-- Chapter 5: Information & Emotions --

          All the roads that lead you there are winding
          All the lights that light the way are blinding
      There are many things that I would like to say to you
                       But I don't know how

                                   "Wonderwall" -- Oasis


     Chip glanced down the dirty hallway, not liking how the low lighting gave
enough light to show objects, but not what they were until closer inspection. If 
they were walking into an ambush, they wouldn't be able to tell until they were 
right upon those concealed, at which time it would be a tad too late.
     Tham walked confidently alongside of him, either not caring about the 
possibility of a trap, or not doubting who would come out victorious. Chip wanted to
be able to share in that confidence, but the small bandages wrapped about him 
detracted from that. Zipper flew about, sometimes in front, sometimes in the back, 
but always on the lookout. The energetic housefly darted to and fro, shifting aside 
discarded newspapers, inspecting various niches and crannies, and watching for any 
movement behind them.
     The hallway they were in was in the basement of one of the local office
buildings. This passageway, in particular, was primarily used for maintenance and 
janitors. Since the building was closed for the day, they didn't have to worry about
any humans interrupting. Tham, once they had landed, had set off by himself for a 
few minutes, explaining that he needed to get in touch with some people to set up 
the meeting. Chip agreed to remain behind, but made sure Zipper kept a discreet eye 
on Tham in case of trouble.
     After returning, Tham informed him where they needed to go. Along the way, he
told Chip about the transaction that would take place. Basically, the seller, a rat 
known only as Red Paw, would sell them the plans to the castle, but would also try 
to sell them some of his other merchandise. He would more than likely have a number 
of thugs nearby, in case things got ugly. Considering the seller, Chip doubted the 
authenticity of the plans, but Tham laid those fears to rest.
     "Despite whatever shady maneuvers he does in secret," he explained, "he never
double-crosses somebody without just cause. As long as we don't insult or threaten 
him, we'll be fine. What's more, Red Paw has some allies and contacts in very 
important places, so he's got the most accurate and updated information on the 
street. Everything he offers to sell, and I mean *everything*, is either guaranteed 
to work, or come very close to the desired outcome."
     Chip just shrugged, and kept his eye out on their surroundings. "Where exactly
are we supposed to meet him?"
     "End of the hall," Tham motioned ahead of them.
     Zipper flew over them, heading towards the end of the corridor. So far, as he
carefully made his way around the cluttered hallway, he had spotted, out of the 
corner of his eye, at least five guards crouched in the shadows, with possibly more 
in the areas he couldn't clearly see. Landing on an empty pop can, he looked around.
     Nobody was there. Frowning, Zipper turned back to his friends and signaled that
at least five others were in the hallway. They nodded, then looked surprised at 
something behind him. Turning back around, Zipper saw that an old and weathered rat 
was standing were it had been empty moments ago.
     The rat was tall, but stooped over from age. A small, straw hat adorned his 
head, cloaking his eyes with deep shadows. A gnarled walking stick was in his hand, 
and he wore a battered and soiled rag as a piece of clothing. Even though the rat 
was the picture of decrepitness from casual observation, Zipper could spot the way 
the hand gripped the staff. Just slack enough to appear at ease, but ready the 
instant should trouble arise. His posture was the same, indicating that Red Paw, 
assuming this was indeed the seller, wasn't nearly as weak and feeble as he 
appeared.
     Tham and Chip approached carefully, Tham going into a respectful bow, which
Chip and Zipper awkwardly followed. Nodding to them, Red Paw held a hand out to 
Tham.
     "You have the payment?" he croaked, his voice as ragged as his clothes.
     Tham reached into the folds of his clothing, withdrawing a fist-sized statue.
Carved from true jade, it depicted a dragon, circling around itself and diving in 
between the coils of its own body. Chip could see, even in the poor lighting, that 
it was incredibly fine craftsmanship. Tham gently handed it over to Red Paw, who 
began inspecting it.
     A strange tugging started on Zipper; not urgency, or danger, but just the sense
that he was forgetting something. Seeing that all was well, at least for the time 
being, he launched off from the can, heading back down the hallway. Remembering his 
dream from last night, he followed the pulling at him, unable to explain why or how 
he felt it. It led him back down the hallway, towards a section of the wall in the 
front. Setting down alongside it, Zipper walked over to the base of the wall. 
Several papers and other garbage blocked his way, but he was able to slip around 
them without too much difficulty, discovering a small cubby-hole in the wall.
     It looked like it was constructed by a mouse, or rat, and was no more than a
locker of sorts. Zipper guessed this is where someone used to store their belongings
who lived down here, before the building was completed. It was empty, with a good 
pile of dirt on the ground. The hole only went back about an inch or so, and Zipper 
didn't see anything that indicated another passageway out. Turning to leave, he 
glanced back for a moment, and spotted something.
     It was hard to see in the low lighting, especially when the light was blocked 
by the various amounts of garbage behind him, but upon closer inspection, he was 
able to see that he had been wrong about the vacancy of the locker. Reaching down to
the dirt covered floor, he brushed away at a spot where a dull blue peeked out from 
underneath the dirt. He would never have noticed the color if he hadn't been 
expecting to find something.
     As the dirt was pushed aside, Zipper saw that the dull blue was actually the
cover to a mouse-sized book. It appeared to be very old, and even had patches of 
mold here and there. No name or pictures were on the cover to give any indication to
what the book was about. Carefully cracking open the cover, Zipper flipped through a
few pages until his eyes managed to make out a title page.
     "Myths and Legends" it read. Curiosity now establishing a firm grasp, he
continued to flip through the pages. Each chapter was dedicated to some ancient 
folklore, or other tale. He scanned through several chapters about spirits, the 
shapechanging creatures called hengeyokai, and heros, until he reached what he was 
looking for.
     "The Legend of the Time Blade."
     Taking a moment to skim through to make sure it was indeed a katana they
spoke of, Zipper quickly tucked the book under his arm and headed back to the 
others.

     Red Paw had been very thorough going over the statue, but he finally tucked it
away.
     "It is suitable," he remarked as he pulled out a set of rolled up papers. 
"These, I believe, are yours, then." He easily handed them to Tham, who was as 
thorough in his investigation of them as Red Paw had been of the statue. He checked 
each page carefully, making sure that everything was in order from what he already 
knew of the palace. Finally, he rolled them back up and slid them into his belt, 
bowing as he did so.
     "Thank you, Red Paw," he intoned formally. "As always, it is a pleasure to do
business with you."
     "Wait." Red Paw stepped closer to Chip, a look of interest forming.
     "Yes?" Chip tried not seem ill at ease.
     "I have something you could find use for."
     "Sorry, I don't have anything to pay for it." That, and he really didn't want 
to deal with this guy any more than necessary.
     But Red Paw shook his head. "Oh, you will, soon enough. I'm confident in your
abilities. So, on the foundations of good faith, I'd like to offer you this." He 
brought forth a small vial of some clear liquid.
