Disclaimer: You know this already, but I don't own Ms. Congeniality or Full Metal Alchemist…
Beauty of the Military
Ch. 6: Danger at the Pageant
Riza woke, the next morning, grabbed her make up bag, and headed to the dressing room.
"Geez, I have no idea how to do this." Riza muttered frantically, "Which one is lipstick?"
She dug through the bag, totally flustered.
"Ladies, Rita needs help!" Cheryl said.
The other girls swarmed over, and helped her with make-up.
It was the final "showdown" and there were thousands of people there.
Riza dressed into her new outfit, and lined up with the other girls.
She heard the announcer speaking and the music starting, and she couldn't help but be nervous.
They then started their dance routine, as everyone applauded wildly.
Mr. Arcos entered onto the stage, when their routine was finished.
"Welcome ladies and Gentlemen to the lovely, desert city of Lior, where we hold the Annual Beauty Pageant!" he announced, "I am here to announce the top five finalists!"
He announced the top finalist.
Riza and Cheryl were two of them.
Riza was never so amazed in her life.
Meanwhile, Roy, Vic, and the others were getting ready to go home on the plane.
"Sir, I checked the information about Ms. Moonbeams, as you asked, sir, and she's a model citizen." Master Sergeant Furey said, "She has one son, but is a widow."
Roy nodded, absorbing all the information.
"That rascal is a terrible example of a human being…" Vic commented scornfully.
"You know her son?" Roy asked.
"It's her pageant assistant, Foku." Vic said.
"That's odd. When she was questioned, she never mentioned her son, or her assistant." Roy said, "Do you have any information about Foku Moonbeams?"
Lt. Furey shook his head.
"Nope." He said, "And I checked my sources, carefully."
"Well, of course not, he changed his name, to hide his crime, and keep his mother's name intact." Vic said.
"How do you know that?" Roy asked.
"I've been around this pageant for almost your entire life." Vic said, "It would shock you, what I know."
Riza, at the same time, was in her second swimsuit competition.
"Do it for the safety of the other girls…" Riza said to herself, as she stepped onto the stage.
When she was finished with that, she rushed to get her other outfit on, so she was ready to do her musical act.
Before Cheryl got onto the stage before her, Riza rushed after her.
"Here, I got you something." She said, handing her a bag, with a pink bow on it.
Cheryl unwrapped it to see a pair of fire batons.
"Oh no, I couldn't…" Cheryl said hesitantly.
"Come on, your partied, stole panties, you're almost invincible." Riza said smiling.
Cheryl wrapped an arm around Riza's neck, as she went to finish her outfit.
Vic, had told Roy about Foku's crimes, and misuse of bombs, and other weapons.
"We gotta get back there!" Roy said, settling into his car.
The only thing on his mind, at that moment, was Riza's safety.
They both headed to the theatre, and headed backstage.
Cheryl was doing her routine, as Riza watched excitedly.
Riza then spotted Roy and Vic, and she lit up.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked happily.
"Listen, I think you might have been right." Roy admitted, "Foku is Ms. Moonbeams' son."
"Foku, you mean her assistant, who crushes with the girls in his spare time?" Riza asked, with slight disgust in her voice.
"I searched his law files, and he has several things, except he changed his name. Roy explained.
"What are you planning to do?" Riza asked, concerned.
"Well, you just do what you can, we have to find Foku." Roy said, "I can count on you, right Hawkeye?"
Riza looked at him, and her look softened,
"Of course." She said.
A producer then ran over to her,
"Miss Flowers, you're up next." He said.
"I gotta get my water glasses!" Riza said.
She then spotted the other girls, drinking the water.
"Oh no, that's my talent!" Riza exclaimed.
"We're sorry, we didn't know." They said, walking away.
"Now what are you going to do? You have to get into the top five!" Vic said, "Can you sing, make puppets, rearrange furniture?"
"No, I can't do any of that!" Riza said, "All you said is that I had was coldness and a gun! Unfortunately, rules say, that guns cannot be used."
"Well, you have a gun, and a fierce punch." Roy added.
Riza thought,
"That's it!" she said, "Colonel, I'm gonna need your assistance, besides, you owe me."
Roy couldn't help, but have a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Alright." He said.
She walked onto the stage.
"I'm sorry, it says that I was supposed to play the water glasses for you, but some of the girls got dehydrated backstage, so I'm here to explain some basic self-defense techniques for young women." Riza said, "So, here to help me with my presentation is my assistant, Roy Stallion."
