Back to the station.

"Now, if my memory serves me right, the sheriff's office is about five blocks over yonder. Why don't we mosey on over and make ourselves comfortable?" Isabelle invited as she began to drag the sheriff along yet again. Texas followed along for a minute before something occurred to her and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hold on. How do ya know where mah office is? Ya'll just came into town, didn't ya?" Texas asked with a raised brow. Isabelle froze for a moment, her grip tightening on the sheriff's arm. She looked back at the sheriff with her usual sweet smile, though something about it rang a bit more hollow than before.

"We walked right by it during the tour! You even made a point to single it out to me! 'If you find yourself in a bit of trouble, walk in there and I'll sort it out for you!' Don't you remember?"

Texas blinked and tilted her head in thought. She had no recollection of saying such a thing, nor did she had any memory of going anywhere near the station after having bumped into Isabelle. That said, her thoughts tended to be cloudy after enduring considerable amounts of head trauma. Between getting crushed by ice and acting as Annabelle's chair, it only stood to reason that she'd have some trouble getting her thoughts together.

"Huh... ah guess yer right. Sorry, mah head's all jumbled after havin' mah nose stuffed up Annabelle's butt..." the weasel muttered. Her response seemed to satisfy Isabelle as her grip loosened. Her change in disposition didn't go unnoticed by Texas. As the sheep turned her attention back to the road ahead, Texas couldn't sworn she saw her smile turn into a scowl before her sunny attitude returned in full.

"Alright then. Less talking, more walking!"

Texas nodded, though she couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Isabelle had been a bundle of positivity since the moment she had arrived to Gold Springs but a completely innocuous question was enough to cause her mood to darken ever so slightly. 'Meh, ah'm probably just seein' things...' she thought to herself. Little did she knew, her hunch would prove far more true than she could have ever imagined.

"April, put the water on, we got a guest!" Texas called as she entered the station with Isabelle in tow. She expected to find her deputy sitting at the desk and going over paperwork. Instead, April stood at the front door, a cup of coffee in her hand and bags under her eyes as she seemed to look right through the sheriff. Texas blinked and surprise and scanned the room behind the deputy. Everything was as she left it with exception to the holding cell. A few of the bars had been dented from the inside, as though something large had been slammed into them. Joe still sat inside the cell, his face swollen on the left side and a bloodied tissue sticking out of his right nostril. Despite the apparent beating he'd taken, his cheerful demeanor was ever present as he turned towards her with a wide grin.

"Hey there, love! Been a while since I seen ya! I appreciate you sending this fine bird to keep me company, but she don't have the magic touch like you do. Her punches don't hurt nearly as much!" he cackled. April grimaced at his laugh. She quickly removed the cell key from around her neck and dropped it into Texas's hand.

"I'm turning in for today. Promise me that you'll have the papers done to ship him off by tomorrow, PLEASE" she pleaded. The exhausted deputy didn't bother waiting for a response as she walked out of the door. She didn't even noticed the stacked sheep as she walked by, her thoughts squarely on getting home and flopping down into her bed. Isabelle watched her leave and looked over at Texas in confusion.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"That's mah deputy, April Briggs. Don't mind her, she's normally not like that. Watching after this lummox really eats at the nerves" she said as she pointed over to Joe.

"Oi, I might be a mercenary but I got feelings too!" he complained.

"Whatever. If you keep badgering April, ah'll have to move you into solitary confinement until ya'll learn to behave" she warned. Joe rolled his eyes and turned his head away.

"And here I thought you had to have thick skin to be a deputy..." he grumbled.

Texas shot him a dirty look before turning her attention to her guest. She was surprised at the piercing glare on Isabelle's face as she looked at Joe. Texas found it more than a little unsettling but she didn't find it too strange. She was a woman of class, after all. It was only natural that she would take offense to the presence of someone so vulgar. Feeling her hateful gaze on him, Joe turned his head and finally took notice to the belle's presence. His grin widened at the sight of her and he let out a hearty chuckle as he leaned against the wall of his cell.

"And here I thought things where startin' to get a little dull around here..."

Texas frowned and cracked her knuckles, ready to dish out punishment for any inappropriate remarks that he might utter. Instead, Joe turned his head away from them and placed his hands in the back of his head with a yawn. "I think I'll have me a kip. Wake me up when you're done havin' fun, will ya love?"

