Chapter 19: Competitions and Asian Cuisine
In Japan Expo, like any other convention of its kind, there are numerous ways for people to gain numerous prizes. And these ranged from symbolic prizes like a scarf, a candy bar, or a cap, to incredibly expensive prizes like a car or a trip to New York City. You could get them by either trying their luck and partaking in a raffle, or by participating in one of the many competitions that were organized by the event's sponsors. And that was what Kim and Alix did. After leaving Max to watch a panel, the two of them ventured into the convention, looking for something fun to do. It did not take long for them to find what to do. With so many great videogames to try, the hardest part was to decide which to try first. Still, they knew they would be wanting to try one where they could go one-on-one against each other. And the first one they tried was an oldie, without being an oldie. The latest Mortal Kombat had been acclaimed as the sickest and goriest entry into the franchise yet, and Kim and Alix were determined to see who would come out winner. Choosing their characters, Alix chose Sheeva, and Kim chose Kung Lao, they began their battle. The first round was won by Kim, who performed Kung Lao's iconic "Headed Nowhere" fatality, which gained him the upper hand. But it did not take Alix long to counterbalance things. Winning the second round, the game was tied, and Alix was determined to beat Kim. Which she did, when she performed Shiva's "Spinal Tal" fatality. The smirk on her face, as she watched her character killing Kim's was enough to make him curse his luck.
"Guess I'm still better than you at this game." -Alix shot at Kim.
"You just got lucky, Shrimp." -Kim told her. –"And as they would say, luck runs out eventually." -he said. –"You won't be so lucky in the following game we try."
Determined to prove he was better than her, when it came to playing videogames, Kim chose the following videogame. He chose one he knew no one could beat him, not even Max, who was decidedly the biggest gamer he knew; The King of Fighters. Picking King as his character, he challenged Alix, who picked Ash Crimson. The fight was hard, but in the end, Kim came out victorious. And Alix, who like always, did not like to come out as the loser, quickly challenged Kim, with her choosing the videogame.
This went on for almost an hour, with the two challenging each other. Their competition became so fierce, that when they finished playing "Dance Dance Revolution", and Kim lost, he automatically challenged Alix to another round, only to be reminded that there were other people in line to try the game, and that if he wanted to go around another time, he had to go and stand at the end of the line.
After that, and believing they needed a little break from all that, Alix suggested to Kim that they ought to check the Merch Market, and see what goodies they were selling there. Still feeling the adrenaline from dancing like a maniac, Kim was not in the mood to go shopping, but he agreed to follow Alix. Once there, they tried to see what to buy first. On the part of the Merch Market they had entered, most booths were selling Asian sweets and beverages. Most of them were unknown to Alix, but they were not for Kim, who was used to seeing them in most of the supermarkets in his neighbourhood.
"I didn't even know there were these many kinds of Kit-Kats." -Alix said, as she counted how many varieties they had for sale. –"I only recognize the regular ones." -she said.
"It's because in Japan, Kit-Kat. sounds like "kitto katsu", which means "you are sure to succeed", or it can also be translated as "surely win". Because of that, they are considered as a good luck charm in Japan, and that gives them a reason to come up with all these different varieties." -Kim explained to Alix. –"Students there usually buy them, before a big test, and keep them in their backpacks as good luck charms. And because there are so many different flavours, they tend to collect them." -he said. –"You've got to try the Okinawa Sweet Potato and the Hokkaido Melon with Mascarpone Cheese Kit-Kats. They're really good."
"How do you know that?" -Alix asked them. –"That they are good, I mean." -she clarified.
"You obviously never entered one of the Asian supermarkets in my neighbourhood, when you pay me a visit." -Kim said. –"Because if you did, you would know that some of those supermarkets sell some of the Kit-Kats were seeing here." -he said. –"I usually but a few, from time to time. So, I know which ones are the good ones, and which ones aren't that good."
"What can I say? My dad is always in a hurry." -Alix said. –"Besides, you know how he is. He wouldn't be caught in an Asian supermarket, unless his life depended on it." -she joked.
"True." -Kim laughed. –"Honestly, I still don't understand how you and your parents are so different." -he continued to laugh, as he checked the other sweets that were for sale. –"I mean, your dad and your mom, as far as I know, aren't the kind of people who enjoy the things you do. And your brother… well, most of the time he seems like he takes
"I ask myself that, constantly. So constantly, that I sometimes think if I wasn't adopted." -Alix joked. –"But I know I wasn't, because I'm the spitting image of my grandmother Esme, on my mom's side of the family, when she was my age." -she said. –"I guess I just happened to be born with a personality that is different from all of theirs."
