My Fuzzy Side ... The Fluffiest Show Of The North

STEP RIGHT UP! STEP RIGHT UP! FOR YOU'RE TO SEE MIRACLES OF THE NORTH IN THE FUZZIEST, FLUFFIEST AND SILLIEST FORMS!

That's right, woof has gone for another fluffy adventure. Or I should actually say fox because this time it was Roky's time to shine. Back to the cold North of Malmö, but this time for a show. A show full colours and silly fluffy critters; the one and only Cirque Du Nord of Nordic Fuzzcon 2026. A perfect match for my bright orange side of me. And of course I was ready with a bit of a ringleader attire (mild shame I was missing the coat but time was merciless and besides, I can and will make it later). So let's not spend too much time outside and step right into the ring!

Day -1 ... Getting to the scene

First things first however, getting to the place. Which starts with packing all the stuff in. On one hand, I was already more experienced since the last time. On the other hand, new suit, more props and I need to keep space for con loot of course. Then there's the part with Roky's head which is a bit larger due to his acute ears. Luckily (thanks Kryptid for the tip), I made his ears removable (velcro + magnets in the “corners”) which significantly reduced the footprint (headprint :P) and allowed Roky to fit snuggly in the small suitcase together with sleeves and hands and of course his ears. The rest went into the big case, together with props, outfit and I also took my old fox kigu this time as a bit of an experiment since it matches Roky's colours pretty closely.

How did the trip go? Freezing. I remember leaving my place with really cold weather last year and this time around we also had snow as an extra. Especially when reaching Vienna. It was in fact so cold that one of the cargo doors of the bus froze over so getting the luggage in got a bit tricky. The driver also made a bit of an oopsie when going to the Vienna train station stop due to construction work at the place so he had to do some creative turnaround in the city. Everything went well in the end and arrival to the airport was all safe and good, if a bit chilly. Airport time was the usual. And I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing my suitcase scanned and the security folks staring at the screen while I know exactly what's in there :P Overall though, nothing unusual happened. Well, almost. When sitting in the gate lobby, I noticed a familiar face. Familiar yet not certain they were who I thought ... until I noticed a very recognisable dragon hoodie. Yup, I've indeed spotted Brixxy who I'd be sharing the flight with. However, I haven't said anything at that time since I'm not the kind of person who “jumps on folks” they recognise unless I know them a little bit.

The flight itself was fine just a little rough towards the end due to windy weather above Copenhagen. Massive props to the pilot crew who landed the metal bird super smoothly in the wind. The last leg of the trip was easy. Hop on the train to Malmö and a short walk to the familiar hotel. I've got the same spot like last year so I really felt like coming home. Once in the room, I immediately freed Roky from his prison and brought his hearing back. After that I took a small walk around the town to grab something to eat although options were limited at the late hour. But it was already clear the city is being taken over by the legions of fluff. Sated, I headed back to the hotel to recover from the trip and gain energy for the adventures ahead.

Day 0 ... The obligatory Queue-Con and letting the fox loose for the first time

Alright, we're at the place. What's next? We all know; THE QUEUE CON! I was hesitating if I should try and get the badges immediately or wait for later but I decided for the former. Furthermore, being in the Silver sponsor tier, I had the advantage of a separate queue which did take a bit but eventually got through swiftly. Props to the badge design because my “clown Rawen” sticker I used for the badge got some neat background. I also got my first con loot. And just like last year, with an error :P I've opted for two fursuit-sized bandannas, one for Rawi, one for Roky. Rawi's one was ok but the one for Roky got the wrong name and design. Looks like someone made an oopsie and swapped the bandannas accidentally. I was informed that I can try con-ops so we'll see how this little side-quest goes.

I spent a little more time loitering around the place only to find two really known dragons. One clad in pure white and already causing mischief with his loooong tail and the other in shades of blue with distinctly coloured eyes (green and purple) and with some parts of the suit missing (not for long though). I took a picture of the duo and introduced myself to the blue dragon to reveal that we in fact know each other. Ok, enough being coy. The duo was Sushi and Rioku. And as you can see, I survived just fine Rio's strong grip.

