TPTAGTH- Chapter 6 Lady Stardust
"And Lady Stardust sang his songs of darkness and disgrace" – David Bowie
Sitting up Lady Mizuki extended her arms in a gesture of welcome to the group. "Come, I hate wasting time, let me see the poor child." She said indicating Kagome with a wave of her hand. When no one moved the Lady made a disgruntled sigh and motioned for Kuma to come forward. Quickly the young woman snatched Kagome from her place beside Sango and callously heaved her to the stand. Startled by the rough treatment Kagome stumbled forward unable to keep her balance and tripped over the first stair falling into the thick folds of Lady Mizuki's kimono. There the witch let Kagome curl up in her lap like a sleeping kitten and proceeded to tut and fret over her.
"My you do have a predicament." The witch said cupping Kagome's face in her hands so she could gaze into her eyes.
"Kagome died and this idiot brought her back broken." Inuyasha chimed in, motioning to his brother who had stayed in the back of the room.
"Did I ask you?" Lady Mizuki bit out causing Inuyasha to swallow his next words. "Learn some manners and wait to be spoken too. I need details and the only one who knows what happened is the Lord of the West."
Bored with the conversation Sesshomaru had started counting rafters hoping his time to gain audience with the witch would be soon. This was not his problem he kept telling himself and he did not want to be further involved in whatever mess his brother was in. It took a moment for him to realize all eyes were on him and this was his cue to speak.
"Lord Emma-O denied ever receiving the girl's soul. I kept looking and found her in a garden. Three hags were performing some kind of ritual."
"I see… the three sisters. They really are vile nasty things." Lady Mizuki took another drag of her pipe as she chuckled to herself. "The great lord of the dead brings them in when a soul is beyond redemption. To put it back in this world would mean misfortune, so he calls in the hags, sin eaters, to wipe the slate clean."
"But Kagome's soul certainly does not fit such a description." Miroku interjected. In life she had been one of the more generous people he had come across. To suggest Kagome's soul was beyond redemption was preposterous.
Lady Mizuki shrugged stroking Kagomes hair with her free hand. "Something about your friend here made Lord Emma-O worry."
"Can you fix it?"
"What did I tell you earlier? You come to me for help yet question my abilities. Really you all have no manners," She huffed. "It is not as easy getting memories back in but do able." At that piece of good news the friends all let out a sigh of relief, they were going to get their Kagome back. However Lady Mizuki was not finished.
"It will take three months to prepare."
Three more months of babysitting Kagome the wild woman. The thought quickly deflated them all. Lady Mizuki could see the apprehension in their eyes, but there was no use glossing over it. "Really you must learn patience. I have not even told you all that is required. To prepare I will need certain items brought to me. Koko will give you a list on the way out. Retrieving these items will be the job of the ill-mannered whelp. Now someone has to babysit the little duck here."
"That's no problem I can wa –"
Lady Mizuki held up a hand for silence to cut Sango off. "Wait for me to finish. I am not taking volunteers. The guardian of Kagome will be our very own western lord."
Abruptly the room burst into angry rebuttals as everyone voiced their displeasure, including the mentioned Lord who showed his irritation with a snarl.
Lady Mizuki took a slow drag of her pipe and let the greenish smoke trickle out her nose.
" Hush." She whispered looking each one in the eye silently telling them the next outburst would mean no help.
"My orders will be followed to the letter. Failure to do so could result in the second death of your little friend here." Further illustrating her point that she was the one in control Lady Mizuki dragged a nail across Kagomes throat who still sat happily unaware in her lap. "So I suggest you listen carefully. The hanyou will go on the journey to fetch the herbs. I advise taking your friends along as you will need all the help you can get. The guardian is our lord. Now everyone but Lord Sesshomaru leave. Koko and Kuma will show you out and give you what you need."
Inuyasha was about to protest again but Sango clamped a hand over his mouth. "Thank you my Lady. You are too generous."
