A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, but a few more things before-hand!
One, I am collaborating with other Ace Attorney fans to write Investigations 3! It's going to be EPIC, and while I'm only a special beta (Logic Chess/Magatama segments), I still had a hand in the planning stage. You should go check it out! It's under PierceTheVeils, and called Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth: End of an Era. Prologue is already up!
Second: Review Replies!
Gamergirl: It has! I'm glad you like the flashbacks. I was worried about them to be honest, hehe. I realize that it might seem like Flora being a writer might have been inspired by my own writing, but that's actually not the case. Because she was a Rapunzel character, essentially, and I just connect modern Rapunzel characters to being huge bookworms, I gave her that aspect of her character. Then I was trying to figure out what she would do for her career. Being on the police force, or being an archaeologist just… didn't fit with her character, I felt, but I still saw her as being interested in mysteries and solving them, which lead me to her being a mystery writer! Yeah, Hertz is going to give them a lot of trouble this time!
Mosinnia is one of the locations in Azran Legacy, the one with all of the kids.
Okay, that's all! Here we go!
…
Chapter Two: More Bad News
Inspector Chelemy escorted me back to Gressensheller University. I looked at my watch, only to see that Eric would still be in class. I mentioned this to the Inspector.
"Well, you two are probably in the most danger from Hertz. Do you know where his class is?" he asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, this way," I said, leading him through the hallowed halls. Vague voices of professors and students could be heard through the various doors we walked past, until I stopped in front of one, where a very familiar voice could be heard drifting through the wood.
"This it?" the inspector asked. I nodded again, and he glanced in the window. "Why is Shiner up front, like he's teaching?" he asked.
"Because he is. He's covering for Professor Layton, who's on Sabbatical in Mosinnia," I explained. "Eric's working on his professorship, and covering for another professor is part of that."
"Oh," Chelemy grumbled, falling silent. After a few more minutes, the door opened, and students flooded out. Once it slowed to a trickle, the inspector and I slipped in. Eric was finishing packing his stuff in a trunk, talking to a few of the students, when he noticed me.
"Flora!" he said happily, coming over and giving me a hug, kissing my forehead. I smiled warmly up at him.
"Hello, Eric," I said. The students smiled at that, before noticing the inspector and slipping out. Eric noticed him too and moved so that he was standing beside me, his arm draped over my shoulders.
"Inspector Chelemy? Is everything okay?" he asked.
"No. Roma Hertz escaped from prison," the inspector said. Eric's hand tightened on my shoulder.
"Wh-what?" he gasped.
"And she stole the Chalice from the museum," I added. Eric closed his eyes for a moment, breathing out heavily through his nose. From how tight his arm was around me, I knew he was remembering the events of ten years ago, just as I had.
"What does this mean…?" Eric asked softly.
"It means you will go into protective custody," the inspector said.
"It means she's going after the City of Silver," I said at the same time. We looked at each other.
"Protective custody?" Eric asked.
"Yes. You two foiled her plan last time. Who's to say she won't seek revenge?" Inspector Chelemy said. I sighed softly.
"You're right," I said. "Where will we be staying?" I asked.
"Do you still live at Layton's?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Then there."
"Alright. I have to stop by the office first to get some things, though," Eric said. We nodded, following him out of the classroom and through the halls, stopping in front of a door with a top hat insignia. Eric reached into his pocket for the keys, when I noticed something.
"Wait!" I said, catching his wrist.
"What?" Eric asked.
"Bloody hell… the lock's broken!" the inspector gasped, before reaching in front of us, using his arm to gently push us back and behind him. "Stay behind me," he said, before pushing the door open quickly and moving forward, a hand on the side arm he had at his side. He looked around, before sighing.
"It's all clear," he said, looking back at us. We walked in, and I gasped.
Professor Layton's office was trashed. Books and papers were scattered all over the floor, along with priceless, shattered artifacts. Eric, probably knowing the value of all of the artifacts in this office, gasped, dropping to one knee and carefully picking up a piece of stone.
"What… who…?" he muttered.
"Hertz. Who else?" I said, going over and wrapping my arms around Eric. A horrible thought fought its way into my mind. What if he had been here when she broke in? What if the professor had been here!?
"I don't see the book of hypnotic songs anywhere," Eric said. I sighed.
"That must have been what she was looking for," I said.
"So, she's essentially armed again," the inspector sighed.
"Right," I said.
"Flora…" Eric suddenly said.
"Hm?"
"Is there… something missing from the desk?" he asked. I looked over and gasped.
The professor always kept six pictures on his desk. One of his parents, one of his old love, Claire, one of Luke and his family, one of Eric and myself, one of myself, Alfendi, and the professor… and one of just Alfendi, right after he won his first fencing tournament.
One was missing. The one of Alfendi. I darted over, quickly searching the desk and the floor around it.
"The picture of Alfendi… it's missing," I said, my chest starting to feel tight. "Why would she take a picture of—" I cut off, suddenly jumping to my feet.
"We need to get to his school," I said. Inspector Chelemy's eyes widened, and he nodded.
"Come on!" he said, leading the way out of the building and to his car.
…
"Alfendi never went back to class after lunch. We were just notified," the secretary said. The world around me seemed to tip, my breath catching in my throat. Eric's arms wrapped around me.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Reinhold."
"Did you notice any suspicious characters around the school today?" the inspector asked.
"Now that you mention it… there was a woman in the parking lot, around lunch time, before she suddenly vanished."
"Hertz…" I said, my voice faint. Inspector Chelemy scowled.
"Thank you," he said to the secretary, before leading us out and back into the car. Eric wrapped his arms tightly around me as we sat in the backseat, pulling my face into his shoulder and rubbing my back comfortingly. I could only think of one thing.
Alfendi… Alfendi is missing…
…
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! Sorry for how short it is, but I promise, it's all set up!