"Well, I, for one, am happy that you did. If not, I wouldn't have anyone to always be challenging." -Kim told her. –"So, tell me, can I also advise you on which sodas you should try?" -he asked her.
"Sure, why not. But remember, I don't like things that are too sugary." -Alix warned him. –"Hate to admit it, but when he wants to, Kim is kinda awesome… just too bad that most of the time, he acts like an idiot and a jerk." -she thought to herself.
After finishing shopping, they immediately guzzled one of the sodas they had bought, both being thirsty. As she drank hers, Alix told Kim that pomegranate was her new favourite flavour, to which Kim said that that would change, once she tried one of the other sodas, which he pointed out, was watermelon flavoured. Walking around, they tried to figure out what they were going to do next. A few minutes later, they spotted a small stage that was advertising a brand of instant noodles they both knew, they saw that there were about to begin a competition to see who could eat noodles the fastest, and that the prize for the winner was 10 cups of instant noodles, along a beach towel.
Looking at each other, they agreed that that they were in the mood for a little competition. The prize was the last thing on their minds, as they signed their names on the participation sheet. For Kim and Alix, it was all about the adrenaline. That, and the opportunity to grab a free meal. Once they were signed up, the two of them waited to see if anyone else showed up. And it did not take long for four other contestants to show up. With all the spots taken, they were taken atop the stage, where the contest was about to begin.
"You're going down, Alix." -Kim shot at her, as he sat on the chair.
"In your dreams, Kim." -Alix told him. –"I'm going to finish these noodles faster than you, just to prove to you that I can handle spicy food, better than you." -she said, with a cocky voice.
"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that." -Kim said, as he looked at the cup of instant noodles, before turning to the presenter, to ask him a question. –"Hey, aren't there some spicier and hotter noodles than these ones here? Because if there isa spicier version of them, I want it, instead of this one." -he said.
"The same thing goes for me." -Alix said. –"The hotter and spicier, the better." -she declared.
Both Kim and Alix were determined to humiliate one another, even if that meant ending up in tears, their tongues ablaze and their stomachs feeling like they were about to burst. Neither one, nor the other, was going to give the other the satisfaction of losing that competition. The presenter told them there was a spicier version of the instant noodles they were going to use for that contest, but he did not advise them to try it, while adding that it would not be fair for them to have that version, while the other contestants had the regular version. Upon hearing that, both Kim and Alix told the presenter they did not care and demanded that they would be served the spicier version.
"Sorry, Alix, but I've already won this." -Kim thought to himself, as they poured the boiling water into the cup.
"Whoa! It smells like someone poured a whole bottle of hot sauce into these noodles… they've got to be super spicy." -Alix thought, fearing she would not be able to eat them, as they finished pouring the water and covering the cup. –"No, don't let that bother you. You've got to win this, or otherwise, Kim's going to mock you for the rest of this weekend. And I bet that he already came up with a mocking chant, by now, and he's eager to use it." -she thought to herself.
Three minutes went by, and the noodles were ready. The presenter signalled it was time for the contest to start. A small crowd had gathered in front of the stage, and was waiting to see who would come out the winner. In the air, you could hear the infamous Caramelldansen, which made many start dancing to its rhythm, as the song was to many who attended that kind of convention, a staple to them.
"Alright, everyone… you know the drill. The first one to finish the noodles, wins. And remember, you can't say that you finished them, before you drink the broth." -the presenter warned them.
"Drink the broth?! I wasn't expecting that one." -Alix thought to herself. –"If it was just the noodles, there wouldn't be much problem, but the broth is going to be extra spicy… oh, come on, Alix! What are you afraid of?! A little spice never killed anyone. And remember what you told yourself, if you can't win this, Kim will never let you hear the end of it. Remember that." -she thought, as she heard the presenter.
"The winner will go home with 10 cups of instant noodles and a beach towel, both of which will come in handy, when you're hungry and on the beach! And now, without further ado, let's see who can eat noodles the fastest! On your marks… get ready… set… Go!"
