Can I Keep You: A Relief and a Contest
Chapter 10
A Relief and a Contest
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Thanks so much for the reviews! They made me very happy so I updated! Hanyoulover4ever (LOL! That was sooo funny!) The Sky Goddess (I'm sorry about chapter 9 confusion! As for your questions, telling you would be giving too much away now, wouldn't it? You'll have to wait and see!) I appreciate all of your reviews! Thanks again! Here's the chapter.
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Kikyo's scream was heard all throughout the castle, ringing in everybody's ears and bringing a very satisfied smile to Kagome's face.
She quickly changed her expression to one of shock and confusion right before Sango turned to look at her.
Kagome shrugged her shoulders in an innocent gesture.
"What's going on?" Kagome asked Sango.
"I know not, but think we should go see."
They hurried down the hall and joined the small crowd that had surrounded Kikyo's room.
The two made their way through to the front and gasped as they saw Kikyo in full panic mode, very much worked up over her shockingly bright, eye blinding, green hair!
"Oh my god, it's the swamp thing," Kagome whispered.
"I can't believe something like this happened," Sango said.
'I can because I did it!' Kagome thought. 'How like you that hair now, Kikyo? That stuff doesn't wash out for two weeks!'
"My hair!" Kikyo cried. "My beautiful hair! What if it never goes back to normal? What if I'm stuck with leaf head forever? I shall be ridiculed by everybody and I can't take this!!!!"
Kikyo was hysterical and Kagome was very pleased with herself even though she kept a shocked face on to keep Sango from becoming suspicious.
"My lady, calm down!" somebody spoke. "I heard of something like this before. It was from an allergic reaction to something. Think back to what you've done today. What have you done?"
"I've been with the prince the majority of the day," Kikyo called.
"That's it!" Kagome said. "You're allergic to Prince InuYasha! You should definitely stay away from him forever!"
Sango glared at Kagome.
"Or maybe perhaps it's due to something you've eaten today," Kagome suggested.
Sango seemed pleased with the question and stopped looking at her in that strange way.
"I'm ruined!" Kikyo cried in an overly dramatic way.
"Wait a minute..." somebody said. "Did you just wash your hair, my lady?"
"Be it possible that it was your shampoo that caused this? I suggest switching it," an older looking maid told Kikyo.
Kagome pulled a strand of her hair to her eyes and sighed with relief. "How horrible. I know not what I'd do if it were me in this situation.
Kagome spoke as if she really had no idea what was going on.
Sango, who had still been looking at Kagome suspiciously, lost the scary look and watched Kikyo slam her door in all of their faces and the crowd begin to disperse with much to talk about.
"My lady!" Miru whispered to Kagome. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if she really were allergic to the prince?"
"Of course, but fate shall not allow such luck," Kagome whispered back.
That night, while Kikyo was in her bathroom trying desperately to get rid of the horrible green color of her hair, Kagome sneaked into the room with a new blanket, stripped the bed of the old one, and put the new blanket on without Kikyo knowing a thing.
Kagome laughed silently and tip toed out of the room with the darkness as her cover.
She threw the other blanket in a nearby closet and smiled.
'Sure, what a pretty new blanket,' Kagome thought, 'except for the fact that it'll make you itch terribly!'
Creeping down the hallway, she suddenly felt as if she wasn't't safe, hurrying her step, but suddenly feeling her arm being caught and pulled back.
She gasped and turned around only to find Naraku there.
"Let go," Kagome said as she tugged on her arm.
"What's your hurry little servant girl? Surely you've no place specific to be this late at night."
"I do. I have to go to sleep. I need to get up early to collect the mail," Kagome said as she continued to pull on her arm.
"What are you doing out here so late at night, then?" he asked, his eyes glowing in a completely abnormal way.
"I had to use the bathroom. And then I got a drink of water. Is something wrong with that, sir?"
"No, not at all. I'm just worried that something might...happen. You never know what could be lurking in the shadows at nighttime. You should be careful."
"Caution should matter not. Be I mistaken or is this the castle? What danger lurks behind these walls?" Kagome asked.
"A very good point. A very good point, indeed. You should hurry along now girl. After all, you do have to wake in the early hours. Just remember, be careful."
Kagome yanked her arm away from his grasp and hurried down the hall, not looking back because she could feel his sick eyes on her.
She reached the door to the room she shared with Sango and hurried inside, closing it securely behind her and going to her bed.
