A Mystery To End All Mysteries

Chapter 14: There's Always Another Reason

Meanwhile back in the Rat Trap, Basil and Dawson were sitting at a table. Basil drinking himself almost stupid as Dawson sat there and watched him. Astounded that he wouldn't chase after Marinette, the girl that he obviously fell madly in love with over a short period of time. Dawson continued to sit there and watch Basil take swig after swig after swig of his drink.

"So you're not going to go after Marinette then?"Asked Dawson as he looked down at his drink, his reflection swaying about in the drink.

"Why should I?... The girl practically lied to us about everything... do you think I want to go after a criminal anyway?" Replied Basil as he looked into his drink, then taking a massive swig of it and slamming the glass back down.

"I know you wouldn't want to go after a criminal... but you love Marinette Basil... you can't just abandon her when she needs you the most" Stated Dawson as he glanced over at Basil, hoping he was starting to knock some sense into his head.

Basil crossed his arms over the table. Continuing to stare at the drink in the glass. His mind consumed with all different thoughts and feelings. Mainly feeling guilty about not going after Marinette. Deep down not that he wanted to admit it... but he had grown strong feelings for her. Basil could feel his heart breaking inside his chest, almost shatter into a thousand pieces.

"Marinette is the princess of mousedom... the royal family is in danger... you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking of the bigger picture" Snapped Dawson as he started to get annoyed with Basil, even he knew the royal family was important and that if Ratigan took control the world would be hell.

"Why am I feeling like this?... Normally I'd go chasing after Ratigan but now... what is coming over me" Thought Basil as he continued to look down at his drink, his feelings starting to consume his heart.

Suddenly both of them heard the scraping of wood across the floor right next to them. Basil and Dawson averted their gazes towards the empty chair, now occupied by someone else.

"Jack was it?... What do you want?" Said Basil in a vague tone as he glanced at Jack, then back down at the table waiting for a reply.

"I wanted to ask for help" Replied Jack as he looked at Basil and Dawson, praying that they would want to help him.

"With what?" Said Basil as he took another swig of his drink, starting to lose interest in almost everything around him.

"Marinette" Replied Jack with a hint of concern in his voice, now a sympathetic and worried expression covered his entire face.

"Give me some reasons why then I might consider it" Said Basil as he looked at Jack, skeptical of almost anything and everyone now.

"She's my best friend and I haven't treated her like it recently... I feel guilty for it... I owe her for when I tried to abduct her in the toy shop... Marinette has always been there when I needed her... I'm scared of what Ratigan will do to her and her family... she needs someone to help her now... Besides the way you two look at each other you have a strong connection without even realising it... I thought you of all mice would want to help her" Replied Jack as he lent back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest with an unimpressed expression covering his face.

Basil sat there astounded with everything Jack had just said. Jack had some very reasonable points but Basil couldn't seem to convince himself to chase after her. Basil took another swig of his drink then looked down at the glass.

"I don't think I can go after her Jack... being lied to by someone you deeply care doesn't exactly scream let's go and help them now, does it?" Asked Basil as he looked over towards Jack, his entire heart was breaking inside his chest.

"She was most likely terrified something would happen if she told you straight out that she was the London Gun Slinger... she never told anyone who she was under that mask... Marinette always thinks of others before herself, she lied to keep everyone around her safe... including you Basil" Snapped Jack as he picked up his drink and gulped it all down in one shot, now starting to get agitated with Basil.

Basil just sat there trying to take everything in. His head was screaming at him to go after Marinette but his heart was saying to leave her be. Slowly Basil placed a hand on his forehead, rubbing it slightly as he glanced at Dawson.

"I'm absolutely crazy... but it's for Marinette and right now both of them are right... she needs us" Thought Basil as he placed his hand back down of the table, looking back and forth between the pair of them.

"Come on you two... we've got the royal family to save" Said Basil as he stood up from the table, heading straight towards the door they first arrived through.

Dawson and Jack looked at each other astounded with Basil's new behaviour. Quickly the pair rushed after Basil, now grateful that he was planning on saving mousedom.

"Please be okay Marinette... I'm coming" Thought Jack as he chased after Basil and Dawson, hoping that Ratigan wasn't going to do anything drastic to his best friend.

All three of them rushed out onto the docks. Making their way back up to where Toby was waiting for them. Basil stopped right in front of Toby.

"The games a foot Toby... the royal family is in danger" States Basil as a look of determination started to grow on his face, his eyes almost filled with passion.

Toby swiftly lowered his head and all three of them hopped on Toby's back. He let out a howl which echoed through the abyss of London. Rapidly Toby took of charging through the streets of London, making his way to Buckingham Palace. All three of them cling onto each other, while Basil clung onto Toby's lead. His mind was racing with all different thoughts and feelings. London scenery was flying by like rockets.

The mist was now setting over the streets. Hazy light emirates into the darkness. A few humans were walking about the streets of the chilling night. There was only one thing the three mice were thinking about. Marinette. None of them knew what was going to happen to her or the royal family if they didn't make it in time.

"Hold on Marinette... I'm coming" Basil thought to himself as he glanced up at the sky, now starting to be filled with deep and dark clouds.