Ghosts from the Past

by Toona

translated by Aivars "Aiva" Liepa



     All used personages except Miki and Violet  are  (c)  The
Walt Disney  Company and are used here without their permissi-
on. Miki and Violet are (c) Vlad.
     This text  may  be  freely distributed (but not modified)
only if there is no commercial gain acquired  by  it.  If  you
plan  to place it somewhere on the net,  please let me know at
toona@chat.ru
     This translation  done  for  the  pure  enjoyment of Eng-
lish-speaking fans by Aivars Liepa.
     Great thanks  goes to Karen 'Kat' Mollet for proofreading
and error corrections.


* * * Scene: Outside Rescue Ranger's headquarters. The carrier pigeon has just landed, and is knocking at the doors. Pigeon: You have a mail. Dale: Thank you. Chip, look! Chip: A letter? From whom it is? Dale places the letter on the table in main room. Dale: It's for Gadget. Gadget: For me? Chip: Who would write to you, Gadget? Gadget: I don't know... Gadget studies the stamp on the cover. Gadget: ...Ah, this must come from my brother. Chip: You never said anything about your brother! Monty: Let me explain, Chip. Gadget has some relatives. They only rarely meet. Chip: Why? Gadget: Well... I... we... Well, you know, how it hap- pens... They... Monty: They had some disagreements in the past. Dale: Gadget, look! There's a postcard and some tree le- af. Gadget: Give them to me! Gosh, Miki, what happened? Monty: We are Rescue Rangers, Gadget! Chip, Dale, we have a job to do! Dale: Hurrah! Gadget: Thank you, boys. Chip: How many more unmentioned relatives does Gadget ha- ve, Monty? Monty : I will tell you sometime - later. It's a lo-o-ong story. * * * RangerWing is zooming over the Great Canyon (for those who don't know where it is, its on the river Colorado river). Gadget is driving. Dale hangs over the bort, peering around. On other side Chip is using pair of chipmunk-sized binoculars for same purpose. The canyon walls speed past them, as they descend. Far below is the river. Dale: Exactly like on the postcard. Gadget: There's his house! Into one of the cliffs approximately at the middle can be spotted an opening, with the wide carnize before it. Chip: So high up? Gadget, you sure there isn't some more 'safe' way in? Gadget: Why, no, Chip. When dad and I came here, we alwa- ys flew in. Monty: Geegaw didn't like walking on the ground. Dale: They have a bridge there too! As the plane closes in, more details can be spotted, inc- luding fragile-looking rope bridge hugging the canyon wall. Gadget: That's a salesman trap. Dale: What??! There too?!! Chip: Thus the house on the canyon wall too? Gadget: My dad... he loved to be alone... Miki went after him. Dale (silently): Only Miki? Gadget lands the plane on the carnize. * * * All rangers are standing on the carnize, in front of the big wooden doors. They have a peeping hole, currently closed from inside. Chip knocks a few times. Silence. Dale turns aro- und and starts kick door with his foot. (NOTE) Miki (without opening doors, into angry voice): Whoa, whoa! Get the drum, if want to make noise! Get lost, before I get angry and come out! Gadget: It's me, Miki. Door immediately opens. Miki (into friendly voice): Hi sis! A, hello, Monty, long time no see. Come in... Miki notices Chip and Dale. Miki (unfriendly): And what is this? I hate surprises! Chip: We are Rescue Rangers and came to help you. Gadget is our friend... Dale: ...and a Ranger too. Miki: And which of you oak-heads stomped at my doors? Chip gives angry stare at Dale. Dale (at loss): Ee... That... is... Gadget: They can be trusted, Miki. Zipper zooms in. Miki's eyebrows rise. Miki: How long I can repeat - no flies in MY house!!! Miki catches a fly swatter from where it is hanging into the corner, and makes a mighty swing. Zipper squeaks and quic- kly hides behind Monty. Gadget: Miki, don't! Miki, its Zipper! Miki (unsure): What? He - too? Monty: Yes, this boy is a Ranger too. Chip: Well, what happened here? Miki: Well... Monty, do you remember that time at Zanzi- bar? Monty: O that can't be forgotten in a thousand years. Miki: Well, when after that 'fun-time' dad came home, he said, that he had by accident released 'The Ghost of Green Crystal'. He managed to escape it, however. Gadget: And thus he moved me from here? Miki: Yes, sister. He was afraid for you. Gadget: But why you called now? That happened a long time ago... Miki: Afraid, it isn't true anymore. The Ghost is still around, looking