Chapter 4

A soft glow overtook the once-dark room. It was unbearably early, the sunrise an hour out. And despite how restful the few hours she'd slept were, old habits are hard to beat, and per usual Kagome was up before dawn. Surprisingly her sleep had been uninhibited by her usually recurring nightmares, in fact, she had dreamt of more peaceful times, of afternoons spent with her friends in the shade of a tree and pleasant conversation lacking all things Naraku and Shikon No Tama.

Tears slowly trailed down her cheeks, her eyes unfocused as she allowed her mind to dwell on her dream. It was of good memories, ones that she had almost forgotten in her grief. The last several months had been hard, she was a year older, and yet the memories still haunted her, beckoning her to the past in which she had longed to remain. The past had left its mark on her soul, literally.

Wiping at her cheeks, Kagome shook her head with a somber smile. Something about today felt different, there was a new lightness to her soul. 'One day at a time.' She thought softly, a mantra she repeated every day. Kagome looked across the empty room, taking a moment to enjoy the silence. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her soul; it was still there, but it wasn't as heavy, and manageable. It was a step in the right direction.

About to get up, Kagome noticed the two small onibi-warashi curled up on the mat. They had fallen asleep on either side of her, their small hands clenching the blanket.

Her heart clenched, warmed by their closeness but ached. They must have been so lonely without their God, twenty years is a long time to wait. She sympathized with their pain, hopefully, she would be able to find Mikage so they could be reunited.

Hesitantly Kagome reached out, placing a gentle hand on their back. She rubbed them gently, not wishing to wake them but to soothe them. She smiled as they leaned into her touch, their auras brightening at the tender caress.

She smiled before slowly pulling away and slipping out of the futon. She'd put it away once they woke but for now, Kagome would change, call her mother, and then make breakfast.

Once dressed Kagome made her way to the small kitchen, it was outdated by several decades but not impossible to work with. She moved around finding enough ingredients to make a simple omelet and tea using the wood-burning stove.

Cooking had offered a small distraction but Kagome would have to call her mother. The phone, just like the kitchen, was a relic from the past, the large metal box was mounted onto the wall with a rotary dial. Thankfully there was a dial tone and Kagome made the nervous phone call to her mother.

She nervously chewed her bottom lip and played with the coiled telephone wire as it rang loudly. It was on the third ring that there was a cautious answer.

"Hello? Higurashi Residents." It was her mother, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Kagome wilted, she could practically feel a nervous sweat coming on. "Hi mama!"

"Kagome!?"

~o.O~O.o~

Kagome sat on the porch, tea in hand as she stared at the pale sunrise. The conversation with her mother had gone over as well as one would expect with Kagome pretty much admitting to being a runaway and now taking up residence at a nearby shrine. Her mother had been surprised, asked for the address, and then had asked an interesting question: how did Kagome feel? It had taken the young miko by surprise, it was only after a long pause that Kagome could answer. Hopeful.

The conversation had then ended with her mother saying she'd be coming around sometime around lunchtime.

"You're still here?" She could practically feel the disdain he spat at her.

Her shoulders dropped as she sighed. "And here I thought you'd left. Does this mean you're done throwing a tantrum?" Looking up Kagome smirked, having enjoyed watching his handsome features twist into a grimace behind his fan. Despite their unsavory first meeting, Kagome offered the fox a smile and extended a hand towards the tea she'd brought with her. "Care to join me?"

He huffed, no doubt annoyed but he surprisingly took the invitation. And Kagome smiled warmly, pouring him a cup before returning to her own. Before them the sunrise brightened, the first rays of the day finally breaking over the treeline. For a moment Kagome felt as if she were in the past, all she could see were the trees, no skyscrapers to disrupt the skyline before them nor the busy sounds of the city to be heard for miles, even Tomoe's aura felt gentle against her own. All she could see and hear felt like a gentle balm to her soul.

"Why don't you hurry up and go back home? At any rate, you're not fit to be a Land God." Tomoe leered, violet eyes staring pointedly at her.

Kagome shrugged. "You're probably right," she admitted softly, sapphire eyes staring down into her teacup. "I didn't come here to become the Land God, in fact, I didn't come here with a plan," as she spoke, her eyes prickled with the sting of tears. "I don't want to replace Mikage. I don't even know what he was thinking with this-'' she touched the spot the blonde God kissed, a faint golden hue having taken root against her brow. "You have every right to dislike or distrust me, but I wish you wouldn't."

Tomoe eyed Kagome without saying a word; raising his fan to cover half his face, leaving only his eyes that regarded her with an unreadable emotion. Kagome kept her head bowed, knowing that if she looked at him, she would start to cry. Tomoe likely thought she was going to replace Mikage, and Tomoe was also experiencing a lot of mixed emotions as this situation could be seen as Mikage abandoning him- again. She didn't know Tomoe's story, only that like those spirits, he had stayed and waited for twenty years. She can only assume they'd at one point or another had to have felt forgotten or abandoned. And now, knowing that he had been close enough to give someone his mark, they were likely experiencing those feelings all over again.

