Author: Stephen Mason Email: hagenclaw@icqmail.com

Author's notes: Ok, so there has been a time gap between this episode
and the last one. Don't blame me, blame standardised testing, blame
malfunctioning screens, blame it on the rain. Also I want to apologise
for the length of this one. Anyway, I apologise for the delay and here
is the next part. Remember; any input is appreciated.

See Prologue for Disclaimer. Now let's continue. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Ritsuko Akagi sat alone in her dim office. Some where outside
it was the evening and most of the Nerv staff had already signed out.
The only sounds were the distant hum of the generators and the click
and scratch of her own sporadic typing and writing.

Intently she watched the screen in front of her. It had taken some
time to hunt down the old security recordings and upload them to her
mainframe. As she watched she would occasionally scribble something
upon the red clipboard on her desk.

Striking one key she switched the image to one of the corridors in
the Nerv special hospital. For a moment nothing happened, then a dark
haired boy of about 14 rushed out of one of the doors. Ritsuko watched
as Shinji ran down the hallway into one of the bathrooms. Again she
changed the image. Inside the bathroom Shinji washed one of his hands
over and over again. Finally he stoped and lowered his head.

"I'm so disgusting." He murmered. After a moment he left the
bathroom and Ritsuko followed his progress through the base, switching
from one recording to the next, until he reached the 3rd cage, where
Unit 01 waited. Switching to the final recording she zoomed the image
in on the gangway where Shinji had sat down. The youth had pulled his
legs up against his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees, his
sullen eyes looking over the top.

He begun to mummer something and Ritsuko increased the volume.
"...ill him. I'm horrible, I'm sneaky, I'm a coward. All I can do is
hurt people. He shouldn't have died, but I killed him. I should have
been the one to die. Help me, some one, but no one will help me. No
one. Nowhere else to go." He looked up at the stony face of the Eva.
Ritsuko intensified the volume. "mother." He whispered.

Silently Ritsuko watched as the pilot changed into his plug suit,
activated the manual hatch on the entry plug and entered the Eva. The
image rippled slightly as she fast forwarded the recording through
several hours. For a second after she stoped nothing happened, then
the Eva's head rose up, and light filled the eye sockets.

Striking another key the screen in front of Ritsuko went blank.
She paused as another earth tremor shook the small porcelain cats on
her desk and then wrote one final word on the paper attached to the
clipboard: 'grief'.



NEON GENSIS EVANGELION

THE LAZARUS PROJECT
PART 3: ONE NIGHT BENEATH THE EARTH



Asuka and Hikari sat at one of the tables in the small restaurant.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes were as wide as saucers. Shock and
awe were written large across their expressions.

"Wow." Breathed Asuka.

"Yeah," replied Hikari, without looking away. "It never ceases to
amaze me."

"What is that? His third, fourth?"

"Actually I think it's his fifth course."

"I remember Shinji and Kensuke call him 'the stomach', but well,
I've never seen anyone eat like that."

Opposite the two girls Touji sat behind a building pile of white
plates and bowls. He was half way through another bowl of Raman and
was shovelling it into his mouth, using the chopsticks like spades.

"So," said Hikari, tearing her self away from her boyfriend's
amazing display of appetite. "How is the training going?"

"Well enough," she replied. "he is doing alright, for a rookie."

"Mrhph ahfrum." Touji objected, his mouth still full.

"All right, all right." Asuka said waving down his objections. "A
sync ratio of 43 in only three weeks" she said, parroting Ritsuko's
voice. "We'll see how you fare in the combat trails next week."

Touji slapped himself proudly on the chest with the hand holding
the chopsticks, mumbled something through the food filling his cheeks
and then returned to his meal.

"So," Asuka said leaning close to Hikari, "When do you think he
will be finished?"

"It should only take him another three bowls."



Asuka set the two cups of tea down on the low table before sitting
down herself. "Thanks for coming back to my apartment with me." She
said.

"That's fine," Hikari replied, "Touji had a few phone calls to
make, I'll catch up with him at our apartment. Anyway, you know I
can't pass up a good cup of tea."

