Foxglove stretched as she woke up. She looked around for her host, but couldn't see him anywhere. So she decided to go get something to eat. As she made for the door, Starry entered with a plate full of various insects. "I took the liberty of getting you something to eat." He said cheery.
"But.." She tried to protest.
"No buts. After the last couple days, you could use some pampering." Foxglove blushed.
"Thank you." she said shyly. As she started to eat the meal, Starflight spoke to her.
"You really are the most beautiful bat I've ever seen." He said. Again, Foxglove blushed.
"Thank you, but I'm already spoken for, I think." She replied.
"Really, A love who doesn't make sure you have a place to stay?" Starflight asked.
"Well, It wasn't his fault. He was told to ask me to leave." She stated.
"Oh. I see." Starflight said. "So, who is this extremely lucky bat?" He asked.
"Oh, he's not a bat, he's a chipmunk." She replied. Starflight seemed shocked at this.
"A chipmunk?" He asked.
"Yes, and a very hansom one at that." She shot back.
" Sorry, but it's every day that a person finds an interspecies relationship."
"Then you should see the treehouse." She said. "Not only am I in love with a chipmunk, but another chipmunk who lives there is in love with a mouse, and she with him, only for some reason, each of them avoids the talk of them starting a relationship. Also, a fly who lives with them has his eyes on a queen bee from a hive in the park." She finished.
"The park, huh?" Starflight asked.
"Yea, maybe you've heard of them, the rescue rangers?" She asked.
"The rescue rangers, huh." Starflight scratched his chin. "Now that you mention it, I think I have heard of them." he said. "Excuse me, Foxglove, I have something I need to do." Starflight exited the belfry and started to fly off. He landed near a warehouse and entered though a missing pain of glass. As his eyes adjusted to the light level, he searched for a certain opening. He found it. The sign over the opening read "the Society for Animal Purity (SAP)"
"Let's try there." Dale said as he pointed to another belfry.
"Dale, let's be reasonable…" Chip started, but a menacing look from Dale silenced him.
"Chip's right." Serena saved Chip. "Foxglove is most doubly out hunting now. So, even if she is staying here, she probably isn't at this moment." Then Serena looked at the belfry. "Oh, you don't want to go there." She said with concern in her voice.
"Why not?" Chip asked.
"The bat that lives there in Starflight Bellop. He is a member of SAP." Serena explained.
"A member of what?" Dale asked.
"SAP, the society for animal purity. They try though any means possible to keep animals purebred. He's even gone as far as killing a couple because she was pregnant. He said it was an accident, but the talk was that Starflight had his eye on the young girl, a bat of course, and she flatly refused his advances. The fact that she was caring a squirrels baby drove him over the edge." Serena sighed. "The creep got away to."
"How is it that you know so much about him and the circumstances?" Chip asked.
"The young bat he killed was my sister." Serena started to cry. Chip whispered something to Dale, and proceeded to land the ranger wing. Once on the ground, Dale took over the controls as Chip climbed into the back seat with Serena and placed an arm around here shoulder.
"Don't worry," Chip reassured her as the ranger wing lifted, after we find Foxglove, we'll help you close the case." Chip softly said.
"Thank you." Serena sighed in-between her sobs.
"I have a case for SAP." Starflight had approached the main desk inside SAP Headquarters.
"And whom is filling this complaint?" The receptionist, a brown field mouse with thick glasses asked.
"Starflight Bellop." Starflight said with an air of overdignaty.
"One moment please." The receptionist disappeared behind a wall. After a moment, a large rat walked up to Starflight.
"Mister Bellop, what a pleasure to see you again. As always, you are a valued member of SAP. Now then, what can I do for you?" The rat asked.
"Sir, I just found the mother of all cases for us." Starflight replied, almost drooling.
"Really?" The rat started to drool himself. "Who, where?"
"Ever herd of the rescue rangers?" At this, the rat's mouth got drier than cotton.
"Are you out of your mind? The Rangers?"
"As it turns out, they all have interspecies relationships. A female bat, Foxglove is her name, is living with me. She told me the whole thing."
"You wouldn't have eyes on her, would you." The rat asked.
"Look, I know what you're implying. The relationship she has with one if the Chipmunks is shaky at best. She doesn't even know where they stand."
"Well, I hope you know what you're doing. We can't afford another death on our hands. Understood?"
"Crystal, sir." With that, Starflight exited the headquarters.
