Warning - Top Secret
The following document is the transcription of an audio recording between a reporter for the "Midside Courier" - Miss Cassandra Beckstein (shortened to Cassy) - and an individual identifying herself as "Evelyn". This recording appears to be made in a conference room in the newspaper's main office and uploaded to the cloud as an automatic backup. Contents of this document are not to be made public.

Cassy: Miss ?

Evelyn: Yes, but please do not call me that. How about Evelyn. That's a good name as any.

Cassy: That is fine by me. So, Miss Evelyn. You told me you have inside information about the world of fashion witches. Those are very tight-knit with their secrets. May I ask how you came into possession of those facts?

Evelyn: Why, isn't it obvious? I am one. Oh, no need to flinch. If I wanted you transformed then I wouldn't bother talking to you.

Cassy: Glad to hear. But if you really are-

Evelyn: I am.

Cassy: Then why come talk to me? This will surely anger other fashion witches.

Evelyn: That won't matter. At least, very soon it won't.

Cassy: Alright. Fine by me. So where do you want to start?

Evelyn: With the basics of course. There, the most misconceptions lie. Technically this name is misleading. As are many other things that are common knowledge. The truth is obscured. Either by mistake, wrong observation, or on purpose. But tell me. How would you describe fashion witches?

Cassy: I guess fashion witches are people naturally gifted with magic. It lets them transform people into sentient clothing for their own sadistic pleasure.

Evelyn: Well, you have one thing right: fashion-witches are people. The rest. Not so much. I admit, growing up I believed those lies too. Fashion witches are born. It is in their DNA. Their very nature. Bullocks!
Not a single person is born a fashion witch. They are made. Not born.
How? By studying various occult texts. Nowadays - if you browse carefully on the dark web - you can get a pretty complete collection for 49.99. Tax not included.

Cassy: So what? Everyone can become one?

Evelyn: Yes, with enough dedication. But please, don't try it. Do not jump into it and try to become a fashion witch yourself. Believe me, you don't want to. It was the biggest mistake of my life becoming one myself.

Cassy: That is a bold statement. Can you elaborate?

Evelyn: Of course, but not right now. One has to understand the basics first. You see to awaken as a witch one has to raise their magic affinity past a certain point. To make it easy for an explanation I tack the number 100 to that point. Most people actually have a magic affinity when they are born. It can range from everything like 1 to around 80. Obviously, those with a higher starting affinity have an easier time awakening.

Cassy: I guess yours must have been pretty high, to begin with.

Evelyn: Ha, no! In hindsight, I might guess I was around the lower twenties. Which only meant more time and study were required. But there is more to magical affinity to the threshold for awakening. Earlier you said that fashion witches transform people for their sadistic pleasure, right?

Cassy: Yes, I did. No offense, but what other reason might there be to condemn people to such a fate? To turn them into sentient clothing.

Evelyn: It sounds logical, right? But most aren't doing it for their sadistic pleasure. Some might, but most do it out of fear. That might sound strange, but it is true. Fear is the primal motivation of fashion witches. That includes the acquiring of transformed victims.

Cassy: I have a hard time believing that to be true.

Evelyn: Well, you see, most fashion-witches became such to avoid one fate: to be transformed themselves. There is this hard to discredit rumor that becoming a fashion witch makes one immune to the spells of other witches.

Evelyn: But once they awakened they notice a simple truth: there is no immunity. They might study more or try out a few harmless spells and come to another conclusion: magic affinity doubles as a person's resistance to harmful magic.

Cassy: They remain prey?

Evelyn: Harder to catch prey. It is like this. To affect anyone, the witch must have a higher magic affinity than their victim. Roughly in the ballpark of thirty percent. They might chalk it up as a useful tidbit until they run into a fashion witch. Chances are they will be around 140 in magical affinity. Enough to overpower a newly awakened witch.

Evelyn: The next step - if they manage to escape - from a simple witch to a fashion witch is the hunt for means to boost their own magical affinity. How would you propose one might do that?

Cassy: You said there are exercises to raise one's affinity.

Evelyn: That would be one way. However, newly awakened witches find progress now much slower. Meanwhile, they might be hunted. A quicker solution is needed.

