Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 20's

Shiro's golden eyes stared fixedly at the figure of Shura who was practicing swinging the sword in his hand within the garden of the Southern Land Palace. Both of his eyebrows were clutched, a confused expression clearly visible on his face.

"Sister Shiro, why does Big Brother keep staring at Kak Shura?" sakura asked who was beside Shiro all of a sudden.

"Just leave your brother, Sakura-chan. He was just contemplating thinking of something that his mind could not accept." Said Mamoru who was also there.

"Be quiet, Mamoru!" hardik Shiro was upset.

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm quiet." Reply Mamoru cuek.

Sakura who saw Shiro's reaction could only sigh. She did not understand what her brother was thinking, and it seemed, her brother was also not willing to tell her. Sighing once more, the little hanyou then turned his head to stare at the figure of Shura who was practicing swinging the sword in front.

Shiro's head was actually being filled with questions and also disbelief of the inuyoukai figure in front of him. He could not believe that the wounds so severe that Shura had now healed completely. Youkai does have the ability to heal wounds very quickly, Shiro knows that, but for the sake of all the gods that exist! How could this possibly happen? Because, just a week has passed! The prediction is that the wounds will heal within a month.

Then, one more thing that greatly disturbs the mind and irritates Shiro, namely Shura who refuses his help. As she volunteered to help the inuyoukai to defeat Akihiko, coldly without changing her facial expression, Shura refused.

"no need. I don't need help from you weak."

Recalling Shura's reply back then, Shiro could only try hard to resist the vexation in his heart that seemed to want to explode. The Inuyoukai was really similar to his real father, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West Land aka his uncle. A very arrogant, cold attitude and consider anyone weak.

"Don't think too much, Shiro. The path of his mind is different to ours," Mamoru said suddenly, making Shiro and Sakura turn her head to look at him. His eyes glared at the blue sky above. "I don't understand why, Shura was so insistent on keeping the never-said agreement that existed. Ah, that's stupid. Promises are made to be broken?"

"Yes! Aye! Like you promised to take care of Sakura, but in the end you left to peek at the bathing monkey!" shouts Shiro annoyed.

Shiro's words only made Mamoru laugh nervously. He cursed himself now. He shouldn't have brought up the word promise in front of this hanyou. While the real Shura could hear clearly their conversation with his sharp sense of hearing was still indifferent.

Suddenly, Shiro, Shiro, Sakura and Mamoru who were in the garden felt the terrifying aura of a youkai approaching towards them. There was not the slightest bit of panic they felt, as no ill will from him was felt. Then, they also knew, the approaching youkai was Akihiko, the Sovereign of the Southern Land.

Shura continued her practice of swinging the sword in her hand, as did Shiro, Sakura and Mamoru who were watching it when Akihiko had arrived near them. Calmly, Akihiko then sat down beside Sakura. His eyes stared at the small inuyoukai figure who was swinging his sword in silence.

Sakura who was beside Akihiko started to feel some discomfort. Something was very disturbing to his heart. Braving himself, he raised his face looking at the Southern Land Ruler. "Ehm... Anu, Akihiko-sama. S-Sakura wants to ask you something.."

Sakura's words continued to make everyone there turn their heads to look at her, including Shura who was swinging the sword in hand. However, the little hanyou did not notice it, stammering, he opened his mouth. "J-Don't hurt Kak Shura again..," tears immediately flowed down her cheeks. "S-Sakura doesn't want Brother Shura to get hurt..."

Sakura's plea only made Akihiko who saw her want to laugh. He could not deny, despite inheriting the blood of hanyou that he had never liked and the roughest man he had ever seen, this little hanyou was really very worrisome.

Shiro just sneered while throwing his face at Sakura's plea, he did not like the fact his sister kept watching Shura. Mamoru could only shake his head and mutter, "Ah, youth..."

As for Shura, she growled full of annoyance. She dislikes Sakura's attitude of trying hard to protect herself, because it's not Sakura, she's the one who should be protecting the little hanyou. Re-flashing his sword, he immediately walked over to Sakura. His hand immediately raised wiped away the tears, "Don't cry." his orders were flat.

