Magic exists.

This could be a hard concept to wrap your mind around, but such is completely natural, seeing as you're from the world of the mundane. Although the nonmagical world has a fascination with the world of fey, most humans who dwell in it don't honestly expect it to exist.

The reason for this is hardly as noble as you might expect. You mundanes, or 'munnies', as mages like to call them, tend to think that if magic was real, it would be kept a secret for some altruistic reason or another. Sometimes you think it's to protect both worlds from one another; sometimes you think it's to keep the world from lapsing into anarchy. The truth is far simpler: it's more entertaining this way.

Indeed, from the early days of court jesters to the modern age of television, mages have used munnies for sport. And, in today's Internet era, no sport is more widely watched than Master Caster. If you've ever seen competitive shows on the Food Network, you might have some idea what it's about. Just replace cooking with transformation, and you'll have a solid start.

But you might have a hard time finding episodes to watch, unless you're magic-capable. Most websites work the same on magic-enabled devices as they would on a normal browser; simply replace a domain name with .mag. For example, a quick search of Youtube.mag will result in a number of clips from the show; provided your device is set up correctly.

As far as full episodes go... Well, it couldn't hurt to give you all a teaser; just to see what you're missing out on.

xXx

Season 6, Episode 11:

 

“Hello, and welcome to Master Caster! Today we'll see four veteran transformation artists compete for renown and a hefty thirty-three percent discount from any of TF-Network's shops!” Announced Ted Kirzowen, a smile on his face as he nodded towards three seated mages. “Today, former Master Caster champion Stephanie Hilde joins professional transformers Garcia Garza and Clark Robertson as this week's guest judge. But enough about them, let's hear about the contestants!

“From the wintery regions of Poland, we have one of transformation's oldest hands! Lucasz Rutkowski!”

At that, a brunette walked onto stage, doing a small pose for the cameras and bowing. “Hello everyone, I am here to fight and I am here to win!” His voice was tinged with a European accent, and he wore a large, friendly smile proudly on his face.

“Next, from South Africa, the sadistic seductress herself! Antonia Berg!”

A woman strutted out with a grin, sashaying her tips and teasingly winking to the crowd. “Hello, pets. Who's up for a round of fun?” With that, she made her way beside Lucasz, seeming to delight in making the Polish man as uncomfortable as possible.

“Straight out of pages of Greek myth, we have a descendant of Circe herself! Vasilios Helios!”

A Greek man who could best be described as 'swarthy' appeared on-stage with a flourish, walking confidently into the spotlight and smirking. “Get ready to see me in the winner's circle, people... Or else not all of you might be walking out on all fours.” He blinked, then furrowed his brow. “Crap. I mean on two legs... You get the point!” He scowled, storming off.

“Ever the wordsmith, that one.” A haunting female voice called, and Ted waved on-stage the last competitor.

“And of course, where would we be without the Ice Queen herself, a banshee from right here in the United States! Molly McCarran!”

This contestant was less of a human and more of an ethereal force, a cocksure grin plastered across her features as she floated to the center stage. The spotlights literally shone through her, giving her an spectral look that roused the audience to applause.

Molly didn't so much as easy a word, though she did nod towards them, quirking her lips. Then, the banshee drifted to her fellow competitors, joining the line.

“Most of you know the rules; but for those who don't, this is a single round elimination game. That means we give you a theme, you find your victims, and the rest is simple transformation. Changes will be graded on skill, originality, and of course, our judges' personal satisfaction. Do we have any questions?” Ted finished his intro with a smile, nodding as the gathered mages remained still.

With that, he continued. “All right, you four. Today we have a very special theme for you, one that I know some of you hold dear to heart. You're going to be transforming some munnie joggers! Without further ado, let's see what Lukasz has to offer!”

The Polish man bowed with a small smirk on his face, his eyes glinting as he looked to the judges. “I aim to please, and I am confident that my transformation will be the winning one.” He spoke softly, vanishing from sight with a quiet click of his heels.

