Finally, Rosalie brought the Lilly Mond group to the Baskenreich, and it was more fascinating than expected... Of course, it was also somewhat... creepy, since they were under the sea.
Sophie: "Hmm."
The cities were quiet... The people wore more modern clothes, although there were some exceptions.
Rosalie: "So... let's go inside."
They went inside the small station.
Rosalie: "So, this is it."
Sophie: "Um... why the hell is it designed so that the walls and even part of the floor allow you to see the water?"
Rosalie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "Yeah... it's not that bad... But the station... how many rooms does it have?"
Rosalie: "Three."
Sophie: "Three?... Three rooms?... Are we supposed to sleep in the same room?"
Rosalie: "The boys will take one room and the girls another. The third room is for the Master... actually."
Sophie: "So you are sleeping there."
Rosalie: "Bingo."
Fiona: "Hahh... Look at that... Equality really does not seem to exist here."
Rosalie: "Hey... I do not know you that well, so I would only be a disturbance."
Sophie: "The perfect excuse."
Fiona: "Yep."
Rosika: "Hmm."
Rosalie: "Oh... although..."
She hugged Rosika from behind.
Rosalie: "That would be too much for poor Rosika... It would be too cramped. She can sleep with me too."
Sophie: "(Sweating)... Someone seems to be a fan of Rosika."
Fiona: "Hahh... It is better that way... The space would be too cramped for her... I am afraid we might accidentally hurt her."
Sophie: "Oh, wait, you are right... We would end up stepping on each other."
Fiona: "Yeah. By the way... Sophie... I would definitely notice whether you did that on purpose or not."
Sophie: "(Sweating)... Okay... Chill."
Fiona: "Okay."
Rosalie: "So... we slept the whole way here... well, you slept the whole way. I did not, so I am going to sleep for a few hours first... You can rest, eat something if you want... Oh... you can turn on the television here... Sophie, catch the remote."
Sophie: "Huh?"
(Crash!)
Sophie: "Ouch!"
Rosalie: "Oops."
Sophie: "You can stick your 'oops' somewhere else."
She picked it up.
Sophie: "Mmm..."
(Click)
Sophie: "...Oh... it even works."
Rosalie: "Of course. The Dark Umbrella bought it for 10 million."
Fiona: "10 what?... How about you give us a raise instead of buying things like this?"
Sophie: "Yeah, exactly... I am busting my ass just to get 8,000 Coil and risk my life... Wait, how much do you get?"
Rosalie: "...11,000 Coil."
Sophie: "Aha... See? She obviously has fanboys... and fangirls."
Lina: "Um... okay... Sophie, how about we make something to eat first?"
Sophie: "Sure. What do you guys want to eat?"
Rosalie: "I would also like some salad."
Sophie: "Make it yourself. Nobody here eats salad... It is boring."
Rosalie: "Excuse me?... So you all eat unhealthy food?"
Fiona: "My dear, anyone listening to you would think that only salad is healthy... I would rather eat unhealthy food than... unhealthy things like erotic magazines... Tell me, why do you eat salad?"
Rosalie: "I eat it to stay healthy... hehe. Anyway, what do you normally eat?"
Sophie: "Soup, rice and meat... noodles... sometimes pizza... cake... gelatin... and so on."
Rosalie: "Oh... okay. It is not that unhealthy. There are healthy things in there too. Good, I am going to sleep now."
She closed the door.
Sophie: "Good... then I will start cooking... But do we even have anything to cook with?"
Lina: "Nope."
Sophie: "Oh... great."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Sophie: "Then let us go shopping. Fiona... how about it?"
Fiona: "Sure."
Sophie: "Hehe... I will quickly change clothes."
She ran to the room and grabbed her things.
Lina: "...Hehe... she loves shopping."
Fiona: "Okay, then I will change too."
She took her jacket and went into the bathroom.
Sophie: "I am ready... hehe."
She was wearing an undershirt, a hat and medium length pants.
Sophie: "How do I look?"
Lina: "Great, hehe."
They looked around.
Sophie: "Hmm... where is Fiona?"
Lina: "She is changing in the bathroom."
Sophie: "Oh."
She came out.
Sophie: "Hmm... ugh."
Lina: "Wow."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "...Hmm."
Fiona came out wearing a long dark dress and a dark hat.
Sophie: "Man... why do you love wearing long clothes so much?"
Fiona: "What?... I do not like showing myself... Besides, you can see my back."
Sophie: "...Oh... okay. Come on."
