Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 51's

Stepping aside the existing youkai, Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Kenji continue on their journey. Inuyasha's face did not show the slightest expression of delight since leaving the western land palace, whose face was always irritated and humiliated.

"Until when do you want to put on such a facial expression, Inuyasha?" ask Kagome who can not stand the attitude of her husband.

"Why should I avoid youkai who are much weaker than me, Kagome? I can eliminate them all with a single slash of Tessaiga!" inuyasha Protest. His golden eyes glared at his wife.

"Because we don't want to attract attention, Inuyasha." Miroku who was silent. His eyes then looked at Sango who was beside him. His wife said nothing, but she knew she was worried about Maya, Aya, Mamoru and Shiro who had left them with Kohaku in the western court.

Sighing, Miroku could only think, but after having a family and having children, their journey had unwittingly changed. They could not calmly wander anywhere else, because they would always worry about their child not being on the side, especially in a state of war that would start soon.

They were all originally planning to leave the children in the village they were staying in. However, a dangerous predicament leads them to finally decide to leave the children in the western land palace under the supervision of Kohaku. At least the western land palace was the last place that would be attacked south if the west was pressed.

Kohaku initially disapproves of staying at the western land palace guarding the children, as he himself wants to follow them to rescue Rin. However, he realized that among all of them, he was the weakest. Better those strong ones who went to rescue Rin than her.

Patting Sango's shoulder gently, Miroku gave a spirited support, "The kids will be fine, there's Kohaku, take it easy."

Sango smiled and nodded his head. He believed in his sister looking after the children, only worries remained.

Kagome silently silently listened to Miroku's words. If he said he wasn't worried about the children, then it was a lie, but they couldn't possibly take the children on this trip.

As if he could read Kagome's mind, Kenji who walked forward opened his mouth. "Don't worry too much, the war is already in sight, but this war will also not happen immediately. My prediction, we still have about a week."

"You sure enough?" inuyasha. Folding his hands on his chest, he looked at Kenji with a disdainful look. He disagrees with the monkey youkai saying they still have that much time. Sesshoumaru and the blood-loving youkai are unlikely to sit patiently waiting to start a war.

"Sesshoumaru and Akihiko were not youkai acting rashly and not thinking long," stopping his footsteps, Kenji then turned his back to look at Inuyasha and the others. "I've known them since childhood. The two of them are true noble youkai with high literary soul, they will not directly fight blindly without honor."

"Keh," Inuyasha's lips disagreed. "What "high literary spirit? Especially Akihiko from the south! Do you think kidnapping Rin when the war is about to take place is a high literary soul?"

Kenji scrunched his forehead at Inuyasha's question. "Well," he said later with a sigh. "That's what I don't understand. The kidnapped Rin is really very bad, I doubt it was Akihiko's plan."

"The point is Rin was indeed kidnapped," Inuyasha cut in annoyance. His patience runs out when he hears Kenji continues to think Sesshoumaru and Akihiko are worthy of respect. "Both Akihiko and Seshoumaru they are both ad— "

The familiar aura and smell that Inuyasha smelled made the hanyou stop talking. Approaching Kagome, he placed his wife behind, while his pair of golden eyes stared straight at the bushes in front with a dislike expression.

Inuyasha's attitude immediately made Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Kenji wary. Inuyasha who was an inuhanyou could always predict anyone who approached with his keen sense of smell, so, no doubt there was someone youkai approaching them now.

The bushes in front of them suddenly moved, they could all feel the aura of the youkai. However, the moment they saw who the youkai was, they could not hide their shock.

"Koga??!!"

....xoxOx....

Akihiko walked slowly down the hallway of the southern land palace in the darkness of night. His face is expressionless. His slow footsteps walked towards the sword training ground. He wants to let go of all boredom as a ruler, especially with the preparation of war in plain sight all day. Moving his body and practicing the sword was always effective at relieving his sense of boredom.

Name no naka

Kaze no naka

Akihiko's ears catch a woman's singing voice. The sound was as sweet as the clink of a bell. He was a little curious about who was singing.

Yume no naka's

Sesshoumaru-sama doko ni iru

Jakken - sama wo shita naete

He scrunched his forehead when he heard the singing voice mention the name of his nemesis. The curiosity in her heart instantly disappeared, she knew that the one singing was the human girl; rin, hime from the west.

Watashi wa hitori de machimashou

Sesshoumaru - samomodori wo

As Akihiko's feet stepped on the arid field where he was practicing the sword, he was stunned. In the middle of the field, the human girl was sitting on the ground looking up at her head facing the night sky with her eyes closed.

The moonlight that was not full illuminated the human girl. And Akihiko must admit; beautiful. That human girl is so beautiful. With hair as black as the sky without stars, skin as white as snow, nose pointed, cheeks and lips as the color of red roses—in this arid land, he was like a flower.

Realizing the presence of someone, the human girl opened her eyes and lowered her head looking at Akihiko. A moment later, a beautiful smile spread on his lips—a smile that returned made the ruler of the southern land stunned.

