{"sf1_id":709161,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Sonic The Hedgehog: The Series - Part 5","author":"diosoth","words":22671,"posted_at":"2014-05-25T02:19:00.000Z","tags":["Bat","Cunnilingus","Death","Drama","Fanfiction","Human","M/F","Romance","Sex","Sonic The Hedgehog","Yiff"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/709161-sonic-the-hedgehog-the-series-part-5","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/709161","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=709161\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"Ten years, eight months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nHalloween was two weeks away, still time to shop for costumes. Rouge  \nheld her daughter's hand, walking through the shop. \"I bet they  \nhave little witch costumes for little girls, that sound good?\" Teal  \ndidn't look up. \"Teal? The witch costumes are this way!\"   \n  \nThe little girl finally spoke, \"I don't wanna be a witch, mommy. Witches   \nare scary.\" Stunned, Rouge was curious. Bats were often limited in   \ncostumes due to their wings and Rouge had often preferred to be a witch.   \nHer more revealing costumes had gone into storage long ago, but she   \nstill carried the tradition.  \n  \nTeal's first Halloween was this year. The little girl was finally   \nold enough. \"Then what do you want to be?\" Rouge asked her child.  \n  \nThe little girl looked up. \"I wanna be an ANGEL!\"   \n  \n'Oh dear,' Rouge thought quietly, looking around. Plenty of angel   \ncostumes. Not a popular costume for the scary day of the year. But not   \none that was made for bats. The wings were all solid pieces.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Walking to the counter, Rouge said, \"I need an angel costume for my  \ndaughter.\"  \n  \n\"That's fine, we have plenty of- ...oh,\" the clerk answered, looking   \nat them.   \n  \n\"What's wrong?\" she asked.   \n  \nHe explained, \"they just don't make them for... people like you, I'm   \nafraid. It's the wings. The only places that make angel wings that fit   \nover bat wings are the movie studios and they cost a fortune. Believe   \nme, I've tried before to get them in. Then there's the fake halo...\"  \n  \nRouge glanced back. All the angel costumes seemed to be made for  \nhumans only. \"I'm sorry,\" the clerk said, \"it's just not a popular  \nHalloween costume!\" Upset, Rouge left the store, her daughter visibly  \ndisappointed.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nHome. Rouge was free to let her anger out, tossing a pillow across the  \nbedroom. \"Bad day?\" Thomas Adriani asked.   \n  \n\"Teal wants to be an angel for Halloween...\"   \n  \n\"Wow, that IS bad news...\" he jokingly replied.  \n  \n\"It's not that,\" Rouge said, \"but they don't make angel costumes for  \nbats! I... the guy at the costume store said it's the damn wings! And  \nTeal, she's in her bedroom crying...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Pulling Rouge close, he held tight. \"So we make angel wings for her.  \nBig deal.\" His thoughts changed course briefly. \"I see. You're upset  \nthat she's not going to follow her mother.\"   \n  \nRouge responded, \"I've been a witch ever year since I can remember... I   \nthought, if only Teal picked up the better habits of bats, it'd be one   \nshe learned from me.\" Pausing, she continued, \"Teal said witches are   \nscary.\"  \n  \nLeaning back with her, Tom commented, \"remember what I used to call  \nyou when we first met?\"   \n  \nShe smiled. \"Your 'little angel'.\"   \n  \nHe said, \"maybe I should start calling you that again...\"   \n  \n\"Okay, Tom, make you a deal,\" Rouge offered, \"you make us both a set   \nof angel wings... and I'll drop my yearly tradition.\"   \n  \n\"That's the spirit,\" Thomas said, cradling her head.   \n  \n\"After all, I'm not a young woman anymore. I'm a mother and should show   \nSOME responsibility and compassion for my child.\"   \n  \n\"You're not old,\" Tom replied. \"You're only twenty-nine.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge stood, wings out, while Victoria measured them out. Teal did the  \nsame. Grabbing scissors, Tom cut open old pillows, spilling out feathers.  \nSketching out patterns, Vic pinned together sheets of white fabric and  \ntraced the cutting outline as Tom assorted feathers by size and prepared  \nthe glue. \"I need those wire coat hangers,\" Vic said, Tom handing them  \nover. Bending them out, she cut them into lengths. \"Neither of you  \nshould try to fly with these things on, okay, Boss? The wires will keep  \nthem from sagging but they might get in the way.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rouge helped sort the feathers and Vic cut out the fabric. Turning to the  \nsewing machine, she sewed in the pockets at the tops for the wires and  \nmeshed the halves together. \"Gotta test fit these!\"   \n  \n\"Me first!\" Teal shouted, running over to let Vic drop the cloth wing   \ncovers on. Rouge picked up a pair of scissors and cut out the backs of   \nthe angel robes, tossing the fake wings aside.  \n  \n\"Now you, Boss,\" Vic said, Rouge dropping the robes to fit her own  \nwing covers. Content that they fit right, Vic pulled them off. \"Looks  \nlike my work is done. You three have fun.\" Grabbing her purse, Vic left  \nas they said goodbye. Uncapping the glue, Tom began the long work of  \ngluing feathers into the cloth. Teal enjoyed this, finding joy in making  \nher angel costume. Running soft sleeves over other wire bits, Rouge  \nfashioned out ear clips for the halos.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nHalloween night in Central City was busy. The streets were packed and  \nthe residential areas filled with people going house to house. Teal's  \ncandy bag was nearly full. Tom's pirate costume was uncomfortable and   \nhe just wanted to get home and get out of it. \"Why didn't you bring the  \nhook?\" Rouge begged.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Because I'm not carrying that goofy plastic thing all night,\" he   \nresponded.   \n  \nShe commented, \"you could have at least worn the eyepatch.\"   \n  \n\"And ruin my depth perception? Teal, you ready to go home?\"  \n  \nThe little bat child looked into her bag. \"I got lots of candy! We can  \ngo home now!\"  \n  \nThe family found the car, Tom hitting the buttons on the tiny remote  \nto unlock the doors. Once inside, Teal threw her bag down. \"You're  \nnot eating all of that candy tonight, Teal!\" Rouge ordered.   \n  \nTom added, \"she's not eating most of it, period. I want my daughter   \nto have teeth.\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nEleven years have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nAnother normal day at the casino. Another normal, average, typical,  \nboring day. Rouge never liked checking receipts or doing the books.   \nFinances bored her, but here she was, stuck at work. It was just another  \nnormal day.  \n  \nUntil she heard the whistle. Cocking her head to look, the bat saw  \nthe shaggy lump sitting by himself, one of only a few people in the  \ncasino's restaurant, empty plates stacked around and the remnants of  \nfood in piles. A dirty mess of a loser. Rouge tried to determine the  \nspecies but wasn't very sure. She wasn't even that sure the man was  \naccustomed to the idea of a bath.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Flattered,\" she remarked, \"but unimpressed.\"  \n  \n\"That guy?\" Victoria, her floor manager, had seen him earlier. \"He's  \nordered six hamburgers. Just hamburgers. And he hasn't even paid his  \ntab yet. Every time I go over he hits on me.\"  \n  \nGrinning, the bat saw a challenge. \"Must not have any money on him.  \nI'll handle this.\" Striding over to the table, Rouge looked down at her  \ntarget. \"This isn't a soup kitchen. Pay up.\"  \n  \n\"Yo!\" The hairy lump smirked. \"Wanna bang a real man?\"  \n  \nShe laughed inside. He must have meant himself. \"Always. My husband's  \nin the office, I'll go see if he's in the mood once I kick you out.\"  \n  \n\"HA! That human? What's HE got that I don't?\"  \n  \nHer grin twisted into hatred. \"I don't know... money, hygiene,   \nmanners...\"  \n  \nBolting up from his chair, the unknown lump of fur grabbed her wrist.  \n\"Didn't your mother ever tell you that a good girl puts out when asked?\"  \n  \n\"She did,\" Rouge responded angrily, \"but I didn't listen. My mother was  \na poor teacher.\" Gripping his arm with her free hand, she squeezed   \ntight, fingertips pressing in on the nerves between the bones. Her  \nattacker winced, loosening his grip on her hand. \"Now, either get out or  \nI can have one of our security robots throw you out. Your choice.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The stranger was in no mood to comply. \"Lady, you don't turn down a real  \nman like me. I'm gonna have to show you some proper manners. Now...  \nget upstairs and spread your legs, bitch!\"  \n  \n\"If you say so,\" she mumbled, wasting no time in letting a fist fly,  \nbusting the man right in the jaw. Stumbling back into the tables,  \neveryone heard the loud crash. Victoria ran off to grab the phone.  \n  \nHer attacker was not happy. Dragging to his feet, he yelled out, \"that's  \nit you cunt! You're a fuck object and I'm gonna rape you then kill you  \nfor not putting out!\"  \n  \nRouge might have been scared, but she had advantages. GUN martial  \narts training, for one. Her wings also offered a combat skill that  \nmost couldn't match. But that was irrelevant. Her eyes caught sight of  \nthe bag swinging down. This poor man had been thinking about sex all day  \nand his nuts had dropped down. \"You should have worn pants, naughty  \nboy!\" A simple kick was all she needed, her skin catching between the  \nhairball's legs.   \n  \nHowever, she was angry. Very angry. This man had said he wanted to  \nrape and kill her. Furthermore, he'd insulted her husband. Lunging  \nforth, her foot flew out again, connecting over and over with the  \nguy's testicles, a loud scream echoing out with every blow. A final  \nkick, pointed toe of her high heel aiming straight center knocked him  \nto the floor.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"So much for that. I'll call an ambulance. Never come back.\" She strode  \noff, confident, though certain there would be a shit storm aftermath and  \na need to explain to the police.   \n  \nA loud ringing forced her head to turn. Thomas stood silent, gripping a   \nchair, the stranger in a heap by his feet. \"He got up. I think he was  \ngoing to try and attack you.\"  \n  \nArmed men entered the casino, making their way to the kitchen area.  \nThe bat girl recognized these men. \"I didn't want to call the police,\"  \nVic explained, leading the GUN agents in.   \n  \n\"He's over there. Get that... whatever it is out of my building!\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nIt was night, at least by the clock. Teal was spending time away from  \nhome with friends, giving the two some time alone. Tom's head was still  \nspinning. \"I don't know...\"  \n  \n\"You don't know what?\" she asked.   \n  \n\"We don't need to tell Teal what happened.\"  \n  \n\"She'd only be scared if we did,\" Rouge said.  \n  \nHis eyes were closed tight. \"I'm scared.\"  \n  \nTom's statement caught her off guard. \"Why?\"  \n  \n\"I hit him with a chair. Hard. I wanted to kill him.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"He tried to assault me, Tom. You only did what anyone would do,\" she  \nassured him, taking a seat on the couch and holding hands.  \n  \n\"No... I don't feel sorry for it. I know I should, hitting someone so  \nhard with a chair that I probably cracked his skull, but I don't.   \nI enjoyed hitting him. I wanted to keep hitting him and if I ever see  \nhim again, I might want to finish it.\"  \n  \nLifting up, Rouge straddled her lover. \"I didn't marry you because  \nyou're perfect. I didn't marry you for the money or the mansion.   \nI didn't marry you because I wanted some badass macho man who thinks  \nhe has to show off. I didn't marry you for the sex. I married you   \nbecause I love you.\" Kissing him gently, she smiled. \"Now... the best  \nway to deal with this is to get passionate.\"  \n  \nThomas Adriani was shocked. \"You're in the mood after someone tried to   \nrape you today?\"  \n  \n\"No, I'm in the mood because I'm with the man I love. I want to forget,  \nnot be reminded. Help me forget...\"  \n  \nPulling her close, Tom slipped his tongue in his wife's mouth, hands  \ngripping her ass. Taking him by the wrist, Rouge placed his hand on her  \nbreast, moaning as he squeezed. Playing with the buttons of her shirt,  \nTom slowly exposed his love's chest, pulling her bra aside and pinching  \nboth nipples playfully.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Easing both hands down, Rouge unzipped Tom's pants, sliding fingers in  \nthe waist and gently pulling them down. Her hands were eager, fingers  \nplaying with her man's rod, stiff to the touch. Gripped by sexual   \ndesire, Thomas eased her closer, slipping a finger in her panties and  \ngently rubbing along the labia, teasing her clit gently. Rouge was  \ndamp, his fingers already sticky with love juices.  \n  \nWiggling her hips, the bat eased down, licking her lips playfully as  \nher pussy took her love's cock inside. \"Are we going to have sex or   \nmake love?\"  \n  \n\"Make love,\" he responded.  \n  \n\"Good boy,\" she commented. \"In that case, I don't want to feel you  \nsquirting in me for at least an hour!\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nEleven years, ten months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKnuckles couldn't wait. Meat. That's all he needed. No, actually, it  \nwas NOT all ne needed. He knew very well what he needed. Ketchup. THAT  \nwas what he needed. The pile of roast beef was practically obscured  \nin the mound of red liquid he squeezed out.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;But that wasn't enough. Still not perfect. Seasoned salt, THAT was  \nwhat he needed. A thick orange powder was sprinkled in place. Now it  \nwas perfect. The bread was set in place and the lump- barely a real  \nsandwich by any stretch- was raised to his mouth, awaiting the first  \nbite.  \n  \nUnfortunately, his carefully planned meal was destined for the floor  \nas his eyes saw past it, through his kitchen window and to the hills  \nsurrounding the village. Screaming like a woman dropped into a pit   \nof spiders, he picked up the pace, running as fast as his legs would   \nmove. His two sons were in trouble.  \n  \n\"STOP!\" Gripping his younger boy by the arms, the echidna finally   \nstopped his brisk run, pulling the kid back from the edge. \"STRIKER!  \nHe's not trained to glide yet! You coulda got him hurt!\"  \n  \nThe kid frowned. \"How's Slate ever gonna learn how to glide if no one  \nteaches him?\"  \n  \n\"He'll learn from someone who knows how!\" Lip twitching in frustration,  \nhe simply mouthed, \"go play. Stay away from these high cliff edges!\"  \nStomping back to the house, Knuckles found his wife cleaning up the  \nmess. \"Aww, crap...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I think you got some meat in your ketchup,\" she joked, wiping the   \nfloor. \"What was the big emergency?\"  \n  \n\"Striker was trying to teach Slate how to glide up on the cliffs,\"  \nhe explained.   \n  \n\"So? I was gliding up there when I was only six, you know! And you   \nlearned on your own.\"  \n  \nKnuckles let out a weak sigh. \"I just don't want them getting hurt!\"  \n  \nFingers gripping his wrists, Karen pulled him close. \"You've been   \nstressed out. I know helping build the new well was a lot of work for   \nyou.\"  \n  \n\"And the new food shed,\" he added. Keeping the little village in order  \nwhile it slowly grew was everyone's task, even Knuckles, who only  \nmigrated to the echidna village fairly recently.  \n  \n\"Uh huh... come with me.\" Gripping his arms, she led him to the bedroom,  \nconfidently rubbing her love's shoulders. \"I know what'll help you   \nunwind. We ain't done it in almost two months. The work's done. You have  \nstuff to do at home.\"  \n  \n\"You're still wanting another kid, aren't you?\" he remarked.  \n  \nTossing her shirt to the floor, the echidna girl let herself free.   \n\"Sonic and Amy's second is on the way. anyway, you have two boys. I   \nkinda want a girl. Someone that can be a tough woman when she grows up,  \nlike her mom.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"If you wanna sit on the egg again...\"  \n  \nPushing him to the bed, Karen pulled off his shoes, loud echoes filling  \nthe room as they hit the floor. \"Remember our first time? You humped me  \nlike you were about to lose it. That's what I want!\"  \n  \nGrabbing her sorts, Knuckles ripped them in two, tossing the cloth  \naside. Already tingling, he could feel his cock poking out, sticking up  \nas he fingered Karen's dripping pussy. Tossing her to the bed, hand  \ngrabbing at a quill, Knuckles thrust deep inside, gritting his teeth and  \npreparing to screw Karen's brains out.  \n  \n\"You call this rough sex? I get it harder sitting on the dryer! You   \ngotta do better than this!\" she screamed, her athletic prowess kicking  \nin. This was exercise for her and if it wasn't hard, she didn't like it.  \n  \nForcing his hips, Knuckles thrust as hard as possible, grunting with   \neach push. \"OOH! Right there! Keep that pace, tough guy!\" she shouted,  \ngroaning loud, gripping the sheets. Grinding teeth together, Karen's  \nhead tossed back, howling out as her body bucked, muscles tensed with  \norgasm.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Doing his best to keep pace, his dick pulled out, pushed up against   \nthe echidna's clitoris, sperm gushing out and onto his wife's stomach  \nin a white, sticky mess. \"Dirty boy,\" Karen scolded, \"you have to get   \nthat IN me if I'm gonna have a daughter. Now, try again and this time,  \ndo it right!