Here's the next chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Djinn - Thanks so much, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter
wellingtonlucas282 - No problem, thanks for reading.
Fiction Fan 369 - That's perfectly understandable. Just the knowledge that you read and enjoyed the chapter is good enough for me. An interesting theory. We haven't explored more of Edgar's origins have we. I must remedy it sometime. Thanks for reading.
Dikratsblim - My favourite game. Damn, that's a difficult question. Okay, I've got three main ones: Spectre's Call, Layton vs Wright and the Eternal Diva. Spectre's call because it still had the original series design, but it that gameplay had been improved and the story was great. Also, Emmy was in this one and she's one of my favourite characters. Layton vs Wright because I like how unique the game mechanics were and liked how it switches from a Layton game to Phoenix Write game. Also, [shakes your hand] Darklaw…yeah, she's very cool. In fact, I really liked all the character designs in that game. Finally, Eternal Diva is such a great film and the music is great. I sometime just listen to the music from the film when I'm writing these stories…with tears streaming down my eyes.
In all honestly, I like all the games in some shape in form. Which is why I've created a ranking list down below from least favourite to most favourite.
7 - Katrielle Layton
6 - Miracle Mask
5 - Curious Village
4 - Azran Legacy
3 - Lost Future
2 - Pandora's Box
1 - Spectre's Call, LvW, Eternal Diva
Thanks for reading.
Pinkflamingwarriorofjustice - On, wow! I actually haven't heard of the game before. I'll be sure to look it up. Thanks.
Thank you all for reviewing :)
Chapter 6: San Grio
San Grio Beach
As soon as they landing in the crystal blue waters of the island's bay, Edgar knew that he was going to love this place.
San Grio was a small island located in the eastern side of the Mediterranean near the coasts of Spain, Italy and France and it is blessed with being one of them most beautiful islands in the sea. Its history, which Edgar had read up on to pass the time when they were up in the air, involved it being passed around like parcel by several countries and empires, both ancient and contemporary, until it finally won its independence several decades ago and flourished because of it. Due to it's mixed heritage, its peoples' ancestors and language were varied with the majority being of either Italian or Spanish origin. However, almost entirely of its residents considered themselves to be a part of a sub-culture know as San Grian instead.
The island itself was truly a wonder. It was surrounded by bright yellow sandy beaches and clear, sapphire water warmed up by the heat of the Mediterranean sun. Brightly painted houses, and paved roads wound their way over the island's rocky foundations while the rest of it was covered in vibrant green palm trees. A grand hotel sat atop of a tall cliff that overlooked the island's northern waters and, in its lowland, there was a market and shops that looked over the water.
Seeing no other place to land, Sycamore landed the Bostonius in the sea and harboured it to a wooden jetty that was built out onto a populated beach, confusing and fascinating some of the beach goers. Edgar was the first to get out; he closed his eyes and inhaled the slaty sea breeze and the hit sun on his face in content.
"Oh yeah, this is good," he said out loud, "Can we just give up on the egg idea and just stay here."
"We can't just give up after one egg," Emmy sighed as she stepped out of the Bostonius, "We're on a serious-"
However, as soon as she felt the warmth of the sun and the smelled the sea breeze, she sighed and closed her eyes happily.
"Never mind. Let's give up and stay on this paradise forever."
"Now, now, you two," Layton said as he placed a firm hand on each of their shoulders, "We can enjoy San Grio after we obtain the Azran egg," he looked over his shoulder to the door of the Bostonius and called out, "Are you joining us, Professor Sycamore?"
The other professor's head poked out of the doorway and gave a thoughtful hum, "I think not, this time. It seems like the sheep from Hoogland left behind some damage to the equipment and the furniture so I need to tend to it."
"Oh, did you see the lamp they broke in the back room?" Edgar questioned.
"I didn't," Sycamore admitted with an irritated frown, "Damn, those sheep. I add it to the to do list as well. I wish you a successful search," he said as he disappeared back into the airship.
Layton gave him a curious look, "I didn't know the sheep got into the back rooms."
Edgar chuckled in reply, "They didn't. I broke it. I've been looking for a scapegoat or, in this case, a scapesheep ever since," he said, earning a disapproving frown from the older man.
Aurora walked to the end of the dock and stared out across the sea towards the horizon in the distance. Her eyes took in everything; every wave that gently rippled, every seagull that cried as it sailed across the blue sky, every ray of sun that danced prettily on the water's surface. It was different from Lake Kodh; the only large body of water she had seen so far; there was a calmness in its beauty that seemed to sooth. She gave a small smile and took a deep breath.
"It…goes on forever," she said, "It makes me feel so small…but at the same time, peaceful," she turned towards them with a small frown, "Is that strange?"
"Of course not. We all feel like that sometimes," Edgar reassured her as he stepped up beside her, "I'm glad you're feeling calm, though. It means you're getting used to the modern world. Once this is all over, you can live your own life and do anything you want."
Aurora seemed to hesitate at that, but soon she gave a content nod of her head, "I would like that," she softly said before she turned back to them, "I sense an aura stone nearby. I can also sense a great power, but it feels…distant somehow. It's hard to explain."
Layton hummed and looked over the island and rubbed his chin, "Well, it is rather a small island. There's always the possibility that it's not on dry land at all, but rather, in the depths of the sea."
"Great," Edgar tutted, "So, there's a possibility that we have to get swimsuits and go diving for ancient artefacts in the middle of the Mediterranean…" he eyes suddenly lit up in delight, "…hey, Emmy and Aurora, why don't you two buy swimsuits. I hear bikinis are great for deep sea exploration. The smaller, the better."
"Quiet you!" Emmy snapped at him, "It'll be much more effective if we interview some of the locals like…oh, what about him," she said, pointing to a man down on the beach nearby.
He was skinny man in his late thirties with bushy red hair, tanned skin and a very pointed chin that almost reached his collar bone, leading Edgar to wonder how he puts shirts on. He wore a blue and white striped one piece bathing costume that went down to thighs whilst doing exercise stretches from side to side. As they got closer, they heard him call out encouragements to himself and counting how many stretches he was doing.
"¡Uno, dos, tres! ¡Y estirar! ¡Uno, dos, tres! ¡Y espera! ¡Uno, dos, tres! ¡Y otra vez!" he cried out to himself in Spanish.
