A/N: Been working on school stuff lately, lost my muse for a day, etc. Anyhoo. This chapter isn't the most interesting but it's something right? Please reivew!!

Chapter 25: The Second Convention

(Tori POV)

She was placing the little hairpiece on her head when Ashley walked into the room. She sighed and sat on the bed. Tori turned, looking at her curiously. "What's wrong?" she asked while playing with the edge of the pleated skirt.

Ashley ran a hand over her face and said, "Nothing. Headache from the dye is all." Tori nodded and sat next to her, pulling on her shoes. "That's your costume?" Ashley asked.

Tori nodded with a bright smile. "It's so cute, right?"

She nodded. "Better than mine."

With a shake of her head, Tori said, "Nonsense. Your hair looks super."

Ashley gave a nod of agreement and got up, grabbing the black boots from by the closet. Tori got up and began out the door while Ashley pulled them on. She made her way into the living room and found David with, what seemed to be, Griffin sitting on opposite ends of the couch. She skipped over and sat between them. "Nice get-up," Tori told Griffin. She let out a small snort when she realized he was wearing the color purple.

He rolled his eyes and said, "Where's Ashley?"

"I'm here," they heard Ashley say from the hallway. "Let's go already." Tori nodded enthusiastically, eager to get to the convention.

"Follow me," Griffin said casually as he put his hand in the pockets of the trench coat. He jumped and Ashley stepped out form the shadows of the hallway. The look on her face was plain boredom.

"Don't look so happy, Ash," Tori sarcastically said before David took her hand and led her through Griffin's jumpscar.

---

(Ashley POV)

With a grumble, she had been the last through the barely-there jumpscar. The location looked like a giant warehouse. Ashley crossed her arms in front of her chest when she noticed Griffin looking at her with a smirk. "Happy with yourself that you picked out the costume?" she asked him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Tori was on her toes, helping David adjust the cat ears.

A small smile crept its way onto Ashley's lips and Griffin said, "Yeh look as if yeh like it." He approached her and she felt herself blush for some odd reason. She let her expression turn back to anger as he pulled a black chocker from his pocket. Griffin put it on her neck, inspecting her hair while he did. "The silver really does look nice," he said quietly.

She averted her eyes to the side and touched the chocker timidly. "Thanks."

"C'mon guys!" Tori squealed from behind them. Ashley smiled as she turned to Tori, who was hopping by the doors.

"Con-vention!" Ashley shouted, going into full fangirl mode. She hurried and linked her arm through Tori's once at her side. "Nerds unite!"

"Woop." Tori said as the two took off into the convention, not bothering to wait for David and Griffin. Ashley smirked at this as they ran up to a booth of cosplay costumes and accessories. "A tail! Let's get one for David," Tori cooed touching a tail for neko coplayers.

Ashley laughed, "Aw man. That's as funny as putting Griffin on a leash." She sighed and looked around behind her. "He's coming now. Just ask him and he'll get you it."

David and Griffin walked through the small crowd to them. Griffin was frowning and said, "Just take off, yeah?"

"Yeah," Tori began, "Davy-chan will you buy me a tail?" She was using Japanese suffixes. Ashley shook her head slightly and rolled her eyes, knowing that Tori did that when she was trying to be super nice.

He looked at the one she was holding onto and nodded, "Sure." He sent her a smile before going over to a person wearing a black polo with the company's symbol on it. He paid them and Tori let out a small shriek. David came back to them and Tori clipped the tail to his back belt loop. Ashley bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the laughter as David shot Tori a curious look.

"Ha ha. David's got a tail," Griffin said.

Ashley looked at him and saw he was fiddling with a couple of playing cards. "Where'd you get the cards?"

Griffin shrugged. "They're apart of the costume. Ya'know, Gam-"

He was interrupted when someone said, "Gambit! Lemme take your pic!" The four looked towards, what looked to be, a "fanboy". From the corner of her eyes, Ashley saw Griffin pull the hat a little lower before the guy took the photo. He guy lowered his camera and said, "Wait, you're dressed as Rogue?"

Ashley's eyes shot around her, not seeing anyone else dressed like her. "I sorta am," she said with an unsure grin.

"Perfect!" the guy said happily. "Get together and I can get a shot, if you don't mind."

Ashley looked at Griffin, who moved over a small step, as he reached his arm behind her waist and pulled her over to him. "You planned this," she grumbled at him.

Griffin smirked, "Catch on quick. Now smile."

---

(David POV)

He was happy no one was asking to take his picture. David heard a small growl and looked at Tori, who looked to be fuming. "My costume should be getting the attention this time," she said.

David put an arm around her shoulders. "You're getting my attention."

She looked up and smiled weakly. "Better than no one." She giggled and said, "I still think you make a good neko."

David sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Even if my self esteem is going down, I'll agree."

