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“Oh Ginny! Nice of you to come.” Iris said in her peppa pig costume, if you told Gina Iris was dressed as an apple she would have believed you. “Shame you didn’t come in costume yourself, you didn’t even bring a coat, poor thing.”
The residence of 22IB was decorated from head to toe in orange and black, it was all hallow’s eve after all. Guests and friends of the residents of Baker Street, including the residents themselves, find themselves dressed up in tradition of this fine evening.
All of them.
Gina Lestrade, looked at the girl and shook her head. “I am in costume…”
Iris shrugged. “Well I don’t recognise who you’re dressed as, Ginny. I’m sorry.”
Gina sighed, maybe it was okay she doesn’t know who she’s dressed as. It’s not something Iris should be into at this age.
“Ah Miss Lestrade, disappointed to see you’re not in costume…” A voice echoed to her right. She can recognise that voice anywhere.
“Sholmes I swear ta the man upstairs I-” She paused as she stared straight into the eyes of the great detective. His facial features were exactly the same, but everything about him looked plain unidentifiable.
“Whatever is the matter Gina?” He said, pointing his finger upwards as it touches his for some reason black hair. “Is there something on my face? A pimple? Some condiments mayhaps? A beauty mark?”
Gina kept looking at Sholmes up and down. This was not his usual get up. The long purple and pink scarf, the black felt coat, the dyed black hair.
This would have been an excellent disguise.
“So… ‘ow’s the black headed league?”
“Black headed league?” He switched composers, stretching his hands out and tilted himself forward. “Pray tell, if one league exists, where must I find them?”
“I believe that was sarcasm, partner.” Mikotoba seemingly materialised next to the great detective. Now wearing a corduroy sweater and missing his iconic hat.
“W… wot’s goin’ on?”
“Aha! So it’s true!” Sholmes exclaimed, a glimmer in his eye. He raised his hands and twirled his head in typical sholmes fashion.
“We are the only ones to know the reference.” Mikotoba finished his sentence.
“Exactly my dear Mikotoba!”
“Wot ref-”
“Miss Lestrade.” Mikotoba sighed and tilted his head. “You’re better off not knowing. I’m just glad Gregson hasn’t informed you.”
“Say…” He turned to his dear partner, ignoring the former pickpocket much to her chagrin. “I do resemble the visage of Mr Cumbubatch, do I?”
“The splitting image.” Mikotoba nodded.
Both men turned their attention back to Gina. Mikotoba closed his eyes, placed his thumb and curled index finger on his chin.
"Miss Lestrade, you do realise it's night time outside and that has been quite cold?" Gina rolled her eyes knowing what this is about.
"I just forgot to wear a coat, is all." She grumbled. She didn't own the coat the character definitely had and stubbornly arrived at Baker Street shivering in a cab.
"You're bound to get a cold like that young lately." He did sternly.
"My dear Mikotoba…" Sholmes interject. "Are we done in the kitchen or-"
"Oh we still have some things left to do… partner." Sholmes, like a sulky child, slumped his head downward.
"But I don't want to be in the kitchen longer…"
"You're not going to eat the food if you can't cook the food."
"Touché." He regained his usual composure.
Just as the two men were about to leave for the kitchen, a shrill voice caught Mikotoba's attention.
"Father!" Susato called hurriedly exiting from the attic. She took a small curtsey in her new outfit.
"How do I look?" She perked her head up, ready for a compliment.
Mikotoba beamed at her. "Magnificent Susato. Making this outfit from scratch seemed to have paid off tremendously."
Susato's gloved hands touched her blushed face. Her Street Fighter V Sakura cosplay looked like the real deal.
"Thank you so much, father!" She clasped both of her hands in gratitude.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." And with a nod, he left.
Iris approached Susato, her hands clasped together and outstretched. "Oooh Susie you look so lovely!"
Susato took a bow. "Thank you, Iris. It wasn't easy stitching this together!"
"I'm more impressed ya managed to pull off 'er look. I know she's ya main and all but damn it's like yer were born ta dress as 'er."
"Gina-san! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed. A beat passed for Susato to notice Gina's attire.
"Oh… Gina your dress…"
"Yeah yeah, I know. I 'avent bought a coat and I'm bound ta-"
"No not that!" She looked her in the eye. "I know who you're dressed as but… you're not wearing her iconic outfit. I don't think people noticed you're even in costume."
"I don't think they'd recognise who I'm dressed as anyway." She said.
Susato tilted her head. "Probably."
"Anyway, where's 'Oddo?" She asked.
"Naruhodou-sama is…" She began but there seemed to be a shiver in the air, it ran down her spine like a spider.
