In shadow and light: waltz of souls

Leticia suddenly felt her body grow lighter, as though some invisible weight had vanished. It was more like she no longer felt her body at all.

For an instant, her vision dimmed, then snapped back into focus. In the mirror, she watched as her body began to change.

— What…happened? — Leticia wanted to raise a hand to her head, but nothing happened. —What?!

She tried again to move her arms, but to no avail.

— What's going on?! Why can't I control my body?! —

As soon as she said this, her body started moving on its own—first touching one arm, then her face.

— Leticia… — she heard Aya's voice, but this time it seemed to come from outside rather than inside her head. "It looks like I'm the one controlling this body now."

— How… — Leticia's voice quivered. — How did… How did this happen?!

— I…I don't know… — Aya sounded as confused as Leticia felt. — I felt something strange, too. First this lightness, then a heavy weight, like someone dropped a dumbbell on me.

— A dumbbell? — Leticia didn't recognize the word, but that hardly mattered. — Alright, let's just check the mirror first.

Aya agreed, nodding. She turned toward the mirror, but her movement was clumsy. She almost fell, catching herself against the small table in front of the mirror.

— What are you doing?!

— It's hard… — Aya muttered, embarrassed.

She straightened and looked into the mirror, startled by what she saw. The reflection wasn't Aya at all, but Leticia, with long black hair and ruby-red eyes.

— Is that you, Leticia?! — Aya's voice shook with both fear and amazement.

Leticia was astonished. She wanted to discover what else had changed, though she hadn't expected this.

— Aya, check your hair. What color is it?

Aya ran her hands through "her" hair, finding it short with golden-tipped strands.

— I see… — Leticia said tensely, keeping her voice steady. — It seems my body changed when I gave you control.

— Gave me control? — Aya repeated.

— Yes—remember when I said, 'I'd lend you my body if it were possible'? Maybe that was some kind of trigger.

Aya continued examining herself, curiosity evident in every motion.

— Wow, your legs are longer than I thought! I bet you can run faster than me! — she said, moving around the room.

— What are you even doing?! — Leticia snapped.

— Just testing, — Aya replied breezily. — Your waist is so slim…unlike mine in my previous life…

Leticia rolled her eyes.

— Maybe you could stop now? Give me my body back! — she demanded.

— A little longer! — Aya continued touching her—running her hands along her arms, hips, and waist. — Everything's so…flexible. It feels nice. You know, I like this.

— What do you think you're doing?! — Leticia screamed, suddenly recalling that it was her body under Aya's control.

— What's wrong? — Aya asked, carefree. — We're both girls, right? We have nothing to hide from each other. And I'm curious to see what else might've changed.

Leticia felt a storm of emotions—shock, embarrassment, anger. Then she sensed her hands moving on their own again.

— Hold on, what are you—

She felt her arms touch her chest, fingers prodding as if testing.

— Hm, these feel about the same as in my old life, — Aya said, continuing to grope Leticia's breasts.

— Y-you…IDIOT!!! — Leticia's voice rang in Aya's mind. — Give me my body back right now! — she kept shouting.

— Fine, fine, — Aya replied, trying to cover her ears with Leticia's hands.

At once, Aya felt that lightness return. As soon as she relinquished control, Leticia collapsed onto the floor, clutching her chest protectively.

— This is horrible… — Leticia groaned, her face burning red. — Never—do you hear me? Never do that again!

Aya giggled with feigned innocence.

— Sorry! I just wanted to make sure everything was in place, — she said, shrugging. — But it was…interesting.

— Interesting?! — Leticia fumed, her cheeks aflame. — I'll—!

— But I gave your body back already, so everything's fine, right? — Aya added sweetly, smiling.

Leticia took a deep breath, fighting to rein in her emotions.

— I don't know which is worse, — she muttered, — being stuck in my own body or letting you pilot it!

Aya let out a small laugh.

— I guess we'll just have to get used to it, — she said. "After all, we're literally sharing one body now.

Leticia covered her face with her hands.

— This is a nightmare… — she mumbled.

Aya merely smiled, watching her reaction.