“Food poisoning?”, asked Victor Roger, confused. Pictures of yesterday came into his mind, Florence almost stabbing Elbert, her desperate and hysterical behaviour and finally her rigidity.
Roger now looked back at him, his eyebrows raised up.
“What is it?”, he asked, irritated.
“You just said she had Food poisoning.”
“And?”
Roger now stood up from his desk turned towards him.
“Roger, yesterday you said she had a dissociative Episode. She was panicking and impulsive. She almost stabbed Elbert.”, Victor explained his confusion and frowned.
Now Roger looked at Victor, like he lost his mind.
“Did your head take a knock? She threw up after Breakfast and felt unwell. Nothing more.”
The two faced each other, not saying anything. Silence was the only thing in the room and Victor leaned forward, with his finger In Front of his mouth, thinking hard.
“Roger, is this a prank? Or did you accidentally take one of your experimental mixtures?”
Now Roger was groaning holding his temples.
“Listen, I don't know what's up, but I am not lying.”
Suddenly Victor clapped with his hands and smiled at Roger.
“So then we will just ask the other members of crown, who were present. It's as simple as that.”
“Have fun with that”, Roger said and wanted to turn to his desk when he felt a pull on his collar.
“And you come with me!” Victor said, pulling him along, ignoring the protests from Roger.
“I stepped on her Shadow yesterday.”, Elbert said calmly, his eyes showing signs of regret.
“See?”, Victor said to Roger, who frowned and crossed his arms. Elbert looked a bit confused about the situation and switched looking at Roger and Victor. They were standing in the middle of the floor In Front of Dining room.
“This can't be, I gave her pills for the stomach and I clearly remember her throwing up on the carpet.”, Roger discussed with Victor.
“It did happen. But more likely because of the shock…”, Elbert breathed.
Roger held his hand in front of his mouth, looking at both Elbert and Victor, but said nothing. Then he heard footsteps deeper in the corridor and walked towards them, saying to Elbert and Victor to wait, who were looking expectantly.
They waited a while until they heard a protest, and with their Doctor was Jude. Behind them was Ellis, trotting along.
“What’cha problem?”, Jude asked and glared at them. Roger looks at Victor requestingly and Victor turns to Jude.
“Jude do you remember the situation with Florence yesterday?”
“What about it?”, he asked monotonously.
“He wants to know what exactly happened.”, Roger interfered.
“What do I know? She just havin’ a weak gut.”, he sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes, his patience slowly wearing thin.
Elbert and Victor are looking surprised, while Roger just nodded in acknowledgement. Silence came over the floor and Ellis was just looking confused between them.
“Is Flo sick?”, he asked worried.
“Yes.”
“No.”
Roger and Victor answered simultaneously, again looking at each other.
“Chumbering all over the carpet doesn't count as sickness?”, Jude said mockingly.
Victor just looked straight at him with a stern gaze.
“Jude, do you have a deal with Roger going on?”, he asked.
“No.”, Jude said with a straight face.
“So you are joking on your own voluntation?”
“So what is happening? Why can't they remember anything about yesterday?”, Elbert asked astonished. Before he explained the situation to Ellis, who looked with bewilderment at them.
“It's not that we are not remembering it, we remember something completely else.” Roger corrected Elbert.
“Y’all sure, that you are not tripping?”, Jude commented and signaled to Elbert and Victor.
“There is another person who was there with us and who can confirm one statement.”, Roger said.
“Al.”
“Where is he?”, Victor asks Elbert.
“He was gone when the night came. But didn't mention anything specific.”, he answered.
They decided to wait until the evening, when it's dinnertime. Victor tried visiting Florence, but she was not in her room nor in the castle. The Maids saw her leaving the castle without any words, but left the message to be back in the evening.
The sunset painted the rooms in a reddish glow. The smell of roasted meat and cooked vegetables is in the air and the maids are busy preparing the food and crockery.
The members of crown are gathering talking to each other, when Alfons entered the Dining Room.
“Gathering together? Am I allowed to to join your conversations?”, Alfons smirked and joined their presence.
“Your are not only allowed, but your presence is even mandatory.”, Victor said with a bright smile on his face.
“Oh? Mandatory?”, Alfons looked surprised and looked at them with a thoughtful look.
“Because of yesterday Al…”, Elbert began.
“Ah yes… Is little Miss Florence feeling better now? Next time you'll pay for my shoes to be cleaned, yes Elbie?”, Alfons teasing, clearly not caring for his shoes.
“She threw up on your shoes right?”, Roger asked looking at Alfons shoes.
“That can happen. Having such a reaction is quite normal, don't you think?”, Alfons answered blandly.
“After a food poisoning, yes indeed.”, Roger mumbled and Alfons smiled and tilted his head in question.
“Can ya stop pussyfoot around and start talking?”, interrupted Jude upset.
“Did she had food poisoning or not?”
Alfons turned to Jude.
He seemed surprised and more likely confused about this statement.
“Food poisoning…? About what are we talking about?”, Alfons asked.
“Yesterday, with Florence what exactly happened, Alfons? Can you tell us with your own words?”, Victor asked firmly with a small grin on his face.
Alfons smile disappeared for some second, until he answered.
“Elbie stepped on her Shadow of course. And then she attacked him with a knife, which I prevented.”, he said calmly.
“Is there a misunderstanding?”
Silence came over the room. The door opened and William, Liam and Harrison entered the Dining Room. They looked at them in confusion.
Harrison checked with his ability their statements. In the end he shook his head and frowned.
“They are all telling the truth.”, he said.
“Or they believe it's true.”, William adds. “But how can this happen?”, Ellis asked.
They were all discussing the state of facts, until Alfons began to chuckle.
“If I am able to manipulate the perception of people, don't you think it's possible to manipulate memories?”, he stated vaguely.
“A curse, you mean? But Flo…”, Liam began and interrupted himself.
“Florence would be the only one able to manipulate them. It fits, especially because Jude and Roger were the ones who brought her to the laboratory.”, deduced William with a soft smile.
“Victor, do you know anything about it?”, Roger asked while being deep in his thoughts.
“Nothing. At least I wouldn't have expected it in this direction. Fate seems to have quite the surprises.”, he said mysteriously, a smile on his lips.
“Guys it's just a theory. Don't declare it to be true without any proof.”, Harrison said crossly.
“But something must’ve happened, because this wound…”, Alfons took off his Glove and opened his bandage to show a long cut across his hand. “... Does not come from anywhere.”
Seeing the wound of Alfons made Jude dizzy. He sees the red and flashes of pictures in Front his eyes. His memories collide, and it's almost as if his brain is not able to properly connect them. The contradictions made his head ache and he moved some steps back. He massaged his temples trying to soothe the pounding in his head. He sees clearly the blade and Alfons bloody hand. Lastly, her whispering on his ear and the touch on his forehead. Ellis, wondering about his behavior, stepped to him, lightly touching his shoulder.
Jude slapped his hand away and groaned. The other members' eyes laid on him.
“Sorry to say Doc, but our heads were fucked with.”, he said with fury in his eyes and walked quickly towards the door.
“Hey, wait!”, Roger said and grabbed his shoulder, which Jude shook away.
“Get lost! Not even Little Missy can just toy with m’ head.”
But before he could leave the room, the door opened again and a known silhouette stood in the doorframe. Messy dark Blonde Hair frame her shape, tired eyes looking on the ground and her skin pale and dull. Seeing her Figure, the other kept silent, until Jude grabbed her collar. Surprised she clawed his hand and kicked with her feet against him.
