Coltar: Escaping His Shadows - (Pokémon)

6. Through and Through

Sunday 2nd January 1966

Mylious sat up in bed and stared at the mirror across from him. He lifted his left arm and narrowed his eyes, locking his sights on the burn scar that was etched on his left arm. The symbol that had been scorched into his skin was that of a sandaconda wrapped around his arm. He placed his hand over it and closed his eyes. I wish I had been born to anyone else. The door creaked open, and Mylious grabbed his knife from the desk only to lower it again.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Thomas... I mean, Lord De Jou wanted me to check in on you. Are you okay?" Lady De Jou asked.

"No. I-I-I feel..." Mylious stuttered.

"How long have you had a stutter?" she asked and looked at Mylious's arm.

Mylious grabbed his arm again to cover the burn and said, "A-as long as I c-can remember, L-Lady De Jou." He felt her sit on the bed beside him, and he saw her reach into her pocket and pull out a small case. Mylious felt a slight nausea in his stomach as she opened it, but his anxiety changed to relief when he saw the gauze roll.

"You were a slave once, right? Thomas was, too. He doesn't like to talk about it, but well, I think you need to hear it. We can cover it up if you want, or maybe while you are here, we can cover it up with skin markings. Would you like that?" Lady De Jou asked.

"N-not sure." Mylious stared back at his reflection in the mirror. "It will h-h-hurt to hide. I am a f-f-freak."

Lady De Jou sighed and picked up the blanket on the basket at the end of the bed. Carefully, she wrapped it around him, making sure she didn't touch him as she did. I guess you grew up in fear. I wonder what they made you do and from what age. It isn't something you ask, but...

"Hey, Mylious... it is Mylious, right? The healer is here. Let's have a look at that leg and maybe pull those arrows out. Walking around with them still buried deep is not healthy for you. Do you want your friends with you while they pull them out?" Lord De Jou asked in Elkrat, hoping to make the boy feel more comfortable. He was taken back slightly when Mylious shook his head, still holding onto his arm. "Okay. Girna, let's give him some privacy." Lord De Jou and Lady De Jou looked at each other and walked into the living room together.

Mylious, feeling alone, glanced up at the healer, unsure of what the woman was going to say to him. He tensed up with every step she took. Her brown hair and blue eyes contrasted greatly with his own. Mylious's muscles in his leg contracted the second she leaned forward to touch his injury.

"Sweetie, I need to see your injury," the healer said.

Mylious glared at her. "No. I don't w-w-want you to." He tensed himself up further and buried his head under the pillow. His hopes of her leaving him alone were quickly dashed when she pulled the covers off of the bed.

The healer gently hushed him with her soothing voice as she examined Mylious's swollen leg. "Sweetheart, those arrows are in really deep," she said as she felt around his lower leg. "It looks broken. I'm going to use my luxray to check, okay? Then I'll pull them out and bandage your leg."

"No! I don't want that! Won't it g-g-get infected?" Mylious snaps back in Elkrat. "D-don't you d-d-dare touch me! I'll do it myself!" Mylious grabbed the arrow shaft and yanked them out one by one, much to the horror of the healer. With a sniffle, he said, "There! N-n-now, disinfect it!"

"You are being very demanding, young man. Be respectful, or I will tell Lord De Jou." The healer reached into her bag and pulled out a chansey egg mix. However, as she looked back up at Mylious, she saw tears streaming down his face, and he was trembling.