Enter Minerva-Chapter 13
"So what you're basically telling us is Piston is in a whole other universe." Charley said.
"Exactly." Throttle replied.
"So how do we get there? We trashed Limburger's building as well as the transporter." Vinnie asked.
"If I contact Stoker, he should could help us by activating his transporter." Carbine began.
"Tut, Tut. I know a much faster way." Cecilla said, then turning to Throttle, "If that is alright with you, my love?"
"My stomach." Carbine murmured to herself.
Vinnie and Modo chuckled. Charley was fighting a smile.
"Sure, it's no problem." The tan furred leader replied, looking down as a faint blush shown on his face.
"This is a bunch of baloney! No one can just pull a portal out of their hat! Cabine said.
"Jealousy seems to be your forte." Cecilla said, "Such an ugly trait."
"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Carbine replied, "I believe in facts. Not magic."
"Ladies, let's try to focus. I need to find my sister." Throttle told them.
"Of course, forgive me, sweetings. But I can use my magic to recreate the portal that will take you to your sister " Cecilla told him.
"You can?" Charley asked.
"Of course I can." She replied, taking out her wand. She took out a small glass tube full of yellow liquid. She poured on the street. It formed a puddle as well as a circle. Then she poured a blue vial of bright blue liquid over the yellow liquid. She uttered a spell as she waved her wand over it. It formed a swirling, hovering mass of lights.
"Hurry, my dears. I can only keep the portal opened for a few hours. At least twelve. You must come back or be trapped inside forever. Plus, I must stay here on this side to keep it open." Cecilla told them.
"Thank you." Throttle told her.
"Hold the fort till we get back, doll." Vinnie said, cupping Charley's cheek.
"Watch yourself, hero." Charley replied.
The white mouse grinned at her.
"This mouse never runs outta gas, sweetheart."
"Not to worry, Miss Charley-ma'am. I'll keep a watch on the adrenaline junkie here." Modo said, pointing his thumb at Vinnie.
"Leggo my ego." Vinnie replied.
The two mice got on their bikes and went through the portal.
Throttle and Cecilla then kissed to Carbine's annoyance. Then he pulled away.
"Be careful, sweet Odysseus." She murmured, gazing at him warmly. He smiled back.
"I'll try to keep the portal open as long as I can."
"Stay here, Charley-girl. In case Limburger rears his ugly fish head." He told her.
"I'm going with you." Carbine said.
"No. Stay with Charley and Cecilla. To help keep them safe." Throttle replied.
Carbine frowned and looked like she wasn't going to do it.
"Please." Throttle said, gently.
Carbine's face relaxed and she nodded. He turned to go.
"Throttle?"
He turned around to see her standing before him. She took his hand in hers.
"Good luck. And if you see any Fish Faces, whip their tails for me!" She cried out.
Throttle gave her a slow smile. The smile that she grew to love. A smile of sheer pleasure. One a lover might give another. One he gave her when they were together.
When they were together.
Now that seems like a lifetime ago.
"Oh, Throttle...I never should have let you go. It's killing me." She thought.
The tan furred leader mounted his bike and put on his helmet. He gave the three ladies a final wave before saying goodbye and riding into the portal.
"Come back to us safe..." Cecilla thought.
...
The three bikers found themselves in a heavily populated city. But it wasn't made up of humans. It was made up of Martian Mice. Everywhere they looked they saw tall buildings of shimmering pale metallic red. It looked like New York City or downtown Chicago. The place was beautiful. Tall evergreen trees lined residential streets.
"I don't believe it. We're in Scarlet City!" Throttle exclaimed.
"But wasn't it demolished by the Fish Faces?" Modo asked, incredulous.
"Stoker said this was another universe. Watch your backs. We don't know what we're gonna face here." Throttle said.
"Bros, look! Mac's Hoagie Stand. My dad took me there for dogs when I was a kid." Vinnie said.
"Hello, citizens. Welcome to Mac's Hoagies. What can I get you?" The owner of that noble establishment asked, addressing them. He was an older Martian Mouse, slightly overweight, and wearing wire rimmed glasses.
"Three of your best dogs, my good mouse." Vinnie said.
'Coming right up." He said, going behind the counter to his grill expertly putting three hot dogs on a grill.
The mice looked around as the citizens of that city went about their daily lives without any fear.
"Sure is quiet around here." Throttle began.
"We like it. Mustard and ketchup?" He asked, about the cooked hot dogs now put in buns and plates.
"And relish, sauerkraut, and a few hot chilis" Vinnie replied.
