Chapter Seven: Gale's Family

The person dragged me away from the man against my struggling then growled, "Stop with the scratching! It's just me!"

He let go and I immediately elbowed him, making the person grunt, and jumped away. I turned and realized it was Gale.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you guys since I left so suddenly the other day," he answered. "Now what the heck were you doing? What is this suspicious note?"

Gale held up the wrinkled letter. I checked my pockets realizing I must have dropped it that time I was putting it back in my pocket.

"I dunno," I shrugged. "I decided to follow it. I mean, I only gave my name to you, the mayor's wife, and the people you forced to take care of me. I just wondered why this guy knew my name."

"Well, don't just casually walk up to him and throw off his hat and stuff!" Gale exclaimed. "You shouldn't trust anyone on this island! They're all crazy! And you did well to tell your name only to the mayor's wife. The mayor is also crazy!"

"But the guy with the hat was on the ship with us. He's also a visitor," I pointed out.

Gale blinked in surprise and seemed to calm back down. "Oh, then who the heck is that guy?"

We peeked back at the guy. He had already awakened and had his hat back on. After a glance around, he grumbled and leaned back on the wall.

"Should've put a specific time on that dang paper," he sighed.

"I have no idea who the guy is," I said.

"Well, let's just leave him there. I don't think you wanna trust such a shady-looking guy," Gale said. "Oh, by the way, it's probably about time I explain the legend to you!"

"Wow, no, we already know about it. The mayor sent us to Tony to hear about it," I said. "He then sent us to find you but we couldn't find you anywhere! Where were you?"

Gale suddenly looked away. "Well, obviously I was at my family's house."

This unexpectedly built an awkward silence. He rubbed his arm then began walking back to the front of the hotel. I followed him back inside to see Professor Layton was gone. The manager welcomed us in.

"I guess they are back upstairs," I said. "So do you want to join our group?"

"I think that would make a lot of people misunderstand that brainiac," Gale smirked. "But I'll be around to help. I'm usually around Round Autumn Way with Tony."

"Oh yeah. He says you usually go there to escape your family," I remarked. "I really am curious what the deal is with you and your family but I feel as though I'll have to tell you about my private matters if you tell yours so please don't tell me."

Gale gave me a look of exasperation. "You're some kind of idiocy. Somehow, it pisses me off to the point where I want to tell you."

I almost sneered at him but caught myself just in time. Instead, I just stared blankly at him pretending I didn't understand what he meant. I promised myself the moment I realized I was in the game that I wouldn't let my nasty side appear.

We then heard Professor Layton walking down the stairs.

"Hello," Gale greeted. "I was wondering…do you sleep with the top hat still on?"

I knew it was a rude question and I would've hit him for any other question, but suddenly I became curious as well and eyed Professor Layton with him.

"I must admit I do forget to take it off at times but once I'm in the bed I remember to take it off," he said.

I clasped my hands together. Professor is so truthful! While I was admiring him, I suddenly felt a gaze on me. I turned and saw Gale giving me a look like I was a freak. I bit my lip and turned away.

Professor Layton said, "Where did you go off to this morning, Lavender? I didn't even see you leave."

"Huh? I was just walking around the hotel," I answered.

Suddenly Gale looked down at his pocket, checking his phone. I realized it was on vibrate and someone was calling him, but he only closed his phone again and put it in his pocket. Professor Layton and I looked at him questioningly, but he didn't notice.

"So I hear you guys now already know about the Fire God and the book it seems to be based on, The Legend of the Fire God. Really, it's so obvious," Gale laughed as he sat down on a couch. We also sat down.

"And as you may have noticed with a talk from Tony, I visit this island quite often so I'm practically an islander myself except for the fact that I'm not crazy. I can help answer some of your questions. First of all, I don't think the Fire God is real so no matter how hard you look you won't figure out why this island needs punishment," Gale said.

Professor Layton said, "No, it's okay. I don't want to cut your time short with your family just because you spent the time helping us."

"It's totally fine. It's only my mom back at home and she's always busy," he said.

"Really? What does she do?" I asked.

Gale huffed, "Like I care."

Professor Layton crossed his arms, a look of thoughtfulness crossing his face.

I quizzed, "Do you have a father? Siblings?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't really see him much, but I don't have siblings," Gale answered becoming uncomfortable again.

I glanced at Professor but he didn't return the glance. Gale narrowed his eyes at us, noticing my fleeting look. Well, a gentleman or lady wouldn't want to pry too much into someone's private matters so that was as far as I went.

"What do you think is the reason for the people's eyes going on fire randomly?" Gale asked.

