(Ella's POV)
I sighed. "This is the most BORING class EVER!"
"Totally," the kid sitting next to me agreed. "I can't wait until this guy stops running his mouth!"
"Alright class, make sure to hand me your exit tickets on the way out!" The class was set in motion as all the students rushed to leave. I grabbed my stuff and left, escaping the classroom to the fresh air that awaited me outside.
My name is Ella. No, it is not short for anything. At school I am known as Ella Evans, a smartass geek and a full time otaku. My BFF is Janett Frasier, a girl I met when she moved in next door. I introduced her to anime and manga and she was as big an otaku as me before I could say 'creepy cosplayers'. I do have "normal" friends too, ones who have no clue what the word 'otaku' means and think that mangas are comic books I read all the time (I have no clue how I put up with them...), but my real friends (besides Janett) are a bunch of people I met at a local cosplay convention who just so happen to go to my school. They are a funky group, but I love 'em, they remind me of my real home. As I walked toward the big room that is our cafeteria, I paused, thinking about home.
To explain to you where I come from, I have to tell you about something that shouldn't even be possible. Yet here I am.
I am an accident. No, literally, I am the product of when a group of mangakas get drunk and draw random things. Atushi Okubo made me, put me in an unpublished volume and forgot me.
You might be questioning my sanity right now, but I can tell you, I am completely sober. Mostly because I can't legally drink yet...
Why am I here? Why am I in the "real world"? Because Soul and I had a fight over a year ago (like our first big fight) and things were said, so I left. I think that we both regret it, I know I do, but I don't want to go back if he hates me now.
"'Sup Ella?" I heard behind me as my friend Derrick came bounding up.
"Nothing much, you?" I responded, it wasn't exactly a lie...
"I'm excited, I just got the wig I'm gonna use to do my Gajeel cosplay!" I remember last year, after Anime Boston, his last wig disappeared.
"I'm so happy for you, especially with the Halloween convention coming up!" There is an annual Halloween cosplay convention in a town about a half an hour away from here that we are going tip this year, we are doing a group Fairy Tail cosplay that I am really excited about.
"Yeah, I'm really relieved. Anyways, hurry up! Everyone's waiting for you, they're excited to see their costumes!" He informed me, pulling me towards the cafeteria.
I laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm coming." We burst through the door and hurriedly made our way to the rest of our group. They greeted us and immediately asked about their costumes.
When we first started cosplaying together I volunteered to make all the costumes. I've always liked making costuems, and they've always turned out amazing, so everyone was ok with it. They help me get the materials I need and I add my own special touches based on my knowledge of each character. I've also made everyone go to some different classes too, so we are all good at applying things like fake scars, facial hair, eye makeup, fake blood, and some other stuff as needed. Because of all this, I'm super excited for this cosplay, it is the most complex one we've done so far (it's the first one where everyone can go), and we are going to have so much fun!
"Okay, okay. I've got the pictures right here!" I said, pulling out my phone.
I guess I should tell you who is going to be who. My friend Brittany is going as Lucy Heartfilia, Ethan is going as Natsu Dragneel, Jack is going to be Happy, Jonah's gonna be Gray Fullbuster, Jonah's sister Evelyn is going to be Juvia Lockser, Erza Scarlet is being played by my friend Alyssa, Janett and I are being Carla and Wendy, Mary is playing Cana Alberona, Liz is playing Mirajane Strauss, and Alex is playing Rogue Cheney.
"This looks so cool!" Jack practically yelled. Definitely a good Happy ^.^ .
"I'm glad you like it!" I told him. "I have all the wigs ready, and I preordered everything makeup wise, so they should be arriving in the next few days."
"I'm so happy that we are all going this time!" Janett said.
"Yeah, it's way more fun when we're all together!" Mary agreed.
I laughed. "I wonder how many people will give us strange looks this time..." The last time we went to the movies together people were looking at us like we were aliens. Of course, some of us had forgotten to leave our perverted natures at home and were pointing out every 'wrong' thing we saw, causing the others to snicker loudly.
Derrick suddenly got this mischievous gleam in his eyes before asking me loudly "Did you get my 'perfuume' yet?" We all snickered.
"Anyways," I said. "We need to get together to work on our skit! I think that we should do it at my house so you can try on your costumes." They nodded in agreement.
"I have a volleyball game on Friday, and most of you have drama club after school, so why don't we do it on Saturday?" Janett put in.
"That should work," Brittany said. "Any conflicts?" It turns out that Saturday was a good day for all of us, so we picked a time and resumed eating. Nothing to do now but wait.
Soul's POV)
I sighed as I started dejectedly at the far wall of our classroom, completely ignoring Stein. It has been a little over a year since she left. I was able to get my mind off of her for a while, what with fighting Medusa, Arachne, the Kishin, and the rest, but now it's all coming back.
I keep dreaming about her, how happy we were. We were one and the same, her being my other half. I'm not in love with her, of course not! She's my twin though, and I love her dearly.
"You ok?" Maka, my best friend and meister, asked me.
"Yeah, just thinking 'bout Ella... I really miss her."
"I know, we all do. She was my best friend."
"She was pretty cool." Maka chuckled.
"That she was..." We lapsed into silence, both of our thoughts lingering on fond memories.
"We have to get her back, I don't know how much longer I can live like this..."
"Yeah, I agree. We need her back."
"She's making me act so uncool..." we both chuckled sadly.
When Stein finished his lecture we headed into the woods to meet the others at the designated spot we had previously decided on. Kid, Liz, and Patty were already there, we were just waiting for Black*Star and Tsubaki.
We were momentarily stunned when Black*Star stepped into the clearing, for once he didn't yell, whoop, or loudly announce his presence. He just walked up as if, through all his dense-ness, he understood the seriousness that was needed at that moment.
We stood, silently waiting for someone to speak. Patty finally did the honors.
"Why are we standing around here? Don't we need to find El-chan?"
"Patty! Don't be so insensitive! We finally found a way to get to where Ella is, so don't ruin the moment!" Liz chided her sister.
"You did?" Tsubaki asked, looking relieved and happy when she got a nod of affirmation from Kid. Maka and Black*Star also mirrored her expression when they comprehended the news.
"I'm so glad!" Maka said, her face lighting up. She then turned to me, "We'll to see Ella soon Soul!"
It took a minute for the information to settle in my mind. "We're gonna see Ella again?" I asked, sounding a bit like Crona. When Maka nodded happily I smiled, my first real smile in a long time, tears forming in my eyes and dripping down my cheeks.
"Damn," I whispered. "When did I get so sappy?" I chuckled, hiccuping because of my crying. I know that no one blames me for Ella's disappearance, but I blame me. What we fought over wasn't even something important, but I said something that I didn't mean and have been living with the consequences. We are finally going to get her back, I just hope that she doesn't hate me...