Chapter 76: Moving Out

Escorting Rana back to her bed, Shinji set her down. However, she didn't let go of him with her arms around his neck and legs holding around his waist.

"No…don't leave me," she said holding onto him for dear life and shaking all over.

"I am unable to at the moment Miss Rana," he said stoically. Blinking, he felt her move her head slowly. Still looking in mild panic with tears falling down her face, she was in front of his face.

"…you…aren't going to leave me?" she whispered.

"I have no reason to Miss Rana," he replied with a neutral expression and blinking.

"A-Aren't we still inside?"

"No Miss Rana, we are not."

"…" she stated blinking a couple of times. "Where…where are we? In a dream?"

"…" the Third Child answered by slowly moving his head side to side.

"…" Rana responded. Feeling herself calming down, she tried to understand. She felt that she was sitting on something and looked behind her. Seeing a bed and feeling somewhat safe, the female twin slowly let go of him. He was about to take a step back when her arms snapped up and grabbed his wrists.

"W-Where are you going?!" she asked hesitantly and alert.

"I was going to get a cloth to wipe your face if that is acceptable Miss Rana," Shinji said not flinching or reacting from being grabbed at. The female twin stared at him with anxiety and shook her head a little.

"Very well," he said with a small nod. Watching him, he moved his hands to her face. Closing her eyes, he gently wiped off the tears. The soft motion of his hands was calming down the rattled nerves and making her relax more. Feeling his fingers stop and pull away, she opened her eyes.

"Was that able to calm you Miss Rana?" he asked with a stoic face.

"…mmm-hmm," the female twin replied softly and smiling a little at him. He gave a small bow then stood back straight.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Are…are you going back to your room?"

"…at the moment…no," the male pilot stated after pausing.

"Is it okay if you stay here?"

"Dr. Akagi has given me permission to roam this level if I wish to without disturbing staff or other patients…I do not think there is much objection from me staying here."

"…" Rana said with a sigh of relief. Immediately standing up, she embraced him. Placing her face next to his, she smiled happily.

"…" Shinji said blinking then glancing at her head. "Miss Rana?"

"Is this how siblings act?" she asked quietly.

"…" he said looking back straight. A flashback of the sisters came into his mind.

"From personal experience, I do not believe so. However from observations of others, siblings act in a variety of ways. Some are close, neutral, or distant."

"But we are different," Rana said pulling back to be face to face with him. "We are a part of each other. Together, we make ourselves complete."

"…" Shinji said blinking and tilting his head a little. "I did not think of wholeness in that way."

"Is it bad?" she asked nervous.

"…" he shook his head slowly. "No…it is just different."

"I'm glad," Rana said smiling while he kept his stoic face.

"May I suggest you lie down and rest Miss Rana? I will remain at your side if that helps you sleep better."

"…" she said smiling brighter and hugging him more. "Thanks brother."

"…" he said feeling his left eye twitch from the constant physical contact. Gently hugging her and patting her back, it made her feel more relaxed. Helping her get into her bed, he grabbed a nearby chair and sat at her bedside. Pulling the covers up to her neck, she turned to face him.

"Yes Miss Rana?"

"Could you…scratch my head?" she asked looking at him with a small smile.

"…" he said giving a stoic stare back at her. "...very well."

Moving his left hand, he started to pet her hair. Seeing her smile and slowly close her eyes, she fell to sleep shortly after. Continuing to scratch her head gently for a little longer, the male pilot stopped. Looking at his hand, he wondered if this was reality. The aspect that he felt nothing from the reactions or tensions from others perplexed him a little still. Deciding on the usage of pain, he gripped his hand into a fist. Increasing the tension, it became murderous as his nails started to dig into his palm.

"…" he said opening his fist to see tickles of blood come out of the nail indentations.

