A/N: The previous chapter was more than a little rushed. There was a scene that was supposed to go there, but I have decided to save it for the next chapter instead. That is all. Enjoy.

-Brutal Truths-

Majo Toron returned from her chat with Aiko and Momoko. She was more than a little unnerved, but that was the past now. What she needed now was some rest and relaxation, but Shadow Ruka wasn't making things easy in that department.

"Sooo…how did it go?" Shadow Ruka asked.

Majo Toron turned to the Shadow Witch. "…Awkward. Don't want to talk about it."

Shadow Ruka simply shrugged in reply.

Pop looked around the room. It was still dark in there, even though she had already recaptured Hazuki. There were no switches anywhere, so the red Ojamajo guessed that Hazuki had used magic earlier to shut off the lights.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Lights, turn on!"

At that, Pop's magic encircled the lights in the room. They clicked on, just like that.

The room, now brightly lit, had clearly been restored to its original appearance. For one thing, the other door was no longer destroyed and the smell of smoke that had once wafted through the air was gone. Pop opened the door and peered on the other side.

It was just as badly damaged as before, complete with a view of the open doorway above.

The rose-haired girl sighed. I guess Hazuki-chan would've repaired the next room too if I had let her… She shook her head. "I can't wait here for nothing to happen! I have to go and save Hana-chan!...and I think I know where she is."

Readying her flashlight and poron, Pop wasted no time in leaving Hazuki's room and heading upstairs. Moments later, she was in the dark second floor halls facing the door to Hana's room. She tested the door, and to her relief, found it unlocked. It creaked open, slowly at first…

Hana's room was the same as when she first entered, aside from the lack of the Vac-Drive and the wheel device it had been fused with earlier. The damage had been repaired as though nothing ever transpired there, and the air was unearthly cold, something that was strangely absent from Hazuki's room just a few minutes earlier.

Hana's spectral form was relaxing on the bed, seemingly oblivious to Pop's presence. However, Pop's entry caused her light to shine on the white Ojamajo, startling her and alerting her to the young girl's presence. Hana turned and smiled sweetly at Pop.

"Pop-chan! Cheese!" Hana called as she floated up off the bed, "Hana-chan fixed the room!"

You don't say? Pop mentally deadpanned, "Skip it, Hana-chan. Just come quietly and let me capture you without a fight so that neither of us has to be hurt!"

Hana tilted her head quizzically at Pop. "Hana-chan doesn't want to fight, but Hana-chan wants you to become one of us no matter what."

"Then you leave me no choice. If I have to fight you, then I will!"

Hana sighed sadly. Pop pulled out the All-in-One and scanned the white Ojamajo. She then looked at the screen for the description.

Hana: U—a-y c-ll—g h-rsel—"-ana M-kih—yam-", H-na is – Wit—bo-n from th- ERROR! HIGH INTERFERENCE! UNABLE TO COMPLETE SCAN!

Pop gritted her teeth. My ghost half had an excuse, but this is ridiculous! "Why is this thing failing to scan right?!"

Hana smiled. "Hana-chan thinks it's something she ate…"

Pop face-palmed. "You can't even eat anything! NOT EVEN PUDDING, I HOPE YOU KNOW!"

Hana hung her head. "It's the price to pay for being a ghost. Hana-chan would love some pudding."

"So now what?" Pop's voice dripped with venom. "You're gonna play another joke on me?! You're gonna rant on how 'awesome' it is to be a ghost?! WELL?!"

Hana just closed her eyes and smiled. "If you want to know, then you'll have to catch up to Hana-chan first! Pororin Pyuarin HanaHana Pii!" Pop gritted her teeth, expecting a battle. "Take us someplace else!"

Hana's magic swirled around the room. In moments, a brilliant white light not unlike the flash from Hazuki's magic erupted from the center. Once again, Pop shielded her eyes.

When the light faded, the red Ojamajo found herself in a starry landscape with clouds above her. She was standing on a small rock floating in a seemingly endless void. Hana floated away from the edge.

"Catch Hana-chan if you can!" Hana challenged with a wink. She then vanished into thin air. Pop looked around, trying to find the white ghostified Ojamajo. "Up here!"

Pop looked up. There she was, floating above a cloud. "You can walk on these, Pop-chan!" Hana explained. She quickly vanished again.

Pop summoned her broom and took flight, quickly ascending to where the clouds were. To her surprise, the clouds were arranged like a spiraling staircase, leading her to guess that she was supposed to jump from cloud to cloud.

I can't jump that high, Hana-chan! Pop mentally griped. Still, she continued flying up the clouds, taking as little time as possible.

"Y'know, Pop-chan? Hana-chan didn't like being a ghost at first," Hana suddenly said, appearing right beside a now startled Pop, "Hana-chan cried a lot in the first hour."

Pop quickly turned to face Hana just as she was vanishing again. The red Ojamajo groaned in frustration and continued her ascent.

"Hana-chan allowed Shadow Hana-chan to turn her into a ghost so Shadow Hana-chan wouldn't get punished," Hana explained again, appearing out of nowhere.

