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101flavoursofweird · 6 months

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Title: Soulless

Description: “When I was alive, you said you wanted to save me, as you hadn’t been able to save your daughter. Was any of that true?” -Aboard the Detragon, Melina opposes Descole. (AU)

Spoilers: For Eternal Diva, and slight spoilers for Azran Legacy

Set: AU, set during Eternal Diva

Warnings: Referenced character death… and Descole isn’t perceived in the best light here— at least, from Melina’s perspective. His actions might be more understandable with context from Azran Legacy

Note: Written for Day 3 of @layton-npc-appreciation-week for Eternal Diva… Descole’s not under-appreciated but Melina and Janice most definitely are.

“You must sing if you want to save them, Melina—“

“Was it true?” Melina interrupts him.

She‘s not sure where this newfound courage comes from (maybe it’s from Janice), but she stares at Jean Descole as they’re lifted into the air with the stage and the Detragon.

“W-when I was alive,” Melina recalls, “you said you wanted to save me, as you hadn’t been able to save your own daughter. Was any of that true?”

Below her, she hears Luke yelping and the wolves growling.

If Melina angers Descole, he could easily order the wolves to attack her father and her friends, but she can’t help it.

She’s angry and she wants to know…

What could drive someone to such lengths— to value an ancient city over human life?

Descole doesn’t deign to answer her.

The stage stops moving. They’re so high up now— high enough for Melina to see the whole island, and inside the castle.

The wolves have her companions surrounded. One has poor Luke pinned to the floor…

Descole turns to the Detragon’s keyboard with a toss of his cape.

“I didn’t think so,” Melina huffs.

She might as well be poking a dangerous bear right now, but still, she persists. (Maybe she can buy the others some time to escape from the wolves!)

“How could it be true? A loving father would never kidnap o-other people’s daughters— let alone steal their lives—“

“I haven’t stolen anyone’s life,” Descole spits, spinning around to face her again. He seems so incensed that Melina is startled for a moment. Is this sore spot for him?

(Luke had whispered to her, while they were being ‘escorted’ to the dungeon earlier, about the masked man’s deeds in Misthallery…)

“It was your ‘dear father’ who invited those girls to host your memories,” Descole sneers, as if Melina needs reminding. “I simply provided him with the means—“

“You’re right,” Melina agrees.

The love and the gratitude she feels for her father clashes with the shame in her heart, but the latter conquers all else.

Amelia was lured here, with the hope of winning eternal life for her dying granddad.

Little Nina dreams about returning home to her family.

Janice’s parents don’t even know their daughter has been dormant for a year.

“M-my father must face punishment for what he has done,” Melina says firmly. She glares at Descole. “And so will you.”

Melina has gone too far, this time.

Descole surges towards her. Terrified, Melina takes a small step back— only to remember how close to the edge she is.

Melina swallows. Surely a drop of this height would kill her. It would kill Janice.

Descole realises this too.

He grabs her by the wrist.

Before, when he was discussing the songs of Ambrosia, he had almost been gentle with her— as if he were handling a delicate ‘instrument’…

Now, he grips her arm as if he wants to shatter her bones.

“Sing A Song of the Sea,” he breathes, “or I will throw your beloved’s body off this machine.”

Melina quivers— all of her courage crumbling away in an instant.

Janice… I’m so sorry…

Melina doesn’t even care about the kingdom of Ambrosia. Descole can have it! Anything, as long as he lets Janice, Father, and the rest of them go…

“Don’t make me do it,” Descole says through gritted teeth.

“P-please…” Melina is ready to submit to his demands, but then, Janice rises to the surface of her mind and mutters, “You’re a soulless monster—“

Janice, stop!

Melina clamps her free hand over her mouth. She hates having to stifle Janice, but she’s going to get them— herself— killed!

Descole stares at her, his mouth slightly open. Melina imagines his eyes widening as well. Would he be any less intimidating, if she could see his eyes?

Much to Melina’s immense relief, Descole releases her and storms back to the Detragon’s keyboard.

He starts to play A Song of the Stars.

“Sing,” he orders once more, “and I swear, on my daughter’s memory, that I will send your loved ones home, unharmed.”

“A-Alright,” Melina concedes. She has nothing to gain and everything to lose, unless she complies.

You’re doing the right thing, Janice assures her.

Melina nods, takes a deep breath, and begins to sing.

#professor layton #Melina Whistler #Jean Descole #Janice Quatlane #Eternal Diva #Layton-npc-appreciation-week #layton npc appreciation week #My fics #My writing #How do I imply Des is acting like Bronev without mentioning Bronev BY NAME #Despite the warning I’m not trying to bash Descole as a character here #I really do find it so fascinating how much he LOATHES Bronev but how much like his father he acts #Especially early on in the prequel series #Janice/Melina #Jalina #Des knows Melina loves Janice but he also uses this again her so…#Is this a win for the sapphic divas?

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lutiaslayton · 6 months

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Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva

ＰＡＲＴ　１５

〚ＦＩＲＳＴ〛〚ＰＲＥＶ〛〚ＮＥＸＴ〛

Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.

This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.

☆ Melina Whistler

Yes…

I could remember it clearly.

The unparalleled sense of fear, of entrapment and desolation, when I was sent into the body of someone else…

I looked for a place to hide, but there was nowhere to.

Everything was cold… I could hardly breathe.

I couldn’t stay here! Please, someone let me out!

I screamed desperately, but no one could hear me.

I kept pleading to someone I couldn’t see.

Please, I don’t want to stay here either. But I can’t leave. I have to stay here…

“Melina—Is that you, Melina?”

I had heard a familiar voice.

I could hear… or rather, I could feel it.

I couldn’t see her, but I knew that Janice was close by.

“Janice…?”

“Melina! This is incredible. I can’t believe you are so close to me…”

“I’m sorry, Janice! I shouldn’t be here. I’ll disappear right now… Somehow, I’ll find a way to do that!”

“No, you can’t!”

“Janice!?”

“I’ve just found you again… Do you realise how much I missed you? How much I missed my best friend while you were gone…”

“But, Janice…”

“It’s okay, Melina… I can’t let you go on like this.”

Suddenly, I had felt something shifting.

The sense of fear and desolation disappeared…

“Janice!”

Her voice was moving away.

“This isn’t just for you. This is also for me. Melina, you may not understand, but the grief and suffering of those left behind is so strong…”

I know, Janice…

I had felt Papa’s grief and pain even after I had lost my body…

“You have to understand, Melina. Losing my best friend not once, but twice, would surely break my heart…”

Before I knew it, I was slowly becoming familiar with Janice’s body, as if guided by the waves of the sea.

I had been spoiled by her heartfelt friendship…

At that moment…

The sound of slow clapping brought me back to reality.

It was Descole. The man who had used Papa’s love for me to draw him into his evil ways…

“Excellent. I did not realise that the memory copying had been successful… So congratulations, Whistler, you’ve achieved your goal.”

It was no wonder that you hadn’t noticed, Descole. Someone like you would never understand Janice’s kindness, or the nobility of sacrificing oneself in order to keep others alive.

“Oh, oh my God…”

Poor Papa… He was completely confused.

I looked straight into his eyes. Papa… I needed him to understand my feelings.

“At some point, I started to realise that this was wrong. I can’t live my life at the expense of my friend.”

I told him my honest thoughts.

“It was you who wrote to me, wasn’t it?”

Professor Layton…

I… No, we both wrote that letter. Janice’s voice had become inaudible to me, but our hearts were still communicating.

“It was the right choice to choose you, Professor. I thought you would be able to stop Papa… Just like I wanted him to stop.”

Isn’t that right, Janice?

It was just as you told me before.

“There is no puzzle that Professor Layton can’t solve, Melina.”

“I can’t stay in her body forever… But as long as this device exists, Papa will continue to copy my memories.”

“Melina…”

Papa’s eyes… They were looking at me, not at Janice.

“I had heard a lot about the Professor from Janice. She admired you so much…”

I’m sorry, Janice… I said it.

As soon as you gave me your life, I had realised how much the professor meant to you…

When I first met him on the Crown Petone, I made my most cherished memories. The times when he solved puzzles… That time when we were talking on the beach… That time when we were riding that makeshift helicopter that we had built… I was never alone.

Papa’s voice was trembling.

“Melina, I… This was all for you…”

“Thank you, Papa… I appreciate how you feel. But, please… These horrendous things have to stop now.”

“I just couldn’t accept a life without my beloved daughter… So I…”

At that moment— The whole room was struck by a tremendous quake.

“Professor, the ceiling!”

With a roar, the ceiling above us was split in two, as we all stood under it in stunned shock.

Then Descole took my arm.

“Melina!”

In a flash, Descole ran up the stairs leading to the Detragan and set me down.

A pack of wolves popped out and surrounded everyone. They all let out a terrifying howl then stood menacingly, ready to pounce on anyone at any moment.

“What are you doing, Descole!?”

“I needed Melina’s memories to achieve my true goal,” he replied coldly, standing right next to me.

“Your true goal…?” Papa asked in confusion.

I was with him on this one… I had no idea what this was about either. What could he possibly need my memories for? What could that mean?

Descole twirled his cloak and pointed to the ceiling.

“The resurrection of Ambrosia!”