Emmy was the first to approach. She cleared her throat to catch the man's attention before she offered him a warm smile.
"Discúlpeme señor. ¿Hablas inglés?"
"¡Sí!" he said as he jumped and stood before her, "Oh, I mean, yes of course. Javier, at your service! How can I help you? Let me guess, you're looking to go on an adventure of a lifetime, right chica?"
"I really am not," Emmy said with a roll of her eyes, "We're looking for an egg-shaped object with engravings. You wouldn't happen to have seen one around, would you?"
Edgar sighed, "Come on, Emmy. As if he would know anything about that."
"Oh, you mean a popoño, no?" Javier questioned with a shrug, "Suuure, just head to the market. They've got what you want there."
"Wait! What!?" Edgar cried out in shock, "How do you know about that!? And why did you say it so casually!?"
"Everybody knows about the popoño," Javier told him, "Where have you been living? Under a rock?"
"In a normal world, actually."
Emmy giggled and gave Edgar a teasing wink, "Jealous how I was able to find it so easily? Hmm? Come on, let's get to the market."
Market
The market wasn't too far away. Stalls and tables lined the paved broad walk on the edge of the coast where people flocked to them in their droves.
The market stalls were filled with an assortment of all sort of wares; from exotic fruit of all shapes and colours to strange trinkets that you would often see in tourist traps like magnets, postcards, and cheap jewellery. However, as the four of them ventured further and further into the market, it didn't take them long to notice something.
Everything, and quite literally everything, was shaped like an Azran Egg.
Garden statues, figurines, soaps, wind chimes, necklaces, earrings, doormats, postcards, paintings, cushions, hats, t-shirts, eggs…well, I mean they were already egg-shaped. They got the detail spot on, from the shape to the groove markings along the side.
The looked around in surprise as they took it all in. People, both residents and tourists, were trading, buying and exchanging replicas of the Egg. Some merchants rode in boats alongside the broad walk and sold several varieties of it to their eager customers. There was even a man-sized mascot of an Azran Egg wearing a straw hat. After a few moments of shocked silence, Edgar turned back to them and gestured to their surroundings.
"You know what, something is telling me that there may be a little too many Eggs in this place," he said before he began poking Emmy teasingly on the shoulder with a sly expression, "Hey, what did you say earlier? Huh? Huh? Something about it being easy? Right? Right? Fufufu!"
Emmy, not at all amused, slapped his hand away, "Stop that and take that smug look off your face," she muttered grumpily.
"How peculiar," Layton hummed as he rubbed his chin, "I wonder what is going on?"
"Hola! Salve! Hello!" cried out an enthusiastic voice as someone leapt out of nowhere in front of them, "Are you four interested in a Popoño? I've got plenty of them right here!"
He was a young boy in his early teens with dark skin, small oval eyes and big wide smile plastered on his face. He wore, strangely enough, a hand-made blue rabbit costume consisting of zipped up furry bodysuit and a hood with two small ears poking out the top. Around his shoulder was a brown bag that seemed to be stuffed with something.
"A Popoño," Edgar repeated, casting a look at the man in the rabbit suit, "What's a Popoño?"
"This is a Popoño!" the man exclaimed, taking a few polished rocks that were shaped like Azran Eggs and showing to them eagerly, "Great value and expectedly crafted. You want some?"
"A Popoño…is an egg?"
"No, a Popoño is a Popoño. It's San Grio's most well known symbol. Everybody knows about them. Now, how many would you like?"
"And how, young man, did it become so prominent on San Grio?" Layton asked.
The young man shrugged, "Nobody's too sure…well, I personally don't know. JaJaJaJa!" he laughed, "All I know is that there are hundreds of them around the island and there are many different types like Good Luck Popoño, Strawberry Flan Popoño, Popoño Surprise."
"What's Popoño Surprise?" Aurora questioned.
"I can't tell you. It kind of goes against the spirit of Popoño Suprise, no?"
Edgar hummed curiously, "Do the Popoño have something to do with Easter?"
"Huh? No, why?"
"Well…" he gestured to his costume, "You're dressed as a rabbit and their egg-shaped objects so…" he fell silent as he noticed him looking up at him with a blank expression on his face, "…ah…so, you just wear a rabbit costume just cause. I see now."
"So," he said, nodding down at the Popoño in his hand, "Popoño or no?"
"No," they chorused almost instantly.
"Ah," he muttered in disappointment as he dragged himself away in search for new customers to bother.
"So, there are hundreds of these Popoño around the island, huh?" Emmy sighed as she rubbed the back of her head, "Aurora, are you able tell which one is the one we're looking for?"
Aurora shook her head.
"I'm sorry. I can sense that there's an aura stone here, but I cannot tell you the exact location."
Layton hummed thoughtfully, "Don't you worry, Aurora. We just need to further our investigation. Our paramount clue is how replicas of the Azran Egg had found its way into the tourist industry. They surely cannot be a coincidence. Let's start by questioning the locals about them, shall we?"
They all wearily agreed. Edgar, in the meantime, took out his notebook and began to jot down another mystery that was in dire need of solving.
New Mystery - Popoño: The entire island is obsessed over these Popoños…Popoños? Is that the correct plural form? Popoñi? Popñeux? Popoños?
Note to self: Get better at Spanish.
Anyway, this Popoño resembles the Azran Eggs that we have been looking for, but how could they know about it. We only learned of their existence a few weeks ago-
He suddenly stopped his note taking when he accidentally bumped into somebody, making him and the person he collided with jump in surprise. He looked up from his note book and began to apologise.
"Oh, sorry about-"
He stopped when he saw no one there. Confused, he looked around for the person. He did a full 360 degree turn and still didn't find anymore. Eventually, a small voice sounded out from down below, making him look down.
In front of him was a very short young woman with short brown hair, fair skin and small black eyes. Her cheeks were slightly rosy and she held herself confidently despite the fact that she was almost half his height. She wore a lovely blue summer dress with a neckerchief around her neck as well as white brimmed hat that shielded from the hot sun.
"Excuses-moi," she said with a strong French accent, "I did not mean to bump into you. Pardonnez-moi."
'She's tiny!' Edgar thought in shock before he snapped his notebook shut and gave the woman a small smile, "No, it was my fault. Should have been looking where I was going."