'…nothing…'

In a meeting chamber, the SEELE committee had assembled. Each member was represented by an image of a towering black rectangular structure with a number on it. Standing in the middle of the large black blocks was Major Katsuragi. During the emergency meeting with Commander Ikari after the Angel attack, SEELE requested that the Operations Director be sent for a committee meeting to explain what happened. With no objections from the Commander, agents came to NERV more than a day after the attack. They requested that she was to appear before the committee. Standing in front of them, she kept a neutral face and stood at attention despite feeling anxiety of what they would ask.

[Major. Explain from your perspective of what happened during the recent Angel attack] 01 spoke hearing his voice echo in the large meeting area. The Major went over the operation from when NERV started preparing for the attack to the end result. She heard small reactions from a couple of the committee members; however, she couldn't tell who voiced them.

[Cured from his mental illness!? Preposterous!]

[Unbelievable!]

[An unknown twin and Dr. Ikari in the war machine! What bounds of moral and ethics has NERV not broken?!]

[Silence!] a black structure spoke. When the other committee members settled down, the lead continued.

[Major. Who authorized the usage of the Third Child to be a part of the Angel attack?]

"Commander Ikari."

[What possessed NERV to use a mentally unstable and physically uncontrolled pilot?] 03 spoke in a mocking tone.

"From submerging the Third Child in a new LCL solution, the pilot was able to become stable without being incapacitated from his mental illness," she stated keeping calm and collected.

[However, that didn't work during the Angel attack. He reverted back to his mental state and was a hindrance to the entire operation] the same mocking pillar spoke.

"Initially, yes. Not so afterwards."

[Yes Major. Afterwards] another pillar stated.

[Didn't you think for a moment that the pilot could have not recovered? He could have died along with the citizens that were captured by the Angel] 06 stated in a snobbish tone.

"Yes, that was a possibility. For the record, no citizen was lost during that Angel attack sir," Misato said not moving though felt like punching the man in the face.

[You seem awfully calm regarding how much of a thin line that NERV was on regarding this Angel attack] 03 spoke again.

"…" she said clenching her teeth while remaining stoic.

[Major. Before you are dismissed, what is NERV's plan for the Third Child, the twin, and Dr. Ikari?] 01 stated louder than the others.

"I do not know the immediate or long term plan for them. They are restricted to NERV's medical facility until further noticed."

[Who would?]

"Commander Ikari."

[I see…silence!] 01 stated hearing the committee getting riled up again. Once it was quiet, the double doors behind the Major opened up.

[You are dismissed Major] the lead said as a couple of SELEE operatives stepped in. [They will escort you out.]

"…" Misato said giving a small bow then turned around.

Leaving the room with her escorts, the double doors closed behind them. Heading toward the exit, the agents followed a little bit further behind than normal. The scowl on her face was menacing. Retrieving her items and getting into one of their unmarked black vehicles, they transported her back to her home. Once back to her apartment complex, she got out of their car and closed the door.

"…" she said scowling at them as the black car left. Getting into her car, she traveled back to NERV to make her report. She ignored most traffic laws speeding through the roads with a lead foot. Her scowl slowly died away getting closer and closer to the base's surface checkpoint.

In a patient room on NERV's medical side, the Third Child was sleeping on his bed. Turning a little bit, his dream was very lucid. It felt different to be able to control himself and be aware of what he was doing while his subconscious constructed images and environments. Part of the way through the dream, his left side felt heavy and difficult to move freely. Looking back and forth between his limbs, the left seemed to move in slow motion while the right moved in actual time. Wondering if something was happening in reality, he closed his eyes.

"…" Shinji said slowly opening his eyes and blinking.

Staring at the same ceiling for the past couple of days, very little changed about it. Hearing a second set of breathing, he slowly moved his eyes to his left. Rana was sleeping next to him while hugging his left arm. She was asleep as well and looked calm. Narrowing his eyes at her, he didn't feel bothered by it. Turning back to the ceiling, a small knocking was heard at the door.

