“Is this really supposed to help?” Metsu muttered to herself, turning over the collar in her hands. It seemed such a mundane thing. Just a simple strip of black leather with a golden buckle glinting in the half-light of the evening. It carried an enchantment (the merchant had told her in honeyed words) to help her go unseen and unnoticed. At the time, it seemed like a fair price. Now, as she turned it over in her hands, she wondered if she’d been conned. There seemed nothing magical about it; no obvious shimmer of an enchantment or any multi-coloured gems glittering with unspoken power. Still, if Metsu stood half a chance of sneaking into the palace, she would need all the help she could get.

        Besides… worst case scenario, at least it matched the rest of her outfit.

        The Au Ra paced along, making her way through the city, the heels of her boots clacking against the paving stones. With each step her reptilian tail swept behind her, showing her nerves. By now, most shops were closing, so her chances of finding another artefact or potion were getting slim. Even the streets were quiet, the busy townsfolk retiring to their homes, or to the city’s many taverns. They bathed the dark streets with warm light, the sounds of merrymaking tempting Metsu in.

        There’d be time for drinking when her work was done, Metsu assured herself, quickening her pace. Right now, she needed to focus. She fumbled a little with the collar, slipping it around her neck.

        Here goes nothing…

        The leather was surprisingly warm and soft against her skin, or maybe it was just a small relief against the chill of the air. The rest of her outfit wasn’t exactly made for warmth. Thigh-high boots kept most of her legs warm, but most of her body was bare under her open jacket, revealing the patches of pale scales running across her body. Pulling it tight, Metsu fastened the buckle, letting it settle around her. Tight, but still comfortable, as though the leather was made just for her.

        A prickle ran across Metsu’s skin. For a moment she thought it was just her imagination, or some slight apprehension, before another wave followed. A faint, electric warmth spread from the collar out over her shoulders and down her torso. Goosebumps lifted across her arms, a deep-seated warmth slowly growing through her body.

        Looks like the collar was magic, after all…

        Still, it seemed a strange sort of feeling for a stealth enchantment — did the shopkeeper just want to keep her warm? She scoffed at the thought, pausing for a moment in a quieter part of the streets, allowing the collar some time to work its magic. Moments passed and the warmth grew inside her, a dull ache in her muscles. The sensation of some spell working its way through her body, altering her in some subtle way.

        Holding her arms out ahead of her, Metsu tried to look for any sign of… anything, really. Her skin fading from view? Camouflage spreading across her body? Maybe even her flesh turning into a living shadow? The only thing she noticed was an odd reddish hue, visible even in the dim light, growing in intensity over her arms.

        “What the-?” she muttered to herself, rubbing a hand over her other arm. Whatever was happening to her, it felt… soft? Not smooth skin, or hard scales, but an almost downy, fluffy feeling. The aching heat in her body grew stronger, and the red grew stronger to match. She could feel it now, more clearly, the fine coat of fur emerging from her hands. A rich red over her arms, almost perfectly matching the red highlights running through her black hair.

        “Some kind of… disguise?” Metsu was confused and transfixed by the changes running across her body. The fur was spreading quickly to cover her skin, changing flesh and scales alike, lightening to a rich tan across her chest and belly. Though Metsu got the feeling the fur was only the beginning of her transformation. The ache inside her was almost unbearable, a feeling of every muscle in her body simultaneously tensing up, contracting and straining against her bones.

        The world seemed to spin, the wall she was resting beside shifting up, and Metsu felt a sudden lurch downwards. The collar’s magic was warping her body, reshaping her, sculpting her into something shorter. Dropping another few inches in height, Metsu blinked down at her furry body, feeling her flesh shifting about. As muscles and bones shortened, drawing her down in height, other parts of her body were swelling outwards. Thick flesh flowed to her hips, pushing them outwards at the top of her thighs, flicking the fabric of her coat outwards around her.

        “Okay, I guess this might help me, um, stay out of sight?” Metsu thought aloud, leaning against the wall. Her new fur brushed against it, bristling slightly, sending tickling shivers through her softer thighs. Another surge of changes, and her thighs began to swell. Soft flesh pushed outwards against her boots, stretching out the black leather, closing the gap between her legs.

        “Or distract the guards?” Her voice cracked slightly, a mix of confusion and curiosity. The changing woman looked behind her, feeling an intense tingle running through her swelling ass, the thick flesh pushing up the base of her tail. Ripples rolled down the length of it, waves of magic still shaping her body. Scales shifted, pushing up, stray tufts of fur appearing between them before dissolving away. Her whole tail seemed to puff up with the thick fur, the shape of it almost lost in the changes. Reaching into it, her hand sank deep into the wonderfully soft and warm pelt. Another ripple of changes, and the fur smoothed out, forming a graceful curve towards the tip. Fur curled apart just at the end, where the deep russet fur turned to the softer tan. Gone was her graceful, reptilian tail, replaced by something more suiting the fox-girl she was becoming.

