Title:More than Just a Pretty Face
Chapter:One
Author:squeezynz@free.net.nz
Rating:PG
This idea came from a fan who has been along for the ride since the beginning. He has wanted me to write this story almost from the start, so Mark, here you go buddy, enjoy.

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" How do you get yourself into these scrapes, Valerie ?"

" I guess it's a natural talent, kinda like riding a bicycle,"

" And just how are you going to get yourself out of this mess ?"

" I have no idea......."

Valerie decided to end the internal monologue as it was distracting her from concentrating on the matter at hand. Her immediate safety.

It had started out innocently enough, with Fitzhugh and Betty making up the rest of the party on the eternal search for food. It was their turn to scout the downtown district with the usual round of regular stops. This particular afternoon was proving lean with little or no scraps to be found at their usual haunts. Only a handful of tired looking fruit and vegies had been added to the cart so far and Fitzhugh was starting to rebel. Betty, ever the pacifier, had managed to keep the older man happy for most of their tour of duty but the lack of success was making for one unhappy trooper. Now, pulling a half empty cart and with sore feet Fitzhugh was in full cry.

"I say we return to camp, we have enough for one night,"

" This isn't enough to feed us for a day, we need to keep looking," said Valerie, her own feet tired of walking.

" It's not our fault everyone has decided to keep their leftovers, Captain Burton doesn't expect us to stay out all night," Fitzhugh argued, throwing down the rope of the cart and sitting on its edge.

" Fitzhugh, we need more than this, we're only a short walk from the loading dock, we're bound to find something there," coaxed Betty, wiping her grubby hands down her equally grubby skirt. Fitzhugh only herumphed and folded his arms across his chest, clearly not in the mood for coaxing.

" I'm not walking another step, this is pointless, we've got what we can, lets call it a night,"

" This isn't up for discussion Fitzhugh," said Valerie, her temper rising. "Now move your bony butt and get this cart moving, the sooner we find the supplies, the sooner we get back to camp and I get to have some respite from your complaining!!"

Betty and Fitzhugh both regarded Valerie with startled expressions, the last words of her tirade having been spoken in a near scream of vexation. Valerie was rather surprised herself, but it produced the results when Fitzhugh, with an aggrieved sniff, got up off the side of the cart and picked up the nearside rope without voicing another protest.

" The loading dock should be around the next corner, if that produces what we need then we're on our way home, okay ?" offered Valerie in way of an apology.

She saw an almost imperceptible nod from a tight lipped Fitzhugh, and a wide grin from Betty. Keeping her face as straight as possible Valerie picked up the other rope and took the strain.

" When you're ready Fitzhugh,"

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They reached the back of the hotel and the kitchen loading dock without incident, Fitzhugh staying with the cart massaging his abused feet while the girls split up to search below the bins. Betty returned quickly with a half packet of dried noodles plus news of near empty packet of peanuts. Meanwhile Valerie had reached the back door of the kitchen and decided to try her luck inside. She glanced back to check on the others and was nearly flattened when the door suddenly swung open, flinging her off to the side where she fetched up against a cardboard box. Fitzhugh and Betty were already near one of the bins fetching the peanuts and only had to duck under the bin for cover. Valerie found herself staring up the very long legs of a blonde and beautiful Giant. Looking around quickly Valerie realised that she had to move or find some cover, but before she could do either the Giant girl had pulled out a packet of cigarettes and, in the process of lighting it, looked down at the ground, directly at the spot where Valerie was crouching.

" Oh my god, a Little Person," the Giantess exclaimed, cigarette forgotten.

Getting to her feet Valerie started to back around the wall of the box, her eyes fixed on the Giant's movements as the woman bent down to get closer to the ground and Valerie.

" Hey, don't run away, I've heard about you people, but I never thought I'd get to meet one, let alone get this close," said the Giant girl in wonderment. Valerie continued to sidle along the box, her eyes darting around trying to find an escape while the Giantess knelt down and peered shortsightedly at Valerie.

" What are you doing here, hanging around the dumpsters?"

" I could ask you the same question, you don't look like a kitchen hand," Valerie retorted, amused despite her perilous situation.

" That's because I'm not, I'm a make-up consultant for the beauty pageant being held at the hotel, I'm on my break and I thought I'd come out here for a quick ciggie,"

" You look like you should be in the beauty pageant, not behind the scenes," said Valerie, deciding to humour the girl.

