Under New Managment by Tamasha Toko

The New Guitarist

Chapter 1 The New Guitarist

They never thought they would get this far. They knew they were good, but not this good. When it came to the world of rock bands only a few would survive, and luckily they happened to be one of them. They always had faith though. After all they did have Miroku Kazanna as bass player, Sango Slayer who was the only woman drum player of her status, Kagome Higurashi who made any words sound like a lovely melody as the singer, and then there was Inuyasha Sagia. Inuyasha was the lead guitarist and he helped Kagome sing with his wild head banging words. They were all in the band known as Half Breed; and they were now singing and playing for a room packed with people.

Half Breed wasn't that much of a serious band yet. They were still the opening acts in many concerts. It did get tiring after awhile going from city to city, but Kagome loved it all. She loved the reaction of the fans. They had come along way from practicing in Inuyasha's garage. When Kagome wasn't looking at the fans she was looking at Inuyasha jumping all over the stage while playing awesome notes on his guitar.

Inuyasha was probaly used to seeing fans go crazy, after all he was in two bands. He was in Half Beed and in another one called Dead Miko. Kagome never told Inuyasha this, but she didn't think Dead Miko was good at all. The lead singer was a woman named Kikyo Kuzama. Dead Miko was good for awhile, but they never released any new songs so people lost interest. Inuyasha still believed in Kikyo's band though.

Finally Kagome sung her final words when Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango played the final notes. The crowd was going wild. Kagome was about to turn around and get ready to leave the stage, but then Inuyasha came up right by her and took away the microphone. Right away when Inuyasha came on to the edge of the stage all the girls in the crowd started to scream. Inuyasha waited for the screaming to stop before speaking.

"Well it looks like we did a great job making this place go mad!" yelled Inuyasha.

Right away more people started to scream and Inuyasha had to wait somemore.

"Well I have some news for all of you Half Breed fans," Inuyasha countinued, "don't get all the hyped up though it isn't good news."

Kagome looked right at Inuyasha and so did Sango and Miroku. What was Inuyasha talking about. There was no bad news that they were aware of. Inuyasha was probaly just going to do the usaul and mess with the audience and say that the bad news was that this was the last concert on the tour and all of our stalkers would have to wait awhile, but it didn't look like Inuyasha was messing around. His smile now had a frown on his face. The crowd was completly silent and awaiting to hear the news.

"As most of you know I am in two bands," stated Inuyasha, "this one and Dead Miko. I have made a descision and I am going to make it so you agree on this with me. First of all look at this band. We are just opening up for another one; that isn't that cool at all. Dead Miko on the other hand has had its few minutes in the spotlight though. Well in Dead Miko we have been working on some new songs and stuff and we think the band is finally going to come back into the spotlight for good. If Dead Miko does become a sucess then I will be dedicated to that twenty four seven. So since I will have to do this sometime anyways I might as well do this now. I am leaving Half Breed and playing for Dead Miko all the time now."

Automatically the crowd all started to throw a fit. That was expected after all Kagome wasn't the only one that hated Dead Miko. The crowd's anger was almost nothing compared to the anger bubbling up inside of Kagome. He was leaving the band. He didn't even tell anyone about this either. He was just leaving them. And the most horrible thing about it was that Inuyasha was lying about Dead Miko. All the songs Dead Miko had were all written by Inuyasha, and Kagome had not seen Inuyasha to picking up a pencil and write a new song for them in a long time. There had to be another reason why he wanted to leave. Inuyasha then walked off the stage and quickly the rest of the band followed. They were all anxious to let Inuyasha know how they felt about this when they got on the tour bus.

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"Inuyasha how could you do this without consulting us?" Miroku asked Inuyasha right when the door of the tour bus closed behind them.

"Feh," Inuyasha simply responded, "I thought you guys wanted to quit this band anyways. And I did tell Mouyga before anything was offical."

Kagome knew what Inuyasha was doing. Miroku said about a year ago that Half Breed was never going to be anything and he was planning on quiting. So Inuyasha was bringing up something that was said a year ago to defend himself. Inuyasha was also talking about how he told their manger, Myouga, that he was going to quit in order to make it look like he put thought into it. In Kagome's mind obvisouly anybody who gave up being in a sucessful band like Half Breed to work more on Dead Miko never put thought into anything.

"And Myouga just let you leave just like that?" questioned Sango.

"Of course the stupid guy didn't," said Inuyasha, "he argued and argued with me and I said my descion was final. So he said that if I quit then he quit and he gave me the contract with the ownership of the band."

"And since your quitting does that mean this band is finished?"

