OK, maybe not DRIPPING with angst. But shows quite a bit of DM's weak side
- WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT ME FOR?!
Well, I think it would be best if this thing was a PG-13 anyhow. We'll see how things go.
One more thing which I should've really mentioned in the first chapter. If you guys are afraid of this fic damaging DM's reputation, don't worry, it's not like that. It involves guilt, accusation and anger. You'll see what I mean later on.
Anyway, DM is really mean starting from now. If you don't like it, pass on by.
*
Chapter 2
Penfold, now back to hamster size, was anxiously waiting in the Mark III when the front door finally opened and Danger Mouse stepped out.
"DM! There you are!" cried Penfold, as DM came down the path. He waited as DM activated his watch, shrank, and jumped into the Mark III.
"Did you find anything?" Penfold asked eagerly.
DM turned towards him and Penfold was taken aback. His friend's one amber eye was wide. He was looking at Penfold as though he were - invisible. And when he spoke, his voice was dull.
"No", he said, "There's nothing here. It was a false alarm".
"Oh". Penfold shrugged and sat back in his seat. Maybe DM was just annoyed - it wasn't often that they were sent out for nothing.
"Well, homeward bound, eh?" Penfold asked hopefully.
DM didn't reply. He just started the car and it flew off into the air.
"So, Chief", said Penfold, once they were on course towards home. "What did the attic look like? Was it big and gloomy? Were there any - rats or spiders? Nasty big tarantulas maybe? Ooh, 'eck. There weren't any horrible things in there, were there?"
DM's face was unreadable. That didn't stop Penfold.
"I mean, maybe there was a huge insect the size of - of - anyway, something very big, with eight arms and sharp fangs - "
"Penfold", growled DM suddenly. "Shut. Up".
Penfold, who had been expecting a "Penfold, shush!" was extremely surprised and hurt. DM had never told him to shut up before - well, not like that, at least. Penfold hadn't meant to ramble like that, but when his imagination ran wild, he found himself babbling away at top speed, uttering nonsense. DM was used to it by now, he thought.
So why was he acting so - aggravated?
*
Kim smiled as the sofa carrying DM and Penfold emerged into the lounge. She had a tray of tea and biscuits waiting for them and hoped that they would tell her about the mission.
"Hi, boys", she said, as Penfold and DM got off the couch. "How was it?"
DM turned to face her and the grin slid off of Kim's face.
Danger Mouse's mouth was set in a tight line. His one eye was lifeless, and looked right through her.
"DM?" she asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing". DM's voice was different. There was no feeling in his words.
"Um - do you fancy a cup of tea?" Kim asked, holding up the tray.
DM looked at her as though she'd suggested that he jump off the top of a tower.
"No thanks", he said in a suddenly cold tone and he walked right past her and up the stairs to his bedroom.
Kim looked around at Penfold, who was looking anxious.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked worriedly.
Penfold shook his head.
"I don't know".
*
In his room, Danger Mouse lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He didn't know what he was doing - all he knew was that he had to carry out each order that Crumhorn had given him.
When he had come round, DM wasn't the same person he had been before. He was different. He was wary of all those around him, and knew that if he didn't follow orders, he would be punished.
Dr. Crumhorn had a small device that told him whether DM was carrying out his instructions or not. If the answer was yes, DM would be left alone. And if it was no...
Crumhorn had hooked up DM to an electronic device. All he had to do was press a button, and DM would be electrocuted. There was no way that DM could turn back - he had no choice but to do as he was told.
Tomorrow, DM thought to himself. Tomorrow, I will carry out the first order.
*
That night, Kim knocked tentatively on DM's door. He had slept right through the day and now that it was the evening, Kim hoped that he would come out. It had - well, it had been lonely without him.
"DM?" Kim called softly. "Are you awake?"
"Yes", came the answer from inside.
Kim opened the door and slipped in. The lights weren't on, but she could see the outline of DM sitting upright on the bed. This surprised her.
"Why are you sitting here in the dark?" she asked, flicking the switch. On the bed, DM quickly held up one hand to block the shine from his eyes.
When he put his hand down, Kim frowned. DM had dark circles under his eyes, and his uniform looked rumpled. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all.
"Are you OK?" asked Kim in concern, sitting beside him. "You don't look good".
"Thanks for the compliment", he snapped.
Kim stared at him. Danger Mouse had never snapped at her before. It wasn't like him. what was going on?
