TransSec

(Men to Various Barn Animals)
(Men to Puppies)
(Women to Kittens)
(Man to Caucasian Shepherd)

“We live in an unkind world.” Mira spoke softly, one of her rabbit’s ears twitching slightly as she looked at the men and women gathered before her. “And much as I would like TransFun serums to be completely safe, we can’t guarantee that it will be. There’s been some disturbing reports of criminals recreating TransFun serums, and we simply cannot abide by that.”

“I thought you put a magical lock on every serum to prevent its manipulation?” One of the men spoke aloud, frowning as he looked up. He was tall and fit, with a thin beard just under his golden hair.

Mira nodded, looking him up and down. She didn’t recognize him personally, but she dimly recalled his file. Hastur Gathos, a mage who showed promise—not in his spellwork but in his detection capacities. His interest in this project was a good sign for its continued existence.

“We have, as well as a lock to backfire a serum and notify us should someone be forced to remain in a changed form for more than a month. The fact that these criminal elements have been able to bypass them is concerning indeed, and we believe that they are receiving outside help.”

“Lovely.” Hastur muttered. “And you didn’t ask Mark for help… Why, again?”

Mira frowned at the thought of her mentor. In all honesty, it was because she couldn’t bear to think of him potentially risking his life. Even if he was one of the most talented magicians she knew, he was hardly the strongest. Instead, she simply replied: “Crown Royale services would have a conflict of interest here, seeing as I am still a partner.”

Another man spoke, his dark hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. “And so you come to us for help?” His voice boomed, full of mirth. He stood head and shoulders above the rest of the gathered magicians, wearing simple black robes.

Mira recognized him immediately: The Great Gerald. He was one of the few here that she’d personally picked. She’d gone up against him before, and Mira knew she’d only won their duel because it went by tournament rules. “I come to you with employment.” She corrected.

The man scratched at his goatee contemplatively. “Those of us with magic are already better employed than any company could provide us with.”

“You are, yes.” Mira nodded at him. “But I also aim to give you a purpose. Three are those out there who would hurt others; use their gifts for ill purposes. This is our chance to teach them a lesson, our chance to stand for what’s right.”

Gerald nodded. “For too long I’ve wandered without a cause. I’d say it’s time I have found one again.” He winked at Mira, and she smiled back with the realization that he’d just helped her sway even more of the gathered crowd.

“So, I ask you: who here wants to do something right? Who here wants to stand up for order; to fight back those who would seek to undermine our very society?” Mira’s ears perked up as she spoke, and she sent the crowd a determined grin.

Gerald responded for the gathered magicians. “When do we begin?”

***Three Months Later***

“This is Talon calling Hammer. You boys in position?” Sidi’s voice came in crisp and clear through the rune in Gerald’s ear and he nodded by way of response. A slow smile worked its way across his face as he prepared for combat.

The magicians Mira had hired were split off into four-man TransSec teams, and Gerald wouldn’t have it any other way. Of course, he’d been offered a higher position than frontline work. But both he and Mira knew he’d be best suited for dealing with things in person.

For example, there was this case. An underground TransFun imitation lab had begun releasing knockoff products which claimed to be as good as the real deal. However, there were already reports of deaths coming in, some budget-minded kids looking for a quick date as frogs.

Normally, this would call for a police investigation, complete with a SWAT raid. But thanks to some of the TransFun legal team, their own private security got first crack at the criminals. Not that the police minded. They were more than fine to let magicians deal with their own.

And this was a time for judicious application of magic. This raid was the closest they’d come to catching who had been deactivating TransFun safety features, so Mira called in the best.

“We’ll follow you in. Breach when ready.” Sidi spoke calmly. An Egyptian woman, she was powerful in her own right. But while Gerald was built for taking damage, she preferred to change in a more 'traditional' manner. Her transformation was based on shifting into an animal form and using her fangs and claws to change others.

Naturally, that left her wide open to anything at a range. As such, her team would be teleporting into a subfloor, getting as close to the enemy as possible before charging.

Such an operation would be tantamount to suicide were it not for Gerald’s team stirring the hornet’s nest. He grinned, sliding down the faceplate of his enchanted armor. The rest of his team was similarly equipped, fully prepared to bust heads.

