Chapter 22: To The Good Old Times

Clarice rushed through the backstage area and the secret alleyways and staircases in the building until she reached her apartment. She almost fell into it as she opened the door. "Where've I put it?" she shouted, panting and trying to catch her breath. "I'm almost sure I've still got it somewhere." She turned on the lights and went from display to display until she stood in front of one with a particular old dress in it. "Here's hoping it still fits me."

Down on the stage, the same song was going on and on with a series of solos performed by practically every musician who ever had a solo at any of Clarice's shows. Armando had his hands on the piano keyboard, but his eyes were on the stage exit. The song had grown more than ten minutes long when he gave the other musicians a sign by nodding and went into the chorus for one last time. When the song was over, he got up and left the stage. For he had received what he considered his cue.

Clarice came back after what she supposed to be a record time. When Chip and Dale saw her, their jaws almost dropped onto their laps. She wore an light blue dress, a golden stole, and a flower-shaped cap, the very same things they remembered her wearing in her early jazz club girlie days. She walked straight to the end of the catwalk and spoke into her microphone, "Well, since tonight is a very special night with a very special occasion, I'd like to see two guys on stage who sometimes played for me back in my New York days."

Chip and Dale knew she meant them, not only because she motioned them to join her on stage. They exchanged glances with Gadget and Foxglove who both had the same hunch as to what was going on, and what parts of their pasts their respective chipmunks hadn't told them about yet.

"She might not want to help us if we don't play along," Chip explained to Gadget, "and then everything would've been in vain."

"You know what she wants from you and Dale?" Gadget asked.

"Yes..."

"So, how come I don't know?"

"I promise you I'll tell you later. Besides, I don't even know if I still can do it. I've been out of practice for more than twenty years."

"Are you guys done with your excuses?" a voice said. Chip and Dale turned and saw Clarice squatting by the edge of the catwalk.

"Now go," Foxglove said, clueless as to what to expect, "if it helps us on our case."

Clarice smiled. "I'm sure it will. Now come on up here."

Chip and Dale stood up and entered the stage via the stairs on both sides of the catwalk, and Clarice introduced them, "Ladies and gentlemen, here are Mr. Chip Maplewood and Mr. Dale Oakmont!" This was the first time ever that she used their last names which she didn't even know a day ago.

She took down her microphone. "Okay, guys, I hope you haven't forgotten everything."

"I hope so, too," Chip said.

"Aw c'mon," Dale tried to encourage him, "you don't forget such things that easily. After all, we've done it often enough. It's gonna be fun."

"Yeah, a lot of fun, with Gadget and Foxy watching..."

"Guys, there's no way back now," Clarice reminded them.

It was amazing to be on stage with Clarice, Chip had to admit, but it had also begun to feel wrong. He expected Gadget to be faithful, no matter how much Allan would flirt with her, and now he was with the hottest and most gorgeous chipmunk girl he had ever met, the one he had fought for with his buddy Dale for two years. He wasn't deeply in love with her like he was with Gadget, and neither was he as obsessed as Todd, but she had been well worth the fighting, and she probably still was. He saw Armando return onto the stage and push forward an additional grand piano upon which a three-string upright bass made from a pencil and a matchbox was lying.

After hauling the instruments to the far end of the catwalk and leaning the bass against the piano, the armadillo sat down behind the same grand piano he had been playing all night and began to play. Clarice waited for her cue until she began to sing one of her classics, a song called My Destiny. There was no decoration to sit or lie upon, the rose platform had been removed after her first song, and lying on either of the pianos was out of question, too, since their lids stood open.

My Destiny. This was exactly what the two Rangers had expected her to do, make them repeat the same old show and the same old game as back then. However, they both decided to play along. After all, she was the one who should lead them through the building on their way down to the vault. They both hoped she wouldn't want them to go farther, though, and that she had noticed their female company. Then again, there was no being sure what Clarice was able and willing to do to get what she wanted, whatever she wanted.

Chip slowly walked over to the second piano. He figured he might be heading straight for a trap, but this part of his way promised to be at least a bit of fun. He remembered how he enjoyed playing along with Dale to Clarice's singing. He waited for his cue before he joined the playing. When Armando and Clarice stopped, Chip took over and raised the tempo from moderate to fast as if to impress Clarice. It was truly astonishing how few of his piano playing skills he had lost, what with Monty taking over the piano player's part on most cases which required one.

Dale played the jealous chipmunk when he saw Clarice sing along to Chip's piano playing. He grabbed the bass and plucked it wildly, drawing Clarice's attention to him. A brief duel between piano and bass was carried out while the singer stood and enjoyed what she had missed for more than two decades. Of course, this was not part of her show, nor was it up to par with the regular material, but this was way too much fun to let the chance pass by.

Both Chip and Dale got carried away by their duel. They felt like being back at the Acorn Club, years before the Rescue Rangers were founded, and years before they met Gadget or even Foxglove. All that mattered was outplaying each other and winning a musical game with Clarice as the prize. The other Rangers sat on their seats and tried hard to believe what these two of their teammates were doing up there. Tammy remembered the drag show they did at Fat Cat's casino, providing the rotund feline with a theme song, but this was an entirely different league. Even Chip seemed to see it as fun rather than his job.

