Disclaimer: We don't own Fushigi Yuugi, and we are not profiting from this story in any way.

Note: Hello! Huffpuff here, with another chapter co-written by myself and TA Maxwell. It's so much fun writing with her! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as we liked writing it! Oh, and Mystica, you were right on with your guess.

It was late in the afternoon when people began lining up for the cosplay session at FushigiYuugiFunFest 2002. Anjali sighed and pushed her hand through her long black curls. The least they could do is air condition this place, she thought. I wonder where Shanna is. I can't find her in this crowd.

Looking around at the cosplayers, there had to be at least ten Tasukis, each with their own fan. Not one of them, Anjali thought, is glompworthy.

"Yeesh," Anjali mumbled to herself, as some random bulky guy dressed as Tamahome pushed into her. "Where's the tessen when you need it?" she muttered, glaring at the Tamahome-wannabe.

Maybe I should have come as Nuriko this year. At least then, I might have a chance of pushing through this crowd, Anjali thought, looking down at her kawaii Tama-neko costume. Nobody will move aside for Tama-neko. But they would move aside for Mitsukake...She eyed one man dressed as the big guy himself. Her jokester self was encouraging her to pounce him then and there and start purring. After all, he really does look like Mitsukake. Then again, do I really want some Mitsukake clone to think that I'm hitting on him? She shook her head quickly. No girl, bad mind. No pouncing.

Just a little further up in the line, people were beginning to stare, as a group of five of the ugliest Tasukis ever seen began forming a kick line and dancing. They even used their tessens in the choreography, yelling 'Rekka Shinen' at certain moments.

If Anjali were an anime character, she would have sweatdropped. What the hell are they doing? Tasuki does NOT do anything so--bizarre. (To Anjali, drinking to excess and doing the Happy Bandit Dance did not seem bizarre.)

Finally, after the torture was over, as one they all threw their tessens high into the air...and into the crowd. Why, oh why, must they defame my beloved Tasuki in thi—

Pain shot through her skull as a tessen fell directly onto her head. "Ow!!!" Anjali cried, looking up from her thoughts in dismay to wonder what had hit her. If it's that baka Tamahome guy again...

Wait a minute...it's one of those tessens! That thing ain't paper... Anjali thought, staring at the shining object on the ground before her. A smirk danced across her face. They won't miss this... she thought, bending down to pick up the gleaming tessen.

Whoa! This thing is really heavy! How did those morons manage to toss it all the way back here? Must have been the big one...Anjali looked up to see a 200lb Tasuki vanishing offstage. Ick! she thought, trying to shake off the horrible mental image. After having to look at that thing, I certainly deserve to keep this tessen. Besides, after the way they just wronged Tasuki, none of them should get their tessens back.

Wait...WHAT TIME IS IT?! Anjali suddenly panicked. Her father had told her to meet him at exactly 5:00, or else. Her watch now read 5:20. Letting out a string of curses bad enough to make Tasuki bow his head in defeat, she turned and began forcing her way through the crowd, tessen in hand.

Hang on! I forgot about Shanna! I'd better find her and tell her that I'm leaving. I'd better find her and tell her that I'm leaving, Anjali thought, now frantically scanning the crowd for her friend. Her mother had been right. She should have brought her cellphone. Shanna had to be ONE of those blue specks among the crowd. Of course, if she had brought her cellphone, her mother would undoubtedly be calling her on it right now.

After about five minutes of searching, and one unfortunate pinch on the ass by some guy dressed like Miboshi, Anjali finally caught sight of Shanna. Predictably, she was glomped on to a Nuriko cosplayer. Shanna had dressed as Hotohori for just such an occasion, though Anjali laughed to see such a reversal of roles between the supposed emperor and the supposed cross-dresser.

"SHANNA!!" Anjali called out, trying not to laugh from the circumstances. "I HAVE TO GO!"

Without releasing the hapless Nuriko (who was kinda cute), Shanna winked, nodded in Nuriko's direction, and waved goodbye. If Anjali had been an anime character, she would have sweatdropped. For one, she was at this scene without a camera (this was something that River would have to see to believe), and two, her father was probably going to kill her, or worse, lock up her Tasuki Wallscrolls!

But he doesn't know about my tessen, Anjali thought happily, sliding it into her backpack. And he's not going to find out, either.

Finally, at 5:35, she reached the car. Sure enough, darling Daddy was unhappy. Suffice it to say, that were he an anime character, there would have been many, many veins standing out from his forehead. As it were, there were a few bulging veins there by the time that Anjali reached the car. "Do you know how long I've been sitting here waiting for you?!"

"Thirty-five minutes?" Anjali asked cheekily.

"Nope. An hour! A full hour! Your mother was worried that I wouldn't make it through traffic, so she made me leave early. And on top of that, this Chichiri-mobile thing that's sitting in front of us keeps blasting Japanese music. It's giving me such a headache. And then all of these tiny Chichiris keep popping out and jumping on my windshield. Besides, I was worried SICK that you might have been squashed in that crowd!! Or worse!"

"I'm sorry," Anjali said, looking at her shoes. "I lost track of time and then I couldn't find Shanna to tell her that I was leaving. But, I did get you something..."

Anjali began to grin. If there was one thing that would soothe her father's increasing impatience/road rage (directed at the Chichiri mobile), it was...

If her father had been an anime character, he would have had the big Chibi shiny eyes Vash had in the second episode of Trigun, much like Tamahome's eyes whenever he was offered money. "Oooh....a cinnamon soft pretzel!! Gimme!!"

After the pretzel vanished, Anjali's father pulled out of his space by the curb and began moving into the stream of creeping traffic. As their car inched its way past the Chichiri mobile, a new song began playing.

"'HEART ni Kiraboshi'!" Anjali cried, recognizing the song. "I love that song!"

hateshinai

KENKA BATORU

otokogi hake!

Rekka Shin'en

yowaki wo tasuke heiwa kachitoru made

She began to sing along with it, much to her dad's frustration. Suddenly, there was a small rushing sound behind her. Anjali turned in surprise, but saw nothing. Suddenly, her back began to get very hot, especially where her backpack rested against her spine.

"Hey...Is it hot in here, or just me?" her dad inquired, reaching for the air conditioner.

"Sorry Dad. It's hot..." Anjali's eyebrows furrowed as she wondered if it were possible. Nah. What am I thinking? I must have spent too much time staring at those dancing Tasukis. Still...It wouldn't hurt to try it out later... Anjali thought, giggling to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

What will Anjali do with the tessen?!

What ever could that little blast of heat have been?!

Will Shanna EVER let go of that Nuriko cosplayer?!
(Nuriko: I feel special…Hoto-chan glomping me…)
(TA: You wish)

Who in their right mind would cosplay as Miboshi?!

And Why would Miboshi ever pinch a girl's ass?!

TA: Nuriko, just…stop…

Nuriko: Aw, fine…