VERY STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES

Rei closed the door to Asuka's house she eased up her dango on a stick taking a bite enjoying the taste they'd in by train so rather than go home right after work they'd visited one of the street markets and brought a few things as they had a few things they also really needed to buy. She turned to Asuka who was busy eating seasoned beef on a stick. "You know I think you over paid on the food you could have haggled."

Asuka took a bite of her food as she turned on her intelligent, digital home system with the key watching as their house sprang to life and the flat screen lowered as the tea and coffee maker started up in the kitchen as one started to make coffee while the tea maker started to fill a mug of green tea as all of the lights turned on. "Yeah but they're just trying to make a living." Rei laughed. "More like they all wanted your autograph along with mine."

Asuka shrugged. "Yeah well I didn't mind." She was about to say more only to stop dead in her tracks as she caught sight of a miniature green gloss disc on her coffee table. "The builders are coming tomorrow night to put in the walls, floors, furnishing and heating on your pottery studio right?"

Rei turned sharply. "Yes." Asuka grabbed her gun pulling it free of her leather jacket as she pulled back the safety trigger. "Stay behind me Rei." She eased the weapon up slowly as she put her food down along with the bags. "Someone has been in our house."

Rei turned sharply. "What…how?" Asuka eased up her hand as she began to shift as she started to move room from room seeing that the garage was empty. She shifted opening the back door to the back garden raising her weapon seeing that the pottery studio was empty and very much a skeleton ready for its walls and floors.

She shifted back into the garage opening the draw as she pulled out a brand new USP elite semi-automatic pistol complete with a holder, she had been really hoping to give this to the other woman as a present for her birthday next month but she had no choice but to give her to her now. "Take this."

Rei eyed the gun which had a leather shoulder holder. "Wait you have a USP elite hidden in your garage as well as your Korth combat pistol you never told me that?" Asuka breathed in deeply. "No this is not for me I brought it for you, you said you liked the USP elite and you find it the easiest to fire." She breathed in sadly as she made her way back in to the living room. "It was going to be a present for your birthday." Rei looked at her for a long moment as she started to make her way towards the stairs. "You brought me a gun?"

Asuka moved up the stairs slowly looking around the rooms which were wide open seeing Rei appear behind her. "Yes, you should have one." Rei blinked feeling even more concussed. "I've never been attacked in Tokyo Three Asuka."

Asuka moved checking their bedroom followed by the bathroom. "No but I told you some time ago that my house was broken into once before two years by some stalker who I kneecapped, I wanted to ensure that you have personal protection I get that we are all trained in hand to hand combat but I'd rather no woman or man ever got that close to you plus Mari agreed with me that it would be a good idea as she owns a Glock nineteen."

Rei breathed in deeply in all honesty she felt this was crazy she had never carried a pistol Shinji and Kaworu didn't she carry one either though she had heard that Toji did carry one but she'd never felt comfortable around fire arms outside the Evangelion this was Asuka's over protective side going in to over drive. "I'm really grateful for this Asuka but I don't like guns outside the Evangelion."

Asuka breathed in deeply as she checked the bathroom. "You get used to them after a while." She looked around. "I don't verfickte get this! Someone breaks into our home puts some disc on the table but touches nothing…it makes no sense."

She turned to their computer room putting her gun away. "Anneberg!" She watched as her computer turned on along with Rei's as the animated orange demon with double horns appeared his green eyes blinking. "Can you talk to the IDHS downstairs?" Anneberg flared his teeth. "Do I have to? The so called intelligent digital home system is a moron."

Asuka rolled her eyes as she sat at her computer chair watching as Rei sat on her chair opposite. "Look I know you don't like the IDHS, because it's not AI like you." Anneberg stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I don't know why you don't just let me run the downstairs and that system I could do a better job."

Asuka looked at him for a long moment. "Because you are not a house slave and it's not your job to lower the wide screen or make coffee or tea and you shouldn't have to do any of that." Rei shifted closer. "Asuka's right you're not our house maid you shouldn't have to do that and you protect our computers and devices and that enough." Anneberg's eyes blinked. "But I would like to help you both." Asuka watched as Rei put the gun down. "You do help us you don't have to do things like that."

