Rouge The Bat: Mature Goddess

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

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Teal flipped through business records. Boring work. They'd just
been given control over the Adriani Rouge Fruit Company and had to
adapt to the daily running of the business.

Her eyes focused on a sub-fund of the company that she'd never heard
of. "slate? Look at this..."

He looked at the entry. "City Reclamation Fund..."

"Dad never mentioned that," she said. "He always donated money out
of his own pocket.

"Hmm... what's it do?"

She explained, "looks like one percent of all company profits are
set aside into a separate bank account, for..." Teal flipped through
more papers. "It doesn't say."

"It doesn't say? That's unusual," Slate noted. "Seems your father
keeps strict records of everything."

Teal grabbed the phone, dialing into GUN's private system. The
phone rang in the records room. "Tiff? Teal... listen, I've got
something I need you to dig into for me..."


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The twins were growing fast. Their fur was puffed out over their
heads, spiking in the back. Rouge was reading to them, more advanced
books than they grew up on. The twins, much like Teal, would be
home schooled.

Teal ran into the living room frantically. "Dad!"

"Teal!" Violette scolded.

"We're learning stuff! Don't bug us!" Rose added.

Tom looked her way. "What is it?"

Slate followed Tiff in, handing him a folder. "Do you recognize this?"
the echidna asked.

Tom was confused. "What's the City Reclamation Fund?"

Teal looked down. "We found it today while poking through the
fruit company's records..."

Rouge was curious. Looking it over, she couldn't believe it. "We're
being ripped off!"

"It sounds like nothing on paper," Teal commented. "But we make an
average of two hundred thousand a year from the fruit company. That's
two thousand a year."

"And it looks like this started ten years ago," Tom said. "That's been
twenty thousand taken from us."

"I've started working on tracing the account," Tiff explained, "but
it might take a few days."

"Good. Let me know the second you find out."

Rouge shook her head. "We make so much between the casino and the
fruit company, we didn't even notice..." Her fists were clenched.
"Tiff, when you know, tell me. I don't want the police or GUN to
handle this. It's mine!"

Tom grabbed her shoulders. "It's not that bad..."

She gritted her teeth. "I don't care. That's not my money, Tom, it's
our money. My family... I haven't been a thief for a long time.
Whoever's doing this doesn't get a free ride out of courtesy."


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They had a name.

Theodore Loganport.

Tom had hired him on ten years ago as an accountant. They stood
outside his home. "Living well for his salary," Tom commented. He
knocked. The door opened.

"Mister Adriani, a surprise..." Theodore greeted.

"Yes, I'll bet. When I found out about the City Reclamation Fund,
I had to- screw it. Rouge!"

Taking her cue, she sent a kick flying, knocking the man to the floor.
Crumpled in a heap, Theodore reeled to catch his breath. "You BASTARD!"
she shouted loud, sending her foot to the man's face. He was coughing,
a fact Rouge didn't care to acknowledge. Grabbing him by the hair,
she lifted her prey forcefully. "YOU STOLE FROM US! I should kill you!"

"I'll pay you back! Please..." he begged. Crawling to the safe,
Theodore began to turn the dial.

Rouge was impatient. A swift kick knocked the safe door off its hinges,
loose cash spilling free. Collecting exactly twenty thousand, Rouge
smiled. "You get to live, scumbag!"

She walked out. Tom helped his old employee stand as two GUN agents
entered the house. "He's all yours. Oh, and you're fired!" Content
that all was well, Thomas followed his wife.


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Teal felt good. she'd managed to help the family business on her first
day. Rouge was also proud. "Too easy," she commented. "He folded like
a twig."

"Literally," Tom elaborated. "Anyway, he's in GUN custody now. Listen,
you two find ANYTHING goofy, you let me know."

"Right, daddy!" Teal said gleefully.

"And Rouge, dear..."

"Yes?" she asked.

Tom said, "I hope your overwhelming urge to hurt someone has run its
course..."

She smiled wickedly. "Of course. Don't worry, I'll out all that energy
into more... fun activities tonight."