There were few things that Lincoln enjoyed more than getting a chance to visit Ronnie Anne. They'd been friends for a long time now and at this stage in their friendship, Lincoln was starting to recognize blossoming feelings for her that had gone otherwise unnoticed. Lincoln couldn't quite articulate these feelings properly, but one thing that he was very well aware of was the fact that he liked Ronnie Anne as more than just a friend. She was a really awesome gal and was similar to Lincoln in many ways. For starters, she came from a very large and colourful family that could at times get into their own misadventures, just like Lincoln and his family. Both of them would fight tooth and nail for the sake of their families and never let anything harm them. Neither of them were exactly graceful when it came to dancing (unless she were mimicking a Twelve is Midnight dance routine, in which case Ronnie Anne was a natural); and both could easily be considered geeks (although Ronnie Anne would never openly admit it and tried to keep that fact a secret). It was that last similarity that had brought them to PopCon, an annual convention held in Great Lakes City that celebrated the best of pop culture far and wide. Lincoln has been looking forward to this event for weeks, having been granted permission from his parents to attend the convention alongside Ronnie Anne, with Lori tagging along to watch over him and make sure he didn't get into any trouble. Not that Lori minded as it gave her a chance to see Bobby once again. After their last date, Lori was really looking forward to seeing him again.
Being that he was going to be attending a convention, Lincoln had another excuse to wear his Ace Savvy costume once again. In the weeks leading up to this event, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne had decided to attend PopCon dressed as their favourite respective fictional characters (Ace Savvy for Lincoln, Ana Ronalda for Ronnie Anne). Lincoln was especially looking forward to seeing Ronnie Anne with her hair styled after the telenovela heroine, he just knew that she would look cute regardless. Lincoln was also hoping that this convention went better than the last one he had attended, still having bitter memories of how that event turned out. It'd have to take a monumental mess up for anything to turn this day into a tragedy. Lincoln chose to keep an optimistic attitude and remain hopeful that everything would not only go according to plan, but result in another treasured memory that he would never forget.
As he and Lori drove to Great Lakes City, Lincoln could hardly contain his excitement. He wasn't exactly bouncing up and down in his seat, but the smile on his face was bright enough that it could blind an eagle from 50 meters away. In addition, Lincoln kept checking himself out in the rear view mirror, making sure that he looked his absolute best and making minute adjustments at even the slightest perceived imperfection. He made sure that his hair was neat, that his teeth were clear of any good particles, made sure his costume didn't look worn out or had any stains, and he regularly checked to make sure he didn't smell funny; being a public convention, Lincoln knew that there were be enough sweaty geeks as it is, the last thing he wanted was to embarrass Ronnie Anne by being one of them. None of this behaviour went unnoticed by Lori, who could tell how nervous Lincoln was right away.
"Lincoln, are you alright?" Lori asked with a warm smile.
"Huh?" Lincoln asked, being distracted from his train of thought before regaining his composure. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
"Are you sure about that?" Lori asked. "You seem to be a lot more frantic than usual."
"It's nothing," Lincoln insisted, "it's just that…"
"You're nervous about seeing Ronnie Anne?" Lori asked.
"What? No!" Lincoln replied, "I mean I've seen her a million times, why would I get nervous now?"
"I think I can point out a few reasons," Lori said with a smirk.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lincoln said, crossing his arms and looking out the window.
"Quit acting like a kid," Lori told him.
"Kinda hard to stop acting like a kid when I am a kid," Lincoln pointed out.
"Smart aleck," Lori mumbled after a few seconds of silence, "but I think I know exactly what's got you so nervous right now."
"Oh really, and what is that?" Lincoln asked.
"Do you want me to come out and say it or are you just going to keep denying it?" Lori asked.
"I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about," Lincoln insisted.
Lori sighed and explained "This is your first real date with Ronnie Anne, of course you're going to be a little uneasy."
"Is that what you think?" Lincoln asked, sounding incredulous.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm lying," Lori said, turning her head to look Lincoln in the eye, causing him to briefly panic.
"EYES ON THE ROAD!" He shouted, with Lori immediately returning her focus to what was ahead of her. Still, Lincoln couldn't deny that she was somewhat right. "Okay, maybe you're right, but what does that have to do with you?"
"Do you really think that I want to see my little brother screw up and fail on his first date?" Lori asked him. "I just wanna give you whatever help you need."
"I'm not going to screw this up," Lincoln said, both to Lori and himself, "I'm going to make sure that this is the best day of both my life and Ronnie Anne's! This I swear!"
"Does that include telling her how you feel?" Lori asked.
"Hmm?" Lincoln asked in response.
