Chapter Sixteen: Past of Sorrow, a Bright Future

I know there's a way to change him. I just know it! But, will he accept the offer? Will he be able to turn a new leaf if I give a love of friendship? I can't answer all these questions, but I wish I could. I held onto my necklace tightly. Basil, I believe in you. Now, you believe in me. God, you have protected me up till now. I only ask for you to protect me once more, but most importantly, protect everyone back at Baker Street. My sister needs you more than ever. Toby stopped at a dock close to the water.

"Thank you, Toby. Now, stay." I said to him as I jumped off. I dashed down the stairs until I reached the door. I knocked on it, and Ryan, the pianist, answered it.

"Miss Kiara! What are you doing out here?" He asked which he was quite shocked.

"I'll explain later. Right now, I need someone to take me to Ratigan's lair." I told him. His mouth dropped open, which made his cigar fall out.

"YOU NEED WHAT?!" He exclaimed. This made Mary Ann come to the door.

"Ryan, stop gawking at her, and let her in." I stepped inside.

"She needs a ride to the Big Man's." Ryan explained as he closed the door. Mary Ann looked at me funny.

"You jokin'?" I shook my head. "Whut's got into yer head, gurl? You hit it?"

"I'm serious, Mary Ann. There's some unfinished business I have to intend to."

"After all he's dun to ya?"

"I know. But, I have a feeling that something good might happen. Please, Mary Ann. Trust me on this." Mary Ann stared at me for a while, and then sighed.

"Awright. But, Johnson will have to take ya. I ain't going back there again."

"I understand. Thank you." At that moment, she pulled me into a hug.

"Don't git hurt." She said. I hugged her back. Then, I noticed Kitty standing behind her.

"Kitty." I began, but she stopped me.

"I'll go with you. It's too dangerous for just two people to go." I nodded my head. She smiled. When Johnson heard all of this, he pulled up the trapdoor and helped us in. He took us to a boat and began paddling. It was quite dark to see where we were going. We came up to shore after a half an hour or so. Before I got out, Kitty tapped my shoulder.

"You such a mysterious girl, Kiara. I only wish I could just turn back time to help you escape from Ratigan." I hugged her.

"Forget about it. It's all in the past. We can only hope for a bright future." She smiled as I did back.

"You come back, ya hear?" Johnson said.

"I will." I hugged him. When I got out, Kitty spoke up again.

"Kiara!" I turned around. "What do you see in him? I mean, Ratigan?" I looked at her and smiled again.

"A lost soul looking for a certain kind of love." And with that, I dashed off around the corner.

I kept running until I bumped into something furry. I knew at the moment it was Loretta. Thinking it was an intruder, she turned and hissed.

"Loretta, it's me." She stopped and looked at me. She purred loudly as she rubbed against me, almost knocking me down. "You silly girl." I laughed.

"Miss Kiara?" I looked behind Loretta. Bill just came up. "What are you doing here?" He asked, trying to keep his voice. I told him that I would explain later.

"How's Ratigan?" I asked him. His eyes turned to fear.

"He's gone crazy. Ever since you left, he told us not to bother him. Then, we heard things smashing and him screaming in rage." I cringed a bit, but kept my calm.

"Are you…going to help him?" I inhaled and exhaled.

"Bill, would you like to see him as a better person than before?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like become a good person?" He looked at me.

"I don't know. If it means stopping him before he hurts himself, then yeah."

"Well, I'm determined to help him. I believe he didn't get the kind of love in his past."

"Does this mean you'll love him back?" I shook my head.

"I can't fall in love with him. But, I'll love him as a friend. Maybe as family."

"Oh, yeah. Well, he was hopin' to change you into a mouse, but…" I interrupted him.

"Even if he's able change my look, even if I became a full breed mouse, my soul will still be of a normal human teenager."

Bill sighed. "You're right. I just wish Boss would see that."

"I think he might've. He just doesn't want to accept it."

He nodded. "Okay, follow me then." He grabbed my hand and led to the entrance. On my way there, I glanced at Gus. He rushed up to me. I kept me head forward.

"Miss Kiara…" He began. Obviously, he wanted to apologize, but I kept forward. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Miss Kiara, I…" I finally turned around and slapped him. Bill looked at me shocked.

"Miss Kiara, he was only trying to…" He began, but I spoke.

"That's for being a traitor." I told Gus. He had his hand on the mark. "I don't care if you have an explanation. What's done is done. So, don't let me catch you doing crimes again, got it?" Gus nodded his head. I then smiled. "You're forgiven, Gus."

"Miss Kiara!" Fidget's voice came from behind. He was standing in the entrance. I walked up to him. "Are you…gonna help Boss?" He asked me.

"I'll try."

"Please help him, miss." He pleaded. I've wanted to ask him this.

