Author's Note: What is this? Aly is making a new fanfic? Why yes, yes I am. I know, I know, I need to stop slacking off on my other stories but… The Great Mouse Detective was just calling to me. I wasn't sure at first what story I wanted to make. It was between this story or a crossover between The Great Mouse Detective and An American Tail featuring the main characters as Fievel and Olivia. (I may make a one-shot of them one day. That would be interesting. My first one-shot and crossover.) Hmm… I've been in love with detective stories since I was a child. I remember growing up with my favorite tv shows as Monk and Psych. Gosh, I haven't seen those shows in forever. Such sweet memories of my childhood. I'm going to go look up the Psych theme song. Anyways. As a child I was always very mature, but as of late, I seem to be regressing. Which is completely fine with me. A week ago I had never seen The Great Mouse Detective. I read somewhere online that GMD was a Disney classic, so when I was looking through my millions of movies for The Lord of The Rings series, when I saw the GMD cover, I was just 'meh' and decided to watch it on a whim. And by golly, that may have been the best idea of my life. (I absolutely love that the movie was based in 1897 and I was born exactly a hundred years after it was based. It makes me feel special.) I absolutely adore Basil. He's my phone background. And my laptop background. I've gotten rather attached to him I'm afraid. So here I am, with an obsession with GMD and a light heart with a new fanfic.
Oh, and this probably isn't really rated T but I just like rating my stories that because it makes me feel safer. Also, this story will not be in 1st person. The very first paragraphs of this story will be the only part in first perspective and maybe the end, (If I ever get there.) like Disney did with Dawson in the movie. Oh, and Matt is my mouse fursona. Gosh I love her. Although I haven't made any character development on her since I was about six so I have my work cut out for me here. Anyways, enough of this. This has been my longest Author's Note ever so I believe it is time to get on with the story!
The Curious Case of Indigo Alley
Chapter One
August 1898
If someone had told me that my life would be turned upside down by a spiffy-looking rodent with a strange compulsion to always point out the most odd facts and claim it obvious turning up on my doorstep, I would have directed them to the nearest Mental Hospital. That's just not something a sane mouse would even come up with. The whole story is so bizarre. I wouldn't believe any of it had happened if I hadn't been given a star role in this act.
It was… A Tuesday I believe. Yes, it definitely was a Tuesday. I had only went to sleep a few hours prior when I was awoken by a loud rapping on the front door of my one room apartment in the slums. I'm not sure why I was the one singled-out out of many, but it seemed life had something different than a 9-5 job at Rita's Diner in store for me.
I remember I had opened the door and immediately began spitting out insults at whatever poor unfortunate soul had decided to disturb my rest… I'm getting ahead of myself I'm afraid. No matter how much I would love to be the main character of this story and the center of attention in any situation, I was just the sidekick in this story, and as such, the story starts well before I came in.
"Daddy… I'm scared."
The whimper had come from a small child, a girl of barely 8, with her curly hair tuft drooping over her eyes as if to shield her from the terrors of the backstreets.
An older male mouse sighed before looking at his daughter. Her long flower decorated tee shirt clung loosely to her thin frame and her baggy pants didn't fit any better on the young child. In fact, the only thing that seemed to fit the child was her socks and shoes. Her teal eyes were shadowed with fear and even her fur seemed to lose its bronze shine and give off a duller color. The child was shuffling behind her father, clutching onto his hand as if her life depended on it, and in this case, it just might come to it.
The father sighed once more before trying to calm down his beating heart and his terrified daughter.
"I know Cécile, I know," he whispered to the young girl who only let out another pitiful whimper.
The father welled up with grief at each whimper from his daughter. He didn't want to be here anymore than she did, and he wanted his daughter here even less. His poor daughter, his beautiful Cecilia… He wouldn't blame her if she never trusted him again. This place was crawling with unsightly folk and blatant criminals. But did he expect anything different from the sewers? Everyone knew that all good gentlemice and ladies stuck to above ground, the 'Real World'. Down here in the 'Underworld', everyone was up to no good. Including him. He was here for a reason, and not even he could fool himself into believing that it was a noble cause.
