This chapter was difficult one, as it took a few tries to get it right. I really had to go back and consider how this all started to try and find a way to have it all end.

I began this back on May 17 in 2003. Now, over two and a half years later, I present to you the final chapter of this epic adventure. But don't feel too sad about the resolution of this. There is still the bonus chapter and the fact that my next series will continue some of themes set up in this story.

And lastly, thank you to all the people who have supported my work and efforts in this story. All the things you've said and offered over the years have meant a lot to me, and I'll keep trying to do my best to offer you all good solid entertainment in the future.

Thank you,

-Bojack727

HIEI & KUWABARA: SAGA OF THE DARK WORD

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Road Goes Ever On

.o.o.o.

The Forest Elder walked out into the rocky clearing and turned to Face Kuwabara and Hiei. He smiled at them. Beside them stood Garland and Rain, along with Cassius- who for the first time in his life, felt confident about himself.

The Forest Elder held up his hand. "My friends," he began. "Though I have only traveled with you for a short time, I feel as if I have known you all my whole life- and even beyond that." He paused. "Yet, I'm afraid this is where we must part ways."

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked gloomily.

"This world will need a lot of work to make it healthy again, and I think that this place is where I must begin my efforts- but do not be sad, for from the ashes of this old castle will grow the roots of new life, and a new future."

"Yes, as well as the roots of a new era of peace and coexistence between all races." Thorn remarked, appearing at his side.

Thorn then looked at Hiei and smiled. "When we spoke, I told you that I perfect world could only exist in our hearts and minds, but I now I think we make that idea a reality."

Hiei smiled and nodded. "Yes, I think you can- and I think that you can become a better person as well." He paused. "I may have seen one version of myself, but that has only allowed me to see what I can be- thank you."

The Forest Elder smiled. "Goodbye my friends, we shall forget you."

"Later buddy." Kuwabara waved.

.o.o.o.

Hiei stood before the grave, looking down at it. "Shera. . . It is done." He began. "We defeated Darkon and restored the world." He paused for a moment and noticed that roses now grew from the soil, where the wreath had been placed.

He smiled at this. "Somehow, I know that you can hear me, and you must know things will get better." He added. "The sun will shine again, and the trees and the flowers will grow, and. . ." He paused, trying to keep his composure. "And life will return to this world- babies born, birds chirping, butterflies in the summer air, resting on flowers." He paused. "I hate being long-winded like this, but I just want you to know that this is my parting gift to you."

He set his sword down across her grave. He then removed the blue sash and tucked it into his coat. "This is the best gift I can give the woman who- more than anyone else- deserved so much love and happiness."

"But she'll have that, Hiei." Kuwabara interjected. He watched the demon turned to face him. "Hiei, everyone loved her, and they always will- and so will you." He added, pointing at him. "And she loved you too, despite what a little jerk you were."

Hiei crossed his arms and smiled. "I guess I'd be lying if I said that things haven't changed between us." He remarked. "After all these years, I don't even remember why we hated each other in the first place." He added. "And you know what- I don't care." He finished, walking past Kuwabara.

He stopped and turned around to look back at him. "I guess this makes us 'friends'- just don't let it go to your head." He added slyly. He then looked off into the distance. "I think you'd better go speak to that girl- she's waiting."

Kuwabara blushed slightly and nodded.

.o.o.o.

Lin looked up at the sky; she could hear footsteps behind her. "Kuwabara?" she spoke and turned around to face him. She smiled. "You have to leave soon, don't you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I have to get back to my own world." He replied. "But I'll never forget any of this, ever." He replied. "I'll never forget you." He added, walking up and facing her.

She tried to remain calm and wiped her eyes. "I know, there's others who need you too, and I can't expect you stay here." She replied. "And I know that there's someone else in your life too, someone who I'd never be selfish enough to try and compete with."

Kuwabara was taken back by this. "Lin. . .?"

She smiled sincerely at him. "But I've still fallen for you." She began. "Even though I know that you have someone back home waiting for you." She went on. "But I just wanted to do something while I still can." She finished and leaned towards him and kissed him on the lips.

Kuwabara awkwardly returned to the gesture till she pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Kazuma, I hope that girl knows just how lucky she is to have you, and that you know what an incredible man you are."

She then reached up and removed a necklace from around her neck and placed in on him. "It's to remember me by." Lin then placed her hands on her hips and smiled at him. "Now its time for you to go back home and live your life to best of your ability- I hope you see the beauty not just in the world around you, but in you and in how you love those around you."

