Just posting this chapter to see if there are any takers.

Basil the Great Mouse Detective opened the door for me about everything Sherlocky, and everyone loves the Little Mermaid (if you don't…WTF is wrong with you!)

The story has events and elements of the Mermaid movies and takes place after TGMD. I don't own anything but the story. All characters belong to Disney.

Of Mice and Mermaids.

Chapter 1

It was a night in London with the weather for London… lots of rain.

On top of the wall that ran along the river Thames three shadows dashed. As they ducked in and out of the dimly lit street lamps they were revealed to be a green lizard and two mice. All three were dressed as though they were human which was an odd sight if anyone saw it. The lizard was dressed in all black complete with a flat cap, a dirty tiny sack flung over his back. The sack had little holes in the rough material which made it sparkle as the light caught it. The two mice close behind him were complete polar opposites: one thin and one fat. The thin one dressed in various shades of brown, the faster of the two, skipped over loose bits of brick as he raced after his quarry. The larger of the two in a grey suit slowed down to catch his breath.

"Quickly, Dawson!" Shouted his friend. "No time for dilly-dallying. He's getting away!"

"Basil…Wait!" He called back between pants, clutching his side with a stitch. "Basil!" He called again, but Basil was already gone ducking out of the glow of the lamp above and out of sight. Suddenly there came a shout from further ahead and the un-mistakable sound of something hitting the water below. "Basil!"

Peering over the old dock wall Dawson saw the last remaining bubbles rise to the surface and burst. His tiny heart thudded against his chest waiting for any sign of life, dread quickly followed when he found none. In his panicked state he failed to notice another quieter splash nearby.

The coldness of the Thames shocked Basil enough to open his eyes. He couldn't see a damn thing thanks to the murkiness of the water…no, wait…there was something. A dark shape was in the water. It was long and thick. A log from the dockyards maybe? Basil waved his arms around, trying to get momentum to get out of the river, and found that he couldn't move his legs. Reaching down to his feet he remembered the lizard lashing out, something wrapping around his ankles causing him to lose his footing, resulting in the predicament he was in now…and rapidly running out of air.

The mouse detective closed his eyes, willing his lungs not to contract and release the last of the air he had while trying to untangle the rope at his feet. The water around him moved a little making him open them again, and at seeing what had made it move, his mouth opened in a silent scream (though he would later deny it.).

It was a human girl.

Before Basil could begin to make sense of it his body screamed in pain. Clutching his chest with one hand, the other flayed around, trying to get to the surface, but it was no use. He could feel the blackness of unconsciousness creep up on him. The last thing he remembered clearly was the girl reaching for him…

Coughing and spluttering he awoke sometime later to something thin and long rubbing his back softly. Taking deep and welcoming breaths Basil struggled to his hands and knees. Once he had calmed down some-what, he sat back with a sigh rubbing the back of his neck. It was then he heard the faint splashing behind him. Eyes widening, the brown mouse turned and came face to face with his rescuer.

The girl he had seen under the water was staring right at him, her hand raised and single finger curling. It took Basil a second to realise that it had been said finger rubbing his back. It took another couple of seconds to see that they had ended up on the stone steps a little way from where he had been chasing the robber. The robber! Quickly looking at his feet he frowned finding them unbound, he looked up at the girl with a raised brow in question. She smiled bashfully back, tucking her long hair behind her ear and moved slowly closer, using the shallow steps to heave herself up. Basil suddenly felt his face heat up as her bare shoulders were revealed and scooted backwards, stumbling as he did so. The girl shook her head in alarm. Reaching out she curled her hand around him letting him lean against it. Basil used her thumb, like a hand-rail, to steady himself. He sighed deeply and then shivered violently; the dangers being in very cold water making them-selves known. The girl bit her lower lip unable to help and desperately looked along the top of the wall for any sign of the other animal she had seen. A faint sound, almost un-hearable, made her look back at the sodden land creature who, in turn, looked back...and then behind her.

The sound came again, a little louder this time, "T-Tail?" She bit her lip again and slowly nodded, knowing she was breaking the biggest rule of her people. The mouse huffed out a shaky breath and smiled exhaustedly at her, "Lucky…" her eyes narrowed in puzzlement, but then widened in alarm when another voice shouted, "Basil? Basil!"

When Dawson had managed to make his way down the steps he found Basil sitting in a tiny puddle staring out into the distance and the river beyond. "Basil? My word you gave me such a fright! What happened?"

The mouse detective looked out to the boats anchored along the banks of the Thames in a daze, "He got away…" He murmured softly, eyes glued to one boat in particular, "Did he get away?"

"He did, but…Basil, you're freezing!" Dawson quickly took off his outer coat and draped it over the thinner mouse' shoulders. "Let's get you back to Baker Street. Mrs Judson will draw you a nice warm bath and fetch you some freshly baked cheese crumpets. Now come on, home." With a grunt he heaved the soaking detective up; wrapping an arm around his neck, walking them away from the river. They took the steps one at a time, climbing slowly, taking even longer than necessary as Basil kept looking over his shoulder to the murky waters. "What the deuce are you staring at, old chap?" Dawson asked after one time too many.

Basil blinked slowly, turned his head towards Dawson and shrugged, "It's nothing, my dear doctor. Now…" he sniffed, "let's get back home and out of these wet things. We have work to do."

Behind one of the boats a shadow poked its head out and, seeing the two mice clamber up the stone wall to the street above, smiled softly. Taking a deep breath they dived into the water leaving behind the smallest ring of ripples…

…And heading for a load of trouble when they got home. To the under-water kingdom of Atlantica.

Well, there you go. Pilot chapter is done.

I do have plans for more, let me know if you think i should continue.