[Puzzle 011]

[hisapprentice]

[It's early in the morning, and there's a commotion. The village knows about this commotion because things are scattered in the scuffle, including Luke's journal. It thunks onto the floor of the apartment, open and 'on' enough to record...well.

The sounds of a scuffle.

Bangs and clangs and the occasional mechanical whirr or someone shouting (classic noir American accent or subtle/overt British one, take your pick!) and the end result is a nice, spread-out flurry of chaos.

In which one of the people living in the apartment is no longer there.

After a while, there are footsteps; it's Luke trudging over to pick up his journal and gingerly talk into it.]

Um. They came and...took Czes- Benjamin. [Not without a fight!] Maiza and Professor Layton and I tried to stop them, but it- it didn't work. Sorry. [...] Maybe he won't be gone for long.

[[ooc: Those replying may get an answer from Luke, Maiza, or Layton! Depends on who's got the journal at the moment, and who's off trying to clean up the mess in a dejected manner.]]

Comments

[action] in CH7, room 23

[reminded]

[Robots aren't too keen on settling things through puzzles, it would seem.

After the brief scuffle, Layton runs out of the flat in pursuit, his clothes in slight disarray. Unfortunately, he's confronted with nothing but silence and empty hallway. They're doubtless long gone by now.]

...

[action] in CH7, room 23

[contaeoro]

[Maiza's run has a limp to it as he runs out after Layton. He twisted his ankle sometime during the scuffle, and there's a scrape or two along with bruises. What he was told was true though; those droids are stronger than any thug he's had to knock out before.

He runs past Layton and down the hall, skidding to a halt by the stairs when he realizes that there is nobody there, either. His shoulders slump. It looks like the cut he had on his face is gone now, but so is his friend.]

We lost them...

[action] in CH7, room 23

[hisapprentice]

[The pace at which Luke follows is much slower. He stays in the doorway, staring down the hall after them. They're both a little too new to understand, are they? Czes won't be back until the Malnosso say so.]

[action] in CH7, room 23

[reminded]

[He's heard about these "kidnappings", but being faced with your own lack of power is never easy. He eases up, adjusts his hat, and looks at Maiza's back.]

I'm so sorry. I don't believe there's anything we can do now.

[voice]

[asobouyo]

I... um. Is everything okay? Are you okay?

[It's never good, when people get taken. She can't help but feel that pang of familiarity; she's definitely sympathetic. Luceti has a lot of downsides she doesn't like to consider very often.]

[voice]

[hisapprentice]

Mmhmm, we're all right. [The other two are better off than he is and he insists he's okay so.] I'm, um, I'm sorry if we scared you or woke you up.

[voice]

[asobouyo]

I... It's okay.

I just—I wish they would stop taking us places. They took me once, too...

[voice]

[hisapprentice]

What? They did? [She's younger than Czes, though! How awful.] Was it...were you okay?

[voice]

[contaeoro]

[Oh dear -- that sounds like such a small child. Maiza pauses before he'll also pipe up.]

Yeah, it's all fine. [Mostly..] Did we wake you up?

[voice]

[asobouyo]

N-no, I didn't get woked up... I woke up early.

...

It's bad when they take our friends... but we gotta watch the forest, 'cus they'll come back and need our help.

[voice]

[contaeoro]

The forest? 'S that usually where they come back from?

Voice

[theboywiththebook]

[He doesn't know this boy but hearing that someone was kidnapped...well it's not exactly fun. He's read on what the Malnosso does, like abducting people but after that, he doesn't know what happens.]

What happens...when they kidnap someone?

Voice

[hisapprentice]

Um...I'm not really sure. It's never happened to me, or any of us.

Re: Voice

[theboywiththebook]

Is there anyway to get him back? I read there were tunnels, couldn't we use those to get to wherever he is?

Voice

[hisapprentice]

It would be great if that did work, but I don't think it does. They just...bring him back when they're ready.

Voice

[contaeoro]

Nothing too horrible, I'm hopin'. But don't you worry, kid...

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Czes? They...

[He should have been there. Not that he could have done a better job of protecting the kid--he's already seen how ineffective he is against the droids--but he could have at least tried and he feels somewhat guilty. Ennis wouldn't be happy to know they let Czes get taken, and Firo doesn't want to imagine what could be happening to the kid right now.]

...Are you okay? Is Maiza?

[Better to try and check on the ones who are still around than to mope.]

[Voice]

[hisapprentice]

Yeah, we're fine.

[Firo is not his favorite person at the moment but he's Czes's friend.]

Maiza's always fine, actually. [For reasons the green-hatted fellow understands quite well. Then, almost indignant:] Professor Layton's all right too.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

I meant like...

[Okay, he doesn't want to say he's asking about Maiza's "feelings," as that would be embarrassing, so he stops.]

...Professor Layton?

[Slowly, realization dawns.]

That's your friend you mentioned before, right? Is he here too now?

[Sorry, Luke, he can't keep track.]

[Voice]

[hisapprentice]

Yeah. He got here a few days ago. [And now they are in one strange flat arrangement indeed.]

But we couldn't get them.

[Voice]

[contaeoro]

I'm doing fine, Firo. Just a scratch. [And those fade easily. And Maiza sounds calm, but there's definitely an edge to his voice.]

... I'm sorry. I let 'em get him.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Maiza...

[What can he do? He's so used to being the one receiving Maiza's wise words of advice and comfort; now that the tables are turned he has no idea what to say.]

But it's... It's not your fault! Those things're too god damn strong, everybody knows it.

[reminded]

[Later on in the day, when the ruckus has more or less chilled out, Layton emerges from his room for a snack. He looks for Luke's form on the couch, but he the finds it curiously missing.]

Luke?

[hisapprentice]

[Though his physical presence is nowhere to be found, the sound of him is coming from around the corner, in the room the droids ransacked to get to Czes.]

[reminded]

[Layton follows the audible trail over to Czes and Luke's room, knocking twice on the door even if it isn't actually closed.]

Luke? May I come in?