I do not own Inuyasha or any of the songs involved. They belong to the awesome artists that sing them. Give them credit and if you've never heard of them, I strongly suggest you listen to them! It will really make sense if you listen to them as its going along. This chapter contains "Keys to the Kingdom" by Linkin Park. Enjoy!
Ch. 1
"Tonight at 5, we will have the only interview with the band 'The Youkai', as they stop in Tokyo for their concert Friday night at the New National Theater, Tokyo. Tomorrow night, we will have our interview with their opening act, the new up and coming band, 'The Shikons'," the news reporter signed off the noon news. They had just returned to their hotel from the said interview down at the news station. All the same questions, all the same answers. He was more curious on The Shikons. Sesshomaru had just set up their group with the girls' group. They all had never met before, so how did they get grouped together?
'Maybe we have similar tastes and styles of music?' Inuyasha mused. It would be helpful if they did.
"So, what are we going to do in the mean time!?" Kouga shouted as he walked into Inuyasha's room.
"In the mean time of what?" Inuyasha grumbled.
"Don't try and act like you don't know! Our interview! Duh!" Miroku yelled as he ran into the room, dive bombing Inuyasha on his bed.
"Why would I want to watch that? We already know how it turns out. I don't know if you guys remember, but we just so happened to be there!" Inuyasha shouted back at the guys.
"Right! The interview I'm more interested in is the one about the girls," Kouga practically drooled in thought.
"Ew, wolf boy, keep your drool to yourself!" Inuyasha tried kicking Kouga off his bed as the wolf demon melted on his mattress. "Why is everyone in my room! We pay enough for us all to have our own! Go! Get out!"
"Aw, Mutt Face doesn't want to socialize! So much for pack mentality," Kouga joked as he and Miroku slipped out into the kitchen to grab drinks.
"Quiet," Sesshomaru growled as he entered the suite. Kouga and Inuyasha quickly shut their traps, but as Miroku was most definitely human, he missed the warning growl.
"We were just having fun, Sesshomaru! Besides, Inuyasha is being a stick in the mud about everything," Miroku took another long sip of his crown and coke.
"Miroku," Sesshomaru growled specifically in his direction, "You will learn the art of silence. And I suggest you learn that lesson fast!" The temperature in the suite dropped a few degrees, sending a shiver down his spine, snapping his jaw shut with a quick salute. "Now, everyone get ready. We are going to do our sound checks today and stage where everything will go. We leave in 5 minutes." Sesshomaru then turned and walked back out of the suites, heading downstairs to the lobby to wait.
Sesshomaru may have sucked royally as an older brother, but he sure as hell made an excellent manager for the guys. He always had their best interest for them, and always helped them make the best business deals.
Everyone groaned as they grabbed the few things they needed from their rooms. All of their instruments were delivered to the sound stage earlier that morning. Now they just had to organize it.
The shuttle drive a few blocks down didn't take long once the traffic cleared out. As they approached the back entrance of the concert hall, they could faintly hear music coming from speakers. But everyone is out here?
"They should be finishing up soon," Sesshomaru mentioned, holding the door open for the guys.
"Who is finishing up?" Miroku inquired, while both Inuyasha and Kouga were sniffing the air. Females? But who?
About that time, the final drum beat finished and they could hear giggling. The guys rounded the corner to see three girls with their instruments high-fiving each other while a fourth walked across the stage towards the girls.
"That sounded great! I really like all of the changes we've made," the short girl clapped. Sesshomaru cleared his throat, catching her attention. "Oh, hey Sesshomaru. We just finished. Stage is all yours," she smiled at him as he nodded with a smirk. The guys didn't miss the looks between the two, but they were equally curious on the other girls.
"Take all the time you need, Rin. Don't miss anything on our accord," Sesshomaru waved his hand as they went to sit in the theater seats.
She smiled bigger as she continued on with her girls, "Ok now go put up your stuff. We need to make it to the news station within the next hour for our interview. Look your best ladies!"
"Yes ma'am!" the lead vocalist mocked at her as she ran from Rin.
"Go! Before I decide to make you all keep rehearsing all night!" Rin threatened.
"Nah, she wouldn't do that. We'd be dead on our feet tomorrow," a cocky smirk came from the bassist. As the girls were disarming themselves from their instruments, they were catching glimpses at the guys who were staring back at them.
"Either way, let's get moving! We are wasting time!" Rin blushed a bit from their comments, as she turned to the guys again, slightly bowing. "You're up! Sorry to keep you waiting!" The three other girls chorused behind her with their 'Sorry's' and small waves as they followed Rin backstage.
The guys mutedly waved back. Once the girls were gone from sight, they all slowly stared at Sesshomaru.
"If I didn't know any better, I think we just saw the female version of yourself, bro," Inuyasha calmly said.
"No, it's nothing of the sort," Sesshomaru denied.
All three guys slowly shook their heads. "No, that's not what we just saw. The threat of extra practice was proof in the pudding," Miroku said as he stood, making his way to the stage. "Come on guys, unless we want to be here all night." Slowly Inuyasha and Kouga stood, mocking Sesshomaru for finding his match.
