The Cartridge Caper
Disclaimer:
Professor Layton is owned by Level-5
Cloak And Dagger (1984 film) is owned by Universal Pictures
Hello, and welcome to my new experimental Profesor Layton fanfic, and here an inspiration struck me after a random thought hit me while I was working on my current Profesor Layton fic, Twilight Syndrome, where Luke Triton has the majority of doing the adventure stuffs, and there it hit me as an idea popped into my head, in which it made me come up with an idea about Luke doing an investigative adventure on his own if ever Layton is not available.
It also struck me about having Luke getting into situation that is mostly out of his control and made to do life-or death situations he is facing whenever he could not get help, and this made me decide to try this experimental fic out and see if it could attract fans and readers.
Among the inspirations and elements that gave me the idea are from the following films:
- Cloak and Dagger film (released during the 1980's)
- The Mission Impossible films (starring Tom Cruise)
- The Bourne film series (staring Matt Damon)
While Luke will be the main protagonist here, other characters will show up in a supporting role, and that includes Flora Reinhold and Professor Layton himself. I will be borrowing characters from other series (visual novel games and anime series) that will act as antagonists and cameo role-type figures, as well as some villains from the Layton games (except for the ones from Layton and the Millionaires' Club, since Luke and Flora are in their early teens) so as to balance the plot.
While there will be some violence here as it involves action, it will still be rated T, so don't worry if there are going to be some blood here, since it won't be gory or ultra-violent.
Either way, this is going to be an action-packed story with twists and turns, and for the first time, Luke will be the main star here and I will give him the chance to shine on his own whilst Layton himself will be placed in a supporting role though he won't be visible for the first few chapters, and I will eventually explain why.
Well, read on and enjoy!
Ch. 1: Prologue
Japan.
The country that is located within South East Asia, quite near different Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and the Philippines, is seen and that countey is ruled by the Diet, and are handled by the Emperor and the Prime Minister. After their defeat at World War II, the country begannto change for the better, and for several decades Japan vastly improved, mostly in the technological department yet their culture and values remained the same, as most Japanese citizens remained hospitable to visitors, residents and tourists alike.
The scene then zoomed further and you can see that the scene shows that the place being shown is Tokyo, which is bustling with people who are walking the busy streets, some riding vehicles, and others riding on bicycles. There are several types of people seen on the streets; adults, children, and even infants being carried by their parents. Businessmen, businesswomen, students, policemen, all kinds of persons are seen, and they were doing their usual activities as if they do not mind it.
Shops are open and the merchants are selling their merchandise and are enticing people to buy them in hopes of earning money. It was a typical day and it seems that people today are lively and felt that their lives are full of blessings and couldn't ask for anything more, as some are happy with stable jobs, students studying in the best schools, and more, and some even chatted with one another feeling that today is a good day.
"Hey!"
"Nice day, isn't it?"
"Today is a good day..."
"I love my job..."
"Life is so good..."
"I wish I have a good day..."
"Lots of money..."
"Lots of girls..."
-x-
The scene later shifts to a certain area, where business is thriving the area is frequently being besieged by customers which are a mix of adults and teenagers, and they appearednto be avid collectors, as they are looking and buying second-hand items which are technological in nature, and their reasons for patronizing the said shops are purely economical in nature - cheaper prices and practicality. You can see several shops selling HOT items for cheaper prices, such as smartphones, android tablets and even laptops, and despite being second-hand items, they appeared to be in good working conditions, and some of the customers are willing to buy them as long as their desired items are working fine as well as to save money for budgetary reasons, and the merchants are using subtle means in enticing passing customers.
"Hello...please by our items..."
"They are cheaper..."
"...they are in good working condition..."
"You can try them if you like..."
"I promise you will like them..."
"I promise you will get your money's worth..."
"Here are the items on our display..."
"Pick the one you like..."
The area in question turns out to be Akihabara, and the area is thriving and many merchants set up shops to attract passing customers and entice them to buy their products by showing the items and offered cheaper prices while assuring them that the items are in good working condition, and their marketing strategy worked as some passing customers were intrigued after hearing that so e gadgets are being sold in cheaper prices, and they began asking the merchants what itens do they sell, and the merchants showed to the customers the items they are selling, ranging from smartphones to android tablets and even laptops.
