Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

We strode into the hall, Princess Leia, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Sara Jane, Sheeana and Chapel and all heads turned our way.
Well okay, it wasn’t quite like that, we got a few looks, letch looks at Brid in particular, but Wonder Woman Nena wasn’t short of appraising looks either. Of course we were now in a world where pretty much anything goes, I felt somewhat under dressed or is that overdressed.

“Flippin’ ‘eck,” Mand offered as we surveyed the converted school hall.
“Yeah,” I agreed, “from the four corners of the universe they came.”

A quick scan around suggested it might be busy later, there were already a good number of Jedi, Trekkies and so in evidence and more were piling in behind us. Someone had put some thought into this, sales stands lined three walls behind what I can best describe as space ship fascias and I could see the photo area through in a smaller hall was also decked out with scenery.

There’s a few things that seem to come up in science fiction that any character will fit into to. Clearly some sort of space ship always works but the other good standby is some sort of desert scenario – refuge to heroes, base for baddies, it works either way. And here we’ll soon have a room full of both.

Now just to reiterate, we are not geeks, we just like dressing up from time to time – okay I’ll admit to my manga collection but really that’s as far as it goes.

“We need to register for the competition,” Steff mentioned.
“Competition?” Mand asked.
“You don’t think I’m dressed in a papier maché bikini for my health do you?” Brid noted.
“There’s a costume competition this afternoon Mand,” Con advised our mufti member.
“Right, now I get it,” Mand grinned, “why didn’t you say before, so what do we do now?”

So after registering for the competition we split up to explore the Con, obviously it’s not just the sales stands. There were rooms where you could watch various different Sci-Fi series, the obvious Star Trek but enough other options to satisfy everyone, original Batman, Spiderman, Battlestar Galactica – you get the idea. Compared to some of these things I’ve been to it was a bit light on ‘panels’, there was a discussion about Star Trek technology in one room but that was all.

Mand and I mooched around the stalls – of course I’ve seen this stuff before but it was an eye opener for my companion.

“People buy this stuff?”
“Course,” I agreed, “some of the figures sell for hundreds.”

The stall we were at specialises in Star Wars stuff, you could buy anything from full Storm Trooper armour through film stills to fan fiction comics.

“Whatever turns you on.”
“Er yeah.”

It was a bit strange for me, usually you get stopped every few yards for photos but I guess Sara Jane is a bit mundane, off the spectrum so by the time we convened for some lunch I’d only had my picture taken once.

“Lost count,” Nena told us as we compared notes.
“Every Storm Trooper wants a picture with Leia,” Brid grinned.

A quick look around revealed enough white clad individuals for a battalion. Not that I’m jealous or anything but maybe I shoulda gone for something more obvious than Dr Who’s assistant from before I was born.

The competition, as usual, was peer voted, Con’s Batgirl got a prize but the rest of us failed to get enough votes to win anything. But its not about the winning, its the taking part right? As if.

We did pay for a group photo, well its nice to have some souvenir of the day. I didn’t actually buy anything else, its not that stuff didn’t catch my eye but do I really need a Star Trek communicator? Pia was toting a bag of purchases, a t-shirt and a framed still from the first Star Wars film.

“Ready?” Con enquired when Bridg rejoined us more suitably dressed for the outdoors.
“Maccy D’s?” Steff suggested.

There was no way we’d catch the next train, it goes in like five minutes.

“Lets go,” I enthused, I need cheering up and a milkshake sounds good.

Outside it had been raining, the good news was that it wasn’t now as we headed towards Löhr Straße. The bright lights of the Golden Arch’s welcomed us, the staff bemused by the arrival of assorted Super Heroes and other con refugees.

“So you go to these often?” Mand asked as we settled into a booth with a tray of fries, burgers and drinks.
“A couple of times a year,” Steff mentioned before biting into her cheeseburger.
“There’s one at Phantasialand later in the year,” Con supplied.
“And we did a big one in Köln,” Pia added.
“They’re much more general though,” Nena offered, “there are loads more things you can costume.”
“You gonna come next time?” Steff asked.
“Might do,” Mand allowed.