Sabrina was having a great time, as she and Chloe walked around the convention. She had already bought some merchandise from one or two of her favourite animes and series, and had found out through one of the panels, that one of her favourite animes was going to have a new season the following year. One could say that all that had made her day. But Chloe, on the other hand, was not having a time as great as her best-friend/girlfriend. Unlike Sabrina, she had not seen anything that had caught her attention, or piqued her curiosity. She could not say she was not having fun. She liked to hang with her girlfriend, and she had seen one or two things that she felt were cute; not to mention that like Sabrina, she had spent some money on some merchandise. But she still had to find the appeal that so many saw in that convention. Looking around, she saw so many people having fun, and she could not help to ask herself, if there was something wrong with her.
"I don't get it… everyone seems to be having a great time, but me." -Chloe thought. –"Why is that? I've seen a couple of things that I liked, and I've already bought those new Miraculous Team figurines, which I think are great additions to my collection. But I still don't see the appeal this convention has. I just don't get it…" -she thought.
There are people that no matter what, other people cannot read them, even if they want to. But Chloe was not one of those people. If she did not like something, or did not feel good about something, she just could not hide it. And she did not need to say a word about it. All she had to do was act a certain way. On the other hand, Sabrina was someone who people could not read, unless she wanted them to. And she also had a knack to read others. So, when noticing Chloe was not acting the way she usually did, when they did something fun, she knew something was wrong. She did not what exactly, but she knew there was something wrong with her, and she wanted to know what it was.
"Are you okay, Chloe?" -Sabrina asked the heiress.
"Huh? I-I'm okay. Why do you ask?" -Chloe answered her.
"I don't know. You seem a bit… off." -Sabrina said. –"Is there something bothering you?" -she asked Chloe, knowing that something was indeed bothering her. She just did not know what.
"Huh, no. Everything's fine." -Chloe said, forcing a smile. –"I don't want her to know that I'm not having fun." -she thought to herself.
"I don't think so." -Sabrina said, as she stopped for a moment, with Chloe stopping as well. –"Chloe, what's really going on? And please, don't say it's nothing." -she smiled at her, while placing the bags she was carrying, on the ground.
Chloe was about to tell her that there was nothing wrong. But the combination of her beautiful smile and caring eyes was enough to make her tell the truth. She just could not lie to Sabrina, when she looked her in the eyes like that.
"I… I don't feel like I'm having fun. Not like you, or everyone else here." -Chloe confessed. –"I don't know why, but it's what's happening." -she sighed.
"Oh, I see." -Sabrina said. –"But why is that?" -she asked her.
"Like I said, I don't know." -Chloe answered her. –"I guess I just don't see the appeal of running around in a place like this." -she said, with a depressed voice.
"Or maybe, you just need to find the right thing that appeals to you." -Sabrina said. –"We've been doing a lot of things around here, but it's been things that I like. We've been so focused on it, that we didn't even get the chance to see what you might like doing." -she said. –"Why don't you choose what we're going to do next? Maybe that way, you'll finally find something that appeals to you."
"I don't know, Sabrina." -Chloe said. –"Maybe I'm just someone who doesn't really get why this convention is so great." -she said, believing in her own words.
"Nonsense, Chloe. This place has something for everyone. We just need to find something that you like doing." -Sabrina smile. –"I've got to cheer her up. What kind of best-friend/girlfriend am I, if I can't cheer Chloe up, when she's feeling miserable in a place that is pulsing with animation?" -she asked herself.
"It's nice of you to think that… but I don't know." Chloe sighed.
Hating to see her like that, Sabrina tried to think of a way to cheer Chloe up. As the wheels turned inside her mind, the redhead kept telling herself that she was not going to let Chloe feel sad or miserable, when she was supposed to be having a great time, just like her. And then it hit her. The blonde would always get cheered up, when someone took her picture.
"Alright, let's try and cheer you up a little. Come on, smile to the camera." -Sabrina said, as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket, and prepared to snap a photo of Chloe. –"Come on, give me a smile, Chloe. Give me one of those beautiful smiles you always give, when you're trying to look cute and sexy." -she smiled.
Upon hearing her say that, Chloe giggled and stroke a pose, while looking at the cell phone's camera. She knew Sabrina was trying to cheer her up, and she went along with it. Also, she was never able to resist to pose for a photograph. No matter how much she had changed, one thing remained unchanged, and that was her ego, which got swollen, when someone asked if they could take her photo. And she was okay with that. As long as she not allowed it to get to her head, she did not mind getting her ego a little bit swollen.
"Beautiful." -Sabrina said. –"No matter what happens, you always look great in photos. I don't know how you do it, but it's the truth." -she declared.
