Bats in the Belfries: Pt 1

"Are you sure it is truly necessary that we come here?" Shadow asked in annoyance, crossing his arms as he glared out the window. "It feels like a big waste of time."

"Oh calm yourself down, Mr. Sha-dumb the emohog." Rouge snapped back, reclining in her plane's seat. "This is the first time I've been invited to see my family since my imprisonment. I still can't believe that they are even willing to talk to me."

"Didn't you tell me your clan regarded you as an embarrassment?" Shadow asked with a smirk. "I can understand why you would still be worried about coming back."

"Haha. At least, I still have family that still wants to see me." Rouge glared at him. "I only wonder how things have changed in the past forty-five years."

"But that doesn't explain what I'm doing here along for the ride." Shadow replied, curiously. "Why did you have to drag me along on your sappy little family reunion?"

"Um, yeah. About that." Rouge stared at him sheepishly. "You see, when my cousin gave me the call asking me to come home for a visit; he sort of asked me if I had a family or an intended."

"Wait, don't tell me you…" Shadow's eyes went wide before giving Rouge a murderous glare. "How dare you say something like that without consulting me!"

"Say what exactly?" Dulcy asked sitting there quiety.

"For all intents and purposes while we are visiting with my family, I am Mrs. Rouge-Shadow." Rouge explained. "And that's the way my family is going to see things until we leave here, you got it?"

"This is utterly stupid." Shadow began to protest getting up from his seat in anger. "I refuse to be a party to your little deception and there is no way I'm going to-" Suddenly, Rouge was up in his face; her nail pick glove claws were at his throat then his lower areas.

"Did I forget to mention that I'm a jewel thief…? The kind of thief that removes jewels?" She warned in an angry tone in her voice. "Either you play along with this little charade or you'll need to chaos control yourself a new pair of emeralds."

"Got it." Shadow said, simply swallowing hard.

"Oh… that's tough." Dulcy responded in surprise, trying to stifle a laugh. "Better do what she says Shadow or your gonna lose your chaos spear."

"I really hate you two, you know that." Shadow grumbled, laying back in his seat and covering his face with a magazine.

"We wouldn't have it any other way, Shadow-darling." Rouge said, smiling.

The plane touched down on a small airstrip in the jungle with few other buildings or structures in sight. As the trio stepped off the plane, the only thing they saw was a beat up old hanger and what looked like a smelly pile of clothes laying on the ground.

"Well, this is certainly some welcome." Shadow stated with a smirk. "I thought you said your family was sending someone out to greet us."

"Shadow's right, this is some really lame hospitality." Dulcy agreed, kicking the small pile of clothes with a hat on top. "I can't believe your family couldn't even drop out to say 'hello'."

"Hey, watch out where you are kicking, man." The pile of clothes stated. The hat bobbing up and down. "Us pygmy bats can't really take too much damage, I think."

"Holy smoke, I think the laundry is talking to us." Dulcy yelped in surprise.

"Shorty, is that you?" Rouge asked staring down at him in shock. "I can't believe it, you've really grown since the last time I saw you."

"No kidding, Aunt Rouge." The laundry pile responded. "Hola, gringos. I'm Paco the bat, but every one they call me Shorty."

"Wait… Aunt Rouge?" the puzzled jewel thief asked. "Paco, you're my older brother. What in the world are you talking about?"

"I'm little Paco, Aunt Rouge." The little bat answered. "Named after grandpoppi. He raised me until he try to steal a big dumb cat's pet frog to hold for ransom. The kitty got mad and sat on him and turned him into a flat pancake."

"Wow, I can't believe I thought you were Paco." Rouge replied in disbelief. "Sorry, it's still hard for me to actually believe I've been gone for forty years."

"Look, I'm all choked up with you guys reunion and all. But could we move back to the family estate?" Shadow asked impatiently. "I really like to lay down and get some shut-eye after the long flight here."

"Sure thing, Uncle Shadow." The pile of clothes scooted over and reached up and grabbed the black hedgehog with an overly long sleeve. "Come on, I'll take you back to our hacienda."

"Wow, I can't believe this pile of clothes can talk all by itself." Dulcy exclaimed in wonder putting her foot out and stamping around on the clothing pile. "Rouge, do you think it's enchanted or something."

"HEY! CLAW OFF THE HEAD LADY!" the little bat shouted, picking Dulcy up and throwing her aside like a rag doll. "You don't see me jumping on your head, señorita."

"If you two are done clowning around, we really should get back to the hacienda." Rouge commented.

"No problemo, Auntie Rouge." The small bat grabbed her and Shadow by the arms flying into the air with them in tow. "Uncle Aero will be mucho happy to see you."