Kuwabara smiled back at her. "Lin, you're one hell of a woman."

.o.o.o.

Tressei glanced at the dark orb before him. "Yes, this is the Light Jump Stone, and I can use it to send you both back to your own world." He replied simply.

Hiei and Kuwabara sat before him, waiting for his next words. "It will take some time to prepare for this, but I'd like to have a word with Hiei for a moment, if that is all right."

Kuwabara nodded and stood up to leave the room.

"And now, Hiei, I think there are a few things I need to tell you before you go."

.o.o.o.

Kuwabara stood outside the sanctuary, resting his back against the wall and glancing up at the sky. He could vaguely make out the faint glow of stars and the moon. He also knew that one day it would return to normal.

"You must be eager to go back to your own world?" Garland asked, suddenly appearing. Rain stood beside him.

Kuwabara nodded. "Yeah, it's been a blast, but I have a home to go back to- where my big sister is waiting for me and my cat is probably waiting to be fed." He replied wistfully.

.o.o.o.

"Well, I must say that it seems that you two went through quite and ordeal to get here. And you've both done a lot for so many people." Tressei remarked to Hiei.

"Why did you send Kuwabara away to tell me this?" Hiei asked impatiently.

Tressie looked him in the eyes, a strange glint was in them. "He's a special person, I hope you know that." He began. "If I know him correctly, he's probably crazy about little Yukina and loves cats."

Hiei felt a chill run through him. "Who are you?" He asked nervously.

Tressie smiled. "When I came here, I k new that it had to be for a reason, I had to atone for the things that had happened in my world." He spoke. "I took him for granted, and it's something I've had to live with my whole life, and I hope that you don't make the same mistake."

Hiei trembled. "No, what you're telling me- you. . ."

Tressie walked up to him and smiled. He then removed his hood and pulled back his long white hair, revealing a third eye on his forehead.

"A Jagan!"

"I'm you, Hiei- from another reality, trapped by the Lit Jump Stone of my world." He explained. "Yet, I always knew that my fate would lye here in this world, as I would one day find myself guiding you- helping you realize the path that would lead you away from the mistakes I made."

Hiei stepped back. "Good gods."

"And now, I think I shall begin preparing to send you home tomorrow."

.o.o.o.

Kuwabara walked outside and noticed Lin standing on the porch, looking at the sun rise.

"It's more beautiful then I ever dreamed it would be." She remarked.

"And you'll be seeing a lot more of that, soon." Hiei remarked as he stepped out. He then turned to Kuwabara. "It's time for us to go.

.o.o.o.

Hiei and Kuwabara stood before everyone as the portal was about to open.

Everyone exchanged farewells and embraces and the two of them head towards the portal. "Don't worry, everything will be alright." Garland called out.

"Yes, thank you, I'll never forget you guys." Rain added with a smile.

Bohen put his arm around Lin and smiled. "Good luck to you two." He remarked.

Lin wiped her eyes. "Goodbye." She cried out.

Cassius was there too, smiling at them. "I swear that I'll get strong and help make this world a better place."

Hiei and Kuwabara stopped and waved at all of them and then turned to step into it. "Come on, we've got work to do." Hiei began.

Kuwabara nodded, recalling an old poem:

"Somewhere out there, there are cities made of smoke and people made of songs;
places where the seas are on fire and the rivers dream;
somewhere out there, there's tyranny, and injustice;
and somewhere the tea is getting cold;
there's a world out there,come on, we've got work to do."

(- End of Chapter 27 -)

.o.o.o.

Epilogue:

It was a mild autumn afternoon in Japan. The Sakura trees were in full bloom and everything was decorated with their incredible brilliant red glow.

There was also a slight breeze in the air, but the sun was shining- so it wasn't too bad. Not that any of this really bothered the two people out in the orchard.

Kuwabara was standing out in the green grass, among the trees, with the small Ice Maiden Yukina. She was dressed fetchingly in a wonderful spring dress with her hair hanging down in a loose ponytail in the back. He swan hands held onto an oversized straw hat that she had on to shade her lovely red eyes.

Kuwabara looked over at her, enjoying the sight of her smiling face- flushed with happiness and excitement.

"Oh Kazuma, it's all so wonderful." She exclaimed in a voice that was as sweet as honey. She smiled at him gently and over to him.

