As I stood in the line crowded with giggling girls and the occasional fidgeting male, I could feel my psyche growing weaker and weaker by the second. Someone could have poked me and I would’ve screamed from sheer nerves. My legs were shaking, I was pretty sure I was starting to sweat, and my fingers were constantly messing with my hair to make sure my parted bangs were even and my blue Orihime barrettes were still firmly in place. The last thing I wanted was to look bad in front of him.
Who’s him, you may ask? Only the most incredible man to ever walk the planet. Only the most amazing voice actor ever heard in anime, EVER. Only one of the most talented and least recognized singers and pianists in the music industry today. Only my number one role model for my future career in anime and my spiritual life as well.
Only Vic freaking Mignogna!
THIS WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS!
What if I looked stupid when it was my turn to get his autograph? What if he saw me as just another crazed teenage girl he has to put up with in this long signing session? What if I got up there and couldn’t say anything? What if I tripped and went flying into the table and accidentally detonated a bomb that would blow up the whole convention and I was the only one who survived and was forever branded as the girl who killed the Johnny Depp of the anime world?!
Well, okay, the last one wasn’t very likely to happen, but about the other ones, I was genuinely freaking out. In fact, I was so busy having a miniature mental breakdown that I didn’t even notice the line starting to move and Angelica go up to have her pictures of Ikkaku and Zero – Vic’s characters from the anime Bleach and Vampire Knight – signed. Once I did notice, however, I nearly screamed.
My stomach started to twist and turn somersaults, and I took a few deep breaths to steady myself, all the while clutching onto my DNAngel poster with fervor only a nervous fan could manage.
C’mon, Aki! It’s not like he’s the president or anything! All anyone ever says about him on the fan club forum is that he’s one of the nicest guys in the anime industry! You have nothing to be nervous about!
After that (failed) attempt at calming myself down, Amaya finally took her art (she didn’t ask for a hug or photo with him like most of the girls – WHY?! We’ll never know) and walked back over to my mom. It was my turn.
I forced myself to take a step and – there he was! I could have sworn I heard a chorus of angels begin to sing from above and shafts of heavenly light shone through the ceiling. I was so close to him...!
“Um, hi…” I stammered as I stepped forward. Vic looked up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes as I extended my hand. “It’s such an honor to finally meet – ”
WHACK! Something hit my upper chest and shoved me back a few inches. I looked over to see it was the woman who had been managing the line, holding an arm in front of me. Alright, what the heck was this all about?! It’s not like I was going to try and attack him or anything! She gave me a stern look that frightened me just enough to get me to look back at Vic’s familiar face.
“It’s fine,” Vic told her in a reassuring tone, and she let her arm drop. He looked back at me, shook my hand, and replied to my unfinished sentence, “It’s an honor to meet you.”
I bowed my head slightly, as I often do towards strangers that I want to show respect to, then handed him my rolled-up poster with a shaking hand. He unfurled it upon the table, and then smiled a bit.
“Oh, DNAngel?” he asked as he uncapped his Sharpie.
Come on, Aki! Say something meaningful! “I love how you portrayed Dark! He had so much personality!” “I feel the way you acted Dark was very true to his character!” Or even just, “Your acting in this series was awesome!” would work!
After that (failed) attempt at calming myself down, Amaya finally took her art (she didn’t ask for a hug or photo with him like most of the girls – WHY?! We’ll never know) and walked back over to my mom. It was my turn.
I forced myself to take a step and – there he was! I could have sworn I heard a chorus of angels begin to sing from above and shafts of heavenly light shone through the ceiling. I was so close to him...!
“Um, hi…” I stammered as I stepped forward. Vic looked up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes as I extended my hand. “It’s such an honor to finally meet – ”
WHACK! Something hit my upper chest and shoved me back a few inches. I looked over to see it was the woman who had been managing the line, holding an arm in front of me. Alright, what the heck was this all about?! It’s not like I was going to try and attack him or anything! She gave me a stern look that frightened me just enough to get me to look back at Vic’s familiar face.
“It’s fine,” Vic told her in a reassuring tone, and she let her arm drop. He looked back at me, shook my hand, and replied to my unfinished sentence, “It’s an honor to meet you.”
I bowed my head slightly, as I often do towards strangers that I want to show respect to, then handed him my rolled-up poster with a shaking hand. He unfurled it upon the table, and then smiled a bit.
“Oh, DNAngel?” he asked as he uncapped his Sharpie.
Come on, Aki! Say something meaningful! “I love how you portrayed Dark! He had so much personality!” “I feel the way you acted Dark was very true to his character!” Or even just, “Your acting in this series was awesome!” would work!
A bashful “Yeah…” was all I managed to croak out.
I watched every move of his hand as he signed his name and the character’s name over the printed image, then rolled it back up and handed it back to me with a heart-melting smile. “For you, sweetie!”
SWEETIE?! Did he just call me sweetie? Oh my GOD, he called me sweetie!
“Thank you,” I said, my face burning red and grinning from ear to ear.
Just as he was probably about to say “You’re welcome” who else should come bounding over but my mother – with a camera.
“Ooh, ooh, I need a close up!” she cried.
Vic laughed – OH, it was to hear an angel laugh! – and said, “Alright, c’mere!” He then proceeded to pull me around the table and grab me in a nearly suffocating hug.
Vic laughed – OH, it was to hear an angel laugh! – and said, “Alright, c’mere!” He then proceeded to pull me around the table and grab me in a nearly suffocating hug.
My mind whirred, and I barely had time to wrap my arms around him and register how strong he was, or how good he smelled, or even that this was ACTUALLY HAPPENNING before the camera flashed and the tight embrace was broken. The “bye” and “thank you” exchange that apparently happened between Vic and I was a blur, as was the walk with my Mom back over to Amaya to wait for Ren to get her poster signed.
“My God, Aki, you look like you’re getting ready to faint or something!” Amaya observed.
“I think I am!” I began to sob.
And then we proceeded back up to the hotel room, where I cried from sheer joy off and on for about half an hour! :3
No comments:
Post a Comment