"Years of practice in front of the mirror, Sabrina. Years of practice." -Chloe chuckled. –"But it also helps that I'm naturally photogenic." -she said. –"Come on, let me see the photo, please."
"Here." -Sabrina showed it to her. –"It's like I said. You look beautiful in every photo." -she said.
"Hmm… it's not bad. But the lighting in this place doesn't really do me justice." -Chloe said.
Sabrina was about to tell Chloe that even if the lighting was not the best, that she still looked gorgeous on that photo, when suddenly, she was pushed by someone, who made her fall on her knees. Looking up, she saw that the one who had pushed her, had been a cosplayer wearing a Madame Romani cosplay, who did not even stop to apologize for pushing her.
"Hey, watch it!" -Sabrina exclaimed, still on the floor.
"Are you okay?" -Chloe asked her, as she helped her up.
"I am. But that Madame Romani cosplayer should learn to have some manners." -Sabrina commented, as she looked at the cosplayer in question, who was already a few 15 meters away from them, heading towards the crowd.
"Hey! You get back here and apologize to my friend, this instant!" -Chloe yelled at the cosplayer, in a demanding tone. –"Hey! I'm talking to you!" -she continued to yell at the cosplayer.
"No, let her be, Chloe. There's no need for us to get all worked up, because of this." -Sabrina told her. –"Let's just go and try to find something that will make you smile, and make you feel like it's good to be here. That's what's important." -she smiled.
Smiling back at her, Chloe had to make use of most of her strength, just to not kiss Sabrina right there, in front of everyone. Her girlfriend's smile was enough for her to forget about what had happened a few moments before. She was not going to let some rude cosplayer to spoil her day. But had she, or Sabrina known that the person who bumped into her was not a cosplayer, cosplaying Madame Romani, but the real Madame Romani, things might have gone very differently. And the same thing could be said about the gypsy witch. Had she known, she had bumped into one of the elements of the Miraculous Team, who she wanted nothing more but to rip to pieces, she would have not continued to walk, ignoring both Chloe and Sabrina. Instead, she would have tried to kill them.
"I sense a lot of feelings. Some of them, quire negative, but they're not what I'm looking for. I need to find someone who's having the worst day of its life, so its sadness, rage or whatever its feelings are, are powerful enough to create a formidable Akuma." -Madame Romani thought to herself. –"And I have to find it quickly… if not, the master will punish me. And by now, I should've used my powers, so as to not attract so many eyes. I'm sick and tired of having to stop every five minutes, so they can photograph me. These idiots are obsessed with photographing nitwits who dress up like clowns!" -she thought.
As lunch time approached, people started to flock towards the Food court. Like Max had told the rest, on that place, one could get some of the delicacies from Asian cuisine from numerous food trucks that were there. And it was hard for one to ignore it, as they entered the food court, the delicious smell of Takoyaki, Pho, Chinese dumplings, Gyozas, Yakitori, Taiyaki, among other delicious things, which easily transported a person to an Asian country. But in case you were not in a mood for any of that, one could always go for a hamburger, a hot dog, a slice of pizza, some shawarma, or even a sandwich.
The first ones to arrive were Ivan and Mylene, and they quickly tried to find a table where the whole gang could sit at. It was not easy, but they ended up finding one. Taking a seat, they texted the others telling them where they were, while also sending them a photo of the place, so it would be easier for them to locate them, when they got there. Shortly after, little by little, the rest of the gang began to show up, with the first ones to arrive being Marinette and Adrien, who was wearing an improvised disguise Marinette had put on him, so he would not be recognized by any other fan, who would want a photo or an autograph. And the disguise was a brown wig, and a pair of round sunglasses, like the ones worn by John Lennon and Elton John. If not for his clothes, neither Mylene, nor Ivan would have recognized him, which proved that Marinette had done a good job with just two accessories, rendering Adrien completely invisible to those who did not know him.
"For a moment, I hardly recognized you." –Ivan said.
"Well, that was the point, big guy." -Adrien joked. –"I have to admit that I wasn't expecting this to work this well. But once Marinette put this wig on my head, and these sunglasses, I wasn't approached by anyone else, wanting to take a photo with me." -he said.
"I told you my plan would work." –Marinette smirked triumphantly.
"No, you said you had a plan. You never said anything about working." -Adrien smiled at Marinette.
"Okay, maybe not, but given my winning record, through the use of crazy plans, I think it was safe for you to assume that it was going to work." -Marinette chuckled. –"Also, as a bonus, I found out that you look rather handsome with brown hair." -she said. –"I might try to convince you to dye your hair that colour, one of these days."
