The sage, who actually lived through too many winters, look like a boring man, who has been for long traveling on its own, only accompanied by a simple bag on his back. With a stone calm expression he crouch down toward short 12 years old girl that look like a maiden in honor in a training in some lady household, who has been currently on a trip with the bag on her back. Or her parents liked to see her in a cute dress with a little bit puff-cake like skirt. The man look directly into the girl eyes filled with a determination. He dint bother to intimidate, but instead spoke a word of warning. "Little daisy flower, do you realize, that you will regret this trade off. Of course I am able to let ours body swap, but I will be the only one who will benefit from it. Yes, you will get the adult powers and eventually figure how to use them. Yet there will be nasty side effects. Especially though for you will be to get onto my level. But, this powers will cause you loneliness, pushing away from you the ones you cares the most. Eventually, you will become desperate, searching for me, to beg me to undo the trade off, or put everything on end. However even if I lived for too long, the window to do that will be limited by a time. I still don't want you to hate me, for everyone who will challenge you, out of fear or hate."
She dint hesitate or wave on her decision, putting her hand on a hearth. "Its still better, that you doing nothing at all, regardless to be such strong in everything. Plus, I will newer hate you for giving me… granting me, the chance to do, what need to be done. By myself."
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He sighed. "And here we are. I got tired to the point, that I stop trying to change the world. All those who walk beside me or went after me, perished by old age or by my hands. Then there are those who will stare you down with a glare of disappointing as if you failed them all. Those ones will be heavy."
"I am already prepared to pay my price. It just happened to be you. Promise is a promise. So no more slacking. Swap with me!" She risen her pointing finger toward him.
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The sage sighed once more, closing its eyes. In silence a mystical mist rose around them. A mist snake like a dense cloud formed around they legs, rising on volume and height. Circling around them, turning itself into a sphere, engulfing them. The thickness rose to the point when even the girl close her eyes from the surrounding air pressure.
Then as the cloud disperse itself into the air, there was little bit different man and a 12 years old girl. The clothing stay the same, but theirs face change a little, according to the personalities of the souls that resident in that or that body.
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The (man?) rose up into a standing, glancing at his hand, clenching his palm into a fist and releasing it. "The tired body you mentioned... I see... it will need a lot of workout."
Even the girl stretched her body, she look like she matured inside but still keep the small frame. "Indeed. You soul is not yet strong enough to run the body properly. I forget how youngster feel, being effected with zing and all sorts of inputs. Its overwhelming. Also it make my senses a dull... My strength, decreasing…" As she stop stretching she made a proposals. "Now, its time to change some stuff from our bags, I believe you still need something held on those clothes. Like a key, talisman or item of proof. Before I forget, there is a book in a bag. Most of time is just an ordinary book, but when you kiss it on the page ribbon, it will awake from its sleep. That will be you teacher to learn the skills. Also, we shall change the money bags, something about the feelings by holding it."
As they were exchanging some stuff, the girl added something. "Normally, I will not say it, but what we done here is considered as crime. Because we denied the deck of card that we got and are bound to play the game of life with it. But nobody on this layer probably remembers the rules. Just be aware of what you will say, to who. People trend to overthink and mostly to overreact. Especially in regards to that." She pointed up onto the sky.
As the man look up, trying to see what the girl was pointing at, his eyes was dancing around. But in the end he fail to see it, so as he return its gaze in front of him. But, there was no one anymore. He scare-jump a little as he realize, that it was just a distraction and the girl itself was gone, nowhere to see. Maybe it was her way to cut the chat short, or prevent the second thoughts about the deal. So, he once again clenched his fist with a determination in his eyes as he stare into a distance.