Derby had not begun to adjust to the dark lord living in her room, in some ways it was a smoother transition than would be expected of a tall and muscular warrior lady from another world moving in, but in others it was like crossing a rocky trail with flimsy flip flops.

One example was just within a day Derby's MMO time had been cut down. Derby logged on for her usual Saturday morning game time, but Brie was up shortly after and silently observed what she was playing for a few minutes. Derby wished having someone watch her play didn't make her so sweaty.

"This bores me," Brie said.

"O-OK...I'm sorry," Derby said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Derby, this is nothing to get upset about," Brie said. "I am still fond of you even if I find this particular interest boring to observe."

Derby quickly had to learn how to react to Brie's genuine praise and her blunt dislike of things. She hoped that Brie would always be like she was when she cradled Derby in her arms, but she had to accept that nobody could always be that sweet.

And I shouldn't get too used to her being nice, I haven't decided if I'm gonna take her up on her marriage offer even if we're just pretending. I just met her! We're just friends, friends don't have to always be super sweet, right? Derby shook her head, getting back to the game. Just friends, stop overthinking!

When she got her dailies done on the game, she searched the convention that was in town. It was pretty affordable all things considered.

"This is that convention that's in town," Derby said. "It might be fun to go to...if you want."

"What does one do during a 'convention'?" Brie asked. "Do people gather to hold palaver?"

"Er, not sure what that means, but...y-yeah?" Derby said. "It's like a big group of people that meets up about shows and comics? Some people dress up, you can meet famous people..."

"I'm quite famous in my world," Brie said. "Though I can't imagine many would be lining up to see me here, what with my recent arrival."

"I dunno, I think people would want pictures with you at least..." Derby said, thinking of Brie in her armor or more casual wear.

"Well, either way, you must take me!" Brie said.

"You really want to go?" Derby asked.

"Obviously!" Brie said.

Brie marched out to the living room to tell the Ofohp family her plans. Dani played a word puzzle game on her tablet, Emme read the newspaper, and Colby had videos of cheerleading routines on the television set.

"We are going to a convention today," Brie announced.

"I was wondering when you'd get to that," Dani said. "That's walkable, right? Make Emme give you a ride if it isn't."

"Just so you know, Derby always chickens out," Colby said. "So you probably won't have to go."

"Excuse yourself," Brie said. "Derby of Hope has the courage of twelve thousand warriors. I'm sure she can handle a little—"

"No, Colby's right," Derby said.

Derby did remember that she made plans with Sage to go, but she wasn't sure anything would come of them. Usually Derby hit a point shortly before going to something like this where she decided she wasn't feeling it and stayed home. She wasn't at that point yet, but she did have a note with a cancellation message saved on her phone to copy and paste to Sage if that mood struck.

"I just...have trouble going to something like this," Derby said.

"Like what?" Brie asked. "Is this convention not as fun as I was led to believe?"

"No, I'm sure the nerd gathering will be fun, but the king of thing Derby has trouble going to is called 'outside.'" Colby said.

"I've seen Derby go out exactly one time, and she didn't have any issues then!" Brie said. "And while I was at the building of movers and shakers, she met with a friend then, too. So that is twice she has gone outside with me around."

"Yeah...that's probably the only two times she's gone outside this month," Colby said.

"Derbs, you can't let Colby talk to you like that, you gotta go to this convention now," Emme said.

"Yeah, are you just gonna take this from me?" Colby asked. "Even Aunt Emme gets outside more than you do."

"Yeah...hey, wait," Emme said.

"Are you gonna take that from your niece?" Dani asked. "Better drive them all to the show to prove them wrong."

Brie cheered at that. It began to dawn on Derby that her window for backing out of this whole fun day was closing rapidly. With a shaky hand she got her phone out, ready to copy and paste her "sorry I suddenly caught a stomach bug" message to Sage, but as she grabbed her phone, Brie smiled eagerly at her. Could Derby really let her down?

"Um...hey, Brie," Derby said.

"Yes?"

"If I...get all anxious about leaving or skipping this convention...can you just...make me not run away?"

"I can do that for you, Derby of Hope," Brie said.

"Alright," Emme said, putting the paper down and rising to her feet. "Do we need to stop anywhere for costumes or can we whip something up at home?"

"Brie probably doesn't even need a costume," Derby said. "Or, she can just wear her armor and everyone will lose their minds." Derby laughed nervously as the rest of the family didn't respond immediately, making her think they now all hated her.

"Well, I wanna dress up as the Killerationer, I still have the costume in my bin," Emme said. She pointed at no one in particular for no apparent reason. "From the third one, the best one. Don't want people to think I liked that loser from the first two or the prequels."

Emme practically sprinted out of the room to get her costume.

Guess I'm really doing this, huh? Derby closed out of her notes app, which made her feel strangely determined, but she also now had to bat away the anxious feelings about seeing a big crowd of people.

