Shine! PreCure
Episode 01 - Overture
A rainy day in the graveyard. How cliche.
The woman held lilies and an umbrella in one hand, and in the other, a small girl's hand, the owner no older than six. They walked together, though the girl had to jog a bit to keep up with her mother's long strides. The pair were flanked by a pair of animals: a white cat that looked both pure-bred and mixed all at once, and a black dog that was almost wolfish in appearance. Both wore matching collars, the cat with a gold, star-shaped charm, the dog with a silver, crescent moon charm. Reaching the gravestone, the woman looked down at it with a mixture of fondness and anger, though it wasn't noticeable unless one was really looking. Crouching down, she rested the lilies on the marble gravestone, hooking her umbrella in her arm to keep it upright before placing her hands together in prayer, closing her eyes. The small girl watched her mother, and soon followed suit, pressing her own tiny palms together. The animals kept their distance as they sat down, letting the pair have their peace.
After a few moments, the woman opened her eyes. "Has it really been ten years...?"
"Ten years since what, mama?" The sweet voice of her daughter was enough to break the woman from her reverie, and she looked to the pigtailed girl with a smile before patting her on the head.
"Since this person died, Kiseki."
The child looked down at the grave with wide eyes. "They died? That means they went to heaven, right?"
"That's right."
"Was that person mama's friend?"
The woman seemed to give this some thought, her head tilting. "Not exactly... We didn't become friends for a long time. And even then, I can't really say we were friends. We liked different things, and saw the world differently."
Kiseki, being the youth she was, didn't seem to grasp what her mother was saying, though she tried. "Then why are you laying flowers here?"
Slowly, the woman stood, the raindrops finally falling on the petals of the lilies. "Because she was right... She's the reason why we're able to live in such peace."
"Ehh?! Mama, how do you know that?!" Unable to mask the excitement in her voice, Kiseki began to hop up and down.
The woman laughed as she began to walk away from the grave, Kiseki jogging along as the animals moved to each side of them. "You mean I never told you that story?"
"No! I wanna hear it!"
"You sure? It can get quite scary, sometimes."
"I can handle it!" The young girl nodded so enthusiastically her pigtails bounced.
The woman paused for a moment, and then she began to speak. "This happened many years ago, when your mama was just a teenager..."
- 22 YEARS PRIOR -
The Noir-heart was wreaking havoc in Akihabara, chasing away terrified tourists and otaku alike. It destroyed a couple of storefronts in its rampage, looking burly and and quite unlike the very human store owner from moments before. "Noirrrrr!" With an anguished cry, a capsule machine was hurled through the window of one of the many electronics shops as it lumbered into the intersection.
"Stop right there!"
The Noir-heart turned around, only to find itself face to face with a schoolgirl. A slender, almost lanky girl with pale skin and dull brown hair, her form in the uniform of a local private school. At her side was a white-furred cat, the pink collar holding a star-shaped charm. The girl's name was Hoshi Minazawa.
The cat looked to the girl, its mouth opening not to mew, but speak. "Hoshi-chan, transform!" Nodding, the girl pulled out a gold, star-shaped compact. She flipped it open, a mirror in the top part.
"PreCure, Let's Shine!"
Enveloped in light that burst from the compact, the scrawny high schooler changed. Her body shape changed into something healthier, more befitting a fighter. Her clothes shimmered and vanished, the dull school uniform shifting into something more elaborate. Loafers were replaced by ankle-high boots, legs wrapped in white, thigh-high stockings. A white, long-sleeved dress appeared, the frilly skirt shifting to something short and easy to move in, highlights of gold and pink forming a lacy border at the bottom. A gold bow appeared at the back, long tails trailing to the girl's knees. The dress had no collar. her shoulders left bare till she pressed the closed star compact over her heart, a hooded pink cape with gold trim appearing, the lower edge brushing her heels. Finally, her brown hair was magically changed, shifting from thin and straight to long and wavy, going from the muddy color to a rich, chocolate brown with hints of deep red. A gold choker appeared around her neck, dangling star earrings in her ears. Hair formed an elaborate style, some of it swept to the right side and held there by a star-shaped hairpin with white lace and pearls detailing it. Eyes finally opened, the brown now pink as she smiled, lifting an arm into the air.
"The wish-granter that illuminates the darkness... Cure Starlight!" She changed her pose, a hand resting on her hip as she moved her arm to point at the monster. "Heart enveloped in Noir... I shall make you Lumière once more!"
