She sighed, “It’s not that. It’s those mean things that Victoria and her mommy keep saying about us.”
He replied, “Oh darling I told you do not pay any attention to what that nasty little kilt nipper or her mother have to say.” Then groaned, “This is the reason why I should never have entered ye in the pageant.”
Scrooge sat there for several minutos thinking about the pageant. He worried about how disappointed Webby would be if she didn’t win. But, if she did win would that just cause her to believe that she had to be a pageant reyna to be beautiful?
Suddenly his thoughts were I interrupted sa pamamagitan ng a very familiar, “Yoo-hoo! Mr. McDuck, that you over there?! Of course it is I’d never forget a face that handsome.”
They both glanced over and saw Jane Muddlefoot standing just a few feet away waving. “Hello…um…Jane is it? What brings you here?” Scrooge sinabi trying sound as cheerful as possible.
“I’m just here doin’ some last minuto shoppin’.” She said.
“Hi Mrs. Muddlefoot. Is Honeybunch here?” Webby asked.
“Yup, she’s here alright. In fact she’s in the dressin’ room right now tryin’ on ‘er pageant dress.” Jane replied.
Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by, “Hey Mama, watcha think of this one?!”
The three of them looked over and saw Honeybunch standing in the entryway of fitting-rooms, wearing a risqué and ill-fitting formal. “Hmm…Well I think it’s mighty cute darlin’. What’d you think Mr. McDuck?”
Honeybunch then noticed Scrooge and Webby standing susunod to her mother. “Hi Mr. McDuck, Webby. Nice to see ya’ll.”
“Hello Honeybunch.” Scrooge said, “Good to see you too.”
“Hi Honeybunch.” Webby replied
“So Mr. McDuck ya still haven’t answered me, what’d ya think of ‘er dress?” Jane asked
Scrooge studied her for a minuto and then said, “Well, I’m no fashion expert, but it does look just a wee bit snug on her. Also I do not believe that a dress that revealing is appropriate for a young lass her of age.”
Feeling confused Jane replied, “But you was there at the luncheon, don’t ya remember? Those is the kinds of dresses Ms. Quackson says we otta dress our girls in, if we want to them to even come close to winnin”
“Unfortunately I do not believe that Laura’s true intent was to help the other contests win, but madami to help her daughter Victoria win.” Scrooge explained.
“Well, why would she that?” Jane asked still puzzled.
Scrooge sighed, “I’m afraid that the Lil’ Miss Duckburg pageant it not at all what the constants have been led believe.” Then he sat down in one of the chairs and said, “Come, sit down, and I’ll explain everything.”
Still feeling confused Jane sat down in the other chair. Then Scrooge began to tell her the whole story about Laura, the gossip stories, and the fraudulent cash prize.
Meanwhile in the dressing-room uri ng bulaklak was trying on clothes, with Minnie as her audience. “Daisy!” Minnie called, “How many madami outfits do you have to try on?”
“Just a few!” uri ng bulaklak called back
“Well please hurry-up!” Minnie yelled into the fitting-room, “I’m bored, and remember Uncle Scrooge and Webby are waiting for outside for us!” she got no response.
“What do you think of this one?” uri ng bulaklak asked as she stepped out wearing a hot kulay-rosas leopard print suit.
“Well I’m not sure it’s really you.” Minnie sinabi trying to sound nice, even though she really didn’t think the suit was at all attractive.
“I don’t know” uri ng bulaklak said, “I think I need some madami opinions about it. I’m gonna ask Uncle Scrooge and Webby what they think!” Then she darted away toward the area where they had left the others.
Minnie groaned, “Oh Daisy, just pick an out-fit already.” Then reluctantly followed her.
As soon as Minnie and uri ng bulaklak came out of the fitting-room they noticed Scrooge and Jane sitting together talking, “Why hello Mrs. Muddlefoot.” Minnie said.
“Well, hi Minnie… right? Who’s your friend?” Jane said.
Without giving Minnie a chance to answer uri ng bulaklak sinabi proudly, “I am uri ng bulaklak Duck. And what do you think of my suit?”
