Hey there! Thanks so much for viewing my previous episodes! Here's part 2! Sorry it took so long to come up! I was struggling for ideas! I hope that you enjoy them! Abitat Eco :) :) :) :) :)
Episode 7: Life in a lab
How well did Lisa and Descole really get on when they were friends? Just what did Lisa do to upset Descole so that he threw her out? Time to find out-Dedicated to my friend Liv for her support, feedback and request! :) :) :)
It was a dark night; impenetrable beckoning clouds shielded the dark blanket of stars from clear vision, casting several eerie shadows across the street and making it seem darker than it really was. Hail pounded against the pavement and threatened to smash through the rooftops, as the flowers and plants almost drowned with the never ending rain they were receiving. All of the streetlights were on outside, but the grey clouds made their lights appear all blurry and foggy, as if they were running out of light energy and were starting to dim as if staying lit was too much of an effort for them. There was also a deafening wind, howling through the streets and freeing several tree branches and pebbles with ease. Streaking down to the ground in an elegant zigzag formation, lightening lit up the miserable scene and illuminated the empty streets and some of the damage that this storm was causing. The lightening also picked out the large shape of a tall building, with dozens of glass windows as it towered up into the sky several storeys high. The huge plaque displayed at the entrance gave away the building's identity as it stood proudly amongst the smaller buildings. It was a laboratory dedicated to the wonders of science and judging by all of the dark windows, it was currently deserted, apart from one youth who was running down the spiral staircase at a fast pace, desperate to leave the building and return home. He eventually arrived at the foot of the staircase and made his way swiftly towards the exit.
The youth had stayed over much later than intended: He was determined to finish off his research on a new type of volatile chemical that had just been discovered in the laboratory, but being so engrossed in his work, he hadn't noticed how quickly time had flown by, or even noticed the horrendous storm that had been brewing for the past few hours. He rolled his emerald eyes and placed a hand over his chestnut hair, wrapping his lab coat tightly around himself before he dared to face the storm. Sighing in agitation, the youth forced open the door, quickly locked it and raced off towards his car, running for some form of shelter as if his life depended on it. He'd only run for four metres and already his hair hung low against his shoulders, dripping with rain water and soaking his back. The man growled.
"Can this day get any worse? !" he exclaimed loudly as he finally made it to his car. The man was just about to open his car, when he suddenly stopped. Something had caught his eye. Something that made his heart ache with pity: Curled up and shivering next to his car underneath the porch of the building nearest to the lab , was a young girl, looking incredibly weak and as if she was holding on to life by the thinnest thread. Cautiously, the youth tiptoed over to where she lay and examined her more closely. Her hair, he presumed, was a golden shade of blonde, although he couldn't tell by all of the dirt and grime that had invaded her hair. Her eyes were closed and a tear leaked out from under them and dampened the vast number of scratches and scars that covered her white cheeks. Her clothes were ripped and torn, so it was obvious that she had been sleeping on the streets and even more marks of pain were visible on her body. The man fell to his knees upon sight of the poor child, unable to take in the gruesome details. He may not be the nicest person in the world, often snapping to his colleagues on more than one occasion, but he did have a heart and he was no monster to just leave her there to die. Tenderly, he picked her up, being careful not to break any of her bones or cause her more damage, before carrying her back into the lab…
"M…miss?" asked a slurred and unrecognisable voice, "Miss?"
Shaking with fear, the child opened her eyes, squinting at the light above her. She blinked her sapphire eyes several times to adjust to it, peering around at her surroundings. From what she could make out, she was in a lab of some sort. Plasters and bandages covered various parts of her body and her skin felt fresh and spotless, no longer plastered in dirt or grime. Her hair had been put into two pigtails and she found that she was wearing a white coat which looked like it was from a lab or hospital…the man hovering over her with a cold compress and a medical kit made it plainly obvious. She shrieked and tried to sit up, escaping this room of torture. She was one hundred per cent sure that she was in a hospital or asylum, as tears flooded down her face. The man's face was twisted with concern as he gently tried to get her to sit upright, patting her back constantly and saying several words of assurance to her. The girl froze and immediately stopped struggling; his voice was too kind to be from an asylum doctor.
"W…w…where am….I?" the girl choked, getting the words out with difficulty.
"It's okay, miss," he said in a caring tone, "You are in my laboratory. Please don't panic! I found you almost unconscious next to my car. I couldn't just leave you there!"
The girl calmed down a little and focused on the stunning emerald eyes of one of the humans who actually had a heart.
