TRIAKONTESDUO — DEATH OF A CURSE
A crowd had gathered, a huge crowd, much bigger than the one that assembled several months ago. They weren't near the pond; however, they were now below the Rangers' tree.
And it seemed that this time the crowd included every single animal whom the Rescue Rangers had helped, practically every representative of the small mammal press, and every animal that had been in The Nutshell Club that amazing night.
Even the amateur comedians who had performed the other night were present, as well as plenty from the professional circuit.
Dr. Qandlier was there with his wife, as well as Dr. Johanna, and Dr. Jay, an elderly cardinal lady.
Also present were many members from the RAS, and the UN, including a certain elderly mouse couple: the male from the United States, and the female from Hungary…
Midge had returned as well, with Chirp Sing beside her, and this time Sparky and Buzz were there, too. Canina LeFur was there, at Clarice's insistence. Naturally, Tammy, Bink, Mrs. Hazelnut, and Gadget's long time car racing friend, Melody, had showed up, and there was no way Clarice was going to miss out on this, either. Many of Chip and Dale's relatives and old friends from upstate were there, too.
Even Tom, the mechanical cat, and Butch the bulldog, were there, as was Quennie and her entire hive. Besides wanting to take part in Dale and Foxglove's happiness, they were also part of Security, though it was doubtful that any of the Rangers' enemies would try to interrupt things once again.
Chip and Gadget had insisted on having a private ceremony, but Dale and Foxglove insisted on letting the whole world know about this.
Dale even insisted that Gadget announce it to the press one week before.
She was shocked, naturally, but then she realised that it was their way of telling her that the previous mishap was not her fault at all. And if it had been—
—they had forgiven her.
Gadget had also been freed from her past, for she, too, had now made peace with it. Though she would always miss her father, she, too, had moved on, and that was quite obvious from the way she was looking at Chip now…
And, she thought, as long as everyone else had decided to pull out all the stops, she decided to find her old friend, Harpo Mouseo, rent a tuxedo for him, and bring him to the ceremony as well.
The crowd was split by a wide aisle, at the front of which was a temporary stage, which appeared to have some bulky material on it, but it was covered with a brown cloth and ornamental flowers.
At the other end was Dale, the Rescue Rangers, Chirp Sing, Pierre, the bridesmaids, and Tom and Butch. The males, except for Tom and Butch, were in black tuxedoes and the females in light blue dresses, including Gadget.
"Ready?" asked Chip.
Dale sighed resolutely, eyed the stage, stood up straight, straightened his ears, twitched his tail, and said, "Let's go."
The crowd hushed as first Tom and Butch padded forward, followed by the groom, who was escorted by the best man, Monterey Jack, Zipper, Chirp Sing, and Pierre.
The crowd did not close up behind them, because the bride and her maids had something special planned.
The males then arrived at the stage; Chip, Monterey, Chirp Sing, and Pierre raised the new willow leaf canopy, and Dale padded under it.
Zipper simply perched himself on Monterey's shoulder.
Wings flapped again.
Everyone looked up.
Flying in from the setting sun, a flock of female bats arrived at the park in a perfect arrowhead formation, and leading them was a certain batmaid, whose head was covered with a new translucent veil crowned with a digitalis wreath.
It was the second time this bat navigated more with sight than with sound, as the veil caused "static" in her sonar.
Each bat, except for the leader, was carrying in her foot-paws bouquets of different flowers.
The flock circled above the crowd seven times, and swooped down to land beside the bridesmaids, and each picked up the bouquets in her wings just before touching down.
Foxglove, however, continued her forward sweep until she reached the stage, and circled Dale and the booth once before turning again and flying back to her maids.
Once she landed, Otis padded up to her and extended his left wing to her.
Smiling, she gently took it.
Both turned toward the stage, and padded toward Foxglove's ultimate destiny.
Behind them was Gadget, carrying magnolias; Tammy, carrying tulips (and of course, never taking her eyes off Chip); Mrs. Hazelnut, carrying roses; Melody, carrying forget-me-nots; Feyyanna, carrying daisies; Janice, carrying dandelions; Dawn, carrying orchids; Rosie, carrying violets; Grace, carrying buttercups; Clarice, carrying meadowsweet; Dalee, carrying bluebells; and Nikoma, carrying lilies.
This time the crowd closed up behind them as they approached the stage, and the procession stopped when they reached it.
Phinehas, holding a microphone, padded next to Dale and asked, "Who gives away this bride?"
Straightening up, her brother replied, "I give her away!"
With that, he released his sister, and she padded up to the stage, while he padded aside, allowing the bridesmaids to place the flowers at the foot of the stage.
Foxglove circled Dale again, never taking her eyes or ears off him, and then she stood beside him.
Dale, ever so carefully, lifted her veil, eliciting gasps of admiration from the audience.
Phinehas began, "Friends, we are gathered here to unite this couple in holy matrimony: Dale Segoleh Oakmont, and Foxglove of New York. If there is anyone here who has substantial reason as to why these two should not be married, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
It was odd, because at that moment the entire blood supply of the crowd froze when they saw/heard the look that Dale, Foxglove, the Rescue Rangers, the bridesmaids, and Tom and Butch gave to them as they turned to face them.
Not to mention that all ears were laid back and all tails were lowered as well.
A very frightening silence came over the entire crowd for a few moments.
"Okay, then, let's move on," said Phinehas, with a shrug, snapping the audience back to the here and now, causing a wave of ears to rise again.
Chip then took the new wedding contract from his pocket and gave it to Dale, who then gave it to Phinehas.
Adjusting his glasses, Phinehas unrolled the parchment and read out loud:
"Covenant of Matrimony, between Dale Segoleh Oakmont, and Foxglove of New York.
I, Dale Segoleh Oakmont, do henceforth take Foxglove for my wife,
and I will love her with all of my heart, soul, and body,
and I will protect her and provide a home and an identity for her,
I will be a husband to her,
I will be there whenever she needs me…"
As Phinehas read the elaborate document, Dale and Foxglove lost themselves in each other's eyes/ears.
They had redrawn the contract, and turned it into something better: a covenant, and they both knew perfectly well what it included. It just needed to be made public.
"…I, Foxglove of New York, do henceforth take Dale for my husband
and I will love him with all my heart, soul, and body,
and I will be a wife to him,
and I will comfort him and support him, and I will be his helpmeet;
honouring, obeying, and respecting him,
being there whenever he needs me, in all circumstances,
from now until death do us part…"
It was going to be wonderful, just wonderful.
Several extremely long minutes later, Phinehas finished reading the contract, rolled it up again, and gave it to Foxglove.
Then, he asked, "The rings, please."
From out of the crowd, Bink came up, carrying a small cushion in front of her. She bounced up to Chip, who took out one ring, then she went to Gadget, who took the other ring, and then she bounced back to her seat.
Bink's joviality caused a few chuckles from those present, but she didn't mind.
Chip then gave his ring to Dale, and Gadget gave her ring to Foxglove.
For some reason, Monterey's heart skipped a beat, a tear formed in his eye, and yet his face shone like never before.
Mission accomplished.
However, the ring that Dale held had been resized to serve a different purpose. Since Foxglove had no "ring digits" as Dale did, they had originally planned to put her ring on a string so it would hang from her neck.
Now, however, Dale took Foxglove's left wing, extended it carefully, took hold of her thumbclaw, and placed the tiny ring on it, while saying, "With this ring, I thee wed."
Slyly, he quickly bent down and gave her thumbclaw a quick kiss, his ears back and his tail in a blur.
Foxglove nearly lost control over herself again, but she calmed down when she heard the crowd snickering.
Just a little longer!
She then took the ring from Gadget, and nimbly placed it on Dale's left middle digit.
"With this ring—"
Foxglove suddenly fainted and fell flat on the stage.
Dale gasped and his ears and tail fell limp, as did the audience, but just as he turned to Chip for help, his best friend also collapsed, along with Monterey, Zipper, Otis, and Pierre, who dropped the booth as well, and it now lay on the stage with them.
Then Gadget, Tammy, and some of the bridesmaids fainted one by one as well.
Horrified, he turned to Phinehas, but he, too, tipped over and fell unconscious.
Whirling toward the audience, he saw Otis, all the bats, and Chip's parents drop to the ground as well. And then—
A telltale giggle from Foxglove caused him to freeze.
Bink fell over, but not before giggling as well.
Clarice smiled, raised a paw to her head, and gracefully fell down, followed by Canina.
Tom and Butch did as well, and pretty soon the rest of the audience got in on the joke as well.
Dale just stood there, arms crossed and tapping his foot-paw, stiff ears and tail again, with a mock-angry expression on his face.
"This is really funny, guys!"
Moments later, the entire audience was on the floor, giving a few bouts of laughter.
Dale then looked at his wife, who was lying gracefully on the stage, and he whispered, "Oh, I'm goin' to get you goooooood…"
With that, he swayed a bit, rolled up his eyeballs, and toppled right over her.
