Legal Disclaimer- All of the characters named- with the exception of Michelle Johnson and Dale Speer- belong to their respective companies. We lay no claim to owning them. I wrote myself in this as a female character while the other character belongs to a friend, and you need our permissions to use them.

            Author's Notes- This is the first of a new series of cosplay stories titled SpokAnime Cosplay. The characters are drawn upon from real people that I know on the web... enjoy the tale.

            The Beginnings of SpokAnime Cosplay
            By Dale Speer

            Dale Speer was spending Saturday sitting at her computer desk, watching something on WindowsMedia Player.

            It was a brand new Live-Action Japanese Series that she got on VideoCD (VCD), titled Pretty Guardian SailorMoon. Based more from the Sailor Moon manga than the anime, it was a better series about the Sailor Senshi she had come to know and love. Of course she loved Usagi-chan, particularly because they shared the same birthday- June 30, 1978.

            Of course Dale was an accomplished FanFiction writer, having written stories about the anime Senshi and her other favorites- especially MagicKnight Rayearth & Kaitou Saint Tail. She was favored toward Shoujo & Mahou Shoujo animes that she never really took a liking to shows like DragonBall-Z, Gundam Wing and other boy-oriented shows.

            It was noon when she got a phone call from Michelle Johnson, a friend she had come to know from another friend of theirs, and she took to Michelle like she was a little sister. They were 2 years apart from each other- Michelle was born in 1980- and now they were attending High School in Spokane, Washington, as Freshmen together. Already they were close friends that they got each other to do their homework and have fun shooting hoops after school in the gym.

            "I was wondering if I could come over and we could do something together," Michelle asked her friend... and Dale knew it was time for her to share her hobbies and interests with this. "Would you like to come over and hang out with me?" Dale asked her, "I figured we could watch one of my movies on my computer or do some studying."

            "I'd love to come and visit you," Michelle said, "I'll be there in about a half hour." "I'll see you then, Michelle," Dale replied before hanging up the phone. The smile she had on her face knew that Michelle will have a lot of fun with her that afternoon... and that they would have a plan for bringing friends together in a unique form.

            By the time Michelle had arrived, Dale had her homework done and was doing some typing at her notebook computer. Hugging her sister, Dale said, "How would you like to get your friends into something that can make us a signature act together?" "That would be awesome, Dale," she said, "I'd never thought that we could do that. What do you have in mind?"

            So Dale took her up to the bedroom and brought up the photos she had taken at the last Comic Book Convention she went to as well as the show she was watching... and Michelle was awestruck by what she had. "I never knew you was into cartoons like Wonder Woman," she told her adopted sister.

            "But I'm into more than just cartoons," Dale told her, "I'm also into stuff from Japan- comics and shows like Sailor Moon and MagicKnight Rayearth." She then opened up a folder of pics she took at an Anime Convention- and these surprised Michelle as well. "You want to get me into Japanese comics, cartoons and costuming?" she asked, "I'd like that very much... when do we begin?"

            "Well," Dale said, "you begin by watching what I've got on my computer- I'll be right back with a surprise."

            While Michelle watched the VCD on Dale's computer, the latter went to a bedroom she used as a sewing room and changed into a costume she had built already- Sailor Moon from the new PGSM. "I'm sure Michelle will be surprised when I reappear in this outfit," Dale thought as she finished up by putting on the jewelry and the wig she had made for the occasion.

            Michelle was waiting for Dale to return when she heard someone say, "Konnichi wa, Michiru-chan." When she turned to the door, there stood the heroine she saw on the VCD- in all of her resplendent glory. "Sailor Moon?" she asked in a voice laced with some wonder.

            "Hai, Michiru-chan," she said, "Deru-chan said that you needed someone to be a friend with, and that's why I'm here." "Then I am truly happy that I have her as an adopted sister," Michelle said, "But could you answer me this- why did you call me 'Michiru-chan'?"

            "Michiru is how we say 'Michelle' in Japanese," the Sailor Senshi replied, "and when you're a friend of mine, we always add -chan to signify that friendship." "Then I'm glad that you want me as a friend," Michelle said, "I only wish my parents had named me Ami instead of Michelle.

            When asked why by the Senshi, she then said, "Ever since I saw the anime, I always related to Ami Mizuno because I was one of the smartest students in my class and that I didn't have any friends because of it." "Perhaps Deru-chan could convince them to change your name to Ami," the Senshi then said, "and then you would be matched with your favorite character." The Senshi then advised her to read some of Dale's mangas and continue watching the VCD on the computer... and once she was not noticed, went back and changed into Dale's clothes.

            Going downstairs, Dale then dialed Michelle's home and asked to talk to her mother.

            "Hello there, Dale," the mother said once on the phone. "Hello, ma'am," she replied, "I'm calling about Michelle- and something she told me earlier."

            When asked about it, Dale then said, "She doesn't like being called 'Michelle'. In fact, she told me that she actually wants to be known as Ami after her favorite character, Ami Mizuno of 'Sailor Moon'." "I've always known that she wanted to be named Ami," her mother replied, "and we were going to contact the State and the Social Security Administration to get her name changed to it. But she has one of our credit cards in her purse and I know she admires you for what you do... so why don't you take her shopping- she's built up $5,000 worth of allowances since she got to know you, and she seriously wants to take after you."

