My pretty brunette neighbor is arguing with her boyfriend.

"What do you mean you won't stop meeting with that guy?!" Asks a husky voice from my right. When I look at it in surprise, I see a fairly tall well-dressed man of curly brown hair and tanned skin. He is standing right next to my neighbor, Meilyn Banks. Or more like looming over her in a rather menacing way.

"As I already told you several times, he is a childhood friend I've known for almost my whole life." Meilyn answers back with her arms crossed and an irritated expression on her pretty face.

"He's still a dude, so still a no-no."

"I also remember mentioning that he is gay. And I remember doing so several times. But you only hear what you want."

"You being smart with me now? I don't care that he's a fag or whatever. I sure as hell won't allow any dick and balls near my girl no matter which side they swing!"

"Ughh! You're being impossible!" Meilyn exclaims, clearly exasperated.

I let out a deep sigh at the sight of them arguing. This isn't the first time I've witnessed my pretty neighbor's poor pairing choices. Nor the second, or even the third. I've always found amazing how such a nice and smart girl always end up with an overbearing idiot as a partner.

However, that's none of my business, so I immediately turn away and walk to the ground floor to welcome the food deliveryman.

10 minutes later, I've already paid and gotten my food. But when I arrive to my door, I see the loud couple still arguing.

"I won't repeat myself again. Let me see your phone!" The menacing man demands to Meilyn with his hand extended.

"And I told you to stop asking for it! There is no way I'm doing that." Meilyn answers, still with her arms crossed. I can't help but admire the courage of such a petite girl standing up against a guy who clearly hits the gym just as much as the tanning salon.

"That only confirms you have something to hide from me!"

"I have many things to hide from you. And not because they are incriminatory in any way, but because they belong solely to me, and I surely as hell don't plan to show them around under command. That, Josh, is known as privacy. Ever heard of it?"

"There you go again, acting smart with me. I'm starting to get tired of that shit, Mei."

I've never been a brave man, and I haven't changed my mind about wanting nothing to do with the toxic couple's shenanigans. So I simply lower my eyes and open my door with the keys.

However, this time, that loud man seems to notice me.

"And who's that nigga over there?!"

I stop in place. What did he just call... Ah, right. I have the body of a black dude now.

"He is... my neighbor's cousin." Meilyn answers with a little hesitation. "Who is clearly minding his own business, so don't go picking on him now."

That Josh guy turns back to Meilyn with a frown.

"Why would I pick on him now? Why are you saying that?" He suddenly pauses, apparently arriving to a conclusion. "Wait, don't tell me you're meeting with him too?!"

"You're making an entire play in your head, Josh!" Meilyn snaps at him. "To begin with, I'm not even into black guys."

"Bullshit. I know very well your last boyfriend was black as a piece of coal."

"And the fact that our relationship ended so quickly might give you a clue as to why I'm not into black guys anymore."

I don't like how this conversation is turning(not like there was anything to like to begin with), so I only give them a sideway glance while I open the door and enter my apartment. And this time I don't forget to close it behind me and even leave the keys in the keyhole.

"Pohh... What a show." I mutter.

But I quickly forget about it, looking forward for a night of just chilling on the sofa.
So I open the pizza box, grab some drinks and snacks, turn on the TV and happily throw myself over the pillows. During the next few hours I watch a few movies and, at some point, I end up grabbing my phone and open the Wishing Pendant's App to read some of the details I still havent read.

Most of it is info I already know. But there is a section that greatly interests me, which I read aloud. If anything just to get more used to my new voice, which is a little higher than my original:

"This artifact absorbs mana from its immediate environment, with direct contact with human bodies being the most efficient system for mana absorbtion due to the later's innate capacity for attracting mana particles. The quantity may vary depending on body, age, general health, innate affinity and, most importantly, the level of activity. With the average set at 17% for every 24 hours in case this artifact is in permanent contact with a healthy adult human on an average routine."

