The cafeteria finally opened. The time had finally come. Sophie and the others were excited, and Fiona as well. The group could finally relax.
Sophie: "Hehe... It's almost time."
Fiona: "Yeah."
Rosika: "Hehe."
Siegfried: "I'm really looking forward to it."
Violet: "Yeah."
Lina: "I'm looking forward to it as well."
Sophie: "Mhm. The Happy Flowers Cafeteria is now open."
(Ding)
Sophie: "....O...k..."
(Two hours later)
Sophie: "...O.....k..."
(One hour later)
(Crash)
Sophie: "Hahhh..."
Fiona: "Only one order... hah... and it was from Meliodas himself."
Sophie: "Oh man..."
(Ding)
Sophie: "Huh... hello... ugh."
Fiona: "Ughh... mmm..."
The Joker: "Hello... I see you're open."
Sophie: "Hahh..."
The Joker: "Hey, what's with that? I just want to order something."
Sophie: "Hahhh..."
The Joker: "Let's see."
Sophie: "Hahhh..."
The Joker: "I'd like a paella... and a cold juice."
Sophie: "Of course... Ghhhh... I don't like this... (Cough)... we'll gladly get it for you. Please have a seat."
The Joker: "Thank you very much... hehe."
She sat down.
The Joker: "Hmmm."
She was wearing an undershirt. She wasn't wearing glasses. She had only worn those while pretending to be Sandy.
Sophie: "Hahh... should I cook it, or you, Fiona?"
Fiona: "Let me do it... I'd like to cook."
Sophie: "Okay. Just don't poison her, hehe."
Fiona: "We'll see."
She went into the kitchen.
The Joker: "Hmm?... Hehe."
She waved at Sophie.
Sophie: "(Sweats)... Man... it's annoying that she's so cute... but she's still a cold-blooded murderer."
Rosika: "Um... should I bring her some water?"
Sophie: "Yeah... do that. It's on the house."
She walked over to her.
Rosika: "Here... please."
The Joker: "Oh... thank you very much, my dear... hehe."
She smiled, and Rosika walked away again.
The Joker: "Hmmm."
(A few minutes later)
Fiona: "Here."
The Joker: "Ohh... you cooked it for me... how sweet... hehe..."
Fiona: "Of course."
She began eating.
The Joker: "Mmmm... delicious... When do I have to pay?"
Fiona: "After you're finished eating... unless you...(Cough)... unless you'd like to order something else."
The Joker: "You should smile a little, my dear. That's part of the job."
Fiona: "I'd rather have my period than smile... especially at you."
She walked away again.
The Joker: "(Sweats)... Wow... mmm... delicious... hehe... and what about my juice?"
Fiona: "Rosika will bring it."
Rosika: "Here... sorry for the delay."
The Joker: "...You know who I am, don't you? I'm The Joker."
Rosika: "Yes?"
The Joker: "Hmm?... Then why are you smiling and treating me kindly? I'd like to know."
Rosika: "...A customer is a customer. This... is different from our work in the Dark Umbrella. Here I'm serving customers... so... I hope you enjoy your meal."
She walked away. The Joker stopped smiling.
The Joker: "...I see... Hmph..."
She drank the juice and continued eating.
The Joker: "Well then, I'll be going."
Sophie: "Final... I mean... please honor us with another visit."
The Joker: "May I speak with Fiona for a moment?"
Sophie: "Ugh... that's not part of customer service, ma'am. We sell food to satisfy your hunger... not other desires... hehe."
The Joker: "I just want to talk to her."
Fiona: "It's fine. I'll come."
She walked over.
Fiona: "What do you want?"
The Joker wrapped herself around Fiona's arm.
Fiona: "Hey."
The Joker: "I just want to talk to you for a moment, okay?"
She led her away.
Sophie: "Fiona."
Fiona: "It's fine."
They left the cafeteria and walked into a quiet corner.
The Joker: "This place will do."
Fiona: "What do you want from me?"
The Joker: "...I'd like to apologize for yesterday."
Fiona: "Huh?"
The Joker: "I was... mean to you yesterday... Would you accept my apology?"
Fiona: "Hmm?... Something's wrong... What are you planning?"
The Joker: "Hahh... Well..."
She was sweating.
Fiona: "Hmm?..."
The Joker: "...I need your help... please..."
Fiona: "My help?"
The Joker: "Yes..."
Fiona: "Mine?"
The Joker: "From all of Lilly Moon..."
Fiona: "What's wrong?"
The Joker: "Hahhh..."
Fiona: "Hmm?... (Something isn't right... Joker is sweating so much...)"
The Joker almost collapsed, but Fiona caught her.
Fiona: "Whoa... what's wrong with you?"
The Joker: "I... don't know myself."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
She pulled off one of her gloves with her teeth and touched The Joker's forehead.
Fiona: "You have a fever... You're so warm I could use you instead of the stove."
The Joker: "...Well... yesterday... it happened..."
Fiona: "Huh?"