With an eye roll, Sesshomaru let out a growl that silenced all of them. They each grabbed their each respective instruments, plugging them into their amplifiers.
Kagome, Sango, and Ayame all peeked their heads around the curtains at the guys. Eyes all wide and mouths slack jawed.
"Are you sure they can't smell us over here?" Sango asked, glancing between Ayame and the drool fest happening on stage.
"Our scents are all over that stage. They won't be able to differentiate between us and where we were before," Ayame confidently affirmed with her own demon nose. "Which is a good thing, because we can stay and watch a little bit longer!"
"Miroku, did you bring the set list?" the silver haired man questioned his bassist. Miroku was messing with the settings on his amp, strumming one chord at a time until satisfied.
"Uh, no. Sesshomaru was supposed to grab it," he muttered as he went back to adjusting the settings.
"Oi, Sesshomaru! Where's the set list?!" the silver haired yelled at their manager.
"Calm down, Inuyasha. Here it is," he produced the long list of song titles.
"What's first, Inuyasha?" the drummer asked.
"Hold on, you impatient wolf!" Inuyasha muttered.
"Pot called the kettle black," Miroku muttered under his breath.
"Ok, Kouga. It's 'Keys to the Kingdom'," Inuyasha taped copies of the set list next to each of them.
"Sweet! I'm so glad that song did as well as it did," Kouga moved his drums a slight degree here, a small inch there. All four men nodded as the three on stage began to strip off their shirts. Kouga began spinning his drum stick in preparation for his start. Inuyasha walked up to his mic, plugging in his own electric guitar.
No control, no surprise
Tossed the keys to the kingdom
Down the hole in my eye.
I'm my own casualty
I fuck up everything I see
Fighting in futility!
The girls backstage instantly melted. This was always a dream of theirs, but to open for The Youkai's was unimaginable. Kagome instantly knew that this was going to be their break. Watching Inuyasha scream his lyrics while strumming his chords in his guitar while Kouga heavily beat out the beat. All those bare chests and muscles rippling sent all three girls reeling.
"Girls, you have 20 minutes to get your butts ready for your interview or you go as you are! Don't make a fool of me after I've busted my butt for you guys to be touring with them," Rin glowered at their backs. They all hunched in fear, Rin can be very scary when pissed off.
The guys interrupted in full instrument peak. Inuyasha approached his mic again with a more relaxed face. They began to notice the layer of sweat already forming on the group. They most definitely played hard.
We start the final war
Tell me what's worth fighting for
When we know there's nothing more.
We take the hand or fist,
Just to sell ourselves for this
The path we least resist
Inuyasha took a deep breath in his mic for a haunting effect before growling.
No control, no surprise
Tossed the keys to the kingdom
Down the hole in my eye
I'm my own casualty
I fuck up everything I see
Fighting in futility
"Get moving, now!" Rin shouted and clapped her hands in effect. This got all three girls up off the floor where they had settled before running off to their changing rooms. With a smile she peered out towards where Sesshomaru was seated. He could smell the girls becoming aroused but doubted the guys would notice until it was too late. He glanced over to where he saw Rin, smiled at her as she offered a big thumbs up.
'Our plan is now in motion,' he smirked.
As the girls quickly changed into different outfits, the boys played the hell out of their instruments, sending a deep rumbling throughout the backstage.
I give you what you came for
This is not the same though
Got a different method but
I still can bring the pain so
Y'all got that same flow
I got that insane flow
High as I can get you
You're never really in my range though
Yes I'm half anglo
Half fried panko
All prime-time rhymer
Let the bass bang low
All you fucking lames go
Aiming at my name, know
Careful what you shoot because you might hit what you aim for
Careful what you shoot because you might hit what you aim for
Kagome was the first to change and sat in one of the seats far off to the side near the exit door they would take to leave. She had to giggle at some of his lyrics. 'half anglo, half fried panko…cute.' It was a real shout-out to his heritage of being a half demon. Ayame and Sango quietly joined Kagome as the boys finished up their song.
No control, no surprise
Tossed the keys to the kingdom
Down the hole in my eye
I'm my own casualty
I fuck up everything I see
Fighting in futility
No control, no surprise
Tossed the keys to the kingdom
Down the hole in my eye
I'm my own casualty
I'm my own casualty
With the final beats from the drums, the song ended. The girls were ushered towards the exit, but they all dug their heels in once the song concluded. With applause and whistles, the girls hooted and shouted in praise as Rin pushed them out the door. The guys turned to see the girls all dolled up as they were being 'escorted' outside. With each of them panting from the exertion from playing, Inuyasha half smirked as he made eye contact with the lead singer. She quickly chin-lift nodded at him before she turned and walk out. When the door closed, the guys walked around, fist bumping each other, chatting about how to continue into the next song.
'I have a feeling this tour will be the best yet,' Inuyasha thought happily.
Sorry it's so short! Had to get this thing started. Had to create a spark. I love Linkin Park, have for many years. I found it funny how they sing about tossing keys down the hole in his eye…similar to where Tessaiga was housed. Please feel free to leave reviews, I thrive on them J and always feel free to offer ideas! I know where I want this to go, but sometimes it's good to throw a wrench in the plans ;) Thanks!
Clever Dragon