Gina stared directly behind the presence behind Susato, susato swiftly swivelled her head to face it… or rather her.
A girl dressed in mostly black from head to toe, long luscious hair, a charming top hat, a leather jacket on top of a tank top, an ankh necklace, black denim pants and an umbrella clutched in her hands.
An eerie stare emitted from her.
In an instant, Susato’s expression shifted, she threw her hands in the air and clasped them, a smile beaming on her face.
“Gorey-san!” She chimed. “You look absolutely wonderful in that outfit. I am so happy you enjoyed The Sandman!”
Gorey stared for a while, opening up the umbrella and turning away from the girls. “...yes, it was deliciously pleasant for me.”
“I knew you’d enjoy it! You have read the two miniseries starring Death, right?”
Gorey twirled the umbrella with her fingertips. “I only read The High Cost of Living thus far, The Time of Your Life would have to wait.”
She shifted her focus on to Gina, the stiff swivel of her head almost shook Gina as her eyes stared daggers into her soul. “What are you looking at?”
“Um… is that a wig or…?”
“Is there a problem with me dying my hair? Or letting it down?” Her words had a monotone menace to them… or as much as Gina could interpret.
“Wrong? ‘Ell nah! think… it looks good on you?” Gina anticipated the girl to pull out her two butcher knives, sharpening them.
“Oh really? Thank goodness,” She breathed. “I always wanted to do this, mama wouldn’t allow me to do this in any other context. This way I can tell her I'm wearing a wig!”
She smiled for a split second, she almost fully resembled the character in personality.
“Oh Marrryyyyy!” Gorey turned around to look at Iris.
“Nice apple cosplay.” The phrase hit Susato and Gina right in the gut, you wouldn’t tell that straight to Iris and her peppa pig obsessing self.
Iris puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms. “I just wanted to let you know to keep that umbrella close indoors. No need to be rude Mary.”
“Oh.” She said, trying to close the umbrella. “You’re not an apple, then?”
The fact they could tell she was genuine made it hurt even harder, it probably made Iris feel awkward too.
“Oh, would you like some bon bons?” A smile swiped itself onto Maria’s face.
“Would I?” She spoke softly. “Yes please.”
Iris then beckoned her forward to a tray full of treats, where she eyed the tray with such delight.
The two girls turned away from the scene and looked at eachother, there can NOT be another person to come in with their cosplay?
“Hear me mortals…” Gina felt her soul drop out of her back and fall on the ground. She knew that voice and she can’t believe he’s here of all places.
Susato’s jaw dropped and she covered her mouth, Gina slowly rotated her head backwards.
“For what is a man…” van Zeiks began, a white cloak covering his body. He then dramatically let the cloak open up it’s folds, revealing what’s underneath. A bottle of wine can be seen peeking out of a large pocket hidden inside the cloak itself.
Gina noticed him holding a hollowed chalice in his surprisingly non gloved hand. She never ever saw him not wearing those thick gloves in her entire life.
“BUT A MISERABLE PILE OF SECRETS!” He bellowed, mercilessly crushing it with his usual swagger.
“Oh ya gotta be kiddin’...” Gina groaned. She’s going to get it now.
Van Zeiks let the coat slump off of one of his shoulders, revealing a black turtleneck and blue bell bottom jeans. “Now… have at you.”
“Uncle Barry!” Iris squealed with excitement turning over to the prosecutor. “It’s good to see you here!”
“Uncle…?”
Susato jumped in quickly. “Sholmes said Iris can call him her uncle. He practically fulfills that role already!”
“Oh… imagine him actually being her uncle… poor girl.” Susato sheepishly laughed in response.
“Haha as if!”
He looked over to the two girls. “Aah, Miss Lestrade.”
“Ah shit…” He approached both of them with his usual composer before composing. “It is quite nice to see you again Inspector.”
“Uh depends wot ya mean by nice.” She desperately tried to hide her sheepishness.
“Is something amiss Inspector?” He asked, he seemed like he did not know. “Your sweat betrays your usual composure.”
“Amiss? Nah, aint nothin’ amiss. Not like I did nuthin’!” Susato and Barok are now glaring at her, Susato with puzzled confusion and Barok with… his eyes narrowed in a sinister fashion.
“I did nuthin’ ‘onest. It was ‘Sogi’s fault!”
“What did the both of you do?” The growl eminetting from his lips made her skin crawl.
“Nuthin’! Ya ‘aven’t experienced it yet? Musta failed.”
“Hmp.” Was all he could muster up in response.
Gina had to ponder, how the hell did he not experience their dastardly trick? It was foolproof.
