Well, that was a crazy experience to live through. Okay. Maybe the wrong choice of words. Looking down on my body I was more than sure I was dead. Pancaked between a white truck and wall. Not that I could fault the driver of the truck for that. He had the green light and just driving through the crossroad when that sports car came speeding by. That donkey tried to break but crashed into the truck. Pushing it slightly off the street. Just enough to aim for silly me waiting like a good pedestrian to cross when it was my turn. Split-second later, I was strawberry jam. Great.

Now I am hanging here. Kind of floating over this mess. As I gradually gained distance I knew it was time to say goodbye. Leon Barker was no more. I barely survived twenty-one years on this earth. Never would I finish that apprenticeship or any of the many strings of a plot that I called my life. Can't say goodbye to parents, siblings, or friends.

Gradually the sky darkens around me. It isn't the dusk. Well, maybe the dusk of my life. The earth fading to black. Leaving me with the question of what comes now. Floating without a body in the dark? Forever? Will there be heaven? Hell? Which religion is right? Will I find out?

A light appeared. Nothing more than a pinpoint of a beacon. Urging me. Giving me hope. I strain for it. Willing myself closer. There is no wind, yet I feel myself accelerate. Faster and faster. My hope is steadily growing bigger. Pushing back the darkness. At last, it takes shape. A rectangle? Is that an open door?

I land in a heap. Hey, don't expect me to nail a landing when given a body from one second to the next. The first thing I hear is a door shutting close. Not the slap of wood on wood, but the grind of stone. Giving a quick look I saw a slab of granite swing into place. No handle or knob. Something tells me I won't open that one by myself.

So, new life. New world. And oh boy, a new body. I curse as I unroll myself. New gender too. Could have done without that addition. Especially as I try standing up and have trouble finding my balance. Damn, I was visited by the boob fairy. Hard. Whose idea was it to give me freaking melons for chest decorations? I mean, I grew up as a straight boy. Believe me, I know to appreciate a great set of tits. Sorry, breasts. But these are too huge. Even my teenage self, who had a little less refined taste, would have found these too much.

Okay. Okay. They aren't the actual size of melons. Don't ask me about the cup size. Past D-cup for sure. I couldn't cover half of one with both my new hands. Granted, they were smaller and daintier than my old ones. Which doesn't matter, as they are in proportion to the rest of my new body. Not so those sweater puppies.

I was just about to check out when a woman came running into the room. Barely coming to a stop before me. Immediately her eyes grow huge.

"Those are big!"

Girl, you tell me? Imagine carrying these around. My own logic already tells me that these will get me much pain in my back and will probably be the first thing everyone notices. Damn, maybe the only thing.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Well, she was cute at least. Blushing like that. Okay, it looks like I am still into girls. As I am one myself now I guess I am batting for the other team now. Which is my old one? Damn, no one thought that idiom through. At least when a switch of gender is concerned.

"You are early by nearly a full bell. The head priestess isn't even here."

"You expected me?"

"Well, yes. Oh, this must be confusing to you. The priestess can explain that way better."

Okay. Put yourself in my shoes. Well, I am naked right now. Anyway. Pancaked against a wall. Died. New life. Poorly designed new body. Then the first person I met told me I was expected and I am too early. Sounds suspicious? Yeah, I think so too.

"How about you give me the cliff notes?"

"What are those?"

"A quick summarization. What the hell is going on?"

The girl tried to gather herself, but now and then her eyes got glued on my new biggest endowment. I had the feeling that would get old real soon for me.

"It's like that. You come from a different world, right? I think yours is called Earth. There are many worlds. Sometimes, fate determines that a being of great virtue comes to an early end. There are agents out there who intervene. Not to save them, but to grant them a new life in a world that needs their help. Most often as a hero."

Had you ever the feeling you are in the wrong movie? Playing a part not meant for you? Well, I have the paragon of that feeling right now. Me? A hero? Look, I wasn't a bad person in my last life. But was I of great virtue? Seriously doubt it.

"That doesn't sound like me at all."

The girl frowned. Pulling pieces of paper out of a folder and scanning through them.

"Marie Goldberg. Age twenty-six. University student. You jumped in front of a white truck to push a child off the road so it wouldn't be killed. Sacrificing yourself in the process."

"Oh, this is so wrong. The only right thing is that I was killed by a white truck. It was an accident and I was an unlucky bystander. An idiot rammed the truck and doomed me. My name is Leon by the way. Leon Barker. Or at least it was."

That girl honest to god gasped and her eyes grew wide. The shock was evident on her face. This didn't bode well. Just what the hell have I gotten into?

"Is Truck-kun okay?"

"Truck-kun?"

"That's the agent for Earth to send heroes over. He's the white truck that hit you by mistake."

What the-

I am at a loss for words.

Well, actually I said something like-

"I was killed by a magic truck?"

"Magic? No. Enlightened."

Could this day get any better? Killed by accident and now I learn that I took a heroine's place. Maybe that explains why I am a woman now.

"So, to recap. This body I now have was supposed to be hers and she is to be your chosen hero. Then why the hell would you give this body such enormous breasts. I mean, look at them. That can't be practical."

"Well-"

Uh oh. The girl looked honestly embarrassed. Shuffling her feet as if trying to find a way to tell bad news. Lay it on me. With the day I am having it can only fit right in, right?

"You see Marie, the one supposed to be here, she was always flat-chested. She dreamed of having a mighty bosom. So this was her reward. A thank you for coming here. B-but not to worry. Your strength, constitution, and dexterity stats should more than mediate any discomfort."

"My what?"

"Stats. Oh, right. You're from Earth. Earth doesn't have stats. This world is called Besona and every living being has stats - numbers - that describe how good they are at certain things."

Color me dumbfounded. This world was behaving like one of those stupid roleplaying games my younger brother always played on the PC? Great. Just great. I bet he would have the time of his life living here. Me? Big nope. How stupid is it to live your life governed by numbers? How abstract is that?

"That just sounds peachy. Look. Before we continue can I have something to wear? And please don't tell me I have to go to the countryside and go kill some gremlins or so. I always hated the concept of quests."

"Well, there are quests but why would anyone go on one for such a mundane thing. And what are gremlins? Oh! I got a jumpsuit with me. You can have it. I normally wear it if I need to do cleaning around here."

