hisapprentice | [Puzzle 011]

[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.]]

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[Professor, you'd better bu using some of that ice too. You don't have any bruises under that hat of yours, do you? (it's so early and you're already wearing your hat...)]

... And what do the folks that get kidnapped usually say about the things that happen there?

[All of the adrenaline has worn off, and Luke accepts the bag of ice with a mumbled thanks. Holding it against his side, he turns to sort of lie down. Excitement over, he's ready to go back to bed.]

It's maybe a week, or more, usually. They don't...talk about it much. I think it's usually pretty bad. Sometimes people...come back with things, uh, sort of wrong. They can't see or they're the wrong age.

[The couch is not your bed, but Layton isn't really one to speak. He keeps the second ice pack for himself and presses it to his side while he carefully begins to pick up littered house items, all the while minding the hat that is very much on his head even at this hour because a true gentleman is never without one.]

... I see. Then we'll need to keep an extra vigilant eye out for his return.

Oh...

[Well, this is not a very comforting thought for Henry.]

Well, I'm sorry your friend got taken...I wish I could help.

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.]

I got it. [He picks up a chair and sets it right, gesturing to Layton to sit down. He'll even hand a cushion over to Luke -- he's not the type to care about kids sleeping on the couch; they're kids.]

Do those people who're the wrong age grow or shrink physically? [Hard to imagine Czes being anything other than ten.]

Thanks. I wish I could too.

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

But we couldn't get them.

[Luke is trying not to let his sudden lack of energy get the best of him. These are important questions and what's more, they will worry about him if he just suddenly starts looking as worn as he feels.]

Most of the time they do, that I remember. [Ice is cold even through a towel and Luke is shivering a little between that and the crash.] But that wouldn't be so bad. Not...I mean there are...worse things.

[It doesn't feel quite right to let Maiza do all of the tidying, but again, Layton can't refuse his kindness.]

Worse things, you say.

[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?

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

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.

Let's hope those things don't happen, then. [He's about to ask Luke if he wants to lie down -- but decides to wait for a moment. Bombarding the kid with questions like that might make him feel coddled, and in Maiza's experiences kids -- especially boys -- don't like to feel coddled.]

[He attempts to force a smile. Luke may be a weird kid, but he's still a kid and Firo knows he should try to be nicer than he has been ~~(especially since Maiza's around)~~.]

You'll hafta introduce me sometime.

[Just please, no puzzles.

He nods, glancing away.]

I don't think anybody can go up against those droids. Besides, people usually come back...

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.

[He's lying as down as he will get for the time being. He also keeps looking at the door, as though he expects the droids to return.]

I don't really want to talk about it.

Very well. I suppose there's little point in distressing ourselves any further this morning. [He also supposes he'll see many more examples of these effects in days to come anyway.]

Now then, if there are no other urgent matters to attend to, I think I'll get a brew started. Do either of you have any requests?

I... It's okay.

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

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.

... You're right. I'm sorry, Luke. [He's careful to avoid bruises as he pats the boy's shoulder.]

Get some rest, and ah, Professor -- I can help out.

Yeah, it seems so. Kills me that they'd come after Czes, though. [He would rather that it have been him and it's obvious even if he's calmed down his voice already to hide it.]

Luke and the Professor will be all right, though. And I'll be too. [Duh]

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

Yeah... What could they-?

[Well, what do they want from any of them? Firo realizes he probably shouldn't think about it until they have Czes back know (if) he's safe.

His tone lightens somewhat, as if he's managing to force a smile.]

I know. I'm glad to hear that. Do you... do you think you'll all be alright until he's, um... back?

You're going to...make tea?

[It's just the right mix of comforting and 'really, Professor?' to feel like...like things ought to be. Even though Czes is temporarily gone.]

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[Puzzle 011]

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