A/N: okay this was a fun chapter to write, it has a little bit of lightheartedness to provide a break before the really heavy stuff starts, it's also got some sorrow in it because Sango told me it needed to be in there, and after what i did to her kid (I AM really SORRY about that) i couldn't say no to her.... she's scary sometimes. Anywho here's where Sesshy figures out what he has to do... kind of lol R+R please!

Chapter Nine

Sesshomaru knew his guests had arrived even before Jaken came to alert him; with a purely mental sigh he left his study and headed for the sitting room he'd had them directed to while ordering Jaken to fetch his wards. It had already been a week and yet nothing new had been turned up; whoever was behind the stolen souls, they were well hidden or wandering around in a disguise.

He hadn't seen so much as a ruffle of Death's robe either to signify she was in the area; wherever she was, she was busy. But now that the others had arrived, he got the feeling that she'd end up putting in an appearance sooner or later.

"Alright we're here ya bastard, now why don't you tell what you wanted." Inuyasha grumbled the moment he slid the screen aside.

"Inuyasha be nice." Kikyou chided before bowing her head. "Please forgive him Sesshomaru-sama, you know how he is."

"And here I thought the years might have matured him somewhat." He stated as he claimed his seat on another cushion.

"Keh, whatever now what's going on?" He muttered as he eyed him.

"We shall await the arrival of my wards before I explain why you have been summoned." He said as he passed his eyes over all the puppy eared children. "And perhaps you would like to send your children to Rin's old playroom; this is not a conversation they should be hearing."

"That sounds like a good idea." Kikyou smiled. "Thank you."

He inclined his head before summoning Jaken. "Take them to Rin's playroom and ensure they are looked after."

"Yes milord." Jaken bowed before waving his staff around in an attempt to gain the attention of the children while squawking for them to get off their butts and get moving.

Of course Inuyasha's children had been born with Inuyasha's temperament so it took some time to get them out of the room.

"Keh crazy kids, don't know where they get it." He grumbled under his breath.

Kikyou and Sango shot him both wan looks before looking up as the rest of their old group entered the room. Once everyone was greeted and had taken up seats they were all content to share looks with one another for a time.

"Wow." Sango said softly. "We're all here… well most of us anyway."

At that everyone turned to look at the empty cushion placed between Sango and Inuyasha; no matter how many years had passed, it just didn't seem right to fill the space that had once been occupied by the energetic Miko.

"Don't worry nee-chan; I'm sure wherever she is, she's with us in spirit." Kohaku murmured.

Sesshomaru nearly snorted at that but refrained from doing so. Instead he folded his hands in his sleeves and turned his attention to his brother. "If you're finished reminiscing on times past, I would like to get started on the current situation."

Inuyasha glared at him but refrained from saying anything about it, instead he said, "Fine spill it out already."

Everyone listened as he told them of the newest threat to grace Japan before he informed him that his scouts had been dispatched to ferret out anything that may prove useful. For the moment he chose to leave Death's involvement out of it, but the retelling wasn't that long and soon he'd come to the end.

"…We have yet to hear anything from our scouts." He sighed.

"We've seen the same thing in Edo." Sango said softly. "So far there have been five bodies found and no trace of their killer."

"Well whoever is behind it is up to something," Inuyasha mumbled as he scratched an ear. "How did you figure this out anyway? Is it because of Tenseiga?"

"Not exactly," He said as he attuned himself fully to his brother, preparing to listen to every word he spoke. "I have an informant of sorts, one who is knowledgeable in the trafficking of souls."

"Oh yeah and who the hell possesses that kind of knowledge?" He growled as his eyes narrowed while everyone stilled in their movements to hear his reply.

"The imps of the underworld are no longer in charge of collecting the souls of this world." He said. "There is a new caretaker, and she is known only as Death."

"What!" They all exclaimed.

"What are you saying Sesshomaru? That the Kami entrusted all those souls to one person?" Inuyasha demanded. "That's ridiculous, there's no way one person could handle that."

"They could if they themselves are dead." He said pointedly. "And thus far she has performed her duty to the letter. But even she is incapable of bringing this foe to his knees and as such has asked for my help."

"Why you?" Shippo asked curiously.

"Because I possess the Tenseiga," He shrugged. "Like the imps, it allows me to see her."

"Has this Lady Death you speak of been at her post for long?" Miroku asked.

"She has been at the post for roughly two decades." He said.

"Where is she, I have a bone to pick with her." Sango ground out and everyone could tell she was on the verge of losing her composure.