Sensing the warmth of Shura's hand, Sakura immediately raised her head staring at the inuyoukai face in front of her.

"If you want, laugh for me. Not crying for me." Shura continued with her emotionless flat voice.

Said Shura it really made everyone there surprised. Akihiko laughed immediately. What Tsubasa said to her was indeed true, this little hanyou had actually managed to melt the ice heart of the inuyoukai. Shiro could only sneer back and throw his face away, while Mamoru could only smile. Then, to Sakura, she could only raise her small hand clasping Shura's hand which was wiping away the tears on her cheeks, revealing the best smile and laughter she had.

Seeing that smile and laughter, for the first time in his life, Shura was stunned to the point of not knowing what to do. That smile and laughter managed to make his heart beat fast. Not caring about her surroundings, she immediately lowered the hand that was on her little cheek and hugged him tightly.

"Hey! Bawdy dog! Release My Brother!" shiro shouted frantically full of anger as soon as he saw Shura hugging Sakura. However, the concerned does not care. She tightened her embrace, as well as Sakura, she could only laugh out loud and return the hug just as tightly.

"Take off my brother, you pervert dog!" yell Shiro again. His two hands immediately moved to separate Shura and Sakura's arms. However, Shura immediately jumped back while carrying Sakura. His head lifted looking intently at Shiro with eyes that had turned a blood-curdling color and growled in anger.

"Don't growl and look at me like that! I'm not afraid, pervert dog!" shiro yelled again fearlessly and stepped foot to pull his sister.

Aikihiko and Mamoru could only sit looking at the scene in front of them, which was Shura who kept avoiding Shiro while holding Sakura. While Sakura who became the main problem can only laugh freely full of excitement, as if what happened was a game.

Unable to stand Shiro's constant attempts to capture Sakura, Shura finally decides to leave the park where they are now. The youkai blood within him felt extremely jolting, he could not let anyone who intended to snatch Sakura away from him even if it was his Big Sister Bladder. Moreover, she herself could not believe herself being able to refrain from harming Shiro if this continued. Perhaps the only thing that made her think this way was that she did not want Sakura to cry if she saw that her stupid sister was injured because of her.

Not wasting any time, Shura instantly transformed herself and Sakura into a blue fireball and flew away. Unable to let it go, Shiro immediately stepped foot into the chase. However, Akihiko suddenly stopped him. "Stop, hanyou. Let them both or you'll get hurt."

Shiro turned his head to look at Akihiko full of anger. "What do you mean!? Just yummy! I can't trust that nasty dog!?"

"Shura is a true Alpha. Protecting and attacking without feather anyone who dares to fight or even intends to seize something of his own is rooted in him. She thought Sakura was hers. Therefore, I don't think he'll hesitate to attack you if you continue to act like this." Clearly Akihiko without turning his head was Shiro. His eyes stared straight at the late autumn blue sky above him.

"Sakura's not hers, you know!? Sakura is ours! Mine, Father and Mother! And you think I'm afraid of that perverted dog!?"

"Never underestimate Shura, hanyou." Akihiko slowly lowered his head staring at Shiro. "Shura strong. Real strong. Later, as an adult, he will definitely become stronger than anyone, even myself and that arrogant dog."

"Sorry, Akihiko-sama. If that's your belief, then you know it too, right? You won't be able to hold Shura here forever. In other words, you can't possibly keep secret who Rin really is forever.." Clearly Mamoru quietly.

Akihiko just kept silent. However, for a moment he raised his head to look at the sky above. "Yes. I already know. However, if that time comes. I'm sure he won't be able to choose the west. An arrogant dog who never wanted it, as well as the harsh reality that he was the cause of Rin's death.... Shura will choose the south, be my heir."

"Curtain!" shirou suddenly. He looked at Akihiko's annoyance. "How many times have I said! You who don't know what's going on and the bond of the three of them know what?! Nothing will make Shura choose the south! Moreover, you think your subordinates want to?! Shura is the son of the Lord of the West! You think your subordinates want to accept him as their leader! You're dreaming too much!"

