Ink's Notes: Holy heck I'm not dead! Yeah, I've been sort of... quietly working on this when I have the time, which is admittedly not often, but just often enough that I have not one, but two chapters done! As an apology for not updating for so long, I'll toss Chapter Eight up sometime tomorrow. But for now, let's get started on Chapter Seven!
Chapter Seven – The Children's Club
Considering the events that had unfolded the night before, Flora hadn't slept very well. Every time she felt herself drifting off to sleep, the image of a bone white face flashed in her mind, and she snapped awake in a cold sweat. She most certainly hadn't wanted to wake anyone, or cause anyone to worry, so she was surprised when she shot awake once more at about six in the morning and saw Robin in their room's kitchenette, making a mug of coffee for herself. Flora rubbed her eyes blearily, still exhausted due to her night, and was about to speak up when Robin turned her head in Flora's direction and motioned for her to be quiet, pointing to where Luke, Layton, and Chopper were asleep as an indication as to why. Flora nodded in response, and Robin set aside her cup of coffee and began making a cup of tea, placing it on the table that Flora had moved over to and sat down at.
Flora quietly sipped the tea as Robin sat down across from her, taking out a small notepad and a pen and writing a note on it, passing it across the table to Flora along with the pen. Her eyes trailed down to the paper, where she read the message, 'You look as if you didn't sleep very well'.
Flora fidgeted awkwardly, a bit ashamed that it was so obvious, before taking another sip of tea while she considered her response. She picked up the pen and jotted down her response, passing it across the table. 'I'm afraid I didn't. Whenever I started falling asleep, I remembered the specter and it woke me up.'
Robin hummed thoughtfully, sipping her coffee, then setting it down and writing a response to Flora's words. 'I don't believe that it meant you any harm, if it helps.'
Flora carefully examined what Robin had written on the paper, frowning. 'How do you mean?'
'It ran off instead of making to attack us,' Robin wrote. 'It could have attempted something, but instead it simply left. Perhaps it was worried about being seen, but I'm inclined to say that isn't the case.'
This did ease Flora's mind a little bit, but not by much. 'Maybe it was your presence. If you hadn't been there…' She shuddered at the thought.
Robin was about to write another response, but she was interrupted by the sound of a yawn as Professor Layton sat up, apparently having just woken up. It wasn't long before he was in the bathroom to clean up, and Luke was also waking up, so the two folded the notes and threw them away before the boys could notice what they had been doing. By the time the boys had finished washing up and getting ready, it was about seven in the morning and Chopper was waking up. Flora excused herself to clean up and get ready herself, moving into the bathroom to do so.
She heard a slight commotion out in the room, so she cleaned up as quickly as she was able to while still making herself presentable. When she emerged from the bathroom, she saw a boy about Luke's age chatting in a friendly manner to Luke and Robin, petting Chopper while he did so.
"Um, hello…?" Flora asked, uneasy at the presence of a stranger. Robin noticed this, smiling and beckoning for her to come over. "Who might you be?"
"I am the great and mighty Pyrrhos, savior of all that is good and great!" he cheered, outstretching his arms. Flora blinked a few times, and Pyrrhos lowered his arms, moving one to under his nose to rub underneath it. "I stopped by to visit Chopper and see how he was doing! Are you Flora, by any chance?"
Flora blinked in confusion, although she was glad that Pyrrhos apparently knew Chopper's real name. "I… I am, why do you ask?"
"Great! Awesome!" he grinned widely, grabbing her and Luke by the wrist and tugging them towards the door. "Come on, Chopper! Let's go on an adventure!"
"W-Wait, what–?!" Flora yelped as she and Luke were pulled along after the boy, who was surprisingly strong for his stature. Chopper let out an exasperated sigh as he trotted after the three, sending an apologetic look to the two adults.
"Pardon me," Layton spoke up, and Pyrrhos stopped at the door. "Would you mind explaining where exactly you're going?"
"Oh– right, sorry! I forgot that part." Pyrrhos laughed sheepishly. "Floriana was worried when she saw how pale Flora was last night, so when I came by to visit Chopper she asked if I could try and cheer her up." He grinned up at Layton and Robin. "So I'm gonna take them to meet the other kids! Um, if that's all right?"