A medical staffer came in and saw the female twin still sleeping on the bed. The Third Child was sitting up and greeted the employee. Stating that both were going to a medical checkup, he nodded and gently woke up Rana. Stirring awake, the female twin yawned then greeted the staffer. Reiterating about the medical checkup, the doctor escorted the two to a medical lab. From there, both went through a series of screenings and tests. Once done, they were escorted to a doctor's office. After a period of waiting, the staffer came in.

"Based on the results, both of you have clean bills of health," the person said then looked at the Third Child. "Well…relatively given the certain attributes for you Pilot Ikari."

"..." the male pilot said nodding his head a little.

"What's next for us doctor?" Rana asked.

"Other than filing this into our system, you two can go ahead to the administration desk. From there, you'll receive instructions on what to do next."

"Very well," Shinji said standing up and bowing. Rana did the same thing then followed him out of the office. Walking down the hallway side by side, both passed the room that Dr. Ikari was in. When they put a good distance away from it, the female twin leaned closer to him.

"Do you know how she is doing?" Rana asked out of curiosity.

"I do not," Shinji said blinking and continuing forward.

"Is it because of her reaction to you and me?"

"…" he said thinking while both turned a corner and saw the administration desk down the hallway. "I believe Dr. Ikari needs space and time to adjust at the moment."

"Otherwise…she'll relapse again?"

"Potentially," the Third Child stated then glanced over slowly at her. "Do you care to see her?"

"…" Rana said with her mouth parted then closed it before answering.

"…"

"…I'm…still adjusting to everything too," she said leaning away from him. He blinked then turned forward. Reaching the administration desk, the receptionist gathered their files and checked to see if there were anything left for them. Finding the instructions, the staffer told them that they were officially discharged from their medical center.

"Let's see…there is a message from Dr. Akagi. She stated to meet her in her office after discharge. I'll let her know that you two are on your way."

"Very well," Shinji said with a small nod.

"Oh, here you go Pilot Ikari," the receptionist stated handing him dark tinted glasses. "Dr. Akagi also stated that you will need to wear these."

"…" he said looking at the glasses and showed no emotion. "I see. Is there anything else?"

"No, you two are good to go."

"Thank you. Good day," he said with a small bow.

"Thank you," Rana said with a small smile and small bow. Walking beside him again, both crossed the line of where the medical facility became the NERV operations building. After walking down a couple of hallways, they came across a glass window wall that showed outside of the building.

"…whoa," the female twin said getting closer to a window section. "Is this…real?"

"Yes…this is the Geo-Front. Presumably made before NERV created their headquarters here," Shinji responded looking out as well. Looking down at the glasses, he put them on. Suddenly, everything became a darker tint.

"Those are really dark," Rana said turning around and walking closer to him. "I can hardly see the color of your eyes."

"Probably the intention…what?"

"They look kind of bland on you."

"…" he said looking over the glasses at her.

"But they differently give you a less scary factor."

"I see," he said adjusting them back to cover his eyes. He saw Rana give a friendly smile and got beside him again. Interlacing her arm with his, she pulled on him.

"Come on tour guide!" she stated while he complied with a stoic expression.

Both walked through hallways and corridors. NERV employees that walked by did double takes seeing two Third Childs. Strangely though, the one wore blind glasses seemed to know where he was going. The female twin walked beside and seemed to look around with wonder. Oddly, both of their vibes were opposite. His scarred and blind looking appearance was slightly eerie while the other felt normal, approachable, and seemed to have a brighter in aura.

In one of the hallway break areas, Kaji was getting coffee at one of the vending machines. Once the cup dispensed, he overheard a couple of female staff members mention about the Third Child and a female twin. Though he would have gone after the two, the subject matter he heard from them made him stop.

'Shinji has a twin? That would be novel to see...' he thought grabbing the cup and taking a sip. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two people in hospital gowns walking toward his direction. Turning his head, the figures were two teenagers where one was wearing blackout glasses. As they approach closer, his eyes widen a little being able to identify them. Both stopped some feet away from him.

