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.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Firo may be a weird adult, but...no, that's all he's got at the moment.]

I-I know. I just...don't want anything to happen to him.

Yeah... Me too. But there's nothin' we can do about it now.

[He grits his teeth. What he really wants to do is yell and punch something, but that's not going to help anybody else, is it?]

It's not like... He's no use to 'em dead, right? So they can't do anything too awful. Besides, he's... You know.

[The way he says it, it's plain that he's trying to convince himself as well. There's plenty of things scientists can do with a corpse, as Szilard's memories don't hesitate in reminding him. And since the Malnosso have already shown they can dampen and restrict their immortality, Firo can't completely brush away that concern.]

Yeah but...Firo, how much do you really know? About that.

[A lesson in why it will be so much worse for Czes if the Malnosso decide to do anything...uncivilized.]

About what? About what they do to people?

[That probably answers the question.]

No! About Czes! But if he didn't tell you the I'm not going to tell you either.

...What happened to Czes?

[He has to know. Could it have something to do with what Czes said happened on the train? Why wasn't he told about this before?]

It's really not my business to tell you. [He would 'hmph' and cross his arms but that would hurt so he won't.]

What? It's my damn business to know, no matter who tells me!

Maybe he doesn't want you to know! That's why he has to be the one to decide to tell you or not.

[That hurts. He's always felt a bit cut off from Czes, to be honest, but he still considered him family.]

Why wouldn't he want me to know?

I don't know, Firo! I'm not Czes and I can't choose for him. [Ow ow owwwww shouting at you is so painful. Luke winces.] You should ask him when he comes back and see what he says.

[Firo wants desperately to yell back, he's already frazzled from hearing about Czes being taken away, and his temper doesn't help. He grits his teeth and forces himself to keep them that way until he's calmed down enough. Luke has done nothing for him to get mad at, he just needs a moment to let that register.]

...Fine. I will.

[After a pause he decides he should ask about that wince too.]

What's wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

[Firo can't really see Luke's arms crossed, but he can probably hear it.]

Come on, you don't sound so good.

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.]

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

You sure that's all?

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

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.

[Firo is showing more tact and ability to read a kid than Maiza! Will wonders never cease.]

It's...I'm okay. You don't have to worry.

[Sometimes being an incredibly immature adult comes in handy when dealing with kids.]

...Alright. Fine. Just don't overdo it, okay?

Yeah. I couldn't anyway with Professor Layton and Maiza around.

[He laughs softly.]

True. I know it's hard to say no to Maiza, at least.

[Puzzle 011]

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