"I hope you don't think you're fooling anybody," Lori told him, "no offense Lincoln, but you're not that great when it comes to hiding your feelings."
"What're you trying to say?" Lincoln asked.
"What I'm trying to say is that I know you like Ronnie Anne as more than just a friend," Lori said.
"Really?" Lincoln scoffed, playfully rolling his eyes, "and how exactly do you know that?"
"I'm the oldest sibling," Lori answered, "it's sorta my job to recognize when my little siblings have a crush on someone."
"Maybe you're right," Lincoln said, "or maybe not, who knows?"
"I think you know for certain," Lori teased, "don't worry, I won't press you too hard if you don't wanna talk about it, but I really do hope that you and Ronnie Anne have a great time today."
"Thanks," Lincoln said,
"Oh and by the way," Lori said, "I really hope the two of you don't try pranking me and Bobby again."
"We make no promises," Lincoln said with a smirk as the two of them arrived at the Casagrandes' home.
The two of them got out of the car and made their way upstairs to the Casagrandes' apartment. Lori knocked on the door and behind said door, both Lincoln and Lori could hear the family scrambling and trying to make sure everything was perfect. About half a minute later, Ronnie Anne's abuela opened the door and welcomed the two siblings.
"Lincoln, Lori, oh please come in, come in," Rosa said, "we've been expecting you for quite some time. Please take a seat, Ronnie Anne is still getting ready, she'll be out shortly."
Bobby meanwhile, approached Lori right away and pulled her in for a hug while giving her a smooch on the cheek.
"Hey babe, long time no see," He greeted her.
"I know, right?" Lori agreed. "Just how long has it been since we last saw each other?"
"One month, two weeks, three days and 16 hours," Lincoln and Carl answered snarkily, with Carl showing slight signs of jealousy.
"While you two are here, can I get you something to eat?" Rosa offered. "I just made some fresh tamales if you're hungry."
"Thank you for the offer, but we're fine," Lori said, giggling and adding "I'm still stuffed from last time."
"That's an appropriate response," Frida said.
"Speak for yourself," Lincoln said to Lori, as he accepted one of Rosa's tamales "there's no way I'm passing up an opportunity to have Mrs. Casagrande's cooking!"
"Hey Lincoln?" CJ asked.
"What's up?" Lincoln replied, taking a bite out of his tamale.
"Do you think that you could perform another magic trick for us like you did last time?" CJ asked.
"Well I didn't bring any of my normal material with me, but I guess I could show off one simple trick," Lincoln agreed as Lori giggled, rolled her eyes and said "Oh brother."
"Observe!" Lincoln said, pulling out a seemingly normal playing card and holding it out for the entire room to see. "In my hand, I hold an ordinary playing card, nothing strange about that, right!"
"Ooh, are you going to make the card disappear?" Carlos asked.
"Disappear?" Lincoln replied with a smirk. "Why would I make the card disappear when I can make it levitate?" Lincoln then dropped the card, stunning the Casagrandes when the card seemingly floated in midair. Lincoln then held up his hands to show there was no funny business and remarked "Another amazing trick from the Amazing Lincoln Loud! How does he do it, folks‽ How does he do it‽"
The family all applauded as Lincoln took a bow, hamming it up all the while.
"That reminds me," Maria said, "Lincoln, Ronnie Anne mentioned that you forgot when of your rings last time you visited. Would you like it back?"
"Nah," Lincoln said, shaking his head. "Ronnie Anne can keep it, consider it a gift from me to her."
Lincoln was then approached by Ronnie Anne's father, Arturo, who wanted to have a talk with the man with a plan. Having never met Ronnie Anne's dad face to face, Lincoln had to admit he was a little intimidated meeting him for the first time.
"So, you are the Lincoln that my daughter frequently mentions?" Arturo asked, keeping an affable attitude that still managed to unnerve Lincoln.
"Y-Yes sir," Lincoln stammered, "that would be me."
Arturo wrapped an arm around Lincoln and said "You know, my daughter talks about you a lot. She seems to be quite fond of you."
"Oh, is that so?" Lincoln asked nervously.
"Indeed and I must admit, given your first impression, I can easily see why," Arturo told him, letting out a hearty laugh. "I can very easily imagine you being a good fit for my daughter."
"Th-Th-Thank you for the high praise, sir," Lincoln said, nodding his head.
Arturo then grew serious and asked "Lincoln, I must ask you, you'd never do anything to hurt my daughter, would you?"
"What?" Lincoln asked, sounding offended that Arturo would make such an accusation. He didn't know it at the time, but his indignant response allowed him to pass Arturo's first test.
