CHAPTER 7: Back to Baker Street and Back Home
Arden left Bill, now knowing more she had known before. She ran out of the park, into the streets, and did not stop, not even to take a breath or two. After running for ten minutes, she began to slow down. As she slowed down, she almost came to a complete stop. She stared at the foggy streets, as she fell to her knees. Before she knew it, Arden saw a dog coming towards her out of the fog. The dog was familiar to her. When she got a good look at the canine, she realized that it was Toby! She reached out her paw, to let Toby know that she was there. Toby approached and licked her face. Basil was there on his back holding out his paw too. The two paws touched and the detective pulled Arden up on Toby's back. Basil motioned Toby to keep going. Basil stared at Arden for awhile, until he finally spoke.
"I was very worried about you," he said. Arden heard this and was overwhelmed with joy. As they rode together on Toby's back, Arden hugged Basil so tightly; Basil had very little breath to breathe. After twenty seconds of hugging, Basil tried to break free, but Arden would not let go. She noticed his struggle.
"Basil, I almost killed you with my switchblade. I need as much embracing as possible," she mumbled in Basil's ears.
After another 10 seconds, Arden finally released Basil. Basil started breathing heavily. As Arden and Basil kept riding, Arden noticed Baker Street
"BAKER STREET!!!" she screamed. Basil motioned Toby to stop. Toby suddenly stopped, and both Basil and Arden slid down his back, and Toby was motioned to go back up to Sherlock Holmes house. When he was finally gone, Arden and Basil went into Basil's small home and they both sat down to talk.
"Hey, Basil, um…I know why you're not ticked off like everyone else about my ignorance like everyone else. Bill the lizard told me everything. Let me just repeat everything he told me: The crystal not only can protect you, it can also posses you. You see, once you get so worked up about finding out more about it and using it, it'll make you go crazy with possession. The crystal will captivate you and make you go mad! It'll even make you turn against your loved ones, like friends, family, allies, and acquaintances. It doesn't mention about that in the books because when they were written five-hundred years ago in 1398. The one who created the crystal was a muskrat named Aristotle McDermott. When he used the crystal, his family left him all alone in the country of Austria. During his time in Austria, he wrote every single book about the crystal such as the one you mentioned earlier. After writing the books, he went to live with new friends he made, but, alas, the crystal did him no good there. The crystal drove him mad and he even threatened one of his friend's daughters, a squirrel named Athena. Because of the near death experience, Athena's father brought him out to a forest, where Aristotle was left for dead. After surviving for only a few days, he died in the forest after being attacked by an anaconda. After he died, another one of friends, a chipmunk named Artemis Pattison, your ancestor, discovered the books, read the books, went mad, and decided to take them for himself. He used the books to travel to Austria and stole the crystal. He, his family, the books, and the crystal traveled to many countries including Japan, Scotland, and finally to stay, here in London, England. Unfortunately, before he died of old age in 1467, he buried the books and the crystal, so no one could find it. He hid them away from the rest of the world…just as you hid yourself away from the rest of the world. On his death bed, he told his only son, Apollo Pattison, all about the books and the crystal. His last words were "keep it safe…", and there he died on March 29, 1454 at the age of seventy-one. Then, four-hundred thirty-nine years later, you had actually found the books and the crystal and went crazy like Aristotle and your ancestor, Artemis Pattison. In fact unlike the other two, you almost killed his housemaid, Mrs. Judson, which by the way is the reason why she's so hard on you all the time! After realizing what you almost did, you threw the books away and placed the crystal in a small white box and threw them all out, only to find out later that the professor found it, of all the creatures on Earth! Professor Ratigan had to find it! You were crushed! That rat's had it ever since. He used it to survive his fall off Big Ben, survive my arrow shot, and my revolver gun shot! What do you say 'bout all that?!" explained Arden, saying everything Bill told her.
Basil nodded as she spoke. After she was finished, he touched Arden's shoulder and began to speak.
"What you say is true, Arden. I too am a victim of the crystal's possessive powers. That's why I tried to help you because I didn't want you to go through the same pain I'd been through. And if wondering why Bill knew everything about it, is because he and I are close friends. We know each other very well. Yes he's working for Ratigan, but I guess you can say he's my spy, and thank the Lord, the professor doesn't know a thing about it. He's a witness to my breakdowns and panic attacks I had when I had the crystal in my possession," he said. Arden was speechless, but she nodded, so that Basil knew that he understood. After talking for a little bit more, Arden said goodbye one last time, and there she left Basil, left Baker Street, and left her big adventure.
She decided to go home, hoping there won't be any arguments.
Arden approached the home she had lived in for more than a year…