Then the scene shifts to another nearby shop, where a merchant is also selling second-hand items, but unlike the other shops, this merchant is selling something else and is catering avid collectors, and the scene shifts inside the shop where you can see the items being sold, which turn out to be classic console units and games, all being displayed on the shelves, and one by one you can see the following consoles being on display, which are:
- Nintendo Famicom
- Super Famicom
- Sega Genesis
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy Advance
- Neo Geo
- Sony Playstation
- Sega Saturn
- Nintendo 64
In a matter of minutes customers passed by the shop, and most of them are avid collectors and fans of video games, and they were immediately intrigued by the items on display and they looked at the items, as some appeared to be unaware that such ckassical consoles actually existed, and they began asking the merchants if those consoles and its games are really something to be owned, which the merchant nodded and assured to them that the classic games are RARE, and are fun to play with, saying that even with popular games today that are released on current consoles such as the Sony Playstation 4, the Microsoft X-Box One and the Nintendo Wii, the consoles on display are even COOLER due to its nostalgia factor.
"Are they really cool compared to today's consoles?"
"Yes...they ate cool..."
"Seriously?"
"Yes, sir...they are the very first games...and they are the popular ones in its heydays...and they are RARE to find..."
"Hmm..."
"Would you like to try them...?"
"..."
"I promise you will not regret it..."
-x-
Meanwhile, the scene shifts elsewhere within Tokyo, where you can see that the city is currently at peace, as people are doing their usual routine, such as walking the streets, driving their vehicles, students going to school, malls and other places, and adults such as businessmen and female office workers are heading to their respective jobs, and as they say, it is business as usual. However, you can see msny people, such as teenagers, are lining up at certain stores as they are forming a queue as they are awaiting news about something that piqued their interests.
After about an hour, the teenagers are getting a bit impatient as they are still waiting for the announcement and they began calling for the clerk to answer their queries about what they are waiting for, and soon more teenagers, and even certain adults, arrived as they too heard about a certain rumor and wanted to confirm it with their own ears, as the line became a bit long that it almost filled the entire sidewalk, and they began clamoring for answers.
"Hey!"
"Is it out already?"
"What's the status?"
"I've been waiting for over two years for THAT!"
"Is it ready?"
"When's it coming out?"
"Come on! Tell us!"
"Yeah, is it gonna be released or not?"
By then, the store clerk finally came out, and raised his hands in a gesture to tell the audience to calm down and said that he will finally make the announcement in regards to the rumors that they have been hearing, and the customers and passerby calmed down as they await what the clerk is about to say, as they are gearing up in anticipation about the rumors that they heard, and are hoping to get a satisfying answer that would at least appease them.
The clerk then told the customers that the rumor that they heard, a highly hyped and anticipated video game, will be launched at a mall within the next few months, and while this satisfied certain customers, as they are willing to wait, others moaned and wailed at the fact that they would have to wait longer for the anticipated game to be launched, and they said that they couldn't wait that long, and vainly urged that the game be ready sooner.
"What?"
"A few more months?"
"You got to be kidding me!"
"I already waited over a year for this!"
"Geez..."
"I can't believe I waited this long only to hear that it won't be out yet..."
"Bullshit!"
"I'm going home!"
The clerk sweat-dropped seeing that some customers are quite impatient and calmly told them that there is nothing he can do since the developers of the game are the ones who gave the schedule, and said that they are delaying it for a reason, reasoning that the developers wanted the game to be PERFECT and make the would-be gamers happy, and there he puts on the poster that announces the date of the game's launch, and the customers left, some were dejected while others are quite excited as they feel that the game would be a smash hit.
-x-
Meanwhile, you can see the business district of Tokyo, where lots of corporate buildings are standing, and it showed that the area is bustling with financial business and many employees are employed in every building, showing how powerful business is booming, and every corporate leaders are making sure that their businesses would stay in power and remain financially gained and competitive so that they can attract investors within and outside Japan.
