hisapprentice | [Puzzle 018]

[For house 48]

[A typical day in this house begins with Luke up and about, making breakfast and tea. Whether Firo shows up to have any is up to him. School's back in session and he needs an earlier start, that's all. This morning is no different, Luke pulls on his sweater while walking into the kitchen, headed for the refrigerator. It's when he pulls open the door that everything gets weird - starting with the whole room losing its household vibe and becoming much more...archaeological.]

[Action]

[Incredulous adventures aside, Luke finds it difficult to adjust to the busier lifestyle that comes with school starting and warmer weather ending. It gets darker, colder, Luke grows lonelier. He's out and about in the autumn sun, off to his usual stop at the bakery (okay, okay, one of his three or four usual stops) when a brownish figure passes him going in the opposite direction.

Luke stops. Spinning left, he sees the figure retreating down the path the way he came, and though all logic tells him it can't be real, he takes off running after it.]

Professor! [Because there is no one else. It must be him.] Professor, wait! Just- hold on a minute, please!

[Luke did not realize a vision from the past could hurt so much. When Layton's back and top hat fade into a false mist and then nothingness, Luke has run himself all the way back across the village, nearer to the rec center. Out of breath and out of spirit, he sits down on a bench to stare at the dirt.

Today is awful.]

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You don't need to tell me that.

[But, secretly, he's pleased. It's encouraging to hear this straight from Luke.

He's trying to think of a more pleasant topic to talk about--maybe ask Luke what did go on back in his world--when everything just goes to heck.

He doesn't notice the flaw in the floor until the wall comes down. He jumps back, safely out of range but now stuck away from Luke.]

What the hell--? Luke? Are you okay?!

[Frantic, he tries to hit at the stone.]

I-I'm fine! [For now. The wall missed him. He can't stand tall enough to see through the openings...but the way the hall on his side, as well as the one on Firo's, lights up with renewed torchlight vigor isn't promising.]

I really hope this is some kind of puzzle and not just a trap, though.

You really think there'd be a puzzle here..?

[But Luke is the expert, both on puzzles and on weird underground tunnels.

Firo glances around nervously at the torchlight. What in the world could that mean?]

I'm gonna try and knock it down, okay? Stand back!

[He's already winding up to do so when he says the warning. Of course, his kick doesn't put a dent in anything but himself and he gives up after a little yelp of surprise.]

[Luke doesn't have a lot of faith in Firo's chances vs. the stone wall, and he's right, wincing at the sound.]

Are you okay? [He's immortal but things still hurt.

It's all forgotten as more sounds rumble in from areas without. On Firo's side, the walls shift back, so the floor can rise into a just-so-intricate maze; on Luke's, there is a distinctive whirr and a door at the far end opens.

And a mummy emerges.]

Wa-aaah!

[Firo's about to grumble to look that he's just fine, but then he's interrupted by some unexpected renovations.]

What the--?

[Whatever is going on in front of him, that scream from beyond the wall can't be good. He turns from the maze to peek into Luke's area. These eyeholes sure are convenient...

That open door and funky creature sure aren't, though.]

Luke? What the hell is goin' on over there?

I don't know! Can you get the hall open again?

[He means 'is there a way' but too late realizes Firo might just try to throw himself at it until it breaks.]

L-Look for a switch or something!

[The mummy has slow shuffly steps; Luke has time. He can't see what's on Firo's side of the hall though.]

[Luke knows Firo too well, because "throw himself at it until it breaks" was definitely the first thing he thought of, followed by "chip at it relentlessly with the knife." "Look for a switch" wasn't even on the list.]

A switch? There's a whole god damn maze over here, how am I supposed to find a switch?!

A maze?

[Luke is facing a lurching, rustling mummy thing and Firo has a maze? What gives?]

Well you'll have to get to the other side of it then! Or maybe to the center. You've got the torch still, haven't you?

Yeah, I've got the torch, but it's a maze!

[He sounds very distressed by this complication. What he wouldn't give for a shambling mummy right now.]

How do you even do these things anyway?!

[He's taking the first steps, just charging in without even thinking about a specific direction.]

[Luke doesn't think about how Firo should know more about handling a crisis or mazes or how helping him will lessen the time he has to find a way to deflect the mummy.

He thinks about helping him solve the puzzle. Whatever happens to Luke himself is something he can worry about later.]

Keep your right hand against the outside wall and just follow it, even if it takes you into some dead ends.

[Of course, that only works if you're looking for the maze's exit, not its center. Luke just has to hope they have some luck.]

Right hand..?

[The skepticism in his voice hints that he thinks that sounds far too easy to actually work. But he's sure as hell not going to solve this thing on his own, so he tentatively nods.]

Uh, all right. You, uh, you can handle that thing over there? Try takin' out its knees first, then go for the throat!

[He has to pay back the advice in kind, right?]

[Puzzle 018]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]

[House 48 Action!]