-- Chapter 8: We all fall down... --

                  Wish there was something real
                  Wish there was something true
                  Wish there was something real
                    In this world full of you

                                   "Wish" -- Nine Inch Nails


     They were unarmed, having all of their weapons and equipment taken away
when they had been captured. Tham had grabbed the downed guard's katana, Kan 
knew a great deal of martial arts, and all of the Rangers knew a degree of unarmed 
combat, but against the horde of approaching armed and armored soldiers they sensed
outside, it would hardly slow the enemy down.
     They were injured. Monterey had chest bruises and fresh cuts along his back
from the guard's swipes. Zipper's shoulder was just dislocated hours ago, and would 
need weeks to heal, at the very least. Geegaw's limp was much more evident, all of 
the physical exertion taking it's toll. And even Kan, Gadget, and Tham, although 
unharmed, could feel the effects of fatigue from the grueling events circle overhead
like a contingent of vultures.
     They were outnumbered. Chan was never claimed to be an idiot, and even
though the closed dungeon door prevented them from seeing exact numbers, it could be
safely assumed that Chan had returned with a full squad of mice to escort them from 
their cells to their sentencing.
     Yet, these facts never entered any of their brains for even a fleeting second. 
All they knew was that they had just managed to escape from the cells, and were not 
about to be thrown back in them so quickly. Not without a fight, anyway.
     Tham motioned to the others quickly, sending Geegaw and Monterey into some
of the cells, closing the doors over just enough to look like they were still locked
up, while Gadget and Kan moved over to where the door would swing out, so they'd be 
hidden from sight when the door opened. Zipper flew next to Tham as they rushed over
to hide themselves on the other side of the doorway.
     Tham figured the best plan of action would be to knock out Chan, as he would
be the first one through, take him hostage, and work their way out of the castle 
from there. But he'd have to be quick to get the drop on Chan as the door opened.
     He positioned himself just in time as the door burst open. In a split-second, 
he brought the hilt of the sword down, noticing too late that Chan was not only 
shorter, but also wearing a fedora.
     The impact knocked Chip flat on his face and down for the count. As Tham
stumbled back and let out a gasp of surprise, Kan, who was hidden behind the door 
and unable to see, mistook it as Than being attacked by someone moving through the 
doorway.
     "KI-YA!" She kicked the door violently back in, bashing it into Dale's head, 
who was leaning over to check on Chip. The two chipmunks lay sprawled out on the 
floor, oblivious to the world. 
     Peeking around the doorway, Kan's jaw dropped as she saw who it was she had
hit. She quickly leapt over to help Dale back up at the same time Tham leaned over 
to check on Chip. Her and Tham's head's bashed together, not enough to knock them 
out, but enough to drop them on their backsides with a grunt.
     Monterey and Geegaw, ecstatic to see that Chip and Dale were still alive,
permitted themselves a laugh as they quickly exited the cells and helped Tham and 
Kan back up.
     "Who would've thought it?" Geegaw joked as he supported Tham. "Kan and
Tham falling for each other?"
     "It's a good thing I'm still dizzy," Kan remarked, steadying herself against
Monterey, "or you'd be in a world of hurt for even thinking that, Geegaw."
     I bet you say that to all the guys, Zipper winked at Kan.
     Gadget didn't comment, as she was too busy feeling euphoric in her discovery
that she had been right. Chip and Dale were alive! Granted, unconscious, but that 
hardly mattered. She hugged their prone bodies tightly, just glad that they were 
here for her to do so.
     After a few quick shakes of his head to clear the cobwebs, Tham knelt besides
the chipmunks, assisting Gadget to shift them to a sitting position.
     "Chip," he said urgently, stealing a glance down the hallway. Empty, for now.
"Dale. Come on guys, snap to it."
     Kan thought for a moment, then leaned over to Dale, lightly blowing in his ear.
With a start Dale jumped awake. "Whoa! What--what happened?" He groaned as he rubbed
his head where the door had connected.
     "What did you do?" Gadget asked Kan, still holding Chip up against her lap.
     "A light, gentle breath into a man's ear will do wonders for his system," Kan
replied quietly, giving Gadget a playful nudge.
