Beautiful Curse

Chapter 31

        "Achoo!"

        "Heh, maybe staying the night out in an old abandoned shop wasn't the best idea," says Sonic.

        "You think? I can taste the dirt in my mouth. It's everywhere, even in my freaking eyeballs   and will you get off my head?" Pushing the hedgehog to the side, where he ends up pathetically curling into a ball and rolling a few feet away, I then sit up with a huff. Last night had been pretty cold—the coldest temperature I have experienced so far this season. Winter is definitely making its way to the Northern Hemisphere. I won't be surprised if it starts snowing within the week.

        I stretch long and hard after getting up, moving my limbs to warm and unstiffen them from the frozen position I had been in for the past eight hours. Surprisingly, I find there isn't much pain in my backside. Gingerly touching the nape of my neck, the wound appears to have mostly healed. A sparkle catches my eye, and I see the cyan-colored emerald resting against the wall. Recalling the warmth and energy I had felt when holding that powerful gem, there really is no doubt as to how my wounds closed so quickly.

        "Are you ready to go to Spagonia, (Name)?" Sonic asks, bending over to pick up the lonesome emerald. He peers at it closely, curiously taking in its constant glowing state, and tosses it up and down in one hand. "If you're still not feeling too well, I can call Tails to come pick us up in the Tornado II. It may take a couple hours to get here, but..."

        "I think I can make it," I say.

        "You absolutely sure? 'Cause all that blood in the back of your shirt kind of says otherwise." He leans to the side, trying to get a good peek behind me, but I lean the other way. My (eye color) eyes send him a stern stare and he shrugs, already having learned that when I make a decision, I tend to not stray from it. 

        "Fine, well, guess this just means I don't have to carry your big, human butt all the way there!" Snickering triumphantly, he scrambles outside before my foot can make contact with his little, furry, hedgehog butt.

        "It's not big," I growl after him, taking in the frosty morning streets and the dark clouds hovering overhead. My body suppresses a shiver, limbs tensing and skin already prickling with the desire to shift right here and now to become covered in thick fur. The village appears to be mostly asleep, as there is nobody around, so why not change here instead of having to walk to the outskirts to do it? 

        I voice these thoughts to my new, blue friend. He looks around, tapping his foot with the contemplative pursing of the lips. My heart lifts a little at his accepting nod.

        "Just be quick about it. We don't want anyone telling your were(animal) 'friends' we haven't left the country yet." He gives me wide berth while I transform into a (animal), once again watching in fascination as my body stretches and bends and my muscles fill in to accommodate the extra space between skin and bone. When my claws have pushed out and I've been covered in (color) fur, Sonic whoops and hops onto my back. "Onward, my trusty (Nickname)-(animal)! It's time we're off to the land of pasta and pizza!"

        "Don't call me (Nickname). I hate that name."

        "Why not? It suits you—oooaaahhh!" The hedgehog almost goes flying when I take off at a sprint, saved by one hand clinging to the scruff of my neck. In his free-floating hand is the Chaos Emerald, thankfully held in a grip tight enough to almost break it had it not been so durable. With much effort he swings his arm around and grabs at my scruff with both hands, allowing the emerald to slide safely between his legs. Then he really starts enjoying the ride. "Yeah! Woohoo! This is awesome! I've got to get Tails to try this!"