
DISCLAIMER: This story is entirely fictitious. Any similarities to persons or events in reality is unintentional and coincidental. This story is also not related to any real life anime conventions or college anime clubs.
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Introduction:
One of the fastest growing Anime conventions in the United States in recent years has been Yuki-con, a small operation outside Helen Montana. Now currently entering its seventh year, there is an anticipated 800 people to attend, as last year's attendance saw an unexpected with up to 750 people registering. The staff views this raise in attendance as a lucky deal, for the sixth year saw a significant decrease in attendance. However, it was a wonder that the fifth year, which drew a mere 300, even happened.
Yuki-con was founded by students at the Anime Club of Carroll College. Since Helena Montana was a ski town, the founding staff gave the con its name from the Japanese word for Snow (Yuki). The first three years of the con took place on August 2 at the college's student union, bringing in a humble 50 attendees. The second and third year saw massive registration increases with the third year bringing in 400 attendees, which was unheard of for a non-profit convention that was so young.
The fourth year saw a total of 500 people registered, Which seemed like a success. At least until all the legal trouble started pouring in.
In a mix of tragedy and coincidence, eight unrelated abductions took place at the con, right under the staffs noses. Also coincidentally, each of the kidnappers tormented their victims in similar fashion, ranging from BDSM style spanking to unrelenting tickling.
In the aftermath, Yuki-con experienced a PR nightmare unlike any other in the world of Fandom Conventions. Yuki-con, against all odds, has found a way to thrive. This has not stopped those within the convention community from giving the con the unflattering nickname; YUKAI-CON. Yukai being the Japanese word for kidnap.
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CHAPTER 1: It takes time for a guy to look good
Friday Morning - 9:00 AM
Lyn stepped out of the shower in his hotel room. As he toweled himself off, he looked at the make up kit on the small sink that stood next to the toilet just across from the bathtub he was up until now standing in. He had to laugh about it. If only his teen self could see where how he was about to apply that crap to his face.
Lyn, who was 22 years old and had blue dyed hair with a slim build, would have never at one point thought of dressing up as a woman. Even if it was a costume for just three days. In his teens, Lyn was very much a man's man. A very athletic kid, standing at 5'5" even back then, he went out for track and cross country in high school. In his Junior year, however, he found himself deviating from the Jock crowd when he got into anime, Japanese animation. Upon entering college, he found a little group of people who would watch anime in their dorms.
This group would often go to conventions together and split costs on hotel rooms. For the first three cons of that first year, Lyn had no job on the side, therefore he had no money. It was always one of his friends paying his hotel room and paying his way into the conventions. Around the third convention of his freshman year that his friends got sick of having him simply mooch. So, they struck a deal with Lyn; he could go to the convention if he agreed to do something, but they wouldn't tell him what it was until the day of the con. That weekend, Lyn's friends presented him with a Japanese female school uniform. Lyn dreaded it at first, and walked around the convention floor completely embarrassed.
Feelings about it changed when Lyn, who is a very straight man, was being asked out by other straight men. Lyn, at that time, had grown the bangs of his hair in a way that made him look fairly feminine. Loving the idea that he could fool people into thinking that he was a member of the opposite gender, he gleefully dove into the world of Crossplay. Crossplay being a combination of the word, Cosplay, and the phrase, Cross-dressing. A crossplayer is a person that dresses up as a character of the opposite gender.
Through out College, Lyn spent a great deal of time creating his own costumes based on female characters from his favorite anime. In the past he had dressed as Asuka from Evangelion, Belldandy from Ah My Goddess, Bulma from Dragonball Z, and Yomi from Azumanga Daioh. With all those characters, he had to grow his hair long. Wanting to look more masculine outside of conventions, though, Lyn cut his hair short and decided to dress as Sailor Mercury from Sailor Moon for Yuki-con.
After walking out of the bathroom, Lyn turned on the cartoon channel to get himself into the mood for the day. It was and odd feeling, having a hotel room to yourself. Usually there would be at least four other noisy guys cramming into this kind of room getting ready for the day, but this time Lyn was here alone. The rest of his friends had graduated and have scattered all around the country. He was about to do the same and become an English teacher in Japan, but would be months before he left. Using the money he'd earned from his part time job as a gas station clerk, he managed to travel from Billings to Helena and get a hotel room at a hotel that was across the street from the convention, which was taking place at a more expensive hotel. There was no way Lyn could afford to get a room on site, so he had to settle for the cheap and crappy one.
Lyn started to apply his costume by putting on a pair of silk manties, which were followed by a pair of pink pantyhose. He then took the light blue sailor blouse, and stuck his arms through. He had a tough time zipping the back up, but he eventually got it. Usually, there would be somebody helping him out. With no one else traveling with him, however, he had to make due. With the hard part over, he grabbed the mini skirt that was at the bottom of the clothing pile, an zipped in on as well.
Now all dressed up, all Lyn needed to do was apply his make up before putting on his accessories. Make up wasn't necessary, but Lyn wanted to go above and beyond for the sake of his illusion. The blouse was almost tight enough to be a corset, making his figure already look feminine, but he found that make up would fool even the most keen of eyes. It wasn't sexual for Lyn, nor was he transgender. He simply enjoyed the charade.
With his make up fully applied, Lyn put his tiara and ear rings on. He was now the spirit of Mercury, Ami Mizuno, aka, Sailor Mercury. With that, he grabbed his bag that contained only his wallet and went to the site of Yuki-con. Lyn was anticipating three full days of excitement at convention. Little did he know was that this day would be his only day there.
TO BE CONTINUED...