Chapter 2: The Preliminary Round

"Alright ladies, I know it looks like there are a lot less of you in this room compared to when you were all lined up outside the building. Don't worry! There's a perfectly good reason for the change in numbers!" we hear Shizune say, thanks in large part to the microphone an assistant handed to her.

"Per competition rules, there is supposed to be a certain number of potential models, aka, you guys, taking part in the morning session. There were so many of you that came out today, that once we reached our limit, we basically had to stop letting people in to the building. While the rest of those girls will have to wait till the afternoon session to have their chance, you early birds will be starting your journey right here, right now!"

"And so it begins . . ." I mumble, taking in a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Are you ready Hinata?"

"Hopefully . . ." is all she says, her face looking slightly unsure. I return it with a reassuring smile before bringing my attention back to Shizune, who was gesturing for the whole room to be quiet, like an emcee quieting her loyal fans.

"Anyway, before you all entered this room, you were each handed a pink piece of paper with a number on it. When your number is called, you will come up to our lovely runway here in the middle of the aisle," she explains, gesturing toward the long, black, elevated platform running down the main walkway. "The preliminary judges will ask you to walk, and once you're done, they'll do a little interview with you, with your fellow models here serving as your audience of course."

"Oh great . . . Doing an interview and a runway walk in front of your competition? No pressure." Hinata says with a worrying shake of the head.

"I guess they want to see how we'd perform in front of an audience. You know, see who'll step to the plate or buckle under the pressure, that kind of thing," I say with a shrug. "It's a pretty smart test if you ask me. Not everyone is suited for the limelight after all . . ."

"It may be a smart test, but it's a nerve-wracking one just as much. . ."

"This year, there's going to be a few changes to the competition's format, and the first change starts right here, right now," Shizune further explains, punctuating each word with every step along the runway. "In previous years, the usual routine of the preliminary rounds is as follows: walks, interviews, Polaroid shots, and exit."

"Usually the announcement for the semi-finalists isn't announced until a few weeks after the entire preliminary competition is completed. Well, not this year."

Shizune's face is borderline conspiratorial as she watched us buzz with excitement. She was pretty much torturing us with the lack of info at this point, and I don't know why, but something tells me she was enjoying herself a little too much right now. "This year, our lovely preliminary judges have a special item in their arsenal. We here at 'You Wanna Be on Top?' have suitably called it the "Fast Track" award."

"Fast Track award?" Hinata asks as we both looked at the woman in disbelief. "What do you think that implies?"

"I don't know . . ." I say with an unsure shrug. "But I think it's supposed to be good for us."

"Now, I bet you all are wondering what the Fast Track award is, right?" Shizune asks, still with that teasing grin on her face. "Well, the idea behind it is quite simple. If you impress the judges very well, and I mean very well, then you could earn a Fast Track from them. Earning a Fast Track award means that instead of waiting weeks to learn about your fate, you would earn a ticket to the semifinals right here, on the spot."

The response to her explanation was crazy, to say the least. Girls left and right were jumping up and down in their seats, shocked and amazed to know that there was a chance to immediately earn a spot to the next round up on the table. Shizune ended up having a lot more trouble keeping us quiet - I think that's what she gets for teasing us for so long - but eventually she managed to get everyone to calm down.

It's amazing how quick this room can go from sounding like it's about to erupt into a riot to being as quiet as a library on a good day.

"Calm down girls! I haven't gotten to the drawback yet!" That shut us completely up in no time flat. "Yes, the Fast Track award sounds like an amazing thing to win, and it is, trust me! However it comes in a limited supply, and I mean very limited . . . Only three of you can win a Fast Track award, that is, if three of you manage to impress the judges well enough. And it's three per gender at each audition. Six per stop. Three for the guys, and three for the girls. Whatever is left of the Fast Track awards here in the morning session gets rolled over to the afternoon session, so if I were you, I would be counting my lucky stars that I made it into this session."

"Well that's great," I mumble, soaking in the shocked gasps and groans that were erupting all around us. "When you think about it, there's basically no guarantee that three girls will even win the awards to get to the semifinals. One girl could win, three girls could win . . ."

"Or in the worst case scenario, no girl wins a Fast Track award and we'll all have to wait weeks before we learn our fates," Hinata finishes, tapping her fingers along her lap. "It really isn't a full win-win scenario for us."

"Eh, you got that right."

