Just like the fateful day just weeks ago, the Chip found himself flying for Nimnul's newest base of operation. It was enough to give a chipmunk dejavu. At least, it would have been, had it not been for for two differences, one ultimately insignificant and the other immediately striking. The first, ironically enough, was that Abe was the one in danger, and his parents came to ask for their help, whereas it was the other way around the first time. The second, and easily the most striking difference was that Dale, for obvious reasons, had decided to stay, so Gadget went in her place. Foxglove and Abbi volunteered to stay behind with Dale, saying it'd be a good way to help her, and the Rodentskis, relax; Abbi also wanted to know what the heck she'd gotten herself into, and Dale- staying behind- would be the best choice to fill her in. Foxglove, herself had a few stories, but not as much as Dale did. Even then, they were mostly Dale's stories to begin with.
Through the faint flapping sound from behind them, Chip was reminded of one last difference to tonight: a bat was tailing them, and it wasn't Foxglove. No, this bat was male. Specifically, the male bat who had forced himself onto Dale- to feed. At first, Spex, as he liked to be called, was as against the idea of joining the Rangers as Chip was, but Foxglove was adamant- calm, but adamant. The Rodentskis were so disheveled that they couldn't remember the address Nimnul was staying. As an integral part of Nimnul's machination, Spex would have inside information as to where he'd be, possibly even know the locations he'd move to in the near future- information no other had. Foxglove also felt that helping the Rangers on a mission would be the perfect way to make amends, or at least start to.
"You know," Chip mused out loud. "Foxglove just met this guy, and after hearing what he did to Dale, and Zipper, she still shoved him onto us." Zipper nodded in agreement.
"I don't like it much, myself, but you heard what Foxglove said," Gadget replied, her eyes glued onto the air just in front of her.
"Something about a bat's 'Other Self'," he signified his skepticism with air quotes, "is like the complete opposite of their real self."
"And you saw him yourself, Chipper," Monty chimed in. "Bloke was more awkward than a cat climbing off a tree!"
"Until he put his glasses on," Chip said. "How do we know that shift wasn't just an act?"
"I guess we don't," Gadget conceded. "I guess we'll just have to trust that she knows what she's talking about."
"Fine," Chip pouted, as he slumped back into his seat. "I still don't like it."
"Me neither," Gadget said, a rarely heard steel hard resolve in her voice. "That's why he only gets one chance."
"Bloke tries something, and," Monterrey finished his statement by punching his palm, and grinding his fist into it.
Tailing the Rescue Wing by quite a bit, Spex could hear every word the Rangers had exchanged about him. He wasn't sure if they knew he could hear them, or even if they cared. It didn't change the fact that they were right. He misled and forced himself onto a lady who had been healing from a traumatic life upheaval. In his hunger fueled craze, he hurt one of theirs; that certainly didn't help the current situation. They were right to be apprehensive of him, but as Foxglove said, this is the perfect chance to make peace with them. He hung his head and sighed as he steeled his own resolve; he was not going to blow it. As he was looking down, he saw the marker he was looking for- a red roofed Hilton on Staten Island. He raised his head towards the Rangers and whistled until he got their attention. When he was sure he had their attention, he pointed down, and swooped down for a landing, the Wing not far behind him.
Meanwhile, back at the Rangers HQ, Abbi sat on the loveseat, transfixed on Dale as she recounted adventure after adventure. She listened how they relied on Chip's leadership skills, Monty's strength, Zipper's agility, and Gadget's technical knowhow to get out of certain jams. Each one had apparently come in handy too many times to count. The Rodentskis and Foxglove, had, after some time, stopped what they were doing, took their respective seats, and listened- Foxglove piping in from time to time on the adventures she shared with them. All of them were amazing. Abbi almost lost herself in imagining Dale (as a boy) running along with his/her friends, when a sudden thought occurred. She tried to brush it off, but it gnawed at her, demanding her attention, and the more she thought about it, the more it distracted her.
"Um, Excuse me," Abbi interrupted. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but what about you?"
"Me," Dale parroted, "what about me?"
"Well, you were talking about what the other Rangers could do. You never said anything about you?
"Oh, well," Dale sighed, listfully. "I guess you could say I was just the doofus who came along for the ride."
"Surely you don't mean that," Mrs. Rodentski said.
"I guess the things I did just seem mundane, compared to them," Dale admitted. "All I really did was run around and throw things where they didn't belong. When I wasn't doing that, I was trailing behind Chip."
"But you still helped," Mr Rodentski said. "It may not have been as flashy or glamorous as the others, but you still played your part."
"I guess," Dale shrugged.
"So, how do you think the others are doing," Mrs. Rodenski suddenly asked.
"I dunno," Dale answered. "Things always seemed to go by so fast when you're really there. But since I'm here, I guess they probably just got to Nimnul's place."