"Th…Th…Thank you," she faltered as he placed another compress on her head, "I don't mean to intrude—"
"Of course not, miss!" he exclaimed, "I'll try to get you sorted and on your feet again but for now this is all I can do…I should send you to a hospital tomorrow and get you properly—"
"NO!" the girl yelled, starting to struggle again. The tears seeped down her cheeks once again, "Please don't send me there! PLEASE!"
The man instantly stopped, feeling extremely shocked and concerned for the terrified child. He figured that she had to be in shock to be acting so strange.
"I'm sorry, miss!" he said loudly, feeling incredibly guilty, "Please calm down! Tell me your name and where your parents live. If you've run away from home then I'll take you back and explain—"
"My name is…L…Lisa," the girl wept, "I…I have no parents and yes…I sort of ran away from home…I fled…the orphanage and—"
"Have been sleeping rough on the streets for several days?" guessed the man as he held her hands tightly, "Please, miss, tell me everything."
Lisa immediately stopped crying. He was the first person in weeks to hold her hand and actually show her love and she knew that she could trust him-he did just save her life after all.
"W…well," she began slowly, "My parents died when I was very young and my…granddad took me in…he…he cared for me. He did research on…gorgons and…they took him away to an asylum and I went to an orphanage where…I was permanently tortured by the other children and staff so…I fled the orphanage and…and…"
She trailed off as the man looked at her with worry.
His heat filled with sympathy for the girl. He now understood why she was so scared of hospitals and he couldn't say that he blamed her. He wouldn't return her to the orphanage; he would never be able to forgive himself. He looked at Lisa with wide eyes.
"You have nowhere to go?" he asked as he carefully dried away her tears.
Lisa nodded, biting her lip.
"Well, I'll tell you what, Lisa," he said confidently, "If it will make you happy, I'll let you come and stay with me. You can be my 'little assistant' and I'll make you up a bed in my home. If you want to of course…"
The girl gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock, her eyes continuously blinking as the offer hit her with a great impact.
"R…Really?" she spluttered, hardly able to believe her ears, "No…no joke?"
"No joke," he answered simply with a warm smile, "My name is Jean. Jean Descole. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lisa—"
He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Lisa sprang at him, flinging her arms tightly around his neck as tears of happiness streamed down her face.
"Thank you! Oh, thank you so much, Jean!" she wept with joy as he gently returned the embrace to her, "I'll never leave you, Jean! I'll love you every day!"
Jean smiled and brushed away a tear as well. He had never had anyone to cherish and love-this little girl was exactly what he needed and she needed a parent, which he would be to the highest possible standard.
"I will love you too, Lisa. I will love you every minute of every day and never leave your side either-and if I break that promise, may the Devil come and claim my soul…."
"Yes! I did it! Look, Jean! Look at this!"
Jean swung his head quickly in the girl's direction, rather taken aback at her exclamation of excitement.
"Wh…what is it, Lisa?" he asked curiously, "Have you made a new chemical or discovered something?"
Lisa beamed; she was feeling rather pleased with herself as she showed Jean her experiment. Two baby snakes were laid out in two boxes. One had been in the dark, one in the light. She'd placed them in these places, then altered the temperature but kept the place the same and lastly, she'd monitored their behaviour to see a difference and what they acted best in. Jean scanned the page with their results on and smiled proudly, tugging her pigtails playfully and ruffling her hair.
"That's a good girl, Lisa!" he praised as she picked up a jug of hydrochloric acid and began adding it to several different types of liquids, "You are the very picture of a true scientist, my dear and the world holds so many different possibilities for you! I know that you will choose the right path into the future to be destined for greatness."
"Please don't exaggerate, Jean!" she giggled, blushing slightly, "You know perfectly well that I'll do well, but I won't be some type of scientific hero like Einstein or Pythagoras—"
"Lisa, how many times must I tell you?" he asked in a slightly agitated manner, which he quickly covered up with a wide smile, "You are only fifteen and you have a mind like mine-an experienced scientist!"
He casually walked over to the desk, picking up a large book and handing it to the teenager, who gasped with pleasure at receiving such a gift.
"Is…Is this the book that I—"
"Of course, my dear," said Jean as he wrapped her fingers around it, "Only the best for my 'little assistant'! I ordered it not too long ago but I do hope that you'll like it! I know how much you love snakes after all and it is just like the one that you…well…"
Jean trailed off. Talking about the orphanage only made Lisa upset and angry, so he decided to never mention the place to the girl ever again.
Lisa smiled gratefully and immediately began flicking through the pages, being glued to the fascinating content and stroking the pictures with her pages. She glared playfully at Jean, her eyebrows slightly raised.
