Author's note: I'm keeping the dishes enchanted or I wouldn't know how I would keep "Be Our Guest" and I like the song.
(Fade in to ext of Kagome's room. Door creaks open. Kagome silently emerges. We see her feet go by as movement moves behind a curtain at floor level. Behind it are Shippou and Kirara.)
SHIPPOU: I'll catch you!
KIRARA: Meow!
SHIPPOU: I'm going to catch you!
KIRARA: Meow! (Shippou and Kirara tumble out from the curtain and Shippou lands on his back. He looks up and sees Kagome walking down the hall.)
LUMIERE: Wa!! She has emerged! (Cut to kitchen, where we find Jaken, Sango, Rin and the Cook.)
SANGO: Come on, Rin. It's past your bedtime.
RIN: (rubbing her eye) But Rin's not sleepy.
SANGO: Yes you are. (to a servant) Can you take her to her room.
RIN: But, Rin's...not. (She falls asleep in the servant's arms.) (A banging of pots and pans comes from the Cook.)
COOK: I work and I slave all day, and for what? A culinary masterpiece gone to waste.
SANGO: Oh, stop your grousing. It's been a long night for all of us.
JAKEN: Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn. After all, the master did say 'please.'
SANGO: But if the master doesn't learn to control that temper, he'll never break the-- (Kagome enters, and Jaken cuts off Sango before she can say 'spell.')
JAKEN: (interrupting) Splendid to see you out and about, my Lady. (Shippou comes running in.) I am Jaken, head of the household. (Shippou butts in front of him.) This is Shippou.
LUMIERE: konbanwa, bishoujo.
JAKEN: (trying to talk around Shippou who is still in front of him) If there's anything...that we can...please (finally shoving him out of the way)...to make your stay more comfortable. (Shippou burns the hand of Jaken with fox-fire) Itai!!!!!
KAGOME: I am a little hungry.
SANGO: (excited)You are? Hear that? She's hungry. Stoke the fire, break out the silver and the china. (The fire on the stove roars to life, and drawers open to reveal silverware.)
JAKEN: (secretively) Remember what the lord said.
SANGO: Oh, come now. I'm not going to let the poor girl go hungry.
JAKEN: (thinking he is giving in to the ultimate demand) Oh, all right. Glass of water, crust of bread, and then--
SHIPPOU: Jaken, I am surprised at you. She's not our prisoner. She's our guest. We must make her feel welcome here. (to Kagome) Right this way, my Lady.
JAKEN: Well keep it down. If the lord finds out about this, it will be our necks!
SHIPPOU: Of course, of course. But what is dinner without a little music? (Shippou has started out the swinging door. He lets it close, and the door hits Jaken and sends him across the room to land in a pan filled with (what looks like) pancake batter. He screams his line as he is in flight.)
JAKEN: MUSIC!?!
(Cut to dining room, where Kagome is seated at the end of a long table. Shippou is on the table and a spotlight shines on him.)
SHIPPOU: konbanwa, my Lady. It is with deepest pleasure and greatest pride that I welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner. Be our guest, be our guest Put our service to the test, tie your napkin 'round your neck, my Lady and we provide the rest! (The CHAIR has wrapped a napkin around the neck of Kagome, who takes it off and places it on her lap.) Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres; why we only live to serve. Try the gray stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes! (Shippou offers Kagome a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She dips her finger in one, and tastes it.) They can sing, they can dance After all, miss, this is Japan! And a dinner here is never second best! Go on unfold your menu, take a glance and then you'll be our guest, be our guest, be our guest! (A cabinet at the end of the table opens to reveal a large CHINA collection, which rolls out and begins to perform. Shippou hands Kagome a menu, which she begins to read.) Beef ragout, cheese souffle, Pie and pudding en flambe! We'll prepare and serve with flair A culinary cabaret! (Plates of food go dancing by, with Jaken in the pudding. Shippo sets a match to it, and it explodes, turning Jaken's face black with soot.) You're alone and you're scared, but the banquet's all prepared! No one's gloomy or complaining, while the flatware's entertaining! (The FLATWARE enters a 'Busby Berlkley-esque' swimming scene.) We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow mates (Shippou, standing on a plate, is elevated. MUGS enter the shot.)
MUGS: And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet!!! (The MUGS begin a gymnastics routine, hopping over one another and passing a beverage from one to the next)
ALL: Come on and lift your glass, You've won your own free pass to be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!
SHIPPOU: If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest!
ALL: Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!
(ALL leave except Jaken, who looks scared, then begins to inch away. Shippou enters and holds him there.)
SHIPPOU: Life is so unnerving, for a servant who's not serving! He's not whole without a soul to wait upon
JAKEN: Get off!
SHIPPOU: Ah, those good old days when we were useful, suddenly, those good old days are gone. (Shippou sings as if he were reminiscing. Snow begins to fall. Jaken looks up and sees the salt and pepper shakers doing their thing.)
SHIPPOU: Ten years we've been rusting. Needing so much more than dusting; needing exercise, a chance to use our skills! (Shippou dusts the salt of the head of Jaken, who tries to escape. He trips and falls into the gelatin mold.) Most days just lay around the castle, Flabby, fat, and lazy You walked in, and oops-a-daisie! (Shippou jumps on a spoon in the gelatin, which catapults Jaken out of the mold. Cut to kitchen, where Sango is surrounded by soap bubbles.)
SANGO: It's a guest, it's a guest! Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed! Wine's been poured and thank the Lord I've had the napkins freshly pressed! (Sango continues to dance around the kitchen) With dessert, she'll want tea, And my dear, that's fine with me! Oh heaven's sake, is that a spot? Clean it up, we want the company impressed! We've got a lot to do-- Is it one lump or two? For you our guest! (Sango cleans off with a napkin. She rolls the tea cart into the dining room, where she offers tea to Kagome.)
ALL: She's our guest!
SANGO: She's our guest!
ALL: She's our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Our command is your request! It's ten years since we had anybody here and we're obsessed! With your meal, with your ease, Yes indeed, we aim to please while the candlelight's still glowing Let us help you, we'll keep going-- (The CHINA and CANDLESTICKS perform an elaborately choreographed dance sequence, ending in a c.u. of Shippou.)
ALL (esp. Shippou): Course, by course One by one 'Til you shout "Enough, I'm done!" Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest Tonight you'll prop your feet up, But for let's eat up Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Please Be our guest!! (A fantastic ending comes of the song, with SILVERWARE flying through the air, PLATES and FEATHERDUSTERS dancing, and Jaken the focus of attention, until Shippou comes sliding in and sends him flying out of camera range.)
KAGOME: Bravo! That was wonderful!
JAKEN: Thank you, thank you, my Lady. Yes, good show, wasn't it everyone. (Looking at the clock) Oh, my goodness, will you look at the time. Now, it's off to bed, off to bed! (Shippou comes up next to Jaken.)
KAGOME: Oh, I couldn't possibly go to bed now. It's my first time in an enchanted castle.
JAKEN: Enchanted? Who said anything about the castle being enchanted? (He tries to cover it up. To Shippou) It was you, wasn't it!
KAGOME: I, um, figured it out for myself. (Jaken and Shippou have been fighting. They both look at her, then stop. Jaken dusts himself off, and Shippou brushes his tail out.) I'd like to look around, if that's all right.
SHIPPOU: (excited) Oh! Would you like a tour?
JAKEN: Wait a second, wait a second. I'm not sure that's such a good idea. (Confidentially, to Shippou) We can't let her go poking around in certain places, if you know what I mean.
KAGOME: Perhaps you could take me. I'm sure you know everything there is to know about the castle.
JAKEN: (flattered) Well, actually, ah yes, I do!
(Fade to Jaken, Shippou, and Kagome walking down a hall. Jaken is lecturing.)