 

Terrance Thompson hadn't had the best life, but it wasn't the worst either. He enjoyed a comfortable job and a roomy apartment, though there wasn't much to show in terms of his love life. That didn't really matter; however, as he didn't really feel he had a place with human women anyways.

The man had always felt in his heart that he was meant to be something else; something other than human. He was meant to be a tigress.

The brunette let a smile play across his face as he set off on a morning jog, imagining what it would be like to become a feline predator; to become the queen of the jungle. He loved it; wanted to be nothing more than an apex predator.

“That would be the-rrr!” He let out a growl as he fell to all fours, suddenly a tigress in human clothing. Now a she, Terrance could only blink in surprise, her eyes wide as she growled, looking around herself with a swishing tail and mounting excitement.

Could it be real? Could she really be an animal now? The blocky muzzle she sported seemed to imply that she did, and the tigress purred happily before promptly darting into the woods to hunt some deer and live up the life while it lasted.

 

Another click, and Lukasz reappeared, a large smile on his face. “Ta-da! One transformation, quick, consensual, safe for work, and above all: temporary. Just as I know you love.” He beamed to the judges, only to frown as he was rewarded with looks of disdain. “What?”

“Lukasz... Not to be mean or anything, but were you dropped on your head as a kid? Because I can't otherwise explain how a mage could think we would possibly enjoy that.” Clark quipped snidely, a frown on his face. “The judging round might not go so well for you.”

Stephanie sighed, resting her head against her palm. “I've got to go with Clark here. I'm really not feeling this; not even a little.” She added. “I mean, you could have at least tossed in some spice. Right now, we're just getting vanilla, and drowning in it.”

Garcia nodded sagely, looking to Lukasz with a sympathetic frown. “I love the guy to tigress transformation, really cool there. But man, show us some process, for God's sake. It's gonna be rough to win this one.”

“Harsh comments from the judges, and we haven't even reached the scoring round.” Ted chuckled, looking to Lukasz. “But you never know, your competitors could always botch their changes. Let's see what you're up against, starting with Antonia.”

The South African woman grinned, looking to Stephanie with a wide smirk on her face as she bowed. “I think I have something just up your alley...”

With that, she vanished, allowing herself a demonic cloud of smoke to mark her absence.

 

Betty and Veronica Dale glared at one another, running hard and panting as each tried to outpace the other. True to their namesakes, the two sisters were rivals in almost everything they did, from school to sport.

Naturally, that made their afternoon jog into a near-Olympic sprint; though the two gladly accepted the challenge. Said challenge didn’t come without consequences. Their fast pace also left them at an inability to slow down for strangers, and the two rounded a corner just in time to be clotheslined by a woman who had both her arms outstretched.

She was a brunette with a curvy figure, and blushed immediately. “Ah! I'm so sorry, I was just stretching!” She exclaimed loudly, stooping down beside the girls and extending her hands to help them up.

The girls accepted her offer gratefully, a strange tingle running through their forms as they took the stranger's hands.

“T-thanks.” Betty said, groaning as she realized how sore the fall had made her. It felt like all of her bones were aching subtly, as though her exercise had finally caught up with her.

Veronica simply growled lowly, her hackles rising as she looked to the woman. “You know, we could have been seriously hurt!”

“Oh no! I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do to help?” The brunette asked hurriedly, and before Veronica could respond, the strange woman began to caress her face, petting her behind her ears. “I'm Antonia, and I've been told that I can give quite the massage...”

Normally, Veronica would have recoiled from the woman's touch; perhaps snapped at her for this blatant breach of personal space. But strangely enough, the woman’s hands felt oddly good... The girl began to pant dumbly, leaning a little into Antonia’s fingers and letting a contented whine escape her lips.

Little did she know that Antonia's every pet was sapping her of her intelligence, draining her of all human thoughts and replacing them with something else altogether. Memories and even intelligence were sapped from her mind in swathes, falling like wheat before a thresher. In just seconds, her human personality was obliterated, replaced only by a numb, dumb warmth.

And, surprisingly, Veronica was happy with it. Even though the only thing she could remember was her name, she loved this pampering touch! She was really, really happy; so much so that she wished she knew another word for happy! “Arf!” She barked, trying to convey her pleasure.

