Disclaimer: I don't own Professor Layton nor Rosa or Luke Triton since they both belong to Level-5 games and nobody else, in fact I own nobody of the professor layton franchise!
Down goes the apprentice.
Sabres clashed as each blade was swung expertly, each one trying to block the attack of the opposing sword. The sound of metal coliding with each ear-piercing "clang" smashed through the stormy breeze and threatened what would have made such a beautiful afternoon.
The professor used one hand to grip on to his hat while he used the other to hold on to his sword. He whipped it about to try and pierce through the wind and make his sword at least touch his foe, a few times he knicked the scientist's purple coat but that was only a few swift occasions.
He adjusted his footing as he continued to battle Don Poalo, his olive green shoes thumped against the wing of the strange machine as their battlefield hovered in the storm-laden air that rumbled around them as they each fought one another. Professor Layton smacked his sword against Don Poalo's as they duelled it out and were relentless in their pursuit of each other's defeat. The professor was growing increasingly agitated, steadily and breathlessly, because the scientist was getting so slippery.
The professor growled through gritted teeth as he swiped his sword again, blocking an attack from Don's blade, and he narrowed his eyes angrily as he felt drops of rain drip down his face with the weight of a hammer.
"Don Paolo, you should surrender now and let the boy go!" He exclaimed with utmost urgency lacing his every word. His glare was penetrating right through his enemies squinty eyes as the rain numbed each of their faces as they glared at each other threateningly without a single shred of remorse for the villain he fought.
Don however tried to push the professor of archeology away from himself as both their swords touched in the most violent ways possible. Actually they etched quaked under the pressure of how much they were trying to shove each other back and distance themselves from direct harm.
The thunder rumbled in the background as more dark clouds brewed and the rain cascaded down from the heavens and dripped down heavily upon both the men of large intellect, leaving all else soaking wet as the drops hammered down.
The top hat-wearing gentleman released his sword from the hold and swiped it again but this time he managed to merely poke Don in the chest with the point of his thinned sabre. Professor Layton was undoubtedly a master swordsman since he had trained for years on the simple art of self defence via sword fighting but with just the right poking and prodding to his emotional wounds then he would prove to be a lethal sword-flinging machine wearing a stylish dark brown top hat and tangerine jumper that was somewhat saggy due to the moisture.
Don decided to cross that line as he smirked sadistically.
"Well, Layton, what do you think Claire would think if she saw you?"
The professor recoiled in shock. He knew Claire? How could he knew her, he shouldn't should he?
His heart thumped heavily. His head burned when he remembered her, Claire was his lover and his sweetheart. She was so kind and so intelligent that he would find even the simplest of puzzles enchanting, it was such a sweet trait that swam through the professors' passion and heightened it to a fine extent. He could remember everything about his lost love, including how she died in a time machine incident.
Professor Layton cringed when he saw her face fresh inside his memory. His eyes twitched and his heart ached at her memory, he could have married her...he could have been happy with her...if not for that blasted time machine!
The professor's eyes closed at the painful memories that surfaced. He gritted his teeth and let out a groan most painful as he recalled her sweet smile. He finally lifted his eyes and blinked back tears as he felt the unfamiliar tickling behind his eyes that signalled the one thing he never wanted to do:
cry.
A gentleman never cried. Not in his eyes, at least.
He stretched his sword forwards and tried to stab him, only on the spur of the moment as tears actually formed at the corners of his dark dots for eyes, but Don dived out of the way as he dodged the attack meant for him. He stared into the professor's lonesome eyes and only then did he understand why the professor carried on the way he did.
Don continued to smile twistedly as he stumbled a bit on the wing of his own creation "...Ah, I see now. You only keep this up because your covering her up, your trying to forget what happened to her and bury it in the past. Your undying trust for those close to you is the only thing that keeps you going..."
The professor growled deeply. He could see clearly what the scientist was doing, he was trying to figure out his weak points him and manipulate him to better suit his goals. He frowned and stood still while his unwavering eyes trailed his opponent's every move.
He stood proudly until he watched Don glare daggers at him.
The archeologist tipped his top hat with a stone face as he told him with the lowest voice imaginable "...It is true that the only thing keeping me going is the friends I have, but I shall never forget those close to me."
The professor closed his eyes and pictured Luke still unconscious in the car. It pained him to think that such a young boy was suffering because of this ridiculous feud, it was childish actually. He had to get Luke somewhere safe and if it meant getting him to a hospital than so be it.
Professor Layton brought his sword up and fixed his stance to match that of a starting pose to begin a sparring session of fencing and he closed his eyes to recompose himself after that little blow up. Somehow, despite the fact that the rain hitting his face was numbing, it also provided some sort of comfort to him as he felt the icy cold drops hit his rectangular face.