"Oh please, Jean!" she laughed as she threw herself on top of one of the laboratory seats, "I'm not that little anymore! I'm fifteen and I'm catching you up on height!"
Jean laughed with her, wishing that Lisa was still a younger child like she was when he took her in.
"I know, Lisa my dear," he sighed running his fingers through her golden locks, "You were when we first met though-you were about thirteen and you were a tiny little thing—"
"Jean!" hissed Lisa as some of the scientists started making irritating imitations of Jean loving her.
He laughed loudly and handed Lisa some more alkalis to experiment with. Lisa smiled, thanking him profusely before being sucked into the experiment, focusing so hard that she didn't even appear to be blinking. Jean smiled lovingly at her as one of his colleagues advanced towards him, smiling uncertainly as he saw the look of pride on Jean's face.
"You're very...devoted to the girl..." he stated.
Jean looked at the man carefully, feeling quite uneasy about his attitude.
"The girl is called 'Lisa'," he said slowly, "You would be great if you did have children, but I must say that Lisa and I were destined to meet. I dread to think what could've happened if I'd have left her. She is destined for greatness…and I don't know what my life would be like without her…."
Roland raised his eyebrows, licking his lips nervously.
"You used to be devoted to science and your work, but Lisa has certainly changed all of that and now you're a proper family man!"
Jean glared at Roland menacingly.
"So?" he asked, raising his voice slightly, "What is your point, exactly?"
Roland took a step back, but focused his eyes firmly on Jean.
"My point is, Jean, that Lisa is distracting you from your work. They grow separate as they grow older. You're not as devoted as—"
"DO YOU DARE ORDER ME HOW TO DO MY JOB? !" Jean roared making Roland's mouth fall open, "LISA IS UNDER MY CARE AND FAMILY COMES BEFORE STUDIES—"
"J…Jean?" stammered Lisa, who had just ran over to the spot where the two scientists were arguing, "Is…Is everything okay? I don't distract you from your studies….do I? Please…say if—"
"Don't be ridiculous, Lisa!" he said in a much softer tone, "You are one of the reasons why I love my job so much. I just want you to be happy and to do well. I love you, you know that…"
Several scientists in the lab immediately turned to each other, worry and doubt creasing their faces.
"He's never snapped like this before. What could've happened to him?"
"He's the boss-but he won't be much longer if he does stuff like this and isn't as devoted to his job as the rest of us!"
"Remind me how he got the job again?"
"Don't you all have work to be getting on with?" Jean said calmly, but with an unmistakable trace of danger in his voice.
The scientists immediately feel silent and returned to their tables, constantly muttering to each other the whole time. Lisa looked up at Jean with wide eyes, now becoming watery with the tears that threatened to fall from them. Jean instantly pulled Lisa into a large hug and let her snivel into his lab coat whilst the other scientists looked on, some smirking and some feeling incredibly guilty.
"Lisa, please. You know me. You know the truth. I will always put you before my job—"
"I know, Jean. Please tell me if it is the case though. Please?"
Jean kissed her forehead lightly.
"Of course, dear. I will."
Lisa wiped away her tears, before looking at Jean brightly.
"You brought me my book," she started, running over to the table and pulling out a velvet piece of clothing, "So I got you this. I brought it a while ago. Thank you, Jean!"
Jean gasped in pleasant surprise. He rarely received presents and to receive one from Lisa made his heart swell with happiness. Excitedly, he thanked Lisa and unfolded the present: It was a long dark velvet cloak that fell to his ankles, sweeping the floor with every step he took and a white mask fell out from underneath, made to cover his eyes. Jean looked gratefully at Lisa, who was squealing with excitement.
"Try them on! Try them on!" she ordered, helping Jean tie the ribbon that fastened the cloak.
"Lisa…I…I don't know what to say…thank you….thank you so…so much…." He faltered.
Lisa took a step back and beamed, pleased that her gift went down well in Jean's books.
"Oooh! You look just like the Phantom of the Opera!"
Peering into the mirror next to the table, Jean laughed loudly, knowing that the comparison couldn't be more appropriate-he looked just like the Phantom of the Opera, with his flowing cloak and icy white mask. He swished it behind him, striding elegantly backwards and forwards in a dramatic manner, making Lisa laugh with him.
"You are right, Lisa," he smirked, "I'm Jean Jacques Descole! The Phantom of the Laboratory!"
One thing was for certain-today was one of Jean's happiest days ever…
"Where. Have. You. Been?" the outraged voice demanded from the corner of the room.
"You are in no position to take that tone with me, young lady. Where I go is my business only and no one else's! As my adopted daughter, you should understand!"
