The elaborate temple they approached was considerably more grand than anything Kagome had seen in her time in the feudal era. It was a tall building covered in decorative carvings and elaborate statues and columns. It almost looked top-heavy at its intimidating size, and Kagome noted that the exaggerated curves in the architecture reminded her of some of the oldest shrines she had seen in her home time. The famous ones that she had seen on school field trips anyway. They differed significantly from her family's shrine, which was much smaller and less ornate than this ostentatious building.
The three of them approached the steps leading up to the front doors and began the steep climb. The wolf demons had gone their separate ways by the time the sun had set, and they found themselves in a nearby town to rest the previous night. This morning, they'd gotten on the road early enough that it was still nice out. Fortunately, the trip here hadn't been too physically taxing.
Inuyasha grumbled at the steps and fussed over Kagome as she made her way up. His arm stayed on hers as they went so that he could make sure she was stable on her feet. She internally rolled her eyes at his overly cautious doting. Ever since the turtle demon had attacked, he had been on high alert with her. Even going so far as to try to feed her this morning, which she had very insistently declined.
She was trying to be understanding of his feelings, especially because she could feel them herself, but with his anxiety rolling through her in waves all day long, she could barely think. She wondered why this demon encounter had caused such a change in him, but she couldn't figure out where it differed from other battles they had fought before, outside of him being human for a portion.
They were almost at the doors when a priestess emerged from behind them to greet them with a low bow. The rest of the group followed in quick succession before Kaede stood and moved toward the other woman with outstretched arms.
"Hikari. This is Kagome, the Shikon Miko I have told ye so much about." Kaede gestured to the woman, who regarded her with bright eyes.
"It is nice to meet you, Kagome. I've heard so much about you. You as well, Inuyasha." The woman said and then gestured for them to follow her inside.
"It's good to meet you," Kagome said, following. Inuyasha seemed preoccupied with checking their surroundings to register the greeting.
The inside of the building was just as grand as the outside, and Kagome found herself looking at more than her own feet as she walked through. There were carvings gracing the walls and gilded ceilings glimmering above them. Hikari led them into a sitting room with a small table and various tomes and scrolls scattered throughout. They settled into place while Inuyasha paced the room's perimeter on high alert while they talked.
Kagome projected her confusion toward him, and he gave her a look before shaking his head and continuing his pacing. There were those intense waves of anxiety again; she lamented as her stomach lurched at the sensation. She gratefully took a cup of tea from Hikari, hoping it would help settle her a bit.
"Thank you for meeting us," Kagome said. She lifted the cup to her mouth and took a long drink. She marveled at the cup for a moment, realizing her stomach did feel better. At her apparent confusion, Hikari chimed in,
"Ginger tea. I picked it specifically for you all." She explained. With pleasantries dispensed, Hikari pulled several scrolls from behind her and plopped them onto the table with a thud. Kagome watched as she picked up one of them and opened it to a particular section further down.
"This is the current known history of the Tree of Ages. I've taken time to read through all of the information, and I have a tiny piece that pertains to what you're concerned about. The priestess who bound herself to the Tree was called Amaterastu." She said, showing an image of a woman. "She was a powerful priestess, and she was tasked with guarding the tree centuries ago. So the story goes, a great evil threatened the Tree and attempted to commandeer its power for its own.
"We don't know much about this threat, but we know it was much stronger than Amaterastu was then. She called on the sacred Tree to help her protect it, and it answered the call. She allowed it to pull her soul in, and it used her as a vessel to release a giant maelstrom of divine light that purified the offending demon on the spot.
"Amaterastu was stated to have been lost forever, and many believed her power wasn't strong enough to fight off the Tree. However, many also say that they could still feel her energy whenever they would stand near it. The leading theory is that she was assimilated into it, and she is a part of its core matrix now." She ended her explanation by opening the scroll to the image of a woman bathed in light floating before the tree.
"Lost forever, huh?" Inuyasha questions from the back of the room. "So the Tree is evil?"
"Quite the opposite, actually. The Tree is a powerful force of purification magic. It is thought to be linked to the power of many priestesses who have done incredible things throughout the ages." She explained.
"Take Kagome, for example. Her fate is bound to the Tree as much as yours, Inuyasha. That Tree is the very hinge of your relationship. Without it, you would never have met, never have destroyed the demon Naraku, never would have married, and your future children would not be able to exist and go on to do extraordinary things." The woman said. Kagome pondered her words for a moment, then hers and Inuyasha's heads both snapped in her direction.