"Who will you be wearing the costume of, Derby of Hope?" Brie asked.

Derby hadn't even considered a costume.

"Eh...usually I just go...as I usually," She coughed. "...dress."

"Oh, a ballroom gown then?" Brie said.

"No, no, just like my normal clothes!" Derby said.

When Aunt Emme returned, now dressed like a slasher movie villain complete with a foam sword, Derby left with her and Brie. Derby was ready to give directions to the convention center, but Emme knew where it was already. Derby at least was able to buy tickets for the three online on the way over. It seemed like a lot of the meet and greets were free, so she didn't have to spend extra on those at least. Sage said they'd be a little late.

Derby fidgeted with her seatbelt. Would Sage and Brie get along? It was a silly question, right? Sage got along with everyone. But did they know anyone like Brie?

"Oh dang," Derby said when they got to the parking ramp. "I forgot you had to pay for these, too. I can get it, I suppose..."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Emme said, winking. "I have a 'special method' for parking like this."

And so a few minutes later Derby found herself standing by Brie, watching her aunt scan around the nearby cars, trying to find ones that had their parking passes in the front seat as well as ones with their windows down enough for her to try and swipe them.

"Just...a bit more..." Emme grunted as she looked like she was in an incredibly uncomfortable position, her left arm squeezed into a car window, her right hand on the hood, and her feet planted against the next car over.

"It'd honestly be easier if I just paid for it," Derby said.

"No, no, trust me, this is the tried and true method," Emme said. She adjusted her position and car alarms sounded on both vehicles. "Kay, we're gonna run now but I am gonna get this so you two can go on ahead."

Derby felt very embarrassed jogging away with Brie, but relieved to be away from Aunt Emme's latest scheme. The two made it to the entry line, which moved somewhat slowly.

"Sorry, Aunt Emme is kind of...wild," Derby said.

"Oh, I thought nothing of it, I appreciate her crafty nature," Brie said. "What I appreciate less is yet another line such as this. There are many slow moving gatherings in this world, would you not say, Derby of Hope?"

"Yeah, lines suck," Derby said. "Do they not have lines in your world?"

"As dark lord of the umpteenth realm, I am automatically granted first access to any situation where a line would form," Brie said.

"Oh..." Derby said. "Yeah, I could see this being a lot then."

"Yes, but at least it means more time with you, Derby of Hope," Brie smiled.

Derby couldn't tell if Brie was joking or not when she said something like that. All Derby managed to do in response was laugh, but that cut off quickly as Brie's expression soured.

"Sorry, I know my laugh is very annoying," Derby said.

"Not that, look," Brie said, pointing past Derby.

The other dark lord CC approached, holding a basket in one arm and something wrapped in plastic in the other.

"Ugh, why are you here?" Brie asked.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot," CC said. "So I got you a flower basket and a fruit bouquet as my apology."

CC handed the basket of flowers to Brie and a bunch of fruits awkwardly stacked in a bouquet to Derby.

"You were just wandering around this gathering hoping we would show up?" Brie asked.

"No, because you said it when we were at the...the sign up thing!" CC said.

"I said nothing of the sort, you're increasing my suspicions," Brie said.

"Not there, then, someone said convention at the Ofohp home," CC said. "Yep, that's it!"

"Great, terrific, is that all?" Brie asked.

"Well...I was wondering if you two would let me join you so I can cut in line a bit."

Derby glanced back, the line stretched very far behind them already.

"No, beat it," Brie said.

"Alright, alright..." CC said, sulking all the way to the back.

As soon as Brie passed by a garbage can, she took the fruit bouquet and the flower basket and threw them inside.

"Hey!" Derby said. "Those were really nice flowers!"

"Yes, but it's CC, there are probably at least a hundred trackers in both the flowers and the fruits. Better to not let her have an easy time following us," Brie said.

"I see..." Derby said. "Do you think she'd do something dangerous to us?"

"Nothing I could not handle," Brie answered both cheerfully and ominously.

Derby looked around for Sage, but didn't see them. She hadn't heard anything from them yet. The longer it took them though the closer they'd be to lunch, where they could have their usual lunch when they got together.

"Oh, dang!" Derby wailed. "Nooooo..."

"What's wrong? Is CC attacking already?" Brie asked.

"No," Derby frowned. "I forgot to have Mom make our peanut butter jellies...I hate convention food."

"Oh," Brie said. "I'm sure the meals served will be at least suitable. Then when we return to your abode, we can all enjoy some of these peanut butter jellies!"

Derby gasped. "Do you not have PB&J's in your world?"

"I am afraid not," Brie said.

Derby gasped even louder. "That's unforgivable! We have to fix this!" She started to walk away, but Brie grabbed her by her shoulder.

"Is this an excuse to run, Derby of Hope?" Brie asked.

"Eh..he...he..." Derby pressed her fingertips together. "Maybe..."

"Then I will affirm again, we will enjoy peanut butters and jellies after," Brie said.