Rinne Feature Scout: The Bee's Knees - Chapter 1

Location: Café “Cinnamon”



Rinne: Alrighty then, Niki! Choose your fate! This critical moment decides whether you live or die!

Niki: Hrmm~... I think I’m gonna go with… the left one…

Rinne: Are you sure? Absolutely super-duper sure?

Niki: No, wait, I get the feeling that I should be choosing the right one instead...!

Rinne: Now that’s an expression I like to see. Brood over it to your heart’s content, until ya go bald from worry!

Kohaku: What’re ya bein’ so dramatic fer, Rinne-han? It’s just a game of Old Maid.*

HiMERU: — And you’re competing over last place.

Rinne: Oh, shut it. Whether you’re at rock bottom or not is a difference like night and day!

Niki: ...Alright, I’m going with this one! There!

Ugyah?! The joker came back to me! And after I finally got Rinne-kun to draw it from me, too!

Rinne: Gyahahaha ☆ The old maid loves you so much, I’m gettin’ jealous over here!

Niki: You don’t mean that in the slightest. Sigh… Aaand I’m back to square one, how unlucky.

Rinne: Hehe. As long as I don’t draw the old maid now, I’m gonna get my happy end~.

The time has come for you to pay your dues, huh, Niki? As promised, if you lose, you’re gonna be handin’ over your wallet ♪

Niki: Funny, because I don’t remember making any promise of the sort! I’m not giving you my wallet, come hell or high water!

Rinne: ...Hm, who’s that tappin’ my shoulder? Kohaku-chan?

I ain’t no grandpa, so there’s no need to give me a shoulder massag—

...Oh wow, what happened? I took my eyes off of you for just a moment, and you’ve gotten cuter than ever. In fact you almost look like Anzu-chan.

Kohaku: Moron. That ain’t me, it’s Anzu-han in the flesh.

Rinne: I know, I was just goofin’!

What’s up, Anzu-chan? Ya wanna play with me?

Sure thing! Let’s kick Niki’s ass together ♪ 

...You’re here to talk about work? Oh, so you’re gonna make me a personalized outfit?

Hell yeah! Make it the perfect fit for me, will ya ♪

Niki: Ohh, so it’s Rinne-kun’s turn now~. ...Do you need the rest of us for anything?

Hmhm, I see. So you want us to tell you more about Rinne-kun, so that you can make an outfit that suits him.

HiMERU: — In HiMERU’s case she had to end up snooping around a little bit, so she came to ask openly this time, hm? That’s an admirable way of thinking.

Kohaku: “If we had to summarize Rinne-han in one word”, huh? Let’s see…

Good-for-nothing.

Niki: Scum.

HiMERU: Leader.

Niki: “Leader”, huh? HiMERU-kun, you actually value Rinne-kun quite a lot, don’t you?

HiMERU: HiMERU was merely stating the facts as they are on paper. There were no personal feelings involved in that statement whatsoever.

Rinne: You guys really don’t pull your punches, huh? Rinne-kun’s gonna cry~.

Anzu-chan may be swiftly takin’ notes of all that, but it’s not gonna be any help. A personalized outfit based on the motifs of a good-for-nothing and scum, now that’s just too much!

Kohaku: Ko ko ko. When ya think of a leader who’s a scummy good-for-nothing, there’s definitely a hoodlum comin’ to mind there.

Niki: Sounds good~. If you make that for real, it’ll definitely be a personalized outfit no one but Rinne-kun can pull off ♪

Rinne: Niki you lil’ shit, you’re gettin’ cocky. If this is how it’s gonna be, ya leave me no choice: I’ll get Anzu-chan to change your personalized outfit into a super freaky get-up.

Hey Anzu-chan, how about we put cooking gear all over his body? Like kitchen knives and vegetable slicers…

Hmm? You’d rather talk about my personalized outfit right now?

...You wanna know what kinda outfit I want? I told ya I want something that suits me perfectly, didn’t I?

Oh, I get it. You still dunno me that well, so you have no idea what suits me and what doesn’t. Hmm…

...You’re really dyin’ to get to know me, huh? Honestly, the way you’re lookin’ at me with that passionate gaze is makin’ me blush ♪ 

If you’re that interested in me, why don’t you marry me? That way you’ll get in touch with my appeal to your heart’s content~.

HiMERU: An idol shouldn’t speak of “marriage” so lightly.

Niki: Yeah. And it’s not like Anzu Nee-san’s looking at you because she likes you, Rinne-kun.

Kohaku: An’ in the first place, you’re skippin’ over a whole buncha steps that come before marriage here. There’s a protocol for this kinda thing, got it?

Rinne: A protocol, huh… If it’s too early for marriage, then I guess we’ll start by bein’ friends for now.

Awright, then let’s go on a date. When it comes to gettin’ closer, nothing beats a date ☆

Location: Saison Avenue



Rinne: This seems like the right place for a date spot ♪ There’s tons of couples around.

From an outsider’s perspective, we must look like a real couple, too! Kyahaha ☆ 

...What’s the matter, Anzu-chan? You can’t go on a date with an idol, you say?

Just think of this as work then, Producer. Consider it an investigation for the sake of my personalized outfit.

...Alriiight! Then let’s make a bet.

The rules are exceedingly simple. For the duration of our date, talkin’ about work is strictly forbidden. The first one to break this rule loses. If you win, Anzu-chan, then I’ll cooperate with you in creating my personalized outfit.

...You wanna know what happens when you lose? Don’tcha know that ya can’t win a match if you’ve got losing on your mind?

Think about nothing but winning, and try your hardest. Got that?

