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Things had been so much easier before he got involved with the Jewel of Four Souls. Once he reached an age where he could protect himself from humans, he had studiously avoided all they hated him and he hated them. The only way to prevent endless fights with them was to avoid them altogether. And so he made forest that bore his name his home.
It was only the coming of the Jewel to Kikyou that had drawn him back into contact with humans. Of course that contact continued to prove as he stared at the banners of the samurai below , he became that his worst fears had been realized. There stood humans bearing the colors of the Hojo.
Inuyasha had not seen them since the night of his mother's death. At that time one of Hojohad tried to kill him and he had been driven bloody, naked and alone out of his uncle's that day he had cursed the Hojo and vowed that despite the fact that they were his mother'sfamily that he would see them all killed. Now they were back raiding the villages near his forest.
Once he would have simply attacked them and tried to kill them to gain vengeance. Things weremore complicated could not use Tetsusaiga, which was a sword which allow itself to be used only in defenseof humans. Kagome had forbidden to kill humans ever since the they had saved the princess from the toad which had taken over her lord's body.
How was he to prevent these continued attacks on the villages without killing anyone. He needed some advice. He had not told Kagome of his enmity with the Hojo. He was determined to keep that must not allow the Hojo to learn of his presence in Kaede's village. Surely, that would bring their wrath down on the innocent villagers.
To try to solve the problem of the attacks on the villagers, he had scheduled a meeting between the Inutachi, the head man and Kaede. According to the position of the sun, he was already late for this he ran towards Kaede's village, he began to get his thoughts in order. If he could not stop
the Hojo, maybe there was someone who could help they had been fighting the Great Toad, Kagome had shown him a book from her erawhich claimed a knowledge of all events that would occur during the time he lived. Perhaps,there was something in that book which would give them a clue as to how to proceed.
He remembered Kagome had been particularly enamored of someone named "Oda Nobunaga"whom her book referred to as the "Great Idiot" Kagome seemed to be of the opinion that this man would unify Japan and end the fighting. Maybe he could help them with their problem.
When he finally arrived the Inutachi and Kaede were finally assembled in the headman's stared at the motley crew. A fox kit, a perverted cursed monk, a one-eyed hag who was onlya shadow of the miko her sister was, a warrior with a death wish due to all the guilt she carried for herself, her family and for Kohaku and the little girl in the green skirt who had given himback his life. They all stared at him wondering why they were in the headman's house.
Inuyasha bowed to the headman.. "Sorry I was late. I had to check on something which has a bearing on this meeting."
The headman nodded his head and response. "Perhaps you can tell us, young man, the reason thatwe have all been called here."
Inuyasha stammered, " It would seem that there are samurai making organized raids against the nearby villages. We need to stop them, but without killing anyone. I was looking for some help
rom you and rest of my pack."
The headman pondered what the young hanyou had said. He had been aware of the raiding parties and had been hoping that the group in front of him would be willing to fight if the samurai approached the knew the hanyou by reputation. He was the evil hanyou who had stole the jewel guarded byKikyou and burned the village. Kikyou had killed him before she succumbed to her wounds.
He was also aware that the jewel had returned when the girl in the short green skirt showed up to free the hanyou. He had been with Kaede when the hanyou had been freed by the girl and the jewel had torn out of the side of the was not sure he trusted either of them. He certainly did not like consorting with demons. The girl now seemed to side with the demon
So even though Kaede said that she was the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyou. He was not sure that that was good. Kikyou had brought down thewrath of the demons seeking the jewel on the stared at Inuyasha. Usually he would have acted already. Something about the samuraiwas holding him back from dealing with themi.
When no one spoke, Inuyasha finally broached his proposal. " There is supposed to be a great lord who has a castle at Gifu who might be interested in protecting the area around the village of Edo."
Kagome stirred. Could Inuyasha be talking about Oda Nobunaga.? Normally he never botheredhimself with human affairs. Why would he want to do so at this time?Why Oda Nobunaga? Suddenly a light when on her head. She had mentioned Nobunga in glowing terms to Inuyasha at the time that they had fought the Great Toad with a Nobunaga that was member of Takeda clan..
She had to get Inuyasha's attention somehow before he revealed her secret source of information. . When he continued to talk about Nobunaga without noticing her digs into his ribs, finally in frustration she said "Osuwari" The hanyou glared up at her from his hole in the dirt. "What was that for?" Kagome put her finger to her lips and motioned for him to come outside.
When the spell finally wore off, Inuyasha followed . "Okay ,what was that about?"he asked.
"That book reveals the future of Japan, we cannot let it become general my future might be changed and I might not even exist."
Inuyashsa could see the difficulties that this might bring. "So what does your book say about The Great Idiot".
Kagome quickly rifled through the dogearred textbook. "It appears this is somewhere during the 1550's of the common era .Oda Nobunaga is no more than nominal ruler of the Owari is only in control of Nagoya Castle."I cannot reveal future events to you or anyone else. Why do you need to see Nobunaga anyway?"
Inuyasha became very uncomfortable under this scrutiny. " I just thought that maybe he could help against the samurai who are raiding the local villages."
Kagome sighed, " I think that his attention will be elsewhere soon. Which group controls thearea around Edo anyway?".
Inuyasha pondered her question for a while before finally telling her "The Hojo"
Kagome was shocked. She must have fallen asleep during class or missed that day of could be ancestors of her friend. How could she act against them and risk destroying her friend? They must find another solution. Hadn't they twice met an Akitoki Hojo in their travels maybe he could help them approach the Hojo..In addition, the Oda clan had never attacked the Hojo clan in the course of their battlesInuyasha's proposal could have drastically changed Japanese history.
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha by the arm "Lets go back and tell them that contacting Oda Nobunagais out of the question at this time. We will have to see about contacting Akitoki Hojo aboutthis matter."
Inuyasha could not see what good this would do since Akitoki Hojo was one of the most incompetent fighters he had ever met. He also did not like the fact that Akitoki had revealed that he was in love with balked at this idea. He was unwilling to use Akitoki as as gobetween between themselves and daiymo who might have some control over these rogue samuari.
Kagome finally managed to convince Inuyasha that Akitoki would only be present to arrange ameeting with daiymo. Inuayasha would be present at all times when Akitoki and Kagome weretogether.
When they returned Kagome announced she and Inuyasha were going to contact Akitoki to tryto control the problem of the samurai. When they made contact with the daiymo , then the headman would approach him about keeping the peace. In the meantime Miroku and Sango were to keep an eye on the samurai.
As they left the headman's house, Inuyasha sighed. Human affairs were just too complicated for him. It would so much nicer just to be facing Naraku or thousands of demons, creatures you could kill without a second thought