Luna: 33! The VERY LAST CHAPTER! Well of the plot anyway.

Veron: THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE!

Luna: ((nods))

Jareth: ((munching on popcorn))

Luna: Can I have some?

Jareth: No.

Disclaimer: STORY IS MINE! Inuyasha's not. Damn.

Chapter 33: Everyone's Sorrow
"You will not have to search far my beautiful miko."

The group looked up and Inuyasha snarled, pulling Tetsaiga out from its scabbard. His amber eyes flashing with anger as he pointed the sword at him.

"WHO THE HELL SAID SHE WAS YOURS?"

The man cackled, his fangs glistening with the saliva still in Kagome's mouth. A forest had formed around them now, eerily still and not an animal near.

Kagome spat into the grass, her eyes flaming up at Onigumo, her arrow pointed directly at him.

"I am not yours!"

She released the arrow and gave a satisfied smile as it tore through his flesh. Her eyes widened as the same wound closed over and another arm grew from it. Kagome took a wary step back and glanced around her.

"If you hit him, he'll keep growing from the wounds..." The miko whispered, trying to find a way out of the situation.

Inuyasha smirked and leapt into the air, slamming his sword deep into Naraku's arm. His eyes widened as two more arms grew forth, wrapped around his body and threw him into the trunks of the trees.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he raised Tokijin and swung it, watching as the swirls of evil energy crackled and writhed through the ground. It broke through the earth and hit the young woman behind Onigumo. Her red eyes widened as she disintegrated.

Rin's eyes widened as she tightened her bowstring. The remains of the woman flying into the air and disappearing from sight.

"Kagura-San..."

"Rin."

The girl looked up at Sesshomaru, her wounds from the tendrils still hindering her. Hindering everyone, even Inuyasha wasn't attacking at full energy. Her hair blew in the breeze that Hiraikotsu created, demolishing every new tendril that emerged from the wounds Inuyasha caused.

"Kill Kanna."

Her eyes snapped open, her eyes filling with tears.

"Nani?"

"Kill her."

"But what will the public sa-"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed down at her. If she disobeyed that look...

Rin winced, but nodded. Running up to Kanna, she gave her friend a sad look. Kanna merely looked up at her friend, her black pools echoing complete obedience to Onigumo.

"Kanna-Chan..."

The girl looked up and a brief look of recognition filtered through her eyes. Her pale lips moved wordlessly and Rin nodded, pressing her palms against her friends' shoulders.

"Do you truly want this Kanna-Chan?"

"Hai...Sayonara Rin-Chan." She whispered softly as she felt her friend's powers burn through her veins and crack her mirror. Rin's eyes widened as hoards of souls emerged from the broken looking glass, swirling around Rin's body, nurturing her wounds and healing them in gratitiude.

Rin let the souls play into her outstretched hands. She gazed over helplessly at the fight her other friends' fought. Their wounds reopened and new one's bled. Sango continued to hurl her boomerang, Kirara dodging incoming tendrils. Miroku's eyes were narrowed as he dealt out more sutras and slammed his shakujo into the sides of Onigumo. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were running opposite of each other on either side of Onigumo. They nodded towards the other and leapt up, twirling with their swords outstretched, digging into the abomination's flesh.

Kagome stood there, periodically sending her miko arrows into the fray. Her body was covered with dirt, dried blood, and bruises. Her stormy eyes were filled with determination and glowed with a familiar pink light. A tentacle erupted from beneath her and pushed up between her legs and slashed across her stomach.

"KAGOME-CHAAAAAAAN!"

Kagome stared at the tiny pink gem that flew out of her stomach, it's glow making everyone shield his or her eyes. The miko smiled wearily as it dropped into her hands; she ran her fingers over it.

"So this was where you were hiding. Right under our noses." She smiled slightly and held it to her chest.

When another tendril slashed across her back and she fell to her knees, the Shikon no Tama rolling from her grasp. Deep in a pool of her own blood, she strained her fingers, trying to reach the glowing orb. The same tentacle grasped the gem and tossed it into the air.

Heading straight for Onigumo's open mouth.

"ONIGUMO!"

Something flashed through the air and knocked the Shikon Jewel away. To be more adequate, a certain someone.

"Kikyo!?"

The said woman turned, holding the gem in her grasp, she smirked. Strange slithering snakes swirling about her slender form. The souls the reptiles held keeping the blood in the large wound in her stomach. Her gray eyes stared up at Naraku, the souls unable to hold back the blood from her injury. Holding the jewel in her grasp, she smiled weakly.

"Inuyasha. I wish you the best." Kikyo whispered, catching the silver haired hanyou off guard.

Turning, she gazed steadily at Kagome before limping towards her, leaving crimson pools in her wake. She smiled at her before gently placing the jewel in her hand.

"Kagome-Chan, I give you my power. Think of this...as my penance."

