The afternoon sun beat down as Mei and Hana walked out of the tech store, the bulky printer box nestled in Mei's arms. She could feel her pulse in her fingertips, both from the weight and from the realization that she had just made one of the biggest purchases of her life.
Hana was practically glowing with pride. "You're going to thank me later. That machine is going to change your cosplay game forever."
Mei laughed softly, still unsure. "Or it's going to sit in my apartment, mocking me."
Before Hana could reply, Mei's eyes caught a colorful poster taped to the window of the toy shop right next to the tech store. Her steps slowed. The poster displayed a bold headline in red and gold letters:
"NEW MARVEL ACTION FIGURES – LIMITED EDITION – AVAILABLE NOW!"
Mei froze, staring at the image of the new line of sleek figures—heroes and villains alike, perfectly sculpted.
"Oh no," Hana muttered, noticing her expression. "I know that look."
Mei turned toward her, her eyes gleaming. "Hana… I need them."
"You just bought a 3D printer," Hana reminded her. "Your wallet needs a break."
"But it's Marvel," Mei insisted, already stepping toward the toy shop. "They'll sell out by next week! I'll just look. Just look."
Hana groaned, but followed anyway.
Inside, the store buzzed with kids dragging their parents and collectors scanning shelves with serious eyes. Mei spotted the new figures almost immediately, lined neatly on a display stand: Iron Man in his latest suit, Captain Marvel mid-flight, a brooding Doctor Strange, and a menacing Thanos holding a removable gauntlet.
Her hands twitched. She picked up the Captain Marvel box, turning it over in awe. The detailing was immaculate.
Hana crossed her arms. "You're going to cave, aren't you?"
Mei hugged the box against her chest, smiling sheepishly. "Maybe just one."
Minutes later, she left the store with a small bag swinging from her wrist, her grin undeniable. Hana shook her head but couldn't help laughing. "Cosplay, action figures, a 3D printer—you're becoming the ultimate nerd."
"Thanks," Mei said proudly.
---
That evening, Mei finally lugged the 3D printer box into her apartment. She placed the new action figure on her shelf, where it stood tall beside the rest of her collection, then turned her attention to the real challenge.
The printer.
She opened the box cautiously, pulling out the parts. Wires, nozzles, spools of plastic filament—it looked more complicated than she had expected.
"Okay, Mei," she muttered to herself. "You survived spreadsheets at work. You can survive this."
The setup manual was thick, filled with diagrams that seemed to speak their own alien language. After several false starts—attaching one part upside down, plugging the power cord into the wrong socket—she managed to piece it together. The printer now sat on her desk, humming softly like it was waiting for her command.
Her heart thumped. This was it.
She loaded the filament clumsily, fumbling as the spool slipped from her fingers and rolled across the floor. After retrieving it, she tried again, this time more carefully. Finally, she pulled up the beginner tutorial she had bookmarked and selected a simple test print: a small keychain in the shape of a star.
The nozzle heated, the platform shifted, and then—plastic began to flow. Thin, glistening lines layered themselves, little by little, forming something solid.
Mei leaned closer, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's… working."
For a few minutes, she was completely entranced. But then, the nozzle clogged. The star warped into a lopsided blob, hardening unevenly.
Mei groaned, dropping her forehead onto the desk. "I broke it already."
After a long pause, she lifted her head, determination shining in her eyes. "No. I'm not giving up. Lady Veyra deserves better than a blob."
She restarted the process, this time paying closer attention to the instructions. Adjusting the platform level, cleaning the nozzle, carefully reloading the filament—every small step felt like progress.
When the star finally printed successfully, she held it in her palm, warm and light, but priceless.
Mei smiled, her earlier frustration melting away.
She glanced at the shelf where Captain Marvel stood, fists clenched mid-flight, and whispered, "Guess I'm a hero-in-training too."
The journey had just begun, but for the first time, Mei truly believed she could see it through.