002 | Picarat [Video]

[professorgent]

[The feed opens to Layton sitting on the bed in his room. He has one hand on the side of his head and he gives a slight wince. Realizing the communicator is on, he turns to it and tries to look as calm as the growing pain in his head can allow him to be. However, his voice has lost most of it's previous gentleness.]

I'm very sure everyone knows of

Comments

[deusexmachinarf]

Y-you seem smart, s-so...

C-can you tell me what a lobotomy, arf... is?

[Audio]

[professorgent]

[Layton switches to Audio, as he could then focus on keeping his voice steady instead of trying to keep the pain from showing on his face.]

Thank you, dear. I'm only just a professor, though.

[He pauses. She sounds so young and he doesn't want to scare her, but it might be a good idea for her to know than to go into the ordeal blind, he thinks.] And, yes, I suppose I can tell you what a lobotomy is. It is a procedure where one cuts the neurological cords from the frontal lobe of the brain to the rest of the brain. In short, it is like turning off the front section the brain. I believe the Facility is doing this with chemicals, but I'm afraid I don't know how.

[There's a shuddering gasp on Layton's end. He takes a moment to breath in deeply before continuing.]

Are you alright, Miss? [This felt important to ask somehow and it was becoming fuzzy to Layton as to why. He was feeling less alright by each passing minute.]

[Audio]

[deusexmachinarf]

...a-arf... [okay she's trying so hard not to cry right now. so hard. she needs to be brave but.

this is awful.]

I... I-I don't know, I feel o-okay but maybe I'm not really okay and I just feel okay because my brain is broken now and...

[Audio]

[professorgent]

[Oh dear.]

Everything's going to be alright, dear. [Well, no it isn't, but a gentleman is allowed to lie if it is to spare a lady's feelings.]

No, your brain isn't broken. It simply...has less functions to work. [Yeah, let's go with that.] But it is imperative we must stay calm until we find an answer to this predicament, Miss...? [A pause. Oh, he doesn't know her name.]

I'm sorry. I've been so muddled that I forgot to ask for your name. I'm Professor Layton, by the way. Pleased to meet you, even if it is in less than desirable circumstances.

video

[kryptonsson]

It's like waiting for the unavoidable. I'm still hoping we'll find a way to stop it, though...

Audio

[professorgent]

[Layton doesn't feel too awful yet, with only just a nagging headache, but he's sure that it isn't going to get better. So, he chooses audio, so that he only has to focus on keeping his voice steady.] Indeed. Unfortunately for the Facility, I'm not very partial to waiting.

I believe that we can stop it too. It is just a matter of searching for the answer, like any puzzle. [He gives a faint smile.] However, this is much more dire than any problem I've faced so far.

Audio

[kryptonsson]

[And Superman respects that, switching to audio himself.]

If only we had more time, some more methods to analyze the air. You cannot solve a puzzle when you're missing pieces after all.

Audio

[professorgent]

Yes, time is certainly pressing. Had we an extra day... [Layton sighs.] But that is neither here nor there. We'll have to do the best we can.

[The professor gives a soft laugh.] Too true, I'm afraid. Ah, excuse me, with such serious matters afoot, I'm afraid I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Professor Hershel Layton, or just Professor Layton.

[stubborn_throes]

Very gracious of you, professor.

I...[Okay, she is totally hiding all this fear and apprehension behind a monotone voice.]
There's got to be...something. Some hole in this workings of this machination.
Any bright ideas?

[professorgent]

Thank you, Miss. It is the least I can do.

[There's a thoughtful pause from the professor, before he speaks again.] Nothing that can be executed right now, unfortunately. From what little I could divulge from this 'Val', it is a chemical or chemicals that are causing the lobotomies. If we can maybe find out what this substance is, then I think we can find some way to counteract it. That will take some considerable investigation.

[stubborn_throes]

And considerable time which isn't a commodity this week.
[She sighs and runs both of her hands through her hair.]

I keep hoping some magical lance of arcane brilliance will be expelled from the heavens and catalyze my head into some sort of solution but...
It's hopeless, isn't it?

[professorgent]

[Layton nods, a little morosely.] Indeed.

[He chuckles lightly.] That would be quite nice, yes. ...I wouldn't say that, Miss. We must stay keep calm and carry on, even under such dire circumstances. [He smiles, as reassuringly as he can.] I believe we can find a solution to our predicament.

[faultlesscon]

I'm sure the healers are going to make an attempt at some sort of counter to this.

Perhaps you could reach them.

[professorgent]

Yes, that is true. With all the commotion, I'm afraid I forgot to consider that possibility. I do hope they can do something about this.

I know only Miss Yukina myself, but I think she might know other healers as well. I'll contact her now.

[faultlesscon]

Sounds good. A shame--you just arrived and you're going through bollocks like this.

[professorgent]

[There's a short pause while Layton tries to contact Yukina.] I was able to leave a message for her. I do hope she is all right.

[A small chuckle.] I'm used to arriving at places and finding myself wound up in strange situations, so I can manage as unpleasant as the Facility might be. I worry for the others though, especially the younger ones here.