"That, I did not expect." Spoke an unemotional brown haired woman as she stood in an auditorium with her friends. It was only the first day at The Anime convention, and already things had taken an odd twist.
In front of them was a pile of see through bags, inside there were plushies of anime characters from one anime, Yu-Gi-Oh. The first series. And it appeared only the most well liked characters were there.
"Hopefully our numbers get drawn. I can't believe this. I thought Yu-Gi-Oh was dead!" Spoke a dark skinned woman next to her, her friend Angela. The woman laughed silently. "I thought so too...This is actually kinda cool." She said, grinning.
"Alright! The drawing is about to start! Inside these bags are very special plushies made from a very dedicated fan! These dolls cannot be found online or at any store. Only here!" The woman rolled her eyes. Of course. She heard that often. She wondered what she would do with the doll once she won. Would she play with it? Keep it on the shelf? It depended on what character she got. She was particularly picky.
"These dolls are made of very special fabric. They are Guaranteed never to wear or tear!" He said with a grin. The woman narrowed her eyes slightly. Did all speakers in drawings talk to everyone like children? Rude. And she didn't believe that shit about the fabric one bit. Knowing her, she'd shred it by the end of the week.
Angela was starting to get excited. She was practically jumping up and down. The woman snickered. "It's very unlikely we'll win." She said bluntly. Angela glared, bonking her on the head. She whined. "Hey watch it!"
"Don't jinx us damn you!" She whined. The woman shrugged, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Just speaking my mind. Don't mind me." Though she had a smile on her face, meaning she was just playing around. She wasn't a mean person, usually she was very silly. She was just playing it up.
"Alright, First up." He randomly grabbed a bag, showing a blonde haired plushie. "Joey wheeler! The Underdog!" He laughed. The woman looked irritated now. "It's Jounochi Katsuya dumb shit..." She mumbled quietly. Angela nudged her, earning a pout. She couldn't help that people were stupid and never watched the japanese version or read the manga. And quite frankly the manga made more sense then the anime.
"Alright! The first numbers are! Five...Two...Seven!" He yelled out dramatically. The woman was getting bored now. But soon a squeal rang out. A young woman came running up, past the woman and Angela. She raised an eyebrow. So the spirit of Yu-Gi-Oh was still there...Perhaps it was not dead after all. Perhaps there was hope yet.
"Here yah go! Take good care of him!" He laughed. The girl squealed and grinned. "Oh I will!" She giggled out, earning several laughed from the audience. Even that made the woman snicker. Perversion at it's funniest.
But son the woman was getting bored, sure it was wonderful to see so many people still loving the anime series, but it seemed so...gone. She had put her heart into Yu-Gi-Oh in the past, but now it was all for nothing. Older people couldn't even be in tournaments anymore. It had lost it's seductive charm...
She remembered fanfics she loved to read in the past, back in two thousand and five, there was a fancy fanfic she couldn't get over, then suddenly it disappeared. After it was removed, she tried making her own version but lost the will to post the next chapter.
Too many people lost interest. It was horrible. She never saw that story again. They say stories never die, just carry on like the wind. But after a while, she felt like her whole life had died. So many wonderful stories just up and gone...Just goes to show you, that you should read something before it's gone. Or else you would never knew that story.
"Come on up here!" Said the cheery man to yet again another young girl. She had won a Malik Plushie it seemed. It sucked to be a nineties kid...She couldn't imagine herself being old and grey and still going to anime conventions. Or posting fanfics for that matter. The very thought made her laugh.
"Alright! Next up we have..." he read the label very character. He looked unsure suddenly. As though confused. "...Yami Bakura!" He finally rang out. The woman looked up then, looking surprised. It was shocking that a plushie maker would make him. No one ever really thought Bakura as a important character. When they were dead wrong. Bakura was one of the most important...Yuugi would had never progressed without him.
There never would had been a shadow game...
