Fic - "History"

[colonel_bastard]

Title: History
Author: colonel_bastard
Characters/Fandom: Basil, Ratigan. The Great Mouse Detective.
Word Count: 3,265
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Every rivalry has a beginning, and for every fight, someone has to throw the first punch.
Warnings: Violence, smoking, general desecration of beloved Disney characters.
Notes: Fifth in the Basil/Ratigan series.

Comments

[eve_n_furter]

Happy Birthday, Colonel Bastard!
Here's a little present for you: a Basil/Ratigan (very much unbetaed) drabble, to go along with your wonderful "History":

-

Professor Ratigan passes the apartment only by chance. He keeps to the other side of the street: well out of the flickering streetlights. Still he hears the violin playing it's slow, melancholic tune.

His steps slow as he remembers his confirmation day. Father had given him a silver folding knife and a simple speech: "You are grown now, Padraic." Ratigan still remembers his mother sitting by his bedside that night: lightly stroking his forehead, singing that sad folksong - very low - until he slept.

He wonders distractedly how Basil knows, before he banishes the thought and wanders off into the night.

[colonel_bastard]

OHHHHHHH. *____* This is LOVELY!!

His father's simple speech is just PERFECT. It's just--- YES. That's EXACTLY right. And I've been longing to further incorporate Basil's violin-playing into this series, so it was amazing to see you do it here. And I love the idea of Ratigan realizing that he's passing Basil's apartment, so he keeps to the other side of the street--- he avoids unexpected confrontations with him. He only meets him when he plans to do so. Brilliant touch. ^_^

Thank you SO MUCH for thinking of me and writing this!! What a wonderful birthday present!! <333

And I promise I will finish your Basil/Ratigan/Dawson fill soon. T_T

[eve_n_furter]

Glad you liked it, and I hope you had a great birthday! I hope the drabble conveyed at least parts of the vivid scenes I had in mind. And don't worry about the fill! Do what's most appealing to you. Fanfiction is best when it's fun and prompted by the muse, and you know how she is. ;)))

As to whether Ratigan is passing by chance only: that is at least what our dear Professor tells himself. And do Basil play Irish lullabies at random? What we know for sure is that Basil has extremely keen senses. Further deduction is left to the reader.

(And, I'm being extremely rude here: asking you for help with your own birthday present, but is "slow" right or should it have been "slows"? And are there any other jarring typos I should have gotten rid of? If I had had the time, I would have asked my trusted beta, but there are limits to how fast she can respond and what an ESL can manage on my own. Hope any errors didn't throw you off to hard, and please excuse me for asking for help like this.)

[colonel_bastard]

The drabble DID convey the scene beautifully!! And I AM working on your fill, it's just taking a while because I'm writing it from Dawson's POV and I don't quite have the hang of him yet... e_e

Look for Basil serenading Ratigan with his violin later in my series--- it's going to play a pivotal part in that "university AU" prompt, in which Basil is a student of the dear professor...

"Slow" is indeed the correct tense! I didn't see any typos whatsoever. And don't feel rude at all, I'm more than happy to help. I really appreciate that you took the time to write this for me, it was a wonderful gift. Thanks again. <333

[chai_footsteps]

Oh my Heavens. You seem to have a talent for taking certain simple things -- a cigarette, a dark street, a bit of small talk that's just beginning to stray beyond the point of being small talk -- and making them deep, heady, and absolutely intoxicating. For taking the not so simple things -- a fight, a single short kiss -- and making them sexier than some stories ever accomplish with pages and pages of detailed sex. If you ever publish a book, rest assured I will buy two copies. Just because.

[colonel_bastard]

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful comment! Thank you so, so much! You talk about this story as if it were a glass of fine wine, and I couldn't be more pleased and flattered. I really appreciate it, thank you! <3

I happen to be working on a novel right now. Don't think I won't hold you to that promise. ;)

[killerqueen42]

Enjoying the ever-loving hell out of this, and I just saw in one of the meme posts that you are a fellow Troper! :D

Incidentally, I have run across sources that suggest Basil's first name is Sherringford, or something spelled like that. Not sure if thats canon or fanon though.

Also, dunno if you've seen Hot Fuzz, but if you have, Constable!Basil immediately brings to mind Sgt. Nicholas Angel. So, so much. And Ratigan is Skinner!

[colonel_bastard]

I am indeed a fellow Troper! Can't enough of the stuff, it's like crack. o_O

I encountered "Sherringford" as well, and as near as I can tell, it's fanon--- it was the first name that Arthur Conan Doyle was originally considering for Holmes (before he obviously settled on "Sherlock," thank goodness), so I suppose GMD fandom adopted it for our very our Holmes proxy. I think my problem was that I was fixated on Basil as a first name rather than a surname (which was, perhaps, an error) since I knew that he was named after the actor Basil Rathbone (who portrayed Holmes in a large number of films). Is this paragraph rambly enough for you? XD

OMGYES. Basil IS Sgt. Angel, you are SO right. I just need to mention that he keeps a peace lily...

So glad that you're enjoying the series. Thanks for commenting! <3

[dedlit]

I adore your writing. These are the times I wish I could also write in English. You have such a way with this language it is amazing!!!!

I love every little detail, you just manage to balance the characters right in every possible way :)

LOVE IT!!!

[colonel_bastard]

Aww, thank you so much! My parents raised me to love words and language, so I consider this a compliment for them as well. ^_^

And I'm all about the details. :D I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[serellie]

This is astounding work. Really. I am dismayed with your ability to capture these two characters and give them depth I doubt even their creator could fathom. I am so glad that you write, and write prolifically. I highly look forward to reading the rest in this collection.

[colonel_bastard]

Wow, what generous comments! I am truly honored to hear such kind words. I feel like the best fanfiction is the work that takes the characters to deeper places than the source material ever did, that explores them to much greater extents than has been previously seen. I've loved writing this series because it's given me a chance to do just that! And I'm so thrilled that so many people have enjoyed it.

I hope the rest of the series lives up to your expectations! Thank you so much for your thoughtful words, I really appreciate it.