Happy Holidays!

I know I should have updated sooner, but I have been massively busy with Christmas and working as a game tester (yes, I get money to play Tetris).

Galimatias : Thanks :) It means a lot and I do try to keep Basil in character as much as possible; he's really so fun to write about, I wouldn't want to change him.

DisneyPrincess: Geronimo Stilton is a book for 7 year olds, lol. The only reason I know about them is because I used to work for a big chain bookstore and many moms and kids would ask for recommendations. Its a similar concept to Basil of Baker Street, a mouse that goes on adventures with some friends and his sister. HAHA, Ratigan... I can't say I feel the same, though many share the same opinion as you. I guess I like Basil more because he's similar to what I like in boys in real life; lean, snarky, clever but sweet deep-down?

godshinin:Thank you! I try to make things funny on occasion.

Comedia Del Arte: Good to know that my chapter made for a good study break!

Thank you to all readers, to everyone who favorited this story and to everyone who gets story alerts.

Basil started tapping his small oxford-clad foot furiously against the top of the dog's head, "Come on, now!", he said, while continuing to tap his foot.

Needless to say, Toby did not enjoy the incessant tapping on the top of head; the hound raised his nose and started barking loudly just as Calysta walked on the bridge of his snout.

The sudden movement of Toby lifting his nose sent both the mice falling; Basil, who was standing facing Calysta, landed with his back against Toby's and Calysta fell forward, ending up sprawled on top of Basil.

Basil, at that moment, felt like all of the air had left his lungs; it didn't help that the other mouse had landed right on top of him but when Basil tried to breathe again, he couldn't. All he could do was smell strawberries. He could feel Calysta's right leg pressed against his and her head on his chest and... He blushed.

Calysta groaned from her spot on Basil's chest. She slowly lifted her head and her eyes widened; she had landed on top of the British detective. She quickly moved her legs so they bent at the knee, her arms extended on both sides of Basil; on all fours, her face hovered inches above his.

"Uh...Er...I...Um...S-sorry." She stammered.

Basil didn't reply; he was still having a hard time breathing although Calysta wasn't crushing his lungs anymore. "Quite alright", he wanted to say, but he just opened and closed his mouth, unable to make a sound. He could imagine how stupid he looked; extremely red in the face, opening and closing his mouth, he must must have looked like a dying goldfish.

Calysta didn't move from her spot; she stayed on all fours, waiting for Basil to say something. The girl couldn't tell if he was feeling ill or fuming; she giggled at his expression. "Are you feeling alright?", she moved her hand to cup Basil's cheek. His fur was so soft, she couldn't help but want to hold her paw on his face for just a while longer.

Calysta's paw on his fur made Basil's face tingle. He wanted to press his cheek into her touch but restrained himself. He began breathing normally, "Quite alright," he exhaled, "Now, if you please..." He looked up at her.

"Oh right!" Calysta removed her paw from Basil's face and stood upright. She held the paw that previously cupped Basil's cheek out to the detective up. Basil made a face that Calysta could only describe as a state between pleased and disgusted. She raised an eyebrow, "What happened to partners?", she asked smiling.

Basil rolled his eyes as he grabbed the girl's extended hand and she gently helped him up. He stood facing Calysta. He couldn't help but notice her hazel eyes; one was much more green than the other. He must have been looking at the moss green of her eyes for a long time because Calysta let out a short exhale; her warm breath formed a cloud of steam in the cold air between them. Basil broke his gaze, feeling embarrassed and looked at Toby's fur beneath his feet.

"Thanks for helping me up." He muttered, still looking down at the dog's coat. Calysta smiled. Basil continued, "That is, thanks for helping me after you nearly killed me after that landing.", he looked up and smirked as he finished. Calysta's face fell.

"You're joking.", she growled. She dropped the detective's paw that she had previously held in order to help Basil to his feet. Using both of her tiny hands, she placed them on the British detective's chest and shoved him so hard that he fell onto his back. Basil yelped as he fell backward and ended up in the position he was in before. Calysta glared at Basil and the corners of her lips turned up slightly. She turned and went to sit at Toby's neck; she held onto the blue leather dog collar.

Basil propped himself up on his elbows and stared at Calysta in disbelief.

"Completely insane." He mumbled as he picked himself up.

"I HEARD THAT!"


"Such a good boy!" Calysta said, rubbing Toby behind the ears as Basil slid down the dog's tail. Toby panted happily as they all stood in front of the hospital.

