Possessed By Bored Geeks Ch 02

POSSESSED BY BORED GEEKS FROM ANOTHER WORLD

CHAPTER 2 RECRUITED

Desdemona woke to an amazing dream. She was a cook. She was effortlessly preparing breakfast for a large group of people. She was using spices she had never tasted and cooking techniques she had never heard of. There were a million thoughts running through her mind as she moved to see everything finished at the same time. She began to plate the food, which sounded like she was just throwing it on a plate but each dish was presented like a work of art. The maids were quick to whisk them to the table. Since she was cooking, she was the last to eat, even after the maids.

Faux had popped her head in the kitchen and sang out "Great meal Desdemona!" After everyone else had eaten she served herself at a little table in the kitchen. When she tasted the food, she began to realize she was not dreaming, but that she was sharing her body with another. Chef Mischa was the one doing the heavy lifting, Desdemona felt like she was along for the ride.

"What is this?" she wondered.

"It's my take on Fantasy World Eggs Benedict." Chef Mischa responded. They were speaking mind to mind. "I had to do a lot of other world substitutions. Cured Orc meat instead of Canadian bacon, a Dodo egg over easy on top and drenched with Hollandaise sauce " She admitted. "Then a few sides, grilled asparagus, that is not really asparagus. Pureed squash drizzled with butter and a fruit cocktail round out the meal."

It was all great but Desdemona pointed out there was no bread. The chef insisted that not every meal had to have bread and added that a toasted English muffin was the base for the eggs Benedict. They agreed to disagree, then discussed the spices used. There was no doubt Chef Mischa was an amazing cook.

"Listen, I have to go. Thanks for sharing a meal with me. Let's do this again soon." Chef Mischa told her. She had a cozy warm feeling as if she had been hugged. They were just finishing washing the utensils when she left and Desdemona woke up. Desdemona realized she had been possessed by a ghost. A friendly cooking ghost, but still controlled by a spirit not her own. What was happening to her? She did not have time to wonder, the maids had arrived to get her ready for her meeting.

It seemed like moments later she was wearing a luxurious teal green dress with her elven silver pendant and meeting with Clay and Eran. Only they carried themselves differently and called themselves Du and Trey.

Du started out explaining that they were benefactors to the OWL party. Their purpose today was to form a contract with Desdemona. "Our starting point is an eight-hour day and a five-day work week."

That did not make any sense. A day was the period from one sunset to the next sunset. Or if you were a contrarian, one sunrise to the next. Week was not a term Desdemona had heard before, unless they meant weak. Was it another way to say fortnight?

Du had kept talking but Desdemona was no longer listening. When she stopped to breath Desdemona cut in. "Are you possessing Clay and Eran?"

Du, the one using Clay's body responded. "That's not a term we like to use. It would be more accurate to say we are renting the facilities." They looked uncomfortable with the question.

Trey spoke using Eran's mouth. "An overview is in order. You are somewhat familiar with summoning?"

"Inviting humes here from another world?" Desdemona asked.

"Kidnapping would be a better term. Or human trafficking. But fine, bringing humans here from our world punches little holes between our realities. Makes weak spots we can take advantage of to make connections."

Trey said. "Uses a lot less energy than summoning too."

"The advantage to the host is on the same level as a summoned one. Accelerated improvement, the ability to acquire magic. Improved physical presence." Trey continued. "Then because of party links, members of the party also experience accelerated progress. It's a win-win situation."

"It is good for the Iron Kingdom because we harvest items of value to improve the economy and increase the number of first-class people in the kingdom." That was supposed to be a big selling point.

Desdemona had barely discovered she was in the Iron Kingdom and was not too sure she felt any sympathy towards it.

"A forty-hour week gives you food on your plate, a roof over your head and clothes on your back." Du told her. "Basically, what you have now."

"Anything over the basic work week brings you mad money you can spend on whatever you like." Du went on, "Not to mention you will be developing amazing skills. If someday you decide you don't want to continue with us, you can retire with your money and new abilities. You can forge a new life."

"So basically, you are offering me a job?" Desdemona.

"We prefer to think of it as a Profession." Du responded.

Teaching, healing, serving the gods were professions. The only profession renting your body out brought to mind was not highly regarded.

"Let me think about it." Desdemona.

