Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or any nursery rhymes.

The Mother Goose Escapades

No. 7

Jack be nimble

Jack be quick

Jack jump over the candlestick

"Give me one reason you're better for Kagome." Inuyasha snapped, his eyes glowing.

"Because I am not a half breed!" Kouga snarled back.

"Come on, that's a lame reason. You don't really have a reason, do you?"

"What?" Kouga sputtered, his demon nature egged on. "There are thousands of reasons! I can run faster than you, I can leap higher than you, I can—"

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove it. Unless you're afraid too…"

"Never!"

"Fine. Hey Kagome!" Inuyasha called over the miko who had been watching the exchange with an exasperated look on her face.

"What is it?" she called back.

"We need your advice on how to settle something." Kagome heaved a sigh and walked over to the feuding pair.

"And what do you suggest I can help you with?"

"Kouga thinks he's faster, a better jumper and so on. Is there a way to prove he isn't?"

"Hey!" Kouga objected. "I am!"

"Well," Kagome pursed her lips, in thought, and ignoring the demon. "We could have…an obstacle race!"

"A what?" Two blank faces greeted her announcement.

"An obstacle course. Or maybe something more like a tri-athalon. I'll map out a course, and you two race each other to see who wins."

"I like it!" Kouga announced, his eyes lighting up. Inuyasha nodded his head.

"It'll work. How do we set it up Kagome?"

"Well first, we need to decide where the course will run." Kagome scanned the area. "Something like, to that really tall tree over then, then to that lake over there, and then swim across the lake, and around that cliff edge, and then back to here again. But first I've got to—" Kagome trailed off as she saw the demon and the hanyou take off, following her description. "Wait! That's not the course!" she yelled, but it was futile. The race was on!

"Tired yet, half breed?" Kouga snarled on the way to the tree.

"Never!" exclaimed Inuyasha. Kouga beat him to the tree, and the lake, but was a very slow swimmer. Inuyasha made it across the lake faster than the wolf, despite being behind. Soaking wet, he pulled himself out and made a dash for the cliff edge. Running along, he noticed it was just a short drop. A crafty little smile appeared on his face. Kagome couldn't see him from the distance she was. He kept running, but he heard Kouga finally splash out of the water and catch up. Just as the wolf made a move to pass the hanyou, Inuyasha cut in front, putting Kouga on the edge. He then slowed just enough that Kouga could pass him.

"See you later!" Kouga laughed. Then he tripped, lost his balance, and went over the side.

"I'm smarter than you!" Inuyasha yelled as he began to run harder than he'd ever run before. Kouga lay on the ground of the short hill, stunned for a moment, then leaping up, snarling. He would not be disgraced this way! He ran up the hill, then followed the hanyou towards Kagome. He wasn't going to make it in time though. Anger filled him. That half breed had cheated! Kouga knew he was going to have to appeal to Kagome.

"Kouga, what happened?" Kagome's surprised voice reached him as he ran up. Inuyasha was smirking.

"That no good mongrel tripped me!" Kouga snapped, pointed to Inuyasha. A look of pure innocence filled Inuyasha's face.

"I did not. I even tried to catch you before you fell! Didn't you see my hand?"

"Your hand that pushed me!"

"Inuyasha! Did you push Kouga?"

"Kagome, I can honestly say I did not." Kagome looked skeptical, but Inuyasha did seem adamant. She shrugged.

"I can set up a real course now," Kagome offered. Kouga shook his head.

"No way, I won't go up against this cheater again." The wolf turned and left, and Inuyasha and Kagome went back to the rest of the group. Inuyasha smiled. He hadn't pushed Kouga, but his foot had somehow landed in front of the wolf, causing the trip. The arm was his cover story. Which Kouga had fallen for. His own genius amazed him sometimes.

Kagome, meanwhile, was shaking her head, at a loss about the continuing rivalry between the two. Sooner or later they'd be doing really crazy stunts, like jumping over huge bonfires or something.

Author's Notes: This one was practically begging to be written, so here it is! 'Hey diddle diddle' will probably be up on Monday.