~Difference~

The following morning, Mephiles woke up as if nothing had happened. He felt a little better about himself today. It must have been the sudden feeling change.

Cynthia saw him walking around. Mephiles still had that creepy walk of his.

"Good morning, Mephiles," Cynthia said happily, smiling.

"Good morning," Mephiles responded.

"You said 'good' that time," Cynthia pointed out.

"Today I feel different," Mephiles stated.

"Was it what I was telling you yesterday?" Cynthia asked.

"If I am to be honest, I am unsure of that myself," Mephiles answered.

"Oh," Cynthia reacted.

All of a sudden, panic could be heard coming from the research lab.

"Subject #14 has escaped!" one voice yelled.

"It could be infectious!" another voice shouted.

Cynthia and Mephiles both looked at each other.

"Let's go!" Cynthia exclaimed, running towards the lab.

Mephiles ran after her. Despite the fact that he was a copy of Shadow himself, he wasn't a very fast runner.

Cynthia ran into the lab, seeing the capsule with only a small crack and a smoking control panel beside it.

"What happened?" Cynthia asked.

"Overnight it seems that the substance being kept in this capsule seeped out of this crack and either disappeared or had a mind of its own, slithering away," one researcher explained.

Mephiles, who hadn't walked in yet, was just around the corner of the door. He listened in to the conversation, thinking.

"Do you think it might have affected someone if it does have a mind of its own?" Cynthia asked.

"It may have done," the researcher answered. "But we don't know who."

Mephiles then decided to walk in.

Cynthia heard him walking in, turning to look at him. "You took your time," she stated.

"I know I did," Mephiles confessed.

"We need some researchers to go and find the subject," the researcher announced, turning his attention to the other researchers. He pointed to a group of them. "You can all go and search for it. I'll be checking things twice in here."

The other researchers nodded, heading out quickly.

"Is there anything you want us to do?" Cynthia asked.

"You can go and look too, if you want," the researcher suggested.

Cynthia turned to Mephiles. "Let's go, Mephiles," she said, running off again.

Mephiles sighed, running after her again.

…

Cynthia reached a room filled with weapons.

Seconds later, Mephiles arrived.

"It's dark in here," Cynthia noticed. "Mephiles, turn the light on."

Mephiles looked for the switch, seeing it easily in the dark. He switched it to 'ON'.

"That's better," Cynthia announced.

"It's all the same to me," Mephiles compared.

"Can hedgehogs see better in the dark?" Cynthia asked.

"No," Mephiles answered. "This seemed to have happened overnight."

"…Strange," Cynthia responded, then deciding to look around.

Mephiles also looked around.

"Hello, Mephiles the Hedgehog," a dark, intimidating voice said in Mephiles' head.

"Who are you?" Mephiles asked.

Cynthia looked at Mephiles. "Something wrong over there?"

Mephiles looked at her. "Nothing, I'm fine," he replied quickly, looking around again.

"You won't be able to find the dark matter," the voice continued. "Unless you looked at your reflection."

"What do you mean?" Mephiles questioned.

Cynthia looked at Mephiles again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," Mephiles answered again.

"The moment I saw you, Mephiles, was the moment I realised that if we became one, we could become strong," the voice explained. "You and I fused last night. Believe me, hedgehog, in times of need you will let me take you over, soon giving in to you and I being a complete alliance. Your mind and my mind will become one, and we will be perfect. You will be perfect."

"Shut up!" Mephiles shouted.

Cynthia, again, looked at Mephiles, sighing. "I think you should rest, Mephiles," she said. "You're not fine."

"…You're right," Mephiles agreed. "I'll rest for a few hours." With that, Mephiles returned to his room and slept.

…

Lunchtime had just passed. Mephiles awakened, leaving his room, feeling the same as he did before.

Cynthia saw Mephiles. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"I think so," Mephiles answered.

"I can't find any sign of that dark liquid," Cynthia revealed. "What do you want to do now?"

"We should check to see if the other researchers are doing alright with their search," Mephiles replied.

"Sounds like a plan," Cynthia said. "Let's go, then."

The two began walking down the corridors, searching for the group of researchers. That was when three boys, who were sons of some of the soldiers working for GUN, ran past. One of the boys shoved Cynthia deliberately, the three then all laughing.