     Chip glanced at Tham, remembering his comment about Red Paw trying to sell
them other wares. He also remembered, however, that it was important not to insult 
or dishonor Red Paw in any way. He wasn't sure if turning Red Paw down flat without 
hearing the sales pitch would count, but he decided to play it safe. Besides, it's 
not like Red Paw had anything that Chip could really want.
     "What is it?" he asked, acutely aware of the vail for some reason.
     "The key."
     "The key?" Was he referring to the pendant Tham had?
     "To your love's heart."
     Chip was silent as he let this sink in.
     "It's clear your heart belongs to her," Red Paw continued, stepping closer. 
"It's written clearly over your face. Just as is the fact that she does not return 
this emotion to you. So, that is why I have offered you this." His hand extended the
vial again. "Just a few drops, and she will be yours, forever."
     He was very close to Chip now, the vial within easy reach. In the back of his
mind Chip recalled Tham's earlier statement: "...everything he offers is guaranteed 
to work..."
     Chip looked at it for what felt like a long while, thinking of all the times 
that he had tried to tell Gadget how he had felt, and had been interrupted one way 
or another. Every single time he tried to take a step closer to Gadget, something 
not only stopped him, but also shoved him back. Every single time! It was a source 
of constant frustration and torment at times, draining his strength and bashing that
fragile hope of a future with her.
     But that hope always held. Even under the strongest failure, it had held fast. 
And now, this rat that he'd just met was ever so coyly saying that there was an 
easier way to Gadget's heart, almost as if he knew exactly who she was. In fact, 
Chip suddenly latched onto the idea that Red Paw *did* know Gadget, and was merely 
pretending not to know her name. Did he *really* think Chip was that desperate? That
weak? A sudden rage built within him...
     His brain flashed through a number of times where, whenever he got the courage
to finally tell Gadget something of how he felt about her, someone or something 
broke in. Dale swinging by in a hang glider. Tammy physically pulling him away. 
Monterey dropping a dusty photo album on the table. Zipper flying in to tell them 
some news. A stranger on the street bumping into him. Dale blowing a gum bubble 
between them. The list went on and on, each incident making his frustration grow 
until it was far larger than he realized.
     In less time than it takes to blink an eye, Chip's hand snapped to one side,
knocking the vail clear from Red Paw, sending it crashing into the nearby wall. The
next second found Red Paw grabbed forcefully by Chip and yanked a hair's breath away
from Chip's furious gaze.
     "Now you listen to me," he growled low, "I don't care how important and
powerful you are here, but if you ever, *ever*, come near her with that vile stuff,
I will hunt you down and drop you off at Cat Street, ringing the dinner gong for you
personally!" Red Paw's eyes widened as he recognized the significance of the 
infamous street.
     "Do we understand each other?" Chip's voice indicated there was only one
correct answer.
     Red Paw, still stunned at the intensity of Chip's stare, nodded quickly.
     Chip released him, letting him fall to the floor with the rest of the trash. 
Still incredibly angry at being reminded of all of his past failures, Chip turned 
and stormed away, never glancing back.
     Tham, who had been too shocked at Chip's sudden outburst to do anything else
but gape, finally stumbled to catch up with the chipmunk. Looking around, he saw 
that the guards Zipper had warned them about were moving out, but over to help their
leader up, not to attack. He guessed that after watching Chip manhandle Red Paw like
a rag doll, none really wanted to tangle with him. That might change in a few 
minutes, but by then they would be gone from the building.
     Chip continued to stomp on in silence, not noticing Tham at his side, or even 
the return of Zipper. The housefly started to say something, but upon seeing that 
Chip was in no mood for conversation, he merely flew alongside, looking over to Tham
for answers. If Tham explained, Chip never noticed. He was too lost in his own mind.
     Why did that irk me so? he wondered as they made their way back up to street
level. And why am I still angry? I could've gotten us attacked, or worse, with my 
actions back there. And that would have screwed everyone else up. Yet, I really 
don't care what Red Paw thinks or if he's insulted. He brought out the bad part of 
me, so it's only fitting he deal with the consequences.
     They arrived at the Ranger Wing and climbed aboard, Tham finally getting the
courage to speak. Chip had calmed down, and now just seemed unsure of himself. The 
mouse had noticed something about Chip, though, ever since they met. It was obvious 
Red Paw was speaking of Gadget, even though he didn't know her. Chip's emotions were
more evident than normal over the past two days, and Tham didn't need a huge leap of
logic to connect it with Gadget's own emotional state. But still, he knew Chip 
needed to talk about this, and since he was the only one who had seen what 
happened....
     "So," Tham chose his words carefully, "Feel better?"
     Managing a laugh, Chip shook his head. "No."
     "Why not?"
     Frowning, Chip kept his eyes focused on his flying as the Ranger Wing took off.
"I guess because I was just reminded of how frustrating it is sometimes," he finally
said. "That, and I lost my temper."
     Tham knew Chip felt strongly about Gadget. It was painfully evident when the
chipmunk practically threatened him on the way to the cabin. Tham also knew 
something else, but he was aware that Chip needed to hear himself say it. "So why 
did you refer to that liquid as 'vile stuff'?" he prodded carefully. "True, I 
wouldn't have wanted it either, but you acted like he was offering to poison her."
     "Because he was," Chip replied, sighing heavily. The sudden rage, now gone,
had also taken his strength with it. "Yes it's true that I lo... like Gadget. A lot.
But that stuff...." He shook his head. "I want her to honestly return my feelings, 
not have them forced. That kind of junk doesn't grant happiness; it prevents it, 
because in the back of your mind you know it's all a fake. The feelings she would 
have had would have been coming from that stuff, not her heart. That's not what I 
want."
     "What *do* you want, Chip?" Tham's voice was very gentle, careful not to break
the admission of truth Chip was going through.
     "What do I want?" Chip repeated, more to himself. "I want Gadget to be happy.
That's all. Even if it comes down to the fact that she likes Dale more than me, I 
just want her to be happy in her life." He paused, looking out at the sky. "You know
I think she really does like Dale? And I can't say I blame her. I mean, Dale's just 
a real likable guy. He's always ready to go out and have some fun, whether it be a 
game, a movie, or even a case. That guy makes Prozac look like an after-dinner mint.
Sometimes I wish that I could be like that, as free and wild as he is, you know?" 
Another pause. "But I can't. I've got too much in my past for that to ever happen. 
I've accepted my lot in this life, and I really enjoy it. But it's something not 
everyone can get into sync with. I don't know if Gadget would really want to be 
around someone as serious as me. She's also a real free spirit, like she's made 
from the very essence of the Earth."
     He chuckled suddenly. "Man, I've been reading too much poetry lately, if I'm
talking like that!" Silence for a moment as thoughts continued to dart past. "But 
yeah, that's what I want. She deserves the happiness, not me. Of course," he added 
with a satisfied smile, "that doesn't mean I can't enjoy trying to win her 
affections."