for dad. When I was returning from the Natio- nal Park some days ago, he nearly caught me. I suspect he is trailing me. Gadget: Gosh, that's horrible! * * * A room in a cave. The walls form a half-circle, there are many bookshelves and cupboards, all loaded with the books. Between them there is a two divans. Into the center of room stands small working table and chair. There are three visible doors - one into the straight wall, and two into the curved wall. Chip, Dale and Monty are sitting on one of divans near the left door. Zipper perks on Monty's shoulder. Dale: What they can talk about in there? Monty: Don't ask me. I never could understand this fami- ly. Chip: Gadget kept a secret from us. She doesn't trust to us any more? Monty: Chip, she had a terrible childhood. Chip: Terrible? She never told about it. Monty: About such a thing don't talk casually. * * * Monty's story. Monty's voice (behind the scene) makes comments, while old black-and-white movie (including the tears and spots in the reel) unfolds, containing the captions of the most fateful and important moments of the past. Monty: She grew up in the grain warehouse. One could say, it may mean safe living, but it wasn't. Every night the cats came hunting into the building. Every day, one or two mice we- re missing. They were dying from hunger, while the cats walked over their food. The warehouse from mice POV. Mice sit into the wall cracks. Mothers hold kids close to them. Night. Some mouse has dared to exit the safety, and cats hunt it down. Screams. Ca- mera zooms on the one of the cracks, where small and crying Gadget is hugging her mom. Her brother is sitting at the ent- rance, carefully listening to the sounds from outside. Monty: Once Geegaw met with the rat named Daedal. Daedal showed him how to build an airplane. They built one (and Gad- get was helping them) and planned to fly away... Arrival of Daedal. His plane had crash-landed on the wa- rehouse roof, and cats finish the remains, while the pilot es- capes into same crack, Gadget's family is living. Daedal and Geegaw are building a new plane. Gadget pulls a small bolt to it. The plane ready, they run to it to fly away... Monty: ...but Gadget's mom, Violet... She died into the attempt... Plane starts rise, with a few cats in hot pursuit. One jumps and manages to catch Violet's tail. She is jerked out from the plane and screaming falls down toward the more cats looking up from the floor. Close-up on her face, as she falls... Plane breaks the glass window and escapes warehou- se... Monty: They went away from the city, to live here, into the mountains... The plane is flying over the mountains. Gadget is sitting on the back seat, crying. Gadget (entering room, into sad voice): ...to find the peace at last. Chip: Gadget, why'd you never tell us about this? Gadget: I don't like to remember that. But there I lear- ned all mechanics. Miki: She's the most talented kid in our family. Gadget: Miki! (Blushes madly) Don't over-exaggerate! Monty: There is nothing to be ashamed of, Gadget. Dale: Hey! Look at Zipper! Zipper in horror is making some gestures. Rangers turn toward where he is pointing and on their faces too appear exp- ressions of fear. Into room stands a transparent green ghost. * * * Miki stands in front of his sister. Chipmunks and Monty step in from of them both. Ghost: I want my crystal. Miki: We don't have it. Ghost: Geegaw Hackwrench stole it from me. Miki: He was forced to! Ghost: I don't want to kill you. But I would, if I don't get the crystal back. I will haunt you until you will return it to me, thieves. Ghost turns, and halfway hides into the wall. Miki: Hey! You! Ghost: What do you want, son of a thief? Miki: I understood correctly, that if you get the crys- tal, you would leave us in peace? Ghost: I want my crystal. Miki: Well, give us some time... Ghost: Three days. Three days and if I won't see my crys- tal, she dies. Ghost points at Gadget. Gadget gasps in horror. Ghost steps through the wall and appears into the hallway. Monty runs after him. Chip and Dale follow him. Monty: Wait! Ghost, now near outside cave, stops and turns again. Monty: Geegaw Hackwrench didn't say anything to his children! He just disappeared! Ghost: I thought he had the crystal. But it wasn't with him. Monty: You killed him! Ghost: He was just a thief. Ghost disappears. Chip: We will find the crystal. Dale: Yes, we will find it! We won't let him have our Gadget! Chip and Dale (in chorus): Rescue