After Fiona made a contract with the White Rabbit and actually wants to use him this time, she asks him to help solve this case. Even though Fiona is a detective, she needs help from someone like Herold. Finrow just stays at home — or comes along but does nothing.
Mr. Herold: "Do you remember our meeting, Fiona?"
Fiona: "hmmm… seven years ago… I was only 13 then…"
Mr. Herold: "Exactly. A woman helped you then."
Fiona: "You mean Madam Lin? …yes I remember…"
(Seven years earlier)
Fiona: "Hhhh…"
Miss Lin: "You're a good girl. Would you help me?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Miss Lin: "I want you to bring that cat over there. It won't listen to me."
Fiona: "Oh… okay."
She went to the cat, picked it up without trouble, and handed it to the old woman.
Miss Lin: "Thank you. For that I will give you something."
She went away briefly and returned, handing Fiona a card. Fiona looked at it. WHITE RABBIT was printed on it.
Miss Lin: "There's a rabbit inside… well two… from Wonderland."
Fiona: "That's a very far kingdom. Where did you get it?"
Miss Lin: "I once lived there. Take care of the two as best you can…"
She looked at the cards.
Miss Lin: "Throw the card or stroke it."
She stroked it and Mr. Herold appeared.
Mr. Herold: "Oh… a child. What is needed… Miss Lin, shall I help this child?"
Miss Lin: "I give her the White Rabbit card. He'll look after you from now on."
Mr. Herold: "A child."
Miss Lin: "Where's your brother?"
Mr. Herold: "hahhh…"
He took out his old phone.
Mr. Herold: "Finrow… come out."
Finrow: "What if I don't?"
Mr. Herold: "Come out now. Miss Lin wants you!"
He came out.
Finrow: "Hello."
Miss Lin: "From now on this girl, Fiona, will look after you. I'm too old now…"
Finrow: "Oh…"
Miss Lin: "Hmph…"
(End of the memory)(Return to present)
Mr. Herold: "But you never used me… you did find Finrow funny though."
Fiona: "Because you shouted at him; you're normally quiet…"
Mr. Herold: "Hmph."
Fiona: "I did not use you… but we spent Miss Lin's last five days with her."
Mr. Herold: "Mhm…"
Finrow: "She was kind."
Fiona: "Mhm…"
Mr. Herold: "Anyway… sleep now, Fiona. You should rest and maybe the Card of the Mysterious will help you…"
Fiona: "Well… that's the problem… I already used it three times this week."
Mr. Herold: "What?"
Fiona: "So I called you. I didn't tell Daisy, but I need your help — I want to solve the case. Lately I really don't want to shoot myself in the head again."
Mr. Herold: "Understandable… well… I can help. But how?"
Fiona: "You can pull things from Wonderland — items, animals, spirits that can help me. You're a powerful mage; that's why you were important to Lin… and you once helped Alice."
Mr. Herold: "Hmmm… yes, that's true. I know something that will help. Vampires hear very well — too well — so they're sensitive to loud noises. I'll give you something for that."
He took his hat and pulled a plant out.
Fiona: "uhm… a bird?"
Mr. Herold: "It's sleeping — a sleeping plant. When it wakes, it makes an awful loud noise… scream. Want to hear it?"
Fiona: "Better not…"
Mr. Herold: "Okay, I'll show you anyway."
Fiona: "Huh!"
He pinched it. It screamed loudly.
(ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooorrgrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)
The windows shattered and the doors broke as well.
Fiona: "…ughhhh… hhh.."
She lay on the floor in pain.
Dr. Herold: "Well… luckily I'm used to it."
Finrow: "(unconscious)"
Dr. Herold: "Oh damn, what did you do, Herold… I forgot my brother can't get used to that…"
Fiona: "Ugh…"
(Knock at the door.)
Elizabeth: "What was that…?"
Daisy: "Is everything okay?"
Elizabeth: "uhm…"
Grey: "Uh…"
Jane: "Uhm…"
Oliver: "A… rabbit?"
They looked confused.
Daisy: "He's still here."
Fiona: "Yes… it's just…"
Elizabeth: "Who is this rabbit? And… what is he carrying?"
She explained everything to them: that she'd made a contract with the rabbit, Mr. Herold, and that he also has his little brother with him, and that he comes from Wonderland.
Elizabeth: "Wonderland… the kingdom of dreams and sweets…"
Daisy: "I see. But Fiona, how can he help?"
Fiona: "What he can help with."
Mr. Herold: "What can he help with? That sentence isn't right — did you even go to school?"
Daisy: "Yes."
Mr. Herold: "Let me guess… you failed."
Daisy: "How do you know that… that's creepy."
