It was the middle of June, and one of the hottest conventions in the history of the famous DeviantART Convention Center was underway. It was an Alvin and the Chipmunks themed event, and all who came got to be chipmunks for the day. Plus, six lucky winners- chosen by the chipmunks themselves- would get to stay chipmunks forever.
I'm Austin Keith, age 19 and a premium DeviantART member. I live just north of Dallas- the location the convention- and thanks to my paid membership I've managed to get inside pretty early. Having changed into a chipmunk upon entering the building, I took in my new look. Surprisingly, not only had my body changed, but my outfit had as well.
I now stood roughly 3' tall, I was covered in light brown fur, and I'd grown a bushy tail. My ears had moved to the top of my head and reshaped themselves, and my feet had turned into paws! To top it all off, my face had grown outward into a snout, and my nose was now small and wet. I felt kind of like a dog, but still enjoyed my new body nonetheless.
As for my outfit, I now wore a dark, dull orange, AC/DC t-shirt and a black, designer leather jacket. My lower body was clad in a pair of denim jeans, dyed dark but also washed out a little. The shoes I wore were one's I'd gawked at on the internet, made by DC. The design was named Decibel, and the shoes were a special black, white and orange coloring themed after rally car driver Ken Block.
I gawked at my outfit for a moment, feeling cool for the first time in my life. I wagged my tail a little out of joy before settling down again. Looking around, I decided to see if my favorite chipmunk was giving autographs. It took me a minute, but I finally figured out where the autograph table was. There were a couple of long lines stemming from it, and a sign out front with times posted. Unfortunately, Simon's scheduled time had already ended.
"Damn…" I muttered, "Guess I'll have to find something else to do." There was a map of the convention center nearby, so I walked over to it to take a look. The convention center was laid out in six sections, one based on each chipmunk. I looked in Simon's section, finding a memorabilia booth, a designated area for more Simon-themed booths, and a video game pavilion.
The last item intrigued me, so I made my way over from the Alvin section- which I had been in at the time- to the Simon section. Entering the video game pavilion, I found a small crowd around a big screen TV displaying a game of Mario Kart Wii. Walking over, I could see that there were only two people actually playing; one leading the race and the other left well behind in second. The race finished moments after I stepped up, the losing player standing and walking off in frustration.
"Man, can anyone beat him?" one of the bystanders questioned incredulously.
"I'll give it a shot," I remarked. I happened to be pretty good at Mario Kart, and sat down since I had nothing better to do. Selecting a Gamecube controller from the slew of available devices, I proceeded to the character selection screen with my mysterious opponent. The other chipmunk playing wore a navy blue hoodie and khaki pants, a rather plain outfit. Most of his face was covered by the hood, leaving only his mouth visible.
I chose Toad and the Jet Bubble bike, my favorite combination. My opponent chose Luigi and the Dolphin Dasher bike; a formidable pairing. Clearly he was no stranger to this game. Fortunately, I was a seasoned veteran myself, having unlocked everything on my own copy at home. The Bowser's Castle N64 track was selected at random, and then the race began.
I was extremely familiar with this track's layout, having played it not only on this game, but on Mario Kart 64 as well. I knew how to get around the circuit as fast as possible, and managed to hold my ground unlike the previous player. The race was neck and neck for the first two laps, the two of us skillfully using the bananas and green shells we kept getting to deflect approaching projectiles.
Coming to lap 3, I was inching ahead at times and the crowd seemed truly thrilled. Then, as we jumped the ramp over the two alternating lava pillars, a blue shell appeared. I slammed on the brakes, coming to a halt as the other player moved ahead and was hit. Jamming the accelerator, I pulled ahead, drifted the last corner for a mini-turbo and then did a wheelie across the finish line. I had won the race.
Quitting the game, the other chipmunk and I stood up as the crowd applauded. It seemed my acquaintance wasn't too fond of all the attention, however, because he left rather quickly. I couldn't blame him though; I was rather shy myself. Surprisingly, once I managed to escape the video game pavilion, the teen appeared again and approached me.
"Sorry I had to run earlier; I get nervous in front of crowds," he remarked, rubbing the back of his neck, "You raced great back there."
"No worries man; you were pretty damn good too," I responded, "My name's Austin by the way, what's yours?"
"Uh, S-Sam; yeah... Say, I was about to head to the Theodore section for lunch, you wanna come with?" the teen asked in response. He sounded unsure of himself at first, and I wondered why he'd balked at his own name. Stranger things had happened, though, so I shrugged it off.
"Sure; I was gonna head over there anyway," I answered. This was a true statement, as it was nearly 12 and my stomach had been rumbling for half an hour.
"Alright, let's go then! I hear they make a great corn dog," Sam responded. The two of us set off towards the food court, which was located in the aforementioned Theodore section. Purchasing some food, Sam and I sat down at a table and began to converse as we ate. The main topic was the convention itself, and all the stuff going on around us.
