Disclaimer: Chip, Dale, Monterey Jack, Zipper, Gadget, Foxglove, and the Rescue Rangers Are trademarks of Disney.
"Approaching target, ETA three minutes." The OSO, offensive systems officer, called into his headset. .
"Reno, how's the scopes look?"
The DSO, defensive systems officer, checked his scopes.
"All clear... hold on... One... correction... two SA-6'es, three Zeus-67's. Search only."
The SA-6 was a lethal medium range missile that could reach most any aircraft, at any altitude, and a pilots worst nightmare, while the Zeus was a mobile antiaircraft gun that could shed a plane like it was cheese. Reno paused. The operator rubbed his eyes. "Sir he have three bandits at 2.6.7. heading south, south east. Possibly MiG-29's. The pilot cursed, audibly.
"Approaching the target, bomb doors opening." The OSO reported. The smooth skin of the B-1 Lancer broke as the doors opened, causing its radar cross section to double.
"Bombs away." Three missiles dropped into the planes slipstream then ignited.
"Good launch." The OSO watched as the missiles found their targets, a mobile scud missile launcher, and reload equipment. "Target destroyed." The OSO was interrupted by the DSO. "The -6'es have a lock. Missiles in the air. Track breakers activated. Chaffs and flares released, come to 5.4.2. No affect, their still on us."
"Hold on! Were going to SCRAM."
The large bombers wings swung open. Speed brakes along the wings flared, dropping the Lancers speed to the optimum turning velocity. The B-1 banked on its wing, harder than most bombers could.
"This is going to be close..."
Click!
"Hey, Foxglove and I was watching that!"
"No time for that Dale, we have a case."
"Not another missing lunch money case I hope." Dale grumbled.
"No, it's a big one... Hey, were is every one?" Chip scanned the room. A pot fell from the Kitchen.
"Monty, we've got a case." Chip called toward the kitchen.
The large mouse appeared from the kitchen, zipper in tow. "I guess I don't have any time to make some of my cheeeeeeeeese flapjacks then?"
"I'm afraid not." Both Chip and Dale sighed inwardly.
Dale cuddled Foxglove. "I gotta go, work calls." He said in his best super hero voice.
The Bat looked longingly into the chipmunks eyes. "I understand." She stretched and looked around the room. "Where's Gadget?" she queried.
Chip did his own search of the room. "I don't know, I guess she's still in bed."
"Morning guys." Gadget said in a nasal voice. She was still wearing her nightgown, and bags were visible under her eyes.
"Crickey Gadget luv, you don't look so good." Monterey stated in a concerned manner.
"Golly, this. Its only influenza. It won't last a day." She stated in an attempt to down play her flu.
"Not necessarily. I remember when the flu hit a colony of pigmy bores. The whole town was off their hoofs for weeks." Monty reminisced.
"Monty's right, you need you're rest. Anyways you've been working hard for the past two weeks and deserve a break." Chip said in his most compassionate voice.
It never hurt to try to pick up a few brownie points at every opportunity. Gadget was about to point out the fact that she had been working just as hard as every one else, and it was no reason to stay home, but a sneezing fit took hold at the moment.
"Its settled, then. RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!"
Gadget sat on the couch sipping a cup of tea. The guys had returned, but only inform her that they were going away for the week to track down some coffee smugglers in Columbia, and to grab some supplies. Now she sat alone, on the couch, board out of her mind, with nothing to do.
Foxglove walked into the living room sleepily. She had been bedding with the Rangers, using an extra room during the day to sleep.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" the mouse asked through a clearing nose. Foxglove rubbed her eyes "I couldn't sleep." she noticed Gadgets empty cup.
"Would you like a refill?" the bat asked heading to the kitchen."
"I guess they boys would allow me to do that."
"Still a little sore about that I see."
"It wouldn't be so hard if they didn't do this every time something happens to me. A paper cut, an electrical burn, a near death injury. Every time!" Gadget said in a huff.
Foxglove was half listening. Gadget needed to blow off some steam. "Were do you keep the... Never mind I found it. Oww."
"Are you OK?" Gadget called, craning her head in the direction of the kitchen.
"I'll be fine. A can fell on my foot. I just can't hold anything in these wings, that's all. Hands are so much easier to work with. Some days I would trade anything for a pair."
Foxglove returned with two cups of tea. Gadget stared into her cup. "Did you mean what you said?"
