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Post by Melanie Ravenswood on Mar 23, 2009 10:12:24 GMT -5
A soft yet hauntingly elegant peal of song was ringing clear through Main Street, chilling the hearts of everybody that heard it. It wasn’t hard to find the source, for the pale redhead rather stuck out from the crowd, after all a wedding dress wasn’t the usual attire for visiting Disney World. Several, more curious guests looked like they were about to say something to the girl who seemed to have simply stepped out of thin air, however the look of grief in her eyes was enough to send all onlookers scurrying away again in search of something more happy.
“Where are you, darlin'?” muttered Melanie Ravenswood, turning translucent for a moment as she stepped through a shaft of direct sunlight, “darling please come back…” she wiped a pearly tear from her eye, which dropped to the ground and vanished without marking the tarmac. The bride stepped back into the shadows, becoming opaque once again, however this didn’t sway the shocked expressions on those who had seen her fade away for a moment.
“Excuse me miss?” began a rather nervous voice from nearby, “are you okay?” Surprised, Melanie turned to face the source of the noise, identifying it as the young boy stood just to her right. She’d been locked away in the manner for so long that she wasn’t immediately sure what to do, however eventually knelt down so that she could talk to him eye to eye.
“No sugar, I’m not,” replied the ghostly bride honestly, yet still in a friendly, if rather dejected, voice, “but I do declare I will be one day. You’ll see…” she half smiled, tousling the boy’s hair for a moment before straightening up again and almost floating down the street, although in truth she was just moving smoothly. One thing that many people do not know about ghosts is that they are only incorporeal when they want to be. Most of the time the spirits left behind are perfectly capable of interfering with the human world, so it was perfectly natural for Melanie to be able to pick up a map someone had discarded on the ground.
“Haunted Mansion?” she murmured, reading aloud from the map. Why, that sounded like they were mocking her haunting race, making them an object of amusement. She would have to take a look at that if she ever got the opportunity. Her search was the main reason she was here, for Melanie was determined to search the whole world for her true love if she had to, regardless of how long it took. And Walt Disney world was the perfect place to look, for with so many people passing through each day and so many different places one could hide, it could be eons before she was convinced enough to leave again.
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Post by Basil on Mar 23, 2009 16:57:58 GMT -5
Basil slowly made his way down Main Street with Toby in tow.
Though still recovering from his wounds, the hound was now able to walk, and Basil thought some light exercise would do him good. Toby looked more like an Egyptian mummy than a dog, but he was in good, albeit subdued spirits.
Partway down the street, the detective was surprised to see a lady in wedding garb coming in the opposite direction.
What could this mean? Some sort of entertainment? Or was there really to be a wedding today?
Whatever the case, the lady in question was obviously in distress, and no gentleman could refuse to come to her aid.
"Pardon me, miss," he said with a tip of his deerstalker, "Basil of Baker Street here. Are you in some trouble? Can I be of assistance?"
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Post by Melanie Ravenswood on Mar 23, 2009 17:19:48 GMT -5
Melanie watched with disinterest as a dog approached her from up the street. He’d had a dog, and it was another of those unfortunate reminders of her lost love that seemed to plague her dying days. She picked up her skirt for a moment to keep the dog away from it, something that was unnecessary in her state yet a habit that persisted from life.
However as the Bride was moving away again she heard a quiet voice from behind her, which stood out from the usual babble by addressing her directly. She looked around for the source, yet was unable to see anyone nearby who could have spoke. The only thing out of the usual was that the dog had stopped, apparently waiting for something. Melanie leant in closer to investigating, eventually spotting a mouse in clothing looking up at her inquisitively. This was strange, but she could only assume it was the mouse who had spoken.
“Why, thank you for your concern Mr. Basil,” she replied with a rather strained smile, “though if you could help me I’d be eternally grateful. My fiancé has gone missing…” a tear trailed down her cheek, once again vanishing as it hit the pavement, which would be odd if anyone was paying attention, “Larry… Larry Harrison…”
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Post by Basil on Mar 23, 2009 19:57:29 GMT -5
"Ah, a missing person," said Basil with more pleasure than he ought. "Perhaps I can help you there. My card."
The mouse produced a pasteboard square, though it was doubtful any human could read something that small.
"I am a private consulting detective, and have solved several such cases in the past. Perhaps I can find this...gentleman." He used the term loosely, for any man who abandoned a lady at the altar was no gentleman.
Toby took a suspicious sniff of the bride, then stared quizzically at the first human he had ever encountered who had no scent whatsoever. He simply could not understand it.
Basil stopped in mid-sentence when he saw the lady's tear splash onto the ground. Of course he noticed at once that it made no stain. "How curious..." The mouse whipped out his magnifying lens to study the asphalt.
"Do you suppose you could do that again?"
