The Great Mouse Reporter ~ Chapter 4

‘Dreams to Dream, in the dark of the night…'

Tanya’s soothing singing voice lulled the crowd against the backdrop of the school band, where she stood atop a stage made from a discarded butter box, dressed in a modest white dress, a stark contrast from her saloon singer outfit. A hushed silence seemed to fall over everyone within earshot at the fair.

“Ah think I can hear Fievel’s violin, daddy,” Olivia said, listening closely from their booth.

Fievel tried desperately not to mess up his sister’s performance; however, he did squeak his violin in a few places. Tanya kept singing, and the audience didn’t notice too blatantly. Tanya was doing a three song set that also concluded “Somewhere Out There” and “The Girl You Left Behind”, the three songs she’s written herself. With her father’s help she’d even produced sheet music for the instrumental backup. Her hope now was that someone was listening who could lead her to the big time. This was Tanya’s closing song, the one she wanted to leave audiences with as a lasting impression.

The audience stood and clapped when she was finished, and she curtsied before the curtains closed.

“Very good, children,” said Mr. Ironside, "Although I will say our string section could use a bit of work, it sounds like we were well received.”

“Way to go Fievel,” complained the drummer, “Why don’t you use a chalkboard as an instrument next time?”

Fievel sighed, “I gave it my best shot…”

He didn’t feel like much of a violinist. It wasn’t even really what he’d wanted in the first place.

Tanya on the other hand was euphoric after seeing such a positive response to her singing. She hummed happily on their way backstage, passing the next act, a school band from another small town. Tanya knew they wouldn’t be able to compete. She skipped and danced down the hall, preparing to meet with Vartan once they were both out of here.

“My dear, your voice is simply extravagant,” came a voice with a British accent from around the corner as she followed the other students.

“Huh?” Tanya looked around.

She felt a hand gently grab her arm as she walked forward, and she turned around, seeing a tall, slender young gentleman in a tuxedo and cape, with a prominent snout. He was a rat, Tanya only came up to his chest in height.

“Forgive my intrusion, Ms. Mousekewitz, but I just had to speak with you in person,” he said politely, “My name is Quinn Ratbone, and I’m a playwright and director. I couldn’t help but admire your performance.”

“Wh-why, thank you,” Tanya said with a blush, “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Ratbone…”

“You may call me Quinn,” Quinn replied, “You see, I came to this state fair to scout for talent. I was on my way from San Francisco to New York you see, and thought while I was here in Utah I may as well come to the fair. It’s almost fate…”

Tanya’s heart jumped into her throat. A talent scout? A playwright and director, traveling to big cities? It was almost as if fate had dropped all of her wishes into her lap at once.

“I don’t know what to say…” she breathed, “Do you mean you want to recruit…me?”

Quinn chuckled, “Quite astute, Ms. Mousekewitz. You see, I’ve written a musical adaptation of ‘The Legend of Mouse Hollow’, and I’m looking for actors and actresses. I’m hoping to make it on Broadway, and I just got a call from someone to look at my script in New York. But, to have a lead actress already recruited, it would make the convincing so much easier.”

“I know that play,” Tanya said, remembering the time the school had put the play on in Green River. She’d played the lead female role in it, “Let me talk to my family first…I mean, for me to just up and leave for New York, it’d be pretty big…”

“I fully understand my dear,” he said, “Why not introduce me? I’m sure your family will be fully supportive of your dreams, hm?”

“They will be,” she said with a smile, “I mean I’m going to be seventeen next week, I’m almost an adult.”

“And what an adulthood you have before you, my dear,” Quinn said, “Let us meet your beloved family and we’ll talk about this.”

“Sure! Just follow me, my Papa’s running a toy booth,” Tanya said, leading the stranger toward the booth in a rush, excited and hoping her father would say yes.

________________________________________________________________________


Olivia met with Fievel as soon as he separated from his class, carrying his violin in a case.

“How’d ya do?” Olivia asked cheerfully.

“Terrible,” Fievel said, his hat pulled down low and dragging his feet as he walked, “You didn’t hear the squeaking?”

“No,” Olivia walked alongside him, “I thought ye played just fine.”

