The Truth About Girls (Vol. 3)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

Drop Dead Gorgeous (part 2)

"How is it possible they agreed so easily to enroll me instead of this girl?” Rainbow Dash asked, following Rarity through the long corridor which led to the backstage. “Aren’t there runner-ups or something?”

How charming this complete ignorance about the topic, from someone yet so used to competition…

Since they’d arrived, Rarity couldn’t stop smiling. In fact, she even was like this since her friend had agreed to participate, despite her certain aversion for what she considered frivolous and unimportant. Her will to cast aside her prejudices in order to help her was touching, although the teenage girl was complaining all the time. It didn’t matter for Rarity. Nothing could ruin her sunny mood.

“Voyons, it’s a local contest, which means these are spontaneous applications. All that matters to them is that you’re pretty.”

“Pretty…” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Her friend maybe was behind her, but she could picture her as if she were right in front of her. Arms crossed and mouth twisted, while staring at the walls. How crazy a girl so self-confident about her own abilities and about the strength of her charisma could be filled with doubts as soon as it was about her beauty.

Alright, the outside wasn’t the main attraction about someone, and it was simplistic to reduce women to their appearances only, but all the same, a bit of consideration about outside qualities couldn’t do any harm. Especially as other type of insecurities could take shape out of physical complexes, and even Miss Awesome wasn’t out of harm’s way.

Finally, they reached the backstage where each contestant was to get prepared for the pageant and its rehearsals. The very first one was going to be dressed in everyday outfits, with non-mandatory makeup, but they’d have to go on after that with the whole gears out, in the same conditions than during the contest, playing each of the possible scenarios. Everything was explained to them inside the pamphlet which had been given to them at the same time than the number they’d have to wear to be identified by the members of the jury.

Most of the girls had already arrived, and they all were aided by an adult, most often the mothers or big sisters, busy dispensing all kinds of advice.

Rarity led Rainbow Dash to the table which had been assigned to them, while the young woman was looking all around her. Her opponents seemed to be used to these kind of pageants… She could tell everything about sports competition, speeches of motivation, and game strategies, but what was under her eyes seemed to be as foreign to her as a language in a different alphabet.

She didn’t even know what most of the items and beauty products in front of the other girls were and what they did with it.

She knew that, traditionally, mothers were supposed to transmit to their female offsprings a few tricks about those “girlie” things, and that it helped to create a special bond between them two. But Firefly herself had never really been feminine and from her youngest age had taught her that appearance mattered less than being brave and tough.

Although her opinion about what was going on hadn’t changed at all, to be honest, she was envious of them, because they at least still shared a bond with the most important woman of their lives, while hers would never be back.

Rarity felt the way she stared at the other entrants had nothing left of the contempt she felt at the beginning, and hurried to reassure her and make her think about something else.

“Don’t worry, darling, I’ll be here to help you… Everything’s going to be just fine.”

“I’m not worried. It’s just a beauty pageant! All I’ll have to do will be to smile like a mindless idiot and to say how much I loooove critters and baby dolphins”, she said crossing her both hands in front of her face, her eyelashes fluttering.

The imitation was rather pathetic and nothing advantageous or nice but it probably wasn’t the right moment to upset her. Instead of taking offense, Rarity shook her head and spread out her whole gear for hair and makeup on the table, like a haute cuisine head chef trying to show off with freshly sharpened knives.

Pressing on Rainbow Dash’s shoulders, she forced her to sit down, then turned on the small lights all around the mirror of the table.

“You’ll feel more comfortable when you move with a lovely ponytail… And a hint of blush can’t harm you neither.”

“I thought you didn’t need the whole stuff for the first rehearsal.”

“Tsk! Don’t contradict the expert, please.”

She really had to keep quiet. If one of the girls heard her speaking in such a disdainful way, she could get enemies and it would be too much of a risk for the rest of the contest.

Rarity hadn’t told her friend yet, but she hoped she could at least reach the talent show, so she could show Hoity Toity most of her own talents. She would never be able to display the whole range of her abilities with only one dress!

For this, she would have to work on her character a little. Oh, it wasn’t forever… just for the pageant. It would help her out a lot. The judges wouldn’t only pay attention to her features and her body, but also to her capacity to garner sympathies. And it would never work if she antagonized the others.

Rarity was busy brushing the young woman’s hair, trying her best not to mix up the colors, when the entrants of the nearby table leaned over to ask her whether she could borrow her lipstick, hers being almost over.