"Um…"
"Oh uncle Barry, you're not going to hold it against Ginny are you." Iris chirped up, grabbing the man's attention. "You can't hold the girl accountable for something that didn't happen to you yet, can you?"
Surprisingly, Barok changed his tune, bleeding to the little girl. "Very well I suppose you're right."
"Oh thank you, uncle Barry." Iris skipped away attending to the sweets yet again.
Susato was staring at the man with bewilderment the whole time.
She was eyeing his ginormous white coat and the way it was draped over his shoulders.
"Do you like my current outfit Miss Susato?" He turned his attention to her.
"Well I just didn't expect-"
"I know what you people say behind my back, I see those memes on twitter." He closed his eyes and looked down.
"Wot? That you're a bloodsucking?"
"Exactly."
"Yer playin' along with it?" Gina reeled back in shock, she never expected van Zeiks to take a joke like that in stride.
Susato rested her left hand onto her forehead. "I never expected you to dress as Soma Cruz of all people, Mr van Zeiks."
"Who better to dress as the Lord of Shadows himself?" He took yet another bow.
"But van Zeiks…" Susato raised her head, looking him in the eye. "Soma is the reincarnation of Dracula."
"That would make him Drac-"
"No, he's a completely different person. We already had multiple games with the real Dracula."
For some reason this information was news to the prosecutor, who posted hindsight backwards raising his right arm.
"What? But…"
"Or you could have dressed as Alucard, the SON of Dracula!" She hit her palm and raised her finger.
"I-"
"Oooh! Or Gabriel Belmont!" Her eyes lit up as she clasped her hands together. "Who is the main character of the rebooted timeline who BECAME Dracula!"
Van Zeiks looked onward in surprise.
It was Gina's turn to talk. "Ya don't know anythin' about castlevania do ya?"
Van Zeiks turned his attention to Gina, he folded his arms and closed his eyes. "...no. all I knew came from Kazuma."
"Oh…" Susato replied. "I think he just… washed to see you dressed as Soma."
"And you look quite silly in that." Gina nodded.
"I… I don't look silly." He paused for a moment before looking uncomfortably insecure. "Do I?"
"I mean… this is a good look."
"Just not on you." All three turned around to the sweetie table looking directly at the deathly looking Maria Gorey.
"This isn't your best look." She didn't even look at Barok. She spat her snark at him as she was busy stuffing her face with different sweets.
"Make sure you save some for everyone else Mary!" Iris piped up up next to her
"I…" Barok's shoulders drooped, defeated.
"Would you like some sweeties, Uncle Barry?" Barok sighed.
"Fine."
After staring at the man sauntering off to another part of the room, they turned to each other again.
Susato brought up her phone, swiping her fingers across the glass surface. "Speaking of Kazuma, he's on his way is he not?"
"Is 'e? Never mentioned anythin' o' th' sort."
"Really?" She looked up.
"Yeah I dunno what 'e's even coming as." Susato furiously typed away at her phone.
"He promised he would come…" There was disappointment in her eyes. "The two best cosplayers I know haven't even shown themselves yet."
Her phone started to buzz, susato quickly glanced at her phone, her eyes widened and her teeth gritted.
"Ahh Naruhodou-sama!" In the blink of an eye she scampered up the stairs to the attic.
"Sooze wait." Gina swiftly followed, wanting to know what all the fuss was about.
"Naruhodou-sama! NARUHODOU-SAMA!" She slammed her fists hard onto the door to the attic bathroom.
"I… I'M NOT COMING OUT!" Gina heard Naruhodou shout from the bathroom, he didn't even sound the least bit muffled.
"'Ey wots goin' on 'ere."
"Naruhodou doesn't want to get out of the bathroom." She said flatly.
Gina could see that clearly, why was the real question here. "So wot is it then? Diarrhoea?"
"Gina!" Susato huffed.
"Hey!" Naruhodou shouted, clearly embarrassed.
"Look, I'm sorry! You got th' energy."
"Aw…" He sounded more disappointed than he probably liked.
"Gina, you can't say that in front of a person." Susato was stern in her words.
"I mean… 'Oddo is the kind o' bloke ta… ya know wot? Forget about it." She felt immediately bad for saying that.
"Kinda person…?" Naruhodou's voice echoed behind the door. "So I'm not… the kind of person that would look sexy and confident?"
"Um…" She genuinely did not expect him to say that.
Sexy?
"Naruhodou don't say that! This was your idea in the first place!" Susato pleaded.
