Professor Layton: Love In All Adversities

6. The Dream Net

"You insolent little rat!"

Flora snapped out of her daydream as she saw that Oliver had recovered and was pointing his finger menacingly at Katia.

"Well you can't say you didn't deserve it!" She responded with venom in her voice. Oliver looked like he was about to scream when she took a step towards him her first raised once more. He jumped back in fright and covered his face in fear.

As some of the group sniggered, he realised how pathetic he had looked and he quickly composed himself.

"Enough!" He hissed, his snake-like tongue releasing a spray of saliva. Katia wondered how she could ever have fallen in love with this man. "It's time my dream finally comes to fruition! It's time Claire returned!"

"I now know that Claire falling in love with me was the best thing that could have happened to her." Hershel said solemnly. tipping his hat down a little. "It is clear the length that Dimitri, Don Paolo and you go to just to seek revenge is a clear piece of evidence why Claire could only have found happiness with me." He turned to Dimitri and uttered a short apology, but he waved it away. "You travel the path of madness and anyone who would do so does not deserve her."

"Maybe we did seek revenge, Hershel, but we were justified! What man could stand by, content to let the love of their life be stolen by someone better than them?! We only resorted to such lengths because we are human! Can you say that you would not do the same?!"

"Yes, Oliver. I can! A human does not seek revenge because something is stolen. A monster does. If our roles had been reversed, I would be devastated, but I would move on as is the way of life. Seeking revenge is pointless. Jealousy and grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on."

"Look at the great Hershel Layton acting so wise!" Oliver jeered, slowly circling the group. "Let's see where your words of wisdom get you when I cast my net. My dream net!"

"Dream net...?" Hershel breathed, staring at Oliver with cautious eyes.

"Oh yes, you know that I intend to use the gas. I shall cast a net that will allow us all to live our dreams!"

"This is utter madness, Oliver!" Hershel protested. "Your plan is to cover Folsense in the gas so that we are taken back to a time before her death, but Claire was never in Folsense!"

"Ah, but Professor, do you not see? I don't merely want to stretch my net over this dreary town. I want to cast it over the entire world!"

*****

The cool breeze from earlier returned and even the townsfolk, still in a joyous mood, felt it this time and the air reeked of foul tidings. They were so excited to see their deceased loved ones that they did not even question Oliver's methods. If they had though, would they be outraged? What if they didn't care about the methods, but simply wanted to just see their loved ones?

All this Hershel considered. He knew just how easily madmen like Oliver could play to the people's emotions. He knew that as much as he and their small group would try and make them see reason, Oliver would remind them what the gas would do and they would not care. They would just accept it. No matter what happens, Oliver does not once look like the villain.

Chelmey and Grosky could see this too, but although they itched to arrest the man, - after all, he was only a few feet away from them - they knew that he would order his men to fire on the unsuspecting crowd.

"Well citizens of Folsense!" Oliver cried, sure to allow everyone to hear. "The time is upon us. Now, I shall perform a miracle unlike any other! Now we shall be with the ones that should have been here all along!"