ACK! Haven't updated in sooooooooooo long! I've been crazy busy! And for some reason, it takes me forever to write a new chapter...don't kill me! covers head with arms
Wow...I have reviews! Thanx to all my reviewers! I feel special. Turns out my first second time reviewer is the author of one of my favourite fanfictions. Fancy that huh? Anyway...I'll shut up.
Hmm...I was reading the last chapter, when I realised that I stopped on a cliffhanger! Not really...but it's one of the few ones I have...I got caught up in stuff and forgot about it! Hahaha! I'm loosing it...
Btw, I'm going to try and make my chapters longer, so I don't end up with 500 chapters or whatever.
Well, here's more.
DISCLAIMER: no. Just no.
Oh yeah, also, all the lyrics I use in this chapter, they're not mine. My friend made up the title "Crown of Thorns" from his band, but I didn't use the lyrics. Most of em are System of a Down or AFI, just because I love those bands.
(Tattered and Torn)
"AAAAHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!"
Kagome screamed as loud as she could in surprise. And as if on cue, lights snapped on and there was an uproar of cheering and screams, as four people, including the silver haired Inuyasha, jumped up and down, and music blasted from speakers twice the size of Kagome, on either sides of what she realised was a stage.
She fell over, totally shocked. She was beyond screaming. The smoke wasn't as thick now, revealing the four people on stage had all types of guitars, except one, who had red spiky hair who was sitting behind a huge set of black and red drums.
They screamed into their microphones, except for Inuyasha, who played the bass.
"I-it's a punk-rock concert?"
Kagome whispered to herself but it was so loud she was surprised she could even think.
After they finished the introductory song, Crown of Thorns, the lead singer grabbed the microphone.
"SCREAM FOR ME TOK-EE-OH!"
The shrieks and screams and cheers increased ten-fold. The sound was deafening, and Kagome noticed that Inuyasha seemed to be...wincing? At the noise possibly?
'No...I'm imagining things...' she told herself. He looked towards her, and his brows furrowed in half surprise and half anger. He opened his mouth to say something when-
"Now, we're gonna take one of our earlier songs for you guys, "Toxicity" d'you know it?"
The crowd screamed wildly again, and Inuyasha was forced to direct his attention to his guitar again. Kagome let out a sigh of relief. Saved by the song. She had not liked the look he gave her one bit.
As the two singers, drummer and lone bass player yelled and jumped and smashed on the stage for the fans, Kagome only sat where she had fallen, staring. The lyrics of the song were harsh and depressing to her, but she found herself singing along to the chorus by the second time around.
Conversion, software version 7.0,
Looking at life through the eyes of a tire hub,
Eating seeds as a past time activity,
The toxicity of our city, of our city,
New, what do you own the world?
How do you own disorder, disorder,
Now, somewhere between the sacred silence,
Sacred silence and sleep,
Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep,
Disorder, disorder, disorder.
More wood for their fires, loud neighbors,
Flashlight reveries caught in the headlights of a truck,
Eating seeds as a past time activity,
The toxicity of our city, of our city,
New, what do you own the world?
How do you own disorder, disorder,
Now, somewhere between the sacred silence,
Sacred silence and sleep,
Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep,
Disorder, disorder, disorder.
New, what do you own the world?
How do you own disorder, disorder,
Now, somewhere between the sacred silence,
Sacred silence and sleep,
Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep,
Disorder, disorder, disorder.
When I became the sun,
I shone life into the man's hearts,
When I became the sun,
I shone life into the man's hearts.
(A/N: personally, I don't find the lyrics depressing or harsh, but considering Kagome is supposed to be a girl who the hardest music she's ever listened to is Linkin Park, well, let's just say it's a change.)
She couldn't stop staring at Inuyasha as they all stopped playing and singing for him to take over for a couple of lines. He had her hypnotised.
'I had no idea he was so good...well, not that I know anything about him...he just never struck me like he was good at anything else besides being a total ass...'