Asuka nodded and took a sip. Hikari did likewise and cast her eyes
around the room. It was the main room in Asuka's small apartment near
the Nerv barracks. It wasn't exactly cluttered, but there really was
not a bare surface save the floor. There was the large television, the
stereo, extensive video and CD collections. Pen Pen's fridge was built
into one wall, the penguin himself was lying beside the small table
snoring softly. In one corner there was a small violin case and much
larger cello case propped beside it. She recognised the violin case,
but the cello?

"I didn't know you played the cello as well Asuka." She said.

Asuka paused, her tea cup halfway to her mouth. "It's not mine."
She said softly. "It belonged... belongs to Shinji. Misato didn't have
any close family, and, when she died... I... basically inherited
everything in the old apartment, including Shinji's stuff. He wasn't
that bad a player." She added, staring into the teacup.

"Oh," replied Hikari, unsure of what to say next. "Do you miss
them?"

Asuka nodded without looking at her. "It can get very lonely down
here. Until Touji was recalled I was the only one who could fight, the
only soldier in a lonely war." She sighed then looked up and smiled at
her friend. "Your letters have been one of the few things that have
kept me going."

"It's strange you know." Hikari said taking another sip. "You
never hear anything about this place, what goes on here. During the
angel attacks it was always on the news and in the papers, but it's
been years since it was last mentioned. It really is a forgotten city.
A forgotten war."

"A forgotten war." Asuka said in agreement. "It was such an
embarrassment for the UN, to have spent so much money on something
they couldn't control, and then couldn't stop."

Taking one last draught Hikari finished her tea. "Well, Touji will
probably be done by now, and it is getting late." She stood up, giving
the penguin a brief scratch on the back of the head in farewell.

"Thankyou for coming," Asuka said. "not just tonight. It has been
great having you around the last few weeks."

"It's been great being here." She replied as she walked towards
the door.

"You know," Asuka said softly. Hikari paused at the door and
looked back at her friend, but Asuka wasn't looking at her, she was
staring across the room at the cello case propped in the corner. "You
never really know what you've got, until it's gone."



Touji lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. He was thinking about
what Kensuke had said on the phone. About the things his friend had
told him.

About a week ago he had asked Kensuke to try to hack into the Nerv
computers. He hadn't been able to get very far but he had found out
several interesting things. Originally Touji had thought that the boy
who's image he had seen in the entry plug must have been one of the
pilots of the mass produced Evas, but it turned out that there were no
records what so ever concerning the pilots of those Eva's.

Kensuke did however find records of the Fifth child who resembled
the boy form the plug, but again the records were incomplete,
finishing not long before Unit 01 went mad. Touji didn't know what it
all meant, but it certainly didn't feel right.

"Both eyes open," He whispered. "Yeah right." He felt Hikari stir
where she lay with her head upon his chest. He looked down at her. Her
soft brown hair was undone and spilled across the sheets. She was
watching him with her eyes half closed, her face seemed almost to glow
as it always did, afterwards.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily.

"I was just thinking." He replied.

"About what?"

"Just stuff, the Eva..."

"Touji," she said softly, raising her head off his chest and
opening her eyes further. "The Nerv and the Evas have caused you so
much pain, first your sister, then yourself. Why did you agree to
pilot it for them?"

Touji closed his eyes. That was a good question. He was under no
real obligation to Nerv, his sister had been released from the special
hospital years ago and his own treatment had been more than justified.

Was he doing this to get back at Unit 01 specifically? That Eva
had been to blame for his sister's injuries and his own 'impairments'.
But no, until now that had never really crossed his mind. What then?
Was it because Unit 01 was such a threat, possibly. But there was
something else.

"I think," he said at last, opening his eyes. "It is really
because of Shinji. His experiences with the Eva were so much worse
than even what happened to me, and yet he kept piloting. I owe it to
him to try and save him. He saved the city, he saved us, so many
times. And he was my friend."

Hikari looked at him for a long moment before nodding and laying
her head back upon his chest. After a while her breathing evened out
and she had drifted off to sleep. Touji looked down at her, he loved
her so much, she was so understanding. Over the past three years she
had always been there for him, helping him through learning how to
walk again, to use his fake limbs. Even before that day in the
hospital.

He thought back wistfully, he would always remember that day. He
had been in his bed in the hospital in Tokyo 2. Hikari had come with
lunch for him, as she did most days.

