Author's Notes and Disclaimer: Hey there, everyone! Better buckle up because this is the chapter that leads to the biggest plot point in the whole story, not to mention one of the reasons for this story's "T" rating (besides all the peril, of course).

As per the rules, here's the disclaimer: I do not own the movie "The Secret of NIMH" (owned by MGM/UA Entertainment Co., Aurora Productions, and Don Bluth Productions), the characters of "Loonatics Unleashed" (owned by Warner Bros), or the "Tiny Toon Adventures" character Calamity Coyote (owned by Warner Bros and Amblin).

Recap: The Loonatics and Calamity are trying to help Ms. Brisby find a way to save her home and her son, Timothy before the farmer's tractor is repaired. The eight of them end up going to the Great Owl for advice, and, after discovering that Mrs. Brisby is the widow of Jonathan Brisby, he tells them to go to the rosebush and find Nicodemus.

And now, as a new day dawns, the next leg of their adventure begins.


Chapter 8: Into the Rosebush

The next morning, in the front yard of the Fitzgibbons' farmhouse, Mrs. Fitzgibbons was hanging up the wash to dry. Unnoticed by her, a pair of lavender-colored pants of some kind with bows at the ankles seemed to come to life and began to head towards the rosebush. On its way, it paused in front of the sleeping Dragon, turning to look and lifting its "hood", revealing Jeremy to be the one wearing and moving the article of clothing. He suppressed two sneezes before moving towards the rosebush again, then paused to suppress another before moving on.

"Mrs. Briz! Ace! Lexi!" he called softly before tripping over a broken branch of the rosebush, calling Duck's name in the process. "Oh, excuse me, pardon me," he said, sitting down after recovering from his trip.

"Oh, no," Ace groaned.

"You've got to be kidding me," Duck grumbled.

"Is this guy for real?!" Lexi almost yelled.

Slam growled, finding the crow's presence at this time very annoying.

"What in blazes-?" Tech started to ask.

'What's going on?' Calamity asked, carefully coming out of a clump of thorns before he saw what the problem was. 'Jeremy?!' he exclaimed telepathically.

"What on Earth?!" Mrs. Brisby added in a whisper.

"I'm in disguise!" Jeremy whispered theatrically before wheezily giggling then stopping to suppress a coming sneeze.

Duck face-palmed himself, feeling some of his negative aspects being reflected back at him by Jeremy's antics.

"Are you looney?!" Ace exclaimed to the crow, trying to keep his voice low.

"Jeremy, please, not now!" Mrs. Brisby begged the crow. "We're trying to find the entrance, and these thorns are very dense."

"I'll sthay; I almostht shish-kabobbed mysthelf about ten to fifteen timesth on thesthe thingsth!" Duck exclaimed. "You'd think with usth being sthmaller and thesthe thornsth about the sthiz-th-e of lanc-th-esth, they'd be easthy to avoid, but no-o-o, it'sth you avoid one bunch and before you can get an inch, you almost poke your eyesth or your brainsth out on the nex-th-t!"

"That has got to be the most accurate complaint I've ever heard from you, Duck," Tech told him, a bit amazed.

"Here, let me help-" Jeremy began to stick his head into the rosebush, but since there were thorns on the branches, it took only a split second for Jeremy to poke himself on them, making him fall down and exclaim loudly in pain.

All seven of the group currently present practically jumped on Jeremy's head all at once to quiet him. Slam, Mrs. Brisby, Duck, and Calamity managed to grab Jeremy's beak while the others were either on the sides or top of his head.

"Will you be quiet?!" Mrs. Brisby scolded the accident-prone crow as he made muffled sounds. "They'll hear you!"

"We've gotta find dis Nicodemus fella before da farmer gets dat tractor fixed up!" Ace added as everybody slowly released Jeremy.

"I'll keep a look-out!" Jeremy volunteered, trying to take off, but his disguise had gotten caught on the bush, so he ended up hanging upside-down.

"Will-?! You-?! What-?! Ooh-! Grrr-!" all seven exclaimed in exasperation, their last straw of collective patience almost gone.

"You're gonna get us all killed!" Lexi scolded the crow.

"I don't see anybody coming," Jeremy reported before falling down with a thump.

"Isth thisth falling-down thing a habit of yoursth, 'causthe it hasth got to sthtop!" Duck reprimanded the crow.

"If you really wanted to help us, you'd go away," Lexi told the crow as he started getting back up.

"Why, that's very brave of you, Lex, but I-a-aah-but I-ah-aah," Jeremy tried to speak as he suppressed two more sneezes caused by his cat allergy. Once he recovered, he continued as they started climbing up on a low branch, "But I can't leave you guys here alone, Mrs. B most of all, why if anything were to happen to her, why think…think of the children!"

Everyone in the group got the same idea when Jeremy mentioned the children and decided to use it-if you'll pardon the phrase-to kill two birds with one stone.

"That's it!" Tech, Ace, and Duck exclaimed simultaneously.

"Huh? That's what?" Jeremy queried.

"Let me," Duck told the others before addressing the still-disguised crow. "Uh, Jeremy, sthomeone sthtrong should be protecting Mrs. Bristhby'sth children in casthe that tractor sthtartsth up again. Unfortunately, the stheven of usth have made plansth to guard her through the bush, stho…we need a volunteer," Duck said nonchalantly, hoping the crow would go for it.

"Is it just me, or does dat sound like de little scheme I pulled back during the Acmegeddon incident to get Duck outta da way so dat we could get some woik done?" Ace asked his other teammates.

The general answer was: "A little bit".

"O-oh, in case the tra-Hey! How 'bout me?" Jeremy replied, putting a confident grin on his beak.

"Oh, would you?" Mrs. Brisby asked sweetly, batting her eyes at him.

"Ye-e-eah! Sure!" Jeremy chuckled. "That'd be terrific practice! Girls can't resist a guy who's good with kids, you know, domestic type! Play games, help out, domestic!" he rambled.

"Yeah, now there's a thought," Tech agreed, playing along.

And in that vein, I have a feeling I know somebody who's got that particular base covered better than him, Tech added in thought.

'Should I tell Rev you said that?' Calamity asked his older brother figure, reading and knowing what Tech meant by that.

'You'll do no such thing,' Tech told him not in a stern way.

'Sorry I asked,' Calamity replied back with a shrug and a smile. 'Sides, I know you're good at it, too!' he added.

"Well…gee, thanks," Tech said aloud, touched by Calamity's last sentence.

"Yeah, dat's da ticket!" Ace told the crow.

"Yes, yes, domestic," Mrs. Brisby agreed. "Now, whatever you do, don't tell them where I am," she then instructed Jeremy.

"My lips are sealed, Mrs. Briz," Jeremy promised, turning to leave.