It hadn't sounded that bad before. Sure, he knew it would be risky to accept a job from someone like him, but he didn't know it would've ended up like this.
He had been visiting one of his favorite diners that rested right in his area. The slums of the Real World, one step up from living under ground in the sewers. He was rather fond of one of the young waitresses that worked in the small café. He had gone to the diner for years and the teen had always worked there. Over time, he had begun seeing the girl as a second daughter and often confided in her. He told her stories from his hometown of Lyon, in the east of France, as well as tales of his late love and his Cécile, and the young mouse always had her keen ears open for a good tale. She had even warmed up to Cecilia and the younger mouse looked up to the girl as a role model. After seeing how well the two got along together, the adult usually brought his young daughter to the diner with him.
However, this one day, he had decided to venture to the café alone, and now he was very glad of his decision. He had walked into the diner and ordered a simple lunch and coffee and while he was eating, a dodgy mouse had snuck through the door and hastily took a seat in the seat opposite of him. The French man had cleared his throat with a small cough before looking at the stranger questioningly.
The shady rodent had looked at him with striking green eyes before seeming to nod to himself and muttering urgently with his slurred voice, "I hear you are a man to come to if you need a job done."
He had stared at the stranger for a while before finally nodding. It was true after all. He was a freelancer, doing odd jobs here and there for any pay to put some bread on the table since he had never had the credentials for a full-time well-paying job. Despite this, he was slightly worried to accept any request from someone so obviously into some pretty bad activities.
He remembered how the stranger had let out a wicked grin, crooked and rotted teeth showing as if a trophy. He had chuckled and to him it had sounded as if it had come from a dying bat.
"That's good. Very good," he had wheezed out, "'Cause I have a job for you."
"Oh?" he had asked half-heartedly.
"Yes, and I need someone like you for the job. How does thirty-five hundred pounds sound?" the stranger had asked with another conniving grin.
Thirty-five hundred pounds?! It was unheard of for one task. He had a sinking feeling whatever the job was, it wasn't going to be easy, nor legal. However, he really did need the money…
"What are we talking?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
"Just one job. You see… A buddy of mine, he's ordered a package from me. And another friend of mine was sent to give him the goods and he… Well, let's just say, he's incapable of delivering the package," at this he paused with another maniacal grin before continuing, "So I just need someone to get it to my buddy. Someone no one would recognize."
He had stared down at his half-empty plate, long having lost his appetite. That much money to just deliver a package? And the other delivery of it ended in the sender being… incapable of finishing the job? At least his suspicions were right. Definitely not legal. And obviously not easy. He didn't even want to know what had happened to the unfortunate chap that had tried to deliver the goods before.
He was ready to decline the offer when a face popped into his head. A small, child-like face with a small button nose, huge ears and big teal eyes. He visibly winced. He couldn't turn down this offer for her sake. He had a chance to at least let her have enough food to eat for a whole month, and maybe get her new clothes as well. His selfish side immediately regretted his decision, but he knew he had to accept.
"Alright. When and where?" he said, keeping level eye contact with the shallow individual.
The figure put a hand into his large trench coat and pulled out a poorly wrapped paper package and slid it across the table.
"Two days from now on Indigo Alley."
"To who?" He asked suspiciously.
"My buddy goes by the name of Viper but he doesn't take kindly to strangers. Leave the goods on this address." He ordered while sliding a scrap of paper over.
312 INDIGO ALLEY
It was written in almost illegible handwriting that seemed to be written down in a hurry. The paper had rough edges and a few questionable blotches on it but he picked it up regardless and put it in his pocket for safe keeping.
"Oh and be sure to burn that once the job is over," the stranger added as an afterthought.
He immediately looked up into those striking emerald eyes of the stranger at that. Was the address that important? The stranger himself looked at ease, as if it wasn't a big deal if he didn't destroy the paper, but his eyes were stern. He slowly nodded to the stranger.
"I suppose I should introduce myself. You may call me Crow. The day after your delivery meet me by the street sign of Indigo Alley for your payment. Now I shall take my leave." With that, the mouse got up from his side of the booth and began to slink away before he stopped and looked lightly over his shoulder at him.
