I Was a Teenage Dummy Plug
Part 10: Waiting for My Ship to Come In
A Neon Genesis Evangelion fanfic by Logan J. Goodhue
*** Disclaimer***
Neon Genesis Evangelion is � and � GAiNAX, et al.
This story is for nonprofit entertainment only.
First Version, 21DEC2003; Current Version, 02FEB2004

Waiting for My Ship to Come In, Part One

	'Friday, October 9th, 2015. A date,' I thought to myself, 'which will live 
in infamy.' Although it was still only Monday, the so-called "date" was 
looming large in my mind. Somehow, despite my attempts at damage control, 
the rumors about the events at lunch were spiraling out of control. Worse, 
Hikari was enthused about the whole thing.

	"I can't believe that you were so bold, Emi!" the class representative 
said, her eyes gleaming with excitement as we walked away from the school. 
"I could never ask a boy out, just like that!" She almost seemed jealous.

	A snort from the other member of our trio indicated that she wasn't jealous 
in the least. "I don't know why you asked that stooge out, Blue," Asuka 
said. Her tone implied that I'd asked one of the Angels to dinner.

	I sighed and put my head in my hands. I had long since stopped denying that 
I had asked Kensuke on a date. No matter how vehement or truthful my 
assertions were, neither my friends nor my classmates would believe them. 
Suddenly, a wicked idea slithered its way to the front of my consciousness. 
A sly grin began to creep across my face as I lifted my head. I had a plan 
to minimize the damage. I straightened up and wrapped an arm across Asuka's 
shoulders.

	"Well, Red," I purred. 'It's amazing what just a few minutes practicing 
voices can do for you,' I thought during the pause. "I needed to be able to 
keep an eye on you when Ace asks you out later." Her shocked expression 
foretold an explosion, so I put a finger to her lips and leaned in and 
whispered in her ear. "If I've gotta suffer through a mercy date due to some 
incredible social engineering, then I'm gonna need some moral support, nicht 
wahr?"

	I could see her beginning to comprehend just what had happened. I let her 
go and turned to see Hikari's face. If she was enthused before, then she was 
positively glowing now. She held her fists below her jaw and jumped up and 
down in joy like a spastic spaniel.

	"Oh, Asuka!" the class representative squealed. "I'm so happy for you! The 
other girls in our class will be so jealous!" Asuka's eyes bugged out in 
incomprehension.

	"You know, Hikari," I said dryly as Asuka spluttered. "You could ask 
Suzuhara to join us as a triple date." The brunette stopped suddenly and 
blushed a brighter red than either Asuka's hair or my eyes.

	She looked down and began playing with her fingers. "I couldn't possibly . 
. ." she said hesitantly and smiled gently. "Well, it might be nice . . ." 
We walked along, Asuka muttering darkly, until Hikari spoke up. "Hey, guys, 
Kodama's got a new game for her Famicom. Do you want to come over and check 
it out?"

	Asuka's eyes lit up. "Sure! Anything to keep away from the stooge for a 
little while," she replied. "How about you, Blue?"

	I considered it for a moment, until I caught sight of a girl wearing a 
uniform identical to mine. She seemed hauntingly familiar. "I'd normally 
jump at the chance," I said, "but I think I see someone I haven't seen in a 
while."

	Disappointment flickered across Hikari's face for a moment, and she looked 
at me over her shoulder as Asuka led her away. I smiled broadly and shouted, 
"Have fun, you guys! I'll see you tomorrow, Hikari!" I watched them as they 
rounded the corner. Certain they were out of sight, I made my way over to 
the caf� table where the mysterious girl sat reading a thick hardcover book.

	I took a long, appreciative look at her. She was a slender girl of about my 
apparent age with long black hair that was so glossy that it resembled a 
raven's wings. Her soft brown eyes flicked back and forth behind round, 
wire-rimmed glasses as she read. Her features were delicate and bordered on 
the average side of classical Japanese beauty. A small mole near the left 
corner of her mouth drew attention to her serene smile. It took me a moment 
to finally recognize her. I groaned inwardly as I realized that all I really 
knew about her was her name and the fact that she was supposed to be the 
Angel of Illusion.

	I stepped a little closer to her table and cleared my throat. "Excuse me?" 
I said softly.

	"Yes?" she replied in a voice like, well, an angel. She scrutinized me 
carefully as she placed a bookmark and closed her book, gently setting it 
down. "Can I help you?"

	"Would you happen to be Mayumi Yamagishi?" I asked.

	"Yes, I am," she said, smiling up at me, "at least for the moment." She 
waved at a chair beside her. "Please, have a seat, Gabriel."

