"Rome." Israel giggles. "Come on."
Rome was still stuck looking like a human but the effects should wear off soon. Israel's human form could change at her will because she understood magic more than he did, and she had the 'gift'. He was jumping around in a long-grass field. Still, night time but the fireflies and the moon gave good light. Rome was trying to catch the little light-up bugs.
Rome giggles. He's having fun playing with the little bugs.
Rome ducks down into the long grass, pauses, then jumps out to catch the fireflies. This time he crouches down and waits longer. A firefly lands in front of him. He jumps and cups his hands to catch it. His eyes widen and he looks closely at his cupped hands in the grass.
He slowly opened them, he saw a small firefly glow a yellow-green color. Its wings buzzed and it flew onto Rome's nose.
Rome pauses and watches the firefly flash in and out. Until the firefly tickled his nose.
Rome felt a sneeze coming on, he huffed until it came out quite violent. The firefly flew away. Rome frowns.
"Rome." Israel's voice is more firm now. Rome stops and looks at her. "We're almost there."
Rome ran to her. Once he was in front of her, he smiled.
"How's your progress on changing back?"
Rome tilted his head, "Changing back?"
"Yeah, this spell won't be lasting much longer." Israel examined Rome. As she did, his eyes changed back to its glowing yellow-gold color.
Israel and Rome continue to walk. Until Rome feels weird.
He has to stop and he puts a hand to his head. He groans, his head was hurting and thumping.
"Rome? Are you alright?"
"My head hurts." His voice is muffled by him covering his face.
"I think you're changing back." Israel looks around and sees a large rock. "Maybe you should sit down." She guides him to the rock where he sits.
"Does... Changing back... Hurt?" Rome looks at her with fearful eyes.
"Not usually." Israel rubs his back.
Rome groans again but louder. His horns slowly come out. Rome looks at his hands, they were changing into claws. Rome flinches as his tail grows. His teeth start to get sharper. Rome groans again.
"It's okay... You're almost done."
Rome's wings slowly prick out and grow. His pale skin changes to its red and gold color. Rome takes a deep breath, he pauses. "That wasn't so bad..."
Israel nods. She looks up and recognizes where they are. "We're very close."
They both continue their way.
Rome is glad to have his wings and tail back. He flicked his tail back and forth and his wings bounced as he took a step.
Until Rome heard a continuing loud crashing noise. His ears perk up. "What is that noise?"
"It's a waterfall."
"Water... Falling?" Rome asks, his golden yellow eyes were curious.
"A waterfall is... It's better if I show you." Israel shrugs and picks up the pace to a jog. Rome giggles and follows.
Rome hears the noise get louder and louder. He sees a large body of water. His eyes follow its flow and it leads down the mountain. Right before the waterfalls, there is a wooden bridge, Israel is at the start of it. Rome goes to her side, they then face each other.
"Rome, this is where you continue."
"Aren't you coming?" Rome's wings drooped.
"No, not yet, I need to make sure there are no others like you." She pauses. Rome looks down sadly. "But you're not that kind of person anymore... You're free."
Rome smiles and looks up at her. He hugs her and Israel is surprised at his strength. She hugs back. "Thank you..."
They let go. "Remember, follow the bridge until you can take a right. Find Britain and tell him you're with me."
Rome nods confidently. This was the beginning of his journey. One that he knew would last!
Israel opens her mouth, nothing comes out. She says something different. "Goodbye, Rome."
"Will I see you again?" Rome's voice cracked, even though he didn't mean for it to.
"Of course!"
"Then... Goodbye..." Rome's wings droop. Israel then uses her magic to glow, then disappear.
Rome quickly looked around still hoping that Israel had not left just yet. She was so... nice. One of the first ones that appreciated him for who he was. After scanning over the low shrubs, and various trees, Rome sighed unable to locate the one who had rescued him.
"Take the bridge to the right." he recites turning back to the task at hand. Before him lay a said 'Waterfall.' He had never seen anything like it. It was water for sure, but lots of it. The raging current bounced water into the air creating a small mist that blended into the dim light that lay beyond it.
