Hiccup took his black and red headset from his frozen friend and followed Jack's gaze, "What's got you worked up now, Frostbutt?"

"You dirty, dirty trickster," Jack muttered, still processing what he was seeing.

Sebastian could only smirk in amusement as he finally found his mask and tied it on, flashing an innocent smile. "I've no idea what you're talking about," he taunted as he grabbed his cloak and headed for their hotel door. "Oh, what time was your panel again?"

Hiccup couldn't say a word or make a move completely unable to believe what he was seeing. It was surreal. He had to be dreaming.

Jack finally seemed to snap out of it though, marching up to Sebastian and punching him in the shoulder before wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "You have no freaking idea how much I hate you right now. Our panel is at 7. Don't you dare be late, idiot."

Sebastian winced a bit from surprise and awkwardly tried to hug him back. He wasn't quite sure what to do about this reaction. It wasn't what he'd been expecting at all and he honestly didn't want anything to do with this much physical contact. In attempts to escape, he patted the other's head and hoped he would get the hint. "Do you really?"

"I mean, sort of. I think I'm dying inside due to fanboying over this, but I'm also mad at you for not telling us." Jack muttered, finally letting him go and standing back with his arms folded.

"I didn't tell you because I hardly know you. I would have preferred not to in general, but I realized once we got here that I really had no choice." Sebastian turned his attention to Hiccup's still rigid form instead. There. That was more what he thought would happen. He grinned at him and raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong Hiccup? Cat got your tongue?"

"H-Huh?" The brunette blinked before smacking his own cheeks to snap himself out of it. "No! No. I'm just surprised is all."

"More like a Crow did, not a cat." Jack teased, playfully shoving his friend to the side. "Ya ready or what?"

Hiccup flushed in embarrassment and shook his head, "Yeah yeah yeah, I'm on it."

He quickly gathered the rest of his things and slipped on shoes before looking to everyone in turn. "I still can't believe you're Crow. The Crow."

"I'm actually surprised neither of you noticed when we picked up our badges," Sebastian pointed out, gesturing to his name badge that had "Crow" written across it in elegant script. "Perhaps you both should invest in glasses?"

"We didn't even see your badge until now," Jack deadpanned, frowning a bit at him though internally he was still freaking out. Not only did he now know Crow's true identity, but he thought they might be friends and he was coming to their panel. It was a dream come true. Though he could do with less sass. "Besides, we had a lot of stuff on our minds. We had to plan our day."

The two continued discussing which events they wanted to go to while they all finished making sure they had their things. The smash tournament was the main topic. It started later that afternoon and involved several heats with the championship between the last four at 2 tomorrow.

"You two enjoy your brunch, alright?" Sebastian dismissed them, walking to the door. "Oh, one more thing before I go. We're strangers when the mask is on. Ok?"

Both Jack and Hiro nodded. The white haired spirit folded his arms over his chest as his brow furrowed in thought.

"I'm guessing that rule applies on camera too?" He asked after a moment.

Sebastian couldn't help but feel that was a given, but nodded to confirm. "Yes please. I'll see you both at the tournament."

"Have fun wherever you're going," Hiccup called after him.

"See you around, Michaelis." Jack's voice followed after, the rest of the guardian's words coming out rushed as he realized the demon wasn't stopping. "Remember, 7pm! Don't be late!"

Sebastian just raised his hand to let him know that he'd heard them and continued on his way, disappearing down the stairs to the convention hall. As much as Sebastian loved to keep a low profile, Crow, on the other hand, revelled in the gasps and awed attention from the guests already milling around and waiting for the opening ceremonies.

~.~.~.~

Jack immediately turned to Hiccup once Sebastian was gone, "So, vlog?"

"Vlog," Hiccup confirmed, letting the other get his camera out so they could start recording. "Sup everyone, Hiccup and Jack here!"

"At your service. How you doin'?" Jack winked as he popped into view, grinning as brightly as ever.

Hiccup couldn't help rolling his eyes at the other's usual antics before trying to focus once again. "Ignore him... Anyway. We're at the hotel now and heading downstairs to get some food into our digestive systems."

"Ew. Way to word it, man…" Jack's face twisted in mock disgust at his words and he stuck his tongue out at him.

"Whatever." Hiccup groaned. "So! We're ready to head out and see you all! We can't wait!"

They cut the feed and were just about head down the stairs when Jack cursed under his breath and froze up.

