After they found out that Mayor Bernard Boneparte, le chapeau, is the leader of the Thorn Mafia, what they saw in his manor – the organs, the "statues" made from people who seemed to still be alive, probably to preserve their organs – was far more disturbing for Remy and Fiona. Casper and Jade were shaken as well…
(Click!) (Click!) (Click!)
Cossette: "Help… help… no… I don't want to die!!!"
(Whoosh!)
Fiona: "Huh!!!"
She jolted awake, sweating heavily.
Fiona: "Hahh… hahhh…"Mr. Herold: "Hot chocolate milk."
Fiona: "Oh… thanks…"
She took the hot chocolate.
Fiona: "Hmm… huh?… huh?"
She looked at him in surprise.
Fiona: "Ugh… since when have you been here…?"Mr. Herold: "About three hours."Fiona: "It's honestly really creepy to watch a woman sleep. You realize that, right?"Mr. Herold: "I was worried about you…"
(Feather!)
Fiona: "Huh."Crane: "Me too. I was worried about you, Fiona."Mr. Herold: "You humans become sad so quickly… (drinks)"Fiona: "Hahhh… I'm worried about Cossette… Maybe we could have saved the people inside those statues."Crane: "They were already dead, Fiona."Fiona: "What?"Mr. Herold: "Crane's right… they were already dead."Fiona: "But… a hand came out… and I heard… I heard a heartbeat…"Crane: "Fiona, they were already dead. It was just the spirits of the deceased… or rather, their corpses had turned into undead."Mr. Herold: "People who die full of anger and suffering can become spirits or undead."Fiona: "I see… And once again… I had to watch people suffer…"Mr. Herold: "Fiona… please don't be sad…"Crane: "You wanted to save them… You're a truly compassionate woman. A person who cares about others."Mr. Herold: "Mhm."Fiona: "Hahhh…"Mr. Herold: "Drink your hot chocolate milk, it will calm you down."Fiona: "Thank you…"
She drank some of the hot chocolate.
Mr. Herold: "Hmm…"Fiona: "Thank you, both of you."Mr. Herold: "No problem."Crane: "We're friends. Of course we worry about you. We may have a contract with you… but we're still your friends."Fiona: "(Smiles)"Remy: "How cute…"
Fiona: "Huh?"
She was surprised to see Remy sitting outside on her windowsill.
Remy: "You're not eating any cookies at night. They go well with hot chocolate."
Remy smiled.
Fiona: "You cannot be serious… What are you doing here… How long have you been there?"Remy: "Four hours…"
(Click!)
Remy: "Hm?"
He looked at his watch.
Remy: "My mistake… five hours."Fiona: "What!? Wait, how long have I been asleep?"Remy: "Ten hours."Fiona: "What!?"Remy: "Exactly ten hours."Fiona: "Hahhh…"Remy: "That's good. Sleep is important."Fiona: "But it felt like only four hours…"Remy: "Understandable. You're just exhausted."Fiona: "Hmmm…"
(Meanwhile)
Casper: "Jade…"Jade: "Hm?"Casper: "Don't you find it weird that Remy isn't here?"Jade: "He's probably with Fiona."Casper: "Oh… I get the feeling he likes her…"Jade: "Likes her, you say…"Casper: "Hm?"Jade: "Remy loves Fiona… You can even tell."Casper: "Hmm."Jade: "And Fiona seems to respect him… I think Fiona is a really nice girl. She could be a good match for Remy."Casper: "(Sweats)… Are you sure about that…"Jade: "Mhm… They seem to get along. Remy likes Fiona… and Fiona respects him."Casper: "Hmm…"Jade: "Remy has finally found the right woman."Casper: "You think Fiona is the right one… You like her."Jade: "Hehehe… She may be serious most of the time, but she's really kind… and sweet. That's exactly what Remy needs. Someone who has suffered like he has…"Casper: "Hmm, maybe you're right…"
(Meanwhile)
Cossette: "Hahh… hahhh… excuse me…"
Vendor: "Hm?"Cossette: "Could I have that bread…?"Vendor: "Four coins."Cossette: "… hmm… I only have three coins…"Vendor: "Then no bread, young lady… now get lost."Cossette: "Hmm…"Vendor: "Hahhh…"
He handed her a small piece of bread.
