June 14, 1999 After School/Location Unknown

[loveandwillpower]

The work of an agent of love is never done! You'd think that someone with Minako's grades wouldn't even be a Watson, much less the guy with the deerstalker cap, but what she lacks in academics she's always been able to compensate with drive and raw cunning. And now that drive has a little something extra.

The determination to protect a dear friend against a dangerous foe.

Comments

[loveandwillpower]

"Worse, she was after you next! Why do you think she was so keen on getting you all to herself? Normal people can't tell the real thing from the fake, but Shigetsuna-sama showed me a few tricks so now I can save everyone."

See, she's pretty great, pay attention to her, Hiroshi.

[all_onis_are_true]

...She's gone insane. Absolutely insane.

Hiroshi's mind races through the fog. He could accept this sort of talk coming out of, say, Maria. She's young, naive. She's gone through a lot. He can understand to an extent why she'd retreat into fantasy. But Minako? And what's worse, somebody is DEAD because of this.

He wants to snap at her. And certainly he can feel a sharp sense of irritability rising up, wanting to shout at her, tell her that Shigetsuna doesn't exist, Haruhi was Haruhi, and she's just killed someone over a stupid unscientific belief in witches. But a sharp self-preservation instinct kicks in; if he makes her mad, she may think he's been "replaced" too. He's alive, for now. He needs to keep her pacified. At least long enough so that she can leave and he can focus on getting out of here and getting to the police, or a hospital, or ANYTHING.

"If she's dead," he says, slowly, keeping control, "Why are we here? Is the danger not passed?" Keep calm, Hiroshi, keep calm...

[loveandwillpower]

Oh good, he's actually thinking about it, maybe this means he'll wake up soon.

"There are more of them in town. Seven demons, seven colors of the rainbow, that's the magic number. Once I've defeated every last one, everyone will be safe and I can let you go."

Or that's what Shigetsuna said. She's got a few leads here and there, but you know, now that Hiroshi's in on it she might as well make use of his clever head.

"...Hey, since she was after you, she might not have been the only one! Has anyone been acting shifty around you lately?"

[all_onis_are_true]

Seven.

Seven.

She's going to kill six more people.

Hiroshi feels a surge of nausea in his stomach. He has to stop this. Somehow. But he doesn't want to hurt her, even if she is insane. She's still his friend.

Father would certainly be mad at me for being irrational... But I'm not him, am I?

He licks his lips, trying to think of how to do this. "I can not recall at the moment, but I do have a rather strong headache. Perhaps when it subsides, I can provide you more information?" Maybe that will buy some time. Time enough for him to find a way out, to warn the others. To prevent more deaths.

[loveandwillpower]

He does look pretty sick, gosh, good thing he's here so she can nurse him back to health and so on.

"That's fine! I already have plans for tonight, so take your time and get better! ♥ I'll pick up something for your head while I'm out."

[all_onis_are_true]

How the hell could she act so... Minako despite everything going on? Couldn't she at least have the decency to act differently? At least everything would feel marginally less WRONG. She was acting like it was just a normal day at school, not like they were stuck in some sort of weird stone room with chains.

"That... would be appreciated, yes." Sure, okay. Anything that keeps her gone longer. And then, though he's certain he doesn't want to know at all, "What will you be doing tonight?"

[loveandwillpower]

"I have a romantic meeting with my knight in shining armor...

Just kidding, I work alone! I have a really strong lead on the next one, of course!"

It would be nice if the heroine thing came along with a hero, but despite how she acts much of the time, she's a modern woman and quite capable of holding down a responsible career on her own.

[all_onis_are_true]

It's a good thing the lighting isn't that great in here, because Hiroshi's knuckles are white as she says this. His head spins as he takes this in. A lead on the next one...

"And... who is it you suspect?" he asks, dreading the answer.

[loveandwillpower]

[ BGM ]

"You haven't noticed? For such a smart guy, you don't listen to people as much as you could. Just because Maria's a kid doesn't mean you can get away with not paying attention to her, you know?"

Hiroshi's knuckles might not show, but the pale gleam of Minako's bared teeth is the brightest spot in the room.

[all_onis_are_true]

Ah...

AaaaaaAAAAH...

She can't be serious is she serious she's totally serious

"M...Maria? N-no! You can't --!"

He's shaking. He wants to scream, to lunge at Minako, to stop her, but the headache is still pounding, and he can barely focus, and he's still at a disadvantage with these chains and and and...

"She's just a little girl..."

[loveandwillpower]

What's he talking about, it doesn't make sense... oh, he's worrying about Maria, okay, maybe feeling guilty for catching onto her hints and not helping her out.

"Don't worry about it! I'll take care of her, so sit tight and concentrate on getting better!"

Minako flashes a V-sign (for victory, and also for Venus) before she turns to leave. To leave the light or not, he might want to sleep... is that good or bad for a concussion, she can't remember. She'll just... hang it up next to him, let him have one or two choices in life. Hang up Haruhi's stolen hat next to it, she really doesn't want to have it around for some reason, feels a little too much like a trophy.