This is a collaboration between HornedRam and myself.

Sometimes, we talk about what we both like and how we can work together for some stories and illustrations. We try to combine things that we both like, with some ideas like Hex Tifa or Lamia Tharja coming out of these. For this one, we talked about Egyptian looks, mythology and of course Shantae and HornedRam suggested this.

At first it was supposed to be only Shantae as a jackal girl, but then Risky was included and could have been a sphynx or feline lady...but then we all remember how much I like lamias, so this was her fate. ;P

There will be a story for this uploaded later, this Sunday to be precise. It's the bonus story of the month of May, with the themes being quite apropos for this piece. If you wanna see it in advance, you can always check out my Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/incredibleintr… or you only need to wait until this Sunday.

*UPDATE*

The story is now available for all to see. How come they're transformed? Read on and find out!

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AWAKENING THE GOD-PHARAOH

Shantae really felt like a fool sometimes.

There was a pattern at work that she never seemed to realize was there until the very last minute. It ever involved Risky Boots going on with an evil plan, the half-genie going on to play by her tune unwittingly gathering relics or objects of power for the cruel pirate. Then, when all things were set and done, she had made life easier for the Queen of the Seven Seas as she'd need to fight something inherently mighty and evil to save everyone. She mostly did okay and succeeded in fending off those dastardly designs, yet at some point she had to wake and smarten up, breaking the cycle once and for all.

Today was not it, however, as the latest scheme that Risky had in mind was to awaken and enslave a slumbering god that rested deep beneath Tan Line Island, where they had all somewhat been mistaken as some princess and made to wear Space Princesses outfits. Below their palace, deep beneath the sand could actually be found the vestiges of an ancient temple, one devoted to a god of judgment, of life and death itself...the one who apparently ruled before time did its work as that deity's name had been lost to history. Whatever had laid him dormant would be revoked and if Risky did achieve mastery and dominance over such a powerful being...it boded ill for all of Sequin Land.

It was a cavalcade of problems that laid there, a veritable gauntlet of foes and obstacles meant to test her somewhat as Tinkerbats tried to block her way alongside puzzles and traps. Shantae was an old-hand when it came to dungeoneering, yet the pressure of time not being on her side did rush things considerably. Hair-whipping minions and guardians, dancing and changing forms, finding keys and activating mechanisms, all of it was indeed a classic as this pattern she recognized despite her own failings. It was all slowing her down, yet she was agile and fast as she could perform any transformation dance in a matter of seconds, resulting in her turning into a monkey, an elephant, a harpy, a bat or anything else that she needed to assume the form of. This was nothing new to her, which only made her sigh as she moved past the big scary door with ankh, balance and hieroglyphs inscribed upon it.

“You're arriving just in time, Shantae~” Risky said, her tone playful and mischievous, tinted with just a dash of cruelty and sensuality to make it seem like she was enjoying herself yet the genie guardian certainly wouldn't. Before her stood a giant statue of gold and marble covered in dust, with ebony and jewels turning it into a black and shiny representation of the deity the Queen of the Seven Seas wished to gain on her side as an ally...but really as a servant. “Awaken, Sibuna, master of all that breathes and ceases to be! Rise from your slumber and serve my needs!”

Again, as ever, Shantae was too late as Risky rose the Scale of Judgment, the one whose parts Shantae did gather despite herself as it shone brightly, an eerie and somber glow going on to empower the torches with blazing brightness as the flames turned black all of a sudden. As all was covered in darkness, the eyes of the statue went on to open as the gaze of a god rested upon Risky Boots. The statue repaired itself, jackal ears and even a snout, maw and jaw went on to appear as the whole underground temple went on to shake and tremble at this event that the pirate had willingly caused. Shantae, meanwhile, felt the troublesome and terrible power awakening, her magic side understanding the actual strength of that being where Risky might not.

“Now, Sibuna, grant me the power over life and death! Make me the mistress of the living as I am in possession of your artifact...and thus of you!” Risky said as she brandished the scale, the two sides evenly-balanced with the gold chains and distribution holding everything together. Shantae tried to get closer, to stop this madness and yet the dreadful shaking of the temple combined with the rather sizeable statue coming to life, stone, marble, ebony and gold turning to flesh, made it so she lost her footing. “I am the new goddess now! All shall fear my wrath and fight for my approval once and for all!”

“No, no!” Shantae responded, herself at a loss for word as by now the deed was done as Sibuna went on to kneel before Risky Boots, silent for a time as the dust over him was swatted aside and his magnificent yet terror-inducing presence was made manifest. His paw-like hands stretched, fingers unmoving for possible centuries, perhaps millennia, were active once more as Shantae looked at the scene, rising up as she knew that she'd need to prepare for a fight against this being for the fate of all that lived...or so she thought.

