Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha; they belong to their respected owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Requested by: Secretly Insane

Authors Note: This was requested last year, my deepest apologies that it took so long but I wanted to make sure I did the best job I could.

Moral Decorum

Chapter 1 Entering Hell

Inuyasha,

Come to the cemetery alone at midnight on the twelfth of December. Only you alone can save Kagome.

But you must want to save her for gracious reasons and not because of selfish, otherwise it will not work.

She has been tortured for two long years since her death and if your reasons for wanting to see her one last time are false, you too shall join the realm of despair and darkness forever cursed to spend the rest of eternity in the depths of hell.

Make your decision.

I will be waiting.

- Miroku

"Who the hell is Miroku?" Inuyasha muttered as he once again read the letter he found attached to his front door. It was written in white ink on black parchment paper and tied with a red string that disintegrated upon his touch. Wondering if this was some cruel joke he tossed the letter onto the kitchen table and marched down the front hall to his front door and yanked it open, expecting to see some asshole laughing at him. Instead he found nothing but the light of moon shinning down on the snow covered lawn.

Frustrated he slammed the door and stalked back into the kitchen to stare down at the white ink glistening under the kitchen light.

Kagome. Kagome Higarashi, she's been dead for two whole years. Why now? Who would be so cruel as to re-open such a painful wound?

Cursing he turned around and walked into his home office, pacing and wearing out the expensive hand-made Indian rug he had imported to his new house in America. He use to live in Japan with Kagome, they had planned to settle down in the country side and create a large family with at least three sons; but that didn't happen. Kagome died and about six months after her death he moved her body and his entire life to America. He couldn't stand the looks of hate, mistrust and pity he use to receive on a daily basis and decided he needed to do something, which he did. He packed up and much to the displeasure of Kagome's mother and brother, having the money to do so; he moved her body to America. It was the one thing he took with him from Japan.

Inuyasha made his money running his own company in the insurance business having studied a bit of it in Japan under Kagome's insistence. He was completely grateful to her pushing and pestering but ultimately hated the idea that she was not here to reap the rewards with him. Not that he was sure given her emotional capability that she would even understand the extent of his success.

Kagome suffered from a severe case of depression that worried everyone around her; she was prone to randomly for days on end, wallowing in a state of self hatred so bad there were times her family and him had to hospitalize her for fear she would commit suicide. But despite her personal problems she loved Inuyasha with all her heart and wanted the best for him and forced him to take the classes that gave him the footings to make his millions in America.

"Kagome." The name tumbled off his lips sounded foreign even to his ears; it had been about a year since he last spoke her name aloud, though he thought of her often. "Who went to the extent to find me?" He walked over to the large pane of glass windows beside his desk and looked out at the white expanse of snow. There wasn't many people here that even knew Kagome had once existed, only people that worked in the funeral home knew of her and even then there isn't any reason for them to torture him in such a way.

But it still begs the question who is Miroku and how did he find Inuyasha and how does he know about Kagome? Ever since he left he hadn't made any contact with Kagome's mother or brother, and no one in Japan cared that much for him to track him down so who is this person? What do they want? And why now?

OOO

At the very last minute Inuyasha decided to go and meet this stranger and confront him. Who was he to try and threaten Inuyasha? He has the money to make this person disappear and if that's what it'll take to shut this mental stranger up, so be it.

It had snowed yet again about half any hour before, which meant the ground was coated in a fresh layer of white. Inuyasha left a trail of footprints marking his way as he quickly walked down to the cemetery not ten minutes from his house. He had chosen his house given the proximity to the cemetery even though he hardly ever visits; although he pays extra every year to have one of the grave tenders place their choice of fresh flowers weekly at her site.

Along the way he tried to think of reasons this stranger might be pestering him but the only logical conclusion to draw was that it was a sick joke. Slightly annoyed by the thought that this just might be someone's idea of a joke, Inuyasha walked into the cemetery five to twelve with shoulders hunched against the cold, boots laced up, wearing a thick dark blue hooded jacket and a black scarf with his long hair tied back.

