My first Professor Layton fanfic. ^^ This story took me forever. I've been working on this story since March. D: I finished it a few days ago, but I finished typing it up today. XD (I'm one of the writers who writes with notebook paper and stuff and THEN types it up. XD) Anyway, this is a scene I kind of came up with after listening to the Scarlet Pimpernel broadway cast recording. The song I used for this songfic is "When I Look At You." I originally wanted my sister to animate a video to this, but since we don't have an animating...thing, I just decided to turn it into a fanfic. XD I think I kind of failed on the ending. I haven't played the game since...since before March. lol So, I'm sorry if I got some of the details wrong or something. XD; Please read and review! ^^
Disclaimer: I do not own the Scarlet Pimpernel or Professor Layton or its characters.
"Ow!"
"Oh, I'm sorry dear. I told you to brush your hair before you went to bed last night." Sophia gently, or tried, to comb through her granddaughters hair. "You're such a wild sleeper!"
Her granddaughter Katia frowned and crinkled her nose. "I can't help it." Sophia chuckled as she lowered herself onto her knees, her hands resting on Katia's shoulders. "You're so pretty!" Sophia squeezed her shoulders as she looked at her granddaughter in the mirror. You have his eyes.
When I look at you, what I always see
Is the face of someone else who once belonged to me
"Thanks, Grandma." Katia laughed and pecked her grandmother on the cheek. Sophia hugged her back.
"Go ahead and meet your father outside. I'll be right there."
"Ok!" Katia smiled and ran to the door. "Don't be late!"
"I won't!" Sophia said reassuringly. With that, Katia was out the door. Sophia sighed as she slowly got up from her knees. She opened a small drawer in her vanity, and pulled out a tattered old photo, yellowing with age. This old photo was something Sophia looked at almost everyday. It never failed to bring tears to her teal eyes. The photo was of a young couple, both in their early twenties. A young woman with long purple hair in a beautiful pink gown, joined with a young blonde man wearing a purple suit.
Still I can hear him laugh
And even though that melody plays on
Sophia smiled upon looking at the man, her fingers lingering on a deep fold between the two. She smiled sadly as she recalled the moment it happened. The day her daughter got a hold of the picture, crying and screaming that he wasn't in her life. Cursing him as she held the picture, not knowing why he wasn't in her life. Something Sophia has always regretted not being able to tell her daughter. Even after all of those years comforting her.
He's gone...
"Grandma!" a small voice came from behind the door. "Are you ready yet?"
Sophia smiled, and wiped a tear from her eyes, putting the old photo back into the drawer. "Of course, Katia!" Sophia walked across the room floor, opening to see Katia standing there. She had a slightly impatient frown on her face, with her small arms crossed across her chest. Sophia laughed lightly at her granddaughter's impatience. "Patience in a virtue, dear." Sophia smiled. You're just as impatient as he was when he was excited.
When I look at you
He is standing there
"Ok!" Katia said, nodding her head, pretending to listen. She has heard this from her grandmother plenty of times before. "Come on! The festival is about to begin!" Grabbing Sophia's hand, Katia dragged her out of the house, leading her through the front doors.
The warm breeze of summer met their faces, greeting them as they walked through the streets. Hordes of people with cows, balloons, food, and party favors, all said hello to them as they passed, making their way to the town square. In the center of the town square was a small man with blue hair, complete with a beard and mustache. He was wearing a gray suit and a gray hat to match. Upon seeing the two woman he smiled, Katia released her grandmother's hand to run to the man.
I can almost breathe him in
Like summer in the air
"Papa!" Katia exclaimed, hugging her father. The two hugged until Sophia was a few steps away. The man let go of his daughter and tipped his hat to her as a greeting.
"Hello, Mr. Anderson," Sophia smiled. Mr. Anderson waved her to the mic stand propped up in the middle of the square on a platform.
"I think it would be best if you opened the festival."
Sophia smiled and took her position behind the mic stand, gathering herself as she spoke. "It's a great honor to be here today," she said into the mic. The jovial bustle of the twon died quickly after her first sentence. "I hope you may find Moondrop's summer festival as delightful as last year's," she smiled and curtseyed. Something she hadn't done in years. "Thank you, and enjoy your day. Mr. Anderson will give you announcements of when competitions and events will begin." Sophia left the stand after her speech was through, taking Katia's hand again. Katia smiled up at her grandmother.
"You were great, Grandma!"
Why do you smile his smile?
That heaven I'd forgotten eases through in you
After Katia's father finished with his announcements he suggested getting something to eat. Together, not too far away from town, they found a nice hill to have a small picnic on.