"I know. I am too tender hearted sometimes." She flapped her hand in the direction of Koko never looking at them. "Now outside with you all as I speak with this gentleman."
One by one they followed Koko out with Kuma making up the rear in case someone got the bright idea to turn around. Even Kagome, given to bouts of wandering, obediently followed.
"Now on to our business." Lady Mizuki chuckled as Kuma slid the sliding door shut.
"You seem to be confused about why I came here. Let me clarify that I came for my own purposes that have nothing to do with them. I will not do it. I will not be the guardian of my brother's problem."
"Yes you will."
"What makes you think I will help keep her alive? That I would not kill her myself?"
"Empty threats do not become you. You know I cannot help you with your problem if the girl dies."
"What do you know of my problems?"
She smiled her knowing smile and began to repack her pipe. From her kimono sleeve she produced a match and struck it against the wooden platform. At the first spark Sesshomaru heard a small whimper of fear from a memory that was not his own. Involuntarily his hand twitched a little at his side.
"Think of your task as payment for my service to you. Three months babysitting a young woman. One nasty memory removed."
"I think your price is too high." He stood to leave, mad he had ever considered making bargains with a witch.
"Imagine faltering in battle because someone waves a torch at you." Sesshomaru peered behind him to see the witch with a ghastly grin. "What would your enemies give to know that weakness?"
Sesshomaru imagined severing her head from her person but thought better of it. As satisfying as it would be he would still have the memory. Even if she was not the one to give away the weakness someone would eventually find out. He did not want to admit it but the witch was right, she was the only one who could help him.
"Wonderful! We have a deal. Now let's go join the others in the garden."
Lady Mizuki stood in a graceful motion despite the yards of fabric draped against her frame. For someone claiming to be so ill she seemed rather healthy. With a wave of her hand the wall parted and the first rays of sun could be seen stopping short of the threshold. Beyond that was the garden, carefully manicured and meticulously kept.
"So you convince the witch to let Kagome stay with us?" Inuyasha was leaning on the garden wall, arms crossed, trying hard to look at anything but Kagome who was busy looking at flowers.
"Kagome will be accompanying me."
"Like hell she will!" He quickly darted forward to put himself between Kagome and his brother. "You don't help people. So why change your mind now?"
"Really Inuyasha you can be so dense sometimes. You said yourself Kagome is not acting right. What if she complicates your journey? It took you how long to make it here? " Inuyashas face turned red with rage as his brother used logic to remind him of things he already knew.
"Besides, this task will be my payment for services yet rendered."
"Yeah, about that. You never answered why you are here in the first place." Inuyasha eyed his brother suspiciously. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword.
"Thank you for coming." Koko bowed breaking up the tension in the air. "Now that everyone has been given their assignments we wish you well on your journey. Once everyone has gathered back here in three months' time my mistress will proceed with restoring the girl's memories."
The three women turned without another word to enter back into the house.
"Wait, Lady Mizuki," Miroku sounded worried. "We have not discussed payment for helping our friend."
"Oh? We have not?" She looked puzzled swearing she had mentioned compensation. "Payment will be collected on your return. I promise it will not be anything you cannot pay."
"Can you not give us a hint as to what the price is?"
"No, no. It takes all the fun out for me. Still I promise. When three months is up you will have your payment ready and will be more than willing to give it to me." Satisfied the conversation was over she left the group in the garden to sort out any final details. Koko and Kuma gave them all one last polite bow before being swallowed by the darkness of the house.
"My lady," Kuma came to her side once the garden was out of sight. "Forgive me for questioning your orders but…Why did we let the Western Lord go? After what he has done…"
"Sweet Kuma, one day you will learn revenge is not always about killing your enemies but crushing them." Lady Mizuki placed a motherly hand on the young girls head as she imparted her wisdom. "In three months he'll be begging at my feet. Until then I left him a surprise."