Chapter Text
It had been too quiet lately, so Shadow knew it was only a question of time until something would once again wreck his currently somehow monotone life. When the Commander called him into his office to have a private talk with him that morning, he believed that day would be today.
As expected, it was. As expected, a crazy scientist was responsible.
Unexpectedly, the scientist was not Dr. Eggman. Also unexpectedly, it had nothing to do with world domination.
Well, in a certain sense it had, as that apparently had been the end goal of the scientist, but the way he meant to achieve this was the problem.
When Shadow joined GUN all these years ago, it was under the condition that all the DNA samples and every single document that in any way touched on the Ultimate Lifeform project would be destroyed—and it had been done to his knowledge. It had nothing to do with his pride to be the only of his kind as many assumed, but for the sole reason to prevent the humans creating more 'perfect' soldiers that Shadow was sure would have been put through the same hellish training he had been.
However, as it appeared, one of GUN scientists had somehow managed to get a sample of his DNA and set on single-handedly reviving the Ultimate Lifeform project.
And quite successfully as the babbling infant in Rouge's arms showed. The kid looked very much like him, save for the stripe and eye color—those clearly were from the kid's other parent and, Chaos , don't even get him started on that . He knew that the scientist had likely gotten his DNA sample by simply stealing some of his blood samples from the infirmary but the guy definitely had some explaining to do as to where he had gotten Sonic's sample.
"I do understand your reluctance, agent Shadow, but I do believe it would be in everyone's best interest," the Commander cut into his musings, clearly taking his silence as him pondering the Commander's proposition rather than him trying to talk himself out of tearing up the facility in search of the scientist to mangle the man responsible for this whole predicament.
And, oh, yes, the proposition... "I know nothing of taking care of children," Shadow answered resolutely. It was true that the Commander had had fair points that the child needed someone to take care of her and it would be best if it was somebody that had familiarity with extraordinary powers—there was no way the girl would end up ordinary considering where her genes had come from—and, of course, preferably somebody that could actually lead her once the powers manifested themselves and utmost preferably her parents as he and Sonic knew the best how to deal with their powers. And considering the child had to have some Black Arms DNA in her as well, having someone that could explain to her any peculiar alien traits that might appear down the line too was necessary.
He didn't really have a choice, did he?
Crimson eyes turned to stare at the giggling child and, hell , she also had Sonic's smile. Shadow cursed under his breath.
Heavens, how was he supposed to explain the kid to Sonic in the first place ?
-O-
Shadow stood awkwardly before the front door of his and Sonic's house. He could hear Sonic moving around inside but he made no move to open the door, still trying to figure out how to exactly explain the little child that he currently held in his arms. He knew that adopting Rouge's "Congratulations, you're a father!" which she had used on him this morning before the Commander even had a chance to explain, would probably go better down with Sonic than it had with himself, but he still felt reluctant about using it. There had to be a better way, right?
However, before Shadow could come up with one of those better ways, the front door had already swung open, revealing a grinning Sonic. "Hey, Shad! Wel—" the hero stared but stopped when he noticed the little being in his arms, the hero's smile faltering ever so slightly. "...Um, who is this?"
Sonic leaned slightly closer to the kid, green eyes quickly taking in the details and the way a single blue brow rose in a silent question clearly told Shadow that Sonic had noticed the very clear resemblance to him and wanted answers.
"Don't look at me like that. I have no hand in this," Shadow responded, readjusting his hold on the little sleeping child in his arms. "One of GUN scientists took it up on himself to reopen the Ultimate Lifeform project. She's the result—Before you ask, the other parent is you. Congratulations."
"What—wait—what?!"
-O-
"How old is she?" Sonic asked, cradling the now-awake and clearly curious child in his own arms. Shadow noted he seemed far more natural like that than he had. Then again Sonic had always been great at handling children.
"It's hard to tell," Shadow replied. "The man's notes were barely readable, but it appears he had been growing her for five months at least—" Sonic made a face and Shadow gave an exasperated sigh. "—What?" he bit, not in the mood to deal with any more nonsense today.
"Just—do you have to say it like that? You're making it sound as if she was some kind of vegetable."
Shadow gave the other a stare. "I was literally grown in a tube, Sonic. She's no different."
"I know but—"
"Come to think of it, if she stars talking soon, don't be alarmed," Shadow remarked. "Or walking."
The hero gave him a look before turning his gaze down and gently prying the little girl's mouth open.
"She doesn't even have her baby teeth yet, Shad," Sonic emphasized, looking at him once more. "It's a little too early for her to be talking or walking."
"If she's after me in this regard, she'll be running around before the end of June," Shadow replied. "When I was two years old, I was already a teenager physically. It's very likely she will develop just as quickly."
Sonic paused at that, looking at him in confusion. "...how old are you actually?"
"Seven if you don't include the time I've spent frozen."
"Wait, so you were four when we first met?" Shadow nodded. For whatever reason, that just made Sonic laugh. "Man, I guess that makes the whole incident the worst tantrum a four-year old had thrown in history then."
This time it was Shadow's turn to send the other a look. He gave a sarcastic laugh. Sonic just gave him another grin.
"Well, I guess we should get back to the matter at hand," Sonic mused as he came to sit beside him, thus giving the little girl a chance to reach for Shadow's chest fur and pull on it—with enough strength that she could probably fight a six-year old at this very moment; as it seemed she had inherited his enhanced muscles. "What are we going to call her?"
"Call her whatever you want."
"Oh, come on, Shad! That's not how you're supposed to do it! We should be throwing around names until we agree on one."
"Fine." Shadow gave an exasperated sigh. The crimson eyes focused on the little child in Sonic's arms, trying to figure out a name. "...Twilight."
"Too cliché," Sonic argued. "How about 'Midnight'?"
"Midnight?" Shadow mused aloud. It sounded kind of right but not exactly... "Night?" he suggested and, oh, yeah, that sounded way better.
"Night? I like that." Sonic nodded. "How about you? Should we call you 'Night'?" he asked, tickling the little girl, who immediately gave a giggle. "Night, it is." Sonic gave a laugh of his own. "Welcome to the family, Night!" he greeted enthusiastically.
Night seemed to get more excited at the exclamation, giving a bubbly laugh. Somehow Sonic's smile seemed to grow eve wider at that, the hero clearly pleased with the reaction. Shadow felt something in his chest twist at the sight.
Maybe having a child would not be so bad, after all...