THE MOMENT OF DIGRESSION

…When Dale came to, he found himself lying face up on the couch with the other Rangers, Tammy, and Midge gathered around him with worried expressions…

[Let's break off to the tangent right here:]

When Dale came to, he found himself lying face up on the couch with Tammy, Midge, Otis, his parents, Chip's parents, Monty's parents, and Phinehas gathered around him with worried expressions.

"Wh-what happened?" he asked with an unsteady voice.

"You don't remember?" Midge asked him.

Dale knew that he was feeling terrible about something, but he just couldn't remember what it was. And why was he wearing a tuxedo?

But when he saw Midge, Phinehas, his parents, Chip's parents, and Monty's parents, and all still in formal attire, he remembered the reason for them being there and soon recollection returned in full, and all the emotions connected with it:

"Foxy!" Dale shouted, "Fat Cat's got her! We've got to rescue her, Chip, we've just got to…uh…where are Chip and the others?"

Tammy replied, "They took the Ranger Plane and went to rescue her as soon as you fainted. Mom took Bink back home, and Chip told us to bring you back here and make sure you were fine, and to make sure that…you…wouldn't do something crazy."

"CRAZY?" he yelled, sitting up and attempting to stand. Pierre and Cheddarhead held him back, though. "'CRAZY? ! YOUKNOWTHAT'SNOTENOUGHTODRIVEMECRAZYTAMMY—!"

[WHACK!]

Phinehas stepped up and connected a swift back-paw on Dale's face. He was strong for an old chipmunk.

Dale, his head now reinstalled by that action, breathed calmly and slowly. "Uh, sorry, Tammy, I…I…didn't mean to yell at you. And…thanks, Phinehas. Now I see why Chip left me behind."

"Trust me, sonny, this 'old chipmunk' knows that a chipmunk gone berserk is not only a danger to others, but to himself as well."

"Oh, Dale, we're so sorry that this happened to you on your weddin' night," cried Dalee.

Dale calmed down at the sound of his mother's sad voice—

But then he saw Otis standing in front of him.

His very species brought the emotions and pain back with a vengeance.

"And what the hell are you doin' here?" he asked insolently, flattening his ears and stiffening his tail.

Otis, feeling a trifle self-conscious, lowered his ears, held his wings in front of him, and stuttered, "Uh, well, I…sorta felt worried for you too, Dale…and seeing you would be s-s-sorta joining our kin…well…it is our duty to protect one another. I told Chip that I could round up every single bat in New York City to help you guys, but he refused. The others also offered their help, but he said the Rangers knew the enemy very well, and…that we could cause more harm than good if we tried to assist you. So instead, I asked if I too could stay here and look after you."

Dale once again felt embarrassed by his incivility. Still, he knew Chip had made the right decision. They simply could not waste any time in rescuing Foxglove, and they all knew about his random behaviour, and how unpredictable he could get in such a situation like this one.

But even with all the logical steps that were taken, he just couldn't sit here and do nothing.

His face then turned to stone, and with the most serious voice he had ever generated (to his surprise, too) he asked the bat, "Otis, can you really gather every single bat in New York City?"

The chiropterid, and everyone else, were stunned at Dale's tone of voice, which was practically unheard of in a chipmunk. "Y-yes, but I don't think Chip will—"

"How soon can they come?"

"Well…I…in about twenty minutes. But you—"

"And how long have I been out?"

"Ten minutes," replied Tammy. "Dale—"

The chipmunk slowly stood and eyed the young squirrel, who instantly hushed when she saw the expression on his face. It was doubtful that more pain, fury, shock, terror, hatred, worry, insanity, and, why not, passion, could have come out of those eyes. She cowered and lowered her ears when she realised Dale had made up his mind.

The chipmunk then eyed each of the others as well as he calmly declared, "Chip always told me I was the crazy one, the clown. Well, then, that cat just honked this clown's nose one time too many. Tammy, I'm gonna need your help in—"

"S-sorry, Dale, but Chip told me to stay behind and prepare a bed with first ai—" Tammy choked on her own words as the full seriousness of the situation suddenly hit her.

Dale slowly continued, "Okay, okay, you…you do that. Although I hope we won't need it." He turned to the elders, "Guys, I think you'd better stay here with her—"

"Oh, no you don't lad!" said Cheddarhead, standing and locking eyes with him. "Chippah told us you'd go crazy enough to do somethin' like this! That's why we're 'ere: 'e knew it'd take ALL of us to keep you 'ere an' make sure you didn't go bonkers!"

"That was a stupid cartoon—"

Camembert pleaded, "Please, Dale, if you really love Foxy, don't run off and screw everythin' up like you always—"

Dale suddenly made eye contact with Monterey's parents.

For two huge mice, they, too, cowered at Dale's gaze.

So, that was the reason they left him behind.

They knew he would try to come to the rescue, and knowing Dale, something was practically always sure to go wrong whenever he was involved, especially in a situation such as this. They couldn't let him take a risk that could put Foxglove's in more danger than she already was—

Dale was hazardous to Foxy's health?

Infuriated at his own clumsiness and incompetence (even though they had diminished since last year), his eyes yellowed and his fur darkened. Was smoke coming out of his ears?

"NO," he snarled. "NOT THIS TIME. THIS TIME I WON'T MESS UP. NOT WHEN FOXY'S INVOLVED. FAT CAT, THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL. I AM GOIN' TO HELP HER, AND NOBODY BETTER TRY TO STOP ME. AND GOD HELP ME, IF I GET BUT ONE CHANCE TO KILL THAT CAT, THEN I—WILL—KILL—HIM." Startled at his own words, Dale shivered slightly, and added more calmly, "Er…as I was sayin', y'all better stay here with Tammy—"

"No," said Pierre, eyes flashing, standing to meet his son's gaze. "Not when our new daughter is in such danger. We're comin' with you, son."

Cheddarhead added, "Roight, mate, an' since you made up yore mind, an' if we can't stop you, we might as well come too."

"And we're not missing any of the fun, either!" added Chap, also standing. "Chip always told us about the excitement of the rescue, so I think it's fitting that we experience that, too!"

Dale turned to them and said, "That's great, guys, and I appreciate your help, but the problem is that none of you know how to fly the Ranger Wing, and only I know how to hang-glide. I am the one with the most 'rescue' experience here. I…I have to do this."

They all looked at him with sadness for a moment, and then Pierre said, "Okay. We will stay here and…and…help Tammy out a bit."

"Thanks, dad. Midge, Otis…"