     Everyone else was crowded around Dale, asking questions and trying to explain
what was happening all at once. Gadget was grateful, as she doubted she could 
attempt the same thing on Chip with all of them watching. Nobody was, but she still
felt... nervous, kneeling there with Chip being supported in her arms. Looking down
at his peaceful face, she was incredibly aware of how giddy she felt, his warm fur 
lightly brushing her skin. Smiling shyly, she leaned over to his ear.
     Chip was actually already starting to come around from the sounds of heated
conversation between Dale and the others, and felt like he should say something, but
he couldn't. It was like lying in bed, all snug under the covers on a cold, winter 
day. He knew he should get up, but he was so at peace with himself for that moment,
snug and secure in the soft and supporting arms that could only belong to Gadget. He
very well might have stayed there for a while longer, too, if he wasn't suddenly 
acutely aware of the warm breath flowing into his ear, Gadget's puckered lips 
lightly grazing the edge of his fur.
     More from impulse than actual decision, Chip's eyelids snapped open as he
sprang to a sitting position. His ear still tingled from Gadget's heated breath, and
he couldn't believe that he was actually blushing at a time like this. Turning back 
to face Gadget, Chip noticed that a light spot of color blossomed in her cheeks, 
too. She had her finger up to her bottom lip in an expression of curiosity and... 
something else. Her mouth was slightly open, the corners turned up into a shining
smile.
     "I knew you were alive," she finally whispered.
     Before Chip could reply, though, the others noticed he had come to. Quickly,
Tham and Dale hoisted him to his feet, Tham apologizing for the staggering hit.
     "It's okay Tham, really." Chip stumbled a bit, unclear if his wooziness was 
from Tham's blow or Gadget's. "I just hope you hit the bad guys that well."
     "Speaking of which," Geegaw glanced down the hallway. "We'd better get
moving, and quick, before the aforementioned `bad guys' arrive and remind us of the
reasons why we call them that."
     Nodding as one, the group carefully made their way out into the hallway, after
Zipper made sure the coast was clear. Dale handed the Time Blade over to Tham with a
respect evident to the blade, one that Chip shared, although Tham wasn't sure why. 
He also wasn't sure why they were looking at him like that, almost as if they knew 
something about his plan....
     But that was for later. Now, the main priority was surviving long enough to ask
these questions. Tham and Chip remembered a little bit of the the castle plans from 
their studying of the layouts earlier, so they directed the group through the 
twisting corridors. They kept absolutely still whenever they thought they heard a 
noise, Zipper even landing so his minute buzz wouldn't risk giving them away.
     "I wish there was some way we could disguise ourselves," Dale whispered as
they maneuvered through another intersection, searching for the stairs.
     Tham looked at the Time Blade for a moment, then dismissed it. He already had
plans for that. All they needed to do now was get out of here alive, and everyone 
would be happy. He was so *close*....
     Kan silently cursed as she answered Dale's comment. "We should've taken the
guard's uniform from the cell, and had one of us dress in it. Then we could have 
marched right out of here under the pretense that we were being moved to another 
location."
     But Geegaw shook his head slowly. Monterey was helping him along, the limp
now effecting him quite badly. "Think, Kan. Where else would we have been moved to? 
That was the only cell block. We might have been able to bluff our way by one, maybe
two guards at the most. Any more than that, and we'd be right back where we started.
Or worse."
     "This is our best shot," Chip agreed. "Even if we manage to find uniforms for 
all of us, we still don't know enough of their customs and codes to successfully 
bluff our way out of here, with the possible exception of Tham."
     "Sorry, Chip, but even I wouldn't last that long." Tham sighed. "Ever since 
they joined with the Yakuza, it's like Clan Shandi doesn't exist, only the Furfoot. 
They've dropped a number of customs, and adopted new ones. I don't even recognize 
half of the 'family' anymore." He snorted, as if coming to terms with something for 
the first time.
     Before anyone could ask, though, noises were heard coming from up the
hallway. Quickly, they all scuffled over to tuck themselves behind a small part of 
the wall that jutted out a bit. Holding their breath, they watched as the noises 
grew louder, until Chan and another mouse stepped out from a doorway. They were 
talking about something, but it wasn't until they stepped into the hallway that it 
became understandable.
     "...whatever the reason," Chan was saying. "They should at least be allowed to
state their case."