"Well I'm having second thoughts! I can't do this… I don't think I'm good enough…" There was a twinge of whimpering in his voice, Gina can clearly imagine him curled up in a ball with his head buried in his knees.
She cringed a little at the thought.
Poor guy.
"Not good enough? Not good enough!?" Susato threw her hands together, prepared to give the door itself a Susato takedown.
"Ryuunosuke Naruhodou I have seen you cosplay before! How dare you claim that you're not good enough!?" A fire was burning in her eyes, ready to explode. "You decided to do this cosplay! You have the energy to pull this off, everyone here has seen how confident you are in the courtroom!"
"I'm not though!"
"Oh d'as just a bold faced lie." Gina sighed. "Who are ya kiddin wiv that talk, 'Oddo? Ya can probably pull that off amazingly,
was even th' problem?'
A pause passed, Gina fears what she said might have been accidentally offensive in some way she doesn't know.
"I… I don't feel very.. I don't know if I'm even…" She could hear sobbing from behind the door. He soul dropped a little.
"'Oddo don't it's okay I-"
"I'm okay! I'm okay… I'm just-" His voice cracked.
Gina's guilt piled on. She had no idea what she did or what's going on exactly but she definitely needed to do something.
She wanted to break the door down and give him a hug.
Gina readied herself before Susato grabbed her arm. She nodded at her readily.
Gina looked down before stepping away from the door gradually.
“Naruhodou-sama,” Susato began taking a bow, Gina starred at her knowing full well there’s no way he could see Susato bow. “We’ll be going back to the Sholmes-suit now. Sorry to bother you, take all the time you need.”
Naruhodou was silent behind the door, a soft moan seemed to have escaped past the lcoked door. Both girls looked at the door in surprise before he finally spoke again.
“I’m hungry…” He said meekly.
Susato took another bow. “Very well, we’ll fetch something and leave it up here then.”
“Thanks.”
Susato then dragged Gina downstairs back to the Sholmes Suite.
“‘Ey Sooze, wot was THAT all about?” She exclaimed.
Susato looked down on her ground connecting the tip of her fingers of both hands together, a glum expression on her face. “I think Mr Naruhodou’s anxiety triggered.”
“Oh…” Gina genuinely did not know what the appropriate response would be to that. “Y’know… ya coulda fooled me… but I s’pose it does make a bit o’ sense.”
“Kazuma mentioned it to me a few times, he even mentioned that there’s always a small chance it would happen when you least expect it.” her head sunk lower.
“Poor guy…”
“I think the best we can do now is respect his space,”
Gina cocked her head putting her index finger to her temple. “I guess…?”
Susato turned her face away from Gina and looked towards the Sholmes suite, scanning the room. “Father and Mr Sholmes should be finished cooking by now, we should really feth some food for Naruhodou.”
“Oh there they are!” Susato swivelled her head to where Ginba was pointing, she could see the distinctive outfits of her father and Mr Sholmes, her father was hanging his head covering his forehead with his hand.
Sholmes seemed to be heated discussion with someone else, he was wearing a long coat and scarf just like sholmes but with an added hat.
“Hm? Whoever is next to Mr Sholmes?”
“Well we gotta go over there and find out, dun we?” Susato nodded before the two girls walked over to the three gentlemen.
“Blast that damn Moff!” Herlock exclaimed clutching his fists. “I should have deduced that weasley, inconceivably horny scotsman could pull a stunt such as that!”
“Well, not much you could do now,” Mikotoba said. "The BBC canceled it years ago. We know its not mainstream anyway."
"And so what!?"
"So nothing, you agreed to his creative liberties." The hatted man said, shaking his head. "You signed the contract."
Gina recognised that voice.
"But making me resemble… to resemble…"
"The most charismatic actor in all of British Television history? Hah! Ya should be flattering sunshine."
Sholmes growled in response, the man simply smirked. The smugness obviously reflects the glee he's clearly taking in Sholmes' frustration.
"Baker wore this get up better than Cumberbatch anyway." He lifted his head to reveal his facial features, features Gina would recognise anywhere.
"Pops!" Gina yelled, lunging into a sweet embrace with the man.
All three men and susato where caught off guard.
"Gah… Gina?"
"Hmmm… Pops?" A mischievous smile wiggled it's way onto Sholmes' face.
"Inspector Gregson?" Susato exclaimed.
"What? Don't recognise me in this get up?" With the girl still clinging to him, he faced sideways and tipped his hat. "That man I'm good at this cosplay shebang?"
Gina let go of him. "I thought ya said ya ain't coming?"
"Well um…" He leaned in and scratched his back.