Texas blinked, surprised by his apparent disinterested. From the moment she'd met him, Joe was persistent in his attempts woo her and April, even as he was being slapped aside the head for his troubles, yet he apparently thought little of the buxom sheep that she'd brought back to the station. His sudden restraint struck her as odd and it made her wonder if he knew something that she didn't. Her thoughts were interrupted as Isabelle tugged on her arm.

"Let's not doddle, sugar" she said softly. Texas noticed a hint of concern in her tone and nodded as she went about escorting her out of the room.

"Oi, Sheriff..."

Texas looked over her shoulder to see find Joe staring at them from the cell. The smile on his face had waned into a very slight smirk as he looked them over, the gears in his head turning as he thought over what he wanted to say. As his eyes landed on the petite sheep, that smirk vanished at sight of the sheep's cold, hateful, glare. He had considered breaking the unspoken code of the mercenary to clue Texas in on what was to come, but his sense of self preservation overruled his sense of honor.

"Ehh... never mind. Forget I said anything" he muttered as he rolled over on his side with his back turned to them.

Texas raised an eyebrow at his peculiar behavior. He seemed so gung ho to mess with her upon her arrival. What happened to initiate this sudden change in behavior? The only thing Texas could think of was the presence of Isabelle, though she had a hard time gleaming why he would take issue with someone so harmless. She considered pressing the matter, but Joe brought the discussion to a decisive close by releasing a loud window rattling fart that **** her and Isabelle to flee the room in disgust.

'She'll be fine. If she can handle me, she can handle anything.' Joe thought with a confident smirk.

"Ah'm real sorry you had to deal that." the sheriff said sheepishly. "Normally ah'd have him shipped off to the hoosegow, but ah'm having a bit'a difficulty with the warden. Some nonsense about 'not having the jurisdiction to detain non-citizens.' Apparently ah gotta wait for them to get in contact with the towns they hail from so they can hauled of proper. Til then, ah'm stuck with em"

Texas sat on her bed, stripped down to nothing but her underwear while Isabelle made her preparations in the bathroom. She had instructed Texas to undress to her comfort level, assuring the bashful weasel that it was standard procedure for getting a massage. Her words did little to ease Texas's nerves as her hands were gripped tight onto the edge of the bed, beads of sweat pouring from her forehead and her heart beating like a drum. This would mark the first time she'd ever invited someone into her bedroom. Having a stranger in her most personal of spaces was nerve wracking enough, there was also a pretense of intimacy that she simply couldn't get over. Isabelle had made it very clear that she took a shine to the sheriff and now they were in her room, alone, with Texas sitting half naked on her bed. It didn't take a genius to gleam what the sultry sheep had in mind for her.

"Never mind him, sweetie" Isabelle called from behind the bathroom door. "I don't want to thinking about him or any other nasties right now. Tonight, I want you to put all your focus onto relaxing while... I work my magic~"

The bathroom door slowly creaked open, drawing Texas's attention. Her eyes nearly popped from her head as they drank in the sight of Isabelle's body. She had removed her dress to reveal to frilly white undergarments she wore beneath, consisting of a loose fitting brassiere and a pair of pantaloons that seemed a bit too small for her immense hips and generous backside. Texas's gaze followed Isabelle's chest, her eyes moving in perfect sync as every step the sheep took towards her made her breasts bounce enticingly. Isabelle giggled at her stunned expression as she sashayed over to the bed.

"Now, be a dear and lay on your stomach" She instructed.

Texas nodded slowly, holding the same stunned look on her face as she got into position with head resting atop her folded forearms. She gulped as she felt Isabelle mount her from behind. The sheep's considerable weight **** the air from her lungs but any discomfort she felt was offset by the softness of her body. Her bed felt like it was made out of pure concrete compared to the pillowy thighs pinning her down. She let out a gasp as Isabelle pressed both palms in the space between her shoulder blades. She pressed down hard until Texas heard a barely audible *pop* in back. Texas wasn't sure what she did, but the wave of euphoria that washed over her was unlike anything she'd experienced before and she couldn't stop herself from letting out a satisfied moan.

"Now that's what I want to hear. Just close your eyes and let me work allll that tension out of your beaten body..." Isabelle cooed.

Texas's eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head as she was thoroughly pampered from her head to her toes. Isabelle pressed, kneaded, and caressed every tired muscle she had, and some she didn't even realize needed tended to in the first place. It felt as though years of pent up pain was just melting away at her touch, her normally tense muscles turning to putty in the sheep's delicate hands. It didn't stop with simple muscle massages either. Occasionally she would feel Isabelle pressing both palms into her back and shoulders, after which Texas would hear another *pop* followed by another surge of pleasure.

