A/N: I will address plot holes that were in the last chapter and do something about them. That is all. Enjoy.
-Doing in the Ghosts-
"When are you moving?" Majo Toron asked, "We don't have all night!"
She had been waiting for Shadow Ruka to make her move. The two were playing a board game. More specifically, they were playing chess. Shadow Ruka had lost three pawns, the queenside knight, the kingside bishop and rook, and the queen. Majo Toron had lost five pawns and her queenside bishop. The Shadow witch moved her pawn to the E-8 position and exchanged it for her queen. The inventive Witch then moved her own queen to the G-1 position.
"Checkmate," Majo Toron said, "Good game, Shadow Ruka."
Shadow Ruka groaned in annoyance but quickly sighed. "Good game, Majo Toron."
Majo Toron snapped her fingers. At once, the game, pieces and all, returned to its box and vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Well its official," Shadow Ruka began, "I'm bored with chess."
"You only lost one game," Majo Toron replied, "And it was to pass the time until Pop-chan-" Majo Toron was interrupted by Pop coming in through the door. "Speak of the devil."
"I'm back!" Pop called, "And I brought this too!"
Pop approached the two witches and handed Majo Toron the knob. The wheel-chair bound witch eyed it carefully.
"If you really believe it's enchanted in some way, then I'll examine it," Majo Toron said. Her eyes widened when she saw Pop. "P-Pop-chan!? Wh-what happened to you?!"
"Well, I did have to fight Ai-chan and Momo-chan," Pop reminded.
"We know that," Shadow Ruka retorted. She looked just as unnerved as Majo Toron. "Eeeh, you might have to look in a mirror just to see what Majo Toron's talking about."
"I already know: I have wounds and scars from fighting so much in the mansion. ESPECIALLY from Ai-chan-!"
"That's not what we're talking about, Pop-chan," Majo Toron said. She snapped her fingers and conjured a large, full-body mirror. "See for yourself."
Pop took off her Vac-Drive and went over to the mirror to see her reflection. What she saw made her gasp in shock.
She was right about the scars and injuries: Her right arm had a sealed-up gash running its length along with several cuts and scrapes. Her left arm wasn't nearly as bad, but the scratches were evident. Her torso had cuts in it too, which showed through the holes and tears that her uniform now had. Her left sleeve was completely gone, revealing a number of other scratches. Her legs only had a scrape or two while her face had a cut running down her left cheek. Her hair had drooped even farther, completely losing their characteristic wing-shape and hanging down like tattered ribbons.
None of the injuries were what shocked her. In reality, it was her face. She could've sworn she had aged at least twenty to thirty years just from the way she looked. Her hair even had a few barely-noticeable gray strands.
"B-b-b-but that can't be right!" Pop stuttered, "I shouldn't have aged like this from everything that's happened so far!" Pop buried her face in her hands. "The scars I can understand, but…" Pop collapsed to the floor and slammed her fist against it. "I can't face my boyfriends like this!"
"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron called. Pop snapped out of her stupor and turned to face the inventive witch. "It might be a bit harsh, but maybe we can find out if you tell us what happened between now and the last time you were here?"
Pop nodded her head in agreement and began telling what happened, giving more details than what she had said while speaking via the All-in-One. She mentioned the fights against the elemental wraiths, the uncanny resemblance the kitchen and a certain room had to the Sweet House Mahou Dou and Hazuki's room, respectively, Momoko trying to take her soul and cutting a chunk off, Aiko merging with three more wraiths and nearly killing her, everything.
When Pop was finished, Majo Toron and Shadow Ruka were more than a little shocked. Neither of them knew too much about what had been going on aside from their own experiences and the knowledge they already had. Majo Toron finally shook her head and tried to give her best answer.
"If what you're saying is true, then Momo-chan taking a chunk of your soul is likely what caused you to age like this in the first place," Majo Toron surmised, "You didn't look any older than when I last saw you last time you were here."
"And if Momoko is still trapped in there," Shadow Ruka added, "Then so is that chunk of your soul."
"But I can't let them out!" Pop shouted, rising up off the floor, "How can we stop them from killing all three of us?"
Majo Toron clutched her chin in thought. Moments later, she smiled and snapped her fingers. "Eureka!"
"Eh?"
"We'll just turn them into something whose shape won't allow for attacking!"
"Like what?" Shadow Ruka asked sarcastically.
Majo Toron's smile vanished. "I…have no idea." She then shook her head. "Either way, they'll likely be conscious the entire time they're trapped."
"It couldn't be any worse than watching from behind you own eyes while being forced to attack your friends, right?" Pop guessed.
"She has a point," Shadow Ruka said.
