This is more of an epilogue than a chapter, really. However! As a special treat for reading this the entire way through with all its ups and downs – there will be a "Special Extra Epilogue" coming soon that you'll want to read. Even more so if you enjoyed the 'extras' in 'A Dog's Life'

Thank-you so very much for all of your reviews and time! I hope you enjoyed "Raising Kouryuu" and will stay tuned for the extra epilogue.

Chapter 18: All Things Must End

Normally, the lab would be relatively quiet save for the regular sounds of clicking computers and test tubs bubbling. Occasionally the lab would be full of the sounds of bickering due to the good Doctors fighting with each other, but Wang never really minded that. He considered it part of the lab and it wonders.

Today, however. Wang's ears suffered through an angry prostitute who's plans of resurrection have been foiled permanently. Wang typed on his computer randomly to look busy. Whenever the little lady found her way back to the lab, he'd discuss their plans for the future and appeasement of the bitch.

"Where is he!"

Old man Wang covered his ear on one side in the guise of a scratch as the irate woman tore about the laboratory. He was beginning to wonder why he had even bothered to come in today, considering the circumstances. Gyokumen Koushuu wanted to know where her bed partner had disappeared to; he enjoyed living far too much to tell her. She'll figure out eventually that he was never coming back. She should just give up. "I don't know, my lady."

"Like hell you don't." Koushuu snarled and kicked a desk over. That computer looked important but she'd make Nii clean it up when he got back. If he could still move after she was done with him. "You." She struck a finger out towards the old man sitting in the corner. "You tell me the moment he gets back."

"Of course, my lady." Wang nodded and continued to pretend he was working. She stormed out in a huff and knocked down some test tubes on her way out. Not that it mattered much. Anyone who cared about the state of the lab was either locked in their room hugging a stuffed toy or dead. The lady could do as she wished. It was understandable.

Though, he would miss having the lad around. He made everyone's company more enjoyable; even Nii seemed pleasant in his company. There was something special about that one; something deep down where Wang no longer knew how life worked.

Wang did think it was ironic, however, that he outlived them. Maybe youth wasn't all that it was cracked up to be; it attracted stupidity like an insect to honey.

"We're going as fast as we can, Lirin." Kougaiji explained as Lirin continued to drag him down the street by his arm. She had shown up out of no where in the pouring rain screaming something about Kouryuu needing help. So now, he and his fellow demons were running through a human town in pouring rain to go save some man that he really could have cared less about. Kougaiji sighed as he realized he was probably going soft to put up with being soaking wet and dragged about; but then again, it was Lirin that was asking. "We'll get there soon enough."

"But he's in trouble now!" Lirin huffed and kept pulling. It had taken her way too long to find her big brother. The fact that it had started pouring down raining didn't help much either. However, Lirin found herself slowing down when she reached the restaurant that she had left Kouryuu at. Dokugakuji's little brother was standing outside in the rain.

"Why did you stop, Lady Lirin?" Yaone asked as she caught up with the young lady and her lord, Kougaiji. The girl had a somber look on her face and merely pointed. "Oh, it's Mr. Gojyo."

"Gojyo?" His little brother looked like death had just knocked on his door. Dokugakuji walked past his lord, Lirin and Yaone to stop in front of the much younger man. Gojyo's brilliant red eyes were glazed and pale as they slowly looked up to see him. They scanned behind him and came back to rest on Dokugakuji's eyes. They looked worse than when Mom died. "Are you alright? Gojyo?"

"Don't let Lirin inside."

Gojyo merely mumbled and fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette. They were all soaked, but he didn't seem to care. Dokugakuji's shoulders slumped as he watched his broken brother. The door to his left was hanging open and the brother dared to look inside. He could tell that Kougaiji and the others were waiting for his reply and as he looked inside he was thankful that his lord had followed Gojyo's advice and held Lirin at bay. "Oh, Gojyo."

"Don't bother." Gojyo smirked. So his big brother wanted to try and play the role, huh? Well, it was a little late for that. "I'm fine. Knew it was going to end this way. I always knew it, just didn't know how it was going to happen."