She lifted up her right arm and held her hand palm up. A second later a hologram appeared. I thought this world was fantasy. Well, I mean it is real. As real as those mountains of flesh hanging from my chest. Aren't holograms a different genre? Wait, I have to remind myself that this isn't a game. I can't judge this world by my knowledge from Earth.

"How do I take it?"

"Oh, you grab my hand as if for a handshake. We have to think about 'trading' at the same time to actually do so. Then it is yours."

"But I don't have anything."

"Exactly. We trade slots in your soul inventory. In mine is the jumpsuit. In yours there is nothing."

"We have inventories? This world is crazy."

If I offended the girl then she didn't show it. Shrugging I did as told. A second later we let go and that hologram followed my hand around. Trade complete I guess. But how do I let go of this hologram? I tried shaking my hand a few times, but that didn't help.

"So, how do I actually wear it?"

"Right. Think about your soul sheet and about your soul inventory. Both should open what we call windows. Because they are like display windows in a shop. I am not sure you have something similar on Earth."

I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Of course, we on Earth, have windows. A common computer term. But did she know that? Did this world have computers? I hoped so. Living in some medieval setting wasn't my kind of cup of tea.

It didn't take me long to make two more holographic displays appear. One was a grid of three by three boxes. Probably my inventory. Though each one was empty. Shifting the hologram of the jumpsuit into the inventory was easy enough. Just a simple thought really and it was done.

But instead of figuring out how to dress, the other display caught my eye. For the first time, I saw the new me. As a small representation slowly rotating around. Of course, the first thing I noticed again was my massive tits. Okay. I know. Language. Massive tits aren't the nicest thing to say to somebody. But listen, for one it was my new body we are talking about and second how else could I describe those globes stuck on my chest. From the outside, it was even more evident how wrong they looked on the lithe frame I now called my own. This wasn't just out of proportion.

Other details took a backseat. Jup, no dick anymore. That one is logical. Overall, I didn't look bad. Maybe even worthy of being a model if it wasn't for- Alright. Alright. I won't start on that again. My skin had some color to it. Couldn't tell if it was caucasian with a healthy tan or of a mixed-race origin. Kinda liked it. My eyes appeared to be very dark. Maybe brown. Hard to tell with such a small representation. I might need a while to get used to those long dark brown hairs of mine. Though so far I didn't notice them as my mind was on other things. Overall, my new body appeared to be athletic. With a healthy amount of body fat. Not rail thin like the models they threw in your face on Earth.

To the side, there were indeed numbers and stats. Most of them are between five and nine. There was a section for different types of magic, which made my heart beat faster. Magic was real here? Cool. I looked forward to learning a few spells. At least one thing this world had going for itself. Though most of my magic was one or two. Except for void-magic. Whatever that was. It stood apart with a thirteen.

Where was I? Right. Getting dressed. I can't believe I got distracted by stupid numbers. My focus shifted towards my inventory again and the picture that showed a miniature version of a jumpsuit. It wasn't hard to open a menu for it. The very first option was to equip it. Instant dressing? Sign me up. That could save some time in a few mornings. Aww, and when I think how much women normally wear I valued it even higher. Now that I was one myself.

As soon as I confirmed the picture switched displays. Showing on my person. But I barely noticed it as a small brown sphere appeared before me. It disintegrated into a mist that started to envelop me. Solidifying into a jumpsuit in a matter of seconds. Cool.

Then I cursed. Hard. Stupid jumpsuit had a boob window. You know. A deep cut-out to display one's breasts. Which ones again highlighted my new worst asset. But fate didn't smile on me one bit. The jumpsuit had a zipper reaching from the cut-out down to my crotch. I could see that with each breath I took the zipper slowly got undone. Of course, the zipper wasn't cut high enough to actually trap my monstrosities in their entirety. That would be too much to ask for I guess. At least the rest of the mud-brown jumpsuit fit. Amazingly so. As if it was made for me. It even had attached shoes. Sadly with a small heel of maybe one or one and a half inches. Because of course, it does.

"Thanks, I guess," I said just when more women arrived.

They looked fancy. Robes that were colorful and finely crafted. Hair braided. It was clear that they had dressed up. They clearly were surprised to see me, but the most flamboyant of them immediately stepped forward and addressed me.

"Marie, you already arrived. Myra should have told us. Welcome to Besona. We have been waiting for a hero like you to-"

"I am not Marie," I said to cut her off.

For a moment she looked perplexed and Myra - I guess that was the young priestess who found me first - used the moment to explain.

"Due to an accident Truck-kun send the wrong soul to us. This is Leron and-" "Leon." "Leon. And I've tried to explain a few things."

The big wig head-priestess took a step back and eyed me with a look of disgust. After a moment, she waved in my direction as if I was a pesky insect.

"Myra. Remove this accident. I am sure Truck-kun will deliver us the chosen hero on time and we can't confuse Marie with her presence."

Oh, the nerve of that woman. I was ready to jump at her throat. Who said I even wanted to be here? It certainly wasn't my fault that I was. And now she wanted to discard me like unwanted trash? A harsh reply was already on my lips when I thought better of it. You know what? I don't even want to be a hero. May Marie have a go at it. She probably ends up in a body as ridiculous as mine, but at least she will be happy. She wished for those mounts on her chest. As soon as she is run over by a white truck she'll get them.

I gave that head-'witch' a last poisonous look and stormed out of the room. Time to get out of here and find a spot to actually think. This world was rushing over me with all this strangeness and threatened to drown me. I need space to process it all in my own time.

Outside the room was a hallway. One that I had crossed halfway when I noticed someone shouting my name. Glancing behind me I saw Myra running to catch up to me. Not that I stopped for her. I was too angry to do so. All my annoyance since coming here had built up and now that it had exploded I didn't care to rein it back in.

"Look," Myra said between huffs as she caught up. "The head-priestess doesn't like surprises. Please don't take it personally. Despite that, you can still become a great hero. I believe that-"

"I don't want to be a hero!"

My harsh reply cut Myra off as intended. Maybe it was unfair. The young priestess had tried to explain everything as best as she could. She had actually given me a warm welcome. But right now my blood was boiling. Strange how things can be. It was a trait I carried over from my old life. In time I would cool off. Might even apologize. But now I was happy to just walk away.