"Oh and Clementine…"
Clem stiffened. How had he known his name? He hadn't given him his name. He hadn't given any form of introduction in the slightest even.
Crow let out one of his signature nasty grins, "You might want to bring your daughter Cecilia along with you when picking up your pay. I don't think it would be particularly safe to leave her at home. And you wouldn't want to lose your last family member, now would you?"
With that he finally left, the little bell on the door going off with a plink.
Clem's eyes widened in horror. This man, this stranger, had known about him. And not just about him in general, but about his family life. And he just accepted an obvious illegal and dangerous job from him. Dang it! His hands balled up into fists on the table as he clenched his eyes together and tried to calm down his panicking mind.
He had slowly opened his eyes and his eyes had landed on the paper package still lying innocently on the tabletop. Clem glared at the parcel as if it was the complete embodiment of evil. He wanted to throw it away in his anger, but fear gripped him and twisted his stomach into many knots that made him feel sick, so instead he tentatively took a hand out and wrapped it around the package and slowly brought it to his lap where he continued to just blankly look at it.
He had sighed and gotten enough money to pay for his half-eaten food out of his wallet and put it on the table right where the package had been. He grimaced before getting up, his bones creaking like an old man's even though he was only thirty-four.
He slowly made his way to the door of the diner before his eyes caught another's gaze. There standing across from him was the teenaged waitress, dark brown eyes clouded with worry. She had seen the whole confrontation. He wanted to smile at her, make her less worried for his sake, but all he could manage was a larger grimace. So he turned and walked out the door and made his way home, dreading the next few days.
Two days later he had surprisingly found his way to Indigo Alley. It was in the Underworld, the pungent odor of the sewers clinging to it just like the shady rodents that inhibited the street. He had only passed about five mice on that particular street, which seemed odd to him since all of the other streets he had passed had been filled to the brim with dodgy characters. He had shrugged it off and the few people he did pass on Indigo Alley he had passed quickly in fear of being attacked.
He had finally reached a large broken down building that seemed to be made out of an old apple crate. Peeling numbers on a sign beside it showed that the building was in fact 312 Indigo Alley, his supposed destination. Clem had hesitantly walked up the rickety stairs leading to the doorway, got his hand ready to knock on the old door, but thought better of it and just placed the parcel on the ground before leaving as quickly as possible and leaving the way he had come.
He had practically ran out of the sewers and made his way home as quick as he could. He then had slipped into his daughter's room and slowly calmed down as he watched her sleeping form. She was safe and sound. No danger. Yet. His mind seemed to add the last bit in spite of himself. He knew he still had the next day to look forward to.
Which was why he found himself in his current predicament, hand clutching onto his young daughter's hand and his green-gray turtleneck feeling a tad too hot for his liking.
He was nearing the Indigo Alley street sign with each step. He loathed every fiber of his body.
"Oh mon Dieu… Please don't let me regret this," he muttered to himself, momentarily slipping back into his native tongue.
He gripped Cecilia's hand tighter and began walking at a brisker pace. He needed to get this over with. Get the money and leave these godforsaken sewers, this godforsaken alley.
He rounded the last corner before he came to his destination. The same alley as last night with the slimy green brick walls encasing it and the sound of rushing water drowning out quiet noises. The stench of the sewers clawed at his sense of smell and made him want to turn tail and run, but he knew he couldn't. Cecilia wouldn't be able to keep up. And he wouldn't leave her down here. He would fight to death to keep those words true.
The two mice made their ways towards the tilted street sign where a familiar figure was leaning against.
"Ahhh, Clem. How nice of you to join us," Crow's haughty voice called out.
As they neared, they saw two other mice, one tall and lanky, and the other short and buff, guarding Crow as of his body guards.
"And you brought little Cecilia along as well," he added with a cheeky grin.
It took everything in Clem's power to not glower at the rodent but he managed to control his rage.
"I have come for my pounds." Clem said, his French accent gleaming through.
"Nuh-uh Clem. All in good time my friend. No need to rush," the mouse said teasingly.
