Thank you! This is from what was supposed to be the prologue of a big epic Layton and Clive father-son fanfic, but it might just become a weird oneshot now. Basically, Clive’s unconscious right now and is reliving his last day before the explosion.
...
And there, in the distance, obscured by the fog of poor memory, is the professor, and Claire. Little Clive hadn’t paid much mind to them, for they were only strangers to him, but Adult Clive knows better. He studies their faces carefully, picking out every detail that his younger self had unconsciously registered. If he focuses hard enough, he can see the smiles on their faces, the hope in their eyes, just like the hope in the eyes of his parents, as they all look forward to a future that will never come.
The professor’s top hat is a little bit askew, too, just like Dad’s.
Hey hot stuff~ Looking forward to how snarky you can get with these ;3 4, 12, 14, 22, 23, and 56
Anything for you, hotter stuff ;333
4. What is your zodiac sign?
Catboy Clive. He represents houses starting on fire, cats, dumbassery, and dead parents.
12. What was your last dream about?
Ok, this is a real answer because, no joke, the dream I had before I woke up this morning was literally a tiny Clive in his outfit from LF running on a hamster wheel in a cage. Why??
14. Are you psychic in any way?
Yeah, I can do a prediction right now. You will date me. And look, it already came true ;)
22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?
I mean, my zodiac sign says my schedule’s full for destroying London, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet, so technically in the future??
23. Have you ever met any celebrities?
I meet all 3 of our cats every morning, for food and head bunts.
56. Most used word?
It’s definitely a tossup between Fuck and Clive, honestly.
For the ask, how about 3, 7, 8, 10, 17, and ok, 18, as well ;)) 💜
Thanks, hun~
3. Favorite song in the soundtrack?
This one’s kinda tough, just because there’s so many good songs to choose from the Professor Layton series. I especially like the Mystery Room jazzy music (and of course the Layton music you like, like the Puzzle 002 from ED that plays on your profile, and the ones you’ve used for themes on my birthday drawings ;)) but I have to go with my boy Clive and say Mobile Fortress Live Theme. Give me that villain accordion core.
7. Favorite type of puzzle?
Twist-until-you-win puzzle
Jokes aside, though, I do love the logic puzzles like Picky Moviegoers, Lunchtime and Shelve the Books.
8. Least favorite type of puzzle?
Literal maths problems
10. Favorite character design?
Of course I have to say Clive here, not for the main reason of him being the popular trash boy but more because I’ve always loved old, vintage-ish English styles of clothing. The combination of newsboy cap with waistcoat, knee-breeches, kneesocks and Mary Janes all work really well and I honestly wish they had more characters with a similar design. This is why I also like my boy Luke as well as Duke from DB. I just think newsboy caps are really neat.
17. If you could change one thing about the games, what would you want to change?
Kinda wish the puzzles were integrated better, like with Ace Attorney where there’s certain themed puzzles at certain times (especially in Investigations where you have to link logic clues, deduce from the clues where they connect with certain parts of an investigation, debate and gain more clues from people, etc). I think they tried to do this with Layton’s Mystery Journey, but I can’t really have an opinion yet on if it works well cuz I’m still not finished with it.
18. Favorite villain?
You know I have to say my son, my boy, the trashman himself, Clive Dove. I could write an essay on why I love him, but instead I’ll just provide a picture to spare everyone.
I know I'm a bit late, but if you still need to get that snark of yours out, how about: 😍🤐 🤘 🌎 ❄️
It’s never too late for me to get snarky ;)
😍 - Celebrity crush
Clive.
🤐 - Tell us a secret
It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, would it???
🤘 - first concert you went to
Don’t remember the concert because I was too busy trying to understand why a whole load of people were pushing and punching each other. I developed a fear of moshpits that day.
🌎 - where you want to live
A more sane planet than this one.
❄️-favorite winter sport
Driving in Minnesota. Bonus points if you don’t die en-route
Cheers, friendo~ My snark levels are balanced. For now.
get to know me: [1/?] favourite video games - professor layton and the lost future (2008)
“Professor, I hope this letter finds you well. As for me, I am in quite a predicament. You see, the London we know and love has been thrown into absolute chaos. To complicate matters, the calamity I speak of does not take place in your time. This may be difficult to believe, but I am writing to you from 10 years in the future. I know this is a lot to take in, but I’ll explain it all soon. For now, I ask that you head to the clock shop on Midland Road in Baldwin. I look forward to seeing you again.
