Ch. 10 Bumping Heads

[Author here. I have more chapters in the works now. I decided to drop this one ahead of what I said. 5 days is a long time to wait for a new chappy. I feel your pain. I'm gonna set a schedule for every two days for release. If you like, gives me shiny stones. I know you want to...]

Kagome had bounced back after the debacle with the bandits. At first she was a little traumatized by the events, but she quickly got over it and pelted Jei with questions.

'What was that thing?'

'How did you shoot that from your fingertip?'

'What should we do next?'

'Hey! Are you listening to me?!'

Jei suddenly felt like dipping out and finding a place to fish and read manga. This girl Kagome gave him strong Yuma vibes and he was both annoyed and sentimental.

He agreed to try and teach her things later if she stopped pestering him. He even said he would escort her back to the well and try to help her visit home.

She finally stopped nagging him about everything after getting his promises.

*sigh...*

The preperation for awakening Inuyasha had been made the next day. Jei, Kagome, Kaede and a few armed villagers made thier way into the forest to Inuyasha's resting place.

"Um, Jei?" Kagome asked in curiosity. "Why are we awakening the half demon again? Isnt he dangerous?"

"Don't worry, Kagome. If he tries anything, I'll handle it."

After arriving, the villagers and Kaede spread out in a formation. Kaede pulled the Necklace of Subjugation out and said, "I will begin the chant. Once done, ye can release him."

She began chanting, and at the end of her chant the beads of the necklace separated and flew to the neck of Inuyasha where they reassembled, where they will stay hopefully forever.

The necklace was in place, now the only thing to do was to wake him up, and then have Kagome say a word she will use to control him.

"Alright! Let's do this." Jei pushed Kagome with him in front of Inuyasha.

"Kagome, get ready to give him the command once he is free. I'll make sure he doesn't act up." Jei said as he cracked his knuckles.

"Um... Okay."

"Good!" Jei walked up the Inuyasha and lifted his hand.

*Slap*

"Hm? That's odd. When Yuma slaps me like that I always wake up right away..."

Kaede and Kagome almost face palmed at his antics.

"That's not how you wake people up!" Kagome yelled.

"Boy... the seal is still intact. He won't wake by a mere slap."

Jei chuckled sheepishly. "Hehe. Oh ya, I forgot..."

*ahem!*

Jei reached out and grabbed the arrow holding the boy in place to the tree.

He pulled it gently...

And then harder...

And then he grabbed it with two hands and pulled.

Then he put both feet on the tree and tugged with all his strength.

"What the hell? I can smash boulders with my pinky and I can't pull out a simple arrow?!" His face showed frustration that was uncharacteristic of what he had shown them thus far.

Kaede had a smug smirk on her old face. "Told ye boy. My sister's seal is not something simple that can be removed so easily."

Jei wasn't about to admit defeat to a mere seal by a dead priestess.

"Alright, time to get serious!"

Shhaa sha (Maybe Kagome can do it? She is supposed to be Kikyo's reincarnation after all.)

Jei had to swallow his pride and accept Snek's advice, because nothing he was doing was working and continuing to fail would be more embarrassing.

"*cough* Fine... Kagome why don't you try." He walked over behind her and started pushing her forward.

"M-me? If you couldn't do it, how could I?"

"Just shut up and try."

"Rude! And fine. But don't expect me to pull it off." Kagome approached Inuyasha and gulped.

She had heard how evil and dangerous this boy was but now that she is closer, she thought his dog ears were really cute, instead of pulling the arrow she wanted to pet his ears.

Her hand was shaking due to her nerves as she reached out for the arrow.

As she made contact with the arrow, something had changed. The arrow was still in place but the dogboy seemed to be stirring back to consciousness.

His eyes fluttered open and he seemed a little dazed.

"Huh? Kikyo..?" He had awoken and the first face he had saw was that of his old flame.

"Kikyo! What, did you come to gloat after killing me? Tch!" He was still pinned to the tree but he was now awake and able to talk.

This startled Kagome causing her to fall back on her butt. "Ow, ow, ow. That hurt..."

"What's this? Got nothing to say Kikyo?" Inuyasha was trying to taunt her, but finally noticed everyone else around.

"Oh? Maybe you came to finish the job..." Inuyasha snarled at the end. He obviously had alot of resentment towards Kikyo.

Kagome got back up and dusted herself off. She gave the dogboy an annoyed glare.

"Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo! I'm tired of people calling me that! My name is Kagome! Ka-go-me! Got it?!"

"Who are you trying to fool, Kikyo? Who else would have your scent..?" *sniff, sniff* "Huh?! I guess you're not. Kikyo didn't have such a dumb face and was prettier..."

Inuyasha looked a little embarrassed that he was wrong, but in his defence she really smelled similiar!

"Y-you! How dare you?!" Kagome shrieked. She already didn't like being called Kikyo and now even her looks are being compared. How hateful!

"Heh! This is funny!" Jei couldn't help find the interaction between the two amusing.

Inuyasha's head snapped over to glare at Jei. His instincts were sending warning signals about this guy, but his sense of smell also told him other things.

"A half-demon?" Inuyasha's temperament seemed to lower a bit, after smelling both human and demon from Jei.

Jei smirked at that.

"Well, yes. Something like that. Hehe"

Jei stepped in front of Kagome and then introduced himself.

"Nice to meet cha, mutt! I'm Jei. A spirit detective (self-appointed) and I'm investigating the Shikon jewel... among other things."

Inuyasha snarled again. "What did you just call me?! And what the hell is a 'spirit detective'?!"

It seemed Inuyasha took offence to the word 'mutt'.

Jei could already tell messing with this guy is going to be fun.

"Mutt? Isnt that what you are? A half dog? Hahahahahaha."

Inuyasha bared his fangs in anger. "Why you?! Get me down from here so I can kill you!!!"

He struggled and thrashed but couldn't do a thing since he was still sealed to the tree.

"Oh man, you sure that's what you want?" Jei had a devious smile on his face.

"Sure. We'll let you down. Then I'll show you who is the alpha!"

Kagome looked between the two and wondered why these two felt like they had some rivalry even though they just met.

'Must be a guy thing? Hmph! Men!'