But why is it Weeabo and not Jeeabo [Mingle]

[ourearth]

Date: 15-18 August 2019
Characters:OPEN
Note: Like all welcome mingles, this is a SoL free-for-all mingle meant to get new characters involved by centering around something relevant to them. Without further ado, please welcome Yua Kirino!

---

Denkifest, a biannual anime con taking over half the Mossgate university's campus, is happening. It's one of the oldest cons in Britain and has extensive lore - the first year it happened, there was a severe powercut that left the con without electricity for almost a day, and as a result it was renamed Denkicon the next year, including a reimagining of the mascots that are now a grumpy female thunder god and a hyper male lightening god. There is a minute of silence to appease the gods of electricity in every opening ceremony, where all lights in the room are switched off and 'denki-kami' is being chanted. People love to bring thunder/lightning/electricity related cosplays.

The con opens its gates on Thursday afternoon, though events don't start until Friday and the dealer's room and bring and buy don't open before Friday noon, either. The closing ceremony is Sunday noon and the cosplay ball Sunday night. Most attendees stay in the student dorms on campus, though there's always more than those can hold so some stay in the town. It's a perfectly normal con.

And if there's incredibly lifelike Capsmon characters hopping around the area and hiding when you try and get to close? Well, surely those are just really good animatronics or something. They seem to hover for a moment longer if people have their phone in hand when they approach, but they still don't want anyone to get too close. Strangely enough nobody seems to want to take credit for them, but all in all there's nothing strange here for an anime con.

Because of the university campus's location, people from the con love to wander down into the town in their off time, and many townspeople wander into the campus to see all the cosplayers hanging around, visit the open-to-the-public dealer's room, and eat at the Japanese food market that pops up on the central outside square, powered by various companies, charities, student organizations and private people from the wider area bringing in stalls. There's bubble tea, Japanese cake and taiyaki, there's takoyaki and ramen, and so on.

Comments

OTA for Walter!

[iamnotgod]

As exciting as the convention life is, Walter has never been a big fan of the crowds. Thanks to Pride, he's even somewhat wary of what Mr. Evil or his fellow aliens could have added to this celebration.

Still, being an IT Contractor in a place where the draw can be as much about how the fandom is presented (i.e., the tech) as it is the fandom itself, he does have his reasons for stopping by, checking out the booths, arranging to help out for behind-the-scenes tricks...

And, apparently, stumbling upon Capsmon at odd moments. Maybe they can register that his glasses are themselves cameras.

If it turns into a photo op, though, he's running.

[saveournpcs]

The Capsmons look just the same to regular eyes as they look to cameras. And they always hide out of sight of any camera on campus - behind a bush no camera can look behind, under a table or stall, and so on.

all weekend

[channingchanningchanning]

Chad has been here before. It's always a good place for a cute dog, because there's food stalls which means that people will feed a good dog interesting things. It's also a place where a lot of people have lots of time, which translates to lots of admiration and scritches.

He's also never been in a place outside of a dog show where so many people want to take pictures of and with him.

All in all, it's a good place to be.

But this year, he's here alone for the first time.

And he's around all the con pretty much the whole weekend. Nobody seems to stop a friendly, well-behaved dog. He only gets in trouble when exciting things happen and he just HAS to alert people to this and bark.

So he hangs around for food and scritches and pictures and all the other things he can find.

And he does, of course, try to catch the weird looking and smelling animals (?) that keep popping up around campus but continuously evade his capture. No matter how quietly he approaches, even if he tries to stay hidden.

This time, he's gotten especially close to a thing that looks like a giant orange... mix between a rat and a platypus, and now gets up from his hiding spot and launches into a run towards it - and the thing takes a giant jump and vanishes behind a tree, and when he reaches the tree, it is gone.

He barks at the tree angrily, shouting in dog about the unfairness, GET OUT OF THERE!!!!!!!!!!

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie catches the intense barking session as she heads to some of the outdoor seating to have a snack, there is only one dog that could make that much noise.

