Heya guys! I know I'm taking my time with this fic, but rest assured it's not abandoned and I will update when I can, even if it is once a month, thats an achievement in itself!

Note: Some readers might find this chapter distressing.

Chapter Ten

A couple of hours later, Sonic, Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, Rouge, Knuckles, Julie-Su and Antoine were gathered in a meeting spot within Robotropolis.

Rouge glared and snorted as the stinking smell of smoke, oil and metal filled her nostrils and the others agreed and they all looked disgusted.

Sally felt saddened as she looked around at the filthy city, it wasn't new to her, seeing how much damage had been done, but it still hurt as she knew almost every area and what it used to be, where she had played as a child, where she had gone to school, where she would ride in the Royal Coach with her parents.

Sonic saw her look and catching her eyes she could see he agreed with her, he too shared the same sadness at what used to be their home.

"Don't you just love this fresh air?" Bunnie quipped trying to make light of their situation and bringing Sonic and Sally back down to Mobius.

"Yeah! About as much as I love Ro-butt-nik!" Sonic replied with a snap.

Sally shook her head as she looked at the explosive cannisters Rotor had packed.

"Okay everyone, take a few canisters each."

Everyone did so, then Sally held up Nicole making a map appear on her screen.

"Okay, you all know where you need to plant your cannisters?" she asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Good, now we need to synchronise watches!"

Everyone held up their wrists and set their watches, so they were all on the same flow of time for their mission.

"Okay, Nicole, Arm cannisters!"

"Arming Cannisters, Sally."

As Nicole spoke, the cannisters lit up and began to bleep showing they were armed.

"Cannisters Armed, Sally." Nicole spoke again.

"Great!" Sally smirked "Now the cannisters are set to go off in an hour, we all place them at our designated areas then meet back here! Understood?"

"Yes Sally." Everyone said in unison though Antoine replied with "Oui Princess."

"Great! Then let's do it, to it!" they all did the secret Knothole handshake then quickly went off in different directions.

Rouge took the sky as she carried her cannisters.

She glared as she looked at the smelly metal city and she wondered if she was lucky enough, she would find Snively, and find out if her brethren were dead, or Robotic slaves.

If it was the latter, there would be the chance to have them brought back just like Sonic's Uncle Chuck.

The bat flew around the area then finally found her area to place her cannisters.

It was a large Nuclear Cooling tower, and she could see several Swat Bots patrolling around it.

Rouge smirked.

Using her ability to fly she was able to place her cannisters on the top of the cooling tower without the Swatbots spotting her.

After completing that task, she flew down to the ground and checked her watch, seeing that there was another forty-five minutes until she had to meet up with everyone, she decided to explore the area hoping she could find prisoners or maybe if luck was on her side, find out if her brethren were amongst them.

When scouting in Robotropolis, she was always searching for her family, as she never lost hope for their welfare.

"I always promised I would come back and try and find you." Rouge said softly as she walked around the area, stepping carefully and looking around to make sure no Swatbots spotted her.

She hadn't been scouting for long until she suddenly heard a voice.

"Swatbots of the North area, report to the main dungeon at once!"

That voice! That nasally scratchy voice, and it belonged to one person!

"Snively!"

Rouge glowered and before long thoughts began to come back to her and she remembered that fateful day the Swatbots attacked and she had been the only one who got away.

Flashback

A loud noise roused Rouge from her sleep as she awoke from her deep sleep.

"Rouge! Rouge!"

The white bat sat up with a start as she looked at her mother, her eyes wide with panic as she practically dragged the bat out of her bed.

"Mum?" Rouge cried "What is it?"

"We have to go! We have to get out of her!"

Rouge blinked several times as the adrenaline kicked in and she soon saw outside the shack she had been sleeping in were lights as well as bright orange and red colours.

"What's going on?" Rouge asked as she was dragged outside the shack and before long she was faced with a horrific sight!

There were giant robots, black as sin and with red eyes as they were firing their lasers at everyone!

The shacks they had built for themselves were either broken down or in flames, and everyone was screaming and yelling in terror from the attack.

Rouge was horrified as she saw her brethren, all trying to fight as well as protect those who couldn't such as the children!

Some had been captured as some of these robots had been using large metal nets to grab some, but others were being slaughtered on the spot!

Rouge screamed as she saw several bats laying on the ground dead or dying with laser holes in their bodies.

