Three months passed from Asuka's rehabilitation.

School finished, with Asuka and Rei passing both their test. After being confirmed in Japan by her leaders, Mari was forced to join the school in Neo-Tokyo, and was put in the Childrens classroom. She would've started lessons after the break

Three months passed, and no Angel attacked

"Do you think they're over?"

While wearing her red plug suit Asuka asked Mari

"I hope not, I didn't have the occasion of appreciating the taste of the fight yet"

"You destroyed my EVA two times for your so called taste of the fight"

"Yeah, and it was good, but not enough"

Asuka always tried to reason with Mari, but she soon understood that was not possible.

The two girls exited the locker room and went to the compatibility test room. While exiting Asuka saw Rei, entering the locker room herself. She was late. Some months before a late arrival of the perfect doll Rei would've been something to sign on the calendar, but that was note the case anymore.

Three months passed, and Shinji was nowhere to be found.

Rei grew more gloom day after day. At first she could cling on to Asuka, but lately she had found less and less effect on using Asuka as a ray of hope. She still felt better when she was with Asuka, but when she was alone, in that col bedroom, she felt paralyzed. It was not that she felt nothing like in the beginning, on the contrary, she was feeling grief. She wanted to supress that grief

"He's not dead, he's just on that train"

The girl repeated this to herself again and again

"He's not dead, he's just waiting to be separated from the EVA"

But those sentences were void. Not because there was no truth in those thoughts, but because the results in Rei's hearts coudln't be changed. Even when she convinced herself Shinji was alive, she couldn't help but feel sad, because she could not see him. She could not confirm it. She could not use him to suppress the grief caused by his absence.

Rei started changing herself, putting on her blue plugsuit

"Hey, cheer up, you won't be able to pilot the 01 if you go in the testing room while being that depressed"

"The Angels are no more after all, is there a meaning in me going in the EVA?"

"Isn't Shinji in there? You always say you felt him"

"I…don't know anymore. Maybe I was just deceiving myself"

"I don't think you're capable of deceiving yourself, or maybe that you were at the time"

"…"

"Well, listen. We have a way to be sure of this. Come with me, perform well in the compatibility test and you'll board the 01 as soon as it will be needed. Then you can recognize if Shinji's in there or not"

Asuka took Rei's hand and dragged her to the compatibility room

Even if Asuka was a little rough in the dragging, Rei felt relieved for a moment, in seeing the young German girl caring about her. The two arrived in front of the testing pods and started their tests.

"The synchronization is still rising for each of the girls."

An assistant communicated the news to Ritsuko, which was monitoring that testing

"Good"

Ritsuko felt relieved, it was a slow burn, but now finally Asuka seemed to be ready to board Unit 02 again. They finally could get rid of Mari, keeping her on stand-by. The test finished, and the three girls went back to their changing room.

"Aaaaah, that's bad"

Screamed Mari

"What's your deal you beast"

"Your synchronization parameters are good now. They will have you board the Unit 02 instead of me now…and the Angels hardly showed up in the time I could board the EVA"

"Maybe if you didn't always go berserk with my Unit, the higher ups would trust you better"

In that moment the alarm rang. An Angel was sighted.

" You see? Just my luck"

The three girls, which just changed to normal clothes, had to wear again their plug suits and hurried to the hangar.

"Mari, Rei, board the Unit s 01 and 02"

Misato ordered the girls to get ready, but she was corrected shortly after by Ritsuko, that herself just arrived in the control room.

"Order Asuka to board the 02, she's ready"

"She suffered serious injuries just a month ago! It's crazy to send her"

"Gendo ordered so"

"Why are the higher ups so clingy on never use Mari?"

"You saw what she can do with the EVA, the damages will be too great"

Misato knew that sending Mari was not the best idea, but she still wanted her to go instead of Asuka

"I thought that, when Gendo was not here, I was in charge"

"And you are, but this order was left behind by Gendo himself, Mari cannot board the EVA. If Asuka wasn't ready, we would have to send Rei alone until emergence struck"

"Shit, you know what you're saying Ritsuko? An Angel is approaching, they are always bringing an emergence with them"

Even if she said she was against that decision, Misato corrected her order

"Asuka, you board 02, Mari stay here on stand-by. If needed you will board Unit-06 and join the other girls"

Asuka and Rei boarded the Unit, and were then lift off, ready to handle an encounter with a new angel. While Mari remained in the hangar and sighed

"Well, at least given that the boy is being called to SEELEE for a meeting, I can be the emergency backup for them. I hope they fuck up in some way"

—

At that time Gendo and Fuyutsuki were talking, while on an elevator

"To cheat your enemies you first have to cheat your allies. I see you take that seriously. But are you sure that it will work out? The risk is great you know?"

Fuyutsuki questioned Gendo's action, a usual pattern of conversation between the two at that point

"We will gain some time, on both the external and internal enemies."

"Still, isn't it a bit risky to use the lance as a bait? I understand we still have Longinus down there, but Cassius could be important too"

"The girl can recall is once she's fused with Adam, and we only need to have everyone focused on the won't expect us to make our move during the fight which what is not even the final Angel. And when they will understand what's happening it will be too late."

As the elevator went down, darkness shrouded the two man. But they were not the only ones on the elevator. Their plan needed a key. A girl that looked just like Rei accompanied them. It was not Rei, but in the grand scheme of Gendo's plan, she was now what she wanted Rei to become. The elevator arrived at destination.