Swappy Seconds - Part Two

My brow furrows however as I spot an image, the extreme distance on the picture making it fairly hard to make out. Tapping at the option on screen I watch as the app freezes for a second, the trait loading on my phone as the first thing to load is the simple button reading

'Purchase - $N/A'

Section by section loads into the profile for the trait, each broken seemingly by design as garbled text rests next to each identifier. "Can't be..." I mutter as I stare at the image of Megan, the tiny and mousey blonde grad student in her mid-twenties that Fiona and I mentored. The image on screen shows the young woman held standing by a series of padded metal cuffs, the frame behind her adjusted for her tiny five foot one build.

Her delicate pale chin shines slightly in the camera flash, a rivulet of drool having been wiped away from her brainless body in order to get her ready for sale.

Wild and curly sandy blonde hair puffs out around her head and drapes down past her shoulders in a massive yellow mane, the thick curly locks framing the dainty and delicate features of her face. Pale green eyes stare ahead through a set of small half-moon reading glasses, the pupils differing in size as they fail to focus without a mind behind them. Her nose is tiny and delicate with a slight up turn, the narrow and slight feature working in concert with her delicate jawline and faint cheekbones to leave her looking down right sweet.

Her build can best be described as 'tiny', her arms and legs lacking much in the way of muscle and sporting just the barest amount of fat to leave her with a soft feminine plush. Her torso is clad in a plain white button-up business shirt and a tight cream-colored cable knit sweater, her narrow waist and modest perky chest on display beneath the warm clinging fabric. Her legs are shielded from view, a long ankle length black skirt hanging from her flared hips in an attempt at some kind of modest yet professional look.

Swappy Seconds - Part One

Sitting on the couch I kick up my feet, the coffee sloshing around in my mug as I'm forced to drop my phone and clutch at the warm ceramic to keep it from spilling. The warm sun stream in through the open kitchen window, the delightful late morning calling for me outside as I wriggle down into my cozy seat to start my day right.

It had been a bit of a habit recently, the morning task being something I had been doing since hearing about it on deep and long forgotten thread on the Swap Clinic forums. Grabbing my phone I pull open the app, the aging device struggling to play the various flashy animations of the Swap Clinic's application since the latest update.

Suggested swaps and featured traits slowly populate the screen, cropped images of hair or eyes popping up one by one along with either prices or what the person was looking for in exchange for the particular feature. I slowly scroll through them, my lips shifting from side to side in thought as I ponder each one though most are simply out of my price range.

Since losing my job I had been living off of savings, and those don't last forever. Despite this, I had been interested in visiting the Swap Clinic for quite some time. It had been what led me to search for 'Cheap Swap Clinic Tricks' online, the search eventually leading me to a thread from nearly a decade ago back when the Swap Clinic still used a website.

The thread had asked about deals at the Swap Clinic, whether the shop front ever ran sales or clearances and the like. While the thread had mostly responded no, the prices were set by the seller and the Swap Clinic had no say over that, there was one response that caught my eye.

"You could always check the Secret Section"

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Nine

On the stage the large glass box filled with the now rather familiar fog is rolled out, the Hostess looking towards it as the studio audience roars with excitement.

"That's right..." The Hostess announces, gesturing towards the strange device. "It's time to bring one of our contestant's back home, back to their own body, and out of the running to win our fabulous grand prize" she continues, the crowd going wild at the mention of the life changing money on the other end of one contestant's journey through a new reality.

"Ms Hughes escaped early elimination for her little nap, but can she avoid it again? Maybe Mr Jones should be given his life back, I'm certain sleeping in a car can't be good for his back she laughs, referring to another contestant as the votes begin to roll in.

"We'll be back with the results... right after this commercial break."

The digits beneath each image of a sleeping stranger quickly begin to race up, those beneath my own barely squeaking into double digits as seemingly one of the more popular contestants. Racing up to over fifty percent of the vote an image of a handsome stubbly man in his mid-thirties suddenly vanishes in a bout of smog, the glass box in the center of the room glowing as they attempt to retrieve the contestant from their distant reality. 

"It's seems Mr Douglas' family life was not all that attention grabbing" the Hostess coos, a loud thump coming from the smokey glass device in the center of the stage as a tiny pudgy feminine hand presses against the glass from the inside.