"What was that?"
"Did you mean what you said, about trading in you wings for hands?"
"Some days I do, others well, I'm not sure. Its just part of who I am."
"I can give them to you." Gadget said into her cup.
"They're a part of me and I guess I'll just have to get used to them... what was that?"
"I invented a machine yesterday that would allow a genetic transfer. I never thought I would actually use it though. I did it for the challenge."
Foxgloves eyes bugged out. "You mean I could have hands for a day?"
"I don't see why not. Golly, I thought it would be shelved and never used, like my cold fusion generator, or my atomic waffle iron."
Moments later the two girls were standing next to a plain box about two inches high with two AAA's connected to the back.
"Is this it? I thought it would be... well... bigger, and have blinking lights or something." The bat commented skeptically.
Gadget snapped her finger and ran off, leaving Foxglove starring at the box. The mouse quickly returned with a toy suction cup and a couple Legos. Gadget mumbled an apology. "I forgot the matter beam directional unit." She soon had the suction cup in place, and the machine humming.
"I still thought it would have been bigger." Foxglove mumbled.
"You'd be surprise how easy genetic splicing is. Just stand there. Now for a sample." Gadget walked over to Foxglove, and pulled a solitary hair from her wing.
"Ow, what was that for?" She cried, rubbing the spot that now had one less hair than it had before.
"I need something to use to change you back. Golly, that reminds me, I need a sample from someone with hands..." Gadget started to rub her chin in a thoughtful manner.
"Um... Gadget, you have hands." Foxglove said meekly.
"Gee, you're right." Gadget pulled a hair from her arm and placed both samples into the machine. "It'll try both, but only one will work, since one hair is yours." She explained.
"Were going to have to talk about you're animal skills. You don't just go about, sneaking up on people and ripping out their fur." Gadget ignored the remark.; She set about aiming the 'dish' in the bats direction.
"Foxglove, be prepared to meet the knew you." Gadget threw the switch. The Machine hummed, and then started smoke violently. Foxglove started to fill light headed. She assumed the smoke was getting to her. She stumbled forward, catching her balance, but not before knocking the Machine. Gadget was fumbling for the switch to deactivate her invention. The suction cup swung around, hitting her in the shoulder, sending a small electrical shock through her system. The machine started to spark and hissed then died.
"Did it work?" Foxglove sputtered through the smoke.
"It should have worked..." Gadget replied. "I don't know what will happen, but it should have worked."
"WHAT!!!" Foxglove felt duped. "I'm going to open a window, then we need to talk!"
Gadget listened as Foxglove walk to the window, complaining about how big of a sucker she was, but Gadgets mind was else were. She reached down to open a hatched, then pulled her hand back, after singing her fur on the hot metal. She examined her... hand? Gadgets eye grew large.
A screaming Foxglove brought her back to earth. Gadget ran to her side, fearing the worst.
"What is it?"
"I opened the window, with my own two hands." Foxglove starred at her hands a moment longer, then peered thankfully at her friend, ashamed she ever doubted her abilities. Her gratitude quickly spread to astonishment.
"Gadget you're... you're, well, a bat!"
"Gee, I don't know what happened. I was on the other side of the beam..." she stopped in mid-sentence, reached for her throbbing shoulder, to the exact point were the probe had made contact.
She turned and saw her reflection in the TV screen.
"Golly, this is unexpected."
Gadget started to examine her new body. Two large leathery wings replaced her paws. Her ears were much bigger, and she was noticeably missing tail. She felt sick suddenly.
Gadget splashed water on her face, and looked at herself in the mirror. She had taken a shower after losing breakfast all over herself and the floor just outside the bathroom.
"That's another thing that's different, I can't run!" she mumbled to the mirror. Gadget stopped and started the pronounce the words individually, watching her mouth move, hiding and revealing her new set of pointed teeth. She wondered what else had changed.
She tried on her coveralls, after cleaning them, and was mildly ticked at the fact that one of her better pairs now had two large gashes running horizontally along the side, but they were the only item in her small wardrobe that would accommodate her newly found wings. Gadget paused for a moment. Someone was outside the bathroom, probably Foxglove. Gadget marveled at how sensitive her hearing was.
"Gadget? Are you OK?"
"Ya, I'll be fine. It was... unexpected, that's all." She opened the door.
