Case Closed
For a few moments, everything was darkness. Basil finally managed to force his eyes open and gasped at his surroundings. He seemed to have been thrown from the airship when it crashed and now was standing on one of the many gears that ran the clock. As he stared around him in amazement, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
When Vivian had roused herself, she was stuck again to Ratigan. He had a hand clamped over her mouth as he moved purposely behind Basil. Once Vivian saw him raise an arm, she began to struggle to remove the hand from her mouth. Finally, she was able to force Ratigan's grip onto her neck and had just enough air to warn Basil. "Basil, look out!" she shrieked.
Basil turned just in time for Ratigan's hit to land on his cheek instead of his head. Basil fell to the edge of the gear, and he was struggling to hold on.
Vivian seized her change and sunk her teeth hard into Ratigan's hand. His moment of extreme pain was enough for Basil to climb back onto the gear and jam Ratigan's cloak in between two gears.
Ratigan choked and dropped Vivian to seize the clasp of his cape. As he struggled to free himself, he kicked Vivian from the gear.
Basil made a dive for her hand but missed. Vivian screamed as she fell. She landed hard on what appeared to be the tooth of another gear. Glancing around, she quickly noticed that the teeth of her gear met with another leaving no room between them. She gasped as she realized her predicament.
Basil was having similar emotions. His face drained of all color as he saw the danger Vivian was in. Looking around him, he found a chain that ran right past the gear Vivian was stuck on. Thinking fast, he kicked the chain into movement and grabbed ahold. He mentally urged the chain to move faster as the gears came closer and closer to crushing Vivian between them. He reached a desperate hand out as he moved closer.
Vivian forced herself as far back as she could go to prolong being trapped. She could see Basil moving towards her and scooted to the edge of the tooth so she could reach him. The gear was mere inches from her when she felt Basil seize her waist and pull her onto the chain against his chest.
Vivian's voice seemed to be stuck in her throat as she tried to thank him, so she simply held him tighter in an attempt to covey her gratitude. The pair of them quickly reached the top of the clock tower, and Basil leapt off the chain holding Vivian tightly against him. He set her down but held onto her hand as they ran towards the outside. Glancing back, Vivian saw Ratigan following them. Basil had suspected this, but Vivian's gasp of horror told him there was more to the story. He glanced back and saw a look of utter madness in Ratigan's face that promised nothing less than death.
Desperately, Basil scanned the skies for a sign of his air balloon. Finally, Dawson and Flaversham came into view and began to steer their balloon closer to where Basil and Vivian stood. "Closer Dawson!" Basil called anxiously. "Closer!"
"They'll never reach!" Vivian cried as she saw Ratigan coming closer and closer.
With a final glance behind him, Basil shoved Vivian out of the way just in time. Ratigan seized Basil, and they both tumbled off the ledge.
Vivian screamed in terror as she saw Basil fall. Ignoring the cries of Dawson and Flaversham, she leapt off the ledge after Basil.
Basil landed hard against the hour hand of the clock face Ratigan's airship had struck earlier. Opening his eyes, he observed the height at which he was and hastily stood up. "Basil!" Vivian's voice called. "Quickly, over here!" He glanced up and saw her standing further along on the hand and made to go to her. Suddenly, Ratigan's claws seized him from behind.
He broke away and ran for Vivian, but Ratigan blocked his path. "There's no escape this time Basil!" he snarled.
Basil could hear Vivian's screams as Ratigan began to attack. Basil tried to get away, but Ratigan was always a step ahead of him. Finally, Ratigan hit him so hard that he was forced to be laying half on and half off the hand.
Vivian could stand no more. She leapt at Ratigan and tried with all her might to tear him away from Basil. But Ratigan was now more rat than mouse and was much stronger than the young princess. He threw her from him, and she landed hard against a carved edge of the hand.
Ratigan's attention was back on Basil. As Basil tried yet again to get away, Ratigan's claws sliced into his back and Basil fell with a cry of pain. With one final hit, Basil found himself hanging onto the very end of the hour hand. He watched in horror as Ratigan raised his hand once more. Clenching his eyes shut tight, Basil felt the force that knocked him from his hold on the clock face. He fell beyond the reach of Dawson and down away from Ratigan.
Vivian's head swam as she regained consciousness. Glancing up, she saw Ratigan leaning over the edge of the hand. She cried out as she saw Basil fall from the hand completely. Her stare turned to ice as she faced Ratigan who was now leaping up and down in utter glee.
"I've won!" he yelled before cackling.
"On the contrary!" a voice called back.
Vivian gasped and looked down to see Basil holding onto the end of Ratigan's airship with a bell in his hand. Glancing quickly up at the clock, Vivian realized Basil's plan and tucked herself closer to the clock's face.
