Comatose Chapter 1: Tickets, an inuyasha fanfic

Author's Note and Disclaimer/Claimer:

The original characters of the story – the Inuyasha cast – do not belong to me. The original characters, however, such as Ouija and her band, as well as the name of the band, "Crosshair", do. In fact, Crosshair is the name of my own band of which I am lead singer. The names and characters are copyrighted 2008. Using these characters for your own purposes without my permission can and will result in the suspension of your account. Sorry about this. I don't mean to be itchy-bay about that subject, but the characters are mine, and I don't want someone else taking credit for their existence.

Also, this story has a "Songs Featured" list at the beginning of select chapters. This is the acknowledgement that I do not own these songs, and/or to give each chapter its own identity and emotion for the reader. That is their only purpose, so sorry if there's any confusion. I highly recommend for my readers t check out these songs in sync with their respective chapters - you can find them all on You-Tube without going through the trouble of downloading them.

When imagining Ouija's voice, think Jen Ledger – I recommend "Awake and Alive" or "Hero" by Skillet as your sampling. In addition, this starts off with Inuyasha's gang, but I'm not going to promise it'll stay that way for the entire duration of the story. (This right here is a hint, cough cough, as in a certain someone for all of you drawn to the character list in the story preview, cough cough)

Enough of my babbling. Read on!

Chapter One: Tickets

Songs featured in this chapter:
"Before I Forget" by Slipknot"
"Comatose" by Skillet

"Kagome, Sango, hurry up, would ya?" Inuyasha called agitatedly over his shoulder. It seemed like every other week the girls began to complain about sore muscles and achy backs, then Miroku would talk him into letting them stop for a night 'to relax'. Feh.

"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome replied, aggravated herself. "Can't you just give us a little while to relax?" She sank back into the steaming hot spring water until it covered her mouth. Sango sat opposite of her, eyes closed, breathing deeply.

Inuyasha knew that was coming. "No, we gotta look for the Jewel shards!" he retorted, nearly spinning around to confront her. Realizing what he was about to do, he stopped and sank to the ground with his back to the rock wall of the spring, legs crossed. "Women."

"Now, now, Inuyasha, leave them be," Miroku scolded lightly. "All this Jewel hunting takes a lot of effort, especially from delicate young women."

"Give it a rest, Miroku," Inuyasha snapped. "Besides, they can "relax" all they want after we've gathered all the shards of the Sacred Jewel."

Miroku sighed, defeated. Kagome closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of pine and grass. This place was wonderful. After they have collected all the shards, how could she ever leave it? How could she ever leave…

Inuyasha's face appeared in her mind, his amber eyes hard and yet somehow soft and sad. Her chocolate eyes opened and the image vanished. It took all her strength to keep her tears at bay. And he's still in love with Kikyo, she thought sullenly. It's just been luck that we haven't run into her for a while.

"Kagome?" came Sango's soft voice. "Is everything all right?"

Kagome's eyes lifted to the face of her friend, and she forced a smile as she lifted her head from the water. "Oh, yeah. I'm just a little tired," she stammered. Sango's eyes scrutinized her face and Kagome knew that Sango had called her bluff, but said nothing. For that, Kagome was grateful. She couldn't bear Inuyasha to overhear. "Well, we'd better get dressed. Inuyasha will want to start at dawn."

Sango nodded with a gentle smile and stood, gathering her kimono in her arms. Kagome sighed gently and joined Sango at the other side of the spring, gathering her skirt and polo shirt to ready herself for bed.

The guitar felt good in her hands. It was sleek black with a red-tinged pick guard, the metal strings brassy gold. She felt a surge of power and adrenaline rush through her veins, strong and hot. The lights dimmed to a deep blue shade and fell upon her and her band. She stepped forward and grasped the neck, fingers spread wide over the frets. She struck a chord and the crowd screamed, moving in unison like a giant ocean wave. A wicked smile played on her lips and the lead singer, Kyoko, stepped forward.

"Are you ready to rock, Tokyo!" he bellowed into the mike and the crowd only screamed louder.

