What are you envisioning? How would this help him? Them? I don't understand master- no. I mustn't forget. You hate being called that. You prefer to see our relationship as that of equals, at times asking for my input. But this level of depravity, of near sadistic cruelty. I cannot fathom how this will all bring about the dawn of a new age, yet you present it as though there's a treasure to be found within this madness.

I remembered millennials ago when that ancient Chinese mage called upon us. The people were oppressed by tyrants of your kind. With our powers the mage and his followers brought back humanity from the brinks of social decadence and towards a path of renewal, of revolutions. He formed an Order and passed his teachings to his students which created a tradition.

Centuries passed and I was carefully handed down, helping to mentor the young acolytes as they grew up to become superheroes. At times me and my charge got along just fine, at other times though…

It happened one stormy winter night. A young Chinese boy taken from his parents as part of the initiation into the Order. He resented the Order for taking his way of life away. He came to our Temple and that's when his training started.

Meditate for a whole day without having anything to eat or drink. As the ages pass by, we've seen that it has become harder and harder for your kind to maintain this strict regimen, so it was hardly any surprise what happened next.

The young Chinese boy, during one of his meditation sessions took out one of our jewels, equipped it and proceeded to send out a little friend to help me get a meal. He wasn't supposed to do that. It was not proper. His task was to guard a special box while meditating.

That little creature the young Chinese boy was filled with the boy's resentment and in a panic the young Chinese boy forgot he could've just revoked the lifeforce of that creature. The creature proceeded to destroy the temple and in his fear he ran.

Eventually the young Chinese boy escaped his creation but in the process he lost 3 items. You of course know what these items are and you have one of them in your possession.

Several years later a business woman discovered my precious gem and handed me off to her employer. This would mark what I consider to be my worst era, the time when my powers were forcibly misused for evil.

His wife had died, there was nothing any doctor at the time could do. Wracked by grief he forced me to oblige by his schemes. It is the power of our jewels. By knowing and being able to say our names, whoever possess our jewels can command us to do anything so long as it is within our power to do so.

For the next couple of decades he would call upon my powers. Everyday on the hour. It was non-stop. There was always someone troubled. Not a moment went by where I hadn't lost hope that he would eventually come around and if not, then I would be retrieved and safely placed back into good hands.

Unlike our relation where you will at times ask how I am feeling will take into account my advice, though I admit you have a peculiar way of taking it, the relation I had with that man was less than cordial. Ours was a matter of a master slave relationship. He was the master. I was the slave and he was a cruel one at that.

Eventually he was defeated, this wicked fashion designer. Not once did he ever waiver from his conviction. He was adamant the whole way through, but sadly my nightmare did not end there. I was then forced to slave away for another who took his namesake when he was using my powers. Perhaps they were inspired or perhaps they did this as a final kick of salt into the eyes, out of contempt. Whatever the case is, who's to say? They could've also taken his supervillain name because they didn't feel like changing much, him having already established himself as a dangerous supervillain. Yet I persisted the same I did with this next master of mine only this time, this master would not allow me to speak.

I was a fool. I revealed to him all our secrets sans the ones I was not aware of. He was an adult. I thought he'd have a strong moral compass but soon afterwards he enslaved me. And even after that, when the next came about, I foolishly explained all my powers. It was my fault. Why didn't I learn? I paid the price for my folly by being forced to be silent while under my new master.

There was not a moment where I didn't yearn to be free, free from this monster's hands. I thought my previous master was bad. This one was worse. Yet I had hope that righteousness would prevail. How foolish.

Generations upon generations would pass. There I was. Always hoping, but never coming any closer to freedom. It was then I began to realize a daunting fact. No matter how many times my master failed, there was always someone to corrupt, always someone whose soul was troubled. And they were becoming more frequent.

Eventually this master was defeated and as the result of this epic battle, my precious jewel was lost again, this time forever it was presumed.

Now dormant I waited and during that time I thought back as to why it took so long for her to save me.

"Have you ever thought about why it took so long for her to save you?"

"Well, it's because she was trying her hardest and there's only so much she can do."

"Maybe, but it was also known she had other priorities."

"I don't understand. Yes she had a love interest but that doesn't mean-"

"Have you ever considered that perhaps the reason why you were prisoner for so long was of no fault of your own?"

…

"Then you're saying-"

"Exactly. All those years. She could've saved you. Yet why did it take such a long time? Heh. Guess your 'salvation' was like a pebble in the street to her."

