Author's Note: (I forgot to put the author's note tag at the start of the previous chapters, so bear with me.)
Most of the main cast cosplay as characters from anime that may not be familiar to some people, but it will be pointed out.
P.S.: I would like to thank Fullsagashite4671 for making the first review. Keep those reviews coming, because after all, this is a cosplay chapter!
Chapter 6
Cosplay
The next morning, the gang had another breakfast in the villa. Haruhi said, "Today, we'll officially start putting on dresses for tonight's cosplay party!"
Ash asked, "Haruhi, what is cosplay?"
Haruhi replied, "You simply have to dress up as other characters."
Dawn reminded Ash, "Do you remember that one time in Sinnoh when you were dressed up as a maid?"
"Yeah, that was the only uniform that the Miltank maid cafe had," Ash said, rubbing his neck.
"If you want to have a cosplay party, you must have to consider who's going to write all the invitation cards," Kyon suggested to Haruhi.
"How about you, Kyon? Besides, you made that idea," the latter replied, causing Kyon to facepalm.
Jeremy informed, "There are more cosplay clothes on the wardrobe, if all of you want to try."
Cilan suggested, "Let's check out the costumes you just bought as well, Haruhi."
"Then this means this will come to order!" Haruhi once again pulled out her red armband.
In the dressing room, Brendan, Ash, his friends, and the SOS Brigade members checked out on the costumes that Haruhi purchased. They also checked out the cosplay outfits on the room's wardrobe.
"I never knew that Cynthia's villa also had wardrobes full of cosplay outfits. It feels like paradise for cosplayers," Brendan remarked.
He asked Cilan, "Cilan, do you have an idea who are you going to cosplay as?"
The latter replied, "I know just the thing."
Cilan picked up a costume, and when he left the changing room, he was dressed as Light Yagami (from Death Note).
"Just as planned. This is the costume that I like," Cilan said.
Brendan commented, "Cilan, you look handsome. The only thing that's missing is a certain black notebook."
"Brendan, I don't think this is a good idea," Kyon replied.
"So, who's up next?" Haruhi said.
"That cosplay outfit of Cilan reminds me of those costumes in the Pokemon Musical I recently watched, that's why I want to give them a try," said Dawn.
When Dawn tried on a costume, she was in a Lillian Academy uniform (from Maria-sama ga Miteru).
"I wonder what Dawn was dressed like," Ash asked.
"Dawn's outfit is the uniform that the girls in Marimite are wearing," Brendan said.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kyon was shocked.
Iris suddenly approached Dawn and said, "Dawn, your scarf is crooked. You should keep your appearance neat. A certain Pokemon deity is watching over us."
When Iris fixed the scarf on Dawn's outfit, almost everyone sweatdropped.
"Was it me, or did Iris just recreate a well known scene from that show," Kyon deadpanned.
"It's my turn to pick a costume," Iris said. She picked a costume, went to the dressing room, and went back, dressed as Victorique de Blois (from Gosick).
"Iris, I don't think your hairstyle fits with that outfit of yours," Ash commented.
"How dare you!" Iris yelled.
"Mikuru, it's your turn," Haruhi said, "Come on, just pick a costume already!"
The moeblob nervously picked a costume and changed in the dressing room. When she returned, she cosplayed as Orihime Inoue (from Bleach).
When she did, Ievan Polkka was appropriately being played in the background.
"The only thing that's missing is a leek. That's right, a leek for twirling!" Haruhi commented, "Come on, Mikuru! You should twirl it like this!"
Haruhi forced Mikuru to twirl a leek that she just picked up from the kitchen, making Ash, Kyon, Itsuki, Cilan, Dawn, and Iris sweat drop.
"Here, Kyon take some pictures for me!"
Haruhi gave Kyon a camera and took pictures of Mikuru for her.
"I wonder why did Haruhi force Mikuru to spin a leek," Cilan wondered.
"Orihime Inoue spun a leek one time, and it was memetic," Brendan replied.
Itsuki remarked at Kyon, "Kyon, it seems that Brendan must be an otaku when it comes to cosplay."
"Well, you got that right, Koizumi," Kyon thought, "I wonder if he loves dressing up as other characters."
