Hey guys I'm back and for those of you who like this story, I have exciting news! Spirit Wolf 16, who is a Danny Phamtom author, is writing a field trip fic and was accepting Ocs. So, I suggested all of mine and all of them were accepted, including Ms. Solana Layton of this story! So, if you want to see an older Solana, as she will be her original trilogy age of 30, and how she interacts with other characters outside of Professor Layton's world, I'll let you know when it's up so you can check it out! Also, I have recently, just today actually, finished watching a playthrough of Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and I absolutley loved it and plan on buying it when it comes out! There was one strange thing though. Jean Greyerl, a character in the game, held her hand above her heart and bowed when addressing the judge in the court, exactly like Solana! Creepy, if you ask me. And yes, I changed the summary again but this one is the best so far in my opinion. I'm not feeling confident in this story and I'm really excited about writing it so please would everyone who reads this story review it? Please? And, side note, if you want a sort of model of Solana's personality when she's younger, look at Maya from Ace Attorney. She's a lot like how I imagine Solana as a kid, which is sad cause Maya's a teenager. Anyways, thanks to Guest (I'm sorry you think this is canon breaking but I believe in this story and besides it's AU and I do plan on sticking to canon cause I love Layton too much to change his story but I do appreciate your honesty.) and shadowebb for reviewing/following along with all 219 readers. Please, everyone who reads review so I know people like this story and that it's not hopeless for me to want to continue, I really really want to get to the games! Anyways, I've taken enough of your time with this author's note. Please enjoy!

"Wha-?" Hershel said, extremely confused. Had the situation been different, Solana would have giggled at his face. But this was all so confusing, it made the 10 year old's head spin!

"What is that?!" Angela asked.

"That, my friends, is the hidden message of Norwell!" Randall exclaimed

"Huh?" Solana asked, still in a slight state of shock shock.

"That?" Hershel asked, "That's the hidden message? What are you talking about?"

"Now, now," Randall smiled, "keep your hair on and allow me to elaborate. I have at long last cracked the riddle concealed in the Norwell wall."

"You solved the riddle that no one else ever managed to solve?" Angela asked, "Really, Randy?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Angie." Randall apologized, Solana giggling at the couple's nicknames, "I just wanted to see the look on your face as I unveiled everything all at once! Norwell was a hot topic when it was first discovered, but since then it's become a mere tourist attraction. Stansbury could have just faded into obscurity without anyone noticing. But not now, not with this!"

"You mean because you deciphered this message?" Hershel asked.

"Hold on, hold on." Randall smiled, "A discovery as great as this deserves a far more elaborate introduction."

"Ran, what're you planning?" Solana finally managed to find her voice.

"Norwell is a giant and ancient wall, and it's sitting right here on our doorstep, just on the outskirts of Stansbury." Randall explained.

"And?" Solana prompted, inclining her head towards her friend.

"It was found 30 years ago while they were clearning the forest to make room for new houses." Randall continued, "When it was first announced, all sorts of experts flooded in to try and decipher the ancient script on the wall. But the thing is, nobody succeeded! Not one of them worked it out. They tried and failed, and then everyone forgot. Why does such a massive wall stand there? What message does it hold? Nobody knew...until now!"

"Because you solved it?" Hershel guessed.

"How on earth...?" Angela said, "What does it say, then?"

"That is something I'd like to explain at the site itself." Randall smiled, "Come with me, my friends, to the Norwell wall!" Solana groaned,

"Ran, why can't you just tell us now?" Before Randall could answer, however, Hershel interuppted,

"Wait, what? You want to go there now?"

"Shh!" Randall whispered, "Keep it down, Hersh! Let's just slip out quickly." The trio of visitors agreed to the Ascot boy's request, climbing down the ivy from his window. As she landed, Solana adjusted her satchel and bow before checking her quiver to make sure all of her arrows were there, which they were. "Phew...we're out!" Randall smiled, "And my father is none the wiser."

