A/N: So if you are a die-hard Kingdom Hearts fan and don't like people messing with the game, thank you for making it this far into the story but you should probably stop reading now. It was suggested that not only do I re-write the worlds included in the game but create some new worlds as well. This chapter contains a re-writing of Disney's The Great Mouse Detective. Let me know what you think.
"Why did you never tell me you almost joined the police force with Sora?" Though Roxas could clearly hear the surprise in Axel's voice, he didn't tease the man - because the blond could also make out the underlying tone of accusation. Something about the idea of Roxas following his brother onto the force clearly upset the red-head. So Roxas set aside the pages he had been editing and motioned for Axel to join him on the couch.
"Because I didn't think it mattered? It was a long time ago. My dad liked the idea of me and Sora working together but…it wasn't what I wanted to do. How did you even find out about that?" Axel waved an arm, as if encompassing the library and the entire House of Darkling.
"I was poking around, came across a hall of mirrors that show different futures that could have taken place."
"And I'm guessing one of those futures has me at the academy?" Roxas asked wryly, picking up his papers and continuing his editing. He set the papers down a minute later. "Hang on, why are you seeing my possible futures?"
"Well…" Axel drawled. "Roughly seven out of ten futures have us meeting in some way, shape, or form, so when I saw a future that didn't involve you I'd tell the mirror to show me what you were doing at that same moment." he explained.
"Why does it bother you?" Roxas asked.
"Because," Axel stated, clearly distressed, "we wouldn't have met and people would be shooting at you." Roxas refrained from reminding the red-head that only last week a crazy queen had been threatening to chop off his head. Axel was still a little sore on that subject - so much so that even though they had been to Darkling every day they had yet to venture to another world.
"Yes, but that future didn't happen, did it? I am sitting here, in a world where creatures can't die, ripping apart your atrocious use of the English language. So keep calm and carry on, Mr. Lea," Roxas stated, turning back to his editing once more.
"Yeah…yeah, I'll do that." Axel stated, smiling softly at the smaller man before Roxas' earlier statement sunk in. "Hey! What do you mean my 'atrocious use of the English language'?!"
By the time Roxas had finished his edits on the first three chapters of Kingdom Hearts he was once again bowled over by Axel's creativity and way with words. The Heartless characters that he had introduced would need to be fleshed out and explained but Roxas had felt like he was back in each world as he read. He was a little annoyed that there wasn't more to read.
"When are we going to visit another world?" he asked, voice scratchy from disuse. Axel turned away from the bookshelf he had been perusing and gave the blond an incredulous look. "Oh, come on!" Roxas shouted, annoyed. "It was one incident! Are you going to fake your way through the rest of the story because of it? Whatever happened to artistic integrity?" he demanded, stalking across the room to stand by the red-head.
"Roxas, I'm not going to endanger your life over a book! It's -"
"My life and I'll choose who can endanger it, when it will be endangered and why!" Roxas interrupted. "Do you have the key?" he demanded.
"Yes, but -"
"But nothing!" he stated angrily, ripping a book from the shelf and wrenching it open.
"Well, now you've done it. I don't suppose you even know what book you've thrown us into, do you?" Axel asked sarcastically.
"Oh, shut up." Roxas stated, brushing feathers out of his hair. "Where the hell did these feathers come from?"
"Never mind the feathers! We're talking about the bat!" Axel and Roxas stared at the thin mouse, who was dressed in a robe, pants and shoes, before looking at each other. They had been transformed to fit in with the new world and were now mice as well. Axel's fur was russet colored and his outfit had been changed into a two-piece suit to fit with the Victorian era they had fallen into. Roxas' fur was honey-colored and he had been placed in a cardigan and dress pants. They turned back to the thin mouse who had spoken to them.
"Right. The bat. What about the bat?" Axel asked.
"That bat, one Fidget by name, is in the employ of the fiend who was the very target of my experiment! The horror of my every waking moment. The nefarious Professor Ratigan!" The mouse gestured in the direction of the fireplace and Roxas and Axel noticed a picture of a well-dressed rat sitting on the mantle frame.