"Kyon, you're up next!" Haruhi exclaimed.
"Ok, then," Kyon thought, "I'm not expecting to wear a costume that's rather embarassing."
After picking a costume and dressing up, he returned from the dressing room cosplaying as Yuichi Aizawa (from Kanon). In all of a sudden, Jeremy showed up with a food cart loaded with a plate of taiyaki on a silver tray.
"Hey, Kyon. You are just in time for Jeremy's taiyaki treats. Wanna try?" Brendan asked and gave Kyon a piece. He suddenly said, "Hmmm, I think I have an idea."
He whispered to Kyon, making the latter reply, "What? Do I have to say that?"
"Yes, go ahead. Once you eat that taiyaki, you say those magic words," Brendan said.
When Kyon ate the taiyaki given to him by Brendan, he was nervous.
"Come on, Kyon. I want to know what Brendan was saying to you!" Haruhi yelled.
"Uh. . . . . uh. . . . . . ~uguu. . . . "
Almost everyone sweatdropped.
"Why did you let me cosplay as Yuichi Aizawa?" Kyon asked Brendan.
"You sound a lot like him. Besides, he also makes snarky and ironic comments as much as you do," the latter replied, "Well, do you like that outfit?"
Kyon sarcastically remarked, "I'd rather say it was less appealing."
"What do you guys think of us?" Ash said, as he and Itsuki appeared, dressed up as Max Taylor (from Dinosaur King) and Shizuo Heiwajima (from Durarara!), respectively.
"Itsuki looks handsome with those glasses. And that bartender vest makes him look like a Pokemon Conoisseur," Cilan said, "I do believe that that outfit of Ash's reminds me of those Poke Maniacs from Johto who dress up as their Pokemon."
"Hey, Iris, what do you think?" Ash said to Iris as he showed off with his cosplay outfit.
She replied, "You dress up like a little kid."
"Say what!" Ash yelled.
"Miss Nagato, do you wanna cosplay too?" Kyon asked. "Yes," she replied.
Brendan picked a certain outfit for Yuki. "Do you like it?" he asked.
Yuki only said a yes. She eventually left to the dressing room, and when she entered, she was dressed up as Rei Ayanami (from Neon Genesis Evangelion).
"Brendan, why'd you pick that outfit for her?" Kyon asked.
"I just couldn't help but compare Yuki with Ayanami Rei. It seems that Yuki looks like her without the silver hair," Brendan replied.
"I don't think Nagato would look good in a plugsuit," Kyon thought.
"It's my turn to change up," Brendan said. He picked up a costume, and when he returned, he was dressed as Edward Elric (from Fullmetal Alchemist).
"Haruhi, what are you dressed up as?" Brendan asked.
That was when she returned from the dressing room dressed as Faye Valentine (from Cowboy Bebop).
Kyon facepalmed, "Not the fanservice again."
Ash asked "Hey, Pikachu. Do you wanna cosplay?" Pikachu agreed by saying its name.
The Mouse Pokemon was eventually dressed as Tony Tony Chopper (from One Piece).
Because of that, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan were thinking of which one of their Pokemon should cosplay as, but couldn't.
Meloetta suddenly appeared in front of the group.
"Hey, Meloetta. Would you like to cosplay too?" Ash asked.
The Melody Pokemon agreed, and later, it was dressed up like Ranka Lee (from Macross Frontier).
Kyon asked, "Can we change clothes?"
Haruhi frowned. "Oh, well. Go ahead and change if you like."
Kyon was surprised, causing Kyon himself to facepalm. "I never knew how Haruhi can afford those outfits that she bought. It's a good thing that there were more outfits on the drawer. Perhaps can I try some more?"
Kyon continued to look for more cosplay outfits. A few minutes later, he went back, dressed up as Itachi Uchiha (from Naruto).
"Kyon, why did you change costumes?" Brendan asked, now dressed up as Yusei Fudo (from Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds).
"I was wondering if these outfits are any good."
"Kyon, out of all the outfits you wore, why did you dress up as Itachi when I'm supposed to cosplay as him!" Brendan exclaimed.
