Ugh, I did it. I did it! My first fan fiction. One-shot. Or a prologue to a big story? I don't know yet, although I've thought up a lot of things in advance. Friends, I really ask you not to be very angry with me for my English - after all, I always knew it poorly. If you notice an error, please point it out.
Have fun reading!
The viscous veil fell from his eyes, and the Agent came to himself, blinking rapidly. Still air with a taste of ozone, semi-darkness, a hard metal chair. A hoarse whisper, a mournful muttering, as if from all sides at once — translucent slabs with bloody figures closed into a ring cage around him. It's over—he's been caught. Throwing back his head (only his head and neck obeyed him, a strange paralysis bound him like an idol), the already former agent and self-styled truth-seeker sighed heavily. The ghostly monoliths were silent for a moment.
— Mr. Agent has finally decided to wake up.
06 rasped venomously, as if directly into the prisoner's ear, which made him wince.
— The Areopagus apologizes, but this morning will not bring you anything good.
— Why does the Areopagus bother about him at all? The questioning rumble of 04 was echoed by a distant rumble of thunder. — Throw it into the sea, the headquarters is just at a good height. As they say: "All ends in the water." Literally.
Malicious grins rained down on the doomed spy.
— I agree with 04. However, without the chairman, the Areopagus has no right to make decisions even on this kind... the problem.
Opportunity! Whatever force detained the chairman of the shadow government, it could be used. He concentrated all the effort of his will, all his thoughts and thoughts on twitching, tensing his muscles, rushing forward. The veins in his neck were swollen, his teeth were clenched, beads of sweat glistened above his wild eyes. He will jump up, tear himself away from his chair and show these damned old men what escaping youth is!
— Just look at the strength of this agitated ego, at the light of a young soul... how interesting it is, isn't it 05? Our agent seems to have decided to fight his way to freedom.
— I don't even want to disappoint him.
— But the indicators are really interesting. Can the Areopagus count on saving the life of this individual as a metabiological experiment?
— Doubtful, 02. The Areopagus defines this person as a problem and a threat to Neo-NERV. Besides…
In the semi-darkness, the elevator bell suddenly rang. The conversations abruptly stopped, and the atmosphere around seemed to cool down by a couple of degrees. The circle of floating monoliths obediently parted, opening a passage into the darkness directly opposite the prisoner. "Chairman! Chairman! Chairman!" A deafening crackle of applause, mixed with exclamations in falsetto, fell upon him. Somewhere in the distance, a march seemed to be playing enthusiastically.
— That's enough.
The applause, delight and music evaporated. The icy lifeless voice somehow deprived everyone gathered here of warmth and life. The numbers shuddered. The definitely already dead agent completely stopped thinking for a moment. This voice, soft and monotonous, but with the ability to almost cut matter, like the best prog-knife… That voice... - His eyes widened, "Impossible! That voice, he recognized it! He…
Before the spy had time to think, his mouth was closed by the same unknown force that made his limbs turn to stone. The prisoner of his own body could only stare in front of him.
— Did this problem cause the Areopagus meeting?
The question stuck like an icy needle in the back of the head. He could clearly see how some old people, despite the "only sound" label, were sweating in their high offices right now.
— W-we thought it was important…
— The agent betrayed the trust of Neo-NERV...
— And he was close to…
— Disclosure of some information...
— Of a very sensitive nature.
— We considered that this information…
— It should be brought to your attention, Chairman.
For a long moment there was a deathly silence.
— I understand. The numbers exhaled softly. — Now the Areopagus can be free. I will personally take care of the agent's status.
— But…
— Is that acceptable?
— Acceptable. Monoliths shouted in chorus. — Long live the Neo-NERV! Through the thorns to the stars!
— Through the thorns to the stars.
With a deafening click, the holograms disappeared, and only two people remained in the noticeably lightened room. The figure of the Chairman towered over him with an absent mask on face, eyes were covered with a dark orange visor glass. And a spy... and the spy was sobbing softly, not daring to take his tear-stained eyes away, not noticing that the paralysis had left him.
— Nice to meet you, Ikari-kun.
— Ayanami…
A thin hand in a black glove gently brushed the drops of moisture from his cheek.
— Why are you crying?
Shinji shuddered and broke into a sad smile.
"I'm crying because I'm happy that you're okay, Ayanami.
— Sorry, I do not know what to do in such situations.
— Maybe you'll just smile?
The tall woman in front of him, stern and cold, dressed all in black, slowly took off her visor. Red, bottomless red lakes looked at him from a perfect alabaster face framed by azure unruly hair—the memory shocked his mind. — which have only become more beautiful. She smiled.
It was too much. "Ayanami!" he jumped up, the chair fell to the floor with a crash. Before Rei had time to think, she was wrapped in a bear hug, but full of tenderness. "Ayanami, Ayanami..." He's definitely gotten stronger, this sad little boy, since the last time he held her to him, protecting her, wounded and barely alive, when he decided to fight for her. The woman wrapped her arms around his waist with slightly trembling hands, closing her eyes. Ikari continued to wail in her ear, giving her a warmth she hadn't felt in fourteen years. The tears still wouldn't stop. Tears of happiness. Shinji found her, despite the fact that the world recognized her as dead, melted into the Red Sea. He went through the thorns to her, to heaven, and now the world could be in order.
