The Party

In a thatched two-floor cottage in the woods, two sisters in black dresses sat quietly by the fire. One with brown hair who appeared to be in her early twenties read a book, whilst the second who seemed in her late teens had a handheld games console, playing intently with headphones over her white hair.

At least, until the door burst open, and the elder sister entered. The youngest sister jumped up with a shriek.

None of the sisters was a sterotypical witch - The only warts they ever had were if they were transformed into toads, for example. They would be considered beautiful by many, but as witches they knew that their appearances were very much subject to self change at any time.

"Welcome home, Stheno." The brunette, Alecto, said as the green-haired elder entered.

"How was your shopping trip, sister?" The jumping younger sister, Pemphredo, asked from where she had landed.

"Somewhat tiresome. There was a very ill mannered assistant in the department store's jewellery section, but perhaps the replacement will be better. Certainly the mannequin bust I made from her will serve the store better than the previous role she was in before I go back to revert her."

"When will you be going back?" Alecto said.

"I am thinking the March sale. Maybe even Summer. She was quite rude..."

"Do you need some tea to calm down?"

"No, I have a better idea, my sister..."

"Uh oh..." Pemphredo muttered.

"Sisters, let us host a New Year Celebration this weekend! We will invite our friends and have a night to remember"" Stheno proclaimed, causing her sisters to stare at the eldest witch.

"...We didn't even put decorations up for Christmas. How can we have a holiday season party without decorations?" Pemphredo whined.

"I think I have an idea." The middle sister noted.

"We aren't hypnotising the shop workers to give us free decorations. We only just managed to hypnotise all those policemen into letting us go... It's most embarrassing, all the magical community laughed at us."  Pemphredo added again.

"It's not like that!" Alecto argued back.

"Really? It's always hypnosis for you, and it always gets us into trouble!"

"You're just paranoid! You never think anything will go well."

The elder sister growled, producing her wand

"Cease this argument!"

The younger pair ignored her and continued bickering. Two waves later, Pemphredo was as white as her hair, turned to granite, while Alecto had been replaced by a frog.

"Sorry sister. We got carried away." The frog croaked.

Two waves later, the other two were back to normal.

"See?! Hypnosis got us in trouble aga-" Pemphredo began, before being reverted to a statue.

"Silence! Don't make me leave you as the bird bath again! Now, Alecto. Your idea, please."

"Well, I was thinking, we could summon people to be the decorations. Just that spell where we warp them from other dimensions. We could turn one into a tree, and another into a fairy... Oh, and three dresses for us to wear. People turned into dresses are always so comfy..."

"Perhaps, sister, but dresses only. Any other ideas?"

"Um, well... we could have prizes for the games made from the guests. Not permanent ones, just for a week or so while we try to get real prizes. Placeholders."

"What sort of prizes?" Stheno enquired, waving her wand towards the statue-sister.

"Well, dolls, maybe. Oh, and statues, too. Bronze, Silver, Gold.."

"Maybe we could make a life-sized plush donkey for one of the games? To replace my old one from when I was litte? We still have the velcro tails to pin onto it, I found them the other day in my room." Pemphredo added, having learned her lesson.

"What happened to that donkey toy anyway?" Alecto wondered

"I turned it into a real one and then it escaped."

"Well, sisters, this plan seems to work. But we shall need assistants for the party, I feel. Three maids."

"We can summon fifteen people and the three left over will do as maids." Pemphredo said.

"Excellent. But how do we decide who becomes what?" Stheno said.

"Easy. We have them try out the games we want to do..." Alecto grinned.

***

A few days later, with invites sent and replied to, the day of the party was at hand.

The three sisters worked together to make the spell, intending to summon five "guests" each. Each sister had a reason for their choices, but none would speak of them or even identify their choices. That was going to be part of a game for the main party, after all.

They were not powerful enough to summon specific individuals, but merely seeking ones that fit their aims. A desire for certain attitudes and attributes. Powerful magic, but still not the most powerful. Which was fortunate since everyone with that kind of power seemed to be completely insane or completely boring. However, the somewhat random nature of the spell could lead to disappointment.

The three had formed a triangle, after clearing some space in the main room of the cottage. Currently much of the furniture was shrunken and sitting in a drawer in the kitchen, the walls had been carefully rearranged to maximise space, the ceiling had been raised, and a fresh coat of magically-created paint replaced the old wallpaper. The cat, meanwhile, had been put outside.

"What if we summon the wrong things?" Pemphredo worried.

"This is just the first stage of the spell. We summon their images within the triangle, make sure they're right, and then the second stage, we bring them to this world properly." Alecto noted.

In a shimmering light, the fifteen guests arrived, or rather, the ghostly images of the selection. Each of them seemed confused, for to see their images, a small gap was made connecting the dimensions or locations. To them, it appeared as a glowing sprite before them.