"Are you and your friends tourists?" she asked, "I only ask because I saw you were wandering around."
"Sort of. Are you?"
"Pas du tout!" she exclaimed before she proudly put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, "I am Martine, a fully fledged citizen of San Grio!?"
'Aww cutie,' Edgar thought.
"A citizen, you say," Layton said as he and the others approached, "Then perhaps you might be able to tell us something about the Popoño."
"Oh, the souvenirs? What about the them?"
"Mainly where they came from?"
"Ah, I see," Martine said with a happy smile, "You want to know why they became so popular, non? Well…" she hesitated slightly before she shyly looked away, "I am only very recently a fully fledged citizen of San Grio, so perhaps I am not the best person to ask," she told them before she perked up instantly, "But I may know somebody who might be able to help you," she told as he points down the broad walk to a tall wooden house that seemed only accessible by a staircase and then a bridge, "There is a man called Bud. He runs a bar and grill there. He has lived on San Grio much longer than I have. Perhaps he could tell you."
"A bar and grill, you say," Edgar hummed.
"Oui…amongst other things."
"Well, I am feeling a bit peckish," Emmy admitted, "Should we go?"
"Remember, we are in the middle of an investigation," Layton told them, "But I suppose we can stop for a little light snack."
Bud's Bar And Grill
After a quick bite to eat, the four sat at the bar of the open aired restaurant as they took in the ambiance. The restaurant was on the top floor of a building that looked out over the sea. A wooden roof shielded them from the sun and the stone and wood bar top sparkled as if it was polished that morning. Behind the bar, was several rows of bottles each labelled and filled with some sort of alcohol or spirit that Edgar vaguely recognised. Behind them, closest to the balcony's edge was a long table with various sea food dishes placed upon it; judging by the slices taken from a large fish dish and several legs taken from the lobster, customers could pick and choose from the variety like a buffet. While Emmy was poking a Popoño mascot dressed as Hula dancer next to the bar and Edgar was showing Aurora how to feed peanuts to the toucan that was sat on its perch, Layton saw the owner approached the bar and flash them a smile.
Bud, the owner of the restaurant, was a portly American man with short slicked backed hair, reddish skin from being in the sun for too long and round red nose. His eyes were concealed behind a pair of large round sunglasses and he wore a white vest and red shorts held up by blue suspenders. As soon as they entered his restaurant and placed their orders, Bud whipped them up a delicious meal in no time at all. He seemed to almost flash them a cool grin whenever he got the chance and spoke it a laidback voice no matter what he said.
"Hey guys, how's the food? You want dessert now? I do an excellent Popoño Surprise," Bud said as he leaned on the bar on one arm.
"I am still unsure what a Popoño Surprise is," Aurora said.
"That's exactly the point, miss," Bud chuckled before he raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Hey, you feeling good? You look like your troubled about something."
Aurora cocked her head to the side in confusion, "D-do I? I...didn't know."
"She's just a little shy," Edgar explained, "She's had a very sheltered life and she's not used to the sort of climate."
Emmy nodded in agreement, "She just needs a little time."
"Huh, I see," Bud hummed before he grinned, "Well, perhaps a free dessert will help with that. What do you say to a Popoño Surprise?"
"Err...well...thank you," Aurora said as Bud began to make a Popoño Surprise.
To which, dear readers, its appearance will be kept a secret, because that's the entire point of a Popoño Surprise. You just have to find out for yourselves.
"Actually, Mr Bud," Layton said, "We were wondering if we can speak to you about the Popoño."
"Oh really? What do you wanna know about that?" Bud asked as he placed the dessert in front of Aurora, "Because, I would have to explain The Harmony Ring to you as well to really get it."
"The Harmony Ring?"
"Oh yeah, it's a big thing around these parts," Bud said as he leaned against the bar, "The Popoño is known as the 'bringer of happiness'. The Popoño, you see, are models based on an ancient artefact. You might say it's the one true Popoño."
They all looked at him in intrigue...well, most of them did. Aurora was trying her best to eat the giant Popoño Suprise placed in front of her with only a dessert spoon.
"And where was this artefact unearthed?" Emmy asked.
"It was found in a cave at the far side of the island. The entrance only shows up a couple of times a year when the tide's especially low," he clicked his fingers and gave them a toothy grin, "But I know what you're thinking. Don't go risking your lives, guys. Everything worth taking's already been taken," he told them as if he had read their minds. He chuckled at that, "So, I'm guessing that you're after 'Popoño numero uno', right?"
"You guess right," Edgar admitted with a shrug.
"We, if you really, really want it, you're going to have to play by the rules. See, as it happens, there's someone on this island who's got the true Popoño. But here's the catch: no one knows who," Bud as he placed his hands on his waist, his toothy grin spreading more and more on his face, "It's a very special San Grio tradition. It gets passed around the island, spreading more and more happiness as it goes. And, if you haven't guessed yet, that's why we call it the Harmony Ring. See? Everything comes back full circle."
"So, there's a chance that someone might give it to us?" Edgar asked curiously.
"Sure is, buddy. But people don't just go passing it around to the first person they see. The whole thing follows a pattern."
"Which would mean that learning this pattern might allow us to intercept the exchange and acquire the true Popoño?" Layton hummed.
Bud laughed and shot finger guns at the professor, "Correctamundo! It even found its way to me at one point."
Emmy opened her mouth to ask a question, but Bud shook his head.
"Ah, ah, ah, before you ask, first rule of the Harmony Ring: you don't give names."
Emmy closed her mouth and pouted in disappointment to which Edgar thought was kind of cute.
"You know what?" Bud said as he leaned on the bar, "I'm a nice guy. Lemme give you a little tip. The person who gave me the Popoño was a customer here."
Emmy gave a small sigh, "That's not much of a tip," she said, making Bud chuckle.
"I guess you're right. Well, how about some advice, huh? If you gonna go asking around the folks about it, tell them that you're looking for Harmony. They know what ya mean."
"I see," Layton hummed, "So, it's a logic puzzle. How intriguing. The best course of action will be to split up and cover more ground. Edgar and I will form one team while Emmy and Aurora will form the second. How does that sound..."
He trailed off slightly as soon as he noticed Aurora. The poor ancient girl was still struggling with her Popoño Surprise and her face had become a rather sickly pale. The professor coughed sheepishly into his hand.
