Description: The event comes to an end with the first Miss Teen Southtown revealed and crowned. However there is no 'final boss' in this event. At least, not one that we know of. It's a happy ending for.. Most. (Winner: Alexis)
The final final FINAL segment of the pageant has finally arrived! After many bouts or rather impressive matches (and the audience certainly could have used the moment to stretch their legs), the audience and judges were brought back into the theatre to prepare for what is to come.
The segment begins with the pageants participants all lined up along the stage behind the hostess Wanda, instructed to have worn a sash over their attire. The soccer mom, of course, is chattering on and on about good sportsmanship, and how it's so wonderful that in times like these there are still talented, young role models for today's youth to look up to. "And so without further adieu, I present the three finalists of Miss Teen Southtown, Miss Sakura Kasugano, Miss Alexis LeCour, and Miss Sada Asai, if you three would please step forward as the final scores are revealed!" There's plenty of room right there with her at the stages front!
Applause follows from the audience, and of course from the silver-haired judge, Yurika Kirishima, who seems to have finally decided to appear at the judges table once more. Frankly, though, she's rather impressed that one of those three actually managed to -make- it to the top three.
Sakura Kasugano always has a smile for her fans, and this final ceremony is no exception! Sure, she has plenty of reason to be happy -- she did pretty well for herself in the pageant, even if she didn't exactly knock 'em dead with her maybe-a-bit-too-tomboyish Mulan outfit... and she didn't actually /succeed/ in taking down Raizo Imawano in her battle...
... Okay, she's a bit sad about that, but she's not about to show it to the crowd! Sakura wants to be the best at everything she tries, even if it's her first actual pageant -ever-. At least she got to fight, right?
Kasugano takes a moment to smooth out the front pleats of her Seijyun High uniform -- her university uniform having been irreparably shredded in her fight with Raizo. The substitute uniform mostly fits her, though she keeps rubbing her shoulders -- the tailoring being a bit too narrow there. Insert tomboy joke here!
Kasugano's smile grows another notch at the thought of her name being read first. That's got to be a good sign, right? Checking her sash for a moment to make sure it hasn't fallen off, she glances around to Sada and Alexis -- don't they look nice! Sakura will have plenty to talk to -both- of them after this competition, now... Once beckoned, she strides up to the front alongside Wanda, and offers another cheery wave to the crowd!
Hotaru has arrived.
Sada has a small flower tucked and laced into her hair over one ear, along with her still-formal school outfit; she didn't have enough confidence in the image of her kimono to wear it for this. (Somehow, it got dirty... somehow.)
Her sash lists her name as well as her sponsoring school, and she glances with a moment of faint disapproval at Kasugano wearing the colors of her most favorite place in the world. But it passes, and she steps forwards, looking ahead with her best yamato-nadesico smile, hands folded behind her as she waits for the formal call!
Howard Rust, Southtown Pacific High's shop teacher, is once more at the table after vaguely mysterious circumstances saw him away from the table during the fighting segment, dressed up in that stuffy red suit whose tie he is beginning to develop thoughts of murder for because self strangulation for sake of etiquette is one of those concepts he wishes he didn't have to embrace in getting the job he has now.
There's polite clapping with the announcement of all three finalists, and tries to not wear the look of 'this tie is strangling me, ow, when can this be done' on his face especially after all that's happened. He got delicious free food, that's more than enough motivation along with simple concepts of 'be polite, these are young women so very into this' and 'each one of them here could probably put me in the hospital if I blink funny.' He has a very storied recent history of getting jumped by and pounded to the dirt by random teenage girls for reasons that remain obscure. Maybe his combover is a threat to all that is good and holy (hint: it is).
The first girl called is apparently not the only one offering happy, cheerful smiles to the crowd. Alexis steps forward, eyes twinkling and squinting up brightly as she offers a tiny little wave to the audience. She's not sure about the order the names are called in, and she's trying hard not to think about reasonings behind things.
As she continues forward, the gymnast turns a glance over her shoulder to offer a smile to Sada... only in her nervousness she's not noticed that the other girl has already stepped forward. Clearing her throat, she continues on, adjusting the sash she wears over the pink sweater-vest of her uniform. Stopping beside the other two girls, she turns and greets Sakura with a smile and then makes a cute little curtsey toward Wanda before facing front again, hands clasping together in front of her.
