Abra Welcomes Texas Back

(Originally by Cheese111)

At the far end of the wagon Texas saw the witchdoctor. It didn't look like she'd moved an inch since last they met. She seemed to be in a trance of some kind, her eyes closed and a strange talisman in her hand. A low humming filled the air. The tiny weasel cautiously drew closer and Abra suddenly spoke up, her eyes still closed.

"Ah, someone familiar. De spirits have shown me a mighty sheriff on a long journey. Tell me Texas, what brings you to me wagon again?" A smile grew on her face.

"Ya know damn well why ah'm here. Ah need you to fix this!" The weasel angrily replied, pointing at herself.

"How can I be doing dat? I be just a fraud, no? A fake, a con merchant, here to take advantage of de good people of Gold Springs." Her grin grew more smug with every word.

"Damnit, don't play around with me Abra. You and me both know ah'm tiny because of your voodoo bullshit. Ya nearly got me killed already an' most of the town is out lookin for me. Now change me back to normal!"

"Okay, presume I can. Why would I be helpin you? Not only have I not heard anyting approachin an apology out of you, how do I know you won't immediately lock me up?"

Texas gritted her teeth. She knew this was going to happen. The damn cheetah had her by the proverbial balls though. What was the alternative? Staying tiny and being a plaything for every single villain, even Vivian? With barely suppressed anger the sheriff spat out an apology. "Fine. Ah'm sorry I doubted yer abilities. But you gotta give me some credit here. You're the first magician that actually does real magic here. Ya said yerself how many frauds there are out there."

"De spirits tell me dat's about as much of an apology as I'll ever get from ya. Very well. Now promise me ya won't try to arrest me the moment you be big again." Texas' sense of justice made her scowl. She couldn't just let this damn cheetah walk away. She'd put an officer of the law in grave danger. Because of her voodoo Abra had nearly served Texas to Vivian on a silver platter. She wholly deserved to be clapped in irons, but something overruled her determination. Perhaps it was seeing the cheetah towering over her or the grueling trek to her wagon, but something put a very real tinge of fear running up Texas' spine. What if her attempted arrest ended up with the sheriff right back down to this size again? And this time, there'd be nothing she could do to convince the witchdoctor to change her back.

Abra just sat back, finally having opened her eyes to watch the tiny weasel struggle with herself. Her urge to do the right thing was overshadowed by her need to placate the cheetah. Finally, after a lot of grumbling the sheriff growled a **** promise. She rolled her eyes at the weasel, amused by her internal fight. If she thought this was all it would take to change her back, she was in for a rude awakening.

"Hmmm... I will change you back, but I demand someting be done in return first." Her smug grin grew malicious.

"What? Ah already apologized! Ah even gave you ma word you wouldn't be persecuted for endangering ma life! What more do ya want?!" Texas was getting angry. What twisted game was this witchdoctor playing?

"Words be easy, words be cheap. I knew you were gonna say all dem tings to me, and it don't take a spirit to see why. You'll say whatever I want to hear just to stop being tiny. But de spirits don't be placated so easily. Dey demand commitment, dey demand action." Abra's smile grew a mile wide.

"Dey demand submission."

Texas shot her a look of incredulous rage. She couldn't be serious, right? Abra looked down at the weasel with a nearly disturbed grimace. "It only be for a few minutes, an after dat I will grow you back. If ye can bear to look at me after, I might even be willing 't help ya get back at Vivian."