"Yukina, dear?" He asked.

She took his hand. "This all so perfect, I'm so happy to be here, right now, looking at this with you." She announced, looking up expectantly at him with her unassuming eyes.

"You don't know how happy that makes me to hear you say that." He replied.

However, the two of them suddenly felt little droplets of moisture trickle down on them, faintly at first, but gradually growing stronger. The two of them ran quickly to get under the cover, eventually seeking stopping and sitting down on a bench under the awning of a nearby pavilion.

The pair chuckled slightly at the abrupt change of weather, but simply sat quietly as the rain came down upon the soft green grass. But Kuwabara suddenly felt himself blush as a familiar presence leaned against him.

He glanced down to see Yukina snuggled up against him with her arms snaked around his. "Yukina?" He began.

She was blushing. "Kazuma, I want to tell you something. . .important." She began. "It's just that I'm not sure how to say this." She paused. "As an Ice Maiden, I was raised with only other females, but over time, I've come to see that there are other kinds of relationships and that there is so much to gain from them." She tried to explain.

Her blush darkened as she looked up him, her hat discarded. "My mother loved a man, and even though I can't fully understand what that kind of feeling is like, I know that when I'm around you, I feel something special between us."

Kuwabara nodded. "I know, I feel it too- I always have." He replied sincerely.

She smiled. "So you see, I want to know more of this feeling, and if it's the same that my mother felt with father. . .so please just promise me that you wont leave me. . ." She paused and trembled slightly. "I don't know what I'd do if you were gone, I—"

He looked down at her. "Yukina, I swear that no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you, I've pledged myself to you a long time ago, so you'll never had to fear about that." He finished and wiped the tears from eyes before they formed into tear gems.

A few meters away, a taller blue hair haired girl and a girl with mousy brown hair sighed enviously. "How sweet." Botan remarked.

"They really are perfect for each other." Keiko remarked.

"I think I'm going to loose my lunch." Yusuke remarked, only to become the target of a pair of death glares from the girls.

Yusuke then stepped nervously, only to notice Shizuru standing beside him.

"Yeah, what he lacks in brains and common sense- he makes of for in a charm." She spoke. "Our father was like that too, it's the old Kuwabara family charm." She finished and lit up a cigarette.

Elsewhere, two demons stood and watched the others.

"So, why exactly did put your own blood in him?" Kurama asked.

Hiei smiled. "Let's just say that it's an insurance policy, just in case I'm not always around to look after her, then he'll be around in the long run to care for her and treat her good."

Kurama smiled. "Well, I imagine that this just about raps things up, then?"

"Not quite," Hiei began. "I'm sure that Mukuro is becoming impatient with me by now, so I'd better get back to the demon realm. I'll trust you to return this back to Koenma." He finished, handing the stone to Kurama.

The fox demon smiled deviously at him. "Since you've been back, I think you've been doing a bit more than just giving reports to Lady Mukuro, Hiei."

"What, nonsense!" He replied defensively.

Kurama smiled. "Whatever you say, but I'm sure that she must have a good deal of energy in every sense of the word- a very demanding female I'd wager."

Hiei blushed ever so slightly. "You're just a lecherous fool."

"Oh well then, I suppose that your recent tiredness is just from a lack of sleep."

(- The End -)

The next chapter will be the bonus material and some commentary on how this story came about, as well as some insight on the bits that just didn't make it to the final cut. See you all later and I hope you enjoyed this. (Wow, I beat my record for chapter size again, this one came in at over 2700 words and eight pages! Yeah!)

Thank you,

-Bojack727

----Credits:

---Yu Yu Hakusho
Original Series by Yoshiro Togashi and Shonen Jump
Animated Series by Pierrot and FUNimation
Hiei, Kuwabara, and all other affiliated characters are the property of Yoshiro Togashi

---Hiei & Kuwabara: Saga of the Dark Work (c. 2003-2006)
Written by Bojack727
Beta reading by John "Zinic" Hopper

Special Thanks to. . .

KuwabaraLover
Zinic
Kazima Kuwabara
Draith
JoannaKuwabara
KuwabaraMikey17
Reikson
Asilin Kheldarson
ElfRanger
Silverchild of the Winds
Wicked-Wytch
Purplechaos04
. . .and everyone else!

Poem by Andrew Cartmell (with a few minor alterations by me). Copyright 1989