"Bye," Mrs. Brisby waved.

"Good luck with the rats!" Jeremy told them, saluting and letting his disguise drop like too-big pants without a belt before covering himself back up.

The seven just barely turned around when they heard Jeremy's wheezing laughter and, the five Loonatics suppressing the urge to seriously hurt him, looked back at the crow as he asked one more question.

"Where do you live?" Jeremy chuckled.

"Isth he stheriousth?! Mrs. B told him the day before yesthterday!" Duck whispered.

'Guess he forgot,' Calamity grumbled.

"By that big stone in the garden," Mrs. Brisby told him. "Just stay out of trouble," she said, folding her arms.

"Not to worry Mrs. Briz. I love kids and kids love me," he replied before he seemed to start rapping to himself, not watching where he was going. "Kids love me and I love kids. Ah-dee-uh-ooh! I a-love a-kids and-a ki-" Jeremy soon tripped over Dragon's outstretched leg and soon found himself in the cat's grasp.

"Comedy relief charactersth should really watch where they're going," Duck remarked, watching Jeremy's predicament and shaking his head in disappointment.

"Too bad they almost never do," Tech said in the same manner.

"If dey didn't, dey wouldn't be comedy relief, would dey?" Ace asked.

Jeremy struggled to get out of Dragon's grasp, trying to suppress sneezes as he did so. Finally, Jeremy managed to get up in the air, but the pants were still being held by the sleeping feline. Unable to hold in the sneeze that was coming this time, Jeremy finally let it out, inflating the pants leg he was in, then, when the pressure was just enough, Jeremy popped out like a bullet out of a gun and into the air.

"Happy landings!" Ace smirked as the crow made his departure.

"Dragon! You lazy kitty!" Mrs. Fitzgibbons complained, retrieving the lost article of clothing. "Go catch some of those rats out in the barn!" she commanded him.

Dragon stirred a bit and opened an eye, but other than that, he didn't budge.

"I've never seen a cat sleep so much!" Mrs. Fitzgibbons remarked.

"Neither have I," Ace agreed. "Sure is strange, considerin' how full of life he was when he chased us day before yesterday."

'Well, some cats have nocturnal habits, but they are usually full of pep in the mornings, too,' Calamity stated. 'So you're right; there is something strange about this. May I?' he asked Tech.

"Go ahead," the older coyote allowed.

Calamity concentrated, letting himself see into Dragon's animal mind. He braced himself for anything predatory or violent, but his mental presence was barely acknowledged. In fact, Dragon's thoughts were…dreams.

"What is it?" Tech asked, seeing the young psychic coyote's look of confusion.

'His conscious mind appears to be in a state of sleep,' Calamity answered. 'His thoughts are sluggish. It's like he's been…drugged or something.'

"Drugged, huh?" Tech mused curiously.

"Well I say let's make a graceful exit and not chance it," Ace said. "Dat is, if we can find a way into dis rosebush."

As if on cue, Rev popped out a cluster of thorns and chirped eagerly, "Hey, guys!", startling the others. "Whoops. Sorry," the roadrunner apologized sheepishly, noticing he had scared everyone.

"For crying out loud, Rev! You almost gave us heart attacks!" Tech scolded him.

"Ooh, I'm really-really-really-really…re-e-e-eally sorry," Rev apologized profusely.

"Well, just save dat for de next time we have a surprise party," Ace muttered before asking aloud, "Anythin' to report?"

"Yeah, I just came to tell you guys," Rev said. "I found the front door."


Rev led the others to a spot with what appeared to be a loose branch. He put his hand to it and a cleverly disguised door opened not two inches away from them.

"Nice woik, Rev," Ace praised the avian speedster. "All right, team, and Mrs. B, listen up," he then said, taking charge once again as he was the leader. "Before we head in, we need a plan so that all of us go in and come out alive," he added for Mrs. Brisby. "We're gonna go in single file; no wandering off. Lexi, you and your sharp ears are gonna be at da head of the line; anything moves, you hear it foist and alert us."

"Got it," Lexi confirmed.

"Slam, you'll be next," Ace continued. "We're gonna need your brawn to cover our backs should we have to run for it. Duck, you'll be behind him, with Mrs. B behind you; is that OK?" he asked the widowed field mouse.

"That's perfectly fine," Mrs. Brisby replied. "That way Duck can get me out in a-" she then snapped her fingers. "-if something goes wrong."

"Good thinkin'," Ace smiled. "Calamity will be behind you, I'll be behind him, and then Tech and Rev will bring up da rear; dat way Rev can get us out quickly," he finished. "Everybody good with dat?" Everyone nodded. "Good. OK, now remember: stay on yer toes and no heroics; we've got a mother to protect," Ace reminded his team.

With a plan of protection at the ready, they turned back to the entrance.

"Ladies foist," Ace quipped to Lexi.

After giving the grey anthro rabbit a slight smirk, Lexi entered, followed by Slam, Duck, Mrs. Brisby, Calamity, Ace, Tech, and finally Rev. Once all of them were inside, the door closed. And locked.


"Are you guys seeing this?" Lexi asked in a hushed, awed tone as she looked around, seeing lights and electrical sparks and hearing the crackle of the electric currents throughout the walls inside.

"I see it but I don't believe it," Tech replied, surprised as well.

"What's electricity doin' inside a rosebush?" Ace queried aloud.

"That stheemsth to be the questhtion of the day, doesthn't it?" Duck answered rhetorically.

The tip of Rev's feathery tail seemed to shiver and stand up slightly, as if to alert their owner of something dangerous behind him. Rev turned around and-.

"EE-YAH-HA!" Rev yelped in fear, jumping and pushing everyone ahead of him forward, almost making them fall over.

"Rev, what in the-?!" Before Ace could get a reprimand in, he and everyone else saw what Rev had seen: some strange vines had come to life on their own and pulled themselves together, blocking the way they had just come from.

"Uh…never mind," Ace spoke, a little shaken up by what had just occurred.

"Well, so much for getting out that way," Lexi commented.

"Duck?" Ace asked.

"Well, I could sthtill Quack Mrs. B outta here, stho there'sth no trouble there," Duck answered; he still had an image of the outside of the rosebush in his mind.

"What about the rest of you?" Mrs. Brisby asked.

"We've been in woise scrapes; we'll survive," Ace told her. "'Sides, once we find Nicodemus, he might be able to find a way out for us."

Slam muttered something unsurely.

"What did he say?" Mrs. Brisby asked.

"Nothin' for you to worry about, Mrs. B," Ace lied.

"Sthlam'sth not sthure if thisth Nicodemusth fella isth reasthonable," Duck stated.

"Duck!" Ace reprimanded.

