On the second day of the convention, Liz did much the same thing, wandered around, tested out various games, met with some game developers, chatted with a few random people about Final Fantasy, and just enjoyed the fact that Quackerjack and so far kept his promise.
She was leaning against the wall near a curtain, sipping a fountain soda, when someone suddenly grabbed her arm, yanking her behind the curtain. Liz started to scream, but the person clamped her beak shut. "I thought you'd be here," Negaduck released the girl.
"You're the last person I thought I'd see here. I thought QJ would show up more than you. What are you doing at a gaming convention?"
Negs smirked, "Thousands of people all crowded into one place together? Kinda the perfect place to target, doncha think?"
"Negaduck, I swear to God, if you try one thing, I will kill you."
"Relax, relax, I just came to see what your husband might do."
"Nothing," the girl told him. "QJ promised to stay home."
"Pfft, like I believe that."
"Its day two and hes not tried one thing yet."
"You've made him soft, Liz," Negaduck frowned. "You're making me look bad, turning my gang members into goody two shoes."
"Hes still a criminal," Liz told him. "And I know for a fact you guys are still out robbing banks and shit. I'm just glad none of you have lead the police to my house."
"So hes not coming at all?"
"Nope, he promised he wouldn't do anything. Plus he knows he will get a hell of a beating from me if he does." She paused a moment, then added, "I told him about the kiss."
"Is that all you told him?" He smirked at the girl.
"No, I told him I was in love with you, but promised nothing would ever happen between us."
"Something could happen," he backed her up against the wall behind her.
"Negaduck I will murder you. I will use your own chainsaw on you."
"Fine," he stepped away from her. "I suppose that dimwitted counterpart of mine is here somewhere too."
"Yeah, hes waiting for QJ to try something."
"I better get out of here then, I don't want to deal with his bullshit. See ya later, piss-ant."
"See ya, Negsy."
Slipping back out from behind the curtain, Liz glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Everyone was busy with other things. Sighing heavily, the girl tossed her empty cup into the trash and headed back into the crowd.
--------
"Look what I got!" Liz came home the night of the 5th, holding a certificate, which she waved triumphantly.
"Whats that?" Quackerjack asked from where he sat in the floor, working on one of his toys.
"I won the cosplay contest," the girl replied, moving into the living room and flopping down on the couch.
"I told you, you look great."
"It was almost a tie between me and a guy dressed as Whiffle Boy," she stuck her tongue out in disgust, but Whiffle Boy won last years contest and I think the judges thought I was cute."
"Well you are cute."
"I saw Negs the other day, he was waiting for you to show up and try something. Darky's been waiting too. I'm so proud of you for staying home."
"So when are you gonna start that game for me?"
"After the convention. I'm gonna stay home tomorrow and then go on the last day."
"Can we order pizza?" Quackerjack asked.
"Yes, I don't wanna cook anything. I will do pineapple on half like usual. The newspaper wants me to do another article on another big time criminal. You mind doing an interview for me some time?"
"You wanna interview me?"
"Sure, theres no better criminal for me to interview than my own husband."
"I'd love to do an interview for you."
"Great, that means a lot to me. I'll go order that pizza now."
Liz stayed home the following day and let Quackerjack show her the new toy he was working on. She was too afraid to touch it herself, but she assured him that she was proud of him and that it looked great.
"I think you should make normal toys," she told him.
"My toys are fine."
"Your toys are dangerous. You made me a normal teddy bear. You can make less dangerous toys."
Quackerjack pouted, "But that wouldn't be as fun."
"You're never gonna bring your company back if you keep making toys that can kill people. I know for a fact you used to make normal toys before you went out of business."
"I'm never gonna bring the company back anyway," he told her. "No thanks to Whiffle Boy."
"Not everyone plays video games. And like I told you before, people still buy toys for small children. Make baby toys."
"Baby toys?"
"Yeah, things for toddlers. Educational stuff."
"Well I got the Dreary Mr. History Doll, thats educational."
"Not boring educational. I will help you come up with less dangerous toys."
He frowned, "Are you trying to reform me?"
"I don't think thats possible. I don't expect you to totally stop making dangerous toys, I think thats too ingrained into you now. But you can make less dangerous ones too. To be perfecrly honest, I don't want you totally reformed."
"Why not?"
"I think your criminal tendencies make you more attractive. I think I like bad boys."
"So THATS why you're in love with Negaduck," he glared.
"Yeah, but I promised I would only ever be friends with him."
"So nothings ever happened between you and Negs aside from that kiss?"
"Nope," Liz shook her head. "Well, I gave him a lap dance once, but that was before you and I got together."
Quackerjack pouted, "You've never given me a lap dance."
"I give you more than lap dances. You get things Negs will never get."
"True, okay then, I guess thats fine. Just don't give him any more."
"I won't."