The morning after every fortnight the tax-collectors come, they come for money that Father struggles to gather. Sometimes he is unable to pay the full sum, there is yelling, Mother doesn't let us stay. She keeps us in the room upstairs, tattered as it is, but the yelling makes it up there anyhow. I catch three glances at the most; one when he walks up the shrine steps, two when he first enters and Mother rushes us away, and three when he walks back down the steps.
He has the most shapely eyes, and the colors! I asked Ma once, she said they were the color called amber, I've never heard of it though. His eyes are yellow, a precious yellow. I know he is tall, most likely taller than Father even. His long white hair cascades near his waist, I think its longer than mine. His clothes are always clean, never too wrinkled. I know that I love this man. I don't know his name.
I will never tell anyone of this, it's a personal secret I'm glad to have. The night before each visit is a relentless hope to me. I do not understand the talk of money, but the different tones of his voice I hear are a gift I keep only for myself.
School is fine. I hear the first year teacher has resigned. There is a lack of money in this town, my teacher says I should leave this town. She says I'm a quick learner and my writing skills should prosper in a more high class environment. I mentioned it to mother, she snorted, actually snorted, and refused. Mother always likes Rin more, my writing means nothing to her. I hate her.
- Kagome
"You think he has the money this week?" Inuyasha asked his brother. The two brothers walked up the exaggerated staircase in near silence, taking in the deadened environment around them.
"Probably, I'd say this town has at least two moon cycles worth of money, then we'd move on," he responded practically in his usual stoic business tone. Around them the red paint of the railings was peeling itself off, the wood coming apart, the rest of the town was in no better shape. Repairs were to be made, yet no money was available to make those repairs.
This town used to be one of glory and beauty, yet as all other towns before it, there was trouble in paradise at the arrival of these two brothers. They were deemed as the tax-collectors through the wayward conversations whispered quietly through the town. They came first when conditions were prosperous, posed friendships and offered even more aid to the small town's economy. Then, trouble would rear its ugly head when residents began spending too carelessly, too greedily, spending more than they were earning. Silks kimono's, golden statuettes of ethereal goddesses, they were the first to be carried out. After that came beds, sons were taken to pay off debts through labor to partners of the two brothers. It was a pitiful cycle, once one town was sucked dry they'd move onto the next, that'd be the end of it.
The Higurashi residence, once the peak of the town, had begun to fade away as well. They had no sons old enough to send out to work, their oldest daughter had just reached the age of marriage. There would be no exchanges with the two Higurashi girls however, every time they arrived they'd be stored away upstairs. The two looked from the top window, an odd leering gaze the one would give that only the older Sesshomaru seemed to notice. Though he never mentioned the topic out loud.
The old wife of the house let them in promptly, holding tea that smelled absolutely horrid. A grimace graced the feature of the elder brother as the younger brother kept a serious manner, determined to simply be rid of his own work.