The long hallway ended and I left for a big open court. Pristine landscaped grass, bushes, and trees. This looked more like the pleasure garden of an aristocrat. Beyond I saw buildings that looked modern. Maybe even comparable to modern Earth. For a moment I was stumped. If they had such architecture why did I arrive in a barren room of stone? Looking back, I saw a temple made of granite or similar. Part of the edges had been rent down by centuries of wind and weather. Clearly, this building had stood the tides of time for quite a while.

Myra mistook my hesitation for an opening to reason with me.

"I bet we can find a place for you. We just have to take a look at your stats and figure out where you fit in best."

I gave a deep sigh. Right. Might as well get over it. Not that I was in the mood for it, but a small voice whispered that I might end up homeless if I don't turn something up. Maybe I could become an apprentice with room and board somewhere. And maybe, just maybe, I could find an outfit that doesn't make me look like an escaped stripper.

"I already looked. They are between five and nine for my physical ones." Couldn't help to say it a bit smugly. I mean on a scale from one to ten taking up the upper half isn't bad, right? Probably got good stats because this was a body supposed to be for a hero.

"Oh! Uh-"

"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Myra shuffled nervously with her feet and looked down. Avoiding my gaze. That was until I actually crouched down to show her my angry look.

"You see- Ten is the average. Heroes normally range from fifteen to twenty."

Insert a string of colorful curses. I can't repeat all of them. Admittedly, it wasn't my finest moment. But it was yet another instance of the universe screwing with me. Great, so I was a weakling too. Just peachy. At least I had one hope.

"Well, I don't want to run through the fields and beat up monsters anyway. How about magic? I think some are a no-go as I have a zero in them. But others are one or two."

The moment Myra winced I knew it was another dud. Then her words nailed the coffin that buried my dreams.

"One and two's are mundane. Most magical professions only hire those with six or higher."

"Well, there we go. I have a thirteen in void magic. Whatever that is."

"You have-" Myra's face came alive as if I just gifted her a basket full of the cutest puppies. Did they have puppies in this world? Dogs in general? I hoped so. With my luck probably not. Where was I?

"Thirteen? That is brilliant!" Myra actually jumped me and gave me a hug. A rather awkward one, as two big things came in the way. Yes, I am ranting about that again. Fine. Let's move on.

"You can be a void-trader. Thirteen? That is unheard of. Most people don't even have one point of aptitude in void-bartering. The guild of void-traders is desperate to find young blood to fill their ranks. I'll send you to the local trade hub. Please tell them that I send you. Damn. Thirteen? The bounty would be thirteen hundred void-favors then."

Are you confused? I am. What is she on about? None of what she said made sense.

"Hold on. I thought I was supposed to become a mage. What's that about trading and bartering."

For a moment, Myra looked like a young girl caught with a hand in a cookie jar. Whatever void-favors are, she clearly got excited about it. She took a few deep breaths to calm down before explaining.

"We call them void traders because that's what they do. They give items to the void and receive favors in return. Those favors they can exchange for new items."

"They destroy and create items?" I scratched my head. Trying to make sense. "Is this void some kind of deity? An entity someone can talk to?"

"Uh, no. Look, the local void-traders can probably explain it better. Let me give you a map."

She opened her hand and a hologram appeared. I half expected her to trade with me again, but instead, a small ball appeared and turned to mist. Just like my jumpsuit, an actual map appeared and the hologram vanished. Okay, I've got to admit. That aspect of this strange new world appeared to be useful.

"This is the temple complex." Myra pointed to one point of the city after unfolding the map. Then she indicated a place on the opposite side of the city. "This is the void-trader hub. Just walk to a counter and tell them you want to become a void-trader. They'll sort you out. Oh, shit."

Myra had spotted something behind me and I just had to turn around. Leaving the temple was a small group of colorful women. The priestesses. But one of them stood out. I wasn't the only one in this world with a ridiculous bosom anymore. Guess Marie found her way into this world too. Congratulations on being hit by a white truck. I hope you do better here than I did.

Then I noticed her clothes. Of course, they had dressed her up. And I got only a lousy jumpsuit a junior priestess normally uses for cleaning duties. In the blink of an eye, I was furious again.

"Time to get out of here."

Once again I stormed off. In the direction that I hoped would be the exit. I heard Myra say "Probably for the best." A moment later she shouted after me. "I believe in you. Oh, and remember to tell them I send you."

Well, that was at least one person. To be honest, right now I wouldn't bet on me. I must admit I was doing rather poorly. Dealing with a new world, crazy rules, a new body, and a new gender. Not to mention-

Hey, I didn't mention them. So all good, right? Anyway. I stuck out like a sore thumb walking out of the temple complex. At least no one stopped me. But I got looks. Many of them. I felt so out of place as if I was a clown trying to entertain at a funeral. Alright, that was a bad comparison.

Moving on. In the literal sense. The city itself wasn't what I was expecting. The buildings outside reminded me of eighteen-century England, but all modernized to fit into today's landscape. On Earth mind you. I couldn't spot electricity or a single car. Instead, I saw many wonderful applications of what I could only describe as magic. Things that needed moving did so as if specters themselves willed them so. Chariots drove through the streets on their own. No horses, or even one who steered them. Most other pedestrians walked around at a leisurely pace, but I kid you not, I saw a few floating by at a brisk pace. It all was a wonderland of strange things to witness.

Once I secured my future I was sure to explore more. For now, I hurried through the streets. If Myra was right, those void-traders would love to get me. Maybe even enough to give me proper clothes. I was tired to stop every other minute to pull that zipper up. Seriously, it is only a matter of time before an accident happens and I truly make a spectacle of myself.

Arriving at the outskirts, the trader hub was hard to overlook. I spotted a large square building with long lines of people waiting to get in. And I thought getting a new iPhone was hard. As I got closer I noticed a field behind the building. Filled with strange-looking houses. They actually looked kind of futuristic. All curvy and stuff. Too small for a family, but maybe big enough for one person. It got me curious, but for now, I had to stand in line. I got enough angry looks to even dare to ask to cut in. Great. Standing in line it was.

To my surprise, the lines move faster than I anticipated. It took only an hour to reach a counter. Behind the glass, a young man is impatiently waiting for me to step forward. So I do.

"A priestess called Myra send me-"

"I don't care. Goods on the counter or leave. We ain't got all day."

