The Epic Of Origins

by BleachedMouse1581

Foxglove recieves a mysterious letter, and travels to the desert to find out the truth about her origin, and who she is.

The Epic Of Origins

Part 1

Prolog

The land was parched, a sea of sand. This city had stood for decades, and never prospered into a great civilization. Satisfied with a humble citadel inside the abandoned shell of a 81 Dodge van. The once bone dry fuel tank made the perfect reservoir for the modest town of drifters who found themselves stuck in the sea of sand. In years gone by there were two of them preforming in the square. One would juggle and the other play. Sage, and Brush, children of the city. Like so many others their origin was covered by the shifting sands, and eighteen years ago they were left here in a basket covered with a rag.
Now there was only one, and still he juggled, and at times he played. When Sage died, Brush became a man, and guilt, sorrow, and grudge kept him going on the mail rout. In fact he only took it across those blowing dunes because there was always a chance he could come across a scouting party. That of course comes to the point of conflict. Every day has it's night, and for the people of Dodge City there are the Sand Fish. Reptiles and mammals are often at odds, but for the current situation, it was all about water. The sand fish of course had no concerns on what form the water came in, blood, sweat, or tears. Moisture was moisture. Among all this were those two witches who lived where desert met the sea. Mother and daughter, and daughter lost. Now was two but soon there would be three.
Cinnamon fur, and ink black mane. Her lips and eyes were crimson, and with a little grin she walked the streets lit by Christmas lights of the main city. It was much larger than it appeared at first. Most of it's bulk was under the ground. But it was a one of those nights where the town was alive. Celebration, yes, a case of Wild Turkey had fallen off a truck. So drinks were cheap, and the radio was loud. Among it all in the middle of the square, he juggled. And again down the street those hips shifted as she took her steps. No one had ever seen her before, but they knew her kind, that was obvious from her charms, and her shoulder bag holding a spell book. Wing tips curled around her shoulders hugging her voluptuous chest she watched with that mischievous grin. She had not flown all this way for nothing, this little shindig wasn't her concern, only a new possession. That one there on the stage was perfectly fit in the mold. Her eyes fell on him like a trap, that light sandy colored rat with shaggy hair a shade darker than his fur, and a chest and belly of gray-cream. Eyes so gray, like stone. He was perfectly naive, and hansom enough to be worth having around just to look at.
Again she grinned, beckoning with a tip as he dropped the steel ball bearings he was juggling. Thump, thump, thump they fell to the ground as he lost all interest in them and stumbled toward the vision of beauty before him, in a hazy mesmerized daze. Those crimson red lips parted in a grin as the bat looked down at this juvenile rat, no larger than a mouse. "Hello there darling. It wouldn't be too much trouble to help a lady out who's new in town would it?" She sang in a sweet sweet voice. "Y, Yes ma'am.. I mean No.. No It wouldn't be any trouble at all. How can I help? Anything." He stammered instantly dropping to one knee and taking the wing tip to gently kiss as it was offered to him. "That's a good boy.. Tell me, where could I go to send a telegraph in a quaint little village like this Hmm?" She requested withdrawing her wing and fingering with the charm around her neck. "No Ma'am.. I Mean I'm sorry, we don't have a telegraph. But The mail does run through here every Monday at noon. If you have a letter I could deliver it to the post office for you. After all.. That's my job, I'm the mail currier." He explained standing and poking out his chest with pride. "That's nice dear.." The red furred bat said with an obvious tone of dis concern. "No, I don't think that will be necessary." She gave a pause. "My Mother will have your letter ready tomorrow. I trust you will pick it up efficiently?" She returned looking down her nose at him. He nodded vigorously. "Oh, Yes of course Ma'am, All I need is a map to your home, and I'll make damned sure that I deliver your letter before the mail falcon stops by.
"That's a good pet." She said petting the man child as though he was so much less than her before reaching into her shoulder bag, and returning with a folded piece of brown meat packing paper. He took the paper in a trembling hand and watched her as she turned to stroll back down the strip never looking back until she had disappeared in the crowd. For a moment Brush was still in a daze, and finally shook his head out and returned to the podium to retrieve his spheres and stuff them into the leather shoulder bag he carried them in. Tomorrow was Monday. He would have to start out this very instant if he was going to make it all the way to the sea and back before tomorrow. In his thoughts all he could see was those red red lips, and cinnamon fur.

Chapter 1

"Times have changed and times are strange. Here I am but I ain't the same.
Mama I'm Comin Home"

It took a few moments for the letter to sink in. The words didn't bring back any flood of memories, or secrets from the past, only the disbelief that such a thing could happen to her of all people. Foxglove's long lost mother had come calling to her after an entire lifetime of wondering if she even existed. And she wrote urging her to come home and claim her birth right.
"That's a pretty long trip Foxy, Are you sure you want to go it alone?" Monterey questioned with concern. "Monty is right. It could take you weeks to fly almost two thousand miles, and then what when you get there?" Chip added.
"I'm sorry that I feel this way. I appreciate everything you've all done for me, but ever since I met you I've felt like I was... Well tucked under your wing. Maybe even overly protected. I just need to do this on my own.. for myself." Foxglove explained clutching the letter.
"But Foxglove, traveling alone, that far.. It's more than dangerous. It's crazy. At least let us take you there, then you can meet your mother alone." Gadget offered, but Foxglove was adamant, and shook her head. "I just have to do this by myself.. You don't understand before you guys it was Winifred, there has always been someone there that took care of me, and made my decisions for me. For once I just want to do something on my own."
And the conversation went on two walls who wouldn't give. "Why are you all so angry at me? I'm coming back, I'm not going to leave you all, I promise I'll be back. Why can't you be happy for me? For the first time in my life I'm going to learn where I came from." She offered as her last hope to sway popular opinion. There was a cumulative sigh, and Dale who had been quiet for the most part finally spoke up. "Foxglove, you wanting to do this alone... It doesn't have anything to do with us does it?" He asked hesitantly.
Foxglove sighed. "Dale.. I had a crush, and you weren't interested. I'm glad that we came out such good friends. I'm not bitter about what happened. I just have a lot on my plate right now, but it is my plate. I have to finish it on my own." dale looked at his feet, then up to Chip. He could only offer a shrug. Times had changed, and things weren't how they were. But they all knew that Foxglove made up her mind on occasion, and when she did, there was no use changing that. Under the gloom of silence she climbed the spiral stairs to her room where she would pack what she would need. It would be night soon, and she wanted to get a head start on the journey ahead.

She had no idea that it was going to take this long, or just how far it is flying on your own rather than in the Rangerplane. But two weeks later Foxglove found herself in a world of sand and saguaros. She stopped in the shade of a cleft to finally let herself sleep. She had been flying well into noon staying up to make better time. It had given her a new confidence, or at least forced her to use what she had. In the years she stayed with the Rangers she had watch love that never should have entered, and seen it fail where that was never the plan. After she rethought her feelings for Dale, Gadget had rethought her feelings for Chip. Pretty soon the crimes stopped coming, and they lost interest in common jewelry store heists, and crazy cult fiascos. It started to feel like a soap opera, Monty and Zipper seemed to keep to themselves more while Chip and Gadget spent their time working on new equipment. For Foxy, and Dale it was nice at first, but Dale didn't want to change anything for her, but asked her to compromise relentlessly. So was that what this was about? Or was life just a string of changes? Foxglove knew they would probably find her after she wrote her first letter. They would have an address to go by then. But right now all she thought about was sleep, and there in the cool wedge in the rocks she drifted off.
Foxglove woke at the crack of dusk, just enough light to mark her position on her map, and check her compass before she took off. It never occurred to her to fill anything she had that could carry it with water before she set off into this wasted land of drifting dunes. And so she flew through the cold night. She thought the desert was supposed to be hot, but when the sun drops, so does the temperature, and it was cold. Foxglove kept her wings flapping, just to stay warm. She saw the sun peeking over the horizon, the desert was a field of colors, the strata of the rocks, each their own earth tone. The golden light spread over the wind cut mesas and Foxglove flew down to check her compass, and take her final drink. She realized that she was in trouble now. "I guess I can't stop now.. I'll have to find an oasis or stream.. something where there's water before I stop for the day." She muttered to herself as she lifted back off and began her search.
But the sun was relentless, and there was no water in sight. The middle of nowhere, with nothing but sand and rocks for miles, Foxglove had to stop somewhere. There had to be someone out here with water. Then just as she lost hope she found a glimmer of a chance. Three tracks in the sand lead up to a group of three moving across the desert. In a frantic hurry she swooped down landing hard right behind them. Tumbling across the sand she came to a stop between the two of them following the point of their triangular formation. Foxglove had never seen lizards quite like them before, they were dressed in white ponchos, with scarfs wrapped around their snouts. Their scales were a golden yellow with speckles of brown and light blue.
"Please.. Help me." She gasp panting as they turned in unison like some military triad. "I'm so thirsty.. Please give me some of your water." She begged giving them her expression of complete need.
"What's this? You want water! We ain't got no water for the likes of you." The leader grunted in a sharp rusty voice. No sooner than he finished his words the other two quickly seized the helpless and heat exhausted Foxglove by the wings. She squirmed weakly but couldn't pull free, these reptiles were built like oxen. "But We thinks you got plenty of water for us." He laughed prodding foxglove between her buxom with a sharp clawed finger.
"No!" Foxglove screamed "I swear I don't have any water! Let go! Let Go you Brutes!" She screamed trying to climb to her feet. The lizard on her right dealt her a swift knee jab to her midsection right below her navel. Foxy dropped to her knees with a soft grunt, and began to groan. A shudder of pain shot through her body from her toes to her wing tips. She had never been hit there before, and had no idea it could hurt so much.
"Oh, You'se got water for us.. Plenty of water in your veins." The troupe leader laughed as he pulled a knife made from the blade of an exacto knife from under his poncho. He pulled back, and Foxglove turned her head and winced waiting for the pain. It never came. Just before the reptile let jab with the blade a silver flash ricocheted off the side of his head. Both of the sand fish holding Foxy looked to the left. The one on her left wing caught the second flashing silver ball between the eyes knocking him for a loop. Before Foxglove could pull free from the other lizard he again kneed her in her ovaries, and slung her to the ground running across the dune pulling a blade made from glass from under his poncho. Foxy pushed her face up, eyes and nose caked with sand. She could vaguely see two shadows. They seemed to spin, and shift as they fought, the Lizard with his blade against... someone, a mammal with.. a pocket book? What ever was in that satchel was pretty heavy, and the figure used it as a melee weapon deflecting the sand fish's blade away, and twirling it back around spinning on the balls of it's feet. It seemed like an eternity, but it actually only lasted a few seconds, as most fights did. That shoulder bag came up from below solidly connecting with the sand fish's bottom jaw throwing him onto his back.
Foxy wiped at her face and tried to get up as the figure began running across the dune to her calling. "Clover! Clover are you OK?!" Foxglove forced herself to her knees clutching her self between the hips with one wing. Soon she could see her rescuer, and it was not what she expected. He was a rat, the first heroic rat she had ever met, but he was young. Just a boy, no older than eighteen. He wore a small backpack, and on his right side hung that leather shoulder bag, and on the left a round canteen. Around his neck and upper chest hung a long tattered red scarf with one end wrapped over his face. "You... you're not Clover.. Who are you?" He questioned stopping before he reached Foxglove to pick up the two of his steel juggling balls. "Please don't hurt me.." Was all Foxglove could wince through her quivering lips. On top of the horrible pain in her stomach she was dizzy now, and nauseous.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly as he took a few steps toward her taking the canteen off of his neck and opening it. "You just startled me.. I thought you were someone else... You look so much like her." He mumbled with a dreamy daze in his eyes as he slowly handed her the canteen. Foxglove thirstily upended it and began to chug. The young rat snapped out of his trance and jerked the canteen away from her mouth. "Hay! I'm going to die! You can spare a little!" She protested with a hint of pain. "Slowly! Drink it slowly or you'll cramp up! You're not from the desert are you?" He said slowly handing it back to her, and moving along her side pulling a wing around his shoulder and lifting her to her feet. Gosh he was so strong to be so young. She guessed a person would have to be to live in a place like this.
"Come on.. Those guys never stay unconscious for long. We had better leave fast." He said in a soft reassuring voice as he began helping foxglove over the dune as she nursed the water. They came to the peak of the dune, and looking down she could see a tiny cart, with a sail and huge tires. There was a large sack strapped to the back, and the sail was pulled in folded to one side of the mast. "What's your name son?" Foxy said quietly as the rat eased her down into the cart letting her take up the rest of the cargo room. "Son?" He blinked looking at her. "I'm not a son.. and my name is Brush." He said with a hint of irritation. Foxglove looked down pulling her feet onto the cart, her knees pushing against her chest. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean it like that.. It's just that, you're so young. My name is Foxglove." she said quietly. Brush didn't say anything in return. He hastily dropped the sail, and no sooner than the canvas open it filled with air, and the cart took off. Finally he said something.
"What brings you all the way out here?" He asked simply the end of his scarf flapping in Foxy's face. "I'm going to meet my Mother.. She wrote me a letter a few weeks ago, and I had to come. I've never seen her before." Foxy answered. He nodded a bit as he turned the cart up a dune jumping over the top like a ramp and landing halfway down. Foxy grabbed the back of Brush's chair almost falling out. "A question of origin huh? Where does your mother live?" He asked looking back now moving parallel with the dune keeping in it's shade.
"She sent me a map. She lives somewhere on the coastline of this desert, where it meets the sea. Can you take me there? Please?" She finished with a plea, giving the young rat her fluttery eyes hoping to appeal to his youthful obsession with the opposite sex. "Nope.. Can't do it.. Not today.. It's almost twelve O clock. Gotta get back to Dodge City before the mail falcon comes."
"Oh.. That's what's in this bag? Letters. You're a mailman.. I bet you have been to my mother's house before! I'm sure you have! Please please take me Brush.. I'll give you anything.." She begged him again, but he was a wall. Brush shook his head. "Nope.. I'll take you tomorrow.. Gotta keep the schedule today. Tomorrow is good." He said turning the sail car down across another dune toward a old beaten up and rusted brown van half buried in the sand. "Besides.. You got heat exhaustion.. I see it in your eyes. Gonna get sun stroke if I keep you out here in this sun any longer. Better get you to the Doc, he'll fix you up." He explained glancing back at her.
He could see it in her eyes? Maybe he was too young to see she was flirting with him. Foxglove gave in. She knew he was right, even though she was so close now. He pulled in under the wheel hub of the rear tire which was no longer there, broken off at the axle and pulled the cart into the van. It was a very tight road, and he pulled the mast down to let the vehicle in. The incline of the tunnel which began in a hole rusted in the bottom of the van, and went down into an underground city. It was dark but Foxglove echo sounded the terrain. It was like being inside a giant ant hill, tunnels leading down, and branching off into rooms, more leading up, and stairs cut into the side of the hard packed dirt.
"Is all this yours?" Foxglove asked as the cart stopped, and the rat climbed out to begin pushing from behind. "Nah, this is just the garage. I got a little place in the upper city. Right behind the firewall." He explained as he pushed the land yat up between two others, both were different, Every one was built by pieces of anything that could be scavenged. Brush helped Foxglove out, untying the sack, and lifting it over one shoulder, putting foxy's wing on the other. He led her back up the tunnel, ducking under another rust hole, filed out smooth. It didn't look much like the inside of a van, but then they were inside the box benches that ran along either side of the rear. There was a hall down the middle with rooms on either side. A string of Christmas lights lit the way, but Foxy's eyes were getting heavier. Suddenly Brush stopped dropping the sack of mail, and opening the door he was in front of. He walked her in, to be confronted by a huge round shell. "Doc, Found a girl in the desert. Dehydrated ya know." He called. The old gray tortoise shell shifted and turned, a long gray neck with a rounded head, and tiny eyes pulled around to look at Foxy. The tortoise adjusted his spectacles. "Hmm yes, Heat exhaustion indeed. I can see it in her eyes. Better lay her down. I'll fix her up right." He muttered in an ancient voice. Brush laid Foxglove down on a couch from a doll house, she was limp, and sort of looked at him with tired eyes. She only offered him the sweetest smile she could in her condition but he took no notice and quickly turned to leave closing the door behind him. Foxglove looked up at the tortoise as he put on a reflector on his head and pulled a tongue depressor out of a drawer. "Say Ah." He said pushing the piece of metal into Foxglove's mouth. He looked at her tongue and eyes. "Brush gave you water Hmm?" He asked. Foxglove slowly nodded. The tortoise withdrew putting his implements away. "That's a good boy. Aside from his temper he always was. You'll be fine child, just get some sleep. You're up an awfully odd hour for a bat." He said as he hauled his huge shell around and pulled a scrap of cloth down from a hanger and spread it over Foxy. She smiled and was sleep before she knew it. Cool in the shade, and eased onto a soft bed.
Foxglove woke with a start. Sitting up on the couch pushing the rag of a cover off of her. Where was she? She remembered the lizards, and nothing after that. "Hello? Is there anyone there?" She called cautiously. To her left was a huge movement and before she knew it the huge head of a very old tortoise wearing thick spectacles that made his tiny eyes look huge was looming in front of her. Foxglove yelped with a screech, and clambered back onto the back of the couch. The huge head and long neck quickly withdrew back into the rough scaly honeycomb patterned shell.
"Startled you there Hun? I'm sorry, do you know where you are?" He asked in an ancient voice pushing his head out from in his shell as Foxy climbed down from the couch. "No.. I don't remember anything except being attacked by lizards, and waking up here. Who are you?" She asked stepping off the couch onto the dirt floor.
"I'm Doc.. Just Doc. Hmm don't remember Brush bringing you in? No? Eh.. to be expected, some short term memory loss. You had heat exhaustion. You're in Dodge City." He said pulling his shell around to face Foxglove. "Oh.. Brush.." Foxy said closing her eyes. "I can remember that name. I think I can remember that.. Yes he gave me some water, and saved me from those lizards. They wanted to drink my blood!" She stammered as the memory flooded back to her. The tortoise nodded his head. "Mmm yes Sand Fish, they came here a long time before I arrived.. Savages those are. Drink anything wet. You're a very lucky lass." He said nodding. Foxglove looked down. "This Brush, he's a young fellow isn't he? Do you know where I can find him.. I really have to talk to him." Foxy asked with hopeful eyes.
"Whoa, hold yer horses there lass. A lot to talk about before I let you go.. I need to get you well hydrated and take your vitals. Sit down and relax. Tell me why you need to see young Brush so badly." The old tortoise said pouring a thimble of water, and opened his drawer of instruments, pulling out his light reflector, and a tongue depressor.
"Well I'm here to see my mother, she lives somewhere around here.. I have a map, and Oh.. I haven't even told you my name. I'm Foxglove." She almost babbled. "Oh, yes you're mother.. I suspect you mean the witch that lives on Ocean's Ridge.." Doc muttered handing her the water, and pulling the reflector down over his right eye looking through the hole in the middle. "Witch?! How rude! That's my mother you're talking about." Foxglove exclaimed standing up. Doc raised his head to look down at her. "Wha.. Oh.. No.. I wasn't being rude.. She really is a witch. She and I trade remedies from time to time. But keep that under yer rug.. Folks round here are a little superstitious." He explained. Foxglove blinked in the sudden realization of what he meant, and sat back down with a quiet "Oh." As she drink from the water. It didn't taste too clean, but it was water, and she was thirsty. The tortoise pulled down her eyelids and looked into her eyes one at a time. "Say Ah." He said holding her tongue down, looking at it and her throat. "Hmm Yes fit as a fiddle you are. So going to see your mother.. What about Brush? Just want to thank him?" He asked. Foxy looked down and smiled a little. "Well actually he was going to take me to my mother's house from here. But.. I guess I really should thank him." She said looking back up smiling back to her usual self. Doc nodded his head bobbing high above Foxglove.
"Well, you should sit here and finish up that water before I let you go. Let me tell you a little about how things work around her." He offered to the listening Foxy. "We're peaceful folk here at Dodge and we don't want no rabbles. Mostly people like you drift through all the time, and we offer a shelter and a drink, but have em on their way. The two things you gotta remember are these. One, it gets just as cold at night as it gets hot in the day. And Two. Sand fish will sooner drink your blood than look at you. And you can't always see em cause they like to borough through the sand. So be careful out there and never travel alone." He said putting his instruments in a basin of alcohol. Foxy nodded. "I'll keep that in mind.. Tell me about Brush who are his parents? I'd love to tell them what a courageous boy he is." Foxy said. Doc laughed.
"Don't no body call him a boy but his pappy. Yesiree, you're looking at the one who raised him.. and well that's the other half.." Doc began proud and happy but his sentence faded. He took a heavy sigh. "It wasn't long after I came here that one of the humming birds here found a wide basket covered in a piece of rag. That basket of course held two infant rats, just got their fur they did. Mrs Flinderling had no idea how to take care of two little rats, so she brought em to me." He began. Foxy took another sip of water. "He has a brother? What's his name. I'd love to meet him." She said. Doc gave another heavy sigh. "Well my dear, you came two years a little late.." Doc said solemnly and gave a pause. "They used to be such good boys.. Rambunctious as a squirrel, but they all are, and One would juggle while the other played up there at the town square.. One would juggle and the other play, then the other juggle and one would play.. " He said shaking his head in the dreamland of memories.
Foxy covered her mouth. She saw where this was going.. "Oh no.. " She gasp.. Doc took off his spectacles to wipe his eyes. "Sage, and Brush,, that's what we call em. And I always told em, when you go out go together.. But one day that wasn't good enough. Those God Damned Sand Fish.. Brush came back to me hurt and alone.. He fought em hard but it wasn't enough, left him scarred and took his only other half. They were twins you know.. Exact twins, couldn't tell one from the other." He told as he dried his eyes.
"Oh.. gosh.. I'm so sorry.. No wonder.." Foxglove began. Doc nodded vigorously. "Yes Brush hates them with everything he is.. He took the mail rout from the old Armadillo when he left just so he might get the chance for revenge. But all the fights, they'll never be enough revenge. But maybe you could be good for him, change all that eh? He has a temper.. Guess that's just another scar they left him with.." The tortoise said remorsefully. Foxglove finished the rest of the water and wiped her mouth with a wing. "Oh.. I don't know.. I really don't think I'll ever see him again after I meet my mother." She said. Doc smiled the best a hard faced tortoise could. "Sometimes.. An instant is all it takes little lady. Just an eyelash on the tide."

