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

Even later at night

[loveandwillpower]

Two down, five to go! One more and it's just under halfway done, one more after that and it's just over... Even if it's not going to be that easy, okay, they'll be on their guard once the heat's up. Caution or speed, which is more important...

In any case, she's got more than that to worry about, she's got all these responsibilities. Like looking after Hiroshi, he needs to eat and so on. If he needs to shave he's out of luck, she doesn't want to give him a razor, that's just asking for trouble. But, like... soap, she can bring him soap and a washcloth, he can't break out with that. Keeping someone captive in one's basement is hard, gosh... he's probably bored, maybe a magazine too.

Rosa won't miss a few things, so after assembling a sort of care package, Venus and apprentice are off to her secret hideout. Maria won't tell anyone else about it. She pinky-swore it, and now if she spills the secret, birds will fly down from the moon and rip out her tongue.

[all_onis_are_true]

Clang.

Clang.

Frustration is welling in Hiroshi's throat. He'd been able to find something blunt to hit the chains with -- some sort of ritual-looking object he didn't want to think about -- but the chains are obnoxiously sturdy, and he can't even tell if he's making any real difference. And his arms hurt and his hands hurt and his head hurts and everything's hurting.

And all the while, Maria might be dead right now.

He's been trying to keep an ear open for Minako's return. He just hopes she doesn't hear the clanging before he hears HER.

[happyhalloween]

Clang, clang, clang. Boy, was the noise coming from the secret hideout loud. Maria frowns. "Is Hiroshi okay?" she asks Space Witch Venus. "Hiroshi is kind of a big dummy... but Maria doesn't want him hurt. Not really."

It was one thing using black magic to hurt him. It was another thing to hurt him without black magic.

Maria creeps on ahead to the door and tries to peek in the room Hiroshi is stored in without letting him see her.

[loveandwillpower]

Venus steps lightly behind Maria and bends down to have a whispered conversation.

"Venus doesn't want him hurt, either! But... you know, he doesn't understand magic and witches or any of this, so we might have to...! Tell you what, if I have to hurt him, I'll teach you a spell that can fix him up again."

[happyhalloween]

"Okay," Maria whispers back. "Maria likes that."

Hiroshi was dumb a lot of the time... but for some reason, the idea of helping him out made Maria feel kind of nice inside. Maybe it's because he'd respect her if she showed him what a good and kind witch she was?

"Should Maria go in first? Or should Space Witch Venus?"

[loveandwillpower]

"Maria should stay back, as surprise backup. If he's dangerous, Venus can handle him the best."

Creeeaking open the door.

[all_onis_are_true]

He's about to bring the object down on the chains for another go when he hears the door opening and freezes. She's back already?!

He looks around, trying to find an appropriate place to hide the object he was using to hit the chains. He settles for Haruhi's hat, nestling it in there and trying to pretend like nothing's going on.

[loveandwillpower]

"Hi. Ro. Shi. ♥"

Minako flounces into the room, twirling to show off her new robes.

"Two down and five to go! You're that much closer to going home, isn't that great news?"

[all_onis_are_true]

Two... down?

His head is spinning again, that sick feeling in his stomach becoming stronger. "Th...then Maria...?"

She can't be dead don't be dead how could she kill a little girl how insane was she...

[loveandwillpower]

"Maria was a good girl! I'd have had a tough time without her."

Saying that for Maria's benefit. And twirling around again.

"She hemmed this up, too, it's super cute and easy to move around in!"

[happyhalloween]

From her hidden hiding place, Maria giggles happily to herself and then stuffs her hands in her mouth, because she's supposed to be a secret helper.

[all_onis_are_true]

"That was not what I meant. Is. She. Still. Alive."

He knows he needs to keep Minako clueless, keep him on her side. But the fear that a very young life has been rubbed out unnecessarily weighs too much on his mind.

[loveandwillpower]

"Of course she is! I made it in time and killed the evil witch, because I'm a beautiful heroine of love and justice♥"

Hiroshi, always worrying.

[happyhalloween]

Maria can't stand it anymore. So she hops out from her secret hiding place and runs into the room!

"Space Witch Venus was very brave!" she cries out. "Maria was too scared to move when the black witch attacked, but Venus used her Love-Me Chain and saved the day! Now Maria's going to be her helper: Apprentice Witch Chibi-Venus!"

[all_onis_are_true]

For a brief moment, Hiroshi feels a wash of relief. Maria is alive; Minako hadn't killed her. But the rest of her words sink in: Minako had convinced Maria to be on her side. And even if Maria herself is alive, somebody else is dead, in some sort of insane, farcical viewpoint that sounds more out of a bad anime than anything.

"The black witch?" he asks, dreading the answer.

[loveandwillpower]

That's Maria, dramatic timing and poise fit for a true witch.

"Yeah! The terrible and sinister black witch who's been making Maria suffer for years! The one you never saved her from, because you never believed in witches for real!"

Venus would be smug about this even if she weren't really Minako.

[happyhalloween]

"Mhm!" Maria nods eagerly. "She possesses Mama and does awful things to Maria. Venus stopped her forever. She says that when we find the Moon Princess she'll be able to use her magic to bring the nice Mama back without the black witch."

[all_onis_are_true]

"Maria's... mother?" His head spins. On the one hand, he'd been aware on some level that her mother had been neglectful. But she didn't deserve to die for it, did she? What did Minako mean, "making Maria suffer for years?" Exactly what DIDN'T he know about Maria's home life?

"I-is that so," he mutters, trying to regain some control over himself. "My apologies, Maria, I had no idea how bad..." Play along for now. Act like they're right. He needs to find a way to get Maria away from Minako, though. Make her realize how insane she's become. "So that would mean five more 'witches' you need to kill, then?"

He places some emphasis on "kill." Come on, Maria, pick up on his hints.

[loveandwillpower]

"Yep! Five more before the world's safe and the Princess revives! You remember the princess, right, Hiroshi?"

He doesn't remember anything, but surely true love...?

[happyhalloween]

"Don't worry," Maria adds. "Venus explained everything. Even if the bad guys are possessing nice people, the nice people will still come back when the Moon Princess revives. That's part of her power. And Hiroshi and the Princess can get married!"

[all_onis_are_true]

Hiroshi bites his tongue. People don't come back from the dead. Minako is insane. Can't you see that? But he doesn't say it. Not in front of Minako. Because if he does, he might be seen as an "evil witch" as well...

"I... see. May I ask who it is you suspect next?"