     Tham smiled and nodded. Chip had said it, and hopefully it would help him work
towards his goal. He had to wonder what Chip meant about his past, though, as he 
never had mentioned it, nor anyone else. In this moment of weakness, though, it had 
slipped out. Respectfully, Tham let it go. They flew the rest of the way back in 
silence, each lost to their own contemplations. Zipper, in the back seat with the 
book, was also silent as he read through the chapter on the Time Blade, growing more
and more interested as he did so.

                          *     *     *

     "Hand me that hammer, will you Dad?"
     Geegaw reached into the toolbox next to him and handed Gadget her hammer.
They were both at the table, constructing a myriad of equipment Gadget thought would
be useful for the upcoming mission.
     "What's that?" Geegaw pointed to the golden chain around Gadget's neck,
disappearing underneath her shirt.
     "Oh, golly!" Gadget exclaimed happily. "I forgot to show you!" She proudly
pulled out her locket for display. "I put this on the other day, figuring it would 
help me find you. Looks like it worked, huh?"
     Geegaw laughed, and nodded. "But it's supposed to serve a greater purpose, you
know."
     "I know," she smiled, going back to work. Geegaw waited for her to proceed,
but she continued to work happily on her inventions. He shook his head with a smirk.
She hasn't changed a bit, he thought with a chuckle. Well, if she won't actively 
think about it, I suppose it's up to me to help her along.
     "So," he said slowly, gathering an arched eyebrow of interest from his 
daughter. "Any prospects?"
     "Prospects?" Gadget's face scrunched up as she tried to figure out what he was
talking about. He gestured towards the locket, and her cheeks grew warm as it dawned
on her. "Dad-dy!"
     He gave an impish grin. "Sorry, hon, but that's what the locket's for."
     "But really, asking me about *prospects*?" She grinned, rasing a hand to cover
her eyes.
     "Well, do you? What about one of those teammates of yours? I've noticed that
those handsome chipmunks are very nice to you...."
     All the while, Gadget felt her face grow hotter and hotter as her father 
continued. She couldn't believe they were having this discussion! She was so 
embarrassed that she could hardly form a response. "Well... yeah... they're 
incredibly sweet. But I never really saw them as... well... uh... you know."
     "No, I don't," Geegaw prodded. "Tell me about them."
     Giving into her father's pressure, Gadget set her work down and turned to him,
hoping that if she talked about Chip and Dale in a descriptive and professional 
manner he'd be satisfied. And, hopefully, give her time for the blood to recede from
her cheeks.
     "They're best friends, first off, and really the whole reason the Rangers got
started. Dale is more carefree than Chip is, though. He's a lot of fun to be 
around."
     "Really?" Geegaw raised an eyebrow.
     "Daddy! Let me finish...I mean that he's just a guy that's easy to get along 
with. Very laid back, easy-going, and all of that. But he also can be very 
determined when he starts his mind to something. I like that about him, I guess. 
When he decides on a course of action, he could care less about the problems 
involved. He pushes through to the end as best he can, and usually with a grin on 
his face all the while. He likes to have fun more than anything, and even is
able to get Chip to enjoy himself at times."
     "Ah, Chip's the serious one?"
     "Oh yeah, Dad. Chip is always looking for the next case to crack or criminal to
catch. He's easily the most dedicated of all of us, and the most organized towards 
his goals. Like Dale, he gets very determined when he sets his mind to something, 
but he doesn't go charging through a situation. He does a lot of planning and 
thinking beforehand, but he'll still push forward quickly if someone's in trouble. 
You just won't see him taking it lightly."
     "Yeah, I have noticed a few things about the two of them." Geegaw leaned back
in his chair, thinking. "Dale's a lot more outgoing, for one thing."
     "Definitely. Dale's the extrovert, while Chip's the introvert. I wish Chip 
would learn to be more outgoing...." A note of sadness touched her voice. "He's so 
lonely... I can tell."
     Carefully weighing his next words, Geegaw watched his daughter as her gaze
grew distant. "How can you be sure? He's got you guys, and Dale *is* his best 
friend."
     "I know, but...well, I can just tell from the way he acts at times." Gadget 
settled her head in her hands, beginning to fall into a trance as she tried to put 
it into words for her father to understand. "I mean, Dale will always come running 
over to ask about going on a picnic or to a movie, but Chip's more reserved. He'll 
ask real quietly, almost hesitantly, and if anything interrupts, he has a hard time 
completing what he was trying to say.
     "And it's the way he interacts with the others, too. He and Dale were best 
friends for a long time, but as we've all gotten to know each other, you can just 
tell Dale has an easier time... connecting with the others. He and Monty got along 
real well when they first met, but Chip's *never* liked Monty's style of jumping in 
without a plan. Zipper's been working with Chip more lately, but you can still tell 
that he remains a little apart from the rest of us."
     "Maybe it's because he's the leader," Geegaw suggested softly, trying to get
Gadget to think more about this. "He might feel the responsibility of his actions 
more than the rest of you."
     Gadget shrugged, starting to lose herself in the past. "Maybe, Dad. You're
probably right, I guess. I just...don't know, really. I just get worried about him 
at times. He seems like he'll burn himself out with the aggressiveness he approaches
his role with. I'd love for him to start spending a little more time appreciating 
things, but something always comes up. He needs some sort of balance in his 
life...." She trailed off, her mind no longer on the conversation, but visiting old
memories.
     She remembered when they had been shipwrecked out on a tropical island for
over three weeks. They had managed to set up a decent home, but Chip couldn't wait 
to get back to the mainland, anxious to get started on a new case. Gadget wanted to 
tell him that he should have taken a few minutes to just enjoy the beautiful weather
and surroundings, but he was always busy searching for seagulls or another means of 
quick transport back home. Eventually, she, he, and Zipper worked on building a 
ship, while Monterey and Dale went to look for supplies.
     A smile came to her face as she remembered helping Zipper knock a coconut out
of a tree, which landed on top of Chip. He was okay, just upset, but she remembered 
looking down at him from above, and emitting a light laugh. He was so *cute* when he
pouted up at her like that....
     Another memory flashed to life, to another time on a tropical island. This 
time, however, they were enjoying a few days off after a case in Hawaii. Gadget met 
Lahwhinie, who looked just like her, and they switched places. Gadget wasn't aware 
until it was too late that it was a trick to get her to perform tests as Lahwhinie, 
so she could be crowned Queen. One of those tests involved making her way across a 
barbecue pit. She'd managed, only to fall into a pile of half-melted marshmallows at
the end. Her friends didn't recognize her, and Gadget couldn't talk through the 
coating of sugary ooze.