She squealed, but an instant before Dale collapsed on her, he extended his arms and stopped himself by placing his forepaws on both sides of her head.
"—I THEE WED!" she screeched, causing him to laugh hysterically.
He then rolled over, lying next to her, with his eyes crossed and his tongue lolling out.
With the joke over, all those on the floor picked themselves up and patted down their ruffled fur and clothing.
Having settled down, Foxglove kissed Dale's thumb once more, nearly causing him to lose control of his tail and emotions, as well as his hormones.
He shivered for a moment, and upon seeing that, Phinehas adjusted his tuxedo and said, "Uh oh, I'd better hurry up and make this legal," and of course, the audience chuckled again. "Now then…"
Phinehas cleared his throat, and began reciting the Beireishit Bara' ("In the beginning", i.e., the first chapter of the book of Genesis).
At the end of the First Day, he said, "Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad" ("And the evening and the morning were on day one").
The crowd repeated, "Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad!"
And he said it once more, "Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad."
He went on to the Second Day, and they repeated the last line again, except that they ended with yom sheny, day two. This went on, with yom shaloshy, Third Day, and yom arba'yi, Fourth Day.
Day Five, however, was recited by Foxglove, with everyone repeating the last line: yom chameshy.
Day Six was recited by Dale: yom shishy.
The entire crowd then recited Day Seven, the Vayekhullu ("Thus were finished…"), and now Phinehas repeated it after them—
…and behold, it was very good…
And it was over.
Dale and Foxglove were now officially married!
"You may now kiss the bride."
Both looked/echosounded at each other, incredulous of what they had just done.
Foxglove finally had a last name!
Dale, the eternal Goof-up, Klutz, Clown, and Comedian, now had a mate for life!"
"Um, you may now kiss the bride."
But what was more, the Oakmont curse had finally been broken.
Pierre and Dalee padded over to each other, embraced tightly, and began to weep for joy.
The curse was dead, at long last.
"Dale? You can kiss her now."
The audience began laughing again.
For a moment, they just stood there, looking/echosounding at each other's eyes, wondering if what had just happened was for real, or if it was a figment of someone's imagination.
"Hey, are you listening to me? Kiss her!"
The laughter increased.
Hormones skyrocketed on both of them to such levels that both were actually frozen in place.
"Will you smooch her already or do we have to glue your lips together so we can get on with it?" chattered the elder, eliciting guffaws from those present, finally snapping the couple out of their shock.
With their eyes full of love, true love, passion, tenderness, relief, joy, peace, and an incredible yearning, they embraced, and kissed like never before, both tails in a blur, and ears laid back.
The crowd erupted in a thunderous bout of applause and cheering, and began throwing rice, nuts, candy, cashews, acorns, walnuts, corn, and even wheat, at the couple, but they were so caught up in their kiss that they never noticed.
In fact, after a while, all of the traditional food was spent and they were still kissing and causing quite a strong breeze with their tails.
Phinehas raised an eyebrow, and then he looked at Monterey, who then turned and looked at Chip, who smiled and shrugged and then turned to Pierre, who simply smiled and shook his head.
"I taught him everythin' he knows," he chuckled, as did his wife.
After some time, the couple showed no signs of coming up for air, so the canopy holders decided to drop the curtain and give the two a moment of privacy.
Some annoying minutes later the couple still had not broken.
So, one of the comedians in the audience, Mortimer, got up and threw a stick of a particular type of red-wrapped cinnamon chewing gum, and began singing a particular song.
The rest of the comedians present laughed when they heard the song, and they, too, joined in, and soon the rest of the audience was also laughing again and singing the eternal jingle:
( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=bCxiuuJVT-8 )
"…So kiss a little longer,
Stay close a little longer,
Hold tight a little longer,
Longer with Big Red!
The Big Red freshness lasts right through it!
Your fresh breath goes on and on,
While you chew it!
Say good-bye a little longer!
Make it last a little longer…
Give your breath long lasting freshness…!
With Big Red!"
Finally, the couple emerged from beneath the canopy, gasping and chuckling at the improvised commercial.
"…Luceeeeeeeeeelle…!" they both gasped.
"Uh, sorry about that, folks," gasped Dale, blushing along with Foxglove, both trying to bring their rational thought back on line, their ears up, and their tails to a standstill.
"Hey, if you're not married, find yourself someone. You're missin' out on plenty…"
He said that last word with his trademark sinisterness, causing his wife to shiver again, and she playfully shoved him.
"Hey, just 'wait a little longer'!" he whispered, chuckling. "I'm not goin' anywhere!"
Phinehas then padded up to him and gave him the microphone.
Dale spoke, "Okay, can everyone hear me now? Good. Well, Chip, Monty, Zipper, Dad, Chirp, Phinehas, thanks for all your help. You can sit down now."
The escorts thusly placed the canopy away and padded off.
Foxglove raised an eyebrow, "Honey, what's going on?"
Dale smiled, "Somethin' special. You can go ahead and sit too, Foxy. It's a surprise."
With murmurs from the audience, all the participants left the stage and stood at the front of the crowd.
Dale spoke again, "Okay, everyone try to sit wherever you can."
And they did.
"This is somethin' special that I wanted to do for Foxy. You see, folks, those of you who were in The Nutshell Club the night we got back together know that Foxy sang three songs that really got to me. So, Foxy, as we prepared the weddin', I talked to Clarice a bit…secretly…and she kinda helped me whip somethin' up for you."
Foxglove's heart jumped, as did her tail and ears, and she kept on smiling at him.
"Clarice, guys, you can come up now."
In the audience, a certain chipmunkmaid smiled, stood, and padded onto the stage, followed by her band, and Chip. The band, however, only included the shrew, the rat, and the canaries.
"She helped me choose this song for you, and when I heard it, I knew that it said everythin' I felt about you. I practised it a lot, so I hope this comes out right."
The band then removed the flowers and the brown cloth and uncovered their instruments.
Chip took his place on one keyboard, beside the female shrew.
"And I hope this makes up for the other song I sang a while back. Foxy, this is from the bottom of my heart:"
The audience hushed as the performers powered up their tools, and the song began.
( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=Dq0llrCYtCQ )
Chip began a simple keyboard instrumental, assisted by the shrew lady.
It was a slow romantic song, and after a few bars, Dale lowered his ears and tail, and began,
"Oh, wo—oh! Ohhh…" Foxglove sat back, stunned, ears and tail down.
"It must have been cold there in my shadow," She had been under his shadow for a long time.
"To never have sunlight on your face." And she had passed very dark days, even for a nocturnal mammal.
"You were content to let me shine—that's your way…" Yes, she was so unselfish, and willing to let him make whatever decision he felt necessary, even if it was unbearably painful.
"You always walked a step behind." Always, always in the dark, secretly echosounding at him, and at one point even left behind, but no more. She would now be beside him, forever.
"So I was the one with all the glory," Even with the Comedian dead, all the other Dales shone, albeit without her.
"While you were the one with all the strength." And she never received any glory, but had to draw strength from who-knows-where to get through every night without him.
"A beautiful face without a name—for so long…" But no more. She would be an Oakmont forever…
"A beautiful smile to hide the pain!" Well, she never smiled during the pain, but even before he first proposed, the smile covered the pain of wanting and waiting.
The performers backed him up as he entered the chorus,
"Ah…"
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?" What? ME, a hero? she thought, very incredulously.
"And everythin' I would like to be?" I…I am? She was stunned again. She always thought he was her hero! She had always looked up to him!
"I can fly higher than an eagle," He could, now with her help. She had been part of his resurrection, and now they both would fly…
"For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings." That was something totally new to Foxglove. All this time she considered him her support, The Wind Beneath Her Wings, and now, he threw that right back at her. She never had a good self-image, especially in her dark days, but now, she could hardly believe it. Here was Dale, saying that he thought of her as highly as she thought of him, when she always considered herself nothing more than cod liver oil, and now she had gone from fish guts to a powerful force of nature, capable of lifting her beloved to unreachable heights…
During the instrumental, Dale placed his microphone on a stand, padded back, and took a rodent-sized electric bass.
The next verse began, accentuated by him and the rat lady on drums,
"It might have appeared to go unnoticed," Invisible, inaudible, even in ultrasound…
"But I've got it all here in my heart." All that she was, all that she did, all of that was part of him now…
"I want you to know I know the truth—of course I know it…" And he had always known it:
"I would be nothin' without youuu…!" Not only incomplete, but also practically non-existent, dead, without her, as it had been proven earlier. Foxglove felt lighter than ever before with all that Dale was telling her. Her love for him kept increasing to levels she never thought possible.
This ceremony needed to end now—
"Ah…"
"Did you ever know that you're my heeeero?" Foxy, without you, I would be dead. You will always be a hero, for me, and everyone.
"You're everythin' I wish I could be!" You're stronger than you think, Foxy. You kept goin' when I would have quit. Oh, man, I LOVE YOU!