	I warily took a seat across from her. Her sunny, serene smile seemed to 
take on a sly, devilish cast. She was still wearing exactly the same 
clothes, but now her body language had suddenly changed so that they looked 
much more skimpy. Where before I had seen a sweet girl that stirred up 
tender, protective feelings deep inside me, I now saw a temptress. I 
swallowed a lump in my throat.

	She languorously opened her book and spun it around to face me. I looked 
down at it and recognized passages of scripture in Hebrew. What was worse, I 
could read it. It appeared to be some of the prophecies from the Old 
Testament. I was a little disturbed.

	"H-how?" I stammered.

	Mayumi gave a throaty chuckle. "Gabe, Gabe, Gabe," she said shaking her 
head with each word. "You always were good with languages. Guess it comes 
from smiting the Tower of Babel for your boss."

	My heart sank as I realized that this was not Mayumi. In fact, a little bit 
of terror was gibbering in the back of my mind. Strangely, a sliver of rage 
also accompanied it.

	"What?� she asked, looking at me in mock concern. "No glib reply? You're 
slipping . . . or is it that you've got a mortal's soul tangled in your 
essence?" She leaned across the table, and I couldn't help noticing that the 
collar of her shirt had come undone, and I could see the top of her 
cleavage. "Hiya, Logie-kins, like what you see?" Her voice shifted to a 
teasing, sexy contralto. "We could make beautiful music together." She 
sidled around the table and began to caress my face. "Would you like to 
become one with Me?" Her breath was hot as she whispered in my ear. "Body 
and soul?" She began to stroke my back with her other hand. "It would feel . 
. ." She pressed herself against me and shimmied. "So . . ." She kissed me 
full on the mouth, lightly running her tongue across my lips, and then 
pulled back giving me a smoky gaze. "Wonderful."

	I had broken out in a sweat. She knew exactly which buttons to press. On 
the one hand, I was sorely tempted. On the other, this had to be an Angel of 
some sort, and I had a sneaking suspicion of whom it was. "I don't . . ." I 
began.

	"Aww," she pouted. "You're no fun." She flounced back to her chair and 
leaned over folded hands. "Or is it that you'd prefer someone else for a 
partner?" She smirked conspiratorially at me. "Like, say, that redhead? I 
could make her yours, you know. All I'd want in return is a little favor . . 
."

	Her offer firmed my resolve and confirmed my suspicion. "No." I closed the 
book before me and shoved it across the table to her. I got up from the 
table and began to walk away, my knees feeling weak.

	"I could make you yourself again, with improvements," she called after me.

	"Not at your price, Lucy," I said, not looking back. I cringed as I felt a 
blast of heat behind me.

	"You damned bitch!" she shouted, her voice lowering into a basso profundo. 
"You'll cut a deal with Lilith, but not Me? And to top it off you dare to 
call Me Lucy?"

	"If you don't like it, Lucifer," I said, crossing myself, "go back to 
Hell."

	"Why, this is Hell, nor am I out of it," she replied smugly.

	"Oooh! The Prince of Lies quotes Marlowe!" I spun and faced her. "This has 
nothing to do with you." :: BEGONE! :: Much to my surprise, she disappeared 
in a cloud of sulfurous smoke. Although she had disappeared from sight, I 
could still hear the diabolical voice on the wind.

	"Oh, this has everything to do with Me," she gloated as her voice began to 
fade. "Wake up, Ayanami!" The last phrase echoed strangely. "I'll see you 
again! Wake up, Ayanami!" Again, the last three words echoed, and darkness 
crept across my vision.

	"Ayanami. Ayanami. Ayanami . . ."

Waiting for My Ship to Come In, Part Two

	"Ayanami," a concerned voice said, "are you all right? Please, wake up!"

	I opened my eyes and discovered that I was flat on my back. A quick glance 
around told me that I was just a little past where Hikari and Asuka had 
turned off. It also let me see the concerned expression on Shinji Ikari's 
face.

	"Are you all right, Ayanami?" he repeated.

	I did a quick self-inventory and discovered that I didn't hurt anywhere. "I 
think so," I replied sitting up.

	"I'm glad," he said, relief etched on his face. He quickly stood up and 
offered me his hand. I took it, and he pulled me to my feet. "What happened? 
You just collapsed after Asuka and the class rep left."

	"I'm not sure, Ace," I said. I was a little worried about what I had just 
seen. Was it a vision, or was it merely a form of narcolepsy? "I guess the 
tests Doctor Akagi put me through yesterday wore me out more than I 
thought."