"I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed one of you're shirts. I can see why you guys wear clothing now."
"Gadget? Are you OK?"
"Yah, I'll be fine. It was... unexpected, that's all." She opened the door.
Foxglove stood one the other side of the door, wearing a pair of pants, and a shirt. Gadget noticed that Foxgloves figure had become decidedly more curved than before. "I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed one of you're shirts. I can see why you guys wear clothing now."
"No that's OK." Gadget made her way into the living room to investigate what had malfunctioned in her still smoking machine.
She reached down and fumbled with the handles to open the side hatch. After a few failed attempts, the hatch finally gave way sending the inventor to the ground.
Gadget peered in. A moment later she pulled out a small black chip.
"Is that what the problem is?" Foxglove asked, watching over gadgets shoulder.
Gadget examined the board for a moment. "Gee, it shorted out. I could fix it with out a problem, but I don't have the part on hand... umm, paw... um, wing."
Foxglove sighed audibly, while Gadget held the chip up to the light.
"Foxglove?" Gadget queried, still probing the faulty item, "It looks like we'll be like this for a while. I've been discovering what I can't do, could you tell me exactly what I can do"
"What do you mean?"
"Look at us! You're the mouse; I'm the bat. What can I do?"
Foxglove silently smiled and walked to the front door, signaling for Gadget to follow.
"Gee, it's bright out here." Gadget said squinting against the sun.
"That's one thing you'll need to get used to, you're more sensitive to light."
Foxglove walked to the end of the branch. "Look out there, what do you see?"
Gadget squinted. "I see children playing near a fountain."
Foxglove nodded her approval. "This sounds very much like a karate movie but, close your eyes. Now make a high pitch squeak. As high as you can go." Gadget did as she asked. Suddenly a picture appeared before her.
"Did you 'see' anything."
"I'm... not quite sure. I'm still new to this."
"Try it again, but this time do five in a row."
Gadget sighed. She didn't she the point of this used less endeavor, but did as her friend asked. Five squeaks, and a moment later Gadget's eyes lit up. "I could see them, but how. My eyes were closed."
Foxglove smiled knowingly. Gadget looked like a kid in a toy store with their parents credit card, and their permission. "That's echolocation. It's even better at night." Foxglove had forgotten how much she had taken it for granted.
"What else can I do?" Gadget asked eagerly.
"Can you swim?"
"Yes... but I don't see...."
"Flying is just like swimming." Foxglove said with a twinkle in her eyes.
"I still don't see what your getting at."
Foxglove pushed Gadget, causing her to fall off the branch. She watched as Gadget tumble earthward, then recovered.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"? Gadget demanded.
"I showed you how to fly." Foxglove responded flatly.
"TO FLY! YOU THREW ME OFF THE BRANCH!"
"Yes, I said it was like swimming, you just have to dive in, and I was right, you're flying."
Gadget was about to protest, but paused. She looked down to see nothing supporting her weight. "I'm flying? I'm flying!" Gadget flew off, flying in and out of branches faster than she would of ever of achieve in the Rangerplane. Foxglove sighed, "The simple joys in life are the best."
Gadget was still winded. She flopped onto the couch in the living room. "That was great. Golly, Foxglove you've been holding out on me."
Foxglove was engrossed in one of Dale's video games. The character on the screen jumped and ran, as the ex-bat moved her tongue this way and that in a futile effort to enhance her control of the small rodent on the screen, but alas, it met its fate by falling off into a pit. She stretched and switched the console off. "That's the farthest I've ever gotten. Usually I can't get past the first level, but now I can reach the twelfth!" Her stomach grumbled. Foxglove looked embarrassed. "I guess I'm a little hungry..." she said sheepishly.
"Gee, it is getting late. Maybe we should get something to eat." Gadget checked the refrigerator. "I can only find some left-over cheese." She tried picking up the plate, but her wings wouldn't grasp the smooth edges. The plate fell to the floor, the cheese flattened against the impact. Gadget looked at the flattened dairy product. "Oops, scratch that. There's nothing to eat."
"That's Ok, I never really liked cheese much anyways." Foxglove paused. "That's funny, cheese doesn't sound all that bad at this point in time, but what I want is something..." she trailed off in thought. "I don't know what I want actually. What about you Gadget?"
Gadget took a moment, and then replied. "I want something crunchy, yet soft. Dry, yet juicy, and I want it to go. The faster, the better." She said with ever mounting excitement
Foxglove just nodded in reply.