We caught the northbound Rhein Express; it was dark when we arrived at Remagen to be greeted by the news that the Express wasn’t running. Myleen had mentioned there might be delays but no train was a real bummer.

“There’s a replacement bus,” Pia told us having read the whole sign, “or I can get Dad to collect us.”

If we’d known before we could’ve arranged something but the prospect of waiting maybe half an hour or more didn’t appeal to anyone.

“Bus!” we chorused.

“So was it worth it?” Mum enquired an hour later as the pair of us sipped at mugs of hot chocolate.
“It was okay.”
“Just okay?”
“Connie got a prize,” Mand supplied.
“I think this woulda worked better in Manchester, Dr Who isn’t that popular here,” I suggested.
“Well I think you look very good,” Mum stated.

“Come here,” Steff instructed when I joined her in our usual corner of Thesing’s next morning.
“What?”
“Your brows, they look weird with the brown hair.”
“What do you mean weird?”
“They need some extra colour.”
“Er okay.”

I succumbed to my friend’s ministrations; well I don’t want to draw too much attention to my currently brown tresses do I? By the time the others were all at the table I was apparently presentable, leastways no one mentioned anything.

“So er, how did it go yesterday?” I asked Therese as I put my coat back on.
“We had a few walkers and another group of Radfahrer,” she smiled.
“Not as many as Saturday?”
“No, not so many, just one table, I think they were sheltering from the rain really.”
“Even so,” I opined.
“Yes, whatever brought them they are still customers.”

And so another week of school got underway.

“Everyone okay with that?” Hannah asked.
There were no naysayers so she went on, “right, collect your uniforms from the office and I’ll see you all next week.”

Our practice had gone pretty well, even if there was still a lot of stiffness we were at least together in the moves. I’m looking forward to showing Fran what I’ve accomplished, her help has been invaluable and I doubt we’ll ever get another opportunity to show her in purpose. Well that and just seeing my funky ex-teacher again, she was there when I needed her in Virginia and when Gaby started appearing instead of Drew.

“And your Mum’ll take you and Amanda?” Hannah confirmed as we debriefed in the clubs office.
“Yep, she was a teacher before so she knows Fran, give them a chance to catch up.”
“At the same school?”
“Yeah,” I told her, “she even taught me and Jules sometimes.”
“Tough!”
“Tell me about it.”
“You coming Gab?” Mand called from outside.
“Moment!” I replied, “see you on Friday I guess.”
“Uh huh,” Han agreed, “oh don’t forget these.”
“Yeah, best not.”

I took the bag with a spare uniform in it, not for me but for Mand, how I get her into it next Monday remains to be seen.

“Sprint, sprint!” Dad encouraged, “come on the lines coming up!”
We were both giving our all, the noise intense, the perspiration flying as we headed for the imaginary line
“Aa-and easy!” our taskmaster told us.
I sat up, for now momentum still turning my legs, Mand beside me draped over her bars.
“Well done girls, ten minute cool down.”
I managed a nod of confirmation, “’Kay.”

He headed off upstairs leaving the pair of us to gently steam and drip in the garage.
“Doesn’t, gasp, get any, gasp, easier,” Mand managed sitting up and grabbing her towel.
“No,” I wheezed.
“Do you think the others, gasp, do this?”
“Ron an’ that?”
“Yeah.”
I took a swig from my bidon, “Dad gives them a programme, he’s got it all on the computer.”
“So they do these sessions?”
“Supposed to, it’s supposed to be scientific.”
“Whatever that means,” Mand opined.
Yeah, whatever that means.
“You heard from any of the others?”
“Not for a bit,” I admitted.
“Aren’t we supposed to have some presentation soon?”
“Yeah, I think the others are coming for that.”

“Remember it’s the team presentation this weekend so don’t go organising anything eh?” Dad mentioned when we got back upstairs.
“This week?”
“Sunday, I did tell you.”
“So the others coming?” Mand asked.
“They’ll be here Saturday so we can get you all kitted out ready for Sunday.”
“’Kay,” I allowed.
Kitted out, hey that means the new bikes!
“We get the bikes?”
“You get the bikes,” Dad confirmed.
“Brill!”

Maddy Bell 08.06.16