The game went on for two minutes, longer than ever at the Acorn Club. And when they saw what happened then, both Gadget and Foxglove felt like having to tear the arm rests off of their seats when they watched Clarice kiss first Dale and then Chip. She kissed them onto their cheeks, but she kissed them. After that, they were given two microphones, left their instruments, and joined Clarice in singing another song named Little Girl, accompanied by Armando only. They were clearly having way too much fun. Their two girlfriends had to remind themselves of the case and its potential importance to not stand up and leave the show in protest.

Lots of applause and standing ovations were easily proof enough that the rest of the audience, including those who had seen the show many times before, enjoyed these unusual encores. Clarice motioned the two guys to stand next to her which they did. She looked to her left where Dale was standing, to her right where she saw Chip, and asked, speaking into her microphone, "So, guys, what about the great finale?"

"Finale?" Dale wondered. "What d'ya mean?" He did not use his microphone.

"C'mon, I gave you something, and I'd like you to give me... something... similar in return."

"If you think we're gonna kiss each other while you duck away," Chip said, also without his microphone, "you'd better think twice."

This time, Clarice whispered right into Chip's ear. "Don't you guys want me to do something for you? Wasn't that why you came here? And can't I expect you to do me a favor then?" She then turned to Dale. "Play along, or forget your case."

Chip gave Dale a sign. They stepped back to behind Clarice, and Chip whispered, "Have you heard it? If we don't do this kissing stunt, we can pack our things and fly back to New York City without the gems. Or sit and wait until they happen to leave the palace. Got it?"

"Got it," Dale approved before they returned to their previous positions. They smiled at Clarice, and she smiled back. Then they closed their eyes, moved towards her, and tried to ignore the embarrassment when they would kiss each other instead of her.

But to their surprise, Clarice did something she had never done at the Acorn Club which was the reason why they didn't add this to the show very often. She remained standing, and they both placed one big smooch each upon her cheeks. The entire orchestra picked up the theme of Little Girl and replayed it, irritating the two chipmunks even more before they could regain their senses and draw themselves back. And even when they did, she laid her arms around them and forced them to bow down together with her. They received another wave of applause.

Clarice let go of them again. "Thank you," she said, "thank you everybody out there for coming here to see my show, the Chipmunk Divine. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And thank you, Chip and Dale, for joining me on stage after so many years. You may be heroes where you come from, but you guys were born for the showbiz." She waved at the audience with the hand in which she didn't hold a microphone and added a "Good night, everyone, and see you soon!" before she headed back for the stage and the heavy red curtains closed behind her with perfect timing. Chip and Dale left the stage, too, before the ceiling lights lit up again.

"Too-ra-loo!" Monty was the first of the other Rangers to say something. "This was one bonzer show fer sure! I've seen quite a number o' shows when Geegaw an' I were 'ere, but this topped everything! An' you guys musta 'ad yer share o' fun, too."

"Yeah," Dale said, "fun..."

Foxglove got up. "Oh, I'm sure you've had your fun. Especially when you kissed that... that..."

Chip took over. "Foxy, please. And Gadget, before you say something, and I'm sure you want to say something similar, let me reassure you it was all just part of the show. We had to play along and kiss her, or else she wouldn't cooperate with us."

"Oh?" Gadget replied. "Then please explain me why the two of you were on stage with her. And only the two of you."

"Long story," Chip said. "I'll tell you when we've got enough time. Right now, we need to catch our contact. Come on, eyes on the case now."

Meanwhile, Melissa and Todd were standing in the backstage area. She had helped him carry his PDA from the stage. "Well," she said and smiled at him, "it was very nice to be back here and perform the show. I liked your playing very much, Todd."

"Yes, I enjoyed it, too," Todd said, not smiling back.

Melissa took her violin case from the shut-down PDA. "So, guess I'm leaving now. Care to walk along with me?"

"Uh, no... I've got something to do here. Might get a bit later tonight."

"Can I help you?"

"No! Um, I mean, no, I don't need any help, it wouldn't be anything for you anyway. Thanks for your offer, but... no."

"Well, then..." She gave him another smile. "Good night. And see you at the next rehearsal. Or maybe earlier."

"Sure... if there'll be another show... Good night, Melissa."

Their ways parted there. Melissa left the backstage area and headed for the exit. Songs from the show were still sounding in her head vividly. But the rest of her mind was stuck on Todd. 'What a pity he doesn't come with me. It's such a beautiful night, and we haven't seen each other for half a year. I wonder what he's got to do here at the palace this late...' She stepped out of the building into the chilly night air, but stopped immediately. "Yes, what can someone like Todd have to do in a place like this at a time like now? I don't know what sort of trouble he's about to get himself into, but he certainly is about to get himself into some trouble. Even bigger trouble if Clarice is involved."

She turned around and went back to the backstage area. But when she arrived there, both Todd and the PDA were gone.