"Uh, not on this mouse's palate. Leave off the chilis on mine." Throttle said.
"Mine, too. I like a little spice now and then but mostly on fried catfish just like my old gray-furred mama used to make." Modo said.
"Of course." The hot dog peddler grinned as he finished working on his culinary masterpieces.
"Here you gents go. Enjoy."
"Thanks." Throttle said.
The mice bit into their dogs. The mice enjoyed them immensely.
"You guys new in town? I ain't seen you around before."
"My bros and me are kinda passing through." Throttle replied, choosing his words carefully.
"Oh, wow! These dogs are as good as the ones I had on Mars before the Plutarkians invaded us!" Vinnie cried out.
The peddler looked curiously at the three mice.
"What do you mean? The Plutarkians have never invaded us. They are our friends!" He cried out.
The Biker Mice saw the way he looked around as if wondering if anyone was watching them or afraid of being seen.
"What our little brother means is he hopes no one invades us." Modo said, "Seeing how nice and peaceful this place is."
Then he got Vinnie in a playful headlock. He hoped his little distraction worked.
"Well, this place gets lively after dark. The Crimson Palace is where most of the action is. You should check it out." He said, "I was on my way over there. Follow me."
...
The Crimson Palace was aglow with dim lights and red decor. From the seats to the drapes all you saw was the color red. Red roses were in clear vases on every table. The mice sat at a corner booth. All four mice ordered root beers from a waiter. They looked around and were shocked to see a majority of the audience was made up of Plutarkians.
"Okay, what are the Fish Faces doing here?" Vinnie asked.
"Don't call them that." Their host told him, "It's against the law, you know?"
"How come?" Modo asked.
"The Plutarkians rule this planet. As long as we go along with what they want, they won't destroy our city. We're also forbidden to insult them." He explained.
"Not me." Vinnie said.
"Vincent, sit." Throttle told him.
The latter sat down annoyed. But he knew enough to keep quiet. When Throttle used full names, that usually meant he wanted cooperation. They were outnumbered. It wouldn't do them any good to start a fight right now. They had to bide their time if they had any hope of saving Piston.
"We're in luck. Minerva's on next." Their host said.
Within minutes, a soft jazz like tune played from the orchestra. A female Martian Mouse walked on the stage. She was the same mouse they saw in the posters Stoker showed them on Earth. The same blonde hair and dark eyes painted with blue eyeshadow. The mice saw her pale tan fur glistening under the stage lights. She wore a long red satin dress that showed off her curves and figure. She smiled at the audience but Throttle and Modo could also see a sadness in her eyes. She saw her performance as nothing more than something to be done.
"Lost my heart chasing after you/ You make me crazy, baby/kissing you beneath the crimson berry tree. " She sang, as she sashayed around the stage then went into the audience.
"Argh!" Cried one Plutarkians angrily, "Can't you sing something with a little ryrhym?"
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know anything but these songs." The girl stammered, " It was my aunt's favorite song."
"Then you suck!" He and his companions laughed at her as her eyes filled with tears.
That did it. No one insults a Martian Mouse. Especially a lady.
Modo's single eye turned red as fire. Vinnie's tail twitched angrily. Throttle looked angry. The Peddler looked down.
Throttle got up and socked the jerk in the face. Then he grabbed him by his shirt collar and dragged him towards the terrified young woman.
"Apologize to the lady. Now!"
Then the girl's eyes lit up with recognition.
"Throttle?"
"One of the Biker Mice?" The old hot dog peddler asked in shock.
"Get those mice! Arrest them!" The Plutarkian cried out, to the other Plutarkians.
The three mice whistled. Their bikes came crashing through a window bowling over the Plutarkians.
Throttle grabbed Minerva and hopped on his bike. The peddler rode with Vinnie.
"Hold on, Piston." Throttle told her.
"It's Minerva." She said, "Don't call me Piston among strangers."
The mice flew out the window and rode away.
"Those are the Biker Mice From Mars. They'll be hard to beat. We need to inform the big boss that they're here." The Plutarkian told his friends.
...
"Oh, Throttle, I'm so happy to see you." Minerva aka Piston said, hugging her brother, "The Plutarkian Regime told us you were dead."
''''The Plutarkian what?" Throttle asked.
"They're the head honcho who rules this planet like an iron fist. They took our freedom from us and made a lot of our people slaves." She explained.
"But now the Biker Mice from Mars are here! It's like a dream come true." The hot dog peddler said, breathlessly staring at them like they were celebrities, "Now we have an advantage over the Fish Faces. We've started an underground group of soldiers to learn to fight so we can overthrow them."