AN: Welcome to another chapter of this story! Anyway, about the pairings, they're still a secret, I'm not going to tell you anything just yet! ^_^ and as for Miroku's un-player-like attitude, that will soon change, and so will Sango's.

-_-_-_-

I watched with surmounting interest as the gates of the arena began to raise themselves. The crowds let out an awaited snicker as they realized whom exactly Miroku was opposing.

"It's an embarrassment to him!" I heard a fat woman remark, "even if he did not exert any power, she would be dead within seconds!"

"Oh no, Annabelle! She would be dead before one second is up!" the two women giggled onwards until their bellies rose to their chins and their dangling arms blocked out other spectators' views. They seemed not to notice their serene idiocy until a man nearly wringed their necks to shut their traps.

"Ooh! You have to see this!" cried out one of the fat women, "she's brought out a bow and arrow!"

Countless other insults began to emerge within the crowd. "Would you look at that? Damned chick thinks she's going to win against Miroku with a freaking bow and arrow!"

Jeers of mockery came to fill the stadium and I squinted my eyes to see where Higurashi was; and true enough, she held a distorted bow and arrow within her petite hands. To my disdain, though, she did not look nervous at all. On the contrary, I could see a gleeful smile erupt on her face, filling her prudent features with a mysterious glory.

"So I see you again, Miroku!" she laughed passionately. The girl flickered her gray eyes towards Miroku's direction as the bumbling man continued to glare at her. "What's the matter? Are you scared?" Her lips continued to curl into a disgusting snicker as she thwarted her body forwards. "Where's that man I used to know? Or should I say boy? Oh, how I miss him!" she boasted in odd mockery. "Is he hidden deep inside? He used to hold me close and whisper sadistic remarks into my ear. He--…"

"He's dead, Kagome, he's dead," Miroku whispered in his most humble voice. I was ready to thwart the living hell out of the twit until the conversation resumed to its previous state.

"And how is she?" Higurashi twisted her head sideways; her raven locks of hair touched the lining of her waist.

"How is who?"

"Oh, you know, Sango," she drawled.

"You don't even deserve to say her name!"

"Hurt you a little there, did I?" Miroku continued to follow her movements with his eyes, "well it's all your fault, you bastard. Why the hell should you even relinquish in your mistake? You're the one that does not deserve to say her name; you don't even deserve to say my name," the girl spat out. The muscles on her arms continued to tense.

"Kagome--…"

"Oh please! Stop it with your nonsense; it's useless; it's always been useless."

The man continued to stare at her lithe body, examining every detail of it. What was going on? Had he been bewitched by Higurashi's spell? And if so, had he become as useless as Kouga? I knew the idiot was soft, but I did not think that he would stoop to this level.

"Please don't do this," he pleaded, curling his fingers into a praying position.

"Now you're begging me, aren't you?" the woman in front of him snorted, "Remember what you told me, out on the city port?" Higurashi shifted her unruly gaze to the balcony. "I see you remember," she sneered, "And so does she, if you want to know. And besides, why the hell shouldn't I do this? What's wrong with having a little fun, huh? You had a little 'fun' with us before, didn't you?" Higurashi continued to circle around Miroku. Her smooth chin jutted out of her face as she continued to taunt the man. "Revenge is sweet, my dear friend, sweeter than anything in this world," she remarked, running her fingers up and down Miroku's back. She pulled down his pony-tail and tightened her arm around his waist, drawing him in closer towards her. I could see the desire burning in his eyes as he tried hard not to turn around and start attack her.

"Stop this!" he finally emerged out of his trance. He threw Higurashi's arms off of his waist as he came to face her.

"Oh, this is too much fun! If I had known you'd been here since the very start, I wouldn't have wasted my time trying to escape!" she pranced around, skipping daintily towards the outer circumference of the arena.

"What the hell happened to you?" Miroku shouted. His eyes bulged out slightly as the muscles in his arms tensed dramatically. He raised his fist in the air and stomped his staff onto the ground, igniting a cheer of anticipation from the crowd.

"What happened to me?! You're asking me what happened to me?! You, of all people, should have figured out by now!"

Miroku hushed himself into a state of total silence. Ironically, the crowd followed his actions and all distant chattering or movement ended abruptly. "I-…"

"Cat got your tongue?" Higurashi chuckled menacingly, "come on, let's have some fun now, shall we?" the girl picked up her bow, stringing it with her bent arrow. "It's a battle here, not a bickering arena!" she glided over towards the pillars, landing on top of them with unmistakable grace. Her hair billowed in the wind, wielding the deadly look in her eyes. "You've never been able to win against me, Miroku. Now's your chance to slay me into pieces and bake my remains in the kiln!" the girl laughed voluminously again as she aimed her bow at Miroku, claiming the man to utter fear. He stopped all movement as he raised his staff ardently to her direction, trying to shield himself from whatever possible power his enemy could withhold. I could see perspiration beginning to build up on his forehead and I gritted my teeth as a bead of sweat rolled into his eyelid. The battle had not even started and the man had already been reduced to this putrid state. I tensed once more as I shifted my gaze to Higurashi, who was ready to release her arrow. She uttered a small chant as her fingers left the weapon, causing a small wave of power to erupt around her.

