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

[happyhalloween]

Of course. That makes sense. The kind Mama who loves Maria would do anything to protect her. Surely she'd be willing to lay down her life to help Space Witch Venus defeat the Black Witch.

Anything else would be inconceivable.

"... the Moon Princess? You mean like thethe story we learned at school, with Princess Kaguya in the bamboo?"

[loveandwillpower]

"Yeah, something like that! That's just the official version, though! It's right about her not knowing she's the real princess, since she was raised as a normal earth person, but she's got a soul with all the powers of the moon! It's my job to find her and protect her from all the bad witches until she wakes up!"

The Princess is the most important person in the world, of course. More important than Maria. More important than Hiroshi. More important than Minako.

[happyhalloween]

"Oooooooooh," says Maria, impressed. "Can Maria help Space Witch Venus look for the Moon Princess?"

Not only would finding her help bring Mama--the nice Mama, not the Black Witch--back, but it would be a really neat quest where they could fight bad witches.

[loveandwillpower]

"You bet~! It won't be safe for her right away of course, the most important part is defeating enough of the bad witches and monsters around so it's safe. Unlike me, she's a lover, not a fighter!"

Venus that's not actually how you're supposed to use that term, whatever, she's from space, she can't be expected to get everything right.

"You already found one all by yourself, so I'm counting on you!"

[happyhalloween]

Maria nods solemnly.

"Maria will look very hard for bad witches and monsters! And Tomosuke will help. Maria can help with other stuff too, of course. Like hemming."

Because they did have a reason to come into Mama's room before the Black Witch attacked.

[loveandwillpower]

"Tomosuke, huh... Well, if you trust him, he's in!"

Minako picks up the robes and shakes them out, looking at them with a critical eye.

"You know, the skirts are long enough that you could cut off a bunch and make an apprentice's cape for yourself or something like that! Even if you're not a full witch yet, there's enough magic in the cloth to give you a little power boost!"

Even if Maria's not a proper witch yet, dressing up like one could make her feel like one. And feeling like a witch is an important part of being one.

[happyhalloween]

"Of course Maria trusts Tomosuke," she insists. "He's a very trustworthy turtle!"

Maria eyes the robes thoughtfully. "Maria could," she admits. "Capes aren't that hard to make. And having one would probably enhance my magic."

She smiles at Venus. "I'll do it!"

[loveandwillpower]

"It's a deal! You know the magic covenant rules, right? Pinky swear, and if we betray each other, we'll swallow a thousand needles!"

Behold the pinky, Maria. It's a deal with a devil in the making.

AND I THINK THIS IS A WRAP

[happyhalloween]

"Pinky swear!"

Oh Maria, you don't know what you're getting into.