"You know," Arturo said, "you wouldn't do or say anything that would hurt my daughter or cause her strife or anguish, would you?"
"No, no," Lincoln insisted, "I'd never dream of doing that in a million years!"
"Good!" Arturo said cheerfully, a smile returning to his face. "As a father, it is in my duty to look out for my daughter's best interests." He became serious once again. "And that includes making sure that no one even thinks of making her cry. You understand, right?"
"I understand completely!" Lincoln said nervously. "I promise you have nothing to worry about.
"Good to hear!" Arturo said. "Now, I-,"
"Dad, quit scaring Lincoln," Ronnie Anne said as she emerged from her room in full costume with Carlota right behind her, "the last thing I want is for him to wet his pants."
"Oh, but of course, sweetheart," Arturo said, stepping away from Lincoln as Ronnie Anne approached him, "I was just laying down a few ground rules."
"I appreciate the effort," Ronnie Anne said, "but I'll be fine. Lincoln wouldn't hurt a fly and even if he wanted to, he doesn't have the capability."
"Hey!" Lincoln replied indignantly, prompting giggles from everyone in the room.
"Just messing with ya," Ronnie Anne told him, "sorry I took so long, Carlotta was making sure I looked perfect."
"It's fine," Lincoln said, "you look pretty with your hair like that"
"Thanks," Ronnie Anne said, "You look pretty cute in your Ace Savvy costume.
"Really glad that we could do this together," Lincoln said.
"Same," Ronnie Anne said, asking Lincoln "So are you ready to turn this convention upside down?"
"I've been ready for weeks!" Lincoln replied. "This is going to be super special awesome!"
"Been binging Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged again?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Yeah…" Lincoln sheepishly admitted.
"I guess we oughta get going, babe," Bobby said, "don't want our siblings to get impatient, do we?"
"I guess not," Lori said, "So long as they don't get it in their heads to start pranking us again."
"We make no promises," Ronnie Anne said playfully.
"Don't even think about it," both Lori and Bobby warned their siblings.
"Alright, alright, fine," Lincoln said, "we promise we won't cause any trouble. Can we go now?"
"Go ahead and head downstairs to Vanzilla," Lori instructed the two. "Bobby and I will be there in a minute, we've got some catching up to do."
"Good grief," Lincoln and Ronnie Anne muttered as they walked downstairs.
A little more than a half hour later, the four arrived at the convention center. To say that Lincoln and Ronnie Anne were excited would be an understatement, with the two making a couple jokes as they approached the entrance.
"Did you remember to bring the stash bag?" Ronnie Anne asked Lincoln.
"Oh crapbaskets, I forgot!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"Stash bag?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah," Ronnie Anne said, explaining "it's basically just a bag of hygiene products such as soap and deodorant."
"Why would you need that?" Bobby asked, to which Lincoln replied with "Have you ever been to one of these cosplay conventions?"
"Don't you think you're exaggerating just a little bit?" Lori asked, prompting Lincoln to remind her "Remember all the dudes who tried flirting with you at the Ace Savvy convention?"
"What‽" Bobby exclaimed while Lori asked "What about them?"
"I seem to recall you mentioning something about them smelling like Cliff's litter box," Lincoln reminded her.
"That was-," Lori tried to say before nodding her head in agreement and saying "Yeah, you're right, I can see why you'd need a stash bag."
"Hold on a minute," Bobby said, asking Lori "You're telling me that guys tried to flirt with you when you went to that convention‽"
"Yeah," Lori answered, "It was quite a handful to say the least."
"And you didn't tell me‽" Bobby asked.
"Bobby, you literally had nothing to worry about," Lori said, "practically all of those guys were creepy and nowhere near as great as you."
"So what do you say we do while we're here?" Ronnie Anne asked Lincoln.
"I dunno," Lincoln said, "I was hoping that we could maybe get our photo taken and play a couple of games."
"Co-op games or against each other?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Why do you ask?" Lincoln asked in response.
"Because if we play against each other, I don't want you getting upset when I beat you," Ronnie Anne explained.
"In your dreams," Lincoln replied.
"Careful, Linc," Ronnie Anne said, "you don't want me to upstage you like your sisters did…"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ronnie," Lincoln said, "maybe I'll be the one to upstage you."
"Yeah, right," Ronnie Anne scoffed, "and maybe I'll-," Ronnie Anne gasped when she saw something that caught her eye. "Lincoln, look!"
"What?" Lincoln asked.
"Look over there!" Ronnie Anne said, pointing to at a merchandise stand for Adios, Ana, Adios. "Look at the plushies they have! Oh my gosh, I just need one of those!"