'We can trust him,' Calamity spoke up. 'The Great Owl wouldn't have sent us to him if we couldn't.'

"You sure?" Lexi asked.

Calamity nodded.

Ace sighed, not liking having Duck expose his cover. He realized that soon, all this covering up information would come back and bite them in the rear, and they could very well lose the widowed mouse's trust. That is, if Duck hadn't given away too many details to her last night already. He sighed again; they would deal with it when the time came.

"Let's keep going, same plan applies," Ace then said.

"Better hold my hand, Mrs. B," Duck told the widow. "I won't be able to take you with me when I teleport unlessth I'm touching you."

Mrs. Brisby nodded in understanding and did so as the group went forward.

"I'd advise everyone to stay away from the walls," Tech told them. "We don't want anyone getting shocked."

"U-u-u-u-u-uh…" Rev started. "I think it's a little late for that, Tech," he joked.

All the roadrunner got in response was a sigh.


The group of eight continued on, marveling in curiosity about the lights and electricity that seemed to flow through the walls, wondering just what kind of rats could build such things. Aside from a slight scare from what looked like a glowing jack-o'-lantern face, they faced no trouble. So far.

Later on, they came to what looked like an open curtain.

"You guys have got to see this," Lexi gasped, stepping through.

The others followed her and were amazed. The place was beautiful; it almost looked like a garden. There was water running beneath the path. Everything was green with white flowers about, and everything was covered with dew, making the area sparkle some. They even walked by some flowers that seemed to glow, and close up as they approached.

"This is fantastic!" Tech said in a hushed tone.

Lexi stopped suddenly, making everyone wonder what was up.

"We're not alone," she said just loud enough for the group to hear, holding up her right hand as a signal.

Everyone prepared themselves for whatever possible threat Lexi had picked up, but nothing showed.

"You sure dere's somebody dere, Lex?" Ace asked after a bit.

"Ace, I'm sure there-"

Lexi was suddenly cut off when a spear swung down in front of her, making her yelp and jump backwards into Slam, who was also startled by the sudden appearance of the weapon, which seemed to spark with electricity when it came into contact with the ground.

Hearing a weapon, Ace unsheathed his Guardian Strike Sword and rushed to the front of the line. Everyone else peeked around to see what they had encountered: a giant rat with a cape, darkened by the shadows.

"Well, sthomebody'sth been taking their vitaminsth," Duck quipped nervously, intimidated by the rat's height.

"H…Hello. I…I'm Mrs. Brisby, and…and these are my friends," Mrs. Brisby introduced nervously.

"We're just escortin' the lady through. We don't want any trouble," Ace told the giant rat, holding his sword ready.

"We…We were told to see Nicodemus," Lexi tried to explain.

The rat blinked, not saying a word.

"Are…Are you Nicodemus?" Mrs. Brisby asked.

The rat didn't answer.

'He's not,' Calamity answered for her. 'He's a guard here.'

"Well, den," Ace said, slowly letting his guard down. "In dat case, is it possible for you to take us to Nicodemus?" he asked.

'Uh, I don't think he's interested!' Calamity panicked.

As if to prove Calamity's point, the giant rat guard slammed his spear into the ground again, making everyone jump off the path, most of them falling into the shallow water below.

"Please! We need help!" Mrs. Brisby begged the rat.

The guard pointed his spear at the group, and would have plunged it into one of the group or into the ground in front of them, but Ace intercepted the spear point with the Guardian Strike Sword and began engaging the guard in a fight to buy time for the others to get away. Slam nearly rushed in but Lexi convinced him not to.

Telling Mrs. Brisby to hang on, Duck picked her up, jumped to and grabbed a hold of some nearby vines. Sword and spear clanged as the fight between the anthro rabbit and the massive rat went on. Ace ducked to avoid a lunge and the spear cut the vines Duck was hanging on to, sending him and Mrs. Brisby into the water with the others.

"Duck! Rev! Now would be a good time to get everybody outta here!" Ace grunted as he parried another lunge.

"Grab-a-hand-and-hang-on!" Rev instructed speedily, Tech, Calamity, Slam and Lexi doing so.

"Ace! Come on!" Lexi urged her friend.

Ace did another parry before jumping down, the rat not too far behind. The rat swung his spear and blocked their path twice before Rev found a clearing and, once Lexi had grabbed Ace's wrist and Ace had grabbed Duck's free hand, the anthro roadrunner took off like a bullet train out the way they came.

"Duck!" Mrs. Brisby gasped as the rat swung his spear again, almost clipping her and Duck's heads and cutting the curtain.

Once the intruders were gone, the rat turned and went back to his post.

Meanwhile, Rev ran until Ace directed him to a large, ornate stone that they could take cover behind. Everyone panted, trying to gain some breath back, but soon an ominous shadow appeared. Ace held his sword up again, ready to combat whoever was coming after them next. Duck held up his hands in case he needed to summon a few Power Eggs to help, Mrs. Brisby hugging his waist.

"Who goes there?" asked an elderly male voice.

"Wait a minute!" Lexi gasped softly. "Ace! Everybody, stand down! I know that voice! It's us!" she said loudly.

"Us who?" the voice asked again.

"Mrs. Brisby and her friends!" Mrs. Brisby responded, slowly starting to recognize the voice.

The familiar figure of Mr. Ages, his left foot now bandaged, appeared.

"Mrs. Brisby? Children?" the elder, cranky mouse asked in surprise. "What are you-What are you all doing here?! And-Great Heavens above, boy! Is that a sword?!" he exclaimed, seeing Ace's sword. "Put it down before you hurt someone!"

"Uh, huh…oops, sorry 'bout dat, Mr. Ages," Ace apologized sheepishly, sheathing the collapsible blade and putting it back in his pocket.

"Oh! Oh, thank goodness it's you!" Mrs. Brisby sighed in relief.

"How in thunder did you all get in here?!" Mr. Ages demanded.

"We could ask you that very question," Tech pointed out.

"The plow has come early to the field-" Mrs. Brisby started to explain.

"Well, you all had better march straight back out the way you came!" Mr. Ages said firmly.

"Way's blocked…and I think the door locked behind us," Rev said as the group of eight came out of hiding.

"I don't think I can Quack everybody outta here at once," Duck added. "I've only done it with at least one persthon, never a group. 'Sthidesth, she can't bring Timmy out, the chill in the air will kill him; you sthaid stho yoursthelf!"

"That's another matter," Mr. Ages stated, limping towards them. "That still doesn't explain what you're all doing here."

"We're getting there!" Lexi yelled at the older mouse.

"And that big rat chased us away," Mrs. Brisby then said.

"Look, Ages," Ace said firmly. "We're not leavin' dis bush 'til we see Nicodemus!"