"Will your summoned guests suffice, sisters?" Stheno questioned, knowing each sister knew the faces of the five they had summoned.

"Mine will do." Alecto confirmed.

"Mine too." Pemphredo said

"Then we shall bring them."

Another shimmer, and the the ghostly images became real, and the confusion was about to change to varying levels of surprise and shock, until Alecto stepped in. The spell soon entranced the whole fifteen guests, and they stood with blank, glassy eyes.

Pemphredo's own spell was cast simultaneously., sapping the fighting and magical powers of those summoned here as long as they remained in the cottage and as long as Pemphredo left the charms in place. And thanks to the hypnosis that now had little chance of resistance, they would not seek to leave.

Stheno's contribution to the spell was to remove any weapons they carried, making them vanish back to their original dimensions. Though they had been rendered powerless in the cottage, by Pemphredo's spell, even useless weapons could be a risk.

"And now one by one, they'll tell us who they are." Alecto grinned.

Alecto would tell each to state their name and occupation, and with the aid of the hypnosis, describe their personalities and background, sometimes even mentioning self-opinions or events they denied or forgot. They were instructed to be brief also.

A blue-eyed blonde young woman was instructed to speak first. She was wearing a white and blue dress like a stylised school uniform, with knee-length red boots.

"My name is Link. I am a high schooler, and a Senshi. I am clumsy but brave."

Next, a black-haired girl in a blue tube top and shorts spoke.

"I am Kaede. I have no occupation by my own view though some would call me a mercenary. I am adventurous, a risk taker, skilled with firearms and determined to succeed."

Another blonde, wearing a skin-tight blue bodysuit, spoke up.

"I am Samus Aran. I am a bounty hunter. I am skilled and seek revenge upon the Space Pirates."

"They do seem to be not quite giving us the full story..." Pemphredo noted.

"Sometimes, even hypnosis can't help people clarify their own personalities.  And being brief means they will omit that which defines them least." Alecto explained.

The "guests" continued, a small girl in a pink shirt and dark red trousers.

"I am Suzie Wong. I am a grade schooler. I am playful and carefree." The girl spoke, the hypnosis making her speak in a manner that the young girl would likely never do herself.

A brunette young woman wearing what Stheno recognised as Pemphredo's bath robe spoke next.

"I am Stefanie..." She began.

"Did you put your bath robe on that one, Pemphredo?" Alecto interrupted, drowning out the occupation of the woman.

"Silence!" Stheno demanded,

"...I have no fear of my own nudity, and I am fascinated by strange things."

"Well, now we have no idea of her occupation. Fine work, sister..."

"Sorry, Stheno."

The next was a bird-like humanoid dragon.

"I am Daniel Rubia. I am a warrior. I am a cold, lone-wolf type and show little emotion."

The next to speak was a black-haired girl, currently wearing a black dress with a neckline that plunged enough to display a tattoo of a blue chinese dragon

"I am Janett. I am a delivery girl. I am willing to take any risks for self profit."

A twin in appearance of the first to speak now took the floor, strangely wearing a red one-piece swimsuit and clutching a blue bikini top.

"I am Linkette. I have no fixed occupation. I enjoy taunting and teasing my twin sister Link and her friend Peach, by shrinking them or using my magic upon them."

"A girl after our own hearts..." Alecto sighed.

"Why does she have the blue Bikini top?" Pemphredo wondered.

"She was snatched from a different period in time from her sister. She has in fact stolen it from her."  Stheno explained.

"So, if we take it away and don't send it back with her later..." Alecto grinned.

"Silence. The next guest speaks."

A black haired girl in a blue dress and black hotpants spoke now.

"I am Danee..."

"...Didn't we already have her but called Kaede? They look a lot alike..." Alecto wondered.

"Silence!"

"...I am a maid. I am quiet and unassuming, and have the alter ego of a sadistic killer."

"...Oh just a coincidence. Not one of Pemphredo's then."

A white-haired woman in a red jacket, black trousers, and a white shirt spoke.

"I am Raine Sage. I am a school teacher. I correct those who make errors with violence, and I am a terrible cook. I am pragmatic and obsessed with ruins and magitechnology."

A brunette in a green dress now spoke.

"I am Jeri Katou. I am a grade schooler. I am cheerful and sweet."

A blonde girl in a blue tank top and shorts spoke.

"I am Nancy..."

"Hey, wait, correct those who make errors with violence? What does that mean? And did that other Kaede say she was a serial killer?" Pemphredo suddenly realised, interrupting.

"Silence, fool! And she said sadistic killer. And her name was Danee!"

Nancy however, was finished.

"Great, now we've no idea of anything about this Nancy..."

A blue fox-like humanoid spoke now. She wore a blue kimono

"I am Lumi Eon. I have no occupation. I an quiet and shy, but caring and protective."

