TombMouse Two

The mouse now stood upright, looking across the square to a door of strange significance. The door was seemingly mundane: composed of old wooden boards; attached by creaky, rusted hinges; and opened and closed with a iron knob in the shape of a lion head. To most the door seemed boring, a dismissable adornment in a fairly unremarkable marketplace. However the mouse was insistant, if only to himself, that the door bore a huge significance to the puzzle of the scam-market of useless commodities. The mouse gazed in aprehension however, he gazed with such angst as he saw great feet trample him if he were to cross, he watched as human hooves raced past his intended path. A shiver ran up the mouse's spine, his fur standing on end like the spines of a porcupine. This was to be no easy task.

Just then, a giant, old, wooden cart came trundling over the cobbles. This was the mouse's chance; the large trailer would surely block the path of any pedestrians, if only for a moment. Bursting into a dash, the tiny mouse shot forth and began pounding towards the door. A cool breeze ran through his fur as he flew out into the open. A quick glance either way and the mouse felt confidently safe. He continued to run, his tiny paws whipping back and forth as if he were a miniature greyhound, nothing would stop him, he could accomplish any feat! Bounding on, tiny yet unstoppable, the mouse came ever closer to the gigantic cart, its collosal wheels rolling across the mouse's route. One shot would be all he'd get. The mouse flung himself into the air, assuming the shape of a dart and zooming through the spokes as they turned slowly, traversing the cumbersome cobbles. The precarious path and the weighty load cased the wheels to creak suddenly. Just as the mouse flew through the gap, thinking he'd picked an opportune moment, a splinter flew from the wheel and pierced his skin. The mouse landed with a thud, smashed his face off the cobbles and let out an awful squeak. He toppled forward and subsequently began to roll on his side. Spinning around and around, the mouse just missed the second wheel as it rolled across the ground where he had been mere moments ago. The mouse was determined still and, although injured, clambered to his feet and staggered towards the door he so desperately aimed for. He ran in the path of a snake's slither, swaying from side to side before slamming into the wooden door in exhaustion. The old door shook ferociously as its feeble composure attempted to withstand the weight of a mouse. The mouse breathed a sigh of relief and nursed his wound with a few licks of the tongue before scurrying quickly through a crack in the door.

It was dark inside. It was very dark indeed. The mouse found it impossible to see anything but a single light ahead. He began to stumble forward, towards the only thing visible in the perfect dark, an orb of white light just ahead. As he got closer the mouse realised something fairly paranormal about the light, it seemed to be in the centre of the room and thus appeared to be floating. The mouse continued to stagger but his pain was unbareable; the sharp, stabbing sensation was radiating through his body. The little rodent fell to the wall and reached out to support himself. The stone he pushed gave way slightly, he panicked for a moment before realising it was a switch: instantaneously the room lit up; hazards became buckets and rocks; eerie noises became overhanging chains; and the light... well that became something less congruent with the current situation.

Sitting in a bucket was an anglerfish. A grotesque form was floating: semi-submerged; water shimmering off every bump and callus; its bulldog face cursing the light that filled the room.

"Aaauuughhh!" It yelled, " Turn it off!"

The mouse was as of yet unsure of whether to trust the ugly fish. He stood with apprehension as he watched the fish thrash in discomfort.

"Seriously!" It grunted, "Just get rid of the damn light!"

The fish then began swimming in circles and making a horrendous noise that sounded like two men throttling each other with ferrets. The mouse decided it was in both their intrests to turn off the light so, quickly memorising the path ahead, he then turned off the light and made his way to the fish. Approaching the bucket was now a lot scarier, the fish was illuminated only by his esca, light hitting only its teeth and eyes.

"I," it said, pausing presumably for dramatic effect, "am Jerry."

The pause had done nothing, it still sounded a little ridiculous. The mouse cupped his paws over his sniggering mouth.

"Don't laugh!" Jerry yelled, "Unless you want the maretplace to be cursed forever!"

The weight of the situation had just quadrupeled and then squared. The mouse's ears pricked up as he heard the mention of a curse, he'd known there was something wrong with the market and the fish knew!

"Well that got your attention," the fish exclaimed, "Now, listen carefully. The square is full of abandoned homes, much like this one, wouldn't you agree?"
The mouse nodded, "Wrong! That is what the hagglers, the scammers and the swindlers are all wanting you to think! Within the walls of each of these houses is a beast, a beast of influence. These creatures use their powers to emit temptation and allurment into the surrounding air. A conman will use half his wage to feed the beast and in return the beast will use its powers to do the conman's will."

The mouse looked up in queery,

"How do I know this?" the angler questioned itself, "I used to be a beast of influence. It's a long story and I'll tell you when you get back... you see you're going to destroy these beasts, one by one, house by house." The mouse looked taken aback, "Haha! Don't be so shocked! You wanted to help did you not? Go forth, I will use my power to grant you new strength and abilities. Do not worry little mouse, you have the heart of a hero and that counts for everything!"

Suddenly the esca glowed a brilliant white and the room lit up for just a second. The mouse felt rejuvenated: harder; better; faster; stronger. The young mouse was ready for action and nothing would stand in his way. He turned his back on the anglerfish and strode towards the door. Off he went on his new adventure!

KEE-RASH!

Not before tripping over a mop and bucket...