Chapter 24: A Cosplayer's Caper

Shortly after the destruction of the secret underground facility within the DIRGE's territory at the Expo, Hunyo had just received medical treatment by the doctors to his head injury and Lee and Brian are here to visit.

"You were so lucky that your head didn't lose a lot of blood." Brian said and to Lee's surprise.

"Really... if he loses a lot of blood when it was injured. It's going to be the death of Hunyo."

"I'm not dying just yet... It would be better if Marissa would find out for what we did." Hunyo said as looked up while lying on the hospital bed. "I feel like something strange whenever I tried to protect somebody or my family. Whenever Kazumi appears, deep inside I wanted to help her. But I feared someone will came here to kill anyone."

"As your daughter mentioned, why would Heihachi Mishima tries to manipulate Manuel in the first place? What's his motive?" Brian said which Lee knows something.

"As my nephew created a world war back against Kazuya. It appears my father clashes his own son in a much more deadly way."

"I believe that old bastard manipulates that psychopath just because to kill us all from their assassination plot." Hunyo said knowing of their motives. "But I can't understand why?"

At the Panganiban Residence, Jin was at the master's bedroom while looking all of Hunyo's clothes. He realizes his clothes are the same size as he is which Rhima saw him.

"What are you doing at my dad's closet, Jin?" Rhima asked to which Jin sighed.

"I ever seen your father's clothes are the same as mine. What's the difference between me and your father even though we're in the same size?"

"I hate to tell you, your clothes sometimes it was formal or being cool enough. My dad usually wore something simple." Rhima answered to which Jin has an idea.

"Rhima... is it okay if I try on something? Besides, your father was just like my own father would look like when he wore clothes like that. I just want to improvised it."

"Well... I remember when you let me touch your chest to feel your heartbeat. Then, my father came all the way and beating the crap out of you knowing we're different." Rhima said as she gets her father's loose button shirt which is opened. "Hmmm... I think the collar from the button shirt looks interesting. Maybe you might try wearing a sports jacket or something."

"You think so..."

"Yeah..."

"I guess we're going to the mall then. I just love if only just the two of us around." Jin snickered happily.

At the mall, Josie and Margie are hanging out with each other as they spotted Rhima who is waiting for Jin to come out.

"Rhima... what are you here at the mall?" Josie smiled happily.

"Jin just bust through my dad's closet and wants to improvised it. That's why me myself and Jin are in the mall." Rhima sighed in disappointment.

"I guess he wants to wear something mature, Rhima." Margie said nicely as she tells her. "Since you and Jin are in the same age, he needs to try something mature by wearing any outfits that suits him."

"You were right..." Rhima said became understand about her word. "Everytime we're here at the mall, He kept on buying clothes when he was the Zaibatsu leader at the time. But now his grandfather replaces him, he has no other choice but to use his spare money to buy one."

"If he would be a model like I am, I would buy any clothes as I wanted too. Once I make a lot of money to do that." Josie said telling them as Jin finally comes out of the fitting room, wearing a white and black short sleeved leather sports jacket with a gray short sleeve undershirt with a skull design on his shirt, black jeans and brown leather shoes. But also wears a spiked bracelet on the left, his watch on the right along with another bracelet. "Wow... If only if he enters in a modelling event."

"Do I think I looked like a fashion model, Josie?" Jin reacted angrily towards Josie's words while handling the pants that he already try it on.

"I guess your checkered jacket is like a design of a finish line, hee hee..." Rhima giggled happily making Jin blushes in embarrassment as he reacts angrily.

"Rhima, not you too? You shouldn't remark something about my outfit."

"Like I said... his outfit is something mature. You don't need to comment something about the designs on his clothes, Rhima." Margie said telling her which she closes her eyes in regret.

"All right... you're still being fashionable than my dad I guess."

"Anyway, Ms. Margie... why are you here too with Josie?" Jin asked calmly as Margie replies.

"I have a friend of mine just settled the mall show here. I guess she cosplays female characters from the popular TV show called Encantadia."

"What kind of a show is that?" Jin wondered which Rhima tells him.

"It's a show where it main focuses on the enchanted world living within the four kingdoms. The Sang'gres are the ones who keep the four elemental gems such as the water, wind, earth and fire. But one of them betrays her sister just to become a queen."

"I can't wait to see that show." Josie smiles eagerly.

At the mall show, Hunyo and Rolento are there to find someone who releases another game character on the loose.

"Hunyo, you like watching, Encantadia?"

"No, Rolento, why?" Hunyo replies and Rolento notices how he acted after getting discharged at the hospital.

"I was wondering if you still think about that woman you're talking about. To be honest with you, you were acting odd."

Darn now they think I'm a crazy guy... I still carried Kazumi's kanzashi. She is always wearing a traditional kimono dress in a fight. But what if she is not wearing a kimono?

Hunyo imagines how Kazumi wore mainly if she wears a bikini or a revealing silk dress this makes him nervous until Rhima, Jin, Josie and Margie arrive to see him.

"Dad... you acted so weird?" Rhima commented making Hunyo blushes in embarassment.

"It's none of my business, Rhima. I was only curious if Kazumi could wear something revealing rather if she wears a kimono."