"That's right; the Owl told us to see Nicodemus!" Mrs. Brisby concurred.

"Yes, perhaps you sh…sh…should…you…" Mr. Ages began, trailing off when he realized what the widowed mouse said. "The Owl said?" he asked, wanting to be sure he heard right.

Mrs. Brisby and the seven visitors nodded.

"Here now, what owl?" Mr. Ages asked, not quite believing them. "What are you talking about?"

"The Great Owl! We went to sthee the Great Owl!" Duck blurted loudly, starting to lose his patience. "How many owlsth are there in thisth plac-th-e?!" he asked, waving his arms about animatedly.

"The Owl?" Mr. Ages asked. "You say you saw…the Owl?"

"Yesth! YESTH!" Duck shouted. "GRR! Why isth it that with everybody we've prac-tic-al-ly run into we need to repeat thingsth before it sthinksth into their headsth?!" he ranted, pacing about.

"Whoa there, Duck, settle down," Ace warned him.

"Honesthtly, if we have to repeat thingsth to ONE MORE persthon, I'm gonna losthe it!" Duck continued.

"Duck, please," Mrs. Brisby gently told the aggravated mallard, taking his hands.

Duck halted his rant, took a deep breath, and apologized for his outburst. "But we did go sthee the Great Owl, and he sthaid that we should asthk for Nicodemusth," he added.

'Do you know him?' Calamity asked Mr. Ages telepathically.

Mr. Ages stared in confusion at Calamity for a moment, having heard his voice but didn't see his lips move, before replying, "Er, uh, yes, I know Nicodemus."

"According to our information, he lives with da rats," Ace said.

"More specifically, he's the leader of the rats," Mr. Ages clarified.

"Whoa," Rev said in amazement.

"What?" Duck asked Mr. Ages, who was looking at him as if he was going to explain something.

"Well…to answer your question of me repeating myself," Mr. Ages began. "No one has ever seen the Owl…and lived to tell about it!"

The eyes of the seven visitors widened as they grew nervous at that information.

"Errbaugh Lucky," Slam said.

"You got that right," Lexi told the anthro Tasmanian devil. "If Mrs. Brisby hadn't introduced herself, we probably would've been owl chow."

"About Nicodemus; can ya take us to him?" Ace asked Mr. Ages.

"Please," Mrs. Brisby added.

Mr. Ages struggled to answer for a moment before doing so, "Well, ye-e-es, yes. But for your sake, I hope you're telling the truth!" he added, starting to limp off.

"I may sthtretch the truth…all the time," Duck admitted. "But thisth time I'm on the level! We all are!"

"Come on," Mr. Ages told them, ducking under a branch.

"What about the large rat at the entrance?" Mrs. Brisby asked nervously. "I can't go back there. I can't."

"Oh, that's just Brutus," Mr. Ages calmly said, slightly face-palming himself.

"Very appropriate," Ace commented.

"Follow me," Mr. Ages then instructed.

Calamity, Tech, Rev and Ace obeyed. Duck went to follow, but stopped when his arm went taut, meaning Mrs. Brisby wasn't moving.

"Come on," Duck told her. "It'sth OK; I'll be right here," he assured her gently.

Nodding, Mrs. Brisby followed. Soon, they all followed Mr. Ages as he led them further into the unusual rosebush.


Meanwhile, in his room, Nicodemus observed Mrs. Brisby and the visitors' arrival into the rats' domain through his crystal ball. The visitors were certainly an unusual group, but they had the potential inside them, he noted.

"Jonathan, your wife has come at last. Perhaps now I can repay you for your kindness to me," the aged leader of the rats said aloud, as if he were still speaking to his friend who was now in The Great Beyond. "And perhaps lend a hand to these young ones who have been drawn into a battle in a world very different from our own. Yet, Mrs. Brisby, will serve the Rats of NIMH far more than we her," he continued. "Jenner, I fear, could do her and her friends from another place harm," he continued as the image of the named rat appeared in his crystal ball. "He is consumed by a lust for power. Thus far, the amulet has remained safely hidden. But if he finds it…Heaven help us," Nicodemus breathed, holding the amulet in his hands protectively.


Calamity gasped, bringing everyone to a stop.

"What's going on back there?" Mr. Ages demanded.

"Are you all right, Calamity dear?" Mrs. Brisby asked the young coyote.

"What happened?" Tech asked, kneeling down.

'The voice…The voice! I-I heard it again!' Calamity said, growing excited. 'But it was louder! The voice was louder! It…It was like he was just a few feet away from me!'

"What voice?" Mr. Ages asked.

"When did you hear it before?" Mrs. Brisby inquired.

'In the field, after we stopped the tractor and Auntie Shrew told us to go see the Great Owl!' Calamity answered. 'The voice told us to see the Great Owl, too!'

"What voice? What is this young rascal talking about?" Mr. Ages demanded.

"You mean you heard the sthame guy who sthaid that our powersth weren't sthtrong enough?" Duck asked.

'He didn't say that, Duck; but it's the same voice!' Calamity said.

"Will someone please-?!" Mr. Ages began.

"Calamity's been hearing de voice of an old man who seems to be watchin' our every step," Ace answered. "Dere wouldn't be, by any chance, an old psychic among de rats, would dere?" he then asked.

"Psychic? What?" Mr. Ages mumbled to himself for a bit. "No. No, none that I know of," he answered. "But Nicodemus is the oldest of the rats."

'That's IT!' Calamity exclaimed, jumping up.

"Whoa, easy!" Tech chuckled, putting his hands on the younger, excited coyote's shoulders. "What's it?"

'Nicodemus!'

"What?" asked a very confused Mr. Ages.

'When the Great Owl mentioned Nicodemus' name, I felt that I knew him somehow. Now I know why: It was his voice I heard in the field! And it was his voice I heard just now!'

"How on Earth can you do that?" Mr. Ages questioned, still very confused.

"Calamity has powers of the mind," Mrs. Brisby calmly explained. "He can hear and sense thoughts."

"That's telepathy," Mr. Ages defined. "That's…That's incredible!" he added in amazement.

"You mean Nicodemus has been watching us the entire time?" Lexi asked.

"No wonder he knew about our powers," Tech said. "He must be able to see the outside world somehow, and through those means saw us use them to stop the tractor. Makes you wonder what else he knows about us."

"Powers? What powers?" asked Mr. Ages.

"What did he say this time?" Ace asked Calamity, ignoring Mr. Ages' question.

'He knows we're here. He mentioned something about someone we need to watch out for, someone named Jenner,' Calamity began.

"Not ex-th-actly the friendly type, huh?" Duck asked Mr. Ages, who grew unsettled at the mention of Jenner.

"Not in the slightest," the elderly mouse answered.

