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Ghostbusters: Regenesis Chapter 15 (Wild West Hills) Written by Leo_Todrius

[May 15th, 11:58 am]

A hot wind funneled through the street, weaving between the old wooden buildings as it kicked up dust into the air. Despite the wind, the sky was crystal blue and the sun was rising toward its peak. The only shadows to fall along the town came from the weathered overhangs protecting the wooden porches and horse troughs. It was just enough shade for a few daring and foolish souls to venture out from behind the shutters, gazing up the street, trying to get any sight of the coming brawl... and they didn't have to wait long.

The doors to the sheriff's office opened up ad a tall, broad shouldered individual moved out. Spurs chimed as they tapped against the ground, connected to large, thick boots with an inch heel. Weathered blue jeans covered the man's legs, leading up to a large brass belt buckle, a circle with a diagonal cross. The under-shirt was a loose tan affair, but a long ankle length jacket hung over the man's broad shoulders, too short to close all the way around his front, keeping the holsters on his hips ever ready. Topping off the whole affair was a broad cowboy hat. The brim shielded most of the sheriff's face, at least until he lifted his head.

The man had a powerful jaw; his cheeks covered with stubble, but from his chin stretched a seven inch tuft of earth brown hair, a rugged goatee. Brown eyes gazed out from the shadow of the hat, sizing up the opponent for the day. A soft grin crossed Seth's lips. He felt pretty confident... but he knew his opposition did as well. Standing fifty paces away was a beast of a man, or more accurately a manly beast.

Thick, broad black hooves cracked the dirt of the road. A shag of black fur covered the seam of his hooves, leading up into brown pants. The groin of the pants was massively bulged, but held up by a double horseshoe belt buckle. The beast had a v shaped torso, his black furry chest sticking out through the v neck of the shirt. His arms bulged with muscle, his neck did as well. He'd have to have a strong neck to hold up the massive bull head he had. His thick nostrils snorted, the gold ring dangling from his nostrils as his eyes sized Seth up in turn.

Seth moved his hand to linger a few inches off his holster, the bull did the same. The light glistened off of the black nail tips that covered his fingers; it glinted off the finely crafted metal of Seth's revolver. The two gazed at each other, biding their time. Others peered out from behind barrels, out of second story windows. They were afraid of getting hit, but even more afraid of missing the event. In the town square, the large clock clicked loudly. Before the bells could even start to chime, Seth and the bull had drawn. Two guns went off like claps of thunder... and then there was silence.

[May 2nd, 2:08 PM]

After chasing bigfoots through the west hills, the Ghostbusters weren't eager to return to the untamed wilderness, but after chasing their quarry out of town, they had ascended into the thick brush and trees, only having the occasional groomed trail to catch their breath on. Half a dozen purple crab spirits wove their way between the trees, their exoskeleton shells containing their oozing ectoplasmic interiors, eye stalks whipping around with bulbous yellow eyes to check for any pursuers.

Nico charged ahead of the others, his teeth gnashing, letting out angry shouts as he unleashed barrages of proton streams through the air, igniting the bark of trees. Eli chased after him, using slime to put out the fires, trying to keep his boyfriend in check. Nico had been a bit unhinged after getting Lucas' letter. The thought of his brother getting knocked up by an alternate dimension snake was preposterous. He wanted to launch a rescue mission but there hadn't been any sign of the portal back there yet.

One of the crab ghosts darted out from a bush. Gray ducked out of the way, letting Seth hit it with a capture stream. It struggled and pulled, but Nico hurled out a disc trap. The yellow device landed seamlessly beneath the ghost as Nico opened the trigger, drawing it in. Eli aimed carefully and let out a slime tether that adhered to the back of the crab. The line went taught and Eli dug his heels into the ground before walking backwards, leading the ghost over an exposed slab of rock. It was a smooth enough surface for Gray to roll out a box trap and step on the foot pedal. The black and white striped doors snapped open, engulfing the ghost in light, drawing it down.

"Seth and I will go around those two blue spruce, flush them back down the middle. Be ready." Gray said to Nico. Nico nodded, pulling out another yellow trap. Seth and Gray moved off, heading in opposite directions, trying to outpace the spooked specters. Nico remained at the ready, Eli near by.

"A letter... Just a damn letter." Nico growled.

"He's saving an entire species." Eli reminded him.

"But he didn't even consult me." Nico complained.

"You joined the Ghostbusters without telling him, didn't talk to him for months... I don't think either of you were very good at staying in contact." Eli replied. Nico grimaced at that.

"I guess you're right." Nico sighed. Eli smiled.

"At least Dakota said all the nagas were attracted to him; handsomeness must run in the family." Eli smiled.

"Cockiness sure does." Nico muttered.

"I don't think the phrase is supposed to go that way." Eli smirked, but both looked up as flashes of proton streams ripped out. Four crabs lunged out from behind their cover. Nico dropped to his knees, angled up and opened the trap. The ghosts tried to swerve away, but it was too late. They were caught in the ion stream, drawn in and disappeared. Nico closed the trap doors and locked the mechanism. Gray moved out from where he was, withdrawing his PKE meter. The arms remained close to the base, registering nothing out of the ordinary.

"It looks like we got them all, good work everyone." Gray said with a smile.

"I can't wait to get back... I'm going to sign out for my day off, head to my house and enjoy a king sized bed for a while." Nico murmured.

"Not to mention some of your great videos." Eli smiled. Nico and Eli turned to make their way back to the path and take the easy way down. Gray leaned down to tie his shoe lace, though he paused as he got closer to the ground. He looked around, noticing pebbles and bits of dirt vibrating. He slowly rose back to his feet.

"Guys?" Gray called out before pausing. The vibration grew more intense and Gray's eyes widened, "Earthquake!" he exclaimed. A moment later he was proven right as the ground began to rise and fall in a vague oval pattern, shuddering and shearing. The Pacific Northwest only got two or three earthquakes a year, generally mild ones... But this was anything but mild. The ground shuddered and a haze of dust began to rise up. Eli tipped over, landing on his side from the weight of the slime back. Nico shifted his balance from foot to foot, staying up. Gray propped himself up with a hand on the ground while Seth managed to stay upright between a pair of trees. The trembling and shaking continued for twenty seconds before the earth came to a stand still beneath their feet. Only the sound of leaves swaying in the breeze surrounded them.

"Is everyone alright?" Gray called out, looking around.

"I'm alright." Eli said. Nico nodded where he was. Gray turned to face Seth. Seth didn't have time to respond before the ground collapsed beneath him, sending up a plume of rock dust. Seth grunted as he bounced from rock to rock down the sink hole, feeling an odd heat and pressure building, bruising him. His pack snagged and a strap snapped, leaving Seth dangling by one arm... and then in a technical impossibility, the other strap broke as well. Seth tumbled downwards more and more before suddenly he felt gravity lurch the other way, tugging him faster. It felt like some sick yo-yo ride before Seth was unceremoniously tossed up out of another sink hole, landing roughly on a dusty, crackled stretch of ground, the unrelenting sun beating down on him. The sound of collapsing rocks came from the hole behind him as dust filtered out, catching on the wind and blowing away.

Seth coughed and choked a bit, feeling very bruised. He slowly pushed himself up, realizing he was very far from where he had just been. Vast desert plains stretched out around him, though on both horizons there were two mountain ranges. Seth turned to the north east and spotted Mount Hood, though it lacked its usual snowy cap. He looked to the right to see Mount Jefferson. He was still in Oregon... but he wasn't at home anymore. Seth crawled back over to the sink hole and looked in, seeing every manner of rocks and dirt and crushed mud. He reached in and started to dig, pulling out rocks, piling them up by the side.

Minutes passed and the hole grew deeper, but there never seemed to be any end to it. When the hole was seven feet deep, Seth gave up and sat back on his ass, reaching up to wipe the sweat off of himself. He started running everything through his head. Eli and Nico had gone to another dimension by accident and got back, Lucas and Dakota had gone to another dimension and got back... He'd have to have faith he would too. There was some thread of fate connecting all of the events. There had even been a lantern ghost in both dimensions. If that was the key, Seth had to find it. The Ghostbuster rose to his feet, turned north and started walking. If there was a Columbia River, Portland would be nestled along it. If there wasn't, it was as good of a direction to start as any. He reached up to unzip his jump suit some as he walked, letting the heat out. He had a feeling that he was going to get a bit toasty on his walk.

****

Morning sun had grown to mid day, then afternoon. Seth had left the sun parched, muddy prairies behind and headed up into a higher rocky area. He hoped it would give him a sight advantage to scope out civilization, hoping at least there was some civilization. As the hours drew on, Seth was feeling more and more concerned about leaving the hole. If the world he was on was uninhabitable, he'd left his one chance for survival behind... No water, no food, no - Seth's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a distant gunshot. It was a sign of technology at least... if not civilization.

Seth ducked down closer to the ground and advanced on the sound. He was on the top of a plateau of sorts and saw nothing, which meant the sound had come from one of the gullies that snaked through the area. With luck, he'd be able to advance without anyone being the wiser. While there were no more gun shots to guide him, dust started rising up ahead. It was as good of a sign as any. Seth crouched even more as he approached the edge, looking a bit like a wild man. The dust had settled into his hair and goatee, taking it from its usual earthy brown to a dusty tannish brown. His dark eyes peered over the edge, seeing a very unlikely sight.

Sitting in the gully below was an old fashioned stage coach... It was made almost entirely of wood, painted royal blue and black and two large brown horses were hooked up to it. There was luggage strapped across the top, curtains on the tiny windows and wood spoked wheels. It was something out of the history books... and so was the man standing against it, his hands in the air. He had an old fashioned pinstripe blue suit and a bowler hat with round spectacles and the chain of a watch. It was almost as if he'd traveled in time, but Oregon had never been as dry as wherever he was now... and it had never been populated by humanoid coyotes either.

While the suited man was perfectly human from outward appearance, the robbers were both around five foot ten with coyote heads. Their pointed ears were furry but frizzled and dusty. The sunlight glinted off of the silver gun aimed at the suited man, but it seemed the other coyote didn't have a firearm, at least one immediately apparent as he ripped through the belongings of the man. Seth's eyes looked around before spotting the stage coach driver, slumped off to the side, holding his arm... an arm soaked with red blood. It seemed he had been shot already.

Seth knew it wasn't a wise idea to intervene, he didn't have all the details... but every part of it seemed wrong to him. If not for the coyote bandits, it would have been something out of an old story book. Seth knew it was his responsibility to act. He took a breath, backed up, charged... and leapt. He arched through the air before coming down on the armed bandit. The coyote collapsed to the ground and the gun went skittering along, thankfully without firing. The suited man grabbed it and turned it on the remaining coyote.

"Hold it right there my fellow, I believe you will see the tables have turned!" the suited man said. Seth rose to his feet and the suited man turned to aim towards him as well. Seth quickly held his hands up; though his foot remained on the back of the coyote he dropped.

"I was just trying to help." Seth said.

"That may very well be... But I lost control of the situation once. I will not do so again." The man said, eyeing Seth up and down. He'd never seen such a tall, broad man before. After sizing Seth up, the suited man turned to the remaining Coyote once more, "Return what you've taken and start walking... I'll give you more of a chance than you gave poor Anders." He instructed.