"Chad," Sadie sighs and hefts the pomeranian up, her ears folded back to protect them from the sheer volume of the small dog, "What on earth are you doing?"

[catted]

One of the many people who come to have a snack and maybe snap a picture of their kidlets with some well-known character's cosplayer is Mary Ann.

Which is why on Saturday she can be found on the steps of some stairs near the food stalls, a tray with takoyaki on her lap, watching her youngest child run around and sometimes come back with the sighting of someone, along the lines of I SAW MAUI!, showing off pictures and then running off again.

A cat is sitting on her shoulder, and about a fourth of every ball of food goes to the feline. The cat looks up if someone sits down nearby and yawns at them. If Mary Ann knows them or they seem to be up for a chat, she'll address them: "Have you seen the little comic characters running around?"

[iamnotgod]

"Yes, though never for long."

Even by his standards.

"They're awfully skittish - which, considering they're supposedly fictional, makes as much sense as anything else about them."

That cat is offered pats, though Walter has no food to offer if it's looking for an extra snack.

[catted]

The cat retreats from Walter's proffered pats, though with the most minimal of efforts that can be made.

"The people seem to think that they're animatronics." Which is, of course, the sensible assumption. "But they look as alive as any human, really."

She winces slightly at that, her features clouding. "...Any human except for Thom, that is."

[dragoonrouge]

"Oh, hello Mary Ann," Sadie greets the older woman with a smile and a small wave, the blonde brighter out in public than Mary Ann has probably seen her in a while thanks to the lack of anything hiding her feline features.

"Are you here with Nel and Thom?"

[catted]

"Most of the kids are around here somewhere. Thom has dressed up, too, so you might not recognize him at first.

I see you've dressed up as well." She winks at Sadie. "Feels good?"

OTA

[singlefaith]

Denkifest is probably Yua's favorite discovery since coming to Britain three years ago -- not only because of the subject matter, but because at least for a short time (however short), the air is filled with familiar scents and some are even trying out customs and languages. (Even though some of those attempts are anime sweatdrop-inducing and/or enough for a wince.)

For at least a short time she doesn't feel so alien and out of place. She can be found wandering around the con for most of the day, dressed like what would be similar to San from Princess Mononoke if Princess Mononoke existed in this world. And, you know, if San had worn large, round glasses that kept sliding on her nose.

A. Dealer room - Anime has a lot of cute merchandise, and Yua is into all of it, especially plushies. Find her sorting through a bin of animal mascots, squeaking quietly with glee every time she finds a new one of her favorites. Cats seem to be the preference; there are already three next to her, as though she's set them aside for purchase or to decide between them. (Why is there only so much allowance??)

B. Cosplay - If you're dressed in decent cosplay, you may find you have an admirer. Though she almost never works up the nerve to ask for a picture, Yua can't help taking in and admiring all the different cosplay attempts. Hopefully staring doesn't make you uncomfortable.

C. Capsmon - The Capsmon have definitely attracted Yua's attention and incited her curiosity. She's determined to try to get a picture of one. They do seem to linger a little longer with her phone out, but they still dart away before she can actually capture the picture. What are these? You may find her suddenly darting around a corner or under a table in her quest.

C (And yes, Walter does know Japanese.)

[iamnotgod]

"Excuse me?!"

Walter contorts himself out of Yua's way. Her enthusiasm about Capsmon briefly reminds him of Chihiro - one of the Numbered who had to leave the Boundary and hasn't since returned - but that comparison is dismissed as quickly as it's made. Such is how life's become, with his increased speed of thought.

That has no impact whatsoever on grudge-holding, however; fortunately, he sounds more startled than anything.

"Sumimasen, did you need something?"

[singlefaith]

"A-Ah!" Yua is nearly as startled as he is, not having expected a sudden wall of man in front of her, and immediately her cheeks flood with color as she twists to face him, wide-eyed. "Sorry, there was just--"

But glancing behind her, the Capsmon is gone -- gone as they've been almost ten times before. It's almost as though they disappear into the air, gone within the time it takes to blink.

