InuYasha and company copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi. This story is my own.
They said the War on Terrorism was for an outcome of peace, a means to have the world gain strength to fight for what was right and what was just. Whoever said that was never there to see it first hand. They were the lucky ones. After the invasion of the Middle East, sides began to form on opinions of integrity and freedom, and soon the world was enveloped in an arms race to protect peace. We weren't fast enough.
The War on Terrorism was later called the War of Armageddon. Forty million people died in Japan alone. No one was left an innocent. We were all victims of war. The waste from artillery scarred the land, and our cities were dilapidated by sights of burned homes and destroyed buildings. It was an easy process to rebuild our country, but not so much ourselves. The people were scarred by hatred and mistrust, causing open hostility on the streets. Gangs were rampant and violence our only protection. Propaganda spouted the need to clean up our act, and to think about our future generations. Well, this story isn't about them, it's about us. The children of war.
We were the survivors of Armageddon, the Great Holy War. A war on whose God was greater, though it was the same God. But God wasn't there for it. God turned His back on us a long time ago. Or so I had thought. If someone said God loves us, I'd be the first to point a gun at his head and laugh. If someone said He sent angels, I would have pulled the trigger, and rid the world of his insanity. If someone had told me He sent me one, had I known then what I known now, maybe I would have pulled the gun on myself. Then again, what would be the point of believing, if there were nothing to believe in?
I had one belief. Music. That was the one true soul. The youth of the world struggled to find meaning and reason in our dead world. The only way to release the rage and panic was through drugs, guns and music. But what type of Propaganda would promote drugs and guns? So we were given music, in the form of the War of the Bands. A way to make music our saving grace.
I've heard music was the true voice of God. Maybe He was telling me something when He sent her. Too bad I never listened. Maybe things would have been different if I had. Maybe things would never had to happen as they did. And maybe I wouldn't be here, telling you this story. But maybe if you knew, then you would understand why I did what I did, and maybe I could be forgiven one more time. I didn't know what she was when we first met, not until it was too late. It made me wonder if I would ever receive redemption. Could God ever forgive me? Could I ever be forgiven for killing an angel?
- -
"Turn up the mike a bit, Daniel." A dark haired man called across the stage to one of the stage crew while adjusting the strings on his electric guitar. "And pull it ahead some, the speakers are interfering."
A beautiful raven-haired woman sat restlessly in the back of the theater. Her sky blue eyes darted from one side of the stage to the other, watching the band make adjustments and final touch ups for the auditions.
The band, Perdition, had been searching for a new drummer for the upcoming War of the Bands, and Kagome was determined to be there in one way or another. She had heard of Perdition through the grape vine. They were popular around the underground of Kyoto. Their music was hard, but their style was meaningful. They had easily been accepted for the first challenge for the War of the Bands, along with many other bands around the city. But once they were accepted, they decided to revamp their group for a fresher approach. Seeing their flyers littered around the city, Kagome knew this was a sign from above. This was her chance to make things right.
The War of the Bands was an opportunity no one could turn down. It was a global challenge to find the best bands in the world. If you made it, you were set for life. Poverty would be a thing of the past. Not only that, you would have a name for yourself, to be known throughout history as one of the few to change the hearts and souls of those who heard you. Kagome grinned. Who could deny that?
Her eyes flicked over to the man behind the drum set on the stage. The guy's hands fiddled nervously with the sticks, waiting for his cue to begin. His eyes were watching the dark haired guitarist while he continued to shout orders to the stage crew.
"That's fine there, Daniel. Kouga! Where the fuck is InuYasha?" The man shouted as he distractedly pulled at the leather fingerless glove that covered his right hand. Kagome grinned slightly at him. He was kind of cute. His short hair was tied in a small rat-tail at the base, making him look like a young boy, but his steel gray eyes shot daggers from frustration and annoyance.
"Damn it, Miroku, how the fuck should I know where that shithead is?" A tall rugged man stalked heavily onto the stage from behind the curtain. His long dark brown hair hung free and low past his shoulders. His blue eyes darted around the stage before landing on what he was looking for. He grabbed his bass guitar from where it leaned by the drum set and began to adjust it.
Soft laughter came from a svelte woman who hopped with ease onto the stage. She adjusted her long brown hair into a ponytail and headed over to a keyboard set beside the drums. "Heaven forbid he show up for his own band's auditions."
Miroku growled in frustration, though his eyes never left the woman's ass. "At least one of the brothers had some sense to book the theater to get this shit done."
"Fuck it, we've been waiting enough as it is." Kouga fumed. "Set it!" His fingers strummed a few chords while the others followed suit to a popular song. The drummer followed in haste.
Kagome raised an eyebrow slightly. The drummer wasn't bad, a bit slow on the uptake and would need to speed the tempo some, but the guy had potential. Her eyes drifted around the theater. Only a small handful of people had come to try out. All guys, she frowned. Her eyes lifted up to the woman on the keyboards. At least they weren't prejudice against having a girl in the band.
"Stop, stop." Miroku hollered over the music and smiled slightly as he turned to the drummer. "That was fine, Gray. Next!"