"Of course not. I know I am already hurting all of you by leaving so I am not going to make it worse by totally disbanding the band. So a few concerts ago I let people know that I was selling the contracts and my half brother, who I really don't know so don't ask me about him, was interested and he bought the band. There is another good thing too. Sesshoumaru from what I hear is even better then me at guitar and he is taking the part of lead guitarist."

Sango and Miroku just countiued to yell at Inuyasha for not giving then notice, but Kagome stayed quiet. Now after thinking for a bit she knew the real reason why he wanted to join up with Dead Miko. It was because of Kikyo. He wanted to work more on it just so he could be with her. Inuyasha had ruined the band just because of the woman he had a cursh on. It was too much to bare so Kagome just went and laid down in her bed not wanting to hear anymore of it.

"Um Kagome is something wrong?" Inuyasha asked when he noticed Kagome lay down, "I thought you would be biting my head off about this too."

"Wow its great you noticed me," snapped Kagome, "I didn't see the point in biting your head off because I thought you would have Kikyo on your mind the whole time I yelled, because thats what you had on your mind when you were choosing your band obvisouly."

"Kikyo? You think I am doing this because of Kikyo?"

"Why else would you do it? Inuyasha you know as well as me that Dead Miko sucks and before you were dissing them because they didn't like any of the songs you wrote for them."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say. Kagome was right and he knew it, but he would never admit it. He did love Kikyo, but he had feelings for Kagome too. When Dead Miko was having problems Inuyasha met Kagome and she inspired him to be a better song writer and that was why Half Breed was where it was today. Thats why he didn't have any concern about leaving it because as long as Kagome was there then the band would always be just fine.

"I am leaving because I want too," Inuyasha simply replied, "I am going to pack up my stuff now I need to meet Kikyo at five in the morning all the way in France so I need to leave as quick as possible. I will send for the rest of my things."

Kagome just turned to the wall in the bottom bunk of the bed so she wouldn't have to look at Inuyasha anymore. And she didn't want Inuyasha looking at her because her eyes were now flooding out tears. She felt so betrayed so useless. Obvisouly Kikyo was a better singer and a better person if he would rather be with Kikyo then her. It was too heart breaking. Kagome just went to sleep crying and by the time she woke up Inuyasha was gone and the bus had stopped in her hometown Tyoko. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------

"I hope our new manger gives us a little time before having to go on tour again," said Miroku as he put some of his belongings in a box and let out a yawn, "I need a little rest and relaxation."

"I hope we do have to go again," responded Sango who was doing the same, "I have grown attached to this tour bus. What about you Kagome?"

"I just want to see my family again," she told them as she still laid in her bed, "it has been along time. I am actaully thinking of quitting. After all we are nothing without Inuyasha as much as I hate to admit it."

"Kagome you shouldn't think like that," stated Miroku, "and anyways this Sesshoumaru guy whoever he is will probaly be better then Inuyasha and maybe we can come out better then before."

"I doubt it," Kagome muttered, "Inuyasha was one in a million."

"Well maybe this guy will also be one in a million you never know," Miroku countinued, "and anyways its your singing that gets us our guy audience. I don't think they are here to see Inuyasha."

"So your saying that guys only listen to us because I am attractive?" Kagome asked Miroku.

"Of course not. They love you because you sing better then most singers. You being attractive is another thing they love about you."

Kagome then felt Miroku's hand coming over to her and sliding towards her backside. Kagome quickly got up and kicked him away.

"Miroku I thought you and Sango were going to have a relationship," noted Kagome.

"Well you must have misheard," snapped Sango, "I said bussiness relationship. When I was talking about it you were too busy fighting Inuyasha off for the cookies that one of the fans sent us."

"When have I not been fighting Inuyasha?"

"Good point."

"Well still you don't know Kagome maybe you will find yourself bickering with the new guy," said Miroku.

"Miroku you keep bringing up the new guy. Do you want me to become great friends with him or something?" questioned Kagome.

"Well it wouldn't hurt. After all he is Inuyasha's brother maybe he will be just like a replacement."

"Maybe I don't want him to be replaced Miroku. I think I have had enough of Inuyasha to last me a lifetime."

"Well then maybe you two can be great friends because he will be the total opposite."

"Okay Miroku thats enough quit bugging her," interrupted Sango, "your going to upset her. Kagome do you have your stuff backed up?"

"Yeah I packed up everything before last night's performance. So I am ready to return home."

"Go ahead then, but that Sesshoumaru guy emailed us and we are to meet him on Friday and disscuss new tours and such," Sango told her.