Angela looked surprised as well. "Your favorite character!" She grinned, elbowing her. She pouted, her hazel eyes rolling. "Don't get me excited. Theres no fucking way I will win." She said as a matter of factly. She was terrible at chances. It was so bad.
"Just belieeeeve. Come ooooon. The power of friendshiiiip?" She dared to ask. The woman gave her such a glare. "Say that again I will fucking end you. Don't quote that bitch Tea." She said with a snarl. It was like a nasty tick for her. The English Tea was so fucking annoying. She was wondering why Bakura never attempted to kill her.
"Next numbers are! Four...Four...Eightty Eight!" He rang out. The woman shrugged. It wasn't her numbers. Like she said, she never won these drawings. It was close though. Her ticket was all fours. Better luck next time? Or possibly not. Well, she could probably find a nice one online. It wasn't the end of the world.
But to everyone's surprise, no one came forward. "Nobody's got the ticket? Forty Four Eighty Eight?" He repeated. People were looking at each other, but still no one came forward. Angela grinned. "It's not over yet." Still, the woman was not impressed. She never won. She sighed, she could at least stay to watch.
The man looked worried suddenly, as though that wasn't supposed to happen. "Alright then, I'll draw a new number!" He said, reaching in and grabbing a ticket. The woman crossed her arm, thinking. Maybe she could think of a new chapter to post on fanfiction tonight...Her fans had been bugging her about her latest Yu-Gi-Oh fanfics-
"Ann! Annie! Earth to fucking Annie!" Angela squeaked, waving her hands in front of her face. Annie blinked, eyes narrowing. "What?!" She squeaked in irritation.
"Get your ass up there! They called your number!" She revealed, shoving Annie. Her eyes went wide. WHAT? She actually won something? No friggan way. Nah, she called bullshit. She never won anything!
"All fours?!" The man called, earning wide eyes from Annie. "You've got to be shitting me." She muttered quietly as she walked up to the front. The man with the microphone seemed a little on edge. Perhaps because it was almost time for the next event at the convention.
"Still loving Yu-Gi-Oh huh?" He asked her. Annie gave a short nod, holding her hand out. The man grabbed it by the edge of the bag, almost seeming to not want to touch it. He dropped it into her hand. "Take good care of it." He said with a strange smile. Almost like it was forced. He was probably having a bad day.
Annie looked over the doll in the bag. It seemed like any normal doll. Except it was really cute. It was perfectly made as well. The hair was unusually perfect. Not many makers could get that right. What was so cute was that the doll even had a tiny little metal sennen ring. The artist went to town on detail. A smile went across her face as she walked back to her friend Angela. She could feel her past Yu-Gi-Oh fan self rattling the cage.
"Let me see! I wanna see!" Squeaked Angela. Annie whined, holding it away from her. "Mine." She joked. Though she couldn't help but want to hide it away. It was so adorable. With those big narrowed eyes and the evil smirk on it. It was perfect. Even it's clothes was perfect. The cute little trench coat and everything.
"Come oooon!" Whined Angela. Annie sighed, handing it over. She took it and grinned, looking at it's features. "Oh my god it's so kawaiii!"
Annie raised an eyebrow. "Don't be a weeaboo, please. Not here. Lets get back to the hotel room, so you can squeal all you want." She offered, earning a grin from Angela. "Lets go!" Annie nodded, leaving with her friend, not noticing what was going on with the man who was the drawer. He had put the mic down and was helping his friend sort through boxes of plushies. All from Yu-Gi-Oh.
"God, remember the last con? Nobody wanted them. Now we can finally get rid of this damned things." He said with a sigh of relief. His buddy nodded. "I couldn't sleep at all with these fucking things in the trailer, the noise..." He sighed. His friend nodded.
"I couldn't sleep with them in my hotel. One of them got out...I was up all night." The other looked astonished. "Seriously? It's like a horror movie waiting to happen. And keeping them separate was annoying."
"Hopefully we sell them all here. Everyone seems happy to have them." Said the other. "Agreed. They can take care of the demonic little shits. I can't play baby sitter." He said with a sigh. "Alright, how about Ryou next?" He thought out loud.
