Finding Home

July 24 (Summer)

She smiled as the men all came into the house. The sun was just starting to set, but it was also about end of summer at this point. She set the food on the table as they washed up and sat down. She sat with them as her mate looked at the food approvingly. They all served themselves as she sighed and looked at them all.

“What’s wrong mate?” he asked her softly. She smiled and shrugged weakly.

“I just feel like we’re missing something,” she answered as he sighed and nodded in agreement.

“We’re missing a lot of something’s,” he replied as she nodded. “I wrote one more time to see if we could get ads out for farmers.” She nodded as she listened as she ate. “We have the abandoned houses all set up for winter and disuse so that they don’t collapse, but it’s only a temporary fix.”

“Well, hopefully we’ll get a response,” one of the boys said as they ate. His father nodded in agreement. “We’re pretty much at the point of deciding what we want to do. There’s the four of us, Rowen, and Seijuro, not enough to keep the town going. We can’t even get mail delivered here.”

“We should give it a deadline,” his youngest son said tiredly. “We can’t afford to stay here for another six months, let alone a year.” They all nodded in agreement.

“We’ll give it six months, after that we’ll separate,” he said in agreement. “Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, is that enough time to figure out what you’re going to do with your positions here?”

“Yes, I can auction the animals off in Fujigoko,” Sesshomaru answered as Inuyasha shrugged and nodded.

“And I can just shut down the furnace,” Inuyasha said with a shrug. “It’s more of where I’d want to go at this point.”

“I think,” Rowen said dreamily as he thought, “I’d love to go to Tokyo, meet some girls, and just live life in the big city.” Inuyasha smirked as Seijuro shook his head while listening. Sesshomaru listened but merely glanced up at his step-mother and father, he knew that one of them should remain with the pair. He knew he wanted to see the world, only so did his brother.

“I’d find another peaceful village,” Seijuro said softly as he sat back and thought. “I am not made to live in the city.” The older members all nodded together as the boys seemed to sigh and think.

“We can’t leave you two alone,” Inuyasha said as his mother chuckled. “You’d die without Sesshomaru and me there to watch over you.” His father sighed and looked at his mate exhaustedly.

“I think they believe to be superior to you, Nishi,” she said amused.

“They don’t know anything then,” Nishi said amused as his mate laughed and nodded. “We’ve only been here how much longer than they have? I’m going on what, four hundred fifty years? Sesshomaru is lucky to be two hundred and Inuyasha is only going on a hundred fifty. But we’ll never survive without them.” The two chuckled as Seijuro just watched curiously, Rowen was off in his own dreamland. “First things first, we’ll have to see if we get any hits on our farmer issue.”

July 25 (Summer)

She grumbled to herself as she got home from work and the store. She put everything on the kitchen counter and went off to change into comfortable clothes. She had always dreamed of working in the big city, but this is not what she had expected. So far she had been here a year since she graduated college, she knew no one and all she did wake up, work, and sleep. She had always believed she’d enjoy her job, make loads of friends, and go out after work. She smirked as she looked at her mail to see a letter from her two best friends; they were currently in Hawaii for work. They were always traveling.

“Hi mama,” she said as she answered her phone.

“Good evening dear, how are you?” her mother asked, it was time for her nightly phone call from home. Granted, they were within the same city, just opposite ends of it.

“I’m okay, just getting home again,” she said as she walked into the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients for dinner. She put the rest of the food away as well.

“Really? It’s almost seven o’clock,” her mother said surprised. “You should be getting done work around five.” Kagome smirked; she knew her mother wouldn’t like that news.

“Yeah, we have another project going on,” Kagome explained as she started up her dinner. “How are things at the shrine?”

“Good, your grandfather has another shipment of items to sell at the shrine,” her mother said laughing a little.

“More? He still has those shikon no tama key chains from when I was in middle school,” Kagome said exasperated.

“Yeah, he has high hopes this will sell,” her mother said positively. “So we shall see in time.” Kagome chuckled and nodded as she listened and worked on her dinner. “What are you having for dinner? Not fast food again?”

“No, I’m making a quick stir fry,” Kagome answered as she poured a little oil in the pan and allowed it to heat up. She worked on her dinner as she listened to her mother chatter about her brother in school; she had called him before calling Kagome about work. It was a nightly ritual that both of her children looked forward to.