Pop growled angrily and directed the All-in-One at Hana, but by the time she could try scanning her, the white Ojamajo vanished again, prompting Pop to continue her ascent. This time, there were no more interruptions and she reached the highest cloud. She landed…and no sooner than she did, flowers burst from the surface; they completely covered the cloud's top in a matter of seconds. Finally, Hana appeared.

"You're fast, Pop-chan!" Hana chortled, "You actually kept up with Hana-chan!"

A vein appeared on Pop's forehead. "Cut the crap, Hana-chan!" she shouted, "I still haven't forgiven you for that joke you played on me earlier!"

Hana's expression turned into a frown. "Hana-chan…knows. It was wrong of Hana-chan to pull that on you. I'm sorry."

"That isn't enough, Hana-chan!" Pop aimed the All-in-One and scanned Hana once more. She then looked at the screen.

Ha-a –ak-ht-y-m-: - W—ch bo-n fro- t-e Ro-al -lue R-s- -o Do—mi an- her f-llow O-amaj-s. Sh- is- ERROR! HIGH INTERFERENCE! UNABLE TO COMPLETE SCAN!

Again?! WHY?! Where is this interference coming from?!

"Hana-chan was crazy at the time. She has been ever since she was ghostified. She guesses it had something to do with that thingy Shadow Hana-chan used on her," Hana mused, "But, Shadow Hana-chan really didn't want to do it. She even asked me to forget about her and get out of here.

"But Hana-chan couldn't…not while everyone else was still trapped here. Shadow Hana-chan filled me in on their plan, including how Black queen was insisting on them going through with it. So here Hana-chan is: A ghost. Shadow Hana-chan even made it less severe, though Hana-chan really doesn't know how. But Hana-chan has to admit, being a ghost isn't too bad…aside from being dead and all, that's bad.

"But Hana-chan didn't want you to be all alone. That's why you should become a ghost…So you won't be living by yourself."

As she listened to Hana, Pop couldn't help but feel that something was off. She had every reason to think that, given what had happened to her throughout the night. Then she looked back at the screen and got the biggest shock of the ordeal so far: The message that was the scanned ghost's thoughts matched everything Hana had said, word for word.

"So what do you say?" Hana asked with some delight.

Pop, who had been listening to Hana, looked down at the All-in-One. What she saw made her eyes shoot wide open.

Right there, on the screen, every single word Hana just spoke was there. It was the same as with Hazuki just before she fell to her ghost self; her words were on the screen and not just her thoughts. It was a sign that she was in control of herself.

Pop's heart sank. "You mean to tell me…you've been in control…this. Whole. TIME!?"

"If you can call it that."

The twitch in Pop's eye intensified. "Then how…How could you DO SUCH A THING?!"

"Hana-chan's a little crazy as a ghost."

"A little?! Try batshit insane!" Pop screamed angrily, "There's no way in HELL you could ever BE the Hana-chan I knew!" Pop took aim with the Vac-Drive. "First, you attack me with lethal weapons and then have the nerve to call it a goddamn joke! And then you try to kill me along with the others! And you were in control of yourself THIS WHOLE TIME?!"

"But-!"

"And to think you were the only one who was allowed to keep herself," Pop continued, "But to waste your freedom on allying with them?! I don't think there's a word out there to describe something like you! I don't even think you're the real Hana-chan either! There's just no way the Hana-chan we came to know and love would do all of this!

"So instead of capturing you, I think I'll just kill you instead…permanently! By burning you out of existence!"

Hana stared at Pop with a mix of horror and hurt. "This…This isn't you, Pop-chan! Please, Pop-chan!"

"SHUT UP! You're not Hana-chan! And I will enjoy seeing you burn!"

At once, Pop fired a Light-based beam. Hana tried to dodge it, but the ensuing blast caught her regardless, causing her to scream in pain. Part of her seemed to have burned off as she turned back toward Pop with a look of both terror and pleading.

"Pop-chan…PLEASE! Hana-chan doesn't want this! PLEASE- AAH!"

Hana tried to finish her plea, but Pop had blasted her with another even bigger beam of Light, launching her a fair distance and seeming to burn off even more of her. The white Ojamajo was now bleeding white ectoplasm and leaving it in trails across the field. She managed to recover slightly, but began what would have been the equivalence of coughing for ghosts…and then vomited up ectoplasm that had a slight bluish glow to it. She looked back at Pop.

"Pop-chan-! Pop-chan! PLEASE!" Hana cried.

Pop wanted nothing of it and continued blasting the white Ojamajo with one Light-based attack after another until her gauge was empty. By then, part of her very being were trailing off of the barely-floating Hana; more of her ectoplasm was dripping from open "wounds" and the strips. Tears of ectoplasm flowed down her face as she stared at the red Ojamajo in terror.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted aggressively, "Refill the Light-gauge!" Once Pop's spell was completed, she aimed once more at the ghostified Ojamajo and began charging a massive attack. "This. Will. Finish you OFF!"

Pop glared angrily at Hana. Her expression spoke of pure anger and hate…and betrayal.

Hana stared through her own glowing eyes at Pop. Her own expression spoke of terror, begging for mercy, and remorse.