" I was, once, I won a minor pageant but didn't make the finals for this one....but hey, you're not exactly a plane Jane yourself," said the girl, grinning.

" Oh I've had my share of publicity...but the question is, what are you going to do ?"

" Do ?" asked the girl, perplexed.

" Well most Giants would either want to squash me or hand me over to the SID, which one are you ?"

" Oh.....well I want to keep this conversation going, so I guess you'd say I'm a catcher," replied the girl, and before Valerie could voice a protest she was swept up into the girls hand and carried high into the air as the girl straitened up from the ground.

From their haven under the dumpster Betty and Fitzhugh watched helplessly as Valerie was carried into the hotel back entrance, clasped in the hands of the Giant girl.

" What do we do now ?" whispered Fitzhugh, his face grey in the uncertain light from the street-lamp. Betty only shook her head and hugged her arms around her middle as she worried her bottom lip.

" There's nothing we can do right now, we don't know where the girl it taking Valerie and we're too few to search the building, even if that was an option," replied Betty, " I'm calling Steve, we need help,"

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The Giant girl held her captive fairly loosely in her hand, allowing Valerie to see something of the hotel environs as the girl carried her nonchalantly through the kitchens, into the lobby, up the stairs and into a bedroom. They passed crowds of Giants, mostly female, in all the hallways and open areas, the pageant obviously very popular. Valerie saw other girls just as beautiful as the her captor and in some cases more so. She was no newcomer to beauty contest herself, being a past contestant when the idea took her fancy in her late teens, and Val felt a sense of excitement being involved, albeit unwillingly, with the hustle and bustle going on around her. Once the Giantess had reached the bedroom Valerie tensed in anticipation of being put in a cage or some other prison but she was unprepared for the girl to gently place her on the dressing table where she found herself surrounded by the trappings of makeup and beauty paraphernalia.

" We should be alone for a little while, I share this room with two other girls, they're beauty technicians as well," the girl explained, " I do make-up, they do nails and hair."

" What do you plan to do with me ?" asked Valerie.

" I don't really know, I suppose I should hand you over to the authorities, but that would be no fun and I'm sure we could have some fun,"

" I'm not sure I'll like your idea of fun," said Valerie nervously.

" I'm sorry I don't mean to scare you, my names Ketra, and don't worry, I won't let any harm come to you, I promise,"

" I suppose that reassuring at least, but I'd rather be back with my friends, all the same,"

" Oh I'll let you go....eventually, but I want to know something about you, what's your name, for starters ?"

" Valerie,"

" Hmmmm that's an odd, but pretty name. You said you'd been a part of a pageant yourself, what are they like, where you come from ?"

" Oh I imagine they are the same as yours, lots of pretty girls vying for the impossible dream, starry eyes and all that," said Valerie, a touch sarcastically.

" It doesn't sound as if you approve of beauty contests," said Ketra, resting her arms on the back of a chair as she sat in front of the dressing table.

" I guess you could say I don't exactly support the idea that there is anyone qualified to judge what is beautiful," said Valerie, warming to her argument, " I mean, what do the judges really know about a girl that enters these contests, there's more to a person than a pretty face and great figure, what about their dreams and aspirations, their goals and fears," Valerie stopped when Ketra burst out laughing, her eyes brimming with mirth.

" You sound just like my mother," gasped Ketra, giggling at Valerie's thunderstruck expression. After a second Valerie started to smile, as the absurdity of her lecture struck home, letting loose a shout of laughter until the two girls, Giantess and Little Person, were convulsed with mirth, tears streaming down their faces.

" I guess it was rather soap box of me to lecture you," said Valerie once she got herself under control again.

" Oh don't worry, it was just hearing my mother's words from your tiny mouth that set me off, your argument is perfectly valid and quite true, why would anyone with half a brain take part in these silly shows."

" Well it employs you, so it can't be all bad," Valerie pointed out, making Ketra smile broadly.

" And a damn good job it is too, my company that I rep for provides the make-up, I just get to slap it on the girls faces. I've become quite an artiste, a specialist in hiding bags under the eyes and importunate pimples,"

" I wish I still had make-up to play around with, but my small supply was used up months ago," said Valerie with a sigh, her glance around the dressing table taking in all the bottles and jars.

" Well come one, lets see what we can do about that, I know you're a bit small, but I'm sure you can improvise. I'll lay out the palettes, you help yourself, okay ?"