The ceiling was painted with the Ambrosian crest… The Kingdom of Immortality.

“It all started when I discovered their coat of arms in its entirety…”

Descole turned to the professor and sent him a condescending look.

“Layton, what do you think these symbols mean?”

The coat of arms had a design reminiscent of a king and queen, surrounded by a vast number of lines, dots and jagged patterns…

The professor soon gasped in realisation. “…It’s a music sheet!”

“Correct. A music sheet, written in the Ambrosian way.”

Descole walked over to the Detragan and reached for a sheet music.

“In other words, the coat of arms is inscribed with the first key required to open the door to Ambrosia: a song that could be called ‘A Song of the Stars.’”

“A ‘Song of the Stars’…!?” Luke repeated incredulously.

“The second key is you, Melina.”

I could not believe my ears. “Me… the second key?”

The resurrection of Ambrosia, keys to open a door… I did not understand.

“The first key alone was not enough to revive Ambrosia. This was when I realised that the crest also hinted at the existence of a second key…”

The professor instantly resonated. “The ‘Song of the Sea’!”

Descole slowly took my hand with an icy smile. His grip was just as cold as his face.

“The stars, and the sea. When the two melodies are combined, Ambrosia will be revived.”

“I didn’t realise… that he was after the kingdom itself,” Papa slowly shook his head in shame.

“Alas, by the time the puzzle of the crest had been solved… The only person who had an accurate memory of the second key could no longer sing…”

So that was what this was all about.

The ‘Song of the Sea’… It was the song that the sea around Ambrosia had taught me.

Ever since we had moved to this island so I could recuperate from my illness, I had spent every day gazing out at it. Walking along the beach, or standing on my balcony, with the feeling of the sea breeze embracing me…

It wasn’t long before I had become aware of the melody that the sea was bringing me.

The wind, blowing past the reefs jutting out from the shore, would sing the same song to me every day. The waves breaking onto the shore would add to the music, creating a pleasant harmony, like a small ensemble.

Soon, I had unconsciously began to hum that very beautiful and somewhat nostalgic melody. When the sea and the song were joined together, it had given me a sense of heartfelt sincerity. It was soothing… and it made me happy, as I felt surrounded by a shower of invisible music.

Descole put his hand on one of the Detragan’s levers.

“Even though some memories were left behind… I wanted a perfect copy, more than Whistler did!”

He pulled the lever. Immediately after, the staircase exploded and bright lights flashed on the wall.

The smoke from the explosion blocked my view.

　⇚　　　　　　　⇛

#professor layton #layton's book club #melina whistler #janice quatlane #oswald whistler #jean descole #hershel layton #eternal diva #eternal diva novel #translation #professor layton and the eternal diva #ayo this part was so WILD #This is why I'm transcribing this stuff. Japanese version cleared up SO many questions that the localisations brushed off.#like how the English & French dubs make it sound like all three songs were written on the Ambrosian seal #while in fact the original version explains that only the song of the stars (+ sun) + a drawing of the sea (+ sun) are there.#So basically it seems like we can deduce here a full timeline of how things went!#Step 1: Des steps foot on Ambrosia and discovers the first known instance of the complete crest.#Step 2: He figures out the Song of the Stars from the music sheet on the crest #and likely deduces that it's the key to reviving Ambrosia.#Step 3: He plays the song of the stars and it doesn't work. He looks at the crest again and sees the drawing of the sea.#He deduces that there is another key related to the sea. Somehow he figures out that there is only one person in the world who knows it.#(I have a hypothesis about the why and how but I'll leave that for later since this hypothesis lacks solid evidence.)#Step 4: Des figures out (somehow) that this “one person in the whole world” is Melina.#Step 5: Melina is sick so he uses that as an excuse to have the Whistlers move to Ambrosia and live inside the black castle he built.#His excuse for bringing them there is that the ocean breeze will do some good to her health.#Step 6: Melina is healthy enough to walk on the shore a few times and she notices that the sea sings to her. She learns the song of the sea #Unfortunately she is already too sick to sing it properly so Descole can't use her. And soon after that she dies.#Step 7: Des and Whistler had been prepared for that eventuality and copied her memories with the Detragan. So they just need a host for her #Des only was able to get his hands on the song of the sea when Melina learned it. And she never wrote it down before dying.#See the music sheet that Layton plays to Nina? It's the song of the sea. Sure. But it's incomplete. It only has the first half.

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another-clive-blog · 3 months

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I voted to marry the boy, could you write him being incredibly smitten with one Emmy Altava? (I would take any Clemmy really, but Clive MUST be head over heels for her)

SORRY FOR THE DELAY !! My sincerest apologies, this week has been kicking my ass-

This was hard to write, because I'm bad at shipping and also I don't know the first thing about Emmy ? She works with Layton and is gorgeous, that's it :'D I did ask some friends who told me about a camera ?? So I tried to like. Work from there

ANYWAY !! AU where Emmy works at Clive's newspaper as a part-job on top of her adventures with Layton ! She is a photographer and 20-year-old Clive is a writer. Also this is Unwound Future Canon-compliant (kinda ? It works from Clive's perspective). This is teen, comfort no hurt, fluff, and entirely written from clive's POV

Emmy fans I apologize in advance if I didn't do your girl justice, she is gorgeous and I want to get to know her

Clive remembered that fateful day- not the day it had all started, of course, but the day his whole plan had been thrown off the rails.

It was a day just like the others- or rather, it would have been, had his article not been rejected. He had been working at the newspaper for two years now, ever since he'd graduated at age 18 : two years, and not once had one of his articles been refused. All of his work had always been met with approval at worst, congratulations at best- nothing less.

But not this time. The direction hadn't said much about this outrageous event, simply something about his article needing more work, apparently. This usually wouldn't bother Clive : failure was a part of life, and he forgave those poor souls for failing to perceive the greatness of his work.

And yet- this was a problem. Clive had asked to be granted access to informations about the Incident ever since he started working here, and his request had been denied every time. He had to prove his reliability first, they said, show them that he hadn't taken the job just to get his hands on classified files. It was annoying, truly : of course he had, but proving otherwise was tiresome.

But now, with this failure... Was his progress going to fade away ? Could he still hope to get these documents soon ? Or was this the faux pas that would cost him his prize entirely ?

Clive sighed, putting that traitorous piece of paper back on his desk : he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment.

What should he do now ?

"Well, that's a sad face if I've ever seen one," a voice commented in an extremely helpful way. He didn't recognize it, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to learn his colleagues' voices or names- mostly because they kept coming to annoy him at the worst possible time. Which was all the time.

"Could you please leave me alone for once or is it really too much to ask ?" Clive knew that he didn't sound very pleasant or respectful, but that was literally the last of his problems. Besides, he had isolated his desk from the rest specifically because he didn't want others to come bother him.

"Pretty sure this is the first time we meet. At least, I don't remember seeing you before. Are you new too ?" She replied, and she really wasn't leaving, was she ? Then again, if she was new here, she probably didn't know that he wasn't here to make friends.

He opened his eyes.

The first thing to catch his gaze was the odd yellow dress, a strange outfit to wear in a place like this : she looked like an adventurer, not a journalist. There wasn't any dress code to meet in order to work here, but still...

Then again, she did have a bow tie.

"I've been here for two years," he deadpanned. She seemed nice and that was good for her, really, but he wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. "Welcome to the team, I suppose."

She smiled. It wasn't bright like a sun or sweet like chocolate, but it was rather something authentic, that she had worked hard to obtain and preserve. This was the kind of smile that would inspire tons of stories and articles- at least to someone really passionate about this job.

Clive wasn't. He wasn't here to change the world or make friends, he was here to get these classified files that would hopefully help him move on.

"Thank you," she said, before putting one hand on his desk and leaning forward : Clive pushed his chair back a little. "Say, since we're a team now, do you mind telling me why I've never seen you hang out with the others ?"

Oh wow. Alright, no little mind games- just straight to the point.

That really was new.

"Well," Clive muttered, looking away, "I have work to do."

She tilted her head slightly, his answer only making her more curious. "And they don't ?"

Was this some kind of test ? Clive couldn't perceive any ill intentions behind this question, but it didn't sound all that mundane either. What was she at ?

"Of course they do," he explained himself, "But this is important to me, and-" Actually- why was he even telling her that ? She probably didn't care, he didn't care, this whole discussion was useless : he had no reason to keep it going. "And my article just got refused, so I have even more work to do." He said abruptly, hoping to end the conversation.

She didn't go away. "Oh really ? That sucks. Want me to take a look ?" She offered, as if she wasn't new here.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not sure you can help much," Clive said coldly. He wasn't in the mood for this. "I mean, you're new, and a photographer, so this may not be your-"

"Nonsense !" She put her hands on her hips, the same smile on her face. She had listened to approximately none of his reasoning. Stubborn, Clive thought. Stubborn and very confident.

"I may not write the articles, but I know how they work," she said. "Also, I have learned a thing or two from Layton."

Clive froze. Layton. The professor Layton ? The one who had saved him as a kid, the man who was his model, his inspiration, his-

"Hey, this article is about him !" Quick as a fox, she had leaned over his desk and grabbed the piece of paper : her eyes were done scanning through the first few paragraphs before Clive could even react.

