(A/N): This fic is meant to be read in ½ alignment.
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» A Global Enigma «
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An invite to a World Country Meeting soon turns into a murder mystery.
And anyone could be the culprit.
• • ― Professor Layton and Axis Powers Crossover .
Chapter Two
Interrogations at Tea Time
After the hysteria had died down, Germany and a few other hefty-looking representatives removed Austria's bloody body from England's mansion. Although Layton and Luke weren't involved in the physical work, word had gotten around that they had dug a gravesite for the man.
As soon as the grueling tasks were complete, Layton had called for every single country to come to the parlor, no questions asked.
Hungary, who was wedged between a supportive Belgium and a compassionate Lichtenstein, smothered her teary face in her handkerchief. Her sobbing and incoherent mumbling clearly showed how distraught she was at the loss of her closest ally.
Luke, who had taken a seat next to his new friend Latvia, eyed the poor European girl as the two other country's patted her legs and hugged her closely as they tried to hold back their own tears, too.
"I guess Austria must've been a really important country," Luke mused aloud.
"W-Well, he had very close ties to Hungary and Switzerland," Latvia replied with his usual stutters. "After all, he does trade a lot with his neighboring countries. Considering he's…a landlocked country."
"I guess I really don't know much about other countries other than England."
"Oh, it's not your fault," Latvia quickly interjected. "I mean, I've never heard of a kid other than myself who's caught up in politics…"
At that moment, the door to the parlor opened and Professor Layton stepped through.
There was an immediate hush as soon as he set foot inside. Even Hungary, with reddened eyes and a runny nose looked up from her tissue as she gazed into the confident eyes of the professor.
Layton cleared his throat and made a brief side-step to position himself in front of all the pairs of eyes that were looking up at him with nervous curiosity.
"As everyone already is aware of, Roderich Edelstein, the representative for Austria, is dead."
Immediately, Hungary let out another loud moan and began to resume her uncontrollable sobbing.
Layton's expression turned grave, as he knew that mentioning Austria's death would only cause more grief for her. Nevertheless, he continued on.
"According to Mr. Kirkland, the room that Austria was killed in was Switzerland's room."
At this, there was a sudden gasp amongst the countries. Few even had the bravery to turn to look at the country.
Switzerland immediately stiffened in his seat and his green eyes narrowed.
"So? What of it?" There was a tinge of annoyance within his rough, boyish voice. "Are you saying that I killed Austria? Is that what you're getting at?"
"I never said that you did," Layton replied back. "Though, since you've brought up the topic…did you kill him?"
At the professor's cold question, Hungary spun her head to face the Swiss representative.
"S-Switzerland…?" Hungary managed to whisper.
"H-How dare you accuse me of killing Austria!" Switzerland screamed. He rose from his seat with clenched fists and a reddened face. Clearly, the hot-headed country was ready for a fight.
Layton, in contrast, coolly put a finger under his chin in a pensive manner.
"Again, I wasn't 'accusing' you of anything. I was merely asking you whether or not you had anything to do with his death."
"Well I didn't!" he snapped. "Happy?"
"B-Brother," a young blonde girl piped up from beside him. She gingerly stood up too and gently reached for Switzerland's arm. "Please be nice to the Professor. He's only trying to help…"
"Lichtenstein…" Switzerland turned to look at his sister, whose identical green eyes reflected emotions of concern and worry.
After glancing down at her, Switzerland's testy temper was promptly subdued by his calm and compassionate sister. He slowly sat back down and regained composure. It was only a few seconds until the rash young man began to speak again.
"Austria and I were very close when we were young," Switzerland began. "Though, I was annoyed with him because he always kept failing and had to be bailed out by me when it came to wars."
Switzerland paused at this, thinking that his introduction might have been too suspicious. He took a quick look at the Professor, whose face was expressionless. After turning to look back down at the floor, he pressed on.
"But after I found Lichtenstein and started to fund her country for support, Austria and I grew apart and have never really spoken with one another since."
At this comment, Lichtenstein shuffled in her place beside her brother. She appeared uncomfortable by the fact that she was the one who had caused Austria and Switzerland to distance, given the fact that her country was squeezed right between them.
"So, that's how I'm related to him."
"I see," Layton said with closed eyes. "Is there anyone else that might be related to him?"
"Well, there's-!"
