Disclaimer: All the rights to the Professor Layton belong to Level 5 games, not me! I would never own ANYONE of that amazing franchise. Alfendi belongs to level 5 games too.

Hallows eve.

Alfendi Layton was absolutely smitten with the idea of Halloween. It was such a endearing sounding idea, going out and getting treats from door-to-door while wearing an outfit matching that of an idol, favourite film character or such.

The boy was going to experience such a happiness this year for the first time and could hardly wait.

Being approximately a few months of age, Alfendi was not only very clever but he was also very bouncy for a young child of his age. He had actually tried to walk not too long ago and currently had to balance with the help of his father, professor Hershel Layton. He was still having trouble learning to talk, though, and actually got himself in all kinds of situations whether they be accidental or out of curiosity.

The boy currently wandered around the house, his energetic eyes wandering from side to side as he couldn't focus on one thing for too long. The youngling stumbled around unsteadily, trying to stand up on his own without the assistance of his father, as he gave some inquisitive sounds and gurgles that sounded very confused about many things. He was dressed in a little jumper that had been specially knitted for him by his adoptive grandmother, Lucille Layton, and some shorts that were a bit big for him as they trailed down his skinny little legs.

As he got older, it was discovered that the young toddler's long wisps of hair actually changed from purple to crimson depending on his mood. The professor was very concerned about this unique ability since it would most likely be a target for taunting when he became of required age to go to school and make friends. But he decided to just leave it be for now and concentrate having fun with his little boy.

Alfendi suddenly found it quite hard to stand on his own two feet as he wavered to and fro like a pendulum. His little legs didn't seem very capable of holding him upright yet, it seemed. He wobbled on his comically small feet but as he was about to fall over he felt a familiar hand hurriedly plant itself against his back, catching him as he was about to fall and helping him stand.

The boy didn't need to know who this person was since there was only one who it could be. He gave a surprised turn of the head, his huge eyes widening immensely, and he saw none other than the top hat-wearing professor of archeology himself; Professor Hershel Layton.

"Steady on, my boy..." The professor chuckled warmly as he picked up Al into his arms and settled him in his hands, bringing him up to his face and nuzzling the toddler affectionately by brushing his nose against Alfendi's. The boy giggled as he wrapped his tiny, pudgy arms around the professor's neck in a deep bliss.

Alfendi settled down in his father's lap and pointed his gaze outside towards the many civilians hanging various decorations of orange and black colourations within and without their homes. It was as if the young boy expressed his usual curiosity out towards the people decorating their homes in a silent stare, much to the professor's delight.

Professor Layton read his little son's expression loud and clear and fiddled with a fleck of Alfendi's moppy hair, twirling it in one finger playfully, as he smiled wisely "Those people outside are merely decorating their homes for the upcoming occasion tonight. It's to make those children passing by feel more acquainted to the event, I believe."

Alfendi looked from his father to the small people outside the window decorating their homes from across the road in almost simutaneous rows of bustling business. He tilted his little head to one side in obvious confusion and awe of the occasion but he trusted his father's words so decided to leave it be.

He gave a cute noise of surprise when the professor stood up, hoisting him along with himself, with an eager grin and there was an excitement hidden behind his words of eagerness "Come now, Alfendi. We too should be preparing for our little Halloween party tonight."

Alfendi was now even more confused. A party? Why a party? And why were they preparing now of all times? Obviously his question could be saved until later because before he could so much as make a noise to ask further, the professor whirled out of the sitting room and wandered up the stairs with the young whelp nestled safely in his arms.

The professor got a peak of sunlight beaming through the stairway and he slowly paused when he got to the top of the stairs since it was so bright. He had to squint his eyes and try and shield his little son's delicate vision from this intense light beaming through the open window that was in Alfendi's bedroom. However he managed to bear through it and cantered into the doorway with the young half a year old Al snuggled in the crook of his arm.

Professor Layton walked into the room and got a good look at it. The smell of freshly applied paint and wood shavings assaulted his nostrils as he examined his own work from the open doorway.

The walls were painted a delicate cyan blue colour with an assortment of adorable cartoon animals plastered against the walls in a childish depiction. The floors below were a gentle cream carpet that would tickle your toes softly and leave nothing but the softest of trails if you trodden on the smooth material. There was a mahogany toy box, a wardrobe and a changing table tucked against three walls of the room whilst in the middle stood a proudly erected cradle that had some fine silk blankets quilted along the top.

Honestly this nursery was an admirable thing to observe since it had been crafted by a doting parent.

Professor Layton walked into the room and straight into the open sunlight that bore through the windows in a heavily bright light. He softly cradled the young Al in his arm as he walked towards the cradle and lowered the young toddler into the bed, kissing his son's tiny head, and he told the youngster in a low whisper as the boy closed his tiny eyes in tiredness and exhaustion from the day's events "You go to sleep now, Alfendi, Papa will get you when its time for the party..."

Alfendi gave a coo of agreement as he slipped off into a deep sleep and his vision faded into darkness as the top hat-wearing gent slipped out of the room while smiling compassionately to his son.

