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One drive later.

Rowan and Jacinto arrive to the parking lot of the small hotel on the outskirts of Louisville. Jacinto checks on the meeting info blurb, reading aloud: "... And yeah, we should go check in first, get our stuff to our room and change there. They do apparently have the hotel's conference spaces all booked for the event, though, which is good."

He looks up from his phone and gives Rowan a mildly anxious smile: "You ready for this?"

Rowan's heart beats fast, but they manage a chuckle, "Ready as I'll ever be. It's not all that different from our usual con experience... right?"

Jacinto laughs softly: "Yeah. We can say that. But... eeehhh, you know. Is and isn't."

Rowan nods, getting out of the car as they shut it off. They head to the back to open the rear and unload their luggage, "I know... I'm trying to put on a brave face. Frankly... I'm a little terrified to meet new folks."

Jacinto nods as he gets his luggage. "Yeah... I know what you mean. It's more personal, I guess. More than just the usual smiling and waving."

Rowan considers that, closing up the back of the jeep and locking it. "Didn't really think of it like that... suiting, you're just there to take some photos, wave, pose, and then move on to the next person, huh? Never really stop to 'talk' to anyone. For obvious reasons."

Jacinto chuckles softly: "Reasons that don't really apply. The way I'm seeing today, this is probably more like meeting with a social hobby group or something. But guess we'll see in a moment."

Rowan nods, giving Jac' a quick hug before they head into the hotel. "Yeah, guess we will."

Jacinto returns the hug happily.

They make their way in, and already in the lobby they see a couple of real furs, making Jacinto nearly stumble at the door. A fluffy-looking panda guy that has a kind of neat 'metal fan' look that's clearly been cultivated over the years, and perhaps even more surprisingly, a giraffe lady in a pink dress and it's instantly obvious neither is a costume even though they likely look like such to anyone not in the know.

"...well, we're definitely in the right place."

Rowan stares in awe for a moment, watching a donkey with mismatched colors of fur across them to make them look like a Piñata. "Y-yeah... definitely the right place. Oh wow." They grin, heading to the desk to check in, semi-distracted, but eventually managing to get room keys and hand one to Jac'. "Heh, kinda excited now."

Jacinto tries to stop himself from staring too much as they make their way to getting the keys and up towards the room in the relatively small three-story hotel. Once they're alone in the stairwell: "...whoever's organizing this, certainly has money. Although on that same note... it's probably a group effort. Common interests and all that."

Rowan nods, glancing back into the main room before they start to climb, "Heh... well, a group of folks with enough money to build a fursuit and attend regular conventions... right? Gosh, I feel like Akari isn't even good enough for contend with some of these folks."

Jacinto nods: "I know what you mean... I feel so underdressed right now... but at least getting in fur will help, right?"

Rowan hums, nodding. "I can only imagine what we'll see once we're actually in that 'bubble', yeah? Funny how I feel so jealous seeing other folks like that... but getting in fur will definitely help."

Jacinto nods, musing. "Yeah... although seeing that made me wonder about the nature of the bubble." He makes his way towards the right door: "Like... I couldn't exactly see what we see in fur, but... some things still kinda were clear. Or was that just me knowing what to look for, now?"

Rowan shrugs, opening the room door and heading in. The hotel room is pretty standard, a little smaller than the ones in larger cities... but this one was booked with just a single bed instead of two twin beds.

"I can't say... I felt the same. I couldn't tell they were 'in fur', like, they just looked like really complex suits. But I also sorta knew they were like us? But we do sorta know, because of the event and everything."

Jacinto shrugs after putting his luggage down on the floor. "I don't know. Suppose it doesn't matter in a minute or so." He turns to close the door behind them, then steals a small kiss from Rowan: "We're here, let's have some fun."

Rowan smirks at the kiss, giggling, "It is why we came, afterall. We get to formally introduce Cindi and Akari to the group."

Jacinto smiles: "I'm excited." With that, he turns around to start unpacking, seeing really no reason to delay getting to the good part of this.

Rowan grins, throwing open her own suitcase as well, "I'm feeling it now too. More than the nerves~." She sets aside Akari's head, pulling out the suit.

Jacinto carefully pulls out the poodle-moth bodysuit. Since the change, it has become both easier to pack up since it's all in one soft piece... and kind of even more nerve-wracking to pack for fear of damaging it. If something happened to it...

Lifting the suit on the bed, he starts undressing, more so than perhaps once upon a time; only leaving his panties on, since anything worn under the suit kind of vanishes anyway, leaving only an extra layer of warmth that both is and isn't there and is of no actual use.

"The kind of nerves we get when we debut a costume... kind of combined with the nerves of a new social situation, right."

Rowan follows suit, eagerly stripping down, and slipping on the doe-dragon suit limb by limb. She shivers in anticipation at that strange feeling of the suit almost 'sticking' to her, the feeling of becoming a second skin before it will become her actual skin.

"Heh, y-yeah. It feels the same, huh? Double up on the nerves, ha." She zips up the body suit, then picks up her head, "I just gotta try not to be too shy. You know how Akari gets."

Jacinto nods as he continues getting into the suit. "Well, as we discussed, or sorta dared each other... we mingle. Much as I also want to hug you all evening, that's not what we drove all the way here for." He puts on the suit and finally zips up, pausing just for a moment to feel the weight on his... her chest, that's becoming familiar and trying to not worry about the fact how familiar it feels.

Finally, she picks up the head and smirks at Rowan: "See you on the other side."

Rowan giggles at the familiar promise, and how much the circumstances have changed around those words. "Always."

She dips her head to Jac', then lifts Akari's head up and over, draping it over her as she closes her eyes, letting the familiar wave of sensation run through her. That moment when it stops becoming a suit and simply becomes who she always wants to be. She lets those familiar emotions take over with a breath of relief. She hums and opens her eyes, blushing at Cindi, "Hey, beautiful."

Cindi opens her own eyes, and likewise just mentally swims in the familiar, fluffy comfort. "...hey, pretty thing. Come here often?"

Akari shakes her head, trying to look innocent, "Only on special occasions." She practically skips close to grab Cindi's paws and gives her a kiss on the cheek, "It's gonna be real hard mingling when you look like that, love. A-and because I hate mingling alone."

Cindi giggles and grabs Akari's waist for a second: "Small enough conference space, love, but we promised not to be attached at the hip." She glances down: "Well, right this instant notwithstanding."

Akari pouts a moment, but can't keep it going when Cindi is holding her so close, "I know I know I promised! But promise me we'll be together tonight."

Cindi laughs softly, much lighter voice than she had just moments ago. "Where else would I be? Of course I want to have you all mine to snuggle when we come back up."

Akari blushes, nodding. "I know... I'll be brave! And when we get back to the room tonight I'll tell you about all the fun people I met while we snuggle close."

Cindi smiles: "Sounds like a plan to me~." She takes Akari's hand and gives it a soft squeeze with her big paw: "Come on. Let's go show 'em some real fluffy hybrid crittery."

Akari squeezes Cindi's paws with her hooves, so happy for the closeness, but similarly excited and nervous to meet new friends. "Alright! Let's go!" She hesistates, shrinking down slightly, "Y-you can lead on though."

Cindi nods with a smile: "Guess that means I will do that exactly that." She starts to step towars the door, but turns to give Akari a kiss on the cheek first.

Akari follows, somehow still taken aback by the kiss, but she follows eagerly out the door afterwards as the pair head back downstairs to the meeting room.

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