"Wh- where are your manners ?!" He yelled at her, blushing furiously. Alright, that was it-

Pushing his chair back, he quickly made his way around his desk, reaching for his sorry excuse of an article.

She dodged his poor attempt at taking back his sheet of paper with no effort whatsoever. "This is pretty good," she said, talking about the paper rather than his embarrassing fight.

Clive was a clever man- that's why he decided after yet another vain attempt that he couldn't win. Somewhere in his mind, he noted that she had to truly be an adventurer of some kind : she was surprisingly strong, agile and terribly efficient, unbothered by someone like him.

He reluctantly gave up his useless fight, taking a few steps back and crossing his arms instead. "Not good enough, apparently," he spat, glaring at her. She had no shame, no hesitation, no weakness- who even was she ?!

"Yeah, I can see why," she nodded, and Clive was once again baffled by her ability to say honest things without any hard feelings behind it.

"Your article is good, but you forgot the presentation," she explained, stepping closer to better show him : this proximity made Clive agitated, although he wasn't sure why. "You talk like everyone knows Layton, but that's just not true- especially since you're dealing with his first ever adventure. You have to keep everyone in mind, not just the readers who are as knowledgeable about this subject as you are."

Clive choked. "I-I'm not-"

"Hey, I could give you a good photo of Layton !" She interrupted him with a smile. "That way, everyone would know who we're talking about."

"Yeah, about that- do you actually know the professor ?" He narrowed his eyes at her, looking her up and down. She didn't seem like the kind of person the professor would frequent, bow tie or no bow tie.

"Of course !" She said, before her voice took a challenging intonation, "What, wanna bet ?"

Clive scoffed. She was being ridiculous- this was probably all an elaborate plan to make fun of him. He could absolutely picture his colleagues telling her to prank him as some sort of initiation ritual, actually. She certainly was almost as annoying as they all were.

But she may know the professor. "Sure," he finally said. "If you can take this photo and bring it to me, I'll buy you a coffee tomorrow."

"Wow, hey, don't ruin yourself for me Tiger," she sarcastically said. Tiger ??

"Wha-"

"Alright, I'll come tomorrow by your sad and isolated desk to give you the picture," she decided. "I love proving I'm right, almost as much as I love drinking terrible coffees with rude co-workers."

"Are you serious-"

"See you!" She cut him off with a provocative grin, again, and left without listening to another word he had to say, again.

Clive watched her go in silence, furious. Who did she think she was ?! She had been here for what, a couple hours, and she just came up to him like that ? He hoped she had annoyed everyone else too : that way, she'd get fired sooner rather than later.

The thought did make him feel better, and he sat back in his chair, enjoying the calm of the small room where stood his isolated desk. If he focused hard enough, he could hear her laugh with others in the next room- but he couldn't, because he didn't care enough to pay attention.

So since he wasn't listening to the sound of her voice, it was silent. And enjoyable. And lonely- which was good, because he hated having to deal with others. Especially her -what was her name again ? Not that it mattered-, because she was so rude and straight-forward and confident. Really confident.

Nevermind.

He picked up the article, looking at it thoughtfully. He needed this article to be accepted, and he needed it to be his best work yet : it was the only way to prove he was worthy of the reputation he had built for himself, and, most importantly- the only way to get what he wanted, the Truth.

...Presentation, uh ?

-_-_-_-

Surely enough, the very next day, Emmy came back to his desk with a brand new picture.

Professor Layton, sitting at a table, enjoying a nice cup of tea. He was smiling serenely, and his face held a bit of warmth, of comfort, of home.

"There you go !" Emmy said with a very satisfied smile, one that Clive wasn't ready to see this early in the morning.

He took the photo she was handing him. It felt recent and authentic : in fact, he could see yesterday's newspaper on the table, next to Layton's hand. It was crazy. There was no way they actually knew each other.

"Are you a paparazzi ?" He asked before he could stop himself. He shouldn't throw accusations her way in case she really was close to the professor, but what else could it be ?

"What ? No !" Emmy didn't seem to get offended- on the contrary, she stood proudly, hands on her hips. "I'm his associate !"

Oh.

Clive fell silent, his gaze wandering back to the picture. The professor was facing whoever had taken the photography : he was fully aware someone was here, taking this very picture. Had she asked him to smile ? Or was he just that happy to help his associate win a stupid bet and make a name for herself at her new job ?

Why would someone like the professor choose her as an associate ?

"That's odd," Emmy said with feigned naivety. "I recall you being a real Layton fan, and yet you didn't recognize the one and only Emmy Altava, associate of the great professor Layton ? Surely someone as knowledgeable as you should know this. I mean, it'd be pretty humiliating if you didn't, right ?"

He looked up, staring at her, and she stared him down with a provocative smirk, waiting for his answer.

Somehow, he... he wasn't mad. He didn't feel like angrily answering or starting a fight, which was relatively rare : maybe this was due to the fact that he knew she could easily destroy him.

Or maybe this was due to the fact that he really wanted to know what Layton had seen in her, now. "I'm not a Layton fan, and I didn't know he had an associate."

Emmy's smirk disappeared quickly at his admission, replaced with something that was almost disappointment. She hummed, looking at him strangely. "...This is really not as satisfying as you had me believe it would be. I was looking forward to crushing your little ego under my boot."

Alright- forget that. Clive scoffed. "Don't forget I have to buy you a disgusting coffee now, so we're stuck together for a few more painful minutes."

"Ah- I had indeed forgotten about that part," She admitted, scratching the top of her head. All of the antagonizing and taunting was gone, just like that, Clive noticed : how did she move on so quickly ? He never ever missed an opportunity to rightfully put people in their places. But she was already over it ??

Emmy -she did say her name was Emmy, right ? Emmy Altava- shrugged, coming to a decision. "Disgusting coffee is better than no coffee. Lead the way, Tiger."

He groaned. "Stop calling me that."

"Wait," she paused, and he stared at her while waiting for whatever nonsense she was about to spit. "...What is your name ?"

...You know what- that was fair. He hadn't told her, after all. "I'm Clive Dove."

She snapped her fingers, that same confident grin on her lips. "Great. Lead the way, Clivey."

Clive groaned before leaving the room without a word. Emmy followed him with a satisfied grin, very proud and amused by his pointless anger.

Clive walked faster, trying to hide the blush that crept on his face.

-_-_-_-

They didn't interact much after the coffee : in fact, they didn't talk at all for the next few days.

Clive would see her sometimes, or hear her. He heard her a lot : she had a booming voice, full of life and passion. Whenever she talked to another one of their colleagues, Clive would hear her contagious laugh, listen to her stories from the loneliness of his small isolated desk.

She was a great storyteller. Managing her effects, adding plenty of details, adapting to her audience- it felt real. Clive could picture her stories, her adventures at the professor's side.

This was exactly what gave him a new idea, bright like always.

He came across her in the corridor, while she was heading to get herself a coffee. "Oh- Clivey ! It's been some time, hasn't it ?"

He gritted his teeth. This was a bright idea. He only had bright ideas. "Ignoring that first part. I wanted to tell you something."

She didn't seem all that excited, merely eyeing him up and down like they were in a box ring. "What- you want me to prove you wrong again ? Cuz I can do that-"

"No, no," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Why was she always so impulsive ? "I wanted to tell you that I submitted my article again, and the direction as well as the audience were really enthusiastic this time."

She seemed to relax, smiling instead. "That's great ! I'm happy for you."

"Also I added your name to it."

She... stopped smiling. In fact, she remained uncharacteristically silent, staring at him as if she was trying to see beyond his calm expression.

It was unsettling- deeply, extremely unsettling. It felt as though she could look at him and see everything he was hiding : his dead parents, his need for answers, his plan to get these files, his... his dead parents. There was nothing else he was hiding.

And yet, he felt his face go red under her scrutinizing gaze. Stupid, embarrassing shame.

"You helped me with the photography and the structure of the article, so it's only fair," he explained in a small voice, crossing his arms. He was not going to look at her. He was not going to meet her gaze and help her find whatever she was looking for. "And that's also why I'm here. I would like to offer you to- to work on a series of articles about the professor."

Clive still refused to watch her reaction, and it took another couple of seconds for Emmy to react : but when she did, she put her hands on her hips, leaning forward with a wide grin. Clive hated when she did that, it made him feel so small compared to her. She was also closer to him, which made him feel really... uncomfortable. And hot. "You want me to work on these ? With you, I suppose ?"

"Obviously," he scoffed, shrugging nonchalantly- or so he tried.

"...Why ?" She sounded concerned- curious too. There was something in her that wasn't sure about this project, and yet there was an even bigger part of her who wanted to get more out of this, to explore all the possibilities.

Clive couldn't care less about possibilities, or colleagues, or success : there was only one success that mattered to him, and it was getting these classified informations.

Which was exactly why he wanted to work with Emmy. Her proximity with Layton and, he'll admit it, her set of skills were perfect to help him reach his own goal. "Because you know a lot about the professor, and your stories are good material. Also, you could provide with pictures and- and presentation advices, I suppose. Probably," he muttered. She was still so close- should he step back ?

No, she would probably get offended. Oh well- he just had to keep standing inches from her, then.