And at the judge's table, dressed as he habitually is in that nice, tan business suit and the great big claws, is Raizo Imawano. The bear of a man is as neutral as he always is - a professional smile, hands folded neatly on the table in front of him. He watches the contestants with a relaxed eye, for the moment; these are, after all, the final moments. He has no particular need to be on HIGH ALERT.
Unless Igniz crashes through the window or something, but Raizo doesn't particularly expect that one today.
Yurika, as always, is pretty amused by Rust. Behind that uncertain, shakey, noisy-boned exterior is a bit of charm. If it weren't for the pageant she probably wouldn't have even given him the time of day. A little lesson learned for today's frilled and prissy judge.
And here, of course, is where the dramatics begin, a drum roll coming the band section that snaps Wanda out of her moment of distraction as she was nodding her head back to Alexis. "Oh! Right, yes, and so the final scores are.. Miss Asai with thirty-seven point one points! Miss Kasugano with thirty seven point nine points.. And, ladies and gentlemen, this years Miss First annual Miss Teen Southown's winner, Alexis LaCoeur with thirty-eight point six points!"
A standing applause follows, and the band proceeds to play some unrecognizable tune, pink and white confetti and baloons snow from above as well-dressed stagehands make their way onto the stage. Quick, but not rushed work as Sada is handed a bouquet of white flowers and a wooden plaque with a bronze plate. Sakura is handed a bouquet as well of the same color, but her plaque has a silver plate. And Alexis the same, though not just a plaque with a gold plate, but also a shimmering, silver tiara placed upon her head.
Sakura had been running around backstage to try and gather her Mulan costume together, to the point that she never -did- find out how many points Sada or Alexis had attained. She had started watching Wanda, but that lady makes her nervous, so she glances down at the judges' table. Rust... she still doesn't know that guy too well, but he seems nice enough. And Raizo of course gets a warm smile! ... Whereas Yurika gets a predatory smile. Too late to change your vote now, miss prissy!
But finally Wanda gets around to mentioning the winners. It's quite a surprise when she finally hears the results! Kasugano finally draws in her breath as her name is announced at second, starting to clap for the others. She's happy for Alexis, of course!
Nestling her bouquet and plaque into the crook of her arm, she continues applauding wildly for Alexis! She takes a step back, nodding quietly to Sada. "Congrats, you two!" she adds with a warm smile. Second place is... alright! First place could make her life even more bothersome, anyway, and who needs that!? (/denial)
Yurika has disconnected.
[OOC] Sada' pulls out her blade. +_+
[OOC] Sakura >_>;;
[OOC] Sakura pulls out her fists!
[OOC] Raizo says, "Sada stop killing Yurika. :|"
Yurika has connected.
[OOC] Yurika missed any poses after hers. xx;
[OOC] Rust says, "Sakura's."
Can you blame Mr. Rust? A prim and proper all-girls' school in a culture that is not his. Perhaps it is karma from his younger days when catcalls at women passing by were the norm and almost accepted as an inevitability. But, the worry at least subsides with the proper announcement of the winners and the additional lack of any particular tragedies that he is aware of. He joins the rest with the standing ovation. Well, his knee does first. Pop! (What is the sound of one knee joint clapping?)
The clapping is measurably slower compared to the average ovation, but he smiles pretty broadly underneath the sweat and the perpetual threat of strangulation and maybe a little dehydration. Getting older kind of sucks!
Third place... in a field of three.
Sada feels the world seem to go stone gray. However, her composure as a lady of Japan is not so easily broken. She steps forwards, smiling, and takes the bouquet and the plaque with the bronze plate, still smiling. She looks out at the small cluster of flashing cameras, still smiling.
Inwardly she seethes at the injustice of it all, already plotting to put acid in people's tea. How could this happen!? Kasugano, she thinks - at least Kasugano's not some filthy shaved European, but she's like a physical-education major. (And not even as well built as me, Sada adds in a minor secondary internal tangent.) And she wins first place?!