Daz and Ilos were a pair of twin sorcerers whose might was comparable to Gerald’s. The two of them were almost assigned to another squad, but Gerald had managed to acquire them with the justification that there was no kill like overkill.

Naomi was assigned to his team for much the same reason. She was a brilliant healing mage, but she also had a gift for destruction. Right now it was her charms that were fastened around the door, waiting to be blown.

“You ready, boss?” Naomi hissed, taking a step back from the door. She wasn't as professional as the rest of them, but she made up for it in raw talent.

Gerald nodded curtly, his brow already furrowed with the concentration of his powers. According to Hastur, there was some sizable large magical activity here; magic that left the stoic man worried. And anything that worried Hastur worried Gerald as well.

Naomi danced further back, snapping the fingers on her left hand. A rippling series of cracks filled the air as the door exploded, flying inward towards the room. Then she clicked the fingers on her right hand. The door itself exploded, with a thunderclap and a loud flash that left everyone in the room deafened.

“Flashy.” Sidi chuckled over their communications line. “Talon, moving in.” Her words were accompanied by the faint rush of displacing magical energy, and Gerald nodded once more.

Then Gerald charged. “TransSec! Nobody move!” He thundered, filling the door's frame with his massive body. A torrent of bullets answered his cry, pattering harmlessly off of his barriers.

He waited patiently for the thugs to empty their magazines before beginning his response. He began with a tidal wave of raw magical power, picking out three shooters in front of him and shifting them into pigs.

They cried out, squeals filling the air as the their bodies reshaped; their vocal chords twisted. The would-be gunmen grunted and snorted as they fell to the ground, their forming hooves clattering on the aluminum floor.

Tusks sprouted from faces, and there came the distinctive clatter of masks falling to the ground. Gerald grit his teeth: that explained how they were able to gather themselves so quickly. Somehow they'd been expecting the TransSec team.

A spike of dread sank into his heart, and he quickly checked his communications rune, transforming another shooter into a goat as he did. “Talon, this is Hammer. Status?”

The line was dead on the other end, and Gerald grit his teeth. “Daz, Ilos. Finish off this room. Naomi, with me.” He tossed his hand up, pulling a large magical shield before him to help keep the woman from taking fire.

“Something wrong with Talon, boss?” She asked, ducking behind him.

“Let's hope not.” Gerald muttered, searching for the stairs that would lead to Talon's location. He found them in a quick moment, guiding the way.

As the two stalked to the stairs, the twins were already storming ahead. The pair of them had wide grins on their faces, using their traditional tandem transformations.

Daz led, his hands sweeping through low and sweeping motions as he summoned dozens of binding chains attached to collars. The moment one such leather band swept its way across a victim's neck, their head transformed as the seeds of change were planted.

At which point Ilos followed, his own magic sweeping out in quick spikes and bursts. He completed what his brother had begun, feeding the raw magical energy with his own. It was like watering a tree, albeit one that grew in scant seconds. Already the room was filling with bleats, snorts, and whinnies of confusion.

The sounds faded to a din for Gerald and Naomi as they ran down the stairs. The moment they were halfway through, they began to hear a different set of noises entirely.

It sounded like cats' mewling interspersed with dogs' barking, and the two hurried their pace. “Talon, I'm coming in hot.” Gerald commed. He then looked back to Naomi, waving her back. “If Talon really is in trouble, I'll need you to take care of them. Once I send them to you, start moving and don't stop until you're secure.”

“But... I'm not leaving you.”

Gerard chuckled, conveying a sense of confidence he didn't quite feel. “Relax. I'm not the sort to be left behind. Just get Talon, the twins, and yourself out of here. No heroics.”

“I'm the one who should tell that to you.” She replied, concern written across her face.

“I'll be fine.” He said, lying again. Sidi wasn't as strong as him, but she was damnably close. Not to mention the fact that she had a full team with her. Anything that had been able to overcome them should be more than strong enough to deal with any lone mage.

Still, he'd give them a hell of a fight.

He charged down to the doorframe only to pause in concern and horror alike. There was a charred circle in the floor—the telltale sign of Talon's entry. But instead of the team of TransSec operatives, there were a pair of puppies and a kitten in the circle, playing with each other cutely.

