It wasn't that good old daily grind type of convention gig for me. When I stumbled out of the sack this morning of september, I knew that my day wouldn't work through as a regular sit and sign factory show much more than as a Monsters Inc. reconstruction. Disguised nerds along with rides and carousels? And that cryptic treasure hunt promise no one knows the prize? Highly dodgy situation down here.

Plus, my Red Ranger costume didn't fit so well now I went through two months long pizza jumble bundle apocalypse. Long story short, breakups are tough shit and my body seemed to have ratcheted forward over the grief. Maybe professionally prancing amongst enthralled geeks would give me the ego boost I needed to belly-bounce back to life and get a more healthy lifestyle.

A healthy lifestyle, minus for the beers and steaks, you know...

A convention show in an amusement park is nothing fun. We are actually ocuppying hot-dogs and corn-candy booths, wich is really not convenient. Also, the struggle to ditch everything and jump in a roller-coaster is hard.

I was taking a regular break by wandering idly in the park but when I wanted to sit on a bench I ended up actually sitting on... Spiderman? How is that I didn't saw him/her at first?

"Oh, I'm sorry. Wistful I was. Hope my asscrack's not too sweaty..."

Of course, I didn't sit on the classic jokey, mischievous Spiderman, but on the Mary-Jane-just-dumped-me moody one. So I tried to be cool. Cooler than usual. Still...

"With great power comes politness, kido." I said, sitting on the free spot nearby, opening my bottle of diet-friendly water and taking a sip of it.

Spiderman jabbered something, probably an insult, but why should I care? There always had been unpleasant people in these conventions and yes, sometimes was I one of them.

But as I drank my tastless refreshment, I saw something unusual.

"F*ck me..."

For in front of us was the cosplayer of a famous team Magneto vilain, some pyromantic dude. He really pulled off with his cosplay. And with having the exact same face than the famous criminal. And the exact same power.

Shit...

I couldn't guess if Spiderman was serious when quoting... It's, like, a seriously famous movie, or something. Damn! It on the tip of my t...
"Holy juice, duck!"

Just the time grab my neighbour and dash prone, a really hot flame skim past us, buring some of my hair.
"Okay, I'm definitely not paid enough!" I said, as the villain walked closer to us, with fire in both of his hands and an ominous smirk on his face.

Pyrodouche scratched theatrically his chin, then took the villain posture. You know: knees lightly bent, forearms up, hands claw-like. The pure black metal poser stance... With flames.
"I'm shortlisting.
- Okay, I'm sick of these fucking muto-jerks!" I protested, standing up, facing the killer.

Understandably, he was quite unimpress.

"And how do you think... Oh my god, are you the real..." But he couldn't finish as I poured my bottle on his hands.

"Run!"
And so did I.

What idea? I didn't have any one. I was just doing stuff. Like running. It was pure instinct, not anything else. Another villain came past us, a flying one. He didn't really noticed us as he seemed to search for something. I could only hear him mumbling:

"Stupid treasure hunt..."

But it wasn't long until we ended up in a pedestrian jam. The amusement park being on a pier, there wasn't a lot of exit.
"Wait... The staff area may lead to the side stairs, then to the beach..."

What? I didn't really linstened to the young-old Spiderman (what's the deal with the white hair, nowadays, anyway?) for I was intently focused on grabing a handful of caramelized pop-corn while I still could.

But when I heard some fire-ish sounds in background, I decided it was time to take my chance through the carrousels and rides.
"We should hide in these, we're too exposed."

And I started to walk, munching my snack.

There were too many mirrors in that carrousel. I surely hoped they were magnifying ones.
"Yeah, ironic, isn't it? When you fake saving people in front of the camera, you get money and fame, but when you save people for real, you almost end up in jug. That's why I'm almost sure that bald cripple guy's team are pretending: they got a manor instead of an unhealthy condo."

I droped my last pop-corns in disgust of my reflection's shape and hid with the boy.
"Damn, some more."

So, they were searching for a rock, then? What was the connexion with the treasure hunt? But then, two other guys came. Team Xavier or Magneto? Unrelevant, they were all the same anyway.
"Well, they talked about a cripple dude, so they're obviously from the X-men." I whispered.

And I tried to slink away. But suddenly, the entire park got switched on, carroussel included.
"Hey, who are you!
- Oh no..."

Thanks Jesus I had the reflex of putting my mask back. Otherwise, they'd definitely have seen my wide-goggling eyes when the boy said what he said. Gotta admit, it was a seriously ballsy move. But the minions didn't seem to accept our defense, though they were considering the intel.

"Okay, I know everyone is on the edge right now, but please let's focus. I don't mean to be bossy, but we don't have a lot of time on our side.
- You're right. Come with us, then."

Oh God...

But there ain't no riddle, just goofy games that mostly involved buying tickets and stuff.
"Don't worry, guys: I've put someone fitted for the gig." Said the vilain (damn, he was ripped!), pointing out his buddy who just completed: "I can sniff out every kind of metal. And safes are molded in peculiar proportion of them."

And we started to walk.

"Have any power? Or plan?" I whispered to my neighbor.

I noded. It was the only way. And yet... I had this terrible taste in my mouth, remembering that time not so long ago we wanted to be real heros with the guys. Blue Force was always the bravest.

I say "You got it."
I Think: Pussies.

The doggy-dude wasn't kidding. The guy's litteraly sniffing the air like a hound.
"It's close."

I think: wouldn't that be easier to win the godamn rock? Or take it during the presentation?

And finally we stoped. Before the ghost train.