Robin smiled at them. "If it's okay with Luke and Flora, then I'm fine with it," she responded, taking a moment to remove the map from Layton's briefcase. "But, Flora, take the map with you so you can make your way back here when you're done, okay?" she requested. Flora nodded, taking the map from Robin, then passing it to Luke, who put it inside of his bag.
"We'll see you guys later!" Luke smiled, before allowing himself to be pulled out the door along with Flora by Pyrrhos. Chopper trotted along after the three of them, following them out of the inn.
It was very easy to get caught up in Pyrrhos' excitement as he led Luke, Flora, and Chopper all around Old Ashton. In fact, it was so easy to get caught up in his excitement that they almost didn't notice Harris, only managing to avoid bumping into him at the last moment. Luke and Flora hastily apologized to the man, who waved them off with practiced ease. "S'fine, don't worry 'bout it," he responded, patting Flora gently on the head. "M'used to dodgin' you kids when I'm in this part o'town, so no worries."
"How so, Harris?" Flora asked, glad for something to think about that wasn't the specter.
"Th'kids of Old Ashton are always runnin' around here an' playin' games an' what have ya," he elaborated, jabbing a thumb at the part of town they were approaching. "B'sides, I gotta be quick on m'feet an' plenty strong t'move the gate when I gotta handle that. Would take more than three o'ya kids an' Horny to topple me over."
"His name is Chopper," Luke and Flora automatically responded, and Harris recoiled in apparent embarrassment.
"Ehm, right," he sweatdropped, looking over at Chopper. "No hard feelings, right?" Chopper nodded in response, and he let out a sigh of relief. "Regardless, you lot be careful. I doubt th'specter'll get some kids as smart as you lot are," Flora shivered at that comment, "But we still got whatever's happenin' with the food and the supplies an' all that goin' missing. I don' think it's anyone from town doin' it, so some sorta intruder is th'best bet. Be careful who y'talk to, okay?"
"Will do, sir!" Luke smiled, then paused as a thought dawned on him. "Say, Harris. You let people into town usually, right?"
"That I do," Harris nodded, though based on his expression he wasn't sure why Luke was asking.
"Did you let anyone in before this whole business with the specter started?" he asked.
"Can't say that I did," Harris shook his head, scratching behind it. "If'n I did let anyone through, they were gone the next mornin'. Most people don't stay here terribly long if they don't live 'round these parts. We're kinda located in th'middle o'nowhere, so people pass through on their way places, but no one really stays fer long. If someone were hidin' out in town, or near town, I'd like t'think at least someone would've noticed them."
Pyrrhos let out a snort, before quickly covering his mouth and nose. Flora glanced over in confusion at this behavior, but turned to Harris to ask something. "What about people leaving? You know who comes, but do you know who goes?"
The question seemed to catch him off guard, because he looked confused as he thought about how to best answer. "Well, if someone comes in, I usually let 'em out, but I ain't never heard o'someone bein' in town without havin' to arrive first," he explained. "An' the only road into town is th'one where th'gate is. Unless there's some other entrance t'town I don't know about, I'd've seen anyone comin' an' goin'."
Luke nodded, then he and Flora thanked Harris for the information before continuing on their way with Pyrrhos and Chopper. As they walked off, Flora looked over at Phyrros. "If you don't mind my asking, what did you find so funny about what Harris said?"
"Huh?" he asked in response to her question. "Nothin', just wondering where he thinks Chopper came from. A reindeer isn't exactly that common in this part of the world, y'know?"
Luke and Flora looked at each other. "Then where did he come from?" Luke asked.
"Dunno myself," Pyrrhos admitted. "Michi found him a little while ago and brought him to one of our meetings, and he took a shining to me, I guess."
Luke and Flora filed away the information for later as Pyrrhos led them to a cluster of boxes with an opening that was just small enough that an adult couldn't fit through, but big enough that a child could crawl through the space. Pyrrhos dropped onto his hands and knees and began crawling through, motioning for Luke and Flora to follow. The two hesitated for a moment, then Luke followed, and Flora slowly moved through after him.