Your student, Luke Triton”
Hi again. Time to bother you some more, so 7, 11, 13, 22, 24, 25, and 30, for the writer's ask, please~~
You *pats your hand* are never *pats your hand* a bother *pats your hand*. You know who is a bother though? That Clive kid. You know the one. Major :///////
7 - Which character that you’ve written is most like yourself?
Out of all the novels and fanfictions I’ve written, I do think Clive in my current P3301 is most like me. We have the same MBTI personality, we’ve experienced similar events in our lives, we’re even physically similar–skinny af, brown hair, bangs parted on the same side (and just for the record, mine were on the left first before Clive was even an idea in Level-5′s mind, so there, Clive), same baby face that makes us appear five years younger than we actually are (most people at work think I’m 19, 20 if I’m lucky). We’re also both old (one of us being a twenty-five-year-old fifty-five-year-old. I even found a grey hair the other day and Clive can have that back.)
Jokes aside, I really enjoy writing Clive. There’s some quirks and characteristics I have to give him that aren’t things I do (running my hand through my hair/letting my anger get the better of me) or might even be annoyed with (pen-clicking), but his overall personality has been fun to shape because even in-game it’s already so similar to mine. The way he thinks, acts (besides the murder-y bit) and even his cheeky comments are all natural to me.
11 - What were your favorite books as a child?
I’d have to say the Guardians of G’Hoole was the first series I was ever so excited about I even had a prophetic dream about one of the books coming out. I don’t really believe in that sort of stuff, but I distinctly remember having a dream about the mint-green cover for book 7 well before the book was even pictured and when I went into the store to pick it up months later it had a mint-green cover. Now to channel that skill into the future of P3301.
I also fondly remember the Dimwood Forest series. And when I say fondly, I mean I was traumatised by the very first book, Poppy. This was only because I had read the prequel, Ragweed, without having known it was a prequel, got into Ragweed’s character and then little ten-year-old me was completely devastated when, in the first few pages, he’s murdered and devoured by an owl. Probably the second major loss of innocence in my life. And to salt the wound, his girlfriend falls in love with his brother. I mean, she avenges Ragweed but little me did not want to accept he was dead and then Poppy just moves on without me. Not cool, Poppy.
The very first set of six books in the Warriors series is also a kid favourite of mine. The ideas were so fresh and interesting. Now they’ve kind of dulled after, you know, four or five more sets, all containing six books each with rehashed antagonists and villains and not too many original ideas anymore.
Let’s see… I’m quite into this question as remembering all my favourite books is really throwing me back in time to some happy moments in a tree house on a farm all on my own with no one to bother me and an adventure to have with many memorable characters. I think another good one was the Dragon Rider by the same author of Inkheart. (Can’t remember her name. Something Funke. Edit: omg, you have the internet right in front of you. ‘We have technology, Spongebob!’ Her name’s Cornelia Funke. Glad I could solve that nearly unsolvable mystery…) But I’ve always been into dragons and mythological creatures so any book that could craft dragons into this real and nearly tangible thing was an instant like. The same is true of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Dragon Rider in particular was full of different myth creatures and I remember rereading it again and again because I enjoyed it so much.
Another favourite from my secondary/high school days is the Oracles of Delphi Keep. Uh, but that one I have a grudge with because it was meant to have four books but for whatever reason the author couldn’t have the fourth one published or there was some issue with writing it or something. Not totally sure. All I know is, for three books, I’m on an adventure with an orphan boy who dresses like little Clive with mythological creatures and witches and wizards and demigods and even involves time travel in one book and the very last book finally reveals one of the people who had travelled back in time to meet this boy was his father and it ends with him thinking he’s going to meet his parents as well as save this world and there was SO MUCH built up in this last book…only for me to find out there would never be a conclusion. So heads up. The three books are great. A little slow, but great, fond memories. But there’s no end. Will my orphan boy ever meet his parents? No. Because his story abruptly ends beFORE HE CAN. Okay, rant over. Still forever upset, though.
13 - Which authors or styles do you try to emulate in your writing?
