Thanks to Skullgal94, AirRaider23, and SimonCatGirl for reviewing!
Moments later, at the waterfront, Toby was sitting on the pier, looking down below him, as Basil whispered to him, "Stay, Toby. Stay."
On the dock, Basil was disguised as a sailor, wearing a fake mustache, while Veronica was dressed in a sheer white sailor dress.
"Uh, Basil?" Dawson said.
"Come, come, Dawson," Basil said, taking out his cigarette.
"I feel utterly ridiculous," Dawson said, as he hid behind a pier column.
"Don't be ridiculous," Veronica said. "You look perfect."
Dawson stepped out, wearing a bandanna, an earring, an eye patch, and a striped shirt that was much too short for him. He kept trying to tuck it into his pants, with no luck, while Veronica tried to stifle a giggle.
"Perfect?" Dawson said, incredulously. "Perfectly foolish."
Basil shushed him, as the three entered the pub. Just as Veronica had remembered it, the pub was certainly seedy, given that every lowlife of London had gathered. They were either playing poker, smoking, or drinking at the bar, some having passed out from the amount of drinking they had done. She shuddered to herself, remembering every mouse in this place that had touched her in places she didn't even know she'd had, which was part of what had made her wonder two years ago if she really enjoyed working for Ratigan.
"Dawson, Veronica…" Basil said, as he lit his cigarette, "Stay close and do as I do."
The bartender looked up from cleaning a mug and watched the three mice as they approached. Basil signaled him for service, as he walked to a table, keeping his arm around Veronica. Veronica rolled her eyes, as Dawson copied Basil's movements, though his were a little bit exaggerated, even as she noticed that the bar patrons were eyeing them suspiciously.
Suddenly, a knife landed on the floor in Dawson's path and he stumbled back, knocking a woman's chair forward.
"Oh, I do beg your pardon, madam," Dawson said. She blew her cigarette smoke in his face, making him choke. "Quite unintentional, I assure you."
Everyone but Basil and Veronica laughed at his coughing, as the woman went back to her poker game.
"How impertinent," Dawson whispered to Basil and Veronica.
"Well, what do you expect?" Veronica said.
"Remember, Dawson," Basil whispered to him. "We're lowlife ruffians."
"And nobody gives a damn about what you think," Veronica added.
"Well, I was until that," Dawson began.
Basil shushed him, as they took their seats. Dawson gave a haughty nod towards the woman, only for Veronica to kick him under the table. The barmaid came up to their table.
"What's your pleasure, mates?" asked the barmaid.
"Uh…" Dawson said, "I'll have a dry sherry with…oh, perhaps a twist of-"
Both Basil and Veronica clamped their hands over Dawson's mouth to shut him up, before Basil said, in a ruffian accent, "Three pints for me and me shipmates. 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!"
At the mention of Ratigan's name, the barmaid gasped, as did several poker players and the pianist, as they stopped what they were doing and stared at Basil in shock.
"I…never heard of him," the barmaid said, recovering from her shock.
Dawson was a little nervous from all the stares, but Basil seemed to be pretty pleased with the reaction, as well as Veronica.
As the three watched the third act with a singing woman, Dawson was watching her, looking like he had fallen in love. Basil was the only one not interested in the singer, as he and Veronica glanced over at the bar to see the barmaid whispering something into the bartender's ear, before he poured a vial of something into the three mugs of beer. The barmaid returned to their table and handed them their drinks.
"There you are," She said. "It's uh…on the house."
"I say," Dawson said, "how very generous."
Basil looked a little skeptical, as he swirled his finger in his beer and took a small taste.
Veronica was about to take a drink, but Basil stopped her and said, "Don't drink it. These drinks have been…" But it was far too late for Dawson, who had already taken a drink, before Basil said, "Drugged!"
"Has a rather nice bite to it," Dawson said, drunkenly, before he turned his attention to the stage. "Jolly good, ladies, jolly good!"
"Dawson, get a hold of yourself!" Basil said.
But Dawson was paying no attention to him, as he said, "Oh, bravo, bravo."
Veronica face palmed and muttered to herself and Basil, "This is gonna be a long night."
Just then, she and Basil both heard the sound of a peg-legged figure approaching. As Fidget hobbled past them, his attention was focused on the showgirls on stage and not on the fact that both Basil and Veronica could see him. His peg leg got caught in a hole in the floorboard, causing him to fall, and he angrily yanked his foot out, causing him to stumble backwards into the bar.
