A banging headache was all he could feel. It made sense after he crash landed head first into the ground. The events in space were a blur but he remembered what happened… He quickly looked at his hand and his heart sank. Claws. He felt his face, heart sinking even lower. Fangs were protruding out of his mouth and his fur was no longer sleek and waxed but fluffy and thick.

"AGGGHHH! WHAT IS THAT?!" a child screamed not far from where Sonic was crouched by the crevice where he landed. The child began running away into what looked like the nearest town, screaming bloody murder. The fluffy blue hedgehog tried to call out after him but all that came out was a pine. He covered his mouth before any more nonsensical noise was emitted. He gave one final glance before he ran off towards the derelict windmill. He was running on all fours… of course! His speed was stripped from him. Thanks Eggman, he cursed internally.

Sonic slumped beside a clump of grass hiding behind the windmill. He observed his new form with disgust. He wanted to rip each hair out. He tried to blunt his claws by digging at the soft ground, but none prevailed. He was stuck like this.

The blue hedgehog's mind started to wonder as he stared across at the soon to be rising sun. The sky always calmed him; he loved to run, feeling that air slap his face as his worries were being left behind. Unfortunately, his new build prevented him from running at any speed, let alone walk normally.

"Hey! Uh, hello?" a soft voice broke Sonic's sense of thought. A little, maroon flying creature sheepishly called out to him. The blue monster growled baring his fangs and scratching at the ground. He was trapped with this unknown flying creature.

"Oh no! Please don't hurt me mister monster guy!" the creature cowered in fear. Sonic let out a pine being addressed in such a horrible way.

"I don't know where I am! I was hoping you might know. The only thing I remember is something falling from the sky and everything going all white… and then, nothing!" Sonic lowered his ears. Was he the one who landed on top of this creature and caused his amnesia?

"C-can you understand me?" the blue hedgehog nodded.

"I tried to ask that kid for help but he and everyone else were running away," the blue monster's heart was sinking even lower that it hurt.

"Oh! Your fur looks so fluffy!" the creature zipped over to Sonic and started to touch his fur. The blue monster growled and made a swing for the creature, purposefully missing him as a warning shot. "OK! Sorry! Hey… I'm hungry…"

Sonic looked back at the now rising sun. He suddenly felt strange. His chest was in such pain, similar to when he was back on Eggman's ship. He looked at his clawed hands and saw light shinning from them. He then swung his arms out and roared. The pain was excruciating. The flying creature hid behind the windmill until the entire scene stopped. A cobalt blue hedgehog emerged from the light; his quills were no longer fluffy, his claws were replaced with gloved hands, his frame was thinner and longer and his arms and legs were not bulky and muscular. The blue hedgehog groaned in pain as he smacked back hard to the ground. Sonic lifted his head being clutched by one of his gloved hands. He looked to the sun, then to his hands and suddenly leapt into the air.

"I'M BACK! HEH HA! Thank Chaos, I can run again!" Sonic ran on the spot and twirled in the air. He was ecstatic to have his normal form back and would never want to see that hideous beast ever again.

"Y-you can talk?" the flying creature nervously came out of his hiding spot.

"Oh right… The name's Sonic and I am going to get your memory back, restore the Chaos Emeralds and fix this planet!" Sonic gave the flying creature a thumbs up, a thumbs up he wasn't sure he actually meant. What if that other form came back? He was unable to talk; would that mean he'd lose control completely? Nah, don't think about that, he can run freely now.

"Hmmm ok!" the flying creature quickly changed his mind and flew beside Sonic. "So, is this what you usually look like?"

"Yeah!" Sonic smiled and then a thought came, "Hey, sorry for scaring you. I don't normally do that…"

"It's ok! I prefer this version of you anyway!"

"Heh, you and me both," Sonic explained what happened to him in space to the flying creature.

"Chaos Emeralds?"

"Jogging any memories?" Sonic showed the dull Emerald lacking any power.

"I dunno…"

"Hmmm, we'll get your memory back, don't worry," Sonic looked up and saw the flying creature had disappeared. "Hey! Where'd you go?!"

The flying creature was marvelling at an ice cream stand, "Chocolate Chip Sundae Supreme sounds delicious!" he was about to fly off without paying for the ice cream. Sonic dashed over in time.

"Heh sorry! Here's the money for it," Sonic took another look at the mouth-watering ice cream. He was running on empty and hadn't eaten since he went to space… "Make that two."

Sonic ran after the flying creature that was darting from place to place within the town of Apotos. The blue hedgehog wolfed down the ice cream and ran in front of the creature; baby sitting was not on his to do list today.

"Chip, you can't just dart about on your own!"

"Chip?"

"Oh… I didn't know what to call you so- "

"I love it! Sounds delicious!"

"Heh, that's good then!" the blue hedgehog grinned and the two walked off.

To say Sonic showed off to Chip his skills, would be the understatement of the century. The blue blur whipped by the streets of Apotos in no time at all. None of them were worried about the previous events from early this morning. Sonic felt very tired but he didn't care, he was able to feel the wind slapping his face and didn't realise how much he yearned for it. The white, sun-soaked streets made Sonic and Chip feel at ease. The blue hedgehog loved the warm sun. The world could wait one day until Sonic got back to business… couldn't it?

The sun was beginning to set as Sonic and Chip walked back into the town of Apotos. Probably a night under the stars so the blue hedgehog could catch his breath until the new day and adventure came.

"Hmmm, as nice as that all was, I still don't remember anything," Chip sadly looked at the floor.

"Don't sweat it! We'll find your memory soon enough," Sonic yawned, confident he'd help his new buddy out.

"You look like you need some sleep!" Chip giggled.

Sonic laughed tiredly, but then a shooting pain emerged in his chest again. He stood on the spot paralysed as his whole body began to vibrate painfully. Sonic ran as fast as he could, back to the clearing with the windmill. His speed started to slow as the pain in his chest grew stronger. As he reached the windmill, he collapsed to his knees and screamed in anguish. The darkness was sucking him in and every part of his body started to grow. After the sudden torture, Sonic curled up into a ball whimpering. Chip flew over to the blue monster.

"Hey, it's ok, it only happens at night," Chip tried his best to comfort his new friend. Sonic had new forms before, even had his heart and soul set on fire, but this felt different. He didn't feel in control and feared his own form. He was a hideous beast that was unable to talk to anyone. He was exhausted and Chip could see this. The blue monster shut his eyes briefly, he needed a little rest and then continue onwards.