Vendor: "Here, take this then… no one's buying it anyway."Cossette: "Thank you…"
She handed him the money and walked on.Vendor: "Hmm…"
(A few hours later)
Fiona: "Remy?… Remy?… Oh…"
Remy was asleep, slumped over his desk.
Fiona: "Hmm…"
She looked around but didn't see any blanket.
Fiona: "My goodness, he's going to catch a cold like that…"
Crane: "Look at that, you're worried about him."Fiona: "Nugh!… What? No… I… (cough) no… I'm not. But if he gets sick, it'll get in the way of the mission to find Cossette… (cough) exactly."
She took off her jacket and laid it over his back.
Crane: "A kiss on the forehead would be nice, too."Fiona: "Say that again and you'll end up in a pot of soup. Crow soup… ever heard of it?"Crane: "(Sweats)… Okay…"Fiona: "Hmm…"
Fiona was wearing a simple outfit called a Victorian blouse – it was black and off-shoulder.
Fiona: "Hahh…"
Crane disappeared. Fiona glanced at Remy. Vivian passed by.
Vivian: "(Was he awake the whole time?)"Remy: "Hahhh… (zzzzz)…"
Vivian hid and watched Fiona quietly take care of Remy, who slept on the desk next to a cup of hot coffee.
Fiona: "One wrong move and he'll spill this on his face… how can someone be so careless…"
She moved the cup away and set it on another table.
Fiona: "Hmm?"
She also took off his hat and, carefully, his tie. He drooled a little.
Fiona: "Hahhh… I thought I woke him…"
Remy: "Hhhh (zzzzz)"Fiona: "Hmm…"
She went to her chair, sat down and picked up a book about magic titled "Magical Flow."
Fiona: "Hmmm…"
She flipped through the pages.
Vivian came out of her hiding spot.
Vivian: "Oh, hello, Mademoiselle Fiona."Fiona: "Hm?… Hello, Vivian. How are you?"Vivian: "Fine, thank you."Fiona: "Where's the heating in here?"Vivian: "Why?"Fiona: "Well, Remy is sleeping at his office desk… I thought it would be better if it was a bit warmer in here."Vivian: "Oh yes… it's near Wendy's room. I'll take care of it."Fiona: "Okay, thanks… I'll close the window then."
She closed the book, stood up and went to the window to shut it.
(Thump!)
Fiona: "There…"
Remy: "(zzzz)…."
His arm slipped off the desk.
Fiona: "Hahh…"
She caught it and gently put it back on the table.
Fiona: "Huh?"
She noticed he had a few wounds.
Fiona: "Wounds?… Where did those come from… hmm…"Remy: "(zzzz)…."
Remy kept sleeping. Fiona noticed something on his face and pulled it off – it was a feather.
Fiona: "Hmm… okay… Vivian?"Vivian: "Yes?"
She went over to Fiona.
Vivian: "Yes, Miss Fiona?"Fiona: "I don't want to disturb him… Remy is sleeping."Vivian: "Hm?"Fiona: "I'm going to step outside for some fresh air… Keep an eye on the heating, and make sure Remy's arm doesn't fall off the desk. Also watch his neck – if he sleeps at a weird angle he might wake up with pain."Vivian: "Oh… yes."
Fiona took her umbrella and headed out.
Fiona: "Be right back."
She left the apartment.
Vivian: "Oh…"
Fiona walked through the streets.
Fiona: "Hahhh… I wish I had no emotions, so I could forget this feeling… What am I even doing… I was trained in the Dark Umbrella… No emotions… No pity… No grief… No anger…"
She put her hand on her chest, over her heart.
Fiona: "But then… why do I feel grief… and pity… for them… why do I care…?"
(Thump!) (Thump!)
Fiona: "It feels strange… I'm scared… scared of losing people… Ever since what happened in Dehl… when I saw my friends die right in front of me… when I saw all that blood… Maybe I'm not such a good detective after all…"
She kept walking.