"I could fly higher than an eagle," Or an owl. Or anythin' that comes against us, be it a predator, a criminal, or a curse. And why?
"For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings." You've made me fly, Foxy. No one could do that but you.
"Ah…" Dale lovingly insisted,
"Did I ever tell you you're my—hero?" I wish I had told you that earlier, my Hero, she thought.
"You're everythin', everythin'…!…I wish I could be!" Oh, Dale…DALE…
"Ohhh, and I…!…I can fly higher than an eagle!" Dale…I…I never knew…never…
"For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings…" Foxglove had no more words.
"'Cause you are The Wiiiiiiind…Beneath My Wings." No one had ever spoken, much less sang, so highly of her before. She even felt so undeserving of him now, so humbled, yet so exalted…
"Oh, Wind Beneath My Wings!" he called to her.
"You, you, you…you are The Wind Beneath My Wings…" He would never stop her calling that. He commanded,
"Flyyy…flyyyyyy…fly away!" Fly, with him, forever and ever.
"You let me fly so high—" To unknown places, scary, exciting, but an adventure nevertheless. The others backed him a bit,
"Oh, you, you…you, The Wind Beneath My Wings," The adventure of a lifetime together…
"Oh, you, you, you…The Wind Beneath My Wings," Now and forever, she would be. He sang alone again,
"Flyyy…flyyyyyy…! So high against the sky!" She felt as if she was flying, so light-headed, soaring through space beside him, with a love that transcended all known boundaries…
"So high I almost touch the sky…" The drums and bass hushed, and the song quieted. But I'll never reach it as high as you have, Foxy. And all I can say now is:
He held the microphone, and said, teary eyed,
"Thank you, thank you, thank God for you,
The Wind Beneath My Wings."
The song ended.
"Thank you, my Wife," he added.
The audience roared.
Foxglove suddenly flew to the stage and grabbed her husband, sobbing, "No, Dale, no! Thank you! Thank YOU! Thank God for YOU! Dale, YOU'RE The Wind Beneath My Wings! Oh, Dale, thank you! Thank…you…"
The tamias nearly toppled over from the force with which the pipistrell pounced on him, but he held her tightly as she sobbed, and he sobbed as well, only without any pain this time. Their ears were low and their tails were a blur again.
Of course, at the sight of that, practically everyone in the audience shed tears as well.
This was true joy.
Dale wanted to say something to his wife to calm her down, but no words would coalesce in his brain.
Maybe none were needed at this point.
All he could do was hold her and let her feel his love for her as they shared heartbeats and tail swishing together again.
After a while, they calmed down a little, and Foxglove echosounded up at him now, ears straight.
She sniffed a bit, smiled, and asked, "Um, Cute Stuff, could you kinda sit down now, too?"
He looked at her for a moment, and asked, "Why?"
"[sniff]—Well, um, I…kinda talked to Clarice too. I didn't know you were going to sing to me, so I asked her to help me find a song for you, too—"
The couple then turned and looked at the chipmunkmaid, who then wiped a tear and smiled, "Hey, I wasn't about to spill the beans for either of you! Besides, we all like nice surprises, don't we?"
Everyone laughed as Dale looked back at his wife.
He smiled, and whispered, "Okay. This had better be good!"
With that, he put the microphone on the stand and padded off the stage.
And now Foxglove had the full right to echosound—
"SHHHHHHH!" hissed Rosie, and then she mock-scolded in ultrasound, with her tail down and ears laid back, "You don't have to do that in public!"
"Oh, like that's ever stopped you," quipped her husband.
She playfully shoved him and gave him a sinister smile.
Dale looked at them mouthing each other, but he was unable to hear what they were saying, so he didn't think too much about that.
Foxglove blushed a trifle, and then said to her confused mate, "Uh, never mind, Honey, I'll explain later."
As she spoke, Clarice gave a signal, and the rest of the band came up on stage now, but for some reason, she padded down, and Gadget padded up.
"But like I said, I also spoke with Clarice, and she helped me with this song which says everything I feel about you. It probably won't be as good as the one you sang, but, if you thought my other three songs were great, well," she imitated Feyyanna, "yew ain't herd nuthin' yeyet!"
Everyone chuckled at that little Texan reference, but then hushed as Foxglove's song began.
( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=X-0YAmY_vDQ )
Chip and the shrew lady played an opening sequence on the keyboard that sounded a bit like a flute.
Again, it was slow, but very romantic, and very Irish.
Foxglove turned her back to Dale, looked up to infinity, and began,
"Every night in my dreams,
I see you, I feel you." Whoa, boy…
"That is how I know you…go on." Well, they had already talked about their dreams. But those wouldn't be necessary now.
"Far across the distance,
And spaces between us,
You have come to show you…go on." From beyond their broken hearts, and even from beyond death's door. And both of them would go on.
Foxglove chorused,
"Near, far, wherever you are," She turned a trifle, and was now looking at her love from the corner of her left eye.
"I believe that—the heart does…go oooon…" The heart, the soul, the spirit always goes on, even when the body dies. But those two bodies would go on for a long time now…
"Once more, you open the door." The door to his heart, which he had shut so painfully so long ago.
"And you're here in my heart and," She held her wing to her heart.
"My heart will go on and on." She, too had shut the door, but now that they both had entered, the door would close again.
No one else would enter, not friends, not family.
Only Dale and Foxglove.
She continued, again with the drums and bass accentuating,
"Love can touch us one time," Albeit, with pain.
"And last for a lifetime." She turned a bit more, giving Dale a view of her profile.
"And never let go till…we're gone." But they both knew that that point would be long in coming, and now they would both go together in their journey toward Beyond. Here, Gadget padded behind her and backed her up,
"Love was when I loved you," And as was expected, Gadget was glancing at Chip, smiling. Chip felt he was going to burst into flames from the way she was staring at him. His ears lowered, and his tail moved out of control.
"One true time—I hooold to—" Chip looked down at Clarice, who just looked at Gadget, and she gave her an approving wink. Foxglove continued by herself,
"In my life we'll always…go on." And we'll go on together, my love. Foxglove turned a bit more.
"Near, far, wherever you are," Here, across the state, across the ocean, above the stars…
"I believe that—the heart does…go oooon…" Foxy, I believe too… The rest discreetly repeated,
"The heart does go on—" Foxglove continued,
"Once more, you open the door." For you, Foxy, only for you.
"And you're—" Gadget backed her up again, smiling at her love,
"Here in my heart, and—" Chip blushed.
"My heart will go on and oooon…hmmmmmmm…" Foxglove now faced Dale fully. If her soul had cried out in agony before, now it would cry out in triumph.
She let the instrumental play, then she took a deep breath, balled up her wings, and cried,
"Youuuuuuu're heeeeeeere! There's noooothing I fear!" Nothing. Not any enemy, or even death now.
"And I knooow—" Gadget came in once again,
"—Know that my heart will…"
"Go ooooon…" Dale, thank you for going with me forever. She and Gadget took a deep breath and called out again,
"Weeee'll stay!" We can now stay together, Chip, now that you gave us a chance… Foxglove cried,
"Foreeeever this way!" Together, forever, always…
"You are safe—" Gadget brought one paw to her chest and looked tenderly at her tamias,
"—Safe in my heart and—" And hushed, as Foxglove took it home,
"My heart will go on and oooooon…" It will never fail you again, my love, not even when we die.
She then gave a very long and tender conclusion,
"Ooooooo…oooooooooooo…"
The audience roared once again.
Dale jumped up, embraced her, and planted a very tender kiss on her lips, causing ears to lay back and tails to blur again.
Yes, this new life would go on because he let her come in.
Gadget, meanwhile, left her microphone and padded to the keyboard, where she placed a light kiss on Chip's ear.
Chip, of course, nearly melted.
"Thanks," she whispered above the roar.
And all Chip could do was blush, lower his ears, and swish his tail like never before.
Yes, it would barely be the start, but it would be a start, nonetheless.
Meanwhile, the applause continued as Dale and Foxglove separated.
Dale looked at the audience for a moment, raised his ears, and then he spread his paws out toward Foxglove, cueing the audience to applaud her now.
They did, with renewed intensity.
Dale then spread his paws out to the performers, and the audience cheered them now.
He then spread his paws to Clarice, and she, too, was credited.
Dale hesitated for a moment, and then he suddenly gestured to himself.
The audience laughed, of course, but still gave him his credit.
Dale hesitated again, gave an insane smile, and gestured at the bass.
The audience, now fully aware of the joke, cheered loudest at that point…
And the celebration continued through the night.
The couple decided to hold off their consummation for a little longer and hold the reception right there and then.
And it would be the most unforgettable reception in history.
The parents, who had travelled back to New York for the wedding, and everyone else who had not been at The Nutshell Club the night Dale and Foxglove were reconciled, were treated to an encore presentation of the "Born To Be Alive" dance number which Dale had pulled out right from the top of his head.
Of course, the couple refused to rehearse the dance. As it had been randomly choreographed once, so it was again.
