I will never forget that cursed day. No matter how hard I try to block out the memory, I just can't seem to let it go.
Clive and I were allowed to play in the park by ourselves, as we had gotten a bit older and could be trusted to make the right choices. We were so happy, so carefree, so unaware of the misfortune that was about to befall us.
Why did it have to happen?
"Clive, should we be heading home?" I asked as we played a game of catch.
"So soon?" He whined at my question.
"Well, I don't want our parents to worry about us, do you?"
Clive pouted and reluctantly agreed to head home for the day. Along the way home, we were happy, content with our lives.
But all good things must eventually come to an end.
KABOOM!
An explosion startled us as we were turning onto our block. We looked at each other, our faces in fear and ran. When we turned, we saw smoke rising from the institute, as well as our apartment.
Clive had ran towards the building, shouting something about wanting to save his parents. I remember he was stopped by a man in a top hat, Mr. Layton, who we did not know of at the time. He was the one who snapped Clive out of getting himself killed.
On the other hand, I had stood still, watching the bodies of not only neighbhors, but our parents as well be taken out of the apartment one by one. I was in utter shock. I couldn't move. I don't even remember the rest of that day. All I can remember was crying with Clive and holding onto Mr. Layton as if our lives depended on him.
That incident changed our lives forever.
Clive had suggested heading back to the café by the arcade, where a friend of his was waiting for us. Along the way back, I began chatting with Luke, not only to keep up my act but also to gather some information. I knew Clive had done a lot of research on these two, but some direct information wouldn't hurt.
On our way, Luke brought up the topic about time travel, asking his 'future self' about what it could do and what not. Controlling time, huh? Change the past and you change the future. To stop the accident from happening…sounds like a wonderful dream.
But, doing that might cause other horrid things to happen. If the explosion never happened, then our parents would be alive. There is always a price to pay. Maybe our lives would be exchanged for theirs? Well, that's the mystery of time travel, you can never know what will happen when it's altered.
"It's this café, right, Big Luke?" Mr. Layton asked Clive. I smiled to myself as he said that. Before leaving the Casino, the boys had decided on a way to differantiate the two Lukes from each other. Luke would be Little Luke and Clive would be Big Luke. Quite creative.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Shipley," Clive apologized as he approached his old friend.
"Not at all. I just got here a minute ago myself," Shipley responded.
"You've all met before, but I don't think you were properly introduced. This is my good friend Shipley. He has played a vital role in bringing you and Little Luke here to our time," Clive explained.
"Pleased to meet you, Shipley," Mr. Layton greeted.
The two shook hands and Clive asked about Shipley's reconisance mission in Chinatown.
"He's got them working like slaves on something," Shipley said as he turned towards me. "Isn't that right?"
I nodded. "Yes. I never was sent into the Towering Pagoda though. I heard some of his men mention it, but I had escaped before it was too late. Maybe I should have gone to get a look of it inside…"
"It's best that you didn't go. We never would have crossed paths and probably never have gotten ahold on the Professor," Clive said with a warm smile. I wanted to believe it was a real one, but I knew it wasn't.
"Also, there's a rumor going around about the Prime Minister being held captive there," Shipley interrupted.
"What?" Clive asked surprised.
"Bill Hawks…He's been missing since the day of the accident," Mr. Layton mused.
Clive began telling Mr. Layton about the Towering Pagoda and how 'dangerous' it really was. Dimitri should be waiting there for our arrival, or at least that's where he should be. He may as well be at the café on Thames for all I know.
"We'll split up. I'll take Eva as we set up preparations for our entry. Shipley here will tell you how to get to Chinatown," Clive said, the mentioning of my name snapped me out of my thoughts.
Instead of waiting for me to even react, he immediately grabbed a hold of my hand and rushed us out of the small café. I felt myself blush and immediately told myself to calm down. He wasn't holding my hand for any romantic reason.
"You've done well, Eva," Clive congratulated me. "I believe we have them perfectly fooled!"
"Ya, perfectly," I commented in a low voice.
He seemed to ignore the sarcasm in my voice and continued on his way, letting go of my hand of course. He told me he just had to make sure Dimitri was in the Towering Pagoda, so he left me outside of the entrance to meet with Mr. Layton if he could not make it on time.
"Oh, Eva, you're here?" A kind female voice asked me.
I turned around to see none other than Claire. I didn't know much about her, just little bits of information from Dimitri. I knew he had a thing for her and that she was Mr. Layton's old girlfriend. I also knew about her involvement in the accident. From the few encounters I had with her, she seemed very…kind. She reminded me of Ms. Dove.
"Hello there, Claire. It's a surprise seeing you here," I said. I was glad I didn't have to keep up my act around her. She knew about Dimitri's plans, as well as Clive's.
"I know I'm not supposed to be out, especially not now, but…" Claire paused and turned away from me. A tear seemed to form in the corner of her eye.
"You ran into him, didn't you?" I asked.
Mr. Layton was here and Future London wasn't exactly large, so it was only a matter of time before it happened.
"Not exactly. I simply passed by him. I think I'm bringing back old memories," She said, saddened.
"Claire…" I wanted to say something comforting, but could not think of anything. "If you don't want to run into him again, I suggest you leave. Clive has told him to meet us here."
"Well, I was on my way to see Dimitri. I guess I'll just see him later then," She said and began to walk off. Then she stopped suddenly. "Clive still wants to go through with this?"
"…Yes. I've tried all I can think of. Nothing will stop him. He's blinded by revenge."
"I still think you can save him from it. You just have to find a way to snap him out of this trance," She said encouragingly.
I gave her a faint smile. "I wish that were true, but he seems more focused on Mr. Layton to get him out of this trance."
"If only he could see what's right in front of him," She said before leaving me to wait for anyone's arrival.
Note: Yup, shortening a lot of dialogue cuz I don't want to write everything said in the game :P That would make this fic a little to long for me (and less updates).