"Future children?" They questioned in unison. Hikari smiled at them.
"Time is a fickle human construct that many use to explain the things around them. It is not so hard to manipulate, as you have seen, time traveler." She gestured at Kagome. "My studies have led me down many roads. One of them allowed me some glimpses of our possible futures, and your daughter will be something special. Not quite demon, not quite human, not quite miko, not quite past, not quite present, not quite future.
"I look forward to learning more about her." Hikari reached her hand over the table and touched Kagome's stomach gently.
"Can you not sense her half-demon?" She asked Inuyasha. He got closer, eyes wide, and took an inhale of Kagome. His gasp of surprise filled the room. He fell to his knees at her feet and laid his ear against her womb.
"How did I not notice?" He asked no one in particular. "I can hear her heartbeat."
"Are you serious? Already?!" She was shocked at the revelation.
"Aye. I would guess that ye conceived on your wedding night. Or at least within that span." Kaede said with a very immature snicker. She was smiling widely at them.
"Kaede, you knew?" They both glared at her with open mouths.
"I sensed it just in the last few days. I wanted to give it some more time before I got your hopes up. Just in case." She confirmed. "Don't worry, I've been looking after ye closely. Why do ye think your medicine was so awful during recovery? I had to change the ingredients, so it was safe."
"The spring!" Inuyasha said suddenly. "I knew you smelled different than usual. I was so caught up in you that I didn't even stop to think about it." He yelled. A blush rose to her cheek, and she didn't make eye contact with either of the women in front of her.
"Okay, okay. I need a minute; my head is spinning." She said and pressed her fingers to her temples to ward off the mounting headache. Inuyasha moved behind her to rub her shoulders and neck to ease the tension. "Let's go back to the Tree. One thing at a time. So, theoretically, I could use the Tree to stop her, right?"
"Yes, of course. But I think it is also important for you to know that it could be perilous for you to do that. We don't know what the outcome will be, and while we can hope it favorable, there is no way to say." Hikari warned.
"So there is really no way to know if I'll make it out of this?" Kagome asked.
"I wish there was an easier answer for you." She looked apologetic. "If you can use the Tree, then you will undoubtedly be able to face this threat. You must weigh for yourself if that is worth the risk." As Hikari finished speaking, Kaede pulled the gem out of her pocket and handed it to her.
"And what about this? What part would it play?" She asked. Hikari picked up the talisman like it may bite her and begrudgingly turned it over in her hands.
"This is powerful dark magic. It is a blood binding meant to allow domination over the victim. I have only seen these used by dark priestesses. You said this Jubo daiyokai was located where?" She questioned. Kagome gave the information for the stronghold.
"I believe she is using her base of operations in order to research and practice using spiritual power for the gain of evil. She likely made this herself. A demon delving into things like this is almost unheard of but not impossible with the stolen spiritual power you say she has accumulated. I don't sense the energy of a dark priestess here, though it is similar, so my only conclusion is that it came from her somehow." Hikari says.
"Just like the other talismans she's made with stolen spiritual energy." It was a statement, not a question. "It's a lot like what Tsubaki did to me in the past when she took control of my body." Kagome mused, feeling like she had the best picture they'd gotten so far of what Jubo was up to.
"Her goal is to manipulate the power of the Tree to use me as a conduit to go to the past. In her writings, she talked about the domination of demons over humans, and the only way to do that is to go back with an army and stop the problem before it begins." Kagome mused aloud.
"I think that is a very likely possibility." Hikari agreed, pulling out another scroll. "While I was researching the Tree, I found an additional piece of information that may help you. The Tree and the well form a connection with the people who travel through them and utilize their power. Based on past priestesses, I believe your connection to the Tree is unique, as you have done so much with both objects in and outside of your time. I believe you have the potential to manipulate the Tree's power in any direction if you were to bind to it. The reason I emphasize this is because if Jubo were to be able to get her claws in you, she would be able to use that bond for whatever schemes she is planning, in any time. It would make her infinitely more powerful." Hikari explains.
"Well, she doesn't have my blood since we took this, so she can't control me. That means that all we have to do is defeat her army, and she will go down. It may really be that simple." She looked to Inuyasha with a heart full of hope.
She thought through the last couple of weeks for a moment, trying to stitch together all of the information that they had gathered so far. It was somehow too much and not enough. Suddenly, a realization dawned on her,
"Hikari, could she have used this amulet to track us all the way here? We were attacked along the way." Kagome asked.