The scene later shifts to a corporate building, which would soon be shown that it is not just a corporate office, but also a place where video games are made and developed, and the scene slowly zoomed inside where you can see a lot of workers, who turn out to be game programmers, are working around the clock to PERFECT the said-game, as you can see that the game's data are being tweaked, some are addressing the BUGS, and others are preparing to make mass copies of it and the lead programmer is overseeing the situation, and contacted someone, telling the person that the situation is going smoothly and said that the final product will be ready in four months, and after two more months the gamers will be ready for mass distribution.
The scene then zoomed around the corporate building, where you can see a lot if employees are doing their rounds and others doing paperwork, and the scene zoomed further until you can see a corporate office where a woman knocked on the door, and then she entered the office, and she approaches a man who appeared to be eccentric, but imposing, and he seemed to have a hint of superiority as he is sitting on a chair facing his desk, and he is smirking like a powerful man who wields an enourmous power, amd the woman stood before him and bowed, as she is holding a folder with some documents.
The scene zoomed at the man's desk where a nameplate is displayed, which revealed the name of the corporate building, which is revealed that the name of the company is GENMU CORPORATION, and the person who is sitting on the chair is revealed to be the president of the corporation, and he is identified as Kokichi Oma, and it is shown that Oma has very pale skin, short, wavy purple hair and purple eyes. He wears a white suit with multiple straps wrapped around his arms, two straps hang loose around his legs. But despite his appearance, he is still respected, and at a certain extent, feared by some employees, and he snapped his finger which signaled the woman, who is turn out to be his secretary, to tell her what she is about to report.
"Report to me, my dear..."
"Yes, President Oma..."
"How are things going?"
"Everything is going as planned..."
"Meaning…?"
"You are scheduled to head for London to meet with the president of the London branch of Genmu Corporation, where you will introduce a game that would be a hit to British video game fans…"
"That's good to hear. When will our departure be?"
"About that..."
The secretary told Oma that the video game in question is still being tweaked, but assured to him that it will be completed within four months, and once it is completed, it will be shipped to London and will be handled by the video game publisher there and assisted by the translators, and by then it will take two more months to make mass copies and the games will be ready for launch in London and the rest of England, and Oma smirked as he is pleased with how things are progressing, and thanked the secretary for the report, and as he is leaning on his chair, the woman then opened the folder and placed a paper on the table, which Oma glanced at it.
The secretary then told Oma that the documents he sees on the table is the one that the London-based company is investing HEAVILY, and said that the London-based game publisher is exerting efforts to form a marketing strategy with Genmu Corporation, and Oma smirked as he is again pleased with the developments, and he told her to tell the programmers to continue with the developments, as he took out a bottle of Fanta, and started sipping the bottle, but then the telecom blared where one of the workers said that a burglary took place inside one of the storage rooms, causing Oma to choke and spit on his drink, and the secretary shrieked as she almost got it, and berated Oma for his foolish, but accidental actions.
"PPPPFFFFTTTHHH!:
"EEEEKKK!"
"Cough-cough-cough..."
"President Oma...that was gross!"
"I was taken by surprise..."
"Then look at the other way before you go spitting your drink!"
"Give me a break..."
"Idiot..."
After regaining her composure, the secretary spoke to the worker and asks for the assessment of the situation.
"Well...the room is undamaged...all the equipment are accounted...no structural damage...but..."
"But?"
"A very important item was stolen..."
"You...don't mean...THAT...?"
"The ITEM is safe..."
"Thank goodness..."
"But the PROTOTYPE version was taken away..."
"Fine...just secure the important ITEM...got that?"
The alarmed worker told the secretary that the ITEM that is being HEAVILY INVESTED is safe, and said that only the PROTOTYPE version was stolen, and the secretary told Oma about it, where you can see Oma regaining his composure, and is assessing the situation, and said to the worker to try to apprehend the burglar, but if the burglar is long gone, then let him go, which the worker felt apprehensive as the thief who stole the item might use it for wrong deeds, but Oma said that the item stolen is just a prototype, and hence an incomplete version.