Rome was a bit unsure at first. He had never seen anything like this before, and the bridge didn't look... lets just say the most reliable. He was hesitant like any other sensible being would be. The bridge was made of a gray wood that Rome didn't recognize. Green moss stained the bottoms, of some that were rotted, and about to crack. Maple leaves were tucked into the corner. The flooring was vertical. Sometimes the railing was there, sometimes it wasn't. You could tell this bridge was old, possibly even made before The Day.
Taking a small step the bridge creaked gently swaying back and forth, various vines draping over the side, either falling into the raging current or hanging onto dear life.
Rome found himself looking over the edge, a little fear in the back of his spine. There was a long way from the bridge to the raging water that lay below. The fear gently started to melt away as he saw the glinting dark water below followed by the light gray-blue mist floating to the young State.
Rome feels a chill, but it felt good to him. The mist gently floated in the air, making Rome feel slightly cold. Rome continues to go across the bridge. Walking forth farther is nose twitched as the cold water settled on his face.
He got to the end of the bridge, where it went onto the ground until it turned into a cliff and another bridge led to three distant islands. The islands were surrounded by mist as well one of the three clearly bigger than the other two.
Small yellow and white lights could be seen in the distance, accompanied by the sweet scent of Westeria, that he recognized from Israel.
Rome looks back at the other bridge that he had just crossed, the fog making it unable to see past the few beginning wooden planks. Israel had told him to go to the right but it was tempting to take one of the other ways.
If there were other countryhumans out there he wanted to meet them all. See how much things had improved from The Day. And maybe... maybe find Italy, Fascist Italy, and Vatican City. The one he missed so much.
Peering over, Rome took into mind the considerate differences between the three bridges. The bridge to the right was made of some sort of marble, reasonably chipped in certain spots but mostly maintained. Pink and what flowers grew at the base with light green vines growing from the side.
The second bridge was made out of dark wood that had mainly rotted, and had been burnt in various places. Different shades of mold gathered up the rickety sides. For some reason dates, and symbols were scratched into the sides. Upon inspection, Rome was able to read, "Temper us in fire, and we grow stronger. When we suffer, we survive." Not exactly the most inviting.
The third bridge and furthest to the left was made of rusted steel. Large gaps lined the ground, leading to the dark canyon that lay below. It was very poorly made and would creak and make different sounds in the wind that whipped through Rome's hair. Jagged edges sticking up from the sides. Rome thought that maybe the people that made it were pretty protective of what is theirs.
Rome looks back at the one on the right, the one he needs to take. He takes a couple of steps forward. He's hesitant, if he goes, he might not be able to come back. It's also a long way. The bridge looks as it spreads across several miles of canyon.
The small state finally gained the courage to go across the bridge.
He told himself to be careful as it was still nighttime and it was hard to see. Taking a small step onto the bridge, Rome clung to the side almost slipping on the wet bridge. Taking a deep breath in he continued trying his best not to look over the edge to what lay below. Slipping along the bridge, Rome scrambled around trying to just reach the other side without dying.
Upon coming closer and closer to the lights small pops started to ring out something Rome was not aware of. They seemed to get louder and louder, with more and more being heard every second. The sound hurt Rome's ears making him try to block it out. There was still quite a way to go. Keeping up the pace Rome's tail dragged behind on the marble quietly.
The air was bitterly cold with a flurry or two gently falling in front of him. The mist from the waterfall had started to freeze, falling into the dark canyon below. Rome had never seen snow. It was delicate and the smallest of touch could ruin its beauty.
Slipping yet again on the marble Rome sighed his wings feeling like they are going to fall off it was so cold.
Standing back up something caught his attention. It was an animal of some sort. It was small and stood on the side of the bridge. It had a beak, and wings like his but with various colored feathers. It looked up and down, before going up in the air.
Rome watches it in amazement. Is that what wings are for? He thought. He never thought wings had a purpose; He thought it was just another body part like his tail.
Once the winged creature was out of sight, Rome shook out of his daze. "Wow..." He said. His mind was blown that wings could do that.
Out of curiosity, Rome fluttered his wings but he didn't take off into the air. He was confused.
Suddenly, with one of the loud popping noises waking him, he remembered what he was doing. Finding a blue, red, and white flagged country.
Rome took a step and slipped back onto his knees. He groaned. This was going to take forever...