Roy sighed at the change of his name, but Vic pushed him onto the stage, as everyone clapped.
"Now, in some cases, your attacker might come from the front." Riza said, fixing her posture to an appropriate stance.
Roy reluctantly went to pounce on her, and she hit him in the face.
Everyone in the audience jumped, totally startled.
"You use the bone, by the palm of your hand; make contact with the attacker's nose. This will break the nose, and cause your attacker's eyes to tear." She said, "Now, if they come at you from behind…"
Riza once again adjusted her position.
Roy stood there, wanting only to fix his wounded pride.
"Come on Roy." Riza urged.
He then grabbed her around the waist, as she threw him over her shoulder, and onto the floor.
Once again, the audience once again clapped.
"Now, if all else fails, go for the four most sensitive areas of the body. How we remember them, we use the word SING. S-I-N-G."
Roy grabbed her from behind again,
"They are, respectively, Stomach, instep, nose, and groin." Riza explained, hitting him in every spot as she said it.
Roy then staggered off stage, as Riza patted him on the back.
"You owe me big time…" he growled lowly.
Riza followed after an enthusiastic cheering from the audience.
"Let's go find that Foku, after you get your evening gown on." Vic said.
When Riza was done changing, it was time for the calling of the final five contestants.
She went on stage, as several names were called, and to her surprise, she and Cheryl were called.
Vic gasped and applauded excitedly, as Roy watched, trying to hide a smile on his face.
They then got ready for the next interview.
"I can't believe it!" Riza said.
Vic grinned at her,
"I told you not to give up." He said, "You earned it."
It was Riza's turn,
"Now, as you know, there are many out there, who disapprove of this Beauty pageant, and other events like it. What would you say to them?" Ms. Moonbeams asked, reading the question off a card, similar to the ones Vic had before.
"Well, I'd have to say, that I used to be one of them, but my opinion has been changed a lot since I have made good friends with most of them, and have come to firmly believe, that these women are smart, terrific people, who are just trying to make a difference in this world. This experience has been one of the most rewarding in my life." Riza said, holding the microphone, "And if anyone tries to hurt one of my new friends, I would hunt you down, and take you out. Thank you, Ms. Moonbeams."
She handed the microphone off to the next contestant to her right, as Ms. Moonbeams looked slightly pale, and uneasy.
After the girls were taken to the dressing room, Riza spotted a group of girls, gathered around last year's pageant winner.
"Where's the crown, I wanted to rub it for good luck…" One of the girls said, kind of disappointed.
"Oh, Foku took it to be polished, but don't worry," the woman said, "It'll be here on time."
Riza froze, as she came to realization.
"It's the crown. It must be a bomb or something." She said, frantically.
Roy, meanwhile, was still looking around, for any clues to this case.
He spotted Riza as she was on stage, trying to signal to him, with no success.
The runner-ups were being called, as Roy looked up to a rather large statue, and spotted Foku hiding behind the scenes, looking down at the girls below on the stage.
Roy got his gloves ready, and put them on, as he too, headed behind the statue.
"Vic, wait here." Roy said.
At the same time, on the stage, the competition for the Queen of the pageant was between Riza and Cheryl.
Both girls exchanged anxious, yet excited glances at each other.
"Our first runner up is…Miss. Riza Flowers, which means, that Miss Cheryl Keiza is our winner!" Mr. Arcos announced proudly.
Riza and Cheryl embraced each other.
"Don't take the crown." Riza warned in her ear, as she clung to Cheryl.
One of the security guards had to pull Riza away from her.
Riza fought them, and tried to get the crown away from Cheryl.
"I have to stop Foku's plan…" Riza growled, as she kicked the guard.
Cheryl, thinking that it was out of jealousy, fought Riza.
As Riza tried to get the crown, Roy fought with Foku on the statue.
"Don't make me fry you." Roy snarled, as he knocked the trigger switch, that he found in Foku's hand, onto the ground below.
"Riza!" Roy yelled, as he saw Ms. Moonbeams pick up the trigger switch.
Riza spotted him, and threw the crown away from the people, as Ms. Moonbeams pressed the trigger, a crazed look in her eyes.
The crown exploded in a flurry of sparks and flames, and it took off most of the scenery.
Cheryl fainted into Riza's arms, causing Riza to fall as well.
Both girls sat on the ground, as what just happened settled into their minds.