Disclaimer - go to 1st chappie.

Okay I had to repost this chapter because I agree.. I did it in a rush and didn't turn out that great, so I changed a few parts. So hope ya like it!

Hiya again thanxs for all the reviews! Just to let you all know since I'm writing on a computer that is Internet-less, and my Internet comp has no special font thingies I can't check reviews so I can write them all down here. (I read them all, I just have a really, REALLY bad memory.) So next chappie I will erite down all the reveiwers names for every two chappies, kay? I WILL get it done!

So on with the next chapter!

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Tears and Roses

Chapter 18 - goddesses, and curses, and swords.. oh my!

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Kurama saw the mountains and the roaring of demons ahead. The rest of the group noticed them as well, and started readying themselves for war.

For Kagome's sake.

They would make it through.

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"Lady Kagome.?" A small voice whispered as Kaguya regained consciousness once again.

"Welcome back Kaguya-chan." Kagome replied happily.

Kaguya's eyes sprung open as she sat up rubbing her head, while groaning. Then as if struck by a thought, reached down and patted her side.

"Huh? I thought I was hit with an arrow."

"You were." Hannanoki said. She looked at him, and her face formed in to a snarl.

"You! Your one of Kaimei's men!"

She made a subtly movement for her bow but Kagome stopped her.

"Don't Kaguya-chan. He's a friend. He was only under Kaimei's spell. He is all right now. His name is Hannanoki."

She looked hesitantly between the two, then nodded.

"I believe you Kagome-sama.."

"You can call me Kagome-chan, if you'd like..."

"Alright.. Kagome-chan.. so you finally came back.." She said smiling.

"Yes.. I think.." She said cocking her head to the side.

Kagome laughed lightly, nodding her head as she solved her own qeury.

Kaguya couldn't hold bak anymore.

In an instant the surprised goddess was engulfed by arms around her neck, and felt moist teardrops on her shoulder as Kaguya cried in relief.

"I can't believe it.. I thought I'd never see you again.."

"Shh.. it's alright.." She whispered hugging the red head back.

Kaguya sniffled.

"I've been here so long thinking of all the things I could have done so you wouldn't have died...."

"Kaguya there was nothing you COULD have done. It'll be okay though.. only what happened while I was gone...?"

"A-a few years ago, a revived Kaimei and some of his men showed up looking for the holy weapons you left me in charge of. He tried everything to break the barrier.. dragons, spells, swords, daggers, mikos, sorcerors. but it didn't work. I thought he was gone.. forever sealed.. but when I saw him. I had hope. REAL hope maybe you'd be alive as well. And now here you are.."

Kagome smiled grimly.

"It's okay Kaguya-chan. Now tell me something.."

"What?"

"How did you get shot with that poison arrow?"

Kaguya cringed.

"I. I really don't know. He was trying to break through the barrier again.. this time with a miko.. it fact.. she looked a lot like you. the spell worked slightly, creating a small block in the barrier, and then she shot me with that blasted arrow.. I can't seem to remember what Kaimei called her. Ci-ki-koo---yi-"

"Kikyou?"

"Yes that was it." She gained a thoughtful expression then asked. "Only how did you know that?"

Kagome sighed.

"I have a little grudge against her, since she tried to kill me and my friends several times. Something I'll never forgive her for." Kagome sneered.

"So why does she look like you?" Hannanoki nudged impatiently.

"She has some of my soul, I have some of hers. Supposedly I was her reincarnation.. but I'm not. It was only with the Shikon in me that I had some of her soul fused with mine."

"You have the Shikon no Tama?" Kaguya said shocked.

"Well some of it. It was shattered about two years ago by one of my arrows on mistake. Kikyou was the original guardian over it but then she died by the hands of a hanyou named Naraku." She continued before they could ask. " You see the Kikyou before you is nothing more than a creation of a demoness made from Kikyou's ashes and gravesoil. Kikyou now has to steals others dead souls to stay alive."

"Now that you mention it. When she left she was riding on some weird flying snakes.." Kaguya added thoughtfully.

Kagome nodded.

"Yes. Those are her soul stealers."

"I see.." Hannanoki said.

They remained silent as everyone took in the story. Kagome thinking of ways to torture Kikyou for hurting so many of the people she cared for.

"Kagome-chan?"