"Oh yes, that would be easy as long as she is the one that made it. Especially if she still had some of your blood, but then she could likely track you regardless with the resources at her disposal." She answered.
"It just always feels like she's somehow ten steps ahead of us," Kagome said, sighing.
"It felt like that with Naraku too. That doesn't mean we can't win." Inuyasha said, clasping her hand in his. "We can't give up before we try." He says firmly. She nods in agreement, pulling the scrolls closer to her and looking back over the images.
Fear settled deep in her stomach as she looked at what could be her fate when all was said and done. Fear for herself, for Inuyasha, for their friends, and most especially for their child. The idea of having a baby with Inuyasha had nestled itself into her mind perfectly, and it felt right. It also gave them even more to fight for, as though they needed another reason to live.
When she looked up from the scrolls, she felt like, despite having the answers she wanted, none of it mattered. Regardless of what she learned here today, they had to fight hard to make it out on the other side of this. At least now, they could say with certainty that they knew everything they possibly could, short of getting it from Jubo directly.
"We know everything we're going to know. This is it. We keep pushing forward under the assumption that we can beat her." She decided. Her words sounded confident even to her own ears, but she felt anything but.
"I'm sorry that there wasn't more for me to tell you, but I am so glad you made the trip. It was lovely to have met you and helped in your endeavors." Hikari said, handing Kagome one of the scrolls in front of them. "I copied all of the important bits for you. You can take this as a parting gift." She said.
"Thank you so much. We really appreciate it."
As they went to leave, Hikari pulled Kagome back a bit so they fell in step together, allowing Inuyasha and Kaede to get ahead of them as they all walked toward the front doors.
"Kagome. Before you go." Hikari said.
"Yes?"
"Your child. She is strong. She gets her spiritual power from you, after all, and that power will affect you as well. I believe you are even more powerful than you realize right now. I think that even if something wanted to bring you down, you would be impossible to beat. That's just one person's opinion, though." Hikari offered. There was a sparkle in her eyes that Kagome couldn't help but latch onto—more hope on another hopeless day.
"Thank you for everything," Kagome said simply, squeezing her hand before joining back up with her traveling group.
The trip home was much less eventful than the trip to Hikari's temple. Inuyasha found a way to dote on Kagome at every turn, and it seemed like his instincts were in overdrive now that he knew she was pregnant. At least that was one mystery explained.
Their homecoming was warm as they walked back into town, Kaede once again on Inuyasha's back. Sango, Miroku, and the girls had been milling around, but when they saw them, they ran to greet them.
"You're back! Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried." Sango said, pulling Kagome into a hug. She hugged her friend back tightly.
"Aunty 'Gome!" Kin'u yelled, climbing her way up Kagome's hakama.
"Uncle Yash!" Gyokuto yelled in tandem, wrapping her arms around Inuyasha's leg.
"Hello, little sun! It's so good to see you." Kagome said, pulling the little girl into her arms. She leaned forward to talk to Sango directly. "Sorry to worry you. We were attacked along the way. Slowed us down by about a day." Kagome explained. She caught Inuyasha setting Kaede down to hold Gyokuto; the gesture felt like it held even more weight these days.
"That's terrible news. And on top of that, you all just missed Rin by maybe an hour. Sesshomaru came to take her elsewhere with everything we have going on at the moment." Miroku explained as he unloaded bags from Kagome and Inuyasha's shoulders. "I would offer to take Kaede, but I'd venture to guess that Inuyasha is the only one who could carry her." He joked as they started off toward Inuyasha and Kagome's home.
"What are ye implying, boy?" Kaede asked with narrowed eyes, standing on her swollen feet again.
"Oh, nothing, of course. My apologies, Kaede. I didn't mean-" Sango cut off her stuttering husband.
"Miroku has juggled toddler twins. I think he can carry one woman for the short walk." She offered, throwing him under the bus with a pat on the back. He looked back at her wide-eyed but didn't argue.
Once Kaede was firmly settled on his back and Kagome in Inuyasha's arms despite her many protests, they finished their trek home.
Once inside, they threw together what meager food they still had fresh and caught Miroku and Sango up on everything that happened with Hikari. The two of them poured over the copied scroll for as long as Kagome had in the temple. After talking for ages, Sango and Miroku put the girls down for a nap in the spare room so they could continue strategizing.