COGSWORTH: As you can see, the pseudo facade was stripped away to reveal a minimalist rococo design. Note the unusual inverted vaulted ceilings. (He turns to find the heads of the SUITS OF ARMOR have turned to follow Kagome.) As you were! (They all snap back to face forward.) Now, if I may draw your attention to the flying buttresses above the...my Lady?
(Jaken turns back to the group and is one girl short. He sees her beginning to climb the grand staircase. He and Shippou run up to her and jump in front of her, blocking her progress upstairs.)
KAGOME: What's up there?
JAKEN: Where? Up there? Nothing. Absolutely nothing of interest at all in the West Wing. Dusty, dull, very boring. (Shippou has been shaking his head, but Jaken nudges him and he nods in agreement.)
KAGOME: Oh, so that's the West Wing.
SHIPPOU: (To Jaken) Nice going!
KAGOME: I wonder what he's hiding up there.
SHIPPOU: Hiding? The lord is hiding nothing!
KAGOME: Then it wouldn't be forbidden. (She steps over them, but they dash up and block her again.)
JAKEN: Perhaps my Lady would like to see something else. We have exquisite tapestries dating all the way back to...
KAGOME: (again stepping over them) Maybe later.
SHIPPOU: (with Jaken, again dashing and blocking) The gardens, or the library perhaps?
KAGOME: (Now, with incredible interest) You have a library?
JAKEN: (Thrilled that he has found something to interest her) Oh yes! Indeed!
SHIPPOI: With books!
JAKEN: Gads of books!
SHIPPOU: Mountains of books!
JAKEN: Forests of books!
SHIPPOU: Cascades...
JAKEN: ...of books!
SHIPPOU: Swamps of books!
JAKEN: More books than you'll ever be able to read in a lifetime! Books on every subject ever studied, by every author who ever set pen to paper...
(Shippou and Jaken begin marching off, and Kagome begins to follow, but her curiosity overtakes her, and she turns back to the West Wing. Her excitement begins to dwindle, though, when she enters the hallway leading to Sesshoumaru's lair. As she walks down the hall, she stops to look in a mirror that has been shattered into several pieces, each one reflecting her concerned look. She reaches the end of the hall and finds a closed door with gargoyle handles. She takes a deep breath, then reaches out and opens the door. Cut to int of lair, where Kagome begins to explore. She is truly shocked by everything she sees. She wanders around, looking, and knocks over a table, but she catches it before it crashes to the floor. She then turns her head and sees a shredded picture on the wall. We can only see part of a portrait. It is the same portrait that was shredded in the opening. Kagome reaches out and lifts the shreds of the picture to reveal the Sesshoumaru normal shape. She turns her head and sees the rose under the bell jar. She walks over to it, her eyes transfixed. She reaches out, then lifts off the jar, leaving the rose unprotected. She reaches up, brushes back the strand of hair that has been repeatedly falling on her forehead, then reaches out to touch the rose. As she nears it, a shadow falls over her. Sesshoumaru has been on the balcony, and sees her. He jumps back into the room, then slams the jar back on the rose. He then turns his attention to Kagome growling.)
SESSHOUMARU: (growing angry) Why did you come here?
KAGOME: (Backing away, scared) I'm sorry,
SESSHOUMARU: I warned you never to come here!
KAGOME: I didn't mean any harm.
SESSHOUMARU: (Angrier) Do you realize what you could have done? (Begins to thrash at the furniture)
KAGOME: (Pleading, but still scared) Please, stop! No!
SESSHOUMARU: (Screaming) Get out!!!! GET OUT!!!! (Kagome turns and flees the room. Sesshoumaru calms down, but then growls at himself for chasing the only hope of ever being normal again and having any chances with Kagome.)
(Kagome reaches the stairway and grabs her cloak. She rushes down the stairs, wrapping the cloak around her and bursting past a confused Shippou and Jaken.)
SHIPPOU: Wh- Where are you going?
KAGOME: Promise or no promise, I can't stay here another minute!
JAKEN: Oh no, wait, please wait! (Shippou tries to respond, but Kagome slams the door behind her. He and Jaken both bow their heads in sadness.)
