The line for Northern City Hero-Con wrapped around the convention center three times, a sea of spandex, foam armor, and oversized props. Rebecca and Carrie stood near the mid-point, feeling increasingly out of place despite being the only ones wearing literal high-grade military tech and concert-ready audio emitters.
"I feel ridiculous," Rebecca muttered, her helmet tucked under her arm. "We are wearing actual, blood-and-sweat-stained hero gear, and yet, I feel like I'm the one faking it."
"Relax, Becca! This is the easiest five thousand credits we’ll ever make," Carrie chirped, adjusting her neon-green sunglasses. She was leaning against a concrete pillar, looking every bit the superstar. "We just walk across the stage, do a pose, and let the 'Super-Authentic' judge weep at our craftsmanship."
The "Super-Fan"
"Um, actually?"
A tall, lanky teenager wearing a t-shirt that said Bunny-Beats-All tapped Rebecca on the shoulder. He was wearing a DIY version of Rebecca’s armor made entirely of painted yoga mats and duct tape.
"I couldn't help but notice your 'interpretation' of the Bunny-suit," the kid said, pushing up his glasses. "The matte-black finish is a bold choice, but everyone knows the real Bunny uses a 2.5mm carbon-fiber weave with a semi-gloss coating for aerodynamic efficiency. Yours looks... well, a bit too heavy. Is that real metal? Rookie mistake. It ruins the silhouette."
Rebecca’s eye twitched. "It’s... it's high-tensile titanium alloy. For, you know, not dying."
"Pffft," the kid snorted. "Canonically, Bunny doesn't need titanium. She uses kinetic redirection. Also, your ear-servos are angled at 15 degrees. In the 'Mall Mayhem' footage, they were clearly at 12 degrees. It’s the little details that matter, 'cosplayer.'"
Rebecca opened her mouth to argue—to tell him she literally built the servos with her own two hands—but Carrie stepped in, placing a hand on Rebecca’s shoulder.
"Ignore him, Becca," Carrie whispered. "He's just a purist."
"And you!" the kid turned to Carrie, his eyes narrowing. "Mini Mic? The boots are wrong. The real Mic wears 4-inch platforms with integrated sub-woofers. Those look like... functional combat hiking boots. It completely kills the 'Pop-Idol' aesthetic. 4 out of 10 for effort, though."
The Heat is On
Carrie’s "Idol Smile" flickered. "Functional combat boots are better for, I don't know, combat?"
"It’s about the art, girl! Stay in character!" the kid yelled as the line finally started moving forward.
As they entered the lobby, they were greeted by a giant banner: THE ULTIMATE HERO-COSPLAY SHOWDOWN! JUDGED BY 'THE CRITIC'.
"Who is 'The Critic'?" Rebecca asked, looking at a judge sitting at a high table. He was a man with a monocle and a measuring tape, currently failing a guy dressed as Atlas because his cape was "too velvet."
"The most feared man in the fandom," a passing cosplayer whispered. "He once made a girl cry because her sword was three grams too light."
Rebecca looked at her high-tech energy staff. She looked at her scarred armor. She looked at Carrie, who was currently trying to fix her "incorrect" boots by standing on her tiptoes.
"We are going to lose, aren't we?" Rebecca asked.
"Not if we 'Show' them the 'Go'!" Carrie declared, her neon-green eyes sparking. "When we get on that stage, we aren't just cosplayers. We’re going to give them a 4K, 60-fps, IMAX experience!"
"Carrie, please don't use the sonic emitters inside a crowded hall," Rebecca pleaded.
"I make no promises!"
ns216.73.216.141da2
and then Add to home screen.