"Greetings Mr. Kaji," Shinji stated giving him a small bow.

"…" he said slowly swallowing the coffee in his mouth.

It took him a little bit of time to grasp what he was seeing in front of him. The sight of the Third Child's changed appearance made him wonder if that was the after math of being swallowed by the Angel. Despite pondering on that, seeing a female version of the Commander's son threw him off. Strangely he could see if the male pilot was more rail thin, dressing as a female would fool people easy. However, the female twin distracted him from having a small smile and chest that showed development.

"Hi there Shinji. Who is this lovely lady next to you?"

"This is Rana. She is my twin sister."

'Twin!?' he thought in surprise. 'I guess there are still more secrets of NERV I haven't uncovered yet.'

"H-Hi," Rana spoke with a small smile.

'…talk about an opposite vibe from him,' Kaji thought walking over to them.

"Greetings Rana. Nice to meet you. I'm NERV's Special Investigator Ryoji Kaji. Is this your first time at NERV HQ?"

"Y-Yes."

"I see. Well, welcome to our facility. I hope Shinji is being a good tour guide?" he said with a friendly smile.

"Yes…he answers my questions," she said relaxing a little.

"Those shades…are you blind Shinji?" Kaji asked concerned.

"No. I was ordered to wear these from Dr. Akagi."

"I see. Your eyes are sensitive or something?"

"…" Shinji said removing the dark tinted glasses to show him his eyes.

"…!?" the Special Investigator said with instant fear and shock. The cup of coffee in his hand fell, but was caught by the male teen.

"Your cup Mr. Kaji," Shinji said putting his blackout shades on while offering the beverage back to him.

"…um…thanks," he said and slowly grabbed it.

"Excuse us. We are off to see Dr. Akagi. Good day Mr. Kaji," the Third Child said with a small bow.

"Bye Mr. Kaji," Rana said copying his gesture.

Both passed him as he didn't move and only turned his head a little. When their footsteps couldn't be heard from the hallway, Kaji slowly walked to a nearby bench. He set the coffee aside and got out a cigarette. Lighting it and deeply inhaling, he tried to let his frayed nerves calm down. The remembrance of those eyes and actions from the police video rattled him. Strangely though, he didn't feel a sense of terror or malice aura. Shaking his head, he took another drag to calm down.

Ritsuko was sitting at her desk when the door suddenly opened. Based on the clicks of heels, it was either Maya or Misato. Seeing purple in her peripheral vision, she looked up to see a not so pleased Major. The purple haired female went to her ottoman and sat down with a sulking expression.

"I see that your SEELE interrogation went well," Dr. Akagi commented looking back at the piles of papers on her desk.

"Those aristocratic asshole snobs. Can you believe they tried to make me sound stupid no matter what action I took?"

"I see you realized you became the scapegoat."

"Yeah," Misato said crossing her arms over her chest. "I understand that I am responsible for being in the operations department. But how the hell am I supposed to explain why things happened the way they did!?"

"They do that to anyone at NERV."

"Kind of makes me feel sorry for the Commander for dealing with them all the time," she replied then made a narrow space with her fingers toward her friend. "Only a tad."

"…" Ritsuko said with a smirk on her face as she moved some papers in her out box. Just as Misato was about to speak more, both heard three separated knocks at the door.

"Come in," the faux blonde called out as the door opened. Both saw the twins still dressed in hospital gowns at the door. Walking in a little, the door closed. Reaching to the desk, both stopped and the Third Child bowed.

"Greetings madams. We came as you instructed Dr. Akagi," he said in a stoic tone and expression.

"Hello Ikari…Rana," the blonde scientist stated seeing the female twin give a smile and a little wave. "Thank you for coming. I wanted to discuss with you about your discharge and what will happen afterwards. With Misato here, we will be able to transition in one go."

"Understood."

"Based on the last checkup," Ritsuko said pulling up each twin's medical file on her desktop. "Both of you have enough of a clean bill of health to be released. However, both of you will be continued to be monitored for a bit longer. This is due to possible relapses after becoming discharged."

