(A/N: This is it, the final chapter. It's the big showdown between Kikyou and Lucerne. Suikotsu even has a surprise for the two of them. So enjoy the last chapter.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 22: Choice

Lucerne held up her hand. The little wings on her wrists flapped once and caught fire, though it didn't burn her. She smirked and threw a handful of fire at her prey. Kikyou quickly put up a barrier and shielded them all against the fire.

"Barriers will only get you so far." Said Lucerne.

She waved her hand and there were suddenly several threads, which were actually spider webs, attached to her fingertips. They flew in several directions, trapping them in a net of webbing.

"Turn up the heat." Said Lucerne.

The wings on her wrists ignited again and traveled from her fingertips to the spider webs, igniting them. Kikyou growled in frustration as she looked around. They were completely surrounded by flaming spider webs.

"I guess it's time." said Suikotsu.

Kikyou gave him a confused look. "Time for what?"

Suikotsu ignored the question as he reached into his pack. "I was hoping to never have to use this, but I got it in the last town just in case."

Kikyou's eyes widened as he took out and put on a pair of hand-claws, the same kind his dark side used.

"Dr. Suikotsu?" she asked uncertainly.

He nodded. "Don't worry, it's me. My dark half may be gone, but I still have his memories. So I know how to fight. I want to protect you, Lady Kikyou, so I got these so I could be useful when you faced the demon."

He slashed at the webs, cutting them down. Lucerne frowned as her webs fell away. This was very surprising. She had never expected Suikotsu to fight. But it didn't matter. He may know how to fight, but that didn't mean that he was good at it. She could easily deal with him.

"You should learn your place." She said, throwing a handful of fire at him, which he dodged. "You're a doctor, not a fighter. You gave up that part of you. You don't have it in you."

"I'll do anything for Lady Kikyou." Suikotsu cried.

He jumped in the air, slashing at Lucerne. She simple put up a barrier and blocked his pathetic attempt to attack her.

"That was a laugh." She said. "You can't do anything." Fire began rotating around her wrist as she created a large ball of fire. "Catch this!"

She threw the ball of fire at him. Kikyou quickly came up behind Suikotsu and pulled him back just in time.

"Asuka, Kocho, now!" she cried.

The Shikigami flew at Lucerne from behind. Lucerne just smirked, knowing that they were coming. The wings on her back expanded and began flapping. Blades of wind, similar to Kagura's Dance of Blades attack, flew at the two Shikigami, slicing them in half.

"They must get really tired of dying for you." said Lucerne. "But what else are they good for?"

Kikyou fired an arrow at her. Lucerne easily dodged it. She took a deep breath and blew. A cloud of miasma blew out of her mouth, surrounding Kikyou and Suikotsu. The soul collectors quickly came to their rescue, carrying them away. But Lucerne had expected this. She waved her hand, sending out several spider webs, ensnaring them.

"And now for some fire." Said Lucerne, and the wings on her wrists burst into flames again.

Kanna watched as her sister set fire to the spider webs. She turned to the others and watched as the soul collectors tried to keep Kikyou and Suikotsu away from the flames and out of reach of the miasma.

"What… I want." She said.

She turned to her sister and held up her mirror. Lucerne cringed as she felt something pulling at her. She looked at Kanna and her eyes widened. Kanna was trying to suck out her soul. Her own sister had turned on her.

"Kanna!" she shouted. "You traitor! Die!"

She sent a stream of fire at the demon girl. It hit her mirror and shattered it. Kanna was thrown backwards as the remains of her mirror dropped to the ground.

"Kanna?" said Kikyou in surprise, looking at the girl lying motionless on the ground. "She… chose us?"

Lucerne glared at her sister. "Little brat. Betraying me in the end." She looked at Kikyou. "Well, you told her to think for herself and do to what she wanted. I guess she did. And look where it got her."

Kikyou gave Lucerne a look of hatred. "Your own sister. You truly are heartless."

Lucerne shook her head. "No, no, that was my father. I still have my heart."

"Then I'll put an arrow through it!"

Kikyou glowed with spiritual energy. The flaming spider webs and miasma vanished as they were purified. Of course, using such powers forced the soul collectors to release her, but that's what Kikyou wanted. She strung and fired an arrow before she had even landed. Lucerne's eyes widened in surprise as the arrow flew past her. It grazed her cheeks, leaving behind a small cut.

Lucerne's eyes narrowed. "That came close." She said. Reaching up, she felt the small trail of blood from the cut on her cheek. "Even now, I've underestimated you. But no more of that." Her body began glowing as she got ready to change into her demon form. "Prepare yourself for my ultimate power."

She transformed into her demon form. Her demon form was similar to the giant spider that Naraku had transformed into, expect form a few minor differences. Her body was covered in brown feathers and at the bottom of each spider leg was a bird's foot with long sharp talons. Large tusks, curved in a U shape, similar to an elephants, stuck out of her mouth. On her head were what appeared to be rabbit ears, but upon closer inspection, they were actually wings.

Lucerne, now in demon formed, hissed at them. A barrier appeared around her to protect her from any attacks as she floated in the air.

"This doesn't look good." Said Suikotsu. "That thing can swallow us whole."

"It's not her size that I'm worried about, but her power." Said Kikyou. "Not only that, when in demon form, demons tend to be more aggressive as their instincts take over. She's even more dangerous now. You better stay back."

"But I can't let you fight her alone."

"This is not up for debate! You can't fight because you can't get through her barrier!"

