Elaine faintly recalled that Emmy had a photography hobby. It came up sometime in Misthallery though Elaine couldn't remember when exactly. But it had shown a use since Emmy was able to take a picture of where each of the eggs was supposed to be on the rough map of the world. The only problem though was trying to apply a map from millions of years ago to modern maps. While some of the lines were a bit easier to note out then others, it was still far from an easy task. It probably didn't help too much that it was late and dark outside.
As such, while Raymond was flying the Bostonius back to England, both Professors, Emmy and Elaine were on the couch looking through the photos and atlases that Desmond had brought with him and trying to make some matches of possible locations. Luke and Aurora were looking through the window, Aurora with a look leaning more towards fascination then Luke's excitement. Johanna on the other hand had preferred to stay close to her father, and had actually fallen asleep against him. Desmond didn't seem to mind and just casually held arm around her shoulders while using his spare to look through the atlases. This was just rough work though. Desmond planned to look more though roughly as soon as they arrived home, but it didn't hurt to at least come up with possible suggestions now.
"I think this one could be in South America I think," Emmy said, brows furrowed as she looked between a photo in one hand and a book in the other. "It seems to be about the right shape mostly."
"I'll note it down. You could be right," said Elaine before she looked away from a map of Hungary to note down Emmy's idea on a blank sheet of paper, used to keep track of possible locations. So far the current places of interest were Belarus, Siberia, Germany, an island near Seychelles, Portugal, southern states of America and Holland. A few of them were likely wrong, but at least no one could say they didn't try.
"What time is it even? It feels as though it's been hours since we started."
"I think it's been approximately…" Professor Layton paused and murmured to himself as he did a quick calculation. "Four hours perhaps? We should be home by tomorrow at least. Then we can worry about getting things sorted out."
"Such as where Aurora will go? Assuming we're not staying in 'ere when we land," Elaine added quickly. It was already obvious that this group would have to temporally split up to get a few things sorted. The Professor with his work, Luke his parents, Desmond work and his daughter…
Thinking on it now, Elaine made a note to try and call her parents if she got the chance. Work too. Unless they had no choice but to replace her. Could an employee be replaced if they were kidnapped and held captive for the majority of a year? Twice? She wasn't too sure. Elaine would have to try and look into that.
"I think it's obvious to say we should take her opinion into consideration. If she feels safer staying with one of us, then there shouldn't be any harm in letting her choose." Elaine figured that would be the case, and had expected Professor Layton to be the one to say it. Still, it felt better to ask just in case.
"It's late. It would probably be in our best interest to sleep now," Desmond murmured as he placed the atlas he had been looking through back on the coffee table.
"I suppose you're right. After today's events, we need rest."
There were soon murmurs of goodnight between people before leaving the room. Raymond remained, still able to fly a little longer before he would have to put the ship on auto-pilot so he could get his own rest. Desmond and Elaine also remained. Johanna as well obviously.
"I'm guessing everyone 'as their rooms?"
"Professor and Luke are sharing, and I suppose Aurora will be sharing with Emmy," Desmond replied. "We already have our own rooms."
"And Johanna?" Desmond bit his lip a little for a moment.
"I… I feel more comfortable having her sleep next to me tonight at least. When we go home tomorrow for a few days, I'll see if she's happy enough sleeping on her own."
"And when we're back on the Bostonius?" Elaine questioned.
"Well… I was thinking she could sleep in your room then," Desmond replied, though sounding slightly unsure. Elaine was a bit surprised and glanced down to the still sleeping girl. Elaine didn't mind possibly sharing a room with this girl. How could she? She was just so adorable! But she still had to say,
"I wouldn't 'ave thought you'd be okay with Johanna sleeping in anyone else's room."
""True, but I believe Johanna would be safe enough with you. You did mention motherhood being appealing to you, didn't you?"
"I did," Elaine admitted. "But is there any other reason?"
"I…" Desmond paused, collecting the right words to his mind before say, "assuming our relationship continues onwards or at the very least stays where it is, Johanna would obviously need to know."
"Are you going to tell 'er about us?"
"Of course I will," Desmond affirmed. "She has the right to know. As I said, with us together, you will become a part of Johanna's life. I thought that maybe sharing a room would give you both a chance to bond. Maybe you'll even do so when we go home. I do plan to look over the details we've found though roughly."
"I'd like to," Elaine admitted as she smiled down at Johanna's sleeping figure. "She seems like such a sweet little girl." Desmond gave a faint smile and gently pulled Johanna onto his lap and kissed the top of her head before resting his chin on it.
"She is, isn't she?" he murmured gently. "My sweet, little honey bunch." Elaine tried not to show her smile so much. There was something about Desmond acting so fatherly that made him endearing towards her, as appearing to be even… cute. Not a word Elaine ever thought she would use towards this man, but it did fit for this moment.
"I would like you both to get along," Desmond said. "Johanna never did get a chance to know her mother outside her womb. I think she would have liked some sort of female figure in her life."