➳➵➼
Rome finally took the last step onto dry land. It was warmer, now that he wasn't in a mountainous area anymore, though, the air did give a soft chill. Rome was internally glad he could feel his temperature rise to a somewhat normal level.
He notices new things already, a weird whooshing noise, the popping sounds that have taken a pause.
He steps onto a weird texture for the ground. He retreats back to the bridge's smooth yet slippery touch. He stares at the lighter-colored ground confusingly as he clings onto one of the bridge's poles.
He used one of his feet to touch it. He focuses and realizes tiny pebbles were engulfing his foot. He retreats it back again. Would I sink? I didn't before, but still...
Rome put his foot back onto the pebbly surface but used all his weight. It sank, but yet it stayed above.
Rome hesitantly let the pole go and put all his weight onto the new ground. He was okay.
Rome smiles. He bends down and puts a hand onto the ground, he felt like it was dirt. Dirt was a new word he learned from Israel when he asked what they were stepping on. This was like dirt but more moveable and fewer rocks to poke you.
Rome picks it up but some of it fell out of his hands. He gasps in amazement as it seeps out of his claws. It was satisfyingly falling back to the ground.
Rome giggles and plays with it, it moves over his hands and its cold touch makes Rome shiver, but he loves it. He finally found something to play with. In his old cell there was nothing to do but wait, sit, or sleep, but now, he could be with new things.
Rome then turns his attention to the weird whooshing noises. Rome can't see the noise because of how dark it was. Is it always dark out here? I'm not sure.
Rome follows the noise. He looks to the side as his ears do the work into finding the source. He stays by the bridge so that he can retreat to something.
He feels relaxed with the noise. His hearing dictionary was small and this new whooshing sound was unique. He could feel himself getting tired as he crawled on all fours to find the-
His hands felt cold and wet. Rome yelps and jumps back like a caracal. He's surprised when he lands on his fours again, but even more surprised at the new feeling.
"What was that?" He asked. Rome calmed as he didn't feel the same texture come after him.
He inhaled and got closer to where he was when he felt it. His ears still heard the noise and his hands and feet felt the same grainy floor beneath him.
Rome then stops at where he felt it. He didn't feel the cold and wet sensation. He hears the whooshing noise come closer to him. He quietly yelps and shuts his eyes as it does but he doesn't feel anything.
Rome opens them, still seeing hardly anything. The moon was very dim so he only saw vague differences.
Rome exhales normally and puts his hand out as the noise comes closer again. The wet and cold grabbing him and it pulled back. Rome yells again in fright and pulls his hand out but it was dripping with something on it.
"What is that?! What is that?! What is that?!" He panicked. He uses his other hand to feel the cold hand. He was expecting to feel maybe blood or water.
He felt his cold hand, it was wet. He knew what a wet sensation felt like so maybe it was water. He recently saw a big body of water run down to make a waterfall. Maybe that's how the outside world worked, the world kept tumbling down into different levels with waterfalls.
Rome sniffed his wet hand to see if it was water. He wasn't sure anymore, it smelled salty, unlike the waterfall.
Rome was very confused. How can water be salty?
The whooshing sound comes back and Rome listens to it. It comes closer, then leaves.
Rome tilts his head and gives a confused look. It does the same thing over and over. It comes closer, then leaves.
Rome tilts his body back and forth with the noise. It came, he leaned back, it came closer, he leaned forward.
Until Rome got the courage again to try and touch the weird salty water. He did and he realized that it felt like normal water, but cold and moving.
Rome is relieved that it wasn't a monster and just some kind of water.
He then feels his eye lips droop. His adrenaline was slowing down and he felt tired. Rome knew what that felt like.
He takes his hand away from the water and yawns. He uses his wet hand to itch his eye but it starts burning. He hissed in pain and wipes his eye with his sleeve.
The burning went away but his tiredness didn't.
Rome backs away from the salty water and feels the familiar feeling of grass. He's relieved that this island had the soft grass he loved.
Rome feels a tree and decides to sleep under it.
He lays on his side, yawns again, and snuggles into his hoodie. His tail curled up by his face and his wings relaxed on the ground.
The whooshing noise of waves relaxed his brain and he slowly fell asleep with a new, rustling noise from above him, but he was too tired to care.