"Aurora, would you like some help with that?"
"Y-yes...p-p-please," she stammered.
Market
Layton and Edgar had split from Aurora and Emmy and headed through the packed market. The plan was to find anyone involved with The Harmony Circle and, hopefully, track down who currently held the Azran Egg. They turned down a narrow market street, but suddenly stopped when they spotted two people they wanted to see the least and quickly ducked behind a stall.
"Did you see what I saw?" Edgar muttered, "The uniforms, the sunglasses…the stale cologne smell."
"Indeed," Layton said as he peeked around the stall, "I can't believe Targent is already here. How did they track us down?"
Edgar poked his head around the stall corner as well and looked at the pair of Targent agents nearby. However, as soon as he recognised them, he gave a sigh.
"I don't think we should worry too much. I recognise those two idiots from Kodh," Edgar said as he stepped out from his hiding space and walked over to them.
Bishop and Rook, the two Targent agents, were busily inspecting every single piece of Popoño merchandise that was on the stall in front of them; checking each and every one of them one at a time much to the annoyance of stall owner. Eventually, Bishop sighed tiredly and turned to his much taller partner.
"I know that the boss wants us to get the Azran egg, but I think we're going to need a bigger bag," he said.
"Bishop…" Rook sighed, "All of these are clearly fake."
"I know that, but what if the real one is mixed in with the others!" Bishop cried, "It'll be easier if we just took all of them and the looked later! This is boring!"
"This is our job. Now, shut up and keep looking."
"Well, well, well," Edgar said he approached with Layton catching the two off guard, "Look who it is, big nose and shorty. The worst double act on the West End."
"Ah! It's you!" Rook uttered in shock
"Which one am I?" Bishop pondered.
"Shorty. You're clearly shorty."
"Good day, gentleman," Layton greeted seriously, "Interesting to bump into you again."
Rook snarled and pointed a finger at the both of them, "Don't write us off like that. We're Targent agents, remember, and we're not afraid to get violent. And we don't take kindly to people trying to get the jump on us."
"What? Like the piece of fudge did back in Kodh?"
The two paled at that and clutched their stomachs.
"Shut it, boy. That was nothing to us."
"Yeah," Bishop chimed in before he smiled smugly, "I had to get my stomach pumped…twice."
"Oh…gross," Edgar said.
"That sounds awful. Are you feeling better?"
"We told you it was nothing!"
Rook tutted in anger, "We know all about your plans on getting the Azran eggs. So, don't think for a second that you're going to get your hands on this one."
"Yeah and, once we get it, there's no way you're going to catch us!" Bishop added, "I won the egg-and-spoon race at our school sports day eight years in a row. No one runs with eggs like I do!"
"Gosh," Edgar muttered sarcastically, "I didn't consider looking out for spoons. We sure have our work cut out for us," he sighed before he frowned slightly, "Wait, eight years? You were at school for eight years?"
"I was held back two years…I failed Spanish…and maths…and my other subjects."
"It shows."
"That does is!" Bishop snapped as he stamped his foot, turned on his heel and began to run away, "I'll show you! I'll find the egg right now!"
"Bishop! Wait! You don't know where you're goin-" Rook's cries died out as soon as his partner disappeared into the crowded market, making him growl in annoyance, "That idiot," he muttered before he glared at the both of them, "If you two get in our way again then I'll kill to both of you," he threatened before he turned and ran after Bishop.
Layton sighed as he scratched his chin in thought, "It seems that Targent is already on our tail. I thought we would have a little more time before they send out their agents."
"How did they know to come here," Edgar muttered, "I don't remember Bloom ever learning about what we were doing or where we're going."
The professor hummed as he checked his surroundings with a keen eye, "We best make sure to keep vigilant. Who knows what sort of people Targent would send at us."
"Yeah," Edgar said as he looked around the busy market, "I know what you mean."
He had no idea why, but he was feeling slightly on edge. It was a troubling thought.
Lighthouse
An hour later, Edgar and Layton had travelled out of the main town to expand their search. Climbing a set of stone stairs that were cut into the San Grio mountain, they had finally reached its peak where a large brightly coloured lighthouse was situated. From here, the entire island of San Grio was stretched below them on all sides and gave them a wonderful view of the luscious land, the town, the beaches, the market, the sea and the horizon far off into the distance. It was beautiful and there were even a few coin-operated telescopes made available for tourist to look out over the peak. There were a few people around who had made the climb to see the lighthouse and the views, but they all looked to be tourist rather than actual residents of the San Grio.
"Damn, maybe we should have stuck to the town," Edgar muttered, "I don't think anybody is going to know anything about the Harmony Ring here."
"Not necessarily," Layton as he nodded forwards, "Didn't we meet that gentleman earlier."
Edgar looked to where he was indicating and saw that he was right. In the courtyard, situated in front of the lighthouse, was Javier who they had met down on the beach not too long ago. He was still dressed in his full-body swim suit and was still doing his stretches, much to the intrigue and confusion of the people around him.
"Running up this mountain must be part of his routine," Edgar hummed, "Alright, let's talk to him."
They both approached the strange man who continued to do his stretches with enthusiasm.
"...¡Y estírate! ¡Uno, dos, tres! ¡Sostener! ¡Uno, dos, tres! ¡Y otra vez!..."
"Excuse me."
Javier looked up and noticed them; a friendly smile stretched across his face.
"Hey, tipo," he greeted, "Did you find the Popoño you're looking for, huh? Or, at least, a little...harmony?"
"Well, that doesn't sound suspicious at all," Edgar grumbled, ignoring the looks from some of the tourists, "So, you do know where we can find...that particular Popoño?"
Javier grinned, "You got me. It's funny, really? I only ended up with it by chance, you know. Right place at the right time. The lady who'd only just settled down here gave it to me. Can you believe that? I guess when you're local, you're local. You know, happiness always seems to find a way to me. Maybe it's because I'm such an approachable guy. I mean look at me," he said as he did a pose that was a little inappropriate to do in public, "I look great."
Edgar and Layton sweat dropped at that and decided to move past it as quickly as possible.
"So, you got it from a woman who recently moved to San Grio," Layton hummed, "Is there anything else you can tell us?"