"Why are you still hanging around with him? He threw you out of the blimp." I recalled from the movie.

"Oh, that." Fidget sighed. "Actually, he's all I got. He's kinda like family to me, you know?" I looked at him. Poor thing. He cares for Ratigan because he has no family.

"What happened to yours?"

"They all died. Boss took me in when I was in depression." He said sadly. I hugged him tightly, which made him blush.

"You're loyal to him. I understand. Don't worry. I'll help him." I went inside.

"I'm a good swimmer." Fidget spoke up. I turned around.

"Huh?"

"Even though I can't fly, I'm still good at swimming." I looked at him funny, but I understood what he meant. When he fell into the river, he swam for his life.

"Thanks, Fidget." I said. He smiled. I walked slowly towards Ratigan's bedroom.

It was quiet. Dead quiet. Nothing is heard. Nothing, except for my fast beating heart. I will admit, I am scared. No, frightened is more of the word. Or terrified. Whatever this feeling of fear is, it's making my heart beat faster. Calm down, Kiara. Don't lead yourself into a heart attack, although that's logically impossible for me. I finally reached the door. It must've taken minutes for me to finally get the courage to open it. As I slowly opened it, a bottle that was seemed to be filled with some sort of wine, was thrown at the door. I tried not to yelp, but I was able to dodge it.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ratigan's voice shook the floor under me. Okay. Now, I'm terrified. I peeked inside the room, and I gasped. It was horrible. Everything was torn, smashed, tattered, and broken. The bed was ripped to shreds. Everything was knocked down. I gulped quickly and opened the door a little more. Then, I stopped. I caught something. It was a big painted portrait of……..me. Me? Good lord, is he that obsessed? I looked closely at the painting. I was smiling big and sweet in a green dress that I borrowed from Kitty. At the bottom, I saw Ratigan clinging at the frame, with a few scratch marks on the painting. His outfit was ripped, too. At least, I think so. I can only see his opera cape being a mess, and he had no gloves on. His claws were all black and sharp. His fur turned darker than before. I guess he only gets that when he snaps. I carefully went inside, trying not to step on anything. Then, a shot fell in the air. I ducked quickly, only to see that Ratigan had a pistol in his hand. Oy vey. I'm in for it now.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" Ratigan spoke up. I guess he thinks I'm one of his lackeys. I stood up slowly. "I'm only going to tell you one last time. Leave me alone!" I stood there silent. I didn't move. He began to load his gun, still not looking at me. "Get out!" I sighed.

"I can't do that." I said.

Ratigan's ears perked up. His head rose. He turned slowly until we met eye to eye. I was able to see his front. His whole shirt was shredded, leaving only his chest fur out. His eyes were very yellow. When he saw me, he dropped the gun. He backed slowly.

"K-Kiara…" He stammered. I kept still. He had no shoes on. Only his bare feet were showing.He finally stepped closer to me. "Are you…real? Is this…an illusion?" I still didn't move.

"No, Ratigan. I'm not an illusion." He reached out his hand to touch my face. I didn't wince from his cold hard touch.

"Your face…I can feel it." He said. I finally got the courage to remove his hand gently from my face.

"Ratigan, you cannot go on like this. You have to accept that I'm human, and that I can't love you the same way you love me." His eyes were still in shock.

"No. No! I won't!" He turned away.

"Ratigan, please." I began.

"You admire me. I was your one. Why the sudden change?"

"Ratigan, I admired your title. I do not love you as in romance, nor can I."

He turned back to me. "But, you can be a mouse! I can find something in the future to…" I quickly interrupted him.

"I told this to Bill. Whether you change me or not, I'll forever be a human. That's what God made me as. He made me for who I am today. Not even the outside were to change can outstand the fact of me as a teenager."

His eyes started to flare. "God? Since when did he care? He took everything away from me, and now he has pity on me? I don't care what he thinks! I don't give a damn about him!"

I winced. I don't like it when people insult my religion. But, what did he mean by everything? "What are you talking about?" At the moment, he spilled out his past, as if he didn't care that anyone was listening.

"My mother and father were all I had. We were discriminated by the rodent world. It didn't seem to bother my parents, but it did to me. They always said that one day; mice would appreciate us rodents into their world. Then, my parents got themselves into an accident with a horse cart, and they died! I cried for help, but would anyone listen? No! Instead, they looked at me in disgust, calling me a vile creature, a filthy rat!" I see it now. Why he became a villain. He hated all mousedom because they hated him first. They didn't help him. They treated him like an outsider. A broken spirit.

"And then, you came into my life." He grabbed my face. "You were my light. You were my one. I finally found someone that actually loved me." He started to press against my face. His claws began to poke my skin. "Why? Why don't you love me? Why can't you love me?" I tied to cover the fear that was building up inside me.

