Inutori: I've had several people comment about Kagome checking out the guy in the last chapter, but honestly, if you're a girl, can you help to take a glance up and down a guy, even if it's not in a perverted way. I can say that I have absolutely no interest in the other gender as of yet, even though I do have simple crushes, but that does not keep me from looking at guys and assessing if they are cute or not.
Kagome: Will you shut up already?
Inutori: And for those of you who were guessing who the officer at her door was, one of you was right. A guy with LONG black hair tied up in a HIGH ponytail is none other than Kouga, I would describe Miroku as having SHORT black hair in a LOW ponytail. Speaking of which, does anyone have any ideas of how to incorporate Sango into this story?
Inuyasha: Shut up wench, the sound of you're voice is giving me a headache!
Kagome: I couldn't agree more. If only I had something like the 'sit' for Inutori…
Inuyasha: (pulling face out of ground) What was that for? WENCH!
Inutori: And I say it's a good thing I don't have a rosary on my neck and that I don't own Inuyasha…Now, last time on The Beat of the Drum, we left off with this:

"Wench, wake up. I'm hungry." I pull to a sitting position, only to find myself nose to nose with the stranger. Immediately I fall back to my bed with a slight heat residing in my cheeks.

"I'm not your personal slave, go get yourself something." I am sick, doesn't he understand that? Honestly.

Chapter 5
Her Reaction

Inuyasha doesn't move from his position in front of me, instead continuing to glare at me like I am the scum of the earth. What is his problem? He looks as ticked as me when I'm having my period…maybe…nah, that just isn't right.

"Are you deaf? I said go get yourself something to eat and stop bothering me. Good grief! I'm sick, get out of my face!" It is becoming extremely frustrating having him look at me like that. Clenching my teeth together, I push myself up to a standing position and shove past Inuyasha with my blanket wrapped tightly around me.

"Woman, GET ME SOME FOOD THIS INSTANT!" His bark is directly in my ear, and man is my head pounding afterward…and I thought it was bad before.

I nearly fall over from the pain of my headache, but I manage to keep it together as I turn to face him with the nastiest glare I can muster in my sickened state. "Look, I don't know who you are, but if you want to continue staying here, you better not expect me to wait on you hand and foot. Now leave me alone." Is it just me, or did it just get hotter in the room?

Inuyasha grabs my shoulder and whips me around, glaring at me with his golden eyes. "Listen, I am a prince and heir of the intergalactic empire ruled presently by Inutaisho. I will not have an insolent whelp like you boss me around and I WILL not lower myself as to do the chores of a wench."

He looks so serious as he speaks, as if what he is saying was true. But 'intergalactic empire'? That is a little far fetched for even me to believe. This guy needs to come up with better lies. "Inuyasha, I don't know what kind of game you're trying to pull, but you better let go of me before I call the police." I try to squirm out of his grip, but in my illness, I am not strong enough to do much of anything.

His hold on me tightens to the point of pain and he brings my face up so that it is only a couple of inches away from his. "That is Inuyasha-sama, to you. You are on thin ice, and I will not allow-"

The door opens and guess who walks into the room? My mom. And where was she this entire time? Well, maybe the grocery bags in her hands make for a good alibi, but the look on her face gives me the impression that she has been listening in on us for a while. Wait, why is she bringing her grocery bags into MY room?

"Kagome Higurashi, you apologize to his highness right now. You are in no position to quarrel with Inuyasha-sama." How the-? If she was listening to our conversation, she obviously believed this lunatic holding me. But even my mother isn't that stupid. So maybe she knows something that I didn't.

"I am not apologizing to this jerk." Then I see my mother wink at me, and I know she is trying to convey a message to me, but I'm not exactly sure what. Perhaps… "It'll only boost his oversized ego."

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha is still holding me by the shoulders, but I don't look at him. That is the last thing I need. Showing him my fear is not a good thing, and I know how much my face betrays me in that respect.

"Keh, the wench can do whatever she likes…for now." He lets go of me and turns around to face the wall. "But when the time comes, Lady Higurashi, your delinquent daughter will not be given privilege to such mercy."

OK, something is seriously up, since when was my mother a lady? This situation is getting weirder by the minute.

"Please, Inuyasha-sama, forgive her, she knows not of what she speaks. I will give you anything if you promise to spare her life." My mother steps forward slightly and looks like she is at the point of tears.

"Fine, if that's the case, then what I want is for this wench to go retrieve the energy component your elder daughter so conveniently left in the hands of Naraku." I am lost, and I want to know what's going on without me. Will somebody please be so kind as to fill me in?

I don't speak, for I know my pleas will only fall on deaf ears. But still, I can't help but wonder exactly who this guy is and how my mother knows him.

