Iris didn’t wait to see if he would get back up. Growling at the response she received, she continued to prowl. Surely, there was someone in this place who would actually require her to work a little.
“What do you mean you can’t make it?”
Iris paused. Had her ears been out, they would have undoubtedly twitched.
“You’ve come down with a fever? Damn it.” A sigh. “All right, I understand. I hope you feel better.”
Looking around, Iris saw a relatively plain-looking man with a vacant, tired expression on his face. The man pocketed his cellphone and ran a hand through his short brown hair.
“Great, now what am I going to do?” he asked himself. “Samantha was the only person I had who could fit into this outfit.” Iris perked up. Outfit? “Now who I am going to get to wear it? Ugh, do I even know anyone who can…”
The man stopped talking, his mouth snapping shut and his eyes going wide as Iris walked up to him. Her predatory gaze held the man in place, and her smile had him shuddering in something that vaguely resembled post-orgasmic bliss.
Too easy. This man is too easy. But, still, he might prove useful.
Grinning, Iris pinioned him with her gaze and said, “What’s this I hear about you needing someone to wear a costume?”
***
It took a long time, too long in Kevin’s opinion, but their patience had finally paid off.
They stood in front of the registration table for the cosplay competition. A man sat behind it. He didn’t look like anything particularly special. Spiky blue hair, light blue eyes. He was handsome, to be sure, but not like that idiot Ken, whose bishounen appearance made him look more like a, well, like a Ken doll instead of an actual sentient creature.
“Hi!” Lilian grinned down at the blue-haired man behind the registration table. “We’d like to register for the cosplay competition.”
The man looked up. His eyes locked onto Lilian, traveling up and down her body. He looked like he didn’t know whether he should appreciate her shapely figure or be appalled by her bushy eyebrows. Fortunately, he also seemed smart enough to keep from saying anything insulting.
“Isn’t that why everyone is here?”
Okay, so he kept from saying anything too insulting.
“I’m guessing you two are registering for the couples’ competition?”
“Of course!” Lilian beamed. “We’re going to win that competition!”
“I’m sure. Sign your names here, please.”
They both signed their names on a sheet of paper. While they did that, the man sitting behind the table spoke in a tone dryer than parchment.
“There are a few things you should know about the competition you’re entering. First, you are not allowed to change costumes during the competition. What you’re wearing now is what you’ll be wearing for the entire competition. Second, there are prizes for the top three cosplay couples, including one grand prize. If you win first place, you’ll need to have your ID, address, and passport ready. All other prizes do not require any of that and will be given to you upon the competition ending.”
Kevin and Lilian barely listened to the man as he droned on. They signed their names on the dotted line and slid the paper back to the man, who looked it over and nodded.
“You’re all ready to go. Good luck.”
“Thanks!” Lilian said in her cheery voice. “Come on, Sensei! Let’s win that competition!”
“Right!” Kevin said as, hand in hand, he and Lilian left the registration table.
The contest was going to start soon, and they wanted to arrive early to scope out the competition.
***
There must have been something wrong with her. Men were admiring her sexy figure as she was dressed to the nines in some of the most sinful cosplay ever. She should have been ecstatic. People were practically orgasming at the mere sight of her! Yet for some inane reason, she felt absolutely nothing. No joy. No Happiness. Not even satisfaction.
It was just too easy. There was no challenge in it. She stood there, she posed, she moved around, and people loved her—well, they loved looking at her. It amounted to the same thing. Either way, she just didn’t feel anything at the knowledge that these people were enamored by her beauty. It was just. Too. Easy.
“I’m done,” Iris said.
“Eh?” The man she’d convinced to let her wear the costume looked startled. “Y-you’re what? Done? You can’t be done! I have to be here for another hour!”
“Not my problem.”
Iris started walking away from the booth without looking back.
“What about my costume?! At least give that back!”
Iris turned to the man, looking into his eyes, her own irises glowing a vibrant crimson. The man’s eyes glazed over.
“You don’t need this costume back.”
“… I don’t need this costume back…”
“You gave it to me as a gift.”
“… I gave it to you… it’s a gift.”
“You want to thank me for all of my hard work.”
“… Thank you for all your hard work…”
“See ya later.”
“… Bye…”
Iris walked away, this time unhindered. The crowd parted before her like the Red Sea. Iris felt a small flicker of disgust at these people, so simple-minded, so dull.
The stud would have resisted me and fought back... Speaking of him… Aren’t he and my Lily-pad doing a cosplay competition? She smiled. I think I’ll go watch them.
She began walking to where the competition was, but someone bumped into her just as she was turning around, causing Iris to fall onto her backside.
“Ouch! Hey, watch where you’re going!” Iris glared up at the woman she’d bumped into. She only felt a tad insecure when she noticed the other female’s large assets, sensual curves, and seductive yellow eyes.
I’m still hotter than her, Iris reassured herself.
“My bad, nya.” The woman held out a hand. Iris eyed it with some distaste before eventually taking it, allowing the other woman to pull her up. “Sorry about that, nya. But you should be a little more careful yourself.”