Anneberg blinked as he spoke his animation forming a smile. "I'm accessing the IDHS." Asuka leaned closer. "Okay bring up outside camera footage from the front of the house." She watched as it came up showing a black car pulled up as a man and woman got out wearing black suits only for the camera to suddenly corrupt as Anneberg spoke again. "Footage distorted."

His green eyes narrowed. "Records show that they somehow hacked the door opened it but then closed it, was anything taken?" Rei looked up. "No it wasn't Anneberg but they left a disc on the coffee table." Asuka breathed in deeply. "Rewind to them getting out of the car and freeze."

She eyed the footage which wasn't great. "They look like the verfickte Roswell women and men in black." Rei leaned closer as she finished her food. "I thought they were a myth?" Asuka eyed the image. "No I looked into this once because everyone associates them with Roswell but here's the weird thing they've been seen in many countries not just in America and normally when there around people have really awful accidents and die, people think there some kind of special force but who their handler is no one really knows." She eyed the footage. "Whatever that disc is, we shouldn't touch it." Rei looked up. "What if it's important?"

Asuka looked at her for a long moment she turned seeing Erika appear as she made her way towards her then jumped in to her lap. "Seriously it's not worth dying over and these people broke into our home." She looked at the gun Rei had put down opposite as she stroked Erika's head. "Makes me glad I brought you a gun."

Rei took in a deep breath. "You know I didn't want a gun Asuka, you didn't have to buy me one…" She looked up slightly. "I think it's very nice that you're trying to protect me but what are you afraid of?" Asuka looked at her for a long moment before speaking. "I don't want to lose you it's just that simple I've lost so many things that mattered to me and now we are together I'd rather you be safe."

She looked down at the floor. "I was an asshole in my youth and I have a lot of enemies in the media and other places and I know that they might try to hurt you just to get to me, so I'd rather you kneecap them if they ever try anything."

Rei pushed her hair back in frustration. "You know the media are running more positive stories on you Asuka, you're not considered demonic or an abuser by them anymore." Asuka looked up slightly. "I'm not talking about them I'm talking about the people in high places who turned their backs on me after what happened with Hikari."

Rei turned looking at Anneberg then back to Asuka. "What happened with those friends I remember you saying they left you high and dry?" Asuka took in a deep breath. "When I got accused I asked them for help and in a few cases begged for anyone to prove my innocence but they all turned their back on me."

She looked down at the floor as she eased her patch off. "Most of them just walked away but some of them called me horrible things to my face." She looked at her hand. "A couple though said if I ever came back they'd hurt me…some of them might be at that auction and I'm not looking forward to seeing them again along with some of the press because I've rubbed most of them the wrong way to."

She moved her hand taking the other woman's. "You should never suffer because I made so many enemies and that is why I brought you a gun." She breathed in deeply. "Plus they still haven't caught Alistair and that bastard stabbed me in the shoulder last thing I want is for him to attack you on your motorbike." She breathed in deeply. "I just want you to be safe that's all." Rei looked at the gun she loved Asuka but sometimes she could be really paranoid and overly suspicious of others.

Her brain tended to think the worst at times rather than look at the positives which was that people saw her very differently now. Maybe it was best to just go with her feelings and once she saw that everything was okay she could just keep the gun at home or just use it out on the motorbikes when they were together.

Also this whole break in didn't make sense to her but she just had a gut feeling that it was someone trying to help them in some way. Why would you break into a house only to leave a disc? If they had come for a sinister purpose they would have taken something or trashed the house. "Okay if it will put your mind at ease I'll wear this when we go to the auction." Asuka looked up about to speak only for a pounding to hit her door. "Ah great…just what I don't need right now guests."

She turned to Anneberg. "Who is it since you're still tied in to IDHS and see through the camera?" Anneberg's eyes narrowed. "Mari and you should open the door as she's very intoxicated." Rei stood up hearing the door pound again seeing Erika leap of Asuka's lap. "Thank you Anneberg." Asuka breathed out deeply. "Great first Gendo acts like a weird asshole towards us then men and women in black break into our house and now my older sister shows up drunk…bang up verfickte day this is turning into."

