Pearl's life was absolutely terrible. Even as a toddler. She was constantly bullied by her classmates, led by bossy-girl Cordelia. Her sidekicks, Angler and Cliff, were as big as a giant clam. Pearl was the mere size of a jellyfish, a child no doubt. The more they bullied her, the more she got angry inside. It was like an angry flame inside her, waiting to burst out. And the bigger that flame got, the more desperate she was to get help.

But help and luck was not on her side. Not until one day, the day that she lost all popularity and interest of all nymphs, all nymphs except for one. Her name was Angel.

That day, Pearl glided across the boundaries of Aquafina. She had always hoped to see other water-nymph cities, or even meet one of the nereids. Aquafina, Polaria, Okean, Kadagatan, Dipsi, Meurvor, Verdenshave, Valtemeri, Hav, Paraguasa, Samudra and Ucean, the twelve underwater cities, united under the nereid council.

"Hey, Swirly! Where's your mind today? Polaria? Paraguasa? " Cordelia's voice taunted her from behind.

"My mind is in my brain, located in the cerebral cortex which helps with my education. If you're asking where my memories are, they are in my cerebrum, while my emotions that want to destroy you is in my enigma." Pearl said smoothly without flinching or turning around.

"What if I told you that you were wrong?"

"I'm not. I am correct."

"Stand still, girly. You gotta give us proof." Angler sneered down.

"Well, thank you, Mr Angler. You have now given me a chance to express my feelings within you." Pearl kicked a leg backward at Cordelia and punched Cliff away. Then she turned to Angler. "My wisdom is higher than your fast growth. Go back home, young boy." She bit down on Angler's hand as hard as she could, causing him to scream in pain. The flame in Pearl was burning brighter than ever.

"You're so down. Pearl Girl. I never thought you were a kung fu martial artist." Cordelia limped over to an incredibly angry little Pearl. Pearl sobbed her fiery tears.

"I will never hide from you. You feed on fear, Miss Cordelia Kalil. And it will never be from me. Begone. Or I will hunt you relentlessly."

"Am I interrupting a play or has Pearl just knocked out two of the tallest boys in kindergarten and is threatening the tallest girl in kindy?" A soft voice asked from behind. Cordelia spun around.

"Miss... miss Coral! So... Sorry for the noise... its... it's just Pearl... she's... she's a maniac."

"Oh no she's not. I heard the whole thing. You were bullying her. She tried to talk. Smart-mouth you because she knew that she was talking facts. But you looked down at her. Because she was small. But she was stronger. Her will was stronger. And it cannot be broken. She has a fire in her soul." Cordelia looked scared. "Miss Kalil, please go to the principal.He needs to talk about something with you."

"Yes... Yesss... Miss Coral."

"Now, you,Pearl, I want to speak to."

"Yes ma'am."

Pearl and Miss Coral walked across the sea bed. Pearl gazed at all the starfish she saw. 1 little starfish, 2 little starfish, 3 little starfish, 4 little starfish. "1 little starfish plodding through the cruise. One other joined it now there are two. 2 little starfish plodding through the sea. One other joined them now there are three. " Pearl had started to sing a little nursery rhyme she had been taught to sing. Miss Coral stopped and stared at her.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I've observed you. I'm always watching when they bully you, but this is the first time you fought back, or even spoke."

"Just my nature, ma'am. Never wake the sleeping beast."

Miss Coral looked with curiosity, "How old are you, Pearl?"

"6, ma'am."

"Can you name the 12 cities?"

"Yes ma'am. Aquafina, Polaria, Okean, Kadagatan, Dipsi, Meurvor, Verdenshave, Valtemeri, Hav, Paraguasa, Samudra and Ucean."

"Wow. Just wow."

"Wow, ma'am?"

"Do you understand... " Miss Coral bent down and lowered her voice, "Do you understand the voices that nature whispers? The starfish? The coral?"

"Yes... Yes ma'am."

"Then I'll introduce to you a friend. Her name is Angel." A small girl with purple hair and green eyes popped out.

"Hi! I'm Angel Paquette. "

"Hi Angel, I'm Pearl Aqua Leung."

"Ooh! Aqua! Pearl! Wait. Cordelia's soldier Cliff woke up. Everyone thinks you're a freak now, just sayin'. I think you broke Angler's arm. What did ya do?"

"Concentrate my strength and mind into one spot on the other person's body and release the strength." She poked Angel with a lot of force.

"Oww! Let me try." Angel poked Pearl experimentally.

"Ouch. Okay, that tickles. Ok, ok. Oww! Angel, that's enough. I have to... ow! ... study for a while to let myself... ow! Angel stop it! ...relax." Pearl hobbled away, just in time to see Angel's grin on her face. Pearl smiled. She had found her first friend.