"I certainly feel better knowing we have some wolves on our side," Miroku said. "With a dozen wolf demons and the five is us, I'd venture to guess that we could fight off at least thirty mid-level demons. Would you agree?"
"Maybe more honestly. We've done crazier with much less. I'm going to say 50. Just think about how many low-level demons we've fought against without a dozen wolf demons to lend a hand. Probably hundreds at a time." Sango argued. "And what about the Tree? It sounds like it might be a little less dangerous than initially thought?" She added.
"The Tree is out of the question," Inuyasha said quickly. Kagome started to argue, but he laid a hand over her stomach. "We aren't risking her or you." Inuyasha insisted.
"Wait, are you-?" Sango asked.
"I am definitely pregnant," Kagome announced to a chorus of excited noises.
"Our kids will be the same age!" Sango squealed.
"I'm not alone on the pregnant wife bandwagon!" Miroku cheered, holding a hand for Inuyasha to high-five, which he ignored. "Congrats, you two."
Kagome gave a sad smile; she wanted to celebrate, but it didn't feel like the right thing to do in this situation. Her body filled with melancholy, and she couldn't stop her face from falling.
"I'm sorry. We got too excited. There are huge implications to this. We're going to protect you at all costs, Kagome." Sango said, wrapping a hand around Kagome's and holding it tightly. Kagome only let one tear fall before she silenced her mind and switched topics. Inuyasha's arm found its way around her shoulders, giving her strength.
"Back to the task at hand. We have two weeks before Jubo attacks and a group of wolf demons on their way to help us. We need to set up lodging for them, even if it is temporary. And we need to prep a training session. I'm thinking Inuyasha and Koga can run them through demon drills, and me and Kaede can run them through spiritual power ones. I don't want to run the risk of us being unprepared when the time comes." She began babbling, trying to get all of her thoughts out at once. Everyone nodded along with her suggestions.
"Do you know when they will start arriving?" Miroku asked.
"Not for sure, but Koga said he would work as fast as possible, so I'm thinking soon." She replied.
"I bet we could build some temporary shelters for anyone we can't fit in spare bedrooms and huts. Fortunately, there are several abandoned huts just outside of town that I think we can use." He said.
"Plus, we can fit a lot of people in our houses to sleep on futons spread around. It may be a tight, uncomfortable space, but it will only be for a little while." Sango added.
"Miroku and I will start getting spaces ready tomorrow. In the meantime, I want both of you to take some time to rest. You need to conserve as much strength as possible." He said, looking at Kagome and Sango.
"Hey, we aren't invalids just because we're pregnant," Kagome argued, raising her voice. "I'm not just going to sit back and watch everyone else do the hard work. Especially not where this battle with Jubo is concerned, Inuyasha." She felt rage boiling its way through her skin.
"You're caring for two lives here, not just one. I'm not going to let you put your life on the line, not to mention our daughter's! Can't you see how crazy that is? You're being an idiot." Inuyasha grumbled.
"I'm the idiot? Look who's talking. I'm the best shot we have at getting through this unscathed. I understand you want me to be safe, but you can't just bench me on the sidelines like that and not expect me to even argue." Kagome said. She barely registered the words from Sango and Miroku as they grabbed the girls and Kaede to leave.
"We'll leave you guys to it. We'll come by in the morning." They whispered as they rushed out of the door and closed it behind them.
"Oh, trust me, I expect you, the only person to rival me in stubbornness, to argue. But I also expect you to push yourself way too hard and not let me help at all until you've run yourself into the ground first. I will do everything I can to keep that from happening." He argued.
"Sometimes sacrifice is necessary in situations like this. Sometimes, you don't have the luxury of thinking of yourself before everyone else. I'm at the center of this, and it's selfish to put all of our shit before so many people's lives! There are dozens of strangers coming here to lend a hand. All because we have incredible friends. We shouldn't have to lose anyone." She said.
"I know you, Kagome. I see the gears turning in your head. I feel your emotions. I know how much you want to save everyone. I know that you would sacrifice yourself if it meant everyone got to live. I'm watching you push down the idea of this pregnancy because you know if you get too attached, you won't be able to do what you believe you have to. And you know what, Kagome? Maybe I just want to be selfish this time. Maybe I don't want to risk losing you or our daughter at all. Maybe I just want one world-shattering event to not end in tragedy for me and the people I love. I can't do this again. I can't lose you like last time." His words were desperate now. She softened a little as she felt his desperation and sadness.