Before she could even answer, the teenage girl’s eyes opened wide and she started to stare at Rainbow Dash with insistence. Then, her mouth opened the same way.

“I just can’t believe it… Aren’t you Rainbow Dash, from the Blazing Angels?”

“Well… I am.”

“My goodness! I’ve seen all your games, you’re the best jammer, like, ever! I know Misty Fly’s the captain and everything, but I think she lacks aggressiveness. You’re smaller but twice faster than she is. I’d love to do Roller Derby so much, but Mom refuses… because of the bruises. It’s not a good thing for beauty pageants. My name’s Berry Preppy, by the way…”

This time, it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to have her mouth wide-opened. A fan of Roller Derby, of the Blazing Angels… here, in a beauty pageant? Well, here she was as well, after all, and she was more than a mere fan, but her reasons were special, and she was forcing herself for the sake of her best friend.

What brought a question from Berry Preppy which seemed positively reasonable to her.

“How’d you get here?”

Now was her turn to surprise her. Just because she was fond of something that wasn’t superficial didn’t mean she had helped to change her opinion about the girls who entered what she regarded as a cattle fair.

“Influence.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help a sardonic smirk when Berry Preppy stared at her, blinking, completely lost. Of course, she didn’t understand the reference and this was the main purpose of it. If her favorite movies were only stupid romantic comedies for teenagers, she could never get it.

“That’s a quote from a movie”, Rarity added, to cut the game short.

She saw Berry Preppy thanking her with a gentle smile, but she jolted when another of the contestants came closer, with hair curlers on.

“Isn’t this a quote from “Bringing Up Baby”?”

“It is”, Rainbow Dash answered, flabbergasted.

“I love this movie so much! Katharine Hepburn’s one of my idols. She was such an awesome actress!”

“She’s… also one of my favorites…”

“What a shame she’s so neglected nowadays! Everybody prefers Audrey Hepburn because she embodies “chic” but I think Katharine Hepburn to be more inspiring. She was more nonconformist.”

“Non… conformist…”

The more this conversation went on, the more Rainbow Dash’s answers were monosyllabic. She’d thought it was nothing but sheer chance for Roller Derby, the exception to the rule, but for another girl from a beauty pageant to be fond of great classic movies, it almost felt supernatural to her.

It was rather fun, in Rarity’s opinion. A good life lesson for the young woman. Just because a girl liked beauty and fashion didn’t mean she was shallow and didn’t care about anything else. She knew Rainbow Dash never considered her as stupid, since she thought she was an artist, but today, she could see there were not a lot of superficial persons, the way she used to think.

Soon, a whole gathering was surrounding them, before Rainbow Dash could even understand how they got there. Well, maybe she could understand… It had started when the Katharine Hepburn’s fan, Lily Lace, claimed she thought her hair was gorgeous.

This was a compliment she was pretty used to. It was really rare to see that range of colors on a single head, and even rare to get the rainbow layout – a family feature which could appear and disappear depending on generations. However, she didn’t take extra care about it, only washing it with a shampoo and a conditioner, cutting tips when it was necessary, and brushing it by separating the colors.

The compliments she got after this one, on the other hand, she felt as if they were told in the same foreign language than the names of the beauty products the girls said they were using. When it happened, she felt lost… what made her start to understand what Soarin or the girls felt when she was talking about technical breakdowns or Roller Derby’s specificities.

“Your skin’s as soft as peach”, one of them declared, stroking her arm as if it were the fabric of an evening gown. “I’m so envious!”

“It’s easy to see you got a healthy living. It’s so hard for me to be on a diet out of the pageants. I always end up giving in. Especially when there’s chocolate.”

“I’m intolerant to chocolate.”

“Oh yeah, it might help a lot”, another of the girl answered, laughing.

She was no one else than one part of CHS’ legendary chatterbox pair, Sweetie Drops.

“Wait, girls… You haven’t seen her strong abs yet.”

Without further ado, one of them lifted Rainbow Dash’s tee-shirt, and she jumped from surprise. She had to clench at the chair under her not to tell them all to step back, while all the girls next to her were staring at her stomach and also allowed themselves to test how hard her muscles were.

“Wow, it’s incredible! You’re a real athlete. How do you maintain them?”

“Push-ups every morning?”

“Oh, I’ll never be brave enough!” another entrant, Fleur Dis Lee, added.

Rainbow Dash looked up at Rarity, who hadn’t ceased prepping her during all this time, not in the least bothered by the commotion around them. She displayed a cheerful smile that her friend, blushing from the embarrassment to be scrutinized by those who were supposed to be nothing but a bunch of bitter bitches ready to do anything to win, that her friend wasn’t sure how to interpret.