"Uh, Ratigan?" Roxas asked.
"He's a genius, my good man." The thin mouse stated, leaning over the back of his arm-chair before ducking down and re-appearing at the side of the chair. "A genius...twisted for evil," he explained, moving to stand in front of the chair. "The Napoleon of crime!"
"As bad as all that, eh?" Axel asked.
"Worse!" the detective stated, climbing part way up the steps before sticking his head through the banister. "For years I've tried to capture him and I've come close, so very close." He stood and walked back down the steps dejectedly. "But each time he's narrowly evaded my grasp. Now a corner of London's safe while Ratigan's at large. There's no evil scheme he wouldn't concoct! No depravity he wouldn't commit. Who knows what dastardly scheme that villain may be plotting even as we speak."
"But my father! What does he want with my father?" The little girl cried.
"There, there sweetie." Roxas stated, kneeling to comfort the little girl. He handed over his handkerchief so she could dry her eyes. "Perhaps you had better tell the detective precisely what's happened." The small mouse sniffed a few times to stop her tears before beginning her story.
"F-father had just finished his latest a-automaton when he asked me if I wanted by b-birthday present. All of a sudden a bat broke down the door. Father hid me in the closet, but he was taken. Can you find him, Mr. Basil?" Basil finished lighting his pipe before beginning to pace.
"Now, let's – Oh, and who are you two, again?" Basil asked, really noticing the two new mice for the first time. Roxas elbowed Axel, urging the red-head to say something.
"Uhm... Hi. I'm Axel, this is Roxas. We...came to speak with you – yeah, uhm – about Ratigan. We have...personal...reasons for wanting to bring him down. And we heard that you were the man – uh, mouse – to talk to."
"Very well," Basil stated, waving them into the sitting room. "This case is most intriguing with its multiplicity of elements...its many twists and turns." He spun around to face the little mouse. "Now you're certain you've told me everything, Olivia? The slightest detail may be important."
"It's just as I said," she stated, her voice betraying her annoyance with Basil. "And then my father was gone."
"What do you make of it?" Roxas asked. Basil resumed his pacing and Olivia began to follow him.
"Hmm," Basil mused. "Ratigan's up to something, a crime of the most sinister nature no doubt. The question is: what would he want with a toy maker?" Basil continued both his pacing and his musing. Olivia – growing tired of the game – stopped in front of the window and peered out at the rain. As a lightening streaked across the sky, Fidget popped down from above the window and leered at the little mouse. Olivia shrieked and all four adults rushed to the window – Basil just in time to see Fidget disappear from sight.
"Quickly, all! Not a moment to lose!" he cried, rushing toward the door.
"Right behind you!" Axel shouted, right on Basil's heels. Roxas was quick to follow the writer – the last thing he needed was to explain to Xemnas that XIII's star writer was dead because he decided to chase a bat in another world - but he made sure to keep a careful eye on Olivia.
"Is there any sign of the blackguard?" Olivia asked, sticking with Basil's housekeeper - who had come running when she heard Olivia's scream. Fidget had disappeared, but Basil, Axel and Roxas were scouring the ground for clues. Roxas tapped Basil on the shoulder and motioned to the sidewalk where a set of muddy footprints could be seen leaving a clear impression of a foot and a peg-leg.
"He left some rather unusual footprints. They obviously belong to the same fiend who abducted the girl's father. Ratigan's peg-legged lackey."
"Uh...Basil?" Axel questioned, lifting a hat off the ground.
"Ah-ha! Excellent work, young man! Ha, ha, ha!" He rushed back into the house, nearly running down Olivia in his haste. The others trailed in behind him and Roxas stopped to talk to Olivia.
"The scoundrel's quite gone."
"Ha-ha! But not for long, Miss Flamhammer." Basil assured her, throwing off his robe and replacing it with a brown jacket.
"Flaversham!" Olivia corrected.
"Whatever. Now, we simply pursue our peg-legged friend until he leads us to the girl's father." Basil explained.