The coyote said nothing, emptying his pockets slowly. He set down a coin purse, a pen, a watch, and several other trinkets onto the seat of the stage coach. He pulled his pockets inside out before he looked to his comrade beneath Seth's large boot. He opened his mouth to speak but the suited man shook his head and gestured for the gully. The coyote's tail hung down between his legs as he turned and began moving off into the distance. The suited man turned to look at the coyote beneath Seth's foot. The coyote, while dazed, looking up gently.

"Senor, I promise... it was for my pups... I-" he was interrupted.

"Save it... This is no way to fend for your family. You obviously already were able to get help from the Baron; I suggest you figure out ways to save what humanity you have left. Now go so that you may see your pups again!" The suited man said. Seth moved to step off of the coyote, letting him up slowly. The coyote rubbed at his back a bit before he took a step, moving slowly toward the gully... but also Anders. As his hand moved to his side, Seth stepped forward and reached out, his hand blocking the coyote's before withdrawing a small switch blade knife.

"You should listen to the man... Go home to your... pups." Seth said. The coyote sneered a bit before he scampered off with a bit of a limp. Seth watched him go, looking at his fine fur. If anything, Seth would have guessed Mexican wolf, but the bone structure was wrong. Still, he knew nothing about this place... except that a suited man had a gun pointed in his general direction. He turned to face the man with the gun before dropping the knife to the ground. The suited man, however, lowered the gun and chuckled.

"You, sir, know how to handle a situation." The man said before offering his hand, "Bennington Chesterfield." He offered. Seth took the eccentric man's hand and gave it a shake.

"Seth Dillon." Seth replied, "What about your driver? Anders?"

"Oh, him, he's playing possum, aren't you Anders?" Bennington asked.

"I was really shot!" The man said, standing up.

"Of course you were, otherwise it wouldn't have been an effective decoy. I'm sure you were about to spring up and save me at any moment." Bennington said. Anders shifted a bit before giving a vague nod.

"Well, will you be safe from this point on? Are bandits common around here?" Seth asked. Bennington grinned.

"I thought you seemed like an outlander... though you're good stock too, my boy, aren't you? Must be fed well wherever you hale from." Bennington smirked, "But no, we'll be fine, and most bandits aren't daring in small numbers. They only are threatening in large numbers and at the will of Baron Maddox... a man we are most happy to be getting away from." Bennington said, moving over to Anders. Anders had gotten up, but Bennington escorted him to the seat of the stage coach, sitting him down inside before gathering his things.

"So where are you headed to?" Seth asked.

"Fossil. It's the nearest settlement outside of the Baron's influence. Did you come from there, or are you from up north?" Bennington asked.

"Up North..." Seth replied.

"I should have guessed with your unusual garb. Is that what the French in Canada consider fashion these days?" Bennington asked with a smirk, turning... though he paused, noticing the bright red and white emblem on Seth's sleeve. He moved over and leaned in closer. Seth looked surprised at first before he realized what had drawn his attention. Bennington adjusted his glasses, "My word, I must take back what I said... The stitching is so miniscule, so perfect! I've never seen such a perfected design... But what does it mean? Is that a specter? No specters... No..." Bennington paused, his eyes going wide. He looked back up at Seth. Seth grimaced slightly.

"What?" he asked softly.

"You've come... to rid the valley of Madox, haven't you?" he whispered.

"Is he a ghost?" Seth asked. Anders started laughing out loud in the stage coach.

"Of course he ain't no ghost. He's a bull, but he wasn't before he took a ghost into himself. That's why he got so rich... Unnatural long life, corrupting influence... Bad stuff, I'm glad Ben here got the idea to get the hell out of Drain." Anders said. Bennington shot his driver a look.

"Quiet you, we civilized gentlemen are having a conversation." Bennington said.

"Just so long as you drive." Anders grinned.

"Of course I will drive, quiet man servant." Bennington said before he looked back at Seth, looking him up and down before taking a breath, "I don't know if you are here by purpose or destiny, but... at the very least I can thank you for stopping those bandits. What can I do to assist you?" Bennington asked. Seth shook his head.

"I don't help people looking for rewards. Just point me in the direction of the nearest town and I'll be fine." Seth said.

"Portland is the nearest town, several miles west as the crow flies... But you might be advised to take one of Anders shirts to draw less attention, and if I send you with a stipend, you can stop by old man Taylor's store on the edge of town, get some clothes more suited to you. You wouldn't want Madox getting sight of such an emblem." Bennington said, moving to his coin purse, pulling out several gold coins.

"Why does it have to be my shirt?" Anders asked after a moment.

"Because, yours will fit him better. Be quiet man servant." Bennington shouted again, though it was clear their relationship was a very mutual one. Seth looked down at the coins, turning them over in his hands. He grinned a bit, realizing the coins commemorated the Oregon Trail. Some things always were the same.

****

Seth had walked with the sun, following the stage coach tracks... well aware that he was looking far stranger than before, at least to his own eyes. He'd been given a khaki button up shirt and a raw hide vest, neither of which he was able to secure across his chest. The result was that his furry chest and stomach were visible to the naked eye. He'd elected to keep his black pants and boots though, as nothing Anders had came even close. His upper shirt had been turned inside out and tied around his waist so he wouldn't lose it, though the idea of the emblem intrigued him. He would have to learn everything he could about Madox once he got settled. From the sounds of Anders reactions, the number of gold coins Bennington had given him was extravagant. He'd have to do his best to spend wisely, and it seemed his opportunity was coming up.

The sky had filled with vermillion and salmon colored clouds and long shadows had turned into a blanket of darkness across the horizon, but up ahead were the glowing lights of civilization... just an outdated civilization. The main stretch of town seemed to be ahead of him, a wide street bordered by two story tall wooden buildings with elevated porches creating boardwalks on either side. There were water troughs for horses and swinging old fashioned signs. It seemed to be the main strip of town, leading off into the distance where the Willamette and Columbia rivers came together.

Strings of electric lights were strung up between warehouse and port buildings, keeping the darkness out of the corners that might have originally drawn a seedier sort of crowd. It seemed rather nice, other than the looming threat that Seth was aware of. He approached the city slowly, looking at the signs. Bennington had directed him to Taylor's on the edge of town. Sure enough, a wooden sign carefully carved to show scissors and a bolt of cloth swung in the slight breeze.

"Taylor's Tailors..." Seth murmured, grimacing at the pun. He stepped up onto the wooden porch and looked inside. Lanterns were still on, filling the place with a soft cream colored glow. There were displays of shirts and blouses of all sorts, ranging in a variety of sizes. Seth, however, was most pleased by the fact that Taylor was a tailor. Perhaps he'd be able to find a well fitting shirt. He opened the door, eliciting a ring from the bell on the door. A figure moved from behind the counter, turning to face Seth. Seth took a soft breath, seeing a sight he'd never expected to see, in more ways than one.

The man behind the counter had long raven black hair down to the small of his back, his skin as rich brown as mahogany. His bone structure was strong but soft at the edges, his eyes as dark as Mount Saint Helens ash. Seth had read about the Kalapuya, the native tribe to most of Oregon... but over ninety percent of the tribes had been wiped out when the state was settled and the survivors had integrated into the other tribes of the region. Seth hoped deeply that the germs he carried wouldn't trigger another wave of deaths... but his faith in destiny had been restored by coming across Bennington. He had to give it a try.

"Can I help you stranger?" the man asked with a deep voice. Seth stepped toward the counter before he paused, realizing something was a bit off. While the man behind the counter seemed mostly human, the hand resting on the counter ended in black claws, not fingernails... almost like bear claws. Seth looked back up at the man.

"I was wondering how much it would cost for a custom fit leather jacket..." Seth said. The man behind the counter looked Seth up and down.

"Might take more than one hide to cover all of you... One gold maybe." The man replied. Seth's lips quirked into a slight grin. That was a minor fraction of the money he'd been given and it was for a serious investment. Bennington had been more than generous.

"Then maybe I can get some other clothes while I'm in here. I'm Seth by the way, Seth Dillon." He replied.

"Courage." The tailor said, moving to get his tape measure out. Seth looked at Courage as he came out around the corner, realizing a soft black bear tail was sticking out between his pants and his shirt. He seemed to be cobbled together pieces, but almost entirely human.

"That's a good name." Seth said.

"So is yours. Egyptian, right?" Courage asked, starting to measure Seth's shoulders. Seth grinned a bit more.

"Yeah, then eventually Hebrew." Seth replied.

"I like the OPB radio broadcasts of their research digs in Karnack." Courage said, moving to measure Seth's waist. Seth was wide eyed. Radio... He wasn't back in time, something had set civilization back but they were trying to stride forward despite it. Everything he learned was just more fascinating than the last. Then he realized he had an obstruction to Courage's efforts and untied the jacket from his waist, lifting it up.

"So... Do you know Bennington?" Seth asked after a moment.

"One of my best customers..." Courage said.

"I met him at the edge of town... He was being attacked by bandits, but he got away alright." Seth said, spreading his legs a bit, making room for Courage to measure his inseam.

"The Baron must not be feeding his dogs enough scraps." Courage said bitterly.

"Not a fan of the Baron?" Seth asked. Courage smirked.

"You must be from far away. No one is a fan of the Baron, not even those that follow him. He's just a force of life." Courage said.

"And death?" Seth asked. Courage looked at the wooden plank floor for a moment before nodding.

"That too... but at least death is a release from his contracts." Courage murmured. Seth was surprised.

"Contracts?" he asked, holding up his arms as Courage moved to measure those.

"Nothing is as sacred to the Baron as his contracts." Courage said. Seth could tell Courage was a man of few words, but it seemed like he was starting to open up, having someone from the outside to talk to.

"So they are pretty strict contracts?" Seth asked. Courage shook his head.

"You have no idea... Madox started as a banker, he was on the first council, helped set up the town charter... That's where it started. He put in rules and laws that no one understood until years later... And in that time he was helping out every man, woman and child. They needed money, food, shelter, he'd loan it to them, sometimes even give the stuff for free, as long as they signed the contracts." Courage said.

"What were the contracts for? What does it get him?" Seth asked.

"The lightest you can get off is that you won't ever run for Sherriff, or whatever he gave you has to go back... with interest... but the bigger contracts, the real killers... You give up a piece of yourself to him." Courage said, stopping his work. He looked down at his hands... human for the most part, but his finger tips and part of his palms were swollen like the pads on a bear paw. Seth started to put it all together... The coyotes must have been human once, until they met the Baron.

"I'm sorry..." Seth said softly. Courage went back to measuring.

"What brings you to Portland?" he asked, trying to change the conversation.

"Random chance... But I figured while I'm here, I'd see what good I could do." Seth said with a gentle smile. Courage smirked.

"I wish you luck my brother." Courage said, standing up and jotting the measurements down. He looked at his note paper and then Seth to cross check everything, letting out a soft whistle, "Might be easier just to wrap you in a steer." Courage grinned. Seth smirked at that before he looked out of the window panes at the rest of the town. It was simply amazing... He knew Gray would have loved it. He'd have to remember every detail to share with him when he got back.

****

Laughter, piano music and the clinking of glasses echoed out of the saloon late into the night. A glow crossed under and over the half doors from the new electric lights flickering above the card tables and the bar, though they were just as dim as the old lanterns had been. The saloon was full of all sorts of roughians, from full humans to full anthros. There were coyotes, foxes, horses, humans and everything in-between. The air was thick with smoke, the floor was slick with booze and the tables were littered with money and glasses.