And this time, they even added a conga line.
Of course, Pierre and Dalee had no idea that their son could contort his body in so many ways…
Pierre actually felt a little jealous, but he was happy nonetheless.
Later, the couple cut the wedding cake, which was as tall as they were.
After the knife was put away, Dale held Foxglove's wing.
They wagged their tails, looked/echosounded at each other sinisterly one more time, turned to the cake, lowered their ears, opened their jaws really wide (fully exhibiting Dale's incisors and Foxglove's fangs), and took two mercilessly HUGE bites from the cake.
Straightening up, they looked at each other.
Once more, the audience laughed.
As did the couple, obviously laughing at each other's icing-decorated faces, but Foxglove was laughing the hardest because Dale had his cheek pouches so full of cake and icing that it looked as if he was going to explode, added to the fact that he decided to cross his eyes at this point.
Toad face?
They spit a few bits of icing at each other in a sudden burst of laughter, but neither of them minded that.
Of course, they cleaned up, eating as much as they could of the cake that was on them.
And as what was left of the cake was cut and passed around, along with the rest of the food, the couple and the other Rangers went to make the rounds of greeting their guests, who gave them their gifts and their congratulations, with straight ears and swishing tails all around.
First and foremost, Dale and Foxglove went to greet their closest friends and teammates.
"Interestin' joke you pulled, Chip. I must say, you got me really good." said Dale.
"Well, you're not the only funny one around here, Dale."
"Of course not. Foxy's funny, Gadget's funny, Monty's funny, and Zipper's funny."
Dale looked mischievously at his best friend for a moment, who then gave him yet another bonk.
But of course, he didn't mind.
He hugged his "brother" and then turned to the others, "Gadget, Monty, Zipper, thanks for everythin'. You're wonderful friends."
"And family, as far as I'm concerned," added Foxglove. "You all have done so much for us—for me—after all that I did before…well, thanks guys. And thanks, Gadget, for my new short wave radio!"
"Aw, it was nothing, Foxy. I always regretted that I never made it digital and that kinda kept nagging me in the back of my head and so I decided to give it a try anyways but then you left so I was kinda left with no reason to try it but I still wanted to even though I couldn't bring myself to do it but the ideas kept running in my head so by the time you came back I knew exactly what to do and here it is!"
Foxglove looked one more time at the now slightly larger radio—with its new LCD screen and digital controls—smiled, and hugged her "sister".
Dale continued, "And Gadget, it's great that you and Chip finally got together. You both are in for a real treat!"
Gadget lowered her ears and tail and blushed, "Thanks, Dale. But we would have never gotten together if it wasn't for you, not that we wanted you and Foxy to break up in the first place in order for us to come together, because if that's the case then we didn't get together because of that and it was also because Chip didn't want to even after all we discussed and after he told me of all that I did to you without even knowing it and it was so unselfish of him not to want me to go through any of the pain you two went through even though I wouldn't mind risking the pain since I love him so much and now I know that I truly love him but again it wasn't because you two broke up in the first place because if that was to happen in order for us to come together then we would have gladly sacrificed—"
Chip silenced her with a soft kiss on her lips.
"We get the point, Gadget," he explained, lowering his ears, blurring his tail, and making her blush even more.
"'Ey, pally, watch yerself," huffed Monterey. "I promised 'er father I would look after 'er and—"
"We know, Monty, we know," said Foxglove. "And you will always be on Chip's case to make sure he behaves himself. Monty, you're so caring and strong. You…you've kept faith long after everyone else gave it up. We can't thank you enough for it."
"And thank you and Zipper for fishin' out our wedding rings! Monty, I don't know whether to hug you for the gift or sock you a big one for spyin' on me like that."
Monterey just smiled and gave both of them a big smothering hug.
"'Ey, you an' Zip ain't the only ones who learned stealth, roight, Zip?"
"You think no one noticed you leaving in the middle of the night with all that stuff, Dale? And we could have stopped you from lighting that fire, but we knew you were doing what you thought was for the best for all of us. Still, you two got a better canopy, contract, and veil, didn't you?"
Dale coughed a bit as Monterey released him.
When he got his breath back, he smiled immensely at his friends, "We got better everythin' now—[COUGH!]—Thanks guys, thank you all."
The couple hugged them all and moved on to the next of kin:
"Son, we're so proud of you," sniffed Pierre, ears up and his tail in a blur.
In fact, all tamii ears were up and all their tails were in a blur as well.
"I just wish your grandfather could be here to see this curse finally broken."
Dale sniffed as well, "Me too, dad."
Dalee ran up and hugged her son as tightly as she could, "Oh, Dale, that was so wonderful! I know that now you'll be a wonderful husband!"
"No doubt he will," said Foxglove, very tenderly.
"Dale, that was awesome!" exclaimed Chap, hugging them both.
"And so romantic, too!" added Nikoma, also adding to the embracing list.
The new couple was about to answer—
"And it was about time, too!" added another middle-aged chipmunk lady, with a reddish-maroon nose, padding up to them.
She was followed by a male chipmunk who had a black nose, and two chipmunk cubs, with black noses as well.
Once again, their ears and tails expressed their happiness.
Dale looked at them, and smiled, "Chattie, James, it's so nice to see you again!"
The couples hugged, and Foxglove asked, "Let's see, Chattie, you're Dalee's cousin?"
"Yes. And this is my husband, James, and my two cubs, Dale's 'nephews', Zip and Zap."
"Hi, Dale, thanks for inviting us," said James.
"Hi Uncle Dale! Hi Auntie Foxglove!" piped the cubs, as they ran to hug the new couple.
The bat lady stood back at that statement.
She was already an aunt now!
"Zowie! You two are sure gettin' big now!"
True, the cubs were at least five millimetres taller than the last time Chip or Dale saw them.
Chattie said, "They sure are. They're quite a pawful! I just hope whatever cubs you have are just a bit calmer than these two!"
"And we hope that you don't fall asleep again when you have to babysit them," added James, chuckling a trifle.
"You what?" asked Foxglove.
"You're never goin' to stop rubbin' that in, are you?" asked Dale lowering his ears and tail. "Well, let me tell you that I'm new and improved! I can babysit any cub now! Hey, I babysat a gorilla once!"
Zip and Zap ooh'ed at that.
"And he did, too," said Chip.
Chattie concluded, "Well, in that case, Foxglove, let me tell you that you've got yourself one heck of a husband now. We wish for you two to be happy always."
"Thanks," they replied.
"Baby sat a gorilla? I have to see that to believe it!" called out an elderly voice.
Ears perked up again.
They all turned and Nikoma said, "Chippy! I thought I smelled you here!"
"Cousin Chet!" exclaimed Chip. "You made it, and the cubs, too!"
"Cousin?" asked Foxglove.
Except for his face, Chet was completely grey, as was the elder female, and both had glasses on black noses.
Chippy's trademark beret was gone, but her headfur pin was not.
Dale explained to Foxglove, "Well, he's actually Nikoma's uncle, so we both used to call him 'uncle', but then we decided to do him a favour and call him 'cousin' so he wouldn't feel so old."
"Hey!" he protested, lowering his ears and tail for a moment.
"And those—" referring to two tan-furred cubs who padded up now, the male with near-spiked headfur, and the female with black headfur and a pink bow on her head, "—are Sam and Sue. They're his nephews, but he adopted them after their parents were killed. They call us 'cousins' as well. And the handsome young mouse here—" A tan-furred young mouse, wearing rather large and thick glasses, just slightly older than the cubs, padded up, blushing a trifle and with shy ears and tail, "—is Elwood. Chet adopted him too. Granny Chippy is actually my mom's aunt, but Chip and I took her in as a joint-grandmother."
Foxglove smirked at him a trifle and asked, "Why can't you have a normal family tree like everyone else?" causing everyone to laugh momentarily.
"Not that I mind," she quickly added, "after all, I'm part of it now!"
After Chippy hugged the new couple, Chet did the same, "Dale, Foxglove, congratulations!"
"Hey, we did our best," he replied. "And I see you're doin' a good job with those three!"
"A good job?" asked Chippy, also lowering her ears and tail for a moment. "Young 'munk, Chet would have gone crazy if I didn't help him out now and then!"
"Hey!"
Chippy continued, "And with all those new computer things Elwood's coming up with, it's a miracle we can keep up! Now, what's all this about you babysitting a gorilla?"
"Ooh! Tell us! Tell us!" exclaimed the four cubs now, ears up and with their tails in an even faster blur.
Elwood, however, stood by a bit, smiling, ears up. His facial expression communicated that he did believe Dale.
Dale just looked at the cubs and replied, "Okay, but since it's a long story, I'll have to tell it to you some other time. Can you promise me you will come and visit us later so I can tell it to you, and tell you many other stories?"
"Yes!" they all chattered.
Foxglove smiled once again, and asked the cubs, "So, are you two learning computers?"
"Yeah!" replied Sue. "I even beat Sam in 3-D pinball last night!"