"Where's dad?" Rouge screamed as her mother pulled her to the side as a giant robot appeared in front of them.

"Ebony! Rouge!" she soon heard her father's voice as he appeared before them.

"What's going on!?" Rouge cried.

"Robotnik!" Quicksilver shouted, "He must have found out where we fled after the fall of Mobotropolis!"

"No..." Ebony cried.

"You have to get out of here!" Quicksilver ordered "Ebony! Take Rouge and the others and get out of here!"
"No! No way!" Ebony shook her head.

"I don't want to go!" Rouge screamed "I won't leave you daddy!"

Quicksilver opened his mouth to speak but he then yelled in pain as a laser was fired from one of the robots and ripped through his wing.

Ebony screamed in fear and Rouge looked up and she soon saw a male midget overlander with a pointed nose, bald head and wearing a green suit standing behind the Robot who shot her father.

"By orders of Robotnik, we are to capture the Rogues! Those who try to escape, kill them!" he shouted.

Hate began to fill Rouge's being and she opened her wings to fly towards him to attack him and make him suffer for ordering the attack.

Yet as she did the Robot lifted its arm and fired at her causing her to recoil and thankfully, she avoided getting shot.

"Rouge no!" Quicksilver shouted as he jumped up and grabbed her ankle to pull her down.

As he did so, another robot nearby lifted his arm and as he did a net appeared and was thrown towards them!

Quicksilver acted quickly and threw Rouge to the side and the net was thrown over him and Ebony!

"NO!" Rouge screamed and she raced back to try and pull the net open to free her parents.

"Rouge don't!" Quicksilver ordered "Get out of here! Save yourself!"

"No!" Rouge shouted, "I won't abandon you!"

"You must!" Quicksilver screamed "Go! Before they get you too!"

Rouge shook her head as tears streamed from her eyes.

"No! No! No! No!" she screamed.

"Baby please!" Ebony pleaded "Listen to your father! Get out of here! Please! We might be captured but you have a chance to run! Take it! Please!"

Rouge shook her head but seeing the look in the eyes of her terrified parents, as well as seeing the Robots and the long-nosed Overlander come towards her she began to think.

As much as she didn't want to run away like a coward, she knew she couldn't take on the robots seeing what they had done to her family and brethren.

She then realised that if she did escape, she either could find a way to find them again and free them or find help.

Finally making up her mind, Rouge clasped the hands of her parents.

"Okay! Alright! I'll go!" she sobbed "But I promise! On my life, on my very soul! I will return! I will come back and find you and free you! I swear!"

She kissed her parents then opened her wings before taking off into the sky!

"KILL HER!" she heard the Overlanders voice scream, but Rouge started to fly in a scattered pattern so that as the Robots tried to fire at her, they kept missing!

Keep her eyes shut and pushing hard with her wings she flew higher into the sky then began to fly towards the Great Forest in the distance, tears streaming from her eyes and screaming in grief.

End Flashback

Every time she heard that voice from that poisoned dwarf, the memories of that day returned to her as clear as day and as if it were yesterday.

Walking a little faster, Rouge wondered if she could find that little bastard, and torture him into finding out what had happened to her brethren and her family.

Just as she rounded a corner she yelped in fear as a couple of Robotized slaves, a bloodhound and a raccoon appeared before her!

Standing frozen on the spot, Rouge stared at the slaves, and they looked back at her then they pointed at her and shrieked!

Rouge was stunned yet she acted at once and she jumped into the air and kicked both feet forward knocking them both back!

She then jumped on their chests with her iron boots then did a somersault before flying away before anyone came to inspect the sound!

Turning another corner, she soon saw an open metal door and instinctively she ran through it!

As soon as she was inside, white bat leaned against the wall, closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

That had been such a close call and she wondered how the others were doing.

Opening her eyes, she checked her watch and saw she still had half an hour, so she decided to get her breath back then find her comrades.

Looking up, Rouge was about to leave when she looked in front of her and gasped in shock!

"What in the name of…?"

To Be Continued...

So what has Rouge spotted? If you can guess! Leave a comment!

Also, the quotes between Bunnie and Sonic come from the SatAM episode 'Sonic and Sally'

And I got inspired from the film 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' when it comes to the part where Rouge is confronted by the Robotic Slaves.