New Moon, New Life - Part One

Candles flicker around the forest clearing, the thick wax cylinders holding down the crinkling blue tarp beneath me. Even with the weak flicking flames being nearly useless to read by I'm still easily able to read the sheets of paper strewn about at my feet, the pale light of moon flooding the glade light a spotlight from the heavens.

The moon seemed impossibly large, the sort of bright glow in the night sky that looked more akin the a photoshop image than reality itself. Tides were thrown off, birds cawed and crowed outside as they thought it was day time.The world seemed alomst turned upside down as the largest moon any of us had ever seen loomed overhead.

It was the event of the century, the sort of full moon that no one alive today would ever have a chance of seeing for the rest of their lives. For some it was a chance to watch the marvels of the natural world, others a time to party. However, for many around the world it was a time to tempt fate and try to weave magics while beneath the light of the fullest moon.

Some sought riches, others love, I had come out into the deep forest with a different reason entirely. Reaching for my pock I pool out a tiny vial, the dusty glass capped with gold as the viscous red liquid inside roils and splashes about in a remarkably lively state.

'Magical blood' I had been told, in part a reason it hadn't simply turned to a tried caked on brick of crimson coagulant. While I, along with practically everyone on the face of the Earth, were simply numb to the world of magic, there were those who were not only attuned to it but had the very essence of the arcane in their veins.

Re:The Body Shop - Part Seven

 

Suddenly, I'm snapped from my thoughts as a set of footsteps begin to approach. Bunny too lurches at the sound, whipping around and deleting the last message before coming to sit more like a normal human being at the sound of clinking bowls.

"You okay sweetie?" Cassandra asks softly, two bowls of very simple fettuccine in a deep red sauce resting in her hands. Clutched to her chest by her arms sit the box of wine and the cup from earlier, the young woman obviously not one to let the drinks stay in the kitchen. "You look a little flushed..." she states, pausing fro a moment as Bunny reaches out to take the bowls from her. "Thanks, but if you're warm you can take your shirt off" she states, placing the cup and the box of wine on the coffee table before wriggling it over towards the sofa.

She smirks as she sits down, her lips forming into a devilish grin as she places her hands around my waist. Her fingers wrap around the bottom of my shirt, her warm hands slinking under the sweaty cotton as she begins to stroke my tight taut abs.

"I wouldn't complain... I promise" She coos, her hazel eyes looking into my own lovingly. Suddenly she inches closer as her hands slide further up my torso, pushing me back into the sofa as she pins me down.

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Eight

As I reach the steps down to the lane way and the parking lot beyond I immediately spot the pacing sight of Bridgette, the over six foot tall athletic young woman being difficult to miss and she shuffles around beside my old sedan.

Inching down the steps she spots me, my bright copper red hair likely not doing me any favors in subtly. She waves wildly at me, watching for a moment as I heft my tiny frame and heavy backpack across the lane before bolting over.

"Babe let me get..." she whine, her voice dripping with concern as she practically pulls the backpack off of me and effortlessly slings it over one shoulder. Her free hand clutches at the large gym bag she had carried this morning, the large black denim bag appearing to crumple and squish around whatever was inside.

"Thanks..." I sigh, my body feeling leagues lighter as the weight is pulled off my shoulders. It was like everything was relative, the straps of my bra having been completely ignored all day as the ache and pain from carrying the bag consumed my thoughts more presently. "What are... were you waiting for me?" I ask meekly, adjusting my glasses a little as I look up at the practical amazonian in front of me.

Bridgette rubs at the back of her neck nervously, her face turning red as she looks up and away for a moment.

"Kinda..." she mutters, her husky voice shaking a little. "I was.. well I was going to ask...My parents are out of town and... well, do you think you could maybe stay the night?" I watch as the tan young brunette, bites at her bottom lip, her shoulders slumping as she shrinks away a little out of nerves as she takes a shot.

My stomach fills with butterflies as I look up at her, my face twitching as I'm practically forced to wear a silly giddy grin.

"I'll need directions..." I state, walking around to the driver's side door. Pausing slightly as I realize just how that sounds. "I mean, where can I park and stuff."

Reverse Hopper, Reversed Fortunes - Part Three

I open the driver's side door, hopping out quickly as I lurch and stumble on the uneven cobblestone. I hear a voice scream in shock as I appear from behind the dumpster, the cry quickly being followed by my world spinning as I'm brought to the ground along with the utter stranger.

