Let me… Regale you a tale. O' visitor of mine. It is not one that is usual of my station nor of very much use besides the entertainment it might give. However therein lies its use.

To stave off the hectic boredom that my station as the keeper of this museum gives me. Oh of course this was done on another world line, one that would soon be destroyed. For if it were to get out to the others I would be hunted with no remorse. Hehe… those sticklers do not know the lengths I have gone for my mission.

Yet they still want to meddle in my station as the keeper. Besides an agent of my own, on a whole new world line… Oh the stories they'll tell, Oh the exhibits I'll gain.

Ah but I seem to have gone off topic, my dear guest. As this experiment, mind you, has gone on for decades and only now have I gained the fruits of my effort.

Or should I say your effort.

'That dream again' I thought to myself, my body rising from the warm embrace of my bed. The dream was unusual, it depicted vast galaxies, filled with only war. Yet that seemed to be an undertone of what it wanted to show me. As the actual focus of the dream was a grand museum.

One that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe. Of both the very past and the current present, ever growing in its scope.

I shook my head of those thoughts and looked towards the window, my hand blocking the sun from my eyes. However it wasn't needed as with a thought the blinds closed leaving me in darkness.

Quietly I muttered a thank you, yet it wasn't needed. The small buzzing of the metal spider near me told all I needed to know.

It had done its job faithfully and had only returned for more orders.

I turned my head again, this time to see the spider that was making the buzzing noise. To be truthful I had no idea what to think of it. Ever since that day… 'Tch' I couldn't even think about it without flinching.

Another buzzing noise and I found the spider near my head, its buzzing finding its way into my ear.

I swatted at it and it leapt out of the way, landing on my drawer. A green glow resonated out of its carapace before it faded to nothing as it deactivated itself.

I just sighed and hid it in the drawer itself, not wanting anyone to find it. I placed piles of clothes on it before I opened my door to the hallway.

There was no one there, no activity as usual. It was a normal occurrence and even though my family would rarely ever check up on me or even enter my room I was still cautious.

After all, tinkers were highly valuable and I didn't trust my family not to rat me out to the gangs for another hit of whatever it was that they were on at the time.

Quietly I made my way downstairs and started on my own and the family's breakfast. It was the one thing that I could at least take pride in, the fact that I was a decent chef. In fact it was the only reason that I even got meals.

Those junkies that I call parents would have sooner had me on the streets scavenging for money rather than to properly care for me. And that is exactly what they tried to do.

However when I first made them food, started catering to their needs. It was only then that they relented and allowed me to have my own room and food.

I placed the plates on the table before sitting myself down and eating. Once I was done I immediately left the house all the while making sure that the food would still be good for them even after I left for school.

The school buses wheels screeched as it made its way into the parking lot, all around me were the various friend groups. They all ignored me, opting to talk with their friends and I was fine with that.

The only reason I even came to school in the first place was so that I may one day escape the hell hole that I call my family.

I waited for all of the various groups and people to leave the bus before I did the same, blending into the crowd.

It wasn't an uncommon thing for me to do. I could have left first or I could have left last but that would draw attention onto me. Something that I really didn't want. I didn't want to be the next Taylor after all and attention was the first thing that would lead to that.

Eventually I made it to the first class of the day, the bell ringing precisely as I sat in my assigned seat.

The teacher started his greetings however no one paid attention, most were content to be on their phones. Playing games or texting.

Me on the other hand, I was stuck in my notebook. Drawings of various sci-fi like blueprints littering the pages.

I made sure that they looked more like artist's renditions to make sure that if it was ever stolen it would seem like a teenage boy's doodles rather than the advanced blueprints that they were.

And they were advanced, even just some of the math and physics that were depicted on the pages would skyrocket humanity into the space age, yet I could not reveal that.

If these got out and the true meaning behind them was found I would be hounded by not only the gangs and PRT but that damned angel in the sky. She wouldn't let anyone with ambitions for space be.

It was a damned if I do damned if I don't situation if I was being honest. As most of my technology was space age stuff or at least dealt with space. There were many weapons and other vehicles that I could make but those were tiny in comparison to the giant ships and vessels that I could make if I was truly given room to expand in the universe.

