Chapter 13: Retsu's Horrible Date

After taking an overnight in Garuda's tower, Rage goes for a walk and sightseeing in other stores. Until he passes his best friend, Retsu who is watching along with the other guys who were a big fan over a cosplay girl.

This is weird? Why Retsu is hanging out with some guy fans?

Retsu was impressed to see a girl who is cosplaying as Charmy as all the guys are gone crazy over her as he asks.

"Who's that girl? Why she is cosplaying as Charmy?" Retsu asked as one of the fans answers.

"Ah, that cosplayer... her name is Karina. She's the most popular cosplayer in Japan."

"Wow... now that's a nice name...?" Retsu smiled as Rage scares him from his words.

"So Karina is next, huh?"

"Uwah! Reiji, cut it out... you making me a heart attack?" Retsu said scarily to him while raising his brow as Rage looked at the woman cosplays as Charmy.

"I haven't seen her before, but I feel familiar something about her."

"How would you say she's familiar? Her waist and curves are much more feminine." Retsu said snobbishly as Karina comes out of her dress shop as all the male fans wants to have a autograph with her.

"Sorry, guys... but I have work to do." Karina smiled and she looked at Retsu who is watching the crowd. "Hey... you're kinda cute."

"Uhmmm... gee, thanks for the compliment." Retsu smiled as he blushes and Rage noticed her looks and her appearance.

"Retsu, do you actually attracted to that woman?"

"Well... I'm not really attracted I was just saying thank you to the girl." Retsu said telling him as Karina likes his good looks as she drags him.

"Come on, pretty boy. I just love to chat with you."

"Hey... why are you dragging me?" Retsu reacted angrily as Rage angrily shakes his head in disappointment after seeing her dragging him away.

At the coffee shop near in Ni-Na's flower shop, Rage was talking to Spike after seeing his best friend being dragged away by the cosplay girl.

"Wow... I ever seen a girl would drag Retsu for his good looks. A man is supposed to take action for a girl."

"I could not stop him because some girls are gone crazy over him." Rage said telling him. "If I were a good looking man, I will try to avoid these things."

"Hehe... I'm impressed that you remain faithful to your girlfriend, Rage." Spike said giggling as Ni-Na arrives to see them.

"What kind a topic you guys were talking about?"

"Actually it's about Retsu, Ni-Na." Spike said telling her. "He's having trouble dating or hanging out with other girls."

"Rage, your friend seem to be a ladiesman or something. He might act like Johnny from the Euro Team." Ni-Na said as Rage replies while having his arm crossed.

"I don't think he might ended up like Johnny, Ni-Na. I was totally suspicious on that female cosplayer."

"How come you know it's the female cosplayer, Rage?" Spike asked curiously.

"Well it's because of his feminine looks and appearance. Only I became suspicious about when he drags Retsu away from me." Rage answered as he raises his brow. "I can't believe that girl has man hands."

"..."

"If it's man hands... I know someone will recognize that look and appearance, Rage." Spike said telling him. "She's a friend of mine who formerly works at the club staff and became a fashion designer here in Tokyo."

"Just take me where she was working, Spike." Rage said calmly. "I need some answers on that female cosplayer."

At the fastfood chain, Retsu sips a glass of orange juice as Karina is with him who is very cheerful and happy young woman similar to Emi and tries to ask something about himself.

"So anyway, what's your name, pretty boy? You actually hanging out with that spiky dude, who was he?"

"I'm Retsu Kageyama, and that spiky dude you mentioned about was Reiji." Retsu answered.

"Oh... now that's a nice given name. I heard he's a street dancer from Burning Dome and has a horrible anger problem." Karina said telling him.

"Reiji has a bad temper, Karina." Retsu said nicely. "That's why everyone calls his nickname, Rage because of his temper."

"Ooh... I cannot imagine someone like you would tolerate this guy's behavior. You're a very nice guy." Karina said happily.

"Anyway, why are we here in the fastfood chain? You actually dragged me out without warning." Retsu asked while raising his brow.