Rangers, Away! Miki (runs out from the room into hallway): Help! Gadget! Something is happening to her! All run back into the library. Gadget lies on the floor, fainted. * * * The hallway. All rangers, except Gadget, are here. One door is half-open. Through it can be heard weak Gadget's voi- ce. Gadget: Leave me alone, Miki. Please? Miki comes out, closes the door and sits down near it, hugging his knees with hands. Chip: Miki... Your dad did say something about where he went or about the crystal? Miki: No... He only said, that a mad inventor forced him... Chip: Per chance, wasn't that inventor Norton Nimnul? Miki: He didn't tell me a name. He didn't tell me where he was going, too. He just told me that millions that may die if he doesn't go. He left together with Gadget, and I didn't see him anymore... Dale: Let's visit Nimnul, Chip! How many mad inventors may be there? Chip: And what if it wasn't Nimnul? We would lose a day, and we have only three! Monty: Besides, who will stay and guard Gadget? Door opens. Gadget is standing, weak smile on face. Gadget: It's ok, Monty. My head just rolled for a moment. Miki, dad's papers may have some hints... Miki: His cabinet stayed locked as he left it. I didn't open it. Gadget: Then now is time to do it. * * * Gadget crawls out from the insides of the big airplane - not RangerWing. Zipper carries to her an old rag, and she wi- pes her oiled hands into it. Gadget: Thanks, Zipper. (turns to the others) I checked the tanks. There should be enough gasoline for a twenty-four hours of a flight. Chip: Thanks, Gadget. You coming, Miki? Miki: What a question! She's my sister! Miki places a paw on Gadget's shoulder. Gadget press clo- ser to him, grateful. Miki: Besides, it's dad's plane. Dale is inspecting the plane. Sniffs, makes a face, and checks under the back seat. After some o-ohs and a-ahs pulls out a moldy piece of cheese - possibly old Monty 'last secret reserve'. Smells it; turns a shade of green like the cheese and throws it toward the canyon. Same moment the smell has re- ached Monty's nose. Monty: C-C-CH-CHEE-S-SS-SE! Monty launches after the piece of cheese into perfect cheese-craziness. Miki: What? He didn't go to the psychiatrist after all!!! The cheese piece is flying over the carnize, and Monty is after it, not looking where he is going. He trips over the ro- pe that holds plane on the 'launching pad' and it too starts slide down. Dale jumps out from the plane, stands into Monty's way. Dale (trying to stop Monty and failing): CHIIPP!!! Chip (holding into Monty's jacket, and still being pulled forward): Monty, no! Miki, do something! Miki joins the pile and makes a hard hook on the Monty's nose. Monty (snaps out of craziness, holding the nose): Aaaaa! All group is looking at Monty in anger. Zipper fast squ- eaks something, hanging in front of Monty. Monty: Sorry, pals... Miki (boiling in anger): One time you will get killed due cheese! As if ONE Zanzibar wasn't enough! Gadget: Monty, cant you control yourself? Monty: I swear, no cheese before this all ends! * * * Ranger Plane is flying over New York. Monty is reading the old notebook. Monty: So Geegaw died while returning home... Chip (looks over Monty's shoulder): ...after giving green crystal to the Nimnul. Nimnul was threatening to kill all ro- dents of New York, if he don't. Miki: What a creep! Gadget (checks map): If we can judge from this, we are near here... Dale (points ahead): It's Nimnul's lab! * * * Inside Nimnul's lab. There already are visible signs of damage - broken lab glass, turned over chairs, scattered pa- pers. On the top of high cupboard had landed the plane, ran- gers flew. The window spots a cutout circle into glass. Into center of room with some gun into hands stands Nimnul, looking for victims. Nimnul: Darn rodents! From you even ashes won't be left over, when I catch you! Miki: Better say, why you set up Geegaw Hackwrench! Nimnul: That sentimental idiot? Nimnul press the gun, Rangers scatter, and the lightning bolt only sings a part of carpet. Miki, Monty and Chip give carpet a good pull, and Nimnul falls over. Monty runs over and pulls the fallen gun under stack of cages with rodents. Gadget loads the catapult, aiming at the lab table, considering hit- ting the reagents on it. Nimnul notices that. Nimnul: NO!! NOT THE TABLE!! You don't dare! It's unique reactive! It's my Nobel premium! It's a revolution in bioche- mistry! Miki: All for a price of a few dead mice, right? Nimnul: I hate rodents!!! Gadget shoots from the catapult. Shatters glass colbes and tubes. Some plastic one-time-use needle falls down. Miki raises it like a pike, and aims at Nimnul's neck. Nimnul gulps. Suddenly the ghost sails in through the wall and catches Gadget by tail. Nimnul: My G-d, again that monster! Gadget swings into air. Gadget: Miki! Chip! Friends! Gadget tries to catch and bite into Ghosts hand, but her paws just pass through it. Gadget (hopeless): HELP! Others notice what is happening, and gasp. Ghost disappe- ars together with Gadget. Chip and Dale had launched themsel- ves at it, and now slow down, being at loss where they went. Zipper had speed up too much and after passing place where ghost had been moments ago, hits the wall and slides down, do- zen of small stars circling his head. Miki (needle touching Nimnul's neck): Where did he carry her? * * * Sky over the city. Ghost (to the shocked Gadget): You won't feel anything. Gadget is tied with self-moving ghostly-transparent vio- let band. * * * Nimnul's lab. Rangers are standing at the safe. Monty is rolling the key wheel, while Zipper is listening at keyhole. Chip and Dale hold rope tied to the handle. Nimnul is still lying down, Miki holding needle at his throat. At last Zipper gives nod. Chipmunks pull; there is click, and safe opens. In- side, into glass case, softly glows emerald green crystal. Monty: Just like at Monte-Carlo cheese banks. Dale: How beautiful! Nimnul (through clenched teeth): I will kill you all! Miki: Quick! Get it and lets get out of there, we have to save Gadget! Monty nods, picks up screwdriver and smashes the glass case. Chip and Dale grab the gem and start toward the lab do- ors, Zipper scouting ahead. Monty wants to follow but Miki stops him. Miki: Can you hit the fuse box with the point of a screwdriver? Monty: Yes, why? Miki: If you are Rescue Rangers, how about rescuing some prisoners? Monty (grins): Ah! Sure! The screwdriver lands into fuse-box, from it appears fo- untain of sparks. Laboratory lights turn off, and all electric cage locks too. Mice and rats with cheers start pour out. Miki drops the needle and runs after his friends. Nimnul jumps to his feet, and in shock tries to place runaways back into the cages, but they escape his grasp. Nimnul launches after another mouse, slips and lands on the table. The few still intact tubes shatter, and the liquids mess together. Mouse slides into the pool, raising a cloud of mist. Nimnul stretches hands, his fingers had near caught the darn tail, but at this moment the mist hits him into face and part also gets into wide opened mouth... The genius, still half-lying on the table, freezes and instinctively gulps. Mouse runs away, but Nimnul turns shade of gray and starts to reduce in size... Nimnul disappears under the pile of clothes. The pile wriggles a bit, then from under it crawls out a Nimnul-like rat into glasses, shakes his fists and opens mouth. Then noti- ces his nudeness - and hides back under the clothes. The chaos into the laboratory suddenly had stopped. Mice and rats whisper, then slowly start to advance on the table. Nimnul peers from under the clothes and sees that he is surro- unded by circle of mice and rats, hands formed into fists and evil grins on their faces. He gulps and hisses at them. Some of ex-prisoners had already climbed upon the pile of clothes behind his back. Nimnul looks around and start to shake. The circle pulls closer, till over the poor inventor falls the mustached shadows of the avengers. He closes his eyes with paws. One rat looks at shaking Nimnul, then turns his head at the nearby standing machine for the mice reflex testing - the one with the feeder and electric shock casing built into floo- r... * * * Big cave with the stalactites and stalagmites. From so- mewhere high up falls a tight beam of light. On the center of the cave, on a big slate of rock lighted by that beam, the Ghost is placing down tied Gadget. He raises his hand. Miki: Stop! Chip: Release Gadget! Ghost: I want my crystal. Miki: There is your damned crystal, darn ghost! Miki throws the crystal at ghost. The gem passes through the ghost and disappears. Part of cave wall slides away and ghost disappears through it. Along with him disappear the ties that bind Gadget. She jumps down and hugs her brother. Dale looks at the wall. Dale: That darn ghost went away. Monty is checking the wall, trying to find a way to get in. Monty: Does he live in there? Gadget: Yes, and I hope he wont come out again. Miki: I'm sure, he won't, Gadget. Gadget: It won't return daddy... Gadget starts to cry silently. Dale notices this and 'steam rises'. Dale: Chip! Lets blow up this cave! Then he sure won't crawl out and ruin any more lives! Chip: Blow up? You sure it would stop him? Chip looks and Dale, then at Gadget, and last at Monty. Chip: What you say, Monty? Monty surveys the cave, the walls and ceiling. Monty: It may be possible. If we place dynamite here and there... Miki: Monty, stop. He won't attack anyone anymore. Monty: How you know that? Miki: He is guarding the Crystal. That's all he does. Dale: It's all Nimnul's fault! Chip: Well, I don't think he would get his Nobel's prize. He would better start look for money to repair his lab. Monty: Yes, and answer some police questions. * * * Nimnul's lab, even more damaged than in any episode befo- re - and this time nearly anything also has teeth marks. On the table, the fallen test tubes, pencil stacks and other trash had been formed into irregular circle. Many mice and rats are sitting or lying on them, having some cheese or bread for snacks. The tape-recorder nearby is playing circus march. Into the center of circle stands open cage with squirrel's wheel. Near wheel entrance stands tall rat, dressed into cir- cus liontamer uniform, a whip into paws. Once in a while he uses whip to hurry gasping Nimnul running the wheel. Nimnul wears something resembling a clown dress. At last Nimnul has enough and falls out the wheel, rolls over the cage and falls out on the table. He stays down, gas- ping for breath. The tamer bows to the public, accepting app- lause, catches a flower bouquet, then grabs Nimnul by collar and pulls back into cage. Sound of liquid flopping out from turned over bottle. Camera slides down, to show a fat mouse slurping some co- lorless liquid from the mensure. Mouse falls down on his tail and rudely hick's. Nearby already are lying few more 'satisfi- ed' ones. * * * Rangers are standing on the carnise near the entrance to the cave. The view on the Great Canyon into red rays of sun- set. Far below speeds river. Gadget: Gosh, friends, I'm so happy that it ended. Miki: Me too, sis. They all are looking toward the sunset. There are tears into Gadget's eyes. Wind is pulling her hair. Camera focuses on Gadget (like into the intro of Japanese anime serial 'Can- dy-Candy'). Miki: Don't cry. Dad gave his life for all of us. Monty (sniffing air): And now, friends, isn't it time for us to go to home too? I have acquired a terrible lounging for cheese! Chip (scolding): Monty! * * * The dinner room (or is it kitchen) into Miki's house. Rangers are sitting behind the table loaded with the food. But Monty is nowhere to be seen. Dale with loud chaffing finishes a cut of pizza, ignoring Chip's angry stare. Dale: Any more pizza? Chip: Dale, you already ate enough for two! Dale (whines): But I want more! Chip: You forgot that we are guests here? Dale (unsure): E...mm... Can I please have one more piz- za, Gadget? Gadget: Sure, Dale. Only don't overeat. Chip (ironically): Yes. Not so far to walk for a perfect example. Miki: Don't worry about food, I have more. Chip: Miki, did you check Monty? Is he feeling better? He promised to tell us about Gadget's relatives. Miki: No, he still is 'relaxing'. And about our family... you know, it sure is better for him to tell. He knows much, and after all (parodying Monty at the begin of story) it's a lo-o-ong story. Chip suspiciously eyes Miki and Gadget, then Dale. Dale (mouth full with pizza) shrugs. Chip sights, supports his head on one paw, fingers of other drumming on the table impatient- ly. Gadget: I told Monty not to eat all at once, but he... Gadget too looks at the door to the corridor. Miki: He was that way as far as I remember him, sis. Gadget smiles to brother. * * * The sleeping room. The bed is bent so that the middle ne- ar touches floor. Monty with the stomach like a ball softly whines. Zipper sights hopelessly, changes a wet rag over Mon- ty's forehead and shrugs shoulders toward the camera. Iris out.
NOTE. There is a very similar scene into the Russian version of animation film about the Vinny The Pooh - very cool anima- tion, considered near classic, between. Pooh knocks, then turns and feet-hammers Rabbit's door, like Dale does in story. Miki's response is near exact one Rabbit gives to Pooh.

© Toona
04.02.1997, Reworked - June 1998, Translated - September 1999