It turns out that Amanda did not come to view my outfit in a better light. Unfortunately, she couldn't see the forest for its trees, or in this case, my eyes from the stripes.

Her backseat was packed to the brim with an entourage of magical creatures, yet somehow it was me, the freaking stripe-spangled man that chimed like wedding balls with every bump on the road at passenger-side that she couldn't keep her glances from straying to.

I sent her pics before, I thought we were past this.

"Hey," I confronted her at a red light. "If you're looking for a new pose to sketch, I suggest you just take a picture before you rear-end us all the way into a police station."

"Huh? What? Sketch?" She gave me a big, dumb look. "I… have no idea what you're talking about. Don't be weird. You look weird enough already."

For someone who has no idea, she sure acted like she had some idea. No one innocent blushes brighter than daylight when wrongfully accused. Then again, I'm no expert… but hey, that did the trick.

The rest of the journey, the only stare I could find on me was the one reflecting back at me through the car window… it was a thinking stare, a heavy stare… the type you couldn't just blink away and make disappear.

I needed it to disappear. I needed a distraction. I looked around.

In the backseat, the first thing I saw was a thick clump of grey hair draped over Adalia's face which was buried into her seat, away from the glare of the sun. I thought she was in a pinch, turns out she was just sleeping… rock-a-bye-d by the drive.

Meanwhile, Ash and Sera were bunched up together, hushed whisperings from their side continuously seeping into my ears. No idea what they were talking about, nor do I care enough to find out. I turned to the Knight especially, sun rays bouncing off of her gleam, and she looked as normal as always. Her gaze wasn't heavy, wasn't somber like mine. Like there wasn't anything at all on her mind.

Unlike mine.

Maybe she had the right idea about this, after all. Today's supposed to be fun, why waste that opportunity doing the exact opposite of it?

That settles it. I didn't have to think, I just had to have fun, and we'll have lots of it… lots and lots…

I looked to my side.

"You're staring at me again."

--------

We entered a part of the city I couldn't quite recognize… but considering how long the drive was from here to there, that wasn't much of a surprise. But as with every new venture into uncharted territory, you can always spot its most distinct qualities within the first few minutes.

And for this instance, it was the fact that skyscrapers were practically a dime in a dozen here. Put on a hierarchy, this place had no competition… and it gave a plethora of reasons why it was such and not any other.

The tuxes and suits lining the streets, rows of high-rise condos complete with their own chain of spick and span chauffeurs lining every marble entrance. The lamplights, the stop signs, the sidewalks at every turn, a perfectly polished almost blinding sheen.

Just seeing it all made me feel giddy, made me feel astounded, and it also made me feel very, very poor - and for Amanda, it was only a Saturday afternoon drive.

Unfazed, nonchalant, even as we slowly drew closer towards an absolute monolith of a building where the convention was apparently being held. We never got any closer than that - the roads at every corner were completely congested with a swarm of otherworldly beings trying to get into the building.

There were honkings, there were shoutings, there was a buzzing of loud chatter blending into one another, it was absolute pandemonium.

"Um," Amanda pulled a face, her lips going skewered. "They did warn me today would be a lot more hectic than usual. I kinda just thought they were exaggerating it."

Indeed, we were so deep in the influx of swordsmen, archers, mages, demons, and the likes, her windows were occasionally getting smudged with the imprints of braces, bows, and swords.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

She tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel, giving it a bit of thought. "Well, I doubt finding a parking spot would be much of a fun experience for any of you. How about… you four hop off here? I'll sort this out on my own."

So that's what we did. After finding a break in the crowd, we managed to pry open the doors and join the masses in their pilgrimage towards the sacred nexus.

It was also just then I came to realize that the maracas on my head actually had a use. It was impossible to not find each other with me toiling and ringing all over the place. I felt like some kind of shepherd herding a flock.

There was an invisible line formed nearby that gradually led into the building, and I figured that would be our best way in. It took a couple of tries but we managed to squirm and writhe all four of us into it without being washed away by the horde.