"S... sorry..." I croak, groaning a little as I feel my arm pressing against their shoulder while my other hand rests grazed against the stones beneath me. As I try to stand I feel my arm tug on something, the feeling of their warm skin against mine pulling painfully as though we were super glued together.

"I... oh..." the voice mutters as her words catch in her throat. Leaning back I look down as I find myself staring at a bespectacled skinny and short woman in her late teens with long black hair pulled back into a thick braid, her large and heaving bust pooling to the sides of her petite torso. 

A set of pale icy blue eyes look up at me in shock, her delicate jaw hanging open as she begins to hyperventilate.

Reverse Hopper, Reversed Fortunes - Part Two

I reach in through the window as I turn off the radio, the screeching speakers not taking the bass heavy song well at all. Sighing to myself I lean against the driver's side door, my head tilting back as I try to plan my next move.

The gears slowly churn inside my skull, the last few weeks catching up to me as I feel my body ache and exhaustion begin to grip me.

"Okay..."  I muse, reaching into my pocket as I fish out my keys. "I think I know what to do..."

I had seen the advert weeks ago, a series of them in fact, for the tourist destination of Daleshaire. The small old mountain mining town had recently, after finding a bubbling natural hot springs buried within the surrounding hills, had invested rapidly into expanding itself into a tourist hot spot.

While other may call it more of a tourist trap, the effort had certainly revitalized interest in the town as people flocked to stay at the newly built hotel and hot springs as well as the new art installations and freshly recovered hiking trails.

With the new interest in the town and the wave of visitors flooding every available bed, there was a distinct lack of people to take up the numerous jobs that had popped up to handle the influx. I had deleted the emails fairly quickly, the town being so far from my home in the city that the commute simply was not worth it.

However, with the lose of my home the offers simply seemed far more intriguing.

Mr Marigold's Magician's Box - Part Three

"Do I... need to pick something?" I ask, adjusting my jeans as I feel my mighty ten-inch cock shift in my boxers. "I... there wasn't anything there that I really... you know... it's hard to pick them just from looking at the... right?" I bleat and blubber, unable to really form a coherent answer.

Mr Marigold pauses for a moment, stroking his chin in thought as he glances to my and then to the magical stage equipment with a discerning eye. After a brief pause he shakes his head, the massive top hat jostling in a worrying fashion as he begins to speak.

"Well... I..."Am afraid I must insist you pick something, otherwise you may wind up with nothing... below deck at it were, and we can't have that" Mr Marigold sighs, giving me a little shrug. "Each compartment needs to be filled I'm afraid, why don't you explore a little more good sir? I'm certain you will find something to your liking soon enough."

I give a short sigh myself as I look down, the thought of giving up my cock making my stomach sink. However, as I glance back to the rather attractive assortment of parts in the boxes the urge to finish what I started becomes all to great to avoid.

"Fine..." I mutter, spinning around and heading back towards the shelves once more. "I'll be back soon" I call out behind me, hurrying along as I delve back into the strange selection.

Re:The Body Shop - Part Six

Bunny slowly begins to creep us nervously around the edge of the house, the engine suddenly dying down as the loud clunk of a car door opening soon follows. Boots hit the dirt, a series of steps soon following as a voice calls out.

"Babe!" shouts the voice I had heard on the radio. "Good work on the pile, but can you give me a hand with the shopping, I'm soooooo not making it in one trip" she calls out, her use of the word 'babe' causing Bunny to jump a little.

I'm slowly brought around the edge of the cabin as I hear the back of the car ease open, the rustling of plastic bags soon following along with a series of quiet muttering. Looking around the corner I'm met with the sight of a fairly fit redhead with her hair tied back into a ponytail, her uniform fitting perfectly over her athletic frame.

 

Her rough and relatively messy ginger hair is tugged into a loose ponytail by the flax colored cap atop her head, the brim facing outward to give her some sun protection with a small little stitching of trees and the words 'Pine Gorge National Park' embossed on the front. Her hair appears to have been untrimmed in some time, the long red strands reaching down to just beneath her shoulders in an uneven mess of split ends.