Meanwhile, Annie swiped her card to her hotel door, it opened with a click. She went inside, taking off her coat and shoes and crashing onto the bed. "I hate standing." Annie whined. Angela laughed, crashing on her bed. "It was worth it! Look at this cutey! Hes so soooft!" Squealed Angela.
Annie pouted as she squished him through the bag. "Don't be so rough with him. And don't take him out of the bag. I don't want him damaged." She fussed, earning a quirked eyebrow from Angela. "Okay...You're henning a doll."
Annie grabbed a pillow, covering her face. "I DON'T CAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE." She screamed through the pillow. Angela snickered. "Are you PewDiePie now?" She asked.
"No I was being a Swedish form of Bakura." Spoke a sarcastic Annie. Angela suddenly looked confused, a strange look coming over her face.
"You just imagined that didn't you?" Snickered Annie from under the pillow.
"Yeah...and it's not pretty." She laughed, tossing the doll onto her bed. Annie pouted, taking him and hugging him. "Mine." She said in a child like voice. Angela snickered. "Annie and Bakura sitting in a tree."
"Shut. The fuck. Up." She growled, feeling like such a kid. This was her daily thing. Be a kid, not give a fuck, whine and bitch, then post fanfics. No life basically. Nothing to win or lose.
"Lets watch some stuff...I got Black Butler." Annie suggested. Angela shrugged. "I'm more in the mood for Doctor Who, third season." Annie shrugged. "I like David Tennant anyways. Alright." She said, getting into her bag and pulling out DVD's.
Soon enough they began watching Doctor Who, and Annie was barely fixated on it. Sure she laughed at the most obvious parts...But she couldn't shake the feeling the something was off. She had paranoia already. She was always worrying about something.
During the video, she suddenly squeaked out. "IT'S LIKE A BIG BALL OF WIBBLY WOBBLY TIMEY WHIMEY... STUFF!" Angela snickered at her outburst, shaking her head. Annie sighed, leaning back in her bed. She soon cuddled her doll.
"You're playing with a doll." Snickered Angela. Earning a pout from Annie. "I DON'T CAAAAARE." She snickered, squishing the doll.
"You're freaking weird..." Angela finally realized. Annie stuck her tongue out. Wasn't her fault.
"I'm getting hungry, wanna go out to eat?" Asked Angela, Annie shrugged, she was feeling hungry herself. "Sure. Long as there is seafood. I'm craving Sushi."
Angela facepalmed. "Theres no place like that around here. Thats like miles away."
Annie pouted. "Well thats not my fault. I like seafood..." Her eyes shifted, staring at the doll under her hand. Did something happen? No, probably the people next door...
She lifted her hand, moving it somewhere else. "Eh, I guess a burger would do. Getting tired of eating chips." She sighed.
"Lets go to the bar, They got a lot of food there." Angela said, though Annie looked weary. "No alcohol please. I don't want to grope anyone." She warned.
Angela made a face. "You grope people when drunk?" She tried to imagine Annie groping someone while drunk and snickered. "Shut uuuuup. I've never actually been drunk before so I dunno."
"You need to party more often." She said, looking at Annie like she was nuts. She shook he head. "No, I prefer quiet." She explained.
"Okaaaay...Lets go. I'm hungry." She whined. Annie nodded, getting up. "Alright. See yoooou plushie Bakura." She sang, waving goodbye as she put on her shoes and left with Angela. She was happy she won the doll. Never thinking it was out of the ordinary.
The lights went out, signaling they left. The doll was left in the darkness. Dim light poured through the window. The dolls expression remained that faithful smirk, and narrowed eyes. But something was a bit different this time. The dolls mouth looked more stretched. Like it was smirking more wider then usual.
"What do you want to drink?" Angela asked Annie. She gave a shrug, unsure herself. "I guess some hot chocolate." Angela pouted. "Come on, just one cup of Sangria or something." She pleaded. Annie refused, crossing her arms, looking unamused.