She seemed amused. "I thought you weren't a Layton fan. Why are you asking me to tell you about him ?"

"He's a good inspiration for articles," he said, trying to sound professional- and why was he even trying ? This was professional. It was a professional setting. "Only an idiot would let this opportunity go."

"And you're not an idiot." She thought about it for a minute, before she shrugged : "Why not ! I'm here to create articles, after all. But first I need my coffee." She stretched her back before taking a few steps away, heading for her long-awaited beverage.

Clive felt... almost disappointed to see her leaving, but the unusual joy overcame it easily. She had accepted to work with him, they were gonna be a team- which meant that he was getting closer to achieving his goal. "Wait- want me to buy you a coffee ?"

She chuckled. "Don't ruin yourself for me, Clivey."

He didn't make any comment on the name.

-_-_-_-

Getting to work with Emmy was just delightful. She was as efficient as he was, both straight-forward in their criticism, always looking for ways to improve, listening to the other's suggestions before making up their minds. They made an exceptional team with perfect cohesion and excellent results.

Of course, the direction had noticed it too. Their articles were a hit among the newspaper's audience, even bringing in new customers : everyone was curious about this duo who wrote entertaining articles about some professor. It almost felt like fiction, and people liked to read these improbable stories that stood out from the rest of the usual news coverage.

The audience wanted more, the direction wanted more, and so Emmy and Clive logically decided to make more articles : day after day, week after week, they kept creating more and more stories, to the point that they would spend most of the day together- even the sacred coffee break.

"And that's how we found out that Descole really was behind all of this," Emmy finished her story, taking her cup of coffee in one hand. "I mean, I had my suspicions- but without the professor, I never would have guessed what was truly going on."

Clive nodded, absent-mindedly scribbling a few notes. His own cup had been left completely untouched, his coffee cold by now.

This detail didn't go unnoticed. "Cold coffee won't taste better, you know," Emmy joked.

Clive stopped writing, looking at his cup in silence.

Emmy frowned. "Hey, are you okay ?"

Clive looked at her, then at his notes. They were precise and neatly written at first, like always, before suddenly going... messy. Which was weird, because Clive hated messy.

"I just thought about something," he explained.

"Oh ?" She leaned forward on the table : her curious eyes were scanning Clive's face, waiting for any piece of information. Her coffee was left forgotten- it was disgusting anyway.

Clive brought his own cup to his lips, a poor attempt at hiding the blush on his face- because he was blushing, he knew that.

After all, this was exactly the something he had been thinking about.

It had taken him weeks to realize it. But surely enough, at some point, he had stopped listening to the stories and started listening solely to the voice telling them. He had stopped seeing work as a means to an end and started to look forward to seeing her in the morning, to sharing a coffee with her day after day.

He had even stopped caring about these stupid classified files. He would never stop being curious about the truth, wanting deep down to know what truly went down- but he could also portray his life in a world where he wouldn't get to know. Maybe he could never know, and still be okay, as long as he had another source of motivation.

Emmy. His work with her- scratch that. Just Emmy. He knew it was her and not these pointless articles : even the professor, his childhood hero, seemed to pale in comparison to her, recently.

He had wondered why the professor had made her his associate : now he knew, maybe even more than Layton himself.

"I was just- just thinking," he said, before taking a sip of coffee. It was cold, and bitter, and frankly disgusting : this newspaper should be able to afford better coffees, especially with all the records in sells recently. But this disgusting coffee allowed him to share a moment with Emmy, so maybe it was a bit okay. "About stuff."

"Very specific," Emmy mocked him, "Come on, spit it out !"

Oh, there was no way he was telling her. Admitting it -partly- to himself was already a big enough challenge. "I was- well, I was wondering if the professor was okay with us writing about his life."

Emmy rose an eyebrow, settling back in her chair. It really was just a game of getting closer and away, wasn't it ? "The professor doesn't mind. He is flattered someone is that invested in his adventures. He said he'd like to meet you, one day," Emmy simply answered, looking at him funny. There it was, that scrutinizing gaze that was looking for secrets, trying to uncover everything he wasn't saying- "But really, Clivey, we've been doing that for weeks. You only wonder about that now ?"

"I guess I didn't want this to stop, in case he was bothered," he simply said.

If Emmy noticed the way he passed up the opportunity to meet Layton himself, she didn't say a thing. "Ah, right. You're not an idiot, and you're not passing up any opportunities."

"Exactly," Clive said. He wasn't blushing anymore, so he put his coffee down- it was really too disgusting, anyway.

Emmy nodded. "We have enough for our next article. We should get back to work- you know, so you keep getting opportunities." She said this with a touch of humor, and Clive chuckled at it. It wasn't even that funny, but she had a way of making him happy that only worked with her : another colleague would have him rolling his eyes and spitting a distateful comment.

"Alright- I just need to go back to my desk first," he said, standing up and gathering his stuff.

In a fraction of second, Emmy was next to him. "Go get it, Tiger," she gently punched him in the shoulder. Uh, it'd been some time since she used that one.

"And Clive ?" She added. "I'm glad we took this opportunity. Together." And with that, she winked at him.

Clive stared dumbly at her, her words taking a minute to register : when they did however, he felt his whole face heating up in a way he couldn't possibly hide.

"I- uh- I mean-" He stuttered like an idiot, unable to form any thought. What did she mean by that ? Was this a friendly remark ? Or did she- did she also-

Was she also in love with him ? Because he was in love, madly. And maybe he hoped she was too.

He didn't know what miracle happened, but she left without any comments and he remained alone, his stuff in his hands and his heartbeat racing. He must look pathetic, being so red in the face and trembling because of a single remark. He was weak, weak for her, and what was left to be done ?

Luckily -a second miracle-, he didn't see any colleagues as he rushed back to his desk : if any of them had seen him like this, a trembling blushing mess, he probably would have no choice but to kill them.

Putting his stuff on one side of the desk, he himself dropped onto his chair, palms pressed against his face. Even now, even with his eyes closed, he could still see her beautiful smile, the way she winked at him-

No. No no no- he had to stop imagining stuff. There was no way she saw him as more than a colleague -a friend, maybe, emphasis on the maybe- and he would ruin everything if he couldn't respect her feelings on the matter. He didn't- he didn't actually need to- to date her- dating her, he was thinking about dating her and it sounded so wonderful, everything he could ask for, and-

No ! No, alright ? She wasn't interested, and he respected that. And he didn't need to date her, just getting to talk to her, to see her being so vibrant and passionate and confident, a real force of nature- just that was enough. He didn't need more.

He was happy with just getting to see her.

He dropped his hands, taking a deep breath. His heartbeat was still a bit fast, but it was returning to normal : even the red on his face was gone. It was alright. He would be alright, as long as he could keep things as they were.

And if he wasn't entirely satisfied with the way things were, if he kept longing for more, then it was his problem.

He opened his eyes, only to notice a white envelope on the middle of his desk. It... hadn't been there before. Who had put this here ?

Curious if not wary, he got closer and took the sheet of paper, turning it around in his hand.

On the front, he could read "Access to classified files granted"

#And then we get Emo king Clive with 'Oh no you don't' Emmy. Toxic Yuri my friends (Alright I'm joking I'm joking dw)#Also I know the end is an angsty cliffhanger and the beginning is more comedy than shipping but. Idk I'm bad at shipping #Emmy fans I would love to know how accurate I wrote her 👀 I literally rewrote this whole thing 5 times cuz it didn't feel right #So I hope this is the right one !! Although I did wonder if she would be around canonically. Or if she would work at a newspaper #I do feel like she drinks coffee tho. And Clive is fond of beverages so we're good =)#Anyway I'm rambling a lot ??? Point is- sorry for the delay and I hope you like it !!#Now I still have to finish my Big Bang outline. It is mostly done but I'd like to add an excerpt too. So I will probably post less here #Clive dove #Emmy altava #clemmy #professor layton and the unwound future #professor layton and the lost future #My writing #Ask

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forestwhisper3 · 1 year

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Tagged by @joyfuladorable but I don't know how to link their post. Sorry.

Share your wallpaper:

Laptop lock screen

Home screen

Phone lock screen

Just a turtle emblem on a black background

Phone home screen

As you can see, turtles are still in my brain rent-free.

Last song you listened to: Not counting the instrumental stuff I put on to help me write? YT music says it was Yasashi Kiss by Hitomi Shimatani, but before that, it was Adoro by the Broncos, The Guiding Key by Liz Robinett, Passing Through by Kadan Mackay, Feel it Still by Portugal. The Man, and a remixed version of I Love You Baby by Gloria Gaynor. I also listen to a lot of electro swring and stuff with a good bass beat, as well as jazz and classical.

Currently reading: nothing specific at the moment, just different fanfics, haha. My sister really wants me to start reading one of her favorite series, but I can't ever seem to dredge up the willpower to do it.

Last movie you watched: The whole way through? The Mario movie. I've seen bits and pieces of others since then whenever my mom's watching one, but not the whole thing.

I'm not counting the Rise movie since that's just a permanently open tab on my laptop now.

Craving: Frozen yogurt. Or a bacon avocado cheeseburger. Or steamed buns. Or all of them. It's been a while since I've had them, and I want some.

