NOTICE: From here on out, there will be spoilers for Unwound/Lost Future. You've been warned. =)
Chapter 010 – Searching
Magus Professor Layton stared down at the page before him in shock. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Those muggles, what in the world had they been thinking?
He set the notebook down unceremoniously on the desk and stared blankly out the window before him. Their mission to the University the day prior having miraculously been a success, Layton, Luke, and Flora had now turned their attentions to searching for explanations for their current locational predicament.
His own search had led the professor to finding his counterpart's personal and investigative journal. The same was now lying open on the desk top where it had been dropped a moment before. The page on top contained an entry from a recent adventure.
Layton's mind swam with the implications of his other-self's notes. Though they carried a sense of uncertainty about the reality of the events described, the basic apparent facts were all laid out for consideration.
A letter from the future? A mysterious clock shop. An entirely changed city in the blink of an eye. All starting around the event of a demonstration gone horribly wrong.
Time travel! The muggles in this universe had been experimenting with time travel. The very thought made him feel a little sick.
Moving through time in the magical universe was dangerous enough as it was, but at least they already had reliable technology like Time-Turners. The thought of attempting the same feat through muggle science and mechanics... honestly, it disturbed and worried him.
Glancing again at the journal, Hershel re-confirmed the entry date. This happened recently, or at least the parts not ten years in the future did, anyway. Did that even make sense? He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration at his other self.
Time travel in any form was risky enough. Doing so haphazardly with such unproven and highly questionable equipment was just asking for trouble. And here his counterpart had apparently let himself get dragged into the whole mess.
From his understanding of the universe at a scientific level, space and time were inextricably linked. And if that 'space' contained parallel worlds...
Layton let his posture slump and stared at the journal in disdain. Was this the reason? Had all the muddling with time in this universe messed with the spatial dimensions as well?
A sinking feeling was deepening in the professor's chest. The muggle world was dabbling in things it shouldn't. The wizarding world had already mastered time travel, so it had found new territory for its own mistakes. The successor to time travel research was to try to explore the dimensions.
He'd already found the subject to breed nothing but despair, but now he was being thrown back into it thanks to this other world's misguided attempts to break the laws of nature without a guiding force to ease the process.
Hershel unconsciously fingered the brim of his hat as he stared off into space, lost in his thoughts and with eyes filled with an empty sadness.
When he roused finally from his trance, he reached once more for the discarded journal. The professor honestly wished he could just pretend he'd never read what he had, but knew that would change nothing. Determined to find every hint he could about this puzzle he and his companions were trapped in, he returned to his reading.
There must be something more in these handwritten pages, and he would find it.
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In the wizarding world Professor Layton, Flora, and Luke were beginning their own investigation. Unsure of where anything or anyone was in this strange place, it was agreed that their best first step would be to scout for any information they could find. To this end they were preparing for the highly-amusing prospect of going undercover - as themselves. At least no one would question their being here.
The three were now gathered in what was by now obviously identifiable as Layton's alternate's quarters. Luke and Flora were dressed as before in proper school uniform - including sweaters of blue and yellow, respectively, and dark robes.
The professor was dressed in black trousers and an orange tunic - overall very similar to his normal attire - but was staring uncertainly at the counterparts to his usual jacket and hat which he'd yet to don. Not caring particularly for the black-and-blue color scheme, he put on his counterpart's 'coat' - a full-length affair with more decorative elements than he was used to.
Odd as it was to him, he had to admit it was at least comfortable. All that remained now was the replacement for his hat - once again in the theme of black and blue, but with the added touch of a large blue feather tucked into the ribbon in the back. To be honest, he felt rather silly wearing it.
After a fit of giggling from the children, who admitted they actually thought the off-colored ensemble suited him surprisingly well, the trio was ready to set their plan in motion - or at least what currently passed for a plan under the circumstances.
