I continued to hone a variety of my skills. I willed myself to cook more; even though the food was for my Master, I imagined I was cooking for Amy Rose. I noticed my improvement based on how fast he ate, though I still preferred taking my dishes to Big since he knew I wanted feedback. I practiced more skillful surveillance, regardless of amorous distractions. I even practiced my focus and combat with Amy yesterday. She fought well and impressed me, though I won our encounter. I thought she was wonderful. I wanted to fight her for fun, but I didn't want to scare her. I considered how we could have more sparring matches without her letting her guard down. She did say she would be more prepared next time...



In my downtime, I continued my tasks at the old base. I had a habit of reinstalling my voice processor whenever I was there on the off-chance I would get my preferred visitor, though she hadn't shown up yet. I incinerated all the garbage, so what was left was a particularly empty, but at least habitable, base.



Afterwards, because I couldn't do a proper scan on Carillon Rose, I began deconstructing some of her parts so I could better access and study her inner workings. I tried to be careful since I wasn't completely confident in how to put her back together should she be deconstructed entirely. I was irritated with my future self for creating such a strange bot. I had the idea to temporarily put her CPUs in my old body in hopes she could properly communicate with us then, though I was still in the process of safely disconnecting her CPUs in the first place and I needed to modify my old body to accommodate the different hardware. Everything took a long time, so I only made a little bit of progress each day.



I occasionally updated Belle on my progress while being vague on the off-chance our connection was compromised. I... similarly expressed my frustrations.





There was a strange comfort in knowing I could get a second pair of eyes on this robot. I supposedly made Carillon Rose, so I could figure her out... but I was at an incredible disadvantage. I was not going to complain about help from a neutral party.



That being said, I was tired of working on her for the day. I organized all I collected about Carillon Rose, made sure she couldn't be disturbed, then finally left the lab.



I saved my garden for last before returning to the active base. I hoped Amy would show up and we could bond. I felt confident enough to cook for her directly... That being said, I wasn't sure what meal I should make her first. It had to be spectacular to show my admiration for her. I pondered while maintaining my garden.



I wondered when I would receive a letter. Maybe she didn't consider the bouquet as part of our tradition... So... I thought of what singular flower to give her next. I couldn't leave it at her door this time, though... She still didn't want me to visit out of wariness.



... Some of the flowers had a shadow casting over them that should not be there. I looked up at one of the skylights-- something was blocking the light. I left the base to find the obstacle.



It was a chao. Tiny, light blue, white accents. The usual ball above their head was a spiral instead. The chao looked to be asleep. I encountered Amy Rose a similar way a long while ago... As I approached, their eyes opened, then the ball turned into an exclamation point.



The chao waddled over to me with a heart above its head and hugged one of my ankles. I was confused.



...



Was...



I squinted and picked up the chao to better examine them. This was the same one. The one that was very close to Never Lake and nearly fell to a pathetic death. The chao eagerly cooed at me. "What...? Why are you here?" I asked.



"Cha-o!"



The baby was not much for words. I was very confused how a little creature like this could traverse so incredibly far and even more-so how they could find me. "Did you not have a family?"



I was being stared at. I realized it was useless to commune with the creature.



"Go back home," I said, putting the chao down and sliding them away from me. They stared at me with wide, thoughtless eyes. Sickening.



I flew away to go back through the cave entrance, then returned to my garden. I checked the flowers the sunlight was blocking before--



Two little nubs were in my vision, followed by the chao's head. They were climbing up the planter to look at my flowers. How did-- Ugh! I grabbed the squishy creature by the head and glared them down.



I shook them a little. "Leave!" I snapped. I would throw them, but that would pose risk to the creature's life and Amy asked me to save them.



The chao continued to stare at me, dangling there. After a moment, the ball on its head became a heart again, and it tried to reach for me. I dropped them and growled to myself.



Agh!!!!



They were so tiny and lightweight I likely didn't feel them cling to me as I went back to the garden room. Did this count as an emergency? Could I visit Amy to get rid of the chao? She would know where to put them. I looked down and the chao hugged one of my ankles again.



Despite how the chao was the perfect size to punt, I had no desire to send them across the room. This was strange for me. I remembered the rock I was given, as pathetic as the chao, yet...



... I was disturbed as to how they found my garden. I knew chao were mysterious, ancient creatures, but Never Lake was so far away. Maybe they somehow hitched a ride on the back of the RV and wandered around the forest for a while... or they had an impeccable ability to track inorganic scents.



I guess no explanation could fight the truth: the chao was here and they would not leave me alone.



I decided to ignore the chao and continue watering my garden. I realized the chao was no longer on one of my legs-- instead, they sat on top of a box and intently stared at me.



Disturbing little creature. I kept ignoring them for a while and planned to kick them out when I was finished.



Pop! There was a strange, squeaky sound. I looked back at the chao-- they had ears. They were incredibly tiny, but the shape was clear; they were hedgehog ears.



"Are you mocking me?" I sneered.