A new glint seemed to be in the rodent's emerald eyes. His body posture had also changed dramatically from when he was in the diner above ground. It was obvious he was completely at ease in this situation, in this place. He excelled in the sewers and his power reigned if it wasn't blatantly clear by the look in his eyes.
"I have no business in these sewers and neither does my daughter. Now if you could kindly give me my money, I'll be off," Clem spat icily, fear prickling at every fiber of his body.
Crow had made a 'tsk-ing' sound before saying sweetly, "No need to be a stranger Clem. We're friends now right?"
He let out a signature grin before sauntering over to the stiff adult mouse and the frightened youngster.
"But if you must insist, here's your money," Crow pouted and took Clem's hand that wasn't in a death grip and lightly placed a sack in it.
Clem could feel all the coins weighing down his hands and there was no doubt in his mind that every pound was in there. It was slightly insane that he had managed this job without anything happening but he immediately thanked God and went to leave.
He tugged on his daughter's hands with a mutter of, "Come Cécile."
Cecilia faithfully followed her father, tail tucked between her legs in fear.
"Goodbye Clem, Cecilia. Nice doing business with you. Let's hope we'll see each other soon, eh?" the haughty voice of Crow called out from behind them.
Clem truly hoped not. He would be perfectly happy never coming to the sewers again.
He and Cecilia semi-ran down the cobblestone streets and alleys dodging the creepy mice and creatures that roamed the streets. When they finally reached the entryway of the sewers, they gladly walked out together still hand in hand.
As Cecilia breathed in fresh London air once more, her grip on her father's hand lightened and Clem began to have feeling in his hand once more. He also breathed in the somewhat fresh air, glad to have left the sewers far behind. He looked at the sack in his hand. He knew this money had probably been gained by illegal activity and he probably gained it by illegal activity, but he was just not in the mood to even care. It was all in the past. He knew he would never take another job from someone as shady as Crow again. Ever.
The two walked home in relative silence. Cecilia didn't dare ask her father why he brought her into that alley, but she trusted him enough. Clem was slightly glad she didn't question why he brought her into that hell, because he wasn't sure what he could have told her. That he had believed the untrustworthy rodent about her being in danger? It didn't sound particularly smart, but neither did it sound safe to have left her. He shivered at the thought of what might've happened if he left her.
They entered the small apartment they rented in a bit of calm, both of their hearts still beating fast from the anxiety of the sewer encounter but slowly slowing down to its normal pace. The two mice owned a three roomed apartment, which they both were very proud of. Most mice of their group could only afford a one room apartment, but Clem worked extremely hard to keep up enough money to pay for the rent of the slightly larger apartment. They entered the main room, the living room, and each headed off to their respective rooms. Cecilia's room on the left side and Clem's to the right.
Clem flopped onto his mattress tiredly and tossed the money on the floor. Today had been long, tiring, and stressful. He knew he should get up and check to see how Cecilia was dealing after such an encounter but all his body seemed to want to do was sleep…
That night, a light clunking was made from someone fumbling with the front door lock. It went unnoticed by the two exhausted mice who were both sleeping in their respective beds, tucked in tight, without a care in the world.
The weak door creaked open.
A few shadowed figures creeped in.
The intruders snuck into the doorway of the room on the left. And then there was a scream. A high-pitched, terror filled scream.
The loud screech had awoken the tired adult only two rooms over and he immediately bolted up.
"Cécile!" he shouted.
He ran out of his room and saw a few figures running out of his front door. His eyes widened even more and his heart thumped faster than it had ever before.
He ran to his daughter's room, ignoring the fact that the door was wide open.
The bed was completely empty, the sheets and blankets askew as if there had been a struggle.
And Cecilia was gone.
Tears streamed down the adult male's face as he fell to his knees.
"Cécile…" he choked out through tears.
End Note: And the first chapter is done! And poor little Cecilia is stolen. Oh and another thing! I've noticed how on all these fanfictions of GMD, female mice has extremely long hair, like actual humans. But in the movie, they didn't. They just had hair tufts like some male characters. As such, my female characters will only have hair tufts. Review would be appreciated my lovely readers~