It was all calm at the museum.
Well, not all calm.
Spying from the trees, a bat girl smirked as she found her destination. She flew towards the museum. Once she got inside, she walked over to a glass safe which held a huge diamond.
...
In a security room, cops were relaxing while they watched over the museum that night. One of the cops looked at his friends and smiled. "You guys hungry?" He asked, but stopped short when he looked over at the screen. He looked over at it to see a strange figure walking over to the diamond.
"HEY!" The cop cried.
"What's going on?" One of his friends as, coming over as well.
"What's wrong?" The third cop asked.
They were shocked to see the thief standing by the diamond. "How could anybody get in there?" The cop asked.
...
Rouge glanced fondly at he prize. "Ah." She smiled. She did a swift kick to do a clean cut through the glass safe so she could retrieve her prize. The top of the glass cage that got cut crashed to the ground. Rouge smiled as she picked up the diamond. "Hello, gorgeous." She smiled, holding the diamond carefully in her hands.
...
Watching the whole thing, the officers panicked. "We'll lock down the whole place!"
Pushing some buttons on the computer, they put the whole museum to lock-down.
"Nobody's getting out of there now!" The security guard cried happily. He and his other two officer partners dashed towards the crime scene. When the opened the door, though, they were surprised to find that the thief was gone, and so was the diamond.
One of the cops walked over to the place where the diamond was and took a look at a card that was in the diamond's place. He picked it up.
The card showed a picture of the thief, and words in cursive spelled: "Thank you."
"Thank you?!" He asked, clearly pissed off. "What? Is this a gag?" He gasped. Looking at his buddies, he noticed they were looking up in shock.
He looked up too...
... and noticed a gap in the roof. The construction workers had not yet decided to put on the glass roof.
...
Rouge flew away with the diamond in her hands, smiling. "You may not be a Chaos Emerald," she smiled. "But you will do for now."
She flew off into the night, with her prize in her hands.
...
"Sonic?" Amy called as she walked up to the attic. Sonic wasn't there, only Cream and Cheese. The two turned to Amy. The female hedgehog was holding a pizza in her hands.
"Hey, Cream, have you seen Sonic?" She asked.
"The last time we saw him he was with Penny, Chris, Silver, and Tails, but I'm not sure where they went!" Cheese said.
Cheese chaoed in agreement.
Amy looked glum, but then smiled and handed them the pizza. "Hey! Feel like having some pizza?"
"Yes!" Cream smiled. "Are you sure it's okay?"
Amy smiled back. "You bet it is! Sonic's loss is your gain!"
Cream and Cheese cheered in excitement.
...
"Chris, Tails, you see anything down there?" Penny called up to her younger brother and Tails.
"No!" Tails said, his face showing worry. He turned the ship around a little bit. "Nothing there..." He said.
"Don't worry." Silver said from behind Penny. "We're going to find those emeralds!"
Penny grinned. "And Sonic will help, right?" She looked up to Sonic, but was curious to see why he wasn't there. He was, but he was clinging to the wing, looking sick.
...
The next day...
In art class, Chris and Penny painted quietly with their friends. Penny smiled as she painted Sonic, and Chris painted a red Chaos Emerald.
"That looks like the Chaos Emerald you, Penny, and Sonic are looking for, right, Chris?" Francis asked with a smile.
"Kinda!" Chris said.
"That's Sonic!" Danny said. "Cool painting!"
"Thanks!" Penny grinned.
Mr. Stewart suddenly appeared behind them. "Let's keep the chat to a minimum and focus on the painting." Mr. Stewart smiled. The kids gulped and quickly went back to work. Mr. Stewart eyed Chris's painting. "What's that you're painting, Chris?"
"Uh... an Emerald!" Chris said nervously.
Mr. Stewart looked confused. "But... I thought all Emeralds are supposed to be green?"
Chris sweat dropped. "Uh... you're right!" He said, cleaning his paintbrush and moving it to the green paint. "I-I'll start over!"
