Welcome to the mind of a teenage girl!
This is a fast-paced story, so please bear with me. This is based off (or rather, a Bionicle form of) Svetlana Chmakova's DramaCon, a very cute Russian-American (or Russian-Canadian?) manga. A lot of people would like it if they read it.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Blarg!
Language: English
Rating: T, for teen romance and mild profanity
Genres: Drama, Humor, Romance
Summary: Nokama is an amateur writer who shows up at her first anime convention with her artist boyfriend, ready to promote the manga they created together. But when she unexpectedly falls for a mysterious cosplayer, things get a little... well... complicated. What do you do when the person you're falling in love with is going to be miles away in just a matter of days? You ever have that weekend where nothing goes as planned? Yeah, welcome to my first anime convention.
Kakkoii! Con, Year 1
Chapter 1
Dream Lodge Hotel - Kakkoii! Con
Year 1, Day 1
You ever have those really bad days?
You know, the kind where you are woken up at three in the morning to go to an anime convention two hours away? Not only that but the driver is your half-brother in college who is not only reckless on the road but a constant chatter mouth? His girlfriend, who isn't as bad, but can yell pretty darn loudly at the guy behind the registration desk at the hotel we're supposed to be staying at, is dressed up as a big cat... thing? Then, as you go to set up your table in Artist Alley (here's where I squeal in excitement), you see a guy— with unshaved legs, mind you— walk past in a school girl uniform three sizes too small? To top it off, your boyfriend is flirting with a busty babe in a latex bunny outfit, fishnet nylons, and stiletto, knee-high boots?
Yep, that's my day. And it's only ten-oh-three.
Head, meet Table. Table, meet head.
...Ow...
The sight of me must look hysterical to Busty Bunny, for she laughs. My slightly-longer-than-shoulder-length blue hair cascading around our things promoting our web comic, Spirit City. Pink hoodie falling off bony shoulders— which are sagging making it look all the more dramatic.
Through my hair, I could see Artist Alley. It was a bustling place, alive with colorful characters and curious spectators. Glompers were seen every minute or so, finding someone new and cuter to strangle in their adoring clutches. Lucky me, I wasn't wearing anything out of the ordinary.
I think twenty minutes pass before Busty Bunny decides to leave.
"I wish you wouldn't do that." I mumble to my boyfriend, Matau.
He looks down at me with is odd, red eyes.
"It was for the sales pitch!" he argued.
"I didn't see her buy anything." I reply, icily.
"She would've."
"If your girlfriend wasn't here, maybe."
"Um, pardon me." a cute and innocent looking red head with freckles, dimples and the whole works, said. "May I look at this?"
"Go ahead, beautiful." Matau cooed.
I glare at her.
"I'll be back later." I told him, leaping out of my chair and running as far away from Artist Alley as possible.
I pushed and shoved my way through girls, guys, cross dressers, and questionable characters. I finally got out of everyone's way (or they got out of mine, I'm not sure) and into a vibrant courtyard.
The grass was so green it hurt my eyes, almost like Matau when I first met him. The flowers were various blues, reds, pinks, whites, yellows, and purples. The walls of the hotel surrounding the courtyard were a brilliant brick red.
Feeling relax, I laid myself back on the cool, emerald green grass and started to doze off. Unfortunately, Fate had other plans.
"You okay?" someone asked, as he prodded me with a steel-toe boot.
Opening one eye I saw a tall guy, a little older than me. He wore a long, dark red coat, and orange hat that pointy red hair poked out of, black pants and shirt (my guess is, is that the shirt is spandex), and dark shades covering his eyes. His hands were in his pockets.
He was attractive. I'm not sure if it was the mysterious appeal of the glasses or the fact that he was genuinely worried about me, but he was... illegally hot.
"I'm fine." I told him, sitting up.
He took a hand (which wore a fingerless glove) out of his pocket and held it out to me. I took it, making a mental note that his hands were large and stronger than Matau's.
