A creation and more
It was a regular night in space or so it seemed. It was late very late, in fact most of the residence aboard the ARK were fast asleep in their warm, cosy beds. All except for one genius scientist Professor Gerald and his two close colleagues and friends Michael and Jason.
They were in a secret laboratory that only they and professor's granddaughter Maria knew of. The scientists were in celebration as they have finally finished a special project they were working so hard on for the passed 4 years.
As they congratulated each other, the laboratory door was slowly opened and a little girl walked in. She had long golden hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled in the light. She was wearing pail pink pyjamas and white fluffy slippers. The girl walked into the lab and greeted the scientists.
"Hello grandfather, hello Michael, hello Jason why are you all up so late?" Maria asked in a soft voice.
"Maria my dear you should be in bed…but since you are hear I would like you to be the first to know we have finally completed project Shadow and he will be awakened very soon indeed." Professor Gerald had announced to his granddaughter.
Maria smiled with glee "Really congratulations to you all." Maria said in a cheerful tone. Michael whispered into Jason's ear and Jason nodded in agreement. He then turned to Professor Gerald "Professor why don't we wake him up now. I'm sure Maria would love to meet him as much as we all do as well." Jason asked in a convincing manner and pleading eyes knowing the professor wouldn't be able to resist.
Gerald thort about it before asking, "Are you all sure you will be able to stay up for another couple of hours?" The three of them all nodded in agreement now feeling some what excited and unable to sleep anyway.
"Ok then lets wake him up…but first what name shall we give him, I'm not sure I would tolerate calling him project Shadow all of the time." Gerald said as he walked to the leavers and buttons that would awaken the project and give it life.
"Leave the project out and call him Shadow." Maria said before anyone else could put their opinion across.
"That makes a lot of sense." Jason agreed with a smile.
"Right then lets bring Shadow to life." Gerald announced.
Professor Gerald pulled down a few leavers and pressed on some buttons in a sort of sequence. There was a hissing sound and smoke appeared as the life support capsule opened.
Everyone in the room were tensed as the smoke cleared and a silhouette of a hedgehog could be seen. The creature in the capsule opened its eyes and they glowed a deep crimson red. The room fell into silence as the three scientists watched Maria walk towards the science project.
Maria stopped right in front of the capsule and looked into the creatures crimson red eyes. She saw fear in them and a hint of curiosity. She smiled as the creature looked back as her.
"It's alright Shadow we wont hurt you come on out of there." Maria softly said and held out her hand for Shadow to take.
Shadow looked down at the hand unsure what to do. He then looked back up at the strange creature in front of him with a confused look and tilted his head ever so slightly.
Maria walked further towards the hedgehog and tried to take a hold of his hand to gently pull him out but she stopped her actions as Shadow backed up against the wall of the life support capsule in fear.
He studded the young girl in front of him for half a minute. He felt no immediate danger with her and slowly he took a few steps forward. He pocked his head out of the capsule and looked around.
"There that wasn't so hard now was it Shadow." Maria said now taking the poor hedgehogs hand and gently pulled him all the way out of the capsule.
Shadow eyed up the three creatures in white coats with suspicion wondering if they were going to hurt him. Maria led him to the scientists then let go of his hand.
Shadow suddenly felt a little too exposed and vulnerable, he tried to suss out a quick escape route but was unable to do so. Shadow started to panic he could feel his heart beat bash against his chest and he slowly tried to walk backwards to the capsule where he felt safe.
Gerald noticed this and took Shadow's hand to stop him from going anywhere.
"Shadow you are safe here we are in no way going to hurt you. My name is Professor Gerald, your creator. This is Michael and Jason they helped in your creation Shadow. And of course this is Maria my granddaughter. I do hope you and Maria will become great friends." Gerald announced to the black and red streaked hedgehog in a sincere tone.
Shadow looked at the people in the room and cleared his throat. The room fell silent and all waited to hear if Shadow was going to speak for the first time. Shadow started to feel a little uncomfortable at the way they were all watching him.
"Why are you all looking at me like that have I done something wrong?" Shadow said in a confused and low tone, looking down at the floor.
"No of course you haven't Shadow." Maria answered with a smile. Shadow lifted his head up and gave a sort of smile back.
Gerald moved Shadow towards an examination table. "If you could sit up hear for me please I just need to do a few harmless tests on you." Gerald asked patting the table as he spoke.
Shadow looked at the table and the height of it, he was only just taller then it and already thinking on how he was going to get up there. Shadow tiptoed so he could put his bare hands onto the cool surface and lifted himself up onto it which took little effort for him to do. Now sitting on the table Shadow patiently waited for the professor to begin these so called tests.
