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[color=fff200]◉ ◉ ◉[/color]
[i][color=b99e6b]Level:[/color] 5
[color=b99e6b]EXP:[/color] 16 / 50
[color=b99e6b]Location:[/color] The Midnight Walk - Christmas Village[/i][/center]

A good portion of his new allies - [i]The Seekers[/i], as he should perhaps be calling them - may have anticipated a fight on first instinct, and perhaps even the few that joined in on the Professor's impromptu parley had prepared for things to go south as a backup plan. Layton, however, didn't doubt this move's effectiveness. The smile he gave the Ice King was genuine. It was all honest, unlike the little white lies Sandalphon and Maeve came up with. If he'd known there was a name left off the list they'd been given earlier, he would have done his very best to bridge the gap and offer a place to be for the holidays.

Better late than never, as they say.

He left the plate of food where the Ice King indicated and stepped aside so the Christmas village-goers could take over in making him feel welcome. Layton remained close to the bridge that continued the Midnight Walk, surveying the road ahead, as dark as it was. Obviously there was no 'Christmas miracle' that would've changed the course of nature. Layton was sure the meaning was always symbolic. And here they were, having used the spirit of the holiday to calm the storm... by warming the heart of he who controlled it.

Mystery solved.

And now that the way forward was clear, there was little doubt that the Seekers would take advantage of the King's distraction to move on. If what Ramattra said was true, then they had all the reason to push ahead. The fate of the world was a lofty weight on one's shoulder.

Partly to satisfy his own curiosity, and partly to avoid making problems moving forward, Layton was quick to collect his things and make his way to their stagecoach, once Sandalphon called on them to gather. He boarded the vehicle - after taking a moment to observe its exterior, with Heismay's tent perched atop - and went to find Sandalphon, traveling case still in hand.

[color=b99e6b]"It's been quite an eventful day,"[/color] he said in greeting, [color=b99e6b]"and it seems we'll be in for an equally eventful night. I wanted to thank you again for allowing me to join you on your journey."[/color] Layton waited for her response, placing his trunk on the floor beside him, now taking in the vast space the stagecoach had inside. He soon continued, [color=b99e6b]"if I may, I had something else I wished to ask of you."[/color]

He reached for his chin, holding his elbow in the palm of his other hand, a classic pose for any thinker. [color=b99e6b]"Some of your group had informed me that you're known as 'The Seekers', and that you're traveling to Moon Mountain in pursuit of what they call a [i]threat to the region[/i]. I understand if you can't tell me more than that, but I wonder... this isn't the only 'threat' you've sought, is it?"[/color] Layton let his arms fall to his side. He wasn't trying to [i]confront[/i] Sandalphon, but he had to make his point clear.

[color=b99e6b]"Your group is very familiar with one another and acts in tandem despite how different you all are; you've clearly been together for quite some time. Taking that into account, I believe whatever threat you think you'll find at Moon Mountain is not the first of its kind. Yet I've heard of nothing that'd spark such concern, even though I live relatively close to this region, in Edinburgh, nor have I learned of anything similar occurring elsewhere in the world."[/color]

Layton fixed Sandalphon with a steady gaze, as if gauging her next action. [color=b99e6b]"I merely wish to know two things: where did you learn of this threat, and what do you intend to do about it?"[/color][hr][center][color=b99e6b]Word Count:[/color] 640
[color=b99e6b]EXP Gained:[/color] +1[/center]