------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The Perils of Self-Insertions" by Angus MacSpon ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was spending a lazy Saturday afternoon at my favourite pastime -- dialling random telephone numbers in the hope of getting the Goddess Hotline. (If there's a better way of spending Saturday afternoons, I don't know what it is.) Then, to my amazement, I suddenly got lucky. "Hello," said a warm, friendly voice. "You've reached the Goddess Hotline. Please wait, one of our operatives will be there to grant your wish in just a moment." Just a moment later, there she was. For some reason, she looked a little like A-ko, but I wasn't prepare to argue. "My name is Apnea, goddess fifth class," she announced. "What is your wish?" I was about to wish for a less silly pseudonym than 'Angus MacSpon,' but suddenly the limitless possibilities occurred to me. Why, I could wish for ... I could wish for ... "Gee, I really wish I could be a character in an Anime series," I blurted out involuntarily. She gave me a really peculiar look, as if I'd made some kind of silly mistake; but then the mark on her forehead started to glow, and suddenly my vision swam and everything went black ... When I woke up, I was lying on the ground in some forest. I got to my feet, looked down at myself, and realised that I'd gotten my wish. But somehow it hadn't come out quite the way I'd been picturing it. I tried to scream in rage and despair, but all that came out was: "Pika! Pikapikapika CHU!!!"