Swap?

Natalia dreamed again. She was sitting by the window sill, looking out into the garden. The sword was there again, calling to her. The little girl leapt off her stool, and made her way towards it, like she usually did. She reached out, ready to grab the weapon, only to find herself grabbing onto to someone else’s hand.

“What?” Natalia was grown again, finding her hand locked around Will’s.

“Huh?” Will looked at her in disbelief.

“You.” Natalia glared, sending daggers into Will’s soul.

“Ah!” Will flushed, letting go of the sword and her hand.

“This is a personal dream!” She lunged forward, driving a stern finger into his chest. “You’re not allowed to be here!”

“I don’t know why I’m here!” Will pleaded innocence.

“Even my own physique wants to mess with me,” Natalia groaned, walking over to a nearby stone bench and taking a seat. “Why are you still here?”

“Like I said,” Will responded. “I don’t know!”

“You’re crazy,” Natalia accused. “By the way. The fact that you risk your life for this stupid job means you have a death wish.”

“It’s not a death wish,” Will corrected. “It’s a dream.”

“Wait, are we dead?” Natalia asked. “I remember getting stabbed.”

“Actually,” Will wondered for a moment. “Yeah, we might be dead.”

“So I’m hell,” Natalia groaned louder. “Of course you’re here with me.”

“I’m sorry,” Will looked offended. “Why are you so rude?”

“And why are you so annoying?” Natalia sat up, pointing again.

“So, we’re stuck,” Will said.

“Seems like it,” Natalia sighed.

Will looked around. Other than the window sill, the sword, and a little bit of the garden, the rest of the world was like a blank canvas. It was an uncomfortable, eerie white color. On the edges of the garden, reality seemed to taper off, fading away into a pale white mist.

“I can’t stay here,” Will resolved. “I have somewhere to be.”

“Well, I don’t,” Natalia responded, lying down across the stone bench. It was uncomfortable, but at least it was off the ground.

“Well, see you I guess,” Will waved, before turning and walking off into the void.

“Don’t come back!” Natalia yelled, not bothering to face him.

“Huh,” Will stammered.

“What did I say?” Natalia asked.

“Can’t leave,” Will answered.

“What?” Natalia responded.

“I just loop back here, no matter what direction I go,” Will explained.

“Great, so we really are stuck?” Natalia asked, rolling over.

“Looks like it,” Will sighed, sitting on the ground by the sword.

“Huh.” Natalia sat up. “Well, at least I don’t have to fight anymore in here.”

“Maybe,” Will theorized. “It has something to do with this sword.”

“The sword? That one right there?” Natalia pointed.

“Yeah,” Will nodded.

“I hate that thing,” Natalia said.

“But you were just trying to grab it,” Will said.

“Because I had to, but now that I have the choice, i’m not going to ever touch that thing again,” she resolved.

“Why?”

“Because Inot crazy like you or the rest of you adventurers,” Natalia said.

“Then, can Igrab it?” Will asked.

“Sure.” Natalia shrugged. “Go for it. Not like it’ll do anything anyway.”

“All right,” Will said. “I’m grabbing it.”

“Good,” Natalia waved her hand. “Do it.”

Will grasped the sword, pulling it from the garden bed. And then, he disappeared.

“Huh.” Natalia gawked in astonishment.

“Ah,” Will groaned. “My head.”

His voice sounded weird, but he chalked it up to his injuries. He was in a bed. It was probably the nicest bed he had ever lain on. He was pretty sure the pillow had feathers in it.

“Where am I?” Will asked, looking up an unfamiliar ceiling.

He heard the noise of someone approaching outside.

“Alan?” he called out. “Mina?”

“My lady,” Shisa said, opening the door. “Are you feeling better?”

“That red head’s maid?” Will shot up.

Something felt off about his body, like he was carrying extra weight on his chest.

“Huh?” Will blinked in surprise, reaching at his chest and feeling something soft.

“My lady,” Shisa blinked in confusion. “Is something the matter? Does it still hurt?”

“Wait a minute!” Will’s face was red-hot, pushing past Shisa towards the nearby room mirror.

He found himself staring into the face of the woman he hated most. He had switched bodies with Natalia.