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antianakin · 9 months

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So in the Caretaker Luke AU, I think someone in the New Republic is probably connected to Cal or Cal's refuge on Tanalorr and is able to get a message to the Jedi to call them in for Anakin's trial because if anyone deserves to speak or have final say on what happens to him, it's the Jedi. Especially the ones left who survived Order 66. They also need help with guards for Anakin because there's a worry that someone might try to kill him while they're holding him during the trial.

So Cal shows up with Kata and Reva, who Cal found a few years after she left the Inquisitorius.

Leia of course is fairly skeptical of Reva's sudden appearance. Last she'd seen Reva, Reva had been a seemingly loyal Inquisitor for Darth Vader. Reva doesn't mind telling Leia her true story, though, and Leia chooses to bury that particular hatchet.

Cal is the one chosen to speak for the Jedi at the trial, while Reva and Kata guard Anakin. Anakin recognizes Reva, of course, and asks her why she's here, why she's bothering to protect him when he knows she'd rather see him dead. Reva tells him that she had wanted to look him in the eyes one last time and see if she can see a person looking back, instead of a monster. The Jedi are supposed to care about everyone, and she's been trying to get back to that, trying to be the kind of person who would make a good Jedi, but caring about everyone is exhausting. She keeps looking for a way to care about him, tried to tell herself he had a hard childhood but then so did a lot of people, tried to tell herself that he was clearly damaged but then so is everyone in some way. And she knows, better than most, that he's not possessed or controlled by Palpatine in any way. So protecting him now, it's not mercy. She wanted to let the New Republic kill him, and Anakin says she should just let them do it or kill him herself, but Reva tells him that he doesn't get the easy way out. If she has to live with what he's done for the rest of her life, he does, too.

At the trial, when they ask what the Jedi would ask to be done with Anakin, Cal argues for no execution. He tells them that while he was young when the Republic fell and was replaced with the Empire, he knew that the Republic was supposed to stand for justice for all. The Republic wasn't what it was meant to be by the end and it allowed itself to become something that stood only for selfishness and greed because it was run by people who were controlled by fear. He says that this New Republic should not fall to the same mistakes, that if it wants any chance to succeed where the Republic and the Empire failed, it needs to start on a new path, one of compassion and mercy. Executing Anakin, while deserved, only means more bloodshed. This New Republic needs to be better than that. If there are alternate solutions, they should find them rather than taking the easier solution simply because it's there.

Luke offers to be Anakin's guardian, to watch over him until Anakin's death, promises he will keep Anakin from continuing to rain down vengeance and violence upon the galaxy. The New Republic agrees to this solution.

Luke goes to thank Cal for his support after the trial, for speaking up for Anakin. Cal tells him that he didn't do it for Anakin, he did it for the New Republic, to try to ensure that the galaxy they all have to live in for the rest of their lives becomes a kinder place than it has been for a long time. Luke understands and accepts this.

Luke tells Cal how excited he was to hear that there were more Jedi, that there might be a whole planet of surviving Jedi he could meet and if it would be possible for him to go there. Cal tells him that while the Jedi survivors would be happy to meet him, they're also still refugees of the Empire, in hiding as they recover. It was Anakin who destroyed them last time and then hunted them down for 20 years and they've been lucky enough to keep this particular location a secret from him and the Empire for as long as they have; Cal refuses to put what remains of his people at risk (he hadn't been particularly happy about Reva and Kata insisting on accompanying him to this trial, but they'd both insisted and he respected that it was their choice to make). There's also just plenty of people on that planet who never want to see Anakin again and he won't force that trauma onto them if he doesn't have to. And Luke can no longer go anywhere without Anakin. Cal tells Luke that they can't even give him the name and location of the planet in case Anakin plucks it out of Luke's mind. They've only survived this long by being VERY careful about keeping it as secret as possible.

Cal is obviously very sympathetic and apologetic throughout the entire explanation, but it doesn't remove the sting of the rejection and they both know it. Luke just agreed to reap the consequences of Anakin's actions, and this was the first time he truly understood what that sacrifice was going to mean for him.

