DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, MSN messenger, a driver's license, whatever manga Princess Ai comes from, black elegance, I don't know how to spell 'bootlagged' (that's how I pronounce it...), Tsubasa (which is awesome!), Sailor Mercury and that kid from Sailor Moon (who is that piper kid from the movie...?), Darres or Ishtar from Vampire Game (lots of fun), XXXholic (also cool), oh, and an Anime Conference. I don't own the idea of an Con or an actual Con. Because...that would just be insane...
Michelle and Shaun were sitting on Michelle's front steps, waiting for a friend of Denise's to pick her up. On MSN the night before, the two girls, Corey, and Pauline had done some serious planning.
So they can't find out about themselves being in a manga? 'Paulineee )' had typed.
Nope. 'Itachi, my love...' had typed.
Isn't it great? Now we can take your boyfriend and everyone else to the Anime con! 'Michiko Special' had typed.
can we get on with this 'I must convey. Life is meaningless' had typed.
-'I must convey. Life is meaningless'
Corey, you have to learn how to type. -'Michiko Special'
i no how to type -'I must convey. Life is meaningless'
Whatever. So...is Kiba gonna be there tomorrow, then? -Paulineee )
His name is Kyle now. And probably. Hinata says 'hi', btw, -Itachi, my love...
How come Hinata's name didn't change? -Paulineee )
Can you think of any other name? Besides, Kiba's sister's name is Hana anyway. -Michiko Special
So I'll tell my ride to pick you guys up? -Itachi, my love...
Is there room? -I must convey. Life is meaningless.
I have my own ride. -Paulineee )
You, me, Michelle, Shino, Kiba, Naruto, Hinata...and the van fits 7...yeah. -Itachi, my love...
Hey, what about the driver? -Michiko Special
... -Itachi, my love...
... -I must convey. Life is meaningless.
g2g. bye! -Paulineee )
'Paulineee )' has left the conversation
...guys, who's driving? -Michiko Special
(another long, awkward pause)
IT'S COREY, ISN'T IT! -Michiko Special
actually... -I must convey. Life is meaningless.
COREY, YOU DON'T HAVE A LICENSE! -Michiko MAD!
Pauline, you knew, didn't you! -Michiko MAD!
would you rather that denise drove -I must convey. Life is meaningless.
'Itachi, my love...' has left the conversation
-'I must convey. Life is meaningless'
You can't be serious! -Michiko MAD!
'I must convey. Life is meaningless' has left the conversation
COREY! THAT ISN'T SAFE! -Michiko MAD!
MSN was unable to send the message: "COREY! THAT ISN'T SAFE!"
AAAAARGH! -Michiko MAD!
MSN was unable to send the message: "AAAAARGH!"
Michelle snapped back to reality.
"I can't believe those guys..." she muttered, tugging on a lock of hair.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Shaun said, sitting on the step behind her.
"I know; me too. But it's the principle of the thing," Michelle said, seeing a white van pull into her driveway and getting up.
Corey stuck his head out of the window and waved. Denise was in the front seat beside him, and she yelled a 'Hurry up!' out of her own window. With a suppressed growl, Michelle jogged ahead of Shino and jumped into the van without another word. It was now time to go to the semi-annual Anime Conference.
Illegal driving is also bad. Do not illegally drive.
"Michelle, Pauline, Hinata, hurry up!" Denise exclaimed.
All four girls were in one of the conference's washrooms; Denise was sitting on the counter beside the sinks, in her long, black Princess Ai costume. The other three were getting changed, all into costumes that Denise had sewn herself. And all three were embarrassed to come out.
Hinata suddenly gets back into character, and look what happens, Denise grumbled to herself.
"There is no way I'm coming out in this," Michelle said, sounding scandalized.
"It's your colour, it's perfect for your figure, and custom-made for you...I don't see what your problem is," Denise said.
"I'll bet you don't," Michelle growled, looking at herself.
"I feel so fat!" Pauline exclaimed, half laughing, half whimpering.
"It's loose! I made it that way!" Denise exclaimed back.
"Exactly!" Pauline said, adjusting herself.
"You can't make me come out," Hinata whisper-yelled.
"You wanna bet?" Denise growled, only half-joking, "Come on, guys...don't you want them to see you?"
