The moment Mei stepped offstage, the crowd didn't fade—it followed.
"Excuse me! Can I take a picture with you?"
"Your armor—did you make that yourself?"
"Whoa, those claws look so real!"
Mei blinked, overwhelmed as a small group of fans surrounded her, phones already out. For a split second, her old shyness bubbled up. But then the glow of Roxanne's LEDs reflected in their eager eyes, and she remembered why she was here.
"Of course!" she said, striking a fierce pose. Cameras flashed, and laughter echoed around her.
---
Across the hall, other cosplayers began to drift over. A towering Iron Man examined her shoulder plate with curiosity.
"This weld work is impressive," he said. "You must've spent months on this."
Mei smiled proudly. "Almost a year, actually. It's my first time working with metal."
Iron Man whistled. "First time? That's insane. You're setting the bar high."
Nearby, a stunning Princess Zelda clasped her hands together. "You look amazing! And the wig—it moves so naturally. Did you style it yourself?"
"Yeah," Mei admitted with a nervous laugh. "It took forever, but I wanted it to feel alive."
Zelda leaned closer, whispering with a grin, "It worked. You're basically Roxanne in the flesh."
---
Even kids were drawn in. A little girl dressed as Spider-Gwen tugged at Mei's gauntlet. "You're so cool! Can I touch your claws?"
Mei crouched down, extending a claw carefully. "Sure—but be gentle. They're sharp."
The girl tapped the steel lightly, her eyes going wide. "Wow! You're a real superhero!"
Mei's throat tightened. She'd never thought of herself that way, but in this moment—seeing the wonder in the girl's eyes—she felt like maybe she was.
---
Hours flew by in a blur of photos, questions, and laughter. Every conversation made Mei's heart lighter, every compliment felt like proof that her hard work mattered.
Finally, as the day wound down, Hana appeared at her side with two sodas in hand. "Look at you," she teased, handing one over. "Mei the celebrity cosplayer."
Mei laughed, shaking her head. "Celebrity? Please. I'm just… me."
"Yeah," Hana said softly, smiling. "But you're the version of you I always knew was in there. Confident. Brave. The one who makes people stop and stare."
Mei sipped her soda, watching fans still snapping pictures of her armor in the distance. For the first time, she didn't shrink under the attention. She embraced it.
This wasn't just cosplay anymore. It was connection. It was proof she could inspire.
And maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something bigger than she'd ever imagined.