Chapter 15 – Elimination
Author Notes (Character Thoughts)
The day had dragged on for much longer than had thought possible. By the time the trial had been declared over only 13 people were still standing. Only one of them was an Urashima; Kanako. I had to do it. Keitaro was becoming just too perfect, he had to be taken down a peg. Among the others, stood Motoko, looking ready to collapse any minute but still standing strong. The remaining audience winced as yet another contestant fell to the sweat soaked floor. They applauded and left, feeling tired simply by having watched the round.
Kanako smiled victoriously at the mass of bodies that littered the deck. Keitaro slowly crawled to her and smiled, whispering a hoarse congrats. Picking himself off the ground, he turned and surveyed the wreckage. It was going to take a lot just t get to Aoi, He had no time to consider it was his stomach made itself known and growled savagely and Keitaro was forced to tear himself away from the deck.
"Let's get something to eat." Kanako suggested as she followed Keitaro down the stairs to there cabin.
"Sure, let me just take a shower." Keitaro replied as he teared his shirt off and entered the bathroom, sighing deeply as the warm water cascaded down his body.
Meanwhile a sobering Naru sat complaining to her friend. "I can't believe it! I mean the whole day? Motoko's probably ready to collapse if she hasn't already. And did they have to be so loud."
"That wasn;t them. It was just the sound of your own buzzing head." Kitsune replied with a smirk on her face,
"They must have put something in that drink last night, I swear."
"No one told you to drink."
"Not like they stopped me."
"Do you think they could have?"
"YOU'RE RIGHT! If anything I should be in this contest, especially if a weasel like Keitaro can worm his way in."
"What? Like you could have survived today."
"Yeah yeah, whatever."
Meanwhile
Keitaro and Kanako entered the dining hall and found the place packed with hungry contestants and admiring tourists. It was also filled with grieving chefs, some holding their head in their hands muttering, "That was supposed to last a week."
Grabbing a plate ands some food, both siblings opted to eat elsewhere, but only after finding out the hard way that most of the contestants had yet to shower. They walked out into the now clean deck and took a seat next to the guard rail. Both ate in silence, Keitaro's induced by his massive hunger and Kanako's induced by a combination of comfort and success.
That night, the entire ship slept soundly, the only sound other than snoring being the maniacal laugh of a tall figure, dawned in black as he entered the cabin of Tai.
A/N – Just in case you noticed, the cruise has been extended to five, this being the third. The next chapter should be up in a day or two.