     Lahwhinie, posing as her, led the Rangers away so she wouldn't be revealed, but
had trouble with Chip. He insisted that whoever had crashed may have been injured, 
as was determined to go back and see if the person was all right. In order to stop 
him, Lahwhinie grabbed Chip and gave him a long, passionate kiss. Before Gadget 
could reach them, the villages rushed over, hoisted Gadget up and carried her over 
to the next test. Gadget remembered being very angry at Lahwhinie for the trick and 
lying to her friends...but she also remembered feeling anger at Lahwhinie for 
something else, too, when she had kissed Chip, pretending to be her. Gadget wasn't 
sure what it was, only that she wanted to call out to Chip, to let him know it 
wasn't really her. She clearly remembered how blissful he looked, as if he was 
about to float away, and knowing, even though Chip wasn't aware of it at the time, 
that it wasn't her making him feel like that....
     Another time came forth unbidden from a secluded place in her mind, about the
time they were at the carnival when Cassandra, the fortune-telling gypsy moth, had 
made a prediction, which sounded very much like Chip was going to die before 
morning. As the night wore on, and the predictions she had made for the others came
true, one after another, everyone, even the skeptical leader himself, started to 
grow worried. But still, he managed to push his fear aside to continue on with the 
case, until they spotted what they believed to be the last prediction.
     Cassandra had said, "...he will walk underneath an elephant, and the trunk will
fall..." Having tracked the robbers to a funhouse, they stared up at horror at the 
large, mechanical elephant in a clown costume above the doorway. Refusing to let him
go any further, Monterey, Dale, and Gadget headed in, only to be eventually locked 
in a treasure chest above a doorway. Chip, who never abandoned his responsibilities,
entered the funhouse himself, delighted when the trunk of the elephant didn't fall 
as Cassandra had foretold. He and Zipper raced in to find the others, eventually 
making it to the doorway where, high above, the others were captured inside the 
chest. In an effort to the break to lock, Monterey, Dale, and Gadget rammed the side
of the chest, sending it hurtling below to where Chip was standing, just as Monterey
realized that they were in a "trunk".
     Zipper sprung the lock, and pulled Chip's hat out from underneath the trunk as
the rest of the Rangers stared on in shock. She thought he was gone. Just like that,
without anything she could do to bring him back. Falling sobbing into Monterey, she
hadn't felt this type of loss since she thought her father had died....
     But, also like her father, Chip was alive! He had dived into a hole in the 
floor at the last second, narrowly escaping his fate. She was so delighted about it 
that she held him tightly throughout the day. First when she saw he was alive, again
when they watched the crooks being hauled away, and many more times after that. He 
never complained as she would just suddenly throw a hug around him without warning,
offsetting his balance and knocking his hat askew. She knew he liked it, but never 
thought about why it made *her* feel so good to know that he liked it....
     Geegaw watched as his daughter sat with a beaming smile on her face, lost in 
her memories. He knew that buried in her were these emotions, but as per usual, it 
took someone else to move her in that direction to realize that she actually felt 
this way. Whether or not she could act upon them was another matter. But as he 
watched Gadget continue to stare off in space, with no clue that anyone else was 
around, Geegaw had definite hopes for his little girl.
     Abruptly blinking back to reality, Gadget realized she had been silent for 
several minutes, just sitting there with a glazed look of contentment on her face. 
A small blush rose as she spotted her father giving her a look that was both 
knowing, and approving. She fidgeted with her hands momentarily, finally gently 
taking the locket and tucking it back under her T-shirt. Even though it had been 
hanging in room temperature for over five minutes, it felt remarkably warm and 
comfortable against her fur.
     Wordlessly, she picked up her hammer and started working again, casting a
nervous smile to her father. He nodded once, and began assisting her with that 
knowing smirk. He didn't ask anything else of her for the rest of the afternoon.
     He had gotten his answers.

                          *     *     *

     Dale tried to duck under the incoming blow, but only succeeded in blocking it
with his head. Stumbling back from the impact, even though it wasn't hard, he 
suddenly found himself flat on his back again as a sweep took his legs out from 
under him. Groaning on the ground, he blinked a few times to clear the dancing 
lights in his eyes. Kan stood over him with a smile.
     "You okay, Dale?" She leaned over him to check his forehead, her hair just
tickling across his chest.
     Trying not to stammer, Dale nodded. "Y-yeah. Just need to learn to duck lower,
I guess." Kan helped him to a sitting position as he rubbed his forehead.
     "You shouldn't have ducked. Not at that point, anyway," Kan explained, sitting
down across from him. "Never take your eyes off of your opponent for the slightest 
moment unless absolutely necessary. You could have blocked that swing with your 
staff, and still have been able to see what my next attack would've been."
     They were sitting outside of the cabin, about twenty feet away. A small copse 
of pine trees stood over there, providing a good deal of cover from the wind, and 
the soft pine needles underneath were an excellent ground for training. The sun was 
especially bright and warm today, for which they both were thankful, as each time a 
strong gust whipped under the branches it sapped away some of the heat.
     Kan stood up, holding out her hand to Dale. "Come on. You're getting better, 
but you've still got a long way to go if you expect to live through this."
     Dale grasped her hand firmly, surprised at her strength as she lifted him to 
his feet. Before he knew it, he was standing, albeit a tad wobbly. Kan held his arms
tightly as he managed to steady himself, only to look up and see she was a hair's 
breath away from his face. Her green eyes glinted brightly in the sun, causing him 
to lose his footing again and fall to the ground with a thud.
     Laughing, Kan plopped down next to him. "It's okay, Dale," she said, crossing
her legs under her. "I'm not going to bite."
     "I know." Dale chuckled as he sat up again, resting his arms on his knees. He
had come to the conclusion that Kan really was just flirting with him, as she did 
with Chip and, to a lesser degree, Monterey. "But some of the visions I get... uh...
nevermind." It was the best way he could put it.
     "Why Dale," she pretended to be in shock, "you mean you've never seen a
beautiful woman before? You poor child!"
     "Ha Ha. Very funny." Dale's smirk was honest as he took a haughty voice. "I'll
have you know, madam, that I have seen a number of lovely females in my extinguished
career as a Rescue Ranger."
     Kan giggled. "I think you mean, 'distinguished', Dale."
     "Huh? Oh, yeah." He grinned. "Unless you haven't noticed, Gadget's as much of
a knockout as you."
     "Oh, I've noticed." She looked back at the cabin, her smile growing. "I've also
noticed how you and Chip have this infatuation with her, yet neither seems to be 
taking the charge."
     Dale blinked at the boldness, and truth, of Kan's statement. "Uh, I, er...
let me think...."
     "If it so pleases you." Kan waited patiently, eyes expectant.
     Grumbling at having his bluff called again, Dale tried to weasel his way out of
it. "Look, it's complicated. How's that?"
     "Not good enough, Dale," Kan smiled. "I'm actually serious about this. You guys
should just go ahead and make a grand charge. What've you got to lose?"
     "A lot." Dale sighed. "First off, if I went in there and told Gadget how much I
really liked her, a number of bad things would happen. First, Chip's my best friend,
so I really don't want to have to put him through that if Gadget really likes me 
back. Second, if she doesn't, then I've made the biggest fool of myself ever, and 
trust me when I say that's quite an accomplishment."
     Kan giggled at this, but not condescendingly.