“I’m not the one who ran into someone,” Iris bit back; however, it became clear that the other woman wasn’t listening to her when she turned around. “Hey, don’t walk away from someone when they’re talking to you!”
“Sorry, but I’ve got places to be, nya.”
The woman didn’t even turn around. She simply raised her left hand into the air and gave Iris an almost dismissive wave.
Iris glared some more, but she eventually turned away when the slightly older-looking woman disappeared into the crowd.
“Tch. Whatever. Now, to find out where that competition is taking place.”
She started walking again, traveling to where the cosplay competition was taking place, when something odd struck her about that woman’s speech.
She stopped, her face twisting in confusion. “Wait. Did that woman just say ‘nya’?”
A chime sounded out and a voice talking over the speaker system interrupted her thought process. “Attention everyone, the cosplay competition will be taking place in room B206. I repeat, the cosplay competition will be taking place in room B206.”
“Room B206, huh? All right, I’m there.”
Promptly forgetting about the woman she’d run into, Iris made her way to room B206—only to stop again and scratch her head in confusion.
“… Where’s room B206, exactly?”
***
Lindsay and Christine eventually found room B206. It was a large room with what appeared to be thousands of people bunched together. There was a stage sitting against the back, complete with curtains and a runway.
Seeing how they didn’t have anything better to do, they had decided to support their friends in their competition. Sure, they didn’t think the two would win, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t at least console them after they lost. Upon arriving, they saw that both H
eather’s group and Iris had also managed to find their way there.
Kirihime and Camellia were conspicuously absent. Lindsay concluded that they were lost somewhere in the building.
“Where have you been?” Lindsay asked upon walking up to Iris. The girl in question gave her a shrug.
“Around.”
“And where did you get that costume?”
“Oh, this old thing?” Iris grinned. “You like it?”
“Well… maybe a little.”
“Heh… I noticed there was a suspicious pause in your words there.”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lindsay blushed. “So, who gave you that outfit?”
“A friend.”
Christine deadpanned. “You mean you tricked someone into giving it to you.”
“Don’t ask and I won’t tell.”
“You’re not going to tell us anymore, are you?” Lindsay asked as Christine wrinkled her nose.
“Course not.” Iris winked.
Lindsay rolled her eyes. That was a typical Iris answer. She didn’t even know why she bothered. This girl didn’t seem to care about anyone other than her sister.
“Bitch,” Christine muttered under her breath.
“Takes one to know one,” Iris shot back, smirking. Even though the look wasn’t directed at her, Lindsay felt her cheeks flush, just a little. Iris might have a horrid personality, but she was hot enough to make straight women turn into lesbians.
A woman walked onto the stage, and the noise generated by the crowd slowly died down. Lindsay almost wrinkled her nose at the woman’s outfit. Garish didn’t even begin to cover it. A short—very short—dark blue skirt covered a small portion of her upper thighs. The rest of her legs lay bare: mocha-colored skin visible for everyone to see before ending in a pair of unusual-looking boots. White with light-blue lining the hem, skin-tight and fitting her like a glove, the shirt that the woman wore reminded Lindsay of a cartoon she’d seen about a magical moon princess. She believed it was a sailor uniform of some kind.
“Hey, doesn’t that woman look kinda familiar?” asked Christine. Lindsay frowned.
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I could have sworn I’ve seen her before.”
“Hmmm…”
“How is everyone doing today?!” The woman said into a microphone.
The crowd cheered. Lindsay frowned. That voice did sound familiar, albeit, it was far too cheerful. She could’ve sworn she’d heard it before.
“Are you having fun?!” The crowd cheered louder. “I’m glad to hear that. Now, I’m sure you’ve all been waiting anxiously to see what cosplay people have come up with this year, and I certainly wouldn’t want to keep you waiting. So, let’s get down to business. How does that sound?” The crowd sent up in another earth-shattering roar. “All right! In that case, let’s bring out our first contestant!”
***
Behind the stage, near the back of a decently-sized gathering of people, Kevin and Lilian stood side by side.
Kotohime had situated herself several feet behind them, katana clutched in her left hand. Her eyes were closed, but neither of them was fooled into thinking that she was anything but perfectly aware of her surroundings.
“Next up is Christophe dressed as Alucard! Let’s give him a round of applause, people!”
A cheer went up as a man dressed in a charcoal-colored suit, leather riding boots, and a flamboyant and intricately knotted red cravat covered by a frock overcoat with a cape walked onto the stage. His wide-brimmed fedora bounced as he moved, and his orange-tinted goggles glinted in the lamplight. The crowd went wild when he pulled out two large handguns and struck a pose.
“Sounds like people really love his outfit,” Kevin commented, all the while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He looked over at Lilian when she didn’t answer. “Nervous?”
Lilian smiled, but he could sense the anxiety beneath her visage. “A little. This is our first competition and, well…”
“You don’t really like other people looking at you.”
“Right.”
Kevin slid his hand into hers. “You’ll do fine. I’m here, so don’t worry.” Getting back into character, he gave her a brilliant grin complete with a thumbs-up. “I’ve got your back.”
In response to his words, Lilian kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks.”
“Not a problem.”
