Note: This is a Choose Your Own Ending (there's not enough story to be an adventure). I won't reveal what ending leads to what and please don't spoil in the comments. What I will do is to let you know whether the choice will lead you closer to a "good" or "bad" ending.

Start!
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A young man wanders through the throngs of bodies eyes wide. Certainly this wasn't his first convention, but still the crowd amazes him. Carrying his swag bag, he dodges through openings trying to see the various booths and vendors. There! A booth with an video game featuring anime characters, he thinks, I wonder if my favorite is in there--

He never gets the chance to find out as the mass of bodies shifts, taking him with them. Like a fish trying to swim upstream he makes a little progress, and it's a losing battle. He is swept away and dumped in an alcove of calm. Nearby, is a vendor with customers but not as busy as the rest of the place.

Speaking of the booth, one of the customers turns toward him and asks, "Hey. Are you into Sailor Moon?"

Yes, I am, he answers but keeps it to himself. "Why?"

The young lady gestures over her shoulder, "I'm getting a cosplay, and he says that if I can get more people to do it, he'll lower the price."

He looks over at her to gauge how much he can trust this stranger. She is pretty enough, and she looks as excited as he feels. Her brown, wavy hair is in a pony tail that drapes on her shoulder. "How much?"

Her blue eyes sparkle in excitement, "Right now, the vendor says 50 bucks, but if we can get the whole cast, he'll drop it down to 10 bucks per. He also said that the more people we can get, the lower he'll go."

That's a good deal unless, he considers, "Are they any good?"

"Yeah," she waves him over, "Come look at the before and after pictures."

He joins her, and she opens a binder of pictures in sheet protectors. Oh wow! The pictures are impossible. The before are all ordinary people and the after pictures look like realistic versions of the sailor scouts. All of them, he is amazed.

"Are you interested, too, young man," the receding hair line on this guy is deep. Looking to the older gentleman also draws his eye to the rest of the booth. Sailor scouts of all sizes adorn and fill every conceivable space on the table. They range in size from paintable miniatures to full sizes plush dolls. Some are even fully articulate.

"Yeah," he says convinced.

"Well, since it's the two of you now, I'll drop the price to 45 each. Are you going to stop there or get more," asks the vendor.

Excited, the young man turns to his partner. She looks just as excited. Together they say, "We'll get more."

He offers his hand, "I'm Noah."

"Joelle," she shakes his hand.

"Which one do you want to be," Noah asks her as they look around for others.

She taps her chin, "I'm not sure. I am thinking Mercury. You want Usagi?"

"Sailor Moon? Nah. She's cool and all, but I don't want to act all klutzy and ditzy all day."

"Good point," Joelle interjects.

Noah continues, "Nah. I'm leaning toward Venus. Cool, stylish, pop idol." He spins then poses like her, "I think I could pull her off."

Joelle giggles, "Not with that body, but you've certainly got her moves." Then her eyes go wide. "If you go Venus, can I be your Artemis?"

Noah looks confused, "Do you think he can do that?"

Her brows furrow, "I think so. Did you see the fourth or fifth picture of Sailor Moon? There was a Luna in it that totally wasn't stuffed."

"Okay. Sure," he agrees.

With a plan in place, they ask every passerbyer to join them. They manage to fill out the rest of the inner senshi and Tuxedo Mask with another three guys and two girls.

After confirmation that she could do the white cat, he announces to the group, "Good job, everyone. Since you got over half the cast, I'll cut the price by over half. How does 20 dollars each sound?" Everyone cheers. He lifts a sign onto the table that says, "Be right back."

"Great. Now if you'll follow me this way, I'll get you all changed." The vendor leads them through a nearby door into a hall into another door. The room looks like a small conference room with boxes and cases stacked everywhere. It's a big mess.