Kagome cringed. The next guy to go up was bald, tattooed and covered in piercings. She instinctively clutched her jacket over her chest, feeling completely out of place all of a sudden.
Perdition was a heavy metal band. They sounded dark and looked dark all around. The men wore loose black jeans and wife beaters that showed off their toned physique, while the woman wore black leather pants and a sleek tank top that molded like a second skin on her taut body. Kagome studied the dark mascara that ringed the keyboardist's brown eyes. She looked tough, but then again you had to be to survive in this time.
Kagome sighed and looked down at her own clothing. She wore her lucky jeans today. They were dark blue with a small metal cross that hung from her belt hoop, a present from one of the children at the orphanage where she had lived since she turned fifteen and now worked as a director. Her shirt was a soft white cotton t-shirt, covered by a thin dark blue jacket which held her keys, cell phone and tattered wallet. She never wore make up, nor ever did much to her long black hair. She usually left it free to hang past her shoulders in soft waves. Plain, simple and clean. Yes, she definitely did not look the part for a heavy metal band.
Her eyes fell on the stage. She may not have looked or acted like one of them, but she loved this music, she loved the way it made her feel, and she loved how her entire being came out when she played. It was like her own form of prayer, a release of her triumph and love towards her faith. Her eyes lifted upward. 'Please, oh please let them like me.'
After an hour, Kagome was the last to be seated in the theater. Her heart thrummed heavily against her chest as her nerves wrecked havoc on her body. She couldn't avoid volunteering now. It was now or never.
"Is that everyone?" Miroku looked out into the theater, his eyes falling on to her. They seemed to gentle slightly, making her feel less out of sorts. "Miss? Are you here for something?"
The rest of the attention from the band fell on her, before they smirked and began to unplug their equipment.
Kagome stood up softly. "Yeah. I mean, yes, Sir, I would like to…." She pointed towards the drum set on stage.
Miroku grinned and his sharp eyes darted to the group. "Hey, don't pack up yet, we got one more."
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"
Everyone turned to see a handsome man storm onto the stage. His long platinum hair shone several colors under the stage lights. Kagome's eyes widened. He was tall, just a head higher than her, and she could see hard muscles under his slender form beneath his tight black wife beater. He was like a god.
"InuYasha, so nice to finally grace us with your presence." The woman smirked as she plugged her keyboard back in.
"Fuck off, Sango." InuYasha snorted before rounding his eyes onto Miroku. "We done here?"
"Actually, no." Miroku's mouth ticked slightly as he held off a smile. "We have one more. Miss, if you please?"
Kagome smiled shyly and headed up to the stage only to be stopped by a frigid glare from the most gorgeous eyes she had ever seen. Golden like the heavens, but hot like the hells. Kagome couldn't stop looking at them, wondering why God bestowed such celestial perfection in such a hard man.
InuYasha stared slightly confused at her. Never before had he been given such a look of shy wonder. Her sky blue eyes struck him to the core. He mentally shook himself. "She is not trying out." He snarled, turning back to Miroku.
"Why not?" Miroku tuned his guitar lazily. "She's here, and we still haven't found a good drummer."
"What the fuck do you mean? No one that tried out was good enough?" InuYasha barked.
Miroku sighed as he matched the hard stare of his old friend. "Of the twelve that showed, no, I didn't find any of them suitable." He motioned for Kagome to head on up to the drums.
InuYasha's hand flew up, signaling her to stop. Kagome stood still on the stage between the two men and looked over at Miroku for any sign what to do.
"I am not having a fucking girl play in my band." The silver haired man sneered as he eyed her with disdain.
"Excuse me?" Sango crossed her arms and walked over to stand by Kagome.
InuYasha turned to glower at the stage curtain, avoiding the woman's cinnamon glare. "You don't count, wench."
Sango gripped his upper arm hard, her nails digging into his flesh, making him open his mouth in protest and pain. "You listen here! You have no right to say who can and can't try out. If you wanted another to join, you should have been here to listen to make the call. But you're here now, and you are going to shut up, listen up and smarten up, or by hell I'll fuck you up." She let go of his arm and shoved him to the side while she ushered Kagome to the drum set and sat her down behind it.
InuYasha rubbed his arm and looked in loathing at the two women. "Fine, she can try out." His eyes turned sinister. "I'll even sing."
All eyes turned to glare hard at the white haired young man, all in confusion, except one. Kagome watched him in worry and excitement as she clutched the sticks to her chest.
"Well, if the bitch wants to be apart of the band, she got to know what she's dealing with." InuYasha turned and grabbed a microphone from the stand. He looked fiercely at his band mates, who reluctantly headed over to their instruments.
Nodding his head to Miroku, InuYasha smirked. "All Hell."
Miroku's eyes widened slightly and he hid a grin. InuYasha was never a show off. He never sang without purpose, yet Miroku knew the young drummer ignited something in the singer to possess him to perform so willingly. She seemed to grate his sharp edges without knowing, triggering a fire he had never seen in InuYasha for years. He flicked his head at Kagome and winked. "Ready, darling?"
Kagome smiled at him and nodded, shrugging off her jacket.