"Ash, do you have any idea what you're dressing up next?" Cilan asked, now cosplaying as Takuto Tsunashi (from Star Driver).
"Oh yeah, Cilan. I'm looking forward to look for more costumes," Ash replied.
In a few minutes later, he was dressed up as Jaden Yuki (from Yu-Gi-Oh GX).
"That was a nice outfit you got there," Itsuki commented on Ash's costume, now dressed up as Sven Cal Bayan (from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer).
"From that costume of yours, doesn't the word 'bayan' stand for 'country' or 'town' in Filipino?" Brendan informed Itsuki with a trivia.
Koizumi replied, "Yeah, even though that was coincidence, you just got that right."
"How did you know that?" Kyon asked curiously.
"Research."
Dawn suggested Iris, "Because the others were changing cosplay outfits, perhaps we should change up too!"
"Dawn, I'm not sure what character am I going to dress up next, though."
"No need to worry, Iris. I can help you out."
In a few minutes later, Dawn and Iris went back, dressed up as Winry Rockbell (also from Fullmetal Alchemist) and Belldandy (from Ah! My Goddess).
"Considering that Iris was dressed up as a shrine maiden one time, her outfit looks good on her," Cilan remarked.
"Same with Dawn," Haruhi remarked, now dressed up as Lucy Heartfilia (from Fairy Tail).
Haruhi asked Kyon, "Kyon, can you take pictures of me and Mikuru?"
Using the camera Haruhi gave to Kyon, the latter took pictures of the former and Mikuru, who was dressed as Kaede Fuyou (from Shuffle!).
"Miss Nagato, do you want to change costumes?" Kyon asked Yuki.
And that was when she came back from the dressing room, now dressed up as Rukia Kuchiki (also from Bleach).
"Does Yuki have any sisters who also like to cosplay?" Haruhi wondered.
"Okay, now that we all cosplayed, let's prepare for tonight's cosplay party!" she then exclaimed.
Haruhi thought and asked Jeremy, "Jeremy, is there a place where we can set up a stage for the cosplay party?"
"You can set up outside, if you wish," the butler replied.
Haruhi and Mikuru were doing the decorations, while Ash, Cilan, and Itsuki were setting up the stage on the Pokemon battlefield outside. Yuki was watching the boys do their work while reading a book at the same time.
Jeremy was preparing the buffet dinner, while Kyon and Brendan worked on the invitation cards in the living room.
Suddenly, Ash noticed the two as he entered.
"Are you two making invitation cards for the cosplay party?" Ash asked.
"Yes," Kyon replied.
"Can you invite Trip, Stephan, Bianca, and the others to come?"
"Sure, why not?"
Kyon asked, "Brendan, do you know those names that Ash just mentioned?"
"Just ask Ash."
Kyon asked curiously, "Ash, who's Trip, Bianca, and Stephan?"
"They are Pokemon trainers that I encountered here in Unova."
"Brendan, do you have a Pokemon that can send these invitation cards to those people?"
Outside, Ash and Brendan rode on the latter's Salamence and flew away to send the invitation cards.
"Take care of yourselves!" Kyon exclaimed.
"We will!" Ash replied.
A few minutes later:
"I wonder if Brendan and Ash are back," Kyon wondered.
Suddenly, a knock was heard at the entrance door. When Kyon opened it, it was the two.
"Did both of you send the invitation cards?"
"Yes, we did. In fact, Bianca and Stephan were interested in cosplay so much, they wanted to come," Ash replied.
The moment has finally arrived, and it was the night of the cosplay party. Jeremy was dressed up as Sebastian Michaelis (from Black Butler) attending to the table where the buffet dinner was set up.
Cynthia appeared, cosplaying as Medaka Kurokami (from Medaka Box).
Trip, Burgundy, Bianca, Georgia, and Stephan were all present on the occasion, cosplaying as characters from Kingdom Hearts, Negima, Slayers, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Dragon Ball.
Luke, who cosplayed as Tsunayoshi Sawada (from Katekyo Hitman Reborn!) was making a video with his video camera along with his Zorua. Using its Illusion ability, the Fox Pokemon transformed into Shirou Emiya (from Fate/stay night).
Haruhi was the emcee of the occasion, cosplaying as Misa Amane (also from Death Note).
