They'd told her to walk down a secret cave and find her soulmate weapon. Those were the rules. Did they think they would have to tell her twice? She was walking into a secret cave to find a weapon that would bond to her and turn her into a superhuman. Deus knew exactly what they were doing when they recruited her. They knew that they, alone, had to offer the life that she really wanted. This was an origin story, and she was finally going to be the hero.

She hated the word heroine. It made her think of drugs. She was going to be a hero.

She'd taken the time to retrieve her mask from the small bag they'd let her bring, so that when she entered the cove, she did so with a sense of confidence and determination. Every step was solid and sure, until she reached the bottom of the cove, and fully expected to find the batcave. Instead, she found a surprisingly disappointing room.

Touch all the runes, wait until one feels right. Those were the directions she'd received. So she reached out with both hands, her fingers fluttering lightly over the walls, and paused the moment she felt something. They were talking. She heard a child's laugh from this one - a wail of sadness from the next. She heard snickering and felt the shun of something - someone? - who simply didn't want her, and she moved on quickly to keep from feeling rejected.

It took a long time, and she touched almost every rune, before her hand finally stopped on one. Every nerve in her fingers tingled with energy. She felt like her hand had magnetized to the tablet, because whatever was within it had seen into her heart, and desired it for their own.

She moved her hand just enough to see the etching of guns on it's surface. She'd never used a real gun before.

Real guns are just toys. A slithery voice oozed into her head, sarcasm thick in it's undertones. I will be no ordinary gun. I will be an extension of your arm. A part of you. A part of that beautiful, lush, fit-

Ana pulled her hand away from the tablet, her face flushing with a sudden embarrassment at how inappropriate the voice made her feel. She could hear it still, however, and the tablet itself was pulling her back towards it. Her hands kept trying to pull away, but nothing would stop her from touching it again.

Don't be frightened. The voice coo'd, soothing her with it's regret. I only appreciate. Trust me, you have nothing to fear from my brand of appreciation. I wish only to be a part of you. And you, a part of me.

"Who are you?" Even her mask did not give Ana enough courage to speak out loud to the voice, without it being a shaky and quiet whisper. "Are you my weapon?"

The voice chuckled, even as Ana clawed the tablet off of the wall. It - she - told Ana exactly what she knew the woman wanted to hear.

I am your destiny.

Corny as it was, that was the kind of line Ana expected in an origin story. She clutched the tablet against her, and her entire body shuddered with the tingles that the weapon began to fill her with. She could feel herself changing, from her fingertips, all the way down to her toes. Even her eyes felt like they were changing, and she reached out to take off her mask, when she realized that she wasn't holding a tablet anymore.

In each hand was a bright, colorful gun. And on each gun were two very vicious looking snake eyes. She moved them back, and forth, captivated by how it almost seemed like they followed her wherever she would go.

I will. The voice promised. I will be with you, wherever you shall go. Until the end of your days, my Ana.

Ana startled, almost dropping the guns in surprise. "How did you - " But the voice was only in her head, so she tried for the first time to respond there, too. How did you know my name? She asked, receiving another slimy chuckle.

I'm inside your mind, now. I know everything about you. Everything. And that is why I chose you. Soon, you'll know me, too. For now, know my name. You may call me, Naia. Or you may call me Mistress.

"Naia will do." She immediately went back to speaking out loud, with a roll of her eyes. That last thing Naia had said was a little too sensual for her liking. "So you're my-"

Partner. Naia corrected, before Ana called her a weapon again. Protector. And yes, technically, your weapon. But always remember, I am more than that.

"Obviously, you're more than that." Ana murmured out in amusement as settled her mask back on her face, and headed back up the stairs with her new acquisition. "You can talk. That's a big deal."

Naia could tell the girl was more naive than she let on, and would have much to learn. She was just glad she was an excellent tutor. You have no idea.