InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love Thy Enemy ❯ Chapter 15

Love Thy Enemy

 

Like I said, the long-awaited plot dump!

 

Chapter 15

 

“What are we looking for here?” Inuyasha asked, following Yuka down the shelves of the archives. The crimson-haired youkai ignored him as she scanned the shelves.

 

“You said you wanted to know about the Order,” she said, looking. “I've heard the stories here and there, they were all the rage after the war all those centuries ago. Nowadays, good like finding any mention of them.”

 

“So stop wasting time looking and start talking,” Inuyasha ordered. Yuka gave him a look, then turned back to the shelves.

 

“Sometime around the turn of the century in the 600's, someone made an attempt on the Emperor's life. The ruler of Japan around that time was Emperess Jito. No one had ever fathomed the idea that someone would attack the Emperor. So, the Emperess formed a new order, dedicated solely to the protection of the royal throne and its heirs. They became known as the Order of the Three.”

 

“Three? Three what?” Inuyasha asked. Yuka turned to him.

 

“Treasures. When the first Emperor, Jimmu, was crowned, he was granted three treasures from the gods as proof of his royal birthright. To ensure proper succession of the royal bloodline, the Order of the Three was charged with protecting the Three Treasures and the heirs to the throne.”

 

“So what are the these treasures?” Inuyasha said.

 

“I honestly have no idea,” Yuka shook her head. “But judging from what we saw, I'd say that one of them is some sort of mirror.”

 

“Kagemusha mentioned they already had one. So if the Order of the Three is supposed to protect these treasures, why seek them now?”

 

“It was back around the beginning of the war,” Yuka started. “In 1597, the last known Emperor, Ashikaga Yoshiaki, died. His successor was a young boy named Kagewaki Hitomi. But before he could take the throne, a warlord named Onigumo Nobunaga marched on the capitol. Rather than risk being caught, Hitomi's parents fled the palace with the Three Treasures and the heir. By the time the battle was over, the treasures were gone, Onigumo was dead and Hitomi had vanished into time. The bloodline of the Emperors was lost. That was when the miko-youkai war began, when the higher-ranked miko and taiyoukai began declaring themselves suitable replacement Emperors.”

 

“So that's what this is about,” Inuyasha muttered as Yuka went back to scanning the book spines. “The Order and Magatsuhi want the treasures. If the treasures represent the imperial birthright, then…they must have found an heir to the throne.”

 

“That's what I'm thinking, and looking for,” Yuka nodded. “If one of Hitomi's descendents, assuming he had kids, lived to today, they would have a valid claim to the imperial throne and the royal bloodline. Of course, there's no way to prove it, unless you have the treasures. The rite of imperial ascension involving the treasures only works with a blood heir.”

 

“So if they had an heir, and got the treasures, they could crown a new Emperor for the first time in five hundred years,” Inuyasha finished.

 

“Bingo,” Yuka said, pulling down a book. “The problem is I have no idea how you could find any of those things. The treasures were lost centuries ago, and there's no telling who could be the imperial heir without them. But that's good for us, because it means Magatsuhi can't know who the heir is either.”

 

“Something doesn't make sense,” Inuyasha cut off. “If Magatsuhi and the Order were the Emperor's bodyguards, why fight them? Why not let them get the treasures and crown the Emperor? Seems to me that'd be a good way to end this war.”

 

“Yeah, but if what I heard about Magatsuhi is true, letting the Emperor take the throne is the last thing on his mind,” Yuka said, flipping through the book in her hands. “See, back when Onigumo was poised to attack the palace, the rumor mill said the palace was protected by forty thousand men. In reality, it was more like twenty-five hundred. They had spread false information about their numbers for security. Wanna take a guess who ratted them out to Onigumo and told him to attack?”

 

“Son of a bitch,” Inuyasha whispered as he realized what Yuka meant. “Magatsuhi sold out the Emperor to Onigumo.”