"Okay, we will be holding a cosplay competition. The contestant from the two categories with the best cosplay wins a basket of melon breads. Jeremy, Cynthia, and yours truly, will be the judges," she said on the microphone.
"Isn't that a bias if Haruhi became the emcee and one of the judges at the same time?" Kyon thought, snarking in his usual fashion.
Ash was dressed as Ryou Bakura (from Yu-Gi-Oh!). Pikachu once again dressed up as Tony Tony Chopper.
Trip, dressed up as Sora, asked Stephan, who cosplayed as Goku, "Was that the kid from the boonies?"
Stephan replied, "That's the Ash that I really like. He's looking good with his Pikachu."
Kyon and Itsuki were cosplaying as Gintoki Sakata (from Gintama) and Lelouch Lamperouge in his "Zero" persona (from Code Geass), respectively, while Brendan dressed up as Nozomu Itoshiki (from Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei).
Cilan cosplayed as Setsuna Seiei (from Mobile Suit Gundam 00), as he fabulously strutted on the stage. Burgundy, who was dressed up as Konaka Konoe, was not impressed.
"I can't believe that that Cilan would just show off on stage like that!" she said, furiously.
On the other hand, Dawn and Iris strutted the stage dressed up as Paine (from Final Fantasy X-2) and Madoka Kaname (from Puella Magi Madoka Magica) respectively.
Georgia (who cosplayed as Asuka Langley Sohryu) sarcastically said, "Oh, please. Not that she would become a goddess or a future Dragon Master or something."
"But why remark about her outfit if you're looking at her like that?" Burgundy asked.
Mikuru nervously showed up on the stage, dressed up as Hinata Hyuga (from Naruto).
Yuki Nagato silently crashed the party by performing an intermission number, singing "Paradise Lost", at the same time, cosplaying as Kagura Tsuchimiya (from Ga-Rei Zero).
"Do you know the difference between Yuki and all the other lookalikes of her? She sings this song real good," Brendan commented at Kyon.
"I have the results for both the male and the female category," said Haruhi as she emerged to the front of the stage. When the drums stopped rolling, she announced, "The best female cosplayer of the night is Dawn!"
"On the other hand, the winner of the male category is. . . . . . . . . "
After a drum roll, she announced, "It's Kyon! Congratulations, you and Dawn each receive a basket of melon bread as the prize."
Ash, Pikachu, Cilan, Mikuru, Iris, Yuki, and Itsuki clapped their hands as they congratulated Dawn and Kyon for winning the contest.
Kyon thought to himself, "I had no idea why did I end up being the winner. Haruhi must be making a joke or something."
Kyon approached Haruhi and said, "Wasn't it a joke that I won the contest?"
"What are you talking about? You look handsome on that outfit of yours! Besides, it fit you so well, I decided to give to you the prize."
"Yeah, right. Your mileage may vary on that one," Kyon thought to himself.
So far, the cosplay party was a success. All the people who attended it had fun.
When everyone went to sleep that late in the night, Kyon went to the balcony, looking at the moon, when suddenly, Brendan appeared.
"You forgot your prize in the living room, Kyon. I just placed it in the bedroom where we slept," Brendan handed the basket over to him.
"Kyon, what's up? You have a problem?" he asked.
"Well, it's nothing."
"Are you having fun?" Brendan asked.
"Yeah. How about you?"
"Of course, I am, Kyon. I really started having a like for cosplay."
"Good for you."
"I guess I'll be heading back to get some shuteye. I'll be waiting for you." Brendan then left off.
Eventually, Kyon caught up.
In the next chapter:
When a blackout strikes in Undella Town, Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan all leave the villa to investigate. Meanwhile, the SOS Brigade plus Brendan continue looking for strange phenomena. However, everytime the six split up into two groups, Kyon and Brendan make an encounter with a wild Hydreigon. Will the latter capture this powerful Pokemon? Find out on the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!
References: Too many to list here, if you include all the cosplay outfits.
Most of the cosplay outfits worn by Ash, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, and the SOS Brigade members double as actual references to their Japanese and English voice actors's other known roles from other anime and video game series. Can you spot them all?