Father and Son Cosplay

Part 1: The Cosplay Convention

Melina can’t remember how many cosplay events she has attended. It was her passion. Ever since cosplay became popular, it has been a major part of her life. Her favorite cosplay costume is that of catwoman. It always seems to get her attention every cosplay convention she goes.

Today, she is at the Comic-Con International Cosplay Convention being held at the San Diego Convention Center in New York. She made her way there with her friends who are all also wearing their own cosplay costumes.

One of the big draws of the convention was the Hercules Television Series Conference. The television series was very popular and there were many male cosplayers who came wearing Hercules cosplay costumes.

Melina and her friends laughed at the many male cosplayers who were wearing Hercules costumes. They definitely looked awkward with their fake muscles. To be fair, there were a few whose muscles were good enough to match their Hercules cosplay costumes.

They flirted with these few men. They even too pictures with them. In just a few minutes of talking to some of these men, her friends started to go away with them to enjoy the rest of the convention.

Her friends waved her goodbye as they went out for a date with the men they had just met. There was now just one of her friends remaining with her. Her friend said: “Look at them. As soon as they meet good looking guys they leave us.”

Part 2: The Tall Man

“The flirts, it’s like they come to these conventions just to get a date with good looking guys…” She was about to say some more when she stopped and pointed her finger at something. Melina looked at the direction her friend was pointing her finger at.

Her friend was pointing to the crowd of people coming and going at all directions in the convention floor. Melina asked: “What are you pointing at?” Her friend said: “Can’t you see him? Look at the tallest guy in the crowd. The one standing still.”

Melina looked above the heads of the people in the crowd. There was indeed a singular head that towers all the other heads of people in the convention floor. Then for a second she caught a glimpse of the tallest man in the convention floor.

Melina said: “Why, it’s a Hercules cosplayer. But he is very tall and he looks very muscular.” Her friend said: “C’mon let’s have a look at him.” Melina smiled and said: “Now look whose the flirt.”

Her friend laughed and said: “Why do you suppose I go to these conventions too? To meet cute guys, of course.” Then the two made their way to the crowd and into the tallest man in the convention floor.

It was clear that the tallest man was attracting attention. The people in the convention floor can’t help but look at his very manly physique which complements his ancient tunic. His full beard further accentuates his rugged handsomeness.

Part 3: The Offer

Women were gawking at him and some even wanted to try to talk to him. The men in the crowd meanwhile jealously stared at him from afar. It was clear that no man in the convention can match his astounding looks.

The tall man tried to brush away the attention he was getting, but it was clearly of no use especially to his women admirers. This includes Melina and her friends. Clearly he was getting irritated with the attention he was getting.

Then Melina had an idea. She came near to him and said: “Did you come with anyone? You look alone.” The tall man said: “Yes, I came alone. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to be alone.”

Melina took his hand and said: “These people won’t leave you alone. But if they think you are in a date with me, they’ll leave you alone.” The tall man thought of what she said for a while and then said: “All right, you’ll be my escort beautiful maiden.”

Melina wanted to scratch her head when he said: “maiden”. It was a word she hardly hears. She associates it with women who lived a long time ago. Nevertheless, she thinks the man is a foreigner.

She gave her friend the signal to leave her with the man and her friend understood. She smiled and left her with the tall man. The man asked: “What’s your name?” She said: “Melina, and what’s yours?”

Part 4: The Man From Greece

The man smiled and said: “Just call me Hercules.” She does not know what to think when he said this. She said: “Are you for real? Your name is really Hercules? Which country did you come from?”

The man grinned and said: “My name is really Hercules and I come from Greece.” Melina heaved a sigh of relief: “That explains it. I only know about Hercules from Greek mythology. I didn’t know that Greek people still use the name Hercules.”

Then Hercules asked: “Where is the Hercules conference hall? I want to go there.” She laughed and said: “Well Hercules, you are named Hercules and you also want to see Hercules!” Hercules laughed and said: “Yes, that’s true.”

Part 5: A Display Of Strength

They then made their way towards the Hercules convention hall. As they neared the entrance of the Hercules conference hall they passed a promo section of the conference hall. The television series had a gimmick to promote their conference.

They have a set of barbells in the promo section. The organizers of the promo would give a prize to anyone who could lift the heaviest barbell. There were many men who lined up to try their hand at the barbells.

They were able to lift the heavier weights but not the heaviest. She asked Hercules if he wanted to try it out. Hercules said: “My beautiful maiden, these weights are very light for me.” Unknown to them, one of the men who was near them heard him say these words.

The man shouted out loud: “Hey everybody, there’s a braggart here who says that these weights are too light for him!” The crowd looked at Hercules with accusing eyes. Hercules can sense their anger towards him.

He said: “What I was trying to tell the…” He was cut off by the man who heard him talk to Melina before. The man said: “Ok muscle man, show us that you could really lift these weights.”

Hercules hesitated for a while then finally said: “All right, I’ll prove it to you.” Then he lifted the heaviest barbell to everyones amazement. But the man who was angry at Hercules before continued to hound him.

Part 6: The Light Show

He said: “So you’re strong. Big deal. You must be a weightlifter or a strongman. Can you lift more? You said the weights are too light for you.” Hercules was clearly irritated. Without thinking, he lifted the heaviest barbell with one hand.

The people were incredulous. A few of them took out their mobile phones to try to take a picture of Hercules lifting the heaviest barbell with one hand. But before anyone can take a picture, something happened.