***
OP: Masami Okui - "Niji no You ni"
***
Starlight barely managed to dodge the attack of the Noir-heart; what was once a meek, mild shop-owner was now a hulking giant of a man, towering over the petite heroine. "Noiiiiirrr!" Massive fists came down, intending to smash the girl, but she evaded the blow just in time.
"Starlight!" The cat called from atop a lamp post. "You have to calm down the Noir-heart down before you can change it back.
"I know, Perle!" Hopping up the walls, Starlight made it to the roof of one building, running across the tops as she tried to lead the monster to a more deserted part of Akiba. That, however, was harder than it sounded. The city, over time, had gotten better at anticipating where and when monsters would be formed, and did what they could to evacuate and herd the people away from the impending chaos. Despite that, however, people still milled around, either out of laziness or sheer unwillingness to avoid a terrible fate. It frustrated Starlight, but that wasn't important right now. She hopped atop another building in the more abandoned side of Akiba, crouching.
Sure enough, the monster followed. "Noir, Noir, Noirrrrrrrr!" It reached down, picking up two cars, one in each hand. Starlight yelped, hurriedly running away. One missed her, smashing M's Pop Life, the other skidding across the pavement as Starlight jumped over it. Her efforts were tiring, but worth it. The Noir was panting, running out of steam due to Starlight's overwhelming brightness.
Perle was right there, as always. "You're almost there, Starlight! Just a bit more to-" The cat then froze, looking around.
Starlight straightened, looking to her companion. "What is it, Perle?"
"Another..."
Starlight's face filled with shock. "Another monster?"
"No..." Perle's ears stuck straight up. "Another PreCure!"
"What?!"
The Noir-heart seemed to feel it as well, looking around. "Noir?" Its musings were halted by what could only be described as missile strike directly to its face. But the source of the strike was not from anything that could be made by man.
Landing a few feet away as the Noir-heart crashed to the ground was a girl, in a uniform that was different from the ones Starlight was used to seeing, landed gracefully on her feet. She straightened her form, her black hair trailing to her waist in silky straight locks. She looked over her shoulder at Starlight, her eyes hidden in shadow. "If you're not going to do the job, leave." Her voice was deep and had a slight accent, though it made her sound more dignified than foreign as she looked back towards the recovering Noir-heart. "Leave this to someone who knows what they're doing."
Starlight was stunned. "Get out of here!" The words come to her before she can stop them. "It's too dangerous."
The girl didn't reply with words, instead holding up an emblem that looked to be a silver crescent moon.
Perle's eyes widened. "That item...! Impossible!"
"PreCure... Let's Darken."
Instantly, shadows bubbled up from the ground, grabbing at her uniform as it began to glow, seemingly ripping it away from her body. And then the shadow seemed to take the uniform's place, sticking to her skin from head to toe. Knee-high boots soon came into view, low-heeled and steel-toed; practical, yet having a mirror shine. A pair of form-fitting, deep purple pants hugged the girl's hips, her midriff left bare as the shadows formed a purple top with silver and black detailing. Arms were not abandoned, bracers, silver with black details, circling her forearms. The crescent moon was gently placed over her right shoulder, the cape that sprouted from it black and tattered, with holes and frayed edges that only reached her thighs. Her hair came next, the long locks becoming shorter, just reaching her chin as they shifted to a Navy blue color. Crescent earrings dangled from her ears, a simple crescent in silver appearing in her hair on the left. Eyes opened to reveal a deep purple, the girl's change complete as the shadows returned to where they'd come.
There was no speech. No declaration of intention. Just a gun - unlike any Starlight had ever seen - drawn from the inside of the PreCure's cape, aimed at the Noir-heart, and fired.
Starlight covered her ears at the bang, wincing, only to realize what was happening. "W-wait! You can't!" She ran to the girl, who shot the white-clad PreCure a look that could melt stone.
"Fool. If you had any sense, you'd realize that this Noir-heart has attacked before. After you saved him the first time, he was changed again. This is the only option. Now get out of my way - or suffer the same fate." She shoved Starlight aside, firing off another round at the Noir-heart as it howled in pain.
Perle looked down at her shocked fighter. "Get a grip, Starlight! Use your technique before she kills him!"
Fighting to ease her shaking hands, Starlight nodded, swallowing hard as she raised a hand to the sky. "Brillante Épée!" The star that held her cape in place released an orb of golden light, swirling up Starlight's arm and forming a blade in her hand as she closed a fist around it. Starlight broke into a run, running past the gun-toting soldier. The interloper growled, picking up speed.
She was fast, yes - but Starlight was faster. She reached the Noir-heart first, leaping in the air as she raised her sword. "May the Darkness within... Be destroyed!" She swung her blade, a bright light seeming to tear the monster in two.