Sophia always loved the moments like this when she could eat and spend time with her family. She loved watching Katia dance and twirl happily to the music of the village.
"Sophia?" Anderson asked.
"Yes?" Sophia answered back, turning away from Katia.
"I-I found this the other day..."he said taking out a small photo album. Sophia stared at the album. It looked familiar. "I found this in...my wife's...drawer the other day." Sophia smiled sadly. She knew he was was still taking her daughter's death hard.
"But those photographs," he continued, "were not pictures of her, but of...you, I believe."
Sophia took the album she was given, flipping thorugh the old, yellowed pages. They were indeed pictures of her, and her own father, but she didn't want to look at her father long. She had a bad relationship with her father. At the end of the book, she found another pictures of her, but this time with a young man. Sophia gasped in disbelief upon staring at the photograph. This was from the day they dance together in Duke Herzen's mansion.
"Anton..." Sophia said aloud, touching Anton's face staring lovingly into her own.
If you could look at me once more
With all of the love you felt before
"I'll let you keep it then," Mr. Anderson said. "You looked very happy."
"I was," Sophia agreed. "Thank you." Sophia stared back at the photos of Anoton and her togheter. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the day they first danced together.
He seemed incredibly shy surrounded by all of those people, dancing happily around him. Everyone, Sophia had noted, talked to him as if they had to instead of wanting to. Probably causing his shyness at his father's parties.
She had remembered his surprise when she first talked to him. A small tint of pink formed on his cheeks as he fumbled with his hands. He would make eye-contact when Sophia spoke, but when he would reply his eyes would look at almost anything but her, obviously shy. Sophia liked that about him though, he seemed to have a good personality.
"Would you like to dance?" Sophia asked.
"U-Uhh..." The man stuttered. "It's fine...I-"
Sophia quickly grabbed his hand, dragging him onto the dance floor. The man started off awkwardly, as if stunned he was actually dancing with someone. After a few moments, the man go his bearings straight and then danced stronger. Sophia was, of course, surprised by his grace, and was happy she asked him to dance with her. She loved how he glided across the floor, taking her into his fantasy.
If you and I could disappear into the past
And find that love we knew
I'd never take my eyes away from you
"Grandma!"
Sophia turned, breaking out of her reverie. Katia grabbed her grandmother's hands, trying to pull her up.
"Dance with me!"
"Ok, ok!" Sophia laughed.
They danced together until evening, until Mr. Anderson told Katia it was time to go home. Katia smiled and then hugged her grandma.
"Can I stay with Grandma for the night?"
Katia's father looked to Sophia and she smiled nodding. Mr. Anderson kissed his daughter on the forehead and left for home.
When Sophia and Katia arrived at her house, Sophia made some tea. Katia sat and watched her in the kitchen. She always loved watching her grandmother make them tea, but tonight she seemed a little different.
"What's wrong, Katia?" Sophia asked, turning on the stove.
"Nothing..." Katia said quietly.
"Well, you were bright and cheerful just a moment ago."
Katia sighed and stayed quiet. After a few moments, Sophia walked over to the table where Katia was sitting and put a teacup in front of their chairs.
"Now, what's wrong?" Sophia asked again, pouring her tea.
"Do I have a Grandpa?" Katia asked.
Sophia paused, slightly surprised by the question. "Yes, you do," she said softly.
"But...I've never seen him..." Katia said.
"Indeed," she said softly, slowly sipping her tea. Katia took a sip herself, the two basking in the silence. "Do you know where he is?"
"I-I don't know," Sophia smiled sadly, "but I know he's alive."
"Really!" Katia asked excitedly. Sophia stared into her granddaughter's eyes, so bright and hopeful, wanting her to tell more. Her eyes made her sad from time to time. They always reminded her of his eyes.
"Well," Sophia started, "he was..."
"Grandma?"
Sophia couldn't finish. Tears were forming faster than they could fall, and she covered her face with her hand. Katia put her hand on her Grandmother's, comforting her.
When I look at you, he is touching me
I would reach for him, but who can hold a memory?
"Sorry, Katia." Sophia sniffed. "It's just...You look so much like your Grandfather," Sophia gently pushed Katia's bangs from her face. "If he knew about you, he would be so happy."
Katia stared at her grandmother inquisitively, as if wanting to ask her something, but closed her mouth. After finishing her tea she headed straight to her grandmother's guest bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Sophia stared out her bedroom window. The was ful and bright, almost lighting up her entire room. She always loved when the moon was full. It always reminded her of the her youth, and hte days she spent in love, and the day she was engaged.
Will you marry me, Sophia?