"Well I'm here." He mumbled and wandered around the grave stones for a bit, his harsh gaze softening the longer he looked at the large monuments marking the dearly lost. Almost immediately his feet led him to Kagome's grave; a large monument loomed over her grave marking it. Someone had placed a flowered wreath on the angles head but he paid no mind to it as he stared down at the etchings marking her name. "Kagome." He whispered, his heart ripping anew at the sight of her grave.

"You came." A calm male's voice spoke, surprising Inuyasha.

"Fuck!" His head whipped around to see a tall man with short black hair holding some sort of gold staff staring at him. "Who the hell are you?"

The stranger tutted at his foul language but smiled. "My name is Miroku. I take it you got my letter."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he stared at Miroku who was dressed in a long back overcoat, a black dress shirt, slacks and loafers. "So you're the one fucking with me." His lip curled in disgust. "Who the hell do you think you are? Kagome's fucking dead! She's been dead for two years and now you come along and rip open old wounds!" He stalked up to the man who didn't even flinch. "I should punch you in the face."

"You wouldn't." Miroku calmly stated.

"And why wouldn't I?" Inuyasha whispered, his hands fisting in his pockets.

Miroku stared down at Inuyasha for a few seconds before speaking. "Because Kagome sent me to get you."

At that Inuyasha stumbled back as cold terror ran through him at the implication. "Kagome's dead." He whispered.

"Yes, she is."

"She's been dead for two years, there's no way…"

"Yes, there is a way." Miroku shifted his staff, causing the ringlets to make a soft jingling sound that carried on the wind. "Kagome herself sent me to get you."

"But she's dead."

It was then Miroku gave a soft sigh and dropped his shoulders a bit. "Are we really going to go through this again? Yes. Kagome is dead. Yes. She's been dead for two years. And yes. She herself sent me here to Earth to get you."

Inuyasha staggered for a few steps before catching himself on Kagome's Angel monument, he heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed a hand down his face while the other clenched the Angel's foot to keep himself upright. Suddenly he didn't feel so well anymore. "Right…right…" He mumbled and rubbed his eyes, trying to digest the information. "So…that means you're not…human?" He chanced a glance up at Miroku, hoping to not see the man therefore he can just go to the hospital claiming he's finally gone mad.

Unfortunately there Miroku stood, solid as any other man with the wind blowing through his short hair. "Correct I am not human." He sent Inuyasha a charming smile. "Kagome told me you were quick, I was beginning to doubt her."

"Then what the fuck are you? And where is she? She's supposed to be…" He trailed off, his eyes dropping to the grave beneath his feet, his worst fears playing themselves out in his mind. Are there still body snatchers? Did someone dig up her grave? Is there a way to make money off something like that?

Miroku shifted, sending another set of jangling through the cemetery. "Kagome's body rests in her grave but her soul is in Hell." He began slowly, gauging Inuyasha's reaction. To his credit the man didn't waver just looked up and locked eyes with him. "I am a fallen Monk, forever sentenced to guide the lost through the depths of Hell, watching as they either succeed in their quests, or fail."

"I'm not lost." Inuyasha snapped, slowly removing himself off of Kagome's grave and releasing his hold on the Angel's feet. "I'm not lost or going on some quest."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! I'm just fine so you can just fuck off with your bullshit; Kagome's dead." He glanced back down at the grave and shook his head. "And you should be ashamed for dragging it back up."

"You are lost Inuyasha."

"Look just f-"

"You have lost your way since Kagome died; you make money your happiness and spend your days eating, drinking and having meaningless sex. You drink from the finest wines but taste none of them. You watch others fail and take pleasure in their failure instead of offering words of sympathy or help. You, Inuyasha are nearing thirty. A self made millionaire and yet you have managed to lose sight of what's important."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and suppressed a wry smile at this so-called monk and his chastising. "And what might that be?" He humored dryly.

"God."

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head, hardly believing what he was hearing. Here he stood in the middle of a snow covered cemetery in front of his dead fiancé's grave chatting with a man that claims he's some sort of fallen monk on some mission from his deceased fiancé's soul. Maybe he really has gone mad. Perhaps he should stop off at the hospital and make sure nothings off in his head; after all he did eat day old Chinese food earlier.

