Chapter 3: Nothing but a Formality
I dreamed that night… of how it used to be. I dreamed back to when my brother could control his anger, and everyone was happy. It seemed like just yesterday… However, If you'll remember, yesterday he was busy shoplifting. No, it was years ago when he first started to change. He tried to pull me down with him at first, but I was too conscious of what was happening.
The first time he ever hurt me was when he pinned me to my bed and used me as a punching bag. It scared me so bad that I went to our parents, which I never do if I can help it. Of course, they didn't believe me… Jake was too nice, or so they thought.
The next day, we walked. Then we walked some more, followed by a fun routine of walking until we WALKED OUR LEGS OFF! By noon, I actually missed my bike. Miroku asked me once if I wanted to rest, but I told him that if I stopped walking, I would never be able to start again… not that that would be bad at this point.
We walked all freakin' day. Then at nightfall, I saw the village. I didn't know whether to cry or laugh, so I did an odd mixture of both. Miroku took me to a small hut in the middle of the village. On his cue, I went inside. There was a man and a young girl sitting in the middle of the hut talking in a whisper. "Inu-Yasha? I brought the girl."
When the man called Inu-Yasha looked at me, I saw him clearly for the first time. He had dog-ears! Of course, you know that already, but I didn't, okay!
Inu-Yasha sighed, then stood up and pulled me outside. He spun me around to face him, which made me really dizzy. "I bet Miroku said I "sent for you," didn't he?" I nodded. "What I said was that we needed you, and someone had to get you… and it wasn't gonna be me."
"But… why do you need me at all?"
He sighed. "I don't know… but whatever it is, remember one thing-- this is all just a formality. We could probably do it without you anyways." With that last word, he went back inside. I followed him silently, his words still ringing in my ears: "This is all just a formality…"
This Inu-Yasha made me mad already.
That night, I kept thinking about my brother… I couldn't help but wonder what happened to him. And my parents… they had to take care of this without me. It was just too much. I drifted off to sleep slowly, always being reawakened by another sudden thought or feeling. When I did get to sleep, It was a rough night… and the one terrible night I would always remember. And when I say always, this dream of mine haunts me to this very day…