Genre: Gen/Romance/Drama
Warnings: T
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Notes: Light femmeslash, don't like it don't read it.

Wave was crouched, disarming the last security net woven around the power stone, when someone attacked her from behind, slamming her head forward and taking a pincher hold behind her neck. A knee wedged into her lower back; Wave kicked and squirmed ineffectually, beginning to panic as her smoothly breathing assailant caught her wrist and twisted her arm around behind her with no apparent effort. Her free hand clawed momentarily at the slick floor and she bucked and hurdled against the weight bearing her down to the floor. Her attacker twisted every hold they had on her a little tighter. Wave could swear she felt her bones flexing at that, but the message came through loud and clear. Slowly, Wave forced herself not to struggle against her attacker.

If the unknown was legit, they'd probably have come in with a team and alerted her with a noisy broadcast warning, or at least the scuffles and clinks produced by a group of people trying to move quietly together. Logic dictated that her attacker was another thief, and probably a better one. Wave hoped they were better. Being taken out by a green newbie would not impress the other Babylon Rogues.

"Well, look what the bat dragged in," a soft voice murmured behind her. Wave stiffened, arching in surprise. The new person who had so easily disabled her was another female.

"Here for the power stone too, hmm? Well, I'll let you up. Slowly," the voice cautioned, as Wave tried to twist free and face her – potential adversary? The swallow was no longer sure, but she was determined to be cautious. She'd felt the strength and skill behind those attacks.

The person who had attacked her was a sleekly-dressed, well-coifed bat, voluptuous in her dark catsuit. Wave shook out her arms and cracked her wrists, watching the woman warily. Who put make-up on when they went out to steal something? Who, for that matter, wore three-inch heels on an infiltration mission?

A smile curved the bat's full lips. She was looking over Wave right back, and her aqua eyes danced with amusement. Two small, leathery wings unfolded from where they'd been crumpled like unopened umbrellas on her back, stirred and then compacted again. Her smooth face tilted up slightly and she seemed to mug a bit under Wave's scrutiny. The swallow jerked her eyes away, already feeling irritated by this flamboyant intruder.

"The power gem is mine," Wave hissed vehemently. She didn't want it for cash, which was what made this little trek uniquely important. If the Babylon Rogues had needed money they'd have gone after something more run-of-the-mill. Wave wanted the new-model power stone to run her airgear, and who knew how long it would take for the stone's replicas to hit the market, and the price they'd command once they got there. Ergo the thievery. Wave thought she could likely analyze the crystal's structure and grow replicas after studying the original. After all, what did the scientists have in their fancy-shmancy lab that Wave didn't have already, couldn't steal, or was incapable of just jury-rigging herself – maybe even better than the original?

The bat "hmmm"-ed with amusement. "Sorry, sweetheart," she said. "Rouge the bat, world's greatest treasure hunter and master thief, doesn't share her booty."

Rouge – Wave stiffened at the name. No wonder the bat had been confident enough to wear that slinky suit, like she was in some super-spy movie, and those ridiculous heels. Rouge the bat was a preeminent figure in her field, with a knack for all things espionage, and if she was here Wave knew that she'd been outclassed. Rouge's condescending smile grew wider as the swallow analyzed the situation. Damn the woman, she could probably follow Wave's thoughts quite easily. Not that Wave would ever admit that.

"Now I guess I interrupted you before you got security off," Rouge continued. Wave's jammer code was still running, finding cracks in the security system and widening them, undetectably. "That's a shame, but why don't you just go on with that, I split with the treasure, everybody goes home feeling useful."

"What kind of second-rate thief needs someone else to deal with security?" sneered Wave, hastily beginning to rebuild her composure. "If you're so hopeless you can't deal with that – " Wave gestured contemptuously towards the pedestal housing the power stone – " – you don't deserve the title of master thief of anything, much less the world! Maybe it's time to pass on the torch?"

Rouge's smile had gone flat at the words "second rate". By now her full mouth had parted, enough to reveal the points of some very keen teeth. "Oh, sweetheart, I just thought I'd let you go home feeling like you'd done something useful. It's not every day that the ugly duckling gets to do the swan a favor. I see you recognized my name, honey. Who are you?" Rouge smirked. "I can let you know when I auction this sweet thing off. Maybe you could place a bid."

Wave gritted her beak, keeping a stranglehold on her cool. "Wave the swallow," she replied, managing to sound almost as chilled and blasé as the bat-bitch. "Of the Babylon Rogues. From the history books, not that you'd know."

