The Great Mouse Detective X OC

Taking the Case

Back at Baker Street, Basil paced back and forth as he listened to Olivia recount the events of the night her father was taken. Dawson stood nearby the young mousling, squeezing her shoulders for comfort. Meanwhile, Lena listened silently, taking in every detail she could.

"This case is most intriguing with its multiplicity of elements...its many twists and turns." Basil muttered to himself, pipe in hand as he turned to face Olivia. "Now, you're certain you've told me everything? The slightest detail may be important."

"It's just as I said. And then my father was gone."

Basil thoughtfully puffed at his pipe as Dawson asked, "What do you make of it?"

Once again, Basil began to pace, Olivia following along as he proclaimed, "Ratigan's up to something."

"Well of course he is up to something." Lena interjected, her tone sour at the very mention of that horrid rat's name. "A crime of the most sinister nature no doubt. This is Ratigan we're talking about after all." 

"I am not disagreeing with you, Lena. That man hasn't an honourable bone in his entire body."

"Detective Ashwyn to you!"

"The question is..." Basil paused, ignoring Lena's comment. "What would he want with a toy maker?"

The question perplexed both detectives. Ratigan was a mastermind at both planning and strategy. He could come up with the most genius yet nefarious schemes known to mousekind when given the chance to do so. However, the inclusion of a toy maker did leave them pondering. What would he need a toy maker for?

Just as Lena looked over to Olivia with pity in her eyes, a flash of lightning appeared, illuminating everything outside the window behind her. And, what both her and Lena saw made them freeze. It was the peg-legged bat himself - Fidget.

Olivia screamed in fear at the sight of him, making him falter and fall from where he was hanging, and rushed away. Both Lena and Basil sprang into action, Lena grabbing her gun from inside her coat as Basil rushed outside.

"Quickly Dawson, Lena, we've not a moment to lose!" Basil exclaimed.

"Uh, uh I'm right behind you, Basil." Dawson quickly replied.

They made it outside, Basil looking all around them as Lena held out her gun for any sign of the troublesome nitwit. But they were too late, he was already gone. 

Dawson had just come stumbling out of Basil's house as he pointed out, "No sign of the blackguard anywhere."

Basil smirked as the words left the doctor's mouth as he looked to the ground. Lena followed his gaze, noticing some interesting muddy footprints. "Not quite, Dawson. He left some rather unusual footprints." Basil got down on his hands and knees to have a closer examination of the footprints. "They obviously belong to the same fiend who abducted the girl's father - Ratigan's peg-legged lackey."

Lena gruffly pocketed her gun, not happy that Fidget got away. However, her mood lifted as Dawson pointed to something on the floor near the footprints. It was Fidget's hat

"Uh...Basil? Miss Ashwyn?" He stuttered as Lena bent down to grab the item.

"It's Fidget's hat. Maybe we can- " 

Lena's words got cut off as Basil, in his excitement, snatched it out of her hands. Lena could barely blink as he rushed back inside, exclaiming, "Ah-ha! Excellent work. Ha, ha, ha!" 

Clenching her fists, Lena could barely contain her annoyance as her face started to turn red. Dawson placed a comforting hand on her shoulder but she didn't really pay attention to it as she began to storm back over to Basil's house, Dawson stumbling behind her.

"That's the amazing  Basil of Baker Street. The soon-to-be strangled to death Basil of Baker Street."

As they re-enter, Mrs Judson was comforting a slightly worried Olivia as Dawson said, "The scoundrel's quite gone."

"Ha-ha! But not for long, Miss Flamhammer." Basil proudly stated as he threw off his robe and began to get ready to leave.

"Flaversham!" Olivia corrected him once more.

"Whatever. Now, we simply pursue our peg-legged friend until he leads us to the girl's father."

A giant smile appeared on the young girl's face as she wrapped her arms tightly around Basil's legs. "Then you'll get my daddy back?"

"Yes." Basil huffed as he struggled but soon managed to pull Olivia off of him while Lena smiled at the scene. "And quite soon, if I'm not mistaken. Now, hurry along, Dawson. We must be off to...Toby's."

But, at the mention of Toby, Lena's smile faltered and was soon replaced by a look of disbelief and dread. "Toby's..."

"Toby's?" Dawson questioned.

"Oh, you must meet him. He's just the chap for this." Basil mused much to Lena's dismay.

"Yeah, he's a real delight." She muttered sarcastically.

"You-you want me to come?" Dawson asked, not hearing Lena's hesitance to go.

"Ha! I should think a stouthearted army mouse like you would leap at the chance for adventure."

"Well, heh, heh. I am rather curious."

As the two men excitedly prepared to leave, Lena unwilling began to make her way out as well but was stopped by Olivia shouting out, "Wait for me! I'm coming too!"

As she rushed to join them, she seized her hat and scarf, accidentally knocking over Basil's violin in the process. His eyes widened and he was quick to dive down and grab it. But, he felt something else in his hands as well and, as he looked across from him, Lena was right there in front of him - having also dived down to catch his precious instrument. 

If there was one thing that Basil cherished more than anything, it was his violin. Lena never really understood his dedication to the instrument nor did she really care. However, she had to admit, it was somewhat pleasant to see him care about something other than himself or his work. It showed a different side to him, one not many had the chance to see. And, as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't want that side of him to disappear.

Basil was silent for a moment, half due to amazement and the other half due to shock, as he breathed out, "L-Lena, I cannot thank you enough."

The sweet moment soon ended as a glare overtook Lena's face. "It's Detective Ashwyn!"

Both got off the floor as Lena gruffly stomped away from him. Basil didn't really know what to say as Lena had never done something that nice for him before. But, as his eyes travelled down to Olivia, those thoughts were put on hold as he slightly glared down at her.

"You are certainly not coming with us! This is no business for children." 

As he carefully set the violin back on the chair, he groaned as he noticed Olivia wasn't paying attention, instead stuffing some cheese crumpets in her pockets. "Are we going to take a cab?"

Basil sighed as he took Olivia's hands in his own and, in a slightly annoyed tone, began to explain to her, "My dear, I don't think you understand. It will be quite dangerous." 

Lena's eyes widened as she noticed Basil was about to sit on his violin. She rushed over and managed to save it - again - just in time. Basil's eyes widened as he turned to see her place it on a nearby table, making sure it wouldn't be crushed again.

"I think the only thing in danger is your violin, Basil."

Her smug words hit a nerve and, unable to rebuttal her remark, he instead put all his attention on Olivia once more. "Young lady, you are most definitely not accompanying us. And that is final!"