“Hey mama,” Kagome said as she sat down with her food after dishing everything out, “I have a question.”

“What is it?” her mother asked curiously. Kagome thought about what she wanted to ask.

“Have you ever thought maybe you chose wrong? Like there’s something else you could be doing beyond what you are?” Kagome asked as she thought about it. Her mother remained silent as she listened and contemplated her answer.

“Like instead of working for that large company there you feel you would be better off somewhere else?” Her mother asked to clarify.

“Yeah,” Kagome said before taking a bite of her food. “Like I feel like I might have chosen wrong.” Her mother chuckled as she listened.

“I think if you know what you want to do, you should go do it,” her mother said as Kagome sighed and thought about it. She ate as she thought of what her mother said. “What else would you want to do?”

“I don’t know, I’m not enjoying living here, I don’t like the impersonal end of the city, and really I want something more fulfilling than this.” Kagome answered after swallowing her food. Her mother sighed as she seemed to be thinking.

“Well, you could try farming,” her mother suggested as Kagome grew a confused look on her face.

“Farming? That’s the polar opposite of what I’m doing now, mama,” she said surprised. Her mother laughed amused at her.

“You’re right, it is,” she replied, “but we have the family farm that is in a small town about two days travel if you leave here by train. Your grandfather used to go check on it up until about ten years ago. But I must warn you, the town itself is suffering.”

“Suffering? How?” Kagome asked surprised.

“Well, sweetheart, the town is quite old,” her mother answered as she thought, “And as such it’s lost a lot of residence and other businesses. I receive letters from the family that helps run it and keep it in as best of a working order as they can. But at this point, the town needs a miracle to stay in place.” Kagome nodded as she ate and listened, this sounded like a challenge she wanted.

“Well, it sounds like fun,” Kagome said as she thought about running a farm. “I’ll go out and check it out, if I like it I’ll take care of the farm.” Her mother chuckled amused at her.

“You can try, but sweetheart you’ve never grown a plant before,” her mother rationed amused. Kagome laughed a little and nodded as she thought about it.

“I’ll read up before I go,” she said amused. “It can’t be that hard.” Her mother laughed amused as Kagome chuckled. “I’ll hit the library on the way home tomorrow, so I may not be here for our phone call.”

“Alright,” her mother said enthusiastically, “I’ll call closer to nine then, so you can tell me about the books you found.” Kagome chuckled amused.

“Sure, maybe we’ll both learn,” Kagome said amused.

“It’ll help my gardens,” her mother said happily. Kagome laughed with her before returning to her food. “Will you have animals if you take the farm?”

“Oh I could raise a cow!” Kagome said excitedly. “Yeah, maybe some chickens and a cow. If I do animals, I don’t think I’ll do too many because of the plants. I’ll want to take care of whatever I have going. And if it’s just me, I don’t want to kill myself doing it all but I’d like to be able to ship it out as well.” Her mother chuckled amused.

“It sounds like a plan, but you should see if they have like a planning guide or something as well,” her mother offered as she thought of it. Kagome ran off and grabbed a note pad and pen as she wrote down what she wanted to borrow. “Maybe you should buy the books, and then you can read them on your trip as well.”

“That’s a good idea,” Kagome said amused at her mother. They were both already planning out what she was going to do. Kagome wrote down everything she needed to do for the apartment and work as well. After she hung up with her mother, she relaxed a little on the couch with her laptop, reading up on the basics of farming. She chuckled as she wrote to her two best friends, informing them of her pending decision before heading to bed. She was certain she was going to get a rather alarmed response from them but her grandfather would probably be most pleased about someone going to take care of this old property.

July 27 (Summer)

Kagome woke up early and smiled as she got ready for her trip. She was only going for a few days, she’d be back the following Tuesday for work, so she didn’t take too much time. She had cited a family emergency to get the time off. She grabbed her suitcase and her backpack after eating breakfast and headed off to the train station.

Once on the train, Kagome sat with a giddy smile on her face as she held on to her ticket and prepared her journey. As the conductor passed by and checked her ticket she smiled to herself and pulled the first of her books out. She had bought several, some she was certain would hold more value than others. Her first one was a basic property planning guide for first time farmers, she read various articles about where and when to plant crops. Really she appreciated the ideas that the book offered but figured she’d know more of what she wanted to do once she saw the property. She continued to read as the train rushed over the tracks, stopping at various points for other commuters on its way to the town of Fujigoko.