A creature stood before them, something that could only be described as a demon. It was red-skinned, with black veins seeming to course just beneath the surface of its crimson flesh.

Its eyes were black as coal, its ears pointed, and its face utterly devoid of a nose. And, just like something from a fairy tail, the creature's arms and legs ended in eight-taloned claws. Two of these claws were holding a second kitten, which mewled in delight as the creature used a claw to scratch it beneath its chin.

The creature looked up at Gerald, a wry grin twisting across its fanged face.

~Why, hello there.~

Its lips didn't move, but the room was filled with what could only be its voice. It was rheumy yet appallingly dry, grating on Gerald's nerves like fingernails along the back of a chalkboard.

“And you are?” Gerald arched an eyebrow. “Some doctor who experimented a little too much with serums?”

The creature chuckled, the sound like a thousand wasps beating their wings. ~As if your little concoctions could create one such as me. My name is above a human like yourself.~ It paused, scratching the purring kitten in its arms. ~Though I get the impression you're going to try and prove me otherwise; perhaps fight me for my newest... Acquisitions.~

Gerard nodded. “That's the idea. I'm fairly certain that those animals are friends of mine, and that they didn't end up that way by choice.” He inclined his head towards the young animals, who continued to play as though the demon and the man weren't in the room with them.

~They didn't, no. In fact, they put up a marvelous fight. This one, most of all.~ It looked down to the kitten, setting it down on the ground. The little cat wobbles its way over to the other animals, batting at the other kitten cutely.

Gerard grit his teeth. Sure enough, it did look like a tiny version of Sidi's panther form.

~I can only hope you'll provide me just as much of a challenge.~ The creature flexed its claws and dark magic began to seep from them.

Gerald responded by slamming a fist into the ground, reactivating Talon's teleportation rune and sending them back to Naomi. The baby animals disappeared with a faint crackling, and Gerald breathed a little easier.

~You shouldn't have done that, you know.~ The creature said, its tone dripping with arrogance. ~Your concern for your comrades is laudable, but I also have an affinity for animals. It would have been safer for you to keep them here.~

“We'll see about that.” Gerard grunted, firing off a pulse of magic.

The creature simply swatted it away. ~You humans think that you’re the highest power in this world.~ It spoke again, that offputting cadence spoiling the air. It tuned to face Gerald, baring its fangs in amusement. ~But by bringing magic back into the fold once more, you’ve awoken something you can’t even begin to fathom.~

Gerald settled into a fighting stance, his fists raised. “I might not be able to fathom it. But I’ve fought things I couldn’t understand before, and I’m still here to talk about it.”

~Such confidence.~ The creature hissed, tilting its head.

“Not without reason.” Gerard grinned, launching a stronger wave at the creature. This was twice as strong as the last one; a tidal wave compared to a gentle spray.

It crashed into the creature, whose form crackled loudly. Its clawed hands hardened to hooves, only to break once more back into claws.

But Gerard wasn't done yet. He followed it with another two slamming waves of energy, its legs twisting into a tail and its head pushing out into a muzzle. Despite their strength, each of them only lasted for a few seconds, just as before.

~Impressive.~ The creature said, its clawd hands clapping together. ~You may call me Raptor. I will be glad to make you into a pet.~

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Gerald grunted, rocking back on his hamstrings. Then he launched himself forward with a flurry of blows. If he couldn't change it, he'd just need to grind it to dust. Raptor simply dodged the attacks, beginning to muster its own magical power.

Gerald had seen what happened to those touched by Raptor's magic, and he knew that he couldn’t give the creature any openings.

He ducked low, sweeping under a counter-attack to deliver an impressive right cross to Raptor’s chin. This one connected, and the monstrosity flew back, crashing into a table.

~That actually hurt.~ Raptor chided.

“Yeah?” Gerald dropped back to a neutral stance, watching it closely. “Maybe we humans are a little stronger than you think.”

~Perhaps.~ Raptor said. Then it disappeared, a faint wisp of smoke the only testament to its existence. ~Or perhaps not.~

Its voice came from behind Gerald, and he spun, raising his shields to their full strength. He almost didn’t make it; Raptor’s counterblow was savagely strong. And it had that damnable taint to it, the same aura that had changed Sidi’s squad.