Chapter 2

"I'm a boy and I'm a man, I'm eighteen and I like it"

Doc the Tortoise gave Foxglove a rough drawn map, and told her that if Brush wasn't in the saloon, then he would be juggling in the square. Foxglove found the van to be stacked in layers quartered with halls. Three layers high even with the dashboard, and on either side were walkways and stairs leading to various one room buildings. But there in the center of the top floor was the square, a spare tire rim with stairs leading up to the wood platform on top. Just as Doc said he would be, among the crowd listening to music from the poppy and crackling tape deck still in the dash, was Brush juggling three steel ball bearings. "What I need... Is a kiss from you babe. Before it's hangover time.... What I need.. Is some love from you babe. Before the stampede arrives." He sang as he tossed the orbs masterfully juggling them as he danced and sang to the music pouring out of the speaker boxes overhead. His red tattered scarf spun and swirled around him as he hopped to the left and right juggling the balls in wide throws. Foxglove smiled a bit not realizing that she was staring with her hand on her chin. He really was a cute fellow. Still a teenager, but already as large as any mouse she had seen, except Monty maybe. He wasn't widely built, he was rather lanky with long legs. But he had enough visible built. Other than his face he looked as old as Chip.
"Desolate landscape.. Storybook bliss. Darlin let me tell you this it's crazy. Hell of the memory, is a heaven of pain. Snow is cold but so is rain.. Please save me!!" Brush sang as Foxy watched remembering how he saved her with those juggling balls, how generous he was with his much needed water.
"What I need.. Is a kiss from you babe. Before it's hangover time. What I need... Is some love from you babe. Before the sta...." Brush stopped when he saw Foxglove standing there, three spheres falling with a thump around him. "Hello there." She smiled.
"You look so much like Clover..It's creepy." He said kneeling down to pick up his balls and return them to their leather shoulder sack. Foxglove canted her head to one side. "Who's Clover?" She asked softly. Brush looked up at her as he picked up the last ball. "The one other than me." He said standing up. Foxglove shook her head confused. "I.. don't understand, is she your girlfriend?" She asked. That dazed dreamy look came back to Brush's eyes as he broke out into song dancing and throwing his balls back in the air juggling. "Only one other, Only one other, Only one other has meaning for me. Only one other beside my own soul, She is that other with meaning for me." He sang as he juggled and danced. Foxglove giggled a bit. The poor rat was completely stricken.
"The door opens both ways, the door opens outward. My heart contains always the one time we kissed! Only one other, only one other, only one other has meaning for me. Only one other besides my own soul. She is that one other with meaning for me." He sang blissfully throwing the heavy metal balls at least a foot into the air. Foxglove found herself fiddling with her chin, and smiling again. It was no wonder he was so strong if this was all he did all day. She almost hated to snap him out of his gleeful song. She laughed and waved her wings at his face. "Brush! Hello Earth to Brush. Do you remember your promise?" She asked smiling. Brush caught the balls as they came down putting them away. But oddly enough that look in his eyes faded completely. And he seemed a completely different person. "Of course I do. You are trying to find your mother and you want me to take you across the desert. I remember." He said re adjusting his scarf. "Well.." Foxy began. Brush looked at her and gave a small smile. "Well.. follow me." He said pushing past her and moving down the stairs. Foxy smiled and happily followed him back through the city and down into the undergrounds. Brush pushed the same sail car out into the dug out center, and turned it toward the hall and began to push it up the ramp. "Do you need a hand?" Foxy said beginning to push the cart from behind. "If I say no will you stop pushing?" He asked. Foxy laughed a bit. "No" she replied. Brush shrugged a bit. "Why ask then?" He said turning the wheel and guiding the sail car out in the dim golden light of dusk. He began checking the rigging and raising the mast. "Get in, and strap down." He said quietly as he pulled his scarf up over his mouth and nose. He climbed in and dropped the sail. In an instant the cart took off. "Let's see your map." He said. Looking back at her. "Oh, of course." Foxy smiled digging through her pack and pulling out the hand drawn map. He took one look at it and began to grin, his eyes dazing over again. "The one other.." He whispered.. "You're Clover's sister.." he added. "I have a sister?!" Foxglove exclaimed happily. "I can't wait to meet her. How long will it take to get there?" She asked eagerly. "Four hours.." Brush replied completely depressed in tone. Then he turned back to his wheel and drove in silence only mentioning for Foxy to keep her head down now and again as if he had forgotten he already told her. He seemed more eager to get there than she was.
So silently they rode hopping over dunes cold sand blowing in their faces. Foxglove echoed all around her trying to get a feel for the landscape, but there was nothing but sand saguaros and rocks. She looked back forward and pushed herself up with a start looking over Brush's shoulder. "Brush look out there's someone up ahead." She gasp, and turned to look at him seeing a broad grin on his face. "I know.." He said as he slipped his bearing bag off of his shoulder. Foxglove threw herself back ducking out of the way as he began to sling it around over his right side laughing as he pulled the cart into a strafing course beside where the three figures had crawled out of the sand. Foxy knew instantly what, or who they were. More of those reptiles, or maybe the same three, those they called Sand Fish. Brush let the first on have it as the cart clambered by. "Brush Stop! There's no reason to do this. We can outrun them can't we?!" Foxy gasp as the quiet boy's sudden explosion of violence. "I got plenty reason..." He muttered turning around and heading right at the other two as their knives glented in the cold moonlight. "Brush NO!! You're going to crash!" Foxglove screamed as they loomed ever closer.
Suddenly Brush snapped a rubberband around the wheel locking it just before the two Sand Fish leapt to either side. No sooner than they had Brush leapt from the moving vehicle tackling one of the reptiles as he came back up from his tuck and roll. Foxy looked back covering her mouth watching as the rat sat on the lizard's chest pinning his arms at the elbows with his knees, and began pumbling him in the face with both fists. The other came up behind him, but Brush apparenty already knew, swinging the ball sack up at an angle hammering the lizard back with a solid thump to the chest. That's when the cart hit a dune, and Foxglove was slung out into the sand tumbling and rolling down the other side only to hear the sounds of the violent confrontation.
She crawled up over the dune to see Brush pulling the sail car out of the sand leaving three motionless figures in the sand. "What has gotten into your head!? Are you completely insane. What you're doing will not bring Sage back!" She scoulded. Brush looked up at her with the coldest eyes, eyes completely different than those she saw in him before. "I'd appreciate you not having this conversation with me." He grumbled. "Well! I'd appreciate you not getting both of us killed!" Foxy returned. Brush took a deep breath. "Drop it or I drop you.." He growled. Foxy snorted and walked down the dune to where he was readying the cart, her wings folded around her with a disgruntled expression. She got in and sat down. Brush turned the cart around and continued on in silence.
Finally Foxglove couldn't take the quiet. She knew that Brush had alot of pain inside. Everyone did, and maybe he was fighting his demons the best way he knew how. Life was so different here in this desolate land. "Brush... I'm Sorry.." She said quietly. He glanced back a bit. "S'ok. Just.. I'm trying.. But I can't stop myself. I see one of those bastards and everything goes red.. I know what I'm doing is crazy... but I can't stop myself." He said quietly. "Brush.. I'm so so sorry for what they did to you.. But if you don't stop doing stupid things like that you're going to get yourself killed." She offered. Brush gave a heavy sigh. "Least I'd see Sage again that way.." He replied dryly. Foxy shook her head sitting up on her knees and putting her wings around Brush's chair, making sure the tips curled comfortingly around his shoulders. "But that's not what he would want.. Besides.. What about the one other? You'll never see her again." She tried. Brush's muscles seemed to relax. "The one other than me.." He whispered. Foxglove sighed her warm breath on the side of his neck. "You're just eighteen.. You have your whole life ahead of you.. Don't waste it like this.. Don't let them do this to you." She said softly in his ear. She shook his head.
"No.. Foxglove you don't understand.. Why I'm the only young one left in Dodge.. Why all my friends are remembered on headstones.. They were all taken from me.. All my friends, my other half.. God Damn those Sand Fish!" Brush slammed his fist into the racing style stearing wheel. "Brush stop!" Foxy said shaking him. He suddenly pulled a lever and a weight dropped raising the sail, the car came to a slow stop. Brush turned around to look Foxy right in the face. For a moment she was startled, but saw his eyes. The warm eyes she saw in him that first moment he handed her his water.
"Foxglove.. Don't have this conversation with me. It hurts too much. Don't make me remember you like that." He said quietly before he turned around and dropped the sail. Foxglove sat back pulling her wings around her. Now even she was sad. But they continued on, brush looking at the map and landmarks taking the turns he needed. Finally his soft voice came again. "Foxglove I'm sorry. I can't forgive them. I can't ignore them. Those sand fish feed off of us.. Vampires... blood sucking leeches.. Everything they have they took from Dodge City, or one of it's peaceful people.. I can't just live with the thought that I did nothing... Not after what they did to me." He said quietly.. Foxy looked at him with sadness in her eyes. He had to let go one day, but you can't let go of something until it's over. For him.. For the wonderful people of Dodge city, it would never be over. "It's ok Brush.. I'll put a stop to it.." She muttered very quietly. Brush looked back a bit, and nodded. He only barely heard what she said, her tiny voice cought in the wind and pulled away. But he nodded. He wanted her to know he wasn't angry. Not at her, not for caring.
Now there was another smell in the air. The smell of salt. The sound of waves. There were more rocks now, and Brush steared around them in a slolom fascion as he moved down the beach toward a huge outcropping of rock. "The one other.." He smiled as he pulled the cart under the rock folding in the sail. "Are we here? Is this it Brush?" Foxglove said sitting up excited. "The one other than me.." He only repeated as he began into the overhang of the rock. Foxglove quickly climbed out and followed him calling his name. "Brush! Brush wait for me!" She called running in the moist sand up beside him. He moved along the rock until there was a crevace. Brush climbed up into it not turning back he help Foxglove up but only following it into the hollow of the rock.

Chapter 3

"Life can be easy. It's not always swell. Don't tell me truth hurts little
girl. Cause it hurts like hell.."