Rei looked up. "You know this could have been a lot worse." Asuka stood up following Rei as she went down stairs watching as she moved there bags aside as she opened the door. She watched as Mari came into view with a massive stupid smile on her face as she spoke half slurred. "Finally, you know there are too many holes on your path I kept tripping up!"

Rei could smell the alcohol it hit her like a brick wall intoxicated was an understatement more like wasted. "Hello Mari." Asuka shook her head as she moving forward helping Mari inside only to feel the taller woman cling to her. "Come on four eyes…" She looked up. "How much did you drink?"

Mari raised her hand struggling to get out her next words. "I'm…not…drunk!" She watched as Rei picked up the bags moving over to kitchen as she refilled Erika's food bowls. "No your drunk…what did you drink please tell me, you didn't drink cocktails?" She led her over to the three seat sofa sitting her down watching as Mari's glazed eyes tried to remember speaking slowly. "I had cocktails yes…one or maybe two…I don't remember…they were looking at me odd on the train…because I was singing…."

Asuka looked at her for a long moment. "You took your medication this morning right?" Mari looked up. "Yes…why…" Asuka moved flying past Rei grabbing the nearest wash bowl moving back towards her. "Because your about to have a very unpleasant time."

Mari blinked at her in confusion. "Huh?" Asuka looked at her for a long moment. "You're about to be very sick…that medication is tailored to make you throw up the drinks your meant to have." She moved closer putting a hand on her shoulder as she sat down opposite. "I should know I tried more than once to get around the medication it never ends well."

Mari laughed for a long moment as she spoke though slowly. "Yeah…Maya was telling me…you're banned from ever drinking German brandy at Nerv for as long as you live…because it turns you into a raging angry asshole…because that's what you used to drink back when you had issues with thinking…I mean drinking." Asuka rolled her eyes as she sat down opposite she wasn't going to be laughing for much longer that was for sure in the next five to ten minutes or less her stomach was going to betray her big time and it wasn't going to be at all nice. "Why were you drinking?"

Rei moved forward putting a glass of water in front of Mari. "Yes why drink so much?" Mari's looked down as the anger took over as she spoke in an angry rush. "I tried to chat up Maya and she fucking threw it back in my face she said that I wasn't grown up enough for a long term relationship with her!" She raised her hand. "She…called what I had infatuation and she compared me to Misato who she called a woman child!" She pushed up her glasses. "It's so fucking unfair…"

She put a hand on her chest. "I'm not like Misato I can take my life seriously…" She stopped mid-sentence as her whole gut suddenly twisted like a knife causing her stomach to churn. "Oh shit…I don't feel so good…" Asuka moved the plastic bowl into her hands and took a gentle hold of her hair seeing her face turn very pale. "Yeah that's the drug betraying you…it's not going to be a good next few minutes for you, your about to sober up very quickly."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Rei breathed in watching as Mari leaned over being violently sick she looked at Asuka. "You're banned from drinking German brandy?" Asuka rubbed Mari's back. "Yes they're not allowed to even serve me Asbach Uralt in any of the Arcades restaurants, bars or food stalls."

Rei blinked. "What did you do?" Asuka watched as Mari threw up a second time she leaned over easing her glasses off as they were coming loose. "I got really wasted back when I was nineteen had a bout of violent anger and broke one of the holders for the barrels in one of the bars back rooms. I basically sent all of the barrels tumbling and one of them cracked open and pissed alcohol everywhere. Rufus who you know owns the bar on the twelfth level forgave me for the whole thing but I still feel bad about it to this day."

She turned to Mari who had put the bowl down and was now cradling her head moaning in pain, she kneeled down in front of her carefully passing the water to her watching as she started to drink it. "Feeling better now?"

Mari looked up one turquoise eye opening. "No I feel like shit….and I can't see either." Asuka carefully pushed her glasses back on. "See better now?" Mari blinked as her eyes refocused. "I don't feel so hot, can I stay here tonight?" Asuka moved her hand up to her hair. "Yeah sure I'll let my dumb older sister stick around."