The ringing of the bell woke me from my drawings, the teacher stopping his lesson to allow us to leave. I sighed as I looked up to the bell, honestly I didn't even know why I bothered with school anymore.

The knowledge that my power gave me was more than any institution on this earth could give me. Though I guess my power could never give me the history of the world. Something that had always interested me.

Then again I could just study on my own, there was no reason for me to even come to school. They wouldn't even notify my parents, it was that shitty of a school.

I walked from my first period, my legs following muscle memory to make it to the next class as I thought over the gift I had been given.

Unlike the typical tinkers that could not understand their own technology nor could they even reverse engineer it, my own was the opposite.

I knew exactly what I was doing and why. I knew the math and physics behind it and why it even worked in the first place.

Of course I couldn't digest all of that information in one sitting. It was why I still had to draw or write down my findings.

Just because I had an encyclopedic knowledge of this species did not mean that I knew how to implement it or could even digest and understand it properly.

For example I knew that this equation that I was currently solving was some sort of chemical formula for a stronger metal but why did this happen, what was the chemistry behind it and how could I implement them.

Those were all questions that I had to ask myself and experiment with.

Even if I knew they were true it was so fascinating to go through the whole process of discovering them and finding their uses.

Though there were some tedious parts that I sort of cheated through, using preset instructions to create the shortcuts that would make everything easier.

Just like the scarab that I had created. Sure I could have understood everything about it and how it worked but I could also do that after I created it.

It was for a reason such as that that I made it with preset instructions rather than understanding it fully.

It grated on me to do that but its utility was just too much for me to wait.

Oh the things that I could do with it. The experiments that I could do. The things I could learn.

It was with these illusions of grandeur that I found myself in my seat of the next class.

I pulled out my notebook again and ignored the teacher, there was no reason for me to listen.

Even if it was a history teacher it was much less interesting than the technology of the Necrons. The Necorns being the species that I had been given the technological advances of.

I found myself doodling, it wasn't anything real that I could make, well at least not yet but it was something just to amuse myself.

Several minutes later, when I was finished with the drawing I looked down and could not recognize it. Consciously I knew that I had drawn this but there was also part of me that was screaming.

'You did not do this' 'this is not your work'

I grabbed my head, a grimace lacing my expression as a conflict raged beneath it.

'Deep breaths, in… out… in… out' Several seconds of that same pattern. A breath in, hold and release. It calmed me to where I could eventually focus again and actually take a look at what had been drawn.

It looked like a cube, one made of the deepest black yet I knew that the surface was a deception. Its true purpose lay in its utility.

It was something that even the high lords of the Necron only held a couple of in battle, a last resort.

It was a Tesseract Labyrinth. One that could hold even the mightiest of beings. My head was flooded with information of the uses it had taken in Necron society. Of how it was used to imprison gods.

It was grand yet I could not see a reason as to why I was given this blueprint and I knew I was given it as from my recollection I had never encountered something like this.

'A gift maybe?'

Again I just sighed, my brain done with the constant conclusions and suspicions it was coming up with.

I didn't want to dive deep into this, especially not out in public where my unusual behavior could be caught. And yes, I knew that it was unlikely that anyone would notice but there could be a thinker that caught onto my powers.

It would be a great issue for me, I would be forced to mobilize my full power to resist whatever gang thought it best to press me into their service and with that I would be labeled a threat. Most likely S class with how the scarabs could self replicate.

I turned the page of the notebook, my pen in hand as I started doing the calculations. It wasn't for anything relevant to what I was thinking, just something to take my mind off of the recent occurrences.

Slowly the shape came to be, a spider. One glowing with green energy and attached upon it were weapons that made nuclear bombs look like sticks.

I had actually spent most of my time while drawing going over the technology of the weapons. It was fascinating, the way that it was able to rip apart its target atom by atom. Though it was not something that I would wish on anyone that did not deserve it as the pain of that would be unimaginable.

Again the bell rang, signaling the end of the class.

I packed most of my things into my bag before leaving for the cafeteria.

A couple minutes later and I was sat down with a meal that I had prepared earlier.