Just as she was laying down, Sango spoke.
"What were you doing out there so late at night?"
"The same thing was just asked of me by Naraku," Kagome told her with chills at the remembrance of how he looked at her.
"What?"
"He asked me what I was doing out there so late at night and I told him that I was only using the bathroom and getting a drink of water."
"And?"
"And he was telling me to be careful and about how you never know what's lurking in the shadows. The only thing anybody need be cautious of in this castle is him!"
"I doubt not that he is a creep," Sango said as she shook her head.
"I felt like throwing my glass of water up after seeing him."
"Not in here."
Kagome was silent for a moment as Sango studied her.
"You did it, didn't you."
"Did what?"
"You know what I speak of," Sango said.
Kagome sighed.
"Okay, fine. Of course I did it. But she insulted me and she deserved it. She basically said that my hair was horrible, throwing vile words at me though I spoke only kindness."
"Some people are just rude. You've never paid them much mind before."
"But be it not obvious that those people weren't her?" Kagome said as she sat up.
"Why torture her so?"
"The answer is obvious. Besides throwing little petty insults at me, she attempts to cozy up to my fiance and to smear my real name."
"True, true."
"Um...don't get mad at me in the morning," Kagome told her.
"Why? What did you do now?"
"Lady Kikyo will be in an...itchy situation."
Kagome laid back down and turned away from Sango, leaving her with those foreboding words.
"Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Kagome and Sango were woken up by an unearthly screech louder than a thunder's boom.
Their eyes popped open and they hurried out of their beds and over to where another crowd had accumulated.
Kikyo was on her bed wiggling helplessly back and forth, her hair a mess and still green.
She was scratching with all her might, scratching and rubbing and scratching some more.
Sango looked at Kikyo and then at Kagome, a reluctant grin gracing her face before she put on a more stern look.
They watched InuYasha make his way through the crowd and watch Kikyo scratch herself and scratch herself in places that weren't appropriate to be seen done.
She wiggled back and forth and tried to get rid of the itch.
He saw her on the bed looking like a total and complete mess.
He actually felt embarrassed for her.
Kagome wanted to laugh, but held it inside.
She'd really done it this time.
Now he saw Kikyo as the hideous creature that Kagome knew she was.
Kaede made her way through the crowd and entered the room.
She pulled a bottle out of her sleeve and pulled the cork out.
"My lady, drink this. I shall relieve the itching and rid you of the green."
She held Kikyo still and poured the drink in her open mouth.
Kikyo stopped wiggling and scratching and Kagome watched in disappointment as her hair returned to black.
"Ye have no more business gathered about. Disperse and return to your duties," Kaede told the crowd.
Kagome and Sango left the scene, Kagome looking crestfallen.
Sango laughed at the look on Kagome's face.
"You deserve failure, you know. So what if she insults you? She probably insults the other servants, too. But they just take it and go on with their business, as should you."
"I was raised to not let my honor be abused. And she's abusing it!"
"But is it really honorable to sabotage a person?"
"The only honorable way to take Kikyo out would be to do it as Princess Kagome, not Gome the worker girl. Find you not the point that it would definitely hinder our causes?"
They both snapped their fingers, jumping up and down, an idea coming to mind.
They then eyed each other apprehensively.
"What's excited you so?" Kagome asked.
"An idea of epic proportions. You?"
"I've got a great idea as well."
"Really?"
"Could it be the same idea I'm sitting on?"
"Contest, right?"
"Great minds think alike," Kagome told her.
"It's an honorable and Sango approved way to sabotage her. I disapprove your sabotaging her, but if you're going to do it, you should at least take it up a couple of levels."
"Yep! Vanity is Kikyo's passion! Hit her where it hurts!" Kagome said excitedly.
It was twelve fifty nine. The afternoon sunshine engulfed all. The contest was open to all young women in the kingdom, being witnessed by all.
It was a beauty contest.
The judges were Prince InuYasha, Miroku, and Sayori (the woman who owned the most popular dress shop in the kingdom).
Kagome had entered Sayori's shop that morning with Sango, hoping to ditch the peasant clothing for something more noble.
Kagome examined the dresses as did Sango, enjoying the beauty they'd left behind in their kingdom.
"Can I help you?" Sayori asked.
Kagome turned around to see the woman.
"Lady Kikyo wishes to enter the beauty contest, but she is in dire need of something more suitable."