Next chapter up soon. Review.
(Fade in to ext of Kagome's room. Door creaks open. Kagome silently emerges. We see her feet go by as movement moves behind a curtain at floor level. Behind it are Shippou and Kirara.)
SHIPPOU: I'll catch you!
KIRARA: Meow!
SHIPPOU: I'm going to catch you!
KIRARA: Meow! (Shippou and Kirara tumble out from the curtain and Shippou lands on his back. He looks up and sees Kagome walking down the hall.)
LUMIERE: Wa!! She has emerged! (Cut to kitchen, where we find Jaken, Sango, Rin and the Cook.)
SANGO: Come on, Rin. It's past your bedtime.
RIN: (rubbing her eye) But Rin's not sleepy.
SANGO: Yes you are. (to a servant) Can you take her to her room.
RIN: But, Rin's...not. (She falls asleep in the servant's arms.) (A banging of pots and pans comes from the Cook.)
COOK: I work and I slave all day, and for what? A culinary masterpiece gone to waste.
SANGO: Oh, stop your grousing. It's been a long night for all of us.
JAKEN: Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn. After all, the master did say 'please.'
SANGO: But if the master doesn't learn to control that temper, he'll never break the-- (Kagome enters, and Jaken cuts off Sango before she can say 'spell.')
JAKEN: (interrupting) Splendid to see you out and about, my Lady. (Shippou comes running in.) I am Jaken, head of the household. (Shippou butts in front of him.) This is Shippou.
LUMIERE: konbanwa, bishoujo.
JAKEN: (trying to talk around Shippou who is still in front of him) If there's anything...that we can...please (finally shoving him out of the way)...to make your stay more comfortable. (Shippou burns the hand of Jaken with fox-fire) Itai!!!!!
KAGOME: I am a little hungry.
SANGO: (excited)You are? Hear that? She's hungry. Stoke the fire, break out the silver and the china. (The fire on the stove roars to life, and drawers open to reveal silverware.)
JAKEN: (secretively) Remember what the lord said.
SANGO: Oh, come now. I'm not going to let the poor girl go hungry.
JAKEN: (thinking he is giving in to the ultimate demand) Oh, all right. Glass of water, crust of bread, and then--
SHIPPOU: Jaken, I am surprised at you. She's not our prisoner. She's our guest. We must make her feel welcome here. (to Kagome) Right this way, my Lady.
JAKEN: Well keep it down. If the lord finds out about this, it will be our necks!
SHIPPOU: Of course, of course. But what is dinner without a little music? (Shippou has started out the swinging door. He lets it close, and the door hits Jaken and sends him across the room to land in a pan filled with (what looks like) pancake batter. He screams his line as he is in flight.)
JAKEN: MUSIC!?!
(Cut to dining room, where Kagome is seated at the end of a long table. Shippou is on the table and a spotlight shines on him.)
SHIPPOU: konbanwa, my Lady. It is with deepest pleasure and greatest pride that I welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner. Be our guest, be our guest Put our service to the test, tie your napkin 'round your neck, my Lady and we provide the rest! (The CHAIR has wrapped a napkin around the neck of Kagome, who takes it off and places it on her lap.) Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres; why we only live to serve. Try the gray stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes! (Shippou offers Kagome a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She dips her finger in one, and tastes it.) They can sing, they can dance After all, miss, this is Japan! And a dinner here is never second best! Go on unfold your menu, take a glance and then you'll be our guest, be our guest, be our guest! (A cabinet at the end of the table opens to reveal a large CHINA collection, which rolls out and begins to perform. Shippou hands Kagome a menu, which she begins to read.) Beef ragout, cheese souffle, Pie and pudding en flambe! We'll prepare and serve with flair A culinary cabaret! (Plates of food go dancing by, with Jaken in the pudding. Shippo sets a match to it, and it explodes, turning Jaken's face black with soot.) You're alone and you're scared, but the banquet's all prepared! No one's gloomy or complaining, while the flatware's entertaining! (The FLATWARE enters a 'Busby Berlkley-esque' swimming scene.) We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow mates (Shippou, standing on a plate, is elevated. MUGS enter the shot.)
