Sorry for the wait. I was away on a missions trip. Hope this fluffy little chapter makes up for it (and for the lack of fluff in the previous chapter).

Once again, this is a kinda long chapter, so... I hope you don't fall asleep in the middle of it. XD

The dining room was a buzz of chatter that night, with Luke recounting the day to his parents, the men reliving their younger days, and the women becoming better acquainted. Emmy was offered a room, which she accepted, of course, Luke almost died laughing at his father and mentor's escapades, and Clark was fascinated with the story of the Bronze Stallion. Overall, everyone was having a marvelous time.

During a short pause, however, Emmy noticed something. In all the excitement, the seat beside her had remained absolutely silent. "Flora," she checked, "are you alright? You've been awfully quiet."

She looked up from her fork, which was in the middle of turning over an unappetizing piece of chicken for the hundredth time, and was met by too many pairs of curious eyes. Cowering, she faced Emmy, shrugging, a blush creeping across her face. "I'm okay," she answered. "I'm just... not hungry."

Emmy's concerned look melted instantaneously, spreading into uncontrollable joy. She turned back to the table, biting her lip to keep from giggling. As she looked at the others, however, she realized that they were no longer curious about Flora. Instead, they stared intently at her, obviously expecting elaboration. She simply smiled, and proceeded to finish her food, leaving the crowd in suspense.

As conversation rose again, slowly burying the previous subject, she kept a watchful eye on the girl at her side.

After the meal had been finished and the dishes cleaned, the group retired to the sitting room to recap their investigation so far.

"So, Professor," Luke began, "what do you think the Bronze Stallion is?"

"I can honestly say that I don't know," he admitted, accepting a much needed cup of tea from their hostess.

"It seems almost unbelievable," Emmy joined in, "how such an incredible mystery could be kept secret for so long."

Luke piped up again, leaning forward excitedly. "Do you really think the Bronze Stallion has some sort of power, Professor?"

Closing his eyes, the man sipped his tea, thinking of a proper answer. As the porcelain clinked against its saucer, he answered simply, "I can't be sure."

The boy nodded once, plopping back into the seat. The answer was, of course, just what he had predicted, but he had hoped for something more satisfactory.

"However," Layton continued, causing Luke's hope to flicker once again, "it would seem we have another lead. I believe it would be wise to investigate the cave wall for ourselves."

A thrilling chill swept over Luke and Emmy, and even the distracted Flora. Whether they were excited or terrified, they couldn't tell, but the meeting was rushed to an end, all participants heading off to rest before the big day.

Dear diary,

So much happened today, and I met so many people, I just don't know where to start.

I guess I'll just start with Emmy. I guess she used to be Professor's assistant. (I have no idea why he and Luke never told me about her, but, then again, I'm really not surprised.) Anyway, it was really awkward when we met, but I think I like her. We got to talk a little after a fell in the ocean (I won't talk about that too much), and I think we get along pretty well. It'll be nice to have another girl around.

I also got to meet Luke's friends, Lilly and Owen. Lilly seems nice-maybe a little hyper. Owen, on the other hand-

A flash of light suddenly caught Flora's eye, and she quickly turned to the window, startled, a gust of dread sweeping up within her. Soon came a low rumble, beginning quietly, then ending a loud boom. The girl jumped, closing the journal quickly as she curled her legs beneath her on the bed, her short nightgown clinging tightly to her legs. Huddling into the pillows, she clutched her little book close, closing the pen as she gripped it firmly.

The rumbling came again, even louder than last time, and, through the curtains, she caught a glimpse of the violet-streaked sky. Rain began pounding against the window, demanding to be let in. Her wandering thoughts, which she had hoped to bring to clarity on paper, were now frozen in fear.

Again, the boom echoed in the wind, resounding like the fire of a cannon. Another light flashed, and the lamp's glow followed its pattern, then disappeared. Flora sat in the dark, her heart racing, tears forming in her eyes.

Professor...

He would probably be asleep by now, or perhaps he was still talking with Clark. Either way, she didn't want to disturb him. A sudden clap changed her mind, and, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found her escape route. It wasn't that far. She would be okay. She had to go to him.

Just as she was about to make a run for it, a light tapping came on the door, unhesitatingly followed by its swift opening and closing. The lightening flickered, revealing the figure that had entered, standing rigidly against the wall.

Flora stared in surprise. "Emmy?"

The young woman stared right back, her lips pursed. She stole a quick glance out the window-all was quiet-and then moved towards Flora.

"I just wanted to come in and check on you," she smiled, resuming her characteristic confidence. "Are you okay?"

Her eyes still wide, she loosed her grip on the little book. "Yeah," she whispered. "I'm... I'm okay."

Emmy nodded, smiling.

Just then, another heavenly shot was fired. Flora squealed, curling into a ball on the pillows like an armadillo. Emmy sprang onto the mattress, taking cover from whatever danger she thought she was in. The reverberation continued for a few moments, and then faded into the blackness, leaving the two girls alone, the drops against the glass as their only companions.

