IUG FUOB EQIO GBRIO GNIOBGPQ BG RIHG I GBI PGBP RHGPQRHGN PRIB N IPR IORGNIOPQ GQOPGNEOPQG QOPGOPQE GOPQHO O HQGOH GOQHPHQPH IBPQIIQRUIPQB G G DON'T KNOW WHY THERE ARE SPACES WHEEEEEEEEE
The REVIEW REPLY SECTION IS HERE!
GoldGriffin: Thank you for reading my story! I liked yours as well :D
Guest: Thank you so much! I think I forgot to fast-approve your review, so...sorry 'bout that. Hehe.
Theochron's (current) outfit is a vest and a white long-sleeved shirt. And dress pants.
Chapter One
City Lights
"There's a serious problem, you see."
Claire tilted her head. "What is it, Theo?"
"My name's not Theo, it's Theochr-"
"Please. I don't think having everyone call you 'Theochron' is a good idea. It's such an...unwieldy name."
"But it's still my name. If you don't call me Theochron, you might as well call me something completely different."
"Fine. I'll come up with a name." Claire grinned.
Theochron sighed. "If you insist. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Are you familiar with the Oculus?"
"No." Claire scratched her head. "But I think I heard Hershel mention it once..."
"Allow me to enlighten you, then. The Oculus is a sphere-well, at least in its physical form-that can control time. It is the only reason time flows linearly. I take it you are familiar with the Storm?"
Claire nodded. "Yes, I am. Most scientists are still baffled as to why time was so jumbled back then."
"So I've gathered. Well, that's simply how time flows on its own. The Oculus was created by the first Time Guardian to create a simpler world. A world without the complications of time abnormalities. Everyone would ride the same time stream. You're staring at the Oculus right now."
Claire blinked, slowly coming to a realization. "Wait...so you're saying...the Oculus is the time stream itself? But that doesn't make any sense!"
"No. The Oculus is what's around the time stream. We Time Guardians are gifted with Sight, letting us see the Oculus, but I can describe it to you. Do you notice how the time stream is in a confined space?"
"Well, yes. That's the Oculus's doing, right?"
"Correct. The Oculus is basically a good quality pipe. Time flows through it, but nothing leaks. It is 100% controlled, and I can control the Oculus."
"So basically, the time stream is safe."
"Unfortunately not. You see, the Oculus in the real world has gone missing...and if the wrong people were to get their hands on it..."
Claire gasped. "Then they could..."
"Rule the world? Yes. Destroy spacetime? Easily. The Oculus is a weapon as well, Claire. You and I both know the intricacy required when dealing with the time stream. That is why I sought your help first."
Claire frowned. "But why me? I'd say Hershel and his apprentice could help you out with your search a lot better. He'd do it. Hershel has a good heart and a good mind."
Theochron sighed. "A good mind, yes, but a clouded one. He hasn't quite been the same ever since you and Luke left."
"How so?" Claire sounded concerned. What happened to him now?
"I think it's better if I just show you. Follow me to the present...and remember. No one can see you."
Claire found herself standing in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. Though after a few seconds, she recognized her location. Of course. This is where Hershel works.
"Claire?"
Gressenheller University. It looked more somber in the night.
Then she realized a single fact.
I'm...alive. I'm really alive.
Back from the dead.
"Ms. Foley?"
"Hm?"
Theochron motioned for Claire to follow him. "Come. The Professor is in his office. Oh, and you might want one of these." He held out what appeared to be an ordinary stethoscope. "These were made by a good friend of mine. They're specialized eavesdropping devices. Hold them up against a door and you can hear anything inside the room, even the faintest sound."
"And remember," he added, "you must not be seen."
Silently tiptoeing through the halls of the prestigious college, the duo slipped past the night patrol and arrived at Professor Layton's office. It wasn't too difficult to find-a painted top hat with an L on it gave away the correct door. Even without Theochron's devices, they could hear the sound of pencil meeting paper when they drew near.
"He must be correcting tests. Not a very interesting activity to be eavesdropping upon, is it?" Claire asked.
"On the contrary, it is. I believe he is not scribbling, but writing, judging by the sound. It seems somewhat more deliberate than merely scrawling a comment in the corner of a test. Very odd...I could have sworn his students took an exam yesterday." Theochron quietly chuckled.
"That's not like Hershel," Claire said. "Usually, he prioritizes what's important first. Whatever he's writing must more important than grading papers."
"Perhaps. Important to who, though? Him? Certainly. Others? Doubtful."
Now Claire was curious. "Why would you say that?"
"Hm," said Theochron, "interesting. The sound of crumpling paper. I think he's throwing it away."
Claire, putting her earpiece to the wall, could hear the professor throwing a paper ball into the receptacle under his desk. Then, she heard footsteps. And they seemed to be getting louder and louder...
"What the hell are you doing? Get away from the door!" Theochron whispered. He grabbed Claire's arm and yanked her away just as the door to Professor Layton's office swung open. Out stepped the man himself. Without a word, he turned and walked down the hallway.
"Whew. That was close." Claire let out a sigh of relief. "Wait...Theochron? Where are you?"
The Time Guardian had vanished.
"Where could he have gone? He was here a second ago!"