"Why miss Lestrade it's quite elementary!" Sholmes exclaimed with his average enthusiasm, seeming to fidget the rage he was in. "If we dedu-"
"He lied," Mikotoba was blunt and quick. "Obviously he was embarrassed in dressing up as Doctor Who."
"That's where you're wrong Mickey!" Instead of his cone of fish and Chips to wave around, he shoved a small bag into his face. "Its an honour to dress as the great Tom Baker. I'm actually embarrassed of dress up in general… I mean… a bit kiddy dontcha think?"
"Kiddy?" Gina threw her hands down and puffed out her cheeks. "Ya callin' this kiddy Pops?!"
"Gah! What have you told you?" A handful of jelly babies seemed to have fallen out of that bag. "Not in public!"
"Aight… boss." She corrected herself.
"Hmmms… Pops."
"Don't you dare think of anything!"
"Why Inspector? Why would I be thinking?" Sholmes swivelled his head and hands then flicked his finger. "You and I both know I never ever think. Thinking is simply not for me!"
"I hope you understand what you're insinuating, partner." Mikotoba sighed.
Sholmes drooped his head down in realisation.
Gregson turned his attention back to Gina, she knew exactly what he was going to say next.
"Does coming in fancy dress mean you're too good for a coat? In this bloomin' weather?"
"I ain't catch no cold, ya old coot!"
"Old coot?" He was seemingly choking on a jelly baby. "That any way to talk to me?"
"Ya told me not to call ya pops."
"Touché." He said, tipping his hat.
Mikotoba then leaned in. "What ARE you dressed up as anyway, Miss Lestrade?"
Sholmes suddenly lit up, forgetting his previous composure. "May I hazard a guess? I deduce you're dressed as…"
Everyone present in this conversation stared at him as he seemingly paused as if he was a statue.
"Oh silly me, I don't know enough pop culture to hazard any reasonable guess."
Mikotoba sighed and held his head low in a facepalm.
"I'm dressed as Heather Mason from Silent Hill 3!" Gina said, exasperated.
Mikotoba blinked and his head shot up slightly. "Really? Couldn't recognise you. Doesn't she… wear a coat?"
Gina groaned in response.
"Well ya didn't have any excuse not to wear one young lady." Gregson said.
Susato perked up. "Well she's wearing Heather Mason's alternative costume from the game… at the same time you don't think it would hurt to wear that iconic white coat over it."
"'Ey! I'd rather my arms be freezing than me legs! Ain't no way I'm wearin' a skirt." Gina said, crossing her arms. "It don't have sleeves anyway."
"So you didn't catch a cold?"
"No!" She lied.
"A likely story," Mikotoba sighed yet again.
Gregsob just stood there munching on a jelly baby, needless to say picking up a single baby and munching looked like much more effort than just munching on fish and Chips in a cone.
"Ah sod it, can't keep this up." He put the bag into his coat pocket and pulled out a cone of fresh fish and Chips out of thin air.
"Those bloomin' things will give me diabetes if I keep this up."
"If it's any consolation the pheasant is nearly ready." Sholmes chirped up. "Ah, that reminds me, I should really attend to the cooking."
And just in a blink of an eye he vanished into thin air.
"Blimey." Gregson muttered before leaving the group to mingle with the three other people present in the room.
Susato sighed and looked at her father. "So the dinner hasn't been ready yet?"
Mikotoba shook his head. "Not yet but in another few minutes? Why? Hungry already?"
Gina scratched the back of her head and susato looked down connecting the fingertips of both her hands together.
"Well you see… Naruhodou-sama…"
"Is he that embarrassed about dressing up as Dan Hibiki?"
"Ah! No-"
"Dan? Dan!?" Gina threw dien her hands with her cheeks puffed out. "D'as what this is all about? Dressin' up as Dan?"
Susato raised her fists and leaned forward. "No! No!" She protested.
"He changed his mind at the last minute."
"To wot?"
Susato looked down once again. "I'm sorry, I am at no liberty to tell you until he's most comfortable with it."
Mikotoba scratched his chin.
"Such a shame too, he was ever so confident about this idea, now he has an anxiety attack."
"An anxiety attack?" Mikotoba's head shot up. "Is he at least stable?"
"He's in the bathroom,"
"Oh." He breathed. "Do you want me to speak with him?"
"No, I think he might recover. I was in fact waiting for Kazuma-sama to show up and talk to him." Susato said. It felt like she was letting a weight off her chest even though she's talking about someone else's anxiety.
"Hmmm. I guess that's- Oh!"
Something seemed to have caught his attention, the girls swiveled their heads to look behind themselves to see… a cloaked figure.
"Hey guys…" He said meekly.
