By Jareth
Chapter Seven: Lightning bug bulbs and broomsticks
Foxglove sat in front of the TV. They were showing Runaway Bride for the third time that day, and she couldn’t stand to watch it another time. “Hm.” Foxglove said getting up, I wonder what’s going on in the world.” She walked over to the panel at the bottom of the TV and pressed the button marked “news” (preset channel). Upon pressing the button, the words, “Channel locked” appeared across the screen. “Darn,” Foxglove said, turning away from the TV and heading back to the couch. “I’ll just have to find some other way to keep myself busy.” Foxglove looked out the window at the moths buzzing around the nearby streetlight. Suddenly, her stomach reminded her that she was very hungry. “I’m going outside to get some moths, so be sure to stay inside, okay Zipper?” Foxglove said as she walked toward the door.
Zipper was about to get up and follow her out, when it suddenly occurred to him that if Foxglove was feeding; his life would be in danger if he happened to be anywhere nearby. Before he could stop her, Foxglove walked out the door, shutting it behind her. Zipper made an “Oh no!” noise. He hadn’t counted on this, and couldn’t think of what to do. “Well, as long as she’s right out the window, I can still keep an eye on her.” Zipper thought, as he watched Foxglove swoop and dart around, snagging moths as she flew. The sight of fellow insects being devoured made Zipper feel a little uncomfortable, but he had a job to do, and this was no time to let personal feelings get in the way. Zipper continued to watch as the minutes rolled by…
Meanwhile, in the now deserted drive-in movie theater, an extremely board Dale sat from atop the torn screen, watching as the lightning bugs flew around. “*yawn I wonder if anyone else has seen anything yet.” Dale said duly as he picked up his signaler. Unfortunately, to his dismay, the LED remained dark. “Darn it!” Dale complained loudly, hitting his signaler. “I’ve been sitting here for over half an hour! When are things going to get exciting?!” However, in hitting his signaler, Dale had inadvertently pushed the signaling button.
“Huh?” Chip said noticing his signaler blinking “Someone’s seen Winifred!” Suddenly, it dawned on Chip that Gadget had never told him how to figure out who had pressed the button. “Agh!” chip said, beginning to panic. “How do I know who’s signaling me?” As if to answer him, the signaler slipped out of his hands and upon hitting the floor, flipped over to revealing the black LCD on the other side which read, “DALE”. “Oh.” Said Chip, feeling like a total idiot as he picked the signaler back up. With that, he ran off toward the Drive In.
Zipper watched as Foxglove flew around the streetlight. He was starting to worry, not only that Winifred would spot/capture Foxglove, but also that Foxglove would get sick from eating so much. However, Foxglove had stopped eating a while ago, and was now lost in thought.
“I wonder if Dale is enjoying the movie…” Foxglove thought as she flew around in the streetlight’s bright glow. “I wish I could go… I should go!” Foxglove said aloud. “I’m not going to let my personal taste in movies mess up a perfectly good chance to sit with my arm around Dale for a whole two hours!” Foxglove started to fly away from the light, towards the theater. “I’m going to put my taste aside and make this the best night ever!” Foxglove said determinedly as she flew out toward the drive in. Zipper saw this, and immediately left to pursue Foxglove.
Dale sat alone, trying to keep his eyes open. “Maybe I can afford to sleep for a little bit.” Said Dale as he began to curl up. He probably would have drifted off, had it not been for a voice that yelled, “Well, where is she?!”
“Ahhh!” Dale yelled, springing up and punching Chip in the face.
“What’s the big Idea!?” Chip yelled, rubbing his face
“You scared me!” Dale yelled back
“You shouldn’t have been sleeping!” yelled Chip as he kicked Dale in the butt.
“I wasn’t sleeping!” Protested Dale.
“Were so!” retorted chip
“Were not!”
“Were so!”
“Were not!”
“Were so!”
“Were not!”
“Were so!”
“Were not!”
“Were so!”
“Were not!”
“Were so!”
“Hey now, what’s all the commotion” Came a new voice. Monty walked in between Chip and Dale.
“I got here as fast as I could.” Gadget said, running over to Chip, Dale and Monty. “Where is she Dale?”
“Where is who?” Dale asked, quite unsure of why everyone had come.
“Winifred.” Gadget answered.
“You signaled us pally.” Monty said, pointing to his signaler.
“No I didn’t.” Dale responded, wondering why Monty would think that.
“I’m willing to bet anything that this bozo pressed the button by accident somehow.” Chip groaned, rolling his eyes.
“I wouldn’t be that stupid!” Dale yelled at chip squeezing the signaler in anger. As he squeezed, his forefinger ended up depressing the button. Instantly, Everyone’s signaler lit up, with the word “DALE” on the bottom of them.
Chip pointed to the space under Dale’s name on the signaler. “Right here, it should say, is an idiot!”
“Why would it say that?” Dale asked quizzically. “That’s not my name.” He knew that this would drive Chip crazy.
“Why I oughta—”
“Shhh!” Gadget hissed. “Listen!” As soon as Chip and Dale had quieted down, a small noise could be heard. It sounded kind of like a vacuum cleaner. The noise was slowly getting louder. “Everyone get down.” Gadget commanded as everyone lowered themselves to the ground.
“Crikey!” Monty whispered. “Look up there!” Everyone looked up, only to see a shadowy figure against the moon of a robust woman riding a vacuum.
“Ga ha ha ha!” Winifred cackled as she swooped down and landed on the ground and began to vacuum up lightning bugs. Now that the nearby lights were lighting her up, the rangers noticed that she was tightly clutching something small and furry in her hand.
“Foxy!” Dale yelled as he stood up, completely blowing their cover.
“You moron!” Yelled Chip, still crouching, as not to be seen. “That’s not even Foxglove, it’s the chief’s toupee!”
“You!?” Winifred yelled, looking more enraged than she ever had before. “NO!” Winifred pointed her finger at Dale, shooting a medium sized spark out of if. The spark exploded as it hit the sign, sending the Rangers flying in all directions. “Well well well, so you’ve all decided to drop in have you?” Winifred said calmly as the rangers landed on the ground. Winifred’s evil smile suddenly became an even more evil enraged face. “I HATE YOU!” she yelled raising her hands in the air. “I WON’T LET YOU LIVE!” Winifred flung her hands out in front of her, shooting forked lightning out of her fingertips.
“Yikes!” They all screamed, just barely dodging the energy, but all running into one another.
“Eh, soggy sponges!” Winifred cursed. “Well, this time I won’t miss!” She flung her hands out once more, except this time, instead of lighting, all she got was a noise that suggested her energy had fizzled out. “Drat!” Winifred yelled. “I used up all my energy in that last strike.”
“Looks like this magician’s run outta tricks mates” Monty said in a tone that suggested that the Rangers had already won.
Winifred faced them and gave an evil grin. “Out of tricks ay?” Winifred reached into her apron’s deep pocket and from it, produced a spray bottle filled with blue liquid. She held the bottle in the direction of the Rangers. “Heh, sleeeeeeeeep.” Winifred pulled the handle and sprayed them with a fine blue mist.
“I know what that is!” Gadget began “That’s ammonia—
Zzz…” Those were the last words uttered before Gadget and the rest
of the Rescue Rangers completely blacked out.