“All right! Now that we’ve shown you all of the singles cosplay, it’s time for us to show you the couples cosplay!” the lady announcer said.
As another cheer went up, Kevin and Lilian shared a look.
“Is it just me, or does that voice sound really familiar?” Kevin asked.
Lilian cocked her head to the side. “You know something? It does sound familiar.”
Kevin and Lilian stared at each other for several more seconds, then they shrugged simultaneously. “Weird.”
***
Despite not showing interest in the beginning, Iris had to admit that some of the costumes were really incredible. Artistic. Well-made. Stylish. She didn’t know if they were homemade or if they were bought, but she couldn’t deny their aesthetic appeal.
I’d look good in some of those.
Of course, a few of the costumes sucked, but that was neither here nor there. It wasn’t like she cared anyway. She was just here for her Lily-pad.
“All right! Now that we’ve shown you all of the singles, it’s time for us to show you the couples cosplay!”
Iris frowned as she looked at the woman standing on the stage. She recognized her. How could she not? It was the woman that she and the others had met when they went shopping at that giant mall.
What is she doing here?
“Let’s bring out the first cosplay couple!”
The crowd roared as the first couple was brought out, and then the next couple came onto the stage. One after the other they came. Iris saw several costumes that she recognized from the times when Lilian had forced her to watch anime with her. She recognized Natsu and Lucy, Natsumo and Satsuki, and Yusuke and Keiko. There were many others that she did not recognize, however. Her Lily-pad probably knew who they were, but she wasn’t a Japanophile like her sister.
“Next up, we’re bringing out a rather… unusual couple. Please give a round of applause for Lilian and Kevin, who’ve come dressed as… Mito Gay and… Mook Lee…”
The entire room went silent as Kevin and Lilian stepped onto the stage. Dressed in green spandex, orange leg warmers, and the bushiest eyebrows anyone would ever see, the pair made for quite the sight, especially Kevin, who was currently sporting a chest almost as large as Kotohime’s.
Iris tried really hard not to laugh.
She failed.
***
“Beloved… they’re not saying anything.”
“They’re not clapping either.”
“What do we do?”
Kevin looked at the crowd of people. An unsettling silence had fallen over the audience. They stared. They gawked. They did everything except what they were supposed to do: cheer and clap. It was unnerving.
“No choice,” Kevin mumbled under his breath. Lilian looked at him.
“Huh?”
Kevin turned to the redhead. “It looks like we have no choice. We’re going to have to do… that.”
Lilian’s eyes widened. “Are you sure you want to do… that? Don’t you think that’s going a little too far?”
Kevin put his hands on Lilian’s shoulders. His visage showed nothing but the utmost seriousness, causing Lilian’s own face to become solemn. “I don’t think we have much of a choice. We must do that.”
Lilian turned and stared at the crowd. Their silence unsettled her. It was like they were frozen in time, unable to move, incapable of speech, mere statues caught within a kitsune’s powerful illusion.
She looked back at Kevin. “Right. It looks like we have no choice. We have to do… that.”
“That’s right… Lee…”
“Gay…”
“Lee.”
“Gay.”
“Lee!”
“Gay!”
With tears in their eyes, the two met in a passionate embrace—and opened up Pandora’s Box.
***
The world deteriorated. The stage vanished, dematerializing into particles of light. The walls, the ceiling, the ground, all if it disappeared. An alpine prairie replaced marble floors, spreading out as far as the eye could see. Blooming flowers dotted the landscape, and perfectly groomed grass sprouted underneath everyone’s feet. A clear sky hung overhead, cloudless and bright, with a sun shining down upon the earth, kissing the land with gentle rays of sunlight.
Chaos reigned.
“What the hell is this?!”
“Oh, God! My eyes! They’re bleeding!!”
“I don’t wanna see anymore! Please! MAKE IT STOP!!”
As they were inundated by the sight, many of the people present fell onto the grass. Some covered their faces with their hands to block out the horrendous scene. Others clawed at their eyes, raking nails across closed lids. However, most seemed content to simply roll around on the ground, yelling and screaming themselves hoarse as they decried the horror that had appeared before them.
In the middle of this chaotic scene, standing within this beautiful alpine prairie, Kevin and Lilian continued to hug.
***
“W-what the hell is this?” Christine cried out as she stared at the scene in shock. Iris didn’t blame her. Even she was surprised by this unusual illusion.
Lindsay also looked suitably horrified. “I… I don’t know.”
“What is My Lord doing?!” Eric, rolling along the ground with the other boys, squealed like a pig being gutted with a butcher knife. “Why would he subject me, his most loyal servant, to such horrendous torture?!”
“Oh, shut up!” Christine kicked Eric in the gut. “It’s not that bad. Get a hold of yourself.”
Unlike everyone else, who reacted violently to the chaotic illusion that Lilian had created, Iris simply stood there and waited for it to die down. She didn’t have to wait long, as the illusion eventually disappeared. Looking at her sister and the stud, Iris could only shake her head when she noticed how confused they looked, as if they couldn’t understand why the crowd was rolling on the floor, looking ready to gouge their own eyes out.
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