—Aurelion Vireth
As we step through the portal, the first thing that we saw was the registration booth there were many lanes, yet it was packed. Packed with countless cosplayers, one glance and one could see characters from marvel like Iron man, Black Panther, some from DC like batman and superman
"Oh look a Lemuen cosplayer" Gaby suddenly spoke, "Holy fuck??? Isn't that a Jaeger from Pacific Rim" Kiana said in shock. There was a variety of cosplayers, I
An elderly man adjusted the beard of his Whitebeard costume with practiced hands. The coat had clearly been repaired countless times over the years, each stitch almost invisible unless one looked closely.
Beside him stood a woman dressed as Big Mom, laughing as she helped a little girl no older than eight straighten the antlers on her Chopper hat.
"...They've definitely done this before," Jill muttered. It was packed to the brim, a long line still forming. "This'll take a while…" I thought to myself with a sigh, on the other hand…
"Man this is gonna be so funnn" Jill said with enthusiasm in a way that absolutely didn't fit how Robin would act in a public setting, but then again. She isn't Robin—Something I kept on forgetting because of how accurate she looked
A few people ahead, two teenagers nervously compared reference photos on a phone.
"Is my wig crooked?"
"Maybe... wait, hold still."
One carried a cardboard sword whose silver paint was still uneven around the edges.
Their first convention, probably.
Further ahead, a Robin cosplayer chatted happily with someone dressed as Himeko.
Their shoulders were broad, voice unmistakably masculine, yet the silhouette, tailoring and makeup were immaculate.
"Of course", She said with a smile, a smile that absolutely didn't fit Kevin kaslana's persona from the game, nor the one that she defeated "The shoulder padding is balanced properly, the waist is tapered just enough to change the silhouette, and the wig hides the jawline."
She tilted her head.
"...I'd probably soften the contour a little more though."
"Haha, that so?"
My eyes kept glancing over the line, near the middle of the row there were them. Armor builders
Half the line had stopped to admire a Gundam whose visor actually lit up, Every few seconds the Gundam's servos let out a quiet mechanical whirr. Nearby, Gipsy Danger's cosplayer was carefully tightening a bolt beneath one shoulder.
"That weighs... what? Forty kilos?" Gabe muttered.
"Closer to sixty," Fang guessed.
"...Respect." Gabe muttered in awe.
"This is gonna be so funnn" The shout cut through the crowd. Nearly half the queue turned. Two figures pushed their way toward the registration line. One dressed as Gojo. The other as Sukuna.
"...They're loud," Fang observed.
"They're definitely friends," Gabe replied.
"Though genderbent versions eh" May suddenly said. "Just like the 2 of you" She said with a smirk on both me and Kiana.
Sigh
"Please don't remind me…" I said half tired and half accepting my faith, my eyes glancing away to avoid looking into her—Oh? I saw some struggling people. A tiny Pikachu whose tail keeps falling off. A Spider-Man whose mask is on backwards.
Someone else desperately sewing a sleeve back together while friends hold the costume. Looking around the square, I realized just how much cosplay had changed over the decades. Some wore costumes worth thousands.
Others wore handmade cardboard held together with glue and determination. Veterans stood beside beginners. Crossdressers laughed together with armor builders. Children posed proudly beside adults old enough to be their grandparents.
None of it mattered.
For today...
We were all simply cosplayers.
—
2 hours had passed in a blink of an eye, the queue still stretched all the way across the plaza. Surprisingly, registration itself wasn't what took so long. It was the inspection.
Props were examined one by one.
Armor was tested to make sure it was safe.
Mechanical effects were inspected.
Most importantly...
Every contestant underwent a brief scan to ensure no supernatural abilities had been used in constructing their costumes. In the distance one could hear.
"Mechanical wings?"
"Yep."
"Approved."
"Smoke machine?"
"Only water vapor."
"Approved."
then at some point, the lane stopped
"…Huh?"
"Wondeer what happened?"
"A petite girl with silver-gray hair stood in front of one of the inspectors, dressed in an almost flawless Silver Wolf levell 999 outfit." Gaby said "Reana?" Kiana then suddenly muttered "Someone I used to know back at university"
"How do you even recognize her if she looks completely different?"
"Intuition?"
"That so…"
—
The inspector was calmly scans the costume.
Beep.
He scans again.
Beep.
Then looks at the screen.
"...Miss."
"This costume obviously contains aether."
"...Yeah? so?"
"Contest Rule Four."
"Cosplays must be constructed using physical materials."
"But it looks identical no?"
"Yes, it's impressive—but it's not sewn."
"it's stable"
"I'm sure it is"
"it's harmless"
"I'm sure it is too."
"nobody can tell"
"the scanner can"
"It looks exactly the same"
"That's why rule number 4 exists"
she then pointed towards everyone else
"how do you even know those aren't made with powers?"
"Well, your entire outfit looks far to flawless, something that should currently be impossible to make"
"What if it's just some super advanced holographic display?"
—
"She's arguing with the convention staff."
"Bold strategy" Fang muttered
"I approve" Jill said while showing a thumbs up, and after 2 minutes…
"Tsk. You people are no fun," she said while walking back.
Step Step Step
…
"Hoh~?" Kiana then suddenly muttered
"What is it?"
"She's saying she's gonna try to find a quick silver wolf lvl 999 cosplay for rent and comeback"
"Is that so?"