"I'm back. Come. Quickly."
Claire turned around and saw Theochron, silently shutting the office door.
"Let's get out of here."
"The view's beautiful, isn't it?" Theochron asked. Claire nodded, awestruck by the beauty.
"I don't know how you managed to sneak past security, but...thanks." Claire smiled.
She was standing in a rather unique room. It had paneless windows on all sides, the London cityscape especially striking with colorful lights standing out from the dark sky. The majestic river Thames reflected all of the neon lights, resembling a mosaic of sorts.
And she saw all of this from nearly two hundred feet off the ground.
"Well, I figured scheduling a tour would take forever, so I simply brought you up here myself." Theochron grinned.
"To be honest, I've never actually been inside Big Ben before."
"Not very many people have had the pleasure of coming here at what, 9:00 P.M.? And you get a visit free of charge. You're welcome."
"Thanks." Claire laughed. "Also, I think I've decided on your new name."
Theochron mentally groaned. "Alright...what is it?"
"Tom. And I'm going to get you some new clothes tomorrow. You can't run around London wearing an outfit like that. What, is that Renaissance fashion?"
"You. And clothes shopping. Why do I get the feeling that this is going to take forever and still turn out badly?"
"Hush, you. I did buy Hershel his hat, so I have some experience with this sort of thing."
"...Fiiiiiiiiiine. I just don't want to, you know, spend an eternity at the store. It's simply not a productive use of time."
"Alright. I promise I'll try and finish quickly."
"Really?"
"Admittedly, I probably won't."
"Yeah, you probably won't." Theochron, seeing Claire shoot a death glare at him, chuckled.
For a moment, the two simply looked out at the view they would probably never see again in their lives.
"Oh! Is that Hershel's car? That reddish one, the one in traffic. I can't see quite clearly, but I think it is. Not many cars look like that."
"I believe you are correct. The Laytonmobile certainly...stands out. In fact, that reminds me of something." He pulled out a wrinkled sheet of paper. "This is what the Professor was writing earlier. I think you ought to have a look."
Claire took the sheet of paper. In familiar looking handwriting was the following:
They have gone.
They have left.
Without them, I am incomplete. A fragment.
The joys and sorrows, I miss them both.
My friends and family, I miss them all.
The apprentice. Forgive me, the apprentice number one.
When he left, our adventures had only just begun.
The assistant. Though an enemy, a spy in our midst,
Her positives, I must admit, form a much longer list.
The brother. The father. My family that never was...
Is it strange, the heartless acts that life does?
And Claire. The angel. The angel that perished.
The angel that I, above all else, cherished.
People say that now I seem a lot more solemn.
But I can still laugh at how far I've fallen.
"That's...that's horrible." Claire was on the verge of tears. Was this the same Hershel Layton she knew? Was she going mad? Was he? "How could he write such a thing?"
"Perhaps now you see what has become of the once great Professor Layton. Whereas his office was once his sanctuary, the place where he could immerse himself in his profession, it is now his prison. He has no one. No one anymore. Even Flora, I think, has noticed. She is going back to St. Mystere as we speak, where she lived before she met the Professor. I arranged for her to go there. It is perhaps for her own safety."
"Now tell me," Theochron said, "do you still love the Professor?"
"I...I..." Claire began to sob.
"Is it so hard to answer such a simple question?"
"I do!" Claire cried. "I could never do otherwise! He's mine! I'm his! I don't care what he's become, he can be some demon from hell for all I care! You could never understand! I-"
"That's quite enough. Good. So you do still care for him. Well, he needs help. His life is in shambles, as you probably know. I intend to restore Hershel Layton to his former life: surrounded by friends, infused with happiness and love. Of course, the 'love' part can only be given to him by one person." Theochron pointedly looked at Claire while he said those words.
"Me."
"Exactly. The problem is, you're supposed to be dead. Especially since you affirmed it yourself during your farewell to the Professor in that alleyway. Thus, you cannot be seen. Once I get the Oculus, I can sever your death from the main time stream. You survived the explosion and were sent to ten years in the future. Everything else can remain the same, and you and Professor Layton can finally live in peace. But you need to help me. Can you do that?"
"Yes." Claire said, her eyes watery. "For him I'll do anything."
"Right. Here's how we'll divide the room: I take the floor, you take the bed. Simple."
"You're being too generous, you know. You were also the one who paid the hotel manager."
"That's what a gentleman does." Theochron insisted.
"Alright then."
"I'm going back to Gressenheller tomorrow, you know. I need to have a word with the Professor. I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay here."
Though saddened, Claire nodded.
"Right. Now, let's get some sleep, we're going to need it."
After Theochron turned the lights off, he asked,
"By the way...what was your new name for me again?"
"Tom. It...suits you, I think. You're nearly as old as Hershel, otherwise I would call you Tommy."
Tom, he thought, long after Claire had fallen asleep. There's something I like about that name. Admittedly, it is shorter than Theochron. I could get used to it.
And what was it she said about the Professor?
"He can be some demon from hell for all I care..."
"If only she knew," he murmured, before sleep overtook him and he drifted away.
Fav, Follow, and Review please! It helps to know that you guys like reading this story, because I really like writing it, too.