     The group noticed with a great sigh of relief that Chan and the mouse walked
down the hallway in the opposite direction of their hiding place.
     "Why?" Chan's companion asked. "What purpose could that possibly serve?"
     "It's honorable. Tradition."
     "It's old, you mean. History."
     Chan shook his head. "Call it what you want but prisoners such as these would
have been allowed to redeem themselves, even if it's only through seppuku."
     A collective chill ran through the group.
     "You know the rules, Chan," the mouse said. "Naki's in charge. And what he
says goes."
     "I just don't prefer indiscriminate death," Chan said bitterly.
     "Your outdated sense of honor isn't important," the mouse replied coldly. "Your
loyalty to the clan is."
     "I know." Chan's tone was grave. "Believe me, I know more every day."
     They turned the corner at the far end, but the group waited for a moment longer
before quickly scurrying over to the doorway that Chan and the mouse had come from.
Zipper flitted over, then signaled that the coast was clear. As one, they moved 
through the doorway and down the hall, allowing themselves to garner a nugget of 
hope as they sighted the stairs.
     The nugget was abruptly crushed, however, by the loud gong that shattered the
air.
     "What is it?" Dale asked in fearful voice.
     Kan, Tham and Geegaw looked grim. "It means the hunt is on," one of them said.
     Needing no explanation, they tore up the stairs as the gong continued to invade
their minds. Subtlety was a thing of the past. Speed was the tactic now. Even as 
they reached the top of the stairs, they could feel the floors tremble as the 
members of Clan Furfoot began running about, donning armor, grabbing weapons, and 
reporting to positions. The entire palace was put on full alert.
     "And we're on the center stage..." Chip grumbled as he and Tham tried to recall
the quickest route to an exit. Best they could figure, though, they were still in 
the basement levels. They would have to make their way up at least two more flights 
of stairs before they could start to look for an escape.
     They thundered down another hallway, grateful they had managed to avoid any
encounters thus far. They came close a few times, but Zipper, who was always just 
slightly ahead, warned them in time for them to either backtrack to another passage,
or safely conceal themselves until the soldiers passed.
     A few twists and turns of the hallways brought them to the next set of stairs, 
only moments before a squad of mice rounded the corner directly across from them. As
the squad gave a battle cry, the Rangers and company raced up the stairs, hoping to 
outpace the ones in the heavy O-yori armor. But the squad was well-trained, and 
right on their heels.
     "Gadget!" Kan cried. "Give me your goggles!"
     Fluidly, Gadget yanked her safety goggles off and tossed them back to Kan. 
Still running, Kan risked a glance over her shoulder at the soldiers stomping up the
stairs after them. Timing out the leader's pace with her heartbeats, Kan suddenly 
snapped the goggles off like a rubberband. The elastic band snaked around to 
leader's raised foot, and as he brought it down, the metallic goggles slipped 
underneath, causing him to stumble forward. The mice pushing from behind didn't see
this until a second too late. Unable to keep his balance, the leader crashed to the
stairs, the mice behind him tripping and falling on top of him in the small 
stairwell.
     "That bottleneck won't slow them down for long!" Kan warned as they reached
the top of the stairs, coming out into another hallway.
     "That's all the time we need!" Tham led them to the right, hoping his memory
was correct.
     They managed to make it another five minutes before their luck ran out. They
had entered a T-intersection, only to find guards storming down both directions 
towards them. Quickly backtracking, they found that yet another squadron was just 
rounding the corner at the end of the hallway, cutting them off.
     "There!" Geegaw pointed to a closed doorway a little ways down the hall. They
could make it there before the guards, but it'd be tight. Still, lacking any real 
choice, they opted for it at a dead run. Tham was the first one to reach it, kicking
the door in as he plowed through.
     The room was a large dining room, lavishly decorated for grand banquets and
stately affairs. The only thing the escapees cared about, though, was the door at 
the opposite end of the room. Even as they made a break for it, the first squadron 
managed to get close enough for some quick swings.
     Dodging as best they could, the group made a direct beeline for the door. 
Again, Tham was the first reach it, but his kick wasn't enough to force it open. 
This door had iron bindings to prevent it from breaking, and a sturdy clasp and 
lock. Zipper sprinted through the air to it, but everyone knew the few seconds he 
needed to unlock it was all the time that the guards behind would need.