"Norwell is in the woods, isn't it?" Angela said, "Won't it be really dark once we get past Oldmarket? We should have torches." Solana nodded her agreement. It was well known in their group that she feared what could be hiding in the darkness of the night and only ventured out with her brother or her friends when absolutley necessary.

"Oh, we'll be fine." Randall said, "The stars are out, and we're not going deep into the forest."

"If you say so..." Hershel stated, aware of his sister curling in on his side. He wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Randall, look at Sol!" Angela cried, "She's scared, we really should have been more prepared!"

"It'll be okay." Randall reassured, "Besides, this could help cure Sol of her fear of the dark!"

"I'll...I'll be fine." Solana tried to reassure though all three caught her stutter. Randall smiled reassuringly at her and said,

"Come on, then! To Norwell!" The four headed off to Pebble Lane where Dalston stopped them and said,

"Eh up, where are you four slinking off to in the dark, then?"

"Why, we're going on a pioneering expedition of great significance to the future of archaeology." Randall answered, "Want to come?"

"Pff!" Dalston scoffed, "I'd have loved to...if you'd asked me ten years ago! You lot have fun on your little adventure."

"How dull." Randall frowned, "And just as I was about to reveal my brilliant deductions, too!"

"Enjoy being a smart alec while you can, Ascot." Dalston said, "We'll soon find out which of us can actually make something of his life."

"I already have made something of my life." Randall declared, "You might get your name on some hotel, but I'll be in the history books!"

"Oh give it a rest you two!" Angela interjected, "I'm sorry, Dalston. Please don't mind Randall. We were just going, anyway." Solana nodded to confirm this from her position under her brother's arm. The four then made their way to the Forest Edge.

"Here we are!" Randall grinned, "Within this forest lies the object of today's enterprise: the ancient Norwell wall!"

"Yes, yes, we know." Hershel nodded, "We live here too, remember?" Solana giggled at her brother's joke, briefly forgetting her fear and smiled.

"Good grief!" Angela smiled, "Spare us the melodrama, Randy. Everyone in Stansbury knows that."

"Cripes, you three." Randall said, "You have no soul. You have to build the mood on these trips! Motivate the troops, so to speak."

"Ran," Solana said, "I'm speaking for all of us when I say that dramatics come naturally when someone's even around you and is not required any longer with us. It just happens." Randall shook his head.

"Now, let's proceed. With enthusiasm, please!" Randall smiled. The foursome approached the gate to enter, Hershel trying to open it.

"Ack, we're out of luck." Hershel frowned, "The gate's locked." Angela, who had taken over Hershel's job of keeping an arm around Solana, comented,

"That's probably to keep out shady types like Randy." Solana giggled at that, her fear melting away slowly. "What are we going to do?" Angela asked.

"Worry not, my friends!" Randall proclaimed, "You have only to look closely to see that this gate is locked by a puzzle. Solve it and you're through!" Randall crouched in front of the gate and showed the group. The lock was made of nine tiles. To open it, you had to arrange it so all the lines, vertical, horizontal and diagonal, added to the same sum. Randall moved the tiles until all the sides equaled six. "There is no puzzle without a solution." Randall smiled as he solved the puzzle. "Yes! We're in!" He grinned as the gate opened.

"Terrific, Randy!" Angela grinned, "You really did it!"

"Well done." Solana smiled in approval.

"I must say I'm impressed." Hershel remarked, "You have a natural talent for lock picking."

"Hang on a sec. You're making me sound like a common thief now!" Randall protested.

"Well, if the shoe fits!" Solana teased.

"Hee hee hee." Angela smiled, "Come on, let's go!"

The four soon arrived at the Signpost.

"The Norwell wall is just up this path." Randall explained

"It is a bit dark, isn't it?" Hershel asked.

"Randy, do you really think it's a good idea to be going into the forest at this time?" Angela asked worridly, her arm still around the once again scared Solana.

Thank you, Hershel! Solana thought sarcastically.