"I'm - I'm sorry, DM", she said quietly. "I just meant - well, I thought you were sleeping - ?"
"Turns out I wasn't, alright?" he said in the same cold tone he'd used earlier.
Kim closed her eyes and counted to ten, the way her brother had taught her when she got angry. When she opened them again, DM had turned away.
"OK - well - I can see that", she said in reply to his question.
"Really?" DM sneered. "Could've fooled me".
Kim jumped back off the bed. She stared at DM. It was impossible. He had never acted like this towards her before.
"Why are you being like this?" she asked in anguish.
"Like what?" DM asked in a mocking tone, "What am I doing wrong?"
Kim felt her eyes fill with tears. She didn't want DM to see her like this - she had to get out.
"Fine", she whispered. "If you want to be that way, then BE that way. See if I care".
Then she turned and ran out of the room.
DM stood watching her, but deep within his soul, there was a voice that did not belong to the mouse he had become. It was a voice filled with grief and longing.
"Oh, KIM..."
*
In the lounge, Kim collapsed onto the sofa in tears. She couldn't believe that DM would be so, so - horrid to her! It was obvious - for some reason, DM didn't like her. Just thinking of it made Kim's heart-wrenching sobs grow louder.
She was so wrapped up in her misery that she didn't see Penfold coming tentatively into the room. He hadn't been able to sleep and had planned to make some hot chocolate. But seeing Kim sobbing on the sofa as he entered the lounge had stopped him in his tracks.
"Kim?" he asked curiously.
Kim raised her face from her hands. Her eyes were red and there were tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Kim - what's wrong?" cried Penfold, concerned. He went to sit beside her and put an arm around her.
"Penfold", choked Kim. "It's DM - I went to see him - "
She told him the things that DM had said to her. Penfold listened with his eyes growing wider by the minute. This didn't sound at all like the Danger Mouse he knew.
"But - he's not normally like that", he gasped, as Kim stopped talking. "Really - he's a little moody now and then - but - he would never - "
"But he did", sniffed Kim, taking a hankerchief from her sleeve.
Penfold's head was going round and round. He would never have thought that DM would act that way, and to KIM, of all people.
"I think we'd better get some sleep", he said, turning to her. "Maybe things will be better in the morning".
But they both severely doubted it.
Well, I think it would be best if this thing was a PG-13 anyhow. We'll see how things go.
One more thing which I should've really mentioned in the first chapter. If you guys are afraid of this fic damaging DM's reputation, don't worry, it's not like that. It involves guilt, accusation and anger. You'll see what I mean later on.
Anyway, DM is really mean starting from now. If you don't like it, pass on by.
*
Chapter 2
Penfold, now back to hamster size, was anxiously waiting in the Mark III when the front door finally opened and Danger Mouse stepped out.
"DM! There you are!" cried Penfold, as DM came down the path. He waited as DM activated his watch, shrank, and jumped into the Mark III.
"Did you find anything?" Penfold asked eagerly.
DM turned towards him and Penfold was taken aback. His friend's one amber eye was wide. He was looking at Penfold as though he were - invisible. And when he spoke, his voice was dull.
"No", he said, "There's nothing here. It was a false alarm".
"Oh". Penfold shrugged and sat back in his seat. Maybe DM was just annoyed - it wasn't often that they were sent out for nothing.
"Well, homeward bound, eh?" Penfold asked hopefully.
DM didn't reply. He just started the car and it flew off into the air.
"So, Chief", said Penfold, once they were on course towards home. "What did the attic look like? Was it big and gloomy? Were there any - rats or spiders? Nasty big tarantulas maybe? Ooh, 'eck. There weren't any horrible things in there, were there?"
DM's face was unreadable. That didn't stop Penfold.
"I mean, maybe there was a huge insect the size of - of - anyway, something very big, with eight arms and sharp fangs - "
"Penfold", growled DM suddenly. "Shut. Up".
Penfold, who had been expecting a "Penfold, shush!" was extremely surprised and hurt. DM had never told him to shut up before - well, not like that, at least. Penfold hadn't meant to ramble like that, but when his imagination ran wild, he found himself babbling away at top speed, uttering nonsense. DM was used to it by now, he thought.
So why was he acting so - aggravated?
*
Kim smiled as the sofa carrying DM and Penfold emerged into the lounge. She had a tray of tea and biscuits waiting for them and hoped that they would tell her about the mission.