She strung another arrow and took aim. But Lucerne spat out a mouthful of venom. Kikyou and Suikotsu ducked as the toxic liquid flew over them. Unfortunately, the venom splashed over Kikyou's quiver and it began to dissolve. She quickly took it off and tossed it aside. She watched in horror as both her quiver and arrows dissolved.

'I only have one arrow left!'

Lucerne sneered and slashed at the air. Streams of fire flew at them. Kikyou held up her hand and cast a barrier. She just barely held off the attack.

"I have to make this shot count." She said out loud to herself, preparing to fire.

Lucerne swiped at the air, sending more fire at Kikyou the same time she fired. Her arrow cut through the flames, but was thrown off course. It struck Lucerne's barrier, shattering it, but missed Lucerne herself.

"No, that was my last arrow."

"But you took down her barrier." Said Suikotsu. "That means that I can attack her."

He charged forward. Lucerne looked amused as he came for her. She reached out for him, her talons ready to tear into him. Suikotsu dropped down and slid beneath her clawed foot/arm.

"Now take this!"

He jumped up and buried his hand-claw in Lucerne's gut. The demoness howled in pain and swiped at him. She pinned him to the ground trapping him there.

"Dr. Suikotsu!" Kikyou shouted, as he was crushed beneath Lucerne's foot.

"Lady Kikyou." Came a small voice from behind her.

Kikyou turned to find Kanna sitting up by the remains of her mirror. "Kanna."

"Lady Kikyou, my mirror has been destroyed, but it may still have use to you."

She held her hands up over the shattered remains of her mirror. The pieces began glowing brightly as they fused together. When the light faded, a single arrow was there.

"Kanna?"

Kanna picked up the arrow and handed it to Kikyou. "Use this to stop my sister. This is all I have to offer."

Kikyou nodded and took the arrow. She felt demonic energy within it, which was only natural since it was originally a demon mirror. She filled it with her spiritual powers, mixing it with the demonic energy, which could be a deadly combination.

"Lucerne!" she shouted, taking aim.

Lucerne, who had been seconds away from biting off Suikotsu's head, looked at Kikyou.

"Give my regards to your father!"

She fired. The arrow flew through the air, hitting Lucerne in the exact spot Suikotsu had stabbed her. Lucerne roared loudly as the sacred arrow unleashed the spiritual powers within it. Her body was completely obliterated, leaving only a few remains behind, which dissolved into nothing.

The light faded and Lucerne was gone, defeated at last. Suikotsu laid motionless on the ground where Lucerne had pinned him. Kikyou hurried over to him, praying that he was alright.

"Dr. Suikotsu! Dr. Suikotsu!"

He wasn't breathing. That wasn't a good sign. The soul collectors began flying over him, sensing that his soul was about to leave his body, which meant that he was close to death.

"Oh no, please, no." said Kikyou. "I can't lose you. Please, not you." She shook his limp form, trying to wake him up, but he wouldn't wake. "Suikotsu, please, you can't die! You can't die! Please don't leave me! I… I lo-"

Suikotsu's chest began glowing. Kikyou's eyes widened in horror as his soul escaped his body. That meant that Suikotsu was…

"No…" Kikyou wept, as tears poured down her face. "It can't be."

The soul began to rise as it started to ascend, but a small pale hand reached out and snatched the soul. Kanna held Suikotsu's soul in her hand.

"Kanna?"

She gave the priestess a sad look. "I am sorry for my deception. I meant no harm. But in the end, I did as you said. I made my own choice. I chose you, my real family."

She looked at Kikyou hopefully, as if she were expecting her to say something. Still crying, Kikyou nodded. "I… forgive you."

And Kanna actually smiled. "Thank you." she said.

Then she lowered Suikotsu's soul, placing it back inside his body. He gasped as life filled him again and his eyes flickered open.

"K-Kikyou…" he muttered.

Tears of relief flooded down Kikyou's cheeks as she embraced the doctor. "Thank heavens!" she said.

Suikotsu looked confused. "What? But how? I thought I had died… again."

"I caught your soul as you died and placed it back in your body." Kanna explained.

"You can do that?"

Kanna nodded. "I can, as long as one's death is not natural."

Suikotsu smiled. "Well, I guess I owe you my life."

"Don't you ever do something like that again!" Kikyou cried.

Suikotsu chuckled and nodded. "Don't worry, I won't have to. Lucerne's gone now. That means you're free to live your life as you want to, Lady Kikyou."

Kikyou smiled in amusement. "Dr. Suikotsu, please drop the 'Lady'. It's much too formal."

Suikotsu laughed. "Very well. As long as you stop with the 'Dr.' stuff. Agreed?"

Kikyou nodded. "Agreed."

She helped him to his feet. Then she summoned Asuka and Kocho again.

"Master, we are relieved to see that you are well." Said Kocho.

"Has Lucerne been defeated?" Asuka asked.

Kikyou nodded. "Yes, it's over now."

"So what will we do now?" Kocho asked.

Kikyou smiled. "Now, we'll go home."

The soul collectors wrapped around her, Suikotsu, and Kanna. They carried them off into the night, Kikyou and Suikotsu holding hands the whole way.

THE END

(A/N: The fat lady is singing now. This ends my story. Did everyone enjoy it? I sure hope so. Kikyou finally got her happy ending, and is free to live as she chooses with the man she loves. By the way, how did you like it when I had Suikotsu fight? I figured that just because he no longer had his dark side didn't mean he still didn't have the ability to fight. As for Kanna, well, she finally made a choice on her own, breaking away from the control Naraku had over her even in death. It seems that everyone has a happy ending. So now make me happy and leave me some reviews, and I hope you'll check out my other Inuyasha story that's still in the works. Catch ya later, folks.)