"Don't laugh. I'm serious, having spiritual guidance will perhaps save you and Kagome from an eternity spent in-"

Suddenly Inuyasha realized something. "Hey how the fucking hell do you know what I spend my time doing?" He eyed the monk. "Have you been spying on me? Holy shit you have! That's it, I'm suing you a-"

"Inuyasha I know what you've been doing because I see what all sinners do being the guide that I am. Kagome and I have watched you for the past two years, we've seen the deeds that you have done, the missed opportunities that you h-"

At that Inuyasha threw up his hands dramatically in surrender. "Oh for fucks sake! Alright alright! If I go on this so called quest will you shut up about God and being lost already? And stop bringing up Kagome!" He growled. "Have some sort of decency man!"

Miroku scoffed. "Say's the one who can't stop using profanity."

Pointedly Inuyasha ignored the jib thinking that it's best to humor this obviously insane man instead of arguing with him. Perhaps then he'd just go away and Inuyasha could go file a police report on him and let them do their job. "Alright so where do I begin this quest?"

Pleased with his charge finally being compliant Miroku gestured to the monument over Kagome's grave. "By going through the entrance of course." He answered with a smile.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"

The fallen monk shook his head. "You first."

He eyed the monument with amusement; clearly this monk has been smoking something. "Okay, I'll go first." He held up his hands in mock surrender again and began to casually walk back to the monument. "So how does this entrance thing work? Is there a button? Do I tap the Angel's toe three times? Click my heels together?" He derided.

"No, nothing like that." Miroku spoke from behind before ramming the end of his staff against the base of the monument, startling Inuyasha.

"What the fuck man!"

"Language."

They both watched as the base began to crack, lines forming from the impact of the staff and traveling all the way up the Angel's feet to her head. "You idiot! You broke the monument! Do you have any goddamn idea how much th-"

"Just watch."

Highly pissed off, Inuyasha fell silent and watched the cracks continue to form until one long crack appeared in the middle of the monument and the entire thing broke in two; but neither side fell, they both opened up forming a v-shape and revealed a set of black, polished stairs that gleamed under the light of the full moon.

"Fucking hell."

Pleased, Miroku grinned and pointed with his staff down the stairs. "That's exactly where we're going."

OOO

In awe Inuyasha stepped down the stairs, making it to the third before he started poking the walls, trying to discern if it's real or all in his head. Understandingly Miroku waited while he groped the frozen soil of the earth and stomped his feet against the solid stairs before turning to look up at the monk. He made one hell of a sight against the backdrop of the full moon and white gleaming snow dressed in all black with a gold staff in one arm.

Suddenly it hit him; this was all happening. "So…all that shit you said was real?" Inuyasha wearily asked, fear beginning to seep into his brain.

Miroku nodded then gestured with his staff down the staircase. "We must go."

Contemplating just what he has gotten himself into Inuyasha slowly began to decent the stairs, vaguely noting that it was becoming a rather expensive looking spiral staircase rather than slabs of concrete. "Okay…why's Kagome in Hell? She wasn't evil."

"She committed suicide."

"How does that warrant her going to Hell?"

"It's an act of violence against oneself…one might say the ultimate act of violence against oneself."

"Where is she exactly?"

At that Miroku sighed, taking a minute to collect his thoughts and wondering exactly how to go about explaining the inner workings of Hell without making it sound too complicated. He didn't want to overwhelm his charge with too much information, in due time he will find out all that he needs to, for now an overview should suffice.

Clearing his throat, he began. "There are Nine Circles of Hell, the further you go the more wicked they become." He paused, giving Inuyasha enough time to understand. "Each circle contains the souls of humans who are punished befitting the sin they committed."

"How do you know what they've done?" Inuyasha asked, pausing on the step to look at the monk over his shoulder. "There are billions of people in the world, how do all of their crimes fit into only nine circles? And are they really circles?"

"The nine essentially are just broad terms. And yes, fundamentally the shape is a circle."

"What are the nine?"

"Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Heresy, Violence, Treachery, and Pride. Not necessarily in that order and not necessarily exactly what the name specifies."

Inuyasha frowned as he mulled over what the monk just said. They sounded oddly familiar to him, well some of them did. It vaguely reminded him of something some overzealous man was shouting on the streets. "Wait a minute…seven of those are the Seven Deadly Sins!"

Miroku frowned. "Not really…the Seven Cardinal Sins are Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride. Though I suppose five of them do match up." A look of mild confusion crossed his features before he shook his head. "Though it really doesn't matter does it? The point is if you've committed acts listed under the code then you end up in Hell. Simple." Once again he gestured with his staff down the stairs.

Still thinking Inuyasha began to trudge down the stairs, trying to understand what Miroku was explaining to him. Nine circles of Hell, each worst than the last, majority of them having to do with the Seven Deadly Sins; it was a lot to take in. Absentmindedly he wondered just what Hell might look like. Was it like the movies all dark, red, hot and full of lava? Were there demons with wings and fangs? Is there just a massive circle that spirals downward into the bottom of the Earth? And Satan! Is that what he's called?

"Is the Big Guy really called Satan?" Inuyasha asked, still taking the stairs one at a time, he was in no hurry to reach the bottom just yet.

"By Big Guy I assume you mean the one who committed the ultimate sin against God; he who God himself threw down from Heaven for becoming too prideful? The Fallen Angel who now resides in Hell, ruling over all the sinners of the world? The one person no one has ever thought to pray for yet is the one person that needs it most?"

"Well shit just read out his life history why don't you? As if his resume wasn't impressive enough…" Inuyasha muttered under his breath, cold chills running along his spine as he thought about what Miroku said. "So what is his name really?"

Miroku tapped his staff against the cold Earth, trying to gauge how much father they had till they reached the bottom of the stairs. "In Heaven he was called Lucifer. When he was cast down he was called Satan. But he has many names and answers to all."

"Can you be any more ominous?"

"Yes." The monk answered impishly. "I address him as His Highness; after all I work in his realm."

Inuyasha stopped yet again and turned to look at Miroku. "And what do I call him? What does he look like? Where is he exactly?" The more answers he got the more questions it raised, it was like icing your face after being punched; it soothed the pain temporally, but in the end it only numbed the pain for a little while, delaying the inevitable.

Searchingly Miroku stared down into Inuyasha's face, for the first time he saw real fear. No mocking, no conceitedness only genuine fear at the thought of entering Hell and meeting the Ruler himself. "I suggest you refer to him as you see fit. He takes on any form he wishes, which includes none at all and in due time you will find him." With that said he pointed down the stairs. "We are almost to the bottom."

OOO

Eventually the spiral stair case came to an end in front of two large white double doors with strange etchings on them. In front of the doors there was a small sitting area with two dark grey intricately designed metal chairs and a matching table. "Fancy." Inuyasha mumbled walking over to the chairs and laying a hand on the back of one. "This where you all have tea?" He joked, looking over his shoulder at Miroku.

The monk however, was not in a jesting mood having reached the entrance to Hell and put on his professional face. "Take a seat Inuyasha, there are some things I need to go over with you before you go in there."

At the serious tone Inuyasha frowned; where did that come from? But he did take a seat just as Miroku did the same. The monks face turned pensive as he glanced at the white doors and took a deep breath. "Behind those doors is the waiting room to Hell. It is where you check in, file the proper paper work and confirm that you have died and belong in Hell."

Inuyasha stifled a laugh and crossed his arms over his chest in disbelief. "You're kidding me right?"

Miroku frowned. "Why would I joke about that? Everything is done by protocol of course."

"Protocol? There's a waiting area? And paperwork?"

"Of course. You didn't think everything was done willy-nilly did you?" The monk eyed the mortal man sitting in front of him. "If we allowed all the humans to just wander without and order and control then literally all Hell would break loose." He shook his head to rid the thoughts. "But that's not what we're talking about." He cleared his throat. "Inside you're going to go to the desk and there should be a young lady there named Ayame. You're going to need her permission to enter the gates of Hell but yo-"

"Wait you aren't going in there with me?"

