Zane pushed open the kitchen doors quietly, eyes darting between the shelves stacked high with food. For a moment, he just stood there, breathing in the mix of roasted meats, fresh bread, and ripe fruits.
He reached for the first thing he saw — a massive pineapple. Holding it up like a trophy, he whispered, "Is this what you want?"
The shadow looked at him… then slowly shook its head.
"…Yeah, me neither," Zane muttered, tossing the pineapple aside.
He tried a slab of roasted meat next. "What about this? Delicious, juicy, mouth-watering—"
The shadow tilted its head, then shook it again.
Zane groaned. "Alright, picky eater. How about… chicken? Corn? Berries?"
One by one he showed them off. Each time the shadow shook its head. Out of desperation, he even dangled a piece of fabric.
"Don't you dare tell me you eat clothes," he muttered. But again, the shadow said no.
Eventually, Zane slid down against the counter, sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor, exhausted. His hair was messy, his clothes rumpled, and a pile of rejected food lay around him.
He rubbed his face. "What do you wantttttttt?" he groaned dramatically, his voice echoing faintly in the kitchen.
The shadow, instead of answering, shrank back into a corner, curling in on itself like a frightened child.
Zane blinked, his frustration draining away. "…Ah, crap. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." He lowered his voice, softer now. "I've just been… stuck in that room for too long. Guess I'm not used to this whole… 'talking to your shadow' thing."
The shadow stayed still, but Zane felt it listening.
He sighed, pushing himself up. "Come on. Let's go."
Quietly, he slipped back through the hallways, returning to his room. Once inside, he collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Alright," he whispered, closing his eyes. "First thing, we'll figure out the academy. Then we'll sort this food thing out later. Let's just… sleep for now."
Just as he started to drift off, a translucent notification flickered into view above him
[System Notification]
Shadow: Mildly Hungry
Zane cracked one eye open and groaned. "Oh, great. I've got a shadow with an appetite problem…"