After our brief encounter I went back to my room to drop off the loot and already felt the familiar itch: “C'mon, you know you want to suit up. Even if just for a short while.” And so I did, opting for the casual look of Roky with his red scarf. It also served as a nice test of my swappable soles for feet since I have to take a walk to the main hotel. Good news, the feet hold up really well. I'm honestly a bit worried that when I eventually try to swap them back the velcros go off. I already had to reglue them few times but I'm confident they survive this time around.

So how did the first suiting as Roky feel? Not bad. It took me a bit to get into the right energy since I'm more used to being the woof but I eventually started loosening up. Something I've noticed however is that Roky's head is a bit heavier so I got tired a bit quicker. The lounge wasn't ready yet but the area around it provides a good “hideout” to catch a breath. I also still felt the travelling fatigue a little which impacted my endurance. But I was definitely having fun as Roky. However, the body needs energy so after bit of suiting I went back to my room to switch back to my “meaty” form and ventured for a bite to eat. Or more specifically, a noodle to eat (don't worry, Kai-Tan is fine :P). Well sated, I headed back to the hotel to potentially capture some pictures only to find a familiar face yet again. And this time, I didn't hold back and talked to Brixxy. And the potential for adventures expanded.

I loitered around the hotel a bit but wasn't lucky with pictures yet. People were mostly arriving or doing the “queue-con” part of the journey. That said, I've stumbled upon yet another familiar floof, the art mentor Mt. Kanjon who I met first exactly a year ago in this very place. This time around without the suit but the chance to see Grout would of course present itself. It feels quite neat being at a con and meeting up with folks you've known from earlier.

I eventually headed back to the hotel to grab a bit of a rest to release the fatigue from previous day. After a while, I was intrigued to suit up again. The lounge was already open this time so I'd have the proper resting place. Furthermore, I really wanted to try the “almost fullsuit” Roky. I didn't need to convince myself for too long and after just a moment, I was standing in my room, “fully” suited for the first time. And honestly, it's such a weird and great feeling looking into the mirror and seeing this grinning orange (two shades but still) critter staring back, barely any hint of human body left.

With this feeling, I ventured back to the main place to roam around and just be the orange bundle of fluffy silliness. Took me a bit to build up my endurance back so my first roams were short but eventually I started getting there. Furthermore, being in “full” suit really helped me ease into a “creature mode”, making staying quiet in the suit far easier. Like, with my woof I can't do it as easily but this time around I really got into the “no words, just critter noises”. I also got the first catch (first attendee scanned my suiter badge for the collector's game) and it was yet another member of the Brixxy fleet, Pikati. Speaking of which, Rio who's been around got another hug, this time a fluffy one (also survived but I've been warned he likes to give uppies; probably saving them for when he's in the full suit) and I also managed to make Brixxy's queue-con a little easier to handle since I wandered around the queue which was just never-ending. Seriously, the moment it moved forward, it immediately refilled. The place however started becoming fluffier and fluffier from all the folks arriving. At the same time however, the day started reaching the time when the meat inside the suit starts getting tired so back to the hotel we go to rest up and get ready for the next day.

Day 1 ... The show starts and I'm a critter

Alright, the first proper day of the con. And you know me, I basically live cons in the suit so of course I was itching to let the fox loose. But first, some food. Not to mention, the weather outside was freezing so it would've been a good idea to wait a little bit before venturing into the cold nordic winter. Eventually however I jumped into the “full suit” and braved the winter to the venue. Believe me, having the suit was a huge advantage because Sweden brought the nordic cold this time around. As I got in, I headed to the lounge to take a bit of a breather from the walk (those who know can confirm that walking in feetpaws isn't the most comfortable thing) and also to soak up some warmth because the weather was super chilly (reminder for me that fur isn't windproof). After that, I ventured out to the waking up Clarion to see if I can catch a familiar face. And after while I did; a tall silly giggly bat Protox, accompanied by their lovely husband. I've joined them for a bit in my fuzzy foxy form as they were waiting for the arrival of another fellow critter, Spikey who arrived in just a moment. We mingled there for a bit and of course engaged in the “furry bartering” aka sticker trading :3

After a while we decided to move on only to spot Brixxy Brightmane in his fluffy form. And with a small adorable jingly hat on one of his horns. If only my paws weren't too big for the camera. I've had it with me but Roky's paws are a little bit too clumsy for it (Rawi's paws are less bulky so I can handle the camera better). Of course that doesn't detract from me having my critter fun but I'll have to switch between being suited and unsuited if I want to take pictures without taking my paws off.