Lisa turned around to face her guardian, her mascara all smudged and ruined from the tears that she had been shedding and her eyes were a scarlet red from where she had been rubbing them. Her blond hair hung in an untidy mess down her back, as she tapped her foot against the tiles of the floor impatiently, waiting for a satisfactory explanation.
"I know, Jean," she said in a softer tone, "However, as your adopted daughter, I also have the right to know where you've been and what you've been doing so late at night. You know I don't like being left on my own!"
Jean frowned. He was still wearing the cloak that she had brought him all those years ago and his mask was currently a useful tool for hiding the anger in his eyes.
"You know perfectly well yourself what I've been doing!" he snapped.
Lisa glared at him through her sore eyelids.
"Oh, do I?" she asked sarcastically, folding her arms across her chest, "I'm sure that I can guess! Hmm…What could it be? Oh! I know! You've been hanging out with them again, whilst leaving me here on my own!"
Jean inhaled and exhaled, his temper starting to rise to boiling point.
"Yes, I have been with them," he growled, "They do have names, my dear. Roland, Jakes—"
"You're still with them? !" Lisa gasped, "I thought Jakes got arrested and Roland was a complete lunatic—"
"Don't you dare talk about them like that!" Jean shouted, "Yes, Jakes is in jail-no thanks to 'I'm the greatest gentleman' Professor Hershel Layton!"
Lisa raised her eyebrows, looking at the newspaper that displayed the Professor's face, as if it was a repulsive speck of dirt.
"Professor Layton? Again?" Lisa said quietly, "You've talked about him so much. What's so special about him anyway—"
"ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" roared Jean as Lisa backed away uncertainly, "He, his lame excuse of an assistant and that meddling Triton brat brought down an indestructible machine and ruined my plans! Made all my time blackmailing Triton such a waste! To think that was a few weeks ago! I swear, one day I will avenge Layton!"
Lisa took the smallest step forward that she could manage.
"J…Jean," she stammered, "L…Let me help you. If this Layton professor is bringing you down, then he and his bratty assistants will have me to deal with! No one will ruin your plans! I won't let them! They will die before I let them treat you like dirt! Please, Jean! Please let me help! I can help! I can prove myself! I want to—"
"Don't be so ridiculous!" he snapped, swishing his cloak, "If I can't win then there is absolutely no way that you will succeed!"
Lisa's face jerked as if he'd just slapped her. Jean had never spoken to her like this. Her frown deepened and she clenched her fists.
"I never get the chance to prove myself!" she shouted, "I want to help you! I'm nineteen! I can easily take down his assistants at least! Please! I feel useless—"
"That's because sometimes you are!" Jean snarled. Something had snapped in him-something that had changed his personality forever.
"Well, why? ! Why, eh? ! I get left alone here every time you go and plan some wonderful plan that always FAILS! You spent six months-SIX MONTHS blackmailing that man! Where was I? Did I even enter your mind? No! I was tucked away here, working! Helping people! Like you've always wanted me to be!"
"Yes, but not me! I don't need your help, Lisa!" he growled.
"YES YOU DO!" Lisa yelled even louder, turning scarlet in the face, "Why do you blackmail and kidnap and try to kill people anyway? ! I thought that you wanted to be a good scientist to work for greatness! That's what you told me when I was younger! What's happened now to change it all, eh? ! Science has gone over your head and this Layton is the only thing you can think about! I love you and need you! I feel like I'm at the orphanage when you leave me! Roland hates me! They all do! What did you say all those years ago about 'Family being before work'? They've poisoned you against me—"
"THEY HAVE NOT! DO YOU DARE—"
"YES. I. DO!" roared Lisa, anger pumping through her veins, "YOU SAVED MY LIFE AND I WANT TO HELP BUT IT'S NEVER GOOD EOUGH FOR YOU, IS IT? ! YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST, YOU WANT TO BE EGOTISTIC AND YOU WANT TO BE SOMEONE I WISH NOT TO SEE! SCIENTISTS DON'T KIDNAP, KILL OR THREATEN PEOPLE! TERRORISTS DO! YOU'RE NO SCIENTIST, DESCOLE, YOU'RE A TERRORIST!"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Descole roared, being the loudest he had ever been in his life, "I AM A SCIENTIST AND A BRILLIANT ONE TOO FOR YOUR INFORMATION! I'M FAR BETTER THAN YOUR PRECIOUS GRANDDAD!"
Those last few words were like a trigger for Lisa: Her anger literally exploded.