"Be it possible you would provide her with assistance?" Sango asked.
Sayori was silent for a minute before coming toward them.
"What are your names?" Sayori asked as she came to a stop before them.
"I'm Gome and this is my dear friend Gogo. We work in the castle," Kagome told her as she waited for what was next to come.
"Gome, come forward."
Kagome did as she was told.
"I would like you to spin around slowly."
Kagome was confused, but revolved as told.
"You look like one who is very suited for lovely attire. Beautiful, great hair, and wonderful legs. I have the perfect dress for you."
"Really?" Kagome said as she stopped spinning. "Wait. I'm not entering, I just wanted to get Kikyo's dress."
"Gogo, could you take her over to that dressing room over there while I go get the dress?"
"Of course," Sango said as she grabbed Kagome's arm and dragged her away.
Kagome's plan was to find a dress for Kikyo and then sabotage it. That way she'd be able to publicly humiliate her greatest enemy. For the sake of her and Sango's stealthiness during their mission, she didn't have any intention of entering the contest.
"The dress was beautiful. It was a nice shade of green and came down just below her knees, showed the shape of her body, yet wasn't too tight, fanned out at the bottom, and had thin straps that showed off her shoulders.
The straps possessed beautiful jewels resembling emeralds. They weren't genuine, but they sure did look it.
The jewels were also in vertical lines from the bust to the waist where the dress just began to fan out.
"I love it," Kagome told her as she spun around happily.
"Here," Sayori told her as she placed a pretty green necklace around her neck.
"It's wonderful, it's all wonderful, but I'm afraid I cannot pay for it. I hope not to cause problems, but wish for your letting me borrow it. Returning it will be priority for me once the contest is over and it would be good advertising," Kagome told her as she looked at her hopefully.
"It sounds like a good idea. I worry not about you taking the dress, so do not worry. But don't think I'll show you any favoritism just because you are the best customer I've had today," Sayori told her.
"Favoritism? Why?" Kagome couldn't help but ask as she looked at the dime sized green jewel on the necklace.
"You did not know? I am one of the judges. I shall be in the company of the young prince and master Miroku."
"I knew not, but I expect no special treatment. I am not even merely one of the contestants," Kagome told her.
"Do you think yourself not good enough?" Sayori asked.
"No, it's not that," Kagome told her.
"This is something you should do. Do not feel intimidated by Lady Kikyo."
Kagome laughed.
"Kikyo is the last person on earth who would intimidate me."
"Then prove it," Sayori said as she sat Kagome down to do her hair and makeup, the all purpose service.
"But..." Kagome began.
"But we are merely workers in the castle," Sango grasped at the closest excuse in her mind. "Gome thinks she should not do this."
"Nonsense. It is because you are workers in the castle that you should do this. A woman of so much privilege like Kikyo should not be allowed to fly through this," Sayori told them.
'But I am of even more privilege than Kikyo herself,' Kagome thought. 'It still wouldn't be fair.'
She only wanted to enhance Kagome's natural beauty, so she applied light makeup. Only a bit of light green eyeshadow, a little blush, and some lip gloss that brought out the color of Kagome's lips more.
Kagome's hair was already wavy enough, so Sayori pulled all of her hair to her left side and pulled it into a ponytail and left it hanging over her shoulder. She swept Kagome's bangs smoothly over to that side and put a green barrette at the end to hold them in place.
The end result was wonderful and Sayori seemed very pleased with herself.
"But I really shouldn't enter this contest, right Gogo?" Kagome said helplessly. She was worried about what this would end up like. She didn't need to be known by the public!
Sayori pushed Kagome and Sango out the door.
"Good luck!" Sayori called.
"She knows where she stands, trust me," Sango told her.
Now Sango stood next to Kagome, watching as more girls lined up in the area...
"Like little girls playing dress up, right?" Kagome said as she examined herself in the mirror.
"Feels like it. Is it to your liking?" Sango asked as she took the mirror from her. "I think Sayori did a good job."
"It's great," Kagome told her as she stood up.
The minute hand hit the twelve and it was now one o'clock sharp. The contest was about to begin.
"I shall watch from the front," Sango told her.
"You sure you don't wish to enter the contest?"
"I'm sure. And even if I wanted to, it is too late now," Sango told her. "And I think it's even later for you to get out of this. Good luck."
"Thanks," Kagome told her. "Let's just hope I don't need it."