Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 352 - Animated Animalism Aesthetic: Take 1

The community center’s meeting room smelled like slightly burnt microwave popcorn and dry erase markers. Folding tables had been pushed against the walls, scattered with manga volumes, snack bags, and a small collection of figures still in their boxes.

I stood in the doorway wearing my rush order from a seamstress that looked like she would rather be sewing pillowcases for pennies on the dollar the entire time. Such a sour look that I just had to sit there and watch her work the whole evening.

Spending that night in her apartment for test fittings and dinner as she tried to convince me to go to the showcase at all was well worth it. Her thoughts on the eyeliner and dark berry lipstick were also valuable.

Black fabric fox ears wired well enough to stand tall in front of my sapphire hair cuffs. The dress that I picked out from the boutique, from a group that she was pained to admit would look best for this ensemble, was a black crepe asymmetric tunic with a mandarin neckline.

The front of the dress ended mid-thigh while the back extended under my knees. She wasn’t entirely happy for me to ask her to trim off one sleeve, to further that uneven look, she did it when I promised to order her a few drinks.

Which was actually when she started to get into it. With a sapphire brooch, a fluffy tail was pinned to my modified dress’s belt that she finally laughed and batted at with her hand. The buckle itself was mostly a big silver circle - but that was given a pawprint and crescent moon paint drop as her artistic side let loose with her other inhibitions.

Setting it off further were black silk strips wrapped around my forearms and calves like bandages. And a fingerless glove on the hand there was no sleeve. I wasn’t sure why these particular accessory points were important, but it seemed to pop up when I searched up the ’chuunibyou’ term she had used.

Combat boots were also a possibility, but I decided black suede ankle boots would be more fitting for further sale of the ’royal’ fashion angle. The overall effect was ridiculous and I knew it. Even before Ellie’s eyes and mouth went wide - covered with her hand - the moment she saw me.

Others in the room pointed with almost the same look on their faces. Except the two older teenagers reaching for their phones, not quite raising them up as though uncertain if they were allowed to snap a photo.

"Oh. My. Goddess. You actually..."

"I assumed there would be... standards to adhere to."

Rather than be embarrassed that I was the only one showing up in cosplay, I owned it by cutting my eyes, turning to my side, and twisting my hips in a way that made the tail bounce. Crossing my arms under my chest... I pretended to pout and it drew claps from the two behind me that shocked the others into joining along.

"You’re committed to the bit. I respect that so much right now. I wish you would have told me though, I totally would have showed up as Tyria Fomalhaut..."

"Oh, I know that name."

Paul spoke up even while turning his attention to the laptop set up in front of someone near a projector. Zoé trailed behind him... the goods I bought her stuffed in her backpack, instead of wearing the wolf ’kigurumi’.

> So what if it seems more childish than my outfit, it would be adorable! She’s supposed to be learning from me - she should take my advice when I said that Paul would call her cute... and not just think she is immature. <

"You know Cry-Guard? I’ve never talked about it with a male fan so young... anytime you want to come back again and chat with big sis here about-"

The dark-skinned werewolf walking behind quickly became the puffed-up werewolf guarding in front of the shorter boy. Fists clenched and eyes flickered their dark brown glow, causing a pair of palms to raise up. And the older Stonewater member to retreat from the young Sandhowl-

> Right into my ear while leaning unabashedly close. Why? <

"Is it me? Do I give off I’m trying to steal your mate vibes to people’s partners? I swear I’m just friendly..."

"To be fair, you could be friendly four more inches away and a lot of wolves would still be jealous. Shouldn’t you know this? Also, could you not call her my-"

"Alright everyone, let’s get started!"

Ellie Rushwater called out suddenly while bouncing away in such haste that it tilted one of my faux fox ears. Moving to the front of the room and turning into the excited ball of fur trapped in human skin she always was.

I pet the still bristled but embarrassed for it teenager on her curly hair once before finding a seat. Teach her how to show off her dominance and claim in less direct confronting ways is something I should have done, if I’d spent more time with her.

"We’ve got newcomers today - as you can see so stop staring - and let’s keep it welcoming! We’re watching the first episode of Lazy Neko Daze - slice of life comedy, very accessible.... and lights!"

Dimmed on her command, thanks to a human in the back who scraped their chair on the floor while trying to get reseated. Ellie and Zoé ended up on either side of me, with Paul looking mildly bored on his girlfriend’s other side... especially when the bright and energetic opening song started.

When the main character appeared on the white cloth screen - a calico haired girl with cat ears and a tail, I immediately noticed how they had been animated to move *almost* independently from her body. Tilting and flicking with more realism than I thought two dimensions would contain.

"Good meow-ning everyone!"

Several club members giggled as I felt a deep frown. The tail swished during various scenes, drooping when she was disappointed, bristling when startled. Clearly the people behind it took the social cues of the animal into consideration. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Oh, I al-meow-st forgot my homework!"

The voice actress... is making what is supposed to pass as feline sounds. Repeatedly, as if that’s a natural part of speech for the character. A ’vocal tic’, I believe they call it?

I must say I am not a fan!