Strut Your Stuff

“And now, it’s time for the second part of our Fashion-Off! It’s time for our models to show us how well they can walk the walk!”

The lights all shifted and turned towards the stage, which began to rippled and move. It almost looked as if it was made out of small cubes that began to rise and fall in different parts.

“Wait, what’s going on?” I asked as I leaned in towards Leon.

“Oh yeah, this is your first time,” Leon said as he redirected me back to the stage. “So, the catwalk is modular. This allows it to change shape and form. So, what’s going to happen is-”

“Now then!” the announcer’s voice rang, cutting off Leon. “The models will walk down our little obstacle course with raised and lowered parts, then make their way to the end where they’ll add more obstacles to the catwalk, then walk back through it. The first one to falter loses this round!”

“So, yeah, basically that,” Leon said, a little annoyed at having his thunder stolen. “I have confidence in Vanessa.”

“I should,” Summer said as she rested her fingers on her chin, “but those shoes of hers tell a different story. I just get a sense that those heels don’t give the greatest support.”

“Oh no,” I said as I looked down at my hand. I gently rubbed the ring, but Danna once again put her hand on mine. She gave me a firm expression and I set my hand aside. “I believe in Vanessa as well.”

“I believe in her too.”

Suddenly, Regina popped up from behind me and Summer, putting her arms around us. If it hadn’t been for Regina’s voice, Summer probably would have thrown Regina flat onto her back because Summer was already reaching to toss her. She leaned in and gave Summer and I each a kiss on the cheek. “So, what did I miss?”

“You missed Vanessa’s big reveal of her outfit,” Summer said as Sherri began to take the stage and started her walk.

“Aww man. I bet it was awesome,” Regina chuckled. She lowered her hands down to our hips.

“Where were you anyways?” I asked, keeping an eye on Sherri finishing up her walk and then it was Vanessa’s turn. “Go Vanessa!” Vanessa turned and gave us all a smile and a wave before taking her turn, passing through all the obstacles with ease.

“Ugh, that photographer dude kept me back more,” Regina said as she lowered her hand and squeezed Summer’s ass. “But, I also helped Vanessa with her dress, so, win-win.” I turned to give Regina a kiss on the cheek, but then noticed that her face and neck were basically covered in faint lipstick kisses, some of which was the same shade as Vanessa’s lipstick.

“Uh huh, and that was the ONLY thing you were doing?” I said as I made sure to kiss one of Vanessa’s kiss prints.

“Oh, come on, you know that it wasn’t.” Regina reached down and firmly gripped my ass as well. “So, how’s our girl doing?”

I turned back to the stage where Vanessa was taking her turn. She was walking without any issues at all, making her way to the end of the stage.

“Way to go babe!” I shouted before quickly covering my mouth. I hadn’t realized it but, this was really the first time I had called her anything romantic in public. But, the beating of my heart reassured me that it was right. I looked up and saw Vanessa smiling happily at me. I smiled back and shouted, “Go babe!”

Vanessa strutted her stuff down the obstacle course, though had a bit of a slower time. Sherri huffed and took her position and started to head down. Vanessa turned to the group and blew us all a kiss before waving to the crowd.

“She’s absolutely amazing,” Summer said as she reached down and held my hand. I blushed a little, then more as Regina got another squeeze of my ass.

“She is,” I said as I watched the competition continue.

Sherri smirked at Vanessa as she walked back. “Good luck with this one.”

Vanessa looked at the walkway, which had now another obstacle in the way. She started to make her way, but when she reached the new obstacle, she paused a little. She tried to look for an easy way around, but couldn’t.

“Something the matter?” Sherri said with a snicker.

Vanessa glared at her, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She took a step forward, then her hands outstretched as she landed forward on her hands. The crowd gasped as camera shutters began to take pictures. Sherri laughed as Vanessa slowly got herself up. She brushed her outfit before gesturing over to Sherri, palm up.

“I’m woman enough to admit when I’m beat in a round! Round 2 goes to Sherri Wolf!” Vanessa shouted, the crowd cheering in approval of her humbleness. Sherri waved at the crowd, soaking up the praise.

I ran over to the stage as Vanessa got a little lower and down to reach me. “Hey Vanessa. It’s alright. You still did good.”

“Thanks. And hey, I still got one more challenge. I got this. After all, I am a cheerleader,” she said, brimming with confidence. She pulled me in and gave me a passionate kiss on the lips. “But, some good luck helps.” She smiled at me before taking her position at the center of the catwalk. I headed back over to the others.

“Alright folks, we’re tied, so we’re on our final challenge! Pose it or Lose it! The challenge is simple. Up on our screens, we’ll have a model make various poses. All you have to do is match them and keep speed with her! The first model to fail to make the pose before she switches to a different one will lose!”

As the announcer said that, I felt this deep stirring sensation in my chest. It began there, then moved down my arm and to my hand, then the finger with the Reality Ring. I looked down at my hand as my arm began to shake. I could feel the energy beginning to course through me, even though I hadn’t thought of any changes.