We both had the same basic view when it came to the event: total indifference. Sam acted like he'd seen it all before, and experiencing life as a chipmunk was my only real reason for coming. I couldn't afford to buy anything, and I wasn't interested in many of the exhibits. In fact, the main reason I was part of the fandom was merely because I had a secret crush on Simon. After a short period of silence, Sam spoke up again.
"Hey, since neither of us is really interested in the convention, you wanna leave and do something else?" he asked.
"I don't know; doesn't leaving the convention center change us back into humans?" I questioned. Sam shook his head.
"Nah, it just sets this 'genetic timer' that will go off at midnight and change us back," he explained, "they handed out a brochure on it." I hadn't seen any such pamphlet, but then again I hadn't exactly been looking for it either. Knowing I'd still get to spend time as a chipmunk, I debated going with Sam. It was against my better judgment to go somewhere with a stranger, but Sam was really nice. For some reason, I couldn't say no.
"Alright then, what'd you have in mind?" I asked.
"There's a laser tag place just down the block; we could go there," Sam suggested.
"Is it a Laser Quest?" I asked curiously. The aforementioned business was my favorite place to play laser tag; nowhere else came close.
"Yeah, I think so," Sam answered.
"Well what are we waiting for?" I responded, smiling widely. Grinning, Sam stood and led me towards the exit. I took one last look around the convention center, wanting to make sure I remembered it years later. I barely noticed where we were going, merely holding Sam's hand and following him as he hurried through the building. I didn't even see the exit until we were already through it.
Walking about a block away from the convention center, Sam and I came upon Laser Quest. It wasn't very busy because of the convention, but there were still a few people there. Entering and walking to the main counter, we purchased several games of laser tag and then chose our nicknames for the first one. After a short wait during which the previous game ended, we headed into the arena.
Since I was a chipmunk, my vest felt bigger and heavier than it had before. I'd expected this, however, and did my best to overcome it. Sam and I stuck together as we played, always catching the other players off guard because of our size. We routinely finished 1-2 in the first three games we played, but that all changed in the last one.
Sam and I were about to walk past the bottom of a ramp leading to the second floor or the arena. However, just as we reached it, a rather large teen sprinted angrily down the elevated structure and clobbered my new friend. He then laughed and ran off while Sam lay on the floor, potentially injured. Dropping to a knee, I set my laser gun on the ground and checked on my fellow chipmunk.
"You alright?" I asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I don't think anything's broken. I've probably got some new bruises though," Sam answered.
"Good to hear; let me help you up," I responded, extending a hand. Sam took it and I pulled him to his feet. Continuing the game, we lived up to our previous performances and finished atop the ranks. The two of us then left the building after receiving our fourth set of scorecards. Before I could even begin to think, Sam spoke up.
"I hear the local Polar Ice is open late tonight, and there's a Sbarro inside it. Want to hang out there for a while?" he asked. I considered the proposal for a moment. I had nothing else to do, but I'd already used most of my spending money on Laser Tag.
"I'd love to go, but I'm kinda strapped for cash after laser tag," I finally answered.
"Well if you want to go, I can pay for you," Sam responded.
"That's awful nice of you, but I don't want to be a burden," I replied.
"It's nothing, trust me. You wanna go or not?" Sam questioned.
"Alright, if you insist," I answered. Hailing a cab, my hooded friend and I headed for Polar Ice. The ice skating business wasn't too far away, so it only took us about 15 minutes to get there. Sam paid the cab driver, and then we headed into the tan and green building. After we paid and rented skates, Sam and I pulled on the child-sized footwear and headed out to the rink.
"You know, on second thought, this looks kind of dangerous…" Sam remarked, seeing the people circling the rink on steel blades.
"Relax, I've done this before; you'll be fine," I responded. Taking a deep breath, Sam took my hand and followed me onto the ice.
At first I had to help Sam get the hang of things, but he learned pretty quickly. We then skated around together until 6 o'clock rolled around. At that point we stopped and grabbed pizza from Sbarro for dinner. Full of food and ready for more fun, Sam and I then headed back into the rink. We skated around for about an hour, and soon it was so late that only teenagers remained.
As we made our way past the rink entrance for what must have been the hundredth time, a rather large teenager decided to impress his friends by body checking Sam as if we were playing ice hockey. This time, however, I was able to spot the oncoming bully before the impact.
"Sam, look out!" I cried, skating as fast as I could. I pushed him out of the way at the last second, but was then promptly crushed against the wall of the rink. I heard a sickening snap upon impact, and then everything went black.
I awoke with a start, gasping and sitting up as the sickening crash replayed itself in my mind. Feeling pain and remembering the sound I'd heard before passing out, I looked myself over. My left arm was in a cast, and I could barely move my fingers. Obviously the limb had broken in the accident.
