Miss Croaklyn Toad's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Miss Croaklyn Toad positioned herself before the elegant white vanity, tilting her head until the angles looked right. The mirror showed a bumpy green reflection with bulging eyes, but she knew better. These cheap surfaces distorted everything. She leaned closer, studying the warped glass. Obviously defective. A contestant of her caliber deserved proper equipment—the kind that would reveal her true beauty to prepare for the grand pageant. She made a mental note to find something better before the competition. She visited three shops before finding what she needed. The craftsman showed her a full-length mirror with ornate golden scrollwork and a princess poster affixed to the glass. Perfect. The poster's crown aligned exactly with where her head would appear in the reflection. She paid extra for rushed delivery and had it installed that afternoon. When she stood before it, the poster covered most of her actual reflection, leaving only her elegant silhouette visible around the edges. Finally, a mirror that understood presentation. Croaklyn spent the next week practicing her poses in front of the new mirror. She perfected her wave, her smile, her pivot turn. The princess on the poster seemed to approve, crown glittering under the vanity lights. Other contestants probably used regular mirrors and wondered why they kept losing. She understood what judges needed to see—true beauty required proper framing. The poster proved it. She registered for the grand pageant at the brass-railed gazebo downtown, where the competition would take place in two weeks. The coordinator handed her a contestant number and asked if she had questions. Croaklyn smiled, thinking of her specialized mirror at home. This time would be different. This time, everyone would finally see what she'd known all along.