“You think yourself worthy of my might, of my blessing, little mortal? Let us weight your soul then,” Sibuna went on to say with a voice that was deep as if coming from the abyss itself. The jackal god went on to reduce in size, still towering easily over both Shantae and Risky Boots as he extended one hand forward, the scale moving from Risky's hand to his own without any struggle. This surprised the pirate as she thought herself the mistress of this situation, yet most obviously wasn't. Assumptions, false leads and misinterpreted information lead her to this as Sibuna held the scale and then pointed it at Risky Boots. “As a reward for freeing me, if your cause is just and your character impeccable, then I shall indeed be benevolent to you...but if not...”

He needed not say another thing as Risky wanted to unsheathe her scimitar, pick up her flintlock pistol and fend off this monstrous traitor to her design, yet seeing the balance glow and then begin to bend one way or another caused her to somewhat lose it. It vaulted to the right and then to left, a proverbial feather going on to appear upon the right side as something drew Risky's whole attention to the left side. It soon began to get engrossing, completely fascinating as she dropped the half-unsheathed weapon to the ground before she could even remove it from its scabbard. Not only that, but what else she had no possibility to unleash was the thought of aggression as a trance went on to wrap up her thinking process, resulting in her being pacified and then completely helpless.

Shantae, meanwhile, knew not what to do as the enigma that was Sibuna became all the more mysterious and strange to her. An independent factor as perhaps she ought to save Risky from this...and yet what would it help except make this situation happen time and time again. The doubts and self-criticism from prior made her hesitant, unable to act on impulse on instinct like prior as such ideas like her being fired from her position all that often seemed to make sense now. A spiral of growing self-dislike as she observed for the time being, uncertain whether she ought be ready for a fight or not.

“You soul is filled with malice, with corrupted ideals and with a fervent lack of empathy,” Sibuna said as Risky's soul manifested itself and then went on to indeed almost make the feather jump away due to its weight. It was white and purple, thunderous and in conflict, disruptive to the eye as the god looked upon it in disgust. “You are manipulative, self-serving, a liar to others and yourself, fearful of judgment and thus you attack any and all indiscriminately. You are the closest being to pure evil I've seen in a long, long time. You are unworthy and, for your transgressions, shall see yourself be punished by gaining the form you've earned.”

Risky felt his power over her mind turn into an energy that passed through her body as she yelped in sudden shock, causing for Shantae to go to her right here and then. No matter who this being was, this was no way to treat anyone else and yet despite her nearness, the deed was done. Risky went on to open her mouth to take deep breaths as she felt a warmth fill her, volcanic and ascending, until she felt fangs pop out from her teeth while she did not scream or shout but rather...she hissed.

“Hisssssssss!” she said as her tongue went on to get forked, extending past her lips as it tasted the air as a reflex for relief. Nonetheless, the continuing effect of this transformation echoed both outside and inside her body as her muscles tightened and then went on to stretch out as her legs turned to jelly at first, then combined to create a slick and then oily solid substance. It etched many small waves upon that new appendage, the force within granting her scales as it latched upon her hips. It extended and extended just as her ears became pointed and longer, looking not unlike those that Shantae sported herself. She was becoming serpentine, not unlike those lamia on the surface as a light grey underbelly manifested itself, surrounded by scales as purple as her own hair. Still all of this happened as Risky looked at the scale, unable to lift a finger as she felt exhausted.

“Treacherous as a snake, you are condemned to serve me and to slither the ground, the make sure the dust shall cover your body as to make it as dirty as your own soul,” Sibuna said, his judgment final as Shantae went on to advance and knew that no matter how someone like Risky deserved it...she couldn't let someone like him go around and judge people. Her own values prohibited her from doing such, even helping out Risky in the past against the Pirate Master to go with her own ethics and morality. “You would offend me, half-genie? You whose bastard lineage is not meant to ever walk and tread upon the soils of my domain. I, Sibuna, the God-Pharaoh, shall make you pay.”

Again with the scale as Shantae saw them even for the briefest of moment and it paralyzed her. The gold upon it, the chains, the way it wobbled as it set itself straight and balanced mesmerized her. It was just so powerful a concept and an object as she was just as hypnotized as Risky had been. She forgot the transformed pirate, the idea of struggling as she had no chance against someone of divine origin. She might have magic and a lot of heart on her side, it changed nothing over someone's whose domain was life and death.

“Let us see who and what you truly are, little one, little half-breed,” Sibuna went on to say as the ethereal feather manifested itself and then as Shantae's soul, a mix of fire, of music of purple and red colors went on to appear. It condensed itself and then, without any actual warning, the feather seemed to be much heavier than the guardian genie's own spirit and being. “You are...you are selfless, a heart made of light, a being of protection and entertainment, of beauty both of the body and soul. A guardian, an ally, a friend...all of this and more. I am humbled by this...you are as close to pure a being as I could ever await for.”