The tunnle in the rock spiraled upward until it ended with a door. All along the way were candles, lit and flickering as if they were expected. Brush barely had time to reach up to the knocker before the door was pulled quickly open. There in the doorway stood a bat, same as Foxglove though much older her fur was grayed, and dyed with black ink. Celestial markings and constalations adorner her fur. She wore a simple shawl around her shoulders, and though she was old, she was still beautiful, an ageless beauty as if she were no older than foxglove herself. Her greyed fur only gave away her age. The bat gave a huge broad armed smile and instantly stepped past brush to hug her daughter. "Oh my dear Foxglove!" She exclaimed. Brush paid no attention to the rude shove, and in that dazed expression he pushed past them moving into the house muttering. "There is but one other with meaning to me."
Foxglove pushed her mother back to get a look at her. There was no question that they were related. They were almost identical. "I'm so glad that you made it. I knew you would. There's so much I have to tell you." She said turning and beckoning her inside. Foxglove felt akward. She had never seen this woman who was her mother, nor did she have any fond memories. And she came with one burning question. Why? Why did you leave me? The old bat pulled Foxy into the den as Brush wandered past the doorway glassy eyed muttering something about the one other.
"Mom.. Can I call you mom?" Foxglove began. Her gray mother smiled broadly. "Of course you can dear. But if you want, my name is Rose." She said softly patting her daughter's wing. "Rose.. Mom.. Why? Why did you leave me like that?" Foxy blurted knowing that if she didn't get it out now she never would. Rose gave a sigh. "Oh.. dear sweet Foxglove..It was such a different world back then. Everything was so different.. Foxglove you're my lovechild.. I never could have kept you under that cloud. It would have been so horrible for you." She tried to explain. Foxglove stood up with a start. "But it has been hard for me! I fell into a bad crowd, and I was a slave to a mean old witch named Winifred, if it wasn't for the Rangers.. I probably never would have.. the Rangers.. I never should have left them." She began.
"Oh Foxglove please listen.. I'm trying to make up for it.. I really am. You're an adult now.. Please don't be this way." Rose said waving a wing over Foxy's face. In a sudden blink she wasn't mad any more. She couldn't understand why, but couldn't draw herself to question it. "Let me make it up to you dear. We can make up for that lost time. You'll see." She said softly. Foxglove smiled and nodded warmly to her mother. "Please tell me.. Tell me everything." Foxy said sitting back down. Her mother smiled. "That's a dear.. It was a long time ago.. Your mother was alot younger then, and very beautiful." She began. "But mom.. you don't look much older than me. It's hard to believe you're my mother. But I can feel it, you are.." Foxy exclaimed.
"Well.." Rose said patting her auburn hair. "Time has been kind to me dear. And if you listen to what I have to reveal to you, it will be kind to you too." She smiled standing up. "Come dear, let me introduce you to your sister." She smiled taking Foxy's wing to help her up. Brush went past the door again still muttering. Rose looked over at him. "Oh, Brush dear, could you come here for a moment." She said. Brush walked into the room, eyes so far away from this world. Rose sighed. "Oh, dear dear, she's done it to you again hasn't she?" She asked rubbing her wings togather. She closed her eyes and waved her wing before Brush's eyes mumbling. "Remember who you are." Brush blinked for a moment then smiled. "Oh, hello Mrs. Rose, how did I get here?" He asked politely. Rose smiled. "Thank you for bringing my dear lost Foxglove all the way out here. I know it's a long way from Dodge City." Foxglove's Mother said with a smile. Foxglove quirked a brow. Brush had completely changed in expression and demeanor in the moment her mother's words were finished. It was more than a coincidence now. At first she thought it was love, but at that moment the words. "I suspect you mean the witch that lives on Ocean's Ridge." fluttered through her mind. Foxy's jaw dropped and she took a few steps back. "Y.. You really are a witch aren't you?" She stammered. Rose smiled and turned to her with a little chuckle. "Oh, you must have been talking to that old tortoise huh?" She laughed a bit. "Well of course I'm a witch. My mother was a witch, her mother was a witch, her father was a sorcorer, and yes Foxglove you're a witch too. It's in your blood you know." She smiled. Foxglove shook her head. "No.. No I can't believe that. I don't want to hear this!" She stammered backing herself against the wall.
Brush began laughing. "Foxglove.. She's not a bad witch. It's just the stigma that's attached to it. She's really a sweet old lady." He said. Rose patted his head. "Brush is right you know. I would never use my magic to harm anyone.." Rose shrugged, then leaned a little closer to Foxy. "To tell you the truth most of it is chemestry under the guise of magic." She whispered with a wink. Foxy took a step forward folding her wings around her shoulders. "So.. you don't eat children, or turn people into frogs or anything like that?" She asked softly. Rose gave a heavy laugh. "Oh heavens no child. Do you know how much trouble it is to make someone stand still for twenty minutes while you preform such a complex spell as turning someone into a frog? And besides. I've only done that once and he deserved it." She laughed. Of course Foxglove was completely baffled by now. Her mother and her sister were both witches.. And of course it was enevitable that they wanted her to be one too. But, benieth the fear and confusing she was intrigued. Her mother was a witch, and so was she. Inside her somewhere was a power, and the thought of that made her feel special. A unique gift inherited down the bloodlines. It's no wonder she was so interested in Winifred's ability, and yes Foxglove remembered wanting that same power.
"I'm sorry Mom.. This is all just a little hard to swallow." Foxy began.

"There you are! I thought I told you to bring me wine pet." Came a voice from the doorway. Foxy turned to see herself standing there. Clover was almost Foxglove's mirror, all be it a little older and with black hair. Brush turned around. "Clover.. I.. Uhm wine?" He said looking at her with confusion. Clover looked back and forth between her mother and Brush. "Mother! Why do you keep doing that?" She huffed wings on her hips. Rose smiled slyly glancing over her shoulder. "Doing what dear?" She questioned innocently. "You keep dispelling my allur on him!" She huffed and stomped. "Brush! Look at me!" She growled. The young rat turned around. "But Clover, don't you care that your sis.." he began but as Clover's mumbling lips moved his eyes zoomed out and his jaw dropped. "Clover.." He almost sang. The coal haired bat smiled. "That's more like it. Now about my wine?" She smiled. Brush nodded slowly and walked out of the room like a zombie.
"Rose, er Mom.. What's going on here? What did she just do to Brush?" Foxglove asked looking out the door watching the rat stumble down the hall. "I thought you didn't hurt people." She retorted. Clover rolled her eyes. "Well aren't you little miss concern. No one's hurt, it's just a persuasion encantation." She shrugged. "But you can't do that to people, they were given their own mind for a reason!" Foxglove responded. The old bat raised her wings. "Girls Girls Girls! Stop at once." She scoulded. "Clover! I have told you once to let Brush be, and Foxglove you have to understand that in between black and white is a shade of gray. That is where we witches walk. You'll understand all in good time." She said quitening them both down. Foxglove took a deep breath shooting daggers at her older sister. It was all so akward, these women were her only family, and yet they felt like strangers.
"Let's not get off to this start dear sister. I really want to be friends." Clover said suddenly throwing herself around Foxy and hugging her. "Just as long as you stay out of my business." She hissed quietly in her ear. Suddenly a large wooden spoon thwapped down on CLover's head. "I heard that little missy." Her mother snapped. "Just go do what ever it is you do with that poor boy, and let Foxy alone. She has alot to come to grips with. And she doesn't need you giving her bad opinions." SHe scoulded. Clover grimaced, and almost shoved Foxglove away. "It's nothing like that Mother! I already told you that!" She snapped as she stormed off huffing.
Rose sighed and put her wings around her youngest daughter's shoulders. "I do swear sometimes I wish I had sent her away instead." She said softly. Foxglove turned around to face her. "Why did you send me away? YOu still haven't explained it to me." She said curiously. Her mother shrugged. "Well.. Like I said, you were a love child, and If I kept you then everyone would know that I was untrue to your sister's father. I'm so sorry that it didn't work out as I had planned. A nice pigeon I knew promiced to take care of you. And I really thought he would." She said sadly. "So I had to turn him into a frog.. See you should really keep your promices." She said shaking her head. "So.. you didn't just dump me out on my own?" Foxglove said with a glimmer of hope. "Heavens no dear! I could never do that. I just made a misjudgement in you're foster parent's character that's all. I looked everywhere he said that he had left you, but by then you were gone. I thought for sure that you were dead, but a few years ago, I found out that you were alive and well. Of course I know who the rescue rangers are Foxglove, and when I heard that you were with them, I knew everything would be alright. But I also knew that you probably would think low of me because I'm a witch.. So it took me two years to get the nerve to write you." Rose explained. "Oh! My dear Foxglove I'm so glad you're home!" She exclaimed throwing her wings around her daughter. Foxglove was glad she was home. She wanted to know this woman who had worried about her so long, and turned a pigeon into a frog for not keeping his promice to take care of her.
"Come dear, let me show you your family tree." Rose smiled pulling away and taking Foxglove by the wing leading her out of the room and down the hall. They passed an open door where Brush danced in a dress juggling gemstones and singing Greensleeves. Foxglove scowled as her sister Clover came into view, grinning from ear to ear as the ordered Brush to preform for her like a sideshow monkey. "Mama, that's wrong.. She shouldn't be doing that to Brush, he's a sweet kid." She protested. Her mother chuckled a bit. "Oh, Foxglove, that's one of those shades of gray that I told you about. She's not ordering him to hurt himself, and while he is allured like that, he's the happiest man alive just to have her attention. He'll be fine when he's not around her, His usual firebrand self." She explained. "I still don't like it." Foxy muttered. Rose sighed. "Oh, dear Foxglove don't let that bother you. You see, your sister was born under a dark sign, so she's going to be a little mischevious. I make sure she doesn't stray too far onto the dark path." She explained turning an angle in the hall and moving down a set of stairs, all carved out of the stone. "How did you do this? Cut all these rooms out of the rock I mean." Foxy asked as her mother lead her into another room, this one was carved with the same runes dyed in her fur, each one holding a candle. In the center was a huge book bound in snake skin. "Wind can dig through anything" She smiled. Foxy's jaw dropped baffled. "You can control the wind?" She stammered. Rose smiled. "Oh, of course I can my dear. I can control many of the ancient elemental spirits. You just have to know how to ask them correctly. You'll learn all that too, all in due time." She smiled opening the book to the end.
"But Mama.. I'm not sure.. I mean.. I left alot of good friends to come here and meet you. You can't tell me that I'll never see them again." She said with a hurt tone. Her mother shook her head slowly. "Oh no dear! I never said that. They can come visit you. After they understand who you are. See look here.." She said pointing at the book. Foxglove moved around beside her mother to look at the book. Her mother traced her leniage of magicians, witches, and sorcorers back two thousand years, telling about each one. And no, not all of them were good. Her great great great unkle Malachi was a horrible man who learned eternal youth by draining the life of others, and finally died in 1873 after five hundred years of cheating death.
"You see Foxglove.. It takes a little sweet and a little sour to make the perfect pie. It's nothing to be ashamed of to know you have the powers of all these ancestors in your veins. Just know that both evil and good have their pull. They can intoxicate and seduce you in their own ways. Always walk the gray path. It's ok to walk a middle path Foxglove. Some people need to be hurt, just like others need to be helped. And sometimes just sometimes, you have to hurt someone to help them. My dear dear Foxglove please stay here with me just for a little while. I'm sure that Brush will carry any letters you write to your friends with good haste." Her mother said closing the book.
Foxglove sighed. She was scared. She was confused but she knew that leaving now would only leave her that way for the rest of her life. She smiled. "Ok.. I'll stay.. But just for a little while.. My friends are worried about me. I sort of left without their blessings." She said. Her mother clasp wings with her then hugged her. "Oh dear dear! No worries all will turn out well. I'm so glad you're back with me." She smiled. "I'm going to go make a feast for us. A huge feast, and we'll celebrate. Grubs in wine sauce and meal worm cakes.. It will be wonderful!" She said pushing her daughter away muttering as she climbed the stairs. "I'm going to need lots of cream.. Lots and lots of cream."
Foxy took a deep breath and smiled. Her mother was a sweet old lady. She could feel a real care for her, and it wasn't anything like she expected. The way Doc talked about her Foxglove got the impression that she was a mere herboligist, and medicine woman, but to find out she was a real witch with real magical powers. And even more extrordinary was that she was too. She climbed back up the stairs and down the hall passing Clover's room. A curtain was pulled acrost the door, and from inside were giggled and whimpers. Foxglove's jaw dropped and she felt her face flush. Brush was too young for that! How could she!
"You shouldn't be doing this!" She said slinging back the curtain and getting a shock. "It's..... wrong.." She finished in a confused and hushed voice. What Foxglove had thought could be no further from the truth. Brush was happily preforming shadow puppets on the wall, his hands waving in front of a tiny blowing orb. It wasn't a lightbulb. It wasn't connected to anything but lazily bobbed in the air much the shape and intensity of a small star, just a speck of light. Clover was laid back in a stone papasan chair with a glass of wine, and a riske night gown. It was black and crimson, and patterned with the same runes and constalations. Clover sat up with a start.
"How dare you! How.. how utterly rude of you! Have you no manners!" She shouted. "Brush! Go fishing... With your bare hands!" She ordered pointing. Brush stopped his puppet play, and stood with that same hazy spaced out expression and walked out. "No! Brush! Come back here!" Foxglove shouted rushing out into the hall after him, but he ignored her completely singing to himself. "There is but one other with meaning for me." Foxglove returned to the doorway of Clover's room. "That is wrong! You can't just possess someone like that!" She scoulded. Clover grinned a white toothed grin. "Oh, come now sister. You're a woman, can you honestly tell me that you never wanted to possess someone?" She grinned.
"No! I mean Yes.. But not like that.. If you love someone you tell them! You don't just put a spell on them." Foxglove replied. Her sister laughed with an amused tone. "What does loved have to do with it? I allure Brush because he's an asset. I've never seen any mouse or bat as strong as him.. Not around here... and after all, he is an entertainer by heart, even though mail currier by trade. Have you ever heard him play his brother's ocarina?" She cooed. Foxglove put her wings on her hips. "It is wrong to control someone! For what ever reason! I mean look at you. You're a beautiful woman. I'm sure you don't need spells to get attension." Foxy said taking another step into the room Clover laughed then patted the cushon beside her. "Let's not get off to this start. Come and sit down with me." She said softly. Foxy heasitantly sat down beside her.
"Foxglove Brush has many sides, and I have seen them all. But he never would have showed them to me willingly. No I do not love him. He just fits a mold. A set of standards, that's all." She explained. Foxglove took a deep breath hearing her out. "Brush has been hurt. And that pain is just an unfair luck of the draw. But I respect his persistance, to keep going and try to live. Even under all that. He's just a toy to me." She said mischeviously.
"A..a toy? That's all his life is to you, a plaything!? You! You're the one that drives him to attack those sand lizards! He's going to get killed fighting for your amusement!" Foxglove snapped. CLover shook her head rubbing her forehead with her wing tips. "Oh if only I could take credit for that.. would be a great boast, but no.. That comes from Brush's own demons. Demons I did not hatch inside him. Those demons are also just a bad hand drawn. Foxglove.. When he no longer amuses me he won't remember any of his false feelings for me. He will live his normal life. And mother.. Well mother adores him. She seems to have a soft place inside her heart for those bad luck cases." Clover explained. Foxglove shook her head. "Clover.. I don't agree with what you're doing to poor Brush.. He deserves someone... more caring." She said softly.
Clover laughed loudly rolling over onto her back spilling her wine all over her chest fur, which soaked it up turning a burgendy. "Someone like you? Well aren't you the little cradel thief." She laughed. "It's not like that! Brush saved my life and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here. I owe him my respect at least!" Foxglove snapped. Clover just chuckled a little as Brush returned holding a fri by the gills.
"Oh, my dear brush look how clumbsy I am.. spilling wine all over myself.. Would you care to help me clean it up before it stains?" She grinned. "Yes Ma'am." he replied bluntly dropping the small sea bass on the floor and moving over to Clover. Her wing cradled his chin pulling him toward her. "That's it pet.. lick lick lick.." She giggle as brush began sucking the wine out of her fur. Foxglove's face burned, but she did nothing. If clover could do that to Brush, there's no telling what she could do to her, and from her personality, she would. Clover looked over at her with a smile. "Can you honestly tell me that he is unhappy? With or without the spell.. any boy his age would be happy to have his job right now." Clover grinned. Foxglove could feel her blood boiling as she stood and stormed out of the room.
"Oh, dear sister!" Clover called. With devil eyes Foxy turned back to the door way with a snap. "WHat!?"
"Why don't you take this to mother. She so does love Bass." Clover chuckled motioning upward with her wing. The baby sea bass rose off the floor, and with a flick of Clover's longest wing tip it flew acrost the room broadsiding Foxglove acrost the face before falling to her feet. The curtain then snapped itshelf shut hiding Clover's wide mouth thundering with laughter. Foxglove kicked the fish back under the curtains and stormed off to find her mother.

Chapter 4

"Cause I'm a Voodoo child. Lord knows I'm a voodoo child babe!"

Any time the subject of Brush being a slave to Clover came up, her mother would only remind Foxy of the gray path. And she had a way of explaining it that somehow made it seem less wrong. She wrote the Rangers every night, telling them of the wonders she had seen, and how something inside her was coming alive. Something exciting and mystifying. Foxglove learned so fast. It had only been two months and she could already move things around with simple levitation spells, and even spark fire from nowhere, and form personal rain clouds. Never again would she find herself in the desert without water. And ohhh how she loved getting back at clover with an unexpected shower. But even still after all she learned, her sister's Allure over Brush was too far strong an enchantation for her to dispell, and pointless as it was. Clover would simply cast it back about him when Foxglove wasn't around. Like most sisters Foxglove and Clover were complete antipodes, and their opinions clashed.

