Where was the sun that day? Suffocated by the overcast sky. The rotten yellow light that leaked from the ashen clouds felt artificial. Muggy. Humid. "Earthquake weather" according to the older residents of Sunyshore. But what would come would not be ruination, but rain. And judging from the draft, a big storm was approaching.
Even with the threat of rain looming in the horizon, I still left the house. People were still outside and the earth was still spinning. I wished to capitalize on every second I could spend away from that place. Not because I just argued with my parents, no. I just needed fresh air.
I began the day with my daily stop at Beach Cave. Fed the Zubat. Chased after the Murkrow when it nabbed my stuff. I would've brought Rotom along if it wasn't still sleeping in my room. Yesterday I made the mistake of stopping by the power plant to inspect its circuitry. I walked by that place often, but that was the first time I brought Rotom. Of course, the sparkly prick ended up draining all the city's electricity, consequently causing a blackout that lasted for several hours.
Rotom kept me on my toes, that was for certain. Yet I didn't mind. It was nice having a friend to talk to, even if it was just me talking to myself.
After I fulfilled the wild Pokemon's needs, I went to the beach in hopes that you have come to play. Of course, we never arranged on a time to meet. I was only deluding myself that you'd always be here when I needed you… which became more often that I'd like to admit. Your presence was quite literally a ray of sunshine. Your blessed ignorance made my day just a little bit brighter.
So I set upon occupying myself with an activity suited for a creepy loner like me: poking around the sand to see if anything noteworthy came up.
It was on sheer accident that I came across that artifact. Buried halfway in the sand, apparently having been blown from by the sea, was a red stone. Not round and smooth like common pebbles, but jagged… edges too clean to have been carved by erosion.
Furthermore, this uncanny red stone resembled the shape of the sun. Felt just as warm, as if it was radiating heat. Even more surprising was the inscription: a compass with wings that shimmered an iridescent green light.
My heart pounding, I instantly recalled what you've told me not long ago. Cynthia, what I was holding looked exactly like your artifact! Why, I'd even go as far as to claim that I found the other half of your set. Your White Moonstone and this… Red Sunstone. Complimentary counterparts. I felt immensely proud of myself for having contributed something worthwhile.
Alas, my joy did not last long. I was too distracted by my discovery that I failed to notice their snickering. Only when the pebble hit my skull did I turn… and my heart consequently sank.
They had twenty-six names for me. Today, it was "the freak with no eyebrows."
Like most of the other bullies, these two were my classmates, in addition to being older than me by a marginal difference. One had a younger brother, and his best friend was genius. A genius, I daresay, with no rival in Sunyshore City. I yearned to be their friend, but… I guess I wasn't human enough to play with them.
"Looking for your batteries, robot kid?"
I knew their names, but they didn't care to know mine. That's okay. Aside from my grandfather, no one really referred to me directly except when they needed something done. I'd also prefer not to attract any more negative attention than I already have.
"Don't touch him, dude. He'll get his freaky tears all over you."
Everyone knew about my bloody tears. Who started that rumor? I never told anyone about my defect. I never cried in public…
I wished I could fight back. At least told them to go away. But I couldn't. My throat was crushed by a paralysis that extended to the rest of my body. Simply put, I was too ashamed to do anything.
Since this circus act failed to provide much entertainment, the bullies tossed me into the sea as they would do my backpack during the school year.
Bodies have the tendency to float. But I forced myself to remain on the seabed until I could no longer see their reflections.
A light spell drizzled overhead as I returned home. By then it had gotten dark. Miserable and cold, I yearned to be greeted with Rotom's giddiness and warmth.
As I approached the house, I heard shouting. Angry, overlapping shouting. My grandfather was standing outside the door, drenched from the rain, while my mother blocked the entrance.
"He's still a child!" Grandfather was booming. "The least you can do was let him keep that toy for company!"
"Stay out of this, Dad!" Mother shot back. "Do not chide me like I don't know how to raise my son! He doesn't need any distractions in his life! He would've turned out fine if you didn't poison him with your lofty ideas!"
My parents did not approve of Grandfather because he always yelled at Mother like how she would scold me. Why was he so angry? I wanted to step in, beg Grandfather to leave my mother alone, but… You knew me. I couldn't. Once again, I was immobilized with fear.
Why couldn't my family be happy like yours, Cynthia? Why did they always hurt each other with words?
Was it my fault?
Being the coward that I was, I snuck through an unlocked window in the back. Racing to my room, I locked the door behind me while I tried desperately to contain my hyperventilating. Cramming the entire bottle of acetaminophen tablets down my throat didn't make the screaming go away. It made it worse.
Then I realized, with a start, that my bed wasn't made. My wardrobe was open. Someone had been in my room. Someone had rummaged through my belongings… But nothing appeared to be missing—
Rotom.
A maniac energy possessed me as I ransacked my already messy room. Under my bed? In my rucksack? My toy robot was not in the place where I had hid it!
Suddenly there came a pounding on the window. It was that spiteful Murkrow! It was soaked to the bone, so I assumed it wanted shelter… until it began tugging at my hand with an urgency that made my blood run cold.
My body moved on autopilot, propelling itself out the window, skidding down the shingled wall until I safety touched ground. I wasted no time pursuing the Murkrow with wild abandon, the pulsating adrenaline numbing any pain that resulted from the cold, stinging rain.
The Murkrow arrived at the city landfill, which I immediately scaled the grimy fence. It was dark and muddy and foul and my knees were bleeding but I cared not. My friend was in here. I needed to reach it before it's too late.
Then I found my toy robot, lying beside a heap of rubbish. Its shell was badly dented, indicating that it had been tossed in here from afar. I clutched the robot to my chest… and to my horror, it was cold.
"Rotom?" I called, my whispering transforming into screaming as I tossed up rubbish to search for my friend. The Murkrow stayed to help me, but we were just a tiny crow and a weak little boy.
Deep in my heart, I already knew the truth: Rotom was gone. If I hadn't left my toy robot at home, then my parents wouldn't have thrown it away. If I hadn't argued with my parents, then they would've never searched my room.
If I did that… If I didn't do this… None of it mattered in the end. I've lost Rotom due to my own thoughtless actions. I've lost my best friend… and I didn't even have the chance to say a proper farewell.