"Back so soon are ya?" Monterey asked as Dale walked though the door. He was followed by Chip, who still had his arm around Serena's shoulders. She still heaved every now and then from sobs. "And who is this?" Monterey asked. Just then, Gadget entered the living quarters.
"This is Serena. We meet her while looking for Foxglove. I offered her our help after we find Foxglove. In the meantime, she said she'd help us look for her.
"Nice to meet you, Serena." Gadget said as she offered her hand to the bat.
"Like wise." Serena shook it. "You must be Gadget. Chip has told me muck about you. And the same goes for you, Monterey Jack?"
"It's sorta a family tradition." Monterey answered the unasked question.
"Chip's been real helpful to me today." Serena gave Chip a quick and light squeeze. Gadget's breath caught in her thought. It caught again as Serena gave Chip a kiss on the cheek. Gadget could swear Serena looked right at her, mocking her. Gadget suddenly had to get out of the room.
"Excuse me." Gadget walked as calmly as she could out of the living quarters and back to her room. "Why?" Gadget asked herself after she closed the door. "Why am I thinking like this? I have no hold on Chip. He's free to pursue anyone he wants." She assured herself.
"But you want a hold on him don't you." The voice startled her. She turned around and saw Monterey in the doorway.
"How long…"
"Long enough to know what you're berating yourself about." Monterey answered in a fatherly tone. "When Serena hugged and kissed Chip, and him not pulling away, caused you to panic, didn't it?" Gadget looked down, she knew Monterey was right. "Gadget," Monterey sighed as he walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He walked over to her bed and sat down and motioned for her to do the same. "You want to talk about it?" He knew that she'd tell him no and he'd have to start digging.
"I think I need to." Of course, everyone once "knew" the earth was flat. "I need to know where these feelings are coming from. I've never had them before. It's like I wanted to tare her wings off and push her off the tree and watch her wither in pain.
At this, Monterey cringed. He knew that Gadget had a strong temper, with a thankfully long fuse, but the thought of her doing what she just said. "Ah, Gadget, you probably never felt them before because you never had a reason to. It's called jealousy, and the reason you never felt it before is because Chip's never been hit on by another girl before like Serena."
"What has jealousy got to do with any of this?" Gadget asked the question genuinely.
Monterey sighed, "How long are you going to deny you feelings. Sooner or later, Chip's status as an eligible bachelor is going to change. He's too much of a catch for it to not. Even I know that. Gadget, Chip's shy about these things. He's all but told me that. "
"So, if something is going to be done…"Gadget sighed.
"I think your getting the idea. Also, don't worry about Serena, she just sees him as a shoulder to cry on." Monterey assured her. After he tucked Gadget in, not wanting to rejoin the group, he exited the room and rejoined Chip, Dale, Zipper, and Serena in the living quarters. But before he sat down, Chip motioned for him into the kitchen.
"Well?" Chip asked after the door had closed.
"She's fine, just wants to be left alone, 'tis all." Chip slapped his forehead.
"I knew I should have gotten Serena to let go before we entered." Chip berated himself.
"Chipper, don't worry. I've already talked to her." Monterey assured him.
"You did!" Chip looked at the larger mouse with shock-filled eyes.
"Don't worry. I didn't tell her." Chip breathed a sigh of relief. "But you've got to realize that she's a beautiful young woman. Sooner or later, Someone's gonna capture her heart. Chip, she's shy about these sort of things 'cause she doesn't want to loose another loved one, understand?" Monterey placed a hand on the chipmunk's shoulder.
"Yea, I think so." Chip sighed. Slowly, he exited the kitchen. Monterey chuckled to him self.
"Like I said, I wouldn't say any thing to the other, about there feelings."
'Dale' Foxglove found herself thinking about the supposed love of her life. Just then, Starflight reentered the belfry. "Hello." She said in a cheery voice.
"Hello yourself. How was your meal?" Starflight asked.
"Very good. Thank you." She said.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. While I was about I happened to run into the Rescue Rangers." Starflight said coolly. Immediately, Foxglove looked up at Starflight.
"You didn't tell them I was here, did you?"
"No, after the way you were 'asked' to leave, I thought the last thing you wanted was for me to bring them back here."
"Thanks." She breathed a sigh of relief.
"It was the least I could do." Starflight gently kissed the back of her wing. She would of thought nothing of it except Starflight held onto her wing for a few moments, even as she tried to pull away. Reluctantly, Starflight let go. Foxglove started to back away from Starflight with a shocked expression on her face. "I'm sorry, I…"
"It's O.K., I just need some air." Foxglove quickly flew out of the belfry so Starflight couldn't stop her. Foxglove instinctively flew back towards the park, and to ranger headquarters.
