MOUSE PROTECTOR

THE TELEVISION SERIES

It is a lovely afternoon in Baythom City. Many people are taking advantage of the pleasant weather to enjoy a leisurely walk along Baythom City Boardwalk. Why even the birds are singing such joyful songs to awed tourists.

Yes Baythom, such a peaceful place for families.

But what's this! Smoke coming from the popular clothing store, the Dollhouse Boutique! Owned by world famous fashion designer Sabah Parin. What nefarious villain would seek to destroy such a fabulous boutique?

Inside the Dollhouse Boutique, a chilling laughter echoed off the walls as several henchmen, who wore shirts proclaiming them Emma 1 through 5, stuffed custom made gowns and jewelry into bags marked 'Loot'.

In the corner, tied up with black rope, were the owners of the store, fashion designer Sabah Parin and her dog loving manager, Ingrid. Dancing around the store wearing a a black business suit and sporting a head of puke green hair, was one of Baythom Cities most wanted super criminal, The Laughing Stalker. Her face frozen in a rictus glasgow grin was a sight that terrified many Baythomites, her legendary ability to escape from any prison made capturing this Harlequin Princess of crime an outright impossibility for the average officer of the law.

The Laughing Stalker continued to dance wildly around the store, casually destroying clothing and other things of no value to her, while madly twirling around like a demented doll. "Oh, these lovely pink gowns," she called to a red faced Sabah, enjoying the looks of hatred and fear that crossed the store owner's face. "Have you ever seen such disgustingly weak looking things!" Mad laughter escaped her again, even as she used a pair of scissors to carve up the dress. "Emmas!" Stalker called to her minions, "This place is beginning to bore me. These fashionistas didn't even put up much of a fight. Bag that last item and let's go, before the coppers get here."

Emma #4 quickly stuffed Sabah into a bag marked 'Hostage' and followed the rest of the minions out the back door and into an alley, where they quickly disappeared into the shadows.

Before leaving Laughing Stalker, used a remote to activate the presents she left behind for the police.

-Later that day, at Baythom Police Headquarters.-

A middle-aged woman was startled from her desk when the door to her office banged open and the form of her usually cool-headed Chief of police, Colin Master, barged into the room radiating barely repressed fury, while covered head to toe in black paint. "Commissioner Militia!" he all but yelled, "We've had a serious incident near the boardwalk!"

Commissioner Hannah Militia, gaped for a moment at her long time friend and co-worker before she responded, "Good gravy, man! Chief Master, what in blue blazes happened to you?"

The contrite Chief, looked at his boss with worry, "It's right horrible Commissioner. Some devil has robbed the Dollhouse Boutique, and not only made off with the loot, but also kidnapped poor miss Parin"

The Commissioner sat up straighter in her chair, "That's horrible news! Who could do such a thing?"

"I have a very good idea on that Commissioner." She motioned for him to continue his report. "When me and my men got there, the braggarts were long gone. We untied miss Parin's assistant, Ingrid, and we were just being set to question her when a box dressed in black wrapping paper began ringing. The next thing we knew, the foul thing had exploded, when the smoke cleared we discovered everything in the store was covered in black paint!"

"My word!" Commissioner Militia exclaimed, "What a horrible black prank, to pull on… oh no. It couldn't be her. Didn't Warden Piggot tell us that she had passed her reforming class with flying colors?"

"Aye, Ma'am. But all the witnesses say the same thing. It was her Commissioner, the Laughing Stalker is at large once again."

Militia sagged deeper into her chair, "Lord save us. With that maniac back out on the streets, the normal police forces won't stand a chance."

Chief Master nodded along with his boss, "With things looking as grim as they do, I think we should call in, Her." The Chief looks over to the corner of the room that contains an answer to their prayers.

Militia followed his eyes, with a resigned air she agreed, "Yes it's time. I just pray they answer." She quickly crosses the room to a small desk that held only one item, a red and white phone. Picking up the headset that resembled a pair of mouse ears, the Commissioner pressed the single button on the phone, causing it to glow from an internal light.

-At the stately Wayne Manor-

The bright halls of the stately Wayne Manor echoed with the footsteps of one of its few occupants on the hardwood floors, a severe looking silver haired woman who always wore a crimson fedora and a smile like she had a great secret that only she knew. Wearing a man's butler suit, she was a peculiar sight when she visited the market. This was Fortuna, the loyal maid/butler of Wayne Manor. Her current destination, was to her employers private study, where she knew she had to be.

She had just entered and closed the doors behind her when the red and white phone next the head bust of Alexandria, began to light up and buzz with an incoming call. She let it ring for a few more seconds, before lifting the receiver. "Just one moment, Ma'am. I'll fetch her presently."

Calmly, Fortuna made her way across the hall to the recreation room, where her master sat listening as her young ward Taylor Portunes learned to play a piece of music by Zamfir on her flute, from her Uncle Daniel.

Coming to a difficult solo, young Taylor cringed as several notes played spiked at too high a pitch. Half way through the solo, Taylor gave up, pushing the flute away from herself, "I can't do it! Every time I get to that part of the solo, everything goes wrong!"

"Patience Taylor," came the calm voice of the thirty year old Katherine Wayne, heiress to the Wayne fortune, and guardian to young Taylor. "You should never expect to do everything perfect the first time through. It takes patience and practice. I'm sure if you took a few deep breaths, relaxed and tried again you'll do better on this play through."

"Gosh Katherine," Taylor said with a self deprecating smile. "You're right, I won't give up."

"Ahem," came a cough from the doorway before Taylor could start playing her flute again, "Ma'am," stated Fortuna, "there's a call for you. Something about the humane rodent traps you ordered."

Katherine and young Taylor leaped to their feet with haste. "Oh, boy!" exclaimed Taylor, "Finally!"

"Yes indeed," Katherine noted, her eyes dodging towards Uncle Danny, before returning to Taylor. "Come with me Taylor, I could use the help picking them up."

"Sure thing, Kat!" Taylor quickly followed her mentor out the door.

Uncle Danny was surprised how quickly the two women had fled. "Land sakes! It's hard enough getting Taylor to expand her horizons with the classics, but now the little owl is out there going rat hunting. Such an unsavory thing for a young woman to be doing. I should have words with Katherine."

"Now sir," began Fortuna, "You really should let her be. She is a modern woman after all and if she wishes to play, rat catcher, there's not you can do but let her get it out of her system."

"I suppose you're right, but I reserve the right to say I told you so, later."

"Indeed, sir," Fortuna smiled.

Katherine's serious demeanor dissolved as she and Taylor enter her private study. Skipping over to the phone, Katherine Wayne disappeared and the guardian of justice, Mouse Protector, took her place.

"High-ya, Commish!" Mouse Protector called into the phone as Taylor leaned in to listen. "What's the situation?"

"Mouse Protector! Thank the lord. It's the harlequin princess of crime, Laughing Stalker! She's back on the streets and already up to her old tricks."

A moment of seriousness crossed Mouse Protector's face before it vanished, "Understood, Commish. We're on our way."

"Holy black mozza cheese, Mouse Protector!" exclaimed Taylor, as her mentor hung up the phone. "That nefarious predator of shadows is back."

"Yes," Mouse Protector said, pulling back on the head of the Alexandria bust, to reveal a hidden switch, which she quickly depressed. "We haven't a moment to waste. Quickly Keynote, to the Mousemobile!"

A bookcase rumbles to the side, revealing a hidden entrance to the Mousecave via the emergency Mousepolls. The two crime fighters quickly jumped onto their poll and slid deep underground, as the bookcase closed behind them. A new adventure awaited.