It wasn't anything fancy however it was tons of times better than whatever the cafeteria was serving.

In a couple moments time I scarfed it down before closing my eyes and rubbing my temples.

A migraine was coming in and I couldn't really stop it. The sounds around me turned into loud ringing before I calmed myself down enough to break from that.

Though by that time lunch had already ended.

It was why I didn't just rest for a second and headed immediately to my next class.

My steps started to get erratic, the same migraine coming on again except this time it was of an unparalleled intensity.

Everything was ringing. Everything hurt so much. I couldn't feel anything, just the constant pain.

My vision went black and suddenly everything stilled for a moment.

Two voices ringing in my head.

'Tomb' 'Museum'

I tried to open my eyes, to do anything to escape those oppressive voices yet nothing worked.

My muscles were locked and I couldn't even tell if this was reality or dream.

It hurt… it hurt so much.. make it stop please.

They kept on pulling and pulling, fracturing my sanity even more with their voices.

'Please… just stop…'

I could tell that I needed to pick a side, to help one and out of the two the one that was pulling on me to make a museum was more appealing than the tomb. Whatever that meant.

My vision restored to me, yet I was on the ground. Bruises on my body.

It hurts so much, just please… stop.

'Good choice…'

It was the last thing I heard before my vision went back and I passed out.

A light shone in my eye, a hand holding my eyelids apart as the other held the flashlight.

I jolted from where I was sitting, my throat parched for water as I stared up at the nurse.

She gave me a disinterested look before turning away.

"You look fine… Inari… go back to class" halfway through she looked to her clipboard as if trying to find my name, then continued.

Though after that she just left, not giving a shit about me or my condition.

Just young through the movements.

"Typical" I muttered under my breath. I fainted and all they did was check me when I was unconscious then send me off after I regained consciousness.

Truly it was a shitty school.

I sat down at my desk within my own room, the voices downstairs growing quiet as I started to focus solely on my project.

Ever since I had fainted at school there was this inexplicable urge in my heart.

One to collect and catalog the various wonders of the world.

To make a museum showing the best and the worst of history. Kind of like the British.

'Heh' I snorted, laughing a bit at my joke m.

However, soon I turned back to the piece of paper in front of me.

Numerous designs flashed by my eyes but the one that stood out the most was the design for a museum.

It was one that held almost infinite space and countless Tesseract Labyrinth's that would enshrine my eventual acquisitions.

However before that I needed to make this museum, the place where I would store everything I gather.

I smiled, a genuine one. I really was taking joy in this.

Eventually an idea came to mind and immediately I was acting upon it.

My shoes and clothes were on in mere moments.

My backpack was stuffed with my notebook and the scarab. Its carapace glowed green for a second before it buried itself into the backpack as I had ordered it to.

I exited the house shortly after, making sure to take the keys to the car.

Sure if I was gone for too long then they would notice but as they were right now my parents were too drugged out to even notice the movie I was making.

With a turn of the key the car was turned on. Hundreds of ideas for improvements flashing through my mind at the sight of the vehicle however I ignored that in favor of my plan.

With a thrum of the engine I was off, the destination pulled up on my map and quickly memorized.

Ah that was a thing too. After my trigger not only was I given numerous concepts and technology that I could access but I was also given an excellent memory.

Most likely something to boost the already broken powers I had.

I wasn't complaining though as I rode through the streets without hesitation in where I was going I was actually thankful.

The car didn't have any of those fancy features that had come out in the newer cars so it was either memorize the map or stop frequently to find where I was on a map and then go from there.

That would have been annoying but thankfully I was able to memorize the map.

It took maybe half an hour before I was where I needed to be.

It was the docks. Not the ones owned by the dock workers but the actual docks. Where people went to fish.

I saw some older men sitting out there, a fishing pole in their hands and a beer at their side.

I ignored them, giving them a nod of the head every so often to acknowledge them but that was all.

Once I was far away enough from them I opened my backpack and took the scarab from its place.

I threw it into the water, the small noise it made being drowned out by the waves.

After that to not draw too much suspicion I bring out my notebook and start drawing.

It took barely a minute before the same scarab resurfaced and found its place in my backpack.