He looked like he had been doing it all his life, like those bands she had seen on MTV, except he wasn't like them. He had a style of playing that was all his own. He seemed almost bored, even while jumping up and down, and avoiding the other band members who were swinging their guitars and mics around. Kagome couldn't even hold a guitar the right way, let alone play it like that.
Then the others joined in and the crowed screamed and yelled for Inuyasha.
But the entire band was amazing. She didn't even listen to punk rock, or heavy metal, or rock or anything like that. Normally, she just listened to whatever was on the radio or ancient traditional music. (Compliments of her grandfather.) The loudest music she had listened to was Sango's 'Linkin Park' CD (A/N: see?) which didn't even compare. She normally avoided that type of music.
But they way they played, gave her a new outlook on the style. She found she absolutely loved the song, and she began to enjoy sitting so close to the music, during their free concert. (Once she got over the noise of course. But sitting so close to the speakers, what did you expect?)
After each song, Kagome figured she liked that song more than the last.
Finally, the lead singer went to the microphone, with Kagome still going over the lyrics from their last song.
'I am exploring the inside.
I find it desolate.
I do implore these confines
now as they penetrate, "recreate me"
I'm hovering throughout time
I crumble in these days
I crumble
I cannot find reflection in these days
If you listen, listen close, beat by beat
You can hear when the heart stops
I saved the pieces when it broke
And ground them all to dust
I am destroyed by the inside
I disassociate
I hope to destroy the outside
It will alleviate and elevate me
Like water flowing into lungs,
I'm flowing through these days
I know what died that night
It can never be brought back to life
Once again
I know
I know I died that night
And I'll never be brought back to like.
Once again,
I know
If you listen
Listen close,
Beat-by-beat
You can hear when the heart stops
I saved the pieces when it broke
And ground them all to dust
"That was Bleed Black from our latest CD. Well, we've all had a blast, but we gotta get goin. Did you guys have fun?"
The audience screamed and cheered, most of the lighters that had been lit during the past few songs were still on, and their owners waved them energetically.
"Holy Shit! I guess so...If you liked it that much, go get our CD dammit! Support our cause!"
Kagome was starting to get annoyed by all the cheering. She noticed the red haired drummer, the purple haired girl on second guitar and silver haired Inuyasha were disconnecting their guitars and throwing random things into the crowd. Such as drumsticks, socks and beer, before they got ready to leave stage.
"Now before we leave, we'd like to acknowledge one generous bastard who helped us out when Loki got stoned and couldn't make it."
There were cheers for this. Kagome sweatdropped. 'Only fans..." she thought.
"Inuyasha decided at the last second that he would help us. Let's hear a round of applause!"
Inuyasha was about to leave stage when Shun, the lead singer mentioned his name. He turned and casually saluted them with one finger. They screamed for him and Shun laughed.
"what? No speech?"
The bass played made a very rude gesture with his hand and left stage.
Kagome was trying to get up, but was having difficulty with it. After all, sitting in the same position for 3 hours would freeze anyone's legs.
Inuyasha passed her and didn't acknowledge her existence.
"Hey...uh...Wait up! I need help!" Struggling up and limping as fast as she could to catch up with his long strides, she winced as each step caused pins and needles up her legs.
But he ignored her, as only Inuyasha could do so effectively and kept walking. Kagome finally managed to catch up and touch his shoulder for his attention, but he rounded on her like an angry dog.
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
"I was lost ok? I was looking for directions."
"So you followed me on stage?"
"There was no one else around! Besides, how was I supposed to know there was a concert going on?!"
"Well, considering there've been signs posted for months all around the city..." he said sarcastically. "Haven't you ever heard of Ragnorok?"
"No. Why?"
"You just saw em. For free I might add. Not to mention you totally screwed it up."
Ouch...Kagome felt terrible. They had become her favourite band in five minutes after their first song...and...she just couldn't believe she messed it up for them.
"Wait-how did I screw it up?"
"You screamed wench! And pretty fuckin' loud too! You were right next to a mike! Not like that mattered. But you scared the shit outta everyone! Including the performers."
"I-I-"
"Inuyasha?" The two both turned around to find the red haired drummer from Ragnorok.