"No one will mind, hanyou." Reply Akihiko was calm, still not turning his head to Shiro who was confused by his words. "Who Shura really is, all the youkai in the south know. Therefore, if Shura wanted to become the Sovereign of the Southern Land, there would not be a single youkai clan in the south that would object."

"What do you mean?" tanya Shiro was getting confused.

"The "war between the west and the south twelve years ago was a war without a winner. Everyone knows that, but it's wrong. There's a winner in that war."

"Ehm, does it seem like I need correction, Akihiko-sama? You who lead the south and Sesshoumaru who leads the west are not winners. The boundary between the west and south has never changed." Mamoru Correction slowly. He couldn't help but correct this misunderstanding, because even though he was a child, he was there, in the last seconds of a great war between the west and the south that was beyond belief.

"Because the winner is not between the two of us." Akihiko again lowered his head staring at Shiro and Mamoru. "The war winner was the only winner who was never spoken and told."

"Who?" shiro asked in confusion. He never clearly remembered the end of that war even though he was there, because he was still very small back then. However, in his life, from the stories that exist, there is indeed no winner in the war.

Akihiko smiled at the question. He could clearly see the confusion in the faces of the two of them. "Rin. He is the true victor of the war twelve years ago."

Shiro and Mamoru's eyes immediately widened in shock at the unexpected answer.

"In that war, all the youkai clans in the south and west were indebted to him. South and west can still be like this now is thanks to the magic it has. Therefore, if Shura wanted to become the Southern Land Ruler in the future, no one would object. They'll take it with pleasure."

Shiro and Mamoru were unable to reply to Akihiko's words.

Under the reddened sky. The human girl smiled widely with eyes full of tears of happiness. His hands tightly hugged the necklace that was on his chest. Before him, hundreds of pairs of youkai eyes stared in disbelief at the girl, surprised, because what the human girl did was indeed a miracle. The little girl's mouth then opened and said something very simple.

"Thank God... Thank You..."

"No! Nah! This is not the time to think about who won who lost the war twelve years ago!" shouts Shiro suddenly while shaking his head. He looked back at Akihiko. "You're wrong! I don't care what you say! Shura would not have possibly chosen the south! I'll drag him back west if he dares to do that!"

Akihiko laughed at Shiro's words. "Whatever you say, hanyou." Not caring for Shiro or Mamoru, the ruler of the southern land then got up and walked away.

"Hey! Waitaminute! Don't go!" shiro yells to try to stop Akihiko, but Mamoru immediately stops him.

"Take off me Mamoru!" shiro Protest. "I must tell the stupid wolf plainly that what he's planning won't work."

"Stop, Shiro! We are now in the south. Don't make something that could endanger our lives! Remember, Sakura-chan is here too."

Shiro instantly came to a halt as soon as he heard his sister's name mentioned, and it really made Mamoru breathe a sigh of relief. Just like his biological father, Shiro always acts before thinking. Staring at the hanyou in front of him, Mamoru could only nod his head full of confusion again. "Why you, Shiro? I thought you didn't like Shura. But looking at you right now, it seems I was wrong, you love your cousin so much..."

Mamoru's words made Shiro's eyes widen. "You're wrong, Mamoru! I hate that dog! I didn't say hello" Shiro panic protested. But, his speech was immediately stopped because from behind, he heard the voices of Aya and Maya who shouted to him and Mamoru was full of panic.

"Shiro! Mamoru!"

Shiro and Mamoru knew something was wrong, they immediately ran up to the two twin brothers.

"What's the matter Aya, Kaka Maya?" ask Mamoru quickly.

"We received a message from Mother through the dove she sent." Answer Aya quickly. His eyes were full of panic.

"What message?" ask Shiro quickly.

"Message that we can't go back west. The West has been pushed by the north. The Western Land Palace has been successfully attacked to the point of being severely damaged by youkai from the north." Answer Maya.

"No way!" shouts Shiro and Mamoru in surprise.

"Yes, that's impossible." said someone from behind them all of a sudden.

All who heard the voice knew who the owner of the quiet voice was. They immediately turned their heads back and found Shura standing looking at them with an expressionless look. However, Shiro could clearly see the panic and disbelief within the pair of golden eyes.

....xoxOx....