As Ronnie Anne dragged Lincoln by his wrist and dragged him along, Lori called out to the two of them and shouted "You guys have fun! We'll be right here!"
"I remember there was a time when you said that you wouldn't be caught dead watching that cheesy soap," Lincoln reminded her with a teasing smirk.
"Things change, Lame-O," Ronnie Anne replied, "I didn't think I'd like the show, but it was sooo good, I swear!"
"That reminds me," Lincoln said, "You mentioned something about a telenovela about a mother who's a wrestler."
"Mi Madre es Luchadora?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Yeah, I think that's the one," Lincoln said, "how's that show?"
"It's actually really good," Ronnie Anne said, "one of the current storylines is that La Araña is engaged in a rivalry with her estranged cousin and it's pretty intriguing."
"Hmm, I might have to give it a shot," Lincoln said as the two approached the merchandise table.
"I'd definitely recommend it," Ronnie Anne said before taking a look at the plushies that were available. The set that caught her eye the most was one featuring both Ana Ronalda and her twin sister. "Oh my gosh, I need that set right there!" She was excited until she saw the price and her face dropped.
"What's wrong?" Lincoln asked.
"They're charging 50 for the set," Ronnie Anne replied, sounding deflated.
"It could be worse," Lincoln said, "I've seen Ace Savvy figures on sale at conventions for 200."
"I know, I know," Ronnie Anne said, still sounding disappointed.
"Hmm?" Lincoln said before pulling money out of his pocket and counting it up. Lincoln then placed the money on the table and grabbed the twin sister set. "It's a good thing I asked Mom and Dad for money before I came here."
"What are you doing?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"If you want those plushies so bad, you're getting them," Lincoln told her.
"Lincoln, are you sure you wanna do this?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"I already have," Lincoln said, grabbing the plushies off the table and handing them to Ronnie Anne.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ronnie Anne said, grabbing Lincoln and giving him a hug. Lincoln took advantage of this by blushing while Ronnie Anne couldn't see his face. "You didn't have to do that for me."
"But I wanted to," Lincoln said before teasing Ronnie Anne and saying "besides, I've gotta do something nice for you before I upstage you."
"Keep believing that," Ronnie Anne said, "although it's too bad that there's not an Ace Savvy Panel or merch stand…"
"Why do you say that?" Lincoln asked.
"It's just that," Ronnie Anne said, "you put so much effort into your costume and your favorite comic doesn't even have any representation here."
"Meh, I don't mind," Lincoln said with a shrug, "it just makes me look like one of a kind." Just as Lincoln said that, a group of cosplayers dressed as various Ace Savvy characters walked past the pair. "Aww man…"
"Don't worry, Lame-O," Ronnie Anne said, patting Lincoln on the back. "You're definitely still one of a kind."
"Thanks," Lincoln said, perking up slightly before noticing something that got him excited. "OH MY GOSH, LOOK!"
"What?! What?! What is it‽" Ronnie Anne asked, looking around before Lincoln pointed it out.
"Th-Th-That's…" Lincoln stammered, pointing around a nearby booth where a rather recognizable voice actor was sitting. "That's Kevin Conroy! He's the guy who voiced Ace Savvy in the 2008 animated series! For me, he is the default voice for Ace Savvy just like with Batman! Not to mention that he's just an all around iconic voice actor! I had no idea he'd even be here!"
Ronnie Anne chuckled and asked "Well the line to talk to him seems to be pretty short right now, why don't you ask for an autograph?"
"What‽" Lincoln replied. "I-I-I couldn't! What if he thinks I'm just some weird freaky nerd?"
"Dude, we're in the middle of a pop culture convention," Ronnie Anne pointed out, "I'm pretty sure Kevin's seen plenty of nerds today, some of them way nerdier than you. I don't think you have to worry about what he'll think about you."
"I don't know," Lincoln said, "I just don't think I can do it."
Ronnie Anne sighed and grabbed Lincoln by his hand, dragging him towards the back of the line.
"Come on," Ronnie Anne said, "you're getting that autograph and nothing is going to stop you." As she dragged Lincoln along, Ronnie Anne couldn't help but think "I know I'm going to have to eventually, but I seriously don't wanna let go of his hand."
Little did she know that Lincoln was thinking the same thing "Her hands are so warm, I can't believe it. This feels amazing!"
When the two reached the front of the line, Lincoln was still just as nervous about getting to meet someone he looked up to, so much so that he could barely speak when Kevin greeted them.
"Hi, how are you?" Kevin asked the two. "What can I do for you?"