How rude.

"I want to become a void-trader."

"Recruitment day is Herbday in two rotations. Next."

I was pushed aside by the next customer who dumped a sack on the counter. What the hell was that? I can't believe how they treat people here. Did I really want to join such a bunch of uncivilized assholes? Then again, I was homeless if I didn't. At least, according to Myra, I had an ace up my sleeve.

"My void aptitude is thirteen."

I nearly shouted it out and the crowd fell silent. For a few heartbeats, nothing happened. They all looked at me. Eventually, the clerk caught himself.

"S-say again?"

"Thirteen. Does that get your attention or do I have to look for another trader hub to take me in?"

The man practically fell out of his chair to rush to a nearby door. Waving me to come in. "I do hope you don't pull a joke on me," he murmured before dumping a be-right-back sign on the counter. To the loud protest of those waiting in the line. Eat that suckers. That's what you get for being rude to me.

The clerk rushed me through the building. Damn, slow down. Some do try to avoid a wardrobe malfunction. At last, we arrive at a big office. I was practically shoved through the door and had to do a double-take. Behind the desk wasn't an immaculately groomed pencil pusher. Instead, I got a woman in her thirties dressed like Jack Sparrow. You know that pirate from Disney. Just gender-bend. And with bleached blond dreads.

"She claims to have an aptitude of thirteen."

The woman gave a hearty laugh. Damn. What do I have to do for anyone to take me seriously?

"Oh, Hovis. Good joke, but I don't have time for it. Aren't you on counter duty?"

"Listen, lady," I cut in before they started some banter. "I had a crappy day. First, I died. Then I was thrown into this world with crappy stats and a ridiculous body. The only thing I have going for me is an aptitude of thirteen in whatever void-magic is. Take it or leave it, but don't waste my time."

That got her attention. All of it. Leaning forward, she got a hungry look in her eyes. One I didn't like. I felt like a gazelle at a water hole just noticing that a starving lion had snuck up on me. Is it too late to flee?

"Hovis? Shoo." She waved the clerk off without even looking. Her eyes riveted on me. "Bold words. May I have your character card?"

Character card? What? Why do I always have to do the catching up here? Annoyed I put my hands on my hips and glared at her.

"What about I am new to this world is so hard to understand? You really think I stopped by somewhere and got business cards printed?"

She gave another hearty laugh which only fanned the flames of my annoyance. Then, instead of explaining, she held up her hand. In her palm appeared a small card. A hologram, of course. At least, now I was on somewhat familiar territory. Just like Myra had shown me and gave her a handshake. Willing a trade. Yet when I withdrew my hand there wasn't the hologram of the card. Instead, a display hovered there. Just like the one that had shown me my stats and mini-me. But this display showed an Iren Langstan. Her stats were higher than mine which got me a pang of jealousy. Even her magic was higher. Except for void magic. My thirteen beat her seven. After around thirty seconds the display started to disintegrate. Until I only held up air.

"All you have to do is to think about creating a card. The world will create on for you."

I gave her a short annoyed frown and then tried. Sure enough, a holographic card appeared. One I traded immediately to Iren.

"Damn. The gods really handed you shitty stats. Except- Yes! Void is indeed thirteen. Do you know how amazing that is? The last trader with such an aptitude walked this earth centuries ago. I'd be happy to teach you the void trader profession."

Iren held out both of her hands. Palms up. A little confused I decided to mimic her. Only for Iren to place her hands on mine. Another hologram appeared - because of course it does - and I could read "Iren Langstan offers to teach the void trader profession. Accept?". There was no button or so to press. Instead, I sort of thought about how I wanted to accept and poof. The hologram explored many small lights. All rushing towards me. My body felt a little warm where they hit me, but aside from that, I felt fine.

"Welcome to the trader community!"

I got another hug. Nope. This one was awkward too.

"Girl the gods were a little overeager blessing you in that department. Anyway. Now that you are on board so many possibilities open up. An aptitude of thirteen. With that, you can skip years of boring stuff and go right for the fun part. Oh, I have the perfect place for you. You'll help me to slay a few Hounshack in one fell swoop. Come. Walk with me."

"I am not really for fighting. Or hunting."

Iren waved me off while walking past me. "Not with those stats. Don't worry. We traders don't fight. And it was an Idiom we have here on Besona."

While walking out, I decided it was time to get a few more answers. I was now a trader. Yay! But what exactly entailed that?

"So, can you explain to me what a void trader is? A priestess tried to explain it to me, but I didn't totally get it. Something about destroying and creating things."

"Many have trouble understanding the concept. The void isn't nothing. It is potential not realized. One could describe it as a mirror to our world. Here everything has substance. It is material. Calcified into their own form. If we give something over to the void it loses its material substance. But the potential isn't lost."

By now reached the ground floor of the building and exited to the field behind it. Iren walked towards the middle of the field with the many small houses on it.

"Dealing with the void is all about balance. If we give to the void then we can also take. To draw on the unused potential to solidify them into a new form. Traders can't take more than they give. As a community mind you. If we give something to the void we receive a currency. We call it void-favors. That currency can be given to the mundane. They, in turn, can use it with any other void-trader. Those then can use the currency to draw items from the void."

"I think I understand. A void-trader can give items that aren't needed or useful anymore. Then receive items that are needed."

"Exactly! You learn fast. Now. Look around you." Iren waved with a flourish at the small futuristic-looking buildings around them. "We call them Little Mules. Getting their hands on one of them is the goal and dream of every void-trader apprentice out there. But with your potential, you can skip that. Choose one. Any of them. It is yours. Well, not the green one over there or that brown one. Those are taken."

Finally! Something going to plan. My own house. That's a worthy welcome gift to a new world. Granted, they're a bit small. But I don't mind. A cozy home can be exactly what one needs, right? Damn, they all looked so sleek. Honestly, I have a hard time deciding. Wish you could see it. Ah, over there. One of them has this fantastic combination of metallic navy blue and brass-colored accents. I wouldn't say it's love at first sight, but close.

"That one."

"Good choice. Come. Let's take a closer look."

We entered through a small door at the side. Silently gliding to the side. Let's be honest, didn't expect that from a fantasy-like world with magic. But many of the things I saw in the last few hours broke my expectations. This reminded me more of some futuristic fiction.