The Tsukiyo reincarnation whipped her head up out of her thoughts turning to her friend.

"Yes Kaguya?"

"Your sword."

She held out the sheathed blade meekly in her hands ready for Kagome to take. Kagome nodded saying.

"It is time isn't it?"

Kaguya smiled admiring, standing up from her kneeling position as did the others.

"Thank you.." The goddess said "for guarding it all these years.."

Kagome outstretched her hand to take the blade her heart fluttering but her will ironed. Her hands touched the leather grasps..

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Hiei was in the middle of slicing through a demon when a large earth shaking boom hit his ears. He looked up and was slightly shocked to see that the entire top of the mountain had blown off and a large blue light was erupting from it. Like a beaker of a lighthouse's during a feiry storm.

Hiei caught sight of a dazed Kurama watching it as well, while the others all turned to him as well.

"Fox, what is going on?" He barked.

Kurama's mouth opened and if not for his own youkai hearing he wouldn't have caught it.

Hiei stood shocked.

The taijiya came riding up on her neko shouting

"What is going on?!"

"I said it seems the goddess of stars has finally evoked the full power of her title. The hateni-seito. Blade of the sorrow star." Kurama said lowly, but loud enough for the others hear.

"Which means?!!?" The hanyou screamed.

"Kagome has become not the human Kagome. but the goddess Kagome."

They all turned to the mountain where they saw a floating figure in the middle of the light.

"Kagome.." Shippou whispered.

They all looked closer.

.. it was indeed Kagome.

Yet it was not her..

Her red and white miko garb had some how turned in to a magnificent kimono of pure white and midnight blue. The sleeves were draped gracefully, while her gown was loose but perfect on her form. She had a silver circlet above her brow, dangling on it was a silver star. Her long silky black hair was fluttering around her about twice its previous length. In her grasp was a long, slender sword. Its blade was a glittering silver while the hilt was a deep blue. At the part where the sword met its handle there was a curved arc on both sides, like four flares of metallic molten fire. In the eye of it was a misty sapphire circle with a star melded in to its surface, matching her circlet. On her cheek was a star marking her as an goddess, while around her neck was a chain of silver, the shards she had collected fused together on its end.

It was breathtaking.. even to a cold hearted youkai such as himself.

He felt a unfamiliar tremble race through his heart, and a tingling sensation up his back.

Hiei shivered and finished watching the scene fold out before him.

Several objects were floating around her, of different metalics. Only he wasn't really paying attention. A slight glisten on each of her cheeks had caught his attention.

Kagome was crying.

In a smooth beguiling voice she called out ringing through the forests and everglades. Deer in the forest lifted their heads to listen, while youkai of all kinds stopped what ever they were doing and heard what she chanted as well..

Memorized by the sweet voice.

"Shikon no tama. return to me.

Return to your guardian..

fly from your tainted owners and answer my wish.

Please.. come to me."

Her eyes sprung open, and they all barely contained a gasp as the reveled in a bright unnatural blue that had come of her once smoky eyes which silent tears were glistening in them.

She was trying to fulfil her duty now while she could at her strongest.. Interesting.

Suddenly Hiei heard the houshi call out, pointing at the sky.

"Hey! Look up there!"

They did.

Several glittering pieces of streaming white and pink were racing through the heavens like a giant swarm of fire sapphires.

As they neared closer to Kagome, they started fusing together, into a single streak of a bright pink.

It collided with the blue energy around her, but merely sunk in to the surface until it reached her outstretched hand.

She gently placed it next to its brother and a bright blast of white light followed.

When they were able to look again. A whole, fully purified Shikon no tama hung from her neck, and Kagome was smiling happily, her task complete.

It didn't last long though.

For from the same direction the Shards came from, a huge black miasma, and thousands and thousands of wasps and youkai came.. Naraku came flying towards them, cackling

"Give me back my shards. dear miko goddess."

The others gasped, already tired from their previous battle, thinking how could they ever possibly win. Hiei snorted preparing himself.

Kagome, however, glared at the impending evil baboon figure, poising her blade straight at his approaching figure. Similiar to what she did to Sesshoumaru with Tetsuiaga after recovering from his poison attack in his father's tomb. With a regal air or fire and strength she hissed.

"Never."

A silver light shot from her sword's tip, growing as it went farther until it covered the whole army and Naraku..