What was for sure was that this experience would shake a lot of the prejudices of the young woman. And it wasn’t a bad thing. Her ego might have saved her from a lot of situations, and from the nightmares of the past, but it didn’t mean it couldn’t be mangled.

Even if only to make sure she would discover many things about herself. And about the others.

---------------------------------------------------

The very first rehearsal had taken all morning long. If a lot of the entrants were accustomed to it, it wasn’t the case for everyone. Some of them had never put a foot on the catwalk, and Rainbow Dash was a part of this number.

In all honesty, it was much harder than she thought. It wasn’t only about marching in a straight line, they had to look sophisticated and self-confident while doing it, and never forget to smile. It didn’t make her enjoy the challenge more. On her own, without anyone to rely on but herself, she kept on thinking nothing was worth all those sacrifices, especially not some stupid crown.

She was glad when lunch time arrived, although it was only a small break among the craziness of the two days to come.

Among the dishes offered by the Organization Committee, there was a salad made of exotic fruits, which was rather successful.

But Rarity didn’t recommend it to her. Redcurrants, blackcurrants and slices of guava which were inside were too rich in fibers, and with her weakened stomach, it could be a rather bad idea.

At first, seeing the other girls relishing, she regretted a bit to be contented with the apples that Applejack had picked for her lunch. It was so unfair! These were fruits, nothing unhealthy.

And… Everyone was busy getting prepared for the second rehearsals, this time with the outfits, hair and makeup done, when the first girl started to complain about nauseas and abdominal pains. Quickly, another girl followed, and soon all those who had eaten the fruit salad were throwing up in the toilets.

“I’ve told you to always listen to experts”, Rarity told her while applying black pencil level with her eyelashes.

In front of this accident, the coordinator of the show had to call the Organization Committee. It wasn’t to know whether or not the pageant should be maintained… Of course, it would be maintained but rather to know whether they had to make an announcement in order to find new contestants to train at the last minute.

The supervisors claimed, as long as it remained around ten entrants, it wouldn’t be necessary. Especially as such a trick could make them lose money.

Four girls were sick and thus compulsory eliminated. It was a great disappointment for them, and their tears had Rainbow Dash wondered what was so vital in taking part in such a frivolous thing… It wouldn’t change the world.

She couldn’t realize it could change the course of a life. And Rarity quickly reminded her of this truth.

“For a lot of these girls, pageants are an excellent way to get a better life. It’s not only for a crown, or even for the pleasure to win… It’s also for money, and the power that comes with money. A power to take control of your life.”

“Take control of your life? Most of the judges are men! Posing, dressed in a swimsuit for male magazines, it isn’t what I call taking control of your life.”

“And how do you call it, then? No one forces them, they choose it themselves.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged.

“Although I think I understand what you mean, I still think it’s a false freedom to become an object to be looked at.”

“Well, that’s a point of view I can grant you…”

In a strange way, Rainbow Dash thought it was pleasant to have a conversation of this kind, quiet, with someone adult. It made her realize that Rarity, though she saw her less, hadn’t lost the importance she had for her.

They both shared a unique bond, that the others maybe didn’t get at first, because of how different they seemed to be. Rarity was fond of fashion, enjoyed beauty in all its shapes, refined things, she had very good manners. On the other hand, Rainbow Dash enjoyed sports and very old movies, she didn’t like to spend too much time in the bathroom to get prepared, and completely rejected the sophisticated education her father had tried so hard to give her.

Yet, one day, they both got closer, sheltered from prying eyes. Rainbow Dash was at the hospital after Night Angel had stabbed her, and Rarity had arrived, as she had heard what had happened to her from Applejack and Twilight. She had brought a gift for her friend: a yoga mat, along with an initiation book. Although she had stayed to talk with her for a short time, the way she had comforted her had changed their lukewarm relationship forever.

That was how they each discovered the hidden face of the other: sensitivity and strength. And from it started a deep respect and a discreet yet strong bond.

Rarity took a step back in order to take a look at the result of her hard work. She outlined a smile. This girl really ignored her potential! Already, without big efforts, she was a teenage girl everyone noticed, although most of the times it was because of her mischiefs.

“So… What is it like?” Rainbow Dash asks with hints of anxiety in her voice.

Her friend stepped aside so she could see her face in the mirror. The teenage girl gasped. She could hardly recognize herself… Her hair in a bun with large strands overflowing while still very elegant, and dressed with a 50s style puffy blue dress chosen by Rarity, her eyes smoky and her lips painted in a light pink, Rainbow Dash almost thought she looked refined.