Starlight landed behind the crouch behind the Noir-heart, standing and closing her eyes as she flicked specks of darkness from her blade. "This light will ease your darkened soul..."
The monster uttered his last word. "Blaaanc..." The eyes closed, the monster form fully vanishing, leaving behind the elderly shop-owner, injured, but alive.
A click got Starlight's attention, her blade moving just in time to stop a round from the darker PreCure's gun. The pair eyed one another, Starlight looking a bit more frazzled now that all was over. "Who are you...? Why are you wanting to kill this man?! It's not his fault he became Noir!"
The dark one snorted, keeping her gun level. "It's nobody's fault. Doesn't change the fact that it happens - and that it will continue to happen till the Source is found."
Perle hopped down from where she'd been perched. "How do you know about that?!"
"You called it, cat." The PreCure tilted her head. "I'm a PreCure, just like your chosen Champion - too bad she's not fit to bear that name."
Perle hissed, white fur standing on end. "How dare you-!"
Before the cat could launch into a full tirade, there was a burst of activity all around them. Cars and vans pulled up, a chopper heard overhead. The dark PreCure lowered her gun and closed her eyes, shifting back to her normal look in a flash of light. Starlight blinked, before doing the same herself, soon back in her own uniform and plain appearance. A car pulled up close to the pair, a tall, handsome man in military dress stepping out approaching the black-haired girl. "Good work." Other people were gathering up debris, a trio of men in hazard suits approaching the old man.
The girl shook her head. "I couldn't complete the objective."
"That's fine." The man nodded. "The containment facility is finally ready." As he spoke, the trio in the hazard uniforms grasped the groaning man by the arms, pulling him to a black van and stepping in the backside of it. The doors closed, the van driving off in a hurry.
Hoshi was watching it all with wide eyes. "What... is even going on?"
The man looked to Hoshi, as if noticing her for the first time. "My apologies." He moved to her, bowing. "My name is Commander Rouyama." He motioned to the black-haired girl, who was glaring at Hoshi with her arms folded over her chest. "This young lady is Ibara Houseki-"
"Shade." Ibara shot the commander a look. "Cure Shade. Stop sharing my civilian credentials with commoners like her."
"Hey!" Hoshi frowned. "I'm in this as much as you are!"
"Indeed you are, Miss Minazawa." Rouyama nodded. "Which is why I'm glad we managed to cross paths with you."
Hoshi turned her attention back to the man. "We?"
He nodded. "Myself, Shade... and the entire N.E.S. - Noir Elimination Squadron." He motioned with a hand, keeping his focus on Hoshi. "We would like you to lend us your strength, Miss Minazawa... Or, rather, Cure Starlight."
"My strength..." Her brown eyes flickered back to Ibara, who closed her eyes and made a sound of disgust.
Hoshi frowned, feeling her hands curl as thoughts - and memories - filled her mind. iI understand... I really do... But at the same time, I cannot abide by it... I simply can't!/i She looked back to Rouyama. "Only if we do things my way; no killing. You mentioned a containment facility, right? Since people are being re-targeted? Then let me put it to use! I can't let anyone else be harmed!
Rouyama nodded. "Very well." He blinked at the sound of someone walking away, turning to see Ibara's back. "Shade..."
"Don't. I don't want to hear it." Shade glared at him over her shoulder. "Play with this bleeding heart if you want. I'm going to be getting things done - the proper way." She kept walking away, Hoshi frowning as a breeze ruffled her hair.
"Ibara... Houseki..."
And thus, the battle of ideals between two PreCures began...
***
ED: Megumi Hayashibara - "Revolution"
***
"You can't just take lives! That's not your decision to make!"
"You're too soft, Starlight. That attitude will get yourself and everyone else in this city killed."
"I don't believe that."
"That is why you're naive."
"I'll show you... The proof that I can save everyone, without staining my hands with innocent blood!"
Next time on Shine! PreCure - Éveiller
OoOoOoOo AUTHOR NOTES OoOoOoOo
Well, that was it for my first chapter of my original PreCure fic. Want more? Less? I apologize here and now for sucking at life when it comes to fight scenes; it's not something I'm used to describing, so booray for leaving my comfort zone. Next episode will probably not have a monster and be more focused on world-building, because there's a lot I didn't touch on here. I am open to tips/tricks/pies thrown at my face.
I'll definitely make up drawings of the two main characters. Not the animals or monsters because, well I suck at drawing those. Either way, hope you enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to writing more when I have time.