Gerald flickered his defenses, feeling the corruption slide from his shields like oil. He wasn’t sure, but he suspected that it staying on anything of his wouldn’t be good for his health.

~Impressive. Most humans wouldn’t have caught on.~

“I’m not most humans.”

~Nor will you remain human for long.~

The two met again, this time swinging blow after blow at the other. Raptor had its damnable evasiveness, but Gerald had brute force. Rather than trying anything with transforming his foe, Gerald had settled for changing his own body, enhancing his blows to hit harder than a truck.

He feinted left as Raptor swung again, delivering a blow that should have shattered its ribs. Instead it simply grunted, flaring out a spike of transformative energy. Gerald pulled his fist away, but not quickly enough to avoid his hand beginning to reshape into a dog’s paw.

Gerard tried to reverse the transformation, but he realized that he couldn't. “Lovely.” He grunted, shifting his stance so that he was guarding with his changing body. That explained how it had changed Sidi. If its magic was contact-based just like hers was, she wouldn't have stood a chance.

Gerard focused on the transformation, working his own energies into it. While he might not be able to prevent the changes, he could at least try to make the changes progress according to his own desires.

Sure enough, instead of shrinking his arm gained mass, becoming a Caucasian Shepherd’s. Gerald grinned in triumph, redoubling his efforts. He could feel the transformation sliding across his body, and he knew he had to at least get one good hit in before he fully transformed.

~Clever.~ Raptor clapped, still dodging from side to side. ~But that will only buy you a few minutes of combat capability. What are you hoping to accomplish in this? Once I finish with you, I’ll change your comrades just the same; then recover my newest pets.~

Gerald grit his teeth, stumbling a little as his legs began to reshape as well. A glance down to his arm confirmed that it was fully transformed, fur and all. He pulled away from Raptor, catching his breath and weighing his options. “Honestly? I’m not sure myself. I guess I’m holding out for a miracle.”

Raptor smiled, stalking towards Gerald even as the big man fell to a knee, his hips beginning to reconfigure. ~Miracles? You’re in the wrong time for miracles, my pet. Those ended millennia ago.~ It raised a hand, dark energies coursing through it.

Then its arm exploded.

Raptor let out a loud shriek, falling to the ground and clutching its maimed stump. Naomi walked into the room, a cocksure grin on her face. “That’s a matter of opinion.” She said levelly.

She'd been watching the fight, having handed their support team over to the twins. The pair loved it—they always had a soft spot for cute things. Once she was sure Talon was safe, she returned down to find her team's leader engaged with what could only be considered a demon.

Unwilling to catch him in the crossfire, she could only watch. Until the pair had broken apart. Now, she swept countless runes across the being known as Raptor. She clicked her fingers, triggering them.

As she did, another set of explosions rocked Raptor’s form, and it hissed loudly. ~What are you doing? How are you doing this?~

“Magic.” She said sarcastically. “Now do me a favor and return to whatever hell you came from.” She clenched her fist and Raptor’s eyes widened. It shrieked a moment later, its chest bulging as a massive detonation took place just beneath the surface of its skin. Dead, it fell to the floor, its body dissipating into smoke.

“No kill like overkill.” She muttered, falling to the ground as the adrenaline left her system. “Never thought I’d be fighting a demon…”

Gerald fell to all fours, but laughed nonetheless. “Well met!” He exclaimed with a grin. “When you change me back, rrremind me to give you a prrromotion.”

Naomi grinned back, walking over to him and scratching him behind his changing ears. “Will do. But this is a good look on you; you sure you want to change back so soon?”

He rolled his eyes. “As quickly as prrrossible. But I don’t think it’ll be anytime soon. That damned thing was strrrong.” Gerald huffed, his heart beginning to accelerate as it reshaped. “Debrrrief Mirrra forrr mrrr.” He managed, his vocal chords finally changing the rest of the way.

“Will do, boss. Then I’ll see what I can do about getting you a bone while we try and change you back.” Naomi chuckled tiredly as Gerald barked and licked her face, his transformation completing. His mind seemed to have left him, and Naomi sighed, looking back at the charred spot where Raptor had once stood.

“But… What the hell are these things?” She asked, scratching Gerard a little more nervously. He nuzzled her hand comfortingly, but even his changed mind realized that their lives were about to get far more interesting.