Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or a drum set... I want one though.

Slay The Music

Scene Thirty-Two: Denying the Truth

Kôga sat back down on the couch of the now empty room. He could hear Inuyasha's footsteps getting further away, and to him, it symbolized the walking away of his best friend... he wondered how long it would be until he heard those footsteps again.

"What's wrong with Dog-Child?" Bankotsu's voice entered the room.

"He's having some… problems, is all," Kôga replied, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"Who isn't having problems, these days?" Bankotsu shrugged and sat down opposite Kôga.

"True. Although, you do have to feel sorry for the man, he's getting his heart knocked out of him."

"Poetic as ever," Bankotsu replied.

"I just hope the band is still intact by the time this is all done and over with. I can't stand it when things threaten what we've worked so hard to achieve, you know?"

Bankotsu nodded, "Any word from Sesshômaru?"

"Not one."

"Anything of Naraku?"

"Even less."

"Everything just kind of halted then... ne?"

Kôga nodded, "I don't know what to do. Concert's coming up, we just added a whole new addition onto the band, and there's a crazy psycho-path out there that probably wants me and a few others dead right now."

"Scary world, isn't it?"

"Kinda feels like the Feudal Ages."

"With firepower and rock 'n roll stars."

"True," Kôga gave a smirk.

"Let's do something, get all this torture off our minds, eh?"

"What do you have in mind?" Kôga asked, sitting up.

"A little alcohol never hurt anyone."

"On the contrary," Kôga replied with a smirk as he grabbed his coat and followed Bankotsu out.

"Hey, Ayame, have you seen Kôga or Bankotsu?"

Ayame looked up from her dinner, "...Why, they're not around?"

"I can't find them anywhere," Sango replied and sat down across the table.

"I thought Kôga was practicing with Inuyasha," Ayame said.

"I did too until Inuyasha stormed out of here with that gloomy look of his."

"Why do you need those two anyway?" Ayame asked between bites.

"I wanted to see if they had something…"

"Like what?"

"Stuff for the gig, you know, like those cool distortion what's-it's that they picked up in Korea."

"You sound like a professional with the what's-it's," Ayame smiled.

"I don't know what there called, I never studied music or anything—I barely made it through elementary!"

"That's because they threatened expulsion when you released poisonous gasses in the bathrooms to kill rats."

The two laughed, "Well, one, I hate rats, and two, that wasn't me!"

"Oh? Who else would have poisonous powder in their backpack except you, Sango?"

Sango sighed in defeat, "It was only a little, I swear. And no one got hurt…"

"Except the janitor."

"Where did you find that out? You didn't even live on the same island as me when I was growing up!"

"Inuyasha talks a whole lot when he's drunk, you know."

Sango laughed, "Oh yeah."

Kagura walked in and the two girls became silent. Kagura walked around as if nothing was going on, however, her irritated expression still stained her otherwise perfect complexion.

"What's up, Kagura?" Ayame broke the ice.

Kagura glanced over as if finally noticing the two, "may I join you?"

Sango nodded and Kagura pulled up a chair. She sighed and picked up her chopsticks, "The tour's almost definitely going to be cancelled now…" Kagura said.

"We got the impression," Sango nodded.

"Damn that Naraku," Kagura cursed under her breath, "Your careers are being jeopardized by him, you know. All this negative whatever is really putting a dent in your popularity. Constant cancels, constant no-shows… the fans are getting sick of it."

"I wouldn't blame them," Ayame replied.

"And CLOUD666 especially, you guys just started out and already you're having bad luck. I think the best idea would be to get out of the tour and head back to Japan."

"I'm not going if the rest of the group isn't going," Ayame replied, "I'm the leader of this band and there's no way we're backing out just because some idiot has the guts to mess with us."

"But he's not after you," Kagura replied, "Kikyô suspects he's going after Inuyasha."

"Then send Dog-Boy back to Japan, I still want to go to Thailand and Vietnam!"

"I don't think that's going to happen," Kikyô entered.

"Why not?" Ayame looked at her in fury.

"Take a look," Kikyô through down a Japanese newspaper.

"Record Company Owner, Sesshômaru, Suspect in Murder," Sango read out loud.

"Murder!" Ayame grabbed the paper and scanned it hastily, "Five members of former rock band Shichinintai found dead, DNA of the clan that ties to Akuma Sesshômaru-san's blood line found at the scene. Half-brother, Akuma Inuyasha, was ruled out because of his half-human bloodline and a strong alibi." Ayame continued to scan, "Other's are suspected to be potential victims of Sesshômaru, and many of today's popular rock stars seem to be included on this list. A prime target seems to be Du:Plicate's very own Inuyasha, brother of suspect, Sesshômaru. The two have a history of fights ending in serious injury on Inuyasha's part. A secondary target may possibly be Sango, soloist rock star…" She stopped reading.