Alrighty, match: start! Try and make me lose, Anzu-chan...♪

 

--------------------

TL Note: Old Maid works in a way where you win if you get rid of all the cards in your hand by pairing off two of the same type (two Queens, two 10s, etc), and the loser is the one who ends up with the old maid which can’t be discarded (this is usually the joker). In this situation, Rinne holds the joker and a regular card, and Niki has to choose which one to draw from him.

Rinne Feature Scout: The Bee's Knees - Chapter 2

Location: Saison Avenue



Rinne: Awright, first off, let’s hit up the pachinko parlor.

Why? ‘Cause we’re on a date, that’s why! And pachinko’s way more fun than just standin’ around forever.

...You can’t go ‘cause you’re a student? I see, I guess we can’t break school regulations.

Now let’s see, what’s a place I could bring Anzu-chan to —

Location: Arcade



Rinne: Gotta go with the arcade ♪ And they’ve got pachinko here, too.

With the settings on the machines here it’s pretty easy to win though, so it’s not that fun even if you hit it big.

...You’re givin’ that claw machine a real eager look, Anzu-chan. Ya want that teddy there?

Alright, leave it to me. I’ll get it for ya.

No really, it’s fine. I’m countin’ on you to be my goddess of victory, so just watch and smile for me.

Gotta aim carefully, and…

Rinne: Haha. Got it in a single try, it’s gotta be my lucky day!

There ya go. It’s a present for you, Anzu-chan...☆ 

Money? Nah, I don’t need that, this guy’s just a bonus anyhow.

Yep, he’s the bonus you get for playing a game where the goal is to grab the teddy. So just accept him, alright?

...Hmm. So you smile like that when you’re happy, huh, Anzu-chan?

You usually give off the vibe of a capable producer, but when you’re holding a teddy bear like that, you actually look your age for once.

Anyway, don’tcha think this machine’s a lil’ too easy? Feels like I could get as many of these as I like.

Kyahaha ☆ What a haul~♪ Here, you can have all of ‘em.

You can’t accept this many? ‘Kay, then I’ll just give these to Kohaku-chan as a souvenir.

...You’re callin’ me a good Onii-san? I know, right~! And yet, my buddies’ve got me pegged all wrong ♪ 

But y’know, that’s why they’re the only ones fit to be my partners.

If Crazy:B wasn’t exactly us four, then fate would’ve turned out much differently. We woulda broken up long ago, and by now, I’d be back in my hometown…

Don’t mind me. I’m not interested in unrealistic what-if scenarios like that. Talkin’ about ‘em is nothing but a waste of time.

...Hey, Anzu-chan. Why did you decide to make a personalized outfit for me of all people?

Even now, I’m still labeled a troublemaker by society at large. I’m an outcast at ES.

I get that every idol’s gonna get their own personalized outfit prepared for them. But as for mine, you could’ve just randomly tossed something together and called it a day, right?

If you just ordered me to, I’d wear any outfit no matter what it looked like. So there’s no need to confront me directly like this.

...As a producer, you want to show the world my attractive side?

Each and every idol at ES casts their own special light, and you want to bring out the unique radiance from every single one of them — 

And showcase us at our best to the fans who support us, huh.

………

...Hm? Why so flustered all of a sudden?

Because you started talkin’ about work? ...Oh right, we had a bet goin’ about that, didn’t we.

This match ends in a draw for sure. I was also blabberin’ on about work, after all. So—

I’ll think of a design for my personalized outfit with you. That’ll be part two of our date, so let’s go!

You’ve got no reason to turn me down, right? Anzu-chan...♪

- Around two weeks later -

Location: Café “Cinnamon”



Rinne: Feast your eyes, Crazy:B! Ain’t my personalized outfit the fuckin’ sweetest? ♪

HiMERU: — Quit strutting up and down the café like it’s a catwalk. You’re being a nuisance, Amagi.

Kohaku: Don’t wear yer only good outfit to a restaurant in the first place. What if ya get it dirty?

Still, it suits ya well. It’s really oozin’ them good-for-nothing vibes...♪ 

That hexagon on yer back is striking, though. Is that s’pposed ta be a “beehive”?

Rinne: Could be? Anzu-chan probably put it there ‘cause I’m the man who carries Crazy:B on his back.

Kohaku: Even in jest I wouldn’t want ya to carry me on yer back, Rinne-han. I just know it’d lead to some kinda disaster.

HiMERU: Agreed. HiMERU can’t think of a back he’d want to rely on less than this one.

Niki: Rinne-kun seems super happy, though~. In the last idol era he didn’t get to wear anything but the clothes provided for us, after all.

So having an outfit for only his personal use must be particularly special for him.

I bet that beehive symbol was also one of Rinne-kun’s deman— ngyah?!

It hurts! Why are you putting me in a headlock!

Rinne: Who do ya think you are, Niki? Don’t say whatever the hell you like about me. Prepare yourself, ‘cause I’m gonna strangle ya for this one!

Niki: But you’re the same way, Rinne-kun! You tell people half-truths about me all the time~. Urgh, mercy, please! My head’s coming off~.

Rinne: According to the law, I can do as I like with you. Gyahaha ☆ 

...As soon as we’ve got personalized outfits for Kohaku-chan and Niki, too, let’s all wear ‘em and put on a show together.

We’ll show society what Crazy:B’s all about, and engrave our existences into the world. While singin’ and dancin’ and rioting, we’ll keep shoutin’ that out into the world. 

Let’s prove to ‘em, with everything that we have, that the lives of outsiders like us have value, too! Gyahahahaha ☆