"Its weird I know. I've never been this excited about food before." Gadget explained.
"Craving..." Foxglove said flatly.
"What?" Gadget questioned.
Before moving here, my main diet consisted of insects, preferably flying. I preferred mosquitoes, but flies did in a pinch. It was the thrill of the hunt that was the exciting part. It sounds cruel, but it was all part of being a predator.
After moving here, I decided to forgo the insects, for Zippers sake, but every once and awhile I wander to a small hole in the wall that specializes in a bats 'dietary habits' "
Gadget still looked skeptical and unsure.
"Don't worry Gadget." Foxglove wrapped an arm around Gadget reassuringly.
"You'll have to trust me."
"Foxglove, I usually don't resort to hysterics, but... DON'T FLY WITH YOU'RE FEET! YOU HAVE HANDS, USE THEM!"
Foxglove took up a more 'traditional' flying stance.
"How did I ever let you talk me into this?" Gadget asked, hanging on for dear life. If it wasn't for the fact that she couldn't grasp the wheel of the Rangerwing, they wouldn't be in this mess!
"This is fun! I can see why you like to fly Gadget. No flapping. No having to take breaks to catch your breath. The ability to take passengers along. This is so much better than how I used to get around." Foxglove commented as she flew between branches of the oak tree at breakneck speed.
They burst into the light and banked south. After a while Gadget relaxed. 'Foxglove is a born flyer after all.' She reasoned.
Foxglove landed the plane on the roof of an old brown stone. Her landing was flawless. Soon they were descending a small stairway that led to the restaurant. A bat with a small mustache and a French accent met them. He wore a black bow tie and a towel was draped over his left wing.
"Welcome to Chateau Le Bat. Do you have a reservation?" Gadget fumbled, but Foxglove walked forward confidently.
"Yes, Its under Foxglove. We'd like the private booth please."
"Excuse me, but you are not Madame Foxglove."
Foxglove fumbled for a second then produced a small card.
The waiter scanned the card. He clapped his wings twice and a young mouse appeared.
"Take these two to booth 5."
The mouse escorted the two to their both and left for the kitchen. He soon returned with water and two menus, but Foxglove refused them.
"We know what we want. My friend here will have the Pasta ala Cricket, and I'll have the flambé Walnuts."
"Excellent choice, anything to drink? My I suggest a red wine? Or maybe the house blend?"
"We'll have the house blend, and charge under Foxgloves name."
"As you wish." The mouse finished scribbling the order down, then ran to the kitchen.
Gadget looked down at her plate. It was a pasta in a white cheese sauce and little chunks of meat. Steam rose from the plate filling the air with a sweet aroma. She gulped and took a bite.
"So, Gadget, what do you think?" Foxglove queried.
"It's..." she took another bite, "slimy, yet satisfying." Gadget swallowed.
"Golly, Foxglove, I never thought I would ever eat cricket, let alone like it."
Another bite disappeared. "Gee Foxglove, you haven't touched the walnuts. Are they any good?"
Foxglove sampled the nut set before her. A surprised look spread across her face. Foxglove could only nod her head in approval as she chewed the soft nut. The rest of the dinner was filled with small talk, occasionally leading to relationships. Foxglove could talk about Dale for hours, although occasionally the conversation would turn towards Gadgets direction. She would fidget for a moment, then politely change the subject.
The duo left the restaurant, and headed for the Rangerwing. Soon they were in the air, Foxglove flying, Gadget in the copilot seat. It was still unnatural for Gadget to sit were she was, but then again, the whole day was a little unusual, to say the least.
Gadget directed Foxglove towards the north side of town. Her favorite electronic store would be closed, but that never stopped her before. She played with the morality of shoplifting, and yet standing as a role model for right, but quickly dismissed it. 'Now wasn't the time for a philosophical debate.' She thought to her self.
Foxglove landed the plane in the back ally near the stores dumpster.
"I'll be right back." Gadget said as she disembarked from the plane. Foxglove quickly checked her surroundings. "You're not going to leave me here, are you?" She didn't like the idea of being left in a dark ally, near cat ally, without a readably available means of escape, namely her wings.
"Golly, come to think of it, I could use some help." Gadget said, oblivious to Foxgloves concerns.
