Chapter 4: Transformation

Meanwhile, Sonic had gone in the living room and sat down on the couch with everyone else. Shadow looked at him, concerned.

"Sonic? What's wrong?"

"Oh...apparently Mephiles injected more venom into my body and the symptoms are spreading faster. I'll become a full vampire in two days."

Shadow sighed. "So...that's why you're so depressed again."

Sonic nodded slowly. "I can't have normal food or drinks anymore," he said. "But I need my chili dogs!"

Shadow chuckled. "You and your chili dogs..." His smile swiftly changed to a frown and he looked at Sonic seriously. "Sonic, what are you going to do for well...blood?"

"I...I don't know. Maybe I'll just drink some blood from...well, citizens. I'll have to drink blood eventually."

"If you do that and they don't die, then they'll turn into vampires. Maybe you could hunt animals instead?"

"Possibly," Sonic said. "But humans are animals too."

Shadow sighed. "You're right, but I mean animals like deer. If you do hunt humans, maybe you could only go after the criminals."

Sonic sighed. "I'll try. It's not going to be easy, though."

Shadow smiled reassuringly. "Well, that's why you have your friends Sonic." Then he paused. "I'm warning you right now, if you ever start thinking that we won't want to be friends with you after you turn, I will personally Chaos Blast you into the next century."

"Uh...okay," Sonic said, looking at him nervously.

Shadow punched him in the arm gently. "I'm joking, Faker, but really. Don't ever think that, or it might just be Tails who knocks some sense into you. I probably wouldn't even get a chance to Chaos Blast you."

Sonic laughed and nodded, then yawned; he was tired all of a sudden.

Shadow looked at him questionably. "You alright?"

"I'm fine; just tired for some reason. I'm going to go rest."

Shadow nodded. Sonic got up, but as he walked toward his room, he walked into some sunlight. A burning sensation could be felt on his skin and he screamed in pain, backing away instantly. Shadow ran in and saw smoke coming from Sonic's body.

"Sonic!" He ran over to him and helped him back to his room.

The hedgehog gasped in pain and went in bed. "Close the blinds."

Shadow ran over to the blinds and closed them, then walked over to him. "Sonic? Are you alright?"

Sonic shook his head. "It seems...I can't go outside in the sun anymore. Get Tails."

The black hedgehog nodded, then ran down to Tails' laboratory. Tails turned around when he heard him come in. "Shadow? What's wrong?"

Shadow looked at him gravely. "I think your estimate of how long it would take Sonic to be completely transformed was wrong."

Shock appeared on the fox's face. "What do you mean? What's happened now?"

"Sonic...He can't stand sunlight now."

Tails' eyes widened and he ran upstairs into Sonic's room. He ran in to see Sonic lying on his bed, looking miserable. "Sonic! Shadow told me what happened."

Sonic looked at him and nodded. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know...My scan clearly indicated that the transformation would take at least two days...but with this sudden increase in the speed of the transformation? It could be finished by tonight!"

"What?" Sonic yelled. "No...no, it can't be. I don't want to be a vampire!"

Tails grabbed him by the shoulders and gave a quick shake. "Calm down, Sonic!"

Sonic sighed and nodded, tears in his eyes. He looked at Tails. "I'm sorry, this is just...shocking."

"Sonic, I'm sorry for yelling at you, but you have to stop acting like this. I understand that this is shocking and sudden, but being depressed like this? It just isn't you." Tails looked him straight in the eyes now. "As we've said before, we will do everything we can to help you through this. And none of us will think any different of you, vampire or not."

"Alright," Sonic said, and looked up at Tails. 'Why is the transformation speeding up, anyway?"

Tails thought about it. "It might be because Mephiles bit you twice within the space of an hour. The first dose of venom hadn't had time to spread out slowly in your system, so the second bite must have forced it to spread through your system too quickly, and now, the effects of the transformation are occurring rapidly, trying to keep up with the venom."

Tails sighed. "That's the only possible reason I can think of."

Sonic sighed again and nodded. "I guess I'll be a vampire sooner, then," he said, and yawned. "I'm tired; I'm going to sleep. Wake me up tonight."

Tails and Shadow exchanged looks and then at Sonic.

"Alright, we will." Shadow told him. Tails hesitated. "Sonic, there's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"There's a high chance that the blood frenzy will happen tonight."

"Wh...what?" Sonic exclaimed. "But...but..." He was at a loss for words. Tails sighed and sat down beside him.

"Sonic, we'll figure something out while you sleep."

"Okay," Sonic said, and yawned again. "Can you have Shadow wake me up tonight?"

Tails nodded and left the room. He walked over to Shadow. "Shadow, Sonic wants you to wake him up tonight."

Shadow looked at him. "Why me in particular?"

"I don't know, he didn't tell me. It might be because he's afraid that he might attack whoever wakes him up and he thinks you'll be able to hold him back."

Shadow nodded and sighed, hoping Tails was right. "Alright. I'll be the one to wake him up."

Tails nodded. They sighed and sat on the couch, thinking about what was going to happen.