"I-I-I-I-I-I-I…" Lincoln stammered, unable to get the words out of his mouth. Ronnie Anne groaned and explained the situation.
"This is my friend, Lincoln," Ronnie Anne explained, "he's a really big fan of yours and was hoping he could get your autograph. The only thing is that he's a little shy."
"Really?" Kevin asked, taking a look at Lincoln and smiling, telling Lincoln in his Ace Savvy voice "Well, Lincoln, I can tell that you're a fellow crusader of justice from the cowl that you wear. It would be a privilege for me to sign an autograph for a young superhero."
Lincoln's face lit up in an ear to ear smile as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was actually going to get an autograph from one of his favourite voice actors. The only thing keeping him from bouncing up and down was the fact that he was too starstruck to move, especially when Kevin followed up with a single request.
"Lincoln, if it's not too much trouble, could I borrow your mask for a moment?" Kevin asked.
"Y-Yeah, sure," Lincoln answered, handing Kevin his domino mask, "here you go"
Kevin proceeded to autograph Lincoln's mask, saying "To my number one Ace Savvy Fan and junior crimefighter, you make the world a safer place, signed, Kevin Conroy"
Kevin then handed Lincoln his mask back, who could only gasp in awe and pinch myself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He said, before asking "If it's not too much, do you think I could get a picture with you too?"
"Oh, that's no problem at all," Kevin assured him as Lincoln tossed Ronnie Anne his phone so that she could take the picture.
"Alright, smile you two," Ronnie Anne said as the two of the struck crime fighting poses before taking the picture.
"Thank you so much!" Lincoln said, to both Kevin and Ronnie Anne.
"Don't mention it," Kevin told him. "I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy the rest of the convention."
Lincoln was too caught up in the moment to object, instead saying "I'm sure we will!", before walking off.
This did not go unnoticed by Ronnie Anne, who was a bit puzzled by Lincoln's response. Normally, the boy would've said something to the effect of "She's not my girlfriend!", but there was none of that this time around. Did Lincoln really consider her to be his girlfriend or was he just enjoying himself too much to even take notice of what Conroy had said? For that matter, how did she feel about the whole thing? Just like Lincoln, in time's like this, Ronnie Anne would've refuted the notion that she and Lincoln were a thing, but she too had failed to correct the voice actor. Why was that? Maybe in the back of her mind, Ronnie Anne got the idea that Lincoln was her boyfriend. No, that couldn't have been it. Most likely, she was just happy to see Lincoln so happy and excited that the thought didn't even cross her mind.
"Okay, this is definitely going to be my new profile pic," Lincoln said as he took a look at the picture Ronnie Anne had taken.
Ronnie Anne giggled and asked "Has anyone ever told you that you look adorable when you're geeking out?"
"I look adorable all the time," Lincoln replied.
"You sure do," Ronnie Anne thought to herself…… except she didn't think it so much as said it out loud for Lincoln to hear.
"What was that?" Lincoln asked, prompting Ronnie Anne to mentally kick herself.
"Nothing," Ronnie Anne said, pushing Lincoln along before he could possibly pick up on her Freudian slip and saying "Hey, look over there!"
"What is it?" Lincoln asked.
"Remember how you said you forgot the stash bag?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Yeah?" Lincoln replied.
"Well, I don't think we have to worry about that," Ronnie Anne said, pointing to a man dressed in a bodysuit that was covered in deodorant and bottles of body wash. On his chest was a logo depicting soap and water and a picture of a nose that was obscure by a red no symbol. The man took a moment to stand triumphantly before moving on.
"Now there goes a real hero of the people," Lincoln joked, taking a second to laugh alongside Ronnie Anne.
"So what should we do now?" Ronnie Anne asked.
Lincoln noticed a cosplay competition going on nearby where amongst the dozens of cosplayers dressed as superheroes, sultry spies, anime waifus and husbandos, cartoon characters and everything in between. In addition to this however, were a group of cosplayers dressed as Ana Ronalda, and it just so happened that Ronnie Anne's cosplay was the best looking one among them all.
Wanting to encourage his friend, Lincoln pushed Ronnie Anne towards the contest, telling her "I think it's your time to shine."
"What are you up to, Lame-O?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Nothing, nothing," Lincoln insisted with a smirk, "just wanna make another memorable moment is all."
"Oh, look what we have here," One of the judges for the contest said upon noticing Ronnie Anne and Lincoln, "we have a pair of kids dressed like Ace Savvy and Ana Ronalda respectively. An odd couple, but you two honestly look cute together. Care to participate in the contest?"
"Oh no, I'm not looking to compete," Lincoln clarified, putting the focus on Ronnie Anne, "rather, I want my friend to be recognized for her own amazing cosplay."