Betty blinked in shock as her sister fell to all fours, panting and whining just like a dog. “W-what? Veronica? Are you okay?”

“Oh, she's better than okay.” Antonia smirked, scratching Veronica under her chin. The woman whined loudly and wiggled her butt happily as Antonia began to speak again.

“She's my pet. Well, not yet; but, you know.” The brunette shrugged. “Little details.”

Betty's gaze hardened into a glare as she looked to the witch, for what else could this woman be? “Reverse what you did or else!” She growled, darting a hand into her pocket to grab for her mini can of pepper spray.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Antonia had something else in mind for the jogger, and before she could withdraw her weapon her body locked up. “W-what? How?” Betty whimpered, struggling against the invisible force that left her immobile.

“Well, as you might have guessed; my touch can have quite the effect on someone's mind. But as for their body... Well, my presence alone is enough for you to be completely under my control.” Replied Antonia with a cruel smile, clicking her fingers and sending Betty to fall to all fours just like her sister.

The controlled girl watched helplessly as Veronica turned to face her, her sister's eyes vacant as she continued to pant and drool. “W-what are you going to do to us?” Betty asked.

She tried to tear her eyes from her sister's face, yet found herself unable to break her gaze. The girl whimpered at the sight of how stupid her sister was acting, and she began to fear for her own mind.

Betty should have been fearing for her body instead. Her heart picked up in pace as her sister's nose darkened, a cold and clammy feeling settling along her own nostrils at the same time. She could see it happening in her peripheral vision, her nose starting to look wet and dark almost like a dog's.

“Oh my God!” She exclaimed softly, feeling her jaw begin to ache as it stretched slowly out into a muzzle. Her bones reformed; teeth sharpened; tongue lengthened. And all the while, she could see these changes mirrored on Veronica's dumb, contented face.

Veronica hadn't stopped smiling, not for one moment. And why would she? Her sister was becoming just like she was! The dog-brained girl licked her lips happily as they darkened and thinned, becoming the rubbery lips of a dog. A cleft formed in her upper lip, rising up to her nose, and she licked her lips again as her cheeks began to plump up.

Then both girls whined in unison, feeling a mad itch creeping along their heads. They each stared at one another in shock as long and tawny golden hairs grew to a short stubble on their faces; soon lengthening to a fluffy coat of fur.

“You know, some people don't give their victims a good chance to look at one another as they're changing. Then again, some people don't have much taste. There's nothing quite like the look in a munny's eyes as they see what they're becoming.” Antonia spoke slowly, grinning as despair began to settle into Betty's gaze, the girl's ears growing long and floppy on what was now a canine head.

“Just like that.” Antonia smirked, stooping down to Veronica and scratching her behind her ears.

Betty whimpered loudly as she somehow felt the woman's fingers against her own ears, hating how nice her tormentor's invisible touch was. She looked to her sister’s dumbly panting form with mounting horror, forced to watch as additional changes began to make themselves apparent along both their bodies.

Betty's shoulders and hips popped, making her quadrupedal stance a good deal more natural. She could see the effects of this mirrored on her sister, who shook and barked happily with what looked to be comfort.

Their bodies began to grow the same golden fur that covered their faces, leaving them with shaggy coats that felt maddeningly uncomfortable under their clothes. It was a discomfort that lasted but a second, as their clothes simply unraveled, leaving them clad in nothing but fur.

Of course Veronica didn't mind; she simply kept panting happily as her arms and legs thinned to an ideal canine length. The dog-brained girl had always felt that her body wasn't quite right anyways! Better yet, the other human was changing to match her! They'd be best friends!

“Nr-nrooo! Prrrleesuh!” Betty managed despite her doggy muzzle and long tongue. She watched her sister change and continued to feel the transformation mirrored on her own body, her torso now losing its hourglass figure in favor of something primal.

Her breasts receded into her chest as she whimpered; a yelp following the sound when her tail sprouted. The extra limb wagged madly like Betty was excited for the changes yet to come, and she moaned loudly.