Miroku shook his head.

"Why not? I thought you said you're my guide or something?"

"I am b-"

"What sort of guide leaves their charge to go in there by-"

"Listen if I go in there there's no way you're going to get into Hell and be able to come back out alright?" Miroku looked over his shoulder as though expecting someone to be lurking there. "Things would go a lot easier for you if you don't mention my name to her…and don't annoy her either."

Inuyasha eyed the now nervous monk. "Why? What'd you do?"

"Nothing!" He answered too quickly.

"It has something to do with that Ayame woman isn't it?" He stared at Miroku. "Did you two have a bad break up? Did you sleep with h-"

"It's nothing like that alright! Just go in there and be polite but forceful. You have to get a purple slip stating that you are not dead okay?"

OOO

Inside was not what Inuyasha was expecting; it was spacious with a high arching ceiling with white demonic looking statues strategically placed throughout the large room. Everything was white from the paint to the chairs making the room feel emptier than it actually was. Along the wall to the right was a row of chairs with every single one of them taken by sorry looking men, women and children; none of them looked the least bit relaxed despite the air of cool and peace the furniture tried to give.

Wordlessly he approached the one desk that stood directly in front of the double doors.

"May I help you?"

Inuyasha looked up at the white desk that towered over him to see a young woman with flaming red curly hair staring down at him. She held her wire thin glasses aloft and let her green eyes bore into him. "Sir? If you have nothing to say at the moment please take a seat. I have work to do."

At that Inuyasha jumped out of his revere and scowled, already forgetting what Miroku told him. "I need to get Kagome."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"My fiancé."

"Right then." The woman sighed and shuffled around some papers figuring him to be another man looking for his long lost fiancé who died and he's now following after her. Eventually she looked down at him, a pen poised at the ready. "What's your name?"

"What's your name?" He countered, despite Miroku's warning not to aggravate the woman.

She scowled down at him and tapped her pen against the tabletop. "My name is Ayame. Now what is yours?"

"Inuyasha."

As soon as he answered she began to riffle through the papers again, a scowl appearing on her face. "You don't seem to be on the list." She looked back down at him. "Take a seat. Perhaps in a few days your name will appear."

Inuyasha sighed and rolled his neck. "Look Ayame was it? I don't really have a few days to spare."

At that she snorted a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Right." She drawled. "Well if you're in such a hurry to go after your fiancé, let me take down some information." Once again she fished on the large desk for a paper and pen. "Okay Inuyasha, how did you die?"

"I didn't."

Ayame raised an eyebrow at him. "Listen, I know this is hard for you to deal with but if you want to hurry you need to come to terms with it quickly alright? So how did you die? Car crash?" Her eyes roved over his fit body, noticing there were not a single scar let alone a missing body part. "Suicide? Carbon monoxide poisoning?"

"I'm telling you I didn't die!" He hissed and shifted his feet. "I'm here with Miroku." He spat out, even though Miroku specifically told him not to mention his name.

Ayame's eyes narrowed at the name of the fallen monk. "Did you just say Miroku?"

Immediately Inuyasha realized his mistake and cursed under his breath. How can he be this stupid? With a deep breath he scuffed his shoe and shifted his weight suddenly remembering what it was he had to get. "No…I uh…I need a purple slip." He managed to get out, not looking at the now fuming woman glaring down at him.

"Who are you and why do you need a purple slip mortal?" She spat out, glaring down at him; he would have sworn he saw the glint of a knife peaking out over her desk.

Inuyasha swallowed thickly and stared down at his black boots and the white, speckled flooring reflecting the light. "I'm Inuyasha and I'm here to rescue Kagome, my fiancé." He spoke, his voice strong but his gaze anywhere but the woman above him.

"Look at me when you speak." She hissed.

His head snapped up and his gaze locked in her eyes. For a few seconds she stared at him, taking in his expensive blue coat, boots and designer jeans and scarf. Idly her gaze rested on his long black hair tied back away from his face. "You are lying." She spoke her voice smooth like silk, no trace of her true anger. "You know that bastard Miroku."