"Aaand I'm an idiot." He muttered, looking up to Hiccup.

"What now?" The brunette put a hand on his hip like a disapproving mother waiting to hear what their troublemaking son had done this time.

Jack shrank a little under his stare and shrugged, stepping back to head back towards their room, pointing over his shoulder. "My staff."

Hiccup sighed in exasperation and shook his head. "You are an idiot. I swear we're never getting downstairs at this rate. Hurry up and go get it."

"Ah, but I am your idiot!" Jack saluted him and ran off to retrieve it.

Once they were finally downstairs and had their plates full, Jack started recording for them again.

"Look at it. It's glorious. Food makes Jacky happy." He hummed, panning from the food to himself. "Unfortunately, TheLittleHiro isn't here with us."

"Yet." Hiccup interjected. "Or at least we don't know. He could be here already and we probably didn't notice."

"Riiight. That could be it." Jack agreed, turning the camera fully towards the other and trying not grin.

Hiccup caught on immediately, giving Jack a confused look. "What? What's-"

Before he could say any more, Tadashi quickly covered Hiccup's eyes and mouth from behind while Hiro popped up between them both. Announcing his attack over Hiccup's surprised yelp and starting to ruthlessly tickle their captive while Tadashi switched tactics and started to give him a noogie.

From across the room, Karasu looked up with slight annoyance from her breakfast with her parents at all the commotion. She'd really never understood vloggers, much like she still wasn't quite sure how her parents had allowed her to come to this convention at all after that had happened at school with that… No. She wasn't going to think about that. The group laughing across the ways looked familiar anyway, but she couldn't place it until one mop of black hair turned a bit so she could see his face.

"Oh, it's Hiro." She mumbled, recognizing him from a couple of her extra curricular classes. He was really smart and already taking classes above his grade level. She didn't think he'd be the vlogging type. Maybe they weren't all annoying. "I didn't know he'd be here."

"Friends from school?" Her mother questioned as she joined her at the table, sitting down to eat.

Karasu nodded, returning her attention to her food. "Something like that."

The group across the ways didn't seem to settle down. Instead, their excitable energy seemed to bounce off each other and to most everyone else in their immediate vicinity turning the more or less quiet roar of con goers eating breakfast into a much louder ordeal.

Outside, Sebastian had slipped away from the main, congested halls, to get a little fresh air before he was going to be stuck inside for the rest of the day. He was resting up against a pillar, focus entirely on his handheld as he played Majora's Mask to pass the time.

"How far are you?" Claude asked from the other side of the pillar, a black mask decorated in silver spiderwebs on his face, playing the same game on his own handheld.

"On my way to the 3rd temple soon. I'm just collected everything I can for now." He replied, not even bothering to look up.

Claude hummed in acknowledgement. "I already beat the 3rd, but I haven't started on all that side quest stuff yet."

"Looks like I'm going to beat you then," Sebastian retorted, a smirk starting to tug at his lips.

"In your dreams." Claude snapped, looking around the pillar at the other. "You only said 'the first to complete the game'."

"Right. I know what I said. To complete it means to do all the side quests too. You're just closer to beating it."

"Stupid Crow."

Sebastian turned to face him, letting the beak of his mask almost click against Claude's nose. "Cheating spider."

The two stared each other down a moment longer before their watches beeped at them. In sync, they saved and turned off their games before looking down to check the time.

"Ready to have your ears blown out by screaming gamers?" Sebastian asked, pocketing his game.

"Nope. Let's get this over with." Claude groaned, looking to the doors.

They were careful to enter separately, allowing Sebastian to go in first so they wouldn't cause too much of a traffic jam. Besides, more people seemed to stop them when they traveled together so they could get group shots of them. It was kind of annoying, especially when they had a tournament to get to.

The best part was though, despite all the chaos and all the rushed excitement, everyone who entered the main tournament floor paused for a moment to enjoy the same rush.

It never gets old… I wish Yamir were with me. Sebastian thought to himself, looking over the multiple screens set up and crowds already starting to file in and begin milling around. He heard an excited gasp and his stage name from someone and turned to flash them a grin and a wink. He recognized the girl from his school, but that was about all he recalled of her.

"Welp, time to check in." Jack announced to his group, already leading the way across the hall to the check in table.

