Written for shadowluvr13! Shadow's 'birth' and everything from his first breath to his first steps on the Ark. No pairings.
*Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Birth
Maria angerily made her way to the room marked 'off limits' with her favorite book under her arm. She and her grandfather had had another argument about her illness. She knew her body was weak, but it always angered her when he would point it out. She sat down with her back against the capsel that held a small black and red creature.
"How could he even say that? He makes me so angery somethimes!" She looked at the tiny hedgehog. "I wish he would belive in me as much as he belives in you."
To her surprise its little ears twitched in her direction.
"Huh? ...can...can you hear me?" She asked and sure enough his ears twitched."Hmm...I wonder if you like people to talk to you like normal babys do..."
She got settled to where she could lean against the tank and still keep an eye on him. She began to read 'The Scarlet Letter' out loud, carefully watching his reactions. He would kick or squirm occasionaly, but mainly he would just wiggle his ears. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen.
After a while she got up and slowly moved around the room. As she read she made sure to speak loudly and clearly. His ears followed her, even when she picked up a pen and threw it, to see if he would follow the sound, but he only seemed interested in her voice.
When she finished the book, she walked out of the room, but stopped to steal another glance at the black and red hedgehog her grandfather had named 'Shadow'. His ears had flattened in what seemed like sorrow, not liking the loss of the only comforting sound to ever grace his tiny ears. She went back over to him and lay her hand of the glass.
"I'll come back tomorrow with another book okay." She cooed gently.
She could have sworn she'd seen a small smile on his muzzle.
2 months later
Dr. Robotink held up the tiny black and red furred hedgie with glee."Yes! I've done it!"
"Gradnfather!" Maria scolded angerly as she snatched Shadow away from him."You can't just take him out and leave him dripping wet! And you didn't even bother to help him breathe!"
She wrapped the infant hedgehog in a soft baby blanket and firmly patted his back. He coughed a little and expelled what ever liquid was left in his lungs. Upon being able to breathe he began to cry...rather loudly.
covered his ears."Do all babies do that?"
Maria smilled as she gently bounced him up and down in her arms."Crying is a good thing. If he's crying he's breathing."
After much coaxing and calming words Shdaow stopped crying and opened his little eyes. Both Maria and gasped as they were met by crimson irises. He blinked at the bright lights and hid his face in Marias neck. She nuzzled him and kissed his quill-covered head. The spines were so soft, probably no even sharp enough to peirce butter.
"I'll get him something to eat then put him to bed." She said as she turned from her grandfather.
She went into the kitchen and found the formula they'd bought for him. She managed to make his bottle with out setting him down. She went into the nursery she'd forced her grandfather to arrange and sat down in the rocking chair. His tan lips wrapped around the bottle and he began to nurse. Maria smiled as a sort of maternal love engulfed her heart. To try and get him to sleep she started to sing a song one of her grandfathers female collegues had taught her. Konoyo no Uta, she called it...
"Sing a song unto the world
Rising high the clouds unfurl
Fan flames into the past
Here, now our lives will last
We'll never know the times of pain
Fall down, fall down, falls the rain
My life won't be plain"
Shadows eyes closed as he fell into a calm sleep. Maria put him in the cradle and tucked the blanket around him. She fussed over her little hedgie for a few more minutes and walked to her room next door. She turned on the baby monitor that lay on her nightstand and fell asleep to the sound of Shadows quiet breathing.
Everybody stay quiet or you'll wake the baby! R&R please, but do it quietly!