When Brief awoke from his slumber, he felt an unusual warmth filling his senses with a more pleasurable content in the likes that no simple cover could ever provide. The bright, constantly shifting lights, mixed with the noise of engines, horns, and what may have been the screeching of tires told him that he was on the road, most likely heading to Yattacon as he planned. It was then that he realized the little bump that occurred last night and, though it seemed as if the plan has went off without a hitch, that he now had a companion for his journey. This companion, you might be wondering, was someone who he, personally, never thought would ever join him in such an event. It went against everything she ever stood for, represented, and made her a hypocrite in the worst of ways.
'Yet here she is.' Brief took in the sight of Panty Anarchy, who changed into a pink night gown sometime during the initial hours of the trip, clinging to his chest with her head resting upon his right shoulder. It was hard to imagine that the blonde Angel of Daten City, whose reputation was more of a sexual demon with the short fuse of a dragon, was here, at this very moment in time, to an anime convention of all things. She didn't even make a single comment about the mansion he lived in, or how rich he must have been during the time they stayed up!
'Well...That isn't entirely true.' And with that, Brief though back to last night, where he heard Panty's response to the request he made.
"I am not gonna be your doll Geek Boy! I'll double, no, TRIPLE the amount I'll pay to leave with you, but I am not gonna be your dress-up doll! I swear, you're just like Stocking with her little stuffed friends..." Panty's rant, or should he specify and say her volume, was the reason he rolled his eyes for a moment before proceeding to his personalized walk-in closet. Was the closet much bigger than he honestly needed? Yes, he would be the first to point this out to anyone who came to visit, if he actually invited people over on a regular basis, but it was what laid in this closet that he wanted to show his blonde friend.
In this particular closet were, to him, special outfits styled upon some of his most favorite anime, manga, and video game characters that he felt some form of kinship with. For others, they would say that the kinship was that all of the characters he picked had some shade of orange hair, which helped him spend less money on wigs, not that he needed to worry about the cost of outfits; however, that was not the truth. There was just something about each character that brought out a certain focus out of him, which was one of the reasons he decided to cosplay as them, though that didn't mean that he would only do those with a similar hair color.
That, in his view, would be stupid.
"Woah! That is One. Big. Closet!" Though he knew that he didn't have to do it, he felt like showing off for one reason or another, and clapped his hands twice, signaling the hidden machines in the closet to extend the rack of outfits out towards them. Despite hearing the gasp escaping the blonde's lips, Brief extended his right arm, turning himself as if to present the clothes to her, not that they particularly mattered for her approval. It was all a part of the show he wanted to present.
"I'm not asking for you to dress up like a harem girl for my viewing pleasure Panty." Yes, the thought did come up in the past, but that was beside the point. "I, sigh, I'm asking for you to dress up along with me in an outfit, one a day, so I have someone to keep me company during the convention. While this is not my first big gathering, this is my first convention, so having a familiar face with me would help me out Panty." The look on her face just screamed "NO", which wa something he was expecting from the Angel. It was one thing to take her to an anime convention, but to actually cosplay as any character of her choice was a stretch on things. Especially, after a few moments of thinking about it, since they weren't truly friends in the way that he is with Christie, or have the bond between siblings.
"Alright."
"Its-Wait. What did you say Panty?" She closed her eyes, tilting her head to the side with a small, yet obviously fake frown on her face. Was she really going to do it?
"I said alright Geek Bo, I mean, Brief." Well that was new to him. She actually called him by his common name, which rarely happened in normal circumstances. Unless, of course, she was pissed or in a very flirtatious mood to torment his feelings for her. "All I have to do is dress up in an outfit right?" Brief nodded at her, knowing that asking more of her would be pointless.
"An outfit of your choice, from any series to boot, though I recommend going for characters with the same hair color and length as yours. If only to save time to actually get in the outfit, and so you won't have to cut your hair!"