Everyone stared for few minutes, and then finally Scrooge said, “Um…No. Daisy, it’s not that attractive and you do not need to charge any madami clothing purchases on your credit cards.”
uri ng bulaklak glared angrily at him and started to say something but Minnie said, “Daisy, Uncle Scrooge is right.” Remember you have three credit cards you’re trying pay down now.”
Then uri ng bulaklak turned away and sinabi angrily, “HMPH! See if I ask your opinions again!”
Hoping to change the subject and stop this from possibly becoming a fight Jane said, “Say, Mr. McDuck’s been tellin’ me that all these years Ms. Quackson been lyin’ to us. Did y’all know about that?”
“Oh yes, we’ve known about it for a while.” Minnie sighed.
Scrooge had been thinking about the unattractive dress worn sa pamamagitan ng Honeybunch, “Say Jane, as I sinabi before I’m sa pamamagitan ng no means a fashion expert, but my mga kaibigan Minnie and…um uri ng bulaklak are up on all the latest trends. I’m sure they would not mind helping you and Honeybunch pick out a dress.” Then turned to Minnie and uri ng bulaklak and asked, “You lassies would not mind that, would you?”
“Oh, of course not, I’d be happy to help.” Minnie said.
“Yes, I’m always glad to ipakita someone some fashion tips.” uri ng bulaklak said.
“Well, alrighty. It’s mighty nice of ya’ll to help us out.” Jane said.
Once over in the girls formal section Minnie and uri ng bulaklak showed Jane and Honeybunch several beautiful dresses. After spending quite a while there, and seeing a lot lovely dresses designed for plus size girls, Jane came to sad conclusion that they were all out of her price range. “Well thanks a bunch for the help ya’ll but, we just can’t afford those.”
“Well, I’m just sorry we couldn’t be of madami help.” Minnie sinabi feeling a little down. "If I could help you pay for the dress I would, but I'm afraid it's a little out of my price range also. Sorry again."
uri ng bulaklak just shrugged and said, “Sorry we can’t help.” Then she turned to Minnie and said, “Come on Minnie I’ve got two madami bumagay to try on!” grabbed her sa pamamagitan ng the hand and ran off.
“Again!” Minnie shouted.
After Minnie and uri ng bulaklak were gone, Jane sinabi to Honeybunch, “Well, darlin’ I guess we should go back to the dressin’ room and get the one we left there. Least we know we’s can afford it.”
When Jane and Honeybunch came back to the fitting-room, Scrooge and Webby noticed that they didn’t have a dress. “Hey Honeybunch, where’s your dress?” Webby asked.
“Mama sinabi we’re gonna get this one.” Honeybunch sinabi pointing at the revealing formal her mother was holding, “‘cause we can’t afford any of the other ones.”
“Yup, ‘fraid we’s can’t afford those kinds of fancy dresses.” Jane said, “But thanks again for all your help Mr. McDuck.”
Scrooge, looking at the dress that Jane was holding, replied, “Oh my, well that will just not do at all.”
When Minnie returned tahanan from shopping that evening, she decided to call Mickey and remind him about the pageant tomorrow, “Hello Mickey, I just called to remind you that tomorrow is the araw of the pageant.”
“Oh gee… tomorrow.” Mickey sinabi nervously, “Look I know sinabi I’d come. But ya see something’s kinda come up. And I can’t make it.”
“Oh Well I understand.” Minnie sinabi sadly. Then she asked, “But what did come up at the last minuto anyway?”
Mickey grumbled something inaudible under his breath. “What?” Minnie asked.
Mickey sighed and sinabi embarrassedly, “Well… when I told ya I’d go to the pageant I…sorta had forgotten that… tomorrow’s the araw of annual video-game tournament.”
“Oh, I see.” Minnie sinabi coolly, “Well if you change your mind, and decide that you’d like to attend, the pageant will be at the Ducks’ Inn Hotel at eleven a.m. tomorrow morning.” Then she hung up.
That night over at the Quackson house Laura was up late plotting and scheming, how to take Webby down. She finally fell asleep at around three a.m., after deciding that there would be specially picked interview tanong and Webbigail would not have a dress to wear.