The sum of Risky's pasts and action had soured him, to awaken to this world by such a vile being had been akin to stepping upon thorns with his first steps, but this was the salve required to heal his own ache. To be forgotten, to be cast aside was not easy, loneliness affecting even those of divine origins and yet Sibuna saw the entranced half-genie and felt that perhaps, just perhaps...he might need guidance in this world now. If half-breeds like her could be so good, then he needed to readjust his own stance on matters.

“I apologize for my harsh words and my demeanor, she of dancing and protection. Half-breed you may be, but your heart is so full as to overflow. Unlike this miscreant, my blessing shall be upon you,” Sibuna went on to say as while Shantae was still entirely overwhelmed by the scale. Entranced, a captive of the god's power, she nonetheless went on to fill an unknown energy invest her body as unlike the swift and punishing waves unleashed upon Risky, this was slow and soothing. She had earned a special treatment, especially due to how despite it all she had kept pure intents. “I sense turmoil and doubt assail your noble spirit. Let us cast that aside and make sure you shall be the best you could ever be, little one.”

Shantae felt good, heavenly in her own lethargy as her eyes swirled with golden colors. Her own euphoria, her hypnotic bliss was heightened as Sibuna's own power washed over her and then changed a number of things. She felt her hands grow a bit stronger alongside her forearms. It rose to her elbows and stopped short of her shoulders as what awakened and reinforced her muscles gave her no extra mass...but rather hair as fluffy fur of a deeper shade of purple, closer to blue, went on to cover her tan flesh there. Her fingers and digits changed to paws, complete with claws, miniature versions of the jackal god's own complete with digital pads. This extended to her legs as well, her thighs down to her feet and toes gaining the same treatment as her innate power grew just by that alone.

She couldn't help but smile, comfort settling in as her teeth began to change. Her canines became a bit sharper and longer, though her jaw unchanged so as to preserve her inherent beauty. Her pointed ears on the side of her head went on to shift, moving upward and then pointing up as they merged with her hair to produce a much different pair altogether. Tall, cushioned and definitely able to hear more from further distance, those were jackal's ears as the half-genie had gained many of the traits from Sibuna himself, a gift by his own creed as she had become imbued with some of his power and essence. This enhanced her abilities, attuning her to different magic and yet she still could be herself through this form as this was a blessing rather than a curse.

“You shall become my first and most important believer. My grand priestess, capable to spread my will and to show by example,” Sibuna went on to say, indeed more than a little trapped in his own self and his values. An old god who ways were firmly set, he looked upon the snake woman and the jackal half-genie with pride as he still got it. It had been the longest time since he accomplished his duties, that his judgment had been unleashed and this had been an excellent test. Both the most fiendish being and the most benevolent of heroes there to greet him, wittingly and unwittingly, had made it so that his curiosity had been restored much like his form. “Guide me, she whose soul is purest as can be. I would value your insight.”

Shantae, while herself, was also his in a way as they were bonded now, completely linked to his own will and ways. For Sibuna this was to be expected, to be shown such courtesy was a mighty offering indeed and yet as much as Shantae was servile, she was also herself in some ways that could not nor would he ever change. As such, she got closer to him and then spoke to the god in respect but also in a direct manner.

“Sibuna, god of judgment, I feel that you ought to give people a wide berth, to grant them the possibility of being better,” Shantae said, herself indeed feeling that way as his gift had cast aside her own failures and her fear of repeating them, the source of her greatness there to behold for both him and her. “Even the most malevolent being have people they care about, that they show kindness to...and even those with noble goals and deeds can sometimes succumb to temptation. Neither of us are purely evil or good...nor shall we ever be this in our lifetime.”

Nuance, the kind which he didn't deal with often. If one such as she desired this, then perhaps his role was to adapt as Sibuna felt that he had chosen wisely for his priestess. He nodded and as he rose from above the surface alongside his temple, so did his cult start anew yet with a new outlook in life. It took little time for those on Tan Line Island to convert, the old faith still somewhat known and now given credence as Sibuna was seen in all his glory. The rest of Sequin Land, of the world, would take more time yet thankfully he now had two beings by his side to assist him.

Risky's role was to punish, for her own wickedness to invent manners in which to make sure those who were such as her would perhaps see the light. Clad in gold, completely into her role as a serpent, she was the more vengeful side that was seldom used yet still there if only as a deterrent. Her past as a pirate was no more, herself a slave to the great Sibuna.

Shantae, however, was no slave but a servant, someone of higher standing as she guided Sibuna much like he asked her to. His conscience and the one who granted him counsel, she wore his colors of silver and gold, much alike his own vestments as she was a miniature version of him. A vizier to the Pharaoh of Tan Line Island and a priestess to the god that she was, it was thanks to she that he had laid off a more vengeful comeback upon the world for banishing him. Even changed in appearance and a little in mentality, Shantae was ever the half-genie heroine that everyone knew as she had saved Sequin Land and the world once again.

Much like she always did.