Basil's New Charge (for Lita)

[cp 2000]

Late one afternoon, Basil of Bakers Street sat in his study, reading a paper and smoking a pipe as he did. On normal days like this, he'd be out solving crimes and catching criminals, but recently, the mouse had to take some time off work. He had recently received a letter from his friend Hiram, asking him to take care of his daughter Olivia whilst he went abroad to visit relatives. Basil was normally stayed away from children, but after meeting the mouse, he and her had built up quite a strong relationship, with her soon calling him 'Uncle Basil'. As such, he smiled to himself as he thought of this, continuing to wait for the little mouse's arrival as he did.

[Lita]

Several small raps at the detective's small but sturdy oak door sounded in the Bakerstreet abode, or rather, below it, as the mid-winter wind blew a gale outside.

Olivia Flaversham had tied her slim brown tail down to a railing by Basil's front door, the way many mouse pups were taught, so that the tiny little girl would not be carried away by the wind. She gripped her baret tightly with tiny little paws, holding it against her ears so that she wouldn't lose it, whilst her little checkered skirt was blown this way and that, her cotton knickers making a show of themselves as brittle brown leaves almost thrice Olivia's size skittered along the cobbled street.

Oh, what an awful day! This nasty wind was making her bottom terribly cold!

The little Scottish mouse looked forlornly at the door, and the welcoming ochre glow just beneath. Please, Mister Basil! Open the door!

[cp 2000]

When Basil heard the little raps at the door, he smiled to himself, before getting up from his chair and walking over to answer it.

When he did, he looked out to see the little mouse, not realising that she was standing directly below him. When he eventually did realise this, he looked down, seeing the small mouse looking up at him with those wide brown eyes he so fondly remembered. She hadn't grown much since he had seen her last, but she was just as cute, dressed in the same little outfit that he had met her in about half a year ago. He was about to speak, but noticed that the child had attached her tail to the railing to stop herself blowing away, so on instinct, he took her hand in his and helped her inside.

Once she was safely in his home and he had closed the door, he looked down at her once more, but this time, offered her a warm smile.

"Hello Olivia" he said fondly, happy to see the little mouse again, "it's good to see you again".

[Lita]

"Oh, Mr Basil!" The little Scot squealed, running and clutching the detective's knees. She looked up, large brown eyes shining like dark pearls, past the lithe legs, much taller than her own, and smiled, "You don't know how much I missed you!"

She nuzzled his leg, enjoying the warmth, before jumping back, and patting down her checkered little skirt, causing droplets of rain water and dew to spatter like scattered marbles across the oaken floor.

"It was very, VERY windy outside!" She pointed to the window with a tiny outstretched finger, "You know, I almost lost my hat!" she placed her hands on her dainty hips and pursed her lips into a scornful pout, before she began to scamper around his study, as if searching for something of great interest.

[cp 2000]

Basil was a little surprised by how quickly the little girl ran to him, but smiled none the less, gently patting her head as she nuzzled against him. He was glad that Olivia was as happy to see him as he was her, as he had also missed having the spirited young girl around.

When he heard her talk about how windy it was outside, he turned his attention to the window, noticing how the rain and wind did indeed batter heavily against his front door.

He the chuckled a little when he heard her say that she lost her hat, as well as the cute little pout she made as she talked about it. However, before he could say anything else, the child had begun to explore her new surroundings.

As she did, he smiled, watching her looking with great interest at everything around her. "I don't think you'll find anything too interesting in the study" he said, "it's mostly just boring notes and equipment".

[Lita]

"Oh, I don't think they're boring at all!" Olivia protested spiritedly, poking a bulbous container that housed a green liquid. When she did, white vapour billowed from its neck and made her cough.

The little mouse then turned her attention to several notes and sheets of well-thumbed paper. Upon the formerly blank pages were spatters of ink and several studied finger/paw prints. Beside these, was a large, square container of black powder ink. Olivia's eyes shone with delight as she reared back her hand and smooshed it into the pile of dark mess, getting her loose coat sleeve in the dripping black ooze and soot.

The little mouse then settled down and began to place her own paw prints right atop all the others that Basil had been studying for days -weeks, months- years, even! However, one thing could be said for the little scots rascal - black had rarely made such sunny drawings before!

[cp 2000]

Basil chuckled a little as the girl said she didn't find his work boring, finding it cute how she happily explored the study to find things to play with.

However, when Basil saw what the little mouse was doing, he quickly rushed over to her, taking her over to the sink to quickly wash her paw. The young mouse had unknowingly destroyed a large majority of his crime notes, but he would be sure to get to that in a minute.

"Olivia" he said sternly, taking off her coat as he spoke to her and placing it on the counter, "I think you and I had better have a little talk". Once he said that, he took the little mouse's paw in his, before leading her to his armchair, and lifting her up to sit in his lap. He was saddened to have to punish the little girl so soon after arriving, but he knew he had to show her exactly how he expected her to behave whilst she lived with him.

[Lita]

The little mouse watched her dainty paw grow wet as the water washed over it - splaying ink into the sink and soiling once clean surface in the sudden arrival of youth.

"Sorry!" she yipped genuinely, wiping her hand dry on the back of her skirt, as her little thin tail swished this way and that as she did so.

"Talk?" Tilting her head, the little scot did not struggle but allowed herself to be led by Basil's long-fingered hand over to his armchair - the seat that fostered many a deliberation, and many a violin caress, "What about...?"

Olivia didn't really take any of the ominous nature or atmosphere on board, and simply blinked up at the lanky mouse, a smile as innocent as first snow gracing her lips as she questioned him.

[cp 2000]

"Yes Olivia" he said softly, looking into the girls large brown eyes as he spoke, "we need to talk". He knew Olivia was a sweet girl, and thoroughly regretted what he was going to have to do, but he had to make clear that any misbehaviour in his house would be punished.

"Now then" he explained, "there are a lot of expensive, and sometimes dangerous things in this house that I can't afford you playing with". He sighed a little, finding it very hard to scold the girl. "As such" he continued, "whenever you're naughty, I will take it upon myself to properly punish you".

He then thought for a moment, thinking about the best way to explain what he would have to do to the little mouse. "Tell me" he said, "what would your father do to punish you if you were naughty?".