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CYOTF (New)

In each other’s skins…

added by The 1 4 years ago O

Arianna stared at the reflection in the small pond.

Looking back from the pond was a reflection that looked just like Arran.

“We either changed genders in our sleep… Or we switched bodies. Since we look like each other, it’s probably the latter.” Arran said, now a girl who looks like Arianna.

After Arianna freaked out, Arran eventually calmed her down and took her to a nearby pond to convince her that she is indeed a male.

After a few long moments of silence, Arianna spoke again. “Am I a prince?”

“Well, if I’m right and that we switched bodies, then you are more of an heir to a business then a prince.”

“What’s the difference?” Arianna asked.

Arran gave a sad smile in a very Arianna way. “Well… A business is not tied by blood like a kingdom. If I don’t make the cut, then I don’t take over the business. Simple as that.”

Arianna can’t imagine being disowned from the royal line. Arianna returned an annoyed expression in a very Arran way. “Don’t think I don’t know how a business works peasant! I hear merchants talking about it all the time!”

Arran returned a skeptical look. “How many of those conversations have you actually listened too?”

Arianna was actually insulted by that remark! “I’ll have you know that every once in a while, I would listen to those conversations daddy and those merchants have! One day, I’ll piece it all together and I’ll figure how daddy manage the kingdom and take over for him!”

Arran stared at the ground as if the alternative wasn’t an option. “Tell me… How many of those conversations do you remember?”

Arianna actually had to look up as she recalled the snidbits she heard. “…”

Arran looked Arianna in the eye. “You can’t think of anything significant, do you? You don’t even know why those merchants talk to your dad.”

Arianna came up with a rebuttal on the spot. “They talk about money. That’s what they always talk about.”

“Yes… Why do they talk about money? What about money? Why do you think they talk to your king? They can find ways to increase their profit by themselves. Why do they need him?” Arran pressed.

“I DON’T KNOW!!!” Arianna shouted.

Arran look back towards the pond. “I don’t blame you. It was a lot for me to wrap my head around when I was 5. It was slow and steady, but I had to step up and figure out how money works. Otherwise, I would be kicked out of the family business. I may not know weather you’re telling the truth about being the princess of a kingdom, but you’re very lucky to go so long not knowing about how your own kingdom works.”

Arianna didn’t have any real response to that. So she instead went with the truth. “It doesn’t really matter if I know how to rule the kingdom or not. Whoever the king arranges me to marry will kno-“

“And you are going to sit idly by and let that happen?! Damn it, there’s a reason that system is outdated! It has so many flaws! You are probably going to get married off to some guy from another kingdom who doesn’t know a thing about your home and will use it as a political tool! When you get married, you are probably going to be treated the same way that guy treats your kingdom; as a tool.”

Arianna says nothing in her defense.

Arran skips a rock out into the pond. “How old are you?”

“E-excuse me?”

“How many years have you been alive?”

Arianna was obviously confused. “I have 20 years.”

Arran nodded. “Funny. That’s exactly how old I am. And to be honest with you… I wish I didn’t have to learn how to think like a businessman at such a young age. I was taught to make the right friends that will bring me forward and leave behind the friends that would hold me back. And so I did. It was a choice that didn’t feel like a choice. I did everything that was expected of me, but I struggled every step of the way. If I had my way, I wouldn’t give up on the friends I grew up with. I would have spent hours playing video games instead of keeping up appearances and forming networks at parties. Business is like a machine. You have to constantly maintain it or else it would fall apart. Well you know what? I don’t care the corporate machine. I WANT TO BE MYSELF DAMN IT!.... So in a way… I envy your father for letting you to be yourself and do what you want. That means he cares more about your happiness then the kingdom…”

Arianna says nothing.

Arran continues. “Look at me. Ranting about stuff you don’t really care about. I bet you don’t even know what a video game is… Not that I had the chance to play one myself…”

For some reason, Arianna listened too and remembered the whole thing. Maybe seeing her lookalike give such a strange speech made it all the more memorable. She even remembered the “videogame” comment. Probably some childrens game he wasn’t allowed to participate in. Not that she know the names of any kids games other then the once she came up with. She always had to make up her own games to play. Why would Arran be so adamant about playing games with others?

The two of them looked at the pond’s reflections without saying anything. Both of them were thinking the same thing:

What do they do now?

When are they are going to talk about the sex they had yesterday?

How are they going to find something to eat?

Will they ever be rescued?

Would they find shelter?

And would they ever change back?

She can’t go back home as a man. Her father wouldn’t recognize her. Is she stuck like this? What if she has to pee? And what if everyone thinks that Arran is her? A mere peasant doesn’t deserve to be royalty… Not that she looks like one right now. Her body feels so weird… But what scared her more is that she doesn’t really feel a difference. She doesn’t seem to notice was is missing…. Her long heir, her chest, her insides…. It was all… different. And yet, to her terror…. It doesn’t feel like anything is missing. Is she really becoming a disgusting man?

For a long while, the two did nothing but stared at the cascading waves of the pond.

During their silence, they made a wordless agreement. Even if they get rescued, it’ll make matters worse if they are found in their current conditions. They must find a way to change back first.

They knew that they can’t keep staring at the pond all day. They were both still very hungry and thirsty. But how can they trust the food in this forest? What if drinking water from the pond changes them any more? Arianna can’t go back as some unrecognizable beast.

And so… they just sat there and stared at the water. They’ll have to find shelter eventually, but for now, their spot was the only safe place they know of that won’t change them.

What to do…. What to do…


What do you do now?

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