I read this part twice more, taking in all the information. I wonder what does it mean by 'level of activity'.

I suddenly open my eyes in realization.

Wait. Could this mean something like work or... maybe exercise? That'd make sense. I mean, It seems logic that proactive bodies might attract more mana particles or whatever, right?

"I should... try that theory... tomorrow..." I say almost whispering. By now is way past midnight and I'm dozing off .

It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep on the sofa.

7 hours later...

I'm suddenly woken up by the ringing of my phone.

"Ugh... who the hell is calling now...?" I mutter in annoyance. But when I see the name of my boss over the phone screen I freeze in place.

Fuck! What time is it?! Don't tell me I overslept!

I immediately sit up on the sofa in order to answer the phone call. But when I pick up the phone I stop yet again when I see my hand.

"Wha...?" I blink several times, confused at the sight of my dark brown skin and slim fingers. But then I remember. "...Ah!"

I immediately touch my lips and nose to confirm that I'm indeed still possessing Devon Williams' body. And I can't help but chuckle. This is the second time I've woken up in another guy's body, but it still feels so freakishly weird.

During this self-recognition time, the phone keeps ringing furiously, so I go and do something I've never had the balls to do before, which is pressing the button to end the call, basically hanging up on my boss.

However, after only a few seconds, the phone starts ringing once again. But I don't feel annoyed. Not at all. If anything, my smile just widdens the moment I hang up on that cretin once again.

But he doesn't stop there. And in the time it takes for me to breathe twice, the phone is ringing yet again.
And I press the red button with genuine glee.

"Go on, you cunt. I can do this all day." I say in a pleased voice.

After two more unsuccessful tries, the phone finally stops ringing. But it doesn't take long until I receive a message from Telegram. It is quite long, but it seems to be written in a rush.

In normal circumstances, I'd be shitting my pants at this very moment. But things have changed, so I put my elbows over my knees and start writing back.

The rush I'm feeling right now is something I've been looking for ever since I started working under this asshole. So I decide to finish this exchange in the most crass and dismissive way I can think of.

So I stand up, grab the phone with my right hand, and insert the left in my loose tracksuit pants, where I carefully grab the base of this massive black sausage comfortably nestled in my recently-bought boxers.

And with the widest smile on my borrowed face, I close the chat, block my now ex-boss' messages and phone calls and throw myself over the sofa, laughing like a maniac.

"Man... that felt good..." I say when I finally regain my breath, thinking about how he must be both extremely confused and absolutely pissed.

However, speaking of 'pissed'...

"Ugh. I think I need to go to the bathroom."

My face changes from happy to worried in a heartbeat. And that's because pissing is not the only thing this body needs to do right now. Devon has to answer nature's call, and I'm the one who has to perform the action.

"Fuck... Let's not think too much about it and just do it." I tell myself with some **** optimism. There aren't enough words to describe how much I don't want to do this in another dude's body. But there's no way around it. The energy on my magic pendant is way too low for me to leave this body, and holding it in would be way worse.

So I finally go to the bathroom, pull down my pants and sit Devon's black ass on the toilet. I struggle a bit to keep his hanging dick from rubbing against the cold bowl, but I finally manage to keep it in place by holding it pressed between my thighs in a very awkward position.

After that, everything goes... surprisingly well. It comes out solid and clean, with barely any smell. And I barely need to wipe my ass before I flush the toilet.

When I finally pull my pants back up, I let out a long sigh of pure relief and realize I was sweating.

Okay, I'll admit that this body has some redeeming qualities after all.

After I clean my hands and eat a light breakfast, I take a look at the Pendant's App.

"So the energy is at... 14%?"

I smile, happy to see how it has increased during the night. If what it says here is correct and I get an average of 17% every 24 hours, that means I get some... 0.7% every hour.

I could try going for a jog, to see if doing some exercise really accelerates the mana absorbtion.

Or maybe I should just stay at home? I don't feel any need to tire myself out... plus, I haven't practiced sport in more than 20 years.