"Very well," he answered in a stoic voice.

"I understand," Rana stated with a small nod.

"Good. Go ahead Misato."

"Alright kiddos, here is the scoop of what will happen next. In an effort to keep you "normal", both of you will go back to school starting tomorrow," the Major said seeing both not saying anything; however, Rana had a curious look on her face.

"Have you ever been to school Rana?" Ritsuko asked and saw her shook her head side to side. "I see."

"Don't sweat it too much. School can be an interesting and entertaining place. Right Shinji?" Misato asked smiling.

"…" he said turning his head toward her. "It can when it wants to."

'Despite the blind glasses, it does prevent the creepy eye look he gives,' the Major thought smirking.

"Oh, you'll be in the same class as Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. So you won't be alone," she added.

"…" the female twin said with a sigh of relief. "That makes me feel better. I am interested to see how it is."

"Glad to hear you're enthused. Just need to get your brother on the same level," Misato stated. Rana smiled more and nodded her head. Shinji turned his head a little then went back forward.

"Must be hard to make him laugh being stone face all the time," the Major added hoping to get a reaction of some sorts from either of them.

"…" the female twin said turning toward him smiling. "It is okay. I like him the way he is."

"…" both Misato and Ritsuko said smirking then looked at each other. They looked back to see the Third Child removing his blackout glasses. He started cleaning them with a small portion of his gown while keeping his eyes closed. Suddenly, Misato's smirk morphed into a smug.

"Say Rana?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Tell me," she asked leaning a little forward. "Do you love Shinji?"

"…" Rana said looking down a little. Both adults saw a light blush occur on the female twin's face when she moved a little. Hugging him from behind, she leaned her head against his to be cheek to cheek.

"Yes…I love him very much."

"…" Shinji said opening his eyes a little. He glanced at Rana pressing her cheek against his. Not feeling anything from it, he looked back at the two without putting the glasses back on.

"…!?" both Ritsuko and Misato said seeing him not trembling or have muscle spasms. The scene in front of them felt weird to them. Seeing how affectionate the female twin was hugging him while his murky and eerie stare felt off and wrong. It seemed the twin's auras cancel each other out giving both women a state of awkward tension.

"Is something wrong?" Shinji asked blinking.

"…" the Major said glancing at Dr. Akagi. Both blinked at each other then turned back to him. Rana let go of him and stood next to him. She had a pleased look on her face while feeling embarrassed.

"You…you aren't shaking?"

"Apparently no," he replied putting on the blackout glasses. Both twins saw both adults relax a little bit afterwards.

"When did this happen?" Ritsuko asked intrigued from not seeing his physiological reaction occurring.

"I seemed to lose the fear of being touched after the Angel battle…it feels…odd to not have a reaction," Shinji said looking down at the ground a little.

"Soooooo," Misato said walking up to him. Despite feeling the same murky aura, the blind shades made approaching him a bit easier to handle.

"You won't react if I do this?" she asked cupping his face with both hands. After a few moments, he wasn't shaking. However, the Third Child tilted his head a little confused.

"Seems not."

"How about this then?" the lavender hair woman said going around him and hugging him from behind.

"…" Rana and Ritsuko said seeing that he wasn't reacting. Even with her arms over his shoulders and hugging his chest, the male pilot was calm and collected.

"…" he said lifting his hand and seeing it not tremble. Moving his hand and gently holding onto Misato's hand, no reaction came.

"Wow," Misato said leaning a little over him and examining his hand. "Your hand feel a bit scarred up too. I'm almost scared to ask how you got them."

"…" Rana said slowly pouting from what the woman was doing to him.

"…" Ritsuko said from blinking in surprise. Seeing Shinji's expression remain neutral while the Major was leaning and pressing against him was shocking. The aspect that he wasn't reacting when her chest was against his head added another factor of confusion.