#star wars #luke skywalker #cal kestis #reva sevander #anakin critical #anakin skywalker critical #anti anakin #anti anakin skywalker #caretaker luke au #i shamelessly used a scene from the expanse as inspiration for reva's convo with anakin #it was just too perfect and i have thought about it ever since #esp the bit about how she tries to care about everyone and it's exhausting #it was just... SUCH a jedi thing to say #caring about people should bring joy and a lot of the times it does #but knowing you have to care about EVERYONE - even the evil people - is not an easy thing to do #and for someone like reva who got lost in the dark for a while it is possibly even more difficult #having to remind herself every day that she's supposed to care about the people in the empire and the sith is so so hard #it's quite possibly the hardest thing she'll ever have to do #but she refuses to go back to who she was #she refuses to be like them #so she puts in the effort

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innytoes · 8 months

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Help I can't stop thinking about the Dark Fantasy Fae AU.

There were a lot of things Ray could have never imagined when he married Rose. Moving out of their shabby little apartment into their house after a series of in hindsight rather telling instances of good luck. Their two amazing kids, who were so smart and talented and kind, who seemed to take all the things he loved in their mother and made it their own.

Losing her so young, he'd never imagined that.

And he really couldn't have predicted the four children that landed in their garage through a magical mushroom portal from a fairy realm.

Still, all things considered, Ray thought he was handling things rather well. He did have a very long phone call with Rose's very ancient grandmother, who told him she knew that when he took her name, he'd do the Molina family proud. Abuelita didn't know how much was myth and how much was family legend and how much was real, but the fact that the fae existed was pretty hard to question after the whole magic portal thing.

He stopped overwatering the plants overnight.

Now, the hardest part was helping the kids adjust to modern day life. Reggie was the easiest, considering he'd only lost about twenty-five years. He was a sweet boy, though a little jumpy at times. Alex was from the 1920s and while he still struggled a little with modern slang, he mostly seemed very grateful at the strides that had been made by the queer community, that allowed him to be who he was and love openly.

Luke was a bit trickier. He was distraught at losing his family, of course. He seemed to take to some aspects of modern times like a fish to water - the first time Julie showed him an electric guitar, Luke looked like he was having a religious experience. But Ray had had to pull him out of the road several times already to make sure he didn't get run over by a car, and then there had been the whole Tinfoil In The Microwave experience.

Willie was the trickiest. Ray had no idea how long he'd been in the fairy realm, given that he'd been switched out with a changeling at birth. But he had no real concept of how the human world worked, save for what he'd picked up from the other three boys. But some days, he seemed more fae than human, confused that Carlos couldn't just levitate to grab something off the top shelf, or that other people couldn't teleport short distances.

Which was what made this conversation so difficult.

"Fix, please," Willie had announced, before carefully settling a dead bird on the dining room table next to Ray's laptop.

The dad part of Ray's brain was already making a list of what needed to happen - get Willie to wash his hands, thoroughly clean the table- when the rest of his mind caught up with the request.

"She flew into a window," Willie said sadly, gently stroking the feathery head, and Ray felt a pang. This was going to be a very difficult conversation. One he remembers vividly having with Carlos when he was four (it had been a torn ladybug) and Julie when she was five (when Flynn's grandmother passed away).

"I- I'm afraid I can't do that," he said.

Willie's face twisted into a confused pout. "But I said please," he pointed out. They'd been working on... well, not so much manners as human mannerisms.

"Yes, and that was very polite," Ray said slowly, trying to figure out how to formulate this without being too harsh. "But I am unable to fix a dead robin."

"Please? I'll do all the cooking and the dishes for a whole..." Willie's face screwed up. Time was another thing they were working on. The entire concept of it seemed to upset him. "Year?"

"Willie," Ray said, gently herding him to sit down. "It's not that I don't want to help the bird. This isn't a deal you can trade for. There is nothing left for me to do to help the bird. Humans cannot fix death."

"Death?" Willie echoed, his voice small and uncertain. Ray nodded sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, there's no fixing the bird," he said slowly. "When something is dead, it cannot be brought back."

"No!" Willie wailed, distraught. "She just made a mistake! It's not fair!"

"Oh, mijo, I know it's not," Ray soothed, pulling him into a hug. "Death often doesn't seem fair." He let Willie cry, rocking him slightly. The sound summoned Alex, who took over, pulling Willie into a hug until they were sprawled on the floor, Willie curled up in his lap.

