Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns the rights to Inuyasha; I own the rights to just about nothing.
Slay The Music
Scene Twenty-One: Please Don't Leave
"You want to join Du:plicate?" Kôga stuttered.
"I've been thinking about it, and this solo career is sorta driving me crazy—I hate touring alone." Miroku said, "It was much more fun to tour with your best friends all the time, like I did when I was in my old band."
"With Ayame and Hiten and Bankotsu?"
Miroku nodded.
"You want lead guitar?" Inuyasha asked.
"You're giving up your position?" Miroku's eyes widened.
"Yeah," Inuyasha shrugged "my guitar playing days are gonna die soon anyway, my claws are growing back outta self-defense."
"So, I really get lead guitar?"
"Yeah, that's what I said, isn't it, monk?"
"Can we stop with the 'monk'?"
That night, Kôga and Miroku went out with Ayame—drummer searching. Ayame lead them to a strange looking town on an island right off Korea. Miroku looked hopeful—Kôga looked bored.
"Mou, Ayame, it took us this long just to get to the club! Do you know how long it will take to find a drummer!" Kôga sighed in frustration.
"Quite a long time, yes I know."
"If Inuyasha were here he'd get rid of the first five-hundred just by looking at them," Kôga sighed.
"There certainly are a lot," Miroku said pointing at the crowd who was grabbing at the forms that were placed at the door.
"You put those there?" Kôga asked.
"Yep," Ayame smiled.
"So is this the part were we sneak in the back door and start the auditions?" Miroku asked.
"Nope, this is the part where I kick out the first hundred rich-snot drummers," Kôga said, "Follow me, Miroku. Ayame, we'll meet you in the club."
"Yes sir, " Ayame stuck out her tongue and went through the black warehouse door in the back.
"Now," Kôga started, walking up to the crowd. "Oi! Everyone better listen to me if you wanna get in the band!" He yelled, "First, anyone wearing a kimono must leave now. Second, anyone who cannot speak fluent Japanese, please leave now. Third, anyone who is piled in visual-kei make-up or dress must leave now. Fourth, if you want to grab my ass, leave now. Fifth, if you cannot play the drums faster than Naraku, please leave."
"That's a little harsh now isn't it?" Miroku asked.
"Not everyone tells the truth, I bet half of the guys here just wanna see me or Inuyasha," Kôga shrugged as a few left.
"Let's go with Ayame and start the auditions, okay?"
Kôga nodded and followed his new comrade into the club were Ayame was sitting there blankly watching the set of drums in front of her.
"Let the first person in," Kôga said as he stepped inside.
Miroku opened the door and let one person into the recording room.
Kôga crossed his arms as the poor guy handed Kôga his paper. Kôga scanned over it and handed it to Ayame who did the same thing and handed it to Miroku.
"Please state your name," Kôga said.
"Ano... Kyou desu."
"What do you do for a living, Kyou-chan?" Ayame asked.
"I'm—I'm a college student studying in Korea..."
"How long have you played the drums"...
"Please state your name."
"I am the Blue Thunder—"
"Next" Miroku called instantly...
"Name" Kôga rolled his eyes.
"Akira."
"Profession," Miroku asked.
"Waiter."
"Have you any experience with drums, Akira-san," Ayame asked as she tapped her pencil on an empty clipboard.
"High school and a garage band," he said.
"Please, show us your skill," Ayame yawned...
"Next!" Kôga lazily called
The door opened for the hundredth time. But this time it was different... The first thing the three noticed was a drop of blood that descended to the white polished floor.
"Blood?" Ayame's eyes widened.
"Who's there!"
The body dropped to the ground in exhaustion.
"Bankotsu!" Ayame yelled in concern as she ran towards the limp body and turned him over.
"Aya—chan... Naraku kill... everyone... only me... Jakotsu... left..." he coughed.
"Where? Where is he?" Miroku asked over his former companion.
"In the city... please... I want... I want to be a drummer... for you... one more time..." He coughed up some more blood as Ayame tore part of her shirt to cover his wounds.
"Bankotsu, hang on! Tell us where Jakotsu is!" Ayame yelled as she tied some bandages together and Kôga brought water.