"Kensuke sent you another tape." She had said, as she handed him
the small black case and the lunch container she always brought.
"I wonder what he would do without that camcorder," Touji said
with a smile and set the tape on the dresser with several others. "So,
how's school?" he asked, opening up the lunch container and surveying
the mouth-watering contents.

"Well, it may be a new building," she said, as she sat down on the
side of the bed. "but it's basically the same, you know; maths,
lecture on second impact, English, lecture on second impact, science,
lecture on second impact." Touji laughed, and adjusted the tray so he
could eat one handed.

"Touji," she said, suddenly looking away from him. "there's
something I've been wanting to tell you."

"Umh?" he replied, his mouth already full.

For a long moment she sat quietly starring at the far wall until
finally; "Touji, I love you."

He stoped eating, which was incredible under any circumstances.
Shock bloomed large in his mind, and yet, he had almost expected this.
Before he could react though she was saying something else.

"And I need to know," she drew a shuddering breath. "how you feel
about me."

Touji moved the lunch tray away, and leaned forward, laying his
hand in the small of her back. She stiffened visibly at the contact,
but slowly relaxed as he talked. "Hikari," he said softly, "Ever since
the accident, you've been there for me, you visit me more often than
my own family. I've come to look forward to your visits, and I miss
you when your not here." He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew
her back against his chest. "Even mutilated as I am you care for me. I
love you too." And he realised he truly meant it.

Back in the room deep beneath Tokyo 3 the walls shook as a small
tremor ran through the ground, but Touji didn't notice, he was already
blissfully asleep.



You Baka Shinji.

It's raping my mind!
I hate you, I hate everything!
Leave me alone!
You Baka Shinji.

Am I so worthless that they could not do this for me?
Unit 02 has a new pilot.
I am worthless.
You Baka Shinji.

"Asuka you're needed." Asuka blinked open her eyes. She was lying
in one of Nerv's medical beds and Misato was standing over her. She
felt empty, except for a deep dull pain.

"We need you to pilot Unit 02."

"You have the fifth child. You don't need me."

"The fifth is dead."

Auska blinked, but that was all.

"You still have 'Wonder girl' and the 'Hero' Shinji."

"Rei tried to pilot Unit 02. She's in a coma now. And, and Shinji
is..."

Asuka sat up in the bed. There was a strange tightness in her
chest. "What about Shinji?"

The perspective changed. She was no longer lying in the bed, but
was standing in the Command Center with Misato beside her. Asuka was
dressed in her old, red plug-suit. She still had that empty look in
her eyes, even as she looked up at the huge display. On it, images of
the last two battles with Unit 01 were displayed. The current image
was from when Rei had piloted Unit 02. Amidst the ruins of Tokyo Three
Unit 01 crouched over the crumpled form of Unit 02. Its jaws wide, the
purple Eva looked to be roaring as it held up a dismembered, red arm.

"So, the second child has agreed to pilot Unit 02 once more."
Commander Ikari was seated at his desk on the central column,
Fuyutsuki standing a few steps behind him.

"Yes, she has." Misato answered for her.

"What about Unit 02?" Gendou asked.

Maya, the technician, turned around in her seat to answer. "The
repairs on Unit 02 have been completed, it's waiting in the third
Cage."

"Very well then."

I'd be useless, Asuka thought, looking up at the carnage
on-screen. "I worthless." She murmured out loud. "I'd only fail
again." She turned listlessly and started for the door. Misato's hand
came down upon her shoulder and whipped her around.

"You're just gona walk away?" Misato demanded. The dark rings
under her eyes spoke of worried mind that Asuka just pushed too far.
"You're Asuka Langley Sohryu, damit. How many Angles have you faced?
How many times did you refuse to give up? Even against the 15th you
wouldn't retreat. Are you gona run away now?"

An uncomfortable silence descended in the command room. Asuka
stared up at Misato's tried, angry face. She was speechless.

The perspective shifted again. Asuka was now sitting in the entry-
plug of Unit 02. The Eva felt heavy around her, like a thick, old
homemade sweeter, the kind her grandmother used to give her. Her sync
ratio was only just high enough for Activation.

