Disclaimer: I swear it's getting harder to say every time but,.........*mumbles quickly*IdontownInuyasha. There I said it.


" " =dialogue
* * =thoughts or actions
*********** = P.O.V. change or setting and scene change
-------------- = Chapter change
~~~~~~~~ = mood change


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CHAPTER 19
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Kagome was awaking to the same morning light she always did, except that over the last week shadows were continually cast as guards moved around on her balcony. She rose from the bed and quietly walked to the end of the bed where Inuyasha resided. She smiled at his sleeping face, he could never stay awake the whole night. She brushed aside some of his bangs and just took this time to watch him without him being all fidgety under her stare. That's when she heard the shuffling of feet outside her door, usually everyone was extremely quiet in the morning to let the Royals sleep. Kagome scowled slightly as she stood up from her crouching position, thoroughly confused by the situation.

Inuyasha began to wake up at the moment and while he was rubbing sleep from his eyes, kagome spoke.

"Inuyasha, somethings up."

"what....?" he said still waking up and then stood up nest to her.

"Somethings up, no one moves around this loudly in the morning."

"Ok then, let's check it out."

Kagome nodded and they headed for the door. Kagome left first and moved off to the left to let Inuyasha exit the room. They both stood there watching the maids rush by with worried looks on their faces. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other and then stepped into the fray of people, hoping to end up somewhere in the general direction of the throne room.

Luckily they both made it to the Throne room without being torn in different directions. They caught their breath, (it was hard to breath in the clutter) and opened the doors to the throne room. Inside they found the Queen sitting worriedly on her throne and the King putting on armor.

"What's wrong?" kagome asked her parents.

The King turned to Kagome with a grave expression, "One of the villages has been burned down. I have to go search for survivors."

Inuyasha was awake now, "Let me come with you." he requested. the King merely glanced at him and nodded. With that Kagome watched as Inuyasha ran back up to fetch the sword he always carried around, except when he forgot it because a certain girl dragged him away before he woke up. He had even named the sword, Tessaiga. Once he was gone from sight, Kagome turned to back to face her father.

"I'm going too." she said as a statement, not a request.

The King looked up once again from putting on his sword to look at Kagome. "Now Kagome, a ruined town is no place for a princess."

"As future Queen I believe I have the right to see it."

The King pondered what she had said and let out a loud sigh. "Very well then, but you must not leave Inuyasha's side, do you understand?"

"Yes Father."

Fifteen minutes later they left in a carriage to the ruins of the previously standing city of Foxfort.

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The city lay in smoldering ashes and Kagome stood in front of it, mouth agape and heart sour. It was awful that this had happened. What could have caused it? There weren't any trees or grass around, just dirt. It was deliberately set, but by who?
Inuyasha, the King, and some other men brushed past Kagome to scout for survivors, perhaps under the remains of houses that weren't burnt. As the King walked by he whispered for only Kagome to hear, "Remember, you stay by Inuyasha."

Kagome nodded and looked to Inuyasha, who stood smirking at her. His sensitive hearing must have picked p what the King said. Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes, then stood to stand next to Inuyasha. She crossed her arms and glared at him, daring him to say anything. He saw the meaning and let out a "Keh" before turning and marching into the ruins.

She followed solemnly behind him, depressed by the ruins around her. Her sad expression didn't go unnoticed and Inuyasha continually looked back at her to see if she was okay. That is he did continually look back, until he was called by the King to lift a large wooden remnant of a house of a survivor.


"Stay here." he had ordered before he took off to help the men lift the inanimate object.

*Yeah right.* thought Kagome as she set out on her way to continue looking around the town.

Kagome wandered around aimlessly, no clue to what she was looking for, that's when she heard crying. *What could that be?* she wondered to herself with a frown. As she moved forward, the crying became louder. *It must be this way* She hurried along towards it until she found herself at a run. That's when she saw a small figure on the ground. She slowed to a walk and walked cautiously towards it. It was a little boy, no....a kitsune. It was crying down on it's knees, showing no signs of stopping.

"What's wrong, little boy." asked Kagome when she was close enough for him to hear.

The boy was startled, he had not heard Kagome walk up to him. He stopped his crying and it turned into an angry expression and he puffed out his chest.

"I'm not a little boy." He cried indignantly

Kagome giggled, "all right then, will you tell me your name and what's wrong.

The boy's face saddened and tears started to gather in his eyes once again. "My name's Shippou....and my parents were killed in the fire!" The waterworks came on and he was wailing once again. But this time, he got up from the ground and ran for Kagome. Kagome bent down on her knees and embraced the boy and he cried in her lap.

She ran her hand up and down his back and whispered soothing words to him, soon enough he was sound asleep, worn out from the emotional stress. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms. She turned and went to search for the rest of the group. *Hmmmm......poor Shippou...*

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Kagome spotted a group of men up ahead, she also saw the worried looks on all of their faces. Inuyasha was the first to spot her and came running towards her. He stopped a foot away from her and stared down at the boy in her arms.

"What is that?"

"Yes, I'm fine Inuyasha, thanks for caring." Kagome said sarcastically

"Of course! Are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine, I can take care of myself!!"

"Your the one who wanted me to ask! Stop biting off my head!"

"Whatever. Anyway, the "thing" is a young kitsune. His name is Shippou and he lost his family in the fire."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say so he just said "Oh." Then the King walked over to her. "Kagome! I thought I told you to stay close to Inuyasha!"

" I know dad...but aren't you glad I didn't. If I hadn't no one would have found this poor child."

The King couldn't say much to that so he remained silent, his anger slipping away. He sighed, "What are you going to do with him?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to ask you. While I was walking back I thought about it and I decided I want to adopt him."

Both Inuyasha's' and the Kings' jaws dropped. then Inuyasha sputtered, "Wh-WHAT!?!?!"

" I said I want to adopt him. I feel so sorry for him and he's so cute! Don't worry, he'll be completely my responsibility." Before they could argue, Kagome walked past them with the boy in her arms and got into the carriage for the ride home.

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A/N: Just a note to everyone. I do try and maintain the original personalities of every character, but they do change once in a while to better fit the story. If you want to read a story where the characters are EXACTLY like in the manga and anime, then this isn't the story for you. For the people who continue to read....THANK YOU!!!!