Legal Disclaimer is on Chapter 1... this is the 4th. Chapter of Dale's Rebirth and it features new characters and guest stars- the new characters are Suzanne, Lisa & Chris, and the guest stars are the members of URAN Cosplay.

          Author's Note- I had an idea for this a while back but didn't know where to put it. Since I've been unable to reach my collaborating friend on it, I felt I should write it on my own- and so here it is.

          A Cosplayer's Dream
          By Dale Speer

          Dale was listening to the talk the friends surrounding her gave- but somehow, her heart wasn't there. Instead, it focused on the woman with her in the Myu-Venus costume. "I wonder if, when I ask her," she thought, "Sandora-chan will become my adopted sister- because I know I need one."

          Dale politely bowed out of the group and went upstairs to change out of her Myu-Moon costume. Keeping Usagi's hairdo, she dressed in simple clothes to go into town... she wanted to visit their friends and see what was happening, and Naoko was only too kind to let her be driven back to the hotel, where she found Kathleen & Colleen sitting in the restaurant having breakfast.

          After their initial shock, Colleen asked, "Why did you come back here?" "Well I wanted to see you 2," Dale replied, "and I hoped to see any new Cosplayers checking in- it's only 2 days before Comiket, and I can bet that the cosplayers are already piling into the hotels." "You've got that right," Kathy replied, "and a whole bunch of them are newcomers this year to Cosplay." "I can imagine so," Dale replied.

          Colleen suggested that they visit Tokyo's Rose Gardens later that afternoon. "I've heard of them," Dale said, "The roses there are so lovely and fragrant, you almost want to live there for the rest of your life." So they made plans to take an afternoon bus there and walk among them.

          It was then that 3 people walked into the hotel and saw the 2 who cosplayed CardCaptor Sakura there. They walked over and politely bowed to them, asking if they could get their autographs in their character's styles. Signing their names as Sakura Kinomoto & Tomoyo Daijouji, the duo then asked for their names.

          "I'm Suzanne Rogers," the woman, who had her red hair done up like Makoto, said. The next person, with short blonde hair cut like Ami, said, "My name's Lisa Black." "And I'm Chris Thompson," said the last one, who had to wear a wig because her cancer calls for chemotherapy. After introducing themselves, Colleen then said, "This is our friend, Dale Speer. She's relatively new to Cosplay- and to Anime in general."

          "That's awesome, Dale-chan," Suzanne said, "but are you wearing a wig due to chemotherapy?" "You're wondering about the hairdo," Dale replied, "That's okay- most people don't believe me when I say this, but this is my honest hair." "I didn't believe you can mimic Usagi so much," Chris said, "So where are you staying?" So Dale then said that she was staying with Sandra and with Naoko Takeuchi.

          "We were going to visit the Rose Gardens later on," Colleen said, "and we would be honored if you would join us." "We always like having friends surrounding us," Kathy added. "We would be honored to join you," Lisa said, "Give us a half hour to check in and get settled, then we'll depart."

          It was just then that Sandra and Naoko walked into the hotel's restaurant and asked Dale what was happening. "I wanted to visit our new friends, Sandora-chan," she replied, "and these 3 walked up and asked for their autographs as their characters. So the 6 of us got into a definite conversation." Dale then introduced the 3 newcomers to them- and each made their appropriate observations.

          "So what were you planning for later on, Deru-chan?" Naoko asked. "Well we were thinking of visiting Tokyo's Rose Gardens later this afternoon," Dale replied, "because I'm still, at heart, a tourist and would love to see them." "I think we should all go," Naoko said, "It would give me the opportunity to gain inspiration for some new material. But right now, I was going to take Sandora-chan back to the hospital for that check-up with the physician." So the group went their separate ways, but promised to meet at 4pm in the hotel lobby to travel over to their tourist destination.

          Dale then took a bus back to Shibuya District- she wanted to revisit the shop they got their costumes from and browse some more. She also wanted to thank Tomoko for the excellent work she did on them.

          When she arrived, there were 6 other girls talking about doing some costumes with Tomoko. So she just started to browse the many different items on the racks- until the girl with the cone-shaped odangoes walked over after pointing Dale out and asked in broken english, "What are you doing here? You're a tourist, right?"

          She was startled by the voice that she jumped a little bit- but then found the person and said, "Well, I came by to visit Tomoko-san and give her my thanks for doing a wonderful job on the costumes for me. But when I saw you and your friends with her, I felt I shouldn't interrupt and did some browsing." "You wouldn't have been interrupting us, Dale-chan," Tomoko said after walking over, "come over and listen in."