Cassy: Aren't there any spells?

Evelyn: Now we getting closer to the truth. There is one spell known to mankind that can do it. With it, the caster can transfer part of a person's magical affinity onto themselves. However, the term "part" is quite generous here. Around one to two percent are transferred. Though it tends to be close to one percent. The spell has another drawback: if the target is too far away the transfer is paused.

Cassy: So a witch needs a few bodyguards and cast the spell on them?

Evelyn: Remember. One percent per target. To gain a useful amount, a witch has to surround themselves with at least two dozen people that always stay close to them. Quite a hard thing to do.

Cassy: I guess that isn't very practical.

Evelyn: If only there was a spell to make a witch's - willing or unwilling - followers more portable. And now - at the latest - it makes click and the witch understands why other witches transform people into clothes.

Cassy: So newly awakened witches have only one choice? To become a fashion witch.

Evelyn: Well, no. However, this is the very moment a witch has to decide if they stay a witch or become what they fear the most: a fashion witch. There is a reason why you don't hear much from the former one. It all has to do with the effective use of people to raise one's own magical affinity. The higher the victim's magical affinity the higher the boost and protection for the fashion witch. A newly baked fashion witch might now realize that they are the most effective victim of another fashion witch.

Cassy: If that is true then there is a certain irony there.

Evelyn: Oh yeah. But most fashion witches have little time to appreciate it. Here is a practical little exercise for you: how many pieces of clothes are you wearing right now?

Cassy: Uhm-

Evelyn: Is it anywhere close to thirty? Because that is the average goal for a newly awakened fashion witch to arrive. The math is simple. The average magical affinity for most people is around 30 to 50. So they will give a boost as sentient cloth of around 0.4. Not that much, right? To be safe from those 140 affinity witches the new witch has to reach at least 10 additional magical affinities just through sentient clothes alone. Let me do the math for you. That's twenty-five people. On average of course. And that only to stay safe.

Cassy: That is a lot!

Evelyn: For that reason, newly awakened fashion-witches are often easy to spot. They are decked out in layers of clothing and carry an unholy amount of jewelry. Yes, rings and necklaces count. Why shouldn't they? Most witches learn that trick pretty fast.

Evelyn: I still remember this one boy - newly awakened - who transformed everyone he could get his hands on into a gold chain that he wore as a necklace. Carried around 40 or so. Like a scrawny white boy version of Mister T., it looked ridiculous. Come to think of it. I am still not sure if Mister T was a fashion witch or not.

Cassy: Wait! Boy? I thought-

Evelyn: That all fashion witches are female? Of course not. Magic is open to everyone. So now you ask why you don't see any around. Why there are only wanted posters around for female fashion witches.

Cassy: I guess-

Evelyn: Well, most male fashion-witches are easy to spot. Not as witches mind you, but they dress erratically. That often leads to their downfall as they stand out enough to attract predatory stronger fashion witches.

Evelyn: Just imagine thirty or more pieces of clothing and jewelry on a guy. Social circumstances make him stick out like a sore thumb. But some use this to their advantage. Met a guy once - punk-look through and through - who had an insane amount of piercings. Each one of them was a victim. I narrowly escaped the same fate.

Evelyn: And there is this one singer. Famous for wearing all those friendship bracelets gifted to him by groupies. Except I wouldn't call them "friendship bracelets" and they certainly weren't gifted. That they are "made by groupies" has a certain twisted logic to it. Anyway. Smart fashion witches flee the cities when he gives a concert there.

Cassy: Wasn't that one-

Evelyn: German? Yes. But those are the outliners. Most males go for a simple solution: transforming themselves into a woman. Most often telling themselves it will only be for a while. That once they are stronger then they will change back. Strangely enough, this never works out.

Cassy: Why? Is it so much better to be a woman?

Evelyn: Yes and no. Wearing sentient clothing is quite corrupting. They feel different. Better. It is hard to describe. Adding to that is the fact that almost all female clothing is more pleasurable to wear than male clothing. You don't believe me? Compare a necktie to a silken scarf. Rugged flannel shirt to a woolen cardigan. Believe me, it is a universal fact. If society had evolved to a state in which male clothing was more comfortable and alluring then we might have more male fashion witches after all.