"Well at least she's serious about trying"
Nod Nod
—
Step Step Step
The line finally moved again.
"Next group."
One by one, contestants stepped into a small inspection area separated by waist-high barriers. There were no dramatic machines. No towering scanners. Just several experienced staff members, handheld inspection devices, and tables filled with checklists.
Years of experience had taught convention organizers something important.
Most people weren't trying to cheat.
But the few who did... were very creative.
One staff member inspected props.
Another checked costumes.
A third operated a scanner roughly the size of a tablet.
"Contestant Twenty-Three."
A woman dressed as Artoria handed over her sword.
The inspector balanced it in one hand before tapping the blade.
"...Foam."
He bent it slightly.
"Flexible."
He checked the edge.
"No metal core."
Stamp.
"Approved."
The next contestant stepped forward.
"Mechanical backpack?"
"Battery powered." The inspector opened a small compartment.
"Batteries removed during performance?"
"Yes."
Another stamp.
"Approved."
Further ahead...
A Gundam slowly climbed onto a small platform.
The staff looked almost exhausted.
"...Again?"
"It separates into twelve pieces."
"...Of course it does."
Two inspectors disappeared beneath the armor while another carefully examined the moving joints. One of them eventually gave a tired thumbs up.
"Servos limited."
"No exposed mechanisms."
"Emergency release confirmed."
Approved.
"...Worth it," the Gundam cosplayer whispered proudly.
And Eventually...
"Next."
That was us. Kiana nudged me forward.
"Leader first."
"...Why me?"
"Because you're the leader."
"...Fair enough."
I stepped onto the inspection platform. Immediately one staff member circled around me. He didn't touch anything at first. Only looked. From every angle. The costume. The stitching. The wig. The shoes. The accessories.
"...Remarkable craftsmanship," he admitted quietly.
Another inspector approached carrying the scanner.
"Remain still."
Beep.
A pale blue light swept from my head to my feet.
The screen displayed line after line of data.
No active energy detected.
No Aether signatures.
No illusion constructs.
Material composition verified.
Fabric.
Thread.
Synthetic fibers.
Foam.
Paint.
Adhesive.
Exactly what a costume should contain.The inspector nodded.
"Excellent."
He looked genuinely impressed.
"I would've believed this came directly from the original designer."
Behind me...
Kiana quietly smirked.
"...Obviously."
One after another, the rest of the group stepped forward.
Robin.
Sunday.
Stelle.
Aventurine.
Boboiboy.
Welt.
And finally...
Flamescion Kiana.
The inspector paused for a second before glancing between Gaby and Kiana.
"...You planned this beforehand, didn't you?"
Kiana blinked.
"Hm?"
"The characters."
He gestured toward the registration cards.
"Kevin Kaslana."
"Flamescion Kiana."
Then toward me.
"And Cyrene."
"...That's one very specific combination."
Gaby rubbed the back of her head.
"...I got forced into mine."
"I did not force you."
"You absolutely did."
"Hehe."
The inspector simply chuckled.
"...Well, whoever coordinated your group deserves some credit."
He looked over the costumes once more.
"The theme is surprisingly cohesive."
Beep.
No abnormalities detected.
Material composition verified.
Approved.
Every single costume received the same result.
No Authorities.
No Remnant abilities.
No supernatural enhancements.
Just absurdly good tailoring.
When Kiana herself stepped onto the platform, however...
Both inspectors paused.
"...Kevin Kaslana?" One of them blinked twice.
"...You even got the expression right."
Kiana immediately straightened her posture. Her shoulders relaxed. Her face became almost completely emotionless. Even the playful smile disappeared.
For a brief second...
She didn't resemble Kiana anymore. She simply looked like Kevin.
"..."
The inspectors exchanged a glance.
"...That's honestly a little unsettling"
"…"
I played the Hoyoverse games… back when the company was still called MiHoYo"
He stared for another second.
"...You even breathe like him."
The scanner finished.
Beep.
No abnormalities detected.
One inspector quietly stamped her registration card.
"...Approved."
Only after stepping away did Kiana immediately grin again.
"Hehe."
"There she is," Gabe sighed in relief.
"I liked cheerful Kiana more."
"I heard that."
"I know."
After nearly two hours...
Every registration card had finally received its final stamp.
A volunteer pointed toward the large double doors leading backstage.
"Contestants, please proceed inside."
As the doors slowly opened...
The roar of hundreds of spectators rolled in like a wave.
Applause. Music. Announcements. Camera shutters. Excited cheers. Beyond the curtains...
The real competition awaited.
"You guys ready?"
"Of course~" Kiana said with a thumbs up, "I give up" Gaby said, on the other hand…
"LET'S DO THISSSS" Gabe suddenly shouted, attracting attention to our group, expecting a scolding or perhaps a warning, instead what could be heard was—
"THAT'S THE SPIRIT LET'S SHOW THEM WHAT WE GOTTTT"
"YEAHHHHHHHH"
Veterans.
Beginners.
Children.
Adults.
Crossplayers.
Armor builders.
Handmade costumes.
Professional tailoring.
Different stories.
Different lives.
Yet for today...
We all stood on the same stage.
For today, none of us were pretending to be heroes.
We were simply people celebrating the characters that inspired us.
Just like how I was inspired by the Hero Himmel.