"Then you'll get my daddy back?" She asked excitedly, rushing over and enveloping the detective in a hug.
"Yeees." Basil pushed down on the small mouse and pulled his legs free from her grasp. "And quite soon if I'm not mistaken. Now, hurry along, Axel, Roxas. We must be off to Toby's," he stated, grabbing a cape from a suit of armor.
"Toby's?" Roxas asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"Oh, you must meet him. He's just the chap for this." Basil continued, placing a deerstalker cap on his head.
"You-you want all of us to come?" Roxas asked.
"Ha!" Basil shouted. "My good sir, I haven't quite figured you or your friend here out," he stated, "but I should think that I know the types of people who are up for an adventure. And I'd wager my next case that you two have seen a fair share of it. "
"Well, heh, heh, I can't speak for Roxas here, but I am rather curious." Axel stated.
"Wait for me!" Olivia cried. "I'm coming too!" She grabbed her scarf and rushed to join the group of gentlemen, knocking Basil's violin in the process. The detective dove to grab it.
"What? Certainly not!" he stated, placing his violin back on the chair. "This is no business for children."
"Are we going to take a cab?" she asked, ignoring Basil's refusals and placing several crumpets in her coat pocket.
"Oh..." Basil grabbed the young mouse's hand and turned her around to face him. "My dear, I don't think you understand. It will be quite dangerous." He moved to sit and wound up crushing his violin in half. He pulled the ruined instrument out from underneath him. "Why you – Look at -" He took a deep breath, trying to control his rage. "Young lady, you are most definitely not accompanying us. And that is final!"
They trekked silently through dark passages. Olivia stuck close to Basil and Roxas and Axel lagged behind to talk quietly.
"Do you have any idea where we are?" Roxas inquired.
"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say London - sometime in the Victorian era. I can't get more precise than that without more information." Basil motioned for quiet as he opened a small wall design and peeked into the room. Olivia - eager to be included - opened the doorway further, receiving a glare of annoyance from the mouse detective.
"And not a word out of you. Is that clear?" he asked the girl. Olivia shushed him as two shadows approached and Basil quickly grabbed the young mouse and closed the door, leaving a small crack open. They listened as two men argued over German music, but the resistant man - Watson - finally conceded to his friend and they left. The four mice crept into the open and Basil began calling for his friend. Olivia tugged on Roxas' cardigan and as he knelt down she asked,
"Who is Toby?"
"Well, Toby is…well, he's, uh, uh…" Roxas turned to Basil. "Who is this Toby?" Before the detective could answer, thundering footsteps could be heard. Roxas struggled to keep himself and Olivia upright as a basset hound puppy barreled into the room.
"Ahh! Here he is now!" He pushed Roxas and Axel forward as Toby leaned down. "Roxas…Toby. Axel…Toby." Roxas nervously patted the dog's head as Axel immediately began scratching behind Toby's ear. Toby jerked upright without warning, knocking the writer and editor over before he placed his nose to the ground and began sniffing around the room. As Axel helped Roxas up, Toby paused at a footrest and the fringe slowly split in two as Olivia cautiously peered out before smiling at the puppy.
"Hello, Toby!" She patted his nose as he sniffed her. "Silly doggy! Would you like a crumpet?" The hound nodded as the girl reached into her pocket. She held the crumpet above her head, giggling as he carefully licked it off her hand.
"Here now, Toby? Toby! To the matter at hand," Basil stated, ignoring the proceedings as he reached into his pocket, "I want you to -" He cut off as he turned and realized that Toby wasn't listening to him. The puppy was on his back enjoying a belly rub from Olivia. Basil whistled and Toby rolled his head back to see the detective clearing his throat and tapping his foot in annoyance. Axel tried to hide his amusement as Olivia slid off Toby into Roxas' arms and Toby rolled back onto his feet, facing Basil. Roxas smiled tenderly as he set Olivia on the ground and Axel felt something tighten in his chest.
