The convention center pulsed with life. The air smelled of popcorn and energy drinks, filled with the hum of chatter, laughter, and the occasional squeal when someone spotted their favorite character.
Mei clutched her staff tightly as she stepped inside, Hana right beside her. Her boots clicked against the polished floor, her cape trailing behind like a dark shadow. Every step felt like stepping into another world.
At first, the stares made her chest tighten. People looked—really looked. Some pointed, some whispered. Mei's throat went dry. Was it admiration? Or were they silently judging?
Then, a voice cut through the crowd.
"Lady Veyra!"
Mei turned. A young cosplayer in a flowing mage costume was beaming at her, eyes wide. "Your cosplay is amazing! Can I get a picture with you?"
For a heartbeat, Mei froze. Then slowly, she nodded.
The mage handed their phone to Hana, who snapped the shot. Mei lifted her staff, striking a pose she had practiced in her mirror a hundred times. The mage giggled with joy, thanking her over and over.
When they walked away, Hana grinned. "See? You're already a star."
---
As the day went on, it happened again and again. A group of knights bowed dramatically as they passed her. Two girls dressed as magical heroines asked about her 3D-printed choker. A photographer stopped her for a full photoshoot by the fountain.
Each encounter chipped away at the walls of doubt Mei had built around herself.
By the afternoon, she wasn't just surviving the convention—she was thriving.
---
The most emotional moment came when she stumbled upon a small gathering of cosplayers sitting in a circle, trading snacks and fixing each other's costumes with emergency sewing kits.
"Need a break?" one of them asked, scooting over to make space.
Mei hesitated, then sat. She introduced herself, shy at first, but soon the conversation flowed—stories of late-night sewing disasters, glue burns, wig tangles, and the triumph of finishing in time.
For the first time, Mei realized she wasn't alone. Every cosplayer here had been where she was—exhausted, anxious, uncertain. And yet, here they all were, celebrating each other.
Her chest tightened with warmth. She wasn't just Mei the office worker anymore. She wasn't even just Lady Veyra. She was part of something bigger.
A community. A family.
---
Later, as she and Hana left the building under the fading sunset, Mei's cape fluttered in the wind. She held her staff close, her heart light.
"This…" she whispered, smiling at the memory of every laugh, every compliment, every photo taken. "This is what I've been chasing."
Hana nudged her playfully. "So? Was it worth all the late nights?"
Mei laughed, tears stinging her eyes. "Every single stitch."
And in that moment, she knew—this was only the beginning.