"Alright ladies, are you ready to meet the judges?!" Shizune asks, getting a unanimous 'YES' in return. "Alright then, let's bring them out here. All three have quite a long history within this competition, so trust me. They know what they are talking about . . . Without further ado, please give a warm welcome to the photographing duo of Genma Shiranui and Hayate Gekko, and top model and 'You Wanna Be On Top?' alum Anko Mitarashi!"

We all come to our feet and applaud the three judges as they entered the room through a side door. The first judge, Genma, was dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans, with his hair tied back in a bandanna, and his signature toothpick already sticking out of his mouth.

Hayate Gekko looked a little sickly in person - then again, when was he not? - but he was dressed fashionably in a casual dark gray suit; his eyes looking a little livelier than what they were usually known for.

As for Anko, who started her career the same way we're trying to start ours' now, she was smiling from ear-to-ear as she took the seat in between the two men at the judges table, looking just as good as the men in her body-hugging black jumpsuit.

She was actually the first judge I noticed out of the three, mostly because she walked into the room carrying a tray of dangos in her hands and I was starting to get hungry myself.

"Judges, any last words before we get things started?"

"I do have something to say," Anko calls, an almost lecherous grin dominating her face. "Ladies, if you have been following my career, then you know that years ago, I was in the position that you guys are in right now. I was one of you wannabe hopefuls, waiting to strut my stuff and show what I got. Yes, I did make it into the final group, and no, I unfortunately didn't win it all, but I still managed to make a name for myself in the business. . ."

"All I'm trying to say is that win or lose, this competition has ways of opening doors to you that you may not realize just yet. You just have to show the effort and willingness to work for what you are aiming for. Don't take this as a game. Don't take this as a joke! Be serious! Work hard, and strut your asses off!" Anko brashly calls, inciting the anxious crowd with quick intensity. "That's all I have to say. Genma, Hayate, anything you want to add?"

"I think you summed it up quite well if you ask me!" says Genma while Hayate simply shook his head in agreement. "Let's get things started!"

"Hmm, it looks like the judges are ready to get this show on the road," Shizune mumbles as she turns to face the rest of us. "Models, ARE YOU READY?!"

"YES!" we all screamed, the anticipation practically killing us at this point.

"Alright, let's get these preliminaries started!" Shizune exclaims before walking over to a small bowl filled with pink sheets that looked similar to the ones that each of us was given. "Models 87 and 93, please come on down!"

A blond with a severe bob cut quickly got up from her seat in the middle of the room and made her way over to the runway, soon followed by another girl that had blue streaks in her strikingly silver hair. They both made their way over to the part of the runway closest to the judges' table, and even though we could only see their backs, I could tell that they were nervous, very visibly nervous.

One of them was shaking so much you'd think she was going through a serious earthquake right now.

"Hello girls! What's your names?" Genma asks, his tone friendly as he took out his toothpick.

"My name is Miyuki" the girl with the blue streaks said, her voice trembling as she spoke. It's a miracle she managed to say that without stuttering.

"Kurome" the girl with the blonde bob said, nodding her head.

"Well Miyuki, Kurome, you two are the first of many, which means you two have the honor of setting the bar," advises Hayate as he crossed his arms. "Hopefully, you two set a high one. Let's get things started . . ."

And started it did.

Kurome and Miyuki walked side-by-side to the tunes of an electro-pop song blaring out from the speakers dotting the walls and our frantic cheering. Both managed to stay in a straight line, and I had to admit. They both had pretty reasonable walks. They weren't really strong and powerful, but they were reasonable enough.

The interviews came right after that, and any notion of the interviews being easier than the walking went right out the window as soon as the first few questions came out of the judges mouths. They were rather blunt and straight-to-point. They weren't mincing their words, and they were not holding back in the slightest. From the first interviews, and the ensuing ones after it, I knew that questions about us as a person or on the fashion world would be the two main topics the judges want to get to, and they were obviously looking for truthful, heartfelt answers.

As someone who didn't naturally wear their heart on a sleeve, this was not going to be easy.

More and more models were called up as time went on, ready to try for their shot at glory. Some girls were so confident you thought they were competing for the Miss Japan crown or something. It was just so pageant-like, so . . . unnatural.

They were practically robots, well dressed robots in very nice shoes.

I had a feeling those girls didn't impress the judges too much.

On the other hand, some of the girls were obviously nervous, and a couple managed to break down before they got on stage, showing just how much their nerves was getting to them. As soon as they tried to say something, they either lost their voice or started crying, their tears landing on the runway's shiny surface.