"I didn't know you liked kids," he stated, ignoring the growling noises behind him. Roxas scowled but before he could say anything, a confused whine from Toby arrested his attention.
"Oh, he's a peg-legged bat with a broken wing," Basil explained carelessly, waving Fidget's hat as Toby began to growl again. "Yes! Yes! That's the spirit! Got his scent?" At Toby's nod Basil retrieved his leash. As he turned around, Toby was facing Olivia, Roxas and Axel. Annoyed, Basil moved between them. "Miss Flamchester!"
"Flaversham!" Olivia corrected in unison with Roxas. Axel tamped down on his grin.
"Whatever. Your father is as good as found," Basil stated as he hooked Toby's leash to his collar. "Toby… Sic 'em!"
"Splendid job, Toby!" Basil praised as he jumped from the dog's muzzle to a windowsill. Olivia stood on Toby's muzzle and held both her arms out toward the detective. Basil gave her a look of annoyance but held out his arms and she jumped. Basil put her down as Axel and Roxas joined them. Axel peered around curiously as Roxas kept an eye on Olivia and Basil struggled to get Toby to sit.
"Sit, Toby," Olivia ordered after the detective failed for the third time. The hound promptly sat and Basil stared at the young mouse.
"Good boy," he stated to Toby. "If you'll excuse me," he stated as he moved past Olivia.
"You be good now," Olivia instructed Toby. "We're going to find my father." Basil inspected the window and the ledge, discovering how Fidget entered the shop. Opening the window, the four mice entered the store - Axel shutting the window behind them.
"I've never seen so many toys," Olivia stated as she looked around the store. She quickly hid behind Roxas as Basil darted out from behind a doll's leg.
"Behind any of which could be a bloodthirsty assassin. So please, be very careful." He stated ignoring the annoyed looks Axel and Roxas hot at him as Olivia trembled.
"What is a bat doing in a toy store?" Axel questioned as they trailed after Basil.
"Maybe he's having a second childhood," Roxas offered. "After all, not everyone gets to act like a child forever. Ow!" he hissed, rubbing his arm where Axel hit him.
"So sorry," Axel stated, not sounding sorry at all. "So hard to see in the dark."
"You're a bastard," Roxas stated, retaliating by stepping on the other mouse's tail. The fight would have escalated if Basil had not chosen that moment to drag them up a ladder. They began to creep cautiously along the shelf when a sudden crashing noise caused the men to freeze before Roxas jumped and clutched Axel's arm. Peering behind them they could see Olivia had turned on one of the toy music boxes and was watching a noisy firemen band play. Basil leaped for the control lever and shut the toy off.
"Please! Quiet!" He turned to Roxas. "Don't let this girl out of your sight." Roxas kept his death grip on Axel's arm but mock-saluted the detective as he passed. Glancing at Olivia, Axel fought not to laugh out loud as the little mouse mimicked Roxas' salute. Roxas let go of Axel and took her hand and Axel tried to tell himself he was glad that Roxas let go so the blood could flow through his arm again.
They quietly moved across a chessboard and Axel paused by a rook before pushing it over one space. "Checkmate!" he whispered triumphantly. At Roxas' quizzical look, he shrugged. "Chess Club," he explained.
"Nerd," Roxas teased, a small smile softening the delivery and Axel grinned back at him.
"Geek," Axel teased back. They were interrupted from anything further by an exclamation from Basil.
"Ah-ha! Evidence of our peg-legged adversary!" He whipped out his magnifying glass and followed the footprints to a row of naked soldiers. "Hmm…how very odd."
"What is it?" Roxas asked.
"Isn't it painfully obvious?" The detective asked, his voice betraying just how incompetent he thought the young man to be. "These dolls have been stripped of their uniforms. And not by any child, either. Hello…" he darted to get a better view of the inside of the mechanical toys. "Someone has taken the liberty of removing the clockwork mechanisms from these toys."
"Uh…Basil?" Roxas asked. The editor had been doing some investigating of his own and held a slip of paper in his hand.
"Please, I'm trying to concentrate." Basil stated, still poking around the toys.
