The Invitation from Pretty Cure
Miyuki Hoshizora was smiling. For her that was not an unusual thing, since she always liked to act cheerful. School was finished for the week, and she was now free to do whatever she wanted to. Not that she was sure what she wanted to do, since she had only moved to the capital of Märchenland recently, but she was positive there was something she could do.
Ahead of her were two kids, one human, and one fairy. They played in a fountain, splashing each other without a care in the world. How nice that must be she thought. She did not know many people in the area, and it was difficult to goof off on her own. Thankfully Miyuki did have one friend, but she was younger and seemed to prefer being with her fairy friends then Miyuki. So for now she was alone, without a companion to share her happiness with. She was not sad though. How could she be, when Märchenland was filled with joy and fun wherever she looked?
Instead of going home, she took a turn for the south town square. There were always people there, and she could chat up with some of the locals and get some tips on where to enjoy herself. Maybe she could even get some food while she was at it. Food was always good.
Making her was through the streets, she stopped as she looked up at a statue. The statue wasn't giant, but it was fairly big, bigger than the person it represented. It was a statue of one of the nation's greatest defenders, one of the heroes that served to protect the kingdom from all that may threaten it (though for the life of her she could not figure out what could threaten them). One of the legendary warriors, Pretty Cure.
"How nice that must be," Miyuki sighed. "I bet all Pretty Cure are popular everywhere and have lots of friends." If only once, she wished she could meet one of them. Maybe even befriend them. But most of all, she just wanted to admire all they did to ensure she could live her happy life. They were the Royale Queen's most valiant servants, and made sure peace and justice were maintained in the kingdom.
She was about to turn away when she spotted something moving on the statue. Something small and white, though its ears were comparatively large and yellow. The object suddenly started growing larger, almost as if it were coming closer to her. At the last second she realized this was exactly the case as the fairy smashed right into Miyuki's face, knocking her on the ground.
"Ouch", Miyuki groaned. What had just happened? The fairy was clinging onto her head, making it difficult to see or even breathe. After a brief struggle, she managed to get the fairy off of her. Looking right at it, the fairy was shaking, and maybe even scared. Miyuki thought it seemed familiar, but she could not pinpoint exactly why.
The fairy started barking right in her face. "Help me! They're after me, and I don't want to go back." A girl, the fairy was definitely a girl.
Miyuki could not comprehend much more than that. "Wait a second, what is going on?" On one hand, she was confused why the fairy had just rammed into her. On the other hand, she was a little glad to meet someone new, even if it wasn't in circumstances she imagined.
The fairy hid right under Miyuki's shirt right when some human soldiers came running near. "Has anyone seen her?" one of the soldiers asked. All of the soldiers replied no. They looked at Miyuki, who shook her head while scrambling out of the way. "Continue the search. We cannot lose track of her."
The fairy popped out once they had left. Miyuki looked at her for a moment, not sure what to do next. "What was that about? Wait, first I need to introduce myself. I'm Miyuki Hoshizora." Smiling, she shook the fairy's tiny hands. Whatever was going on, it was always polite to introduce yourself first.
Hesitating for a second, the fairy answered, "I…I'm Candy. Pleased to meet you." Candy shook back and hopped onto Miyuki's shoulder. "Can you help me hide? And show me around town?"
Candy. The name sounded familiar to her, but she could not remember why it was significant. Oh well, it probably was not too important. "Sure, but why were you hiding from those soldiers? Are they bad people? Do you have secret information pertaining to the safety of the world and as such they want to silence you?" Miyuki's imagination could run wild occasionally.
"Not really", Candy replied quietly. "Mom and the others just won't let me out. It's boring, and I want to see some new things." Candy closed her mouth before she let out any more information.
To most people, Candy might have seen suspicious and been turned in immediately. To Miyuki, Candy was an adorable fairy that needed help, and she was just the girl to provide it. "Why don't we look the town square then? There are a lot of neat things and people there. We can play games, eat delicious food, or just sit around and chat with people."
Candy smiled. The idea of meeting new people and having fun without a dozen people watching over her sounded wonderful. "Let's do this," she exclaimed.
The duo went to the town square and began exploring all over it. They played a dart game to win a stuffed animal, but neither was any good. Candy tried to imitate some kids playing tag, but found it lacking with only two people. Miyuki bought some apples, and they relished the tasty snack. Candy tried to talk to some other fairies, but quickly hid again when it looked like they were about to recognize her or some soldiers ran near.
Tired, they sat down on some steps in an alleyway. "That was fun," Miyuki said. Candy nodded in agreement. Miyuki continued talking to herself. "Man, it's way better doing all this with friends. Spices things up and lets you do things you couldn't do on your own. I need to do this with Nico in the future." She turned to Candy. "Do you not have any friends you can do things like this with?"
Candy hesitated before answering. "My brother used to play with me a lot, but now he's always busy. Akane likes to joke around with me, but she isn't around all that often."
So she was often alone, just like Miyuki was. Even if she did have friends, that did not mean they were able to spend time with her. That was something Miyuki could understand. "You know, I know someone in my class named Akane. I guess that is another thing we share in common."
"She's over here!" a voice shouted. At one end of the alleyway a couple of soldiers pointed at them, then ran straight towards them.