The Joker: "After I met you and Sophie..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
(A few days earlier)
The Joker: "Mm... (Humming)..."
Someone walked past her carrying an umbrella. At that exact moment, the person stabbed something into her neck with a syringe.
The Joker: "Urk..."
(Back to the present)
The Joker: "Hahh."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
The Joker: "It wasn't one of you... I know that..."
Fiona: "Did you see his face?"
The Joker: "Does... that mean you'll help me?"
The Joker held her neck.
Fiona: "Sorry... not my problem."
Fiona turned to leave, but The Joker grabbed her hand.
The Joker: "...Wait... please... Fiona... I'm really... sorry about yesterday..."
Fiona: "Hahhh..."
She looked at The Joker. She looked completely exhausted.
The Joker: "...Ple...ase...(Cough)... help... me..."
Fiona: "...Forget it... It would be better if you suffered... for what you've done to innocent people."
The Joker: "Hahh... Oh come on. Don't give me that. You people from the Dark Umbrella aren't any better... You've killed innocent people too... far more than I have."
Fiona: "That's true... But not Lilly Moon."
The Joker: "...(Cough)... hahh... even so... you're still working for the same organization... I...(Cough)... I'm in pain... Please..."
Fiona: "...Who knows... Yesterday you ruined Sophie's day too... I don't care what you do to me... but Sophie matters to me... How about apologizing to her?"
The Joker: "...Hahhh...(Cough)..."
Sophie: "No need. I'm here."
The Joker: "Hah... there you are..."
Sophie: "Save it... You look terrible... and I like that."
The Joker: "Please... You have to help me."
Fiona: "Have to?"
Sophie: "Hahh... No... Go to hell."
The Joker: "...Hey... wait."
They started walking away.
The Joker: "...Ghhh... I thought... you'd understand... Fiona... because... you're a victim of the Howgarts family... just like me."
Fiona: "Ugh."
Sophie: "Huh!"
The Joker: "You too, Sophie..."
Both of them looked at her.
Sophie: "What do you mean by that?"
The Joker: "...Hahhh... hahhh... The experiments performed on you... weren't the idea of Mr. Howgarts himself... They were his wife's idea... She later left the Dark Umbrella... and went to San Guimereas... There... they took many children... and experimented on them... and I... The Joker... was one of them..."
Sophie: "Fiona, ignore her. Even if it's true... she's just trying to manipulate our feelings."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
The Joker: "Please..."
She looked at both of them with desperate eyes while clutching her neck.
The Joker: "...Please...(Cough)..."
Fiona: "Hahh... Sophie... go back. I'll help her."
Sophie: "What?... You're fucking serious?"
Fiona: "Yes, I am."
She walked over to The Joker and picked her up in her arms.
Fiona: "Mmm."
The Joker: "Hahhh... hhhh..."
Fiona: "Go ahead, Sophie. Once I'm done, I'll come back."
Sophie: "Why are you helping her?"
Fiona: "...Because... even though she's a terrible person... she's also a victim... She was just a child... If someone had shown her love... she wouldn't have become like this..."
She carried her away slowly.
Sophie: "Hahhh... Fuck!... Hahhh... Damn it... Whatever... Hahh... We don't have any customers anyway..."
She went back inside.
The Joker: "...Hhhh...(Cough)..."
Fiona: "Hang in there. I'll take you to our place."
The Joker: "Wait... my apartment is over there."
She pointed with her hand.
The Joker: "There..."
Fiona: "Okay."
She walked over and opened the door.
The Joker: "...Second floor."
She went upstairs. The apartment door was open.
Fiona: "You left your door open?"
The Joker: "...Yeah... I was in a hurry."
Fiona went inside and laid her on the bed.
The Joker: "Hahhh... hahh..."
Fiona: "First I need to figure out what kind of poison this is."
The Joker: "...Hehe... We have something in common... Poison is dangerous for you too, right?... I know your curse keeps you from aging."
Fiona: "Yeah."
The Joker: "My curse keeps me from aging... and I can't really die either... Rumpelstiltskin must have liked me a lot."
Fiona: "I see... So Rumpelstiltskin cursed you?... That's right. He's known for curses that allow someone to die over and over again."
The Joker: "Hehe... Isn't it the same for you?"
Fiona: "Not exactly. It's true that I don't age... and I don't die easily... I can only die from poison."
The Joker: "Hehe."
Fiona: "You know a lot... Before I help you... What did you mean about the Howgarts family?"
The Joker: "Ohh... Curse them... They were the ones who conducted those experiments on many children... There were one hundred children... Only the last survivors were allowed to live."
Fiona: "Huh?... Wait, what do you mean?"
The Joker: "We... The Finger, the other children, and I... had to kill each other... There were deadly trials every single time... They wanted to turn us into killing machines... Hehe... I killed twenty children when I was still a child... The Finger killed twenty-nine... We survived... After Mrs. Howgarts disappeared... my biological mother continued the experiments."
Fiona: "What?"