"Death's Mistress does not decide when it is time for a soul to pass to the other side Slayer." Sesshomaru said, surprising them all. "That task is left to the will of the Kami; she is but a servant who cannot disobey her masters."

"I'll believe that when she says it to my face." She growled.

"So while we're supposed to be fighting her enemy what the hell is she going to be doing?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously. "Are you trying to tell me that you've found a way to evoke Death herself to get her to fight on our side?"

That's it, I must find a way to evoke Death… this must be what she was hinting at all along. He thought. "Yes, but it is not going to be an easy task. Never before has there been one like her, in order to evoke her I must first find a way to do so. It has proven futile up until this point but I still have a few places to search for the information."

"I was joking!" Inuyasha exclaimed then deflated. "Shit you mean that there's actually a way to get her on our side?"

"It would prove incredibly helpful if we could have her on our side." Miroku mused as he rubbed his chin in thought. "In fact it would surely ensure our victory over this unnamed foe."

"Provided I don't strangle her first for taking my baby from me," Sango growled.

"You would attempt to kill Death herself?" Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow at that. "Do not be foolish, there is no such thing."

"How do we know you aren't pulling all of this out of your ass to begin with?" Inuyasha asked.

"If you do not believe me, then ask them." Sesshomaru said as he gestured to his two human wards.

"Wait, are you saying that they've both seen her?" Kikyou asked in surprise.

"She saved my life when I was very sick some years back." Rin said softly.

"And she helped me to find my purpose in life." Kohaku murmured. "She didn't want to take little Kagome nee-chan, but she didn't have a choice. And believe me when I say that she would've done everything to ensure little Kagome was happy when she passed."

Sango could do nothing more than gape at the two while Miroku eyed them speculatively.

"Why is it you have the ability to see Lady Death?" He finally asked.

"Well we've both been dead." Rin said slowly.

"You three would also possess the ability to see her if you had not turned your souls from death." Sesshomaru said. "She said it does not happen very often, but it is possible for a person who has cheated Death to forget what it was like. In addition it would also prevent you from seeing her under normal circumstances."

"So who is she anyway?" Inuyasha asked.

"Her identity is not for the living to know." He said. "Those that have been privileged enough to see her have all been sworn to silence, to speak of it would ensure our demise."

"That's kind of creepy if you ask me." Shippo mumbled.

"Well we've been dead so why can't you tell us?" Inuyasha asked.

"Because thanks to the Miko's sacrifice, you live once again." He said and his words came out more harshly than intended.

"What sacrifice?" Sango asked in alarm. "We were wished back to life before she died in the fight against Naraku."

Suddenly realizing the error of his words he scrambled for a way to fix things; luckily he didn't need to for Death chose to make her appearance just then.

"She's here." Rin squealed as she gazed up at the robed figure. "I was hoping I would see you again before it was my time."

"And here I am." She said as she scanned the crowd. "Well if this isn't a scene from the past I don't know what is."

"I believe I have figured out the piece to your puzzle Death." Sesshomaru said as he climbed to his feet while the others watched on in suspicion and confusion.

"I know, that's why I'm here. The Kami informed me of it." She said. "That and the counts up to 120 now, he's moving faster than I can keep up now."

"Then tell me what is to be done."

"I can't, it's a complicated spell that I know nothing about." She said apologetically. "But I can point you in the direction of the one who can tell you how to go about it."

"You say we have no time to waste and yet you send me on a wild goose chase?"

"Oh come now, if evoking me was that easy everyone would do it." She chided.

"Oi what the hell is she saying?" Inuyasha growled.

"Be quiet Inuyasha." Both Sesshomaru and Death said, making Rin and Kohaku snicker.

"Look Sesshomaru you already know who it is I'm going to tell you to go and see; if you leave now you'll be back by nightfall." Death said as she turned her attention back to the dog demon before her. "Then all you'll have to do is invoke the spell and I'll become corporeal."

"You mean you'll be alive again?" Kohaku asked.

"Not exactly," She said slowly. "Basically I'll be visible to everyone yet they won't know just who I am. It's all a little complicated and since I haven't done it before I don't know what's going to happen exactly."

"Well then maybe you should get going Sesshomaru-sama. After all the sooner she's really here the sooner she can help." Rin suggested.

"Very well," He said after a moment of studying the hooded figure, which looked strange to half the occupants of the room considering they couldn't see her. "I trust you will still be here when I return?"