"Because it'll disgust not only to my family and friends, but to my God."

He gritted his teeth. His eyes burned. I couldn't hide my fear any longer. No, please. Not that again. He screamed in my face. "WELL, SCREW YOUR GOD! I WILL HAVE YOU! I TOLD YOU BEFORE!" He pushed down to the floor. His claws scratched my face. I tried to get up, but Ratigan held my arms down. "Your life is mine." He said into my face. I tried to break free, but he was too strong. I closed my eyes. This can't end like this. Please, stop! I don't want this!

"I love you, Kiara." Ratigan's voice said.

I opened my eyes. I started to cry. Come on, Kiara. Say it Say it into his face! The fury in his eyes disappeared as he held me down. "I love you with all of my heart." SAY IT, KIARA! SPIT IT OUT!

"T-tell me, Ratigan. Do you enjoy seeing me suffer?" I finally said.

He looked at me. He let go of my hands and scooted away. He looked at me in shock. I couldn't stop crying. He kept looking at me.

"W-w-what have I done?" He said. He cupped his mouth. I kept sobbing. I couldn't stop. "Kiara…" I interrupted him, trying to talk in my tears.

"Ratigan, do you like…to see me cry? Is my screaming…music to your ears? Do you enjoy…hurting me…and leaving me in my own pool of blood?" At that moment, I saw something that I never thought I would see. Tears streamed down on his face.

"Kiara…" He reached out for me, but he drew it back. He looked at his hand. I guess he was remembering the time he hit me. He slowly got up. "Leave and don't ever come back." His back was facing me. I got up, but I didn't leave. Instead, I came up to him. He noticed.

"I said get out!"

"I already told you. I can't do that."

He looked at me confused. "Why? You can't love me, so what's the point of staying? Get out!"

"Ratigan, no. Listen to me…"

"OUT! LEAVE ME! DON'T COME BACK!" He raised his hand to slap me, but I spoke up.

"RATIGAN, I CAN'T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU, BUT I CAN LOVE YOU AS A FRIEND! AS A BROTHER!" I closed my eyes. I was ready for the slap. I tried. There's nothing else for me to do. Then, I noticed I didn't get slapped. I opened my eyes. Ratigan put his hand down.

"What?" He said.

"It is a sin to fall in love with animals, but that doesn't mean you can't care for them. Ratigan, I can give you the love of friendship if you only set aside your evil ways." He looked at me as if a new ray of light struck him.

"Y-you would…do that?" He asked.

"If you allow me to." I said. I walked up closer. "I believe that you can change, Ratigan. I believe that you would stop your life of crime and start something new. I believe in that." He stared into my eyes. Then, he looked at his hand, and then back at me.

"Am I…allowed to give that same love you would give to me?"

I smiled. "Of course. I only think of you as a friend. That goes for Basil, too. I love him as a friend and father. Nothing more."

He sighed. There was a minute pause before he spoke again. "You were right all along. Humans and animals can't be together. I wouldn't be able to change your human form. I guess a love of friendship and family is as far as it can go." I nodded. He then fell to his knees.

"Ratigan, are you all right?" He looked at me.

"Can I…at least hold you? Just for little?" I looked at him and smiled.

"Sure." He pulled into a hug and cried. People might think this was babyish for him to cry, but it didn't bother me. It was his first time.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He cried. "I'm sorry for everything I've done to you!" I hugged him back and told him the same thing I said to Gus.

"You're forgiven, Ratigan. What's done is done."

An hour or two must've passed when Bill, Fidget, and Gus poked their heads in the room. They were about to speak, but I quickly shushed.

"He's sleeping." I whispered. Ratigan had his head sleeping on my lap. He cried all his tears out until he fell asleep.

"Is he..." Fidget spoke, but I interrupted.

"He's going to be fine." I smiled. All three helped get Ratigan into the bed.

"You can go back now. I'll tell him that." Bill said.

"Thank you."

"Need to take Loretta with you?" Gus asked me.

"No, I got Toby." I replied. I looked at Ratigan. I smiled at him. "Mi amo, mi hermano." I whispered in Spanish in his ear. I looked at the trio. "He's willing to change. Maybe you should, too."

"We have been thinking about that. If Boss can do it, so can we." Fidget said.

"Thanks, you guys." I smiled and waved them goodbye. I ran past Loretta who just perked her head up. "See you later, Loretta!" I told her. She mewed happily. Kitty and Johnson were still waiting at the boat. I gave them thumbs up. They knew what that meant. I even told Mary Ann and the Rat Trap workers the same news. Especially to Basil who was happy to see me alive and well.

"Well, that's part one. Now, for part two." He said to me as he hugged me. He's right. If Ratigan's going to change, he needs to prove it. There's only one person who can determined that. Queen Mousetoria.