"Lincoln, what are you doing?" Ronnie Anne whispered.
"I'm trying to help you out," Lincoln said, "What better way to have fun at a convention than by winning a contest?"
"Yes, but you know that I hate being the center of attention," Ronnie Anne reminded him.
"I know, but trust me," Lincoln said, "I'll be right by your side the whole time."
"Aww, that's so sweet," The judge said, "your girlfriend is lucky to have a boyfriend like you."
Once again, neither Lincoln or Ronnie Anne objected, but in this case, that was due to Ronnie Anne being too nervous to say anything and Lincoln trying to comfort her.
"I'm going to kill you for this," Ronnie Anne whispered to Lincoln.
"Don't worry," Lincoln tried assuring her, "everything will be fine, I promise. I mean, you're practically guaranteed to win this, you look just like Ana."
"That's not the-," Ronnie Anne tried to say before the judge spoke up.
"Alright, if the contestants are ready, I'm going to need all of you to stand over there," She said, pointing towards an elevated platform. One of her fellow judges then explained further.
"We will be deciding who is the winner based on the character you are cosplaying as, the accuracy of your costume, how much you resemble the character in question and any flare you may bring to the cosplay," he told the contestants.
"Finally, if you place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in this competition, you'll receive a special prize," the third judge told them, "however, no matter whether you win or lose, you're all winners in our eyes."
"What a copout," Ronnie Anne muttered to herself as she walked onto the platform.
A crowd starting forming around the competition and Ronnie Anne could feel her anxiety flaring up. It didn't help that many of the cosplayers were teenagers and young adults, with only two or three other kids also participating in the competition. Being one of the few kids served to make Ronnie Anne stand out even more than she would've liked. At the very least, she was grouped with the Adios, Ana, Adios cosplayers, giving her some degree of being able to blend into the background. Ronnie Anne honestly didn't care much about winning the contest and would've been content if the judges overlooked her and forgot that she was even there. Unfortunately, that was not the case as the judges immediately took notice of her striking resemblance to Ana Ronalda and conducted a short interview with her.
"I've seen a lot of good cosplays in my day," the male judge said, "but I've come across very few where the cosplayer looks like an exact copy of the character they're dressed as."
"Tell us, what inspired you to dress as Ana from Adios, Ana, Adios?" The third judge asked her, holding a microphone in Ronnie Anne's face.
"Umm… I… you see…" Ronnie Anne stammered, trying to find her voice.
It was easy to see that she was super nervous. Internally, Ronnie Anne was on the verge of hyperventilating and full on freaking out… until she caught sight of Lincoln in the crowd, clapping supportively and giving her a huge smile as well as two thumbs up. Even though Lincoln was the reason she was in this predicament in the first place, seeing him cheering her on gave her some sense of ease. Taking a deep breath, Ronnie Anne calmed down and did her best to answer the judge's question.
"Well, I got the idea a few months ago when I first started watching the show in secret," Ronnie Anne explained, "there was just something about Ana that I identified with, but I couldn't just come out and tell my family, since I'd previously told them that I wouldn't be caught dead watching the show. I kept watching the show and became more engrossed by Ana's character. Eventually, my family found out about my secret, but by then I had fallen in love with her. When I found out that I'd be attending PopCon, I just knew that I had to dress as her."
"Aww, that's great," the first judge complimented her, "well, I'm glad that you decided to cosplay as her because you are killing it!"
With that, the judges walked away, allowing Ronnie Anne to breathe a sigh of relief. Looking out at the crowd once again, she saw Lincoln flashing a dorky grin and again giving her two thumbs up. There was something about that Lame-O that just seemed to make her feel more comfortable being herself. There was also something about him that made what would normally be uncomfortable situations for her much more tolerable; tolerable to the point where she could zone out from the world around her as a whole, as she was doing now. Ronnie Anne completely forgot about the judges, the contest, and the convention as a whole as she suddenly couldn't get Lincoln out of her head. Perhaps dressing as Ace Savvy had been more appropriate than she initially thought. Lincoln definitely qualified as a hero in her eyes. Maybe more of a Spider-Man than a Superman, but he was definitely reliable and someone she could go to when she needed. Ronnie Anne was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize what was going on until she heard Lincoln calling her name.
"Ronnie Anne! Ronnie Anne!" Lincoln shouted.
"Huh?" Ronnie Anne asked, coming to as Lincoln hugged her.
"Didn't you hear what they said?" Lincoln asked her, "You won, you came in first place!"
"What? I did?" Ronnie Anne asked before glancing down and noticing a gold medal around her neck.
