From a young age, Cynic often experienced exploitation. Often paid just enough to come back tomorrow, additionally Cynic’s working environments were also less than ideal. As they were one of the few people desperate and capable enough, they often were sent into machinery for inspection and repair. Turning these machines off would mean the factory couldn’t produce products, causing Cynic’s pay to be reduced. Because of this they often found themselves in situations where one wrong move could cost them an arm in the best of situations. Unfortunately, due to their own situation, they often did not have the means to refuse. Barely making ends meet, Cynic did not have a choice but to accept any offer made to them regardless of how much they got underpaid. However, despite their rough treatment they did not have to face these situations alone as their best friend Cell helped them get through their days with their endless positivity. No matter how bad the job, Cynic knew that as long as Cell was with them they could make it through. It wasn’t the best life but together they made it work.
Cell and Cynic would often spend the evening at their favorite place. A hidden cave that opens up into a cavern with an open ceiling, the moonlight illuminating the singular large old tree in the center surrounded by a bed of flowers. During these evenings Cynic would often be brought back to when they first met Cell. Cynic would think about how on their first day of work the factory closed early, causing them to be sent home with no pay. As they were sitting under the tree, thinking of how they would get food for tonight, Cell appeared. Being in the same situation as Cynic, Cell suggested that they could combine the money they did have to be able to buy some food they could share. Over the years Cell and Cynic would share many meals together, at one point even saving up enough to get a place to live together. Cell and Cynic would often spend the night under the tree talking about their day. Cynic would talk about the dangerous situations they were in, how the factory refused to shut off machines unless absolutely necessary and how they often underpaid Cynic. Cell would listen to all of it, and then, with the same certainty they always had, remind Cynic that they made it home. That the tree was still there, that the flowers were still there, that they were still here together, and that as long as it was true, tomorrow would sort itself out.
One day Cynic got sick, being unable to leave the house, Cell was left to take care of both of them. Normally this wouldn’t be too big of a deal as Cynic and Cell always made sure to save enough money to make sure they can handle situations like this. This time though, Cynic was working on a big repair job that they had to finish soon or they would be fired. Since Cell was the only other person capable of doing the work, they had to finish the job so Cynic wouldn’t be fired. While routine, the job itself was quite dangerous, because of the factory’s unwillingness to shut down the machines any more than they had to, one misstep could have disastrous results. To Cynic, who had years of experience working in situations like this, a job like this wouldn’t cause any issues. Cell however did not have this experience, a single slipup could have a grim outcome for them.
Cynic learned of what happened to Cell through a letter. Sitting in bed, Cynic quietly read the letter. After reading the letter, they slowly put it away and headed out for work, after all they still had to earn money. At work everything continued as normal, the machines humming with the same deadly sounds they always did, challenging anyone who dared to come near them. Cynic navigated around this same machinery with the ease only obtained from years of practice. After work Cynic visited the cave again, without Cell there the white moonlight made it feel cold and empty. Sitting under the tree, Cynic wondered what the point of it all was. In that moment Cynic decided that with their final reason to stay gone, they would do things their own way.
Initially when Cynic started traveling, they got to see the beauty of the world, the tall mountains breaking up the clouds, the busy ports humming with life, the calm forests filled with the sounds of animals. To get money, Cynic would offer their services inspecting and repairing machinery. Due to their years of experience working around machinery they often surprised their employers with the quality and speed of their work, earning them a nice bonus from time to time. Finally Cynic had enough money to live somewhat comfortably now, however they were still getting underpaid for the same job. While Cynic’s skills were definitely getting recognized, lacking the proper certification made it difficult for companies to hire them, and the ones that did hire them did so at lowered rates. To get licensed Cynic had to provide work history and references, because of their lack of license however many employers refused to provide this for them.