"Of course, the Kami knew that as soon as you figured it out I'd end up having to stick around to give you a hand. So for the time being the imps of the underworld have been called back to this world; hopefully with them there will be less souls claimed by this bastard."

"Indeed."

"Run along now and tell that old petrified piece of wood I said hello." She said as she stepped aside and gestured to the screen.

He nodded once then swept out of the room and the moment he was outside he took to the sky in his orb form.

"Wow this is kind of exciting." Rin said. "It's not every day someone sees Death come to life… or close to it that is."

"If you say so." Inuyasha muttered.

"Well I can see despite the fact you've matured a bit, you still have a long way to go you silly puppy." Death said as she moved to sand behind him before bending down to flick his ear.

"Oi what the hell was that?" He exclaimed as he slapped his hands over his ears.

"Fascinating, I didn't think he'd feel that." She mused as she tilted her head to the side. "You know I seem to recall hearing something about dogs being able to sense me, even if they can't see me. And dogs do like to bark when I'm around them."

"So he can't see you, but he can sense you?" Kohaku hazarded.

"I think so." She mused as she poked him in the shoulder. "And since he can't see me, I don't have to worry about claiming his soul when I do this."

"Ow, what the hell?" He muttered as he started rubbing his shoulder.

"Give it up while you can Inuyasha, you're no match for your opponent." Kohaku chuckled.

Death watched as Inuyasha froze at the younger man's words. "I think you scared him Kohaku."

"Are you saying that Death is the one that's poking me?" Inuyasha whispered, almost as if he were afraid of her overhearing him.

"Yup," Rin grinned then laughed when the half-demon screeched and flew across the room.

"Wow why do they always try to run away from me?" Death sighed as she straightened. "You'd think they'd get it through their heads that you can't run from Death, sooner or later I'm gonna catch up to them and the result will be the same as if they'd never run to begin with."

"Well it is Inuyasha." Kohaku said pointedly. "He's got a skull thicker than most you know. And he hasn't realized that if it was his time you would've taken his soul instead of poking him on the shoulder and flicking his ear."

"Okay I'm getting to weirded out here." Shippo shook his head as he climbed to his feet. "I have forms to practice, let me know when Sesshomaru gets back."

"Fuck this shit; I'm out of here to." Inuyasha muttered. "Come on Kikyou lets go check on the kids."

"I think that's a good idea." She said as she climbed to her feet and inclined her head to the presence she couldn't see. "I imagine things are going to get very interesting tonight."

"Wow those two are still like night and day." Death mused as she watched them leave the room. "I still don't understand how they hooked up to begin with."

"Oh that's simple, opposites attract." Rin chuckled.

"Perhaps," She mused then tilted her head to the side when Sango climbed to her feet to scan the room. "Tell her to stop making herself dizzy, I'll make it easy and stand in front of her so she can say what she needs to."

Once Rin relayed Death's words Sango nodded then took a breath; she felt more than a little foolish at doing this, but she couldn't wait until later to get it off her chest.

Miroku climbed to his feet as well but waited off to the side; unlike his wife he understood that sometimes things just happened that they had no control over.

"Why did you take my baby?" She asked as she gathered what courage she possessed around her.

"Your daughter had an incurable bone disease." She said softly. "And the soul she possessed wasn't right for the body it was born into. Believe me when I say I wish it could be different, believe me when I say it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do when I took her from you, and please believe me when I say I'm sorry."

Rin relayed the words in a tone as soft as hers and once she was done she buried her face in the curve of Kohaku's neck; she knew how heartbroken her nee-chan was over the whole thing, and she felt sorry that Sango wouldn't understand just how hard it was for Death until it was her own time.

"I think I'd rather hear you say that when you're standing in front of me." Sango said as she blinked away her tears. "Because right now I'm having a hard time in believing you."

"Then I will tell you once you can see me." Death murmured. "But even then you won't believe me until your own time comes and we have our last conversation."

Sango nodded in understanding then turned on her heel to sweep out of the room with her husband in tow. Once they were gone Death sank to her knees and gasped for breath she didn't need.

"Nee-chan-"

"No, stay where you are, I haven't been evoked yet. You can't touch me." She said to stall the two from rushing to her side. "I'm alright, I knew this would be hard. It's just going to take me a moment to adapt."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kohaku asked.

She was silent a moment before nodding her head, not trusting her voice just then to answer. But then when it came to those two, she didn't necessarily need to speak, for they understood her perfectly. No she wasn't alright, and she doubted she ever would be.

~*~