"You didn't date after Johanna was born?" Elaine asked, thinking it better then asked, 'after Lucy died'.
"I didn't really think about it then. I suppose I was still grieving for Lucy, and put most of my focus in raising Johanna and my archaeology work," Desmond explained as he gave a light shrug. "Essentially, I hadn't dated in about nine years until we grew close." He raised a brow at Elaine's surprised look. "Is it honestly that surprising?"
"Non… Well, maybe. You just seem like the type of person that would at least be asked out by women," Elaine said. It was the best way Elaine could explain it without giving Desmond a reason for his ego to be stroked. However regardless of this, Desmond still gave a smirk towards Elaine.
"Is that you're way of saying I'm handsome and draw the attention of most members of the fairer sex?" he teased.
"Non. I just didn't want your ego to be stroked," Elaine explained in a serious tone. "With all the pride it's taking in, it's becoming dangerously close to exploding."
"I doubt that will happen."
"I should 'ope so," Elaine said. "It would be a rather gruesome sight, and not one Johanna would appreciate." Desmond scoffed. There was for a moment a peaceful quiet. Elaine felt a temptation to ask Desmond what he intended to do when they found all of the Azran eggs. For Aurora's sake and the sake of the Azrans legacy, it felt important to know what the archaeologist scientist had planned.
But then a fight could have started. There was no reason to wake Johanna up with that. Not to mention the others might hear. Elaine would have to wait for some other opportunity. Perhaps once during the few days at home. Or sometime during the trip when they had the chance.
Desmond checked his pocket watch and stood up. Johanna in his arms.
"We should get going for bed ourselves. I'll just put Johanna to bed first, and then we'll get started on tidying these photos, papers and atlases up. You can start ahead of me." Desmond then turned to leave. Walking at a calm pace so not to wake his daughter. Elaine rolled her eyes but started on tidying the mess up a little.
Father or not, it was still Desmond.
OMAKE THEATRE: Where Layton characters are chibi-fied!
Warning! Possible spoilers for Azran Legacy if you read the lines carefully and think about them!
Bronev may give a first appearance of being a cold hearted monster with no soul, and even the most selfish person alive. But even he had a soft spot. For instance, his granddaughter, Johanna. True, he did kidnap her from his estranged son instead of killing her to make him join because of her resemblance to his late wife (and he would never admit that that was a little creepy), but he did care for his granddaughter and tried to make her adore him like he had grown to adore her.
Johanna on the other hand, while she had slowly grown to become more shy and nervous due to her kidnapping, rarely showed any positive emotions towards him. In her mind, he was associated with bad things. Maybe once or twice he was lucky to get a smile, but other than that, she either tried to ignore him.
Still, he couldn't keep an eye on her all the time, and his pet ferret needed attention also. So he did what most men in his position would do, and got one of his subordinates to babysit her. Mainly because it was cheaper than hiring an actual child minder.
First choice? Leonard Bloom.
"Let me see if I understand correctly, sir," Bloom began, looking at his superior with some hesitance. "You wish for me to look after your granddaughter?"
"I highly doubt Johanna will be too much trouble for you, Bloom." Bloom looked to the couch in the office where said girl was. She wasn't looking up, and kept her face down while quietly eating an oversized biscuit Bronev gave her. She was what most would consider an adorable girl, Bloom supposed. Blondish brown hair tied into a side plait, a blue summer dress with a daisy pattern around the hem and bright red eyes. While it did feel like a task below his standard, it could hardly be difficult. Johanna seemed to be the shy, quiet type. So there shouldn't be any difficulties at all really.
"I suppose I shall do this task then," Bloom then said. "What time should I bring her back by?"
"I feel like having naked Bronev time somewhere around five and I should be finished by six, so time after that." Bloom fought hard not to show a single once of cringing. Either at how Bronev bluntly said it or the statement itself. Which now put horrid images in his head.
"I'll… We'll just be going then." Bloom stood up and walked over to Johanna before picking her up and casually carrying her under his arm like paperwork as he headed to his office. Once in said office, he place Johanna in an empty chair.
"I have work to do, so please sit here quietly. If you're good, I might consider getting you-."
"Home to papa?" Johanna interrupted, innocent red eyes looking up at him. Bloom frowned. That sounded a bit more foreword then he would have expected from a shy girl, but he brushed it off.
"No. I'll get you some… chocolate, or cotton candy… Or whatever it is you brats like." Bloom then walked to his desk, but before he could sit down at it, the door was heard opening. Looking up, Bloom was surprised to see that Johanna had just casually gotten up and opened the door to leave. Bloom walked over to her, shut the door and locked it before placing Johanna back in her chair.
"Stay. Be a good little girl." Bloom turned around and went back to his desk. He had just sat down again when he heard the same opening creak again. Once again, Johanna had gotten up and unlocked the door.
Bloom really shouldn't have left the key in the keyhole.
The process of putting Johanna back in her place started again. Except this time, Bloom put the key in his pocket. He looked at Johanna with a stern look.
