This story was created for Locket's contest, as mentioned on the Gallery page. Thus, the plot and open-ended conclusion are tailored to fit her contest, which had the theme of a beauty pageant.

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The War of Beauty

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Baby Rainribbon was worried. No, that wasn't it... She was terrified! The herds and factions of Ponyland were becoming restless, and thus a war was about to begin. Every so often, a quarrel would erupt in the normally peaceful world of dreams, and the ponies of the various herds would challenge one another to a contest. Such a thing had just occurred.

Rainribbon did not know the nature of the dispute, but suspected that it must involve the actions of the Flame Warriors Faction, a herd composed primarily of male ponies who had abandoned their young long ago, and Rainribbon's own herd, the Moonlit Shadows Herd. The challenge constituted the release of Baby Buttons to the herd that could prove that it housed the most beautiful ponies in Ponyland. Any herd could enter the contest, which meant that Baby Buttons would not necessarily end up living with either her mother or her father, and that would be the most terrible thing for the poor baby unicorn!

Unfortunately, there was little that Baby Rainribbon could do to fix the problem. Rainribbon knew that Mother Buttons would break down and could inflict harm on herself if her baby were lost, and Rainribbon couldn't blame Buttons for that. Rainribbon understood what it was like not to have a family. She had been born of the rainbow itself, with no real parents, and so had been adopted by Streaky and Wigwam, who had no actual children of their own. Rainribbon also understood that it was her duty to try her best to make herself look beautiful for the contest, for she was a chosen one...

The duty of the chosen ones was to serve in place of the herd rulers in given situations. The one most important rule of the great contest-battles of the herds, Herd Princesses, Queens, and Kings were not allowed to enter themselves in given contests. It was well known that herd rulers were often among the most beautiful ponies in the herds, and some herds specifically elected rulers by determining who was the most physically attractive, especially in all-female herds. Therefore, for the current contest, which was to be a Beauty Pageant, Princesses, Queens, and Kings were prohibited from testing their attractiveness against other ponies. As a result, the herd rulers had to choose which ponies to allow to enter the contest. If a herd chose a particularly ugly pony (not that there were many of those), that herd could destroy its chance to win regardless of whether it entered a truly magnificent beauty as well.

Baby Rainribbon usually loved being a chosen one. Rainribbon and her two similarly impetuous friends, Babies Glory and Moondancer, who were also chosen, frequently borrowed Princess Primrose's and Princess Tiffany's wands and crowns, and pretended to rule the Moonlit Shadows Herd. The three also enjoyed getting into trouble, and they had had more than one run-in with the goblin from the caves, and with Catra, the evil human-cat mix who tried to kidnap little ponies and use them as pack animals. The problem was that the three little ponies loved to go on adventures, rather than sit around at home and primp themselves to look, and act, civilized.

Baby Rainribbon knew that this would be the most dangerous adventure yet, but she wasn't quite ready for it. She wouldn't be able to use magic to escape frightening traps or creepy monsters. She wouldn't be able to wink in and out while making faces at her pursuing attackers. She would have to put pretty flowers in her hair and jewelry on her hooves and neck and prance about on a stage with perfectly straight shoulders, along with four other perfectly unwilling baby ponies, including her friends Moondancer and Glory.

Of course, all the babies loved to dress up once in a while, and they all enjoyed teasing the snotty Baby Princess Sparkle, who always claimed that she was the prettiest baby pony in Ponyland. It was just different now. The stakes were so high, and the fate of their friend was in their hooves. To Rainribbon, it was very wrong...

All this was racing through poor Rainribbon's head as she slid her nicest ceramic beads onto a black leather cord. When she was through, she had made a necklace that read, “BRR,” her initials. Between each letter bead was a small, round bead that separated out the initials, and at each end of the necklace was a tiny flower, dipped in gold from the correct stripe of the rainbow. Rainribbon carefully tied two strong knots on the ends of the necklace, in such a fashion as to allow the cord to be made longer or shorter as the knots were slide. She loosened the knots, and slipped the necklace over her head and mane. Then she tightened the necklace, making it hug her neck. Next, she placed a magical butterfly barrette in her mane. The butterfly would change colors depending upon which direction its wearer turned her head. Rainribbon carefully brushed her mane and tail, and tied a purple bow at the base of her tail. She was ready for the contest. A tiny rainbow tear rolled down her cheek as she stared at herself in her mirror pond, and she splashed one hoof into the water, disturbing the perfect calmness and reflection of the water.

