A/N:Okay, sorry about the long update recess.  Well, spring break is over, and my parents have banned me from the computer during weekdays. *sighs*  (that led to a lot of screaming and yelling) I get good grades, I be a little angel at home, I get excepted to a good High School, and this happens! Grr…. They say I spend too much time on my computer. Grr…. *starts wearing*

I'm not a member: Yeah, like I said, the updates will be a little slow from now on.

Mell Minamoto: Thanks! ^_^ I know, when I saw that episode with Kouga and Ayame, I had to gape at his stupidity.  I still think he's cool though! ^_^

Kawaii-Inu-Inutaisho: I'm flattered… really, if I wasn't so friggin' tanned, I'd probably be blushing right now.  Thanks! ^_^ Oh, Souta will be in this more… kukuku… DIEING! I'm just joking! Just joking! *dodges flying frying pans* Heh heh… note to self: never tease readers…

FriendlyreaderHm… Who said she was going to tell him? Dun dun duuuun!

Ayame, In Kouga Hating Mode: Haha. I'll e-mail you when I can, promise! ^_^

Great Story: hm… I like that name! lol. Thanks. ^_^

CloakedChaos: I based his personality more on the Japanese version (for the latter episodes) because his personality is very different from the English dubbed version (and the earlier episodes where the dubbed versions are up to) I like his personality more then because he shows that he isn't such a tough guy and is quite clueless and wacky a lot of times! He just seems more adorable! ^_^

NyteFyre15: Oh dear, you sound like me when I'm hyper. *chugs thirty cans of pepsi* OKAY! OKAY! OKAY! *bounces off walls*

GaleneOoh! I like glomping things! *gasps* *spots Miroku* MIIIIIIIIIROOOOOOOOOKUUUUUUUUU-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!

Miroku: ACK! NOT again!

BAM!

I LOVE MY INUYASHA: Ditto what I said to CloackedChaos. After watching the later episodes, actually to tell the truth, I think he would.

Byte 1000: Thanks! Yea, I hope I'll be able to update as much as possible.

Kanna: ^_^

Drisowen: *starry eyes* You're a wolf!?  MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *captures Drisowen* MINE! MINE! MIIIIIIINE!

Other Readers: *sweatdrop*

Fullfoxdemon: *gasp! A FOX! MINE! MINE! MIIIIIIIIINE! KITSUNES ROCK! Har har harrrrrr!

BabyKitsune: You'll just have to see now won't you? Muahahahahahahahahaha! Oh, and by the way, can you call me, because I'm kinda grounded I can only take incoming calls (What's the point in that?). I say we fly back to Molokai on a New Moon!  Dun Dun Duuun! Let's stay in cabin 12 and we can have the shit scared out of us! Hey, we might even get killed by the Night Marchers! It could happen! Dun Dun Duuun!

Oh yeah, and by the way, he and I (you know who so don't ask) ARE JUST FRIENDS! YOU GOT THAT?!

Uhh… heh heh. I know I said "Next chapter will be a lot more romantic, of this I am sure" but after returning to my plan… well, that's next chapter. Sorry! *runs from angry readers*

                                                                        The Gladiator

        Last Time on the Gladiator…

"Don't worry about it." Sango said quietly. "So." She said, deciding to change the subject. She turned to Kagome. "Wait a minute… does he know who you are?" Sango asked.

Kagome shook her head, no. "But I don't think I'm going to see him again."

                                                                Chapter 5: The Curse

        Kagome sighed heavily.  This was perfect, just great, now she couldn't sleep. Sango had left ages ago, and all she was left to do was lie on her bed. Staring listlessly at her ceiling.

        She loved Sango, really she did, but not when she had wanted to go to sleep.  Sango had reopened her train of thoughts.

        In no time, her thoughts had absently wandered to him. 

        She closed her eyes furiously.  No! She would force him out of her mind and forget.  There was no way this was going to work.  If there really was anything at all.  She couldn't love him.

        A hanyou.

        But wasn't that being arrogant? No. It was to protect him… right?  If anything happened between them, if she had allowed herself to have feelings for him… What would happen if her father found out?

        His words rang through her mind. Filthy King, once I get out of here, I'll tear him and his family into shreds

        She shook her head.  It didn't matter, he wouldn't accept her.  If she ever told him, then he'd most likely kill her on the spot.  How many loyalties could a demon harbor anyway?

        Inuyasha sat thoughtfully, leaning against the wall.  His mind plagued with confusion and hope.  He prayed to every star in the evening sky that Kagome was not the princess.  But he could've sworn he had seen the girl before.  She had come in this very chamber before they had met. He knew it, but he just couldn't place his memory's facts right.

        It was true, he had to kill everyone of the family… especially the oldest female child.  If the rumors were true, which he was sure they were, then that woman would be a miko… would be in possession of the sacred jewel.  The Shikon no Tama.