     It was then that Kan made her move. Feigning to stumble, she allowed the first
few guards to catch up to her, and then expertly flipped back over them in the blink
of an eye, driving her knees down into the backs of their neck plates. The force 
knocked them off their feet, while Kan used the momentum to further push herself 
back into oncoming soldiers. Landing solidly amidst them, she swung another foot 
around in a wide arc, managing to catch two more across the head before one drove 
his fist into her back. Falling with a grunt, Kan continued to keep the guard's 
attention focused on her with a smooth leg sweep, taking one more off of his feet.
     Zipper had sprung the lock, and they were through, except for Gadget. Glancing
back at Kan, she felt a certain kinship for the woman who had become such a close 
friend in such a short time. Refusing to abandon her, Gadget darted back into the 
room, grabbing one of the throw rugs by the door as she did so. Taking full 
advantage of the guard's focused attention on the down, but far from out, Kan, 
Gadget wrapped the throw rug around one startled guard, leaping over him and pulling
down on the corners of the rug she still held.
     The momentum from her fall created a slingshot effort, snapping the ensnared
guard off of his feet and over her prone form. Kan, who was also down, was missed as
well, unlike the remainder of the guards behind her, going down in a heap as the 
entrapped guard collided into them with tremendous force. Helping Kan to her feet, 
the two woman shared a quick smile before a net fell over their heads and they were 
quickly pulled to the ground by the rest of the soldiers who had caught up with the 
action.
     The rest of the group had noticed the absence of Kan and Gadget seconds ago,
just enough time to turn around and see them being pulled away behind a line of 
bowman, who quickly notched their arrows, aiming for the door.
     Geegaw grabbed Chip and pulled him back into the hallway as Tham slammed the 
door shut, the arrowheads just piercing through a split-second later.
     "Let me go!" Chip shouted, struggling against Geegaw's strong grasp. "I've got 
to save her!"
     "You can't save her when you're dead, lad," Monterey said in a quick breath,
trying to herd him and Dale along behind Tham and Zipper.
     "We're going to save Gadget, Chip," Geegaw reassured the distraught chipmunk
as they pounded down the hallway. "But we have to regroup first. Otherwise, we're 
all caught again, and then what? They might not even wait for a sentence this time."
He grimaced as he worked to keep up with the group, the pain in his leg flaring up 
every time him put his weight on it.
     "How do you know they'll wait to sentence Gadget and Kan?" Chip argued, still
having to be forced along, away from the captured ladies.
     "Because their first priority is stopping us," Tham answered, leading the group
around another corner.
     "Where are we going?" Dale asked in between puffs.
     "For the moment," Tham glanced over his shoulder, "Away from the guards."
     "Then you might want to turn around!" Chip warned, pointing directly ahead at
the group of soldiers that just stepped out into the hallway.
     Zipper darted ahead to an open doorway nearby, signaling for the others to
follow. Dale, Tham and Chip were quick to step through, but Monterey paused as 
Geegaw lagged behind, stopping just inside the doorway as the guards started to 
close in. The others were already to the other side of the room, shoving their way 
through the next door, thinking Geegaw and Monterey right behind them.
     "Go on," Geegaw fiercely whispered, clutching his leg. "I'm only going to slow
the group down. This limp is only getting worse. Go. I'll try to hold them off for 
as long as possible."
     "I ain't leavin' you, Geegaw." Monterey took up a firm stance next to his 
friend. "Not again. I owe you that much."
     Geegaw gave his old friend a soft smile. "And thus the adventure ends?"
     "Can't think of better person to go down next to," Monterey replied, striking 
out at the first approaching solider. He went down with one shot, but there were 
plenty to take his place.
     Chip heard the wild laughter as Geegaw and Monterey fought side-by-side for
one last time, their shouts and comments mixing in with the din of battle.
     "Keep moving!" Tham ordered Zipper, who had the sudden urge to turn around
and go back for Monterey. "Remember what Geegaw said!"
     "Come on, Zipper!" Dale motioned for the fly back to the front as more of the
palace soldiers began filing out of the end of the corridor, heading towards them in
a gallop. Their heavily armored boots thudded down the wooden floor, like the 
world's largest centipede.
     They couldn't hear Monterey and Geegaw anymore, and hoped that it merely
meant that they were too far away, or that there was too much noise around them. 