"Well, Miss Veronica, if it isn't our peg-legged friend. Dawson, ooh-hoo, what luck," Basil said, as he turned back only to find that Dawson was gone. "Dawson?"
"Uh, Basil?" Veronica said. "Don't look now, but…"
Basil looked to the stage in shock and said, "Dawson!"
Dawson was dancing with the showgirls and an annoyed Basil slapped his forehead and dragged his hand down his face, while Veronica began to bang her head on the table over and over again. Once the dance was finished, Dawson fell onto the piano and was having visions of showgirls dancing around his head.
The pianist was about to hit him with a plank, but Dawson slumped down, and instead the pianist hid the head of a big mean-looking mouse. Soon enough, a brawl ensued and the barmaid and the bartender rushed over to stop the fight. In the midst of the brawl, Basil and Veronica rushed over to Dawson. Veronica helped Dawson sit up, while Basil lightly slapped Dawson to snap him out of it.
"Dawson? Dawson!" Basil said.
"What? What?" Dawson said, before he noticed the fight. "What in heaven's name is going on?"
"I've spotted our peg-legged," Basil began, as he glanced to the bar, only to find that Fidget was gone. Basil quickly helped Dawson to his feet, as he said, "Come on, old fella. There's not a moment to lose."
Spotting a trapdoor behind the bar, the three moved towards it, unnoticed. The fight continued as Veronica was the first to climb down the passageway followed by Dawson and Basil, who shut the door behind them. Basil motioned for Dawson and Veronica to follow him and they quietly followed Fidget, as he climbed into a drain pipe.
"Basil-" Dawson began, but Veronica shushed him.
"Follow me," Basil whispered, as the three mice climbed inside.
As they climbed up the pipe, Dawson said, "Great Scott. I can't see a thing."
"Shh," Basil said. "Grab my coat and follow along. No, no, no, not that way. Dawson, look out for your-"
Dawson walked into a sealed cap and said, "Oww! Confound it!"
"Head," Veronica finished, with a sigh.
Dawson followed Veronica and Basil and asked, "Do you have any idea where we're going?"
"But, of course," Basil said. "Left turn. Right here, Doctor."
Soon enough, they reached a drain grate that led to Ratigan's hideout.
"I never thought I'd actually live to see the day I come back to this place," Veronica muttered.
"Aha, Dawson!" Basil said. "We found it! Ratigan's secret lair!" He climbed out and held the grate open for Veronica and Dawson, as he added, "And it's filthier than I imagined."
They slowly crept over to the entrance and noticed Olivia curled up in a bottle, apparently fast asleep, with her back to them.
"Oh, Dawson. The bottle," Basil said.
The trio carefully snuck over to the bottle. Basil jumped onto the neck of the bottle and began to pull at the cork, along with Veronica.
"It's stuck," Basil said.
Dawson, meanwhile, tapped on the glass, as he whispered, "Olivia?"
It turned out it was actually Fidget in the bottle, dressed in Olivia's coat, as he turned to them with a sinister smile and made a kissy face.
Without warning, a group of Ratigan's thugs yelled, "Surprise!"
Startled, Basil dropped to the ground, falling on top of Veronica, who yelped in surprise. A large banner that read 'Welcome Basil' unfurled from the ceiling. Balloons were released and confetti flew about.
Once Basil and Veronica opened their eyes, they both saw that they were in quite an awkward position. Basil was on top of Veronica, and Basil quickly apologized as he got off of her, though for some odd reason, he found he wanted to remain on top of her, as did Veronica, who looked surprised that she was even thinking such thoughts.
There, standing at the doorway, was none other than Ratigan, who applauded.
"Bravo! Bravo!" He said. "A marvelous performance."
Veronica angrily stood up, showing no sign of fear, as he moved toward Basil, who was glaring at him with hatred.
Ratigan pulled out his pocket watch, as he said, "Though, frankly, I expected you fifteen minutes earlier. Trouble with the chemistry set, old boy?"
Basil stiffened at the insult, but recovered, as he said, in an almost friendly tone, "Ratigan, no one can have a higher opinion of you than I have." But then his voice was no longer friendly, as he added, "And I think you're a slimy contemptible sewer rat!"