With the first sounds of the guitar strumming, Kagome felt the cares of the world melt away as she began to beat in time to the music. She knew this song. It was one of her favorites, though few in Japan knew the song at all. Her eyes darted up to the silver haired man who was watching her intently over his shoulder as he began to sing.
I'm a workin' man
But I ain't worked for a while
Like some old tin can
From the bottom of the pile
From the bottom of the pile
I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement
Kagome's eyes never wavered from his challenge as she rounded the drums along with the lines. His eyes narrowed darkly as he started the next verse. He turned slowly, coming to face her fully.
My words are like a rope
That's wrapped around my throat
Wash my mouth with soap
For words unfit to quote
All of the band members joined into the chorus. Kagome looked briefly over at Sango and grinned when she saw the woman smiling at her. She looked back at the drums in front of her as she quickened the tempo.
I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement
I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement
Kagome flashed her eyes over at Miroku who had moved to stand close to her as they played together during the break. He smiled and pulled hard on the strings as he got into the song. She smiled and twirled a stick around her finger before starting the next movement.
And now I'm free to go
But time cannot remove
The only life I know
Now only time will prove
Yes, only time will prove
If I have lost my way
Kagome cut the drum and held the cymbal while Sango played along with InuYasha. She started in surprise when he dragged a chair in front of the drum set and straddled it, watching her with humor filled eyes. Kagome's mouth went dry as she stared back at him, but steeled her nerves when she realized he was mocking her.
Cause I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement
Piercing her ice blue eyes at him, she thundered her wrists on the drums on the next line, proving her power behind the instrument. InuYasha stood and pushed the chair away in annoyance at her brazen maneuver. Yet it never broke his concentration. When it came to music, nothing ever could.
Yeah, I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement
InuYasha turned from her and walked back to the mike stand, putting the mike back in place. From the corner of his eye he could see his band mates watch the girl intently as they played the last of the song. His chest constricted in anger. She was good, he'd give her that, but she, herself, was nothing of significance. Probably just a war rat, by the look of her clothing. Bargain basement trash. Though he would have to admit she was mildly attractive, she looked too innocent and naïve.
InuYasha smirked. It would be too easy to break that, and as tempted as he was to be the one to do it to her, the War of the Bands was too much of a gamble to be distracted. Besides, he needed someone to look and act like a member of Perdition and what the name stood for. This girl was definitely not it.
"That was awesome!" Sango laughed in amazement.
InuYasha pulled himself from his thoughts and glowered at the girl. "She fucked up more ways than one. I can't believe we got through the fucking song."
Kagome's mouth dropped and she stood up abruptly. "I did not…" she faltered and blushed at the word he used, "mess up the song. I think I did alright."
"Fuck 'alright!' She blew me away." Kouga grinned and eyed her hungrily.
Kagome blushed at his compliment, oblivious to the lustful leer.
InuYasha rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Fuck off, Kouga, you're tone deaf enough as it is. You just want a girl in the band so you can have a travel whore."
Kagome blanched and her mouth floundered for any semblance of a retort.
Kouga's face turned furious as he stormed over to the white haired man, his fist raised. Sango gripped his tank top, pulling him back, while Miroku grappled InuYasha, who was not about to back down from a fight.
"He is right, InuYasha." Miroku grunted next to InuYasha's ear as he struggled to hold him back from hitting Kouga. "The girl sounds great. I think we have our drummer."
InuYasha pushed the dark haired man off him and clinched his shoulders in aggravation. He pointed his finger at Kagome. "Does that look like anyone worth anything?" His eyes flicked to a sparkle by her side and his eyes narrowed dangerously. "For fuck sakes, she's a goddamned church mouse!"
All eyes looked at the cross hanging on the girl's pants before turning back to InuYasha.
Sango let go of Kouga's shirt and tried to reason with their leader. "InuYasha…."
"Don't even start!" InuYasha snarled. "There is nothing that will make her belong here, so don't even fucking start!"
"InuYasha." Miroku stood next to Kagome, who looked pale and anxious. "The War of the Bands begins in four weeks. We haven't found another drummer as good as she is."
"Then we'll keep looking." InuYasha growled.
Miroku sighed. "There is no more time. Today was all we had. We used up our budget to do this audition alone. We are broke. And by the time we get the money to set up auditions again, the War of the Bands will be under way. If we don't start now, and train now, we'll never make it past Kyoto."
"Yash." Sango stood in front of him. "If we don't decide today, then we are disqualified for not having a complete group. And she's good, Yasha, really good."
Golden eyes darted to each of his friends before settling on the girl. "Fine. Take her." He pointed his finger hatefully at Kagome. "Bitch, if you fuck this up in anyway, I'll make it my life to make sure you pay." He turned quickly and jumped off the stage. He charged to the back exit, kicking the door open, cursing angrily as he stormed out.
Kagome let out a shaky breath as she watched him leave, but smiled when the three remaining band mates shook her hand and clutched her shoulders in acceptance. She made it. She was the drummer for Perdition. And she was going to the War of the Bands.
A/N All Hell for a Basement, played by Big Sugar, check it out.