"How could they suspect Sesshômaru?" Sango asked—keeping her irritation at bay.

"Naraku must be playing his games again," Kagura replied.

Kikyô nodded, "We're flying you guys to a safe house in Korea. Meanwhile, you, Sango, and Inuyasha are going to be giving a press conference for Sesshômaru's behalf. You are not to say a word about Naraku."

"Why in God's name not?" Sango asked.

"If we start framing someone else it's going to look like Sesshômaru put you guys up to it."

"But we wouldn't be framing anyone, we'd be serving justice," Sango replied.

"Unfortunately, that's not the way the world works."

"I know," Sango sighed, "Yet, I still find it unfair."

"Don't we all?"

"We get to go back to Korea, though, right?" Sango's faced brightened up.

Kikyô nodded.

"Yes!" Sango smiled, "I've been practicing my Korean. Maybe I can get a Korean husband who will cook me some Bul-Go-Gi or something…"

Ayame laughed at Sango, "What about poor Miroku?"

"What about him?" Sango replied, snapping out of whatever fantasy that was in her mind.

"He's not Korean."

"Duh."

"But you guys are so cute together!"

"That's the problem with reality, now isn't it?"

"Sango, really, he's the perfect match for you," Ayame said.

"I don't see how an ass grabbing pervert is perfect for anyone," Sango replied, grabbing some of Ayame's leftover dinner.

"But you two were so close before."

"Bathroom break," Sango smiled and left the room.

"That girl has the worst case of denial I've ever seen," Ayame sighed.

"Or a fetish for Koreans," Kagura replied. "I'm leaving it up to you to tell the rest of the group, these next three concerts are the last of the tour. I have to meet Myouga at a press conference now."

"This is going to hell!" Ayame stretched in her seat.

"What is?" Kagome walked in.

"You, my clueless friend, should be thankful that you are not burdened with this information," Ayame smiled.

"What information?"

"Take a deep breath because your life is about to become a lot more hazardous."

"Ok…"

"Mr. I'm-so-flipping'-rich-Sesshômaru got himself arrested, so our awesome tour is going to cancelled, so our popularity ratings are dropping like flies—not like they were there anyway—and we have to go live in a safe-house in Korea until the no good bastard is put in jail!"

"Sesshômaru?" Kagome asked.

"Naraku!" Ayame responded, frustrated.

"Is that true?" Kagome looked to Kikyô.

Kikyô nodded.

"How'd Sesshômaru land himself in jail?"

"We think Naraku's planning it," Kikyô replied.

"And?"

"Here's the report," Kikyô handed her the newspaper.

"Oh no..." Kagome mumbled as she read the paper. "...What? ...Inuyasha's a target? Sango too? What kind of crap are they publishing in this thing!"

"That's what Sango said—in a more reserved manner," Ayame replied.

"Well she's right! Sesshômaru's not going to kill his brother! He makes way too much money off that band! And to kill Sango! What's the point? She's never done anything to him and he's never done anything to her! What kind of world is this?"

"An unfair one, Kame-chan," Ayame said. "We're flying back to Korea after this gig here in China."

"Are we going to be doing anything there? Any tours? Any promotions?"

"Promoting what?" Ayame asked.

Kagome was quiet.

"Exactly. They only thing that's gonna get done in Korea is Sango's engagement to the next Korean guy that'll take her. The only thing I can even think of that we could do is find a recording studio and start working on another album. At this rate we'll be just another one-hit wonder that gets discovered forty years later by some kid researching rock band failures," Ayame sighed.

"Ouch," Kagome flinched.

"Now admittedly, Ayame, you of all people could make a nice comeback from something like this. You just have to focus on it," Kikyô said. "I must go now and prepare Sango for the press."

"See ya," Ayame waved.

"What are we gonna do, Aya-chan! The band is falling to bits!"

"You like ice cream?"

Next chapter preview: Back to Korea. That's all I'm gonna say :D

Ah—I'm trying to create tension between Inuyasha and the rest of his band... how's it working? Sesshômaru's got himself into a nice pile of doggie poo, ne? So how do we plan on getting Sango to go for Miroku when there's a perfects good looking non-ass-grabbing Korean standing in front of her? Good question. It'll be tough. Please look forward to it! Happy Holidays.

ever free's status: I hate ramen. Thanks to Izayoi-- inspired me to update early, haha.