"It'll be fine." Randall smiled, "We can just follow the path for the tourists. See, there's even a helpful sign there!"

"Mmm, that sign looks as if it's seen better days..." Hershel noted.

"Golly, you weren't kidding!" Randall exclaimed, "This sign is in a really sorry state."

"I'd be amazed if tourists could find the place at all!" Angela stated.

"Let's try to fix the sign for the next lot that come by." Hershel suggested, "Hmm, how does this go then?"

"Wait!" Solana cried before the group could begin working on the sign. The trio stared at her. "Let me do this." Solana smiled.

"Are you sure?" Hershel asked. Solana nodded,

"Yep! I can solve a puzzle like this in a snap!" To prove her point, she snapped her fingers. Seeing his sister acting normal and not scared, Hershel nodded,

"Alright. This one's yours."

"Yes!" Solana grinned before she turned and studied the sign. The pieces had fallen off but she remembered what it was supposed to look like. Carefully, she removed each piece and returned it to it's correct spot until the sign showed a pointing hand. She thought about it for a minute, thinking, I think I got it. She then turned to her friends. "Did you think that tiny puzzle could stump me?" She smirked before proclaiming, "It's fixed!"

"Well done." Randall smiled.

"I wonder why it was on the ground like that, though." Hershel remarked, "It didn't look so old that it would fall apart spontaneously."

"Well, erm..." Randall said.

"Randall..." Solana said in a warning tone.

"I might have brushed past it last time I was here..." Randall confessed sheepishly.

"Honestly, Randy!" Angela cried, "Couldn't you have put it back together at the time?" Randall didn't answer and the four continued on, reaching the Winding Path.

"Wait...what's that?" Randall asked.

"Hold on! Where are you going?" Hershel cried.

"Randy, it's dark! Watch you don't trip!" Angela added.

"Don't wander off and leave us!" Solana finished.

"Just look at the ground." Randall said, "There are footprints everywhere!"

"Whoa, I can't even make out how many sets there are!" Hershel said.

"We should stay on our toes." Randall advised, "Whoever these tracks belong to might be up to no good."

"Randall..." Solana whispered, looking down at the ground as part of her fear returned.

"Stop trying to make it sound sinister, Randy." Angela scolded, "Surely they were just made by a group of tourists."

"Maybe. Or maybe not!" Randall smiled, "On one of my other great expeditions, I remember seeing some mysterious footprints by a bridge. You should always stop to find out how many potential villainous foes you're dealing with. Hersh, work out how I did it back then!" Hershel looked over the puzzle carefully. There were several muddy footprints but...only two type crossed the bridge. Hershel smiled,

"2." Randall smiled as he got the answer right. "Puzzles can be quite fun." Hershel remarked.

"See, you may feign disinterest, but you're actually pretty decent at solving puzzles." Randall smirked.

"I'm not really...it was just luck." Hershel disagreed.

"You could make a career out of this, you know." Solana remarked thoughtfully.

"See, even your sister agrees with me!" Randall grinned triumphantly.

"I'm sorry, Hershel." Angela said, "I'm afraid Randy has puzzles on the brain."

"What's wrong with that?" Randall said, "The world is full of puzzles just asking to be solved! And the next one: the Norwell wall!" With that, the four friends went to the wall.

"There it is..." Randall said.

"The wall of Norwell." Hershel finished.

"What does it all mean, Randall?" Angela asked. They all stared up at the mysterious wall. Solana couldn't deny that she was curious as well, she had been since she first saw it when she was only 7.

"I don't have it all quite worked out yet." Randall admitted as Hershel touched the wall. "But I have decoded some of the glyphs and I'm certain this entire wall is one big map!"

"A map?" Solana gasped.

"Have a look, Hershel." Randall suggested, "Tell me you see it."

"A map to where?" Hershel asked.

"That's the question, isn't it?" Solana muttered from her place beside Angela.

"But the greater question is, Hershel..." Randall continued from where Solana left off, "Do you like puzzles?"