A set of greenish hazel eyes shift back and forth over the open truck of the large jeep, her soft pink lips moving as he counts and mutters to herself. Her complexion of colored with a warm and healthy tan, her prominent high cheek bones along with her delicate yet slightly bent and scarred nose quickly catching my attention. I quickly notice another little silvery mark in her skin, a slight barely horizontal line tracing across the tan flesh above and below her upper and bottom lip in line with the bend in the bridge of her nose.

While not quite as tall as me she stands at just shy of five foot seven, the thick and rather hardy leather boots on her feet doing some work to bolster her size. Her top clings to her fit and athletic frame, not muscular like mine yet still extremely healthy made most likely due to simply being physically active rather than active effort. The top itself is flax colored much like her hat, the heavy button up short featuring the same logo as her hat along with a little stitched name beneath it.

'Cassandra'

Reverse Hopper, Reversed Fortunes - Part One

Huffing loudly in the echo-filled parking lot I strain to force the last box into the backseat of my car. The cardboard flexes, buckling in of itself as I press my hands against it and cram it up against another equally flimsy and flexible box. Sweating slightly I give the box one more shove, stepping back quickly as I slam the door shut.

I wince as I think I here something break, either inside the door of my aging dark green sedan or the boxes stacking inside it, a depressed sigh rumbling out of me and through the underground lot as I bite at my lip.

"God damn it..." I mutter quietly, wiping my nose a little as I sniffle and fight back tears. "Stupid fucking..." I continue, pausing as I inhale deeply to try and calm myself back down.

The months without work had slowly drained me of whatever resources I had left. Too proud to ask my family for help and too focused on academia and teaching to look for a job that could at least pay the bills, I soon found myself being served with an eviction notice from my elderly landlady.

She didn't seem to take pleasure in the act, nor did she seem all to upset, the order for me to pack my things and to vacate by the end of the month merely being business.

I had largely handled the burden in silence, packing my stuff each day, my job hunt grinding to a pause as I sold off what I couldn't fit in the back of my car and packed the rest. By the end of the month I was left with not a lot, merely a wad of cash and a car full of boxes with no place to go.

My car radio blares from dashboard, the crackling speakers weakly playing the end of yet another pop song that I had used for at least a little bit of background noise in the otherwise depressingly quiet. The bubbly radio host quickly begins to chirp.

"Hell-ooooooo and welcome back everyone, that was YOUR number four. Before we go to the bronze, lucky number three, this is just a reminder to all our Reverse Hopper listeners to take your In-Guarder today if you haven't yet"

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Seven

"Can you... walk me to class?" I ask, my eyes darting to the backpack as I quickly realize I had no idea where or what I was meant to do once I made it into the school. Bridgette suddenly perks up, her hangdog expression shifting rapidly to an excited grin as I ask for help.

"Sure!" she blurts out excitedly, the towering woman quickly leading me away from the car and towards the side entrance to the first large brick building. "I'll take you there and... and I can carry your bag for you. Why is it so heavy? You shouldn't be carrying something like..."

"Thanks honey" I coo, raising her hand up with my own as I plant a little kiss on it.

I watch as Bridgette's cheeks begin to burn bright red, the tiny sliver of affection seemingly doing more than our brief make out session in the parking lot. Her sentence falls short, a pathetic mewling blabber consuming her words before she manages to shut herself up.

"I... I think you have English first right?" Bridgette chokes out, her breath shuddering as we pass over the lane way to the parking lot and begin up the short set of steps. "Lots of books for that I... I guess..."

The trip to the classroom itself is rather uneventful, if a little disconcerting. The sheer domineering size of everything around me set my teeth on edge, from the teenagers who were easily over a head taller than me now to the top lockers being simply out of reach. Thankfully Bridgette seems more than happy to carve us a path to my first class, the towering young woman getting a soft and lingering kiss as a reward before she passes me my bag and races off to follow her own timetable.

Strangely enough the desk and seat feel almost roomy as I slide into it, my shrunken stature doing wonders as I wriggle into place. The aging CRT screen in the corner suddenly grows pale and misty as the audience sets up to watch my class, a shiver running down my spine as I stare directly into it.

To get my mind off of things I quickly begin to search my backpack, a small black leather diary thankfully resting atop the pile of text books and literature as I snatch it out. Inside I find a timetable on the front page, each day of the week followed by a series of classes and room numbers.

"I can work with this..." I squeak, quickly finding that each day started differently. "I just need to work out what... day it is..."