Fiona: "Okay."
Sophie: "See you later."
They left.
Sophie: "Hmmm... wow."
(Jazz music)
Fiona: "It is really lively here."
Sophie: "Isn't it?... Hmm... Oh, there is the supermarket."
They went inside.
Sophie: "Oh... wow... holy shit... What is that?"
Fiona: "Hmm."
There was a large window through which they could see the sea... but this time there were a lot of fish.
Shopkeeper: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "Why are there suddenly so many fish?"
Shopkeeper: "Hehehe... You are new here?... I see. Then I will explain it to you."
Sophie: "Oh?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Shopkeeper: "There are parts of the sea where fish... and animals like to stay, and other parts they prefer not to stay in. Look through the window."
Sophie looked at the window.
Sophie: "I... I do not know... I am not really a fan of the deep sea."
Fiona: "Me neither."
Sophie: "Mmm."
Shopkeeper: "Do not worry... The glass is strong."
They moved a little farther forward.
Shopkeeper: "Down there you can see a lot of seafood and underwater plants."
Sophie: "Ohhh."
Fiona: "Hmmm... ughhh..."
Shopkeeper: "Oh... and if you look to the left... you can see the side that is not inhabited by animals."
It was deep and... dark... as if the water itself were different.
Shopkeeper: "My recommendation... Whatever happens, if you have walls or windows like these... and you hear certain... noises, then it is better not to look through the window."
Sophie: "Hmm... why?"
Fiona: "Yeah... is there something dangerous?"
Shopkeeper: "...Let us just say... there are creatures... if we can even call them creatures... that are not very peaceful."
Sophie: "O...kay."
Fiona: "I understand."
Sophie: "Hmm... okay... We are looking for a few things. Do you have vegetables... or mushrooms?"
Shopkeeper: "Hehe... Mushrooms are vegetables."
Sophie: "...Um... no... they are more like something else... Fungi, right?"
Fiona: "Hmm?... Fungi?... No idea. I do not care."
Shopkeeper: "I did not know that."
Sophie: "Fungi..."
Fiona: "But fungi are simply mushrooms in the old language... right?"
Sophie: "Yeah... Let us just look now. Thank you for the help."
Shopkeeper: "You are welcome."
They went a little farther.
Shopkeeper: "Hmm."
They stopped.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "So... why do they call them fungi if they are mushrooms?"
Sophie: "Dude, no idea... and it does not matter now. As long as it tastes good... And... well, as long as it is the right mushroom. The wrong mushroom... would not be so cool."
Fiona: "Hahh... For you, it does not matter... You come back anyway."
Sophie: "Hahaha... I have to admit I tried it once... It tasted delicious, but afterward... I almost died. Then I came back with time. Not worth it."
Fiona: "Wait... you sometimes use your ability for things like that?"
Sophie: "Yeah, out of boredom. I even used a pistol for it once... just to see if it was good."
Fiona: "No... stop doing that. It is destroying your mind."
Sophie: "Yeah, I know... That was back when I was still just a little kid."
Fiona: "Okay, now the question is... how the hell did you get your hands on a pistol?"
Sophie: "I stole it... Believe me, stealing and me as a child were like bread and butter... a perfect duo."
Fiona: "...Oh... okay."
Sophie: "So... enough mushrooms. Now we need something really... delicious. How about I cook a meal and make only salad for Rosalie... hehe."
Fiona: "No... make it yourself. My salary is too low to have it reduced."
Sophie: "Oh, come on. We made a lot of money through the cafeteria."
Fiona: "True... but still... not very cool."
Sophie: "I... think that would be mean to Rosalie... hehe. Hmm... I think she wants to eat salad because she wants to stay slim."
Fiona: "Why?"
Sophie: "You know that woman really wants to... find someone again... Hmm... but salad is too little. I will cook something for her... Ahh, okay... I think I will make something light for her... but not salad... Hmm... I need something spicy because Rosika likes it... hmmm."
She looked for ingredients, because Sophie prepared the food according to everyone's tastes.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "Did you remember everything?"
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "I mean their tastes."