And believe me, I don't think I remember being this immersed in a character over the course of my suiting experience. Not sure if it was the atmosphere of the place or me being “fully suited” but I really got to a point where this “meatbag” was just there to fill the suit and make it move around and do silly “arfs” whenever foxy saw someone. Or even just walking around, each and every step you could hear me going “Arf! Arf! Arf!”. The only moment I broke out of the character was in the suit lounge to catch a break. But outside of that I was completely fox-brained.

Speaking of the lounge, having a repair corner came in handy this time around since the harsh weather was really making a dent to the suit but we'll get to the later. This time around I just stopped by to just to add some extra glue to some of my claws because they were getting a little bit loose for my comfort and I didn't want to lose them. As I was doing this little fix, a fellow fluffy critter, Heartglow stopped by asking for a bit of a help with repairing their suit head (some stitches at the cowl got loose). I took a glance and I was like “Yeah, looks easy enough. I think I can do that.” And about ten minutes later the head was fixed just like new! Heartglow was really glowing bright after I finished. So yeah, another thing I would've never expected to be asked to help with on my list :P

After my fill of suiting I went back to the hotel to get some rest before heading back to hopefully catch some pictures. Furthermore, I wanted to continue my “Rescue Roky's con bandanna” story. Was I successful? Not yet since ConOps couldn't help me at the moment but they navigated me to the con store once it opens. Not bad, we got more directions. I loitered around the place a little bit and caught some floofs with my camera. I also found first fellow fedi-floofs (Toaster, Blouie, Karb and Polarie). After getting some late lunch (I usually get a bigger breakfast on cons so I can last longer for suiting and to deal better with the looser daily routine), I got back to the hotel yet again to rest before the evening Brixxy's community meet-up. Something unusual for me since I rarely hang around streamers or artists of this media in general, partly due to communities like that not really being great and partly me being highly resistant to “being star-struck”.

I can confidently say it was a really pleasant and cosy evening. The event was happening at the third floor. I arrived, as would be expected of me, suited up in my full partial this time around. Once I arrived to the spot, I looked around but of course my poor vision failed me. Luckily, Roky is such a bright eye-catcher, that Brixxy easily spotted me and navigated me towards the right place; which could easily be half of the floor because we basically slowly occupied it as the group slowly group. I found my spot on one of the couches next to Glut, Vtreo, Streo and Snox. Glut, being absolutely thrilled by my foxxo fluff very quickly earned an orange hug. Gotta say they're a really cuddly bean. And very energetic and bouncy one too :3 The hangout was cosy, accompanied by some nordic snacks (so much licorice) and later with a round of “Too Many Kobolds”. It was quite an experience since our group played it for the very first time and the rules already looked intimidating. To explain the game in a nut-shell (a very small nut-shell), you're a dragon and you have a crowd of kobolds waiting in front of your cave. Your task is to adopt these critters and provide them with needs to make them happy. Trust me, I'm really oversimplifying the rules :P

How did I do? Not bad for my first run as I finished second. The opening ceremony was also happening at the same time but Brixxy was equipped with a tablet to provide the stream so we could watch in between turns. Of course, handling a large community of folks is busy so Brixxy was running around a little to spend at least few moments with everyone. As time passed, another fluffy critter arrived. This time in full and it was Tulius, Rioku's creator and self-titled “weird canine thing”. And all I can say is, he's got one insanely good suit. I wasn't able to take the picture at that time but I managed to catch him later. Overall, the evening went great and it was really cosy experience. And if you happen to know Brixxy, then it was an evening very much in his cosy spirit :3 Furthermore, the evening was also a birthday celebration for Kiro Whitefin. Talk about a great time to celebrate.

As I got back to the hotel, a pile of messages was waiting for me at Mastodon since I posted the picture of fedi-floofs I “caught”. Eichi propped up an idea of making a small fedi-meetup if possible. The issues would be organisation since we'd be scattered around and of course we haven't got an official event like the EF one. But after some pondering and inspired by Brixxy's way of handling the community night, the agreed to think about how to do it and let the idea brew for the night.