For a blissful few seconds, it felt like their bodies were done with their descent into canine form. It felt like Betty's torment was at an end. Then she noticed that her sister's hands and feet were beginning to change, regressing into the paws of a golden retriever.

At least, that's what Betty thought they were becoming... She hiccuped with sorrow, the knowledge of her breed proving no solace to the girl, who was almost completely a dog. She tried to beg for mercy one last time, but only a canine whimper escaped her throat.

However, much to her mounting horror, she realized that the witch was not done with her yet. Antonia approached Betty with a smile, crouching to look her in the eyes. “Now, unfortunately; this change I can't quite mirror... But I promise you'll enjoy it.”

Betty whined with canine confusion, only to yelp as a strange warmth entered her body. She shifted uncomfortably in place, only to shudder as she realized that she was growing something; a new appendage forming between her legs.

As the muscle settled in, her eyes widened; and a new pushing sensation heralded her transition from 'she' to 'he'. Betty whimpered loudly in shock, looking up to Antonia with stunned horror.

Her response was a laugh and a wave. “Well, have fun you two. I’ll be back for you after I’m done with my business.” Antonia said with a smile, winking impishly. With that, she disappeared just as suddenly as she'd come into the two's lives, relinquishing her hold over their bodies.

Betty whimpered as the witch vanished, leaving just his sister and... Him. Him! To think that he was not only a dog, but worse; a male dog! He mentally sobbed with the horror of his new life; only for a pungent odor to hit his nostrils.

He watched in horror as Veronica turned happily, panting dumbly and wagging her tail. The scent only increased, and Betty realized that his sister had gone into heat. He tried to fight back against his new primal instincts; wanted to begin a vow of canine celibacy.

And yet... The sight of his sister was somehow arousing to him. Drool spilled from Betty's open jaw as he began to pant hungrily, and he whined loudly. No, he couldn't! And yet... And yet he was a dog now, wasn’t he?

Conflicting thoughts warred in his mind as he felt a pang of pleasure run through his heart, and his resolve slowly began to crumble away. Male hormones flooded his veins as he looked to the eager animal before him, and Betty pounced upon his sister with a loud bark, nipping at her rough fur and-

 

Antonia stuck out her tongue as the transmission ended, growling lowly. “Oh, come on! That's the best part!”

“And we're supposed to keep things safe for work.” Ted chuckled, shaking his head. “We'll need at least a mild content warning for this week's episode.”

“Spoilsport.” The woman pouted, tossing her hair over her shoulder cockily. “I mean, we didn't even get to see her mind fully break!”

At that, Stephanie lifted a hand, smiling as she began to judge the witch's work. “That said, you incorporated a solid canine transformation and a bit of female-to-male change. That and the incest add this somewhat taboo flavor to your change, and you know I love that.”

“But dogs? Really? They're overrated; I think I liked seeing a tigress come out of transformation more than that.” Garcia shook his head, opening his mouth to speak once more, only for Stephanie to cut in.

“Hey, there's a reason why they're so popular! What other animal can so utterly encapsulate physical and mental transformation? The loss of self; loss of dignity! This is why I love transformation!”

“Children,” Clark cut in, emphasizing the word, “let's remember that we're supposed to be professionals. The fact of the matter is that this is a very solid transformation, from start to end. I'm not entirely sure how original this was, but it's certainly very well done; and I do like that mirrored change you had going.”

“Unfortunately, I think that was the sound of Lukasz losing this game, and only on the second contestant!” Ted chimed happily, clapping to lead the audience into applause. Antonia turned to walk towards the waiting contestants, and Vasilios approached the stage, a small smile on his face.

“I realize that my transformation might be expected, but I have to honor my ancestors. That said... I still hope to show you something a little unique.” Vasilios grinned; then vanished from sight with the loud crack of a flashy teleportation.

 

Vanessa Hodges sighed and panted within the thick confines of her suit, deeply regretting ever having rushed for a sorority. This latest bit of hazing involved her having to jog in a marathon while wearing a costume. And of course, it couldn't just be any costume: it had to be a pig outfit, one that was heavy and hot and awful.

