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14 December 2008 @ 09:35 pm
Artifactual (PL)  
Title: Artifactual
Fandom: Professor Layton
Rating: PG
Word Count: 639
Genre: Humor
Teaser: Layton is an archaeologist by trade. Let's see what Luke has learned.

Puzzles were an enormous part of Professor Layton’s life, and as such was a large part of what he taught his apprentice, Luke. But when push came to shove, puzzles were not his true profession, and so there were times when they had to set the riddles and mind teasers aside in favor of other pursuits.

It was for this reason that they found themselves out here like this, far away from the nearest puzzle book. To be fair, they were miles and miles away from the nearest modern convenience as well. All right, time to be completely honest: they were miles away from civilization, period. Well, any current civilization. Ancient civilizations, however, were much closer at hand, and providing them with something of great interest to study.

Luke absently brushed away an errant insect that had taken to buzzing around his ear and peered over the Professor’s shoulder at the artifact on the table. They were seated inside a tent on the excavation site, and one of the other workers had just brought the piece in for the Professor to analyze. Luke watched closely, observing every move as the Professor used a small brush to carefully and gently clean the small statue of dust.

Finally, Layton set the brush down and moved to the side, allowing Luke an unobstructed view of the artifact. “Well, my boy?” he said, absently brushing his hands together, an action that released a small cloud of dust from his gloves. “What do you see?”

Luke tugged at his own gloves without really thinking about it and leaned in closer to study the item. He was the apprentice to a great archaelogist, and certainly no slouch with history himself. Quickly, he racked his brain, and decided to go with the obvious. “The inlays look like jade…which probably means that it’s an idol of one of their gods?” He glanced up to see if he was on the right track.

Layton was nodding his approval. “And what is the significane of the jade?”

Wrinkles furrowed Luke’s brow as he thought. “Religious, mostly. It was used in their most important carvings because a lot of things in their lives were centered around their gods.” He was determined not to say anything to the effect of it looking like a six inch tall light brown man with a very odd looking beard and extremely questionable taste in hats.

“Correct. You are certainly improving!” Layton said, visibly pleased at his apprentice’s success.

Luke was about to reply when another of the diggers on the excavation entered the tent, his hands carefully cradling something wrapped in a cloth. “Professor Layton? We found something else we would like you to take a look at, if you’re not busy, sir?”

The cloth was carefully opened, revealing jagged pieces of what appeared to be oddly-formed clay. As the other man absented himself to return to the dig, Layton once again turned to Luke. “Judging by the shape, Luke, what would you believe this to be?”

A moment of scrutiny gave Luke his answer. “I would say a piece of pottery.”

“What is this symbol on it called?” Layton asked, pointing to a small shape engraved into the dried clay.

“A glyph.”

“Excellent!” Layton studied the glyph for a moment, then gave his apprentice an amused look. “All right, my boy, I know you won’t have the answer to this one just yet, but would you care to hazard a guess as to what this particular glyph means?”

Luke frowned and looked at the glyph carefully, an odd configuration of lines and dots. On a piece of broken pottery, no less, found near the site of an ancient village…after a moment, he looked up at the Professor and gave the only answer he could really think of. “Don’t play ball in the house?”

PTPSptps on December 15th, 2008 04:36 am (UTC)
AAHAHAHA I love the reference at the end XDDD But this is so cute!
Candylandcandyfics on December 15th, 2008 06:49 pm (UTC)
Thank you! :D
asai_arcionasai_arcion on December 16th, 2008 05:51 pm (UTC)
I've always wondered why there's so many broken artifacts :p
Candyland: DC: Eri/Kogoro (Behind every man)candyfics on December 19th, 2008 02:24 am (UTC)
Because some children of ancient civilization didn't listen to their mothers ^_~
asai_arcionasai_arcion on December 19th, 2008 02:32 am (UTC)
Not that current generations are any better at it, we just don't write it on our artifacts.
Candyland: Furuba [Tohru smash!]candyfics on December 19th, 2008 02:39 am (UTC)
Exactly. Somehow, I think attacking the broken vase with a magic marker would not help the situation any. At least it wouldn't have helped with my mother.
asai_arcionasai_arcion on December 19th, 2008 03:07 am (UTC)
She'd probably get a laugh at it, but it probably wouldn't help the situation any.

*gives 'Glyph-colored' magic marker* not guaranteed to get you out of punishment for breaking that vase :p
Candyland: DC: Aokocandyfics on December 22nd, 2008 03:43 am (UTC)
YAY! *draws on things* :D