My Little Layton: Puzzles are Magic

by sailor sunburst

friends and foes

The next morning dawned bright and early. Luke awoke with a soft snore and a deep yawn “Ahh… morning, professor…” he mumbled “how’d you sleep…?” he asked tiredly.
“Good, good, and how was yours?” Layton replied.
“It was fine. Except…when there was a creaking noise. It was just you though, so it was all good.” Luke said with a smile. “Although…why were you up so late Professor?” Luke asked.
“I was up late at night? I…I don’t recall getting up late at night. Strange…” Layton said as he magicked out his journal. “Interesting…Luke, what happened when this happened?” Layton asked.
“Well, I just asked who was there, and you answered that it was you. You told me to go on back to bed, so I did. Now that I think about it though, I had been pretty tired. It might have just been a dream.” Said Luke as he got out of bed. He went to reach for his cap, but paused. He smiled and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. He levitated his cap off the table and on to his head “Haha! Yes! I did it!” he cheered, laughing.
“Good job, my boy. You’re learning quickly.” Said Hershel as he levitated his own cap “well, I suppose first we should go see Twilight and perhaps our two hosts, princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
“Right!” said Luke “this is going to be one interesting investigation, if we can even call it that.”
“Well my boy, we’d better get going!” Layton exclaimed. And so, the two of them walked out of the room. As they walked down the hallway they spotted Twilight
“Morning Twilight.” Said Luke
“Morning! We leave for Ponyville in about an hour. We have enough time for breakfast before we have to go catch our train.” Said Twilight
“Not with Luke.” Said Layton, chuckling
“What? I’m a growing boy with a big appetite!” laughed Luke
“That, my dear boy, is an understatement.” Said Layton, shaking his head with a smile
“I wouldn’t be surprised if your Cutie Mark is a plate of food, hearing what’s going on.” Twilight added in with a chuckle. “I know a great place called Sugar Cube Corner, it’s in Ponyville!”
“DID I HEAR SUGAR CUBE CORNER?!” cheered Pinkie Pie, bouncing around the corner “It’d be a great place to take Luke and the prof!”
“Sugar Cube Corner? Even the name sounds tasty!” said Luke, his mouth watering
“It’s where I work! It’s run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. It’s the town bakery and sweet shop!” said Pinkie Pie
“Professor, can we please go?!” asked Luke “please!”
“Well…” said the professor, thinking
“Pleeeeeeease!” begged Luke. Layton laughed
“Alright my boy, I suppose so.”
“Yes! Thanks, professor!” cheered Luke
“Come along! This way! To the train station!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounded her way to the Train Station.
“Hmm, it appears as if the train is late.” Twilight said as she checked the times.
“I believe you are mistaken. It just didn’t reach its intended destination in a timely manner. Even trains make mistakes!” Layton added on. Almost on cue, the train arrived. And so, the four of them went off the train to Ponyville.
-ONE TRAIN RIDE LATER-
“Here we are!” said Twilight as they arrived. “Now, before we settle you guys in here in town, let me give you the grand tour.” And she led Luke and the professor through the town.
“Up there-“ she said, pointing to a large house up in Ponyville’s low clouds where a beautiful house was “-is rainbows house.”
“Is it made of… clouds?!” asked Luke
“Yup! Lots of Pegasi have their houses made of clouds, especially since a lot of Pegasi live in Cloudsdale, which is the Pegasi city in the clouds.” Said Rainbow Dash, flying up ahead
“Cool!” said Luke
“Towards the edge of town is my cottage. Which reminds me, I hope you don’t mind if I leave? I’d like to join you, but Angel is probably very upset because I was gone.” Said Fluttershy
“Of course not. But, who is Angel?” asked the professor
“Oh, Angel is my pet bunny rabbit. She’s such a sweetie, but she gets very grumpy without me around.” Said Fluttershy
“Spike should be watching them at my house. You can go and get Angel, Fluttershy.” Said Twilight
“Oh, thank you so much, Twilight.” Said Fluttershy. She walked towards Twilight’s house to get her rabbit.
“Now, we’ll stop at my place last, since you two will be staying my guest room. Our next stop is the market, where we have rarity’s boutique-“
Rarity gasped “MY WORD! I just remembered! I have a dress to finish for a very important client, and she’s coming tomorrow! Sorry girls, but I simply must run!” she said
“Well, we’ll stop by the boutique first.” Said Twilight, and they walked towards Boutique Carousel. Rarity magicked open the door quickly, and they continued onward.
“Next stop is Sugar Cube Corner!” Twilight said with glee, followed by a whoop of joy from Pinkie Pie and Luke. When they arrived, pinkie bounced in “Mr. and Mrs. Cake! I’m back!” she said
“Oh, Pinkie, we’re so glad your back! We have a big order that needs to be filled, and could really use your help!” said Mrs. Cake
“I’ll get the sugar and-“ started Pinkie
“No, pinkie, we need you to watch the twins.” Said Mr. Cake
“Oh, sure thing! Are they upstairs in the nursery?” asked Pinkie Pie
