He looks so much like me, besides the horns and tail, but the human differences were that he had long brown hair and he had green eyes. We could be twins. “Oak, remember how you wanted to see the other world so badly? Well, here’s your chance. You’re going to be my spy.” The Emperor said with that smile on his face. 

“Thank you, sir!”  My look-like said with the joy of a child when they learn that they are going to their favorite theme park. 

“Now, Ladon, let’s take Oak and Mr. Jackass here to the reduction room." That doesn’t sound good.

"Sir, are you sure about that? I know how much you hate that place. What if it has a bad effect on Oak?"  Ladon sounded worried.

"It should be fine, we're not taking away Oaks' powers, we're exchanging their powers, as long as our little guest here gives up his strength to Oak everything should be fine. Besides, Oak is okay with this arrangement? " Oak only nods his head nervously. Now, I think I'm getting more worried.

Before I know it they gag and drag me and my look-alike Oak, through what I think is a secret passage. We went down corridors where no one saw us until we ended up in a room that looked like it hadn't been used in years. There was a thick layer of dust and cobwebs everywhere. It didn't help that there weren't any windows. 

When looking down at the floor there were these weird markings that lead into the middle of the room where two circles sat. Then I notice the dry blood. I could feel the tears in my eyes but I could not cry now, not in front of that bastard. I push away from Ladon and try to run for it. 

It was not even a second before my body hit the floor. I felt his arms around me, the Emperor’s arms as he laughed at me. 

“Now, now, where was that fighting spirit earlier, Mr. Jackass?” Said as he drug me over to one of the circles. When he got me to one of the circles, he just dropped me and began chanting in an unfamiliar language.  Before I knew what was happening, these vines came out from the markings and held me down. 

And, at that moment, the stress just got to me, and I'm not proud to say, but I started to cry. 

The Emperor had bent down and started wiping my face like I was a child, and in a sickeningly sweet voice said, “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt that much.” This gag in my mouth kept me from saying fuck you. 

 Soon, these purple-like vines started trailing around me, and that’s when I noticed Oak in the other circle with the same vines around him. Then everything went black. 

….. Maybe that was just a dream.

When I woke up to the sound of voices near me, that’s when I noticed I had a splitting headache and my bed was, as usual, nice and warm, so I didn’t want to leave it yet. “Five more minutes, Dad, I don’t feel so good,” I said as I turned my back to the noises.  That is when I heard his voice again. 

“Sorry, Jack, we’ll try to be quieter. Transferring powers and remorphing your body can be tiresome.” My eyes opened to that voice….

 That wasn’t a weird dream.

My body immediately sat up, but I was too sore to jump out of bed and try to make another run for it. But at least I could turn, and that’s when I saw myself, not my lookalike but myself. 

Me in the stupid pink dress, holding on to that itchy wig, and with my blue eyes staring right at me. Then he or I or it spoke: “I’m sorry.”

“What the hell is going on here?!” I yell, still too sore to move much. That’s when I saw my reflection in the mirror right behind him, and I had the horns now…. So that’s why I had a bad headache, and “You switched our bodies!!!!”

  I’m losing my mind. Why did I agree to help them fight an evil emperor?

“Well, not really switch your bodies, just your powers, I was right, you did have some magic in you. Also, the horns and tail come with being a nymph now.”  The Emperor said like it was nothing weird. 

“What’s wrong with you?” I yelled at him. He just gave me a shrug and went back to talking to …. Oak, I think his name was.  They were not even paying me any attention. 

What Oak said next shocked me, “Ok, my sister’s name is Olivia, I’m a college student at the local community college where I also work at a college book store, and I’m thinking about becoming a librarian, but I am not sure yet.” How did he know that?

“Good job, Oak, or should I say, Jack?” As my name left his mouth, his eyes were not on me but on my lookalike. Wait a minute, he said my name.

“How do you know all of that?!” With my newfound strength(Where that come from), I jumped out of bed, and that’s when I noticed I was chained to one of the bedposts, but neither my sore body didn’t stop me from getting into this jerk Emperor’s face. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Mr. I can’t come up with a better fake insult name? Really, Jackass, when your name is Jack. Creative, aren’t you?” He smugly said to me as I looked into these stupid black eyes on his mask. 

The next thing I knew, which I’m proud of, was me punching that smug smile of his. Even hit off his mask. 

But I didn’t get the chance to see it because right after I got my hit in, I was restrained by this jerk. 

One second, I just hit him, the next second I was sitting in someone’s lap with an arm holding me in place, and at the same time his other hand was covering my eyes so I could not see a thing. The only reason I know it was this Jerk is that I hear his voice right next  to my ear, “Ladon takes Oak, I mean Jack, to the Dungeon for the eventual rescue, same cell as the fire witch when we capture her.” Wait a minute, she was kidnapped? And she didn’t tell me? She is so trouble when I get free. “I’m going to have a chat with our new friend here.” 

“Don’t leave me here with this pervert,” I plead, while I hear footsteps and a door closing.

“First off, good punch, second, I'm willing to be nice if you are willing to make a deal?” sounding like a car salesman. 

“Oh, go fuck yourself!”

“Just hear me out, I am willing to let you live like one of my nymphs in a life of luxury while you stay here, not too bad for you?” He asked.

“And why would you offer me a life of luxury after I just punched him in the face?” Is this guy crazy or that type of pervert? 

“Because it would raise some eyebrows if I started treating nymphs like a prisoner, plus I like your spirit. I think it would be fun to see you try to escape.” He said with a weird glee in his voice, " Yep, that type of pervert.

“And why would I want to make things easier on you?” That question got me humming for him.

“Because it would make it easier on your sister. Think about it, when the truth comes out, what would hurt her more, her mistake of using you, only leaving you as a well-fed and well-kept prisoner, or seeing her big brother starving to the bone with bruises after he has been beaten? I’m not offering this deal just for your well-being but your sister’s mental well-being as well.” … How would this affect Olivia? 

With that, he got up, grabbed his mask, and left. I was left there with his words and still not knowing what to do or what he looked like.