Day 2 ... Roky the Ringleader, CoVahr arfs for everyone's ears, Valhalla “lockdown”, first loot and a spontaneous Fedi-meet

Day 2, the con is in full swing and fox is ready to be released again. And this time, let's head out in style :3 That's right, time to make the outfit work. And all I can say is, it takes quite a bit of fiddling to dress up with extra fluffy parts. It doesn't help that the parts aren't perfectly fitting on me (first time I did something like this so it's expected to be rough) but damn did it look good once assembled. I opted for the walk to the place without the head on worried about the wind a bit and the hat being really tall. I already instinctively grabbed my foxxo ears whenever a bigger gust of wind decided to appear to make sure I don't lose them.

Once I arrived to Clarion, I headed to the lounge to put on the rest of the suit. No, I didn't try and tie bow in paws but I definitely managed quite well even without seeing it proper. Now fully dressed, it was time to set off for the roam. I can't really tell what effect it had on the attendees at the time but believe me that I felt amazing, bringing one of my favourite pieces of are to life. I also stumbled upon fluffy Brixxy again for a quick exchange before we headed our own ways since he had another event on schedule. After roaming around the place a little bit, I peeked into one of the back corridors leading to the small panel rooms because the con photoshoot was held in one of them by Tarka Tokala, just like last year. Seeing basically no queue, I decided to give the fancy fox some pictures. The tiny queue went quick so I wasn't melting from the heat too much. The small room gets warm quite quickly, especially with the big lamps.

Once it was my turn and Tarka saw me in full, he knew what to do. First, I was given a small cane or a magic wand which could serve the same purpose. And believe me, I was in my element and immediately got into the character. After the first batch of pictures, I asked for the one “missing piece” of Roky ... the ringleader jacket. Tarka was completely in on the idea, including the folks who were waiting there for their turn. A small funny detail, due to my relatively small body shape, the jacket fit me perfectly. And once on, Roky the Ringleader stepped right into the spotlight. Seriously, I was absolutely immersed. To a point if you asked me who I am, I'd answer “I''m Roky” with no hesitation. But more on that later. After the second batch of pictures, one more idea came to Tarka's mind. I was given a smaller top hat and was asked to “perform a magic trick”. And so I did. And I made a small plushy Mausie appear! After this one, the session concluded so now it's just time to wait for the pictures to be processed. But trust me, my mood was in space.

I went for a quick break and cool-down after spending the time in a small warm room and headed outside. The weather was nice and sunny so anyone who'd be taking pictures of suiters had great conditions. Speaking of which, a familiar foxxo appeared: Loimu with his partner Dr4gonMouse. Loimu was out of suit at the moment being a handler for the proto-bean. We exchanged few words and took some pictures too. And well, I'll let you be the judge of “art becoming real”.

Afterwards I started heading towards the bridge since people were starting to congregate there. Why? The con group photo was being made. And this time around the organisation was way better. I was navigated by one of the media staff folks towards the bridge to the end of the huge group of fluffy critters. And just like last year, there was already a bunch of locals waving and taking pictures of the furs. And among them few people with huge cameras to take the main one. The entire thing went by quickly and I also happened to have a familiar face next to me. Or I should say fluffy loaf of bread, Tosh. And to make my smile inside a suit even wider, a Gabumon suiter joined us there too. Can this day get any better? Well, that's for time to tell.

After the group photo, I went back to the hotel to so I can put Roky for rest for a bit, grab something to eat and head to Valhalla to treat my ears to the musical talent of none other than CoVahr. And believe me when I tell that the walk to the hotel took a while. How come? Because I've had folks stopping me for pictures along the way. And let's be honest. This bright foxxo? With his style? And with the happiest trot in the world? So hard to resist.

Anyway, I don't want to toot my horn too much because I can spend hours gushing over Roky (my friend can fully confirm that). I got back to my room, changed into the “human clothes”, grabbed a bit to eat and headed for the concert. And trust me, I missed my suit. Not because of the looks but because of the chilly weather. The extra layer of fur would help a lot. I was to be a bit late for the start of the event but that turned into an advantage because I avoided the queue. The trip to Valhalla also gave me a nice bonus of the rain dragon Rioku in full this time. Due to a delayed start of the event, I arrived nicely in time just a few minutes before the start. All I can say is ... Wow! Just ... Wow! Like, I know CoVahr is talented but still. Seeing him play so effortlessly was just stunning. And once the full band slowly assembled, it was such a treat. Not just for my ears but also the eyes with the tiny antics of the folks thrown in for funsies.

