Enter the Rouge

High in the mountains of Mobius, far away from most of the kingdoms and civilized lands, stood the echidna city of Nocturne. A vast, Aztec-like complex, the evenly spaced streets and roads were dotted with step pyramids, the houses of nobles, and ornate palaces with their walls covered in Mesoamerican mosaics. Among its streets walked mobian echidnas, dressed in full Aztec regalia; the red males covered in tribal tattoos and wearing steel riveted boots, and the orange females wearing colorful Aztec dresses and skirts. In addition, the warriors wore face masks, made out of bone and covered with feathers.

Walking among the streets, was a particular female soldier, making her way through the plaza towards the great palace. As she gazed upon her surroundings, Shade the echidna smiled with a smug sense of satisfaction. Over in the residential district, several workers were busy doing repairs on a waterwheel. While in the merchant's quarter, many shop keeps were plying their wares. While on the great pyramid, several mobian prisoners of other species were being dragged, kicking and screaming to the top, where an echidna priest waited for them with a knife and a red stained altar.

Yes, it was another good day for the Nocturnus clan.

As she made her way across the bridge to the doors of the great palace, two Nocturnus clan warriors saluted shade. Two eunuch slaves, a pair of mobian squirrels captured in a raid, pushed the giant doors made of gold open. Shaking her head, Shade often wondered if the Nocturnus would even need slaves if they would just embrace technology or chaos magic, like the rest of mobius did. It wasn't that echidnas hated tech, it was simply that they didn't seem to have a knack for it. And chaos magic in their society was only used for combat, leaving the menial tasks to the captured slaves. Still, Shade mused, it's not like the slaves were actually thinking creatures, with souls. All other types of mobians been put there for the echidna race's use, either for labor, sacrifices, or food. The echidnas were the greatest among species, and the Nocturus clan was the greatest among the echidna tribes.

As she entered the massive jade throne room, Shade bowed low before the towering golden throne. There, seated high above everyone else in the room, was an albino echidna, with three up swept head spikes. The white bearded Echidna wore dark robes, and carried a golden crescent-moon staff, the source of his chaos magic. Unlike the nearly-extinct Knuckles clan, who had a hereditary monarchy to rule over them, the Nocturnus were ruled by the strongest. This albino warrior had fought and struggled his way to the top of the Noctunus food chain, leaving a bloody trail of the bodies of his rivals behind him. Looking up at this exalted personage, Shade the echidna finally spoke;

"Emperor Ix, I am here to serve you." Shade announced, ritualistically proclaiming her fealty, before giving her report. "I am sorry to report, my lord, but I failed to obtain the master emerald."

"I am most disappointed in your failure, Tlatolani Shade." Ix growled, used her formal title, while standing up from his throne. "How could a great warrior such as yourself, trained from birth, fail to secure an unprotected treasure?"

"I am sorry, my lord, but the emerald was not without protection." Shade protested. "When I tried to grab it from the altar, the sage Athair appeared, and used his great magics to drive me from that place." Shade shivered at the memory. "And now, Athair has called back his great grandson, and hired 'detectives' from the surface, to guard the emerald from being stolen."

"Then it is a good thing, that I too have hired aid from an outsider." Ix snapped his fingers, and a sultry looking female mobian bat flapped her way into the room. "Meet Rouge, the master jewel thief, who will join you on your next raid on angel island.

"Hey there, Ixy! Glad to be taking another job from you!" The jewel thief looked shade over. "So who's the ironing board? Is she helping me with the heist?" the white bat dressed in a black and white bodysuit. "I don't know if she will be of much help, she kinda comes up a little flat."

Noticing that Rouge was far more... well-endowed than she was, Shade crossed her arms in front of her chest, her face turning beet red. "Are you sure I need to take this tramp with me? I could take a squad of Nocturnus warriors with me, and-"

"HEY!" Listen sister, your failure is the reason I was called in the first place!" Rouge replied, putting her hand over the pink heart-shaped chest plate that showed off her bosom cleavage. "Don't question me on my skills, I've trained as a jewel thief, under the finest criminals on mobius, for my whole life!" Rouge snarled, remembering going from being the homeless daughter of a widowed mother, to stealing her way to a life of luxury for here and her mama. "I stole half of the royal acorn family crown jewels, and got away with it!"

"I'm just saying... your selection for this assignment seems to have less to do with your thieving skills, and more to do with your talents... specifically, two of them." Shade growled, looking up at the male emperor Ix accusingly, and pointing at Rouge's chest. "Pardon me, my lord, but I must question why you would hire a living jell-o mold for this assignment?"

"Living jell-o mold?!" Rouge repeated in confused anger. "What exactly do you mean by that?!"

"Quite simple really, you're just like jell-o." Shade smiled at her smugly, "All jiggle, and no substance."

"Wow, you seem very frustrated, lady." Rouge clenched her teeth, holding back her anger. "What's the matter, can't get any of the men in your tribe to bed you with those two flat tires of yours?"

"Why you-!" Shade screamed, tackling Shade to the ground. The two began to cat fight on the throne room floor, until Ix slammed his staff on the ground in anger, shooting lighting bolts all over the room.

"Both of you, ENOUGH!" He roared. "Tlatolani Shade, if you dare question my decisions again, it will be YOU on the sacrificial altar next time!" He Glared down at both of them. "Now, BOTH of you will work together on this assignment, and take a squad of Nocturne warriors with you this time!" He slammed his staff on the ground again, pointing towards the exit to thew throne room. "Now GO!"

Both of the women bowed, before turning to leave the throne room, all the while glaring at each other in jealously and hate.

Next: Knuckles and the Chaotix