"Chill da fak out!" Panty shouted back, her left hand pointing at his computer that, he realized, still had the instant message between he and Christie still up. That, for a moment, threatened to take his mood down, but he shook it off and hurried over to the computer, adjusted himself so Panty could see over his shoulders if she desired, and signed off the messenger before going on the site he went for his cosplay outfits. "So, Brief, how am I going to get these outfits anyway before this Yodacon starts?" He stopped, turning his head so he could stare at Panty, and took the moment to just take in what she said. How...Just how in the name of God could she mix Yattacon with Yodacon?!
"Its Yattacon," Brief started off, "and the outfits will most likely get to us by Friday morning, which won't be a problem for us since we'll be at the hotel by tomorrow night." Panty suddenly whistled, causing him to pause once again, and turned to her. She must have realized what she said was bad, for she lost the smirk and had a look of playful pleading upon it.
"Oi, I'm just thinking how easy it is being so filthy rich. Must be nice, being able to get anything you just about want! Makes me wonder why you weren't more liked at school though. You get blacklisted by some jealous bitch?"
"I had a busy childhood." Was all he said to her. He could have told her more about his past, but there was no point in explaining everything to her, especially since she had no part in it. Maybe if things were different between them... "Back to point Panty, here!" With a few clicks of the keyboard and some scrolling from his mouse, Brief was able to pull up the website that he used that, with some alterations to his specific search engines, brought up every character and their alternate outfits that, in his opinion, would suit Panty with her hair, figure, and eye color. He stood up, offering his chair to the blonde, who politely nodded before sitting down with her eyes focused on the computer screen.
"So many, crazy, odd, strange, yet different outfits...Hell yea!"
'And to think, of everything she could have picked on that site...' Brief felt his pocket shift in sudden, unusual movement, and reached for whatever was inside it. He, truth be told, was partially surprised to see that he actually recalled his phone, seeing as with Panty looking through the site for so long that it took him and two of the Black Suits to pull her away, helped him pack, and got in the limo that they would be taking to Yattacon. Would it attract too much attention to them? Of course, not that it mattered to him, but he could expect a few shocking looks from Christie's friends if they saw what he and Panty would be riding in.
After getting his mind out of the past, he glanced at the new message, scrap that, messages that blessed his inbox for the morning, and clicked on the least important of them. Seven of the texts were from his family's private delivery service, who informed him that they were on their way to obtain his orders and to ship them to the hotel sometime between this evening and Friday morning. Expecting the outfits to show up during that time-frame anyway, the messages were quickly deleted, seeing as they held no further purpose. Other than for a few messages that stated how much he withdrew from his personal account in order to pay for Panty's outfits, the remaining two messages were more important.
The first of the two was, unsurprisingly, from Garterbelt. As much as he respected the black priest, most of the man's physical and verbal actions were either uncomfortable, confusing, or just plain odd for him to understand all of the riddles the priest spoke of. The man had an agenda, that much he knew, but as to what it could be, he had no clue, which that very fact would annoy his father if he ever learned of his failure of detecting the truth behind words. Moving on, Garterbelt's message was a warning to avoid Panty at all costs due to her "corruptible" personality would only ruin the good youth that made up his very soul, and to fall for her charms would enact the apocalypse to all of humanity.
Rather than take the time to reply to that text, he simply deleted it without a care in the world, and moved on.
The second message, on the other hand, was something that made him smile at the sight of it. Scrolling to the technical details revealed that she sent the message some time past midnight, which explains why he didn't realize that he got a message from her. On one hand, he should have felt the vibration since he was up during that timeframe; however, what made him not feel bad for not noticing the message was, well, not a what, but who. Panty, after getting her off the desktop and in the limo with promise that she could find her final outfit with his laptop, spent the first hour or so scrolling through the website for her last outfit.
It was when that single hour nearly became two that he decided to cut her off from looking any further, though he now had to occupy her time with something that would interest her without it being sexual. Much to his utter surprise, he didn't have to put much effort into finding a new focus subject, for the blonde started asking him what to expect at this convention, seeing as this one wasn't like the "normal" events she normally found herself hanging at. It was after a few questions that they entered a simple pattern that he didn't mind one bit.