Scrambling up, Miyuki placed Candy on her shoulder. "Time to go. Hold on tight." Taking off at full speed, she raced through the narrow alleys. She did not know the place all that well, nor was she an especially fast runner, but she was agile enough to avoid getting caught for some time at least. One soldiers nearly caught her, but she ducked under him and whirled sideways. When no one was in sight, she grabbed onto the side of a building and began climbing. "We should be able to hide on the roofs for a bit." Candy was shaking and held onto Miyuki for dear life.
When she was two stories high, her foot slipped off the brick it was on. Panicking, Miyuki couldn't get a solid footing. Candy nearly fell off Miyuki, and she had to catch the small fairy. With that action her other hand slipped, and they began plummeting towards the ground. They were screaming when a green figure caught them.
Calming down, Miyuki was dropped on the floor. Looking up, her savior was a tall older girl with light green hair extending to her knees. Her uniform was peculiar as well, and it took Miyuki a moment to realize what she was looking at. The girl said, "Jeez princess, I know you don't always like it in the palace, but can you please tell someone before you try to sneak out? We were worried that something had happened to you. And now you've dragged a civilian into your antics."
"No one would let me out, and there was no one to play with," Candy complained. "Why do I have to study and learn when everyone else gets to have fun?"
Miyuki wasn't listening to the conversation, and instead just pointed at the girl. "You, you're one of them. You're a Pretty Cure." Astounded, Miyuki could not believe her eyes. She was actually seeing one her heroes and idols. It was like a dream come true, but this was even better than what she had dreamed. She had actually been saved by one of them and had the chance to talk to her. Her mind had no idea what to say, as a million things raced through her head. Eventually she blurted out the biggest thing on her mind. "You're Cure May."
The Cure and Candy stopped their argument and turned to stare at Miyuki. Silence filled the air even as soldiers came running in around them. Miyuki continued, unsure if she had made a mistake. "Your name is Cure May right?"
Slapping her head, the green Cure sighed. "Great, the princess found one of those people." She stared down at Miyuki. "It's Cure March. How do you not know your own kingdom's Pretty Cure?"
Miyuki blinked. That was embarrassing. She may have only recently moved to the capital, but she had lived in Märchenland all her life, and she should at least know her own heroes' Cure names. "I was close, right?" she said in an attempt to save face.
Candy started to cry. "Please don't take me away from Miyuki. I just wanted to have fun, and she showed me all these neat things I hadn't seen before. At least, don't do anything bad to her"
"Princess, this is really not appropriate behavior from you. I don't think your mom will happy." Candy pouted. March patted the fairy's head. "Don't worry; I won't do anything to her. Why would we punish someone who was just helping their princess?"
Another fact finally clicked in Miyuki's mind. In her joy in seeing a Pretty Cure, she had missed something important. "Wait, you're Princess Candy, the future ruler of Märchenland?" She stared at the tiny fairy standing between her and March. No wonder she seemed familiar.
Cure March slapped her head again. "I really don't know what to think anymore." She tried to grab Candy, but the princess leaped back into Miyuki's arms. "Don't be such a child. You have a duty, and it's too dangerous to be frolicking out in the open."
Candy leaned into Miyuki, and the confused girl hugged her tightly. "But Miyuki was so much nicer and more fun than everyone else lately." Candy did not want to lose her newest friend. Miyuki did not understand what was going on, but she decided to help Candy however she could.
Before March could grab Candy, an explosion some blocks away rattled everyone. "What is going on?" March shouted. She and the soldiers raced out of the alley. Miyuki got up, still holding Candy, and chased after them. If this was going where she thought it was, there was no way she was going to miss the opportunity.
A living house was the culprit. With legs, arms, a mouth, and a giant red nose, the monster was smashing a building, apparently hating the competition it had. Humans and fairies alike were running from cover, not wanting to be in the way of a rampaging house. Turning to face Cure March, it shouted, "Akanbe!"
"Why did an Akanbe have to show up now of all times?" March grunted. She turned to Miyuki. "Don't move unless you have to, and don't let the princess out of your sight." Turning to the soldiers, she barked out orders. "Evacuate the civilians. Clear out the area as much as possible. I'll handle the big guy."
Nodding, the soldiers scrambled to grab the injured and escorted panicking people to safety. Miyuki backed up, both scared and fascinated. She did not want to deal with a monster stepping on her as if she was an insect, but she wanted to watch Cure March and see her hero in action. This day was getting more and more exciting by the minute.
"Over here!" March shouted, waving her arms. Abandoning its building destruction, the Akanbe ran after her, for something so large, it was surprisingly fast, closing the distance between it and March in seconds. Miyuki wanted to shout out for her to be careful, but March did not need it. In a blur she jumped out of the way Akanbe's fist. It tried to punch her again, but she jumped over it and landed on its arm. Running up at a speed Miyuki did not think was possible, she kicked the Akanbe in the nose with enough force to knock it down.
Landing off it, March was not even breathing hard. As the Akanbe struggled to recover, she rushed straight at it, once again becoming a green blur, with such speed that Miyuki did not know how she could still control herself. Ramming her fist into it, the Akanbe flipped over onto its back. Leaping up, she prepared to smash it with a powerful kick.