Perhaps, she reasons further, this is part of a greater agenda -- yes; she tells herself, I shouldn't be hasty. Some of the tightness inches fractionally out of her smile.
It's the drum roll.
Hands wring together nervously as the little blonde gymnast listens for the names. She's made it to the top three already, will this be as far as she goes?
When she's not called as a runner up, she blinks. Momentarily thinking that the judges changed their minds, Alexis glances over at the other two, and prepares for the worst.
Then Wanda calls /her/ as the First Annual Miss Teen Southown, and she blinks again. Slowly. So slowly, in fact, that when she opens her eyes once more, the peridots are just HUGE.
Standing there with a shocked expression as the pink and white confetti and balloons snow down upon them, she starts to smile. True, genuine, bright. She did it! She did it without bribing anyone, and without doing anything mean to the other contestants (which she'd heard some pageant contestants do -- but of course none for this pageant, right?), and just by being herself.
Graciously, she takes the flowers in one hand, the plaque in the other and blushes prettily as the tiara is placed upon her head. The silver goes well with her white and pink uniform after all, especially with the gray pleated skirt!
Once the tiara is secure on her head, she looks between her competitors. Recalling how venomous Sada can be, she just offers the other girl a smile, and a quiet congratulations. Then she turns to Sakura, who in her mind is obviously the safer of the two standing with her. In an incredibly girlish-pageant-esque manner, she rushes over to give a quick hug to the second place winner. "Congrats!," she squeaks out merrily, before releasing the older girl and twirling about to face the audience once more. A graceful curtsey is made to Wanda again, then she shifts the plaque to the same hand as the flowers and brings her now free hand up to her lips to blow a little kiss out at the audience before preening for the flashing of cameras.
The applause is soaked in for another moment before calls out a sunny, "Thank you, everyone!" Directed, of course, at not only the audience, but the judges and her fellow contestants as well.
[OOC] Alexis spams. ;.;
[OOC] Rust says, "That ain't spam, I'll show you spam one day."
[OOC] Alexis is afraid of your spam, Rust!
Igniz has arrived.
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Suddenly, Igniz."
[OOC] The Big Mig joins at the last seconds to try to pull an upstart victory.
[OOC] The Big Mig dominates the swimsuit competition.
[OOC] Sakura says, "hax! There's no way we can win against that!"
[OOC] Rust says, "Oh dear."
[OOC] Raizo SMASH
[OOC] The Big Mig's rock hard abs shatter?!
[OOC] Raizo says, "I...can't even think of something to pose, so plz don't wait ._."
[OOC] Alexis thinks we're waiting for Yurika to come back, could be wrong though.
[OOC] Raizo ah
[OOC] Sada' says, "But she's right there!?"
[OOC] Alexis says, "Oh. I never saw her log back in. XD My bad."
Sada may be able to fool the crowd, but she isn't able to trick her closest 'friend' Yurika. The look that Kasugano gives her is actually ignored, looking to the other schoolmate closely. She isn't sure what to expect after having watched her and Alexis' fight, so she can only hope that nothing unruly happens... Today. It'd seem this event was pretty 'clean' overall. But that's to be expected in Yurika's mind, while it was a big event in her eyes, it wasn't big enough to gain the heavier corporate eyes, and/or the contestant pressure that'd come with it, as she had originally wanted.. Though that should change come the second time for sure. Right now there's just a lot on her mind, though her patient smile hides that fairly well.
Meanwhile the thunderous applause continues. As unusual an event as it was it seems to have a positive reception overall, and Wanda looks pretty ecstatic herself, giving an applause, and returns the curtsey with a nod of her head. Maybe she has a bad back or something? "Thank you, girls, and to all the contestants that have participated in this event, I think the audience had a wonderful time seeing what you have to offer. Hopefully we'll see you again next time! And to everyone, have a wonderful evening!" and with that she proceeds to sing as the orchestra picks up again; The contestants at this point would be gently directed from the stage.. In which in no time they'd be approached by story hungry reporters.
And back to Yurika, whom gives a bow to the judges by her side, "Thank you very much for helping me out, Mister Rust. Mister Imawano."
