Problem Fourteen: Anything Goes!

It is another quiet and blissful morning in Tokyo 3. As the sun peaks over the mountain bringing it's life giving radiation to the citizens of the city fortress. This early morning also brings the wakening of another. Yukari Ayanami springs out of bed landing on the ground like a cat. Next to her is Servo, the little kitten that sleeps pleasantly on its little bed. Yukari licks her kitten before running to her window ripping open the curtains and peering out in the sky that is just beginning to see the light of day.

"Servo, do you know what today it!"

Yukari's question answered by her cat getting up stretching walking in a circle then falling back down onto its bed twisting its head upside down. This does not bother Yukari as she runs to her closet pulling out her small basket full of her washing materials. She quickly runs out of her bedroom with the basket in hand.


"At words poetic I'm so pathetic, that I always have found it best...."

A cheery musical tone rings through Shinji's sleepy ears. At first, he thinks it is a dream but the singing continues.


Before Shinji can even open his eyes, he's dragged out of bed. Now standing he looks to see Yukari in her school uniform with a big smile as she sings to him.

"You're the top! You're the coliseum, You're the top, You're the Lube museum! You're a melody from a symphony by Straus, you're a bendal bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet your Mickey mouse!"

Yukari holds her hands up to her head to represent mouse ears.

"You're the Nile, You're the Tower of Piazza, You're the smile on the Mona Lisa. I'm a worthless check a total reek a flop. But if baby I'm the bottom you're the Top!"

"Yukari..." Shinji's words fall on death ear as the girl she speaks too sings to him. Yukari draws a smile on Shinji's mouth.

Shinji shakes his head and stares at Yukari as she points to him. He looks to the clock to see that its only five o'clock. He then looks back to Yukari to see she is humming the tone she was just singing, as she leaves the room Shinji turns and falls back down onto his bed. "School starts back up today..." He rolls over laying his back on his bed staring at the ceiling.

"Bon voyage peace..."

As Shinji sighs Yukari pops, her head back to his room.

"You mean Bon Voyaga..."

She quickly disappears with Shinji now sitting up shaking his head.

"Great, she's gone Musical..."


Rei looks into Asuka's room with a sigh, in her school uniform, she feels envious for the first time. The feeling is somewhat troubling Rei, she has never felt envious to anyone or anything. However there is good reason for her to be envious as she opens her door to leave early for set up duty at school, she is reminded way.

"Rei!"

Yukari jumps forcing Rei to catch her, Rei looks away understanding the meaning of her newly discovered feeling. Unaware of such an epiphany Yukari gives her sister a kiss on the cheek before taking her hand and runs off to school.

'She's more annoying then ever before...' Rei thinks as she allows her sister to drag her off. She looks at her with confusion as she hums to a tone. 'Why is she so... so... blissful...'

"Today is such a great day!" Yukari looks back to her sister to see the same part emotionless with a hint of annoyance look in her face. "Not only do we get to be with our friends we start Music!"

"Music..." Rei whispers as she tries to under stand what she means.

"Yup!"

Yukari slows down and takes Rei's other hand as she begins to dance with Rei as a unwilling partner.

"I feel a sudden urge to sing, the kind of ditty that invokes the spring!"

"No..."

Either Yukari does not care, or did not hear Rei, as she begins to sing.

"Its delight full its delicious its de-lovely..."

"Stop that..." Rei pulls her hands away as Yukari sings. "We must go to school." This time Rei grabs Yukari's hand and begins to drag her sister to school.


Exiting out of Misato's apartment is Shinji, he was unable to fall back to sleep after his awakening. He is slow to make his way to the elevator only to see Asuka Langley Souyu dressed for the day ahead and already waiting for the elevator.

"You look like hell Wonder Boy..."

Shinji just looks down as he tries to remember what Yukari sung to him. "My alarm clock went off early..."

To Asuka she really does not have to guess what Shinji meant as she puffs air into her bangs. "Zero, being a nuisance again..."

"She's just being Yukari..." Shinji smiles as he looks up to Asuka. "How was your sleep."

