Arrival Pt. 1

It was pitch black. Seventeen tried to speak only to find that she was weightless- no, her body had disappeared entirely and left her floating in an inky void. Suddenly a series of pictures sped past her, lighting up the darkness before diving into her body-less self. Each picture brought up memories of her life: A happy family, a smashed car on fire, her grandparents and their plants, her aunt's welcoming smile that changed into one of disgust in less than a year, the debt collectors, corpses, and the organization. Moments that she had long buried in her heart along with the painful feelings brought with them began to surface. And in front of her, as she watched her loved ones die again, without being able to move or talk, without being able to change anything, she felt a feeling of helplessness that she hadn't felt since she trained herself and vowed to protect what she wanted to. Even though there was nothing left to protect at that point, she had been preparing for a distant future when there would be someone to guard. But now, she couldn't even help herself.

"Verification Complete." A gentle voice floated to her from all around, breaking through her thoughts of self-loathing. "Good luck team 44."

She felt a sharp tug on her consciousness before everything went black.

It was that day again. A cheerful yellow sun hung overhead as her little sister ran towards her with a large bag of chips. Her mother called the little girl over, enveloping her in a warm hug. It was back when the largest trouble she had faced in her mere seven years of life was the school play. Seventeen smiled bitterly as she watched her family laughing with her younger self over a corny joke. The scenery changed from convenience stores to forests as they got closer to the beach. Her younger sister had fallen asleep while her younger self was plastered against the window, bright-eyed, marveling at the everchanging backdrop.

Seventeen watched as she also began to drift off to sleep. With just ten minutes left, both children had woken up already, excited to arrive at the beach and were discussing the best colors for friendship bracelets as if it were the most important topic in the world. Seventeen began to cry, yelling at her dad to stop the car, but no one noticed her. She remembered this moment vividly as though it had happened just a day ago because suddenly, out of nowhere, a car appeared in front of them, driving on the wrong side entirely. She watched as her father braked desperately, wildly twisting the wheel while her mother stretched her arms towards the backseat, towards the two young children sitting there.

Seventeen woke up right before the crash, as she usually did. No matter how many times she had this particular nightmare, it always ended up this way, with the air coming out of her lungs in quick, sharp gasps and her body covered in a layer of cold sweat. She gripped the blanket around her tightly and opened her eyes to a small room, about the size of the gym storage closet in her middle school, with two simple beds in it. Another girl of about five sat on the other bed, gray hair spread like a fan on the bed. She stared intently at Seventeen, watching her every move. Seventeen released the death grip she had on her blankets and swung her legs around, stepping onto the ground lightly.

Wait. Why is everything so big? She looked at her hands and then at her legs. Took in her surroundings again. Stumbled to the nearby window on too-short legs. A small girl stared back at her, navy blue eyes stormy and piercing. Her stick-thin legs looked like they could barely support the rest of her body, and cheekbones jutted out sharply from a gaunt face. Grey hair, so similar to the other girls, hung down to her waist in dirty strings. Before she could say anything, she felt her body collapse as it went dark again.

---

She was back in the void, but this time, the girl, with the same appearance as the one she had seen in the window, sat in front of her.

"Hello. I'm sure you have quite a few questions." The girl smiled. "To be honest, I don't quite know what is happening, but I've been told that you are taking over my body."

I'm sorry, what? Seventeen tried to cut in, Take over someone else's body? How? Why? Did I die? What's going on? So many questions, but the same powerlessness she had felt when she first entered the void prevented her from doing anything.

"The deal was very simple, my sister and I are dead anyway, so you both take our bodies and we get to make a wish that you must fulfill." She giggled. "To be honest, I don't really want anything. Big sis wants to get revenge on mother and brother, but I don't really care about them. You'll understand soon."

What? Why would I want your body? How old was this girl again?

"Anyways, I'll first share my memories, as asked, and then I'll decide on my wish."

Asked by who? Her line of thought was cut off by a flash of pain in her head, the feeling of another consciousness invading hers, suffocating and all-consuming. A slew of memories rushed like a river into her mind again, just like before. This time, though, they were unfamiliar.

She was 7 again, sneaking through the halls of an unfamiliar building, a bread roll hidden carefully under her tunic. Darting around a pillar, she accelerated to a run, bare feet pounding against the stone floor, and slid to a neat stop in front of a small wooden door where it was tucked behind a set of stairs. Not a moment later, she burst open the door.