For the next few hours that passed, the professor made the necessary preparations for the evening's Halloween party as he hung decorations on the walls and readied some snacks for the guests coming this evening. He even ferreted out the small black velvet outfit he asked Flora to create for Alfendi and it turned out more splendid than he had imagined.

He even decided to dress in a similar outfit that resembled that of a Vampire, all long and shiny as it shone in the fading sunlight shining through the thick windows. His black collar was high and slick as it hid the back of his neck and a small portion of his hazel nut brown hair and he clicked some fake fangs into place as the ivory tips of the plastic choppers poked out from his upper jaw and poked out just barely from his lips. He decided to remain wearing his top hat, however.

He couldn't bare to be without his top hat and his head felt naked without it. It was embarrassing to say the least.

Soon came the time when his guests started to arrive and he got Alfendi out from his cradle and took him down stairs so he could be there to greet potential parties of old friends, dressed in his own vampire outfit.

The first to arrive was Luke Triton -dressed as the grim reaper- and his parents, Clark and Brenda, whom were also dressed in comically horrifying outfits to better suit the occasion. Even Luke's lover, Arianna, decided to come and dress up as a witch who would make Luke blush at times. Of course the professor welcomed his apprentice and company in with open arms and allowed both Luke and Arianna to see Alfendi.

Luke was very much friends with Al and insisted that he be called "Uncle Luke" to which the professor wanted to refuse but couldn't since both Alfendi and Luke gave a him look that dared him to say a word against it.

Anyways next came Emmy (surprisingly!), Flora, Clive, Desmond Sycamore (another surprise), Roland and Lucille (a third surprise since they always come at the most unexpected of times as if to embarrass the poor professor) and even Randal, Henry and Angela came and they were dressed up as in order: another witch, an angel, a devil, a raven, themselves, Indiana Jones, a bat, and a third witch.

The fact that Randal came as Indiana Jones was quite humorous as this fitted the professor's childhood best friend's personality like a glove and the other fact that Roland and Lucille had arrived armed with photo albums and other things made the poor professor of archeology break out into a nervous sweat.

Soon evening arrived as it took the skies into a black veil like a bird swooping across the sky in a pitch black radiance.

Everyone chatted amongst each other and stood in the far corners of the room. Alfendi was left on his own in the corner as he sat in a play pen, all alone. He gave a teary-eyed look as he just stared down at his toy trains since he hadn't seen his father for ages since he had been swallowed up by the mass of people who stood in the room.

Poor Alfendi was very frightened by the unfamiliar colours and sounds of people chatting amongst each other and he felt like he had been purposefully blocked out, like people were actually ignoring him and pretending he wasn't there. He just curled up into the smallest of balls imaginable as he could do nothing else but then again...

His amber irises brightened up whence an idea came to mind.

He sat himself upright, with a bit of trouble, and managed to undo the latch of his playpen so he could sneak out by himself. He may not have been able to walk properly but he could most definitely crawl at his age since he just wanted to find his father in the ocean of people but found that he was quickly in trouble.

The young toddler stopped crawling and sat in the middle of the room with his breathing hitched. The people unknowingly swarmed around him in a makeshift blockade and inadvertently trapped him.

This was becoming frightening beyond imagination!

Tears filled his saucer-like eyes as the tiny child began to hyperventilate through an increasingly scared look on his little face. As a matter of fact his purple wisps of hair began to change from its prestigious purple colour into a darker shade crimson.

Alfendi's little heart raced as he began to grow increasingly frightened, his hair growing wild and dishevelled. He sat on the floor while he looked for the gentleman wearing the dark brown top hat through bleary eyes filled with hot tears but couldn't see him anywhere.

Finally Alfendi cried as loud as his tiny lungs would allow and the crowd stopped talking and finally noticed the young boy. They were all startled by the outburst!

The professor noticed that his little son had gotten himself into quite the predicament as he stood full centre in the midst of the crowd. He had just gone to get himself and the guests some wine in the kitchen but those loud cries pierced through the chattering that filled his ears up until a few moments ago like a blade cutting through flesh.

Professor Layton made haste towards the scene, abandoning the wine, and weaved through the ocean of friends that had gathered for the spooky occasion.

He eventually found his black-clad son sat on the floor with his normally calm hair all messed up and Al's face was all red from the crying he had been doing. The professor gave his son a look of empathy as he bent down and scooped up the poor toddler, taking him into his arms, and examining him thoroughly for any sign of injury that may point to his reasons for crying.

Oh, poor Alfendi's face was soaked as tears spilled down his tiny cheeks. His throat was raw from how loud he was bawling his little head off as he seemed to have been vaguely aware that he was now in his father's loving arms. He seemed very, very afraid of what was going on since he just clutched on to a tiny fistful of the black silk dressing up the professor's arm like it was his lifeline.

The gentleman cradled his son close without any words to soothe him since he looked at his guests, who in turn looked very confused and very sympathetic at the same time. Maybe they just realised that they frightened the baby and wanted to remedy it but didn't know how to.