Drool trickled from the corner of Texas' mouth, her expression locked in a state of heavy eyed, dreary bliss. The world around her seemed to melt away and it wasn't long before she had fallen fast asleep. She wasn't the sort who thought it wise to fall asleep in the presence of a stranger, but she wasn't in her right mind at that moment. Her dreams were dominated by a scantily clad Isabelle who clung to her possessively. She spoke to her, though Texas couldn't quite make out her words for some reason. Texas leaned in close to better hear her, expecting her fantasy woman to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Eventually, she was able to pick up on a few of her words.

"...Just about done. Muscles still a bit tense, but this should do until we get back..."

Texas's eyes fluttered open. What was Isabelle talking about? She blinked a few more times to try wake herself. It took her a moment to realize something was wrong as her brain was still addled from the effects of Isabelle's magic touch. When it finally dawned on her, her heart nearly stopped. The arms she had been resting her head were reduced to nothing but a brown mushy paste! She tried to turn her head but found herself unable to do so.

"I-Isabelle...?" she groaned. Her words were cut off as everything went dark. Her body felt strange, as if it were moving on its own. She tried moving her limbs but they refused to do anything. Bizarrely enough, she could still feel Isabelle's hands working her over, though they were less gentle and more deliberate this time around. Texas could feel her flesh becoming much more yielding, sinking between the sheep's fingers like dough.

"Confused, sweetheart? Don't try turning your head. Concentrate on just moving your eyes" Isabelle's muffled voice said through the darkness. With no other choice available to her, Texas did as instructed. It took a few minutes, but eventually she felt her eyes pushing through whatever veil they were in and suddenly she found herself staring up at Isabelle who stared back at her with a knowing grin.

"Now you're all set. Ready to go to your new home, sweetie?" she asked affectionately. Texas wanted to question her on what she meant but her words were muffled, as though her mouth were permanently sealed shut. Her growing concern drew an uncharacteristically cold snicker from Isabelle. "Let me help shed some light on your predicament~"

From Texas's perspective, it was as though Isabelle were a giant as she was plucked from he bed. Had Isabelle shrunken her down somehow? No, the answer would turn out far worse. Isabelle walked into the bathroom and held the weasel up to mirror, allow her to fully take in what had been done. If Texas could scream, she would have upon staring at her reflection. Somehow, Isabelle had folded her into a neat little brown square, no larger or thicker than a piece of cloth. The only parts of her would indicate life were the two panicked eyes that hovered in the center. Isabelle tore her gaze away, bringing the terrified weasel up to her face. Seeing the distress in her eyes, Isabelle sighed and shook her head.

"Oh Miss Texas... I feel ever so terrible deceiving you like this. And after you had been so kind to rescue me from those ruffians outside of town... not that I really needed any aid, mind you. I've dealt with brutes far larger and nastier in my time spent as a gun for hire, but seeing you swoop in to face them on my behalf..." she paused and fanned herself, her cheeks turning red at the memory. "... it made me a little hot under the collar. I was expecting the sheriff of this podunk backwater town to be some sort of drooling imbecile. I hadn't expected them to be someone so... mmm~"

Texas couldn't believe what she was hearing. This innocent and naive woman was really a mercenary the whole time?! She could hardly believe it. She couldn't believe that she allowed herself to be suckered in by a pretty face and some honeyed words. She looked into Isabelle's eyes, once agains trying to communicate with her mouth still melded with the rest of her body. Somehow, Isabelle was able to perfectly grasp the meaning behind her muffled speech.

"Why didn't I attack you right away? Well... to be perfectly honest, I couldn't bring myself to do so upon meeting you. You were so rugged and heroic... killing you would bring me no pleasure. So, I figured the more humane thing would be to claim you for myself!" she said giddily. "You're going to love my estate! I have to introduce you to Mama! She'll go absolutely wild when she sees I brought home a lawman!"

"Mmmph mmm mmph?" Texas mumbled confusedly.

"Why did I do this?" Isabelle repeated as she ran a thumb along Texas's flattened body. "For better consistency, of course? You've butted heads with many o'foul brute. I'm sure you've been crushed beneath someone's heel or their rear many a-time, yes? Despite that, you were still able to come back from it every time. I find that softening the muscles and loosening the joints tends to make it much, much harder for people to reshape their body after it's been crushed. Usually it takes months of massage to get the result I'm looking for, but I've also found that sudden high impact trauma can help speed up the process"

A chill ran through Texas's flattened form as she listened to Isabelle chatter on. She spoke so matter-of-factly about what she had done, as though she were outlining the recipe to her favorite dish. She thought back to the incident with the ice block, Isabelle's explanation putting it into perspective for her. What seemed like random misfortune was really a calculated move! That said, one thing didn't quite make sense to her. Why did Isabelle insist on visiting the Crushed Weasel? And if it was her job to eliminate her, why did she save her from Annabelle's wrath? She voiced her confusion to the sheep in the same muffled manner as before and, again, Isabelle understood her completely.

