Professor Layton and the Equestrian Silence

by Crystal Blue

Chapter 3: Beeline

Chapter 3: Beeline

Princess Celestia sat open-mouthed as the professor explained his findings thus far, while Princess Luna was wide-eyed and following his every step with her head.

“You mean to say...”

“Yes, Princess. At some point, the carriage itself was switched.”

“But that’s impossible!” Luna blurted out.

“What do you have in terms of security in the carriage bay?”

“We have two guards at the docking gate.” Princess Celestia whispered, crestfallen. “We have never needed them, what with the in-flight charm in place. But you can’t just walk past them.”

“Hm...” The professor readied his next question. “Tell me of the different types of ponies.”

Princess Luna jumped a bit at the question. “Is it of importance to the investigation?”

“I believe so, Princess.”

“Very well, then,” Luna continued. “To our knowledge, there are four different species of ponies. The first of these are earth ponies. Earth ponies are restricted to the ground under normal circumstances. There are strong and very athletic, and tend to anything based off the soil. Without earth ponies, the whole of Equestria would starve, but they are also avid inventors of convenient machines, in order to make these tasks easier.”

“The second type,” Celestia picked up, “are the pegasi. Each pegasus is gifted a pair of wings from birth, allowing them mobility that earth ponies can’t have. Like earth ponies, they also tend to be athletic, but not as strong. Without the pegasi, the weather system in Equestria would be in utter chaos. Pegasi are also well-renowned for architecture.”

Luna continued. “The third species are the unicorns. Quite like earth ponies, they are restricted to the ground, but they have horns protruding from their heads,” Luna paused, gesturing to her own horn, before continuing. “The horns grant them the power to control magic. Unicorns are normally the least physically capable, but they have yielded some magnificent scholars. They also help the earth ponies and pegasi with the tasks they need to complete.”

“Finally,” Celestia concluded, with a small smile on her face. “There are the alicorns, gifted not only with the talents of earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns combined, but with much longer lives that most any creature of this planet. To our knowledge there are only three, and we are two of them.”

Luna interjected. “Was this of use to you, Professor Layton?” In return, the man in the hat smiled.

“Yes. Very much so,” the professor assured the Princesses. “I believe the next step in my investigation would be to investigate your student’s departure point. From which town did she leave for here?”

“Ponyville,” Princess Celestia answered. “She left from Ponyville...” Tears began to well up in Celestia’s eyes. Luna was quick to take the reins.

“We shall arrange for you to be transported by carriage, fair Professor.”

“Thank you,” replied the professor shortly. “But it would be unwise. Though this conversation has not left this room, I wouldn’t dare tempt fate again until the carriage debacle is resolved.” The Princess of the night looked a little stung, but she took it as the best response she could have received and smiled calmly.

“Very well, then. We shall have you sent on the next train to Ponyville. Our guards will make sure thou art well-prepared, Hershel Layton. Good luck, and have the utmost care.” The professor nodded, before turning for the doors. As they closed behind him, Luna placed a glimmering hoof on the shoulder of her sister, who was crying quietly to herself.

“We must have the utmost faith in the Professor, older sister. He shall return Twilight Sparkle to us.”

“I know he will, Luna,” Celestia replied through the tears. “But Twilight is like a daughter and friend to me.”

“He shall bring her back. You must trust on this.”

“Thank you, little sister. Thank you...” Celestia embraced Luna, as the sun sent rays through the stained-glass windows.

The train station was just ten minutes’ walk away from Canterlot Castle’s front gate. The professor walked there at a decent pace, with Celestia’s grey unicorn guards either side of him. Needless to say, the sight of someone so clearly un-equine drew some attention, but the top-hat donning gentleman had paid it no mind. At the entrance to the train station, they stopped, with one of the guards turning to Layton.

“Here are some instructions for you from the Princesses’ scribes as to how to find the platform you need.” The guard levitated a piece of paper. The professor opened the page, finding the instructions.

“These are quite complicated instructions for locating the correct platform.” The guard turned to him, perplexed, before looking at the paper himself and groaning slightly.

“That would be Miss Hooves’ work. She’s a scribe in training, but she is accident-prone and not very strong on precise instructions. I’m sorry Professor, but we must make our way back to the castle.”

“I see. Well, thank you gentlecolts.” Professor Layton’s reply was met with a smile from both guards, before they turned tail and trotted back the way they came. The professor turned his attention back to the instructions.

