Takara looked at herself in the mirror with a beam that could fill even Achlys’ heart with joy. Her turquoise wig was carefully combed for meticulous accuracy. Her makeup made her look just like the character and he violet and bright blue costume was made out of the most exquisite materials her money could buy. Suddenly the hours spent working in a restaurant did not seem so gruelling after all.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEbX897sza
She prayed that no one would make fun of her for cosplaying as a light-skinned character despite having African heritage.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrWH5nTqqW
She looked at the image of her favourite anime character on her laptop. “Oh,” she said. She searched her vanity table for her red pendant. She eventually found it underneath a beanie. She hurriedly fastened it around her neck as she heard her mother call out to her.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4z12YOnYz
She raced down the stairs, tripping every few steps. She slammed her head in the door before opening it. Her mother laughed, placing a dark-skinned hand over her own mouth.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLe2ImbPPK
“Is that part of your character?” she asked. Takara pouted, entering the car at the same time as her mother. “So what anime’s this from?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ycWfhj9HJ
“Can’t you tell? It’s Megumi from Merry Merry Megumi.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54NE6QDVdB
“How am I supposed to know that? I don’t watch the stuff. So what’s it about?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4nI654hVU
“An angel falls down from the sky and loses her memory. She is looked after by this nerdy girl and they both can change into magical girls. They fight the monsters made by the person who pushed Megumi from the sky. Megumi has cloud powers and the other girl has earth powers.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VseSHvbRd
“That sounds like a children’s show.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWhJBoAejN
“W-well, it is, but it’s really good. A lot of adult men watch it.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNSdwYjAff
Takara’s mother almost spit in her coffee. “Why would a grown man want to watch it?” Awkward silence filled the car. Takara peered out the window as the buildings appeared to push themselves backwards, occasionally revealing a clear sky.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhbWw3E2fv
The air inside and outside the car was pleasantly warm. As if Tawhiri decided that the day was too perfect to not throw some chaos into the mix, the wind outside her window blew with infuriating strength.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbsxV3Vvie
Half an hour passed before the car arrived at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center. Takara’s mother laughed. “Nope, there’s no way I’m going to find a parking spot here.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡj92bmyaG9p
Takara frowned, her chin rested in her hand, as her mother drove several blocks until she found a spot. “Bye, sweetie. Ring me when you’re ready to go home.” Takara nodded and inhaled slowly, preparing to walk all the way to the convention from the spot with heels that whichever god created her did not intend for her to wear.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDH7Aebfgr
“Damn you, Mum.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvCd3yhY3z
She tripped over no less than three times. The third time was when she had almost reached the building. She closed her eyes and prepared for her face to hit the concrete. When her face felt no sensations, she opened her eyes and looked up.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnIfz5NJMX
Her arms were being held by a girl in a similar but different costume to Takara’s. It was green with traces of gold. The girl’s wig was long, black and in a princess cut.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IARQb51rl
“Are you okay?” the girl asked in a deep and smooth voice. Takara nodded. “I thought Megumi was light on her feet.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡscR5qUDHTH
Takara blushed and gritted her teeth. “Well, isn’t Junko supposed to protect Megumi without asking questions?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡh75ZnE5bnR
“That’s not official. Did you make that up?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xAJoqUusm
“Huh. I must have read a lot of Megunko doujinshi.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUyH0ZCEGw
The girl laughed and Takara smiled. “So have I. Isn’t that pairing the best? That moment when Junko says that she’s glad she knows Megumi and Megumi blushes is just the cutest!”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXDrX053bt
Takara was taken aback by the girl’s sudden change in demeanour to a coolheaded young lady to a bubbly fangirl. She smiled, hoping that the girl would keep showing this side of her.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡVj0v2pWXTo
“Not as cute as that episode when the two have a sleepover and sleep in the same futon!”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJjSqjR2Xy
“How could I forget?” The girl took Takara by the arm and began lightly pulling her into the building. “I wish the pairing was more popular. Why on earth would people support Megumi and Hotaka? He’s the villain!”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjwcKucPxo
“I always thought that was weird. So what doujin are you planning on buying?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsHkYKJUHD
“Lots and lots of yuri,” the girl replied with a small but genuine laugh. “Oh, we haven’t introduced ourselves, unless you want us to just call each other by our character names. I’m Tsubaki.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1mBUNVMPS
“Takara.” The two shook hands.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡkocRBWlOMT
The lines were long and the judgemental eyes on Takara made the experience tiresome, but the two new friends were able to pass the time by chatting about anime, especially yuri. “Everyone at school thinks it’s weird that I like yuri so much,” Takara said.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5mTplE9fm
“What’s so weird about it?” Tsubaki asked. “You shouldn’t care about what they think. Well, I guess that’s hypocritical of me since no one else knows about me liking it. Everyone assumes I’m not into anime.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyn9ahW64M
“So what do you talk about with other people?”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpbbgM7CAT
“Sport, usually.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMZSGpdlyt
Takara scanned her eyes up and down Tsubaki, noticing her well-defined arm and leg muscles. “That makes sense,” she whispered.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl24ucmrjq
Tsubaki stared at her with an amused smirk. “Are you done looking at me like that?” Takara nodded.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiPot6bAIL
“Sorry.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡueyt6eSkzr
“Don’t be.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhNPmi2IJl
Takara began to sweat underneath her costume due to the bodies pushing past her to enter lines. Tsubaki appeared to be unfazed by the rising heat of the building, much to Takara’s admiration and jealousy.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XDZm66xHP
The two decided to have a food break. “Why is everything so expensive here?” Tsubaki asked as she sipped her ice tea. She tapped her fingers on the table and leaned forward so as not to spill anything on her long dress.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡic3RFa6yuG
“Haven’t you been to a convention before?” Takara responded, taking a doujinshi from her bag. Tsubaki shook her head. Takara began reading the doujinshi in her hands.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hXO6j692Q
“Haven’t you ever talked with another human being before? You’re not supposed to read when having a chat with someone.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡucO8caeiHW
“Sorry.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ708bROlXnP
“Don’t be.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡDn6BbdUimW
The two ate their food and continued to discuss the merits of magical girl anime. Out the corner of Takara’s eye was a man wearing a chillingly precise cosplay of Hotaka. She grabbed her camera and ran to the man. Tsubaki followed her, asking her where she was going and receiving no immediate answer.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R9XZl7eDO
“Can… Can I take a picture with you?” Takara requested. The man nodded and Takara gave the camera to Tsubaki.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLPjWG7hEu
Takara froze in a fighting pose. The man leaned back, his hands up in surrender. Click! The two changed their poses to Takara pointing at the man as if giving him a speech. Click! The final pose was another battle, but Takara struggled to keep balance on one leg as she pretended to be kicking Hotaka. She quickly toppled over.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iSeT4rNmO
Tsubaki honked with laughter before hastily covering her mouth. “I have the worst laugh,” she said softly.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvGTtFeATS
Takara gave her a reassuring smile as she was helped up by her new friend. “I think it’s fine.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4EenAVvSz
The man sniggered when he saw how close the two were and suggested they take a few yuri cosplay photos together. Takara asked Tsubaki if she’d feel comfortable doing this and the latter nodded her head. Takara handed the camera over to the man.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZRSdLWFyj
The two girls were unsure of what poses to do. They started by holding hands and facing the camera. Click! They turned towards each other and looked in each other’s eyes, raising their hands upwards until they were at the same level as their chests. Click!copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡujPaciQrTK
Tsubaki decided to risk embarrassment and touch the other girl’s cheek. Takara put her hand on Tsubaki’s and leaned into the latter’s hand, closing her eyes. Click!copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiOYwcyrIr
“I’m sorry,” Tsubaki told Takara. “That was rude of me.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IqTBEEykd
“Don’t be.” The two chortled and the man remarked on how beautiful the photos were. Takara thanked the man and took the camera, taking a look at each image. “He’s right. These are really nice. Can I put them on World Cosplay? I can include you in the description if you want”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡROwHZJZQbT
“Of course. I don’t have a World Cosplay account, though. I haven’t even heard of that site. Sorry. You can just post these photos without mentioning me.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvbptIC2ak
“If you insist. I can at least get your email address so we can chat some time, right?” The two exchanged emails.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡtb3U5EyJcT
Tsubaki heard her cell phone ring and walked outside to answer the call. Takara followed her. Tsubaki’s smile transformed into a gloomy long face faster than Hermes could deliver a message.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4ItLHdLxo
“I’ve got to get home. It was nice meeting you.”copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8TPxnxapI
The two gave each other a quick and uncomfortable embrace. “Bye,” Takara muttered. “I already can’t wait to see you again.” Her whisper died in the wind.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTTyNYcmIp
As Tsubaki wave goodbye, Takara stood, shivering in the now cool air, with crimson cheeks and a rapidly beating heart.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFtX9eFn0d
“So this is how main characters in yuri anime feel,” she said to herself, her chuckles swirling around the air with nowhere to go.copyright protection288ＰＥＮＡＮＡLElFuT223s
ns3.227.249.234da2
