Disclaimer: I do not own either Inuyasha or Rurouni Kenshin.

A/N: I am breaking my customary rule by posting this. Normally, I only post stories I have completed. This one however this one that I wanting to get opinions on in order to determine whether or not it is good enough for me to finish it. It has elements from two other stories that I have already posted, because I didn't know if I would ever decide to finish this story. So if you see something familiar don't be surprised and please review to let me know if this story is worth finishing. Please remember this is only a rough draft.

To Teach a Young Dog Old Tricks

The Rurouni Kenshin / Inuyasha Cross-time, Cross-over Adventure

Prologue.

As he drew closer to his destination, he could feel it getting stronger. Yes, there was a disturbance that needed to be dealt with. He had seen the outcome of the disturbance in his visions. If this was not rectified then the Earth would one day be destroyed. The man came to the edge of the continent. Before him lay the boundless ocean. Sighing, he held up his hands and began to float upwards surrounded in a nimbus of green light. His form then shot forward through the air toward the eastern horizon. Yes, he was getting closer, and he had to find it soon.

Chapter 1.

Shippou yawned and stretched as he heard the arguing. "Aww, please not now! We just got the sacred jewel back together. Can't we all just get along for a little while before you two start arguing again?"

Inuyasha and Kagome stopped growling at each other long enough to turn their gaze on Shippou. Shippou cringed at the look coming from both of them. "WE'RE NOT ARGUING!" they shouted in unison.

Sango sighed and managed to sit up. It was an effort after all they'd been through. Naraku and Kikyo were dead, and now the sacred jewel was whole again. Miroku and Inuyasha had nearly been killed in the conflict and Sango had been badly injured. Kagome had been hurt as well, but not seriously. Shippou was happy for that. Thanks to Inuyasha's half demon nature he had recovered almost as fast as Kagome. That only left Miroku who was still unable to get up and move.

Shippou chuckled. He hadn't seen Kagome or Sango at that much ease in a long time.

"I can't stay here Inuyasha. This isn't my time. I must return home. My mission here is over. The sacred jewel is safe, and now its time I took it back with me into the future." Kagome looked at the jewel and sighed. Shippou looked up at Kagome and nearly cried. In the time they had been together she had been like a mother to him. She had fed him, cared for him, and even played with him.

"Why, Kagome?" Shippou asked innocently. He tried very hard not to let the tears come to his eyes.

"What do you mean Shippou?" Kagome asked looking down at the little fox child.

"We don't want you to go back, Kagome!" Shippou grabbed onto Kagome's waist and pressed his now wet cheeks into her side. "Sango and Miroku are your friends. You've been my mother ever since we met Kagome! I love you like you were my real mother. Inuyasha loves you too if he would just admit it." Shippou let go and cried into Kagome's blouse.

Inuyasha snorted and turned his back to Kagome. He didn't say anything, but Shippou could just barely see the side of his face to see he was blushing.

"Please stay here with us Kagome. What's so important that you have to go back to your time anyway?" Shippou tried to be strong, but he had lost his parents before and now loosing Kagome would be simply too much.

Kagome ran her fingers through his hair and didn't say anything for a long time. Shippou looked up and saw the look of sadness in her eyes. She was about to speak when Inuyasha turned around and sat down next to her. He looked at her waiting to hear what she was going to say. Everyone in the room seemed to be waiting to hear her.

The stillness was at last shattered by Kaede; who came running into the hut as fast as her elderly legs would carry her. "Inuyasha, Kagome, something is going on outside. Please hurry."

Shippou ran outside behind Kagome and Inuyasha. The question had been left dangling, but maybe Kagome would have an answer for them after this, a good answer. Outside a man sitting in the middle of a green sphere of light was looking down on the village from high above. Inuyasha already had the Tetsaiga out ready to fight when he noticed that it wasn't transforming.

"Huh, what's going on here!" Inuyasha was quite perplexed by the sword. Usually when there was danger it would be several times its normal size by now.

The man in the bubble floated slowly to the ground. As he reached the ground the bubble popped and he dropped safely to his feet. The man was huge, towering over even Inuyasha. He was dressed in a gray robe that seemed to be made of all one piece. He also wore a gray cloak with a deep cowl over his head. As he walked towards Kagome, he lifted his cowl and had the most unusual face Shippou had ever seen. His hair was as gray as his cloak and a silver circlet held it back. He had a long gray beard, and bushy eyebrows. He looked as if his entire face were covered in hair, which was odd for a human.

As he approached Inuyasha stepped in front of Kagome. Shippou stepped behind Kagome and latched onto her lag for protection.

"I take it then YOU are the young sorceress responsible for this mess?" The man didn't even bother glancing at Inuyasha looking straight at Kagome.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a sorceress!" Kagome said confused.

"Then prithee lass, could you please be after explaining why you have subjugated two demons, have power radiating out from you like a beacon, and are wearing that magic jewel about your neck?" The man didn't look at all nice to Shippou. He really wished that Inuyasha's sword would transform.

"Two subjugated demons? You mean these two? They're my friends." Kagome looked dumbstruck. Shippou huddled closer as the man looked at first Inuyasha and then at him. "I see this little one has no visible signs of containment, but this larger one has been 'collared' so to speak. This is not your doing?"

"I am the one who placed the spell on Inuyasha." Kaede said stepping forward. "I am the priestess of this village."

"I see, then priestess, could you please explain what the devil is going on here? Why are you keeping demons in such proximity of a mighty artifact as this? Could you also please explain why I sense power radiating from this girl?"

"I see no reason to explain myself to someone who enters my village as ye did and acts so rudely. Please state YOUR business so that we may know if ye be friend or foe." Kaede said bracing herself and returning the man's stern gaze.

The man stared at Kaede for a few moments before finally speaking. "I am known as Alanor, and whether I am friend or foe depends entirely upon your answers. I came here because I sensed the presence of a powerful disturbance. One that could, in time, destroy our world. The center of this disturbance seems to be centered on this young woman. So again, I ask you, are you the sorceress responsible for this mess?"

Inuyasha growled. "Listen buddy, Kagome isn't a sorceress. Yeah, she can do a few things like Kikyo was able to do, but she isn't a sorceress. If I wanted to I would have been gone a long time ago and no stupid necklace would have stopped me. If you're after the sacred jewel then get in line or else get ready to fight me."

"Inu-yasha," Kagome said behind him, "why did you stay then?"

"I…" Inuyasha looked stricken for a moment. "I wanted the jewel, that was all."

The man looked annoyed as his hand glowed with a green light and suddenly Inuyasha was hurled to the side as if struck. The man moved forward until he stood directly in front of Kagome. Shippou had finally seen enough he sprang from behind Kagome and latched his teeth onto the man's leg. Biting down for all that he was worth.

Shippou felt himself lifted up as his grip was broken and found himself suspended by his tail a few inches from the nose of Alanor. Shippou cringed in spite of himself waiting to go flying like Inuyasha did. "Why do you attack me little one, when you know I can destroy you?"

"I won't let you hurt Kagome! She's been good to me!" Shippou cried pressing his eyes shut. He waited for a long time before opening his eyes a little. Alanor was studying him closely. Finally, he put Shippou down and looked back at Kagome. "Perhaps I have been too harsh. Could you please tell me what brings you here with that thing," he said pointing at the jewel.