"Du is lying to you." Said Faux as they walked. "Or at least being confusing. The timepiece is the physical representation of their time. The twenty-four-hour day, the seven-day week. They are etched in metal. These are not things that change, there are no forty-hour weeks or eight-hour days. We don't have weeks in our world but we both have months. Their year has twelve cycles of the moon, ours has thirteen. Did he tell you that if you work twelve-hour shifts, they will regard it as if three shifts was equal to forty hours? They pay more for the weekends too, whatever they are. They pay more for night shift too, but night shift where they are. So, you have to take their word for it. Or figure out the damn clock..."

"Sara has a surprise for you in your room." Faux told her.

Sara was waiting impatiently for Desdemona. She was standing next to a large rectangular box covered with a throw. She looked nervous and was focused on a spot above Desdemona's left shoulder. She waved to the covered box. "For you."

Desdemona slid the blanket off and started to cry.

"It was pretty dirty when it washed up from the sea. The maids did a great job of cleaning it up." Faux told her as Desdemona ran her hands over the carvings and inlays on the chest. "Sara found it pretty quickly by checking with salvagers. It is your hope chest, isn't it?"

Desdemona was hugging them and crying "My grandpa made it for me! I thought it was lost forever."

"Thank Sara, not me. She was the one to find it." Faux was a little embarrassed.

"They were going to chop it open, but I got there in time." Sara said, "I hope the sea did not get to anything inside."

"Let's see." Desdemona had already been moving around the puzzle squares, solving the puzzle that unlocked the chest. In a flash she opened the lid. The trunk was airtight, everything was dry. There was a faint scent of cedar.

"Its fine. Everything is perfect." Desdemona breathed relief. "Thank you both so much."

"It was all Sara." Faux insisted. Sara found it, Faux' money freed it. But she had plans to get reimbursed by the benefactors, so it was all good.

"In the end the agents convinced her to take a three-day work week and work only weekends. Friday, Saturday and Sunday." Du told Un. "It looks like she will be a profitable addition to our party stable."

"If she turns out to be a poor donkey, you will look foolish." Un pointed out.

"The Chef already rode her, and speaks highly of her." Du replied.

"Oh, I did not know she was open stock? I thought we just forged a contract." Un sounded sarcastic.

"The Chef demanded a maiden voyage and was willing to pay the fine, besides she said the mount liked it." Du answered.

"Then just make sure the chef pays through the nose." Un advised.

"Oh, I will." Du promised.

Un had ridden the new donkey down to the underground chamber they used for practicing magic. Apparently, one of the agents had told her he did not need or want her input. She was doing a pretty good job of keeping quiet as he practiced calling out fire magic and casting it at targets. They learned faster if they were awake at the time, but Un got a kick out of it when they suddenly discovered they knew a new skill. Still this meat ride seemed to be pretty impressed with him.

He had started out with candle light and already worked his way up to fire balls. The accuracy was pretty good too. He had already reached the point where he could start to guide them in flight. He was way ahead of schedule. Instead of completely screwing up his training lesson program Un decided to spend the rest of his time researching something else.

He was trying for cold fire, and made quite a lot of progress. The meat ride was compliant and kept her thoughts to herself so he could concentrate on what he was doing. He brought her back up to the house and dropped her off ten minutes early. It was too soon to call her a steed, but if she kept progressing at this rate the tall silver haired hume would go far. She might actually work out. that was a good thing. They needed to get back to just making money.

Faux looked worried. "How did it go?"

"I think it went pretty well." Desdemona replied. "He just wanted me to look on in awe. It was pretty easy." Some husbands want their wives to be seen but not heard, her mother's marriage training sessions were coming in handy.

"Thank goodness!" said Faux with relief. "He earned a reputation as an asshole, but I heard he kept it in better with those who were quiet. I still think he is a sadist though."

"Chef Mischa was definitely a better teacher." Desdemona held up her pointer finger. "I still learned a few things from Un though." A little candle flame appeared above the tip of her finger.

"Apparently, it is not the weekend, so you earned a bit of mad money." Faux told her.

"I am told I have money coming from my time with the Chef as well, but I have yet to see a single coin." Desdemona complained.

"I can loan you a bit if you want to go shopping." Faux offered.

This morning the experience was different with Un. He had approached her mind and asked if she was free to learn a little elemental magic.