Majo Toron pondered Pop's and Shadow Ruka's words carefully. After a few minutes, she came up with an answer. "I guess you're both right. But what do we turn them into?"
"Statues?" Shadow Ruka suggested.
"Too generic."
"Portraits?" Pop suggested.
Majo Toron sighed. Both suggestions were generic in her opinion. However, she had none of her own. She knew there were other suggestions, but they hadn't been listed yet and would likely be just as generic as those two.
"We'll go with portraits," Majo Toron finally said.
"Alright," Pop replied, "Everyone, let's use Magical Stage!"
Shadow Ruka jumped and gasped. "No can do, Pop-chan!" The Shadow grasped her crystal. "Normal and Shadow Magic cannot be combined easily! In fact, the only ones who know how to do it is Doremi-chan and Shadow Doremi…and that's only when they-"
"But then-!" Pop interrupted.
"We'll manage," Majo Toron said assuringly, "We'll just put our magic together while Shadow Ruka restrains them so they don't turn us into ghosts." The inventive witch clutched her chin in thought. "It'll be a long shot, but if we persevere, then we'll pull it off."
"Couldn't we just get someone else to come?" Pop asked.
"By the time we get in contact and convince them to come, it may be too late." Majo Toron sighed in remorse. "Don't forget, time is not on our side."
Pop's heart sank. Magical Stage can pull off much more than three witches could normally do… "…but if we can do anything if we do it together, then we can do this!"
Majo Toron and Shadow Ruka nodded their heads in agreement. Pop reversed the nozzle, allowing Aiko to escape. In seconds, Shadow Ruka snapped her fingers and conjured shadowy ropes that quickly bound Aiko and held her fast.
"Let me go!" Aiko demanded as she struggled. She then saw Pop. "When I get out of this, I will-!"
"Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Turn Ai-chan into a portrait!"
Majo Toron snapped her fingers and lent magic to Pop's spell. The red beam hit Aiko, but she began straining against the magic. Shadow Ruka redoubled her efforts in keeping the blue Ojamajo under control, but it was clear that she wouldn't hold her for long.
"No! I won't let you kill me!" Aiko shouted.
Majo Toron channeled more magic into the spell. "This isn't about killing you, Ai-chan!" Pop called, "It's about saving you from yourself!"
Pop and Majo Toron gave one final push from their magic. Eventually, Aiko's resilience gave out and she started to vanish.
"No! No! NO! DON'T!" Aiko pleaded, "YAAAAAAAHHHHHH-!"
In a flash of light, where there was once the ghost of her friend now floated a portrait with Aiko. It was lined with copper and the picture showed her with her back turned, looking over her shoulder with a venomously angered look.
"We…We did it!" Pop said triumphantly, "We actually did it!"
"But at what cost?" Shadow Ruka said, panting, "How many magic spheres do you have left after that?"
Pop gave a look at her poron. "Five left…"
"And I used up a good portion of my energy too," Majo Toron added, "There has to be a more efficient way!"
"I'm afraid there isn't," Shadow Ruka replied gravely, "Unless Shadow Isabelle changes her mind or you can come up with device that can turn ghosts into portraits in the next five seconds, of course."
Pop's heart sank once again. It took this much energy just to turn s ghost into a portrait? And it was going to take too long to contact help? Why does it have to take so much just to turn one ghost into a portrait?
"Is there anything we can do about Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko?" Pop asked, "Or are we going to have to turn them into portraits too?"
Majo Toron lit up. "As it just so happens, we don't have to turn them into portraits!" Majo Toron wheeled herself over to a door and gestured Pop to follow while Shadow Ruka vanished. The room beyond was very small and had a black steel door with a barred window on the opposite end. "This is an experimental cell where Shadows can be kept. It nulls their natural abilities, including their telepathy!"
"Perfect!" Pop exclaimed, "All we have to do is keep them here until we figure out what to do with them!"
"It's not that simple," Shadow Ruka replied, appearing next to Majo Toron, "There's only one cell and seven of them. It has been tested though, so it's usable."
"I don't think these two would mind sharing a cell," Pop said. She then looked at the hose with a hint of remorse. "Shadow Onpu tried everything to save Shadow Momoko. I had to make sure she failed just to survive, but she still showed devotion."
Majo Toron opened the cell door and gestured to Pop to release them from the Vac-Drive. Pop did so, activating Shadow mode and reversing the suction. Shadow Onpu ad Shadow Momoko landed with a loud flop. Before they could recover, the steel door was slammed shut, trapping them inside. Pop saw a lone bed inside of the cell.
"Think they'll be okay?" Pop asked.