Ray tried not to focus on the dead bird on the table. He wanted to get it out of the house as soon as possible, but right now, Willie's feelings were more important.

"We can hold a funeral for her," he promised. "Bury her in the garden. That way, she can become one with the earth again, and help the plants grow." He thought that idea might make Willie feel a little better. The boy looked at him with big, not-entirely-human eyes, his lower lip trembling.

"It's the circle of life," Alex agreed. "Remember, like that song from the movie Julie and Flynn showed us."

"A funeral means burying her in the garden?" Willie asked, looking between them.

"A funeral is a ceremony to honour someone's life and say goodbye," Ray explained. Willie understood ceremonies, at least. "We can say a few words, and then bury her."

"Luke can sing a song," Alex said. "Birds like songs, right?"

Willie nodded, sniffling.

Ray squeezed his knee, and stood up. "I'll go get a nice box to bury her in." That seemed to upset Willie, and he shook his head fiercely.

"No dark rooms!" he insisted.

"How about some nice soft paper towels?" Alex suggested quickly. He also looked a bit nauseated at the thought of a dark room. Sometimes, Ray thought he'd never get to the end of the horrors those boys had gone through. He nodded, and went to get some gloves and a whole roll of paper towels.

Alex and Willie stayed on the floor, Alex gently rocking them back and forth while Willie ran his fingers through his long hair. "You're not allowed to be dead," Willie told Alex seriously. "I can't fix you."

"I'll do my best not to die," Alex promised. "I'm never going to leave you."

"If you do die, you have to come back as a ghost," Willie insisted. "No burying in the garden. We will be ghosts together. Like in Carlos' videos."

Alex smiled softly, and Ray tried not to tear up at the all-encompassing love and tenderness he saw in the boy's face, so young yet old and wise beyond his age. "Yeah, okay."

#julie and the phantoms #willex #willie throckmorton #ray molina #alex mercer #best dad ray molina #kidnapped by the fae au #fanfic #right in the feels #I wrote a thing #I thought about this while walking the dog and wrote it on my lunch break you're welcome #I've only had creepy changeling willie who isn't entirely human anymore for 15 minutes #but if anything were to happen to him etc etc #the funeral is lovely and they all take it very seriously and Luke does indeed sing a very old mourning song that has been lost to time #everyone cries #ray is not touching the 'if fairies are real are ghosts real' thoughts with a ten foot pole NOPE he has enough on his plate #listen Luke can't be blamed for all of the times he nearly got hit by a car those electric ones are fucking SILENT

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angelbellelc2 · 5 months

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Professor Layton is teasing Luke here about his fear of coming across a ghost in this crosswalk to Chinatown. It does seem somewhat eerie in how it looks with the shade from the trees covering most of the area. I'm definitely going to write and draw something related to this dialog with dbs!au in mind.

#professor layton #luke triton #detective luke #professor layton unwound future #professor layton lost future #professor layton new world of steam #pl nwos #hd port #clive dove #future luke #clive the hat #pl au #dbs!au

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ezroar · 1 year

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Modern(-ish) AU where Din moves into Mos Eisley only to find out that the boy next door is dangerous for his heart and health.

Paz is having the time of his life.

i am very excited about this AU i have a lot of thoughts mostly involving luke being a neighbourhood menace, how tatooine is space australia which basically is the florida of the world, how jedi and mandalorians exist in this context, and how more characters will pop up.

also i wanted to draw luke with a ponytail and u cant stop me.

i swear next comic won't be as detail heavy and clean as this bc this took forever

⚠️DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION⚠️

❤️Likes and reblogs are much appreciated❤️

#dinluke #din djarin #luke skywalker #star wars #the mandalorian #the armourer #ezroar draws #manga #din saw a cute boy and promptly lost it #boy next door au

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another-clive-blog · 2 months

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Drops Fantasy AU. Doesn't elaborate. Leave. (I mean I don't have much but I can and will elaborate if given the opportunity to lol)