“Why do I have to do this? Why couldn't there be a lovely enough pony in our herd, so that we would be sure of winning? Why...?” her little voice trailed off on the wind, and she sighed deeply, knowing that it would do her no good to talk to herself, for she would never be able to answer her own questions.

Saddened by her fear, Baby Rainribbon walked slowly off to visit her friend Baby Drummer. Maybe he could cheer her up. His magical xylophone always made her laugh. Drummer was going to be in the pageant, too. He would handle the percussion as Baby Racer played his magical flute, while the three female baby unicorns danced and looked pretty. Baby Drummer would also dance with Rainribbon while she performed some magical rainbow tricks. They had practiced their act for over a week, and the two were perfect together. Everyone knew that Rainribbon and Drummer were always together, as were Racer and Glory, and Countdown and Moondancer. Usually the girls lead the pack, and the boys played along, but for now, there would be a bit of role reversal...

When Rainribbon arrived at Drummer's house, she found Drummer happily playing on his xylophone, as usual, Racer playing his flute for Glory, and Countdown hugging the tearful Moondancer. Rainribbon was so surprised that she almost forgot how miserable she had just been feeling. “Hey, guys! Where are your parents?” she cried out to the little group.

“Oh...my mother has to get ready for the pageant,” Baby Glory announced, “My father is helping to build the pageant set.”

“My parents are doing the same, as are Racer's and Countdown's!” Baby Drummer called over the din of flute and xylophone.

Baby Moondancer simply nodded her head through her wails and sniffles, presumably to indicate that the same was true of her mother and father.

“I see,” said Baby Rainribbon, as she sat down on the grass beside Drummer, “I thought that you guys would be getting dressed up for the pageant,” she yelled to Moondancer and Glory.

“I-I am ready...” Baby Moondancer sniffed. She released herself from Baby Countdown's embrace, dried off her tears in an amazingly short time, and stood, presenting herself to her friend. Moondancer was indeed ready, for she wore a velvet cape, which Rainribbon hadn't noticed as she sat down, a tiny golden tiara, and the locket containing the Rainbow of Light!

Rainribbon's jaw dropped to the ground. “Wha...Where...How...?” she stuttered.

Baby Moondancer giggled. “Megan helped. She dressed me up like this for a costume ball a long time ago, and she said that I should definitely look my best for the Pageant, so she found the costume and put it on!”

Baby Rainribbon was dumbfounded. “But then why were you...?” she trailed off.

“Crying?” Baby Moondancer finished, “I was practicing for the drama part of the Pageant. Princess Tiffany came to my house yesterday, and she told me that I would be doing a dramatic skit with Baby Countdown. She gave me a script, and told me to start practicing my part right away. Countdown got to be the sixth baby pony in the pageant that way.”

Baby Countdown beamed proudly. “And I don't have to be the wimp in the story!”

Baby Moondancer poked him and he was immediately silent.

“That's great!” Baby Rainribbon exclaimed. She knew that Glory had already arranged a “snake charmer” skit to play with Racer and his flute. Glory would wink out and appear each time the flute sounded, while Racer acted surprised, until he eventually “realized” that if he played the flute without pause, Glory would remain. At the end of the scene, Glory and Racer would wink out together and reappear briefly on a high platform to give each other a big kiss! It was all very dramatic, but it had to be, for this was the talent portion of the Pageant.

“Okay, so are we all ready to practice?” Drummer asked the group, as he ceased playing. When all had agreed, the unicorns each linked hooves with their male pony friends, and winked the whole bunch over to the stage.

The meadow that contained stage was full of activity. The adult male ponies had just completed construction of the massive spectator's box, and the flutter ponies were in the process of drying paint on the spectator's seats by using their “utter flutter.” Butterfly-winged ponies flitted about carrying buckets of paint to finish painting the ceiling on the stage. Mother ponies tried desperately to prevent the babies from getting in the way. Chosen ponies from several herds were lining up to receive programs so that they could find out when they were required to perform. The six Moonlit Shadows babies stood staring at the spectacle in awe. Suddenly, Mother Glory appeared.