"Would you just listen to him?" Axel asked, irritated that the detective was blowing Roxas off. Basil opened his mouth to give a scathing retort, but a terrified scream from Olivia cut him off.
"Quickly!" Basil ordered, disappearing behind a book. He quickly changed his direction as a large Ferris wheel rolled toward the three of them. The three mice managed to jump out of way in time, landing safely on an Around the World path toy but relief is short lived. Fidget - carrying Olivia in a cloth sack - knocked a porcelain doll of the shelf above the three mice. As the doll barreled toward them they strove to get out of its way, however only the path beneath their feet moved. As the last piece of path passed beneath their feet, they jumped out of the way just as the doll crashed to the ground. Axel, Roxas and Basil leapt to their feet, but Fidget had wound up a toy jouster. Basil and Axel dodged out of the way but Roxas - unaccustomed to fighting - was caught by the lance and pinned to the dartboard. Basil took off after Fidget but Axel stood - not sure whether to help Roxas or follow Basil. Roxas made the decision for him.
"Go get Olivia!" he shouted, struggling to free himself from the lance. Axel took off at high speed, following the different sounds of the toys to figure out where the detective and his adversary were. He caught up just in time to see a pile of blocks tumble down, taking Basil with them. Axel watched helplessly as Fidget chuckled evilly and climbed out of the toy shop, Olivia's muffled screams for help dying behind him. He sighed in bitter disappointment before moving to help untangle Basil from a doll's pull string.
"Basil! Axel!" Roxas called, rushing up to the two mice. "Olivia…she's…"
"Gone." Basil snapped irritably. "Confound it, I told you to watch over the girl!" The detective fell to the ground as Axel finally managed to untie the string. He quickly climbed to his feet, regaining his wind and his temper. "Now she's been spirited away by that maniacal little monster, soon to be in the clutches of the most depraved mind in all of London! I should have known better than to…" he trailed off mid-rant as he saw Axel clutching Roxas. The red-head was glaring at the detective while trying to comfort a dejected Roxas. "I say…Roxas?" Basil asked, concerned. Roxas sniffled.
"I should have watched her more closely."
"Don't worry. We'll get her back." Axel stated, his voice taking on a hard edge as he glared at the detective.
"Do you think there's a chance?" Roxas asked, raising his head off of Axel's shoulder.
"There's always a chance, as long as one can think." Basil stated as he began to pace. Roxas sighed, pulling away from Axel and shoving his hands in his pants pockets. A puzzled expression crossed his face as he pulled out the list.
"Get the following: tools, gears…"
"What?" Basil asked, hearing the editor.
"Girl, unif-"
"You've done it!" Basil shouted, snatching the list out of Roxas' hands. "This list is precisely what we need!"
"What?" Roxas asked, confused. Basil ignored him, shoving his deerstalker cap onto his head and rushing toward the window.
"Quickly, back to Baker Street!"
"You're really fond of her." Axel remarked quietly as Basil studied the list from the toy shop. Roxas gave a small smile, though his eyes were still red and rimmed with unshed tears.
"She reminds me a lot of someone I used to know." Roxas stated. He tried to sniff and scowled when he realized his nose was plugged. He grudgingly took a tissue from Axel and blew his nose though the scowl remained on his face. He knew he looked like a mess and he hated feeling less together than the person he was fighting. And with Axel, it was always a fight. Roxas shook his head 'no' at the look on Axel's face. "I don't want to talk about her right now."
"Some other time, then?" Axel asked hesitantly. Roxas lips twisted in a wry smile.
"Some other time."
"We've done it!" Basil shouted gleefully. "This reaction could only have been triggered by the paper's extreme saturation with distillation of sodium chloride." Axel's brow furrowed as he tried to take in what the detective had just said.
"Salt water?" Roxas inquired, confused.
"It proves beyond a doubt that this list came from the riverfront area," Basil stated, pinning a map on the wall with a dart. "We merely have to look for a seedy pub at the only spot," he marked the spot with another dart, "where the sewer connects to the waterfront."