Panty would ask a question about what the convention would have in terms of entertainment.
He, at that point, would explain some of it, though not as much as he would like at times. If he was unable to fully explain something, it's because Panty would then interrupt him with a new question, usually about whatever he was trying to explain. Her interruptions were in Panty style, where it ended up with some form of swear or rude gesture helping her show just how she felt about the topic. If he was able to fully explain something, then Panty would move on to something different, yet related to the entire topic of this little Q&A between them.
He couldn't recall much after that point, though he vaguely remembered watching a movie or two with the blonde while munching on some popcorn. One just had to love how much technology went into limousines now in days, for without it they wouldn't have had popcorn or the soda they drank to watch...Chicago? Wait, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail as well?
'Huh. I can kinda see her enjoying Chicago, but Monty Python humor? Guess there is something new to learn every day isn't there?' He glanced down at his hand, suddenly recalling what led him to remember what happened last night's events in the first place, and finally looked at the final text message. As soon as he read its contents, he felt a small smile form on his face that threatened to grow two sizes too large.
Christie [Sender]: I'm so sorry for signing off on you like that! I got a call from my artist, who was going to drive us to the con separately, only to tell me that we would have to ride with his friends due to a blunder on his part. Text me whenever, and, again, I'm sorry. I can't wait to see you!
"I can't wait to see you..." Brief whispered to himself, letting the words sink into the very core of his brain to not only imprint them, but to remember the feeling he got from them. At that point, he knew that he would get up and cheer in joy, but he didn't want to disturb Panty as she slept, knowing full well that her...what was the best way to put it? Ah! Yes, her "men sampling" usually took to the break of day, and with Garterbelt ruthlessly waking both sisters up early each day for either school, to give them information about a new Ghost for them to purify, or just to complain about the chores they refused to do, she could use all the sleep she could get.
"Ah, but what to say to her now?" With his heart and brain moving in synch, he found himself texting before he could fully understand what sentences he was forming. By the time he hit send, he felt as if he could faint from how nervous he suddenly got for what he sent.
For this being her first convention, she was expecting a lot of funny jokes, helpful hints, and feeling overall good about heading there with some of her friends. With the manga that she would be selling in the trunk of the car, her mind was focused on how to present it well without stammering like an idiot, and, in truth, she had hoped that her artist, the one who helped her create the story she made, would be talking with her about how much they would sell everything, what panels they would go to, and other stuff. She didn't know what would be happening at Yattacon, but it would be fun and very special.
You know how sometimes you have a bad day? Don't study and you get a test, or maybe you spill juice all over yourself in front of the boy you like? That used to be HER definition of a bad day...
"...And I went: "Oh yeah? Well, how about I take that rent and shove it up your ass!"" The blonde man said as he drove past a red light. Wait, he just drove through a red light?
"Stop talking!" She shouted, catching his and his girlfriend's attention, who was laughing without a care in the world in the front seat. So reckless of her to let him drive though that red light! Not to mention the other thing... "That was a RED light jut now! And can we at least stop and peel that raccoon off the bumper?" As if to invoke more paranoia for her, the man took his left hand off the steering wheel, waving his index finger like Sonic the Hedgehog with his EYES CLOSED. Ugh!
"Silence, mortal!" He spoke in a loud, commanding tone, which earned even more laughs from his girlfriend. "And the raccoon is just resting. Let the tyke be." That was a bold face lie, considering she heard the raccoon scratching at the bumper to keep itself from slipping off. If he couldn't hear it, then that made her happy with devious glee, for it meant that he would have to spend even more money to get them buffed out.
'I wish he was up, instead of sleeping right now. At least he would make me feel better about this.' The "he" in question was none other than Derek, who was sleeping right next to her with one of her jackets to substitute for a blanket to keep himself warm. His short, dark brown hair threatened to poke at his eyelids, but not even that little threat ruined how peaceful he looked while he slept. Even if that was the problem with him right now.
