Hey, we're getting closer to the end here.  I'm not entirely sure as to how the next few chapters will go, so it's gonna be interesting.  I hope this goes well, so please read.  Onward!

Disclaimer:  I don't own Inuyasha.  I…am…Broke!  BROKE!  And in debt, so don't sue me, because you will get NOTHING!

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*Fate and Destiny.  There isn't much left to say about these two things, except that you shouldn't think about it.  Don't worry about either one and just live as if they don't exist, because when you think about them, you'll just end up confused.  They don't want you to figure it out.  It's not meant to be known.  By thinking, we only end up back at the beginning of our thoughts.  It doesn't matter when you really get down to it.  Life is life, whether you believe in fate or you don't.  Everything may happen for a reason, and some things might not.  Either way, we have choices to make, and none of them can be the wrong choices.  They simply affect our lives.  It's as simple as that.  Nothing really matters when you think about it, so just live the way you want to.  Live as if you are in control.  Don't bother with fate, because you can't control it.  Just let it lead you.  Remember.  There is a difference between knowing the path and walking it.*

"Yume!" shouted Siria.  She ran back into the Dream Weaver's room and up to the thrown.  Despite the slip, Yume seemed fine right now.  "We have a problem!"

"What is it, Siria?" she asked, although she basically knew what was going on.

"The Inuyasha-tachi has made it through the Chrono rip!"

"Nani?!" shouted Cycil, joining in the conversation.

"How can this be?" asked Yume.

"When the slip happened, the Inuyasha-tachi was at the area where it appears," explained Siria.

"Kuso!  If only I had been there to help you," said Cycil, slamming her right fist in her left palm.

"What should we do?" asked Siria.  Yume was quiet for a while.  Nothing like this had ever happened before, but now that it had, maybe they could finally finish the job.

"We'll get rid of them while they're in here.  This place is independent from the real world.  During a slip, people can die in here.  They won't make it through.  The Chrono rip will keep them back.  There's no way they're strong enough to deal with what they will see.  They are physically strong, but not emotionally.  They won't make it through to this place.  I know it."

******

The Inuyasha-tachi walked quietly along the darkness.  They couldn't see anything around them.  If the hall just ended, they wouldn't even know it.  Suddenly, the whole room began to shake.  The floor then gave way and they all fell, plummeting down to the bottom that they couldn't see.  Just then, a purple fog surrounded them and they all disappeared.

******

"Ow, my head," said Inuyasha.  He sat up, rubbing a lump on his head.  He looked around, but found nothing.  His friends were gone.

"Kagome!  Shippo!" he shouted, looking around.  "Miroku!  Sango!  Kirara!"  But there was nothing.  He was completely alone.  He began to walk, in hopes of eventually finding them.

"Inuyasha…" whispered a female voice.  Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks.  He knew that voice.  He would never forget it.  The hanyou turned around quickly and his eyes widened.  A few yards away stood the miko he was looking for.

"Kikyo…" he whispered.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing here?"

"I'm…not entirely sure.  I was looking for Kagome."

"Does that girl mean more to you than I do, Inuyasha?"  Inuyasha turned his attention to the floor.

"Inuyasha!" shouted Kagome from behind him.  He whirled around and saw the modern day girl running up to him.

"Kagome…" he said quietly.

"Inuyasha," said Kikyo sternly.  She had her bow raised, an arrow knocked, and was aiming a little off of Inuyasha's left.  Kagome was running up from that side.

"Kikyo, don't!" shouted Inuyasha.  However, the miko let the arrow fly, sending it right towards Kagome.  Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do, but he knew of one thing.  He didn't want Kagome to die.  He quickly stepped in front of the arrow and took the hit.  The arrow pierced his chest and his face twisted in pain.  Kagome ran up to him as he fell to one knee.

"Inuyasha, daijoubu?" she asked quietly.

"Daijoubu," he answered back.  He looked to Kikyo, who seemed hurt.

"Inuyasha…is she really more important than I am?"

"Kikyo…you just tried to kill her.  I'll never let you kill Kagome, not now, not ever.  I will always protect her.  I promised!"

"Inuyasha…"

"Kikyo…I think you should leave now."  The miko said nothing as she turned around and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.  Kagome then began to fade as well.  "Kagome!  Wait!  Don't leave!"  But she was gone, and the arrow in his chest disappeared as well.

"Which one, Inuyasha?" asked a voice that sounded a lot like his own.