Unfortunately, the monster was not that frail. Possibly by blind luck, its left hand collided with March sending her flying into a bench. The bench crumpled upon contact, and dust and splinters flew up. March struggled to rise.
"March!" Miyuki shouted. She wanted to see Pretty Cure destroy some monsters, but not if they were actually getting hurt in the process. "Candy, is there anything I can do to help?"
Candy was shivering. "I don't think so." Her eyes widened as she came up with an idea. "Not unless…look out!"
The Akanbe had turned to Miyuki and Candy and rushed towards them. Miyuki ran away, not loosening her grip on Candy at all. The Akanbe tried to punch her, but thankfully fell just short of actually hitting her. Coughing into the dirt that had come into her face, she ran to the side, hoping to get further away from it. Leaping up, the Akanbe soared into the sky before coming right back down to crush her. Miyuki tripped and fell down, and as she looked up she realized she wasn't going to get out of the way. She placed herself above Candy and hoped that at least she would be okay.
Right before she was flattened, March kicked the Akanbe in midair, sending it off track into a wall. Not looking away from it, she called out to Miyuki and Candy. "Are you two all right?"
"Yeah," Miyuki responded. Candy's eyes were closed, and they were both shaking heavily. Yet strangely, Miyuki did not feel any fear. Just relief that Candy and March were all right.
"Good. I've had enough of this guy." March leaped up into the sky, wind gathering around her. A light shined around her. The Akanbe started to get up, but it was too slow. Forming the wind energy into a ball, she shouted, "Pretty Cure March Shoot!" Kicking the wind ball with all her might, it smashed into the Akanbe, which exploded into nothingness.
Landing right in front of Miyuki, March was breathing heavily. "Guess it's finally done. That was not my best performance."
Miyuki ran right in front of her, eyes filled with glee. "That was amazing. You were like whoosh, and then you were all pow and then wham. It's just like I imagined."
March grinned. "Well, it's what we do. It is nice to know we are appreciated." Her face grew more serious. "All right princess, fun time is over. It's time to return to the palace."
Candy shook her head. "I said no. Not without Miyuki." Miyuki stepped back, unsure what she was supposed to do.
"Don't make this hard on yourself or her. I'm sure she is a nice girl, but you just saw how dangerous it can be out here. Akanbe are attacking us more frequently, and I can't risk you becoming injured or worse. She doesn't have a place in your life."
"Um, I don't understand what's going on, but shouldn't you be respecting Candy's wishes if she's the princess?" Miyuki asked. March's glare scared her, but she continued. "I mean, you are awesome and all that, but I don't want to be separated from her any more than she does from me."
"Miss, please hand the princess over. You have nothing to do with her, and I don't want her exposed any more. I will only ask one more time."
Candy leaped out of Miyuki's arms onto her head. "What if she becomes a Pretty Cure?"
"Huh?" March's impatience turned once more into confusion.
Miyuki did not think she had heard that correctly. "Candy, what did you say? I could have sworn you said you wanted me to become a Pretty Cure. That would be pretty neat actually, but I don't think I'm fit for that." She laughed, thinking this would be a good joke to tell later.
"I'm serious Miyuki. You can become a Pretty Cure. Then we can play more often, and you get to be a cool warrior like her."
Coughing, March said, "Look, she didn't do all that bad in protecting you, but we can't just go and pick random people off the streets to become a Pretty Cure."
"Her heart is kind. Her soul is pure. Her body is strong. Doesn't she fill all the requirements?"
"I could think of a few reasons why she isn't." March sighed. "But maybe you have a point. And we could use the extra help. Plus this gives me a few ideas." She looked straight into Miyuki's eyes. "What do you say? Do you wish to join us? Do you wish to pledge your life in serving the people? Do you wish to be one of the chosen few, one of the legendary warriors?"
Miyuki's mind was about to explode. So many things had happened today that she couldn't comprehend it all. Was she dreaming? Were they pulling a joke on her? Was this real? She pinched her own cheek. Pain. This was probably real. Pointing to herself she asked, "Me? Become a Pretty Cure?"
Saki Hyuuga was walking home from school, just like she always did. Casually looking at the flowers on the side of the path, she noticed they were starting to bloom again. Just like they had last year. Not that it was a bad thing. She liked it when the flowers, bloomed, since that was usually a sign that the weather was going to improve. Still, she wished there was something new she could do. Her town of Yuunagi was certainly nice, but there was absolutely nothing to do. All there was to do was watch nature or play games. Softball was fun, but she wanted something to spice up her life.
"Has anything ever happened in this town?" she whispered. She could not think of anything. Yuunagi was located practically in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by many kingdoms, yet part of none. Fairies were rare in this area too. They didn't even get many traders coming through, so visitors were scarce. Something, anything new would be nice.
Her friends walking alongside her looked at her. "Did you say something Saki?" the slightly taller Hitomi Itou asked.
"Ah, nothing really." Saki gave a brief laugh. "I was just wandering if there was something we could do? There's nothing really going on right now."
Her shorter friend Yuuko Outa replied, "Why don't we go over to Kenta's house? We can fish and listen to Kenta's jokes. Those are always good." She sighed dreamily.
