FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Not happening Drosmine. You have an oversize load behind the truck. If you try to go any faster you might make the truck roll or slide off the road. Which is of course BAD when you're travelling at around one twenty five in a truck that easily weighs over two tons" Sarven replies calmly.

"Well that is true. I do need to compensate for the trailer. Oh well, I will catch up to the rest of the group at a hotel or something. Maybe if they stop for dinner somewhere we can catch up with them there" I ramble on as I continue driving down the road. "Hey who wants some tunes?" I ask as I realize how uncomfortably quiet it is in the truck.

"I thought you would never ask. Yeah turn the radio on; it will at least break the silence if nothing else" Sarven replies. I turn the radio on and cycle through the stations until I find a stable signal then turn my attention back to the road. A few hours later I notice a familiar vehicle a few miles up the road.

"Hey I think we caught up with them" I say as I slow down to just over seventy five miles per hour. I look out the passenger window and wave as I pull up next to Berrwain. Berrwain points at the back of the truck with a worried look.

"What's that smell?" Vealdan asks right about the same time. I sniff the air and catch a whiff of a familiar scent and my heart skips a beat as I identify the odor.

"That would be propane. There are three different fuels this truck can run on, and propane is one of them. I use it mostly as an additive to diesel when I need the extra horsepower to get the truck moving or haul a heavy load up hill. But if I wanted to I could run the truck entirely on propane for a few miles per tank. There are six tanks of propane in the truck right now. Any one of them could be leaking or it could be a hose which would mean I have more to worry about than a faulty tank" I explain.

"Drosmine it looks like one of the tanks came loose and cracked the valve mount. Do you want me to disconnect it from the system?" Sarven says.

"Yeah, you probably should do that. I don't want to risk something in the truck blowing up. It would be pretty ugly if that propane system lights up" I reply. Sarven opens the window to the bed of the truck and takes care of the propane tank.

"That should take care of the problem. Now let's just hope that tank doesn't go off in the bed of the truck. Hey Drosmine, why did we pack all of the volatile and flammable materials in the bed of the truck instead of on the trailer?" Sarven asks. I think about the question for a minute before responding.

"You know, that is an excellent question!" I reply before sniffing the air again. "What's THAT smell?" I ask.

"Can you describe it at all?" Vealdan replies.

"It smells draconic in origin, and strong. Sarven did you forget to bathe?"

"No, no I did not" Sarven replies. Alright, just what is it that you're smelling?

I don't know, you tell me! I respond and seconds later I feel a familiar presence in my mind.

_ _

Drosmine that me you smell. But for some reason the scent is curiously strong for you. I think your sense of smell might be improving somehow. Let me know if anything else seems to change for you, this could be good or it could be bad and I want to be sure we are prepared for either.

_ _

So you're telling me that what I smell is you the way Vealdan or Zerinnon would?

_ _

That's exactly what I'm saying. Olfactory senses don't just improve like that Drosmine. Something is happening to you and I don't know what, but I want to take ever precautionary measure possible. I don't want something going wrong and you end up horribly disfigured.

_ _

Sarven why are you so worried?

_ _

Look at your hands Drosmine. Have you always had talons? Did you even have talons when you woke up this morning?

_ _

I look at my hands to find short curved talons protruding from my fingertips. No, I have not always had those. I don't know when that happened.

_ _

It has been happening slowly since you got the blood transfusion. Check your chest. Are the stitches still there or even the wounds?

At Sarven's request I look down to find the stitches have fallen out and three thin scars across my chest where a few hours ago were three open and bleeding slits. That's cool and creepy at the same time. How did that happen?

Think about it Drosmine. You're a scientific experiment on crossing dragon and human DNA to try to engineer an anthropomorphic dragon. You are one of the few that actually survived the gene splicing, and from what research I have done you were the most successful experiment. So what happens when an extra dose of dragon DNA is introduced to your body twenty two years later?

_ _

Are you saying what I think you are?

_ _

I am.

_ _

Holy crap! I'm going to be a dragon?