The event went by so quickly but I was super satisfied. What came after however was ... a little bit less satisfying. The end of the concert coincided with an another event; one which many people would call one of the main events. The Dealer's Den. When I was coming in the queue was already forming and believe me, when I left the Theatre Stage, just one look at the crowd had me like “NOOOOOPE!” so I headed back to the hotel. And it was a really good choice because the moment I left, the Valhalla got into a “lockdown” mode for entry because it was full. Yes, you're reading this right. The place got so crowded they had to close the door for entrance for a bit. The “full lockdown” luckily ended quickly and organisers switching into the “1 in, 1 out” mode to allow for some throughput. But still, fully crowding the place was something new.

However, I wanted to visit dealer's den relatively early because I had a “package” to pick up. Also, the fedi-meet was agreed upon between 18:30 and 19:00 so I had a bit of a schedule to keep. After a bit of breather back at my room and Valhalla reopening, I decided the brave the den again. Once I arrived, there was still a bit of a queue but it was moving at a steady pace so I decided to wait it out. And it really wasn't too bad. Took maybe half an hour to get in. I didn't want to spend too much time in the den since I planned the actual “raid” for another day so I mainly too a tour around to see where am I going to stop next time. But of course I wasn't leaving empty-handed. So my first, and on that day the only stop, was Arven for a pair of shirts (yes, I know I'm a shirt goblin :P) and a sticker book because “I'm surrounded by stickers” (seriously, the Scar quote is so fitting and having Scar as a fox is just EEEEEE!!!!). My next steps however led me further into the back of the den to a table of the rebellious yeen, Mlice. Because it was her, who's been safeguarding the important package; a badge for my woof which I've commissioned at EF and decided to collect here so we don't need to play the “post office lottery”. And oh me, oh my ... What an absolutely gorgeous piece of art the badge is. Like, I've already seen it on pictures but seeing it live with my very own eyes is something else. And as Mlice very accurately pointed out, painting a black wolf in watercolours is really challenging. I'll let you be the appreciators of the result but in my eyes, the result is AAA for “Absolutely, Astonishingly, Amazing”. Of course I was wearing it around whenever I was out of suit.

With my small loot pile (for now), I came back to the hotel to drop it off and get ready for the fedi-meet which for me meant suit up in my partial and try and secure a spot on the third floor. I managed to secure a spot in the corner and started looking around for fedi folks. First arrival was RealZero, followed later by Naima and Gallen who I stumbled upon in the suit lounge shortly after my return to Clarion. Few minutes later, Colin (bald eagle), joined our little group and after a while I spotted a fluffy grey woof with a dark red mane, Eichi who I carefully navigated through the maze of couches on the third floor. Finally I've led Blouie (rare sight of the doggo without the suit) to our corner. As our little chatty group went on, we were joined by Sebi and after while a grey foxxo with bright orange stripes, Grout (Kanjon) happened to stumble upon our corner just as we took the suiters picture. We stayed for a bit until roughly 20:30 as we slowly dispersed our little group. For a highly improvised event, it worked out reasonably well. And with the fedi-meet, the second day of the con came to a close.

Day 3 ... Open house gremlin, DD raid, Roky shows his moves

Friday, the day of the “Open House” event and also my rave night (TIMEWARP being a set made of my growing-up years). So how to juggle these two things because of course I want to suit for folks from the outside the con but at the same time I have to save energy for the night. I still opted for some critter time in the morning because you know I can't resist doing that. And Roky is was made to make people smile so it's basically his job to be around. So I got to Clarion, all suited up. But first I had to go for some repairs because my feetpaws started showing A LOT of wear. I did a quick fix to make sure my feet survive at least through the Saturday's parade and ventured into the crowds. And let's be honest, there's not much to say other than me being silly orange critter.

But as I wanted to keep sufficiently awake (the tons of suiting I did really started to weigh in) I returned to my room to de-suit and ventured to Valhalla again to hopefully do my dealer's den raid. I got in and immediately saw the crowd in front. I stumbled upon Brixxy who was just coming out of the den so we chatted a bit but I decided to go back to Clarion for some pictures. I also took a small walk around the town and stopped for some afternoon coffee after being “coffee-deficient” over the course of the week. I gotta say, Swedes have some nice sweets.