"That's just your opinion Yuuko," Saki retorted. "And we've done plenty of that already. Didn't we do that last week?"
"Then what should we do?" Hitomi asked.
"That's what I was asking. It looks like there really is nothing to do. Maybe I'll go swimming or something." Spotting a small crowd nearby, she paused. That was unusual. A crowd forming right off the street was not something that occurred often. Which meant that they must be seeing something. "What's going on over there?"
Saki ran over to the crowd, followed by Hitomi and Yuuko. Pushing her way through, she was surprised by what she saw. There were three girls wearing matching uniforms dancing in front of everyone. They looked to be slightly older than her. The center girl had her hazel hair in two pigtails. To her right was a taller girl with long violet hair, matching the center girl step by step. The left girl had shorter hair with a color that resembled ginger. From what she could tell, she was just as good as the other two. Saki was mildly surprised at the array of colors they had, for her own orange hair tended to stick out, especially in this small town.
The trio danced in sync with one another, twirling with grace and swaying their bodies and hair fluidly. Saki could not follow their exact movements, but she could tell that these three had to be pros. They certainly weren't from around here. That alone made them worth watching.
After a few minutes the trio came to a stop, posing for everyone to see. Saki started clapping, and the audience clapped as well for the dancers. It was a beautiful dance, and she could not remember ever seeing anything like it before.
A ferret carrying a bowl ran up to the crowd. Surprisingly, it started speaking "That was the Clover dancers. All right people pay up. These dances don't come free you know. Come on come on, don't you want to help this cute fairy and these nice ladies?" His voice had a strange accent that Saki could barely understand. Not that she was actually listening to him. She was just shocked that the ferret had just talked.
Chuckling, a man threw some coins in the bowl. The rest of the crowd followed suit, chipping in some spare change. Soon the crowd had dispersed, leaving just Saki, her friends, and the dancing group.
The lead girl walked up to the ferret. "Tarte, you don't have to be so pushy. It drives off people from even seeing us."
Tarte snorted. "Well someone has to manage our finances. Since you three are busy with other things, I'll just manage our expenses, so don't worry about it Peach."
Saki was beginning to wonder if visitors were weird on principle. The tall girl stepped up. "Now Love, you know he's right. Just think of it as, a perfect performance deserves perfect treatment. Besides, you do want to eat right?"
"You're taking his side too Miki? Yeah I know all that, but it feels like it defeats the purpose of doing this for everyone. Though I guess I am getting hungry."
Panting, the last girl joined in. "We don't all have your talent. I'm exhausted, and I'd rather not sleep on the ground again."
Love turned to the ginger haired girl. "Buki, you did just fine. And sleeping on the ground is fun and builds character." Her smile infected Buki and Miki, who returned it. "Now let's find something to eat. I heard there's a great bakery in town."
Saki burst out laughing, causing the dancers to look her way. "I'm sorry; it's just that I'm surprised to see this. One moment you're this perfect group, and the next you're acting like you can't read each other's minds. The contrast is just amazing, that's all."
The ferret ran over to her. "Pay up missy. Don't think you get a freebie just because you came late."
Saki, Hitomi, and Yuuko stared at him, not sure how to respond to him. "What, you never seen an adorable fairy like me before?"
"It's not that," Hitomi said. "Actually, it is that. We don't get many fairies around these parts. I think I've seen about three fairies this whole year."
As Saki digged through her pockets, Love grabbed Tarte. "Don't mind him; he just likes to tease cute girls. We have to put up with him every day." Tarte bit Love's finger for that comment, but even as she winced she held on.
Saki pulled everything she had out of her pockets. A failed test and a half-eaten candy bar. "You said you were hungry right? Why don't I treat you to something from my family's bakery? The bread there is delicious."
Drool appeared on Love's mouth at the word bread. Miki and Buki finished cleaning up their supplies. "That would be generous of you," Miki said.
It was just a short walk to Pankakapan, like it was to everything in town. "I'm home," she called out when she entered.
Her dad was out the counter. "Hey. You got some new friends I see."
"Yeah, I guess. Can you bring some food outside? I kind of owe them a little." Her father nodded and started preparing the bread.
The six girls plus fairy plopped down on the porch. "This is a nice town," Love said. "Small, but nice. The atmosphere is very friendly."
"You think?" Saki replied. "Maybe at first, but it gets kind of boring after a while. Who are you people anyway?"
Love put her hand to her chin as if she was in deep thought. Miki shook her head, as if telling Love not to say something. Buki shook her shoulders. Tarte was climbing over Hitomi and Yuuko. "I guess you could say we're travelling dancers. Clover is our group name. We have just one goal, to brighten everyone's day with our dancing. I'm Love Momozono"
"Says the person who wanted a reason to go travelling," Miki stated. Love's face had a pained expression on it. "I'm Miki Aono. She is right, this is a nice town.
"That seems really neat," Yuuko said while petting Tarte. I kind of wish I could go travelling someday. Not sure where I'd go though. Märchenland sounds like a fun place visit. Or maybe the Palmier Kingdom."
