After the chaos and crowds died down, Dale found herself in the middle of the dance floor, in Chip's arms. She looked up into Chip's eyes, and he looked down, into hers. Dale had never took the time to notice, but Chip was taller than her, now. Somehow, that made her want him even more. She was jarred out of her thoughts when she felt Chip move in a swaying motion, trying to take her with him- wanted to dance! Dale looked around, and saw that those who weren't already looking them were stealing long peaks- the guys, especially. Dale blushed and hid her face in Chip's chest.
“Chip,” she whispered. “Everyone's looking at us.”
“Let them,” Chip smiled. “You do look-” He caught himself before he said that final word. “Nice.”
“Nice,” Dale repeated, with a dejected look. “I look 'nice'?” That look told Chip immediately that he stepped in it.
“No, no,” Chip corrected himself. “I meant...” He paused as he tried to come up with the right word, but couldn't. Wonderful, Gorgeous, Beautiful. He blushed when he realized that they were all true, and then some. He looked back down at Dale and saw her eyes were as big and pouty; he knew he had to give her an answer and fast. Without any idea of what he was doing, Chip opened his mouth, in blurted out “Attractive!”
“You think I'm attractive,” Dale asked.
“Yeah,” Chip answered. “Very attractive. You're a … Very attractive female, Dale.”
“You mean it?”
“Mm-hm,” Chip smiled.
Dale was about respond, but the soft dancing music playing increased in tempo and volume, reminding her of her situation. She looked around and saw that many were still looking at them but others were starting to pay attention to their own dates. She looked back up at Chip, who only smiled at her and slowly started to move to the side, giving her a soft pull. Apprehensive, and self conscious, she went along with him. It only took a moment for her to figure out what he was doing. He was leading her. It never failed, Dale reflected to herself. Ever since they were kids, Chip had always done his best to pull Dale out of trouble- her fault or not. And today was no different.
“Chip,” Dale asked, suddenly.
“Hm,” Chip responded.
“Did you mean what you said,” Dale asked. “About You always being there for me?”
“Of course, I did,” Chip answered, as he pulled Dale in close to him and nuzzled her neck, getting a good whiff of the scent coming off of her. It was both strong and and soothing. He didn't know what it was, but he what he did know was that he suddenly didn't want to let Dale go. Dale gasped as a shiver ran down her body from the touch of Chip's nose to her neck. She looked at Chip and pecked him on the cheek.
Suddenly emboldened, Chip smiled as he took her into a moderately slow dance. Dale squeaked at the sudden pull, and was surprised she didn't fall over herself and Chip. She looked at Chip, who looked back at her, and smiled as to let her know he knew what he was doing and that all she had to do was trust him. So, she did. Each step and twirl Chip took, Dale gracefully followed- and all the while, Chip and Dale never once broke eye contact. As they went on, Dale started to get more comfortable, and started to enjoy herself, and before long, she was starting to get into it more than Chip. Finally, she was comfortable enough with the simple steps to take the lead.
All the while, Gadget sat at a nearby table, watching the two Chipmunks. She kept one paw over her drink and used the other one to shoo away the various males who wanted a stint with her. As much as she enjoyed her brief time with Dale, and the freedom it brought with it, it was obvious by looking at her that she's as happy as she'd ever be right there- in Chip's arms. While she couldn't put her finger on it, she had to admit that there was something relaxing to just set back and watch the girl she'd been waiting on her entire life dance the night away with her best male friend. Her thoughts were interrupted by Monterrey as he walked up to her, his face covered in cheese crumbs and a martini glass in his paw.
“Hey, Love,” he called.
Gadget looked over at Monterrey and and back over at Chip and Dale. “Oh,” she replied. “Hey, Monty.”
“You're not gonna get out there and cut a rug,” Motnerrey asked as he took his seat next to her.
Gadget shook her head. “No,” she sighed as her eyes followed the two chipmunks. “This was all for Dale, Monterrey. She's been through so much in so little time.” Monterrey nodded in agreement. “And,” Gadget continued. “Whenever she got back on her feet, something always seemed to knock her back down. I wouldn't be doing anyone any favors if I got in between them.” Again, Monterrey had to agree with her. “Besides,” she continued. “None of the girls here seem interested.”
Before Monterrey could reply to that, a mouse waitress came up to their table, brushing her tail against Gadget's. She jumped and looked around, and quickly locked eyes with the fleeting mouse waitress, making sure to study her. Her head fur was dark brown and her eyes were a fiery amber. Her fur was a dark caramel. She even had those cute buck teeth. She even had a little golden name tag that read “Trixie”. Trixie smiled at Gadget and winked as she went on her way.
Monterrey saw what had happened and smiled. That was the international mouse signal for “you, me, your room- tonight”. This was exactly Gadget was looking for. Gadget quickly excused herself as she went after the waitress. Monterrey just sat there, sipping his drink- his eyes shifting from Chip and Dale cutting a rug to Gadget flirting openly with a waitress.