          The one with the wig done up like Usagi's hairdo asked Dale, "Is that a wig you're wearing of this?" "No, it isn't," Dale replied, "this is the real hair done up like Usagi-chan's." All of them marvelled at the hairdo and the first young woman asked, "So who is this young woman?" "This is Dale Speer," Tomoko said, "and she's from the U.S. She's staying with Takeuchi-sensei, who also had the costumes of the 1st. and 5th. Versions of Sailor Moon- as well as the school uniforms- and the final armor of Rayearth's FireKnight done up for her."

          "Are you going to be at Comiket tomorrow?" another one, sporting a blue wig styled like Ami's, asked her. "Yes, I will be there," Dale replied, "but I'm also apprehensive because this is the very 1st. time that I'm not only going to an anime convention- but that I'm also going to be a cosplayer as well. "Your first anime convention and your first experience as a cosplayer?" the one that looked like Usagi asked rhetorically, "Now that's amazing. But I'm sure that you will do an impressive job."

          "You have been talking to Dale-chan like she was your friend," Tomoko said, "but she doesn't even know who you are. Take the time and introduce yourselves to her- starting with you." At the end of her statement, she pointed to the one with the Usagi wig.

          "Collectively," she said, "we're members of URAN Cosplay here in Tokyo. I'm Barbie, and I'm one of the leaders of the group." "I'm Koume," the one sporting the blue wig said. "My name's Kaie, and I'm the other leader," the one sporting the wig styled like Minako spoke up. "My name's Konomi," came from the one who looked like Setsuna, then the one who looked like Hotaru said, "I'm Hikaru." "And I'm Zuke," came from the one wearing the pink odangoed wig. "I'm honored to meet you all," Dale said with a deep bow.

          "Why don't you stay with us for the day, Deru-chan," Barbie said, "I promise that you will learn much about cosplaying your favorite characters while you're with us." "I'd be honored to be with you, minna," Dale replied, "but I have a meeting with my other friends at my hotel. We're all going over to the rose gardens to just enjoy them." "You're still a tourist at heart," Kaie said, "but we'll meet you and your friends there. We were going to do a photoshoot with Barbie and Zuke as NeoSerenity & NeoSelenity."

          So Dale and the Cosplayers went their separate ways- but the lone woman knew that she would cross paths with URAN Cosplay later on that day. But it would be the day that changed everything.

          "You mean to tell me you ran into members of URAN Cosplay over at Chacott?" Sandra asked on the way to the rose gardens, "That's awesome. You don't run into them on an ordinary day in a store- you're lucky to encounter and be invited to hang out with those legends of the Cosplay World."

          "But you and the others mean so much to me," Dale said, "I gave up the opportunity to be with them to meet back and rejoin you. But they did say that they were going to be at the same place doing a photoshoot with Barbie and Zuke as the Future Queen and Princess."

          "Then we're in luck," Naoko said, "I got hold of a photographer and asked if he wanted to do a photoshoot of you and Sandora-chan as Myu-Moon & Myu-Venus. He was going to be there when we arrived... so maybe, if we're lucky, we might get to have Barbie-chan & Kaie-chan join us." "I hope you're right, Naoko-chan," Dale replied.

          Upon arrival at Tokyo's wonderful rose gardens, Dale and Sandra changed into their first 2 costumes, the ones of EternalSailor Moon and SuperSailor Venus. The photographer then did the individual shoots first, then the combo shoot using a 36 exposure roll of film for the job. After changing into their Series 1 costumes, the photographer then used a second 36 exposure roll to finish the Senshi Shoot and another 36 for a shoot involving the 2 girls in their school uniforms.

          Kaie was wandering the gardens after seeing to the beginning of the NeoRoyalty shoot when she saw flashes coming from the other side of the rose gardens. Walking over there, she saw Dale and Sandra in the school uniforms being photographed- and she silently watched them fluidly move from one pose to the next. At the end, she clapped her hands at the grace of the 2 subjects.

          "I have to admit, Deru-chan," Kaie said, "you and your friend did a wonderful job in that photoshoot." "Arigatou, Kaie-chan," Dale replied, "but we don't know how we'll use the pictures we've taken? But it seemed to please Naoko-chan to have us photographed." "She's right, Kaie-chan," Naoko said after placing her hand on the cosplayer's shoulder.

          "Well," Kaie said in broken English, "URAN Cosplay operates a website we use to promote our cosplay, and we know that many groups and individuals in the U.S. also use websites for that same reason. Why don't you do that- and use the photos from this shoot to grace its pages?" "But we're only 2 friends out of Baltimore Maryland," Sandra said, "How can we form a Cosplay Group with just us?" "URAN Cosplay got its start with just me and Barbie-chan," Kaie replied, "you have a circle of friends around you- use that to form your Cosplay Group."