I think some of the girls even had anxiety attacks, but the scary highlight of the day goes to the raven-haired girl who fainted right in front of the judges table. One minute she seemed perfectly fine, and then next minute she was face-first on the ground. She didn't even brace herself, and her face must be hurting right now, well, if the bloody nose she sat up with was any indication.

That was unnerving, and Hinata started trembling so much that I had to calm her down.

"Hinata, it's going to be okay . . ." I say, her eyes glued to the poor girl as she gets carted away on a stretcher. "Just take a deep breath and calm your nerves."

"I'm trying, but after seeing what just happened, it's really hard to try to stay in a calm state of mind," she tells me as she shakes her head. "Oh, I've always been the shy, nervous type, so I can easily imagine sharing that girl's fate and fainting right where everyone in this whole room can see. That would just be embarrassing!"

"Hinata, you can't keep dwelling on the negative here. You need to stay positive," I say supportively as I see Shizune talking with the judges from the corner of my eye. "Sure that girl fainted, but that's not going to happen to you. You know why?"

"Why?" Hinata timidly asks, suddenly finding her footwear more interesting than me.

"Well, let me tell you something that someone told me a long time ago," I say, going into pep talk mode. "You see, every girl has an inner light in them. That's their confidence, their strength. That inner light, when it finally shines through, can help any girl achieve whatever they're aspiring for. Let your inner light shine through Hinata. Bring it out, and it will help you go far. You just got to trust in it, and trust in yourself."

"Wow . . . You should be an adviser, or a motivational speaker, or something Izuka," Hinata tells me as she finally stops trembling, taking in a deep breath. "That's actually some pretty good advice."

"What can I say? I try," I say, playing off the compliment as Shizune pulls out two more numbers from the bowl. "Anyway, let's see how long it'll take before our numbers are called."

"Numbers 29 and 30! You're next!"

"Wait a sec . . . Aren't those our numbers?" I ask, looking down to see the big 30 that was my number staring back at me. When I turned to Hinata, she was looking at her paper in shock. She was number 29. "Yeah, it's us alright. You ready to do this Hinata?"

"I think so," she tells me as we both get up from our chairs. "I'm ready to try my luck."

"That's the spirit. Remember your inner light," I advise before leading the way to the runway. The girls around us began whispering and mumbling with each other as we moved to the platform, eyeing us with uncertainty, and even a little bit of jealousy here and there. When we reached the spot where we were supposed to stand, we knew we had all of their attention just by how silent it got . . . No freaking pressure I guess.

"Hi ladies!" Anko greets us with a smile as she twirled her empty dango stick between her slim fingers. "And what are your names?"

"Shizuka, but I usually go by Izuka." I say as I weaved my fingers together, a small smile hiding my nerves as I looked at all three judges.

"My name's Hinata. It's nice to meet you." Hinata answers, adding a small bow of respect for formality's' sake.

"Alright Izuka, Hinata, it's time to see you walk. When I say go, you can start," Anko advises as she signals for the attendant to start the music. Hinata and I both exchange a "Good luck' look before turning around to stare down the length of the runway. The sounds of the familiar electro-pop song that's been the go to for every walk so far echoes out of the receivers, and I couldn't help but take in a deep breath. Tuning in to the song's rhythm, I keep my mind blank.

My only thought at this point: completing the task at hand, but don't get stiff while doing it.

"GO!"

Against my better judgment, the girls do cheer us on as we start walking. I couldn't help but eat it up as I went; the crowd's noise basically powering me forward every step of the way. Remembering to keep my posture straight and poised, I moved to the beat of the music, timing my steps with the notes. When I reached the end, I did three quick poses - nothing to out there of course - before turning back, Hinata matching me step for step.

I couldn't help but notice how determined she looked in the eyes, and I couldn't help but be a little proud of her for pulling herself together for the sake of this moment. The judges were smiling as we made our return, and I so hope that was boding good news for us. As soon as we reached the starting point, Anko raised her hand, signaling for the music to stop, the applause ringing as everyone clapped up our performance.

Whether it's because they were glad it was finally over or because they were genuinely happy for us, I have no clue.

"That was good! Let me correct that: That was damned good!" Anko cries, grinning from ear-to-ear as she continued clapping at a slow, measured pace. "Let me be the first to say this: that was some of the best performances we saw today. You two were just on fire from start to finish."

"Thank you!" Hinata and I manage to say, both bowing our heads in gratitude.