She considered removing the hat of the outfit for a few minutes, rationing that it couldn't possibly hurt. After all, she was so far back in last place that nobody would see her do it; and if the sorority didn't know...

The redhead rapidly aborted the idea at the sound of metal clanking beside her, and she turned to find an attractive Greek man jogging in something that looked like Ancient Greek plate armor. He nodded to her with a smile, and she began to wonder if she was hallucinating from heat stroke.

“Why hello there!” He called, a smile on his face. “I take it that I am not the only one whose friends have a sense of humor?”

He seemed friendly enough… Vanessa nodded, the motion causing her jog to falter into a half-stumble thanks to her heavy costumed head. To her surprise, the man caught her, a smile plain on his face. “Hey! It must not be easy running on hooves, no?”

Vanessa sighed and paused to pant, catching her breath and blushing from how close he was. “Yeah... Thanks.” She managed, extending a trotter-encased hand. “I'm Vanessa.”

“And I am Vasilios.” He replied, taking her hand in his with a smile. “Tell me, Vanessa... Would you like to see a magic trick?”

“Sure?” She shrugged, smiling at the man eagerly, only to scowl as she realized he couldn't see her face. She was tempted to remove the head to her costume, but she didn't want to risk the possibility that he was sent from the gaggle of bitches she wanted to join.

He wiggled his fingers and pointed at her, a smile on his face. “I am going to transform you into a pig.”

She snorted at that, smiling beneath her mask. “Oh? I think I'm already there.”

“No no no, you do not understand. I am going to perform a very, very delicate transformation upon your body. Essentially, I am going to rewrite your fate itself so that it was never you who was supposed to compete in this race, but a pig instead.”

“Yeah, right.” Vanessa rolled her eyes, glad for this diversion. It was a hell of a lot better than jogging, that was for sure. “Go ahead, impress me.”

“I intend to.” The Greek man nodded, a smile plain on his face. “Vanessa, I want you to close your eyes and tell me your first memory; the very first thing you can remember in your life.”

Vanessa chuckled and rolled her eyes. Then she closed them obediently, wondering where this was going. She could remember her mother's face, the woman smiling under the rim of her straw hat as she picked Vanessa up. The woman cradled Vanessa in her arms under the blue skies of a clear day, then lowered her next to a pig. Wait.

Vanessa's eyes snapped open as she looked to Vasilios in a panic, her heart beginning to race in her chest. “How did you do that? Are you a hypnotist; some kind of magician?”

“Of sorts.” Replied the man with a small smile. “Now tell me, my dear. What looks different about your world right now?”

She blinked in confusion; only to squeak as she realized that there was a snout in her peripheral vision. Only this wasn't something of cloth like her costume; it was twitching and moving as though it was a part of her! For that matter, she wasn't looking out from a costume anymore; she was seeing the snout through her own two eyes!

The girl yelped and brought her hands to her head, intending to tear off the mask and hopefully break whatever spell Vasilios had cast upon her. Instead, she cracked herself against the skull with a pair of blunt hooves, and a loud squeal emerged from her snout.

“Whrrn-hrrn-what did you do to meEEE?” She screamed, looking down at a body that was fat and pink, covered in coarse hairs. She could feel the weight; feel how flabby and sweaty her form was now. Her every motion sent jiggles of motion through her hefty body, and with a start, she realized that she was naked.

“I already explained that. I simply changed something in the past; and the timeline is moving to correct itself. You know, souls are such wonderful things to play with.” Vasilios spoke proudly, as though he was a painter regarding his latest masterpiece.

He didn’t so much as seem to notice her attempt to notice her attempts to cover herself, though they made in vain. After all, not only were her arms beginning to betray her by restricting her motion; but she also lacked any femininity. Her breasts had already become the teats of a pig, and her flab concealed everything else.

Vanessa soon found something else weighing heavily on her mind, and she whimpered loudly as she realized she couldn't remember her schooling anymore. Instead, she could only recall only recalling a life in the mud, eating slop like an animal. Her piggy snout twitched madly as it drew out a little longer; her body plumping up further as it stretched.