"Two reasons, For one, I really was looking forward to sampling Annabelle's famous cuisine. I had planned on making a stop there regardless of whether or not I happened into you upon my arrival. Second, I needed someone reinforce the damage to your body. The ice block to induce trauma and an hour as Annabelle's personal barstool to induce greater fatigue to hinder your ability to recover. It's quite simple, really"

Texas narrowed her eyes. She stuck her neck out to make sure that this snake had a good time only to be taken advantage of. She had no one to blame but herself. Her instincts nagged at her to simply put her foot down and reject Isabelle's requests, but she ignored it every time. She mumbled another question, curious as to what the traitorous sheep had in store for her. Isabelle giggled in response.

"I already told you, we're going back to my estate! My client paid handsomely to see you taken care of but how I went about it was left at my discretion. So long as I have you under my care, they won't have to worry about you, and we can be together for the rest of our lives~" she cooed as brought Texas up to her cheek and nuzzled her affectionately. "I assure you Miss Texas, I'll be the best house wife! Everyday you'll wake up to your favorite breakfast and your work clothes pressed and ironed. Then, when you come home from work, I'll be dressed in my finest with your dinner already prepared! Then we can go to best and snuggle all night long~"

Shameful as it was to admit, Texas didn't find her offer... too objectionable. Isabelle was a clearly unhinged, but... she was still drop dead gorgeous. She fought against her arousal and snapped at the sheep, her anger shining through despite her tirade being completely incomprehensible. Surprisingly, her words seemed to actually resonate with Isabelle as her smile disappeared in an instant.

"You... don't... want to be with me?" She said softly, her voice carrying a slight tinge of hurt in it. Texas blinked, slightly caught off guard by her shift in attitude. Did she really hurt the feelings of this mentally disturbed mercenary? Isabelle's face quickly warped into a deep scowl, shadowing forming underneath her eyes and her pupils shrinking. "What, you don't think I'm pretty enough, is that it? HUH?!" she snarled. She tightened her grip on the flattened weasel, making Texas's eyes bulge. "WHO ELSE ARE YOU SEEING?! I BET IT WAS THAT FOX SLUT FROM EARLIER!! THE ONE FROM DOWNSTAIRS!!"

Fear overtook Texas as she was **** to listen to Isabelle's rant. She hadn't expected such a sudden shift in attitude. The sheep glared daggers at her, her teeth grinding as she let out rage that had clearly been boiling over for some time now.

"All I ever wanted was someone who loves and appreciates me. That's all I ever wanted. I've gone from husband to husband, searching for the one that would treat me like the queen I am. None of em were worth a damn though. Ernesto said he'd be with me forever. Then I found out he'd been seeing an older girl. 'Oooh, what're you talking about? She's my mother! I barely get the chance to see her because I work eighty hours a week!' Feh! Well, now he gets to spend every day with his 'mother' after his 'accident' at work. I scraped him up and made him into a lovely pair of bloomers before sending it to that skank. She came and thanked me personally. Didn't even know that it was her 'son.'"

Texas stared up at Isabelle with newfound horror, a chill running through her body as Isabelle met her gaze with a discomforting level of intensity.

"I really hope you're different from the rest, Texas. My knight in shining armor needs to be loyal at all times. Otherwise, you're just another piece of fabric to me, just like the others. I'd hate for you to have an accident too and wind up stretched across the backside of some back alley tramp. Do you understand?"

Texas tried to nod but found it impossible to do so. It had been some time since she'd encountered someone that made her stomach lurch with dread. She remembered the story of the sheep's previous tragedies, how all of her siblings and exes had met sudden and unfortunate ends. With the sheep's sudden shift in attitude, it became clear that those tragedies were anything but incidental. Not wanting to share their fate, she let out a submissive mumble in the hopes of pleasing the crazed sheep/ Sensing her compliance, Isabelle immediately lightened up, her sunny disposition returning in full as she let out a delighted giggle.

"I knew you were different! Come now," she said before unceremoniously depositing her 'wife' into her cleavage. "We have a long ride ahead of us~"