A girl in a plain blue dress spoke, and the three sisters noted her resemblance to Stefanie

"I am Isabell. I have no occupation. I look up to my sister Stefanie and wish to be more like her."

Lastly, a blonde in an ornate pink dress spoke.

"I am Peach. I am a princess. I am kind natured, well mannered,  and generous."

Stheno nodded, and spoke.

"Let me begin by introducing ourselves. We are Stheno, Alecto, and Pemphredo. We are sisters, and we are witches. We have brought you here for a short while to help us host a party. You will first test our games, and then, youl will become our decorations and placeholders for our prizes until we obtain more permanent rewards for the guests at our main party." Stheno said.

The fifteen entranced guests did not reply.

"Well, now we know the guests and they know us... Let the games begin."

Alecto dropped the strength of the hypnosis to give the guests some more awareness, but suppressing their fear and shock at the strange events. The spell would force them to play, even if they did not wish to.

"First up... Spin the Bottle..."

***

The fifteen guests sat in a circle. A bottle span in the centre of them. Some assumed this was a dream, others knew it was the truth.

"The first selected by the bottle will become the fairy for the tree. The second, the tree. The third, the prop for the next game." Stheno announced.

"Who are you three and why have you brought us here?!" Samus demanded, looking annoyed that she was helpless.

"I second that." Raine spoke up.

Stheno sighed.

"Alecto, no questions."

The other guests who had begun to speak fell silent, finding themselves unable to ask anything.

The bottle stopped, pointing at Suzie.

"We have a winner." Stheno grinned, waving her wand.

Suzie's attempt to speak had been a question, and so, with silence she shrank down, her clothing morphed into a white dress with wings, and her skin became plastic. It was a fast process, and Alecto plucked the new fairy up as she instructed the circle to close around the gap.

"And now the tree..."

More silence, as it seemed none of the others realised a question could not be asked. The bottle selected Nancy. Alecto cast her spell, and the young woman was instantly converted into a statue of wood. Her clothing turned into sheets of tinsel, and with baubles now hanging from her limbs. Stheno planted the fairy upon the new tree's head.

"What you are doing is cruel, unusual, and insane!" Linkette shouted.

"And?" Stheno demanded.

The guest grinned, to the surprise of all but the witches and her own sister.

"I like it."

The next spin selected Lumi Eon, who looked shocked.

"But I don't want to be a donkey..." She said, before Pemphredo's spell silenced her.

The change was little. She was merely a life-sized plush version of herself, on all fours like a donkey or horse, but otherwise unchanged, except that her tail had vanished. A quick spell changed the original donkey-tails into the tail of a Glaceon, and on close inspection, Lumi's fur and kimono were now a finely woven cluster of velcro loops, ready to accept the hooks on the tails.

"Not a donkey, but she was cute enough." Pemphredo smiled.

The remaining twelve watched in surprised silence, with the exception of Linkette who wasn't enjoying it as much as if she had been in control, but was still amused.

"No more of them have figured out they can't ask questions, I see..." Alecto chuckled.

***

The next round was Pin the Tail on the Lumi. Each of the twelve remaining guests was blindfolded, and attempted to get the tail dead centre. The one who was furthest away each round would become a gift for the main party. A toy reindeer, a toy puppy, and a plush doll of themselves.

Linkette's amusement faded as she discovered her efforts had been closer to the nose than the correct part. With a shocked expression, she found herself converted in a relative flash, but not into a reindeer as such. She shrank down in size, her swimsuit turning brown and spreading across her body to become a brown furred bikini, with antlers growing from her head.  What landed where she had been was Linkette as a plushy dressed as a Reindeer, with fluffy tail on the bikini-bottoms and hoove-pattern high heeled boots.

"Hey! That's cheating, Stheno! I want a real reindeer plushy!" Pemphredo protested, and got what she wished for.

"Alecto, move Pemphredo a little closer to our Donkey. If they land on her this round they lose.

The next round was lost by Kaede, who had managed to pin the tail on the Reindeer after all. Two spells were cast, and the result was a human Pemphredo, and after a quick moment of a surprised yelp, shrinking, and growing fur all over, a small cute plush-toy dog with black fur. The toy had an obvious resemblance to Kaede. Pemphredo taunted the girl who resembled Kaed eby comparing the doppleganger-dog toy to her after grasping bothsaid toy, and also Linkette.

"Get those toys out of my face!" She hissed.

Jeri was next to lose, and the girl seemed very alarmed by the prospect.

"I don't like dolls like that. I prefer puppets..."

Stheno did not, however, give Jeri her wish. The girl's transformation was simple, merely shrinking in size, turning from flesh and blood to flufff and velvety materials.

"Oooh, she's adorable!" Pemphredo said, picking up the new doll to clutch all three in her arms, alarmingly tightly by the reckoning of the remaining nine...