Adalia got to me first, I didn't even realize she did until I felt someone tugging at my sleeve. Guess she put the innate agility of hers to good use there.

"It's hot… it's... bright…" She clutched onto me even tighter, inching towards me even closer, burying herself into the shade of my shadow. "It's... loud… it's cramped… it hurts..."

I don't doubt her words. For a vampire, she was far out of her element, and her dress too, for all its exquisiteness and grace in all its frills and laces, did nothing for her in terms of coping with the discomfort.

"It'll probably get better inside," I tried to assure her. "Think you'll make it?"

I felt her cold breath lightly graze my arm. "May I… hold onto...you… until… then…?"

With a smile, I moved the bells on my head in the melody of a yes. "Go ahead."

Adalia, in an instant, completely closed the distance… almost to the point of burying her face whole into my shoulder. "Then… I'll make it…"

Eventually, Ash with Sera right in tow, caught up to us two, and stuck just as close, with Ash craning her neck around, her emerald eyes sparkling wide.

"In all my travels, in all my years, I've never seen anything like this," She remarked just as someone adorned in the same set of armor as she trudged right on by past her. "It's… I… I know not exactly what to make of this…"

"So excited, already…" Her starstruck expression was seriously infectious. "We're just waiting in line, you know?"

Her awe could be heard with the breath that left her. "It's a fascinating line, indeed…"

Meanwhile, Sera had her gaze slanted, staring quietly at another hooded figure far in the distance, only not as amber-eyed and not as tight-lipped, talking and laughing in a group dressed much in the same way.

A long while later, we made it past the road, winded through the sidewalks, up the grand, giant steps, and still, somewhere there was not an end to the line. I even stood up on tiptoe trying to find it but all I could see in the horizon were rows and rows of heads that stretched far and wide the building's exterior, with the entrance just a little blip in the distance ahead.

Just as I was starting to lose hope at every catching a glimpse of the inside, Amanda rang. Twice. Thrice. I couldn't find my phone, I know I put it in my left pocket somewhere… I had my hand burrowing everywhere on my left, but I didn't realize this stupid outfit also came with hidden pockets inside of its pockets on top of having fake pockets too.

This is what I get for skipping out on Jester 101.

It was luckily on the fourth ring and the tenth pocket, that I finally found it - practically smashing into my ear trying to answer in a rush.

"Yeah? Hello?!" I shouted out over the crowd.

"There you are!" Amanda shouted out not as loud. "What took you so long to answer? What were you doing?"

"Treasure hunting."

"Treasure... what? Okay, never mind. Listen, I found a parking spot. I got out of my car to look for one, and somehow the road cleared out when I did. Pretty strange, actually."

Not really when you think about it. If it was a million-dollar question, I'd be a millionaire in a heartbeat.

"Anyway!" She yelled out through the chatter in the background. "I'm - uh… I'm in the lobby right now. Where… where are you guys?!"

What. Wait.

"You're in the what?!"

"The lobby! Inside! I've been waiting ten minutes! Did you guys go on inside already without me?"

Was there a time traveler at the event or something causing some hijinks in the flow of time? Or maybe perhaps Amanda was the time traveler, and fast-forwarded herself ahead of us.

It's the only explanation I could think of right now.

I looked around the place, searching for any alternative routes in the sea of people. Surprise, surprise, there wasn't. Just one straight line in the linear flow of time.

'We're uh… we're still outside," I told her.

"Come again?"

"We're in line! Outside! Did you cut the line or something?!" I said even louder.

"Line?! What line?! You mean that line?!" I heard her almost crack a laugh. "Can I ask why you're lining up?"

"To get in the convention?"

"Right, to get into the convention…" Somehow I could see her eye-rolling on the other end of the line. "And you got the tickets too, right? To get in said convention?"

The silence after felt very patronizing.

"Well, no…"

"That's right, you don't. Know why? You're VIP! There is no line for you! Skip the line! Get to the entrance! Talk to the guard! You're on the list! Get in here! You're late!"

I blinked. "Oh."