"Hey, you two. Wait for me." Dulcy called out flapping after the tiny bat. "It's not like I can fly too, you know."

The little bat flew them onward through the jungle taking Shadow and Rouge deeper and deeper into the Mystic Ruins. All around them, Shadow could see an endless sea of tropical trees and scorching hot jungle. Scattered throughout the tree filled forest, the black hedgehog could see crumbling stone statues and tall pillars dotting the tropical countryside.

"So, this is the Mystic Ruins. I thought it would be more impressive." Shadow complained in his usual grumpy manner. "So what do the echidnas just let you live here or do you guys have a rental deal?"

"Those echidnas are long gone, Uncle Shadow." Paco explained. "We moved into one of their old abandoned temples, mucho room."

The trio flew down towards a large step temple in the clearing with broken statues of echidna chiefs decorating the sides. As they approached the west side of the temple, one of the statues responded by curling up in a ball revealing an entrance that it had blocked previously.

"Whoa, you guys have an automatic door. That's really cool." Dulcy declared, flying in through the open hole after the other three. The four mobians flew down a long and winding brick tunnel. The sides all decorated with tiled mosaics depicting the ancient echidna civilization. Finally, the long snake like chamber opened into a large domed area where about a dozen or so bats of various shapes and sizes waited for Rouge and her friends.

"Hey Rouge, long time no see." One of the older bats with a grey beard called out. "How are you and your little hubby doing, huh?"

"Good to see you again, Pedro." Rouge smiled. "It's been far too long since I last saw you."

"Ohmygosh, you must be like Shadow the Hedgehog. You're so hawt." A young teenage bat with a ponytail and braces called out. "Cousin Rouge got really lucky when she snagged a hunk like you."

"Don't you ever make eye contact with me again." Shadow warned her giving a menacing glare.

"Oh, don't mind him, Selena." Rouge responded, giving the ultimate lifeform a kick in his fanny with her high heel. "My dear sweet Shadow's bark is far worse than his bite. At least, if he doesn't want a broken arm for insulting my family that is."

"Hey, a dragon. That's really cool." A tall skinny and lanky bat with taped glasses declared with a snort. "Is she a wyrm? Or a serpent dragon? Or a wyvern? What's her hit dice? Does she get a saving throw?"

"Ugh, pay no attention to the utter and total geek over there." Paco said in disgust. "My big brother, Edwardo, can be a real nerd sometimes. He hasn't kissed a girl in fifteen years and he's been living in Poppi's basement for twenty."

"That is an irrelevant statement, Paco, as we all dwell within the same structure." The nerd declared adjusting his glasses.

"All of you, enough." A commanding voice from the cracked throne at the front of the chamber. "It is time that we properly welcome our long lost family member back into the fold and congratulate her on her marriage to such an honorable impersonator of a noble hero."

"Wait… What are you talking about? I'm not impersonating." Shadow's eyes narrowed in rage. "Oh no, you are not comparing me to that damned fake hedgehog."

"Yeah. Sonic the Blowhog has nothing on Shadow-san." Selena commented, stars in her eyes as she stared at Shadow in wonder. "He's dark, deep, and mysterious with issues that mere mortals like you cannot even begin to fathom."

"Eh, you don't know what you're talking about." Paco replied. "That Sonic is the real hero. He save all of Mobius and he's way faster than this wannabe hedgehog."

"Uh, statistically speaking, it's impossible for Sonic to be faster than Shadow." Edwardo declared, shifting around the pencils in his pocket protector. "Due to the fact Shadow can instantly teleport, there by negating any advantage that superior speed would give."

"Debating over which hero is better…" Dulcy giggled. "Man, how geeky can you get?"

"I know isn't it so stupid of them?" Paco asked, getting very close to Dulcy. "Wanna go somewhere and talk about it, baby?"

"Eww, get away from me." Dulcy replied in disgust. "I don't date southern fried burrito midgets."

"Okay guys, enough of this messing around." Rouge replied looking back to the bat on the throne. "Aero, why don't you stop playing around and get dad in here? You never were very good at playing chief. And father would be very angry at you for sitting on his throne again."

"Oh Rouge… I guess you didn't hear." Aero sighed, his face falling as he looked down. "I was sure you would have heard it somewhere or somebody would have told you."

"Told me what? What are you talking about?" She asked, realization starting to creep into the back of her mind, even if she didn't want to believe it. "Aero, where is dad? Why isn't he here?"

"Rouge big sister… I'm so sorry." Aero declared sadly, putting his hands on her shoulder. "While you were frozen, dad he… his heart… he was old and it was peacefully in his sleep."

