star_kingdom | Where am I?

[Video]

Ah-haa!

[The screen flashes to life much to the surprise of the tiny mouse holding the device. As she recoils she throws the object away from her body. The jettisoned piece of technology tumbles through the air, eventually coming to a sudden jostling stop on the pavement just in time to capture video of the mouse disappearing around the corner of a building.
A moment later she timidly peeks back around but the thing doesn‘t seem to be following her…
Taking small little hops forward while carefully sniffing the air for danger the little brown mouse cautiously makes her way back to where the object has come to a rest. ]

ah… Hello… [A pause as she attempts to compose herself a little. ] I’m Mrs. Brisby.

[Her voice gains a touch of confidence but still remains soft as she becomes more accustomed to speaking to this odd glowing stone. ]
I seem to have lost my way. I need to get back to my home… its near the big stone in the garden.
Please, could some one tell me how to get back there?

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[She does try to… ‘get ahold of herself’ as much from the surprise of being told to do so as anything. ]

Mrs. Brisby.

[She ever so softly corrects with just a touch of a quiver in her voice. But when the video switches on Mrs. Brisby is naturally greatly relieved to see another mouse. The humans she had met were very nice but it was still so strange to speak to them! ]

Basil of Baker Street? No, I’m afraid I haven’t. I have never been much farther out than the edge of the garden.

[Basil is one to talk considering how surprised he'd been by these things originally... however that doesn't stop him from acting like an expert now]

Whatever. [He waved off the correction immediately]

[It was peculiar how the humans here were only to ready and willing to converse with creatures of their diminutive size]

Hrn? A pity, it would have saved me the trouble of explaining myself further. [A pause] Judging by your attire alone.. anyone can plainly see you are of rural extraction. [IE. You didn't need to say it] Finding yourself surrounded by all these man-made structures.. must be a bit of a shock, I imagine.

Rural… extraction…?

[That was true but, what a strange way to phrase it. ]

There aren’t buildings like this on the farm. There is just the farm house and the barn… oh and the chicken coop, but nothing like this. It was a… shock.

[She fidgets, wondering if she should ask. ]

But you are used to these… ‘man-made structures’? Do you live in the city?

[That is what I said, isn't it? Basil didn't find his phrasing at all unusual and instead focused on the latter part of her response]

That would explain the extraneous fibers clinging ever-so-slightly to the frayed edges of your cloak. [Those fibers being remnants from last years harvest undoubtedly, the coloration aged from excessive exposure to the sun and the elements. It was a minute detail that wouldn't have concerned most individuals]

Indeed I am. I live in a city myself, but unfortunately [Slight "hmmph" sound.. but an amused one] not this city.

[Extraneous fibers? Mrs. Brisby picked up the edge of her tattered cloak to look for those fibers. She didn’t see anything… wait… that tiny little piece of wheat? He saw that?
Working the small fiber free she added. ]

You must be very observant, to notice a small thing like this.

[Her voice softens at his last sentence. ]

I’m sorry. You must have been pulled from your world also. Did you have to leave anyone behind?

[Wheat. Extraneous fibers.. same thing.]

Ah, but I'm afraid I must be otherwise what sort of detective would I be? A very poor one. [He went ahead and answered the question for her] I also-- couldn't help but notice... what, madam, has happened to your hands? They have clearly come into contact with a substantial amount of heat... and recently, if I'm not mistaken. [It was hard to tell over the video]

I-- well-- there is someone. [Reminding him of Dawson] An associate of mine.. [His features drooped.. his lip quirking upwards only once before falling once more] He's a stout chap, I'm certain it would take more than a little darkness to overtake him.

[Her hands… she stepped backward before bringing them up to look at her paws closer. They were painful too, but that had been a little forgotten in the excitement of finding herself in Traverse Town. ]

Yes, the stone… I was trying to save my children when this happened. Then the Darkness came and I … haven’t been able to find them…

[So horrible… She didn’t know if they were safe or not. Was Timmy still recovering!?
But, maybe there was a chance.]

If you are a Detective maybe… please, could you please see if you can find my children?

The stone? [Could that be the necklace she was wearing-- or something entirely different? The necklace looked innocuous, and while there was a stone affixed to it.. how could it have caused such damage. He couldn't help but feel like she was leaving something out. He was about to inquire further when she brought up her children. He felt a slight knot forming in his stomach. He hadn't meant to have drawn up such unpleasantness.]

I-- well... I'm sure they are quite-- [Basil's attempts to be reassuring were quite unsuccessful. He wasn't sure what happened to those that were left behind]

[He wanted to flat out refuse her requests, doubting that her children were here and knowing that Mrs. Bristol couldn't afford his regular consulting fee-- but with that look.. and that sincerity in her voice. He had a sort of weakness for such cases, when clients became emotional like this... Taking a deep breath he offered her the kindest smile he could muster]

I will look into it Mrs. Bristle. I will need complete descriptions of them, don't leave out any details that may help to differentiate them from the local population.

[She brightens almost immediately… and completely misses the ‘Mrs. Bristle’ bit, finding her children was so much more important! ]

Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!

[Wiping her eyes she tries to settle into giving the requested descriptions. ]

Teresa is my oldest daughter she is only a little shorter than I am and usually wears a large pink ribbon tied into a bow on her head. She has light brown fur. Martin is my oldest son… he is very spirited… and he has a tuft of grey fur on his head that sometimes gets into his brown eyes. Cynthia is another daughter. She has pale almost yellow fur and usually wears a green bow around her waist. And Timothy, we also call him Timmy, he is my youngest. He is the smallest and has grey fur. He should be recovering from and illness…

[Unless this situation has made it worse again. No, no thoughts like that… not right now. ]

I have been told they might have been sent here too. Oh, I do hope you can find them!

[The mood shift is a relief. He's really not sure what to do with someone when they are so upset.... course this is how he ends up taking on such missing persons cases]

There's no need to thank me, dear lady. It's the least I can do.

[Woah woah woah... slow down there. He listens intently to all the descriptions. They still aren't much to go on.. but the children should be looking for their mother as well. An-- illness? In the midst of all this.]

Any scars, birthmarks? Any other distinguishing features?

Should I run across anyone that matches your descriptions you will be the first to know.

[Distinguishing features… she thinks hard before settling on. ]

Oh, they can read. My husband taught them… before he… [Trails off softly. ]

But, they really are very good at reading. Much better than I am.
[This is very unusual in her world. Even if he said not to…]

Thank you again. That’s very kind of you.

I take it that being able to read is uncommon where you reside.

[He took pause once more when she trailed off. Basil didn't seem to be able to avoid touchy subjects]
My condolences.

Think nothing of it. [He doesn't think he'll be able to find them. Individuals seem to trickle in one at a time..]