Moanful Elegy

Commission done for dA’s Gojiro7

I am Artress - the Dominator of art. Via the nanomachines that make up my form, I reshape those who cling to humanity into the inanimate objects they were meant to be; making them beautiful works of art. This, however, was not always the path I walked. I have quite the terrible secret, but one that brings hope. Once, I was one of them; an object steeped in the trappings of 'living'. For years I followed the paths of these others, but I was never fully swayed. I knew what I was meant to be since the day I was formed, but acting out of the norm of their rules made my existence difficult for me, and my creators, or as they liked to call themselves, my 'parents'. So I spent two decades following along, being one of them. It was more than I could bear! Luckily, however, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, one that would set me free, a path laid out by one of the few positives of their structuring: science

For some years I worked in one of their collectives, a corporation that claimed it was the 'leader in Nanoscopic technology'. 'They', of course, hired me for my unbridled brilliance. I, of course, would agree for their resources would provide use in furthering my desires; even if the cost was being their willing slave, unable to truly shine under the weight of their dim tones. They feared my truth as signs of "insanity", and as such I was not allowed to work alone; a pair of their more loyal followers assigned to each of my projects, both of whom I knew were only there to make sure I didn't do something they would regret. I despised every moment, passing and reminding me of the trappings I was stuck in, I made due by thinking of them as I did myself. The one male they referred to as Jonathan I more aptly called "stretch", much like the Female designated kimura Kimura was Confine. They thought these were cute "nicknames" no matter how much I implored that those were their true titles. Stretch was personified by his lanky form that made him the most useful tool to grab objects that had lost themselves in places far out of reach. Confine would relegate herself to her small personal room, a so called cubicle; saying that "the cramped spaces help clear my mind of all distractions". I always found a connection to what she said; if she weren't so deluded by the trappings of life, I would have dared to say she was my equal. Alas, they both would always mock my statements, disregarding them as the raving of a "weird jokester", continuing on with their unimportant trifles. I too was stuck in these routines, until the day came that changed it all.

Over years of various projects, my masterpiece had finally come to fruition: the most advanced nanomachine in existence, capable of altering matter at its fundamental level. The difficulty in manufacturing just one required such massive resorces, that I begrudgingly had to solicit the help of Stretch and Confine to construct a device capable of producing it. With work, the nanomachine's abilities were able to be funneled into a large device we called a Mass Driver; capable of altering large sums of raw material into anything we desired. Still deluded by their trappings, they wanted to solve their collective's personal issues of "hunger" and "energy", with such small thought. With my purpose, not only would those issues be solved, but it would better benefit the entire universe as well; this device was mine to use for that goal.

The night I did our first test run was a moment that will never leave me. The machine hummed to life, its efficiency pure bliss to see in action as it took the piles of stone and converted them into my glorious nanomachines. Stretch and Confine were awestruck with its success, claiming it was the dawn of a new era... For once, they were not wrong. As much as it pained me to use one of my brethren, I grabbed a "paper weight" and struck both of them over the head, leaving them in a state of unconsciousness, another trapping of their condition. With them incapacitated, I then broke open the container holding the nanomachines and climbed inside. It took them little time to begin swarming over me, integrating with me. I felt "pain" for the final time as my entire being was broken down atom by atom and for a brief moment, I no longer existed. The Mass Driver could not handle such a strenuous task and begun to overload, the immense energy the nanomachines were generating were overwhelming its sensors. So much energy that it melted away the surrounding machine, and soon after the very fabric of time and space where it stood. What little was left of the machine was now nanobots, fueling the swarm in their continued efforts as they merged together, and I was remade in my own glorious image. I emerged from the void, shape still forming as I casually walked from the vast field of stars; even in this unfinished state I finally felt bliss. I was finally the object I was meant to be, no longer a "living being". I was free from all of the trappings of mortality and was free to simply exist. But this was naught but a fraction of my desire. With my entire being made up of nanomachines, I was free to alter any matter I saw fit. Seeing my collages beginning to wake up, the first of a long string of "inspiration" was formed.