Seth moved up along the boardwalk outside, stopping as a pair of drunk men stumbled out, laughing and nearly collapsing. One had thick fuzzy rabbit ears; one flopped over the front of his face, the other sticking up the whole way. The other had just as long of ears, but they were more leathery... distinctly donkey. Seth let them pass before he pushed through the double doors and moved into the Saloon. The patrons didn't come to a stop like they did in the old movies, but quite a few eyes had turned to size Seth up. Freshly outfitted with Courage's clothes, he cut quite an imposing figure.

Seth was wearing a broad rimmed had that cast a shadow over his eyes, made of the same dark brown leather as his leather trench coat. He didn't linger in the doorway, not wanting to draw undue attention. He moved up to the bar like he was familiar with the place, moving to take a stool. A man in his fifties moved over. Seth put down a copper piece, glad that Courage had given him some change. The bar keep grabbed a mug and filled it with the house brew. Seth figured it was a start. His eyes moved over those occupying the bar, trying to figure out if any of them were the infamous baron... but none of them were bulls, or even buffalos. He turned back and drained more of his drink, looking at the row of bottles along the bar. He paused, seeing a familiar red and blue symbol. Seth almost did a double take.

"Is that a Pepsi?" he asked. The bar keep smirked.

"Yeah, you're not a Coke man, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hell no." Seth replied. The bar keep sighed with relief before handing the Pepsi over. Seth paid a bit more onto the table and soon the bar keep went back to cleaning the counter. Seth swiveled around on his stool, watching the others a bit more openly as he alternated between his Pepsi and his beer. The few that had been watching him turned back to what they were doing, startled by his unusual behavior. Seth was mildly amused, though he knew the situation could get potentially tense.

His eyes drifted from person to person before settling on one of the card games... a game that seemed to be for pretty high stakes. The money was piled high, the brows were furrowed. Seth hadn't been around many men with tails, but he assumed the rigid flicking of them was a sign of tenseness too. He could feel everything reaching a boiling point, creeping towards an explosion... and then it came. A slam of a drink, the glint of a gun, a chair flying back.

"You dirty cheater, you're counting cards!" A stubble faced man shouted. The coyote eared youth glared back.

"No one can count cards, it's impossible... Why you go pointing a gun in my face?" The youth shouted back.

"Maybe I just don't like your face." The other replied. The coyote eared youth growled and snarled, causing the other to cock the gun. Seth felt that things were about to get pretty dark, pretty fast... and as if on cue, the double doors opened... Seth had expected some huge behemoth of a Sherriff out of some old western movie. What he got instead was a boy of no more than eighteen if he was lucky... which was especially important considering how little he was wearing.

The young man had to be no more than five foot seven. He had soft blue eyes, short cropped brown hair and soft pink lips. He wore a blue scarf around his neck, a flesh tone leather vest with a silver deputy badge, and yellow and brown leather chaps that covered his legs, but nothing in-between. Six inches of shaft hung down from a well groomed bush, his balls dangling just behind. One of the pockets on his chaps held a pistol, the handle made of ceramic splotched white and black like a cow. Seth gazed in disbelief at the deputy's flawless chest, tan nipples, smooth stomach and exposed groin... Then his soft but long arms, his round cheeks and soft chin. He seemed so innocent, so young, and so very naked.

"Is there a problem here boys?" The deputy asked. The men hesitated.

"Duke was counting cards." The scruffy man said. The coyote eared youth shook his head.

"I couldn't if I wanted to." Duke replied.

"Well boys, it's getting pretty late... I bet all of us are a bit tired. Maybe you should call it good where you are, keep your winnings. Looks like Duke is a bit behind anyhow." The deputy said. The men shuffled a bit before they sighed and began to gather everything up, sliding their winnings into their pockets. Taking that as a cue, many of the other games began wrapping up for the night. The bar keep moved around to collect on his bills as people filed out. The deputy looked around before spotting Seth, his head tilting. Unfamiliar faces weren't too common, at least not past the docks. Seth bowed his head to the Deputy, sipping on his Pepsi. The patrons filed out and in a few minutes the saloon was almost empty, save for a few stragglers. The deputy moved up to the counter and sat down, his bare ass cheeks clinging to the stool. Seth tried not to look, but the sight was too unusual not to be curious about. The deputy followed his gaze before blushing.

"You must not be from around here." The deputy said gently.

"Can't say that I am... I haven't seen a law enforcement uniform like that before." Seth said, "Is it part of a contract?" Seth added. The deputy smirked.

"You may not be from around here, but you pick up pretty fast..." The deputy said, "It is, as a matter of fact... Part of the town charter."

"Interesting town." Seth replied, "I'm Seth, Seth Dillon. And you are?"

"Deputy Shane Carver." The young man said, offering his hand. Seth set his bottle down and gave it a shake.

"So... I assume Madox was behind the law?" Seth asked. Shane shook his head.

"Actually, it's one of the few laws he didn't draft... But maybe we should talk about this elsewhere." Shane said gently, "Care for a walk mister Dillon?" Shane asked.

"Sure thing." Seth said, finishing his beer before he grabbed the Pepsi. Shane turned and strode across the saloon with a confident gate. Seth took a deep breath before following. If Nico had been there, he'd have to lift his jaw off the floor. Seth eventually caught up with Shane, walking through the dark streets. They moved down the main street, Shane's eyes scanning the dark corners. It seemed he was on patrol.

"So where are you from, Mister Dillon?" Shane asked.

"Up North, past Vancouver." Seth said. Shane smiled.

"I hear it's nice up there... They even got trees that never drop leaves, right?" Shane asked. Seth nodded.

"Some could call it the evergreen state." Seth said. Shane smiled at that.

"What brings you to Portland?" he asked. Seth had to give him credit. He seemed unassuming, but he was getting to know the stranger pretty effectively.

"I got a bit side tracked on my travels, came across a man in need of assistance. Bennington Chesterfield. He was being robbed, and I stepped in... He sent the coyotes scurrying away." Seth said.

"He's a good man, quirky, but good. It was a shame to lose him, but I can't blame him. It's best for people to leave here before..." Shane trailed off.

"Before the Baron?" Seth asked. Shane nodded gently. Seth looked the deputy over, hoping he could swing things back around to his own curiosity, "So, you said the dress code was one of the few laws that weren't his?" Seth asked.

"Well, when it became clear that the Baron was starting to get his claws into people, it became important to figure out how compromised someone was... especially when it came to law... So no deputy is allowed to wear anything that might obscure his extremities, so the changes can be tracked." Shane said.

"Changes... like the ears?" Seth asked.

"Well, it doesn't always start with ears. Some think it's whatever part Madox wants to change when a man enters a deal with him. I've been lucky... so far." Shane said wistfully.

"No contracts for you?" Seth asked. Shane lowered his head.

"Just one, but it was minor..." Shane replied. Seth took a breath.

"The no-Sherriff one?" he asked. Shane nodded. Seth tilted his head, "There isn't one, is there?"

"No... by design." Shane said. Seth walked with the deputy for almost a block before he spoke again.

"I know it's none of my business, but sometimes I feel that I've been brought here by destiny. At the very least, I want to understand what's going on. What good could there be in not having a Sherriff? Is it so his bandits can run free?" Seth asked. Shane came to a stop, shaking his head at the irony.

"It's so he can appoint his bandits in charge of Portland." Shane admitted quietly. Seth looked startled. Shane turned, looking into Seth's eyes. He didn't know why he was being so open, but there was something about the man that seemed honest, open, eager to help. Shane shifted on his boots a bit, "It's part of the town charter. If now Sherriff is duly elected in a five year period, the town council member with the best means to do so can appoint a force to keep order. Madox got close a few times before, but until recently there'd been enough people clear of contracts to step in... But with Bennington leaving, we-" Shane paused, turning to look at Seth, "Maybe... you could step in? Just... just for a little while? Just long enough to satisfy the contract..." Shane whispered.

"Is it that simple?" Seth asked. Shane cracked a lop sided smile that was particularly adorable on such an innocent face.

"It's being that simple that tricked our founding fathers... and let Madox rise to power. Who would be afraid of something so easily avoided? No one could have thought he'd live this long, or work so hard... to keep anyone from applying to be sheriff?" Shane said gently. Seth looked at the young man for a long moment.

"I'll consider it, but I need a place to stay in the mean time. Is there an inn around?" Seth asked. Shane shook his head.

"There is, but you wouldn't want to stay there. It's owned by Madox. Half the town is... But if you don't mind a cot or hammock, you can stay at the sheriff's office with me. Plenty of room." Shane said.

"A hammock sounds lovely." Seth said with a smile.

****

Sunlight peeked out from beneath the shades drawn over the windows, casting across the wood floor and the old cast iron stove left cold. The jail cell bars were a dark black and a wooden desk sat off to one side, unused. Seth's eyes slowly looked around the room. Shane was passed out on a cot, his small chest rising and falling. Seth had to admire him for taking on so many responsibilities at such a young age... but wherever he was, was a very wild place. If being sheriff would help out the town, he'd do his best... But it'd put him square in the middle of all the controversy... but maybe that was where he needed to be.

If Madox was part ghost, he could be tied to the lantern keepers somehow, and if he was... then there was a piece of Zytu's puzzle lurking around. Seth had to sniff out the leads, and the authority of sheriff would be just as much an asset as a risk. He'd have to do it... if anyone would ever wake up. Seth slipped out of the hammock and pulled on his pants and then his shirt, walking over to the window bare foot, peeking out behind the shades. It seemed that most of the town was still asleep. Only a few stray people moved about the streets. Seth glanced back at Shane before he decided to go for a walk and let the deputy sleep.

Seth pulled on his boots as gently as he could, securing them before he moved to quietly ease out of the front door, holding the bell to keep it from jangling, at least until the door was shut enough behind him that he couldn't hold onto it anymore. He pulled the door shut the rest of the way and turned to face Portland... or at least the Wild West version. The air was still brisk and cool from the night before, the reaction of a desert. Seth wondered if that was what had set everything back... but right now he had to focus on the present.

He moved along the boardwalk, his eyes scoping out his potential domain. If he was sheriff, even for a little while, the town would be his province. It was a big responsibility. Seth kept walking until a strange, sweet smell began to fill the air. It smelled like sweet grass, rye, with a touch of vanilla and cherry. Seth turned, seeing a glowing ember as a figure drew on a cigar. The lips around the stogie were black, the muzzle long and covered in brown fur. The muzzle was sleek, the nose leathery, the eyes dark and the ears teardrop shaped. A short black mane hugged the horse man's head.

"Howdy... stranger." The horse said.

"Howdy." Seth replied back with a smile.

"Breaking out of the jail by any chance?" he asked. Apparently he saw the quiet escape. Seth smirked.

"Just trying to be courteous to my host, let him sleep a little longer." Seth replied.

"Well, if you ever need any help with anything... You just let someone know, we're always happy to make a deal." The horse said, offering Seth a card. Seth took it, looking at the card. It had the emblem of a bull on it and information on how to contact the Baron. Seth smiled.

"I'll have to keep this close by, never know when I could use a friend in high places." Seth said. The horse man seemed quite pleased by that before he moved off, his hooves clomping on the wood. Seth's fake smile drained away. They were like drug peddlers, dealing in favors. It was sickening.

"Oh god, there you are." Shane panted softly. Seth turned around to see the deputy wearing only his chaps and boots. His chest heaved with concern.

"What's wrong...?" Seth said softly.

"I thought that, well... maybe..." Shane trailed off. Seth's eyes widened.

"That I'd snuck off to avoid being Sherriff?" he asked. Shane blushed and nodded. Seth shook his head.