"What is it Dokugaku?" Yaone questioned. She took a few steps forward to his side, but Dokugaku was clearly focused on his brother. Whatever happened must have been horrible. However, before Yaone could see for herself, she felt Kougaiji's hand on her shoulder and he pulled her back a few feet. He looked her straight in the eye and said simply to watch Lirin. She obeyed and hoped that he would explain what was going on. "Be careful."

"Don't worry, I will." After he was sure that Lirin was staying with Yaone, Kougaiji past his aching friend who was now trying to actively talk to his younger brother and walked into the bar. But the door jammed on something laid out on the ground; something that smelled horrible. Covering his nose he looked down to see Doctor Nii sprawled out on his back. And dead. Kougaiji would be lying if he said that he was anything less than relieved inside. Looking up, Kougaiji could see a familiar green shirt on a hunched over body that was nursing a small jar of liquor. Hakkai looked as if he hadn't moved in some time. He was completely at ease and seemed to not care that the prince was even present. Though, he could feel the depression in the air. The death of Dr. Nii would not have caused such a reaction.

Kougaiji could suddenly understand why Gojyo warned Lirin to stay away as he looked at the other corner of the room. He let out a long sigh as he watched Goku cling to another dead body. One with a rather large hole in his blonde head and both Goku and the corpse were coated in blood. Goku just held on to that body of Sanzo and leant his head up against a wall. He was petting the blonde's hair and Kougaiji felt the weight of the room come down on him harder than the rain outside.

"I see you've decided to join us." Hakkai smiled as he poured yet another cup of liquor. He didn't bother to turn to the other man in the room. There was no need. "You're rather late, forgive us for not being better prepared to welcome you."

Kougaiji asked his question simply. While he could feel pity for these people and their loss, the death of the monk and the doctor were not as much as a consequence to him and his own goals. Though, he was curious as to how this turn of events came about. "What happened?"

"Sanzo came to kill us. Nii showed up to monitor his progress and Goku killed Nii. Sanzo shot himself in the head soon afterwards from the grief." Hakkai turned his cup in his hands in a circle. "As for anything else, I'm quite sure you're more informed than we are."

"Not really." Kougaiji kicked the dead body of the doctor; his glasses fell off and made a soft click on the ground. "The things Nii does on his own time aren't exactly shared. Well, the things he did on his own time. Man was a creepy bastard."

"Ah," Hakkai watched Goku cling just a little tighter to the dead body; at least he was listening. They'd have to bury it eventually. It almost wasn't fair, really. He almost wished Sanzo had been in his right mind when he shot himself. Than Hakkai could feel justified in following. He took his monocle off and set it on the table to rub at his eyes. He needed to get some sleep.

Kougaiji kept his eyes focused on Goku while he talked to the zoning brunette. "What are you planning to do now?"

"I'm not sure, really. There's not much of a point for anything any more." Hakkai smiled at the bitter irony. "We were only on this journey because of him. I suppose Gojyo and I will go home and take Goku with us."

"No more trying to stop us, then?"

"I rather doubt it." Hakkai pushed the little cup off of the table and watched it smash. "Though, don't think you're getting the scripture. We're not giving that up."

"With Nii dead, I'm not even sure if I need it anymore." Kougaiji turned around and left the broken men where they were. He was not that cruel of a man to attack them now. Nor was he stupid enough. Fighting those with nothing to lose was never a smart fight. He simply walked out and motioned to his companions to follow.

Dokugakuji looked at his brother one last time as his prince went to lean in front of Lirin. He could hear the girl crying through the rain and had no intention of interrupting that speech. He hoped that Yaone could calm her down if Kougaiji failed. It might be too much to hope, but Dokugakuji willed that his chat with Gojyo had helped. "Hey, Gojyo."

"Just, go." Gojyo sighed. He appreciated his brother being there; it helped more than he wanted to admit. He was glad that he didn't have to lie. "I'll be fine."

"I'm going to check up on you, Gojyo. Is that okay?" Dokugakuji started backing up as Kougaiji lifted Lirin and started to carry her back towards the dragons.