“If it wasn’t for Tanya everyone would have noticed me,” Fievel said grimly, “I know the teacher noticed me. I’m not like my Papa, I can’t play this thing…”

Olivia patted Fievel’s shoulder, “It ain’t so bad, Filly. Hey, lift that hat up.”

She started to lift Fievel’s hat up from over his eyes, but got a new idea, and took it off, putting it on her head and giggling.

“Hey give that back!”

“How do I look, Fievel?” Olivia said with a grin, striking a pose with the hat and fluttering her eyelashes.

“Come on Olivia,” Fievel grabbed for the hat but Olivia hopped out of the way, “Ye gotta catch meh,” she said, darting off toward the carnival rides.

Fievel pursued her, the two of them running through crowds of mice, Fievel getting almost close enough to grab the hat off her head, but never close enough. Fievel hadn’t been in the mood for games, but at least this was taking his mind off the concert, which was what Olivia had wanted. They kept running, Olivia looking back at Fievel as he chased her, until she ran into a paper boy and both of them fell, newspapers flying through the air.

“Olivia, are you okay?” Fievel asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her up.

“I am, but what about him?” Olivia said, helping the newsboy to his feet after she got to hers, and dusting him off, “I’m really sorry…”

“Why don’t ya watch where you’re going?” he griped, straightening his flat cap and brushing off his waistcoat, “Help me pick up all these newspapers, you clumsy brats!”

Fievel and Olivia picked up his newspapers, shaking the dust off of them and handing them over.

“If you really wanna make it up to me, why don’t you buy a paper?” he suggested, “Ten cents apiece.”

“Ah suppose it’s the least we can do…” Olivia said in disappointment, fishing through her pockets. This meant one less ride they could go on. She found a dime and gave it to the mouse.

“Alright, here’s your paper. Now scram!” he said, giving Olivia the newspaper.

Fievel took this chance to swipe his hat off Olivia’s head and put it back on.

“I’m sorry ‘bout that Fievel,” she said, looking a bit sad, “Ah shoulda thought of some other way ta cheer ye up.”

“It’s okay,” Fievel said, “I know you meant well. Sorry you had to spend money on a newspaper and not a ride. Newspapers are usually pretty boring too”

“I know,” Olivia sighed, looking at the newspaper, “Lets look inside. Maybe there‘s comics.”

The two of them walked side by side toward the rides, with the newspaper open, reading through its pages. It was mostly pretty boring. The front page was talking about some sort of flying machine being invented in France, the rest was mostly local news. But then they turned to the Nation and World section, and Fievel’s eyes widened.

“Indian Maiden Wanted in Connection With 1887 New York Deaths Escapes Custody?!” Fievel exclaimed, “Oh my gosh…Cholena!”

“Who?” Olivia asked.

Fievel read on, becoming more and more horrified as he did, “What was she doing above ground? She probably didn’t even realize we moved away!”

“Answer me question, Fievel,” Olivia said, disliking being left out of the loop.

“I told you about that adventure I had with the underground Native Americans didn’t I?”

“Yes ya did, though ye were never quite clear on that girl ya met…” Olivia said, feeling jealous over it all over again. Tony wouldn’t tell her much about Cholena either, but when she asked Tanya about it, she’d said that Fievel might have had a wee crush on the girl at the time.

“Well that girl’s in big trouble now,” Fievel said with worry, “But that’s way over in New York! Those bad guys who run the cheese factory might try to wipe out her whole tribe.”

“That isn’t good,” said Olivia, who though feeling threatened by Cholena didn’t want to see that happen, “But what can we do about it?”

“We’ve got to get to New York. I’ll tell Tony and the others, I’m sure they’ll take us with.”

“I don’t know Fievel,” Olivia said, expressing doubt, “Me daddy said no more dangerous adventures.”

“Our parents have to understand,” Fievel said, taking Olivia’s hand, “Come on!”

________________________________________________________________________


Just as Hiram and Bernard sold off another one of their violinist figurines, Tanya darted toward the booth, dragging Quinn along by the arm as she did so. She was so wrapped up in her future stardom that she’d walked right past Vartan on her way out, to his chagrin. She was excited, hopping up and down a little, speaking a mile a minute.

