Disclaimer: All the rights to the Professor Layton belong to Level 5 games, not me! I would never own ANYONE of that amazing franchise.
The legend of the Dragon sapphire.
Professor Layton heaved through his nose, the transformation finally coming to an end as he gave the last few roars and growls of intense agony.
Throughout the whole procedure, Luke grasped his paw in his little hand tightly and began giving it a comforting stroke with a reassuring smile. He tried his best to provide some comfort to his mentor as he watched with terrified eyes and a fearful expression on his face. Regardless, he smoothed the fear from his breaking voice and continued to try and soothe Dragon Layton.
The Professor lain his chin exhaustedly down against the blades of grass as he squeezed his eyes shut, sweat continuing to trickle down his muzzle and clenched face as he breathed heavily with his non existent voice laced with whimpers and light-hearted purrs of relief as he laid down on the grass weakly and tiredly. His tattered clothing was on the grass surrounding the huge top hatted dragon but the sleeve cuffs and the collar remained intact again.
However the Professor hardly cared about his clothes, all he cared about was the agony he was being put through.
Luke felt really bad for the Professor. The poor man was being put through hell each morning now because of this twisted curse that has been bestowed upon him. Why him, of all people? Why Professor Hershel Layton? He did nothing to deserve this! It was just horrible...
During those final stages of the transformation everyone watched in both horror and sympathy for the gentleman turning into a fire-breathing monster. They could not find it within themselves to utter a single word; not even Randal! Flora and Clive arrived shortly before the Professor had finished transforming and were stricken with horror of what sight awaited them.
The Professor, weakened by the transformation, looked up at Flora and Clive with an exhausted look in his wise black eyes.
A weak, genuine smile widened on his muzzle as his head was held by Luke since he was too weak to even lift his own head up right now. His dark orange frills lifted happily as he glanced towards Flora and Clive with a little humour shining on his knowledgable expression. He grunted and growled in a low purr behind his tone which Luke interpreted as "Hello Flora, Clive. How are you both doing?"
Of course, neither of them spoke Dragon but they did seem to have a good inkling to what he was asking them and Clive responded for both himself and the girl he had a crush on as he gave Flora's hand a tender squeeze of reassurance "Don't worry, Professor, we're alright."
The gentleman dragon sighed through his nostrils while he tiredly flared them at the tickling of the blades of grass surrounding him.
He gave a monstrous little growl from the throat as he positioned his feet slowly in a better standing up pose and he spread his long wings out to the sides as well in an effort to stretch them and give them some very small flaps against the wind currents in order to truly get himself revitalised.
Luke, Randal, Angela, Herny, Dalston, Flora and Clive all watched in amazement as Dragon Layton pushed himself on to all fours of his paw-like claws.
Professor Layton seemed to big and mighty now as he had a somewhat regal elegance surrounding him in an aura that was free-flowing. His peculiar shadow stretched over the seven humans down below while they all watched in pure amazement of what was happening here.
They all watched in awe while Professor Layton got up to his wobbly paws but he quite quickly managed to keep himself steady when he did succeed in his task of standing independently and he gave a triumphant roar as he lifted his head up to the skies, closed his eyes and howled like a wolf as he kept his head craned up to look at the cyan blue skies that were already beginning to fill with clouds despite how early in the morning it was.
Luke smiled proudly as he watched his draconian mentor stand proud and strong in the light of dawn. It was as clear as a flowing river that the Professor was feeling empowered by the very fact that he was now a dragon once more...maybe being a dragon filled the Professor with some form of confidence or something?
Well, whatever it was, it made everyone amazed with the very fact that they were in the presence of a top hatted dragon with dark brown scales.
Professor Layton closed his eyes softly at the comforting touch of morning light shine against the back of his long neck and he felt the gentle winds tug at his ripped collar of his brown jacket. His frills bristled against the wind gently as he gently folded his wings against his back.
Clearly the sun touching him in this way was a beautiful feeling and everyone else knew that it was a very good feeling to have the sun touch your back. Plus, it also makes everyone else think cool -like someone who stars in those epic movies who poses for a trailer- and they couldn't even hope to deny that the Professor did look awesome like this.
...However, this peace was not meant to last.
A sudden bang on the front door sounded aloud along with some very loud and authorative voices were carried through the air and reached everybody's ears and they gave a look of surprise. Everyone turned to face the gate on the fence that would lead to the front door as they heard those loud voices.
"Randal Ascot, we have heard that a beast is in your home! You WILL allow us access immediately or we shall break the door down by force!"
Everyone froze when they realised who that was. It was Sheffield!
His beaky-snout mouth agape and pulled into a frown of fear, Professor Layton gave a growl-like rasp as he frantically looked around as if a solution would just magically appear in the huge back garden of the Ascot home. He had a look of concern plastered against his muzzle and his deep orange frills even dropped down to look almost lifeless on either sides of his head. He whipped his neck about worriedly before he looked down at Luke, Clive and Flora with pure worry.
He couldn't be caught, not now!
Reaching his neck downwards, The professor slipped his large neck beneath Clive and Flora before he straightened it back up to make it so both of the older children could slide down on to his back.
He was terrified when he noticed that Luke was nowhere to be seen.
(Oh no, where's Luke!?) The Professor thought, frantic roars of fear rumbling passed his throat and he reared up a few times much like a spooked mighty stallion. He was becoming so flustered that Randal and Dalston decided to rush forward and grab the Professor's muzzle, clamping it shut so he couldn't make much noise.
"Shhh!" Randal shushed the dragon wearing the top hat "Be quiet, Hershel, they might hear you!"