Kyoko glanced over his shoulder at her and winked, a smile lighting up his handsome face. She grinned back and began to play the opening riff to their remake of Slipknot's "Before I Forget" on her Gibson SG. The crowd jumped and banged their heads with her notes. Kyoko stepped forward and grasped the microphone with a chain-styled stand and began to sing.

"Go!

Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
Catastrophic, not again
I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene
Catch me up on all your sordid little insurrections,
I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle

Fray the strings
Throw the shapes
Hold your breath
Listen!

I am a worm before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt and I'm
I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up all the battles

Locked in clutch
Pushed in place
Hold your breath
Listen!

I am a worm before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

My end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
The end of the road and my end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
THE END OF THE ROAD!

I am a worm before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, OH!"

The roar of the crowd drowned out her thought and she stuck out her tongue in an imitation of Gene Simmons, holding up a rock hand as the crowd shouted for more, chanting their band name; "Crosshair, Crosshair, Crosshair!" They wanted more? They'd get it.

"Uh-oh." Kagome bit her lower lip and stared down into her near empty backpack.

"What is it now?" Inuyasha griped, standing over her shoulder with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm out of food and medical supplies," she answered, closing the top and slinging the bag over her shoulder and rose to her feet. "I've got to go home and restock."

"Go home!" Inuyasha screamed, his brow furrowing. "But you just went back!"

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara stood at the sidelines, watching the usual chaos unfold. Sango sighed and cupped her forehead with one hand and shook her head. Miroku scratched the back of his head nonchalantly and Kirara and Shippo simply sat on the ground at Miroku and Sango's feet with wide, innocent eyes.

Kagome huffed and clenched her hands into fists. "I'm going back to get the things we need, not for my benefit, whether you like it or not."

"No you're not!" he shouted back. "We don't need any of that stuff! We've got work to do!"

Kagome sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Inuyasha," she began, her voice almost light. Inuyasha whimpered and shrank back, knowing what was coming. "Sit boy."

Inuyasha cried out as his subjugation beads suddenly weighed a ton and face-planted right onto the ground. He lay there, groaning as Kagome turned her back and placed her hands on the edge of the ancient wooden well. "I'll be back in a short while, you guys." She prompted and catapulted herself over the edge, disappearing into a blue light that carried her over to the other side.

"Should've known better," Shippo commented and nudged Inuyasha's head with his foot.

"Shut up," Inuyasha growled and reached out, smashing the fox kit to the ground. He slowly rose to his feet, wincing slightly, and walked to the well. "I'm going after her. I'll be back." He too threw himself over the edge of the Bone Eaters Well, disappearing into the void that teleported him forward five hundred years into the future.

Kagome's mother watched from the doorway as her daughter rummaged through the cabinets and refrigerator, stuffing food into her oversized dirt-and-blood-stained yellow bag. A warm smile lit her face. Her daughter carried such a burden, such a responsibility. And yet she took it all in on her stride, so gracefully and proudly. She couldn't be more swollen with pride of Kagome.

"Hey mom," Kagome called over her shoulder as she bent down into a cabinet, searching through boxes of Band-Aids and sterile gauze. "You didn't happen to buy more Neosporin, did you?"

"Of course, dear." She replied and pulled open a drawer. She reached inside and pulled out a large tube of Neosporin and waited for Kagome to reach up and grab it.

"Thanks," she said with a smile and stood, stuffing it into her already crammed bag. "I think I'll go ahead and take a bath while I'm here. Inuyasha can wait a few more minutes."

"Go ahead, Kagome. I'm sure he'll be here in a few minutes anyway. I'll let him know—"

Just then, the door leading outside slid open and a tense-looking Inuyasha stepped inside. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his eyes raking over Kagome's features. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

"I am going to take a shower. We have shampoo here, you know?" she retorted, her voice raising a decibel. "It won't take long, and then we can go back. I promise." She said with a smile, her voice soft again.

Inuyasha huffed and growled. "Hurry up. We got a lot of work to do."

Kagome smiled and rolled her eyes slightly as she headed for the stairs. Just as she placed her hand on the banister, her mother's head poked around the corner. "Oh, Kagome dear, I forgot to tell you. Your cousin Ouija is in town with her band this week. They're really moving up."

