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Shining Meadow
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You dig further, seeking answers to your queries on Dillinger's motivations. As you do, you observe several scenarios play out from his perspective. Scenario 1, Dillinger helps Milmont find O'Reilley. Result: Milmont slays O'Reilley, unfavorable. Scenario 2, Dillinger and Milmont leave the facility. Result: O'Reilley continues as before, threatening the lives of good people, unfavorable. Scenario 3, Dillinger stops Milmont and O'Reiley both. Result, no one dies, O'Reiley is unable to endanger people, O'Reilley is likely incarcerated. Favored. Scenario 4, Dillinger disables Milmont but is unable to stop O'Reilley. Result... Dillinger is unwilling to consider this outcome. He also has something envisioned where he somehow convinces O'Reilley to renounce his ways, though he lacks any kind of planning for this. It's more like wishful thinking.
It appears Dillinger has some unrealistic expectations of himself. Considering his motivations and what you know about O'Reilley, the most realistic option which satisfied the hero's desires was the one in which Lady Milmont struck the villain down. O'Reilley would certainly never agree to imprisonment and any desire to 'be a good person' or something like that is simply ridiculous. But you also understand that there is a stubbornness in Dillinger that makes it so that he has to follow through with these ridiculous attempts. You also recognize that the turning point for Dillinger, the moment at which his conviction to stop O'Reilley wavered, was a word of doubt and a wish to parlay. It's kind of difficult to predict how things will unfold now, though. If you wish to shape how these events transpire, you will have to take a more active role in communicating with the man.
You will O'Reilley to speak to the spirit. “What? What are you talking about?” Of course he doesn't understand. You explain that there is a presence here that he cannot see. He seems resistant to the demand, however. Concerns of him 'looking silly talking to nothing' grace his mind. It's too much of a hassle to explain. You do it yourself. “You.” You have O'Reilley point to the incorporeal entity. It stops making faces. “You,” you insist.
“Me?” It asks, uncertain. You have O'Reilley nod. “Huh. Wow. This is awkward.” The flame doesn't seem that bothered though. “We always figured you could see me. You use magic, after all. You just never seemed to acknowledge that I was around. Didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. I just figured you were just a really terrible mage. Turns out you were super rude. In hindsight, not so surprising.”
Is it good that O'Reilley can't hear him? His reaction here might be amusing. But you press. “This is not O'Reilley. I am the Mind Worm.”
“Ugh,” the spirit groans. “Really? This crap again? O'Reilley, do you really expect us to believe this desperate gimmick? This is sad.”
He seems unhurried, but you have business. You get to the point. “I have Dillinger as well.”
“Desperate bluff.”
You are undeterred. “His thoughts are opened to me. He does battle with Lady Milmont in the ritual chamber. Dillinger wants to stop her from killing O'Reilley.”
The spirit laughs. “That's ridiculous. You're our enemy! They're allies!”
“It's still the truth.” The flame doesn't respond to that. “Your name is Eric.”
“Lucky guess,” it tsks.
“Your belief doesn't change anything. What I desire is your cooperation.”
“Not happening.”
This is tiresome. “I'm making contact with Dillinger shortly. It will go more smoothly if you warn him that there will be another presence in his mind.”
The flame scowls. “Listen, buddy, I'm spying on you and there's nothing that's gonna change that. I'm incorporeal, what are you gonna do? Magic me away? Oh wait, that's right! You're some kind of garbage mage who needs, like, a decade to do anything. I better watch my mouth or you might do something about it in the next week or so.”
'Are you really just having me talk to an empty room?' O'Reilley adds his complaints to the frustrating situation.
O'Reilley leaves the storage room under your will. It may as well be your body at this point. O'Reilley should be unable to act of his own volition unless you will it. You flex his hands and appreciate the feeling of total control. “Keep spying, Eric. Follow. When we return to the ritual chamber, you can tell him these words before I do. 'If you were really mind controlled, you would intentionally put yourself in the path of the blade. It's in O'Reilley's best interests to see you dead, after all. Milmont won't cut you down. If you hamper her movements by trying to make her cut you, you'll restrict her fighting options. Better not to disarm her, actually.' It will make this so much easier.”
