Warning! There are two puzzles in this chapter so put your thinking caps on. (It's easy, I swear!) Just a fair warning. Onward to Chapter 10!

Chapter 10 – Not the Right Time

"Toshiro!" Gracie shouted as she ran to where Toshiro landed. The cat slowly stood up and groaned. "Are you alright?" Gracie asked.

"Nya! Meow Mreow! (I am! But Luke's not!)" Toshiro meowed.

Gracie was able to understand him due to her cat ears. "Where is he?!" she asked.

"Meooow Meow! (He was kidnapped!)" Toshiro answered. "Mreow! (We need to find the Professor!)"

"Right!"Gracie said and picked Toshiro up, off to find the top-hatted man.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

'Two detectives went missing after trying to solve a mystery. It was known that they were also on the case of a notorious criminal who died in a fire…'

Layton turned off the television and sighed. It has been nearly a month after the accident. He refused to solve mysteries for a while and decided to focus on his teaching career. He was 'taking a break' as others would say.

But he guessed that break would be over soon. He had received a letter from Luke a few days ago. He picked it up and read it again:

'Dear Professor Layton,

How have you been? It's been months since we last saw each other. Guess what? I solved my first mystery here at school! But I guess a bullied kid would try to frame a bully. It's funny how it reminded me of a puzzle you told me. Anyway, that aside, guess what again, Professor? I'm going back to London. Well, Dad has been thinking and decided to live back at Misthallery. Isn't that great? I'll be seeing you soon!

Your apprentice and friend,

Luke Triton'

Layton sighed and thought…'A true gentleman never takes another life…Can I still call myself a true gentleman in front of Luke?'

Layton jolted awake, his hands wet. Wait...wet? He found himself waking up on a bench near the fountain. He looked around him. Didn't he fell asleep under a tree? Had he sleep-walked last night? He shook his head and stood up. He noticed that it was already morning. "Luke might be worried sick by now." He told himself and decided to head back to the inn.

To his surprise, Luke wasn't there. No note or puzzle left by his blue-hatted apprentice to tell him where he went. Layton felt uneasy. Luke wouldn't leave without a sign telling where he went or where to meet up.

He went out of their room and to the counter. "Have you seen a boy with a blue hat leave here?" Layton asked the receptionist.

"I can't say I have. I would have seen him if he left just this morning but he must have left at night since…I fell asleep." The lady replied and laughed weakly.

"Thank you for the information." Layton said and faked a smile. Inside, he was worried for his apprentice's sake. He left the hotel and headed back to the fountain. As soon as he arrived, a card was thrown at him and stuck on the ground. He picked it up and read it:

"If you want to see your little apprentice before he fully turns into a cat, you have to solve the puzzles that lay before your path. Behind this card is the first puzzle you need to solve. A map to where he is, it holds.

~Masked Kaito Kid"

Layton almost dropped the card. Not only Luke was kidnapped…but he had just read the name of someone he has been trying to forget. "Kaito Kid…"he muttered under his breath. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard someone calling for him.

"Professor!" Gracie shouted, running towards Layton while carrying Toshiro.

"Gracie?" Layton said as he saw a girl with red hair and white cat ears and tail, carrying an orange cat with an orange, white-tipped tail.

"Professor! Luke has been kidnapped!" Gracie shouted and almost tripped. Luckily, Layton was near enough to catch her. Toshiro was able to jump out of Gracie's arms in time and landed gracefully on the ground.

"I know, Gracie." Layton said, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his eyes. He noticed the girl seemed exhausted.

"Meow!" Toshiro meowed, then realized the Professor won't understand him now.

Layton looked at the cat and noticed the necklace. "Toshiro?" he said. The cat nodded.

"Toshiro turned into a cat last night." Gracie explained and yawned.

"You're tired, Gracie. I'll drop you off at the inn before we go search for Luke." Layton said as he half-carried, half-lead Gracie; Toshiro walking beside them. Layton put the card in a pocket inside his coat.

After getting back to Layton and Luke's room, Layton put Gracie on a bed. "Rest well." Layton said. Before he left, he heard Gracie mutter, "Take care…" He nodded and left the room with Toshiro.

When they got out of the inn, Layton took out the card and checked the back. Indeed, there was a puzzle.

"Start at the bottom, nothing's at the top.

USE your mind, be quick and go one line down.

If you want to see Luke, solve the puzzles I've placed around town

You ARE on the right track, go a line up from where you had start

Remove the W from WHO, then go to the underlined part

Put a W and go two lines up"

Layton read and re-read the puzzle but seemed to be thinking hard. 'Calm yourself down. You won't be helpful if you fret too much.' He told himself and started to read again the puzzle slowly.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lizzy was again dressed as the Masked Kaito Kid, standing on top of a roof. She watched the Professor try to solve the puzzle but it seems he's going to take some time. She smirked, enjoying the sight of Layton unhinged from her recent move. "I have placed my queen into action…Is it checkmate? Or will you come out with a hidden move…?" She said as she saw a face of recognition on the Professor's face whenever he figures the answer to a puzzle.

"Let the games begin now…Layton." She muttered as she left the scene unnoticed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

As soon as Layton found out the answer, the puzzle morphed into a miniature map. There was a path already traced on it, passing through three flags before it stops on a fourth flag with a blue cap. It appeared as if by magic. "Let's go, Toshiro." Layton said and ran, following the directions on the map.

The cat nodded and ran beside the Professor. Soon, the alley they need to pass through was just in front of them when a wall rose up from the ground. Toshiro growled, irritated by the new obstacle in their path. On the wall was another puzzle.

"To remove this wall, you have to solve this puzzle. It goes in a sequence of ABCD. Find where the sequence ends and it passes all of the buttons. You can only start at the letter A. Oh, and you can't go over a button twice. Tick, Tock Professor."

'This is not the right time for puzzles…' Layton thought but had no choice. He still has to solve three more puzzles before he can reach him. 'You have to wait for a little while, Luke. This might take a while…'

Isn't it funny the Professor thinks this is not the right time for puzzles but every time a huge event happens in the games, he thinks up of one? Sorry if characters seem OOC (like a too worried Layton *sweatdrop*) Stay tuned for Chapter 11! And remember, Reviews are loved and criticism is adored X3