"Don't play games with me. You may be our leader's grandchild, but you are currently under my supervision and must obey me. Understand?" Johanna sniffed and held her head down. Bloom, feeling pleased with himself, went back to his desk. He had just turned the computer on when he heard a clicking noise.
He look back to the door and saw that Johanna was currently trying to lock pick his door, and seemed close to succeeding. Bloom briefly noted the expression on Johanna's face. She did this as though it was completely normal.
Thinking back to the previous month, Bloom recalled that Bishop and Rook had been made to babysit the brat. She somehow managed to distract them by asking the 'which came first, chicken or egg' question and ran off while Bishop was trying to compare the question to a phoenix. At least that was the rumour. Regardless, she managed to get away from them and had snuck onto a plane leaving the Nest for Belarus. Luckily they had people there who managed to catch her before she could get on a plane for Majorca and from there, a plane to England. Rook and Bishop were punished by having their Targent Theatre Group membership revoked for three months. It Rook the hardest since he was to play Claudio in this year's production of 'Much Ado about Nothing'. It didn't harm Bishop as much since despite believing he had a chance to play Benedick (that went to Bloom himself), he got cast as a tree.
Bloom was brought out of his thoughts when the door unlocked, and quickly got up and dragged Johanna back in when the girl stepped out. Not wanting to take chances, he locked his office door again, placed Johanna back in the chair and took off his tie to use as a substitute rope and tied the young girl's hands behind the chair. He smirked down, feeling triumphant.
So triumphant, he was going to celebrate by looking at kitty cat pictures online before he started on his work.
Back at his computer again, he glanced up briefly only to nearly jump in shock. Johanna had already unlocked the door. Free from the chair, and his tie on the ground when he quickly checked.
"How are you…?" Johanna looked to him with an innocent look. Bloom narrowed his eyes and stood up before grabbing Johanna and practically flinging her into the chair and tying her up again. He turned around to lock the door and when he looked back, his jaw nearly dropped when Johanna was casually swinging her legs, arms no longer bound again.
"You're a worthy opponent, I won't deny it," Bloom said calmly. "But I'm not called a prodigy for nothing. I won't be bested by an eight year old!"
"I'm nine."
"I don't care!" Bloom kept his eyes on the girl as he moved to his supplies closet. He kept his eyes on her as he felt around in said closet and took out actually rope.
"I'd like to see you escape from this," Bloom muttered as he tied Johanna's legs to the chair, then around the rest of her body. He also used his tie again in the bounding. Just to be sure. He looked content as he looked at his handiwork. He sat down at his desk and logged in his kitty pics dot com account (his secret shame) and chuckled to himself at the first image of a kitty holding a rose stem in its mouth while popping out of a top hat.
"Can I've money for the vending machine, please?"
"How much do you-?" Bloom cut himself off when he realised it was Johanna standing at his desk.
STANDING, at his desk. Not, TIED UP, in the chair.
Bloom stared at her for a moment before he stood up and walked backwards towards his closet and took out a bunch of chains. Extreme, but necessary. After glancing to the door briefly to make sure it was locked, Bloom calmly sat Johanna back in her chair, tied her with the tie, bound her with the rope, and wrapped the chains around her.
"That should do it," Bloom muttered as he turned around to go back to his desk. Looking at his Face Novel account, he saw his friendship request towards Swift was rejected.
Creak…
Bloom tensed as he heard his door opening. Swallowing, he looked up and saw Johanna had just left his office. He quickly got up and dragged her back inside. His left eye twitching from this madness. Not letting go of Johanna, he locked the door once more.
This was serious now.
Five minutes later, Bloom looked at his handiwork with pride. You couldn't even see Johanna under the mountain of chains and rope used to keep her in the chair, or the potato sacks put over her head and hands. He even found a dog collar and leash and put it on her and tied the other end to the chair.
Creak…
Bloom looked to the door. He gawked, dropping to his knees. Johanna stood there casually. But… How had…?
He looked back to the mess on the chair. It looked like it was on top of-
And then it collapsed.
Bloom looked from the mess to Johanna and back again and again. He then whimpered and fell to his side in fetal position. Rocking back and forth and saying over and over about how he was a prodigy, how he was the best, how this had to be a strange dream and finally, apologising for being such a failure.
Not entirely realising how much she broke Bloom's brain, Johanna waved to him before she left.
"Bye, Mr. Bloom. I'll just be going to my room for now."
It didn't take long for news to spread of Bloom's mental breakdown. He actually had to be sent on a mandatory holiday because of his experience with Johanna. There were some rumours that Johanna was the reincarnated Harry Houdini circling around, as well as rumours that Bloom had been doing drugs while on duty.
Either way, Bronev needed to find Johanna a new babysitter.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, everyone :D A hundred chapters is starting to look possible, so when we get to ninety nine, get a drink of your choice ready to have by the time by the time we get to a hundred :D
Also, I put a picture of Johanna up on my Deviantart account, so I hope you like that too :)