#It's not called DnD AU cuz Idk enough about DnD sorry :( I don't even know all the classes like this is ranger right ? Cool bow dude #Anyway Luke is a ranger and Clive Is Not. Clive is faking it so hard but that guy has never used a bow before help him #Fantasy AU is the last thing keeping me sane rn :)) It's mostly projection and vent. Most traumas are increased tenfold #Clive endured SO MUCH in this I'm not even kidding. I'm sorry Clive I love you but you're getting that angstier backstory or so help me #clive dove #Luke triton #unwound future spoilers #lost future spoilers #My art #Fantasy AU #I think it's VERY funny how I usually post at 3 am but this one has been scheduled for like. 10 hours now #Cuz I'm sick (got a cold wow) so I know I'll be sleeping by like 8 pm lol

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embretheworld · 11 months

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that feeling when the fake future version of you accidentally kills your parents and creates multiple parallels between you two. or i made an au for the lost future where clive does that-

#lmao sorry not sorry #fanart #lost future au #pf #level 5 #drawing #art #my art #luke triton #lost future #Professor Layton and the Lost Future

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musewrangler · 2 months

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The wooden door to his room crashed against the wall and he was only half awake when he was hauled from the large chair, tangled in the blanket he’d covered himself with.

For a brief moment, his magic sang at a familiar presence before the Queen was before him, eyes huge in her pale face.

“I’m sorry, Firmus,” she said urgently, snapping her fingers at another guard. “But there’s no time and Leia must put all her efforts against this attack.”

“Attack…?” he began.

The two burly guards on either side of him gripped his arms tightly as a third man approached with the hated silver cuffs.

And Piett understood.

“Please,” he said to the Queen, struggling futilely in the iron hold of the soldiers. “Not again…I…!”

The regret was very real in her face even as the first cuff snapped around his wrist and he jerked with the poisonous heat of it.

The other cuff was locked in place and once again he was suffocating and ill. She placed a hand to his face so that he could see her eyes.

“I truly am sorry,” she said. “I will make certain they come off as soon as possible. But I cannot risk you joining the fray.”

He was half dragged from the room, doing his best not to vomit as the Queen strode ahead of them.

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green-ajah-aes-sedai · 1 year

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Prince Lucerys Velaryon

"The Lost Dragon"

Rider of Arrax

For @ghostlydarknight

#lucerys velaryon #prince lucerys #luke velaryon #au edits #house targaryen #house velaryon #house cole #asoiaf edits #asoiaf moodboard #got moodboard #got edits #hotd moodboard #hotd edits #my edits #lucerys the lost dragon #luke the lost dragon #arrax

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trans-p03g · 2 years

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Here, have some Poe and Like for the soul

The first picture is inspired by me mentioning in my discord server that Luke is like a lap dog and would prop his chin on your hand if you held it out, like these dog videos

The second one is a request for anon that wanted Luke to embarrass Poe (romantically)

And the third one is me having a funny idea with Poe's kid. Idk why I'm making her forcing people to eat dirt a running gag yet here we are

#inscryption #inscryption p03 #p03 #inscryption luke carder #luke carder #spooky arts #lost souls au #my ocs

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101flavoursofweird · 1 year

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For the Hurt/Comfort Dialogue prompts, maybe 8 or 25 (or both if you want to) for Laydore?

Thank you for the prompt! I don’t know how this became a rewrite of the LMJ anime, where Henry and Randall rescue Hershel and Luke earlier… but there you go. There are more Laydore moments later in the fic, I promise. I’m just incapable of writing a short AU.

Title: How to Save a Layton

Set: After the flashback scenes from the LMJ anime. I don’t entirely understand what happened with the Relic Stones plotline either but it doesn’t matter— Henry and Randall get there nine years earlier to rescue Layton and Luke from a cathedral cult. That’s all you need to know.

Spoilers: For Miracle Mask and the LMJ anime.

Inspiration: The song for Miracle Mask— How to Save a Life by the Fray.

Warnings: A swordfight and a little bit of blood but it’s not focussed on… and a cathedral, and hospitals… and Randall gets one swear, as treat.

“Hey! Are you… Randall Ascot? And Henry Ledore— from Monte d’Or?”

When the purple-haired woman recognised them, Randall almost preened himself. “That’s us!” Randall confirmed, flashing her a celebrity smile. “Can we help you with something, Miss…?”

Henry, saddled with their bags from the ship, was not so sociable.

He frowned as the young woman faltered at Randall’s query. Had she really forgotten her own name?Amnesia was not an impossible scenario, of course, but he and Randall had to be cautious.