"Ouija?" Kagome repeated, delving deep into her memory. "I haven't seen her in years!" A large smile lit up her face. "How has she been?"

"Well, her band is holding a major concert right here in town starting tomorrow. It was a three day event, but you were gone the first two days. You should stay and pay her a visit."

"Oh, mom, Crosshair is getting big these days. Do you know how much a concert ticket would cost?" Kagome's face fell a bit.

Her mother smiled. "It's been taken care of," she said and held up two large black tickets with bright red print, their edges tinged with red, lime green, and deep purple skulls and stars. On the background of the ticket was a huge holographic crosshair. "She sent them a few days ago," her mother explained as Kagome took them. "She really wants you to come."

Kagome eyed them scrupulously. "She only sent two? I thought she'd sent at least three. One for you, me, and Sota."

"Oh, she knows that Sota's too young and that I don't go to those kinds of things. She seemed to know that you'd want to bring someone along, though." Her eyes flashed to Inuyasha, who tilted his head in inquiry, still fuming.

Kagome looked at him, too. She thought for a moment and then stepped towards him. "What do you say, Inuyasha? Want to go to a concert?"

"What's a con-cert?" he questioned, testing the foreign word.

"Oh, they're great. There's lots of people, and music, and food…" Kagome's voice trailed off as she studied Inuyasha's changing expression.

"Why would I want to go to something like that?"

"Oh, come on! You haven't even been to one. It'll be loads of fun, really."

"Well…"

"Go have fun," Kagome's mother chimed in. "You two need a few days off."

Inuyasha groaned. "I guess so. But as soon as it's over, we're going back."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Kagome squealed, throwing her arms around Inuyasha's neck in an embrace. "You won't regret it!" she pledged as she released him, not quite catching the slightly dazed and embarrassed look on Inuyasha's face. "And you'll even get to meet Ouija! Come to think of it, she's kinda like you. That'll be an interesting meeting." She continued talking softly to herself as she ascended the stairs and headed for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Inuyasha's gaze remained at the spot where she had disappeared behind the corner for several minutes after she had gone. He shook himself from his stupor and hurriedly glanced around. Kagome's mother, brother, and grandfather were nowhere in sight, so he helped himself to the fridge.

Night had fallen and a cool breeze wafted in through Kagome's open window. The stars that littered the sky twinkled and winked. Inuyasha sat cross-legged on Kagome's fluffy pink comforter, watching as she combed her long slender fingers through her damp hair. He couldn't help but stare. She was just…beautiful. He no longer saw her as Kikyo's reincarnation. She was Kagome, her own person, individual, and certainly unique. Now as he looked at her, she had very few similarities to Kikyo; deep brown eyes, very pink lips, gentle personalities – at least, when Kikyo was alive. But they were different in so many ways. Kagome is spirited and endearing, whereas Kikyo was sometimes spiteful and unforgiving. Kagome's face was round where Kikyo's was more oval, Kagome's eyes were big and Kikyo's were narrow, as were their lips. Kikyo's hair was more of a deep black-brown rather than black, where Kagome's was as black as the wings of a raven with a bluish tint. As she began to turn toward him, he hurriedly averted his gaze to the sky outside the open window.

"I have one of Ouija's CD's. Do you want to hear some of their music before we go to the concert tomorrow night?"

Inuyasha exhaled sharply and shrugged. He'd heard music before. Why should this be any different? Why did people seem to get so excited over it? Kagome didn't say anything. She picked up a jeweled CD case and flipped it open to reveal a sleek black CD adorned with dripping red crosshair background. She touched a button on the stereo and Inuyasha nearly jumped off the bed when the top popped open. He relaxed though, because Kagome didn't seem alarmed. She placed the CD delicately inside and closed the top. She turned a knob that made the sound louder. Inuyasha watched in silent amazement. He always saw the strangest things when he came to Kagome's house.

The music started. "Ouija is the lead guitarist. She sings sometimes too. I don't know why they don't let her sing more often. She has a beautiful voice." Kagome explained.

Inuyasha was clearly confused and bitter because of it. "Guitarist?"