The baby wiggled a little and spouted gibberish. I forgot I could not properly communicate with them. I was done maintaining my garden, so I grabbed the chao by the head and walked out, locking the door behind me. I went back to the entrance and opened the door, placing the chao back outside, closing the door once more.



...



I heard crying. A screech. I was suddenly concerned a wild animal had attacked them.



I opened the door and the baby sat up after wailing on the ground. They stared at me with huge, empty eyes.



I closed the door again.



Screeching. Screeching!! Bang, bang, bang, bang! Little fists were beating against the door.



The noise would draw too much attention to my location. I opened the door again. The baby stared at me as if they did not just have an episode. Noticing I wasn't closing the door, they eventually waddled inside. I threw my head back with an irritated groan.



"If you touch anything, I will destroy you," I growled as I walked back down the hallway. The chao at least could not break into any room since they knew no door codes.



I went into another room with skylights, which I cleared out to grow additional plants. I intended to grow my own crops so I could take full pride in the dishes I served Amy, though I needed to be practical on what to grow indoors, however large this room was. I thought some simpler vegetables and a few types of fruit compatible with the soil I had available would be an apt way to begin.



I brought in some large garden planters and filled the room with them; dozens of huge ones, much bigger than my flower garden. I dragged containers of unused soil to fill the beds with. The chao followed me in here, watching me from a corner at first, but then started to shovel dirt with their nubs to fill the garden beds.



They were either copying me, which was annoying, or they were trying to help me, which was also annoying. I allowed the creature to make feeble attempts to mimic my glory.



The chao rolled around a garden bed when I finished filling one with soil. I was going to shoo them away, but they were actually evening the soil levels out. This happened with all the garden beds; they tried to help fill it, then they rolled around to flatten the area. Each time I moved to a different garden bed, they watched and stared.



I began planting seeds, equally spread out. I properly measured the average and expected dimensions for each crop I intended to grow... and I couldn't grow too many. I had to keep in mind what a reasonable stock of food would be... This was only for Amy. Though, maybe she wanted ingredients to cook for herself, too... I decided to fill only some of the planters.



"Chaaaao." The baby examined the dirt where I planted a seed before. I moved the chao on the ground and went to a different planter even though I knew they would continue to harass me.



Yep. The baby crawled back up to the same garden bed, then lifted their arms.



Pop! Another unexpected sound. I walked back over.



... There was a sprout in the garden bed. The chao stared at me while I checked it. That was... quite an ability. I cautiously gave them a watering can. They hoisted it up, floating above the sprout with some effort, but then gently tipped the watering can and successfully watered the sprout. They stopped at an optimal time. I checked the damp soil. They actually paid attention to what I was doing before.



Hmm. I took the watering can back and they collapsed tiredly. They were weak, but they had the capacity to genuinely assist me. I was less annoyed by their presence. I watered the rest of the seeds on my own while the chao pathetically lay in between them. When I finished, I picked the chao up by their body instead of their head. I left the new garden room and went to the kitchen.



I didn't know what to feed a chao. I looked it up... Apparently, they ate just about anything. I wanted them to be stronger, so I made a quick protein-filled meal. They sat on one of the kitchen counters and watched me.



I placed the plate in front of them. "Eat," I said.



The chao sniffed the food, then very slightly licked the top. The ball above their head became a spiral and they turned their head away.



"What--" I clenched my fists. "You insolent child. Are you denying my food?"



The chao pushed the plate away. I wanted to be violent. My cooking has only improved! The-- the nerve!!!



I made a different meal, one I made many times that Big particularly adored. Big would not lie to me. I offered the chao another dish.



The chao shook their head. They didn't even sniff it this time!



"What is wrong with you?!" I screamed. If this thing kept denying my food, then I would come to the conclusion they had no taste buds. I made a shortcake this time, a dessert I was incredibly proud of. No one could deny it as a delicacy.



I put the plate in front of the chao, which caught more of their interest. They took the fruit off the top of the cake and began eating it.



...



They pushed the plate away when the fruit was gone. Agh!!!



"You picky little insect!" I growled. I slapped an apple in front of them, and then they ate it with a satisfied look on their face. They tossed the core of the apple beside them, then let out a small burp too close to my face. I actually wanted to kill them.



A heart formed above their head again and they floated up to the top of my head. With a little sigh, they settled and cooed softly. I did not know why this creature adored me so much, but I began to lose hope in actually getting rid of them. I cleaned up in the kitchen and heard snoring from the top of my head.



I eventually had to return to the active base. I put the chao down and went to the entrance, stepping to the other side of the door. They stood and stared at me, not crossing the threshold. I assumed the chao wanted to stay in the old base.



...



"I will return tomorrow. You will not follow me, and you will not touch anything. Is that clear?" I pointed at the infernal thing.



I was met with those same huge, empty eyes. The chao slowly blinked at me.



I closed the door. Shockingly, I didn't hear bloodcurdling screeches this time. I took off into the air and made my way back to the current base.



If I played my cards right, maybe the chao would be useful during times I couldn't check on my flowers... But it would take time for me to trust anything to care for them the way I did.