"I know. I know nothing ever gets better. Sometimes, it feels like we were made to suffer. But that doesn't mean we can pretend we have control. The only thing we can do right now is fight and fight hard. Let me fight." She begged, reaching out a hand to him. He shrugged her off and threaded both of his hands into his hair, pulling against his scalp.
"I just. I need a minute." He said, walking away from her toward their front door. When he walked through it and closed it behind him, she felt like she'd been stabbed in the chest.
The tears began to fall, and they did so rapidly. She couldn't remember the last time she cried like this, slumped over on the floor of their main room, sobbing her heart out. Everything was too much, and to top it off, she felt like she was losing her mind.
How was it that she made it here? Made it back to the life she so desperately craved to be a part of again and still faced so much pain and sorrow? How did she get everything she wanted and simultaneously have the threat of it all being ripped away from her again? How was it that every time she thought things were going to finally be okay, there was another threat to their peace?
She wanted a happy life. She wanted to be with Inuyasha. She wanted to enjoy their time together. She wanted to celebrate their pregnancy as she would if all of this hadn't happened. She wanted all of the fun milestones wrapped up in the mundanity of living. She just wanted a life. But apparently, that was too much to ask for. Or at least, too much to hope for without its weight crushing her.
Sitting on the floor, cold and alone, felt like an almost prophetic look into her future. If this was all that awaited her on the other side of this, if she could trade this existence for the lives of everyone around her, then she knew she would bear it. She knew in her heart of hearts that it was the right thing to do, and somehow, that only made her feel worse.
She wasn't sure how long she sat like that, crying endless tears. But after her back had gone stiff, her shoulders were sore, and her eyes were burning against the flow of tears, Inuyasha returned.
Without a word, he scooped her off the floor into his arms and carried her to bed. He tucked her tightly to his side and wrapped her up so she felt warm and safe. The tears never did stop that night until she finally let sleep claim her exhausted mind and body.
The following day, Kagome awoke to light streaming in from their windows. It was unwelcome, and she shoved a pillow over her head to block it out. A laughing Inuyasha rounded the corner after hearing her stir.
"Come on, love. You gotta get up and eat somethin'." He said, nudging the pillow off of her face. She groaned in protest. "We've had a rough couple of days. You need to gather some strength."
Kagome sat up, blinking against the light, and looked at him confusedly. He seemed fine, and it caused her to wonder if she had dreamed their fight last night. But the sting of tears was still lingering in her eyes, telling her that it had happened.
"You're not mad at me?" She asked, and he was already shaking his head before she finished the sentence.
"Never was. All of this sucks, and I needed to get my head on straight." He said with a sad smile. "I'm not wasting any more time I get to have with you. I wanna savor it all." He said, pressing a kiss to her lips. A knock at their door stilled their conversation, and Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound.
"Fucking wolf." He grumbled before leaving Kagome's side to get the door. He returned with their wolf demon companions in tow as Kagome was already rounding the corner to their living room.
"We're here!" Ayame called out as she sat at the hearth and made a plate, making herself at home. Kagome joined her, feeling like she hadn't eaten in days.
"Good thing I made extra. Figured it wouldn't be long before you made it here." Inuyasha said under his breath. They ignored his irritation.
"I'm surprised you all got here so quickly with all your matting ceremony stuff going on," Kagome said as she raised chopsticks to her mouth.
"Yeah, honestly, everyone had things so under control that we realized we could totally slip away for a while. This beats trying to wander around our territory, finding things to occupy time." Koga explained, shrugging and looking to Ayame for confirmation.
"Man, you needed to get out that bad?" Kagome asked. Ayame and Koga looked at her very seriously,
"Yes." They said simultaneously.
"I would rather fight a hundred battles than brave the social politics of a wolf-demon mating," Ayame said, shuddering dramatically. "But anyway, nice house you have here." She said, looking around again.
"Inuyasha and Miroku built it, Sango furnished it, and I was surprised by its existence the day we had our mating ceremony." She recalled, smiling at the memory. Inuyasha sat with her on the floor and locked his fingers with hers.
"One of the best surprises I've ever arranged, if I do say so myself." He said.
"Kind of a big space for just the two of you," Koga added, looking at Kagome intently. She could tell he was baiting her out, but she didn't feel like making any grand announcements right now. She just wanted to continue on, not being reminded of last night or the coming days.
"Yeah, it's got a good amount of space. But it's home." She said simply.