Out of habit -- habit still, even now -- her body jerks in the first bare beginnings of a bow . . . before she catches herself. That's not a thing; it'll look awkward. He'll think she's strange or one of those teenagers who lets anime get to their heads and start spouting random words, adopting pieces of culture as though they're their own.

A press of the lips, her eyes shifting away. "I was following-- . . . I mean-- . . ." A breath. "Sorry."

B

[faimommy]

Rune has taken it upon himself to enjoy being a faerie, Peru from Soldier Moon, for a time outside of performances and Halloween. An extra day to be his favourite fantasy species? Yes please! He went to painstaking lengths for his costume that it's virtually flawless. With a few extra flourishes, like a few well-placed rhinestones.

Rune is a regular social butterfly, and picks up conversations between passersby and stalls. Sure enough, he sees Yua staring, and he heads over to socialise, waving. He's all smiles, clearly having a great time.

"Ello! How ah yuu t'deh?"

(Hello! How are you today?) Forgive the Norwegian accent, Yua.

[singlefaith]

It's so . . . ethereal. Yua can't quite take her eyes off of it. Even the way the fabric moves, and then the extra sparkles . . . So pretty. She's tried a few times to look away for politeness' sake, but her eyes keep getting drawn back to it.

. . . And then the player catches her staring and comes over. Immediately Yua is wide-eyed, not sure if she should be making an apology and making a break for it.

But. He doesn't seem upset?

"H-Hi," she manages. Her own English has an accent too -- not quite as pronounced with her working on it, but definitely still there as she continues. "Sorry . . . I really like your costume." Hesitation. "Did you make it?"

B

[warped_replica]

Hanging around other cosplayers or fans of cosplay, Yua may have heard someone mention a cosplay to look out for from a popular anime series. The costume is not to professional standards, but the young man wearing it has the surprising stature to fit the character.

A head above most in the halls, it would not be hard for Yua to spot him. Standing off to the side with a couple of bags resting at his feet to wait, Benjiro is tapping at his phone. He had the foresight to put conductive wires into the fingertips of his costume gloves to save himself from the struggle of taking his gloves off constantly. Finishing a message, he looks up and spots the other teen wearing cosplay looking his way. His eyes squint above the fur covering his nose, then widen in surprise as he recognizes her. A flush of color sweeps through his face, but he raises a hand in a weak wave, “Yua? 久しぶりです...” He may have changed drastically in terms of size, but his voice has not been altered.

A

[dragoonrouge]

Yua isn't the only one who has been coaxed into the dealers room by the toys, Sadie has been too despite the sheer amount of plushies she already has. Sadie's also giving Yua a run for her money in the sheer number of those plushies are cats, although that shouldn't be surprising considering Sadie is currently cosplaying a slightly less skimpy version of a catgirl assassin, though if Yua looks closely there are quite a few bunnies hiding in the pile too.

"Oh my goodness, that's adorable!" Sadie points at the plush that Yua has just unearthed, "Did you see any duplicates in there?"

C

[lovedramamoron]

This was Jimmy's first time at a con. He'd stopped at a shop on the way here and bought a deerstalker hat, out of a vague understanding that people dressed up as their favorite character for these. But after that he'd just acquired a map and a schedule and started wandering.

He wasn't really expecting to nearly walk right into a girl as he was turning a corner.

[warped_replica]

Under most circumstances, the presence of so many people and the constant photography would be enough to keep Benjiro on the opposite side of town if not farther. The mask of a costume however lends a sufficient false confidence to return to the familiar atmosphere of a convention. Conventions are a hub of unusual culture, one that mixes East and West and extends across genres from horror to fantasy to sci-fi to slice of life. Add to that a lure of comforting foods, the chance to obtain merch without the fee for shipping, and the opportunities to learn more about the media in panels. All of it is hard to refuse. Especially when a costume might let Sadie and even himself be more in the open for a while.