"You remind me of Bigby from The Wolf Among us when you do that." She commented. Annie facepalmed. "Enough with who I look like. Just last night you said I looked like David Tennant when my hair is in a pony tail and my bangs are spiked. And my stuff sure as hell isn't bigger on the inside!"
Angela seriously wanted to make a perverse comment but kept her mouth shut. They soon ordered their food, and so began the waiting game. Annie sighed, her eyes wondering. She noticed a few people in the bar, no one of interest really. The next day was when she would put on her costume. She was supposed to be Ciel Phantomhive...
When their food was ordered, Annie sighed, trying to figure out something. "So...Those guys giving out the plushies...They seemed weird..."
"I didn't notice anything weird. They looked tired." She said, sipping her coke. Annie sipped her root beer. "It's rare to find A plushie maker that gives away Yu-Gi-Oh plushies..."
"They aren't alive. Stop watching Toy Story." Angela pouted, knowing what she was thinking. Annie snickered. "Hey, I can dream can't I?"
Their eyes averted outside when a flock of seagulls flew away from the roof, blocking out the sky. "Maybe I should cosplay a Yu-Gi-Oh character next year...Maybe people would look at it in a different light..."
"I doubt it. Ever since Little Kuriboh did the abridged series, nobody remembers the original. And everyone thinks it's childish like Beyblade." Annie dropped her spoon then, giving her a rather shocked look. "No dissing the original beyblade. I still have my fucking dragoon." She threatened. Angela raised an eyebrow. "How the fuck can you like that trash anime?"
"It was serious as a child. Beyblades are still considered a weapon." She said with fairy eyes, almost looking murderous. Angela held her hands up. "Okay calm your tits. People are staring..." She meeped out. Indeed people were.
Annie looked around, before sighing and sipping her root beer. She was wondering about those guys though. Her mind would often focus on thing others overlook...
The way they talked to her, seeming nervous, unsure...
"What if we try the card tournament downstairs?" Angela asked. Annie shook her head. "I'm too old for it. And I'm just not into like I was before." She admitted, honestly feeling sad.
"You're never too old for anime or cartoons. Look at the men who watch my little-"
"Nope- shut your mouth. Don't compare it to my little pony." She growled softly, becoming irritated.
Angela was pouting. People had opinions. She thought it was weird. But she would learn it wasn't.
After a while, they were done with their fill, Annie stretching and patting her stomach. "I'm full..." She sighed, thinking of wanting a nap in the hotel room.
"You gonna go nap? I'm gonna go play the games downstairs." Angela said, Annie nodded, pulling out her money an setting it on the table. "Theres my part of the bill...Aaaand I bid you Adieu!" She said, waving and she walked off. Angela pouted.
Annie just smirked. Now she would get a good nights sleep. Angela had been snoring all night...
As she walked into the main hallways, she noticed several people gathering around a area familiar to her. Her door to her hotel room...
She narrowed her brows, her eyes showing confusion. She could see her door was open. She caefully moved in between them, thinking it was some kind of joke or something. Her eyes went wide. "...Oh my god you've got to be shitting me..."
Her entire hotel room was wrecked. CD's were laying broken on the floor, her mattress was flipped, her items she bought strewn all over the floor, food seemingly exploded all over the sheets, staining them. Angela's items were in the same manner.
Her eyes were wide, scanning the room. The people gathering stared at the specticle. "This your room?" One asked. Annie nodded. "Y-Yeah...Holy shit who did this..." She said in a faint voice. She stepped into the room, ignoring the shattered CD's on the floor. Her eyes wandered, until they settled on an object in the middle of the floor.
It was the plushie, out of it's wrapping and laying there with it's eyes staring off. She knelt down an picked it up, honestly glad it wasn't taken. But who did this? Who?
While her eyes were elsewhere, the doll gave a wide smirk, seemingly almost alive. She had no idea what was going to happen to her and her friend the next few days at this con. It would be something she wouldn't forget that easily.
Let the games begin...