Author's note: I finally finished my second fanfic! It's written with a totally different voice from the first...But it's supposed to be Emmy talking, so...
I already spoiled a bit of Azran Legacy for myself, and I did reference some of the things. However, I tried to do so as vaguely as possible. So, hopefully, if you haven't spoiled it yet then there are just a couple sentences that don't quite make sense, but if you have then you can totally see what I'm talking about. This is my fancy way of saying "Possible Azran Legacy spoilers". :)
Anyway, I don't own Layton and constructive reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Riding the Emmycycle (Like it? I named it after the Laytonmobile!) is definitely a stress reliever. The way the wind whips through my hair (Under the helmet, of course), the adrenaline rush from zipping down the road, and the fact that going over the speed limit (Only slightly!) means that I have to pay so much attention that I can't really think of anything else (Okay...Maybe more than just slightly…). It totally helps to eliminate the stress that comes with the daily life of being Professor Layton's Number One Assistant. I mean, taking care of pretty much everything that's on paper, solving spare puzzles, taking care of Luke between when he gets home from school and the Professor finally finishes up his day at the U, and especially keeping up my act 24/7...It gets pretty tiring. It's especially difficult after we solve a mystery. We've been gone for, like, a week, so all the mail and paperwork and puzzles just pile up, and I'm so exhausted that I just want to nap for a year. But the professor's counting on me to get my job done. (Plus, I need the money!) Oh, and my uncle would prob'ly kill me if I got fired. So I drowsily sort through everything for my employer while he teaches. I will admit, though, watching Luke is easier since he sleeps the whole time.
During the mystery is pretty bad, too. Usually, we're involved in lots of danger, so we have to be on the lookout all the time. I especially have to be cautious, since I'm the fighter. I have to be ready to defend the others at a moment's notice! And I still have to take care of Luke a lot, too, since the professor is frequently in his own world, thinking of possible solutions. I suppose there's a pretty big adrenaline rush that comes with mysteries as well, but it's worse because it lasts longer and then it's hard to sleep. And trust me, you don't want to be lacking sleep during an investigation. You miss all sorts of little clues you could have picked up on by simply resting for a few more hours. It's miserable.
I have to say, though, there's one form of stress relief that tops it all, even the Emmycycle! Nothing beats the time between leaving the mystery behind and getting back to London. It's those few precious hours when I can lean against the window of the Laytonmobile, the wind still playing with my hair, sometimes the soft, refreshing patter of sprinkling rain on my face. Just being able to vaguely stare at the beautiful sunset and rerun the events of the past few days, and the pleasure of finding the solution to the mystery, over before settling in for some puzzle solving or a nap is something I don't normally get to do. I can forget about all the paperwork and the monotony of routine waiting for me when I return. I don't have to worry about any tricks the mastermind behind the crime might pull, like sending thugs to beat us up or rigging a ferris wheel to chase us. (Look, that was the first thing that came to mind, okay! It's not like it'd actually happen…) I can just relax, feeling the wind and rain on my face, and not having to worry about anything.
And then we arrive at the office, see the mound of paperwork, and I bury my face in my hands as the magic disappears.