Valerie positively glowed at the thought of being able to play around with make-up after having to go without for so long. She watched as Ketra laid out the various palettes and containers of eye-shadow, pressed powder, lip-gloss, blusher and other assorted creams and lotions. Stepping delicately around them, Valerie began to choose various colours and shades, her excitement almost palpable. After laying out all her samples, Ketra sat back and watched as Valerie used minute amounts on her own face while sitting infront of a huge mirror that Ketra had propped against a box of tissues.

" That's looking good, you really know what you're doing," said Ketra after watching Valerie for a few minutes. Valerie only smiled over her shoulder and continued her application of lipstick. She only had her fingers to use, instead of proper brushes, but it was enough to transform her from a usually pretty woman, into a stunning one.

When Valerie was finished, Ketra handed her a small eyelash brush to use for her hair. Finally the Giantess handed Valerie a length of gold coloured silk ribbon that she could use like a scarf, and Valerie's transformation was complete.

" Wow, you really are beautiful," breathed Ketra as Valerie struck various modelling poses in front of the mirror.

" Why thank you, I feel beautiful," said Valerie, twirling the silk ribbon around so it floated out like a gossamer wing. " It's nice to know I haven't lost my touch, its been so long...."

Without warning the door of the hotel room was flung open and two Giant women fell laughing into the room, the noise and bustle enough for a startled Ketra to quickly place the box of tissues in front of Valerie, shielding her from a casual inspection of the dressing table.

" Hey Ketra, where you been, we were looking for you before, they need you down on the floor to start on the girls,"

" I...er...I was having a smoke," said Ketra, hurriedly repacking her cosmetic case as one of the girls flopped on the bed while the other sauntered over towards the window.

Ketra leaned over and plucked Valerie from her hiding place and dropped her unceremoniously into the make-up bag, sliding one of the inbuilt drawers over the top. It was just in time as the girl by the window had come to stand next to Ketra and reached over to pull out a tissue before joining the other girl on the bed.

" I'd better be going then, I'll....er...I'll catch you girls later," stammered Ketra, shutting the case and reaching for her sample box.

" Need a hand ?" asked one of the girls, but Ketra only shook her head and hurried to the door.

" I'll see you later, bye," said Ketra as she swung out into the corridor, shutting the hotel room door firmly behind her. Once alone, she slumped against the wall and brought the make-up case close to her face.

" I'm sorry, Valerie, I hope I didn't shaky you up to much," Ketra whispered, " I have to go downstairs, so be as quiet as you can,"

Inside the make-up case, Valerie could only brace herself as the box was swung down and jolted around as Ketra presumedly made her way to wherever she had to be, the loose items in the box banging around, sliding back and forth as Ketra hurried along. Eventually the swaying slowed down and Valerie heard voices all around, the high pitched babble of numerous excitable girls and the low pitched murmur of their chaperones and managers. Ketra greeted several people, exchanging comments and jokes as she made her way to her post. Then the box was put on the ground with a thump and finally the world stopped moving.

That was the moment the internal monologue kicked in. Her safety now depended on the trust she felt inherently in Ketra, Valerie just hoped her judgement wasn't about to fail her.

The lid was thrown open and Valerie shrank back as far as possible when light flooded into the box, Ketra's hand reached in to lift out various trays of make-up, leaving the one shielding Valerie alone. From her hiding place Valerie could look up and see a strange view of moving Giants, plus a long distance view of Ketra working on a pretty brunette. Time seemed to slow and Valerie found herself yawning, the air inside the half open case redolent with the smell of the various cosmetics, becoming stuffy as the minutes ticked by. Feeling herself nodding off, Valerie pulled a handful of cotton balls out of their bag and wadded them together to make a welcome pillow. Within minutes she was asleep, the hypnotic drone of Giant voices a soothing lullaby.

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Betty spotted Steve and Mark and waved them over, the two men sprinting across the asphalt to reach the hiding place under the dumpster.

" Where's Fitzhugh ?" asked Steve, dropping the grappling hook and rope into the cart and coming to stand next to a worried looking Betty.

" He's....um...well...he took off."

" He what ?"

" I only turned my back for a moment, I wanted to see if I could find another way to get in, rather than through the back door, but when I got back he was gone," Betty explained in a rush, cringing at the incredulous expression on the men's faces.

" He'll be halfway back to camp by now," said Mark in disgust.

" We can't worry about Fitzhugh now, he's old enough to take care of himself," said Steve, "do we know where they're keeping Valerie ?"