"Nani?"

"Which one?  You can't have both girls.  Who will you choose?"

"I… I…"  'How do I make such a decision?'

"What if your group was in danger?  You would save them, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would!  What kind of a question is that?!"

"But what if Kikyo was in danger at the same time?"

"…"

"What if you could only save one of the two?  What would you do?  Would you save the people who have shared everything with you?  The people who have seen both your ningen and youkai form?  The people who, despite nearly getting killed by you, still stay with you anyways?  The people who would give their own lives for you?  Or would you save the woman who you love?  The woman who was willing to give up everything to be with you?  The woman who you loved first?  The woman who followed you in death so that you wouldn't be alone?  Are you willing to sacrifice her for them?  You have to decide, Inuyasha."

"But I…I don't…"  Suddenly, the scene changed to that of a mountain valley.

"Inuyasha!" shouted Kagome.  Inuyasha looked to his right to see his friends.  They were in the middle of a battle between a herd of youkai.  However, accompanying them was a swarm of Saimyousho, meaning Miroku couldn't simply use the Kazaana.  They were surrounded, Kagome was out of arrows, Sango's arm was injured, and Miroku seemed to be in pain.  It was obvious he had sucked in a few of the insects.  The youkai seemed to be ready to kill the group.

"I'm coming!" shouted Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" shouted a voice from behind him.  He turned to see Kikyo, dealing with her own group of youkai.  Her shoulder was injured and her bow had been broken in half.  She was also about to be killed by the youkai.  Inuyasha looked back and forth between the two groups.  'What should I do?  I can't possibly save them both.  What do I do?'

"Inuyasha!  Help us!"

"Inuyasha!"

"Kuso!" shouted the hanyou.  'How am I supposed to choose?  I'll lose someone either way.  But my friends…I lose them all if I don't go and help them, but if I help them, I'll lose Kikyo…ARGGHH!  What do I do?'  By this time, Miroku had lost consciousness from the poison's effect.  Sango bent down near his limp body and cradled his upper half, setting his head on her lap.  He didn't have much time left.  Shippo hopped into Kagome's arms as the youkai descended upon the group.  Kagome's feared scream got Inuyasha going.  He had made his decision.  He went to his right, towards his group.  These were the people he wanted to stay with, the people who knew him and cared about him despite of what might happen.  Inuyasha wanted to live and stay with them.  He wasn't ready to die with Kikyo, heck, he wasn't ready to die at all.  'Kikyo…you should never have come back to this world…your soul deserves its peace…please rest…Kagome…stay alive…you can't die!  I love you!'

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, but the scene soon faded to black.  He stopped running and just stood there.  "Nani?"  It was silent again.  "I don't get it.  What was that all about?"  Inuyasha then recalled what Myoga had said.  He had mentioned seeing your worst fears and nightmares come to life.  "That must be what this was.  It was a nightmare.  But…it was really just a look into my heart.  That was what I truly wanted to do."  He stood there, thinking about this for a while.  He then shook his head.  "I need to find Kagome."  And with that, he ran off in search of miko.

******

"Siria?" questioned Yume.  The crimson haired ningen looked up at the hateshi.  "Go out and find Kagome-sama."

"Nani?"

"Go out and find her."  Siria said nothing as she left into the darkness.  'Maybe…I can do it,' thought Yume.  'Perhaps they're not the only one's who can.'

******

Kagome was walking slowly through the darkness.  She was all alone and didn't like it at all.  Being alone wasn't for her.

"Inuyasha!" she called out.  She had recently called out all of their names, but none of them were there.  'Where is everybody?'

"Kagome-san."  Kagome stopped walking.  There was only one person who would call her that.  She turned around and came face to face with Siria.  However, she just stared at her, because she was unsure as to what would happen.  Siria had saved them, but had also tried to kill them before.  It was hard to know what she would do next.  "Do not be afraid, Kagome-san.  I'm simply here because Yume asked me to be."

"But why did she ask you to?"

"I don't know."  Suddenly, the scene changed.  They were standing in a valley, full of flowers.  The wind was blowing gently, tossing their hair.

"Kagome!" shouted a familiar voice.  Kagome turned around to see Inuyasha running up to her.  He stopped when he reached her side and then glared at Siria.  "Kagome, stay away from her!" he said as he stood in front of her.

"Nani?" she asked.

