Luke felt out of place here. He expected he would for quite a while. A little thing like that wouldn't stop him from wanting to explore, though!

His parents had been hesitant to allow him to wander about on his own, but he had adventured with the professor loads of times in much stranger places! This little American town couldn't possibly give him any problems. This in mind, they had reluctantly allowed him to leave while they were busy unpacking in their new house, on the condition that he stay close.

And so Luke wandered the square main square of the town, acquainting himself with the area. A church here, a clock tower here, a restaurant there… A few small shops were scattered about, and he poked his head into a few. Seeing nothing that caught his interest, he sighed disappointedly and resumed his wandering.

Until he heard a small sniffle behind him.

Luke spun around to see a visibly distressed girl who appeared to be several years younger than himself. "Are you alright?" he inquired.

"I… I can't find my mama!" the girl wailed. "S-she told me to meet her at the s-statue if I got lost b-but I can't find it!"

This reminded Luke of a time several years ago when he and Professor Layton had met another girl who couldn't find her mother, and they had helped out. Surely he could do the same thing here! "Don't worry, I'll help you!" he offered. "A statue?"

The girl nodded shakily, "A statue… I t-think I've seen it but I don't remember where!"

Luke hadn't seen anything resembling a statue in his exploration, but he thought he recalled seeing one as they drove into town. Maybe it was a little too far… His parents had told him to stay close, after all.

A gentleman will always help a lady in need! he reminded himself. "Then let's go find that statue! I think it's… This way!" He darted off in the direction he remembered entering the town earlier that day, checking to make sure the girl was following.

Just as he was beginning to worry that he had been wrong, the girl gave a delighted squeal. "Look! There it is! And there's my mama!" She pointed at a lady relaxing on a bench beside the likeness of a man on a horse. "Thank you!" she beamed as she suddenly tackled him with a hug.

"You're welcome!" Luke grinned.

"You're the best!"

"I am Professor Layton's apprentice, after all!"

The girl went quiet for a moment before asking, "Professor who?"

"Oh… I guess you wouldn't know him," he mumbled. Despite the girl's distinctly American accent, he had almost forgotten that he had moved and now there was an entire ocean separating him and the professor.

"Hey, don't be sad, okay?" The girl looked up at him with her bright blue eyes. "You should be happy instead!" She gave him another hug—apparently he looked like he needed one—before running away, calling over her shoulder, "Buh-bye!"

He soon heard her high-pitched voice chirp, "Mama, mama! I got lost but then this really nice boy helped me find you and he talked kinda weird but…" The words faded away as he got farther, and he suddenly realized that he had neglected to ask for her name or even introduce himself. Oh well. He had a feeling he would see her around again.

Luke smiled slightly as he turned back the way he came. It was probably past time for him to return. His parents might be getting worried, and besides, he was getting hungry.

Maybe this place wasn't home yet. Maybe it never would be, so far from his mentor. However, he didn't need the professor's famous intuition to know that someday, the two of them would meet again, and until then, this place would do while he had to wait.

A/N: …. There are reasons why I should not be up writing at 3 in the morning on a school night. Not least of which being the fact that I can barely think straight when I'm this tired. Whelp. Too late now. I hope someone will manage to enjoy this… whatever this is. I don't know. But HEY LOOK I wrote something PL without any major spoilers! :D Review please?