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Post by Basil on Jun 16, 2009 19:15:35 GMT -5
Basil had been in the bookshop for over an hour. The detective loved books, and happily perused shelf after shelf, trying to decide which one to purchase.
Hmmmm....what's this? He pulled out something that looked interesting, all about the secrets of the American government.
Basil loved secrets. That is, he loved to find them out.
Although the mouse was absorbed in the book, he, of course, was well aware of those passing by around and behind him.
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 16, 2009 19:35:27 GMT -5
Riley had been sitting at the table in the bookshop working on his computer oblivious to the world outside his screen. He was doing one of his favorite pass times, hacking. Now Riley knew allot of people frowned on hacking, and sure it was kinda illegal, but it was how he got as good as he is with computers. Besides he never did anything that would harm anyone, and never made viruses. Well, not since he was a little kid at least.
After Riley found that his cup of coffee was empty Riley decided to get up and get a new one. Before Riley was able to get up though he noticed a mouse was picking up his book. After meeting Gadget Riley figured that he shouldn't be surprised that a mouse was reading. But what was surprising to Riley was that the mouse was reading his book. Not only was he reading it, but he was reading it intently. This was the first time someone took his book seriously. Riley was so excited about that fact that he didn't even notice he was starring.
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Post by Basil on Jun 16, 2009 20:18:02 GMT -5
Basil began to skim a chapter on some sort of hoax about humans flying to the moon. Well, of course it would be a sham; the very thought of flying to the moon was absurd, the stuff of novels and sensational literature.
Not that Basil didn't enjoy sensational literature on occasion...
The detective was aware that someone was standing behind him. Hum...familiar-looking chap...now let me see...
Ha! He knew where he had seen the fellow before: on the back of the very book he was reading.
Turning, Basil remarked cooly, "Mr. Riley Poole, I presume?"
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 16, 2009 20:24:28 GMT -5
"wha...yeah that's me" Riley said grinning sheepishly as he realized he had been staring. "So...do you like the book so far," Riley added trying to keep the conversation away from the obvious question of why he was staring. Besides, he was interested to see what people who actually read his book thought about it.
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Post by Basil on Jun 16, 2009 20:40:46 GMT -5
"Most intriguing, most intriguing," answered the mouse.
"Where, may I ask, do you find your information? Do you employ some detective to discover these secrets for you?"
"For I percieve," continued Basil, eyeing Riley like a specimen in a jar, "that you yourself are much more suited to sedentary pursuits."
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 16, 2009 20:54:48 GMT -5
"A detective? No I actually looked allot of it up online and some other sources. Besides I did help find the Templar Treasure and the City of Gold so I wouldn't say I'm only good at sedentary jobs." Riley said a little annoyed at the mouses assumption. Sure he might spend most of his time on the computer and was more of the tech guy when it came to adventures, but he didn't just sit at a desk all day.
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Post by Basil on Jun 18, 2009 20:28:52 GMT -5
Basil frowned slightly, none too pleased at being corrected. "Treasure-hunting, yes, it is here in the first chapter of your book."
Perhaps he would have to give this fellow a demonstration.
Ignoring the bit about looking things up 'online,' whatever that meant, the mouse continued, "Nonetheless, I observe the peculiar wear on the elbow of your jacket, which denotes hours spent at writing, as befits an author. As well as the spatulate finger-ends typically caused by the keys of a typewriting machine."
"And the dints on your nose bespeak the eyeglasses which you doubtless wear for reading and other close work."
There. Basil felt well satisfied with that piece of deduction.
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 21, 2009 13:42:05 GMT -5
Riley had to admit the mouse was good at observation, it was almost like watching Ben when he was in ‘Treasure Hunting mode’, as Riley liked to put it. Riley couldn’t help but chuckle though at the typewriter part. “Typewriting machine? Isn’t that a little outdated for any writer in this day in age?” Riley asked arching one of his eyebrows. He didn’t mean to sound rude or anything he just couldn’t see why anyone would think about using typewriters when there were computers around.
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Post by Basil on Jun 21, 2009 15:41:33 GMT -5
Basil stiffened visibly. Had he made an error in deduction? The mere possibility was unthinkable.
Glancing round the room, his quick eye took notice of Riley's laptop open on a nearby table. "What do you mean, sir? Why, here is one close at hand."
"In fact, unless I am very much in error," surely he couldn't be, "this particular machine belongs to you."
Alas, computers were unknown in the 19th century. Basil had some little experience of them here in the park, but, he thought of them as typewriters with television screens attached.
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 22, 2009 19:17:29 GMT -5
With that statement Riley started to realize Basil's outfit wasn't just a fashion statement and that he was really from that time period."Actually that's a laptop, you know, a computer" Riley said as he turned the Laptop around so it's screen would face Basil. "Thought I guess you could consider it an upgraded typewriter. Although it's allot more advanced as it lets you search for stuff and talk to other people" Riley said in explanation.
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Post by Basil on Jun 22, 2009 19:57:44 GMT -5
"Yes, yes, I am familiar with the device." Strictly speaking, only slightly familiar, as he had fiddled about with computers here and there in the park and was just beginning to appreciate their potential.
Now Basil was flustered. "It's just that...what I meant was...that is...I...ah..."
There was no way around it: the great detective had erred in his deduction. He had leapt to a conclusion in advance of the facts and worse, shown himself to be ignorant in front of a stranger.
As that fact intruded itself upon Basil, it pressed down like a great weight on his very soul. Deflated, dejected, the mouse answered with a barely audible sigh.
"You are doubtless correct. And I was..." the word stung like an adder, "...mistaken."
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 24, 2009 18:44:57 GMT -5
Seeing the mouse look so down Riley started to feel a little guilty for sounding like a know it all. It wasn’t the mouse’s fault that he was from a different time period. “Well you were kind of right, I mean computers are used as replacements for typewriters,” Riley said trying to cheer the mouse up a little.
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Post by Basil on Jun 25, 2009 21:00:39 GMT -5
Basil shrugged off Riley's attempted kindness.
It was too late; the mouse was gripped by one of his periodic fits of depression. They plagued him from time to time, particularly when he felt a failure, in his own eyes, at least, at some mental feat.
" 'Kind of right,' " he repeated bitterly. "It is only another way to say 'kind of wrong.' "
Head and tail drooping, Basil climbed wearily to the floor and trudged toward the shop exit. "Farewell, Mr. Poole, I shall trouble you no more."
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Post by Riley Poole on Jun 26, 2009 22:39:16 GMT -5
“Wait, I mean you aren’t really troubling me” Riley said trying to stop the depressed mouse. He just kind of felt bad for making feel so depressed. “I mean it isn’t too hard to learn about computers, and you were right about the fact that I spend most of my time sitting and typing instead of doing more active jobs,” Riley added.
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Post by Basil on Jun 27, 2009 17:03:52 GMT -5
<<Don't feel bad--it wasn't Riley's fault! >> Poor Riley was trying so hard to lift Basil's spirits. Alas, it was no use. When the black mood was upon him, the detective was inconsolable. He stopped only because moving required such effort. Heaving another sigh, Basil slumped to the floor, knees drawn up, forehead resting on his folded arms, right between the biography and the travel sections. Although the mouse felt that his life had lost all meaning, there was one way to lift the depression: a case. Some problem to solve or a clue to unravel; nothing less would have any effect. <<Sorry to do this to Riley. I didn't intend to, but sometimes my character has a life of his own.>>
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