"She killed them!"  Kagome's eyes went wide as she heard this.  She turned to look at Siria, who had her sword drawn.  It was stainless.  There wasn't any blood on its blade

"Siria-san…did you…did you really…?"  Siria looked down to the grassy ground.

"I had no choice.  Those were my orders."

"Temee!" shouted Inuyasha as he unsheathed his sword and ran at her.  Their swords clashed over and over again during their fight.  Kagome could do nothing but watch them battle it out.  'Did she really kill them?  Siria-san?'  Eventually, Inuyasha had been able to get Siria to the ground.  He pointed his sword at her neck.

"Shine!" he shouted.

"Matte!" shouted Kagome.  She didn't want to see Siria die.

"Nani?!" shouted Inuyasha, looking over to Kagome.  "Why shouldn't I kill her?"  Siria never gave Kagome the chance to answer as she took her sword and stabbed Inuyasha through the stomach.  Kagome watched in horror as Siria pulled her sword out.  Inuyasha fell to his knees as Siria stood up.  She hovered over him, her sword glowing.  The blood on it soon disappeared.

"How…?" started Inuyasha.

"I get it," said Kagome.  "Your sword absorbs blood.  That's why it's never stained."

"Exactly," said Siria.  "My sword can't be stained."

"Siria-san, you killed them?  You really killed them?"

"Hai.  I had my orders, and now…I'll finish the job."  Siria took her sword and slashed it across Inuyasha, then slashed again.  An X formed on his chest.  She then thrust the sword into the ground and watched as a trail of electricity snaked towards him as he tried to get away.  The ground erupted beneath him, absorbing him in a blow of pure energy and electricity.  Inuyasha cried out as he was absorbed in the blow.  When the light cleared, he was gone.  Kagome fell to her knees, her eyes wide and wet with tears.

"Iya…Iya…you killed him."  Siria picked up her sword and began to walk towards Kagome.

"That's right.  I killed them all.  You would rather save my life than theirs?  I'm touched.  But now, you won't have anyone left.  You won't even have yourself."  There was a sick humor in her voice that Kagome couldn't stand.  "I've lived for 100 years, possibly more, and you chose my life to save?  Interesting.  However, I can't do the same for you.  Sayonara, Kagome."

******

Inuyasha ran through the darkness.

"Kagome!" he shouted loudly, looking everywhere.  He suddenly stopped as he saw a faint glow come from the darkness.  He then ran faster and soon approached the light.  He stopped when he saw Kagome, who was standing completely still.  Her eyes were lifeless.  A few feet away from her was Siria, who stood with her sword out.  Her kiseki and her sword were glowing.

"Siria!" he yelled.  He caught the girl's attention, but something was wrong.  Her face seemed sad and disappointed.  "What are you doing?!  What happened to Kagome?"

"The same thing that happened to you.  She is experiencing her own worst nightmare."

"Nani?!  Kagome!"

"She can't hear you.  No one can get through to her."  However, Inuyasha didn't pay any attention to her.

"Kagome!" he shouted again.  "Kagome!  Answer me!  Please!!  Kagome!!!"

******

Kagome's attention snapped fully to the sky.  She heard someone calling out to her.  Siria had stopped advancing on the miko.  'That voice,' thought Kagome.  'It's familiar…Inuyasha?  But I saw him die…Inuyasha…'

"Kagome!!  Come on!  Snap out of it!!" came Inuyasha's voice.  It seemed to be all around her.

"Ignore him," said Siria.  "He can't do anything to help you now, Kagome."  That was the second time.  Siria had called her Kagome instead of her usual Kagome-san.

"You're not Siria-san, are you?" said Kagome.  The wind blew by and tossed her hair.  Her covered eye was revealed.  There was nothing there.  It wasn't Siria.  Kagome stood up and glared at the girl.  "You're not Siria-san!  Siria-san wouldn't enjoy killing us!  Who are you?"

"I'm Siria, Kagome."

"And another thing.  She doesn't just call me Kagome.  She calls me Kagome-san.  You're not Siria.  Who are you?"

"I'm her and yet I'm not her."  Kagome pulled out an arrow and then picked up her bow.  She knocked the arrow and aimed it at the imposter.

"Tell me one thing.  I want to know why you tricked Miroku-sama three years ago.  I need to know and I always forget to ask when I see you."

"It's simple.  I hated that town.  Those people…everything about that pathetic area."

"Why?"