Ears were lowered and tails stiffened.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did—!"
The young mouse padded up and covered both of their mouths.
"She did, but only by 50 points. These two are picking up everything I know! Cousin Dale, Cousin Foxglove, congratulations, and thanks once again for the rescue."
"Thank you for letting us rescue you," said Gadget.
The rodents then proceeded to hug the new family member.
They then came to Phinehas again, who hugged the new couple.
His ears were up and his tail quivered, but just a trifle slower than the younger ones.
"Thanks, Phinehas, for everythin', and for not losing hope, either," said Dale.
"Well, young 'munk, I just knew that things weren't over just yet. And now I know that they won't be for a long time to come. Foxy, welcome to the world of rodents."
The bat lady giggled a bit and replied, "Thanks, Phinehas, and thanks so much for the ceremony. If you ever need anything, you know where we are."
The elder rodent smiled. "Well, when one gets to be my age, he doesn't need much, save for some good food, a soft bed, and young ones to hear tales of old. Can you help with any of that?"
Both lowered their ears and tails and blushed, and Dale replied, "We can help you with the first two, but for the last one, well, we'll all have to be patient, right dear?"
Foxglove cuddled him as she thought of the future. "It will be wonderful, Cute Stuff, it will be just wonderful."
Now it was the turn of Foxglove's adopted family, who also had their ears up and tails twitching.
Richard and Rosie wrapped their wings around her and Dale.
"Congratulations, Daughter, you were stunning!" Richard said.
Foxglove nearly wept, "Thanks, Mom and Dad!"
Rosie added, "And thanks for taking us in. Aurora was the only family we had, but now, we have cousins and uncles and nieces and nephews!"
"Me too!" sniffed Foxglove.
Rosie continued, "Aurora would have just loved you. But even with all that happened, we know that she would not have minded this, not at all. Foxy, we've never felt happier. Foxy, Dale, welcome to the colony, and to the world of chiropterids!"
They hugged again, and now Feyyanna came up to hug her sister.
"Yew medd meye a biyit jellus thur, Sesstur."
"Jealous? Why?"
Feyyanna lowered her ears and tail and sighed, "Weyell, yew hayav thu luvv uff yer laff. Yew kneww whayat yew wunttidd, an' yew snicht iyit!"
Foxglove echosounded at her kindly and replied, also with low ears and tail, "I know your time will come too, Sis. Someone will snatch you up as I first did with Dale. He will look into your eyes, echosound at you all over, you will echosound at him back, and you will never want to hear another sound again other than his profile. It will happen, it really will."
Feyyanna wiped a tear.
"Oh, gosh, Sess, thayanks!"
They embraced tightly again.
"And yew tew, Brudder!"
She hugged Dale now, who then replied, "Thank you, Feyyanna, for taking care of her. Thank you, Sister."
Ears and tails were raised again.
Foxglove then came to Otis, and he told her, "You'll always be my sister."
She just kept radiating joy, "And you my brother. But don't lose hope, Otis. Like Feyyanna, I feel that one day soon you will meet someone who'll let you fall in love with her."
Otis turned to Clarice, who was standing next to him.
"Um, I think I already have," and he blushed a trifle, as did Clarice, lowering their ears and tails once more.
Dale stood back a trifle, looking at them suspiciously. "What? You two—?"
Clarice replied, "Well, I figured: if you two could do it, why can't we?"
"Well, that's interesting," said Foxglove. "I take it you won't be returning to Las Vegas soon?"
The chipmunkmaid looked at the young bat beside her, smiled, and replied, "Hmmmm, no. I seem to be having good luck here in The Big Apple, with all those nightclubs calling me up, not to mention all the…great audiences I seem to be having lately."
She looked lovingly at the male bat beside her, and then leaned over and kissed him lightly, with very happy ears and tail.
"Viva Las Vegas—I mean—!—and since we both, well, work at night, I think we'll be able to manage this," he stumbled, smiling at her, also moving his tail, and wrapping his right wing around the chipmunkmaid.
She suddenly turned to him, stiffened her ears and tail, and chattered angrily, "Whatdoyoumean'think'? I thought you said we had it made with both of us being nocturnal! What'sthedealhere? Are you having doubts all of the sudden? Why is it that every time I turn around I get ugly surprises from you and wipe that smile off your face! I'm being totally serious here and if you don't take that smile off your face I'm going to smack it off—!"
"CAN IT!"
Otis was rescued from her chattering by none other than Canina LeFur.
Clarice jumped at her bark and immediately hushed.
"I had the feeling you were going to rough someone up tonight, like you always did in Vegas!"
"Awlwayess?" asked Feyyanna.
The dog lady replied, "It's a long story. Otis honey, keep your guard up with her. And never, ever, get on her nerves!"
"Oh, why did I have to invite you to this wedding?" chattered Clarice, looking up at her.
"Because we're great friends who go back from your break in Atlantic City and you know that the Rescue Rangers helped me out twice and even saved my life, right, Montecarlos?"
Monterey grumbled again.
"And we've both helped each other with our agents and we've seen each other's performances and we love each other like good sisters and so you know that you wouldn't want me to miss this for the world and—"
"All right! You win!"
"You're friends with Canina?" asked Foxglove.
"Yup. She was the one who inspired me to work in show biz in the first place! I've really, really admired her for years and years and years and—"
"Aw, thanks," said Canina, blushing a trifle, and with her ears and tail behaving accordingly.
"—years and years and years and—"
"Thank you, Clarice, it's okay."
"—years and years and years and—"
"We get the point."
"—years and years and years and mmmmmmmmmmmfffffffffff!"
Canina laid down and shoved the poofy tip of her tail in Clarice's mouth as she turned and told the couple, "Well, Dale, I'm really happy for you and Foxglove. My best wishes for both of you, and if you ever need money, just ask."
"Thanks, Canina," they both said.
Meanwhile, Clarice removed the tail from her mouth, and when she did, Dale asked her, chuckling, "So, Clarice, I take it that you will be all right now?"
After spitting out some dog hairs, she regained her composure, raised her ears and tail again, and replied, "Ptooey…ahem! Yes. After we're finished here, Otis here is going to give me a night on the town, right, Honey?"
"Yup. You're going to hear—er—see this city like you've never heard—er—seen it before, from a bat's point of hearing—er—view."
Foxglove snickered and said, "Well, Clarice, it looks like you found yourself someone great after all!"
"That goes double for you, Foxy. Congratulations."
Both bats and chipmunks hugged each other—
"And Foxy, try to get him to visit his parents more often, will ya?" asked Dalee.
"Hey, don't forget, you're my parents too now!" she replied.
"And what are we? Gnat wings?" asked Richard, jokingly.
Foxglove echosounded at the two elderly couples, and all the elder bats she met in Boston, and all the elder chipmunks.
Just last year, she was a rootless orphan. Now, she had a husband (Dale), one "big sister" (Gadget), one "little sister" (Feyyanna), two "big brothers" (Chip and Otis), one "little brother" (Zipper), five "uncles" (Monterey, Marcus, Dusk, Curtis, and James), four "aunts" (Janice, Dawn, Grace, and Chattie), by default, one "grandfather" (Cheddarhead); two "grandmothers" (Camembert and Chippy); one "nephew" (Zip); one "niece" (Zap), three "cousins" (Sam, Sue, and Elwood); two "mothers" (Rosie and Dalee), and two "fathers" (Richard and Pierre)!
And all the love that was emanating from her new family, as well as herself, made her feel like squealing for joy, almost.
She padded to her bat parents and said, "Dad, Mom, it's all right. You can come visit anytime you want, and we'll do what we can to visit you."
Then, she turned to her chipmunk parents and added, "Mom, Dad, I know Dale's been a naughty boy for not even trying to go and visit you." She then tweaked Dale's ear a bit, causing him to wince and giggle simultaneously, but his tail was a blur again.
"Shame on you!" she chided, but with her sinister tone once again. "I'll carry him all the way to your tree if I need to, but we know I won't have to take such desperate measures, will I, Cute Stuff?"
Her husband smiled sheepishly again and replied, "I hope not. But you know how gruelling our schedule is, Foxy. And don't worry, Mom, I'll try to visit at least once a month. And I'll drag Chip along as well, right, Chip? When was the last time you went back upstate?"
Ears and tail were lowered.
"Hey, we were talking about you, not me."
"Go ahead and drag him along," said Chap. "You have our permission to drag that workaholic back to his roots whenever you feel necessary."
"DAD!"
Foxglove laughed and then gave each member of her new family a big hug…
"Congratulations, you two," said Tammy, hugging them, her ears straight and her tail twitching all over.
"Thanks, Tammy. And thanks for all you've done for us as well," replied Dale.
"And for all you've done for her," added Mrs. Hazelnut, also with a jerky tail. "Thanks for letting all of us be a part of this."
"Hey, can you throw your wreath, or bouquet, or whatever you're going to throw, in my direction?" asked the hormonal teenager.
