Chapter 31

**Alright-final chapter of this story!  (And the crowd sighs, "Finally!")  It didn't end the way I thought it would, so the OAV's aren't going to go the way I wanted either!  The ***** represent a change in scenes, like when a movie cuts from someone doing something to someone else doing something at the same time.  What am I doing? You're smart enough to figure it out without me.  Anyway, here it is, sappy song and all.  Weep weep weep…Oh, and I don't own this song-it's Billy Joel's.** 

*****

            The book fell out of Misara's hand onto the ground, next to Hotohori.  Nakago let out a cry of surprise at what he had done and quickly withdrew his sword, backing away.  Misara lifted herself off of Hotohori, looking very white, and tried to stand up, but couldn't.  Hotohori sat up as she fell again and caught her just before she hit the ground. 

            "Misara!" Hotohori cried. 

            She looked up at him.  "Are you alright?" She asked, a little weakly.

*****

            "Oh my lord…" Taylor gasped.  Tetsuya was gripping the back of her chair too tightly, making his knuckles turn white.  Keisuke kept reading, his voice strained, when suddenly, there was a large explosion outside. 

*****

            "Yui!" Miaka cried, her voice barely audible over the roar of wind.  Seiryu had appeared in their world, ravaging the city of Tokyo while Yui made her final wish.  "Yui!" Miaka cried again.  "Don't do it, Yui!  He'll devour you!  Yui!!"  Tamahome tried to hold her back, but she struggled against his grip, trying to get to Yui.

*****

            "Oh, Misara…" Hotohori moaned, unsure of what to do.  He didn't know where Mitsukake was…probably too far away to reach in time.  Nakago took a few steps back, his sword still dripping blood onto the ground. 

*****

            "Miaka…" Yui whispered.  "Good luck…"

*****

Goodnight, my angel

Time to close your eyes

And save these questions for another day

I think I know what you've been asking me

I think you know what I've been trying to say

I promised I would never leave you

And you should always know

Wherever you may go

No matter where you are

I never will be far away

*****

            Suddenly, Miaka felt a surge of power, and knew at once what Yui's final wish had been.  As the world fell down around her, she began to recite the incantation to summon Suzaku.

*****

            Somewhere on the battlefield, the warriors of Suzaku suddenly felt stronger. 

            "Miaka must have summoned Suzaku, no da!" Chichiri cried over the battle.  As Nuriko punched a hole through someone's shield, a bright red light surrounded them all, tearing them away from the fight and into Miaka's world. 

*****

            The same red light shone around Hotohori and Misara, and as they started to disappear, Nakago leapt forward and grabbed a hold of Misara's foot. 

*****

            Tires squealing, Tetsuya tore out of the driveway and further into the city, where a bright red light was shining.  Taylor hung on for dear life as Keisuke narrated from the backseat.

*****

            When Hotohori opened his eyes again, he was in a completely different world.  Misara was struggling to breathe in his arms, but she seemed to recognize the place around them.  "Are we in…your world?" Hotohori asked, breathlessly.  She nodded, coughing.  Then Hotohori noticed Nakago hanging on to Misara.  "Get off of her!" He shouted, enraged.  Nakago let go, and standing up, stared in awe at the buildings around him. 

*****

            "Give back Yui!" Miaka cried, surrounded by all the warriors of Suzaku except Hotohori.  "Give my best friend back to me!"  Seiryu, who had been tearing up the city, suddenly stopped and turned.  Suzaku had appeared, and was fast approaching. 

*****

            Hotohori stood up, set Misara as gently as he could onto the ground, and then pointed his sword at Nakago.  "Hotohori…" Misara whispered, but he didn't hear her.  He attacked Nakago, who was caught off-guard, still staring at the buildings.  He threw up his sword at the last second and blocked Hotohori's attack. 

*****

            "Seal Seiryu away!" Miaka cried again, making her second wish.  She threw up Chiriko's scroll, still containing Miboshi, and with another flash of red light, Seiryu was sealed inside it.  Miaka collapsed onto the ground, the effect of making the wishes so fast being almost too much for her to bear.  She looked up just in time to see Suzaku fly away, toward the south. 

            "What…?"  Tamahome muttered, trying to help Miaka to her feet.  "Where is he going?"

            Suddenly, they heard the sound of a car, and saw Tetsuya, Taylor and Keisuke racing toward them.  Tetsuya screeched to a halt in front of Miaka and the others, who all looked incredibly frightened of the car. 

            "What the hell is that?!?"  Tasuki cried, clinging to Nuriko, who was carrying an unconscious Yui. 

