((A/N: So this is the written form of an online Role-play that myself, and my significant other, a writer here in the Fan-fiction community by the name of DaFlyinFortress have been doing for several months now. Having thoroughly enjoyed the story thus far… we decided… why not publish? We put a lot of time and effort into it, and a lot of heart. And we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. If you don't however, as we're both very well aware how anally retentive some people in the Sonic Fandom can be; we ask that you please keep all criticism constructive. Flames will be deleted.

-BerryCoffeeCake & DaFlyinFortress))

Chapter One: Amethyst

"Rouge. Put the kettle on for me would you?", said a feeble, elderly voice from off in the distance.

The young, pearly white bat in question looked up from her perch and down the way at the old woman seated not too far away from her and frowned. Grandma Imogen. 'Ima' she was called usually…looked much the worse for wear today. She blank slowly, looking a little to the left of where Rouge was actually sitting at the kitchen table and extended her thin black arm out toward the stove.

She looked over in the direction being gestured to, and seeing the kettle, which was hanging from the pot rack…long since rusted with age..got up and walked over to retrieve it. The table she'd left behind was littered with maps, charts and all manner of pens of various colors which she'd been using to mark accurate placements of landmarks all that entire day she'd been home. Thinking of nothing else but the day when she would get to use them to go after the ultimate treasure. Or what she had heard was the ultimate treasure anyway. The fabled 'Master Emerald'. Power Source of the forgotten Floating Island and the Lost Civilization of the once great Echidna race.

"The 'Fabled' Master Emerald..", she said aloud to no one in particular as she put water to the delicately hand painted tin kettle.

It sounded more promising to her every time she said it. And seemed more and more real with each little piece of information she gleaned on its whereabouts.

Only seventeen, Rouge had been successfully hunting for, and finding, fabled jewels and treasures of all kinds since she'd been not a day over thirteen which was when her love affair with it all had begun. At that time, Grandma Ima, now just a doddering invalid, had come to stay with her and her mother in their home. Deep in the annals of Adabat Jungle, bringing all her clothes and old antique jewelry with her. Including what many in the family said was the largest most vulgar engagement ring any woman on Mobius had ever been given. A ring which now rested..shining and brilliant…between the perky voluminous breasts of her only grandchild. Where old Ima got it from exactly, nobody knew. She'd just come marching home one day it had been said, a triumphant look on her face and a mysterious bruise under her left eye. Dressed in all her finery, and brandishing it before all the other stunned members of the family like a knight shows off the severed head of his latest conquered enemy.

Once the kettle was full, Rouge sat it on the front right eye of the stove and turned up the heat. Then turned her attention back to her maps, which, upon looking at them for what had to be the millionth time today…felt a little unsure about what all was drawn out on them. She folded her arms down on the table and laid her head on them. Peering at the offending article in front of her. A picture of what was currently the island nation of Downunda and the gaping hole in it that made up Angel Island Lake. What was supposed to be the original sight of the Floating Island and the capital Echidnaopolis . If the island really had separated from where it had originally been years ago, and had just been drifting ever since, how could she be sure that the place the person she'd bought this rinky dink old map from had marked the correct spot?

Grandma Ima shifted around in her rocking chair in an effort to keep her ancient limbs from stiffening. She squinted, again, slightly over to the left of where Rouge was sitting and unfurled her short, stubby, purplish bat wings.

"Rouge…I'm hungry. Can you git' yer granny out a couple o' those tasty sugar cookies?"

First tea…now cookies. And after she got her the cookies she'd say she was cold and wanted a blanket. Then after she got her the blanket she'd say she was tired and wanted to go to sleep. Christ. Did the needs of the old and crotchety never cease?

She got up, once again and sighing, walked over in the direction of the pantry which was a thick, Malabar chestnut cabinet set into the blackened stone wall of the cave she and her family lived in. The wood was dull with age, as was everything else in the house. Especially Grandma. But nonetheless it was an inviting, cozy space. Being fairly large and open the generations of Rouge's family that had first come here had been hard pressed to make it livable according to the standards they'd become accustomed to living in up in Robotropolis..but with a little patience and fortitude they'd managed to make it work. The front entrance and the interior, being much too wide to try to stretch canvas or anything else over it for privacy, or to make individual rooms, had been left open and all the comforts and things they needed had simply been arranged as the growth of the family dictated. Three beds and a crib before Rouge was born, and two beds and a crib after she was born. Followed by the slow, methodical expansion of the kitchen and sitting area by Ima and her mother Janet over the years in which stood two, large tables. One for the kids and one for the adults, a fridge and freezer separate, and cabinets, all made out of the same material as the pantry and set deep into the wall in case of an earth quake. Earth quake's which were much more frequent now that crazy Doctor had taken over and was constantly doing construction on everything.