His question forces Asuka to remind her self on what she has been complicating for nearly four days. "More peaceful then yours..."

The elevator finally comes and Shinji and Asuka get inside and before long they're on their way together going to school. For Shinji he has very little on her mind since the last Angel battle, however walking next to the girl he rather likes makes it hard not to think let alone leer.

"When you're in Unit One..." Asuka stops walking as she gets one of the many things she wants to say off her chest. "When you're in that Eva, have you... ever..." Asuka looks up to see that Shinji is more then willing to answer a question. "Never mind..."

Dumbfounded Shinji watches as Asuka walks on, but with more confidence then usual Shinji walks beside Asuka. "What was it?"

"It was a stupid question..." Asuka looks away avoiding Shinji's pleasant look. "Its just that when I'm in your Eva if feels like its watching me..."

Both are reminded of Yukari's claim of seeing a soul in Unit Two. The thought of such a horrific conclusion shuts both of them up at first; it is as if they already know the answer to their own questions but fear to say it.


The school day finally starts with Yukari eye constantly on the clock. Even the teacher takes notice, but does not take any action fearing Yukari would make him looks stupid, something she would do and do often. Luckily, the clock reaches the time Yukari has been waiting for. Before Hikari stands to organize the class to go to the Music wing the Yellowed eyed girl is out the door.

"Yukari!"

Hikari looks out the door and down the hall to see she is out of sight. She looks back inside to Shinji. "What's with her?"

"I don't know..."

The response is expected as the class rep sighs and forms the class up to go to the Music wing. As they travel to the Wing Touji and Kensuke, catch up with Shinji.

"Hey, big shot!" Touji yells.

Kensuke is next to speak as he nearly jumps onto Shinji's back. "I heard there was a battle what happened!"

Shinji sighs and looks to his friends. "Trust me nothing big happened." Shinji grabs his stomach reminded of the day. "Went into a volcano... first person ever to do so... Got launched out of a Volcano... That was fun... oh, and killed a Angel."

"Wow!" Kensuke eyes light up with joy. "I want to be a Eva pilot!"

"Sorry..." Shinji mutters. "Fresh out of applications..."

"Damn..."

"Well at least you look alright..." Touji chuckles as he pats Shinji on the back. "Was this solo or did you have help from your girls..."

The comment reddens Shinji's face as he looks down to answer. "Yukari... she saved my life, she killed the Angel..."


Everyone enters into the music classroom with dull looks; only Yukari can be seen playing with everything in sight. She quickly goes over the Piano, and all the other musical instruments in the school. As the class gathers, Touji looks to Hikari with a question on his mind.

"Hey class rep..." Touji's call out quickly gets the attention of his female classmate she looks over to him eager to help. "I thought you said we weren't going to be having Music this year?"

With a smile, Hikari nods her head. "That was the plan, but the school changed things around not that long ago."

Popping up in between the two is Yukari as she holds recorder in her hands. "Fancy that huh..."

Both Touji and Hikari nod as they watch Yukari spin in a circle hugging the musical instruments. As the teacher walks in to the classroom everyone takes a seat with Yukari squatting in her chair in the front of the class. The teacher that comes in is familiar to most of 2-A, even Rei knows who she is for they all had her in seventh grade. Shinji Asuka and Yukari are a first for this teacher whose black hair is up in a bun, looking just a little older then Misato and only two thirds the look. She wears a blue blouse and black slacks.

"Well hello all." The teacher smiles as the class settles down in their seats. She puts her small briefcase down, goes to the chalkboard, and writes her name.

"Hi, I'm Chisaki Hama..." She turns and faces the class. "I'm glad to see you all, for those who had me last year, you can just call me Miss Hama or Sempi Chisaki..."

Sempi Chisaki slowly walks up in between the rows of students nod at each. "Hello, Megumi, I hope you still play the flute..."

"Yes ma'am."

With her answer given, she smiles and goes on to the next student. "Ha, Hikari, still a class representative I see. Keeping the troops in line..."