Re:The Body Shop - Part Five

It takes a bit of coordination for Bunny to let me sip at the bland and unpleasant instant coffee, the lack of milk really just leaving it bitter caffeine water more than anything else. Sitting on the sofa by the fire I slowly begin to get comfortable, Bunny seemingly knowing exactly when I want another sip as the mug is quickly brought up to my lips.

"So... park ranger... apparently..." I mutter, unsure about how any of this made sense. "Did you ever do like Girl Scouts or..." I ask, watching as Bunny gives me a thumbs down and a shrug. "Guess we can work that out as we..." I muse, my eyes darting to the whiteboard as I sigh.

"We have a job don't we..." I groan, my body sagging as Bunny seems equally dismayed. With a heave of our mighty frame Bunny begins to drag us over to the whiteboard, the helpful body letting me drink the last of the coffee before I begin to inspect the whiteboard.

"Huh..." I mutter, reading the listing under Jordan on the whiteboard. As I ponder just what 'Clearing Kindling and Debris' could actually entail I feel Bunny begin to tap our foot impatiently. After a moment of pondering the text, and lingering on the little love heart scrawled on the board, I feel Bunny reach up to poke and prod at my face.

Personal Ad-option - Part One

Walking through the park, basking in the midday sun, I also follow the winding path between flowers in mid-bloom. Bees buzz past me as they dart from flower to flower, each drone seeking pollen for the hive while the sound of bird chirp in distant trees.

It was a perfect day, warm and relaxing with not a care in the world. Or at least the cares that I had were pushed to the back of my mind, thoughts like 'How am I going to pay rent this month?' or 'Will I ever find another teaching job?' were simply left on the doorstep on days like this. My headphone lightly jingle with soothing classical music, the soft piano doing much to calm be down from my woes in conjunction with the brilliant scenery around me.

After over an hour of my strolling a heavy buzz erupts from my pocket, my hand moving towards it as I pause. Glancing down the trail I spot a small little outdoor lakeside cafe, a tiny dirt path leading off the track towards it invitingly.

"May as well..." I mutter to myself, plodding off to fetch myself a coffee before checking my notification.

After a few minutes I find myself seated by the end of a large deck, the shimmering water glistening with sparkles of caught sunlight. As I wait for my coffee to cool I pull my phone from my pocket, my heart skipping a beat and catching in my throat as I read the short line of text.

"You have new a message in your inbox - Personal Ad-option"

Mr Marigold's Magician's Box - Part Two

After a short pause he flicks his wrist, producing the purple ticket I had place in the door before repeating the motion as it vanishes again.

"...You however, have been gifted one free session" he explains, gesturing to the many racks and shelves. "Most outside of the community don't get such an opportunity, do you perhaps have a family member who is a part of the pro..." he begins to ask, pausing and cutting himself off as he waves his hand.

"Never mind that..." he states, not letting me get a word in edge wise. "Simply pick out what you would like from the shelves and bring them to the boxes, once you're ready simply climb inside the empty set and I will start the show!"

I stare blankly at him for a moment, blinking in disbelief as he looks down at me with a delighted grin. Slowly but surely his smile begins to fade, his joy being replaced with a look of confusion.

"Well dear fellow?" he mutters, gesturing towards the shelves and racks with a flick of his wrist and a wave of his hand. "Explore, indulge, cavort, and enjoy the..." he begins to state, only to finally get get off by me.

"What do you mean by..." I huff, my eyes going wide as I look to the various neatly packed or stacked body parts. "Are you telling me these are people and.. and I'm meant to be?... Wear?... I mean..." I blabber, the older gentlemen looking at me in a mixture of frustration and confusion.

"Why yes my good fellow" he states, cocking a thick black eyebrow. "Theses did in fact belong to others, and you may in fact take them for yourself should you so..." he explains shortly, his words tense and tightly packed. "Did the one who granted you this boon not explain this to..." he begins to huff, revealing the ticket once more as he holds it between his hands.

"I got that at a bar from some guy who..." I blurt back, my heart hammering in my chest as the reality of the strange situation begins to set in.

The Swap-Cation - Part Three

I quiver slightly as I feel myself get placed down on something cold and hard, the chilly sheet of metal beneath me waking me slightly as I realize just what I am sitting on. However, after a few moments of sitting on the metal plate nothing seems to happen.

