All Smiles in the Darkness
By RedSwift
Chapter 2
While Dale was exploring his musical roots, Chip was rooting around the city’s underbelly. Looking like a petty thug in jeans and white sleeveless shirt, he met with his various contacts around the city, asking about Smiles and Runt. Runt seemed well known; he had been a small time hood for a long time, freelancing here and there, but mostly filling in places big timers like Rat Capone and Fat Cat missed.
Smiles was a totally different story. Either no one knew of him, or he was portrayed as a mysterious figure with tremendous potential. Chip now had himself a good mystery to solve, and kept up his search.
Several hours later, after numerous futile leads, Chip was starting to head towards home. As he walked down the dirty street, a female voice came from an alley next to him.
“You lookin’ for a good time? I’ve got what you need right here,” she said, holding up a bag of powder.
Looking up and down her face, which was lined with years of substance abuse and missing teeth, he frowned and started off again.
“Hey, this is good stuff, from Smiles himself,” she pleaded.
At the mention of that name, Chip whirled around and tried to act cool, “How can I be sure of the quality of his stuff?” he inquired innocently.
“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of Smiles before.”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Well, he’s got this nice biz set up, bringing in all kinds of illegal stuff, stuff like this and much much more,” she responded, pointing out the bag in her hand.
Getting all he thought he could from her, “That’s not really my thing, so g’bye,” he quickly put in be fore sprinting off towards home.
Upon entering the front door, Chip found no one in the front room. He heard banging coming from Gadget’s workshop, and bass playing from his and Dale’s room. He barged into the room, “What do you think you’re doing?” he yelled at Dale.
His entrance startled Foxy and made her jump and hit the bottom of Dale’s bunk where she’d been laying on Chip’s bed. “ I was only laying on your bed, listening to Dale, I didn’t think you’d mind,” she stammered.
“Not you Foxy, I mean blockhead here,” Chip yelled, pointing at Dale.
“You can’t call my cutie that,” she yelled, getting up off the bed and eying daggers at the chipmunk.
Seeing how he was hurting her feelings, Chip relented, “OK Foxy, I’ll be nice to him, but I need to talk to him in private for a minute.”
“OK, I guess, but no bonking him, OK?”
Chip nodded an affirmative, and Foxy walked out. “And no listening in,” he yelled after her.
Dale had spent the whole conversation looking dumbstruck. This wasn’t like Chip. Foxy, yes. She was always trying to protect him, treating me like a little kid sometimes, like everyone else. He let his anger simmer down, however, and stared at Chip, letting him open the conversation.
Chip was quick to notice this, sighed and looked at Dale, “Dale, I thought we both had agreed that this part of our past wouldn’t come up again.”
“And my wanting to play again brings that up how?”
“It brings up everything from that little club back to me, and I’d prefer to leave it in the past.”
“Well, I won’t stop. You never realized how much I enjoyed what we did then, being on stage and playing, that was a rush for me, you just never saw it.”
“Dale, it really hurts me to ask you to do this, but for me, will you let it drop?”
“No.”
“What did you say?”
“No, I won’t do it Chip.” Thinking his previous thoughts on how he was treated, “I’m tired of you treating me like an inferior, Chip. I think I can decide what I want and don’t want to do. Learn to deal with it.”
Chip was flabbergasted by this. He had expected Dale to give in, and couldn’t think of anything to say. Taking advantage of Chip’s silence, Dale spoke up, “Chip, I know this brings up bad memories for you, but can’t you just see that it brings me happiness and look over everything else, please?” he said, giving Chip an innocent look.
“Well, OK, I guess it doesn’t hurt anyone else. Go collect up everyone, I need to let you guys know what I found today.”
“Not another case, is it?” Dale groans.
“Yes it is, and don’t complain, this one may have a bunch of work ahead of us in a few weeks, so buck up,” and with that he walked out of the room.
Dale stared after him, burning a hole in the door after Chip. *I’m tired of being treated like a child, and that good for nothing “friend” of mine is always quick to put me down. I know everyone does, but Chip does it constantly.*
Seeing Chip leave, Foxglove slipped back into the room, looking sorrowfully at Dale, seeing the hate in his eyes. She walked over to him and put her wing on his shoulder. “What’s wrong cutie?” she whispered.
“Just leave me alone for awhile, OK Foxy, Dale mumbled, “and do me a favor and gather everyone and meet in the main room, Chip wants to talk to us.” And with that, he climbed up to his bed and flopped himself down and got lost in his thoughts.
Though it pained her, Foxglove left the room to do as Dale had requested.
When Chip came to the main room, he was surprised to see only Foxglove and Gadget. “Where’s everyone else?” he queried.
“Well, Monty and Zipper went to the docks for a cheese shipment, and Dale is brooding in his room,” Foxglove icily replied. *Come to think of it, Gadget seems unhappy too,* looking into her eyes, he saw her accusing him in her mind. *I think the girls did some talking. Boy, its gonna be a long night.*
“May as well let you two know, I’ve discovered Runt is probably working for this Smiles in some way. Word on the street is that Smiles is into drugs on some level, though he’s a new player on the scene. I would’ve liked to get some planning done tonight, but it looks like it’ll have to wait ‘til tomorrow. Any thoughts or ideas?”
Both females shook their heads, as everyone was about to get up to go their own ways, Dale emerged and sat on the couch. As everyone left the room, he stood up and went to the phone, taking out Darice’s phone number, “Yes, is Darice there… Oh, hi Darice, its Dale…Yeah, I decided I’d come over some time and watch you guys a few times…Tomorrow, well that’s fine, just give me directions,” as he jotted down the address, he finished, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” *Click*
Foxglove was in the room she shared with Gadget, hanging on her perch, when she could hear her cutie’s voice clear as a bell in a conversation. After she heard a little bit, she realized he was on the phone. After hearing the conversation, she thought to herself *Another female. Granted, its just a meeting, but I’d better go and check into it tomorrow, I’ll just follow and keep an eye on him* And with that she drifted off to sleep.
Disclaimer: The Rangers, Foxglove, Fat Cat, Rat Capone, and Shureluck
Jones are Copyright Disney. Used without permission but with the utmost respect.
Darice , Runt, and Smiles are figments of my imagination trying to get out.
You may post this story in any way, so long as you don’t modify my words
or gain profit from it. (Boy, isn’t all this legal mumbo jumbo fun?)