"DON'T. YOU . DARE. SAY. THAT. ABOUT . MY. GRANDDAD!" Lisa screamed which made Descole stagger backwards in shock, "I'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR YOU! I'VE TRIED TO PLEASE YOU AND IT NEVER WORKS, YOU HEARTLESS TERRORIST! MY GRANDDAD IS WORTH A MILLION OF YOU! EVEN IN THAT ASYLUM I FEEL HIS LOVE! YOU'VE NEVER LOVED ME! I HATE YOU DESCOLE!"
Descole clenched his knuckles and gritted his teeth, before flying across the room to Lisa and slamming her firmly against the wall, making her squeal in pain.
"YOU LISTEN HERE!" he roared into her ear, "I USED TO LOVE YOU AND I CAN SEE WHY I PREFER THE COMPANY OF PEOPLE OF MY STANDARD! PEOPLE WHO ARE 'EXPERIENCED SCIENTISTS!' NOW YOU WILL LEARN TO ACCEPT THINGS OR I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU JOIN HIM!"
"IS THAT MEANT TO BE A THREAT, DESCOLE? !" Lisa roared back, "MY GRANDDAD IS STILL ALIVE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DIDN'T THINK! I USED TO LOVE YOU AND DO YOU LOVE ME? NO! YOU ARE CRUEL AND HEARTLESS! WELL, YOU DO HAVE A HEART BUT IT IS MADE OF COLD STONE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE NOT A STONE HEARTED MONSTER! I HATE YOU AND I HOPE THAT LAYTON GIVES YOU ALL THE PAIN YOU DESERVE! AS FOR THAT 'PROMISE' YOU MADE TO LOVE ME FOREVER AND WHAT YOU HOPED WOULD HAPPEN TO YOU IF THAT WASN'T THE CASE, WELL HEAR ME NOW: I HOPE THE DEVIL COMES AND CLAIMS YOUR STONE SOUL ONE DAY!"
The only sound was a quiet rasping as Descole pressed hard on Lisa's windpipe, stopping her from breathing. He grabbed her hair and forced her head upwards so that it was level with his face. All of his hatred and anger flooded out of his system as he glared evilly into Lisa's blazing eyes.
"All I have to do is press down and you'll be with your beloved parents," Descole snarled, "However, because I DO have a heart and I'm such a humble scientist-I will let you live. Believe me, that is a kindness!"
Lisa spluttered as he let her drop to the floor, before Descole dragged her to the laboratory door by her hair, opening it and throwing her out onto the streets, glaring evilly after her with a look as evil as the Devil's. Lisa gasped, tears stinging her eyelids as she examined her scraped hands and the red mark on her neck as she looked back at Descole, her heart filled with betrayal and anger.
"You survived being on the streets before," yelled Descole as she shuffled away in terror, "Let's see if you can do it again! IT WILL DO YOU GOOD! FROM THIS DAY, I SHALL STAY BY MY HUMBLE TERRORIST WAYS, NOW BEING GIVEN THE CHANCE TO DO SO! YOU HELD ME BACK FROM MY GOAL AND NOW YOU CAN GET OUT, YOU UNGRATEFUL WRETCH! IF OUR PATHS SHOULD EVER CROSS AGAIN, BELIEVE ME, I WILL MAKE YOU WISH THAT YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN, ADAMSON!"
Adamson. This was the first time that he had called her this, the first in her life and the last. Descole snarled when he saw that Lisa wasn't moving and drew out his sword, which immediately caused her to run away, with Descole's evil laughter ringing in her ears.
"WHY? !" she screamed after Descole before vanishing from sight.
Falling to her knees, she let her tears fall. All of the happy times they had spent together, all of their memories, of the times she actually felt loved-gone. Lost forever. She was on her own again, just like when she was a child with not a thing to lead her to greatness, like Descole had promised her. She did have something though-her knowledge of snakes and science. Lisa dried away her tears, before clenching her fists and glaring after the locked door with sheer loathing.
"I'll get you, Descole!" she spat, "One day, I will make you sorry! I will make you sorry and I will make Layton sorry too!"