MUGS: And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet!!! (The MUGS begin a gymnastics routine, hopping over one another and passing a beverage from one to the next)
ALL: Come on and lift your glass, You've won your own free pass to be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!
SHIPPOU: If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest!
ALL: Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!
(ALL leave except Jaken, who looks scared, then begins to inch away. Shippou enters and holds him there.)
SHIPPOU: Life is so unnerving, for a servant who's not serving! He's not whole without a soul to wait upon
JAKEN: Get off!
SHIPPOU: Ah, those good old days when we were useful, suddenly, those good old days are gone. (Shippou sings as if he were reminiscing. Snow begins to fall. Jaken looks up and sees the salt and pepper shakers doing their thing.)
SHIPPOU: Ten years we've been rusting. Needing so much more than dusting; needing exercise, a chance to use our skills! (Shippou dusts the salt of the head of Jaken, who tries to escape. He trips and falls into the gelatin mold.) Most days just lay around the castle, Flabby, fat, and lazy You walked in, and oops-a-daisie! (Shippou jumps on a spoon in the gelatin, which catapults Jaken out of the mold. Cut to kitchen, where Sango is surrounded by soap bubbles.)
SANGO: It's a guest, it's a guest! Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed! Wine's been poured and thank the Lord I've had the napkins freshly pressed! (Sango continues to dance around the kitchen) With dessert, she'll want tea, And my dear, that's fine with me! Oh heaven's sake, is that a spot? Clean it up, we want the company impressed! We've got a lot to do-- Is it one lump or two? For you our guest! (Sango cleans off with a napkin. She rolls the tea cart into the dining room, where she offers tea to Kagome.)
ALL: She's our guest!
SANGO: She's our guest!
ALL: She's our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Our command is your request! It's ten years since we had anybody here and we're obsessed! With your meal, with your ease, Yes indeed, we aim to please while the candlelight's still glowing Let us help you, we'll keep going-- (The CHINA and CANDLESTICKS perform an elaborately choreographed dance sequence, ending in a c.u. of Shippou.)
ALL (esp. Shippou): Course, by course One by one 'Til you shout "Enough, I'm done!" Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest Tonight you'll prop your feet up, But for let's eat up Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Please Be our guest!! (A fantastic ending comes of the song, with SILVERWARE flying through the air, PLATES and FEATHERDUSTERS dancing, and Jaken the focus of attention, until Shippou comes sliding in and sends him flying out of camera range.)
KAGOME: Bravo! That was wonderful!
JAKEN: Thank you, thank you, my Lady. Yes, good show, wasn't it everyone. (Looking at the clock) Oh, my goodness, will you look at the time. Now, it's off to bed, off to bed! (Shippou comes up next to Jaken.)
KAGOME: Oh, I couldn't possibly go to bed now. It's my first time in an enchanted castle.
JAKEN: Enchanted? Who said anything about the castle being enchanted? (He tries to cover it up. To Shippou) It was you, wasn't it!
KAGOME: I, um, figured it out for myself. (Jaken and Shippou have been fighting. They both look at her, then stop. Jaken dusts himself off, and Shippou brushes his tail out.) I'd like to look around, if that's all right.
SHIPPOU: (excited) Oh! Would you like a tour?
JAKEN: Wait a second, wait a second. I'm not sure that's such a good idea. (Confidentially, to Shippou) We can't let her go poking around in certain places, if you know what I mean.
KAGOME: Perhaps you could take me. I'm sure you know everything there is to know about the castle.
JAKEN: (flattered) Well, actually, ah yes, I do!
(Fade to Jaken, Shippou, and Kagome walking down a hall. Jaken is lecturing.)
COGSWORTH: As you can see, the pseudo facade was stripped away to reveal a minimalist rococo design. Note the unusual inverted vaulted ceilings. (He turns to find the heads of the SUITS OF ARMOR have turned to follow Kagome.) As you were! (They all snap back to face forward.) Now, if I may draw your attention to the flying buttresses above the...my Lady?
