Lazy! Freak! Sheep! No tattoos? That's your real hair! You are so boring! It's time someone said it! You're… unoriginal. And we… don't want you.

The first bottle was unexpected, its shattered end exploding against my eye, bursting it with light-

No. It was fluorescent light. From a lamp in what looked like a hospital. I was at the hospital. There was… a doctor… and my mother!

"Don't you worry one bit, Kittie!" my mother cried. "We'll get you cleaned up good as new!"

"…Mom?" I coughed.

"By the golden lights! She's awake!"

"Good," said the doctor. "Kittie, I redid your eyeball and fixed up some of your minor wounds, but your largest gash is along your nose. You can take this opportunity to update your nose bridge, free of charge. What do you say?" he smiled kindly.

"Leave it," I whispered hoarsely.

"As before then?"

"No. Leave it."

"But honey munchkin butter," my mother said worriedly. "If he leaves it, you will be scarred forever. And scarring is so last year. And this will be permanent-"

"Leave it!" My voice muffled by my bared teeth, but no one could mistake the icy certainty of the two words that would seal my fate forever.

My mother wept. "She's delirious, doctor. She doesn't know what she's saying!"

"That may be so," the doctor said grimly. "But I cannot choose but to abide by the law. I'm so sorry, Miss, for your loss."

And that was the final word. The next time I was fully conscious, I was still safe in my hospital bed, away from the brightly lit stage, away from the cold hatred, choking on blood and whiskey. I was looking at a shiny lamp beside me. I leaned over, feeling dizzy, and saw myself. My face was blotchy red and covered in stitches, but I could still discern the scars of my future. One jagged, blood red line snaked from my left eyebrow, down my nose to my right cheek, ending at my jaw line. Seeing what had been done to my face, my nausea let itself go. I vomited, and blinding pain shot across my face as I barfed up my innards. When it was finally over, I looked at my reflection again and smiled. I felt free! Reborn.

"Welcome, Kittie," I giggled. "How… original."