With a stream of sparks clover's hair turned a horrible gaudy shade of orange. She squeeled. "You little brat!" She scowled and let fly with her own spell giving Foxglove a lovely green and yellow coat of polka dots. She looked down at herself and let Clover have it with a spell of dizziness. She stumbled and fell rolling all the way down the stairs. She scowled reaching the bottom and pointed at Foxglove causing her ears to turn inside out. They both then let out a howl. "Mama!! Clover's bothering me!" " Mother Foxglove is bothering me!" They both yelled in unison. Rose came drifting down the hall, not walking but floating as she wiped her wings with a dish towel. "You two! I've told you for weeks on end! No magic duels in the house! Take it outside!" She growled pointing. "And you two had better return each other to normal when you're done, or I'll be the one slinging spells and trust me is ain't gonna be pretty!" She called down the hall as both of her daughters ran after one another changing their fur and hair into odd colors and patterns, Clover with a rain cloud following her every step. "Oh dear.. the joys of parenting." Rose sighed and turned an about face and floated back down the hall to the kitchen.
And so Foxy, and Clover never made that sisterly bond. They were always at odds with one another. And their mother, poor poor Rose had no idea sibling rivalry could be like this. Five times she had to return Foxglove from being a flea. Five times she had to concoct a balm for Clover's flea bites. It wasn't that she hadn't learned her lesson about turning her sister into a flea, but that it was the only morphing spell she knew, and always betted on being able to stomp her poor sister before she could jump into her fur. But Foxglove learned so fast. The spirits were definately strong in her blood. Only she still refused to walk the gray path. Foxglove refused to even listen to the more complex spells where it was necessary to force help from a demon familliar. But sometimes you had to get your hands a little dirty. But Foxglove would in time see the great web of correlation. Not every good intension had a good outcome, and sometimes horrible things must be done for a good reason.
Now over half a year later Foxglove had not recieved a single letter from her Ranger friends, and was too caught up in the mystery and adventure of her new life to wonder why. But no they had not forgotten her. They could never do that. It was all a horrible trick. It was all an attack on her emotional well being, and of course it's roots lay with Clover.
"Now my pet.. Did you hide that horrible girl's letters?" She asked with such a mischevious smile. "Yes Ma'am.. Never to be found or delivered again." Brush replied in a dull tone. Clover grinned broadly. "That;s a good pet.. Now juggle for me. Juggle... Hmm.. Juggle.." She began looking around the room for the most akward objects she could find. "Juggle those dried starfish on my wall." She grinned pointing. Brush happily pulled them off the wall and began juggling.
As for Foxglove, she was getting quite dangerous with throwing fire, and could call up a powerful wind. Only parlor tricks in the eyes of both her mother and sister. But Foxglove only had intrest in things that could help her be a better rescue ranger. And yes ten months later she was beginning to wonder. Why hadn't they ever written. She was sure she gave her letters to Brush and watched him carry them away.
Suddenly Foxy's mother floated in with a smile. "Foxglove dear. I have a present for you." She said extending her wing. On the longest tip hung a coral charm on a small silver chain. "What is it?" She asked looking it over. Her mother smiled. "Oh.. nothing special. Just a dispell charm. It blocks simple spells like those you and your sister use.. I thought It would put an end to your feuds." She said. Foxglove hugged her warmly. "Thank you so much.. So you gave Clover one too?" She asked. Rose stepped back. "Good God no!. She would only use it against you. But you I can trust you to not take advantage of invulnerability and do nasty things to her." She smiled and ruffled Foxglove's hair. "Thanks mom." She smiled. Foxy put the charm on admiring it for a moment. Other than it's practical use it was very asthetically pleasing. She smiled and continued tossing fireballs into the rain cloud where they were extinguished.
Another month went by, and now Foxglove's repetuar of spells rivaled that of her darker Sister Clover, though different spells they were none the less useful. Mother dearest had shown her how to Allure as well, and put someone to sleep with a kiss. A enchantation her sister used on Brush like an off switch on a toy robot. But now the shoe was on the other foot.

Chapter 5

"There is a thin line between what is good and what is evil. And I will
tiptoe down that line but I will feel unstable."

The first chance that Foxglove had to get Brush alone, she gently kissed him to sleep, and hung her spell mirror charm around his neck, hiding it neatly under his scarf. She smiled to herself watching him sleep so peacefully. When they were togather alone, he was alive, he was a personality, and he was kind to her. But Clover had him under her spell, and Brush completely ignored Foxglove in her presence. More than that he would do anything she asked no matter how horrible. But not any more.. She would never use him like that again. Of course Foxglove had to completely rethink her morals in the time she found here inside this rock. And seeing more of Brush just being Brush she didn't see him how she had before. She could never think of him as a child after seeing the way he conducted himself. And she was falling in love with him. Clover wasn't oblivious to this either, and took much much glee in making sure that Brush spent all of his time with her just as another attack on foxglove. But no more. When Brush woke he would be free from that horrible temptress. So she left Brush there in her room smiling and walking proud at what she had done, passing her mother by and waving with a hop in her step.
"My my aren't we the butterfly today. If I didn't know better.. I'd say it was love.. or at least chocolate." She grinned. Foxy smiled and laughed. "Oh.. Who knows?" She shrugged happily to take a stroll out on the beach. Foxglove's spell of sleep could only last a few minutes, and Brush woke as if from a hazy dream. He remembered little patches of memory, but above all things he remembered hiding letters. He couldn't remember who they were from, or where they were to go, but he remembered that failier. And reguardless of why, it was his failier. He realized that he had never loved Clover, nor did she or could she ever love him. Imagine what a confusing blast this was to know all of the things you did, humiliating, and horrible and all under the spell of love. A false and nervous love only devised to control. In a sudden startled rush he fled the stone house with a bundle under his arm. Foxglove waved and called to him, but before she could fly up the beach to him he had lowered his sail and clambered off. Foxglove landed with a sly grin. She wouldn't console him just yet. Right now was too a confusing moment to add to. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow she would go to Dodge city, and comfort poor Brush, the only true victem in this crazy circumstance.
Two weeks went by, and Foxglove couldn't find Brush anywhere. Even when the mail was due to go out, he was not there, and Foxglove had to carry two letters to the Dodge CIty post office on her own. Even then she searched the entire city, but Brush never turned up.
"That Boy's been actin awfully funny lately Foxglove. Kinda makes me wonder." Doc said hauling his shell around to look at Foxy. "I know.. That's what I'm here to talk to him about. Have you seen him lately?" She asked hopefully. The old reptile shook his head, swaying back and forth like the boom of a crane. "Nope, nope can't say I have. He only comes in for water these days. He was always in and off, but that's because of his mail rout. And to tell you the truth there have been alot of complaints lately, so he must not be doing that either. When I told you to change him, I didn't mean like this." he said solemnly. Foxglove shook her head and protested. "No! It's not me.. I never did anything but help him. It's Clover she keeps him under some kind of spell." She exclaimed.
"Hmm you mean love dear? No reason to be jelous, and try to ruin something that wonderful." Doc said eyeing Foxy though his thick glasses. She shook her head. "No! It's not like that at all. You don't understand. My mother really is a witch! And so is my sister Clover! It's her, Clover's doing this to him I know it! Brush is not in love with her, he just thinks he is because of a spell!" Foxglove frantically tried to explain.
The old tortoise scratched at the side of his neck. "Zat so? I think you have been out in the sun a little too long. I know Mrs Rose, and when she says she's a witch she's means that she's a botonist that makes medicine out of plants. She does not use magic or cast spells, and she certainly does not hypnotise anyone. Now my belly is full of this nonsence, and I'm asking you politely to leave." He said gruffly as he drug his shell around turning his back to her. Foxglove narrowed her eyes. Sometimes things were what they seemed. Sometimes the truth is stranger than myth, and sometimes just sometimes everything you think you know is wrong. There was only one way to make him believe, but before Foxglove could finish mumbling the spell speak she stopped. Sometimes the right thing to do has the wrong consequences. she took a deep breath and sighed. foxglove turned and walked out. With her head held low and heart filled with worry, she left Dodge city. There was nowhere to turn, her mother had no worries about her sister's games. If only the Rangers were here, they would find a way to help. And with that thought it dawned on her. Brush might not have delivered her letters. And of course Clover would be the one behind it.
But for Brush, reguardless of who did what to him, his anger always fell on the Sand fish. His favorite scapegoat, and vent. So much so that scouting parties of three roamed the desert not looking for victems. At least that was no longer their top priority. Within the Sand Fish nation Brush was a wanted man. The bounty on his head was of a whole three fluid ounces. Of course that was a lot of money for a society that values moisture of any form higher than any other icon. Brush was well aware, and very proud of this. But there was no one left to brag to. His brother was gone. His band was gone. He was the onlyone left, and so it only came as a personal victory. Foxglove, oh, Foxglove, he knew she cared about him, didn't want him risking his life over a grudge. But that demon was Brush's only companion. It was all he needed.
But that whole bundle of letters had been delivered. And the other Rangers were reading them at the very moment that Foxglove flew the desert taking the long way home in hopes to find Brush. That wasn't to be.
When Foxglove flew down to the eve in the rock she was met by Clover, leaning in the entryway smiling devilishly. "Oh dear sister. Where ever have you been?" She greeted with a sly tone. "Clover I'm not in the mood for games. Where is mother?" Foxy asked in stern tones. Clover shrugged. "Oh.. I dunno.. I suppose she went to Dodge city to trade remedies and concoctions with that old turtle again." She shrugged as she twirled something around her first wing tip. Foxglove blinked when she realized what it was. Her jaw dropped open in shock. "Wh.. Where did you get that!" She growled snatching for the charm that she had given Brush. Clover pulled away reaching up high to keep Foxglove from grabbing the pendant. "I found it on the beach." She giggled evily. "Right after I sent Brush off to jump from Raven's Point." She grinned. Foxglove narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't!" She hissed. Clover shrugged a bit. "Wouldn't I?" She simply replied. Foxglove growled at her harshly, "One of these days Clover! I'm going to turn you into seven notes of music!" and flapped up into the air and started down the beach. Clover rolled her eyes at Foxy, and pointed in the opposite direction. "Raven's Point is that way stupid." She said with smug tones and watched her fly off into the distance before lifting up in secret persuit.
The first sign of Brush Foxglove saw was his sail car. It was parked on the top of a outcropping of rock. She flew down calling his name frantically. There he stood on the edge. He turned around looking at her. Foxglove stopped and reached out a wing to him. "Brush.. Brush please don't jump. Please come here." She begged taking a step forward. He blinked slowly as he smiled and extended his arms strait out to either side of him and fell backwards. "NOOO!! BRUSH!" Foxglove screamed running and leaping over the edge going into a dive trying to catch brush, who was falling backwards, arms still extended out. Below them were nothing but waves crashing on jagged rocks. Just as Foxglove thought all hope was lost, a huge wave crashed on the rocks causing a huge wind gust to blow up the rock face hurling them both back up onto the top of Raven's Point. Brush fell on his face rolling over onto his back laughing hysterically. "I did it! Ah Ha ha ha! I took the big leap of faith!" He howled with laughter. "And I beat the odds!" He laughed. Foxglove hurriedly crawled over to him putting her wings around him and pulling him up into her lap. "Brush! Oh heaven's sake I thought I had lost you!" She said rocking back and forth as her eyes began to tear. Brush stopped laughing and looked up into her face. "Oh, hello there Foxglove. When did you get here?" He asked in an oblivious tone. Foxglove began to sob outright as she held the young rat in her wings. "There isn't any point in you taking the big leap of faith.. You have wings." He continued. "What on earth are you talking about?" Foxglove sniffled. "You mean to tell me that I never told you the legend?" Brush asked quizzically. Foxglove wiped her eyes. "No.. what legend is that Brush?" She asked as she refused to let him go. Brush looked up at her face again.
"A long long time ago there were a tribe of mice who lived here on Raven's Point. They worshiped the sea God, Aquos and the ocean provided all they needed. But the seasons weren't always good. Aquos demanded a saccrifice to jump from this very rock. And so the first born of every family were to draw lots. However when the chief's first born son found that the lots were rigged, he felt cheated out of his calling. And so before the next first born could be thrown from the rock he leapt with one prayer in his heart. If it was not to be that his life should be the trade for the catch, then he would not die. Legend goes that he was blown back up from the rock just before he could smash on the rocks. From that point on he was touched, and his nets were always full." Brush explained.
Foxglove smiled a bit. "Brush.. that's a lovely story.. But.. I know why you jumped.. You don't understand the spell Clover has over you.. She controls you. You don't really love her, it's all magic." Foxglove explained as she began to tear up again. Brush laughed. "Is that what you think?" He questioned. Foxglove gave him a confused look. "What do you mean think? Brush I know Clover has a spell over you." She insisted. Brush just laughed again. "Foxglove I love Clover. Magic has nothing to do with it. Not any more at least." He laughed a bit as he informed. Foxglove shook her head wiping her eyes. "No! Brush you do not love her! You only think you do because of her spell." She tried to convince. Brush shook his head. "No Foxglove.. Clover didn't put a spell on me this time.. I know she did in the past, but I confronted her about it. I told her that she didn't need that anymore.. I.." He paused. "I just got so used to that feeling.. I quit trying to fight it. But Clover.. she can't love.. She doesn't know how.. That's why I took the big leap of faith." Brush began to explain as he pushed out of foxglove's arms and stood up. "I thought that maybe.. Aquos does exist.. and maybe if I believed.. Maybe if my heart was full with that one want.. Just like the prince in the legend.. Aquos would make it be.. Foxglove don't you see what this means?" He asked excitedly.

Chapter 6

"Don't speak. I know just what you're saying. So please stop explaining.
Don't tell me cause it hurts."

Foxglove stood up with her wings around her sides shaking her head slowly and muttering. "No.. Brush no.. please don't say this."
"Foxglove.. I've been touched! Nothing bad can ever happen to me again.. Clover will change you'll see." He exuberated. Foxglove shook her wings and stomped. "NO! Clover will never change! She doesn't love you! She's using you! Why I don't know.. Why you're so special that she wants to do this to you I don't know! Brush listen to me darlin.. I'm the one that loves you.. Not Clover. Me! I'm the one that wants you to be happy! Clover just wants you for her own entertainment!"
"Now now dear sister.. Just because I don't love like you do doesn't mean that I don't love.. Seriously.. You don't believe all that horse raddish about Aquos and fishing tribes.. I caused that wave that made the gust that blew the both of you back up here."
With the sound of that voice Foxglove turned around, eyes red with the slaughter of innonce. "CLOVER!" She growled like a lion. "Now you have gone too far!" She screached as she dashed forward tacking Clover, the both of them tumbling in a ball. Beams of multicolored light flashed from inside the rolling ball of fur and wings.
"Hmm... cat fight.. saucer of milk.. table two." Brush mumbled watching for a moment before he moved toward them to break them up. "I told you Foxglove! He isn't allured!" Clover growled before she bit her sister on the shoulder. Foxglove screetched. "Owww Biting is dirty pool!" She yelped as she scratched at Clover's eyes. "Ahhh! I'm blind!" She screamed. Their fight didn't last much longer than that. Strong hands seized them both by the haclkes and pulled them appart setting them roughly down on their prosteriors. "Bad dog! No biscuit!" Brush growled. Both of the girls looked up at him blinking. For Clover it was something she had never expected from Brush. Of course she didn't truly know him, or his temper. For Foxglove it came as the sudden realization that Clover was telling the truth.
"B..Brush?" She questioned pushing herself to her feet. "You.. you're really not under a spell?" She asked. Clover folded her wings over her chest with a triumphant "I told you so." Foxglove sent her an evil glare. "But Brush.. How? How could you feel this way about her... She.. She treats you like dirt." Foxglove protested baffled. Brush shook his head. "Nah.. Clover isn't that bad to me... She just likes to be the one in control. And besides. I got a thing for black hair." He shrugged. Clover added another triumphant "I told you so."
Foxglove shook her head sitting down and burrying her face in her hands. "No NO NO NO! Not again! Not again!" She sobbed. "Brush how could you do this to me? I'm the one that loves you! I'm the one! Not Clover!" She cried.
Clover gave a sigh as Brush looked back and forth between the two of them. "Well you know she's right Brush." She finally said harshly. "My heart is as black as my hair. I couldn't love you no matter how much you let me be in control. I'd just drop you as soon as I found someone better. Just kinda slim pickins round here you know." She shrugged. Foxglove looked up with a triumphant "See?! I told you so!"
Brush narrowed his eyes glaring at Clover. "But.. you said... You said if I took the leap.. You said if I believed enough. YOU SAID THAT I HAD TO MAKE A SACCRIFICE!" He growled a voice that Foxglove had heard only once. But this time Brush wasn't talking to Sand Fish. He stomped over to Clover looking her right into her blood red eyes. That glimmer of confidence was gone. Clover was scared. Her heart had never known fear. Foxglove stood up cautiously. "Brush.. what are you going to do?" She asked quietly.
Clover turned her head and shut her eyes tight as she yelped. "No.. please don't hit me." But Brush wasn't going to hit her. He grabbed Clover's shoulders tight as she yelped and squirmed. He shook her seven times hard, her head bouncing like a baloon, the last time shoving her hard onto her back. Clover whimpered rolling onto her side pulling her knees into her chest and folding her wings around them. "Look at me Clover!" Brush yelled. She shook her head "No.." She wimpered quietly. "You will never see me again." He growled as he turned and quietly walked back to his sail car dropping the sail and tearing off toward the beach.
Foxglove stood over her sister as she shivered on the cold rock. "How could you?" She growled quietly. "Brush loved you.. Brush wanted nothing more than to make you happy, and you tore his heart out." She growled louder. "Like it meant nothing at all!" She then yelled. Clover shivered at the sound of his voice.
"That..look.. That look in his eyes.." Clover began to cry softly. "It drained me.. It blocked every spell I wanted to use.. How.." She sobbed. Foxglove shook her head. "Clover.. you're pathetic." She muttered as she turned to fly off in the direction Brush had left in. Clover sat up as she began to leave. "Foxglove don't leave me like this.." She begged. "Foxglove please! I can't help myself.. that's just who I am.". Clover's cries fell on deaf ears. Foxglove was already gone.