"I need to eat." Serena said as Monterey protested.
"I know that, but are you sure your O.K. to fly?" Monterey asked her with a bit of concern.
"I'll be fine. But thanks for the concern." Serena said and kissed the mouse on the cheek before she took off. Monterey absentmindedly rubbed the spot on his cheek with his hand. Realizing what he was doing, he scolded himself before rejoining the other Chip, Dale, and Zipper in the tree house. Serena flew for mere moments when something slammed into her. As she came to, she could feel movement on her back. She worked her way out from under the movement and turned a round to see what had knocked her out of the sky. A pink bat slowly got up. "Sorry." The bat said.
"Foxglove?" Serena asked.
Foxglove stood up and looked at the bat she had just collided into. "Do I know you?" She asked.
"No, but I've heard of you. I just left a lovesick chipmunk who misses you." She said. "My name's Serena. Dale and Chip have been looking for you all day."
"Why would Chip look for me." Foxglove huffed. Serena relayed the days events to Foxglove. As Serena finished the story, Foxglove sighed. "Dale, I'm so sorry, and I understand, Chip." She mumbled to herself.
"Well then, why don't you go tell them yourself?" Serena asked.
"You think they would let me back?" Foxglove asked this question.
"I don't think they would have looked for you all day if…" Serena cut her sentence short because a loud crash was heard in the direction of the tree house.
"Come on!" Foxglove grabbed Serena's wing and ran towards Ranger Headquarters. The scene was a dismal one. The bark on the tree was scratched, a few limbs were broken off and lying on the ground. The door to the headquarters was torn from its hinges. Slowly, the two made their way up to the door, or what was left of it. The scene inside wasn't any better. The living quarters had nothing left in its place. Even the television was knocked over. "What happened?" Was the only question that came to Foxglove's mind.
"I don't know." Serena answered her, not wanting to believe her eyes.
"Foxglove, Serena?" A muffled voice came from the remnants of the hallway to the bedrooms and workshop.
"Gadget?" Foxglove called out. Slowly, the mouse inventor crawled out of the hallway. Immediately, Foxglove ran and hugged her.
"What happened?" Serena asked.
"I don't know." Gadget replied. "One minute every thing's peaceful, next, Chip is shoving me into my bedroom as the door brakes open."
"Did any one else escape?" Serena asked.
"I don't think so." Gadget sighed
Chip was pushed into a small room. He knew that Dale and Monterey had been taken too, but he had been separated from them. The chipmunk looked around the cell. The only opening was a slit in the door large enough for a tray of food. He hoped that Gadget hadn't been caught too, he couldn't stand the thought of that. 'Maybe I deserve this.' He thought. 'But Dale and Monterey don't.' Chip vowed that he would get them out of here, no matter the cost.
"Welcome to SAP." A voice said though the door. It slowly opened to reveal a large rat. "I am General Mulet. I will be in charge of your retraining." He said.
"Retraining?" Chip asked.
"Yes. You see, SAP is the society for animal purity. We make sure that animals stay with in there species."
"Well, you doing a lousy." Chip shot back. "Animals all over are friends with each other."
"We have nothing against animals befriending other species, just so they don't get involved with them is our concern." Mulet said. "Now your sure why we—"
"Captured us!" Chip finished Mulet's sentence.
"Captured is such a strong word, more like forcibly given you this opportunity to see the error in you ways."
"Some opportunity." Chip huffed.
"Any clues?" Gadget asked as the three ladies searched the Headquarters for clues.
"Nothing yet." Serena replied. Foxglove on the other hand remained silent, as she had since Serena and her had found Gadget.
"How about you, Foxglove?" Gadget asked
"Oh, nothing." She sighed. Gadget approached her.
"Foxglove, do you know something we don't?" She asked.
"No." Foxglove quickly replied.
"Foxglove, what are you hiding?" Gadget stepped closer to the bat.
"Nothing, I swear." She backed away slightly.
"Look!" this time, Gadget grabbed Foxglove by the fur under her neck and hoisted the terrified bat to her face. "Chip is in danger, so is Monterey and Dale, so if you know any thing that just might help us, I'm telling you to tell us, right now!" Gadget emphasized the end of her sentence by tightening her grasp on the fur she held in an iron grip.