After my small break I ventured towards Valhalla again to see whether the queue has moved. Lo and behold, it did and it went super quick. This means “Raid the Den” time. I left my small backpack at the hotel as a form of “limiting myself” but that didn't keep me from some neat loot. So what did I get? I think the pictures speak for themselves. Long story short, bunch of decorative pins, a chewy stick for my woof and maybe foxxo too, some absolutely gorgeous hoodies, a real-life save button for my memories :P and suit sprays so my floofs smell nice and fresh. Loaded up, I went to drop the loot off and rest a bit before the night.

Because this night was dedicated to let Roky out to the dance floor. But first I need to get to Valhalla. Suited up. In the evening. In a really chilly weather. And in my really worn feetpaws. How did I go? Allow me to present a tiny timeline:

Yup, the everyone's “favourite” Snubbelrisk (Swedish for “Risk of slipping”) was absolutely real. Especially because it started slightly snowing too. And let me tell you, EVA foam with no texture is downright lethal on wet and slushy surfaces (and it'll get worse later). With this almost really rough learning experience, I began my skating towards Valhalla. Since you're reading this, you can safely assume I survived just fine. But there were definitely more skating moments. After my figure skating performance to Valhalla was concluded, I caught a bit of a breather in the lounge and ... and here we go. The dance started with some old familiar hip-hop sounds so a little slower to ease into the vibe. But don't worry, the music picked up the pace in next segments, going into 80s – 90s rhythms later and some progressive after that. And how did I do in the suit? Honestly, I barely needed breaks. Putting the main dance floor into Valhalla was a really great choice by the org team. The dance floor was massive so it didn't crowd up that easily. Furthermore, the space around the bar allowed for taking a break on the spot without having to go for the lounge. So yeah, you nailed this one, NFC team :3

I kept going until around midnight. I could probably last for the entire set but my body was starting to feel the wear and I also wanted to make sure my feetpaws stay together due to the wear. Further more, I wanted to get back as long as the weather is still somewhat reasonable. But yes, Roky can dance. And not too bad. Or at least I really don't give a damn what I look like as long as I have fun.

Day 4 ... Rain on the parade = fancy foxy to the rescue, last-minute picks in DD and playing the picture game

Saturday, the day the parade and suiters group picture is happening. Except it's not. How come? Well, the weather didn't get any better and the intended parade path would be all covered in slushy, half-melted snow. So as much as it was painful to announce, the con staff had to cancel the events. And believe me, it's a far smarter decision because there would be likely be quite a few injuries. That said, I was mildly bummed that I wouldn't be able to let Roky out on the walk. But nobody said I can't let the fox loose at the venue. The weather however wasn't great so I had to wait a bit to make sure I can arrive at the place at least somewhat safely without an injury. And let's go for the trademark outfit because that's what the idea was in the first place.

And what was supposed to be long walk turned into my longest suiting session of the con. How come? Because the atmosphere of the moment was just absolutely energising. The hotel turned into the stage for me and I was ringleader and the performer of the show. Both for the folks at the con and the locals. And every time Roky was spotted, a wave, a high five and polite tip of my hat (which I managed to lose few times because I bowed too much but putting it back on was easy even suited up) was always in order. I don't think I ever got so many people stop me for pictures. The joyful energy was just keeping me going. Of course the occasional break was needed because it wouldn't be wise to push myself past my limits. Nevertheless, I spent all the time that'd normally be occupied by the parade and more in the suit, making folks smile left and right with the contagious joy. I've also been caught by Creideiki who visited the con for the day to get at least a little bit of the con experience and keep the photografur hobby going. Speaking of fellow fedi furs, one challenge remained. Meeting a woofderg who was among the first people to greet me last year only to see each other just once; Rayu. We kept yet again missing one another so I poked the fluffy beast whether he's around. He mentioned he'll be suiting later but he's been around the place in the chill floor. So ... I took a gamble and ventured there. Lo and behold, the gamble paid off. The woofderg has been spotted (and there's more later ;3)

When the time to head back to the hotel came I let the fox into the city so I could spread the joy at least a bit outside the Clarion. And again, my trip took so much longer because people just couldn't resist stopping by the happy fox, dancing in the wet wintery streets. I'd love to describe the sight in words but I'm afraid my writing skills fail me here.

