An isolated spot outside the school
"First question: are you safe?"
Cecilia wasn't quite sure how to react to that question. She'd always known Guinevere was unusual, but why was she cornering her like this? And what was with that question?
Rolling her eyes, Cecilia snapped, "Are you dumb? Of course I'm safe, you ass."
Guinevere's steady gaze didn't waver at all in reaction to the verbal abuse. "That's not what I'm asking."
"Then what are you asking? I can't read minds like you!!"
Seeming somewhat annoyed, as if this was a common point of conflict, Guinevere's eye twitched. "What I do isn't supernatural and you know it," she said calmly. "I merely analyze all available information and draw the most logical conclusion from that data. Today at lunch, you were agitated, looking around nervously as if in danger. You ate more than usual, but that's not your native stress response. Under normal circumstances, you would have found someone to lash out at and avoided food altogether; yet, for some reason, you've become more voracious under duress. That is highly unusual for you. Further, your thoughts appear to be in disarray; and, based off your eye movements and facial expressions, perhaps you're experiencing auditory hallucinations, likely in the form of words and sentences. Am I wrong?"
Sighing at her friend's characteristically unnerving deductions, Cecilia snarled slightly. "Damn you," she whispered.
With a barely perceptible smile and a light of victory in her eyes, Guinevere replied in kind: "Damn me."
Seizing Guinevere's wrists, Cecilia spun and pinned them against the wall behind her, above Guinevere's head. Almost growling, she finally answered her friend's question.
"Fine, since you wanna know oh-so-badly, no, I don't think I'm fine. I woke up last night with a bloody hole in my shirt after getting struck by what I think was a blazing meteoroid, then started hearing a bloody voice in my head telling me to eat. There's that drug drama on the news or whatever so I ain't about to risk telling anyone about it either! Does that sound like I feel normal to you??"
Deftly squirming her way out of Cecilia's grip, Guinevere ducked under her arms and adjusted her school uniform. "I suppose not. However, I must correct you on one point. If, in fact, you were struck by an astral body, it would not have been a meteoroid. It would have been a meteorite since it survived long enough to reach the ground. Though, technically speaking, perhaps it may have still been a meteor since it never actually reached the earth's literal surface, instead lodging itself inside you."
Cecilia tried to punch Guinevere, but the girl dodged easily. Had she intentionally let herself be grabbed earlier?
"Dammit!!" Cecilia yelled, throwing another punch, which was also deftly avoided. "You and your blasted technicalities! Also, how do you know it 'ladged itshelf inshide me' or whatever??" While quoting her friend, Cecilia distorted the words to mock them.
"Well, to speak analytically," Guinevere replied as she ducked another blow, "You didn't mention finding a bloodstained meteorite nearby after awakening. If it did indeed hit you, after which you mysteriously healed, would it not stand to reason that the only remaining place it could be would be inside your body? You are not the first case of this, actually."
Guinevere's last statement caused Cecilia to pause mid-strike. "What?"
The girl grabbed and patted her friend's hovering fist. "It is as I said. However, the rest is not good news."
At this point, Rogork would have gone pale if it had its own body. If this eerily-perceptive teenager somehow already had information about alien parasites, then it was over. Without access to Chaotic powers, the ability to issue Quests and abuse Quest Penalties, any useful skills or abilities, they were doomed.
It wasn't going to give up just yet though.
[Wait!! I don't know what she's about to say, but please listen!!] Rogork pleaded in Cecilia's mind.
Then, Rogork and Guinevere began speaking simultaneously:
[I might be a parasite but-] "The meteorite that hit you is probably-"
[I mean you no harm!! I'll even-] "An alien parasite. The drug trafficking story-"
[be gone in a week!] "Is just a cover to prevent mass panic."
"AGGHHHHH!" Cecilia yelled, clutching her head. "Both of you, one at a time!!"
Guinevere's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Both of us? Is the other the voice you've been hearing?"
"Yes, dammit!! And you, voice, you sound suspiciously smart all of a sudden, why is that?"
[I needed sustenance in order to communicate properly with you,] Rogork lied. In fact, it had just been having fun playing at being dumb just to see how she'd react. It wasn't happy about having to stop acting primitive already; it had been enjoying itself.
"Okay. Now what were you trying to say, voice?"
[Your friend was about to tell you that I'm a harmful parasite that only wants to eat you up or something stupid like that. But that's all wrong. The others might be like that but not me. I'm a refugee royal of the Zufessan Protectorate, all I need from you is a week to hide inside you, then I'll be on my way and your life will go back to normal. I might need a couple other things but nothing disruptive. Please, I beg of you to find it in your heart to forgive me for entering your body without permission!!]
"Alright, now Guinevere, what were you trying to say?"
Instead of answering, Guinevere responded with a question. "What did the parasite just tell you? I've never heard that they could communicate with their hosts."
"Just some nonsense about being a Zufie royal and apologizing for invading my body or whatever. Apparently needs some stuff but it'll leave in a week."
A spark of interest lit in Guinevere's eyes. "Really? Do you mind relaying what we say word-for-word so that I can converse with it?"
Cecilia frowned, sniffling. "That sounds boring, why would I do that?"
[I can hear her, so no need to repeat her words,] Rogork added helpfully, hoping to give this scarily perceptive girl a reason to trust it. The System had a feeling there was more to the girl than met the eye.
"Ah, it says it can hear you, I guess." Cecilia pinched one nostril shut and blew her nose at some nearby bushes, expelling snot, then repeated with the other nostril. "Stupid allergies," she muttered.
"Anyway," she added once she was done, "What's in it for me? Hm? I don't wanna but from the look in your eyes, you won't leave me alone until I cave."
"You know me very well, my friend!" Guinevere said, eyes practically sparkling with anticipation. "How about, next time, lunch is on me?"
"All of next week," Cecilia bargained.
"Deal! I, Guinevere Lona Holmes, will extract every bit of relevant information from the sentient parasite!!" As she said this, she bore a fiercely determined look, as if defending a sacred cause.
Wait, Holmes?!??!? Rogork practically screamed in its mind. Alesha, do we have the worst luck in the history of bad luck or something??! Why did we have to end up parasitizing a friend of one of those crazy detectives?!?
Oblivious to Rogork's panic, Cecilia smiled and replied, "And I, Cecilia Daisy Gardner, will eat a whole week free in the school cafeteria!"