Stepping in, I was due for my first surprise. The ground floor was actually a showroom. A small one. To one side was a small counter and cash register. Strange, it sort of pointed to the wall. The other walls were lined with shelves.

Pushing past me, Iren walked up some stairs that I hadn't noticed yet. Curious, I followed. The second floor opened up to a small living room that doubled as a dining room. One corner was taken up by a small kitchenette. I could see a small bathroom with a shower to my right and a small separated bedroom up ahead.

Alright, maybe a little smaller than I had anticipated, but still I think I can make this work. Creating a cozy little home. Better than living on the street by far. Iren came out of a small room I hadn't been in yet. I only saw a big window when Iren demanded my attention.

"Make yourself comfortable. Relax. I'll send someone to teach you the basics in a full bell or two. Your first responsibility will be Kingswood Forrest. They only require basic trades."

With those words, Ines slipped out of the room and walked down the stairs. Leaving me to process her words. Wait, did she say I have to take care of some Forrest? Do I have to leave soon? Just when I got a new home?

"Iren!"

I jumped to catch up to her, but when I was on top of the stairs I saw her slip out of the door. I took two steps at once to get down fast. Just to have the front door slide close in front of my face. Damn. How does someone open this thing? Why can never anything go right in this stupid world? Ah, there. Button. It doesn't work? Is there some trick to it?

Wait? Did the floor just vibrate? Is the floor tilting a little or am I just imagining things? I need a window. Time to get up the stairs again. The room Iren had come from had a big one.

Rushing up, I barely got there in time to see Iren in the middle of the field. Fifty freaking feet below me. Holy shit! I am flying! This is not a house! Time for panic. Seriously. What the hell is going on? Are those controls? Wait, is this a cockpit? Shit. Now I get it. Little Mules are some kind of aircraft. It makes a lot of sense to call those Little Mules than houses. Damn, I so could kick my own butt right now.

How does one steer this thing? I don't wanna. That's not one of my talents. Heck, it took me less than five seconds to crash the new drone my friend Brian once got. How am I to survive that. Oh, there. Autopilot. Great. Not going to crash. At least that is something. But I have no idea how to change the destination. Damn, I am even too scared to try figuring it out. Outside I can see the town rushing by. Why do I have the sinking feeling I will soon see Kingswood Forrest in person?

Slowly I fought the panic back. Serves me right for trusting anyone in this stupid world. It feels like I am rushing from one ass-kicking to the next. Dejected, I stumbled back into my new living room. Plopping down on the couch. Time to pout and curse the world. Be right back.

...

...

You still there? Sorry. It is all a little overwhelming. Here is at least something. I found ice cream. The little kitchenette has a fridge and freezer. Most of the contents look foreign, to say the least. Shouldn't be a shock, you know? A different world and such. I can't expect potatoes and a steak dinner waiting for me. At least, the ice cream isn't so bad. Can't tell what it is made of, but kinda tastes like cherry. I tried parking the ice cream container on my massive chest. Thought it might be good for at least something. Big mistake. Too cold. Don't recommend it.

"Hey there!"

Holy freaking shit! I nearly spilled my ice cream all over. There's a woman in my living room. Last time I checked my Little Mule was still flying. How did she get here? Wait. Is she a hologram?

"What are you? Some kind of onboard ship A.I.?"

The woman looks at me as if I said something strange. Granted, I probably did.

"I am not whatever you said. Is that something from your world? I am Essie. A second-year void-trader apprentice. Iren send me to-"

"Iren! Tell her, next time I see her I will kick her butt. Springing this on me without telling me anything. Not even an explanation."

Ups. Scared Essie enough that she took two steps back. Not that I can hurt her. She's a hologram. Right?

"Well, that's what I am here for. To show you the basics."

"I am not sure how much time you have for that. Iren set me on a course for Kingswood Forrest - wherever that is - and I don't have the faintest clue how to actually be a void trader."

"Well, how about we get downstairs and we get started?"

Sighing I got up. Stuffing my ice cream in the freezer first. I swear I'll come back to it later. It won't survive the day. Grumpy me followed Essie downstairs. Venting my frustration out loud.

"So, you will teach me knowledge of two years of apprenticeship in a span of a few hours? Sounds impossible."

"Oh, there isn't much theory behind it. Mostly, it is training one's proficiency. Is it true? Your aptitude is thirteen?"

"Yep."

"Wow. Okay. You see, many steps in void-trading take time. The aptitude determines how long. Getting faster is one of the main focuses of apprenticeship. Mine is just two and I bet you'll be faster than I am. Even with a two-year headstart."

I nodded. Maybe that is what Iren did mean with going right to the fun stuff. I get to skip long waiting times.

Downstairs, I got a second look at the small showroom. The counter still didn't make sense. Being built the wrong way that is. Shrugging, I decided to ignore it. For now at least. The shelves looked strange too. More like an array of rectangular wooden frames. They weren't as empty as I had previously thought. I saw a few items displayed in them. A knife, sword, bow, and arrows. But not as physical objects. They too were holograms.

Essie waved me over to a machine that I had previously overlooked. It was halfway sunken into the wall. How to describe it best? Big box, with a few rectangles. No buttons or display.

"This is the heart of the Little Mule. The research bench. It connects to every system. But the most important component is you. If you take ownership then the ship becomes an extension of yourself."

"As in it can read my mind?"

"Yes," Essie said with a resolute nod. "But only your subconsciousness. Some owners learn to flip a light switch or so, but not much more. The important part is the connection of your magic and your soul inventory. The ship becomes an extension of both. You know about soul-inventories, right? Good. All these shelves around you are connected to the Little Mule and once you become the owner you can access them as easily as your own soul-inventory. With the bridge between your magic and the Little Mule you have access to your research and void-trading from any spot in of the ship."

Urgh. Information overload again. I know this is a new world, but still, it is a lot. Then again, I felt this was important.

"Maybe I should connect and then you can show me some practical examples?"

"Good idea. Just place your hand on that rectangle on your left and accept the prompt."

That sounded easy enough. As soon as I placed my hand, you guess it, a hologram display appeared. "Do you take ownership of Little Mule #7427?" I willed it yes and immediately things changed. It is hard to describe, but I was connected alright. I knew where I was on the ship. Close my eyes and spin me around. Wouldn't change a thing. I knew, without a doubt, that aside from Essie the ship was empty. I was alone here. I was aware of every room. Heck, I swear I could even faintly feel the wind rushing by on the outer hull of the Little Mule. My Little Mule.

