2So uh... yeah. Read. And be sure to review this thing once you're done.
Supposing this story is about me, I suppose I should begin the tale by saying that I was born. I was born, but not in the way you, as a human, would expect. So I suppose the word "born" is a bit inaccurate. "Created" is more fitting.
So, I was created.
It was not anything special. I merely woke up one day and realized that I existed. It was as simple as that. In the 'room' I found myself in, there were four others like me, and another man.
I suppose I will describe him in the way that he would appear on Earth, although this would not accurately describe him at all. But he, and the rest of us, are beyond the words of any human language. We are beyond any human comprehension.
So, according to what he would be like to a human, he was a tall man who stood at a height of 6'3". He was a thin man, and immensely pale. He had long black hair, tied neatly into a ponytail on the back of his head, though his bangs, being shorter than the rest of his hair, fell in front of his face sloppily. He wore thick glasses, thick enough to distort view through them, so one could not clearly see his eyes.
I found myself wondering where I was, who the people around me were, things like that. I looked at the other four, and they looked as clueless as I was. I looked back at the man, and wondered who he was. As if he had heard my thoughts (and later I found out that he HAD), he said, "Greetings, and welcome to existence. You all may call me Lord Damon; I created the five of you, as well as this universe you live in."
The other four beings with me began murmuring amongst themselves. I heard one of them refer to Damon as "father."
I knew what the word meant. It meant a male parent. But I knew that Damon was not a parent, so I did not see why they were calling him such. He did not show any signs that he did not like being called that, but I decided that it would be best just to call him by the name he gave us.
After giving the others some time to talk, he continued. "I would like all of you to follow me." He then opened a door, and walked out. We, as if we had no free will (and indeed, we had not received that yet), followed him. We walked through a short corridor, until Damon stopped at another door and walked in, the five of us following close behind. He motioned for us to sit in the five chairs that were there, and so we did. He then spoke again.
"I am sure you are all very confused, so allow me to explain. You all are beings called 'Supervisors.' There are already ten other Supervisors, and by the time I am done, there will be fifteen more of you, giving a total of thirty.
"Now, the chairs you are sitting in will soon begin to install your programming into your minds. This programming will define what you are able to do, though the boundaries it provides are flexible. Going against them can either help or hurt you. You will soon understand the rules concerning this."
We began to feel the programming flow through us. Damon continued talking. "After all this is done, I will assign each of you a sex and a number. The sex is for the purpose of making it simpler for you to choose a form for when you make for yourself a physical body. The number is crucial, as it is what you will be identified as, seeing as how none of you will have names."
The flow of information and energy stopped, and Damon stepped up to the Supervisor to my right. He pointed to it and said, "You are Supervisor 011. You will be male."
011 nodded, then Damon stepped in front of me. He pointed to me. "You are Supervisor 012. You will be female."
Female? I knew what that meant. My new programming gave me knowledge of the society we would help rule, that of Humans. And in Human society, the female was looked down upon.
Damon was about to step to the Supervisor to my left, when I spoke up. "Lord, I do not wish to be female."
He looked at me with an odd expression on his face. "You are female, 012."
I decided that it would be best not to argue with my creator, so I nodded and stopped talking. The other Supervisors looked at me oddly also. Had I said something wrong?
He continued assigning the others, and then he dismissed us. We knew where to go. He stopped me as I walked out and said to me, "012, it would not be wise for you to question me. You are young, so I will let this one slide, but do not let it happen again."
I bowed slightly. "I apologize, Sir."
He then dismissed me as well, and I left to where my quarters were.
A week (in human terms) passed, and by then Damon had created all the entities he meant to (The remaining fifteen Supervisors, as well as some Maintainers. The Exterminators had already been created), and we were given our assignments.
Throughout my first assignment, I was plagued with a horrible habit of forgetting to report to Damon every month. Also, I had not yet properly developed my psychic powers, so my supervising capabilities were, shall I say, not 'up to par.' And apparently I was supposed to protect my Exterminator, as well. I suppose I overlooked that fact, because after only a year, my Exterminator died, and the two of us had to return Home.
Soon after, Damon called me to his office. When I got there and saw that no one else was there, I knew that something was amiss, and this was definitely not going to be good for me.
I sat in the chair directly across from Damon, who was sitting at his desk. He spoke first, saying, "I am afraid you are not doing as well as you should be, 012."
I lowered my head. "I apologize, Lord."
He nodded, indicating that he had heard me, and continued talking. "Now, I know that you were just created. I understand that you are still learning. But the other Supervisors are doing much better than you are, so there is no excuse for your lack of competence."
