Chapter 8: Plans

I awoke the next morning and sat in my bed for a few moments, not sure what I should do. So far, someone would always come in to tell me where to go; but now it seemed I was left on my own. Well, Ratigan had said that this was my home now and I was free to go where I wanted. So I finally got up and quickly got dressed and headed out to do a little bit of exploring.

Opening my bedroom door a bit, I cautiously peeked out into the hallway. No one seemed to be around, so I stepped out and shut it behind me quietly before starting off down the hall. I recognized a few of the rooms I came to from the tour Ratigan had given me yesterday, and eventually found the dining hall where I grabbed a quick breakfast. It seemed that Ratigan's men were late sleepers (or perhaps, since most of them were now vampires, they were nocturnal and slept during the day), and so I dined alone. After that, I set off to continue my exploration of the castle, and eventually came to the library again. I grabbed a random book from a shelf and settled down in a plush leather chair to read to pass the time.

After a few hours of trying to read several different books, all of which I couldn't seem to focus on, I finally stood up and walked around the room a little to stretch my legs. As I passed a large desk, I was interested to find a blank notebook and pencil sitting amidst a bunch of papers scattered around, and so I decided to try drawing for a while. I settled down in the chair again and doodled for a few minutes, and as my thoughts wandered, I found myself drawing a portrait of Basil. It was only a rough sketch, but I couldn't help the pang of sadness that hit as a result. I sighed deeply, wondering when I would see him again, if ever. Well… I certainly wasn't doing any good just sitting around moping.

I glanced around the room and walked over to a set of French doors that let out into a garden. Curious, I tried the latch and was surprised to find it was unlocked. I wondered briefly if this was such a good idea to go outside; but I decided to risk it and went out, taking my notebook with me. If someone questioned me, I would use the excuse that I wanted some fresh air and thought I would go outside to draw the flowers.

I walked around for a few minutes and took a deep breath, inhaling deeply, smelling the sweet scent of roses. As I walked along the path, I could see the faint outline of the forest a short distance away… and I couldn't help wondering if I should attempt an escape. I was sure to not get very far before they noticed I was gone; and since they were vampires now, they would easily catch up to me. Should I take the chance?

I don't think that would be very wise, my dear.

With a sharp gasp, I jumped in surprise at the sudden voice and spun around only to find no one there. Would you stop doing that? I thought angrily, annoyed at Ratigan invading my thoughts.

I was merely cautioning you… though I'm sure you can imagine the consequences should you decide to act on your thoughts.

My heart pounded at the thought that he was watching my every move. My eyes scanned the windows of the castle. Where are you? I demanded.

Close enough to know if you should make an escape attempt. But I have many things to attend to before tonight, and I can't waste my time keeping track of you. Perhaps I should send Fidget down there to keep you company?

That won't be necessary, I quickly replied, recoiling at the thought of having to spend time with that creepy little bat. What's happening tonight? I asked in response to his statement.

I'm having a little… get-together of sorts. A ball.

A ball? I repeated.

I meant to tell you of it yesterday, but I admit I was a bit distracted by the early arrival of the Count. I will tell you the details later. Right now I must attend to getting things ready. Don't stray too far away… there are many dangers out there.

Right, I thought rolling my eyes. But I did as he suggested and stayed in the garden, heeding his underlying threat. I couldn't help shuddering involuntarily, knowing that I was being watched like a hawk the entire time.

And so I settled down on a small bench off the path, opening my notebook to continue drawing. Whenever I was outside, I liked to draw inspiration from my surroundings; so I drew several little sketches from the trees to the grass to a butterfly flittering by.

As I looked up from putting the finishing touches on a rose, my eyes went wide with fear and I froze, petrified at the sight of a fox crouching in the shadows nearby, its eyes glowing yellow in the fading sunlight. Knowing the immense danger I was in, I didn't move, didn't even dare to breathe, hoping that it would just go away.

"Don't be alarmed," a voice said beside me, causing just the opposite. I jumped and let out a small cry of surprise, dropping my notebook on the ground. I was surprised to see that it was the Count who, as always, seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry," Fane said with an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. And neither did Gerrit," he added with a chuckle.

I couldn't find my voice and could only stare in fright and wonder as Fane actually approached the fox placed his hand on its neck. "Gerrit?" I asked stupidly.

Fane nodded, stroking the creature's fur lightly. "He is a grey fox of the species Vulpus vulpus. Not only is he an ideal means of transportation across the barren wilderness, especially when we travel so far from home, but he is alsoone of my most loyal and trusted friends.."

The fox actually seemed to smile at me as he lowered his head politely while Fane introduced him, as if he wanted me to pet him. "It's alright," Fane encouraged, taking my hand in his and touching it to Gerrit's nose. "He is quite friendly and wouldn't hurt a soul… that is, unless I tell him to."