(Jaken turns back to the group and is one girl short. He sees her beginning to climb the grand staircase. He and Shippou run up to her and jump in front of her, blocking her progress upstairs.)
KAGOME: What's up there?
JAKEN: Where? Up there? Nothing. Absolutely nothing of interest at all in the West Wing. Dusty, dull, very boring. (Shippou has been shaking his head, but Jaken nudges him and he nods in agreement.)
KAGOME: Oh, so that's the West Wing.
SHIPPOU: (To Jaken) Nice going!
KAGOME: I wonder what he's hiding up there.
SHIPPOU: Hiding? The lord is hiding nothing!
KAGOME: Then it wouldn't be forbidden. (She steps over them, but they dash up and block her again.)
JAKEN: Perhaps my Lady would like to see something else. We have exquisite tapestries dating all the way back to...
KAGOME: (again stepping over them) Maybe later.
SHIPPOU: (with Jaken, again dashing and blocking) The gardens, or the library perhaps?
KAGOME: (Now, with incredible interest) You have a library?
JAKEN: (Thrilled that he has found something to interest her) Oh yes! Indeed!
SHIPPOI: With books!
JAKEN: Gads of books!
SHIPPOU: Mountains of books!
JAKEN: Forests of books!
SHIPPOU: Cascades...
JAKEN: ...of books!
SHIPPOU: Swamps of books!
JAKEN: More books than you'll ever be able to read in a lifetime! Books on every subject ever studied, by every author who ever set pen to paper...
(Shippou and Jaken begin marching off, and Kagome begins to follow, but her curiosity overtakes her, and she turns back to the West Wing. Her excitement begins to dwindle, though, when she enters the hallway leading to Sesshoumaru's lair. As she walks down the hall, she stops to look in a mirror that has been shattered into several pieces, each one reflecting her concerned look. She reaches the end of the hall and finds a closed door with gargoyle handles. She takes a deep breath, then reaches out and opens the door. Cut to int of lair, where Kagome begins to explore. She is truly shocked by everything she sees. She wanders around, looking, and knocks over a table, but she catches it before it crashes to the floor. She then turns her head and sees a shredded picture on the wall. We can only see part of a portrait. It is the same portrait that was shredded in the opening. Kagome reaches out and lifts the shreds of the picture to reveal the Sesshoumaru normal shape. She turns her head and sees the rose under the bell jar. She walks over to it, her eyes transfixed. She reaches out, then lifts off the jar, leaving the rose unprotected. She reaches up, brushes back the strand of hair that has been repeatedly falling on her forehead, then reaches out to touch the rose. As she nears it, a shadow falls over her. Sesshoumaru has been on the balcony, and sees her. He jumps back into the room, then slams the jar back on the rose. He then turns his attention to Kagome growling.)
SESSHOUMARU: (growing angry) Why did you come here?
KAGOME: (Backing away, scared) I'm sorry,
SESSHOUMARU: I warned you never to come here!
KAGOME: I didn't mean any harm.
SESSHOUMARU: (Angrier) Do you realize what you could have done? (Begins to thrash at the furniture)
KAGOME: (Pleading, but still scared) Please, stop! No!
SESSHOUMARU: (Screaming) Get out!!!! GET OUT!!!! (Kagome turns and flees the room. Sesshoumaru calms down, but then growls at himself for chasing the only hope of ever being normal again and having any chances with Kagome.)
(Kagome reaches the stairway and grabs her cloak. She rushes down the stairs, wrapping the cloak around her and bursting past a confused Shippou and Jaken.)
SHIPPOU: Wh- Where are you going?
KAGOME: Promise or no promise, I can't stay here another minute!
JAKEN: Oh no, wait, please wait! (Shippou tries to respond, but Kagome slams the door behind her. He and Jaken both bow their heads in sadness.)
Next chapter up soon. Review.