"No, you can't mean…" Rouge trailed off falling to her knees. "Papa. I didn't think."

"Rouge, I'm so sorry." Shadow commented, sympathetically, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I had no idea your father had passed."

"It's not fair." Rouge replied, her lower lip trembling as she just sat there staring at the floor. "It's just not fair."

A few hours later, Shadow was in the ruined temple's small kitchen pulling a bottle of juice out of the fridge and pouring himself a glass. The ultimate life form was startled by the sound of footsteps behind him, but was surprised to turn and find the form of Selena standing behind him in her nightgown.

"Shadow! Like I didn't so totally expect to find you awake at this hour." Selena apologized. "If I'm like disturbing you, I can just go back to bed."

"Yes, please do so." Shadow started before thinking for a minute. "No, wait. You came down here for something."

"I just wanted to get myself some milk." She replied grabbing one of the small milk bottles out of the fridge. "You sure, if you don't mind if I have a seat with you?"

"Actually, I could use a little company." Shadow replied, motioning her to sit down. "I apologize but this has been an extremely rough day for me."

"Well, I can imagine marrying into this crazy family." Selena replied, rolling her eyes. "It's a miracle our uncle Aero doesn't go cuckoo trying to keep an eye on all of us."

"I must say. This is a rather impressive place you and your family have here." Shadow replied, looking around the room. "I've never seen an ancient temple restored and refurbished quite like this."

"Yeah, my other cousins installed electricity, plumbing, and elevators for the family. We even get four hundred channels from Mobius TV in here." Selena replied, proudly. "We got a hundred and twenty rooms and a sacrificial alter for heart-cutting that we never use."

"Wow… those echidnas had some interesting hobbies." He replied, shaking his head at the disturbing thought. "Anyway, I take it that you must be very happy to have Rouge home again."

"Actually, my brothers and cousins never knew her only Uncle Aero and a few of the elders remember Rouge." Selena stated in surprise. "We were always told growing up that she was a shame and disgrace to the family for being a criminal. Other than that, Uncle Aero was the only one who ever said nice things about her."

"Really? But then, why has the family invited her back?" Shadow asked in surprise. "It hardly seems logical to invite a dishonored relative back without some form of redemption."

"Well, Mr. Sonic and the GUN officers spoke very highly of Aunt Rouge, so Uncle Aero thought she might be able to redeem herself if just given the opportunity."

"Really? And how is she supposed to do that?" Shadow asked.

"Why, uncle Aero is going to have her travel to the very heart of the Mystic Ruins and challenge the strange mud beasts which threaten our fruit supply." Selena replied. "If she and you can defeat these terrible foes and save our crop supply, then all will be forgiven and Rouge may come home."

"So, Rouge has to defeat a foe of the family in return for coming home." Shadow mused. "Sounds like a fair trade. But tell me, why does the family not just steal the food it needs if you're all such great jewel thieves?"

"Thieves? We haven't stolen anything since my dad was little." Selena giggled. "I don't even know how to sneak past an alarm system. The worst thing I taken was my brother's ice cream cone when he wasn't looking."

"That does make sense." Shadow replied. "During the forty years, Rouge and I were frozen, must have stolen enough to make you all wealthy. It's kind of sad when you think about it really."

"Sad? How come?" She asked puzzled.

"Well… Rouge was raised by her father, your grandfather, to steal and pilfer so the family wouldn't starve." Shadow explained. "Over the years, she and her brothers made the family prosperous but then Rouge got a little too greedy and began stealing from innocent people, disgracing her to the family. Now, she's been gone for forty years and comes back to a family that no longer needs her thieving skills to survive. She was born and raised as a survival tool, but now she's worthless and obsolete."

"You're right. That actually is kind of sad." Selena replied with a sigh. "But tell me, Shadow, has she found a place for herself in the outside world? Is she happy with you and GUN?" Shadow thought for a moment, not quite sure what to say. Finally, he turned to the teenage batgirl and gave her a soft smile.

"She's doing what she knows how to do, Selena. And she is putting her skills to use for the better of all." Shadow closed his eyes. "That's all a person can ask for… isn't it Maria?"

"Maria? Shadow, my name is Selena." She asked. "Shadow, are you seeing some girl name behind my cousin Rouge's back?"

"What? No. Maria was just an old friend of mine." Shadow shook his head sadly. "She's gone now, but I can tell you that I miss her terribly."

"Shadow? I like you a lot." Selena smiled resting her head on the ultimate lifeform's shoulder. "Do you think you can learn to put up with a bunch of crazy bats for a family?"

"My dear… it's no crazier than the people I consider my family right now."