"Carl?" calls the young woman, her shout coming through loud and clear as she stand over me. "Yeah... Yeah I've got the list... But I... Yeah...Is this blonde real or dyed?... No, I need to know otherwise the prom queen is going to be up there with exposed roots”

The woman quickly begins to pace away, the sound of her stomping boots piercing the obstructing flesh over my ears before vanishing entirely in an instant. Murmured voices rumble in the distance, a back and forth completely lost to me as some low voice chatters with the young woman.

As the voices die down I hear the boots begin to approach, a series of keystrokes soon following as I feel my pathetic squishy form become constrained by some invisible force. My mind swims and my blood boils as I feel the last of the slime over my skin dry up in an instant, the last vestiges of oxygen vanishing in an instant.

"Al...ght..." the woman coos, her voice distant and hard to make out. "Le... thi...the...ro..." she calls out, a sudden shock rippling through my terrible diminished form. With a gasping breath I feel two holes form in what I could loosely describe as my face, the small gaps quickly winding through my jiggling flesh into what feel like a pathetic and deflated set of lungs. The two little holes begin to shift as cartilage forms between them, my skin stretching out as a small and dainty nose is formed.

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Six

Opening the car door I brace for the cold, a whimpering shudder wracking me as I leap out of the sedan. "Cold... cold cold cold..." I pant, rubbing at my stick-like arms in an effort to warm up while inadvertently and disconcertingly squishing my bust with my forearms. I turn to get my bag, leaning in as my plump rear stick out while I snatch at one of the straps.

Suddenly, I feel a hand snake around my flat stomach before pulling me back. I squeal in shock, my feather light body being slightly lifted off the ground as I'm embraced from behind. My heart hammers in my chest, my breath going ragged in terror, though the heat from the person behind me threatens to leave me melting.

"Hey Jordy" coos a voice in my ear, their warm breath on my neck leaving my knees shaking a little. "I got your bag" the state, wrapping an arm around my waist they guide me to the side. As I stagger back, still held firmly by the stranger, I watch as they lower down to grab my overly heavy bag. 

I bite the inside of my lip as my eyes lock to the towering and extremely fit young brunette with a gym bag in one hand, her muscular frame being painted by a tight set of yoga shorts and a sports bra. My mouth falls open, my eyes locked to the practical amazon's thick toned thighs and plush taut rear as she leans across the seat, a shuddering breath escaping my plush lips as I find a warmth flashing through me.

As she stand back up she slings the heavy backpack effortlessly over her shoulder, the massive seeming young woman flashing me a grin as she gets the strap in place.

Re:The Body Shop - Part Four

As I slowly begin to come to my mind struggles to take stock of myself, the constant movement and shifting of my body beneath me making the idea that I was simply laying down on the steps where I fell completely out of the question. A shudder runs down my spine as I yawn, my eyes fluttering open only to be blinded by the painfully bright light around me.

"Wha... Where..." I groan, blinking rapidly as I try to clear my vision. The night before quickly hits me like a sack of bricks, my heart quickly racing as the memories of Bunny and her running off with me in tow quickly surges to the forefront of my mind.

I feel my body jump a little at my breathy voice, the alien force animating it being taken by surprise as I slowly wake up.

"Where are... are you..." I mumble, shifting the sleep from my eyes with another flurry of blinks. As my vision returns and my eyes adjust to the harsh lights around me I find myself shaking nervously as I stumble out onto a wooden deck, my body whipping around beneath me as I stare at the dirt road and dense forest surrounding me.

My eyes shot open immediately, my heart racing and my blood pumping as panic begins to set in. Gone was the stairwell, gone was the night sky, gone was the damned city as a whole. Rather than towering buildings and constant traffic I find my view blocked by rows upon rows of dense greenery in the form of beautiful trees and dense wild grasses filling the underbrush.

The dirt road loops around in front of me, a winding path coming out of the forest before expanding to fill the man-made clearing and narrowing once more as it curves off into the forest once more. Freshly made tire tracks run from the front of the deck out down the road to the right, a smaller and more maneuverable motor bike sits next to where the car had once been parked.

The deck itself is relatively plain, well maintained and freshly varnished hardwood planks stretch out either side of me as a small railing provides some sense of privacy. As my body lurches around, a cry of surprise erupting from me as my powerful body rushes back to the door behind us, I spot a small sign by the door frame.