\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThirteen years, two months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nNightfall. Not even darkness could hide the run-down slum area of this  \nforgotten city. Shadow only hoped he blended in adequately. He wasn't  \nhere to make friends. Simply complete his task and leave.  \n  \nMarron. That was her name. Rouge's mother, the very woman that Rouge  \ndespised. Shadow never understood the matter completely, and in his  \nown way, was beyond understanding. He'd never known the concept of  \nparents, nor had he cared to learn. That was for beings who were born   \nand died. Mortal concerns.  \n  \n\"SO!\" He jumped, taken by the sharp, angry voice, chiseled by years of  \nabuse and lack of care by its owner. \"You're the one I keep seeing  \naround here. I think you're following me! You have been for a LONG  \ntime...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Marron the Bat wasn't terribly old, but she did little to take care of  \nherself. Cheap booze, cigarettes, and no doubt a few bumps and bruises  \nover the years from men who slapped her around. The ragged, unkempt  \nspikes of fur stuck out all over her head, ears only visible as larger   \nspikes, not an attractive display for a woman. Her gaze was as sharp  \nas the pencil wedged in behind her ear and the pink waitress dress  \nstained with burger grease and mustard.   \n  \nAt least, he HOPED it was mustard. The woman was certainly a sight  \nto be frightened by. Here stood a woman who didn't give a shit, and   \neven her appearance told you. \"You ain't here to rape me... I've seen  \nyou for years. Did my bitchy little daughter send you?\" Coughing  \nloud into the night, she reached for a cigarette. \"Nah, the little  \ncunt wouldn't do that. She's too good and too upright to care about  \nme. I only raised the ungrateful cow.\"  \n  \n\"I'm here because her husband wanted me to keep an eye on you. That's   \nall.\"  \n  \n\"Her husband. That human? What right does HE have to marry her...\"  \nShe spat on the sidewalk, any ability to give a damn about her public  \ndisplay no doubt having died years ago. \"Marrying her. What? She's  \ntoo good to be like her mother?\" Imitating Rouge, she mumbled, \"no,  \nI can't be a whore, I have to fall in love, it means something!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Cut short by horrendous coughing, the old woman swayed, visibly dizzy   \nfrom yelling so much. \"Are you okay?\" Shadow asked, bracing her from  \nstumbling.  \n  \n\"Yeah, yeah... just a little sip or two after work to brush off the  \nday. They won't let me drink on the job. Why don't you be a good little  \nman and help me up to my apartment... or do you WANT me to break a hip?\"  \n  \nAnnoyed but compliant, as always, he helped her through the front doors  \nand up the steps. Fumbling out her keys, holding them up to the light  \nto see better, Marron guessed and jabbed into the lock. \"Right one first  \ntime...\" Pulling him inside, she began to smile, shaking off the rough  \nattitude. Cautiously, the hedgehog looked at the little girl, alone,  \nsitting before the television. He wasn't sure if the child had returned  \nthe gaze as the aged bat dragged him into her bedroom.  \n  \n\"Kid's none of your business. She's got TV, best babysitter around!\"  \nHer purse went flying, landing audibly in a pile of old clothes. Pushing  \nShadow to the bed, Marron jumped him. \"So, if you're gonna fuck me, then   \nfuck me! I ain't in the mood for foreplay, either, I need to unwind!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"What?\" Shadow was stunned by the request. \"I'm not here to- HEY!\"  \n  \nRubbing his crotch, Marron knew that he'd be all hers in a few minutes.  \n\"You'd better have a nice, big dick in here...\"   \n  \n\"Shit! NO!\" he shouted, trying to run, but the old bat had him. Shadow's  \npenis was a handle and she held on tight. Unwilling to allow her nightly  \nsex romp to run off, her hand worked up and down, beating off the   \nso-called ultimate life form until he stopped wriggling.   \n  \n\"Good boy, stranger!\" Shoving him back to the bed, the bat crawled up,  \npinning his furry chest down and turning to face the door. Leaning down,  \nshe began to lick on the head. Shadow was bewildered to see Marron's  \naged, stretched vagina in his face. \"Start licking, you dumbass!\"  \n  \n\"You're not even wearing panties!\"   \n  \nShe laughed. It was a joke to her. \"Never do. Well?\" Marron waited.  \nWaited. \"FUCK! What the hell are you, some kinda virgin or something?\"  \nBiting her lip with a subtle grin, she said, \"you are! No wonder you're  \nbein' so shy with me! Okay, then I'll get right to the best part and  \nshow you how it's done!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Spinning in place, she placed both hands to the black hedgehog's chest,  \nsitting down on him hard. His mind was running to places he didn't  \nwant to be.   \n  \nWas he being raped?   \n  \nNo. This wasn't rape. He could easily overpower this woman. She was  \nold and drunk. Feeling her slide up and down was great. It felt too  \ngood to turn down. Shadow wondered why he had never done this before.  \n  \nFurther thoughts kept pushing in. How many men had this woman had sex  \nwith in the past? And perhaps the one thought that disturbed him the  \nmost, this was the vagina that Rouge had been born through. One of his  \nfew friends. He was betraying her.  \n  \nHowever, he didn't care. Such thoughts had to go. They were a   \ndistraction from the physical pleasure. Too much pleasure for him to  \ntake. This woman was skilled and impatient, bouncing on his cock like  \na machine.   \n  \n\"Ehr... uh...\"   \n  \n\"Don't hold back!\" she screamed. \"Pop that cork when you're ready!\"  \n  \nToo much. Shadow squirted, a tremendous load gushing out into the  \nbat's wrinkled pussy, taking her by surprise. Moaning and grunting,   \nfeeling the cum spill out, Marron simply grinned. \"OOH! That's what I  \ncall a load!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"My turn,\" he said.   \n  \n\"Your turn?\" Lifting off, she rolled over, bent over the bed. \"You think  \nyou're ready?\"  \n  \nJumping to the floor, Shadow wasted no time in plunging deep, thrusting  \naway like a wild animal. \"Yeah, I'd say you're ready! YEAH! Nail me   \ngood!\"  \n  \nGripping her tail, pumping faster, her grunts and screams only added  \nto the encouragement. Ball bag slapping her clit, the hedgehog almost  \nfell to his feet as he came again, sperm filling her like a tidal wave.  \n  \nRolling onto her back, Marron complimented, \"good job! You ever wanna  \nfree ride again, just come back here. You wore me out...\" Pulling a blanket  \nover herself, she said, \"don't steal anything on the way out...\"  \n  \nStanding back, his mind beginning to rationalize, Shadow waited for  \nthe middle aged bat to fall asleep. He waited for his erection to   \nwithdraw. Calmly, he opened the door and made his way out of the   \nslum apartment, ignoring the little girl, and through the stairwell  \nto the street below.   \n  \nThe alley was his solitude. Vomit shot from his throat. It had been  \ndisgusting. He'd had sex with Rouge's mother. He knew better than that.  \nThe woman took advantage of him. Marron had been drunk, but he wasn't.  \nHe allowed carnal desire to push aside reason. His virginity was lost  \nbut the cost... well, he wasn't ready to pay.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rouge would not be told about this. Ever. If she found out, he would  \nlose his only real friend. He would also lose the trust of Rouge's  \nown husband. The man who probably had what he could have had, if only   \nhe hadn't been so stubborn, been such a loner.   \n  \nBut screw the both of them, he thought. Rouge chose someone else. Tom  \nAdriani, for all his innocence, liked to flaunt his sex life with Rouge.  \n  \nThey wouldn't find out about this, but feeling sorry wasn't something  \nhe was going to do.   \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nFourteen years, three months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"... we'll be here. Love you!\" Rouge said cheerfully, hanging up.   \n  \nHer daughter was looking up at her. \"Dad's not home yet.\"  \n  \n\"He will be,\" she explained. \"He's stuck in traffic.\"  \n  \n\"The movie starts in an hour. Dad has to come get us so we can go.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTom Adriani was bored. That was all he was, bored. Cars in front, cars   \nin back, nowhere to go, nothing to do but sit and wait. It would be  \ntoday of all days for a traffic accident on the freeway out of the city,  \nthe day he'd promised to take his daughter to the new fairy movie  \nshe'd wanted to see.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The radio bored him. Running the car for the air conditioner was a  \nwonderful way to waste gas, so while he waited, it was best to shut off  \nand roll down the windows.  \n  \nIt would also have to be one of the hottest days of the year.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"I'm sorry, Teal, but things happen sometimes... maybe we can go to the  \nlater showing, okay?\"  \n  \n\"Okay...\" The child was sad. Not that she'd missed the movie, but that  \nher father was stuck somewhere.  \n  \nRouge felt it as well. The man she loved was forced to sit and wait  \nin place while emergency road crews took their time. If anyone had a  \nright to be annoyed, it was Rouge. \"Teal, go get ready. We're going  \nto go see your father.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nHe was half asleep when he heard the knock. \"Wake up!\"  \n  \n\"Huh?\" Thomas saw his family standing on the road just inches from the  \ncar. \"What are you doing here?\"  \n  \nRouge said, \"we got sick of waiting so we thought you might want some  \ncompany.\"  \n  \n\"Get in,\" he offered, unlocking the doors. \"We might be here for  \nsome time, though.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I saw up ahead when we flew over,\" Rouge noted, \"they're almost  \ndone.\"  \n  \nTeal buckled into the back seat. \"Can we go to the late showing?\"  \n  \nTaking his hand, Rouge squeezed it. \"If we start moving in time,  \nwe'll go,\" he agreed, starting the ignition.   \n  \nTurning the radio to the light jazz station, the bat buckled her  \nseat belt, the family waiting for traffic to move.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nIt was night. Content that her little girl was in bed, Rouge returned  \nto the living room, leaning back on the couch with her head to Tom's  \nshoulder. \"I slipped,\" she mumbled.  \n  \n\"Where?\"  \n  \n\"Not like that,\" she responded. \"Today. You were out of the house and  \nI started to miss you. Just a few hours. I know Teal was upset but  \nI flew to you because I didn't want to be without you.\" She sighed,  \nthe thoughts of events from the past creeping in. \"That night...  \nwhat happened to you when we first met- I-\"  \n  \n\"I know,\" Tom said, assuring her. \"It probably scarred you worse than  \nyou thought.\"  \n  \nGripping his shirt, she muttered, \"I always wanted to be the strong  \none. Never wanted to lean on anyone, never wanted to be dependent,  \nbut... I didn't think I'd ever have to be put through that. The funny  \nthing is...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"You wouldn't change a thing, would you?\" Thomas knew his wife too   \nwell.  \n  \nShe smiled. \"Not a chance.\"  \n  \n\"It's late. We're both tired. Come on, we can cuddle better in bed.\"  \n  \nRising from the couch, stretching out, the bat knew he was right.  \nShe was ready to fall asleep. Grabbing his hand, she led her love  \ndown the hall.  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nFifteen years, nine months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe morning sun always signaled the start of a busy day on the echidna   \nisland. Builders returned to their duties, constructing new homes and   \nstorage for usage. Tree cutters went out to gather needed lumber while   \nplanters maintained the needed task of replacing the trees with saplings.   \nGatherers were sent out to collect fruits while hunters took their bows   \nand arrows to hunt the meat that would feed the people.  \n  \nKnuckles, however, was not one of them this morning. After nine days   \nstraight of knocking down trees, he had the day off, which he was rather   \nthankful for. It meant spending time with his family.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;But first, his day must start, and that meant coffee. Pouring a fresh,   \nhot cup, it rose to his mouth, the echidna breathing in the scent.   \n  \nThe knock had to ruin it. \"Who could this be...\" he mumbled,\u0026nbsp; wandering   \nto the door. \"Clanbor, what do you want?\"  \n  \n\"I didn't mean to disturb you,\" his guest said, \"but we had a visitor   \nto the island last night who seemed interested in you.\"  \n  \n\"Me? Really...\"  \n  \nHanding over a bound stack of papers, Clanbor explained, \"he was asking   \nabout you but didn't seem to want to talk to you directly. I think he   \nwas writing a book about you. He left this with his contact information,   \nand told me to get in touch with him if I wanted to make some money. It   \ndoesn't sound right to me...\"  \n  \nGrabbing the booklet, Knuckles muttered, \"thanks. I'll look this   \nover...\"  \n  \nReturning to the kitchen, sipping the warm coffee, Knuckles flipped   \nthrough. About the old tribe, his early life, meeting Sonic and Tails.   \nMost of the details were off, but it was basically all there.  \n  \nUntil he reached the section about the first time he met Rouge. It   \ndetailed how, alone on the island and believing himself to be the last   \nof his kind, his encounter with the bat led to a whirlwind sexual   \nromance.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;It was unbelievable. It was vile. Most importantly, it was completely   \nuntrue. Stunned and horrified, coffee spat out, Knuckles coughing   \nviolently as he fell to the floor.  \n  \nCharging into the kitchen to find her husband spasming wildly, Karen   \nalmost screamed. \"Knuckles! Are you okay?\"  \n  \nGasping for air, he shouted, \"hell no! Some idiot's writing a book   \nabout me!\"  \n  \n\"That IS a tragedy,\" she commented, handing him a glass of water.   \n  \n\"You don't understand!\" Furiously, he shoved the papers into her hands.   \n\"READ IT!\"  \n  \nGlancing over the words, Karen's mood turned, her eyelid twitching.   \n\"I'll be damned...\"  \n  \nThe kitchen door swung open, Clanbor standing before them. \"I heard you   \ncoughing from halfway across the village! I should have warned you   \nbefore I let you read it...\"  \n  \nGrinding teeth together, he was unnerved and angry. \"I'm a dead man!   \nThe second that gets published, Rouge is gonna tear me apart! She'll   \nthink I had something to do with this! You KNOW how protective she is   \nof the human she married! And I know for a fact we never had sex!   \nWhere- where did this moron come up with this?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Grabbing for the cover page, his lips curled in anger. \"I have to go.   \nI've gotta stop  \nthis.\"  \n  \n\"But you promised me you'd be home today!\" the boxer protested. \"You've   \nbeen working too much! You have three kids who want to see their father!\"  \n  \nHe turned away. \"Rouge might not kill me, but she WILL kill the guy   \nwriting this book. I need to do something before this turns into   \nsomething bad. Or do you want people across the world thinking I only   \nmarried you because Rouge dumped me?\"  \n  \n\"Okay, you have a point. Last thing I want is everyone thinking I was   \nsome second pick! I know I'm the only girl you ever had, and everyone   \nelse can know it, too! Besides, Rouge isn't a bad person but slept with   \nYOU? I don't think she's tough enough for that!\"  \n  \nDigging his spiked gloves out, Knuckles slipped them on and left the   \nisland.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nEmpire City. He'd never been here before but finding the office of one   \nRoger \"Quill\" Andrews had been too easy. Knocking on the door, he   \npounded away until it was answered. \"Yeah, whadda you- YOU!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yes, ME!\" Shoving his way inside, the angry echidna looked around. If   \nhis fur hadn't already been red, it might have turned such from his   \nanger. \"What's with this idiotic book?\"  \n  \n\"Unauthorized biography!\" Quill paced in mild fear. \"I print what I find out, the book  \nmakes a few bucks on the tale of a hero!\"  \n  \nAngrily, he grabbed the hedgehog by the collar. \"Listen, moron! Most of   \nwhat's in there isn't true! I never had sex with Rouge the Bat! I never   \neven liked her that way! She's got a husband and she'll probably break   \nyou in two if you tell people- you know what? Fine, go ahead.\" Releasing   \nhis grip, Knuckles grinned. \"Rouge has this... well, she seems rather  \nproud of her family and she never seemed to mind letting everyone know   \nshe was a virgin before she met Tom. I know, some people didn't want to   \nbelieve it, with how she acted, but it's true. You print that, I can't   \ntell you what she'll do but I CAN tell you that she will find you. And   \nshe's still a government agent, so whatever she does, she'll get away   \nwith it!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Sweating and shaking, Quill was mumbling out some incoherent noise.   \n\"Okay... look, I can edit all that out. Fine, so you didn't nail the   \nbat, big deal. It'll sell less copies but I can live with that...\"  \n  \nShoving the louse backwards, Knuckles said, \"you're not smart enough to   \nhave made this up. You're not smart enough to open a can of cat food!   \nWhere'd you hear all this about my life?\"  \n  \nQuill responded, \"I don't reveal my sources!\"  \n  \nSpotting the notebook, he grabbed for it, flipping through. \"Uh, huh...   \nI see you circled a name and a phone number. Marked it 'Knuckles   \nsource'. My work here is done.\" Turning for the door, he began to leave,   \nstopping suddenly. \"How many copies do you have?