With one last look, she turned on her heel and ran in the other direction to anywhere that would offer shelter, determined to get her revenge on the person whom she had been loved by and betrayed by the most…
There you go Liv! Did you enjoy that? Nice and evil Descole in one! I love him too-who doesn't?! :) Final episode for this part is coming up! Next is the profiles and then part 3 and 4 of the episodes. I'm sorry about the length! Here is the next episode then! Enjoy! :) :) :) :) :)
Episode 8: Talking and tea
Emmy receives some good news and rushes to tell the Professor as they talk about how well their case went. ProfessorxEmmy-Dedicated to Lady Eris/Glaceon Girl for her feedback and idea of LaytonxEmmy :)
Professor Layton sat quietly in his Gressenheller office, his eyes closed in concentration. His fingers found the several sheets of parchment sprawled untidily across his desk, as he barely gripped the edges of the paper and his aching wrists fell among the pages. The pen that was glued to his right hand remained in a firm tight grip as Layton slumped over, feeling incredibly tired. Marking all these exams had to be done, but he had been doing the same thing for several days and by now, he was starting to get a bit bored of it. He sighed loudly, scribbling red ink figures on the edge of his hundredth exam paper and leaned back in his chair, trying to get rid of the cramp in his back that had occurred halfway through the marking. The Professor pulled his top hat over his eyes and yawned widely.
"I can't believe I'm only two thirds through them all!" he exclaimed, "I'll continue the rest in the morning but for now…"
He trailed off, hardly able to wait until bed time when he could finally rest and be free of the mountain of paperwork. How he longed to see one of his assistants and be free from the chore. Luke was busy unpacking at the moment, as he had just moved to London with his parents from America once it was all sorted out, Flora had gone to the park with Clive for a little while and Emmy…he had no idea where she was.
"Ah well," he said sadly, "As long as they're happy and this job is done, I'm—"
"PROFESSOR!" yelled a familiar voice at the doorway over the loud banging that they were causing.
Layton almost fell of his chair in shock at the commotion. The 'knocking' continued, booming loudly through the University corridors. Clearly whoever had come to see the Professor was very excited and eager. The Professor composed himself and then paused. There was only one person he knew who had a knock like that. He rose from his chair and ran to his office door, several seconds after the angry voice of Rosa added extra volume to the corridor.
"Look here!" she yelled crossly, "Who do you think you are, eh? ! Causing a racket like that when the poor Professor is trying to mark some exam papers, for goodness sake! HOW RUDE AND UNLADYLIKE IS TH…Oh! It's you!"
Layton smiled and carefully opened the door to see the grinning face of his number one assistant beaming up at him, with Rosa's cheeks burning a fiery red as she cowered in the corner of the corridor.
"Emmy!" greeted the Professor warmly, "How nice to see you!"
Emmy grinned back, her eyes betraying immense excitement and her cheeks appearing a flustered colour as if she had just run straight to Gressenheller from her house without stopping, in her haste to visit the Professor. Her wavy hair hung down her back, seeming to bounce with every movement the girl made. Layton smiled, but something caught his attention-something that made his mouth fall open upon sight of it. Emmy was no longer wearing her lemon suit and her dark boots- she was dressed in a stunning golden dress, with hundreds of sequins covering every inch of it, glittering in the soft light from the lamp in the corridor. Golden high heeled shoes were strapped to her feet, giving off the same beautiful glow of warmth and beauty. Her smile faded when she saw the shocked look on the Professor's face.
"P…Professor?" she asked uncertainly, "Are you okay? Look, I know it's rude to intrude and interrupt you when you're marking exams, but—"
"N…No, not at all, Emmy!" he faltered, unable to take his eyes off of her, "Emmy, my dear…you look…stunning. Truly stunning…like a sun Goddess…you're simply…beautiful…"
Emmy opened her mouth at the Professor's words: she had shocked him mightily, it was plainly obvious. She returned her smile and blushed bright red at the Professor. He was always such a gentleman, yet he'd never paid her a compliment like this before.
"Th…Thank you, Professor," she stammered as Rosa clasped her hands together and beamed with delight at Emmy's dress. They obviously were entranced by it-like it had hypnotised them with its splendour.
"The Professor's right, Emmy! Oh I am sorry about earlier! I never thought it was you!" said Rosa, still gazing at her dress, "You look…look…I can't describe it myself…golden!"
Emmy smiled at Rosa before looking at the Professor seriously.
"Is it convenient, Professor?"
"Of course, Emmy! Please come in! Anything for a lady like yourself, my dear!" he said gesturing towards his office, "Rosa, could you please—"
"On it, Professor! Two cups of tea coming right up for the true gentleman and lady!" she joked before hurrying off in the opposite direction, clutching her apron tightly and still blushing over her misunderstanding.
Layton grinned after her, before ushering Emmy into his untidy office, trying to pull his gaze away from her dress. Layton pulled a wooden chair next to his fabric sofa and gestured towards the sofa, plumping up the cushions to make Emmy comfortable. She smiled gratefully and perched herself on the edge of the sofa, smirking at how untidy his study looked.
