I read somewhere in Tumblr what would happen if Hershel lost his top hat. And thus, this thing was born.
Note that this is pretty much a crackfic.
"Luke my boy, have you seen my hat?"
The lad in blue cap looked up from his puzzle book, then gasped at the sight of his unusually hatless mentor. "P-Professah? Where is your h-hat?"
"It's not in my room! Are you know where it is, Luke?"
"Nah."
The rays of the morning sun passed through the windows as Layton frantically searching for his beloved headwear. He checked practically everything in his flat, from the kitchen, the bathroom, even went as far as lifting the sofa to examine its underside. Luke could not help but wondered at such dramatic, never-seen-before side of the Professor's personality.
"Professah? Isn't you have a spare hat in your office?" He spoke up as he put the book on the table.
He sighed as he wiped off his sweaty forehead, "Rosa had gave me a lesson for keep making my office messy. I didn't wish to explain what's happened, but it certainly costed me that spare."
Luke glanced at the clock, his eyes went wide in horror. "It's eight fifteen already Professah! You're getting late!"
"But I couldn't leave without my hat!" he insisted.
It was the exact moment where an unseen force granted the boy with an enlightenment for such problem.
"Professah! I have an idea!"
==00000==
Layton should knew better.
His apprentice's solution to that problem was really simple in concept: just use something to cover his head. Although the gentleman himself was against that idea at first, he finally decided that his attendance was more important than such trivial matter since he did not want his precious income got cut due to him missed a lot of classes as a result from those adventures.
The thing that Layton secretly regretted, though, was the fact that he did not ask the lad what thing he should wear.
"Cor! Is that really Professor Layton?!"
"I didn't believe my eyes!"
"I thought the hat is a part of his body!"
Layton was practically running through the crowd into his office and slammed the door shut. He put the paper bag that sitting on his head onto the table. He took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the embarrassment on himself. That trip to his office was awful enough, just imagine the horror that might happen in the time when his class started….
"Professor? It's me, Emmy!" a female voice said. "Dean Delmona said that…oh…."
The Professor lifted his gaze to find her just froze on the threshold, mouth left agape as she was saw something extraordinary. She even dropped the papers that she had been carrying.
"Professor… is that you?" Emmy muttered and then suddenly pulled out her camera from her pouch and aimed it to him.
"Emmy! What you're doing?!" Layton quickly reached for the paper bag as the lass starting to snap a lot of photos like a crazed fangirl.
"I wouldn't miss this chance to take pictures of you without that hat!" she grinned madly. "You looks adorable without your hat, Professor!"
Good heavens. Even his assistant was a threat to him.
"Emmy! I seriously consider to ask Dean Delmona to dismiss you for this!"
"No problem! In fact, they might reward me for this astounding discovery!"
The gentleman gritted his teeth. Whoever stole his hat should be punished.
==00000==
"Good morning, students! In this meeting we will discussing about the Borobudur Temple from Indonesia," said Layton as he opened his lecture. "This largest Buddhist temple in the world was built around 800 AD. Blablabla…."
The entire class was silent. They did not paid attention to the today's subject at all. In fact, their eyes were fully focused on the paper bag on their dear professor's head.
"Excuse me, Professor!" a male student lifted his hand. "Why were you wearing that paper bag on your head?"
Layton gulped. That dreaded question had finally came. "W-why, yes. My hat was missing this morning and I'm rather..." he chose his words carefully. "...uncomfortable to be seen without something on my head."
The asker nodded, "Ah, I see." He did not said more questions.
Layton was grateful that a certain female student of his did not came today thanks to Emmy "accidentally" punched her on the face yesterday for harassing him with her usual advances. Even without her pestering him, it was still a complete disaster if this temporary hat ever fell off in a crowd, whether in Gressenheller, in his neighbourhood, even in the streets of London. So far, the class had been running smoothly….
Until this second, when he trying to write on the higher part of the blackboard. The bag slipped off, fully exposing his head to the class. The reaction was immediate.
"I thought he is bald!"
"I thought he has an afro!"
"I never know he is so handsome without that hat!"
"He reminds me of a puzzle! Want to hear it?""
Everyone glared.
"Err… I' m just joking!"
Layton reached for the bag as the students were distracted, hoping to God he could make it. Alas, he soon realised he was far too slow when they suddenly ran into him.