Cassy: Do fashion-witches grow their wardrobe indefinitely? It often feels like it.

Evelyn: Not really. Like many things with fashion witches it only appears that way. Of course, each fashion witch strives to reach a magical affinity of around 140. And once they do they optimize their sentient wardrobe to wear less. Because a former male fashion-witch has a lot of other things to worry about when they reach 140 then turning back towards being a man.

Cassy: What I still don't get is why reaching and maintaining 140 is so important. If amassing magical resistance is so important then why not go higher?

Evelyn: Why not indeed. Proof that you are the best fashion witch of them all! Well, the answer is easy: fear. If a fashion witch goes higher than 140 then it sends a sign to other witches. That you are not satisfied with newly awakened fashion witches anymore. That you will go for those in the range of 110 to 120. Which makes you more powerful. Soon you'll be hunting those above 130 and eventually those around 140. That will make every witch near and far away be scared of you. Why is that bad? Because fashion-witches band only together to hunt down those who rise above 140. It is simple math. A band of ten witches can overpower a single powerful one. Maybe one or two gets transformed before the other one is defeated. Still better chances than to be hunted down one by one. In fear of a witch going ballistic, even rival witches might band together.

Cassy: I see. But what do you mean by going ballistic?

Evelyn: It's a special term for- Imagine this: you survived long enough being a fashion witch that your natural magical affinity is slowly rising towards 140. What to do? Well, I asked myself the very same question a lot of times. You see, I rarely even wear sentient clothing anymore. It just might about push me over. I am in no mood to be hunted down by a bunch of frightened witches. But soon I won't have a choice anymore. I will go over 140 all by myself.

Evelyn: There are two options. To build a lair and hide - more to that later - or do what every witch fears: strap on your most powerful sentient clothes and go on a hunting spree. That is what fashion-witches call going ballistic. The mad dash to gain so much power that not even a squad of fashion-witches can bring you down. The magic goal here lies around 200 of magical affinity. 60 points of difference is a lot of witches to subdue and wear if each is worth about 1.0 to 1.4 points of affinity.

Cassy: In other words a lot of people to wear too.

Evelyn: A witch going ballistic can go clean whole states free of fashion witches. No, don't think that is a good thing. It creates a power vacuum that is soon to be filled by newly awakened fashion witches. Normally most of them would be snatched away by a higher witch. Without that, most of them will hunt for their own wardrobe. Resulting in about eight times as many transformed victims.

Cassy: I think I get it now. Fashion witches try to balance themselves. Limit their number. If not consciously then subconsciously.

Evelyn: That's one way of seeing it. Of course, if a witch goes ballistic or not they eventually will switch to the second choice: building a lair.

Cassy: You mentioned that before. I thought you meant figuratively.

Evelyn: No, quite literal I am afraid, my dear. Every witch surviving long enough will soon or later start a "becoming a lair witch project".

Cassy: That is a horrible pun.

Evelyn: Pun?

Cassy: Nevermind.

Evelyn: Where was I? Oh, yes. Instead of wearing sentient beings to boost one's strength, a lair witch scatters them around. In a way that if she leaves one boosting object another comes within reach to take up the slack. Those lairs are usually away from towns and cities. The lair witch tries to stay out of the crosshairs of other witches. Of course, those who stumble into their lair are doomed. Even low-value people are transformed. Everything to grow their lair.

Cassy: Sounds like the premise for a horror movie.

Evelyn: Oh, you'd be surprised, dear. Quite a few movies already are based on them. Even stories and legends of old. I think the most prominent lair witch is Medusa. No, don't believe that crab about being cursed or stone gaze. All smoke and mirrors. I think by now most of Sicily is part of her lair. I would suggest staying away.

Cassy: I think that might be worse. Clothes have some flexibility, but the stone is unyielding. To be caught like that forever-

Evelyn: Right. You think transformations are permanent.

Cassy: They are not?

Evelyn: Aren't, but they might as well be. You see clothing and object transformation are easy. A limited number of materials. Even transforming a human into another type of human is comparatively easy. It is altering a complex system. But if you want to transform a sentient object into a human it is a whole lot of trouble. The human body is complex and you start with nothing. Learning that is hard. Most don't bother with it. Citing that transformations are permanent is way easier. Fools!