"Whoa! Whoa! Timeout!" Javier said with a happy laugh, "If you want to get anything more out of old Javier, you'll have to work out!"
...
...
...
"We don't have to wear swimsuits do we?" Edgar asked in slight worry.
"No, no. We're not working on those types of muscles. I'm talking about this big muscle in here," Javier said, as he prodded his head, "If you answer at least one of my three riddles, I'll give you more information. Sound good, no?"
Edgar smiled confidently while Layton gave a small smile.
"Those sound like acceptable terms," Layton said, "Please proceed."
Puzzle Start
"Muy Bien," Javier said before he raised one finger towards them, "First riddle: In a house haunted by hundreds of ghosts, in which room would you not see a single lost soul."
Edgar frowned in concentration, 'One room in an entire house that no ghost is found,' he thought, 'Damn, what could that mean? Is in terms of how big the rooms are? Or are there any rooms specifically designed to ward off ghosts? I remember reading about how ancient civilisations would use certain rituals to prevent evil spirits from entering, but how does that relate to a modern house. What sort of ritual do we use today to prevent ghosts? Maybe some sort of incense or herbs or...' he gasped in realisation, "The pantry," he answered confidently, "The pantry is often filled with herbs that can ward off evil spirits like sage, lavender, thyme and cayenne pepper. That has to be it."
However, Javier shook his head.
"Nope," he said, much to his disbelief.
"W-what?" he uttered, "Then what is it?"
"It's the living room!" Javier declared with a laugh, "You can't have a living room full of ghosts, can you?"
...
...
...
...
Edgar's eye twitched in fury, "That's...not...a...riddle..." he said in slowly, "...that's...a...joke."
Javier blinked in surprise, "Huh? Really? Ah well!"
"Don't you 'ah well' me! You said you were going to tell a riddle!" he shouted at him, "What's the point of setting up this challenge if you're not going to do it right!"
Layton placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "Now, now, Edgar, calm down. We still have two more to go. Remember, we only need to answer one in order to get more answers."
Edgar, still seething with rage, took a deep breath and calmed down, "Alright fine. What's the next one."
"Ha! I like your enthusiasm!" Javier cried out as he gave him a thumbs up, "Alright, second riddle: When is a doctor most annoyed?"
Edgar hummed in thought, "Well, maybe when the person they wanted to help dies, but they wouldn't be necessarily annoyed. They're more likely to be saddened or ashamed of their skills-"
"When they run out of patients!" Javier suddenly answered, "Do you get it! Good one, right?"
Layton quickly grabbed a hold of Edgar before he could charge at him furiously. He struggled in his arms, scratching the air in front of him so he could grab Javier by the throat.
"DO YOU NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JOKE AND A RIDDLE!?" he roared as his eyes blazed in absolute anger, "A RIDDLE IS A LOGICAL PUZZLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SOLVED WHILE A JOKE IS WHAT YOU ARE!"
"Okay! Okay!" Javier nervously said with a gulp, "I'll do it properly now! I promise!" he said before he cleared his throat, "Riddle three: I cannot be seen, I cannot be heard, nor can I be tasted, but I can be felt and I can be shared with others as a gift. What am I?"
Edgar fell limp in Layton's arms as he listened to the riddle, his fury extinguishing like a candle that had been blow out by the wind. The two looked at each other curiously before they frowned in concentration.
"So, this is not a tangible object," Layton hummed, "But a person can still feel it."
"And it can be passed onto others with good intentions," Edgar added thoughtfully, "That doesn't seem right."
"Perhaps it's not an object."
"Instead, it's a feeling or an emotion."
They both came to the same conclusion and turned to Javier in confidence.
"Harmony," they answered.
Javier smiled and gave them a nod, "Nice one. You got it."
Puzzle Solved!
Javier gave a small laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, "It's a good one, no. You can't see, hear or taste harmony, but you can always receive and feel it from others. That's what San Grio stands for. Despite all our differences and our histories, we can all live together in peace if we really try," he happily said before he gave a relaxed sigh, "Alright, as promised, I give you some more information. The person I gave it to was a señorita who runs a stall downtown. She looked about my daughter's age. She offered me a deal: two for the price of one of her Popoño cakes. A deal like that would swing it for anyone."
"You didn't think of giving it to your daughter instead?" Layton asked.
"Bah! Claro que no!" Javier suddenly cried, his mood suddenly becoming irritable, "Because then she'd probably pass it on to so some muchacho. And with her luck, he'd be a lazy, no-good, down-and-out bachelor boy! My wife would kill me if I let our baby girl get mixed up with a guy like that."
"Oh, so she's available, huh?" Edgar hummed in interest, "Can I throw my hat in the ring?"
"So, you're saying girls pass the Popoño onto boys," Layton said.
Javier snapped out of his annoyance and gave a small chuckle, "Ah! Almost said too much there!" he chuckled as he got back to his stretches, "Well, time to get back to my daily routine. Hasta luego, tipo!" he said as he jogged away, heading towards the stairs that would take him back to the market before they could ask him another question.
"Well, that was insightful," Layton hummed, "Perhaps we should go and see if we can find the young woman he gave the Popoño to?"
"Actually, do you mind going on ahead," Edgar said as he looked around, "I quite like to stay up here for a little while longer. I don't know when I will be back here again."
Layton gave a small smile, "If that's is what you wish then you can. Don't stay up here for too long, now."
"I won't," he replied as Layton headed for the stairs as well.
Edgar hummed as he made a beeline towards the railing that encircled the peak of the mountain and lent against it. With a small smile on his face, he looked out over the island below and the sea gently lapping on its golden shores.
'Agatha would have liked it here,' he thought to himself, 'I wonder what she would think of me now. Going to different places, uncovering mysteries and such. I bet she would want to come as well."
His eyes lazily gazed over the forest of palm trees down below before he suddenly caught sight of something...or some people. Rook and Bishop were roaming the side of the steep mountain; using the trees and the tufts of grass to prevent themselves from tumbling down it. He rolled his eyes as he guessed that they were still continuing to look for the Azran Egg somewhere outside the town and, per chance, stumble on some sort of cave or archaeological site that hadn't been discovered yet.
"Idiots. They're going to get themselves killed."
"They are, aren't they?"