In seconds, her belly had grown far beyond the pot belly she’d had before, its thick pink heft wobbling as it grew larger and larger. Soon it was big enough to offset her balance, warranting a new squeal of panic from the girl. “Rrrn-REEE!” She yelped, losing her footing thanks to her new front-heavy nature.

Vanessa landed on the costume's trotters, now her own, with a loud clop that was echoed by a set of loud, sharp cracks. With a half-snorted sob, the girl realized she'd never be able to walk on two legs again. Worse, she realized she couldn't remember how it felt like to be bipedal; any attempts to recall such were met with thoughts of a life on all fours.

“Do not worry; your human parents-not that I think you remember them-still have a daughter, who has lived your exact life and is, in all honesty, quite content. You’ll be meeting her soon. Aside from that, everybody in your past will miss you... Wait, damn! I mean, nobody in your past will miss you.”

“Hrrrnoink! How is thrrn-rrnt soornpossed to comforrrnt mREE?” Vanessa sobbed as English began to become a struggle to recall; her mind eagerly accepting her transformation, much to her chagrin.

A curly tail spiraled out from her spine even as her arms and legs lengthened to stubbly, short limbs; and the girl sobbed as her neck was forced upwards just like an animal's. She looked with wide eyes to the man for mercy, only to squeal as she realized she didn't remember his name.

“Ah, yes. The final stages, where ymnnn blrrm aivne aspkeb.” The man's words degenerated into what sounded like babble, and Vanessa squealed as she realized she'd lost the ability to so much as comprehend English.

Then she squealed again, forgetting why she was upset in the first place but knowing there must be a very good reason. After all, she had squealed, and thus must be upset about something!

All sense of self vanished from her mind as Vanessa forgot even her own name. Her sense of identity vanished next, as lost the capacity to even know that she was a pig. There was simply her kind and the others not like her.

Her ears flicked as the last changes coursed around her body, jiggling her fat as they came to a close. She snorted at the being before her as it made some strange sounds again, backing uneasily from it.

Her retreat was halted as a pair of arms snugly settled around her body, and the pig snuffled loudly, looking back to recognize a face. It was the big thing that had raised her and had taken her out to this place! She snorted happily, settling into the thing's embrace and looking out to the trail as it began to move at a pace she once knew as a 'jog'.

Of the first being, there was no sign; and she didn't mind. It had upset her anyways... Probably.

 

Vasilios reappeared on-stage with another crack, still clad in plate armor. “Well, my fellow magicians? How was that?”

“I hate pig transformations, so I can't really comment other than to say that you've impressed me with something I've never quite seen before.” Stephanie spoke simply, nodding to him with a smile.

Clark nodded in assent, giving Vasilios two-thumbs up. “You lose some points with me for being predictable, but you set out to achieve an objective and you performed marvelously. Stay here after the show, I want to learn how you did that. Top points for skill, and that’s not something I say often.”

Garcia smiled as well. “I think that Antonia's got some pretty fierce competition. You have some flair and a unique costume-involved transformation. You presented yourself well, though I do think you called upon your lineage a little heavily there.”

“Fierce competition indeed. Who'd have thought our judges would love such commonplace transformations? Certainly not I, and definitely not Lukasz. That said, Antonia and Vasilios aren't guaranteed a victory, as we have one mage left.”

“Thanks much!” Vasilios bowed, turning to find Molly already drifting towards center stage. He hurried his pace with a smile, nodding to her as he passed.

The banshee smiled back, though hers was the self-assured grin of a woman who knew she had the upper edge. Then she simply faded away, her translucent form dissolving to complete transparency.

 

Himiko Ren huffed faintly as she continued her morning jog around the island, enjoying the warm feeling of the sun on her body. It was a private pleasure she could call her own, thanks to several lucrative investments that allowed her to retire at a young age.

Indeed, she owned the island she jogged on; and, unfortunately for her, was its sole occupant. Naturally, this made her a perfect target for Molly McCarran's unique brand of magic.