Mari eyed her wishing that she didn't feel so awful right now. "I am not dumb!" Asuka felt a sly smile form. "You just tried to ignore your medication and went drinking everything you're not meant to that's pretty verfickte dumb." Mari sat back on the sofa as she carried on drinking the water trying to ignore how awful she felt. "Oh shut up princess!"

Asuka smirked. "You know I'm going to rib you all week about this don't you four eyes?" She stood up getting rid of Mari used bowl. "Would you like me to make you some Miso soup it will stop the pain in your stomach?" Mari turned looking at Rei. "No I'd rather Rei make it, she makes it way better than you when you make it you never get the flavour right."

Asuka eased up her hand. "I'm not used to making vegetarian food I'm still learning!" Rei breathed in deeply. "I'll go make that it should only take me a few minutes." Mari turned eyeing the disc on the table. "That's a really weird looking multi-layered disc." Asuka moved over to table swiping it before she could pick up. "It's nothing important Mari."

Mari eyed her younger sister who was lying she could see it in her face she turned to Rei who was cooking not missing a beat. "So what's with the disc did you two like make a dirty sex tape or something?" Asuka breathed in deeply feeling the blush creep across her face. "No it's not a sex tape, it's…"

Rei looked up. "Someone broke into our house put it on the table they left everything completely untouched." Mari sat up only to groan and lay back down again. "Great so someone broke into your home and you didn't fucking call me."

Asuka shook her head. "We had only just gotten in not more than five minutes ago we were out shopping then you came around, I would have called you given five more minutes." Mari took in a deep breath eyeing Rei. "I hope she's given you that new gun right the specially made one in that it's very light weight?"

Rei turned eyeing Asuka who suddenly looked uncomfortable. "The USP is light weight?" Asuka eased out both hands. "Well if I remember right you said you went out of your way to get me comfortable swim wear…I thought it was only right…I mean you say one of the reasons you don't like pistols is because the of the weight and you're not fond of my Korth so I got you something light."

Mari eyed Asuka. "You have no idea how much she sucked up to Kyo so get that for you." Asuka turned sharply. "I didn't suck up to him! I asked him politely because he knows people in special ops division who make weapons to order."

Mari sat up. "Oh please Kyo has a massive soft spot for you and everyone knows it since you're his favourite student." Asuka turned sharply. "No he doesn't, he just respects me and I respect him and I paid him for the gun it wasn't a freebee."

Mari smirked clearly Asuka was in denial since she'd heard that he'd knocked the price specially for her even though the gun had been custom made because he'd told her during hand to hand combat training. Which she was redoing with him along with Shinji, Toji and Kaworu and Rei as they were all being retrained one to one with him as Yuki's training had been massively flawed and his was helping them improve.

Rei looked up as she filled a food bowl with Miso soup, Asuka really didn't see it but she did Kyo looked at her very much like a daughter maybe she just didn't want to as she had very much struggled with the father figures in her life just like herself and Shinji and clearly had difficulty accepting it.

She didn't know who her real father was who had been the sperm donor for her when she'd been born in the birthing chamber and had never wanted to know either. Maybe because she felt that it would only end in disappointment. She moved towards Mari handing her the soup and a spoon. "He does like you Asuka."

Asuka breathed in as she opened her box opposite the cat tree which was new and therefore extra bedding for when she had guests. Opposite it was a large shelf where Rei had displayed all of her pottery, she pulled out a blanket and pillow as she moved over to Mari putting the pillow behind her while putting the blanket over her ignored her smirk. "Yeah well I'd rather he just like me as a student."

Rei turned hearing her phone going off she eased up putting it on voice. "Hello Shinji." Shinji's voice came back filled with annoyance. "Someone broke into my apartment and left a disc on my breakfast table!" She looked down. "Really?"

His voice came again. "Yes I asked Kaworu if he had the same happen to him but he said no and so did Toji." Rei took in a deep breath. "Well the same thing happened to us here someone broke in and left a disc." Shinji voice came back sharply. "I'm coming over to you right now Rei."

