The Hidden Reflection of Masca

Professor Houser wore a bewildered expression as he posed for that photo against the stone wall. His gaze, lost toward the horizon, wasn't a charm for the camera, but rather the absolute, pure inner panic of someone whose life had been turned upside down in the middle of nowhere.

Houser had joined the expedition to lead the search for traces of ancient pre-Columbian civilizations hidden deep within the jungles of that isolated valley. Weeks of hard work had finally paid off. They unearthed several valuable artifacts, but the most intriguing among them was an ancient obsidian mirror, perfectly polished and carved with runes that no other researcher could decipher.

The trouble began when the professor, driven by scientific curiosity, wiped the dust off the dark surface and looked directly into it.

He didn't see his tired, fifty-year-old face with a graying beard and prescription glasses. Instead, the mirror reflected a stunning young woman with long, wavy dark hair, striking lips, and an intensely expressive gaze. Before he could formulate any academic theory, the artifact vibrated.

Within moments, Professor Houser’s body was transformed into that exact reflection.

His bones popped as his proportions shifted, his beard vanished to make way for soft, youthful skin, and his explorer clothes became completely loose against the sharp, new curves of an hourglass silhouette. The psychological shock was so devastating that Houser's hands began to shake. He dropped the mystical tool onto the stone floor.

The obsidian mirror shattered into countless pieces, destroying any immediate chance of reversing the spell.

Left trapped in that body with no idea what to do, the now "female professor" had to face the harsh reality of the jungle. With the time to return to civilization fast approaching, Houser knew there would be a lot of explaining to do to colleagues, university researchers, and, most importantly, to his own wife, who was waiting for him at the airport.

To make matters worse, his men's clothes looked like oversized rags hanging off his body. Fortunately, while dying of embarrassment and inventing a flimsy excuse about "lost luggage and a medical emergency," he managed to borrow clothes from other women on the expedition: a textured, olive-green jumpsuit with a corset design, which highlighted the stunning beauty he now possessed.

Hearing the click of his assistant's camera, Houser took a deep breath. He needed to look confident, even though he knew his greatest archaeological challenge would be proving his own identity to the world.

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