Me: Oh man, I haven't updated this one in forever! Sorry, my muse for this one was running away on me. -.-
Terra: Right, anyways, Happy New Year to everyone!
Me: Heehee, WE SURVIVED 2012 LIKE BOSSES!
Terra: What was that?
Me: My little sister proclaimed that on New Year's.
Terra: Alright then, anyways, Sorceress of the Nile just owns the plot and her characters, including myself.
Me: Happy Reading! Replies are at the end!
Terra felt her heart stop when she saw him. For a moment the room was completely still. None of them said anything or moved, then Ratigan broke the silence.
"I see that you found your way, Basil." He remarked and Basil tore his gaze from Terra to Ratigan.
"I had help." Ratigan shifted in his throne and flashed a grin.
"And who, may I ask was that?"
"Fidget." Ratigan stopped and Terra looked at Basil to see if there was any hint in his face that he was lying. When she didn't find any, she stared at him like he had lost it.
'Did Fidget really help him?'
Ratigan roared with laughter.
"That bat helped you find my castle? Last I saw of him was when he fell in the Thames." Basil smirked smugly.
"You really should learn to keep track of your employees, Ratigan. That's two that have seen the light and fled from you." Ratigan's fist clenched around the arm of the throne.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance." He muttered and stood.
"No matter, I suppose I can kill you now." Ratigan started to crawl towards the two mice and Basil took Terra's paw.
"Brace yourself!" He took aim with his revolver and fired a bullet at a cracked gargoyle. The gargoyle cracked and fell, breaking into a bunch of pieces between them and Ratigan. Basil tugged on Terra's hand.
"Lets go!" Then they both took off with Ratigan screaming at them.
Basil pulled Terra behind a statue and the two mice panted. After panting for a few moments, Terra slugged him in the arm.
"Have you lost your mind?" She asked and Basil shrugged.
"My mind was never lost, I have no idea what you're referring to." Terra glared at him.
"Don't play coy with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about, you and I both know that we aren't safe."
"I know, Terra. I was trying to stall until the others come." Terra shushed him as a bunch of guards ran by. Terra looked at him.
"What do you mean by the others?"
"They're dealing with the guards and coppers."
"What about us?" A sly grin formed on Basil's face.
"We're going to see if we can get you away from here." Basil poked his head from behind the statue.
"Basil, I don't want to lose you again." Terra stubbornly said and Basil looked at her.
"Terra, I know, I don't want to lose you neither-"
"Then let me help you." Terra cut him off, but he shook his head.
"I don't want to put you in his reach. If you got hurt because of me, I would never forgive myself." Terra was about to defend herself when she saw the look that he had. It made her freeze for a second.
"Basil, I got involved in this feud between you and Ratigan the day I met you." She firmly said.
"I know you don't want to see me get hurt, but we're in this together." She took his hand into hers and he smiled.
"Fine, you can come with me." Terra grinned in victory and she lead him to a window. Terra pulled a bobby pin out from her room and started to pick the lock on the window sill. When it clicked, Terra pushed on the pane and it swayed open. She looked over at Basil and he smirked.
"You haven't lost your touch." He remarked as he stepped out the window sill and onto the ledge.
"Oh shut up." Terra stepped onto the sill and Basil took her by the waist and helped her onto the ledge. Terra shivered as the cold wind ruffled her fur. Far below, they could see the forest and the jagged rocks by the castle. Terra pressed her paws against the stones.
"Now I'm starting to regret wanting to come with you." She called as the wind began to howl. Basil looked at her.
"That was the choice that you made." Basil called back. The two picked their way down the castle wall and Terra bit her lip, remembering what happened last time she was in this spot. There were a few times when Terra's foot slipped and she would have fallen, hadn't Basil been there to steady her. Terra looked down at him.
"Thank you."
"Of course." Finally, after a few minutes of hard work, Terra and Basil made it down onto the hard ground. Then, they took off into the forest. Terra was mildly glad that she ditched the heels that Kitty had chosen for her.
"So why are you in a ball gown?" Basil asked as they walked.
"He wanted me to be his queen." Terra said and Basil looked at her. Terra went on to explain what had happened over the last few days. Basil stopped abruptly and Terra almost ran into him.