Smile it again. Akihiko was unable to explain what she felt upon seeing that smile. And, most importantly; he did not understand, why would the human girl want to smile like that to him.

The smile that remained on the human girl's face made Akihiko start to feel angry. Does the girl not know their differences? Difference between youkai and human. If so, he will show it.

Releasing his killing lust, Akihiko's eyes turned blood red. A thick blue smoke surrounded the southern land's ruling body, and a second later its beautiful figure had been replaced with a large white wolf.

Rin stopped her footsteps as soon as she saw the real figure of Akihiko, the ruler of the southern land.

The wolf was huge, its two red eyes fixed on Rin with murderous lust, grinning with sharp fangs.

Rin was stunned for a moment. Wolfs. Seemingly in his deepest heart, he had little fear of wolves, for his first death was due to wolves. However, not knowing why, looking at the huge white wolf in front of him, he could not feel like it. Under the moonlight that was not full, the wolf's white fur seemed to be brilliant silver, and he had to admit it. "Beautiful.." slowly muttered.

Although slowly, Akihiko could hear what Rin was muttering. He was stunned again, but, a second later, the ruler of the southern land brushed off the feeling with anger. His large head was directed right in front of the human girl, growling with rage ready to pounce within a few centimeters.

Akihiko's angry gaze did not make Rin tremble at all, instead she smiled. "Your original form is very charming Akihiko-sama. As your name means brilliant Prince."

Akihiko was surprised by what Rin said. His murderous lust and grin of anger disappeared. Still staring at the human girl, he inevitably, asked, "Are you not afraid of me?"

"Why should Rin be afraid?" rin did not understand.

Still in his original figure, Akihiko replied. "Because I'm a youkai and you're human."

"Rin knows that, then?" ask Rin again. His two big brown eyes looked straight at Akihiko.

The large brown eyes that were staring straight at him made Akihiko seem unable to speak. Those eyes were very clear, and he could see clearly, the girl really did not understand his explanation.—she really did not know the difference between youkai and humans.

Turning his wolf head away from Rin, Akihiko's blood-red eyes did not take his eyes off the human girl's figure. "Because youkai are bloodthirsty creatures."

Bloodthirsty.

Akihiko's reply left Rin stunned for a moment. Bloodthirsty; akihiko was not the first to tell him that. Ever since understanding this world, he had been taught youkai were bloodthirsty, cruel and heartless creatures. Youkai is a dangerous thing to avoid.

But, in his life. There are humans more dangerous than youkai, don't all human families die at the hands of humans? Then, youkai...

Sesshoumaru's face was reflected in Rin's mind. Youkai who saved him, youkai who gave him life until now. Worth it?—of course not.

So, youkai and human, what's the difference?

And if there is a difference, the difference is only one, that is....

forever together.

There was a pain Rin felt when the word crossed. Bending her head down, she squeezed the chest of the kimono she was wearing. The most obvious difference between youkai and human is that humans have short lifespans and youkai who have long lifespans— forever together are impossible.

Akihiko could feel Rin's mood swings. He could see the smile disappearing from the human girl's face, and yet, not knowing why, he did not feel happy.

"It doesn't matter" Rin said suddenly. Raising his head again, he looked straight at Akihiko's eyes. A smile re-enfolds her beautiful face. "For Rin it doesn't matter. Man or youkai, it doesn't matter."

Rin didn't want to think about it. He knew, he was conscious, but he did not want to think about that reality; forever together. He's still alive, isn't that enough for now?

Akihiko lost her voice seeing Rin's smile again. A warm smile and a straight gaze without lies, made him unable to take his eyes off. This girl was different from all the humans she had ever seen. So different that it feels unreal. He had lived for hundreds of years, this was the first time he had seen a soul completely pure free from all the stains of the world. The way he thought, his view of life—unwittingly, the heart of the ruler of the southern land beat fast.

....xoxOx....

Tsubasa's pair of red eyes stared at the figure of a large wolf and a human standing face to face from a distance. Her beautiful face could not hide the shock she felt. The shock immediately turned into anger.

"Tsubasa-sama.." call Himiko the personal lady-in-waiting of the southern land's favorite concubine slowly. He could clearly feel the anger of his master.

Tsubasa was silent not retaliating. His red eyes could not escape from Akihiko's figure. He saw everything from the beginning, the interaction of the man he loved as well as the human girl. Why didn't Akihiko kill the girl? And most importantly, why was the heart of the ruler of the western land beating so fast? Why was his gaze directed at the human girl so different?

....xoxOx....

Akiko wrote something on a piece of paper. A big smile flashed across her pretty face. He was still in the palace of the western lands, not to mention his intention to return to the east despite the western and southern wars that were in sight.

"Take this letter to my father." Akiko commands one of her maids after she finishes writing.

With alacrity and respect, the lady-in-waiting Akiko did as she was told. Not asking anything more, he immediately walked out of Akiko's room.

Unmoving, Akiko turned her face to the open window of the room. The shadow of a human girl known as Hime from the west appeared in his mind, and instantly, a grin of grin flashed across his face. Hime from the west who is now in the south, the beloved human girl of many youkai—himself can't wait to destroy it.