        It was with that jewel and that jewel only that he would be able to become a full fledged demon. 

        He had to get it… he needed it… nothing, not even… not even love could possibly stand in his way. 

        If there was even the slightest chance that Kagome was a princess…

        "Thinking about Kagome again dog breath?"  A demon shouted at him. Inuyasha clenched his fists, at least they knew her name this time.

        "Quit with the shit."  Inuyasha mumbled. "I'm too tired to put up with your stupidity."  He didn't really know which demon he was yelling at him, but after all this time, he had come to a conclusion… they were all idiots anyway.  All of them didn't give a damn about their freedom.  They acted as if this were an honor.  It didn't matter to them, they fought for no reason anyway.  What was the difference whether a bunch of humans were watching or not?

        "Ooh… the half-breed's getting angry." 

        "What's the matter little puppy, you want your mommy to go to?" 

        Inuyasha's eyes clenched tight along with his fists.  He had learned long ago to ignore both demons and humans alike.  Yes, they were more alike then the idiots thought.  Both loved to ridicule others to feel better about themselves.

        Once he had the blasted jewel, this would all be over. 

        ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        "Kagome-sama!"  She opened her eyes groggily.  Perfect. Just perfect, she had just drifted off into a calm, peaceful sleep, when, 'lo and behold, it's time to wake up! "Kagome-sama!" Sango's voice blared once more.

        She lay in the bed for a while, burrowing her face deeper into the pillow. She was happy with the quiet.  Just a bit more slee…

        "KA-GO-ME-SA-MA!" The maidservant, in her nature, grew impatient, and found it better to burst into the room rather than wait for her mistress to get up. A process that could take longer then painting the future Golden Gate Bridge with a watercolor brush.

        She marched to the princess' bed, and shook the moaning girl.  "Come on, your father wants you." 

        That was enough to get her out of bed.  She didn't want to upset her father, no use in that no is there? In an instant, Kagome was dressed, ready, and out of her chambers. 

        Sango smirked inwardly, wiping imaginary dirt off her hands, she followed the girl's trail.

        ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        "You wanted to see me, M'Lord?"  Kagome stood before her father's throne, as she bowed politely.

        "Ah, Kagome, yes. Your sister, Kikyo has returned."  Kagome's eyes widened.

        "Ki-Kikyo?"  Kikyo was her older sister.  Separated by merely two years, Kagome had always felt extremely inferior to her sibling.  By their maturity level, Kikyo seemed so much older than her.  Wiser, and much more advanced in her spiritual power.  Hell, the most Kagome could do with her spiritual power was shoot a purifying arrow that hardly measured to a fraction of Kikyo's arrow.

        "Yes. She's finally returned from her journey.  She's in the courtyard and wants a word with you."  Seeing that as her dismissal, after a long silence, Kagome left.  Inside, she didn't want to see her sister.

        She knew that was no way to think of a family member, but still.  Kikyo had a way of making her feel… depressed. She was never quite sure why.  Kikyo was a pleasant woman to be truthful.  The children all around loved the priestess to boot, and the adults always saw her as the perfect miko, the perfect princess, and the perfect daughter of their king.

        Kagome found herself in the courtyard after no time at all.  She saw a woman wearing the traditional miko's outfit of red and white. She hesitated at the sight of her sister, standing so distinguished, even alone, in the sunlight.

        "Kagome-chan."  Kagome let out a breath she didn't know she had drawn in the first place and she nodded.

        "W-Welcome back Kikyo."  She managed to say, as the two sisters bowed in respect of the other.

        "Sister, I have something to give you."  Kikyo said, walking closer. 

        "Hm?"  Kikyo grabbed her right hand lightly.  She brought it up and out, so that her palm was exposed to the blinding sun.

        "This… the Shikon no Tama."  She said, placing a sphere in the palm of her sister's hand.  She gently closed Kagome's fingers around the jewel in a tightening embrace. "Please… just take it."

        Kagome's eyes widened. "Kikyo! How did you get this…" 

        Kikyo looked away.  "It's been in our family for a few years.  Father gave it to me.  He wanted to use it for plots of his own."

        Lost, all Kagome could do was stare at her sister.  She had heard so much about the Shikon no Tama.  But she had never before been exposed to it, much less have the thing in her hand.  Sango had talked about it.  Never had anything she had spoken about the 'wretched jewel' had been a word of good news.  It destroyed her family. Her village…. Her life.

        "Kagome listen to me… I'm sure you've known that Father is not the same."  Kagome continued to stare at her sister.  Kikyo took no notice, and turned around, to face the forest. "He wanted me to harness the power of the Shikon Jewel.  He said that he wanted only for me to protect it from demons, but the truth is that he wanted to use it. To use me."

