Rouge had in fact taken a bath and now she was all curled up on the bed under the sheets in her nice warm PJ's. She was flipping channels on the T.V. that she had in her room. She was worried about Shadow. She couldn't understand why someone would turn him into a Vampire. She knew she had feelings for him. She couldn't help but to worry and always be by his side when he needed someone, especially at a time like this. She wished she knew who did this to Shadow and why. But who had the powers to make him into a vamp in the first place? She wondered. She couldn't wrap her brain around it and decided to focus on what she knew and what she could do to help Shadow. At this moment she knew she had to get Shadow able to control his thirst for blood, so he could get out of the cell and help figure out who did this to him. Maybe if they went back to the meadow and forest he might remember something that might give us an idea of who's behind all this. Slowly Rouge's brain started to calm, her attention on positive thoughts that Shadow would be ok and that soon they would figure everything out. But no matter what she knew she had to be there for Shadow. Soon her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell asleep.
Decoe and Bocoe followed the doctor to his room.
"Doctor." The two bots said.
"Yes."
"Doctor do you have any idea who might have done this to Shadow?" Decoe asked.
"No, I don't. Whoever did this covered their tracks well. It's like nothing happened to Shadow even though we all know full well he was turned into a vampire. Any way how has your shifts of watching Shadow going?"
"Very well Doctor, he sleeps rather quietly except he does tend to talk a little in his sleep." Bocoe said.
"He calls for her doesn't he?" Eggman asked knowingly.
"Yes he calls for Miss Rouge every now and then and when he calls for her he's usually tossing and turning but when he says her name he calms in his sleep and is still again."Decoe answered.
"Rouge seems to have a calming effect on him. She calmed him down when he was blacking out and out of control with his vampire self and she made him turn into himself again." Eggman stated.
"That's good, Shadow needs someone to keep him calm, relaxed and happy." Eggman added.
"Shouldn't we just tell them that they have a thing for each other and get it over with?" Bocoe asked.
"No, they will tell each other when they are ready to share their feelings." Eggman replied.
The two bots shook their heads in understanding and went to continue their guard duties at Shadow's cell.
Shadow was still asleep so the two bots decided to play war with cards until everyone woke up. After all it was only about noon. The hours ticked away and everyone was still asleep except for Decoe and Bocoe. They still stood watch but had gotten bored with cards an hour or so ago. They decided to see if Shadow was awake or not and unfortunately the Ultimate Life form was still asleep.
"He sure sleeps a lot doesn't he?" Bocoe asked.
"Yes but I think that has a lot to do with him not eating for so long and the strain it put on him like the doc said." Decoe replied.
"True." Bocoe said.
Rouge had awakened to see that it was now eight A.M.
"Did I really sleep that long? Must've been more tired than I thought. I think I'll go get me some coffee."
Rouge got up from bed and put her robe over her PJ's to keep her warm. She also put on her slippers and walked to her door. She entered the hallway and saw Decoe and Bocoe watching the monitor in front of Shadow's cell.
"How is he?" Rouge asked.
"He's still asleep, Miss Rouge" the two replied.
With that Rouge went to the cafeteria and got her a cup of nice hot coffee with a chocolate muffin made by none other than the Otis Spunkmeyer Company. She enjoyed her breakfast and then went back towards her room. She entered her lavender room and changed into her usual outfit. She exited the room and went across to Shadow's cell. Decoe and Bocoe looked at her for a minute and then they continued to watch Shadow. Rouge looked at the monitor screen and watched the ebony hedgehog sleep. He looked so calm and peaceful. Then suddenly Shadow started tossing and turning in his sleep and then he mumbled
"Rouge….".
He then calmed down and was still again.
"He talks in his sleep?" Rouge asked mostly to herself.
"Yes, he does it occasionally." Decoe answered.
Rouge nearly jumped not expecting an answer to her question. She had nearly forgotten that the two bots were still there.
