Rouge The Bat: Mature Goddess

Rouge and Tom have been married for twenty four years and two months
as of this chapter.

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The roof of the Adriani mansion was flat, a nice place for bats to hang
out at night. However, Teal felt no kinship to the tiny bats that
fluttered around in the night air, although sometimes she found them
to be cute little animals.

Laying in the cold November air, she looked up at the stars. June
was nearby. Tiff was working late in the GUN records department,
leaving her without her girlfriend.

"Three more months..." "Yep. We're going to look at that apartment
tomorrow," Teal noted. "I'll miss this place but I won't be too
far away. Close to my family, close to work..."

"I don't know. I wouldn't wanna move into someplace that's smaller
than my own ROOM is..." June commented.

Teal replied, "well, that's not what I'm worried about."

"Right..." June laughed. "You just wanna get it on with him without
us around."

Mildly offended, she shouted back, "hey, not my fault I'm not such
a whore like pure bats are!" Quickly, she added, "I didn't mean that!
I..."

"I know," June said.

"Hey, just because we haven't done it yet doesn't mean we aren't going
to make some noise in the sheets!" Closing her eyes, Teal thought
about it. "Just because mom and dad do it about every day doesn't mean
sex is everything... not like I don't finger every few days."

"Whoa! Teal..." June smiled. "so you do like it! Good girl!"

Ignoring her aunt, she said, "working at GUN can be a lot of stress.
Helps me unwind... what do you care? I'm going to be sleeping with
a man."

June took offense. "Just because I'm lez doesn't mean I'd never do a
guy. Just... to find out what it's like. Maybe if I get curious I'll
ask sis to let me three-way with her and Tom."

"EWW!" Teal shook at the mental image. "That's my DAD! And mom's your
sister! Nasty!" She decided to go for a second blow. "Anyway, I'm sure
dad would probably turn you down. He's too attached to mom for something
ike that."

"Tiff would probably freak out anyway." Standing, June flapped her wings.
"I'm going back in."

"I'm staying up here." teal watched her fly off.


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Central City was a busy place, the two families walking along the
streets. Teal's apartment was selected. Her and Slate would begin
moving in their belongings soon.

Holding Slate's hand, Teal was absent minded, stumbling over a loose
piece of sidewalk. The bat girl felt her engagement ring slip off,
watching helplessly as it bounced across solid cement, falling into
a grating. "NO! My ring!" Pulling up, she ran for it, her arm barely
able to squeeze through. It didn't matter. The ring was too far deep.

Knuckles gripped the grating. "Knuckles! What's that going to do?"
Rouge shouted.

"I'll get her ring back!" he shouted, gripping the bars.

She scolded, "you can't fit through that. You tear that open and the
police will be here!"

Teal was ready to cry. Slate held her. "I can make you a new ring, it's
okay."

"No, it's NOT okay!" Knuckles shouted. "We're gonna get that ring outta
there!"

On one knee for a better look, Tom saw the emerald, catching the light.
"We can get that... too small to fit through, but I have an idea...
Rouge, there's a sporting goods store two blocks away. I need
a large hook and some fishing line. Knuckles, go get me a long, thin
branch from a tree or something. And rip that grate off."

"Tom, that's just going to make the police mad," Rouge said. She liked
the idea but didn't want to attract too much attention. "Teal... you
have your GUN ID on you, I hope." She pulled it out of her pocket. "Good.
When they show up, show it to them and tell them it's official business."

Teal was a bit surprised. "But its not, what if they-"

"I'm not letting a jewel that nice sit down there in the mud and
garbage! Knuckles, go rip those bars out. I'm going to get what you
need, Tom. Be right back..." In a blur, she flew through the air,
beelining for the store.

With little effort, the echidna tore the grating free, running off to
find a long stick. It took little wait for a police officer to show
up, Teal flashing her ID. "Official business." Without a word, the
officer simply watched.

Rouge returned, a small crowd around them. Tossing the fishing line to
her husband, he unwound a few feet. "Crap... Knuckles!" Holding out
the line, Tom let Knuckles bite through it. Tying one end to the stick,
he unpacked a hook, looping the line through it.

"Now, then..." Breaking the stick to length, Tom got to his knees,
throwing the hook into the open hole. Flicking the stick gently, he
managed to land the hook near the ring. Reaching down with the other
length of branch, he was able to gently push the ring onto the hook,
slowly pulling it free. "There.. bit dirty but here you go, Teal."

Eagerly, she took it, wiping it off. Sliding it onto her finger,
she hugged her father. "Thank you, daddy!"

"Hey," Tom said, "thank them!"

Knuckles was surprised when Teal hugged him. "Thanks for getting that
open for me!"

"Anything, kid."

"Mom! Thanks for getting what he needed."

Rouge smiled. "Hey, your father needed a chance to hunt for treasure,
but everyone needs the right tools..."

The police officer was livid. "You tore up the sidewalk for a RING?
GUN or not I outta haul you in!"

Rouge, angry, returned a mean glance. "Fine. Go ahead, and when the GUN
Commander hears about this... or maybe we should just call him!"
she said, pulling out her cell phone and hitting the speed dial.
She heard it answer. "Commander! This is Rouge Adriani."

"Yes, Rouge? Something wrong? You usually don't call me unless it's
important," the Commander answered.

"Oh, it is. We were taking care of a family matter and this COP won't
leave us alone..."

The Commander grunted, "put him on the line immediately!"

Grinning with an evil smirk, Rouge handed her phone to the officer.
The Commander spoke, "whatever they were doing, I am authorizing it.
You don't like it, then file an official complaint with us, otherwise,
leave it alone."

The call ended. The police officer handed the phone back. "Know what,
I don't care. Do whatever you want. Not my business," he said,
leaving them alone.

Teal clutched her fist, her other hand covering the ring. "This isn't
a ring, really, it's love. I... it means more to me than what it's made
of."

Rouge put a hand on her shoulder. "I know. I learned that the hard way
a long time ago..." She held Tom's hand, their rings touching.