Cosplay: "Seventeen Fest"

Me: This one might be a little strange, and that goes for the title too. But bear with me.

Goh: This event's really called "Seventeen Fest"?

Me: It is, but the way it is called locally is different but means the same thing. So I chose to call it in a way lots more people would be able to understand.

Ash: I understand.

Me: The number 17 is special for the local people this month, you see.

Goh: Guess I'll be patient for that.

Ash: So what have I got today?

Me: You're in the character parade and singing competition. It's rare that an event in my local area has a singing competition, so...

Ash: ...we've gotta get in on it.

Me: Excellent.

Pikachu: Pi pika chu. ["Can't beat that."]

Goh: Do you already have a song for Ash to sing?

Me: I do, in fact. It's the perennial, the classic, "Mezase Pokémon Master".

Ash: That's always nice. I'll just have my regular outfit from Kanto and Johto for this one.

Me: Why not. That too is a classic. As for the location of the event, you should be familiar with it.

Ash: Hey, it's the same place as the Community Base Party! But it's downstairs, not upstairs.

Goh: So you could call it the extension of that.

Ash: I think it is. The people who run it said so. And they're our character friends.

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["Nice to see them."]

Me: OK, tell me how it went.

Ash: It was short. I signed up, sang, performed, heard about the results, and left. Just within four hours.

Goh: That's unusual, because your friend usually sends you for a full day.

Ash: But... I did help out my friend a bit before that.

Me: I see that; thanks for the help. True - most of these events are much longer than that. But this one seems to be just purely for a quick entertainment.

Ash: I had fun when I sang, but I think the sound got to me. I think one of your friends got a recording for you.

Me: I'll check it out. And the performance?

Ash: It went wham - and bam! The people told me I could go on stage and run toward the people, so I did. It was great!

Pikachu: Pika chu, pi pika chu! ["True, it looked amazing!"]

Me: Tell me the results.

Ash: No win. It was 2 out of 16 for singing and 4 out of 28 for the parade.

Goh: The competition is always tough with that many people (or characters) entering and that few prizes.

Me: You're telling us. It could be far worse with many more, and that means delaying the event further.

Ash: I thought it was going to be three and a half hours.

Me: Usually there's always some kind of execution holdup, like people not coming when they're called. For that reason the singing competition is sometimes limited to a certain number of people.

Goh: But it doesn't look like this one was?

Ash: It wasn't. Luckily everyone made it. Anyway, I had a great time - Pikachu too.

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["A great time!"]

Me: That's all that matters in the long and short of it.

Goh: I'd say.

One year ago: New Normal... and Still Loving

Two years ago: The Look of Pikachu

Three years ago: There Is Always a Way

Four years ago: (More) Plastic Poké Balls

Five years ago: Cosplay: Tomodachi 2