Author's Notes:
*Nintendo Girl 106734 nervously sits at a computer, typing the last words of her story while a dove gray female raccoon reads what she wrote*
NG106734: My first chapter of my first story is done! I hope everyone will like it.
Raccoon: I think it is great, but I am in it so I guess I don't really have a voice.
NG106734: Shure you do Rachel! Can you quickly do the disclaimers for me?
Rachel: Sure Little one
NG106734: * muttering under her breath* I'm not little
Rachel: NG106734 does not own the Sly Cooper franchise, it's plot, nor its characters. She does however own all her OC and her own ideas.
NG106734: Thanks. Ok guys,again, this is my very first story and, I will accept constructive criticism. If any flamers decide to rear their ugly faces (not literally), I have a bucket full of ice water for them. A GIGANTIC thank you to ClockworkStarling for encouraging me to actually post this. Enjoy!
*NG106734 presses a button on her keyboard and the screen fades to black*
May 19, 1984 - 4:30 pm Rachel's POV
As I watch my little Sly play alone on the living room rug, my hand goes to my large pregnant belly that held his sibling within. I don't know if the child is another bouncing baby boy or a grand graceful girl, but Joseph does. He made a silly bet about the gender. He thought it was going to be a boy while I bet it was a girl. The victor would get one free day from chores. When we got the last ultrasound, I had to drop the bet to get him to look.
"Don't you dare tell me," I said. "but he or she will need clothes." He shrugged, looked, and that was the end of that.
As I was lost in the memory, a pair of hands covered my eyes, bringing a growing smile to my face. I move the gray hands away and turn around to look at my darling Cooper. His sparkling dark brown eyes outlined by his natural dark gray, almost black, mask shown with mischief. His ringtail of light and dark gray rings, swings left and right. He spun me in a circle before we both turn to look at the young coon. Slyavin Rioichi Saligh Cooper (or Sly as we call him) looks a lot like his different shades of gray coloration and brown eyes exactly the same as his father. We couldn't pick a single middle name, so we gave him two.
I think of the future for both of my children, and a saddening thought popped into my head. A sigh escaped my lips, and I was lost in my thoughts.
"Rachel," Joseph said with a slightly worried tone. "Rachel! Is everything alright?"
I jump to attention when he yelled my name the second time, & thought of how I was going to put my thoughts into words. "I was just trying to figure out what we will do when they get old enough to learn your family's 'business'. Will you follow your family's traditions or train both of them? I want them both to learn, whether or not they decide your career."
He gives me a side hug and gives a small laugh. "Rachel Serina Cooper, you realise that you didn't need to worry at all." I looked up in surprise and he laughed again. "I was already planning to train them together when sly becomes eight and I'm already handwriting a copy of the family book for this little one." He gently placed his hand on my stomach. "A friend of mine has offered to place an everlast & connection spell on both books."
I look at him in curiosity and say "Mind explaining what exactly they do?" Sly crawled over to me and I softly picked him up, stroking his soft fur.
Joseph took his hand away and began explaining. "The everlast spell will make it last for uncountable years. The original book already has it but I want it to be renewed. The connection spell makes all writing in one book, appear in the other." His tail is flicking quickly, showing that he was very excited. Before I could continue the conversation, my little coon gave a mighty yawn, letting us know it was past his bedtime.
"I'll tuck him in, then we have to decorate for his birthday tomorrow. " Joseph gave a small chuckle and moves aside, allowing me to get into the hallway behind him. I started humming "One Enchanted Evening" and thinking of the due date one week away. I just hope they will like each other. Sly gives a small coo as I placed him in his crib, falling asleep soon after. Joseph and I take the next four hours decorating and watching T.V. before finally head to bed. I change from my maternal dress to my nightgown. They aren't very different, but I find it odd to wear the former to bed. We snuggle close and I fall asleep with my head laying on his chest.
11:40 pm Joseph's POV
I jolt awake as a scream pierces the night, louder than I had ever heard before, coming from the lady right beside me. I jump out of bed and snag my "cooper cane" from where it was leaning on my bedside table. I swung its curved golden tip to a ready position, prepared to fight who or what caused Rachel to scream like that. It took a few moments before I noticed that we were totally alone. I slowly walked to her side to find her panting and covered in sweat. She reaches for my hand and holds it in a vice like grip.
