(A/N: Pssst Dawn guess who had time to write a whole new chapter today)
The kitchen, thanks to Flora's attempts at cooking breakfast, was on fire. Pearl had tried her best to mitigate the damage, but now she and Emmy both ran about with plastic bowls of water, attempting desperately to save the admittedly cheap equipment that filled only a portion of the huge room that was designated "the kitchen."
On the large landing with the brown couch and old, channel-less American TV, Maya and Katrielle were re-watching their favorite movie for the hundredth time while munching on snacks they'd pilfered before Flora had a chance to enter the kitchen scene.
Upstairs in Athena and Trucy's room, Apollo had gotten roped into helping the girls with their latest magic show (read: Trucy's latest magic show, with which Athena was assisting). The poor boy (though he was really a young man, anyone who wasn't currently working was considered one of the children) had only been pleading for their assistance in moving Maya and Katrielle away from his bed— which was the brown couch in the landing— so he could go back to sleep. But alas, if he'd truly thought the outcome of that would be anything other than being sawed in half while Athena chanted some magic words, he deserved his fate (or so said Mr. Wright).
And in the still-half-unpacked main room by the door, Luke was trying his best to frantically tackle a tiny Alfendi (who was attempting to make a run for the kitchen) to the ground. In other words, it was a completely normal day at the Castle.
"No! We don't… play with… fire!" Luke grunted, as the toddler— well, nobody knew exactly how old he was, he could have been three or four from his comprehension skills— tried to squirm out of his grip.
"Arson, arson!" Alfendi shrieked, his normally red hair shagged wildly to display its purple undertones. He attempted a swing at Luke's jaw, but Luke was ready and deflected the tiny fist. Alfendi shrieked in anger and retaliated by hitting his neck.
"Ow!" Luke exclaimed, grabbing the boy's wrists and pinning him to the floor. The boy squirmed for a few seconds more, then suddenly grew rigid before closing his eyes and relaxing his body, accepting his fate peacefully.
"Monster child…" Luke muttered under his breath as the Professor passed him by. Layton gave him a disapproving glance, but when Luke didn't notice he decided to let the matter go. He would normally never accept such strong language from his apprentice, but Alfendi was an extremely trying complication on an already-tense situation. As well as Luke handled everything else— accepting his temporary move with the Professor cheerfully, making friends with all of his new siblings at the drop of a hat, and shouting with glee over the possibility of living in a castle— the truth was that he was mature enough to know what was really going on. He never complained about the rations of cheap food or the chaos that was bound to occur with fourteen people living in the same house.
So when the apprentice occasionally lost his temper at the child who drew pentagrams on the wall when he threw a fit, Layton couldn't really hold it against him.
Suddenly, the tiny ball of rage— which was now lying calmly on the floor— opened his eyes and said in the calmest voice imaginable, "Sorry." It wasn't used in a mocking tone, but it was far too placid for what had just occurred.
"Go help Flora and the others put out the fire," Luke commanded through gritted teeth, and the child obeyed (although they were already almost done).
"Thank you for helping with him," the Professor said quietly after Alfendi had left the room. The blue-clad boy spun around, not having noticed him enter during his brawl.
"O-of course," he replied, his spirits seeming a little lifted by the praise. "Somebody has to keep him under control."
"Mm," Layton said, nodding gravely. "If my brother ever brings another mystery child to our household—"
Ding dong!
Layton and Luke looked at each other for a moment, then laughed at the irony of the timing.
The laughter subsided when they opened the door to find a caped figure with a mask and a bag slung around his back.
"Uncle Descolé!" Luke exclaimed in surprise, looking over guiltily at the Professor. When the ex-villain had first started showing up, Luke didn't trust him as far as he could throw him, and he'd spent every visit locked away in his room or trying to spy on him to "gather intel" on what he was really up to. Layton secretly missed those days, and he also secretly had a feeling that it wasn't really so secret to Luke.
"Well, well, well," Desmond stated dramatically, pulling the rather large, long sack from his back and laying it down on the couch gently. If he'd heard any ticking, Layton wouldn't have doubted it might have been a fragile bomb. "I see you're all doing well in my castle."
"It's technically ours now," Layton stated with some annoyance.
"It's technically mine," Desmond shot back, stretching his arms and rubbing his shoulders. "But enough about the legal work. I've brought you another package to take care of for me."
This, Professor Layton was actually glad to hear. He sometimes held onto rare artifacts for his brother, and had even brought them to lectures when he had a class to teach, as he did tonight.
