[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]

[hisapprentice]

There's a hint in the puzzle's title!

[voice]

[contaeoro]

Cats, huh?

Do you know what Benjamin looks like? If he was a cat, what do you think he might look like?

[Voice]

[contaeoro]

I can handle most of it, but the extra hand would be great -- the Professor keeps getting compelled to get up and move around. [Can you hear the slight exasperation in his voice?]

[voice]

[asobouyo]

Hmm... I don't know if I remember...

Did I meet him before? Sometimes I forget 'cus I see so many new faces...

[voice]

[asobouyo]

It's alright. Be safe and sleep, too, okay?

[action]

[contaeoro]

Tea for two?

[... Pause. Taking a pause.]

I should add a couple letters to these words, shouldn't I?

[voice]

[contaeoro]

Well, he's kind of small. He's got dark hair... [very... generic.]

He combs it to the side.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Come on, you don't sound so good.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Is he hurt?

I can be right there, just gimme a minute.

[Voice]

[contaeoro]

Thanks. I'm sure he's fine but you can never be too careful.

[Voice]

[hisapprentice]

I've just got a bruise or two, that's all. ['Leave me alone.' With Layton in the room it would be so rude of him to say this.]

[action]

[hisapprentice]

Maybe you ought to try and see what happens.

[voice]

[asobouyo]

[She'd totally salute right now, if this weren't voice.]

I understand. I'll keep a good look-eye out for him! I promise.

[voice]

[hisapprentice]

I'm going to try.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Right.

[He lowers his voice.]

You, um... you might wanna keep an eye on Luke, too. He doesn't sound so great.

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

[...Yeah, definitely mentioning that to Maiza because that's the same thing Firo'd say if he were injured.]

You sure that's all?

[Voice]

[hisapprentice]

Mmhmm. Yeah. [He means it! They are big bad bruises but just that.] Why, are you worried?

[Voice]

[immamartillo]

Huh? Of course I'm worried, you're-

["A kid," he was about to say, but that's exactly the sort of thing he didn't appreciate hearing at Luke's age.]

...Czes and Maiza's friend.

[action]

[contaeoro]

All right. Let me give it a try.

[This is where he screws up a little bit. Because when he picks up the pen and starts writing in the letters, he does it way too efficiently for someone who didn't know the answer already.]

[voice]

[contaeoro]

I'm counting on you. Thanks for the help, but you should keep yourself safe too, yeah? Don't go anywhere dangerous even if the cat runs.

[action]

[hisapprentice]

[A true gentleman is always observant of his surroundings. When Maiza has no trouble at all filling in the correct letters, Luke's anticipation turns into a scowl.]

You knew all along, didn't you?

[Voice]

[contaeoro]

... You got it. [His voice is low, too. He doesn't want to get the kid to be huffy.] We'll make sure he gets enough rest.

[action]

[contaeoro]

... [Er. He blinks at Luke and then smiles sheepishly.]

I had a hunch.

[action]

[hisapprentice]

[No sheepish smile is winning points with him right now.]

It's rude to pretend you don't know the answer like that.

[To do it - in Luke's view - to 'make him feel better' or something equally insulting. A lot of things are insulting at the moment, actually. Luke crosses his arms and turns on his heel, fully intending to storm off to the chaos of his room.]

[action]

[contaeoro]

Hey, wait up now-- [Maiza raises an arm to try to pause Luke, although he doesn't hold him back directly.]

I apologize if it came off as rude, but that wasn't my intention. And if you think it was to make you feel better, it wasn't, not in the way you think.