Rei took in a deep breath. "Weren't you meant to go out with Kaworu tonight?" Shinji's voice came again. "He has a live interview tonight, so I'll pick him up after I visit you both to talk." Rei turned looking at Mari. "It's us three tonight since Mari's here."

Shinji voice came again. "Should I bring up drinks of any kind or snack food?" Rei eyed Mari. "No that wouldn't be a good idea we also have plenty up here." Mari eyed Rei. "Spoil sport!" Asuka turned eyeing her coldly. "Maybe next time you should reconsider not drinking what you're not meant to then you can have snack food, alcohol and all the other things you like."

8

"They both look identical."

Rei turned to her brother who was eyeing both discs turning them between his fingers Asuka was sitting quietly in the recliner and she was sitting opposite while Mari was wrapped up in a blanket opposite her brother on the other sofa watching quietly while drinking more water. "We saw some weird footage from the outside there were these men dressed in black."

Shinji looked up. "We should play one." Asuka breathed in deeply. "No we shouldn't it might be something sinister." Mari raised her hand. "I disagree with Asuka I want to see what's on there." She eyed Asuka who folded her arms realizing that she'd just been out ranked. "Three to one Asuka, you're out voted."

Asuka shook head as finished her chocolate bar. "Fine just don't say I didn't warn you because I did twice." Shinji eyed her she could be really paranoid and suspicious at times, she never used to be this way growing up he stood up walking over to the wide screen seeing that Erika was watching him from her cat tree. "Where do discs go?"

Mari looked up. "Bottom left side there's a slot." Shinji turned finding it. "Oh right I've got it." Asuka stood up. "Wait just before you play that give me one moment." She pulled out a device from behind the kitchen counter turning it on slowly moving to the centre of the room hearing no beeping sounds. "Okay the room is clean."

Shinji blinked staring at her. "When did you become so paranoid?" He eyed the device which he knew was for finding bugs. "You're not meant to even have one of those did you get it off Kaji or something?" Asuka breathed in deeply. "Please I gave Kaji the one he has I traded him for Nerv layouts…this is my spare and my grandmother sent it over to me." She folded her arms. "Also I'm not paranoid I just prefer to play it safe since this creepy bastard broke into this house after I moved in and stood near my kitchen counter demanding sex from me."

She felt a cold smile form. "My reply was to blow his kneecaps off, made an awful mess of the brand new carpet I had to get it replaced." She breathed in deeply. "After what happened with him I started to take general security much more seriously and this is the second time someone's has broken in to this house!"

Shinji raised his hand. "Why do you have Nerv layouts? You're not meant to have them either, it's against the rules." Asuka turned feeling her teeth grind together. "Oh please don't start with that playing by the rules scheisse! Yesterday I heard that you broke the rules to, you pulled out one of the sky train's power breakers so you could have make love to Kaworu high above Nerv headquarters."

Shinji raised his hand trying too hard to ignore the heat in his cheeks. "Yeah right like you didn't punch out the camera in the hot tub and make love to my sister up there!" Asuka folded her arms. "Yes I broke the verfickte camera but we did not make love in there and what we were doing in there is none of your concern!"

Rei moved quickly standing in between them. "Can you two please stop it?!" Mari looked up feeling a coy smile form on her lips. "You know now I can see why you two spilt up, you argue like a miserable old married couple." She took a sip of her water looking up at Rei. "If you'd stayed together you might have ended up strangling each other."

She watched as a very uncomfortable look appeared on both their faces as they stepped away from each other going completely silent she looked at Rei. "How's about you play the disc now." Rei shook her head as she turned to Shinji. "Just to set the record straight we didn't make love in the hot tub but as Asuka said what we were doing really isn't anyone's business." She breathed in deeply. "Unlike you we have this problem with audiences and it can be extremely tiresome."

She looked at the disc. "We also get very sick off always being the puzzle everyone at Nerv is desperate to solve not to mention that chatting with father this morning was terrible." She looked up. "He seems to have it in his head that I have Asuka on some kind of controlling leash and that I give her sexual treats for good behaviour."

