[Open!] Lock-con, the Locke City Science Fiction Convention

[unwakingwaters]

Who: NERRRRRDS. But basically everyone who would want to go to a science fiction convention. Also, Maya Aaronson, famous science fiction author.
What: LockCon, Locke City's science fiction convention! The name is a pun. Isn't it great???
Where: The Locke City Westin Hotel.
When: Semi-backdated; LockCon takes place July 12 - July 14 this year.

This is OPEN TO EVERYONE and intended as a fun casual way for people to get CR. Feel free to backtag and backdate stuff, even if your character hasn't formally introduced themselves to the network yet (as long as they've been accepted to the game is probably fine)

The Locke City Science Fiction Convention, affectionately called Lock-con (it's a pun!)

Lock-con was founded in 1990 as a sort of response to the dumb actions of a much older locak science fiction con, Keyvention. Keyvention had been founded as a strictly sci-fi con in 1953, but by 1985 had gotten really insular and exclusionary; for example, Star Trek, Anime, and comic books were banned from discussion at Keyvention because “we only talk about REAL science fiction here.” Eventually, they got so huffy at all these new fake fans trying to ruin their precious literature that they left the city. Keyvention still happens in the suburbs of Locke City, but very few people go.

Lock-con, meanwhile, was founded in 1990 by people disgruntled with Keyvention's draconian policies. Their philosophy? If it's sci fi or fantasy, or remotely related to sci-fi or fantasy, it's in. They cover the gamut from SF&F literature (which, admittedly, is still the main attraction) to Japanese media to Western comics to video games. Lock-con is small for a con (about 5,000 people) but pretty lively and considered one of the best local cons on the East Coast.

This is intended as a casual way to get CR with everybody. Feel free to backtag into the abyss.

Comments

[unwakingwaters]

"You should. In fact..."

She paused, digging around in her bag for two business cards. "If you two don't mind, and I know this is an odd question, but I'm currently in negotiation for doing the cover art for the upcoming special editions... would either of you mind modeling for the artist? They're local..."

Maybe that was too forward? She wasn't sure. She was also getting the weirdest feeling that she'd met these two before.

"And I'd ensure you get paid for your trouble," she said, finally. "Um... well. Anyway..."

"I'm glad you're a fan," she said to Ciel. "It's always lovely to hear that the little scribblings in my notebooks mean something to someone."

[salvagedlight]

You might have gotten that from your brother, Ciel. Or you might have influenced each other, because Ben's definitely doing that, too. It's a habitual action for both of them, as if to reinforce the fact that while their personalities may be very different, they're still twins. That offer, though - that makes Ben's eyes widen, and that's when he brings up his own hand to rub the back of his neck, because he's not exactly one to put himself out there. He takes the card but slips it into the pocket with his phone almost right away, glancing over at his brother.

"If you want to do that, you should. You'd probably have a really good time with it." That's Ciel, after all - good-hearted and well-meaning, but a showoff at the same time. Modeling for a book series he liked would just be the icing on the cupcake for him, and theoretically he would just be... better for the poses. Most of them would likely be action shots, anyway. But this is getting... a bit weird, because while Ben still wouldn't be able to say he was technically a fan of those books, he'd always felt the greatest connection to Zephyr during the time he did try to read them in the hospital. And the more he's thinking about it, the more parts of the story are coming back to him, especially the part that caused him to quit - Kun's death, which coming right after his accident had proved to be too much for him. Something about that plot point just hadn't seemed right.

Another glance at Maya and he's nudging Ciel's arm with the book forward, a clear indication that he should present it for signing. The volunteers are starting to get a little too interested in their conversation for his comfort. "Come on, you know you want to."

[notquiteanobody]

He mulls the notion over. While he was confident in his looks, the idea of modeling -let alone modeling for art that would be on one of his favorite book series as of late was something he'd not considered in his usual flights of fancy as something he would ever be asked to do. So for a moment he's uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative. His eyes dart from the card, then to Maya, then his brother and then back to the card. It's a pattern that repeats once until that nudge yanks him out of his train of thought.

Ciel's eyes snap to Ben's face where he briefly shoots him an 'alright, geeze' kind of look before his expression turns to his more normal demeanor.

"Ya know, that sounds pretty cool. As for which of us, say when and where -figure your artist can have their pick of either of us for the cover." Despite all his attempts to sound cool, it'd be hard to ignore that ecstatic grin that'd made itself at home on his face. Not too different from than kid that got the toy in the cereal box.

Yes Ben, he didn't forget the book. Hastily, he brings the tome to bear and offers it to Maya, "If you wouldn't mind though, I'd like it if you could please sign this."

[unwakingwaters]

"Oh! Yes, sorry about that, of course I'd be happy to sign the book for you. Who am I making this out to...? Both of you? And what ARE your names, I didn't catch that."

She reached down into her bag to find a new blue pen -- the last one had run out -- when she came across a few little glass star charms she'd bought. Something about them had seemed right: one blue, one red, one green.

She pulled the green one out on a whim, turning it over in her fingers.

[salvagedlight]

Ciel, why do you do this to him. You know something like modeling for a book cover is just likely to make him uncomfortable. But, not wanting to make a scene about things in front of a hell of a lot of people, Ben just sighs and shakes his head a little. It's likely a new, unexpected prong in Ciel's plot to Get Him Out And Doing Things and Ben doesn't like when his brother does things like that. They can have that argument later, though, when they're not in public.

"Just him - it's his book, after all. He should have it." And he pauses, but Ciel's likely to go into a lecture at him later if he doesn't volunteer the information, and Maya seems like a very nice lady anyway. "My name's Ben - Bennett, really, but everyone just calls me Ben."

The little charms she brings out, though - that's really the first thing to spark true interest in him, and he blinks as he spots the green one, hand unconsciously dropping to the vertical pocket on his pantsleg to unzip it. "I've got one of those, too." He pulls it out, and indeed it's similar - larger, definitely, the size to fit in the palm of his hand comfortably, plastic polymer edged in what's probably nickel with five points and a lanyard attached. But still, the color and the shape, even the design is similar.

He doesn't mention why he has it, though.

[notquiteanobody]

Yeah, he's going to make you a little uncomfortable Ben. The problem is, your comfort zone tends to be away from people and anything interesting that's going on. Your 'little brother' is just trying to look out for you and get you out from either your books or the computer. But yeah, there 'll be that argument later. It's nothing that Ciel isn't expecting at this point.

And while he wouldn't have held back on a lecture if Ben didn't volunteer the information -screw being in public, that ended up not being necessary at all. "And my name's Ciel, Miss Aaronson."

Now when the charms came out, his interest had been piqued. Granted, on their own merit, they were just something neat that one of his favorite authors was offering him. The curious point was that he did know that Ben had one that looked almost identical. Given the reaction of his brother, it seemed like the similarity wasn't lost on the younger of the two Renards, "Yeah, I was gonna ask about that." His remark is aimed at Ben while his gaze shifts between the two pieces.

"Huh... that's kinda interesting. Maybe the same people made the charms you guys have?"

[unwakingwaters]

"Ciel, Ben," she repeated.

For Ciel -- and Ben, too. she wrote in the book. She then signed it, and added that signature symbol.

"There you are."

That charm looked so familiar, even beyond the charm she had in her hand. Something... very special. But she couldn't quite place it, not yet...

"... would you like another? I bought too many, really..."

She pulled out the blue and red ones. "And I'm not even sure why. They're very charming, but..."