*****

Goodnight my angel

Now it's time to sleep

And still so many things I want to say

Remember all the songs you sang for me

When we went sailing on an emerald bay

And like a boat out in the ocean

I'm rocking you to sleep

The water's dark

And deep inside this ancient heart

You'll always be a part of me

*****

            The two swords made hollow noises as they clashed against each other.  Even though Suzaku had been summoned, Hotohori still wasn't as powerful as Nakago-and he knew it.  But suddenly, Nakago stopped and looked surprised.  The symbol on his forehead flickered, then went out. 

            "Impossible…" He whispered.  "Seiryu has been sealed away…"

            Hotohori took this opportunity to attack again, and hit Nakago in the arm. 

            "Hotohori…" Misara murmured again.  Everything was starting to go dark.  She didn't want to die, not here…not now.  Suddenly, sitting next to her was a bright red phoenix.  Suzaku. 

*****

            "Miaka!  You've got to do something!" Keisuke shouted, as more buildings fell down around them. 

            "She'll be devoured if she makes her last wish!"  Tamahome shouted back. 

            I wanted to wish for Tamahome to always be with me, Miaka thought, but this is more important.  I won't be devoured…I will be strong.

            She closed her eyes again, and concentrated. 

*****

            Hotohori made one last slice at Nakago, who was bleeding from numerous places.  Unfortunately, Nakago blocked it, and threw Hotohori backward, where he lost his footing.

*****

            "Suzaku?" Misara asked, even though she knew it was.  Then she heard his voice inside her head. 

            "You still haven't made your last wish, Misara."

            "I don't know what to wish for." She said, helplessly. 

            "You could wish to live." The phoenix offered. 

            He was right.  She could wish to live…but that was so incredibly selfish. 

*****

            Nakago was starting to disappear in a blue haze.  He didn't belong in this world anymore.  But his last attack hit its mark, and Hotohori fell to the ground as Nakago disappeared, screaming.  Misara saw Hotohori fall, and cried loudly, but couldn't move.

*****

            "I wish for this world to be restored!" Miaka cried loudly. 

*****

            "I wish for Hotohori to live!" Misara cried at the same time.

*****

Goodnight my angel

Now it's time to dream

And dream how wonderful your life will be

And someday your child may cry

And if you sing this lullaby

Then in your heart

There will always be a part of me

*****

            The phoenix bowed its head.  The city glowed with red light, and was instantly rebuilt, leaving no trace of ever having been destroyed.  When the light died away, everyone cheered, especially Miaka, who had fought the beast god inside her and had not been devoured.  They thought it was over, but the light remained, a few blocks away.  Keisuke opened the book, read a little, and gasped. 

*****

            Hotohori opened his eyes, expecting to be dead.  But the wound in his side was gone, and the blood on his armor was drying already.  He sat up, confused, then saw Misara and the phoenix. 

*****

            Miaka and the others ran as fast as they could toward the red light. 

*****

            The phoenix started to cry, and rested its head on Misara, its tears dripping on her.  Hotohori stared as her wound began to disappear. 

            Misara opened her eyes again, surprised.  The pain was leaving her…but why?

            "Of course…" Hotohori whispered.  "Phoenix tears have healing powers…"

            But just as he was starting to think that everything was all right, she began to shimmer and disappear. 

            Just then, Miaka and the others ran around the corner and stopped in surprise at the sight of Misara, Hotohori and the phoenix. 

            "Misara!" Tasuki cried. 

            "What's going on?" Hotohori roared, but he couldn't move to get to Misara. 

*****

            "I can almost heal you,"  the phoenix said quietly, inside Misara's head.  "but I can't bring you back to life completely.  However, your unselfish wish has secured you a place, in heaven's palace, with me."  The phoenix spread his wings, and transformed back into Suzaku, who offered his arm to Misara.  "You could come with me, even if it would only be temporary.  My warriors can bring you back to life, but they will struggle along the way.  It could even result in their deaths.  Is this what you want?"  He asked, still holding out his hand.  Misara sat up, unsure. 

            "Right now, every one of them is wishing you would be alive.  They are completely devoted to you, and I know you are devoted to them."  Suzaku continued.  "They know in their hearts what they must do, and they are not afraid."  He smiled down at her.  "They will fight for you, Goddess of the Sky, and if they had to live without you, they would be sad.  Don't give them a reason to be sad."  She nodded, and stood up.

            Suzaku held out his hand to her once more, and in a flash of sparkling light, she took it, and they disappeared.

*****

Someday we'll all be gone

But lullabies go on and on

They never die

That's how you

And I

Will be

*****

**Ready for the sequel?  I promise it won't be as long as this was!  Don't worry, Misara's not dead, I swear!  She's coming back!  I'll probably post the sequel as a separate story, so keep watching!  That is, if you don't hate me by now…Thanks for sticking with me, everyone! I hope you liked it!**