"Yes, ma'am..."

"I hope your not stressing out that beautiful voice you have."

Hikari blushes at the complement as she answers. "No Ma'am..."

The teacher movers one talking to each student, as until she reaches Asuka were she stops. "Ah you must be Asuka..."

"Asuka linguist Souyu..." Everyone snickers when a random male student in the class mutters her nickname. Asuka has given up in the many weeks of even yelling at whoever did it, as she merely crosses her arms and pouts.

"Mr. Otta..." Sempi Chisaki says in a pleasant voice as she looks at Asuka. The boy stands.

"Yes, ma'am."

"If your going to make fun of people, you cant do it here." The teacher gives him an evil stare, which quickly has him looking around in a panic. "Miss Souyu, how are you..."

Asuka looks up to her new teacher. "Fine..."

The teacher nods at her response before asking her next question. "Have you ever played a musical instrument?"

"Yea..." Asuka looks around the classroom to see some in shock, even Rei looks at her unaware of her talent. "I played the violin..."

"Really..." Sempi Chisaki cups her hands together as she smiles. "Would you like to play for us..."

With a frustrated look, Asuka looks at the teacher, disgusted with her joy. "I used to play, I don't anymore."

With an exaggerated frown, the teacher moves on. "Well, I will fix that." As the teacher moves one she reaches Shinji and gives him the same warm smile, she gave Asuka. "So you are Shinji Ikari..."

"Yes, ma'am..."

Still smiling Sempi Chisaki pats Shinji on his back. "Do you play a instrument..."

"Yea... Yes Ma'am..." Shinji stutters on his words. "The Cello..."

"Well..." The Teacher looks around her classroom and sighs. "Well we don't have a cello, but would you be willing to play for use later."

"Yes ma'am..."

Everyone chuckles to Shinji's response as he can barely speak to the teacher. The teacher shakes her head before she reaches Yukari who eagerly awaits her to ask her the same question. However, Chisaki simply studies Yukari as she nearly jumps out of her seat.

"So this is the famous twin to Rei, Miss Yukari..."

Yukari jumps to attention and smiles back at the teacher. "Yes ma'am, but I'm not really famous, my sister deservers more credit then she is earned, also this is my first ever Music class and I cant wait to learn from you."

The teacher enjoys the enthusiasm in Yukari's voice. "Well, I'm glad to be your first Music teacher, I guess it's pointless to ask if you played a instrument..."

"I can sing!" Yukari calls out so not to be over looked, as the teacher moves on.

Chisaki stops and looks back to Yukari with a smile. "Really, well would you like to sing for use?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Yukari jumps from behind her desk landing onto it then she forward flips landing on the ground in her signature cat stance, before standing up, and smiling to the class. The teacher claps her hands shortly followed by the rest of the class, all but Asuka, and Rei clap.

Asuka looks over to Rei. "This should be good she's never been in a music class."

Even Rei can appreciate Asuka comment as she gives an ever so small grin. The teacher goes over to Yukari but Yukari is quick to whispers her instructions for here to do.

"Are you sure?"

The Sempi question answered with a simple nod as Yukari closes her eyes waiting for the teacher to give her a key on the piano. Once given Yukari opens her eyes and looks to her class with powerful glance.

"Follow the sound, follow the sound, Follow the sound up high."

Yukari takes steps forward to the class as she sings. Yukari raises her hands up as she sings the word high.

"Together we stay, Feeling this way, It's shining for you and I, ooh baby."


Yukari places both hands on her heart as she tearfully looks into the class. Yukari quicken her steps as she goes to the window pointing to the sun.

"Follow the sound, follow the sound, Leaving the rain behind,"

She walks back to the class singing in perfect tone with the class star struck with her abilities. She points back to the windows.

"Together we will be, in harmony, taking the time we will find our..."

Yukari once more places her hands on her heart before raising them to the final bar.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"

Yukari holds her last note for almost ten seconds. She doesn't brake her pitch or fall out of harmony, flawlessly she holds each measure of music dragging the class to the edge of their seats. Even Rei and Asuka as in shock at the girl's skill. However, the songs not over yet as Yukari snaps from her soft and fluid movement to that of a dance as she picks up the tempo and dances like a J-pop star.

