Unpronounceable

The ring replies with some unpronounceable gibberish.

“Ah, please repeat that?” You answer.

The ring goes through the unpronounceable gibberish very slowly.

You still don't catch it. “Ah, where's that from?”

“Doesn't matter, it hasn't existed for millennia. The proper name of the place:” he gives a different blob of gibberish, “isn't going to be useful to any living human. Call me whatever you want.”

“Off the phone, you have work to do,” your boss chides you, and you're stuck being unable to ask questions for the rest of your shift. The Ring seems content to simply ride along, occasionally providing an answer when someone asks a question on history or literature when they could have just looked it up. Eventually, your shift ends, and you head back to your dorm.

“Oh, that's a wrinkle…” the resident in your head considers as he sees where you're going, “Do you have a roommate?”

Grabbing your phone, you hold it to your ear, as you open the door lock on the outside of the building with your key card, “I do, yes. What's it matter?”

“It complicates my work,” the voice in your head adapts to sounding like it's coming from your phone as you enter, “I'm going to spend around six hours tonight enchanting whatever you choose, and the process is not exactly subtle. Do you trust your roommate?”

“Not that much,” you answer, pausing in the lobby, “but I also want…” you pause, catching yourself before you say ‘super powers’ in public.

“All right. I'd rather not live in a dorm anyway…” the Ring pauses, “What year is it?” Raising an eyebrow, you answer, and he continues, “Okay, so wire transfer is a thing, and the big crash hasn't hit yet. So… yeah, I can afford it. If you let me take over for a bit, I'll book us a hotel.”

“You can just…” again, public place.

He seems to understand well enough, “If you let me, yes. I'll arrange a hotel and a cab, pick a few things out from your dorm for tonight, pay for the hotel and cab, and drop us off at an area restaurant, where I'll even cover dinner, but let you handle selecting and eating it.”

“Do you know which dorm room I'm in?” You raise an eyebrow.

“It's on your key card,” the man sounds smug, “and timing wise I will need to transfer funds and such prior to calling for the cab and reserving the room.”

Dinner and a hotel… “So it's a date then?”

“I suppose I already have my ring on your finger,” the man quips back. “But seriously, I'll need an area where I can work with reasonably guaranteed privately - a hotel room - we'll need to read your roommate into what's going on, or I'm going to need to delay your powers. Your call.”

“Hotel it is,” you answer, “how do we do this?”

“Like this,” you're treated to the very odd sensation of hearing your voice say something you didn't order, followed by a dawning realization that you're not in control. ‘Relax, you're fine.’

‘How am I fine? I can't move!’ You try to say. Of course, nothing comes out.

‘I can hear anything you think that hits a certain threshold of intent,’ the man currently driving your body replies without moving your lips. ‘I can't exactly read your mind, but if you're trying to talk, I hear. I'm just borrowing control. Here…’

You stumble a bit as you're abruptly back in control. “OK, that was…” you're not sure how to say it.

“I asked first, and stopped when you had a problem,” the man in your head speaks up, "the options haven't changed, but you're perfectly welcome to change your mind on what you want. It is your body. I will absolutely respect your wishes with it.”

You focus, moving your lips without actually speaking, “You’re a big fan of consent, I see.”

“You’re getting the hang of it…” the voice seems happy, “...but yes. I've seen far too many people who don't pay attention to others’ needs. I won't be one of them.”

“So even when I'm not in control, I still am…” you murmur, calming down a bit.

“I take pains to be one of the good guys,” your guest confirms, “symbiotic, not parasitic.” The mental voice takes a breath, “So. Now that you've had a taste… what would you like?”