Flora sat there in the darkness, replaying in her mind the events that got them into this situation in the first place. It was supposed to be a simple investigation, the Professor had said. They just had to go down and talk to the man named Harley. No more than a few minutes, he had said.

It's never just a few minutes! Flora thought to herself as she gnawed at the cloth tied around her mouth. The titular Harley happened instead to be a disguise by Don Paolo. Not only that, he had set up a bomb. One filled with a type of sleeping gas, they soon found out.

Why does he have so many disguises anyways? She could hear the Professor and Luke groaning beside her, as they too tried to unravel their bindings. Her fingers twitched at the knot behind her that bound her wrists together. They had been awake for 5 minutes now, and not one of them had come close to undoing their binds.

Faint footsteps suddenly sounded, that grew closer and closer with each passing second. All three were soon alert.

A ring of keys jangled.

A click was heard.

The door creaked open.

Flora winced at the bright light behind the wooden door, the shadow of a man blocking some of her view. Though it didn't take three guesses to figure out who it was.

"Hello, my prisoners," his raspy voice called out. Flora furrowed her eyes at the man, in an attempt to give him the most hate filled expression she could. Paolo chuckled.

"Well, well, how cute. The girl is throwing a hissy fit."

Oh, how Flora wished she could hit the man right now.

He soon undid the gags from their mouth, allowing them to breath normally, and for their shouts of rage to finally reach his ears.

"Don Paolo! What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, great, not you again!"

"You horrible piece of filth!"

"Oh, you people are too charming." He turned to Layton, now more serious. "Now, Layton. Tell me the information the Inspector gave you."

"He didn't tell me anything." The Professor stated calmly. Don Paolo sneered.

"So that''s how you'll play it then, eh, Layton? I'm sure you'll change your mind." And with that, Don Paolo grasped Flora's arm tightly from behind her. She let out a yelp. What the heck are you doing?

She felt a shuffling on the bindings, before she had full control of her hands again. She took this new freedom by attempting to punch the man in the gut.

She hissed as he grabbed her wrist just before she made contact.

"Now now, my darling, let's try something more intriguing, hm?" He pulled out a vial from his pocket, uncorked it with one hand, and began to guzzle the concoction down, pulling Flora closer to him. She could hear the thick liquid make its way down his throat, his constant gulps. She felt herself grow sick.

"What are you doing, you freak?" She cried out, trying to struggle from the man's grip. She almost choked as she felt the man's arms seemed to stretch with her weight.

"Oh, trying to leave so soon, my darling?" Paolo gurgled out, finishing the potion. He tossed the vial behind his back and listened to it shatter.

You know, because it was cool.

"Paolo, stop this madness!" Layton cried out.

"Stop? For what reason?" Paolo began, his stomach beginning to gurgle. "I must say, I'm growing quite hungry with all your fighting, miss..." He brought his head down in front of the girl, and gave a slow, long, wet lick across her cheek.

Just like that.

The three captives went pale.

"Paolo..." Layton stuttered out as calmly as possible, "What exactly do you plan on doing with her?"

Paolo gave a diabolical grin.

"She's my dinner, don't you see? Unless, of course, you tell me exactly WHAT the inspector told you."

Layton scoffed. "Dinner, hm? And how exactly do you expect to eat her?"

Flora bit down on her lip. The Professor was negotiating with her as the target! And he was messing with the man? Was he crazy? Don't you know never to ask the man to prove it, Professor?

She felt Paolo's face grow closer to hers. His breath was foul with the scent of the liquid he had just guzzled down.

"Like so." The man's voice sounded by her ear.

At once, he moved away.

What is he planning? What is he going to d- WHAT'S THAT ON TOP OF MY HEAD?

Before she knew it, Paolo's jaws were already beginning to stretch over her head. Drool began to mat in her hair, and trickled down her face. She could see the flabbergasted expressions on both Layton's and Luke's faces. A grunt came from the man. Then her view went dark. She shut her eyes as the soft flesh crept over her head, the man's jaws not even feeling solid anymore. She could feel his tongue already licking the back of her neck.

H-he...he's really...e-e-eating me?

Flora was paralyzed with fear. She could hear the man's throat contracting behind her.

This can't be possible! NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

The top of her head began to be forced into a tight tube, which she knew was his throat. Drool was covering her face.

This shouldn't be possible. There's no way this can be happening.

She felt a tight grip on her shoulders.

In one swift movement, Paolo tossed his head back, sending the girl's body straight into the air. With the help of gravity, and one thick swallow, Flora disappeared halfway down the man's throat. A huge bulge took the shape of her body in his throat. Luke felt the need to retch beside him. Layton too felt ill as he stared on in fear, too stunned to even speak out against it.

Flora wanted to scream. The walls took to her shape, making her fit perfectly as she slid down the man's throat. A thin coat of slime already coated her body. She couldn't breathe.

Please Professor, GET US OUT OF THIS MESS!

She heard and felt another round of contractions as the walls pressed tight against her, before guiding her downwards. She could hear the man's heart beating in her ears.

It wasn't long before only her legs were sticking out now. Her head pressed against a tight seal that grew lax, and soon, she began to enter the next room. As her head came in contact with the pool of liquid, she screamed. The liquid started to sizzle, already beginning to eat at her skin. She heard its hiss and felt its stinging sensation.

Oh, God, I'm in his stomach now! This can't be happening! This can't be- AAAAAAAUUUUUUUGH!

She tried to wiggle and worm her way around, in an attempt to get him to let go. She was met by another swallow, and her chest soon entered the room too. Already it was getting cramped.

Layton and Luke could only stare at the man's gut as Flora began to slide in. Once again, Luke took this moment to spill his guts. Layton watched in almost fascination at Flora's attempts to free herself.

There was merely one more swallow, before Flora's feet disappeared into the man's maw. The last few lumps of the girls body made their way down his throat with a sick, wet gulp.

Paolo licked his lips, before giving one more swallow, followed by a quick burp. His hands reached down to his humongous, outstretched belly.

"I must say, darling, you were absolutely delicious..." He massaged the lump, a pleased, drooling grin pasted across his face.

Flora was curled into a ball, the acids tearing away at her skin. Slime dripped from the ceiling and coated her body. She couldn't breath, each attempt giving her a lung full of burning carbon dioxide, and the sour smell of her digesting flesh. She pulled her hands from the side, and began to press as hard as she could.

Paolo looked down, almost entertained by the shape of her hand prints bulging out through his robe. Layton' finally couldn't handle it. He too vomited.

Flora was getting dizzy, her whole body starting to go numb. This...this couldn't be happening, she continued to tell herself. Her eyes were heavy, and soon, she was gone.

"F-Flora?" Luke screamed. "Flora! ANSWER ME!" He let out a sob. Paolo looked down almost in surprise.

"My, that took less time than I expected..." Paolo said as another burp escaped. He licked his lips again, enjoying the taste the girl left. He then let out a sigh.

"Well, then, Layton, I see that you still won't tell me. That's fine. I'll be back tomorrow, this time for the boy. And if that still doesn't get you to talk, then, well..." He grinned evilly at the man. "Well, I'm sure you know what will happen."

He waddled out of the room, the sloshing of the girl's body and the acids sounding as he walked out the door, shutting off the lights, and leaving the two men in darkness.