"My word is my bond... I just wanted to see this town before I step up. If I swear to protect it, I'll protect it as long as I'm able to. I'll eventually have to go back home, but I think I'm here to do some good." Seth said. Shane smiled at that, looking very relieved... and a bit more. Seth hoped it was just a bit of hero worship.

"Sorry to doubt you Mister Dillon, it won't happen again." He said happily. Seth shook his head.

"No Mister Dillon... Until I'm sheriff, it's Seth. And then... Probably still Seth, but maybe Sheriff." Seth smirked.

"Alright... Seth." Shane grinned, "Let's get you a tour of town."

"What about your vest?" Seth asked. Shane rolled his eyes.

"Like it makes a difference when I have to be half naked anyway..." he murmured. Seth shook his head before gesturing. The two began moving down the streets, looking around at what the alternate version of Portland had to offer.

****

Most of the Willamette Valley was covered with dried out mud and scattered rocks. Even the rivers were full of sludge... but a few parcels of land had been tended to and cared for enough that they had turned around... and only one such parcel of land was able to afford the upkeep on a lawn. Baron Madox's estate was elaborate. Three tiered wooden fences ran around the perimeter, inside which cherry and pear trees blossomed. Grass swayed in the light breeze and a small artificial creek carried water from the higher elevations to a small pool near the bottom corner. The baron's home was a finely crafted adobe structure, a light white set against the dull tan surroundings. It had to have at least ten rooms, with a large semicircle window set in the front. The home was only one floor on the surface, but complex cellar entry ways gave access to the subterranean tunnels.

One of the small gates squeaked as the black horse from town strode up toward the house, dusting off his boots before he opened the front door and entered the abode. A group of coyotes looked up from where they were sitting, enjoying the cool interior of the house. Up on the wall there were paintings of Portland as it was formed, as well as a carefully drawn map of all the buildings. The horse man turned, rounding the corner, heading to a stair way that sat in the support wall between the kitchen and living rooms. He headed down the narrow steps, passing a pair of lanterns before he emerged in the underground bunker of the Baron.

The room was spacious and rather palatial. While the house itself appeared to be the home of a statesman, this was something far different. There were displays of jewels and gold nuggets, stolen relics and trinkets, and an entire wall of watches... and off to one end there was a large regal throne like chair, made of the finest woods and metals, covered in gold leaf. It was upon this throne that the Baron sat.

The Baron was a beastly sort of a man. His beady black eyes practically glowed red in the dim light. His horns were aged and cracked but a strong ivory. A dark black shag covered his body, cleaned of all dust and spotless. His black fingernails had been filed and custom made spectacles rested near the end of his bovine muzzle. The Baron was a mixture of the worst of humans and politicians rolled together with that of a bull... but the most out of place thing of all was the long, slimy, very inhuman bovine member jutting out of his pants. The horse panned his gaze from the Baron's member to the young man that was about to receive it. Duke knelt before the Baron, stripped of all clothing. It appeared he had made more than one deal before. In addition to pointed coyote ears, he had the claws of a canine.

"Duluth, you arrived just in time..." The Baron said, his voice like liquid smoke.

"I see our friend has returned for another favor?" The horse man asked. The Baron chuckled.

"Actually, this fine young gentleman has come to his senses and has applied for a job." The baron replied. Duluth gave a small smirk.

"I see... He won't have to worry about counting cards anymore." Duluth said. Duke was about to protest before he looked up at the Baron gently. The Baron merely chuckled.

"It'll be fine Duke; soon you'll be in an entirely new family, one that looks out for your well being. Drink from me, embrace me..." The Baron said, his eyes glimmering a bit brighter. Duke wobbled softly on his knees, his shoulders going slack before he leaned forward, his lips parting. He came down on the bull's cock, his lips plunging into the thick slime. He sucked it down, filling his mouth with it before swallowing. His own member grew hard almost instantly... and every inch he took in of the bull, his cock grew harder and harder until so much blood rushed into it that it was as red as fire.

Madox grunted, reaching to tangle his fingers in Duke's hair, holding the young man to him. He lifted his hips a bit, his shaft brushing the back of the near-human's throat. Duke gagged a bit, but as his throat seized, Madox thrusted. Soon six inches of shaft slid down his throat, filling his esophagus. Duke murmured, sucking, moving his head, trying to bring pleasure to the baron any way he could... but the baron was already most pleased. The bull watched with glee as Duke's tailbone pushed out, gaining dusty brown hair that soon turned into fur. The tail quirked and curved as his ass cheeks parted, growing furry as well. The fuzz crept up his back and around his hips, covering him almost like undergarments. As the fur meshed with his bush, a most peculiar change started to happen... one Duke wouldn't have been able to predict.

Despite Duke's aching shaft, the flesh around it began to swell and expand; covering with fur so thickly it was completely animal. The flesh oozed up around his cock, forming a fleshy sleeve before finally it closed over the top. Duke twitched, his throat still full of bull cock... but he kept sliding forward and back, knowing this was his purpose, this was his fate. The others that were downstairs watched with growing interest, panting softly. Duluth was the only one able to keep even remotely under control, but he soon opened his pants, letting out a massive equine member, letting it harden as he watched his boss convert another follower.

Duke shuddered and shivered before suddenly a very pointed, sloppy red canine penis began sliding out of the sheath. The sheath retracted and the cock emerged more, revealing several inches of engorged member... and at the base, the flesh was bulging outward like two half apples... His first knot. Duke's tail wagged and the fur spread down his legs and up his stomach, spreading faster and faster. The Baron growled in great satisfaction, feeling his powers move into the young man, tainting him.

Duluth wrapped his thick hands around his cock and began pumping it, watching in awe as the human changed. He could almost see the energy moving from Madox into the human, spreading his essence. Madox pulled off the bull cock long enough to take a gasping breath before he plunged back down, thick bull pre squirting out around his lips. He sucked and slurped, getting more and more of his face around that member... before his face started helping out. Duluth watched the young man's jaw extend along the bottom of he Baron's shaft while his upper lip and nose moved along the top. His face stretched and grew, the nose widening and flattening, forming into a muzzle.

Madox grunted, his bull tail flicking around behind the chair as he felt the changing coyote gain his fangs. He reached down to ruffle his hair and the pointed ears that had migrated to the top of his head. The fur finished spreading over Duke's shoulders and down his arms, arms that began to swell and grow with new muscle. He lifted his hands to massage and caress Madox' s furry legs, even as his fingernails stretched into claws and paw pads formed on his hands and fingertips. Duke's humanity drained away more and more, leaving only a few spots of human flesh on his stomach and legs, but soon those closed as well. He was covered with fur and whiskers, save for his paw pads, shaft, and his moist black nose.

Madox grinned, moaning louder as he felt the suckling on his shaft get more desperate, more intense, and more eager to please. He waited until Duke had reached his most anxious before he released. A thick flood of hot seed flowed down the coyote's gullet. He gulped it down until the flow proved too much. His stomach was full, then his throat, then his cheeks. The coyote all but rocketed off of the length, landing on his back, showered with the bull's seed. Duke shuddered and came all over himself, sending up a fountain of sperm that rained right back down on him. Madox' flow came to a stop and soon Duke's did as well, the coyote laying, soaked, on the floor.

"So, Duluth... now that we have that out of the way, what did you come to tell me?" Madox asked, looking to the black horse. Duluth shuddered as his long, flat headed equine cock sent out ropes of its own sperm before the horse looked up, his fur hiding his blush.

"There's a stranger in town... Poking around a bit, he slept at the Sherriff's office for the night. I gave him our card." Duluth said. Madox tilted his head gently, a soft sneer covering his bovine head.

"His first night and he's at the Sherriff's office? I hope his bed was behind bars..." Madox said. Duluth shook his head.

"From what I heard, Deputy Shane put him up for the night." Duluth said. Madox snorted gently, his leathery nostrils flaring.

"That deputy better not be getting any ideas... I had hoped to bring him into the fold all nice like, as part of an easy transition of power... but if he's trying to slide some stranger into the position, I may have to... advance my time table." Madox said, turning, "Reynolds, bring me the ledgers for the Carver homestead..." Madox said. A donkey went charging up the stairs to head to the files. Madox leaned back, scratching at his broad chin as he debated his options. Duke merely moaned on the floor, sighing in contentment as he licked the cum from his lips.

****

Narrow pillars of light came in through the high, square windows, landing across the old dusty library tables. Seth was starting to regret not finding a lamp to take with him, as the library had not been renovated with electric lights yet. Filing the paperwork to become Sherriff had been surprisingly easy in the town hall, but when Seth had learned the building was connected to the library, he had to go digging.

Seth traced his fingers along the old book bindings, reading the faint gold and white lettering before he paused, going back two. Wedged right in between a mineral survey and a topographical stuffy was the Portland annual, a collection of all news stories for the first twenty years of Portland's existence. Seth pulled the book out and carried it over to the table, setting it down. A cloud of dust shot outward like a shock wave. Seth coughed a bit and disrupted the cloud with his hand before he sat down and opened up the book.

The pages were full of newspaper clippings, slightly yellowed with time. Seth felt a little like he was in Back to the Future, though this wasn't his own history he was reading. He skimmed through several of the conventional articles about the proper placement for a port, the convenient positions of the rivers, all the things that had made Portland what it was back home. He read the studies on the mineral deposits a little more in detail, pausing completely when he managed to see a map of the world... and how tilted it was. Oregon was a lot closer to the equator than it should have been.

It took Seth a few moments to adjust to the fascinating discrepancy before he managed to read further, glancing up as horse legs passed along in front of the windows. He felt a little like he was in a tomb, being in the basement of the library. Soon enough the light returned and Seth went back to his reading. He flipped through page after page, finding everything interesting but very much not what he was looking for... until he spotted a particularly large headline looming up from the bottom corner of a page.

"Local founder slaughters specter..." Seth murmured, looking down at a sketch... a sketch of a lantern keeper. The tattered ribbons, the lantern, the mouth peeking out from behind the cloth. It matched everything Nico, Eli and Dakota had seen. Seth looked back at the article, his eyes widening a bit, "Efforts to mine the west hills were blocked for three months when the workers refused to challenge a specter that had been revealed during the blasting. Efforts to remove the spirit were unsuccessful until town co-founder Madox Banner entered into battle... The spirit was handedly destroyed by the use of a stick of dynamite, leaving no trace but a piece of... black glass, which Madox kept as a souvenir of his victory." Seth trailed off into a whisper.

There were many ways to describe the Zytu pieces, most typically that of some strange obsidian metal, but obsidian was volcanic glass and pre-industrialized individuals would have been much more familiar with glass. Seth's fingers tensed. The Baron had the Zytu piece, the entire reason he was there. Seth stood up and moved to close the book, but as the pages flipped, he caught sight of a photograph of Madox after he had become a bull. Seth hesitated and turned back to where it was, trying to find the corresponding article.

The page had deteriorated more than most, pieces crumbling out of the dried acidic glue... but there was just enough left to reveal that a specter of a bull had been trapped in the mine tunnels. The author theorized that the spirit had been kept at bay by the lantern keeper. Seth tried to piece together what little was there, but he started to have the distinct feeling that Madox had returned to the site of his former glory to repeat his success, only to be possessed. Seth leaned back in the chair, contemplating his findings. Regardless of his personal feelings, he had little doubt left in his mind. He had been sent here to get the relic from Madox, and to put his tyranny to an end... once and for all.