'He also mentioned a word, but it doesn't sound like a normal word I know,' Calamity added. 'NIMH.'

"'NIMH'?" Tech repeated. "You're right; that doesn't sound like a regular word."

"Maybe it's short for something?" Rev suggested.

"IF we could keep going," Mr. Ages then said loudly, moving on.

The group followed, but then Calamity sent a signal to his friends' minds, telling them there was something else.

Making sure that only the Loonatics could hear, Calamity then said, 'He knows that we're from another world. And he knows about what's happening there; about the Darkness.'

The Loonatics grew alarmed. This was what Ace had been afraid of; their origins had been discovered. And once they found Nicodemus, Mrs. Brisby would know everything.

Duck squeezed Mrs. Brisby's hand in nervousness. Thankfully for him, Mrs. Brisby misinterpreted this as more comfort and gently squeezed his hand back with a smile.

"Forgive me, I just noticed you were limping," Mrs. Brisby said to Mr. Ages as she and Duck carefully slid down a steep part of the path they were on.

"That's none of your affair," Mr. Ages told her. "Now, to what you are about to see and hear, you must all swear absolute secrecy," he then instructed to the eight of them.

"Yes, I unders-" Mrs. Brisby started.

"Swear it!" Mr. Ages said firmly.

"I promise," Mrs. Brisby said.

'I swear it,' Calamity promised.

The Loonatics also gave their word, despite the fact that the world they were in was separated from the world they came from. Or was it?

"If any of this ever got out, we'd have humankind bulldozing their way down here to…to blow the place apart!" Mr. Ages said gravely.

"Aw, don't worry Mr. Ages, I don't think that's ever gonna happen," Rev said. "Besides, we wouldn't tell a soul about this; we keep our word. And by the way, is it always so dark down here?"

"We're down three feet," Mr. Ages replied to the anthro roadrunner.

Rev looked up in amazement, then activated his GPS to find that Mr. Ages was right.

Some colored lights that looked like lights from a Christmas tree then turned on, making everyone gasp in amazement and look around.

"It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen!" Mrs. Brisby gasped.

"I'm never gonna look at a Christmas tree the same way again!" Lexi said, smiling.

"Wow! Sweet meep-meep!" Rev exclaimed, using an exclamation his father often used. "This is incredible! It's like a city down here!"

The nine of them then walked by a line toy soldiers. Once their backs were turned, one of them, who was in actuality a rat, opened his eyes, broke ranks, and stealthily crept up on them.

"Uh…" Lexi exhaled, her Sonic Hearing going off.

The expression on Duck and Ace's faces was easy to read: "Not again!"

The rat then reached out and grabbed Mr. Ages from behind, covering his eyes and startling the others by his sudden appearance.

"Reveal thy name!" the rat whispered.

"Justin! You feather-head!" Mr. Ages exclaimed in annoyance. "Get your hands off me!" he glared, brushing the rat off as the adventure group started laughing.

"Okay, okay, just a joke! Didn't mean any harm!" the rat grinned in friendly defense.

"And just what is so funny?" Mr. Ages asked the laughing seven as he recovered his spectacles.

"I think you got 'em with the 'feather-head' bit," the rat, Justin, chuckled. "I mean, come on, those two got feathers on their heads," he said, indicating Rev and Duck. "Me? I don't have any!" he shrugged, laughing a bit.

The seven visitors started laughing harder, Mrs. Brisby joining them after realizing the joke.

"Yes, yes, yes, very amusing," Mr. Ages grumbled sarcastically. "Do you have something to say?" he then asked Justin as the laughing died down.

Justin nodded and cleared his throat before saying seriously, "The meeting's already in progress."

"What's this all about?" Mr. Ages demanded.

"Who, may I ask?" Justin asked, regarding the group with Mr. Ages.

"Oh, yes, yes, they can be trusted," Mr. Ages replied. "This is no stranger. My friends, may I present Justin, the Captain of the Guard."

At the introduction, Justin stood up a little straighter, as if to impress the visitors. The seven visitors from another world started looking back and forth at Justin and Mrs. Brisby, sensing an attraction forming between them.

"Justin, this is-" Mr. Ages started, but was interrupted.

"Name's Ace," the grey-colored, anthro rabbit introduced.

"I'm Lexi. Pleased to meet you," the female anthro rabbit said, adding a curtsy.

"And you, young lady," Justin replied with a bow.

"My name's Rev," piped up the roadrunner, waving a hand.

"Name'sth Duck," the anthro water fowl said, extending his hand for a shake, which was received and given.

"I'm Tech, and this is Calamity," said the brown-furred coyote, introducing himself and the younger canid, who waved. "And that's Slam," Tech finished, indicating the anthro Tasmanian devil.

"Whoa-ho! You're a big fella," Justin chuckled, amazed.

Slam grinned and mumbled a thank-you.

"Ahem!" Mr. Ages cleared his throat, getting the captain's attention back. "And this is Mrs. Brisby," he said, wrapping up the introductions.

"Not…Mrs. Jonathan Brisby!" Justin gasped about the widow mouse.

"Oh-kay, sthomebody'sth husthband wasth very popular," Duck commented, a little confused and amazed at how first the Owl, now Justin, knew Mrs. Brisby's husband.

"Yes, the same," Mr. Ages replied, turning to go.

"It is an honor and a privilege, milady," Justin said with a sweeping bow to the female mouse.

Giggles started building up inside Calamity and the Loonatics again.

"If we could dispense with the formalities…?" Mr. Ages asked in a sarcastic way that could rival Duck and made the Loonatics and Calamity force their laughter to come out as giggles and snickers.

"How beautiful…" Mrs. Brisby said softly, focused on the male rat.

"Ma'am?" Justin asked.

"Oh! The lights!" Mrs. Brisby covered up. "They're quite lovely."

Calamity put his hands over his mouth to suppress more giggles.

"Well, we sure don't need Calamity's telepathy to see through that one!" Tech quietly smirked about Mrs. Brisby's excuse.

"The lights are very pretty," Lexi said, still smiling widely.

"Yes, they are," Justin replied, standing straight again. "We've had electricity for four years now," he added, tossing the toy soldier's hat he had been wearing away.

"Five," corrected Mr. Ages from farther ahead.

"Jonathan often spoke of electricity," Mrs. Brisby said as she, Justin, and the others started following Mr. Ages.

"But you see, our shame…is that we're stealing it, from Farmer Fitzgibbons," Justin explained.

"Stealing?" Mrs. Brisby gasped.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Duck spoke up. "Sthtealing'sth againstht the law!"

"We know stealing is wrong, Duck," Justin assured the mallard.

"All that is going to change," Mr. Ages informed as he stepped inside a lantern.