Sakura returns Alexis' hug, making sure to keep her bouquet safe from being squished! She only knows Alexis a little bit, but she knows how much performance means to the aspiring gymnast! The teacher-in-training can't wait to review the young woman's battle, as well... but from what she did see, she can still answer honestly. "I'm so happy for you! You did a really good job out there, I'm glad!" She offers another cheery grin, and a thumbs-up, once free of the Alexis-grasp. "You should show me some of your moves when we get some time, too!"
She nods back to Wanda, only partially paying the soccer mom any mind. She's used to blocking out the roar of the crowd from her many fighting performances, so that just comes naturally.
She bows to the judges as well, before stepping back and away from the edge of the stage. Walking by Sada, she flashes the young woman a sly grin, adding, "Wish I'd picked a costume like yours, it seemed like yours went over pretty well..." She's got lots to say to Sada, having seen her in passing during a phase of her life she'd rather not remember. And yet... her expression darkens just a moment. "We should talk some time." What about... even Sakura isn't sure.
But she won't have to worry about it for a little while, as it's not long after that she's jumping right into the throngs of reporters and the sea of igniting flashbulbs!! Ahhhhhh, publicity!
"Oh... not a problem." The gravelly voice of the teacher struggles to speak up against the thunderous applause, so he repeats this a bit louder, "not a problem, ah, always ready to lend a hand to the... global community." It's a rather practiced phrase but his feelings towards that are genuine despite the sort of alien differences of this school and the culture he grew up in. The ellipses pause is for a small cough, where his hand fiddles with his tie absent mindedly again, he is going to set this thing on fire. Also, maybe next time he can convince the headmasters in charge that it is not corrupting the eyes of young ladies if he is able to work with the runway construction without wearing the suit he is now!!
He returns the bow promptly. "And, uh... pleased to meet you too, Mr. Imawano." Look at him! He's huge! He's the principal of the most elite school in all of the country, if not the entire northern hemisphere! In perhaps the grandest display of testicular fortitude a near-average joe can make, he extends his right hand towards the principal for a handshake, mentally preparing to brace if the grip could crush his entire arm outright. And there's not a lot that could to begin with.
[OOC] Sada' says, "Eep sorry dinner attacked. I WILL POSE @_@"
[OOC] Alexis hopes it didn't make a mess while attacking. o.o
[OOC] Sada' says, "Only a mess of /flavor/."
[OOC] Yurika snickers.
[OOC] Kichiga ( º_º)¬ "flavor all over you?"
Sada returns the very formal, very polite, very correct, and /not at all secretly loathing/ nod to Alexis. Sakura's returning the hug - heh heh, she thinks, perhaps already thinking of her revenge. "Congratulations," she says to Sakura, stepping to the side to attempt to at least be /in/ the photography, if in the background. "I suppose it was a good choice, even if perhaps it wasn't as successful as I'd hoped..."
She then adds, with another of those formal smiles, "Of course. We should have tea, sometime." Perhaps half past NEVER. But... she isn't jumping anyone! Yurika's expectations may be a little TOO low.
Raizo applauds respectfully as the names are announced. For someone who is so.../unique/, he's pretty good at acting like a completely unremarkable person when he wants to. Perhaps that's why he's able to get away with so much, though - a man with his looks would normally not get near the level of success Raizo Imawano has achieved!
Sometimes, the power to conform is as important as the power to break the mold.
"Never a problem!" he rumbles at Yurika, with a smile. He may not have forgiven her for certain family ties, but he has at least conducted himself gamely here. Neither of them have tried to stab each other in the back, which is pretty much a first for an Imawano and a Kirishima in the same room for more than ten minutes. "I'm always happy to be of assistance to the schools of Southtown. And I'm quite impressed with your administration of this event."
And he turns to Rust, smiling. Yes, indeed - he is huge. He has been compared to a house, and it's not a particularly exaggerated thing to say. "And a pleasure to meet you as well, Mister Rust," Raizo says, accepting the hand. His hands are enormous, but his grip is only firm, not crushing. Raizo is a well-trained man. "I've been looking forward to seeing you myself for some time now."
Performance is /everything/!
Cheers, and applause, and flash-bulbs going off in your face are pretty good too, at least to Alexis' way of thinking!