What are you wearing right now: Stitch pajamas when I started this, but work clothes right now since I'm at work.

How tall are you: 5'3"

Piercings: I guess my ears? Pretty sure one or both of them have closed over by now, though.

Tattoos: None. At most, I've done those fake paper ones that used to come with packs of gum, but nothing permanent. Don't really plan to, either.

Glasses? Contacts?: Both. Since middle school. Used to hate glasses, but now I love them. Only thing I don't like is the poor vision that comes with it, haha. Contacts are for work or trips to places like theme parks where I'm afraid they'll fall off on a ride or something.

Last drink: Water. If we're talking alcoholic...I don't even remember. I'm not a big drinker.

Last thing I ate: Pizza for dinner. And breakfast since I was too lazy to make anything.

I don't even know what toppings were on these but they were delicious.

Last show: TMNT, specifically, "The Real World" from the 03 series. I need my reference video.

Favorite Color: Red and purple. Green is nice too.

Current obsession: I think it's pretty obvious, lol. TMNT.

Unrelated obsession: ... I'm not sure what to put here. Fluffy things? Cute things like penguin stickers? ...Pokémon?

Any pets: 4 cats, 2 dogs, all rescues. We are very much a "You're coming home with me" family.

Crush on anyone?: No one that's real, lol, and my fictional "crushes" are said more as a joke more than anything. Am I opposed to the idea of romance and being in a relationship? Not at all, but I'm not gonna go out of my way to find one or stress out about it either. If it happens, it happens, and if not, that's cool too.

Favorite fictional characters: Now these I have a lot of. Yusuke Urameshi, Yagami Taichi, Gary Oak, Roronoa Zoro (although I love all the strawhats really), Michelangelo (though again, I love pretty much all the ninja turtles), Knuckles, Tails, Professor Layton, Donald Duck, Sora, Cloud Strife, Vincent Valentine, Zack Fair, Maes Hughes (and most of the FMAB cast), Luigi, and many more. These are just some of the first ones that come to mind, but it would take too long if I did all of them, lol.

Last place you traveled to: ...What is this traveling you speak of?

Joking aside, probably Tucson, Arizona, to visit my brother. Not counting that? Mexico, but that was ages ago.

Tagging...uh...*checks to see who actually interacts with me on here* @klonoadreams and @eldritchgray I guess?

#I started this in the morning thinking it would be quick. It was not.#But I finally finished #I'm so glad it didnt erase while I couldn't use my phone #That's happened to me before #Anyway #Now y'all know a bit more about me I guess?#It was fun :)#Bye for now!

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gible-love-nibles · 10 months

Text

Eternal Diva Fic (Part 3)

This part's kinda of a downtime part before all the puzzles and action 'n' stuff. Still, things certainly do happen here. ...I don't know how to write descriptions at this point. Still, enjoy!

Nothing to warn for here, I think

Word Count: 1.1k / Previous / Next

Giant lurches accompanied our host’s words, and I was nearly thrown off the balcony. If there was any time to leave, it was now. I just had to hope the professor and Luke would be alright.

I threw open the balcony’s exit and rushed through the main hall, thankfully not spotting any masked men. But exiting the opera house quickly sobered me to why.

The Crown Patone was shifting parts all around, transforming itself into something else: a ship. And we were already heading out to sea.

My feet moved me out to the deck without me realizing. I struggled to come up with words. “What-- How--”

“The theater…”

“It’s really a huge ship!”

Those two familiar voices made me turn and gave me a little relief. Finally seeing Layton and Luke was a comfort; if anyone could solve what was going on, it would be those two.

“Professor Layton! Luke!” I rushed over to greet them.

The professor turned his head and watched my approach. He quickly smiled and tipped his hat my way. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I’m afraid I almost didn’t recognize you in that outfit, Miss Clare.”

“Clare!” Luke had a big bright grin on his face. I didn’t realize until now how much I missed the enthusiastic boy.

“Is it just me, or have you gotten taller Luke?” I joked, ruffling his cap.

“I certainly hope so!” We both laughed a bit. The professor’s grin seemed to widen.

“Unfortunately, it seems we only meet during the most dire of circumstances,” Layton pulled me back to the situation at hand.

I sighed. “Yeah, you’ve got that right. And after I got dressed so nicely.”

“On the positive Clare, I’m sure you will be a great ally to this mystery.”

“I was thinking just the same thing, Professor.”

We were interrupted by one of the patrons of the opera-- a red-haired man with an extremely long nose-- running past us and jumping onto the ship’s railing.

“What are you doing? Do you see a way out?” A brown-haired woman in a dark blue dress asked him.

“I know what I’m doing. I’m swimming back!” He said confidently.

“I’m not sure that’s altogether wise.” Layton stood by the railing and pointed down into the water.

Looking down revealed a chilling sight: a large shiver of sharks was swimming around the boat with strange metal accessories attached firmly to their snouts.

“Very strange,” said a man dressed like a sea captain. “You don’t often see sharks. Well, not in these waters.”

“They’re being controlled.” My words slipped out in anger. My hands gripped the railing tight. “Look at those weird things on their noses. Sharks wouldn’t circle a boat like this. Maybe a fishing boat, but definitely not something this big.”

“It must be some kind of precaution then,” Layton hypothesized. “One that makes sure we stay on the ship.” When I didn’t respond, the professor patted my shoulder sympathetically.

The sounds of a whole orchestra made everyone’s attention shoot squarely to the theater. We all ran back to find that the opera writer Mr. Whistler was responsible for the music. Needless to say, the thought of playing music at a time like this was in a bit of poor taste. But the other passengers said it for me anyway.

“What are you doing?! Someone threatens our lives and you play music!?” The red-haired man from earlier yelled.

“We’re sailing out to sea, and there are sharks all around us!” The brown-haired woman also from before pleaded, sounding on the brink of tears.

Mr. Whistler finally paused his playing, but otherwise refused to address the small crowd that had gathered around him.

“Mr. Whistler.” A man with dark hair and bright orange pants squinted hard at the opera writer. “You were the one behind this opera. Tell me: did you also plan this deadly game?”

Oswald stood up and turned as he gave his vague answer: “I was asked to perform an opera. That is all.”

The dark-haired man clearly wasn’t convinced. The three of us shifted uncomfortably, but a voice calling out to the professor distracted us. It was the opera singer Janice Quatlane.

As the professor and Janice chatted, Luke pulled on my sleeve. “Um, Clare? Why are you… dressed like that?”

“Why am I wearing a suit, you mean?”

“Yeah. I-I mean--! I don’t mean you don’t look nice, I just-- Don’t boys usually wear suits?”

“Well, it’s real simple Luke: I wanted to look nice, but I also wanted to wear pants.”

“Oh… And you can just do that?”

“Sure. Who’s gonna care?”

“Woah…”

“I don’t mean to interject…” Layton said politely. “But Clare, what are you doing here? As I understand, the tickets for this opera were extremely expensive.”

“Well, here’s the thing Professor: You sent me a ticket to come here. You invited me. Supposedly.”

“Wot?!” Luke interjected. “That can’t be right! Me and the professor got our tickets sent to us by Janice. We didn’t buy any!”

“But I have a letter that says you wanted me to come. Right here.” I quickly pulled it out of my bag and handed it to Layton.

Upon reading it, the professor’s face grew more serious. “This is not my handwriting. Close to it, but a forgery nonetheless.”

A pit started to form in my stomach. I was liking this less and less. “Then… is this ticket not real?” I pulled that out of my bag.

“No, that is genuine,” Janice perked up. “You can tell by the golden edges and the special ink.”

Layton gripped his hat brim and his face was grim. “I hate to say it Clare, but it seems someone lured you here to the opera tonight. Someone wanted you to play this game.”

I felt a slight chill go down my back. “But who? I don’t want eternal life! I don’t have money to throw around. Why me?”

“That, I’m not sure of.”

We didn’t have much to dwell on that unnerving revelation. The game master’s voice on the speakers returned.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Now we are all passengers together on the Crown Patone. It is time for our little puzzle-solving game to begin. The rules are very simple. The winner-- meaning the last player left-- receives eternal life.”

“Professor…?” Luke asked Layton worriedly.

“I don’t see that any of us have a choice but to play the game Luke.”

He was right. When you’re stuck on a ship sailing shark-infested waters, what else can you do but comply?

…I was getting a very bad feeling, and it had to do with the game master’s voice.

I felt like I had heard it somewhere before.

#🐉🎮.txt #clare's writing #eternal diva au #seen a lot of things; places you ain't ever been 🐉💫#it happened a bit with l.uke and g.rosky in the last part but it's more relevant here: sorry if the colors start to get a little confusing #i'm trying to keep the colors to just like. the important characters and some of them are definitely gonna overlap #but up next: puzzle time! and some of my favorite bits in the whole story

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askaceattorney · 2 years

Text

Dear Skibot99,

Shi-Long Lang essay, part 2? You got it.

Let’s see if we can’t take a closer look at our favorite antihero lone wolf underneath that cool exterior.

To summarize The Mod’s essay on him, Lang is a top-of-the-line Interpol Agent with his own way of doing things, a deep-seated hatred of prosecutors, a team of 99 trusted agents, unwavering loyalty to those he trusts, and an indestructible sense of duty. In other words, he’s all bark and all bite.