Station 12

'Wild Carrot'

The Swap-Cation - Part Two

Without much going on in my life, and the thought of the expense that had gone into the gift, I had quickly went to the Swap Clinic to cash in my gift without any real thought into who could have sent me such a gift. Thankfully, the local Clinic was more than capable at cashing in the little voucher, the woman beaming at me as she scanned the card with a little beep.

"Thank you for coming in early... Mr Hughes" the caramel skinned young woman had chirped from behind the counter. "We always have issues with people checking in right before the deadline. We can get you sorted now if you want? Next thing you know you'll be off enjoying...Perfect Prom!" the young woman cries with excitement, her slender frame nearly launching out of her seat.

"Uh... Thanks?" I mutter in response, my hands fidgeting with my jacket as I try to pull it around me.

"It's sooooooooo sweet that someone gifted you this" she coos, her deep brown eyes practically sparkling as she looks off into the mid-distance. "To relive such a big event, the excitement and powerful emotions rushing back and..." she giggles, obviously longing for her own chance to try the holiday package. "Sooooooo..." she muses, smirking at me from across the front desk. "Who got it for you? Wife? Partner? Maybe..."

"I..." I stammer, completely in the dark as to who had left the card in my mailbox. "I have no ide..."

"Mr Hughes!?" calls a low and honeyed voice from the hallway beside the front desk, a short and fit man in his forties soon leaning out as he scans the room. Giving the tan blonde man a nod he waves a little clip board at me, gesturing for me to follow as he begins to plod off down the hallways and out of sight.

Mr Marigold's Magician's Box - Part One

Shivering in the evening chill I trudge down the dim dank alleyway, my boots splashing in foul sour-scented pools of what I can only hope is water. My clammy hands clutch at a small purple ticket tightly, my knuckles white as I grip the cheap plastic rectangle.

The alley itself is much like any other, graffiti and tags sprayed against the brick walls while large dumpsters force me to weave and squeeze my way down the narrow path. I freeze as I hear something squeak and skitter in the darkness, a flash of fur diving down beneath one of the dumpsters as a long pink tail thrashes about behind it.

A simple light sits a decent way up the plain brick wall at the far end of the alley, the squat and long broken green plastic revealing the fluorescent bar within. As I draw closer I cock an eyebrow, my gaze shifting over the plain brick wall in confusion.

"I could have swor..." I mutter, looking back towards the entrance to the alley. I bite at my bottom lip, wracking my brain as I try to remember what I had been told only a few days ago. Sure, I may have been more than a little drunk at the time, but I should have remembered a simple set of directions.

As I approach the wall something begins to stand out in the plain and simple red brick wall. An arch of bricks, still layered in the same pattern as the rest, fail to really blend in with the rest thanks to their slightly darker and muddy hue. Squinting at it, purposely blurring my vision, it almost looks like a door frame inlaid into into the brickwork.

With a little burst of speed I approach the wall, my right hand patting the bricks in search of something... different. However, despite seemingly having found the right place it still looks and feels just like any other wall. Before long I find something, a slight gap in the mortar at around waist height. Sizing it up for a moment I hold out the ticket, measuring it up as I read the overly dramatic and cursive text.

The Marvelous Mr Marigold's

Menagerie of Magical 'Mishaps'

Magician's Boxes - One Free Use

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Five

The crowd murmurs slightly, only for a group gasp to rip through them as their little displays begin to light up.

"She knew the rules about sleeping" the Hostess smirks, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe she doesn't want to win the grand prize, I'm sure she'd be happy with coming back as the fastest loser in the games history."

Waiting for a moment for the snickering and laughter of the crowd to die down the Hostess looks off to the side of the stage, the older director of Lights, Camera, Change! giving her a little nod before finally mouthing 'First Vote'.

"But after spending so long on making her like this, it would be a shame to send her off so unceremoniously. While we usually have our first vote when all contestant's go to sleep for the day I suppose we can start with Ms Hughes" The Hostess announces, the crowd cheering excitedly.

"We'll work something else out in the broadcast, but as a special treat and a first in Lights, Camera, Change! history you get to not only make the the whole of the contestant's new body but you also get to decide their fate by yourselves!"