Reaching into the pantry to grab the cookie jar, Rouge took a minute to look up at the wall of photo's set atop it, the many smiling faces illuminated my lamp light scattered around the usually dim dwelling. The one she looked at first, was the one of herself as little girl, holding up the very first piece of treasure, or what she thought was treasure at the time, that she'd ever found. One of the spoons out of her Aunt's silver tea set box, which, until she got older, she'd never understood why she'd always hid when company came over. And always in plain sight. The next one, featured both her Grandmother and her mother standing together at what looked like a marriage ceremony. She had no bouquet. So obviously everything had already taken place. They both looked too happy for it not to have. Especially Ima. And it wasn't even her wedding day! Rouge smiled and shook her head, digging a couple cookies out and setting them on the counter. What she must've been like when she was young! Every picture you looked at with her in it—she was always smiling. Or grinning, or standing with her hands on her hips looking pert and saucy like she'd just spit in your coffee and wanted you to know she did it.

Now though…

"Rouge…granny needs her slippers. Will you get them for me?", she said, now leaning back. Letting all of her weight rest on the threadbare cushion she was reclining on.

"Yeah, Gran. I gotcha."

Grabbing a piece of napkin with which to toss the cookies onto, she walked over and placed them in the elderly woman's lap. Then went off to the area she slept in to grab her slippers out from under her bed..her mind once again going back to thoughts of the hunt she'd soon be off on. The Master Emerald…was it really as large and powerful as legend said? If it was…it was going to be quite a task flying all the way back with it.

She heard her mother's foot-steps behind her, the sound echoing around the spacious confines of their home. Rouge turned to greet her and noting the pleased expression on her face, a clear sign she'd had a good day at work… took it as a good time to tell her what her plans were for the night. Rouge stuck her roll of papers underneath her arm and stepped forward to hug the middle aged, gray, Mobian bat in front of her, who, save for the fact she was older and a bit heavier, didn't look too much different from herself in appearance. They were the same height…and had the same slow blinking blue green bedroom eyes as the elderly woman seated behind them getting sugar cookie crumbs all over her night dress. Janet she was called. Janet the Bat. Mother of Rouge. And daughter of Imogen. Adabat Jungle's mystery woman.

"Afternoon Rouge.", she said looking her up and down, taking a keen interest in the style of dress she was currently employing.

"Hey mom. You look pretty today. How was work?"

Janet rolled her eyes and sat her purse down on the kitchen counter and looked around for a clean glass in the dish rack. She was known by everybody in their neighborhood as a proud, fussy sort of woman who was both easily offended, and easily contented. And one of the best ways to keep her in a cheerful frame of mind was to make absolutely sure…that during the first ten minutes after she walked through the door…you talked about nothing but her and daily tribulations.

"Oh it was fine. Same old, same old. That nasty ass Morton Throckton still trying to get in the pants of all the women in the office."

"I see…"

Pulling the circular chart holster from out of the leather sack underneath the table that she'd unceremoniously thrown it under, Rouge stuffed her treasure maps inside it. Then tossed them back, turning to lean on the edge of the kitchen counter, arms folded with a curious expression on her face. Morton Throckton was what you called a 'fur-less Mobian'. Tall and red in the face like Ivo Robotnik, but with a good deal less belly in the front and hair on the face.

Interbreeding was something that had been going on on Mobius since practically the end of time. So whenever a policeman or a sheriff on Patrol happened to spy a Bee boy and a Rhino girl having a toss in the park bushes late at night, he kept on rollin'. Everybody pretty much knew what you'd get. Either you'd get a hybrid…or you'd get nothing at all. Inter-species bangin'…just like 'in the family' bangin' kept the world going round all the same. And being the last one in a long line of females.. and the youngest…Rouge couldn't help but take her mother's words with less than the usual grain of salt.

Janet looked her daughter over once more. Taking full stock of the entire outfit this time as she sipped her water. The knee-hi brown boot's with straps on the ankles, and hunter green tank top. Covered by a very, very washed out looking safari jacket and heavy leather brown belt that was cracking in some areas due to dryness. She went over to the cupboard, brows furrowed in both mild irritation and worry and grabbed out a couple cookies of her own. Janet was part of a generation of women in her family that had prided themselves on their modesty and timidity. And generosity to the community in which they lived, not wanting to be judged for, or be a part of the lifestyle the one's who'd come before them had subsisted on. Rouge…hadn't grown up believing in any of things she'd endeavored to teach her and privately, her way of being distressed her. What with the tight pants…and the high heeled boots and the running off to places trying to find treasure—she was surprised she hadn't heard any unpleasant talk spreading around about her as expansive a personality she had. Running around with girls like that Fiona Fox…and that boy Knack.

"Where're you going this time Rouge?", she asked pensively, looking ever so dry in her grey work dress.

Rouge smiled, and tilting her head to the left just so, reached out and placed a hand on her mother's arm. Looking both mischievous and innocuous, if ever a person could cultivate such an expression and replied, "To the Mystical and Far-away Island of my powerful and wealthy lover! Where I shall be rich in both love happiness! And as far-removed from the dens of evil surrounding this place and those of Robotropolis as a body can be!"

