Konnichiwa! Today's chapter is what you've all been waiting for: the first proper cosplay! Ah it feels like so long since I last incorporated a cosplay... And along with that comes a healthy dose of anime references! I hope people will catch on to what anime this is... And who is who...
Reviews~!
awesomely anonymous- Well of course! That's what the little Café series is all about! ...Okay it really isn't but oh well. Oh dear I'm sorry to hear that. Hope this cheers you up! Happy late birthday present!
Illusion Island- Thank you very much for participating! And thank you again for reviewing!
Oceanfur- Aww no you're not an idiot! I'm the idiot really for not suggesting it! Yup. Back to business. And the Kol-ers? XD I like it! Now that was a wonderful moment of creative genius.
awesome scones- Yet ;) It will happen someday. It's inevitable! Aww so much awesomeness... Am I really capable of all that? Ohonohonhon... Looks like you figured out my plan for zis chapter...
osa-chan- Dude, they totally did. Sorry to break it to you. I hope this quells your excitement somewhat. Thank you for your continued support little miss fangirl!
MDWOLFGIRL- Oh really? I was concerned it was a little too obvious. Maybe I might include another sleepover at the end? Just to end it happily so this sleepover is like a foreshadowing for that one.
Ashe-Kuro- I was really looking forward to the sleepover scenes myself. That excitement was a little built up since I originally intended it for Café Cosplay so I'm glad I finally got to use it! Wait you look and act like Liz? ...So Liz reviews the story she's in? You're Elizaveta? Damn it! Quit breaking the fourth wall! I order you to get back in the story!
Greece's Kitty- ...Can I like, borrow your closet for a few days? Give Spain his tomato! Or at least Romano. That should satisfy him. At least Greece is off the coffee.
Random fact: Café Cosplay was not the original title for Café Cosplay. Several names were debated. These are as follows:
No other Option, Last Resort, Café Nuhein, Café Suhon, Kawaii Café, Café Nihon
These titles were repeatedly discussed since I could not officially decide due to my constantly changing mind. However two kept cropping up, these were 'Last Resort' and (of course) 'Café Cosplay'. In the end my final deciding comment was made by my good friend escritoria (and I think a few of you know of her work). She said, and I quote: "If it's going to be serious at points, I'd go with Last Resort, but if it's mostly funny I'd pick Cafe Cosplay." And there you have it. If I get time and if you'd like to know more, I might actually show you the deciding conversation.
Tanoshimu!
Notes:
Bringing your emotions- A reference to William T. Spears from Black Butler.
Poached salmon etc.- The first meal prepared by Sebastian in Black Butler.
The importance of glasses- Again, Black Butler. People reading this before the actual chapter should know the cosplay by now.
Danke schön- Thank you very much, in German.
Tschüss- Basically, 'see you' in German.
"Wh-what? This must be a joke. You're joking right Kiku?" Britt frowned.
She stared into his emotionless brown eyes, longing for a sign of jest. Then again, Kiku wasn't the type to joke and laugh so she began to seriously doubt that it was a joke.
"You-you're serious about this?" Britt whispered.
Kiku very slowly and slightly nodded, confirming Britt's fear. Now that Café Kol was a cosplay café as well, they could actually compete with Café Cosplay since the outfits were the only big advantage in Café Cosplay. Now they were equal- but according to the reviews and compliments the opposing café, they seemed to have the upper hand in service and cooking. What did Café Cosplay have that they didn't? Well apart from anime references coming from Kiku and the occasional mad customer like France or Italy.
"Dude what're we gonna do Kiku buddy?" Alfred asked.
"I... I rearry have no idea. We will have to become stronger and better but I don't know if we can even compete. We may even have to use... Methods of persuasion..."
At this point, Kiku took a quick glance at Britt, implying that there was going to be much more dancing and revealing outfits in store for her. She was not looking forward to this, not one bit...
And so, on Monday...
"Welcome home master..." Britt smiled.
And honestly, she had not been expecting this: she was wearing a pink hat, decorated with a pure white sash and delicate pink roses underneath that was placed at an angle and covered her right eye. Around her neck was a pink ribbon and she had long black arm gloves. Britt's dress, for once, was long and pink, decorated with beautiful frills and a black and white striped ribbon behind the pink rose that covered her chest.
It reminded her of her Victorian era. Of course she didn't wear dresses back then for she was still a man but the style brought back pleasant memories for her, with a mix of only a few bad ones.
"Whoa Britt. Why you wearin' that? Japan let you wear that?" Alfred gaped.
"Yes he did." Britt smiled.
"But... The dress is too long!" Alfred whined.
"Shut up!" Britt snapped, whacking him around the back of the head with her now empty serving tray. "Just because they didn't put me in a short skirt for once, it doesn't mean this dress is too long!"
"Okay, okay! Geez, learn to chill a little will ya?" Alfred sighed. "I mean it's just a dress right? Why are ya so protective of it?"
"Well it's just... I like the style, that's all..." Britt muttered sheepishly.
"Huh? Why would you like somethin' stuffy like that?" Alfred laughed.
"Why you-" Britt began.
"The Victorian era." A voice mumbled.
Both Britt and Alfred turned around to see Kiku walking towards them, emotionless as usual in a 'sense-the-mood' and 'refrain-from-speaking' kind of way.
"The Victorian era was during the reign of Queen Victoria and rasted for sixty-three years and two hundred and sixteen days- the rongest reign in British history." Kiku explained.
"See, Kiku bothers to learn things- yet then there's you: lazy, stupid and only caring about yourself." Britt glared at Alfred.
"Today's cospray is an anime set in Victorian era Rondon. Britt prays the main character... Cross-dressing as a girl." Kiku continued.
"Wait so you're saying I'm cosplaying a boy?" Britt asked.
"Hai, is that a probrem?"
"N-no of course not..."
After all, why would it be? It wasn't like Britt was naturally a girl. If that were the case then she might have been offended. To be perfectly honest though, Britt missed being a boy- being Arthur, a lot more lately than she had in the past. Before when she was just Britt made her feel as if it really was only Britt, and that Arthur had never existed.
But now that her secret was out, she was painfully aware that he had in fact existed, and she constantly found herself missing the way things used to be.
"...And arso in this anime, it covers many historical events rike the compretion of the Eiffel Tower and the Jack the Ripper murders-" Kiku went on.
"Wait, hold on a second Kiku. Did you just say Jack the Ripper?"
Okay so Britt hadn't exactly been paying attention to what Kiku had been saying since her mind had wandered but she was certainly more focused with the mentioning of the last topic. After all, how could she forget? Her people had been in so much fear, so much abuse and despair had been building- it was a dark time for her, how could she forget it?
"Hai, I did." Kiku nodded.
"Jack the Ripper? Is that the serial killer that went around killing prostitutes in East London a while back?" Alfred asked.
"So you do know at least something about my history then." Britt sighed.
"Course I do man! I ain't that ignorant!" Alfred beamed.
"If you weren't ignorant then you would use proper grammar." Britt snapped. "So Kiku, explain. What do you mean when you say it covers Jack the Ripper?"
"Well the main characters investigate the murders and in the end, they find the murderer responsibre."
"Wait, you mean they actually find him? Who is it?"
"He is over there, or at reast, half of him." Kiku pointed.
His finger was directed towards Eliza who was wearing a formal white shirt, a brown waistcoat, a red coat half-worn and hanging loosely at her elbows and tied around her neck was a red and white striped necktie. She was wearing red glasses with beads attached and in her hand was a large chainsaw prop to add to the cosplay- despite how much it was scaring the customers.
"Hungary was a murderer? What did the victims do? Diss Yaoi?" Alfred asked, leaning back on his chair to get a better look.
"N-not exactry..." Kiku stuttered. "Anyway, I'm sorry to have kept you- gomenasai. Britt, there is another customer over there that I'd rike you to take care of."
"Okay, I think I've wasted enough of my time with this moron anyway." Britt grinned.
She headed off in the direction of the new customer Kiku had informed her of, while being verbally attacked by Alfred's loud whines and protests to being called a moron. Britt couldn't help but smirk: winding other people up always made her feel better.
"Welcome home master." She greeted as she got down on her one knee and bowed.
"Velcome home master?" The customer asked.
Oh God, that voice...