"'Oddo?"
"Naruhodou-sama!" Susato ran up to him. "Are you okay?"
"A little bit better, yeah." He murmured. "Costume underneath."
"Still don't wanna tell?" Gina asked, Ryuunosuke shook his head.
"Eh that's fine if you don't want to."
Suddenly the door opened with a great big swing, the door slammed harder on the wall as a gentleman ran in as another gentleman gently closed the door.
"Gleeful Gracious Greetings Galore!" The energetic moustached man exclaimed while exchanging poses.
The other man in spectacles slowly followed.
"It has been so long Locom Student Naruhodou Ryuunosuke Esquire." His eyes seemed to have inflated just like Susato's did earlier, tears on the verge of leaving, his lips twitched and he raised his hands slowly as the fingers also twitched.
"So-soseki-san!"
"You look absolutely wonderful esquire! Such aloofness. Such enigmaticness. Beautiful costume." Gina had a feeling this person would compliment him no matter the costume.
He then turned to Susato. "Non Locum Judicial assistant Susato Mikotoba esquireness!"
Gina took two steps away, it was getting cramped.
"You look absolutely elegant as always with the empaphis that you can destroy me with your own toe hands."
"Oh thank you Soseki-san." She completely ate up the compliment.
"Do mind Soseki-san… he has been quite excitable on our way here." The spectacled man said.
"Normally, I wouldn't be as excited to take part in western traditions such as this… but the appeal has infatuated me much to my own horror! Now see before you, my costume for All Hallow's Eve!"
The man then stretched his arms out and hung his bottom in the air.
"Ya look like someone crawled outta the skip." Gina quipped.
The man named Soseki magically came out of that pose and found himself in a new one, his fists clenched, eyes closed, his teeth showing.
"Wh- who do you think you are!" He then stomped his foot on the ground and raised his head. "Foul English woman."
"Oy who're ya callin' foul!" She threw her hands down and puffed her cheeks out again. "Ya look like some bloke!"
"You're one to talk." The other Japanese people present in the conversation deadpanned in unison.
She sighed. "Touché."
They both drew back. "I'll have you know, I am the strongest legend!"
The spectacled man circled his fingers around his head. "Are any of you aware of the mangaka, Noboyuki Fukumoto?"
"Never 'eard o' this bloke." Gina mumbled.
Susato and Ryuunosuke were starring at her intensley.
Daggers were being peirced in her soul.
"You still haven't watched kaiji yet?" Ryuunosuke said, passion in his voice.
"We recommended it to you at-nausiam until you agreed, Gina."
She knew she forgot to do something important this month.
Soseki perked up. "I'll have you know, we're twitter oomfies."
Ryuunosuke and Susato both lit up with enthusiasm.
Gina cringed at the unitonic use of "oomfie" in real life.
"Oh Soseki-san!" Susato clasped her hands together with a smile plastered on her face.
"What was he like?"
"One of the few people I can see myself in, never was I interested in manga but this man's work…" He took that pose he had earlier with the eyes. "He taught me what it was like to be human!"
"Wonderful!"
"So that would mean…"
"I AM HOWL'S MOTHERFUCKING MOVING CASTLE!" He yelled as he switched from pose to pose.
"The strongest legend… Kurosawa!"
Gina had no idea what was going on.
"Now if you must excuse me, I have some business to discuss with the young writer girl." Then he wondered off.
Gina forgets how much weird people they tend to meet. Even when she's not around Baker's Street there was bound to be some weirdks they got to meet, too.
"So Hosonaga-san…" mikotoba turned to the bespectacled man. He was wearing a really gaudy looking suit.
It made Gina want to vomit.
"Who are you dressed as?" Mikotoba said with a smile.
The man named Hosonaga smiled warmly then took a bow.
In an instant his composure changed into something completely different.
Gone was the polite mild mannered man and in its stead…
He winked a showman's wink and tapped his feet. He took a finger gun pose as if expecting a cue.
Then came out the cheesiest fake American accent.
"Who ya gonna call!"
Susato and Ryuunosuke pointed a finger gun back. "BETTER CALL SAUL!"
Oh.
She didn't get around to watching that just yet.
"You look so good in that suit, Hosonaga-san." Susato chirped up.
Cosplay or not, that suit looked absolutely horrendous.
"Now if you excuse me, I must attend to Soseki-san." Then he went off.
Well that was something.
"I'll head back to the kitchen, so knees his Sholmes would ruin the dinner." Then he's gone in a flash.
Attentioned turned back to Ryuunosuke, he seemed to be much more happier now.
"Ya okay now 'Oddo?" Naruhodou looked away.
