(9 years ago)
(Crying)
(Sobbing!)
Cossette: "Sister… where are you…!?"
(Patch!)
Someone appeared and gently stroked her hair.
Cossette: "Huh?"Gentleman: "Don't worry, my little one… I'll help you. My name is Jean Valjean… I'm here to help you…"Cossette: "Hhh… bad people… kidnapped me, my sister, and my brother…"Jean: "Well, that's not good… Come with me… I'll feed you… help you… and treat you like my own daughter…"Cossette: "But why… and what are you doing in such a cold place…"Jean: "Oh… well… I was looking for you… Cosette, your mother was worried… she wanted me to help you…"Cossette: "Is Mama okay… but she was shot…"Jean: "Mama is fine… she… she's just resting… nothing more…"Cossette: "What about my sister and brother?"Jean: "I'll do my best to find them again…"
(End of memory)
Cossette: "Huh!!!!"Hugo: "Cruella… hmph… your nickname…"Cossette: "Hugo…"Hugo: "Hmph… unlike you all, who were too scared, I decided to join the Thorn Mafia and help them… and… I've killed a lot of people. So many that I stopped counting… around number 340… I got tired of counting."Cossette: "Hahh…"Hugo: "Oh right… how's that old gentleman doing?"Cossette: "Huh!!!"Hugo: "Jean Valjean… I heard he was executed… because he supposedly killed a police officer…"Cossette: "Hahh…"
(Memory)
Jean Valjean: "Don't cry, Cossette… life is waiting for you… it can be cruel, but also beautiful… hehe… don't cry, and make friends…"Cossette: "Jean… noooo!!!"
(Swish!)
(End of memory)
Cossette: "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"Hugo: "Ugh… hmm… mhmhhh… I see… you still haven't forgotten the images, huh… how he was beheaded…"Cossette: "Hahhh…"Hugo: "Hahahahahahahahaha…"
He left the room. Cossette held her hands over her head.
Cossette: "No… no…"
(Meanwhile)
Remy: "So what do we do now…"Fiona: "Hmph… Mr. Herold is holding those Thorn Mafia people. As soon as we reach a place where no one disturbs us, we can talk to them."Remy: "Then let's go to my apartment… I have to work sooner or later anyway…"Fiona: "Mhm."
She followed him.
Fiona: "And where is it?"Remy: "Very close."Fiona: "I see…"
Music in every area, machines dancing everywhere.
Remy: "Machines aren't really your thing, huh."Fiona: "No… but I didn't expect them to be here… and so many of them."Remy: "Hahaha… you're a mystery, Fiona. Tell me, when you still lived in Dehl… where exactly were you?"Fiona: "Are you seriously asking things like that right now… I'm also just a normal person… well, half human, half banshee… but still a person…"Remy: "Hahhh… a ghost too."Fiona: "Hmph… says the shadow."Remy: "Hahaha."Casper: "Hahh…"Fiona: "You're sighing? You're a vampire…"Remy: "Typical Casper, sighing even though he's not in a better mood…"Casper: "Remy, how's your ex-girlfriend doing…"Remy: "Ghhhh…"Fiona: "You had… a girlfriend?"Remy: "Long time ago."Casper: "To be exact, he had 14 relationships. Fourteen rich, beautiful women."Remy: "Hahh."Fiona: "Hahh… why did you stop?"Casper: "Well… they broke up with him."Remy: "Ghhhh… enough, Casper…"Fiona: "That happens when you flirt with so many women…"Remy: "Hey… it was because of my job… it took long…"Fiona: "Hmph… suspicious…"Remy: "Ghh… anyway, we're here…"Fiona: "Hmm."
It was a large apartment building. In the middle: "Remy Thomas – Detective Sherlock Office."
Fiona: "Hmm…"
They went inside.
(A few seconds later)
Remy: "Alright, let's open the door… get ready."Fiona: "Huh? For what?"Casper: "Oh dear…"
He opened the door.
(Ding!)
Remy: "And… there it is…"
Suddenly, a scream—"Brotherheart!!!" shouted a girl loudly.
Remy: "Hahh!"(Crash!)Remy: "Wendy!!!"Wendy: "Why did you take so long… why… why…"Casper: "Hahh…"Fiona: "Uh… huh?"Wendy: "Ugh… huh? Brotherheart… who is this pretty lady…"Fiona: "Hmm."
Wendy immediately stood up.