"Sunshine, I'm feeling the energy, I need Sunshine, for it to shine on me now, sunshine now don't you hide away, I want sunshine each and every day!"

"Sunshine, I'm feeling the energy, I need Sol shine, for it to shine on me now, sunshine it's the only way, I want sunshine each and everydaaaaay!"


Everyone is in near shock at the performance; she made J-pop stars look like a bad DDR player. No one can move a muscle even students and teacher's from classroom up and down the hall stare into the room to the gifted singer that just sang. The teacher can't even speak as she slowly claps her hands. Quickly her single clap grows into a out right roar as everyone stands up whistling and cheering her. With a simple blush and a schoolgirl smile she bows to her classmates.

"Thank you..."

Asuka and Rei look at each other flabbergasted at what just happened. They look to see Yukari jump to stardom in a song that was not even a minute long.


"Damn, Damn, damn!" Asuka curses as she enters into her apartment along side Rei. "Damn that little wench!" Rei watches Asuka toss her bag on to her couch and pounds her head against the kitchen table. "Why is she so damn perfect! What the hell is her secret!" Asuka looks up to Rei. "I should be the one praised not that little bitch!"

"She is disconcerting..." Rei mumbles not inspecting to get a good response form Asuka.

Asuka looks to Rei just before a glance of a shadow hanging from a noose swinging in her background. In a blink of an eye its gone, but the image does its ob as she screams out. "I'm not worthless! I don't want to DIE!" She collapses into Rei's arms in tears. "I don't want to die, I don't want to be worthless..."

At first all Rei does is stand like a statue as Asuka cries in her arms. Slowly she raps her arms around her friend as Asuka cries uncontrollably. She instinctively knows what to do, but cant bring her self to feeling it. She does her best to remain calm, as she to bows her head on to Asuka's shoulder unable to help her. 'I don't know what to do...' Rei mind is flooded with guilt as she wishes to help Asuka, but cannot. 'This is Ayanami's fault... This is her fault..." Rei looks to Asuka still unable to comfort her properly. However, she quickly comes up with a possible solution.

"Asuka... The commander once taught me that one may have to keep his friends close and his enemies closer."

The watery eye redhead looks up to Rei with a strange look, her comment made no sense to her. "What do you mean Rei..."

Still trying to gather her haphazard idea together, she pauses for a second before softly speaking to Asuka. "You must play her game to beat her at it." Asuka once more gives Rei a strange look. "She propositioned you to procure a relationship with Pilot Ikari, she did it knowing you wouldn't..."

Slowly things come together for Asuka. "Are you saying I should take that baka out on a date."

At first Rei says nothing as she stresses her own mind out in making her plan. "You do so, openly and publicly Ayanami will loss the advantage and weaken her own attack."

"Huh..." Asuka tries her best to think the idea through. "So if I go out with Ikari, she wont up stage me because she likes Ikari... then I can bring my vengeance down upon her like a sack of bricks!"

Rei nods her head as she takes Asuka's hand, and wipes Asuka's face away with the other. "Our plan will involve us to act like we enjoy her presents."

Before Rei can continue Asuka gives her a huge, hug then a kiss on the cheek. "You're a genius Rei!" Asuka goes into her bag pulling out a sheet of paper, she looks back up to Rei to see that she has not moved and her face is cherry red from the kiss. "I need your help to plan this!"

Unfortunately for Asuka, she is unaware that she inadvertently broke a spell that was placed on Rei. Now it wasn't a spell of magic or witchcraft, but of years of psychological torture and abuse. For which Rei looks to Asuka with a blank stare as she rambles about her plan. Rei quickly identifies her feeling but cant help to question it. The warm she feels is pleasurable as her hair stands up on end.

'What is this feeling...' Rei questions her self as she looks into Asuka's eye. 'I have never felt this way before, I feel... I feel... happy, secure; I want to... be with her... I want her friendship... I want freedom...'