\"  \n  \n\"Just the one on my computer. I promise I'll edit it right away!\"  \n  \nStriding back to the desk, Knuckles slammed his fists downn crushing   \nthe machine under heavy spikes. \"I did it for you.\"  \n  \n\"NO! My book... I'm ruined...\"  \n  \n\"Better you than me,\" he replied, slamming the door shut. It was time   \nto find this mystery source.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \nA phone number and name led to an address in the more upscale part of   \nthe city. Linda Howlitzer was her name, though Knuckles hadn't the   \nfaintest clue who she was. Tapping on her door, the echidna was promptly   \ngreeted by a female wolf, no older than twenty, her eyes lighting up   \nupon seeing him. \"Oh, my... Knuckles?\"  \n  \n\"Yeah...\" He remained wary. \"You and I need to talk. You told some   \nwriter some stuff about me that isn't true and-\" His eyes looked in.   \nThe apartment walls were plastered with artwork of him. Generally, it   \nwas decent art, but the content of much of it scared him. Several   \ndrawings were erotic, and many of them featured Rouge. \"What the...\"  \n  \n\"You like my art?\"  \n  \nHe was in sheer terror. \"What the hell is this? HUH? Why are you drawing   \nme doing THAT with HER?\"  \n  \nLinda took offense. \"I don't believe this. Of ALL people... I would   \nthink YOU would see her as your perfect woman!\"  \n  \n\"What?\" Turning from the drawings, Knuckles fought to push the images   \nfrom his mind. \"Why? WHY would she be perfect for me? We never got   \nalong that well! The first time we met, she tried to steal the Master   \nEmerald! And she tried to strangle me!\" We didn't fall in love, and we   \nABSOLUTELY never had sex!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"But you go so well together!\" she defended, tears welling up in her   \neyes.   \n  \nHe shouted, \"no, we do not! She annoyed me! And she married someone   \nelse!\"  \n  \nLinda laughed. \"I heard about that. Some rich human. That didn't REALLY   \nhappen...\"  \n  \n\"Yes, it did.\" Knuckles was sick of the sensible approach. This woman   \nseemed unbalanced, and with an unbalanced mind ran the risk of dangerous   \nbehavior. Woman or not, he would have to be ready for anything. \"You   \ndon't even know me! You don't know any of us! I have a wife! I have   \nTHREE KIDS!\"  \n  \n\"You and Rouge have more in common and you should have been with HER!\"  \n  \n\"ReallY? Name something we have in common if you're so sure!\"  \n  \nStumbling, Linda finally blurted out, \"you're both treasure hunters!\"  \n  \nCocking an eye, seemingly confused, he asked, \"treasure hunter? Since   \nwhen? Finding the broken pieces of the Master Emerald isn't treasure   \nhunting! I was just getting back what I'd lost! Anyway, Rouge wasn't so   \nmuch a treasure hunter as she was just a thief!\" He added a mental   \n'weirdo' as a final comment, careful to keep it silent.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"But- but she was the first woman you'd met and-\"  \n  \n\"That's NOT how love works!\" He was livid beyond reason at this point.   \n\"People don't fall in love and see romance the first time they meet!   \nAnd what's this deal with you obsessing over my love life? Don't you   \nhave one of your-\"  \n  \nHe paused. Something about one of the drawings caught his sudden   \nattention. \"Hey... she doesn't have a tattoo on her arm. That much I do   \nknow...\" Looking back at his host, he said, \"funny, looks like the   \ntattoo on your shoulder. You're not drawing her, you're- oh... that's   \njust messed up!\" Knuckles was even more disturbed. \"You're drawing   \nyourself having sex with me and you're making yourself look like her!   \nThat's more messed up than I thought!\"  \n  \n\"I-\" The wolf girl turned her head. \"Big deal. She has the perfect body.  \nLittle miss stuck up perfect, always has to do those interviews and   \nshow herself off with her man. Acts like she's the hottest thing on   \nEarth and her man is so perfect. And YOU! We'd be great together but   \nyou have to be with someone else!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Content that he could handle this woman if she tried anything, he asked,   \n\"what happened to you?\"  \n  \n\"Jerk left me. Decided he wanted some girl with a bigger chest and less   \nfur!\" She pushed her glasses up in annoyance. \"Then I saw you in some   \nold news stories and thought you were a great guy but you were already   \nmarried. I made up my own version that I like more. That's all. Some   \nguy said he was writing a book about you and he paid me for details.   \nHey, it's your own fault for turning down the perfect woman! You two   \nwould have been so great together!\"  \n  \nKnuckles was too angry to be sympathetic. \"That's NOT how love works.   \nRouge and I... we weren't meant to be that. And what's it to you? Both   \nof us ended up happy and I know I wouldn't leave Karen. If that's TOO   \nHARD FOR YOU TO DEAL WITH, TOO BAD!\"  \n  \nPulling the artwork from the wall, the wold began ripping them up.   \n\"You're a jerk. I wasted two years on you.\"  \n  \nWalking away, he simply said, \"good. Go outside and get a life if your   \nown. Stop trying to live mine.\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \nTwenty years, four months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal grabbed her purse. \"Bye, daddy!\" she yelled.   \n  \n\"You have fun, Teal. Don't be gone TOO late, okay?\" Tom shouted back.   \n  \nShe answered, \"I won't!\" as she opened the door and headed for the city.   \n  \nRouge entered the living room. \"Teal leave?\"   \n  \nHe replied, \"yes. She's going to the movies. Just you and me tonight.\"   \n  \nRouge sat beside him, head slowly burying into his chest. Closing her eyes,   \nshe let out a tiny, almost inaudible moan. \"Birthday boy...\"  \n  \n\"Not for three days,\" he scolded, \"I still have my thirties to look   \nforward to until then.\"   \n  \n\"Can't I get an early start?\" she begged.   \n  \n\"That depends,\" he said, \"can I start ragging on you for turning 40 right  \nnow?\"   \n  \n\"Fat chance,\" Rouge bit back. \"I still have a couple years.\"  \n  \nThe doorbell began to fire repeatedly. \"Who in the HELL could that  \nbe at this hour?\" she complained, springing up.   \n  \n\"Can't be Teal, she has a key,\" Tom pondered, following. Approaching the   \ndoor, Tom paused, sniffing the air. \"... is that cigarette?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Throwing the door open, Rouge drew back in fear. \"Hello!\" was the cry of a   \nshrill, old woman.  \n  \n\"...mother?\"   \n  \nThe haggard old bat stood in the doorway, wrapped in a cheap red coat.   \n\"Darling baby girl! Never once called your poor, old mother, did you? A   \nwedding, money and you didn't think about me even ONE TIME!\" The bat   \nswaggered into the house. \"WHOA! You must be the husband! Please, call me   \nMarron!\" Patting Tom on the butt, she commented, \"or call me anytime, okay?\"  \n  \n\"MOTHER! How dare you?\" Rouge was fuming.   \n  \n\"Oh cool off,\" Marron demanded. \"Can't even say 'hi' to the woman who raised   \nyou? Figures...\"   \n  \nTom leaned in close to his wife. \"Can I smack her, please?\"   \n  \n\"No,\" Rouge replied, \"because I am going to hit her!\"  \n  \nAs they couple talked, Marron spotted jars of fruit on a nearby table.  \nShe picked one up. \"Adriani Rouge Fruit Company... little brat has her  \nname on this? Means it's mine!\" she mouthed, pocketing a jar.  \n  \nRouge turned to her mother, handing over a small wad of money. \"You don't  \nneed to be here, take it and go!\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"What? Can't I get caught up with my little girl?\" Marron scolded, eyeing   \nThomas once again.   \n  \nRouge replied, \"you were never in my life. Now get out!\"   \n  \n\"You can't talk that way to me, you little bi-\" Marron's insults were cut   \nsilent with a hard shove, the old bat landing on her butt on the steps   \noutside.  \n  \n\"Get off our property and DON'T COME BACK!\" Rouge screamed with an anger  \nthat made Tom's skin crawl. Without a word, Marron flipped them off and   \nleft.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge fumed. It had been an hour and she was still angry at her mother.  \nTom left her alone. The doorbell again rang. \"I swear if that's her I   \nwill....\" Running for the front door, she opened to find a police officer.  \n\"Yes?\"   \n  \n\"Mrs. Adriani? Can you identify this?\" The cop held out a jar of fruit with   \ntheir label on it.   \n  \n\"Yes, it's one of the brand we produce...\" Looking at the stack nearby, she   \nnoticed one missing. \"... my mother must have taken it. I don't want to press   \ncharges, just-\"  \n  \n\"I'm afraid you don't understand... the woman we found carrying this   \nis...\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Tom joined them. \"What's going on here?\" he demanded. \"That old  \nbat isn't pressing charges for being shoved, is she, because if she is  \nI'll-\"  \n  \nThe cop hesitated. \"I'm afraid the woman we found this on is... we were  \ncalled into the liquor store on Tenth Avenue. Paramedics were too late,  \nshe just dropped in the store. She died before we even got there. I'm   \nsorry.\"   \n  \nDropping to the floor, Rouge's eyes watered. She was shaking horribly.   \n\"Mommy...\" \"I'll leave you two alone...\" the cop said, leaving.  \n  \nPicking his wife up from the floor, Tom carried her to the bedroom.  \nShe clutched her hands around him like steel, bawling horribly, makeup  \nrunning onto his shirt mixed with tears. The bat couldn't even speak.  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTwo days had passed. Rouge stood with Thomas by the lone grave marker.  \nShadow was nearby. \"Did you tell your daughter?\"   \n  \n\"No,\" Rouge said, \"Teal doesn't need to know. She never knew her grandmother   \nanyway. Never knew how horrible she was...\"   \n  \n\"But you still did this for her?\" Shadow asked.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rouge's head bent down. \"You wouldn't understand. She was horrible, but  \nshe was still my mother.\"  \n  \nWalking away, Shadow responded, \"you're right. I wouldn't understand...\"  \n  \n\"We're still having Tom's birthday party tomorrow. I need to put this   \nbehind me and function normally. Please... please be there.\" He walked  \noff.   \n  \n\"You sure you want to do this tomorrow?\" Tom asked.   \n  \nShe responded, \"I have to. That woman didn't care about me. I-\" She let tears   \nroll down. \"I did what I felt necessary but we had no love between us. I'm   \nnot going to let her death consume me.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTom's birthday party was busy. The main hall of the manor was packed with  \nemployees of both the fruit company and the casino, along with old   \nfriends. Amy watched her two sons gather food from the buffet table.  \nThe Chaotix mingled with people they hadn't seen in years while Knuckles  \nkept his family together in the crowd.  \n  \nRouge drowned out the crowd, putting on a happy face to hide behind.  \nKnuckles was talking to her but she wasn't listening. Until something  \nsent a spark of anger to her brain, something he had said. She wasn't  \nlistening too carefully but it had angered her. Turning, her face  \ntwisted into evil. \"GET OUT!\" she screamed, surprising everyone nearby.  \n\"I SAID GET OUT! All of you! Get out of here!\" Eyes turned, the entire  \nparty stunned.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"What'd I say?\" Knuckles begged. She gritted her teeth, fists squeezed tight.   \n  \n\"Musta been something BAD to piss her off, moron!\" Karen scolded, dragging   \nhim away.   \n  \nKnuckles replied, \"whatever. I'm glad I never ended up with her!\"  \n  \nShadow forced Sonic and Amy to leave. He only chose to comply with her  \norders. Shadow knew why, of course, but no one else did. \"Way to stick up  \nfor her, Shadow!\" Sonic yelled.   \n  \n\"Rouge's loyal little yes-man!\" Amy barked, both giving Shadow angry looks.  \n  \nIn minutes the house was empty. Teal looked at her mother. \"Mom? What  \njust happened?\"   \n  \nRouge didn't say a word as she grabbed their hands, leading them to the couch   \nto sit with her. Tom on one side, Teal on the other. Her arms wrapped around   \nboth of them. \"I just want to be with my family.\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTwenty years, nine months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe casino's atmosphere was annoying, if Rouge could pick one word to  \ndescribe her feelings. Coming here to work on the books was bad enough.  \nHer mother was dead and for all she cared, this place could fall apart. It  \nwas merely a building. She wanted to be home with her family.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Sipping quietly on a glass of orange juice, her irritation increased as  \nsome fur wad sat next to her, flashing a cheap smile. A wolf, most likely,  \ntrying hard to look important but the bat could see how cheap his  \nimitation suit was, how cheap his attitude was. No doubt a chronic loser  \ntype who lost every game he'd ever played but still acted like a winner.  \n  \n\"You look depressed, little lady...\"  \n  \n\"Piss off,\" she mumbled, avoiding eye contact.  \n  \n\"Aww... come on, whatever's got you down, I'll cheer you up,\" the wolf  \nsaid, \"I'll take you out on the town, we'll go dancing, fancy restaurants,  \nand back to my place where I'll show you a very nice time!\"  \n  \nWhat restraint Rouge had for such types broke like twigs under foot. These  \nmen, hitting on her like they were worth something. She was a married woman.  \nShe was a public figure. People were supposed to know she was married.   \nWithout even slight hesitation, her hand reached up, grabbed a handful of  \nfur and arched down, slamming her unwanted guest's head into the counter.  \nThe restaurant patrons were both shocked and impressed by the sight, as none  \nof them had ever seen a man's head bounce off a hard surface like a rubber  \nball.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Falling to the floor, struggling to scream in pain, blood pouring from his  \nmouth and nose, the poor man was a victim to the wrath of a woman  \nangered. \"You want some of me? HERE! Have my foot!\" Swiftly, kicking the  \nstranger in the ribs, the assault continued. \"Maybe I should rip my  \nclothes off? Tear my tights up so you can nail me like a slut?\" Screaming  \nlouder, blood rage in control, Rouge The Bat wanted to kill this man.  \n  \nHow dare he hit on her, that was all she needed to justify this brutal   \nassault. Unsatisfied with simply kicking a man while he was down, she  \ncut loose with her fists, punching wildly as security robots pried her  \noff the crying lump as she screamed to be released.  \n  \n\"BOSS!\"   \n  \nVictoria was frightened but kept control. \"Get her out of here and call  \nan ambulance!\"  \n  \n----------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nWandering into her bedroom, further depressed and almost broken, a woman  \nbeyond confused, Rouge wanted to sleep. Instead, she found her husband  \nwaiting for her. \"I heard...\"  \n  \n\"Asshole was asking for it. Treating me like some whore...\" Shuddering at  \nthe thought, the bat girl grumbled, \"he's lucky I didn't kill him!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Tom shook his head. \"If you'd killed him you wouldn't be able to live  \nwith yourself and you know it. I talked to the Commander, he's taking care  \nof this, but...\"  \n  \n\"But?\" she asked.  \n  \n\"BUT he said if you keep this up he might not be able to help you. Beating  \npeople up like this isn't something they'll tolerate.\"  \n  \nEyes clenched tight. \"How's the asshole doing?\"  \n  \n\"Stable... three broken ribs, severe concussion, six teeth missing. He'll  \nlive, anyway...\" Thomas Adriani sat on his words. \"I'm paying all of his  \nhospital bills. Baby...\" Taking his wife's hands and pulling her close,  \nhe finally said, \"I'm starting to get worried. Teal's scared that you might  \nbe losing your mind. You hated your mother but you've been a mess since  \nshe died.\"  \n  \n\"You're...\" Rouge was honestly scared. \"You're worried that I'm going   \ncrazy...\" Sitting beside her human lover, all Rouge could say was, \"I need  \nhelp... she's been dead three months and she's still driving me crazy!  \nAnd this time it's because she left me without giving me a chance!\"  \n  \nLifting her in his arms, Thomas remarked, \"if you let her do this to you,  \nthen she's getting her way.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Damn... she is.\"   \n  \n\"Come on,\" he said, \"you'll feel better after a nice, hot bath...\"  \n  \n----------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nBraced upon her side, elbow pressed to the ceramic coating of the oversized  \ntub, the bat kept her leg balanced in the air as Tom worked his hand  \ngently over her sex, palm teasing the soft clitoris while two fingers  \nprodded within, carefully touching all of her sensitive spots. Her anger,  \nher fears, all frustration were gone, for now, as her body wriggled in  \npleasure.  \n  \nMuffling his wife's gentle screams, Thomas leaned in with a soft kiss,  \nRouge returning the favor as water rocked against her body, breasts  \ntingling in the heat. She was more than ready and Tom was barely  \nsurprised when her muscles squeezed down, clamping onto both fingers tight,  \nher breath filling his mouth with muffled cries of delight.  \n  \n\"Better?\"  \n  \n\"That helped some,\" she complimented, smiling in the dim light of the   \nbathroom's romantic atmosphere. \"Now, let me,\" she said, gripping Tom's  \nhardened cock, peeling back the foreskin flab.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;----------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nStirring the coffee, Rouge felt somewhat better this morning, though while  \nshe felt anger the day before, now all she could feel was remorse. The  \nman may have been a jerk but she'd tried to kill him for it.   \n  \n\"Boss...\"  \n  \n\"Huh? Vic! What are you doing here?\" The bat girl was taken to see her  \nemployee in the kitchen doorway.  \n  \n\"Your husband said you really needed help but I thought I could do better  \nthan some therapist. I've known you longer,\" the fox explained.  \n  \n\"Oh... well, come in. Teal's off to work, so...\"  \n  \nVic said, \"yeah, she doesn't need to hear about this. I kept it out of the  \nlocal news, rumors might spread though. Anyway...\"  \n  \n\"I'm staying away from the casino,\" the bat interjected, \"for some time.  \nYou can run the place without me being there and I can hire an accountant  \nto do the books.\"  \n  \nVictoria wasn't fond of the idea. \"You're locking yourself in the house...  \nI can't stop you.\"  \n  \n\"Vic, my mother... I'll never see her again. That was ruined between us and   \ncan't be fixed. I want to spend what time I can with my family.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Shaking her head, the fox went on, \"you already alienated your friends  \nand they don't know why. Your own daughter doesn't know why you're behaving  \nlike this...\" Vic thought, 'and your husband doesn't have the guts to  \ntell you you're wrong,' but kept it to herself. There was no need to make  \nthings worse. Rouge was defensive of her husband much like a wild animal  \nmay defend its territory. Vic didn't want to find out of fangs may be  \ninvolved.  \n  \n\"I know... but I just can't talk about it...\" Taking a sip of the coffee,  \ndeciding it was too hot, the bat girl, frustrated over the whole situation,  \nasked, \"am I a bad person?\"  \n  \n\"No... maybe just messed up by a bad person. Then again, I never met   \nMarron so I only have what you told me to go on.\"  \n  \n\"Tom went to the store... stay a bit, we'll talk until he gets back.\"  \n  \n----------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe hospital room was quiet, solemn, a sad reminder of bad things. Watching   \nthrough the doorway, Rouge Adriani felt like crying.  \n  \n\"Hi,\" the wolf greeted. \"I didn't expect you to visit me.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I'm sorry I put you in here,\" she grunted, \"I really am.\"  \n  \nLaughing, coughing amidst aching ribs, the wolf replied, \"nah, it was  \nmy fault and I probably had it coming for a LONG time...\" His lisp  \nwas terrible, no doubt a result of several teeth having been left behind  \non a restaurant counter.   \n  \n\"I beat the hell out of you and that's all you have to say?\" Genuinely  \nconfused, the bat wondered if this was real or if she was hallucinating the  \nentire episode.  \n  \n\"I didn't look for a ring, I never do. My pickup crap never works but I   \nstuck with it. I'm surprised it took this long to get my ass kicked.  \nBeen slapped, had drinks poured on me, and a lot of women who didn't want   \nto make a scene... you, though... you wailed me like a punching bag.\"  \n  \n\"Well, I used to be an agent with G.U.N.,\" she remarked.   \n  \n\"Ah, yeah, that'd do it...\"  \n  \nTurning away, the bat went on, \"look, I'm glad you're okay. It- my mother  \ndied a few months ago.\"  \n  \nBody aching too bad to move, he replied, \"that sucks. Never a good thing.\"  \n  \n\"I didn't get along with her,\" Rouge responded sadly.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Even worse... you never connected and now you can't. Sad world we live in  \nsometimes...\"  \n  \n\"Funny,\" she mused, \"you're not the jerk you were yesterday.\"  \n  \nKeeping as still as possible, ignoring the slight pains of talking, he  \nreplied, \"getting beat up'll do that to a guy.\"  \n  \n\"Listen, I know a dentist who does teeth replacement. I've already arranged  \nfor you to meet with him.\"  \n  \n\"That's okay-\"  \n  \n\"He's been paid,\" she added, \"so don't turn this down. I left his card with   \nthe nurse to be put with your personal items. Just call him when you get   \nout.\"  \n  \n\"Okay, I'll do that... your husband must be a lucky guy to have you.\"  \n  \nRouge smiled. \"He is... and I'm lucky to have someone who puts up with my  \nshit most of the time.\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTwenty one years, one month have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge leaned against the pillar outside, looking over the fruit fields.  \nSummer's sun cast a light over everything that grew, the backbone of  \nthe family fruit company. \"There you are,\" Thomas Adriani said, Rouge's  \nhead turning. \"Doing anything special?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Just looking,\" she said. Opening the large bedroom door, she led him   \ninside. \"I've given it a lot of thought,\" Rouge said, \"and I want to   \nkeep trying. I want another child before I get too old.\"  \n  \nResting on the bed, he took her hand. \"I'm with you.\" The two began to  \ncuddle, Rouge gently smelling her husband's scent. Before either could  \nget in the mood, however, the knock at the door stole their attention.  \n\"Mom? Dad?\" It was their daughter, Teal.   \n  \n\"Yes, sweetie?\" Rouge asked.  \n  \nTeal explained, \"I'm going out now, be back soon, okay?\"   \n  \nRouge sighed. \"Okay, Teal, just be careful out there...\"  \n  \n\"Love you, mom, dad,\" the girl said, leaving her parents be.   \n  \nTom remarked, \"Teal thinks we're paranoid. You sure you won't tell her   \nthe truth?\"   \n  \n\"Later. Right now...\" Rouge thought about her mother. \"My mother's  \ngone. Teal doesn't need to know the details yet.\"   \n  \nHis lips pressed to the thin fur of her forehead. \"We have the house to   \nourselves... want to get a fire going in the fireplace? Put out the spare   \nmattress and...\" She let out an approving groan, like a wild animal   \nabout to get what it wanted.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Good, Sharon, that was good!\"  \n  \n\"Mommy, can I quit now? I'm TIRED!\"  \n  \nKaren the Echidna waited for her daughter to punch the sparring glove   \nagain. \"Just a few more and we'll quit, okay?\"   \n  \n\"But I'm tired NOW!\" the little girl protested.   \n  \n\"Come on, Karen, ease up on her, she's only seven!\" Knuckles suggested,   \nwatching the sparring match.   \n  \n\"Hey, I had to do this when I was her age, you know!\" Karen shot back.   \n\"But... oh, well.. okay, honey, we're done for today. Go clean up.\"  \n  \nThe little echidna girl ran off. \"Don't push her too hard, she has plenty   \nof time to train,\" Knuckles said, looking his wife over. \"And you need a   \nshower. Seriously, is that sweat or did you hose down?\"  \n  \nLooking down, Karen noticed the sweat. \"Yeesh... guess I do. Hey, where   \nare our two sons, anyway? They missed sparring!\"   \n  \nKnuckles replied, \"Striker's helping in the mines. Slate wanted to go   \nCentral City for some reason.\"  \n  \n\"Typical...\" Karen muttered. The 38-year-old echidna grabbed a towel,   \nwiping off. She had the body build of an athlete, a trained island boxer   \nwho never gave up training, even through three kids. A quick glance at   \nKnuckles, her life mate, led to dirty thoughts. \"Sharon will go watch   \ncartoons... the boys are gone... shower time!\" Grabbing Knuckles by the   \nquills, she dragged him down the hall. \"You need your exercise, too,   \nstud-muffin, don't let me down!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nSlate waited for his date to arrive. A hand wrapped around his shoulder,   \nthe echidna turning. \"Hey.\" Teal greeted him as she always did.  \n  \n\"Teal... I didn't think you'd show.\"   \n  \n\"Why not? Not like mom or dad ever ask where I'm going anyway, they trust   \nme,\" she said.   \n  \n\"Did you tell them?\" he asked.  \n  \n\"No. Did you?\" He shook his head 'no'. \"You know the past between my mom   \nand your dad,\" Teal stated.   \n  \nSlate replied, \"yeah, and what happened at your mom's birthday party two   \nyears ago...\"  \n  \nTeal remembered it well. Knuckles had said something that forced Rouge   \nto explode in anger, kicking out all the guests. Any attempt to discuss  \nthe event with her led nowhere, as neither Rouge nor Tom would say   \nanything. Knuckles couldn't even remember what he'd said to her to bring   \nout the anger. The two had gotten along fairly well over the years,   \ndespite their past. Everyone had assumed bad blood between them had   \nsomehow resurfaced in Rouge's mind.  \n  \n\"And you know how dad is, he kisses mom's ass too much to stand up to her  \non this. Or much anything.\" Teal didn't hate her parents- she loved them   \ndearly. However, she had always seem them so wrapped up in each other and   \nthe family that they would often ignore anyone else, to the point that   \nold friends were driven away.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Shadow was the only one who kept contact.  \n  \n\"Even Shadow won't stand up to her about it,\" Teal sighed. \"Shadow... he   \nsays he never wanted to be with mom, but I know he did. He's too quick   \nto do whatever she says to help out. Even babysit me in GUN.\"   \n  \n\"How's that going, anyway?\" Slate asked.   \n  \n\"Eh, well enough,\" she answered, \"but the commander and Shadow still make  \nsure I get garbage assignments. And you remember I told you how hard I   \nhad to argue with mom to even let me join the group.\"  \n  \nGrabbing Slate by the waist, Teal kissed him hard. \"Hey... who cares?   \nIt's not their choice who we date, is it? Come on, night's young... mom   \nand dad will have the old mattress out, curled up in blankets by the   \nfireplace when I get home anyway, asleep, like they always do... won't   \nmatter how late I'm out. Mom especially won't mind, nights are a bat's   \nthing...\"   \n  \n\"She, uh, let you leave the house in that?\" he asked, blissfully staring.   \n  \n\"What, this?\" The low jeans and small pink shirt let her belly button   \nshow while the shirt's material did little to hide the fact the girl was   \nthe daughter of Rouge the Bat. \"Hey, who's my mother, after all? At   \nleast you look... don't touch, now...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nIvo Robotnik watched the small robots clean the floors. A small smile   \nwas barely visible under the mustache.   \n  \nHis days as a madman were long gone. Now, an old man, he made machines   \nthat helped people.  \n  \nEntering the main lab, he found his lead researcher. \"Tails!\"   \n  \n\"Please don't call me that, Dr. Robotnik,\" he replied.   \n  \n\"Sorry... yes, Miles... you should have gone home hours ago,\" Ivo   \nexplained.   \n  \n\"Can't,\" Tails responded. The 28-year old fox was busy working on new   \nprojects  \n  \nIvo sighed.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nSweat dripped from her body, the fireplace warming and illuminating.  \nSlowly wiggling up and down, she breathed hard. The orgasm was over.  \nCollapsing, she latched onto Tom's bare chest. \"That feel like the   \npussy of a woman who's about to turn forty?\" she teased, kissing him.   \n  \n\"Yeah? That feel like the cock of a guy in his forties?\" he replied.  \nSticking her tongue out, Rouge leaned in, Tom's lips grappling with  \nhers. His cock brushed against her thighs, wet and hard.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Wow...\" she commented. \"Still stiff as a rock!\"  \n  \n\"Get on your side, I wanna be in charge.\"   \n  \nLicking her lips, she rolled over. \"I'm game.\"  \n  \nOn his side, Tom pulled her close, inserting himself. Kissing her   \nforehead, he began to thrust slowly. \"I've always wondered if you can   \nscream loud enough to break glass...\" Her upper leg curled around Tom,   \nhand grabbing his ass. Her toes curled, relaxing her body to enjoy the   \nfeeling. Rouge could feel her vaginal muscles contracting, clamping his  \ndick with full force. She only hoped she could squirt. It always felt  \nincredible and Tom loved being soaked by her girl juices.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nOpening the mansion doors, Teal headed for her room. As she expected,   \nher parents were in the living room, the gas fireplace still burning.   \nCurled up, naked, asleep, draped only in a sheet. Rouge was nuzzled   \nagainst her husband, even under the sheet the outline of a wing wrapped   \naround them was clearly visible.  \n  \nTeal would have thought the sight to be rather romantic, if not for the   \nfact they were her parents. Even so, seeing them so much in love at   \ntheir age made her happy. She hadn't recalled them ever fighting, no   \narguments, no hitting, a very happy couple.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe old storage pod rested underneath the ocean, wreckage from the Egg  \nCarrier. Inside, the glow began, intensifying as the machine activated,  \nlong dormant, programming initiated. Self diagnostic functions ran,  \nbuilt-in repair systems working to repair minor faults.  \n  \nContent that all was well, the machine swung out a hand, sharp fingers  \nshattering the heavy glass container. Water rushed in, no concern to  \nthe machine. The thruster in its back engaged, carrying the metal monster  \nto the surface. Breaking through to air, it surveyed.   \n  \nIt had much to do.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe Next Day  \n  \n  \nCentral City Mall was busy to the point that even Sonic found it to be   \nfast-paced. \"Where did she go...\" Searching each store briefly, he   \nfinally found his wife, carrying two more bags. \"How much stuff did you   \nneed, anyway, Amy?\"   \n  \n\"Stop whining, Sonic... hey, Rouge may have a stick up her rear end, but   \nshe has a point. When you hit your 30's and you still look this good,   \nmay as well flaunt it...\" she teases, playfully closing the bags.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Hey, come on, what'd ya buy?\"  \n  \n\"No, no, Sonic...\" She placed a hand on his forehead, pushing him away.   \n\"Not yet. Wait until tonight, my speed demon...\" She laughed as they   \nleft the mall.   \n  \n\"Hey, where are the boys?\"   \n  \nShe replied, \"they wanted to stay at the arcade. They know not to stay   \ntoo long.\"  \n  \nWalking down the street, they were watched. The figure jumped out,   \ngrabbing Amy. \"YOU!\" Sonic shouted, horrified.   \n  \n\"No,\" Amy shrieked. \"We destroyed you!\"   \n  \nMetal Sonic twisted her arm. \"Do not attempt anything, Sonic the   \nHedgehog. Or I will kill this one!\" Engaging the rocket boosters, Metal   \nSonic flew high into the air, Amy his hostage. In the air, it knew,   \nSonic couldn't follow. The hedgehog tried, attempting to keep below   \nthem, but the robot flew high, free of buildings, allowing it to escape.  \n  \nEnraged, Sonic screamed out. His heart raced, panic in his mind. Running,  \nhe hit top speed, still simple at his age. He didn't know where he was  \ngoing, his mind simply wanted to find help. Outside the city and going,  \nhe continued running. The mansion approached. Stopping short of hitting  \na wall, he pounded on the front door.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rouge opened it. \"Sonic... I have nothing to say to you.\"   \n  \nThe look on his face grabbed her attention. \"Sonic? What's wrong?\"   \n  \n\"AMY!\" He shook. \"Amy is... Metal Sonic took her!\"   \n  \nRouge remembered the robot. One of them, anyway. \"Another one? but-\" she   \nwent silent. \"I'm sorry, Sonic. I don't go on adventures anymore. I   \ncan't help you. I'll call Shadow, it's all I can do. You can rely on   \nGUN, but not on me.\"  \n  \n\"Shadow, yeah, good idea!\" he panted out.   \n  \nShe continued, \"one more thing. Just because GUN will be helping you,   \ndoesn't mean my daughter will! You hear me? If my daughter is injured   \nin any way by this, I swear... that robot will be the least of your   \nworries! And you should go see Robotnik. He says he's changed, but how   \ndo I know what the old fool is really up to?\"  \n  \nShe slammed the door. His problems weren't hers. Grabbing the phone, she  \ndialed. Rouge knew how to get directly through to Shadow's GUN   \ncommunicator.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nSonic raced, Robotnik's lab near. He would have strong words for his  \nold nemesis. The smoke was strong, black in the air. Halting, he saw  \nthe lab, smoldering. Rushing inside, he saw the damage. Doors torn   \nthrough, robots ripped to pieces by clawed hands. Lights smashed.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"TAILS!\" Sonic saw his old friend.   \n  \n\"Sonic... please don't call me that.\"  \n  \n\"Right... Miles... what happened?\" he asked.   \n  \nMiles struggled against the beam across his leg. \"A Metal Sonic attacked   \nus. The defense guns didn't do any damage.\" Reaching down, Sonic lifted   \nthe beam off his friend's leg. \"He took Robotnik. Look...\" Miles pointed   \nto the trail of red droplets.   \n  \n\"He's injured?\" Sonic asked. \u0026nbsp;  \n  \nStanding, Tails grabbed the old cane, his knee throbbing. He answered,   \n\"most likely. It also downloaded a lot of old data from the computers.   \nWhat I want to know is, where did this Metal Sonic come from?\"  \n  \n\"You mean you don't know?\"   \n  \nTails shook his head. \"We built a few empty units of the old robots for   \nmuseum displays. No electronics. Made of scrap metal. This thing...\" He   \npicked up a mangled bullet. \"... was made of the good stuff. There's   \nsomething else...\" Tails paused. \"Little Planet. It will be in the sky   \nin two days.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe door opened, the old man thrown inside. Amy watched the crumpled  \nbody shake. Metal Sonic closed the room off, leaving its two prisoners  \nalone. \"Eggman?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The old man turned upright. \"Amy... it captured you as well?\"   \n  \nShe shied away. \"What does it want with us?\"  \n  \n\"I don't know,\" he replied. \"It didn't say a word.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nSonic entered the GUN headquarters. His two sons followed behind.  \nEntering the commander's office, he was greeted by the sight of a  \nmiddle-aged man in glasses. \"Sonic. We have no word on the location  \nof Metal Sonic,\" the Commander stated. \"Seems the machine has a built-in  \nradar blocking field. Rising from his desk, he said, \"please, follow  \nme.\"  \n  \nLeading Sonic into the conference room, he found Shadow waiting for him.  \nE-123 Omega stood near the back of the room with Knuckles and Karen  \nboth waiting. Their older son, Striker, was with them. \"Zoom. Boost,\"  \nStriker greeted Sonic's kids.   \n  \n\"Yo, where's Slate?\" Zoom inquired.  \n  \n\"Him? He's at the lab helping GUN soldiers clean up the mess.\"  \n  \n\"We still have no idea as to why Metal Sonic captured Ivo Robotnik,\"  \nthe Commander pointed out, \"only possibilities. The fact the doctor was  \ninjured seems to indicate that Robotnik wasn't willing to go. My initial  \nreports show that there was only half a pint of blood loss at the scene,  \nno doubt a small puncture wound... however, Robotnik is an old man.  \nSame age my father was during the Black Arms invasion...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"It took Amy to get to me,\" Sonic said. \"Eggman? That, I don't know...\"  \n  \n\"What's this about Little Planet showing up soon?\" Knuckles begged.  \n  \nSonic explained, \"Metal Sonic... one of them, anyway, kidnapped  \nAmy on Little Planet when she was only eight.\"   \n  \nShadow elaborated, \"the planet only shows in the sky a few days out of   \nthe year. But what could be on that planet that it would want?\"  \n  \nKnuckles sighed. \"Standing around here won't get us anything. Better  \ngo out and start looking. Nice to see we're ALL here to help,\" he said  \nsarcastically.   \n  \n\"DROP IT!\" Karen threatened.   \n  \n\"What?\" Knuckles looked angry. \"One of my boys ran off to clean up   \ngarbage and that arrogant bat can't peel herself away from jewels to   \ncome and help up- OWW!\" He went silent as Karen grabbed his tail and   \ngave it a sharp yank.   \n  \n\"Enough about her! One more word and you die alone!\" Karen wasn't willing   \nto argue about Rouge. She was almost certain that Knuckles wasn't totally   \ninnocent of anything when she flipped out on them.  \n  \n\"That's enough of that,\" the Commander said. \"I've hired the Chaotix  \nDetective Agency to assist in the search and you have GUN's full support,  \nSonic. I don't want to even RISK this machine attempting military  \naction against this planet.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal kicked the chunk of metal in anger. \"Great! We have an actual  \nsituation here, and thanks to my mother, I get to clean instead of  \nactually helping!\"   \n  \n\"Your mother's just worried about you,\" Slate assured.   \n  \nShe shrugged. \"I had to argue with her for to hours to even get her   \nto agree to this! Joining GUN and following in her footsteps was a   \nbig deal for me... and I don't get to do anything! I might as well   \nquit...\" She continued collecting debris and tossing it into  \nthe garbage containers. \"Mom was a top agent... and I have enough  \nrank to be boss of this garbage can!\"  \n  \nAt his work terminal, Miles Prower typed furiously. \"Find anything?\"  \nTeal asked.   \n  \n\"Not much... seems Metal Sonic accessed some of the doc's old files,   \nthough. Impressive little....\"   \n  \n\"Old files?\" Slate asked.  \n  \nMiles replied, \"yes. Old stuff from before Robotnik gave up the  \nevil stuff. We had them specially password locked with a program that  \nchanges the password every hour. The only way to even find out the  \ncurrent password was to input my own.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"A password to get the password?\" Teal was impressed.   \n  \nMiles continued, \"I can't tell what it accessed without opening the   \nfile. Unfortunately, cracking my password wouldn't take too long for an   \nadvanced AI like that...\" Typing in his password, followed by the   \nsecond, he opened the old files. Typing away furiously, he found what   \nhad been accessed. \"Uh oh... probably scanned everything in quick   \nsuccession but stopped at this one...\" The file detailed a space station   \nRobotnik had nearly finished before the Cthulhu incident. The station   \nstill remained in space, untouched.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"You needed all seven Chaos Emeralds to defeat this thing before...\"  \nThe Commander led them to the vault. \"I'm authorizing all seven to  \nbe unlocked and handed into your care, Sonic, so that you can stop this  \nthing. We KNOW that bullets aren't working and I want a quick and  \nclean end to this incident.\"  \n  \nThey stopped at the large metal door. As the Commander prepared to  \nenter the unlock code, they heard yelling. Teal flew towards them.  \n\"Don't do that! You can't release the Chaos Emeralds!\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Agent Teal, I don't care who your mother is, this is my final decision!   \nNow stand down!\"   \n  \n\"But you don't-\"  \n  \n\"It's what Metal Sonic wants you to do!\" Miles shouted. They turned to  \nface him. He explained, \"Robotnik built a device on his space station  \nthat can suck the Chaos Energy out of your body, Sonic. If you go super  \nand he gets you inside of it... at least I know where it might be right  \nnow.\"   \n  \n\"So I go up there and deal with it on my own terms!\" Sonic's fists shook.  \n  \n\"And go into its own turf, alone... that's also what it wants, Sonic.\"  \nTails shook his head. \"You'd have no backup. Metal Sonic could disable  \nthe teleporters to the station and transport ships would take too long  \nto get anyone else up there to help you.\"  \n  \n\"I can't go fight him then...\" Sonic's face turned, anger to sadness.  \n  \n\"No, you can't go. It's why we have to get him to come here.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMetal Sonic slammed its fists into the console. The press conference  \nhad ruined its plans, GUN stating that the Chaos Emeralds were to remain  \nlocked away. Opening the cell door, it entered, grabbing Robotnik.  \n\"You had a great plan, to drain Sonic the Hedgehog of the Chaos Energy.  \nI know why, for I found your plans on this very space colony!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Leave him alone!\" Amy shouted.   \n  \n\"SILENCE!\" Metal Sonic wasn't concerned with the woman. \"As I was saying,   \nDoctor, the Dark Gaia sleeps within the Earth's core, but you abandoned   \nyour plan to release it!\"   \n  \nRobotnik was quick to defend himself. \"I learned that trying to deal   \nwith such dark gods was foolish...\"  \n  \n\"The power it holds is worth the risk but now I must find a way to  \nforce Sonic the Hedgehog into delivering such power to me. And it must  \nbe soon. For I have calculated a two percent chance of disaster.   \nSplitting the planet open holds risks of total destruction. I must be   \nable to relocate to Little Planet if that happens. Not even this  \nspace station would survive in the event of failure.\"   \n  \nClosing the door, it entered the teleporter, headed for Earth below.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nCentral City was rocked with explosions. Metal Sonic was going to force  \nSonic into the open and it had little time. At the lab, Tails watched  \nthe news. \"Okay, kids, Metal Sonic is down here. Time to teleport up  \nthere and save your mother.\" He led Zoom and Boost to the teleporter room.  \n\"Remember, get up there and patch me in to the computers. I may need to  \ncrack the codes to the prisoner cell doors to get them out. Make it  \nquick, I want to get them out of there while that thing's down here!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;They entered the teleporter, Miles activating the beam to send them above.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMetal Sonic was disinterested in Shadow's challenge. \"You are of no   \nconcern to me, black hedgehog. You are not my target. Begone!\" A flying   \nkick sent the machine flying.   \n  \nStanding, it felt bullets tapping its hull as Omega fired upon it.   \n\"Current weaponry is ineffective,\" Omega reported.  \n  \nPicking up a large chunk of debris, Knuckles threw it, the concrete  \nfragmenting against the robot. \"What's this thing made of?\" Knuckles  \nasked, watching it stand free.  \n  \nUninterested in the attack, Metal Sonic fled. It was going to find its  \nintended target. From above, Teal watched. Pulling back the slide  \non her pistol, she flew down. \"Hold it!\"   \n  \n\"I have no interest in you.\" it said. She fired.   \n  \nSuddenly angry, Metal Sonic approached. \"Very well, if you life forms   \ninsist on standing in my way, then I shall eliminate you, one by one.   \nI have no time for interference!\"  \n  \nA rock hit it. More followed. Turning, the robot saw Rouge, an angry  \nmother. \"Teal! RUN!\" The child did so as Rouge raised a shotgun,  \nfiring. \"How dare you try and hurt my daughter!\" Emptying the chamber,  \nshe tossed the gun aside and flew towards it, feet planting a solid  \nkick. The force knocked it back into the open road. Rising, it had no   \ntime to react as a car ran into it, impact sending Metal Sonic flying.   \nWithin the vehicle, Tom Adriani popped the doors. \"Get in!\" His wife   \nand daughter secured, Tom hit the gas. Turning a corner, he stopped as   \nRouge exited.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The trunk popped as she pulled out three large bat-shaped objects.  \nStanding beside her, he helped activate them. \"And to think, I didn't  \nwant you to keep high explosives stored away...\" The bombs floated,  \nhovering away as they got in the car and drove off.  \n  \nMetal Sonic watched three objects approach slowly. By the time its  \ninternal sensors realized what they were, the bombs exploded, one  \nby one, sending fire and shrapnel at point blank range. As the cloud  \ndissipated, it rose from the ground. Internal diagnostics ran. Self  \nrepairs would take some time.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRegrouping, the team was working on a plan. \"We need high explosives  \nand anti-tank rounds, neither of which is very safe to use in the city,\"  \nthe Commander said over the radio.   \n  \n\"Then we must draw it away,\" Shadow said. \"  \n  \nWe have it on satellite cameras, it's moving. You should follow.\" The   \nCommander was busy working on a military course of action, mobilizing   \ntroops and weaponry in the event the situation worsened. Several city   \nblocks had already been destroyed.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The car stopped nearby, Rouge looking at everyone. \"Teal was almost   \nkilled!\" She send Shadow her angry stare. \"I blame you. You didn't keep  \nher out of this like you promised!\" She grabbed the radio. \"Do you hear  \nme, Commander? My daughter doesn't work for you anymore! And you!\"  \nHer gaze was aimed at Knuckles. \"One word and you'll be eating through  \na straw!\" The bat walked off. She would have none of their adventure.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nOn board the space station, the kids waited as Miles hacked his way  \ninto the systems. \"There... I'm locking out all teleporter access  \nuntil you're ready to leave! That way, if Metal Sonic tries to come back,  \nhe'll be stuck here.\"   \n  \n\"I found them!\" Zoom shouted, spotting the monitor. \"But I don't know   \nwhere that is...\" The monitor was unmarked.  \n  \n\"You two get to the cell block. I'll work on hacking access to all  \ncell doors. Be ready to get them out of there!\" Tails punched away at  \nthe keys, slowly working through the complex computer network.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \nMetal Sonic found the teleportation pod. Inputting the destination,  \nthe message sent it into a fury. Locked out. \"They have ruined my plan...  \nthen I shall create another plan.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Mom, I was only trying to-\"   \n  \n\"Enough, Teal!\" Rouge was angry. She wasn't sure who she was angry at,   \nbut she was angry. Tom drove home, the car straining against the fresh   \ndents and possible engine damage. His thoughts led to two places- one,   \nthat he needed to talk with his wife, and two, that he had to plan   \nsomething.  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nZoom pounded on the cell doors. He heard an answer. Tails could see him  \nwaving, the security camera network feeding back to him the message.  \nQuickly, he hacked the security codes and unsealed all doors. \"MOM!\"  \n  \nAmy looked up. \"Zoom! But-\"   \n  \n\"No time, we have to go!\" the boy said.  \n  \n\"I'm hurt...\" Robotnik struggled to stand, his bandaged leg failing.  \n  \nBoost offered his support. \"Metal Sonic's on Earth. Tails figured out  \nwhere he was hiding and beamed us up here to get you!\" Zoom replied,  \n\"we have to get back to the main teleporters.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge peeked in her daughter's bedroom. The teenager was asleep, no  \ndoubt having cried herself to sleep. She sighed. Rouge felt like she  \nwas failing her little girl, her attempts to keep the family close  \nonly straining on Teal's mind. Returning to her bedroom, Rouge expected  \nto see Tom in bed. Instead, he was sitting at the small table,  \nscribbling notes. \"Tom?\"  \n  \nSetting the pencil down, he turned. \"That robot tried to kill Teal.  \nI want it dead.\"   \n  \n\"Tom, you don't have to worry about this. GUN will-\"  \n  \n\"You and Teal get to play the hero. It's my turn. And I'm not waiting  \nfor it to destroy half the city or who knows WHAT else... this has to  \nend...\"  \n  \n\"It'd be suicide to try and face it,\" she said.   \n  \nTom responded with a hint of anger, \"I'm not getting anywhere near the   \nthing. You hate the others so much, let them do the hard parts.\" She sat   \nbeside him. \"Now, you're the military mind in this house, help me work   \non this plan...\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMorning fell over Central City. The GUN base camp was active, trying to  \nfind Metal Sonic's whereabouts. Sonic sat with his family, glad to have  \nthem back.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"No sign of the target,\" a troop reported to Shadow.   \n  \n\"Why not? No contact whatsoever... what is Metal Sonic up to?\" Shadow   \npondered the question. The robot had simply vanished. \"It can't be on   \nthe space station, all teleporter access was locked out. Unless it   \nflew...\"  \n  \n\"Not likely,\" Miles said. \"I had the place locked down, all hangar  \ndoors and other access. It can't get in.\"  \n  \nThe feminine shape approached, walking with a confidence reserved only  \nfor someone with skill and experience. Rouge was dressed in her old  \ncombat outfit, pink heart plate shined and ready. \"I need a gun... NOW!\"  \nWithout pause, a trooper handed over his rifle.   \n  \n\"Oh great, the bat's here,\" Knuckles remarked, turning his head.   \n  \n\"Like you've done anything,\" she shot back. \"I know why you haven't seen   \nMetal Sonic.\" She pressed a remote switch, three bat-shaped spheres   \nfloating in the air. \"I used some of those.\"  \n  \n\"After I hit it with my car,\" Thomas added. \"It's been damaged.\"   \n  \nTails processed this. \"Wouldn't be enough to destroy it, but if it  \nwere damaged, self-repair systems would need time.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Miles!\" Robotnik waved his arms. \"I need you over here!\" Tails ran  \ntowards the old man. \"I need to access my old files...\"   \n  \n\"Why? We dealt with your space station and- wait... if you built this   \nthing, then you should have detailed schematics in your old files...\"   \nTails brought up remote access to the lab's files and opened the needed   \nrecords.   \n  \nWorking quickly, Robotnik found the document. \"Here we are... tell me,   \nRouge, what type of bomb is that?\"  \n  \nCradling her rifle, she explained, \"high explosive with a limited  \nblast radius. Made to concentrate the damage to a small area.\"  \n  \nRobotnik said, \"of course. This unit was made to resist puncture damage  \nwith a sturdy outer hull. However... the bombs likely caused enough  \nvibrational force to interfere with the internal structure. It was made  \nto withstand external damage, but concentrate that internally...\"  \n  \nTom waved Shadow over to him. \"See my car? You're going to drive it  \nstraight down that metal monster's throat!\" Cocking an eye, Shadow was  \ncurious. \"I'd do it myself but if I jumped out, I'd probably break every  \nbone in my body... Reaching in, he flipped a switch, the seat, steering  \nwheel and pedals all moving inward. \"Lets Rouge drive.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"The explosion from this vehicle won't be as powerful as those bombs...\"   \nShadow commented.   \n  \nTom explained, \"this car? It won't blow up from a forward impact. Pin   \nthat toaster to the wall for me.\"  \n  \nKnuckles sulked. \"We still don't know where it is. Some plan, Rouge!\"  \n  \nThe bat looked him dead in the eyes. \"So go draw it out, you moronic  \nant eater! Or do I have to do ALL the work?\" An angered look from his  \nwife kept Knuckles silent.   \n  \n\"Why waste time with that?\" Everyone looked at Tails. \"It'd be easier  \nto get his attention with a public announcement,\" he explained, grabbing  \nthe radio. \"Commander, this is Miles Prower. Listen to me very   \ncarefully...\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe hiding place was suitable to repair. It would strike soon. When  \nLittle Planet appears, it planned to make its way there and find one  \nof the numerous pathways into the past. When that happened, Metal Sonic  \ncould return to Earth many years before and defeat its enemies before  \nthey existed.  \n  \nRadio communications were monitored. The broadcast caused the robot  \nanger. The news was reporting that it had been destroyed. Checking  \ninternal systems, repairs were only at eighty-three percent. Suitable  \nfor what it could do for such a horrendous judgment. It would show  \nthem that it was not defeated.