"You think someone might have it?" I ask my friend as I drive down the highway to where the convention is being held.
Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is Al Johnson, and I look and sound just like a character from a game. My personal life isn't all that interesting. I'm just a mailman that almost religiously believes in luck. I believe that we were all just a happy accident, and boy am I glad that it happened. Life just wouldn't be the same without little ol' me and my band of merry men.
Allow me to elaborate on what I said earlier. I am an avid League player. Anytime that I'm off work, I'm most often playing League of Legends. I got into the game when I saw the character Twisted Fate. His looks, his voice, it's almost like someone took me and put me in a game. He was the first character I bought and ever since then, I was hooked. I got all the skins for him and am among the first to buy new releases. My friends always tell me how much I look and sound like him. I even joke with my friends and use Twisted Fate's quotes where applicable.
Anyway, I got all of my costume pieces together. Except for one. The hat. I was hard pressed to even find it, and when I did, it was massively overpriced. So here I am, driving me and my friend to the convention as a woefully hatless Twisted Fate.
"Of course they do. If it's in a game, they've got it here. Just you see." My friend Brian said from the passenger seat. He is a true example that makeup can do anything. Brian was actually a well muscled African-American man, but he actually made a VERY convincing Graves. He even got the voice down. But just like me, he was missing something. You can't be Graves without his iconic gun.
"Ya, let's hope we can find a merchant who sells them."
Me and Brian wandered around, being continuously congratulated for our costumes. Some people notice that we are down a hat and a gun, and they frequently point out a very shady looking merchant that kinda looks like that merchant from Resident Evil.
Kinda.
They had all the looks of the merchant, except for the fact that they were female instead of male like the merchant was in ever game. They also looked a little cute. And shady. Would you call that shutey? I guess they were going for a gender-bend look to draw some attention.
So, I point out to my friend in a moment of true intellect that the shadiest merchants are always the ones that have the best stuff. Every gamer knows that. So, after slamming his palm straight into his face, Brian agreed to go to him. After promising to kick my ass later if the items we get are absolutely shit in quality.
Both of us immediately spot what we are looking for on the merchants desk. Almost as if she was expecting us, she had Twisted Fate's hat and Graves' Shotgun on display. The hat was exactly what I was looking for. It was an absolute work of art. It looked exactly like The hat in-game and even had a card already on the hat. The shotgun was also an exquisite piece. Hell, even all the nicks in it looked like they came from use and maintenance. It was also bulky as hell. I doubted I could even carry it.
Looking at the pieces, I decided to ask, "How much are you wanting the hat and the gun for?"
The merchant placed a hand on her chin in thought. "Hmm... For you two handsome gents, I think I'll go a little low. How does a hundred bucks sound for both? I'll even throw in two free key chains and belt pouches." She said as she reach under the counter and held up two key chains that both had a little rubber ornament saying 'Game-con 2018'.
I could have swore I heard mine and Brian's jaws crack the flooring. What a steal! Me and Brian took the deal without hesitation.
"Aye, thanks for the deal." Brian said as I put the hat and belt pouch on while he was examining his gun. "Damn this thing is light!" I examined my new hat for a bit then put it on. It was a snug fit, as if it was custom made for my head. Incredible!
"Alright boys, I'm a little new to this and there's two of you, so this is going to be a bumpy ride. And you may not retain everything." She said in an embarrassed tone and a nervous chuckle.
Both me and Brian quickly looked up at her. "Wait, wha-" And like that, I feel as if my head was hit with a bag of bricks and I immediately collapse.
Celestia and Luna sat down, resting for the first time in what feels like days. They were heavily panting, exhausted but victorious. The battle against Discord had drained their stamina, and using the Elements of Harmony to imprison a being as powerful as him had put a heavy gouge in their mana reserves. Celestia's rest was cut short by a light chuckle, then full blown laughter which was coming from her sister. Celestia couldn't keep her composure anymore and joined in. For the first time in two years, it felt good to share a laugh with her sister once more. They had finally won! Discord's reign has now ended and true harmony can return to the land.
Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of cards being shuffled and slapped down. Nearby, a ring of glowing green cards had formed. Being on edge, they aimed the Elements and fired.
Meanwhile
"HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" I screamed as I was falling to the planets surface. I heard yelling next to me. I looked next to me, tearing my gaze away from the rapidly approaching ground, to my friend. He was screaming louder than I was. I angled myself to reach him and grabbed onto his coat. Oh, what I would give to have solid earth beneath my feet and not to be a stain on it.
My friend's screaming ceased, causing me to look up. Everything was happening in slow motion. I saw my friend slowly look around at a ring of green cards circling us. And right before I found myself possibly impaled on a branch from the quickly approaching tree cover, we vanished and were somewhere else.
We appeared in a field where we thankfully lost our momentum via our sudden transportation. Both me and my friend got up and looked around, only to see a glowing rainbow shooting straight towards us. My adrenaline must still be present as it too was in slow motion. Not that I could dodge it. Right before it hit me and my friend, I heard a jovial voice in my head. "You might as well make a funny pose before hand." My friend must have thought the same as I heard him blowing a raspberry with his hands beside his head with his fingers spread, thumbs in his ears. His shotgun was held to his back via a leather strap. I simply got into a squat like the good Slav knight I am.
There was no pain when the rainbow hit, but I lost feeling in my legs and the loss of feeling was rising. Right before it engulfed my head, I thought 'Death by rainbows, what a way to go.' Then all was black.
When I regained my senses, I found my self squatting on a stone dais in the middle of a garden. I couldn't move my body, only direct my senses, which were telling me that I was petrified. I found that I can turn my 'head' and look around. I couldn't turn my physical one, it was more like looking around with the mind's eye.
I heard the voice in my head again, this time with a mock southern gruffness behind it. "So, what are you in for, partner?"
Author's Note
Yay bandwagon!
In all seriousness, I always wanted to do a displaced fic, and i felt that Twisted Fate would be the perfect character. And of course he got to keep his good ol' friend. But as the merchant said, not everything is there.
Hope you enjoyed it!
