I loved women's bodies, not because they are women—well, maybe that too. But above all, because they act more cleverly than men. They also have connections, as they are more social beings than men.
Women are also more sensitive to stimuli, and above all, they are more valued in society than men. I mean, as a pregnant woman, I could accuse a salesman of "sexual harassment" and everyone would have believed me. First, because I was in a woman's body, and second, because the body was pregnant. So I had far more opportunities than in a man's body.
Unfair?
Sure, but nobody cares about men's rights.
The only disadvantage of being a woman: the period. I mean, who wants to bleed down there? Nobody, but that didn't really matter.
I waddled in my shorts and shirt in the warm weather to the bus stop, heading to school. I stopped, felt the embryo in my belly turning and stretching a bit, though I didn't feel any pain. Several people asked if I wanted to sit down. I declined, as it would take me a long time to get up again.
I looked out the window and wondered what had changed in the past six months. Everything was the same, everything I already knew. The streets, the houses, the cars. Nothing had changed, except that I could now possess other bodies. Even if nothing changed, I looked at the houses, the shops, and kept wondering how long it had been since I'd walked through here. I enjoyed the ride, then got off at the station. I waddled down the street towards the school.
I liked Aloise's body. Sure, she was pregnant and had to deal with different things, but she definitely had one thing: a nice job in administration and a good salary. For the work she did there, anyone could do it. But people don't like it when everyone earns that much. Aloise is a normal employee at the counter, but earns a high six-figure sum. She could live well on her own from that. She also had a partner. He too earned well in the private IT sector. Together, they would have amassed over a million euros. That money could have benefited others too. I could also live well from such an amount, especially if they give a few more months of maternity leave. I memorized her name and address—if I ever ran out of money, I knew where to get it.
My college stood between parks and stood out there. I looked into the school and sighed briefly. "Here we are again," I said in Aloise's voice before entering. Step by step, I walked up the stairs to the entrance door. When I opened it, the smell of disinfectant and cheese hit me, reminding me of my school days.
It was break time and the room was full of students. I walked past them. The boys looked at me. A pregnant woman who had come to college. I wasn't bothered and walked past them. I had a rough idea where to find Sophie. Either outside in front of the entrance, inside the cafeteria, or at the locker. And there I found her. She was standing there, getting her things for the next class.
"Excuse me," I waddled up to her. She looked at me and my belly in surprise before asking how she could help.
"I'm looking for a Sophie. She was a friend of mine," I said with a forced smile as she realized it was me.
"I happen to know one, Noah!" she replied with a laugh, and we smiled at each other.
"So you made it?" she asked me.
"Without further complications! I'm ready to jump into Celia's body."
She raised her eyebrows: "Why Celia? You could also take over Marco or Julius."
She was right, not just a little. Especially since Marco and Julius had almost killed me. But did I really want to end up in the body of a psychopath? Not really. Did I want to experience my coma through the eyes of the perpetrator? Also not. Celia was the perfect host because she just watched.
"At least she didn't attack me," I replied.
"So you already know who's behind the attack. Why don't you take over their bodies and go to the police?" Sophie wanted to know. She was right again. Sophie was a clever woman.
"Because there's more behind it," I told Sophie as she studied me. "Think about it. Celia, Marco, and Julius only insulted me verbally, and now this? That's strange. They could have beaten me into a coma earlier. Why now?"
Sophie had no answer, but she knew I was right. She also knew I couldn't give up and had to find the perpetrator. "Then Celia is the perfect victim," she confirmed my decision. She knew where Celia would be—on the playground. We saw her as she returned from the cafeteria with Marco and Julius.
"Can you take her over?" she wanted to know while I wondered if I could manage it.
"I'll try," I sat Aloise's body on a nearby bench, took a deep breath in and out. I felt my presence around me and sensed the frequencies of the brains nearby. This time, clearer than before. I felt every person whose frequency I targeted... I focused on the frequencies, saw the janitor's, and further ahead in the middle was Celia. Hers was deeper than Marco's and Julius's. Probably not just because she was tired, but also because she was a woman. Women have greater focus. I matched Aloise's frequency to hers, and when I had it—which took less time than with a normal person—I jumped.
Suddenly, I took a step, felt my small breasts bounce, and listened in on Marco and Julius's conversation. "And then I told him to get lost," Marco talked about an incident at the gas station. "Right, Celia?" he asked me. "Yes, that's right," I added, laughing. "But hadn't that guy done that before?" Julius wanted to know, and the conversation continued. Marco and Julius kept talking, I nodded and listened while searching through Celia's memories.
Celia Roth was not much older than me. She lived in the middle class, both parents worked. Her father in a factory as a service provider, her mother in a library. Both earned well, could afford a lot. Celia had an older sister who looked similar to her and was doing an internship at a bank. I found happy moments with her sister, then also sad ones.
I also knew her biggest secrets and fears, but I kept searching for the information I needed. Then I found it, when she stood in front of me and I saw her before me. "That's enough, Marco!" she told him as I lay on the ground. "But they said we have to do it this way," Marco replied to Celia as my body collapsed unconscious.
Celia was silent, couldn't say anything, because she hardly knew what was going on or why it was me. Marco and Julius kept hitting while Celia got help, and that's how I ended up in the hospital. But this was much more than just a coincidence, a spontaneous reaction. I found another memory where Celia was making out with Marco a few days earlier and they kissed. He paused briefly and told her they had to do something. They had to beat me up so badly I'd end up in the hospital. When Celia asked why, Marco only answered hesitantly.
"You know, the guys I know want to see him hurt!" he told her.
"Which group?" Celia wanted to know. "Nyx Zero. You don't know them, but your sister does. Ask her, she can explain it better," he hesitated.
"He did something terrible, so we were assigned to do this," he continued. "We'll be well paid for his death!"
"What did Noah ever do to you?" she asked, because she knew I couldn't hurt anyone, nor was I interested in doing so.
"I hate him. I can't stand him," he looked at me angrily.
"He deserves to die, and I'll make sure it happens. He will die," he continued. From the beginning, I was his target. Celia looked at him, confused.
"Beat him up so badly he ends up in the hospital, or kill him?" Celia, twisting her hands in her brown hair, wanted to know.
"Both, but that's all still to come," he told her. "Julius and I will take care of it. You're just along for the ride." And Marco and Celia kept kissing, and things got more intense in bed.