     "And finally," Dale went on, "I'd...uh...." He trailed off, actually just 
realizing what he had been thinking, and was not so sure he wanted to vocalize it. 
"Well, see, there's this friend back home of mine, called Foxglove, who's got this 
strong crush on me." He could feel the heat in his face rise as Kan grinned at this.
"She's a really good friend, and I'd never want to do anything to hurt her. She 
knows how much I like Gadget, but at the same time, she doesn't mind, and seems to 
be content with just being around me. And as much as I'd like to go ahead and talk 
to Gadget, I know I could never hurt Foxy. I really do like her too much." He sighed
as he considered his predicament.
     "Sometimes, Dale," Kan's voice was very soothing and honest, "the pursuit of
something becomes so important that it becomes more important than the object 
itself. A person will have so much fun pursuing something that they won't realize 
that it was the chase they were enjoying. Then, when they reach the object, it's not
what they expected it to be, and when they look back on the time during the chase, 
they realize, too late, what they missed."
     Dale looked at her intently. "What exactly are you saying?"
     Kan could see that he had the answer floating around in his soul, but wasn't
ready to accept it yet. Her smile became gentle, taking another approach.
     "Look at Tham, Dale. He is so obsessed with restoring honor to a family that 
has none anymore that he will, more than likely, kill himself in the process. But 
let us suppose that he does manage to win the head of the family from his uncle. 
Now what? The chase is over, and he has what he sought. But in the rush of events 
and doing things that he *thought* he should do, instead of doing what he *felt* he 
should do, he never saw that there was no way to return things back to their former 
state. His parents are still gone, and all his Uncle has to do is knock him off, 
forever sealing the rule in his grasp."
     Kan balanced her elbows on her knees, clasping her hands together. "Now, as
Tham sits at the head of the family, trying to unravel plots to overthrow him as he 
tries to sever ties from the Yakuza, who almost never let a family go unscathed, he 
takes a moment to look back on the path that brought him here. And then he sees, for
the first time, that he missed out on a very promising and fulfilling life. Instead 
of having more adventures, working to help those in need, or even--" here she rolled
her eyes, "--finding a female companion, he is stuck in a never-ending cycle of 
paranoia, fear, and hate. Not the honor, glory, and wisdom he expected to find at 
the end of the quest."
     She cocked her head to one side. "Do you understand what I'm driving at, Dale?"
     Dale gave an acquittal shrug. He really wasn't sure. Oh yeah, he had some ideas
and feelings, but they wouldn't separate themselves long enough for him to figure 
out. Through it all though, there was one item that his mind continuously rebounded 
to: When the Rangers first met Foxglove.
     She had saved Dale from a nasty fall, and stuck around help them retrieve the
Ranger Wing from a crash. But at the same time, it was clear to all, making Dale 
uncomfortable, that *he* was the reason she stuck around. It was love at first 
sight, everyone agreed.
     Too bad it was only one way, he thought glumly.
     He often thought of it as just a crush, much like the one Tammy had on Chip. 
But Foxglove always conducted herself with a greater air of maturity and, 
interestingly enough, fun. The Rangers had just started working on the case, and 
Foxglove continuously popped up, always with that disarming smile and look of 
mischief that Dale had come to admire. As it turned out, Foxglove was actually an 
assistant of Winnifred the witch, their quarry in the case. When Dale found out, he 
was actually angry. He had started to come to trust and like Foxglove as a friend, 
and the thought of all of her fawning and attention to him being nothing more than a
ruse stung more deeply than he thought it would. That surprised him, but not nearly 
much as being *relieved* that Foxglove's attentions were indeed real.
     They had just finished foiling Freddy's fiendish formula for fright (he 
mentally reminded himself to tell Zipper of that alliteration), namely thanks to 
Foxglove's help. She really *was* a friend, and a close one at that. Since then, 
Foxglove and the Rangers kept in constant touch. Along with Flash and Tammy, 
Foxglove was officially recognized as an honorary Ranger. At the celebration dinner 
afterwards, she was proud of the small badge they gave her, but even more happy to 
receive a strong hug from Dale. It was just a friendly hug, but Foxglove looked
radiant while receiving it. And, Dale had to admit, he felt pretty good about making
*her* feel good.
     That thought ricocheted off of a number of smaller ones, each contact providing
a momentarily flash of insight. He starting recalling all of the little things he 
did to make Foxglove happy: Pretending to play Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
Referring to Dracula as a "wimp". Surprising her with a forget-me-not. Allowing her 
to snuggle up to him during the movies... although "allowing" was probably a bad 
term for it, as he had come to like and expect it. And all throughout this 
friendship, Dale thought, she's never once harbored any bad feelings towards Gadget.
     Indeed, the two ladies got along rather well, and Dale had even noticed Gadget
and Foxglove whispering to each while looking over at him, and then giggling. Dale 
usually got the sudden urge to be elsewhere at the time. Even when he told her about
how much he liked Gadget, Foxglove never showed any signs of jealously or envy. Even
Tammy, who had also become a close friend of Gadget's, showed extreme signs of 
jealously towards Gadget at first, whenever she was with Chip. But not Foxglove.
     "She's one in a million." He blinked, embarrassed that he spoken that out loud.
Kan was apparently meditating, her eyes closed and a look of serenity on her lovely 
features. Obviously, she was respecting Dale's private thoughts by occupying herself
with her own. Dale looked at her a moment longer, thinking that Kan, too, was one in
a million. So was Gadget. Did that make Foxglove any less significant?
     No. Dale knew that before the question was even finished.
     Kan opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, Dale, did you say something a moment ago?"
     "Hmm? Oh, uh, yeah, just that I'm ready when you are." He quickly stood, glad
to remove his thoughts from the heavy questions he found himself asking, and get 
back into mindless combat.
     Kan rose smoothly to her feet, and quickly showed Dale that combat was far from
mindless, at least if one intended to win.
     Dale, laying flat on his back again, figured he had spent more time on the 
ground than standing the entire session.

                          *     *     *

     Monterey looked over the Ranger Wing intently, trying to figure out exactly how
to best prepare it. Geegaw was next to him, clipboard in hand.
     "Well," the famed pilot stated, "It's not exactly the Screaming Eagle, but I 
gotta admit, it's got personality."
     "Yeah, mate," Monterey chuckled. "It sure enough seems to have a mind of its
own at times."
     Chip, Tham, and Zipper had returned not too long ago, the palace layout in 
hand. Chip was feeling extremely tired for some reason, so went straight to bed as 
soon as he got in. Zipper was still reading over a chapter of a book he found, as if
he were trying to memorize it. Tham was already looking over the layout of the 
palace intently with the rest of the group while Monterey and Geegaw headed out to 
see if their long years of experience with strike missions could help prepare the 
Ranger Wing.
     They had first decided to go ahead and just make a list of what needed
strengthening in terms of stealth and defense. Attacks would be considered, but 
neither of them liked the idea of taking on a fortress. The more discreet they were,
the better off everyone would be. So they slowly made their way around and under the
Wing, checking for any weak spots or areas they felt were too exposed.