"Oh goody then we can meet Sesshoumaru so hentai over there can see if anything perverted happens between me and Inuyasha's brother."

"It wouldn't hurt," chuckled Miroku before he was hit in the head by Sango's souviner boomarang that had the Half Breed logo on it.

Sango and Miroku then started in on their own converstation so Kagome headed out of the bus parking lot and caught a subway so she could get to the outskirts of Tyoko where the shrine that her family lived on was located. She hated the subway, but it was the only way to get to the outside of Tyoko. Not only was it long and bumpy, but there were also alot of strange people on the subway. Kagome had one day hoped that Half Breed would no longer be an opening band and become something great so she could have a personal limbo to drive her home, but now that Inuyasha was gone it wouldn't happen. Sure Sesshoumaru was souppose to be a great guitar player, but without Inuyasha it would seem that there would always be missing something. It was Inuyasha that made Half Breed any breed at all. It wouldn't be long till their band found itself back performing at parties or maybe even locked away back in the garage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------

On the list of things that Kagome hated subways were the first but cabs were the second. And she had to take a cab to get to the subway. She ended up in a car for twenty minutes with a man named Kijinbo by the looks of the name tag. He said some things that were not really choice words, but when it came to riding in taxis down in Tyoko you would get use to it. Finally she got to the subway station where she then had to get out her purse and trade in cash for tokens. Before doing that in the subway station you had to guard you purse because who knew who could come up and snatch it right from her. Before Mougya gave the contracts to Inuyasha he made sure instead giving the band normal paychecks they were all given debut cards that only they knew the password too so it wouldn't matter if it was stolen. The new guy would probaly have the same system, but when it came to fiancial things getting a new manger would be a problem. For all they knew they would probaly be forced to get paid next to nothing and since their contracts had not expired yet nobody could quit.

Anyways thanks to the debut cards Kagome only had a few quarters on her until she could get to the ATM machine while waiting for the subway. She wouldn't dare go home without a purse full of money. That was the one reason she would never quit Half Breed, because her family use to be nothing but poor until she was given a chance by Inuyasha to sing and join the band. Ever since then she had been giving all of her money to her family and she never really saw a penny of it. She could hardly afford to buy herself the tokens for the subway. She had the exact amount she needed so if she lost even one she would not be able to get home. And of course just as though she was cursed or something someone bumped into her and the coins spilled out of her hands and tumbled into a crack in the floor. She turned to scream at whoever bumped into her, but they were long gone. She was about to go and find an ATM machine until she felt a tap on her shoulder. Kagome turned around and found a man with long black wavy hair.

"Excuse me young lady but I noticed you lost some of your coins and I was wondering if you needed any help," he told her, "how many tokens do you need? I have plenty."

"Its okay I just need to get to the ATM machine and-" started Kagome.

"I will take care of it girl. Here, twenty tokens should be enough," the man told her as he dumped the coins in her hands that were still held out from when she lost her coins, "you look cold. Please follow me and allow me to buy you a coffee or something."

The man already started walking towards a Starbuck's stand and Kagome didn't know what to do. Should she follow him? Not going with strangers espically in the Tyoko subway was common sense, but he gave away about ten dollars worth of tokens to her. Refusting to go with him after that would just be rude. So she followed him.

He put a smirk on his face as he handed Kagome an expresso.

"Thank you," Kagome told him as she sipped the coffee.

"Watch out Kagome you might burn your mouth," said the man.

Kagome almost chocked the hot liquid when he said her name.

"How did you know my name?"

"That is a very dumb question don't you think? After all you are the wonderful singer of Half Breed."

"Oh well I didn't think that the band was popular enough for people to actaully know all of our indivaul names."

"Usaully a band in a status like yours nobody would care enough to find out the names, but you are one of the best singers I have ever heard."

"I really don't think so. And you know my name so what is yours?"

"Oh I am sorry. My name is Naraku Miasma. You shouldn't doubt yourself you are a great singer. Too bad that Inuyasha guy ruined it."

"Inuyasha just got a little confused thats all he will probaly be begging to come back in a few weeks. Anyways Inuyasha's brother I guess bought us so he is souppose to fill in the gaps."

"Well I am sorry to hear that."

"Why?"

"Well you see I manage a band also. Maybe you have heard of them; they are called Scar of the Spider."

Kagome had heard of Scar of the Spider. She loved the music in the songs. The notes were perfect and way better then anything Inuyasha could play. There was only one problem with Scar of the Spider and that was that their singer was horrible. Kagome didn't know at all how that woman even became a singer. The woman's name was Kagura and everytime Kagome would hear her sing she would automatically take everything bad she ever said about Dead Miko back. Kagura was absoutly horrible.