"Because the men there attacked the village I had stayed in.  I wanted to kill them, show them the pain I felt.  I wanted to pay them back for killing the people I had come to love."  Siria clenched her hands into fists.  She may not have been Siria, but part of her was.  "So I used him to do it for me.  Yume had said to do something to that village, but I decided to demolish it.  No one will ever understand my pain.  No one will ever know what it felt like…when I lost everything."  A single tear rolled down her cheek.  "Do it.  Kill me, so you can leave this place."

"Kagome!!!" shouted Inuyasha.  Kagome put her bow down, loosening the arrow.  She shook her head.

"Part of you is Siria-san and I won't hurt her.  I trust Siria-san.  She saved us, and I'm not going to kill her."  Siria closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You're such a fool, Kagome-san.  Such a fool.  Your trust will be the end of you one day."

"Maybe, Siria-san, maybe."  And with that, Siria disappeared, along with the scene.  It faded to black and Kagome snapped back into reality.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha.  Kagome turned to look at the hanyou.  "Daijoubu?"

"Daijoubu," she said with a smile.

"I'll be leaving now," said Siria.  Kagome turned to see the crimson haired girl as she turned to walk away.

"Ano…Siria-san?"

"What you saw was the truth, Kagome-san.  It may have been a nightmare, but I…what I told you…it was true."

"Siria-san…even though you told me before not to feel sorry for you, I still do."

"Arigatou, Kagome-san.  Sayonara."

"Sayonara."  And with that, Siria walked off into the darkness.

"Kagome.  Let's go."

"Where?"

"Where else?  We need to find the others."  He turned around and began to head off with Kagome following closely behind him.

******

Shippo was walking slowly through the darkness when a grassy field suddenly replaced it.  He stopped walking.

"Where am I now?" he asked.

"Shippo-chan!" shouted Kagome.  Shippo turned around to see his friends standing on top of a hill.  They were all smiling.  He ran over to them, but stopped when the blue sky turned black.  Lightning lit it up, followed by thunder.  In that instant, a shadowy figure appeared behind them.

"Look out!" cried Shippo.  The rest of the Inuyasha-tachi slowly turned around, only to come face to face with a huge youkai.  They didn't have much time to retaliate.  He extended one long tentacle like thing and pierced Inuyasha through the stomach.  He then lifted the hanyou up and tossed him across the field.  The youkai was a shape shifter who could change his form to anything he pleased.

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome as she watched his body fly through the air and hit the ground.  The youkai then knocked her away, but not before cutting her down her stomach.

"Kagome!  Inuyasha!" cried Shippo as he watched them both try to push themselves up.  The youkai jumped over them all and landed near Kagome and Inuyasha.  He swung his now clawed hand at both of them, catching them both with it.  Inuyasha got himself sliced up pretty badly and so did Kagome.  A hole was now through her stomach as well.  Suddenly, the Hiraikotsu came hurtling towards the youkai, but it simply knocked it away with its claws.  The youkai opened its mouth and began to build up youki.  It turned and was about to aim it at Kagome.  When it shot off the beam, Kagome covered her eyes, but Inuyasha jumped in the way, taking the hit himself.  He fell down to the ground.  He didn't move again.

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome as she tried to go to him, but she succumbed to her injuries and fell over onto the ground limply.  Shippo began to cry as the two people he considered as his adoptive mother and father fell before him.  Sango, Miroku, and himself were all that was left.  Kirara wasn't present right now for some reason.  The youkai jumped over again and landed behind Miroku and Sango, who were in too great of shock to do anything right now.  The youkai swung a tentacle at them both, knocking them down the hill.  Shippo ran over to the two of them.

"Kitsune-bi!" he shouted as he threw the blue flames at the youkai.  Unfortunately, nothing happened.  'Why?  Why can't I protect them?  I'm a youkai too.  Why aren't my powers working?'  The youkai knocked Shippo away as Miroku and Sango got to their feet.

"Foolish kitsune," said the youkai.  "You and these worthless humans aren't even worth my time.  I thought the hanyou would be a challenge, but he cared more about that girl.  Pathetic.  I am the ultimate youkai.  There is poison flowing all through my body and I can change shape at will.  For example…"  His hand changed into a clawed one.  It reached out and aimed for Sango.  It hit her sending her flying towards Shippo.

"Sango!" cried Miroku, getting fully to his feet.  He ran over to where Sango was and knelt down by her.  She had cuts all over her from the claws.  The youkai swung the other hand and knocked the houshi away as it picked up Sango by the neck.