Eventually, I got back to the hotel for a bit of rest since my feet really needed it and after a short round around the Clarion for some potential pictures moment I went back to the Dealer's Den to maybe get some last minute things if something catches my eyes. And it did in a shape of some art and badges. Two of these are eastern dragon themed so ... Kai-Tan's time to shine will come. After dropping off the last minute loot I ventured back to Clarion to yet again try and catch some pictures only to stumble upon Rayu yet again, this time suited up but at the way out. He still stopped for a picture despite looking a little weary from the event he was attending (even the big fluffy beasts need rest ;3).

Oh, I almost forgot. What about the “Rescue Roky's bandanna” story? Well, I had the time to swing by the con store so I did. I asked the folks there and we settled the issue by getting the blank one. So in the end, I've got one for Rawi with his name and one with no name. One could say mild shame but then again, it becomes universal for everyone. And it being so colourful will fit my sheppy :3.

The rest of the day I spent resting since I really needed it after my long suiting session. I was tempted to maybe go for another dance but the weather turned really miserable so going there with suit was a no go and I really don't have the confidence to dance out of suit. At least not yet.

Day 5 ... The show comes to its grand finale, so let's free the foxy for one more go

This is it. The final day of the con. And knowing the inevitable closing ceremony is coming started waking up those feelings you don't want. The utterly miserable weather outside didn't help the mood either. So what now? How to stave off the creeping post-con sads?

In the end, the rain outside stopped so I decided to suit up for one more time. However, I kept the feetpaws off because they're in desperate in need of some work after last time. The wet conditions were absolutely relentless. So yeah, I looked a little weird in my suit + kigu with just my shoes on but Roky has black feet and the kigu has black ankle cuffs so it blends in with my under armour without breaking the illusion too much. Besides, once I get immersed in the character everything will work out fine. There's also a far lower risk of slipping in normal shoes so I'm safer in that way too.

I don't think I can say much more than being a silly critter is just too much fun for me. I just love getting immersed into that feeling of being this fluffy bundle of happiness. If nothing else, I hope that I managed to raise someone's mood at least a bit. I also ventured into upper floors only to find Brixxy's group chilling before the queue for the closing ceremony starts to form. I joined them for a bit only to receive some cosy back scratches from Glut. They'd feel weird out of suit but in suit, I didn't mind at all. I chilled for a little bit there and once the group started to disperse I too headed back to the hotel since I was suited up and didn't want to spend the closing ceremony in the suit. Sure, it meant I'm going to miss a part of it but the streams were going well so I managed to catch the second half. The obligatory funny statistics were shown but there's one particular performance stuck in my mind and its message is something EVERYONE needs. And I mean EVERYONE: A song from “The Greatest Showman” called “This is me”.

I feel a little bad for being made of stone (not as much anymore but still a bit too stoic for my taste) so it didn't affect me as much (truth be told, I'm trying to embody it as much as I can) but I can imagine the amount of happy tears that were cried during that performance. Because in this era of constant judgement leading us into all the nasty -isms, standing in front of others and screaming loud and proud “THIS IS ME!”, hell, even just standing in front of the mirror and saying “This is me. I love me as I am and I want to care for myself.” is extremely hard due to all the judgement passed on us from outside. But if you can, make this your resolution for the year. Get yourself to look at yourself and say to yourself something kind, even if it's hard. Why? Because every single affirmation, no matter how small, keeps chipping at that cage world is trying to keep you in. Because the louder you shout to the world “This is me” with no fear, the more people will start seeing you. And they'll start asking who locked you in. And sooner than you can imagine, there's a group of people helping you break the cage. And once the cage finally gives up and falls apart, unleashing a wave which comes for those who locked you in. Yes, the fight is weary. It's a marathon. But that marathon is worth running to the end.

