Cosplay on the bus

There was only one seat available, and it was in the middle of two men at the back. I thought about standing the entire trip, because I wasn't sure if I could trust them or not. No one else was standing, and the rules for the bus were if there's an empty seat, you had to use it before standing. I wasn't given a choice either way, except to sit with them. Besides, I'd walked around enough at school today, and my legs were tired. I made my way to the back after glancing at the bus driver whose eyes seemed to say "There's an empty seat. This bus ain't going nowhere until you sit." Some things you don't need words for to understand, and all bus drivers used the same eye and body language.

"Have a seat!" the man sitting in the aisle seat said. "We don't bite, especially pretty young girls like you. My name is Sam, and over there is my friend Dean." He stood up to allow me to sit.

I figured they were probably some good guys since they went out of their way to tell me who they were, and it made me feel easier about sitting between them. I sat, then Sam sat down beside me. The bus doors closed, and the bus lurched forward, grinding gears toward its destination.

"So what's your name?" Sam asked in a friendly tone. "You know ours, so it's only fair you tell us yours."

"I'm sorry" I smiled back at him. "My name is Lisa."

"So, Lisa, what brings you to the darker side of town? Business, or pleasure?" asked Dean.

"The bus, actually" I answered. "Neither of the other two things."

"Cute answer!" laughed Sam. "Are you into cosplay, or are you a real schoolgirl, Lisa?"

Not knowing anything about cosplay, I was curious about it. "I'm a real student who goes to Saint Etienne" I answered. "I don't even know what cosplay is. But it sounds interesting."

"Well, cosplay is where you pretend to be someone, or something you're not. Like, say you wanted to play the part of a super hero. You'd dress up like a super hero, and act like one. That's what cosplay is. Would you like to try some cosplay now?"

"Sure! There's nothing else to do" I answered, innocently enough, not knowing exactly what I was getting myself in to. "So what do I need to do?"

"Let's pretend we are all in Japan" began Dean. "You are a typical Japanese schoolgirl named Miko, and Sam and I will be typical Japanese business men. Instead of a bus, we're all riding together on a Japanese subway train."

"But what are your names?" I interrupted.

"Our names aren't important" said Sam. "Only yours is. Now close your eyes, and concentrated on being Miko, a Japanese schoolgirl, riding home from school on the subway train."

I closed my eyes, and softly started saying over and over again, "I am Miko."

"Good" Dean spoke softly. "Whatever happens next, just go with it. It happens to all Japanese schoolgirls who ride the subway. Do you understand?"

"Yes" I answered, not knowing what they had in mind, or what was going to happen.