✎ Puzzle 001

[vengefulyears]

[Action for Mac Anu]

[Hugging his grimoire to his chest, Clive wanders aimlessly about the unfamiliar city, taking in all the sights. Although he is rather overwhelmed by the unexpected change in location (and attire), he has to admit that this is a very beautiful city. He's never seen anything like it in his entire life.]

It beats being stuck in a prison cell, at least...

[He lets out a sigh and looks around for a bench to sit on; carrying this giant book around gets tiring really quickly. Once he's seated, he sets his grimoire down beside him and digs out a strange device from his pouch. Whatever it's supposed to be, he's rather impressed with the sleek design. Clive spends a few minutes just examining the object before he presses his index finger on the "Touch me!" message on the screen. To his surprise, the screen actually changes to show some sort of menu. It seems that touching the corresponding icons also takes him to different screens.]

What a fascinating little piece of technology. I never would have even imagined that it was possible to build such a device.

[Until he figures out what he should do next, Clive is perfectly content with just sitting here and messing around with the Relic. Touch screen technology hasn't been invented yet in his world, so he'll be entertained by it for quite a while. Anyone is free to bother him, of course.]

[Text]

[Once he discovers the public board feature, he decides to post a very simple message, which... actually takes him some time to type out because what are touch screen keyboards.]

Could someone explain to me what's going on here?

Comments

[eightofseven]

It is, isn't it? While I have seen others like it, this was the first I have had the opportunity to use.

[What the, where did this guy come from.]

[vengefulyears]

[Clive is somewhat startled by the boy's sudden appearance, but he supposes he can let it slide. He looks up from the screen to make eye contact with his new conversational partner.]

There are other devices like these?

[apropergent]

[A little further down the street comes the sound of a familiar voice and a sight of a... not so familiar top hat? It would appear that even the Professor is vulnerable to the wardrobe change]

-a small trade. I don't really know what I would do with all these small fishes anyhow.

[blue was a rather popular colour in The World... Or maybe he was just distracted by the NPC he was speaking with]

[vengefulyears]

[Hearing that extremely familiar voice causes Clive's head to snap up and look in the direction it came from. That is definitely not the outfit that the professor normally wears, but Clive can still distinguish him very easily.

A smile quickly spreads across his face; it's very comforting to see a familiar face in a place like this, though he doesn't want to interrupt Layton's conversation with the NPC, so he waits until the other man is done with his business before he picks his grimoire up and springs up from the bench, rushing over to Layton.]

Professor! When did you get here?

[apropergent]

[at the sound of someone calling him, Hershel turns to look-]

Clive!? [And he jogs over to meet Clive halfway] It's been a month since I first arrived here. But what of you? I never expected to see you here as well. Are you all right, my boy?

[vengefulyears]

[And just like that, the smile is replaced with a bewildered expression.]

A month? But I just woke up here a couple hours ago, and I saw you right before I came here...

[Poor Clive is even more confused than ever now. He wasn't unconscious for all that time, was he...?]

[eightofseven]

Yes. And there are many that are quite unlike them.

[vengefulyears]

Well, obviously.

[He has a feeling that this line of conversation isn't really going to get anywhere useful, so he's going to change the subject now.]

So, how long have you been here?

[eightofseven]

I am... ill-suited to keeping track of time, but I am certain I have been here for at least one hundred and twenty five human "days".

[It's actually closer to 136.]

[vengefulyears]

...Right.

[Oh boy, we've got a strange one here. But Clive won't inquire about his unusual nature right now. What's most important is that he find out what the hell is going on here, and if this boy really has been here for as long as he said, then he should know something, right?]

Can you tell me anything important that a newcomer should know about this place, then? Like how and why we were brought here, for instance?

[eightofseven]

Regrettably, I have an answer to neither. I am curious as to the method, however. I will be sure to let you know if I discover something.

[vengefulyears]

[Damn. It must not be common knowledge, then. That's quite troubling.]

I see. Do you at least know of a place I could take refuge in?

