Chapter 3 - Revelations

Bay stares down wild-eyed at the chest as Hazel just GOES for it....!?!?!

But Bay doesn't act to stop her friend, as she's somewhat stunned by the speed and the directness of Hazel's actions - overwhelmed by her fear at what may happen next - but also still fill of her fury and wrath at the captain, at Filmon, at whatever happened to Blossom...

Now it is Sky's time to be irritated. Hazel has been right. The time for chitchat is over. But Bay - to suggest Filmon re-mous-imate little Blossom - that sounds far too terrible to even consider. What is she thinking? Possibly condemning an innocent soul to eternal unrest on this earth? - unfathomable. Then Hazel's rash action and boom - faster than Sky find's herself able to catch up - the apparition blasts out of the forsaken box.

Does it not see Filmon bound and cornered by them?

"Everybody be cool!" Hazel orders with a firm voice. Pointing her bow and arrow threateningly at Mr. Filmon: "You! Be cool!" As the mouser stops to move, the archer nods satisfied and relaxes a bit. Turning her gaze to the freshly appeared ghost, she answers in a much nicer tone: "We freed you. We don't believe in captivity." Or locked sheds! "Unlike him" pointing her chin at the necromouser.

Taking a closer look, the river mouse asks: "What's your name? And why is he always telling us that you will ruin all his efforts?"

"Soooo... you've been a ghost all this time? How long since you passed away?" curious Hazel asks very interested. "Do you know a big mouser" here she phantomines a guy with a huge belly "named Gideon? He and everybody else is talking about an immense treasure that's hidden around here somewhere." Looking for a reaction the archer waits for a heartbeat or two before continuing: "Is there something to it?

"What a most dreadful trick." Sky states, looking at Filmon with little but contempt. Then, in a lighter tone, she addresses the spirit: "I feel for you. This is your house, right?" She does not want to invoke the dead boy's name. He hasn't given Hazel his name, yet. He must be the lost son, though. Still maybe it is wiser not to call him by the name they have been given.

"We were told that this house contained secrets and treasure - right now, we try to solve its secrets and mend part of what is broken."
Between the captain and Filmon, Sky has no clue what to believe about potential treasure. Maybe the boy might share information with those who captured his captor? "Your prison is guarded by mousy skeletons who used to serve a long diseased pirate captain. The captain might still be around. Do you know anything about that?"

"Can you actually leave this place or are you bound to it?"
Maybe the little spirit could provide some closure to his parents, or at least find some happiness elsewhere...

"Gideon?!" exclaims Bay!

"What in the squeaky hell are you doing back here? Why is there so little time??

"This here is a necromouser. He held captive the ghost and former heir of this manor. There may be treasure to be found and we've got a lead. Also a zombie pirate captain might show up any minute. The tinkerer and the artist are still upstairs. Anybody else left. Your turn." Sky tries to summarise as quickly as possible and now looks at Gideon expectantly.

Looking at Gideon with one raised eyebrow Hazel follows the conversation with interest. Her tail twitches unconsciously as she listens.

"Oh, he has for SURE committed crimes here - magical and mundane!" pipes up Bay.

"Indeed, he has more than a paw, I expect, in this piratical trouble you're describing..."

"I don't want to just leave him here - who knows what extra mouschief he will get up to if he gets the chance to be on his own..."

"Instead, let's give him a chance to atone for some of his crimes - we'll bring him with us!"

With that Bay ties Filmon's feet - in addition to his hands - and hucks the bound mouse around her shoulders.

"Show us the way, Gideon!"

Listening intently, Hazel thinks by herself, that bringing Filmon may be an excellent idea. The furry of the captain will be directed at the failed necromouser and by them some time.

Turning to Bay, the archer pipes up: "Let us visit the tree first if possible. Look for the treasure as quickly as we can." Here she glances at their newfound, uncorporeal friend. "Then we hold something in our paws to start negotiating - if possible."

Hazel seems ready to race to the tree as fast as possible. Helping Bay with doors and suchlike, she advises Mrs. Sprocket and Jack to leave, as things might get a bit uncomfortable very quick.