I was still a little nervous, but as I realized that the fox was quite friendly, I relaxed and stroked his muzzle gently. I giggled as he nudged me with his nose playfully. "Nice to meet you too," I said with a laugh.

As I petted Gerrit, Fane knelt down and retrieved my notebook and pencil that I had dropped. He gazed at the drawing with wide eyes. "Did you make this?" he asked.

"Y-Yes," I replied a bit shyly.

"You're an artist, then?" Fane asked with interest.

"Well not professionally," I answered with a shrug. "It's more of a hobby."

"It's just like…" Fane whispered, running his fingers along the page, staring at it in awe. And was I mistaken, or were his eyes misting over? My art had never had that kind of effect on anyone. Besides, it was just a simple rose. Perhaps he was going to say "it's just like the real thing" or something like that. "It's beautiful," he finally said with a warm smile. "You're a very talented young lady."

"Thank you very much, Fane," I replied, returning the smile and feeling my cheeks burning.

As Fane looked down at me, I wondered what he was thinking, why he was gazing at me… almost lovingly, as if he had known me my whole life. I couldn't seem to look away from those dark eyes. Reaching up to touch my cheek softly, he opened his mouth to say something, but must have thought better of it. Instead he lowered his hand, shaking his head as if trying to dispel whatever thought it was, and cleared his throat.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied, still a little confused about his reaction. As we walked along the path, he cleared his throat and began another conversation.

"How old are you, Miss Amber? If you don't mind my asking?"

"I'm almost twenty two," I replied. "My birthday is next month."

Fane almost stopped in his tracks. "What day?" he asked curiously.

"The thirteenth," I replied, looking at him strangely.

His eyebrows shot up at that piece of information, but he quickly hid his surprise with a smile. "I only asked because a… a dear friend of mine has the same birthday."

"What a coincidence," I said with a smile.

"Indeed," he remarked so quietly that I wasn't sure that he had actually spoken. "And you are from America, yes?" he continued.

I nodded. "North Carolina to be exact."

"Ah, a lovely state. I passed through briefly during my travels long ago. It's reminiscent of my own home in Romania; rolling hills, deep lakes, beautiful mountain and forests, especially in the autumn when the leaves are changing."

I nodded with a smile, reminiscing about my home. "Do you live in a castle?" I asked curiously.

"I do," he answered. "It is much like this one," he said, gesturing at the impressive structure behind us. He chuckled softly. "I suppose that's one thing Ratigan and I share in common; we appreciate the finer things in life."

I chuckled, recalling Ratigan's extravagant tastes in decorating and even clothing. I then looked at Fane curiously. I didn't know much about the Count, so perhaps this would be a good time to glean a little information.

"How did you two meet?" I asked. "I mean, what led to his becoming a vampire?"

"I actually sought out the Professor myself," Fane replied. "Anyone with a reputation as the 'Napoleon of Crime' is certainly worth meeting. Once I had seen him for myself, I realized that he would make a most valuable ally."

"And so you turned him into a vampire."

"It was part of our bargain." For some reason, I felt my skin crawl as he spoke of changing the Professor. "In exchange for his collaborating with me," he continued, "I would give him power beyond his wildest dreams. I chose the good Professor not only for his… villainous personality," he remarked with a grin, "but also because of his remarkable ability of self-control. I'm sure you know as well as I do of that darker side of his heart, the monster lurking just below the surface. And although most newborn vampires are nearly uncontrollable, unable to restrain themselves and their need to feed, I had no qualms about Ratigan turning because I knew of his ability to control that side of himself. And he has proven that himself. Especially with you," Fane remarked with a sideways glance at me. "I admit that I was shocked when he did not drain you when he brought you here. Though it's obvious that your blood is especially appealing to him. But somehow, he is able to control his thirst. The rat inside him."

I gasped softly, feeling my heart race at the mention of the word "rat." Yet Fane seemed unperturbed by it, not worried at all about Ratigan overhearing or showing any fear of what he would do if he found out what Fane had called him.

"I… I guess he's had a lifetime of experience in learning how to control it," I pointed out. "But it's not something that can be held back all the time. Eventually, it will come out."

I was startled to see a sinister glint in Fane's eyes. "And I can only imagine the power, the fury that erupts as a result."

"It's not a pretty sight to see," I answered quietly, remembering how Ratigan would change from a refined gentleman into a raging seething monster. And now that he was a vampire, how much more horrible would that transformation be should he lose control?

We walked in silence for a few more minutes until Fane spoke again. "Well," he remarked, gazing up at the sky, "the day is almost spent, and the Professor will be missing you. We should return and prepare for the ball."