"He means we're working on a plan," Justin then said as Mrs. Brisby and the others followed Ages in.

"I mean, that we have a plan, and this stealing will stop," Mr. Ages clarified as Justin threw down a rope that held the lantern to the ledge.

"That's good," Rev said.

Justin jumped to the lantern and climbed inside as it began its descent, like an elevator.

"Now…uh…oh, oh, yes. Why…Why did you send for me?" Mr. Ages asked Justin as the lantern descended into the water below, taking its passengers deeper and deeper.

"It's Jenner," Justin answered.

The Loonatics and Calamity perked up at the mention of Jenner, having been warned indirectly about him by Nicodemus.

"He's at it again," the captain continued.

"Hmm…There blows an ill wind," Mr. Ages then said.

"He's before the council now. This time, he's attacking Nicodemus openly," Justin said.

"And the Plan, no doubt," Mr. Ages added.

"Nothing will come of it," Justin assured. "It'll pass."

"You sure 'bout dat?" Ace asked, remembering when Optimatus, Zadavia's brother, used to be evil, opposing a peaceful way of life for his home planet of Freleng that had been suggested by his sister and accepted. He had a feeling that, like Optimatus had, Jenner wasn't going to back down so easily.

"Beware, boy…all of you…he's dangerous," Mr. Ages warned. "Jenner could be the undoing of the Rats of NIMH."

The Loonatics and Calamity took the warning to heart, knowing about other beings that they had faced that were very much like Jenner; someone who wanted power to suit his own ends, and would stop at nothing to get and keep it.

The lantern elevator soon landed at the bottom. A door overhead closed, cutting the rope, before the water was drained out, allowing the elevator's passengers to safely exit.

"I'm sorry to come here at such a bad time," Mrs. Brisby said as they stepped out of the lantern. "I suppose-"

"No, sweet lady, you and your friends are welcome here," Justin told her. "Um, we tend to take ourselves a little too seriously," he then whispered to the eight.

Mr. Ages humphed at that.

"Well, somebody has to," Tech said pragmatically. "No plan works without a clear mind behind it."

"Ya got dat right," Ace agreed.

The group of ten walked past a room that was the grain storage towards a large hallway with ornate columns that led to the council chamber. As they approached, a loud, male voice could be heard saying, "The Plan is nothing but folly! A doddering old fool's fantasy! Nicodemus would have us destroy this colony only to lead us to starvation in some wilderness!"

"Lemme guess: Jenner?" Ace quietly asked.

"The traitor himself," Mr. Ages muttered.

"Ahem. Good ol' Jenner," Justin remarked.

'I don't like the kind of thoughts I'm feeling from him,' Calamity said worriedly. 'They're dark…and full of hate.'

"Try to block them out," Tech whispered to Calamity.

'I'm trying,' the younger coyote said. 'And while I'm at it, I'd better keep my abilities hidden from him. So if I say anything, I'll say it to you; I'd like you to speak for me. Please?'

"I'll do it," Tech agreed.

"Wait. Listen," Mr. Ages told the group.

The group of ten were soon standing outside the chamber doors.

"Moving to Thorn Valley is a good plan!" a council member argued as Mr. Ages put his ear to the door.

"Fie!" That was Jenner. "We have everything we need right here!"

"You mean we steal everything we need!" another council member countered.

"Well, come on, you suspicious old goat!" Justin said to Mr. Ages, picking him up by the back of his shirt and carrying him inside before putting him back down.

The Loonatics, Calamity, and Mrs. Brisby followed behind the two of them towards the floor of the brightly-lit council chamber. Once they got close enough, they got their first look at Jenner: a tall, dark, sinister-looking rat wearing a cape and a pointed goatee that a certain evil vizier from Agrabah would be proud of.

"If we stay here, humans are bound to discover us!" a third council member spoke up.

"They'd destroy us on the spot!" spoke up a fourth.

"I agree!" another said.

"He's right! We'll be killed!" said yet another.

"Not if we got them first!" Jenner argued.

"Does this guy even know what he's suggesting?!" Ace exclaimed quietly, alarmed at the meaning behind that statement which another council member soon defined.

"He means war!"

"We'd be outnumbered!" said another.

"There are too many of them!" called out a third as the head council member banged his gavel for order.

"I'm starting to see a number of ways he could make things go wrong," Tech said nervously, referring to Jenner.

Rev glanced at his friend with a look that said that he was thinking the same thing.

"Hear me!" Jenner shouted. "The Thorn Valley plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We-" he stopped as he turned and saw the group who had entered, before chuckling. "We were just talking about you," the dark rat said, a dark smile on his face.

"Well, that's refreshing, Jenner, usually you're screaming about us," Justin smirked.

"Really? I wonder what dis place is like when he does," Ace smirked.

After hearing what Ace and Justin said, the council began to chuckle while Jenner looked at them with an unamused expression.

"Really?!" Lexi hissed at Ace, who just smiled sheepishly at her.

"Who are they?" Jenner demanded, seeing the young, grey rabbit, his friends, and Mrs. Brisby. "You know the rules, there are no visitors allowed here!"

"May I present…Mrs. Jonathan Brisby, and her friends Duck, Lexi, Ace, Slam, Tech, Calamity, and Rev," Justin declared to the council, the ladies curtsying and the boys bowing.

The council began to murmur at the mention of Mrs. Brisby's married name.

"Jonathan Brisby is dead!" shouted a rat named Sullivan.

"Thisth isth histh widow!" Duck replied, standing in a defensive stance.

"She is not one of us!" Jenner glared, pointing a clawed finger at the widowed mouse. "And neither are any of them!" he added, gesturing to the motley group of two rabbits, two coyotes, a duck, a roadrunner, and a Tasmanian devil. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"Send them away!" a council member shouted.

"Let's get back to business!" another council member said.

"Wait, wait!" Mr. Ages spoke up, holding up a hand. "They have been to see the Great Owl!"

There were more gasps and murmurs at the mention of the Great Owl.

"He has told them that we could move the Brisby home to safety!" Mr. Ages continued.

"Her home was Jonathan's home," Justin added.

Calamity communicated something he wanted to say to Tech, who then relayed it aloud: "The Owl also said for us to see your leader, Nicodemus."

"We have urgent problems of our own!" Sullivan shouted.

"And we understand that," Tech said, continuing to speak for Calamity. "But we hope that if you help us, there may be a way for us to help you, if we can."

"And just what can you strangers do?!" Sullivan retorted. "I say let the lower creatures fend for themselves!"

A loud argument then broke out in the council while there were cries of outrage against that statement from the seven visitors, forcing Mrs. Brisby, Justin, and Mr. Ages into action to calm the group down, as flared tempers were the last thing that was needed.

