Girly notes: So here is the real prologue to the game. I guess that other one was just an explanation as to a bunch of stuff for the game, which I guess...is a...prologue...

Oh, and for those that comment, I will try my best to reply to your comments about my story, so you can ask questions. I am on Wattpad a lot, and I will check emails from Wattpad more than others, so usually within a week or so I will reply. And I love seeing new comments and followers, please tell your Layton-loving friends!

Enjoy! -girlycathy

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Prologue: The Clock Shop on Midland Road

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Luke and Hershel stood at the bus stop as the bus drove off again.

"Well, here we are. The clock shop the letter mentioned should be around here somewhere. But where?" Luke asked.

"This seems an ideal time to consult the map that accompanied the letter," Hershel suggested. He retrieved the envelope that contained the letter and map, and, unfolding the map, handed it to Luke. "Here, Luke. See if you can't find the shop's location by yourself."

"Say no more, Professor!" He took the map and clues, and quickly read them.

*Puzzle 002: The Clock Shop*

Having finished deciphering the clues, Luke found the point for the clock shop on the map, saying, "Great! Finding that shop should be a snap now. Let's go, Professor!"

"All right."

*Layton's Lessons Lesson 1: Moving*

Just before setting off down a nearby allyway, the pair walked up to an older woman with glasses and a purple beehive hairstyle standing at the stop.

"Well, hello there, bright eyes!" she greeted. "I can tell from the looks on your faces that you're hankering to hear something useful! All right, here's my pearl of wisdom."

*Hint Coin Lesson*

Afterwards, Luke and the Professor headed off down the alleyway. A few steps through, Luke asked, "Say, Professor, how are we going to keep track of our progress?"

"Ah, yes. I suspect we could both use a refresher on that subject."

*Layton's Lessons Lesson 2: The Trunk*

Before they continued on down the alleyway, Luke noticed a man with red hair and a red beard and glasses standing outside a shop. Luke walked up to him, asking for directions to the clock shop.

"You're looking for a clock shop, you say? Hmm. Nah, I can't say I know of one around here," he said.

"All right. Well, thanks just the same," Luke replied.

"Oh, wait just a moment. Thinking on it again, I might've passed a clock shop just the other day."

"Terrific! Do you remember where you saw it?"

"Hrm... That I'm not sure of. I have trouble remembering stuff like this when I have other things on my mind. Help me with this puzzle I've had on my brain, and I might be able to recall where I saw that shop."

"You're in luck, sir! I happen to be a bit of a whiz when it comes to puzzles!" The man pulled out a sheet of paper with a few clues and a bus schedule.

*Puzzle 003: Bus Scheduling*

"Hey-nice going, kid," the man replied after Luke had solved the puzzle.

"Thanks. So...about that clock shop?"

"Right, the clock shop. It's somewhere on this road...I think. Well, gotta scoot! Later!"

"Wait!" Luke called after the man headed away from them. "Aw, he ran off."

"Ha ha ha! Something tells me he was more interested in getting us to solve his riddle than in helping. Not to worry, though. I'm sure we can find the clock shop on our own. It's probably just a bit farther down this path," Hershel suggested.

They continued down the road, and found another man with long brown hair over his eyes and a curly moustache standing outside of a closed shop. Walking up to him, he laughed, "Keh heh heh. Can't say I've ever seen you two whippersnappers before."

Luke replied, "Are you sure about that? I feel like we've met before."

"Keh heh heh. Oh, no, no, no, you must be thinking of someone else. But enough about that. I've got some juicy information information you two might want to hear."

Then Hershel spoke up, "Oh, if you were going to tell us about hint coins, there's no need to continue. The nice woman back there already gave us a full explanation."

"...What?! But...explaining hint coins is just about the only time we ever get to chat. How could you just let someone else give my speech?"

"So I guess what you're saying is that we HAVE met before!" Luke cried.

"Erm... Cough cough... Ahem. I'm suddenly not feeling too hot. I should probably head home. Be seein' you fellas 'round." He left Luke and Hershel to continue down their path, ending at a small building with a big clock attached close to the roof."

"This must be the place, Professor!"

"Ah, finally."

"I'll get the door!" Luke called, walking up to the door and grabbing the handle. He yanked on the handle, and noticed it was locked tight. "...Huh?"

"What seems to be the matter, Luke?"

"The door's locked. Now how are we supposed to get in?"

"Let me have a look. Ah, of course. It seems we need to solve a puzzle on this door in order to gain entrance."

*Puzzle 005: The Timepiece*

"That did the trick!" Luke called as he finished. Luke opened the wooden door and they walked in. They found a wall covered with clocks all ticking away, and noticed a purple-haired woman at a desk. Luke noticed something extraordinary, and called, "Look! Over there!"

Hershel noticed a huge clock identical to the one from the time machine ticking away, taking up the space of an entire wall. "What's this?" he asked himself.

"Oh, gracious-customers! We haven't had any of those in ages. Welcome!" the woman called. She had bright purple hair with a clock hairpiece, small glasses, and a violet shawl.

"Good day to you, madam. You'll have to excuse us, but we're not actually here to shop," the Professor greeted. "You see, I received a letter the other day pointing me here.