"Sorry, Marinette, but never going to happen." -Adrien smirked at her. –"I love my blond hair, and I intend to keep it that way." -he declared.
"Alright, you can keep your blond hair… for now." -Marinette giggled mischievously, which made him chuckle.
Soon after, the rest of the gang showed up, and just like it happened with Ivan and Mylene, they initially did not recognize Adrien. Such was the transformation a simple wig and some sunglasses, that Adrien began to suspect that Marinette had texted their friends to pretend that they did not recognize him. But the truth was that they did not recognize him, until they approached the table.
The only ones missing were Kim and Alix, who had not yet showed up, but who had texted everyone, saying they were on their way. While waiting for them to show up, the others talked amongst themselves, with one of the topics being Adrien's improvised disguise, which they all felt was a very good one.
"You don't look half-bad with that wig and those sunglasses, Adrien." -Mylene commented.
"Mylene's right, you know? You really look handsome with brown hair, Adrikins." -Chloe smiled at Adrien.
"Marinette has told me that." -Adrien told her. –"And she also said that she was going to convince me to dye my natural hair brown." -he added.
"Well, I don't always agree with your girlfriend, but she's right, this time." -Chloe said. –"You look good with brown hair… still, I wouldn't get the hots for you because of it. I'm more into redheads." -she joked, while looking at Nathaniel.
"Why are you looking in my direction, Chloe?" -Nathaniel asked her.
"Because Sabrina is standing behind you, that's why." -Chloe answered him, after which Nathaniel looked over his shoulder and saw that Sabrina was indeed standing behind him. –"What were you thinking I was doing looking in your direction, Nathaniel?" -she asked him.
"Honestly? You don't want to know." -Nathaniel joked, which made both Chloe and Sabrina chuckle, as the redhead sat next to her girlfriend.
"How many cosplayers have you guys interviewed?" -Marinette asked Alya and Nino.
"Honestly, I've lost count after the twentieth." -Nino said.
"But I haven't." -Alya said, as she checked her cell phone. –"We've interviewed 73 cosplayers, so far. Most of them were either Ladybugs or Chat Noirs, but there were also a lot of Rena Rouges, Flamingos, Queen Bees, Forest Does and Arachnids… Oh, and I never thought I would see so many gender-bender versions of us." -she commented. –"We've seen a couple of Buglads, and some Chatte Noires, as well as one Renard, one King Drone, and two Panda Rouges. I never thought that these fan-made variations would be popular enough to get people to cosplay them."
"The power of fanfiction is incredible." -Nino said.
"Oh, did you see that Disney Princess Ladybug that was walking around?" -Marinette asked Alya.
"Disney Princess Ladybug?" -Alya asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, I call her that because she was wearing a princess-inspired Ladybug outfit, and she was accompanied by a group of Disney Cosplayers." -Marinette declared. –"Adrien and I, even took a photo with her." -she said, as she showed the photo they had taken, on her cell phone.
"Oh, snap, girl, she looks amazing. And no, we didn't see her." -Alya said. –"But you can bet that I'm going to look for her." -she told Marinette. –"The girl deserves a photo and an honourable mention in the Miraculous Blog."
"Fanfiction does it again." -Nino joked. –"Crossing two different intellectual properties, and coming up with something new." -he said.
"You're right. And after lunch, we'll have to try and find that cosplayer to photograph her… Still, now that I'm seeing it, so far, we only found one Dragonfly." -Alya said, as she swiped through the photos she had taken. –"It's strange, really. I expected to have a lot more Dragonflies, given all the fanart there is of her."-she said.
"Speaking about Dragonfly, look who's coming." -Nathaniel said, as he pointed.
Walking through the food court, and making their way towards the gang's table, were Kim and Alix. Kim had the biggest smile a person could imagine on his face. But Alix was not smiling. In fact, she did not look alright. Unlike Kim, who was walking normally, she looked like she was dragging herself, and looked a little bit green around the gills.
"Whoa, what happened to her?" -Marinette asked Kim, feeling Alix was not in the mood for answering any questions.
"She just couldn't handle the spice, that's what happened." -Kim laughed, as he sat between Adrien and Nathaniel. –"I beat her ass on a instant noodles eating competition." -he bragged about it.
"Are you okay, Alix?" -Mylene asked her friend, as she sat next to her. –"You don't look so good." -she said.