"I'll start with you Hinata. You have a poise and elegance that I greatly appreciate. If you can just put a little more strength into that step, then you will have yourself an A+ walk," Anko advises before turning her attention to me. "And Izuka, your walk was all about the strength, and it also has a great musicality to it. You found the rhythm of the music and just went with it, and that's what a good model does!"

"I agree," says Hayate as he shakes his head. "You are two different people. You both have very different walks, and yet they work so well together, and on an individual level. Hinata, you really do have this elegance and grace that works for you, while Izuka, your walk has confidence, rhythm, and power. These two styles usually contrast with each other when they're put side-by-side on a runway, but you two somehow made it work! It's like you worked together on this."

"Do you two know each other outside of this by any chance?" Genma asks, curious.

"No, we only met each other today." Hinata answers, leaving me to just shake my head in agreement.

"The fact that you've only met each other today, yet you worked so well together on the runway is both spooky and fantastic. I just liked the entire thing." Genma adds, shaking his head in what I can only describe as startled disbelief.

"Not only were your walks impressive, you both are quite striking in your own special ways," says Hayate as he scratches the back of his neck. "I can say with great certainty that I have never seen models that look like either of you in my long career, and I've been working for quite a while."

"Some say you work yourself sick."

"All for the sake of my craft Genma . . . All for the sake of my craft."

"I'd say. . ." Anko mumbles before turning her attention back to Hinata, her face becoming surprisingly apologetic. "Anyway, before we continue on, I owe you an apology Hinata, because when I saw you walking up to the runway, to be honest, I thought you were blind at first glance. . . What's the story behind your eyes, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh . . . It's actually a common trait shared by most in my family. It's basically this genetic eye condition that makes us look like we're blind when we're actually not. Our eyes work like normal, down to the pupils, except our eyes are so pale that you can't actually see the pupils at first glance." Hinata calmly explains as she folded her hands together.

"I see," Hayate mumbles, suddenly turning his eyes on me. "As for you Izuka, you have this natural 'ice queen' look to you, but as soon as you cracked your first smile in our presence, you just instantly warmed up. Like night and day."

"I tend to get that a lot."

Not really, but I thought it was a good thing to say.

"Is that mascara you're wearing? I think it is, but I have a sudden feeling it's not."

"It's actually not mascara, or eyeliner for that matter," I say with a shake of my head. "It's a result of my insomnia, actually. . ."

"So those are insomnia rings around your eyes? Not mascara or eyeliner?" Anko asks me in shock. "Wow, you look wide awake to me! Like I didn't see a trace of sleepiness or sluggishness in your walk."

"I try to not let my insomnia get the best of me," I say, inwardly grateful for that kind of compliment. "It's something I've had for years now, and I try to not let it affect my life, and I'm not letting it affect me now. . . I'm sure designers and agencies might think my look is a little too ice queen-ish for their liking, but I'm not going to let that stop me from making it in this industry."

"I see, and what about you Hinata?" Anko asks as she turned her attention back on her. "Do you think the fashion world is ready for girls that have your kind of look?"

"I'm certain it is . . . The fashion industry has always been known to introduce new trends practically every season. It's always ready for something new, something fresh, from clothes to models, and I believe I am one of the things that the fashion world is looking for." Hinata says, her voice sounding confident and elegant at the same time. . . . She really did find her inner light.

"I see . . . Well then girls, if you can just please give me and my fellow judges one quick moment to discuss some things. We'll be back with you shortly." Genma says before quickly huddling up with his fellow judges. They were like this for the next two minutes, quietly whispering amongst themselves as our audience started buzzing in turn. Watching them talk was making me a little antsy - Hinata wasn't looking much better - but I refused to start shuffling where I stood. I was feeling a little too stubborn right now to show any weakness.

Eventually, their discussion comes to an end, and they look back up at us with grins on their faces. Anko had the biggest one of all.

"Hinata, Izuka, you two have really given us a great first impression," she starts off, her smile somehow getting bigger with each other. "We put both your runway walks and what you've told us about yourselves into great consideration, and we've decided that you two deserve it."

"Deserve what?" Hinata asks, shock slowly coming across her face as I looked at them totally confused.

"You deserve to be in this competition," Anko says as Hayate and Genma each pull out a golden ticket with fancy, cursive writing on the front.

I had a feeling I knew exactly what they were.

"Congratulations you two! You both are being Fast Tracked to the semifinals!"

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