"I can't say, but I'm sure it's not a Fire God," I huffed. "And why are you the one asking the questions? We're visitors of the island so we wouldn't know as much."

"I'm a visitor too. And what? Were you going to ask questions?" Gale scoffed back.

"Tch, what's wrong with that?" I demanded feeling offended, but just when I thought Gale would spit something back, he felt his phone vibrating again. "Why don't you answer that? What if it's your family?"

His eye twitched. Professor Layton put a firm hand on my shoulder reminding me to control my temper. But Gale is just so bitter! What's his problem? Still I felt ashamed that I showed a little of my angry side to Professor Layton. Back at home, I would avoid my sister so I wouldn't lose my temper often. Even at school where I don't talk to anybody, it's so I didn't have to deal with annoying people.

Gale took out his phone giving me a glare before harshly answering the call. "Who is this? What?!"

The voice in the phone sounded pretty urgent and by the look on Gale's face we knew something serious was going on. He closed the phone once the phone call was over and jammed it into his pocket.

"I gotta go!" he said, sounding panicked but no longer angry.

He put on a cap that he pulled out from his bag and looked down. Just as he reached the hotel doors, they burst open knocking him to the side. The open doors revealed Rowan, his stern face more stern than ever. From falling to the ground, Gale's cap was knocked off. He scrambled over to it and hurriedly put it on just as Rowan turned to him and gave a quick, meaningless 'I apologize'.

"What the heck?" I mumbled because much to my shock, instead of bashing back at the mayor, he just nodded quickly with his cap slightly covering his eyes and ran out.

Once he was out the doors, Rowan entered the hotel and said, "Ah, Hershel! I came here because I've been looking everywhere for my son! The scoundrel is always running off doing other things whenever he visits Fearrsberry instead of staying home like a proper gentleman."

"Visits…?" Then everything hit me.

I huffed in contempt, "Well, no one has come here! The only people here are the manager, the couple next door, and Professor Layton."

Rowan gave me the same look of contempt and said, "Don't you think you're smart, little one? Well, my son is quite nimble so he could've snuck in here although I don't see why he'd come here with you lot of children here."

Before I could say anything else, Professor Layton said, "Shall I assist you in finding him?"

"Yes, of course! Thank you, my dear friend," Rowan said. "I will also be searching. I'll call you if I find him and if you find him then please bring him to my house. If he tries resisting then just call me and tell me your location."

He was about to leave then stopped abruptly and said, "Right! His name is Gale! He has dark brown hair like my wife's although you haven't met her yet. Ah never mind, I'm sure you can figure it out."

Rowan hurried out the hotel. Before Professor Layton left, I tugged on the back of his shirt. He turned to me questioningly.

"Why are you helping him?" I asked.

Professor Layton replied, "I regret the way he refers to Gale, but he may need something important from Gale otherwise he wouldn't be looking for him."

I pursed my lips and frowned.

Professor Layton put both of his hands on my shoulders and got down to eye-level. "As a gentleman, I cannot refuse a friend in need. With the 'fires' Gale should also be there to help take care of his family. Gale must take some responsibilities as the mayor's son."

He looked up then straightened up. I turned and saw Luke and Flora walking down the stairs.

Professor Layton said, "Luke, Flora, you're both awake."

Luke yawned. "Boy, I had a nice rest!"

Flora glanced at me then looked down. She must've still been sad from our conversation last night. I felt guilty for making last night more serious than it should have been but I really didn't want any of these people to dislike me. Professor Layton has already seen enough of my other side.

Professor Layton said, "We are going to look for Gale. The mayor came to see us and has asked us to find him."

"Why?" Luke asked.

"Gale just happens to be the mayor's son," I replied, feelings of contempt coming over me just thinking of the mayor.

Luke and Flora gasped in shock.

"No time for that. We must be going if we want to catch up with him," Professor Layton said.

Before he left, I bit my lip then shouted, "I'm going to look for him on my own!"

They all looked at me confused and surprised.

I continued, "We may be able to find him easier this way."

"But this island is kinda dangerous, Lavender!" Luke exclaimed.

The manager looked at us curiously since such delightful people were actually having a dispute with each other.

"And you may get lost," Flora added. "You don't have anything that you can contact us with so stay with us! Friends stick together after all."

She said the last part quite shyly. I looked to Professor Layton.

"I want to find him too but just alone," I said to him.

Professor Layton looked at me for a while and I was afraid he was going to try to talk me into staying with the group but surprisingly he conceded with a dip of his head. I smiled happily at him and dashed out of the hotel before them.