Chapter 7

"When the bones of our oppressors have turned to dust. And the cause that
we serve rules the world. In a vision, visitation. ALL HAIL THE
REVOLUTION!!!!"

Behind the scenes things were brewing on many fronts. Everyone knows that there are always more than one side to a story, more than one plot twist to he bad before rising action can climax then fall.
"This is completely insane! I knew that we never should have let her go." Chip exclaimed as the rangerwing sailed over the midwest. They were somewhere over kansas now. They would be over the desert by morning, and there would be no stopping on this trip. "I can't believe that who ever this person is actually has Foxglove convinced that she's desendant from witches and has magical powers." Gadget said shaking her head. Dale just sobbed in his hands. "It's all my fault.. I should have paid her more attention. I should have tried to like the things she did. It's all my fault." He repeated over and over.
"Come on now Guys. Let's not go overboard here.. If we all show up like this there's no way that we can convince Foxglove to come home. We have to pull togather for her sake." Chip said athouritatively. Gadget nodded. "Chip's right. We have to remember what is means to be a Rescue Ranger.. So that Foxglove will too." She said admantly.
"But if she's really brainwashed into thinking she's a witch.. It won't be easy." Gadget yawned. Chip looked back at her. "Gadget Hun.. I've had plenty of sleep, so I can take your shift, get some rest. You're going to need it.. Foxglove listens to you more than any of us." He said warmly. Gadget nodded and agreed. "I know.. Dale you should pull yourself togather and get some sleep too." She added unpacking a blanket from under the back seat and throwing it over Dale. He sniffled a bit before blowing his nose on the blanket. Otherwise there would have been much a fuss about that, but this time it slid under the gap. And so the Rangers flew through the night as a more sinister congress communed.
"Dodge City must fall!" A large lizard wearing a crown of snake teeth growled slamming his fist down onto the rail of his turtle bone chair. "My liege.. They have their human weapon.. The weapon that reports and destroys. Their tunnles are well guarded. How can the city fall?" Another wearing a lesser crown questioned. The sire of the tribe slung a half consumed cricket leg at him. "Welp! We have the numbers. We are three hundred strong! We but need intelligence. Those walls must have a weakenss." He hissed.
"What then of the rat that got away?" Another lizard, one without a crown asked. The sire rubbed his chin. "Yes.. The one who attacks our scouting parties. I have took my time with that one. However.. I admire his explosive temper.. Much like us he is." He said thinking, and then the sudden contemplation hit his brain. "Of course... explosive.. Gully?! Did not the scouts discover a human gold mine far to the north? Abandoned long ago?" The liege questioned. That undecorated reptile nodded. "Yes, It has not seen human face for many decades before we came here. What is your secret?" The liege smiled evilly. "Humans use very powerful explosives to break those rocks.. hundreds of times stronger than the toys they celebrate with. If that mine was abandoned in a hurry.. Possibly some of this tool was left behind." He explained.
"Of course!" The lesser crowned reptile exclaimed. "We will destroy that mounted gun with the human explosive! Then the city will be as it was before they procured the weapon. Defenseless as it was when their children were our spoils." He cackled standing.
"But this time.. The city and all it's water will be our reward!" The Leige laughed with his council. Orders for the scouting parties to be sent out went through the command chain immediately. Dodge City slept unaware.

Foxglove found Brush far down the beach from where her mother had carved her house in the rock. From far away she could hear the notes of a sad sad song fluttering on the air like a butterfly. Slow soft notes poured from Sage's Ocarina as Brush puffed, as if some part of his late brother was still in that wooden instrument. She softly set down beside him, but didn't say anything. She knew that he was still mourning. Two years later, he blamed himself. But finally that tear pulling song faded, and Brush slowly sat the ocarina down in his lap.
"Sage wrote that piece.. before.." Brush began but choked. Foxglove put her wing around his shoulder. "Brush.. He doesn't blame you. You gotta believe he's still out there somewhere watching over you. Somewhere happy away from this world and it's troubles." She comforted softly. Brush took a deep breath.
"It was late fall, and all the saguaro's blumes had died. We had just put the finishing touches on the Wind Streamer.. That's what we named our sail car. We were trying it out and were pretty far from Dodge. We didn't even have time to steer around them." He began in a solemn tone. "Foxglove they came up out of the sand.. We hit two of them right away, and the Streamer flipped. Sage broke his arm, when it fell on him. I was thrown out.. I didn't have time to think or move before they turned the Streamer over. Sage was pulled down under the sand, and the other two Fish came for me." He continued. Foxglove pulled him closer, it was getting colder. The saguaro blumes had begun to die.
"Sure I had been in fights before.. You know how children are.. But this was different.. There were two of them, and they were huge.. I still don't know how I managed to survive.. I'm pretty sure that's when I learned to use my juggling bag as a flail.. But.. they left me with this.." Brush said pulling up his scarf. Just above his left pechtoral muscle, and traveling upward in a slant all the way to where his clavical meets the shoulder was a furless pink groove. "The scar still hurts sometimes.. Especially when it's cold like it is now.. Every time it hurts.. It doesn't let me forget.. It's like a cloud.. ALways over my head reminding me what they did to me." Brush said wiping his eyes. "Foxglove.. they didn't just kill my brother.. They followed the trail of blood back to Dodge City. Half of the citizens fled when they saw them coming. Those who remained didn't have the numbers, or the strength to stop them from taking the young and the weak. When it was all over there were only five of us young ones left. Two of them didn't make it. The others left the next day. So the remaining survivors gathered togather a stock of goods which they traded for a human weapon.. A horrible thing, long and smooth made of wood and metal. It shouts and spits a spray of lead shot.. They mounded it on top of Dodge. It keeps the Sand Fish at bay.. But how long can that last?"
Foxglove pulled both wings around Brush tightly. "Brush.. You don't have to stay here.. I have wonderful friends where I came from that will help you. You can stay there with me, and I promice.. I'll always take care of you." She said softly, but Brush shook his head. "No.. Dodge City is my home. It's all I've ever known, and I love this desert too much to leave like that. I have responcibility to the people here. I can't abandon that."

Foxglove took a deep breath and sighed. "Desolate landscape, storybook bliss. Darlin let me tell you this it's crazy. Hell of the memory is a heaven of pain. Snow is cold, but so is rain. Please save me." Foxglove softly sang remembering that song Brush was dancing too when she met him in the square. "What I need is a kiss from you babe, before it's hangover time. What I need is some love from you babe before the stampede arrives." She finished softly, only remembering that one verse. Brush looked at her and blinked slowly, his eyes still wet with tears.
"Foxglove.. My feelings for Clover.. I don't know why I had them.. Even after I realized that it was a spell.. and that it was broken.. I missed the memories.. That dreamy feeling of being so... so happy just to have her attention.. Even when she was just ordering me to serve her.. Get me wine.. Dance, I'm bored.. Hide Foxglove's letters so they will never be delivered.." He explained. Foxglove's mouth opened slowly.. "So.. that's why.. I knew they wouldn't forget me like that.." She muttered. "But I delivered them as soon as I realized what I had done.. all of them in one package.." Brush said as he looked down. Foxglove blinked slowly and smiled ruffling Brush's hair with her hand. "Brush.. It's ok.. I know that you would never do something like that to me.. It's all Clover's fault.." She comforted. He looked back up at her and nodded. "I know..But.. I still wish that what I felt was true.. Mutual.. But I guess that's what we're all looking for." He mumbled a bit. Foxglove nodded. "I know Brush.. But sometimes we find it and never realize it.. so it goes away. We get co caught up in looking around, we forget to look right in front of us.. " She said softly as she pulled her wings around Brush as tight as she could. Brush was finding it hard to find a decent place to keep his hands, and decided not to move them from his own lap.
"Brush.." Foxglove began turning his head to meet her eyes. "Can I kiss you?" She asked softly. He nodded just a bit. "Yeah.. you can do that if you want to."
"Maybe.. you could feel the way about me that you thought you did about Clover?" She whispered as she pulled Brush closer. "Maybe you could put your own spell on me.. Maybe that's what it would take." He replied as their lips met in a soft embrace. For a moment Foxglove kissed him as his words sunk in. Then she pulled away in a start. "Wh.. what do you mean by that?" She asked pulling away. Brush looked down and frowned. "I can't help it Foxglove.. I keep remembering the times we had.. I was always under a spell.. But we still ... I still.." Brush began. Foxglove turned his face to meet hers. "Brush.. It was a spell. It wasn't real! Clover used you to do her dirty work, and made you love it with an illusion. Sure I know that enchantment, I could put it on you, and you would say the same things about me. When it's all over you'll remember how in love you thought you were, but it still wasn't real." She said in a stern voice. Brush took a deep sigh. "I hate her.. I love her.. And I'm scared that you'll become a substitute.. and I don't want to think of you as the second choice I had to settle for."
Foxglove took a deep breath letting it out slow. "Oh, Brush.. Life is full of making do with you're second choice.." She sighed. "Why do I keep falling for the wrong guys.." She muttered to herself.

Chapter 8

"I, I looked into your eyes and saw a world that does not exist. I looked
into your eyes and saw a world I wish I was in."

The morning sun was rising over the painted mesas, and Clover sat at home alone with her own downfall. The truth was that she hated to be alone, and inside her heart, that is what she was. She couldn't make the saccrifice of control necessary to have friends, or loves. The fear that loosing this control would be loosing power, and she was so hungry for power. But now in those stoney gray eyes Clover saw a power derived from anger, something she had never really known so strongly as Brush, and that anger so filled his mind that it blocked every spell she wanted to try. They just weren't strong enough to change that emotion in him, and it frightened her. Clover had always felt at odds with normals, but never met any others like her and Mother, until her sister came to them. But they were both different signs. Clover was born under a dark sign, but that was not astrological. Her mother had once been one who walked the dark path, and so was her father. That of course was the dark sign.. But her sweet mother was not evil natured, only that the power of her gift corrupted her. Not to mention that fear to loose the man she fell in love with. Foxglove's father must have been the one who changed that. And as for Clover's Father? He was still out there somewhere.. But could she find him? Would she want to? She was more gray than black, and that would clash with the memory of how her father was. SHe was so young then, but still she remembered. Bastion, her father was a ruthless man. He once torched a mantis just for looking at him an instant longer than he wished. And that still impressed Clover, that confidence in his ability, and the power to let go of emotion and do what came naturally. But now for the first time she was brought down to the emotional state of the normals. She pained, and remorsed. And she wished that she had never mettled with that young rat named Brush. Even among this.. That power he had, it impressed her. It attracted her and intoxicated her. The root of her pain came from that, the new feeling of wanting someone for more than a toy, and knowing that it could not be, even with her spells, and her encantations and charms and potions.. Brush would never be enchanted by her again. Not because she couldn't, but because she couldn't bring herself to. And the times they had weren't all bad. The embarrassing truth behind it all was that she wanted a friend, but the mold had to be filled before she could. Brush was... not normal. Clover saw that when she first met him, and not from outward appearence. His aura burned with a firey glow, and that was the mark of deep seeded pain and hatred, both qualities she admired. SHe couldn't help valuing such things, it was in her blood, and she did always take after her father. Foxglove of course was that antipode of genetics, taking after her mother.
And Brush could easily be one who would let go of any desire other than what would suit himself, that was in his aura. This hidden dark side to him appealed to Clover's inner being, and that is why she wanted him. And Brush knew that the vast majority of the times they spent togather, Clover had him doing things she would have liked to do with him were they truly courting. But she couldn't risk the chance that he would refuse her. That is what the spell was about, to keep him there with her because she wanted to possess him without having to worry about how he felt. But now she was touched with something that she had never expected. She wanted things to be how they were without having to keep him under her trance. She remembered above all other things they did togather the one time that he took her into the desert.
Clover ordered him to show her the one thing that brought him more happiness than anything, and oh to her shock, and delight when she followed Brush into the desert where she witnessed a brutal fight. Her eyes widened and her pulse raced when she saw such unfiltered anger, and violence. When Brush used those three heavy metal orbs as a weapon to hurt those Sand Fish, just for the hunger for revenge, it sparked in her the feeling she had watching that mantis burn. It was that moment that she knew that she could never let him go. But then Foxglove came, with her charming personality, and her sugary concern for others. But just like she couldn't blame herself for her disposition, she could neither blame nor hate foxglove. Clover just enjoyed busting her chops because she was mildly evil. But now Clover remorsed. And for the life of her she couldn't understand why.
among her rambling thoughts Clover's ears picked up voices, three of them, two were men, and the other a woman. She crept out from her room and down the hall as she heard the voices again, closer. "Well Guys.. this is the place, but I don't see any sign of any type of house." The woman said. Clover spied the three of them from inside the entry corridor. Two chipmonks and a mouse. "What dreadfully unattractive rodents.." Clover muttered to herself. She took a few more steps around the bend and leaned in the doorway.
"You know you're trespassing on private property.." Clover announced with a smug attitude. The three turned to her. "F..Foxglove?" Gadget began with a puzzled look. "What have you done to yourself.. you look.. so.. dark." She questioned taking a step closer. Clover canted her head to one side with a quizzically amused look. "Foxglove?" She laughed. "No no dear I'm not Foxglove. She isn't here." She finished in a drab tone filing her wingtips. "Maybe you should go away.. look for her somewhere else." She added dryly. The three rangers stared with shock. It wasn't foxglove's voice, but she looked so much like her it was unchaney.
"But Foxglove.. don't you remeber us? We're the Rescue Rangers. We're you're friends." Chip begged taking a step closer. Clover put her wing out. "I have no idea what you're talking about, and for the last time.. I'm not Foxglove. If you don't leave this instant I'm going to turn you all into sand fleas." Clover snapped. The rangers blinked backing off back to the wanger wing and looking at one another. "It's worse than I thought.." Gadget said sadly. "But but Gadget? Isn't there anything you can do? I mean can't you unbrainwash her or something?" Dale urged. Gadget shook her head shrugging. "I don't know dale.. I never really researched the science of brainwashing.. I'm not sure where to begin." She said hopelessly. "Well you have to do something.. I mean look at what this woman that claims to be her mother has done to poor foxglove.. She's dyed her hair black for peat's sake." Chip urged. Gadget sighed. "Ok.. I'll give it a shot.." She sighed then approached the irritated Clover. "Foxglove.. Listen.. I know that you want to know who you're mother is.. but there's no such thing as magic, and you're not a witch. This person has you really confused.." Gadget offered in her most comforting tone. Clover burst out laughing.
"You are daft aren't you? I already told you.. I am not Foxglove. My name is clover, and I'm her older sister. Now I don't know who you are, or why you think my mother has brainwashed Foxy.. but I can assure you that I am a witch.. Magic does exist, and if you do not leave you will thouroughly rue pushing the subject." Clover snapped.