It was intoxicating and uncomfortable. As if she had been transferred into somebody else’s body. Yet, it was her polychromatic hair, her almond-shaped magenta eyes and her oval-shaped face…

A clasp of hands got her out of this odd trance. The show coordinator told them it was about time to start the second rehearsals of the day, which were not going to be the last ones.

From now on, she was back on her own. From now on, hell bared a new name. The choreographer’s, Suri Polomare. She was particularly after Rainbow Dash, who she thought wasn’t graceful enough, and she walked too much splay-footed… but generally, she was tough with everyone.

If there was an aspect that deeply bored Rainbow Dash in all this beauty pageant matter, it was the endless marches, which Rarity called “shows”. They represented more than half of the contest and was nothing but walking to the front of the stage and doing ridiculous small waves of arms while the other entrants were strutting along the podium.

In those moments, she really felt like being a brainless idiot. How this farce could mean they had what was expected of them to represent their hometown?

As she was doing her routine unenthusiastically, she had a glimpse at Sweetie Drops sighing, and when their eyes met, both teenage girls couldn’t help but laugh.

Of course, Suri caught them in the act and forced them, along with the others, to start everything from the beginning. It didn’t make them win the favors of the other contestants, yet Rainbow Dash didn’t want to take offend. They would get over it eventually… It wasn’t as if she was a threat, anyway. She didn’t want to be Miss of Anything.

They were all going back to their positions in order to resume the rehearsals when Rainbow Dash heard a sound that drew her attention. Like a door which hinges were not oiled… On phobic instinct, she looked up. There surely wasn’t no plane inside but she couldn’t control herself…

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw one of the small spotlights coming off straight toward her head. She could only plunge against the floor and roll on the side, and the item crashed against the stage with a heavy noise of metal.

The gasps of shock which followed were very understandable. Immediately, mothers and sisters rushed on the stage, as well as Suri, and Rarity.

The stage management would get a serious scolding, since the coordinator was redder than a roasted lobster.

"What happened?” Rarity asked her friend.

“I have no idea… I heard that strange noise and bang!”

“Who’s Fleur Dis Lee?” a voice behind everyone said.

They all turned around and saw the Oganization Committee supervisor, his hands on his waist, frowning. Was it because the young woman had anything to do with the accident that had just happened?

No, it was impossible. Fleur Dis Lee hadn’t moved at all, even to go to the restroom. A real mean machine.

She stepped on the front stage, obviously as lost as the others were, still shocked.

“Get off right now and leave the place.”

“What? But why?”

“We’ve received an anonymous call to tell us you’re part of the Canterlot University. After we checked out this information, it happened that this wasn’t a deception at all. The contest is for high school girls less than nineteen. You have to leave. Right now.”

Fleur Dis Lee, her eyes teary, wanted to say something to defend herself, then gave up. Head low, without a look at her fellow contestants, she left the stage running and disappeared in the backstage. Immediately, Suri forbade the other girls to follow her, and demanded the rehearsals to resume. This was the harsh reality of beauty pageants, and if they weren’t able to cope with the departures of the other entrants, it even wasn’t worth participating at all.

Though shaken, the other girls went back to their positions without further questions. But when Rainbow Dash glimpsed at Rarity, she knew her friend felt the same way than she did. Something smoky was hatching, something that was nothing nice or harmless.

Firefly was used to recite a military maxim, that said that once was happenstance, twice was coincidence, and thrice was sabotage. Obviously, the saying also applied to the world of beauty pageants.

Author's Note:

As I already explained in an article of my blog, TTAG happen in our real world, with a little twist were strange hair colors and eye colors (like pink or rainbow hair) exist. Once you've admitted it, it isn't that strange anymore

Comments

[Midday Giggle]

5:48 p.m.

*Excited squealing*

Well, maybe she could understand… It had started when the Katharine Hepburn’s fan, Lily Lace, claimed she thought her hair was gorgeous.

Hey! I know her!

“Oh, I’ll never be brave enough!” another entrant, Fleur Dis Lee, added.

Her too! *squeals*

Poor Fleur

Oh, I've forgotten there's weird stuff happening in the backgrounds of Miss Congeniality, so now I'm curios of what strange stuff is happening here.

[Dusk_Writer]

This is getting juicy! I have a few suspects of whom I think is doing all this but we'll see! (I love these kinds of chapters o3o)