Of course I will, Anton!
Oh, Sophia! Thank you! You don't understand how much your love means to me!
Sophia's eyes snapped open as she shook her head vigorously. Why is she remembering the time she spent with him now? Why like this? As she turned to her bed, she recalled the first night they spent together. Anton's lips kissing her neck as he held her close to him.
Sophia sighed sadly, missing those days with him, she turned around and drew the drapes to her window, blocking out the moons rays as if closing out the light in her life.
And love isn't everything
That moonlight on the bed will melt away
Someday
"Anton, I have to go."
"But Sophia, why? You're not giving me a reason!" Sophia stopped in the doorway of the Herzen mansion. She knew this would not be easy.
After taking a deep breath, Sophia turned around and walked to the lavish red staircase, Anton standing at the top of the stairs. "I can't stay here any more Anton. You've seen all the people leaving! What if we get sick and die?"
"We won't Sophia!" Anton said as he hurried down the stairs. "That's just a rumor!"
"I can't afford to take my chances!'
"Wait a moment, Sophia!" As Sophia bent over to pick up her bags, Anton ha already managed to grab her wrist. "I promised you we could make it! Restore Folsense to its former glory!" Sophia shook her head as she spoke, her eyes shut tightly. If she looked at him in the eyes she knew she couldn't follow through with this.
Oh you were once that someone
Who I followed like a star
"Anton, there's someone else." Sophia cut him off- whatever he was telling her - she was having a hard time focusing. Sophia didn't look, but she felt Anton's hand slowly let go of her wrist.
"You married me even though you're in love with someone else?"
She coudn't handle it anymore. The hurt in his voice was just too much. "If I tell you everything, it would only break my heart, so please!" With that, Sophia gravved her bags and attempted to run out the door as quickly as possible, Anton calling out to her.
Then suddenly you changed
And now I don't know who you are
As Sophia opened the large doors to the mansion - she will never forgive herself for this - she glanced back at Anton. He was hurt, crushed. It was the look of a man who had given up all hope of living. And she was the one who gave him that gift, that feeling of grief that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. Now this moments was haunting her life now too. How could she do that to him?
Or could it be?
Eyes snapping open Sophia let out a gasp followed by quick sobs, forcing themselves out of her throat. Unable to breathe, Sophia sat up on the side of her bed, using her hands to touch her face. She had broken out into a cold sweat because of that nightmare.
Quickly, Sophia got up and walked into her bathroom. Turning on the facet, she splashed cold water on her face, rinsing off the sweat. Reaching for a small hand-towel she kept next to her sink, she gently dried her face.
Finally opening her eyes, Sophia say an old woman. She had crow's feet, dull teal eyes that lost their sparkle of youth so long ago. Fifty years ago.
Sophia frowned and left her bathroom, walking over to her vanity. She opened a drawer and took the picture of her and Anton out and walked back to her bathroom. She stared at the picture before holding it up to her mirror, comparing the reflections of her to the photograph.
"This is the different between us, Anton." Sophia said to the mirror. "You'll always look likes this to me," Sophia put the photograph net to the sink, and lowered her head. "If I told you I was leaving for our child, how were you going to react? How could I leave you after that?" Sophia stared down at the photograph. "If I had to leave, it would best for us to remember each other how we were. How much in love we were."
That I never really knew you
From the start
Tears were streaming down Sophia's face now, but she doing this for herself. This was something she had to do for herself. "It would be best if we just existed for each other as...dreams."
Did I create a dream?
"Figments of a time no one quite remembers, a time where it was just us, in love, in our own fantasies."
Was he a fantasy?
Sophia wiped more tears from her eyes and picked up the old photo. "Since we are no longer togheter, that would be the best choice for us." Sophia laughed to herself as if recalling something from long ago. "I know this may seem foolish, but I will safeguard our time together in my memory for as long as I live."
Even a memory is paradise
For other fools like me
Sophia clutched the old photo to her chest. "Remember me in love, Anton. The way I'll remember you for the rest of my life. As I always have."
Now remembering is all that I can do
Bringing the photo up to her lips she kissed Anton's smiling face. "I miss you, my love."
Because I miss him so
Sophia turned off the lights in her bathroom and drew back the curtains to her bedroom window, revealing the moon's rays once more. Guided by the light of the moon, Sophia placed the photograph back in her vanity drawer.
"We'll meet again, someday, Anton. But for now, I'll remember you in my dreams."
When I look at you
I hope you all enjoyed reading this! I'm not sure if I'm going to write anything Professor Layton after this, but maybe when Professor Layton and the Unwound Future/ Last Time Travel comes out in September? XD