"No, Chris, your Emerald could be any color you want it to be!" Mr. Stewart said. He looked up. "As a matter of fact, I heard a red Emerald was found somewhere recently around Silky Heights."
"WHAT?!" Chris and Penny yelped, standing up abruptly. Their chairs clattered behind them. The students looked up in surprise.
"Uh... sorry!" Chris said, sweat dropping a little.
"Totally my bad." Penny said, giving an apologetic wave to the class.
Mr. Stewart smiled. "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, they found that Emerald in an old dilapidated factory not long ago."
"Really?" Penny asked, curious.
What they didn't know, Rouge the Bat smirked as she listened from a nearby tree. "Hmmm. Who knows what interesting little tidbits you can pick up if you hang around long enough." She chuckled as she disappeared into the trees.
...
After school, Penny and Chris took Danny back home so he could meet Tails and Amy. Blaze, Sonic, Hiro, Silver, and Cloud were already out searching for the Emeralds, so Danny got to meet only two of Sonic's friends so far.
"I'm Danny!" The boy smiled, shaking Amy's hand. "Nice to meet you!"
"Hi, there!" Amy said with a smile. "I'm Amy. These are my friends Tails and Blaze!"
"Hi!" Tails and Blaze said, waving at Danny. Danny smiled, waving back. "Hey!"
"Where's Sonic?" Penny asked, looking around.
"He left already!" Tails said. "And it's about time I headed out, too!"
Soon, Tails, Danny, Chris, Amy, and Penny were all in the X Tornado, to search for the Chaos Emeralds.
"Let's take off!" Tails said, a look of determination written on his face.
"All right!" Danny cheered, flinging his hands in the air. "Yeah! This is the coolest thing ever!"
"Okay, cool it, will you, Danny?" Chris asked anxiously.
"Look!" Amy said suddenly, grabbing Penny's attention. "There's Sonic, Silver, and Blaze!"
Sure enough, there were the trio, waving at them from below. Then, they zoomed off. Tails flew after them.
When they were gone, Rouge smirked at the now fallen sign that layed on the ground. "Ha! They fell for it!" She smirked. She flew off.
...
Finally, Rouge made it to the abandoned ware house. "That's it!" She smiled. "Now, to see if I can find another Emerald!" Rouge lifted herself off the ground, and landed inside the ware house. She walked around for a while, until something sparkly reached her eyes. Rouge flew to the shiny object and picked it up. "Well, what's this?" She asked curiously. She grunted when bright lights suddenly shone in her view.
She was caught. Rouge stood up to see herself surrounded by an army of cops holding riffles at her. The bat put her hands to her hips. "My, my. Trying to trap me?"
"Don't move!" A female cop threatened, her riffle pointed directly at Rouge. Slowly, the female cop moved towards Rouge.
"Whatever you like," Rouge smirked, flinging her hands in the air.
The female cop grabbed her hand, and was about to cuff her...
"You know, you're pretty tough for an old lady!" Rouge joked, smirking at the cop. The female cop blushed as the men around her started laughing.
"What are you clowns laughing at?!" She yelled. "Commander!"
The commander coughed.
"I'm not going anywhere." Rouge smirked. "Matter of fact, I kinda like being in the spotlight!"
"Forget the cuffs." The commander said, walking up. "What's your name?" He asked the bat.
"I'm Rouge, Rouge the Bat," Rouge smirked.
The Commander's eyes widened slightly. "Hey, I've seen you somewhere before. That's right. You're the one who snuck into the National Museum and stole that diamond, aren't ya?"
"Who, me?" Rouge smirked.
"We set up a trap to catch Sonic and Silver, and who do we wind up with but a jewel thief?" The commander smirked, finding this quite humorous. "Funny how things work that way!"
Rouge just smirked.
...
Soon enough, Rouge found herself sitting in a fancy chair in the President's office. The Commander and the female cop stood behind her. Rouge smirked at her. "Man, I could go for a cup of coffee!" She said.
"What?!" The female cop yelled, putting her hands on her hips. "Listen, Missy, this isn't a country club. You're in deep trouble!"