Over against one wall is a clear area. He gestures to there and they all line up over there. On the cusp, the vendor stops and reaches for one box of ten realistic transformation pens, unplugging each from their charging stations. He hands one to each except for Joelle. "Tuxedo Mask and Venus, wait for a second. Everyone else use your basic transformation phrase. These are voice activated."

The rest of the group stumbles over themselves all raising their pens and saying their henshin phrase, "Mars-" "Jupiter-" Moon-" "Mercury-" "Power Makeup!"

Noah can't believe his eyes. The four who raised their pens to the roof get covered in their respective colors. Jupiter gets dark green, Mars red, Mercury blue, Moon pink. Their outlines shift and warp into familiar shapes including the meatballs and long hair. The colored covering fades revealing the four girls in their casual outfits. "You four hang on for a sec. We have to finish these three. But don't go anywhere. You aren't done yet." The new scouts circle up and whisper and point at each other and gasp.

The vendor turns to Noah, Joleen, and the overweight guy. "As far as we know, Tuxedo Max doesn't have a code phrase, so we use, 'Tuxedo Power Makeup." With a nod he leaves and calls out his transformation. Afterwards, he joins the other four.

"The way we deal with the cats is that they must be holding the one with the pen." Joleen looks confused. "Just hug each other." Noah and Joleen do as he says. "Now call out the phrase."

Lifting the pen hand high, he calls out, "Venus Power Makeup!"

Even seeing it happen to the others it catches him off guard. A small hole opens on the bottom of the transformation pen. Orange covers his fingers then his hand and works down his arm. The covered parts tickle.  He wants to scratch it but that would mean that he isn't holding her. He doesn't want to ruin her transformation, so he endures it.

The colored mass spills onto his chest and her head resting there. It pauses there for a moment. Then it splits into two colors. Joelle gets covered in yellow while he continues to get colored in orange. It races and covers her fast. Just before the orange rises to cover his face, Noah sees she is covered in yellow and beginning to shrink. He holds her tighter, not wanting to drop her.

Then all he can see is a sea of orange. The irritation increases not that it bothers him. He knows that it is changing his body to look like his sailor scout. He expects to feel his waist shrink and lose height and even bones shifting. But he doesn't feel anything other than the tickling. Then it stops on his hand. Concentrating hard, he feels it expose his arm then his torso. He loses where it goes next because he feels something light and furry in his other arm.

Then his face is cleared. He looks down to see the white cat sitting there, looking up at him. It speaks up. "Now you've got the looks, too," he says in his male voice.

"Hey Joelle," Noah stops in surprise at the sound of his own voice. I sound just like her! He tries again, "or should I call you Artemis?"

The white cat shrugs and says, "When in Rome..." then stands on her hind legs in Noah's arm. Using Noah's new breasts for support, she bounds up and around Noah's neck. He is surprised by the new sensations. The cat finishes by speaking directly in the ear, "Artemis is fine, Minako."

Realizations flood him. Joelle is a guy. I'm a girl. Maybe I didn't think this all the way through, he thinks to himself

Before much else can happen, the vendor speaks again, "Okay. Please give me back the pens." The humans do so. He then reaches into the second and third boxes and gives each two matching transformation pens. "Look carefully at these. One has a '2' and the other a '3'. If you raise the '2' pen and call out your transformation call, you'll go from civilian clothes to full on sailor senshi, complete with the full twirl. So, make sure you have plenty of space before you do that one."

"The '3' pen plus the same phrase takes you from sailor scout to civilian clothes. No dramatics, just a head to toe clothes change. So, you can be swarmed and still change." He looks at all of them. Receiving no questions, he continues, "It's all done with nanobots. The wands have a frequency, the voice command and the correct frequency activate them." Still no questions. "That's it, everyone. When you are done, come back to me and we'll use the fourth pen."

The vendor turns his back on them and starts to leave, "The exit's this way." Then he turns back, "Oh yeah. Your wands are programmed to lead you through all the motions of any of thing your character calls out."