Maria sat next to him as Gerald took his blood pressure and checked his reflects. He also done a full medical on Shadow to make sure he was healthy and developing the way he is meant to and it turns out he was.
Gerald picked up a special sort of needle used to administrate a blood test. He then retrieved some vials to put the blood in. Shadow watched carefully and wondered what the professor was doing. He became so curious at what professor Gerald was doing he didn't notice Michael sterilizing his wrist and holding it out. That was until Gerald came closer to his wrist with that sharp needle he didn't like the look of.
"You may feel a sharp prick on your wrist Shadow but please stay calm." Gerald said as the needle came down gently onto Shadow wrist then penetrating into it.
Shadow's eye's widened in shock then all he felt was an uncomfortable feeling in his wrist he tried to pull his wrist away but it was being held tightly.
"Stop it please it hurts." Shadow begged with small tears forming in his eyes.
Maria tried to comfort him but Shadow wasn't having any of it.
Shadow struggled to break free and in doing this caused the needle to snap and fall out of Gerald's hand and onto the floor leaving half the needle in Shadow's wrist.
He did it, he broke free and deciding not to stay there any longer he jumped down and dashed for the door that lead out of the lab.
Shadow ran into the hallway and carried on running ignoring the calls of his name. As he ran he looked at his wrist that was still hurting and saw a red substance coming out of it.
"What's this red stuff? Did that sharp thing cause that?" Shadow whispered to himself as he came to a stop. He ran into a unoccupied room and found a place behind a pile of old boxes to hide.
He chose this moment to examine his wrist again and touching the red liquid that was seeping out. He then felt a prick on his finger and looked closely and saw a piece of the sharp thing the professor was using.
Shadow carefully and slowly pulled it out, feeling some pain and discomfort as he did so. It finally came out and he chucked it as far away from himself as he could. He suddenly felt a wave of extortion hit him and his eye lids were closing against their owners will.
Shadow gave in and curled up on the floor but also making sure he couldn't be seen, he didn't want any more of those sharp things causing him more pain then they already have. Soon Shadow was fast asleep and lightly snoring whilst clutching his bleeding wrist closely.
Back in the lab Gerald and the other scientists were in a panic and Maria was a little shocked at how fast Shadow was.
"We have to find him before some one else does." Michael announced to everyone in the room.
"Who knows what someone might do to him." Jason added.
"Ok we all need to calm down and split up. Each of you take one of these communicators and if you find him just press this button and talk through here." Gerald explained to the group.
They all nodded and headed out of the lab and in different directions.
It was Marie who was on the right course she was going in the exact same direction Shadow had ran in. Soon Maria came to an empty room and looked around. She saw a load of old boxes and unfinished devices in there but no black and red hedgehog.
Marie sighed and decided to sit down in there and rest for a little while. She approached the old boxed and sat on the floor and lent agenised them, unaware of the sleeping hedgehog behind them.
"This is Gerald here has anybody found Shadow yet?" the communicators went of and Gerald's voice was heard.
"This is Michael speaking I'm not having any luck on the south side of the ARK, I've checked almost everywhere apart from other peoples rooms. Sorry but he isn't here."
"Jason reporting…I've always wanted to say that but back to business Shadow isn't in the west and I'm not going to snoop in peoples room at this time of night."
"Hello grandfather I haven't found Shadow yet but…What's that noise it sounds like snoring?" Maria went then looked behind the boxes.
She gave a light smile as she spotted a lump of black and red fur curled in a sort of ball shape and slightly moving up and down in a calm passé.
"Correction I have found him he's in the storage room on the north side. Awe he's so cute." Maria whispered into the communicator then moved some of the boxes out of the way so she could sit next to the sleeping hedgehog.
Maria soon heard a sigh of relief form everyone.
"Thank goodness stay with him Maria we're all on our way ok." Gerald said making his way to her and Shadow.
Maria smiled and put her hand on Shadow's head and lightly stroked him. The soft touch caused Shadow to start waking up. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the one who touched him.
"Hello Shadow did you have a good nap?" Maria said as she noticed him opening his eyes.
Shadow smiled at the girl and sat up holding his wrist, it still hurt a little but not as much as it did earlier.
"It was nice but my wrist still hurts and there was this red stuff coming out of it." Shadow replied in a soft tone then Shadow's ears twitched as he heard footsteps coming this way.
"Here let me have a look see. "Maria asked holding out her hand.
Shadow looked towards the entrance to the room then at Maria. He slowly moved his arm out and passed it to Maria. As Maria looked at it three silhouettes appeared over them. They both looked up and saw Michael, Jason and professor Gerald standing over them out of breath.
Maria smiled at the three out of breath scientists and then went back to examining Shadow's wrist.