"Order!" the head council member shouted, banging his gavel once again.

Lexi's train of angry thought was broken when her Sonic Hearing picked up a whispered conversation between Jenner and Sullivan.

"Wait, my friend," Jenner was saying eagerly to Sullivan, who apparently was the former's colleague. "I smell an opportunity."

"What?" Sullivan asked.

"Maneuvers of this nature are dangerous. Accidents could happen…" Jenner hinted.

Lexi covered her mouth to hide a gasp of horror.

"Jenner!" the head council rat called.

"Accident?" Sullivan asked.

"Jenner?" the head council rat called again.

"I'll explain later," Jenner replied before turning to the widowed mouse with a smile and speaking in a honeyed tone that set the seven visitors on edge, "Mrs. Brisby, a thousand pardons, my dear! Forgive the ill temper of my colleague," he continued, getting on bended knee. He would have taken her hand to hold as well if Duck hadn't protectively moved her behind him. Despite this, Jenner continued with his performance. "It would be an honor to assist Jonathan's widow, and her friends, in any way. We are but your humble servants."

"Thank you," Mrs. Brisby replied softly, a little frightened of Jenner.

Jenner stood back up, surveying the untrusting looks of Mrs. Brisby's strange companions with a smile.

"I second the motion!" a council member spoke.

"Hear, hear!" another added.

The gavel banged and the head of the council said as Jenner backed away from the group, "Motion has been moved and seconded. Those in favor make a show of hands."

Ace released his grip on the handle of his collapsible sword. Calamity slowly came out from behind Tech's leg. The older coyote sighed as he had suppressed a snarl. Slam, however, was quietly growling. Rev took slow, deep breaths to steady himself.

"He's up to something," Mr. Ages said in a tone of suspicion.

'He said something about an accident', Lexi relayed to Calamity.

"Take Mrs. Brisby and the others to uh, uh, the library," Mr. Ages told Justin as they turned to go. "We'll approach Nicodemus when the meeting's over."

"In all honesty, da further we are away from Jenner, de better we'll feel," Ace told the elderly mouse.

"I just hope you have someone keeping an eye on him," Lexi said, afraid of what Jenner might have in mind for an "accident".

"Me too," Rev agreed. "That guy nearly made my feathers stand on end!"

The door closed and Mr. Ages stayed behind to do just what Lexi had said.

"I just wanted to say sorry about all that," Justin said, referring to the remark that Sullivan had made earlier, as he escorted the group of eight to the library.

"That was a rather cruel thing to say," Mrs. Brisby admitted.

"That coitainly was, and I'm sorry dat we nearly lost our heads in dere, but we're not sorry for defending Mrs. Brisby," Ace told Justin.

"Not stho much sthpeaking for mysthelf, but referring to the nic-th-estht lady we've ever met asth sthomeone beneath sthomeone elsthe is desthpicable!" Duck lisped angrily.

Slam growled angrily in agreement.

"I'll say! Are you-?" Lexi started, but was interrupted by Rev, who just suddenly couldn't hold something in any longer.

"Do-you-think-because-you-rats-are-so-advanced-with-your-council-and-electricity-and-underground-city-that-you-actually-think-you're-above-everyone-else?!-Because-that-is-a-downright-prejudiced-attitude!-That's-what-it-is!" the roadrunner yelled, practically fuming. "And-believe-me,-I-know-prejudice-when-I-see-it;-I've-seen-it-expressed-towards-Tech-from-my-own-parents!-Can-you-believe-it?!-Well,-I've-got-something-to-say:-no-one-is-above-anyone-else-and-I-am-not-going-to-stand-by-and-let-someone-else-get-put-down-just-because…"

"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down there!" Justin tried to tell Rev.

'Rev! Quiet!' Calamity commanded Rev, telepathically shutting his beak.

"Rev, I think Justin understands everything you're telling him-well, maybe not everything that came out-but he does get the gist of it," Tech calmly said to Rev, who was making muffled sounds as he wasn't quite finished yet.

"I do," Justin replied. "And again, my profound apologies."

Rev stopped talking and began to breathe heavily, some tears of anger coming from his eyes as Calamity released his hold.

"I'm sorry about Rev," Tech apologized for his friend, as he was still too emotional to talk yet. "You see, where we come from, there's a bit of bad blood between our species that goes back years, so some roadrunners really don't trust coyotes, and, frankly, there are some coyotes that don't trust roadrunners, either," he revealed.

Rev glanced back at Tech with a look of surprise, not knowing that piece of information.

"It's a predator-prey thing," Ace clarified for Mrs. Brisby.

"You OK?" Duck asked her after a moment.

"Just thinking about the children," Mrs. Brisby answered.

Lexi blew a puff of air and said, "The children are fine, that I'm sure of. Jeremy, on the other hand, is most likely getting himself in over his head."


Meanwhile, it seems that Lexi was right: Jeremy had gotten himself into quite a spot of trouble. With Auntie Shrew, no less.

"OK, now, wait a minute, this isn't what you think," Jeremy tried to explain to the shrew, who was tying him up. "You don't understand what I'm doing here!"

"Think you can come snooping about, looting and pilferin' just when everyone's away?" Auntie Shrew asked him.

"Well, uh, let me explain-I mean-Oh! What a lovely hat you're wearing!" Jeremy smiled, trying to get on Auntie Shrew's good side.

"Don't you sweet-talk me!" Auntie Shrew scolded the crow, pulling on a string that started pulling his legs up. "I know you're in league with those awful rats!" she said, tying the string off.

"Rats?" Jeremy asked. "Um, what rats?"

"Hoodlums, the lot of you!" Auntie Shrew huffed.

"Uh, why did you say rats?" Jeremy asked as the shrew looped some string around his neck.

"You think the world owes you a living, right?" the shrew asked.

"Right!" Jeremy replied, smiling.

"Wrong!" Auntie Shrew corrected, rolling her R's.

"Wrong!" Jeremy repeated, rolling the R's as well. "O-o-o-oh! Look, nice lady!" he chuckled nervously. "You're making a mistake!"

"The sooner you delinquents learn that you must earn your own way…" Auntie Shrew began, going to the crow's legs and wrapping some string around his beak.

"Wait! Wait! Can't we…uhh…Can't we talk this over?" Jeremy tried to reason once more with the shrew.

"The sooner…the better!" Auntie Shrew finished, tightening the piece of string tied around Jeremy's beak.

"You can't leave me like this!" Jeremy panicked. "There's a ca…ca…there's a ca…He's a very big…and he mi…and he mi-" Jeremy was cut off as the string around his beak tightened, pulling him up.

"Good!" Auntie Shrew said as she tied the last piece of string off. "Good riddance! Teresa! Martin!" she then called. "That's the least you deserve," Auntie Shrew then said to the crow as the children climbed up.