Wendy: "Oh… green eyes… (sniffs)… smells like strawberries."Remy: "See!!! I told you—strawberries."Casper: "Hahh… here's your money."Remy: "Hahaha."Fiona: "(Sweats) You two made a bet about what my outfit smells like?"Casper: "Yes."Remy: "Haha… 60 coins…"Wendy: "Hmm…"Remy: "Oh right, Wendy… this is Mademoiselle Fiona… Househould… Fiona Househould…"
Fiona looked at Wendy. Wendy looked at her.
Wendy: "Uh… uh… oh, sorry… my name is Wendy Thomas, little sister of Brotherheart…"Fiona: "Hello… I mean bonjour…"Wendy: "Wooow… Brotherheart, is she your new partner at work?"Casper: "Uh."Remy: "No… not exactly…"Fiona: "I'm only here to help with a case."Wendy: "Oh…"Fiona: "Say, how old are you actually?"Wendy: "Me?… I'm 8…"Fiona: "(Sweats)… you look like 8 but your voice…"Remy: "Childish, I know. Like a 5-year-old girl."Wendy: "Hey…"Remy: "Wendy, we need to work now… and where's the housemaid Vivian? She was supposed to look after you."Wendy: "Oh, she's shopping…"Fiona: "Housemaid…"Casper: "Well, our housemaid."Remy: "Mhm."Fiona: "I see…"Wendy: "Mhm. She'll be back soon."
The door opened. A woman with an eyepatch appeared.
Wendy: "There she is."Vivian: "Oh… Master Remy and Mister Casper…"Remy: "Hello Vivian. This is Fiona Househould. She'll assist us with a case."Vivian: "Oh… then I'll prepare tea…"Remy: "Make something cold for the three of us."Vivian: "Hmm… okay…"Fiona: "She looks… young."Casper: "You thought she'd be something like 40? No, she's 31."Remy: "Hmm?"Casper: "And she's very nice… but sometimes scary."Fiona: "Oh… okay."Remy: "Alright, let's sit…"
They sat down. Remy stood in front of his office desk. The captured Thorn Mafia members had already been taken out by Mr. Herold.
Remy: "Hmm… let's begin. What do you think, Casper?"Casper: "It seems they've been going too far lately, this Thorn Mafia…"Remy: "Fiona, what do you think?"Fiona: "Hmm… human trafficking is normal for these mafia groups. What disturbs me is how deeply they work with the government."Remy: "Mhm…"Casper: "This girl… Cossette, right?"Fiona: "We called her Cruella… probably just an alias…"Remy: "That she's Hugo's sister… that's something I didn't expect…"Fiona: "Why would someone sell his own sister?"Remy: "Hugo may be strong… but he's not the leader of the Thorn Mafia. No one knows who the leader is…"Casper: "They call him Chapeau Noir… meaning 'black hat'…"Fiona: "Hmm…"
Vivian returned with cold drinks—orange juice, watermelon juice, cherry juice, and strawberry juice.
Fiona: "Ugh… thank you."Vivian: "You're welcome…"Remy: "Alright then… Vivian, could you get me the watermelon one?"Vivian: "Of course… and for you, Casper, as always—cherry juice. And you, Madam Fiona?"Fiona: "Ugh… strawberry juice…"Wendy: "Hmm."Vivian: "And for you Wendy—orange juice."Wendy: "Yay."
She sat next to Fiona, drinking her juice. Then she smiled at Fiona.
Fiona: "Ugh!!! (How… cute!!!!!!!!!!!)"Remy: "…Huh!!! (My little sister is cute!!!!!)"
It was too cute for Fiona… but Remy seemed affected too.
Wendy: "(Giggles)… want to try?"Fiona: "Ugh… me?"Wendy: "Mhm… come on…"Fiona: "Ugh…"
She drank a sip.
Wendy: "Hehehe…"Fiona: "Yes… it's good… do you want to try mine?"Wendy: "Oh… okay… (drinks!) mmm… hehe…"Fiona: "(Smiles)"
She stroked Wendy's hair.
Fiona: "Well, she's in a good mood…"Remy: "Look at that… seems like my sister likes you. Kids only like people who are kind… so you're not completely emotionless…"Fiona: "Hmph… (blushes)… that's not the topic… okay… (cough) what do we do now?"Remy: "Simple. We've captured those Thorn Mafia members… Vivian… do you see those idiots there?"Vivian: "You mean the ones running away?"Remy: "Huh?"Casper: "Huh?"Fiona: "HUH?!"
They looked out the window.
Remy: "Vivian! Quick—catch them."Vivian: "Understood."Fiona: "Wait… what do you mean by—!!"
Suddenly Vivian jumped out the window.
Fiona: "Huhhhhh!!"Vivian: "(Gulp!)"