There was bright light which immediately appeared accompanied by the sound of thunder. Hercules was able to bring down the barbell before anyone can take a picture of him lifting it with one hand.

Melina was almost speechless when Hercules approached her: “How did you lift that barbell with one hand? No man could do that. Who or What are you?” Hercules just smiled: “I told you, I’m Hercules from Greece.”

Part 7: The Other Muscle Man

Then he looked around as if he was looking for someone. Then to her surprise a very tall man, almost a giant among men walked near them. Hercules was tall but this man made Hercules look like a short man.

The form of his bulging muscles was clearly evident in the suit he wore. His long hair is all white including his thick beard. He looks too powerful to be a mere man. His very presence commands respect.

Hercules said to him: “I thought it was you. Why are you here?” The very tall man said: “Just trying to see what kind of mess you’ve got yourself into this time. By the looks of it, I came just in time.”

“I told you and all the other gods. Keep a low profile. We don’t want the humans to know that we exist.” Hercules looked around and when he was sure no one can overhear them, he laughed and said: “No one believes in us Father Zeus. They think we are just myths.”

Melina cut in: “Father Zeus? As in Zeus the top god in Greek mythology? Are you two crazy?” Hercules grinned as he looked at Melina, he said: “Beautiful maiden, meet my father: Zeus.”

Melina was beginning to piece it all together. Hercules lifting with one hand a barbell no man can lift and Zeus was probably responsible for the light and thunder show that happened just earlier.

She said: “Are you trying to tell me that you two are really Hercules and Zeus? As in the gods of Greek mythology?” Zeus looked at Hercules and said: “See what you’ve done. Now we are discovered.”

Part 8: Hiding In Plain Sight

But Hercules calmly said to them: “And who would believe her story? People would probably laugh at her and think she is insane just like all the other people who discovered us.” Zeus replied: “We can’t take that chance.”

While the two gods talked, Melina thought of the situation. She concluded that these men are not insane and are actually the gods from Greek mythology. She also concluded that people will think she is crazy if ever she tries to tell them that these two gods were actually the gods they know from Greek mythology.

She then said: “Relax Mr. Zeus. No one would actually believe that you two are actually Greek gods. People don’t even believe in fairies or dwarfs anymore. You are safe.” Hercules nodded to Zeus.

Then he said: “Forgive my father, he doesn’t really mix with humans that much. He just mixes with the other gods in our realm.” She said: “Your what now, realm?” Hercules said: “Yes. We live in a separate place where humans can’t reach us.”

She said: “You mean Mount Olympus?” Hercules laughed: “Not all that is written in the myths are true. We live everywhere we like. We even sometimes live in houses with human servants.”

Part 9: The Conference

Then Zeus spoke: “I think we must go now. We can’t stay long.” Hercules said: “Not before I attend the Hercules conference. I want to see know what humans think of me.” Then he took Melina’s hand and proceeded to the conference room. Zeus followed them.

The conference room was almost full when they entered. They just managed to get some empty seats at the back of the conference room. The show has not started and the conference attendees were busily talking to each other.

In the seats in front of them, two men were talking. The first man said: “Did you see the light show at their promo booth?” The second man said: “Yes. It was spectacular. First, they have a fake Hercules lifting what are obviously fake weights with one hand, and then they finished off the act with a light show complete with thunder sounds.”

The first man said: “It was so real. I almost believed a human can actually lift that much weight with one hand. I also can’t believe that they were able to produce a light show that good.” The second man said: “Special effects. That’s how they did it. Even the muscle guy looked like an actor.”

Hercules said in a low tone to Zeus: “See, I told you, no one believes we’re gods.” While he was speaking the host of the convention said: “Before we begin the conference, we want to tell you all that someone has lifted our heaviest barbell with one hand.”

Part 10: A Display Of Power




Everyone in the audience clapped but Hercules, Zeus and Melina heard the two men in front of them speaking again. The first man said: “Fake, Fake, Fake. This show is a fake. They even want us to believe that the muscle man is real.”

The second man replied: “Could you also believe the giant old man with the muscle man, I think he is also a part of this show. These guys are probably nothing but unknown actors who works too hard in the gym.”

Zeus was furious but Hercules calmed him down. Then Zeus decided to scare the two men in front of them. He made a strong light directly show on top of the two men’s head. Again, the sounds of thunder came.

Everyone in the conference was shocked again including the two men in front of them. But besides being shocked, the men were lightly electrified. After the two men recovered from their light electrification, they looked around.

When they turned their backs, they saw Hercules and Zeus grinning at them. Then they saw a small light coming from Zeus’ hand. The two men immediately abandoned their seats and left the conference hall.

Part 11: A Happy Experience For The Father And Son

They never heard again from the two men. Hercules and Zeus laughed. Afterwards, they watched the conference intently while Melina cleared up all their questions about the Hercules television series. Melina can’t believe that she was actually sitting right next to two Greek gods.

Hercules said to Zeus: “Can’t you see father, the humans are still interested in us. They still adore us. They still make moving pictures of us, I mean of me.” Zeus just smiled and said: “It’s still good to be adored. Even after all these centuries.”

When the conference ended, the two gods said their goodbyes to Melina and left the cosplay convention. But before they left, Zeus gave her his calling card. There was no contact details in it. It just states: “Zeus of Olympus.”