"I'm pretty sure," Shadow Ruka deadpanned.
Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko groaned. Being thrown out of a tiny space and being unceremoniously dropped onto a hard metal floor didn't help much.
"Ow~!" Shadow Onpu said, "Well, at least we're not trapped inside that thing anymore…"
"I know," Shadow Momoko replied, "But it was too cramped in there."
Both of them tried getting up but found it difficult. It took them all of three minutes to figure out that they were out. Once they did find out, they struggled even more, helping each other along the way. Finally, they succeeded, but were now aching from head to toe.
"I've…never been so stiff…in my life…" Shadow Momoko groaned.
"Ow~… L-look on the bright side, Shadow Momo-chan," Shadow Onpu said. She fought her own stiffness and walked up to Shadow Momoko. "At least there's nothing stopping us from getting out!"
Shadow Onpu immediately began trying to sink into the shadows that were present. To her shock, it didn't work.
"EH?! Why?" Shadow Onpu gasped. She then looked towards Shadow Momoko. "Shadow Momo-chan? Can you hear my message?"
Shadow Momoko shook her head. "No." She then tried to get into contact herself. "I'm getting nothing, Shadow Onpu-chan."
Shadow Onpu sank to the floor. They were trapped and at the mercy of the Light Beings with no way to contact anyone.
"I-It's not s-so bad!" Shadow Onpu said shakily, "If w-we stay here, then B-Black Queen-sama won't be able to punish us for f-failure! Yes! That's it!"
"Well, the Light Beings are nicer than she is," Shadow Momoko added, "Maybe we really can survive?"
The two turned to each other and immediately felt the pain from their confined space-induced cramps.
"Ow~!" Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko shouted.
The purple Shadow shook her head. "At least I can 'fix' us up…"
"Eh?" Shadow Momoko replied, but quickly fell back down, "Ow~!" She shook her head. "I-I don't know, Shadow Onpu-chan. I don't think-"
Shadow Onpu crouched down and put her finger on Shadow Momoko's mouth, silencing her. "Don't talk."
"Are you sure you've recovered enough?" asked Pop.
"Yes," replied Majo Toron, who put away both Shadow Porons, "The sooner we do this, the better."
"At least I have something to be useful for," Shadow Ruka lamented.
The threesome had been waiting for several minutes now for Majo Toron to recover enough strength to ensure that Momoko could be safely transformed into a portrait. With the inventive witch's words and the Shadow witch at the ready, Pop released Momoko.
"Oh?" Momoko yawned, "You've decided to-?" Momoko was interrupted by Shadow Ruka using her Shadow magic to bind her. "I'll take that as a 'no'."
Pop looked for a bit. Momoko still had her usual yellow glow, but her right hand held something that was glowing red. At the same time, Pop felt something familiar about it. And then it hit her. There was no mistaking it: What Momoko held was the chunk of Pop's soul that she had managed to take.
Momoko shot Pop an angry glare. "So you're just going to kill me now? After all we've been through?"
"No," Pop replied, "All I want is for you to return to normal! I don't want you to be a ghost anymore!"
"So we're going to turn you into a portrait until we find a way to turn you back without using magic to bring back the dead," Shadow Ruka added, "Aiko's already there and the only ones who can turn her back are Majo Toron and Pop."
Momoko's expression went from anger to shock and then to sadness. "Fine. I won't let Ai-chan be a portrait alone." Momoko smirked. "However, I can do THIS!"
Suddenly, something like crackling black energy went from her hand and into the chunk of Pop's soul. Immediately, she turned it loose.
"Catch it!" Majo Toron shouted.
"With what?!" Shadow Ruka shouted, "I can't hold two at a time!"
Pop used the Water energy and immediately began trying to lasso it. The chunk weaved in and around the tendril until it finally vanished through the ceiling. "No way…"
"Yes!" Momoko replied, "I may have failed to turn you into a ghost Pop-chan, but at least I got part of you! I can go into the portrait happy now…more or less."
Pop stood there in shock. A piece of her was now gone, likely headed for the mansion, and there was nothing she could've done about it. Majo Toron clapped once to get her attention.
"Don't worry about that chunk now," Majo Toron advised, "You'll get it back later. For now, let's make sure Momo-chan is safe and sound."
Pop nodded and began chanting. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Turn Momo-chan into a portrait!"
Majo Toron snapped her fingers. The combined magic of the witch and apprentice circled and enveloped Momoko. Unlike Aiko, she offered no resistance and quickly vanished.
Momoko's portrait had a silver frame and depicted her in her Patisserie uniform and holding a tray of cookies. She wore a melancholic frown.
