"Let's have a welcome party for Ichika-chan and her friends!"
That one sentence was what started their odyssey. Just as usual, when Mana had an idea, there was nothing her friends could do to stop her. A few phone calls later every single Precure was invited, and now Rikka was stuck shopping at the mall with her energetic best friend while Makoto and Alice were busy with preparations at Yotsuba Manor, the only place big enough for Mana's plans.
"Let's see..."
The bluenette pulled out a sheet of paper, filled with a list of things they had to buy.
"Decorations, check. Candy and chocolate, also check. Drinks, got them covered. Now we just need...flour and eggs? What for?"
"For a cake!" Mana answered, "Every party needs a cake!"
„You do know that making sweets and cakes is KiraPre's forte, right? Do you think you can make something that would satisfy them?"
This remark made Mana stop in her thoughts "Now that you mention it...I guess I'm not skilled enough for that..."
"Just stick to the party preparations for now."
"Buuuut..." she was making a pouting face "I wanna do something special for them...Maybe I could sing for a bi-"
"M-Maybe the cake is a nice idea after all" Rikka was fast in stopping her from scaring away their new friends.
"Okay then!"
Another sigh escaped Rikka's lips. She was simply powerless against the pink-haired whirlwind who was her best friend.
Half an hour of excessive shopping of random things later, she was completely exhausted. Yet Mana showed no sign of losing even a bit of her energy.
"But I kinda like that about her" she thought to herself.
Just when she was about to suggest a break, Mana seemed to notice something a few meters away.
"Rikka, hold these for a moment, please!"
"W-What?" She didn't even have time to fully realize what was happening before she suddenly had to carry double the amout of shopping bags, watching her friend dart away into the crowd.
"M-Mana?"
She could only watch as Mana found her way through the people, seemingly running after someone.
Then it happened.
A group of five girls, led by a blonde with long twintails, crossed her way, too absorbed in their conversation to notice the incoming danger. Mana on the other hand reacted fast and jumped out of their way...only to crash magnificently into the person she'd been chasing, who had stopped in front of a store window.
"Mana, are you alright?" a worried Rikka arrived just a few moments later.
"Everything's okay, and..." Mana showed her signature grin "I found someone who could help with the cake!"
"Don't decide these things on your own! And how would you even know that...OH!" Rikka's scolding stopped immediately when her attention got to the other person involved, who happened to be familiar girl with brown hair, now smiling about their antics.
"N-nice to see you again, Kanade-senpai"
The member of Suite Precure got up, picking up her own shopping bags.
"I don't mind helping you with the cake" she said, still smiling "After all, Hibiki had the same idea, so I was shopping for some ingredients."
"Really? Thank you~" Mana hugged her tightly.
"But..." Kanade freed herself and gave them a serious look " 'helping doesn't mean that I'm gonna do all the work, understood? I'll have the two of you and Hibiki join in the work."
And with that she pulled them along on her own shopping trip, much to a tired Rikka's disdain.