        Kagome's eyes narrowed, and  her brows tightened.  What was her sister talking about? "I don't under-"

        "Kagome, when I left on my journey, I sought to find more about the jewel.  What I found, however, I'm sure Father already knew.  The power of the jewel is that it is able to grant wishes.  It's deadly powerful.  Father already used me once with the slaves…"

        Kagome understood almost immediately.  Her mind reverted back to those chains that bound Inuyasha, as well as the rest of the demons.

        "Father wishes to use the jewel." Kikyo continued.  "… to destroy all demons."

        Kagome gasped.  "But… but…" 

        Kagome knew that her Father didn't like demons. After all, he was keeping them as slaves, forcing them to fight.  But she couldn't picture the man who she had once loved… actually killing off a whole race.

        Kagome ran jovially back to the castle.  In her hands was a basket.  She ran through the halls. "Daddy! Daddy!"  As she approached the King's chambers, she heard the voice of the man in question.

        "I'm here Kagome!"  The little girl giggled as she jumped happily to her father's lap. 

        "Look what I found!"  She said, giving him a big smile. "Can I keep her? Can I? Can I?" She shoved the box at him in her excitement.

        He smiled at his daughter and looked in the basket.  To her disappointment, his expression changed.

        "Kagome… this is a beautiful rabbit but…"

        "But what? What's wrong daddy?"  Kagome asked, her voice a going up an octave.

        "Kagome, this is a living animal.  How would you like it if someone put you into a tiny box and left you there? This rabbit probably has a family.  Maybe a mommy and daddy of her own." 

        Kagome looked at her father in horror.  "I had no idea!" She exclaimed, staring at her potential pet. "I don't want to be away from you daddy!"  She cried, wrapping her arms around her protector.

        "Sister?  What are you doing?" 

        Kikyo's voice pulled her away from that memory.

        Kagome shook off the dream, grasping at reality.

        "Why are you giving it to me?" Kagome asked, not sure if she should be allowed to so much as look at such a powerful jewel.

        Kikyo's eyes turend to the ground before closing completely.

        "I can't do this anymore Kagome-chan. I wish to be an ordinary woman.  If you choose to accept this… then I shall give you all my spiritual energy."  Kagome's eyes widened.  This was truly just one shock after another.

        Kikyo… ordinary woman… the two just didn't fit. Kikyo was highly respected by humans everywhere, and highly feared by demons throughout the land. She was the sole protector of many humans… a modern-day hero.

        So why should she, Kagome get her power all of a sudden. 

        It just didn't seem right.

        "Kagome, my time's running short."

        Kagome stared at her sister. "What are you talking about?"

        Kikyo just smiled at her. "After all this time, you would think that I would've learned to pace myself.  A miko can only release a certain amount of spiritual energy at a time before it breaks her humanly body… in a way, I've outdone myself."

        "So… what does that mean?" Kagome asked, growing quite worried. 

        "You want to know the real reason why I came here today, Kagome? It was to say goodbye…"  That was something that Kagome did not want to hear as of right now.  Still, she couldn't believe it.  Kikyo, the great guardian, the undefeatable miko, the perfect princess… her sister… dying?

        "No!" Kagome cried.  "No! Come now Kikyo, this isn't funny!" 

Kikyo sighed.

"Don't just stand there!" Kagome nearly screamed, her sadness growing steadily into anger.

Kikyo opened her eyes, and stared at her sister in a stern look. "Don't be so naïve, Kagome!" She scolded. "You have to stop running away from the truth.  The truth is this: I'm dying, and you have to take this. Once you learn to harness the power of the Sacred Jewel, you and only you will have the power to stop all of this.  The truth is, Kagome, that demons and humans have never lived in peace, and the only way our father…" She looked away for a second before returning her gaze to Kagome. "that man who calls himself our father knows how to deal with this problem is by destroying the entire demon race altogether.  There will be no youkai, no hanyous, only humans, but many, many mononokes… and you and I both know that that could be much, much worse."

'Hanyous… Inuyasha…' Kagome thought to herself.  Was this all really going to happen?  All because of this jewel?

She looked at her sister.  She seemed so… dead.  Her features were paled and she looked immensely tired.

She was going to die.

Her sister, Kikyo was going to die.

"So, are you going to do this or not?"  Kikyo asked.

Kagome looked at the jewel in her hand. It seemed so peaceful.  So beautiful. So innocent.

But inside, a war was raging.  Waves were clashing.  Fire was roaring. Inside was destruction which longed to be released.

She clenched her hand into a fist, her flesh throbbing against the jewel. 

She nodded.

A/N: I know, I know, short. Sorry about that. Please review anyway, and feel free to throw frying pans at poor, innocent me. ^.^;;