"She didn't care at all."

"Precisely."

"All she cared about was getting engaged with- with…"

When you first discovered me on that beach I was hesitant. My previous two masters had abused me, so I started to learn. Yet strangely you were aware of them and of our gems and our order. The Order was very secretive so how could an outsider know all this without being initiated? Did you by any chance discover another of my comrades?

No, that would've been impossible. After that epic battle, only a few of our precious gems remained behind.

Together we left the plane wreckage which had brought you here. You first used my powers on an elementary child by the name of Asashi. After that, I know not what happened. Everything became a haze. The only reason why I became aware was because you eventually detransformed and informed me of what had transpired.

"So my friend. What do you think?"

"This is- this is terrible!"

"Terrible? Please."

"You used my powers like those other 2 did. I want no part of this!"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry. I should've explained it better. See, I'm not all that used to this superheroing business."

I was confused. You meant to tell me that even though you knew of my powers and of the gem's purpose you had no idea how to properly use them?

"I'm just messing with you. Of course I knew what I was doing. Seriously though, this test run has proven some very interesting results."

"And what might that be?"

You then demonstrated what you meant. I was surprised to say the least. I didn't think it possible. Could it mean something? Why were you different?

"That giant turtle clad girl, and that auburn furry of a fox! I know those 2!"

"What do you mean?"

"You wish to see your friends again?"

"Do I ever!"

"Heheh, then we'll have to make some arrangements to meet with them. Chijinda You, Narue Oriku. We will meet soon. I can feel it. Then we can expand upon the others. It shall be glorious. With our powers combined this world can meet the shining of a beautiful future."

"Wait. So you know them?"

"Not personally. I just so happened to know them from a videogame made by some person who goes by Manzi-SS. Quite the coincidence those 2 exist, but then, if you can, why not them? Heheheh."

"So how do you plan on meeting up with them?"

"Simple. I'll infiltrate the ranks of their most staunch enemies, the Advance Sciences Society."

"I don't know who they are. Do you think they'll let in and even if they do, why would this Chijinda and Narue person want to help you? Wouldn't they think you're the enemy?"

"Relax. I have a contingency plan in case that goes awry. For now I'll need to borrow your powers once again. You don't mind if I do."

I hesitated but then you reassured me. Then you asked me a question,

"Do you have a particular type of snack you like to eat?"

"Uh…"

"Here. Have a cookie. You've had it rough and you deserve it easy."

"Wha- why would you-"

"Please. Don't look a gift horse in its mouth."

This kindness. It felt different. For the first time in a very long time I felt an emotion I thought I would never feel again. Comfort. You then used my gem to transform back but not before reassuring me that I would get a prize which would spark a new hope from within me, exactly as you stated. It was just over a year when you transformed.

"Ahahahahaha! Say. What do you think?"

"Thi- this is not what I-"

"Wha? It's not to your liking?"

"I thought you said you said you would become a hero! That Chijinda would help guide you."

"Chijinda. Oh yeah, him. Well turns out he's quite the insolent detective."

"What."

"Oh I tried to obtain his assistance but he's so caught up with his fragile pride I had to dash away that path. Alas, but look at him now. He's changed."

"You've turned him into a monster."

"No, not a monster. All I did was simply provide an outlet for him to release all that tension. Keeping such volatile emotions isn't healthy, you know."

"Then-"

"And besides. He doesn't know. Only the last 2 did and that's only because I was there with them."

"Y-you-"

"Ah, don't be sad. After all, I did fulfill my promise. Did I not say you would get a prize which would spark a new hope from within you? With the gears of my plan in motion it won't be long til I can see the fruits of my labor blossom at last."

…

"You consider all this to be beautiful?"

"Oh, if you could only know. This is the epitome of legends, the canvas to which everything becomes anew, and where...heheheheh. It's all working out. There may have been a couple of complications and some major plan shifts but rest assured. I will bring the dawn of this reality."

"You're a villain. A supervillain."

"Villain? All I'm doing is providing a voice for the weary, consultation for the forgotten. Let me clear something up for you. I never forced them to carry out their wishes, or should I say what they are doing is merely the result of their own character they've neglected or deny without any restraints or inhibitions."

"But you-"

"And as for heightening their negative emotions, I don't do that. It's an interesting fact about how my powers when combined with yours work."