     "What about the speed on this thing?" Geegaw asked "How's it stand up to the
Screaming Eagle?"
     "It loses, naturally, but it ain't too shabby." Monterey stepped over to the 
side Geegaw was on. "It can hover though, and that'll be our biggest asset."
     Geegaw nodded as he marked down another area for reinforcement. "Gadget
mentioned that our old plane made its final flight. Not long after it was 
officially yours, too." He gave Monterey a wry grin.
     "Hey, I wasn't flyin' it," Monterey held his hands up with a smile, then 
lowered them and gave his friend a solid clasp on the shoulder. "It meant a lot to 
me that you left that for me, Geegaw. I know how much it meant to you."
     Geegaw put his free hand on Monterey's own shoulder. "I know, Monty. That's
why I wanted you to have it. Gadget never was really interested in it that much,
and the two of us had some truly spectacular times in that plane. I figured that 
it was only fair to leave it to the one person that loved it almost as much as me."
     "Too right, and I thank you for it." And, Monterey thought, as long as we're at
this point, "Listen, Geegaw, I want to make sure that you know how sorry I am about 
that incident in Zanzibar. What with the cheesebread and all."
     "Oh Monty, you don't think I'm still angry over that, do you?" Geegaw shook his
head. "We were young and impetuous for so long, then I met Terica. Next thing I 
know, I'm married, and then I'm left alone to raise a little girl." His eyes 
moistened as he remembered. "I guess, somewhere along the way, I realized that I 
just couldn't be taking risks like that anymore. I was more angry at myself than 
you, really, because I hadn't even thought about what Gadget would do at that age 
if she lost her father."
     Monterey sighed heavily. "Granted, but I just wish I hadn't waited so long to
apologize. I was a bit shell-shocked by the events, and just didn't want to be 
reminded of  em for a while. I wanted to say I was sorry, and I kept meanin' to get
around to it, but fate never blew me in that direction. When it finally did, you 
were already 'gone', mate."
     "And now it's *my* turn to thank *you*, Monty," Geegaw said earnestly. "For
watching out for my daughter since. You're the only person she could turn to for 
guidance and support for a long while, you know. She's been talking non-stop of all
of your adventures in detail, and even I'm floored by some of them. Especially since
throughout all of those, you helped to keep Gadget safe."
     Monterey gave a humble shrug. "Not really, mate. She was already capable of
takin' care of herself. Blimey, she's saved my life as many times as I've saved 
hers, if not more so. Besides, Gadget's always been like a niece to me, so I wasn't 
about to just let her disappear from me. And don't forget, she's got a coulpe of 
fiercely loyal bodyguards; those chipmunks can be really nasty when riled up."
     Geegaw nodded. "Yes, she's mentioned them as well. We had an interesting chat
earlier today about them."
     "Really?" Monterey asked with a sly grin.
     "Oh yes, especially when you consider I got the most information out of her
when she was wasn't speaking," Geegaw joked, walking back towards the cabin.
     "Well, usually the more she talks, the easier it is to become confused," 
Monterey agreed as he followed after his friend.
     Geegaw halted, and turned back to Monterey, his face showing a curious
expression. "Tell me something, will you Monty?"
     "Sure mate. What's that?"
     "Well, you've known Gadget for a long time now. In some ways, over these past
few years, you probably know her better than me. So maybe you can answer a question 
for me." Geegaw paused as glanced around, careful that nobody was nearby. "In your 
honest opinion, do you think Gadget would make as good of a mother as I do?"
     Monterey blinked at the odd question, but smiled nonetheless. "Sure thing, 
mate. She's caring, compassionate, open-mined...and from the times when we've had 
some youngin's over, she's always shown a real knack for handlin' them. Why do you 
ask all of the sudden?"
     Geegaw shrugged. "I guess because that's what her mother wanted for her to
have most of all. Terica was very big on family, and I think that's what she would 
have tried to get Gadget involved with at an early age. In her current situation as 
a Ranger, though, I really don't see that happening anytime soon. Not that it's a 
problem, mind you; just that I don't want her to miss out on something that is 
incredibly fulfilling."
     "Geegaw, remember that Gadget has to find a bit o' romance before she'll start
thinkin' about that stuff. And she's just interested in other things at the moment. 
But--" here Monterey winked, "--remember I said 'at the moment'. Time will come, 
sooner or later, when she'll come face to face with that decision."
     "Yeah." Geegaw laughed dryly. "I just hope I don't die again before it 
happens."
     With a chuckle, they both headed inside.
     The rest of the group were busy going over the floorplans that Chip and Tham
had obtained, pointing out various routes and plans of invasion. Chip, refreshed 
from his nap, was checking his notes as Tham made suggestions.
     "Oh, hey guys," Dale looked up as the two older mice entered. "How's the
Ranger Wing looking?"
     "Not bad," Geegaw said as he stepped over by the stove. "We found a few
places to shore up the defenses, but nothing major."
     "Good." Tham ran his finger along the edge of the plans. "I think we've found 
our way in."
     "Really?" Monterey moved over to the group.
     "There's an old passageway down here," Chip pointed to a section of the floor
plans that showed a profile of the palace on the cliff. He tapped his finger at the 
base of the cliff. "A tunnel leading in through the cliff face, which will bring us 
out right here," he indicated a room near the vault. "Seeing as how any thieves 
interested in the valuables on the main levels would have to still work their way 
up through the floors and guards, it's never be accessed for attempts in favor of 
quicker ways in."
     "But since we're not looking to go any higher," Dale smirked, "It'll be 
perfect."
     A back door of sorts, Zipper traced their planned path with his eyes. It's a 
bit long and winding, but Tham doubts Naki would have placed any guards within it.
     "No real need," Tham nodded. "This was used primarily by the warriors and
agents returning to the castle in secrecy during the old days. My father used to 
hear of these tales from my grandfather. The only tricky thing," his look became 
concerned, "is that no guards were ever posted for a reason."
     "Traps?" Monterey guessed with a frown.
     "Of sorts," Tham acknowledged. "But they were more like barriers. Each agent
who used this passage had his own set of `keys' so to speak. Insert the key into the
proper location, and there was no problem. No keys meant you couldn't go any 
further." He scratched his chin. "At least, I'm fairly certain that none of the 
barriers were aggressive."
     "Fairly certain," Kan echoed with a mocking sneer.
     Tham shot her glance that would have killed a grizzly bear, but she defiantly
returned the glare. Finally, Tham turned his attention back to the planning session.
     "So once we arrive in this room," Monterey leaned over to look at the layout
more carefully, "Then what?"
     "We go down the corridor to here," Tham pointed to a section of the floor where
the walls were much thicker. "The vault. Here, Naki will have undoubtably posted 
sentries, you can be sure of it."
     "This is when speed becomes the important thing," Gadget mumbled.