Opening my soul inventory I saw more than my initial three slots. Each shelf had its own display. Most of them were empty, but I saw the few items again that I noticed earlier.

"That is something," I had to admit out loud.

"You don't know how jealous I am right now. We apprentice only work with a small fixed workbench."

"Sorry."

Well, not really. But the sentiment counts, right?

"Alright. Let's move on. For you to craft anything you have to open your crafting display."

"Just thinking about it will open it, right?"

What can I say? Slowly I am getting the hang of this world. Not by choice mind you but by necessity. A thought later and a new holographic display appeared. It mostly showed a structured list with a lot of categories. Different options to sort through it and even a search bar. All arranged in a neat little UI. There was only one problem.

"It's empty. Shouldn't I have some basic items?"

"That is the most important lesson. You start with nothing. It means you have to obtain a blueprint for each item you want to create. And here most who learn the void-trader profession make their first false assumption. If you give an item to the void you do not get automatically the corresponding blueprint. You have to research it."

"That's why this ship has a research bench and we are standing beside it."

"Correct!"

It sort of made sense. Iren had said the void trader profession is all about balance. One mechanic was that you can't get more out of the void than you put in. Now I think I discovered the second one. I can't just freely get whatever item I want. Instead, I have to work for it.

"Grab an item off your shelf," Essie prompted me. "Then we get you started."

I retrieved the hologram for the bow and immediately noticed that something was different.

"What is that number below? There wasn't one when a priestess gifted me this jumpsuit."

"I guess that was before you became a void-trader. The number is the value of void-favors you get for handing this item over to the void. It is also the same amount you need to pay if you create a copy from the void. Provided you have learned the blueprint first. Now, with a thought, you can transfer it to the research bench."

I did and a split second later the hologram shifted to one of the research bench's rectangles. A progress bar appeared beside it and more details were written below.

"Two and a half bells? That is fast. Mine still takes the better part of a day."

"Bells? I heard that before. Is that what hours are called here?"

"What are hours?"

Shush. Don't say anything. I know. I walked right into that one. Listen. It was a long day. Give me some slack.

"A measurement of time. So, this is it. Put it in there and then I just wait?"

I mean, if you know me then you know I have nothing against being lazy. But this sounded even lame for me. And cheaty. What did void-traders do all day? Sit on their butt and twiddle thumbs?

"You can. I mean with that speed you don't really need it." Essie looked wistfully at the display. "The speed can be accelerated through meditations of the void-trader. Remember, you are subconsciously connected to it. What you do affects the progress. For a new void-trader with an aptitude of one or two, it might take days or even longer than a rotation for one item to complete."

Look, let me cut you off right there. No, I am not going to ask what a rotation is. Probably another stupid term of time measurement. With so much information bombarding me, I have to filter out what is important. This can wait.

"I guess this process is kind of fair. This way we void-traders don't push regular crafters out of the market. They can always strife to create new or better items."

"Well-" Essie gave me a grin that would make a cat who caught a canary jealous. "You see if we acquire the blueprint for an item and leave it in the research bench then it tries to create a blueprint of a better or altered form. The technicalities to explain are hard. Your subconsciousness plays a big role. It sort of shifts through the void for potentials that are relevant to the item. Each additional step also increases the time the research bench needs."

Oh my gosh. It is cheaty! The best kind of cheaty! Damn, now my mind was racing on how to exploit the system. What could I potentially put in there that will help me in the long run? Are you thinking what I am thinking? Suddenly I wanted nothing more than strip out of my jumpsuit and put it in there. Maybe an upgraded version equals one that actually covers my new breasts and has a zipper that goes up all the way.

Hey, what can I say? It bothers me, okay? I am stuck on a ship going nowhere fast and all I have is one stupid jumpsuit that doesn't cover the one part I really want it to cover. Wait a moment. Maybe I was too hasty. If someone stocked the fridge then surely they would fill the wardrobe a bit, right?

"Looks like I will have all the blueprints by tomorrow morning. Maybe even an upgraded version or two."

"Oh! I forgot to mention something. This research bench has two slots. With a little dedication and your high aptitude you can have variants of all your stock."

At once, the urge to strip naked and shove the jumpsuit into the research bench came back. Of course, I won't do it in front of Essie, but as soon as she was gone- For now, I put the arrows in the second slot. Goes with the bow. But now it was time to get through this.

"Okay, I think I got researching and crafting down. What else do I need to know?"

"Oh, we are nearly done. You can will any item that is in soul-inventory form into the void. As I said, you get the displayed amount as void-favor back. The currency itself is soul-inventory only. It doesn't have a physical body. Don't try to materialize it. It won't work."

"Alright. But I have a question. If the amount that goes into the void and out is equal how does a trader turn a profit?"

"Right. Here your customers come in. You see, people will come to you to void items for them. You can determine a small cut of the returning amount. The rest goes to the customer. They then can use those void-favors to buy items from you or other void-traders. Be aware, most people know roughly how much an item is worth. Even if they don't see the value themselves. Especially for items, they voided before or are very common."

Alright. That made sense and actually sounded right up my alley. Nothing strenuous or dangerous. My new body with those abysmal stats certainly wasn't up for that. Sit in my little ship and be lazy? That I could do.

"Got it. What else?"

"That's actually it. I mean it goes without saying that you can mark up the items you sell a little. Aside from that, all you need to know is that you'll touch down tomorrow at Kingswood Forrest. A small clearing frequently used by hunters and adventurers. By sending you Iren fulfills a contract that benefits the guild. Don't worry. You won't be stuck there for long. It is only for a rotation. After that, you can choose to stay or find a new spot."

"Thanks, Essie. You are the first one to actually take the time and explain things to me. Don't know how to repay you for that."

Essie gave me a short chuckle. Wait, was she laughing with me or about me?

"Listen, Leon. We are traders. Nothing we do is for free. Iren hired me to mentor you. The first ten full bells are on her. After that, I am charging you."

"She did? Maybe she isn't as bad and heartless as I thought she was."

"Girl, she has your back. That Little Mule you call your own has a price tag of two hundred and fifty thousand void-favors. And she paid it out of her own pocket."