"Well I just want to know something about you. You look handsome as anyone here in Japan." Karina smiled nicely. "You seem to be my type of course."

"Really? How about this, just meet me at the park tomorrow? I've never been dating with some nice women." Retsu said blushing and Karina wants to have a date with him.

"Wow... that was amazing, this is perfect. I can't wait to see you at the park tomorrow. That will be great."

Therefore, Rage and Spike went to the fashion shop which is similar to Ling's shop where she made their outfits for the dance competitions and to see the fashion designer and she recognizes Spike from Club London.

"Hi Spike... I didn't expect you're here today."

"Hello, Mika... I heard you made these nice dresses today. You're amazing..." Spike said and Rage reminded the woman as Ling in which he ended up being flirted by her which results of a nearly break relationship and partnership with Emi.

"Say, Spike... who's this guy and he's kinda good looking." Mika said as Spike introduces Rage to her.

"This is Rage from Team Burning. We're here looking for someone who has man hands."

"Oh... Man hands... how did you say that?" Mika nodded in confusion as Rage looked on the picture of a man who cosplays as Astro, and other male dancers from the other games.

"Who is this guy in the picture? Does he cosplays Dancing Characters like us in a dance game?" Rage asked and Mika tells him.

"That's Kaoru..."

"Kaoru...? Now that name is feminine?" Rage commented and Spike tells him.

"That considers a male name, Rage." Spike said as he faces Mika. "So where is that Kaoru guy?"

"He left this place after two months due to his popularity as a cosplayer." Mika answered sadly as she explains. "He got a lot of fans even in the autograph signing. But things had changed when all the girls are gone crazy over him. After a scuffle happened, he left this place to strike out on his own and gives up on cosplaying male characters and replace it with female variants."

"You mean Kaoru was...?"

"I heard that Kaoru is now cross-dressing as a female cosplayer and he changes his name so that all of the guys are gone crazy over him." Mika said as Rage was horribly shocked.

"Oh man?! So then... Kaoru and Karina is one of the same person, am I right!?"

"Uhm... I think you were right. Kaoru just told me everything after his change. He already told me that he gives up his manhood to become a woman that's what happened to him."

"Yikes! Do you mean that he had sex change?" Spike said shockingly as Rage was horribly shocked as he was scared by his words.

"Aghhh?! How come he stoop so low? He's totally out of his mind giving up his virginity as a man like that?!"

"I heard from him today in his text message that he's going to have a date tomorrow." Mika said as wanders. "I think he says that he meets up with a guy named Retsu Kageyama?"

"WHATTTT?!"

"Darn, I have to tell him about this?" Rage said as he quickly leaves the shop and Spike knows something was wrong.

"Looks like your friend seems very agitated?"

"I think he's not agitated, Mika? Rage knows his friend very much and more likely he's the intellectual guy from EMTI. I think dating with your friend was definitely horrible."

Before he goes back to his apartment at night, Rage visits Retsu's dormitory which is one block from his street and it's the back of his apartment. He saw his friend calling on his cellphone and he hungs off immediately afterwards as he said to himself.

"Tomorrow is the day? I can't wait to have a date with Karina, this is my lucky day, hahaha..."

Rage then shakes his head knowing that both Karina and Kaoru are the same person as he thought.

Retsu don't ever fall from that girl? He's a man...? A total man...?

Afterwards, he left back to his apartment while walking away.

The next day, Spike was happily take his time off as a stuntsman and a club staff until he saw Rage who wants to spy on his friend and became serious about this as he thought.

He look pretty serious today at the morning, now this is great.

At EMTI, Rage meets up his grandfather, Garuda and wanted to tell him something about yesterday.

"What?! Kageyama is hangin' out with a woman? Now that's good thing for him." Garuda said as Rage angrily replies.

"Come on, grandfather... Retsu is actually hanging out with a cross-dressing man?"