So, what's next for him after his and Edgeworth’s run-in with Tree Man Ambassador Alba, and what more is there to learn about his past? Similarly to his first introduction, he shows up randomly in the middle of one of Edgeworth’s cases.

Something’s a little different this time, though. He seems to have less “presence” for some reason.

For some reason, his "pack” is nowhere to be found this time around. Even stranger than that, as Edgeworth points out, he and his men were absent a few days ago when an assassination attempt was made on Zheng Fa’s President. The reason Lang gives is equally surprising.

Anyone who’s seen Lang and his men in action knows how trustworthy they are (not counting that time they almost arrested Officer Meekins, that is), so what would cause President Huang to be so doubtful? Thus we’re presented with two mysteries already: the President’s doubt of his police force and the whereabouts of Lang’s subordinates. All we know for sure is that we won’t get the answers from the lone wolf himself.

And with that, Lang exits the scene, leaving us to wonder what could’ve happened to him for another three episodes. It’s moments like this that make we wish the game would keep track of all the mysteries we run into like the Professor Layton series, but gamers can’t be choosers, I guess.

The next time we run into him, the circumstances couldn’t possibly worse.

President Di-Jun Huang now lies dead before him, and the disagreements between the two of them apparently did nothing to lessen his shock and pain at the sight. Whether he was actually the victim of a Mighty Moozilla’s rampage or not, this marks a tragic day for the people of Zheng Fa.

Lang’s killer instinct is triggered right away as he begins his search for a suspect.

Poor Penny has to be on the receiving end of his anger, but thankfully, there’s a mild-mannered prosecutor there to bring him back to his senses before anyone gets bitten.

Edgeworth gets him to calm down and investigate properly, but his mind still seems to be fixated on one goal.

In other words, the case has become a personal matter for him. One can’t help but admire his willingness to put duty before personal feelings about his President. If nothing else, this shows some serious patriotism on his part.

Like last time, he doesn’t want to talk about his reasons for being there, but he does share an interesting tidbit about his father and President Huang.

The President’s death turns out to be even more personal for him than we thought. The Lang clan was once in charge of protecting the President’s life, and he even trusted them enough to protect his will. This close bond of trust makes it even more confusing that Lang and his men were nowhere near the President during his speech at Gourd Lake.

For some unknown reason, the President suddenly “became a different person” 12 years ago, and his attitude toward his police force did a complete 180. Nonetheless, Lang’s character shines brighter than his current feelings toward the now-deceased President.

Man, some politicians could learn a thing or two from this guy...

And as part of his respect, mingled with his bloodlust for the culprit, he vows to solve the case by any means necessary, with or without Edgeworth’s help (or the help of the Zheng Fa police, for that matter).

And judging by his actions in the first game, he ain’t bluffing. As angry as he is, though, he’s hilariously speechless when faced with a certain young punk and his punky attitude.

There’s nothing like a good moment of comic relief, is there? Don’t judge by appearances, as they say.

Lang leaves in a huff, but comes back with the President’s bodyguards and some good news -- the U.S. police were kind enough to let him join the investigation (or “hunt,” as he views it), and he’s already picked up the scent of a potential suspect. Who is it, you ask? Someone we’ve already met, naturally.

Not only have Edgeworth and company (and we) gotten to know Justine pretty well by now, but she was even willing to stand in Edgeworth’s corner against Blaise Debeste only recently. Wouldn’t it be something if she had it in her to murder a foreign dignitary after all that? Luckily, Edgeworth’s around to offer some perspective about--

Oh...right. Edgeworth gave up his badge during the last investigation, didn’t he? This brings the conversation to a screeching halt, until Edgeworth poses a question to him.

It turns out that Edgeworth’s reasons aren’t all that different from Lang’s -- he wishes to find the person responsible for putting Kay in danger, as well as engineering Jill Crane’s murder. In other words, both of them are on the trail of someone whose crimes affected them directly, and while they don’t know it yet, their respective trails happen to lead to the same person. Not only that, but they’re both now at a disadvantage.

This shared goal and shared experience makes them a pair of unlikely allies, much like they were during their adventures involving a certain foreign ambassador and smuggling ring. Reliving the good times, you know?

Unlike most allies, however, they prefer to get things done by battling one another, courtroom-style.

Well, at least they’re on the same side now.

This battle of logic proves helpful when Edgeworth introduces the possibility that Huang didn’t fall from the Grand Tower, but instead exited through the secret hatch to the hidden 51st floor. But in order to do that, he would’ve had to know about the black market auction going on there. That idea doesn’t sit well with Lang.

In an explosion of rage, he once again shows his deep respect for Huang, which leads to a contradiction between his and Edgeworth’s descriptions of him. Edgeworth decides it isn’t the best time to reveal this contradiction to Lang just yet, considering the implications it could have. In the meantime, a certain Southern journalist(?) shows up with good news.

Thus the possibility of Huang knowing about or taking part in the auction becomes much smaller, but the mystery remains as to how he left the Grand Tower’s roof. Some bizarre testimony from Penny suggests that John may know something, since he was practicing at the film lot the night before, so Lang and the gang (if you will) begin searching for him. Naturally...that’s when he suddenly goes missing.

Before any of them start making plans to find him, Lang takes a moment to reflect on the positive side of working alone.

Considering how close he was to his “pack,” one has to wonder whether he’s actually warming up to being on his own, or if he’s just putting on a facade to avoid looking insecure in front of the others. My guess is the latter, but it’s ultimately left up to interpretation. Either way, you can’t help but feel a little sorry for the guy.

After this, he saunters off, not to be seen again until after John is located and rescued -- not to mention the "The Best” prosecutor -- and Judge Courtney is finally able to deliver a truly just (and well-deserved) verdict. Or, more accurately, he shows up to interrupt said verdict.

Evidently, it’s “too late for a happy ending,” because Lang has his own bone to pick with the defendant.

What happened between them 12 years ago, you may ask? As Lang explained to Edgeworth before, President Huang’s relationship with his police force took a sudden turn. This time, however, he gets a bit more specific.

According to him, Patricia Roland and Blaise Debeste killed off the Lang clan (and just when we thought they couldn’t sink any lower). But it’s not them he’s after now -- he apparently still has sights set on Judge Courtney as Huang’s killer. Judge Courtney and her recently rescued son, that is.

These sudden twists leave us with a lot of questions, but the one that stands out the most is: What are you up to, Mr. Lone Wolf?

After some questions are asked, we learn what his theory is: Courtney pushed the President off the roof, hid his body inside a monster costume, and later moved it back to the “footprint” where it was found. And since she couldn’t enter the locked film lot, she had her son, who knew the lock’s combination, help her. It sounds pretty far-fetched, but the two of them do seem to be clamming up for some reason.

What’s Edgeworth and Kay’s answer to this dilemma? Dirt, of course!

It turns out the dirt in the costume came from a dirtbag called Blaise Debeste. The same dirt, with bits of concrete, is found on his gloves, thus identifying him as the “monster” who made those “footprints.” He also had the good fortune of being interrupted by someone who would assume the holes he'd dug were part of the set and having a costume nearby to hide in. This leaves one mystery unsolved, though: What would possess a man, even one as crooked as him, to do such a thing?

We don’t discover this until a bit later, when the horrible truth about President Huang is finally “unearthed,” shall we say. Apparently, Blaise was involved in something 12 years ago involving President Huang, but Lang doesn’t seem to want to bring it up for some reason. Naturally, the only way to get him to open up is with evidence connecting that event to the current case. Said evidence (also naturally) is already in Edgeworth’s possession -- a report from Patricia to Blaise.

And those two aren’t the only ones who seem to be concerned with this mysterious event -- an unknown party had something to say about it in a letter to Jill Crane, a recently murdered defense attorney.

It’s becoming clear that this event is no longer too irrelevant for Lang to bring up, but that doesn’t make it easy for him.

Much like the DL-6 and SL-9 Incidents, this one carries some unhappy memories for those involved in it, which must now be relived in order to finally lay it to rest. We’ll never know if Lang had it in him to put himself through that on his own, because just at that moment...

A few stray members of Lang’s former “pack” show up to provide him with some much-needed support. And judging by their excitement, it’s clear that they never gave up their loyalty to him. It’s pretty touching, to say the least.

And wouldn’t you know it? This incident has a two-letter, one-number name as well. I’m starting to think that naming system might be cursed.

With his former subordinates and Edgeworth insisting that he reinvestigate the SS-5 Incident, Lang finally caves in and agrees to it. In his own stubborn way, of course.

This incident turns out to be the case of President Huang’s kidnapping, with a nine-figure ransom from the kidnappers. Thankfully, the money was accepted from Zheng Fa’s government and the President was returned safe and sound, but the kidnappers somehow vanished without a trace.

Well, that’s not entirely true.

At this point I started thinking, Good grief, how much can a pyromaniac and a lady who wears a coat made of living minks get away with...? But now we’re finally getting some context for what Lang was doing at the prison -- he’d been separated from his pack, so he wanted to see what he could learn about SS-5 on his own.

