Cinderella was sealed, but for several hours Fiona had been acting differently… too quiet… and her eyes… empty. Then Remy appeared.
Remy: Fiona?
Fiona: Re… Re… Remy…
Remy: Huh… what's wrong? What happened?
Fiona: Huh…
He held her cheeks.
Remy: Why do you look so startled? Did something happen? Did something happen to Cossette? Or Naomi?
Fiona: …ughhh…
She collapsed, but he quickly caught her.
Remy: Fiona!
Fiona: Hahhhh… hahhhh… hahhhh…
Remy: You're shaking…
Fiona: huhhh… hahhhhh… hah.
Remy: Are you cold? I'll call an ambulance right now.
Fiona: huh!
She grabbed his suit.
Remy: ughh…
Fiona: Stay… here… Stay… here… Please…
Remy: Ughhh…
He held her gently and embraced her.
Remy: I'm here… I'm here…
Fiona: Huhh… hahhhh…
Remy: It looks like she's in some kind of paranoid state… is this a nervous breakdown? If Fiona is shocked because of something, then it must be serious. She's not someone who breaks down easily… Come here…
He carried her in his arms.
Remy: hmm… Fiona…
He placed his hand on her forehead.
bzzzz
Remy: Huh… hot… hot…
He pulled his hand away.
Remy: Ugh… Fiona!
Fiona: Ughh… hahhh…
Remy: I'll take you to a doctor.
Fiona: huh… Cossette… Melina… Take me… to them… they'll be worried…
Remy: ughh… okay… where are they?
Fiona: Hahhh… Hotel… Hotel Ssenkow…
Remy: oh… okay… but that's a bit far from here… hmm… aha…
He took out his phone and called someone, staring blankly.
Remy: hmm…
Casper: Hello?
Remy: It's me, Remy… come.
Casper: What? Why?
Remy: Move your butt over here so fast it shakes!
He hung up.
Remy: Hehehe… so fast it shakes… hehhe…
Casper: What's going on here?
Remy: Aaaaaaaaarghhhh!
He screamed loudly when he saw Casper suddenly standing behind him.
Remy: You scared me!
Casper: ughh… is that Fiona?
Remy: Hurry, take her to Hotel Ssenkow.
Fiona: hahhh… Ssenkow…
Casper: oh… okay… but what happened?
Remy: Just go! She has a fever, that's what happened!
Casper: Okay…
He carried her and ran.
Remy: Hahhhh… good… I hope she'll be fine soon. I hoped to see her in better condition… well… what can you do.
Meanwhile
Cossette and Melina were waiting for Fiona.
Cossette: hmm…
Melina: hahhhh…
knock knock
Cossette: Huh…
She opened the door.
Cossette: Fiona!? Casper!?
Casper: Out of the way, she has a fever!
Melina: huh…
They laid her on the bed.
Fiona: Hahhh… hahhhhh… haahhhhh… hahhh…
Melina: Fiona…
Cossette: What are you doing here, Casper?
Casper: Remy found her. He's coming.
The door burst open.
Remy: How is she?!
Casper: She has a high fever.
Remy: ghhh…
He touched her forehead.
Remy: Damn, you could cook eggs on this. Get a doctor immediately!
Casper: Okay!
Melina: Huh… who are these people, Cossette?
Cossette: Oh… that's Remy and Casper. Don't be afraid… they're friends of ours.
Melina: huh?
Remy: Ohh… you must be Melina. Listen, kid, get some cold water quickly.
Melina: huh… yes…
Remy: Cossette, get another blanket.
Cossette: okay…
They did as told.
Fiona: Hahhh… hahhhh… hhhh… hhh…
Remy: What's wrong with her?
Melina: She… she just works a lot…
Cossette: She barely sleeps… barely eats… she's always busy… but… I think it's because she fought Cinderella.
Remy: What… seriously? Huh… we're lucky she only has a fever.
Fiona slowly opened her eyes.
Fiona: Hahhhh… Hahhhhh…
Remy: Fiona… hey, can you hear me? Fiona…
Fiona: ughh… hahhhh… be quiet!!
Remy: ughh…
Fiona: ughh… aaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhh!
She clutched her head.
Memory
bzzzzzzzzzz
Fiona: aaaaaaaaarghhh.
Howgarts: Hahahahahahaha… come on, my little one… it doesn't hurt that much… those are just hallucinations, don't worry. Your intestines aren't being ripped apart… you just think they are… hehehe… but the pain… that's real… what?
Fiona: aaaaaaarghhh… aaaaaaaaarghhhhhhh…
Margherita: Isn't this going too far?
Howgarts: What? You're saying that, Margherita?
Margherita: What is this supposed to help with? Making her a better detective?
Howgarts: To make her stronger…
Margherita: And for that… we need her to believe her guts are being sliced open? And with this device on her stomach… she feels pain?
Howgarts: Yep.
Fiona: Hahhh… hahhhhh…
It stopped.
Howgarts: Fantastic! Only Parzival and Noelle were strong enough to endure it. Hahahahaha… Fiona, you're amazing!
Margherita: huh…
Howgarts: Next experiment…
Margherita: What? Wait… she barely rested. Are you sure that's a good idea?
Howgarts: Of course… hehehe…
Margherita: Hmm… I'm leaving. I can't watch this anymore.
She walked away.
Howgarts: Tssss… whatever.
Fiona: Hahhhh… hahhhh…
Howgarts: The next experiment will make sure you don't need much sleep. If you sleep longer than four hours, you'll have horrible nightmares… hehehe…
He placed a machine over her eyes.
Howgarts: The less you sleep, the more you can work.
Fiona: hahhh…
Four hours later
Howgarts: hmm… humming… huh?