If anything happened to Randall…

Mrs. Ascot might never recover. She couldn’t mourn Randall a second time.

Angela’s heart would be irreparably broken. She couldn’t lose another loved one.

Alfendi and Katrielle would grow up not just without their father, but without their favourite uncle.

Henry would not let that happen.

He stared at the woman. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but something about her seemed older. Her dark blue eyes were shaded, and her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail— for work, perhaps…

But what kind of work required an ominous purple robe with a hood? It was a little early for Halloween costumes…

In Monte d’Or, the performers dressed up all year round for the parade, but there was no sign of such festivities here in Southampton.

Or, maybe Henry was just being cynical.

He had thought he was getting better— learning to trust others— in the years following Randall’s return… until Hershel went and Luke went missing.

Hershel had never been the most forthcoming person (much like Henry), but there was no way he would purposefully cut all contact with his family for two years.

Even after what happened in Stansbury, Hershel had still responded to Angela’s letter about the Masked Gentleman, rushing to Monte d’Or to help her.

For their latest investigation, Hershel and Luke had been collecting these Relic stones (Azran relics, Randall insisted), which had eventually led them to the Lestagiana Cave.

Henry and Randall had scoured said-cave from top to bottom. They had prepared themselves for the worst, but mercifully they hadn’t found any bodies. (Henry would have felt it in his bones if they weredead.)

No— Hershel and Luke must have left the cave, freely or otherwise. The pair hadn’t informed anyone of their next destination.

Their case had gone cold… until Flora uncovered a new clue at the British Library— pointing to a cathedral in Southampton.

Faster than you could say, ‘No risk, no glory!’, Henry and Randall had caught a ship to the city.

At the dock, they had been approached by the Mysterious Woman, and she had dragged them behind some wooden crates.

“I’m— Marina,” she finally answered, in a whisper. She paused for a moment, as if she was expecting some reaction from them.

“Right….” Randall nodded uncertainly. “Nice to meet you, Mari—“

“Shhhh!” Marina hissed, sweat beading on her face. She seemed to shrink in on herself, the robe pooling around her like purple sludge.

She poked her head out from behind the crates, glancing around the dock, before she looked back at them desperately. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

“I have the worst memory,” Randall said sheepishly.

Henry didn’t have that excuse. He peered at Marina again, trying to pinpoint if he had ever seen her face.

Something about her was familiar…

Marina took another check around the dock, before she drew in a breath, straightened up and revealed softly, “I’m Luke’s wife. I was—“

“Really?” Randall hummed. “Hershel never mentioned Luke got hitched… Why weren’t we invited to the wedding?”

“I don’t know…” Marina huffed. “Maybe ‘cause you hung Luke off a high wire when he was twelve?”

“I beg your pardon?” Randall gasped, highly offended.

The jab had worked in Marina’s favour, though. Only a select few knew about Randall’s identity as the Masked Gentleman— Henry had made sure of it.

Henry gripped Randall’s arm. “I think she’s telling the truth,” Henry murmured. “Let’s hear what she has to say at the very least.”

Marina smiled at him with palpable relief. “Thank you!”

Marina Triton claimed that, two years ago, she had been captured by what was practically a cult in the local cathedral.

Hershel and Luke had surrendered to the cult in exchange for her life. Since then, both had been trapped beneath the cathedral,

Somehow, Marina had escaped, but she was currently at a sort of stalemate with the cult. She hadn’t gone to the police— who could very well be in cahoots with the cult— for fear they would kill Hershel and Luke.

“But now you’re here,” she told Henry and Randall, “and we can save them!”

Her story still raised several doubts:

How had she escaped? Were the cult members really so incompetent— or so unconcerned— that they would let her run around town?

Why hadn’t Marina attempted to reach out for help before now?

Henry couldn’t blindly trust her, but he wanted to believe her. That something he found so familiar was a resemblance to himself, he realised.

Luke and Hershel had set out to investigate an Azran relic and never returned. Marina was searching— fighting— ceaselessly for a way to bring them home, when the odds seemed stacked against her.

Then, Henry and Randall had come along, providing the opportunity she needed. Rather than shun them (as Henry had done to Hershel), Marina had extended her hand to them.