“Hm...”

Puzzle 007

“The platform you need is the one connected to the line in the middle of the pile. P.S. Why do they pay me in bits? Can’t they skip that and just give me muffins in hand?”

Layton smiled at the addendum, before tracing the platform he needed with his finger.

“I’ve got it.” He folded the paper neatly in half and slid it away in his inner left jacket pocket, before pacing briskly towards the platform. The increase in the light level caught Layton slightly off-guard. He made his way to the first available carriage, and tried to pull the door open, but to no avail. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a dial with 26 buttons on it, one for each letter of the English alphabet. Alongside the dial was a slot, which the professor deduced was for the ticket. It seems the scribing staff (noticeably this Miss Hooves character) had neglected to include a train ticket with the instructions. He looked around for help and noticed a unicorn mare, with tan skin, curly dark brown hair, a blue uniform including a peaked cap and a cutie mark depicting a white and a red flag.

“Excuse me, miss,” Layton raised his voice slightly. “Are you the platform manager?” The mare in question turned to look at the man, her magenta eyes casting a quizzical look.

“I am. How can I help?” she answered in a booming voice. Years on the train platform must have thrown her hearing for a loop.

“I seem to have trouble getting on the train.”

“Do ya have a ticket?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Huh. It’s a bit late to get one. The train’s due to leave in a couple of minutes. However, I may be able to help you with that there dial you were espying.”

Puzzle 008

“You see, Princess Celestia likes to encourage ponies to think rather than just be mindless in their pursuits. So she commissioned the dials on the trains to encourage that sort of behaviour. As well as that, the Princess released lists to all of the platform managers, upon a royal promise that we would not share each other’s codes. Basically, I have a list of codes for everywhere the trains go, except for where mine goes. Careful, though. A wrong attempt will deadlock the door, and it can only be opened again with a ticket. I can give you a few examples:

• Appleloosa: Z

• Canterlot: I

• Manehatten: Y

• Trottingham: G

• Hoofington: T

“You got any idea of what to make of this, sir?”

“I think I have, madam.” Layton walked over to the carriage, entering a single letter into the dial. He pulled at the door handle and the door itself swung right open.

“Incredible, sir!” the station manager swooned. “There’s only one pony in Equestria who has solved this one of her own accord. That’s Celestia’s student for ya!”

“Do you mean Twilight Sparkle?”

“Why, yes! How’d you know?”

“A gentleman can always keep a secret, madam.” Layton grinned slightly. “Thank you for your help.” He stepped into the carriage, ready to take himself into Ponyville.

On board the stationary train, the Professor wandered down the side alley, windows to the platform on his left and compartments on his right. Most of the compartments were taken, their occupants including a stylish unicorn with a suit, monocle and well-maintained moustache, the long-legged light-haired unicorn mare accompanying him, a mint green female unicorn mare sitting awkwardly on her seat alongside her friend (a beige earth pony with a bi-coloured blue and pink mane), a pair of unicorn colts (one taller than the other) chasing each other around the room and arguing, and a grey pegasus mare with a blonde mane, bubbles on her flank and her eyes pointing in two different directions, who set about eating a muffin and the dinner mat on which said muffin was placed.

The professor reached the end compartment, before sliding open the door, stepping through, sliding the door closed behind him and taking a seat. There were tea-making facilities on the table in the centre, so the professor set about doing what he did best, before wrapping his jacket around his chest and snoozing. A rested mind is a healthy mind, after all.

A short time later, Layton woke to the sound of dull thuds coming from the wall behind him. That is strange, he thought. It seems that this was not the last compartment on the train. He put on his jacket again and stepped outside the room. He looked at the wall in question, which had a seemingly abstract painting on it. Then it hit him.

“Ah, of course! Why didn’t I see it before?”

Puzzle 009

“I don’t seem to enjoy this sort of art as much as I would impressionism. However, one part of the painting strikes me as slightly odd, a little different from the other parts. I wonder...”

The professor pressed on the painting. Suddenly, the wooden wall slid aside, revealing a dark room, barely kept lit by several candles on the walls. At the end of the room was a small wooden desk and cushion, on top of which sat a blue unicorn mare, with a white mane and tail. Her cutie mark could just be made out as a wand and a crescent moon. She sat with her back to Layton.

“Ah,” the professor started. “Please forgive my intrusion. The picture piqued my curiosity...”