        Pulling her hands out, Metsu realised they’d begun to change, as well. Her fingers pulled back slightly, shrinking, growing wider. They pushed out against each other, turning slender hands into round paws. Both were covered in fur save for small pads of bare skin on her palm and the tips of her digits, pushing out slightly into gripping pads. Then her nails shifted, growing out into graceful claws just like her feet, sharp tips glinting in the night… useful for climbing walls, she wondered?

        By now the collar’s magic was reshaping her clothes, stretching the leather of her boots, letting them relax around the soft flesh of her thighs — which only made her legs seem to swell out more. Her feet began to twitch and shift, shrinking in some places, swelling in others. They slipped back in her boots, toes in turn pushing outwards as they became round and soft. Nails stretched, growing narrow and pointed, Metsu’s sharp claws pushing effortlessly through the soles of her boots. Motes of magic glittered in the dark air as the leather split, peeling back, melting away to reveal her fox-like paws. She took a few hesitant steps with her furred feet, feeling the bare stone of the cobbles against the swelling pads of her feet. The sensation was strange, though not quite uncomfortable, and Metsu had to admit it did make her steps quieter…

        The changes rolled back upwards, bones adjusting to her shorter body with a series of snaps and pops. Each was a little painful, but came with a feeling of relief, easing the tension running through her changing body. Her heart pounded in her chest, deep breaths making her chest rise and fall. With each breath, it seemed to push out just a little more, her chest growing heavier each time. Flesh from her shrinking body was flowing to her breasts, filling them, stretching them out. Her coat shrank back, material sliding down to expose the top of her chest while supporting the heavy flesh from underneath. As Metsu looked downwards, soft mounds of sandy fur rose up to fill her vision, covering all but the sides of her widening hips.

        Metsu braced herself for the last changes, feeling the tension growing in her head. Her skull started to shift, pushing forward in sudden jolts. Bones snapped and cracked. Definitely uncomfortable, but mercifully not painful. Skin stretched out as her nose pushed ahead of her, growing a rich red atop her sandy fur. A fox-like muzzle started to emerge, her mouth drawing out to match, teeth growing sharp and pointed. A gasp escaped her new vulpine face, sounding like a cute yip, breaking the silence of the night.

        “What am I…?” Metsu wondered, soft paws probing the sides of her face. Her ears changed only a little. Already furred, they pulled down into her head slightly, growing broad to match her foxy face. The only part of her Au Ra features that remained were the horns either side of her face, though they were already shrinking. Soon they faded into nothing, lost in the thick tufts of fur now adorning her cheeks.

        “Oh-” Metsu gasped, the aches of her changing body subsiding, leaving the new fox-girl staring at her reflection in the puddle. Thoughts of the palace had vanished from her mind. She had a new body to get used to, and though it seemed like it would be quieter, the ninja was more than a little worried her much larger assets might prove a liability…

        Turning on her heels, the fox-girl set off for home, and safety. She passed silently, quickly making her way over the familiar cobbles, though the city itself seemed so different to her now. Everything loomed above her, Metsu’s new body much shorter than the average resident. Even her strides were shorter, slowing her down, making the streets seem even longer than they were before.

        Still, Metsu thought, she was much quieter. With the soft foot-pads of a fox, she could barely hear her own steps. Her ears twitched, picking up all the sounds of the city: the raucous laughter from a pub streets away, the footsteps of a distant guard on their patrol, the soft chitter of rats in the gutters, the squeak of her thighs…

        The sound pierced the night, a sudden squeal of rubber-against-rubber. Metsu stopped still, for the moment afraid to move. Had that really been her? She’d been getting used to the soft fur of her thighs brushing against each other, why had she suddenly felt a flash of friction between them? And why did she squeak?

        Tentatively, Metsu reached a hand down, feeling across the inside of her leg. Fingers brushed through fur, then across the smooth surface of something rubbery and smooth. More worryingly, she could feel her fingers across bare and sensitive skin, the slight vibration and friction as the paw-pads slid across it. Another squeak escaped her body, echoing in the night.

        She was still changing.

        Into what, Metsu couldn’t be sure, except its skin was smooth and rubbery. Why would the collar make her into a fox-girl, only to change her again? She needed to get help, and she needed to get home, and fast.

        Metsu set off again, quickening her pace, trying to ignore the rhythmic squeaking as her legs rubbed against each other. She could feel the magic still working through her body, changing her from within. The smooth rubber spread out over her legs, like a rising tide of water washing over her. Metsu’s fur mingled and matted together, flattening over her legs, melting and merging into a single, smooth layer of rubber.

        The squeaks grew louder.

        Even as her skin continued to change, Metsu could sense something was happening inside her. A sense of strange relief, aches and pains fading away, replaced by an alien feeling of pressure pushing out against her changing skin. She could feel her boots tight around her legs again, already massive thighs swelling out, stretching the leather against them. They began to merge, fur and leather becoming one, the surface becoming just as glossy as her transforming fur. She paused for a moment to run a hand down the boot, shivering as she felt the hand against the boots, as though there were a part of her. Yet she could still feel them wrapping her legs tightly, squeezing them as they swelled outwards, the pressure only growing. Thick thighs pressed into each other, changing flesh squashing and flattening.