The little reverie that she's experiencing, the complete elation of the moment... it all drifts when Sakura speaks to her. That's not a bad thing, because she would likely stand out on stage all night if she were allowed to! "Uh huh! I will!" Not that she's got any way of contacting the teacher-to-be, but maybe they can exchange numbers backstage or something?
When she notices the loathing nod from Sada, her smile just brightens. She's absolutely positive the fighting segment allowed her to peg the other girl perfectly. Which means she's really going to have to watch her back, maybe.
A hand brushes up to carefully adjust her tiara, and she sends another smile to the audience. A cheerful wave is given again before she allows herself to be directed from the stage and into the throng of ravenous reporters.
ODROP::Igniz heads OOC.
The tension relaxes rather visibly when the grip is revealed to be gentle, practiced, well versed in the ways of not crushing people smaller than him, and Howard Rust is not exactly what people would call a diminutive man to begin with! Maybe roughly gentle in demeanor aside from the random instances of cursing under significant stress, pressure, and occasional yelling at the class. This is probably him at his most cautious given how increasingly volatile his line of work has gotten since he first came here.
"Oh... really? Well, hope I didn't keep you waiting." He manages something of a short laugh while maintaining the handshake. Wanting to be met by the principal of the toughest school he's ever heard of, that's... that's got to be something, wow. He doesn't agree wholeheartedly with the approach but the results are there and he's here, right now, shaking his hand and talking about his interest in meeting him, would you imagine that.
Low expectations? Or all according to plan???? Ahem. Yurika distractedly glances to the side as the girls move off-stage, and then back to the two men before her with her usual patient smile. She seems to be blissfully unaware of any sort of tension that's supposed to be present between herself and Raizo, though she fully intends to talk about that in the near future.. Maybe. If she knew how highly Rust thought of Raizo's school, she'd probably be a bit jealous, by the way.
A Seijyun student approaches Yurika, whispering something to her. With a slight nod she then says to the two gentlemen, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to bow out a bit early then.." She meaning the pageant doesn't -exactly- end until Wanda's decided her lungs have had enough. Though some of the younger members of the audience have already ducked low and are crawling toward the 'Exit' doors. "I'll see you both later then, again, thank you." With a short twirl, frilled dress sweeping with the motion, Yurika makes her exit.
Meanwhile Wanda seems to fully intend to sing the anthem of each contestants school. It's not that she's a bad singer, mind, but who wants to sit there for ten more minutes!
Sakura is /very/ glad she can block out Wanda at this point.
Once the crowd allows her to, she makes her way over to Yurika and shakes her (no doubt gloved) hand politely, "Thank you, Miss Kirishima..." before offering Raizo and Rust each a handshake of their own. "Thanks again! It was fun!"
And then she's back into the crowd!
[OOC] Sakura quickposes out, since she's tired \@_@/ Thanks for running this, folks!
[OOC] Rust says, "You're welcome! Though I guess I was a cameo appearance throughout."
[OOC] Alexis is happy she posed out last round and missed Wanda's singing. Haw. XD
[OOC] Alexis says, "Yes, thank you for setting this up, Yurika. ^^ It was fun."
[OOC] Raizo suffers through the WHOLE THING.
[OOC] Rust says, "Me too, because Raizo and I are likely to engage in at least an hour of MAN TALK."
[OOC] Rust says, "For men."
[OOC] Rust says, "Yeah."
[OOC] Yurika laughs!
[OOC] Rust says, "Thanks for organizing this though, Yurika, it's been fun!"
[OOC] Rust wrote in his app that he found Seijyun kind of alien and scary but didn't think he'd ever get the chance to express that, is glad he did.
[OOC] Yurika grins, "Not a problem, and I'm glad you did and that you all had a good time. I'll have to work on how to make it work more smoothly next time."
[OOC] Yurika has a lot of tweaks to make, really. @@;
[OOC] Rust is sad half the contestants had to bow out, he liked Mizuki's costume presentation.
[OOC] Yurika nods!
[OOC] Sakura says, "It was pretty neat!"
[OOC] Yurika will have all the logs up by the end of the week hopefully.
Log created on 19:35:37 07/21/2008 by Yurika, and last modified on 06:14:26 07/27/2008.