The first thing Himiko noticed was that she was starting to get a chill, despite the blistering hot sun overhead. She wiped at her forehead and furrowed her brow in confusion; feeling that it was a little more damp than usual.

Then came the cramping, a mad ache that sent her run into a stumbling fall, almost face-first into the sand. The Japanese girl groaned as she slowly stood up, dusting herself off with a sigh and a frown plain on her face.

“That's... Odd.” She muttered, looking down to her legs with a glare of consternation. She'd stretched beforehand and hadn't eaten more than a few fruit before running, so there should be no reason for her to feel any cramps. And yet she couldn't deny what she'd felt before falling...

She looked up to continue on her jog and froze in shock at an unfamiliar sight. There was a woman in front of her, her eyes hard and her face stern. She would have been pretty were it not for her sunken cheeks and gaunt eyes. Also there was the fact that she was floating.

Himiko screamed, thoughts of oni and yokai flooding her mind as she fell back onto the sand once more, her hands clasping together as rushed a prayer flew to her lips. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

That was as far as she managed before the banshee before her lifted a spectral hand, a cone of cold flying from her outstretched palm onto the fallen woman.

The next sound from Himiko's mouth was not the next line of her prayer, nor was it anything remotely comprehendible. It was a mangled shriek, her nerves screaming for mercy as the blood froze in her veins, as her skin hardened.

Tears dewed in the corners of her slanted eyes only to harden to ice mere seconds later, and the sharpest, coldest agony of her life gripped her body. As the wave of frost clenched around her lungs, her shriek was forever silenced; and she watched in terror at the sight of her black, frostbitten arm, the only part of herself she could see.

Then, much to her shock, the dark color of atrophy began to dissipate from her skin, draining from her arm until it was clear as glass. Her whole body wasn't simply frozen; it was turning to ice, and she began to truly panic as her clothes cracked off her body, crumbling to flakes from the sheer cold of her form.

How was she not dead? Was this a nightmare? Maybe this was death, and she'd been sent to hell. All these thoughts and so many more raced through her translucent head as the last shades of color drained from her, leaving her a sculpture as smooth as glass.

All the while, she had to suffer that damnable cold; the worst, most intense frost of her life. Somehow, despite her frozen body's lack of nerves, she was able to feel the agony of ice's merciless grip. It was a pain unlike any other she'd felt in her life, and she soon longed for the release of death, a mercy that she suspected she would not be given.

She was correct to assume so, as the ethereal woman began to float around her, examining her like a sculptor looks at one of their pieces. “Yes, yes; a fine start.” Her words had a haunting melody to them, and an accent that spoke of days long past.

Start? How could this not be the end? What further indignities could Himiko suffer? Her unvoiced questions were answered a second later as her frozen body began to move of a will not her own.

Sharp tendrils of agony ripped through her form, as though she still had muscles and bones that could creak with protest. Himiko's frozen scream matched with her discomfort as she rose to stand, lifting one leg slowly and turning it at an angle. Her foot met her thigh and fused fast, freezing her in a pose reminiscent of something from a yoga studio.

“Perfect. Now to do a little trimming.” The spectral form smirked, flexing her fingers and lengthening her nails to long, sharp claws. The banshee played her fingers along the curves of Himiko's body, eliciting new silent screams of pain as she began to chip at the ice, carving it down.

For Himiko, it felt like her body was being flensed, chunks of her flesh falling to the ground. Her body took on an hourglass figure beneath the apparition's watchful gaze, and her butt and breasts were slimmed to match.

Yet even this didn't seem to please the Banshee, who scoffed at her creation, a frown on her face. “No, no. This is wrong; all wrong.” Her words were laced with disdain, and she punctuated them by taking a particularly savage chunk from Himiko's thigh.

Consequently, the frozen woman's pose was a little off-balance, and Himiko began to wobble slightly with the passes of her island's ocean breeze. Her soul still shone brightly through her frosted eyes, and instead of horror or pain they spoke only of panic.