He, the one who told her to get everything ready last night so they could leave early, was the one who not only took the longest to get his stuff packed, but also decided to sleep. It also didn't help that he wasn't affectionate at the prospect of sitting next to one another in the back seat, nor did he seem happy about only having her jacket to keep him warm. She loved him, don't get her wrong, but her boyfriend could be such a jerk at times. Then again, he was a year older than her, had older friends, and had more freedoms than she did, seeing as she just turned seventeen not too long ago, so maybe the attitude came with the territory and the stress?
Or maybe she was over thinking things, she pondered to herself. He had been acting a bit differently over the past few months since they started selling their manga and accessories online, especially when it came to their more intimate moments together. She heard that guys could be more aggressive while they had sex, but he sometimes acted rather like a beast, going rougher for his own pleasure. A shiver suddenly went down her spine, causing her to look at what may have been the source, and found herself partially frowning at him.
BUZZ!
"Oh!" She quickly pulled out her cell phone before it could make any more noise and opened the text she received. The frown she wore changed into a small smile at the sender, who was most likely half a day ahead of them if what he said was true. It was smarter to leave during the night, since not that many people would be driving on the highway during that time, which gave him more ground to cover.
Brief [Sender]: It's no problem at all. I can understand having to be pulled away at the drop of a dime like that that's for sure, seeing as its been done to me more times than I can count! I can't wait to see, no, hang out with you at the con Christie. I'm sure we're both going to have fun there! Also, did you bring the cosplays you were gonna wear? If they're not the right size, we can meet up early on Friday so I can make some emergency adjustments.
'He always thinks of me and how to help me out. He's so sweet.' Christie thought to herself as she felt slightly uncomfortable all of a sudden. She looked up and saw the girl in the passenger seat, who wore her neko-girl cosplay for 'testing how it would feel to sit in for extended periods of time' supposedly, and noticed the sly grin on her face. That, she knew, was never a good sign. "Yes?"
"Chriss, you're practically shinning back there. Who you be smitten with behind your boyfriend's back?" With her eyes wide in surprise, more at the question than the thought of actually thinking of Brief in a romantic way, and shook her head. That girl was crazy, hands down!
"I'm not smitten with anyone miss mittens." The girl faked a flinch, waving a paw in front of her face and scratched at the air.
"Me-ow! So cold and harsh with your words Chriss, but maybe I am right? Maybe you do have something hidden, deep down, for this guy, hmm?"
"Look," Christie crossed her arms as she spoke, "Brief is a great friend of mine that I met online two years ago, if you must know, and has helped me become the very otaku I am today. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have created "Wary City", which means I wouldn't have met Derek early this year either. So, excuse me, but I am more than excited to see the guy that has helped point me to what I really wanted to do with my life." For a moment, Christie thought that she would get one of the jokester duo in front of her to get serious and actually act like a human being, for the blond's girlfriend went silent. After the short, awkward pause, her lips rolled into a smirk that, she noticed, was mimicked perfectly by her eyes, which stared right at Christie. "What?
"You, dear Crissy, are SO crushing on that guy! Oh, I can't believe Derek is-"
"Lets talk about how I saw my boss trying to take a picture of his dick with the copy machine at the office!" The blond shouted, instantly attracting his girlfriend's attention. As much as Christie was thankful for his save, she had a feeling that it wasn't solely for her benefit, but for Derek, though he was still asleep beside her. Those two were friends for about two, maybe three years now, so it was understandable that A, he would try to let Derek sleep in, and B, that he would talk to Derek about what she said later on.
'Not that it matters.' Christie thought to herself a moment later with a small feeling of warmth developing in her chest. 'I'm not ashamed of my friendship with Brief, and I am forever thankful to have him as a friend. Nothing will ever ruin that.' It was then that she realized that she hadn't replied to him yet, which was something that didn't happen often, and quickly began texting him back. 'Yea, we're both be having tons of fun! I brought the outfits, though I think I'll be able to put on two since I'll be focused on the booth too. Make sure to buy a copy of Wary City, and I'll draw something special for you in it ;).' Though she was content with the text as is, it felt as if it needed something extra to make it really shine in her eyes.
