::Soon the Goon Squad assembles outside the Opera House and Fat Cat comes to collect them::
Wart: Sorry, Fat Cat. Looks like we won't get any awards again.
::Fat Cat seemed jovial at the notion, which left them all speechless at first::
Fat Cat: Sorry? It couldn't have been more perfect if I'd planned it that way!
::Snout still secretly held out hope that his Snout+Gadget fanfic would pic up some award::
Mole: We're all going to get beaten up again, aren't we?
Mepps: What is your plan, boss? Better than last year's, I hope.
Wart: And the one the year before that.
Snout: And the one before that one.
Fat Cat: In fact, it is.
::He looked around, making sure they were alone::
Fat Cat: You see, I counted on your failing to procure the statues. I don't want them! But now, the Rangers will be guarding them all the more dutifully, while we go after our true target. And it's a lot more valuable.
Mole: Microsoft stock?
Wart: Conflict diamonds?
Snout: Blackmarket organ trafficking?
Mepps: Fish? Sorry, I'm kinda hungry.
Fat Cat: Nothing so common. Let's just say that our quarry was born of lightning and shines beautiful in the darkness. Now, let's go...
Monty: You'll have to explain it more than that, you furball-bearing feline!
::Monty stepped out from behind a trash can, where he'd heard all of Fat Cat's conversation::
Monty: Start talkin', cat, or I'll haveta take a whack at ya!
Mole: We're stealing Frankenstein?
FC: Shut up you idiot!
Wart: Boss, you do a good impression of that really, really fat mouse.
::Monty starts after them, but at a signal from Fat Cat the lot of them run off into the crowd. The Aussie tries to keep up, but soon he's surrounded by humans and the crooks are nowhere in sight. Frustrated, he returns to the Rangers backstage and reports in::
Cheddarhead: We can't let them yahoos run around our country like that! Let's break out some billy clubs, hunt 'em down and give' em what for!
Chip: Even when not after the awards he disrupts the ceremony. Okay, we need a plan of action.
Gadget: We catch them and rehabilitate them!
Dale: We make them read comic books with moral endings for a year!
Foxy: We could send them off to culinary school...
Chip: I was thinking more along the lines of a plan for capturing them.
Dale: We could call their moms and tell them they're being bad.
Dale: Oh. Well, I guess we need to figure out what they're after.
Monty: They said something about 'lightning' and 'dark'. And it sounded like whatever it was had to be real valuable.
Chip: Lightning and dark. Doesn't sound valuable to me. Cheddarhead, what's valuable around here that they'd want to steal?
Cheddarhead: Lots of artwork in the city, some jewelry shops. From that bilge, they could be after practically anything.
::As they talked, a mouse
representing the
Chip: It's got to be something nearby. But what?
Dale: Hey, maybe this! "Come by and see our selection of priceless black opals, dug from Lightning Ridge". What's a black opal?
Cheddarhead: A mighty rare stone, shines like a rainbow and worth a fortune.
Gadget: Technically, a rainbow doesn't shine, its light refracting off water in the atmosphere.
Chip: Let me see that brochure...it says the place is called Flame Opals and...wait, it's within shouting distance of the Opera House! That's got to be it! Way to go, Dale!
Dale: Borchure? Sure-bro!
::Dale began giggling. Chip took the lead as always::
Chip: We've got to hurry before Fat Cat pulls off one of the biggest jewelry robberies this country's ever seen! Rescue Rangers, away!
Cheddarhead: All right, time for some action at last!