_ _

I sure hope so. I don't want to imagine the alternatives.

_ _

Dang, when you put it that way it makes me fear what could happen instead of anticipate it.

"If you two are finished with you telepathic conversation it would be much appreciated if you could turn your attention back to the road Drosmine. Preferably before we rear end that semi truck" Vealdan comments out loud. My attention snaps back to the road and I swerve into the left lane to avoid slamming into the back of a semi truck.

"Thanks for the heads up Vealdan. That would not have been a fun thing to deal with"

"No problem. Hey anyone have any ideas for dinner?"

"I don't think so. Hey Sarven can you text Berrwain and the others to find out what the plans are for dinner?"

"Sure, just give me the phone" Sarven says as I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone and hand it to him. A few minutes later Sarven gets a message. "It sounds like Joe is already on an exit ramp heading to a barbecue restaurant. Take the next exit and we should meet up with him at Rudy's or something like that" Sarven replies.

"Shit. Hold on guys this is goanna be rough" I saw as I drop the transmission two gears and floor the gas and open the valve that lets propane flow into the fuel mixture. The engine instantly roars to life with a scream comparable to an angry dragon and the flames billowing out the tail pipes to match. The truck lurches forward as the weight balance shifts to the back tires making it hard to steer the truck through the curve in the road. The trailer clears the semi truck as I spot the exit in the distance. Crap I might not make it around this truck in time. There is no way in hell I'm goanna cut him off. I hate it when people cut me off I'm not goanna do it to a semi truck.

"Drosmine the engine is red lining, do you plan on shifting any time soon or are you going to let the engine blow up?"

Gotta get around this truck. Seconds later the truck stops accelerating and I throw the transmission one gear higher and open the propane valve all the way. I swerve into the right lane and tires screech as the trailer tries to pull the truck around to face the semi truck head on. I push the clutch and close the propane valve as I fight to keep control of the truck.

"Brakes Drosmine! Use the brakes!" Sarven snaps as the back tires of the truck start to slide. I glance at the speedometer as I mash the brake pedal to the floor_. Shit that's fast! Maybe I held that gear a little too long. Wait, why is the engine idled at two thousand? Never mind ill worry about it later._

"Are you trying to get us killed? I'm no expert on vehicles but I'm pretty sure the vehicle is supposed to be in control, NOT the trailer behind it" Vealdan exclaims as the trailer brakes finally slow enough that the trailer sways back behind the truck instead of beside it.

"Drosmine I know you like going fast, but you seriously need to dial it back a LOT when you're hauling a trailer behind this truck! Some day your precious truck is going to roll and I am going to have to come save you from the wreckage! Do you want to end up paralyzed from the neck down because of your blatant disregard for the law?" Sarven snaps angrily.

"Sorry about that you guys. I will agree that it was not one of my better decisions" I say apologetically.

"Nor was it a good idea to race that vet with the vette. Yes I know what I said and no the pun is not intended. But to go back and race him AGAIN in the same day! Are you trying to get your license revoked? You already have SEVEN points on it for all the speeding tickets you get!"

"Ugh, I get it Sarven. Slow the hell down" I reply sullenly as I realize Sarven is right.

"You will do more than just that Drosmine. You will obey the law or I will make you install manual governor's on every single one of your vehicles then spot weld the thing into place!" Sarven continues.

"All right all right! No more illegal driving from now on!" I say defensively. "Anything else you want to call me out on as long as we are on the subject?" I ask sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact I do. You can't drink anymore, period. If you turn into a full fledged dragon and continue your drinking habits you will kill yourself in a matter of months. And another thing, stay away from casinos. I know you've had gambling problems in the past; I don't want you to go too far with that and lose everything. You and I might be able to live in a cave but not Berrwain" Sarven chides.

"I was being sarcastic Sarven" I reply sullenly.

"I know but it needed to be said and that comment of yours opened the window needed to say it" Sarven replies.

"Can we discuss something else you two? Something less, well for lack of a better term distressing?" Vealdan asks.