As the crowd roars with excitement the sound of the various beeps and bloops of their displays being selected and locked in begin to take over the room. The image of my sleeping form on the screen being overlayed with the various percentages of the vote.

The Hostess smirks as she watches one of the bars race to the other end of the screen, the crowd voting overwhelmingly for me to stay on the show with only a single vote from someone in the audience to end my time in the competition.

Lights, Camera, Change! - Part Four

Exiting the stairwell I find myself in the entrance hall for some sort of museum, a small front desk sitting to my right and beside a large set of antique wooden doors with one siting wide open in an inviting manner. Across from the stairwell sits a small lounge area, a small set of antique stools and tables all in view of the front desk.

To the left rest large glass cabinets filled with all manner of ancient looking tools and pieces of clothing with a large spinning wheel sitting in the center of it all. A large arch way sits along the left hand wall, a passage way leading deeper into the building, while above it rests a large glass window looking into a small office space above.

Swallowing hard I return my attention to the phone, my eyes darting over the various addresses in the app until one seems to repeat far too many times.

"Farrier Road" I mutter, smirking as I read the address aloud. "That's... quaint..." I chuckle, the laughter coming out in a cutesy giggle thanks to this new voice. Quickly punching the address into my phone's GPS it begins to autofill, a smirk spreading across my lips as I feel like I had cracked some sort of mystery.

Taking a deep breath I begin to walk towards the open door, yawning involuntarily as I feel my eye lids grow heavy. "Okay..." I sigh, rubbing my eyes from behind the thick glasses. "Just need to get home, and from there..." I state, giving myself a pep talk only to trail off. "I... I have no idea."

The Swap-Cation - Part One

The darkened world around me lurches as a set of distant wheels catch a dip in the road, the cool liquid around me sloshing in the tight container as I'm forced against the walls of my minuscule confines. I can feel my heart race inside me, the pounding muscle hammering the limited blood through my heavily redacted body.

Arms, legs, even my head an mouth had to be shaved away in the clinic's massive foreboding machines to be sent to a 'storage' body. All that remained was a pale jiggling cube of flesh housing my brain and my heart, a thick slime forming over my skin as the added trait of 'breathing through one's skin' borrowed from a now likely dead frog kicked into gear.

It had to be this way though, at least that's what I had been told as they had explained the procedure. Transportation was an expensive overhead, and for the sake of immersion they didn't want anybody to know just where we would be going.

"Total immersion" the Swap Clinic representative had explained. "It's one of the selling points of a Swap-Cation."

Suitable Subject - Part Two

My eyes flutter open as I find myself on the sofa, my half finished coffee thankfully resting in my lap. The TV blares out with the same Suitable commercial a thousand times before, a low groan escaping my lips as I lazily slap about for the remote.

"Too..." I huff, my hand soon finding the remote as I skip the add. "Expensive..." I groan, rolling my head back as I feel just how cold the coffee mug is with my free hand.

Slowly heaving myself up I begin to shuffle towards the kitchen, my footsteps staggering to a halt as I hear a loud series of knocks from my front door. Looking over my shoulder I wait for a moment, my brain still processing what I had heard before another more panicked set of knocks fill my cozy living space.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes I slowly plod towards the door, my gait picking up in speed as the knocks grow practically frantic. Just as the knocks turn to banging I pull the door open as I find myself looking at a bundle of rubbery skin and Kelly, the slender and energetic brunette from down the hall. The young woman's fist swings forward, colliding with my chest as her eyes go wide in shock.

Jumping slightly she takes a step back, her hazel eyes going wide as she lets out a little squeak.

"S... Sorry Mr Hughes!" she chirps, her gaze darting to me and her balled fist for a moment before shifting down to the rubbery pale suit resting over her arm. She opens her mouth to say something, her whole body flinching as the sound of a door somewhere in the hallway squeaks and a set of footsteps begin to shuffle out.

Without another word the five foot seven brunette ducks under my arm, sliding past me and into my apartment as she clumsily kicks the door closed behind her. Blinking rapidly I'm left in shock as the young brunette takes a deep breath, a mumbled set of voices coming from somewhere in the hallway slowly moving away.

"What are..." I croak sleepily, rubbing my eyes as I try to muster a glare at the young woman.

"Uh... Mr Hughes..." she mutters nervously, fiddling with the squeaking suit. "Could I ask you a favor?"