Buki was the next to speak. "Travelling sounds fun at first, but it is really tiring. I don't recommend just doing it on a whim. I'm Inori Yamabuki by the way." She looked around. "Seeing nice, peaceful places like this does make the effort worth it though."
"Pine, don't tell me Peach is starting to rub off you. It's hard enough to manage with just one person who doesn't think things through. Let's not add a second." Tarte had moved on to Hitomi.
What's with those names?" Hitomi asked.
Miki answered quickly. "Just nicknames he found cute and won't stop using, despite how I keep asking him to stop."
"Was that a compliment Berry?" Tarte teased. Miki tried to grab him, but he leaped off onto Saki.
Saki laughed again. "I'm jealous. I wish I could have a fairy of my own. It would be like a pet, but one I could talk to. Speaking of pets, there's Korone. I'm Saki Hyuuga" Saki's cat jumped up next to Saki. He took one look at Tarte, then swiped at him. Tarte yelped and leaped to Inori. Hitomi and Yuuko introduced themselves.
Love chuckled. "Fairies are nice, but they can get a bit overprotective at times." She was interrupted when Saki's father came out with bread. Love thanked him and began wolfing down her portion. Miki and Inori ate slower, but still quickly. Tarte stole a bit from all three of them while avoiding Korone. Saki wasn't that hungry, so she saved some for a later snack.
"Delicious," Love said after finishing. "We should come back here later."
"This is great," Miki agreed. "And unlike you, I actually took the time to enjoy this."
Love jumped up. "It was nice talking to you three. We'll be leaving town soon, but I'll definitely remember this place."
"Already thinking ahead? Peach, you need to calm down a bit."
"Not yet. Not when there is so much left to do." Love turned to Saki. "You're lucky to live in such a great place. I mean both this town and bakery. Make sure to treasure it, all right?"
Saki tilted her head. Love suddenly seemed a lot more serious. Then again, she was odd. Who knew what went on in her head? "I will. Oh and before you go make sure you check out the Sky Tree. You see that big tree at the edge of those woods?" She pointed to make sure they could see it. "You don't want to miss it."
Love took Saki's hand and shook it. "Maybe we'll see each other again. Until then, goodbye." With that she took off.
Miki, Inori and Tarte took off after her carrying their bags. Inori turned back to Saki. "Thanks for the food and advice." And with that, the dancing trio and ferret fairy were gone.
"Those were some weird people," Hitomi said. "But fun. They really are lucky to get to see so many places. I'd like to go out and explore if I had the chance."
"Me too," Yuuko agreed. "You're right Saki. There really is nothing much to do around here." The two said their goodbyes and left to go home. Saki stroked Korone for a minute before heading inside. Her family was looking at letters.
"Did we get anything interesting?" Saki asked.
"Just letters from some old friends, that's all. Nothing you need to concern yourself over."
"Dang it. Well, guess I can't expect too many interesting things in one day."
Saki's little sister Minori was looking at one. "This one is addressed to you, but I guess you don't want it anymore." She was smirking.
"Just give it to me." Saki was about to just take it when Minori handed it over. The letter was odd. It shaped not like a rectangle, but more like a triangle. Not even that, but a fountain. The letter had her name on it, but no address. There wasn't even a return address, so there was no clue as to where it came from. "What is in this?" she mumbled.
Tearing it open, she found nothing inside. She stared deep into it, but there was nothing. Was this some kind of joke Minori was playing on her? No, Kenta was a more likely possibility. She would have to plan her revenge on him. She threw it down on the table.
Just as she did that, a small image appeared. It was like a fairy, but it also looked more like a human. Her eyes were closed, and she wore a long green dress. Most oddly, she had a golden tiara about her size around her. To Saki, she seemed strangely nostalgic. Before anyone could do anything, she began to speak. "Saki Hyuuga, I am Princess Filia of the Land of Fountains. I invite you to the Land of Fountains to partake in a ceremony only you can do. I have need of your services, so I ask you and only you to come as soon as possible. Thank you for your assistance and have a safe trip here." When the message ended the image disappeared.
Minori was the first to speak. "Who was that and what does she want with Saki?"
Their father sat down, stunned at what he just saw. "That was Filia, the ruler of the Land of Fountains. She's a very important person and important maintaining the balance of the world. I think. I don't know what she wants with Saki, but whatever she wants, it must be important.
Their mother reacted next. "You aren't saying that Saki should actually go there are you? Sure it sounds like it's important, but she's still got school, and I don't want her going off on her own." Saori was not fond of the idea of Saki leaving when she was still so young.
Minori ran up to Saki and grabbed her. "Sis, you're not really leaving are you? I don't want you to leave."
Saki was breathing heavily. Just as she was starting to think her life was starting to get boring, she was thrown a way to spice it up. Right as she was talking about travelling, she had the excuse to go out. Was it fate? Luck? Probably luck, but she took it as a sign anyway. This was her chance to do something exciting, something she could tell stories about, and something that she could look forward to. A change from the boring life that she was now living.
All fired up she was certain of her choice. Standing straight up, she announced her decision loud and clear. "I'm going to the Land of Fountains."