Benjiro dons a decently crafted cosplay outfit of a sweet toothed pirate and attends the convention with Sadie. Together, Benjiro and Sadie are able to spend most of the weekend on the campus. Although never far from Sadie, Benjiro spends time in the dealer’s room, at the food market, and at the numerous panels through the course of the weekend. On occasion, he slips away from the crowds to let his nerves settle.

Like everyone else, he spots the Capsmon characters now and then. Unlike many others, it perturbs him as he struggles to understand the phenomena. Numbers and magic, and now this? It seems a bit much. When away from the major crowds, he can be found staring at a spot where one such creature had just been a moment ago.

[dragoonrouge]

The sights! The sounds! And even if only for the weekend Ben and her can wander about in public with barely anything hiding their altered appearances. Sadie can't help her excitement, her ears standing tall as they wander arm and arm into the convention.

"Oh my god, this weekend is going to be amazing! What do you want to do before the first panel, Ben?"

Late as always...but OTA

[vernal_miss]

With camera in hand, Nel enjoys exploring the convention while her family is attending. Not one to miss an opportunity to dress up, she had chosen a side character from a webcomic she likes that has persisted in relevance from much older stories in a reimagination. While her homemade dress is not quite so detailed, the flowers worn at the sides of her head are nearly identical to those in the story pages.

Nel takes interest in the other costumes primarily, politely requesting pictures of her favorites and asking questions of technique in the designs. Occasionally, when she spots a Capsmon, she attempts to take photos of them as well from a distance before trying to get better ones closer to the subjects.

Of course, the plush in the dealer’s room are a temptation! She makes a couple visits as she wrestles with indecision over which is cutest.

[dragoonrouge]

Dappled sunlight grows warmer against Sadie's back as she sits next to Ben on the benches outside for lunch. Her ears turn before she does but once Sadie swivels around in her seat it's easy to spot Nel as she enters the outdoor seating area.

"Nel!" Sadie calls out to the girl with a wide smile on her face and beckons her over to her and Ben's table. Once the redhead is closer Sadie pulls the young girl into a tight hug, her ears wiggling happily, "Nel, I love your outfit, you look wonderful! Come join us for lunch, I've got extra snacks!"

Even Later

[dreamtamer]

Thom had jumped at the chance of a distraction, after all the recent discoveries. A few rummaging through his closet had given him a reasonable copy of the outfit of the hero of a tv series he was rather fond of.

He'd spent some time wandering around by himself, wishing the whole time that he'd been able to bring Gizmo along. When he finally spots Nel he waves at her and runs to catch up.

Re: Late as always...but OTA

[iamnotgod]

Walter is not dressed for this convention - it's as much a deliberate tactic for staying out of the convention's many photo-ops as it is not really having someone in mind to dress up as.

If his sister were here, perhaps things would be different, but that is beside the point for now.

"That's a wonderful costume, Nel!" he says, once they're within conversation-having range.

"Very clever use of props," he adds, and winks.

[twirighted]

Seth would normally be here to sell things, but sometimes, you just need to relax. It brings him back to the days of his daughter's youth. Back then it was Halloween costumes he manages to make them, but... These days it's his own fun. If he can sew doll clothes, he can sew a person-sized costume, and here he is, in full cosplay from Luna Marine. Specifically, Kamen Rose, in all his finery. It's a very nice outfit honestly, and he worked hard on it. Making a mask to go with glasses, though, was a fun challenge. So he's mostly milling about, sometimes buying some of the fandom merch for his daughter, some of it for himself... But mostly he's taking a well-deserved rest.

I say all this without having watched Sailor Moon; most classics passed me by growing up. XD

[iamnotgod]

Seth's costume is very distinctive - one can forgive him for not wanting to run a booth this weekend, when the man has something like that to show off!

"Not here with a full team, are you?" he asks lightly, but clearly, trying to make himself heard over the crowd.

"Though Kamen Rose didn't act like he had one most of the time, I'll give you that."