

[Shinji turns, revealing that his face has received a similar treatment as his limbs, light creeping over his skin and blotting out his left eye, his cheek, part of his brow. But he isn't really turning to look at Suzaku, and rather than acknowledge his presence he simply moves to walk past him, the only sign that he's heard him at all the way his fingers squeeze harder at the spare part in his hand. Very literally, blood drips through his fingers, since he isn't thinking about interacting with it.]

[vermicompost]

[He's said he won't leave Shinji, and he doesn't mean to. He keeps close to him as the boy continues to move.]

If there's anything I can do, I will. There must be something...

[Kariya isn't someone who gives up easily. He wants to comfort Shinji, somehow.]

This can't last. These things are usually temporary. I've been here long enough to know that.

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku blinked, angry for what they had done, yet he knew how this went, knew there was nothing to be done and that fighting against these experiments would only anger Jason.] Can you speak?

[chevalier_mal_fet]

[He searches swiftly for his Master, flowing from one part of the Tower to another (when he may) as a Black Mist. His Master he can sense, and those who share his blood as well. He has witnessed many horrors today. He has no wish to see his Master fall to one, or to become one himself.

Shinji is nearby and so Lancelot solidifies into space, standing in the hallway. He is ready to call Shinji by name. But the shape of the boy is somehow wrong, his energy subtly different. As he comes around to face the boy, he can see plainly why this is so.

His first thought is one of pity. Dropping to a crouch before the boy, he brings his hands to rest on Shinji's shoulders.]
Shinji. Can you speak? Can you hear me?

[angramaintsu]

... Shinji?

[ Her tone changes quickly as she looks him over as a disturbing realization began to find it's way within her mind. This is one of those times where she wishes she wasn't as clever as she is. ]

What's the matter with you... and put that down, that's gross.

[koncubine]

That is so gross! What are you doing, Shinji?

[Caster approaches from side, not having seen the mess his body has become just yet. She puts her hands on her hips, frowning at him and starting to scold.]

You've gotten into trouble again, haven't you? I can't leave you alone for five minutes...

[She moves closer and reaches a hand out to touch his shoulder.]

[looselips]

[He shakes is head—or, rather, his head shakes itself, because he can't ignore the "programming" telling him he needs to clear the area of trash. His lips might appear to purse for a moment, but he can't get his mouth to move any more than that... Not that Rin would have received a very useful reply, anyway, seeing as the first words that jump to his panicked mind are, What does it look like, you dumb bitch?!]

[looselips]

[Maybe it's ridiculous, but his first thought is that he doesn't want to see Lancelot now. He's terrified, but this isn't the kind of terror a Servant can protect him from—is it? There's no external threat to do away with, after all. All Lancelot can do is pity him, and he doesn't want to be pitied. He doesn't want to be pitiable.]

[But his face doesn't reflect anything like that. There's a shake of the head, but the movement is slight, just a twitch to one side and then the other. He doesn't resist the way his body tries to pull back from beneath the hands on his shoulder, trying to move around him so that the trash he is holding can be properly disposed of.]

[looselips]

[He doesn't look up when he hears Caster's voice, his eyes fixed on the object in his hands as a part of his mind that isn't his own runs through the correct way to dispose of such a thing. It's only when her hand touches his shoulder that he responds, head automatically turning to regard the person interrupting him.]

[For someone familiar with the Moon Cell's Holy Grail War, it's not hard to see what the pattern of light on his face is reminiscent of. The left half of his face is nearly blotted out altogether, one eye covered, energy creeping over his cheek and around the corner of his mouth. The right is stained across his brow and cheek.]

[looselips]

[His feet don't stop, whether he wants them to or not. He's scared—terrified, even—but he isn't sure he wants his roommate to see him like this. He doesn't want to be seen in such a pathetic state. The question is met with the only reply Shinji can give—a tiny shake of the head, his limited control of his body allowing him just enough to answer direct questions.]

[looselips]

[On some level, it's relieving to hear Kariya say that. But at the same time, he hadn't even thought that far ahead, about what if this is permanent? The thought that it could be is nearly enough to make him feel sick with fear.]

[He doesn't know what Kariya can do, and even if he did, he couldn't tell him. Maybe just staying and talking to him is enough. Thoughts keep drifting through his head, about the tasks he has to complete. (Again, he thinks of the elevator.) What if, when he's alone and without a distraction, that'll be all he can think? What if, once that happens, it'll be over?]

[He reaches the elevator.]

[chevalier_mal_fet]

[The boy can't speak, but does seem to know him-- does seem to feel pain and to know fear.
There have been many he has seen whom he has not been moved to aid, either because of their dangerous alterations, or because he did not know them. But Shinji he does know, and is moved to help. There is only one way he can think of to end such a spell, such a work of Evil on the body.]

Shinji, I want only to help you. Since you can hear me, I shall ask you outright. Shinji, do you wish me to free you?

[Lancelot's gloved hands tighten on the boy's shoulders.]

[canofworms]

[Today has Not Been A Good Day.

Quite apart from how much he's been dogged by the Tower worker units, to the point where he's already lost his temper enough to wreck a couple of them before breakfast -- breakfast itself isn't anything to write home about, so to speak.

So, add 'crankiness from hunger' to the mounting paranoia; something is most certainly off about the Tower right now. More than usual. Kariya is (largely) a rational person, but he's learned that it doesn't pay to ignore your gut instinct.

There's too many monsters in the Tower.

Most of them don't seem to be outright hostile, so he's been skirting them -- something he doesn't normally do, but just at the moment he's more worried about checking on those important to him, and trying to quash the uneasiness in his chest. He initially spots the familiar small form and head of hair from behind, and it eases the worry only a little.]

Shinji? It's not safe to be out here by yourself.

[In fact, it's not safe to be out here at all, but shutting his not-quite-nephew up in the dorms is unlikely to be a long-term solution.]

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku just walks with him, sensing that the boy can't control his body and not wanting to make this worse than it already was. He saw the shake of his head, and it confirmed his suspicions.]

Can you remember anything? About what happened?

[looselips]

[His head jerks in another small movement, this time in a nod. His recollection is foggy, but he can remember enough. He remembers being restrained, and he can remember hurting, even if he can't recall the exact procedure.]

[looselips]

[Of course Lancelot's grip is too strong for Shinji's body to escape, and though it doesn't seem to want to, it stills when it is restrained. Mentally, Shinji's thoughts stutter to a halt as well. "Free him"...?]

[...What kind of question is that? The moment the question has sunk in, there's a twitch of a nod. He doesn't care what has to be done. Anything has to be better than this.]