Puzzle 004

[tapshoetomove]

[While up in his room one Saturday afternoon, Luke takes a break from his usual routine of kid things (his life was more and more mundane very quickly, he didn't like it at all) to revisit that sketchbook Rin had given him. The one that was used by the previous him before he was brainwashed and made to forget everything about Mayfield.

It starts out

Comments

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger arrives moments after Luke sets down the phone-- no, wait. When did he get here? Maybe he's been here the entire time. Either way, the sketchbook doesn't escape his attention.]

What's that?

[tapshoetomove]

[There's a nervous glance, but that's about it.]

A sketchbook that belonged to the previous me that was here, or at least that's what I'm told.

[strike_you_out]

[Curious, his gaze shifts between Luke and the sketchbook.]

Can I see it?

[tapshoetomove]

[So uncertain right now. If he didn't draw them it'd be okay to show them, right? But...]

Are you sure? I mean the drawings get very strange.

[He says this as though this is a good reason not to look at them.]

[strike_you_out]

I'm used to strange.

[spoken with a shrug as if "strange" and "mundane" have become synonymous.]

[tapshoetomove]

[He slides the sketchbook away a little and gives Slugger a look of extra seriousness.]

You have to promise you won't show or tell anyone what's in this sketchbook.

[strike_you_out]

[Poker face.]

Promise.

[tapshoetomove]

[He slides the sketchbook back over for Slugger to look through, a bit cautiously.

Upon flipping through it, Slugger will see various pictures of London, his family, the Professor, as mentioned above. He will also see the white-haired woman and the other man with blades sticking out of his legs - Luke's former Mayfield family. In one picture, the man and the woman are laying outside in a yard covered in a lot of red crayon. A few pictures after that show that same man standing next to a pile of dead animals and the man himself covered in blood.

As he continues flipping through, he'll see other odd sketches - Luke or one of the former family being hurt, scared, or angry at something. In other pictures they look very happy.

One picture seems to be ripped out, the one depicting the events of what happened a couple Christmases ago, where Luke got to see his future in ten years.

To Luke, it doesn't make any sense at all.]

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger turns the pages slowly, studying each drawing. His face is obscured beneath his cap's visor so it's hard for Luke to tell what sorts of reactions he might be having. It doesn't surprise Slugger to find a lot of images depicting violence and gore toward the end, and he imagines the happy pictures were drawn while Luke was brainwashed. He can't tell for sure what was happening based on the drawings but he can easily surmise that they tell a tale of some horrible past event, one that likely occurred before he was here. Perhaps Ai would know something about this...

After gazing at the final image for a few seconds, he closes the sketchbook and slides it back toward Luke. Nothing is said as he does this and his face is devoid of any readable expression.]

Do you have anything else from before?

[tapshoetomove]

A few notes from a place called "Westport" and some old puzzles, but that's about it.

[Nervous silence.]

Well?

[strike_you_out]

[Unsure of what Luke wants to hear, Slugger merely stares at him for a moment.]

All I have to say are questions. But I know you can't answer.

[So he isn't gong to ask any. At least none about the drawings.]

Except maybe one... Can I see your notes?

[tapshoetomove]

[It doesn't offer much comfort, but the fact that Slugger isn't looking at Luke like he's an alien or crazy murderer is a plus.]

Ah, sure! Just give me a moment to find them...

[And he moves to start looking through his things.]

[strike_you_out]

[While Luke digs up the notes, Slugger sits quietly for a moment and watches until...]

Edward seems to like you a lot.

[tapshoetomove]

[Luke pulls out the box Lucas gave him, picking up a few stray sheets of paper and placing them in the box as well, but he looks up at Slugger's comment. To be honest, he wasn't expecting to hear it.]

Mr. Nigma's a huge fan of puzzles and riddles. He's sort of like the Professor in a way!

[WELL except for the whole villain thing, but Luke doesn't know that.]

Do you two get along well?

[strike_you_out]

Not often. Puzzles and riddles aren't-- ...I'm not good at them.

[Of course, that's not the only reason they don't get along well.]

Who's the Professor?

[tapshoetomove]

Have you tried solving that many? It is something that takes some practice.

Professor Hershel Layton, he's a true British gentleman and puzzle-solving archeologist! I'm his apprentice!