Mr. Herold: "…(silence)"
Grey: "Honestly… everyone knows. When I asked you what was wrong in the kitchen, you said you couldn't find the salt even though you had it in your hand the whole time."
Daisy: "Are you saying I'm dumb?"
Grey: "Incompetent, yes."
Daisy: "Aha… and why did you go on a date with me?"
Grey: "You have a good figure."
Daisy: "ugh… only for that…"
Grey: "Yeah… actually… you don't smell good… you have a deep voice… face okay… otherwise you're a 5/10… but hey, one thing: you have a better figure than every other woman here — even Fiona. She's prettier but not long-haired, and her figure… well. Okay."
Fiona: "Hey Mr. Herold… do you have something to shut his mouth?"
Grey: "Hehe… you want something… bbbb!"
Mr. Herold tossed an apple into Grey's mouth; Grey swallowed it.
Grey: "uhhhhhhhh… help…"
Daisy: "Well… the rabbit is useful when it comes to Grey."
Mr. Herold: "In any case… my job is to help Fiona. She can't use her Card of the Mysterious this week — she's already used it three times. At least she can't become a ghost now."
Daisy: "Seriously?"
Fiona: "Yes…"
Elizabeth: "How exactly can you help us?"
Mr. Herold: "With this."
Daisy: "huh?"
Mr. Herold: "Vampires have very good hearing… which means it can be used as a weapon."
Elizabeth: "I understand… they hear more, so louder sounds would be painful."
Mr. Herold: "So that's really good… I pull things out of Wonderland with my hat, so I'll help Fiona that way…"
Daisy: "And what is that… who is this rabbit?"
Mr. Herold: "My brother Finrow. He doesn't do much except talk — otherwise he's a normal rabbit."
Elizabeth: "But we can't just use that plant casually, right?"
Mr. Herold: "Of course not, unless you want to scare the people nearby… If you find the vampire, it's perfect."
Elizabeth: "That's the problem."
Fiona: "We can't find him."
Mr. Herold: "Hmmm…"
Mr. Herold sat down and rummaged through his hat.
Mr. Herold: "No…"
(Bieb!)
Mr. Herold: "No…"
(iiiahhh!)Mr. Herold: "We also don't need the donkey… aha — there he is…"
He pulled something out. It was an object.
Mr. Herold: "Perfect."
A metal device that looked a little like a vacuum cleaner.
Mr. Herold: "With this device you put a scent in here — and it spreads the smell."
Elizabeth: "How will that help us?"
Fiona: "Ah — if you put the smell of blood on it, vampires will pick it up, right?"
Mr. Herold: "Exactly. One of you must put your blood in here — it works with other things too; it spreads scents… humans hardly smell it, but vampires can smell blood from far away. It could lure the vampire… do you understand?"
Elizabeth: "hmmm."
Jane: "Woow…"
Daisy: "Practical…"
Oliver: "mhm."
He tapped Grey on the back, the apple came out and… broke the window.
(Krach!)
Fiona: "(sweat)…"
Oliver: "Sorry — I'll pay for the bill…"
(A few hours later)
Clown: "(grin!)… heh heh… what do you say, Bella…"
Bella: "(silent)"
Clown: "Hahhh… I must hurry… I need only one more victim and it will be complete… now I only need that detective… so she can find your spirit…"
On the table… arms… legs… organs… and a head…
Clown: "It won't be long… Bella…"
He stroked her hair.
Clown: "I also kept your organs safe… don't worry, you'll be whole again. I only need the detective who talks to your spirit… I need her."
Klara: "You're creepy."
Clown: "That's none of your business."
Klara: "The little detective won't help her… Fiona won't help."
Clown: "Why are you so sure?"
Klara: "Hahaha… she can speak with ghosts."
Clown: "And?"
Klara: "How will she find the spirit of your beloved?"
Clown: "What do you mean?"
Klara: "She's dead."
Clown: "No… the villagers cursed her so that although she's dismembered she still lives…"
Klara: "How?"
Clown: "I don't know… I must talk to Fiona. Then she can ask Bella's spirit… maybe there's information on how I free her from the coma. I must not free her from the sleep before I speak with her spirit and have sewn her body parts together…"
Klara: "I see… the sleep-curse."
Clown: "Sleep-curse… I've heard of it. It's a curse my sister made… Beatrice…"
Klara: "Actually, it's similar to the dark arrow."
Clown: "You mean the dark arrow that put the Dark Bride to sleep… indeed they are similar…"
Klara: "And how will you wake Bella from that long sleep, how will you explain her wounds?"
Clown: "Hmmm… I don't care how many wounds she has… she's the woman I want."