"I'm not comfortable enough to show my costume if that's what you're asking." He said bluntly.
"Oh."
"Not private to telling you either."
"Double Oh."
Susato cocked her head. "You were so sure about this Naruhodou-san."
"I'm sorry Susato-san… I didn't mean to ask for your help only to disregard all that effort." He then looked down on the ground.
"Your feelings are valid Naruhodou-sama, but still…" She sighed. "You are the sexy librarian dominatrix!"
That combination of words left Gina speechless.
"I don't think I have that energy after looking in the mirror." He scratched the back of his hooded cloak.
"Nonsense Naruhodou-sama!" She starred at him fiercely.
Gina was still recovering from the words "sexy librarian" and "dominatrix" used to describe Naruhodou of all people.
Sure he was confident in court, he'd definitely make a good librarian (or not considering how loud he is), but sexy? And a dom?
She was always afraid to say it to his face, but he always struck her as a "submissive and breedable".
"I still don't know if I can pull off this look." He protested. "You haven't seen me in costume!"
"Oh I know you can, I'm imagining it right now. You look fabulous."
"Do… do I?" He seemed to have lit up.
Gina smiled, she was trying through to him.
Suddenly something caught her ears, he attention turned to the door a faint sound was coming from the door.
It sounded like a synthetic mixed with a violin.
The sound grew louder and louder, more instruments layered until the door flung open and the song devolved into a bass mess.
Everyone's attention turned towards the door, a lone figure was holding a boom box. His hair was white and slicked back, his jacket was dark blue with a pattern adorning it.
A katana was in his free hand.
Gina felt her soul droop down inside of her, she recognised the song, she knew this character, she knew the one person who can possibly cosplay him.
"Foolishness Ryuunosuke. Foolishness." He lifted his head up revealing his facial features.
He walked forward into the Sholmes suit.
Mikotoba and Sholmes peeked out of the kitchen, Barok was slack jawed, gorey just looked on in indifference.
"Kazuma-sama!" Susato exclaimed as he put down his boom box.
"Immortal temptation takes over my life… condemned." Came the lyrics.
"You dare wear that instead of your true costume? Pathetic." The way he talked, the way he held himself. Bloody he'll he was in character.
"Kazuma…"
He unsettled his katana, brandishing it.
"Where's your motivation, partner?" He sneered.
Naruhodou drooped down.
"To think you're not good enough to look good in a cosplay… you bring shame to cosplayers everywhere."
Gina rolled her eyes, there's obviously nuances he's forgetting.
Naruhodou broke way from the group, so he's facing him as if it was a Mexico standoff.
"Scum!" He swung his sword towards his friend, the wind was prism going to cut the cloak and only the cloak but the look in his eyes could have fooled the girls.
The angle of the affects of the cut was obscured by Kazuma's back. They could see the cloak float down gently, no Naruhodou in sight.
"I am the storm-" then the boom box lay silent.
Kazuma turned around, peeking around they saw Naruhodou, his finger on the pause button.
All the other guests starred at the image on scene.
The girls moved a little to get a better look, susato's eyes lit up as she gunshot saw Naruhodou in his cosplay.
Gina was at a loss for words.
"No way. No fucking way!"
"Bad boy," He purred holding up a scarlet looking gun at Kazuma. "Naughty… demons need spankings."
Gina had to do a double take. From top to bottom he looked absolutely uncanny.
The jawline was the only thing that was recognisably Naruhodou.
A slim tight suit with the back exposed, a beehive shaped head of hair, heels that resembled the prop guns in his hand, a bookshelf window covered up by a gem and butterfly shaped glasses.
While standing up his legs were crossed ave he had a more playful upbeat demeanor about him.
Like he knew he was in control of the situation.
In front of her wasn't the ace attorney she once knew.
No instead.
"Bayonetta." Kazuma growled.
The growl on his face then turned to a smile. He lifted up his katana showing a thumbs up.
"Now you're motivated."
"That was a ghastly tune, very inappropriate for a moment like this." He did a twirl, striking a pose.
"See?" Susato looked at Gina with enthusiasm in her eyes. "He is a sexy librarian dominatrix!"
Gina looked back at the scene hehe her eyes, she was still awestruck at this.
Of course! It made sense, you need an intense amount if swagger to pull off a Bayonetta cosplay.
Sholmes could pull one of spectacular.
But Naruhodou? It probably stuck in at the last minute.
She still didn't know why he chose to be Bayonetta but she was glad.
She never saw him like this.
Must have been some pep talk.
"A duel then." Asogi smirked.
"Why whatever else?" Ryuunosuke winked.