I was kind of afraid this question might pop up. The thing is, I don’t really know. I guess it’s all sort of a conglomeration of all the authors I’ve ever read, everything I’ve learnt to do and not do from them and then my own twists on it that have developed over time? I guess one author that sticks out is Suzanne Collins who wrote Hunger Games. Especially for her first person approach. Katness’ dialogue has always been some of my favourite because it’s quick, straight to the point, and it really turns the series into a page-turner, which is what I want P3301 one and future books to be.
Honestly, though, I need to read more so I do have more authors to emulate and learn from. I can’t remember who said this, but a quote I try to hold myself accountable with is that one about ‘if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.’ That is 100% true and I consciously know this. Now it’s just a matter of consciously making the decision to abide by it.
22 - Do you listen to music when you write?
Not really. I find I can’t pay attention if someone’s singing or even without a voice, melody is enough to cause me to not be as productive or as observant with my stories as I need to be. Sometimes if I’m feeling particularly focused, I’ll turn on some smooth jazz or one of those Youtube live stations with lo-fi beats or nova-bossa music. But mostly I write in silence. If I do need noise to concentrate, I’ll put on a gentle rain/thunderstorm video or birdsong. Now that winter’s over, I’m coming close to being able to listen to those without Youtube~
24 - Do you prefer first or third person? Why?
It kind of depends. I like both because they both have their advantages. Especially now with P3301, I use first person for Clive and as stated above, I have loads of fun writing him because I get to shape his personality and think up what sorts of reactions he’d have to a certain situation/person and let’s not forget those father/daughter moments I could destroy London die for. But I do enjoy third person as well. Particularly because I lean mostly towards third person omniscient which allows me to show readers what everyone’s thinking and in turn put together a more alluring mystery.
25 - How do you defeat writers’ block?
I mostly struggle through it. It seems for me there’s no sort of meditation or cat videos or any method that will help other than just fighting it. I suppose sometimes I’ll go back and reread older chapters to help get back on track.
30 - What’s your favorite part about writing?
I guess everything, really. The morals I try to teach, the experience I’ve had and the influence I hope they have for other people. The characters, especially, and shaping them from one person into another. I really try to give every character chance to grow so if anything’s an absolute favourite, it’s rereading an old story or even just going back a few chapters and seeing where my characters were, where they headed, what they went through and where they ended up. Sometimes that’s the hardest bit about writing as well. Hint hint, I have some serious business Clive will go through in future chapters and I’m not looking forward to what it will do to him. But hey. The writer is ultimately the worst antagonist, right? I gotta live up to that reputation.
For the ask (and it's shocking): 1. Clive Dove, 2. Miles Edgeworth, and 3. Bernard Trewinkle (I know it's kind of shameless self-promotion to include one of my own OCs, but if I died I'd expect you to watch over him and give him all the psychology books he needs to survive).
I’m honoured to be Bernard’s godmother. I’m not sure if he’d like being watched over though, so maybe I’ll just watch from afar ;)
Yeah, so I heard you wanted to talk about your son. The one with big feet and criminal record? How about ♥, ☾, ❣, ✏ for that guy? ;)
Ummm, he only has a criminal record because of your son so………
Please be prepared, I got really invested in this one and it’s more of a book than I think P3301 is at this point.
♥ : Name one thing about the way their emotions work that they despise.
Being an INTJ, which I myself am as well, Clive isn’t much of an emotional person. He doesn’t show them often and in order for his plans to work, he must have a very strong reign of the private emotions (lotsa rage and pain) he keeps to himself. The sprites below are some of the most common we see of him throughout most of the game:
Even when he’s irritated, even when he talks about the prime minister he shows minimal emotion. He really doesn’t look like a kidnapper/murderer/impostor here. But compare these emotions to some of those we see only at the end of LF…
Now both the emotions he allows others to see and those he keeps (or had kept) private pour forth like metaphorical blood from a metaphorical wound on his metaphorical heart.
In addition, one thing I can’t show (and would take far too much time for me to put together) are the emotions in his voice. When he’s with Layton and co, his voice never really rises. Even when he’s happy-slapped by Bostro. Of course he cries out in pain, but he doesn’t retaliate or shout back at him. He allows the Professor to handle the situation and helps him with the slot machine gun. But at the end of the game, there’s a definite shift in his tone. A self-confident and mocking inflection, an angry and vengeful edge, a lot more evil laughter.