I flinched. He thought I was incompetent?!
Still he continued. "So, to rectify this problem, I am going to send you to spend a month in maintenance. After that, you will be formally trained by one of the other Supervisors. Then, once you are given your next assignment, you will not only report to me EVERY MONTH-" He made sure that I understood the 'every month' part, "-but you will also check in with a Maintainer for a checkup after your report. Understood?"
I nodded. "Yes, Lord."
He sensed my shame, and his expression softened. "Now, now. Do not be distraught, 012. I am sure you will become better."
I nodded again.
"Now, please report to Maintainer 006, alright? And come see me to tell me how it went afterward," He instructed.
"But Lord, is 006 not going to give you a report of the visit, anyway?" I asked.
He smiled. "Yes, that I know. But I would rather hear what YOU think of it."
I was a little surprised by his answer, but I put that aside and nodded. "Alright then, Sir. I shall see you afterward," And with that, I stood up. I was about to step out the door when he spoke again.
"012," I turned my head to look at him. He was still smiling that warm smile of his. "I have high hopes for you. Do not disappoint me."
"I shall not, Sir." And with that, I left for the Maintenance wing.
On my way, I could overhear the conversation of my previous Exterminator with a Maintainer. I stopped to listen, though I knew I should not have.
"She is horribly incompetent!" He complained, "I mean, she never really looked after me all that well. I could have gone corrupt and stopped killing altogether and she probably would not have noticed! And then, when my body died, she could have prevented it! But NO! She just ignored me, and let me die. What kind of Supervisor does that?!"
The Maintainer then spoke. I recognized this Maintainer to be number 005, who had already risen the ranks and become the head Maintenance unit. Said he, "Yes, yes. We all know she is not qualified. I am sure Damon shall get rid of her soon."
"Nah," said the Exterminator, "I heard what was gonna happen. She is just gonna get some training. Damn, she does not deserve to be treated so leniently!"
In an uncontrollable bout of emotion, I felt a great rage build up inside me. How dare they speak of me when they thought I would not hear! How dare they think so badly of me! How dare they EXIST!
I pounded my fist against the wall, then ran off. By the time 005 came out to see what had made such a noise, I was already long gone.
As I ran in the direction of 006's office, my anger turned into sadness. I knew I deserved such remarks. It was my own fault that they were speaking so badly of me. I had only existed for a year, and already I was beginning to fall apart.
I arrived at 006's office, which was the only door at the end of a long corridor. I could tell that this corridor had been intended to have more doors on it, and soon it would, but for now it was empty.
I tried to open the door, but found that the corridor was not only empty, but deserted as well.
I fell down to the ground and sat there. Eventually, I felt a moisture building up in my eyes, then dripping out and falling down my cheeks and onto the floor. The small amount of pressure that this liquid put onto the floor caused it to glow ever so slightly under them, making the droplets look crystalline. Aside from the small amount of light reflected from the ground, they also reflected the bronze light that emanated from my energy structure. And I could see some blue. I wondered where the blue was coming from for a moment, but then remembered that I still did not know what these little droplets were.
"They are tears," Said a familiar voice. I looked up, and Damon stood there, his soft blue glow seeming infinitely comforting. "I forgot that Maintainer 006 is on break today. I apologize," He knelt down, and wiped a 'tear' from my face. "Perhaps your problems are deeper than I thought. Would you like to speak to me, instead of a Maintainer?"
"Whatever you wish, Lord," I answered.
He smiled. "Well, at least you are showing me proper respect. Some of the Exterminators have already begun acting too casual around me than their status allows them to be. One of them even called me 'God.'"
"How disrespectful," I commented.
He nodded. "Indeed," He stood up, and held out a hand to me, as an offer for him to help me up. "Would you like to come to my office? You can explain your woes to me there."
I took his hand and pulled myself up. "Yes, Sir. As long as no one else hears..."
"Worry not, dear. No one will ever know you spoke to me."
After I told him what I had overheard, he was not displeased with me like I thought he would be. Rather, he was angry with 005 for encouraging such 'trash talk.' The fact that 005 was going to be punished gave me some joy.
But something Damon said to me as I was leaving made me think.
Said he, "These emotions you are feeling, do not let them get out of hand. Do not let your emotions get in the way of your missions."
Such revelation this brought me! After a few days thinking about this, I realized- entities like myself, though they are capable of emotion, should never feel it. I realized how horrible 'sadness' and 'shame' made me feel, and I knew then exactly why emotions were so bad. So I made a vow to myself: That as long as I should live, I would never so much as feel even a slight twinge of emotion.