“Oh my gosh! Papa! You’ll never ever ever believe who I just met he’s a playwright and he goes to big cities to host performances and he said he’s looking for new singers and actresses and he wants me to be in his plays and he’s going to go to Broadway in New York and oh please please please let me go-”

“Enough Tanya! Take a breath vhy don’t you?” Papa interjected, feeling bombarded by his daughter’s enthusiasm, “So vhat’s happening?”

Quinn politely took his hand back from Tanya and gave a bow, “I believe you’re Miss Tanya’s father, yes? You’ve quite a talented daughter.”

“And vhat does zis matter to you, hm?” Papa asked, suspicious.

“Why, as your daughter was explaining, I was just scouting for talent for a play I was doing, and she seemed the perfect candidate.”

“Oh please, Papa, this could be my big break!” Tanya pleaded, “And look, he’s not a cat either! And he’s not Ratigan!”

Papa massaged his temples, and looked over to Hiram, “Give it five more years, Hiram, you’ll have one such as zis too.”

“Ach, I do wish Olivia would stop growin’ up already,” Hiram replied.

“Tanya, zis is a very big decision to make, ve must discuss zis as a family before I say yes or no,” he said.

“Perhaps a dinner is in order? So that I might give you the details,” Quinn suggested, “Where do you live? I can be in Utah for one more night before I must move on to New York.”

“Ve live in Green River, ze train stops zere,” Papa said, “We’ll discuss zis as a family first.”

Quinn gave a grin, “That sounds excellent dear Mr. Mousekewitz, tonight then?”

“Tonight,” Papa agreed.

“Thanks for giving him a chance,” said Tanya, “I’ll give you our address Mr. Quinn.”

Vartan watched from a distance. His eyes narrowed; he didn’t like the look of this man one bit. But he would remain silent for now, waiting for the rat to say his goodbyes to Tanya and walk off before asking her to explain that man.

No sooner had this situation cleared itself up, then Fievel and Olivia rushed toward the booth.

“Papa! There’s big trouble in New York!” Fievel exclaimed.

He knew immediately that Fievel had seen the newspaper article, and he braced himself for an argument.

“I read ze story, Fievel, I know Cholena is in trouble. But she is vay in New York, ve are in Utah. Zere’s nothing ve can do.”

“But Papa, how could you say that?” Fievel’s ears went down, “We’ve gotta do something to help!”

“Maybe she ran back to her tribe, she’ll be fine,” said Papa.

“I think they’re gonna find her tribe and do something horrible,” Fievel said, “We have to go to New York and find her.”

“I’m not going to change my mind, Fievel,” Papa said, “I know you’d mix Olivia up in zis too, and Mr. Flaversham doesn’t need zat kind of stress any more than I do.”

“Well put,” Hiram added.

“It sounds real important though, daddy,” Olivia said, “If’n we can’t go, can’t we send anybody there? Maybe Tony? Some other adult? Just to make sure everythin‘s okay?”

“Aw but I really wanna go,” Fievel complained.

Papa looked to Tanya, as she watched Mr. Ratbone walk off, sighing to herself. She could very well be heading that way soon…

“Okay, wait and if ve decide to let Tanya go to New York to be a singer, maybe she can look into it,” Papa said, “So long as SHE doesn’t get herself into trouble. Ve von‘t be sending her alone.”

“Tanya’s going to New York?” Fievel asked, blinking in surprise.

“Maybe,” Papa said, “Ve might discuss it. Mama doesn’t know about it yet, ve’ll discuss it over dinner vhen zat manager comes to speak to us.”

“He’s not a cat is he?” Fievel asked with suspicion.

“Of course not,” Papa chuckled, “Now don’t you two vorry about zis again, okay? Go, have fun.”

“Well, alright,” Fievel said, looking to Olivia, “I’m not sure I like the sound of this…”

“Fer now I guess we might as well go on a few rides and worry later,” Olivia said, “We’ll get to the bottom of this mystery one way or another, for I’m Flaversham of Main Street.”

She took her magnifying glass out and held it over her eye with a grin. Fievel giggled.

“Yeah, I just hope my old friend’s okay…but let’s go on a ride I guess.”

The two of them walked toward the rides, Fievel hoping to push the cloud of worry out of his mind, for now.