The alarm buzzed at dawn, but Mei was already awake. She sat at the edge of her bed, staring at her hands—hands scarred faintly from burns, toughened by months of work.
Today was the day.
Her stomach twisted as she moved through her morning routine. Brushing her teeth felt slower. Breakfast tasted like cardboard. Even pulling on her casual clothes to head out made her chest tighten.
"What if the armor breaks?" she whispered to the mirror. "What if nobody likes it?"
From the kitchen, Hana's voice rang out, teasing but steady: "Stop doubting yourself, Mei! You've worked too hard to back out now."
Mei smiled faintly, gathering her nerves. "You're right. Roxanne wouldn't hesitate. Neither will I."
---
The convention hall buzzed with energy, the air electric with chatter, flashing lights, and the swish of colorful costumes. Cosplayers in every shape and style walked past, posing for cameras and greeting old friends.
Backstage, Mei suited up piece by piece. The armor slid into place with a satisfying weight—the shoulder plates, the torso, the bracers. Hana tightened the straps, helping adjust the glowing LED accents.
"Deep breaths," Hana whispered. "You've got this."
When Mei finally pulled on the wig, letting the wild green-and-silver strands fall around her shoulders, she caught her reflection in a backstage mirror.
It wasn't just a costume anymore. It was her.
---
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers:
"Next up—Glamrock Roxanne!"
Mei's heart pounded so hard it hurt. The crowd's energy pulsed through the walls. She clenched her claws, took one last breath, and stepped onto the stage.
Gasps rippled through the audience. The armor gleamed under the stage lights, the LEDs glowing like neon veins. Her claws caught the spotlight, sharp and feral. Every movement she made sent the wolf's mane swaying, fierce and alive.
"Strike a pose!" Hana shouted from the front row.
Mei bared her teeth in a grin, raising one claw dramatically. The cameras flashed, the crowd roared. For that moment, she wasn't Mei the office worker. She wasn't the shy girl who once feared sparks.
She was Roxanne—powerful, wild, unstoppable.
---
As the applause thundered, Mei's chest swelled with pride. Every sleepless night, every burn, every moment of doubt—it had all led to this.
And when she looked out into the crowd, she saw more than just admiration. She saw possibility. Because if she could forge steel into her dream, what else could she create?
Her smile softened under the lights. This was only the beginning.