"Leave it to him to try something like that." Terra tapped his shoulder and he looked at her.
"We have to keep moving." Basil swallowed and nodded. Terra and Basil walked more in silence.
"Basil?" Terra asked as they walked.
"Yes?"
"Why are you so protective of me? I mean, I never had anyone protect me like you are now." Basil looked ahead and sighed.
"I care about you, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Terra stopped and Basil turned to looked to see Terra's eyes misty.
"Basil..." A shadow passed over them both and they looked up to see a black cloud beginning to cover the moon.
"We better keep moving." Basil took Terra's paw and pulled her farther away from the castle. Terra would glance back every now and then. The looming darkness made the castle in the distance seem so sinister, it made her nervous just thinking of the inhabitant inside, that was lurking about. Terra suppressed a shudder and almost tripped over the skirt of her gown over the overhanging rock, and she would have fall, had not Basil had been there.
"Stupid skirt." She irritably mumbled as Basil gently caught her.
"You need to be more careful."
"I could be more careful if I wasn't wearing this damn dress." Basil chuckled and Terra glared at him. Terra frowned when she felt a cold shudder come over her. She turned and screamed when she spotted yellow eyes peering out of the bush. Ratigan's paw yanked hers and she cried out as Ratigan tried to pull her back. Terra anchored herself and pulled against the rat with all her might. Basil locked his arms under hers and pulled as well. One moment, Ratigan's paw was there then the next it was gone and Terra and Basil fell on the rock. Basil sat in a crouch and kept his paws on Terra's shoulders.
"Why do you hide in the shadows, Ratigan? Come out and fight." He growled. Ratigan chuckled from the shadows.
"Now why would I do that?" He asked. Terra noticed that Basil's ears twitched in the dim light. Terra felt fear flutter at the pit of her stomach. She turned to see Ratigan's form jumping from the bush and tackling Basil, making him cry out in surprise.
"Basil!" Terra could see Basil in Ratigan's claws.
"Terra-" Basil choked out. "Run!" Terra didn't move, she was frozen from her fear. Ratigan tossed Basil like a rag-doll onto the stone and he lay on the stone limply. Terra snapped out of her trance and dashed to his side.
"A pity," Ratigan said as Terra cradled Basil's head.
"That you chose him over me." Terra forced herself to meet his eyes.
"I chose him over you because he made it clear that I was more than just a pawn." Her eyes darted to the side. Laying on the stone in the dim light, Terra could see Basil discarded revolver. Terra gently set Basil down, then she rolled over him. She smiled when she felt the cool metal of the gun in her paws and pointed in Ratigan's direction. Terra heard Ratigan chuckle.
"Little Terra, you don't know how to handle a gun." Terra shut her eyes and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Ratigan in the shoulder and sent him stumbling back. He lost his footing and trembled down over the edge. Terra swallowed as his screaming was silenced with the dull thump below. Terra opened her eyes and dropped the weapon like it was a snake. Her breathing was heavy and she felt like she was having a heart attack. Did she really just-? Her thoughts were cut off when she heard Basil moan. She slowly moved towards the fallen detective and touched his face.
"W-What happened?" He asked.
"Ratigan's gone now." Terra said in a quivering voice. Basil sat up with a groan and his eyes fell to the revolver that Terra had dropped.
"Did you...?" She dropped her gaze and nodded once. She couldn't see Basil's face, which was why she was surprised when she felt Basil's paws on her face, wiping away the tears that were beginning to take form.
"Terra, that was the bravest thing, any mouse could do." A small smile twisted her lips and she buried her face into his neck.
"Thank you, Basil." With much difficulty, Terra and Basil limped back to the castle where their friends were waiting.
Me: I know, I killed Ratigan. Sorry.
Terra: Anywho, Reviews:
Devilgirl123: Thank you!
Blood Thirsty Angle: Hehe, isn't that how it always works? Thanks, I intend to keep going!
LuluCalliope: ... Thanks, I'm going to pretend I know what Macroeconomics are. -.-'''' Heeh, the dreaded cliffie!
Taliym5: Isn't that the best thing? Heehee.
Kaitamis: Thank you!
Me: Thanks to everyone that reviewed and for being very patient with me. ^^' I'll try and update more. Until next time, TTFN!