"Hi, boys", she said, as Penfold and DM got off the couch. "How was it?"
DM turned to face her and the grin slid off of Kim's face.
Danger Mouse's mouth was set in a tight line. His one eye was lifeless, and looked right through her.
"DM?" she asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing". DM's voice was different. There was no feeling in his words.
"Um - do you fancy a cup of tea?" Kim asked, holding up the tray.
DM looked at her as though she'd suggested that he jump off the top of a tower.
"No thanks", he said in a suddenly cold tone and he walked right past her and up the stairs to his bedroom.
Kim looked around at Penfold, who was looking anxious.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked worriedly.
Penfold shook his head.
"I don't know".
*
In his room, Danger Mouse lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He didn't know what he was doing - all he knew was that he had to carry out each order that Crumhorn had given him.
When he had come round, DM wasn't the same person he had been before. He was different. He was wary of all those around him, and knew that if he didn't follow orders, he would be punished.
Dr. Crumhorn had a small device that told him whether DM was carrying out his instructions or not. If the answer was yes, DM would be left alone. And if it was no...
Crumhorn had hooked up DM to an electronic device. All he had to do was press a button, and DM would be electrocuted. There was no way that DM could turn back - he had no choice but to do as he was told.
Tomorrow, DM thought to himself. Tomorrow, I will carry out the first order.
*
That night, Kim knocked tentatively on DM's door. He had slept right through the day and now that it was the evening, Kim hoped that he would come out. It had - well, it had been lonely without him.
"DM?" Kim called softly. "Are you awake?"
"Yes", came the answer from inside.
Kim opened the door and slipped in. The lights weren't on, but she could see the outline of DM sitting upright on the bed. This surprised her.
"Why are you sitting here in the dark?" she asked, flicking the switch. On the bed, DM quickly held up one hand to block the shine from his eyes.
When he put his hand down, Kim frowned. DM had dark circles under his eyes, and his uniform looked rumpled. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all.
"Are you OK?" asked Kim in concern, sitting beside him. "You don't look good".
"Thanks for the compliment", he snapped.
Kim stared at him. Danger Mouse had never snapped at her before. It wasn't like him. what was going on?
"I'm - I'm sorry, DM", she said quietly. "I just meant - well, I thought you were sleeping - ?"
"Turns out I wasn't, alright?" he said in the same cold tone he'd used earlier.
Kim closed her eyes and counted to ten, the way her brother had taught her when she got angry. When she opened them again, DM had turned away.
"OK - well - I can see that", she said in reply to his question.
"Really?" DM sneered. "Could've fooled me".
Kim jumped back off the bed. She stared at DM. It was impossible. He had never acted like this towards her before.
"Why are you being like this?" she asked in anguish.
"Like what?" DM asked in a mocking tone, "What am I doing wrong?"
Kim felt her eyes fill with tears. She didn't want DM to see her like this - she had to get out.
"Fine", she whispered. "If you want to be that way, then BE that way. See if I care".
Then she turned and ran out of the room.
DM stood watching her, but deep within his soul, there was a voice that did not belong to the mouse he had become. It was a voice filled with grief and longing.
"Oh, KIM..."
*
In the lounge, Kim collapsed onto the sofa in tears. She couldn't believe that DM would be so, so - horrid to her! It was obvious - for some reason, DM didn't like her. Just thinking of it made Kim's heart-wrenching sobs grow louder.
She was so wrapped up in her misery that she didn't see Penfold coming tentatively into the room. He hadn't been able to sleep and had planned to make some hot chocolate. But seeing Kim sobbing on the sofa as he entered the lounge had stopped him in his tracks.
"Kim?" he asked curiously.
Kim raised her face from her hands. Her eyes were red and there were tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Kim - what's wrong?" cried Penfold, concerned. He went to sit beside her and put an arm around her.
"Penfold", choked Kim. "It's DM - I went to see him - "
She told him the things that DM had said to her. Penfold listened with his eyes growing wider by the minute. This didn't sound at all like the Danger Mouse he knew.
"But - he's not normally like that", he gasped, as Kim stopped talking. "Really - he's a little moody now and then - but - he would never - "
"But he did", sniffed Kim, taking a hankerchief from her sleeve.
Penfold's head was going round and round. He would never have thought that DM would act that way, and to KIM, of all people.
"I think we'd better get some sleep", he said, turning to her. "Maybe things will be better in the morning".
But they both severely doubted it.