Hector was a man who was known for his bad temper. It didn't take a lot to set him off. Unfortunately, he had a bad habit of taking it out on other people, those he thought he had the most power over. Rosie had found this out the hard way after she had married him. Their marriage had started out seemingly well, until Hector started smacking Rosie for things that weren't even her fault. Eventually, she felt less like a wife and more like a personal punching bag. So she left him, eventually going to Animalian where she converted into a black panther Animalian. She eventually met Michael, another leopard Animalian. Michael cared a lot more for her, not even caring that she was black before she changed. Eventually, the two of them married and moved to Maelewano.
Rosie had thought she had left Hector completely behind her. But then she heard that he was being brought in for the 'Criminal Trash Recycling' program. His bad temper had finally gotten the better of him. His most recent ex-girlfriend (he didn't have the patience for marriage anymore) had been found to be badly beaten. Not severely enough to kill her, but plenty enough for the courts to give him five years minimum.
But as with other criminals whose records were minor enough, Hector was recommend by his state for the Animalia's new program of rehabilitating criminals. What made things a little awkward was that Rosie has been an influential member of Animalia, even winning the Animalian Bodybuilding Competition, Heavyweight Class, Female Division in the first IAC. There were enough people who knew about Rosie's past marital abuse, even if they didn't know all the details. To say that Hector's arrival got a chilly reception was an understatement. Some people didn't want Hector to have the gift of being an Animalian. But others wanted to make things as humiliating as possible for him. The latter had a lot of roots in the rehabilitation program.
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Officer Shelly accompanied the FBI agent as they walked to Hector's cell. Considering Hector's bad temper, it was best if he wasn't alone with anyone at his conversion into an Animalian, which most typically gives a healthier physique than they had before. Even with Hector's Animalian selected, he could still be a threat until he was vaccinated. Of course, choosing what kind of Animalian he'd become was a hard decisions. Initially, they had considered a reptilian form that could possibly cool his temper, though that seemed unlikely and could make him more of a threat. A toad and a pig were considered, but toads and pigs were unpopular enough as it is. They wouldn't want someone like Hector making them look worse. Eventually, a form had been selected that was considered apropos, docile, and more importantly, a prey species that would have a lot of trouble confronting Rosie if they ever met again.
They reached Hector's cell. Hector glowered at them with his usually surly expression. To the FBI agent, Hector looked like just about every other Hispanic thug he's ever seen. For Officer Shelly, it was a bit of a different matter. There were few criminals in Animalia. The worst they usually had to deal with were speeders and people who needed a night in the drunk tank. They've had more serious criminals, but those were few and far in-between. Though knowing of Hector's past with Rosie already made Shelly dislike him.
"Hector Ramiro?" asked the FBI agent.
"Who wants to know?" grumbled Hector.
"I suggest you be more cooperative. It'll make the process go smoother," said the agent.
"Yeah, just so you can turn me into a freak like that bitch?" asked Hector derisively, briefly looking at Shelly.
Shelly growled before controlling herself. She wasn't going to let herself be barbed so easily. "You're being given something few people have truly experienced: the chance to start over anew, almost literally," she said.
Hector just scowled at her and said, "It might be worth if I become something awesome like a lion."
"That is not your choice," said Shelly, "But we do have something rather appropriate for you." With that, she unlocked the cell door and stepped inside. She grabbed Hector by his shirt and easily hauled him to his feet. She wasn't as heavily-muscled as some of the larger Animalians nor the ones who devote themselves to bulking up, but she was easily as strong if not stronger than Hector. Shelly rolled up one of Hector's sleeves before slapping a dermal patch on him. They didn't trust that Hector wouldn't try to use needles as weapons and he wasn't likely to drink anything they offered him. A patch would ensure he got his dosage. Shelly dropped him back on his cot before walking out and locking the door.
Hector fumbled at the patch, but it was already too late. The Animalia virus was already entering his system, carrying the DNA it had been laced with throughout his body. Very soon, Hector felt itchy all over. One look at his arms showed that all his body hair was becoming much thicker, swiftly becoming fur. Though it was the stiffness in his fingertips that concerned him. He watched as his fingernails grew darker in color before they started encasing the rest of his fingertips. His feet started feeling more uncomfortable so he pulled off his socks and shoes. His feet were distorting even more, his toes were starting to fuse together as cartilage covered them. "What did you do to me-eh-eh-eh-eh?" Hector covered his mouth after letting out a bleat.
A throbbing ache soon distracted him. He clutched his head and soon discovered that his ears were getting much larger. There were also hard points on his head that were growing bigger. Clutching at them, he was pretty sure they were horns. Hector glared the FBI agent and the wolf cop with pupils that were becoming more rectangular. "You're turning me-eh-eh-eh-eh into a fucking goat?!" he snapped.
"Actually, you're becoming a sheep," said the agent.
"A Black Welsh Mountain Ram to be precise," said Shelly. It was becoming very apparent that the fur on Hector's body was thickening into fleece. Most of that fleece was concentrated on his torso. And while it blurred the edges of his build, he was also becoming noticeably muscular, as was common with Animalians.
Hector struggled up onto his new hooves and snapped, "Change me bah-ah-ah-ah-ack!"
"That is not possible," said the agent, "The Animalia virus is quite irreversible. But at least you have a fresh start on life with a clean bill of health."
Hector charged at the cell door and slammed against it. "You bah-ah-ah-ah-ah-stards!" he bleated, "I'll get you for this!"
"Us the bastards?" snapped Shelly, "You were the one who was beating on women just to make himself feel better. You drove away your wife because of your cruelty. Becoming a sheep is more than you deserve. And you're going to start making something of yourself if you know what's good for you."
At this point, Hector's new instincts kicked in. Rams may be ornery beasts at time, but they're still sheep. And a wolf was a sheep's greatest fear. Hector found himself quailing before the she-wolf, in spite of himself. This was certainly one of the main factors that his conversion will make him learn to control his temper. He'll certainly be less of a threat to anyone.
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Some time later, Rosie got a call about Hector's conversion. "A black sheep?" she asked.
"We felt it was rather apt for his nature," said Shelly, "Not to mention he won't be causing any trouble for you."
"I suppose not," said Rosie, "I guess a black sheep makes sense. I could think of other animals he could be, but the Animalia virus doesn't work on invertebrates."
"Which I'm not complaining about," said Shelly, "So, do you think you'll see him now?"
Rosie thought it over a second and said, "Not yet, if ever. First, I want to hear that he's really beginning to change. I've spent a lot of time putting him behind me. Even if I have the power advantage, I don't want to deal with him unless I have to. He's not that easy to forgive."
"I can see what you mean," said Shelly, "But if he is irredeemable, he wouldn't be put through this program."
Rosie sighed and said, "I suppose there has to be some hope for him. I just hope he doesn't squander it."