With no other leads, they agreed to accompany her… but not unarmed.

“I… I can’t use a sword,” Marina stammered as Randall passed her a spare épée.

“Maybe not, but you could still stab people,” Randall said brightly. “And if you are planning to double cross us at any point, don’t bother trying to stab me— Henry’s always got my back.”

In truth, Henry probably wasn’t much better than Marina. He and Angela had taken fencing lessons, at Randall’s behest, but Angela had picked it up faster than Henry.

Henry wasn’t sure if he could intentionally attack someone with a blade… but he would defend Randall until his dying breath, and he would do whatever he could for Hershel and Luke.

Marina agreed, hid the sword in her robe, and stared leading them to Cranscoll Cathedral.

The road to the cathedral was well worn and the surrounding land was barren.

As they walked, Randall wondered if they should disguise themselves at farmers, but Marina said there was no point— the cult most likely knew they were coming.

“How are we going to free Hershel and Luke from right under their noses?” Henry asked in a low voice.

“Between the three of us, we’ll be unstoppable,” Randall boasted loudly, “as long as no one betrays us!”

Marina frowned at him. Randall winked.

At the end of the road, Cranscoll Cathedral loomed before them. Its towers and steeples seemed to hold up the grey sky.

The cathedral was nowhere near as large or as sprawling as the Akbadain ruins… but still. Where would they supposed to start searching for Hershel and Luke?

Marina snuck them through the front building (the ‘façade’, she called it) and through a courtyard with a garden, enclosed by stone walls on all four sides.

Henry frowned; if they needed to flee and the entrance was cut off, they would be in trouble.

Henry would willingly give Randall and Marina a boost over the wall, but he knew Randall wouldn’t abandon him…

While Henry steeped in worry, Randall was more fascinated by the fountain in the centre of the courtyard. He had dropped his épée and knelt down to investigate. Henry guarded him from behind.

“W-what are you doing?” Marina sputtered as Randall poked at a brick at the base of the fountain.

“Looks like old Hersh left us a puzzle,” Randall chuckled. He pointed down at the stone tiles.

Henry’s eyes widened as he noticed; there were grooves between the tiles, rather like in the mummy chambers of Akbadain.

Hershel couldn’t have predicted Randall would be the one to rescue him, could he?

It wasn’t that they had drifted apart, but Hershel had definitely become… busier since he adopted Katrielle, on top of Alfendi.

The trip from London to Monte d’Or was at least six hours, and there were other people Hershel could depend on— Flora, Emmy, his brother…

“This might buy us some time if we’re cornered,” Randall breathed. He pulled the brick away and picked his sword up as a stream of water shot out.

Henry and Marina followed him as he sprinted to the end of the courtyard. By that point, the water had filled all of the grooves. Titling his head, Henry realised that they had formed the outline of a top hat.

No doubt about it— Hershel really was here!

Water kept flooding the courtyard. Hopefully, that would impede anyone behind them.

“Come on!” Randall cried. He stormed up to the inner-cathedral and kicked open the doors. Henry and Marina ran after him.

Inside were chandeliers, rows of pews, and a golden alter… where an old priest in flowing white robes awaited them.

“We’re here for Professor Layton and Luke Triton,” Randall demanded without preamble. Henry cringed. (He would have opened with a little more tact!)

“I’m terribly sorry,” the priest said, twiddling his thumbs, “but I’m not sure who—“

“Bullshit.” Randall aimed his sword in the man’s direction. “Release them, right now, or I’ll rip this place apart.”

The priests’s face darkened. “We still have need of the professor and his assistant,” he said slowly. “But you three will become mulch for the garden—“

“You mean the swimming pool outside?” Randall quipped.

The priest barked, “Get them!”

Two… four… six cult members— each wielding swords of their own— suddenly appeared. Henry raised his sword. He stood back to back with Randall and Marina as they were surrounded.

“W-Wait!” Marina cried, throwing her empty hands up. “I brought them here, so you could— coulddispose of them—!”

“Saw this coming,” Randall muttered.

“P-please— I don’t want to die!” Marina sobbed, shaking like a leaf. Henry scowled at her.

Some of the cult members glanced at each other. One— who sounded like a young man— called, “Sir? We could keep her around— she’s good at cleaning!”