Ratigan then finally noticed Veronica standing beside Basil, as he said, "Ah, Thompson. I see your wasting your time with this lowlife."
"Believe me when I say this, Ratigan," Veronica said, angrily. "This is worth more than committing crimes for you."
Ratigan calmly shut his pocket watch and put it away, as he chuckled.
"By the way, Basil," he said, "I just love your disguise." He ripped off Basil's mustache and inspected Basil's hat, as his thugs laughed. "Really, one would hardly recognize you. The greatest detective in all mousedom!"
Ratigan laughed, as he walked away.
By now, Basil was starting to seeth, as he said, "Ratigan, so help me…I'll see you behind bars yet!"
"You fool!" Ratigan said, getting in his face. "Isn't it clear to you?" He lifted Basil by his collar and shook him, as he said, "The superior mind has triumphed! I've won!"
He dropped Basil, as he laughed evilly, as did Fidget and his thugs. Basil steeled himself against the jeering and pointing, but, after a few moments, he slumped, defeated and broken. Dawson and Veronica both stared at him in concern, not knowing how to help him.
Basil hung his head, as the laughter continued.
Ratigan was clutching at his sides, as he said, "Oh, I love it! I love it! Oh, I love it, I love it, I love it!"
A few moments later, Basil, Dawson, and Veronica were tied to a mousetrap, which a few of Ratigan's thugs were setting.
"You don't know what a delightful dilemma it was trying to decide on the most appropriate method for your demise," Ratigan said to Basil, while Veronica was glaring at Ratigan with pure contempt. Basil, on the other hand, was looking catatonic and staring off into space. "Oh, I had so many ingenious ideas, I didn't know which to choose. So, I decided to use them all."
Ratigan gave a grand gesture to reveal a gun, a crossbow, an axe, and an anvil, all of which were aimed at the three mice.
"Marvelous, isn't it?" said Ratigan. "But here, let me show you how it works. Picture this. First, a tune I've recorded especially for you and your little turncoat mouse. As the song plays, the cord tightens and, when the song ends, the metal ball is released, rolling along its merry way until…(gestures to the mousetrap) Snap! (gestures to the gun) Boom! (to the crossbow) Twang! (the axe) Thunk! (the anvil) Splat!" Dawson winced as Ratigan removed his hat in a form of a salute, as he finished, "And so ends the short undistinguished career of Basil of Baker Street."
"You're despicable," Dawson said.
"Yes," Ratigan said, with a chuckle, before he turned to Fidget, now dressed in a British guard uniform, "Everything's ready, Fidget?"
"All set, boss," Fidget said.
"Oh, this is wicked," Ratigan said, peering into a large white box with a pink ribbon and chuckling evilly, while a confused Veronica looked up, trying to see what was in it. "So delightfully wicked." Ratigan then walked over to Olivia's father, who was bound by ropes, standing by a bottle Olivia was in, as he said, "Mr. Flaversham, let me congratulate you on a superb piece of craftsmanship. See what you can do with the proper motivation?" He then turned to his soldiers, who were now riding on Felicia, as he said, "You all know the plan?"
"Right, Professor," the thugs said, saluting Ratigan, before they left.
"It was my fond hope to stay and witness your final scene," Ratigan said, "but you were fifteen minutes late and I do have an important engagement at Buckingham Palace. Now, you will remember to smile for the camera, won't you?" Sure enough, a camera was set up, ready to shoot, as Ratigan said, "Hmm? Say 'cheese.'"
"You fiend!" Dawson said.
"Sorry, chubby," Ratigan said, as he started up the record. "You should have chosen your friends more carefully."
Once the record had started, Fidget flew by in a dirigible and lowered a ladder, allowing Ratigan to climb on, as he waved good-bye.
"Adieu," Ratigan called out, "auf wiedersehen, arrivederci, farewell!"
"Okay, we get the idea, sewer rat," Veronica yelled.
Ratigan chuckled, as he said, "Bye-bye, Basil."
Soon enough, they were gone and the record was slowly beginning to tighten the cable.
Dawson was looking concerned at what he had heard Ratigan say about Buckingham Palace.
"Wh-Wh-What did he mean, an engagement in Buckingham Palace?" Dawson asked Basil.
Basil sighed and then answered, seemingly unconcerned, "Haven't you figured it out yet, Doctor? The Queen's in danger and the Empire's doomed."
"The Queen?" Dawson said.