	"Oh," he said, bending over. He straightened and handed me my school 
satchel.

	"Thanks!" I said, smiling. I noticed that Shinji was being affected by the 
not inconsiderable charm inherent in an Ayanami smile, so I turned it down a 
bit. It was now good-natured and not radiant. I thought. "Would you mind 
walking with me back to our apartment building in case I have another . . . 
episode?"

	He shyly nodded, and we began our trek. We traveled in companionable 
silence for a good portion of the way, although I did notice that Shinji was 
giving me some odd looks. There were the expected quick glances at my bust 
line and derriere which I pretended not to notice, and the thoughtful gazes 
that indicated that he had something on his mind. When we were about a block 
and a half away from the apartment building he spoke up.

	"It's kind of hard to believe that you and Rei are sisters," he said, 
shifting his book bag from one hand to another. "I mean, you are identical 
twins and all, but you're such different people."

	"Well," I said gently. "It's probably because I was raised by people who 
loved me, where Rei has been . . ." I struggled to find the right word. " . 
. . A commodity all her life. She was raised by your father, you know." I 
noticed his darkening expression. "No offense."

	"No," he said, a hangdog expression on his face, "that's all right. 
Sometimes I think father doesn't care about anything at all." We reached the 
apartment building and waited for the elevator. He cleared his throat. 
"Ayanami . . ."

	"Yes?" I replied. "And call me 'Emi.' It'll keep your head from exploding 
if Rei and I are in the same room."

	"All right, Emi, then." He chuckled softly. "Why did you ask Kensuke out on 
a date?" He lowered his head and continued. "Not that it's any of my 
business . . ."

	"Because," I said with a grin, "if I'd asked you, Asuka would've had my 
spleen for dinner." I noticed the shocked look on his face. "Geez, Shinji! 
I'm joking." I schooled my features into a more serious mien. "She would 
have eaten my heart, instead."

	I was still laughing when the elevator doors opened and we stepped inside. 
Finally getting myself under control, I continued the conversation.

	"Seriously, Shinji," I said. "I didn't ask him on a date. Everyone assumes 
I did because of how he responded to an invitation to see Unit Three when it 
arrives on Friday."

	"Unit Three?" he asked.

	"Well, yeah," I snorted in an Asuka impression. "You don't expect the great 
Emi Arizona Ayanami to ride shotgun in someone else's EVA against all the 
Angels, do you?" I noticed how much Shinji was cringing and stopped it. 'Or 
is he holding in laughter?' I wondered. "Actually, I was going to invite you 
and Asuka along as well, but since this has turned into a date against my 
will, I thought you might do something different."

	"Like what?" he asked, recovering from his cringe and eyeing me warily.

	"Ask Asuka out and make it a 'double date,'" I said as the elevator reached 
our floor. The doors opened and I strode out, leaving Shinji behind, until 
the doors almost closed on him and he dashed to catch up with me.

	"Are you crazy?" he asked in disbelief. "She doesn't like me. If I tried to 
ask her out . . ."

	I sighed and turned to face him. "Look, Ace," I said evenly. "The worst 
that can happen is that she'll say 'no,' which I doubt." I noticed his 
confused look and continued. "The reason I doubt she'll say 'no' is because 
I've heard about a certain volcanic rescue." I set my hand on his shoulder 
and looked him in the eye. "I think that if you have the courage to ask her 
out without dancing around the issue, she'll be more likely to say 'yes.'"

	He looked back at me for a moment, and I could see resolve building in his 
eyes. He nodded sharply, once. "Thanks, Emi," he said. "I . . . I'll give it 
a try."

	"That's the spirit, Ace," I said and winked at him. "You have until 
Wednesday to ask her out, though."

	"Why?"

	"Well, she's gotta have time to buy her outfit, of course!" With that, I 
ducked into my apartment and shut the door behind me. "Mission 
accomplished."

***********Author's Notes ***********
	Whew! That one took a long time! Writer's block combined with time 
shortages brought about by the various holidays and two console RPG's 
contributed to that.

	Anyway . . . I hope to have my next chapter out by either Leap Year 
(doubtful) or Saint Patrick's Day (more likely). As usual, a big "thank you" 
to you, my loyal readers, and specifically Robert M. Schroeck's "Drunkard's 
Walk" series ( http://www.eclipse.net/~rms/dwmain.html ) for finally getting 
me out of my writer's block "blahs."

Coming up: Preparations and a date with disaster. Also, Kensuke gets a 
severe case of "Mecha Envy." Plus more fan service! Next time on I Was a 
Teenage Dummy Plug: My Ship's Come in, and It's the Titanic.

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