Concrete Angel

Rouge looked across to the Red Echidna, who was smoking a cigarette on the sofa, probably his way of calming down; she looked down at her arm where a large black bruise was visible.

She rubbed some arnica cream over it then pulled her white glove up over it then put her trade mark purple jacket over herself. She then walked out of the room and to the front door to meet her friends in Club Rouge.

She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holdin' back
Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with linen and lace

Rouge walked silently, under her cat-suit she could feel the bruises throbbing, even though she had bathed them and put cream on them, they were still painful. She made her way to Club Rouge and was greeted by Topaz who told her that the guests were eager for her to join them. Rouge tried to smile, but it was difficult despite the pains she felt.


The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
it's hard to see the pain behind the mask
bearing the burden of a secret storm
sometimes she wishes she was never born

Topaz watched her and at once suspicious thoughts wondered through her head, Rouge was normally happy and cheery, but tonight she was tense and secretive, what was she hiding? Rouge walked around the club looking around at everyone having a good time. As she smiled and greeted different guests they smiled back at her and told her she was a wonderful hostess. Rouge then walked away and tried to carry on with her work although her eyes were stinging with tears.


Through the wind and the rain
she stands hard as a stone
in a world that she can't rise above
but her dreams give her wings
and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

As Rouge sat at one of the tables, she was then greeted by a certain black hedgehog; he walked up to her and sat next to her asking her if she was ok. Rouge smiled and laughed, "I'm fine Shadow" she said. Shadow smiled back at her, giving her a look in his ruby red eyes she had never gotten from anyone, a look of compassion and love. He then placed his hand on hers and stroked it in a comforting and loving way, and Rouge believed that she had found her hero, her knight in shining armour that would one day save her from her fear and torment.


Somebody cries in the middle of the night
the neighbours hear, but they turn out the lights
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it'll be too late

When Rouge arrived back at her apartment, she was greeted by an angry face; the Echidna had been waiting for her, wanting to start another fight with her. The frightened white bat tried to calm him down but it made it worse. "You've been seeing that black hedgehog again haven't you!" he shouted pulling back his fist. Rouge began screaming and crying, "No please!" but the next thing she saw was a large spiked knuckled fist coming towards her, then everything went black and silent. Forever.


Through the wind and the rain
she stands hard as a stone
in a world that she can't rise above
but her dreams give her wings
and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

When Rouge opened her eyes, she felt like she had been awaken from a peaceful slumber, she then stood up wondering what had happened, then she looked behind her at a bloody spot on the floor. Then she remembered, she had been hit and beaten and it must have killed her.

She then looked out of the window at the police and ambulance people coming to and from the house, she went outside and saw the Echidna being dragged into a police car, then she saw a trolley covered with a bloody sheet. Then she saw some people watching from the crowd behind the yellow tape including Shadow who was crying silently with Tails rubbing his shoulder. She saw Amy crying on Sonic who was watching the Echidna with disbelief and some of her friends from Club Rouge who were mourning for her.

A statue stands in a shaded place
an angel girl with an upturned face
a name is written on a polished rock
a broken heart that the world forgot

In the Station City graveyard, a crowd of people stood around a certain area, a small statue of a beautiful white bat in an angel form, Rouge could see all her friends and some people from Club Rouge had come to pay their last respects to her. She looked at the statue and realised that she was loved by all and that they would miss her, especially her friend, her mission partner, her hero. Shadow the Hedgehog.


Through the wind and the rain
she stands hard as a stone
in a world that she can't rise above
but her dreams give her wings
and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

Soon, people began to leave the Statue, all except Shadow, Sonic, Amy, Tails, Cream and Cheese who continued to mourn her. Then Sonic and the others tearfully left Shadow to grieve by himself. Rouge watched for a while, then felt a white light consume her, then she felt herself fly away to a place of peace and love where she could be happy. Meanwhile Shadow gazed at her Statue and read the words:

In Loving Memory

Rouge the Bat,

Dearest Friend,

Loyal Mission Partner,

Beautiful Angel

Gone but never ever forgotten

"I wish I could have saved you Rouge, saved you from all of this" whispered Shadow "but now you are at peace, I wish I could join you, and one day I will, but I promise you, Knuckles the Echidna will pay for what he did to you!" He kissed his fingers and pressed them against her statue's lips, shedding a tear, he turned away and walked out of the graveyard.