Something about the exchange puts Eric off. It seems less smug, less cocksure. You note its discomfort as he begins to consider your words. “You're an idiot O'Reilley. You go back there and you're a dead man. You really think this is going to go the way you want it?”
You're not even sure. What are your desires for O'Reilley? His body is convenient. There is that. But for the first time in your existence, your survival is not tied to your host. It begs interesting questions. Given time, what will you do with this form? And if O'Reilley does die? Well, he probably won't die here. But if he does, what of it? O'Reilley seems to think his life has some kind of special value but Dillinger seems to believe that the value of a human life is tied to a notion of good and evil. They're new concepts to you. You're not quite sure how you feel about them just yet. Right now, your own views on such things are painted in distinct Dillinger and O'Reilley flavors. But you desire 'you', an independence from that.
“You've ignored me enough, haven't you O'Reilley? C'mon, you sick bastard, we were having such a nice little chat!” The spirit interrupts your musing. It mentioned 'desperate' earlier and hearing its words you have a better understanding of what it means now, though it tries to hide it. The flame is afraid.
You reach out to your other host. The scene in the other room plays out and you take the opportunity . “Jared Dillinger has had enough waiting. Every moment she's given is a moment where her sword arm is strengthened.”
The spirit's 'face' flashes with concern. “What are you doing?”
“Proving my claim,” you announce, then continue to narrate. “He leaps back and grabs hold of one of the candle stands. It's light, lighter than he'd hoped. He knows it won't survive more than a few blows against Milmont's blade. He strikes anyway. Once, twice they collide. The top part of Dillinger's improvised weapon flies across the room.”
“You're not proving anything,” the spirit says, it's words full of anger. You anger him. What a shame. This would be much simpler if he simply cooperated.
“It's hard to keep up. They move so fast. Dillinger is unarmed again, lost his footing. He knows she won't hesitate to press that advantage, though we all know her blade will stay, don't we?”
“O'Reilley!”
“Mind Worm,” you insist. “She chases after him as he rolls back, slams a boot into his side. There's pain, but he rolls with it and finds himself on his feet once more. Milmont seems so very sad, so very terrible. Dillinger has no doubt he will be victorious.”
The sounds of metal scraping against stone sounds down the hall. You draw close. A loud bark from Lady Milmont echoes around you. Eric seems to be at quite the loss. It has no more words for you. “Eric,” you call. “The top half of the candle stand is in the back right corner, next to the sword display.” You hold unflinching eye contact for as long as it meets your gaze. Eric breaks, chasing down the passage after the hero.
You walk to the ritual chamber. No, you peruse O'Reilley's vocabulary for a better word. Saunter. There's a confidence and power in you that 'walk' simply fails to describe. But within you, O'Reilley begins to panic. 'You're certain you have Dillinger under control?' You don't, but it doesn't matter. He doesn't need to know that.
A bestial grunt welcomes you to the chamber as Lady Milmont strikes out at Jared Dillinger. You simply watch for a while. It is nice, watching this fluidity of movement, this clashing of blows, Dillinger's inner turmoil, it's all so interesting. You watch not with Dillinger's eyes, but with eyes that you feel comfortable calling 'yours'. Still, not too close. Best to stay out of sight for now.
But you were musing. Does the outcome of the event even matter when the process is so fascinating? It will come to an end eventually, won't it? And then what happens? The natural process of events was for O'Reilley and Dillinger to defeat her, then talk and then something happens. But what if Milmont is the victor? What if you just stand back and watch and this armed woman defeats the hero? How does the scenario unfold there? Would it be interesting? Now that survival is not a fear, interest, interest, interest. But what of your desires? It is enough to simply be an observer? Or do you demand to have things go your way? You are so uncertain, but there is a bliss in the notion of choice.
Eric approaches the hero. 'Now a bad time?' it jokes, but Dillinger notices the strain.
Dillinger opens up some space between his foe. She seems content to accept the reprieve. The two combatants stand in the center of the room, with Milmont on the raised portion of the room closest to the rear exit. 'You okay, pal? You look like you've seen a, well, a you.'
“Ha, ha, super funny,” the flame rushes. “Hey, listen, you haven't heard anything weird? Had any mental compulsions? Heard a super creepy voice that's like O'Reilley but not?”