"Come on," he said, "let's get you a drink. Then we can talk."
I paused.
"How did you know I was out here?" I asked, worried that this guy could be a potential stalker or was just looking for something I wasn't willing to give... or both.
"I saw you run away from your table at Artist Alley. I asked the guy there what had happened and he said you over-reacted about something." he said, gently leading me through a less crowded area to a spot not too far away from the vending machines. At least we could hear each other talk in quiet voice, whereas anywhere else you'd have to yell at the top of your lungs. "I ran off to find you. A security guard must have known I was looking for you and pointed to the courtyard."
I sat down in a nice little crook as he popped money into two machines at once. He pressed two buttons and a few seconds later, he had two water bottles. He sat down and handed one to me. I wouldn't have taken it from him if I hadn't just seen him pay for it. I graciously thanked him and took a sip. It was cool and helped me to relax.
The hallway was pretty much clear of people except for a few scattered groups. The walls were plain white with a plastic border the color of creamy sand. It was bright from the sun.
"Is this your first con?" he asked, a smirk beginning to form on his full, pink lips.
"H-how'd you guess?" I asked, pulling my legs in to my chest.
"No offence, but you've got noob written all over you."
Gee, thanks... not.
"O-oh."
"So, you want to tell me what happened?"
I told him. I'm not sure why, but I told him. I felt safe knowing that he knew.
I told him how Matau and I had created Spirit City together and how he left me to fend for myself while he flirted with the bustiest girls around or the ones wearing the skimpiest outfits, I also told him of my roommates, my half-brother, Onewa, and his girlfriend, Krahka, and how the two of them didn't help any. I told him how much it all hurt.
"I really wish he wouldn't flirt like that." I sighed. "Is it me? Am I clingy?"
I looked at him. He was looking dead forward. Great, I had bored him to sleep... or death, whichever is more gracious.
I waved a hand in front of his face.
"If he loves you, he shouldn't do things that hurt you." he said, making me jump.
"Is it really that simple? Anything else?" I dug into my pocket for a piece of paper and a pencil.
"Be more firm with him. Let him know that he can't manipulate you."
"...ni-pu-late me. Got it!"
Behind his shades, though I couldn't see his eyes, I could tell they were wide and looking at me incredulously.
"I can't believe you're writing that down."
"This stuff's golden! It's just what I need to tell the prick off!" I paused and realized that maybe in my relationship with Matau, it was me. "What is he... What if he wants to... to dump me?"
"And that's a loss how, exactly?" he asked, trying to joke. Neither of us laughed.
"I would rather we, um, talk about it. I love him and he loves me." I say to him.
He looks at me— blinking?— from behind his shades.
"Is he your first?" he asks as I was sipping the bottled water. I stopped and began to feel the cold water try to escape through my nose.
Yes Matau was— but I didn't want him to know that! Do you know how embarassing that is?
"Of course not!" I sputtered, choking on the water slightly. "Why on earth would you think that?!"
"I'll take that as a 'damn striaght!' Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." A smirk played across his lips.
Damn him and his good looks!
"Come on, we'd better get you back to Artist Alley. Bet you two boxes of Pocky you left your map at your table."
"Th-thanks."
He stood up and held out a large, gloved hand. I took it.
I don't know why I told him those things. I'd never even told my closest and dearest friends those secrets, feelings and thoughts. Why is it I could talk and joke with him and not anyone else? Why did it just feel... right?
Looking down at our hands, I blushed. This guy's hand almost engulfed mine. And it was warm. Matau's hand had never been this warm...
"Do you see your table?" he asked.
I jumped, startled out of my thoughts. Taking a quick look around, I spotted my table, alright. And there was my boyfriend flirting a girl showing more leg and stomach than was required.
"Yep." I said dully. I felt his hand let go of mine.
"'Kay, see you around."
"Wait! What's you..." I turned around and looked for him. He was gone. "...name?"
I puased and decided to wait until the girl was gone before went to talk things out with Matau.