        Panic gripped Metsu, desperate to remove the boots before they strangled her growing legs. She reached down, trying to get purchase with her new claws, the points just pressing into her ballooning thighs. There was no edge to her boots, nothing to slip underneath, just the unbroken curve of her inflating body. Trying harder, she pushed her claws deeper, flexing her rubber skin inwards. Metsu could feel it stretching around them, the pressure in her body increasing, her skin bending and crumpling as she pushed in deeper.

        Frustrated, Metsu held a hand up. Surely those sharp claws should have been able to dig into something? Already her new claws had changed, their tips rounded and blunt, bending against each other as she flexed her hands. Just like rubber. Just like her legs.

        The collar. She had to get it off! Reaching up, she tried to lift the buckle, only for her rubbery claws to get in the way. Bending and squashing, but never able to find purchase to remove her. The more she tried, the more clumsy each attempt became, as her hands continued to change. Fingers swelling out, pressing into each other, until Metsu was left awkwardly batting her swollen paws against her neck. Her only chance was to find someone else, and hope they could remove it for her, before it was too late.

        Metsu set off running again, though it had turned into an awkward stumble. Her legs were stiff, pushing outwards against each other as they grew, her knees barely bending with each step. It was like her body was fighting her, that pressure inside pushing back each time she tried to move. She tried not to think about the changes, but already she could feel them progressing upwards. The fur across her belly flattened to smooth rubber, merging with her clothes. The weight of her chest relaxed, breasts lifting slightly as they pushed out even larger and rounder than before — threatening to block more of her view.

        Soon she was practically bouncing across the cobbles, getting nearer to home with each step, but slower all the time. Her feet had expanded, toes pressing out and merging into each other, forming rounded shapes that squashed and rebounded against the paving stones. Even her arms were stiff, swelling outwards, sticking out awkwardly at her sides. Metsu could feel her insides changing, fading away, replaced by air filling and inflating her. It was pushing every part of her outwards, stretching out her smooth skin, making the shape of her body so much rounder and simpler.

        Metsu felt weak. Each step, each tiny movement was an effort. Her body didn’t want to move. Muscles were becoming air, and the air was pushing out against her. Every time she moved a limb, bent her knee, her skin would compress and crumple the air inside her. A moment later, and the air would win, snapping her body back into shape. Her body creaked and groaned with each step. A flash of heat whenever her legs rubbed against each other. The friction of her smooth skin sends ripples of curious pleasure through her each time, and another squeak would echo around her.

        By the time her home was in sight, Metsu’s face had begun to freeze, pushed out by the expanding air inside her. She could feel it flattening her features, paralysing them as fur turned to rubber. Her eyes were fixed wide open, her face forced into a broad smile. Teeth stuck together, merging into a single, smooth surface, little more than a printed smile across her inflated muzzle. Ears popped, muffling the sounds of the outside world, until Metsu could hear barely more than the squeaks from her own body.

        She was barely recognisable as anything but an inflatable now, only her lurching steps giving herself away. Every part of her skin was gleaming rubber, merged completely with her clothes, now just a printed design across her transformed body. Tingles spread across the surface of her skin, a tightening sensation running in lines up and down her body. Whatever the feeling was, it seemed to be spreading inwards from her extremities, drawing in towards her torso. Seams appeared, skin folding into itself, splitting up her body into separate parts. It only seemed to accentuate not just the object she was becoming, but the shapes and curves of her inflatable form. Breasts bulged as smooth domes, her waist drew narrow, and her limbs were little more than rounded cylinders stuck onto her body. Finally, the pulling, tightening, twisting sensation seemed to focus on her belly. A sense of already tight, plastic skin drawing tighter, knotting around itself, melting and merging until Pop! And the valve emerged from her belly button, its sudden appearance sending shivers through her transformed body. A sign of what she’d become, little more than an inflatable, albeit a very curvy one. Only the collar remained unchanged, stuck around her neck.

        “Just… a few steps… more…” Metsu thought to herself, willing herself on. Her door was right there, all she had to do was reach… out…

        Metsu froze. For a moment, her body remained perfectly still, struck mid-stride with her arm out ahead of her. Then, gradually, slowly, she tipped forward. Her immobile body toppling forwards, towards her front door, and the tantalising promise of help. Her inflated arm reached out, pressed against the handle, then awkwardly bounced off. The whole world spun around her as Metsu tumbled backwards, pivoting on one leg. The ground rushed to meet her, flattening her. A wave of pressure rocked through her hollow body, rebounding off her rubber skin. She bounced back upwards, a brief moment of weightlessness before she wobbled and fell back to the ground.

        The collar's magic complete — after all, who would pay any attention to a simple decoration — Metsu was left to lie there. Awkwardly on her side, the rough ground digging into her rubbery skin, looking out as the night sky spun and the sun gradually rose in the sky. At least the sun was nice, warming the air inside her, stretching out her skin. For a time, the world carried on without her, until finally she felt footsteps through the ground, the cool of a shadow playing across her skin.

        “Oh, Metsu,” a familiar voice spoke, “what mess have you gotten yourself into this time?”