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Tearing through the tunnels, it erupted from the manhole cover, hoping  \nto lay waste\u0026nbsp; to the populace and draw Sonic to it.   \n  \nIt saw no one.  \n  \nGUN had the city under lockdown, all citizens to remain in their homes.  \nAll it found were empty streets. At the base camp, Miles monitored all  \ncitywide security. \"Found it!\"   \n  \n\"Then let's go!\" Sonic shouted.   \n  \n\"WAIT!\" Miles said, halting him. \"Sonic... I know you want a big   \nadventure, but this isn't about you. Rouge's plan makes sense! We take   \nthis thing down quickly and with minimal damage.\"  \n  \n\"But it-\" Sonic paused mid-sentence. \"It.. took Amy from me...\"  \n  \nTails placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder. \"I know. It also  \nkidnapped Robotnik and injured him. It also tried to kill Rouge's  \ndaughter. It's leveled several city blocks and will do more damage if  \nyou don't stop this thing! But running into a ball and flying at it  \nwon't help. And you don't need the Chaos Emeralds. We have the means  \nright here. Now.. get going. I'll watch from here.\"  \n  \nSonic stepped towards the others. Knuckles, Karen, Zoom, Boost, Slate,  \nStriker and Rouge were ready. Shadow started Tom's car. \"You know what  \nto do,\" Rouge said. \"Distract it long enough for me to get my bombs  \ninto position to stun it. Shadow will do the rest from there.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Without a word, they left.  \n  \nGrabbing an earpiece, Tom threw off his tie. \"Okay, Rouge's orders,\"  \nhe addressed the soldiers, \"you're to be ready in case their plan goes   \nto crap! Understood?\" Sitting beside Miles, he said, \"I'm her eyes on the  \nground. I can work better from here.\"   \n  \n\"You're not worried about her?\" Miles asked, puzzled.   \n  \nTom replied, \"it was my plan. I made sure neither of us would be in   \ndanger. It's the others who get the hard part.\"  \n  \nTails sat, thinking. \"Ordinarily I'd be appalled by something like that,  \nbut... actually, I'd probably do the same thing if I had a family. Not   \nlike they aren't all capable.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMetal Sonic was attacked from all sides, rammed into by blurs moving  \nquickly. It wanted Sonic but the rest were too distracting. They  \nrefused to stop, seven opponents unwilling to give it a chance to  \ncreate a strategy.  \n  \nStudying the battle, seeking patterns in movement, it begun to work.  \nProcessing was slow due to previous system damage, but it would have to  \nformulate a plan. The rear jets were offline and escape was impossible.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The bomb went off, sending it into the street. Rising, it saw the second  \nbomb approach, exploding before it could run. The third followed. System  \nefficiency was down to sixty-three percent. Pulling upright, it had no   \ntime, the car slamming its body, feet scraping pavement. As Shadow  \nreached the end of the road, he jumped out, the car slamming into  \nthe side of a building, Metal Sonic pinned.  \n  \nFlying downward, Rouge confronted the being. \"Normally I'd mouth off,  \nbut this is personal.\" The butt of the rifle slammed its head, working  \nloose a piece of its hull. Prying the sharp nails of her gloves into  \nthe opening, Rouge tore the metal plate off.   \n  \n\"No begging?\" she taunted.   \n  \nIt eyed her. \"I do not beg.\" Shrugging, she aimed her gun, firing into   \nthe exposed circuitry. Electric sparks and burning smoke was released,   \nthe lights of the eyes going dead.  \n  \nTossing her weapon away, she helped Shadow to his feet. \"Good luck with   \nthe clean-up, Shadow...\" The rest gathered around, watching the bat walk  \noff. For Rouge, it had been personal, and she didn't wish to stay around  \nto celebrate. The others could feel good about winning. She only wished  \nto return to her family.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal stood at the edge of the city, watching the cleanup. \"It didn't do   \ntoo much damage. It won't take them long to repair the city and dad's   \npaying some money out to help.\"   \n  \n\"They rebuilt after Black Arms, Chaos, and those other disasters,\" Slate   \nsaid.   \n  \nShe replied, \"that was before our time.\"  \n  \n\"Your mom bugging you, isn't she?\" he asked.   \n  \n\"Yeah. She won't talk about that party two years ago. She wouldn't let me  \nhelp fight Metal Sonic and she's being overprotective. Slate, I'm sick of   \ndating behind their backs...\"   \n  \n\"You wanna call this off, then?\"   \n  \n\"NO!\" she shouted. \"That's not what I mean... no, I think I have an idea.   \nJust hear me out on this.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMetal Sonic's inactive hull was taken to GUN headquarters. The Commander  \ntook interest in the damage. He peered into the open cavity of the  \nrobot's head. \"She tore this thing open and killed it...\"  \n  \nWiping his glasses, he made a command decision on the spot. \"I can see  \nwhy my father let Agent Rouge do whatever she wanted... he was probably  \nfrightened of her. I'm making this an official order. If Agent Rouge  \nasks for ANYTHING, she is to receive full cooperation.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Sir? the troop asked.   \n  \n\"You heard me! Anything she wants. I'm not going to risk making her mad.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge had only managed to change clothes when Teal called, asking her  \nparents to meet her in the city. The rental car stopped in front of  \ntheir favorite restaurant, closed down for repairs. \"She must be inside,\"  \nTom said, stepping out. The couple entered, looking around. Teal  \nwas nowhere to be seem. Rather, they saw Knuckles and Karen sitting at   \na table.  \n  \n\"Knuckles.\" Rouge wasn't happy. \"We're leaving,\" she said, grabbing Tom's   \nhand.  \n  \n\"Figures,\" Knuckles replied, \"first Slate doesn't show up and now you.\"   \n  \nRouge headed for the door. In a blur, Teal blocked her path,  \nkeeping the door shut. \"TEAL! What's going on?\"   \n  \n\"Mom, please...\"   \n  \n\"No, Teal, I am not staying here and talking with this idiotic, stubborn   \nechidna. WE are going!\"   \n  \n\"Like I'd want to talk to you,\" Knuckles shouted out.   \n  \nSlate entered the room, walking towards Teal. \"Dad, you're gonna listen   \nto this...\" Taking Teal's hand, the two teenagers made sure their parents   \nsaw.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Slate? You and... her?\" Karen asked, stunned.   \n  \n\"Yes, mother, me and her. Is that a problem?\" Slate stated defiantly.   \n  \n\"Yes, it IS a problem, son!\" Knuckles was angry.   \n  \n\"Like your kid is good enough for MY daughter, Knuckle-dragger,\" Rouge   \nscreamed, boiling. \"You were never good enough for me, so why should   \nyour son be good enough for her?\"  \n  \n\"SHUT UP!\"  \n  \nTeal has screamed too loud, straining her throat. Rouge's sensitive ears   \nreeled. \"MOM! DAD! You used to be friends with Knuckles and his family.   \nAnd Sonic, and Robotnik, and the Chaotix, and the others. Then you threw   \nit away two years ago! I WANT TO KNOW WHY!\"   \n  \n\"Yes, dad,\" Slate agreed. \"Teal and I are... in love. And if we have to   \ndate without your blessing, we will. Not like you've done anything to   \nmake things right!\"  \n  \nKneeling, Tom looked Rouge in the eyes. \"Rouge... this has to end. I've  \nsupported you through this but enough is enough! You have to tell them.\"  \n  \n\"Tom, I...\" She went silent. \"I don't know if I can.\"   \n  \n\"It doesn't matter if they understand, babe... your daughter thinks   \nyou're going crazy and your old friends think you're selfish. They have   \nto know what really happened.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Squeezing Tom's hand, she made her decision. \"Knuckles... you remember  \nthe talk we had on Ark, right after the Biolizard and we thought Shadow   \nwas dead?\"   \n  \n\"Yeah... said you were going to stop stealing. You were back at it three   \ndays later.\"   \n  \nShe continued, \"when we returned to Earth I visited my mother. She acted   \nlike she didn't even know I had left home... it made me so mad that I  \njust broke down and went back to what I knew.\"  \n  \nTaking a chair, Rouge sat. \"It was about two years ago. Mom came to the  \nmansion. I- I wanted her to say that she loved me. But all she did was  \nhit on Tom and she...\" Eyes closed, the memory stinging her. \"I gave  \nher some money hoping it might reach out to her but- but she wouldn't  \nlet up and I... I pushed her. I pushed my own mother out the front  \ndoor. I pushed her and told her to get out of my life.\"  \n  \n\"Grandma came to the house? Why didn't you tell me?\" Teal was shocked.  \n\"At least tell me where she lives so I can go meet her!\"   \n  \n\"You can't, dear, your grandmother-\"   \n  \nTom kneeled beside is wife and said, \"Rouge's mother died less than an   \nhour later. The police visited us and gave us the news. They only knew   \nto come to us because she'd taken one of the jars of jelly we keep to   \nhand out to guests. That was only days before my fortieth birthday party.   \nWe had a small, quick burial and thought it would be best to have the   \nparty.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Teal begged, \"why didn't you tell me?\"   \n  \n\"Because your grandmother was a horrible, uncaring person!\" Rouge   \nshouted, her voice strained with sadness. \"I only wanted her to love me   \nbut she only wanted money. And the last thing I did was to shove her to   \nthe ground.\"  \n  \n\"Dad,\" Slate piped up, \"you said something to her to make her kick  \neveryone out.\"   \n  \nKnuckles tried to remember. \"Yeah... I remember now. I told her she had   \nsuch a wonderful family... it must have sent her over the edge.\"  \n  \n\"Rouge...\" Amy entered the main dining room. \"I... I had no idea.\"  \n  \n\"None of you did, and I'm sorry,\" the bat apologized. The pink hedgehog  \ngave Rouge a hug. She faced Knuckles. \"And I'm sorry I flirted with you  \nback then, too. I knew you weren't interested.\"   \n  \nKnuckles defended himself by saying, \"maybe if I hadn't been so stubborn   \nand proud of my heritage, maybe if I'd bothered to understand you better.   \nMaybe if I could have seen you as a person and not a threat to my   \nduties...\"  \n  \n\"It's probably for the best,\" Rouge said, squeezing Tom's hand. \"I think-  \nno, I know... I made the right decision.\" Looking over at her daughter,   \nRouge spoke, \"Teal, you hooked up with the echidna. You outdid your   \nmother on that one... go on, you two be happy. Just... don't do anything   \nyou might regret, okay?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"You mean... yes, mom, I know...\"   \n  \nSlate said, \"don't worry, I'll be a perfect gentleman with Teal!\"   \n  \n\"You'd better,\" Knuckles shouted, \"if you do anything to hurt her,   \nyou won't have to worry about Rouge, because I'll break your neck, boy!\"  \n  \n\"HEY! Things are back to normal now!\" Karen shouted. \"What say we get   \nplans made for a celebration party! Make things right, you know?\"   \n  \n\"Sounds fun,\" Amy said. What do you say, Rouge?\"   \n  \nSmiling, Rouge responded, \"yes, we will... thank you, all of you.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nShadow watched the cleanup. \"Shadow?\" Turning, he found Rouge. \"Shouldn't  \nyou be helping them?\"   \n  \n\"They told me to take a break,\" he explained. \"I heard about the   \nconversation you had with the others. So they know what happened.\" He   \nsighed. \"If it matters, I do sometimes wish that I could have been more   \nopen to you, that I-\"  \n  \n\"Please stop, Shadow.\" Rouge had cut him off. \"I had a genuine interest   \nin you, but that was twenty years ago. I found Tom. He was the first  \none who appreciated who I was. The first who ever understood me. But   \nnow...\" She sighed, knowing she was about to say something very cruel.   \n\"Look at you! You haven't aged ONE DAY since we met. And I'm getting   \nolder. I'm in shape, I still look good, but I'm older. I'll be forty   \nsoon. I'll grow old and die, probably with Tom, while you'll still be   \nthe same then as you are now, as you were back then...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Turning away, she seemed almost resentful, but it was the truth. That's   \nin the past. I love Tom. I... I've always been by his side, he's always   \nbeen by mine. I've never even THOUGHT of cheating on him, or leaving   \nhim... we have a child. What we have together, what we do- forget that,   \nwhat Tom and I do together is none of your business anyway. But,   \nShadow... you're still my friend. And please, take care of Teal, she   \nneeds an ally in GUN. I know you will stand by her side, and by the side   \nof my family generations from now.\"  \n  \n\"Yes,\" he said. \"I will.\"  \n  \n------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRobotnik sat on a bench in the park. \"Doc,\" Sonic greeted. \"Amy's off  \nwith the others and the boys are helping the cleanup. Thought I'd check  \nto see how you're doing...\"  \n  \n\"Sonic... to think I once almost destroyed this planet.\" The old man  \nenjoyed watching the birds. \"To think one of my plans was almost  \nused by a machine. I have spent two decades making things right. I have  \nno family and the Robotnik name dies with me. But I believe my  \ngrandfather would be proud of me.\" The old man pulled bread fragments  \nfrom a bag, throwing them to the pigeons.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rising from the bench, Sonic left his old enemy alone. Tails was  \nstanding nearby. \"You know why I had to cut your adventure short,  \nright?\"   \n  \n\"I know, Ta- Miles...\" Sonic was sad that the days of big adventures   \nwere behind him.   \n  \nMiles spoke, \"those days are gone. I have an actual lab now with   \ngovernment funding and the best resources. I don't have to make things   \nout of leftover parts in small labs. I like saving the world the easy   \nway. And I know a hundred years from now, when none of us are still   \nhere, I'll leave something behind that can help keep the world safe.\"  \n  \nSonic looked out into the city. \"Until then, old friend... I'll be  \nhere. I'll keep this world safe as long as I'm alive.\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTwenty one years, four months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nJoints popped as the echidna stretched. The day's work was far from over,  \nbut in what brief rest time he had before the plane left, Knuckles was  \nready to allow some degree of rest. Sitting down, he flipped through the  \nsmall pile of mail. Nothing important, he set it back down.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;No.  \n  \nGrabbing the stack once more, he pulled out the envelope, sent from an  \noff-island address. 'Why do I know that name?' he thought, opening the  \nflap and pulling out a card. He was surprised to see a single wedding  \ninvitation.  \n  \n\"What'cha readin'?\" It was his wife, Karen.   \n  \n\"I remember her. That goofy girl who had that fantasy about me a few  \nyears ago.\"  \n  \nEyes cocked wide, she asked, \"who?\"  \n  \n\"That Linda.... the wolf girl.\"  \n  \nShe remembered. \"The one who pretended she was Rouge and fantasized  \nabout you? She's better not still be doing that or I'm gonna break her  \nmyself!\"  \n  \n\"I don't think so,\" he explained, showing her the card. \"I have to fly  \nto Central City with that shipment of oranges and we won't be due back  \nuntil the plane refuels. Maybe I should go see what's up.\"  \n  \n\"Be careful,\" Karen murmured, feeling a bit uneasy. \"She fantasized a sex  \nlife with you. And she fantasized she was someone else... like Rouge was  \neven good enough for my little hunk... I don't trust her.\"  \n  \nGrunting, he let his frustration show. \"Like it or not, Slate's dating her  \ndaughter, so cut it out. I don't need to start trouble with them or   \nSlate's gonna disown us.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I know...\" Sighing loudly, Karen plopped her butt on the couch. \"Just   \nthat Rouge always had an arrogant temper. Maybe if she'd told us her   \nmother'd died instead of going all psycho... and she just found out she's  \ngot a sister. You're not telling her about this, are you?\"  \n  \n\"Hell no!\" Knuckles shouted. \"I didn't tell her when this happened,  \nI'm NOT telling her now. She finds out someone was drawing pictures of  \nthe two of us screwing and she'll wave it over my head until the day I  \ndie. I will NOT give her some disgusting flag to wave in my face.\"   \nPausing, he finally said, \"at least her daughter doesn't act like that.\"  \n  \nKaren knew what he meant. \"Definitely takes after her father's side.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \nIt would take two hours for refueling and pre-flight maintenance and  \ninspection before they would return home. Enough time for Knuckles to  \nhead to Empire City and visit the wolf. The address on the envelope   \nmatched the one he'd visited years before, so finding the apartment hadn't  \nbeen a challenge.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;It was knocking that was the challenge. Standing before the door, his fist  \nraised, he simply stood in spot, hesitating. he could walk away, toss the   \ninvitation, be done with this silliness.  \n  \nStill considering his options, the door opened. \"Knuckles?\" The wolf  \nwas standing before him. She looked different. Better clothes, different  \ngrooming, and the tattoo had been removed. Furthermore, the creeping  \nsense of isolation he'd felt from this room was no longer present. The  \nwalls were free of artwork and light was actually entering from the  \nwindows.  \n  \n\"About this...\" he greeted, holding out the card.  \n  \n\"Oh, that. Come in. Coffee?\"  \n  \nHe responded blandly, \"no. I'm in a hurry.