After a moment or two, his eyes blinked open and a flash of defiance ignited inside them.
"Engarde...if you dare." The professor challenged.
An apprehensive air took the stadium and a poisonous quiet took a tight hold. Neither men dared to make a move as they simply scowled at one another with each of their expressions hardened with complete and utter seriousness. They just both stood on opposite sides of each other with neither of them daring to utter a single word to each other as they both waited for each other to make the first move.
The only sound between them would be the pouring rain engulfing their battle field, each cold drop poured with distain slamming down on the bodies and the equipment of the machinery to make a heavy sound that echoed in each of the ears of the two men who this intense scene revolved around.
It was then that Don Paolo pounced with his sword at the ready.
The professor had anticipated this move and quickly stepped aside, the sword's blade whistling passed his ear as it just barely missed him.
Professor Layton glared sternly as they resumed their battle and sparred with such fury that it would make the coolest of hearts shatter like glass. However that fury was all directed towards one of the two combatants, or more specifically Don.
The professor knew how to make Don fall in this battle. It was all about revenge it seemed, but if he managed to use that anger against the owner of it then he should make his opponent lose sight of everything whence that fuming fury had consumed him, enveloping his mind and his common sense.
They battled for what seemed like a decade until Don was finally cracking as he swung his sword everywhere yet the professor simply evaded each and every strike with such simplicity that he had even ceased using his sword and started dodging the attacks meant for him.
He could sense his enemy's tiring will to fight and it was what should end this childish battle so he could get back to Luke.
If manipulation was his only tool then shall be it!
Don panted tiredly as he finally stopped swishing his sword in a full-on tantrum and he collapsed to his knees with his head down as he became totally soaked in the hammering downpour. He was just about ready to collapse from exhaustion now, it appeared. His breathing was rasped and heavy as he used his arms as his only means to stay conscious and as his supports.
If he flicked them with a finger, the professor deduced he would be able to make his enemy's arms topple easily and therefore the moustached man would most likely fall unconscious with that simple move of the hand.
The professor lowered his sword, finally shuddering a little from the cold of the rain hitting him, and he approached the exhausted man's weakened form and stood over him whilst observing him with utmost fascination. He studied Don's exhaustion with an emotionless face and decided to do the humane thing here:
Carry him out of the rain.
However the professor wasn't going to overextend his kindness, yet he knew better than to leave anyone out in the rain...even if they tried to kill off his sick young ward.
Tired himself, the dark hatted professor grabbed the barely conscious Don Paolo by the shoulders and dragged him into the open cargo of his own machine and placed the man inside and laying him down in the front seat.
The professor could hear Don Paolo's scratchy voice ask him something yet he was too occupied with trying to find the correct button that would lower the machine down to earth. He couldn't really hear much else other than his own heartbeat that pounded in his own head for some reason or rather.
He knelt down to press a big red button that glowed.
"Why...?" Don asked while panting.
The professor knew what his enemy was asking. It was simple to understand, honestly, as he didn't even look at him.
"I couldn't just leave you out there, rival or not, it is not the way of a gentleman to leave anyone out in the rain to perish."
He spoke with a sincere kindness yet it was accompanied by some sort of anger. He couldn't also tell the man that it would go against everything he knew if he did leave him out there to die.
The professor exhaled while he pressed the button and the round windshield closed over Don while he himself managed to leap out before he could be trapped inside the machine yet he still wore a pretty emotionless facial expression as he dipped his top hat low over his eyes and wandered over the edge of the wing and climbed down a rope ladder that hung from the bottom of the machine.
He very soon found himself right beside the Layton Mobile yet when he hurriedly climbed inside, he was horrified to find that his apprentice was motionless and ice cold.
The professor gasped as he reached over to his limp apprentice with a horrified expression and he grabbed Luke's shoulder gently with his knuckles pale. He felt his heart drumming inside his head once more as shock took over and a sharp shot of adrenaline darted through his veins like a flash of lightning.
His entire world froze at the drop of a hat as he touched Luke's lifeless body that had been bundled in his coat.
"...Luke?"
A/N: Ohhhh...what's wrong with Luke?
What a battle between the professor and Don, it seemed that this got a bit personal at one point but lets see what happens next. I'm almost done with this story, though, guys so hopefully you won't have to wait much longer for more and more updates. I want you all to think back to your favorite bit of the story and let me know if thats possible in review but I would also like you guys to let me know what you think will happen.
Will Luke be alright?
Find out in the next chapter!
Btw, feel free to read my other Professor Layton fanfics.
-Chloemcg