The group trickles out and back into the main floor. The traffic near them jams. Phones rise and flash. A commotion of voices all ask questions at once. Some call out instructions for poses. Some get their pictures and leave, others take their place. At some point all of them pose together.

Noah does his best to get that one sent to him via email. He's not sure how successful he is on the single shots or with Joleen. The pictures go on for some time. At one point, the vendor reminds everyone that his booth is nearby and they can get quality merchandise there.

"Hey," whispers Artemis atop her shoulders, "There's an opening. Let's go. There's a panel I want to get to."

"Okay," Noah says sliding into the gap between people. Travelling to the room is easier than before. Instead of pushing his way through, people give Sailor Venus clear passage to admire her with occasional stops for taking pictures. It's like she is surrounded by a clear bubble as she moves.

Once they reach the room Artemis wants to go to, they get swarmed by people with phones. "Go," he tells the cat, "save yourself."

Jolene chuckles. "I can stay for a couple of pictures."

"Okay, everyone. Artemis needs to get to this panel. Take your pictures now," he tells the crowd around them. Cameras flash. He poses and smiles. Someone in the crowd mentions that they should sign up for the cosplay contest. After a while Artemis bounds away and enters the room. Noah stays a little longer.

Once the small group disperses, he joins the meeting. Seeing the white tail above the back of a chair, she joins. "Is this seat taken?"

The white cat looks relieved. "Good thing you are here. Sit and let me climb on your shoulders. I can’t see a thing." They do so and soon a purring is coming from Artemis who is draped on his head like a wig. "Four Guys in Red, Long Shirts are great."

Noah whispers back, "Oh?"

"Oh yeah, 4GiRLS wrote and performed songs for the animes," then she says words that Noah has never heard before. "They are so cool. What I wouldn't do to meet them. I guess this panel is good enough."

"So, you're telling me," Sailor Venus asks trying to wrap her brain around what was just said, "that those guys on the stage are four girls?"

"Right," the cat says nodding.

"Man, their costumes are as convincing as ours."

"What? They aren't in cos-- Oh. No, the band's abbreviation is 4GiRLS," she corrects him.

"Oh. Well, that's confusing."

"Shhhhhhh," someone nearby shushes them and they go quiet watching the rest of the discussion and question and answer time.

"You! The white cat with the tail raised," one of the guys on the stage calls out, "do you have a question?"

"Yeah," Artemis stands a little taller on Noah's head, "You did the opening theme song for," Again the cat pour out words that are Japanese to Noah, "I've heard they are doing an OVA and a video game. Will you be doing music for either of those?"

Jolene flops down and becomes a cat hat while she listens to the answer. "First up, good costume. Second," the four guys on stage fake cough, "if we could talk about that, we would."

Another one of the guys continues, "I hear publicity for those are starting soon. So, maybe you'll hear something then." He gives a very big wink to the crowd. The other two that didn't answer nod up and down with a finger to their lips.

Jolene seems to melt her way onto Noah's shoulders and then into his cradled arms. "They noticed me and answered my question," she whispers excited.

Once the meeting is over, they get swarmed again. Some interested in the talking cat, all to take pictures and videos. Noah tries to get some of these, too.

Between posing and smiling, he begins to feel something pressing on her insides. Sailor Venus pulls them out of what's left of the people to a quiet area. "Ummm, Jolene, I'm feeling something I've never felt before. It's kinda like needing to go to the bathroom, but it's in the wrong spot."

"That's probably what it is then."

They head to the restrooms where Noah stops again, looking at both doors, "Uhhhhh..."

"You are a girl now. Use the girl's," Jolene coaches.

"But. They might be changing in there," Noah protests.

Artemis chuckles which sounds like it has a little hiss in there, too. "Really?"

"It's in the movies."

"Really," the cat repeats, "I imagine it is like your usual bathroom. We go in, do our business, clean up, and touch up our makeup, if needed." Then Jolene lowers her voice, "We probably don't have time to get naked with a line as long as this."