The Professor said nothing more. He couldn't with Dalston and Randal somehow bringing his head down to the ground and clamping it shut by wrapping their arms around his snout. He watched as Angela decided to rush after the boy as she got in through the back door. She didn't even care as she slammed the door shut behind her, most likely making the situation worse.
He knew that Randal was correct about the situation and a Gentleman such as himself getting all flustered like this would not only be very unbecoming of him but it wouldn't get him anywhere.
Taking deep breaths to calm down, the Professor closed his eyes to give himself a moments rest just encase he would need it. Flora and Clive didn't say a word on the matter but they did try what they could to comfort the Professor by stroking one of his wings.
He had no doubts that Flora and Clive would want answers for his current appearance but he would have to save that subject for later.
His apprentice was missing, after all.
He opened his eyes again when Angela reappeared with Luke. The latter carried the same bags full of spare clothes he had carried earlier and he carried his own luggage. Luke visibly staggered beneath the weight he carried but he was still running fast enough to keep up with Angela oddly enough.
The Professor quickly, and for the second time, lowered his left wing towards the ground so Luke could climb aboard his back. Luke did this and made himself comfortable in between Clive and Flora but he did shoot a look of contrast to Clive whom uneasily shifted in place at the younger teen's vicious glare.
The Professor got Randal and Dalston to release his snout with a silent nod and he stood up straight and straightened his wings out to the sides to prepare to take flight. He could still feel the rising sun warm his back and it still felt magnificent as he stared right down at his four childhood friends.
He gave them each an apologetic look as if to apologise for the trouble he put them in but they all simultaneously shook their heads. The Professor had no need to apologise since he really had no control of this and could not be blamed at all. He did need to get out of here fast, however.
Angela decided to fill the Professor in on what Henry, Dalston and herself had gathered quickly before he left as she stepped to the front of the group. She had a serious look etched on her face and she looked up at the dragon gentleman.
"Hershel," She began slowly "Henry, Dalston and I talked to some folk and gathered some information about a little island that's somewhere hidden in the Atlantic Ocean. Its a medevial themed village stuck on a land made of stone and it apparently knows all about dragons, in fact some say its where they lived."
The Professor nodded his head once with a small smile. He believed that this was the exact same place where Randal was talking about, the place apparently "Duriun". He knew exactly where the coordinates are now thanks to that investigation and he couldn't help but raise a paw that reached up and grabbed the rim of his dark top hat, tipping it it thanks.
They all gasped when the sound of the door breaking down snapped the air.
Thankfully the authorities had little knowledge of this garden...
Professor Layton crouched down on all fours, flapped his gigantic wings and instantly took to the skies with a certain grace in his movements. The sky was now a beautiful sky blue and the sun was high in the sky as it beamed against the dragon's flying form and he began to soar away into the horizon.
However then he let out a pained roar as he felt a sudden sharp prick on his bottom right hind leg. He seized a moment to investigate this and immediately found that -to his horror- there was a paralysing dart stuck on the leg he felt the pain in and now it was floppy and dangling helplessly in the air. This was a problem since having his leg dangle in such a way made it a bit harder to keep himself airborne.
Then he looked down towards Randal and the others and quickly discovered the dart's origins. A very angered Sheffield stood alongside a police officer who held a very well aimed dart gun in the same direction the draconian Professor was going. Randal and everyone else looked horrified upon seeing what they had just done to the poor Professor.
The dragon Professor Layton gave a slight whimper at the disappearing pain in his numb leg and he beat his wings continuously to try and keep himself in the air while Luke, Clive and Flora hung on tightly to the dragon's neck as if using it as a means to hold on. He felt horrible for their fear right now but he knew that a gentleman always stayed strong; it was the last thing SHE said to him.
Swallowing, the Professor shouted to Luke in his dragon-language "Luke! Try and keep Flora calm and Clive, if you can, try and call the Bostonious!"
Luke nodded determinedly and he desperately repeated what the Professor said to Clive who grabbed a phone-like device and tapped a button over and over while Luke grabbed a hold of Flora whom sat on his left as she was clearly shaken up by the whole experience.
While the Professor flapped his wings harder and harder, he gnashed his fangs in determination and he narrowed his eyes sharply whilst he began to ascend to the deserts below. He squeezed his eyes shut and craned his neck upwards to try and keep himself up but this proved utterly fruitless and sweat began to trickle down his adorable dragon face.
(Come on, wings, don't fail me now!) Dragon Layton thought desperately as he -once again- raised a claw to hold on to his little top hat just encase it should blow off of his head.
He growled. He wasn't going to let this beat him!
However, before he could think anymore, he suddenly found himself leaning heavily against a blimp...his biological brother's blimp, to be specific!
The Professor grinned in relief as he turned his head to get a view of who was piloting this contraption.A confused expression managed to plaster across his muzzle as he peered in through the glass to the pilot's bay and he saw Descole driving it with a supportive grin tugging on his lips. Thank goodness, he wasn't going down anytime soon but he could hear the chief inspector Sheffield's voice be carried through the wind as it arrived at their hearing range.
"You think this is over, winged-monster, then you have 'nother thing comin'! The police will find you and you will be locked away!"
And just like that, the voice was gone and left a very unsettling silence in its wake. It was so obviously a vow thrown to only the Professor but many questions arisen from this:
Why did the police want him?
When did they discover him being a dragon?
What was going to happen next?
...Only time would reveal what the answers to those queries are.
A/N: Oooh! The Professor and team are going to this place called "Duriun" and its a place in the middle of the ocean. Now Descole will join us too on this little adventure, it seems.
Who else will we see?
And what on earth is with the police?
Will they capture our favourite top-hat-wearing, gentleman Professor?
Stay tuned and find out!
-Chloemcg
