Astro had dreamed about this moment for years, but now that it was real, his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The noise of the convention buzzed all around him—cosplayers posing for photos, panels echoing over loudspeakers, the hum of excited chatter—but it all blurred into white noise. This was his moment. His first comic con. His first voice actor meet-and-greet. And not just with anyone.

With her.

Kitana.

The voice behind his favorite character, the one he stayed up late rewatching every time life got too heavy. The one whose streams he watched religiously, not just for the behind-the-scenes stories but to catch glimpses of the person beneath the performance. Kitana had been a comfort, a light in the dark—and now she was here, flesh and blood, just a few steps away.

He stood in line behind a swarm of other fans—some in cosplay, others clutching merch—but none of them knew her like he did. Not really. They liked her voice. They liked her characters. But Astro... he had studied every little detail. The rare figurine she kept in the background of her videos. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about obscure games. The niche anime references she snuck into casual conversation.

And so, he’d brought her a gift. That same rare collectible she once mentioned offhand in a forgotten livestream two years ago. He’d hunted it down. Saved up for it. Wrapped it carefully in tissue paper and bubble wrap, then tucked it into a small box, now sweating in his backpack. He just hoped it wouldn’t come off as creepy. He didn’t want to be that kind of fan.

At the head of the line, Kitana sat poised and radiant behind her table. A velvet banner with her name stretched behind her, framed by posters of her most iconic characters. Her silky black hair shimmered under the overhead lights, falling effortlessly around her shoulders. She smiled as she chatted and signed autographs, her voice lilting with warmth—familiar, yet surreal in person.

Then, the handler gestured.

It was his turn.