"Stay, Toby, stay." Basil ordered, adjusting his fake mustache and making last minute adjustments on his sailor costume. He hunched his shoulders and approached the door to a run-down bar called 'The Rat Trap'. Axel shoved his hands into his pockets, completely at ease in his outfit. Roxas, however, was hiding behind a column of the pier.
"Uh, you guys?" he asked hesitantly.
"Oh, come, come, Roxas," Basil chided, taking a cigarette out of his case.
"I feel utterly ridiculous."
"Don't be absurd. You look perfect." Basil assured him. Roxas slipped around the column wearing a bandana over his head, an eye-patch and a gold earring. But what really raised Axel's eyebrows was the red and white striped shirt which was much too short for him. Roxas scowled as he attempted to tuck it into his tattered brown pants.
"Perfect?" Roxas asked incredulously. "Perfectly foolish."
"Oh, I don't know, blondie," Axel leered. "You look just fine to me." Roxas raised his glare to the writer.
"Keep it in your pants," he snarled, shoving past the other man to join Basil by the door. The detective shushed the two mice as he opened the bar door. Inside, all the mice are drinking, smoking or playing poker. A mouse pounded on a piano as an octopus danced on stage. A patron was hitting on the barmaid, but when he moved in for a kiss she punched him. Basil struck a match against the wall as the group took in the scene.
"Alright, stay close and do what I do." Basil informed them. Axel gave him a look that clearly showed how unimpressed he was with the advice. He already knew this scene. They moved through the bar and Axel signaled the bartender as the three of them made their way to a table. The other patrons eyed the newcomers suspiciously. The trio took their seats and if Roxas sat a little closer to Axel then usual…well. The octopus finished his act and the blond moved to clap, but Axel pinned his hands down with his arm and shook his head minutely as the other patrons began booing and heckling the performer. The octopus quickly made his way off-stage, just in time to avoid the knives and darts thrown at him.
"What's your pleasure, mates?" The barmaid asked, slinking up to their table.
"Uh…" Roxas stuttered, turning to Axel for help.
"Three pints for me and my shipmates. Oh," he began, as if the idea had just struck him, "by the way…we just got into port and we're looking for an old friend of mine. Maybe you know him. He goes by the name of Ratigan." The barmaid gasped along with several of the poker players and the pianist.
"I…never heard of him." She stated, recovering from her shock. Basil stared at Axel in pleased surprise and the rest of the attention was drawn away as the pianist struck up another song. The act was short lived as the patrons immediately resumed their booing and commenced throwing food and weaponry. As a knife struck the piano, the pianist immediately began the third act. The curtain opened to reveal a pretty mouse in a blue tank-top, purple skirt and pink shawl. As she began to sing, the patrons slowly relaxed, dropping their weapons.
Had they happened upon this world at an earlier point in time, Roxas might have been more interested in the singer. As it was, his eyes were glued to Axel, who was completely at his ease playing poker with the ruffians. Basil was keeping an eye on the barmaid as she whispered to the bartender, who promptly poured the contents of a vial into three mugs of beer. The barmaid made her way back to the table and set the drinks before Basil and Roxas.
"There you are, boys. It's, uh…on the house," she stated before rushing away.
"Don't drink that," Basil muttered as the blond mouse raised the mug. Roxas sent him an inquiring look, but placed the mug back onto the table. Roxas opened his mouth to ask a question, but before he could speak the singer tossed a boa around his neck and began trying to drag him away.
"Thanks, really, but, uh…well, I'm not all that great of a singer. Or dancer." Roxas stated, ducking beneath the feathers and reclaiming his seat. The singer's back up dancers grabbed him by the arms and were hauling him to the stage amidst his protests, but Axel ducked out of his poker game, grabbing the blond around his waist and easily pulling him out of the dancers' grips.
"Sorry, ladies, he's engaged for this dance," Axel stated, grinning widely as he tugged the editor back to their table.
"Thanks," Roxas muttered softly, knocking the mug out of Axel's hand as he raised it to his mouth. "Don't drink that!" he hissed as it clattered to the floor.
