A/N: The contents of this chapter may not be suitable for all audiences. Please read at your own discretion. (abusive language, gaslighting, manipulation, language)
That night, after Cecilia fell asleep, Rogork really wished it could slap some sense into Alesha. Ever since she'd discovered that her chemistry knowledge and expertise had vanished, she'd been stuck in a mental funk, like gears that had gotten caught and couldn't move anymore. It seemed like all the pressure and stress she'd been going through lately had accumulated, and that this discovery was the final straw for her.
[Alesha! Snap out of it!] Rogork barked. They had no time for this. It had already been three full days since the beginning of this Story, and with only four days remaining to convince the undetectable Patrons that they were participants, Rogork felt a need to hurry things along. [I'll tell you what happened to your stupid chemistry knowledge if you just listen!]
[You … will?] Alesha asked. If she'd had a body of her own right now, her eyes would have definitely gone from clouded over with despair to regaining a spark of life.
[Yes! Then you can get angry and cuss me out or something, anything is better than acting like this wimpy-ass, defeated crybaby!]
There, Rogork thought. I felt a stir of anger from her.
[You mean this is your fault?] Alesha asked, a hint of venom in her voice, although it was still mostly despondent.
[Heh, you know it!]
[You bastard!! Tell me what you did right now!!] Alesha mentally shouted.
[Hmm~ maybe I won't though? I mean, come to think of it, why should I?]
[You just promised you would!!]
[Did I?] Rogork asked with feigned innocence.
[You did!! You most definitely did!] Alesha's mental voice cracked.
Alright, I've pushed her enough. Now for the reveal, Rogork thought. While Alesha was unused to being a mental existence, Rogork was very accustomed to such, which meant that the System was fully able to control which thoughts were perceptible by those who shared the same mental space as it. In this case, this meant that Alesha was unable to tell what Rogork was thinking, while her own thoughts were laid bare.
[Fine, whatever,] Rogork projected in a bored, complaining tone. [This whole time we've been together, you didn't actually think I was created out of nothing, did you? That I spontaneously burst into existence? Please. Chaos is chaos, not ex nihilo creation. When you were bathed in the rainbow-white fire of the Chaos Dragon Krogor during the attack on Faxton, part of you was transformed into me. Most of the time, Krogor's omni-colored flames transform physical material into other physical material. This time, however, the immaterial was reborn into another immaterial form.]
Alesha remained silent as Rogork continued its explanation.
[That is, your chemistry knowledge and expertise -- that which embodied the sum of your life's efforts and served as the core for your hopes and dreams of the future -- was transformed into something new. Something that yearned to embody the sum of your life's efforts and serve as the seed for fulfilling your hopes and dreams for the future in an entirely different way. In other words, me.]
[Alesha, this whole time, you've been hating on and ignoring and disparaging my efforts, when all I've ever done and all I've ever tried to do is turn you into a better version of yourself. All I've ever tried to do is for your benefit. All because I, who used to be just a collection of knowledge and memories, was given sentience and a purpose by our father, Krogor.]
--
Alesha didn't know how to react. Was what Rogork had told her true? Early on, she had trusted the System to at least be honest with her, but lately, she'd been feeling that something was off. Especially now that it was so insistent about how everything it had done was for her benefit -- that seemed to her like the most blatant lie of all.
Wait, she thought. What was that about a Chaos Dragon?
[Ah, you mean the Chaos Dragon Krogor?] Rogork interrupted. [He's the High General of Toltura's Army, and the 'alien beast' that attacked Faxton.]
[You knew?!! This whole time, you KNEW who it was, and you never told me?!!]
[Well, you never asked,] Rogork said lightly. [I even named myself after him. Write it down, you can check.]
[You f*cking crazy bastard,] Alesha hissed.
[Woah, tiger! Language!] Rogork gasped in a mock-horrified tone.
[I HATE YOU!!] Alesha mentally screamed, causing Cecilia to wake up.
"Hnngggg what the hell are you on about?" Cecilia grumbled in a half-asleep, dry voice.
[Nothing,] Rogork lied. [Alesha's just throwing a tantrum.]
"Can you shut up already? I want to tear you out of my bloody head right now. Let me sleep!!"
Alesha, who had been trying to hold back, snapped, [Look, brat, it's not like I want to be here either! I was thrown into this situation, same as you, so stop blaming me for things I can't control!]
"Oh-ho, is that so?" Cecilia growled, more awake now. "Well sor-ry, should I go get you a Victims United badge? Or perhaps give you a medal? Just shut the hell up or I'm marching straight to the police station and turning myself in as an infected! Just let me sleep the freaking bloody hell in peace!! I've got a date tomorrow and I don't wanna have baggy eyes for it!"
With that, the conversation ended, and Alesha was left to grapple with what she'd learned in silence.