"You certainly did," the first judge told her, "And that shiny medal isn't the only thing you're going home with. You'll also be receiving a 250 dollar gift card and two concert tickets to a musical performance of your choosing."
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I actually won!" Ronnie Anne exclaimed.
"Well, how couldn't you win with a costume that authentic," the third judge said, "I'm sure that you and your boyfriend will be happy to attend that concert prize!"
Ronnie Anne opened her mouth to object when Lincoln hugged her tightly once again.
"Congratulations on your win!" He told her.
Blushing while he couldn't see it, Ronnie Anne replied "Well I wouldn't have won if you hadn't entered me in the contest. So as far as I'm concerned, this is your win just as much as it is mine."
"And to think, you were so scared about getting involved," Lincoln laughed.
"That's right, I was," Ronnie Anne said, smirking evilly before she hugged Lincoln even tighter.
"Um… Ronnie Anne?" Lincoln gasped. "You're kinda crushing me."
"Remember when I said I was gonna kill you for that?" Ronnie Anne reminded him. "What better way to do that than by killing you with kindness?"
"Oh come on," Lincoln gasped, "you won a huge prize so no harm, no foul, right?"
"I guess you have a point," Ronnie Anne said, letting go of Lincoln and telling him "but please, don't ever volunteer me for something like that ever again."
"You have my word," Lincoln promised with a laugh.
The two of them did a bit more exploring and had some more fun before finally deciding to wrap up for the day. Having had their fun, they went back to where Lori and Bobby said that they would be.
"You kids done for the day?" Lori asked.
"Yep!" Lincoln and Ronnie Anne replied.
"Looks like you guys came out with a few prizes too," Bobby observed with Lori asking "So I guess it's safe to say that you two had a great time, huh?"
"You have no idea," Lincoln said, "I got an autograph from Kevin Conroy and got to show off my sick costume!"
"Yeah, and I won a cosplay contest while Lincoln bought me these two plushies," Ronnie Anne said, showing off her set of plushies.
"Oh, he did?" Lori asked, shooting Lincoln a playful smirk.
"Yeah!" Ronnie Anne exclaimed excitedly. "I still can't believe he did that for me!"
"Why wouldn't I do that for you?" Lincoln replied before puffing out his chest. "It was all part of my hero's duty!"
"Oh brother," Lori and Ronnie Anne said, rolling their eyes.
"We should probably get going," Bobby recommended, "there's going to be a lot of traffic coming out of this place and I don't wanna be late for Abeula's dinner."
"I don't blame you," Lincoln said, "her food really is one of a kind."
"Well, it's not just that," Bobby said, explaining "Abeula is really strict about being on time for dinner… like really strict."
"Is it really that bad?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes," Ronnie Anne answered, "I can confirm that she's really attentive when it comes to making sure everyone's on time."
"In that case, let's not waste any more time," Lori said, holding the keys to Vanzilla, "I don't want the two of you to get in trouble."
"It'll be fine," Bobby insisted, "She'll understand… I hope."
The four of them got into Vanzilla and began driving back to the Casagrandes residence. On the way there, both Bobby and Lincoln fell asleep, leaving Lori and Ronnie Anne to have a talk.
"So tell me, Ronnie Anne," Lori said, "What exactly did you and Lincoln get into?"
"Nothing much," Ronnie Anne said, her mind wandering slightly, "I'm still surprised the Lame-O bought me those plushies. I know he said it was about being a hero, but I can't think of any real good reason why he'd do that for me."
"Really?" Lori asked with a smirk. "You can't think of any good reason whatsoever?"
"Can you?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"You don't think there's a chance that maybe my brother likes you?" Lori asked.
"Yeah, right," Ronnie Anne scoffed with a laugh. "There's no way he likes me like that."
"Keep thinking that," Lori told her.
"Hmm?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Lincoln might not be willing to show it," Lori said, "but I know for a fact that he thinks of you as more than just a friend."
"Yeah, he probably thinks of me as a nuisance," Ronnie Anne joked, laughing nervously when she got no response.
"He definitely doesn't see you as a nuisance," Lori assured her, "I mean, you should've seen how excited he was on the way here today."
"How excited are we talking?" Ronnie Anne asked, a bit curious.
"Like, he literally couldn't stop talking about how much he was looking forward to hanging out with you," Lori explained, "he was almost bouncing out of his seat while we were driving."
"Was he really that excited about seeing little ole me?" Ronnie Anne asked, starting to blush.