Oh fuck. It looks like I misjudged her. Damn, Iren really has my back. But a little voice in the back of my head ones to know what she gets out of it.

"Wow. Yeah. Very generous. But I have the feeling it won't be totally free in the end. As you said, we are traders."

"Obviously. Expect her to now and then show up and hold it over your head. Pressuring you into fulfilling contracts for her like the one for Kingswood Forrest right now."

"I think I can live with that."

"Great. Well, I'll be off for now. Don't hesitate to call me if you have more questions. I left my details on the ship's central heart. No, wait. Don't call after sundown. I am not available at night."

"Will do. Oh, wait. Before you go. A priestess named Myra referred me to the void-trader guild. I think there is a bounty."

Of course, I hadn't forgotten about Myra. Yes, she had rushed me off to a guild with barely an explanation and I got sort of kidnapped through that. But honestly, I think she wants what's best for me. With me flying off to some random forest, who knows when I will see her again. I hadn't even time to apologize for my rude behavior before or thanked her properly. I hope at least the bounty will find its way to her.

"I will remind Iren. By for now."

"Bye."

And just like that, I was alone. Flying towards a strange new future. Well, time to finish that ice cream. No, wait. Clothing. There must be something better on this ship than this vexing jumpsuit. Rushed up to the living room. Well, started to run and then stopped because of too much movement upfront. That will take some time to get used to.

A quick search of the living room and the sleeping quarter revealed a new nightmare. Who the hell stocks a fridge and freezer, but doesn't anything else. Granted I had one set of bedsheets. And thank whatever deity this world had that they invented toilet paper. Though I don't know how long the one roll I had would last.

Now I guess you will point out that I can put that role on the research bench and a few hours later I got an unlimited supply of TP. Well, that is provided I earn a few void-favors tomorrow. Right now I am broke. Flying through the night in a quarter-million void-favor ship, but I have not a single one to my name. Yes, the irony isn't lost on me.

With nothing better to do, I sat down in the cockpit for a while. Watching the landscape rush by. It was interesting. A new world. I saw strange trees rush by and gazed upon roaming monsters and exotic animals. It held my fascination until dusk.

I guess it was time to sleep. Only to torture me for hours. Girls and women I beg for forgiveness. Sleeping with breasts is a pain in the ass. Or back. No, wait. I am mixing idioms there. I normally sleep on the side, but this way one giant breast crushed another one. It was distracting as hell. Rolling on my back brought more comfort, but it was not a position I was used to. I rolled around for hours with no sleep in sight.

That was until it happened. No, not me falling asleep. I just knew the research on the bow was done. I really was connected to the ship. A few moments later, for the arrows. That reminded me of my quest for better chest coverage. Grabbing my jumpsuit I walked downstairs naked. What? I doubt another hologram of someone would appear in the middle of the night. Okay, with my luck it certainly was possible. Gonna risk it anyway. For the greater good! (of me)

After retrieving the bow and arrows, I plopped in the jumpsuit. Of course, after converting it into the soul-inventory form. Now, what to throw into the second slot. The sword or the knife? Wait. How long would the food in the fridge last? Priorities, Leon, Priorities. I quickly retrieved my ice cream from the freezer and converted it to the soul-inventory form. "Half-eaten Papush ice cream", huh? Guess Papush was the fruit that kind of tasted like cherry.

With a little luck, I would have not only a jumpsuit blueprint and its upgrade but a steady flow of ice cream. Provided I didn't suck as a trader. Judgment was out for that one. Time to try to sleep again. Wish me luck.

...

...

Good morning. You still there? Good. A brand new day. Still a woman in a strange new world. Believe me, I half hoped to wake up in the hospital and someone explaining to me that I had a coma-dream or something. But I guess the chances for that are low. My old body really was pancaked good by that truck.

My night was shitty. Didn't sleep much. Thanks for asking. Well, I assume you did. I knew with certainty that the ship had landed somewhere, but walking out of my small bedroom I saw it confirmed through the cockpit window. The autopilot had managed to land safely in a large clearing that was crowded with tents. At least, I hope it landed safely. I'd hate to step outside and find a half-crushed tent under my Little Mule. I guess that wouldn't be a good advertisement.

The first priority was to get dressed. Time to head downstairs to the research bench. I knew instinctively that the process had finished a few times, but I didn't know the actual result. I surely hope it was good. Of course, once downstairs I noticed the error in my logic. The actual blueprints are on my crafting screen. Not on the research bench. Still, I retrieved my half-eaten ice cream and the trice-cursed jumpsuit. Then plopped in the dagger and sword. Might as well get it over with. One of my customers might request one of them later.

I immediately voided the jumpsuit and then the ice cream. What? I need the void-favor to get the better version out of the void, right? Time to look into my crafting menu.

Yes, I saw a few items crowding my blueprint library. It was far from full, but a start. There was my old jumpsuit. Okay. Showing the middle finger to an item in a holographic display was childish. Sue me. I don't care. The next version surprised me. "Papush colored jumpsuit?" Can research slots influence each other? Not the mud-brown anymore, but still the same used style. And the next item is-

Oh, you've got to be kidding me. "Sexy jumpsuit" and right after "Papush colored sexy jumpsuit". This didn't bode well. I mean this isn't just me, right? This world has it out for me. Always on the hunt for opportunities to humiliate me. Still, maybe the sexy version is better? No, I am not holding my breath for that one. Still, gotta try, right? I crafted a "Papush colored sexy jumpsuit" from the void. Might as well find out what color Papush actually is. That's such a stupid name. Papush. If this was a story someone was writing I seriously would doubt their skill.

A moment later I held the "Papush colored sexy jumpsuit" as a hologram in my hand. Time to summon it and see what it got me. Again a ball appeared out of thin air. This time it was pink instead of brown. More on the pastel side. Just like before it turned to mist and rushed towards my body. Gradually building around me to reveal-

Oh, come on! I didn't expect much, but this? The necklines plunges down even deeper. How are my twins even staying inside the jumpsuit? And all these cut-outs. This version has half the fabric the original has. I look like a stripper. A cheap one! The version that spent all her money on a boob job and hadn't the bucks left for real clothes.

Nope. Just nope. Back to mist and ball with that thing. To the void with it. I can't believe this really happened. The only good aspect I could glimpse from it was the color. Papush appears to be saturated pastel pink. Not my usual choice of color, but I was tired of that mud-brown. When I crafted the original jumpsuit I did it in the Papush version.