"Vell I suppose I am awesome enough to be your master! Kesesese!" He cackled.
If she hadn't known at first, that last comment would have confirmed it. After all, not many countries laughed like that, spoke with that particular accent and referred to themselves as 'awesome'.
"Prussia. Or maybe I should say Gilbert since you aren't a nation anymore." Britt said through gritted teeth.
"Hey, zat vas pretty unawesome of you England!" Gilbert frowned.
"Yes well the last time we met, you backed me into the wall and refused to let me go because you thought that by kidnapping me, you'd be able to accomplish something."
"Hey, zat vas only because Hungary vas getting me to do it..." Gilbert muttered.
"Sure. Great excuse. What do you want anyway?" Britt huffed.
"I guess I'll have one of your daily specials. Sounds awesome to me!"
Then all of a sudden, a new person popped up out of nowhere and bowed slightly with their hand rested across their chest.
"That would be a poached salmon with mint salad with the prepared accompaniments of toast, scones and French pastries. Which would best suit your taste?"
It was Roderich. His hair was slightly more tamed than usual and his Mariazell was even down. However, it was not suppressed fully and a slight bit of the end was still curling upwards. So back to the point, Roderich was bowing- yes bowing- to Gilbert (most likely due to some unknown order by Kiku) and he looked extremely posh (no change there) in his suit, tie, gloves and dress shoes, all of which were black.
"Kesesese! Ze stupid aristocrat is being- vell, stupid as usual und not as awesome as ze awesome me!" Gilbert laughed heartily. "Und in response to your question: I vill have ze French pastries."
"Very good." Roderich nodded, his eyebrow twitching slightly.
Britt could vaguely see Roderich's eyes darting to the spot where Kiku stood. She noticed Kiku staring back and also looking like he was trying to hold back a smile as he walked towards them. Britt just had to sigh upon the realisation that all of what Roderich had just said had been under Kiku's orders.
"Roderich. I can tell you weren't happy with being kind to that guy." Britt muttered, placing her hands firmly on her hips. "You don't need to take that. Kiku may be your boss but he doesn't control you."
Kiku stared at Roderich, making the posh aristocratic nation sigh.
"Bringing your emotions into your job is a waste of time." Roderich mumbled.
"That's another line isn't it?" Britt snapped, folding her arms and tilting her head unhappily. "And what the hell? Did Kiku make you change your glasses?"
It was true. Austria's usual glasses had been changed into rectangular ones decorated with four lines on each side of the frames. Roderich turned to Kiku again, only to have the smaller nation nod once at him- like a signal. Again, another sigh signalled the start of another rehearsed line.
"Those who don't know the importance of glasses to Shinigami..." Roderich began, pushing the glasses up. "...Should get a pay cut!"
Then he lifted his hand dramatically and brought it down dramatically... But in the wrong direction. Instead of pointing at Britt, like the girl was expecting, he pointed in another direction- which just happened to be where Kat was walking through with a serving tray. When she saw she was being pointed at however, she instantly flipped out- dropping the tray clumsily.
"Well done, Austria-san." Kiku muttered. "Ukraine-san, are you alright?"
"I'm so sorry! I'm not used to serving people and I freaked out! Please forgive me!" Kat sobbed.
The reason why Ukraine was serving was to improve service rates in Café Cosplay. Originally, she had been hired as a chef. However now with the increasing threat of Café Kol, she had been serving the customers as a waitress as well.
She, like all of the other waitresses, was wearing a beautiful cosplay. Hers had fake angelic wings and her dress was long and simply pure white. The bottom half of her dress looked like it was made from feathers and around her neck was a gray frilly choker. Thankfully, she had not spilled anything on this splendid outfit, but she had instead broken the café's fine china.
"Sey-san, crean up prease." Kiku instructed.
Angie ran in, wearing her hair up in high ponytails and adorned with a pretty lacy frill. She was wearing a typical maid's outfit with brown laced up high boots and black stockings accompanied by a garter belt. Her outfit had a white pinafore with ruffles around the shoulders and on her face were a pair of large circular glasses- ones that hid her eyes quite well.
"Hey England! Can I have my food now?" Gilbert called.