Looking around, I identified my surroundings as some sort of apartment. More specifically, I was lying on the couch. I'd never seen this place before, and wondered who had brought me here. My best guess was Sam, but I couldn't be sure. Turning towards what appeared to be the kitchen, I spotted a glowing, green digital clock on one of the appliances. I had noticed from my previous self-examination that I was still a chipmunk, so the clock's reading of 12:30 was truly baffling.
I turned and sat up with the help of my good arm. In front of me was a coffee table; an iPad left atop it. Picking the device up, I unlocked it without needing a passcode. The iPad immediately went to the Safari app, which the previous user had clearly left open. Displayed was the Yahoo homepage, and the first headline was quite interesting.
'Chipmunk Walks Out On Convention' was displayed across the front page. Tapping on the words, I was brought to the article. It started out explaining the Chipmunks convention, and then noted that while the six chipmunks were supposed to each choose a winner, that had not been the case. Simon, it said, had apparently left the convention early and was absent when it came time to choose the winners. I stopped reading before the article listed the five lucky attendees.
"This is too weird…" I said to myself. A cry of shock suddenly came from the kitchen, and then I heard a plastic cup hit the ground with a clatter. I recognized the voice as Sam's, so I turned around. The cup made another noise as it was lifted off the floor, and then the head of my companion came into view. However, instead of a face obscured by a hood, I was met with one holding up a pair of unmistakable glasses.
"S-S-Simon Seville?" I sputtered in shock. The famous chipmunk sighed and nodded.
"Why do you sound just like Sam?" I questioned.
"…let's just say that 'Sam' wasn't entirely truthful," Simon responded. Setting down the cup, he exited the kitchen and walked over to me. As he sat down, I noticed he was wearing a set of blue, cotton pajamas.
"I'll start with this morning," Simon began.
"When we first raced on Mario Kart, I found myself… distracted. Something about you kept me from focusing on the game, and drew my attention. Once you managed to beat me, I knew I had to get to know you better. I thought my being a celebrity might bias your feelings towards me, though, so I lied about my name," he recalled.
"So… you're Sam?" I asked in disbelief. Simon nodded.
"I am, and I had a lot of fun today; at least until you got hurt. That bully was aiming for me; why'd you push me out of the way?" he questioned.
"I did it because I care about you, Simon. I'd already seen that other guy plow through you at Laser Quest, and I couldn't bear to see you get hurt again," I answered.
"Thank you, for caring about me. I just wish I could have stopped you from being injured," Simon responded, giving me a light squeeze.
"Speaking of my injury, what happened after I blacked out? And why am I still a chipmunk?" I asked. Simon sighed.
"The guy who hurt you was thrown out, and you were taken to the hospital in an ambulance. They wouldn't let me ride with you, so I took a taxi to the convention center and got my car. Once you were all patched up I was able to bring you home. As for your still being a chipmunk…" he began.
"You lied about changing back at midnight?" I questioned.
"Yes and no. What I said was true, but I didn't take you out the proper exit. We used a closed-off side exit, so that 'genetic timer' was never set," Simon remarked.
"Oh…" I responded.
"I was supposed to choose someone to become a permanent chipmunk anyway, so let's just say I chose you," Simon added.
"Okay… well, I guess I'd better head home now," I remarked.
"Nonsense; it's past midnight and you've got a broken arm. You're staying here for now," Simon interjected.
"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude," I responded.
"It's fine, Austin; honest," Simon replied.
"Alright; I just hope I can get comfortable sleeping on a couch with my arm in a cast," I finally conceded.
"If it's too uncomfortable you could always sleep with me. I don't mind," Simon commented. I could tell he was actually rather nervous, and just wanted to be sympathetic. Still, I seriously considered the offer. Simon stood before I could finish thinking, and walked over to the hall closet. Pulling out a blanket and a pillow, my bespectacled friend set them on the couch beside me.
"I'm going to bed. If you get uncomfortable, my offer still stands," he remarked.
"Okay; thanks Simon," I responded.
"Don't mention it," he replied. Simon then walked down the hall to his bedroom, leaving me alone in the darkened living room of his apartment. Making use of the pillow and blanket he'd provided, I lay down on the couch and tried to sleep. My arm was persistent though, and I found myself constantly shifting positions. Unfortunately, my movements proved futile; I just couldn't get comfortable.
"I am seriously starting to consider taking Simon up on his offer," I muttered. After another five minutes of rolling around, I finally gave up. Getting up from the couch, I crept slowly down the hall. Reaching Simon's bedroom, I silently opened the door and stepped inside. Simon lay in bed, sound asleep in his cute pajamas. I blushed and chastised myself inwardly for thinking in such a way.