"Hey!" Cynthia rasped.

The boys just laughed, standing in front of the two, pulling faces at Cynthia mockingly.

"Look, guys! It's the gingerhead man!" the boy who shoved her laughed.

"That's right, Cynthia – man!" another one who seemed quite tall and scrawny agreed, also laughing.

"Yeah, show us your willy!" the short, chubby one shouted to her.

Cynthia just scowled at them, trying to walk past. "Come on, Mephiles, let's just leave these lifeless buggers to their own business," she said to Mephiles.

Mephiles walked with her, but became angry with the boys.

The boy who shoved her, known as Dylan, grabbed her by the arm and pushed her to the tall boy, known as Zak. Zak then pushed her into the short chubby boy known as Charlie.

Mephiles clenched his fists in anger, growing angry, trying not to unleash the new darkness inside him.

"Leave her alone," he commanded angrily.

"Watcha gonna do about it, bite us?" Dylan asked, laughing.

"I won't tell you again. Leave her alone," Mephiles repeated.

The boys continued pushing Cynthia around in their triangle, occasionally pulling her hair.

Mephiles was very angry now. He unleashed an attack out of his anger, which knocked the three boys far away, hitting a wall, away from Cynthia.

Cynthia was laying on the ground, her hair now a mess.

Dylan stood up. "I'm getting out of here," he said fearfully, running off. "You're a freak, Mephiles! A freak, I tell you!"

Mephiles approached Charlie and Zak. "Well? Are you going to leave with him?" he asked.

Charlie and Zak both nodded quickly and fearfully, standing on their feet and running as fast as they could.

Mephiles watched them run, then heading over to see if Cynthia was alright.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "Did they hurt you?"

Cynthia looked up at him. "I'm okay," she answered, standing up while trying to get her hair straight again. After she was satisfied with her hair, she looked at Mephiles oddly. "How did you even do that?"

"…I don't know," Mephiles admitted. "I became angry. I did that as a reaction to their taunting."

"Thank you," Cynthia thanked, then smiling.

"You're welcome," Mephiles responded.

Cynthia then hugged him tightly. Mephiles didn't react, other than attempt a surprised and embarrassed expression on his face.

"…You're crushing me," Mephiles informed.

"Sorry," Cynthia replied, letting go of him. "Let's just continue our researcher search."

As the two continued walking, the Commander walked over to Cynthia.

"Hello, Commander," Cynthia greeted, saluting.

Mephiles also saluted.

"Cynthia, I'm afraid I have some bad news," the Commander said, sounding sad.

"What is it?" Cynthia asked, sounding worried.

"The terrorists set off a bomb in the city when your father and some others tried to stop them," the Commander explained. "And I'm afraid that your father… was killed."

Cynthia didn't even know how to react. She just nodded. "Right… well… Thank you for letting me know that, Commander…" she stuttered, walking off as if she had seen a ghost.

Mephiles went with her. He knew that she was deeply upset.

…

That night, Mephiles was about to go to sleep when Cynthia came in his room. She hadn't cried yet.

"Mephiles… Can I sleep in here with you tonight?" she asked.

Mephiles didn't really know how to respond, but then nodded.

Cynthia climbed next to him in bed. She seemed alright for a few second, but then burst out crying.

Mephiles felt some sadness for her, until he heard that voice again.

"Don't have sympathy for her! This only proves weakness!"

Mephiles ignored the voice. His friend was upset, and that also upset him. That was when he decided to do what Cynthia did to him earlier. At first he was hesitant, but he wrapped his arms around her. He was hugging her, and after a few moments, he realised that it was a comforting thing.

Instantly, Cynthia had begun hugging back, which was also a comfortable, warm feeling.

Cynthia had cried herself to sleep while hugging Mephiles, her head on his shoulder. Mephiles gently laid her down, then also lying down and putting a blindfold on to get himself to sleep.

…

The darkness has changed Mephiles… Will it change him to something more than what we see now? All will be known shortly. By the way, I changed the front cover of the story… again! It's also on DeviantART now. This time I've got Mephiles, Callie, Metal, Silver and Emmi on the front! Do you prefer this one since it has more relevant images and characters? Tell me what you think! Stay cool!