"Put her down!" yelled Shippo, trying his foxfire again, but it didn't work.  The youkai simply laughed.

"Baka.  You can't harm me."  The youkai then squeezed Sango harder.  Eventually, she went limp.  The tentacle unwrapped from around her neck and she fell lifelessly to the ground.  By this time, Miroku had made it back to where they were.  His eyes were wide as he saw what had happened to Sango.  There was pain and hatred burning in his eyes.  He bent down near her and shook her lifeless form, praying that she would wake up.

"Sango!  Wake up!  Sango!" he cried out.  He looked over her and then hung his head.  She was dead and there was nothing he could do about it now.  The houshi slowly rose and then undid the seal on his hand.

"Temee!" he shouted as he let the full force of the Kazaana loose on the youkai.  It simply smiled.

"Don't you remember, houshi?"  It let itself get taken by the wind.  "My whole body…is made of poison."  And then it disappeared.  Miroku sealed it and then stared wide eyed at it.  Suddenly, the pain hit him full force and he fell to his knees.

"Miroku!" shouted Shippo, running to the houshi's side.  Miroku was panting and it was not becoming harder to breath.  The poison was just too strong and he had taken in too much.

"Shippo.  I'm glad that you're still alive.  Thank you for trying to help us.  I'm sorry we couldn't have stopped it sooner."  And with that, the houshi collapsed to the ground, taking his last, painful breath, before the poison took him away.  Shippo sat down on the grass and hung his head.  Hot tears began to role down his cheeks.

"Everyone…everyone's gone…" he cried.

"Shippo…chan…" came the voice of Kagome.  Shippo's head snapped up and he ran over to the miko.

"Kagome!  I thought you were gone."

"Shippo-chan, listen.  Gomen ne.  I wasn't able to stay with you.  I'm glad you're safe.  As long as you're alive, it was worth it.  I'm glad that at least one of us made it."

"But Kagome, what can I do?  My powers aren't strong enough.  I couldn't protect you or Inuyasha or Sango or Miroku.  I let you all down."

"Shippo-chan, please understand.  We protected you as well when we were fighting.  We wanted you to live.  I'm happy, Shippo-chan."

"It should have been me!" he cried.

"Shippo-chan, you have to make a choice.  You have to decide what you are going to do.  You can mope around, or you can continue the journey on your own and maybe find more people who could help you."

"But I…I…"

"Shippo-chan…please decide.  One decision makes all the difference."  Shippo thought it over.  As long as at least one of them was alive, their ambitions and goals would never die.  He wasn't about to let all the things they had work for go to waste.  And as long as he was alive, there might be a chance to bring them back someday.

"I'll do it, Kagome.  I'll continue on for all of you."

"Arigatou, Shippo-chan."  And with that, it faded, leaving Shippo in the darkness.  He looked around.

"What just happened?" he asked aloud.

"Oi, Shippo!" shouted a familiar voice.  He turned around to see Inuyasha and Kagome coming towards him.  He smiled as he realized it had all just been an illusion.

"Kagome!  Inuyasha!" he shouted as he ran to them and then jumped into Kagome's arms.  "I was so scared.  I thought you had died."  He clung to Kagome as if she would disappear if he ever let go.

"Shippo-chan, relax.  It was just an illusion."

"I know."

"Keh, let's get going.  We still have to find Sango and Miroku."

"Right, let's go," said Kagome.  'Sango-chan…I know you can make it through, demo…Miroku-sama…can he survive this?  His soul was weakened when it shattered.  Will he be strong enough or will he…?'  Kagome shook her head.  She didn't want to think about it.  They continued to walk through the darkness in hopes of finding their friends.

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Two more chapters!  I think…somewhere around there.  Well, I'll write more soon, k?  I promise.  You have to stick around to see how it all ends.

Chrono –this means time, in what language, I don't know, but it means time…I think.  Anyway, I'm using it as a rip in the fabric of space, but chrono is just more fun and easier to say.  So I used chrono rip instead of a rip in the fabric of space.

Saimyousho –Naraku's poison insects.  I've seen it spelt so many different ways, so don't correct me.

Kitsune-bi –means foxfire

Kuso –let me correct something with this word.  Number one, you know that there are no direct translations, right?  And no direct spelling?  We just use a similar meaning when we translate?  Well, if you know that, then this word is just an expression of anger, which can translate to those two words.  So please don't correct me on this one.  I've done my research.

Well, until the next chapter!

Bye^.^