Over the coming years Cynic would make sure to document everything with the precision and professionalism that can only be done with years of experience. Every repair, every client, down to the amount of screws they used for the specific job. Cynic knew that if they were to provide their own documentation, they would need to make sure it was perfect. Over time, as Cynic’s reputation grew, they sought out contracts with some major employers. Knowing that if they could impress these employers they could get their references, Cynic worked hard on any job given to them, impressing the employers and making it impossible for them to ignore their work. Once they had enough documentation Cynic applied for an official license, unable to ignore the evidence, the licensing authority granted Cynic their license and they were finally able to start their company.
Over the next couple of years, Cynic slowly grew their business. Prioritizing quality over quantity, Cynic was able to keep the costs down by hiring people with an incredible love and dedication to the job. However Cynic refused to overcharge for their services meaning that even though the growth was steady, it was very slow and by the time the company would have become successful Cynic would be long gone. Despite this, Cynic dearly loved the work. They got to work on many different machines and due to their prior experience, they would be the first to get a call when a company needed someone with a high level of skill to perform critical work. Because of this, Cynic also got the opportunity to work with the latest tech meaning that they never stopped developing their skills.
One day while out for a job near the edge of the explored galaxy, Cynic noticed something unusual, a small planet that didn’t seem to be documented on any map. Curious, Cynic decided to check out the planet. The planet itself was barren and didn’t seem to have any signs of life on it. Right as Cynic was about to leave however they noticed a shine from the ground, a small crystal sticking out of the ground. To Cynic’s surprise this crystal was a Sync Crystal, a highly rare and valuable material that can only be found on one other planet of which the location is kept secret. The crystals allowed for transmission of information instantly over any distance.
When they realized what exactly it was they were looking at, Cynic knew the potential this discovery gave them. Not only did they now have unrestricted access to a material that otherwise would be heavily regulated meaning that they could obtain the material for nearly nothing compared to what the competitors would have to pay, but having this level of access to a material whose source is otherwise kept a secret would also allow them to perform experiments and test theories that others could only dream about.
Armed with their new resource, Cynic quickly managed to grow their business. They were able to offer competitive prices compared to other companies while still maintaining the level of quality that they prided themselves on. With their research on the crystals Cynic also developed many new technologies that didn’t exist before. Cynic would use these discoveries to further improve the quality of their work as well as implement new methods to lower the cost of running the business. With everything combined the business grew rapidly as everyone wanted to hire Cynic’s team.
Now with direct access to the crystals, Cynic quickly began designing and creating new ways to help their company grow. Having access to an otherwise difficult to obtain resource meant that Cynic was able to offer services at a much lower price and at much higher efficiency. On top of that Cynic was also able to experiment with the crystals directly allowing for them to make great improvements on how the material used to be handled. As the company started quickly gaining a reputation more and more people started talking about the quality of their service and how they seemingly were always the first to respond to calls. Additionally the company’s vehicles and tools seemed to be ever improving leaving many other companies struggling to keep pace.
Cynic also spent a lot of time researching the crystals. Soon they had entire automated factories creating everything that the company could use to further reduce the cost of materials. At the same time Cynic also developed a lot of tech for themselves, slowly separating themselves from reliance on others. Although Cynic did less and less fieldwork as they were busy in their workshop developing, any appearance they did make was always met with amazement as they showcased some new inventions that had never been seen before.
As the years passed, ownership has changed several times and the company has grown into one of the most important players in its respective space. Mostly focusing on supplying and maintaining products to other companies, most people don’t know of its existence. It has become the invisible infrastructure supporting everyone from backstage. Cynic is talked about by the employees in awe as the one who built the company from the ground up, many of the innovations Cynic made have become part of the standard toolkit.
As Cynic’s name fades into history, the legacy they leave behind will continue for many decades to come, they created a company that gives everyone an equal opportunity and has made a lasting impact on the world. While Cynic’s name slowly disappeared from memory, whispers of a new legend slowly began spreading around, stories about a being who will come to you in your time of need and offer just what you are looking for. In return however you need to be ready to pay a price, not a monetary price but one of real value, a price specifically for you. If you ever get a visit from “The Devil’s merchant”, be ready to pay the price.