Klara: "I meant… Bella — would she cope seeing her stitched body, seeing her face sewn?"
Clown: "Enough of that…"
He became angry and suddenly the whole room went dark.
Clown: "Shut your tongue — you're still with me, mortal! What do you think you are… a mortal…"
Klara: "You mock me because I'm mortal… you fell in love with a mortal woman."
Clown: "…hhmmm."
He calmed down.
Clown: "Hmph… she was mortal. If she wakes from her coma she'll be something like a vampire…"
Klara: "Please?"
Clown: "She can't simply return. The wounds and the pain will torture her… because…"
He cut himself on the arm and let his blood flow into a bottle.
Clown: "If I give her my blood — I am half vampire, half spirit…"
Klara: "How is it that you are half spirit, half vampire?"
Clown: "Long story… long story short: humans can actually still give birth when they die — your women can still carry children. The spirit became my mother after she died, but because she was cursed she could only live as a ghost and cared for me until something emerged from her belly… from her corpse… Because I was nearly complete, she made a contract with Death personally."
Klara: "Your father?"
Clown: "Not really my real father. That's the deal: he saved me and in return I became a guardian. He used a witch who let the spirits lend me their powers. So the spirits gave me their powers… and a vampire's blood… and let me drink it. The spirits lent their power to me."
Klara: "I don't understand… you can turn into a spirit… why can't you talk to Bella?"
Clown: "Well… I can't for a simple reason: I couldn't find Bella in the spirit world. But Fiona can — she only needs a photo."
Klara: "And what about that half-human, half-vampire?"
Clown: "Hehehe… he is not half-human, half-vampire…"
Klara: "What?"
Clown: "That's impossible. To be a vampire you must be dead. Is he dead? No."
Klara: "Then what is he?"
Clown: "A Wendigo!"
Klara: "What?"
Clown: "A Wendigo is like a vampire — you become a Wendigo if you eat a certain organ from a dead person."
Klara: "Which organ would that be?"
Clown: "hmph."
He suddenly moved in front of her, penetrated her body and touched her heart.
Klara: "Urk!"
Clown: "That… the heart… and now go… stop asking…"
Klara: "ghhhh… ok… understood…"
Clown: "Good…"
He let her go.
Clown: "So — one more thing about your question. Ghosts and vampires are similar… I am a spirit in a body that needs blood — that's it. I can only control ghosts, I command objects to move and teleport by them. That's why they call me half-spirit, half-human. But in truth it's just a body that can transform into a spirit and needs blood. Long story short: I can only control them, I don't transform them. Really, you wonder how I visited the spirit world — I had one of my spirits work for that."
Klara: "I see… you can control them… so you're more a vampire and ghost-mage."
Clown: "Something like that… yes, a vampire who can also use ghost magic…"
(Meanwhile)
Fiona: "Hahhh… hahhhh…"
Fiona rested — she hadn't slept enough.
Fiona: "Hahhhh… hahhhh… (opens her eyes)… hhh."
She got up.
Finrow: "Is something wrong?"
Fiona: "…hhh… my pills."
She took her pills.
(Glurk!)
Fiona: "Ahhh… hahhhhh…"
Finrow: "Too much mana still, even though you worked today…"
Fiona: "My mana keeps coming back… that's why… hahhh…"
(Sudden uneasy feeling!)
Fiona: "Huh!"
She turned around.
Fiona: "What was that…"
Finrow: "Hmm?"
She stood up and went to the balcony.
Fiona: "hmmm...….."
(Gulp!)
Someone suddenly covered her mouth.
Fiona: "mmmmm…"
Jack: "shhhhh…"
(Schwubs!)
And then… they were gone.
(A few minutes later)
Fiona: "Hahhh… what…"
She was tied up.
Jack: "Finally I have you…"
Fiona: "What do you want?"
Jack: "…hahhhh… hahh."
Fiona: "huh?"
She saw him breathing heavily.
Jack: "Damn… I killed my wife… and I don't know why… and I don't know why I have you here… he wanted it though…"
Fiona: "Who?"
Suddenly the windows opened.
Clown: "Me."
Jack: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Ugh… but… you… are the Corrupted Guardian… the Clown…"
He grinned wickedly.
Clown: "Hehehe… good job, Jack…"
Jack: "Huh… what… what do I do now?"
Clown: "Nothing… I don't need you anymore."
He snapped his fingers and Jack's head exploded.
(Splach!)
Fiona: "huhhh… what…"
Clown: "Ahch… damn, I actually meant to hit his heart… must watch my invisible drones."
Fiona: "What do you want from me?"
Clown: "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want your help."