"Honey, I don't do my learning from textbooks." I bet, Wave thought, watching Rouge blink, her lashes long, soot-black and sultry.. The bat began tapping her fingers on her knee, and Wave noticed that she had fine, pointed claws fixed to the fingertips of her gloves. "If I don't know you, you can't have been in the business long." Or you can't be that good, Rouge's wide smirk said, if you aren't a household name yet. "Maybe we could meet up sometime. I could give you a pointer or two."

"I don't need any tips from someone who looks like she should be hanging out the window of a whorehouse instead of trying to steal something," Wave snapped, abandoning her cool in favor of getting a hit in. The bat couldn't be all that much older than she was, although… Wave cast an eye over the tight bodysuit, full breasts, and the effortless aura of confidence again.

"Grown-ups use the word brothel," Rouge smiled. "Two whole syllables, it's hard, I know." She glanced over Wave. "Looks like your code is almost done."

Casually the bat stood, snapping idly at the ends of her gloves like a practiced surgeon headed for the operating room. Wave glared furiously after her, then glanced back at the screen of her laptop just as it pinged softly. She wasted no time in folding up and pocketing the computer before loping soundlessly after Rouge.

The bat was just lifting the round, green jewel from the tines which supported it when Wave attacked her, driving a spinning kick to the other woman's lower back. Rouge lurched forward, nearly dropping the stone, falling slightly onto the pedestal – normally an act which would have triggered all kind of alarms except for Wave's disarming it. The swallow was just beginning her follow-through kick. Rouge wheeled, caught Wave's ankle, pushed it up and away, then followed through with a kick of her own. One steel-tipped boot hammered the side of Wave's knee in her supporting leg.

Pain erupted in the swallow's brain, coherence waved goodbye and headed south for warmer weather. Wave fell onto her side, pulling up her injured leg and holding it to her chest. Her long purple ear-tails draped behind her.

Rouge moved away from her rival, rubbing the small of her back irritably and making sure her prize was secreted into her suit before she looked again at Wave. Birds had more delicate bones than most other Mobians, and Rouge doubted the swallow could run after that kick, or even walk with ease. The girl was pretty good, Rouge decided. She had potential at least. Making it this far showed that. And she hadn't given up. Not her fault that she'd tangled with the best and come out the worst for it.

Wave barely noticed as the bat hauled her onto her feet, still preoccupied with the sensation that a white-hot ingot of lead had replaced her kneecap. She did notice when Rouge made her walk, the swallow clutching frantically at the bat's shoulders and upper torso, hissing wild curses.

Pushing onwards, Rouge ignored the swallow's protests, as well as her slipping, grasping hands. "Where's your out?" she asked indifferently. If it was too inconvenient to help Wave out, Rouge would dump her here. But she was a little interested in seeing how her rival thief would turn out now. She'd seen the way Wave looked at her earlier, with rage and calculation and recognition, and liked it.

"The roof," Wave ground out, limping. Her airgear was stashed there. Pride made her add, "but I don't need a hand from you."

"I can offer advice on things besides stealing, honey," Rouge said, and Wave suddenly disliked the familiar way the bat's gloved hand rested on the swallow's hip, the way the sharp fingertips found the crook between Wave's abdominal muscle and hip bone and clung. She wished she didn't have to drape her arm over Rouge's shoulder, and be so close to her.

The elevators were still working, and Rouge knew the codes for them. They rode seven stories to the roof without incident and without comment. The bat did not ask about the measures Wave had taken to neutralize security, and the swallow volunteered nothing. She'd left herself an acceptably large window to escape with her treasure, and they were within it, although the timing would be close.

On the roof Wave found her airgear where she'd stashed it, and began the rundown of checks required before take-off. Rouge watched her thoughtfully.

Before the swallow could launch the bat stepped forward, resting a proprietary boot on Wave's board. They looked each other in the eye.

Deliberately the swallow stepped forward, reaching to shove Rouge away, and the bat stepped forward as well and raised her arms so that Wave's grasp slipped around her in a parody of embrace. Her dark nose touched the end of Wave's beak.

"I really could teach you a few tricks," Rouge purred, her voice heavy with promise, and the swallow became taut and furious, staring for only a moment before she moved forward.

It was a quick, awkward kiss, made more so by Wave's break and her inexperience. Rouge had enough practice for both of them and she dragged the debacle out until the swallow's increasing resistance was pronounced enough to force her away. The bird was still angry, Rouge judged, and likely to hold a grudge.

Still, Rouge was pleased with how things had gone. She hadn't had to initiate the actual kiss, and that surprised her, truly.

"You could definitely use a few of my pointers," Rouge said, and Wave really did push her away this time.

Stiff, proud, and still limping, the swallow walked to her airboard and launched into the yellowing night.

Thoughtfully, Rouge licked her lips, and began patrolling the roof for a suitable take-off breeze.

END

7/13/07