 

“Big time, and a big lot of good it did,” Yuka nodded, putting the book back. “At the end of the day, Onigumo was dead, and for whatever reason Magatsuhi betrayed the throne, he became hunted by youkai and miko alike. If Hitomi hadn't escaped the palace when he had, he would have been killed. So, seeing as how he tried to exterminate the royals in the first place, you really think Magatsuhi wants to put their heirs back in power?” Yuka turned around to Inuyasha.

 

“Unless I find what some sort of info here, which I doubt I will, we have to take this to Sesshomaru. If Magatsuhi finds the treasures, you can kiss the imperial bloodline, and the hope of ever seeing the Emperor's throne occupied again, goodbye,” Yuka said sternly. “Right now, the safest place for the heir to the throne is off it. And to keep it that way, we have to figure out what the remaining two treasures are and make sure Magatsuhi and the Order don't find them.”

 

“What if we killed Magatsuhi?” Inuyasha asked. Yuka let out a bark.

 

“Good luck. He's almost a thousand years old, Inuyasha, the oldest member of the Order, ranked 1st of eight.”

 

“But we've killed other members before,” Inuyasha reminded.

 

“Yeah, that's true…Kagemusha said he was ranked seventh. You said that guy Muso you killed was eighth,” Yuka listed.

 

“Two down, six to go,” Inuyasha said. “Seems simple to me.”

 

“When you're dealing with the Order, nothing is so simple. Magatsuhi is one of the oldest, most powerful creatures in existence. He's beyond such terms like miko, youkai…he's so much more than that. Inuyasha, I know you're strong, and you're becoming stronger. But believe me when I say, if you faced Magatsuhi in battle, he would destroy you.”

 

Inuyasha thought for a moment as Yuka finished, then looked up.

 

“We need to talk to Sesshomaru.”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“Kagemusha has been dispatched,” Magatsuhi whispered, running a finger along the beads of the necklace on the altar before him. Behind him, Abi hung her head and sighed.

 

“His loss is regrettable. But we already have one of the treasures, my lord. Surely there will be time to replenish our ranks after the heir is dealt with,” she said. Beside her, a man with a mask covering his face turned to her, glaring.

 

“We do not need the help of whelps that fall to hanyou scum!” a voice echoed from within the mask. Abi turned her head and moved her hand to the shaft of the halberd at her back. The man growled and lowered his head. Light pink hair covered his face as he lifted a claw to his mask.

 

“Kageromaru,” Magatsuhi called. The man whirled his head to stare as Magatsuhi turned. “Not now.” Kageromaru nodded and bowed his head and Magatsuhi descended the steps from the altar.

 

“You both speak truthfully, in part,” Magatsuhi declared. “We currently do not have the time or resources to seek worthy new members of our league, but when we do we will make sure they are stronger and more worthy than Kagemusha and Muso. For the time being, we must concentrate our efforts on what truly matters. Already our remaining numbers scour the globe seeking the remaining treasures. But also, there is the matter of the murderer to be dealt with.”

 

“His name is Inuyasha, my lord,” Abi said. “He is the hanyou son of the taiyoukai Toga.” A small smile graced Magatsuhi's face.

 

“Toga, the old mutt,” he chuckled. “I so heard he had whelps. How very fitting one of them should have killed two of my brethren and sullied the name of our legacy with the deed. When they die, I hope the irony shall not be lost on him.”

 

“The hanyou must be destroyed! One such as he cannot be allowed to disgrace our sacred sect with bloodshed!” Kageromaru said.

 

“Allow me to destroy him, my lord,” Abi requested. “It will be an honor to return to our sanctum with the hanyou's head.”

 

“No…” Magatsuhi shook his head. “I've no doubt in your abilities, either of you. But, the hanyou has killed two of our members. I will not risk losing more members to him. Especially you two, to lose ranks fifth and fourth would be a great blow. No, I believe if we are to slay the hanyou, we must spare to mercy to him, for he has spared none for us.” Abi's eyes widened, and Kageromaru stepped back.

