[001]

[luke_triton]

[The best way to figure out the ups and downs of a puzzling situation is to explore! Right? Luke thinks so, and he's wandering up and down the streets of Luministi Greens East to get an idea of the lay of the land, so to speak, in his new neighborhood. It's weird to think about so he's trying not to; walking felt more familiar, prompting him to leave his bicycle at home.

"Home", rather.

After a while of sorting things out (the layout is nothing complicated, but he wants to sit down with a map anyway and start getting things all noted down in his notebook) he starts fiddling with the CAT again. The video function is pretty useful!]

The food they left out for us was sort of disappointing, wasn't it? I've got something less unimpressive, if anyone wants to hear a puzzle.

Comments

[video]

[gothelproof]

[Flynn runs the back of his neck, wary look in place as he sends his reply.]

Now why don't I like the sound of that?

The name's... Flynn Rider. What sort of puzzle have you got, anyway?

[video]

[luke_triton]

Luke Triton! And I know all sorts of puzzles.

[video]

[gothelproof]

Puzzles, huh?

Let me know when you solve the one about how to get us back home.

[video]

[luke_triton]

That's going to take a lot more work. Usually big puzzles like this have us wandering around asking questions for at least a couple of days!

[Video]

[manicurious]

[Ichijou hasn't left his sulking spot, meaning that his backdrop is still a window displaying countless bright stars.]

Well it certainly wasn't disappointing for me, considering it's about all I've got over here.

I can't think about that too hard right now though, which brings me back to why I answered you in the first place. Alright kid, I want to hear this puzzle of yours. I could use the distraction.

[Video]

[luke_triton]

It wasn't? There was supposed to be food from a whole lot of restaurants, and that didn't match up! [He is still hungry.]

Oh, I know lots of puzzles. Are there any sorts you like best?

[manicurious]

Hmm? Oh yes, the variety certainly leaves something to be desired, as does the quality for that matter. I certainly could have done better and I'm neither a chef nor a caterer!

What really disappoints me is that I know this place can do better.

Now, about that puzzle... I'm usually a more visual type of person, but asking for something like that seems like it would be awfully time-consuming - not that I don't have an excess of time. What about something to do with gambling?

[luke_triton]

Hmm...gambling...well, I know a few about cards. Does that help?

[detectiveofthewest]

[Well this video thing is a new one on him]

Huh? That what this thing's for? Well, that's awful high-tech and all, but I think I'd rather have my cell.

I'd say at least they gave us food. 'Course, you can't just kidnap someone and not feed 'em if you want to keep them around for long.

[luke_triton]

There is some food there...but not enough for someone really hungry.

I didn't know what it was for until I saw some other people doing this! You can use it to send written messages too. There's a girl here who's really weird about it and uses numbers.

[detectiveofthewest]

You hungry? I might have some change... and tell you the truth, I could use something to eat myself. Wonder how long I was out.

...Oh yeah? I've never seen a piece that works like this thing here. I mean, guess you can find video phones places, but usually you gotta dial someone specific. Seems like people are using these things to broadcast stuff, though. Unless you all got my number.

Anyway, bunch of weirdos walkin' around here, seems like. It's like an anime convention or something.

[luke_triton]

[With few exceptions, Luke is always hungry. Not always starved but generally always hungry.]

It just made more sense to do what everyone else was doing with them, I guess.

The restaurants were supposed to give us food but if that's an example of what they serve, they're not very good restaurants.

[fortune_sought]

[a frazzled-looking young woman with reddish hair activates her CAT. she's still dressed in only a bedsheet, too busy taking stock of the situation to solve that problem]

Excuse me, did you say they've given you a puzzle?

[there's a note in her tone that implies that a puzzle from the people keeping them here is nothing to sound so cheerful about]

[luke_triton]

Oh, no, nobody's given me a new one. Professor Layton and I solve lots of puzzles all the time, and I thought there might be...someone who'd...care to hear one.

[And Luke slows down at the end, realizing at last how silly his enthusiasm might have sounded to strangers.

Also realizing he's talking to a lady in a sheet. And averting his eyes.]

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie is genuinely surprised by that response] Oh...I see. [she really doesn't, but nevermind. at least it's not one of Luministi's brand of puzzles]

[she frowns when he starts to trail off, though. looking at his expression, she can't immediately work out what's wrong. and then, quite suddenly, she remembers]

Oh! [she reaches out to fiddle with the CAT until she remembers how to make it zoom in and sets it to show a close perspective of her face] Is that better? I'm afraid I was a cat until a moment ago.

[and there are much more pressing things to do in this town than figure out if her dresses are still in her wardrobe, obviously. but she does sound a touch embarrassed now that she realises she's embarrassed a kid]

[luke_triton]

Uh, yes, sort of. [Not really you're still a woman in a towel. Just hiding the woman-in-towel part from view.]

...You were a cat?

[desertdaggers]

A puzzle? [just a moment while he finds somewhere to sit down] Sure, why not?

[luke_triton]

All right. Just hold on a moment...

[TEXT]

You have 12 red socks and 12 blue socks in your wardrobe. It is very dark as you get ready for the day, and all you can do is pick socks without seeing them and hope for a match. What is the minimum number of socks you must pick in order to be sure you have a pair of blue socks?

[desertdaggers]

[He keeps the video on; it's simpler, for one, and it's- well. A little faster, even if it means Luke gets exposed to Hawk's thinking process, which involves more gesturing than is strictly called for.]

Ah- twelve and twelve, that's even, so that means you've got an even chance of picking a red sock and a blue sock. And the more red socks you pick up, the greater the chance there is the next one will be a blue one- so after about six, I think you'd have a good chance of having a blue pair.

But you asked for absolute certainty! So- if you wanted to be absolutely sure- you'd take twelve, in case you were unlucky enough to pick all the red ones first, and then two more. You'd have to have a pair of blue socks then!

[video]

[tactilekonesis]

[Since when did they bring kids here? Kon looks worried for a second before plastering on a smile:] I didn't really trust the food at that celebration, so I guess you'd know that better than I would.

Puzzles, huh? I kind of suck at them, so I don't think it'd be worth it. Sorry, little man.

[video]

[luke_triton]

You didn't? They said they put it there for us...

...Oh. Not everyone likes puzzles, I suppose.

[video]

[tactilekonesis]

Right, but they were also probably the people who brought us here. I didn't want to take my chances in case someone poisoned the meat.

[Sheepish smile.] I never said I didn't like them, just that I'm really bad at them.

[action] l8r in the evening

[notsot8rri8le]

[She's just coming back from exploring part of the town. Walking, of course, because she has no idea how to ride that two wheel device they gave her. But whatever, maybe she'll learn. Maybe she won't. And she can always fly if it doesn't work out.

She's sipping a carton of juice and eyeing the surrounding residential area with vague curiosity when she spots Luke in the distance.]

Luuuuuuuuke.

[action]

[luke_triton]

[He hasn't quite made it back to his house in a while. Dinner was about an hour ago, and he decided to take one last spin around the neighborhood on the bicycle which he very much can ride. It didn't take long to reach the farthest point in this development from his house.

It took even less time to crash the bike once again. He and the two-wheel device are both unbroken, but he's been pushing it back ever since, walk-limping along beside it.

Hearing someone call him, Luke lifts his gaze from the ground directly before the front wheel and squints into the sunset light.]

Hello?

[action]

[notsot8rri8le]

[Siiiiiiiips.]

Hey! [She smiles around her straw and casually walks up to him. What are manners?]