The truth was, Gadget used it as a 'save face' response. It was used to ignore, or just allow the other animal an opportunity to keep some of their dignity. It had served Gadget well, but did give her appearance of being little out of touch with reality.
The mouse and bat walked into the store via a hole in the back door. Foxglove followed Gadget through the maze of resistors, capacitors, and countless other doodads that sparked her curiosity and imagination.
Suddenly Foxglove stopped. Gadget was nowhere to be seen, and a strange scent filled the air. Her heart started to pound. She slowly turned around, and jumped at the realization the she stood face to face with a cat.
Gadget flew up to investigate the upper shelves. She found her wings a much-welcomed change of pace over climbing. The bat quickly engrossed herself in finding the replacement IC chip, but stopped suddenly. Gadget could of sworn she had heard something. She hovered in place for a moment, the returned to her task, dismissing it as nothing.
Foxglove was cornered. This was an experience that she could of done without.
"What do you have there Nat?"
"I caught a mouse grandfather! I have her in a corner!"
"What, what? Scoot over there, lets have a look." Another cat appeared next to the first one. This one was much older; causing Foxglove to realize that a kitten had caught her, a kitten!
"What are you doing here?!" the older cat demanded.
Foxglove swallowed. "I'm... I'm here to look for a part."
"Don't you know that mice aren't welcome here? Nat here has been scratching to play with a mouse, if you know what I mean." The older cat showed a toothy grin. Foxglove was not used to being threatened by a cat. "Gadget didn't say anything about cats... I don't want to die as a mouse..."
"Did you say Gadget?" the older cat inquired.
"Yes she did!"
The older cat looked around. "Gadget, were are you? It's been a couple weeks."
"Now George, why are you scaring my friends?"
"Come now Gadget, you know it's my job."
Gadget walked out of the shadows. "I know George, I know. How are you doing Natalia?"
"Aunt Gadget!" The kitten pounced.
"There's something different about you Gadget, new coveralls?" The old cat rambled.
"No grandpa, she's a bat!" the kitten giggled.
"Now Nat, it's not nice to call animals names." George scolded.
"But Grandfather, she is a bat." The kitten protested.
George was about to speak up, but Gadget interrupted. "She's right George.
Remember that chip I needed a couple of weeks ago?"
"Chip... chip...chip...Oh, yes now I remember. The one for your genetic duplication thingy, Mcbobber. What about it?"
"It worked, but the chip shorted out."
"Hmmm, could be the wrong type. Have you tried the 234-582? Same product, higher tolerance."
Foxglove walked up beside the kitten. She could see that the cat was a Russian Blue. Its dark gray coat glistened in the moonlight streaming through the window.
"Sorry to scare you like that."
"Excuse me?" Foxglove said in shock.
"I'm sorry to scare you like that. My name is Natallia, but my friends call me Nat. What's yours?" The kitten asked.
"I'm Foxglove, nice to meet you Nat." She rubbed the cats side.
"You're not a mouse are you?" Nat queried.
Foxglove was taken aback by the Nat's bluntness. "No, not long at all. Am I that obvious?"
" I kind'a I placed it together. Aunt Gadget was talking about some, gene mixing machine the last time she visited. Now she's a bat, and truthfully, you don't make a good mouse."
"Gee, thanks kid." Foxglove grumbled.
"No problem." Nat responded, not picking up on the sarcasm.
Foxglove stumbled into the living room, Gadget following close behind, and crashed on the couch, to tired to make it to their rooms.
Foxglove was asleep the moment she landed. Gadget repositioned her self time after time but she couldn't fall asleep. She just couldn't get comfortable. Finally, out of desperation, she decided to try the ceiling. After a few miss judgments, Gadget landed in the corner close to the TV and fell asleep.
"Girls, we're home." Chip yelled.
"Oh Foxy, were are you?" Dale bellowed as he sat on the couch.
Foxglove yawned. "Cutie, your home early." She said from the other side.
"Foxglove, you startled me. Did you do something to your hair? You look different."
"No, not the hair, just decided to drop the wings, that's all."
Gadget yawned and stretched. "Chip, you're back early, how did the case go?"
Chip had his back turned away as he pulled a suit case in. "It was easier than we thought. Fatcat had tried to get a paw into smuggling in coffee, but we stopped him." Chip turned around. "Gadget were are you?"
"Up here."
Chip followed the voice. "Gadget, didn't I tell you not to splice you're genes?