"I-"

Just then a black envelope with a name scribbled in gold lettering fell from the high ceiling and onto Ayame's white desk. A frown appeared on her face when she read the name. "It's for you." Daintily she handed it to Inuyasha, making sure she only gripped the edge of the envelope so that their fingers wouldn't touch and watched as he opened it.

His eyebrow shot up into his fringe as he pulled out a purple slip and held it up to the light. "It's a purple slip." He stated the obvious.

Ayame cleared her throat and schooled her face into a look of indifference. "Yes well let me see it."

Eyebrow raised he handed her the slip and watched as she scanned it and frowned slightly. With a roll of her eyes she reached across the desk and picked up a large black seal.

"Hey what is that?" Inuyasha pointed to the seal she held above his slip of paper.

"I need to verify that I've seen it." She stated tonelessly, obviously she was already tired of dealing with him and just wanted him gone by any means. With more force than necessary she slammed the black seal down on the purple slip and handed it back to him. "You are now verified to go into the depths of Hell and come back alive. Do not lose that purple slip it is the only way to prove you have not yet died." She began a rehearsed speech not even looking at him; apparently the ends of her red, curled hair was a bit more interesting. "If at any time during your journey into the Nine Circles of Hell you decide that you want to return to Earth look for a small fox demon. One will help you return alive. Hopefully." At that she smiled a little before returning to her speech. "To the right, down the hall last door on your left you will find Charon; the Ferryman, guide to the Underworld and everything Hell has to offer all mortals and non-mortals alike. Enjoy your stay in Hell."

Baffled by what just happened Inuyasha did as she directed and went to the right where he found a short hallway and opened the last door on his left where he found Miroku waiting for him. Slowly he stepped through the door and into a drafty, dimly lit room that held nothing in it save for a desk at one end and a large, black rot iron double gate that went from ceiling to floor.

"You made it! Fantastic!" Miroku greeted happily and beamed at Inuyasha. "You got the purple slip right? Let me see it?" Eagerly he watched as Inuyasha drew the black envelope out of his coat pocket and handed it to him. "Interesting…this is from one of the higher-ups…ah well the point is you're here." He handed it back.

Inuyasha sighed and looked around, still wondering if this was some sort of hallucination or if he's just gone round the bend. At least if he's gone mad he can say he has one hell of an imagination; after all how can any of this possibly be real? Going to hell to rescue Kagome and save his own soul from damnation? Who's ever heard of that happening? God isn't real therefore neither is Hell; it's all a made-up fantasy idiots make up to make themselves feel better about their pathetic lives anyways. But deep down he knew it was all happening, and this was his one shot at seeing Kagome again. He couldn't screw it up.

"Hey look alive." Miroku pulled him out of his thoughts and nudged him. "You have to pay the Ferryman, he's just arrived."

"What?" Inuyasha glared. "Now he wants money?" Despite his complaining he fished in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Why is it these religious things always want money?" He muttered darkly. "You'd think eventually they'd lay off what with having tax exemptions and shit."

Miroku rolled his eyes but wisely kept his mouth shut knowing that Inuyasha would only continue if he encouraged him. "Hello Charon." He greeted the Ferryman with a slight wave. "This is Inuyasha; he has a purple slip and would like one compete passage to and back the Nine Circles of Hell."

In front of them was a desk, this one short but long and black. Behind it stood the Ferryman; he wore a black cloak with a hood that shadowed most of his face from his nose up, revealing his pale, smooth skin and mouth. "I accept debit, credit, cash, gold, gems, and sometimes food." When he spoke he revealed his abnormally sharp teeth that glinted in the dim light.

Curiosity got the better of him and Inuyasha just had to ask. "What sort of food?"

Miroku jabbed him in the side with his staff.

The Ferryman tilted his head up, showing his entire face and eyed the mortal in front of him with disdain. His eyes were an icy blue that stood out on his pale, but otherwise human looking face; though he did have a look of a snotty rich man with his upturned nose and slim bones. "Italian desserts."

At that Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, prompting further explanation.