"Professor! Say cheese!" a female student took a picture of herself and the distressed gentleman.
"Professor! Be my dad, please!" said a male student.
"Professor! I love you!" said another girl.
"Professor! Please marry me!"
The Professor had it enough. He promptly screamed and ran off from the class, ignoring anybody's confused look. He ran and ran, until he ran out of energy just after passed the university's gate.
"P-professor!" Emmy caught up with him, panting. "What's happened?! I saw you ran from the class!"
He glared with full of suspicion. "Are you sent by them to catch me, Emmy?! Bold of you to betray me!"
She rose her brows, "What you're talking about?"
"You'll take me down, tie me up, and offer me to my deranged students! I'll fire you right before that happens!"
Emmy scratched her head in utter confusion. She still had no idea what was actually happened, but she guessed it was bad enough to drive her boss paranoid.
"What a pitiful person you are, Layton!" a cloaked figure suddenly appeared before them. "Just by missing your hat, you're reduced to a mere wimp!"
The lass in yellow took a fighting stance in instant. "You again! Couldn't you just stop bugging us, Descole the Phantom of the Opera wannabe!"
The man in mask fell for her taunt, "Shut up, Banana Hair!"
Layton noticed his top hat was worn by that man. "You! You stole my hat!"
"You didn't realised it before? Disappointing," he mocked.
"Why you did that?" Emmy pointed her finger at him.
"Because...I have nothing better to do!"
Both of Emmy and the Professor gasped at his reveal.
"What's more fun than watching you got embarrassed?" he pushed his mask, smirking fiendishly. "You've entertained me with your misery! I've been keep my eyes on you since this morning!"
"How dare you made fun of the Professor!" Emmy barked.
"Emmy, weren't you taking pictures of me in my office back then?" Layton called her out.
"B-but that's different!"
Layton shifted his eyes to Descole. His stare was cold as an ice dagger. "Descole! Give me my hat back!"
He grinned as he threw his cloak off and pulled out a sword, "Try to beat me in a duel!"
"Professor! Beat that creep!" they were just realised that they had attracted a crowd around them.
"Mr. Layton! Please take this!" A man with white hair offered him a shiny, silver rapier.
"Wait Professor!" Emmy warned. "We shouldn't fight here! There's civilians!"
The archaeologist delicately took the weapon and gave Emmy an apologising glance, "For my precious hat, I must beat him here, even if it costs my life."
Emmy wanted someone to slap her face repeatedly just to make sure her ears were not playing tricks on her. She never expected him to say something like that.
With the sword on his hand, Descole charged into Layton with full force. Layton collected his focus, preparing himself to parry that blow. The crowd became more excited as the masked man got closer, when suddenly….
CRASH! He tripped over a hidden puzzle and fell right on his face!
The top hat was thrown from Descole's head and it landed just before Layton. The man sheathed the rapier back, he crouched and gently wiped the dust off from the hat and then put it back on his head.
The crowd cheered on his victory.
"Professor Layton! You're our hero!"
Descole rose up as he spat out dust from his mouth. "Layton! You might win now, but next time you won't be this lucky! Hahaha!" he set off a smoke bomb and disappeared as the smoke fades out.
"That was…quite a predicament, huh?" Emmy commented.
"Emmy, let's return to Gressenheller," he returned the rapier to the old man. "Would you fancy a cup of tea?"
==00000==
"Professah! Look at this!" Luke showed the Professor the headline of today's newspaper.
Layton took a quick glance and then almost spat out his tea. "'Professor Layton Spotted Without His Hat!' Why is that even here?"
The younger from the two took a notice on the writer of the article. "This was written by Emmy, Professah! By the way, I felt something bad's coming…."
Suddenly, the door was knocked down and there was a massive wave of people blazing into his flat. The room soon filled with annoying reporters and flashing cameras.
"Professor Layton! Could you explain what's happened to your hat?"
"Is that true that a Phantom of the Opera wannabe stole your hat?"
"Do you really defeat him in a sword battle?"
Professor Hershel Layton sighed in indignation. Clearly that he must preparing materials about keeping one's secret for lecturing his mischievous assistant later.
And then they lived happily ever after. I hope you enjoyed reading this!