"I told a bat named Starflight about us. I'm afraid he's the one who did this." Foxglove quickly blurted out. This was the first time she saw Gadget's temper. As Quickly as she grabbed her, Gadget released Foxglove, who crawled into a corner. Gadget, realizing what she had just done, looked at Serena, and ran out the door, tears starting to form in her blue eyes. Serena, on damage control, approached Foxglove, who was huddled in a corner.
"Are you O.K?" She asked.
"Yea, just I've never seen her temper, only heard about it." Foxglove said as she calmed down. "Maybe I should go talk to her." She got up.
"No, I'll do it. I think you're the last one she needs to see right now." Serena placed a reassuring wing on Foxglove's shoulder, and turned to head for the door. Outside, Serena saw Gadget sitting on the limb. Her shoulders heaved under her cries. Serena walked over and sat down next to her. "You want to talk about it?" Serena asked.
"I don't know." Gadget sighed as she got herself under control. "I just never felt this scared about any situation. Now, I keep thinking that I'll never see Chip again."
"I understand." Serena quietly said.
"I also feel the same way about Monterey and Dale too." Gadget quickly added.
"No you don't." Gadget snapped back at Serena's last statement.
"What do you mean?" Gadget asked.
"You probably feel the same way in principle, but the reason behind it is different. True, you love them all, but on different levels. Monterey as an uncle, Dale and Zipper as friends, and Chip as—"
"O.K., I get the point." Gadget quickly cut Serena off, looking away from her. "So," Gadget said as she got up off the branch, "lets go find this Starflight and see what he knows." Gadget ran into the hanger and started up the Ranger Plain. Serena and Foxglove climbed into the back seat. With out turning around, Gadget hung her head and said, "I'm sorry, Foxglove, about yelling at you."
"That's all right." Foxglove placed a wing on Gadget's shoulder. With out saying another word, the plain took off.
"Such a glass jaw for such a big mouse." Monterey heard a voice say as consciousness returned to him. After a minute, he ventured to open his eyes. As he did, He saw a large rat loom over him. He sat up to get into a more comfortable position.
"Well, hitting someone from the blind side with a pipe would take down even the strongest of rodents." Monterey shot back.
"Temper, temper." The rat said calmly. "Especially for one who is only a helper."
"A helper?" Monterey asked.
"Yes, you see this is SAP, and our files indicate that the only one you've been interested in was a mouse. Since you obviously seem to prefer only mice, I see little need to retrain you."
"Retrain?" Monterey asked.
"Yes, your friends Dale and Chip are involved in interspecies relationships, and we'd like your help in getting them to see the light." The rat explained. Monterey looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Ya can't be serious mate, are you?"
"Dead serious." The rat replied.
"Chip! Monterey!" Dale's shouts echoed off the walls of the seemly empty hallway.
"Oh, don't worry, they'll soon be joining you." A mouse walked up to the bars on Dale's cell. "You should be happy, you the first to under go retraining." The mouse commented.
"Retraining?" Dale asked.
"Yes, so you see the error in your ways" The answer didn't ease Dale's nerves.
"The errors in my ways?" He asked.
"yes, you see, according to our records you are currently interested in both a mouse and a bat. That just isn't acceptable." The mouse commented.
"Yea, well who are you to tell me what's acceptable?" Dale's false bravado tried to make its presence know.
"I am chief psychological officer Dr. Geoffrey Morgan." The mouse crossed his arms as he said this last statement. "I supervise all retraining programs here at SAP."
"SAP?" Dale asked with a confused look on his face. Here he was, in a prison cell after whoever trashed the treehouse, his home since he befriended Chip almost eight years ago, and more recently, Rescue Ranger headquarters, talking to some mouse who liked to use made up, at least in Dale opinion, words and talked about retraining him. The fact that the mouse, Dr Morgan, had mentioned retraining scared him. The fact that his affection towards Gadget was mentioned scared him. The mention that he had possible feelings for Foxglove, although in the back of his mind he liked the idea, terrified him.
"Yes, the Society for Animal Purity. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I need to tent to my other patients." The "Doctor" exited from Dale's sight, leaving him alone again.
"Chip Maplewood." Dr. Morgan stepped in front of Chip's cell. Chip looked up at the mouse. The first thing that Chip noticed was the large glasses that rested on his nose. Chip, who had tried to get some sleep stood up as General Mulet, who Chip previously had not seen, opened the door to the cell. Two other rats grabbed Chips arms before he even had a thought to move them. "You will undergo the first stage of retraining first."
