The Origin of the Time Eater

Change of look

It had been several days since that conversation. Mephiles' attempts to improve their relationship became increasingly insistent. Every morning, before going to work, Mephiles prepares a breakfast for him and takes it to his room, helps him with some domestic tasks, such as cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry ... Their interactions were still kind of clumsy, but sometimes they would have some interesting conversation too. Once they were talking about biology and even mentioned interesting facts such as the sex change of clown fish or how the lizard "Leiolepis ngovantrii" reproduces through ovulation and cloning, only being female in the process, called parthenogenesis. Shadow adored topics related to science and biology, talking about them with Mephiles was one of the only things that didn't bother him about their conversations. In fact, their presence became the reason for arousing his interest, he appreciated the company of the creature, but he was still triyng to avoid any misstep that could lead him to make a fatal mistake.

One day, when the alarm woke him up, the pudu was already in front of his door with a tray of food for the hedgehog. Shadow was about to go to the door, but before getting up a thought came to his head: instead of him being the one making the round trip, he told the pudu to come in to give him his breakfast in bed, to which this make them question with a worried tone:

-But you said I didn't have permission to enter your room.

Shadow remembered, but he no longer cared about it, so he replied.

-It doesn't matter if it's just for you to bring me that. Can you come over and get it to me already?

Mephiles was still nervous, but accepted the hedgehog's order. Shadow also began to wonder why he had allowed them such a thing, it is true that they didn't do any suspicious act during all this time, and that they told the truth about their ignorance, but even so letting them in could still be dangerous, he doesn't know if he did it because of tiredness or because, for a time, their company weren't as unpleasant as at first, they will still be attentive. The pudu left the tray on the table next to the bed, as he indicated, and wait, the tray contained some buns, a plate with coffee beans and some water, the hedgehog bite one of the beans, he look at the pudu, who was expectantly for his comment on it, whenever they did something positive for him they expected an equally positive comment as a reward.

–You did a good job, as always.

-Thank you Shadow -The pudu bowed, bowing his head and slightly his torso as he gathered his hands behind his back. Shadow thought that they looked like a servant and they looked kinda funny, showing a slight smile that he then tried to hide. They had been behaving like this for a long time, Mephiles was helpful with him just to get their friendship and Shadow tried not to show that appreciation, he didn't want to trust that creature, not yet. Before the strange being leave the room the black hedgehog remembered today's mission and what it would mean for his partner:

-I must inform you that my partner Rouge will be the one in charge of taking care of you today while Cream is with my Chao.

-Your partner? I thought you were a team in your work, may I know what caused such a change?

-I have been asked to do a mission with Omega and Rouge took the opportunity to take a day off, she wants to know more about you and she thought this would be a good opportunity.

There was something in her own words that Shadow didn't quite fit, why did Rouge want to go to the trouble of coming here instead of visiting them while he was home? Something was up, as always, his friend usually has hidden intentions, but he trusted her and knows that he will be able to handle it in the current state of the creature in front of him.

-So if I am allow to ask, -Mephiles remembered when the rabbit family came and how different they were from Shadow, Sonic and Tails. -Should I know something about your partner? Should I adjust my behavior in any way?