\"  \n  \n\"I'm getting married. After you left me the last time, I changed a lot.\"  \n  \n\"I can see that,\" he mumbled.  \n  \nShe continued, \"it wasn't easy. Actually, for a month after that, I stayed   \nin here, crying. Tore up my drawings and ripped up my stories. Then one   \nday I just went outside for some reason. I stopped wanting to be the bat  \nand started being myself.\"  \n  \n\"Hmm...\" Knuckles remembered leaving that day. Chewing her out and walking  \noff without a thought to what she might do.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"It was stupid, I know. All I knew about Rouge was that she had   \neverything. Except for you, but I guess she wanted something else.\"  \n  \n\"Don't say anything but I didn't really want her, either.\"  \n  \nTurning her head slightly, Linda asked, \"why was that?\"  \n  \nHe responded dryly, \"lots of reasons.\"  \n  \n\"I know about the Master Emerald and that stuff,\" she pointed out, \"but  \nwhat else?\"  \n  \nStaring her down, he simply answered, \"it doesn't matter. Not to you,  \nnot to her, not to anyone.\"  \n  \n\"Fair enough. Just that I got into all that, maybe part of me still   \nwonders what really happened. I based everything on a fantasy. I know  \nI shouldn't be thinking about it anymore, but still... anyway, I didn't  \nthink you'd actually show up at my wedding but I sent it anyway.\"  \n  \n\"We'll see,\" he said, turning away. \"I have to go. Good luck with your  \nlife.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------------  \n  \nHaving returned to Central City, it was time to leave, and that seemed to  \nlet him down. Slate was probably here, with Teal, but he couldn't stop  \nby and see his own son before his flight left. He could technically stay   \nand return on his own, but there was still work to be done before the   \nday's end. He had no choice but to return to the airport.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Asshole!\"  \n  \nThe shout confused him. Pausing, Knuckles spotted the source of the   \ninsult. Some dirty ball of hair, of some species the echidna couldn't  \nbegin to guess, had insulted him for no reason. It was clear the man   \nhadn't bathed, nor even had proper shelter, and the bald scar on his   \nforehead looked as if it hadn't even been properly bandaged when it was  \nstill fresh.  \n  \nIt wasn't important. Stepping forward, Knuckles resumed his walk.  \n  \n\"I called you an ASSHOLE! What are you going to do about it, you worthless  \nturd?\"  \n  \n\"Nothing,\" he responded angrily. You're not worth it.\"  \n  \nUnwavered by that, the hairball shouted, \"and you're not worth the dirty  \nwhore you go home and screw, either!\"  \n  \nGrowling now, he'd been willing to shrug off personal insults. But   \nhis wife was different. \"You leave Karen alone, you bum!\"  \n  \n\"Or what?\" The furball was swaggering wildly. \"You're some loser with   \na small weiner!\"  \n  \nRushing forth, the echidna sent his fist downward, kidney punching the  \nstranger. Crumpling to the ground, whimpering in pain, the hairball   \nwent silent. Still feeling the anger, Knuckles stomped down on the  \nfurball's crotch.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;He laughed. The joke was on Knuckles. \"Some nasty whore bat took those   \nfrom me a long time ago because she wouldn't put out like I asked! At  \nleast they don't hurt no more!\"  \n  \n\"This will,\" Knuckles remarked, foot to the ribs. Walking away, he still  \nhad a fight to catch. However, he considered what the man had just said.  \n'Bat? He didn't mean...' The idea was perhaps too strange. He knew Rouge  \nwould be capable of something like that but not typically prone to  \nsuch violence unless she was threatened or her family was threatened.   \n'Maybe... still, might wanna keep that in mind as another reason to keep   \non her good side.'  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTwenty two years, two months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge moaned as Tom kissed her naked flesh. \"Birthday girl...\"   \n  \n\"Not yet, Tom,\" Rouge scolded. \"Not for three more hours. I still have   \nmy youth for three more hours.\"   \n  \nKissing down her arm, Tom remarked, \"afraid of turning forty? I thought   \nyou'd be taking this like a fine, mature woman...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"A woman has pride in her youth.\" Leaning back, she enjoyed his gentle  \ntouches.   \n  \n\"You don't look a day over twenty five,\" he commented, kissing around   \nher belly button.   \n  \nShe said, \"I'd have preferred eighteen...\"  \n  \n\"You didn't have that little six pack when you were eighteen,\" he  \njoked, noting the slight bit of muscle she showed off. Working down  \nslowly, he waited as his wife parted her legs.   \n  \n\"My pussy held up?\" she begged, hoping it was one part that had retained   \nits youthful look.   \n  \n\"As nice as it did the first time,\" he said, kissing around it.   \n  \nShe laughed at her thoughts. \"I'd have thought after more than twenty   \nyears of sex, and a baby, it'd be all stretched and baggy.\"  \n  \n\"Thought you did that leg exercise?\" Slowly easing his middle finger   \ninside, he took note of the tightness. \"Damned if it isn't tighter now  \nthan when we first started doing it...\"  \n  \n\"Muscles are muscles, Tom,\" Rouge remarked, \"and a workout is a workout.\"  \nPulling the skin back to reveal her clitoris, Thomas paused, Rouge's  \nanticipation building.   \n  \n\"Don't feel bad about turning forty. Lots of women let themselves go.   \nYou didn't. Now, when I get done licking you, we're going to make love   \nfor a few hours. Sound like something a used up old woman would be   \ndoing?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;She growled, saying, \"smooth talker... hey, wait.\" He held off. \"Tom...  \nyou still willing to try and have another baby with me?\"   \n  \n\"We're going to have another kid, yes. It's not too late.\" She found it   \nstrange that he said 'will', but not 'try'. Spitting directly onto her,   \nTom's tongue began to glide up and down, gently but forcefully pushing   \nthrough the skin, the tip flicking her clit hard.   \n  \nShe screamed out in pleasure. \"YEAH! Oh... do me with your tongue!\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTaking Tom's hand, Rouge stepped from the bathtub, the couple drying off.  \n\"Party's gonna start in two hours. I'd have made it a surprise party  \nbut you'd be expecting it anyway, so what'd be the point?\" he said,  \ngrabbing his robe. The ringing phone took their attention. \"I got it.\"  \nStepping into the bedroom, he answered the phone as Rouge grabbed her   \ndeodorant and perfumes, gently applying them. Looking in the mirror,  \nshe liked what she saw. A mature, older woman with a youthful vigor  \nand a well-maintained body.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;She took note of the spikes of fur around her neck. Rouge had always kept  \nthem neatly trimmed. Perhaps, she thought, she might let them grow out a   \nbit and change her look some.  \n  \n\"... no I don't want to press charges...\"   \n  \nRouge's ears picked it up. Stepping into the bedroom, she asked, \"what   \nwas that about?\"  \n  \nTom explained, \"Police. Some teenage girl shoplifted a few things from  \nthe store in the office. She ran out and got hit by a car. Broke her  \nleg. I told the cops to let it go. Sounds like she's got enough to   \nworry about.\"  \n  \n\"I don't care about some cheap jars of jelly anyway.\" Rouge didn't see  \nthe point of giving a criminal record to someone over trivial goods.  \nOr much anything. She'd been an excellent thief at one point.  \n  \nKissing his wife, Tom dug out his clothes. \"Anyway, lady, we have a  \nparty to get ready for. Teal's probably already there and I don't  \nwant to keep them waiting too long.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe birthday party was full. Club Rouge had been closed off for a private  \nouting, just friends. Rouge felt a sense of comfort, having made  \namends with everyone. Even Knuckles treated her better. Presents stacked  \non the roulette tables, a pile of empty boxes tossed onto the craps  \ntable, a cute little joke Victoria had come up with.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;As she reached for another gift, her cell phone went off. \"Oh, for the  \nlove of- hold on, I'll tell them to call back.\" She answered the  \ncall. The crowd watched as her face turned to a look of shock and  \nsurprise. She closed the phone. \"Tom... that was the hospital. They said  \nmy SISTER is there...\"   \n  \n\"But you don't have a sister... not that we know, anyway.\" Tom was a bit   \nconcerned. The hospital had probably made a mistake.  \n  \n\"You should go and see for yourself,\" Robotnik suggested. \"The party  \nwill await your return.\"   \n  \nTom was asking her something, her mind finally clearing to hear, \"which   \nhospital?\"   \n  \n\"Central City!\" she shouted.  \n  \n\"Okay, we're going. Find out what this is about... Teal, you stay here  \nand keep the guests occupied. We'll be back as soon as we can.\"  \n  \nGrabbing her hand, Tom ran from the casino. Teal was left behind to  \ndeal with dozens of people. \"Huh... okay...\" She thought of something to  \ndo. \"Well then... what did people get my mother?\" She looked through  \nthe opened boxes and stacks of gifts, selecting one at random.   \n'Oh wow,' she thought, 'I don't know if I'm old enough yet to see this...  \nor touch it...' Holding it up, the girl shouted, \"okay, which one of you  \nsick freaks got my mother THIS?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge ran into Central City Hospital, Thomas barely keeping up with her.  \nShe found a doctor at the main desk. \"I'm Rouge Adriani, I was called  \nabout-\"   \n  \n\"Right, your sister was brought in earlier,\" the doctor responded. \"We   \nhad some difficulty identifying her. No ID on her so we ran her blood   \nthrough the database to see if she'd been here before. We didn't find   \nthat, but we did...\"  \n  \n\"You matched her to me by DNA. I see... I wasn't aware I even had a  \nhalf-sister, but I guess with mom being such a...\" She trailed off.  \n  \nThe doctor spoke, \"I'm afraid you don't understand. The genetic match  \nis complete. She isn't your half-sister. That would mean you share  \nonly one parent.\"  \n  \n\"You mean...\" Rouge was dazed. \"My father also... that's impossible,  \nmy father never stayed around!\" Rouge was suddenly angry. \"I ran  \naway from home when I was thirteen and never ONCE did that loser  \nshow up in my life. I don't believe you...\"  \n  \n\"It's possible, actually...\" The doctor collected the patient file.  \n\"She's only a teenager. Right, she was the one with the broken leg  \nbrought in earlier by-\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The police, right?\" Tom asked.   \n  \n\"Yes, how'd you know?\"  \n  \n\"The shoplifter the cops called about earlier,\" Rouge blurted out.  \n\"So what? You were going to put her leg in a cast and kick her out onto  \nthe streets?\"   \n  \n\"Of course not,\" the doctor defended, \"if an underage patient has   \nnowhere to go then we keep them until they're well.\" Rouge closed her   \neyes.  \n  \n\"Let me see the DNA chart.\" Without a word, he handed the chart over.   \nRouge could read DNA comparison reports, it was a skill she'd learned   \nearly on in GUN.  \n  \nThe similar markers were no mistake. \"I want to see her.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge opened the door. In the bed sat a female bat with white fur,  \na lock of it grown out and hanging over her face. The girl's leg was  \nin a cast, suspended by a hanging sling. Looking over, the girl asked,  \n\"who are you? You're not my mother...\"  \n  \n\"I-\" Rouge didn't know what to day. She had seen the DNA chart and  \nit didn't matter if the girl believed her. \"I'm your sister.\"  \n  \nThe girl made a disgusting sound. \"I don't have a sister and you're  \nold.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Really? How old was mom when you were born?\"   \n  \nThe girl went quiet. Se replied, \"past forty. Umm...\"  \n  \nSitting beside the bed, Rouge explained, \"I left home when I was   \nthirteen. I ran away.\"   \n  \n\"So where is mom? Guess she'll have to pay my hospital bills... or not,   \nlike she's got the money. I just wanna go home.\"  \n  \n\"Mom...\" Rouge didn't want to have to recall the memory. \"Our mother  \ndied about two years ago.\"   \n  \nTurning over, the girl grabbed a pillow. \"Doesn't matter anyway. Only   \ntime she ever paid attention to me was when dad came back. Then he died   \nand mom got like she used to be.\"  \n  \n\"Don't say that,\" Rouge scolded. \"Mom was... horrible. But she was our   \nmother. Dad... the DNA tests they ran say we have the same father.\"  \n  \nThe girl replied, \"all I know about dad was he knew mom from long before.  \nHe showed up when I was about four, thought he was getting too old to  \nrun around and he and mom hooked up for a bit. Then dad died when I was  \nseven and mom went back to how she was.\" The girl seemed to be sad.  \n\"I kinda liked dad.\"  \n  \nRouge took the girl's hand. She flinched, but allowed it. \"What's your  \nname?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The girl answered, \"June.\"   \n  \n\"June... you don't have anywhere to go, do you?\"   \n  \nThe girl shook her head. \"I was only stealing 'cause I was hungry. Then   \ngot my leg busted. Probably go to jail anyway when they're done with me   \nhere.\"  \n  \n\"No. You robbed from a store I own. We're not pressing charges.\"  \n  \n\"We?\" June inquired.   \n  \n\"Yes,\" Rouge explained, \"my husband and I.\"   \n  \nThe girl's eyes widened. \"Hey, you're the one who's sometimes in the   \nnewspapers! I've seen your picture!\"   \n  \nRouge waited for the girl to say her name. It never happened. \"What's   \nwrong?\"  \n  \n\"I... I only saw the pictures. I can't read.\" June seemed ashamed.  \n  \nA hand placed on her shoulder. \"How old are you, June?\"   \n  \nShe answered, \"sixteen. You?\"   \n  \nRouge seemed hesitant to blurt out her age, but answered, \"I turned   \nforty today. You're the same age as my daughter, actually.\"   \n  \n\"Oh, damn,\" June said, \"I have a niece who's my age.\"  \n  \n\"You want to stay with me?\" Rouge's eyes seemed to almost beg.   \n  \n\"I don't have anywhere to go.\"   \n  \n\"Then it's settled. When they release you, you're going home with me.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;June asked, \"you even have room?\"  \n  \nShe laughed. \"Plenty of room. Let me call my daughter and tell her to  \nget ready.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"But what about all these people?\" Teal shouted into the phone. She  \nsighed. \"Okay, mom, I'll tell them...\" Clicking her cell phone shut,  \nTeal had to get everyone's attention. \"Hey! Listen!\" No one could   \nhear her. Running to the security room, she activated the intercom.   \n\"Listen please! Everyone is to go to the mansion immediately! The  \nparty is moving!\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTom stopped the car at the front door. Rouge opened June's door, helping  \nher stand with the crutches. She helped her sister to the front door.  \nTom opened it, finding the main hall filled with people. \"Teal got   \neveryone here, looks like,\" he said.  \n  \nJune looked into the crowd. Rouge said, \"everyone... meet June. She's  \nmy sister.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal opened her bedroom door, allowing June to walk in. \"Guess you'll  \nbe staying in my room for now. I'll get a spare bed set up in a minute.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;June sat on the edge of the bed. Her leg hurt and the painkillers  \nweren't doing much good. \"Your dad is human...\"  \n  \nSmiling gently, Teal thought of something to say. \"Uh... yeah, he is.\"  \n  \n\"Nice house... so, nice party. Rouge has a lot of friends, I guess.\"  \n  \nTeal wanted to ask something that had been on her mind. \"Was grandma  \nreally as bad as mom says?\"   \n  \nJune didn't seem to be paying attention, but finally answered, \"yeah,   \nI guess so. She never hit me, but there were times I wished she would...   \njust so she'd show me that she knew I was there.\"  \n  \n\"I think mom had some issues with wanting to be accepted. It's probably  \nwhy she latched onto dad like she did when they met,\" Teal replied.  \n  \n\"How'd they hook up?\" June inquired, curious as to the history.  \n  \nShe explained briefly, \"dad was sick. Mom saved his life, got him to  \na hospital in time and it kinda went from there. I think it worked out  \nbest for mom, too, I know she had some problems with guys back then.\"  \n  \nJune wasn't too interested in family history at the moment, and Teal  \ncould tell just by looking at her. \"Right... bathroom's there,\"  \nshe said, pointing to the door. \"I have a date later, so if you need  \nanything while I'm gone, just ask mom or dad. But knock first.\"  \nShe paused, a bit embarrassed to mention it. \"They, uhh... like to  \nget romantic, so just knock first.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Gotcha. No servants? This is a mansion, you got to have servants,   \nright?\" June was surprised to have seen no maids or butlers.   \n  \nTeal answered, \"never had them. Mom and dad like privacy. We just have   \ncleaners come through occasionally. But if you need anything, just find   \none of us, okay?\"  \n  \nGrabbing the radio, June fiddled with the knobs. \"Mind if I listen  \nto something?\"   \n  \n\"Go ahead,\" Teal replied. \"I mostly like rock and mom's into girly,   \nupbeat jazz stuff. Dad... doesn't seem big on music. So try the radio   \nif none of my stuff is what you wanna hear.\"  \n  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n\"Tom...\" Rouge lay on her side. \"You ever think you might have a  \nbrother or sister you don't know about?\"   \n  \n\"Never gave it much thought,\" he said. \"I know I'm an only child.