A game for Eternal Life. A game for immortality. The rules when they were given made the whole thing sound like some sort of horror movie in a way, with how the losers would supposedly die. And if that really was the case, the idea of a small genocide caused a sick feeling to come over Elaine, increased more when those who had tried to leave the theatre tried to leave, only to find themselves fall into trap doors as the building itself, really a ship, pulled away from the mainland.

A more pleasant surprise though was seeing Professor Layton was actually here along with Luke. Looking down at Descole, who kindly took the only chair the room and left her standing while he prepared to give out the first puzzle of the game, Elaine couldn't tell how he felt about that since he just a confident smirk on his face when that… balloon… robot… thingy, first appeared to explain the game. She could have sworn it lessened though, so that had to be a sign. Good or bad would depend on who you asked.

She had also been fairly happy to see Inspector… What was his name again? … Ah, Growsky, Inspector Growsky. She had been fairly happy to see him, thinking perhaps she might have some possible rescue. Until it went flying out. Quite literally considering that Detective Growsky had attempted to arrest the announcer before it inflated and carried him out through the now open ceiling.

"Look around you ladies and gentlemen." Elaine started paying attention to Descole as he spoke into the microphone, altering his voice slightly. Might as well hear what the puzzle was.

Finding the oldest thing and stand by it? On a ship full of antiques? With a music box-like time limit? Elaine bit her tongue as she wondered where most of the people would go. Anything such as fossils or bones of extinct species.

"Care to play along?" Elaine raised an eyebrow at Descole's question.

"Play along?"

"I'm just curious if you'll at least get the right answer." Descole retorted, lazily petting Charles' head. Elaine looked back to the screens and thought over the answer.

The ship was full of antiques, though the dates of said antiques was were never noted so for someone without at least a basic understanding of archaeology, there were bound to be several losers in this round. But even with knowledge of archaeology it would be difficult. After all, if methods such as carbon dating or counting tree rings or comparing styles of vases etc could be off by a margin in determining age, how could human memory try to remember all the artefacts on the ship and then determine which was the oldest out of all of them. Elaine nibbled her lip as she thought back over the artefacts she could remember, but then something occurred to her. Why would the ceiling be open? What purpose did it serve? Descole was a tricky and clever person. He could have meant something other than the artefacts for all she knew. Yes, that sounded plausible. With so many on the ship, they would be perfect red herrings.

If that was the case, what was the answer then? Did it have something to do with the ceiling? If so, what? It had to have been in the sky, so what could be old and visible in the sky…

"… The stars?" Elaine guessed, a few seconds before the music ended. It was a bit of a wild guess. She could have been thinking in a completely wrong way. Descole didn't respond to her, but he spoke into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your time is up. The oldest thing you can see are the stars above you. To those of you in the theatre, congratulations. You, can continue.

"But for those of you who got it wrong…"

Elaine could faintly hear the shocked yells as the people who got it wrong fell down trap doors. Looking at some of screens focusing on the theatre, she felt relief knowing the Professor and Luke were still in the game. Why they were here would be a mystery to her until something came up. But that just meant that a chance of rescue was still possible if she was lucky and careful. However, the faiths of the losers and those who tried to escape was beginning to weigh on her conscience so as the music score turned over, ready to be used again, she tentatively asked,

"They're… They're not actually… Dead, are they?"

"My dear, do I honestly look like I would waste time committing murder?" Descole asked, a bit of a condescending tone in his voice. "It would be pointless and messy." Elaine would have said something else. Possibly snap at him for his condescending attitude or something along those lines had he not held a finger up at her to stay silent as he gave the next puzzle.

To go where one can find the biggest crown.

With so many crowns on the ship, it would be impossible to compare them all on time. Descole had to have been aware of that himself, so any crown was an obvious decoy. Not necessarily red herrings since it was too obvious that they were not the answer, so it had to have been something else.

A knock then came to the door, and Raymond entered.

"They say the submarines are ready to go, Master."

"Submarines…?"

"Excellent. Come along now Ms. Hawthorne." Descole stood up and began to leave, Charles at his side. Elaine frowned. He didn't drag her with him this time. Something was wrong.

"You're not going to drag me?"

"Ms. Hawthorne, I think you're old enough to walk by yourself. Besides…" He turned back to give a malicious grin. "I would think a ship about to blow up in several minutes would be enough incentive to move to your only escape from a burning death."

Elaine's mouth gapped a little, before common sense smacked in and she quickly followed after him.

Man who kidnapped her or not, she wasn't stubborn enough to risk dying now in such an unfamiliar place.

"Feel like making another guess to the riddle, Ms. Hawthorne?" Descole questioned her by the time they began descending some steps in a darker area. A damp smell began to come to Elaine's nose, its source fairly clearly.

Elaine thought over the riddle. They were obviously heading to Ambrosia. But what of the passengers who were still competing? Elaine thought this over in her mind. They were going out to sea, and if the contestants were heading to Ambrosia as well, they would have to take a boat, and there they would see…

"The Crown Petone itself?"

"Correct you are. We'll see who was smart enough to guess the same tomorrow morning." Descole said before they entered a room that seemed to be either in or close to the bowels of the ship, a submarine prepared to launch once all people were inside. A few henchmen were loading the Detragon into the submarine, and seemed to be struggling with the weight.

"I hope for all of your sakes that you know to be careful with that." Descole snarked at them, causing them to flinch a little. Elaine felt a little better, knowing she was the only one who occasionally flinched because of Descole. Not that she would admit to doing so in the first place.

Inside the submarine itself was more or less what she expected. Compact, enough light just to see and enough space to move. Plus space for the Detragon itself of course. Whatever henchmen weren't bringing the losers back to shore were here, the rest probably taking other ways to get to Ambrosia. Elaine stood by Descole's chair awkwardly, said man looking cool and collected while Charles rested by his feet. While she doubted the henchmen would have caused her any hassle or trouble, but it still felt… 'safer', to use the word loosely, to stand by Descole then anyone else on this sub. Well, maybe Raymond too. But he was by Descole's other side so it didn't make much of a difference.

I would 'ave thought you would want to actually stand for a while considering you've been sitting down all night." Elaine muttered to herself, as she folded her arms. Her clothes might have been nice, but it was cool in here and they were not made for cool areas such as this.

"And I would have thought bringing you here would have made you more thankful towards me for my kindness." Descole remarked dryly. Elaine repressed a snort, and tried to keep herself prepared for when the sub was launched. When it was however, she ended up having to grip onto the arm rest of Descole's chair to keep herself standing, having nearly stumbled and fallen. It didn't help her pride that Raymond was still standing while calmly holding onto the armrest on his side for support. Descole gave a small chuckle to himself, but Elaine glared as she stood herself up and gripped tightly onto the armrest, digging her nails in. Shortly after, an explosion was just barely heard, followed by debris floating down to the dreary sea bottom. Elaine then thought to herself in French in response to Descole's last statement,

'Yes, because every girl wants to go an opera house that ends up getting blown up.'