It wasn't that Akane was some tough gangster-type like she might have been if she'd gone to work at a Yakuza bar. It wasn't that she was some humorless gladiator like might have resulted if she'd become a professional fighter at the Arena circuit. It wasn't as if she had gone in for experimentation or something either.
No, it was much worse.
"My poor baby!" bawled Soun, crying streams that fell harder than the rain outside.
No, Akane was an otaku.
Something, either the diet, some experimental treatment she wasn't speaking of, sneaking out to visit one of those Chinese apothecaries, or whatever - had given her a typical 'fighting game girl' bustline. It made wearing a kimono difficult to say the least - making her chest go flat was absolutely NOT going to happen.
She had fallen into the camaraderie with the various other waitresses, and as long as she didn't annoy the clientele - the Master had fallen into a doting-fatherly sort of role with his girls. It would later turn out that the Master of CosPlayroom Zeta was gay, not that that had any particular stigma in this society.
One of the big draws of the three CosPlayroom franchises (one in Akihabara, one in Shibuya, and one in New York) was that the waitresses acted in character. Something that took Akane a while to do, but when it finally clicked she became quite the actress.
There was an acting coach who went over the role each costume played with each waitress. A costumer and a prop man, and often the customers would correct (in the manner of otaku experts) any remaining flaws in the characterization.
A magical girl would only let herself be fondled by her boyfriend, so turning and making a declaration of punishing the offender - was in character. Likewise, the typical schoolgirl was not violent but not accessible either. A cosplay maid MIGHT endure it, up to a point.
At some point, Akane had shown a definite preference and ability with the portrayal of fighting game girls. That had become her specialty within the cafe's cast. Seeing she was doing so well in such roles, the Master saw about hiring a coach and added martial arts lessons to Akane's schedule.
Smashing customers or furniture (except prop furnishings supplied just for such a purpose) was a no-no. Precision was needed. Precise application of violence was needed.
Akane became VERY popular. Chun Li wouldn't submit to being fondled. Neither would the DOA Kasumi. And so on. Yet the rule was that the customer had to receive at least two verbal warnings before she could apply a joint-lock. She became very very good with the techniques of qin-na, able to punish without lasting injury.
Akane submitted to being ogled, even posing frequently. She was the sexy warrior after all. The otaku and the others came and saw someone who got completely into character, and frequent fighting-game-girl battles were held at the drop of a order.
Because Akane had gotten something else during this time. Rivals.
Two friendly rivals, one of whom she had regularly worked with - the other coming from CosPlayroom NY and only infrequently appearing. Two NOT friendly rivals, one of whom had come from a competing cosplay cafe.
Still, it had ended with Akane being purchased back by her father - which wouldn't have happened had Akane not decided to go. If she hadn't wanted to leave, the Master would simply have not relinquished the contract. Part of that had been the escalation of tension with that one rival.
That didn't mean that Akane was giving up cosplay though. No. Now she was an addict and even if she didn't get in character to that extent, she liked wearing the outfits. Apparently the samurai-maid and 'traditional kunoichi' and Nakoruru were all favorites of hers.
The Master had given her a set of four such outfits to take with her as she left. There had been a number of the regular clientele who had broken out in tears at her departure. It had all been kind of touching in some bizarre otaku manner.
Asuka, Akane, Shampoo, Kasumi, Nabiki. All of those daughters had been found and brought back within the past year. Soun heard a noise and thought of the other returned daughter.
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(Posted Fri, 03 Feb 2006 08:46)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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