            "I'll do that, Mrs. Johnson," Dale replied, "And I'll let you surprise her with her new name when she gets back home, k?" "We would appreciate that, Dale," she replied, "Thank you for being so considerate." Hanging up the phone, she went back upstairs to get her friend.

            Heading back up to her bedroom, Dale said, "How would you like to go shopping for some anime and manga online? Your mother told me that you have one of their credit cards in your purse and you've built up quite a bit of allowance since you met me... I believe she said $5,000 worth."

            "I didn't know I've built up that much allowance," Michelle said, "but I'd love to go shopping online with you." "Then let's hit some of the shops and give you a massive amount of Japanese fun," Dale said.

            After a few hours of shopping on Yahoo, AnimeNation & eBay, Michelle had a whole bunch of stuff slated to come to her home in weeks with her auctions paid for with the help of Western Union Auction Services... and she was loving every moment of it. "I'd never believe that I'd have this much fun with shopping online," she said to Dale.

            "And in this case," Dale said, "you have a lot of good stuff for yourself- for not a lot of money. But I know, from our friend, that you fashion yourself as Sailor Mercury. How would you like a couple of her costumes for yourself- hand made as well."

            "Oh, I'd love that!" Michelle squealed- so they went out and purchased what was needed, and when the rest of the afternoon was gone, she had Ami's school uniform and Sailor Mercury's fuku from PGSM... including the gloves, boots and jewelry. And her friend was excited to get dressed in it- but something was missing, and Michelle knew what that was. "Could we get the wig for Ami-chan's Anime-self?" Michelle asked- and Dale went to her computer, bringing up the website for Imperium Moon.

            Once she saw the bob-cut wig colored all blue, Michelle knew that she wanted it... and they filled out the orderform to buy it. "Oh," Michelle said, "I know I'll love that outfit so much."

            Once the day was wrapped up, Dale gave Michelle a temporary Garment Bag that had her costumes in it. "Please don't show these to your parents until you're ready to trust them with the costumes you've made for yourself," she told her- and Michelle promised to not do that.

            "But your parents are about to give you a bigger surprise when you do get home, Michiru-chan," Dale said, "So you've had better be ready." "Oh, don't worry," she told her friend, "I'm looking forward to having fun at home." With those words, Michelle took off for home... and for a bigger surprise.

            Michelle was in her room when her mother knocked on her door. Once in there and seated with her daughter on the bed, she said, "Dale told us that you wanted to be called Ami instead of Michelle, after your favorite character on Sailor Moon." "What did you say about it?" Michelle asked, curiosity filling her body.

            "Well, we went up to the County Courthouse and Social Security and we changed your name on your records," her mother told her, "You're no longer Michelle Johnson- you're now Ami Johnson." "Will we change my school records to reflect my new name?" Ami asked her.

            "Before school on Monday," her mother said, "We'll walk up to administration and change your name to reflect what's now new." "Awesome!" she said happily.

            Before retiring to her bed, Ami called Dale up to tell her what had happened. "I knew you would do that for me, Deru-chan," she said, "and I wanted to say 'Thank you' for doing it." "It's nothing, Ami-chan," Dale replied, "I figured that if they heard it from someone who you confided in, they would give you your dream." They made plans to meet the next day to talk about what was happening and to plan for the future- because as it was, there's only a few months before Sakuracon in Seattle and they needed a definite scheme of attack for Washington's biggest Anime & Manga gathering.

            Once there, Ami gave Dale a big hug for what she did the previous day. "But now I feel selfish for wishing to be called Ami when you consider yourself to be an alternative version of Usagi-chan," she said.

            "Don't worry about it, Ami-chan," Dale replied, "Usagi is a name not usually chosen by other families outside Japan- so between us, I can be known as Usagi-chan without revealing it." "That's really awesome," Ami replied, "I'll love calling you by your favorite character's name. But are you sure my family will let me travel with you to Sakuracon for the weekend?"

            "I'm positive, Ami-chan," Dale replied, "So long as you're escorted by someone older than you, you'll have one of the most wonderful times possible." "This will be one of the best times we will ever have," Ami then told her big sister with excitement in her voice.

            That day, they decided to drive to a local Hastings and buy a couple of books on learning how to speak, write and read Japanese as well as some anime and manga... and it was there that they saw the 2 boxsets ADV Films released of the original Japanese Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. "Did you say that you wanted them?" Ami asked her friend.

            "Those were 2 of my most wanted gifts for either my birthday or for Christmas," Dale replied, "And if even one of my friends would buy them for me, it would be very thoughtful of them." "Then consider them a belated Christmas gift from me, Usagi-chan," Ami replied, "After what you've done for me, it's the least I can do for my best friend."

            Manga- the Japanese form of Comic Books, always done in black and white with color covers.

            Anime- Japanese animation, done in the early years in black and white and now in color.

            Shoujo- Japanese for 'girl'. 'Boy' in Japanese is interpreted as Shounen. In Japan, anime & manga are always targeted towards a specific gender audience... shounen anime & manga is packed with action, where shoujo leans more towards romance and relationships.

            Mahou Shoujo- Japanese for 'Magical Girl', this manner of anime & manga has girls who are magically endowed. Prevalent in this genre is Naoko Takeuchi's "Pretty Soldier SailorMoon / Pretty Guardian SailorMoon", "CardCaptor Sakura" & "MagicKnight Rayearth" by Studio CLAMP, and Megumi Tachikawa's "Mysterious Thief Saint Tail".

            TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT STORY...

            The Group is Formed

            Take Me Home