Sixty-Fourth Journal Entry

[puzzledprof]

It seems that Flora is no longer with us. Both her frequency and communicator are missing, and she would not leave the house on her own. ...To anyone who knew her, I'm sorry.

[There is the quiet mew in the background; a soft sound as Layton sits down, and the post closes to Claire's purrs.]

Comments

[Action ftw!]

[luke_triton]

[Luke comes into the room, visibly distraught.]

I've looked everywhere Flora goes, Professor. I can't find her anywhere!

[Clearly, he has not seen Layton's post on the network.]

[Action ftw!]

[puzzledprof]

[The cat jumps out of Layton's lap and rubs against Luke's legs. She's all yours, my boy.]

...She's been sent home, my boy. Her frequency is gone.

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[Luke crouches on the floor and scratches Claire's ears gently, frowning. He had wanted Flora to go home because it was so dangerous here and there was no way to make sure she could be safe. This somehow didn't make him feel any better about her having gone home, though.]

Are you sure that it doesn't mean anything bad happened to her?! What if her communicator got broken and she's hurt somewhere?!

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

When someone's frequency disappears, it means they've left the city. But if you want to look for her, I'll accompany you. [He'd done the same the first few times his friends had disappeared; Luke would eventually have to learn the same thing he did, but in the meantime, if it helped him feel better....]

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[Luke eventually knelt to be on the ground next to Claire, as she crawled into his lap and placed her paws on his shoulder, rubbing her face against his.]

I already went and looked everywhere she'd go. Does it really mean she's gone home?

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

[Luke. Why you always running off by yourself. You're going to get yourself eaten doing that.]

...I'm afraid it does, my boy. But it means she's out of danger, doesn't it? [We should look on the bright side, right :D?]

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[A lady's safety comes first! When Flora was missing from the house, he absolutely had to go and look for her, and he couldn't find the Professor or Meryl when he left to go look.]

...well..

Yes, I suppose it does mean she's out of danger..

[He continues to have mixed feelings on this. Flora is one of his best friends home.]

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

[B|]

We should be happy that she's gone home, even if we'll miss her. [With the amount of goodbyes in this place, it's a better way to handle it.]

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[It's been a rough couple of weeks, Professor. It's not helping that another friend hasn't been around the last few days. Flora definitely leaving, and Conan being unfindable for the last few days was a little too much at once. When other people had left, they had been older--and though it was sad then, he was more used to older adults coming and going. But friends his age...Claire purred in his face, as if trying to cheer him up. It wasn't helping.]

I suppose..

It seems like a lot of people vanished this week...Conan's not around either, and now Flora's gone home..

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

...Things will get better, my boy.

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[Instead of agreeing with the Professor--because he does not--he presses his face into Claire's fur as she continues to purr like a discontented motorboat because both of her friends in the room seem distraught.]

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

Luke....

[Sigh. And a gentle hand on the head. That's the closest thing he's getting to a hug.]

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[He sniffed, but didn't look up from Claire. Claire mewed sadly and pressed her paws against Luke's shoulders, headbutting his forehead and almost knocking his hat off his head.]

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

Do you need anything, my boy?

[Action]

[luke_triton]

[Luke shakes his head.]

N-no, Professor. I'm all right.

[Action]

[puzzledprof]

[He kneels down and gently rubs his upper back with one hand.]

Are you quite certain of that? [That is, you are the most unconvincing liar ever.]