Schemers' Date
Wave sits in an idle booth surrounded by scarlet velvet. She thumbs the rim of her ice water with her Extreme Gear resting against her shoulder. A leather coat is draped around her shoulders with the back emblazoned with the mark of the Babylon Rogues.
Club Rouge is the classiest establishment within Night Babylon. Pulsing lights surround every corner of the club. The pinball-styled dance floor lights up as feet pound in tandem to the boisterous blasting of drum beats and musical drops. She watches, disinterested, as people groove past her with cajoling faces and lips erupting with laughter. A faint stench of alcohol whisks by her among the overwhelming scent of perfume and chilled sweat, and she covers her beak, glancing away at her Extreme Gear. Sleazy individuals drink, laugh, and cavort to their heart's content. Waiters in makeshift tuxedos pass under the blaring lights with platters of champagne while the many bars along the walls are full of various kinds of alcohol. Extreme Gear races are on the monitors, and hapless people gamble away what little dignity they have left on the races.
She takes a ginger sip of water, waiting for her host. She always badgered Jet about his lackadaisical adherence to time or snapped at Storm for keeping her waiting on robberies. She assumes she should be lenient to her thieving cohorts as she checks her pristine watch, finding her girlfriend to be more than extraordinarily late.
She huffs, leaning back in her seat and batting her Extreme Gear away. The board falls off the seat, and she grumbles, leaning down to retrieve it. Wave glances around, tapping the wooden desk with calloused knuckles and then her foot to the beat of a lyricless song booming on the ceiling speakers. She inspects her watch once more, mumbling obscenities under her breath only for a pair of wings to cover her eyes.
Rouge grins, standing on the seat in the booth behind Wave. She wears a low-cut ebony dress and pumps with scarlet hearts. With her wings covering Wave's face, she asks, "Guess who?"
"You're late, Rouge. I've been here for a half and hour already," Wave hisses, and Rouge pouts, retracting her wings.
"Sorry, sorry. You know it's busy work operating this club," Rouge says, sitting next to Wave. She gestures for a waiter and asks for a glass of red wine. "Oh? You're not drinking?"
"Well, I'm flying home tonight. I can't be tipsy," Wave says, relaxing in her seat as Rouge grins at her.
"Smart thinking, hun." Rouge curls her arm around the swallow's shoulder. "How've you been? It's been a while since we've had a date. Is Jet keeping you busy with his get-rich-quick schemes?"
Wave rolls her eyes. "You know it. I try to get him to follow some semblance of normalcy, but he's so lazy. All he wants to do is race and get fast cash through prize money. It's like stealing is becoming too much of a hassle for him."
Rouge snickers, accepting her drink from the hurrying waiter. She swirls the red wine, sniffs it, and takes a long sip. Sighing, she tuts and replies, "That kid is really something else. I still can't believe you follow him."
"Well, he's the leader of the Babylon Rogues, but you're right. Even shorty is more mature than him at times," Wave laments, rubbing her temples.
Rouge laughs a honeyed tune. "Tails has really come into his own. Sure, he got terribly frightened during the Infinite issue, but he's pretty brave, y'know, unlike Storm."
Wave snickers, covering her beak. She recalls how Storm slammed into the side of an office building and cowered in front of the police during a heist, forcing Wave and Jet to rescue him. Storm then attempted to meander around his erroneous crash, insinuating Wave shot in front of him during the chase and instigated the mistake.
Rouge slides her hand over Wave's open palm. She laces their fingers together, smiling and nestling closer to her. Wave sighs, signs of forgiveness etched on her features. Wave wreathes against the slightly shorter bat, feeling Rouge's ear flick against her bandana. Rouge places a chaste kiss to the side of Wave's beak, inhaling the scents of lavender perfume and traces of oil.
"You really should come with me on my next G.U.N. mission. If you do, I may be able to erase your criminal record," Rouge offers, and Wave gasps.
"Sounds prosperous. What's the mission?" Wave asks, fidgeting with her orb.
"Just a nice and easy job, babe Eggman still has shards of the Phantom Ruby in his Spagonia base," Rouge explains, lips curling in a wry grin. "Free jewels for me and you and the world gets a little bit safer. That interest you?"
Wave hums, tapping the underside of her beak with her thumb. She mulls over the prospect, reminding herself of Jet's recent orders. The Babylon Rogues were supposed to have an upcoming heist, and she asks Rouge about the date of the mission.
"Saturday at the crack of dawn. Eggman's never a morning person, so it'll be fun for him to wake up to find some of his toys broken and jewels stolen," Rouge says, reaching into her pocket and retrieving her cell phone. She flips through a few files and hands the phone to Wave. "G.U.N. says I can keep whichever gems I find the most appealing as long as they get the rest to protect in their vaults. If you're in, I can make it so you keep some rubies for yourself. Maybe it'll show Jet and Storm what a real thief can be like if they put some honest effort into their burglaries."
Wave scrolls through the official document. She feels Rouge press against her arm, and she attempts to mask her creeping blush. The velvet material of Rouge's dress caresses her shoulder. Rouge smirks, wrapping her slender arm around Wave's tight waist. She snuggles against the swallow, crooning for her to agree.
"Well, the Babylon Rogues have a reputation to maintain. We have an upcoming robbery," Wave says, lifting her head, and Rouge curiously thrums.
"Oh? What will you steal?"
"I can't give out the Rogues' prime secrets. That's against our reputation, but if you sweeten the G.U.N. deal, I could be in," Wave says, extending her finger.
Rouge straightens, resting her elbow on Wave's shoulder. She brushes the fur on the back of her head and leans closer to Wave. She strokes Wave's cheek, earning immediate affection in the form of a budding blush. Wave melts under her touch, and Rouge grins, watching Wave edge closer to her.
"How's about this? We'll evenly split the Phantom Rubies, and I'll clean all of the Babylon Rogues' records, and I'll take you on the most spectacular date of your life," Rouge offers, breath tickling Wave's beak and neck.
"N-not gonna tell me what it is, huh? Tease," Wave retorts, faintly grinning.
"Some secrets are blessings, Wave," Rouge coos, tapping her beak. "So, what do you say? Are you in?"
"The tactical part of me is saying no," Wave whispers, resting her forehead against Rouge's brow, "but the thief in me is saying absolutely yes."
Rouge kisses the tip of her beak, standing up and taking Wave with her. She gestures for another waiter, ordering him to take Wave's Extreme Gear and keep it safe in Rouge's private room. As Wave threatens the waiter, promising to slam her wrench against his head if her Gear is even slightly scratched, Rouge chuckles. They finish their drinks, and Rouge escorts Wave onto the dance floor. With the lights and music surrounding them, they mesh into the crowd and dance.