Professor Layton and the Living Dead
Chapter 1
Well, that was awkward. Despite Layton assuring her that he would help her, it felt rather strange talking to a dead woman. Well, clearly she wasn't dead, but everyone thought she was: her parents, her friends, her husband...All of London thought that Scarlett Alister was dead, died in a house fire in one of the rich neighbourhoods 10 years ago. All of London was shocked, it was big news at the time. Everyone heard of it and after that nothing was heard of the family that it happened to. Nobody knew where the husband was, some assumed that he committed arson to get out of a bad marriage, but that was just rumours spread to discredit Scarlett. Asking her directly wasn't going to help solve that mystery, but he needed a place to start.
"Miss Alister, you have really pretty hair. It's like rubies have been woven into it.", Flora stated to break the silence. Scarlett was caught by surprise, as if that phrase awoke something in her.
"Wh...what did you just say?", she whispered, her voice sounded sad or melancholic.
"Your hair, it looks like rubies have been woven into it.", Flora repeated herself. Layton's interest seemed to stir as he noticed the small movements. Subtle things like Scarlett's lip quivering or her breath being a bit heavier than before.
"Could it be that this phrase was said by someone you loved, Miss Alister?", Layton wondered, his voice low and comforting. Scarlett looked at him.
"I...have heard it before. I...I don't remember much else.", Scarlett admitted after a moment of silence. Well, it was a start, at least, that's what Layton thought. It wasn't a lot of information to go off of, but it was….something.
"Do you remember anything else?", Layton asked, getting no reply.
"I guess not. That makes this whole mystery a lot more complicated.", Layton thought out loud, catching Scarlett's attention.
"So, you can't help me? I understand...Thank you anyway.", Scarlett said and turned to leave. Flora grabbed her hand with a smile.
"The Professor promised to help you, so he will find a way to do so, Miss Alister!", Flora stated. Her smile was so warm, it stirred something inside of Scarlett again.
"Flora is right, Miss Alister. I promised to help you, and as an English gentleman, it would be very rude of me not to fulfil this promise.", Layton smiled. Scarlett was moved by the both of them. Her heart beat fast, no one has been so nice and kind to her since...him. But who was "he"? Why could she remember the kindness and compassion of someone she didn't even know?
"Well, you two can call me Scarlett, if you like.", Scarlett offered. Flora smiled.
"If you wish to be referred to as such, than I will most certain do that.", Layton also smiled.
"Thank you.", she replied.
"So, you don't remember anything?", Layton asked as they were sitting in a cafe drinking some tea and enjoying cake, well, Flora enjoyed cake.
"No, nothing. There are a few things that make me think of something or someone, but that's it. I'm sorry I am not of much help, Professor Layton.", Scarlett explained, she sounded really apologetic about her having lost her memory. Layton felt sorry for her. It must be hard for her to be alive but not know why or how.
"You don't even remember your parents?", Flora asked.
"No. I don't remember them. Well, I remember I had parents, but nothing else about them.", Scarlett responded, her fingers fidgeting a bit with her tea cup. Layton sensed that she was struggling to remember anything, maybe they could try and recover some memories, but in order to do that, he might need help from a man as smart as himself. But could he even find him? Did he even want to be found?
"Well, I am sorry that you do not remember them, but you must've really loved them when you feel sorry for not remembering them. It means that your love for them is very strong.", Layton explained, placing a hand on her hand laying on the table, causing her to blush. It was brief, and helped calm Scarlett down.
"I wish I could remember him.", Scarlett suddenly said after a moment of silence, peaking the interest of Layton and Flora.
"Were you in love once?", Flora was the first one to ask, though knowing that Scarlett most likely wouldn't remember if she ever had been in love before.
"I...remember the smile of someone. His kindness and compassion. But not his face or name.", she admitted.
"Curious. He must be very important if his smile and the way he treated you stuck with you.", Layton stated. "Do you remember anything else about him?"
Scarlett looked at her tea, staring at her reflection in the liquid. She thought hard about it, was there anything else that she could remember of the man? She wasn't sure.
"I remember his colours.", she exclaimed.
"His colours?", Flora asked, wondering how someone could have colours.
"Yes, his colours. The colours of his clothing. He was brown and red and ivory.", Scarlett seemed exciting having remembered at least the colours he wore.
"That is something. Thank you, Scarlett.", Layton smiled. The three than enjoyed the rest of their tea and cake. Now that Layton had at least some information, he could start research and try and find something about her.
In the shadows there was a man watching the trio, his eyes focusing on the red haired woman. She seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Was it her red hair, was it her face, her smile? It didn't matter, but why did he feel angry when her face turned red after Layton had put his hand on hers? Keeping an eye on the three would prove more difficult than he imagined, as he had to confront his past as well as hers at some point.
"I swore to never ever see them again, but it appears that I would have to sooner than later.", the man thought. If the woman really was who he thought she was, than everything he had done was for naught. Or maybe it wasn't? Maybe everything he had done was the reason she was back. Did he not research Ambrosia enough? Had Targent found a way to revive the dead? Was he too focused on vengeance to see it as a possibility? And why would Targent only revive her? Did they want to torment him even more? No matter what it was that made him feel so attached to this doppelganger of her, he wanted to keep an eye on her and Layton. Who knows, maybe Hershel Layton could be of use to him again.