Erika Kurumi was bored. For her, that was a natural state with a mind as active as hers. There were only so many times she could bug her big sister, and the last time she bothered her classmates they refused to talk to her for a week. Why were they so slow? She had already finished her homework, but that was turning out to be a mistake. Without anything to do she could have taken her time and be lazy, but now she was lazy without anything to do. She tried balancing a pencil on her lips, then two, and then three before they fell off and she lost interest.
"Guess I'll sew some more clothes," she muttered to no one in particular. That hobby was still enjoyable, but she had a block on new ideas. Nothing was inspiring to her, and making the same stuff over and over got old quickly. It was like her brain was frozen on ideas. Something cold would be nice. Ice cream would be delicious. Too bad she already ate a bunch of crackers, which meant her mom would probably yell at her if she went to get more food.
More ideas ran through her mind, and she discarded them just as quickly. She could do plenty of stuff, but none of it was particularly interesting. Bouncing balls off a wall wasn't stimulating, and neither was trying to name all the birds that flew by her window. She already counted the number of threads on her carpet, even if she did not remember the number. Picking up a needle, she rummaged through her unfinished pile.
Down below her mother called for her. "Erika, can you come down? We've got a customer, and I'm busy."
Erika dropped her needle and sighed. "Coming." Working in her family's store wasn't exactly on top of her list of exciting things to do, but at least it was something. She leaped out of her room and went downstairs to greet the customer. "Welcome to Fairy Drop. How can I help you?"
Somewhat surprisingly, since their store had mostly girls' clothes, the customer was a boy. A cute boy she thought. His brown hair went down to his neck, which was a bit long for a guy, but not that unusual. He was also decently tall. Or maybe he wasn't that tall and it was just her small height messing with her perception. There was a bag over his shoulder. He was looking around when she came down. "Ah, I'm looking for some shirts. Do you know where I can get some for someone a bit smaller than me?" His voice was slightly higher pitched then she would have guessed, but what did she know.
Erika directed him over to where the small shirts were. He looked around a bit before picking up a red and white shirt. Then he picked up a pink shirt with flowers on it. After some more browsing he ended up with four shirts, none of which seemed appropriate for a guy. He moved onto a section which had larger clothes that would more likely fit him. He took a pure yellow shirt and placed it in front of him. "How does this look"?
Erika leaned in to get a close look from every angle. Maybe too close, seeing how he leaned back. "Well, it should fit. What person are you buying for, if I may ask?"
"Actually, I'm buying for two. Well, five actually." The boy folded it up and selected another shirt. His browsing continued as he got pants, skirts, and socks in addition to his collection of shirts. Then he moved on to the fairy section and pulled started picking several more clothes.
"Five people? Must be a popular guy. And a sweetie to buy so much stuff for them." He looked interesting. More interesting than sewing the same clothes for the tenth time for sure. Eventually he finished shopping and paid for everything. When all was said and done, there were four bags for him to carry.
Leaning on the counter, Erika saw a chance to escape boredom, at least for an hour. "Hey, you need help carrying that? I really don't have anything better to do."
He did not even bother to look up as he managed to pick up all the bags. He replied, "Thanks, but I'm fine."
"No, you're not." Erika leapt over the counter and took one of the bags. She wasn't going to miss the chance to meet a cute guy who was willing to shop in a clothing store like Fairy Drop. She called out, "I'm heading out for a bit mom."
"Don't be gone too late. I don't want to have to make Momoka chase after you again." Her mom was just entering the room.
"I know. I know." She grabbed another bag from the boy and practically pushed him out the door. "So where are you headed? Got a mansion filled with your harem?"
The boy looked confused, but decided not to protest her. "Actually, I'm headed to the botanical garden."
"The garden? I don't think I've been there. Seems fun." Erika knew exactly what he was talking about. In Kibougahana, there was only one place that could be called the garden. The one that belonged to the Hanasaki family, and the town's biggest attraction aside from the Heart Tree. Why the Heart Tree was considered an attraction was a mystery to Erika. Sure she knew it was important for some Pretty Cure related reason, but that didn't make it interesting. It was just a tree after all.
Their walk continued in silence for a bit. The boy did not seem interested in talking, and Erika couldn't come up with anything to say. Eventually she settled for bragging. "You know, I've seen Moonlight once. Yes, the Cure Moonlight." Erika saw no need to expound further on who she was. If there was anyone that did not know who Cure Moonlight was, they had to be a complete idiot or living underground and cut off from society. "My sister is friends with her, and she came over to the shop once. I even got to speak with her. That was cool, speaking with a living legend."
It did seem to get his attention, but unlike her classmates he did not seem amazed. "That's nice. What was she like there?"
"Well, she didn't seem too interested in the clothes, but I managed to find something that was just perfect for her. Silver fits her, you know? Anyway, she was really quiet, but when she spoke, it was like I had to listen to her. She's got this aura around her, like you have to respect her, or she'll cut you down like so many of the bad guys she beat. But she was also really nice and polite."
He nodded. "Yes, that sounds like Cure Moonlight." They arrived at a large building that looked like it was made up of glass. The botanical garden was right in front of them. Entering it, Erika was stunned. Of course she had seen lots of flowers. After all, Kibougahana was known as the city of flowers. But the garden trumped all she had seen before. It was huge, with rows upon rows of different flowers stretching in all directions. It wasn't just flowers, there were also shrubs and bushes and small trees. There must have been hundreds of plants in there. There was even a small pool in the corner.