     Kan nodded. "Even if we can take out the guards in front of it, sooner or later
the wandering patrols will discover them. We'll have to get the vault open as soon 
as possible, which is much easier said than done."
     "Indeed," Tham told her. "You're learning well." His voice was that of a parent
congratulating a child on discovering that two plus two equalled four.
     Kan's face burned with anger, but Gadget pushed on, avoiding the argument.
"Once the katana has been retrieved, we can exit back through the tunnel, and get 
out of there. The whole plan isn't too hard, with the possible exception of the 
vault."
     "All too right, hon," Geegaw sighed. "On the way in, secrecy is the most
important thing we need. On the way out, speed. But neither of those will matter if
we take forever to get that vault open."
     "I wouldn't be too concerned about it, Geegaw." Tham held out his pendant.
"This will unlock it quickly enough. And this tunnel often has tremors and noises 
from the sea echo throughout it. As long as we're in there, I'm not too concerned 
about how much noise is made."
     "But don't discount that vault, Tham," Chip warned. "Your uncle may be upset
enough at not being able to get inside that he may just have decided to throw some 
extra locks and bars on it to ensure that only *he* can try to get inside, and do so
at his leisure."
     Tham's expression soured. He hadn't thought of that. "Then we must plan for 
that eventuality as well, I fear."
     Monterey twisted up his moustache thoughtfully. "Tham me lad, just how
important is that vault door to you?"

     The next few days passed more quickly than the Rangers would have liked. The
plan was finalized that night, and they went right to bed for an early start the 
next morning, in hopes of finishing preparations within a couple of days, but that 
proved unreasonable. First off, it took time for Gadget and Geegaw to reinforce 
areas of the Ranger Wing to a more comfortable level. Second, all of the Rangers 
were slow at grasping the idea of fighting styles utilizing the staves. Kan was 
quick to point out that mastery of a weapon took years, even a lifetime for some, 
so not to be discouraged. She concentrated on teaching them blocks and disarms, 
as those would most certainly be the most used maneuvers.
     As the days passed from one to the next, something that everyone noticed was a
certain change that had come over Gadget. She was practically always smiling, and 
laughed a great deal. She was usually seen next to her father, hugging him or 
leaning up against him playfully. The others felt as if they were watching an old 
home movie, as Gadget was acting out the part of the young, inquisitive, innocent 
child. She fairly glowed with an inner happiness at being with her father, even 
under the dire circumstances they found him in. To her, though, it hardly mattered.
She had found her father, and was determined to make the most out of this second
chance.
     Eventually, the day arrived when everyone felt that now was the time. They
waited until nightfall, glad that the full moon out provided a decent light for them
to fly with. They decided against using the light mounted on the Ranger Wing, as its
incandescent yellow light would stick out badly in the natural setting. They quickly
loaded the Ranger Wing, making sure everything was secure, and were off.
     Under the protective cover of darkness, the Ranger Wing took off from the
secluded cabin, making its way down and around to the island where the palace stood.
Their timing was perfect, as they arrived at the base of the cliff when the moon was
at its zenith in the sky. The waves crashed below them as they hovered about twenty
feet above the water level. The light spray from the ocean was cool, gently 
showering them with ever-fine droplets of water.
     Gadget brought the Ranger Wing into the hover mode, allowing them a stable
platform to check their surroundings. Zipper spotted the entrance only a few feet 
away from them, but it was too small for the Ranger Wing. Geegaw motioned up above 
it, to a small ledge were they could park the Ranger Wing, then climb down to the 
entrance. As Gadget maneuvered the Wing over the area indicated by her father, Chip 
stole a glance up the mountain. He could dimly see the glow of lights from the 
palace, even though his view prevented him from seeing the actual building.
     No matter. They weren't here to go inside the main building. Only the catacombs
and basements. This didn't bolster his spirits much, though.
     Once the Wing was landed, Monterey tossed a rope over the edge, tying it off on
the Wing's landing gear. He went down first, to find a place to secure the bottom of
the rope. Kan and Geegaw went next, followed by Dale, Tham, and Zipper. Gadget and 
Chip worked on unpacking the Ranger Wing, slowly lowering their equipment down to 
those waiting below. Working in shifts they managed to get everything down within a 
few minutes. They were about to head down themselves, but Gadget remembered 
something and climbed back into the passenger side of the front seat.
     "Gadget?" Chip climbed up after her, setting down in the pilot's seat. "What's
up?"
     "I just remembered that I forgot my glass cutter," she answered, rummaging
through the compartments around the seat. "I put it in here a little while ago, and
figured that it might come in handy. Ah! Here it is!" She pulled out the glass 
cutter, a small one that fit into her pocket easier. As she shifted and tucked it 
away, Chip noticed a small glint of metal flash in the moonlight.
     "What's that?" Chip asked curiously, having never noticed it before.
     "Hmmm? Oh! It's my mother's locket." She proudly took the small necklace out
from under her shirt. "I decided to wear it before we left. I figured it might help 
me find my father." She grinned. "Looks like it worked pretty well, wouldn't you 
say?"
     "Why Gadget," Chip pretended to be in shock. "*You're* believing in lucky
charms? For shame!" He laughed, then looked closer at it. "May I?" he asked 
politely.
     Gadget nodded and leaned over so Chip could take hold of the small locket. It
was warm, and had a dull glow to its golden surface. Pressing the top of the release
latch, the front popped open, revealing a photo of two young mice, obviously very 
much in love.
     "Hey, neat..." Chip grinned as he leaned over closer to see better in the
moonlight. "That's Geegaw...and that must be your mother."
     "Yeah, wasn't she pretty?" Gadget looked fondly at the photo while Chip studied
it intently, a smile coming to his face. He felt like he was using one of those 
identifying kits at the police station, where the officer could reconstruct the 
appearance of the suspect by choosing from a database of eyes, nose, mouths, and 
other facial features. Here, he felt like he was doing the same thing as he 
reconstructed Gadget's image in his mind by finding her eyes from her mother, her 
hair from her father, the cheeks from her mother, and so on. He lifted his head to
mention this to her, and stopped dead in his tracks.
     Gadget had raised her head as well, as she sensed Chip was about to say
something. The two of them were extremely close, having had to lean over so they 
could see the small photo, and the fact that the chain wasn't very long, meaning 
they had to scoot closer together so neither one was leaning halfway across the 
seat. As their heads raised as one, the very tips of their noses brushed up and 
touched against the other's, sending chills down Chip's back.
     He could only stare as he looked into her impossibly huge eyes, so close he
could feel the light brush of air caused by her blinks. His periphery vision picked
up on the same warm, disarming smile she was wearing when they had started talking
about the locket. The ends of theirs noses were still just barely in contact, not so
much that they felt the need to pull back, but just enough to convey the other's 
existence on another level of awareness. For Chip, the light pressure of her nose 
against his was making this both the most exhilarating and most terrifying moment of
his life. 
