Chained functions call independently and completely before returning to the next. The css function [0] operates on the "array" this returned by $ using an anonymous function [1] at a call site in the access function [1] [2]; access then returns the object formerly known as this [3]. Chain, rinse, and repeat to your heart's content.
[0] https://github.com/jquery/jquery/blob/master/src/css.js#L102
[1] https://github.com/jquery/jquery/blob/master/src/css.js#L103
[2] https://github.com/jquery/jquery/blob/master/src/core.js#L75...
[3] https://github.com/jquery/jquery/blob/master/src/core.js#L75...