Fiona: "Help with what?"
Clown: "Hahhhh… bring her here."
Klara appeared.
Fiona: "Ugh… you!!!"
She smiled.
Klara: "Hello…"
She had brought something — a table. On it was a scarf; she removed the scarf.
Fiona: "ugh…"
Body parts of a woman.
Clown: "These are the body parts of a woman named Bella… shortened; her full name is Brigitte Isabella Sellon… she was a friend of mine."
Fiona: "What do you want from me? I'm only a detective… what could a guardian like you want from me?"
Clown: "You can talk with ghosts."
Fiona: "You can too."
Clown: "No — I can only control them, objects, ghosts of objects — not dead souls."
Fiona: "Hhh…"
Clown: "I sent one of my spirits to search in the spirit world, but I couldn't find her — she's only in a long sleep due to a curse."
He produced a photo of her.
Fiona: "Hmmm… if I'm not mistaken, because she's asleep and not truly dead, she may have aged… and would her spirit grow old too? How old was she when she died?"
Clown: "Hmmm… that's simple — she was 18 years old. I'm sure of it."
Fiona: "I understand…"
She took the photo.
Fiona: "If you give her your blood, are you aware she will likely become some kind of undead? A sort of zombie?"
Clown: "Aware…"
Fiona: "Hmmm."
She looked at the photo. Her left eye examined it carefully; the clock pupil turned.
(Schwubs)
Fiona: "Release my hand or shoot me in the head with my pistol — of course with this…"
Clown: "Okay."
He took the pistol and shot her in the head. She became a spirit and then woke back up.
Clown: "What?"
Fiona: "It didn't work…"
Clown: "Ghhhh… damn!"
He slammed the floor.
Fiona: "Hahhh…"
Clown: "Well… then everything was in vain…"
Fiona: "Wait… a curse… a curse… was it cast by a witch?"
Clown: "Hmm?… yes… why?"
Fiona: "Then — we must break the curse."
Clown: "And how?"
Fiona: "Hmmm… she's asleep, which means she's alive despite the separated body parts… your friend isn't dead — she's cursed, not at peace."
Clown: "What?"
Fiona: "Think. Do you think she would still sleep like that?"
Clown: "ugh… but… even if that's the case, that's fine for me."
Fiona: "That means the witch probably used a curse and the blood of the undead… so even if she wakes, she will still suffer."
Clown: "Ghhh…"
Fiona: "Why… what did she do to deserve this?"
Clown: "…hahhhh… fine, I'll tell you."
He sat down.
Clown: "Over 400 years ago…"
Over 400 years ago a child was born into a dead woman's belly — his mother made a contract with Death when she was still alive: he would save the child and she would die, and the child would belong to him. Death agreed but didn't want to care for the child. So he left it at a door. A woman took care of the clown, but she didn't like his eyes and voice… she removed his eyes and replaced them with a cat's eyes. She changed his voice with a key and a radio — you only have to turn the key to silence him. She was a scientist. The villagers feared and hated the child. But a girl talked to him — she was a light for him. A few days later, when he returned, he saw the girl he loved hanging on several stakes… body parts of her — hands and feet severed and her organs spilling out of her belly, her head hung somewhere else. In fury and hatred he transformed into a terrifying figure — a vampire with bat wings — and killed the villagers, slashed them open — a true nightmare. He also killed his caretaker. Later he found out his beloved girl wasn't dead — she had been cursed by a witch. Nobody knows who that witch was — it's a long sleep.
Clown: "And that's roughly how it was…"
Fiona: "Hmmmm… I think that's enough. I can ask Holle."
Clown: "Holle — my big sister — she won't help you if it concerns me."
Fiona: "Maybe she will… kill me."
Clown: "What?"
Fiona: "Kill me — only then can I talk to her. I'll be returned by her anyway — she won't let me die."
Clown: "Hmmm…"
Suddenly Herold's hat popped and Mr. Herold came out.
Mr. Herold: "Stop! …ladies and gentlemen."
Klara: "mmmm.?"
Fiona: "Mr. Herold?"
Clown: "Who is this rabbit?"
Mr. Herold: "I think there's another possibility…"
Clown: "Hmm?"
Mr. Herold: "We might use a photo again… but Fiona can't because she's already used it three times, did you forget?"
Fiona: "Oh… right…"
Mr. Herold: "How about we wait — the week will be over soon anyway…"
Clown: "And then?"
Mr. Herold: "Then Fiona can return as a spirit to the time when your Bella was still alive and see exactly what happened, why she was cursed."
Clown: "hmmm… hahh… fine — do I even have a choice?"