The two emerged in some sort of mock-clubhouse between the buildings. An awning hung above them to keep the rain out, and a few pieces of furniture that looked old but not broken were scattered around the area. Two couches, a table, a few chairs, and some miscellaneous books and items were strewn around the area.
Luke gasped in wonder as Flora took everything in. They certainly wouldn't have guessed from the street that there was a miniature living space back here. As the two looked around, Chopper appeared behind them, walking over and making himself comfortable next to the table.
Flora tugged on Luke's sleeve. "How did Chopper fit through the boxes?" she asked, motioning to the opening that was too small for the reindeer to have crawled through. Luke opened his mouth to provide an answer, before realizing he didn't actually have one, and quietly began mulling it over.
Before he could voice any theories, the sound of movement caught their attention. Luke and Flora turned to look as three more kids crawled into the area, one after the other. The first was a girl about Flora's age, with blonde hair tied into pigtails dressed in a red tank top, black pants, and sandals. The second was a… neither Luke nor Flora could tell their gender, but they had shortish brown hair tied into a ponytail and wore a black jacket far too short for them over a navy blue dress over a pair of blue jeans and black sneakers. As the second kid got up, Luke eyed the simple cane they were using to keep their balance, even as they offered a hand to the final child.
The final child was a girl, probably about Luke's age, with gentle strawberry blonde hair tied into two matching braids, wearing a white shirt with purple sleeves and a purple skirt with black heels. Luke's eyes, though, were drawn to her hat- which really looked more like two hats, the way the bottom center of it was pink with a white 'X' on it, and the rest of it looked more like a blue and yellow helmet than a hat. She graciously accepted the help offered to her, standing up straight as she dusted herself off. The girl smiled at them, then went over and began petting Chopper, who nuzzled her hat gently.
"Um, hello," Flora greeted with a smile. "Who might you all be?"
"Let me do introductions!" Pyrrhos grinned as he clapped his hands together. "First up!" he pointed at the girl in the pigtails. "That over there is Indra!"
Indra waved. "Hiya!" she greeted. "Glad to have you!"
Pyrrhos moved on to the ambiguous kid. "That's Alex, also known as Lex! What gender are you today?"
"I'm feeling pretty male today," Lex smiled, waving with his free hand.
"Our visitors are Luke and Flora! They rolled into town with the Professor!"
Luke waved awkwardly as Flora curtsied.
"And saying hi to Chopper over there is Michi!" Pyrrhos concluded.
"Oh- you're Senkou's daughter?" Flora asked her.
Michi nodded. "Yes, I am. Are you here to help?"
Assuming she meant with the specter, Luke grinned and thumped his chest. "We sure are! You can count on us!"
"They've been taking care of Chopper, right?" Indra asked, and Pyrrhos nodded. "And no one's freaking out about him, so they haven't told anyone. We can trust them."
"That's assuming they know," Lex pointed out. "How about we play a game? I think we have some board games around here."
"Or we could play Don't Get Caught!" Pyrrhos grinned. "Me, Alex, and Indra versus you two and Michi! Chopper can stay here to judge!"
"Don't Get Caught?" Flora repeated.
"Yep!" Indra grinned. "We run around town and adjust things that the adults are using. Nothing too major, just slightly- and if we get caught we have to come right back. Do you have a map?"
Flora took out the map she'd been trusted with earlier, and Indra took it and put it on the table. "You need to hit here, here, and here. Okay?" Luke's eyes widened as she pointed to Silonus' restaurant, Felix's shop, and the hospital. "We'll go out first so you guys can plan your route. See you later!"
Luke, Flora, Michi, and Chopper all watched as Indra, Alex, and Pyrrhos left the way they'd came, then turned to look at the map. "Is there a way to reach these places without being seen?" Luke asked.
Michi nodded. "There is. It's-" she paused. "Actually, why don't you figure it out?"
Luke and Flora nodded, then looked at the map in front of them to figure out how to handle this.
