The Great Mouse Detective (Basil X Jamie)

Chapter 7: The Toy Store Part 1

All four mice were riding on Toby in this order: Basil, Jamie, Olivia, and Dawson. Basil held the leash as Toby searched for Fidget's scent. He finally got it, howled, and took off running. Olivia held onto Jamie while she wrapped her arms around Basil. Dawson was jerked back and held onto the tail.

"The thrill of the hunt, eh, Dawson?" Basil asked.

"Q-Quite," Dawson stuttered.

"Our peg-legged quarry can't be far now," Basil said.

While on their way, Jamie and Basil couldn't help but blush at how she was holding him. But they finally made it to the toy store while Fidget was going over his list after he packed up the uniforms.

"Get the following. 'Tools'? Check, I got tools. 'Gears'? Double check. I got gears," he read aloud and checked off the first two items.

Then he checked off "Girl", but quickly erased it.

"'Girl'? No, didn't get girl. 'Uniforms'? I got plenty of uniforms," he laughed and checked off "Uniforms".

Then he stopped when he heard Toby howling, indicating he found what he was searching for.

"Oh, no. Oh, no. I gotta hide! I gotta hide! Ooh, I gotta hide!" he panicked as he finished packing.

But in the process of hiding, he dropped the list.

Meanwhile, the four mice were starting to climb off Toby.

"Splendid job, Toby!" Basil rewarded.

Jamie was starting to come off of Toby until she lost her footing. Basil saw this, quickly grabbed her hand, and pulled her towards him. But it was to the point where she knocked him over and she was on top of him. They looked at each other, surprised.

Jamie quickly got up and helped Basil as she said, "Oh, Basil. I apologize for my clumsiness."

"Oh no, no need to apologize. I insist," Basil replied.

She nodded and blushed before she helped Olivia down. When it came to Dawson, Toby growled and lightly sneezed him off, making him ram into Basil.

Once recovered, Basil instructed, "Now, Toby, sit!" he said.

But Toby remained standing.

So he walked up to him and commanded once again, "Toby...sit."

"Sit, Toby," Olivia told him and he obeyed.

Jamie giggled at what happened.

"Good boy. If you'll excuse me," Basil replied, going to inspect the place and so did Jamie.

"You be good now. We're going to find our father," Olivia said to Toby.

As they looked, Jamie found a little hole in one of the small circular glass windows.

"Basil, do you think this could be our friend's entrance?" she asked with a smile.

Basil smiled as well and answered, "You've done it, Miss Jamie!"

But when Olivia and Dawson saw it, they were confused.

"But how could he fit through such a tiny--" Dawson started to ask.

"Observe, Doctor," Basil said as Jamie placed his finger in the hole.

He pulled it and the glass opened like a door.

"Basil and Jamie, you astound me," he said, amazed.

"Shh, shh-shh," Basil quieted him.

He went inside, helped Jamie inside, then Dawson helped Olivia and closed the window behind him. As they walked in, Dawson bumped into something.

"Ohh! I beg your pardon. I--" he replied until he saw it was a doll.

Then he looked around the store in wonder.

"Oh, my. Upon my word, I've never seen so many toys," he said.

"Behind any of which could lurk a bloodthirsty assassin. So, please, Doctor and Jamie, be very careful," Basil informed.

They started to walk around until they got to some music boxes. Everything was quiet until loud music was heard. Jamie yelped as she got in a defensive position and Dawson leapt into Basil's arms. Basil and Jamie turned around to see it was only Olivia who turned on one of the music boxes.

"Oh! What the-- Ohhh!" Basil scowled and turned it off.

Jamie held Olivia in her arms as Basil faced them.

"Please! Quiet," he told her then replied to Dawson, " Don't let this girl out of your sight."

He and Olivia saluted, making Jamie giggle then stop to face her little sister.

"Olivia, when looking for a dangerous crook, you need to be very quiet," she instructed.

"Now, Olivia, dear, stay close," Dawson informed.

She nodded as Jamie placed her down and they followed Basil. He was crossing a chess board and moved a rook.

"Hmm. Checkmate," he replied, then spotted a trail, saying, "Ah-ha. Evidence of our peg-legged adversary."

He followed them closely until he came across naked dolls that used to be soldiers.

"Hmm...how very odd," Basil stated out loud to himself.

"What is it, Basil?" Dawson asked.

"Isn't it painfully obvious, Doctor? These dolls have been stripped of their uniforms. And not by any child, either," Basil answered.

Jamie spotted something else that was strange. She called them over.

"Basil, look at this. Someone has taken the liberty of removing the clockwork mechanisms from these toys," she explained.

"Well done, Miss Jamie," Basil complemented.

As they continued investigating, Dawson found the list Fidget had dropped.

"Basil," he said.

"Please, I'm trying to concentrate," Basil interrupted.

"But, Basil, I--" Dawson tried to reply.

Then they noticed all the music boxes playing. Olivia saw bubbles and followed the direction from where they were coming from. It was because of a Dumbo music box. But then she found a mouse-size baby carriage. She looked inside and pulled off the covers to see Fidget. He cackled as she screamed. The others heard her.

"Olivia!" Jamie shouted.

"Gotcha," Fidget smirked and tossed her in the bag.

And the chase was on.

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A/N Now Olivia has been kidnapped, so two people need rescuing. Goodness!