"Right." Hiccup was quick to follow after him. Tadashi and Hiro taking up the rear. "Hey, Tadashi, you don't play, do you? At least, not like us?"

"Yeah, pretty much." The eldest confessed, smiling and shrugging his shoulders. "I like playing, but not as a "sport", you could say. Just a small pastime. Besides, I've got college, remember?"

They could all practically hear Hiro rolling his eyes. "Oh yeah, huh. That nerd school of yours working out for ya?"

"Actually, it is, thank you very much." Tadashi replied cheekily, ruffling his little brother's hair playfully and reveling in his complaints.

Hiro stopped though when his eyes fell on a tall figure in black, famous feathered headset on his neck. He gestured at his idol, barely able to make the words to call the other's attention to him. He was so excited, his heart felt like it was racing in his chest. That was his idol.

While Tadashi only looked confused by his reaction, Hiccup and Jack instead covered his mouth and dragged him off to the side like they were trying to avoid catching his attention which didn't make sense to Hiro at all.

"W-Wait!" He protested, voice muffled behind their hands. Once he was free, he gave each of them an incredulous look. "Didn't you see who that was?! Why aren't you guys FREAKING OUT?!"

If any of them should be having a mini heart attack over being that close to the Crow, it should be Jack and Hiccup. They had been the ones to introduce Hiro to him and the Spider after all. He'd only been obsessed with the King of Games at that point. Because, really. Who else mattered? No one beat him.

The way Jack and Hiccup dodged his eyes and seemed two shift their weight nervously gave them away far too easily. Hiro could hardly believe it. "Wait. You didn't. You met him?!"

Both of them quickly shushed him and signalled for him to keep his voice down which only made him drop down to a very harsh whisper. "You met Crow?"

"Yes, alright we did!" Jack hissed back, glancing over his shoulder to check and see if Sebastian had taken any note of them. Thankfully, he seemed too busy trying to get through the line without being stopped by everyone there to take note of them.

Hiro pouted at both of them, folding his arms. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "Well… To be honest, we were kinda distracted and busy."

"So, you met him met him or what? I feel like you're not telling me everything." Hiro pressed. He could read Hiccup like an open book. He wore his heart on his sleeve. Especially when the accusation made him even more fidgety and caused him to turn to Jack for guidance.

Jack only sighed and leaned forward. "Okay, but promise not to tell?"

When both Hiro and Tadashi mimed zipping their lips, locking them and throwing away the keys, they continued.

"We actually know who he is. Like, who he really is." Hiccup admitted. "He's…"

"Michaelis," both he and Jack whispered together once they made sure no one was listening.

"Oh, and we're kind of sharing the same room with him," Hiccup elaborated.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hiro almost shouted, earning a 'shhh' from the others. He playfully punched both Jack and Hiccup in their shoulders and rolled his eyes at them. "What were you two thinking? Why didn't you tell me sooner? ...Whatever, come on. We're signing up. Now."

At the sign-up table, Sebastian was just picking his character and putting in his name.

"K-Karasu Feather," a somewhat familiar voice piped up beside him. When he glanced over, he saw the girl from his school that he'd smiled at earlier.

"You look nervous," he pointed out, handing the clipboard back to the staff member. "Is this your first time?"

She practically seemed to jump out of her skin when he spoke to her, looking up at him in an awestruck face he knew too well.

"Uhm, not really. I mean, I've done small competitions where I come from, but nothing major at all." Karasu managed to avoid stuttering too horribly as she replied. "N-Nothing like what you've done I'm sure."

Sebastian smiled warmly at that. He remembered being in her shoes at his first large convention and competition. "We all start somewhere you know." He assured her. "I hope to meet you in the tournament, Miss Feather~"

"Likewise, Crow," she looked a bit stunned, like she'd expected a different reaction from him, probably expecting him to be cruel an abrasive.

He waved politely to her and walked off to try and find an open tv to start warming up at. Naturally, that was going to be an impossible task, but he wanted to pass the time somehow while they finished taking in names and putting together the bracket. He ended up surprising a group of three and joined in the next couple matched with them, soundly defeating them with a different character each round. He had to keep them guessing after all.

With a fond, 'thank you' and a wave, he left after the fourth match and decided he'd best head over to the merchandise alley before the tournament started in approximately one hour. He really wanted to find something to bring back home for Yami.