And then we find out what Lang’s personal connection to the case is -- his father took responsibility for the kidnapping and was relieved of his post as bodyguard, but continued investigating as a regular police officer, which led to him identifying Patricia as the culprit. This would’ve made a great comeback for him, if nothing else, but unfortunately, her trial ended in a Not Guilty verdict, and the case went unsolved. Thus Dai-Long Lang’s career, as well as his family’s reputation, were crushed.

Say, this is beginning to sound kind of familiar, isn’t it?

While the circumstances are somewhat different, it turns out that both Lang and Edgeworth’s fathers were the victims of the unjust actions of unjust people in power. That seems to happen a lot to the good guys in Ace Attorney, doesn’t it?

And to top it off, Lang himself has no access to the mountain of evidence against Patricia Roland. Sounds like a good time for someone to show up with just the right solution...

Right on cue, Franziska and Uncle Ray show up with the case files for SS-5 in hand. And Franziska’s reasons for seeking it out are a bit unexpected.

She picked a great time to show her compassionate side, didn’t she? And speaking of great timing, Blaise Debeste, who just “happened” to be the prosecutor in charge of SS-5, just recently lost his authority to keep its information from the public. Things seem to be lining up perfectly for Lang, Edgeworth, and everyone else striving to uncover the secrets of a 12-year-old case, don’t they? It’s almost like it’s fate or something. And if Edgeworth’s previous case taught us anything, it’s that fate is no joke.

With this new information and some help from Little Thief, Edgeworth discovers a number of contradictions in SS-5 -- the victim’s shoes, the location of his body, the location of the murder weapon, the photograph of the President’s kidnapping...and to whom the spilled blood in front of the orphanage belongs.

And just then, Lang suddenly remembers why this scene looks familiar to him.

And not only is this drawing a key piece of evidence -- it ends up being the bomb that blows the lid off the case.

I have to say, for a child’s drawing, this has some pretty amazing detail, but...who’s that guy with that knife? And where did the black dog come from? And why do they look...?

...Oh. Oh, no. Could it be...?

Before we learn what this means, another piece of evidence reveals another crazy secret -- the existence of the President’s son.

Thus the mystery of her unwillingness to explain her meeting with the President is cleared up. Exposing the relationship between him and John would’ve been...impolite, to put it mildly.

But with that out of the way, it’s finally time for Lang to catch up with his father...

If Lang were the main character, this would be his climactic moment, so...let’s treat it that way, why don’t we? Cue the music!

In his final confrontation with Edgeworth, they both do some more digging into SS-5 until they run into a startling contradiction.

It turns out that drawing wasn’t the product of a child’s imagination, but a reflection of the ugly, sinister truth. The incident he witnessed wasn’t a kidnapping at all...

Naturally, Lang is far from eager to jump to that conclusion. Besides the fact that it’s too horrible to be true, the President’s body was discovered just recently. How could he have died 12 years ago if...?

Crazy? You bet. But alas, truth is stranger than fiction, and in this case, it’s a truly tragic truth. Edgeworth has the evidence to back it up, of course, and by presenting it, he finally unleashes the beast inside of Lang.

Given that the President had a number of people who envied his power, the list of potential culprits is practically infinite, but by piecing together the fact that no one was aware of his murder and the existence of his body double, Edgeworth arrives at the uncanny truth -- his murderer was one of the people closest to him.

Whew... Politics is one messy business, to say the least.

A couple of searches from the forensics team confirms that the real President’s body had been underneath the filming lot since the incident occurred. With that information, Lang deduces the reason why his father kept both the drawing and the President’s murder a secret -- revealing them to the public would’ve caused chaos in Zheng Fa. And with that, he finally knows the full story of the fall of the House of Lang, and his father is no longer a failure as a bodyguard, but an unsung hero. Who would’ve imagined it?

(You can stop the music now.)

As gratifying as this must be for him, I don’t imagine all of his feelings about it are positive. This marks the second time (that we know of) that he’s seen someone he trusted turn out to be a fake.

As satisfying as uncovering the truth is, it often leads to some pretty unsettling discoveries, whether it’s discovering that your assistant is part of a smuggling ring or that your President has been replaced by the Cowardly Lion. But amazingly enough, Lang's ability to trust others has only been strengthened by these revelations -- he learns that not all prosecutors are untrustworthy, he lets go of his suspicion of Justine and John as soon as their actions are explained, and he even comes to depend on Edgeworth’s logic to help him find the truth of SS-5, and thank goodness for that. In short, he may be a bloodthirsty wolf, but over time, he proves himself to be a bloodthirsty wolf with character.

And as fate would have it, an escaped Sirhan Dogen shows up just then to confirm that he took the life of the real Zheng Fa President at the behest of his body double. On top of that, he has a lot of details to share, including the mastermind behind the body double’s murder and everything leading up to it, but that’s another story for another time. Or rather, one that I’ve already told in a previous essay. Thus Lang and his allies pick up a new scent, and the final loose end is tied up.

That’s not the end for Lang, though. On top of becoming more trusting in others, he’s changed for the better in one more way -- he’s now expanded his goal of restoring the Lang clan’s reputation to something nobler: the revival of Zheng Fa as a nation.

Hmm... Do I hear a potential sequel in there somewhere? In any case, one can’t help but feel hopeful for Zheng Fa (not to mention worldwide justice) with bloodthirsty wolves like Shi-Long Lang around.

-The Co-Mod

#skibot99 #Shi Long Lang #Mod Post #Character Essay #Mod Commentary #Co Mod Essays left: 1 #You decide if he's taking the shades off or putting them on

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homosexual-fast-dancer · 2 years

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Now that I’m back in the Professor Layton fandom I would like to talk about my different versions of the Professor:

Starting off with: Sh*tpost! Layton:

Basically the Professor Layton memes rolled into one

You ever seen ProZD’s Professor Layton sketches? Well that was the basis for this guy

Layton if he was half English Gentleman, half meme star with a love hate relationship with Luke

He will tease the poor lad like there is no tomorrow, but deep down is still a good father figure

He is basically:

Villain! Layton:

An evil suave business man

He made it his life goal to make a time machine, but along the way forgot why he was doing so

He has had no socialization from the point he started to now, so he kinda forgot that other people aren’t little more than a means to an end

Such end being money, as he starts to sell those time machines to other really rich people

He also doesn’t care much for the butterfly effect

If he falls in love with someone then it will be like The Bidding by Tally Hall

He was inspired by: (middle - last ones)

And finally: Techy! Layton

He knows he’s a video game character and it makes him rather sad

He wishes he was real so that he could be with you, but life is never that kind

He really doesn’t want to be alone, so he tends to hack your console

He was inspired by me naming the Buddy in Buddy Simulator Layton and making all of the different options fit him

Now that I think about it, he kinda reminds me of the song Soft Fuzzy Man by Lemon Demon

#the image for sh*tpost layton was indeed made by me #professor layton #professor layton aus #reblogs are appreciated #i would also like to write for these different versions of layton #f/o community #kinda? sure why not

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prosebushpatch · 2 years

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How did the jailbreak in Jenny LeClue go? XD

SO GOOD CJ continues to be my fav of all time. AND ALSO I HAVE FINISHED AND IM STILL REELING SO HERE ARE MY Totally Coherent Thoughts

I still think Zazer is CJ, like especially now that we know we need to find Zazer. CJ IS ZAZER AND I KNOW THIS IN MY HEART. LIKE OF COURSE THE GUY RAVING ABOUT ALIENS WHO HAS A COMPASS POINTING TO ALL THE TRANSMISSION MACHINES IS THE PROFESSOR SAID TO HAVE GONE MAD FROM MERCURY POISONING. THERE'S NO OTHER EXPLANATION I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT.

THAT CLIFFHANGER THO. Okay so about halfway through the game I thought to myself, what if they come outta left field with a world changing reveal like in Professor Layton games? and never thought about that again until we found out the whole town *vanished* from the face of the earth. That sure explains the plaque at the beginning saying "Arthurton, you'll never leave!" I see that foreshadowing and I appreciate it.

The Dean is ALIVE!!! I had a feeling he would be, but the game did a good job of throwing me off with the narrative frame where Arthur had no idea what he was doing. Like up until the moment where Arthur was stress eating jam, I knew the Dean knew something was going to happen from when we interrogated him, but Arthur's panic did throw me off like "Oh... he's actually.... Really?" Which is interesting from a writing perspective in how they balanced that narrative frame and how Arthur was discovering the story with us. I like it a lot!

Richard is terrible and leaves me fuming :D But poor Arthur, I feel like he's just trying to buy time to save his beloved characters with that final choice in who gets zapped by the machine. I originally chose Jenny as a sort of "you won't do it, not to the mc" but then I went back into the scene selection and chose her mom (because im assuming the ray would send her to where the dad is and I couldn't send the Dean, like not after he just got the antidote, I can't do that to Keith.) BUT what was interesting was how when I chose Jenny, Arthur said something like "WHAT?! SINCE WHEN WAS SHE AN OPTION?" and begrudgingly accepted it, but when I went back and chose her mom, he said something like "Yes... this is the only way for it to end" I also did go back to the scene where you could choose the happy ending, wondering if that would be a whole chapter, but I just got a scene before Arthur was like "okay fine, this wont work" and goes back to the graveyard option anyway. This was really funny to me XD.