"CALL AN AMBULANCE" she yelled into my ear and pointed to a nearby land line. "THE BABY IS COMING NOW, WHETHER WE ARE READY OR NOT!" I instantly jumped into action, making the call and giving the needed information in record time. They promised to be there in around 10-15 minutes and told us to pack an overnight bag for all members of the family. Though she desperately wanted to help pack, Rachel was forced to remain in bed due to the fatigue and eminence pain. The moment I finished hastily packing our bags I ran to Sly's room, hoping he was still asleep.
He was laying on his back with his eyes wide open. I give a sigh and started packing his clothing. I finished quickly and started on his playthings. When I turned toward him again he had crawled to me and held his hands up. I laughed and lifted him into the air and changed his clothes. He fell back to sleep in moments with his tail curled around him, covering him like a little blanket.
The ambulance arrived a few moments later and we all crammed on. With Rachel on the stretcher, Sly on my lap, and me sitting on small bench like parts, the medics soon grew annoyed at the tiny space. We sped through the empty streets to the hospital, trying to beat the labor, her contractions continued to get more frequent and painful. Through the whole ride, she held onto my hand. By the time we arrived my hand was fully numb and a new Cooper opened her eyes to a new world.
Rachel's POV
My doctor softly placed my darling baby girl into my waiting arms. This child, who had been crying since birth, slowed to a whimper, then fell asleep in my arms. It was as though she knew she was in her mother's care. Even though she was seven days early, she was a very healthy girl, and hour we were separated was purely because the doctors were worried about the early birth.
She, unlike her brother, looked like a perfect mix of her father and I. Her fur was a light dove gray like me, with pure black markings like her father. What little hair there was as wavy as the sea and the the color of the deepest midnight. Her shining eyes where the color of new bark growing upon trees with small spots of blue dabbed throughout. I was so proud to have a daughter and a son. It was the family I always wanted.
A few silent moments passed before a soft knock rang through the room, waking my daughter up. She didn't go back to crying, only wriggled a bit as Joseph entered with a squirmy Sly. After he moved a chair to my bedside, Joseph placed Sly next to me and my little girl. My children watched each other for a bit. Sly then reached his tiny hand to her, and she gripped it tightly. I knew the two would become the best of friends.
A small young mouse entered hesitantly. She was almost pure white with dark brown eyes and blond hair that was kept back with a white bandanna matching her white nurse coat. Though I would never say it out loud, I could have sworn she had a baby belly. Joseph, on the other hand, stuck his foot in his mouth, big time.
"When are you due?" I will admit, her expression was priceless when he asked that.
"What?"
"Are you not pregnant? When is the child due?" His face was beginning to turn the color of red roses. Thankfully luck was with him in this case.
"Oh! Well, yes I am. I'm due in four months."
"Is it going to be a boy or girl," I asked, now that the original question had been asked.
"A baby girl, and my first!"
" Well congratulations. Have you decided on a name?"
"Yea. Penelope Johanna Black, which brings me back to the reason I came in the first place. What will your daughter's name be?"
With Sly's name, I chose the first name and second middle name, and Joseph chose the other two (even though his last name carried through). We decided to do the same here, so I started. "Sahara".
"Henriette"
"Renigh"
"Cooper"
"All righty. So, just to make sure I got this right, your child's name is Sahara Henriette Renigh Cooper. Correct?"
"Yes."
"All right. It will only take a few moments to do the paperwork, and I will get a birth certificate to you as fast as possible." She left the room and we were alone. I soon felt my eyes felt heavy and I began to fall asleep, my babies lying in a crib next to me. Right before any dreams came, I heard Joseph whisper to Sahara.
"Welcome to the world Sahara, my second little thief." With a smile at his words, I slipped into my dreams.
Author Notes:
NG106734: WOW! I will admit, this took WAY longer than I expected it to. Most of that, I will admit, is due to me being hesitant to type it and actually post it. I am NOT a person who enjoys showing off. Ok, just so you will know, I will try to post once a week, but at random times. No promises because I am a horribly bad procrastinator, so sorry. Again, I hope you enjoyed the story and I welcome any and all CONSTRUCTIVEcriticism.
Rachel: Don't forget the hints…
NG106734:OH! You're right. Okay guys, in this story I will make a TON of hints and references for later games, like Penelope in this one. Remember the small details for they may return. Later!