Her eyes turned purple.
Vivian: "Got you!!"Thorn Mafia member: "Huh!!"
They fired at her. She dodged, knocked one out, stabbed another in the leg, and threw the third aside.
Stewart: "Ugh… don't move…"Vivian: "Hmm…"
(Bang!)
She was hit in the stomach.
Fiona: "Ugh!!… no!!"
But Vivian still attacked and knocked him unconscious. Then she carried all four of them as if they weighed nothing and jumped back up.
(Woosh!)
Vivian: "Got them, Master…"Remy: "Good job, Vivian… the… wound…"Vivian: "Um… could I maybe have a little of your flower's nectar?"Remy: "Of course…"
He held out his hand. She bit into it and began drinking.
Remy: "Vivian is an elf. Elves don't eat meat, or they get cursed. They survive on flowers and plants. Flower nectar is important for her. I keep a little syringe of it in my left hand so she can drink it."Fiona: "Isn't that dangerous?"Remy: "Not really. This flower is used for medicine. Even if something enters my body, nothing happens. And Vivian drinks so fast there's nothing left. Don't worry—poison doesn't affect me anyway…"Fiona: "Why not?"Remy: "Hahhh…"
He showed his right hand—covered with a dark glove.
Remy: "My right hand is where the shadow resides. It regenerates me quickly so neither poison nor wounds get through. Look closely when Vivian is done."
Vivian finished.
Remy: "Look now."Fiona: "Ugh…"
The wound disappeared.
Fiona: "That's… creepy…"Remy: "And Vivian? Had enough?"Vivian: "Yes, Master… sorry…"Remy: "No need to apologize. Thanks to you we have them again. Bind them tightly."Vivian: "Yes, sir."
She tied them up so strongly they couldn't escape.
Remy: "Bring cold water and pour it on them."Fiona: "Hmm… what are you planning?"Remy: "Interrogation…"Fiona: "Wait, what if it's a trap?"Remy: "Even then… they'll only tell places they know…"
(Meanwhile)
Hugo: "(Patch) (Patch)…"
It was a company—deep in debt, apparently owing the Thorn Mafia.
Hugo: "Time to die…"
He went inside.
(Splat!)(Aaaaaaarghhhh!!!)(Splat!)(Window splattered with blood!)
(A few seconds later)
Hugo: "Huh… well then…"
He left the building.
Hugo: "Hmph…"
Just as he walked out, a woman passed him.
Unknown woman: "Hello sister, you dropped your food—… hahhhhh!!!"
Everywhere—slashed, torn-apart corpses.
Unknown woman: "Ugh… aaaaaarghh!!!"
She fell to her knees. Some people who heard the scream ran over.
Unknown man: "Ugh… what the hell!!!"Another: "Police!! Call the police!!! Quickly!!!"
(Back to Casper, Remy, and Fiona)
(Splash!)
Remy: "Wake up, sunshine…"Stewart: "Ghhh… what… what's going on… huh?"Remy: "Sleep well?"
Remy stood before him, Casper beside him. Fiona still in her seat.
Remy: "Now talk… where do you keep the kidnapped people you want to sell?"Stewart: "Hmph… you think you can force me to talk…"Remy: "Hahh… Vivian."Vivian: "Hahh."Remy: "This one doesn't speak… how about using the torture method…"
Vivian suddenly grinned.
Vivian: "If you insist…"Stewart: "Huh!?"
Vivian grabbed him and dragged him into another room.
Remy: "Wendy, stay here."Wendy: "Huh?"Fiona: "Stay!"Casper: "Hmm."
They went inside.
Remy: "Alright, Vivian…"Vivian: "Hmm?"
He looked serious.
Remy: "Don't hold back."Vivian: "Understood…"
They tied them up.
Vivian: "Tell us where you keep the people you capture."Stewart: "Hmph… we won't tell you anything. Your torture can't be worse than ours…"Remy: "You mean the famous skin-ripping method?"Fiona: "Hmm?"Remy: "The Thorn Mafia uses various torture methods—poison, piercing, and more…"
He took a syringe.
Remy: "I'll make sure you feel what your victims felt… karma's a bitch, they say."
He injected it into Stewart's eye.
Stewart: "Ugh… what…"Remy: "The so-called 'eye scratch'… your eye will feel like something is itching inside… to the point people rip their eyes out with their own hands…"Fiona: "That's enough!!!"Remy: "Huh?"Fiona: "Hold on… we're officers. We can't do this."Casper: "Isn't this going too far, Remy…"Remy: "Shhhh… come here."