However I decided to stay there for a while, the salty air was nice and I could just relax near the ocean for a bit.

Hours passed by like that, just me and my notebook, drawing away the day.

Yet eventually I needed to go home. Though by the time that I had thought that it was already nearing six or so.

I didn't bother to check my phone. My things were swiftly packed into the back back and sling onto my back.

A moment later and I was in the car, driving back downtown and towards my house.

The night was growing darker, it was winter after all yet it felt foreboding.

The feeling continued into the late hours as I drove back up to the driveway and parked the car.

A click of my keys and I was in the house, an unusual quiet taking over the house.

No sounds of groaning and grunting at their ecstasy enhanced passion.

No yells signifying a drunken rage. Nothing. Everything was quiet.

It was unnatural, unusual. A shiver passed through my spine and I couldn't help but grip at my side.

A weapon that I thought I would not need coming into my grip.

It was quite simple, the only difference between it and a dollar store knife bing its sharpness.

The metal it was made of was sharpened so well that it could sink into metal with ease.

Not without damaging the edge, mind you, but it was still quite sharp and able to go through most things that I needed it to.

Quietly I crept through the hallways, jumping at every shadow.

Though eventually I did make it to the living room only to find the unconscious bodies of my parents, they were laid out on the ground.

It wouldn't have been unusually except for the fact that someone sat at the table a cup of tea in her hands as she slightly dipped it.

"Sit" she commanded, her glare leaving no room for negotiation.

I did just that, however that wasn't all of what I did. With a tap of my leg I gave a command to the scarab.

It crept from my bag, hopefully inconspicuously and made its way towards the kitchen where it would replicate itself as much as possible and upon my command come flooding into the living room and take out this cape.

"I recommend you not do that…" she said, all the while her eyes looked out the window, watching the night overtake the day.

I couldn't help but panic a bit, my body stiffening up and my fingers going to tap my leg.

Yet before I could even bring my hand down my vision was filled with trhe barrel of a gun.

I knew I would not survive if that trigger was to be pulled, my scarabs were not that fast. Not fast enough tk take the hit for me.

I gulped and fearfully sat my back against the rest. The barrel still pointing towards my forehead.

"Controller, now." It was a simple statement yet it was punctuated by the clicking of the gun.

"Do I need to repeat myself."

I grit my teeth, a war raging through my head. I had no intention of giving up my technology to this women but if I didn't I would be dead. Before I could even begin.

I couldn't even try and program a skemthing tk delete the contents of it or at the very least destroy the device.

I didn't have enough time nor the foresight to do such a thing.

It grated on me but as the seconds ticked by and the cold metal of the barrel pressed against my head I had no choice but to hand it over.

I rolled up my shorts, revealing my leg and the device that was strapped to it.

It was a makeshift way to communicate to the scarabs, it had taken me weeks of research and planning to make it yet now it was being stolen by this damned women.

I unstrapped it and handed it over, the gun being withdrawn from its place and deposited in a holster in the woman's hip.

"I assume…" I ground out, "that you have a reason for doing this."

If looks could kill she would have been dead hundreds of time over but unfortunately I hadn't the time to implement something like that.

"Yes, I do." She lauded there again, staring at me unblinking while she fiddled with the device.

All of the right buttons being pressed in the right order for her to command the scarab to come to her.

And just like that I was even more nervous. Just like a pet the scarab made its way over and crawled into her lap.

A hand went to pet it, all the while staring at me.

"Out with it." I impatiently said, "what is it you want?"

A small smile crept over her face, one that seemed to just push my buttons.

"You, I want you"

My eyes opened wide at that, more surprised than anything.

It seemed almost… sexual. It was why I was so taken aback at her statement.

"Wha- what"

"You heard me," she smirked, "I want you to work for me… my what else could you have been thinking"

With that her hand came up to her mouth and she giggled slightly.

I looked away, a blush on my face. She was pushing every button that I found attractive, whether unknowingly or not, it still affected me.

With my head still turned the other way I spoke my mind. "And what would this work be…?"

It was a simple question but one that I needed to have answered. I may be flexible in my morals but there still were some things that I could not tolerate. My cooperation depended on her answer.