"Yeah Scar of the Spider is awesome," Kagome said, "I love the notes the best."

"Yes the music is good, but as you probaly know we don't do that good when it comes to singers. I am going to have to force Kagura to retire or something and replace her."

"Well I am sorry to hear that."

"Just like I am sorry to hear that you are choosing to stay with Half Breed, because I was thinking that maybe you could join up with our band."

"Well that would be great but I want to see how things turn out with our new guitarist and manager first before quitting anything."

"So you are thinking about it. Thats good your thinking of your future."

Naraku sipped his coffee while he used his free hand to drag a piece of paper out of his pocket. He then placed the paper in Kagome's hand.

"That is my number," Naraku stated, "If you ever want to try out and see how your voice matches with our band then maybe you have a career with us."

"I will think about it," responded Kagome as she put the number in her pocket.

"Promise you will," he said as he turned around and began to walk off.

With that the man known as Naraku was gone and Kagome had a subway too catch. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------

It had been a crappy week which was the total opposite of what Kagome thought it would be. The first thing her family did when she walked in the door was ask how much money she made while on tour. Then it was snatched from her and spent on who knows what. It was times like these when she wished she was normal and could earn an allowance or get a job like most seventeen year olds.

It was now Friday. The day the band was too meet Sesshoumaru the new manger and guitarist. It was always a tradition too have band meetings in the abandoned ware house downtown. That was where the use to play long ago when they were all fourteen and Inuyasha moved to a new house with no garage. There was nothing special about the place. It was all musty and dirty. All it contained was a elevated floor where the plugged the insturments in and four chairs for them to sit in.

Kagome, Miroku, and Sango were all sitting side by side waiting too meet the new band member. Sure enough a few seconds later the doors banged open and a man with long sliver hair came in carrying a guitar case. Long sliver hair? This had to be the brother of Inuyasha.

"Why is a band of this status practicing in a dirty ware house?" Sesshoumaru asked in a calm tone of voice once he approached the other band members.

"It has always just been a tradition," replied Miroku.

"Well the tradition is broken," stated Sesshoumaru, "I will find a place of higher standings."

"You can't just do that," whined Kagome, "we have too many memories here."

Sesshoumaru took a second to stare at Kagome with his cold golden eyes. This girl was the lead singer of the band of course she would know that it was now all owned by him and she had no say in what he did. She was very rebelious meaning he would not get along with her at all.

"Girl as you probaly know this band is mine now and we will practice wherever I want us too."

"He is right Kagome so don't make a big deal about it," said Miroku.

"Its just not right! He can't just come in here and tell us where we are now practicing after meeting him for only five seconds!" Kagome yelled.

"Well you might like playing around in the dirt girl but I for one don't so practice will no longer be held here."

"I agree with him Kagome this place is a little bit too dirty," Sango chimed in trying to claim her friend down before any trouble was started.

"I don't care we looked around forever after Inuyasha no longer had a garage and we finally found the perfect place just so he can come here and call it scumy. And by the way I have a name its Kagome."

"Well Kagome we are getting a new place wether you like it or not now disscussion closed. And since we are changing stuff lets work on changing the name."

"Your changing the name too? Now that is going too far we got where we are by being half breed people won't come and see us if we are going under a different name!"

"Kagome what has gotten into you today!" Sango snapped, "Sesshoumaru me and Miroku apologize on Kagome's behalf she usaully isn't like this I think it could be just some stress because of Inuyasha."

"I see, so normally she is better then this?"

"Yes way better."

"I see. Usaully when some one starts acting bad its because they need a time out."

"A time out?" Kagome asked, "what are you going to do make me stand in the corner?"

"If I have too. Now who here writes the songs?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku answered.

"Damn thats not good because I have no song writing talent at all."

"Kagome has helped write many songs with Inuyasha so she is really the only one who will be able to help you out," stated Sango.

"Thats settled then, Kagome you are going to write all the songs for now on."

"Fine I will, but I am telling you know they will never be as good as Inuyasha's songs."

"Girl anything that hasn't been written by Inuyasha I call good."

"Okay that does it! First you come in here and start changing everything and then you insult Inuyasha and you still didn't use my name!"

"Thats it girl I warned you now go and stand in that corner for five minutes," Sesshoumaru said harshly as he pointed to the corner.

"I will not! I am not a little kid that you can boss around!"

"Ten minutes now."

