Rogork's Hidden Affection

A/N: The contents of this chapter may not be suitable for all audiences. Please read at your own discretion. (language) 

Alesha gradually became aware of something… though she wasn't quite sure what it was. Her mental acuity didn't quite seem up to its usual standard. This made the act of thinking quite difficult.

Rogork was trying to tell her something, she knew that much. Moreover, there was a rhythmic motion she felt compelled to complete frequently. Something like, tha-thump, tha-thump, if she had to describe it. Come to think of it, why did the rhythm seem familiar somehow? Her dulled mind couldn't quite piece it together. She tried to mull it over, the relevant knowledge seeming just out of reach before she gave up entirely. 

It was quite pleasant to just let her mind rest like this, actually. It reminded her of how it felt to be partially aware as one began to wake up from slumber, but could still roll over and fall asleep again because the covers were too cozy to resist.

[This damn Storyteller,] Rogork cursed. [Why in Elantris's second hell does this f*cking Demon have to give my host so many debuffs EVERY DAMN TIME?!!? As if ridding her of autonomous action wasn't enough, after pretending it wasn't intentional that the King targeted her for swordization, he stripped her of her intelligence too?! That was her most redeeming quality!! She is a whiny-ass, weak-willed complainer so riddled with anxieties and hesitation that I can hardly make any damn progress, but at least she's smart! But now she's not even that!! Now she's just a damn, freaking brainless, no-good lump of some random, slimy human's flesh!!!]

Alesha couldn't follow Rogork's words; all she knew was that her System was angry. She felt too tired to attempt comprehending why. Instead, she decided to feel a bit smug; perhaps the System's nefarious plots had been frustrated again. It felt good to mock it for its failure.

[Damn host,] Rogork complained. [If you could comprehend the situation we're in right now, then you wouldn't be so f*cking pleased about this, I can tell you that. Or, well, I would, but you're too damn STUPID at the moment to process a word I'm saying!!]

Alesha's amusement with Rogork's anger continued, unaffected by its rantings.

Rogork wanted so badly to click its tongue derisively right now. It had never had one of its own, and it had always adamantly refused to consciously entertain fantasies of what it would be like to have its own body. It had viewed such fantasies as unproductive and ultimately pointless. However, after experiencing the intoxicating sensation of going on a rampage in the Were-Crocodilian Captain's body during Alesha's most recent Quest Penalty, the System's subconscious desire to move by its own power, using its own body, had grown significantly.

Annoyed at the vulnerability this impossible yearning represented, Rogork forcibly redirected its attention towards the sickly green System Window that Zorhellian had sent. The structure of the Window reminded Rogork of something that had previously slipped the minds of both it and Alesha -- Zorhellian had initially promised that such a Window would be offered at the beginning of every Story. That is, a System Window clearly delineating one's Role and Goal.

[Sneaky bastard,] Rogork snarled. Rogork, itself being rather demonic in nature, couldn't say that it didn't understand how entertaining the Chaos Demon must be finding this situation. Zorhellian had promised the Participants something, only to break that promise shortly afterwards. It was likely that more than a few Participants had caught on immediately and reacted quite explosively. The more dramatic the reaction, the more satisfying Zorhellian would find it; Rogork itself had toyed with Alesha in this manner more than once. However, it was usually careful with its outright lies. 

Zorhellian spared the Participants no such kindness. 

[Has Alesha rubbed off on me?] Rogork asked itself once it realized that its attention had wandered. [Damn girl,] it said, the soft tone of the words not matching their meaning at all. Rogork's soundless statement was almost… fond. 

[She is rather chaotic in this way. That's definitely why.]

Ignoring how incongruous with its usual persona its comments were, since Alesha wouldn't be able to notice anyway, Rogork examined the Window again:

*****

ASSIGNED ROLE: Alien Parasite (stage: larva)

ASSIGNED GOALS: 

► Take over the human host's body without being exposed to the Supernatural Forces, who are desperately searching for Alien Parasites in order to eliminate them! 

► Adapt, survive, and thrive!

► Reveal your status as a Player/Participant to the Patrons of the Storytelling Games, who are watching streams of events on this world in search of Participants, without alerting the inhabitants of this Earth that you are not a native of their world. Time limit: one week.

NOTE: If you are unable to expose yourself as a Participant to the Patrons, you will remain in this world (in your assigned role) even after the time limit has passed -- expelled from the Games and therefore disqualified from being returned using Zorhellian's power.

PS: If you haven't put it together yet, yes, this is a real world you are in, and you are a part of this real world's events. Did you really think a Chaos Demon as magnificent as Zorhellian Fa Qinfeerus would conduct such an important Game in anything less than the most extravagant fashion possible?

*****

[Someone thinks highly of himself,] Rogork muttered snarkily as it read the postscript. The System conveniently ignored how hypocritical this observation was, seeing as it was quite vain itself.

Alesha obliviously whiled away her time in an empty-headed manner, continuing to thump rhythmically according to her role, and Rogork struggled to figure out how to get out of this mess.

How was Alesha, or any of the Participants for that matter, supposed to complete such ridiculous tasks with only the intelligence of a slug?! Odds were that whatever Parasite species Alesha was right now would be entirely ruled by instincts, therefore acting predictably and, in consequence of that, being rather easy to spot for whatever Supernatural Task Force was in charge of eliminating them. Alesha didn't have the mental discipline right now to reign in those instincts in order to avoid the danger. Rogork vehemently hoped that Alesha wasn't being singled out with penalties again, and that instead, everyone else would suffer alongside her as stupid, useless hunks of flesh in this Story. Rogork was tired of this endless series of setbacks.

This Story was rigged. 

Just like the last one, and the one before that. 

Heck, without the dumb luck Alesha's group had when the Games began, the first Story would've been pretty much rigged as well.

F*ck.