[[What's this- a... sort of Emmy/Desmond fic? Does it count as a crack fic? I don't know.

Spoilers: Possibly for the events in Hoogland? But don't worry; no major Azran Legacy spoilers here.

Disclaimer: I currently don't have access to my 3DS, so I couldn't play AL and re-visit Hoogland. Sorry if it lacks detail in places. I had to copy some of the game's dialogue from elsewhere, but I tweaked it slightly :D]]


The Dragonlord's Bride

"A pretty young lady like you would make a fine bride yourself, you know!"

"Ha ha," Emmy chuckled vaguely at the old man's suggestion as she snapped some photos of Hoogland's rural community. No way was she getting married any time soon; still, she humoured him by answering, "If you say so!"

"Oh, I do!" The town elder nodded avidly. "Now you'd better hurry unless you want to be late for your wedding."

"Huh?" Emmy turned to him in confusion, but the man had already vanished. (Creepy...)

"Oh, he's right, Emmy," Professor Layton said promptly, "We really should be going."

"Go where? Aren't we searching for the aura stone-?" She sent the professor a quizzical glance. For some reason, he was suddenly wearing a fancy black tuxedo and tie, though he retained his signature top hat. She gaped at him. "Professor, why on earth are you dressed like that?" Emmy looked around to see the others' reactions, only to realize that their friends were missing. "Where are Luke, Aurora and—?"

"Everyone is waiting up ahead," Layton (uncharacteristically) interrupted her, taking her arm and leading her through the breezy village. Emmy couldn't object; she felt like she was walking on air, unable to completely comprehend what was happening or prevent it.

"On your way to the ceremony, eh?" A young shepherd with a runny nose called when they went past. "Make sure you save me some photomographs!" His sheep bleated in agreement.

Emmy's eyes widened when she and Layton reached the top of the hill where the local chapel was located. Luke and Aurora were standing outside the old structure, along with some of Hoogland's residents and Sage Shepard, clad in his ceremonial blue gown. Even Raymond was there, playing some sort of wedding tune on bagpipes. (Wasn't he supposed to stay on the Bostonius?)

Professor Layton seemed oblivious to the strange situation, so Emmy hissed to her smaller companions, "What's going on? Who's getting married...?"

"The Dragonlord's wrath will soon be appeased," Aurora replied mechanically. (When had she changed back into her traditional Azran attire?)

Luke shushed them, "Silence, the ceremony is about to start." (Why did he have a sheep costume on?)

Sage Shepard cleared his throat and announced, "Today we witness the union of Emmy and the mighty Dragonlord."

Emmy's jaw dropped. "W-what?" It was only then did she look down to realize she was wearing a white dress; traditional for the Dragonlord's bride. "How the—?"

"A union that will bless our village with fair winds," Sage Shepard continued, raising his hands to the sky. "Come, fair winds! Bring your blessed breeze to bear upon our village! It is time to seal this union..."

"Just like my dear, sweet Romilda," one man whimpered from the crowd of spectators.

"Wait," Emmy protested as Layton and Raymond dragged her towards the chapel. (Why were they doing this to her? More importantly, why wasn't she fighting back?) "There's been a mistake! I'm not even from this crazy village—" But no one was listening. She was unceremoniously shoved through structure's entrance and she landed on the stone tiled floor.

"Close the chapel door!"

"Stop!" Emmy cried.

The door creaked shut and the light of day disappeared, sealing Emmy's fate.
"It's quite an honour to finally meet my new bride," a courtly voice said from behind her.

Just when Emmy thought things couldn't get any weirder, she spun around to find Professor Desmond Sycamore sitting on a throne made of blue crystal. There was a black cape draped across his shoulders and a silver crown above his head. He stood up to approach her with a welcoming smile.

"Let me guess..." Emmy lifted an eyebrow, "You're supposed to be the Dragonlord?"

"Indeed, I am," he confirmed, sounding rather amused. "Why, were you expecting someone else?"

She certainly hadn't expected the 'mighty Dragonlord' to have such styled hair or for him to smell of fruit cakes. Emmy sighed, "No...But I would appreciate it if you released me."

"Come, come, we might as well get to know each other," Desmond the Dragonlord reasoned. "It will be a fair while before your soul departs this place to join me in the winds..."

Horrified by such a notion, Emmy started beating her fists against the chapel doors. "Get me out of here right now!"
"Perhaps I could tell some jokes to pass the time? Here's a real knee slapper: There was once a young farm girl who was locked in a barn with three cows–"

"NOOOOOOO!"

-0-

Needless to say, Emmy's screams woke everybody aboard the Bostonius. The others had no idea that she'd been so unnerved by Hoogland's disturbing customs. Professor Sycamore was especially concerned that she'd dreamt he was the Dragonlord she was forced to marry.


[[Despite Romilda and Julian's touching love story, Hoogland was my least favourite location is Azran Legacy.]]