The narrator is back. To lecture us on the moral of the previous chapter. Kill me now.
Would anyone actually believe the book is over? There's more than 100 pages left. I highly doubt that they're all acknowledgements.
Only because it wasn't adequately foreshadowed. Also, "murderess" is not an adjective. The word you're looking for is "murderous."
Yes, some awful people have tragic pasts. So do plenty of nice people. While understanding someone's past may help explain their current actions, it does not excuse them.
The narrator then proceeds to give us some exposition about the 7Seven Tournament, a lot of which we already know.
The upperclassmen of Modelland participate in a tournament. Seven of them become Intoxibellas.
Because every person that is skeptical or critical of the modeling industry is a jealous bitch. It has nothing to do with underweight models, underage models, eating disorders, sexualization of violence*, etc.
And based on what we've seen so far in this book, I would have gone with Stuck-Up, Shallow, Self-Important Sponsors of Silly and Stupid Styles.
We learn that the 7Seven Tournament is invitation only, with 43,347 total attendees. All living Intoxibellas are required to attend.
Unlike T-DOD, with predetermined winners, the narrator assures us that 7Seven Tournament is free of cheating. The losers get stuck returning to society without any powers or fame. So wait . . . girls aren't allowed to leave on their own, but if they lose the 7Seven Tournament, they're home free? Modelland policies are stupid.
Some of the losers are selected to become Scouts, so they get to spend their lives running errands for Modelland.
And the narrator departs.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out, dahling!
Ci~L arrives at the Modelland gates with the girls. The Tournament is about to begin.
If Intoxibellas are required to attend and even have their own section, why would Ci~L have to stand?
No one notices that the Unicas are muddy (and Tookie's still in her underwear) because they're so focused on the Tournament preparation. Some civilians who got in through winning a contest are looking around in awe.
Tyra, I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but show, don't tell. The reader should be given the impression that it's amazing, not simply told. This isn't first person narration, so there's no excuse for making that kind of value judgment here.
One of the Mannecants snatches a camera, saying "mental memories only" and also stops someone who tries to keep a flower as a souvenir.
Ci~L tells them to hurry, since they don't allow latecomers in. (So much for having to stand . . .)
Tookie, remember Lizzie? And that bus driver who helped you and your friends out? They might be dead. At least pretend to care about that, you self-centered twit.
Ci~L realizes that the girls need to get in their dress uniforms, or they'll be noticed. They pass by some upperclassmen who are busy panicking.
"I tried out Seduksheeon on a Bestostero this morning, and he told me I smelled like a bitch in heat!"
"The BellaDonna said I was Edgy and Strange—with a capital E and S! I should just volunteer to be a Mannecant now!"
Then ZhenZhen sees the girls and comes over to talk.
ZhenZhen is wearing a dress that says Zhen~L. She tells them that during her Go-See-Go, a shoe designer created a shoe for her called Zhenletto. Tookie tells her that's wonderful and decides to hold a conversation. Because it's not like they have a time limit. Sense of urgency, what's that?
ZhenZhen then sees Ci~L, and her hair changes to match Ci~L's.
Ci~L gives her a pep talk, telling her that the point of her power is assuming different looks, not becoming a knock-off.
Given what we've seen of ZhenZhen, her entire personality revolves around how awesome she thinks Ci~L is and desperately wanting to be exactly like her. Ci~L tells ZhenZhen that she's more beautiful than she could ever be.
Because curing mental illness is just that easy! And we don't need to be reminded what happened last chapter. Readers are not goldfish.
ZhenZhen hears a horn, and runs off to go compete, while Dylan and Ci~L call encouragement to her.
The girls run back to their dorms to grab their clothes. They arrive too late, but Ci~L says they'll see the ceremony if she has to teleportal them in. Wait . . . why didn't she teleportal them directly to the dorms? Or fly them there in her pouch?
Whatever. Interesting stuff's about to happen.
Everyone shrieked and jumped away. Five angry fingers twitched as though stricken with palsy. When its second hand appeared, the girls grabbed one another. The hand's flesh was filthy and bloodied. Each fingernail was long, comma-shaped, and obsidian-black. They looked like the talons of a prehistoric flesh-eating bird.
Woo-hoo! Hunchy is here! Time for some action.
You dodged bullets and an entire group of LeGizzârds earlier! Why are you so worried about one? Why do all these women and girls panic so easily?
The LeGizzârd eyes the girls and drools, obviously considering them an acceptable meal.
These people wouldn't last five seconds in a horror movie. Don't just stand there like a moron. That's asking to get eaten. If you're sure you can't win a fight, then run and get help. The people in the stadium outnumber Hunchy over 40,000 to one. There's no way he's strong enough to take everyone on.
"C-C-Creamy?" Tookie cried, and promptly passed out.
This! This is what the book needed! More of this! This is actually a good cliffhanger. I want to find out what happens next chapter.
Admittedly, it may just be a Shocking Swerve that makes no sense, but for the moment this is genuinely interesting. Shame the rest of the chapter isn't very good.
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