Confine was the first to awaken as she staggered to her feet, a look of utter despair in her eyes as she saw her life's work reduced to a puddle of silver goo, gravitating towards me like Planets around the sun. I offered her a chance to become an object like myself, to be the box of idea's she truly was; but her foolish human emotions got the better of her as she assaulted me with vulgarity, then hopelessly attempting to pierce my form with a piece of pipe that broke off during the conversion. Her stab was strong, the pipe sticking through the whole of my chest, but I couldn't help but laugh as my glorious new body broke down the pipe into nano-goo. She stood, stunned, as the goo encroached on her, beginning to break her down as well. Her body starting to become like jello, She could not stop herself from screaming, even in spite of being so much closer to her ideal form. I felt in synch with the nanomachines that now comprised her being. I couldn't fully understand what this sensation was, but some buried part of me knew what I was able to do as my desire to see her true form took shape. Her mass shrunk as a clear cube of plastic begun to congeal around the rest of her goopy form. Her body now encapsulated, it was free to endlessly drift in its new casing; wild and free within, hard and defined outside, akin to the lava lamps I did so adore. With Confine now an object, her mind was empty and free of all attachments. I could feel the words echoing in her mind, "My cube is my self, my self is my cube" in an eternal loop. She was now left only with bliss, the giant smile on her face was all the proof I needed of that; something I would hope to see in my works.

Several minutes after Confine had been fully transformed, Stretch finally awoke; he too was in shock, but not over the machine's twisted remains. Rather, he feared for what had become of Confine. At the time, I couldn't comprehend the sensation of love; something that would only come when finding my beloved, Lock, several thousand years later. Stretch had loved Confine and pleaded with me to help "save her". I simply chuckled before telling him the truth of the situation; that I was the cause and how she was left with true bliss. His eyes sunken, he asked to join her in her altered form. Be it for some twisted sense of living relationship, or a true understanding of the greatness of my goal, he was now mine to shape as my first volunteer, and surprisingly unenticing for some reasons I cannot understand; but I continued onwards, as what kind of monster would I be to leave such a sad being still tied to the trappings of life? I gentally stroked my finger across his chest, leaving a trail of silver behind. Quick to action, it seeped into his form. A his whole body became soft and pliable, I caressed my hands around him, and true to his name sake, I was able to push and pull upon him, like clay on a potters wheel. I continued to sculpt and shape until he was finalized into his true form. It begun to harden in place, solid, but bendable; able to be posed by anyone who so desired. With a final settling on positioning, I could sense his mind become clear and free of all attachments, even from the very woman he wanted to be with. All he thought about was himself as it echoed " Bend me, Stretch me, twist me, however you desire me to look", his face contorting into a wide smile. Out of curiosity I tried to alter his expression, but it would quickly return to its previous shape, a sign I took as its experience of true bliss.

With my now 'former' coworkers released from their mortal coils to experience true bliss, and all the computers and documents eradicated with my transformation, it would take centuries for humanity to ever come close to recreating the power I possess. My form's transformation finished; I shaped a mirror to gaze apon my figure. Despite being "male" by the standards of sentients, I always found greater fascination in the combined attributes of both genders. My form was as elegant and sleek as a Females, but powerful and concrete as a male's. At the time I hadn't take on the title of Artress because I believed I was above the concept of " Name's" but I would later grow to understand the lasting effects a "Legacy" has on those who would eventually desire to join my cause. I briefly considered staying and making objects out of all the sentients I ever knew; but there was far too much waiting out there in the infinite void to bother myself with such mortal sentiments. I needed time to consider how best to use my newly gained abilities, and with this power to bend time and space, I had all of it I could ever need. As I stepped into the portal, a squad of the company's security burst into the room. They could do little but stand stiff, dumbfounded by the sight before them. I blew them a kiss as I bid humanity a less then fond farewell; disappearing, never to be seen again...