I guess you can't fly the plane or invent anymore?"
"...not quite, but..."
Chip interrupted. "Sorry Gadget, but we don't need you anymore."
"But Chip, isn't that a bit harsh?" Foxglove asked from Dale's lap.
"Ok, let's take a vote. All in favor?" Every one raised their hands. "I guess it's unanimous. You're off Gadget."
Gadget awoke in a sweat. 'A dream,' she whispered to herself, 'It's only a dream.' She looked around. The sun was rising, and Foxglove was in the kitchen.
"You're up early." Gadget said.
"I couldn't sleep. I had a dream that Dale rejected. He kicked me out." Foxglove watched the water boil. "What about you?"
Gadget entered the kitchen, still hanging on the ceiling. "I had a similar dream, but Chip kicked me out because I'm not of any use to the Rangers." A moment past, then Gadget spoke up again. "Don't worry Foxglove, Dale's crazy for you, he's just really shy, but give him time. He'll come around"
"Thanks Gadget." Foxglove retrieved two cups. "Gadget, Chip wouldn't just throw you out because you're a bat."
"Its not that. If I can't fly the plane or invent then I'm no use to the Rangers. A dead weight."
"Don't even start to think like that! You're a Rescue Ranger, not some hormonal teenager. You are important, but not because you fly or because you can invent, its because you're Gadget."
"But flying and inventing are a part of me." Gadget protested.
"Yes they are. You can still fly. I saw you last night when you landed on the ceiling. It took me months to be able to do that. You did it on your third try."
"Come on Foxglove. You flew the plane like a pro. You're born to fly."
"So are you Gadget. Flying is in your blood. It's a part of you. Anyways, you can still invent. The wings just enhance the challenge."
"I guess you're right."
"Now if only I could get Dale to notice me." Foxglove said with a sigh.
"Don't worry, He notices you."
"No he doesn't. When ever you walk into the room, both chipmunks start acting like a couple of love sick puppies."
"Foxglove, he likes you. It's the subtle things. The way he acts around you, the way he's always sneaking glances your way, the way he watches you when you leave a room. Things like that."
"Do you mean it?"
"Yes. Foxglove the only thing holding him back is himself. Don't worry, the shell will break sooner than later."
"Thank you Gadget." Silence fell over the kitchen. Foxglove stared in to her steaming cup. "Gadget, when will you have the machine fixed?"
"I don't know. I should have it fixed soon, if no surprises arise. Why?"
"Don't get me wrong, but I don't want the hands any more. It was interesting for a day, but I'm ready to go back to my normal self again."
"So am I Foxglove, so am I."
"Almost ready?" Foxglove asked for the twelfth time.
Gadget carefully placed the chip into its receptacle. "There, it should work."
Gadget flipped the switch, but nothing happened.
"Golly, what went wrong?" Gadget stood over her machine, pondering what could have gone amiss, while Foxglove walked out, onto the branch the front door opened onto.
The fountain in the center of the park bubbled and flowed, as if to say life will go on. Above, a deep blue sky and a noon sun, below children played and birds sang. An overwhelming sense of relaxation flowed over Foxglove. She never realized how beautiful the day could be.
Her daydreaming was cut short by something passing her head at high speed.
"ZIPPER!"
The fly turned in response to his name. Zipper squinted at this new comer, then yelled in recognition to the newest member of the trees household, and then squeaked a question.
"It's a long story. In one word, Gadget."
Zipper nodded his head in understanding. He had been blown up enough to know the angst felt by his friend.
"...Foxglove, I've found the problem. The batteries were dead." Gadget appeared in the door. "We'll need to get some more. Gee it's bright out here."
Zipper turned and nearly fainted.
"Zipper, what are you doing here?" Gadget called.
Zipper recovered from his shock and reported.
"The gang has been trapped by Fat Cat, and the whole mission to Columbia was a trap?" Gadget exclaimed.
"I'll warm up the plane." Foxglove volunteered.
"Zipper, help me grab a few things from my workshop." Gadget stated walking back into the tree.
Zipper struck a heroic pose, and then followed his comrade.
Foxglove was flying at break neck speed. She wove in and out of trees and buildings with reckless abandon. Both Gadget and Zipper held on with a death grip.