"Arigato, Inuyasha-sama." Mom bows slightly, being careful not to drop the groceries she is carrying.

After Inuyasha storms out of my room, my mother looks at me with a look like she is about to make her exit as well.

"I don't think so. Mom, I want some answers, and I want them now." She sighs and sets her bags on one of the boxes still sitting unpacked on the floor.

"Hon, earth has been secluded so long from the galaxy, but there are other habitable worlds out there."

"Like the one that guy is from?" I add my own comments sarcastically, but for some reason I don't think mother realizes what I said was just me trying to make fun of the weird stranger.

"Precisely." She perks up and sits down beside me on my bed. "Now you see, the rest of the galaxy is extremely advanced in its technology, while earth is lagging behind. And as you may know, with new knowledge comes new contentions. Well, the galaxy has been broken into four different empires, and they are constantly at each other's throats."

"Do you have a point in this little speech?" I look impatiently at my black-haired mother as she looks back with pure intensity. It is really starting to creep me out.

"Kagome, don't interrupt me!" Mom's eyebrows lower and her look became a little colder. "Inuyasha-sama is the prince of the Western area of the galaxy and has come to earth in search of the sister power component of the Shikon no Tama. With it the Inu family should have the power necessary to stop the bloodshed."

"I'm sorry, but this sounds WAY to far-fetched for my tastes. Perhaps Souta will enjoy this more." I stand up with my blanket, suddenly feeling too prideful to show how sick I really am.

"Kagome, Kikyou's death was no accident."

I whip around and look at my mom, feeling my brain twist from the movement. "How did you know about Kikyou?" Having just found out about her death, it is a huge shock to me that mother already knows. Well, at least now I don't have to break the news to her.

"Kagome, dear, where do you think I've been these last few hours? I couldn't possibly be buying food that entire time. Lord Kouga summoned me to the river just before you told me you were ill, so I left. I had him come here and inform you."

"Wait, LORD Kouga? You mean the officer that was at the door? He was a lord?" I blink my eyes a few times, unbelieving of what I am hearing.

"Yes, and he told me that Mikotu Inuyasha was here, so I came back as soon as I could."

This has got to be one big joke, and somehow everyone forgot to fill me in on the punch line. I am just waiting for my mom to yell "Gotchya!" But as you may have guessed, it never happens. We sit there in silence for a good minute before mom picks her bags back up and leaves the room.

I hear voices coming from downstairs a few moments later and then everything goes silent. It feels like time has completely stopped and I am the only thing breathing. What exactly have I gotten myself into? Everything always seemed so normal and boring for me. But this? For some reason I feel like my life is never going to be the same again.

Falling back onto my bed, I close my eyes to try and relieve my headache. Quickly I drift off to sleep and fly swiftly to the world of dreams.

A sudden rush runs through my body as whatever I am in comes to a stop. "We have been pulled out of hyperspace, captain."

"I know that, but why, Colonel?" The words rush from my mouth before I have time to think. My body seems to be reacting without me as well.

I look to my left and see a small boy with a bushy tail punching keys on a control pad.

"We're being hailed by another ship, should I put them on?"

Looking sternly to the side of me, I see an orange and black haired girl with earpieces placed daintily on each ear. She is looking at me with a concerned expression that says she is worried about something.

"Yes, put them on. I want to know why we were ripped from hyperspace."

The screen in front of me comes on and a white baboon pelt covers the face I am met with. Only the mouth and jaw are visible and it gives the figure a look of evil intent.

One word escapes my mouth and I have no clue what is meant by it. "Naraku." My eyes narrow and I tighten my grip on the chair I am seated in.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, inu-hime."

I open my eyes lazily as I try to recall the details of my dream. What was a dog-princess? And why was I called one?

Looking out the window, I see the stars that signify that night has at last come. Perhaps the whole day was one big dream. Kikyou's death, the inu Mikotu, my mother being a lady…it all just seems too far fetched to believe. And yet something deep inside of me urges me to not judge a book by its cover; that there is more to this story than what the summary said…

I
Do
Not
Sleep

Inutori: I didn't really like the turn I took with this story, and if you don't like it either, feel free to review and tell me so. Enough complaints and I will change the story back to what I had originally had planned.
Inuyasha: As long as I'm still a prince.
Kagome: And I'm not some ditzy valley girl or anything.
Kikyou: And if I'm still alive.
Inutori: If I do change the story, I'm only going to be complying with Kagome's request, since hers is the only reasonable one.
Inuyasha: MINE'S REASONABLE!
Kikyou: I DOUBT YOU'VE EVER BEEN DEAD, SO DON'T GO SAYING IT'S FUN!
Inutori: Oh, just shut up, you two. And all of you readers, review and give me your suggestions. Should I keep this chapter, or put it through the shredder?