A voice next to him caught his attention. He turned around and saw a plump lady in her mid-thirties standing beside him, looking over the rails at the two Targent agents below. She had short dark grey hair, small round black eyes, a pointed nose and a round face. She wore a pale yellow summer dress, pearl earrings and a brown handbag over her shoulder which had a map of San Grio sticking out of the top of it. She gave a disapproving tut at the two men's behaviour before she looked up at him.
"Honestly, tourists can be so disrespectful, can't they? Although, I suppose, I'm a tourist as well," she giggled.
Edgar laughed as well, "Yeah, I suppose."
"Oh, is that a hint of London accent I hear?" she said.
"You guess, right," he said as he shook her hand, "My name's Edgar."
"Amelie," she kindly greeted back, "Have you been staying here long?"
"Just got here today."
"Oh, that's nice. And have you come with family?"
"Err...yes, yes I have. Yourself?"
"Just my husband. He's currently resting after the long journey her back at the hotel so I took the opportunity to go exploring. My Chelms can be a grumpy so-and-so at times, but he was sweet enough to surprise me with this trip."
"That's nice of him," Edgar said before he thought, 'Chelms? Where have I heard that name before?'
"I tried to give him a special gift a few hours ago, but he wasn't having it. Dear me, what am I going to do with him?"
Edgar gave a small chuckled before his eyes widened slightly, "Wait...this special gift?"
"Oh, yes. It's one of those Popoño from the Harmony Ring," she said before she gave a small gasp and held a hand over her mouth, "Oh, whoops. I wasn't supposed to give away too much."
Edgar turned to her, his attention fully on her, "Amelie, if you don't mind, can you tell me who you got that Popoño from?"
"Well..." she looked around the area to see if anybody was listening in before she shrugged, "I suppose I can. When I was in town earlier, I mentioned our honeymoon to a young lady selling cakes, and she popped it straight into my hand. Were you looking for it?"
"I am, yes. Do you know where it is now?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I don't," she honestly said, much to his disappointment, "If we met a few hours ago, I would have given it to you. But I heard it was bad luck to hold onto it for too long. So, I made sure to just pass it on quickly. In fact, I tried to give it to those two hooligans down there earlier, but they wouldn't listen to me. They just belted out some angry remarks and stormed off. What can I say? It's their loss."
Edgar looked down the mountain side at the two Targent agents. Now Rook was trying hard to hold onto Bishop's leg to prevent him from falling down the mountain side; the shorter man was flailing in mid-air, yelling at the top of his lungs that he was going to die. He turned away and looked back at Amelie.
"Really? Now that's interesting."
"In the end, I gave it to somebody much nicer at lunchtime. If you ask me, he was far more deserving of it than those two."
"I quite agree," he said before he kicked a stone on the edge of the peak.
The stone rolled, skipped and tumbled down the steep mountain, heading straight towards Rook. The stone tapped the Targent agent's back lightly, but it was enough for him to lose his balance and fall forwards. The two agents yelled out in pain and fear as they rolled down the mountainside before they disappeared into the forest, disturbing the local wildlife as they went.
"Anyway, I must get going," Edgar said as he turned and walked away, "Thanks for everything. I hope you'll enjoy your Honeymoon."
"Thank you, dear," Amelie said as she waved him goodbye before she looked back at the view with a content smile on her face.
San Grio Town
Back down the mountain, Edgar managed to catch up with Layton, Emmy and Aurora over by an ornate marble fountain situated in the middle of the town's piazza. He greeted them with a wave and sat down beside Aurora on the fountain side.
"So, how's the investigation?"
"Fruitful, but it needs more work," Emmy replied, "Everybody here is so nice. They must really love the Harmony Ring and, to be honest, I'm starting to like it to."
"I suppose it is nice," Aurora said before looked down sadly, "However, I don't know how I feel about an Azran artefact being passed around like gossip."
"Oh...right. Sorry, Aurora," Emmy sheepishly apologised.
"Why don't we put forward what we already know and we can establish if there's a connection between all of them," Layton proposed, "Edgar and I ran in Javier again and he said that he had the Azran egg that was given to him by somebody who was new to San Grio and he passed it to a young woman who sold cakes."
"I spoke to a young woman called Miranda who ran a bakery nearby," Emmy said, "She didn't mention who she got it from, but she said she passed it onto a couple who was on their Honeymoon."
"I talked to somebody. It was the same person back in the market. The one who was really short. Martine I think she was called," Aurora said, "She didn't mention who she got the aura stone from either, but she did tell me she passed it to an energetic man who runs all over the island."
"And I spoke to Amelie," Edgar finally said, "She's on her Honeymoon with her husband and she said she got it from a young woman who was selling cakes. She then passed it onto somebody at lunch," he told them before he hummed in interest "Ah, well, there you go. We managed to find a link between all those people."
"Martine, Javier, Miranda and then Amelie," Layton said before his eyes lit up in realisation, "Ah, I see now."
Aurora, on the other hand, looked confused, "I'm sorry what do you see? We still don't know who currently has the aura stone."
"We know, but now that we know the pattern between all of them, we can work it out," Emmy told her.
"Pattern?"
"Allow us to explain," Edgar said.
Puzzle Start
"After Bud put us on the right track, we managed to find information about the egg from six people," Edgar explained, "The five people we just talked about now and Bud. If you remember, Martine had just been recently married. Did she mention when she passed on the egg?"
Aurora frowned slightly, "I think she said before her wedding."
"So, she, a woman who was going to be married, passed it onto to somebody who was married and had a daughter."
"Miranda also gave it to somebody married, didn't she?" Emmy said, "Do you see a common theme, Aurora?"
Aurora frowned slightly in concentration before she answered, "They both passed it onto people of opposite marital status."
"Exactly," Layton said, "That must mean that single people can pass it onto somebody married and vice versa."
"So, that's the link?"
"Well, there's nothing to disprove this in what we've considered so far, but I believe there's more to the pattern than that," Layton told her.
"I think so too," Edgar said, "Javier said that he wouldn't give the egg to his daughter, because he was worried that she would give it to some no-good bachelor."
"So, boys like you then," Emmy pointed out.
"Funny, I made the exact same joke, but it was less mean," Edgar told her, "Not only that, but, Amelie said she would have given it to me or Rook and Bishop if she hadn't given it away already."
"Oh," Aurora said, "So, there's another rule about which gender you give it to."