He leaned in.
Remy: "Vivian's ability is illusion. They look real, the pain feels real… but they're just illusions. That syringe only had water in it…"Stewart: "Hahhh… hahhh…"Casper: "Oh… right, Vivian is scary."Fiona: "I must admit… that's useful and powerful…"Stewart: "Hhhhh… rghhhh… hhhhhhhgggg… rhhhhhh!!"Casper: "It's starting."Stewart: "My eye… my eye… I mustn't scratch it… what am I doing…"Fiona: "Hmm."Casper: "Hmm."
He didn't scratch his eye at all… he only believed he did. Vivian's eyes gleamed…
Stewart: "Okay… okay… I don't know exactly… we always change the locations… but… but the last one was on Reims Street… number 40… please…"Remy: "That's enough, Vivian."Vivian: "Mhm."
Her eyes stopped glowing.
Fiona: "Hmm… faster than I expected."Casper: "That must be painful…"Stewart: "What… my hands… they're normal…"Remy: "Well… you imagined it, my friend…"Stewart: "You damn bastard…"Remy: "No, no… that's rude. How about you sleep now…"
He looked at Vivian.
Vivian: "(Nods!)…"
She exhaled and blew gently.
Vivian: "Puuuuuuuuuh…"Stewart: "Ugh… hahhhh…"Casper: "Hmm?"Fiona: "What did she do now?"Remy: "Oh, Vivian used a bit of her sleeping powder. Fiona, elves are crazy beings… and beautiful too…"Vivian: "Master… you flatter me…"
She blushed.
Remy: "Hahaha… no problem, my dear…"Fiona: "Well, you found a girl who blushes because of you…"Remy: "Every girl thinks I'm cool."Fiona: "You're cool until we find out you steal women's clothes…"Vivian: "Steal?… oh, with me I gave them to him voluntarily."Fiona: "Huh?"Vivian: "He is my master…"Fiona: "Ugh… you're a real perverted bastard!!!"Remy: "Pervert is a compliment to me… my dear…"Fiona: "Hahhhh…"Casper: "So Mademoiselle Fiona, does that mean you think Remy is cool?"Remy: "Oh…"Fiona: "Cool when it comes to his job, nothing more…"
She walked past them.
Remy: "Whoa… let me tell you, Remy… Fiona is a beautiful girl…"Casper: "(Sweats)… I know that… you don't have to tell me…"
Remy: "I wonder how she never had a relationship…"Fiona: "So? Are you finally coming or will you continue talking about perverted things…"Remy: "Is it perverted to call you pretty?"Fiona: "No… but I don't care if you find me pretty. We're here to work. I want to find Cosette… so hurry up…"Remy: "Alright, alright…"
(Meanwhile)
Hugo: "Hmm… killing people… I don't know why… but ever since I saw my neighbors killed right in front of me… and saw the corpses of my friends… during the civil war… I felt only… emptiness…"
(Meanwhile)
Remy: "Hmm?"Casper: "A poster?"Fiona: "Hmm?"
It showed a flag… red, black, and white.
Remy: "Hmm… the civil war was nine years ago."Casper: "Mhm."Fiona: "What civil war?"Remy: "Thirteen years ago there was a civil war in Roselande. The Franken Lands Etienne and Meltz, then Saint Troye and Havre Etienne…"Fiona: "Hmm."Casper: "Many people died. To end the war, Etienne and Saint Troye agreed. Meltzt as well. But Havre Etienne didn't…"Remy: "Mhm."Fiona: "Why?"Remy: "Most of the poor lived there… and they wanted more food, better conditions… to end the conflict, Etienne, Meltz, and Saint Troye decided to attack Havre Etienne… using magic, gunshots, planes, rifles, poison, and gas…"Fiona: "Ugh… what?!"Casper: "Sixty percent of Havre Etienne was destroyed. Seventy percent of its population died…"Fiona: "Ugh… that many?"Remy: "Mhm… they were forced to surrender. Many children and women died… even now Havre Etienne suffers…"Fiona: "That's… tragic…"Remy: "Mhm… I'm also from there… Wendy and I… we lost our parents… I saw my mother on the ground… she was unrecognizable… because of her condition… my father was dead too… a large piece of his torso missing… a pillar crushed him."Fiona: "…ugh… I see…"Remy: "Hmm… anyway, it's in the past. Let's keep going."Casper: "Yes."Fiona: "Okay."Remy: "I think it'll be difficult from now on. What do you think, Casper?"Casper: "We have to do something."Fiona: "I have to find Cosette."Remy: "Mhm."