Alright, I have no idea what I'm doing with this thing. All I know is that I'm sort'a stuck on MSaS and for some reason I wanted to do this fic. I know, it seems weird, but hey, it's 11 o'clock at night, I'm getting over bronchitis, the antibiotics and cough syrup are doing funny things to my head, the TV doesn't work, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim are not worth much at the moment, and I'm tired yet don't want to go to bed.

To those reading this, hoping for an update on MSaS, I'm getting there. I'm just taking a longer break from it than I thought I would.

To those reading this who have no idea what I'm talking about and just want to read this for some reason, go right ahead. Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone from Naruto or Inuyasha. Anything that pertains to them belong to their respective creators.

oOoOo

The Sealing

The light of the torches lit the cavern dimly. The light footsteps of the party echoed sharply in the empty vastness, only disrupted by the occasional dripping of water in the underground pond.

One of the party paused to survey the area in front of a little wooden house. His hair swung back and forth as he looked from side to side, his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist. His ears were flat on his head as he growled, "Are you sure this is a secure place, monk?" At a slight jingle, the man turned to one of his companions.

A man in purple robes looked affronted before replying, "Honestly. After all of these years, couldn't you put your faith in me?" he asked with a dramatic pout on his face.

Disturbed at the look and the shadow cast on his companion, the first consented and turned away. Another of the party laughed at the brotherly act before commenting, "Well I for one think this is a great hiding place for it. It's so deep in the cavern, there's no way any human would be able to find it. There's also all of the sutras and barriers you've set up," he said addressing the one in purple, "not to mention all of the trouble the villagers went to towards building the shrine. Besides," he finished looking downcast, "who will remember the Shikon no Tama once the demons are all gone?"

"He's right, you know," commented the last of the party as he shook out his legs. "Once we're gone, the humans will slowly start to see the jewel as legend as they did before. If anything, it will become another bed time story to scare little kids," he finished weakly as he heard his first companion growl again.

"It's not…it's not the jewel that concerns me," he tempered off as he turned toward the youngest of the group.

Said person smiled softly, his hands behind his back, his eyes both on his fatherly companion and his late mother figure. "She died to protect the jewel. Her memory is connected with the jewel. As the jewel is forgotten, so will she be forgotten. The time of demons is coming to an end. I think this a fitting way to spend the rest of my eternity by protecting her memory. Wouldn't you agree," he asked lightly to the rest of his companions.

The first smiled as he approached the person, now able to look him eye to eye without crouching. "You sure have grown from that yelping pup you once were. When did you do that," he asked lightly as he ruffled the red hair, messing it from its tie.

The redhead smirked and answered, "When you were busy with your ramen."

"Keh."

Suddenly, the last of their party stiffened causing the others to turn toward him. "They're coming this way. My pack won't be able to hold them off for long. We still have to get to our destinations as well," he declared as he addressed the first.

"In that case," the redhead exclaimed as he turned towards the one in purple robes, "what do you need me to do?"

The monk took a long look at his companion before drawing him into a hug. Startled, the redhead returned it. Parting, the monk walked into the shrine, the redhead following. Pausing at the door, the redhead looked back over his shoulder towards his father figure and uncle. Giving a smile and a little wave, he entered the shrine.

Several minutes pass until the monk emerges from the shrine and silently heads towards the exit, his companions following after a short while. The dim light of the torches catch small trails on each of their faces.

Back at the shrine, candles are lit showing a pedestal in the center back. Carved from wood, the top is adorned with soft velvet. In the center, not exactly resting on the velvet yet not hovering over it lay a small, pink jewel. The light of the candles causes it to flicker and shine as a figure stands over it. Behind the pedestal is a statue portraying a regal looking kitsune in human form. A breeze blows through from an unknown source, snuffing out the candle light. In the vast darkness, a pair of eyes from the statue glow red while the jewel glows an unearthly pink. Slowly, the light fades until darkness weighs supreme.

oOoOo

Time is of no matter in places hidden away from the world. Dust and cobwebs are all that is there to fill in the long hours. The shrine, so saturated with mites and spiders show its uninvited guest that indeed many years have come and gone over this place.

The uninvited one raises his torch to sear away the cobwebs and to find his prize. With a slither, a snake goes in before him, making its way towards the pedestal. Coiling up the column, the snake reaches the top. Spying the round object its master wishes, it unhinges its jaws and springs to take the object in one gulp.

Said master sighs as he witnesses his pet turned to ash, inches from its goal. Grumbling, he sets his torch into a holder and pulls out a scroll, gazing at the rest of the interior as he did, his eyes resting on the statue of the demon before returning to his task. Reading it, he does not notice the dull, red eyes set upon his form. "Hah! 'Beware of the guardian of the jewel.' Such things do not exist. But the power, oh yes, I can feel the power coming from this jewel. This 'Shikon no Tama'. And once I crack this last barrier, this power source shall be mine and with it, I shall become the greatest ninja of them all!" Finishing his self-encouraging, the uninvited one began moving his hands, the scroll in front of him.

Kanji, their meaning lost except to those who still studied the old form, circled around the pedestal before parting and a sound like glass breaking could be heard. Smirking, the uninvited one slowly guided his hand to pick up his prize. Not having his hand burned, he swiftly hefts it from its perch. The figure paused to relish in the aura of power emitting into his body before turning, never once seeing the pair of red eyes of the statue that continued to glow brighter.

The figure stood from his crouch and turned to leave only to stop in his tracks. There, at the entrance stood a figure in a red kimono. The light of the torch glistened off the points of the nails on the figure's hands, yet such light paled in comparison to that which emanated from its eyes. Stunned, the figure took a step back, only to trip over a small platform. Turning to catch himself, expecting the statue from before to be there to catch himself onto, he was further surprised when his hands met air.

Grabbing a kuni from his pouch, the uninvited one reared and turned to face the figure. He froze when he didn't see the figure standing at the door. He remained tense as he surveyed the shrine again. After a few moments, he relaxed, mentally telling himself off for being so jumpy, only to freeze again when a hand gripped his shoulder, and a voice whispered through his ear. "Why? Why do you wake me? Why do you seek what is not yours? Why do you seek your own destruction?"

The uninvited one jerked to insert his kuni into the hand of the figure, only to cry in alarm as it dug into his own shoulder. Panicking, he dashed for the entrance, only to duck under the figure as it reappeared.

Once out into the vast cavern, the man's confidence is returned until an earth shattering cry is heard from behind him. Not daring to look back, he rushed back the way he marked towards the entrance.

At the shrine, the figure in the red kimono hung to the door frame. Years of sleep clouded his mind, his though process only on the fact that the jewel had been taken. He had to retrieve the jewel. He couldn't let his mother's memory be taken from him. Like the wind, he raced to the cavern's entrance. Confused when he did not see the uninvited one, he sniffed the air for his blood. His clouded mind became panicked as he realized that his prey had gone further than he had thought he had. With a howl, the figure's face elongated, his kimono turned to fur, and his ears stretched to the top of his head. Behind him, nine red tails swayed in the breeze. Not yet used to the light of the sun, the kitsune used his nose to follow the thief, but after tripping and falling over logs and roots, the kitsune began to grow. Satisfied that he could follow his thief unhindered, he continued following the sent of the thief's blood. Unbeknownst to him, the thief was making its way towards his village.