Tomorrows Never Die Disclaimer: Authors
Note:
Rating: Mature- Language, drug use, underage drinking and adult situations.
Plot: A local contest has brought two local bands into the light. These bands will embark on a global tour to take the world by storm. But what happens when the bands, who are home town rivals, find out that they'll be traveling together? Can their band mangers keep fighting to a minimum? Or will the hours of boredom take over them? AyaKog InuKag SanMir RinSess
Chapter One- The Beginning
An alarm clock sounded like a rifle, blasting through the darkened sanctuary that functioned as a bed room. An arm shot from beneath the covers to silence the infernal racket of the time piece. Slowly the comforter began to flop backwards until a mass of fire red hair peeked over the top, followed slowly by forest green eyes that projected a lack of sleep. Ayame Hanajima was awake, but just barely. After an intense night of partying with her friends she was far from rested as she swung her legs off the side of the bed, allowing her feet to slide into a pair of slippers to save her from experiencing the shocking cold of the tile floor.
Without a word she shuffled into an attached bathroom, specifically avoiding the light switch that she knew would nearly blind her if activated at the moment. Weak streams of sunlight poured through the curtains, allowing the girl to look over herself in the mirror. The dark circles under her eyes were obvious even in the shadow filled room. Such a tragedy. With a groan she reached into her shower and turned the handle, letting water stream through the shower head and warm up as she stripped off her pajamas and threw them haphazardly across the floor.
She emerged from the steam filled shower with a smile. Silently she trudged into the closet only to return fully dressed. Her crimson hair had been thoroughly brushed into a punk like side part to add to the effect of her torn jeans, fishnet stockings, and striped shirt. Black boots covered her feet and a guitar pick hung from a necklace chain. Slinging a small black purse over her shoulder and tucking her car keys into her pocket she would leave.
A short drive brought her to the cities largest mall, ten more minutes found her a parking spot. Once inside the mall she dodged shoppers and crowds only to be met by an even larger crowd outside the music store. Three girls converged on the red head, all in similar states of exhaustion. "Hey guys," she said wearily as she eyed the crows hovering around the closed doors.
A spunky looking brunette flipped her ponytail over her shoulder to brush through the hair with her short black fingernails. "You look like the living dead," she commented dryly as her magenta eyes scanned the crowd. Her sight returned back to Ayame shortly as she waited for an excuse or verbal jab from her long-time friend and bandmate.
"Bite me Sango. If I recall correctly I drank your ass under the table last night, I'm entitled to a hangover," Ayame said wearily as she looked to the other two girls. Kagome looked no worse for the wear; despite having drunk enough vodka to make her think it was an excellent idea to light her bra on fire. Rin looked as cheerful as ever, though she bore a bruise on her forearm from trying to slide down the banister.
Kagome slipped her yellow shoulder bag into a better position and smiled weakly. "It's a little early for this you two," she said calmly. Her chocolate eyes gazed somewhere past Ayame and suddenly went wide. "Hide, the mongrels have arrived," she whispered to her friends. All four turned to see a group of males approaching with a cocky swagger.
The last brunette, Rin, ran her blood red fingernails down her arms in annoyance. "Bastards," she muttered darkly. "Seriously, I'd love to get one of those guys alone and show them a thing or two about manners." By this point she was strangling the air as her mind wandered into a most lovely day dream. By the time she snapped out of her imagination the males had arrived and were now having a glaring match with her friends, she readily joined in the silent fight.
"If it isn't the cherry blossom bitches," a male with long silver hair remarked casually as he looked to his friends. A brunette male smirked at the remark while a man with short black pony tail looked over the females lecherously. The last male who also had the long silvery hair of the speaker folded his arms and glanced around as he waited for the pointless banter to end.
"Hello dog breathe; how's Kikyo?" Sango asked with a saccharine smile. It was common knowledge that the male, Inu-Yasha, had dated Kagome's cousin Kikyo only to have her cheat on him relentlessly with his most hated rival. Ayame slung an arm around her friends shoulder and grinned as Kagome did her best to smile. Despite the excellent verbal attack, she disliked any and all mentions of her cousin. Rin was still glaring at the group while imagining the fun she would have pulverizing at least one of them.
"You girls here to see us off? It's ever so sweet that you want to congratulate us, but we really don't need any more groupies," the smirking male, Koga, drawled. Everyone tensed at mention of the contest, the reason they were all there. The local music store, for its promotional opening, had held a contest allowing local bands to submit their recording and choosing two bands to send on a global tour. Today the crowds had gathered to hear the announcements of the winning bands.
Rin had just opened her mouth to speak when Kagome began to shush them. A static crackling had drawn everyone's attention to the speaker system. This was it, time to sink or swim for every local band. The crowd seemed to buzz with anxiousness as a man continued doing a microphone check on the system. Friends and enemies alike gathered as closely as possible so as to hear the announcement perfectly.
"Ladies and Gentlemen; boys and girls! We'd like to thank you for coming out today to cheer for your local favorites. Unfortunately only two may continue. Once the names are announced we ask that the winners be allowed to the front of the store so they may receive the full information regarding their prize! Now will Sakura Colored Sky and Demon Blood please come forwards!!!"