“We’ll need someone to fix the garden,” another grumbled.

“Very well,” the priest agreed impatiently. He flicked his hand at Marina. “Get out. Start working on that garden.”

“Y-yes, Sir!” Marina gasped. “Thank you!”

Two of the cult members stepped aside, allowing her to escape. Marina bolted out of the building without a backwards glance at Henry and Randall.

Randall clicked his tongue and shook his head. He addressed the priest again. “Did you brainwash these people or something?”

“We are all here to serve a noble cause,” the priest stated, “except for you—“

“What cause would that be, exactly?” Randall asked, mimicking the priest’s lofty tone of voice. Henry couldn’t help smiling.

The priest snarled, “That’s none of your concern—“

“It is when it concerns Azran relics,” Randall bragged, buying them time. “I happen to be one of the world’s leading experts! Who do you think discovered the treasure of Akbadain?”

“Wasn’t that Hershel Layton?” one cult member pointed out.

“No, it was me!” Randall insisted.

Technically, Hershel was the first, Henry thought. And I was responsible for removing the treasure…

The priest snapped, “I don’t give a damn—!”

“Blasphemy!” Randall gasped.

“Just kill them already!”

At the priest’s command, the cultists surged at Randall and Henry with their swords.

Randall parried three of them with ease. Henry had a harder time; he countered one attacker, but had to dodge another two. He grunted with pain as a sword grazed his lower leg.

“Watch out, Henry!” Randall called. Randall spun around and they traded opponents. One cultist screamed as Randall slashed his chest.

Henry winced. He could feel his leg bleeding, but he stood his ground, keeping the cultists at bay.

He didn’t know how long they could keep this up…

There was a startled yell from the alter. “S-stop!” the priest said in a strangled voice.

The cult members froze. Randall lunged towards the three closest to him. They leapt back, letting go of their swords. The trio nearest Henry did the same.

Henry and Randall grabbed all of the swords, before turning to the alter.

Marina had crept back in, perhaps through a side entrance. Currently, she had her own sword pressed against the priest’s neck.

He spluttered to his minions, “Don’t just stand there—“

“T-take us to Luke and the professor!” Marina ordered.

Randall looked around at the cult members. “You heard her, lads!”

They had done it…

Henry sighed with relief and swayed on the spot.

“Whoa— Henry! Don’t die on us now!”

“It’s just a scratch, Randall…”

Marina kept restraining the priest as the cultists unearthed a secret staircase in front of the alter.

Randall— being the strongest— then traded places with Marina. He dragged the priest down the stairs at sword-point. Marina and Henry went after them.

Hidden below the cathedral was what Henry could only describe as a tomb.

By all outward appearances, the tomb appeared primitive, but within… there was technology that far surpassed human imagination.

Glowing blue veins (very Azran-y) lined the walls and the floor. There where two pods at either end of the tomb…

And inside the pods were two figures, seemingly alive but frozen in sleep.

“We’ve found them,” Randall choked out.

After forcing the priest to open the pods, they contacted the police and the paramedics.

The cultists were all arrested, while their comatose friends were rushed to the nearest hospital.

Henry, Randall and Marina also rode in the ambulance. One of the paramedics bandaged Henry’s injured leg.

He and the other two refused to leave Hershel and Lukes’ sides— right up until they reached their hospital rooms.

Marina went with Luke. Henry and Randall went with Hershel.

As Randall tried to explain to the doctors what on Earth Hershel had been through, Henry sat at Hershel’s bedside.

A nurse had removed Hershel’s top hat and placed it on a small table next to the bed.

In all these years, Henry had never seen the adult Hershel without his hat. (Randall had come close to stealing the hat on several occasions, but Hershel was always too quick for him.)

Obviously, Hershel treasured this hat, just like Angela with her necklace and Henry with his toy robot.

Where had the hat come from? Henry had never thought to ask, and now he might never get the chance.

Henry watched Hershel like a hawk as the heart monitor slowly beeped in the background. It proved Hershel was alive, but Henry still couldn’t hear or see him breathing.

Hershel was as still as the statues left by one of the Masked Gentleman’s dark miracles.

Henry glanced up as Randall re-joined them.