Then this too passed, gleams of acceptance entering her mind. Perhaps this was the only way to feel the release of death; shattering upon the ground when she fell. She began to anticipate her impact with the sand as she wobbled more and more; then she finally lost her balance.

But before her frozen body could crash against the sand, the apparition's hands were made solid once more, clasping either side of her victim's head and snaring her fast. “Now, we can't have that.” It spoke with a smile, twisting hard at Himiko's head and separating it from her body. “I want something for my collection back home, after all.”

Her haunting words were echoed by the crash of splintering ice, and Himiko jolted mentally as she felt her body break. Even though her head was no longer attached to her body, she could still feel the shattered shards of her form perfectly well.

Every single piece of her resonated clearly in her mind, and she quietly screamed as the banshee vanished while holding her head. Her last sight was of the island she once claimed as her own, and of the shattered ice crystals that were slowly beginning to melt.

 

“Himiko would remain a frozen head in Molly McCarren's collection for the remainder of her life, cruelly posed to face a mirror and constantly see the reality of what she'd become. She forever gazed into her own eyes, and at the distorted image of the freezer's shut door behind her.” Said Molly, a triumphant smile on her ghostly face.

Clark was the first to respond, his brow furrowed. “While I do appreciate the originality of this transformation, and the fact that the woman was Japanese... I don't entirely think I like the lack of interaction between you two. I said it with Vasilios, and I'll say it with you. We really need to see more interaction in this.”

“All the same,” Garcia interjected, “I do appreciate that you had a little epilogue; it's those kinds of details that are a nice touch. Honestly, I'm not too big of a fan of ice transformations; but you've done it well here, and I have to give you respect for that.”

Stephanie nodded in agreement, smiling. “I think you chose a very good spot, and I love the innocent yet powerful victim being brought to literal pieces. I'm just not entirely sure ice is the way to go here.”

Before Ted could speak, Molly interjected. “With all due respect, I have to disagree. She'll feel the rest of her body being absorbed into the sand, some of herself feeding trees and some of herself raining onto the ocean time and time again. She's going to be constantly denied the freedom of witnessing the world, yet her body is going to experience it.”

“Yes, but we didn't see that; did we? That kind of stuff is great in a transformation, and it's part of why I'm a fan of your work. But at the end of the day, we have to judge you with what we see.” Clark replied, clearly trying to let her down as kindly as possible.

The banshee sighed and nodded dejectedly, floating back to the other contestants.

Ted watched her go with a smile, then turned to the cameras. “So, four contestants have each performed their transformations, though none of them have been perfect. Judges, it falls to you to decide who will be this episode's Master Caster.”

The three mages nodded and quietly conferred among themselves, before turning to Ted. “I think we've reached a decision. All four of you have really showcased your talents, but at the end of the day; Antonia's dog transformation and Vasilios's pig transformation were tied. Unfortunately, this means that we need to factor in the fact that Antonia's change had to be cut short for our viewing audience, and so I have to announce Vasilios is our winner.”

She spoke sullenly, a pout clear on her face. “Congratulations, Mr. Helios. For your finesse with the transformative arts and imaginative process, the title of Master Caster is yours.”

“Yes, thank you!” He shouted, punching his fist in the air with a huge grin. The show's closing theme filled the air as he turned to shake hands with each of his competitors, a smile on his face.

xXx

And that's basically all there is to it. It might seem harsh or cruel to munnies, but you do need to understand; everyone needs to be entertained. If it helps, the show's not entirely random in terms of who gets transformed. While some of the advanced contestants can seek out their own targets, beginners get to choose from a pool of candidates.

Most of the munnies in this pool are selected simply based on which of them have most recently offended a judge. Bad drivers and poor servers are usually the top two types of candidates to be changed. As for the rest, well... Those are selected from the munnies who know about magic and spread the word. Nobody likes a spoilsport, after all.

That said, simply knowing about magic isn't enough to enter you in the pool. Mages like to offer munnies the chance to self-improve, after all. So be kind to those you meet; excel in all that you can; and keep quiet about what you've just seen.

If you don't; well, at least you'll be a part of the most popular game show in the magical world.