Fiona: "It's not that I hate this work… but… it hurts… I like feeling cared for… but I don't like worrying about others and being afraid of losing them…"
(Thought)
Fiona: "What if it happens again… Remy… Casper… Cossette… Vivian… Jade… What if I lose them too…"
She imagined the corpses of Remy, Casper, Cossette and Jade. She quickly shook her head.
Fiona: "No… no… I can't think like that… Hahh…"
She glanced across the street.
Fiona: "Huh?"
She saw someone… Cossette.
Fiona: "Cossette!"
Cossette walked down the street with a weak body. The moment Fiona saw her, she ran.
Fiona: "Hahhh… is that her…"
She ran and ran, almost getting hit by a carriage.
Fiona: "Ugh… sorry…"
But she kept running.
Cossette: "Hmm… huh?"
She turned around. Fiona was behind her.
Fiona: "Cossette…"Cossette: "Huh?…"
Cossette looked at her and remembered.
Cossette: "Fiona?… What are you doing here?"Fiona: "Cossette!"
Fiona rushed to her and hugged her.
Fiona: "Cossette!!!"Cossette: "Fiona…"Fiona: "You're alive… you're alive… you're alive… you're alive…"
She hugged her tighter.
Cossette: "I should be the one saying that to you… I thought Edwardson killed you along with Parzival and Mona…"Fiona: "(Sobs)… I finally found you."Cossette: "You were looking for me…"Fiona: "When I found out that Edwardson hadn't killed you… I immediately started searching for you…"
She hugged her even tighter. Then she pulled back a bit and cupped Cossette's cheeks.
Fiona: "You look exhausted…"
She wiped Cossette's cheeks with a handkerchief.
Fiona: "How did you manage to escape…?"Cossette: "I don't know… that mutant appeared and I ran away."Fiona: "Hahh."
She hugged her again.
Fiona: "Cossette…"Cossette: "Hhhh… (…Fiona… is hugging me… It's been so long since I felt this warmth… Yes… the last time was my mother's final embrace… Fiona is as warm as my mother… and she's only six years older than me…)"Fiona: "Cossette…"Cossette: "Fiona…"
Fiona stroked her cheeks.
Cossette: "Are you really alive, or am I dead…? Are you really Fiona?"Fiona: "Yes, it's me… Fiona. You know me as Fiona Hamilton, hehe… but my real name is Fiona Househould… the surname of my real family: Househould."Cossette: "Hahh…"
Fiona kissed Cossette on the forehead.
Fiona: "Now that you're here, let's get going… before the Thorn Mafia finds us."Cossette: "No…"Fiona: "What?"Cossette: "I… I don't want you to be in danger…"Fiona: "Hmm… Do you think I'm going to let you go again?"Cossette: "I don't understand why you're looking for me… The Fiona I knew wasn't the type to care about others."Fiona: "Ugh…"Cossette: "Sorry… I didn't mean it like that…"Fiona: "It's fine…"
She held Cossette's cheek.
Fiona: "You're scared… me too… Everyone is scared. That's not weakness… that's human."Cossette: "I have a mechanical heart, Fiona… I'm more of a robot than a human…"Fiona: "So what? You're a human with a machine inside you. I'm half human, half banshee… well, cursed, basically."Cossette: "Hmm…"Fiona: "Cossette, please…"
Cossette looked into Fiona's eyes… then looked down.
Fiona: "Cossette?"Cossette: "All right… I'll go with you… but I'm hungry…"Fiona: "Hehehehehe… Then just say that from the start. Come on, let's get something to eat."
They didn't notice someone watching them.
Thorn Mafia member: "Hmmmm… Fiona Househould… she's working with Remy Thomas… and she's got Cossette now…"
(A few minutes later)
Cossette: "Mmm… (munch!)… mmmm…"Fiona: "Eat as much as you like. If you're still hungry, just say so."Cossette: "Thank you…"Fiona: "Hehe, my goodness, you're 14 and you act like a child…"
She wiped the food from Cossette's mouth.
Cossette: "I just turned 14 recently… mmm…"Fiona: "Hehehe… Sorry…"Cossette: "Uh, Fiona?"Fiona: "Yes?"Cossette: "What about the others… from the Dark Crow…?"Fiona: "Ugh… hmm."