"Yeah, yeah." Rouge said. "I know, so I've heard. But all I want is a cup of coffee. Don't be such a nag!"
"A WHAT?! A NAG?!" The female cop yelled, quite fed up with this female bat.
"Hey." The Commander suddenly said. "Get her a cup of coffee, Topaz."
"Hmm!" Topaz huffed as she made her way to the coffee table. "Aye aye. She doesn't deserve it, if you ask me!"
That struck the bat's attention. "Topaz?" Rouge asked curiously. "Isn't that the name of a gem?"
The door opened, and Rouge turned to see the President walking in. Topaz looked surprised and looked away for just a second while pouring, and ended up burning herself and spilling the coffee.
The President sat in front of Rouge and looked over at Topaz. "Case of the jitters, Topaz?"
"I'm very sorry, sir." Topaz apologized as she wiped up the coffee spill.
"So, you're Rouge." An aide said.
"Hi!" Rouge waved.
"Well, Rouge, I imagine you must be wondering why we've bought you here today!"
"Uh hu." Rouge said, looking away.
"Listen, Rouge, We'd like to make a deal."
"A deal, hu?" Rouge asked curiously.
"We are willing to offer you complete immunity for your crimes." The President said, his face linned with excitement. "That is, of course, if you joined our team. "
"Join your team? As what?" Rouge asked.
The Aide looked at her. "You'll work as an undercover agent for the President."
"Wow!" Rouge said with a big smile. "Imagine me, a real life secret agent! Tell me why, why would you want a naughty little jewel thief like me on your team?"
The President glared at her. "This is none of your business, young lady!" He snapped. "Now, do we have a deal?"
"Umm..." Rouge began. "Who knows? Working as an agent might get me closer to those Chaos Emeralds!" She thought. Finally, she smiled at him. "Mr. Pres, you've got yourself a deal!"
"Congratulations, agent!" The President smiled, holding out his hand. "Welcome aboard!"
Rouge laughed. she was about to shake his hand when she thought of something. "Does this mean I don't get to keep my diamond?"
The President looked at his aid. "What do you think?"
"Well, this case is still considered unsolved as long as she promises not to talk." The aid said, closing his eyes.
The President smiled at him. "There you have it!" He said.
Rouge smiled.
...
Sonic picked up the now broken sign that was supposed to lead them to the warehouse. Silver and Blaze looked confused as well.
Sonic shrugged. "I guess I'll take the change!" He and Silver darted off, along with Blaze, and the X Tornado, which flew close behind.
...
Up in the air, Rouge found herself sitting in between agents. She looked curiously at her wrist as Topaz placed some type of bracelet on her.
"What's this thing?" Rouge asked curiously.
"It's a bomb." The commander said.
Rouge grumbled. "A bomb?" Clearly she wasn't trusted yet.
The commander held the remote in his hands. "If we push this remote control here, it's bye bye batty. See, we don't exactly trust you, so you be a good little girl and maybe we don't have to use it."
"Huh." Rouge humphed.
"Just think of it as a bracelet." Topaz said, snapping on her helmet. Rouge looked at Topaz skeptically. "A bracelet that explodes?!"
"It's supposed to be functional, not fashionable!"
"Looks like something an old lady would wear!"
Topaz gasped in shock. Rouge smirked at her. "Why don't you try it on?"
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!" Topaz growled angrily at Rouge.
"Just what you think it does, grandma." Rouge snapped back.
"Ladies, please!" The commander said in a pleading tone.
The pilot turned to them. "Approaching dropping point, straight ahead!"
"Yup!" The Commander said, readying his riffle. "Roger! Get ready!"
One by one, they parachuted off the airship.
...
Penny yawned as she and her friends looked around the warehouse for the Emerald. She checked her watch. Man, it was getting late. The girl missed having one of Ella's scrumptious meals, then snuggling down in her bed. She, Danny, and Chris looked like they needed some sleep. The girl drowsily leaned over on Sonic. Luckily he didn't mind a bit, and he held her in his arms as he scanned around the warehouse.