"Have you ever had Tiramisu? It's to die for." At his own joke he cracked a grin, once again showing his sharp teeth. "So what is your method of payment?" He placed his hands on the top of the black desk and his long, elegant fingers stood out in stark contrast to the black finish on the desk.

"Credit." Inuyasha slid his Discover card over to him. "Out of curiosity what will the bill say?"

Again Miroku jabbed him in the side, but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity; who else gets to chat with Charon the Ferryman?

"Pizza." He answered and tapped the empty desk and watched as a Point of Sale machine slowly appeared. "Would you like the classic Ferry or something more modern?" His gaze flicked over to Inuyasha.

"Sorry?"

Charon smiled a cold smile and tapped the edge of the Discover card on the tip of his index finger. "We have a luxury horse and carriage, a classic train, a gondola with a canvas and luxury seating; and of course the classic Ferry boat." His expression faltered slightly before continuing. "There are also bikes, motorcycles and automobiles." Obviously he did not favor any of the last three.

"Horse and carriage sound nice." Inuyasha looked beside him to Miroku. "What do you say?"

Miroku sighed and nodded, clearly he has been through this more than he'd like to count. "It's your quest." He glanced at the man beside him. "But I recommend the gondola. More comfortable than a carriage ride."

"Then I guess we'll take the gondola…I've never been in one before." He muttered mildly and looked around at the large empty space.

"Excellent choice." Charon beamed and swiped the card. "Here is your card back. The gondola will be around shortly." With that said he disappeared in a whirl of black.

Since The Ferryman left them alone for a little while Inuyasha decided to have a look around; though there wasn't really much to look at. The room was large with a high arching ceiling that seemed to be the normal around here, dimly lit with floating candles in golden candelabras placed strategically around. There were only two exits that he could see, the door he came through and the gated wall. He had wandered over in the direction of the rot iron gate when he heard the sound of ruffling cloaks, when he looked over his shoulder he saw Charon the Ferryman patting down his long, floor length cloak. Beside him was not a gondola. Wearily Inuyasha walked back to Miroku.

"What is that?" Inuyasha pointed to the four black, snarling, skeleton horses already rigged up to the carriage.

Charon glanced at him before petting the nose of one of the horses. "These are the horses of course." He opened the carriage door and looked inside. "Apparently my assistant is on break and one of the interns saw to your order." He sighed and shook his head, making the hood wave. "Give me one minute to set this straight." And then he disappeared once again in a whirl of black.

A few seconds passed before Inuyasha glanced at Miroku out of his peripheral vision. "Interns?"

"There are a lot of dead." Was all the monk gave in response.

Nonchalantly Inuyasha walked over to the horses and carriage to get a good look at them; they were made purely of bones with the black reigns fastened around their skull and neck bones. There were no eyes in their skulls just the hollow socket where they should be. Neither could they make any sounds except stamp their hooves having no tongue, or muscles.

Slightly nauseous at the sight of something that should be dead, or at the very least not able to move at all, Inuyasha stepped back away from them pressing one hand to his mouth as the other rubbed his stomach, the universal sign of not feeling well. "Fucking hell…" He managed to sputter. "They…shouldn't…can't…how?"

As soon as he looked back at the horses they disappeared along with the carriage and a massive golden gondola appeared in their place along with Charon. "Here we are." He gestured to the oversized gondola with the small cabin windows curtains halfway open back to reveal the inside. "Inside you'll find goose feathered pillows cushioning most of the flooring, blankets, water, and grapes. Just let me know when you are ready to go."

"As soon as possible will be good." Miroku immediately answered and pointed with his staff to the gondola. "You first."

Muttering to himself about dead hoses and bones and how there better be some actual luxury, Inuyasha climbed into the gondola and settled down on the bench facing forwards and began to inspect the inside. Indeed it was spacious and full of lavish pillows, throws, and blankets; off to the side sat an ice bucket with bottles of water and chilled grapes.

As soon as Miroku climbed in Charon took up his post in front facing the bow and picked up the golden oar just as Miroku jabbed his charge. "Don't eat the grapes." He warned and stared at Inuyasha. "Not unless you want to become a subject to His Highness. Remember Persephone?"

