Greetings, readers! Long time, no see…I know! I've had very little inspiration to write over the last several months, but after much thinking I've finally got a little something to share with you.

The sand underneath me was hot from the baking sun shining above. Or at least I assumed it was. That yellow/orange beast was certainly doing a number on my eyes . I raised a hand to cover the glare and listened intently as waves continued to pummel against the shore. Salty water l apped around my ankles. I wondered briefly if it was cold.

'Of course not!' I thought to myself. 'If it were cold, they wouldn't be out there having all that…what was the word? Ah. Fun.'

I wasn't invited to join in on the festivities. Not that I would've really wanted to anyhow. Not with them there…to ruin everything. Everything! Why must they ruin everything?

"Rei and I are going to the beach today to hang out!" Yuma declared cheerfully upon receiving an invitation from the orange-haired culprit of my hatred.

"That sounds pleasant." I had responded dryly, and since my normal tone of voice is nowhere near excitable, Yuma had failed to notice I was bothered.

"Tetsuo and Kotori are coming, too! I can't wait!" The boy babbled on and on as he gathered his towel and a bottle of sunblock. "Ugh…I am so glad summer is here so we can hang out by the water without freezing to death!"

'Freezing to death? One can die from being too cold? I shall remember that.'

And so the three friends met up just out side the beach, at a shanty little refreshment stand with bags of caramelized popcorn hanging from the roof. They chatted excitedly with each other, almost like school girls gossiping about their crushes. And though I was since visible to the green-haired, bikini-clad girl to Yuma's left, she had failed to acknowledge me.

Shame. I never minded her much. Dare I say it…I liked her.

She waved her hand and lead the way for the three boys to follow her as they prepared to make their way onto the shore. The largest of the group, Tetsuo, removed the baggy white t-shirt he had been wearing in favor of showing off his oversized stomach. If only there were a way for me to process food so that I could vomit.

And then there was him. The violet-eyed epitome of my frustration was dragging Yuma by the arm down the hill and onto the sand, where they all set down their belongings. I recall Yuma stopping and looking around, as if he were looking for me. I uncharacteristically waved a hand in order to gather his attention, but it stalled immediately when his movements stopped and he retrieved the bottle of suntan lotion he thought he had misplaced. Not long after, he was grabbed by the arm and drug into the surf.

I could feel my blood boiling. Wait…did I have blood? It didn't matter. My inners were on fire and not even that entire ocean could extinguish them.

I floated there above that beach for a good while before lowering myself to the sand, curling my knees up to my chest and sighing. In the distance I could hear laughter. Looking up confirmed this, and there the four friends were, giggling and joking and having such a wondrous time.

Without me.

The sun's angle titled slightly and there I sat on the bristly shore, blinded by the bright star's rays and feeling utterly miserable and lonely.

"Hey!" I heard Yuma call playfully. "Stop that!".

My young charge was currently stuck in the midst of a splash fight, both Rei and Kotori on either side of him hurling water in his direction. More laughter.

What if they were laughing at me? What if they were so amused by the prospect that their precious Yuma was with them and here I was alone on the sand?

Yes. Yes, that had to be it!

They were laughing at me.

'Well, guess what, you insolent urchins. Your precious Yuma is not yours. He is mine.' I thought to myself cruelly.

After what felt like hours, the soaking, sunburned teens returned to the shore and began reaching for their towels, still chatting away about how fun the day's events were.

"We've got to do this again sometime!" Tetsuo urged.

'No. No you don't.'

"Yeah!" Rei agreed. "I had so much fun! You guys are the greatest…I'm so glad you could make it!"

'Oh, please, do shut up.'

"Maybe we could all come back tomorrow after dinner? That way the sun will have gone down some and it won't be as hot." Kotori suggested.

'You're encouraging this behavior, Kotori? Shame on you.'

"Alright, cool! I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Yuma chirped, grabbing his belongings and hurrying on his way. I frowned and figured I'd best follow along.

I waited rather impatiently for Yuma to return from his shower. I needed to have a word with him. Why on earth did he even need a shower anyway? He had just spent the past three hours submerged in water. I was so lost in thought that I did not even hear him reenter the room.

"Astral…?" He said, a bit annoyed. "Can you turn? I gotta get dressed."

I wordlessly adjusted myself so that I w as facing the wall.