SO my save file says that I have seen 100% of the scenes but there's still collectibles that I missed. I'm going to have to look up how to unlock the new game plus because I worry I missed something. Now that we know where Jenny's dad is he.... is not... the man in black... *sheds a tear* but if that character is anyone then my guess is Suzie's mom. Or maybe one of the order of three? I will probably play again but I might try to pay attention to the animal imagery more.

Also all the mine sections? My heart ;_; OH THAT WAS ONE. I feel like I missed something because there's a whole blank page in the journal on like.... 35 or 36? but I found the letter from the miner to his daughter, Clara, I think? starts with a C. I have to figure out if we've met that character before because I think that was one of the moments I really wanted to see, where Jenny could give that person the letter from the miner. I don't think there's a way I could go back and find anyone, but might give that a more thorough look.

Also I just looked up suzie's parents' names and her dad is indeed named Richard, and if he ends up getting some just desserts in future story lines well wouldn't that just be something ✍(◔◡◔) I see you setting up that revenge, Arthur..... I think I know who inspired this character, Arthur......

And so, those are the most pressing thoughts I have at the moment. I will probably do a little more digging BUT WHAT A GAME its very good. Im very much looking forward to the sequel, presumably? But I def want to explore a lot of the different options more and see how things can shift!

BUT AHHH THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THIS JOURNEY it was very fun and I am just enamored with that narrative frame where the author is basically doing everything to keep his characters safe while the editor(?) is just not even concerned with the characters or even art but more just the shock value that he thinks will sell. It's really interesting to see how these themes appear in the book too, like how Zazer constantly tries to tell the council of three that people matter more than progress and I don't mean to suggest that real lives can be that comparable to an author trying to keep his characters from being killed off, but I do appreciate how Jenny Leclue consistently values life in every aspect. But fhbvdfb I should stop rambling now BUT THANKS AGAIN <33333 it sure got me thinking

#rose and rambles #rosie's gaming log #anonymous #*lays on the floor thinking about stories*#very good #10/10 #will for sure play again #also making me want to go back to professor layton hfbvdhbv #side note but a while back i found out you can get all the original trilogy on the phone for pretty cheap #and i replayed curious village but still gotta do diabolical box and unwound future #hmmmm yes #i think that would be fun lets keep the puzzles rolling

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paulinawoodpecker · 2 days

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Emmy, luke and layton visits the 4 men graves script

@slappygiggledoodle

Luke: are those the graves?

Layton: looks like it.

Emmy: aww those poor four men…

Emmy: why would they kill them?

Layton: unless it was the impossible three.

Luke: along with Clive.

Layton: well let’s say our goodbyes and let’s get back with the others…

Emmy: agree.

Layton, Luke, and Emmy: goodbye you four.

Layton, Luke and Emmy: *walks away to return to the team*

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crosshimes-fanwritings · 5 months

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The Vacant Days (Puzzle III: Discipline)

Fandoms: Professor Layton, Zatch Bell, and Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Rating: T Summary: Luke's intelligence is pissing Suzume off so, she wants to get back at him by disciplining him. Or maybe not as his charisma is too bearable for her to handle. TW/CW: None Notes: Since I am going by the canon ages, the Hanako-kun characters are also around Suzume's age. Suzume's and Luke's interactions are clearly platonic, people. Well from Suzume's POV, that is. Words: 1,088

"Yo, Mizuno! Where is Triton and Mr. Layton?!" Kou Minamoto kicked the door open and entered the kitchen alongside Amane Yugi, aka Hanako, and Nene Yashiro. "We discovered a few new puzzles for them to solve!"

"The hell would I know?" Suzume told them in a grumpy tone as she sipped her cola from a glass cup. "They weren't here when I woke up. I swear I'm going to discipline that little shit when he and Mr. Layton comes back! His parents aren't around to do the job anyway!"

"Awww! Did you and your boyfriend get into a petty quarrel?" Amane smirked puckishly.

"What are you talking about? Triton is just a kid." Suzume frowned at Amane suspiciously.

"Oooh, you don't have no idea! Poor you, Suzu!" Amane gave her a tricksy grin. "You see-"

"Dude, cut it out!" Kou smacked Amane on his head.

"Don't pay mind to Hanako, Miss Suzume. He loves to joke around." Nene giggled and bowed her head to Suzume. "We're going out to search for Triton and Mr. Layton ourselves."

"Cool, have fun and be careful." Suzume waved at them vacantly. "Tell Triton I need to speak with him when he gets home."

"Oooh, I will tell him myself!" Amane guffawed.

"Shut it, Hanako!" Kou dragged him out as Nene followed.

Suzume sighed. She finished the rest of her cola and washed the glass cup before she left the kitchen. She has gone back to her guestroom. She worked on a 30-piece Jigsaw puzzle to kill time.

hat the hell I'm even doing?' Suzume stared down at the half-finished Jigsaw puzzle. 'This is frustrating. I wonder how is Triton and Mr. Layton doing? They probably helped a new person invent something.'

'You don't look good with black hair, Miss Mizuno. You do look much better with your natural hair color. And I prefer blue as a color scheme for your dresses.'

Suzume had a blank expression as she recalled Luke's words from yesterday. Luke was usually well-mannered, so maybe he was complimenting her. Still, the way he said it baffled Suzume.

'So, he likes my natural reddish brown hair, so what?' Suzume rested her chin on her hand. 'He's just a kid. He doesn't know what he is talking about. Ugh! I still remember his smug grin! Hell with this!' Suzume slammed her hands onto the desk, causing the half-finished puzzle to scatter into pieces. '….Oh well. I'll redo the puzzle when I get back.' She marched out of her bedroom. 'I'm going to look for Triton myself!'

The number one piece of advice that Suzume definitely needed to keep in mind was thugs. She still needed to watch out for those bastards. Who knows how many thugs Viktor hired to capture her or her father. She was also wondering if Luke kept his word and did some investigation on her father on his own.

'Why did I agree to allow a kid to help me in the first place?' Suzume pouted petulantly. 'I should just pack my things and go back to Japan.'

If Kiyomaro was here in Steam Bison, things would have been different. Suzume froze as she stood in the middle of a plaza. There were some people around, minding their own business. She gazed at the sky. There were some clouds today. She could see the steam smoke coming from the metal chimney caps. Suzume felt nothing when Kiyomaro's charming expression flashed in her mind.

Emptiness.

Why should she still have romantic feelings towards Kiyomaro after he broke her heart back in middle school?

'No.' Suzume lowered her head and shook her head. 'I've come here to search for the truth about my father's disappearance. I ain't giving up.' She clutched her hands together. 'I am over Takamine anyway. He's in the past. I have no time for romantic relationships.'

Suzume gazed over at Eggmuffin's workshop's building. Maybe Luke and Layton were there. Perhaps they were in a different workshop with another inventor. Possibly one of the twin sisters that Luke had spoken to her about before. She forgot which door to Eggmuffin's workshop. The building had too many entrances.

'I'm going back to Triton's place. Why did I even come here?'

Suzume was about to leave, but she spotted Luke leaving Eggmuffin's workshop. Layton wasn't with him. Suzume's original purpose for getting fresh air kicked in.

"TRITOOOOON!" Suzume speeded towards him and stopped in front of him.

Luke was startled in surprise. Suzume stretched his cheeks with her fingertips.

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't discipline your smartass for exposing me yesterday!"

"You're still upset about that?!"

"You little shit! You think you know it all, don't cha?!"

"Please let go of my cheeks, Miss Mizuno." Luke groaned in discomfort.

"Ugh. Only because you asked so nicely." Suzume stopped pitching Luke's cheeks. "Sorry. I have no idea what came over me. I feel better through. I felt so annoyed all day. Also, sorry for calling you a little shit." Suzume turned her eyes away from Luke in shame.

"It's fine, Miss Mizuno. I forgive you." Luke smiled at her affectionately. "I am curious why you and Flora were in disguises yesterday."

"You caught me. I'll explain to you when we get home. So, where's Mr. Layton?"

"He's still inside Eggmuffin's workshop. Do you need something from him?"

"Well, my acquaintances discovered a few puzzles and wanted you two to solve the puzzles."

"Cool! I can't wait for the new puzzles!" Luke's expression brightened, excitement flashing within those childish eyes of his.

"Oh, you! Detective Triton?!" Suzume stroked Luke's cheeks. "More like Detective Adorable!" She felt very delighted. She has always had a weakness towards children. She used to babysit as a part-time job back in her homeland. "No wonder why you're popular! You are so cute!"

Luke flushed heavily. His eyes glimmered as he gaped at her, stunned by her compliments. Suzume grinned at him. He complimented her first yesterday, so it was only fair. Suzume let go of his cheeks and spun around. She had her hands behind her back as she gazed at the sky.

"Well, I don't want to bother you or Mr. Layton, so I'll see you back home, ya?" She looked at him over her shoulder. "Do try to stay out of trouble, detective boy." She gave him a bubbly grin.

"Y-yes."

'He is still a kid. I was his age once, after all.'

Suzume hustled back to Luke's house to prepare dinner with Flora and the family maid, Beth.

#Crossover FanFiction #Crossover AU: Vacantverse

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