Kaya

After careful consideration, you decide on Kaya. Her intelligence, her central role in the gossip network, and her almost sisterly relationship with a group of girls make her an intriguing choice. As Kaya, you would have access to a wide array of social connections without being in the direct spotlight, like Annalena would be. Moreover, you could maintain a certain level of distance from the more complex situations surrounding Susanne and her secret affair.

You let out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding and make your way through the halls, seeking out Kaya. You find her at her locker, alone for the moment — a rare occurrence that feels like a sign. She's organizing her books and seems deep in thought, likely about the upcoming tests or the latest piece of gossip she's planning to share.

"Hey, Kaya," you greet her with Milla's voice, adding a friendly smile. "Got a minute?"

Kaya turns, her brown eyes lighting up with recognition and a touch of curiosity. "Sure, Milla, what's up?" she asks, closing her locker door.

You glance around; the halls are nearly empty now, the bustle of students dissipating as they spill out into the schoolyard and onto buses. "Just wanted to ask you about the homework for Mr. Schmidt's class. Mind if we walk and talk? I've got to head out soon."

"Of course," Kaya replies, falling into step with you as you both start walking towards the exit.

The conversation starts innocently enough, with talk of homework and the teacher's latest impossible deadlines. As you near the exit, you veer towards a less-traveled path that leads around the side of the school. It's quieter here, and you can feel the pen in your pocket, its presence both comforting and daunting.

Kaya doesn't seem to notice the change in route, caught up in explaining the finer points of the assignment. You listen, nodding along, while internally you're steeling yourself for what you're about to do.

"I think I left something back at the field," you lie smoothly. "Would you mind walking with me just a bit further?"

Kaya agrees without hesitation, her trust in Milla clear. You reach the field, empty now in the after-school quiet. You know it's time.

You slow to a stop and turn to Kaya, who looks at you with a puzzled smile. "What did you forget?" she asks.

"Just this," you say softly, and before she can react, you click the pen five times and press the knob as you point it towards her.

Kaya's eyes widen, but only for a second. Then she deflates before you, her body collapsing into an empty suit. You catch her before she falls completely, laying her gently on the ground. Your heart is racing as you look around — still no one in sight. You carefully slip out of Millas clothes and than her skin, before inflating realizing the importance of covering your tracks, you turn your attention to Milla's deflated form before slipping into Kaya's skin. You carefully pick up the empty suit that once contained all that Milla was, ensuring that no evidence of what transpired remains.

With the same precision you used to operate the pen earlier, you reverse the process. Clicking the pen's knob five times, you aim it at the deflated Milla suit. The tension in the air is palpable as you press the button, releasing a silent command that initiates the reinflation.

Before your eyes, the suit begins to fill, taking on the familiar shape of Milla once more. The process is uncanny, seeing a human form reconstitute from emptiness. As the body regains its fullness, a lifeless puppet at first, it then shudders with an unseen breath, a simulacrum of life that's both eerie and miraculous.

Once the process is complete, Milla stands before you, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths, her eyes vacant yet alive. With the memories of Milla still fresh in your mind, you know what you must do next.

You reach out with your thoughts, connecting with the reanimated Milla. You instruct her with the firmness of thought alone, directing her to return home, to go about her evening with no recollection of the day's strange events. She nods, a simple gesture that confirms your command has taken hold, and then she turns, walking away with purposeful strides.

You watch for a moment, ensuring she's well on her way, before turning back to Kaya's deflated form. The urgency of the situation presses upon you; you must complete your transformation quickly now, before you're discovered.

You repeat the process you've just learned, stepping into Kaya's skin with the practiced ease of someone who's done this before. The sensation is familiar yet new, the rush of another person's life filling you, their essence mingling with your own.

The headache is sharp, a brief but intense reminder of the cost of this power, and then it fades, leaving you with Kaya's memories, her thoughts, her feelings — her identity. You look down at your hands, her hands, and flex them, taking a moment to adjust to the new form you now occupy.

With Kaya's bag over your shoulder, you head back to the school building, blending in with the few students still milling about. Each step is confident, each gesture is Kaya's, and as you exit the school grounds and make your way to her home, you're filled with a sense of trepidation and wonder for the life you're about to lead, if only for a while.