Ok, enough sentimental words (not really since there will be more but those are reserved for the end). The day was still long ahead and I wanted to keep the PCD away so I grabbed my camera and went back to Clarion. And wow was it an amazing idea. Because the official con may be over but trust me, the place looked like the con was about start any moment. Folks just hanging out, mingling, playing, dancing ... the show really went on. Out of all the days I spent in suit, lacking pictures, I managed to catch up nicely. And even caught more fedi folks, Neppy and ... drum roll, please ... RAYU! And this time in full suit. It was also accompanied with a bit of a oopsie on my end because I kind of forgot he has never seen me out of suit and it was already bit too dark outside so my badge wasn't readable. But everything was resolved and the werewoof-derg got all the hugs that were missed last year. Another nice floof I stumbled upon was Erel (Tosh's saber cat) and yes, they still have all the sass.

I also happened to run into Brixxy saying goodbye to everyone as he was already heading home. And of course the gang was yet again occupying the third floor :P Speaking of fedi folks, just after I parted ways with Joey who we happened to get into a nice chat, I have yet again stumbled upon Grout (Kanjon) and all I can say ... he's such a lovable gremlin of a fox. His energy is just contagious. So much that I felt the itch run back to the hotel and put Roky on for just bit longer. Just one more round of suiting before I have to pack him. But my responsible me won in the end. Besides, I wouldn't be able to properly dry the suit before travelling home. And so the hardest part of every con began; packing up all the stuff. And it wasn't only difficult because of the feels but also because I had to sort the loot right with all my things.

Day 6 ... The show always goes on. Even if you don't see it.

Last day in Malmö. With all the luggage ready, all that was remaining was the inevitable wait before heading out. I was considering to spend it roaming around the town a bit but well, the weather had a different opinion. As such, I've at least tried to spend the time productively with things like sorting out my future suit-making plans and dropping down some ideas that I might work on in the future (Garawimon suit when?).

In the end, there really isn't much more to say about the trip home. Maybe just that the flight was very fluffy with some folks even travelling with their heads on. Seriously, how in the world did you manage in the heated plane? That said, I need to learn how to travel with lighter cargo so I can keep my head with me in the case and possibly put it on at the airport for some shenanigans myself. So far I can only potentially do that when I travel by train because I don't need to smoosh my head into the small suitcase.

In the end, the con was amazing for me. Sure, nothing is perfect (seriously, Clarion, get rid of that revolving door at the entrance because having a queue-con trying to get INTO the hotel is not a nice thing to do) but overall the experience was great.

But beware because something is afoot. A crime has been committed and only we can solve the case of ... Crime Noir.

See you next year, Malmö.

R.R.A.

A small personal PS ... I am Roky. There's no doubt about it anymore.

Yup, it's time for some more feels, as promised. Just like last year, the con has left a special mark on me. When I ventured to NFC2025, I went in completely blind, not knowing what to expect but with an intention to experience the con for the first time. And when I arrived to Clarion and set foot inside the lobby and seen all the critters, it was as if the entire place said “We were waiting for you, Rawen. Welcome home!” right to my soul. From that con I came back a completely different person.

This year, I ventured out knowing there are people to meet and spend some time with, no matter how brief. Be it the lovely couple Loimu and Dr4gonmouse, the overseas folks like Kanjon or Blazi or the fedi-folks I spend time with usually in online space (Rayu, Naima, Karb, Polarie ... the list goes on). Then of course there was Brixxy, Rioku and all the creators who have managed to restore some faith in the streaming scene which I otherwise denounced for being too, well, shallow. But they have shown me that there are indeed some really cosy and funny people and I'm so happy they're around, doing what they're doing because they like it.

And finally there's Roky. My personified joy and role model. When anyone asks about him, the art of him in the green suit is the very first image of him I show. Why? Because when my friend made it and I've seen it for the first time, the first thing I said was: “Oh my ... He's PERFECT!!!!” Since that time I wanted to be him. I even have small written stories of him helping me on the way onward from times before I was capable of making the suit. And now I'm here, looking at myself in the mirror and saying with no hesitation: “I'm Roky.” Not just outside, but inside too. He's not just a role model anymore. He is me. And I am him. All the immersion I felt during the con in the suit wasn't just me enjoying the experience. It was ME, Roky; living, breathing, dancing and making everyone around me smile. The art made alive. The dream becoming reality. And I am that dream.

So sing with me: “Look out, 'cause here I come” “And I'm marching on to the beat I drum.” “I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies,” “THIS IS ME!”

Roky

Neppy