"What?"
"Just wanted to compliment you. And to let you know that you have your own fanclub now."
He handed Inuyasha an envelope, grinning broadly.
"Did you hear that scream at the beginning/ Man, I wasn't expecting that!"
"Who DIDN'T hear the scream?" He replied coldly.
"Yeah. But didn't it fit in awesome with the song? I think we should hire whoever that was? What d'you think?"
Inuyasha scowled and shrugged.
"Go ahead. Maybe she'll stop ruining my life if she's touring with you."
Kagome hit him on the shoulder.
"Hey! I'm not going with a band just to scream on the sides! Besides, how many times have I screwed up your life?"
The guy laughed.
"Is this her? Well well well! You're quite the actress. I thought someone died back there!"
Kagome blushed and bowed.
"Uh...thank you...I think...you were great out there." She added, looking admiringly at the drummer.
"Hey thanks! So, did you enjoy the concert?"
"Of course! I love you guys now!" Kagome said excitedly, wishing she had known about them before. Inuyasha snorted and turned away.
"Well, I'm gone."
"Hey Inuyasha, you're invited to the part downtown. C'mon down later."
"Yeah, I might. Later Chaos."
Kagome looked at him as he left.
"Hey! Wait!" she ran after him and poked his arm. "Looks like I didn't screw it up, did I?"
"Feh, he was being nice. He knew it was you the whole time. He was messing with your mind."
"Suuuuure." Kagome said raising an eyebrow.
"You were amazing up there! I didn't know you were in a band."
"I'm not." He said darkly, looking straight ahead.
"But you just played with them..."
"Weren't you listening? I was substituting for someone else."
"But then, how'd you know the music? I heard you talking before and you agreed, like, a minute before the concert started."
"Don't you ever stop asking questions? You sure talk a lot." He said, turning to her. "Why're you following me anyway? If you need directions, there are about 1000 people who could tell you."
Kagome thought for a second and quickened to catch up with him. "well, whether I like it or not, you saved my life today, and I never did thank you."
"Great. So say thanks and go away." he said sourly.
"Well, I wish I could repay you, or give you something for your trouble, but I lost my wallet...right before you saved me."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really?"
"Yeah." She sighed.
"Look girl. I don't have time to listen to your entire life's story. So why don't you go get your directions. Chaos will help you if you find him, and then go home."
Kagome glared at him.
"Fine! I will go home! Jeez! I try to be nice and it comes back to bite me!"
She turned around and started back the way she came. Inuyasha looked back after she left and then turned away.
"Feh..."
He was down a second street, thinking of the girl. She was fiery but friendly. He felt kind of bad for ignoring her and refusing to help her out.
"Heh...what am I thinking? That girl's a lost cause. She lost her wallet to me, almost gets herself hit by a car, get lost and ends up at a concert.." he laughed just thinking about it. But he stopped grinning at a familiar sound. Well, a familiar scream.
'What now girl?' he thought, turning and running as fast as he could.
'She could be bluffing, just to get back at you...' a little voice spoke up in his consciousness. 'But, then again, she might be in real trouble. It's not the safest part of Tokyo here...' he argued back.
He jumped on top of a dumpster and then to a high windowsill and watched Kagome back herself against the wall, trying to escape the black mob that was closing in on her.
"She looks scurred." One sniggered. He reached out and grabbed her arm, putting his face close to hers.
"Ah! Let go of me you freak!" she screamed pushing him away, and to everyone's surprise, including Kagome's, he let go.
Inuyasha noticed the leader-like figure step out.
"Why you little witch- you could be a lot of fun..." He smirked and Kagome gagged. He pulled a knife from his pocket and put it to her throat.
"Ah Hiten, you're too predictable..." Inuyasha thought, jumping down silently from his windowsill.
Hiten stroked Kagome's hair and pressed the knife so it forced her head back up to look at him.
"Hmm.... I've seen prettier. But you are quite attractive. Perhaps Manten would have you?"
Kagome struggled and glared at him. Did he just insult me?
"Have me? What the hell are you talking about?"