"Correct," Layton confirmed, "We have now extrapolated a second rule: whoever has the egg can pass it onto somebody of the opposite gender. For example, if I had the Azran Egg, I would be able to give it to either you or Emmy, but not too Edgar."
"What a shame," Edgar sighed.
Aurora nodded in understanding but frowned slightly when she thought of something, "But Matilda and Amelie are both female. Doesn't that break the rules?"
"It would, but Miranda isn't married and Amelie is," Emmy told her, "This means that, as long as you follow at least one of the rules, you can pass it on."
"For example," Edgar said, "If I had it, I can pass it to you or Emmy, because you're both the opposite gender as me. I can pass it to Amelie's husband, because we're the opposite marital status. But I can't pass it onto the Prof because we're both male and both of us are married."
"And what a mighty shame that would be," Layton said.
"Sorry, Prof. Rules are rules."
"Oh, I get it now," Aurora said, "It's rather simple really...but it still doesn't determine who currently holds the aura stone."
"Well, not necessarily," Layton admitted, "But, using logic and our understanding of the rules, who do you think would have the Azran Egg right now."
Aurora thought hard about it; thinking about all the people she had seen, met and talked to since she had arrived in San Grio. The three waited patiently for her reply and, finally, she raised her hand and pointed to across the piazza.
"Him?"
They turned around and saw that she was pointing at the boy that was dressed in the rabbit costume, trying his best to sell Popoño to a couple of poor, confused tourists. All three of them sweat dropped and turned back to Aurora.
"Well...I suppose he does fit in the pattern," Layton admitted, "But consider all the accounts that have been given to us."
The young girl thought hard again before her eyes widened in realisation, "Bud," she finally answered, "He said that he received the aura stone from a customer and Amelie said she passed it during lunch. He's a male and he possibly not married. He fits the pattern."
Puzzle Solved!
"You got it," Emmy chirped, "Remember, he only said he received the Egg. He never mentioned giving it away."
"Then we must go back now," Aurora said as she stood up abruptly, "Let's go before he gives it away!"
...
...
...
She became suddenly very sheepish at her declaration. She blushed and looked down at her feet.
"I...I mean. We can go if that is what we have to do," she softly said.
"Aww, sweetheart," Emmy and Edgar cooed, much to her embarrassment.
San Grio Beach
Meanwhile, Raymond, with a picnic basket in his hand, had found a particularly nice spot on the sandy beach; it was close to the water that rose up and down on the shore, there was shade from a nearby tree and it was far away from the rest of the beach goers. He threw down a blanket, set the picnic basket next to it before he sat down himself and sighed contently as he felt the warm sand beneath him.
He reached into the basket and carefully pulled out yet another BLT sandwich that he had made for himself. He rose it to his face, opened his mouth and…
BOING! SPLAT!
…it was knocked out of his hands by a stray beach ball.
"Sorry!" a man in a swimming costume ran up to him and picked up the beach ball, offering the elderly man an apologetic look, "Slipped out of my hands," he told him before he ran back to his friends.
Raymond watched him run away in disbelief before looking down at his sandwich splattered on the sand eight next to him. He gave a tired sigh and held his head in his hands miserably.
Bud's Bar and Grill
As soon as Bud saw them enter his restaurant for the second time that day, he gave them his usual laid back grin and leaned against the bar; throwing the dish rag that he was using to clean the glasses over to a nearby sink. He clicked his fingers with gusto and gave a simple chuckle.
"Hey, guys. Was that food that great that you couldn't resist coming back?" he said jokingly, "Ah, I'm kidding. What can I do for you, amigos?"
Edgar was about to step forwards, but was surprised when Aurora got there before him. There was an air of confidence that he had never seen before in her actions. If he had to guess, Edgar thought he saw a look of excitement in her blue eyes; the same sort of excitement one would have when they uncovered a mystery or solved a particularly difficult puzzle. He was honestly happy for her. He stepped back to allow her to speak to Bud; observing her proudly like a parent would for their child.
"We've worked it out," Aurora started, making Bud raise a single eyebrow in curiosity, "You're the current holder of the true Popoño."
Bud was silent for a few seconds before he grinned once again and gave a chuckle, "Heh, heh, you got me. I was hoping you would, actually," he admitted, "Sorry, I kind of led you on a wild goose chase."
"It's alright," Emmy said with a content sigh, "We got to see the island at least. I wish I could have taken more photos."
"Wait," Edgar said in intrigue, "You were giving it to Aurora anyway. What made you want to pass it onto her?"
Bud adjusted his sunglasses and leaned his arm on the bar, "Well, you see, I'd been looking for the perfect person to give the Popoño to, and then you came in with that glazed, sad look," he explained, making Aurora blink in confusion at what he meant, "I got to thinking that if anyone needed harmony, it was you."
"I'd be satisfied with just the Popoño, thank you," Aurora deadpanned without a single hesitation.
Bud furrowed his brow at her, "Damn, it's a hundred degrees out here, but you just gave me a chill with that reaction," he said before he rubbed the back of his neck, "You're kinda missing the point. Let me give you low-down," he said as, for the first time, his laid back expression turned into a more serious one, "We all say the Popoño brings happiness. That's the island way. But its humble beginnings were far from happy. The man who found it, Eduardo Popoño, was at the end of his rope."
"Oh, really?" Layton inquired.
"Yes, sir," Bud replied, "He'd hit rock bottom. And he was about to do something he would soon regret. Something everybody considers when they're at their lowest."
Edgar's eyes widened, "You don't mean?"
"Exactly…he was going to live the rest of his life as a hermit."
"…oh…that's what not what I had in mind," he said.
"So, he set off for some old, crumbling ruins, but BAM!" he shouted as he slammed his hand on the bar, making all of them jump in surprise, "He made the discovery of a lifetime, his business boomed, and voila! That San Grio we know today was born!"
"Huh?" Edgar murmured, "Sounds kinda familiar. That's almost like how Monte D'Or was founded."
"So, you're saying that the Popoño he found was the basis of the tourist franchise?" Layton said, earning a nod from Bud.
"Pretty much," he said with his usual grin, "Kind crazy to think about it. One little stone egg turned his life around in a flash."
Edgar hummed in interest before he took out his notebook and updated the latest mystery.