" I only know that she was taken by a Giant girl through that door there, that was three hours ago," said Betty.

" We can't search the whole hotel, didn't she say anything to give us a clue where she might be taking Val ?" asked Mark tersely.

" She said she was a beautician....or something for a beauty contest being held in the hotel, but that's all she said, no room number or anything," Betty told them. Steve looked up at the brightly lit windows that towered thousands of feet above them and shook his head.

" We're going to have to hope that lady luck is on Valerie's side tonight, and throws us a seven,"

" While we wait for Lady luck to get her act together, what are we going to do?" asked Mark,

" Wait."

" Wait ?"

" We can't do anything else, we can't search the hotel, we don't even know if Valerie is still in there, and I'm not prepared to risk anyone else until we know more,"

" What about Valerie ? Anything could be happening to her, we can't just wait!"

Betty backed up, not wanting to come between Steve and Mark as they faced off. She had seen too many of these situations not to realise when a fight was brewing. Steve was right, they didn't know enough to do much, but Mark was right too, they couldn't just leave Valerie without at least trying to rescue her. Betty was just glad she wasn't being asked for her opinion, she had never like taking sides.

Steve and Mark were now toe to toe, each man convinced of their own point of view, ready to defend their opinions to the last blow. They were never to find out who was right as just as they were getting ready to land the first punch the kitchen door once more flew open and Ketra appeared carrying her make-up bag carefully clasped against her chest. Steve grabbed Betty and pulled her under the dumpster, followed closely by Mark. They watched as the Giantess crouched down near to where they hid and placed the box on the ground. To their surprise the Giantess started to talk to the box.

" Hey in there, are you still okay ? I'm sorry it took so long, but I had to do a complete finish for the dress rehearsal tonight,"

Steve, Mark and Betty watched as the Giant girl reached into the box and pulled out a number of shallow trays full of cosmetics. Finally she reached inside and appeared to be cradling something precious or fragile in her cupped hands.

" I'm sorry if it was too boring for you, but that's my job," said Ketra to the figure lying in the palms of her hands.

" That's okay, it's been a tiring day, I was glad of the rest," said Valerie as she stretched out her cramped muscles. " Although I wouldn't recommend it as the best place to sleep,"

" Will you be okay if I leave you here, where I found you ?" asked Ketra.

" Yeah, I'll be able to find my way home from here, thanks Ketra,"

" Maybe I'll see you again, we could hold our own beauty pageant, just you and me," said Ketra with a smile.

" Only if I get to do your make-up," retorted Valerie, laughing.

" I have to get back now, they'll want me to clean all that gunk off after the rehearsal, so take care Valerie of the Little People,"

" You too Ketra, and thank you, its been a blast,"

Steve and Mark waited for the Giantess to get to her feet and go back through the kitchen door, leaving Valerie standing there, waving with her back to them, before coming out from under the dumpster.

" Making good use of your charm again Valerie ?" asked Mark, making Valerie spin around in surprise to find her three shipmates regarding her with amusement. Gathering her wits Valerie tilted her chin and adopted her best model pose then sauntered casually over to where they stood, her hips swaying in her best catwalk sashay.

" Why I don't know what you mean, I was merely returning from an appointment at the beauty parlour, can't you tell ?" Valerie batted her eyelashes outrageously as Mark, making him blush and causing Steve to guffaw along with Betty.

" I don't know how you do it Val, but I'm glad you see you in one piece, and a very lovely piece at that," said Betty appreciatively.

" Oh it was nice to muck about with all that silly feminine stuff again, but I don't think I'm quite ready to chuck in my freedom for the sake of lipstick and eyeshadow," stated Valerie, removing the gold silk ribbon with a sigh.

" Well Cinderella, I guess its time to trade in the glass slipper and get started home," said Steve.

" Sure, I'm ready....hey where's Fitzhugh ?" asked Valerie, seeing the cart but no Fitzhugh.

" I expect we'll trip over Mr.Fitzhugh on our way back to camp, if not, I'll worry about him in the morning," replied Steve, gathering up the rope and handing the other to Mark. Betty was having difficulty stifling a yawn as the two men started to pull that cart away. Valerie came up beside her and pulled Betty's arm through her own.

Betty looked into Valerie's face, admiring the effect wrought by the cosmetics.

" When we get back to Earth, you'll have to teach me that trick with the blusher,"

" Betty, when we get back to Earth, I'll give you a complete make-over with my own fair hands, deal ?"

" Deal,"

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End.