"Hey, have you noticed how they're all girls?"

I frowned at Audrey. "Not sure I follow you."

"They're all girls. Magnolia, Genivieve, all the myths, the water nereids. How come there aren't any guys?"

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, you're right, that's weird."

"Uh, guys," Sophie whispered.

"But seriously," Audrey continued, "how do they reproduce? Not to be gross or anything."

"Guys," Sophie hissed.

"I don't think it has to do with genetics," I said. "Because my mom is DEFINITELY not a myth."

"GUYS!" Sophie shouted. We turned to her, surprised. I had never heard Sophie's voice come above a soft speaking tone. She looked like she was about to cry.

She raised a trembling finger and pointed to something in the bushes. "Tormentor," she whispered.

I froze. For, sure enough, two beady black eyes were staring at me from the bushes. Slowly, like a snake, it crept out. It was a little smaller than the guilt tormentor, with curly horns, gray wings, and light gray scales.

It's eyes though. They were deep, black, and unsteady. Looking into them, I felt like I was falling into empty space, nothing above or beneath me, not knowing what was coming next.

I felt sick to my stomach. How had I not noticed it before? It didn't exactly blend in with the bushes. I gulped. From the look in its eyes, I knew I could never fight this one. Something about it made me positive: I was totally out of my league.

How had I fought the other ones anyways? Tormentors were incredibly strong. What power did I, a thirteen-year-old girl, have to stop these monsters?

My stomach seemed to twist. I didn't. I didn't have any power to stop them, and I hadn't stopped them either. The last one, Audrey had really defeated. The first one, I missed! In warrior form! Warriors never miss, and I had. I was a failure.

My head hung lower as I realized just how much of a failure I was. I couldn't do anything! I was a complete failure at warrior form, I had fallen out of the sky my first time as pegasus, the first time I was a fairy I abandoned my school...

And it wasn't just at being a myth. I was a failure before that! Not good at anything, no talent at all. Everyone had something special about them. But what was I? I was nothing. The only thing that made me special were my friends.

The only thing that made me special were my friends.

A tear leaked out. It was true. Audrey was so intensely awesome, it was scary. Who else can do backflips off wall lamps because they're bored? And Sophie. Sophie was the nicest person I've ever met, sweet and shy, over flowing with love.

My mind wandered back to the academy. Taylor, who was smart. Talia, who was curious. Amy, the girl in the wheelchair, who was sweet. Anna, who I still didn't know about, but intrigued me, because she had a hidden gem I wanted to find. Heck, even Tess was gorgeous and strong willed!

I was just Sierra. I've always been just Sierra. Who wants to be friends with someone as boring and pathetic as me? I suddenly felt like I was punched in the gut. I've always tried really hard to be friends with everyone. Am I trying to hard? Do they find me annoying? They have to. Gosh, everyone must hate me, but they're too nice to tell me. I've been stupid, just stupid, not to see the signs.

My body felt like Jell-O. I felt like I was about to fall. Why was I even here? This mission was going to fail because of me. Because of my worthlessness.

I suddenly heard a crashing sound behind me. I turned, gasping. Sophie was stumbling off into the woods, away from the tormentor, the direction we had been walking. Without a second thought, I tore after her, one thought in my mind: was she ok?

I ran after her, all previous thoughts gone from my mind, except that I had to save Sophie, I just had to. There was a small part of me that said, save her from what? But the other part of me knew she was in trouble, and I was the only one who could save her.

Suddenly, we ran into a clearing. Sophie stumbled over a tree root, and collapsed to the ground, sobbing. I ran to her and knelt. "Sophie," I whispered, "are you ok? Please tell me you're ok," I pleaded.

"Y-you don't want me," she sobbed, "I'm sorry, I'm s-so sorry Sierra, I ju-just wanted a friend, I'm so, so sorry." She wrapped her arms around her shoulders tighter as they shook.

"Why are you apologizing?" I whispered. "Why are you sorry?"

Suddenly my stomach felt queasy as a wave of...something, hit me. I was suddenly uncertain. Did she even want me here? What if she hated me? Should I comfort her or not?

"I'm apologizing because you're such a nice person," Sophie said softly. "You've tolerated me for so long. I'm sorry to have been such a burden to you, you're so kind to deal with me. It's ok though. You don't have to waste energy being nice to me anymore. I can be alone from now on." She relaxed a little. "I'm used to it."

I was completely shocked at what I was hearing. She thought I didn't like her? She thought...the only reason I was nice to her was because I felt bad? How could anyone think that low of themselves?

Then Audrey collapsed beside me, breathing hard. "Insecurity," she gasped. "This tormentor is insecurity."

As if a light had turned on in my head, I suddenly understood.

I had always thought Sophie never had any friends before us, and that's why she was so unsure. Now I knew. Insecurity had been haunting her forever, she didn't know how to have friends, or if she was worthy of them. Why she was insecure, I didn't know. But I had to make sure she knew from now on that she was the nicest, sweetest, kindest person I knew.

The purest.

And then I knew what I had to do.

I took Sophie by the arm. "Stand up," I commanded. She looked at me, eyes wide with fear. I stood, pulling her up with me. "Take a deep breath," I ordered. She obliged, still staring at me, terrified. I took her hand, and in the other, I took Audrey's.

"Ok guys," I said. "We're going to run now. And we're going to be unicorns. Because if anyone can be the best unicorn ever," I continued, looking at Sophie, "it's you."

And with that, we started running. Took a breath, and tried to ignore the unshakable feeling that what I was doing was wrong. I knew it was the tormentor...but I had to conquer my own doubts before Sophie's.

You're a good person Sierra. Help, heal, nurture. Goodwill towards all. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a unicorn. The epitome of all things good, kind, and wholesome. I took a deep breath.

Every muscle, every breath, every heartbeat is one. I can feel myself, pure and shining as if I was light itself.

Light itself. Shine.

And then I realized that I was no longer holding Sophie and Audrey's hands, but that my hands beat the ground in time with the rocking of my body.

And two unicorns were running next to me.

Suddenly, Sophie turned around and started galloping back towards where the tormentor slunk in the bushes.

I turned around and started following her, afraid of what she was about to do. But when she got to the edge of the clearing, she reared up on her hind legs. Suddenly, a white light burst from the clean, spiraling pearl on her forehead. I saw the tormentor crawl out of the bushes and hiss at the white light.

Then he spread his wings and flew off into the blue sky.

I ran to Sophie, who was back in human form. I transformed into human as I got closer. She turned her face up towards mine, and I could see the tears glistening in her eyes. But she was smiling.

"Sierra, Audrey, she said softly, "I am honored to be your friend."

Tears welled up in my eyes. And then Audrey and I embraced her, crying and laughing our hearts out.