Mystery Solved - Popoño
It turns out the Popoño tradition started with a man called Eduardo Popoño who came across the Azran Egg and it brought him great joy. Now that joy is shared all through the island and it shows how much of an impact it has made. Everybody is truly happy on San Grio.
"So, my point," Bud continued as Edgar finished his note taking, "Even in the gloomiest of times, you gotta look forwards. Happiness might be waiting just around the corner," he told Aurora before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Azran Egg that they had been looking for.
He reached across the bar and dropped it into Aurora's waiting hands. She gazed down at the grooved, cool Egg and felt the weight of it and the gentle coolness of its surface. For a moment, a shimmer of happiness flashed across her eyes as if it was caused by the Azran Egg itself.
"Don't that the Popoño just because you want it," Bud told her with a grin, "Take it because you want to be happy."
"Th-thank you," Aurora said with a small smile on her face, "The people of this island always greeted us with a smile. I found it odd at first. But I think I understand now."
Bud chuckled and leaned against the bar, "Now that's what I'm talking about, I knew the Popoño would be a perfect gift for you. It's what Eduardo would have wanted. I'm sure if it. Now, how I get you guys a drink. On the house, of course and definitely no alcohol for you two," he chuckled, pointing with two fingers at Edgar and Aurora.
"That sounds great," Emmy chirped happily, "All of this had made me thirsty."
"Thirsty?" Edgar said, "For me, I'm exhausted. I feel like I've had enough of Popoño hunting for a lifetime. In fact, you could say I've gone 'loco in the Popoño'."
….
….
….
….
"Are you proud of that joke?" Emmy asked.
"Not in the slightest," he admitted
San Grio Beach
"Are you sure we can't stay at the hotel?" Edgar sighed as he sat casually on the sandy beach, "It's not too late to book."
"Sorry, Edgar, by the beds on the Bostonius are suitable enough for tonight," Layton told him as he looked up from his book as he lounged on a deck chair, "I'm sure Professor Sycamore wants us up and early for tomorrow's flight."
The day was drawing to end and after successfully acquiring two eggs already they were all feeling high spirited. They had spent the rest of afternoon and evening at the beach when the rest of the beach goers had already left. They paddled in the water, played with a volleyball they had found and now Edgar and Emmy were showing Aurora how to make a sand castle with a moat.
Edgar was just patting down the sides of the very large sandcastle when Emmy and Aurora had arrived with a bucket filled with sea water each. Emmy poured the water into the hand-dug moat and ushered for Aurora to the same, fully completing the castle and its fortifications.
"There you are," Emmy chirped, "One elegant sandcastle. What do you think, Aurora?"
The young girl regarded it with some interest, "Well, while its appearance is lovely, sand isn't a suitable material for fortifications and it's very impractical. Perhaps we can a more sturdy material like concrete or steel."
"Are you expecting that we'll actually use this in case of besiegement?" Edgar questioned.
Emmy gave a laugh and rubbed the back of her head, "I guess you got us there. I knew we should have designed it on a Mott and Bailey design. Or perhaps on Schloss Neuschwanstein."
"For the last time, Schloss Neuschwanstein isn't a real castle," Edgar argued, "It's just a palace that looks like a castle."
"It has the word 'Schloss' in its name. And 'Schloss' means castle," she argued back, "Besides it has battlements and it's built in a strategical ground that is beneficial for warfare which is exactly what a castle."
"If I built battlements on a cheap deck chair it doesn't become a castle, does it? And Schloss Neuschwanstein was never built for warfare," he looked over his shoulder at Layton, "You agree with me, Prof?"
Layton shook his head in slight amusement, "Edgar, I thought I told you two that I will never be involved in one of your squabbles."
"It's not a squabble, it's a debate."
"Everyone," Aurora suddenly said, making the three of them turn to her. The young girl's eyes looked down at the egg in surprise, "Something's coming back to me about the Azran."
They looked at her in shock.
"Really? That's brilliant, Aurora," Emmy said brightly, "You must tell us."
"Only if you want to," Edgar added, "Don't feel like you have to force yourself."
"I believe that I can tell you," Aurora said before she closed her eyes and hugged the egg to her chest, "There's a facility that lies under San Grio. It was used to…to harness the power of the moon and smooth nature's temper."
"Ah," Layton uttered, "You must mean it could be used to control the seas."
"I-I think so," Aurora told them as she opened her eyes, "The facility was closed before our civilisation accomplished its purpose… I'm sorry…that's all I can recall. It's all quite hazy."
Emmy chuckled and patted her shoulder lightly, "It's fine. It'll all come back to you eventually," she kindly said before hummed thoughtfully, "That might explain why this place is such a paradise," she said as they watched the sun sink deeper into the horizon, illuminating the sky in beautiful red and orange colour, "In fact, I would say that the San Grio we know today wouldn't exist without the Azran."
"I believe you're right, Emmy," Layton said with a nod and a small smile on his face, "After a millennia, the legacy of the Azran can still be seen all around us and ensured our future."
Edgar pointed further down the beach and gave a tired sigh, "Unfortunately, it doesn't seem everyone's future is going to be as tranquil."
They followed his finger and saw, to their bemusement, Rook and Bishop pushing out a wooden boat into the sea from the beach. Inside the boat, piled up to almost the point of overflowing, were hundreds of popoño of all size and colours. They guessed that after collecting anything vaguely egg-shaped they could get their hands on, the Targent agents were hoping to sail away back to their base. It was almost a ridiculous amount inside of it and Edgar had to wonder how on earth they are going to sail comfortable afterwards.
"Oh dear," Aurora hummed in worry, "Do think we should tell them?"
Emmy shook her head, "Don't worry. The continent is not too far away; they'll be in southern France…in a few days or so."
"I guess…but we're on the southern beach," Edgar pointed out, "Meaning they are heading in the direction of North Africa. That is…if they make it that far."
"I see," Layton said, "Maybe we should at least point them in the right direction."
"Yeah…"
…
…
…
"…or we can finish this sandcastle," Edgar said, handing out a leaf he had found earlier to Aurora, "You want to do the honours of putting the flag on top?"
That's it for now,
Not much to say except that the next chapter will take place in Monsinnia. I wonder if Raymond will finally eat his sandwich in peace. I hope to see you all again.
Thanks for reading.