"Oh me! Me! I'm related to him!" boasted a rather peppy Italian, who was waving his hand madly in the back seats of the parlor.
"D-Don't wave your hand so aimlessly like that!" his brother, South Italy, complained. "He just might think you're insane."
"Oh, right!" Luke exclaimed. "That's that weirdo who yelled during the meeting." He turned to look over at Latvia. "Who is that, anyway?"
"T-That's Feliciano Vargas," Latvia replied with a quivering mouth. "He represents North Italy. The one sitting next to him is his brother, Romano Vargas. He represents South Italy."
"I see…"
Luke fished for his notebook within his pocket and decided to jot down a few notes.
"W-What's that?" Latvia asked as he craned his neck to see what his new friend was doing.
"Oh, I'm just making some notes about my trip," he replied cheerily. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal! And I'm writing these for my friend, Flora, since she couldn't come to see it."
"Oh..."
Latvia's curious blue eyes blinked as he tried to see what kind of things Luke was writing about.
"Um, Luke…what kind of notes are you writing in that notebook?"
"Huh?"
"I-I was just asking what kind of notes you're writing…?"
"Oh. They're notes. Just notes," Luke replied simply.
"Y-Yes, but…what kind?"
Luke turned to look at Latvia, confused.
Wasn't it obvious?
"Well…if you must know," Luke said hesitantly, "I suppose you can take a peek at what I've been writing…"
Luke cautiously handed him his notebook. Latvia took the bound little black book into his small hands and began to scan the pages for what seemed to be something specific.
Luke looked at his friend with bewilderment – why did he care so much as to what he was writing about?
"Uh, Latvia," he prompted. "Is there anything wrong with my notes?"
Instantly, the country's eyes widened at Luke's remark and he immediately turned to look at him with a panicked expression. He shoved the book back into Luke's arms and began to make an awkward, nervous laugh.
"O-Of course not! I was just curious, because…well…"
"Because why?"
"…Because I've…never met a…girl…?"
At once, the adolescent's cheeks flustered into a rosy shade of pink, and he began to nervously fidget in his seat with embarrassed eyes.
"Really!?"
He hesitantly nodded.
"Oh, well Flora isn't much of a girl, anyway." Luke said with a snort. "She's just…well…"
Luke looked down at the notebook that lay on his lap. Why was he writing these notes for her, anyway?
"Hm, well, I guess I never thought about-!"
"Waaah! I had nothing to do with this, Mr. Professor, sir! I'm innocent! I'm innoceeeent!"
The wails from North Italy sounded across the room as the country's representative began to hysterically cry.
"I'm innocent, I swear!"
"Feliciano!" cried France. "I never would've guessed that you of all people was the culprit! And to even think that I actually LIVED with you at one point in my life…-!"
"Ah, shaddup, you pompous Frenchman!" snapped an angry South Italy.
"You better watch your-!"
"Everyone, please." Layton said. "Let's calm down so that I can get the full story." He turned to look at a sniffling North Italy, who was still mumbling incoherent noises. "North Italy, if you'll please."
"I-I was exiting the parlor with my brother towards England's kitchen-!"
"My kitchen?" England inquired, who sat with folded arms and a crossed leg. "Why did you go there?"
"So that I could make pasta!" the Italian whimpered with puckered lips.
"But I specifically asked that everyone be in the parlor room," England mentioned. "Unless…you were-!"
"Someone check the knives in England's kitchen!" blurted a frantic France, who dramatically raised a hand to his head like a damsel in distress. "If a knife is missing in England's kitchen, then my poor little Feliciano is guilty!"
"Now, now, I'm sure there's an explanation for this," Layton interjected. He turned to look at the other crowd of countries, who were quietly waiting for what he had to say next.
"May I ask someone to go and check England's knives?"
A single hand rose from the group of counties.
"I will."
The hand came from a stocky man who was towards the back of the parlor. He had a messy bob of bed-ridden silver hair with piercing red eyes to match. He stood up from his seat and nonchalantly strolled over towards the professor, who was small in comparison to the tall, young representative.
"It's just to check the knives, right?"
The professor's eyes narrowed as he looked the country up and down. There was something about his casual demeanor…
"Hell-o?"
The silver-haired young man bent down a little to get closer into the professor's face. "Is anyone even in there? Do I go or what?"