[apropergent]

[oh well then- wait, I beg your pardon?]

A couple of hours? That- [a pause, before he reaches up to grab the brim of his hat] Good heavens, not this time travel business again.

[vengefulyears]

[Great, even Layton is clueless. Clive lets out a sigh.]

Well, considering the level of technology in this city, I wouldn't be too surprised if time travel was involved somehow. But how exactly were we brought here? The last thing I remember before waking up here is being arrested and escorted to the police car. It just doesn't make any sense...

[apropergent]

--!!

That seems to be the recurring question. It's quite puzzling. [such as how Clive was from a few weeks before Layton arrived and unless Inspector Chelmey wasn't tell him something...]

And it seems that this isn't the first time people have been pulled to The World either. It's all very disorienting...

Speaking of disorienting, how are you holding up, Clive?

[vengefulyears]

...Not very well, to be completely honest.

[Considering everything that he's been through before he was brought here, Clive really isn't ready for any of this at all, both on a physical and mental level. Sure, the scenery is nice and the technology is rather intriguing, but it doesn't make things any less confusing.]

Are there any places to rest around here?

[apropergent]

[Layton frowns. Yes, considering everything that this young has put himself through (has been put through) rest was probably best. Hershel had no doubts that Clive would be able to pick up the mechanics of everything once he's had some time to digest the change]

I've heard that there are a couple of guilds that we can stay in overnight once we've joined. Until then, I've been staying at a small inn. It's nothing fancy, but better than sleeping on the streets.

Shall we go?

[vengefulyears]

[At this point, Clive would be happy enough with just a couch to sleep on. He gives Layton a smile; a weak, tired smile, but still a smile nonetheless.]

Yes, let's go.

[And so he follows the professor to the inn. As he walks and sees so many people around them clad with all sorts of weapons, though, Clive finally remembers something else that he wanted to ask about. Even Layton himself has a weapon on him, which is very uncharacteristic of him.]

By the way, Professor, what's up with all the weapons?

[apropergent]

Hm?

[Layton looks to the Blade at his side, then sighs. He never was one for fighting...]

Clive, do you remember that strange circling sphere you saw in the room you woke up in? Think of it as the old medieval gates of England; it keeps the monsters that roam the fields out of this town. Everyone is given a weapon - including that Grimoire of yours - as a means of both defending and supporting oneself.

... I've been told this is a very popular sort of 'video game' in the far future.

[vengefulyears]

[Clive's eyes widen a bit, glancing down at the grimoire in his arms.]

So.. are you saying that the spells written in this book actually work?

[resipiscence]

Oh, I don't know.

[ aaand there's a voice coming from above you. from the branches of a tree, actually, if you have to be specific. the boy with the long hair smiles down, perched with his legs dangling. ] I'd say this would be another sort of prison.

[apropergent]

Not in town. It seems there are precautions in place to prevent fighting from breaking out in the towns. But out in the fields and caves, the spells written in that Grimoire do indeed work.

Likewise... I'm no professional fencer, but even I seem to be aware of the techniques used in this place. It's a very peculiar feeling.

[vengefulyears]

[Clive looks up at the boy above him, giving him a slight smile of his own.]

Yes, you're probably right about that. Though so far I'd have to say that I much prefer this prison.

[He has no idea what the hell is going on yet, but he supposes it won't be so bad once he has some time to adjust.]

[resipiscence]

[ and here, he tilts his head, as though thinking about this. ] You could be right. I've never been in a prison, but I'd imagine the food here is much better.

And, of course, you can see the sky.

[vengefulyears]

[It's pretty hard to believe that magic is actually real in this place, but he doesn't see why the professor would lie to him about something like this. The thought of being able to use magic actually seems to brighten Clive's mood a bit.]

Hm. In that case, I wouldn't mind going out in the field sometime to try them out. It could be... interesting.

[He had to stop himself from saying "fun." Of course, he knows that he should get some rest first. Leaving town in his current state would not be a very smart idea.]