She yelled at him, but he only smiled wider.
"What do you say Manten? Would you like her?"
"Yes! Very much dear brother!" Kagome saw a large man step forward.
'Brother?' she thought, looking back and forth. There wasn't much resemblance between the huge, overweight man with no hair and the well built one with black hair that was braided right down his back, that was standing with the knife to her throat.
Hiten lowered his weapon.
"Then hurry and claim her before someone else does." He said, turning away.
"Claim me?! What am I? A raffle prize?" Kagome yelled angrily and tried to back away further as the large man rushed forwards towards her. But she only hit the wall.
'I'd rather have been hit by that car...' she thought. He reached out and she shut her eyes.
But his hands never touched her. Instead, there was a loud grunt and whispering. Kagome opened her eyes and saw the man, Manten, bent double, clutching his thigh, which had something sticking out of it.
"Manten!" Hiten hurried over, pushing Kagome to the ground. "What happened?"
"What? Are you going soft too Hiten?" She looked up, along with every other member of the gang. Hiten straightened up, taking out his knife again.
"Well well well...if it isn't the flea-bitten Inuyasha."
"Hmm, you remembered part of my name. I guess your brain isn't as small as I thought." Inuyasha said, surpressing a growl. He walked towards them and then stopped, looking around at everyone who was watching him.
"It seems a lot smaller than it did this morning..."
Hiten snapped
"You bastard! You're the reason for this!" he jumped at silver haired boy, knocking him to the ground. Kagome gasped, wide-eyed, as Hiten cut him through his leather jacket. Inuyasha struggled underneath him, and managed to free one of his arms.
With a swing, fist collided with flesh and Hiten rolled off of him. Inuyasha got up and spat on the ground and cracked his shoulder. Hiten stood up slowly.
"You dare? To hit me?"
"I just did, so yeah." He touched where his jacket was ripped and blood was seeping through.
'You little prick! You ripped my jacket!" he snarled angrily at his discovery. His opponent glared and spat back at him.
"Don't be such a whining brat! You sound like a girl!"
Kagome stood up, but went unnoticed as everyone's attention was on Hiten and Inuyasha. "And what's wrong with girls?!" She immediately regretted it, once she realised she had received the attention of some hard looking bikers.
They advanced, one lunging at her hungrily, almost animal-like. Kagome screamed and held up her bag for the little protection it would provide.
Once again, the suspected impact didn't come. Instead, it was replaced by another yell. Opening her eyes, she noticed someone was standing in front of her, blocking her view. Looking up, she saw the silvery white hair that ran down the person's back.mk
"I-Inuyasha?" she asked quizzically.
"You're hopeless girl." He muttered, so only she could hear. Kagome opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off.
"Well, of all the people, I never thought you Inuyasha, would choose a girl over us." Hiten's voice was cold and angry on the other side of the barrier Inuyasha created. Kagome peered around his left shoulder to see what was going on.
"That's because you're too much of a moron to listen." Inuyasha casually kicked a moaning figure in front of him, which Kagome recognised as the same one who had most recently attempted to attack her.
"But I can't blame you, with the size of your brain, I don't expect you to be able to understand anything I say, let alone remember it. So I'll repeat it for you."
He cast a wary eye over the faces of everyone gathered before him, finally resting on their leader.
"It's all about the money. 100 per job isn't working for me."
Hiten eyed Kagome suspiciously. She stood her ground but shivered nervously.
"And you're saying this girl pays you more?"
Kagome looked up, wondering what Inuyasha would say.
"Feh, not the girl exactly. All I know is that I get $300 in my mailbox everytime I prevent the little wench from killing herself. If I keep you from sticking a knife in her throat now, that would bring the grand total for today, up to $900."
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha surprised. Where was this coming from? Why was her protecting her? Not like she was complaining or anything...but wasn't he just telling her off a couple of minutes ago?
Hiten snarled. "She hardly looks like she could afford herself some proper clothes. Where does she get $300 everytime you protect her pretty little face?"