"Tee hee hoo. A letter, you say? Let me have a look at it, dearie." She took the letter the Professor handed her and scanned it over quickly, replying, "Hmm, yes. There's no mistake here. Whoever sent you this wanted you to visit our little shop."

"So you don't know the person who sent out this letter?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, I can't say I do. But I do know who you are, Professor Layton!"

"Oh, really? And how do you know the professor?" Luke asked.

"Tee hee hoo! Well, it's hard not to know a man who's in the paper so often. And I do so love my morning paper. I read it front to back every day. So of course I know the professor."

"Heh, did you hear that, Professor? Further proof that you're famous throughout all of London. Even all the way out here!"

"Hey now! What do you mean, 'all the way out here'? Just because we don't fancy living in sardine tin flats doesn't mean we're not centrally located. Still, it is quite a surprise to see the famous Professor Layton in the flesh. I'm going to need some proof before I believe you're not just some celebrity impersonator!" She took out a paper and handed it to Hershel.

*Puzzle 006: Needling Needles*

He quickly solved the puzzle, and the woman replied, "Well, I, for one, am thoroughly convinced. You certainly do live up to your reputation."

"Of course he does!" Luke replied.

"Yes, well, about that letter. I can't say I've seen it before, but my husband might know something about it. He's out right now, but he should be back any minute. Why not look around the shop while you wait?" she suggested, and left the pair to stand by their giant clock in the back room, and the Professor and Luke noticed their clock.

"Wow , can you believe this clock?" Luke asked.

"It certainly is impressive. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to work."

"Well, there's no shortage of ways to tell the time here."

"Oh, you just reminded me of a splendid puzzle, Luke."

*Puzzle 007: What's the Time?*

"You know, I've never seen a clock so big up close. It's a real shame it seems to be broken." They left the back room and went back to the actual shop, and Luke said, "I've never seen such a wide variety of clocks in one place."

"Yes, and they're all extremely well made. Whoever built them must be tremendously talented."

"Really? How can you tell that just by looking at them?"

"Ho ho ho! One gains an eye for these things with age, my boy. You know, I have a superb puzzle about clocks that seems particularly apropos. Care to try it?"

"You bet I would, Professor!"

*Puzzle 008: The Odd Clock*

"Spot on, Luke. Good work," Hershel congratulated as Luke finished the puzzle correctly. The two headed into the back room again and heard a door creak and slam.

"Oh, I think I just heard the door! Someone's here!" Luke exclaimed.

"That must be my husband," Spring replied. A man with thick brown hair and a thick moustache and beard walked in, a red shirt covered with a white apron and a small green bandana over the top of his head.

"Wait till you see the little gem I picked up today, love - Oh my! Customers!"

"Welcome back, dear. This here is Professor Layton. He tells me he has some business with the shop."

"Layton? You're Professor Layton? My apologies! I wasn't expecting you so soon!"

"No apologies necessary, my good man. Oh, and allow me to introduce my- "

"Apprentice! I'm the professor's apprentice, Luke! Nice to meet you, sir!" Luke replied, introducing himself and cutting off Hershel.

"Luke, you say? Hmm..." Cogg paused for a moment in thought, before replying, "What I mean to say is, those are some fine manners! Nice to meet you too, lad. The name's Cogg."

"Tell me, Cogg, you seemed a bit flustered by our arrival. We certainly don't mean to impose."

"Oh, no, no, no. It's no imposition at all. It's just that I had instructions to show you our biggest clock in action upon your arrival."

"It certainly is quite a beauty. Pity it's not working."

"Yes. I'd planned to give her a tune up before you stopped by so you could see her in all her glory. Now that I'm getting on in age, I have trouble remembering to keep the old gal in good repair. To be honest, I can't recall where this last gear goes, and without it, I can't start up the clock for you."

"Ah, well, it certainly makes sense why our arrival might have taken you off guard."

"Tell me-the papers say you're a learned man. Surely you can figure out where this last gear goes, yes?"

"Hm? Me? Well, I'd like to help, but I'm not a mechanical engineer, you see..."

"Oh, at least give it a try. Don't you want to see our biggest clock in its full, working splendor?" Cogg persuaded.

"I certainly do. Very well. I'll give it a shot." Cogg handed Hershel the gear he was referring to and showed him the area it needed to go in.

*Puzzle 009: Cogged Down*

Hershel found where it needed to go, Cogg saying, "That did the trick! You stay right here. I'll go start her up!" He got the machine ready and said, "Here goes!" as his wife pulled a final lever.

The clock came to life, shaking and chiming as the hands spun around furiously and steam sprayed out of pipes on the side. The entire room shook and the Professor and Luke almost tumbled to the ground, their arms flailing around trying to balance them. After a bit, the room stopped shaking and stayed still, and Hershel asked, "Are you all right, Luke?"

"Yes, but that was quite a shake!" he replied. They both gasped as they wondered what had been done outside and they sprinted to the door. They found themselves on the same porch of the building, but in an entirely different setting. The pair questioned the change of scenery.

"What is going on here?"

"And just where in the world are we?"

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Okay, I realise there were many tutorials and puzzles in this chapter...prologue. But I didn't bother to add them in as they only relate to playing the game. But if you guys really want, I could add them in...but they'd be a chapter at the end of the story, like a guide, just posted before the rest of the story.

Mwah! -girlycathy