"Uhh...Need bathroom." Derek mumbled as he raised his head off his shoulders. The tired expression made her frown for a second, a second she hid by faking a yawn with her free hand covering her mouth. During the shifting of arms, she moved the hand that held the cell phone next to her thigh and clicked 'send', knowing full well that the moment that Derek caught wind of her talking to another guy their age, he would flip. Though, if he was to talk to a girl their age and conversed with her that wasn't exactly appropriate in her eyes, she was 'paranoid' if she flipped.
'Sigh. I shouldn't be thinking of that kind of stuff. I'm going to an anime convention, about to sell my manga, will be meeting Lida Zeff, and I get to see Brief face to face for the very first time! Nothing can ruin this for me!'
Unfortunately for Christie, her time at Yattacon would be taking several twists and turns she couldn't have expected.
-Author's Note-
Hello readers, reviewers, and followers! As usual, I don't own Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Dramacon, or any other anime, manga, video games, card games, or any sort of reference that finds its way into this story! I do like my little ownership of this story though, so that counts eh? With that out of the way, hello everyone, and welcome to the second chapter of Finding Out the Truth! For those who find it strange that I'm uploading the first two chapters, I don't blame you for thinking that its strange of me to do; however, there is a reason to this madness.
Essentially, I'm setting up the base for the readers to understand a bit more of the main character of Dramacon, Christie, in the manner that I perceive from her point of view. Anyone who has watched Panty & Stocking, as well as those who've taken the time to read some of my other Panty & Stocking stories have a good understanding of how I write Brief to the point of noting his positive and negative traits, let alone some of his...other traits and characteristics that my good pal Page understand. Back to point, if anyone has taken a glance at the Dramacon section of the Fanfiction site, you'll see that there is barely anything to go by, most of which the stories are either one-shots, two chapters, or overall abandoned and left forgotten.
My main goal with this story is to not only attract more attention to Dramacon as a whole, but to further explain the characters, such as giving them a proper character description that most of the Dramacon stories on the site sadly do not have, and to have fun with how the series, as a whole shall change with (currently) Brief and Panty's addition to the cast. I would like to believe that Dramacon, despite being a three-volume series, does have potential to expand and grow in terms of story ideas, even if they might be one-shots, or full stories with only three or so chapters of plot. It's up to us, the fans of the series we enjoy, to enjoy, explain, and expand the existence of a series. At least, that is what I believe.
Also, as a side note, I apologize for any Dramacon fans who got annoyed at me not giving the blond guy or his neko-centric girlfriend names. I tried to find some sort of indicator of Christie, Derek, or anyone simply calling those two out by name in the first volume, yet couldn't find a single clue as to what they could be. While, yes, I COULD give them a name and be done with it, I see the lack of names to be a key trait to how Christie sees and cares for those two as a whole, which isn't obviously much at all.
All in all, we now know of Christie's existence (though not how she looks yet), know what happened last night between Brief and Panty, and know a bit more of Brief's feelings for Garterbelt, Panty, and Christie. I can't exactly say as to when the next chapter will come out, other than soon since I am working on some other updates and new stories as well, but until next time, actually, hold up. One last thing before I end this note.
Since this story was partially inspired by spreading the word about Dramacon to my fellow readers, I figured it would be fair if you, the readers, would like to suggest some anime & manga series for me to research, understand, and put some reference tributes to them in this story. Some references might be as simple as a topic of conversation, others might be a bit more meaningful like a character talking to Brief or Panty in a cosplay from the series, or something special in terms of an event. I know that I, personally, will be adding in some references to other series in this, so I'm okay with adding more to the story!
So, until next time everyone, stay golden, and please leave a review on the way out with your suggestions!