"A variety of things, but the most important would be the creation of your tech. It would greatly help us if you were to make something like say.. A.." Her mouth moved a slight bit as if testing the word, almost as if she didn't know what it was just the noise that it would make. I took note of that detail. Filing it away for another day. "Tesseract Labyrinth… yes that was what it was."

For a second my eyes flickered to my backpack, the notebook that was filled with the designs sitting inconspicuously there.

However I soon focused back on the woman in front of me, hoping to god that she had not seen that small flicker of my attention. However when I looked back, I saw no one on the couch apart from me.

Instead right next to me was the woman, the fedora that she clad on her head sitting in her lap as she moved her head closer to mine.

"Do that and I may re~ wa~ rd~ you." The last part was whispered in my ear, the tone pushing every button that I found attractive and making me shiver from my spine. My breath shuddered for a moment but by the time I had gone to give her an answer she was gone, the silence in the house deafening.

I sat on my bed, my head facing the ceiling as I went over what had happened after that woman had left.

She hadn't even given me the courtesy of her cape name.

All I knew was her appearance and that she wanted my tech.

'Tch..' as if I would give it to her. I was stubborn but I at least knew that if I didn't expand soon or even just make something protective I truly would be forced to give up my own technology.

I wouldn't even be able to blackbox it like so many other tinkers seemed to do instinctually.

My tech would be able to be understood, given it would take years of dedicated effort to even just make a copy but they would be able to understand it eventually.

Call me greedy or something but it felt like a travesty, to let anyone but myself have this tech.

It was above the humans of this world.

I sighed again, this time my eyes glancing away from the ceiling and down towards my desk.

Numerous utensils used for drawing and sketching lay strobe about.

I swung my legs to the side and got up from my bed.

In mere moments I was sitting in the chair, the moonlight shining a small but beautiful light on my desk.

I closed my eyes, basking in the atmosphere for a second before abruptly opening them.

A buzzing sound echoed through the room as I tapped on the side of my knee.

It brought with it both itself and a couple of materials that I would need.

Cautiously I opened the window and climbed down the wall.

A slight grunt echoed from my mouth at the fall but I didn't make any more noise than that.

Behind me the scarab followed, the small buzzing noise a constant of its existence.

With the small glow that it emanated into the darkness I was able to navigate my way out of the backyard and towards an uninhabited park.

It was abandoned, not that it was surprising seeing as it was the middle of the night. Though even if that wasn't the case there was no way that people would come here.

It was almost in the middle of merchant territory meaning that it was abandoned and filled with all sorts of trash and needles.

However, for me it was perfect. The materials around here would make for excellent energy that my scarab could then use to crest materials that I could use to build my protection.

I sat at a bench, relatively exposed yet not worried. All the while waiting for the scarab to come back. It had been minutes since I had given it its order yet it had already deposited several deposits of necrodermis. Or at least necrodermis in a malleable form.

It was relatively surprising, the fact that I was able to manipulate it with just my hands but I had to admit that it was quite the relaxing thing to do. The way that it gave my hands something to do while I got lost in my thoughts.

I smiled up into the moonlight, my face illuminated by the full moon that we were currently experiencing. Right here, right now, at this time even surrounded by the evidence of human vices, I felt at peace.

My hands dropped, the mask that I was making forgotten in my lap as I basked in the moonlight. It truly was a beautiful sight.

The moon shining down on my face illuminating the dark circles that see my eyes.

I looked down to my lap, the same moonlight illuminating it. A skull mask. One that was pure dark gray.

I held it up in the sky and fit it to my head.

A click of a button and it was done, the protective metal forming around my face, remembering its shape.

I smiled, looking back up to the moon. The mask reflected that smile, as if it was truly my own face.

A click of a button, one in the side of the mask and the world was illuminated in unnatural green light.

Sensors that amplified light turned I, whirring in my ear. They were not optimized just as everything else wasn't b it was the best that I could do right now.

Or at least the best that my pride would allow me to build.

I looked to the side, my hand daintily reaching up. A crawling sensation took my senses and I looked down.

