Pikachu: Pika chu! ["All right!"]
Me: Indeed it is. After years of being up and down, it has finally returned in physical form from the last time.
Goh: But I noticed, looking over what you had, 15 and 16 are missing. What happened?
Me: Oh yes, those were in virtual form, and we did miss them. In fact, that was what happened when 15 came along; I discussed it with Ash but didn't address it directly. But it seems we may not have missed anything much anyway.
Ash: Oh, so that's what happened back then! I'm just glad it's back for you. I know how much it means to you.
Goh: I'd love to know.
Me: Right, Goh wasn't here last time this happened. So, this is partially a convention, but mostly a festival, and it's held by the place where I studied for a long time. Because of that, I consider it my "home event".
Goh: That's amazing.
Me: And it's been always that way; I hope this one is too. Again, I should say that the festival technically lasts for two days, starting from yesterday.
Goh: What usually happens on the first day?
Me: That's when school students have competitions of their own. I think Goh would fit in quite well, maybe with Chloe too.
Goh: I think I would fit in.
Me: I actually went for myself yesterday - on a little Pokémon errand - and I only saw some of my friends and a few characters. It may or may not be worth it to go on the first day, especially when it rained.
Ash: So what did I miss?
Me: Believe me, you didn't miss anything. There wasn't anything special anyway, except when I met my friends personally. So I can let loose and just be myself.
Ash: OK, OK. I get it.
Me: Anyhow, as is the case each time, for most people, it's the last day that's relevant, and that's where you, Ash, come in.
Ash: Great! So what do I need to do?
Me: I need you to be in the character parade. I was going to try to have you in the character performance, but I was a little tied up to get you prepared, so maybe some other time. And the singing competition was completely virtual and not relevant for us. So it's just the character parade, but that should be fine.
Ash: That's fine. You do what you can.
Pikachu: Pi pika chu. ["That's just fine."]
Me: OK, great. Now, um... I'm told there were a few changes.
Ash: You needed to pay to get in!
Me: Yes, as you saw. It seems it was for crowd control as well, as I was told they didn't allow people to get in after a while.
Ash: I saw that for myself. I feel a little sorry for them.
Goh: Hasn't paying to get into events and conventions been normal?
Ash: The problem with this one is that it's usually free.
Me: Except that one time they tried a paid experiment. It didn't work, so it went back to free the next time. That was way before I started to cover things. It seems they're experimenting again after the long physical absence.
Ash: And there were no communities. And they had weird ways of getting people to move.
Me: The "no communities" part is a little expected after "starting over". The "moving people" part is a little odd given how the area is open.
Ash: But all the food stands and goodie booths were there!
Goh: Now that's festive.
Ash: Yeah, until the sky got dark. They moved the character competitions inside - and after that, it rained like you wouldn't believe!
Pikachu: Pika, pi pika chu. ["The rain, it was intense."]
Goh: You just made it in time.
Ash: I guess we did.
Me: How were the character competitions?
Ash: I think I did great in the parade! It was with my new special journey outfit.
Me: I heard a few tips for this competition around the turn of last month; I think I told you as well to use them during one event. Did you?
Ash: I did! I thought that was made it great. But there were only seven winners in different ways, and I wasn't one of them.
Me: Seems we got tough cookies. But I'm sure you knew some of the winners.
Ash: I know a couple. One of them usually brought in a teacher ninja but he looked different. And some of your other friends took first in the character performance!
Me: That's nice to see them win in the performance. It doesn't completely make up our not winning, but it's fine.
Goh: How about everything else?
Ash: You know, the entertainment was just like that other event - bands and dance groups - and even the DJ was the same!
Goh: Huh. Some people must have thought the same way.
Ash: That could be true, but I like them. There were some traditional performances too.
Goh: Oh, that must have been a sight.
Ash: I heard the introduction - they said they wanted to combine the old and the new, and that's why they always hold this event.
Me: That is a very good thing. That makes this event/convention/festival a tradition of ours as well, something to be kept as best as possible.
Goh: Why not? That's always a good thing.
Pikachu: Pi, pika chu! ["Yeah, a good thing!"]
Me: We'll see what we can bring up next time, while we and others keep up the good work... and fix up what wasn't as much.
One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 2/12/2022
Two years ago: Fourth Anniversary of My Regional Figure Group
Three years ago: Pokémon as a Study Aid
Four years ago: A Pikachu Pillow Keychain
Five years ago: Anywhere Is
Six years ago: My Essential Pokémon Cosplay Equipment
I wasn't really feeling this one, even though this event has a special place in my heart for being the first event I've ever attended. The organizers seemed really restrictive, limiting our mobility and even confiscating the entrants F&Bs. This is not the IT that I remember. The current weather in the area also didn't help.
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