Kagome stretched as she got off the train and wandered into the town. She sighed as she noticed the inn and realized that it was the only place to stay for the night. Heading in that direction, Kagome walked in the door and waited behind two young men before approaching the rather large human. She had noticed that the two before here were a male hanyou and a male youkai.

“How can I help you, my dear?” the inn keeper asked kindly as he leaned over his book some at her.

“I’d like to rent a room for the night,” she said softly as he smiled and nodded. He checked her into a room and offered her a key.

“Just tonight?” he asked her kindly.

“Yes, thank you,” she said nodding her head.

“May I ask where your travels are taking one as young as yourself? Off on a wild adventure?” he asked politely.

“Oh no, I wanted to check on my family’s property the next town over,” she said as he looked at her curiously and nodded. “My grandfather used to check on it until about ten years ago.”

“Your name dear?” he asked her curiously.

“I am Higurashi, Kagome,” she said with a bow as he grinned at her.

“Your grandfather, he is a priest in Tokyo, yes?” he asked her excitedly. Kagome chuckled and nodded, her grandfather was great at making friends sometimes. “I remember him; he was always such a hoot. I’m surprised you’re here to check on the property though, the town isn’t slated to last much longer.” Kagome sighed and nodded in agreement.

“I’m coming to see how things are, and if I can help them,” she said as he smiled and nodded at her. She could tell he thought it a hopeless cause, but he was also kind enough not to say otherwise. She wandered off to her room and dropped her belongings off before heading to the bar for something to eat. She didn’t quite realize how hungry she was until she barely ate that day.

She relaxed in the bar, having ordered her dinner, as the two brothers were not far off from her discussing something and keeping to themselves. She looked around and figured a night in a small town usually meant hanging out at the local tavern and socialize. She accepted her food with a soft smile and thanks before eating and continued her people watching.

“So, you’re headed to the next town?” a girl asked her curiously. Kagome looked at her surprised and nodded as the woman sat with her and looked at her curiously. “Why?”

“My family owns property and they wanted me to check in on it, we haven’t been able to do so in so long we wanted to see if there was anything valuable to our family there,” Kagome answered with a shrug. “I’m the only one capable of making the trip.” The woman looked at her curiously.

“Oh really?” she asked surprised as Kagome nodded. “Those two are brothers, they live in what’s left of that town, not that there’s much. Really they’re two of six members remaining.” Kagome nodded as she listened. “They’re the Takahashi brothers; Sesshomaru is the older and full youkai, Inuyasha is the hanyou and younger.” Kagome nodded as she returned to eating her food, she didn’t want to bother the brothers and it wasn’t this girl’s concern why she was going where.

“Kagura, leave Miss Higurashi alone,” the inn keeper said as he walked in and sat down at the counter to a beer. The girl looked at him crossly and stormed off to go back to work as the two brothers looked at her curiously. “You boys should go introduce yourselves.” The older nodded in agreement and the two got up and joined her. Kagome looked at them surprised but continued her dinner.

“Higurashi, your family owns a farm in our town,” the younger said as she smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m headed that way to check on the property, mama wanted to make sure there was nothing of value there for us since your father had written her about the town failing.” She said as the two nodded. “But I wanted to look around anyway, I’m looking to relocate and if I can be of some help I want to be.”

“Unless you can get everything up and running and start bringing prosperity to the town,” the older brother said as she sighed and nodded in agreement.

“That is what I understand,” she said nodding in agreement. “I’m sure once I get a lay of the land and such, I can figure something out. I’m only here until Monday morning before I have to head back. By then I’ll have made a final decision.” The two nodded as they listened and realized she didn’t care what they were saying about the town.

“Well, then in the morning, you can come with us since we’ll be headed back home anyway,” the oldest said as she smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Alright, thank you,” she said as he nodded in agreement. “I’m Kagome.”

“Sesshomaru, this is Inuyasha,” he said as she smiled and nodded to them both. Inuyasha was obviously unconvinced but she figured with what she read on her way to Fujigoko she would be some help.