Dillinger almost laughs. 'Wait, so you're on board with the Mind Worm thing now?'
The flame breaths a sigh of relief. “Oh gods, I'm an idiot. That's embarrassing. I can't believe I let him get me like that! It's complicated but-” Eric stops. His gaze is in the corner of the room. The top part of the candle stand is there. The O'Reilley in you wants to cackle. You simply remain just out of sight by the entrance to the room, for now.
“What's the matter?” Lady Milmont calls to Dillinger between labored breaths. “Lost your nerve, O'Reilley? No real surprise, spineless worm!”
Your host doesn't seem to appreciate the remark, but the 'worm' comment strikes you as amusing.
“Jared, I need you to listen to me for a second,” the flame says, it's voice grave. “I think the Mind Worm is real. I think it talked to me. It said it was in your head, Jared. And it said it was going to contact you. Said something about getting stabbed by Milmont or something.”
Now. 'Not quite,' is your mental push, loud and clear, the first into Dillinger's head.
Dillinger relaxes his fighting posture and adopts a curious look. 'Ohhhhhh...'
'Holy crap, it just talked to you, didn't it?' The flame sputters. 'The Mind Worm is real?'
'Don't misunderstand,” you interrupt. “It was just some tactical advice. She won't actually strike you, I know as well as you. You could use it to your advantage, put her in an awkward position. Disarming her robs you of that opportunity.”
Dillinger nods. 'Easy for you to say. I played it well the first time but it's kind of scary when she looks like that.'
The flame shakes. “Creepy. I can hear it too. But it's in your head? Oh, weird.”
'Well, you can read my thoughts. And I guess it's thoughts are in my head? So it kind of makes sense.'
Lady Milmont seems to have tired of waiting. “Here I come!” she announces, charging forward. The two resume their dance.
You continue to watch, satisfied with this for now. You hold the potion O'Reilley identified as a choking agent. The rope is readily available. A moment of panic washes over Dillinger as he suddenly stops and ducks as Milmont brings her blade down in a crushing arc aimed at his torso, now at his head. It's all too predictable, save something curious hidden in Dillinger's mind. The Lady stops her blade short. A heavy moment passes as she realizes that he was ready for this. Dillinger brings his hand up and delivers a fearsome open palm uppercut to her chin. Lady Milmont's head snaps up suddenly, violently. Her sword falls out of her hand. The Lady loses her strength. Dillinger catches her as she falls and gently lays her down. He stands. He is not happy.
The same cannot be said for your host. 'That was the greatest, simply the greatest thing ever! Mye-ha-ha-ha-ha! Unbelievable! Oh, it's so beautiful!'
“One last thing,” Eric prompts in the uncomfortable silence that follows. “It's O'Reilley. He's here.” Dillinger's back on his feet in a moment, scanning the room.
A shame you couldn't bring your plans to fruition. Your feelings on outcome versus experience comes up once more. You step out into the room. Back where this started.
The hero's eyes meet yours. “O'Reilley...” Dillinger starts, his voice wavering slightly.
You've done this before. “Mind Worm,” you declare.
A pregnant pause follows. He speaks. “You know... I just hurt a good friend of mine for you. On a whim. You understand that, right?”
“In a sense,” you say, using O'Reilley's body to convey your thoughts. “I'm inside your head and I can hardly believe the things you do, Jared Dillinger.”
Eric laughs bitterly. “Even supernatural brain parasites think you're a moron.”
The hero breathes deeply, trying to calm himself. He knows he's riled up, his body still tingling with adrenaline from his fight with Milmont, still fired up from watching that killer deathblow descend on his head, still amazed at himself that he played his comrade's love for him against her. He wants to size you up, get a feel for who you are. Dillinger knows nothing about you, after all, only what you are called and that you have some kind of capability to speak through his mind, see his thoughts. He wants to know that you won't hurt him, won't hurt his friends, won't hurt innocent people. He wants to know that you're 'one of the good guys'. He wants to trust you, what an interesting thought. Trust? That thing he has for Milmont, he wishes to give that to you. For now, he is cautious. But such curious thoughts. What a very different person from O'Reilley. Dillinger decides to get his answers. “Earlier, you said that you wanted to talk.”
“I did,” you answer.
“Then let's talk, Mind Worm.”
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