Either way, professor Layton simply decided to try and calm Alfendi down by exiting the room with a "fwish" of his cape and then taking him upstairs into a calm and quiet environment the latter probably sought out.

When the professor sat down in a rocking chair (beside Alfendi's cradle) inside the nursery he made sure to adjust the poor little boy in his arms well enough so the youngling would calm down. The lampshade lighting shining down from above them was soothing a bit but the vampire-dressed professor rocked Alfendi from side to side and used a very delicate voice to try and calm his adopted son down.

"Alfendi, hush, you are alright now." He tried gently "I am right here."

Alfendi snivelled, opening his eyes just a tiny but they were still very teary. He whimpered worriedly as he trembled fearfully in his father's arms. Needless to say, he was deeply traumatised by tonight's events and didn't like crowded places very much. He really thought that he had lost his father in that sea of monster-dressed people.

The professor continued to try and calm his son down, bouncing him in his arms as he smiled sadly "Do not cry, son. I will protect you and this I can promise you..." He watched as Alfendi's cries and whimpered dulled and he glanced up with a remaining shred of fear etched on his young face.

Professor Layton felt really horrid that this happened. The poor thing must have been really frightened of what happened and he couldn't blame him. Al must have been ignored and helpless in that box of guests and he knew they didn't mean any real harm but they were just a bit too busy with the party to notice the poor thing's plight.

As the boy began to calm down, his hair reverting back to its purple colour, the professor continued to cuddle Alfendi. Father and son stayed quiet for a minute until the gentleman spoke up, his wise face brightening up positively.

"...You know Papa didn't even tell you one of the best things about this holiday, did he?" The professor asked in a soft voice, tickling Alfendi's tummy with one of his fingers, and he dug a small lollipop out from his pocket and handed it to his son who took it slowly.

Alfendi looked very inquisitive about the sweet as he blinked tearfully at it. His face twisted in confusion and he patted the sweet, unsure what to do with it. He sat on his father's lap as he grabbed the stick in his palm and tried to figure out what to do with it. He didn't know what to do until the professor decided to lend his son a helping hand and unpeeled the wrapping off the sweet.

When the lolly was exposed, the professor slowly popped it in his mouth and he smiled sweetly as Alfendi sucked the lollipop much like he would with his dummy and soon eased into the sucky sweet and calmed down to the point of hiccuping along with the rhythm of his sucks.

Professor Layton stroked his son's head and eyed the open door where Luke and everyone else peered into the doorway curiously.

Smiling, the professor nodded his head to allow the guests to come in and they deftly entered the nursery with cautious steps into the room. As soon as Alfendi saw the swarm of people enter the room, he hid his face shyly behind his father's sleeve while squeaking in fear. The little toddler gave a slight gurgle of fear as his big eyes trailed along the crowd and followed them.

Alfendi's tiny brows furrowed in worry and confusion. He was confused beyond those babbles he could mutter being so young but he shied even further when Luke slowly approached the little toddler with an open hand stretched out to him, a compassionate look on his face.

Luke spoke softly "Alfendi, don't be frightened." he smiled with a grin that matched his voice "we won't hurt you despite our scary costumes."

Professor Sycamore (or Descole) approached the young child and picked up with an equally gentle voice "That is correct, child, no need to fear us."

Alfendi hesitated for a moment. He seemed unsure whether to trust them or not but he was willing to forgive his uncle Luke at least, he was nice. The little toddler gave a small whine of worry as he hid deeper behind the vampire-dressed professor's sleeve and gave a small yawn.

Professor Layton smiled softly as he ushered the group out of the room since he knew that this meant that Al was now getting tired from the experience he had tonight. The poor thing must have been really sleepy after all of that. The professor watched as Luke and the others walked out the door softly and quietly so they wouldn't disturb neither professor Layton nor his son.

Both father and son stayed in the nursery. The professor smiled gently as he bent his head down and kissed Alfendi on the head a second time and took the lollipop out of the child's mouth and it made a "pop" sound as it popped out of the young one's puckered lips and he snoozed soundly in his adopted father's arm, bathing in the gentle warmth of his father's body.

The professor playfully bared his false fangs and ticked Al's cheek delicately.

This Halloween may not have had the best of beginnings but the professor was more than hopeful that next year would be better. He would try and get his little boy used to other people and try and get him more used to crowds, that he swore. He loved his son very much and could hardly stand to see his little one in danger.

It would be a puzzle to get his son to leap over this hurdle but every puzzle had a solution, this one was no different.

"Sweet dreams, my little one." He smiled as his voice echoed throughout the night.

A/N: This is a Halloween special. This is what Alfendi and professor Layton go through as a first Halloween, wasn't it nice?

However it seems that poor Alfendi wasn't fairing well with the crowd of relatives and such, was he? Hopefully we shall see where that goes in future stories.

It's October now and Halloween is nearing...

So Happy Halloween everyone!

Please review and I hope your halloweens are spooky good!

-Chloemcg