Fiona: "hmmm…"
Klara: "…and what do we do with me?"
Clown: "Good question… what do we do with her?"
Fiona: "Hmmm…"
Clown: "She killed your friends… tsk, I didn't even order that…"
Fiona: "…Ghhh…"
She stood up and grabbed a knife.
Fiona: "How about I torture you first!"
Klara: "Wait… wait… I know where Cruella is!"
Fiona: "ugh…"
Klara: "Hahhh… hahhh…"
She paused.
Fiona: "She… is alive then?"
Klara: "Of course… she's still alive… after all… she's still my sister."
Fiona: "Cruella is your sister — where is she!"
Klara: "I know only that she lives in Roselande."
Fiona: "What? Why so far? You're lying… that's very far from Dehl!"
Klara: "No…"
Clown: "hmmm… that makes sense — you two are from there, right?"
Klara: "Yes… precisely. Specifically in the city Saint-de-Brest."
Clown: "Hohoho… wow… you live in that city — no wonder you're so proud."
Fiona: "What do you mean?"
Clown: "That realm… well, it was cursed by my sister."
Fiona: "Hmmm?"
Clown: "There are many problems in Saint-de-Brest — the city of the dark."
Fiona: "Hmm…"
Clown: "Anyway — I will watch you, Fiona. I allow you to return… but not without observation. My friend Miwa, a cat, will watch you."
Miwa: "Meow!"
Fiona: "hmm…"
Clown: "By the way… about your mother Tina Houshould."
Fiona: "Yes?"
Clown: "Your full name is Fiona Philomela Houshould. Your father liked to call you Voir… which means…"
Fiona: "How do you know that?"
Clown: "I knew your mother — she was one of the few mortals who interested me."
Fiona: "What was my mother like? Can you tell me?"
Clown: "Hahhh… too kind… but… unbelievably clever, knew how to handle politics, always strove for justice in Dukewood… she was a really good woman."
Fiona: "Hmmm… and… my father?"
Clown: "I don't know much about him. Unfortunately… I only know he served as a policeman."
Fiona: "Is that true… that my mother… cheated?"
Clown: "No."
Fiona: "What?"
Clown: "Ttsss… those were just rumors meant to destroy her. That's how humans are. The truth is neither your father nor your mother were like that. Your father was honorable and died in the line of duty. Your mother became depressed and began to drink… a lot… at first only in the evenings to sleep. That's when she took those relationships… she was lost… especially because the day before, her sister died in a revenge attack. She blamed herself, cried every day, drank and drank… then got addicted to pills. Long story short: your father was already dead by then."
Fiona: "I see… Why did Edwardson kill my mother?"
Clown: "Edwardson? You mean that old man? He's a real criminal. That's all. He only wanted the instrument."
Fiona: "Why didn't he kill me?"
Clown: "hahh… too many questions, one thing at a time. I don't know why he didn't kill you… maybe he didn't want to kill a child? Maybe he had a little daughter himself? I don't know…"
Fiona: "A little daughter."
Clown: "I don't know. I only heard about it. As for his past… no idea. Now go, rest. Understood? As I said, Miwa my cat will watch you. Don't get any ideas — otherwise I'll do what Edwardson might have done."
They left the building. She saw the Clown looking out the window.
Fiona: "Who would have thought the Clown is such a fragile guardian… I feel sorry for him…"
She walked on.
Fiona: "Why was his beloved punished… there must be a reason…"
Miwa: "Meow…"
Fiona: "Alright, I just want to go home."
She returned to the Ainsworth family.
Fiona: "Hopefully Finrow didn't wake everyone."
Crane: "Fiona!"
The door opened and Daisy hurried to her.
Daisy: "There you are."
Fiona: "(sweat)… very funny, thanks a lot, Finrow…"
Daisy: "Are you okay?"
Jane: "Is everything all right?"
Elizabeth: "Where were you?"
Grey: "Was someone kidnapping you?"
Oliver: "I'll prepare tea… want to warm up?"
Fiona: "(sweat) calm down, people… the vampire… I found him…"
Elizabeth: "Huh?…"
Fiona: "He's dead… he took his own life."
Crane: "hmm?"
Fiona: "I used Mr. Herold to find him. I found him… but when he realized he was caught… he chose to kill himself. Here's his head."
She threw his head.
Elizabeth: "oh…"
Daisy: "The head wasn't necessary… but okay…"
(A few minutes later)
Fiona: "Hahh…"
Miwa: "Why not tell the truth?"
Fiona: "I don't want anyone entangled in this… and we're talking about the Clown — I don't want to put them in unnecessary danger…"
Miwa: "Good choice…"
Fiona: "Thanks for that…"