****

The bell to the sheriff's office jangled as Seth returned, carrying a box under his arm. A thump came from the desk in the far corner of the room as Shane all but lunged behind it. Seth looked up in surprise, waiting for the young deputy to surface a moment later. Seth's eyebrows lowered in suspicion.

"Mister Dillon, I... heard you were out shootin', I didn't expect you back so soon..." Shane said, his soft cheeks blushing bright red. Seth shifted his weight to his other foot.

"They were surprised by how fast I got through the qualification course. They didn't expect me to have so much experience with precision shooting." Seth replied, "What's going on here?" Seth asked. Shane bit his lip.

"Not much... Just... tidying up." Shane said meekly. Seth scowled a bit.

"I may not be sheriff yet, but a mule could tell you were lying. What's going on?" Seth asked. Shane looked more forlorn by the second before he hung his head in shame. Slowly, step by step, Shane emerged from behind the cover of the desk. At first Seth saw little difference... but soon he realized how wrong he was. Seth had grown used to seeing Shane's incher hanging down from between his chaps. The proud but soft human shaft was no more. In its place was an enormous, limp but incredibly long equine member. It was four inches across and the fat shaft hung down almost all the way to his knees even limp. It was a dark brown color, just a bit darker than the pockets of his chaps. The head was flat and flared and a thick ridge ran around the middle of the shaft, true to most horses.

"I... I had to save my parents land, it's... the only thing they have." Shane whimpered. Seth's face softened and he nodded gently.

"It's alright; you did... what you had to do." Seth said softly, pausing, "What else did he ask of you?" Seth asked. Shane shook his head.

"Nothing... Just... this, and..." Shane paused.

"Do we have to go through this again?" Seth asked.

"Well, he... licked my rear... but he didn't ask for anything else." Shane said. Seth nodded gently, moving to lean up against the wall.

"Well, maybe you got lucky... Maybe he's just a dirty possessed creep." Seth replied.

"Possessed?" Shane asked. Seth nodded, moving back to his things. He pulled out his Ghostbuster jacket and turned it right side out, showing Shane the emblem. Shane's eyes grew large as he moved over to get a better look.

"That's amazing! It's so beautiful." Shane whispered. Seth chuckled.

"Back home I'm a Ghostbuster; I deal with spirits and ghosts all the time... Though I usually have my equipment. I feel a little under-equipped..." Seth replied.

"Under-equipped for what?" Shane asked in surprise.

"To remove the ghost from the Baron." Seth replied. Shane's eyebrows fell. He almost looked disappointed.

"You'd try to save him after everything he's done to this town?" Shane asked. Seth shrugged gently.

"I don't know how much of what he's done is the man, and how much is the ghost." Seth said softly.

"After this many years? He's lived longer than any man should. If I were him, I'd want to be done with it as much as everyone else." Shane replied. Seth shook his head.

"That isn't how I do things, not unless there isn't any alternative." Seth replied. Shane nodded gently before sighing.

"That's why you'll be a great Sheriff." Shane said softly.

"Now they just have to telegraph Drain and make sure there aren't any wanted posters of me." Seth smirked.

"Sounds like it won't be too much longer before the Baron has to start counting days all over again." Shane grinned deeply.

****

Courage pulled down several boxes from the upper shelves of his storeroom, holding them in his arms, barely able to see over them before he moved through the door way, out into his store front... only to realize that he was not alone. The Native American stopped in his tracks, his eyes studying Duluth. The air was already thickening with his pungently sweet cigar smoke, the horse scoping Courage up and down. Courage brushed off the glance and moved to set down the cases on his counter, starting to unpack their contents.

"Did you come here to buy something, or just stink up the place?" Courage asked. Duluth chuckled.

"Calm down there, little bear... If it takes coin to get the answers I want, I'll buy some knick knack, don't you worry." The horse said, moving over, his hooves clopping on the wood floor, "What can you tell me about the stranger that rode into town? Seth Dillon's the name?" Duluth asked.

"I can't tell you much about a stranger if he's strange, now can I?" Courage asked. Duluth shook his head.

"You'd think your kind would be a little more cooperative with the Baron, what with saving your tribe." Duluth said. Courage glared.

"Turning us into his pets was no favor... We would have rather died." Courage said.

"That's exactly what would have happened, you were dying, remember? Even you... Fever, chills... Isn't this better? Isn't life better?" Duluth asked. Courage said nothing. Duluth shook his head and leaned in a bit, his nostrils flaring before he sniffed a bit, "You've been doing a lot of work in here... I can smell it; the sweat, the leather trimmings, everything."

"I'm surprised you can smell anything with those cigars of yours." Courage replied. Duluth grinned softly, knowing Courage was talking bigger than he could walk. The horse leaned in, pressing his muzzle to the human's mouth. Their lips worked for a long moment. Courage felt a tongue invade his mouth. He murmured, lingering in the kiss for a moment before he pulled back and slapped Duluth upside the head. Duluth winced and stepped back. Courage glared, "Get the hell out of my store." He demanded. Duluth grinned.

"I'll leave... but I may come back, I've been meaning to get me a nice pair of chaps." The horse said before he moved out of the store. Courage followed after him before locking the front door and turning the sign to closed. He put his back to it and reached down, resting his hand over the bulge in his groin, shuddering in disgust.

****

Soft, steady rumbling came from the Baron's bedroom as the mighty bull slumbered. His furry chest rose and fell, his body continually healing and regenerating as it had since he was possessed. The room was covered with trophies of his victories; a copy of the town charter, filing cabinets of contracts, a golden pen, newspaper clippings of his slaughter of the lantern ghost... though as the bull slumbered, he began to twitch and murmur in anguish, his mind turning to that day... to the day he had seen the face of death itself.

Even in his dreams, Madox could feel it in his hands... The dynamite, the raw power of man. He had looked upon that lantern keeper with all the wrath of an industrialist, and he had chucked the dynamite beneath its tattered cloth arms. At the end of the tunnel, he'd turned back... and saw the flash point. The spirit in the midst of the fire was not a little ball, but the skeleton of a man in tattered bandaged robes... That face haunted Madox and filled his dreams.

The baron awoke with a gasp, sitting up slowly, shuddering. His hand reached up into his shirt, withdrawing the black metallic obsidian hanging from a chain around his neck. He stroked the piece, rubbing his fingers on it, trying to quell himself. Madox had searched for days to find that spirit's lantern, to find proof... but he never had found it, all he found was the artifact, the strange trinket... The bull reached over, grabbing a bottle of whisky, lifting it to his lips. He tipped it back and took a heavy guzzle before lying back in his bed, wondering if all the pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. If there was anything he had in abundance, it was patience... but even his patience had its limits.

****

Night had settled and for once the town was quiet. It was a new moon, the streets were dark and the townsfolk were tired. The windows of the sheriff's office were pitch dark, but the walls inside were a soft peach in the lantern light and from the light of the fire in the cast iron stove. Seth sat in a chair propped up on its hind legs, slowly thumbing through a book on law enforcement. Some of the laws were obscure and strange, but for the most part it was the foundation of the system he was familiar with. Seth turned the page and felt a very compelling clam sweep over him. There was something peaceful about a pre-technological society with such a small world population. It was almost like the world had no limits, as if it was just... easier to live. Seth knew that wasn't true. Disease and crime were rampant and there wasn't an infrastructure to make life easier, but still... the cozy feeling was very nice.

A few feet away, Shane tossed and turned on his cot, trying to sleep and failing. He'd been restless all afternoon, feeling shame at having given away part of himself to the Baron, at letting Seth down... and even more shame that he'd been to short sighted to see how forgiving Seth was. Shane's thoughts focused on the aspiring Sheriff, how admirable he was, how tall and strapping, how manly. Shane moaned, feeling blood rush into his large member. Shane rolled over, looking at his cock... his huge, horse cock... but that wasn't the only part of him throbbing and pulsing. Shane groaned tightly.

Seth was about to turn another page before he realized Shane was standing in front of him. Seth lowered his book, opening his mouth to ask what the deputy wanted, but Shane knocked the book from Seth's hand and moved to sit down on his lap, grinding his ass against Seth's groin. Seth grunted sharply, blushing as he felt the firm muscled cheeks squeezing his length through his pants. Seth reached to grab Shane by the hips, holding him in place.

"Shane... I know the feelings you have are strong, but... I have a boyfriend, back home... A man I love very much and want to get back to." Seth said.

"He's your boyfriend... But I can be your boy. It doesn't have to mean anything... Please, Mister Dillon, please fill me..." Shane whimpered, moving to lick at Seth's neck, then suck on the flesh. Seth grunted, grabbing Shane's head, pulling it back.

"We can't do this." Seth growled. Shane's eyes nearly watered.

"I can feel it, Seth... I can feel it in me. He didn't just change my dick... He put something in me, a need... I shoulda known, I seen it before. It's like a seed, it starts out small but it grows. Soon people ain't got no choice but to go back to him, to give in. I gotta have something in me, and if it ain't you, it's gonna be one of the Baron's men. I don't want to lose any more of me, I... I need you to save me, to be my Sherriff." Shane whispered. Seth's face softened at that. He looked at the eyes of the young man, the eyes that were pleading with him. Seth tried to think what Gray would do, what he would say. Before Seth reached a conclusion, his eyes fluttered shut as he felt Shane's teeth sink into his goatee.

The deputy chewed on the tuft of hair before he nuzzled into it, rubbing his face up and down before he leaned in at the base of Seth's neck to lick and then suck, sucking harder until it stung, until blood welled up beneath the skin. Seth growled louder, grabbing Shane's head, holding him there. The young man grinned before he resumed his sucking, starting to rub his ass tighter against Seth's lap. Seth murmured softly, hoping Gray would forgive him... but what kind of Sherriff would he be if he let his deputy go into the arms of the enemy?

Seth reached down, tugging at his pants before he got the fly to open. He fished around, but Shane plunged a hand into Seth's pants. He moaned as he felt Seth's thick bush and his soft, soft boxers. He pulled the undergarments down and ensnared his fingers around Seth's shaft, pulling it out. Shane stroked it up and down with worshipful fingers... before he started lifting himself up. Seth looked up into the eyes of the boy that had seemed so innocent, watching his face before Shane came down and his tight ass engulfed Seth's cock. Seth grunted, lifting his hips, meeting the deputy's movement before they came together roughly.

Shane's fourteen inch horse shaft was hardening, thickening and lengthening, slapping against Seth's chest. It was a monster, a slab of meat... and it was almost as if Shane could care less about it. All he cared about was how empty his ass had been, and how much better it was with Seth's cock in it. Shane rose up and down, riding Seth's shaft, impaling himself on it. Seth moaned and groaned, unused to such a tight, warm ass with so many unfamiliar muscles. It was almost as if Shane's rectum was capable of sucking his rod, and it was an amazing feeling...

The legs of the chair skittered along the floor as the two went at it, not holding back in the slightest. Seth forced his eyes open, reminding himself that this wasn't Gray, that this was an impressionable young man, barely of legal age... a young man that looked up to him. The pale skinned deputy rode his shaft, the handkerchief tied around his neck riding up and down in the gusts of air they were creating. Seth tried not to get a kick out of it, but... he felt like a pretty masculine man to have a cowboy riding his shaft.

Shane's face was tight in expressions of pleasure and delight. His lips curled, his eyes were squeezed, his mouth made all manner of unflattering expressions... It was the stuff of legends, or would have been in any conventional pornographic sense... but Shane was far from human anymore, and what he was packing was something far stronger. Seth had grown accustomed to the shaft lying between his pecs, but the shaft was not dormant. It fed off of Shane's pleasure, building constantly... until Shane felt himself lose control.