All this to say, Clive’s emotions, as a lot of INTJs probably understand far too well, can’t be thought of in the traditional sense. He doesn’t really feel them. More, he thinks on them, ruminates about them, pours them into his work, and, in the end, that’s what leads to the finale of the game. When he finally does allow himself to feel these emotions, they’re overwhelming, completely out of control. All because he didn’t or rather couldn’t work through them. And the reason why is actually rather sad.
Think about how Clive feels just after he learns his parents suffered and died. He’s devastated. He clings to Layton–a complete stranger at the time–and weeps. His emotions at this point are so out of control, Layton has to slap him to bring him to his senses. And assuming these uncontrollable emotions don’t stop there, I’m sure he suffered for many years throughout his childhood. Even after being adopted by a loving family, he probably wept himself to sleep, crying so hard he could barely catch his breath. Once he exhausted himself, he’d be swallowed in restless darkness and then tortured by nightmares, reliving the tragedy of his parents’ deaths over and over again. During the day was only worse. The flashbacks, memories of seeing his home in flames, of saying his last goodbye to his family, would be all he could think of, especially if he ever smelled smoke or heard a school fire alarm. It’s clear his emotions were completely and utterly out of control.
The point I’m trying to make is, his own feelings–the things meant to help him work through his experiences–acted more like torture. And it was due to this that he developed a defence mechanism against it. Distancing himself from feeling. Never again would he have to suffer from guilt, sadness, anger…
It’s only at the end of LF these emotions are felt and, once again, they’re completely and totally out of control. It’s even mentioned in game this was the second time the Professor saves Clive from himself.
So it seems Clive’s emotions are very black-and-white. Either he feels them to such an extent it causes him and others great suffering, or he doesn’t feel them at all. And this is something he might despise. Maybe while he’s in prison thinking on his actions, he realises this is how his emotions work and he hates it. He doesn’t want to feel so much he can’t control it but he does still want to feel. And maybe he works through this with therapists and whatnot. I’ve mentioned this in my own fanfic. Though the demons of his past still haunt him from afar, he has more control over them than ever before. He has (more or less) accepted them and can finally begin to live his life. In a way, this is the sad truth for those of us who have to fight against trauma. Sometimes the pain takes a lifetime to work through.
(I’m now finished with my dissertation on Clive’s emotions. Can I have my degree in Clive, please?)
☾ : On a sleepless night, what would they be found doing?
I guess it depends for me. Obviously in canon he’d be reading newspaper after newspaper to determine how his parents died and why the incident was covered up. Then he’d be plotting Future London, the Mobile Fortress, who to use as pawns, who not to use, etc. He doesn’t exactly want to sleep at this time anyway. Not only does he have too much work to do but he’d have to fight off the nightmares yet again.
In my fanfiction featuring an older Clive, though, he’d be working through the murder and its puzzles. Before the murder he would just stay up and read a good mystery novel. Maybe work on that soon-to-be best-selling murder-mystery he’s writing. (I’m still so proud of him in that dream. Please more of those, unconscious).
❣: Describe a way that will earn affection (whether platonic or romantic) from them.
I think Clive throughout his entire life would be attracted to intelligence and wit. Maybe he’d like the smart kids in his class, befriend them. One of my favourite examples of this is my friendo @northelypark‘s relationship between Clive and Amelia. Both are rather quiet and introverted people. Clive’s an INTJ while Amelia is, I’m thinking, an INTP, so the two would definitely have a lot in common personality-wise. They’re also both very smart. Amelia is a chess genius and…well, I guess the only canon example I have of Clive being intelligent is his schemes to destroy London, but I’ll assume he can plan out other, less murder-y bits of his life this way, as well… He’s also good at puzzles so that’s a thing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Clive might also appreciate confidence and passion. Seeing as he has a strong sense of justice (albeit very corrupted during LF) he might respect when someone speaks out against something that’s wrong. I also have a headcanon he was bullied for not only being the new kid but also having to deal every day with his parents’ deaths and so he probably really appreciates when someone tells people off for picking on other kids.
✏ : What are their creative outlets?
Definitely writing. That might have even been part of pouring his emotions into his work at first. Maybe he had a journal used to jot down his nightmares, his flashbacks, his confusion and regrets and this eventually twisted into writing about his plans to destroy London.
In my fanfic, though he’s older and more able to control those once deadly emotions, he may still write them down in one of the thousands of notebooks he has scattered across his desk in his study. Work through what he was feeling and why and how to cope with this particular emotion returning to him.