Mari smirked. "You know when you say it that way it sounds like some of kinky fantasy role play maybe you and Asuka should try that out sometime in private." She watched as Rei and Shinji turned to stare at her in utter shock. "Just saying…" Asuka breathed in deeply. "Please stop giving us dating advice…"

Mari looked up her smile widening. "Oh come on you know you like it really Asuka plus there's nothing wrong with spicing up you sex life." Rei shook her head snapping out of her haze. "My point is I'm so sick of hearing some people saying that I somehow tame Asuka or my father saying that she is an apex predator and that I'm somehow playing with fire. We would both just like to have a normal relationship without everyone asking questions for one day. Like what you have with Kaworu where most people just turn and looks the other way when you're having fun in the sky train I mean we can't even kiss on Misato's apartment's veranda without her spying on us."

Shinji breathed in deeply to be fair he could see where she was coming from. "You know this does come with the territory, when myself and Asuka were together I got asked similar things."

Asuka folded her arms. "Thanks I feel so much better you bringing that up since I prefer not to think about how bad that was and it does doesn't help that your father asked me yet again if I was making a power play to gain control over Nerv's seats of power." Shinji turned to her. "Kaworu did get asked the same thing if he was trying to give more power to the Ukraine's division Asuka it wasn't pleasant for either of us."

Asuka folded her arms. "Yeah but I doubt you got asked why you were sleeping with someone who could tear the flesh from your bones with their razor sharp teeth." She breathed in deeply. "I hate being seen as a verfickte savage animal, yeah I get it I probably set myself up for a world of hurt by eating Bardiel alive but I've have never hurt Rei in private and it pisses me off that some people still think that I would."

She looked up sadly. "I mean you love Kaworu but no one will ever question how he treats you in private or implies that you might hurt him in a fit of anger." Mari turned eyeing her younger sister. "This will pass Asuka you just need to give it time."

Shinji turned to her. "Mari is right this will pass Asuka you just need to be patient and the people at Nerv will lose interest soon enough and the press will get the message and so will my father." He turned the disc in his hand. "Look let's just watch the disc okay?" Asuka sat back down. "Fine…" He pushed it in watching as it loaded on screen. "It must be encrypted hence the long load time."

He turned watching as the bar ended as the screen flickered as video footage appeared which showed unit 02 with the machine Judas on its body which had been put on to get Asuka out of the core but it was partly damaged. The bay was empty apart from Rei who was standing there looking straight in to unit 02's huge face, the camera panned in closer as she spoke evenly as the camera beamed in closer. "I know you can hear me."

There was a long pause. "I know what you really are." He looked around. "What is this Rei?" Mari’s eyes darted in confusion as Rei spoke again to the unit in the video footage. "I know you're not AI I know you're not some personality, because no AI personality would have done what you just did."

There was a long pause before she spoke again. "I've seen some of Asuka's videos and I didn't want to believe but now I do." She moved a step closer "I know you can understand every word I say don't you? You even looked at me once using 02's eyes when it lost its face plate and that unit didn't have green eyes before but I've seen the videos yours are green."

She folded her arms getting even closer. "Isn't that right Kyoko?" Shinji felt the world suddenly stop as unit 02's mouth formed a huge smile as it tongue came out licking one of its canine teeth as the huge arms smashed the lower braces as they rose up as the tails rose out of the water though he couldn't see what was happening as the camera was to close in as the four green eyes flashed with light as his sister spoke again her voice filled with joy. "So you are Kyoko!" He blinked as the footage suddenly cut out and the disc forced itself out of the player.

He turned seeing the nervousness as Rei eyes started to dart he turned not thinking as he moved towards Asuka putting his hands on both sides of her recliner before she could get away as he stared straight into her good eye which looked deeply uncertain. "Your mother is inside 02's core!?"

Asuka swallowed she understood his anger both herself and Rei had kept this from everyone but they had done it for their own safety as they knew that people most likely died for knowing this. "Yes…"

Shinji leaned closer knowing that he was now very much inside her personal space which was a dangerous place to be in general and he knew only Rei and Mari could normally get this close and even during their relationship she had not always tolerated it. "How is your mother in there?"

End of part 12

Silvermoonlight