THE BAD GUYS IN: raising princess

True Beauty

A request from AlicornNorth

It was Tater Tot Tuesday in the cafeteria at Los Angeles High. Princess sat at her usual table, rocking a black mid-length sleeve shirt with a hot pink, sparkly camouflage tank top layered over it. Her grey jeans hugged her figure just right, and her canvas hi-top bling wedges made a statement with every step. Glass peach earrings dangled from her ears, catching the light every time she laughed.

Zoey was mid-story, giggling as she told Princess, "So I open my sock drawer, right? And guess who's sitting there? Marshmallow. Wearing my fuzzy socks like he owns the place!"

They both burst into laughter, picturing the little ferret wrapped up like a diva. But then—

"Hello, Zoey."

They turned, and there she was: Feibelle Thorn, fraternal twin of the notorious Briar Thorn. Slender with fair skin, she had piercing light purple eyes framed by thick lashes and a small beauty mark under her left eye. Her shimmering icy-blue eyeshadow sparkled under the lights. Strawberry-blonde hair was tied into a twice-banded low ponytail with two black hairbands. Her outfit? A white sequin cropped, high-collared tank top under a checker cardigan, a brown denim skirt, and black platform wedges.

Zoey crossed her arms and frowned. "Feibelle."

Feibelle tilted her head, voice dripping with sugar-coated venom. "I'm just shocked you ditched the popular kids to hang out with this would-be Barbie and her little flock."

Princess stood up, eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"

Feibelle didn't flinch. "I'm just saying—someone like you," she pointed at Princess, "shouldn't you be sitting with us, not this low-level trash? You are a Princess, after all."

Princess clenched her jaw. "Just because my name is Princess doesn't mean I'm better than everyone else."

Feibelle smirked. "Then prove it, girly. Enter the school's Who's the Fairest beauty pageant."

Princess's eyes lit up with fiery determination. "Oh, I'm gonna prove it, alright. I'm Princess Chesterfield, and I don't give a fudge what anybody else says about me."

Feibelle smirked, tossing her ponytail as she strutted off.

Claudine leaned in, raising a brow. "You sure about this, girl? I've seen those pageants. They're real sexist. It's all about who's better-looking."

Princess crossed her arms defiantly. "Exactly. That's why I'm doing it. I'm not just entering—I'm entering to stick it to Feibelle."

Her friends looked at each other. Then one by one, they nodded.

"Alright, Princess," Kira grinned. "Let's do this thing."

Princess smiled, full of confidence. "Okay, ladies. Let's show them what true beauty really means."

The girls made their way to the school auditorium, where the Who's the Fairest beauty pageant was about to begin. As they stepped inside, they immediately spotted Bowser flexing his massive muscles near the front row, flanked by the cocky Jackal Brothers, Lewis and Viggo.

The moment Bowser caught sight of Princess, he smirked and puffed out his chest like a balloon. "Hey pretty girl," he said in a deep, flirty tone, striking a ridiculous pose.

Princess and her friends gagged in unison.

"Why are you even here?" Princess asked, crossing her arms.

Bowser shrugged, grin widening. "Me and the boys are just here to watch the girls." He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made everyone immediately want to bleach their brains.

Princess rolled her eyes, disgusted.

Bowser stepped closer, dropping his voice an octave. "Still, I'm surprised you're entering the pageant. You're adorable... and you've got a great figure."

SMACK!

Princess slapped him across the face, loud enough to echo across the auditorium.

"Say that again, and I'll beat the green off you," she snapped, fire in her eyes.

Leaving him stunned, she marched straight to the sign-up table and wrote her name in bold, confident letters.

Later That Evening...

The auditorium was packed. Parents filled the seats, some cheering, others whispering critiques. Notably absent were The Bad Guys and Diane, but Princess didn't let it phase her.

When her turn came, Princess didn't just strut the stage—she owned it. She impressed the judges with her warm personality, sharp intelligence, strong sense of moral character, creativity, and genuine presence.

Then came the swimsuit round.

Princess stepped out in a modest, one-piece swimsuit, the color a soft pink with subtle glitter accents. But as soon as she saw the audience staring—especially Bowser licking his lips in the front row—she felt a deep wave of discomfort wash over her.

Her hands fidgeted. Her smile faltered. What am I even doing here? she thought. This isn't me...

Instead of walking offstage, Princess walked right up to the mic. The room quieted.

"I know this is a beauty pageant," she began, voice strong. "But I want to talk about what it really means to be beautiful."

People leaned forward.

"Beauty isn't about your waistline, your makeup, or how you look in a swimsuit. It's about being brave. It's about being kind. It's about being yourself when the world tells you to be someone else. I'm Princess Chesterfield, and I know who I am—and that's my beauty."

The crowd went wild.

Claudine, Zoey, Laura, and Kira screamed and cheered from the front row. Even a few of the judges wiped away tears.

Principal Regina, the tall, regal lioness in charge of the school, stepped onto the stage with a glowing smile.

"For showing us the true meaning of beauty," she announced, "I proudly crown Princess Chesterfield the winner of this year's Who's the Fairest pageant."

She placed the sparkling crown on Princess's head, and the whole auditorium erupted in applause.

And Bowser?

He sat there, mouth hanging open like a complete fool.

The applause still echoed through the auditorium, students rising to their feet as Princess stood center stage, beaming with pride, crown glittering under the spotlight.

Down in the front row, Bowser sat slouched in his chair, arms crossed, scowling at the stage—but not for the reason anyone might think.

He leaned toward Lewis and Viggo, lowering his voice into a whisper.

"I want her..."

Lewis blinked. "To what?"

"...to be mine."

Viggo choked on his soda. "Bro. She literally slapped you in front of everyone."

Bowser's eyes didn't leave the stage. "Yeah... and I liked it."

Lewis and Viggo exchanged horrified looks.

"You need therapy." Viggo says

"Lots of it." Lewis added

Meanwhile, on stage, Princess waved to the crowd, having no idea that a certain giant alligator snapping turtle, with muscles for brains had just declared her his next obsession.