I nodded, taking his offered arm and heading inside. I still wasn't entirely sure what to think of the Count. On the one hand, he seemed to be a very nice and rather flattering gentleman. But I couldn't help feeling a sense of evil radiating from him as well, especially when he talked of Ratigan. I wondered just what his real purpose was in changing him, and to my surprise, I found myself actually feeling a little concerned for the Professor's sake. But when we parted ways once we got inside, those thoughts were pushed from my mind as I ran into Miss Kitty, who quickly ushered me upstairs to my room to start getting ready for the ball.

…

"There it is, gentlemen," said Damien, gesturing grandly at the familiar structure that towered up against the sky burning with the sun's last rays. "Just as I promised."

"Excellent work, Damien," Janssen congratulated, causing the vampire to bow with a wide grin.

"And thank you," I said with a nod. "If you hadn't found out the location of Ratigan's castle, we wouldn't have had a chance at finding Amber." I glanced over at Dawson, who nodded in agreement. "We are forever in your debt."

"Don't thank us just yet," Janssen replied with a grim smile. "Now the real task begins. We've found the monster's castle… but stealth is of the utmost importance. We may be armed, but if the worst should happen, we will not stand a chance against so many enemies. We need go in, get Miss Amber, and get out. So, how do we get in unseen?"

I quickly related how I escaped the last time and was able to avoid detection from Ratigan's guards by disguising myself as one of them.

"Excellent idea, Mr. Basil," Janssen replied. "Damien has no need of a disguise, since he is on the guest list and expected to be present. You are a master of disguise, so you're the most suitable to infiltrate the actual ball. That way, you will be able to travel places we can't. But remember, the Doctor and I will remain close by in case you need us."

"Wait…" Dawson hissed, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Someone's coming!"

The four of us crouched behind a rocky outcrop as a lone guard came around the path.

"Leave this to me," Damien whispered with a devious grin, and before one of us could protest, he had vanished.

The guard shuffled along, dragging his feet quite noisily and huffing tiredly. "Humph," he grumbled. "I should be in there where the party is. But noooo, us 'mortals' have gotta patrol the grounds for intruders. Stupid vampires."

"Aw, surely we're not all that bad."

The guard whirled around, nearly dropping his gun. He pointed it shakily in the direction the voice had come from. "W-Who's there?" he stammered.

"Oh nobody…" The guard whirled around again to come face to face with Damien, who smiled down at him evilly. "Just another 'stupid vampire'…"

The guard cried out in fright as Damien's hand locked around his throat, but just as he opened his mouth and brought his fangs to the mouse's neck, Janssen rushed out from behind our hiding spot.

"No!" Janssen yelled. "No bloodshed. We don't need any attention drawn to ourselves. If someone were to pass by and find the body, they would know of our presence."

Damien frowned, then shrugged as he lowered the guard back down to the ground. "Must be your lucky day," he chuckled. He then gazed down into the mouse's eyes. "Now, I want you to do exactly as I tell you, got it?" The guard nodded his head quickly, eyes wide as he stared at Damien as if in a trance. "First, take off your cloak," he instructed. The mouse obeyed. "Now, you will go back inside, sit in a corner, and go to sleep. When you wake up, you won't remember any of this. Only that you had a bit too much to drink from the party and passed out. Understand?"

"I understand," the mouse whispered. It was then that I realized that Damien was using his powers as a vampire to compel the guard. As the poor mouse stumbled off towards the castle, Damien tossed the cloak to me.

"How's that for a disguise?" he asked with a chuckle, tossing the cloak to me.

"It'll work," I laughed, placing the cloak around my shoulders.

"Excellent," Janssen said, then began to outline his plan. "Now we shall have to part ways. Damien will enter with the rest of the guests, while Mr. Basil uses his disguise to blend in and find Miss Amber. The Doctor and I will find a less conspicuous entrance. It is imperative that we arouse no suspicion. I needn't warn you of the dangers of getting caught." We all nodded grimly in response. "Then good luck gentlemen," Janssen said, and we parted ways.

"Be careful, chap," Dawson warned me.

"You too," I replied. I smiled at a sudden thought. "And stay clear of the alcohol."

Dawson glared at me sullenly. "It was one time, Basil, one time!"

"Right," I chuckled, placing the hood of the cloak over my head to hide my face. "Now… let's go crash a party."

…

Author's Notes: At last, we have a little more interaction with Amber and Fane! And then she meets Gerrit up close. And we also see Basil and co.'s strategy for infiltrating the ball (and Damien's being michievous again) We can only hope everything goes smoothly... but seeing as this is no ordinary ball, it's highly doubtful. And Basil's cracking a joke at Dawson because of the whole episode back at the Rat Trap in the movie where Dawson gulped down his drugged drink and ended up dancing on stage with the showgirls. You know he's never going to live that down xD

Great Mouse Detective and its characters (c) Eve Titus and Disney

Amber, Fane, Janssen, and Damien (c) me

Gerrit (c) NightMagican on deviantART (used with his permission)