Gojyo smiled a little. "Yeah, that would be nice. Bring Yaone and Lirin with ya,' too. That'll help those other two saps."

"Be sure to take note of that."

Gojyo watched his brother and the red head prince head off into the rain and disappear. He didn't doubt that they'd be back soon enough to say hello. He rolled off of the side of the building and went inside of the door to check on is brooding compatriots. At least Hakkai had pulled himself off of the floor and broken into the liquor. He sat down across from him and kidnapped a bottle for himself. The other man was smiling and had seemed to made up his mind about something. "How are you two holding up?"

"Better if the rain would stop or if I could get drunk." Hakkai mumbled. Gojyo seemed to have cheered up immensely. Hakkai hoped that the attitude would be contagious. "Have the others left?"

"Yeah, said they're gonna' come visit us." Gojyo stretched his legs out under the table.

Hakkai leant his head on his hand. "That so."

"Yeah." Gojyo sighed and stood up to walk over to Goku. The boy was still looking at the wall and petting Sanzo's head. It was uncanny to see the kid so down and depressed. "If you're going to follow him, monkey, than make up your mind so we know whether to wait for you or not."

"Shut up, Gojyo." Goku mumbled. Sanzo wanted Goku to be strong and Goku intended to be just that. He wasn't going to be weak and he had already cried too much already. At least now it was over. "I'm not going to do something stupid. Sanzo always said dying never solved anything."

"At least we got that settled." Gojyo took the soaked cigarette out of his mouth and tossed it in the direction of the dead doctor. "Now get up and let's do something with Sanzo before he starts to rot. He'll come back and haunt us for not taking care of him properly."

Goku laughed at the bad attempt at a joke as Gojyo reached down to grab his arm. It was true. Sanzo would be angry at them for lingering on something like this. "Okay."

Hakkai stood and ran a hand through his hair. It was time for them to get moving again. Never forget, and always walk forward. That was the lesson he learned from Kannon, and now from Sanzo. "And then we can go home, how does that sound?"

Goku set Sanzo's body down on his back and put his arms over his chest. He used his cape to cover the head. People didn't need to see such a beautiful face covered in blood. He stood up and turned to his two friends. "What about the minus wave?"

"Frankly, I don't think it's our problem anymore, Goku." Hakkai brushed off his arms and walked over to his friends. "Sanzo's gone and that means we're done. He wouldn't want us to stay all cooped up and depressed. It's not like we could ever forget him, is it?"

"Yeah, but what about all those people?"

"Goku, the only people I care about are in this room. Now let's go home."

Goku nodded slowly as Hakkai and Gojyo picked up Sanzo's body. It was time for them to move on. Sanzo would have wanted it that way. At least now Sanzo could see his master again. That thought alone made Goku smile.

Dr. Hwang had been in her room since she watched the video footage. She will admit that she had been curious after Nii had left her alone with the rabbit. So she spied on him using his tapes that recorded her 'son' in his duties.

She still regretted it. She never had the stomach for blood.

It's hard to stay angry at a dead man, Hwang found. She pet the small rabbit on the head as she stared at her wall. She would have to clean up the room eventually after her angry rampage, but she didn't care much at the moment. The room could stay destroyed and tattered for now. It was fine.

Hwang wasn't fine. She hugged the little rabbit tighter and laughed. And cried. And just kept laughing. Everything was just so stupid.

But he was all she could think about. His laugh, his eyes, his sneer, that white coat, chess, his glasses, his hands, his warmth, his freezing heart and his kiss. That stupid kiss. That stupid man. And his stupid rabbit.

She especially hated the rabbit. And it's smiling face. And floppy ears. She just hated it.

But she just couldn't let it go; she held it for all it was worth. She squeezed it and threw it and hugged it and pet it. So hard in fact that one of the seams had ripped slightly. Hwang stuck a finger in the hole and played with it to satisfy a welcome distraction. She tugged on it and as it stretched open, something caught her eye.

Something green.

Hwang smiled.

"Tell me Ms. Hwang, what do you think of children?"