She could've tried to talk Kagura out of coming with her, but the time was better spent packing supplies.
Kagome preferred to have her with her anyway.
Her dreams had been on repeat since that night, playing over in her head as if to taunt her inability to do anything, and she was too on edge to go alone.
It made Mama happy too.
She fussed over them, as any parent would, telling them to come back at any real sign of danger, but knowing they were trained enough to handle any threat.
She hoped.
It had taken another week for a rose to show up, it only reaffirming Kagome's decision when the youki wasn't as strong as it usually was—like it had travelled a great distance to get to her.
"Be safe," Emiko said, hugging them both in turn.
"Aren't we always?" Kagura said, bravado still intact.
"And take care of each other," she continued, eyes narrowing. "You're stronger together."
Kagome couldn't help but wish the beast was around to receive the lecture as well, though if he was, they wouldn't be taking this trip in the first place.
"Make sure to burn a sutra each day. It'll keep the barrier up." They'd never been gone this long before; all the scrolls she'd studied told her the protection spell would last, but the sense of foreboding gnawed at her, and Kagome couldn't help but want to clone herself.
"If anything happens, I'll go to the shiro," Emiko said. "I can disappear amongst the crowds."
With one last hug, Kagome nodded and was out the door, ready to face whatever was haunting the beast.
Or at least give him a piece of her mind.