Cassy: So there is hope? You can reverse it?

Evelyn: Not exactly. As I go ballistic soon anyways I tell you my secret technique: I not only learned to transform people back into a human form, but I learned to do it in combat situations. It's like ripping apart someone's armor. And the best thing: most who regain their humanity have "beef" with the witch that enslaved them. Not only has my opponent to face me, but they are accosted by their former victims.

Cassy: If that is true why doesn't everybody know?

Evelyn: Well, that is because freed people can be sorted into four categories. Most are very grateful to me. They don't even mind that they all share the same body. All I need to tell them is that they should hide. Become invisible. Move to the countryside. Former sentient clothes have a higher chance to be again transformed by another witch.

Evelyn: But some have the gall to complain. "I was a man. Why am I now a girl? And why do we all look the same?" Listen, it is hard enough to transform someone back. Even more so in combat. Why should I bother with individuality? Just be happy you have a human body again. You're welcome! If they can't accept that then it's back into the wardrobe. This time it will be mine.

Evelyn: Actually, I lured some high-affinity people into my closet by promising individualized bodies. I know. I am horrible. But it helped me survive. Those are the third group. Of course, there are special cases of the fourth one. People that had been so long clothes that they can't imagine being people again. Either they beg me to transform them back or they are just- Dazed and confused. Unable to make their human bodies move how they want. It is a mercy to transform them into something simpler again.

Cassy: It is hard to believe that people can be so far gone.

Evelyn: Well, you have to understand. Some are hand-me-downs. Having spent decades as sentient clothing. Well, I guess those are rare cases. Most often it is mental magic. Witches try to ease their conscience by making the clothes want to be transformed.

Cassy: It is hard to imagine that a fashion witch would bother.

Evelyn: Remember, they are just people. They might put on a tough face to the outside world, but inside- A whole different ballgame. Hell knows I had my share of stupid things I have done to ease my conscience.

Cassy: Care to elaborate?

Evelyn: Sure. Why not? I think my biggest folly was when I was a young fresh awakened witch. Head deep into panic mode. And there she was. My best friend. Naturally gifted with magic. I needed her. At least that is what I told myself. I also tried to convince myself. That she will end up as cloth anyway and it would be better if I wear her. That even if she lasted until she awakened she would be mentally too weak. In the end, I just couldn't transform her. Not as her best friend.

Cassy: So, you let her go?

Evelyn: Far from it. I did go far out of my way to put on a charade. What I end up doing was going to a girl we both disliked. I took her identity and body, just before I transformed her. And being her, I transformed my best friend. Told her that the other piece I wore was my original self and that at least both were together. I lived as the girl I despised for years. Because I couldn't go back. To my original self. Then my best friend would learn of my deception.

Cassy: Did she ever learn the truth.

Evelyn: No, but eventually I released her. It was actually her and the embarrassment and shame that drove me to learn to turn people back. Big mistake. Should never have released her.

Cassy: Why? It sounds like you did a good thing.

Evelyn: Thought so too. However, I forgot that she was close to awakening too. Which she did. Only to start hunting me down. All to rescue me. The original me. Still, I couldn't tell her the truth. In the end, I switched identities again. Just to escape her.

Cassy: Where is she now?

Evelyn: I have no clue. Fashion witches change identities all the time.

Cassy: That sounds like-

Evelyn: There are not as many fashion witches as you might believe? I mean think about it. Most freshly awakened witches fall prey to others and those that survive? Hunted by bounty hunters. I mean defensive magic exists. Bullets? Knives? Meaningless. But a good hunter finds a weak spot and uses it for a kill. And more often than not these hunters are good at concealing their approach.

Evelyn: So, why does the fashion witch population appear higher than it is? The answer is simple: aliases. And along with those they switch between different bodies. People known as fashion witches are not only prone to be hunted but also feared and their prey might run away. So, every few months a witch might change their appearance. The easiest way is by stealing the identity of one of their victims. After all, copying a human body is easier than creating anew. A second later and the original is gone. Joining their pile of clothes as one of them.