Michelle visualised Shino laughing his head off at her outfit; it seemed out of character, but likely. Pauline saw Kiba making snide remarks about how she should have stuck with her jeans and sweater; either that or not caring because he couldn't bring Akamaru to the con. Hinata felt that even if Naruto saw her, he wouldn't care.
"No way," Michelle wailed.
"Easy for you to say, Denise," Pauline said, "You're in black elegance. I'm purple!"
"Like he'd notice," Hinata mumbled bitterly, playing with her fingers.
"All three of you come out willingly, or I'll soak your normal clothes so you'll have to stay in here," Denise threatened.
"Like I care," Pauline said defiantly, sitting down on the toilet seat, but Hinata and Michelle quickly got out of their stalls.
"You may want to rethink that last statement, cousin of mine," Michelle said, rushing to her clothes to make sure they were safe and dry.
"I think Deniizu means what she says," Hinata agreed, talking to Pauline's stall's door.
"I'm not coming out."
"Your loss," Denise said, then turned to the other two girls, "Now, for your hair..."
Michelle saw the look in her friend's eye, and put her hands on her hips and sighed.
"Oh no. Don't tell me you're in a creating- ow!" Michelle was interrupted by Denise yanking her pony-tail's hairtie out, "Be careful! That hurt!"
"Hinata, start combing your hair; I'll work on you after," Denise ordered.
Hinata slowly took a green hairbrush from Michelle's backpack and obeyed, as Denise styled the eldest girl's hair, and Pauline sulked in her stall.
Denise is in a creating mood! Beware! Doom, destruction, and new hairdos for all!
Corey was part of security in the Anime conference, so he needed to stay in pretty much one spot: by a large display of DVDs. Kyle was with him, waiting for the girls to arrive; Nat and Shaun were in a washroom, also getting into costumes.
I bet these are bootlagged, Corey thought, eyeing the mechandise he was supposed to guard.
"Do you find it weird that Denise had extra boy costumes at home?" Kiba asked.
"Not really. Why didn't you choose one? There was plenty of choice," Corey said, glaring at a group suspicious-looking teenagers so that they left.
"I'm perfectly comfortable in my sweater and jeans, thanks," Kyle answered, looking at one of the DVDs, "Hey, Tsubasa! I love this manga!"
"You have Tsubasa in your world?" Denise asked, suddenly appearing from behind the display.
"Whoa!" Kyle exclaimed, almost dropping the volume, "Don't do that! And, sure. Why not? It's about different dimensions."
"Sounds fitting, don't you think?" Shaun asked dryly, coming from the aisle that Kyle had his back to.
"Dude! Don't do that!" Kyle exclaimed, again fumbling with the DVD, "Nice costume, by the way, Denise."
"Thanks!"
Denise smiled as she twirled in her long, black, flowing dress, looking a little Gothic, but a little Renaissance at the same time.
"Where's everyone else?" Corey asked, looking around for the others.
"Michelle and Hinata are putting some stuff into a locker for safekeeping," Denise explained, "And Pauline is hiding in the washroom."
"Oh..." Kiba looked disappointed; after seeing the other girl costumes, he was wondering what Pauline would be in. He also hadn't seen Pauline in about five days.
"Nat's at the lockers as well," Shaun added.
"I'm glad that costume I made last year got used," Denise said, eyeing Shaun's costume, "The guy who ordered it ended up not coming...it'd look better without the sunglasses, you know," Denise pointed out, and Corey and Kyle couldn't help but nod.
"Not a chance," Shaun said firmly, adjusting his sunglasses, and that was the end of the discussion, "...I think I'll go look for the others."
What is underneath Shino's sunglasses? Hm...
"Shit, shit, shit! WHY WON'T IT OPEN!"
Nat had tried the locker's combination five times, and still it hadn't opened, so now he was giving punching a try. Violence wasn't solving the problem either.
"Why won't you open! I just want to put my backpack away!" Nat whined at the locker, "Just open for me once, and I won't bother you again!"
"What about afterwards, when you need to open it again? What happens then?" a teasing voice asked.
Nat turned around and saw that Michelle and Hinata were there, also with bags.
"Oh, hi guys!" Naruto exclaimed, turning and scratching the back of his head, embarrassed, "How are you two doing?"
"Better than you, it looks like," Michelle said, opening the locker beside Nat's in one try.