Whatever the reason, they continued their mad dash through doorways, rooms, and 
corridors, the enemy always just one step behind.
     They ducked around another corner, only to see yet another squadron of soldiers
at the other end. Instead of closing, however, Tham noticed with horror that they 
were rasing a number of blowguns to their lips.
     "Quick! Back!" Tham tried to shove the rest out of the way as the soldiers 
fired off a series of small, barbed darts.
     "Arg!" Chip reached over to the side of his neck as they ran, pulling the dart 
free from his fur. His flesh was starting to burn as the poison from the dart began 
to work on his system. Suddenly, the floor lurched up in front of him, sending him 
reeling. Another step, and he was pitched forward by another sudden imbalance in his
equilibrium, crashing to the floor.
     "Chip!" Dale was by him in an eyeblink, quickly wrapping Chip's arm around his
own neck, and dragging his friend down after Tham and Zipper. Chip tried to regain 
his feet, but found that his muscles weren't working properly. The neurons in his 
brain were firing signals, but they were the wrong ones, causing him to twitch and 
jerk in Dale's grasp. Dale, however, refused to release Chip, putting everything he 
had into holding his best friend up as they bolted from one near escape to another.
     "He's dying," Dale stated as they ran, a sob choking off his words.
     Tham didn't argue. He knew about the poison the Furfoot Clan used.
     As he turned another corner, Tham realized that their luck had finally 
completely abandoned them. The hallway continued down for another ten feet, then 
stopped at a dead end. Tham wasn't sure if he hadn't remembered the floorplans 
correctly, or if he had, but they just weren't wholly correct. Whatever the case, 
they were trapped with no way back, as they heard the approaching stampede of more 
guards from behind the corner.
     In here! Zipper pointed to a doorway, then shot through.
     The others, not seeing any other choice, ducked in after him. Zipper, wincing
against the pain in his shoulder, slammed the door shut and slid a heavy, oaken bar 
down across it.
     That should buy us some time, Zipper gestured, shifting his sling a bit.
     "For what?" Tham looked about, distraught at the lack of exits, aside from the
one they just barred. "This is it, fellows, the end." He sighed as he looked down at
the Time Blade. Well, maybe he could at least accomplish his original goal--
     "No, wait..." Dale, carefully cradling the fading Chip on the floor, looked to 
the Time Blade. "That thing has a wish on it. And you can use it! Get us out of 
here!"
     Tham looked like Dale had suggested he fall on the sword.
     "W-what?" He stammered. "You--you know about that?"
     Yes, Zipper nodded, and we'll be glad to tell you all about how after we get 
out of here in one piece.
     But Tham slowly, regretfully, shook his head. "I'm truly sorry, guys. But I 
can't."
     "What?" Dale asked incredulously. "Why not?!"
     The pounding on the door caused them all to jump. The guards had arrived.
     "Because," Tham said a moment later, "It's already reserved."
     "For what?!" Dale practically shrieked. "What could be more important than our
lives?"
     "My parent's lives!" Tham shot back. "You don't understand, Dale. I vowed
when they were murdered that I would bring them back. I knew that the Time Blade 
would grant me that opportunity. I've been planning it for too long to turn back 
now!"
     The guards put their shoulders to the door. It shifted, but the bar held.
Regardless, they continued with a rhythmic pace, trying to force the door in.
     Zipper looked at Tham with disappointment, All this time...it was all a lie.
     "You used us." Dale's voice was cold and low. Coming from someone who was
normally energetic and high-pitched, it was as unnerving a statement as Tham had 
ever heard. "You used Geegaw. You never wanted to rule the head of the Clan, did 
you?"
     All you cared about, Zipper's boring eyes told, was getting your parents back.
Regardless of who had to die.
     "I would gladly give my life for theirs!" Tham defensively shouted.
     "And ours?" Dale asked, still not raising his voice.
     "It's my wish," Tham turned away from them, drawing the Time Blade from the
sheath. "Regardless of what happens to us, I will return my parents to the lives 
that were so cruelly stolen from them."
     His ear stung as Zipper grabbed it and whipped his head around to face him.
     Look at me! Zipper's gaze commanded. Think about what you're about to do!
Bringing people back from the dead has *never* turned out the way it was intended, 
regardless of the intentions!