"You gotta to be kiddin' me, Reiji?" Garuda wondered and gives him some advice. "Ya have to tell Retsu about this. You know transexual people would ended up becomin' gay people, ya know."

"You're right... I have to stop their date." Rage said as he leaves the director's office. Garuda let out his sigh after seeing this mess as he said to himself.

"Looks like mornin' goes into a big terrible day, ain't ya?"

At the park, Retsu was waited for Karina as she arrives, cosplaying Princess Zukin's outfit and she asked to her.

"How do I look, Retsu? Am I really cute?"

"Uhh? You're just cosplaying Princess Zukin, Karina. I just want to see you in a normal clothes." Retsu commented.

"Oh come on, Mr. Handsome I can't wait to start our date." Karina smiled as she drags him much to his disappointment.

"Hey, why are you dragging me? There's no way a girl like you to be dragged me out like that?"

Meanwhile, Rage wonders after his grandfather tells him about gay people as he thought.

I ever seen grandfather knows about cross dressing guys? If I interact someone like Karina, I would ended up like gay man.

Therefore, he saw both Retsu and Karina are walking around the park but to his dismay Karina always clingging towards him.

"Wow... you're totally soft, Retsu...?"

"Cut it out, you're trying to gripping my arms?" Retsu reacted angrily much to Rage's surprise.

"Poor guy, he needs to learn how to pick a girl. But he's unaware that Karina is a man."

Retsu easily noticed her actions and trying to make a quick pace out of her.

"What's wrong, Retsu? You seem to be scared or something?"

"I don't know, Karina... There's something strange about you and your actions." Retsu said and became suspicious by this. "Whenever you dragged me here, I can feel something weird about you."

"Retsu, you don't have to be afraid. This is our first date, right." Karina said as Retsu tries to reject her advances.

"I don't feel something girly about you, Karina? This is why I became too suspicious."

Rage hides in the bush and to watch their development of their date as he thought about this.

Now this is totally weird? First Retsu tries to make date on her and now rejecting her advances. Does he know that Karina is a man?"

"Oh come on, Retsu... you're so handsome and a very nice man I've ever met, haaahh..." Karina said while being clinggling to him as her Princess Zukin's wig had dropped off the ground as she reveals her true gender as a man named Kaoru much to Retsu's horrible shock as he screams.

"No way, YOU'RE A MAN!"

Oh crap, So this Karina is indeed Kaoru, this guy's nuts?

Kaoru then put his Princess Zukin's wig back on and to find Retsu and he noticed that he's already left.

"Oh, where are you, Retsu?"

In the city streets of DDR City, Retsu was disappointed after seeing that Karina was a man and lowers his head in depression as he thought.

I'm so blinded, I didn't expect Karina was a man? Urgh... I'm so stupid?

"Retsu, where are you?" Kaoru said in a girly voice and Retsu tries to run from him but he was dragged by Rage as Kaoru tries to look for him. "Where is that guy? He's really cute in person. I can't wait to find him."

Retsu noticed someone covered his mouth and to find out it was Rage and he was surprised by it.

"Reiji, why are you here?"

"Just saving you from the gay's seductions." Rage smiled calmly as Retsu raises his brow to him.

"What did you say, Reiji? Karina is a total man?"

"Well I tried to figure it out who Karina is, Retsu?" Rage said as he scolds at him. "That Karina that you tried to date her was Kaoru. The popular male cosplayer in Japan and you don't even get it that he lost completely of his manhood by it."

"Say WHAT?!"

"...I can't believe you, Retsu. You're too weak when you date a wrong girl like this?" Rage sighed as Retsu sadly replies.

"I'm totally stupid, Reiji. I didn't see that Karina was a man and you actually know that he got sex change? I think my life of finding a nice girl was a big karma to me."

"Now stop saying that? You're still have a chance, Retsu. Don't give up so easily." Rage said while grabbing Retsu's shirt as both noticed Kaoru is here with his ladies.

"So this is where you were hiding, Retsu? Do you actually replace me from this man?" Kaoru said and Retsu replies in denial.