“Yes, dear. They just had their snack. Could you be a dear and put them to bed, please?” asked Mrs. Cake
“Sure thing!” said pinkie. They went upstairs where the twins were playing.
“Okay little ones, it’s time for your nappy!” said Pinkie Pie “so be good babies for aunty Pinkie!” she said as she put them in their cribs. They whined a bit “Aww! It’s okay kiddies, we’ll play later, I promise!” said pinkie pie “now go on to bed now.” And they all went back down stairs
“I reckon we should check on the fillies. Who knows what trouble they got in to while we were gone?” said Applejack. When they arrived at the farm, Applebloom was bucking trees to get apples for her and her friends
“Hey, Rainbow Dash! Ready to start our flying lessons today?” asked one of them, who had an orange coat and fuchsia hair
“Sorry Scoot, can’t right now. Maybe later, alright?” said Rainbow Dash
“Aww… ok…” said Scootaloo. She saw Luke who was just around their own age and gasped when she saw he didn’t have his mark “GIRLS! HE’S A BLANK FLANK!” the two other girls, one with a white coat and lavender hair and one with a yellow coat and bright red hair rushed over to Luke and started questioning him at super-fast speed
“What’s your name?” asked the one with red hair
“Where’d you come from?” asked Scootaloo
“I really like your mane!” said the one with lavender hair
“Ummm… uh…” stuttered Luke
“Girls! Girls!” said Applejack “Leave him alone!” she said “He just got into town! What did we tell ya’ll fillies about pestering new foals that don’t have their marks? Besides, Luke’s only visitin’. He won’t be in town any more than a few weeks.”
“So?” said the girl with bright red hair “Babs started a branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders in Manehatten!”
“Luke’s from really far away, Applebloom. They don’t worry about cutie marks where he comes from.” Said Applejack. “Now you fillies apologize for pestering him.”
“Sorry…” said the three girls
“Its… it’s alright.” Said Luke
“Applebloom, did ya’ finish your chores?” asked Applejack
“I sure did!” said Applebloom
“Chickens are in the coop?”
“Yup.”
“Apples are bucked?”
“Yup.”
“Kitchens’ clean?”
“Yup.”
“I can check?”
“Uhh…”
“Didn’t think so. Go do your chores, Applebloom.”
“Fine…” mumbled Applebloom. “Come on girls…” and Applebloom and her friends walked off
“I swear, those fillies are a handful.” Sighed Applejack
“They were certainly… friendly.” Said Luke
“They’re the only ones in their class who don’t have their cutie marks. Mine and Applebloom’s cousin in the town of Manehatten, Babs Seed, doesn’t have her mark and started her own Cutie Mark Crusader group there. They’re always excited to make friends with foals who don’t have their cutie marks.” Said Applejack
“Let’s get back to the Sugar Cube Corner shall we?” Twilight said.
“I think I need to watch Applebloom do her chores. Who knows what she’s going to do.” Applejack said as she walked into the house. And so, the group backtracked to Sugar Cube Corner once again.
“Look at these cupcakes, professor!” said Luke, his mouth watering
“Luke, we haven’t even had lunch yet.” Laughed the professor “but I promise, I’ll get you one later.”
“Okay…” said Luke. When they went out to the marketplace to get to Twilights home, Luke saw a Pegasus with curly brown hair and a cutie mark that was the image of a golden-colored apple
“Flora!” said Luke, rushing over
“Luke!” said Flora. The two hugged
“It’s so good to see you!” they told each other
“Professor! It’s so good to see you too!” said Flora, noticing the professor
“Good to see you too, my dear.” Said the professor, looking at Flora.
“Oh, Flora, this is Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.” Said Luke
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” Said Flora, smiling.
“Nice to meet you too.” Said Twilight
“Hey there!” said Pinkie Pie
“What’s up?” said Rainbow Dash
“Come on, I know a good café nearby where we can get some lunch.” Said Twilight
“Oh, I’m not really hungry…” said Flora
“I’ll show you to where we’re staying.” Said the professor. As he led Flora to Twilights home in the library, she turned down another street
“Flora, dear, it’s this way.” Said the professor
“I saw something down this way. I want to check it out.” Said Flora. When the professor followed, the sound of insect wings filled the air
“Flora…” said the professor. Suddenly, changelings burst out from the shadows. The professor narrowed his eyes “I had a feeling… where’s the real Flora, imposter?”
“You’ll sssssssee sssssoon enough!” hissed one changeling as the others chuckled. Suddenly, everything went dark. The professor woke up on a stone floor with a splitting headache. “Wh-Where am I…?” he said as he got up
“Why, the crystal catacombs beneath Canterlot.” A voice said. There was a changeling who, in a way, looked like Celestia. “By now my minions have already tricked that naïve ‘apprentice’ of yours.”
“you must be the changeling queen.” Said the professor.
“you’re not as dumb as you look, Mr. Layton! Give up on getting out though, barely anyone even knows these caverns exist.”
“I’ll find a way out, or Luke will find me.” Said the professor