The hospital was a large, white stone building with a marble staircase that matched the stone walls. The main entrance was a a dark wooden framed revolving door; the mouse entrance was slightly off to the left, the door looked exactly the same as the other, but stood only a few inches tall.

Basil's black and white oxford shoes landed on the damp cobblestone of the street. He adjusted his hat as he called, "Toby!".

The dog turned his head to face the detective and Calysta stopped scratching behind Toby's ears, much to the hound's chagrin.

"Now, I need you to stay right here while we go inside", Basil explained. Toby barked loudly in agreement then turned to look back at Calysta. The hound made a whimpering sound and looked at the pony-tailed mouse with longing.

Calysta laughed at Toby's expression, "You don't want me to leave...", she said quietly as she scratched under side of the dog's chin. The girl smiled at the canine; he clearly wanted some more attention.

Yet, he wasn't the only one who didn't want to be ignored. Basil huffed in annoyance; did that American not listen? Wait here while WE go inside. Did she not understand that when Basil said WE he meant both himself and his American counter part? Basil could have continued on alone, but he couldn't deny that Calysta was clever and insightful; although he would never admit it to her. Basil kept his eyes fixed on the girl; she keep petting Toby, as if the detective were not even there. The British detective's eyes narrowed. Why would she pay more attention to the hound than him?

Toby panted happily as Calysta continued to stroke his face, his breaths creating smoke clouds that were quite large, at least, to the mouse. The girl found the clouds to be almost blinding, but she didn't mind; the dog was pleased, and this made her smile. She reached one of her paws out to rub Toby's wet nose when another small, though lighter in colour, paw grabbed hers.

Basil didn't know what had come over him. He didn't know if he had become too impatient to wait for the girl or if he had become jealous that she was paying more attention to Toby than to him, but he reached out to hold her hand before she could continue to touch the hound. He tried to push the idea of being jealous to the back of his mind. Impatient, that was it, he was tired of waiting; it seemed more like him and it just made more sense to the detective. Basil didn't make eye contact with Calysta as he began to pull her away from the dog.

She laughed as they began walking up the white marble stairs. The girl waved at Toby, who had started whimpering again. She turned to Basil, "You could have just told me that we were going, you didn't have to drag me by the hand", she said grinning.

Basil, realizing that he was still holding Calysta's hand, dropped it as fast he could. He cleared his throat, "Perhaps if you had listened the first time..."

Basil was interrupted by someone causing Calysta to trip and fall down the staircase. What had made her trip in question was a mouse; he was taller and larger than Basil, but not by very much. The mouse was wearing a long coat that dragged on the ground and black gloves. The mouse was also wearing a large black hat, most of his face was not visible, other than his two large piercing blue eyes. Basil bounded down the stairs to help Calysta but the other mouse was quicker and was already helping the American rise.

"Sorry, my dear." said the mouse, obliviously male by the sound of his voice.

"Don't worry about it." Calysta replied, gazing into the blue eyes of the mouse that tripped her.

Basil glared at the stranger. Although it was autumn the detective didn't understand why this mouse needed to be entirely covered in clothing; the only visible part of him were his azure eyes. Basil didn't trust the other male mouse and stepped closer to Calysta. He reached out to touch the small of her back, he wanted to ask if she was alright, but the other mouse was quicker.

A glove covered hand reached out and gently caressed the girl's face, "I should be more careful around beautiful women such as yourself," Calysta blushed as the mouse continued, "Please accept my sincerest apologies." He handed her a small, folded up piece of paper with his other paw.

"Yes, of course, it was an accident!" Calysta kept her gaze on the sky-blue eyes of the stranger as she took the paper from the mouse's hand and put it in her coat pocket.

The man glanced over at Basil for less than a second, pulled his paw away from Calysta's face, turned and left.

"That was odd." Calysta said, touching the side of her face where the stranger had just placed his paw.

Basil knew a lot of things; he was the best detective in all of Mousedom, a master of science and chemistry. However, he did not understand why Calysta did not answer rudely when the stranger knocked her over nor the reason she was still holding her face. He could not understand why he wanted to ask Calysta if she was alright before the mysterious blue-eyed man or why he wanted to reach out to her before he did.

This time, Basil chose jealous over impatient.


A tall yet chubby man sat, waiting, in an office. The door swung open, letting in a cool autumn draft.

"Hey, Boss! How did it go?"

A blue-eyed man walked into the small office and began removing his black gloves.

"Faust, this is going to be too easy."

Hope everyone enjoyed! I will try to get a new chapter up before school/work start up again (so hopefully before January the 2nd). Feel free to hassle me if I don't follow through :p