"I agree with Vealdan. Let's discuss something more likely to make a person smile" I retort.

"For the time being we can leave this topic, but there is more that needs to be said before too long" Sarven replies.

"Thank you! Now where is this Rudy's place? I'm friggin hungry!" I reply in relief.

"It should be two miles down the road, just take a right at the intersection" Sarven replies.

"So, any idea what to expect when we get there?" Vealdan asks.

"According to this message from Joe, it looks like things are getting heated between two employees there. If you guys want dinner and a show better hurry up" Sarven comments as he reads a message on my phone.

"Does that mean I " I start to say before Sarven cuts me off.

"NO!" Sarven and Vealdan shout simultaneously.

"Ow, no need to be so damn loud about it" I reply stiffly as I maneuver the truck through the intersection to get to the restaurant. I pull into the parking lot and park the truck before killing the engine and climbing out. I wince in pain as I walk into the restaurant.

"Hello, welcome to Rudy's. Have you ever eaten here before or do you want me to explain how this works?" An employee greets me as I walk in the door.

"Is this a buy your meat by the pound thing?" I ask.

"That is exactly what this is!" the employee responds cheerfully. "The board right over there has a menu of what meats we serve and on what days. It also has the price by the pound"

"Cool, thanks" I respond as I dismiss the employee and proceed to the register. "Don't care what the price is, give me a pound of sausage, a pound of bacon, and a pound of something spicy. Here's my credit card" I say as I pull my credit card out and hand it to the cashier.

"Errado! tudo errado! tudo que você faz é sempre errado! Por que eu contratar o seu imbecil?" the manager shouts as he walks over to the cashier snatching my credit card out of his hand.

"Por que diabos eu ainda trabalhar para um idiota preso pão-duro, como você de qualquer maneira?" The cashier responds.

"foda-se você está demitido!" the manager screams.

"BOM! Eu SAIR!" the cashier responds before tearing his hat off and walking out from behind the counter. I snatch my credit card out of the manager's hands before he can ring up the meal.

"I think I would rather pay with cash" I comment before pulling fifty dollars out of my wallet. "Hey, come here for a second please" I call out to the cashier before he leaves the building.

"Yeah, what can I do ya for?" the man comments as he walks up to me.

"Sounds like you don't really like your job here. How do you feel about working at a computer shop with a bunch of people and dragons?" I offer.

"Sounds interesting. Where at?" the man counters.

"Northern Michigan. I can even get you a proper uniform, something that is comfortable to wear. Oh, and nice shirt by the way" I comment as I notice the inscription on the back of the uniform.

"My name's Blaze" the man responds as he extends his hand.

"Im Drosmine. It's nice to meet you" I respond as I shake Blaze's hand.

"Theif! Since when does three pounds of even the most expensive meat you serve cost forty six bucks!" Blaze shouts at the manager.

"quem é você para me chamar de ladrão?" the manager responds.

"With all due respect, I would like to be helped by a cashier, not you" I comment as I reach for my phone. The manager drops the money on the counter and walks away quickly to be replaced by another employee.

"I don't care what's rung up, I just want 3 pounds of meat. Sausage, bacon, and something spicy. Make it happen quickly and you can keep the change as a tip" I comment calmly. The cashier rings up the order and returns twenty dollars change before turning around to serve my food.

"Thanks for that. You want to hang around with us for a little bit? I would be more than happy to get you something to eat" I offer Blaze.

"Sure. So about this job opportunity in northern Michigan... what is the owner of a computer shop doing several states away from home looking for employees?" Blaze asks as I am handed a tray with three pounds of meat and a loaf of bread.

"I am actually on a road trip to Alaska for a week. You just happen to have the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time" I respond as I walk over to the condiment bar. "Holy peppers! Dang! I've not seen that in a restaurant before!" I exclaim as I notice the buckets of hot peppers. I grab a pair of tongs and dish up almost half a pound of the peppers before proceeding to the table where everyone from the shop is seated.

"Damn Drosmine! Enough heat there for you?" Berrwain comments as I sit down.