     "And you're messing with the wrong section of time," Dale added. He was
kneeing on the floor, cradling Chip's supine figure against him. Chips' breath was 
ragged and shallow, and gradually fading. "Your parents died a long time ago, Tham. 
Your concern should be with the present." As he said this he remembered talking to 
that mouse who helped him and Chip escape from the celestial bureaucracy.
     "Besides," he continued, "that wish is powered by the celestial bureaucracy. 
And trust me when I say they have all sorts of rules and regulations about 
everything. Anything that deals with the past or future is gonna just make matters 
worse."
     "How would you know?" Tham sneered, denial oozing from his mouth.
     Dale paused. He could just tell Tham the truth, but in Tham's present 
condition, it'd just sound like a lie to sway his mind. "You're just gonna have to 
trust me in this, Tham. It's the least you can do, seeing as how we all trusted 
you."
     And look where it got us, Zipper's furrowed brows drove the thought home in
Tham's mind.
     A crack appeared in the oaken bar.
     Tham gritted his teeth. "You don't understand. How could you? *How could
you?!*" Tham stepped away from Zipper and Dale's heavy glares. "They were my 
parents, and they were *murdered*! How can *any* of you understand the grief I went 
through!?"
     "Gadget thought her father had died, but she didn't start using people to get 
him back," Dale replied smoothly.
     Even when she got your letter, Zipper's defiant stance read, she never lied to 
us or tried to deceive us.
     "And now she's out there somewhere," Dale threw his arm back to the hallway,
"captured, trying to help you! Her and Kan are both caught, and undergoing who knows
what! Monterey and Geegaw will be lucky if they're still alive, we're trapped in 
here, and my best friend is *dying*!" Dale's yell rang through the room. "And you 
expect *me* to feel sorry for *you*?!"
     "It's my choice!" Tham stood his ground. "I vowed this long ago, and knew it
might come down to this, but I knew the stakes first going in!"
     *We* never did! Zipper's expression drilled back. You never told us anything
that might help us understand what we're dealing with! Or the level of your 
obsession!
     The crack grew wider.
     Before Tham could reply, Zipper pushed on.
     Yes, Zipper's facial features conveyed, you can wish for your parents to come
back to life, but how will you know it's what *they* want? Did you ever consider 
*that*? Maybe they're happy wherever they are right now. Or were you just too 
blinded by your own selfishness to see that?
     "They might come back to life in their graves," Dale added. "And who said their
bodies would be restored from decay, as well?"
     "Shut up!" Tham squeezed his eyes shut. He'd been planning this for *so* 
long...
     The crack almost spilt the bar. The guards were nearly through.
     Dale looked from the pounding door, to Chip dying in his arms, and finally to
Tham. His voice was tired and flat, one of somebody who was done fighting. "We can 
hope for the future, Tham. We can dwell on the past. But *never* forget that we live
in the present." He looked back down at his best friend. "You do whatever you think 
is right."
     It is *your* wish, after all, Zipper's nod was slow and deliberate. Even if it 
is *our* lives.
     The housefly gently settled himself on the Dale's shoulder, looking down at 
Chip.
     Tham's jaw worked up and down. Finally, he turned his back on them, a single
tear escaping his eye. "I'm sorry," he whispered, then started to go into a 
ritualistic chant, grasping the hilt of the Time Blade firmly.
     "Hey Chip..." Dale said softly, seeing his friend stir a little in his arms.
"How are you doing?"
     "Dale?" Chip's voice was weak and raspy. "I... I think I'm going to sleep in
today... the cases at the station can wait a little bit..."
     "Yeah..." Dale laughed a little. "I've told you to start taking things easy."
     "Yeah..." Chip weakly smiled, still lost in his hallucination. "Just lie back
and relax... enjoy the moment..."
     "Yes..." Dale whispered, his eyes closed. "Because you never know when it'll
end."
     "No..." Chip replied. "You never do... thanks, Dale...."
     "Chip... you're my best friend."
     "Dale... you're an idiot sometimes, ...but you're my best friend, too."
     Dale hugged Chip tightly, barely able to feel the weak thudding of Chip's
poisoned heart.
     Tham completed his chant in a whispered fever, stating his wish.
     The bar gave way, and guards burst into the room.