"Yeah, whatever, showoff. That was just luck," Nat said, pouting.
Hinata hid a smile as she opened the locker on the other side of Nat's easily. Nat paled, then hit his head against his own locker.
"Not fair!" he whined, as Hinata and Michelle shared a smile, putting their stuff away.
"Um...how about you give me your combination, and I'll help you?" Hinata suggested, holding out a hand.
"Hey, hey, what if you steal my stuff?" Nat asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.
Hinata looked down, upset, and Michelle rolled her eyes.
"Come on, Nat, this is Hinata we're talking about. She's perfectly trustworthy."
"...ok. I'm trusting you," Nat said, grudgingly handing the paper over.
Hinata took one look at the paper, and stifled a giggle.
"...Nat...you were looking at the numbers upside-down..." she whispered, deliberately opening his locker.
"What!"
Nat looked at the paper, and the open locker, then sighed.
"This isn't fair..." he sighed, taking the paper back and putting away his normal clothes, "Thanks, Hinata."
"No problem," she blushed, twisting her hands and looking down.
That's when both of them noticed the other's costumes.
"Hinata...you're Sailor Mercury for Sailor Moon!"
"And you're that kid in the movie!" Hinata gasped, "I can't quite...remember...what's his name?"
Aw...Denise got them costumes from the same anime...Michelle thought, grinning in the background and on her way to leave them alone.
"You look great, Hinata!"
"R-really?" Hinata turned bright red, "...your costume suits you too..."
"Aw, thanks, Hinata!"
Ah! They're so kawaii! So adorable! So- Oh my gosh...
Michelle's grin faded into an expression of awe; instead of walking away, she froze in her spot; not that Hinata and Nat noticed.
No way...wow...
She had just caught sight of Shaun.
What's going on! What's he wearing! How come Fanfiction doesn't allow '!' and '?' right beside each other!
Shaun eventually found his way to the lockers, and that's where he caught sight of Michelle; he stopped in his tracks.
...she's...she's...wow...
Michelle had to stare; Shino was wearing the full armor of Darres, the knight in Vampire Game, and looking quite stylish. Denise's hard work had been quite accurate; the armor looked real. He even had a sword, and somehow he got his hair styled just right.
I should say hi. I should tell him he looks incredible. ...why can't I move? Michelle thought, Oh my gosh, I must look stupid! Is my jaw hanging loose? No...but what about my expression? Ack! I can't move! He looks so dashing...wow...I can't move! Oh wow, that costume...!
Shaun was just as surprised; Michelle was wearing a pale blue dress that Denise had styled from a picture of Ishtar, the princess of Vampire Game. The skirt was cut to mid-thigh, and was held up without straps or sleeves somehow; Denise had even found a thick gold necklace and tiara for the costume. Orders from the washroom were still fresh on Michelle's mind; without thinking, she had affected a different posture...poise.
Shaun walked confidently to her; for some reason, he wasn't frozen in place. Three steps away...two...he was right in front of her. And neither could look away.
"You...wow..." Michelle squeaked, and clapped a hand over her mouth.
Shino had barely managed to get his eyes closed as she spoke.
Don't look and listen at the same time...the bugs with react. And you will.
Glancing to make sure she was no longer speaking, he managed to close his eyes just as he touched her hand, as he pulled it away from her mouth.
"Relax," Shaun whispered, looking at her hand as he spoke, then letting it drop, in case she answered.
Speaking and touch...not good. Be very, very careful, Shino.
"...wow..." Michelle clasped her head between her hands, "Darnit! Why..." she looked at him again, then dropped her gaze, feeling her ears burning.
Shino let out a low laugh that melted her knees.
"I think I understand...You're exquisite."
Darned awkward moments...! Hinata's having a better time than Michelle...
Pauline opened her stall door and glanced around; she was bored of waiting for someone to tell her that it was perfectly ok for her to not wear the costume.
No-one's here...they really did leave.
Then she looked at the counter and saw her clothes; with a cry, she ran to her bag.
And she really did soak my clothes! No! Now I'm stuck like this!
Pauline slumped down over the stuff that was dry, being a drama queen for a moment.
"I can't believe this..."
The 16-year-old looked at what she was lying on, and saw that Denise had left her costume's props behind.