The scarab had found its way back, a full belly that was reflected in its current laziness.

My features softened, my legs pulling me from the bench as I stride back home.

It was a nice walk, a nice break from the world but now I needed to lay back down.

I would be too groggy in the morning otherwise.

I felt a light touch upon my face as the night turned into day.

A small something flew into my face, disturbing my eyes and making them flutter.

A note, one that had impeccable penmanship. Yet I did not try to read it yet.

It was too early for anything of that sort.

First I needed to wake up, something a nice shower would help with. Yet I could not do that, the water had been cut off the other day.

Bills gone unpaid. I sighed, the realization of that same fact hitting me like a brick.

My eyes opened wide, blinking away the sleep as I tried to wake up without my normal shower.

I reached over my body to grab the note that I had thrown away. The impeccable penmanship standing out more than anything.

However I just sighed again, bringing my body to the side as I read it.

It was a simple note, one with coordinates and a simple code.

To anyone else the code would have meant nothing. They might have thought of it as a password or maybe something similar but to me it was important.

It was the manufacturing code of one of my weapons. To be more specific it was the manufacturing code of the hyper phase sword.

A sword that vibrates across different dimensions which allows it to cut through virtually anything. Almost anything that I thought of, from the strongest metals to the most powerful parahumans would be cut to shreds by this with no resistance.

It was while I was thinking of the sword that I finally took notice of something.

It was small compared to the note but there was something else. A signature.

- Contessa

I found myself downstairs, my parents looking like zombies as they crawled their way towards the food that I had set on the table.

A broken needle was placed in the table, a shouting match imminent. Most likely both accusing each other of who used the needle and the drugs that were in it.

A silent sigh echoed from my mouth as I looked away. It was better for them to do this. If they weren't distracted by their fight then they might turn their anger to me.

Shitty they be but they were still my parents and I couldn't bring myself to hurt them. No matter how much hey deserved it.

That was why I was thankful that their anger was at each other rather than me. Besides the distraction it gave it would also allow for me to slip out of the house and go about with what I wanted to do.

And that was exactly what I did. I slipped the mask into my sleeve, the hoody on my body allowing for me to hold onto the mask without it showing.

After I had taken that I found myself outside and walking towards the dock.

By now the scarabs should have been done with their orders.

Or at least partially done. Either way it would be a boon for me to go and find them and see whether they had made the museum or were still working in it.

I reached my hand into my pockets and found the keys for the car. I had swiped them from them while they were shouting.

It was quite easy, though what isn't easy is getting out of the driveway without them noticing.

It was why I had to wait, though not for too long as soon after they took their shouting match towards the bedroom.

I crinkle my nose at the thought, climbing into the car to try and distract me from the image that was popping into my mind.

It was minutes later that I found myself out by the docks again.

This time I didn't garner much attention. My presence noticed yet going unasked as I was here the other day.

There were a couple people that wanted to ask if I was going to be a regular.

Probably didn't want their fishing spots taken or maybe they were just being nice but I just shrugged and told them that I was just experimenting. That I just wanted to find a nice hobby.

Most just nodded and gave some advice. Others were a bit more cheeky and offered me a beer and an offer to come fish with them.

I refused but told them that I might do it some other day. I think most understood but we're a bit disappointed. Though seeing as most of them were elderly I could understand, they most likely just wanted to tell a kid their story. Have someone listen to them and I could respect that but I couldn't right now.

I walked by, going further and further down the docks till I found no one in sight.

I sighed lightly, all the while tapping in my leg. A complex code was put in and soon after I felt something surfacing into the dock.

It wasn't very obvious and anyone would miss it if they weren't looking for it but I was and I had found it.

I took a deep breath, holding in as much air as possible all the while putting the mask on before plunging into the water.

I felt the water soak all of my clothes and submerge my body but that was all.

A moment after that I found myself in solid ground, wiping the salty water from my eyes as I tried to look around.

The air was stale as if it hadn't been circulated for a while but that was to be expected as it was freshly generated by the mask. A feature that I had tinkered on moments before plunging into the water.

Though I hadn't expected the water to be able to penetrate my mask. Something to look at later.

For now though…