“you’re as naïve as that adorable little friend of yours, professor! Who knows, maybe when I take over, I’ll keep him as a pet!” laughed Chrysalis
“Hurt him, and I won’t hesitate to hurt you.” Said the professor, his horn glowing
“Oh please. You can’t hope to stand up to me! Enjoy your time here, Hershel Layton. You’ll be here for a while.” And chrysalis vanished. The professor’s eyes narrowed.
“Hello?” called a man’s voice “Who’s there?” the professor turned towards the voice as a white stallion with blue hair walked in. When he spotted the professors hat, his eyes widened “You must be professor Layton!”
“I am. And who are you?” asked the professor
“I’m Shining Armor!” said the stallion. “Hang on, wait right here.” He walked around a corner in the cavern and said “It’s okay! It’s him!” the professor heard a girl gasp, and the real Flora ran around the corner
“Professor!” she cried, hugging him “Oh, thank heavens!”
“Flora, dear! Are you alright?” asked the professor, putting a hoof around her shoulder
“As alright as I can be. When you and Luke never came home last night I went out to search for you when these people came and grabbed me! I woke up here as a pony. Mr. shining here has explained everything about where we are and what’s going on.” Said Flora “Professor, where’s Luke? Is he alright?”
“oh no… Luke…! The changelings ambushed me, and their queen said by now they’ve tricked Luke… one changeling disguised itself as you, and they’ve no doubt already done the same with me.” Said the professor
“this means we need to find a way out even more now! Luke could be danger, professor!” said Flora
“I know, my dear.”
“when Chrysalis disguised herself as Cadence, she and Twilight used a mining tunnel to make it back to the surface to stop Chrysalis in time. There has to be something like that around here somewhere.” Said Shining Armor “If we don’t make it back soon, we’ll be too late to stop the changelings before I can get to Cadence. Without her, I can’t cast a strong enough spell to drive all the changelings back.” He looked at the professor “Professor, I have to know; How’s my sister?”
“Twilights just fine. Cadence is as well.” Shining armor sighed with relief
“That’s good. It was only because of her intuition about Cadence that we stopped Chrysalis the last time.” He said
“I just hope Luke is okay…” said Flora “I don’t want anything bad to happen to him!”
“Flora, I told you, you can’t show your feelings for those you care about. Changelings feed off your feelings for others.” Said Shining Armor
“I know, but I can’t help it…” said Flora
“First things first, we need to find a way out.” Said Shining Armor “Twilight and Cadence followed an abandoned mineshaft to just outside the castle.”
“Chrysalis has sealed it up by now, I’m sure.” Said the professor
“Maybe, but it’s our best lead.” Said Shining Armor. “let’s try searching around and seeing if we can’t find anything.” The three got to work on finding a way out
Meanwhile, Luke and Twilight had just arrived home. “Professor, we’re here!” called Luke
“hi Luke!” called the changeling Flora “How was lunch?”
“this kid ran me 30 bits for lunch. I can see what you meant earlier, professor.” Said Twilight
“Totally worth it.” Sighed Luke happily as he sat down “I’ve never exactly been a vegetarian, but I think being turned into a pony helped.”
“I would expect so.” Said the changeling professor. Twilight was searching her desks “Spike! Where’s that book on changelings I asked you to pull for me?” Twilight called up the stairs.
“I’m trying to find it!” Spike replied. “It’s almost like it disappeared off the shelf!” Spike exclaimed.
“Maybe I accidently left it in the bedside drawer! We need this book!” Twilight replied.
“It’s not like it’s been stolen or anything! Professor and I have been in the house all day!” Changeling Flora exclaimed.
‘Hmm…’ thought Luke, getting suspicious “All day, huh?” he asked
“Mhm.” Said the changeling Flora.
“Say, Flora, remind me because this was a couple of years ago, why didn’t you take that money from St. Mystere again?”
“well, because I didn’t want it…” said Flora. Luke frowned
“Not completely.” He said
“Well…”
“and what was the big secret of St. Mystere, again?” he asked
“Well…”
“and remind me of this Flora, what was the Golden Apple?” asked Luke “or maybe I should just call you, changeling!” the changeling Flora frowned and turned back to normal
“You’re not assss dumb as you look!” the changeling hissed “You’re too late though! Your little girlfriend issss ssssomewhere you’ll never find her!” and it fled.
“These changelings are everywhere, I’m telling you Luke.” Changeling Layton said to Luke.
“Yes, but how didn’t you see that that wasn’t the real Flora?” said Luke, turning to the changeling professor, raising an eyebrow
“Now Luke, you’re just getting ridiculous.” Said the changeling professor.
“I…I suppose so.” Luke replied. ‘I have a feeling Flora wasn’t the only one changed…’ Luke thought to himself.

Author's Note:

chapter 2! lots of suspense in this chapter when luke finds flora, but it turns out to be a changeling. will he discover that the professor is also now a changeling? he certainly has his suspicions...

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