"The game's not over yet!" Basil called and rang the little bell in his hand.
Ratigan stared into his empty pocket just as the clock began to strike the hour of ten. With the first chime, Basil could see Ratigan lose his balance. He watched as Ratigan began to fall and prayed that Vivian was still alright. He saw her stick her head over the edge just as Ratigan seized his legs as he fell.
Basil cried out as the piece of the ship he was holding broke off disconnecting him from the clock entirely.
"NOOO!" Vivian screamed as both Basil and Ratigan fell from the tower. It was mere seconds before neither could be seen through the thick fog. "No," Vivian repeated as tears began to fall from her eyes. "No it can't be…" she breathed.
Dawson and Flaversham moved the balloon closer to the tower so they could pull Vivian on, but she ignored them. Tears fell steadily from her eyes as the full realization of what had happened hit her. Basil: the one mouse she had felt accepted with, the one man who had made her feel special instead of insane, the only man she had ever cared for was gone. He was dead…and it was her fault. He had died saving her. If only she had been a bit smarter, a bit stronger, a bit faster, a bit-
Vivian suddenly straightened and froze as though she was listening hard to something. She peered over the edge of the hour hand and stared determinedly into the fog.
Suddenly, through the fog, a propeller appeared and soon, Vivian cried out in relief as Basil came into view peddling the piece of the airship to keep him afloat. Without thinking of the problems it would cause, Vivian leapt from her perch onto the piece of ship with Basil.
Basil removed an arm from the handles and caught Vivian, pulling her quickly to him so he could keep control of the propeller. Vivian's arms were around his neck, and the sounds of Dawson's "Jolly good!" seemed to fade into the irrelevant background.
"You're alive!" she sobbed into his shoulder.
Not knowing exactly what to say, Basil simply tightened his grip on her.
"I don't know how to thank you," Vivian said as she pulled away slightly. "You saved my grandmother, the kingdom, Olivia, her father, and me on several occasions. On top of that, you risked your own life to rid the world of the most evil man to exist."
"It was an honor to serve you, you're Highness," Basil whispered in an emotionless tone. He hadn't forgotten who this young lady was, and he also knew what that meant for him.
Vivian's face fell at the use of her title. "Of course," she said quietly.
Basil couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw several tears leak out of her eyes. "Come, we must return you home," he finally muttered.
Vivian merely nodded and said nothing else while they traveled back.
An hour later, Basil and Dawson knelt before the Queen with Vivian, now dressed in her traditional garb, behind her. "I don't know how I can ever thank you," the Queen admitted to the detective. "You have gone above and beyond the call of duty for your Queen and country."
"It was an honor, you're Majesty," Basil said calmly.
"Well, surely there must be something I can do to express my gratitude," the Queen pressed.
Basil raised his eyes for a fraction of an instant to settle on Vivian who met his gaze. "Nothing you can give, you're Majesty," he said simply.
"At least allow me to give you a medal for your services," the Queen insisted.
"If it will make you're Highness happy," Basil consented.
"Wonderful!" the Queen cried. "I will make it so. Now, I am sure you must be exhausted after this trying day."
"Thank you, you're Majesty," Basil said as he rose to his feet.
He made his way up the short stairs to where the royalty stood. He kissed the Queen's hand briefly before turning his attention to Vivian. "It has been a sincere pleasure, your Highness," he whispered.
Vivian reached out her hand for him to take which he did. "It has been for me as well," she replied, struggling to keep the tears from her voice.
Basil's lips seemed to linger slightly longer on Vivian's hand than the Queen's, and it was clear, to Dawson at least, that neither quite wanted to let go.
At last, Basil pulled his hand away and left the throne room without a backward glance. Dawson followed shortly after, leaving Vivian to stare longingly after them.
The Queen glanced up at the face of her granddaughter. She pursed her lips together at the sight of the tears running down her face. "Vivian…" she began.
Vivian hurriedly set her face in a properly blank expression. "Yes, you're Majesty?"
"I must apologize for the way I spoke to you earlier. You were quite right about that suitor. I should've listened to you."
"It's all behind us now, you're Majesty," Vivian said simply.
"You greatly enjoyed your time with that Basil fellow, didn't you?"
Vivian hesitated. "I enjoyed seeing him at work, yes. I've long been a great admirer of his."
"Perhaps so," the Queen admitted, "but the look on your face tells me that there is more. You love him, Vivian."
Vivian felt her face heat up and lowered her eyes. Unable to speak, she simply nodded.
"I thought as much," the Queen sighed. "Well, if there is one thing I have learned from this ordeal, it is that his way of thinking is truly amazing. He saved the country, and I cannot help but think how wonderful it would be to have a Queen with those abilities also."
Vivian's head shot up with hope. "You're Majesty…are you saying that I?"