"Alone... he will protect... Inu... Inuyasha..." Bankotsu winced.
Ayame looked up pleadingly into Kôga's eyes.
"Please Kôga," Ayame whispered.
"I understand," Kôga nodded and took Bankotsu outside to the plane on which they had arrived.
"Inuyasha! Where is Inuyasha? Tell me!" Jakotsu yelled as he paraded through the hotel.
"Sir, you cannot go in there! Sir! Sir!"
"Tell me now or you die!" Jakotsu threatened the doorman.
The doorman's face turned blue. "S—Seventeenth floor... sir..."
"Arigatô!" Jakotsu yelled as he ran towards the emergency stairs.
'I must hurry...' Jakotsu thought to himself as he rounded the tenth flight of stairs. "Here is—"
He opened the door quickly. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"
He spotted a few bodyguards down an adjoined corridor. 'There!'
"Inuyasha is in there?" Jakotsu asked as he ran towards the guarded door.
"You are—"
Sesshômaru stepped out of the hotel room with Kagura.
"Jakotsu, ka?" She said as she raised an eyebrow curiously.
"What is your business here?" Sesshômaru said.
"Naraku is coming," Jakotsu said in a seriousness that was opposite his usual persona.
Sesshômaru's expression flickered with shock. Kagura looked panic-stricken.
"Sesshômaru," She said quickly turning towards him.
Sesshômaru had already opened the door... He narrowed his eyes...
'Naraku's barrier—it's smell is near.'
Kôga frowned at the length of time it was taking to get back to their hotel. He looked at Bankotsu who had passed out a bit earlier. He sighed.
"Stupid Inukuro," he cursed.
He looked over to the other two; Ayame was in Miroku's comforting arms, crying. Somehow, it made Kôga jealous.
"It's happening again, Miroku-sama, just like it did before..."
"Ayame, please, calm down," Miroku said, "he will be fine."
"His face—his face is the same as Hiten's! Back then, his face... it's the same, Miroku, Bankotsu is dying!"
"Ayame, get a hold of yourself!" Miroku pleaded.
"No, I don't want to loose Bankotsu too, he's like my brother, Miroku-sama..." Ayame cried into his shoulder.
"Ayame, crying over it won't do any good," Kôga said sternly.
"Kôga... kun..." Ayame gasped.
"Come on, we're landing soon. Help me get Bankotsu to a hospital. Miroku, go to Inuyasha."
Miroku nodded as the plane landed at in private setting. Kôga and Ayame headed down to the hotel in a car that was waiting for them. Miroku stayed behind with the bodyguards and carried Bankotsu off to a private hospital.
"Kôga..." Ayame said as she pressed herself against Kôga's right shoulder in the car, "I'm scared..."
Kôga looked down at Ayame's petite form... "Don't worry, it'll be all right."
"I hope so..." she whispered into the crook of his neck.
"We're here," the driver-bodyguard announced.
In the same moment, Ayame and Kôga dashed out of the car and ran to the hotel and to the seventeenth floor.
They saw Kagura staring in fear at the ajar door.
"Kagura? What's wrong?" Ayame called out.
Kagura glanced over and ran to meet Ayame and Kôga.
"Ayame, we should get out of here," she said in panic.
"Why?" Ayame asked in a hesitant yet stern tone.
"My father—he's here," Kagura screamed as she heard a loud crash through the wall.
"If it isn't for my lovely, prostitute of a daughter..." Naraku said in a sadistic murmur.
"No! No!" Kagura yelled over and over. "I haven't done anything wrong! Nothing! Why?"
"Kagura, my daughter, you're carrying the child of my enemy... We wouldn't want that now would we?" He said in a vicious monotone.
Kagura's eyes widened, "Sesshômaru..." she whispered in panic.
"I think it's time I took your heart back into my own hands."
"SESSHÔMARU!" Kagura cried.
Black. Pale. Red. White. Gold.
In an instant, it was over.
Interesting... This was a hard chapter to write. I'm not very good at drawing out emotion, at least... I don't think I am. I finally reached 200+ reviews! So I made this chapter a page longer... Wow, some treat, ne? I love Jakotsu. That is all. Keep in mind, they have six more countries to tour (sweat drop). Oh. Joy.