[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

[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.

[detectiveofthewest]

Hey, when you're hungry, you can't afford to be picky.

Tell ya what. Let's you and me try one of these places out. While we're eatin', I can have a look at your puzzle.

[luke_triton]

Oh, you don't have to look at it, I can just tell it to you. I know a lot of puzzles.

[detectiveofthewest]

I figure either way it's somethin' to do during lunch. I'd prefer going over the facts of the case, but it looks like there's still a lot of investigating I need to do first.

[luke_triton]

The facts of the case? Are you a detective?

[Hear the building excitement! Luke and Layton are not detectives and they do not play one on TV, but people think they are. A real detective solves puzzles for a living!]

[detectiveofthewest]

That's me. Hattori Heiji, at your service.

[luke_triton]

[EEEEE A DETECTIVE and one who isn't dismissing him just because he's a kid.]

Have you solved a lot of cases?

[detectiveofthewest]

[It's probably because he knows a kid detective or two.]

Yep, you could say that. I'm pretty famous in Osaka. 'Course, there aren't a whole lot of high school detectives around to begin with. You into mysteries?

[luke_triton]

I suppose you might say something like that.

[detectiveofthewest]

Well, then, I'll say this much -- looks like someone around here's the same.

[luke_triton]

Really? Who?

[detectiveofthewest]

Whoever brought us here, of course.

[luke_triton]

Oh...you don't know who it is either?

[detectiveofthewest]

Nah. Although I'd say that Caligin guy'd make a good suspect, for starters.

[luke_triton]

He's the mayor of this town, right?

[Now, Luke is predisposed to have a bit of sympathy for mayors. Especially after what happened in Misthallery.]

...What if he's just being made to look responsible?

[detectiveofthewest]

Could be. I'm kinda worried about that message, though. You saw it, too, right? The video one.

[luke_triton]

You mean the one about the sundials? What's that got to do with your idea?

[detectiveofthewest]

Well, the mayor was involved in recording the message, right? And he didn't really seem under duress while he was talkin'. I'd say that's a pretty good reason to figure he's involved in this mess.

On the other hand, we ain't seen him yet, either. So is he just hidin'? Or something happen to the guy?

[luke_triton]

I guess I'm just...careful about suspecting people. [No. No he's not. It's just...his dad. That's all.]

...What if it's a really old recording?

[detectiveofthewest]

Then we probably have someone tryin' to pull the wool over our eyes.

[luke_triton]

For all we know...it could be one of the other people here, just pretending to be confused.

[detectiveofthewest]

With a town this size, it'll be a little tough to weed out suspects, too. Well. Them's the breaks, I guess.