Ok, I'm finally updating. ^.^ I think I'm gonna wrap this thing up soon...and I've decided someone important will die. Someone you guys might hurt me for killing. In fact...I may kill quite a few people. X.x If you're still reading the story anyway... For those of you who're reading an unexpected change, I'll be updating that soon as well. And I'm thinking of posting a fic I wrote about Spirited Away.. *Shrug* Well...here's the story...

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She screamed one last time, sobbing and trembling as her voice died to a harsh rasping pant. She didn't dare open her eyes as she chocked, her voice hoarse and broken in her own ears. It was raining. Cold, drenching rain falling down on her in a downpour. But she didn't care, she only curled into a tighter ball and sobbed all the harder. She vaguely wondered if the unborn child in her womb would survive the trauma... If it wasn't already dead within her. The thought made her sobs all the heavier as the cold feelings of emptiness and fear twined tightly about her.

A soft, warm something pressed against her shoulder and she gave a half-hearted cry that sounded more like a groan than anything. She felt something lift her from the ground and shook her head softly, begging silently to be left alone in the mud to rot. She couldn't keep her eyes closed any longer and looked with bleary vision up at the person who now cradled her like a child. Amber. Pools of precious amber. Those golden amber orbs that so many times had baffled her were now looking down at her. And she saw what was hidden behind them with crystal clarity.

"Oh, Inuyasha..." She rasped as she flung herself into his embrace, "Inuyasha, I'm sorry! Please, whatever I've done, I'm sorry! I don't want this to happen! I don't want Kikyo to destroy use like this! I want to live. I want you to live. I want this baby to live!"

He sadly looked into her glistening eyes, "I know Kagome... It's not your fault..." He whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead, "It's nothing you did that caused this. This is Kikyo's fault. When I get my hands on her I'll kill her... But for now, don't worry about it. Don't worry about her or anything else, Kagome... We're going home soon. Just go to sleep. Relax. I'll get us home..."

She closed her eyes, letting Inuyasha soothe her cries. He sat and gently rubbed her back till she'd fallen into a deep slumber and the rain had finally died. He stood, scooping her in her arms, and gazed for a moment at the false sunrise that formed in front of them. He didn't know what to do... He would have to stand there until something presented itself. He didn't have to stand long.

"Inuyasha..." A cool, silky voice said from behind him, "Finally it is time..." He turned, and saw a blinding light

Blinking to clear his vision, he peered at the form in front of him. A young woman stood before him, ankle-length dark blue hair acting as a robe for her naked form. Her icicle-colored eyes coolly focused on him and her rosy lips were pulled back in a small smile.

"It is about time you two have grown up. I though the prophecy would never be fulfilled. Come with me. At last we shall put the world to rest. This battle between good and evil has gone on for long enough. The gods have judged."

Inuyasha, his eyes glazed, could feel a sensation build in his gut. It was strange. It felt utterly peaceful, and happy, yet so forlorn. He didn't understand what the woman was talking about, but his feet carried him forward. She smiled, and the world around them faded, slipping away to where it came from. The real world rapidly approached.

~~

Kaede stood transfixed as Sango, Shippou, Miroku, Naraku, Rin and Sesshoumaru, Kouga, and an unknown boy all took their places around her. Each of them took their respective places in the circle, Kaede herself being the last to join them. If anyone were to walk by, they would be horrified by the zombie-like trance of the strange people gathered, and even more so by the aura beginning to crackle around them. None were in their right minds, though each was very well aware of what was happening.

"Let it be!" Kaede's clear voice rang out, "That we now for the circle! The nine of us stand here now and become the Power. By which this world will be saved or forsaken. We wait for the final three to arrive... And the Prophecy will become truth."

"Arrive the three." The other eight people called. And in the middle of the circle a young woman appeared, the same woman who Inuyasha had encountered

"My precious children," She began in her loud, yet soothing voice, "You have gathered here to decide the fate of this world. This is half true.

"Your world has been acknowledged by the gods as doomed. Your people do not know unity, nor will they know it ever. You war against yourselves and spite even your closest friends for personal gain. You that are gathered here are not like others, though. You still follow the peaceful ways. Even you, Sesshoumaru. Your battles with your brother are nothing but sibling feuds. You would never truly kill one another. And you Kouga; you do indeed lean away from the old ways, but only for the sake of your family. There are three still missing from our numbers. Inuyasha, the half demon; Kagome, the girl from the future; Kikyo, the undead miko."

She looked at the empty spot in the circle, "There will stand the hanyou. He did not follow the old ways. In fact, he had forsaken them with everything he did. But now he has changed. He will be part of this.

"As for the undead image of hate. She is the darkness in this decision. For darkness always has a say. Just as light does. And Kagome will be the purity and light in this decision. They will stand, back to back, hand in hand, together as one where I am now. This ceremony has been done several times before, in several other worlds, and once very long ago in this world. Of course, it was not done like this for there were only two people who were seen as doomed. Other worlds have seen this ceremony, though only half of them survived it. If your world does not survive, it will be thrown into oblivion. If it does, then you will be given a chance at redemption. Good luck."

With that said the woman vanished. And they stood, the air humming with anticipation, and awaited the arrival of the final three.

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I think I should end it here. I know it's excruciatingly short, but I like it the way it is. And I have to rework it a little, because I've just thought of a brilliant twist in the plot. Pure genius I think. ^.^; Well, anyways. R&R Flaming is okay, though I warn that I might decide to take the flame and shove it down your throat. -.-;; Bai-bai