Mr Rodenski flung himself against the loveseat with an exasperated groan. "All this waiting is going to kill me."
"Then why don't we see what's on the tube," Dale smiled, hopping to her feet. She tapped her foot on the near by TV remote, and started flicking through the channels. She happened to look down, and saw that her tummy wasn't as flat as it was last night. She wasn't fat, of course, but she could still feel her skirt ever so tighter. She figured it was probably yet another Girl thing she had yet to go through. She made a note to ask Gadget or Foxglove when this was all over.
Having landed on the roof, The Rangers and Spex made their way through the air vents- Spex in the lead. The treck, awkwardly silent, seemed to stretch on for hours. The Rangers didn't want to talk because they knew their bat escort would hear them. Spex simply wasn't sure what to say. A part of him knew he'd be better off quiet, but with each step, he wanted more and more to say something. He started sifting through his brain, searching for a topic. Whether upon chance, or a treacherous subconscious, he happened upon Dale's outburst. From Chip's reaction to, it seemed safe to assume they had recently consummated their relationship. It would likely be a misstep, but he supposed an apology would be the best place to start.
"I know it means very little, in light of my egregious transgressions," he started. "But, know that I truly am sorry for forcing myself upon your significant other."
"My what, now," Chip asked.
Spex looked back at the Rangers, a confused look on his face. "You mean you two aren't..."
"You mean me and Dale," Chip responded, blushing profusely. "No! Why would you think that!?"
"Your reaction to Ms. Dale's outburst," Spex recited absent mindedly. "Showed some sort of exasperation, not of a false or embellished recollection. Most likely a fact to be kept among your closely knit circle, which I am not a part of. What kind of secret? One that deals with you "not forcing yourself' upon her- an easy one: you two had sex. An act typically associated with elevating levels of attachment and involvement." He paused, and took a second glance at Chip. "You're probably going to say that that was a one night affair, but the thorough beating you gave me says otherwise. You're not the sort of guy to bed a lady and be on your way, so girlfriend it is."
The Rangers stared at the bat, slack jawed. Chip was the first to gather his wits in an attempt to refute his assessment. Every time his brain grasped at something, it fumbled as it stumbled across memories of Dale's smiling face- none linked to their night together. Her laugh, which he never took notice of, before the Change, suddenly fluttered through his mind. He saw her big, green eyes watching the world with the same childlike wonder as they always had, during their time colored black. He sucked in a breath, and tried to force the words out. He have up, and groaned.
"Alright," he said. "Fine, we did it! We're probably gonna be an item, now! Happy!?"
"Actually, I am," Spex said, raising his wings, defensively. "Seems to me she can only do worse from you."
It took a second for those words to register as a compliment. Chip was about to respond, but Gadget beat him to it.
"So, it's true," Gadget sighed.
"What," Chip asked.
"Chip," Gadget explained. "She's in heat!"
Chip had only passing knowledge about that. It was when girls got really frisky, and wanted to do it. It was the same with him, Monty and Dale (before Change) where they had to excuse themselves every so often to relieve themselves-separately of course!.. He never had the chance to learn more into it after that. He could only stare blankly at Gadget.
"Really," Gadget started. "You mate with a girl in heat..."
"You get her preggers, mate," Monty finished.
Chip's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Pregnant. Dale Pregnant. She couldn't be pregnant. If Dale was in heat, and mated with her... But, she- it didn't- was he really that out of touch with the opposite sex?
"You really didn't know," Monty asked, incredulously.
"Dale being in heat, or what what it really means, " Chip asked numbly.
"Let's try both," Spex said. Chip could only shake his head, to which all three slapped their palms/wings to their faces.
"But, hold on," Spex said. "There's a notable chance she might not be pregnant."
Chip's ears perked; he looked towards Gadget for an explanation.
"Well, it's true that mating with a girl in heat will get her pregnant," Gadget explained. "Just one round isn't going to do it. Well, it does, but that sort of thing rarely happens."
"You'd have to do it more times than that," Monty said, "like three, four, maybe even five..."
"S-six," Chip asked, his eyes even wider now, "or seven?"
"Oh-ho! That would do it". Spex chuckled. "Congrats on your family to be, and stamina, by the way."
He suddenly stopped, flicking a wing out to halt the Rangers. When they did, he looked towards the vent to their left, and lead them over to it. Through the slots, they saw a group of people- some in formal business attire, others in lab coats- standing by as their nemesis, Professor Nimnul, seemed to be finishing the last preparations, monologuing the principles behind what he was about to show them. The machine he was using seemed very much the same as the last one, except it had some sort of spinning gyroscope on its top. The arms, instead of the old multi jointed, glove ended sort, looked like retractable metal hoses, and they were outfitted with three fingered, soft tipped claws. Right besides it was a cage filled with young mice of both genders, and almost every color.
"We're here."