The next day school begins as usual for the pilots, as each show up in their respective pairing Yukari and Shinji, Asuka and Rei. The morning also brings rain to the city, this sets up a wet and dreary backdrop as the students arrive to the school damp from the heavy down pour. Yukari sits in her seat next to Shinji, a lot has been on her mind since the day before, for she will lead the class in the project assigned to them by their music teacher.

'I never really wanted to be a leader...' Yukari thinks to her self as she plays with her hair that she is allowing to grow out. 'I guess I over did it yesterday... Nevertheless, I only know ten songs, and most kids my age would not get. Cole Porter is the only songwriter I can even think of.'

As Yukari curses her ever so, selective memory she does not notice Rei stands and walk over to her. It takes Rei to physically place her hand on her sister's shoulder to pull her from thought. "Ayanami..." Yukari is at first surprised to see her sister in front of her. "May we speak."

"Sure..." At first Yukari gives her usual smile as she turns to her sister, but something about her body language has her with draw from her smile. 'Something isn't right...'

Rei shows no emotion as she speaks she does not even look at Yukari as she speaks. "I would like to retract any harm I have caused upon you."

"Sis..." looking into the cold blood red eyes of Rei is hard even for Yukari. In those eyes however she sees a focused never seen before. 'You are up to something...' Yukari takes her sisters hand. "Rei, you need not apologize, its not your fault you're the way you are."

"Yes it is." Rei response is this time tainted with emotion as she looks down to Yukari. "It is my fault for not being myself."

'Holy shit...' Yukari's jaw drops as she repeats her sister's words in her head. 'I'm a freak'n... Damn Rei, I never thought you had it in you.' Yukari's silence bothers Rei, she was expecting her to over react, but all Yukari is doing is smiling.

For the two sisters time seemed to freeze as they look at each other, both trying to read each other's mind trying to see if one is lying. It is ends as Hikari comes up to the two. "Yukari..."

After a second Yukari looks to the class rep with her cute smile and says. "Good morning Hikari..."

"Have you picked a song for the class project?"

Yukari goes into her bag and pulls out a folder in it are sheets of music. Hikari studies the English on the cover page. "Cole Porter, 1938 Anything Goes Title song, Anything Goes." Once read Hikari looks up with a smile. "This looks fun, very jazzy." "Would you like a little preview..." Just as Yukari speaks, it is as if her words echo through the classroom. Everyone turn and faces Yukari wanting to hear her sing again.

Yukari gives a little smirk before she turns to Kensuke who is currently talking to Shinji and Touji. "Mr. Aida," She pulls out a CD jewel case and tosses it to him. With a bubbling catch, the jittery boy catches it. "Play, the CD, and will you be a dear and network it through all the laptops."

"Sure thing!"

The star struck Kensuke runs to his laptop and places in the CD, as he readies it Yukari stands and goes to the teachers desk and jump up to stand on it. Instinctively other students turn off the lights to the room and get the flashlight out of the classroom emergency kit, and shine it on Yukari as she stands with her head bowed. The jazz beat of a Broadway orchestra begins to play the play over everyone's laptop.

"Times have changed,"

Yukari turns to the clock behind the desk and begins to spine it.

"We often rewound the clock, since the puritans got a shock, when they landed on Plymouth Rock."

Yukari turns back to her audience with a smirk on her face.

"If today, any shock they would try to stem, steed of landing on Plymouth Rock,"

She walks to them jumping down from the desk, with her makeshift spotlight following her.

"Polymath Rock would land on them..."

Everyone is wowed by her performance so far, all but Rei and Asuka.

"In olden days a glimpse of stocking,"

Yukari rides her skirt up her leg just enough to give all the guys bloody noses.

"Was looked on as something shocking, but now Heaven knows, anything goes..."

She drops her skirt as and waves her finger in the air as she grabs a sheet or paper and a pen.

"Good authors, too, who once knew better words,"

She writes on the sheet of paper before tossing it behind her.

