As is Tradition

“Hey, Nathan, honey,” Nathan’s mother, Cassidy cooed, “Are you ready to swap bodies with your mother?”

Nathan's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at his mother, searching her face for any sign that this was some kind of bizarre joke. But Cassidy's expression remained eerily serene, a placid smile fixed on her lips.

"W-what are you talking about, Mom?" Nathan stammered, his voice cracking, "Swap bodies? That's... that's not possible."

Cassidy chuckled softly, reaching out to stroke Nathan's cheek,"Oh, sweetheart. There's so much you don't know about the world. About our family's... special abilities."

Nathan instinctively took a step back, his heart racing. This couldn't be happening. His mom had always been a bit eccentric, but this was beyond anything he could have imagined. 

"I don't understand," he whispered, fear creeping into his voice, "What do you mean by 'special abilities'?"

Cassidy's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling excitement, "We come from a long line of body swappers, Nathan. It's a gift passed down through generations. And now, it's time for you to embrace your heritage."

She took a step toward him, her hands outstretched. Nathan stumbled backward, bumping into the living room wall. His mind reeled, trying to process this impossible information.

"But... why?" he managed to ask, his throat dry, "Why would we need to swap bodies?"

Cassidy sighed, a hint of impatience creeping into her voice, "Oh, honey. Don't you see? I've spent the last eighteen years raising you, sacrificing my youth. Now it's my turn to experience life as a young person again."

Nathan's stomach churned. He felt dizzy, like the room was spinning around him. This couldn't be real. It had to be some kind of nightmare.

"Mom, please," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper, "This isn't right. You can't just... take my body. My life."

Cassidy's expression hardened, the warmth in her eyes replaced by a cold determination, "I'm not asking for your permission, Nathan. This is how it's always been done in our family. Your grandmother did it with me, and now it's our turn."

“What about Dad?”

Cassidy's expression softened slightly at the mention of Nathan's father, "Your dad... he doesn't know about this, sweetie. He can't know. It's our little secret."

"But that means... you're not really my mom," Nathan said, his voice trembling, "You're... you're my grandmother?"

Cassidy's smile faltered for a moment, "In a manner of speaking, yes. But I've raised you, Nathan. I am your mother in every way that matters."

Nathan's mind raced, trying to process this shocking revelation. His entire life, everything he thought he knew about his family, was a lie. 

"So what happens now?" he asked, fear and anger battling within him, "You just take my body and I'm supposed to live out the rest of my life as... as you? Married to my own father?"

Cassidy nodded, her expression softening, "I know it's a lot to take in, sweetie. But you'll adjust."

"But... but what about my friends? My girlfriend? My future? I can't just give all that up!"

"Ah yes, I almost forgot about your girlfriend, Sophia. Such a lovely girl. Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," She winked, sending a chill down Nathan's spine.

"This is insane," Nathan muttered, shaking his head, "I won't do it. You can't make me."

Cassidy's smile faded, replaced by a look of stern determination, "Oh, but I can, Nathan. And I will. You see, the process has already begun."

As if on cue, Nathan felt a strange tingling sensation spreading through his body. He looked down at his hands in horror as they began to shimmer and blur, as if they were made of smoke.

"What's happening to me?" he cried out, panic rising in his chest.

"The transfer," Cassidy said calmly. "It's starting. Soon, you'll be in my body, and I'll be in yours. Don't fight it, Nathan. It'll only make things more difficult."

Nathan's vision began to swim, the room around him distorting and warping. He stumbled, reaching out to steady himself against the wall.

"Mom, please!" he begged, his voice sounding distant and echoing, "Stop this!"

The sensation was indescribable – a mixture of vertigo, nausea, and a bone-deep chill that seemed to penetrate his very soul. For a moment, Nathan felt as if he were floating in a void, formless and without substance. Then, with a sudden jolt, he snapped back into reality.

But everything was wrong. He was looking at the room from a different angle, higher up. He looked down at his hands – they were smaller, with manicured nails and delicate wrinkles around the knuckles.

"No," he whispered, but the voice that came out wasn't his own. It was his mother's.

Across the room, he saw his own body straighten up, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. But it wasn't him controlling it anymore.

"Oh, this feels wonderful," Cassidy said, using Nathan's voice.

"Thank you, Nathan," Cassidy said, flexing Nathan's fingers and admiring his muscular arms, "You've taken such good care of this body. I can't wait to put it to use."

Nathan, trapped in his mother's body, felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He stumbled to the nearby mirror, gasping as he saw his mother's face staring back at him. The womanly curves beneath the floral dress she had been wearing felt alien and wrong. He raised a trembling hand to his - her - face, feeling the smooth skin and delicate features.

"This can't be happening," he said, his mother's voice sounding foreign to his ears, "How do we switch back?"

Cassidy laughed, the sound jarring coming from Nathan's mouth, "Switch back? Oh honey, that's not how this works. This is permanent."