"Dear gods, don't let that kill you, Miroku," I commanded silently. The arrow had not changed its trajectory since the time of its release, and to my great horror, it was headed straight towards Miroku's head. The man lost his balance slightly as he stuttered backwards. His feet entangled themselves between each other as he finally caught himself on a rock. He fell down voluptuously on the ground, issuing a loud thud before he tried to raise himself again.

"It's too late, he's done for," I heard a woman say.

"Run for it!"

"He can't--…"

"What's happening here?"

"This is impossible!!"

Within milliseconds, screams of anxiety and fear began to free themselves from people's mouths. They widened their eyes as a few hands raised in shock at the situation pointed out beneath them. 

"Bend," a voice suddenly shouted from above; and Miroku collapsed to the ground.

-_-_-_-

I rushed up the stone stairs in order to get a better view of the battle below. Municipal thoughts began to emerge within my mind. If Miroku was truly dead, then an important aspect of the organization would be lost. I found myself swearing beneath my breath as I discovered how big Miroku's impact had been on us. He was the one that helped to organize battle and militia; he was the one that proposed the idea of expanding our society. Certainly no good would come out of his death!

"Sango!" I screamed when I finally reached the balcony. I slammed the wooden door and took my seat next to her.

"Is he dead, Inu-yasha?" she whispered coarsely, her hand gripped her seat gravely. I saw her face drained of its color and scanned my eyes over the arena. "He can't be dead! Miroku just can't be dead!" the girl's voice was beginning to strain itself as she omitted a high-pitched howl. "Help him!" she screamed, burying her head inside her hands. She bent over on her lap as she began to choke on her sobs.

"Ms. Sango," a soft voice called out, "perhaps it would be better if you were taken from here."

The man pressed his withered hand on Sango's arm, pulling her coarsely from her position. She held no strength to rebel against him and continued to cry on his shoulder. I watched as her sobs continued to rack her body, slowly draining her of what little energy she had left.

"Lock her in her chambers," I ordered.

"Yes master."

-_-_-_-

The lonely arena was quickly filled up by a mass of people forming a circle around Miroku's sole figure. Women were patting each other on the back and the men were uttering a series of chants designated never to be heard by small children. It was quite chaotic, I must admit, yet as time began to flow, the boisterous crowd receded to tranquility.

"Don't worry about him," Higurashi's voice boomed from the top of the arena, "he's not dead, just faking it, like the bastard usually does,' she spat out. "Get up and face me, you bastard!" Higurashi screamed, jumping down in front of the crowds, causing them to retaliate in shock.  A path was quickly opened up for her and she thrust her body forwards, taunting the still-form of Miroku to rise. "Are you so afraid of me? ARE YOU?"

"A little help would be necessary here," Miroku finally croaked. His hand reached over to grasp Higurashi's leg and she flinched from his hold as if he were a hot iron bar. I saw him bury his face in the dirt once more as he tried to stand up; his wobbly form was held up by the mere implications of his staff. "You win again, Kagome," he muttered, eyelids drooping slightly. "Aren't you proud of yourself? You could finally take revenge on the one man you've despised for an eternity!" Miroku slurred. He walked towards the girl, his bent arm reaching out for her as she tried to escape from his grasp. The man finally gained way on his never-ending chase and promptly fell on her upper chest, embracing her slim waist with his strong arms. "You know, Kagome, I --…"

"I know," she whispered to him before he closed his eyes once more. I could see a small, lone tear running down her face as more came to cover her eyes. She hitched a small breath and buried her head into Miroku's hair, pursing her lips together. Higurashi shook her head slightly as she looked up at me and stared directly into my eyes, threatening my presence. "Take this man to his room, he's had enough for today," she ordered.

She threw Miroku's body off of her own and continued to glare at me, gritting her teeth and swinging her hips like the slut she was. She rose her chin high into the air as she exited the arena, leaving a mass of spectators bewildered at her performance.

Oddly enough, I was far more petrified by this manipulating woman than I could ever have been by a mass battalion or outright war. Her exact past and motivations were left unknown to me; something which didn't come naturally within my experience. I hated not being in control of the situation! What was her connection with Miroku? What right did she have to order me around? I slammed my fist in fury against my throne and watched with satisfaction as the cheap wood broke under the strength of my punch. I heaved a sigh of discontent as I strode outside the balcony, heading towards Sango's chamber.

But as I walked, there was something I couldn't quite reassure myself on ever since the moment her gray eyes met my own.

I could never forget the look in her face. 

It demanded only one thing.

Revenge.

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AN: OK, sorry about the length of this chapter! I know it's really short and all, so forgive me! Anyway, the next chapter should be up by next week. I hope you enjoyed this and please review and tell me what you think! ^_^