She burned at the stab at her clothes. And Inuyasha calling her a wench didn't help much either.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with my clothes! And I do NOT pay-"
There was a snickering throughout the group. In the gloom, Inuyasha reached behind him and grabbed her wrist. "Unless you want to be kidnapped, raped, and more than likely killed, I suggest you play along little girl."
Kagome winced at the pressure he was putting on her wrist but was more frightened of what he said. By the looks on their faces, she didn't put it past any of them.
"Looks like she was about to let something slip, huh Inuyasha?" Hiten grinned a lopsided smile, due to the swelling on the side of his face. Inuyasha returned the twisted smirk, his eyes narrowing.
"Believe what you want. But d'you really think I'd waste my time with her if there was nothing in it for me? It's not as if she's good for anything else..."
Her eyes flashed after he finished talking. Was he hinting what she thought he was? The nerve he had was enough to sink a boat. She would have punched his lights out if he weren't the only thing standing between her and a gang of knife toting thugs.
"I can't believe you'd say those things about me! I don't even want you around! It's not like it was my idea or anything. That money could be used for my university fund idiot! I don't want it wasted, so get your butt in gear and get me the hell outta here!" Kagome yelled at Inuyasha, nervously eyeing the man who was crumpled by them who was getting up and looking daggers at her.
Hiten's grin vanished, and he turned to Kagome.
"So who does pay him?" Inuyasha put his arm out, motioning to Kagome to stay back and shut up.
"She ain't gonna tell you." He snarled, answering for her. (If you could call that an answer...)
"Why? Because it's a lie?" Manten, Hiten's brother yelled out.
"No! Because you'll just go after them won't you?" Kagome yelled out before she could stop herself. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. It was a good answer, coming from her, but he'd never tell her that.
"Hm. At least she has some common sense. Or did you tell her to say that?"
Inuyasha put his arm down and sighed. "You always did ask too many questions Hiten..." he pulled out a gun from inside his coat, and everyone scattered, except for a few, including leather boy, who reached into his own pocket...
"Inuyasha! Put that away! Just get out of here! Don't even think about killing your way out of this. Why don't you run away?!" Kagome said strictly from behind him. He faltered.
"R-run away? Are you crazy?"
"You're getting paid because of me remember? You'll do whatever I say!" Kagome stomped her foot. Inuyasha cursed himself. That damn charade had to come back to bite me in the ass didn't it?
"Fine..."
BANG
Inuyasha dived and pushed Kagome to the ground. Rolling over, he pulled his gun out in front of him and shot into the gloom.
Screams and gunshots filled the air as Inuyasha cast one shot back, before picking up Kagome and pulling her out of the ally, and around the corner. As soon as they were out of sight, Inuyasha put his hand on Kagome's back and another one down by the back of her thighs, right where her skirt ended. This action made her blush furiously.
"Ah! What are you doing?!"
He scowled at her and flipped her up, bridal style, into his arms, then took off at a run.
"I'm running away, like you said." He growled darkly as he whipped around corners.
"Put me down! I can walk perfectly fine!" Kagome said angrily as her blush tamed immediately. How could she be so embarrassed over an insensitive jerk like him? Inuyasha grinned.
"You sure? Try looking over my shoulder."
Giving him a confused look, then put her arms around his shoulders to hoist herself up, just as she heard angered shouts and howls. Glancing back, she saw a large mob of black chasing after them. They were yelling obscenities, using curse words that neither of the two had every heard before.
She gasped and her eyes widened
"Run faster! FASTER!" she urged him. He grinned again, as if being chased by pissed off, knife bearing mob was thrilling.
"Now that's something I can do."
He sped up, his speed astonished Kagome, who fell back against him. How could someone be so fast?
Nothing like this had ever happened to her, and she might have found it enjoyable...if the people behind them didn't want them dead.
There's another chapter. Sorry for the long update again...but there it is. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review, I'd love to hear what you guys think.
Oh yeah...if you haven't already, check out Seether. He sings Broken with Amy Lee, but his CD is wicked cool. Just a recommendation from me. well...I'm hungry now...
Over and Out.