Only a little

“Not really, no,” he keeps focused on his task while he speaks, “I have my own soul, and that's where I get my magic. I am taking none from you for my own use. The ‘weight’ I built into your training ring is maintaining itself, and keeping an eye on a fraction of a second ahead of now. If anything would injure you, it will turn on your hero form using that stored magic. Single donor, single purpose, and the magic applies to the original donor only. It is a completely different kettle of fish, technically a form of non-contageous lycanthropy.”

“But your support of my power earlier, how was that different?” You press.

“Admittedly that one carried a very mild risk…” he considers as he works, “...but I'm used to not influencing minds, and it was just a donation from a single person. Even at that, you're forming a shell, not actually transforming: The magic goes around you, not through you.”

You tap your fingers slowly on the cushions, “what was the risk? And what do you mean by ‘used to not influencing minds’?”

“Worst case scenario you'd have ended up with a couple dreams drawn from my memories…” he pauses, “...you should have told me when they happened, Debbie, we could have adjusted your training.” Another pause, “Yes, it turned out okay, and they were obviously not yours, but still…” another pause, “Why would you want…” another pause. “Ah. Those memories. I suppose I can understand why you'd want those to keep coming.” And through it all, Ringo keeps working.

“Are you going to tell me?” You ask.

“No.” The ring shakes Debbie's head, “telling you about the memories we inadvertently shared would get into why she wanted them to keep coming… and until such time as she is dead or it becomes relevant to a danger to other people, that is not my story to tell. And I can assure you, it was harmless.”

“And my other question?” You circle back.

“The influencing minds thing?” Debbie's face cringes as you nod, “With my first couple of hosts, I was less, ‘a voice in the back of the head’ and more, ‘a personality graft’. It was an unexpected thing I had to learn to control.”

“So when you ask for permission to take over…” you put two and two together.

“I am asking for permission because of the only force in the universe that has ever actually stopped me from doing what I well and truly want:” Debbie's body takes a breath, “My own conscience.”

“So you could be a body theif…” you consider.

“Studied one as part of making my anchor,” the ring confirms with Debbie's voice, “necessary for being able to act directly through you. I managed to lock the monster into the body of a condemned criminal, and they died together under the headsman’s axe.”

“...or a lich…” you continue.

“My anchor is technically a form of phylactery,” Debbie’s voice confirms under the direction of the ring, “it’s not rebuilding an undead body for me, but that’s because undeath is fundamentally a soulless existence. They’re parasitic minds that have to kill to continue existing. I put an end to that one when I was done.”

“...or a vampire…” he did give you a list…

“Studied for the mind to mind aspects…” the technically possessed naked woman in front of you confirms, “...and then promptly destroyed. It was technically an option, but I have no interest in being a parasite.”

“...or something less savory.” You consider.

“You really don’t want to know about some of the things ‘that went bump in the night’ when I was still fully human,” Ringo continues as he works, “the nastier sorts have been driven to the brink of extinction in this day and age, and the survivors are largely in hiding. I studied a lot of them, and can duplicate the best… or is that worst?... of their abilities as a result.” The nude woman doesn’t seem the least bit shy… “scary part is that many of them were human at one point, and the vast majority of what remained were human-made. We’re our own worst enemy.”

You nod, and sit in silence, just thinking, until Ringo finishes… at which point, you pick up the item he’d been working on, “So this contains the powers of an immortal speedster?”

“More like the blueprints,” Ringo confirms just before the ring hops off of Debbie's finger and lands back on yours… and he does not take over immediately, instead speaking into your head, “It’s not a training set, but it otherwise works the same way as the ring I enchanted for you. If you pour your strength into it, you’ll get the same results as Debbie… assuming you can supply it, her power set is pretty high drain.”

“Always weird,” Debbie shakes her head, “but never unpleasant. I see you…” Debbie pauses, looking into your eyes, “Oh, he left you in the driver’s seat, I see.”

“How can you tell?” You ask.

Debbie starts dressing, “He has a... manner about him,” she waves her hand, “I’m not quite sure how to describe it. A way of moving, a way of sitting still, a resting state… I had him on my finger for over a year, and then worked with a series of others as he trained them for a decade. If he’s not trying to mimic someone, I’m going to recognize him no matter who he’s wearing.” Debbie chuckles, “oh, and the memories? Just… life. Hugs from his mother. Lessons from his father. Children’s games with his sister. Nothing most would find of note.”

“Then why did you want them to continue?” You wonder aloud.

“Because the memories were sweet, kind, and loving: I had precious few of those then. I’m much better off now,” Debbie leaves the room, leaving you alone with the most benevolent monster you’ve ever encountered, sitting right on your finger.