This is a Professor Layton fan fiction. Based post Miracle Mask so BEWARE OF SPOILERS! MAJOR SPOILERS! Based after my other fan fiction A friendly gesture but not necessary to read to enjoy the story.

"Henry, is everything set up?" Randall smiled, setting the Mask of Chaos in the center of his exhibition of artifacts. After everything in that ordeal was done and dealt with, the life that should have been theirs but wasn't, now was. Randall had married Angela and taken ownership of the city. However, Henry had assisted Randall with much aspects of running the city since he often had no clue what he was doing (and probably never would.) He'd returned to mostly his normal self, as long as no one mentioned the wrongs he had caused. Every slightest mention could make him depressed for hours.

Randall always felt Henry helped him far more than he had ever helped Henry. He didn't believe this feeling would ever disappear. How could it when he'd spent eighteen years of his life looking for him, protecting everything that mattered to him. All Randall had done was repay his kindness with anger, malice and hatred. That's why he'd fixed the robot that he'd given Henry all those years ago... It was also the reason he'd decided to do what he can to run the city. He didn't want Henry to have to shoulder that burden alone anymore.

But now was not the time for such somber thoughts! Randall had invited Hershel and Dalston over for a remastering reunion of the old archeology club that he'd use to head when they were teens. Dalston had very rarely attended then, but he'd hoped that Dalston would now. He had never replied to his invite but Randall had faith that he'd still show up.

"Yes, Master Randall." Henry replied, fixing a wrinkle in the table cloth holding the 'artifacts' that Randall had acquired over the years. Some were quite worthy of that title while others were more like junk, but he treasured them all.

"Wonderful!" Randall grinned. "Oh, this is so exciting, Henry! It's been forever seen we've all gotten together like this." In reality, it had only been a few months but to Randall it felt like a lifetime. He wanted to retain as many memories as he could to make up for all the time he'd lost. Despite being well over a grown man, he bounced on his heels like a child told he was about to go to the amusement park.

Henry was pleased to see Randall so excited. It seemed even with all the years they were apart, Randall was still the same old Randall he was eighteen years ago.

"When is Hershel going to get here?" Randall asked, still bouncing back and forth.

"Probably in an hour or two."

"An hour?!"

Randall deflated like a balloon, not pleased about having to wait any longer. Henry, still working on the finishing touches, glanced over at Randall. He knew just the way to fix his foul mood.

"The cookies are almost done." He stated.

"Really?! Yes!" Randall exclaimed, especially excited since these cookies were a joint effort from Henry and Angela.

A few minutes later, Angela came out of the kitchen with a tray full of cookies. She held it with two towels one on either side of the tray she held. Randall smiled gleefully and carefully took one as she set it down on a small table in between the chairs.

"Be careful! They're still hot." Angela warned as Randall was shoving the cookie in his mouth. "And don't eat too many. We need to save some for Hershel and Alphonse." Honestly, sometimes she felt like she was his mother instead of his wife but preferred this much more than his somber attitude. He nodded in acknowledgement and grabbed another cookie from the tray.

….

The time actually flew by faster than expected once he'd become occupied with some last minute preparations. He could hardly stand the suspense as the last minutes ticked by and finally he heard a knock on the door. Rushing to the door, he threw it open to find Professor Layton, his apprentice and Emmy.

"Glad you could come, Hershel!" Randall grinned.

"Glad to be here." Professor Layton smiled, politely tipping his hat to his old friend. Randall moved to the side to allow them through.

"Welcome to the reunion of our little club!" Randall announced, sweeping his arm across the room. "The artifacts are all over there and Henry and Angela made the most wonderful cookies!"

Luke eyed the cookies and took one. His eyes lit up.

"Oh, these are good!" Luke agreed.

"I know right!?" Randall grinned. "What do you think of the artifacts Hershel?"

Randall stood next to Hershel, smiling and glancing down at the artifact he was examining. It was a hunk of rock that had smudged out Azran engravings on it. Unfortunately, it was so smudged that the words were intelligible even for someone who knew the Azran tongue.

"These are quite impressive." Hershel commented, bending down slightly to get a better look at the object. Those four words started a whole rant by Randall about how he received the artifact and of the Azran in general. The good professor, smiling at that same enthusiasm he remembered so well, added his own insight here and there.

Eventually the night was beginning to reach its climax, a bittersweet moment for Randall. All of them were sitting across from each other on the couches and Henry had poured out some tea.

"It's a shame Alphonse isn't here." Angela commented.

"Why don't we just go over to his house and-" Randall began.

"Unless the invitation was misplaced, I doubt that will help, Master Randall." Henry cut in.

"He shouldn't be ignoring us."

Before the discussion could continue, however, a knock on the door was heard. Excited, Randall rushed to open the door. It was indeed who he expected.

"Where were you, Dalston? You almost missed the whole party." Randall commented.

"You're lucky I came at all. Same old Bratscot." Dalston responded curtly. Randall frowned at him, but his frown soon melted away as he stood in the front of all the seated members of the couch, including Dalston.

"Now, let's begin our archeological discussion."

Fin