“Curiosity is not without merits, as long as it brings answers.” The voice had a tinge of overbite to it. She turned to face the professor with turquoise eyes and a smug smirk. “That is where the Great and Powerful Trixie prevails!”

“Are you a follower of this Trixie? Who is she?”

“Why, you must have just fallen into this land. The Great and Powerful Trixie is only the greatest pony who has ever lived! She holds so much magical power and such grace, far beyond what any other pony can comprehend!” By this point, the professor had already gathered the pony was singing praises of herself.

“Of course.” The gentlemanly side of Layton’s psyche kicked into overdrive. “I am Professor Layton, here upon request of the Princesses. If I may be so bold as to ask you a question...”

“Yes?” Trixie responded flatly.

“Why have you sealed yourself away in a secret room, away from all of the other ponies?”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie showed these ponies the full potential of what they could become. She gave them a glimpse of what capabilities they are squandering, and what did they do? They stigmatised the Great and Powerful Trixie, drove her out of towns like a ravenous pack of dogs! Such feral behaviour is unbecoming of somepony so gifted, but if they will not understand then more fool them!”

“I understand. For what reason are you going to Ponyville?”

“Ponies have very short memories, but not the Great and Powerful Trixie! The last time Trixie was there, the whole backwater town was unwelcoming to the presence of such a magnificent being. Trixie shall try her luck there again.” Professor Layton nodded sombrely.

“Thank you for sharing your story.”

“Trixie asks one favour of you, otherworlder.”

“But of course.”

“Trixie requests you keep her return a secret. She wants to have a full impact on making the grand appearance to the public. In return, Trixie will grant you this map of Ponyville.” She reached into her star-patterned cape (which looked as if it had been tossed aside with reckless abandon) and produced a folded map for the professor.

“You have my word, Miss Trixie. I shall leave you in peace.” The professor made his way to the light of the doorway. The panelling slid back into place, leaving Trixie alone with her candlelit self.

Comments

[videocrazy]

There are a few things I'll read ob principle. Crossovers with my favorite games is one of them. Hope my hope isn't unfounded for this one.

[videocrazy]

Ok, this is fantastic! I would like to make a request, though. While I love that you've thrown your own puzzles in, it would be really nice if you gave the solution to each one at the end of the chapter, along with an explanation of how to figure it out for those who get stuck. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, add hints before each answer.

[Bound2theGround]

I saw a Layton crossover and I had to read it. I like how you inserted puzzles into the story, just like in the games. It keeps it like an actual Layton story. And, three alicorns? Is this a reference to Upheaval or another story, or is this foreshadowing? Dun dun duuuuuun!

[DemCheesePuffs]

231234
img.anongallery.org/img/2/0/dis-gon-b-gud.gif

[Your Antagonist]

Oh good golly...let's...let's read us some puzzle busting.

[Cyberpanda2000]

This is brilliant. Absolutely magnificent. The description and characterisations are astounding! The only things I can whine on about is that the puzzles are ridiculously hard ( I remember the games were easier) and that you didn't bring Luke along. I would maybe have ponified Layton - I guess most people have no idea what a human is, and would be startled, maybe even scared if one would show itself.

[jsk244]

I love the Prof. Layton games, and so far I'm thoroughly enjoying this crossover. However, while I do love solving the puzzles, I'll admit that I'm only briefly looking at each one, especially since they're without an explanation as to how to solve it. Whether Layton explains it himself or if you put it at the end of each chapter I don't care, but I'd love to see how you can go about solving some of them because they're quite good.

And now I give a gentleman Spike, to show my love of this fic. On second thought have another.

[Mariorulez14]

I really miss Luke...his reactions to Equestria would be great :/

[Csquared08]

I must say, solving these puzzles without a touch screen and stylus is quite different. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the rest of this story

[FloydienSlip]

Trixie... are you hiding something?

Great job, though. I'm officially hooked!

[psychicscubadiver]

Only 1 out of 3 puzzles this chapter. I was close on puzzle 9 but not quite there. Puzzle 7, though, needs a better explanation.
Platform four and its respective line are in the middle (x axis: left to right) at the beginning and ending. It's especially misleading since the lines are drawn and thus don't have an actual z axis, unlike say tangled wires.
Complaints aside (I have to assuage my damaged puzzlemaster pride somehow ) this is an engaging and clever story. Well done, good sir.

[Always Breakfast]

Sweet heaven, you're going for the throat on these puzzles. I've only whiffed a couple though.