"Clover! You naughty girl. That's no way to be talking to Foxglove's friends." Rose snapped as she flapped down smiling brightly. "Well hello there Chip, and Gadget, and of course you too Dale.. I've been expecting you." She smiled.
"Now who are you?" Chip asked putting his hands on his hips. Rose smiled joyously. "Why I'm Foxglove's mother of course." She answered. Dale shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Whoa! That's impossible! You don't look old enough to be Foxy's mom!" He exclaimed. Rose smiled and fluffed her hair. "Yes time has been kind to me.." She smiled.
"Well this is just perfect! You're the one we wanted to talk to! Where is Foxglove, and just what have you been doing to her! She thinks she's a witch! She thinks you're both witches! That's crazy!" Gadget exposed.
"Oh dear.. oh dear.... Deary deary me.." Rose began to mutter rubbing her temples. Clover suddenly became concerned. "Mother! Are you ok?" She questioned moving closer and putting her wings on her mother's shoulders.
"Dear dear.. this is horrible.. very horrible.. Brush.. The poor child is in grave danger." She said cradeling her head as if it hurt. Then her face twisted with a whinced painful expression. "NO! Foxglove NO!" She growled harshly throwing off the back pack filled with comodities from Dodge that she warrying and flew up into the sky. "Mother! What's wrong! What's happening!?" Clover exclaimed lifting off to follow her mother.

Chapter 9

"Is this who you are? So sweet voilent urge. Wait for it man. With a
promice of an end"

The bottle rocket struck Foxglove full on in the chest, bouncing up into her face before it exploded sending her tumbling toward the ground. Where there once were only three came five more out of the sand. But this time the sand fish carried more than simple blades made from glass or metal. Now their backs carried quivers of explosive arrows and PVC tubes for launching them. Brush struggled to keep track of them all, but he couldn't there were just too many. They toyed with him surrounding him and closing in. Foxglove brushed the fire out of her fur in time to watch the flash of the silver exacto knife spray red from Brush's back, he groaned and found another coming in acrost his face. He spun and fell to the ground forming red mud in the sand benieth him. There was a cheer of laughter rising from the reptile mob who broke in half and began to close in on her. Foxglove couldn't fathom flying away. They were killing Brush, and all she could do was watch. "Little water gord sip sip!" Foxglove heard one of the sandfish giggle as he trotted closer. Foxglove took a deep breath and a scowl. She had seen enough. "Eyes of Sol! Call down the Salamander drake to release to me you're breath of burn!" She screamed the spell speak in those lilting tones thrusting her wings forward breaking the one rule she vowed to keep. The first two Sand Fish were thrown to the sand writhing and squirming as the swam down into the loose grains. Two more rockets whizzed past her as she threw herself face first to the sand covering her head with her wings. They poped behind her somewhere, and Foxglove jumped back to her feet calling up a gale. "Breath of Jupiter! Call forth the great foen Sylph! Release to me you're currents of air!" She growled angrily as the wind began to pick up blowing sharp cutting sand over the six remaining Sand Fish. "Witch! Witch!" They began to scream as the sand storm grated away at their scales forcing them to dig down into the sand for cover. Foxglove quickly rushed into the cloud of sand shielding her eyes from the sharp cutting grains finding the motionless body of Brush laying there caked in sand. But he was no longer bleeding, two deep cuts crusted and plugged with red sand mud.
"Brush! Foxglove!" Came two voices barely audiable over the howling wind, then the destinctive sound of the Ranger wing. "Lunar calm! Eclipse the spell speak and send them down!" Clover's voice came from above sending the wind away. The Ranger plane came to a sliding stop just beside the group as the three hurriedly leapt out running to Foxglove who was clutching the motionless Brush weeping heavily. "Foxglove! Are you alright?!" They all three shouted in unison as they ran to her stopping in front of her. Foxglove looked up wiping at her eyes even though the tears freely flowed. "I think he's dead.." She sobbed. With that Clover let out a glass shattering shriek. "NOOO!!!" She howled roughly pushing Foxglove over and grabbing Brush out of her hands and dragging him away from her. Foxglove growled protesting and crawled acrost the sand but fell exhausted.

"Foxglove be calm child!" Rose said pulling Foxglove to her chest holding her up. "Be silent and watch.. Watch the power of you're bloodline.." She said quietly pointing to Clover.
"Let go of her! Foxglove! What is going on?" Dale questioned running up to her. "You're burned! Goxglove we need to get you medical attension right now!" Gadget added. Foxglove looked up at them again. "But what about Brush?" She sobbed.
Clover sat leaning over Brush. She watched his chest rise and fall with a raspy final breath. She blinked and slowly began to shook her head. "No...." She muttered and shook Brush. "No.. brush.. wake up.. you can't do this.." She whimpered. Then suddenly it all hit her at one time. "NO!" Clover screamed and dropped her face onto Brush's chest. Clover had never released tears.. In all her life it would not come. But now they began to flow.
"Take her.. I must use this oppertunity.." Rose said gently handing Foxglove over to Gadget. Gadget blinked watching Rose walk over to the weeping bat in the sand. She closed her eyes and began to hum. Waving her wings in circles over Clover and Brush the humming slowly turned to words. Words that Foxglove had never heard, words that Clover forgotten she had heard so long ago. Clover looked up at her mother.
"Gadget look! Her eyes are glowing!" Chip stammered pointing. Gadget blinked and shook her head. "no.. No that's impossible.. Chip her eyes aren't glowing.. it's her tears! Look that brown mouse is glowing too! This is impossible." She stammered.
Foxglove looked up at her with a burned weary face. "We are..." Was all she managed to say before she passed out. Finally Rose suddenly stopped and collapsed as Clover wiped away her blue florescent tears. "Mother.. What did you do?" She asked looking down at Brush. For a moment there was nothing, then suddenly his chest heaved, and he arched his back taking in a huge breath and letting it out in a groan.
"It's an ancient wish.. An ancient remedy to death.. One that requires first tears of compassion from a wicked heart.." She panted. After a moment she stood. "We must all leave this place now!" Rose said loudly. Clover held Brush with her legs as she flew up into the air flapping her wings with all her might to carry him to safety.
"Children let's not talley! Sandfish don't stay frightened for long!" Rose again urged. "But Foxglove's..." Dale began as his eyes teared. "Bring her and she will live! Stay here and you shall all die for sure now move!" Rose demanded as she flapped up into the air. The Rangers got into the Ranger Wing and started the engine.
"I still don't know what just happened.. was that.. real magic?" Chip asked looking back at Gadget who was holding Foxglove in her lap. She shook her head. "I don't know how else to explain it.. that mouse was dead.. But that old bat brought him back somehow.." She said puzzled. "Gadget.. Is.. Foxglove going to be ok?" Dale asked wiping his eyes, trying to regain composure. Gadget nodded vigorously. "Oh of course Dale.. She's not burned too bad.. Mostly it's just her fur that got singed." Replied reassuringly. Chip brought the wing into the air, but rather than taking off for home, he flew after the two bats following them back to their home.
"Quickly quickly children! Bring them inside!" Rose urged leading the way inside grabbing her satchel as she ran into the entry corridor. Chip and Dale carried Foxglove in behind her, she began to wake up in their arms. "Brush.. Is Brush Ok?" She muttered softly. None of them answered her.
"Clover! Brush to the kitchen.. Chip and Dale.. Follow me.." Rose said leading them to Foxglove's room. "Lay her on the bed, and apply this to her burns.. sparingly!" She said handing them a bowl full of a yellow and green mush, then she quickly left them there.
"Mother.. Brush.. he's cut badly.." Clover said wiping at her eyes. "Dear lord child don't just wipe those away! Save them!" She scoulded handing Clover a small bowl to trap her tears in. "You mean.. my tears saved him..?" She asked as Rose began washing the sand out of Brush's back with a small rain cloud. "The emotional power held within that essence is very strong.. You're cold heart has broken, and that release can do many wonderful things. But never again.. The essence force is only contained in the first tears that you release in lament of love and compassion where you had never had these feelings before." Rose explained as she moved over taking sinue and needle to begin closing the long deep slash that ran almost the entire length of Brush's back. Clover winced as she watched each stitch. "There is no garentee that young Brush will not give up requardless of the encantation I placed on him." She said slyly. "You mean.. He could die.. even after all you're magic, and medicine?" Clover asked with a quivering voice. Rose nodded. Clover's nose wrinkled and the tears came again. "Save them child! Those tears will save Brush's life once I make them into a potion!" Rose snapped. Clover began scraping every tear from her face into the bowl watching as her mother began to close the wound on Brush's face taking delicate care to make sure it was strait, and closed well.
Foxglove sat up. "This stuff smells horrible.." She protested as Gadget rubbed it around her eyes and nose. "But it will make you better Foxy.. " Dale assured. Foxglove nodded. "I know that.. But no one said I can't complain about it." She said.
"So.. you really are a witch huh?" Chip asked. Foxy nodded a bit. "Yes.. I have... a certain ability.. Guys.. I've changed alot since I came here.. and I know that Rose is my mother.. Clover is my sister." Foxy sighed.
"I was sure they had you brainwashed somehow.. until I saw your mother bring that mouse back to life... I still can't believe it." Gadget said shaking her head and wiping her hands off. "Mouse? Oh.. no Brush is a rat.. He's a young rat.. Only eighteen.. But.. Oh.. Gosh I hope he's ok.." She said standing up.
"Where do you think you're going? You're staying right here in this bed and resting!" Chip ordered. Foxglove looked at him. "No Chip.. I'm going to see if he's ok.." She said sternly taking a step toward the door, but a cinnimon wing pushed her back. "Brush is going to be fine.. He is sleeping." Clover said stepping into Foxglove's room. Foxglove looked at her and scowled. "Clover... this is all your fault!" She growled. Clover looked down. "I know.. I wish I could change how things happened.. I never wanted him to get hurt..Not like this.. I may laugh when he stubbs his toe.. or falls.. But..Oh God Foxglove I love him! I know you can't understand.. Because I don't show it the way you do.. but I do." She wailed breaking down and crumpling into her sister's arms. Foxglove pulled her over to the bed and let her sister cry in her lap. "Clover.." SHe asked softly. Clover just murmured something incoherent as she sobbed.

Chapter 10

"Can you hear the hooves? Can you hear the riders coming? On presidential
ruse listen to the sinister drumming"

And dodge city slept while they swam through the sand. Sentinals unaware of the tracks in the sand. Hundreds of them. Welts in the sand streaming togather to form a mound, churning sand. Then the mound fell away revealing a crudly constructed trebuchet as the churning sand surrounded the city.
The cry to arms came up from the sentinals as the first wave of rockets arked over the city. Teams of varying species hurried with cranks and levers rising up the City Gun mounted on the roof of the city.
"Thirty degrees X! Negitive 12 degrees Y!" The spot man cried back to the two mice manning the gun mount built from erector set parts. "Where the hell are those shells! Step lively!" the trigger man yelled back down the lines. With a great report the cannon bucked and puked fire. The shot peppered the ground wasting a mass of Sandfish. Still those shoulder launched rockets sailed overhead. Deep within the city old soldiers dawned warn and ill cared for armor made from bicycle inner tube rubber. They marched out from trap doors under the wheel hubs of the city to meet the hord. Lines of bodies clashed as still the thunder gun barked over head spraying the rear lines with bird shot.
"Negitive 57 degrees X! 3 Degrees Y!"
"Come on God Dammit reload that cannon we're loosing range!"

But now a sparkle flickered on that trebuchet and with a dull thwap a flickering candle of death tumbled through the air bouncing off of the roof and rolling over to one side catching on the luggage rack of the van city. "In coming!!" Now there were only women, unfit to fight, and the old left behind. Dug in deep in the underground tunnles. From above came a thundering quake, and sand poared down in the ensuing cave in. All of Dodge City was gone. The top open to the burning sun and shifted from it's rest as it bounced up from the force of the explosion that sent the entire of both armies hurtling.
"What was zat?" The old mole Mr Beacher called to his wife beside him. "Somthin's horrible! Sumthin isn't right." She wailed as she frantically dug trying to burrow out an air pocket to begin searching for others. "Liza Don't surface.. Not yet hun give it a while, dig down here." The old mole replied in a deturmined voice as he dug beside her. "Heavens why Charles?" She stopped and asked.
"What ever that was might happen again." He replied as he kept digging. But it didn't happen again. It wouldn't happen again. For the unsuspecting Sandfish, their action was horribly suicidal, their trebuchet only having the power to throw the stick ontop of the van from seven feet away. Many of them had already fallen to the gun mount, however of the Dodge defensive army. The toll was greater.
At the moment the battle ended, the morning came with no intrusions on the repositioned dodge, with it's roof shredded like the tinfoil rapper over popcorn. Rose woke at the far off thump, and sturred to find lights coming on. She pulled her night robe around her and climbed the stairs to the hall, coming out just closer to the entrance than the kitchen.
"Golly, sounds like someone lit a stick of dynamite." Gadget said yawning. Rose closed her eyes and took a deep breath sighing as she stepped toward the crossway in the hall toward Brush's room. "Something very terrible has happened but it's very far away. It won't hurt you, it has gone away." She said opening her eyes, then smiled. "What's that supposed to mean?" Chip questioned stepping from behind Gadget. Rose clasped her wings togather. "It means just what it means. It will not happen again."
"You seem to know alot about what's going on.?" Gadget questioned folding her arms over her chest. Rose laughed a bit. "You think I did that? Oh, heavens no dear. I'm much too old to be blowing things up." She said as she continued down the hall. She briefly looked into Brush's room then turned down another fork in the hall. "She's very odd." Gadget noted aloud. "Everything around here is odd. Do you know how that black haired bat sleeps?" Chip responded. "You mean Clover?" Gadget clarified. "That's the one. I walked past her room, and the door had the curtain pulled back, and beads strung up. That bat was floating on her back completely spread out.. Not flying not laying on something. Floating over the floor!"
"Well, everyone does incist that Foxglove was the one that made that wind. Sure the young rat Brush could have just been uncontious, and the wind a freak gust, but floating I can't explain without very noisey fans." She replied. "What are you guys talkin about?" Dale asked walking up rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, just how strange things are around here, why are you awake?" Chip resposed. "I heard a loud boom, and couldn't find anyone. Why do all our rooms have to be spread out? I feel like i'm in the castle dracula or something." He said looking around.
"There you guys are. Did you hear something?" Foxglove called at the end of the hall. "Foxglove! There you are. I spent half the night looking for you." Dale exposed as he started quickly toward her. "Yeah, I just got back. Something must have exploded out there." She said as Dale reached her and suddenly gave her a huge hug. "Oh hello there." She said as he let go. "Did you see what it was?" Gadget asked as she and chip reached the two of them. Foxy shook her head. "No it was pretty far away, but boy was it loud."
"Listen Foxglove, we need to talk, somewhere... private." Chip said looking akward. "Why? What about?" She asked cautiously. "Well.. to tell you the truth, something very funny is going on here, and well.. we are the Rascue Rangers, it is our job to get to the bottom of it." Gadget explained. "Oh.. funny.." Foxglove laughed a bit batting at Gadget with her wing. "You get used to funny things around here.. Like the time I accidentally cast a dragonfly familliar into Mama's medium cauldron.. Clover had to spend three days chasing it around the beach. She was really steamed about that."
"Uhm, yeah Foxy.. that's what we have to talk about. All of this magic stuff.. It's.. well creepy.." Chip explained. "Yeah, don't you remember all the trouble Winifred got you into?" Dale added.
"Oh.. Come on guys.. this is nothing like that. Mama only uses her magic for good things.. Like doing the dishes." Foxglove explained. "Well, I don't want to be an ungreatful guest Foxglove, but I'm still kinda skeptical about all of this magic stuff.." Gadget said. Foxglove gave her a look of shock. "You mean.... You're saying that you don't believe me?" SHe asked with a humph putting her wings on her hips. "Well then.. I'm just going to have to prove it to you.. Come on.. Follow me.. We have to go outside.. Mama doens't like me calling up the wind in the house." She said as she turned and began down the hall.
They came out into the early morning mist, and foxglove lead them out from under the cleft and onto the sand of the beach. "Foxglove.. Don't be hard on yourself when you really can't control the wind.. I mean.." Gadget began. Foxy shot her an angry glance. "I can! I can control the wind. Just you watch!" She said loudly. She took a deep breath and began muttering something before she fell silent. "Sylph of the clouds, the gas envelope. Offer up you're breath to me!" She chanted. The rangers watched curiously as for the moment nothing happened. "Foxy.. we tried to tell.." Dale began but stopped when a distant howling began to rise above the breathing of the ocean waves. far down the beach a swirling dust devil began, and zigzagged toward them. "I.. I can't believe it!" Chip Stammered.. "But Chip.. that could just be a coincidence.." Gadget protested.. Foxglove eyed her again. "I'll show you coincidence.." She smirked as she pointed at the dust devil then in a quick jurk pointed at Chip. The dust devil responded as if alive racing acrost the sand in a strait and purposful path right toward chip. He jumped with a yelp and began to run from the living winds.
"But.. But that's impossible!" Gadget stammered. "Foxglove what are you doing! You're going to hurt chip! Make it stop." Dale pleaded. Foxglove sighed. "Oh.. don't worry.. It won't hurt him.. It's not strong enough.. About the worst it could do is get sand in his eyes." She made light. "Foxglove! Call it off!" Chip shouted as the swirling wind caught up with him blowing his hat off his head and sand in his fur. "Oh.. fine.. I've made my point anyway." She said with a slight smile as she clapped twice causing the wind to instantly disperse leaving Chip covered in a light coating of sand.
"But how? Foxglove how can you do that? How can it be possible?" Gadget asked in disbelief. Foxglove shrugged. "Well.. The way Mama explained it is that the entire universe is alive, even things that aren't alive are alive.. I mean..the little atoms and protons and all that stuff that makes them up.. The force that holds all that togather is alive, and it's intelligent. You just have to know how to talk to it." SHe explained. "So you're telling us that you know how to talk to rocks and wind and stuff like that?" Dale exclaimed. Foxglove nodded. "Wowie! That's super! Can you teach me all that stuff too?" He asked excitedly. Foxglove shrugged. "Well.. I can try.. But I don't think it will work.. There's alot more to it than knowing magic words, and waving a stick around. It takes a certain type of concentration, and some people just can't do it."
"Wow... I never thought I would admit it.. but you really do have magic powers." Gadget admitted. "Foxglove.. could you give me my hat back?" Chip said dusting himself off and reaching for his hat, which was still blowing around on the wind. Foxglove shrugged. "I'm sorry.. The little bit of wind that I enchanted is still sort of under the spell.. I just released it from my control." She explained. "Whoa, wait a minute, so you're saying the air is still alive?" Chip asked snatching at his hat which swished upward out of his reach. Foxy nodded. "Yes.. But it will wear off soon." She assured.
"But Foxglove.. isn't that dangerous? Giving things like wind and fire a mind of their own?" Dale questioned. Foxglove thought for a moment. "Well it depends on a few things.. See.. when I made the wind come to life.. I didn't create the life.. There are these little things that exist without a physical form. Mama calls them proto familliars. What I did was temporarily attach one of them to some air, so that it would form a wisp familliar. See these proto familliars are not really smart.. But they have personalities.. And when you attach one to an element like wind or water.. they take on some of the personality of the element." Foxglove began to explain. "I know it's really confusing.. It really puzzled me until I got used to it. See wind is very playful, fire is very hungry, water is very proud, and rocks are very lazy. The wind isn't being mean, it's just playing with Chip's hat." She said. Gadget shook her head "wait a second Foxy go back to the proto familliar thing.. I don't understand that." She requested. "I don't understand any of it." CHip said finally catching his had and shoving it firmly on his head. "Me either." Dale added. Foxglove sighed and sat down.
"Well.. they are like a blank sheet of paper. They exist, they know they exist, and that's about it. Kind of like a mind without a body. Some of them are very mean, and some are very nice. Some of them are completely blank, and not really good for anything. Mama won't tell me why they are there because she says I'm too young to understand. But these proto familliars are the basis for most magic spells. I guess you could say that they are the magic." Foxglove explained.
"Golly.. just when I thought things couldn't get much stranger." Gadget muttered. "Oh, it gets alot stranger Gadget. Some of the things Mama has shown me really sends shivers up my spine.. Rituals for reserecting damned spirits are really creepy.. Mama would never ever let me or Clover even try doing something like that."
"Well.. at least she's not a bad witch." Dale offered. "Oh, Mama is the sweetest. She always makes sure that she explains all the things that can go wrong with a spell, and what happens if you use it wrong. She would never hurt any of us." Foxglove beamed.
Rose flapped down out of the salmon sky. "Oh, there you children are. Aren't you hungry? I sort of went overboard with the pancake spell.. So.. there's plenty for everyone!" She smiled grandly. "Pancakes?! Oh boy! What are we standing around here for?" Dale exclaimed as he started in a run for the house. "Oh Goodie! I love you're pancakes!" Foxglove giggled excitedly as she flew off following dale. Chip and Gadget hesitated for a moment. "What's wrong dears? Aren't you hungry?" Rose asked smiling. The two of them looked at one another. "Uhm.. sure we are.. It's just been sort of a strange morning." Chip replied. Rose laughed a bit. "Oh, you get used to that around here." She said as she flew off toward the house.