"Oo, Tammy's in love, Tammy's in love," sang Bink.
"And so's Chip. And Gadget," added Dale, a trifle seriously. "Tammy, you do know that."
To which, she crossed her arms, lowered her ears, raised her tail above her head, and replied defiantly, "Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?"
Dale and Foxglove didn't know if she meant to say that with double meaning, but they blushed anyway, with the corresponding ear and tail action.
"Tammy's in love, Tammy's in love—"
"Well, I am and you're not!" she interrupted.
Bink was unfazed. She turned to Dale and asked with nervous ears and tail, "Mister Dale can I marry you when I grow up?"
The tamias looked at his wife, then back at the young sciurus, and replied, "Why would you want to do that, Bink?"
Her ears perked up, "Because you sing nice and you dance nice and you are very funny Mister Dale and you can teach me how to dance and sing and be all funny!"
All present chuckled a bit.
Dale picked her up and replied, "Well, I don't know if Foxy will let me."
Bink then gave Foxglove the ultimate puppy-face, lowered her ears, held her tail still, and begged, "Oh pleeze pleeeze pleeeze pleeeze pleeze—"
Foxglove put a wingtip on the kit's lips, smiled, and replied, "Well, I don't know if you need to marry Dale for that, Bink. You're already very funny!"
"And if you come visit us, I can teach you how to dance and sing now! You don't have to wait to grow up to learn!"
"Oh THANK YOU Mister Dale!"
Bink then gave Dale a big hug and exclaimed, ears up and tail in a frenzy again, "Mommy, Tammy! Mister Dale's going to teach me how to sing and dance and be more funny!"
She was practically bouncing on Dale, so he put her down and she continued bouncing in front of her mother and sister.
Meanwhile, Foxglove echosounded tenderly at her husband, "You're going to be a wonderful father, Dale."
The chipmunk smiled a trifle nervously, lowered his ears and tail, and replied, "I…I sure hope so. It's goin' to be very tough for me…I just…hope I do it rig—"
Foxglove suddenly hugged him and whispered, "You will, Cute Stuff. You will."
They then came to a certain peach furred and black headfurred mousemaid.
"Melody, I'm glad you could make it this time," said Dale.
"So am I," she replied, ears and tail down. "I'm so sorry I missed your last invitation, but I was in Paris—"
"Don't apologise," interrupted Foxglove. "It's not as if you actually missed us the first time."
The mousemaid smiled, "Well, I'm still sorry for what happened to you. And thanks for letting me be part of all this. It really is wonderful to see you two get together this way."
"Thanks, Melody."
The mousemaid then turned to—
"And thank you, Gadget, for doing the impossible to find me!"
Gadget lowered her ears and tail again and blushed, "Well, you're welcome, but I do want to tell you how sorry I am for losing track of you—"
Melody hugged her before she began another rant, "Don't be, it's my fault, too. I'll send telegrams and carrier pigeons until we both can get some e-mail. Then we'll talk over and over and be great friends again, like the old days. And man do we have a lot to catch up on! I see you've finally found someone!"
The Mechanic smiled, and her tail twitched, "Yes. We're just starting, but I have the feeling it will be great and everything."
The Car Racer stood back a moment and exclaimed, "Ho boy. I'm going to reschedule all my races until I get the entire gist! Um, can I stay here for the night?"
"You already asked us that, and yes you can," replied Gadget.
Melody made a confused take, smiled, raised her ears again, and just hugged the married couple and all her old friends…
"Hey, Dale, do you like your new rubber gloves?" asked Sparky, with expectant ears and tail.
Dale fidgeted for a bit until he finally had the orange gloves on his paws.
Once that was done, he looked at the mouse, and was finally able to shake paws with him without getting shocked.
"A perfect fit, Sparky!" he said. "Thanks!"
"And do you like your rubber wing covers, Foxglove?" asked Buzz, also with expectant features.
Gadget was placing the orange devices on Foxglove's wings. While a bit tacky, they did come in handy when greeting those two.
"I came up with the concept myself, I think."
The lab rat added, "Yeah, and it's great to finally attend a wedding when we missed the last one—uh, Dale, who got married last time?"
Dale looked at his wife for a moment, and smiled again, "Sparky, Buzz, you can honestly forget that weddin'. Just do us a favour and try not to forget this one, okay?"
"Well, to be honest with you, Dale: as easily as we forget things, you two gave a show we'll have a very hard time forgetting. And thanks for the ride, too."
"They'd have forgotten where they were going if it wasn't for us!" whispered Chip.
Foxglove, of course, heard him, but she said nothing.
With her new rubber wing covers, she hugged both lab rodents, and said, "You're welcome. And thanks for all your help. Thanks for helping me give peace to my new friends."
The rat lowered his ears and tail, scratched his head, generating a few sparks, and asked, "Uh, we did that?"
Queenie was just a trifle apprehensive in greeting a predator, even if that predator just happened to be the new wife of a good friend of hers.
Still, she and her hive couldn't help but feel that way; after all, there were plenty of bats in the crowd.
The chiropterids, naturally, had already known about that, and they, of course, had agreed to suppress their instincts for tonight.
Also, Zipper's insistence (and the promise that he would wear a tuxedo), helped convince the queen bee.
"Dale, Foxglove, I offer my sincerest congratulations for your marriage. May you always have the best nectar, may you never encounter wasps, and may you never go to Africa."
The couple wasn't too sure what that blessing exactly meant (and the Rangers had already been to Africa once), but they smiled anyways.
"Um, thanks, Your Majesty," replied Dale. "And thank you so much for comin'."
"And for the security," added his wife. "You and your hive gave us all of a big peace of mind. Your Majesty, thanks for placing aside old enmities and for being a part of this. You have a wonderful heart."
"That she does," buzzed Zipper, blushing slightly.
The monarch turned to him and replied, "And Zipper, thanks for giving me a personal invitation. I really enjoyed the ceremony. It sort of reminded me of my own responsibility to the hive, and—" The bombus hesitated for a moment, but quickly recovered and continued. "—and of some…personal situations I need to attend to. Being a queen is hard work, and it doesn't leave much time for your own needs. However, with all that I saw tonight, I can honestly say that you two have convinced me to do something about what is rightfully mine…or at least, of what is my right to attempt to do."
The couple didn't fully understand what her formal speech was trying to convey, but from the way Zipper was blushing they kind of got the idea.
"Also, my hive presents to you this litre of honey."
Several hundred bees buzzed in, carrying a plastic jar filled with the golden liquid.
"Considering that sweet tooth you have, Dale, it should last you for the night."
The couple and the insects laughed at the unsuspected joke.
"Hey, even royalty can be funny," she stated, very dignified.
"And also, we would like to present to you this:"
More worker bees flew in, carrying something rather large that was covered with a blue cloth.
The bees set the gift on the ground, and as they flew off, they removed the cloth. It was—
"Zowie!"
Zowie indeed: It was a very large wax figure of the chipmunk and the bat lady, holding paws and wings, looking/echosounding toward the future.
Below them was a smaller image of Mount Rushmore, but instead of the presidents' heads, it had all the Rangers, Chip, Gadget, Dale, Foxglove, Monterey, and Zipper.
Foxglove turned to Queenie, lowered her ears and tail, and exclaimed, "Oh, Your Majesty, this is amazing! No one has ever done anything like this to us before, much less to me! Thank you!"
Forgetting protocol and instincts for a moment, the bat lady and the queen bee embraced.
And the queen bee wept…
As did Zipper…
But they were good tears…
"Wowie, you two as well?" asked Dale.
The nightingale and the swallowmaid were standing very close together.
"And we have you two to thank for the inspiration," said Midge.
"Hey, Chirp, when will you be heading back to the Emperor?" asked Foxglove.
The nightingale looked at the swallowmaid, puffed his chest feathers out for a moment, and then replied, "Um, I do not knohh. I kind of thought I would stay heah foh a few moah days. Dehh ah many beautiful things to see heah."
Midge giggled.
Then, Chirp turned to the couple and said, "Friend Dale, marrying a bat is a sign of good fortune ahead. Congratulations on youah marriage. Friend Foxglove, marrying a chipmunk is a sign of a good and long life. Congratulations to you, too."
Dale replied, "Thanks, Chirp, and thanks for all your help here. We hope that you and Midge be happy as well."
"We hope so, too," replied Midge.
With that, the avian couple hopped off, wing in wing.
Foxglove commented, "You know, Darling, this romance thing seems to be turning into an epidemic."
Looking at the birds, and then at how Zipper and Queenie were looking at each other, Dale asked, "Is that good or bad?"
Foxglove thought for a moment, heard Zipper give Queenie a soft kiss, and replied with low ears and tail, "I hope it all turns out for good. Love is wonderful, but it must be handled with care. We set all of those others off on a long and difficult journey. I hope that they don't face even half of the pain we went through."
Dale also lowered his ears and tail and sighed as he saw Otis put his wing around Clarice, "I would hate to be the cause of their pain, again, especially because they found inspiration in us. But, they all seem to know what they're doin', don't you think?"