"Ah, yes, yes," the Professor quickly replied with a nod. "Mr. Kirkland, how many knives do you happen to have in your kitchen?"
"Mmm," the young Englishman put a finger to his chin, thinking. "Around twelve, I think."
"Yeesh, how long does it take to get stuff done around here, anyway?" moaned the representative with a snort. And with that, he left the parlor to scope out the kitchen.
"Who was that snob?" Luke hissed. "How dare he talk to the professor like that!"
"That was Gilbert Weillschmidt," Latvia answered back automatically. "He represents Prussia."
"Boy, I really must be ignorant about other countries!" Luke exclaimed. "But then again, I really don't want to know much about his country, since he's so rude."
"I think it's just him," Latvia added. "After all, Prussia did have an affiliation with Austria. …Maybe he's just mad."
"Maybe. Or maybe he's just a wanker."
"O-Oh…"
"Is there anything wrong, Professor?" England asked, eyeing the pensive scholar.
"No…"
"It wasn't me! I swear it wasn't! You've gotta believe me!" Feliciano yelped. "Hungary, you know it wasn't me, right!?"
Surprised, Hungary turned to look over at North Italy, whose cheeks were red from bawling.
She merely blinked.
"I'm sorry, Feliciano, but…-!"
"BUUUAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!"
Suddenly a savage roar echoed throughout the mansion.
"Prussia!" England yelled, jolting from his chair.
With apprehensive looks, everyone filed out of the parlor and out into the hallway, where they'd hard the deafening yell.
As the group made a sharp left at the end of the hallway, everyone halted to a stop as to what they saw next.
It wasn't blood.
But a net.
A big, giant, human-trapping net.
And in it laid a tangled (and pissed off) Prussia.
"Oh my," Layton breathed.
"Lemme outta this frickin' net!" cried the fuming Prussian. "Get me out so that I can beat the crap outta that stupid kid!"
"My! What language!" snapped a disgusted Belgium. She turned her frizzy blond head to look over at Hungary, who was still recovering from her sobbing state. "Is this really the kind of guy you hang out with?"
"'Kid'?" the Professor repeated. "What kid?"
"I-It wasn't me, professor! I swear it wasn't!" Luke interjected.
"Not me, either," Latvia added quietly.
"Then if it wasn't you two, then who-?"
"I gotcha, you cold-blooded killer!"
In the blink of an eye, a small boy whizzed out from another hallway and jumped on top of Prussia, attempting to strangle the larger country.
"You little twerp! Get outta my fac-!"
"Sealand!" England cried.
At his country's name, the young boy's head popped up to look at the crowd that was watching him with utter shock. "Oh, hey, England!"
The boy appeared to be ten, with short-cropped blonde hair and a pair of bushy eyebrows, much like England's. His boyish personality combined with his country's name coincided with his outfit, as he was dressed in a sailor suit with a light blue cap.
"Sealand…?" Layton inquired, turning to look at England for an answer.
"He's a new country. Consider him my…little brother," England disdainfully replied with a limp nod. "It's quite embarrassing – I'm so sorry that you had to see this, Professor…"
"Wow! He's just about as old as I am!" Luke exclaimed.
"Sealand, get Prussia out of that net right now," England commanded.
"Hunh?! Why!?"
"Because he's innocent."
"Yeah! You hear that, you little brat?!" jeered a rabid Prussia. His angry eyes looked up at the stupefied boy.
"You mean…he's not he killer?"
"Of course he's not the killer! Now get him out of there this instant!"
"Oh, alright…"
Unwillfully, the little country stooped down and broke the black wire, freeing a vicious beast-of-a-country that was out for revenge.
As soon as Prussia was released, he immediately took hold of Sealand's sailor suit and began to drag him towards him with immense force.
"Now it's time you get a taste of what you just-!"
"Hold on!" Layton immediately blurted.
With Sealand's face about to be punched by a fierce fist, everyone stopped and looked at the professor.
"What is, Professor?" Luke asked with wide eyes.
"Sealand. What did you just use to get Prussia out of that net?"
"Huh? Oh, just this," the young country replied, taking small breadknife out from his pocket.
There was an immediate wave of gasps and yelps.
"W-Why's everyone so-?"
"That's the knife!" cried North Italy, who was standing right behind the professor. He bounded forward and seized Layton's shoulder as he pointed at the knife in Sealand's hands.