Chapter 11

"Hay Yeah! I'm the one that you wanted. Hay Yeah! I'm the superbeast!!"

"Foxglove dear would you set your friends down at the table while I go wake Clover?" Rose smiled. "Yes Mama." Foxglove replied happily as she began sitting them down and setting the table. Rose quietly entered Brush's room. Clover was where she had been all night. "Clover.. wake up Clover dear.." She whispered quietly. Clover sturred in the chair she was curled up in. "Mother.. " She said groggily looking around. "I had the most horrible dream Mother.. I dreamed that the Sandfish attacked Dodge city, and everyone was dead.." Rose looked down sadly. "I know dear.. I know.. Come now.. It's morning you must eat." She said taking her wing and pulling her toward the door. "But Mother.. " She protested. Rose shook her head. "Clover dear..don't wake Brush. Come here and we can talk about it, just you and me." She assured. Clover pulled herself out of the chair and followed her mother out into the hall. "Mother.. what did the dream mean? Please don't say Brush is going to die." She said looking to her mother for reassurance. Rose looked down. "I had hoped that you wouldn't be like you're father in that reguard.. Clover dear..sometimes.. when we dream, it's not just memories and imagination.. It's the proto familliars speaking to us." SHe began to explain. "Mother No!.. No don't tell me this." CLover begged. Rose shook her gently. "Clover be still! Listen to me. Your father had a connection to the proto familliars.. They told him things, and that connection he passed on to you.. I also have that connection, but it isn't what it used to be.. But I hoped that it wouldn't surface in you. Sometimes things are better to not be known.." She tried to explain without being too direct to soften the blow. "Mother no.." Clover murmured softly. "Clover.. Dodge city was attacked last night.. The vision you had.. it's not the future.. It has already happened.. But Listen to me! You must not let Brush know! You know what he will do. He is in no condition to hear that news.. Keep it between us! Do you understand me? There is a time for everything.. It isn't time for this yet." Rose said sternly. CLover looked down. "Yes mother." She said softly. Rose nodded a bit "Clover it was out of our hands. Come now dear. " She said leading her eldest back to the kitchen.
"These are very good Mrs Rose." Dale said after polishing off his second plate. Rose grinned. "Yes, the baby slugs really bring the recipe togather." She replied. "D..did you say baby slugs?" Chip studdered dropping his fork. "Oh yes dear.. baby slugs, and dung beetle larva paste as an emulcifier.." She replied. The three rangers pushed their plates away. "I think I'm ..uhm.. full.." Gadget said softly. "Oh.. well then.. Foxglove would you take away their plates?" Rose requested looking to Foxglove who was steadily eating. "Mama.. I'm not done yet.. Can't Clover do it? She hasn't even touched her breakfast yet."
"I'm not looking after your guests." Clover scowled as she picked herself up and floated out of the kitchen. "Foxglove dear.. Clover is going through a personal crisis, and they are your guests.." She said. Foxglove sighed. "Yes mama." As she got up taking their plates in a stack, and putting them in the sink. She muttered a few words waving her wings over the sink, and suddenly it came alive the dish cloth and water spout washing the dishes. "Wow Foxglove.. is there anything you can't do with that magic?" Dale asked wide eyed. Foxglove shrugged a bit. "I can't work miricles." She said. "Oh, you're young yet, you'll learn." Rose replied.

Of the Sandfish, there were just less than sixty left alive after the blast. But those who had tunnled down into the sand found safety from that hot shockwave. They rejoiced in the victory. Dodge city was theirs. They gathered in the ruins in celebration unaware that a small pocket of survivors lay just under them. While the sandfish could crawl through the loose sand, they were not tunnelers. The great celebration was not only of victory, but of the corrination of their new master chief. Goul was the strongest left after the destruction was done, and none had opposed his taking the crown. His plans already tumbling in his head. That young rat had escaped the fate of his home city. That outrage could not be over looked. But it was not out of principle.. no. Goul wore a patch covering the eye that Brush had destroyed with one of those horrible metal orbs. He would return to this city all in due time. But for now, they eat, and drink. For now they celebrate their victory unaware of the beast soon to be unleashed upon them.
There came a sudden breath of hot air that swirled through out the stone house, and the ground began to quake. "What's going on?!" Chip exclaimed grabbing hold of the doorway. "It's an earthquake!" Dale cried grabbing onto chip.
"Oh, dear no.. Clover child.. no!" Rose cried as she floated swiftly down the hall toward the lower sanctum. Just as suddenly as it had began it stopped and all was still and quiet. "Golly.. that was a doozey." Gadget said with a sigh of relief.
In the hall Foxglove rushed from the lavitory turning the bend in the hall and collided with clover. They both fell. "Clover wha.." Foxglove began, but stopped in shock. "Clover.. what has happened to your eyes?" She asked in a shock. The whites of clover's eyes were no longer the normal pearly white. Instead they were a glassy onyx black. It was at that moment that Rose followed by the Rangers turned the bend in the hall.
"Clover! Why?! What have you done child? What in heavens have you done?" Rose cried.
"Foxglove, what's going on? What was that earthquake?" Gadget asked helping her up. Foxy shook her head. "I don't know.." she responded, then looked suspiciously to clover. "Clover? what did you do?" She asked. CLover picked herself up but wouldn't look them in the eyes. "She has brought horrible doom to us all.." Rose whispered softly.
"What are you talking about? Would someone explain what's going on here?" Chip requested sternly. Rose took a deep breath. "Tell them Clover." she said in a sober voice. Clover hesitated. "Clover tell them now!" Rose shouted. Clover cringed at her voice.
"Ok.. just let me think." She began. "Dodge city is gone.. That loud noise we all heard this morning was a weapon the sand fish used.. Dodge city has been blown up.. Everyone's gone." She said quietly. Foxglove put her wing over her mouth and gasp. "But.. Clover.. how did you know?" She asked.
"I saw it in a vision.. Last night.. I thought it was a dream.. but Mother saw it too." She replied. "Clover.. tell them everything.. tell them why the house shook just now." Rose demanded.
"I brought up a beast from the depths.. A fallen angel of vengence.. I called it here to make them pay.." Clover growled a bit. Rose shook her head placing her wing on her forehead. "CLover what ever made you concieve of doing such a thing. Haven't I made it clear that I will not tolerate you're father's kind of magic in this house?! You don't even understand what you've done do you?" She asked in harsh tones. THe first time Foxglove had ever heard her mother raise her voice. "Clover that demon will not go away when it's task is done! It will be out of control! It will destroy the world!" SHe raged. Clover looked up at her. "So I'll just send it back! You underestimate me mother! I called it up and I can send it back!" She shouted. Rose took a breath and sighed. "Clover.. your father would be proud.. Unfortunately I can't say the same for myself. But this is your problem. I'm not going to bail you out of this." SHe said softly and turned to float back down the hall.
"Clover are you crazy?! YOu called a demon to destroy the sandfish!?" Foxy gasp. CLover turned to her and narrowed her eyes. "What would you have done? You know full well what Brush would have done when he found out what they did to his home! At least this way there won't be anyone left when he gets there!"
"Hold the phone! So you guys are telling me that there's some sort of monster walking around as we speak? And when it's done with what it was summoned to do it will be free to do what it wants?" Chip exclaimed. Foxglove nodded. "That's right.." She said. "NO! It's not right! Because when it's done I'm going to send it back!" Clover announced. "But..Clover.. what if you can't?" Gadget asked. Those crimson eyes framed in black fell on her. "I wouldn't have summoned it if I couldn't dispell it." Clover said harshly, and turned to float away. Her eyes fell on the end of the hall and that familliar face. She blinked. "Brush.. you're awake.. How long have you been standing there?" She asked startled. "Long enough.." He replied bluntly.
"Brush! get back in bed this instant!" Foxglove protested as she ran up to him. The Rangers followed. "Let me take my knocks the way I want." He scowled a bit. "But Brush is it? Foxglove is right.. You really need to let yourself heal.. you were cut up pretty badly." Gadget Brush looked at her through cold steel eyes. Fortunately the slash acrost his face missed his eye, the stitches running up his cheek, and over his brow. Very lucky that blade just did miss his eye. "I don't recall asking you're opinion mouse." He snapped. "Hey you! Don't talk to her that way!" CHip retorted. Brush just glanced at him a bit. "It's ok chip.. I'm sure he's just been through alot." Gadget replied quietly.
"Brush... come to me dear.." Clover said in a soft voice. The young rat looked up and pushed past them shouldering Dale out of the way. "Hey you! Watch where you're going!" He growled as Brush continued on ingoring him. Clover put her wings around him. "It's going to be ok." She whispered softly. The others moved over to them. "Clover.. You had better not be putting spells on him again!" Foxglove growled. Clover eyed her. "There is no need for that now. Brush knows who he wants. And it's not you!" She said in boastful tones. Dale looked to Foxglove with hurt eyes. "Foxy you.. and him?" He asked in disbelief pointing a thumb to brush. Foxglove shook her head. "No.. not any more." she said with a tone of anger. Dale moved closer to her. "He doesn't deserve you anyway." He muttered softly. Foxglove looked at him. "Dale.. He's not bad.. He's just in love with a bad person" She scowled turning her eyes back to her sister.
"I may be bad.. but I feel good." Clover smirked. "Come on Foxy let's go." Chip said as he turned to go back down the hall. "where are we going Chip?" She asked turning to look at him as Gadget and Dale followed. "We're going home." Gadget answered. Foxglove admantly shook her head. "No. I can't go.. I finally found out who I am, and where my home is. I can't leave mama in the middle of all this.." She said. The rangers gave a comulative sigh. "Well.. Let's at least leave the lovebirds alone." Dale smirked. Foxglove glanced back and forth between her them, brush and her sister, and the rangers. Finally she followed those old friends leaving Brush and Clover there in the hall.
"This demon you summoned.. Can you make it go away?" Brush questioned. Clover looked at him. "Well.. It will go away on it's own after thirteen days have passed, but I'm sure there's a spell in Father's book that will force it to go back when I wish." She replied. Brush took a deep breath. "Then let's find it. I don't want that thing stealing my revenge." Brush replied dryly. Clover pushed him back. "Brush.. Beyond how I enjoy your anger and sence of an eye for an eye.. I can't afford that risk. I doubt I will ever find another person like you." She said softly. "Clover.. I frankly don't give a damn.. Live die.. It's all the same to me now. I have nothing left to loose." He replied. Clover looked at him. "When there's nothing to loose, there's everything to gain." She said. Brush nodded. "Yes.. and revenge is at the top of the list.

When the night came it fell upon them. It's armored hide festooned with spikes. The demon could take any form it wished upon it's summoning, and for this task it chose the shape of a great horned lizard. In one hand it carried a jagged sword with a blade of black iorn, and in the other a goblet for drinking the souls of those it slew. The sandfish slept in their intoxication as the shriek of metal giving way echoed in the torn hull of the Dodge. Ten of them were torn asunder as they slept, then they began to wake, groggy, and influenced roused by the mayhem.
"Intruder!" Came the cries on their lips as the seven inch high dragon moved through their ranks taking heads while it drank deeply from the golden cup. Soon they were rising to face this new foe, but their blades, and their spears were no effect. Bunches of sand fish sailed through the air with a single swipe of that horrible saw toothed blade, all the while the black eyed beast laughed and drank.
"My leige Goul! Wake yourself! An intruder is in the city." A lesser servant called as he stormed into the room. A clay cup hurled past his head shattering on the wall. "Deal with it! And do not bother me with such trifles!" The huge reptile growled. "But my leige.. We are trying, the beast is invulnerable! It isn't normal! It must be the work of those three sorcoresses by the sea!" The welp explained in urgent tones. Goul threw himself from his bed, and moved to a hole in the wall looking down to witness the carnage. Dead lay in one pool, and more followed as the beast followed their retreat moving faster than any normal horned lizard ever could. All the while it drank and cackled a horrible laughter. "Ready a sand ship.." Goul growled as he watched the beast destroying the remainder of his nation. "If this creature be unnatural.. then we must stop the one who controls it." He growled throwing on his knife bandalier and following the servant down through the escape tunnle to the outside.