. Killing all of them within one mighty purifying blow.

Despite what it seemed Kagome was no fool. So she was completely ready for the attack the still living Naraku crack of power he sent at her from behind. As soon as it desolved from her sheild causing waves on the thick surface, she swiveled around to look at him.

She sent her sword in to several swishing motions releasing daggers of pure attacks at him, striking him down to the ground, bleeding and panting. After a few moments he loked up at her, calling apon his most innocent voice

"Please take mercy kind goddess. Surely one so beautiful and mighty as you will take pity on a hanyou like me..."

She looked down at him angrily.

"You DARE beg mercy for your life when you have caused so many others pain and blood? Tell me did you ever grant mercy before you took someone's life? Did you ever have a second thoughts about your actions? I think NOT you miserable excuse of a living thing!" She said her aurora growing with each of her angry words.

"Goddess-" he started she just slashed her blades at him again as streaks of blue flashes stretched out at him. As soon as the smoke and dust cleared a very noticeable crater where Naraku had once kneeled before her had formed.

She turned to a Miroku a small smile on her face.

"He is dead. Your curse is lifted. See for your self.." She said gently, beginning her slow descent to the ground her aurora diminishing slightly.

Just as her toes touched soil, two figures began running out of the mountain entrance. Inuyasha growled readying Tetsuiaga ready to take them on, but Kagome's voice stopped him when she turned to look at the new strangers.

"Hannanoki! Kaguya!" Kagome cried rushing over to them. "You two weren't hurt by my blast were you??"

Kaguya grinned.

"Of course not! Its not the first time experiencing it is I had set up a barrier for safety measures."

"Good.. I was worried.." She said hugging them both in turn. Her aurora faded slightly.. but everything else about her remained.

From behind them they heard a small squeak of

"B-big brother?"

They turned to Shippou who looked like he was about to cry gazing at the male kitsune wide eyed.

Hannanoki smiled warmly, nodding.

The kit's eyes overflowed with tears as he launched in to his brother's arms crying

"Where were you! You were gone for so long I thought you were dead too!"

They all watched the display when touched hearts. Except for Inuyasha..

who was to busy staring at Kaguya in a rather stunned way.

Kagome turned to him, but when seeing his expression, barely surprised laughter.

'So... Inu yasha like what he sees huh? Maybe I could help.. just a little.. it could be fun..' Was her first thought.

"Everyone.. I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine. She was guardian of the holy weapons for the past 200 centuries. Her name is Kaguya."

Kagome winked sending an unperceived message to Inuyasha who she purposely said 'Kaguya' to him than anyone else., and he gruffly folded his arms in front of him, but blushing furiously.

She looked and saw Miroku gazing at his once cursed hand, running his calloused fingers over and over his palm in awe. Sang was watching him, while petting Kirara, a large grin on her face.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were collapsed on the floor, breathing hard, and she really couldn't blame them they had fought hard trying to reach her.

Her soft gaze turned to the other two demons in the group.

They were watching her quizically as well.

She smiled at them, and for some reason or another both blushed slightly. She watched them confused when Kaguya cut in.

"Kagome-chan.."

"Yes?"

"We still have some minor problems left to figure out.."

Kagome nodded. All heads turned to them.

"What would THAT be?" Yusuke asked sarcastically. Kagome nodded for Kaguya to do all the answering while she stood silently by.

"The other holy objects. We have to find them new masters and mistresses as well. Only we have to choose carefully because by owning them they gain some of the gods/goddesses powers as well. maybe even all."

They all stared at her, before shouting in unison.

"WHAT!?!?!?"

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It ends there! MWHAHAAHAAA. sorry its not really a cliff hanger.. but.. well you know. This is a really important chappie and to those who were wondering if they were going to pulverize Naraku or not.. guess what?

THEY DID!!

Anywho.. R&R, and I'll try updating soon. (Balancing my time with school and three stories.. fun!) so until next time-

wait.. I thought I had something else to say--- oh yes..

My friends asked me to put this up here so go to these authors stories (I can't overload my fav. Lists with all these peoples so ask me and I'll write on my chaps for you):

sessluver

Inu-yasha's_soul_mate (I think thats it anyways..)

kaimaru

well till next time ja ne ni suki!

**(R&R please!)**