There was a gentle hum from Tomoe as he set down his empty teacup. "You're not completely useless," he commented softly, his body dissolving with a flare of silver kitsune magic and a gentle breeze. "The tea wasn't terrible."

A small chuckle escaped Kagome, and with a grateful smile she wiped at her eyes before looking back to the sunrise.

Once the two small onibi-warashi woke, Kagome was bombarded with a list of chores that left her dizzy. Even at her family shrine, they didn't work this hard, then again after doing a deep clean she could see how long it had been since anyone other than Tomoe and the onibi-warashi had resided within the shrine. It made her heart ache for them. Although their pains were different, she understood what it meant to miss someone who was just out of reach.

It was several hours later, as Kagome was in the midst of weeding (and questioning if all these chores were really a God's duty) when she spotted her mother, brother, grandfather, and a familiar-looking girl around her age.

Wiping her hands on her apron, Kagome hurried to greet them with a bright smile. "Welcome to Mikage Shrine!" She beamed.

"Kagome!" Kun-Loom cried, hurrying to her daughter and taking her into her arms in a crushing hug. The hug, although almost suffocating, was short-lived as Kun-Loom pulled away with a sneering look that any child would be wary of. "What were you thinking!?" she chided. "I was worried sick!"

"Sorry, mama," was Kagome's meek response; she couldn't even bring herself to look at Kun-Loom. She already felt guilty as it was; had she brought her phone with her, maybe her mom wouldn't be as mad. Her mother had always been so understanding, allowing her to make her own choices but Kagome knew how it worried her to do so.

Kun-Loom took Kagome's hand, placing a small rectangle in it, her eyes stern as she grabbed Kagome by the chin, forcing the teen to look her in the eyes. "Don't let it happen again, understand?" she offered with a pointed look. Kagome stared wide-eyed, looking from her mom to her cell phone and back. Her mom smiled gently. "I expect you to call home regularly- and visit."

Kagome smiled with a quick nod.

"It's been a long time," Kagome heard her grandfather muse.

"Hmm?"

"I came here with your grandmother." He smiled as he talked, more to himself than anyone in particular, as he made his way to the offering box. Kagome watched as he made the offering and proceeded to pray. Although it seemed impossible, Kagome felt his voice flutter across her mind. ~'Thank you Kami-sama, for the love I shared with my departed Hikari, and the life I have lived. I ask that you offer the same blessings of love and prosperity upon my daughter and grandchildren, and please help Kagome find peace.'~

Kagome blinked back the sudden tears, her heart warming as she smiled at her grandfather.

"Hello, cousin Kagome!" The young girl greeted. Being only a little taller than herself, Kagome looked into large chocolate eyes that gleamed happily, a wide smile pulling at her rosy cheeks. She was beautiful, looking almost identical to her Aunt Kumimi, even having the same long soft brown hair.

"Nanami?" Kagome exclaimed excitedly, sweeping her cousin into a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"It's been a long time!" Nanami hummed happily before pulling back, her expression awkward and a little embarrassed as she looked at her hands.

"What about me?" Souta huffed, giving Kagome an adorable glare. "You made us worried, Kagome!"

Kagome smiled softly and pulled him tight against her, kissing the top of his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

He looked up with a glare but then smiled. "Well if you go on another adventure, you better take me."

She smiled despite the pang she felt in her heart.

Kun-Loom offered them a soft smile before extending a hand to her daughter. "Come show us around."

Kagome took her by the hand and led them into the resident building. Stepping into the entryway she was greeted by Kotetsu and Onikiri, the two spirits floating to her excitedly.

"Who are they, Lady Kagome?" Onikiri exclaimed.

"Do we have guests?" Kotetsu asked excitedly.

They rushed her, floating on either side of her, looking behind her curiously.

"Awe, and who are these two Kagome?" Kun-Loom grinned looking at the spirits with what could best be described as motherly.

Kagome shook away her moment of surprise. Her brother and grandfather stared at the two in awe, whereas Nanami looked around in confusion.

"They are the shrine spirits: Kotetsu," She paused momentarily while gesturing to each spirit as she introduced them. "And Onikiri."

"Greetings!" Kotetsu gleamed.

"Welcome to Mikage Shrine!" Onikiri exclaimed with equal excitement.

The two bowed in unison.

Her family bowed with Nanami quick to follow their lead.

"Thank you for having us."

"Umm, who are we talking to?" Nanami looked around, confused and visibly nervous.