The worker then approached Oma and said that he found something at the scene, which appeared to be an ID card, and Oma glanced at it, which he appeared to be calm and collected, and after several seconds, he instructed the programmers to speed up the development of the game and said that the game will be fast-tracked and be ready.
Oma's secretary asked what is he thinking and why fast-track the development, but Oma smirked and said that there will be a slight change of plans, and said that he will contact the game publisher from London so he would inform them of the change of plans and schedule.
-x-
A few months later…
London.
The scene shows that Hershel Layton had just solved a puzzle-ridden case which exposes a corrupt politician who intends to assassinate the Queen of England via a plan to make it look like a heart-attack as Layton discovered that the culprit intend to secretly pour a chemical onto the Queen's drink in which the effects would induce a heart attack, and as the culprit is taken away, he cursed Layton proclaiming that one day he will DISAPPEAR and there will be no one left to solve a very diabolical plot, which Layton just stare in dismay.
"Damn you, Layton!"
"…"
"Don't think this is over!"
"…"
"One day you will disappear!"
"…"
"When that happens…there will be no one who can stop more crimes! That I swear!"
"…"
As the culprit is taken away and will be charged for the crimes, the Prime Minister and the Queen thanked Layton for his help which Layton said it is nothing, and impressed by Layton's humbleness, she tells him he will be rewarded, even though he politely declined, but the queen insisted in rewarding him and in the end, Layton accepted.
In the days that passed, the next scene shows that life there is generally peaceful, and things are calm and serene, especially after Hershel Layton had just solved a very complicated case and is given the praise and accolade, and when the culprit is taken away, Luke Triton and Flora Reinhold complimented Layton for solving the case and exposing the culprit, and there Luke tells the professor that one day he is going to solve a case on his own.
Layton smiled seeing the ambitious confidence in him, but cautioned Luke to be careful of what he is wishing, and that kind of attitude would put him in trouble one day, and assured to him that one day Luke would get to shine on his own, but not right now as Luke is only 14, and he should stick to studying and learn the ropes.
"You should not rush, Luke."
"I'm not..."
"You are still too young...and you have yet to..."
"I think I am ready, professor."
"You still have a lot to learn, Luke. Nothing is easy, no matter how you look at it."
"Don't worry, professor. I believe I can handle anything."
"Very well, but do not get drunk with flattery and praise...it will only cloud your judgment and reasoning."
"..."
Flora nodded and tells Luke that he shouldn't rush in getting to solve a case given that he is still too young to be taken seriously, but Luke confidently stated that he has taken lessons from Layton and has been getting exposed to a lot of adventures, so he should be fine.
As the trio left to head home, they did not noticed that there are some law enforcers, and some civilians, who are jealous of Layton, and do not appreciate him getting the recognition, and hoped that Layton would leave England so that the law enforcers, and the civilians themselves, would get their turn to shine and stand out.
They even expected that Luke won't be taken seriously given his age and that he physically resembled a middle-school boy due to his height.
"That Layton..."
"Who does he think he is?"
"He's just a gentleman-wannabe..."
"I hope he leaves England...I hate seeing his face on TV and newspapers."
"I hope his bratty assistant gets grilled."
"Yeah, that way that Layton idiot would be dragged down by that boy."
"Let's hope that would happen soon.""
"Right."
As Layton and his two apprentices walked away, they have no idea what awaits them, and the scene zoomed around Luke, as something foreboding is about to hit him.
To Be Continued...
Hope you liked this chapter, and while there is no action showed here, the comedy and comic relief moments make up for it, and while majority of this opening chapter focused on Japan, it is somewhat integral to the plot, and you will soon find out why…
Layton and the others make a small appearance, but in the next chapters, Luke will get to shine and gets the chance to become the main character in this fic…
Preview:
Layton gets to do something that would keep him busy…
Luke surprisingly gets a part-time job…
A murder occur…and Luke stumbles right into it…
See you in June…
Reviews are welcomed but needed...