"Yeah," she replied and pushed the pause button. "It's a…modern instrument. It didn't come from Japan. It actually originated in Spain. It has a lovely sound. Now it's famous and it's used in all different kinds of music. They've made it electric in the past couple of decades, and they use it mostly in rock, which is the kind of music Ouija's band, Crosshair, plays." She sighed at Inuyasha's vacant expression. "Just listen." She reached behind her and pushed play and turned up the volume.

Inuyasha's ears perked forward at the sounds emanating from the box on Kagome's desk. They were strange. He liked it, but of course, he would never admit to liking anything other than a battle victory or pickled radish. Kagome smiled and slightly bobbed her head with the beat of the opening guitar. "They didn't make this song. They remade it. It was first done by an American band called Skillet in the 2006. Do you hear the guitar? That's Ouija. She's gifted. I've never heard a better guitarist. She sings and plays in this one."

"What's this called?" Inuyasha questioned, unfolding his legs and joining Kagome by the desk. She was leaned back with her hands behind her, resting on the smooth polished surface with her ankles crossed.

"The song? It's called 'Comatose.'" She replied and scooted over to allow Inuyasha to inspect her boom box.

Inuyasha listened carefully to the words that floated out of the speakers. He hadn't heard anything like it before. He'd heard the women of the village sing quietly to themselves, and men sing around an open fire, but never singing like this. It was so finely tuned! It was beautiful and soothing, in a way, and he found himself losing focus of everything else but the music and the words.

"I hate feeling like this
I'm so tired of trying to fight this
I'm asleep and all I dream of
Is waking to you

Tell me that you will listen
Your touch is what I'm missing
And the more I hide I realize I'm slowly losing you

Comatose
I'll never wake up without an overdose of you

I don't wanna live
I don't wanna breathe
'Les I feel you next to me
You take the pain I feel
Waking up to you never felt so real
I don't wanna sleep
I don't wanna dream
'cause my dreams don't comfort me
The way you make me feel
Waking up to you never felt so real

I hate living without you
Dead wrong to ever doubt you
But my demons lay in waiting
Tempting me away

Oh how I adore you
Oh how I thirst for you
Oh how I need you

Comatose
I'll never wake up without an overdose of you

Breathing life
Waking up
My eyes
Open up

Comatose
I'll never wake up without an overdose of you

Oh how I adore you
Waking up to you never felt so real
Oh how I thirst for you
Waking up to you never felt so real
Oh how I adore you
Oh, oh
The way you make me feel
Waking up to you never felt so real"

"Like it?" Kagome questioned. Inuyasha nodded slightly as he stared at the stereo.

"It's…different," he murmured. It was unlike any music he had ever heard.

"Well you're going to be hearing plenty of it in tomorrow night." She replied and stifled a yawn. She glanced over at the digital clock on her end table and gasped. "It's getting late. We should get to bed."

Inuyasha snorted. "You sleep. I don't need to sleep. I'm half-demon, remember?"

Kagome furrowed her brow. "Fine. Goodnight." She spat, hurt by his tone. She pulled her comforter and sheets back and climbed into her bed, pulling the sheets over her shoulders. "Oh, could you turn out the lights, please?"

Inuyasha huffed quietly but obediently walked over to the doorway and flicked the switch down with his claw as he had done several times before. The room suddenly darkened, and a comforted sigh reached his ears. His ears relaxed and he walked over to her bedside silently. Already Kagome's breathing was slow, deep and even. She must really be tired. He sighed softly and placed his hand on the comforter, pushing a bit of weight onto the bed. Kagome didn't wake. His smiled gently, his eyes piercing the darkness almost as if it were daylight. His eyes traced her features and he put his other hand on the comforter, pressing his full weight onto the bed to test it. He smiled wider and pulled himself into the bed beside her and turned toward her. His face softened and he allowed his guard to come down as he nuzzled her soft hair. His arm wound around her waist and he sighed heavily, his mind slowly easing into unconsciousness. "Goodnight, Kagome."

Author's Note: So, here was the first chapter of my debut story, Comatose. Let me know what you think! Motivation is all I need to update another chatper in a jiffy ;) BuhBye!