Desdemona had always been told she had a large reserve of mana, magical energy, but no inherent ability or awakened element. She jumped at the chance to learn magic. It felt like Un smiled as he arranged to join her in twenty minutes. He / she warned Faux and Sara what she would be doing.

When Un arrived, he greeted her two friends then had the maids change them into a magic casting outfit. Once in the practice chamber he spent a moment meditating then began to draw forth her mana. It felt strange to feel him move energy through her body. The first flicker of flame he brought forth was a dull rust color that did not feel hot enough to spark kindling.

The last time Un had ridden her here he had opened the fire elemental in her. He just 'did' without explaining anything. This time there was some rudimentary explanations of what he was doing.

He quickly progressed though, calling one flame after another. Each one hotter than the last. Un called them up first as a candle flame floating above her hand then as a fire ball he could throw across the room. Cool reds, yellows, whites led to blues and practically invisible flames of intense heat.

Desdemona began to realize, not only was Un creating a flame he was also creating invisible armor to shield them from the heat.

The fire element was thought to be the most powerful element to possess. Ability to use fire magic increased Desdemona's value, marketability. Un basically thought of her as a money-making resource. He also liked throwing fire balls. Un was pretty happy with his training session. If things progressed like this, he would have to reevaluate her as a mule or oxen.

After lunch Desdemona laid down for a nap with her friends. She awoke in a practice yard wearing practically nothing. She was basically clothed in scented oil that seemed to make her skin glisten. A loin cloth and her pendant seemed to be her only substantial apparel. She was wielding a huge two-handed sword as if it weighed no more than a feather. Desdemona did not possess the kind of muscles needed for this, so it must be some sort of muscle magic. Her rider seemed to be performing some sort of practice sequence or established form. His concentration was intense as he controlled his breathing and moved precisely through the routine. It reminded her of a type of dance, but carried a deadly intent.

Between the katas (a word her rider used) he would check that her loin cloth was in place.

Desdemona slowly came to realize it was more than that. He was fondling himself, herself, her. Not quite masturbating but not the type of touching one should do in the open. Fortunately, they had the practice yard to themselves. Desdemona retreated deep into her mind.

Later Faux would tell her the rider was called Blade.

"I have heard he is locked in." she told Desdemona.

"Locked in?"

"Paralyzed, unable to move in his world. Locked in as a prisoner in his own body. He was quite athletic but now he lays in bed and has others provide for his every need. They say he can't eat, but is fed through tubes." Faux.

Desdemona had an image in her mind of cat person maids lifting test tubes to his lips to feed him. It was a strange and misconstrued image.

"The other side of the vail earns money by providing amusement to those inhabitants on the other side. Blade pays them for the privilege of sensation and movement." Faux "I have heard he only does hour sessions. The benefactors think his body can't take more strain than that. They also think his purse might not be able to handle anymore."

Faux thought his martial art skill might be too advanced for her to use on her own, but the muscle magic might be attainable to a degree.

Once again Desdemona had done work without seeing a penny. She was looking forward to Friday payday, whenever that was. When Blade abruptly left, she was saddled with the indignity of having to parade back through the yard and house practically naked. On the other hand, there were not many who lived here that had not seen her completely naked. She wondered who had seen her when Blade rode out.

"How come I don't remember changing to a loincloth and walking to the yard with Blade. Or for that matter starting the other morning as Chef?" she asked the two agents, but of course Faux was the one to respond.

"Being asleep does not affect your riders. Blind drunk, knocked unconscious... none of that slows them down. Might even make it easier to take over. You don't remember because you were not aware at the time. To some degree there is muscle memory and sleep learning. You can learn without realizing that you are, but to master a skill it will be faster if you are awake." She sighed "That said there are a few who don't want you looking over their shoulders."

Her two friends were teaching her the game of croquet. Their theory was she would benefit by doing unfamiliar things, sort of unlock skills. The game originated on the other side of the vail. Desdemona had the uncomfortable feeling her friends were making up the rules as they went along. They insisted they were not.

Well, it was not like they were playing for money.

Her friends were also teaching her some very basic self-defense skills. They would practice hand to hand wrestling around on her bed. On several occasions the maids entered the room and found one or another of them pinned in rather embarrassing positions.

"Why do I need to know how to fight when someone from another world will be in control of my body?" Desdemona asked.

"Things can happen, you can find yourself on your own." Faux responded.

"You won't be 'alone' alone." Sara commented. "We will be there."