The Pageant

The days sped on and team Yucki grew tight. They ensured that there were always at least two of them trawling the streets and alleyways for ingredients and treasure at all times. Between those that remained at that day's base, whatever muti happened to be on the boil would be stirred and tended to regularly and deftly.

Miss Yucki tended to stay near the muti operation during these days because she was now in training for her ultimate delight: a beauty pageant extravaganza: in this case, Little Miss Turffontein. She practiced daily, her walk, her pout and her wit.

Yet the Yucki team prefers sure things so they were preparing some very special muti for the other contestants. The excitement built up as they day drew near. Finally it arrived.

Miss Yucki awoke with a good feeling in her tummy. She and her minionss had all been on a most excellent dream trawl the previous evening, and in the bits and pieces they had perceived more than one sign pointing to a glorious result for the Yucki pageant project.

Miss Yucki awoke to a sound of the city: in this instance a helicopter swooping down between the buildings, seeking out some very naughty men. She pushed aside her monsters, who had slept around her shape, and stretched towards the bright sunlight. The early morning dew had cleaned her hair as well as leaving her beloved trolley sparkling and shiny like a jewel in the alley.

Up she jumped, ready for the day. After looking into a puddle to suss out her state she crossed the alley to the simmering pot and the vials of muti that had been carefully placed up against the wall. It was time for the final ingredients. The monsters were up and ready to help and as Miss Yucki popped in tidbits aplenty her minions were mixing and tasting and adding as they saw fit, ensuring that the end result would have the power it needed to carry out the days agenda.

Once the final ingredient: a homeless man's tympanum, had been crushed and dissolved, they poured the liquid into a deep dish and waited for the sun's rays to add its own special magic.

Within the hour it was ready and a sight to behold. In the dish had risen a delicious confection with frothy pink icing, sprinkles and magic rainbow spicing. The scent alone was enough to spin one silly but the strawberry swirl with a splash of malice would be the crucial clincher - the ingredient that would lure, lull and ensure that Miss Yucki's path to Turffontein glory would be clear.

At the venue the tension was high and our Miss Yucki was treated with what can only be described as total disdain by the other contestants and many of their strange, scary mothers. The Muti Monsters knew their task and set about it with devilish speed, placing slices of their muti confection at several prominent points. Once this was done they sat back and waited.

Sure enough, whoever walked near the fluffy pinkness could not resist stealing a mouthful, and soon it was only Miss Yucki who had not ingested in the Yucki yum.

Now muti effects different people in different ways and as the pageant began these effects gave rise to a tremendous Yucki extravaganza. Contestant One turned blue on the stage and the favourite coming into the pageant sprang wild pink spots.

Contestants Three and Six began to... and one of the meanest mommies developed a sudden case of screaming hiccups. Smiling inwardly at the muti's effectiveness and outwardly for the judges, Miss Yucki knew that things were looking good.

The Pageant Principal, knowing that something was not right, dimmed the lights in the hope that the audience and judges would not notice these strange goings on.

But more was to come and not even pitch darkness would cover the effects on the girls, for glow sticks aplenty had been mixed in the muti cake and the abnormalities that were growing had all started to shine.

In desperation the Principal called for the final parade, yet people in the audience became queasy as warts, spots, strange hair growths and all types of strange physical abnormalities began to overtake all of the contestants - all except one of course!

The judges had to make a ruling because there was a funeral to be held at the venue the following day. The now hideous contestants tried to smile and retain poise, as only pageanteers can do.

Miss Yucki drew a hush from the room as she pranced through the middle of the Yuck. The judges were unanimous and the audience agreed: Miss Yucki would be officially crowned as the ruling Pageant Princess.

Back in the dressing room it was all sobs and sniffles, as the rest of the contestants tried to take in what had just happened. Their symptoms were subsiding now for the muti was never meant to have permanent effects (team Yucki is very naughty yet they are not wicked ). With her monsters around her MissYucki slunk out of the room, clutching her crown and stroking her rosettes.

As a witch doctor in training she passed this great test and Mucki, Sicki and Icki knew now more than ever that they had hitched their trolleys to the perfect little star.

Fin.