"Mr. Panganiban..." Jin steps in as he simply punches his head comically for being curiosity. "You sounded like me being too curious and sensitive if my mother would wear something revealing. That's not nice..."

"Guess duckbutted heads are indeed showing more of their sensitivity to women." Rolento said as both Hunyo and Jin are behind him and angrily hears his mocking word as they seriously beat him out.

"Rolento, don't try to say anything stupid!"

"I had enough of your mockery, just like before!"

"I don't get it, Rhima... how come your father and Jin are beating this guy out?" Josie pondered while asking her.

"I hate tell you about Kikay's father for being good on mocking other people. He keeps mocking on Jin's spiked hair because it is styled similar to a duck's butt."

"Oooh..."

As the mall show is finally engaged, a four women are cosplaying the main characters from Encantadia as one of Margie's friends is cosplaying as Pirena.

"Margie, is that your friend you were talking about?" Josie wondered and Margie was amused to see her friend wearing Pirena's warrior form.

"Her name is Shelly we were long time friends since college ever since we were graduated. I ended up working in the Customs as Shelly is known to cosplay anybody. But today, she was cosplaying the characters from the Fantaserye."

Jin notices Panda was there and became excited to see his presence as he comes to see her.

"Panda... how did you get in here?"

(Xiaoyu would be so happy that you're okay. She was looking for you the whole time. She tried to find you where you are, but more danger is now ahead of her.)

This isn't right, that's when I destroyed Azazel and I ended up myself in comatose. My grandfather had reclaim the Zaibatsu at my absence. Xiao, what are you thinking? Didn't you know the war that I made is already continued by my grandfather and my father? I know you were desperate to find me. But my condition is getting worse and my devil powers are getting out of control to make myself in a coma.

"It appears that Panda was released by someone else and that cosplayer must be a gamer too." Hunyo said sensing Shelly's presence as she goes into a fighting pose.

After the show, Shelly was amazed to see Margie again and to see her new friends who also came to her show.

"Marjorie, how's my performance of the show, isn't it great."

"I guess that show is about to retell the original story, Shelly. Some TV show nowadays, they really want to make the ratings go higher."

"Excuse me, uhm... If Rhima is saying that you are cosplaying as a character on TV? Do you actually cosplay video game characters like we do?" Jin asked curiously.

"Uh... I could cosplay video game characters too. But except the male ones..."

"You seem to like the Pirena costume, don't you?" Rhima said raising her brow which Jin reacted in embarrassment.

"That's not what I mean, Rhima... I know I like flames on my karate pants. But her costume has a resemblance to flames. I was just asking if she could cosplay somebody like us."

"Oh..."

"By the way, Is Panda with you? She keeps telling me about Xiao." Jin said calmly to which Shelly explains.

"I don't know where did I get this Panda before. That's when... I played once in the arcade before we did this mall show. I saw this Panda comes out of nowhere and keeps telling me about how to stop your friend from searching for you. I think her gestures know your presence."

Before Jin could act he senses an enemy's presence and seeing that both were the targets.

"Shelly, you need to go with Panda now."

"What do you mean?"

DIRGE soldiers appear in the scene as Rolento manages to knock them with a punch.

"Hey Hunyo, why don't you tell Rhima and Jin to help that cosplayer?"

"Rhima, we have to help her." Jin convinces Rhima to come with him which she agrees.

"Right."

When Shelly and Panda tried to escape they are confronted by Kuma II who is now wearing a specialized Tekken Force suit.

(Panda, I've never seen you were there too. I missed you so much.)

(You haven't learned, Kuma. You have become a bear soldier with your master, wasn't not. But I still don't want you to harm her.) Panda points out Shelly as the arrival of Jin and Rhima.

"Kuma, you're now a Tekken Force soldier? It's better for you to stay on the wild." Jin remarked about how Kuma is changed as he had a grudge on him for banishing in the Hokkaido Wilderness.

(I still have a grudge on you for banishing me. Now I'm going to take you down!)

"Rhima, you have to take Panda and the cosplayer with you. I'll handle this." Jin said while looking at her slightly.

"Okay then... don't get clawed by him. Not like the last time he came out on the beach." Rhima said as she, Shelly and Panda continues to run off.

(Now Master Heihachi is now the head of the Zaibatsu, I can finally have my revenge on you for banishing me in the wilderness. Now you better prepare yourself!) Kuma angrily roars as he assumes his fighting stance as Jin does the same as he arrogantly taunts the bear.

"How pitiful to say that? Now, Come on!"

*Trivia:

*Jin, Kazumi (during Hunyo's fantasies) and Josie are now wearing their Kiwami outfits in the Kiwami Campaign event.

*Shelly has a strong resemblance to Alodia Gosiengfiao who is a popular cosplayer in the Philippines.

*Josie's Kiwami outfit has minor alterations only the waist of her short shorts appear mid-waist instead of low-waist to cover the lines of her panties which it was seen as a customization.

*The cosplayers including Shelly are portraying the main characters of the Encantadia remake as the show is currently aired in GMA Network.

*Kuma II and Panda makes an appearance for this chapter wearing their new main outfits.