"Well, this is a first, Professor!" she joked as her eyes found the mountain of jumbled up paperwork on his desk, "Usually your office is so neat and tidy, but this is the height of non-gentlemanly behaviour! Is Rosa on strike or something?"
Layton chuckled at his assistant's joke, pulling his top hat further down his head as he blushed slightly.
"I know, Emmy; a true gentleman always takes note of his tidiness. No, Rosa isn't on strike, not to say that she isn't having words with me about my behaviour, but it's well…busy because it's the season of—"
"Oh, Professor!" said Emmy sadly, "You've caught the 'ESF', haven't you? You even have the symptoms for it- non-gentlemanly behaviour at times, tiredness, obsessions with cups of tea and more!"
Layton simply blinked in a confused manner.
"'ESF'?" he asked uncertainly, "What do you mean by that, Emmy? I have never heard of such a medical disease or illness by that name—"
"Of course you haven't, Professor!" Emmy laughed, "'Exam Season Flu!' That's what I call it!"
Layton smiled weakly; it really was making him tired, but he fought hard not to supress a yawn.
"Indeed! Indeed! I suppose I do have that!" he said happily, "Anyway that entire issue aside. Emmy, I have a few questions. First, why are you wearing such a magnificent outfit and second, you are obviously eager to tell me something, so please tell me: I'm all ears!"
Emmy beamed widely as Rosa slowly opened the door and staggered into the office, supporting a large tray of chocolate cookies and two steaming cups of tea. The Professor smiled thankfully at her as Emmy did too, before allowing her to continue with her cleaning in the other study rooms. Emmy watched her go, before turning to the Professor, her eyes sparkling.
"Okay…here you go then, Professor!" she squealed, hardly able to contain her excitement, "Well…I got a letter a few hours ago…from Scotland Yard…and…well...I PASSED MY TEST! I AM NOW AN INSPECTOR!"
The Professor smiled proudly, beaming broadly at Emmy before throwing his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Emmy almost fell off of the sofa in shock as she threw her arms around Layton and hugged him also. The Professor had never shown her this much affection before, so it was obvious that he was very pleased with her and her new achievement. At last, he loosened his grip and smiled at Emmy, a tear of joy in the corner of his eye.
"Oh, Emmy!" he exclaimed proudly, "You…you passed the test? I'm so…so…so proud of you, my dear! Of course, I knew from the beginning that you wouldn't fail that test! If you can solve some of the most baffling cases with Luke and myself then surely that would have been a piece of cake in your opinion!"
Emmy blushed severely, straightening out her dress and smiling in response.
"I didn't just pass," she continued proudly, "I passed with distinction!"
The Professor smiled even more, feeling immensely pleased and happy that the future already held countless possibilities for his number one assistant.
"My heartiest congratulations, Inspector Altava!" he pronounced, raising his top hat politely to her, "Wait until the others hear this exciting news! They'll all be so thrilled, Emmy! Oh, I can't tell you how proud I am of you!"
Emmy grinned at the way he addressed her, puffing out her chest proudly and taking a large bite of a chocolate chip cookie. She grinned as the taste sweetened her tongue, spreading the flavour through her whole mouth.
"These are really nice, Professor-my favourites too!" she said through large mouthfuls of her second cookie, "These are Flora's, I presume?"
The Professor nodded.
"Oh yes, she was in that kitchen all day yesterday and I think that she is doing rather well!" he answered happily, "Only the best cookies for my number one Inspector assistant! Please, tell me how Clive reacted."
Emmy smirked at the Professor's question, swallowing the rest of her cookie.
"Oh he was over the moon! I am too, actually! If he dares call me 'Old Emmy' again, then all I have to do is pull out a pair of handcuffs and take him back to jail! That will teach him how 'Old Emmy' handles things!" she joked, mulling over the thought, "He's at the park with Flora now, so I presume that the number one apprentice is unpacking?"
"Yes, Emmy. I'll tell him and his parents when I next see him. Again you should be proud of your achievements and if Clive saw you now, he would have to call you 'Beautiful Emmy' not 'Old Emmy'. He is still young deep down I suppose!"
Emmy nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I know Professor!" she responded, looking up into his eyes, "Still, I'm glad that he's recovered. Now I'm a police officer, I could go to America and give that monster an even longer sentence!"
Layton shook his head quickly, frowning in disapproval.
"What she did was inexcusable, Emmy, I must agree," he started sternly, "However, that is not how a true lady behaves, is it?"
Emmy shook her head quickly, looking quite guilty.
"Sorry, Professor," she said quietly, "Who would've thought that we'd end up battling a whole herd of gorgons though? !"
The Professor laughed gently at Emmy's comment.