"That's the knife that I used to cut the bread!"
"Bread? Why do you need bread?"
"For Garlic bread, of course," South Italy said matter-of-factly.
"Oh…"
"Wait, but then why does Sealand have it?" asked America as he munched on another hamburger.
"Strange," Layton commented, putting a finger to his chin. "Very, very strange…"
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After an angry Prussia had unsuccessfully managed to beat up a small Sealand, the whole group returned to the tea parlor, where everyone took their seats.
Layton had asked for Sealand to speak about the incident, and was thus told to sit in front of the room, where all eyes were on him. Layton, of course, took his usual position at the front of the room, where he paced back and forth in the small quarters. As for everyone else, they awaited to hear what the small boy had to say about the murder.
"Now, Sealand," Layton began, "Tell me everything that you did today."
"You mean like, ever since I woke up? Or like, ever since like…before the murder?"
"You bloke! Didn't you understand the question!?" yelled an embarrassed England from behind.
"I-I did, it's just that-!"
"Don't worry, Mr. Kirkland," Layton reassured. "It's alright: he's probably just a bit nervous, is all."
At this, a grumpy England hesitantly shut his mouth and looked away.
"Just tell me everything that happened before the murder."
"A-Alright…"
The little boy took a deep breath and settled into his big, leather chair.
"Today, the countries were supposed to come to England's house, so England told me to set up the dining hall and nice and pretty. So I was doing that – I was swear I was doing that, you can take a look – and then I needed to go the bathroom."
Layton nodded for the boy to continue, while a few others were already bored out of their wits from hearing a small boy talk about his day.
"So when I was passing the halls to go to the bathroom…KA-POW!"
Suddenly, everyone jumped to a start after hearing Sealand's sudden sound effect.
"I saw him! I swear I did! He was going towards the hallway where the parlor was and then he made a turn into a room and then he left and went into the parlor. And then I kinda just went on with my business when SHA-ZAM! I heard a scream!"
"You…saw him?" Layton asked, quite surprised.
He nodded up and down.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner!?" snapped England.
"Well, you never asked."
"So if you saw him, then…?" Layton turned around to look at Prussia.
Prussia stiffened when Layton's eyes met his, and he immediately started getting in a rage again, much like Switzerland had done before.
"Oh, so now I'M the culprit!?"
"He had silver hair! I'm sure of it! Or…at least light hair. Yeah, real light hair. And who's the one with light hair? This guy right here!" Sealand cried, pointing towards the Prussian.
"Professor," England said, turning to look over at him. "Do you really believe what Sealand's saying?"
"Yes and no," Layton replied. "Something's…just not right about this…"
-to be continued…
EXTRAS
LUKE'S NOTEBOOK
-This might be really random, but Lichtenstein's really cute. I mean, I know I'm really younger than her, but…if I were a boy her age, I think I'd really fancy her. (Flora, if you're reading this, you should be more like Lichtenstein!)
-Why is Latvia wondering what I'm writing? I'm just writing things for Flora. Why does he want to know so much…?
-Swizterland was accused of being Austria's muderer. Apparently they were close friends back in the day. But after Lichtenstein came to be, they haven't spoken with each other, since.
-North Italy and South Italy are also suspects. They said they were in the kitchen making pasta and garlic bread when Austria's murder had occurred.
-Prussia was another suspect, too. Though fell into Sealand's net. (Serves me him right, that bloody wanker! Excuse my language, but…he made fun of the Professor! Gosh! The nerve!)
-Apparently Sealand had used the same knife that North Italy had used to cut some garlic bread. How strange…! Where'd he get the knife from?
-Sealand's real cool. I should talk to him, since he's about my age, too. Maybe Lativa, him, and me can get along…?
-Sealand said that the culprit was a male (since he used "he") and had light hair. There are a lot of people with light hair. So…who really IS it?
(A/N): Thanks for reviewing, everyone! I wasn't expecting to get a lot of feedback, but wow, I was pleasantly surprised! (Hugs and cookies to everyone!) So this is the second chapter! Whoever said that Sealand should make an appearance is PSYCHIC! Hope you liked the conflict between Prussia and Sealand! (And France's drama!) If you could please give me some feedback for this chapter, that would be great! -B.B.