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Post by Melanie Ravenswood on Apr 28, 2009 19:03:44 GMT -5
“You can help!?” exclaimed Melanie, a glimmer of hope flashing across her face for a moment. She took the card offered to her, squinting slightly as she struggled to read the miniscule writing on the equally small card. It was tough, but she just about made out a name and phone number before tucking it away into her sleeve for safekeeping.
“You want me to cry?” asked Melanie, a hurt expression clear on her face, “how awful!” But of course now that the idea of crying was in her head again, she couldn’t stop all of her unfortunately sorrowful thoughts and memories from washing forward again. She sniffed, wiping away several tears with a handkerchief produced from the same sleeve she placed the card in, however despite her efforts several more tears dropped down to earth in front of the mouse and vanished.
“I hope you’re happy now!” she wailed, shooting a dark and pained look at the detective.
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Post by Basil on Apr 28, 2009 20:23:56 GMT -5
Alas, it was only too true. When Basil encountered something to investigate, he ceased to consider the sensibilities of those around him. In his single-minded tenacity, the problem was all.
Thus, he did not realise how he had injured the lady's feelings. He only gazed all the more intently at the tears as they splattered onto the roadway...and vanished without a trace.
Fortunately, the mouse was quick enough to catch the last drop in his left palm before it disappeared into oblivion. He must examine it carefully before...but, no, it was gone as well. Not evaporated, but gone all the same.
"I perceive, miss, that there is more to you than meets the eye. Would you care to tell me your story?"
"For aside from the obvious facts that you are an American from a wealthy family, that your father earned his fortune in the gold fields, and that your intended is a poor man who has abandoned you, I confess I can make out nothing."
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Post by Melanie Ravenswood on Apr 29, 2009 16:45:24 GMT -5
Melanie gazed down at Basil with wide eyes as he displayed incredible powers of detection, physically stunned for a moment before finally able to respond to his question.
"My story?" she began mistily, shimmering slightly as she concentrated on the past rather then the present, "Well you're right that it began with gold. My father struck lucky in the gold rush," she didn't seem to realize that the dates in no way added up as she continued her story, and moved us all into a ornate Mansion near to the Thunder Mountain Mine he owned. That's where I met Larry..." she trailed off, eyes sparkling at the memories telling her story like this brought up. She hadn't done so in a long time, and in a way it was relieving to confide it in somebody who might be able to help.
"I saw him a-workin' on the Railroad one day and I declare it was love at first sight. Before long we were fixin' to be married, however..." she bit back a wave of tears, "my parents were killed in an earthquake." She wailed softly for a moment, putting the handkerchief to good use again before finally continuing with her story.
"Well the day finally... finally came but... he wasn't there..." Melanie was getting less and less composed each second, clearly wavering on the brink of a breakdown, "I... I never saw him again..." she snapped, breaking down into a flood of tears and collapsing onto the pavement, loosely clutching her knees as she wailed.
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Post by Basil on Apr 30, 2009 18:03:44 GMT -5
Good Heavens, this was getting frightfully uncomfortable!
In the thrill of the investigation, Basil had momentarily forgotten how he could not abide women's tears. he had to do something to stop the deluge.
"There, there, Miss...er, Miss. It is eveident that you have borne many trials. And to have been treated so abominably by your intended is understandibly upsetting. But you must pull yourself together."
She still did not explain how it is that her tears evaporated on contact. Basil fully intended to ask her for more particulars on that, but first, he supposed he ought to get her mind running in more productive, less emotional channels.
"And why do you come here looking for Mr. Harrison? Where did you last see him?"
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Post by Melanie Ravenswood on May 1, 2009 13:47:28 GMT -5
Melanie continued to sob for several minutes, oblivious to the mouse's attempts to dry her tears. Something in the detective's soothing voice must have eventually gotten through, for Melanie eventually quietened down, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief that, like the ground, wasn't getting any damper as she used it.
"I'm sorry Mr. Basil," sniffed the ghost morosely, still clutching her knees as she sat on the ground, "it's just... so..." her bottom lip quivered worryingly, however she shook her head, concentrating on the detective's question instead.
"The night before our wedding," stated Melanie, remembering the last time she'd been happy, "a girl ain't meant to see the groom in the morning," she nodded grimly, "I... I've been searching for him since..."
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Post by Basil on May 1, 2009 18:19:13 GMT -5
Basil frowned in concentration, considering the case thus far. The girl was not quite as helpful as she might be, due to her emotional state. If she could keep the hysteria in check, he might bring matters to a successful conclusion.
"Very well, I shall take your case." Now he was all energy, moving with lightning-like alacrity to stand upon her knee, the better to look his client in the eye.
"I must see the place where you last saw Mr. Harrison. There may be a clue."
Basil intended to keep the girl's attention as focused as possible. Hopefully, that would prevent any more unpleasant emotional outbursts.
"And," he added not unkindly, "you must tell me your name, if you are to be my client."
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