"Well, let's just say that it will be hard to find an even harder and more 'Laytonesque' mystery after that one!" he exclaimed, "I must say though, my dear, it was such a good job that you had been teaching Clive and Flora those fencing sessions. If you hadn't then…I dread to think what could've happened…"
Emmy placed a hand reassuringly on his shoulder, smiling modestly.
"I never got to thank you enough back there, though," he continued, "Back then, in the fighting. You never gave up even when the going seemed hard, so I must commend you on that as well. Flora was…injured back then…and before the gorgon could petrify her, you rushed in to defend her and risked your life for me, Luke, Clive, Flora, Luke's parents and…well…everyone in the whole world to be exact! You also attempted to save Luke and managed to get him away from Lisa…whilst fighting the remaining gorgons and then how you tried to save Brenda from the snakes…let's say one thing, my dear: You are the picture of a true strong lady. You're intelligent, brave, strong willed, witty, feisty and…I could make the list go on. You have certainly progressed well, Emmy. I just wish that I could've tutored you when you were younger…I'm extremely proud of you, as always, Inspector Altava!"
Emmy sat silently for several minutes and the only sound was the loud crunching of her eating her fourth cookie, added to the never ending silence.
"Oh…Hershel…," she faltered after several moments, "I…I don't know what to say…I just…you have never spoken to me like this before…as a mentor…and as a friend…a best friend…you give me so much praise and look after me and out for me and—"
"That's because it is all true, my dear!" Layton interrupted, "I must say that everyone was heartbroken when you were believed to be petrified by the gorgon. I knew that you weren't really petrified, but I still missed you…we all did. I want to say thank you for being such a wonderful assistant!"
Emmy wiped the tear from the corner of her eyes and shuffled closer towards the Professor.
"Oh, Hershel! It's thanks to you that I am who I am! I only want to do well and impress you as my mentor. Thank you, but really it is yourself who should be getting the credit!"
"Please, don't be so modest, Inspector Altava!"
Emmy smiled wider than ever and folded her arms across her chest.
"Oh! The answer to the other question, Professor," she started, "Well, I'm wearing this dress because…well…" She began wringing her hands nervously, which made Layton rather uncomfortable, "I was wondering if…maybe you'd like to go for a drink with me to the local restaurant? For tea and a hot meal? Just the two of us as good friends?"
The Professor immediately smiled, reaching out his hand for his assistant's as he looked directly into her pleading eyes.
"As friends and as a celebration for your tremendous achievement…of course, Emmy. I would love to. You're all dressed up and ready to go, but as for me—"
"Please," she begged, "Come as you are! You look the picture of a true gentleman yourself and…a gentleman always follows the request of a beautiful lady!"
Layton chuckled loudly.
"Emmy, you little mercenary! You know I can't deny your request so…of course! It has been a while since I've been out for a meal with my friend and number one assistant and Flora and Clive should be a few more hours so…I think it's a wonderful idea! Just us two!"
Emmy squealed with triumph like an excited child and punched the air gleefully.
"Oh, Hershel! Thank you so, so, so, so, so much!"
"There's no need to thank me, my dear!" laughed Layton as Emmy threw her arms around him once again, "It was your suggestion. However, before we go, we should drink our tea. You haven't touched a drop and it will be cold soon!"
Emmy grinned before picking up her cup and clinking it gently against the Professor's, as he held up his palm quickly.
"Don't drink yet! I wish to make a toast!" He focused seriously on Emmy as she hesitantly pulled her cup to a lower level. "Now then, a toast to Inspector Emmy Altava-the bravest, most intelligent, most beautiful and feisty—"
"Hershel!"
"Sorry! I couldn't resist!" he chuckled, "As I was saying: The best number one assistant in the world!"
"A toast to Professor Hershel Layton!" responded Emmy, "The cleverest, bravest and every other positive quality under the sun, whatever that means, in the world!"
Smiling warmly at each other, the two cups clinked together as both Emmy and the Professor drank their tea in one go, glad that they had each found a true friend for life and a new relationship, which had never gone on between them…
That's episode 8 done! I find writing these really fun! Like it said: EMMY AND THE PROFESSOR ARE FRIENDS! It won't go into anything MAJOR! Lol! Sorry to anyone who didn't like the EmmyxLayton, but I try to satisfy everyone. I'm on holiday at the moment so that is why I've taken a while to update. Next are the profiles and then part 3 of the episodes. You may skip the profiles if you wish as they are pretty lengthy, but reveal new information about the characters. I'll update very soon! Plant peace for the planet and see you around! Abitat Eco :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)