Van Zeiks pulled a chalice out of thin air, a bottle of wine somehow being in his other hand.
He poured the liquid into the glass and put away the bottle.
"Well, this shall be entertaining." He said, raising a toast.
"Now then!" Gina thought there was spotlights surrounding her- HIM! With confetti sprinkling down.
With a flick of the wrist Ryuunosuke pressed a button on the boombox.
"Fly me the moon!" Susato cheered.
"Nah nah, it's gonna be moon River!" Gina shot back.
To both of their shock a peppy disco the was blaring from the box and just like that the two cosplayers started moving their bodies.
"Oh my god…" Gina mouthed.
"He put on Friday Night." From Yakuza 0.
Every other guest and Baker Street resident left their post and gathered around to the two girls trying to get a better view of the ensuing dance battle.
Asogi waved his arms in the air, a cocktail smile adorning his face, his hips swaying in toon of the music.
Slowly everyone started cheering.
Gregson with a mischievous twinkle in his eye took out his phone and pointed it in the direction of the two dancing lawyers.
"The boys at the Yard will enjoy this." He giggled.
Ryuunosuke, after every other beat couldn't help but to touch his body seductively.
Gina could feel her nose bleed, forgetting it was Ryuunosuke in that costume.
Asogi in turn twirled his arms together and walked backwards before pushin both of them in the air simultaneously as he circled around his radius.
Ryuunosuke clicked his hand as he waved his legs. His arms waved in front of his head and his chest, they twirled around fabulous.
With a tremendous air of class he proved he had the moves.
Gina always pictured him dancing like an awkward dad, pushing his arms upwards ave shaking his shoulders.
This? This was mesmerising.
Then they both stopped for a second, doing a strut as they approached eachother.
And with a twirl they turned towards their audience pointing at them.
"I dance for you." They said as the music came to a close.
As there was a silent pause for a few seconds it just occurred to Ryuunosuke what he just did and that most people he knew… just saw him do that.
He broke into a cold sweat anxious to crouch in a begging position, pleading the forgiveness… but then.
Clapping.
First it was Susato and Gina, followed by the enthusiasm of Soseki, the stoicness of van Zeiks then finally everyone applauded in unison.
And cheered.
Asogi turned to Ryuunosuke with a warm smile. "See partner? You're great."
Ryuunosuke blushed.
Yuujin smiled in his direction, game recognises game after all.
"Deliciously Desirable Dancing Duet!" Soseki hollered.
Sholmes took the time to smoke his pipe and turned to Mikotoba. "Hmmm do you know what this calls for, my dear fellow?"
"The dinner we miraculously finished before it got burned?"
"Precisely!"
Mikotoba turned towards everyone. "Okay settle down everyone, dinner is ready. We're bringing it over now."
The guests started to clammer as they went back to mingling in the room, waiting for the food to arrive.
"Fascinating, another exquisite fanfiction idea for AO3." Maria murmured to herself.
"Ooh! Can I read it?" Iris piped up next to her.
"E for explicit."
Iris puffed up her cheeks and folded her arms. "Really, I never understand the fascination you AO3 writers have for that."
"You'll know when you're older." Maria said coldly.
Barok was savouring the aroma of his chalice the entire dancing segment, only now being the opportunity to drink from it.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Sholmes chirped in his general direction.
Before vanishing into the kitchen he playfully pointed to Gina and Asogi.
Barok glared at the two who can sense the foreboding.
Barok effortlessly crushed the chalice with his bare hand, his eyes closed.
"Pray forgive the discourtesy," He growled. "My office, tomorrow morning."
The two sighed that they had to go to the office in the early hours on their day off no less.
Gina looked at Asogi with a scowl. "I didn't know he would take it with him here, honest."
The two then returned their attention back to Ryuunosuke, who seemed to have reverted back to his usual stiff composer.
"So 'Oddo, that was…"
"Extremely Stressful!" He said exasperated. "Daunting, petrifying, dysphoria inducing!"
They stared at him for a bit.
"But it was also… liberating."
"Oh?" Asogi said. "So it was Smoking, Sexy and Stylish?
"It's like… it's like court but instead of being a lawyer - I was an actor on stage! I was… wow."
"So the egg hatched?"
"The WHAT DID A WHAT?"
Asogi chuckled heartily. "Pay no heed partner. What you did was extraordinary."
"You know… it was." Ryuunosuke said, pride swelling up in his chest.
"Naruhodou-sama!" Susato piped up. "Say the line."
Ryuunosuke smiled. He took a few steps forward and posed with his right leg forward. "I feel like a fucking celebrity in this town!"