The boy looked around. "She should be here somewhere." Both of them spotted someone red crouched down over some flowers. "Found her. Tsubomi, I got some clothes." Tsubomi barely nodded her head in acknowledgement. The boy sighed and went over, followed by Erika. Once he got to her sides, he tapped her, and she finally looked up at him. "I brought a guest over. Why don't you say hi?"
Tsubomi turned to face Erika. For her part, Erika had only one thought. What an adorable girl. She bet she could design some really cute clothes for her to make her stand out even more. Heck, this garden itself was giving her ideas. Maybe she should've come here before. She set the bags down. "I'm Erika Kurumi. And wow this is a nice place. You're Tsubomi Hanasaki right? Granddaughter of Cure Flower? Aren't you lucky to practically own a place like this?" She was leaning in so much that she was practically in Tsubomi's face.
Tsubomi shrank back and looked away. "Y-Y-Yes, that's me." She looked like she wanted to run and hide from the aggressive girl. "Itsuki, who is she?"
Itsuki placed down his clothing bags. "She works at the Fairy Drop store I told you about. She was… insistent on coming, so I thought, why not introduce her to you. I am Itsuki Myoudouin by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier."
Erika had already moved on and smelled the flowers that Tsubomi had been over. "That's fine. Hey Tsubomi, what kind of flowers are these? And those? Those look neat too." Erika haphazardly pointed at any batch that caught her interest.
Quietly, but with a bit more confidence, Tsubomi quickly answered. "These are cherry blossoms. And these are white cyclamens. Over there are lilies. Do you like flowers?"
"Not really, but these are giving me some ideas." Erika nearly sat down on some flowers before Itsuki pulled her back up. "Sorry, but these look so comfortable."
"Itsuki, you're back. What did you get us?" A new voice appeared, belonging to a flying fairy with a pink bow on her head. She looked into one of the bags and pulled out a red ribbon. "You're so sweet Itsuki." The fairy then spotted Erika. "Who is she?"
Before Erika could introduce herself, something rammed into the back of Erika's head, nearly causing her to fall over. "An intruder, that's who Chypre. Come, we must drive the foul beast away from our delicate flower."
Erika spun around and caught the fairy that attacked her. This one had blue beads on his head instead of ribbons. "Oh, so I'm an intruder now am I? In that case I'll do what a proper intruder should do and ransack what's precious in it. First I'll take what's on you, and then I'll help myself to that delicate flower."
Carefully walking to Erika, Tsubomi plucked the blue fairy out of her hands. "Don't mind Coffret. He's just a little overprotective of this place."
Coffret continued to eye Erika suspiciously until Chypre pulled him away. The pink fairy flew over to Itsuki. "How is Potpourri doing?"
Rummaging through his own bag, Itsuki pulled out a smaller, yellow fairy. "She's still sleeping." The fairy began to open her eyes. "She was at least. Potpourri, did you have a good nap?"
Apparently Potpourri was quick to wake, as she immediately hugged Itsuki. "Itsuki, I always sleep well when I'm with you."
As Itsuki petted her, Erika began to wonder off in the direction of the pool. "You mind if I go there?" Tsubomi shook her head. Jumping over several rows of flowers, Erika reached the pool. It was calm, but there were enough leaves and petals in it that it was clear the pool had not been cleaned in some time. Next to it was a large green stuffed animal with a heart on its chest. She poked it a few times, and it felt soft and furry. Moving on to the pool, she stuck her hands in the water. It was cool, but not too cold.
Coffret was floating next to her. "What are you doing here anyway?"
Erika pointed to Itsuki. "Mr. Popular over there was buying a bit too much stuff, so I offered to help carry it. That and I was bored. You know, I never thought about it before, but there are a lot of different kinds flowers. It's like, how many can you fit into one space? I'm Erika Kurumi by the way."
Coffret was confused for a moment before snickering. "Of course. Mr. Itsuki I'm sure was grateful for your help, even if it came from a rude girl." Erika lunged at him again, but he got out of range this time.
Despite the whispers, Erika could still overhear Itsuki talking. "Really Tsubomi, you should try and make a bigger effort to get to know people."
Tsubomi was watering some flowers. "I'm fine really. I don't see why I need to speak with others. The flowers keep me company. You and Chypre and Cologne and Grandma are enough."
"Yes, but I think you need to get out more. If you're going to become a Pretty Cure someday, then you'll need to be outside and meet people."
Moving to another batch of flowers, Tsubomi disagreed. "I don't see why. Most other people are scary enough as it is. I can't keep up with just that one girl. And besides, I already said I don't want to become a Pretty Cure. I would be a terrible one. I just want to take care of the flowers."
There was that phrase. Pretty Cure. The term reserved only for the warriors of legend that defended the peace all over the world. Those people invariably lived exciting lives, going new places, meeting important people, and receiving the admiration of all. It sounded like a fun life from what Erika had heard. Very fun in fact. An idea formed in her mind. One that would ensure she wouldn't get bored again. And would get her attention from all.