"Huh." Blaze said, twitching her tail curiously. "What is this place? It gives me the creeps!"
"I agree with Blaze." Amy said. She looked around. "Well now what?! There's nothing here!"
Tails looked over at Sonic. "Something seems strange here, Sonic. Who would've moved that sign?"
"Beats me." Sonic said, still holding Penny. Standing beside them, Danny and Chris were half asleep and standing up at the same time.
...
Topaz, Rouge, and the Commander finally made it towards Eggman's new layer. The commander kept a close eye on it through a pair of binoculars. "I don't see an entrance anywhere!" He finally announced after a moment. "Come on, where is it?!"
Rouge shook her head in disappointment and annoyance. "Ugh." She complained as she grabbed the rope from the Commander's belt. "Do I have to do everything?"
Once she held the ropes in her hand, the she bat took off in the air and landed on top of Eggman's base. Thinking Rouge was up to no good, the Commander gave a yell and nearly pressed the button of the bomb, but luckily Topaz stopped him just before he hit the button.
"Hold on!" Topaz said, looking at the commander's curious expression. Topaz looked at the G.U.N. agents behind her. "Follow me." She ordered.
Rouge finally found the opening, then attached the rope to the door handle, and tossed the other hand down to Topaz and the others. Rouge smirked at them and gave them a thumbs up, which they silently returned.
...
Soon, they were running stealthily in Eggman's layer. Rouge looked at them. "This way!" She whispered. But before Rouge could take off, the Commander grabbed her by the arm which held the bracelet bomb. "Hold on!" He said. "Where are you going?
"Don't be so jumpy!" Rouge grumbled. "You want me to help you out or don't you?"
"No funny stuff?" The Commander asked.
Rouge flung him off. "I'm on your team now!" She shot at him.
"All right, just checking." He turned the tracker on. "Okay, let's move in!"
...
"We don't have much further!" The commander said, looking at his tracking device. "Now if we can just find the power output sector."
Topaz looked at Rouge. "Any idea where that might be?"
Rouge smirked and shrugged. "I guess I must've left my map at home!" She said sarcastically.
Topaz frowned, and checked her watch. "Well, it's almost dawn." She turned to the Commander. "What do you think we should do, Commander?"
The Commander looked at her seriously. "We don't have much time. Let's keep looking!"
Rouge was about to follow her new group of agents, when something up ahead caught her eye. She frowned. "Commander?" She called.
"Huh?"
"Mind if I have myself a look around?"
The Commander looked at her. "Are you kidding? How do I know I can trust you?"
Rouge smirked. "You can. I'll be right back!"
"I'll go with her, just in case." Topaz said.
Rouge scoffed. "Whatever."
"All right, then." The Commander said, and handed Topaz the control to the bomb. He looked at the two ladies. "Remember. Don't do anything reckless!"
"Yes, sir!" Topaz saluted.
"Aye, aye!" Rouge said, imitating Topaz's salute. Topaz growled at her.
...
Rouge flung herself in front of a door. Topaz followed behind her.
"This could get messy." Rouge said, looking at Topaz with a smirk. "Especially for an old gal like you."
With one kick, Rouge managed to slice through the doors with ease. Rouge looked around until she found what she was looking for... a green Chaos Emerald.
"My, my..." Rouge said, her eyes sparkling. She flew over to the case and put her hands on the glass. The bat studied the Emerald. "Well, hello!" She smiled, her eyes still sparkling. "It's beautiful!"
Topaz walked up, her rifle at ready. "I have the strangest feeling we're being watched." She said. Hearing a machine, Topaz looked up and saw a claw headed straight for her. Topaz screamed as it picked her up. Rouge luckily saw the danger and flew away from it with ease. When she was at a safe distance, she could see a security bot, holding Topaz in its claw.
"Please help me, Rouge!" Topaz pleaded, grunting.
