Chapter 11: Rat Trap/Clover's & Eve's Performance
Later in Ratigan's lair, Ratigan went over to Fidget, who was already awake. "Fidget?"
"Yeah, boss?" asked Fidget.
"You love Eve, don't you?"
"Yeah, very much."
"Then why did she leave you?"
Fidget gasped. "She what? She would never leave me. I promised to be with her when she needed me most."
"But did she do the same for you?"
"Are you serious right now?"
"Did I steer you wrong? Did I leave you astray? NO! She doesn't love you anymore."
"You know what? I'm going after her to prove you wrong." With that, Fidget stormed off.
"Oh, please," Ratigan scoffed. Then he sang him a song to get him to listen.
The quickest way to break your heart
Make you depressed and ill
Is to get tangled up inside;
The side effects could kill.
Fidget stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Ratigan.
All passion is a waste of time;
A deadly game pour vous.
I am your friend, your cher ami;
I wouldn't lie to you.
Fidget raised an eyebrow at Ratigan, but the rat continued.
If you must love someone, may I suggest?
You love yourself!
Just think it through.
You'll never leave, and you will find
You'll get more rest;
You'll always be as good as new.
Fidget crossed his arms.
Don't miss the most important thing, my friend:
You must be strong, you mustn't bend.
Ratigan snapped his fingers.
Don't talk for hours!
Don't send flowers!
Don't write poems!
Don't sing songs and dance
Beneath the stars that shine above!
Don't fall in love!
"Oh, don't do it," Ratigan spoke and resumed singing.
As soon as your heart rules your head,
Your life is not your own.
It's hell when someone's always there!
It's bliss to be alone!
Ratigan smoked his cigarette, puffing out a heart.
And love of any kind is bad:
A dog, a child, a cat!
They take up so much precious time.
Now, where's the sense in that?
"But you have a pet cat," Fidget reminded him.
"That's right, but she's the one I love and doesn't get in my way," Ratigan pointed out, "Anyway, that's not the point."
Love takes the wildest heart and makes it tame.
If you're turned on, then just turn off!
Emotions are a thing all great men overcame.
Please don't make this grand catastrophe!
"Oh, please," Fidget whispered with a scoff, but Ratigan continued to sing.
Don't get attached to anyone or anything;
There's nothing worse than things that cling!
You'll go to pot!
You'll turn to drink!
You'll never rest;
You'll end up mad and
Looking like some
Poor demented dove!
Don't fall in love!
To conclude the song, Ratigan added in a strict and serious manner: Don't-fall-in-love!
He also snapped his fingers once again.
...
At the riverfront, where The Rat Trap bar stood, mist boarded the area while ships stayed anchored on the river and mild waves splashed. On top of the docks, stood Toby, who wagged his tail as he watched his master and friend descend on their way to the bar.
"Stay, Toby. Stay," Basil commanded in a whisper.
Under the docks, a male mouse walking towards the bar, was wearing an ocean-blue sailor coat, matching his sailor hat, and pants, black shoes, and a magenta turtleneck.
"Uh, Basil," said Dawson, who stood in the shadows.
The individual in blue turned around, revealing to be Basil, who had a fake mustache and carried an unlit cigarette. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he urged him to follow him and said, "Come, come, Dawson."
"I feel utterly ridiculous," complained Dawson as he stepped out of the shadows and came into the light. He wore a purple hat, an eyepatch to cover his right eye, a small striped pink and red shirt, dark purple pants with a belt and yellow buckle, and a gold hooped earring on his right ear.
"Don't be absurd. You look perfect," Basil assured him.
"Perfect?" Dawson asked in an annoyed voice as he pulled down his shirt, but his belly was exposed. "Perfectly foolish!"
Basil shushed him while he had the cigarette back in his mouth and opened the door with Dawson close behind him. In the pub, giddy music was playing.
The room was somewhat murky due to shady-looking members smoking cigars or cigarettes. Many tables were separated here and there with people gambling, drinking, smoking, murmuring, chatting, and grumbling. At the very end of the pub was a stage with red curtains.
On stage was an octopus cheerfully juggling colorful balls as the pianist played a jolly tune. On the bottom right alongside the stage was a mouse pianist playing the piano to go with the octopus's carefree state. However, no one paid any mind to the octopus playing because they were too busy drinking, smoking, playing darts, chatting, gambling, and murmuring. The barmaid flirted with one of her customers when one customer puckered one of his lips, making smooching noises, but the barmaid punched him, sending him flying off his chair with a grunt.
"Dawson," Basil said, striking a match to light up his cigarette and tossed the burnt match away. Taking a breath of smoke, he exhaled it, adding, "Stay close and do as I do."
Basil placed his hands in his pockets and Dawson followed.
A bartender washed a pint glass until he noticed two mice and raised an eyebrow at them. Basil gave the bar keeper a slight wave with his left finger. Dawson did the same, but with a crabby expression on his face. Then he put his hands in his pockets.
Every thug or gangster gave the two a suspicious look in their eyes, but the duo ignored them.
As Basil and Dawson continued to walk, a dagger was aimed in front of Dawson's feet, making Dawson back away and hit a chair, where a woman was sitting. The woman had red hair and a green dress. She regarded him with exasperation.
