Sodor's New Worker (Semi-Hiatus Due to an AO3 rewrite)

Show and Tell

   It was the morning of the Show, and Maddy sat in her hotel room with Juliette, who was humming to herself as she got Maddy ready. 

"Mademoiselle, are you texting your boyfriend?"

"Yeah yeah. Since he didn't get to see me off, he's been texting me whenever he gets the chance. He's so worried about me being on the Mainland by myself."

"How sweet of him."

"It would be more sweet if he didn't text EVERY FIVE MINUTES."

"Give me your phone."

"Uh..okay..?" she shrugged, handing Juliette her phone. "Don't say anything stupid. If I end up single I'm going to sob."

"I just got done with your makeup. Do not do that, Mady."

"Bonjour, Monsieur James. This is Juliette, Mademoiselle Maddy's companion for this show. We humbly request that you leave us be. You will see your beloved sooner than you know it."

"Message sent. Now he'll leave us alone." she spoke, handing Maddy her phone back. "Now stand up, I must tighten your corset."

"Man.." she groaned, standing up anyway. "Why'd you have to add a corset?"

"Because it completes the dress...hup!" she grunted, tightening the strings. "Besides, it's not that tight, no?"

"I guess not." Maddy answered as Juliette tied it off and added the large bow to her back. "But still, I'm used to being able to freely move. This..so not me."

"Oh, definitely not." Juliette laughed. "You do not strike me as the type to wear this sort of thing on a regular basis."

"I'm not even sure I'd be allowed to. Too many flowy bits."

"Mm..yes, you'd be corr-" she stopped, hearing a knock on their door. "We are busy! Come back later!"

"Don't be like that, Juliette!" Maddy huffed, freeing herself from Juliette's grasp to go answer the door. "Yes? May I help you?"

"Miss Maddy Lovesten?" a portly man asked.

"This is..she." she nodded. "What's up?"

"I have a message from your controller, as well as the rest of the judges. You've been requested to give a speech after your category's winner has been announced...because of your...uniqueness. Regardless by whether or not you yourself win, you'll step on stage and speak."

"Man.." Maddy grumbled. "Responsibility.."

"It's an opportunity of a lifetime, to be in your shoes, Miss Maddy." the man chortled.

"Just Maddy is fine, thank you. I'll do it, but only because I want this awful place to understand what it's like to be me. To hate me for reasons that are out of my control."

"Precisely why you have been requested to give this speech."

"Mademoiselle!" Juliette frowned. "Chop chop!"

"Yeah yeah! Look, I'll do the speech, now can I finish getting ready?"

"Pardon me! Yes, you may. I'll have a few men escort you to the competing zone, since this is your first time here."

"I don't nee-..actually, yeah I do. I'll get lost. Thank you, I guess. Bye-Bye now."

   With that, the man tipped his hat to her as she closed the door, going back to Juliette, who sat her back down in the chair to finish prepping Maddy for the Show of a lifetime.