Might as well play the part, Pauline thought, sighing, and examined a printout Denise had also left, showing a picture of her character so that Pauline knew what to do with the intricate items.
This is why you believe Denise's threats before they're carried out.
Kyle was the last one left by the DVDs, where the teens had arranged to meet. Corey had his post moved, and Denise wanted to see what everyone else looked like now, so Kiba was the one who got to wait for Pauline. Not that he minded; he was curious to see her costume, he just didn't like feeling as if he were ditched.
I wish Akamaru could've come, he thought wistfully, Dumb people...worrying that someone might be allergic...
He was looking at a copy of Xxxholic when he was tapped on the shoulder.
"Hey, um...Kyle? Where is everyone?" a familiar voice asked.
Kiba looked up and saw Pauline. Or at least...she looked a whole lot like Pauline. But she also looked a whole lot like-
"You look like Yuura! From Xxxholic! And Tsubasa!" Kiba exclaimed, "Only...dark purple instead of black...but you need really bright lights to see that so it's ok! Wow! That's excellent! Denise made that!"
"Yeah! She's great, isn't she?" Pauline smiled, but it soon faded and she looked down, "Does it look ok?"
"It's great! The costume is awesome!" Kyle said, nodding enthusiastically.
"...just the costume..." Pauline asked in a low voice, her eye twitching.
"The costume's so cool!" Kyle said, still loud, but calmed down when he got a better look at her expression, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Of course! The costume's just great!" Pauline exclaimed, exasperated, and stomped away, "Forget it. I'll find everyone myself."
Kyle was confused, and tried to keep up with her, struggling to figure out what was wrong.
"Hey, what? What'd I say? Why're you so mad? Pauline, hey! I haven't seen you in so long, and you're like this? Pauline, wait up!"
Remember, compliment the outfit, and the girl. Otherwise, you will have a worse time than Michelle.
Denise stood by Corey, whose post was now by one of the session rooms. All the others were mingling in the crowd: Michelle, Hinata and Nat were examining plushies, Shino was looking at a display of CDs with Pauline, and Kiba was looking at what different tables had to offer. The Princess Ai sighed, and Corey looked at her.
"What's up?"
"...nothing..."
Denise leaned on the wall behind her and tried to enjoy herself. Not working.
"Why aren't you over there with everyone else?" Corey asked, gesturing at the others.
Nat was getting the two girls to laugh, making voices for different plushies. Pauline and Shino were discussing which was better: traditional Japanese music, or LEAD (of course). Kiba was trying to bargain the price of a decorated armband with one of the vendors. Denise sighed again; at least Corey had a purpose.
"I just don't feel like it," Denise answered sadly, "And I don't wanna just leave you here."
"...it's Itachi, isn't it?"
Denise winced; sometimes Corey was just too perceptive.
"It's just..." Denise shrugged and shook her head, "Everyone else gets a date-"
"Hi," Corey said pointedly.
"Ok, every girl in our group has a date except me. That sucks."
Corey stayed silent; he had no answers. Then he noticed a 17-year-old boy with a black ponytail.
"Look over there," Corey instructed, and Denise looked. And a smile broke over her face.
The boy was wearing a pair of worn-out black jeans, combat boots, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket, and a black bandanna on his forehead, but he was still recognizable.
"Ita-!" Denise swallowed the name as it was halfway out her mouth.
Don't say his name. It'll call attention to us, and that may be a problem, Denise mentally kicked herself.
Denise gave Corey a grateful smile, who gave her a quick thumbs-up, and rushed to meet the tall, handsome teen.
"Hi," Denise said, stopping just in front of him.
"Hey," the boy greeted, with a small smile, "I'm Isaac. And you are...?"
"Denise," she said, reaching up to touch his face, checking to see if he was real, "You're here."
"I followed your friends," Isaac explained, taking her hand in his, "I didn't follow you into your home; those genins probably wanted to adjust to this world before dealing with me."
"Where have you been?" Denise asked, "And how did you find me?"
"I've been following you," Itachi said, "I'll explain later. Right now, let's just get through this thing with all these people."
A/N: AND THEN THERE'S ITACHI! ITACHI IS THE NINJA THAT FOLLOWED TEAM 8 AND NARUTO! Ok, enough capitals...Yes, the group is in an Anime Con. Would you have it any other way? ...ok, maybe you would. Just...review, darnit!