Sophie: "Of course. Lina does not like anything liquid... Siegfried does not like it when the food is too crunchy, you know what I mean, that crunch in the food... Rosika likes spicy food but does not like mayonnaise... You do not like spicy food or mayonnaise either, just like Violet... except Violet also does not like garlic... while you like it... Hosenträger does not like tomatoes... and Oliver does not like cucumbers."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Sophie: "Lina also likes meat... like chicken or steak... You and Violet like seafood... Oliver does not like seafood except tuna... and Hosenträger, like most people, does not like fatty meat such as steak or pork... The only one who likes fatty meat is Lina... Oh... Siegfried also likes some berries on his meat... it gives it flavor... while Rosika actually likes strawberries next to her meat... Rosalie... does not like food with too strong a smell... hmm."
Fiona: "Ohhh..."
Sophie: "Hmm?... Surprised, huh? Hehe..."
Fiona: "How the hell are you not a mother yet?"
Sophie: "(Sweating)... Hehe..."
They were finished.
Sophie: "So..."
She gave the shopkeeper the money.
Shopkeeper: "Thank you... goodbye."
They left.
Sophie: "(Humming)..."
Fiona: "Hmm... (Sophie... really seems to be someone who observes and understands others very well... Strange how she changed when she was a child... back then, the others were completely irrelevant to her...) (Smiles)..."
Sophie: "Huh?... Is something wrong?"
Fiona: "No... I am just glad that you are with us, Sophie."
Sophie: "Ohh... (Turns red)... What is that supposed to mean all of a sudden... Hmph."
They went back inside.
Lina: "Oh... you bought so much."
Sophie: "Hehe... I think you must all be hungry."
Violet: "Oh yes."
She went to the kitchen.
Sophie: "...Hmm..."
(Weeee)
Sophie: "Huh!!..."
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Sophie had her hand on her own chest.
Fiona: "Hey, Sophie?... Are you okay?"
Sophie: "What?... Yes, yes... I am perfectly fine."
She started cooking.
Sophie: "...(Humming)..."
(Click)
Sophie: "Huh?"
(Pump!) (Pump!)
Sophie: "...Huh?..."
(Splach!)
Her heart exploded.
(Tick. Tick.)
Sophie: "Huh!... Oh... ugh... (Coughs)..."
Fiona: "What was that just..."
Sophie: "Ugh... Am I... crazy?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "Mmm... Fiona..."
Fiona: "What is it?"
She quickly went over to her.
Sophie: "...Something... is stuck around my... neck."
Fiona: "Ugh..."
She opened Sophie's mouth.
Fiona: "Let me see..."
Violet: "Is something wrong?"
Fiona: "Hey, Violet, I need your help for a moment."
Violet: "Yeah?"
Fiona: "Please use your shadow... Something is trying to get into Sophie's heart. I do not know what it is."
Sophie: "(I understand... I do not return through time when I die... No... but shortly before I die... When my heart exploded, it was activated immediately.)"
Violet: "Huh?... There really is something in there."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Violet: "I got it... I got it..."
Fiona: "Ghhh... This is going to be uncomfortable, Sophie."
Violet put her hand into Sophie's throat.
Sophie: "Hmm..."
Violet: "Okay... okay... I... think I have it... but I cannot get it out."
Siegfried: "I think you have to do it differently."
Fiona: "Ahh."
She turned Sophie around, held her by the back and pressed.
Sophie: "(Bleaargh!)..."
She coughed it out.
Sophie: "(Cough)... (Cough)..."
Violet: "What the hell is that?"
It was... a... sealed key.
Sophie: "Mmm."
Fiona: "Are you okay?"
Sophie: "...Mmm... yes..."
Violet: "How... did that get inside you?"
Rosalie: "Hmm... Someone wanted to curse you, Sophie."
Sophie: "Me?... Why?"
Fiona: "Hmm?"
Rosalie: "I woke up because of all that... Give it to me."
She held it.
Rosalie: "Ahh... That is a key that gradually consumes more and more of their body."
Sophie: "And how did it... get inside me?"
Rosalie: "Probably when you were sleeping at some point... or a ghost did it."
Sophie: "Mmm... Thank you, Violet."
Violet: "No problem. Are you okay?"
Sophie: "Yes."
Fiona: "Hmm... Herold?"
Herold came out.
Mr. Herold: "Hmm... what is it?"
Fiona: "Do you know who this key belongs to?"
Mr. Herold: "Hmm?... Hmmm... It is... a cursed key... someone must have put it inside you... hmmm..."
Sophie: "Was it the shopkeeper?"
Fiona: "Maybe... but it could also have been someone who passed by us."
Sophie: "And why did they want to target me?"
Fiona: "...She probably only dared to do it when we separated briefly while shopping... Was there anyone near you?"
Sophie: "Not that I know of."