"Come on Zipper, I'm not this bad." Gadget responded to the fly's question. Zipper only rolled his eyes. Ahead, a once gold colored cat, now tarnished with age, dirt, misuse, and the occasional bird, loomed in the distance.
"You did what?" A gray cat yelled at a gaggle of misshapen animals. "You let one escape? Now it's going to warn the last one." The cat paused for a second. "The last one... We should be ready for our unwelcome guest. Give her a party she'll never forget."
The cat clasped his paws greedily. "Meeps, Mole, Snout, get down to the warehouse and prepare for our house guest. I'll be down shortly to supervise you blunder heads, now go."
The group left, leaving the cat to strategize and daydream. No one noticed a small bat eavesdropping out side the window, or its quick escape.
Gadget landed on the roof a short distance from Foxglove and Zipper. Gadget took a moment to catch her breath. "Everyone's in the warehouse. Fat Cat knows we're coming, but isn't prepared yet." Gadget said, breathing heavily.
"Why is every one looking at me?"
"Your the senior officer. What's the plan?" Foxglove chirped.
"Zipper has been on the team just as long as I have." Gadget protested.
"He doesn't want it, and I'm not even a Ranger. Besides, you're like a second in command."
Gadget pondered the situation. "It seems to me that we have a few assets. One, there expecting two of us, not three. Second, if we move quick, Fat Cat won't be there. Third, well look at us. We can use it to our advantage."
Foxglove was about to ask Gadget to expand on her plan, but decided against it. The last thing she needed was a long, complicated, and confusing explanation. She followed blindly behind Zipper, who followed blindly behind Gadget.
Chip, Dale, and Monterey, hung precariously above a vat of boiling coffee by a rope.
"Crickey, We've gotten our selves in a real pickle this time mates." Monty observed.
"No Monty, we're going to be dunked like a donut." Dale replied innocently.
"Dale, I would smack you if I could reach you." Chip shot back.
"Be quiet. The boss is going to be down shortly." Mole stammered in frustration.
The card Game wasn't going Mole's way. He preferred Go Fish over Old Maid and the constant chattering coming from the captives was spoiling his concentration. He removed a card from his hand and was about to play it.
"No, not that one." A voice said from behind.
Mole placed to card back and reached for another.
"Ummmmm... No."
Mole tried a third card.
"Not that one... or that one... that's the one."
Mole removed the card and promptly lost the hand.
"Hey!" Mole turned around and squinted. He could see a blurry image of a young blond mouse. "Aren't you the one we're looking for?"
"No, you're looking for a mouse, not a bat."
"You still made me lose."
"Golly, I'm sorry, I thought you were playing Gin."
"How do we know you're a bat? You could be trying to fool us!" Meeps stammered.
"Yah, yah, that's right. You look like a mouse." Snout concurred.
"Would a mouse have wings?" 'Gadget held out her arm "Or teeth like this?" She asked grinning widely. "Now my friend over there, she's is a mouse."
"Hi, cutie."
"Foxglove!" Dale whispered, "What are you doing here." Foxglove stepped into the light. "And what happened to you?!"
"It's a long story cute stuff. Right now let's get you down." Foxglove looked around but the rope had no apparent termination. It faded away into the darkness of the rafters above. "What a time to not have echolocation." She muttered to herself.
"Foxglove, you've got company." Gadget yelled from across the room.
Gadget watched as the scrawny cat and the ignorant mole ran toward Foxglove. Suddenly she tensed. A voice inside said it wasn't safe on the ground. She leapt into the air just as a chair crashed into the spot she had just occupied.
"Snout, that's no way to treat a lady."
"Youz ain't a lady, your one of them Rangers!" The rat spat, waving his paw in frustration.
"Gotcha!" Mole stutter. "The boss will be happy. We caught the one he wanted."
"You don't want me." Foxglove protested. "The mouse you want has blond hair."
"It could be a disguise." Meeps volunteered. Foxglove could see this line of thought was getting her nowhere.
"Say... Meeps is it?" The cat nodded. "You don't want your friend here to get all the credit, do you?"
"No..." responded the clueless ally cat.
"He was just telling me he was going to tell the boss that he caught me empty-handed."
The cat looked shocked. He turned to the mole and demanded an explanation. Mole defended himself to his full extent, forgetting about Foxglove.
"Gadget, the rope!" Foxglove shouted.
Fur streaked past into the darkness. Soon the sound of metal against metal could be heard. Then a low rumbling, like a train was audible. The rope moved away from the vat and lowered to safety.