"I know this might be hard to believe, but my brother really likes you," Lori told her, before noticing Ronnie Anne's red face, "and if I had to guess, you really like him too…"
"What‽ No way!" Ronnie Anne denied. "How could I like a lame-o like him‽"
"Ronnie Anne, it's just you and me," Lori reminded her, "you don't have to keep it a secret."
After a few moments of silence, Ronnie Anne mumbles "Okay, maybe I like him just a little."
Lori giggled and said "No offense, but it's kind of obvious…"
"Really?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"You and Lincoln aren't really the best at hiding it," Lori explained, "despite your best attempts at hiding your feelings."
"Hmm, maybe that's why practically everyone called us boyfriend and girlfriend today," Ronnie Anne quipped.
"They did?" Lori asked. "What did you guys say?"
"Nothing," Ronnie Anne said.
"Really?" Lori asked. "You didn't say anything?"
"Nope," Ronnie Anne replied.
"Usually when anyone says something about you two being a couple, Lincoln just says "She's not my girlfriend!"" Lori explained.
"Yeah, and I usually say the same thing about Lincoln," Ronnie Anne said.
"So why didn't you say anything this time?" Lori asked. "What made this time different?"
"I don't know," Ronnie Anne shrugged, "I guess we were just so caught up in having a good time that we didn't bother."
"Riiiight," Lori said with a knowing smile.
Lori pulled up to the Casagrandes' home shortly afterwards and the girls quickly proceeded to wake up the guys before heading up the stairs. Their time together was drawing to a close and it was time for the four of them to say their goodbyes.
"I had a great time seeing you," Bobby told Lori.
"So did I," Lori replied, with Bobby asking "When do you think we'll be able to see each other again?"
"I don't know," Lori said, "but hopefully it won't be too long."
"Until that day comes," Bobby said before giving Lori a quick kiss.
"Oh, you're so sweet!" Lori exclaimed excitedly before turning to leave. "I'll text you as soon as I'm back home!"
"Tell everyone I'll be there in a second," Ronnie Anne said to Bobby, "I wanna talk to Lincoln for a minute…"
"Oh, riiiiight, I getcha," Bobby said, nodding his head before heading back into the apartment and closing the door, and out of the corner of her eye, Ronnie Anne could see Lori winking at her as she descended down the stairs.
Once the two of them were alone, Lincoln asked "What do you wanna talk to me about?"
"Nothing major," Ronnie Anne answered, "I just wanted to thank you for making today great."
"You're welcome," Lincoln said, "you really made my day great too."
The two looked away from each other for a moment as they simultaneously blushed, only speaking again once they gained their composure.
"You know, we should really do this kind of thing more often," Lincoln said.
"Well, I did win two tickets to a concert," Ronnie Anne reminded him. "Maybe the two of us can go together."
"I figured you would take Sid to a Twelve is Midnight concert," Lincoln said.
"Maybe," Ronnie Anne said, "but they rarely tour the US and the concert tickets expire in a year so if you're up for it, perhaps we could go to a SMOOCH concert together?"
"I'd honestly love that," Lincoln said before shrugging and saying, "although to be honest, I'd be happy to do anything with you."
"Is that so?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Yeah," Lincoln answered, "it seems like every time we get together, we have a blast."
"You're right about that," Ronnie Anne agreed before asking "So hey, why did you buy me those plushies? I'm actually curious."
"Well, you are one of my closest friends," Lincoln explained, "and you did say that you needed those plushies more than anything."
"But you still didn't have to do that for me," Ronnie Anne pointed out.
"I didn't have to," Lincoln said with a nonchalant shrug before shooting Ronnie Anne a coy smile, "but I wanted to. Why, you mask ask… because seeing my friends happy always makes me happy."
"Is that so?" Ronnie Anne asked, returning Lincoln's coy smile. "Are you sure that there's nothing more to it than that?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lincoln replied, still smirking with his arm crossed.
"Alright," Ronnie Anne said, "well then I guess you won't mind if I do this…" Ronnie Anne then planted a quick kiss on Lincoln's lips and giggled as the boy blushed bright red with a stunned expression on his face.
"Why did you…?" Lincoln started to ask.
"Because," Ronnie Anne said, "just like you, seeing my friend happy makes me happy. Consider it a gift from me to you." Ronnie Anne then winked and waved at Lincoln, telling him "Until next time, Lame-O"
Although still flustered, Lincoln recovered enough to say "I look forward to seeing you again!"
"So do I," Ronnie Anne said before heading inside and closing the door behind her.
As he descended down the stairs to return to Royal Woods, Lincoln couldn't help but think to himself "Maybe she really does like me more than I thought."
The thought alone made Lincoln smile as he climbed into Vanzilla, where Lori gave him a knowing smile and reassuring pat on the back.
END