Kagome couldn't take it anymore. She would not be embrassed in front of Miroku and Sango by being told to stand in the corner. Thinking with only rage on her mind Kagome stomped right out of the warehouse. She stopped after walking about three blocks away. Why was she acting like this? The first thing she said to Sesshoumaru was filled with rudeness and she normally wasn't like that at all. It was just when she seen Sesshoumaru's sliver hair she was reminded of Inuyasha and she wanted to bite his head off because she didn't get a chance to do it to Inuyasha.

Kagome was thinking about turning back to apologize to Sesshoumaru for the way she was acting, but then she stopped. Across the street she saw a run down coffee house. It was the place where she first met Inuyasha. If Sesshoumaru was anything like Inuyasha he would have asked her what was wrong instead of treating her like a child. She would certaintly not apologize to Sesshoumaru. If Sesshoumaru wanted kindess from her he should show it in return. How could Inuyasha do this to her. Kagome was ready to break down in tears again when the smell of coffee reminded her about something. Quickly she dug into her purse and got out her cellphone and the piece of paper Naraku wrote his number on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kagome sat there on the stage of a local hotel which the Scar of the Spider rented out for practice. Naraku told her to come by so they could see what she could do. She hadn't seen Naraku yet, but she met the rest of the band they weren't that friendly though. Of course Kagura wasn't nice because Kagome was a threat to her job, but the rest were strange. Kanna who was the keyboard player seemed to have no emotions at all. Goshinki the guitar player was mean to everyone who passed him espically if he can make them mad with emotional pain. She had never heard Juromaru the bass player talk, but it looked as though if you approached him you would be killed because he was that scary looking. Finally there was the drum player Kagaromaru who gave her strange looks.

"Kagome sorry to keep you waiting," said Naraku when he finally came to the stage.

"Its okay Mr. Miasma," replied Kagome as she stood up and dusted off her skirt.

"Well lets get this on the road. Kagome do you know any of our songs by heart."

"Yeah I know them all I don't care which one."

"Okay then Kanna you pick."

Kanna started right away as though she was a lifeless doll be controlled. Kagome felt like one too when she sung the lyrics right with the music.

"It happened, I'm feeling glad," Kagome sung, "I got sunshine in a bag. I'm useless but not for long the future is coming on."

Kagome sung the whole thing before Naraku started clapping.

"Perfect Kagome," Naraku told her, "just say the word and you can join anytime."

"Wow thanks I guess," responded Kagome, "but before I do anything I have to say goodbye to the others and can I ask how much we get paid."

"Don't worry Higurashi I will make sure you get paid triple whatever you get paid currently in Half Breed I don't want money to ever be an issue for my best singer ever."

"If thats what you want to do then even though you don't have too."

"I have too as long as you join."

"Okay then well I got to go."

Kagome made her way out into the parking lot. Naraku had to be her best friend in the whole world right now. She certaintly couldn't say that about Sango and Miroku after they took Sesshoumaru's side. And obvisouly Naraku loved her singing and he offered to pay her alot more. She knew right away her family would agree with her choice.

She was about to reach for her cellphone to call a cab when she felt a hand hold a tight grip around her wrist. She was quickly turned around and she found herself face to face with fimilar pair of golden eyes. It was Sesshoumaru.

"Well since when do you hang out with the members of Scar of the Spider?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Since I met Naraku who is very kind to me. Now will you let go of me!"

Sesshoumaru ignored her request and kept his grip on her.

"Your know I hang out with people too like the manager of that hotel. I got to watch the practice and I think its strange that the band let you sing to their songs. That is usaully done when a singer is trying out for the band. Now you wouldn't be doing that would you?"

"What if it is?"

Sesshoumaru grip tightned on her right away.

"Then you would have to quit our little band and that might not be a wise choice since your contract has not expired. It usaully isn't fun to watch your family get sued for every little penny they have."

"Come on Sesshoumaru I don't like you and you don't like me so just let me leave!"

"Your right I usaully don't take a liking to smart asses who think they know everything and I don't give a damn what you think about me, but the audience cares about you so your staying. As long as I have your contract you are mine and you will perform only when I say you can."

"Fine I will stay just, let go your hurting me Sesshoumaru!"

Right away Sesshoumaru let go almost regretting grabbing her wrist. There was blood coming from them. He would not apologize to her though.

"You know you are just as bad as Inuyasha is. Your the one who is really betraying the band at least Inuyasha tried to make things so he knew the band would stay alive."

With that Sesshoumaru left Kagome with nothing but her thoughts. She wasn't betraying the band was she? No she wasn't. The band would never be nothing thanks to Inuyasha so she might as well quit. She couldn't quit though she was owned by Sesshoumaru pretty much. There was only one thing she could do and that would be to get fired.

(End Chapter)