"That wasn't as tiring as Ai-chan was," Majo Toron remarked, "I didn't have to use up as much energy!"
"But Pop had to burn another magic sphere," Shadow Ruka retorted, "Are you sure you don't have any more somewhere?" Majo Toron shook her head, making Shadow Ruka sigh. "I didn't think so…"
Pop looked her poron and counted four magic spheres. She then looked at both portraits and scanned them with the All-in-One. No messages came up.
"Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Is there a way I can talk to them? Even if they're portraits? They are…conscious, right?"
Majo Toron snapped her fingers. Both the portraits of Aiko and Momoko were immediately enveloped in a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared moments later, both portraits were still there.
"That spell should allow them to speak telepathically to each other and to those who touch them," Majo Toron explained, "But it'll be thoughts only."
Pop nodded and pressed her hand against Aiko's portrait. If this didn't work, then-
Pop-chan! Came Aiko's voice. It was in the red Ojamajo's mind.
"EH?!" Pop exclaimed, "It works!"
Pop-chan? Can you hear me? Pop-chan?
Oh, right! Pop thought, remembering Majo Toron's words, Majo Toron's spell! It lets me speak to you via thoughts!
Wait a minute! I'm getting Momo-chan too! But-
Pop shook her head. I can't speak to her unless I'm touching her portrait too. Speaking of… Pop put her hand on Momoko's portrait. Are you there-?
Pop-chan! Came Momoko's voice, Ai-chan told me what happened.
Momo-chan-
We're sorry! Please forgive us! Aiko and Momoko thought at the same time, We couldn't stop ourselves!
Guys! It's ok! I'm fine now! You're safe!
But that part of your soul-
I'll get it back. Don't worry.
I believe you should worry, Pop-chan, Aiko thought gravely, Momo-chan told me that it'll be just as evil as we were when you see it again.
Pop's heart skipped a beat. A-are you-?
Yes, Pop-chan, Momoko thought sadly, I turned that part of you evil just before being turned into a portrait. And I would've done the same with the rest of you, too!
There was a short silence. Several moments later, Pop broke it. I think you two need to explain a few things.
We will, Pop-chan! promised Aiko.
It was lengthy, and Pop thought she was going to fall asleep several times, but she managed to hear them out. When the two finished, she was equal parts shocked and confused.
So you don't know how you turned evil and that it's all a blur to you? Pop asked.
Yes, Momoko replied.
And you don't know what the Shadow Ojamajos are planning?
Like Momo-chan and I said: We don't know, Aiko said, All we remember is the wraiths separating and cornering us and then our Shadows coming in with some…thing. The next few moments were all a blur and then we couldn't control ourselves.
Pop withdrew her hands from the portraits. Great. Memory loss. Why not keep us in the dark longer and drag this out?! Pop face-palmed. She then put her hands back on the portraits. Sorry! I didn't mean to-
It's ok, Pop-chan, Momoko replied, We'll get used to this. Just promise us that you'll save the others! Please!
Pop nodded her head. Once again, I promise. I will have more of them saved by the time I get back!
Thank you, Pop-chan! Aiko replied.
With that, Pop withdrew her hands once again. She then went over to Majo Toron.
"Um, Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Where do we put these two?"
Majo Toron shook her head. "I'll think of someplace."
"Preferably not a closet," Shadow Ruka added sarcastically.
It had taken a while, but Pop was finally ready to head back in. She had already placed the captured wraiths in the training area to allow Majo Toron to study them. She was more than a little tired out from the stress of her ghost hunting and so decided to stick around for a bit longer. Majo Toron was looking over the database that Pop had managed to expand.
"…and the Gravesoils," Majo Toron continued, "Didn't you say Ai-chan merged with three of them and used Earth-based powers against you, Pop-chan?"
"Yes," Pop replied, "But for some reason, whenever I split them from Ai-chan, they just seemed to vanish until she called them back. And they weren't there when the battle ended and I never sucked them up!"
"Which obviously means they're still in the mansion," Shadow Ruka said bluntly.
Well this'll be fun, Pop mentally deadpanned, I'm going to be running into them again later…yay. A smile crept onto her lips. Then again, with my Sky powers, I won't have to worry about them much…
"I think I've rested long enough," Pop said. Her tone had a level of aggression and sounded relatively sinister, "I'll be going now."
Neither Majo Toron nor Shadow Ruka could make heads or tails about what Pop's tone meant and could only worry for her safety…and sanity. She was gone in moments.
"I really wish I wasn't injured," Majo Toron said. She sighed as she stared at her broken leg. "Now we can only hope Pop-chan doesn't fail…and lose her mind after this."