Before going about my day, I rushed upstairs to shower and eat breakfast. Another small adventure. Not the showering. Aside from the fact that I had to relearn how to properly soap myself up. I bet there are a few more essential aspects I have to learn later. I hope Essie was up to teach some embarrassing womanly stuff. Not just trader stuff.

No, it was the breakfast that had me doing double-takes. Let me tell you all this food looks strange. Tastes even stranger. I settled on something that might be the equivalent of cornflakes and milk. Big mistake. It tasted like brown gravy with small chunks of cucumber. Just weird. Still ate it. I mean, I didn't want to try yet another strange food.

Time to start my first day as a trader. What can go wrong? No, don't remind me of my track record. Or the fact that the whole stock of my shop was one bow and a few arrows. My amount of void-favors equaled a half-eaten portion of ice cream. Just peachy. I mean from here on out it only can go upward, right?

Of course, now that I wanted to open my shop I was reminded of my problem with the counter in my showroom. Namely that it was the wrong way around. Maybe I can push it around? Nope. Bolted to the floor. Great start. Really. Wait, what is that button for?

Oh, one of the walls is lowering. It's a ramp! Now I get it. The ramp is the official opening to the public and the counter is actually next to the ramp. Smart. I guess it was more like a pop-up store and less like a showroom. These shelves are not open to the public.

I already could see a crowd gathering around when the ramp was halfway down. Oh boy, they would be in for a disappointment. Still, time to get into character. Sit down behind that counter and give them my most winning smile. Wait. With this new body, how did my most winning smile even look like?

The ramp had barely touched the ground when a hunter stepped on it. It was obvious what he was. Dressed in leather and a box on the back.

"Damn I am glad you are here. It's been ages since a void-trader had-"

Why did he stop mid-sentence and mid-ramp? Hello? Did something break inside your head? What are you staring at? Oh, you've got to be kidding me. They aren't that big. Okay. They are. Still, to freeze like that. Not smooth. Not to mention annoying.

Time to call him out on it. Wait. Never mind. A woman behind him pushed him aside. With a smirk, she walked up to me.

"Damn girl, how much Honeyfirn did your mother feed you as a child? She kind of overdid it."

Great. Just Great. I expected stupid stuff from men. Not from women too. Wait a moment. Do they have stuff to make breasts grow larger? Maybe there is the opposite around too. A glimmer of hope. I never would have thought to say something like that but what wouldn't I give to have a nice pair of average-sized breasts. Well, food for thought at a later time. I had customers.

"Very funny. Believe it or not, they are all-natural."

"Oh come one, I wasn't born yesterday. You expect us to believe that?"

"I was. Born yesterday that is."

That shut her up good. Great. The second person to freeze solid on my ramp.

"Can we trade now? If not, there is a long line behind you."

Ah, fuck. Now I have become as rude as the clerk at the trade-hub. Now I know why he was so annoyed with me. If you have a long line waiting and one clown is holding everyone up it is annoying. Guess I owe another apology.

"I've got nineteen Hounshack fangs. I want six favors for each."

Good, she caught herself. As she presented me the Hounshack fangs as soul-inventory items I saw the value under the hologram as seven. One favor profit for each fang wasn't bad. Now, where had I heard that name before? Whatever.

"Don't have enough favors on hand. I have to void them first and then pay you."

"That's the normal way." The woman dared to shake her head in disbelief. "What trader doesn't such a small sum on hand?"

"I told you. The one that was born just the day before. Can we get this over with?"

Shrugging, she shook my hand and transferred the fangs over. A moment later they were gone into the void. Never to be seen again. Splitting the stack of favors is easier than I thought.

"That was quick. I have never seen a void-trader do it so fast."

It wasn't instantaneous for everyone? Well, what can I say-

"I know. I am amazing." I held out my hand with her split of the void-favors. "Something else or can the next person be rude to me?"

"I have eight puddles of Zitoraxs slime."

Eww. Damn, I am glad the transactions are in soul-inventory form. The physical form for that is probably very gross. Each was only worth 5 void-favors. So I offered four. The second trade was mercifully a smidge quicker.

"What kind of stock do you have?"

Ouch. What is it with that woman? She is stumbling from one of my weak points to the next.

"Got a standard bow for a hundred and thirty favors. Ten arrows for five. That's it. Before you comment, remember, I was born yesterday. In a few hours- sorry, bells - I have a normal sword and a knife."

"I'll have the arrows."

"How many?"

"A hundred?"

Why was she asking me instead of telling? Well, granted I didn't have a hundred in stock. I quickly remedied the fact by opening my crafting display and dragging a hundred from the void. Somehow that got her, even more, gaping at me. Don't tell me instant crafting was another thing no one else could.

At last, she stepped off my ramp. She had been annoying and rude, but at least she had been profitable for me. For the arrows, I made a favor profit for each ten-piece sold. In total, I earned thirty-seven void-favors from her.

Sadly the rest of my customers weren't much better. It took me deep into the afternoon to service all of them. I made a few hundred void-favors. Close to a thousand. Not bad for a first day. But I hope my customers grow accustomed to me. Apparently, gaping is an equal opportunity sport for both genders around here. Who knew?

At the end of the day, I had renewed hope. Money was coming in. I had a lead one something that might help me tame in those monsters on my chest. Heck, maybe I even find solutions to other problems of mine. A jumpsuit or clothes that actually covered me. As soon as the Kingswood Forrest contract was up I was free to look for a tailor. Maybe I even work on some self-improvement. I could try being less rude. Or lessen the fact that I narrate my life to an imaginary audience in my head at times of stress.

Well, time to head to bed.
Hopefully tonight I sleep better.
Imaginary or not, I wish you a good night.

To be continued?

---
Hey there,

Cassy_Bee speaking. Thank you for making it so far.
This story is a little all over the place. I wrote it in one fifteen-hour season after suffering from insomnia for three nights (and days).
Barely noticeable, right?
I threw in some remarks and nods to pop culture. Color me curious if you find them all.
This is another story in my "pilots" section. Written as a possible start for a serial. What do you think? Should I continue? I do have a few ideas to torture Leon further.

Anyway.
Hugs and kisses for now,
Cassy