"Now only use four letter words writing prose. Anything goes."

She now walks down the center on the class with a swing in her step.

"The world has gone mad today, and good's bad today, and black's white today, and day's night today,"

She then walks up to Touji and gives a flirtiest rub of his face.

"And most guys today, that women prize today, are just silly gigolos..."

She turns her back on Touji as she goes back to the front of the class.

"And though I'm not a great romancer, I know I'm bound to answer, when you propose, Anything Goes!!"

The class bursts out into laughter as Yukari blows kisses to all the men in the class. She then slide steps to the door just as the teacher steps in but he can only stop at the doorway and stare in shock at the Musical her class has turned into.

"When grandmama whose age is eighty, in nightclubs is getting matey with gigolos, anything goes..."

Yukari straightens up the teacher's shirt before pushing him out of the doorway. She then dances over to Hikari who is standing up front.

"When mothers pack and leave poor father, because they decide they'd rather be tennis pro's, anything goes..."

She looks to her classmates with a smile before back stepping to the front of the class once more.

"If driven fast cars you like, low bars you like, or bare limbs you like, Mae West you like, or me undressed you like, to molest tonight, well no buddy will oppose."

Yukari pulls the top straps of her uniform down as she raps her arms around her self tightly against her chest.

"When every night the set that's smart is indulging in nudist parties in studios, anything goes..."

As the song that is playing goes on Yukari begins to show everyone the sheets of music. She keeps a beat in her step just before she is supposed to start singing again she raises her hands to have the class sing with her. Surprisingly the class goes alone with the highly charismatic Yukari, she is not the only one surprised as Asuka and Rei roll theirs eyes at everyone singing.

"Just think of what shocks you've got, and what knocks you've got, and what blues you've got, from the news you've got, and what pains you've got, if any brains you've got from those little radios."

The class finishes their chorus and all look up to Yukari as she finishes the song off.

"They think he's gangster number one, so they've made him their favorite son, and that goes to show, anything, anything, Anything goes!"


By lunch, Asuka and Rei have secluded themselves to Rei's window seat. The rain still pours down forcing most students to eat in the classroom. The two friends sit in their corner with Asuka as agitated as ever.

"Damn, damn, damn..." She whispers with her head laying on Rei's desk.

For Rei she has reserved to just eating her box of rice staring at Asuka with not concern at her current problem. "Are you going to set forth on your end of the operation?"

Asuka looks up to Rei with an evil stare before turning and looking to Shinji that sits with the three stooges. 'Now or never.' Rei watches as Asuka stands up and make her way over to Shinji. She stops just once and looks back at Rei to see her blank stare in return. 'How can she be so calm... I mean I have never asked a guy out before...' She looks to Shinji and sighs as she thinks to her self. 'A lot of girls like him so if he says...' Asuka's thought is broke as Yukari walks up and begins to talk to Shinji. 'Its zero... now's my chance!'

Asuka rushes forward and pushes Kensuke and Touji out of the way to stand right in front of Shinji. Kensuke is unable to stand but Touji quickly gets up. "What the hell was that for!"

In response, Asuka pushes Touji back down, just before taking Shinji's hands. Yukari who is at his side unable to speak, but she can see that Asuka is in dyer need to breath as she stares at Shinji.

"Shinji..." Asuka exhales as she begins to tremble. "Would you like..." Asuka stops and looks at her hands to see she is shaking. 'What is wrong with me? It as if I like...' Touji goes to get up a second time Asuka sees this and pushes him down with out looking. "Would you like... Would..." Shinji gives an awkward stare as he stares into Asuka's blue eyes. "You like to... to... Go... out with me..."

The entire class turns in shock, half the girls pass out as they shout.

"What the hell!"

This out burst does not help Shinji as he tries to remember how to breathe. Looking around he sees that even Yukari is in shock as she frozen, pointing at Asuka. Asuka her self grips Shinji's hands tight as she hopes for a positive response. Her puppy dog look and trembling hands is all Shinji can now focus on.

'Oh boy...'
Next Problem... When does one see the truth...