"Well, based on the smell of you, it seems like you'll be filling some of this extra space soon enough, huh?" Koga said, a happy smile painting his face. Kagome looked away from him, sighing. Unable to bear this conversation again. Inuyasha jumped in for her.
"Yeah, we were surprised by the news. But it was a welcome surprise." He said, rubbing his hand over her back. Kagome looked away momentarily and willed yet another round of tears away.
"Ooh, touchy subject. Don't worry, we won't randomly invade on private matters that aren't announced to us anymore." Ayame said, nudging Koga with her elbow.
"Oof." He made a pained noise, "Sorry."
"No, no, it's okay. I understand the curiosity. It's just still new, and there's a lot going on." She said quickly but not elaborating further, as the lump in her throat stopped her from continuing. Ayame seemed to recognize that she very much did not want to talk about this anymore.
"Say, do you all know where we're staying while we're here? The slayer said to ask you." She asked.
"I was thinking you two could stay here since you were generous enough to lend us so many hands in a fight that has virtually nothing to do with you. We have a whole extra room." Kagome offered. Ayame and Koga shared a look.
"Are you sure? We would hate to impose." Ayame offered kindly.
"It's no imposition. We all planned to give space to everyone coming to help." Inuyasha reassured. "Kind of a necessary sacrifice." He added, and Kagome nodded her agreement.
Once they had finished eating and talking, Inuyasha and Kagome gave their temporary roommates a tour of their space, helping them settle in with their things. Hopefully, the time would move by quickly, but even if it lingered, they knew that they would be able to make the most of it.
As they settled back into town, it was like they'd never left. The more time that passed, the more wolf demons were slowly moving in and taking up space. They were having frequent sparing matches with their new companions and found that many of them were strong fighters who knew how to take hits from a fellow demon with ease. However, fighting strong Mikos was another battle altogether.
Many weren't used to defending themselves from spiritual magic, and teaching them how was difficult. Fortunately, they had Miroku to help with this part of the teaching since he had done similar things as a monk.
No matter how many distractions they faced in the weeks leading up to the battle, Kagome found herself constantly going back to the Tree. It drew her in, and she was looking for any answers she could find beyond it, within it, or within herself.
Today, she sat under it to eat lunch and get a little time away from everyone. Inuyasha had, very lovingly mind you, been hovering around her like a helicopter, and some time to let the wind blow through her hair in silence sounded nice, even if the temperature was starting to drop.
She ran a stray hand over the rough tree bark as she had almost every day since she returned, but today, something was different. She felt a little zap of its aura underneath her fingertips.
"Can you feel me?" She asked the Tree. She felt an aura reach out and caress her own. "Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise. She felt like she could feel the Tree's presence in a way she hadn't before. Up to now, it had really just been a Tree.
Kagome thought back to something Hikari said about people sometimes feeling Ameterastu when they were near the Tree and wondered if maybe this was what those people had experienced.
Connecting to the Tree prompted memories of her using her magic throughout the years she spent in the feudal era fighting Naraku and even some of the times she interacted with the tree in her home time. Then, it was the memory of standing at the well several months ago, a tear falling down her cheek as she wished to return. So it was the Tree hearing my heart. Just like Kaede said, she thought.
"You've been helping all along the way, haven't you?" She felt like the answer was yes, but didn't get a direct response.
"What do we do now?" She wasn't necessarily asking the Tree, but the question came to her anyway. Her mind drifted to a familiar image then, but it wasn't of her own life. She saw the priestess Amaterastu being taken inside the Tree and using its magic to destroy a powerful demon.
"Is that the only way? I have to lose myself to you?" She asked, knowing no one was here to truly answer her questions. She already felt the tears stinging her eyes yet again. She was surprised her tear ducts hadn't withered and died by this point.
Something inside of her, however, felt that the Tree meant her no harm, whether directly or indirectly. She felt connected to it in a way that she couldn't explain. It felt like this Tree had been with her for her entire life. Like it knew her. Like she could trust it.
After all, the Tree had been a part of her life since the day she was born as the reincarnation of Kikyo. When she moved to the shrine as a child, the Tree stood watch. When she needed something to help her fight an enemy, it had produced that old arrowhead. When she tried to connect with Inuyasha through time during a catastrophe, it allowed her to do just that. Its connection to the well allowed her to have the very life she was now living. This Tree was a part of her life and a part of her story.
She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what it would likely come to in the end. The chances that they would make it through this unscathed were slim. Her only option was standing right in front of her, and she knew that if she played her cards right, she could save everyone, even herself.