"Excuse me, we're not in some sort of relationship?"

"Yeah, Kaoru... you think we're gay lovers. You're just too weak to be a woman."

"Why you, I'll never forgive you guys calling me weak? Now, let's beat them ladies." Kaoru said furiously as both guys end up in a beating as Rage retorts.

"Damn it, I hate being beaten by girls!"

"You're smashing my arm, Reiji!" Retsu yelled angrily.

"Okay fine, I just had enough of harassing us already." Rage furiously said as he angrily throws a smoke bomb on them causing them to smoke and both he and Retsu manage to escape.

"Don't just stand there, let's after them!" Kaoru yelled as the girls are after them even at the park. With that both Rage and Retsu are hiding at the bush and their clothes end up in tatters during a beat down.

"I think we lost them?" Rage said as Retsu asks him.

"Reiji, when did you have a smoke bomb with you?"

"I got this from my grandfather's place before I go to downtown." Rage answered as he raises his brow. "Damn, I hate if Emi would see me like this?"

"We better hide from them. I never expect Kaoru was furious to have dominatrix girls with them." Retsu said in frustration as both leave the park.

When they arrived in the back door, both enters the room and they saw Beechum is inside much to their relief.

"Hey Rage and Retsu, what happened to both of you? And your clothes are also torn?" Beechum asked as Rage pushes him as he tells him.

"We'll tell you later, Beechum. But first can we stay here for a while."

After the explaination of what happened to them, Rage is seen wearing a white loose muscle shirt, and his pants and sneakers that he wears in the 4th Competition while Retsu is seen in gray short sleeve shirt which is folded his sleeves to make it sleeveless, tan pants and his shoes and has lots of bandages on their faces as both are eating ice cream in which Beechum is having a ice cream parlor as his family business.

"Mmmm... This is so delicious. I've ever seen you had an ice cream parlor, Beechum." Rage smiled excitedly as Beechum happily replies.

"Usually, this ice cream parlor belongs to my dad and this is our family business."

"Wow... lucky for you, Beechum." Retsu smiled nicely. "You should tell me when I need a little break."

"By the way, Beechum. How come you get our extra clothes?" Rage asked and Beechum answers.

"Oh that, Sir Garuda asked me to get some back up clothes for the two of you. Just in case if both of you ends up in a beating."

"Did Sir Garuda actually encountered these guys?" Retsu wondered and Rage raises his brow.

"That's what I'm trying to ask him about these cross-dressing guys?"

"HELP ME!"

"Who's screaming outside?" Beechum nodded as both Rage and Retsu hide in the wall as they peeked in the window both saw Izam is after by Kaoru and the dominatrix girls as his clothes are also torn like both of them.

"Damn it, Rage and Retsu? This is all your fault! These idiots think I'm both of you, WAAHHHHH!" Izam screams blaming on both Rage and Retsu as he continues to be chased by them and both Rage and Retsu learn their lessons as they whispered.

"You know Retsu, I think we learn a lesson about cross dressed cosplayers."

"Yeah, you're right... I guess next time is not to hang out with cosplayers who are lying to their own selves."

"Let's just say we relaxed here for a while." Rage said nicely as Retsu agrees with him.

"Good idea..."

With that both ends up staying much to Beechum's happiness.

Trivia:

*The scene where Kaoru drops his wig towards Retsu is a reference on Akazukin Cha Cha where Doris hugs Serebi as his wig drops on the ground knowing that he's a man.

*In the near end of the chapter, Rage wears his summer version of his 4thMIX outfit as his orange and white shirt is replaced by a white muscle shirt but maintains both of his pants and sneakers.

*Retsu screams to his true gender is a reference to the anime Fushigi Yuugi where Miaka discovers Nuriko is a man who cross dresses as a woman.

*Rage was horribly shocked after hearing of what Kaoru did to himself is a reference to BlazBlue: Continuum Shift in Rachel's Gag ending where Noel was shocked while blushing after Kokonoe tells her about what she's going to do with Ragna.