"I-I'm fine…" -Alix said, before burping. –"Pardon me…" -she apologized.
"I told you I would beat you." -Kim continued to brag. –"And to tell you the truth, Alix, you never stood a chance against me in that instant noodles eating contest." -he said, with a cocky voice. –"I use chopsticks at home, every day. Plus, my mom puts a lot more spice into her food than those noodles had… there was no way you could beat me."
"Oh, y-yeah?! Well, then get me another couple of those cups of noodles…" -Alix exclaimed, before burping again. –"… pardon me… and I'll show you, who…" -she went on.
"Stop it." -Mylene said. –"The way you are, if you try to eat anything else, you're going to end up throwing up everything you have in your stomach." -she warned her, before turning to Kim. –"And you, stop bragging about beating her, Kim. Don't you see that you're just antagonizing her and upsetting her?"
"Hey, it's not my fault Alix can't handle spicy food!" -Kim said. –"But I'll shut up about it, because I know that if I don't do it, I'll end up scolded by some of you." -he sighed.
"Maybe we should get you something for the stomach ache." -Marinette said. –"Did anyone bring any fruit salts?" -she asked.
"Not me." -Sabrina said.
"Don't look at me. Why would I even have those things with me?" -Chloe declared.
"Sorry." -Nino said.
"Afraid not." -Nathaniel said.
It seemed like nobody had any fruit salts or any anti-acid pills. But as always, Alya had come prepared for such emergencies, and could not help but to comment on that.
"You know, sometimes I feel that in this gang, I'm like everyone's mom, because I tend to remember things most of you don't and I always carry around the essential." -Alya said, as she opened her backpack. –"Where did I put it? I know I brought it with me… oh, thanks, Trixx." -she thanked the fox kwami, who had found the fruit salts and handed them to her. –"Here we are. Let's put some of these in a glass of water, and after you drink it, you'll feel much better."
"And maybe you should skip lunch, so as to not further upset that stomach of yours." -Max advised Alix.
"I think… I will." -Alix said, before burping again, as she mixed some of the salts with the water in her water bottle.
"But I'm not." -Kim said. –"I know I brought food from home, but I'm in the mood for something a little juicier and more caloric than a sandwich." -he said.
"How can you think about eating… after just eating those noodles?" -Alix asked him, before taking a sip from her water bottle.
"Don't know. I'm just hungry again." -Kim said.
"Your stomach is a black hole, that's what it is." -Alix thought to herself.
"Then, half of us will get food, and the other half will wait here and keep an eye on our stuff. Who's going first?" –Max asked them all.
Doing as Max suggested, half of them quickly got up and went to fetch food, while the other half stood guard over their backpacks, talking happily between them, and with the kwamis. But always only the essential, and always on the lookout, so as not to let anyone know the little creatures were inside the backpacks. When the first half came back with the food, the roles reversed. Once everyone came back, what could be described as a small feast began. Even those who brought food with them from home, had bought something delicious from the food trucks, and were not afraid to share with the others. The kwamis also begged to taste the foods they had bought, and so, discreetly, their holders each snuck in small pieces of food inside the backpacks. Because they were all enjoying, they sometimes had to be told to keep it quiet, so as to not raise suspicions.
The only one who did not eat a single bite was Alix, who decided to eat later, when her stomach was feeling better. She did not say a word about it, but just the small of the food on the table was making her sick. Still, she tried not to think about it, trying to focus on the conversation, which was what they had got, as well as how good the food was, with the latter being a rather touchy subject for someone who was not feeling well; but Alix tried to ignore it.
"Okay, I usually say that I only eat imported sushi, because nothing beats it, but this one is pretty good too." -Chloe said
"More and more we're getting you to appreciate things that aren't so expensive, or so gourmet." -Alya said.
"Hey, I like things that aren't expensive or gourmet. But there are certain things that I only like, if they're either one of those things, or both." -Chloe told him. –"And then, there are those things that are neither one of those things, and that I like… like the funnel cakes I saw over there." -she said. –"We'll have to go and get some, for dessert, Sabrina."
"Agreed. They looked delicious." -Sabrina said, as she nibbled her hot dog.
"Well, I don't know if I'll go for any dessert, after eating this pizza." -Nino said.
"If you don't, I will." -Alya said, as she sipped the broth from her ramen. –"Remember those matcha mochi that we bought? I think I'm going to try one." -she told him.