"Hang in, girl!" Rouge ordered, and tried to lunge an spin attack at the robot, but was soon interrupted by a shrill alarm from the robot. Rouge and Topaz screamed at the deafening sound. It was so loud, that it woke Eggman up. "It must be intruders!" The scientist grumbled.
...
"That sound!" Rouge grunted in pain as the robot continued to blare the alarms. "It hurts my ears!"
Just when things looked like they wouldn't get any worse, they did. The robot turned the alarms to full blast. The girls screamed.
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Topaz yelled over the noise. "HELP ME, PLESE!"
...
"That scream must be coming from Noizi!" Eggman grumbled, holding his head in pain. "Someone's trying to make off with my Chaos Emerald, and we can't have that now, can we?" He smirked as he pressed a button on the computer. "Go get them, Sneezer!"
After that was done, Eggman walked away, yelping in pain and covering his ears. "Blast that infernal noise!" He complained.
...
"I'll go insane!" Rouge grunted. Hearing another machine, she turned around to see another robot headed towards them, its missiles at ready. When it came close enough, it fired. Rouge took another leap into the air, while Topaz, still in the robot's clutches, had no choice but to cover her ears and protect herself from the noise as best she could.
"ROUGE!" Topaz yelled. However, something caught her eyes and she looked down.
"The power generator!" She yelled, an idea suddenly hitting her.
Rouge was about to do another spin kick, when Noizi turned the volume on again, this time at top volume. Rouge screamed as she fell, and the echoing cheers of the robot filled her ears. Quite fed up with this robot, Rouge stood up. "I've had quite enough of this!" She grumbled.
Rouge dodged the lasers and passed the bot as she did, and the lasers destroyed the bot in a single blow. However, one of the missiles smashed the holder of the Chaos Emerald. Rouge yelped in shock.
"Oh, no, I've lost the Chaos Emerald!" She cried. She and Topaz let out another yelp of pain as the alarm blared again.
"All right, you're fooling with the wrong girl!" Rouge grumbled. Eyeing her bracelet, Rouge sliced it free from her arm. Thinking and running quickly, she tossed the bomb into the loud speaker, and just as planned, the noise finally died down, and Rouge looked up at Topaz. "Push that button!" She ordered.
Topaz gasped, and reached into her pocket which held the control. With a push of the button, the bomb exploded, and Topaz finally fell to the ground. With a final screw kick in the middle of the bot, Rouge was able to destroy it. She quickly grabbed on to Topaz and picked her up. "Hold on tight!" She ordered as she flew off.
"Move it!" Rouge yelled at Eggman. The doctor yelped and pressed his back against the wall. "Excuse me!" After a moment, he realized something. "Who's that?"
Hearing something fizzling in the wires, Eggman completely started panicking, and screamed as the robot exploded. Rouge and Topaz luckily got out of the building before they would get caught in the explosion as well.
"Rouge, how could I ever thank you?!" Topaz gasped, her heart pounding as they flew.
"I do." Rouge grunted as she tried to keep Topaz in the air. "Loose some weight!"
At that, Topaz grumbled in annoyance.
...
When the smoke cleared away, Eggman whimpered. "Help. Mommy!" He whimpered, chocking up smoke.
...
At school, Danny, Chris, and Penny were snoozing the day away. Mr. Stewart walked up to the trio of sleeping kids. "Chris? Penny? Danny?" He asked, shaking them.
The kids started awake with a yell, startling everyone in the room once again. They looked up at Mr. Stewart apologetically. "Uh... sorry!" They said together.
Mr. Stewart leaned in close to the three friends. "Now, Penny, Chris, I get the feeling you kids and Danny didn't get enough sleep last night. It's okay to have adventures. Just make sure to get to bed on time."
Penny looked at Mr. Stewart suspiciously. "Hu?" She asked.
"But how did you know, sir?" Chris asked.
"Just a wild guess." Mr. Stewart said with a smile.
"Thanks, Mr. Stewart!" Penny, Danny, and Chris said. They looked at each other, and burst into nervous chuckles.