Chapter 12

"Vultures circle and smack their lips. The sky goes black as the lightning
rips"

Now there were none of them left, and Salavayha's cup was full with the souls of those it was summoned to devour, all save two. Those two alluded it, angered it, and fled in cowardice. The two riders could see the shine of the waves as they breathed in and out. The wind died down, and the sail car slowly stopped. "This is it. They are said to dwell there under that cleft Liege." The servant pointed. goul narrowed his yellow eyes drawing two blades from that belt crossed over his chest. "Then let's finish this. We shall slay the witch that controls that beast." He smirked as he pulled off of his mobile thrown and began for the huge crag. Just as they approached it there was a flare of swirling black fire. It spun and circled the sandy ground, and from it stepped that horrible creature. "My liege take cov.." The servant began, but his life was ended. Goul had no more need for him anyway, and he would serve a destraction. The servant was shoved into the path of the beast as Goul ran for the cover of the rock.
From inside the Rangers could hear a horrible shriek. "Wh what was that?!" Dale stammered. "You don't think it's the demon do you?" Chip questioned. "I'm not waiting around to find out." Foxglove exclaimed. "Follow me!" As she ran from the room leading them down into the lower most halls. As Foxglove rounded the halls she came face to face with the huge amber colored reptile who grinned. Foxglove felt the sudden thump, and fell to her knees. Instinctively she placed her wind over her belly, and looked down. Drops of red fell from the tips of her wings. SHe looked back up to see her blood dripping from the blade of the sand fish king's exacto blade knife. She blinked for a moment. She closed her eyes and began to mutter as the reptile pulled that blade back over his head for the final blow. It never came, instead a gust of wind rose from nowhere blowing him down the hall. "Foxglove!" Dale screamed running to her and catching her as she fell. "Dale... find Mama... Hurry.." She gasp before she passed out. "Chip! Gadget! Quick Hurry find." He began but stopped when he saw the rune covered bat standing over him. "Dear lord..This truly is a most horrible day.." She muttered as she levitated Foxglove up. "Follow me.. I will take you all where it is safe." She said as she floated swiftly down the hall.
The rock shook once again as the great horned beast threw itself against the doorway. However it might shove it could not enter the tiny hall, and shriked a horrible sound like dry ice being ran acrost a piece of metal as it hacked away at the stone trying to tare it's way into the rock for it's quarry. If only it could take that one last soul it would be free.

Brush and Clover heard the commotion, and floated through the halls toward the lower sanctum. As they approached the bend there was a shadow. Just as they came around that turn, Brush's eyes met with that familliar face. He never knew his name, but he remembered that face. His eyes narrowed, and he fought free of Clover's grip. "You bastard!" He howled dropping his ball satchel off of his shoulder, and letting it swing. Goul turned at that voice. Oh how fortunate. He had come to destroy the witches, and here he found that one who owed him an eye. They had danced this dance so long ago, and still they knew the steps. Clover's mouth opened and the corners began to turn upward in a grin. "Kill him Brush!" She growled with delight. Goul was large, and strong, but he had never been quick, and so many fights later, Brush had learned how these sand fish fought. With a metallic clank the left hand blade bounced acrost the floor, but to think Goul would let himself be disarmed so easily, another was pulled from that bandalier. Back against the wall Brush threw himself sucking as that blade sparked scarring the smooth hall's face. He dove behind rolling back onto his feet, and swinging that sack hard. It collided stifly with Goul's back throwing him against the wall. Unphazed he turned and advanced dodging side to side as that sack swong aimed at his head. He moved fast and his sharp edge opened that satchel at the bottom, and with a thump thump thump those orbs bounced off the walls, and onto the floor.
Quickly Brush dove to the side rolling acrost the floor and back up again only to fall back. That blade had cought him acrost the chest again. He fell and slid as Clover gasp and shrieked, but dare not help him. "The Knife Brush!" She pointed.
"Mama! WHat about Clover? Brush? Where are they?" Foxglove questioned with a startled concern as she woke. Clover's tears had come in handy, that potion Rose mentioned had saved Foxglove's life. That of course was why she had bothered to make it so hurriedly. Rose sighed. "You stay put children. I will go find them." SHe said quietly as she floated out of the room. She ascended the inclined halls taking bends her jaw tight with fear. Rose knew full well what ws happening. She knew what the outcome would be, but she always hoped that she would be wrong. She took another bend and stopped seeing them. Clover there with her wings around him, Brush standing over the slain body of that sand fish still clenching the bloody blade as he dripped from the chest. "Oh, deary me children. This is horrible.." Rose said Clover seductively pushed her wings over Brush's chest as she curled him around him. "Oh, yes.. It was wonderful." She smiled. "Oh, dear clover you have no idea what you've done." She said pointing a finger at the body, which consumed itself with fire in a bright white and orange flare. "I've had my cake and ate it too is what I've done mother." Clover smiled. Rose sighed "Deary me." as she waved her wing before the two who froze just as they were. She levitated them with her as she moved down the hall floating.

By now the beast had carved it's way into the kitchen. It's mind was a rage at the protection spell barring it from using it's evil knowlege to teleport itself to their location. They had cheated it out of it's last mouthful, and now it's cup was empty. While it was free, that one refused soul kept it in a vulnerable state. The master could send it back to it's hell without that last soul. Only her soul could free it as promiced in their pact.

"Mama! What did you do to them?" Foxglove exclaimed as she saw the frozen pair floating past the door. Foxglove and the rangers poured out into the hall from the empty room they were in. "It's horrible as I thought Dear. Your sister has become like her father." Rose wailed. "You mean.. completely evil?" She yelped.
"That's bad for us right?" Chip questioned Rose looked at him. "The situation is very bad for us as is Dear." She said.
"So what exactly is our situation? Mrs. Rose?" Gadget questioned waving her hand in front of Clover's face. "She can see you dear." She said cautiously. "Oh.. Golly I bet that's really annoying then." She replied as she put her hand down. "Yes dear.." She smiled. "So she doesn't want to send the demon back or something?" Dale asked stepping back behind Foxglove. "Well.. You see Clover's father was of the same nature. He didn't want to rule the world, he just didn't value life, and limb of others when it came to completeing his goals. He favored the darker magic because of it's power. And Clover has moved acrost that line into that state of morals. It isn't her fault, she always did favor him. She will send it back once she understands her error. You see.. Somehow one of those it was unleashed upon had came here, and it was slain by Brush, most likely in self defence as he is sort of a wanted criminal in their eyes. Since Salavayha could not drink it's last soul, it must drink the soul of it's sender before it achieves invulnerability, which was it's reward for completing the task." Rose explained.
"Oh Golly.. that is bad. Now it's after us." Gadget gasp. "So why can't you send it back. You're supposed to be the one who taught her to do it." Chip asked. Rose shook her head. "No dear.. It doesn't work that way. I taught her how to follow the instructions in her books, and understand what she was doing.. I never taught her this ritual. Salavayha is not a lesser spirit that can be controlled through force of will." She said in urgent tones. "It is a being cursed to live in a non physical hell and can only be brought to this world through a sacred pact that can neither be broken by it or the master. It will seek revenge, but in return it is aloud free roam for thirteen days. Clover broke that pact.. So now if it kills her and drinks her soul from it's cup it will be free for thirteen years. In that ammount of time there's no telling what evil it could do."
"Double Golly.. that is really bad." Gadget gulped. "But Mama! You can't be saying there's nothing you can do?!" Foxglove plead. "I'm doing all I can do just to keep it from teleporting to us and destroying us all dear!" She snapped. "It isn't easy fighting a demon of this magnatude. Now return to the chamber, and wait there until I tell you to emerge. All of you dear" She said trying to keep her composure. Foxglove and the rangers watched as she continued to float them down the hallway. She turned the corner and entered the last chamber on the house. She softly sat Clover and Brush to the ground and freed them. Clover scowled at her. "That was very rude Mother.. You haven't done that to me since I was six." She growled. "Well it was for your own good dear." Rose said in a happy tone.
"I would have followed you. You know." She grouched letting go of Brush. He looked around, then shrugged. "You do realize the trouble you're in don't you young lady?" Rose asked putting her wings on her hips. Clover took a deep breath and looked down. "Yes Mother." She said in an annoyed voice. "And you do realize that the only way to send it back is to saccrifice a soul who is bonded with yours." She said sternly. Clover looked up with a shock. "I can't just send it back with the cup and flask?" She asked in a shock. Rose shook her head. "No dear.. Those can only send it back should it break the pact, but when that sand fish died not if Salavayha's hands, you broke the pact. Now there are but two ways, and you only have the luxury of one of them. I don't have the power to destroy salavayha, nor do you." She said in a grim tone. Clover snapped her wings back around Brush. "I am not going to do it. I'm not going to give it Brush!" She exclaimed. Brush turned himself around in her grip. "Better me than you." He almost laughed. "Shut up, you don't get a say in this." She snapped. Brush smiled and turned back around. Suddenly in a green flash Clover and Brush both dissapeared. Rose's eyes went wide. "Oh deary me! I was concentrating so on keeping it from teleported in, I forgot to keep it from teleporting them out!" She gasp, then folded her wings and dissapeared.

Chapter 13

"Devil's daughter. You don't want a holy war."

Rose appeared on the ocean sand as a whirlwind of fire raced from Clover striking Salavayha pulling it from it's footing and spinning it onto it's back covered in deep purple flame. It rose up pivoting on it's heels until it stood. All the while that horrid ear shattering dry ice shriek errupting from it's entire body. With it's mouth gaping open, it's stomach heaved and swelled. With a loud crackling belch it spewed a collum of black fire that glowed with a brilliant red light.
Clover countered it with a thundering storm of ice. salavayha's flame steamed through the ice striking Clover full on in the chest. She was thrown backwards tumbling heels over head acrost the sand. She began to push herself up before she fell and tried again.
"Salavayha! esh'teaok snai gamma!" Rose screamed acrost the beach. The beast turned from it's hovering path to face rose stopping a foot from her. "Graka neeay Karot esh'tok." It croaked in a toadly voice which emerged not from it's mouth but from it's entire being. "Galayup Trokah et'teaok." Rose scowled. The great beast just slowly shook it's head and turned back and continued hovering slowly toward Clover who was staggered but on her feet. In that instant there was a great crack acrost the sky, and the clouds turned black. Rose hovered far above the beach as static began to spark acrost her body. Just as Salavayha raised it's black blade, that static condensed in a ball before Rose's chest, and hurled down striking the demon from behind. In a bright blue flash that left a bluring after effect Salavayha was thrown sparking into the sea. Rose fell from her roost in the sky, and hit the ground with a thump incapacitated. Slowly as the blur sharpened the skies cleared.
Clover began to loap toword her mother holding her chest with both wings. Suddenly before she reached her a swirling black flame appeared in her path twisting and crackling as salavayha stepped out. Clover yelped, and began to limp away. It floated behind her raising it's sword. Clover staggered and fell rolling to her back watching the blade ready to fall when there was a horrible crash. Brush's sail cart smashed into the beast hard hurling it to the ground in a pile of wreckage. From the left Brush ran in from where he had leapt from the moving vehicle. He pulled Clover up like a sack of flour heaving her onto his shoulders and running as fast as he could slowed by her weight.
With that glass shattering scream Salavayha emerged from the wreckage with an explosion that hurled pieces of the sail car flying. It hurled itself toward them, floating forward at a slant with it's sword ready closing the distance almost instantly. Just before it reached them a bolt of blue electricity arked out of the sky blasting it strait up into the air. The beast came down with a thump, the arm holding the cup now only a charred stump burned into black ash. It raged that horrible shriek louder than ever before as a inky black figure descended from the sky between it and the other two.
The bat was huge six inches tall, and full of muscle. His hair was a deep dark red, almost black, and long tied in a thick braid behind him. He stood with his wings crossed, eyes glowing like orange embers. "Salavayha.. Do you recall our pact?" He growled in a deep voice. "Eagetcra, loulsoon garja!" It errupted in angry tones. The bat shook his head. "No Salavayha.. our pact.. The one you have broken." He growled in a deep rumbling voice. The beast shrieked and let down with that blade. Before it's toothed edge could bite into the dark bat there was a sudden wind which blew Salavayha off of it's stance throwing it. It dug a rut into the sand as it skidded acrost the breach smashing through a huge boulder that weighed over one hundred pounds. It floated up shrieking. The dark bat reached into his waistcoat returning with a bone goblet and a pewter flask carved with a horrible evil symbol. He uncorked the flask, and poured the purple mist into the gobled before corking it back as the sirening beast flew down the beach toward him. Now Salavayha was only a foot from the bat, and he tipped the cup to his mouth and drank. The moment that tiny black horn goblet emptied Salavayha burst into a consuming black flame leaving only a dull green smoke.
He turned and floated swiftly behind Brush stopping him and turning him around frozen. He lifted Clover from the rat and lay her on her back. He produced a silver vial corked with an ornate silver skull and opened it pouring it onto Clover. The bloody weeping burn that covered her entire chest and stomach began to steam and bubble. Old scorched skin fell away as the steam bubbled from benieth it. When the gray cloud faded all that was left was perfect naked skin. Clover groaned and opened her eyes, looking down and covering herself with a gasp. "Father! Can he still see us?" She questioned glancing at Brush. The bat grinned. "See... Hear.. they always can." He said with a smirk. Clover stood and pushed him with one wing, keeping the other well over her chest. "Father! You could have turned him around. you know that's not decent." She growled. "Well.. I'm sure he appreciated it." He grinned.
"It's about time you got here Bastion." Rose groaned from behind them. "Hello Dear." The bat grinned. "Look at how you've raised her. Calling demons and charming young boys." Rose sighed. Bastion smiled. "Yes perfect isn't she?" He cooed. Rose shook her head and sighed. "Clover if you wish to contiue down this path.. I'm afraid that you're father would be a more suitable guardian to you." She said stepping over to her. Clover grinned wide and jumped up and down spreading her wings. "Really? You mean that?! I can live with him?" She beamed. Bastion cleared his throat loudly. Clover stopped and threw her wings back over herself blushing under her fur. Her father put his wing around her. "Of course you can. I'm very impressed that you have learned what you have considering the influences you've seen." He growled happily. Clover jumped up and down happily. "Can Brush come too?" She questioned with hope. Rose looked up at her ex husband and shook her head. He looked from her to his daughter. "I suppose you are going to need a suitable servant.. and he will do."
"Bastion You can not condone this! That poor child is just a circumstance!" Rose protested. The huge black bat looked down at her. "As if he has anything to go home to.. As if you could control the side of him that he wants to nurture." He guffawed. Rose sighed and wiped her forehead. "Deary me.."
"And for that other... The one you do not want me to know exists.. Keep her from my sight." Bastion growled as the three of them were engulfed in bright blue flame and dissapeared. Rose sighed another "Deary Me." as she dissapeared in a bright green light. With a flash she reappeared before Foxy and her friends. "It's alright now Dears.. salavayha is gone." She said in a tired voice. "Where is Brush? What happened to CLover?" Foxglove questioned eagerly hugging her mother tight. "Clover and Brush are fine, however they have gone with her Father."
"Gone with Clover's dad? Why where?" Foxglove asked in shock. "It is a long story dear." Rose replied. "You see Bastion, her father had already made his own pact with Salavayha long ago that it should never harm any of his blood. salavayha broke that pact when it tried to kill Clover. Because of this, it was sent back to where it came. But He and I both thought, because of the way Clover was going it would be best if she go with him. Clover took Brush with her as though he were a possession. To her, he is." She explained.
Foxglove growled to herself. "Clover I will never forgive you." Rose corrected her. "Oh no no dear. That is not how I tought you to be. Brush's entire world was destroyed.. All he had left was clover. He would have gone if he were given the choice." Foxglove sighed and looked down. "I know Mama.. I just hoped that maybe I could help him let go of all his pain." She said softly. Rose lifted her chin. "No dear.. you hoped that he could help you let go of yours. But that is not what he was here for. It's what they are here for." She said glancing to the rangers. "Mama.. you're not saying.." Foxglove gasp as her mother cut her off.
"Heavens no dear.. I'm saying that you're always welcome here, and so are they, but what you do is your decision." Rose smiled. And so go or stay Foxglove knew that she would be fine, simply because it was her decision.

Disclaimer
(because it's just the decent thing to do)

All chapter subtitles are from songs. I'm not going to make a discography, just know that if it comes after a chapter # and it's in quotes, it's from
a song. I'm sure you'll recognise some of them, at least one anyway.
Ok.. characters.. All Rescue rangers characters(Chip, Dale, Gadget, Foxglove, Monterey Jack, Zipper, ect ect ect) are trademarks of the massive disney conglomerate, and under their secure wing of copywrittedness. I used
them without permission, and for reasons of free entertainment, and
definately not profit. Clover, Rose, Brush, and Bastion, are chatacters of mine based on all kinds
of things, no copywights, none gonna be made. It's all for fun, please
don't sue me.