"Seth!" Shane screamed out, his head tipping back. His equine shaft suddenly pulsed, the urethra spreading before thick, yellowed horse cum shot out across Seth's chest. It splattered against his neck before flooding back down, covering his chest, releasing its musk into the air. Seth moaned hard, his cock throbbing as the musk hit his nose. It was the most amazing thing he'd ever smelled... Like leather and sex and sweat and earth and... he couldn't get enough. Seth lost all reason as he leaned down. His lips spread over the cock that was so conveniently close to his lips, his tongue teasing Shane's slit.

Shane moaned in shock, turned on even more that Seth was so dirty... The big, tough sheriff was sucking on his horse meat... And Shane couldn't stop himself. Another flood came. Seth's cheeks went wide before his throat relaxed. He guzzled down the sperm, taking the torrent in. His throat bulged with the volume before it hit his stomach, filling it steadily. Shane called out in extreme lust before he started to fall off of Seth's lap. Seth grabbed the deputy, but the cock popped out of his mouth. Seth was hit in the face with the yellowed sperm. It coated his cheeks, ran down his goatee in rivulets and dripped from his nose. Seth licked his lips clean and groaned, feeling his own body careening toward the edge.

Seth pulled Shane back to him. Shane started to lap up the cum from his sheriff's face, cleaning it even as Seth called out. His balls tugged up, his cock pulsed... and he began to spray into Shane. Shane twitched and shivered in his arms, nearly going limp... at least every part but his ass. Seth inhaled as he felt Shane's depths start working his cock over, tugging and massaging and pulling... and to Seth's surprise, it almost felt as if it was working, like his cock was growing longer. Seth tried to push Shane up, but Shane came back down. Seth pushed him up again, but once more Shane came back down. It seemed that whatever he did, that cowboy was riding his meat for all it was worth... and eventually Seth gave up, grabbing Shane's head, kissing him with passion and lust. Shane returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around the Seth in desperate thanks.

****

A match ignited, the flame burning brightly as Seth brought it up to the end of the cigar. The tobacco took and began to glow as he drew in, carrying the sweet smoke into his mouth. He held it there for a moment before he exhaled, the smoke leaving his mouth again in a soft cloud of scented tobacco. Seth grinned gently, sitting at the bar, his legs spread abnormally wide... and his pants filled out very nicely. The stubble on his upper lips and cheeks had come in a lot thicker and his hair was a bit longer. All in all, Seth exuded even more confidence... but the cigar was his celebration. He puffed on it, his brown eyes gazing across the way to Shane. Shane strode around the bar, keeping an eye on everyone, his long equine phallus swaying between his legs. The bar keep smirked to himself as he set down a plate of steak for Seth.

It had started out as a celebration of a night's passion, but Seth had quickly learned that it was not at all how some had hoped the evening to turn out. The coyotes kept looking between Shane and Seth, seeing how satisfied the future sheriff was and the thick plumes of smoke leaving his lips. Seth could see it all pretty clearly... They'd planted the seed of lust in Shane, expecting him to run to the Baron. Without a deputy and a guide, Seth wouldn't have had as much guidance into becoming Sheriff, but the plan had back fired.

Shane leaned against the wall, sighing wistfully as he watched Seth smoke that thick, long cigar. He was everything a man should be... Shane knew Seth would have to go home one day, but he was going to enjoy every second while he could. That second was interrupted as the saloon doors wobbled. Duluth entered, pausing just a moment before Madox came in behind him. A hush crossed over everyone in the saloon. Seth looked up slowly, looking at the face of the beast that had an entire town shaken to its very core. Madox gazed back at the mysterious man for a long moment, feeling a pang of desire. He was already so rugged, so wild... he would have made an excellent henchman.

"Keep, a round of drinks on me." Madox declared loud enough for everyone to hear. At once the saloon erupted back into cheers and excitement at the prospect of free booze. The Bar Keep got to working, trying to keep up with everyone's orders. Madox moved over to sit down next to Seth, getting comfortable.

"Baron." Seth said companionably.

"What are you drinking, stranger?" Madox asked.

"I already have my drink, but I thank you for the offer." Seth replied. Madox chuckled.

"You do have a strength of character, I'll give you that. What's even more, you bring it out in others... that's a powerful strength, and... a dangerous one." Madox said companionably.

"Well, everyone has their strengths. It seems you have more than a few. Politics, law, economics..." Seth said, pausing, "And a class four half torso roaming vapor that crawled right into your body and made itself at home." Seth added. Madox paused, taking in a soft breath through his very bovine nose.

"There IS more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?" Madox asked, "So you know about spooks and specters too..."

"I just have one question." Seth said, drawing on his cigar, "Who is in control now? Are you wearing the skin of that bull because of the power it gives you, or did you feed off that human until nothing was left?" Seth asked. Madox chuckled.

"They say we are what we make ourselves out here on the frontier... This land has a rich bounty. The ghost of this bull was just one more resource to use." Madox said. Seth shook his head before he grinned.

"I think my deputy just might have been right after all." Seth said softly.

"I don't know what he told you, but... I can make it worth your while to head back wherever you came from a very... very rich man." Madox said softly. Seth shook his head.

"If I do leave, it's not going to be before my swearing in tomorrow at twelve fifteen." Seth replied. Madox straightened up in his chair.

"I'd like to caution you against that course of action... I believe you'll find it's a very, very dangerous line of work." Madox whispered.

"Oh, I'm used to danger..." Seth said softly, "And don't even think about sending your lieutenant over there to persuade me to change my mind tomorrow. If you have a message to send me, you better send it to me yourself." Seth replied. Madox snorted in anger, standing up before he stormed across the room, dropping a pile of gold coins on a table to cover the tab before he left. Duluth followed after and soon the coyotes filtered out of the pub, mournfully abandoning their drinks. Seth just lifted his cigar to his lips and took another puff.

****

The disparity between Seth and Shane as the morning progressed was becoming ever more. Seth seemed to be settling into a very calm state of mind, clear of purpose and emotionally prepared... While Shane was pacing like a nervous wreck, holding his fingers in his hands. Seth had put on his best clothes, everything save for the jacket. It was a nice jacket, but it was a bit restrictive. That was the last thing he wanted if it came down to a duel at high noon.

"You don't have to do this, you know..." Shane said softly.

"Shane, it's the reason I'm here. It's the reason I'm even becoming Sheriff." Seth replied.

"But what if he shoots you?" Shane asked gently.

"I'll just have to shoot him back." Seth replied. Shane was about to launch into another tirade, but a knock from the door silenced him. Shane looked up, seeing the familiar black hair of Courage. Shane moved over and opened up the door, letting him in.

"Mister Dillon... I thought you could use a few things for your swearing in." Courage said, carrying several boxes. He moved over to the desk to set them down as Shane shut the door behind him. Seth moved over and lifted the lid of the first box, pausing with a soft grin. It was a finely crafted belt, and the buckle had the same circle and cross as the Ghostbusters logo. Seth grinned and pulled it out, swapping the belt for his own, making sure his holsters hung right. With that exchange done, he opened the second and larger box, realizing it was an entirely new jacket. Seth's eyes widened.

"Courage, this is expensive... I know how much the last cost, and it should have earned you even more." Seth said.

"Well, I figured... that the last one wasn't much good for shooting." Courage said gently. Shane froze where he was. Seth held up the new coat, looking at it. The front sloped back away from his hips, leaving them clear. There would be no obstruction to his firearms. Seth looked back to Courage.

"It's amazing..." Seth said softly, "How's it look out there?" he asked for a moment. Courage shifted on his feet a bit.

"You basically called Madox out, in the Saloon no less... And with your swearing in just around the corner, he can't play any of his games any more. He's... coming for you, high noon. In front of the court house." Courage said. Seth nodded gently, looking briefly to the cast iron stove, thinking about making an armor plate... but there wasn't enough time, and it was a cliché idea. He'd just have to face things. Seth moved to pull on the jacket.

"Seth..." Shane whispered softly. Seth shook his head.

"The cycle has to end, there's no other way to go about this." Seth replied gently. Shane's shoulders slumped. Courage reached up and patted Seth on the shoulder. Seth glanced over at the clock, realizing it was almost noon. It was time to head out. With one last double check, he made sure everything was ready... and then he moved to the door and eased it open, looking out from under the overhang.

The sky was a bright blue, cloudless and warm. Dust blew between the buildings, heading toward the court house, as if nature itself was coming to see him off. Seth pulled his hat from the stand by the door and put it on his head before he moved out. His brand new stirrups made soft noises as he walked, his long legs taking the steady stride of a confident man. He moved off the boardwalk and up the street, his eyes wide open. He could see the people cowering in the shadows, but no sign of any ambush. He hoped that Madox would have enough decency to make it a fair fight. He had to save some face at the very least, or no one would make contracts with him no matter the losses. Seth moved along one block, then another. He heard Courage and Shane coming up behind him, knowing they weren't going to miss anything... and then Seth looked up ahead and saw him, the Baron.

Much like Seth, Madox had put on his best garb. Fine brown pants, a silver vest... He'd even swapped out his spectacles for a gold nose ring. It seemed he was sporting quite the visage, but Seth wasn't shaken. It was the same bitter man in the shell of a ghost that he'd spooked the day before. It was the last obstacle between him and freeing the city from tyranny. Seth moved up to a distance of fifty paces, a soft grin crossing his lips. Madox snorted a bit before grinning himself. It was unspoken, but they both knew how it had to go down.

The large clock in the court house ticked away, the huge minute hand getting ready to move forward. Seth was undaunted, waiting for that split second. Madox, however, started to get a bit distracted. The dust blowing along the street started to swirl around, turning from tan to off-white. It funneled around and balled up before it formed an image... the image of a very familiar spherical ghost. As it manifested, the lantern keeper drew its lantern out from behind its back, letting it hang down at either side. The spirit lingered just to the side of Seth, but Seth hadn't noticed. Shane and Courage were unaware, even the onlookers reacted as if nothing happened. Madox blinked, his heart racing, looking between Seth and the specter. His lips twitched, his tail flicked.

"It can't be..." Madox muttered to himself, trembling a little. He had killed the ghost, he had to... but here it was, visible only to him. Madox felt fear and anguish welling up in him. His hand moved to hover over the holster, his fingers at the ready. Seth reciprocated... and then the moment came. The minute hand moved to high noon, both drew, and both fired. Seth winced as the searing pain ripped through his arm, sending out a spray of blood... but Madox toppled backwards, the bullet cutting right through him. The entire town gasped as Madox' huge body wobbled and fell, landing in the street with a dull thud. Madox slowly turned his head, his eyes watching the lantern ghost hover along the ground, moving ever closer towards him... but to those on the street, they only saw the last few breaths of the bull before he shuddered... and died.

Seth stood on the street for a long moment, taking a deep breath. He had killed someone... he had ended a life, but it saved a city... The townspeople were running out of cover, moving to check Madox, but as Seth advanced, they stopped. Seth moved along the street over to the fallen bull, crouching down. He reached out to check his pulse, then his chest, finding no signs of life... But, crouching there, Seth noticed the necklace around Madox's neck. Seth hadn't believed much in destiny and fate before Lucas had given his prophecy, but everything he'd experienced since then had told him otherwise. He reached into Madox's shirt and withdrew the oblong pendant that had been inside. He used his fingernail to scratch at the glue that held the chain to the piece. It flaked off and the pendant was free. Seth used his fingers to slide the piece into his sleeve, checking Madox a moment longer before he stood.