\"   \nSighing, he hit on an unpleasant thought. \"But I wouldn't put it past   \ndad to have fooled around. Not like my parents were ever happily   \nmarried to begin with.\"  \n  \nRouge's head was spinning. It was still much to take in. Laying down,  \nTom kissed her gently. \"You're going to talk with her, aren't you?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I'll let her rest first. Her leg probably hurts. And I don't know  \nwhat to say yet. It's too much for me. My sister is the same age as  \nmy own daughter. But I don't want to treat her like a teenager or a   \nkid!\"  \n  \n\"You're worried that she might run off, aren't you?\" He held his wife  \ntight. \"You won't let that happen. I know you.\"   \n  \nShe crawled on top of him. \"Tom... I'm stressed out. I need comfort.\"   \nRouge kissed him, gently, firmly, then rough. Pulling back slightly,   \nher tongue still on his lips, Rouge pulled her blouse free of her skirt.   \n\"I don't want to get too wrapped up, okay? Quickie?\"   \n  \nGently undoing each button, Tom pulled her blouse open, tugging down on   \nthe bra. \"lock the door.\"  \n  \nShe ran to the door, pushing in the lock button and returned to bed.  \nTom sat against the headboard. She tried to straddle him, but he stopped   \nher. \"That'd take too long. Back to me.\" She complied, sitting across   \nhis lap, legs parted, wings flattened out. His hand went down the front   \nof Rouge's skirt, fingers through pubic fur, downward.   \n  \n\"I feel better already...\" she muttered as he began to rub gently.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Tom's right hand cupped her breast, gently pinching and pulling on the  \nnipple as his left pushed through the folds of skin. Her left hand  \ngrabbed his right. Rouge loved rubbing their wedding rings together  \nwhenever they were intimate. But she could feel it, his dick getting  \nhard, straining on his pants. \"I'm not being very fair to you, am  \nI?\"   \n  \n\"How so?\" he asked, kissing the back of her head.   \n  \nRising, she turned to face him. \"You're pleasing me, making me feel   \nbetter and I'm just sitting here and enjoying it... look at you, Tom!   \nLook at this...\" Reaching down, she unzipped him, yanking his pants down   \njust enough. \"I want to make love. Fingering me is nice but I want   \nthis.\"  \n  \n\"I'm an idiot,\" he said, \"you're fertile right now and I completely  \nforgot.\"   \n  \n\"You're not an idiot,\" she assured, \"I'm just a bit selfish at times...   \nbut I am fertile. I just-\" She paused, gently easing down onto him. \"- I   \njust get so carried away and right now my mind is a mess. Right now I   \njust want to do this and forget about all that, even for a few   \nminutes...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Without response, he simply kissed his wife, the woman he loved, the  \nwoman he had been with for twenty two years. Rouge closed her eyes,  \ntaking his hand, wedding rings connected. Her wings closed around them  \nas she began to ease up and down, lost in the pleasure. Time lost meaning.  \nRouge simply sprang up and down, gaining speed, her lips never leaving  \nhis.  \n  \nThe bat was too enthralled with the act to even notice how close she  \nwas to orgasm, and was practically shocked when she came, vagina  \ncontracting tight as her husband ejaculated with her. She enjoyed that,  \nalways had, feeling his sperm firing off inside of her. Rouge moaned  \nthrough the kiss, her voice straining, her lungs trying to pull air  \nin.  \n  \nRelaxing her wings, he pulled back. \"Feel better?\" he asked. She grinned.  \nLooking at the clock, Rouge noted the time. It tad taken them seven  \nminutes. \"Wanna get cleaned up?\"   \n  \n\"Not now. I want to sit here.\" Leaning forward, Rouge Adriani kissed   \nTom's neck.   \n  \n\"Kinda wish you would have pulled your panties off first, but oh well.\"   \n  \n\"Oh... they get too much down there?\" She felt a bit stupid. No doubt   \nher panties, even pulled aside, rubbed against him.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Not too bad. You were rather wet so it wasn't too rough on me. You want  \nto cuddle now?\" She hugged tight. It wasn't enough to have sex. She   \nwanted to sit and enjoy it after, two lovers still basking in each  \nother's presence. Pulling her hand up, he rubbed is wedding ring  \nagainst hers as his free hand took her head, gently caressing an ear.  \n\"Love you, Rouge...\"   \n  \nShe moaned. \"Love you, Tom, always...\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal entered the house. Night was about to fall and her date was over.  \nSlate understood that she needed to cut it short, given the family  \nsituation at home. She found her parents in the living room, a table  \nset up with June's leg propped up. \"Teal,\" Tom greeted.   \n  \n\"Dad. I, uh... already ate, actually.\" The steak sat, taunting her.   \n\"Screw it, that looks delicious!\" she shouted, running for the plates   \nand grabbing the roast meat.  \n  \n\"Eww...\" June remarked. \"Meat.\"   \n  \n\"What?\" Teal defended. \"Oh... you're like mom. No meat. Hey, not my   \nfault I inherited dad's digestive system.\" Teal wasn't ashamed to have   \ncertain advantages over other bats of her lineage.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rouge scolded, \"be nice, Teal.\"   \n  \nThe girl sheepishly apologized, \"sorry.\"  \n  \n\"I found some old books on learning how to read, but they all looked  \nlike baby books.\" June picked at her bowl of fruit.   \n  \nTeal said, \"but I was a baby...\"   \n  \n\"Teal, June wants to learn how to read. Can you help her?\" Rouge smiled.   \n  \n\"Uh... sure. If I don't get called away by GUN for something-\"   \n  \n\"I already notified them you need a vacation from work for family   \nbusiness,\" Rouge explained.   \n  \nTeal cut her steak. \"Just as well... it's been quiet. I'll see if I  \ncan buy some educational books made for older people, not the baby  \nbooks I have, okay?\"   \n  \nTom looked over at his wife. He could see it on her face, a desire to   \nget to know her sister. \"Teal, why don't we give them some time alone?\"   \n  \nRouge spoke, \"you don't have to-\"  \n  \n\"You two talk, okay, mom?\" Teal grabbed her plate, following her  \nfather into the kitchen.   \n  \n\"So... sis, what'd you wanna talk about?\"  \n  \nRouge closed her eyes. \"Tell me about my father. Please...\"  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \nTwenty two years, three months have passed  \n  \n  \n-------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTeal stacked the books. Educational materials that had been purchased to   \naid in June's literacy lessons. Her leg was healing well and she already  \nhad a basic reading level. The girl carefully wrote sentences, learning  \nbasic sentence structure and pronunciation. \"You're getting better  \nat this,\" Teal complimented. \"But, uh... well, I guess I know why grandma  \ndidn't teach you, but why didn't grandpa teach you how to read if he  \nwas around?\"  \n  \n\"He couldn't read,\" June explained. Finished with her work, she handed  \nthe papers to Teal so they could be reviewed. June's eyes noticed  \nsomething odd. \"Wow... you have five toes on each foot.\"   \n  \nHer curiosity piqued, Teal looked down. She wasn't wearing socks. \"Yeah,   \none of those things I got from dad. I usually forget that mom only has   \nfour toes on each foot.\"  \n  \nMarking the mistakes, Teal finished and set the papers down. \"Basic  \nmistakes, spelling, but you're getting a lot better.\"   \n  \nGrabbing a book, June tossed it aside. She didn't feel like reading more   \nkid's books today. \"You going out on a date again?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yeah, I'm meeting Slate in an hour. What about you, ever have any  \nboyfriends?\"   \n  \nLooking away, June seemed to shudder. \"I- I don't want to talk about   \nthat now.\"   \n  \n\"I didn't mean anything by it,\" Teal said apologetically.   \n  \nJune replied, \"don't stress. I just- I'm not interested in one right   \nnow. Sis gonna be busy tonight?\"  \n  \nLetting out a gust of air, Teal answered, \"mom's on her fertile  \ndays right now, so they'll be locked in the bedroom all night.\"  \n  \nPicking up the radio, June commented, \"guess I'll leave them alone  \nthen. I can get around on my own good enough. You go have fun.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nRouge was on the bed, knees down, her head flat and arms cradled  \nbehind her ears. Licking her lips, she moaned loud, screaming her head  \noff. Being taken from behind was rather rare for her as Tom preferred  \nto look her in the eyes, but she was able to talk him into it on  \noccasion. While she missed the passionate kissing and eye contact,  \nthis position put her g-spot into place to be hit the hardest while her  \nlover was thrusting, an act which Thomas did with practiced  \nexperience.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Her screams only encouraged him, hands gripping her butt, occasionally  \ngiving her a light spank and stroking her tail. He asked, \"you ready?\"  \nIt was his word that he was about to finish.   \n  \n\"YES! I can't hold it much more! Fill me, bad boy!\" Rouge screamed, the   \nforce against her g-spot finally past the limit. The bat squirted, her   \nliquid spraying Tom's balls and legs. With several hard, sharp thrusts,   \nhe jizzed, pumping every last drop into his wife.  \n  \nCatching her breath, Rouge was exhausted. Her wings were stretched out,  \ntoes curled tight, and her lungs were sore. She could feel the sweat  \nall over her body. Regaining some degree of composure, she rolled  \nonto her back. Climbing onto bed, Tom lay beside her, just as sweaty as  \nshe was. She grinned, grabbing is dick. \"Still a bit hard... hmm,  \nbeen a while since I titty banged you. Actually...\" She thought about  \nit. \"At least five years. I owe you.\"  \n  \n\"Sure you want to waste any?\"   \n  \nLicking her lips, she said, \"if I do get pregnant we'll be taking a   \nbreak. Might as well go all out with the kinky stuff!\" Rouge slowly   \nstroked him for encouragement.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"When you put it that way...\" he commented, gently straddling her   \nstomach. The sweat was lubricating, dripping between her breasts as   \nshe parted them to let him in between. He slid on her stomach, the   \nsweat and spray from her pussy doing nothing but allowing him to slide   \neasily, which he liked.  \n  \nHer double-d breasts pressed tight on his penis. Rouge knew that by   \npushing in on them even slightly, she could control how intense   \nthis was.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes moved down, watching as the tip slid in and out,  \npoking out from between with each gentle push. \"Tom, I ever tell  \nyou that the little hole in the end is just too adorable?\"  \n  \n\"You're only saying that 'cause that's where it comes out. This is  \ngoing to take a while, you know that?\"   \n  \nShe replied, \"I don't care. This feels pretty good.\" Rouge couldn't help   \nit. Feeling it sliding back and forth between her tits was amazing.   \nHowever, it offered no real reeling of love.   \n  \nTom wasn't into it, he was still recovering from sex. \"Want to get in   \nthe tub instead?\"   \n  \n\"Yeah. Well, better wait a bit, okay?\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Rolling off her, he said, \"let the sperm sit a bit and see if it swims   \nup?\"  \n  \n\"Just lay here and cuddle with me.\" He did so, forehead to hers. \"Tom,  \ndo I still really look young?\"   \n  \n\"I think you have a couple wrinkles started, but don't worry about it.\"   \n  \nShe let out a weak sigh. \"I knew I wouldn't be young forever. But it's   \nokay. As long as I'm with you I don't mind getting old.\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nShadow had stopped by briefly. His communicator was dead and he needed  \nto contact GUN. The Adriani mansion was the closest outlet he knew of.  \nWalking on her crutch, June was in the kitchen. The girl was thirsty  \nand bored. Being unable to do much with a broken leg was driving her   \ncrazy. Rouge watched her step entering the kitchen, avoiding bumping  \ninto her sister.  \n  \nJune looked through the doorway. \"Hey... I know him.\"   \n  \n\"Yes, that's Shadow. An old friend. You might have heard about him on   \nthe news,\" Rouge explained, grabbing two empty cups. \"He's leaving   \nsoon, though.\"  \n  \n\"No,\" June spoke, \"I mean... I'm sure of it.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Sure of what?\"  \n  \nJune recognized the black fur with red streaks and the shoes. \"I was   \nabout eight at the time. He came over to the house and met with mom.\"  \n  \n\"Shadow? Oh... Tom had him check up on her every so often, that was  \nprobably it.\"  \n  \n\"No... Rouge... I know he had sex with mom. He stayed a bit then left  \nbut I heard them. Another one of her revolving door sex partners...\"  \n  \nRouge was breathing erratically. \"June... please tell me it wasn't  \nhim. Please...\"   \n  \nThe girl replied, \"I- no, it was him. Those spikes, that same look of   \ndarkness and sadness. I know he saw me, too, he looked right at me. I   \nwas playing in the living room when he came by and he looked right at   \nme. It's the same man...\"  \n  \nShe was angry. Furious. Stepping into the living room, she smacked  \nShadow hard. \"You! You... how could you?\" Shadow was prepared to  \nstrike back. He had no idea what caused this, but then he saw June,  \nthe bat girl, grown up but it was her. \"You slept with my mother!  \nYou knew I had a sister and you ever told me!\"   \n  \nHe became defensive. \"You acted as if you didn't care about your  \nmother.\"   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"What about me?\" June was angry. \"I have a sister, a rich sister who   \ncoulda got me away from that mean old woman and you let me stay there!\"  \n  \n\"You son of a bitch!\" Turning, Shadow saw Tom. \"I told you to keep an eye  \non Rouge's mother to make sure she was doing well, NOT to go screw  \nher! Bad enough you did THAT but to keep THIS a secret? Get out of my  \nhouse!\"  \n  \nShadow was stunned. His secret was out, and it was too late for him to  \nunderstand why this was a big deal. Fear had overridden his ability to  \nbecome angry. Running from the house, he brushed past Teal. Curious,  \nshe went inside to find her mother crying and shaking. \"What happened?\"  \n  \n\"Shadow did something bad,\" Tom responded.   \n  \n\"What? He hurt mom?\" Teal was scared.   \n  \n\"No, Teal,\" Rouge muttered. \"He did something worse...\"  \n  \n---------------------------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nShadow had spent the day nervous, thinking about his actions. He was  \nafraid. Rouge had invited him to talk. Slowly, he opened the door to   \ntheir mansion. In the living room, he found them, waiting.\u0026nbsp; \"Shadow,\"   \nRouge greeted. \"Please, we need to talk about this.\" Sitting, he looked   \nat them. \"Shadow... what's done is done. Sometimes I forget what you   \nreally are. You're from the Black Arms, a race that I don't believe ever   \nknew what love was. But somehow I believe you're better than they were.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;She took a sip of her orange juice. \"I believe you can understand  \nlove but it's not something you fully understand yet.\"  \n  \nHe sighed. \"I had regrets about us, and when I went to visit her that  \nday... she came on to me.\"   \n  \n\"I see,\" Rouge said.   \n  \n\"Mom was pushy about that kinda stuff,\" June spoke, \"in a bad way. I   \nthink she could get any man she wanted, as old as she was.\"  \n  \n\"That's what happened. She grabbed me and...\" Shadow didn't want to go   \non.   \n  \nRouge said, \"it turned you on to have a woman touching you. I know that,   \nwith what happened to Maria, you're afraid to form a bond with anyone.   \nBut when you saw my mother, she just wanted sex and nothing else. But   \nthere's June. You should have told me about her.\"  \n  \n\"I didn't know she was your sister,\" he defended. \" She was someone  \nelse's kid for all I knew. Your mother never told me who she was.\"  \n  \nTom sighed. \"Probably wouldn't have much mattered. The courts never  \nwould have taken custody away from the mother. GUN could have  \ninfluenced things but it might have taken years.\"  \n  \nRouge was still angry inside, but she let it go. \"I don't even know  \nhow the Black Arms treated their children. Guess we won't know,   \nsince they were wiped out. Shadow, I have something to say that might  \nhurt your feelings.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;He said nothing. \"The day after I brought Tom home from the hospital,  \nI had a nightmare that he had died, and you were there, coming on to  \nme. And it scared me. Funny as it sounds, Tom taught me that it's  \nmore than physical attraction. A LOT more... as much as I liked you,  \nnow, I don't believe our personalities would have matched too well and  \nI stand by what I said a few months ago. I'm getting old and you're  \nnot. I kept thinking I should treat you like a normal person, but  \nyou're not normal. You don't work that way.\"  \n  \nShe walked towards him. \"But don't think you're alone. I understand you   \nnow. Please don't be angry. I'm still your friend no matter what.\"  \n  \nHe turned. \"I'm sorry I let you down. I'll try better in the future.\"  \nWithout a word, he left the mansion. Rouge let him go, knowing he  \nwould need time to think.  \n  \nJune grabbed her crutches. \"That's done... anyway, I'm going to bed.\"  \n  \nHobbling off, June left them alone. \"You handled that well,\" Tom  \nremarked, proud of his wife. \"But... you had a dream like that?\"  \n  \n\"Please don't remind me about those nightmares I used to have...\"  \nSitting beside him, Rouge rested her head against his chest, listening  \nto his heartbeat.  \n  \n\n","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/709087-sonic-the-hedgehog-the-series-part-4.json"}