"Not yet. Give me the hot sauce" I reply as I hold my hand out. Moments later Berrwain hands over a bottle of hot sauce. I proceed to make several sandwiches then douse them in hot sauce and cover them in peppers before consuming every single one.

"Are you alright man? Was that too much heat to handle?" Blaze asks concerned.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" I respond wincing in pain as I speak.

"You look pale. Are you sure you're alright?" Blaze says as he examines my posture.

"I told you, I'm fine. Ow. Or maybe not. I have to go" I say as I get up and rush out the door. "Sarven! Hey Sarven! I think it's starting" I say as I rush to the truck where I last saw Sarven. I find Sarven sitting beside the truck with a ten pound basket of assorted meats in front of him and Vealdan. I open my mouth to say something but collapse in pain.

"Drosmine!" Sarven shouts as he leaps to my side. "Hold still, I don't want to hurt you" Sarven says as he cuts the front of my shirt open. "Vealdan, I need you to go into the forest that way and make a fine poultice out of pine needles. And if possible bring back as much sap as you can. I'm goanna need it here real soon" Sarven says with an air of authority as he lays me out flat on the ground.

"Sarven, how long will this take?" I ask meekly as Sarven pulls my shirt off to expose my back.

"I don't know for certain, but anywhere from five to twenty five minutes" Sarven replies as he examines my back.

"What the heck? Drosmine where'd you go?" Berrwain calls as he exits the restaurant.

"He is over here Berrwain" Sarven responds. Berrwain comes walking over to find me shirtless on the ground.

"Yikes! What the hell is happening to him?" Berrwain exclaims as he points at my back in shock.

"He is transforming into a... oh shit that's not good" Sarven replies as he looks back at me to find two sets of wings beginning to grow.

"Sarven is that normal?" Vealdan asks as he approaches with an iron bucket full of pine sap. Vealdan pulls a Dutch oven out of the bed of the truck and spits the poultice into the pot. "Sarven your going to need to heat and dilute that poultice before you can use it"

"Yeah yeah, just get it done please. I have to make sure nothing else goes wrong here" Sarven replies quickly.

"You mean like the split tail?" Berrwain asks.

"Actually I believe those are two separate tails" Vealdan comments as he adds water to the poultice and lights a fire under the pot.

"If you two know so much about this then why don't you take care of him while he transforms? Then when he ends up horribly disfigured you two will be the target of his animosity in life!" Sarven snaps angrily as he grabs some of the poultice and begins to apply it where my wings are growing.

"What's going on out here?" Blaze asks as he walks outside. "Hello? Who the heck is screaming out here?"

"Oh great, another opinionated spectator. Were over here if you really want to watch someone suffer the most intense pain you can suffer for the next half hour" Sarven calls out sarcastically.

"What's happening over here?" Blaze exclaims alarmed as he rushes over to the truck to find me on the ground, two tails and two sets of wings beginning to grow out of my back. "Holy shit he's transforming"

"Way to go captain obvious, you identified what's going on here. Why don't you make yourself useful and get me some cold water?" Sarven snaps.

"That wont help you very much here. You will want a lukewarm alcohal solution. Rubbing alcohol at room temp should do fine" Blaze responds calmly.

"And when did you become an expert on biomedical transformation?" Sarven asks with a growl.

"that I wiwll explain later. Right now, you need to keep calm or that man wont be happy with the results... if he survives"

"DON'T say that!" Sarven snaps angrily.

"Pay attention to what your doing then. You! Get a bigger flame under that pot! That needed to be done before this started it needs to be heated NOW! And you. Try and find me some rubbing alcohol. If you cant find that get me something mildly acidic." Before blaze can even finish talking Vealdan and Berrwain jump into action. "Did you know this was going to happen before hand?"

"Of course I did" Sarven replies coldly.

"Getting angry at me won't help your friend. And if you knew this was happening why didn't you prepare for it? He still has hair. That can cause serious problems with scale growth" blaze comments.