"Goody, I feel so honored." Chip said sarcastically as the two rats on ether side of him dragged him out of the cell and down the metal hallway. They got to a door and Mulet opened it. Inside, a wooden chair with arm rests and leather straps stood with a wooden table in front of it. The two rats sat Chip down in the chair and secured the straps around his lags and arms. After they were satisfied, the rats took a position of attention in two corners of the room. Chip could see pictures of beautiful chipmunk women on the table, and what chip thought was a picture of a much older Gadget, but he couldn't be for sure. Dr Morgan sat in a chair that General Mulet had fetched.
"Chip, what do you see in front of you?" The mouse asked. Chip looked down at the table.
"Pictures?" Chip tried his best impression of Dale.
"Ok. What do you see in the pictures?" Morgan asked. Chip inwardly smiled, it was time to impersonate Gadget.
"Well, I see the individual spots of color that, after our eyes associate and group them together, forms a scenic representation of what the light sensitive film saw as the mechanical iris of the camera opened and closed. The process took probably less then half a second. It's amazing what technology can do." Chip sighed, 'How dose she do it?' he mentally wondered.
"Well, yes, I guess that is true." The doctor laughed. "Now, seriously." A stern look quickly replaced the laughter.
Chip decided, for his sake, he'd be honest. "I see female chipmunks in bathing suits." Chip Looked Geoffrey square in the eye
"Yes, I thought you might enjoy these photos. I prefer mice myself."
"Well, if your going around collecting photos, there's this mouse I work with that I would like her photograph." The grunt of disgust that came from the good doctor was exactly what Chip had expected.
"Why must you be blind?" Dr. Morgan asked.
"Because love is blind." Chip replied.
"No its not." The Doctor calmly said.
"Yes it is." Chip answered.
"Is not!"
"Is so!" Chip had practice at this kind of argument.
"Is not!"
"Is so!"
"Is not!"
"Is not!"
"Is so!"
"I agree." The doctor sat wide mouthed, searching for an answer.
"Childish games will not help you see the light."
"Than what will? Denying my feelings?" Mentally, the doctor smiled.
"Would that be any different than now?"
"What do you mean?"
"According to our records, you've never told the one you have feelings for about them."
"I didn't want to hurt Dale. He's after her to." Chip defended himself.
"Why not? If you both truly love each other, than Dale should understand." The doctor leaned over the table. "I don't think your feelings are genuine." He sat back in his chair.
"Yes they are!" Chip shot back.
"Then say it." The doctor leaned back in his chair, smiling.
"I lo…" the words caught in Chip's throat.
"We are done here." Doctor Morgan said before Chip had another chance.
"Starflight?" Foxglove called as the trio of ladies entered the belfry. Only the wind answered her.
"Maybe he's out hunting." Serena said nervously.
"Then we'll wait for him." Gadget said defiantly.
"There's no need." The three girls turned around. Starflight stood in the door way, blocking the entrance very effectively. "Well, well, Serena, we meet again."
"Cut the nice act, Starflight! We know that you still work with SAP. Where are the Headquarters?" Serena kept her voice at an even tone.
"I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about." Starflight's voice had the same tone, only colder.
"I beg to differ." Serena said.
"Beg all you want…"
"I ain't gonna beg!" Gadget jumped at Starflight, pinning him to the ground. "Where are they!" She shouted to his face, holding him by the fur on his neck.
"Look, I'll tell you, just get her off of me." Slowly, Gadget let go of Starflight's fur. "What's wrong with her? Is she insane or something?" Starflight coughed. A lump formed in Gadget's throat.
"She's worried about a loved one. She gets that way." Serena replied to Starflight's statement. "Now, the location?" She asked.
"Its in an abandoned warehouse a block and a half down the street." Starflight hissed out.
"Thank you for your cooperation." Serena said, equally as coldly. The trio of girls exited the belfry.
"Now, off to the warehouse." Foxglove said in an upbeat voice.
"Not yet." Gadget said.
"What!" the other two asked.
"We're going to need some equipment and supplies if we're going to bust in and rescue the boys. We also need to know the layout of the warehouse and where SAP headquarters are located." Gadget placed a hand on her chin as she sighed. "Serena, you live in this area, right?"
"Well, close by." She replied.
"Good. Since you know the area better then Foxy or myself, I need you to scout this warehouse. Foxy and I will return to the tree and start to get things together that I think we'll need. Return to the tree in an hour. That's when we'll plan the assault." Serena took off after Gadget gave her the "order". "Sorry." She whispered after Serena left. "Well, Foxy, are you coming? We have planning to do." She said as she climbed into the rangerwing. Foxglove followed suit as Gadget started up the engine.