Shadow awoke to mumblings and the sounds of people talking. He slowly sat up and shook his head to clear his mind. He looked towards the door then at the camera. He thought for a minute about what had happened yesterday before he fell asleep. He had acted crazy and out of control just because of being a stupid vampire who needed his fix of blood. Whoever did this to him better watch out he thought. He decided that he needed to try to control his hunger so he could get out of the cell without Eggman and Rouge worrying about him going on a blood fueled rampage. He needed to get out and find whoever did this to him. He tried to remember if he saw who it was but he got nothing but he did remember the laugh before he blacked out. It sounded familiar somehow but who could it be? He couldn't quite figure it out but it was something, at least he knows that he has met whoever it was before, but why turn him into a vampire? To Shadow this didn't make any sense and his thoughts were interrupted when Rouge the Bat came into his cell.
"Good Morning Shadow."
"Good Morning Rouge."
"You feeling better?"
"Yes after I drank that blood I started to feel better."
"Good."
"I need to get this hunger under control….can we do the test again to see if I can lengthen the time between feedings?" Shadow asked curiously.
"I don't see why not. When do you wanna start?"
"Now."
"You sure?" Rouge asked concerned
"Yes, I'm sure Rouge."
"Ok."
For the next few days Rouge and Shadow would see how long he could go for without blood. When he started to beg and get really weak, she would give him the blood but otherwise he didn't get any. For the most parts of these tests Rouge did not enter the cell due to the fact that Shadow could try to hypnotize her to get him blood if he got desperate enough. The only time she would go in there would be to give him a bag of blood and to make sure he was covered when he passed out from exhaustion. Each day Shadow lasted longer and longer without the blood and he eventually got to where he could last for twenty-four hours without blood.
Meanwhile with Mephiles
Mephiles was at his home thinking of destruction and wreaking havoc once Shadow was completely on his side. Mephiles thought himself clever for making Shadow into a bloodthirsty vampire.
"He should be killing and feeding on the blood of everything and everyone and causing destruction while doing so." The evil one chuckled.
How he loved to see people suffer and buildings burning down while screaming civilians tried to get away.
"I guess I should check to see if he is wreaking havoc on the world." Mephiles thought out loud.
His hand glowed and he made a circle with his glowing hand and appeared what looked like a doorway, a portal if you will, to show him what was happening in the past. The portal showed the cities and forests. There was no destruction, no chaos, not even someone cowering in fear. Instead it was a happy sunny wonderland of joy and fun. This sickened and disgusted Mephiles.
"Why isn't there any destruction or havoc being wreaked? Where's Shadow at?" Mephiles yelled angrily and puzzled at the same time.
He tried using the portal to search for Shadow throughout the world but couldn't seem to find him. He seemed to have been off the map. Mephiles sat there and thought for a minute.
"hmmmm…..Where would he be?...I've searched almost every place I can think of…wait….maybe that Doctor has him…..yes….that sounds like something right up the Doctor's alley….he did seem to know Shadow well…..and what of his comrades….the bat perhaps?" Mephiles thought and started searching for the Doctor's hideout using the viewing portal.
Mephiles finally found him and then he began to look for Shadow inside the base. He got a visual of Shadow in a cell and with the bat.
"Shadow's not attacking her or the doctor?...how can he be himself still, the beast I made him become should have taken completely over by now. He should be bloodthirsty and crazed with it. Let me listen in on what they're saying."
Mephiles began hearing what they were discussing and wasn't thrilled with what he heard. Mephiles walked away from the viewing portal and shook his head.
"So Shadow thinks that he can learn to control his thirst for blood?...how amusing…but he is only delaying the inevitable….in the end he will lose control of himself and I'll be able to control him with his bloody appetite. Soon I'll be able to capture him….and then …..he'll have no choice but to join me and cause chaos and destruction. Since he can now stay sane for at least twenty-four hours without blood, they'll let him out of that cell thinking it safe to do so and that's when I'll strike." Mephiles said thoughtfully to himself and then he started to chuckle and then began to laugh evilly at the diabolical and devious plan he began to come up with.