That's when Noah notices it, the group of women standing single file. They follow the line past a Rule 63 Link and Roy Mustang and a Mey-Rin. They join the line. With some help from Jolene, Noah experiences the joys of going to the bathroom as a female.

As they exit, a group of guys surrounds another. "No way," Noah gasps, "No way." He starts to follow the group.

"What is it," Jolene asks from his perch on her shoulders.

"I'm not sure, but I think that's Floyd Witherspoon."

"Floyd Witherspoon?"

"You know. He illustrated Cayoz Storm, second season of The Hierophant, and Misty May--"

"Does it Her Way," Jolene finishes. "That guy? He's walking in front of us?"

"I'm pretty sure. I've always wanted a commission from him. Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I'd get one, too, but there aren't any pockets in this cat suit."

That causes Noah to pause. Patting down her uniform, she discovers no lumps or other indication that she has anything other than the two transformation pens. "Well, shoot. I don't have money either.

Still, despite their lack of purchasing power they follow him to Artist's Alley where they are mesmerized by the artist drawing pictures for others. At the end of his time, someone doesn't return for their drawing. Turning to the two of them, he offers, "You guys want it? It's already paid for. It might as well go to a good home."

"Yes, please." They take the drawing and watch him go. They stay a little longer, in case the person who paid for it comes back. No one does. But a few people ask her to transform and record the process. Artemis takes their art in mouth and bounds down while Sailor Venus does these.

Two loud people walking by mention going to the cosplay contest. "Oh no. We forgot."

"Still, it will be fun to watch other people's costumes," they agree. They follow the pair and find themselves near the front row.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight we have a special treat for you," announces Skeletor, in a top hat and a bow tie, walking back and forth on stage, "We have a bunch of amazing characters to show you tonight. Please shower them with applause for all of their hard work."

The crowd and Noah and Jolene cheer. "Now, first up is..." They don't really focus on what the living skeleton is saying as their eyes are drawn to the various people in beautiful costumes, most crafted by hand. All of them are good, and it's going to be hard to choose between them.

"Next up, Usagi and Darien from Sailor Moon." Much to Noah's surprise, the two cosplayers that joined them come out on stage, hand in hand. She pauses while he continues on and waves someone up. Blue haired Ami springs up to join her on stage. The audience cheers their enthusiasm.

Next the two of them search the crowd before pointing at someone near the back. The crowd parts before Rei jumps on stage in her robes. Again, the crowd cheers. Some begin to look around, searching for something or someone. Since she is in the front, some start pointing Noah and Jolene out.

Usagi ignores or doesn't see them as she continues searching the crowd with the other two. The crowd parts again allowing the green colored Makoto join in. The crowd erupts. Smiling, the troop turns to Noah and welcomes her on stage.

"I'll stay here and guard your picture," Artemis tells her.

As she joins the others, the pig tailed leader asks them, "Ready ladies? Let's do this altogether." They all give a single nod and form a chevron shape with Usagi at the lead.

"Moon!" "Mercury" "Mars" "Jupiter" "Venus" "Power Makeup!" Noah feels her body move into positions she knows well from doing them all day. As she does, she notices the others posing and swirling colors. She notices that Darien isn't around anywhere. She finishes with her stance.

The crowd goes wild. A red rose embeds itself in the stage and Tuxedo Mask enters from the side to join them. Noah wasn't sure that the crowd could get any more excited, but somehow they cheer all the louder. They take their bows and head off stage.

Others are called and make their way on stage, but it is clear who the winner is. "Congratulations, Team Sailor Moon," announces Skeletor. The main two go up and receive the award. They cheer for themselves.

After a while of excited chatter, they go their separate ways.

What should Noah do?
-= "See More of the Convention" GE+2 =-   -= "Get Changed Back" BE+2 =-