"Ah." I started, rather somberly. "Now you notice me?"

"Huh?"

"You only notice me when I incovienience you?"

Yuma paused in his dressing.

"Astral, what are you talking about?"

"You are not going back to that beach with your friends tomorrow". I demanded dryly, turning around to face him.

Yuma cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, woah, okay, what the heck is your problem?"

'They are my problem.'

"We have not spent any time together recently. You put all of your attention into them. I do not approve of it."

Yuma shuffled his feet and frowned.

"Well, they are my friends, Astral! I mean, you're my friend, too, but…I don't know, I can do more things with them, okay? So what! Besides, we spend plenty of time together. I shouldn't have to tell you that."

I remained silent as a means of proving my anger.

Yuma presumably caught onto this and sighed.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Astral, okay?" His voice was sincere.

'You will be sorry.'

"I understand, Yuma. May I join you and your friends at the beach tomorrow, then ?"

The boy laughed. "Of course you can! Hey , I'll see you in the morning, okay? Goodnight!"

I nodded and bid him a good night.

As with yesterday, the four friends met up in front of the shore equipped with a day's worth of beach-esque activites: Tetsuo carrying a beach ball, Kotori a volleyball, and Rei armed with a childish duck-shaped floatation device. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

Yuma was quick to lather himself in sunscreen before ushering his friends out in to the water. "Come on, you guys!" He called excitedly.

'Yes, yes…do hurry!'

As promised, Yuma was kind to include me in on the fun; even attempting to engage me in a toss-across with the beach ball which, as expected, failed miserably.

Unfortunately, this did little to sway my anger. My plan was still in full-force , I just needed to get Yuma out of the water…

My mind hurridly searched for scenarios to distract the boy until one I knew he couldn't pass up came across.

"Yuma!" I called with fake whimsy. "Yuma !"

"What's up, Astral?"

"I think I saw Shark pass by…somewhere over that way…" I pointed with my finger towards the farther end of the boardwalk . Yuma turned to me with a confused expression.

"Seriously? Cool, maybe I can catch up with him! Hey, guys…! Guys!"

'No…nononononono….don't you dare invite them!'

"What is it, Yuma?" Kotori asked.

"Astral says he thinks he saw Shark some where…I'm gonna go see if I can catch up to him!"

"Want us to join you?" Rei asked.

'No…No. No. No.'

"Nah, that's okay, I'm probably only gonna talk to him for minute. I'll be right back!"

'Perfect.'

I watched with a sly smiled as my dear partner quickly patted himself dry and took off in the direction I had pointed. I sighed happily and closed my eyes, fee ing my powers bubbling and tingling. I curled my fingers as they began twitching slightly. I could hear the current of the ocean picking up but refused to open my eyes. The red light from the sun behind my eyelids had darkened and it felt as though the temperature had dropped…almost as if a storm were approaching.

I could faintly hear the pleading screams of the three teens suffering in the ocean. I silenced the air around them so that no one would hear. I smiled to myself as a breeze passed through my hair, a few stray stands tickling my face. I chuckled to myself.

It grew quiet, and when I opened my eyes and turned to the water, it was empty and calm, just as it should have been. A ray of sun hit my left eye and I closed it to block it, my right eye remaining open and widening as I watched my beloved partner jogging back towards the water.

"Hey, Astral!" He called, waving to me. I waved back, smiling proudly.

It was then he noticed the empty water and began to panic.

"Oh my god!" he cried with fear, beginning to take off running towards the ocean with concern.

"It's alright, Yuma, don't worry…" I assured softly.

He calmed some. "Oh…did they just, like, head to the bathroom, or something."

"Oh, no," I replied. "I took care of them for you."

"…What?"

'Took care of them for us, rather.'

"I took care of them. They are gone. It is only you and me now."

Yuma's eyes widened and he stared at me as though I were the devil.

"You…you did…what did you do!?" He screamed, his hands covering his face as he backed away from me.

I moved towards him, my hands desiring to grasp his shoulders.

"You and I…were meant to be…"

Yuma's voice quavered and tears began filling his eyes. I motioned my hands back and forth between the two of us.

"This," I whispered.

"This is perfection."

YAY! There it is. And it's creepy. And it's weird. BUT YAYYYY I finally wrote so mething! I hope you all enjoyed it! As much as you can enjoy a creepy alien who murders people. Peace out, everyone!