"The hell, man?" he protested.
"The drinks have been drugged," Basil explained, purposefully motioning with the hand holding his mug and letting it slop onto the floor.
"Isn't that our peg-legged friend?" Roxas asked quietly, discreetly nodding his head.
"Ooh hoo! What luck!" Basil explained gleefully. They watched as Fidget limped along, but as Basil prepared to tail him, Fidget's peg leg stuck in a hole in the floor. The bat fought to release his leg, spinning head over heels as the momentum carried him crashing into the piano. The pianist - angered by the interruption - prepared to knock the bat in the head, but Fidget collapsed as the pianist swung and he wound up hitting a large, burly mouse by mistake. The mouse grabbed the pianist by the throat and prepared to punch him. However, the pianist wriggled loose, resulting in the mouse punching the piano and sending it flying into the other band members. An all-out brawl broke out and the three mice struggled to follow Fidget through all the fighting.
"There!" Axel pointed, spotting Fidget disappearing through a trap-door behind the bar.
"Where are we going?" Roxas asked. "Great Scott, I can't see a thing!"
"Shh!" Basil reprimanded. "All right, make a train. Grab my coat and follow along!"
To say that things went poorly would be tantamount to saying that a tornado was a mere breeze and the three mice were now strapped to a mouse-trap as a record ticked down to their demise. Olivia watched from the her glass bottle prison as Axel and Roxas tried to talk a dejected Basil into figuring a way out of the trap.
"Basil?" Roxas asked. Basil merely groaned in response. "Basil?"
"Oh how could I have been so blind?"
"We all make mistakes but we can't let that stop us! We have to-"
"Ratigan's proved he's more clever than I!" Basil stated, interrupting the blond. He scoffed. "He would never have walked into such an obvious trap. And now he's off kidnapping the Queen so he can take over the empire."
"Oh, pull yourself together!" Axel snapped, struggling against the trap. "You can stop that villain, why-" he cut off as the record began skipping. "Basil, the record!"
"Oh, it's finally happened. I've been outwitted," the detective lamented. "Beaten. Duped. Made a fool of. Ridiculed. Belittled."
"That's enough!" Roxas shouted, angry. He was not ready to die, especially in such an undignified manner. "Your Queen is in danger, Olivia's counting on us, we're about to be horribly 'splatted' and all you can do is lie there feeling sorry for yourself! I thought you could save us, but if you've given up then why don't we set it off now and be done with it!" Basil chuckled weakly as Roxas' words turned over in his head.
"Set if off now. Set it...off...now? Yes! We'll...we'll set the trap off now!"
"Wait!" Roxas cried, horrified. "I didn't mean that we ought-" But Basil was muttering calculations under his breath as the record came to an end.
"Axel, at the exact moment I tell you, we must release the triggering mechanism." The writer shook his head slightly. Roxas squeezed his eyes shut as the ball came closer to the trap. "NOW!"
The metal switch came down on the ball, saving the three from being squished and setting off a sequence of events – ending with the bottle trapping Olivia being broken open. Roxas swept the young mouse into his arms, glad to see her safe and sound.
"Now to stop Ratigan! Follow me!" Basil shouted, his enthusiasm at an all-time high after thwarting Ratigan's elaborate trap. Re-tracing their steps back to the waterfront, Basil whistled for Toby. "The game's afoot, Toby. Our Queen is in mortal danger." Toby bent his ear into a staircase and the four mice climbed onto the hound's back. "To Buckingham Palace!"
Rushing into the palace, the group was in time to see Fidget attempting to throw the Queen over the balcony as a treat to Ratigan's pet cat. Sliding down the hallway, Axel grabbed the Queen out of Fidget's arms, sending the bat over the balcony himself. Flapping his wings, Fidget gripped the balcony and tried to keep away from the cat's jaws. The sound of Toby's barking sends the cat running and Fidget climbed back in the window.
