A whole week with the villain, and Mars was surprisingly okay. He hadn’t quite gotten used to the torture, but the pocket dimension was easy enough to access. Otherwise, sharing a body was going smoothly.

  When you were used to fighting your own mind for control of your limbs, having someone move for you was a luxury. The human didn’t have to think to get out of bed, or get dressed, or brush his teeth, or, or, or… He simply followed Akakios’ lead. Who wouldn’t get over the horrors for someone that helped your pesky executives start functioning.

  He had gathered as much as he could about this base of operations, its experiments and its conquests, but the human found there less to note than he expected, considering he could see and hear the same as the head of said operations. “Oh to be a fly on the wall,” would hold much more weight if that fly could interpret all the spoken languages in a given room.

  It turned out that Mars’ tongue had not melded with Akakios’. He knew the state language of Lyharke for some unknown reason, (probably the System) but they found out after a series of questionnaires and tests it was the only language he knew (except English, but a language with one tongue is just a sorrowed song).

  The demon was taking full advantage of Mars’ ignorance, slipping into the mother tongues of his subordinates to hide all his machinations in plain sight. Which was rude. And Mars told him as such. But Akakios didn’t seem affected by the remark. The human had seen him at his worst. What was rudeness when compared to an unsettlingly large torture operation?

  The villain had stayed true to his word to Dr. Vaidya, each night (or morning if he forgot) journaling his observations of their condition. Of course, Mars could not decipher these notes as they were written in an foreign script. Which was, again, rude.

  Still, their lives settled into an odd routine. The demon would tour his laboratory each morning, and the human would nestle into his pocket dimension, reading Laika’s abandoned novels and keeping Ryzhik company. They would lunch by noon on easy days and by four when Akakios had the masochistic desire to stave off sustenance in dedication to a certain study or other. Mars had done the same thing often on Earth (not for studies, but whatever hyperfixation he developed; or, just in the name of apathy), but the effect of accidentally skipping a meal was more melancholy. For Akakios, he would get irritable. Hangry. Which is fine and all for a regular-person equivalent who might snap at the slightest inconvenience in their hanger, but less so for a demon whose hands can turn to scalpel-sharp claws at will.

  Seven days in, and the human was once again hiding from the worst of his hangry hippo episodes. Mars wondered if it would get worse if said hangry hippo knew the human’s private little nickname for him. He also wondered if he could wrangle back the body before Akakios literally killed someone.

  “This is a bad idea,” he muttered, pacing the pocket dimension.

  [I am required to give you bad ideas to progress your story.]

  While Ryzhik was still cut off from the main system, they apparently had the power to design and reward small tasks until they were able to reconnect. This would help Mars rack up points he could use in the rewards store. At first, the human was excited at the idea. But of course, his emergency proxy couldn’t pick something easy.

  Ryzhik noticed Mars uncertainty didn’t leave his pretty little protagonist face. Despite losing their humanity upon their own death, the proxy was still far more perceptive to the emotions of others than their still-human counterpart, likely for autism reasons. So, the computer responded to the unsaid.

  [It is not impossible. You have done it before. Even if it was, there is no punishment for failing this assignment.]

  “Not from you. Akakios tolerates me because I’m not in his way. So for all the obvious reasons, I figure I shouldn’t get in it.”

  [That is the risk that allows me to give you points. Still, I would design a different task if it were possible to do so. It is necessary for you to take over the body in order to fulfil any assignment I can think of.]

  “You’re annoying.”

  [You are juvenile when you don’t get your way.]

  Ow. Mars then said as much: “Ow.”

  [Take over now and I can award you actual points for the risk involved.]

  The human shook his head, “The System isn’t even available. I won’t need points until it is. Even then, having the person that controls my body against me is not a risk I’m willing to take.”

  [You’re already in point debt.]

  “And whose fault is that?”

  [Yours.]

  “You were the one who deducted my points!”

  [You were the one who revealed your isekai.]

  Mars was regretting that he told the System’s Emergency Proxy that pesky little fact. He was not fond of the 10,000 point debt he was currently in. Apparently, had the System still been active, he would have been incinerated on the spot. “No one told me it was against the rules.”

  [You knew.]

  Of course he knew. He had read enough to know. But those were fiction. What if the rules were different here? “I had a guess. But what if I didn’t? I had never been told!”

  [Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule. For most, the blow would only hurt in early stages, as 10,000 points is easy enough to amass. However, I have no access to your current available points, so I had to assume your score was 0. It will not be hard to balance your score if I give you enough tasks. And this one is worth 1,000.]

  “I don’t care.”

  The human, on occasion, could sigh. Ryzhik, a computer screen, could not. Which was frustrating, because they would have really liked to roll their eyes and huff their breath in the most exaggerated, dramatic way they could muster right about now. Really sell it, so even that autistic human could understand. They did their best with what they had.

  [Fiiiiiiiiiiiine. I’ll give you a tip. Which means I’m reducing your points. He’s done in the dungeon and heading out somewhere.]

  “He’s calmed down then?”

  [I can’t say for certain, but you could go out and check.]

  Mars frowned. He clearly didn’t want to go out there and check.

  [I can pull up the vision screen?]

  “The task is to take over his body and calm him down.”

  [Yes.]

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “If he’s already calm, then I won’t even be able to complete the task.”

  He called their bluff. Ryzhik didn’t have much information to work with, but he had seen the demon’s face in a passing puddle… that the demon proceeded to kick. He was still angry. The proxy would have to explain more to Mars to convince him, which meant they would have to reduce a few more points…

  [I assure you, the task will probably not upset him. Not as much as you think, at least.]

  “...how do you know?”

  How was the computer supposed to explain the human condition to this oblivious human? It should be so obvious. Even though Ryshik couldn’t hear a thing Akakios said, they knew. Throughout this week the demon has been exceptionally lenient with his headmate. It could be his strangely passive (occasionally benevolent) behavior to those who did not stand against him, but the computer wasn’t so naive to pin it only on that. How could the human not see the glint in the demon’s eyes as they dressed before a mirror each morning, chattering to ‘himself’ as they got ready. What did they say? The emergency proxy wasn’t a lip-reader, but it didn’t matter. They knew the stories eyes and smiles told better than what graced one’s lips, and it had gotten them far, at least before… Well, that didn’t matter either. It had gotten them far. That’s what they were good at. Reading people.

  If only they had a body again, they could be good at a lot more. They missed being able to use their natural charisma (the refined character they curated for each and every social interaction, endearing them to unsuspecting pawns friends), even if they hated having to use it. If they had to be sentient once more, they needed something better to work with. Which meant they needed Mars to earn points, so they could earn their own. Which meant they needed Mars do to what the fuck they said. Which meant, maybe they should answer the question and hack off a few points. It was better than getting nothing.

  “How do you know?” Mars had asked, the poor fool. Ryzhik needed to be over the top with this one, and sneak as much truth in there as they could without putting the young man off.

  [Mars, you are autistic. I am not. How do you think I know?]

  Did they come off bitchy? It was harder and harder to keep their annoyance in check in this state. Ryzhik almost wished they were back in nothing. Despite their gift, they often hated working with people, especially those oblivious, foolish ones. Could they not be left in this space with an intellectual equal? The respite of nothing was better than this irritating ordeal of something. They had to deal with this one, and it frustrated the proxy to no end. At least, as the human read their increasingly bitchy responses, he didn’t get upset.

  “Wait, what are you picking up on?”

  Good, he’s not completely inept. Maybe they could go back to subtlety, and save a few points.

  [I am certain you are smart enough to understand the implication.]

  Maybe an allistic would take this as condescension, but Mars took it in earnest. In truth, it was a mix of both. In truth, the proxy thought the human as dumb as a box of rocks and incredibly intelligent at the same time. In truth, they didn’t know if they hated the human or not; they just knew they were stuck with him and only him for long hours each insufferable day. In truth, Ryzhik was a bitter, lonely, tired bitch and was struggling not to lash out at anyone (the only one) in reach, much like a certain demon outside this pocket dimension.

  “That’s actually great!” Mars said, bouncing on his toes and shaking his wrists. What was so exciting? The human helpfully had the answer. “You can be my people interpreter!”

  [Only if you complete this task.]

  The human stopped hopping and scrunched his nose. Still, he agreed. “Fuck it, okay. I’ll do it.”

  [And reminder, you cannot reveal the System to Akakios. He already knows you are the

  Mars bit his dimensional body’s lip as he concentrated his soul into the proper shape, push back into Akakios’ headspace.

  There was less blood that he had anticipated. Maybe the rampage was over.

  They were outside the lair, but based on a few property markers, like the blue-flowering tree Akakios uses as his insignia, they were still within the demon’s domain.

  “We’re in the mortal realm?” Mars guessed.

  “Yep,” the demon snapped.

  “...you should eat.”

  The human was lucky his headmate couldn’t glare at him. Akakios bit off a chunk of break gripped all too tightly in his hand. “Yes.”

  “You can’t keep skipping lunch.”

  One of their eyelids pinched up. “Like you’d be any better.”

  Ow. Again. But the human had a mission now, and he saw an opening. “Maybe I would. Stand aside and let’s see.”