Fiona: aaaaaaarghhhhhhhhh…
Howgarts: Hohohoo… it's started. Come on… what are you dreaming? Is it the monster with the heads? Your parents? Or that bastard who looks down on children and abuses them? Ohhh… the second one… hehehe… poor thing…
Fiona: aarghhhhhhh… hahhhhhh… hahh…
Howgarts: Are you afraid? hehehe…
Crash!
Margherita: That's enough!
Howgarts: What?
Margherita: Are you insane? How many more experiments? This won't make her stronger. You're turning her into a mad person. Is that what you want?
Howgarts: Tssss…
Margherita: Stop it before it's too late. Do you see how many children have already taken their own lives because of you?
Howgarts: Hmm…
Margherita: You lied to me. You said they were accidents. But I saw the cameras. Out of the thirty children you had, twenty killed themselves. If I report this, you're finished.
Howgarts: Hmm…
Margherita: Stop… even I feel pity. You know me well.
Howgarts: Hahhh… fine.
He released Fiona. She almost fell, but Margherita caught her.
Margherita: hmm…
Fiona: Hahhh…
Margherita: Tssss…
She carried her away.
Margherita: Howgarts… one day this will be your end. Even I have limits.
She left.
Several days later
Howgarts was dismissed and arrested. The court sentenced him to execution by poison. But the survivors, including Fiona, were not well. Of the ten survivors, four took their own lives, three died from lack of sleep. Only Parzival, Noelle, and Fiona survived.
Meliodas: What do we do now?
Parzival: huh?
Meliodas: Parzival seems fine. Noelle too. But Fiona…
Fiona: mmm… hhhh…
Margherita: She was experimented on more. Parzival and Noelle were only with Howgarts for two years. Fiona was there for five.
Meliodas: What…?!
He approached her slowly and placed his hand on her head.
Meliodas: She barely sleeps… does she eat?
Margherita: Hahhh… we have a problem. Fiona has issues with sleep and food. She can only taste things if they're sweet or spicy.
Meliodas: What?
Margherita: That's how it is. Try it. Give her this pretzel.
Meliodas: Here, little one… take it.
Fiona: munch… bleargh!
She spat it out.
Meliodas: Hmm…
Fiona: Hahhh…
Margherita: Now give her this cold sweet drink. Watch closely.
Meliodas: okay…
She quickly started drinking.
Meliodas: Hhhh…
Fiona: hmmm… hahhh…
Meliodas: Want more?
Fiona: huh?
He moved his hand closer. She panicked and ran behind the sofa.
Fiona: No… no… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'll never drink it again… I'm sorry… hahh… Professor will hit me… or… please don't tell him…
Meliodas: ughhh…
Margherita: She suffers from severe PTSD. Forget it. She's no longer useful. Throw her out or poison her.
Meliodas: What the hell are you saying? First torture her and experiment on her, then kill her because she's traumatized from our own experiments?
Margherita: What are you going to do with her? She doesn't talk. She barely eats. She doesn't sleep.
Meliodas: Is there anything she's good at?
Margherita: Hahhh… she's incredibly smart.
Meliodas: hmm?
Margherita: She knows a lot about history and magic. She's good at riddles.
Meliodas: hmm… aren't we short on detective agents?
Margherita: Only five… Parzival, Dr Doctor, Professor P, De Luk, and Steinheim.
Meliodas: Good. Fiona, you'll become a detective.
Later
Doctor: She has a very high fever indeed. How much does she sleep per day?
Cossette: About two to three hours. Sometimes four, but rarely.
Doctor: Eating?
Cossette: Very little. Half a plate at most.
Doctor: Drinking?
Cossette: Water is fine. About two bottles.
Doctor: Painkillers?
Cossette: Two every day for headaches.
Doctor: And these… Terzin pills. They reduce pain but cause little sleep and appetite loss. And Tan pills? Too many can cause blindness.
He stood up.
Doctor: The fever probably saved her life. Otherwise she would have died. The body is warning that it can't endure anymore. Pills can never replace sleep. Take good care of her.
Hours later
Remy was snoring loudly.
Fiona slowly opened her eyes.
Fiona: Huh… what happened… where am I… Remy?
Remy: loud snoring
Melina: soft snoring
Cossette: loud snoring… Cheesecake… no strawberries… I don't like fruit on cake… I'm a princess and I'll marry a prince and have children…
Fiona wiped sweat from her forehead.
Fiona: I really need to watch what she reads…
Remy: snoring… No… not five times… spare me… or you'll accidentally get pregnant…
Fiona: What is going on here? How is anyone supposed to sleep with dreams like that?!
She smacked Remy on the head.
Remy: Ouch! What's wrong? No, I never flirted with my teacher… even if I like older women!
Fiona: Your dreams are so disturbing it's a blessing for deaf people that they can't hear them.
Remy: Fiona!
Fiona: Don't shout. You'll wake up my two cats.
Remy: You have cats?
Fiona: Is your brain damaged, or is it sitting in your backside instead of your head?
Remy: Oh… you mean Cossette and Melina…
Fiona: What are you even doing in the Slavic Empire?
Remy: I told you I'd travel more.
Fiona: Okay.
Remy: And about Roselande…
Fiona: huh?
Remy: There's a catastrophe. A black hole appeared.
Fiona: …what?!
A few days earlier
Remy: It was a beautiful, peaceful day. Then suddenly a massive black hole appeared. Casper and I were at the border of Da de Horn.
Remy: ugh… what is that… do you see it, Casper?
Casper: Yes… I see it…
Remy: It was the most horrifying thing I've ever seen. Roselande… was suddenly half… gone.
Crash
Gulp