"It seems quieter than normal," the package-bearer noted, ignoring the hissing of water on flames in the next room over and Apollo's distinct scream of terror that rang out from all the way upstairs. "Is somebody missing?"
"Mr. Wright is currently working on the case that brought him here—" Layton started, exchanging a glance with Luke— "and Ms. Fey is working for another client who may be related to the case. We're not sure yet."
"You should give the details to Alfendi," Desmond stated nonchalantly. "He's quite good at solving cases." Layton ignored him.
"In addition, I have a lecture tonight and Claire is still asleep from her research last night. So if you could give any special instructions for your package quickly…"
"Ah, I see," Desmond agreed surprisingly easily. "Well, It needs a daily allowance of sun and water—"
He brought a plant? Layton couldn't help wondering.
"—and it's not very compatible with modern technology, though it does have several special skills of its own. It's very quiet and well-behaved, and follows instructions remarkably well, although it's curious about the world around it. Now then, I'll be off!"
"Wait, what?!" Layton exclaimed, already running over to the package (which he now noted looked like an awful lot like a cradleboard) and opening it up. A perfectly motionless girl slowly turned her head towards him.
"Hello," she said with a smile. He jumped back, startled, and Luke gave a yelp of surprise.
"Toodle-oo!" said Desmond, closing the door.
"Wait, you can't just—" Layton started, but he knew if he tried to follow he'd already be gone. He pushed down a huff of frustration. Then he realized the girl was still in the bag (goodness, his brother hadn't kidnapped a child, had he?) and came back over to help her out.
"Er, are you okay?" he asked the girl.
"Yes," she replied, seeming completely unperturbed by the situation. "Father told me you would take care of me."
Layton and Luke looked at each other in shock. Father? Even Alfendi had simply referred to Desmond as "Descolé" when he first arrived. And Layton knew his brother's wife had died years ago.
"Oh," the girl added, a slight smile forming on her face, "and he also told me I should call him Father, and that it would surprise you greatly. Did I do that right?"
Layton suppressed yet another frustrated growl and instead nodded calmly. "Yes, we were quite surprised. Now, would you mind telling us your name?"
"My name is Aurora," the girl replied, and it suddenly struck the Professor that she had no pupils.
"I see. What a pretty name. Pardon my asking, Aurora, but are you blind?"
Aurora tilted her head. "I do not know what that word means."
The Professor paused. "Can you see what is on my head?"
"Yes, it is a very strange hat," Aurora replied, reaching out to touch it. Layton let her stroke the fabric curiously.
"Then I suppose you aren't blind," he said, glancing at Luke as if he would know something the Professor didn't.
"Should— should I go wake Claire?" Luke asked in a worried tone.
"I'm already up," a voice came from behind the two. A sleepy Claire walked in, rubbing her eyes. "Apollo's 'chords of steel' woke me."
"Ah. Well, we had an unexpected guest," Layton explained, motioning to Aurora.
"This young lady? Oh, hello, there!" Claire gave a tired, but genuine, smile. "How pretty you are, dear. Why did you come here?"
"Father brought me," Aurora explained, expression unwavering. Claire's expression shifted as she put the puzzle pieces together.
"Did your brother…?"
"He's not really her father, but yes," Layton confirmed.
"Mr. Layton," called a shy voice coming out of the kitchen, "what's going on?"
Layton sighed as he turned around to face Pearl, who had a light burnt patch on her clothing but seemed otherwise unharmed.
"Pearl, go get your sister and Emmy. Actually, if you could round up all the children, please," he asked. (Pearl didn't actually have a sister, but Flora and her had grown fast friends and referred to each other as such.) The petite girl nodded and quickly headed back to get her friends, stealing a glance at the newcomer as she left.
"She seems like a polite young lady…" Claire stated, aware that she was within earshot of Aurora but making the remark to Layton. He knew from her worried tone exactly what she was implying. Aurora did, in fact, seem to be as polite, mild-mannered, and well-behaved as Desmond had promised. Unfortunately, so had Alfendi when he first arrived, and Layton's brother had completely neglected to mention his psychotic other personality.
"Well, I think I can show her the ropes. Maybe she can help us clean this huge place," Luke suddenly offered, his brave voice wavering a little. Layton felt a small pang in his heart knowing how hard his apprentice was working to make things work out.
"I'd appreciate that," he stated, his only display of emotion a clasp on the boy's shoulder. "We'll need all the help we can get. After all…" He smiled feebly as he witnessed a horde of children coming in from various ends of the house, all growing quiet as they noticed the strange new girl standing in the middle of the room with her blank blue eyes and peculiar attire.
"…I think our little group just went up to fifteen."