After a few moments, Flora untucked her head, Emmy lifted hers, and their eyes met in the flash of the lightning.

"Can I..." Emmy looked sheepishly at Flora, feeling rather foolish, "Can I stay with you?"

Flora nodded her head, perhaps a bit too eagerly, and placed the diary and pen on the adjacent nightstand. Emmy sat up, then crawled to the head of the bed, sinking into the pillows beside Flora. Another bolt flashed, and the two pairs of eyes widened again. Another booming came, and Emmy pulled her legs in close. The deep echoes were tailed by an even deeper silence.

At last, Emmy couldn't stand it anymore. "So," she started tentatively, hoping to distract herself, "you're scared of thunder storms?"

The girl nodded. "Are you?"

"Yeah," she confessed. "I'm not as fearless as I seem. Actually," she smiled, "I'm super freaked out."

Flora chuckled a little. "Me too," she said softly. "I'm kind of scared of a lot of things. I was going to go see the Professor, but... I'm glad you came instead."

Emmy looked surprised. "Really? Why?"

"I don't know," she answered shyly. "I guess I'm just glad there's a girl for me to talk to."

The comment touched Emmy, and she barely noticed the next thunder clap as it filled the night sky. "Aw," she said. "Me too." Hugging her knees, left uncovered by the black shorts she was wearing, she scooted a bit closer to her new friend. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Her voice had some underlying plot hidden within it-the kind that only girls having a sleep-over can understand.

Flora, however, had never really had a sleep-over, and did not read the message. Fortunately, she didn't have to, for her mind was treading through the same vicinity as Emmy's. "I don't know," she grinned. If the lighting had not tainted the scene, Emmy would have seen the bright pink appearing on the young girl's cheek.

She didn't need to see it, however, to know what would be the subject of the evening. "Alright, then," she sighed. "I'll start." There was a dreadfully girlish sound to these words, and Flora found herself wishing that she had started the conversation. Emmy smirked, then began. "I'm curious; what's between you and Luke?"

"Luke?!" Just as Emmy had hoped, the question had caught the girl off-guard. "We're just friends," she assured, her nose crinkling at the notion of anything else. "He's sort of like a brother, really."

Emmy's smile only widened. "Alright, alright. What about... Professor?"

A rapid head shake, as well as two very shocked eyes, answered before her mouth could.

"Okay, okay," Emmy laughed. "I figured." She had now primed the girl for the final question-the one she was sure would be successful. "How about... Owen?"

At the perfect moment, the lightning flashed, unveiling the very, very pink face of a cornered rabbit. "I-I," the poor thing stuttered, the hunter looking on triumphantly. "I... I don't know. I mean... he's nice and all, but..."

Inside the fragile heart, a battle raged. In all honesty, she wasn't sure what she thought, felt, or knew anymore. She couldn't eat, couldn't focus, couldn't think about anything else, and, frankly, she didn't know what to do with it all. Having been locked away from all mankind for the majority of her life, these feelings were new and exotic. If she wasn't sure, should she really talk to anyone else about it? At the same time, however, it may be prudent to seek a guide when entering unfamiliar territory...

"I... Can you keep a secret?" Emmy nodded. "Alright," Flora gave in with a sigh. "I... I think I might be..." The older woman waited eagerly for her to finish, biting her lip anxiously. "...I think I might be... in love." From all the books she had read, this was the best way she could describe it.

The description was more than enough for Emmy, who instantly broke out into a girlish squeal. "Aww! That's so sweet," she choked, an excited lump rising in her throat. "I knew it!"

Flora's pink face paled suddenly. "You... knew?"

"Oh, don't worry," she assured, understanding the girl's concern. "I'm sure no one else can. I just happened to notice how cute you two were, that's all."

Something in Flora wanted to keep talking about Owen, but most of her was too embarrassed, and longed to change the subject. "So," she started, looking intently into Emmy's eyes, "what about you?"

Now Emmy was caught off-guard. "Me? What about me?"

"You know," Flora urged. "Are you in love with someone?"

"Erm..." Cheeks burning, stomach churning, mind spinning, Emmy carefully contemplated the situation. Flora had just entrusted her with her heart, so, naturally, she should do the same for her. At the same time, however, she wasn't sure how much she could tell her. As she looked at the hopeful young face, her mind traveled back to her days as a young girl, wanting nothing more than for her friends to trust her, to let her trust them.

"Alright," she consented, "but you can't tell anyone."

...Yeah, I'm just gonna leave y'all in suspense. XD

Okay... If it's not obvious yet, I'm just gonna let you know that I'm kinda a romantic. So, I hope it doesn't distract from the plot.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and for all the reviews, follows, etc. so far. You guys are awesome!

God bless!

-LittleBrotherSocket