'How can something that severe of a physiological and psychological phobia be severed from being partially absorbed into an Angel? It is almost like he is a new person…partially,' she thought. Looking at the three, she saw the female twin becoming irritated while Misato continued to get friendlier with the Third Child.

"Ahem," Dr. Akagi stated loudly causing Misato to stop patting Shinji. "Are you that interested in feeling up a young boy Misato? I'm sure that cougar hobby will have severe consequences to your career and life ahead."

"What?! I'm not!" the Major stated standing up and keeping her hands on his shoulders. "Aren't you even a little tempted to get him to break his iron expression?"

"At the rate you are going, he'll be a stiff iron."

'…stiff iron?' Rana thought with a blink and keeping her irritated face.

"Miss Misato?"

"Yes Shinji?"

"If you are done with your pat down, could we continue?" he asked still remaining calm and composed.

"O-Oh…right!" the Major said letting go and walking back to the side of the desk. Turning around, she remembered where they left off in discussion.

"With the school set up done, we have to arrange where you'll live. Especially you Rana. I assume that you would like to live with your brother."

"…" Rana said going back to a neutral face then nodding. "I would like that, yes."

"Say I know, there is a vacant apartment next to mine that just opened up," Misato stated looking at Ritsuko with a wink then back at the two.

"We can arrange for you and Shinji to live there. NERV would pay the rent and utilities and with Shinji's pay, he would pay for everything else…"

"…" Shinji said listening to the Major continue. He tilted his head down a little.

"…" Ritsuko said and stared at the Third Child.

'Why isn't he objecting?' she thought remembering how Misato told her how stubborn he was before. 'Is he thinking about it…or is this activating a trigger?'

Rana kept looking at the purple haired woman listening to her talk about the benefits of the apartment place and its location. Part of her felt like the proposition was appealing; however, she was wondering what was going through his mind. He didn't look like he objected to the living changes. On the other hand, he didn't even look like he was paying attention. Almost like he was lost in a memory.

"…so what do you two say! Is it a deal?" Misato piped in getting the attention of everyone except the Third Child.

'They…they said something similar before,' he thought remember when the sisters made a change of living arrangements.

Phantom feelings of anger, hatred, and rage festered into his mind and limbs. Another memory was triggered where all of his body became heated as if he was drenched with very warm and thick liquid. The smell of iron faintly filled his nostrils. Blinking, he saw the sisters in the room giving him mocking smiles. Closing and opening his eyes again, they were no longer smiling or recognizable. A phantom smile was felt on his face that came and disappeared as quickly.

"Ikari…are you alright?" Dr. Akagi asked cautiously seeing that his skin tone had paled a bit.

"…yes?" he replied by moving his head a little and blinking. He immediately bowed. "Forgive me…I was thinking about it."

"You look like you were seriously pondering about it," Misato said trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room that suddenly became ominous.

"I was," he said straightening up. "…I don't mind the change."

"…!?" Misato said with a shocked look while Ritsuko looked surprised. Rana's eyes widen.

"Really?! You don't mind!?"

"No."

"But you so adamant about living out in the fields!"

"Yes Miss Misato…I was because I did not want to hurt anyone if something happened," he said turning his head toward her. "Given the condition that I had, having episodes is not comforting to roommates."

"Oh…well that makes sense," Misato said with a small smile then looked at Ritsuko with a thumbs up.

"…" the scientist stated with a small smirk then looked back at the twins. Rana was smiling and conversing with Shinji who was responding back. However, something in the back of her mind was nagging at her.

'Why do I get the feeling that something is amiss between the two? Not only that, Unit 01 seems different since the previous Angel attack,' she pondered while watching. 'It hasn't been tested yet...however. A couple of workers have come forward with paranoid counts of feeling that Eva-01 is watching them. I have checked it several times and there is no extra Angel DNA or material in the unit to cause concern.'

"Now that is settled, let's go get your stuff and move into your next home," the Major said with a smile.

"Very well," Shinji said nodding his head.