“Geegaw,” he muttered to himself. “If only you could see her, Mate. She's downright beautiful, she is. And happy, too.” He gave a quick pause and held his drink up. “Here's to you, Geegaw.”
With that, he gulped his drink down. He was brought back from his thoughts as an applause rang through the dance floor. Monterrey looked up to see Chip and Dale in each other's arms waving to the crowd around them. He noticed that the crowds were parting as they left the floor and headed over towards Monterrey's table. He also noticed that the males and females of the crowds tried to flirt with Dale and Chip respectively, and the Chip and Dale kept each other's suitors at bay. But they relaxed as soon as they reached the table.
“Hey pallies,” Monterrey smiled. “That was some pretty good dancing you two did.”
“Thanks,” Dale replied, noticing Gadget's absence. “Uh, where's Gadget?”
“She found a Mouse that suited her fancy,” Monterrey answered.
“Good for her,” Chip nodded as he pulled out Dale's chair for her, then pushed her up into the table.
“So,” Monterrey asked. “How do you like this place, now that we're guests and all.”
“It's okay,” Dale answered.
Chip was about to answer, but a round of applause cut him off. All three of them turned around. They saw the crowd getting ready for a dance with a higher tempo. Two mice- male and female- scurried onto the stage as the spotlight shone down on them.
“All you cats don't sit and stare” the girl sang, swaying her hips. Swing those tails get out of those chairs.”
“Put down the milk,” and the male, sang. “Put down the juice. The lady mouse joined him Bird's gotta fly when we all cut loose!”
“So, baby, start jumpin,” the duet sang. Let's start stomping with with Big Fad Daddy C! It’s hot as a jalapeno, Fat Cat’s Casino. That’s the place to be! Do the Fat Cat Stomp with Big Fat Daddy C!”
Chip, Dale, Monterrey all looked at each other and smiled. That was the song Chip and Dale came up with on the fly, when the Rangers went to rescue Tammy and her baby sister, Binkie. While the mission itself was a flop, and they almost wound up vacuum packed into a tuna can, everything turned out alright. Although Gadget only caught the tail end of Chip and Dale's number, Chip, Dale and Monterrey decided to give her an encore- sans the dresses. They had NO idea that song made such an impression in on the night club. They had to admit, they made a pretty catchy song, as they couldn't help but to bop their heads to the beat.
“How very interesting,” rang a familiar voice.
The Rangers looked in the direction of the voice and saw Fat Cat and his queens, one in each arm.
“I seem to recall a VERY similar situation,” he smiled. Then, he took another look at them, and his smile faded.
“Is there a problem,” he asked.
“Why would you care,” Chip asked.
“Chip, was it,” Fat Cat answered. “I take my patrons' happiness and enjoyment very seriously, and that includes yours.” He paused. “Rescue Rangers, or not.” The Rangers looked at each other. That made sense; This was his business and customer satisfaction would have to be a must if it was this popular.
“So,” Fat Cat repeated himself. “What seems to be the problem?”
“No problem Fat Cat,” Chip answered. “It's just well...”
“It's just that we never took the time here to have fun,” Dale said. “It's always been- you know- Ranger stuff.”
“Hmm,” Fat Cat nodded, thoughtfully. “Well, I must admit, this has been quite unsettling for me as well. But I meant what I said, Rangers. The moment you set foot into my establishment, you become my customer, and are entitled to everything that entails.
“Really,” Dale asked, wide eyed. “So ANYONE can come here and have fun?”
“Big Daddy C's got a 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' thing going here,” Shimmer answered. “So yeah, anyone can have fun here.”
“So long as it’s ONLY fun,” Fat Cat stated. “The only reason I haven't dealt with you in my normal fashion is because you aren't here on some Ranger endeavor.”
“I wish we knew that last time we were here,” Dale thought out loud.
Fat Cat opened his mouth to reply to that, but but a sudden commotion cut him off. Everyone turned in the direction the noise was coming from, and saw Newt, Snout and Mepps trying to toss out a horribly roughed up Mole. Before anyone could say anything, Mole shook off his aggressors and ran, or rather limped, over to Fat Cat, and threw himself at his feet. Dale, both shaken from her most recent experience with him, and horrified at the bloody mess he'd become, backed away as far as she could while Chip extended his arm in front of her. Summer and Shimmer let go of Fat Cat's arms and stood behind him. Fat Cat simply looked down at him, then cast a glance at Newt, Snout and Mepps as they came running; they returned his glance with a shrug, but closer look showed they, too were roughed up, though not nearly as much as Mole was. Mole looked up at Fat Cat, and opened his mouth to speak, but was instantly cut off.
