Chapter 1 - Flames

Kitty: This is an old fic that has been fixed up over my two week vacation in the Adirondacks. This was done instead of working on my book. I really don't like this fic anymore and other people really don't either. That's why I'm going to try and fix it up.
I hate the large use of fan characters but there's nothing I can do because they're all part of the story and not just there because I felt like it.
Also, this is going to be broken up into chapters because all of my revisions have caused this one shot to be very long, much like 'Dance for the Moon.'

Note : I first used the Crab Gang here but I transferred them over to my cousin's and my comic, 'Devils and Saints.' But, again this is the first time I've used them and thus this explains more then the comic does. I can not, nor would I, change that so you'll have to deal with a little extra story then you would like.

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters © SEGA and/or Sonic Team. All other characters © Lumorean Arts and/or Jonothan 'Ace.'

Track Down
By: Kitty Hamagochy
Chapter 1: Flames

Rouge's head was forced under the water of her bath tub. Two creatures then started to destroy her belongings in her apartment. Her eyes opened slightly through the muggy water to see the rippled reflection of orange and yellow. They widened noticing it was fire! Her intruders were setting everything ablaze!
The white bat had just returned home from shopping. She was heading into the bathroom and started her bath when three identical being attacked her, catching her off guard. One had crept up from behind and was currently the one trying to drown her.
Rouge began to struggle harder, kicking her feet and trying to pull herself up. He was strong, keeping a firm grip around the back of her neck to ensure she had no chance for another breath. His claws sunk into the flesh of her neck, turning the water a thin red.
Finally, the bat regained her composure and organized her assault. The back of her heel slammed into her attacker's jaw, sending the startle being backwards. Once the grip was released she swung her head above the water taking in a large breath of air. But none of it was refreshing making her cough and swallow gulps of dry, smoky air. She looked behind her into her bed room seeing all of her things smothered in flames. Rouge clasped her hands over her mouth to try and keep from taking in more smoke then she had already done.
It was then that she felt a tight grip clamp around her throat. Her attacker had finally recovered and was now back for more.
"You'll pay with your life for what you did to us!" He hissed in her ear.
"I'm guessing you've never taken on Rouge The Bat before, have ya?" The thief asked, smirking.
It was then that Rouge threw her arms over her head to grip the being's shoulder's. With a quick jolt of adrenalin she lifted her assailant over her head and out into her smoldering bedroom, and onto her bed. She only had a second to view who it was.
The lizard had grayish skin that was covered with a brown trench coat. Its hands were covered with spiked gloves, similar to Knuckles'. Its feet were bare with a hooked tail that whipped around as the flames hungrily ate at its flesh.
Rouge listened as the sound of his hissing screams that were soon drowned out by the sizzling sound of his frying skin. Soon the smell of burnt skin filled the room along with the suffocating fumes of her destroyed belongings.
"I... *cough* have to... *cough, cough*.... get out of here!" She told herself, her paw hardly working to keep out the smoke.
Rouge the bat scuffled her way out of the now flooded bath room into her flaming bedroom. The heat was nearly unbearable and she felt as though she had been placed in an oven. The brightness of her room and the blackness of the smoke made it hard to make out anything, but lucky this was her terrain and she knew where everything was in general. So she began to maneuver herself towards a distant window in the corner of her room.
As the frantic bat passed by her canopy bed her wing cough onto her bed post. She gave a screech as the heat consumed the membrane of it, she fell to the floor. The scuffling as she hoister herself back up caused an updraft of ash that turned her drenched, white fur to gray. Her lungs began to burn and sting even more from the deadly mixture of water and particles of ashes scraping scraping them and filling them with blood and making her breathing shallow.
With out a second thought she charged at her window with another burst of strength. Her body toppled into the night sky, unable to get her wing to expand as if the mechanism was jammed somehow. Her weakened flesh tumbled downward to the city street trailing smoke, glass, and blood. The blackness of the pavement became closer and closer till, in a split second stroke of luck, her ebony wings shot open between two speeding cars. The two structures came to a screeching stop as the unexpected bat flew off into the distance.
Rouge flew as fast as her one acing wing could take her. Soon enough both gave out a few feet into Emerald Beach, her frail body toppling into the frozen ocean with a splash. The salt of the ocean's liquid shot into her throat and gashes making every part of her flesh sizzle was such an uncomfortable pain. She rose back up to the air and took in deep breath, but coughing up blood and seawater afterwards. All she could do now was float on the surface of the ocean, staring with bloodshot eyes at the white-speckled, night sky.
She gazed up at the shimmering, full moon. "shoot, I must of swallowed at least three gallons of water through this episode. Though I much prefer the bath water." She whispered, her throat scruffy and shaky.
Rouge couldn't sleep like this so she slowly switched to her stomach and swam towards the bank. She looked up ahead to see the beach, and her smoldering apartment off in the distance. The flames consumed the entire portion of the building as giant black clouds rose into the night air. She could hear loud sirens, possibly from fire engines, as well as screams from frightened and curious spectators.
Rouge slowly dragged herself onto the damp sands of the beach and laid there, weak, cold, and in pain. Every single part of her body, from her aching head to her stiff legs, would not allow her to move any further at the moment. But, She closed her scorching eyes and curled her body enough to gather her energy and lift her flesh was more effort then she would dare admit.
“I don't think I can say here, and I can't go back to my place.” She gave a weak, amused laugh at herself. “Looks like I'll need to ask for some help.” Every word was labored and cracked from the poison inside it.

(Preview of Chapter 2: Long Time No See)

The scarlet echidna echidna walked through the main room and to the main entrance. He was reluctant to turn the knob for fear of what was on the other side. But, he did so thinking that any self-respecting demon would just have knocked the door down. So he slowly turned the handle as was met with a sight more gruesome then he could of imagined.
His eyes widened at the mangled sight of a grayish-white bat standing limply in the space the door had just revealed. Her entire body was caked with dried mud and scabbed over cuts all down her flesh. Her arms were clasped meekly over her chest with her legs spread out a bit for support. Her black jump-suit was torn across her stomach and hips, all down her legs. Her entire form shook as if the mini space she was on top of was experiencing its own earthquake. Her beautiful, aqua eyes were red with veins and black with begs beneath them. She wore no makeup but it would not of helped or hindered her at the moment.
The bat spoke with a voice so dim and crackling she almost appeared as though she would experience hell if she uttered one word. “Hey, Knucklehead.” Rouge Smirked, “Long time no see.” It was then that the bat gave a loud exhale as if she had been holding her breath the entire time.
She then collapsed on the ground, with little resistance, and fainted.

Kitty : The first part, now on to the second.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment