Annie skipped happily along empty main streets fully transformed into her Light Guardian form. Jack was there walking alongside her. Jack wore a regular t-shirt and pants.
"So, assistant, did you bring in the supplies we need?" Annie asked.
"Of course. Do you need any more?" Jack replied.
"No. Even if we did, I wouldn't be able to send you to get them. Apparently, one of my pieces reported seeing you destroying one of my other pieces of art."
"Is that why you needed to scan through my memories?"
"Of course. If it was you, then you'd know that I'd have to fix you. But no. It seems there is another. Another assistant out there just like you. But I'll deal with that when we get there. For now, I've just kept watch."
As they strolled along, the entire street began to de materialize. Everything broke apart revealing a strange realm. The world looked as though it was made with paint. Everything seemed to expand infinitely. There were different colors all around them. The raging red clashing with the soothing blue. The swirls of storms made up of yellow and orange. A radiant galaxy made up of the rainbow above their heads. The ground of colorful concrete beneath them formed as they walked.
"It's always so pleasant walking around this place, my sweet Jacqueline. I'm sure it's almost ready for the public to see. Just a few minor touches on some of my art and then I'll be inviting my first guests. Isn't it exciting, assistant?"
Jack coldly replied with little choice, "Of course."
As they took their stroll, they began to see more bizarre and menacing creatures just watching and wandering aimlessly. However, neither Annie nor Jack could sense them. However, neither of them were alarmed by their presence.
Then, Jack and Annie walked through what looked like a door. They entered what looked like a dungeon filled with Night Demons. Cages made up of Annie's lasers held them as they bunched together. But they couldn't be felt. Their chilling presence silenced. Then, there was one creature standing outside the cages. The same reptilian-like monster that had it's tendrils inside Jack.
The metallic tendrils slithered around the room. There was a table with what looked like a decaying corpse on top. There were stitches and glue holding it together along with parts and pieces of other Night Demons and animals. She was waiting for the glue to dry properly.
Annie took a look at it and said, "Not one of my best works, but art is art. It's all subjective."
She then took her finger and created a small beam of light. She burned an inscription along the creature's leg. A cursive 'a' with a heart on top. Her signature. And when it was finished, the mark glared and looked like it was made of gold. And Jack just watched as Annie completed her final touches without any sense of remorse or guilt.
"It will have to do. I might send it out into the real world for all to see. Or I could put it on display like some of my others," Annie remarked as she placed her hand on the creature's abdomen. And with a single colorful spark, the creature began to move. It moaned and writhed in pain and agony as it struggled to comprehend it's existence. Everything it felt was pain, but Annie didn't care. It was a piece of art to her. And just like any piece of art that she created, she loved it.
However, all of a sudden, Annie began to cough violently. She held tightly to her chest as her heat stopped beating. She knelt down clawing at life. She called out hoarsely, "Shopkeep. Shopkeep. Shopkeep. Come."
And the shopkeeper appeared.
"How may I h-?" the shopkeeper asked before being interrupted.
"Use a reserve. Heal me," Annie said.
And within a moment, Annie's heart began to beat once more. Her lungs functioned. The pain was gone. She stood up and then tended back to her piece of art.
Then, the shopkeeper replied before vanishing, "You're welcome."
Annie was aware of her failing body, but she didn't let it stop her. She stayed in her Light Guardian form knowing full well that if she transformed back into her human form, then she would most likely die right then and there. Yet, she also knew that the guardian form was the reason for her failing body. It was taking a toll on her, but she couldn't die now. She still had so much to do, she thought.
Now, that she thought the piece was complete, she waved her hand to say hello to it with a smile. But it did nothing, but continue to writhe.
Then, Annie said, "Tendra, fix this one's mind. Turn off his pain receptors if you have to."
The lizard-like creature nodded it's head. It's name was Tendra, and it was completely under Annie's control. Before Annie found Tendra, it was a regular Night Demon. Physically, the creature didn't do anything, although it could have. It focused on mental torture. It captured people and made them relive nightmares for as long as it wanted. It continued to torture them in their minds for as long as it wanted. And even after they longed for death, Tendra wouldn't give it.
Annie sensed the monster and planned to kill it, but instead thought of another use for it. Ever since Annie found the Night Demon, she had desired to use it for her own purposes. As long as it had those needles stuck inside it's forehead, Annie could control it. And it made no attempt to break free. It's eyes had been sewn shut by Annie, but it was still aware of it's surroundings. It even had Annie's signature burned gold on it's back.
Tendra could feel the pressure within the air to detect things. And Tendra was also aware of Annie's control and everything that it has been doing, however it could do nothing to disobey. However, even if it did, it wasn't sure it would be doing anything different. It still felt like it tortured people and other of it's kind alike while under Annie's control.
And with Annie using it, she was able to manipulate the inner minds of her pieces of art. She was able to control them to do whatever she wanted whether it was to wait patiently like a statue, attack and capture Night Demons, or to kill others and cause chaos to spawn more Night Demons. All of it depended on Annie's decisions. And she enjoyed every second of it.
Tendra put it's metallic tentacles inside the creature in every spot it could go through. After a few seconds of the tendrils moving around the monster, it calmed down. Annie then ordered it's new piece of art, "Go out and collect some tree branches. I will need some for one of my pieces."
And it obeyed without question.
As for the Jack that Annie had under her control, that was a different case. She felt like she owed her assistant credit. She didn't feel like she would have gotten this far without her.
Now, Annie had a whole world of art to display.
"After I finish the last one, I'll be ready to open my exhibition. I can't wait," Annie said with a bright and optimistic smile.