The twins were in paradise. Every few steps, they spotted another cosplay even more impressive than the last, each one making Taylor wish he’d added more swords to his Zoro get-up and Amy wishing she’d splurged on that extra-detailed butterfly hairpin for her Shinobu outfit.
They hadn’t stopped grinning since they walked through the doors, and the excitement was contagious. Everywhere they looked, people were laughing, posing, or swapping Instagram handles. Taylor tried to act cool, but he couldn’t help it—he was totally geeking out.
As they strolled past booths lined with anime figures and posters, Amy’s eyes landed on a panel schedule nearby. “Oh my gosh, there’s a Q&A with the voice actors from My Hero Academia in like, ten minutes!” she squealed.
Taylor’s eyes lit up. “You think we can make it?”
“Only one way to find out!” Amy took off, dodging through the crowd with Taylor hot on her heels.
They barely made it to the panel in time, squeezing in as the room filled up. The voice actors walked onto the stage to thunderous applause, and as the Q&A began, Taylor found himself cheering and laughing with the crowd. Amy nudged him each time a fan asked a particularly nerdy question, and Taylor just shrugged, grinning. They were in their element.
Snack Break
After the panel, they decided it was time for a snack run. “I saw a booth selling mochi and taiyaki back there,” Taylor said, gesturing with one of his swords.
“Lead the way, oh fearless samurai!” Amy replied, giving a mock bow.
The food court was a sprawling maze of sweet and savory treats, with vendors offering everything from boba tea to takoyaki to matcha parfaits. The line for taiyaki—a delicious fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean or custard—was long, but totally worth it.
Amy handed Taylor a custard-filled taiyaki and they toasted. “To the best day ever,” Amy said, raising her snack in a salute.
“To freedom from Maya’s ‘responsible older sister’ routine!” Taylor responded with a laugh.
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They bit into their taiyaki, savoring the sweet, creamy filling. For a moment, everything was perfect—just the two of them, their anime dreams come true, and no worries in sight.
Exploring Artist Alley
Next on their checklist was Artist Alley, an endless corridor of booths displaying fan-made artwork, custom pins, keychains, and posters. Each table was a treasure trove, and both twins quickly found themselves laden with small prints and stickers.
Amy’s eyes lit up at a keychain featuring her favorite character, Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. “I’ll take this one,” she told the artist with a grin, as she handed over a few bills.
Taylor rolled his eyes but couldn’t resist buying an absurdly cute chibi Zoro sticker. “I’d never let Maya see this,” he muttered to Amy. “She’d never let me live it down.”
As they moved to the next booth, the artist offered them each a free sticker. “Consider it a token of good luck,” she said with a wink.
Amy laughed, attaching the sticker to her backpack. “If only we could get this kind of luck every day!”
Cosplay Chaos
While wandering, they were pulled into an impromptu cosplay contest held in the Courtyard. “Enter now!” a judge dressed as Sailor Moon shouted, ushering them forward.
“Oh no, no way,” Taylor said, trying to back away. But before he could escape, Amy was already pulling him forward.
“Come on! Zoro and Shinobu the people are going to love us!” Amy insisted, not giving him a chance to argue.
They lined up with a group of other cosplayers, each one dressed in impressive outfits from various anime. Taylor and Amy gave their best poses for the cheering crowd, and though they didn’t win, the experience was a blast. The two of them ended up laughing so hard they almost doubled over, high-fiving each other as they left the stage.
“You know,” Taylor said, catching his breath, “I’m kinda glad Maya’s not here to see this. She’d record the whole thing and show it to Mom and Dad.”
Amy snickered, mimicking their older sister’s voice. “‘Look at my silly little siblings! Aren’t they adorable?’”
They burst out laughing again, but in the back of their minds, they both wondered how Maya’s day was going. Was she having as much fun as they were, or was she still stuck in the endless maze of mall stores?
The Premiere Awaits
Finally, after an entire day of excitement, it was almost time for the anime premiere they’d been waiting for. They checked their watches and joined the line outside the screening room, thrilled to end the day with a sneak peek of the latest shows.
The anticipation was electric. Fans chatted excitedly, debating plot twists and future episodes. As the doors opened and the crowd filed in, Taylor and Amy exchanged a glance.
“This is it,” Amy whispered, grinning ear to ear. “The perfect ending to the perfect day.”
Taylor nodded, unable to shake the feeling that this was a moment they’d remember forever. Little did they know, the world outside was already beginning to change.