Neon Genesis Evangelion: Little Angel

Chapter 21: Moment, Heart, Together

"Excellent, Maya." Ritsuko stated, standing beside Misato, who stood watching the four plugs carefully.

"How are they coming along, Maya?" Misato asked, wondering about her pilots and how they were progressing.

"Currently, all Pilots are settling slowly. Rei is slowing quickly, as usual. Settling once again at 50%." Ritsuko furrowed her brow.

"I've got to find some way to get Rei's Sync Ratio moving, it's been at 50 for a while now." Ritsuko noted, dotting something down on her clipboard.

"Maybe try to get her socialising with the others more." Misato suggested, thinking to herself. "Shinji developed a small group of friends soon after he arrived, and it seems that Mari and Asuka have slotted themselves right into that group as well. Rei seems to be friendly with them, but I don't know if she's actually considered a part of their group."

"I'm sure she is, Major." Maya replied, continuing to note the changes in the Synchro Graph. "Rei is just a very quiet and reserved person." She said, thinking back on the other times she'd seen and talked to the girl, which admittedly, wasn't very often.

"Yeah..." Misato replied, considering her idea once again.

"What about the others, Maya." Ritsuko asked, coming over to glance at the monitor over Maya's shoulder.

"Well, Shinji and Asuka are still fluctuating wildly, Akagi-sempai. But Mari is starting to settle, she's gone up, but only by a couple of points."

"Once we get an Eva that's suited for her we should see some better results." Ritsuko said, noting on her clipboard once again. "Let me know when Shinji and Asuka start to settle." She said, returning to glancing out towards the Test Plugs, sitting in the pool of LCL.

"What's the status on Unit-03?" Misato asked, as Ritsuko stood beside her. Ritsuko glanced over at her friend for a moment, before replying.

"It should arrive later this evening, unless something happens to the craft, but we haven't heard anything about that."

"It was going to be sent over by sea, wasn't it?" Misato asked, crossing her arms. "What happened?"

"The Over the Rainbow was supposed to pick it up, but the risk of an Angel threw off NERV-01, and they decided to send it over by air." Misato frowned.

"They were that concerned?" She asked, wondering what NERV-01 thought of the current situation.

"Yes, they didn't want anything to happen to their prized creation, so they sent it by air." Misato nodded, continuing to watch the sync test carefully.

"What about the Fourth Child? Have we heard anything from the Marduk Institute?"

"Not yet. But we are assured by the Commander that the Fourth Child will be found." Misato raised an eyebrow at her friend, confusion arising.

"What about Mari? Why can't she pilot Unit-03?" She asked, wondering.

"We've already been told that the Proto Child will not be applicable to Unit-03, we'll have to wait for a later Unit to arrive." Misato frowned, but chose not to reply as Maya spoke up, breaking through their conversation.

"Major, Sempai, Shinji and Asuka are starting to settle." Maya announced, bringing the attention of the Head of Operations and Head Scientist back to the Sync Test in progress.

"Excellent, Maya." Ritsuko replied, heading over to the technician, intent on seeing the current progress.

"What have we got, Maya?" Misato asked, watching the plugs carefully.