OOO

The gondola floated above the ground, essentially hovering in air and moved forward whenever Charon paddled; it was slow but smooth and gave the perfect view of everything. Provided that the gates to Hell would ever open. Apparently age has not been kind to the large, impressive rot iron gates because it was in badly need of some oil, a face-lift and new motor to make it move quicker. Above the gate was an inscription. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here?" Inuyasha read aloud the inscription about the large gates slowly opening then glanced at the monk sitting beside him. "What does that mean? Sounds fucking…"

Miroku sighed and glanced up at Charon who didn't even pause. "Will you try and control your language? It's rude." He carefully set his staff down on the pillows beside him before answering. "It means once one enters the Hell, one cannot escape. Forever cursed to pay for sins committed in life."

"Damn…is there no way to…redeem?"

"Why are you worried? You have the purple slip."

Inuyasha eyed the inscription again, suppressing a shudder. "Still…hope is-you can't just…isn't it human? To hope?"

"Hope is for the mortals who still have time to pray and redeem themselves." Charon spoke, his voice mildly amused as he swung the oar over to the other side of the gondola to steer through the now open gates. "Once you are condemned to Hell there is no need for it; you cannot escape for judgment has been dealt. Prayers…hope…it is for those who are still alive."

Eventually the gates did open and Charon steered the gondola along some path only he knew, keeping the ride steady, but not in a straight line. The first thing Inuyasha noticed was the smell; it was hot, like a computer overworking. The second was the lighting everything was dark and dim despite the amount of light posts, lanterns and candles that hovered in the air. Curious, he got up and looked out the window to see an entire sea of people mulling about on what looked to be what used to be grass but was so worn out from people walking on it, it's just dirt. He looked up to see a high arching ceiling with a speck of light that had no chance of reaching down; the ceiling ended about one-fourth of the way down and turned into a smooth reflective surface giving the illusion that there was more people inside than their actually were. Inuyasha looked straight ahead trying to discern how big the place was but he couldn't even see a yard ahead of the gondola for there was a thick fog that only grew denser with each paddle. Charon paused to set down the oar and attached a lantern to the front of the gondola before picking up the oar and resuming his leisured pace.

"What is this place?" Inuyasha whispered, staring at the people walking left, then right, and then left again before repeating the same process over and over again; a terrified look on each and every face he stared into. There were millions of them, all pacing but never making more than three steps in either direction.

"This," Charon spoke, his voice low but strong. It was the voice of someone who's seen it all and was no longer affected by anything he could ever witness again. "Is the waiting area for Hell. It is for those who could not commit to either good or evil. They lived a life neither good nor bad; essentially just existing. Now they spend the rest of eternity pacing between left and right; good and evil. Forever they are cursed to indecision."

Once again Inuyasha stared out the gondola, this time his gaze fell on a little girl wearing a bright yellow sundress walking left then right trying to catch a worn out doll. Her blonde hair was combed perfectly into a yellow bow behind her head, pulling her hair out of her eyes giving an unobtrusive view of her blotchy, red, tear stained face as she tried with all her might to catch the doll. But she was cursed to see it, but never touch it again.

"How…horrible. Is all of Hell like this?" He mumbled, still staring at the little girl in the yellow dress.

"Inuyasha this isn't Hell; we are…think of this as the waiting area in the doctor's office. Technically you are at the Doctor's, but you're not really in their office quite yet." Miroku explained.

"Do they every get tired?" He asked, ripping his gaze away from the girl to look at Miroku. He found him staring straight ahead at Charon's back.

After a few seconds Miroku answered. "Of course. Their feet never stop moving, eventually their shoes wear away and their feet start to bleed. But they never die; you can't die once you're dead." He glanced at his charge to see him pale considerably and a sick look came across his face. "They feel the pain in their legs but can never ease it. Do try not to be sick in here Charon hates cleaning up the mess."

"And I'll charge you extra." Charon's low voice spoke from up front.

Inuyasha swallowed the bile rising in his throat.

OOO

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All constructive and unconstructive criticism welcome