Foxglove heard Monterey speaking with Mrs. Hazelnut, and he was looking at her rather tender-like. "Yes. They know perfectly well. And if they're happy for us, we should be happy for them as well."
Ears rose again and tails quivered. Dale put one arm around her, "Well, Foxy, I'm certainly one happy chipmunk tonight."
With that, he gave his wife a soft kiss on the cheek.
This reception needed to end now…
The homeless mouse was barely recognisable. His ears were up, his headfur was neatly brushed back, his tattered top hat had been replaced with a new one, and his rented tuxedo made him sparkle, almost.
"Whoa, Mouseo, you are stunning!" exclaimed Dale.
The mouse pulled out his bulb horn and honked it, nodding his head.
Foxglove winced for a moment at the sound, but kept smiling anyway.
Mouseo noticed that, so he immediately put the horn away, lowered his ears and tail, and began speaking in sign language, slowly. Since that was a language Foxglove had yet to learn, Dale translated for her, "'Sorry—Foxglove—I—keep—forgettin'—that—your—ears—are—very—sensitive—unlike—mine—and—I—keep—forgettin'—to use—sign language—and not—pantomime—congratulations—to you—both'."
The pipistrell stood in front of the mus and spoke as clearly as she could, "Thanks, Mouseo, and it's okay. I know that we both live in two completely different worlds, but I also know that you're now learning new stuff. I know how difficult that can be at times. And I want you to know that I'll always consider you a friend and I'll help you in any way I can."
Mouseo raised his ears and tail and smiled. "'Thanks—Foxy—the—others—have—already—helped—me—a lot—especially—Gadget—she's—really—grillin'—me—every—day—with—this'."
"And the fact that you already read lips very well is an achievement by itself, so I know that you'll soon have this mastered," added the mousemaid. "And thanks for coming, Mouseo."
"'More—like—thanks—for—draggin'—me—here—but—now—I—know—that—I—wouldn't—have—missed—this—for—the—world—not—with—all—the—great—food'."
All present laughed.
"'And—thanks—for—helpin'—me—find—that—speech—therapy—centre—I—know—that—soon—I'll—be—able—to speak—though—I—won't—be able—to hear—myself—Dale—Chip—I—know—Foxy—and—Gadget—are—now—spoken—for—but—'"
The mouse hesitated before continuing.
Then, he lowered his ears and tail and gestured toward the females, asking for permission.
The males looked at the females, and everyone said, "Sure!"
With that, Mouseo smothered Gadget and Foxglove with kisses, his trademark greeting for females…
"Well, Foxglove, this a great gain for you, but a big loss for the RAS. I'm going to miss you."
"Well, maybe not that big, Kyle. It's not as if I'm leaving you guys forever. You know you can always come here in case you need anything."
The middle-aged brown-furred vole raised his ears and tail, smiled at the couple, and sighed, "Foxglove, you're the best interpreter we've had in a long time. Not only that, but you've also been a great friend. Dale, congratulations. You really have it made with her now."
"Thanks, Kyle. And thanks for givin' her a place to rest. You helped her when she needed it most."
"Anything for a great employee. And I hope you like the gifts the RAS gave you."
"Well, we haven't opened them yet, and this little lady is kinda in a hurry, but I'm sure we'll love them," said Dale.
"You'd better, dahlink! Ve helped pick them out!"
At the sound of the Hungarian accent, Foxglove turned and hugged the elderly mouse couple, the male with grey fur, and the female with white fur, again, all with happy ears and tails.
"Oh, thanks for coming, guys!" exclaimed the bat lady.
"Yeah!" added Dale. "And thanks for helping Phinehas with the ceremony, and for all the gifts. Bernard, Bianca, you're one of a kind."
"You're welcome, Dale," replied Bernard. "The same goes for you. Though I don't know if I would have been able to handle what you went through in order to get Bianca back."
"You've forgotten Australia again, dahlink?"
"Oh, yeah, right."
Bianca continued, "And I don't get it. Vat do you mean by both of us beink one of a kind? If there are two of us, vouldn't that make us two of a kind?"
Foxglove giggled.
"Ambassadors," quipped Kyle…
"Well, Dale, it was about time," said the male chipmunk.
He had brown fur and a black nose, and was rather tall and a trifle muscular, and he still wore his trademark white suit and glasses.
The female chipmunk was a trifle shorter, with brown and tan fur, blue eyes, and a maroon nose.
Dale did the introductions again, "Foxy, this is Chester, and his wife, Chi-Chi."
Foxglove greeted the chipmunk couple.
"They're old friends, and he's a former rival as well."
"Rival?" she asked, stiffening her tail and laying her ears back a trifle.
"Sure," replied Chi-Chi. "Chip, Dale, Cyril, and Chester here had their eyes on me a while back. I tell you, it was a tough decision, but I know I made the right one by choosing Chester here, right honey?"
The male perked his ears, blurred his tail, and smiled at his mate.
"Well, I don't know," replied Foxglove, echosounding at her mate. "I'm sure Chester here has many fine qualities, but you've never heard a sonar profile like Dale's. I won't say that you made the wrong choice, but…thanks for not choosing Dale."
Chester then spoke, "Dale, I must say that I've been wrong about you all this time. From what I saw tonight, I can see that you've helped many animals, and that a beautiful female has done the impossible to have you for a mate. I guess I'm lucky I married Chi-Chi before all of this, otherwise she would have snatched you up in an instant!"
"And I would have fought you for him," added Foxglove, smiling, but seriously nonetheless, as her ears and tail displayed.
Chi-Chi stood back, also with low ears and tail, "Wow, really?"
"Hey, she's not jokin'," replied Dale. "You didn't see her at The Nutshell Club, did you? She did everythin' she could to win me over, and she won. And I could never be happier now. And I also hope that you two are happy as well."
"We are, Dale, and thanks for remaining friends with us. Congratulations to you both."
Dale then proceeded to shake Chester's paw, but when he did, Chester's fur stood on end as a buzzer rang out.
Chester suddenly snatched his sore paw away, tail and ears stiff, and Dale showed his wife the paw buzzer, his ears up and his tail in a blur.
"That's Elwood's gift. And I always wanted to do that."
Both couples laughed, and hugged correctly this time, without the buzzer…
Another chipmunk couple padded to the newlyweds.
This time, the male was very muscular, and the female had brown fur, brown eyes, and a black nose, and was wearing a white bow on her head.
"Foxy, this is Cyril and Lucy, also friends from upstate, and also a former rival."
Foxglove echosounded suspiciously at her husband, with ears and tail emphasising her mood.
"You mean you chased her as well? Dale, have you been a naughty boy?"
Lucy laughed, quivering her tail. "No, Foxy. He, Cyril, and Chip always behaved themselves, even though they were a little frisky sometimes. And they, too, were tough choices. I almost chose Dale, too, but I never followed through. Still, I know you won't be disappointed with him."
Foxglove echosounded dreamily at her new husband, and replied, "You bet I won't," also with dreamy ears and tail.
Cyril then told Dale, "You have surprised me as well, Dale. I never thought you would ever find someone, and here you are, with the love of your life. Congratulations, you two. May you be happy as Lucy and I are."
"Thanks, Cyril. Say, are you still afraid of bulls?"
The other male smirked at him and lowered his ears.
"Very funny. I'll have you know that after that incident I decided to learn mechanics!"
"And he's gotten smarter, too!" added Lucy. "Not to mention a lot stronger!"
She kneaded his right biceps, as Cyril sighed and lowered his tail now, "And…and…I must say…that after that incident with the bull, I lost Chi-Chi, and I got lonely. All my money couldn't help me. So after you and Chip left to form the Rangers, I decided to make a change too. I quit being a snob and tried to help others, like you. And along the way, this little lady came along."
Cyril then hugged his wife, who cuddled him, causing both sets of ears and tails to show happiness again.
"I now help fund the RAS, and I'll also have you know that you won't have to worry about this ceremony. I talked to Canina, Chester, and Clarice, and we are all picking up the tab for the whole thing. It…it's the least I can do to make amends with you."
The new couple dropped their jaws, ears, and tails when they heard that.
"W-w-w-ow, Cyril, I-I-I…erm…thanks," stuttered Dale.
"Also, if the Rescue Rangers need additional funding, especially with Gadget's inventions, don't hesitate to call me. And congratulations."
Completely speechless, the couples hugged again…
"Wow, you're a mixed couple too?" asked Foxglove, with excited features.
"Yup," replied Clarissa. "And like you, we don't care what the neighbours say or think, right honey?"
The chipmunk lady hugged her husband tightly, a male squirrel.
She also had brown and tan fur, a maroon nose, and blue eyes.
He had grey fur, brown eyes, and was a trifle thin.
Their features also expressed happiness and contentment.
"Exactly. So don't let anyone get to you," he replied.
"I suppose Gerry is also an old rival?" asked Foxglove, lowering her ears and tail again.