“No,” Fat Cat hissed as he reached down to grab Mole by his collar. He turned to his other henchmen. “You three! What is the meaning of this!? And one at a time!”
“Well, Boss,” Mepps, started, his usually droopy, lazy face, lit ablaze with a never before seen tranquil fury. “It started when we got done fixing each other up from earlier.” Fat Cat nodded for him to continue.
“We were talking about, just stuff,” Newt continued. “And when our wounds started to hurt, we started talking about ‘these guys,” He gestured at the Rangers. “And what they musta gone through to do this to us.”
“Then, We got to talking about what we thought you were gonna do,” Snout, finished, “and what we woulda done. But then Mole, here kept going back to the girl Ranger.”
“Did he now,” Fat Cat said, looking down at the nervous mole he was holding.
“Yeah,” Rat answered. “He kept talking about how he knew she wasn’t a guy.”
The Rangers looked at eachother, and then back at the rat. “How,” Dale asked.
“He kept saying ‘she didn’t smell like a guy’.”
“Well, she didn’t,” Mole pointed out.
“How natural her hair looked,”
“More natural than that wig she wore, last time.”
“And something about how she ‘felt like a girl’, or something.”
Hearing that, Dale reflectively covered her chest with her arms. No one at the table missed that. Mole knew he was done for when he felt all eyes fall on him.
“Yeah, that’s what we thought,” Snout said, looking at Dale. “But we didn’t know what he meant until he told us, he promised you some ‘fun’ at his place.”
“Yeah,” Dale replied, trying to keep her emotions calm. “He did.”
Mole whimpered as he felt the eyes already upon him burning into him. He knew he was in trouble. He looked up at Fat Cat, who was looking down at him. his face showed no emotion except for profound contempt, but his pupils were visibly constricted into slits. He looked grabbed Mole with one paw by his collar, his claws digging into him.
“Mole,” Fat Cat said.
“Y-yeah, Boss,” Mole replied, dreading what was coming next.
“You’re FIRED,” Fat Cat screeched before tossing mole to his remaining henchmen. “Get rid of this for me.”
“Sure thing, Boss, Snout sneered before he, Newt and Meps dragged Mole away.
As soon as his henchmen were out of sight, Fat Cat looked back at the Rangers. “Well, Look at that,” he smiled. I came to tell you we wouldn’t have enough rooms for all four of you, but it would seem that we do now.“ He paused and scanned the table. “Where’s your gadgeteer mouse?”
“Oh, She left to have some fun somewhere else,” Monterey answered.
Then, I do hope she enjoys herself,” Fat Cat thought out loud. “So on to you. Will you three be taking your keys?”
“Well,” Dale asked. “What are the rooms like?”
“Three are typical rooms,” Fat Cat answered. “The most recent opening, which is being cleaned right now, is a luxury suite.”
“But that would mean-” Chip replied
“Yes,” Fat Cat answered. “All of my henchmen get luxury suites. I may not seem the type, but I always treat my employees well- inept or not. So, which of you wants the Luxury Room?”
Dale was curious to see what the rooms looked like. As she thought about it, she still couldn’t escape the fact that she was going to spend the night at Fat Cat’s Casino, and she didn’t want to do it alone. She knew what Monterrey meant when he said Gadget left to have some fun, and she couldn’t ask to share a bed w/ Monterrey. She smiled as she realized that only one option remained- one very preferable option. She looked at Chip, who was still thinking. Before she could let herself chicken out, she reached for a key.
“Chip and I will take the suite,” she said quickly.
Chip and looked Dale, and only got a smile. He looked at Monterrey who gave him an approving nod. Chip was, to say the least, caught off guard by this. He had always shared a room with Dale, but they’d always had their own beds. He doubted that such hotel rooms would have separate beds, and was immediately aware of the intimacy that implied; he was sure Dale knew too. Though, it was possible she just assumed they had two separate beds. But, why would she ask for them to share what could be a single bed room? Unless... His eyes widened as the sudden revelation hit him. When he looked back at Dale, she was already holding an expensive looking key, with an ecstatic smile on her face.
“So that leaves you with, this one,” Fat Cat said, handing Monterrey his room key. “I believe your Mouse friend has already acquired accommodations for the night.”
Dale and Monterey thanked Fat Cat, who nodded, and left with his queens in hand.
So, Chip smiled awkwardly. It looks like we’ll be sharing a room, Dale.
Yeah, Dale smiled, as she leaned against Chip. You wanna go see what they’re like?
N-nah, Chip responded, blushing as his eyes darted away.
Aww, but I really wanna see what they look like, Dale pouted playfully.
Chip tried to think of something else they could do, but couldn’t. He hung his head, and sighed.
Well, I guess it-”
Chip was cut off as Dale wrapped her arms around his and ran off, pulling him with her, and giggle the whole way.