Tori laughed and hugged him as they watched Griffin and Ashley get their picture taken. "Let's go find some manga," she suggested. David nodded and they started off to the next booth over. The booth looked completely overwhelmed with manga and anime. Tori's hands reached out and grabbed at a few titles. "They have Megatokyo and Azumanga Daioh. Awesomeness." She smiled and left David's side, searching through a large bookcase of manga. She pulled out something and turned, waving it around and showing him. "Lookit. This is my favorite."

David took it from her and looked over the cover. 'Higurashi.' Tori started talking rapidly about the story line and her favorite characters. He just nodded, trying to keep up with what she was saying. From the corner of his eye, he saw a row of comic books and smiled. "I'm gunna look at the comics while you nerd out," David said with a chuckle.

Tori opened the book, eyes scanning over the pages. "Okay. I'll nerd out." She abruptly sat on the floor in the middle of the booth, smoothing her skirt over her knees as she sat in a seiza position. David moved over to the row of comics and looked them over. He grabbed one and sat down beside Tori quietly.

---

(Ashley POV)

They stood in the same position for at least five minutes while various people with camera took their picture. Ashley sighed and she rested her head on Griffin's shoulder. "You're evil," she grumbled.

Griffin laughed quickly and said, "I know."

The camera flashes went off more it seemed once she put her head on his shoulder. 'Fanboys… Fangirls… Now would be such a good time to jump.' A small smile spread on her lips and she stood straight up. She contemplated the idea of jumping, exposing to the convention goers her ability, but pushed the thought away. 'Stupid Paladins would probably show up.'

Her thoughts went on and on, still in question about jumping, until one of the fans said, "Give 'er a smooch," in what sounded to be an upstate New York accent.

Ashley furrowed her brow as she began to protest the request when Griffin yanked her to his opposite side, pulling her into a kiss. The flashes went off and Ashley went with it. Someone whistled and she pulled away, looking at Griffin and searching his eyes with confusion. "Excuse us," she said to the many people around them with cameras. She pulled Griffin, leading him to an unoccupied corner of the large convention building. Ashley gave a quick look around before jumping back to the lair. "I thought you said we were going to lay low? About ten people have pictures of us kissing now. Paladins," she trailed off.

Griffin's smirk that he had dropped and he made a small frown. "I wasn't thinking straight." He pulled the hat off and threw it onto his bed. "Damn it!"

Ashley put her palms against her forehead momentarily and said, "Let's go back and see if we can get them to erase it." She sighed as he returned to her side, grabbing a hold of her hand and jumping them to the outside of the place. Ashley held onto his hand and looked around, suddenly getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Hmm…"

The two began to walk in and someone shouted "There they are!"

"Go find David and Tori. Meet back at the lair," Griffin said, pushing Ashley through the door.

Ashley pouted. She felt the ping in the back of her mind once she darted off through the crowds in search of the two. She remembered they were behind them so they might be in a booth somewhere. Ashley glanced around frantically, trying to set eyes on them. "Tori!" Ashley shouted as she went towards a booth.

"Over here!" a voice called from somewhere behind her. Ashley spun around and moved towards the booth David and Tori were at. Tori was standing and David was in the process of standing up. "What's up?"

She looked over her shoulder and saw a man in a trench coat pushing through the crowd roughly. "We've gotta go now!" Ashley noticed Tori set eyes on the man and she swiftly grabbed onto Tori's arm, jumping to Griffin's lair.

---

(Griffin POV)

He managed to get two of the five Paladins out of the way, but another two got by him and one was still trying to kill him at the moment. The Paladin man had a knife in hand and was swinging aimlessly at him. Griffin jumped, propelling himself backwards and trying to see if Ashley made it to David and Tori. Griffin looked at the Paladin again as he sent a kick sideways to their leg. The Paladin grabbed their leg with a cry of pain. Griffin kneed the man in the face and jumped a few times before going back to the lair. David was sitting on the floor; leaning against the wall by the bathroom door and Tori was on the couch; her green hoodie looking out of place with the orange skirt. "Where's Ash?" he asked, looking back and forth at the two.

"I'm right here," Ashley said while walking out from his bedroom. She had changed into a pair of regular jeans but left the shirts on. The silver was also still in her hair, he noticed. "You get 'em?"

Griffin nodded. "Missed two. They're prolly looking for us right now."

He saw David stand up from the corner of his eye. "We'll go back to my place then and-"

"You can't leave!" Ashley shouted. "The Paladins are still out there," she trailed off as she put her hands into her pockets. Griffin shot her an odd look. "Stay here the night."

Griffin frowned. "Last time I checked, this was MY lair, yet you're inviting people to stay the night?" Ashley pouted halfway at him. 'Stupid pout…' "Fine," he growled, starting to walk towards Ashley and into his room. "You two are sleeping out here. Like hell if I'm giving up my bed."