"Well, not totally. But like the others, he's a good friend now. It was just Chip and me who fought over Clarissa."
The bat lady then crossed her wings, laid her ears as far back as they could go, stiffened her tail, and tapped her foot-paw.
"Dale, before we continue, is there anyone else I should know about?"
Dale frantically waved his paws and pleaded, with lowered ears and tail, "No! No! Clarissa was the last one! I only fought Chip over them because I was lonely and jealous! But you're the only one now! The real only—"
Satisfied with that, Foxglove silenced him with a deep kiss, causing yet another strong breeze with their tails, and eliciting raised eyebrows from the other couple.
"Don't worry, hon," said Clarissa. "It wasn't exactly a nice feeling. All their fights got me into huge messes! But I'm glad I found you."
She then turned to the couple, "Dale, Foxy, we also wish you the best."
Coming up for air, Foxglove replied, "Thanks, Clarissa, we wish the same for you."
Gerry continued, this time with low ears and tail, "And I'll say this again, don't let anyone put doubts into the decision you made. You may have more problems than we did, after all, we're both rodents, and…well…you're not. There will be those who'll picket outside your house and call you nasty names and pick on you in restaurants, but they're just a very loud minority. Perhaps not here, since you already won everyone over, but…maybe…in other places…"
Gerry seemed a trifle sad and worried as he trailed off, as his ears and tail showed.
Dale looked at him quite seriously, and began growling, "'Names'?" he asked, with his facial fur darkening, and his ears and tail stiffening. "If anyone dares calls Foxy a bad name, they'll have to face the wrath of…"
"RamDale?" asked Foxglove, worriedly, lowering her ears and tail and raising her wings, in an attempt to calm him down. She really wouldn't mind being called na—
"SEGOLEH!" he roared, while grinning insanely again, eliciting laughter from the rest again, as well as perking up ears and tails again.
"Gerry, when that happens, I'll counter hate with comedy, and then we'll see who has the last laugh, mwha ha ha ha ha!"
He rubbed his paws again, ears up and tail wagging, while Foxglove shivered pleasantly at his sinister laugh.
Clarissa chuckled, "You do that, Dale. And we know you'll also protect your cubs from hatred, as we have. Ours, too, have had their share of incidents, but they're coming along great. Dale, thanks for all the good times upstate, and congratulations on your wedding. Foxglove, take care of him, he's a great friend. Congratulations."
Once more, hugs were exchanged…
The couple then went to greet Cheddarhead and Camembert.
Both large mice lowered their tails, laid their ears back, and gave them a joint bear hug.
"That was a mean dance you pulled off, mate!" exclaimed Cheddarhead.
"I'll say!" added Camembert. "Reminds me o' the time I once tried to learn a 'ail dance back in Borneo!"
"And it seems our little Monty 'as finally got 'imself into good paws as well!" Cheddarhead glanced at Monterey, who was still speaking with Mrs. Hazelnut.
"And we 'ave both of ye to thank for that! Dale, Foxy, we're so 'appy we could almost marry each other again—"
Both mice then noticed that neither Dale nor Foxglove had made any comments about that.
"Pally?" asked Cheddarhead.
"!" was their joint reply.
Quickly, both mice released the couple, allowing them to breathe again. Their ears and tails had almost stopped moving there.
Both gasped their replies, "Uh—[gasp]—thanks, Cheddarhead!" wheezed Dale.
"And—[gasp]—you too, Katie!"
Both continued gasping for a little longer, and after they got their normal breathing patterns back, Cheddarhead asked them, "Dale, Foxy, we would now like to do a little ceremony of our own, to show our 'appiness for ye."
Dale looked at them, ears down, a trifle worriedly, "Uh, this wouldn't have anythin' to do with huggin', would it?"
"Naw, ye won't 'ave to do anythin' but relax and 'old on to each other. We'll do all the work."
Dale and Foxglove looked/echosounded at each other, shrugged, held each other, and said, "Well, okay. What is it?"
Before either of them knew what was happening, the two mice picked up the couple, held them between them, and with a considerable effort (due to Dale's heavier muscles), threw both of them up in the air, catching them, of course, as they came down.
Foxglove squealed, more out of surprise than out of fright, since Dale was holding her tightly and she couldn't instinctively spread her wings when she felt herself coming down.
Dale, of course, just laughed at the whole thing, as did all the guests.
Cheddarhead and Camembert did that several times, eliciting cheers and happy tails and ears from everyone each time Dale and Foxglove were thrown.
Everyone was happy, thanks to the Peacemakers, who had now brought peace to a broken couple…
And so, the reception continued.
As the couple recovered from the rough housing and went on greeting the remainder of their guests, a certain ultrasonic noise caused Foxglove to perk up her ears.
She and Dale stopped for a moment, and then she turned and echosounded at the darkness beyond the reception area.
Just barely visible, but quite audible, two humans, a male and a female, were standing nearby.
They had stood there throughout the ceremony, witnessing for the first time what no human had ever seen before.
The male had what appeared to be a microphone, and he was pointing it at Foxglove.
Both he and the female had headphones, and between the microphone and headphones was Gadget's Translator, which had been lent to them for tonight.
No recording device was attached to it, however.
And the translator would be discreetly placed back next to the tree once this whole thing was over.
This night was for them only, and no one else, especially no government agency.
And the fun in keeping secrets, especially such a great one like this, was the simple fact that they both knew something that the rest of the world didn't.
Well, the human world, at least.
Both waved at the couple.
The couple waved back.
"Thank you, Fox and Dana," said Foxglove, with happy ears and tail.
And finally, it came time for the couple to leave on their well-earned honeymoon.
Monterey and Zipper flew the re-built and luggage-loaded Ranger Wing from the hangar and had it hover above the crowd, who politely parted and allowed it to land.
The two jumped off, but didn't turn off the motors.
Ears up and tails in a blur, Dale picked up his wife, jumped onto the wing, and gently placed her on her seat.
He then sat down, revved up the motors, and the aircraft slowly ascended.
After it had reached a height of about two metres, it suddenly hovered.
Foxglove stood, removed her veil and wreath/bouquet, closed her eyes, hushed her sonar, and threw the item away.
It moved erratically, at first, due to the turbulence caused by the propellers.
And it descended…
Slowly…
The crowd hushed and tensed, calculating the landing spot, moving in semi-synchrony with the wreath…
A sudden breeze suddenly gripped the wreath and brought it down right on…
Zipper!
All laughed, and he naturally blushed at that, but even more so did Queenie…
The Ranger Wing then began to move, and the crowd shouted their farewells to the couple.
"Have fun, guys!" chattered Chip. "And don't get into trouble!"
And yet, he, and all the Rangers as well, were crying, with sad ears and tails to match.
The Ranger Wing ascended, flew off into the night, and disappeared from sight and sound.
Chip sighed.
"You 'aven't lost 'im, mate," said Monterey, patting Chip's shoulder. "'E'll always be yore friend."
Chip wiped a tear, and replied, "I…I…know. It's just that he's already gone so far into what I've only dreamed about, and after the way I—we—treated him like a clown for so long, well…I'm happy for him, yes, and I know that nothing will ever be the same between us…it's just that…well…he…um…'grew up', I guess. Maybe that's why I'm burning, not for him, but for myself. All the stuff that he and Foxy went through, and now I'm facing it…well—"
Chip controlled himself before he burst into tears.
"We'd better clean this place up before the park attendants arrive—"
Gadget suddenly hugged him and kissed his furry lips.
Though his ears laid back and his tail quivered, as did hers, he was a trifle confused at that sudden gesture, so she explained, "Thanks, Chip, for caring so much for him. Now, are we still on for that date Friday night?"
Chip raised his ears and smiled, "Only if we don't have any cases—and I'm sure you'll take care of that—so then, you bet, Gadget."
Chip then kissed his new love, and both looked up toward infinity, toward what seemed like an unreachable goal.
But if Dale and Foxglove had made it, with wind and tide against them, then maybe, just maybe, they would be able to reach it too.
"Gadget, what about Zipper and Monty now?" he asked.
The mousemaid turned and saw Zipper next to Queenie and Monterey next to Mrs. Hazelnut.
"They seem to be in good paws, don't you think?"
Chip looked at his teammates, sighed, smiled, and looked into her eyes.
"I love you. And I can only hope to love you as much as Dale loves Foxglove. And…forgive me for rejecting you. I—"
"I love you," she interrupted, touching his lips with her index digit, which still smelled a bit of machine oil, causing his tail to twitch faster. "I thought I would never love again, not after all that happened to me, and after all the wrong things I did to you and Dale, but you proved me wrong, Chip. I found true love in you. Don't be sorry for your rejection. I know you did it because you truly loved me. This will work out, Chip. For us, and for the others as well. Even though I can't calculate it or analyse it, I…I have the feeling that it will work out…I love you…"
And the new couple kissed again, forgetting for a moment the crowd, their friends, and their family, and the other couple that had gone off into the night…