“The doctors have never seen anything like… this….” Randall gestured to Hershel. “Azran cryogenics…? Hershel said they found the Azran emissary frozen in ice years ago, but she was… different.” Randall shook his head with frustration. “Argh! Who knows what kind of— of lasting effects that technology could have on humans!”

“I know it’s frightening,” Henry murmured, “but at least they’re here now.”

“You’re right…” Randall sighed. “Sorry— I’m just— not used to this… this…”

“Waiting?” Henry supplied, with the ghost of a smile.

Randall nodded. The two of them were quiet for a few moments, observing Hershel.

When the silence became too much, Randall declared, “I should… go call Hershel’s kids— and Angela. She’s probably worried sick! And Luke’s parents— Marina probably knows their number, right?”

Henry shrugged. “Probably?”

“Let me know��immediately if Hersh wakes up, okay?” Randall said.

Randall grabbed Hershel’s hand from under the bed covers. “Do you hear me, Hershel Layton? I want to know as soon as you wake up!” He squeezed Hershel’s hand before he tore out of the room to find a telephone.

Henry sighed. Angela would be overjoyed to learn of the rescue, but doubtless, she would have a lecture for Randall about the risks they had taken. (It was worth it, for Hershel and Luke.)

The Layton family would rush to the hospital as soon as they heard the news. It would still be upsetting, seeing Hershel and Luke in this state…

Flora and Alfendi could handle it, but maybe they shouldn’t let Kat in this room until Hershel showed signs of recovery—?

The beeping increased slightly. Henry’s eyes widened as he heard a faint breath.

“Luke…?” Hershel mumbled. He had been lying on his back, but he turned over in bed. He blinked his eyes open.

Squinting at Henry, he struggled to sit up. “Henry—?”

“Hershel!” Henry cried, beaming like a fool. He didn’t hug Hershel, as Randall would have done, but he settled for grasping Hershel’s shoulder. “Luke is safe— you’re both safe now, I promise!”

“What happened?” Hershel croaked. “How… long has it been?”

“You’ve been missing for two years,” Henry revealed gently.

“What about Kat? Alfendi and Flora? How are they?”

“They’re all fine. They’re still in London, but they’ll be here soon. Randall went to call them.”

“Thank you…” Hershel breathed. He lifted his hand to his bare head. “Ah…”

“Your hat!” Henry stumbled to the beside table.

“Your leg…” Hershel pointed at Henry’s bandages.

“It’s nothing— here!” Henry handed him the hat.

“Thanks!” Hershel repeated, with newfound energy. He returned the hat to his head. (All at once, everything felt right with the world again.)

“I’m going to ask you how you are now,” Henry said, reassuming his seat, “and I would like you to answer me honestly, please.”

“Honestly?” Hershel sighed. “This all feels like déjà vu…”

“Tell me about it…” Henry chuckled. “I’m just glad you weren’t missing for eighteen years!”

Hershel smiled at him, though he looked uncertain. “I did wonder… if you would find us— you and Randall, I mean.”

“We…” Henry hesitated, swallowing. “I owed you that much, after everything you’ve done for us.” He gave Hershel’s shoulder an awkward pat— an apology, an acknowledgement, and affection, all rolled into one.

Henry sighed. “I’m only sorry we didn’t get there sooner—“

The hospital door flew open. “Hen!” Randall hollered. “Henry— Luke’s awake!”

When he saw Hershel, Randall froze.

A frantic Luke Triton shoved past him. “Professor…!”

“Hey—“ Randall protested. “Get in line, Luke!”

Marina appeared in the doorway. She giggled as Randall and Luke threw themselves at Hershel’s bed.

Henry was content to hover at the side of the bed, until Randall pulled him into the hug too.

“Please,” Henry wheezed, as his face was squashed into the crook of Hershel’s neck. “No more disappearances from now on?”

Hershel huffed out a laugh. “Agreed!”

#Professor Layton #Henry Ledore #Randall Ascot #Marina Triton #Hershel Triton #Luke/Marina #Layton/Luke #Laydore #What do you mean the Stansbury gang didn’t rescue Layton?#Pl au #My fics #answers #How do we get the two lost emotionally repressed characters to have a heart to heart…?#Thanks I ship Laydore now #LMJ rewrite #Henry can relate to Marina

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