The Joker: "The name 'Joker'... she gave it to me right after I was born... Though some people called me The Night... It was the same with The Finger. The Finger's mother did the same... The children weren't the worst part... no... even worse were their own families. They were scientists who offered up their own children."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
The Joker: "...I made one decision. As soon as I got out... the first person I'd kill... would be my mother... And I did... I killed her... But she smiled and said... the experiment... had been a success... No regret... nothing...(Cough)... (Cough)..."
Fiona: "...I'm sorry."
The Joker: "...(Cough)... Hah... Look at that... You're apologizing... You actually pity me...(Cough)..."
Fiona: "No child deserves something like that... I know... a little... about experiments... but you had it even worse with parents like that."
The Joker: "Hahh... I don't know my father... She probably just used some random man as my biological father... Hmph... I'll tell you one thing... The worst kinds of parents are scientists... and politicians... Hmph... They're willing...(Cough)... to sacrifice their own children..."
Fiona: "Okay... hold still."
She took out a syringe.
The Joker: "What... are you doing?"
Fiona: "I need your blood. Maybe then I can figure out who poisoned you... Where did he inject you?"
The Joker: "Here."
She turned around. The puncture wound was still visible on the back of her neck.
Fiona: "Okay."
She drew some blood.
Fiona: "Hmm... okay..."
She took out a device while The Joker was still turned around.
The Joker: "(Cough)... This is... embarrassing..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
The Joker: "...Now you're the one... who gets to laugh at me... Go ahead...(Cough)... (Cough)..."
Fiona: "...I don't laugh at things like this... I'm not you."
The Joker: "Hmph..."
Fiona: "...Hmmm... okay."
(Beep)
Fiona: "Ughh... This wasn't poison."
The Joker: "Then what was it?(Cough)..."
Fiona: "It's more like... a drug... It can't identify it... which means it's some kind of drug."
The Joker: "Are you kidding me, Fiona?... I'm a drug addict... Something like that wouldn't do this to me."
Fiona: "...Not if the dose was high enough..."
The Joker: "(Cough)..."
Fiona: "Hmm..."
She turned The Joker over.
The Joker: "What... are you doing?"
She placed her hand on her forehead.
The Joker: "Hhhhh..."
Fiona: "A fever... Either it's a drug... or a poison the device can't identify..."
The Joker: "Hahhh..."
Fiona: "So... poison kills you?"
The Joker: "...Hhhh... No... I just stay... like this... forever."
Fiona: "Hmm."
The Joker: "This is...(Cough)... your chance..."
Fiona: "You helped me back then... and The Finger saved me... so..."
The Joker: "Mmm... It's also your chance... to examine my body."
Fiona: "Cut the crap."
The Joker: "What?... Aren't you a detective?... Detectives examine bodies too."
Fiona: "(Sweats)... I think... either you've misunderstood something... or you've been reading erotic novels that portray detectives... a little differently..."
The Joker: "...Hh...(Cough)... Could... you please... give me some water?"
Fiona: "Hmm... Sure."
She stood up and handed her some water.
The Joker: "...Thanks."
She tried to sit up. Fiona sighed and helped her drink.
The Joker: "...Mm... Doesn't seem like you enjoy this."
Fiona: "To be honest... no. I'm still angry with you... for what you've done to Sophie... and everyone else... and all those civilians... I have to admit... I was just thinking about letting you suffer."
The Joker: "...Then do it...(Cough)... Hehe... Your last chance... Urkk... Ghhh... This hurts... Hhh..."
Her breathing became heavier.
The Joker: "(Cough)... If I catch that bastard... I'll kill him... and his entire... damn... family!!!!"
She threw the glass away.
The Joker: "...Ghhhh..."
Fiona: "Hmm... There you are."
The Joker: "Huh?... Don't... look at me like that...(Cough)... Every single one of you... has only ever seen me... as some kind... of monster... ever since I was a child... I don't want to hear that... from anyone else..."
Fiona: "Hey... Calm down."
The Joker: "(Cough)... Hhhh... Don't tell me to calm down... Do you have any idea how much this hurts?... You're probably enjoying this."
Fiona: "Mmm... Maybe I am."
The Joker: "Ghh... See... Ghh..."
Suddenly, Fiona hugged her.
Fiona: "...Is this what you wanted?"
The Joker: "Ughh..."
Fiona: "Shhhh..."
She gently stroked her head.
The Joker: "What... are you doing...?"
Fiona: "I don't even know myself... Just be quiet."
She hugged her tighter. The Joker fell silent. She simply rested her head on Fiona's shoulder.
The Joker: "Hhhhh..."
Fiona: "You're sweating so much..."
The Joker: "...(Cough)... I have... one more thing... to tell you."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
The Joker: "Back during the experiments... there was a little girl... They called her... The Girl in the Yellow... She... was in the same group as us... and... she died too."
Fiona: "Okay... and... what does that have to do with anything?"
The Joker: "...Simply this... She... was in my group... and she was... my little sister."
Fiona: "Ugh!"
The Joker: "...And she died right before my eyes."