"It seems that she cannot see us, Lady Kagome." Onikiri pointed out, a little disappointed.

"Is there any way for her to see you?"

Kotetsu shook his head. "You can see us because you are the Land God, and as for your family I can only guess they have been blessed or are priests."

"Blessed?" Kagome asked, already noting that her family did have some kind of reiryoku, seeing as they could see the spirits even before this. She had brought many things back from her travels in the past, even experiencing a couple incidents near home. They had only had to deal with a few spirits, but it would make sense for their own powers or awareness to grow with their nearness and frequency.

Onikiri floated around her. "A person who receives a blessing from a God or possesses an imbued item can then see the unseeable."

"Can I do that?"

Kotetsu was practically vibrating, visibly excited. "Of course! The easiest way is with a talisman!"

The two then held out paper and an inky brush.

"Where did those come from?!" Nanami shouted in a mix of awe and fear.

Kagome grabbed the items, inspecting them. There wasn't anything special about them, they were ordinary, everyday paper and brush. She had learned to write sutras from Miroku, having helped him replenish his arsenal after a battle. The sutras he wrote were meant for banish and exorcism of demons, but there had been a few times he showed her how he used it as a blessing.

'Be clear what your intentions are. Not only with the words written but with the emotions you use to charge the sutra.' He made it clear that feelings and intentions were closely intertwined, and would influence the flow of reiryoku into the sutra.

She wanted Nanami to see, but needed to be more specific, but also not overly complicated.

"Clarity" was the only word Kagome could think of. And as she wrote she imagined a veil being lifted, and for Nanami to see what she does.

Kagome held her hand out to Nanami, and the girl nervously complied. There was a rush of energy as Kagome placed the talisman within Nanami's awaiting balm. It was that new energy, it felt warm and soft, the color of gold fluttering against her senses before settling once again where it began to seep into her reiryoku.

Nanami's reaction was instant, her large doe eyes doubling in size as she reared back, a shriek dying on her lips. She looked from the spirits to the Higurashi family and finally to her. "This is normal?"

Kagome laughed, a huge grin pulling at her lips. Her cheeks sore from what had been a rare movement for several long months. "Pretty normal"

Turning around she began her tour anew, it wasn't long considering the shrine's smaller size in comparison to Higurashi Shrine.

Her grandfather talked the most, taking note and adding commentary and suggestions in regards to repairs.

When it came time for dinner Kun-Loom made her way to the small kitchen with the two spirits floating to either side of her and Nanami following close behind.

That left her and her grandfather. He had a folder and stack of papers that he pushed towards her. "As you'll be taking residence here, I thought you might need some help. Mikage Shrine isn't well known, and from the looks of it, it's fallen into disrepair. My friend is on the top of the list, he can help with any repairs you need, and the other is a government application. With this being a historic site, the shrine should be eligible for state funding to preserve it." He began rattling off more information, walking Kagome through the application requirements and highlighting the list of things that needed immediate attention.

"My friend, Yamito Henshin, will be around tomorrow afternoon to access the shrine. Point him to all the places I just told you."

Kagome nodded.

Dinner came and went, and then her family had to leave. They all hugged and Kagome promised to call and come home often. And then she was alone, the silence seemingly deafening until he spoke.

"Still here? You incompetent girl, it'd have been better if you left with them!" He spat, a faint whisper of hurt making his voice quiver.

Kagome turned sharply to see Tomoe, his fan hiding half of his face leaving only his violet eyes that stared her down in a seething glare.

"Another insult?" She snapped back, rolling her eyes before turning to tidy up. "Is that all you're good at?"

He growled, and she smirked.

Within a blink, Tomoe had her by the collar, their noses nearly touching and his breath fanning her face. He snarled, eyes blazing with so much emotion it was heard to decipher.

"You know nothing! Just leave already!" He sounded desperate, and yet his gaze and the subtle tremble made her think otherwise.

"Why don't you?" Kagome yelled back, her anger getting the better of her. That and she was sick of the whiplash she'd been experiencing with this demon. He went from being hostile to borderline cordial back to hostile.

His grip went slack as his eyes widened, shock coloring his pale expression. "What?"

Kagome pushed him away, shooting him a glare before returning to the paperwork her grandfather had left. "Leave." She retorted back calmly. "Instead of insisting I leave, you can either stop with the attitude and we live together peacefully until I find Mikage or you can leave."

It was silent for a long moment.

"Fine."

A burst of wind and kitsune magic, and he was gone. The spirit cried out for him and Kagome stared wide-eyed, a little shocked and confused.

wolfYLady: WOW! It's been a long time! Sorry! Well I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, hopefully I'll get back into the rhythm now that I have a laptop and I'm not using my phone.

Please review, and until next time!

Onibi-warashi: Will-o'-Wisp Child