 

“Do not be frightened,” Magatsuhi ordered. “He is fierce but he is yet one of our number. If anyone could slay the hanyou beyond myself, I am confident beyond words that the second of our order could do.”

 

“Then, you intend to…” Abi gasped.

 

“Yes,” Magatsuhi nodded. “This, I shall pass to Moryomaru to handle.”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“So, it's true then? We're fighting the Order of the Three.”

 

Inuyasha waited as Sesshomaru clasped his hands, and nodded.

 

“Yes, I am afraid so. The official information on the Order is that they disbanded centuries ago, and that Magatsuhi is dead,” Sesshomaru said. “Unofficially, we've become aware of their resurgence not too long ago, although looking back clues to their existence lead back a year. Whatever the case, it is clear the Order is using this war, and their spies, to conceal their actions as they seek the Three Treasures and the heir to the imperial throne…the person with the blood of the Minamoto clan flowing in their veins.”

 

“Do we have any information on them?” Yuka asked.

 

“Very little, but some. We've currently identified four known members. Rank eight, Muso, you killed, Inuyasha. Rank seven is Kagemusha, also dead now. In a miko attack, a source helped us identify rank five as a female youkai named Abi, And of course, Magatsuhi is rank one. The other four members, we do not know who they are, but we are searching for information.”

 

“So what do we do about this? Just wait for the Order to strike and stop them when they do?” Inuyasha said.

 

“Unfortunately, yes. That's all we can do,” Sesshomaru said. “However, once we have any information on the Order and the Three Treasures, we will mobilize immediately. We have to try and find out who their contacts and spies are, and try to determine where they are operating from. In the meantime, the youkai council is devoting a great deal of time into investigating any possible leads for the locations of the remaining treasures. If they find anything, Naraku will inform us.”

 

“Naraku,” Inuyasha growled. “I hate that guy. Sess, tell me you don't trust that asswipe.”

 

“I do, thank you. Naraku is a long-time ally of the youkai council, Inuyasha, and a good man.”

 

“He's a prick.”

 

“Considering the source, I'm sure he'd be wounded to hear so.”

 

“If we can set aside the family squabbling,” Yuka interrupted, stepping forward. “Sir, what are our current orders regarding the Order?”

 

“None, you did well tonight. Anything else to report?” Sesshomaru replied.

 

“We mentioned the miko, right?” Inuyasha said.

 

“Yes, which is quite distressing. But we'll handle it in time.”

 

“Then no, that's everything.”

 

“Very well. You can leave now, Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha turned and left with a roll of his eyes, while Yuka watched him leave. Sesshomaru clasped his hands together and thought. Naraku's accusations and suspicions began circling his head.

 

“If the miko are indeed allied with the Order…” he murmured, narrowing his eyes slightly.

 

“Sir?” Yuka asked. “Why did you ask me to remain behind?”

 

“I wish to know how Inuyasha fought in the battle,” Sesshomaru said.

 

“Very well, sir. He was able to successfully and single-handedly defeat Kagemusha, surely a great step up from his struggles with other, weaker opponents. He handled himself with agility and strength,” Yuka said.

 

“Good,” Sesshomaru nodded. “Has he discovered it yet?”

 

“Not that he has mentioned to me, sir. Surely if he had it, he would have used it tonight. It would be, will be, of great usage against the Order and their ranks.”

 

“True,” Sesshomaru agreed, leaning back. “I know we cannot directly teach it to him, but all the same, try your best, Yuka. We can at least provide opportunities for him to find it.”

 

“I am doing my best, but to be fair, he does not know there is something to look for,” Yuka said.

 

“Yes…he wields father's sword, but not his strength. It would be a great boon to his reputation, and mine, to give word of success to the council to pass along to father,” Sesshomaru thought aloud. “As is now, it's a little embarrassing. How long now has he used the Tetsusaiga, and he's still yet to find the Kaze-no-Kizu?”