"Grandfather I think you were a little too rough with Shadow his wrist is bleeding." Maria said as she looked up at her grandfather.
The professor kneeled down and took Shadow's wrist gently and examined it himself.
"What it that red stuff coming out of me?" Shadow asked curiously while also looking at his wounded wrist.
"Well Shadow that is called blood. We all have blood inside our bodies and it is what keeps us alive." Gerald answered then stood up and taking a hold of Shadow's hand.
"O ok…if its there to keep me alive then why were you taking it out of my body?" Shadow asked as he was led back to the lab.
"Shadow grandfather only wanted a little bit of it." Maria answered for Gerald.
They all made it back into the lab and Shadow was again sitting on the examination table.
"Right Shadow lets try this again and please don't run off this time." Gerald said in a serious tone.
"Yeah you scared us all to death." Michael added as he passed a new needle to Gerald. Shadow gave a confused look and tilted his head ever so slightly.
"How can that be when you all are clearly alive?" Shadow asked as he gave the professor his other wrist.
"Shadow its just a saying." Maria replied with a light smile. Shadow smiled back still not really understanding but decided to question on it another time.
"Shadow I'm about to collect a small amount of your blood ok please try to relax and stay calm. I promise it will be all over very quickly." Gerald reassured the black and red hedgehog who nodded in response.
Shadow watched through out the whole procedure, never blinking once. He hissed at the pain but he knew it was coming this time and stayed calm. The professor was right it was over quickly but Shadow still felt a weird sort of achy feeling in his wrist.
"There all done I'll just put these samples somewhere safe for testing tomorrow afternoon." Gerald announced then did just that.
"Well if we're done now, shall we all get some rest. I have a feeling its going to be a busy day tomorrow." Michael asked with a yarn at the end of his sentence.
"Yeah sure why don't you and Jason go and rest and I shall see you both in the morning at breakfast." Gerald replied also yarning slightly.
Michael and Jason both said good night and left the lab to their shared bedroom.
Maria was also getting sleepy but was also a little concerned with something.
"Grandpa Where is Shadow going to sleep? I don't think that life support capsule will be comfortable." She asked in a soft voice.
"Well if you would like he could spend the night with you then we could sort out a room for him tomorrow" Gerald answered with a smile.
Maria had the biggest smile on her face and hugged her grandfather. Shadow hopped down from the table he was on and then was gentle pulled out of the lab by a very excited little girl.
"Where are we going Maria?" Shadow asked with a hit of curiosity in his voice.
The professor smiled as he watched them leave the lab, he still had to do his report on the project before he could go and rest.
"This shouldn't take me no more then a hour or two. I think I should check on them two before I go to sleep." Gerald thort as he logged into his computer.
He then started to type at his fasted without mistakes. "On second thort if I carry on typing this fast I will be done in an hour." Gerald said in a whisper to no one but himself.
Maria led Shadow to her bedroom and near the bed. She then closed the door up slightly so there was a little light shining through into the room when the bedside lamp was turned off. Shadow watched Maria's every move with a curious look.
"Why are we in here?" Shadow asked in a quirt tone as Maria approached the bed.
"We are here because its late in the night. Its time to got to bed and sleep Shadow. Come up here and get comfortable." Maria explained as she climbed on the bed then patted the empty space by her.
Shadow looked at the empty space Maria had just patted and gave off a confused look. He wasn't too sure what Maria was suggesting for him to do, Maria noticed this.
"Climb on the bed Shadow and lay down or would you prefer to curl up on the cold floor?" Maria said in a soft voice.
Shadow shrugged his shoulders and climbed onto the double bed, he laid next to Maria. Maria pulled the covers over the both of them and got herself comfortable. Shadow watched and copied her movements.
"Now that we're cosy we can get some sleep" Maria said then yarned lazily facing Shadow who just gave a simple smile as he looked at her tired features.
"I don't want to sleep just yet" Shadow whispered then asked "could I stay awake a little longer please?"
Maria smiled with half lidded eyes. "If you want to Shadow but you can't leave the room ok." Shadow nodded and watched Maria fall into a peaceful sleep not long after saying her sentence.
Shadow stayed laying in the nice warm bed, curled up in the covers Maria pulled over them both. He stayed awake for an hour before he felt his own eyelids slowly close. He smiled and soon allowed them to close fully. He unconsciously snuggled closer to Maria as he fell deeper in a dream like stare.
The two were now in a state of slumber when the professor passed the room and peeped through the door. Gerald couldn't help but smile at the pair as they laid in the bed asleep.
"I just know they will become the best of friends. Good night you two" Gerald whispered and left for his own bed across the hall from Maria's room.