The corners of Janet's usually tight mouth descended downward, and the wrinkles in her face made themselves as apparent as her contempt for all things romantic. Rouge threw her fuzzy white head back and laughed. As did her Grandmother, though she had no idea what it was was so funny. Being cenile and all.

"Don't mock me Rouge! I'm not in the mood! Stop laughing this instant!"

Ima rapped her cane on the sitting room coffee table. Still cackling and grinning saucily. Reveling in the going's on.

Rouge looked back at the old woman over her shoulder with a tender expression. At least somebody around here still had a sense of humor.

"Stop laughing you wretched old bag!"

Ima's rapping ceased. For a moment anyway, then proceeded out of irritation at having been yelled at. Her grin morphing into an irate…sort of gormless…open mouth frown.

"Mom leave her alone. She's old. And her mind isn't what it used to be. Just relax okay? I was only kidding."

Rouge turned around and grabbed the empty glass her mother had been drinking out of and refilled it. Janet took it and sipped from it, still very annoyed…gazing at her elderly mother with little love in her large, aquamarine eyes. Rouge rolled her eyes and sighed. How the two of them had survived living with one another for as long as they had she didn't know. Since she'd been a kid…running and jumping and playing around in the jungle..her mother..'Mama'…had always been the same. Kind and generous to anyone and everyone she knew. Save for Grandma who was her polar opposite. And the polar opposite of her other daughters as well. Aunt Belle and Aunt Kate and Ella-Jeane…all of them had this sort of 'holier than thou' thing going on. And out of all of them Janet was the only one said to have ever gotten married. And yet, Rouge had never met, nor laid eyes on her father, which, though it wasn't anything she'd ever lost a whole lot of sleep over, made her curious to know more about what it was that had brought about his absence in her life and Janet's.

Rouge looked her mother up and down then looked over at one of the old black and white pictures of Ima. Dressed in what had to be something…something brightly colored and sparkly for all she was smiling so big. Then back again at the grey work dress and ugly, brown, low-heeled shoes. Hm. Maybe that was why he left.

"To answer the question you asked me Ma, I'm going on an extended trip.", she said going back over to where she'd left her chart satchel and slinging it over shoulder.

A sniff from Janet. And an unhappy whine from Ima, who's gnarled hands were now reaching out toward her, her thick, knobby cane clattering to the floor unceremoniously.

"On an extended trip where pray-tell? And to find what?"

Rouge walked over to her Grandmother's chair, and bent down to hug her goodbye. Making sure to give her a peck on the forehead before finally letting go. Then went over to her own bed, messy and disorganized as usual, and grabbed the duffel bag she'd packed the night before to ready herself for the journey she was about to undertake.

"If I knew exactly where it was I was going…I'd tell you.", she said slipping her white, furry arms into the straps of her traveling paraphernalia.

"And as for what I'm looking for…it may or may not exist at all."

"Then why waste the time?!"

Fully suited up, Rouge started on her way towards the wide open entrance of her family home of which the jungle sunset was beginning to change color, right past poor Janet. Who stumbled after her due to her way too long, dull, office dress occasionally getting stuck under her feet, arms stuck out also, seeking the same affection from her daughter as she'd seen given to her own mother moments ago. Janet didn't mind Rouge going out. And she didn't mind that she liked hunting for treasure. Other than a few bungles here and there when she'd been little and one or two failed expeditions a few years ago, she'd done remarkably well at it. And helped pay for a lot of the little luxuries they had lying around. Which were pretty hard to come by nowadays seeing as how Planet Mobius had been entrenched in what people called 'The Great War' for more than a decade now. There was danger around every corner and every time Rouge walked out the door, Janet waved her goodbye with more than the usual amount of motherly enthusiasm and well wishes…confident in both her daughter's abilities and the peaceful atmosphere of the place in which they lived. But anxious about the war-torn, less than wholesome environments that she was sure to find herself in when she left the relative calm of Adabat. A place skipped over by Robotnik it was said, due to not having ample resources he could utilize for his various…projects.

No. Though it scared her that something might one day happen to her…she wasn't scared to let Rouge go. But she was scared of not being loved, appreciated and admired by her. Something she'd been trying desperately to achieve since she was born. To what seemed little avail though she was never blatantly disrespectful or disobedient.

"Rougeee! Wait!", she called, just as the stiletto heel of her boot touched dirt outside the cave.

Rouge turned around, frowning. And Janet, though slightly put off her notion of wanting to give affection, handed her a button up, beige, knit sweater she'd grabbed just as she'd ran out after her. Then got the hug she wanted. Meanwhile Rouge's left foot tapped away in the dust. A clear indication of her wish to be off and away already.

"I love you. Be safe…and stay out of trouble. Okay?"

"Okay. And I love you too, Ma."

And with that, Rouge took off at a run into the brush, and was soon seen moments later, flying off into the distance, her large black bat wings beating in an effort to catch wind.

((A/N: So what do you guys think? Review!))