Stepping over to the empty left side of the bed, I sat down on the mattress as gently as I could. Despite my best efforts, Simon awoke from his slumber as I climbed under the sheets. Blushing slightly, I smiled sheepishly as my bespectacled friend turned to look at me.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I remarked quietly.
"It's okay, just get comfortable and get some sleep," Simon responded, smiling.
"Alright; good night," I responded, feeling reassured.
"Good night," Simon responded. He then rolled back over and returned to his slumber. Now in a comfortable memory foam bed, I promptly joined him in dreamland.
The next day things got interesting. I had planned to return home, but as with a lot of plans, mine didn't come to fruition. With a broken bone and my car in the shop, it would be rather hard for me to take care of myself. Simon persuaded me to stay with him for at least the six weeks it would take for my bone to heal, maybe longer.
During these weeks, Simon and I learned a lot about each other. I was especially surprised when I found out that the reason he was living on his own was that the 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' band was actually inactive. This, Simon explained, was so that the brothers could pursue their own personal interests. He, for example, was working towards a career in the science industry.
As my stay continued, Simon and I really got close. Whenever he had enough free time, we'd go out and do something together. Thankfully I'm right handed, so I was still able to do a lot of things, such as go bowling. However, regardless of how much I enjoyed my time with Simon, reality made itself known in the end. After a mere two weeks, disaster struck.
Since my arm hadn't been injured while I was working, I was only eligible for a few benefits. Plus, I had crappy insurance since I was so poor. These two things together combined to burst my already-fragile financial bubble. I received the fateful phone call two weeks after my stay with Simon began.
I was sitting on the couch, watching TV while I waited for Simon to come home. My cell phone suddenly rang, emitting the familiar 'Ha Ha You're Dead' ring tone that was starting to get old. I checked the caller ID, and found that the call was from my landlord. Fearing the worst, I gulped and tapped the accept button before putting the phone to my ear.
The conversation was short; my landlord didn't need many words to explain the situation. The month had just recently ended, and with my income halted unexpectedly I was unable to pay the rent. As a result, I was being evicted from my apartment and had three days to clear out all my belongings and turn in my keys. As if that wasn't enough, Simon walked in just as I hung up. Tears were forming in my eyes as I looked up at his bespectacled face.
"What's wrong?" Simon asked, confused.
"I've been evicted…" I answered sadly.
"Oh my God…" he remarked, stepping forward. This situation was especially hard on me. My parents had been so proud when I finally got my own apartment; God knows what they'd think of me now.
"I'm homeless…" I muttered, staring to sob. Simon took me in his arms, holding me as I cried into his shoulder. We stood there for what felt like an hour- in reality only a few minutes- before I finally managed to dry up.
"Better?" Simon asked. I nodded. The two of us then sat down on the couch together, and calmly discussed the situation. Simon offered to share his apartment with me, and even pay for all the bills until my arm healed up. My only other option was to move back in with my parents, so naturally I accepted.
With my dilemma solved, Simon and I drove over to my apartment and loaded most of my stuff into his car. By the end of the day, all my belongings had been moved to the apartment we now shared. Simon then took me out to dinner to cheer me up, paying for the meal at my favorite restaurant: BJ's. I had a great time, and afterwards we went to the nearby theater to see a movie. Simon paid for the tickets, and then we sat down together in the back of the theatre.
Raising the armrest between us, I scooted over and wrapped an arm around my bespectacled friend's midsection. Simon turned to look at me, a confused look on his reddened face.
"Thanks, for everything," I remarked in a hushed tone. Simon's shocked expression changed to a smile, an arm wrapping itself around my shoulders.
"My pleasure," he responded quietly. I leaned up against him, my head resting on his left shoulder. His face grew two shades darker, and he turned away from the movie again.
"I think you're getting a bit more than just grateful," he remarked nervously. I pulled away, feeling rejected.
"S-Sorry, I should have stopped myself…" I stuttered. Saddened, I turned away from my secret love. Simon sighed, looking away for a moment. I stared at the floor; maybe it wasn't meant to be. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, and allowed it to turn me. I found myself looking at Simon again, a nervous smile on his irresistibly cute face.
My roommate pulled me close, and then paused for a moment in silence. Finally, we met, our lips touching in a sweet, loving kiss. We fell backward, kissing as we lay across several seats. What I felt in those moments put all my dreams to shame; no words could describe what I felt. Our tongues intertwined in a sweet, playful embrace; the taste of the other's mouth savored like sweet chocolate.
Finally, we stopped; security might throw us out if we continued. Returning to a seated position, Simon and I held each other close. My head rested on his shoulder as we watched the movie, contented smiles on both our faces. I was having the best night of my life, and wished it would go on forever. Sadly, time goes on, but I was comforted by the fact that I now had a loving partner with whom to share the rest of my life.