"The Baron... is dead." Seth called out; the townsfolk froze in place for a moment, taking it all in. It was almost too much to hope for. The beast had fallen; they were no longer at his mercy. It didn't take long for the words 'The Baron is dead' to catch on the wind, moving from building to building, spreading like wild fire. Seth put his gun away and moved along the street, heading for the court house.

"Seth, you're hurt!" Shane said as he ran up, pulling off his blue handkerchief from around his neck to tie onto Seth's arm. Seth grimaced.

"It's just a flesh wound." He said with half a fake accent. Shane gave him a puzzled look before tying it off well.

"Mister Dillon..." Came a deeper voice from the court house steps. Seth looked up to see the mayor.

"Mayor Hatfield, a pleasure." Seth said. The mayor shook his head slowly.

"More for us than you I assure you." The mayor said, offering his hand. Seth moved up and shook the hand of the mayor as Shane followed, though on the stairs they paused.

"Courage, are you coming?" Shane asked. Courage shifted a bit.

"I'm going to keep an eye out here, see how things unfold." Courage said. Seth gave a nod. He respected the man's wish and soon the three went inside. Courage turned and moved along the street, heading over to look at Madox again. It seemed so strange to see him lifeless. It was as if his fur, his body... was nothing but fabric now. All the life and soul had faded out of it. Courage looked up as the reporters came running.

"Mister Taylor, did you see it? Did you witness it?" The OPB reporter asked.

"I sure did... Baron Madox came down here 'cause he knew he couldn't trick Mister Dillon out of becoming Sheriff. He had no other way but to try and shoot him... They waited until noon; they fired at the same time... But Mister Dillon was just plumb a better shot." Courage replied.

"Where is Mister Dillon now? Was he hurt? Did Madox say anything before his death?" The reporter questioned.

"Mister Dillon is being sworn in as Sheriff, he got grazed a bit but is fine, and no, Madox didn't say anything. Guess he was too coward to explain his reasons." Courage said. More reporters flocked over; pelting Courage with questions before they turned, seeing Seth and Shane emerge with the mayor behind. The mayor stopped half way down the stairs, expecting the questions. Seth, however, was a bit more hesitant. A golden badge hung on his jacket, glinting pristinely. It was a badge that hadn't been worn by anyone in many years.

Seth heard the questions but let the mayor respond, looking over to Shane. Shane smiled gently, blushing a bit. He was resisting the urge to hug onto Seth's arm. At the sight of cameras, Seth straightened up and put on his best posture as the flashes went off, igniting brightly in front of the reflective cones. The smell was rather terrible, but it sure was an experience. The questions went on and on and Seth stood there, but at the back of his mind, something felt a bit... off. Seth looked around before he spotted Madox's body. The wind was picking up a bit, and it was almost as if the wind was eating away at his bull features. The fur turned from black to transparent purple and blue, stripping away from his body. The muscle, the size, the horns, the muzzle... it all pulled off of Madox like tumbleweed, rolling away to reveal a very old, very grizzled man. Seth followed the purple energy with his eyes as it blew along, but then it stopped in mid air. Seth moved down the steps and past the reporters. Shane followed Seth's gaze and gasped, spotting the ghost.

"Everyone out of the street, get back!" Shane called out. The energy shuddered, reforming itself, forming into a ghostly bull. Four ephemeral hooves touched down on the dirt road, a tail flicking about as if it was made of fire. It drew its hoof back and then charged at Seth. Seth reached for his gun, but knew it wasn't a proton blaster. There wasn't anything he could do. The bystanders gasped as the bull leapt, pouncing right at Seth. It brought its head down and slipped tight into Seth'/s chest. What would have been a thousand pounds of beast disappeared right into Seth's body, leaving the townsfolk stunned.

"Seth?" Courage called out in fear. Seth trembled gently, stumbling forward a bit, panting. His eyes winced shut as pain built in his head. His skin started to bulge, rounding more and more... The bulges expanded, growing quite large before finally the bone poked through, two tiny beads of blood rushing down. The white horns curved up and began pushing out of Seth's head, sliding straight out from his temples, parallel to his shoulders. Seth's lips tightened, turning black before his nostrils flared and widened, turning black as well. Shane moved forward, but stopped as he saw the brown drain out of Seth's hair and goatee, both turning jet black.

Seth grunted hard, feeling his clothes tighten all over. He couldn't breath, he couldn't walk. His feet ached, his chest was on fire. His pecs started to stretch and grow, his nipples widening. His flat, toned stomach bulged Seth lifted his head and let out a groan of pain as the new jacket tore open, buttons flying... but the chest they revealed wasn't human, it was covered in thick fur. Seth's fingernails turned black and hardened, and then his boots started to come apart. Stitching split, leather stretched and his morphing feet spilled out onto the street. His toes grew together, his toenails spread over the feet and hardened into hooves... Even his pant legs split up to his knees as shaggy black fur grew out.

Tears leaked down Shane's cheeks, but he was frozen in shock. Seth's pants grew tight before the fabric in back had bunched and stretched too much, tearing to reveal a long bull tail. From the neck down, Seth was all steer... but the fur crept up his neck and he continued to change. His jaw expanded, his teeth flattened, his nose widened. The stubble on his cheeks became fur, and the fur surrounded his eyes. His face continued to expand, then his skull. His neck widened to support the bull head that Seth was now the owner of...

Flashes started going off as the reporters got over their fear and shock and took pictures of the situation. The mayor stood his ground, looking eternally disappointed. Even the townspeople feared that Madox had won once and for all, but they had no idea the battle was still going on... the duel still continued in Seth's mind. Seth grunted, feeling the changes, but he was focusing more on the ghostly presence inside.

"Madox, I have to give you credit. You are more of a parasite than I thought... Not many humans could cling to the shell of a ghost." Seth muttered.

"I will never die, least of all by the likes of you!" Madox shouted in Seth's head, trying to dig in... but every time he tried, it wasn't working. Seth chuckled gently to himself.

"You give yourself too much credit. You're a husk of a man in a husk of a ghost. I fight ghosts stronger than you in my sleep. I ain't afraid of no ghost." Seth replied, focusing on the memories of his life. Madox started to see what Portland could be like, the massive city with bustling technology and nature entwined... protected by Ghostbusters, wielding power as bright and fearsome as the son. Madox shuddered, shrinking back, fear taking him over. Seth felt his power wane and shrink and die... until nothing was left. The nagging voice was gone, the pressure was gone, the change was done. Seth opened his eyes and looked around, realizing everyone was waiting with baited breath.

"Baron Madox... is still dead. His contracts are nullified." Seth called out before he looked down at his badge. He reached up to pull it off slowly, "And for my first act as Sherriff, I appoint my successor... Sherriff Shane Carver." Seth said, moving over to the steps of the court house. Shane's eyes were wide in shock as his deputy badge was removed and replaced with the gold one. Seth grinned a bit. "Congratulations Sherriff Carver."

"Seth..." Shane whispered.

"Sherriff Carver, how does it feel to be the first citizen to hold the position in five years?" One reporter asked.

"What will your first act as Sherriff be?" another asked. Shane swallowed a bit before looking around.

"Gentlemen, please. This has been a very trying day..." Shane called out, feeling a bit more assertive, "The coroner will be called to take care of the Baron's body... and I will escort Mister Dillon to my office for questioning... about his witness testimony... There will be no further comment today, thank you." Shane said before he strode down the steps. Seth moved to follow after him, though both stopped as they reached Courage at the base of the stairs. Courage looked Seth over, up and down.

"It looks like you're going to need new clothes..." Courage said. Seth smirked and reached into his pocket, pulling out seven gold pieces.

"I think I'm going to be heading back home before long to get my figure back... but you should have these for all your trouble. Thank you for all your help. This day wouldn't have come without you." Seth said, offering his hand. Courage reached up slowly and shook it, feeling a bit less ashamed about the bear qualities in his hand. Seth turned to leave but then paused, looking back to Courage, "Maybe you can make Shane some pants though... if he wants them." Seth said with a grin before he started heading to the Sherriff's office.

"I'll have to think about it." Shane smirked softly before he followed after Seth. Courage just chuckled and put the coins in his pocket. Life sure was a strange thing.

****

Shane called out in lust as he grabbed onto the black metal bars of the jail cell, glancing over his shoulder. Seth licked his muzzled lips, undoing his pants, letting them fall to the floor. A long, slimy bull cock flicked up, spraying musk across Shane's back, even soaking into his vest. Seth moved up and grabbed Shane's hips, aligning the head of his sloppy cock with Shane's hole before he thrust in deep. Shane called out in bliss, his back arching, his pucker squeezing around Seth. The bull pulled back and thrust in hard, nearly knocking the new Sherriff off of his feet. Shane had to push and pull on the bars just to keep relative position.

Seth thrust deeper and harder, grinding like the beast he was, unable to restrain himself. He rammed into Shane's ass, striking his prostate, then even deeper. Shane moaned, almost feeling like his belly was distending with the thrusts. He moaned eagerly, drool leaking from his lips, his horse cock hardening to its full girth and length. He didn't dare reach down to pleasure it for fear of being squished into the bars. It had to hang and swing around with the thrusts of their love making. Seth leaned in, licking at Shane's neck, pressing his furry chest to the boy's back. He began to suck and nurse on the neck, leaving a bright red mark.

"Seth!" Shane called out in lust, squirming heavily, panting hard. Seth kept at it, unrelenting, never slowing down. He ground tightly before he reached around and grabbed Shane's horse cock, working t up and down fast and hard. Shane moaned out, then screamed in pleasure before thick ropes of yellowed horse cum splattered all over the jail cell floor. Seth moaned, breathing in the musky scent through his thick bull nostrils before he tipped back his head and let out a deep moo. Then Shane felt the hot flood pouring into his ass, pumping him full, spurt for spurt. It was so much that he filled Shane full, and soon it was dribbling out down his legs.

Shane suddenly collapsed, his legs going out but he held onto the bars, keeping himself upright. Seth grabbed Shane around the waist, lifting him up, moving to sit on the desk with the new Sheriff on his lap. Shane moaned, leaning back into the furry embrace, moaning softly. They both panted and gasped for air once they were sitting, recovering from the after glow. Even once they had reclaimed their breaths, there was still a bit of silence before Shane finally spoke.

"I'm going to miss you... Seth." Shane said softly. Seth reached up and caressed Shane's short hair.

"I know you are... and I'm going to miss you too, but there are plenty of people around here that would be damn lucky to have you. You need to find your soul mate..." Seth said.

"I don't even know where to start." Shane whispered. Seth chuckled.

"That's easy, try buying a new pair of pants from Courage..." Seth said.

"How is a new pair of pants going to help?" Shane asked.

"Well, you don't want to pick a mate just based on who wants to suck down that horse meat between your legs, 'cause that's going to be just about everyone. You need to find someone who believes in justice and freedom like you do, and Courage is very good at making pants and measuring things." Seth grinned. Shane rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"I see what you mean." Shane replied before he let out a sigh, "So when are you heading back?"

"As soon as I can... I'm going to grab as hovel just in case." Seth paused, "I'm pretty sure the road will be clear, but just in case it isn't... I'll be back in a two days time. If I'm not back then, I don't know if I'll ever be able to come back this way... but I'll always remember you." Seth said softly.