And so, I allowed myself to become cold. Throughout my maintenance, and my training, and my probation, I condititioned myself. No longer would anything affect me. No longer would I become angry or sad at anything anyone said.
Once, Damon even referred to me as an "Everlasting winter. Everything has frozen over, and there is little hope for thawing."
I am not entirely sure if this could be considered a bad thing, but I am sure it was not. After all, he is the one who told me to become cold in the first place.
And I became such a great Supervisor, as well! No longer did I allow myself to be ridiculed, I did not let anyone have a reason to think badly of me! I was better than all of them, and I quickly rose the ranks... and soon, Damon wanted me on the high council.
But once again, Maintainer 005 proved himself to be quite... hrm... biased. 005 seemed to rule the council, and when he said that I was unqualified, all the others agreed. Damon tried to convince them, but 005, being the head maintainer, was thought to have the best understanding of all of us, so Damon's plea had little effect.
"I am very sorry," Damon said to me, as we talked not in his office, but in his observation room. It was a place little knew about... truthfully, I was the only one he had told of it. "There is little I can do but hope the council changes their minds."
"I do not see why you cannot just veto their decision," Said I.
He shook his head. "I cannot do that, 012."
"And why not? You are DAMON, after all, and-"
"No. I cannot. If I do, then the council will become displeased. I cannot allow that to happen," He put his hand on my shoulder, "I will never stop trying to convince them. Even if it takes a thousand years, I will continue to fight for you."
I was not phased. "I have a better plan."
"And what would that be?"
"Take 005 off of the council," I said simply. After all, if 005 were gone, then Damon would have full control over the council again, yes? So getting rid of 005 seemed perfectly logical.
He took his hand away. "That I definitely canNOT do. 005 is our best Maintainer, and the others all have invested their trust in him. I will speak to him about how he has been acting lately, but I cannot get rid of him."
I sighed, and shook my head. "I think he is becoming corrupt."
He smiled a little. "So you are suggesting that I send a Maintainer to be maintained?"
I nodded. At the time, I did not realize that he was joking.
He laughed. "That sounds so very silly!" He suddenly regained his composure, "But, unfortunately, that will not solve the problem, because the true problem is that the two of you merely hate each other. No maintenance will change that."
I was about to argue that I do not feel 'hate,' when we both heard the door opening. We both looked back to see who it was that had come in, and lo and behold, it was 005. Damon's face immediately turned stern and he asked, "How did you get here?"
005 did not realize yet that he was in trouble. "I followed 012."
"And WHY were you following her?" He asked. He was obviously trying to stay calm, but was not doing well. Damon was not a person who liked his privacy to be violated.
"I saw her walking down a path that I thought had previously not existed. I was suspicious," 005 explained.
"Suspicious? Of WHAT?! What is she going to do, hmm?" Damon prodded.
"Well, Lord, I-"
Damon sighed annoyedly. "No, no, forget it. Leave now, 005, I will speak to you later," He paused, "And do not come here ever again. If I ever see you coming into places such as these without my invitation again, then you-" He paused, thinking, "- you will be taken off the council. Understood?"
005 looked shocked. He obviously did not expect to be yelled at. He nodded, then closed the door.
Damon looked back to me and continued talking as if nothing had happened. "Now, I was thinking that perhaps you may be able to do something to impress the council."
"Sounds like it is worth trying," I agreed, "What have you in mind?"
"Exterminator 134," Said he, "She has been in full-time maintenance many times. If you can handle her, then the council is sure to change their minds."
"Shall I go, then?"
He nodded. I got up to leave, but as I opened the door, he said, "Good luck, 012. I expect to see you on the council by the end of this decade."
But... that did not happen.
I never got onto the council, despite how well I did with 134, and when she got out of hand, I was the one who helped Damon decide how to get rid of her. But still the council denied me.
But it is I that was allowed the last laugh, for today, I was upgraded.
I am no longer the Supervision unit, number 012.
I am now the Corrector. Number 001.
The first and only.
The honor associated with this cannot be denied. Of course, this means that I will never be on the council, but, in a way, I am above the council. I am Lord Damon's right-hand man. I am THE one who allows the Earth to exist safely. None of those Supervisors, those Maintainers, those Angels of Death, none of them can compare to my importance.
I suppose humans would consider me a god. And all of the Units treat me as such.
And so ends the tale of 012. So ends her shameful story of failure and defeat. For, from now on, she is dead, and only the triumphant, the magnificent.. only the Corrector remains.
The end.