"Miss Tessa! I'm back!"

The woman inside looked up from the shirt she was repairing and frowned.

"Sephil, do not yell. That is not behavior befitting of a princess."

Sephil pouted. We all know that I'm not a princess.

The woman - Miss Tessa - tsked, face breaking into a smile.

"You know I'm weak to that face. Well? What is it that has gotten you worked up into a frenzy?"

Sephil rushed over, hands already pulling her precious prize out.

"Look what I've got Miss Tessa! An entire bread roll! And not just the hard yucky ones we normally have. This one is so soft and warm."

She cradled it in two hands like a baby bird.

The smile dropped off of Miss Tessa's face in an instant.

"Sephil, you do know what would happen if you were caught, right? Your mother would be absolutely furious. If that happens you know there is nothing I can do to save you."

Sephil shook her head furiously.

"But Miss Tessa, you know she never comes to this part of the castle. None of the nobles do. Don't worry, I know how to stay out of sight and I'm really careful!"

Miss Tessa looked into her eager eyes for a few seconds before she sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you Sephil for doing this for us. Shall we wait for your sister to get back and split it?"

The memory faded to another.

-------

She was older this time, scraping away at a stain in the dining room carpet, ignoring all the pitying looks being sent her way by the other servants. She could already imagine what they were all saying the whispers twisting poisonously in her ears.

Poor girl, abandoned by her father, the duke no less!

Someone of the founder's blood, on her knees and scrubbing like a lowborn servant, how disgraceful.

Even her own brother avoids her like the plague when he comes back.

A warm body settled next to hers, jerking Sephil out of her thoughts.

"Ignore them," her twin said, shooting a glare at everyone in the room. "They have no idea what they're talking about."

"Well, it's not like what they're saying is wrong," Sephil said with a shrug. She turned back to the carpet stain.

"Oh give me that! We're leaving. All of you in this room can trip on a rock. Preferably a sharp one."

Her twin snatched the brush, hurling it on the ground. She grabbed Sephil's limp hand and began dragging her out of the dining room and into the halls beyond. Sephil waited until they were a good distance away before pulling them to a stop.

"We are going to get into trouble with the Headmistress."

"Sephil, screw that! I don't care how much trouble we will get into, but don't you dare let them treat you like that. Remember, you are worthy of as much respect as the duchess herself!"

"We will be punished." Despite the clear warning in her words, she was smiling. Her eyes misted a little, but before her little sister could catch anything wrong with her, they had returned to normal. Her sister was still so innocent. It was better this way.

"Headmistress punishes us for existing. What's new? Besides, what's life without a little drama?" She smiled mischievously. "Anyways, I heard Miss Tessa managed to find some bird eggs for us today while cleaning out the rafters. We are in for a feast, c'mon!"

The memory faded as she laughed at her sister's antics, running after her as fast as her skinny legs could allow.

-------

The memories continued streaming through, some stronger than others, until finally, she saw herself - Sephil - and another child - seriously ill from a severe cold, unable to recover without the proper medicine, especially since both were weak, to begin with. Their maid was scrambling around, trying to amass enough money to pay for the medicine; but in the end, they had gotten tired of living and chose to sign this deal: to allow strangers to take their bodies in exchange for a wish each.

Seventeen looked at the girl who now reminded her of her past self, a child tired of living, who had never gotten to experience the fantasy childhood that every kid should get.

The child grinned. "You're probably feeling pity right now. Don't. It wasn't all bad." She laughed. "My sister, although hot-tempered and childish, was with me as well as our maid, Tessa. You know, she could have blamed us for adding work for her, but she didn't." She sighed. "Even in the end, she tried her hardest to save us. She was the only one who would put down her pride and beg the other maids for money to buy cold medicine for us, she was the only one who didn't treat us with disgust to gain the favor of our mother, the only one who cared." She looked down, finally frowning. "And it's because of us that she is ostracized by everyone else, that she can barely feed her own family. So for my wish, my wish is for you to save Tess and make her happy."

"Anyways, it seems my time is up. I'll have to go now."

Go where? Without an answer, she was pulled back to her new child-sized body just as Tess burst into the room.