“Honey!” she shouted, “You and your friends should come over here to get yourself some programs!”

Baby Glory nodded, and the six trotted over and received their precious slips of paper. It was well known that each performing pony only got one program, so it was necessary not to misplace the important sheet. Mother Glory patted her daughter on the head and told all the babies to run off and not get in the way. They would be needed tomorrow, and they would have to just give in to temptation and have fun, for if they practiced too hard, they would forget what they were supposed to do, and would damage their herd's chances of keeping Baby Buttons with her mother. The six baby ponies returned to Baby Rainribbon's home, and sat and talked for the rest of the afternoon. Each one knew that the Pageant would be the most difficult challenge yet, and each knew that he would try his best to be beautiful, but none could tell if his best would be good enough...

It was time. Baby Rainribbon and her friends stood backstage listening to the most recent set of baby performers leave the stage. They would have to be beautiful, and they would have to do it now. The announcer, a musician pony named Knightshade, called out the names of the Moonlit Shadows six. Baby Rainribbon held her head high, and trotted out onto the stage with Babies Moondancer and Glory in tow. Baby Racer and Baby Drummer played their music, and the girls pranced about on stage, beaming happily at the millions of ponies in the audience. After they had completed that section of the performance, Moondancer and Glory disappeared backstage, while Baby Drummer joined Rainribbon in the spotlight. Drummer and Rainribbon began to dance. A rainbow skirt materialized around Rainribbon's “waist,” and rainbow-colored ribbons flowed out from a narrow band at the top of the skirt, winding around Rainribbon's “shoulders.” As Drummer and Rainribbon leapt and whirled, the butterfly in Rainribbon's mane came to life! The butterfly left Rainribbon's mane, and a ribbon appeared in its place. Other butterflies materialized in the air, and soon hundreds of butterflies were floating about the spectator's section, leaving the audience in awed appreciation of the little unicorn's talent. The stage lit up as a rainbow ramp appeared! Rainribbon winked out in a whirl of rainbow light, taking Drummer with her! Then the two dancers appeared at the top of the rainbow ramp, where a fluffy white cloud supported their weight! Rainribbon and Drummer danced down to the stage again, as illusion images of little ponies at play appeared in the air above the spectators.

It was all a carefully crafted set of illusions and reality, which the little unicorn had been practicing for years. She could make an illusion appear, then make it solidify into a tangible thing. This was a talent that Baby Glory often envied in her friend.

Now, the audience was completely enthralled by the spectacle. Rainribbon moved to complete the dance, but, as she did, Drummer, who was caught up in the magnificence of the moment, grabbed his friend and kissed her passionately. A huge, rainbow-colored heart appeared in the air above the stunned Rainribbon's head. As the music finished, the heart exploded into a massive jolt of color! Rainribbon could barely wink out with Drummer to return backstage as planned!

As the applause died down, the two baby ponies took their places in the audience to watch their friends perform. But Baby Rainribbon remained stunned by the action of her friend. Drummer had never before kissed her; at least never like that. The one fortunate thing that came of it was that Rainribbon had no time to remember her fear. She sat on the ground with the other spectators, and stamped her hooves together mechanically as her friends left the stage. Her glazed eyes went unnoticed by anyone other than Drummer, who was also too deep in thought to pay attention to the remainder of the pageant. He was very pleased with himself, though he knew that had it not been for Rainribbon's requirement to do the magical spectacle impromptu rather than practiced, he would not have had the chance to be distracted enough to break down his barrier of fear of rejection. Thus it was that the pageant ended, going long into the night.

Tomorrow, the ponies of the Moonlit Shadows Herd would have enough time to be tense, as they awaited the determination of the judges. Locket, who was a non-ruling pony from a herd that had chosen not to participate in the pageant, would be the ruling judge; the one who informed the anxious herds of Baby Buttons' final home. Everyone feared Locket's speech, and the ponies' fear was well placed. Baby Rainribbon only knew that she hoped that Baby Buttons would be able to remain with a loving family, just like the one that Rainribbon had found...

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