After quite a bit of searching, he finally found something that seemed suitable for his brother. A golden keyblade charm to either put on his keys or a chain around his neck. He even got a triforce pendant for himself as a buy one get one half off deal. When he turned to leave; however, a warm scent wafted past his nose and made him furrow his brow.

That can't be right. He thought to himself, closing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows, trying to focus on it more. No. He's not here. He's at home…

Shaking his head, he continued on his way, deciding it was time to return to the tournament floor. Little did he know, across the convention hall, making a grand entrance as per usual, was Kaiba, dragging Yami clad in his Pharaoh's outfit and a golden mask behind him.

"I hate you so much for this, Kaiba," Yami hissed under his breath, trying to keep a pleasant face for the fans. This was not what he expected when his boss had announced they'd be taking a little business trip. Being here with his brother would have been one thing, but being here with Kaiba? Well that quite honestly ruined the entire experience for him. He wanted to text Sebastian and let him know he was here. He could already sense him close by. No doubt he'd picked up on him as well.

"I want my rematch, now stop complaining." Kaiba snapped back at him, bringing them both up to the sign in table once they had their badges.

"Okay, but why here? We could have had our rematch elsewhere." Yami nearly growled back at him. He tried to be professional with him all things considered, but Kaiba made that very difficult most of the time.

"Because, I need to have you feel humiliated like I was all those other times you've beaten me in front of thousands of people!"

If that hadn't gotten old before, it definitely had now. This prideful soul still refused to accept that Yami was going to win every time without fail. "We could have done that at home instead of driving out here for this. Besides, don't we have work to do? You're the CEO for Ra's sake!"

Kaiba wagged a finger at him, "There's always time for a rematch. And I am here on official CEO business. We need to scope out the competition and make sure our panel is run properly. I want to make sure the launch of our next system goes over well."

Yami could only sigh heavily at that and start to sign in. Kaiba may have thought he was being clever, but he knew his only motivation for being here was a rematch.

Sebastian had just finished taking a picture with a couple fans when he caught a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye and was struck again by that warm scent. He whipped around towards the sign in booth and felt disbelief and excitement flood his veins.

Without a second thought, he made his way quickly over to his brother and reached out to grab his arm, the widest grin on his face.
"Who's the servant with you today, your majesty?" He teased. Forever revelling in the fact that Kaiba had no idea it was him behind the mask. /What are you doing here?/ he added mentally.

/Trust me. If it wasn't for this idiot, I wouldn't be here./ Yami's response resonated in his head. /And watch it, Malacine. He bites./ His brother warned.

Rage practically turned Kaiba's face red. "Excuse me? Servant? Just who do you think you are? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!"

"Easy, Seto, of course he knows who you are. He's just teasing. Leave him be." Yami waved him off and put himself a little between his little brother and boss. There were always fireworks whenever these two got anywhere close to each other.

It seemed to take Kaiba a minute to decide to stand down to avoid garnering a larger crowd than what had already gathered. He huffed and folded his arms, turning away from the both of them. "Whatever." He spat. "I'm going to go warm up. Don't you dare leave."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Yami sighed, shaking his head as the other left. It wasn't like he had a choice anyway. Kaiba had driven and Malacine needed the car to get home after the convention.

Sebastian childishly stuck his tongue out at Kaiba as the CEO walked off, earning himself a playful smack on his arm from his brother.

"He bites about as hard as a toothless kitten. He's such a royal pain in the ass." He chuckled, just smiling at Yami. "Wait, I got something for you. Think of it like a good luck charm for the tournament."

He handed Yami the brown paper pouch the clerk had put the pendant in and watched him open it, much to the gushing reactions from people watching them.

"Crow… You shouldn't have. Thank you." Yami was doing his best not to act as excited as he felt over the gift. He really loved keyblades. If it weren't for the fans and their being in costume, he'd definitely hug his brother.

"I had a feeling you'd like it." Sebastian said proudly. /Are you sure you're ready for the tournament though? You haven't had time to practice that I'm aware of./

He got a shrug in response as they both parted ways to avoid sticking together too long.

/I have trained. Just not as much as I've wanted to. Work's had me a little preoccupied./

/I see… Good luck./ Sebastian had no doubt in his mind that even rusty, there was no hope for anyone here including himself.

/Thanks. You too./

Kitana: To anyone who reads this at all, thank you. You're the best person ever. I promise the story gets better.

Thanks to all for reviewing, favoriting and following. You make my day.