"Na-"

Kikyo's eyes closed and she glowed for a moment, her power flowing through her fingertips and making the jewel glimmer once. Smiling took a step back and her eyes drifted closed. Falling backward, her lips parted and a wisp of white emerged. The reptiles caught it and flew into the sky, leaving Kikyo's dead body behind.

Kagome held the jewel to her breast, her eyes filling with tears as she gazed solemnly down at the woman. Breathing deeply, she gazed up at Onigumo.

"I will not fail you Kikyo."

Rin hobbled over, her own quiver empty and her bow in two broken shards. Placing her hand over Kagome's fist, she smiled up at her. Her own skin pale from her wounds that Onigumo's tendrils had caused.

"I give you mine as well."

Her body glowed for a moment and her powers fled into the jewel. Before her brown eyes slid back into her head and she fell into the bloodied grass unconscious.

"Neither of your sacrifices shall be in vain..." Kagome whispered, the jewel emitting a bright light in her grasp. Her ebony locks flying about her like angel's wings, an aura of pure power resonating from her form.

Sesshomaru knelt wearily beside Rin's fallen body. Her breathing soft and steady, he sighed in relief and brought her to his chest. Rivulets of his blood falling down her face.

Sango and Miroku cried out as a tentacle moved behind them, striking both of them through the back and out of their stomach. They coughed as blood spilled over their graying mouths and Kirara collapsed from exhaustion taking her mistress and the monk with her. As they fell onto the ground with a thump, Kirara tugged their bleeding bodies towards her own and covered them with her tails.

"MIROKU! SAN-"

Inuyasha's eyes turned wide as two tentacles slammed into his side and one through his upper chest. He coughed and a stream of red liquid spilled forth causing him to fall to the ground.

"Pathetic. I will have my miko. And the jewel!"

Onigumo rushed at Kagome, her body still glowing ever bright as she clutched the Shikon no Tama tighter to her chest. She breathed in deeply as she heard their moans of pain, smelled the blood and tears that clung to the air around them. Her eyes opened slowly as she gazed around at her wounded friends.

No...

I will not stop. I will not die. I will not give up.

I will win.

Inuyasha rolled himself over to his back and gazed wearily over at the scene playing before him. His gold eyes watching Kagome stare into his own.

He gave a slight smile before he coughed again, blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. Inuyasha winced as he felt his body become cold and his eyes become closed.

And Kagome snapped.

Her eyes snapped open staring into Onigumo's lust filled red ones. Kagome glowed with a pink color that became brighter and clearer. Soon she was engulfed entirely in white holy light, her hair flying about her.

Cupping the jewel in her hands, she lifted it towards the disgusting mistake of humanity that bounded towards her like a lost puppy. She thrust it towards him and a beam of white slammed into his body.

His screams rang in her ears as she took steps toward him, pushing him back with her anger and guilt of everyone's pain. Everyone's.

The life Kagome never had.

The brother Sango lost to insanity.

The loved ones Rin lost and had to kill.

The one person Sesshomaru could never have again.

The clock that ticked Miroku's memory away.

The pain in Inuyasha's heart.

Kikyo's tragic end.

Naraku's untimely death.

Everyone's pain. Their suffering. Their desires. The things they'd never have.

But one thing they could have.

The one thing Kagome will strive for, for them

Hope.

"ONIGUMO!"

The man caught one last glimpse of his precious miko as he felt his soul leave his disintegrating body.

"I hope you enjoy your stay in the depths of hell."

And with those gentle parting words, all he saw was darkness.

Kagome dropped to her knees, her chest heaving as she took deep gulps of air. As she felt her heart rate slow to a normal pace, she gazed over at Inuyasha's weak form. Crawling on her hands and knees, she maneuvered through the demon attachments, the mud and the bodies. Her entire blouse was drenched in blood, grime, and sweat. Tears made streaks on her dirtied face.

Sitting before him, she felt tears of regret slipping past her long lashes. She took the jewel and gazed at its smooth surface. She watched a tiny pink blossom emerge from it and flutter over to Rin's body, before melting back into her flesh. Kikyo's power lifted from the jewel in the form of a purple butterfly and melded into Kagome's body.

She breathed in deeply and bowed her head in thanks to the departed woman. Cupping the jewel in her palm, she slipped the gem into her mouth holding it in between her teeth. Bending over, she brushed his silver locks from his tanned face.

Slowly, her slender hands cupped his face and she pressed her lips to his own, feeling a metallic taste in her mouth that wasn't her own. She swallowed the strange liquid and felt a warm feeling flood her heart and the mark on her shoulder burn for a moment.

I wish...that all of my loved one's sorrows, their physical, mental, emotional wounds are solved. Please...

And a bright light surrounded the area.


Luna: THE END!

Veron: EPILOGUE NEXT!

Jareth: ((munch)) Finally...