Nerds in Paradise

There are people everywhere!

Rows of people stretch all the way down the side of the 'Airport Road Convention Center' or ARC, waiting to be let in to get their badges (the same badge were just about to have to line up for, gulp). The entire area was packed with people waiting in the bright morning sun. Teens strolled with friends, others met up with people who they only ever saw once a year. The air was thick with excitement, laughter, and good natured fun.

"Welcome to hell," Bridget mumbles.</P>

I can see why she would say that. So far I have seen three assertive fangirls fight over the sexuality of their favourite character (I am SO not a yaoi* girl), five fake fights, and so many aggressive displays of affection, or glompings*, that I had lost count. Tako Con may be heaven for nerds but it could be hell for a 'normal person'.

"Is it always this crazy?" asks Lacey as she clicks away with her cheapy camera.

Bridget laughs and begins to move with the crowd. "This is nothing," she says, ducking as a Cloud* cosplayer moves his huge sword. "Friday is actually a quiet day!"

Lacey and I exchange awkward looks before following after Bridget. We don't get far though before we hear 'Roxas! Roxas' being yelled from behind us.

Turning around I see two preteen girls running up behind us. I'm guessing it's their first con to from their 'kid in a candy store' expressions and the way the one girl is clutching her disposable camera.

"I think their talking to you," Lacey comments as we all stop.

"Can we get your picture?" the one with the camera blurts.

"Please, please, PLEASE!" the other begged.

I look quickly at Bridget who appears to be ignoring us before turning back to the girls. "Uh, sure."

They squeal, I pose and ta dah my first con photo! But get this! Before I can thank them and be on my merry way another girl comes over and asks for a photo! Well you could just knock me over with a feather! Two photos in, like, one minute!

"Thank you!" all three girls chorus before they run off and I turn back to my friends only to discover that Lacey is taking some photos of her own and Bridget, well Bridget is making a face like a bulldog eating a wasp.

"We better get going if you don't wanna wait in line for hours," she says icily as she continues heading for the door but not before one last jab. "Oh by the way, your pose was really weak. You may want to work on that."

I fall silent and follow Bridget like a lamb headed for the slaughter. Though I'm really happy that I got my picture taken I have to admit that Bridget's reaction kinda took me off guard. I would have thought that she would have been happy for me, but I guess not. Wait a minutes! What am I saying here! Bridget is my friend! There is no way she would be jealous just because I got my picture taken before her! Would she?

As I ponder this thought Lacey re-joins us.

"Did you see that Cloud cosplayer?! Man his sword was-"she stops, obviously noticing my solemn expression. "What's up Rika?"

I look at her. I have to ask. "Hey Lacey do you think that-" before I  can ask her though she's off again, snapping pictures of the line we are now in.

"This is our line," Bridget says, her cheerful voice completely back. "Since we pre-registered we get to wait in this line. It usually takes less long which is good because we also have to wait in the weapons registration line."

"Weapons registration?" I ask curiously.

She nods. "Yeah if you don't get your key blade registered then you won't be allowed to carry it around!"

"Well at least we don't have anywhere we need to be," I say as the line inches along.

Before she responds were already inside and I'm mesmerized by the sight of the convention center. There was a huge L-shaped line of people, many in bright and detailed costumes. I stared, not daring to blink, desperately trying to memories everything I could see so that I wouldn't forget a moment of what I was feeling right now- pure excitement. There were two separate lines separated by dividers, both were completely engulfed by the sea of people. Behind the registration desk was another line, probably weapon registration then rows upon rows of tables with people selling art.

As the line continues to crawl forward my friends and I all begin amusing ourselves in our own way. Bridget is admiring various Asian guys and checking her watch periodically. Lacey is taking picture after picture and I'm left to watch people. A few people were in jeans and t-shirts, like Lacey, but they were the minority. I could see some loiltas*, grouped together, seemingly ignoring the brightly colored cosplayers who were without a doubt, the majority. A red dinosaur like creature is being led into the area selling artwork by a girl in jeans. The dinosaur thing was pretty easy to recognize, it was Gillmon* from the series 'Digimon*' (I didn't even know someone could make a costume like that).

"Those things are so creepy," Bridget mumbles (she is also watching the Gillmon). "Quadsuits* are so creepy!"

"It looks really well made," I say.

"Doesn't matter. You never know whose inside of one of those things. What if inside of that thing theres a total creep!"

I really can't think of anything to say to that but memo to me, NEVER mention quad suits to Bridget.

"Well that wasn't too bad," sighs Bridget. "It could have been a lot worse." Even though she is telling the truth, the line wasn't that bad, her tone isn't too happy as we are now standing in the weapons registration line.

Lacey looks much more positive. She took SO many pictures while waiting in line and is obviously feeling quite happy about this fact.

"Can I get you to fill this out," one of the weapon register guys says, handing me a form and a clipboard.

"Sure," I answer taking the sheet and looking at the form. It says 'Name' (Erika grant), 'Name of character and Series' (Roxas Kingdom Hearts II), 'Item description' (uh it's a giant key), 'What it is made of' (wood duh) and signature. "Here you go."

"Thank you," the guy says before taking out a camera. "Now I just need a picture of the weapon."

I  nod again and he snaps a picture before heading back up to the desk. I have to admit that the picture has me thinking about my earlier picture. Which has made me think about Bridget…I wonder if she really was jealous of me, which I really don't get seeing

how it was just two pictures, nothing major like a whole group of people or anything.

"Helloooo Erika!" says Bridget, derailing my train of thought. "Were at the desk!"

I shake my head quickly and step up to the desk.

"You were on screensaver there Roxas," the guy at the desk laughs. "Can I have your keyblade?"

"Sorry about that," I say. "Here you go."

"This looks pretty sweet." he says. "Hand carved out of a light weight wood…Hand cut metal crown , hand painted too. I've got to say this is one of the best Oblivion key blade* I've seen in a while. We get a lot of paper mache or store bought plastic ones. Made it yourself?"

"Not me. My dad made it, I suck with power tools," I answer, feeling pleased as punch with his compliments (memo to me, tell dad about them).

"Well give him my compliments. This is brilliant." he says, quickly showing the key blade to his co-worker.

"I will."

He brings out a box full of weird little taggy thingies and begins sorting through them.

"Is there any colour you want in particular?" he asks. "I know that a lot of cosplayers get all pissy if I put the 'wrong' colour tag on them." I shake my head but I can see why this would be a problem for them.

He fiddles some more before coming up with a dark blue tag. "Ah here we go. This is will match actually really well. Remember though, to get into the Dealers Room* you need to show the gaurds the tag to prove that it has been approved."

"Okay thank you." He gives me back my key blade and we leave the area with me feeling very pleased with myself and smiling like the cat that got the canary.

"Well that's that done," Bridget sighs, checking her watch. "Just in time, I have to get going."

"What!" I sqwauk. "Where are you going?"

Bridget smiles smugly and hands me a ticket. "My dinner with the voice actors, duh!"

Oh right. THAT. I had completely forgotten about THAT which is pretty surprising considering she hasn't shut up about it since she got the ticket. Technically she wasn't invited per say. She actually won the tickets online, along with twenty other people. But wait a minutes, does that mean she's leaving Lacey and me all by ourselves?! We don't even know where anything is!

Lacey is the one who expresses my worries though. "Your leaving us all alone?!"

Bridget sighs dramatically. "Don't be such babies! The Artist Alley* is right there and the Dealers Room is over there and I'm sure you can find something to eat!"

With that she hands us her key for the hotel room and is off. LEAVING us completely alone!

Oh brilliant.

　

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