"Auntie!" Teresa said.

"There you are!" Auntie Shrew exclaimed, taking the young female mouse's hand and pulling her towards the tied-up Jeremy. "Keep an eye on this hooligan," she instructed. "Make sure he doesn't get away until I can fetch help." Then picking up her walking stick and tapping Jeremy under his beak, she said, "And as for you, you black buzzard…"

There was a muffled exclamation from Jeremy, his glaring look telling anyone present that he found offense at being called that.

"I wouldn't try anything," she warned the crow. "I shall…return!" Auntie Shrew declared before departing, leaving the kids alone with Jeremy.

"Well, I guess we'd better untie him," Martin shrugged once Auntie Shrew was out of sight.

"But, Martin!" Teresa protested as her younger brother climbed up the string to the crow's beak.

"Hey, Mom and her friends helped a crow in the field the day before yesterday," Martin remembered.

"He's trying to talk!" Cynthia spoke up.

"He looks like a loony," Teresa commented.

"He even took them to see the…the Great Owl," Martin continued as he untied the string around Jeremy's beak.

"So?" Teresa questioned.

"This could be the same crow," Martin pointed out, Jeremy nodding.

"That's me, all…!" Jeremy exclaimed once his beak was free, sighing in relief. "I am the crow!" he declared, trying to stand up despite his legs still being tied together. "Untie me, quick; I can't stand it!" he begged.

"What are you doing here?" Teresa asked.

"Oh, that's a good question, but don't ask-The legs! The legs! THE LE-E-EGS-UHH!" Jeremy cried out as he lost his balance and fell on his face, his beak getting stuck.

"Oh, the poor turkey fell down," Cynthia cooed.

"I'm…I'm not a turkey!" Jeremy exclaimed, once he got his beak free again. "Your mother-"

"Where's our mother?!" Teresa demanded.

"And where's Revvy?" Cynthia asked, worried about her favorite visitor.

"You big buzzard, where's our mother?" Martin glared at Jeremy, climbing on him and beginning to tickle him as the crow began to protest.

"What have you done with her and her friends?" Teresa asked, also concerned about the visitors; despite knowing them for a short time, she had grown to like them, the rabbits and the coyotes especially.

"Come on, where's Duck and Slam?!" Martin demanded, having grown to like those two visitors in particular.

"You're tickling!" Jeremy laughed.

"You'd better tell me where they are, or I'll tie you back up again!" Martin threatened the crow.

"The rosebush! To…to see the rats!" Jeremy finally confessed.

"Did you take our mother and Mr. Ace and Mr. Tech to the rats?" Teresa asked the crow.

"Well, I'm going to go look for them," Martin said, about to run off, but was blocked by Jeremy's legs.

"No, no! Listen! Hold it! Wait a minute! The rats, they're friendly! Good! Tonight! Stay!" Jeremy said nervously, once again shaking Martin off his legs before trying to explain again, "They're coming here! To move your house, where it's safe! Understand? Sta-a-ay! The Owl said they're good and smart! Get it?"

There was some silence until Martin said to Teresa, "You're right; he's a loony."

Jeremy began to panic as the mouse children began to tie him up again, having decided not to believe what he had said. He had to find a way out of the mess he had gotten himself into before that crazy lady came back, or worse, the cat came by and found him trapped. But how?


"How" indeed. *giggles* Oh, Lexi, you have no idea how accurate you were! I hope you all certainly got a laugh out of that last part (I giggled especially hard at the part Jeremy protests that he's NOT a turkey), especially due to what's coming up next, but let's save that for last.

I wonder how many references you guys can spot in here. If you do, please, tell me and I'll confirm or correct. I'd honestly like to see you guys try.

First things first: Duck makes a pretty good (and rather lisp-filled) complaint about the problems the group's having in finding the way into the rosebush; I mean, considering their current size to the size of the thorns, I can certainly see that happening. There's also two references the two-part season 1 finale of "Loonatics Unleashed": "Acmegeddon" (one outside the rosebush and one when Optimatus is mentioned; if want to find out more about either one, I recommend watching it), and it looks like we had a moment of 4th-wall breaking, courtesy of Duck, Tech, and Ace. I think that's pretty much the only time that happens, though. And Dragon, who was pretty lively day before yesterday, is now drugged? Hmm…

Anyway, Rev finds the way in and they make their way through the bush (oh my, my, my; Rev…your Yakko's showing again XD), eventually running into Brutus. I have to admit this sequence was a bit challenging because I was trying to find ways to squeeze the Loonatics in, but I hope I did it all right. And the guard's name was "Brutus"? Oh yeah, I have to agree with Ace, very accurate.

We also find out that Nicodemus knows that Calamity and the Loonatics are from another world…which means that he was the pair of eyes that watched them depart at the end of the first chapter! It appears he also knows about the Darkness that threatens their world as well. This is certainly a nerve-wracking development for the Loonatics, as they've pretty much kept a lot of things from their hostess, and now it's about to come out into the open. How will this affect their relationship with her?

We also meet Justin, the Captain of the Guard, whom Mrs. Brisby seems to be attracted to. Honestly, when Mr. Ages called Justin a "feather-head", and considering who's there at the moment, I couldn't resist doing that bit; ended up laughing myself.

And then there's Jenner. Come on, I mean, if you've seen him, you'd agree he's got Jafar's goatee. I don't know if that was intentional or not but…it certainly reminded me of him. And it appears that Lexi has stumbled upon a plot of his…oh dear.

Now, I know that the rat who's Jenner's reluctant sidekick was never named in the film, but I found that he does have one, and it's "Sullivan", so I decided to use it. But, oh boy, was that comment of his enough to make the blood boil! And sadly, it's true; Rev's parents had coyote issues (although maybe one more than the other, but that's just me); just watch the "Loonatics Unleashed" episode "Family Business" and you'll see what I mean. That's why he's exceptionally angry at what Sullivan said, maybe a bit moreso than the others. Well, Tech was, too, having been on the receiving end of such species-ist (I think that's the word I've seen most people around the LU fandom use) comments, but I have a feeling Rev's anger was a bit stronger. And who's to say that it hasn't gone the other way as well? *sigh* Looks like not all the world's problems were solved by the 28th century. Also, for those of you who know "Loonatics Unleashed" and were wondering "When is Rev gonna talk at his mind-boggling speed again?", well, you got it.

Anyway, that aside, yes; next time is the big reveal moment: Mrs. Brisby will finally learn the truth about Calamity and the Loonatics and about the Darkness, and the eight of them will finally learn about NIMH and what Jonathan Brisby had done to garner such a reputation. So, be ready.

Until then, please read and review. Thank you.