Outside she could see the hulking shape of Unit 01 crouched on the
hillside several hundred meters from her. It hunkered there, unmoving,
like an oversized church gargoyle. An equal distance from the two Evas
were a number of Nerv tanks and remote command trucks, for direction
and support. Several sported Eva-sized grappling hooks.

"Asuka?" Misato's voice crackled across the com. She was in one of
the command trucks. "The tanks are secured, you can deploy your AT
field when ready."

"ok." She replied, she felt a little more like her old self now.
"You baka Shinji, do I have to clean up after you again." She
muttered, but her heart wasn't in it.

The AT field unfolded, the only visual sign was a ripple in the
air like heat haze. As soon as the ripple reached Unit 01 though, the
purple Eva's head whipped up, the eye sockets lighting up. Asuka
stepped Unit 02 forward, and hefted the Eva sized axe she had been
equipped with.

Unit 01 let out a long, low growl that increased in menace as
Asuka advanced. Suddenly she reached what Unit 01 must have deemed the
'too close' point. It leapt to its feet and charged. Asuka swore in
German. How could it be so fast? Unit 01 slammed into Unit 02,
grabbing the axe before Asuka had a chance to strike.

Around and around the two Evas spun, their feet tearing at the
ground and smashing through small buildings. Each tried to wrest the
axe from the hands of the other. Asuka had the additional problems of
Unit 01's snapping jaws, and her low sync ratio slowing down Unit 02's
reaction time.

"Asuka." Misato said across the com. "You have to keep the target
still, we can't get a fix on it."

Suddenly Unit 01 reversed its hold on the axe and thrust it back
against Unit 02. Asuka struggled to compensate as Unit 01 drew back a
huge fist to strike. "Now, Fire!" Misato yelled into the open com
lines. Three massive grappling hooks shot through the air towards Unit
01. They weren't quite fast enough. Unit 01 delivered its blow
straight into the other Eva's face. The cockpit of Unit 02 lurched
violently, tossing Asuka about like a rag doll. The visual display
exploded into static as the Eva lost it balance in fell to the
ground.

With a groan Asuka lifted herself back into the seat. When the
visual display flicked back into working order she had Unit 02
laboriously get back on its feet. The axe was nowhere to be seen.
Standing up she could once more see Unit 01.

The massive purple Eva was wrestling with the three grappling
hooks that had wrapped themselves around its limbs. The cables were
supposed to have been made of some kind of titanium-plastic compound,
but even as Asuka watched Unit 01 ripped through the first, freeing an
arm. Some of the tanks began to fire on the Eva but they might as well
have been cap guns. Gripping another cable Unit 01 pulled hard,
tearing the tank free from its moorings and flinging it into the lake.
Another hook was fired but Unit 01 batted it away with one hand.
Bending over Unit 01 lifted a huge chunk of rubble and poised to throw
it at the remaining tanks.

It was then that Asuka noticed the small figures abandoning the
tanks and command trucks, and one standing on the roof of the command
truck, waving its arms. Asuka didn't need to be closer to recognise
Misato, or to know she was shouting something at Unit 01. Over the
damaged com Asuka could just make out her words. "Shinji, come back to
us. Fight it, Shinji, Shinnjjjiiii!

Unit 01 hurled the rock.

"NNnnoooo!" Asuka screamed. Desperately she tried to intervene,
but Unit 02 was too slow. The rubble struck, crushing everything in
its path.

"You God Dammed Monster!" Asuka snarled, her anger exploding. She
drove Unit 02 into Unit 01 with incredible force, carrying them both
to the ground. Drawing her prog knife she tried to drive it into Unit
01's face. They grappled there, Unit 02 forcing the wiring knife down,
Unit 01 only just holding the red Eva's arms back. Then, suddenly,
there was a pressure in Asuka's middle, somehow Unit 01 had gotten its
foot between the Evas. It kicked. Unit 02 was lifted up and away,
thrown through the air like an old sock.

Asuka screamed. She woke up. She was back in her room in the Nerv
compound; her familiar things surrounded her. She felt drained, her
emotions drawn thin by the dream, the memories. A small sob escaped
when she lowered her head. And for what must have been the ten
thousandth time, Asuka Langley Sohryu swore to destroy Eva Unit 01.


* * *