Despite thinking about Alex all the time, the floating pebble shocks me.

"I thought you'll come tomorrow." That's the first thing I blurt out, even before confirming it's the Goddess.

I mean, who else would take over that weird artifact?

"Where are we?" The voice settles it. It's the same as mine.

Or rather, the same I got used to in this body for almost a week by now.

"In the Thirteenth Battalion's camp." It doesn't feel right to call it that considering the state that it's in.

The mental image she projects into my brain shows that she's surprised.

But she doesn't comment on it. This must mean that things are urgent.

"We need to swap. Quick."

"W-what do you mean?" My heart rate had been going crazy since she appeared, but now that silly thing wants to burst out of my chest. Her chest. She wants it back?

"Look, I don't have much time to explain." She claims, looking as serious as a floating piece of granite could. "I can't make you a new body in this form. I need that body back."

"And I'll become that sentient mask thing?" It doesn't sound like a good trade.

"No, no, don't worry."

I can't help but worry now.

"I'll send you back to your world, and you'll use my duplicate body over there for now." Now this offer sounds generous, yet I can feel it coming.

The feared 'but'.

"But I came because I was in a pickle over there. You need to sort that out for me."

Hold on. That sounds exactly like what I had in mind, except the other way around. I tried to survive and fake it until she returned so she could sort out this mess with the Orcs.

Now she wants me to do the same over there?

Wait a second, but I got into all this because I was in her body. And now I'd move into a copy of her body? And she wants me to sort out things in it?

This doesn't make sense.

Seeing my confusion, she adds one last bit.

"I met your little sister and roommate." Well, that threw my brain into full-on chaos.

"The truth is, I need something to recreate your original body. I can't make something I don't remember."

Did she say I was that forgettable? Or so ugly that she rather evaporated my body without taking a proper look? Ouch.

I can't tell if she can read my mind, but the pebble already shakes her head. I mean the entire thing wobbles in the air.

"I tried to get your sister to show me a few pictures of you, but she got suspicious."

"How did you even find my sister?" This is the first question I can get out loud.

"I saw some of your memories when you ended up in my original body." She throws in like it's normal.

I doubt those memories painted a good picture of me.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"I wanted to use those to make a homunculus, but you didn't even have a self-body image."

"Ugh, yeah, that checks out." I can't help but blush. What else did she see? No, I don't even want to know.

"I kept getting headaches in your world so there's a connection between us." She adds, freaking me out. What if she could read my mind even while we were worlds apart?!

"Also, what the hell did you do with my eyes?"

"Uh, oh, that..." How do I tell her, that I burned them out while firing a laser through them?

"Okay, it doesn't matter." The pebble is shaking like it's in a hurry.

"You have to go so I can take over this body, and start shaping you a homunculus."

"And I'll be in your body back in my world?" I must confirm this. I don't know if I should be happy or worried about it.

"Yes, for now. And please convince your sister to send a few photos to my phone so I can fine-tune your new shape later."

"That won't work." I shake my head, but she's already casting a spell. My sight is gone, but rather than going dark, everything is blinding white.

I forbade Emi from taking pictures of me. Is there one from the last two years that I approved? And I'm supposed to convince her while looking like Alexandra?

It sounds like she tried and failed and now pushes the task on me. This doesn't sound fair.

"Do your best, I told her you had to talk to a teacher and lead them around the campus." Her voice still echoes in my mind but I can no longer see.

"I ran off to the toilet when I ran out of ideas. It'll take some time to set up a basic shape for you to return, but since time is faster over there, let's say you have one hour."

"What?!" She won't stop piling the bad news on me. But I'm not sure if she even heard my last protest. It feels like my consciousness has left the body.

No, that doesn't do it justice. She ripped my soul and thoughts out of their comfortable resting place. It's all cold and sharp light, and I float in the vacuum of space.

And then, the acceleration begins.

I don't remember how I got here, I was falling down the stairs so that occupied most of my mind. The return trip is much more memorable. And not in a good way.

It makes me nauseous, cold, and scared.

I know it's a trip between Alexandras — as weird as it sounds. Still, it's such a strange experience, I can't even think about the impossible mission she set out for me.

Do I have to convince Emi to send her pictures she shouldn't have?

As a stranger, she's already suspicious of?

Emi of all people? She has no idea how my sister thinks.

When I fought the First Bride unprepared, it didn't seem as scary and impossible. And I have one hour to sort this out.