"And I'll always remember you, Sherriff Dillon." Shane grinned. Seth smirked at that, hugging Shane to him gently.

****

Walking across the plains on hooves had been rather strange to say the least. Seth wasn't sure how he felt about it... Though they certainly were awesome hooves. He looked down at how big they were with pride, wondering if Gray would let him get away with a few days outside of the PKE resonance chamber... when a thought crossed his mind. Seth grinned a bit more before he looked up, slowing to a stop. In the distance he could see dust rising out of the hole he'd arrived through, but it wasn't just that. Floating above the hole was a small, round ghost covered in old bandages, a lantern hanging from one cloth arm. The green flames of the fire contrasted the salmon orange of the skies. Seth approached the ghost slowly.

"So he didn't kill you, then? All those years ago?" Seth called out. The ghost said nothing. Seth kept moving forward, "So this was all part of a plan? That I'd come at the right time, save these people, get the piece?" Seth asked. Again, there came no response. Seth came to a stop a few feet from the lantern keeper, "Why are you helping us? What is in it for you? You can cross dimensions... You have been working at this for so much time. What do you want?" Seth asked.

Slowly the lantern keeper lifted its metal lantern and a small fleck of the green light moved out, floating in the air before glowing brighter. A red flame circle appeared in front of it and then a cross dropped down over the circle, just as the flame behind the symbol turned black and diminished away to nothingness. After a moment the symbol disappeared as well. Seth looked back at the spirit, knowing he had gotten an answer... though he didn't know what it meant. The closest he could get was that the fire wasn't supposed to go out. Seth took a deep breath, looking at the hole.

"Is it time now? Do I get to go home?" Seth asked. The lantern ghost turned and lifted its lantern. A bolt of fire shot out and rocks exploded outward, sending up a huge plume of dust. The dust caught the wind and blew past Seth, and as the dust cleared... the lantern keeper was gone. Seth shook his head gently at that before he tossed his shovel into the hole, sending it off ahead of him, hoping if Gray had hooked up any excavation equipment, he'd know to stop it... and then Seth jumped. He dropped down through the hole, free falling. He made it down twenty, almost thirty feet before he felt gravity flip around, pulling him another direction. The passage way narrowed and Seth sped up, bouncing between the walls of the hole.

Seth rammed something metal and hard as he passed before realizing it was the proton pack that had been sheered off. He grabbed the strap as he 'fell' upwards and pulled it clear. Seth grunted more and more before he was suddenly shot upwards out of the hole and landed roughly on a bed of ivy, rolling a short distance.

"Wait!" Gray shouted. Seth rolled over to see Nico and Eli with their proton blaster ready. Seth held up his hands.

"It's me!" he said meekly.

"I know." Gray replied, moving over. Seth gasped as Gray straddled him and leaned in for a kiss... but he was eager to return it. Seth grabbed Gray's head with both hands, holding hi there. Gray moaned, feeling the cow tongue fill his mouth. He sucked on the tongue for all he was worth, grinding back gently against the beast before he finally broke the kiss, sighing with relief.

"We were so worried! And... dude, Minotaur? Very nice." Eli grinned. Seth chuckled.

"You'll Never live down the story I'm about to share." Seth grinned, pausing, "Once we get home anyway." Seth said. Gray chuckled and pulled out his PKE meter, turning it on. The bars jumped up a little, showing Seth's image on the screen.

"There's barely a signal there... That shouldn't be hard to restore." Gray said, looking up. Seth shook his head.

"Not right away... Not before I get to have some fun with you... then we can both have some time in the tank." Seth replied.

"You're not infectious, are you?" Nico asked, hesitant. Seth shook his head.

"No, I just missed my boyfriend... and I want to have some time with him, after I ask for an apology." Seth said.

"Apology?" Gray asked after a moment. Seth nodded gently.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you on the way home." Seth said. Gray nodded before he slowly stood up, offering Seth his hand. Seth took it, though more to reassure Gray than to get help. He stood up on his own power, rising to a little over seven feet. Gray sighed happily, gazing at his boyfriend. Seth smirked and began moving to gather up their things.

****

Gray and Seth moved up the steps to the upper floor of the firehouse, Gray leading the way. He moved out onto the wood floor, heading to the door that led to the bedroom. He eased it open and turned back, watching Seth come up the rest of the way. Gray had heard everything Seth had to say on the way over. He wanted to be angry, but he wasn't. If anything, it sounded really sweet... which made Gray feel even stranger. Seth kept his head low, both to avoid hitting the ceiling and because he felt a bit ashamed. Gray sighed softly and leaned against the wall.

"I forgive you." Gray said gently, "There isn't anything to forgive for the first time, and... the second... well, I can't blame you." Gray said.

"Really?" Seth asked in surprise.

"I don't know what's going on with all of us... But it's clear to me that... we can't cling to old morals. I know that Eli and Nico have an agreement between them, and maybe it should stand for us too." Gray said.

"What sort of agreement?" Seth asked.

"That when otherworldly influences are at play, that... we won't hold anything against each other, so long as at the end of the day, we're in each other's arms and completely in love." Gray said softly. Seth grinned and moved over, pulling Gray to him, leaning down to lick at his boyfriend's neck. Gray moaned, feeling the thick cow tongue on his flesh. Seth pulled back and gazed into Gray's arms.

"That sounds very sensible... for both of us. If you ever need to, I won't hold it against you... but for now, we're in each other's arms, and I'm going to share this with you." Seth grinned. Gray looked up.

"You're going to make me a bull?" Gray asked. Seth grinned.

"I have no idea what you'll become." Seth said happily before he lifted Gray up. Gray chuckled, moaning softly before Seth all but tossed him on the bed. Gray rolled over and watched Seth pull off his torn jacket and drop his shredded pants, revealing himself in all his naked glory. Gray moaned, gazing at the sloppy bull cock. He rolled over onto all fours and crawled to Seth, leaning up to lick and nuzzle it. Seth grunted as Gray got the pre slime all over his boyfriend's face. Gray started to suck and slurp on the end, teasing the urethra with his tongue as he unzipped his jumpsuit and wriggled out of it, his shoulders emerging naked, then his ample ass. Seth grunted, realizing Gray had been naked underneath, anticipating fun time.

Seth reached down into himself, summoning on the powers of the ghost he had become part of, trying to find the powers the Baron had to change others... and when he found that kernel of knowledge, to his surprise, a thick gush of cum shot up his cock and into Gray's mouth. Gray's cheeks bulged, but not a drop escaped. He gulped it down, bobbing his head up and down, taking in more. Seth reached down to stroke Gray's cheek and ear... before he felt Gray's ear starting to stretch. Seth was turned on even more, realizing that he was doing it, he was transforming Gray.

Gray had no idea what was going on other than the fact that Seth was muskier and manlier than ever. He gulped down the sperm and the cock, letting it brush the back of his throat before it slipped down deeper. Seth kept massaging Gray's ear, watching a pointed tip emerge from his black hair, the ear stretching more and more. It grew longer than a canine ear, pointed on the top and rounded on the edge, pushing forward. It seemed his other ear was moving to keep up... and soon the ears were tall enough to poke up on either side of his head. A soft brown felt began to spread over the back of them, with little black tips on the ends. Seth grinned wider, starting to realize what Gray was becoming.

While it had started out as a gesture of love and lust, Gray found himself more and more in need to suck and drink, to worship the shaft in his mouth. He guzzled the seed down, feeling it warm him from within. His toes ached and throbbed, his muscles began to tighten... and the color in his nails darkened. His fingernails turned black before they spread up and over the tips. His toes tingled, webs of flesh growing between them, tugging them together before they sealed together. His toenails turned black and spread out over his feet, covering the wedge of flesh, forming hooves. Gray moaned, feeling so exquisite. He pulled back off the cock slowly.

"Seth, HAWWW are you so good?" Gray asked before he blushed. His tall donkey ears twitched and Seth shuddered, unable to restrain himself. His thick bull cock showered Gray's chest with sperm. Gray grabbed onto the cock and stuffed it into his mouth, sucking it down, feeling his teeth start to flatten. The cum ran down Gray's chest, leaving soft brown strands of fur behind... fur that was spreading. As the cum crossed his stomach and soaked into his bush, his bush hair turned brown and the flesh pushed up around his cock, forming a fuzzy sheath. The flesh enveloped it fully in seconds, lingering for a moment... before Gray's erection began to emerge.

As his cock pushed out of its enclosure, the rounded head flattened and grew wider, flaring out at the edges, the urethra spreading. The shaft grew wider and wider... but it was longer as well. Splotches of black appeared on the equine member before they spread out, covering his entire length. Soon his entire meaty shaft was as black as the obsidian piece Seth had retrieved. Gray reached down, his hand wrapping around his mighty tool. He started to thrust and stroke it as his ass cheeks parted, making way for his tail to grow in. Bones formed, connecting to one another as muscle slipped over it all. The tail developed a fine brown velvet, but at the very tip, a tassel of thick black fur erupted, matching the color of the hair on his head... hair that was growing longer.

Thick bangs fell over Gray's eyes, reaching all the way down to his nose. The hair behind his head grew down his neck to his shoulders, forming a soft mane... but for the most part, his hear was like an emo cut gone wild, obscuring everything but his ears and his expanding face... a face becoming more animal by the second. Gray's lips turned black, his nose widened and his mouth pushed forward. His jaw elongated and his mouth stretched around Seth's cock. He'd already swallowed in seven inches of meat, but as his mouth grew it gave him room for almost twice as much.

Gray's feet ached and throbbed as the hooves finished forming and the brown fur grew up his ankles, thighs and then eventually reached his hips. The fur on his torso finished filling in, then it crept up his neck. Before the fur could reach Gray's chin, though, a soft short tuft of black fur grew out, forming a short little goatee. The brown fur covered the rest of Gray's face and muzzle, leaving him far less human than he had been a few moments before. After a few moments, the fur on his throat and belly started to fade, taking on a lighter, creamier color.

Seth looked down at the donkey lover he had created, knowing full well that Gray was sexy in any form. Seth pulled out of his boyfriend's mouth and turned, pushing Gray onto the mattress before he lunged. Gray let out another deep Haww as Seth climbed over him, aligning everything... and then thrust in. Gray's body was filled with over a foot of bull cock before the furry beast pulled back and thrust again. Every time Seth pulled back, Gray gasped with a 'hee' sound... and with every thrust, he moaned with a 'haww'. Seth sped up, the bed jerking around. Gray brayed more and more, their tails flicked around.

The thumping of the bed against the wall reached tantamount before Gray shuddered and his donkey cock began spraying the bed down with a puddle of hut tainted sperm. The orgasm caused gray's ass to flutter around Seth's member, bringing Seth to the edge as well. Seth called out with a loud moo before he unleashed his thick, potent bounty into his lover. Gray came for several moments before he collapsed into the lake of his own sperm, Seth landing on him to share his own. Gray sighed out in deep lust, feeling the hot slick fill him. Seth moaned happily, hoping Rerun would be able to indulge them both some day by bringing back both forms. This was a day he never wanted to forget. Seth gently lay down against Gray, reaching to pet the dark hair between his lover's ears, then to stroke the ears. Gray cuddled against Seth, happy and content. Seth couldn't believe his fortune... that Destiny would be so kind, especially after he didn't believe in destiny for so very long... but he'd saved a city and he still had his boyfriend. Life was very wild, even without being in the Wild West.