PUZZLE EIGHT
Michi was out late and doesn't want the people of Old Ashton to know. Starting from the Children's Club, make your way back to Senkou's house without being caught in any of the lights. Each building gives off light, and a few townspeople navigate the night with a flashlight. People with flashlights move when you do and move in a set pattern, so be careful that you don't accidentally walk into someone's flashlight.
Keeping in mind the rules of the game, Luke and Flora carefully mapped a route around town from where they were that avoided places where people usually walked and went by Silo's, then Felix's, and then the hospital. Their chosen route looped around past Senkou's house before coming back to where they were, and Flora squinted at the map for a moment.
"Hey, Michi?" she asked, and Michi looked up at hearing her name. "No one steals anything during this game, right?"
"Don't be silly," Michi frowned. "We may not be fond of the adults, but we wouldn't hurt their business like that."
"You don't like the adults?" Luke asked. "Not even your parents?"
"Mom's cool, but everyone else treats us like… well, like we need to be pampered and sheltered. That's part of the reason we established this club. To have time away."
Flora nodded sympathetically. "I know they want us to be safe, but I wish it wasn't such a restrictive safe…"
Michi took Flora's hand, recognizing a kindred spirit when she saw one, and Luke just sweatdropped. "So, um… does anyone else know about this route?" he asked.
Michi shook her head. "Only members of the Children's Club- even honorary ones like you and Chopper- know about this."
"Chopper is honorary?" Flora asked, and Michi nodded. "Why's that?"
"He's only been here for about a week, including the time that you guys have been in town," Michi explained. "And we don't know how long he's staying for."
Chopper snorted, and Luke translated. "He says he'll probably leave once the specter is gone." Michi stared at him, so he explained that he could talk to animals.
The shuffling of feet and boxes indicated that the other three were returning. "Sounds like it's our turn," Michi smiled at them. "Let's show them who's better at this, shall we?"
PUZZLES SOLVED – EIGHT
CURRENT MYSTERIES:
The White Specter – Several residents of Old Ashton have reportedly seen a mysterious white specter. It only comes out between dusk and dawn. Pyrrhos reports that it has footprints, meaning that it might not be as ghostly as the residents first assumed, and it has apparently had an encounter with two residents of Old Ashton known as Nephele and Hanuel. It seems to have an affinity for music, as following the sound of what seemed to be some sort of sailor song led Robin and Flora to have an encounter with it.
Missing Food – According to Aimi, food that is about to go off has been going missing. There may be some connection to Michi in regards to this, but the residents find it unlikely that she would steal anything. Felix admits to having given Michi food that's about to go off, but is hesitant to link her to anything else.
Missing Supplies – According to Aimi, some supplies from the hospital and the general store have gone missing. Zdeslav and Tzidkiyahu report that two sets of footprints – one sandaled and one barefoot – have been found in the vicinity of the store. Tamrat believes that a skilled doctor is behind the thefts at the hospital, and Felix says that there's no real link when it comes to things that are stolen from the store aside from them being easy to spot.
Robin Nico – A woman with an air of mystery around herself who is working as the Professor's assistant. She has experience working with children and is very good at moving silently and quickly despite her footwear of choice being high heels. She also seems very comfortable around Chopper, to the point that they act as if they're close friends despite having just met.
Michi – Mayor Senkou's daughter, whom he notes has been growing more distant lately, as if she's hiding something, although he's not sure what or why. Silo suspects an animal, as she's been requesting leftover food from him and Felix at the general store. The residents don't seem to believe she's behind the other thefts, though, as she's only been asking after food. She's responsible for Chopper's presence in Old Ashton, and no one's really sure where she got him from. Like the rest of the Children's Club, she knows how to navigate the streets without getting caught, and dislikes her father's tendency to try and shelter her.
Nephele and Hanuel – Two mysterious residents of Old Ashton who have apparently lived there longer than the other residents. Pyrrhos claims that they've had an encounter with the specter. They are apparently rather reclusive, to the point that some of the town's residents find them suspicious. The two were initially friendly, if somewhat irritated, but when the specter came up they immediately started acting hostile.