Pop narrowed her eyes...

…and then found herself in Hana's embrace. Freezing up, Pop accidently dismissed her attack and listened.

Crying. Hana's crying. The sound of a crying child.

White ectoplasm was dripping onto her uniform but the white Ojamajo's arms didn't enter Pop's body.

"Stop…please…" Hana pleaded, coughing once more, "Pop-chan…!"

"But why do you keep pretending to be Hana-chan?!" Pop shouted.

"It is me…Hana-chan…!" Hana coughed again. "Hana-chan doesn't remember much from her childhood…but Hana-chan remembers Mama. All of them…Is this what you truly want to do? Is this…really who you are now?"

Pop found her words dying in her mouth. Some of what Hana said made sense, especially that last part. She questioned herself, even though Hana was easily trying to survive long enough to turn her into a ghost.

But why? Why can't I finish her?! Pop thought to herself.

She's really got ya tight, don't she? Kyoko's voice replied, I told you it's always more than simple mind control!

But Hana does have a point, Sayaka's voice countered, Besides, if she wanted to turn you into a ghost, then she could've done so anytime right now!

Pop closed her eyes. Sayaka was right; Hana didn't want to turn Pop into a ghost anymore. Otherwise, she would've been a ghost by now.

But this isn't Hana-chan! Pop mentally shouted, You all know what she did earlier!

Of course we do, Mami's voice replied, But it's like Hana said: She was crazy. But I think that maybe –just maybe- you may have driven that out!

That, and she doesn't seem as psycho, Kyoko's voice added, though with a hint of disappointment.

But-! Pop thought.

You forget, Pop, Mami warned, We're all part of your mind. Everything we know, all of our thoughts…they're yours too. You're debating with yourself. And you doubted your own words.

She is your close friend, Sayaka's voice pointed out, And I don't want you to lose someone that precious! I mean, think about what the others would say if you DID destroy her!

Tears formed in Pop's eye and then slid down her cheek. "Hana-chan? Do you really want to turn me into a ghost?"

Hana broke off her embrace and shook her head. "You've proven that you can handle us. Hana-chan has full faith in you saving us." The white ghostified Ojamajo smiled despite the damage to her form. "Hana-chan is ready." Hana closed her eyes and outstretched her arms. "Hana-chan knows this doesn't excuse her actions, but it's the least Hana-chan can do."

Pop aimed with the Vac-Drive and glanced at the All-in-One. The message on it still matched what Hana said. This, combined with a feeling she had inside, dispelled any doubts she had: This was the real Hana, always had been, and she had just tried to murder her.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Pop said, but Hana gestured her to stop, "Wha-?"

Hana shook her head. "Pop-chan doesn't need to apologize. You snapped Hana-chan back to her senses…so now you must capture me."

"But-!"

"PLEASE! DO IT!" Hana pleaded, "HANA-CHAN DOESN'T WANT TO REMAIN A GHOST! NOT WHEN YOU CAN SAVE US!"

Pop reluctantly nodded. She reached into her pocket for her flashlight and gave one final look at Hana.

Her form was still severely damaged. Entire sections trailed off into wisps, ectoplasm still dripped from wound-like areas, yet Hana still floated there, smiling and but with a pleading look in her eye.

Pop shone her flashlight on the white Ojamajo. Just like that, she was stunned, allowing Pop to begin sucking her up. Hana offered absolutely no resistance and went inside within seconds. No sooner than she did, a bright flash illuminated the area…

Onpu stared angrily at the door to Hana's room. She had a good idea of what happened in there, but she was unable to do anything about it. Regardless, she will now have to fight Pop herself…and she actually looked forward to that confrontation.

Ghost Pop appeared beside the purple ghostified Ojamajo.

"Let me guess," Ghost Pop deadpanned, "Hana-chan lost?"

"Obviously," Onpu retorted, "But no matter. Given Hana's power, I'm willing to bet that your living self is weakened in some way."

Ghost Pop smiled. "Then if you fail, I will take it from there, okay?"

Onpu nodded. "If you need me, I'll be in my room. However, I want you and your minions to stay out of the fight. If you find that room without me in it, then you will know what happened…which reminds me."

Ghost Pop sighed. "Okay…I'll make it so you can fight there…"

Ghost Pop disappeared into the floor while Onpu lingered there.

"Mark my words, Pop-chan," Onpu declared, "You will become a ghost when I'm done with you!"

With those words, Onpu ascended through the ceiling and quickly returned to her room.

When the flash faded, Pop found herself back in Hana's room. This time, the lights were on, bringing some comfort to the red Ojamajo, but she still felt horrible about everything that happened with Hazuki and Hana in the last half-hour…at least, she thought she would. For some reason, Pop didn't feel bad about nearly destroying Hana's soul nor about fighting dirty to capture Hazuki.

It frightened her.

"Wh-what's happening to me…?" Pop asked herself, "What am I turning into…?" As Pop questioned herself, she flung herself onto Hana's bed and began crying. "Why…? How…?"

A/N: I can confirm that what Hana vomited up was the remnants of the Wraith she absorbed last chapter. It is thus no longer considered "absorbed".