Foxglove was at the rangers side, a certain ranger in particular, in an instant.
"Dale, are you all right?" Foxglove squealed as she untied the rope.
"Oh, it was nothing Foxy. We were just overwhelmed twenty to one, that's all." Dale bragged.
Foxglove drank it up. She wrapped her arms around Dale, and ran her fingers through his hair.
This was a new experience for Dale, and he liked it. Foxglove was always an open book when it came to her feelings for Dale. He was used to her wings around him, but they were big and awkward in delicate tasks. Now she effortlessly twisted his fur in her fingertips. However, what was the most different was around his waist. She had unconsciously wrapped her tail around him. Now the tip ran up and down his back, sending chills up his spine.
"Where is Gadget?" Chip inquired, spoiling the moment.
"I saw her earlier." Monterey responded.
"So, what happened to you Foxy?" Dale asked, his eyes never departing from hers.
"What ever do you mean, handsome?"
"Well..." Dale stumbled to find the right way to phrase it, "You're a mouse."
"Now is not the time." Gadget hurriedly said landing beside Foxglove. "I can hear the elevator opening. Fat Cat will be here any time."
"Well Rangers, I think a tactical retreat is called for." Chip ordered.
"And we need to leave before Fat Cat comes." Dale added.
"As you see Wart, soon the Rangers will be nothing but a crumpet for my tea." Fat Cat informed the lizard as they exited the elevator.
"But boss, I thought they were going to be dunked in some coffee." The lizard hissed.
Fat Cat walked into the warehouse, followed shortly behind by a notably shorter Wart.
"What are you incompetent lackeys doing?!"
"He let her go!" Meeps blamed.
"I don't care who did what, where are the Rangers!?"
"They're over there." Mole volunteered, pointing to the empty air above the steaming vat.
"Are you sure this will work? Dale asked hesitantly. "Whenever they try it in my comics, it always goes wrong."
"Don't worry Dale. The batteries were just drained, that's all. We'll be back to our normal selfs... or is it to each other selfs... or is it..."
"We get the idea Gadget luv, just throw the switch." Monterey testily interrupted.
Gadget shrugged it off then reached over and flipped a small insignificant switch. The machine hummed, there was a bright flash, and then a thin, gray smoke floated to the ceiling.
"Did it work?" asked Chip between coughs.
Both Gadget and Foxglove looked each other over.
"I would have to say that the matter reproduction/transference ion field conclusively reversed the affects of the aforementioned experiment." Gadget stated flatly.
"In English Gadget luv." Monty pushed. Foxglove inspected her wings again. "It worked." She replied hovering three inches above the ground.
Gadget stared out of her window, toward the rising moon.
"Gadget?" came a voice behind her.
She turned to see Foxglove standing in the doorway. "Foxglove, what are you doing up this early. I thought you would of been out tonight."
"I noticed you light on and thought I'd stopped by." Foxglove cautiously walked in and stood next to Gadget. Minuets passed with out a word spoken. The moon cast a white light across their faces in stark contrast to the darkness.
"Gadget..." Foxglove began, then hesitated. Gadget turned and looked at Foxglove. The bat steeled her nerves then continued. "...I'd... I'd like to thank you."
"For what." Gadget said solemnly. "I messed up again. That's all I ever do is mess up. Every thing I invent always backfires.
"Listen Gadget, you made me realize what I have. I never thought I would miss all of this." Foxglove spread out her wings. "Anyways, inventors are always having to tweak an invention before production. The light bulb wasn't invented in a day."
"Thanks Foxglove, I needed that. Some times I start to think that I'm measured by my inventions. It's nice to be brought back to earth once in a while."
Silence fell upon the room again. "Foxglove... You handled you're self pretty well out there."
"Naaa, it was you who freed the other Rangers."
"But you kept Fat Cats goons at bay. Listen, you didn't hear it from me, but I think Chip's ready to extend a membership to you. He's been thinking about it, but after this afternoon... well, time will tell. That reminds me, how would you like to fly the plane more often?"
"I can?!" Foxglove said excitedly. "You know, I never had any real friends, 'till you guys came along. Thank you Gadget."
Foxglove got up and left the room, a noticeable bounce to her step. Gadget watched as the bat left. "No, thank you Foxglove," she whispered under her breath.