Dawson took his hat off, apologizing, "Oh, I do your pardon, madam. Quite unintentional I-" He was interrupted by a woman smoking in his face, causing Dawson to cough, finishing, "I assure you." As Dawson proceeded coughing, the lady and the men she was sitting with insolently laughed at him.
Dawson glared at the woman. "How impertinent!"
Basil grabbed his partner by the front of his shirt, scolding him, "Remember Dawson, we're low-life ruffians!"
Dawson put his cap back on. "Well I was until that-" Before he could say anything more, Basil shushed him before he caused any more problems. The two sat down next to each other, while Dawson stopped to nod angrily at the lady.
Soon, Clover, who wore a green pirate suit with a bandana and Eve, in a magenta rouge outfit were already in the bar to watch the octopus perform. The girls stopped to look at the pianist with sympathy, seeing his sad face as everyone else seemed to ignore his playing. The octopus ended his performance by catching balls with his hat and took a bow. Clover and Eve also gave him a glance of pity and clapped a little. Dawson clapped along with them until booing was heard.
"Get off, you eight-legged bum!" a dwarf mouse with a deep voice fumed from his seat.
The audience began throwing darts, tomatoes, lettuce, and knives at the poor octopus, but he managed to escape.
"What's your pleasure, mates?" the barmaid asked Basil and Dawson.
Dawson acted casually like he usually did as he ordered his beverage. "I'll have a dry sherry with, uh...Oh, perhaps a twist of-" Basil slapped his partner's mouth shut, finding him break character.
"Two pints, for me and my shipmate," Basil specified Dawson by pointing his thumb to himself and his companion. Just as the barmaid was about to get their orders, Basil stopped her and added, "Oh, by the way, we just got into port. We're looking for an old friend of mine. Maybe you know him? Goes by the name...of Ratigan!"
The barmaid gasped at the mention of the name. The thugs and the pianist, who hit the wrong note, also gasped in shock. Dawson cowered as they gazed at him and Basil.
"I...uh...eh, never heard of him." The barmaid dismissed the subject and went to grab their beverages.
Dawson took a glimpse at a smirking Basil, who was tapping his fingers, confident they were in the right place.
The pianist played another happy-go-lucky musical tune. Behind the curtains revealed a chubby frog sitting on an exhausted newt on a unicycle, unable to take the heavy weight on him. Once again, more booing occurred and the audience tossed vegetables and countless things at them, knocking them off the unicycle, concluding the performance before it started. Some of the thugs threw tomatoes and a knife at the piano.
Eve and Clover sat down and Basil and Dawson turned to see who they were. "Clover? Eve?" they said in unison.
"Shh…" Clover and Eve shushed.
"Oh, and I'm really sorry about how I treated you and your siblings as well as everyone else," Basil apologized to them.
"You should," Clover said, "You're a liar and a hypocrite."
"That's right," Eve agreed.
Basil nodded. "Also, for my discrimination against bats." Then he grew emotional and broke down in tears, but made sure no one heard him break character. "I know you'll never forgive me and I don't blame you. I wouldn't forgive me, either. I was ignorant, small-minded, irresponsible, and I hurt you. Then, after we're done, you can hate me, knowing you were right all along: I really am the worst detective ever." He continued sobbing softly.
Eve and Clover let it sink in. "You also reminded her of her ex-boyfriend," Eve said.
Basil wiped a tear. "That explains why she couldn't trust me and I should be paying attention to others besides my obsession with stopping Ratigan. No worries, we'll help you get your father and Mr. and Miss Flammer."
"FLAVERSHAM!" Dawson, Eve, and Clover corrected.
For once, Basil regretted getting "Flaversham" wrong. "Oh, right. We'll retrieve them as soon as possible, you'll see."
Since Eve and Clover felt sorry for the pianist, Clover told Basil, "We'll be back."
"We're going to comfort the pianist," Eve added and off they went to console him.
"Excuse me, sir," Clover said, "We were wondering if we could perform."
Eve showed the pianist her small guitar.
The pianist looked up to them and nodded. "Certainly, lovely ladies."
"Thank you," Eve and Clover said in unison and the two girls walked up on stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I dedicate this song to a special friend," Clover announced. "Enjoy." Despite feeling nervous inside, she started to sing and Eve played a small guitar, given by her family.
There's been a change in me;
A kind of moving on.
Though what I used to be,
I still depend upon,
For now, I realize
That good can come from bad.
That may not make me wise,
But oh, it makes me glad.
The thugs ceased their savageness and silently stared at the young female mouse.
And I- I never thought I'd leave behind
My childhood dreams,
But I don't mind.
For now, I love the world I see.
No change of heart, a change in me.
The pianist grinned at her as he continued playing.
For in my dark despair,
I've slowly understood
My perfect world out there
Had disappeared for good;
But in its place, I feel
A truer life begin.
And it's so good and real.
It must come from within.
The music played stronger.
And I- I never thought I'd leave behind
My childhood dreams but I don't mind.
I'm where and who I want to be.
No change of heart;
A change in me.
This song was slowly starting to touch the ruffian's hearts, especially Basil's, who said, "She's a good singer."
No change of heart;
A change in me.
When the song came to an end, Eve and Clover bowed as the audience applauded and cheered.