"Well, I'll be going for something a little colder." -Marinette said. –"They were selling Japanese snow cones over there, and I'm in the mood for one." -she said, before biting an egg roll.
"Make that two, milady." -Adrien said. –"Or a jumbo-sized one, that we can share." -he smiled at her, who smiled back at him.
"I saw one of those fish-shaped cakes, what was their name? Oh, yes, Taiyaki cakes. I think I'm going to get one." -Rose said, as she ate another piece of Takoyaki. –"Mmm… I'm not much a fan of octopus, but I really like these." -she admitted.
"Hey, give me another one, Rose!" -Flint begged Rose.
"Okay, but just one more. You already ate that whole mango I bought you." -Rose told the flamingo kwami.
"Bring me one too, Rose." -Juleka told her girlfriend. –"But make sure that the filling isn't sweet." -she said, as she dipped a French fry in ketchup.
"I know, I know, you don't like sweet pastries." -Rose smiled at her.
"While you girls go for one of those Japanese cakes, I think I'll go for a mango ice cream. After watching that new footage of the new Crash Bandicoot, I'm in the mood for some Wompa Fruit, and the closest thing to them is a mango." -Max said.
"Only you would get hungry for a fictional fruit, man." -Kim said, when he noticed his kwami was signalling him that he wanted another spring roll. –"Okay, okay, hang on a second… you're getting too greedy." -he said.
"Just keep feeding me those. You know you're not going to eat them all by yourself, Kim." -Imp said.
"I think I'll go for dessert later… By the way, what did you guys buy so far?" -Ivan asked.
"Oh, nothing much. Just a few souvenirs." -Marinette said. –"I'll only go shopping for real tomorrow. Today I'm just window-shopping." -she said.
"Don't forget what you promised Manon, Marinette." -Tikki said, from inside her backpack.
"Don't worry, Tikki. I haven't forgotten." -Marinette told the scarlet kwami.
"Hey, I've just got an idea! Why don't we put all our current loot on the table, and see what we got? Come on, it will be fun." -Ivan suggested the others.
"Why would we do that, Ivan?" -Alix asked him.
"Why not? It will be fun to see just what we all bought, and it will give everyone the chance to share." -Ivan said, as he made some space between his plated, then grabbed his backpack and took out what he had bought, to show the others. –"I'll go first, if you like." -he said, while placing his purchases on the table. –"I bought the first and only season of Josh Whedon's Firefly, along with the movie that serves a sequel to it. And I've also bought this The Legend of Zelda t-shirt, and last, but not least, I bought this replica of Edward Elric's State Alchemist pocket watch."
"Didn't know you were a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist." –Nino commented.
"Honestly, I'm not. The story is good, but it's not among my top 10 animes. But I do like the watch." -Ivan admitted. –"So, who wants to go next?" -he asked the others.
Going along with it, the next one was Nathanial. He had left most of the stuff he had bought in the cloakroom, but what he had not, was enough to fill half his backpack. Displaying all the fanart he had bought, he placed the Rose and Juleka's porn comic, which he had forgotten to give them back, on top of the growing pile of fanart. When they saw it, everyone froze, and their eyes turned to Nathaniel. No one said a word, as they did not expect him to buy something like that comic book.
Alya was about to ask Nathanial why he had bought it, but before she could do it, the redhead shook his head no, and then pointed to Rose and Juleka, hinting that the comic book in fact, belonged to them. All eyes turned to Rose and Juleka, with the Goth wearing a proud smirk on her face, and blushing a little, while the blonde was mortified, her face down, avoiding all eye contact and her cheeks glowing red, as if it was Rudolph the Reindeer's red nose.
"I-It was her idea..." -Rose practically whispered the words, while pointing to her girlfriend.
"Yes. It was my idea. But Rose found it first." -Juleka continued to smirk, while Rose's blush faded instantly of her face, before turning chalk white.
"Never thought I would see our little Rose interested into this kind of subject." -Kim laughed.
"And isn't she entitled to? I mean, she's not a little girl. She's a teenager, just like all of us, Kim." -Mylene said, coming to Rose's help.
"I'm not saying she's not entitled to. She's entitled to do, read or watch whatever she wants to, Mylene." -Kim said. –"I just meant that she doesn't look like the kind of person who would be into it this kind of thing. Then again, it's always the quiet ones." -he joked, which earned him everyone glaring at him. –"What?! I'm just joking! Rose knows that I'm just joking."