"Randall, if you're right about this, it's a radical step forward for archaeology." Hershel stated.

"And yet the pattern's pretty obvious once you spot it!" Randall smiled, "Oh, now I think of it, maybe it's easier if you look at this."

"What is it?" Hershel asked.

"It's a transcription of one section of the symbols." Randall explained, "Look closely, Hersh. Where have you seen a pattern like that recently?"

"I've seen something like this before?" Hershel asked, "Hmm...Oh, the fossil Mr. Collins had us reconstruct! That's what you're talking about, isn't it?

"Precisely!" Randall grinned, "It's the same basic principle: cut your model into squares and meddle them up. Bingo, you have a puzzle! It's so simple that none of the experts even thought to try!"

"Incredible...that's incredible, Randall." Hershel smiled.

"Amazing..." Solana whispered.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Randall grinned, "Just wait until you solve the puzzle!"

"Why, what's going to happen?" Hershel asked.

"Now, now. You'll see when you've cracked it!" Randall promised. Hershel nodded and turned to Randall's puzzle. It was simple really, a sliding puzzle that Hershel solved in three moves.

"Puzzles can be quite fun." Hershel remarked as Randall grinned at his solving it.

"Excellent, Hersh!" Randall grinned, "You're not my best friend for nothing! The point is that this whole wall is one giant map, pointing to a particular spot!"

"Really? It doesn't look detailed enough to be useful as a map." Hershel remarked.

"Care to explain, Ran?" Solana requested with a smile.

"Don't you see? The map underneath the star chart exactly matches the terrain beyond the hills." Randall explained, "I followed this map over the hills, all the way to its destination, and dug. And that, my fellow adventurers, is where I found the mask!"

"You dug it up?" Angela asked, "Does that mean you went off to some remote place on your own, Randy? You promised you wouldn't do anything dangerous!" Solana gasped,

"You...broke a promise...?" She joined Angela in glaring at the bespeckled boy.

"Don't be cross, Angie, Sol." Randall said, "Have a look at this." He showed them a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Hershel asked.

"I copied this out of Rutledge's 'Ancient Histories'." Randall explained, "Look, the symbol on the mask is exactly the same as in the book. This has to be it, the Mask of Chaos! It's a shame I couldn't find its twin, the other mask that Rutledge wrote about, but..."

"Are you sure you're not getting carried away?" Hershel asked, "The symbol could be a coincidence..."

"Perhaps, but that's not all!" Randall said, "The box holding the mask also contained a stone tablet. And that tablet offered it's own amazing revelation."

"Another revelation? This is getting a bit much..." Hershel commented.

"Yes, indeed." Angela agreed while Solana remained silent, glaring at Randall.

"Honestly, this is the best part." Randall explained, "The mask is more than a priceless artefact. It's also a key!"

"To what?" Solana asked, her curiousity getting the better of her and her glare dropped.

"It's the key that will guide us to the treasure of the ancients!" Randall answered

"What, that again?" Angela said, "You really believe this incredible treasure trove has been lying around for centuries?"

"Oh, absolutley!" Randall smiled, "Having studied the mask, I'm quite convinced. This artefact belongs to a civilization far, far more ancient that anything in recorded history. Not only that, but I believe these people possessed knowlede and technology far greater than our own. The treasure we're looking for is not just some precious trinket. It's the legacy of an entire civilization! Here look at this." Randall again showed his friends a piece of paper. "This is the secret cipher that was written on the tablet." He explained, "The cipher I've cracked. The ancient people used it to leave messages for posterity. If you know the cipher, it's clear that these engravings on the inside of the mask are also a map! And where does it lead? A legendary place that has eluded explorers and archaeologists-fabled Akbadain!"

"Akbadain?" Angela repeated.

"I thought that was a myth." Solana commented, "Then again, I thought the same of the mask."

"We have to go, Hershel!" Randall said, "You have to come with me to Akbadain!"

"No!" Angela cried, "You can't! It's too dangerous! I won't let you go, Randy."

