There were days when it seemed like I was treading the fine line between land and sea. While my feet touched ground, my head was underwater.

With each passing day, I grew apart from my parents. Always the same tirade: "You should" and "Why don't you" and the worst offender of all: "This is for your own good." The people I only saw for a few hours a day dictating how I should live my life, if I ever had one? The people who were never there for me, never took my side on anything but demanding that I fix myself to make them look good?

I hated it there. The walls which had witnessed my growth were now caving in, trapping me.

Something was set to explode within me. It was only a matter of time before all the secrets would come bursting out.


That day was like any other. I had walked away from yet another pointless argument with my parents, my cheeks stinging, my pride wounded, but my resolve unwavering.

No one came to Beach Cave anymore, so that's where I hid. I found the darkest corner where sunlight did not reach. While I ruminated on my actions, the Zubat and Murkrow lent me their company. I spilled everything to them. They listened without judgement.

To be confiding in stupid Pokemon, one who spited me and the other who just wanted my blood. Oh, how low I had fallen…

It was when I was walking back down the beach did the time bomb finally explode. Two lanky arms pinned me down, then hauling me up so my feet dangled a good distance off the sand.

"Well well," said the genius in his unenthusiastic drawl. "The little robot finished charging his batteries."

I wanted to shout, "Go away!" But I never could. In the face of confrontation, I just… froze. My words were my weapon of choice, yet my throat failed me when I needed it the most.

"He's gonna cry," said his best friend, who tightened his hold over me.

"I'm quite curious as to whether the rumors are true." A pale, calloused hand seized my chin, stilling it to allow scrutiny. "Come on, freak. Show us your bloody tears."

"Maybe we gotta make him cry first!"

"What a wonderful idea from a brainless idiot."

And the genius brandished a permanent marker, his face lit up like a morbidly inquisitive child who would be dissecting a frog for the first time. I choked out a scream, but his best friend was too strong for me to break away.

"Ladies and gents, the local attraction of Sunyshore! Witness, how I present him the gift of eyebrows!"

The chisel tip grazed my skin. Frost spread from the point of contact, rippling down my paralyzed limbs like wildfire.

"Dude, you hafta get those eyebrows right."

"Whatever. There's nothing novel about symmetry… Huh? Did you say something, you little freak? Speak up—"

"SHUT UP!"

My exclamation caught my bullies off guard. Why, it even caught me unawares! While they reeled from their shock, I broke free by sinking my teeth into my captor's wrist.

But when I saw myself in the water's reflection, my heart sunk to my stomach.

I looked like a freakshow.

Meanwhile, my bullies were approaching me.

"Yo, did he really just say that?"

"I think he did. So you finally grew a pair, huh, robot kid? Come on, say that again."

Was that me? No, I mustn't exacerbate the situation. What I needed to do was put as much distance between them and me. I mustn't let them see—

"D-Dude, he's crying! It's actually true!"

Ah. No no no. I grabbed at my face… and to my horror, it was slicked with blood.

"Haha! You're a science experiment gone wrong! Someone take a picture! It'll boost Sunyshore's revenues when people flock to see this freak of nature—"

"Will you shut up!" I howled. "I've put up with your obnoxious antics for far too long! Did you ever consider how I've felt?! How I had to live with the ramifications of your actions?!

"You! Our classmates think you're sooo selfless. The adults think you're such a goood role model! You even have a younger brother, for crying out loud! Yet, no one has seen how awful you really are!

"And you! The prodigy of Sunyshore, the brightest mind with the most despicable attitude! You spend your energy on childish schemes to bring others down! To think that I used to look up to you two… to think that I once yearned to be your friend! Do me a favor and LEAVE ME ALONE!"

My chest heaved when I finished my monologue. I felt sick. My vision was clouded in red, the tears staining my clothes. Still, I swiped the hair from my eyes so they could have a clear picture of what I actually looked like.

His best friend moved first, taking a shaky step back. But the genius simply doubled down.

"Aw, what scruple entered your program for you to have a mind of your own? So what? You can complain all you want, but I don't care. You're still a loser. A stupid, clumsy, cumbersome weirdo who always messes with those gears and cogs when I'm trying to sleep in the library! It's distracting as hell! And what's with you, talking to your stupid robots like it's your stupid friend?!

"You think I want to be friends with a fucking dweeb like you? That pathetic deadbeat who gets picked last in group projects? Hell, why don't you get out of my sight! You're a fucking EYESORE!"

Oh.

Oh, I… never thought about it that way. I was too preoccupied with making myself the victim that I neglected to take into consideration his perspective. Having to deal with an unwanted stalker must be a burdensome task…

But instead of apologizing like I should, I gnashed my teeth in defiance. Enough running. Enough cowering! I refuse to be silenced any longer!

So when the crow perched on my shoulder, I knew what I must do.

"Murkrow, Payback!"

And with a gleeful screech, the crow whipped up a punishing gale. The winds were as sharp as knives, lashing and slashing indiscriminately. Add to that shards of seashells, and you had a hurricane of destruction.

Their screaming failed to reach my conscience. I was too engrossed by this lightheaded sensation of being in control. The adrenaline. The pure, joyful bliss. It was so exhilarating that I found myself crying with laughter.

More! More, until they fell on their knees begging for forgiveness!

As I struggled to contain my grotesque glee, I failed the notice the rippling in the sky. A crackling, a burning stench. The Zubat was the first to alert me, biting my ear so I could see a flaming boulder hurtling towards my head.

The spell broken, I yanked the Pokemon back before the first meteor fell. It collided with such raw, messy power that the aftershock knocked the wind out of me. The second meteor fell with a sickening crunch—and for a horrifying moment, I couldn't feel my right leg.

"What did you do to my friends?!"

That voice! Within the dancing dots of my vision, I saw you. Cradling my bullies' heads with a bigger, angrier dragon by your side.

"You hurt them!" you screamed. "They were right! You're nothing but trouble!"

"W-Wait, I can explain—"

"There's nothing to explain! You're a freak who cries tears of blood, who squats in that cave you call home! I was the unfortunate one to be tricked into playing with you!"

"Cynthia, wait! Please, you don't understand—"

"Shut up, freak! I'm going to bring my friends to the hospital. You better bet that I'm telling everyone about what you did!"

And you stormed off, leaving my cries to fall upon the red-dappled sand. I tried to follow you, to beg you not to tell anyone…

But I couldn't. The meteor had crushed my foot. Blood was pooling from under the rock.

You could've killed me. And I think you would've if you had actually mastered that horrifying attack. If you saw fit, Cynthia, I could easily die by your hands… and no one would know.