A composition rewritten into a new form.

"You oaf, be quiet!" Says Cilla, slapping me across the face lightly, as the cherry hue on her cheeks quickly vanishes.

I had only managed a few words before she had yelled; my sleep deprived state weakening my reasoning enough to let loose the few sung syllables of "Whaaat's goooing ooon~".

Using the bedside magic light, Cilla examined my neck closely, even rushing out to get odd tools from her cloak back in her room. Zana meanwhile sat in the corner, having to cover her ears with a pair of pillows, pilfered from my bed. After Cilla came back; doing several invasive inspections of my new 'gills', she sighs.

"Please tell me you can do that... thing, where you change your body. Otherwise this may get to be a long night."

I almost speak, prompting a stern look from my handler, before nodding in silence. I focus onto my neck, trying to do what I did before; think normal... think normal...

The flickering flashes from before happen once more; visions the matriarch, the hunt, and the giant all pass through me like water, splashing across my face.

"How rude of you, Ruya-Kin, to denounce my power so quickly..."

My eyes shoot wide open; any wariness having been blasted right out of me by the sudden introduction of another voice into my head; this one belonging to a woman, whose seductive, pristine tones were now rattling around my skull.

Oh Gods, not again.

"Oh hush, you knew what you were getting into when you consumed my core."

Not really.

I'm tapped on the shoulder, Cilla looking to me with a worried expression.

"Monster, are you alright?" She asks. "Is it... talking to you?"

I nod; ignoring the voice's decrying voice shouting "It?! Why, I never!"

Cilla stands up, taking a long breath, and reaching for the one remaining pillow supporting my back. Once in her hands, she begins strangling it; as though this pillow had just murdered her hopes, dreams, and favorite pet turtle named Jimothy.

"That dolt is getting it when she wakes up!" Cilla 'whispers'. "telling you to eat Cores like that! 'Oh, it's fine, monsters do it all the time' they say, and then we have this! Argh!"

"A real piece of work..."

During this fit of rage, I supposed getting answers would be nice.

So... who are you?

"I think you'd know me by the name of 'smear of blood caked across a cavern wall', after what your giant friend did to me. My name before such a fabulous title as that would have been Princess Piper; former heir to the throne of..."

Wait, aren't you dead?

"Ah, I was eaten by an imbecile."

No! I mean, haven't you been judged by Ihsrom yet? That whole 'reincarnation' thing.

"What, have you been taking sermons from a Mohun on how fast the afterlife is?"

...

"By Eruami's Pecs, you are an imbecile! The bureaucracy here in the Hells makes you civilized folk look positively speedy."

Fantastic. How do I get you out of my head...

"Hello?! Are you paying attention?" Asks Cilla, snapping fingers in front of my face.

I nod, not knowing a thing she had just said; she doesn't buy it for a second.

Priscilla grasps the bridge of her nose, making here way for the door. "Ugh... we'll deal with this tomorrow. Get some sleep."

The door slams behind her; leaving me, this voice, and Zana.

"She was saying that you must complete my task, 'Monster'. That's what they call you, yes?"

Oh yes, lets trust the ghost in my brain. Very smart.

"I am not a ghost; you have claimed my Core, and as such, I cannot lie to you. You must complete my task to gain control of my power. Otherwise, you'll be stuck singing each little word until I've been reincarnated... so, fifty years, or more."

Fine, not like I have a choice. Well then... what is it

I can practically hear this devious phantom smiling as she says the words.

"I want you to fuck that Sorcerer girl in the corner there, she's so cute~"