"And I won't let Hershel go." Solana stated firmly.

"Oh, you won't let us?" Randall asked, "Just how do you plan to stop us? We still have free will, don't we?"

"Randy, you complete...clod!" Angela cried, "You are so self-centered! Some times I don't even...I've had enough!" With that being said, Angela grabbed the mask and took off, Solana not far behind her as they ran to try and save the boy they cared for.

The girls ended up at Memory Knoll, sitting on the hill, staring at the Mask of Chaos. Solana was biting her lip as both girls cried. Somehow, Solana found herself drawing the mask in her sketchbook. She finished just as Randall cried,

"Angela!" The boys ran up to stand behind the girls, Randall closer than Hershel only because Angela was his girlfriend and Hershel knew Solana had run off to support Angela, who was her best friend. "Angela, come on, now..." Randall coaxed, "Give me the mask. You're acting like a-" Randall cut himself off as he saw the two girls' tears. Hershel, feeling responsible, sat beside Solana and hugged her as she cried into his shoulder. Randall, too, sat down, though he was beside Angela. "There now, there's no need to cry." He said, "Everything will be fine. Just trust me." Angela looked at Randall who smiled at her but she turned away and said,

"You sound just like my brother before he left." As he tears landed on the mask, she continued, "And he never came back, Randall!" Feeling sorry for her friend, Solana pulled away from her brother and hugged Angela, her tears soaking into the older girl's shirt.

"I know I said I wouldn't do anything dangerous, but...I need that mask, Angela." Randall said, "I'm sorry about what happened to your brother, but I'm not him."

"Randall, can we just drop this for now?" Hershel asked, concerned about both Angela and Solana, who were both slowly calming down from their crying.

"No, Hershel, we can't!" Randall insisted, "Look, Angela, I know this is hard for you but please-"

"Please what?!" Angela demanded, "Please let you go and endanger yourself while I just sit here and wait for you to never come back?!"

"I will come back. I promise." Randall swore. Solana gasped.

"Promise..." She whispered, her hand over her heart.

"I have to do this, Angela." Randall insisted, "I can't just live in my father's shadow my entire life. I need this, and I need your help to do it."

"Randall..." Angela whispered. Suddenly, a voice said,

"It's alright, Ms. Angela." The four turned to see none other than Henry Ledore. "Master Randall will return. I know it." He insisted.

"Oh, Henry!" Angela gasped, "You startled me. I didn't know you were there."

"You needn't worry, Ms. Angela or you, Ms. Solana." Henry said, "Master Randall said this would be his last expedition. Isn't that right?"

"...Yes?" Randall said, sounding confused.

"Did you really say that, Randall?" Angela asked.

"Uh...of course!" Randall confirmed, "This will be my last, and greatest, trip into the ruins. Angela, please."

"Alright." Angela agreed, "As long as you promise not to do anything dangerous...or stupid."

"What's the difference with Randall?" Solana joked, getting laughs from Hershel and Angela, the slightest chuckle from Henry and a small playful glare from Randall.

"Nothing dangerous!" Randall swore, "And Hershel here will make sure I don't do anything stupid!"

"So, the usual?" Solana smirked, getting an eager nod from Randall and laughs from her brother and best friend.

"I...I need to go home. I'm exhausted." Angela said, "Please, be careful."

"Always!" Randall promised, "Henry, would you mind escorting Angela home?"

"Not at all." Henry smiled.

"Will you take Sol home too please Henry?" Hershel asked, noticing the way Solana was swaying where she stood.

"Of course." Henry nodded and with Angela's help, the two got the tired young blonde home.

"Please be careful." Were Solana's last words to Hershel and Randall that night.

Well, there's the chapter. What do you guys think? Please everyone who reads, will you also review? I love this story and I love Solana, I just hope others do as well. And Solana's only childhood, puzzle solved phrase is revealed as is her, is this correct phrase, which is her thoughts. Review and I'll update again soon! Later.