A/N : This is a challenge to myself. To see Clive in a different perspective. What if, after all this time, he wasn't finished scheming?
Disclaimer : I do not own the Professor Layton series, nor Vocaloid.
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The Riddle Solver That Can't Solve Riddles:
"The first mystery is why the Professor was alone in his room drinking poisoned tea."
Flora stood silently, hands folded in front of her with a passive expression on her face. Clive had, after all these years, visited her. Right after Layton had been murdered.
Or was it really a murder? That was what they were trying to figure out.
"Perhaps," he continued, "It was just his time to go."
But she knew that was a lie. Whoever had done this... Well, it wasn't just poison. The late Professor had called to her, as she was the only one in the house, yelling that something was amiss. When she exited her room, however, she had been grabbed and blindfolded, as well as tied up. By the time she came to, it was already too late. Layton had been beaten to death.
She had been in the same room as him. Had heard him be brutally attacked.
Clive leaned back against the kitchen counter, smiling insanely. He kept his left hand in his pocket, had not removed it since he arrived. "So, who's the culprit?" he asked her, as if she knew. "Shouldn't you have a clue? It all happened right in front of your eyes."
When Flora didn't provide an answer, he leered with her, still with that deranged, sadistic grin playing on his lips. "If you don't know, I suppose I will tell you."
She opened her mouth, ready to give in and ask him, but he wasn't finished yet.
"The second mystery is why they fell into the ocean."
Flora knew what he was talking about. Shortly after Layton's murder, Luke had been on a ship heading back to England, but his boat had been sabotaged and destroyed, leaving no survivors.
The Professor was gone, and so was Luke. She was all alone in this puzzle.
"And," the man continued, "Was the culprit among them?"
He wasn't suggesting that it was... Luke... was he? Ignoring the disbelief she felt, her face was still blank with her hands together modestly.
His eyes narrowed at her. "Don't you know by now?"
Suddenly, it clicked.
Flora reached inside her own pocket, the hidden one in her dress. She almost smiled when her fingers closed around cool and comforting steel.
Clive turned, kept talking. "The one mistake in my plan," he said, "was getting that other detective involved." Inspector Chemley, too? And what of Barton? The two men of the police force had been missing for days.
Glaring at the monster in front of her, she lunged forward, knife in hand and aiming at his heart.
The man dressed in blue easily deflected it, knocking her weapon out of her hand as well as grabbing her in the process with the arm in view. She fought furtively to escape.
That had been her last result.
She held onto his arm, the one that was still hidden. The one he was hiding.
"Who is the culprit?" he demanded again, his face only inches apart from her own. "Come on, now, name the person in front of you!"
He let go of her, and Flora stumbled back, staring at his revealed hand. It was... it was covered in blood. Red, dried, chipping blood.
"Say my name!"
She was right.
"I really didn't want you to find out." He hid his eyes from her, his cap casting shadows over his face. "I will be merciful. Hurry, if you want to run, go now. Quickly."
She just backed up, still quiet and still staring at him intently, wrapping her own arms around herself.
His head snapped up with enough force to possibly break his neck, and the crazy smirk was back on his face. "Who is the culprit?" he asked again. "Remember, there may be more than one answer to this puzzle. If you don't answer soon, the evidence will disappear." Holding out both hand towards her, he asked, "Who is the culprit, Flora?"
Said girl didn't answer, just stared at him blankly, with nothing to say. "Come," he cooed at her, "If you don't answer quickly, these hands will kill you, too."
Looking scared and sad again, he shouted, "You don't have much time! Tell me who is the culprit! You know the answer to that question, it all happened right before your very own eyes! Who is the culprit, you ask?" He paused to breath. He was talking so fast now. Then, tone still rising, "The person standing in front of you! Come, say that person's name!"
She was gasping for air as he stepped closer, he screamed, "My name!"
Finally, the young girl gave an answer.
"It was... Flora."
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A/N : Whew. I think I confused myself there... I'm contemplating on just adding ONE other chapter, to explain, I guess. Ah, well.
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