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Throwing Stones

Chapter Forty-Two: Possibilities

Kagome observed as everyone worked together to piece together the last fragments of the broken welcome sign to Kanna Village. By now all of the townspeople had arrived to bear witness to this moment. It'd been several long months of work but steadily everything was beginning to finally come together.

The town square had been restored to its former glory. The broken concrete had been paved over. The potholes filled in little by little. By now they had managed to get both water and electric running to all of the main store fronts. Many of the houses around the area had also been fixed up and renovated. Even the fields that once were considered barren were now beginning to bear fruit. All in all, they'd managed to accomplish a lot more than she'd anticipated in such a short amount of time. There were still at least four months left of the program yet they'd managed to complete their goals early. Which meant that her next step would be trying to help the others find long term careers after their release.

"Now we just need to get businesses here." Kagome commented to herself.

The renovations wouldn't do any good if there was no one to fill the empty markets. The real difficulty would be finding companies willing to take a chance on spreading their influence to their town. Especially if it meant hiring the people partaking in her program.

Kagome paused as she noticed Tenko eyeing the restaurant that they'd restored first. His gaze was glossed over as if he were in deep thought.

"Something on your mind?" She flashed him a warm smile.

The other man jump slightly and a faint flush crossed his cheeks.

She could remember the first time they'd met. He'd still just been a regular prisoner back then. His frame had been so thin and frail that she'd been afraid he'd find himself at death's doorstep any moment. The illness that'd wracked his body had left him weak. His hand had no strength to it when she'd held it. Looking at him now, she could honestly say that she was relieved to see him appear so healthy.

Tenko turned his head back towards the restaurant, "I was just thinking about what sort of food this place might serve later. A ramen joint would be popular but tempura would be even better."

Her smile softened, "You really like cooking, don't you?"

She could confidently say that Tenko was the best chef they had under their roof. He was skilled with the knife in more ways than one and his meals were always popular among the rest of the group—Touya included.

"My mother taught me early on that every person should know how to cook, clean and take care of the house on their own. So I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen." Tenko scratched at the side of his cheek sheepishly, "I always enjoyed it as well."

"I for one think that's wonderful. You have an amazing set of skills and I think you could be the one to turn this old building into something fresh." Kagome offered him one last smile, "Don't try to think of this as an impossible dream. Just focus on the steps you can take right now to achieve your goals. For starters, let's focus on the sort of menu you'd want to serve. Think about the kind of crowd this town will have and market it that way." She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat, "Even if we can't get the funding to jump start the restaurant, we can always find other ways to make it work. It's your future, so pursue the path you want."

That was the best advice she could give him at the moment.

Everyone here would have to find their own career once this program ended. Sure, she was making a huge assumption with the belief that the Safety Commission might actually commute their sentences. However she still wanted to see them find their niche.

Atsuhiro still had all the panache for entertainment while Kenji was bound and determined to make something of their passion for needlework. The rest of the group still struggled to find their own footing but at least it seemed as if Tenko was starting to realize his calling.

Kagome glanced over to where Touya was standing with Eri tucked securely in his arms. The child smiled wide as she watched the elders gather around and celebrate the official reopening of their tiny village.

She wondered what sort of career Touya would have had if his life had gone the way he'd wanted. Would he have become a pro hero or entered law enforcement? Perhaps he might've even gone into construction?

Her face flushed when his eyes met hers and a side, confident smirk splayed across his lips.

Whatever the case, she wanted him to pursue the path he enjoyed most right now.

Kagome came to his side as she joined in the festivities. The locals cheered as bottles of sake were passed around along with home cooked meals. Jin laughed raucously before he began arguing with himself about which ever he preferred more. Touya simply made a plate for Eri and set the girl down so that she could eat in peace.

"You hungry too?" He offered her some of the tempura he was currently procuring for himself.

Her smile turned soft, "I'm positively starved."

The two settled into their seats around the common area with Eri wedged between them. The elderly neighbors gushed and cooed over how adorable she was. Kagome couldn't help but find herself agreeing with them. Eri often clung to herself or Touya for most of the day when she wasn't training with Aizawa. By now she'd gotten used to the girl following her like a second shadow. It was hard for her to imagine what life would be like without her now.

"So what'd you and the idiot talk about?" Touya questioned curiously.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Don't call him an idiot and we were just discussing turning the restaurant into a legitimate business. I think it'd be successful once we get more people here."

Which would be the next problem on her list of things to solve.

How exactly was she going to bring fresh blood into this aging and dying town with so much negative media coverage?

"Don't strain yourself over it. We'll figure it out one way or another." Touya dropped his palm over the top of her head in an affectionate manner, "You need to focus on keeping yourself healthy first."

She flushed but quickly resumed focus on her meal. Somehow, being scolded by Touya about being healthy just felt odd in a weird way. Not unpleasant, but certainly strange.

Kagome pressed her feet together nervously as she shifted beneath his touch.

They really couldn't risk being too affectionate right now yet she couldn't bring herself to bat his hand away.

She spied Touya's smirk as he slowly lowered his hand back down to his side.

"I think I'm going to invite some start up companies here." Kagome commented softly, "At least bring some kind of business to this town."

It wasn't much but maybe it would be the break they needed.

Her significant other shot her an indecipherable look, "Just so long as you don't overwork yourself. We'll help you in any way we can. After all, this is our home too."

Her smile softened as she watched the group laugh amongst the villagers.

That was right.

This town wasn't just a vestige of an age long forgotten.

It was their home.