She looked a little sad.
Fiona: "Parzival, Mona and Pinocchio are dead…"Cossette: "I see…"Fiona: "How did you escape Edwardson?"Cossette: "He let me escape. He let me go…"Fiona: "What?"Cossette: "He said… he doesn't kill children… and then he let me go."Fiona: "But Pinocchio was 17…"Cossette: "I was only 13 back then… maybe that's why."Fiona: "I understand…"Cossette: "I'm done."Fiona: "Sure? Don't you want dessert?"
Fiona looked at her.
Cossette: "No."Fiona: "Okay… Then would you like to come with me?"Cossette: "Okay…"
They stood up.
Fiona: "Cossette…"
Cossette blushed.
Cossette: "Um… Fiona…"Fiona: "Yes?"Cossette: "Can I… hold your hand…?"Fiona: "Ugh… hehe… here…"
She gave her hand to Cossette.
Cossette: "Thank you… I'm still a little scared…"Fiona: "It's okay. I'm here."Cossette: "Hmm."
They walked on.
(Meanwhile)
Remy: "(Zzzzz…)… (zzzzz)… (zzzzz)… ugh… yeah, I know you're my ex, Caroline… but still… (zzzz…) can we spend some time together…"Casper: "(Sweats)… What the hell is he babbling…"Jade: "(Sweats)… I take it back… Fiona should find someone else."Casper: "Honestly… I wouldn't be surprised if she has no interest in him. Even in his sleep he's thinking pervy stuff about relationships…"Remy: "(zzzz)… oh… that tickles… your hands are poor… I mean warm."Casper: "(Sweats)… Even asleep he's hopeless when it comes to romance."Jade: "And this guy supposedly had so many relationships… were they blind?"Casper: "Let me tell you something funny… Caroline, the one he's dreaming about, really was blind."Jade: "Huh?!"Casper: "The second one was in a wheelchair… that's about it…"Jade: "(Sweats)… Okay…"Casper: "Um, Jade?"
Jade leaned close to Remy's ear.
Jade: "Hahhhh… (deep breath)… Wake up, you disgusting perverted creep!!!"
Remy: "Ughhhh… Huh?!"
He fell off his chair.
Remy: "What is wrong with you, witch!?"Jade: "How about you try sleeping without dirty thoughts… like not talking about Caroline…"Remy: "Can't a man even dream…? So what if I dream she gives me a birthday present again…"Casper: "Your birthday was nine months ago…"Remy: "So what… she didn't show up…"
He got up.
Remy: "Huh?… Whose jacket is this…? That's Fiona's…"Casper: "Yeah, Fiona's jacket. What's it doing on your back?"Jade: "Hmm…"Vivian: "Oh, master, you're awake…"
Vivian suddenly appeared.
Remy: "Vivian, why is Fiona's jacket on my back… did you put it there?"Vivian: "No, Mademoiselle Fiona put it there when she saw you sleeping."Jade: "Huh?"Casper: "Ugh… what!!"Remy: "Huh?!… I'll seize the opportunity…"
Jade: "What do you mean?"Casper: "Nugh…!"
He sniffed the jacket.
Remy: "Hmm… smells nice… cherries…"Casper: "You can't do that."Jade: "Hands off."Remy: "You mean nose off…"
The door opened.
(Bell rings!)
Fiona: "Huh?… what's going on here…?"Casper: "Ugh!?"
They saw Fiona at the door. Remy quickly hid the jacket behind his back.
Jade: "Fiona, he was smelling your jacket."Remy: "Not true…"Fiona: "Hmm."Cossette: "Huh?"Jade: "Ugh?"Remy: "Huh?"Casper: "Hmm?"Jade: "Ugh… how cute! Who's this girl?"Fiona: "This is Cossette."Remy: "Huh!?"Casper: "What?!"Jade: "But… how did you find her?"Fiona: "On the street. She seems to have managed to escape."Cossette: "Uh…"Fiona: "Don't worry, they're my friends."
(Meanwhile)
Hugo: "Hmm."
(Patch!) (Patch!)
Hugo: "So that's where you are, Cossette…"
Hugo stood in front of the building… Sherlock Holmes' office.