"Ugh. Kat could you get the special with French pastries for Mr fussy over here?" Britt huffed.
"How rude! I'm not fussy, I'm awesome!" Gilbert gasped.
"Says you." Britt muttered.
"Brittany-chan, could I see you for a moment prease?" Kiku whispered.
Following Kiku's orders, she followed him into the kitchen along with Kat so that no-one could hear their private conversation.
"Brittany-chan. I would rike to ask you a favour." Kiku explained.
"Oh God, if it's another short skirt Kiku then you know how I feel. But you can dress me up in what you like. You know I really have no say in the matter." Britt sighed.
"That is not it. I would rike to ask that you be nicer to Prussia-san."
"What? Why?" Britt snapped. "He told everyone that I had reappeared, remember?"
"Hai. I remember it well. But prease Brittany-chan, this is for the Café's sake."
"How so?"
"Well France-san's current hobby is reviewing and surveying other cafés and food estabrishments opened up by ferrow countries. If we can successfurry prease Prussia-san then we will have the support of two members of the Bad Touch Trio. Hopefurry that will be enough to attract the third."
"Why do we need France's opinion? What good will his review be?"
"Engrand. He has one of the most sophisticated parrets in the world. If we can get the support of a gourmet country then we can beat Café Kol easiry."
"So you want countries like China to review us?"
"Hai, I have taken China into consideration arso."
Something sounded a little melancholy in his voice and Britt instantly knew it was because of China. After all, the history between those two didn't always end on a happy note and the rumours about their feelings towards each other were sketchy at best.
"That's good to hear Kiku, but with getting other countries to observe us that comes with the risk of a bad reputation- you know that right?" Britt frowned.
"I do. That is why we must work very hard. I do not want to see this prace in ruin after so rong of watching it prosper." Kiku sighed.
"Don't we all...?" Britt muttered.
"We shall await you next time." Britt smiled as she curtseyed to Gilbert.
"Kesesese! Danke schön! Ze service vas... Vell... Awesome! Und ze outfits vere great!" Gilbert laughed.
At this point, the staff had different polite responses. Eliza posed by resting her prop chainsaw on her shoulder and creating a rock star hand gesture in front f her face, Lili blushed and looked away, Roderich bowed (despite his ever-twitching brow) and Britt made a lady-like curtsey.
"Vell, tschüss! I vill definitely be coming back here, cafés like zis are awesome!" Gilbert grinned.
They all waved him off and secretly, pretty much everyone was celebrating within their minds because they had successfully made Gilbert happy and that was sure to pay off very soon. Things for Café Cosplay were looking up, but were they enough to get ahead of Café Kol?
Only time could tell. And not much time was needed before an answer was to be given.
TODAY'S COSPLAY:
(It's been ages since I last did this!)
Fandom: Kuroshitsuji/ Black Butler
Britt- Ciel Phantomhive, in his dress from episode 4
Eliza- Grell Sutcliff (yes I know this means she's a boy)
Lili- (Even though she wasn't described) Elizabeth Middleford (it works if you add hair extensions)
Angie- Mey Rin
Kat- Angela Blanc
Roderich- William T. Spears
I love Kuroshitsuji. I know I switch between saying Kuroshitsuji and Black Butler but Black Butler just sounds snappier so I say that more, despite having only watched the Japanese version. The customer idea was inspired by awesome scones. I thought of the cosplay.
Originally, I was going to have Roderich as Sebastian. That way when Britt asked what happened to his glasses, he would say contacts and when she asks where he got them, he would say "If I couldn't change my appearance drastically with the use of contacts, then what kind of butler would I be?" and also Britt was going to remark on how it looked too similar to his normal outfit and so 'what kind of a cosplay is that?' and then Roderich would say: "It is simply one hell of a cosplay." *Shot*
But I decided to change because my friend suggested William. Also I like William and didn't fancy using Claude. Though I guess it would have worked a little better if he were Sebastian since Eliza is Grell.
So the cosplays are back! And with that comes requests! For both customers and cosplays! Requesting starts now!
(Also guys, I'm aware the review system now only allows 'Guest' reviews. So if you could start your review with the name you'd like to be referred to then I can still have some distinction between reviewers!)
Sayonara minna-san!
~Neko