Inside the palace, Basil lead the group through the hallways trying to find Flaversham. They find him operating the robot queen with a gun pointed at his back. Axel knocked the guard out and Basil took the controls from Flaversham, exposing Ratigan as a fraud and imposter. The queen's guards poured in from the hallways, grabbing Ratigan and Fidget as well as the rest of Ratigan's lackeys.
"To be thanked by the Queen herself. Must be thrilling to be thanked for being nosy for once," Roxas teased Axel. The writer shrugged.
"All in a day's work." Basil stated, placing his memento next to Ratigan's picture on the mantle.
"Oh, Roxas, you and Axel were wonderful!" Olivia stated, throwing her arms around the waist of the blushing blond.
"Indeed," Flaversham chuckled, glancing at his pocket watch. "Oh my, we're late to catch our train. Come along, Olivia."
"Yes, Father," Olivia stated as he left Basil's sitting room. She lingered, facing the detective. "Goodbye, Basil," she said, sniffling. "I'll never forget you." The detective leaned down to her height.
"Nor I you, Miss...Flangerhanger." Olivia stared at him for a moment before shaking her head, a small smile on her face. Roxas rolled his eyes while Axel snickered beside him.
"Goodbye, Roxas. Axel," she stated, giving them both a hug before heading out the door.
"Well... Not a bad little girl, actually."
"Not at all," Roxas stated. "It's about time we were on our way as well." Anything else was cut off as someone knocked on Basil's front door.
"Oh, now who could that be?" Basil asked, opening the front door. A young lady stood on the front door, escorted by an older mouse.
"Hello, is this the house of Basil of Baker Street?" The man asked, taking his bowler hat off his head.
"Indeed, it is Doctor. I take it you're escorting this young lady so I may assist her in her troubles?" Basil asked, waving the two into the sitting rooms. Roxas elbowed Axel in the side and tilted his head. They snuck out of the room as Basil's attention was arrested by his new client.
"Well, that was...different." Roxas stated once they were back in the House of Darkling. Axel merely snorted as he collapsed onto the couch in the library. "And I'm sorry I almost got you killed in a mouse-trap," the blond said, rolling his eyes.
"Definitely a different way to die. But I think next time we should read the title before jumping into a book, yeah?" Axel asked sarcastically. A sly smile slid onto Roxas' face.
"So we will be world-jumping again?" Roxas asked. Axel groaned, hitting the editor over the head with a pillow.
"Stop being so smug, shortie. It's unbecoming." The writer straightened himself out on the couch. "So..." He clasped his hands between his knees and looked up at his companion. Roxas sighed, knowing he couldn't put the conversation off any longer.
"You want to know who Olivia reminded me of." Roxas paused, collecting his thoughts before sitting next to Axel on the couch. The red-head stayed silent, waiting for Roxas to initiate conversation. "She reminded me of a friend. Her name was Namine."
"Was?" Axel asked gently.
"She was Kairi's little sister. They were...they were both really sick for a while. Kairi needed a new heart and...the doctors could never figure out what was wrong with Namine. She...had them take her off life-support and they gave her heart to Kairi."
"Rox...I-" The blond sniffed, his eyes red-rimmed from holding back the tears.
"It's not that I don't love Kairi and it sounds positively horrible to say but... Namine was my best friend. And she can never be replaced, not even by her sister."
"That's not horrible, Roxas," Axel stated, slinging a comforting arm around the smaller man. "And knowing Kairi, even if she knew how you felt I doubt she'd hold it against you. Now come on, we both need sleep," he stated, pulling the younger man to his feet.
"I thought for sure you'd be typing away like a mad demon on the next chapter."
"I don't know," Axel shrugged. "I'm not sure I want to use this world..."
"Are you kidding me?" Roxas asked, stopping in his tracks and staring at the taller man. "We get dragged all over London by a fiendish rat, risking life and limb and you aren't even going to use it?!" The writer didn't answer, merely passed out into the hallway and headed for the front door. "AXEL!" Roxas shouted. Not getting an answer, the blond did the only thing he knew how to do. He followed.
~Review~