This couldn't be. I didn't want to believe it yet you were telling the truth. Clearly you weren't normal, though what were you? Around this time I began to fully comprehend your standards of beauty. You truly considered this to be a praiseworthy notion of art. Still, even were I to accept you had some benevolent desire for humanity, the way you were going about it bothered me, but maybe you had a point. What if there's an innate reason why it was so easy for my previous 2 masters to abuse me other than the rules of my gem? There has to be an answer.

"If what you're saying is true, then how can you remain this calm and relax? Shouldn't you be concerned your champion is going to turn on you and strike you down?"

"Not to worry. One of them already has tried that. Suffice to say she's dead now."

"I don't quite catch that."

"Apparently the powers I grant upon others has this built in safety precaution where I don't need to program it in. In short, while I cannot freely revoke their powers once I've granted them, they also cannot use the powers I give them against me and before you ask, no. If you intentionally set yourself in a situation where you've lost your memories about me giving you power or anything of that sort, you will not bypass what happens next."

"What happens?"

"If they use the power I grant them against me, without fail the attack will always be redirected on them in such a way that it will always be detrimental. This reflected attack cannot be outrunned, dodged or blocked and it will always hit the one who used the powers I granted them against me and let me tell you it doesn't matter who I empower. The results are always the same. Hence why I have no worries."

This confidence you exhumed. I find myself gravitating towards it. You aren't just for show. Immediately I understood. You were telling the truth. Perhaps my initial judgment of you had been a bit too hasty, though I still find it hard to call you a hero yet alone an antihero. But maybe I've gotten my hopes up too high. Whatever the case is, there's only one thing I can do.

"Did I ever tell you about my past"

"N-no."

"Would you like to hear?"

Would learning about your past help me to better understand you? Just what were you planning?

"Is it related to what's happening right now?"

"It is."

Seeing the conviction in your eyes I knew there was a question I wanted to ask but I wasn't sure what it was. Perhaps you could guide me. It's funny. Here I am supposed to be guiding you and it turns out you've become a mentor of sorts to me. So what drove sensei to what he is today?

"Tell me all about, pal."

"It doesn't matter much now, but I suppose I should start where it all began. I was a despised child of 3. My parents hated me, my teachers and classmates despised me."

I felt a strong surge of resentment. Had your upbringing really set into shape who you are right now? Or were you always like that?

"You ever heard of corporal punishment? My parents were advant fans of this 'discipline'. He who spares the rod hates his child. How they lived by that, or at least it was for my early years."

"Early years?"

"And these twin girls of a dimwitted pastor, well. It fills my heart with peace when their face is splattered on the floor, ehehehehe. Yes! That first grade teacher got what deserved! I bet it hurts. Good riddance. She's either dead or rotting away all left alone. Oooh. And as for my parents. Did I ever tell you I once went to have my aura read?"

"No."

"Well aura reading isn't something I can do, but out of a fleeting curiosity I wanted to know what colors my aura would be. I thought it would be interesting as a form of scientific inquiry. You know what the person said?"

"They said you loved your parents but that obviously was not true."

"How right you are. Thanks to them I got an early taste of the reality of my kind."

"That's awful."

"It is, isn't it. Yet I showed then even at a young age when my buttocks were being smacked. And now, thanks to some of my champions they are finally where they belong. Ahahahahah! But still, it's not enough. There's plenty more, I have a mission. I'll become a hero, mwahahahaha!"

A hero? This sounded like the ravings of a madman. Still, after hearing about your past and combining it with how this Chijinda person refused to mentor you, I could get behind where you were coming at.

"Do you wish to see this future I have envisioned? What say you? What are you desires, my friend?"

"My desires?"

"Yes. Even a being such as yourself has something they wish to claim. What is yours?"

I...don't know. Yet I feel as though you want me to know. I must know. What is the reality of the matter? I pray that I am not being misled again. Will I ever break free from my foolishness of trusting every single user of my gem so easily?

"Heads up. Looks like we've got company. You won't mind if I used your powers to transform again would you?"

"And what if I say yes? Yes I do mind."

"If that is your wish I will adhere to it."

"Oh good."

"Just know my other friends may not be so-"

"Wait. You have other friends?"

"Heh. Look at you. So timid before but now you're willing to stand up for yourself. Well done."

Was this a trick? I wonder…

"Alright. I'll help."

And thus did I consciously agreed to help you transform one more time.