The crowd roared in cheers. The dumbfounded groups stared at each other incredulously. Winnings, they had won, but at the cost of their enemies winning as well? The contemplated the blessing mixed with a curse as Sesshomaru, the male who refused to take part in the banter between the bands, steered the other seven towards the store, parting the crowds with authoritative ease. The came to a halt in front of the glass doors and waited anxiously for them to open. This was it, a dream come true.
Both groups were ushered into the music store to find themselves surrounded by instruments. Ayame drifted to a beautiful telecaster and touched it lovingly. It was just like the one she had been saving up to buy. "Welcome kids, come sit down over here and we'll talk some business, that sound good?" A sales manager with a plastic smile said as he guided them to a table surrounded by hard plastic chairs. Everyone took a seat and waited for him to begin.
"Let me be the first to say congratulations. You guys have done such an excellent job!" Rin and Sango exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly, there was no way this man had ever listened to a note of their music. "As you know both Sakura Colored Sky, and Demon Blood, will leave together to begin the global tour. We've pulled out two managers to take care of you guys and deal with all the promotional things. You will be picked up tomorrow morning at eight am from your houses, you'd best go and prepare!"
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Clothes flew about in a flurry as Kagome Higurashi attempted to stuff everything she owned into a large yellow back pack that was ready to burst at the seams. The girl sighed with exasperation as she continued trying to force a make up kit into the bag. A knock brought her attention back to her bedroom door where her mother, brother, and grandfather stood. Each bore a piece of yellow luggage that matched her back pack exactly. With teary eyes she gave each relative a tight hug as she accepted the offered baggage.
Leaving was hard, leaving her town, her family, her life. Her only solace was the fact that her friends would be close by. She tucked a picture of her family carefully into the last bag before zipping it tightly and collapsing onto her bed. It would be alright eventually. After all; tomorrows never die. And thus she drifted into an undisturbed slumber whilst visions of rock bands danced in her head. And all the while that she slept closer and closer, tomorrow crept.
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At the crack of eight Ayame Hanajima was on her doorstep. Her luggage was scattered haphazardly around her save for the black suitcase she was using as a chair. Her red hair had been strung into pig tails and a cigarette poked from between her acid green fingernails. The only thing out of place in the punkish scene was an aging gentlemen fussing over his favorite grand daughter with a fathers worry. "I'll be fine gramps!" Ayame moaned for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"I only want you to be safe my darling," the man replied calmly. As a double-decker bus rolled down the street he pulled a gold wrapped package and an envelope from his robe and offered it to the girl as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Open this once you're on the bus darling. It's far past the time I should've given you these."
Her eyes watered slightly as she stood and wrapped her arms around the man who had raised her. "I love you gramps. I'll write you, I promise," she whispered. The bus came to a halt in front of the house a woman with blonde and blue hair jumped to the ground. Ayame stared as the woman looked around as if she were lost. After a long minute her eyes rested on Ayame and her grandfather and she rushed forwards.
"Yo! You must be Ayame! I'm Alex, the manager for Sakura Colored Sky. Let's get this show on the road eh?!"
Ayame stared blankly, the strange female spoke at nearly a mile a minute. She had just caught the woman's name and the word manager. Before she could reply the blond had scooped up three of her suitcases and turned back to the bus. "Yo Myouga! Get your ass out here and get the rest of these bags!" A short man hurried nervously down the steps to gather the remaining bags. "Yes milady. Right away milady!" He murmured quickly as he rushed to bags back to the bus.
Ayame followed slowly as she tapped a pack of cigarettes against her wrist. It was a nervous habit and she knew it, but that didn't stop her form continuing. The bus doors closed as soon as all three had been loaded onto the bus. "Go pick a room and throw your bag in it before we go." Alex insisted as she flopped onto the couch that lined one side of the bus. Ayame trudged upstairs and tossed her bag into what was probably the largest room.
She returned downstairs to see Sango relaxing next to their band manger. Ayame tossed her pack of cigarettes on the table before sliding in to sit and propping her feet on the table. "Ayame you started again!" Sango exclaimed as she saw the cigarettes. Ayame grabbed the pack protectively and glared at her long time friend. "Shit happens," she replied calmly as she drew a cigarette from the pack and tossed it back on the table.
The red head watched as both Sango and Alex grabbed a cigarette from her pack and motioned for her lighter. She tossed the object to Sango as Alex produced an ashtray from one of the cupboards. "You owe me a cigarette," Ayame said calmly as she took a drag from the filter. Sango rolled her eyes and hurled the lighter back at her friend, bouncing it off of her shoulder and into Alex's hands. "Nice catch," Sango murmured as the bus slowed to a stop once more.
Myouga, the driver stood and turned to look at the girls, his eyes going wide with fright and shock. "Lady Alex! You said you had quit!" He shrieked as he eyed the cigarettes uneasily. "Shut up and go get Rin old man!" Alex replied as she blew smoke into his face. He coughed and scurried away to go get their third friend.
Sango looked to the woman curiously. "Is there something wrong with him?" She asked curiously as she turned to watch him out the window. He was standing before Rin bowing repetitively much to the girl's obvious discomfort. After a moment both returned to the bus and they were shortly joined by Kagome. Their group was complete, they were ready to take off and see the world. The thoughts of having to meet with their rivals to play were indeed distant ones. For now it was sunny skies.