"We can't say for sure," Shadow Ruka replied, "But if she dies, then I'll bring her back."
Majo Toron gasped in surprise. "But-But wouldn't you be -!"
"I know. But you forget how easily we Shadows can come back compared to you Light Beings. Remember Black Queen's second attempt on the world?"
"I see your point." Majo Toron shook her head. "But what if Shadow Tourbillon refuses to bring you back? What if bringing Pop-chan back goes against your protocol?"
"It's a risk I'll have to take." A beeping from Shadow Ruka's pocket caught her attention. She took out the source, which was a small cell-phone. "Hello? Yes. Ok, I'll be right- WHAT?! There's a-! Oh you've got to be kidding me! Ugghh! Fine! I'll be right there!" Shadow Ruka closed her cellphone and put it back in her pocket. "That was Shadow Isabelle. Apparently, she's detecting a massive build-up of Witches in Majo Kai and says that Kada fears a Walpurgisnacht is coming. I'll be right back!"
No sooner than she had finished did she vanish into the shadows. Majo Toron immediately got a grim look on her face.
"And I bet I know where it'll be," Majo Toron said, "I'm going to have to-!"
Majo Toron was interrupted by a moan coming from the cell. She cautiously made her way to it.
"Ah!" The voice belonged to Shadow Momoko.
"Eh?"
"Ahh!" Shadow Momoko cried again.
Majo Toron hastened her approach and pressed her ear against the door.
"Ohhhh!"
"What…the hell…are they doing in there?!" Majo Toron whispered to herself.
"Ooaaahhh!"
Majo Toron opened the door and peered inside.
"OOOAAAAAHHHH!"
Majo Toron's eye twitched. Her goggles seemed to do the same. "They're just messing with you. They're just messing with you. They're just messing with you…"
"AAAAAHHH!" Shadow Momoko cried out. "Oh! That's feels better!"
"One more, just one more!" Shadow Onpu replied. She put both of her palms on a specific portion of the yellow Shadow's back and pressed down. A cracking sound echoed throughout the cell. "And done!"
Shadow Momoko got up off the bed and quickly tested her movements. She felt no pain whatsoever.
"Wow, Shadow Onpu-chan!" Shadow Momoko remarked, "Where did you learn to do that?"
Shadow Onpu chuckled. "If my Light Half…is going…to be…a drama queen of an idol, then I…may as well…be…a Shadow of many…talents!" she firmly declared as she cracked her own joints. "Whew! Though I, uh, may need a little more practice…"
Shadow Momoko shook her head and smiled. "You don't have to be so modest around me, Shadow Onpu-chan. You did a great job! I've never felt so alive before!"
Shadow Onpu smiled. "You're too kind to me, Shadow Momo-chan." The purple Shadow clenched her fist. "And now I'm beginning to think he is responsible…!"
"They're just messing with you! They're just messing with you!" Majo Toron's voice resounded, coming from somewhere outside the cell. Both Shadows jumped and their faces went red with embarrassment. "They're just trying to unnerve you, Majo Toron! Pull it together! I-I-I'll just go and tell Pop what I just heard!"
With that, Majo Toron left, still mumbling.
"What's with her?" Shadow Momoko asked.
"Pffft!" Shadow Onpu scoffed, "Light Beings."
"OK, it's official!" Majo Toron ranted, "That is the most disturbing thing I have ever heard! And to have done THAT at their age too!"
Majo Toron looked around in frustration. Were Shadows really into that when they got to THAT age? And why were they so incredibly brutal with their methods?
It would have to be for another time and another place. For now, Majo Toron had to find somewhere to put Aiko's and Momoko's portraits. She quickly levitated them with her magic and began looking around. The walls were almost completely hidden by equipment and instruments and the only doors in the room led to the training area and the cell and another room. Majo Toron glanced at the last door.
"There better be room in that one," Majo Toron muttered. She quickly wheeled herself over there and entered. The room was just like the main chamber: filled with equipment and instruments. "Never mind! I'll just have to make room!"
Majo Toron snapped her fingers. At once, all of the equipment moved slightly, leaving a large area open for the portraits. She snapped her fingers again, causing several hooks to appear. Moments later, she did what she came there to do and hung the portraits.
"And now…to get in contact with Pop-chan and warn her!" Majo Toron wheeled herself out. Just before she left, she turned back and shot a melancholic look toward the portraits. "If there is a way, then I will have to find it. And I will have to study you two and figure out why you are evil now." Majo Toron left the room and closed the door. "This…I promise."
A/N: The scene with Shadow Momoko and Shadow Onpu is a side-effect of looking at too much rule 34. It is also a troll scene and completely intentional.