Evelyn: I remember once running into a coven who claimed a city as their hunting ground. I took out one by necessity and suddenly the whole coven was a no-show. Turns out no more than one coven member was seen at the time. It was just one witch switching between a few bodies.

Cassy: If cities are hunting grounds, should I move to the countryside? Is it safer there?

Evelyn: Might help, but probably not. Cities are a hunting ground for a reason. A high density of victims. Higher chance to run into one with high magical affinity. But no sane witch settles down inside a city. They stake a claim in small towns or suburbs. Best of all if no one even knows of their claim. Anonymity can be a good defense. Of course, if a witch runs into a worthwhile victim inside their claim chances are they will claim them after all. However, rural areas might prove safe from witches. Unless one builds a lair nearby.

Cassy: I must admit I know someone who was transformed and retrieved. I sometimes wear him. Just, you know, that he gets some stimuli.

Evelyn: You didn't wear him in public, right?

Cassy: Oh, no! He is something that one wears rather in private.

Evelyn: Good. You are right. They are still sentient and will welcome the stimuli. But never wear them in public. A fashion witch might just transform you to get to them. Especially if the sentient clothing has a high affinity/bonus.

Cassy: Speaking of high magical affinity. What would you suggest to someone born with high magical affinity? What should they do?:

Evelyn: Hide! Find a barely settled area and work at raising your affinity. Awaken, but stay hidden. Go straight into the lair building. Don't hunt locals and be careful to not hunt too many. Stay under the radar. It might be a lonely life, but it is the best way to stay safe.

Cassy: And someone born with low magical affinity?

Evelyn: Never ever raise your magical affinity! As long as you don't piss off a fashion witch you should be safe. They will ignore you as you aren't worthwhile.

Evelyn: You do look a little pale my dear. Anything on your mind?

Cassy: Well, one can't help to wonder how high one's own affinity is.

Evelyn: I would estimate you around 82.

Cassy: What? So high? I thought that was rather unlikely.

Evelyn: It is. Tell me, how long did you work at the Midside Courier newspaper?

Cassy: Nearly six months now. What does that have to do with anything?

Evelyn: And I heard that your boss makes you all practice some special exercises.

Cassy: Yeah, to limber our minds before we start a workday. Oh, no!

Evelyn: I think you got it now.

Cassy: Why would our boss try to raise our magical affinity? Are you saying she is a fashion witch? Raising us like cattle? That would explain why so many co-workers transfer out or switch jobs. And then they break any contact with us. It all makes sense.

Evelyn: Don't worry. I'll take care of her. That's why I am here. Not for the interview. I apologize for the deception.

Cassy: She must be powerful. My boss I mean. If you are here for her then- You are going - what did you call it? - going ballistic?

Evelyn: How perceptive of you. Yes, this is where I start. In exactly 13 minutes your boss will walk into the office and she will be the first witch to subdue.

Cassy: None of us workers will make it out, right?

Evelyn: Sorry. She did a too fine job of fattening you up. And you all will make fine objects for a temporary lair. Helping me take her down. Don't worry. My ballistic run won't be that long. I do plan to build a permanent lair. There, your co-workers will find a nice home.

Cassy: My co-workers? Not me?

Evelyn: I admit, you remind me of my younger self. Tell you what, I give you a head-start. If you get out of the building before I begin then you are home free.

Cassy: Thank you.

Evelyn: And Cassandra?

Cassy: Yes?

Evelyn: You know what you must do, right?

Cassy: Run, hide, awaken, and build a lair.

Evelyn: That's the spirit! I knew to spare you was a good idea. Now run!

Evelyn: Well, just about ten mins until my target arrives. Time to build a lair-

Addendum:
The reporter Cassandra Beckstein has been caught on camera exiting the newspaper office alive and human. It is known that she purchased items from the dark web and later headed westward. Investigators lost track of her in the eastern rocky mountains. Some speculate that the rise of missing people cases in the area can be attributed to her.

The office of the newspaper was found vacant and with signs of hasty and unsuccessful attempts to escape. The subject "Evelyn" was tracked heading south. Careful estimates suggest her subduing between 30 and 40 fashion witches. She was last seen boarding a cruise ship in New Orleans. It was declared missing after vanishing in the area known as Bermuda Triangle.