"You think I don't know this?" Sarven replies, bearing teeth and snapping his jaw shut mere inches away from blaze.

"Moody, moody moody. That won't help your friend, who is making progress by the way. You should really watch that you know" Blaze says casually as I twist and writhe in pain on the ground.

"I hate you" Sarven says flatly as he turns his attention back to me.

"This is all I could find" Berrwain says as he returns from the jeep, holding a half full bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"That's more than plenty. Thank you. How's that poultice coming along?" blaze looks back to Vealdan and the Dutch oven "That's plenty hot. Okay you're going to want to-"

"DON'T you dare tell me what to do" Sarven snaps as he scoops out some of the poultice and applies it to the changing tissues on my back and at the base of my spine.

"Sarven, I know he is your mate and you want to make sure he doesn't get hurt because of this, but your letting your emotions get the best of you. I think it best that you back off and let him take care of it" Vealdan says calmly.

"I... but......." Sarven begins to protest but after looking Vealdan in the eye then back at me droops and walks around the other side of the truck.

"w-where..... is...... Sarven....going?" I manage to choke out as I reach for Sarven as he walks away.

"Sarven is placing you in my care for your own good" blaze says as he crouches and places a hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

"But" I try to protest but am cut off by blaze.

"Hush, don't exert yourself you will only hurt yourself" Blaze says calmly.

Before I get the chance to protest further I curl up into a ball holding my head in pain as the shape of my skull changes. I can't help but scream in pain as scales begin to grow and my skeletal structure changes to resemble that of a dragon. I faintly feel something nagging at the back of my mind, but pay no attention. The only thing I can concentrate on is the searing pain going through my body, and now my head. I must have blacked out at some point, because the next thing I remember is waking up on my back being held down by Vealdan, Berrwain, and Blaze.

DROSMINE!

Oooooowwwwww.... Not so loud

Are you okay?

I... I don't know. I'm on the ground right now and everyone is holding me down. What's going on?

I don't know I'm over here with Zerinnon and nobody is telling me anything!

Why are you over there?

Vealdan told me to leave because I was getting to be too defensive and I was going to hurt you more than help you.

Please come back. It hurts on the ground and they have my mouth taped shut so I can't tell them to let go.

"Let him go" Sarven says with a growl as he walks up behind blaze.

"I thought you were told to back off" blaze retorts.

"And I thought my mate was in good hands" Sarven growls back.

"He is in good hands"

"Then why is his mouth taped shut?" Sarven demands angrily.

"Because he was trying to attack us and so that he doesn't bite his tongue off" blaze responds calmly.

"And what if he has a panic attack?" Sarven snaps as he shoves blaze aside and cuts the tape off. "Let him go. I won't repeat it again you two" Vealdan and Berrwain both let go of me and back off as Sarven helps me to my feet.

"Why is my vision so blurry? Oh my god am I going blind?" I ask beginning to panic.

"You shouldn't have a problem with your sight with four eyes" Vealdan says calmly. "although two tails with bone blades was rather viscous" at this comment I look up at Vealdan and I notice all of the lacerations on his arms and shoulders as my vision slowly comes into focus.

"I did that?" I ask in astonishment.

"You did"

"I am so sorry Vealdan... what did you say about four eyes?" I ask as it finally sinks in what was said.

"I uhh..... maybe you should look in a mirror" Vealdan replies dodging the question.

"then get me a damn mirror!" I snap, panic setting in.

Drosmine calm down!

Sarven what's going on!?! What happened to me?

I... I don't know what happened. You're a dragon I can tell you that much.

What's wrong with me?

I wouldn't say there is anything wrong with you, just not normal.

What do you mean by that Sarven?

Just look and see. And try not to worry about it too much. Your subconsciously adapted to your new physiology, if you worry about getting used to it and controlling your limbs at this point you will only cause problems and hinder your recovery.

I.... okay. Where's the mirror?

Right there.

I turn to find Berrwain holding a small mirror and stare in horror at the face that looks back at me.

"What the fuck happened to me?" I ask in dismay