  They had finally swallowed the bread, after chewing it like the heart of their enemy. “I have plans. We’re going to the nearby village.”

  “You should wait.”

  “No.”

  “Let yourself calm down.”

  “Shut up.”

  Mars would have pursued their lips. At least Akakios was acting like a petulant child and like the angry demonic villain he was. Unfortunately, the human had no idea how to reason with a petulant child. So he just said what he needed to do, machinations be damned, “I think we should switch.”

  “And why is that?”

  “I want to.”

  “You want to!?” A smile breached their scowl. “That’s brazen.”

  “To ask for five minutes with the body we share?”

  Now, they snorted. The body’s blood was still flooded with too many hormones (not that kind), so while some of the tension was released, the demon was still on age. However, Mars was able to calm him down a bit, and that was a good step. The human had no idea how he did it, though. Especially since the demon said, “I wouldn’t have to share if you didn’t get dropped into my head.”

  “...But I did.”

  “Does that mean I owe you?”

  “...”

  “What are you going to do with my body, Mars?” The lilt was back, and thick as ever. There was an implication the human could do nothing but miss.

  “Probably lie on the ground.”

  That stopped them in their tracks. “Lie on the ground!?”

  They looked down at their clothes and the human realized the mistake. These were fine garments, probably silk. While the demon had no qualms at soaking the best of his fabrics in blood, why would he want to stoop to the Earth just to soil himself? He held a title, commanded thousands, and propped himself up like a king. Mars should have said anything els–

  The demon sat on the ground. Their face was contorted into a grimace as they did, but they still did it. “There,” he said. “We’re on the ground. What’s next?”

  “What!?”

  “You wanted to sit on the ground.”

  “Yes, but–”

  “What’s next?”

  He just needed to take over again. Akakios had let him before. He was slowly calming down. All he had to do was give him a few seconds.

  “Is it so wrong to want my own body!?”

  “No.”

  Mars said the wrong thing. He was going to take it wron–

  “We’ll get you one, I promise.”

  He took it wrong. “That’s not what I meant. I mean it is, but not what I’m… Akakios, I just want the body for two seconds.”

  “Whatever you need it for, I will do,” the demon promised.

  Which was completely unhelpful. He had nothing in particular he needed to do. Just, take over. And he had no idea how to convince Akakios to relent.

  “Please,” he thought, weakly. It was embarrassing, to be so easily outwitted. To be reduced to a pleading fool. To have no charms or rhetoric that might change his mind. To only know to beg.

  “Say it again,” Akakios muttered. Their breath had caught in their throat.

  “Say please, again?”

  “...it’s fine. You want the body? How long?”

  What? What!?

  “Mars, how long?”

  “A minute?”

  Agency. It’s an abstract construct until your will suddenly spills into your body, and you’re left breathing your own automatic breaths instead of the other’s, your heart beating to your own anxieties and not theirs, the forest wind finally hitting your own skin. He leaned back, closing his eyes, the hands holding them up scraping on the twigs beneath them. But the human didn’t care. He wanted to bask in the little sun that breached the canopy.

  That anxious heart started to beat slower than Akakios’ angry one as they took in a few deep, mechanical breaths.

  [Task complete. 600 points awarded.]

  He didn’t know Ryzhik could communicate with him outside, but it was nice to know his job was done. It was less nice to know that 400 points had been reduced from his total with those tips, but that wasn’t the main reason he completed the task anyway. The proxy could help him read people, understand them. It’s like he was just given super powers.

  After longer than a minute of basking, he slipped the reins back to the demon. He had done all he needed to do and he enjoyed it.

  “You really just wanted to sit?” Akakios asked, surprised.

  “I just needed to feel in control of my body again. Just a short time was enough. Thank you.”

  The demon thought for a moment, tasting the events that just unfolded. “Good news, then,” he finally said.

  “Oh?”

  “We’re close to ensuring safe transference.”

  That seemed too good to be true. “It’s been a week.”

  “There is a catch.”

  HE KNEW IT! Maybe he wasn’t so bad at reading people. Then again, every other facet of their interaction that day was a total mystery to him. “What’s the catch?”

  “We’re going to start with a bird.”

  “...I’m sorry!?”

  “That’s why we’re going into town today. I know a witch with a potion of animal speech.”

  “And what if I don’t want to be a bird.”

  “It’s temporary. Until we can ensure human-to-human transference is finally safe. And it’s a body.”

  One without murder involved. Well, the bird might die, but Mars wasn’t vegetarian.

  “It is a body…” And it’s not going to have tits. That was a plus. “It’s not going to be a blue crested booby, right?”