"Yeah, but some jokes are best kept to ourselves, Kim." -Adrien told him.
"Well, for your information, Kim, we found out that there's at least one artist, who's drawing and selling Yaoi comics between Antelope and Grizzly Bear." -Juleka told him, as her confident smirk was replaced with a malicious one.
As expected, the mere mention of such work, was enough to leave Kim speechless, while inside his mind, he tried his best not to think about what he had just heard, and that was a hentai comic book featuring him and Ivan as a couple. Needless to say, that the harder he tried, the stronger that thought became in his mind.
"Okay, I did not need to know about that." –Kim said, trying to pretend he was not bothered by what he heard, but rather unsuccessfully. –"Who, in their right mind would think that Ivan and I, would be a good couple?! I mean… I hate this fandom sometimes! It's bad enough people are shipping me with Alix, but shipping me with Ivan?! Just the thought of it… I don't even want to think about it!" -he thought to himself.
"You didn't, by chance, buy it, did you?" -Ivan asked, curious.
"Actually, we did." -Juleka smirked, as she went through her backpack and looked for the comic book in question, only for Tamara to hand it to her. –"Thanks, Tamara." -she thanked her kwami, before placing the comic on top of the table. –"Feast your eyes on Antelope and Grizzly Bear in a passionate love comic."
The comic book looked similar in appearance to the one featuring Flamingo and Corbeau Noire. On the cover you could see Antelope and Grizzly Bear hugging, while also sharing a kiss.
"Okay, no offense, but I'd rather not have seen that." -Kim said, as he looked away.
"I guess the shoe is on the other foot now, isn't it, Kim?" -Alix joked, before laughing lightly. Just hearing that, had made her feel a lot better.
The way Kim reacted to that whole thing, was just as hilarious as Nathaniel, Rose and Juleka imagined it would be. All it took was one glimpse of that Yaoi comic, and he acted the way they predicted. But unlike Kim, Ivan did not make a fuss about it. In his mind, what was on the cover and on the comic did not correspond to the reality, but he was not going to make a fuss about it. To him,
"I like the art." -Ivan said. –"But, I for one, would rather kiss Mylene, than kissing Kim." -he joked.
That comment alone was enough to make everyone. Everyone, except Kim, who was not liking all that. Kim was very protective of his Antelope identity, and he did not like when people did things like shipping him with any of his friends, especially if it was one of the boys, because that did not correspond to the truth. While this happened, Marinette's cell phone rang, signalling her that she had received a text. Grabbing it, she
"Uh, guys, I just got a text from Miss Bustier." -Marinette told them. –"She's saying she wants to meet us, in half hour." -she said.
"Then, we better get dessert, or otherwise, we'll be late to meet her." -Alya said, as she hurried to finish her meal.
And the fun continues! Just liek the previous chapter, this one was written based on my memoirs of attending cosplay conventions. The funniest part of this chapter for me to write was definitely Kim and Alix's bit... I don't know why, but I just love to write them the way I do. They're always picking on one another, as if they were brother and sister, but deep down, they're actually in love with one another. xD Instant noodles eating competitions is one of those things that happen in every convention I've attended, and some of you would be amazed at the stories I've amassed over the years, concerning those competitions... just so you know, one time, there was one contestant who fainted, because he couldn't handle the spice. And then, there was another one .Another small detail that I added to this chapter was one of the iconic songs that is constantly played at these conventions. At first, I was going with Gangman Style, but Carameldanssen is way more annoying and funny. xD In fact, in Portugal there's even one other song that is constantly heard in conventions, and that's the intro song of Dragonball GT (the portuguese version), because it's one of those iconic songs that everybody knows the lyrics, xD
Oh, before anyone asks, yes, the bit abotu Kit-Kats in Japan is real. Look it up online, if you want to know more about the matter (as a bonus, my favourite Kit-Kat flavour is Cheesecake).
By the way, the bit about Juleka and Rose's hentai comic book was once again suggested by my friend Cupidcomet77 at DeviantArt (once again, thanks for the suggestion). I admit that i couldn't help myself in writing a little bit more about the subject, and it also gave me the chance to mock Kim, when he found out that he was being shipped with Ivan. xDDD
I'm really enjoying writing these chapters, and I can't wait for us to get to the Akuma attack; yes, because Romani is looking for a new victim. But something tells me that she will need help, just saying.
As always, feel free to comment, fav and leave your suggestions to improve this fic, or its following sequels. Oh, and Happy Halloween to everyone.