Luke, Flora, and Layton stepped out into the ancient stone hallways. It seemed their timing was right, judging by the large masses of students all congregating in one general direction. Taking care not to get separated, the three allowed themselves to get swallowed up in the flow.
Before long, they found themselves outside the entrance to a room the professor had seen once before - which abundant chattering seemed to indicate was referred to as the 'Great Hall'. Forced now finally to separate and go their own ways, the three vowed to meet up in the halls as soon as the meal was over.
Professor Layton made his way around the outside of the room until he found the back door he'd used before. He was quite worried about how his misplaced group would fare when everyone seemed to know at least one of them - they matched their counterparts in personality, but a lifetime of memories is difficult to fake, especially without a guide.
They were trapped in this world now though, and it seemed their only decent chance of finding a lead - or anything really - to go on would be to ask the other denizens of this reality. With any luck, by the time breakfast was over at least one of them would have something, and none of them would be hauled off to the infirmary over their 'odd behavior'.
Hershel entered the hall and made his way quietly to the staff table, trying hard not to be noticed. (With wonder he realized his current, more outlandish outfit brought far less attention his way than his brown suit had the last time he was here). Upon his arrival, and before he could slip quietly into his seat, Emmy jumped up and hugged the now-startled man out of nowhere.
"Hey-hey! You decided to join us again!" she teased with a mischievous grin. Emmy stepped back and looked the man once-over. "You're dressed normally today as well. Must be feeling better, eh Professor?"
"Erm, yes, a little I suppose..." Layton stared back uncertainly, still surprised by the sudden hug. Emmy just laughed at his expression and took her seat with a smile. A friendly hand on Layton's shoulder indicated the arrival of another close companion.
"Good morning, Hershel!" Schrader moved quickly to his own seat and beckoned the professor to sit down as well.
Elsewhere in the hall, Luke and Flora had their hands full with their own 'reunions'. Unfortunately, unlike their mentor with his colleagues and friends (and enemies), the two children were finding far fewer familiar faces around them. When they had a chance to glance up at the staff table though, they found themselves as surprised as Layton had been.
They sat at two different tables, but their thoughts practically flowed as one as they recognized face after face in turn. Some stood out more than others, however.
"Wha- Descole?-! What's he doing here?"
"Don... Paolo...? Why would a mad scientist be on staff at a school of magic?"
"That guy on the end looks familiar too..."
"In the end seat, is that Stachen?"
While Luke and Flora were momentarily distracted by the school's apparently rather bizarre hiring practices, the Professor had in kind turned his searching gaze to the sea of energetic faces flooding the room before him. Every so often he'd catch the briefest glimpse of someone who seemed a bit familiar, but nothing stood out to him as significant.
That is, until an extremely familiar boy with messy brown hair and a green sweater approached one of the teachers on the other end of the table, carrying a small set of papers that looked well-used. His target of attention stood up to speak with him off to the side.
Hershel felt his eyes must be playing tricks on him (an uncomfortably common notion lately). Luke and Flora noticed the conversing pair as well to their own shock. Worry and confusion settled deep in all three's stomachs. What did this mean? Could those two really be...?
"Clive and Dimitri?-!"
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Back again in London, magus Layton had been continuing his perusal of his counterpart's investigation journal. The whole concept of muggles attempting to mess with time was still bothering him greatly, but he'd been relieved to read that the rumors of himself becoming a past-obsessed criminal mastermind had proven nothing more than a hoax.
Something new was occupying his mind now though. The imposter's identity - the real criminal who would stop at nothing to complete his research - was a man he knew.
What's more, his earlier research in his own world had led to its own devastating incident. Ten years ago. The same time, the same people, the same research group.
So she was lost here as well...
Parallel tragedies for parallel universes.
The professor's face was dark and pensive. Something very wrong was going on here, and now he finally had a lead, disturbing as its implications were.
He needed to find Dimitri.
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the worlds depicted herein, but only the new way I've chosen to combine them and the story I tell. -nazo!nin