Cosplay: Card Game Shop Opening

Me: Well, I think the title of this one says it all.

Ash: Card game shop! Like, for Pokémon too?

Me: Sure! Among other things.

Goh: So, of course you'd send Ash to this one.

Me: Also by necessity, but we'll address that in a little bit.

Goh: It wasn't that hard to get to, was it?

Ash: No, but it was a little far.

Goh: I'll bet there were lots of Pokémon cards and stuff on display. 

Ash: Of course!

Pikachu: Pi-kachu! ["Lots of that!"]

Me: So, cards and...

Ash: Plush dolls!

Goh: Well, those are always nice. Doesn't our friend want any of them?

Me: I do, but as always, budget is a determinant... and I've blown some on the faraway trip last week. 

Goh: I understand - hope you can get it back.

Me: Hope so, and then there'll be more Pokémon stuff to go around. OK, I wasn't clear on how things would go, so tell us what happened.

Ash: It started a bit late - I think the area had power problems. 

Pikachu: Pi pi pika. ["Not my fault."]

Goh: It can't be Pikachu's fault.

Me: No, I'm sure it isn't. Continue. 

Ash: They had dancing competitions for a couple of hours! But they were all for kids. 

Goh: At least you got entertainment. 

Ash: Yeah. And then there was the character parade.

Me: For that, we go back a bit - your Hoenn outfit. 

Ash: I like that one.

Me: So do I. It was the selected "NPC" outfit, after all.

Goh: How many characters were in it?

Ash: Fifteen or so with me. 

Goh: That's a little low - does this have something to do with that other thing our friend teased?

Me: Hmm, maybe.

Goh: You did remember to have fun, right?

Ash: I did. But I think I got caught up... a little?

Me: Hmm.

Goh: How many winners were there?

Ash: Ten - and I wasn't one of them.

Me: Hmm. We got the short end of the stick this time.

Ash: But the store gave me a booster pack of Pokémon cards.

Goh: Oh, OK. A "consolation" prize.

Pikachu: Pika. ["Guess so."]

Me: Well, it can't be helped. We can try for something somewhere else.

Goh: By the way, would "something somewhere else" for today be another festival?

Me: Indeed, at the same time no less. But as you can tell, the deciding factor for sending Ash to this one was Pokémon.

Ash: Sure! I heard from friends of your friends that the other one wasn't really that great anyway for us.

Goh: So this one was the right - and necessary - choice.

Me: You can say that again. The only other "consolation" for today would be connecting you and me with many of our friends, character or not.

Ash: Of course! I met both and we talked quite a lot about things - and I got taken back to our friend by one of them.

Goh: That worked out so well. I guess it could be the only thing that worked out today.

Me: Don't forget the card game shop itself. They must have gotten a good reception over the course of this weekend and since Thursday (when it formally opened).

Pikachu: Pika pika chu. ["Things look good."]

Goh: Maybe there'll be a Pokémon future for both of you there.

Ash: I hope so!

Me: So do I. For now, the card game shop future is what they've already gotten going with Pokémon and other card games.

One year ago: The State of Nominations, Part 24

Two years ago: On Death and Pokémon Species

Three years ago: The State of Nominations, Part 12

Four years ago: The Leek and Pokémon

Five years ago: Cosplay: Isekai

Six years ago: A Merchandise Dream

Seven years ago: Unified Centers and Marts