[Puzzle 001]

[hisapprentice]

[In the plaza, near its southern edge, there is something strange. It is most noticeable now that snow is falling in earnest - a shape, smallish and curled up on itself. There is a boy in the snow. Asleep, dressed only in new feather pants, shivering. When he finally shivers himself awake, it's a groggy half-there voice that broadcasts. Seems the journal's open.] Just...a few m-more...minutes, Prof-ffessor...

Comments

[emp3thy]

[Minato is out for a walk today - not napping, for once, because of the snow (and what happened the last time.) Deciding that maybe he should drop in on Shiki, he turns towards All Passions. Then the small voice catches his attention.

Minato quickens his pace when he spots the kid lying in the snow. He calls as he approaches.] Hey!

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

'S too early...

[even though he can hear Layton's voice in his half-awake head. A gentleman always rises promptly. It's just too cold in the house to get out of bed. He really should have worn warmer pajamas...

Bus his eyes do open a little. He's too disoriented to make much sense of it.]

[emp3thy]

[let's just hope he hasn't made himself sick.

Minato doesn't wait for him to fully wake up. He's already taking off his jacket and scarf to wrap around the half-frozen kid.]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[oh hey no, moving him to wake him is not fair Professor. He'll bat at your hands to get you off. It's not like he wanted to be out here in the snow-

Snow?]

Huh?

[emp3thy]

[get the coat on kid you don't want to freeze.]

Hey. Awake now?

[action]

[willfindigneel.livejournal.com]

[Natsu sees the broadcast, and immediately sets out to find the boy. He ran all over the village before approaching the southern edge, and recognizing where he was.]

Oi, kid!

[action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Luke would rather just roll over and keep sleeping. But the other side of his bed is even colder than this one, and someone outside is shouting. He shivers again and tries to curl up tighter under the 'blankets']

[action]

[willfindigneel.livejournal.com]

[He grabs Luke's shoulders and shakes him.]

Kid, wake up! You're gonna freeze!

[action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

Aw, s-stop it, Professor, I'll get up 'n a m-minute...

[Action]

[rollypolyclover.livejournal.com]

[It's snowing and this is amazing and aaah must enjoy all the snow! But then she comes across Luke laying in the snow... What is this person doing? Why are they laying in the snow like that?

...Is it a new game?! Oh, she can do this too. Moving to lay down next to Luke, facing him in the snow.] Few more minutes! Just a few!

[...This is really cold.]

[Action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Something is weird.

Luke opens his eyes just enough - and shouts and sits up, finding a face just inches from his]

H-Hey!

[Action]

[rollypolyclover.livejournal.com]

Hey! Hey!

[Oh okay, time to sit up. Copying that too... And then just staaaring back at Luke. This is a weird game you know.]

Aren't you cold, playing like that?

[Action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

I'm not playing, I was as-

[Full stop. Looking around. Outside. In the snow. Luke shivers]

What's going on here?

[Action]

[justicereigns]

Whoa kid... [Instantly goes to scoop him up and wraps a jacket around the boy. It's way too damn cold to be leaving kids outside unprotected in this weather.] You all right? [Well conscious.]

[Action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Mmm, a warm thing at last. Luke snuggles into the coat at first, almost falling asleep again.

Thing is, that's not the Professor's voice. Once that thought gains enough ground, Luke's eyes pop open and he just stares]

Wh-who're you? Put me down!

[Action]

[justicereigns]

Sorry. [Sets him down.] I'm Smoker, a marine. [Gestures at the kanji on the jacket that says justice. In his world this means "good guy." No matter what the pirates tell you.]

[Action]

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

A m-marine? [Cue freakout] I didn't do anything!

[pigtailed-loli.livejournal.com]

[What's that in the snow? Treasure?]

[Nope, it's a kid. Who's only wearing pants and looks like he's half frozen. Anise hurries over, shaking roughly at his shoulders.] C'mon! Wake up! Are you okay?

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Being shaken like that wakes him even further. It's a little dizzying to open his eyes to that, but he tries anyway. Who is this rude girl, waking him like that?]

S-stop it! I'm awake!

[pigtailed-loli.livejournal.com]

No you're not! Get up!

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

Yes I am! N-Now stop shaking me.

forever action

[arcanaxxii.livejournal.com]

... Hello?

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Nope. Sorry. Is that Flora's voice? He'll just roll over and curl up and maybe she'll go away.]

[arcanaxxii.livejournal.com]

... Hey! You're going to get a cold.

[his-apprentice.livejournal.com]

[Floraaaaa he doesn't want your breakfast. No one else he knows has ever made eggs look like that. Plus he wants his last stretch of meals with Professor Layton and you to be -

Why is it so cold?

Luke opens his eyes slowly, and the person hovering comes into focus]

Huh? ...Who...