          "Did you say that you 2 live in Baltimore?" Kathy asked- and when Dale nodded her head, she said, "Me and Colleen live in Annapolis." "That's only an hour's drive away from us," Sandra said. "And the 3 of us live in Columbus Ohio," Suzanne said, "that's only a half a day away from where you live."

          "But Deru-chan's only a child in the terms of Anime and Cosplay," Sandra added. "A child that needs friends who can help her be the best cosplayer only she can aspire to be," Naoko told her friend, "And I didn't even say this, but when I had the voice actresses over for the fashion show Dale's heart and mind wasn't in the present- but was wrestling with something." "Let's go over and let these 2 have some quiet time with each other," Kaie said, "I know Dale has something on her heart- but it must be incredibly personal for her, and needs to be told to Sandra alone." So the group of cosplayers and Naoko left Dale and Sandra to talk about what was on the Moon Princess' heart.

          Once they were alone, Dale asked, "Sandra, have you ever felt like you ever lost someone because they were gone- and you never got to know them?" "Often, Dale," she replied, "I've had so-called friends leave me because they wanted something better for them. Why do you ask?"

          "Well," Dale started, "ever since you came into my life as a friend, I couldn't tear my thoughts away from anything else- the more I thought about it, the more you stood out- like a sister to me." "What?!" Sandra asked in complete surprise, "I feel the same way about you but I didn't know how to approach you about it. But you set my thoughts completely at ease." Sandra then added that she felt that Dale was a lost twin sister to her- and that she wanted to be the one to ask her to be that way... and from that day forward, the 2 became more than just friends.

          In a hug to her new sister, Dale said, "Now I'm glad to be more than a friend to you, Sandora-chan." "Why do you say that, Deru-chan?" she asked.

          So Dale told of the fact that she was an only child- no brothers that teased her, no sisters to confide in. "My parents didn't want to split up their estate between 2 or more children," Dale added, "and I wasn't allowed friends- my parents even told me that to have a boyfriend was bad, in that he would be overwhelmed with greed." "Then you had it worse than me or anyone else," Sandra replied.

          Once they rejoined the others, Naoko knew that what worried Dale was now at ease- at seeing the smiles on both of their faces, she felt her own face smile at the bond of sisterhood now shared.

          "Barbie and I had a talk with our members," Kaie said, "and we would feel honored if you became part of URAN Cosplay in the U.S." "But we're only partially complete," Dale said, "We have Usagi and Minako- we have no one to be Makoto, Rei or Ami." "Actually, you do, Deru-chan," Suzanne said, "I love playing Mako-chan on the internet- and I would be honored to be her in your cosplay group." "I could play anyone," Chris said, "because I have to wear wigs- I could even become ChibiUsa-chan. And I'm sure that Lisa could become Ami-chan."

          "I can easily substitute for anyone in the group," Kathy said. "And I would love becoming Rei," Colleen said, "I usually have to wear wigs as well due to my chemo & radiation therapy for cancer."

          "So what do you think, onee-chan," Sandra said with a smile on her face, "Do we start a cosplay group with these friends of ours- and become part of URAN?" Dale thought all of this with a smile on her face and a wildly beating heart- and in the end, it became obvious of what they should do...

          "But I know we can't just become what we are in URAN," she said, "We have to let Barbie and company determine who we are in the Japanese Team." "That's what we expected to hear from you, Deru-chan," Barbie said, "And that's why you're wecome to be part of our team."

          Once back at Naoko's estate, Sandra asked, "Are you happy that we're now sisters instead of just being friends, Deru-chan?" "I have never felt what it's like to be a sister, Sandora-chan," Dale replied, "so I will need a lot of help in that." "Daijoubu, onee-chan," Sandra told her, "You're like Miho-chan in Fancy Lala- and that's what makes you yourself. You're growing up in the Anime World- and you're going to find that you have the magic within you to make your dreams real."

          "Deru-chan's growing up in the world of Anime," Naoko thought to herself, "And it just may be that she'll be the first person in the U.S. to create an original anime for the people there. Perhaps, she'll become popular when she takes Sailor Moon to the next levels- and maybe even beyond."

          Before she went to bed that night, Dale took out her sketch book and started drawing in it with just her pencil. She took 5 pages and drew some special figures in them- like they were of Sandra and her friends, dressed in beautiful evening gowns. She smiled as she finished- as she knew she was tired. So she set it aside and climbed into the bed she shared with her new sister.

          5 minutes after she climbed in, Dale found herself being cuddled close to by Sandra- and she smiled at that, knowing that it was her sister cuddling into her. And she snuggled into her closer, content to be with her sis.

          TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER...

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