"We need to talk." I said, positioning myself opposite the table from him.
"We do." he agreed darkly.
Okay... I wasn't expecting that.
He led me a little away from everyone else.
"Mind if I go first?" he asked. I don't think he meant it to be a question, though.
Nonetheless, I nodded and said, "Sure."
"What the hell is your problem?!"
Another thing I wasn't expecting.
"Wh-what?"
"I look at anyone but you, and you throw a hissy fit!"
"I—"
"Should I glue myself to you at the hip and not talk to anyone else the rest of my life? Would that make you happy?"
"That's not what I..."
"Then what is it?"
"It's just..." Where had my courage gone? Where was he? Where was Mr. Mysterious to cheer me on quietly in the background? I needed his help and support. "It's just... when you flirt with the other girls—"
"Well, I don't mean it, okay?" he asked coldly. I winced. He folded his arms. "I'm your boyfriend aren't I? The last time I checked, I was. Don't you trust me? Or can't you handle being alone? I am trying to respect your space! How about you return the courtesy?"
I looked down, ashamed.
"I'm sorry, Matau." I said quietly. He pulled me into him. "Let's not fight anymore."
"You going to be okay?" he asked a minute or so later, pulling away from me. I nodded. "Need anything?" I shook my head. No, I didn't. "Cool. See you later!"
"Wh-where are you going?"
"The panel."
"What panel?" I asked, returning to our table.
"The one Karin Song is running."
"Karin Song?!" The Karin Song! She was here?
I think I might die.
"Yes, Karin Song. You know, the one you idolize— no, worship?" He picked up his things and cocked a brow.
"I want to go!"
"Someone needs to watch the table. Besides, the panel is for artists. You'd find it boring. See you in a hour!"
I slumped in my chair and sighed.
Say hello to Table, Head. Say hello to Head, Table.
...Ow...
Worst.
Day.
Ever!
"Way to tell the prick off." said a familiar voice.
I jumped and looked up. There stood Mr. Mysterious, looking as charming as ever, smirking down at me.
"Howdy, neighbor." he said to me. To the girl at the next table over, he said, "She needs you at the booth. I'll take over here."
"We still paking at eight?" the girl asked, standing up. Her blue braids were darker than mine and swayed as she moved. Her plaid overalls were very colorful, while her long-sleeved undershirt was a plain cream with purple and blue flowers embroidered on the sleeves.
"Yeah. See you later."
She waved at him and trotted off.
Slowly, he sat down next to me. Right next to me. As he, he could literally lift up his arm and poke me.
"You never told me your name." I said after a few awkward minutes.
"Vakama Fink." he said. "You?"
"Nokama Shan."
"What about that guy you're with?"
"Matau Green."
"It suits him. He wears a lot of the color. Even his hair agrees with his name. His eyes are off, though. They contrast against the green. Kind of like Christmas."
"Yeah." I chuckled. "What about the girl that was just here? What's her name?"
"Shasa Piven. You'd like her. By the way, here." He held out a booklet. "It's a list of all the panels here and their times. Karin's running another panel only for writers tomorrow."
"No one told me. Thank you."
Maybe this day wasn't so bad after all. Maybe it wouldn't be the worst day of my life!
"Grow a spine and maybe you'll get to go."
I take it back.
"Oh yeah? How about I just borrow some of your nerve, instead?!"
Vakama Fink is an asshole!
Karin Song is ultimately my character. She's the bee's knees. I will use her future things, so beware!
About my other works. The Inn of the Three Sisters has a chapter that's almost done... or getting there. The Confusing Tales have a few more chapters. Two or three, if I remember right. Reflections has one (not even going to expand on it). ShadowBound, Book 1: Lost Hope... it's got a long way to go, yet. Colour the Small One will get done when it gets done. A Guide to Writing Bionicle FanFiction is still getting things done, so be patient. We're thinking about a possible sequal to The Sender, but we aren't sure quite yet.
Since I won't be on again for a while: Happy New Year!