"You are free from all palace duties for the period of at least one year," the Queen said simply. "I shall not call you back before then unless it is a dire emergency."
"Oh thank you you're Majesty!" Vivian cried in absolute joy and rushed to her room to change; she knew exactly how she was going to make her entrance.
"To be thanked by the Queen herself!" Dawson exclaimed. "Oh how very thrilling, eh Basil?"
Basil smiled ruefully. "All in a day's work, Doctor."
Then came the painful goodbyes to Flaversham and little Olivia. Basil was even slightly choked up at the parting. Once little Olivia had cleared the door, Dawson turned back to Basil.
"Well, that's two painful goodbyes for you in a little over an hour," he commented.
"Two, Dawson?" Basil asked.
"Of course," Dawson said. "Vivian was the first."
Basil's eyes darkened. "I don't know what you're talking about, Doctor."
"Oh yes you do, Basil," Dawson chided. "You were devastated when you found out she was the princess. It doesn't take much to deduce you care for her."
"She is my princess and heir to the crown of my country," Basil said stiffly, "nothing more."
"Oh rubbish!" Dawson cried. "There is no shame in loving a woman, Basil…none at all."
Basil did not respond, and Dawson sighed. "Well, it's time I was on my way too."
"But…" Basil suddenly croaked. "But I thought that-"
"Well the case is over, and perhaps…well perhaps it's best I found my own living quarters," Dawson finished, putting on his hat.
"But-" Basil tried to argue, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Now who could that be?" he asked in an annoyed voice.
Dawson opened the door to see a poor young lady mouse clutching a handkerchief to her face. "Is this the home of the famous Basil of Baker Street?" she asked.
"Indeed it is, Miss," Dawson said, taking off his hat again. "You look as if you're in some trouble."
"Oh I am…I am," the woman insisted.
"Then you've come to precisely the right place," Dawson consoled.
"Ah!" Basil cried springing up behind Dawson. "Allow me to introduce my trusted associate, Dr. Dawson, with whom I do all my cases. Isn't that right, Doctor?"
"What?" Dawson stuttered as he turned to face Basil. "Why yes by all means!" he said shaking Basil's hand firmly.
The young lady cleared her throat. "May I come in?" she asked.
"Of course you may, my dear!" Basil said with a bow.
The young lady came in and turned to face Basil and Dawson with a secret smile hidden behind her handkerchief.
"Now, what seems to be the mystery?" Basil asked, putting on his professional air.
"Well, sir," the young lady began. "The mystery is, I suppose, why the same disguise worked on both of you gentlemen twice."
Basil and Dawson gaped as the young lady removed the kerchief and hat so they could clearly see her face.
Basil cried out in wordless pleasure as Vivian beamed at him. "Whatever are you doing here?!" Basil asked when he finally found his voice.
"My grandmother repented and gave me a year free from the palace to learn your methods," she beamed. "I can stay…that is, only if you want me to," she added.
Dawson glanced at Basil and nodded slightly.
Basil gulped and moved closer to Vivian. "My dear," he said with the utmost sincerity. "I would like nothing better than to have a year with you."
Vivian beamed and threw her arms around him.
Basil immediately reciprocated the embrace and hid his face against the side of her neck.
"There is one thing you must do for me, however," Vivian said abruptly.
"Anything," Basil replied.
"You must promise to not use my title even once while I am here," she said seriously. "Not just for my protection but for my preference. I enjoyed your company much more as an equal."
Basil smiled sheepishly before nodding. "I believe that is a fair price, you're-Elizabeth," he corrected himself hurriedly.
"Ugh not that one please!" she begged with a sigh. "I find the name quite unimaginative as so many in the royal family bear that name. Vivian is my preferred name if you please. Besides, no one knows the princess by that name, so it's safer to use."
Basil laughed. "Very well: Vivian it is then."
Vivian grinned at hearing her name from his lips again and settled into an armchair by the fire. "Now, you have much to teach me in a year, so let's best have at it," she smiled.
Basil smiled just as widely and sat down opposite her before beginning to teach her the methods of deduction.
From that time on, Basil and I were a close team. As for Vivian, that year has not yet passed, and she has learned so much. I still have high hopes for her and Basil, but I keep them to myself. During our time as a team, we have had many cases together, but I shall always look back on that first with the most fondness: my introduction to Basil of Baker Street…the Great Mouse Detective.
Dr. David Q. Dawson
Well, there it is everyone! The ending of this story; I hope you all enjoyed it! Now, my plan is to make a sequel to this dealing with the three of them on a case together. Would anyone be interested in reading another one that's completely original? If so, please let me know in a review. I hope you all enjoyed this story, and I hope to see you all in a sequel. Thanks for all your comments, and don't forget to review and tell me your thoughts on a sequel!