     His eyes were glazed over, even as the muscles controlling his eyelids lost the
will to fight, slowly lowering a blanket of comforting darkness over his vision. Any
sounds that reached his ears were blocked by the ringing from his racing blood. His
tongue was bone dry, despite the fact that his mouth was still slightly open from 
when he was about to speak, and the light spray of the ocean below wafted in. The 
incredible scent of Gadget's hair filled his olfactory senses, lingering 
tantalizingly in his mind. The only sensation that was left in the world, for him,
was that of touch.
     Being moved by something he didn't quite acknowledge, let alone understand,
Chip felt his head shift a fraction of a degree to the right, careful not to break 
the contact the very tip of his nose had with Gadget. Closed off to the world except
for that sole feeling, he felt Gadget's own nose gently shift to to his left, 
lightly trailing over his cheek. Using his nose as a guide, he moved further to the
right, still barely grazing her supple skin, as she did likewise, shifting her face
further to his left. Slowly, their noses continued to move to the sides, drawing 
their mouths ever closer to joining with the other's....
     "Hey!"
     The sudden intrusion snapped Chip's head up and away with a jump of surprise.
Finding himself breathing heavily, he leaned over the edge of the Wing to see Dale 
down below, waiting expectantly.
     "Come on guys, we don't have all night!" Dale called up to them. "Monterey and
Tham have found the way in already!"
     Chip released the built up tension with a nervous laugh. Something always
interrupts... he thought with an ironic chuckle.
     "Okay, Dale! We're on our way!" he called back down, then snuck a glance over
at Gadget. She was tucking the locket back under her shirt, a small, amused smile 
sitting contently on her lips. She kept her gaze down, shyly fiddling with the glass
cutter.
     "We, uh," Chip started, also feeling the need to keep from making eye contact,
"we'd better get moving." He stole a glance at her, flashing a friendly smile, 
before hopping over the edge of the Wing and working his way down the rope.
     When he settled upon the ledge, he took a moment to collect himself.
     What happened up there? He thought with traces of alarm and expectancy.
We've *never* come that close to... uh... we've never gotten that... er... well, 
she's never... well, whatever, this is neither the place nor the time! We don't have
too long to complete this operation, and everyone needs to be on their toes. Which 
is hard, when you've got this double-sheepshank slipknot made out of your 
stomach....
     He gazed back over to the ocean, allowing the steady waves to calm him down.
Gadget arrived a moment later, still wearing that small smile, totally silent. Chip 
cleared his throat and moved to catch up with the rest of the group, determined to 
see this through professionally.
     Inside, Monterey and Tham were at the front of the group, checking over a
sealed, wooden door. A series of engravings were on it, but no evident keyhole, door
handle, or other means with which to open it.
     "It's the usual warning," Tham translated the inscriptions, "Foretelling doom 
and death for all trespassers."
     "Well," Monterey chuckled, "since trespassers are blokes on property with no
right to be there, we're safe from that. We've got a definite reason to be here." He
gently pushed against the door, testing how secure it was. Everyone, including him, 
were quite surprised to see it fall in suddenly from the light push, breaking apart 
on the floor.
     "Hmm..." Geegaw looked at the pile of rotted wood the door truly was. "It would
appear that maintenance hasn't been on the ball down here."
     "Makes sense," Kan shrugged as she stepped in first, sweeping a small penlight
in front of her. The light illuminated a narrow corridor that twisted its way deeper
into the island. "The family never had a real need to use it after the feudal system
was pretty much outdated. Makes things easier for us, as most of the barriers are 
likely in similarly weakened conditions." She gave a half-smile. "If we're lucky, we
can just waltz through this without a problem." The tone of her voice, however, 
suggested that she really wasn't about the believe in that.
     Tham followed in next, with Geegaw right after him. Monterey started in next,
but Zipper flew up in front of him and motioned for all of the Rangers to wait for a
moment. Confused as to why, but trusting in their friend, the Rangers waited while 
Zipper checked over his shoulder until he felt Tham, Kan, and Geegaw were far enough
away.
     Okay, Zipper turned back to them, I wanted to let you guys know something I
found recently. I've been reading a book, one that has a very detailed chapter of 
the katana we're looking for.
     "Okay..." Chip said quietly, "but why are you only telling us?"
     Because I think that those three, he motioned up the corridor, already know
about it, but for one reason or another, haven't told us.
     "Told us what?" Dale asked, a bit nervous.
     The katana we're looking for is called, in the legends, the Time Blade. This is
because a famed samurai mouse, one of Tham's distant ancestors I suspect, that 
carried it had somehow managed to find a way to pass into the celestial bureaucracy 
without having to die.
     "Celestial bureaucracy?" Dale frowned. "And what do you mean by dying?"
     "It's the afterlife in the oriental culture," Chip answered. "Upon death, the 
spirit would travel to the celestial bureaucracy, where it would be 'processed'. 
Figuring out the honor it received in life, what position in the bureaucracy would 
best suit it, and then dispatched to its new, everlasting, location."
     Pretty much, Zipper nodded. Anyway, this samurai had managed to find a way
there, petitioning for his newborn son to be brought back to life, so the bloodline 
would continue. Now, it's impressive that he found a way there, it's incredible that
he managed to be allowed to file an appeal to the decision Death had made, but what 
made this guy a true legend was that it worked! The only time a mortal had ever 
successfully navigated the convoluted workings of the celestial bureaucracy!
     Gadget nodded. "It's impressive all right, Zipper. But what is so important 
that you tell us this in secret?"
     Because, Zipper checked over his shoulder again, there's a end tale to this
legend.
     "Such as?" Monterey raised an eyebrow.
     Namely that the Time Blade has the supposed ability to grant those with the
bloodline in them a single wish. *Anything* their heart desires will be granted 
through the inner workings of the celestial bureaucracy.
     Zipper sighed and looked back down the corridor. His expression stated that he
felt some people hadn't mentioned it, because they believed in it too much.
     The remainder of the Rangers glanced at each other and thought over what
Zipper told them. It was quite possible that the katana was needed to restore Tham 
as the rightful ruler of the house, but now they suspected ulterior motives as well.
The sheer fact that they weren't told of this seemingly trivial fact made it seem 
not-so-trivial anymore.
     "Let's keep quiet about it for now," Chip finally advised, stepping past Zipper
into the corridor. "We've got enough on our minds as it is, and we don't need to 
burden ourselves with any more incidental worries. This mission will be difficult 
enough to complete as it is, and I, for one, already have enough to think about."
     Understatement of the year, he thought nervously. He just couldn't get what
happened, or what nearly happened, with Gadget out of his mind. Mainly because, deep
down, he didn't *want* to. Unfortunately, as he grudgingly admitted, a wandering 
mind could easily led to disaster in this situation. Not just for him, but for the 
rest of the team as well. With a determined swallow, Chip forcibly shoved the 
bubbling emotions far into the corners of his mind, and focused his thoughts on what
lay ahead.
     Following in behind their leader, the other Rangers quickly and silently fell
into place, moving deeper into the darkness and echoing sounds of the corridor.