***

Musical Statues was the next game, with a twist.

"Now, the hypnosis on all of you has altered you to want to win. We will play a of musical statues. You will stop as soon as the music does, and turn to stone on the spot. The last to petrify will be eliminated, left in stone for the rest of this game, and the game continues. Third last to stop moving will be bronze. The last two will compete in a final place match. Whoever stops first, is gold, and whoever is last, is silver. Those three metal statues will be prize placeholders for our party."

The music began, and the nine guests danced. It stopped suddenly, causing amusing outcomes. First to freeze and petrify was Link, keeping her balance. Peach followed behind, supported somewhat by her petrified dress. Stefanie and her sister both froze near each other, and the younger girl gently toppled over onto her side. Samus and Daniel both wound up posed and frozen in such a manner they clattered to the floor the second they were stone. All the statues were completely unharmed, enchanted to be invincible. Janett held her balance, as did Danee, even as the falling statues caused Raine to teeter and topple herself having frozen last.

The other eight reverted, and Stheno altered the rules.

"Alecto... Make them forget Raine is there until they've hit her."

In the next round, many a player tripped over a statue on its side that they could not see. Link was unlucky to be trying to stand as the music ended.

Link was not made to be ignored, so the seven dancers left gave her a wide berth, though accidents still happened. Daniel was too slow off the mark, becoming another standing stone.

Samus turned to stone for the duration of the game the next time, and following that, a toppling statue of Danee knocked Stefanie out of the game by keeping her moving after the end of the music. Danee managed to end her participation upright as the last three fought for the "prize", and the hypnosis had the side effect of having made Janett's risk-raking nature begin to believe in her sub-concious that being a golden statue was a great reward...

Isabell's will to emulate her sister had taken until now to see the younger girl lose, the hypnosis making her desire to be like her sister mean she tried to keep moving longer than those she saw. With only two others, it was harder for a still-moving individual behind her to ruin her hypnosis-created plan. In an instant, she became a bronze statue, complete with pedestal.

Janet and Peach faced off.

"I'm going to win this!" Janett bragged, to the surprise of Peach, who found the hypnosis effect made her brag back...

"Not a chance. Gold is my colour."

The music stopped. Peach froze a fraction of a second earlier, and her golden statue stood in triumph beside the silver Janett.

The other seven reverted, still competitive as the next game began.

***

"Blind Mans' Bluff mixed with Freeze tag. One of us is blindfolded, and each time we tag one of you, you become a mannequin. The last one left untagged at the end of each round becomes the Blind Man's dress for the party." Stheno explained.

This round's amusement came from the fact that as the blind man, Pemphredo forgot which mannequins she had already made, and kept walking into them. In the end, Stefanie was the last to evade, and thanks to the hypnosis, whooped for joy as she was transformed, her cry silenced as she became flat, and converted into green silk. In seconds, she became a short-skirted green strapless dress.

"Tch, green. Horrible colour..."  Alecto said without thinking. In a flash, the green dress hung on a new rack.

"My turn instead, I think." Stheno said, having avenged her green hair. The intact mannequins were reassembled, those who had been somewhat separated were carefully reassembled by a sheepish Pemphredo.

It was Samus who suffered transmogrification into fashion this time. With a hypnosis forced grin even as her eyes reflected sheer shock and horror from her subconcious, she was rendered into a blue flowing ballgown.

Stheno had no collissions, and Alecto was reverted, holding the green dress in her hand.

"Shouldn't we just send out dresses into our rooms?"

"Quite." Stheno agreed, and Samus and Stefanie were spirited onto coathangers in each room.

Alecto's turn was next, and it lasted longer, as Alecto seemed to be avoiding Link. Link was still unable to ponder why, questions forbidden by enchantment.

In the end, the answer came as she was transformed into a golden dress, the hemline at a diagonal angle, making it longer down the right leg and one strap over the right shoulder.

"And green was ugly? You'll look like Peach..." Pemphredo muttered.

***

The last three remaining stood, vacant now. The game was over.

"All that remains is to have the helpers maid... heh, maid... Anyway..." Alecto had begun, only to turn into a toad.

"Okay, sorry, bad pun. Hey, wait, that one's a guy. Guess we've got a butler too."

"Indeed."

With a wave of her hand, the clothing on Daniel, Danee, and Raine converted. Daniel now wore a formal tuxedo in place of armour, while Danee and Raine now wore French Maid dresses.

"Fitting really. Danee said this was her occupation, did she not?" Stheno grinned.

"Yup. Now... Are we going to let the other twelve out of the trance?" Pemphredo grinned.

Alecto-frog shrugged.

"Don't see why not. Hang on, I'll turn back and make our servants nice and obedient first..."

And a few handwaves later, a fairy, a tree, a "donkey", three dolls, three statues, and three dresses suddenly found themselves facing up to a few very, very, weird days...