Scrambling over to them, Erika grabbed Tsubomi and Itsuki. "Do you know how I can become a Pretty Cure? If she doesn't want to do it, I can. Why I'd be wonderful at it. I'm gorgeous, smart, and athletic. Oh, and I like helping others, as you should know. Heck, I bet Moonlight and Sunshine would be overjoyed to have me by their sides."
Potpourri seemed offended by that last statement. "Sunshine doesn't need anyone's help. She's fine all on her own."
Itsuki patted the yellow fairy. "Now now Potpourri, be nice. As for you, while you seem enthusiastic about it, I don't think we could accept you out of the blue. Only a few particular people have the capability to pull it off. Tsubomi, despite what she may say, is very capable. Besides, aren't you a bit young to become a Pretty Cure?"
"Hey, I'm 14. Just because I'm short doesn't mean I can't be as good as Moonlight." Erika decided to convince Tsubomi. "Do you mind? I'd really like to become a Pretty Cure, so if you don't mind I could take your place. Wait, I have a better idea. We could become partners. I can see it already; the two of us are Pretty Cure, saviors of the world from whatever evil there is."
Avoiding meeting Erika's eyes, Tsubomi stammered out a response. "I don't know what to say. What do you want me to do?" She was breathing hard, not used to having someone in her face.
"Don't listen to the crazy girl Tsubomi. She's bad for your health." Coffret didn't like that idea, especially with who would likely end up as Erika's fairy partner in that scenario.
Chypre tried to calm Tsubomi down. "It's okay. Just relax. You don't need to decide anything right now."
Itsuki coughed. "Anyway, I'm afraid we'll have to decline your offer. Though it is nice to see someone that would like to become a Cure."
Drat. There went that plan. She probably would not get anywhere unless she could find Moonlight or Sunshine and convince them to let her join, but that seemed unlikely. "Too bad. I would've loved to wear those clothes they have. I have to go now. Don't need my sister to yell at me again." Erika headed for the exit, satisfied that she at least managed to kill some time. Before exiting she called out to Tsubomi. "Can I come back some other time? I think this place will get me lots of inspiration for my designs. Maybe I'll even let you try on some of my clothes." Without waiting for an answer, she exited the garden.
Baffled, Tsubomi was barely able to croak out an answer. "Sure, I guess." Erika was an odd girl. Someone she couldn't keep up with. Not someone Tsubomi could stay in the same room without getting tired.
But she did kind of want to see her again.
Erika walked home slowly. Tsubomi was a quiet girl. Someone she could talk to without being interrupted. And she was cute enough to be a potential model. Yes, she would visit her again. Hopefully she could do it without seeing the annoying fairy.
One thing still puzzled her. Itsuki had bought clothes for two girls. So who was the second? Well, it didn't matter too much. Whoever she was, she was lucky to have a nice friend or boyfriend.
Mai Mishou was drawing. Specifically, she was drawing a picture of her school. Not necessarily the most exciting thing to draw, but it was good practice nevertheless. She couldn't just draw people, fairies, or nature. Diversity was always a good thing to embrace. She finished sketching the outline of the building and began filling in the details.
A hand was placed on her shoulder. Mai nearly jumped up in surprise. "What are you doing?" The question was an inquisitive one, nothing more.
Looking back, she recognized her instantly. Getting up, Mai said, "Just drawing the school. Is there anything wrong with that?"
The girl chuckled. "No, I was just curious. Most people who are still here are either in their clubs or staying in for detention, so I was wondering what you were doing."
That was true. Even Mai was here for her art club, even if she wasn't meeting with them. She just found this to be a good chance to practice in peace. "I assume you are here for student council work Miss Hishikawa?"
Rikka Hishikawa was well known throughout the school, though being part of the student council was only part of the reason. "Basically, though I'm all done for the day. Right now I'm waiting for our president to finish up helping the tennis team. Why she feels the need to help them is beyond me. And what's with the formality anyway?"
Mai suddenly realized that she was having a conversation with Rikka Hishikawa, probably the second most famous person in their school. "You are part of the student council. And you're my senior. But most of all, you're her friend." Rikka was well-known, but her reputation paled in comparison to the most popular person in their school.
Rikka looked off. "Yes, but I don't see why knowing Mana means I deserve respect attributed to her. And I hate all that stuff. Just call me Rikka." She looked back at Mai. "What's your name?"
Mai began fidgeting. "Mai. Mai Mishou. I'm a year below you." She was 14, which meant that Rikka was 15. "What is she like? Lady Aida, I mean. Or should I call her Lady Heart?"
"Cut it with the formal stuff. And you've probably heard what she's like. Hard working, generous, always willing to lend a helping hand. That's all accurate." Rikka recited it like a script she had read a dozen times before.
She had heard all of that of course. But there was another aspect of Mana Aida that she did not know as well, even if it was more famous. "I'm not surprised. But what about her other job? What is she like as Cure Heart?"
Rikka paused. That was a question that not many bothered to ask after hearing about Mana. And it wasn't a question she was well-equipped to answer. "If you're curious, you're better off asking her in person. Why don't you? She loves meeting others. It looks like she's done too." Indeed, they could see Mana waving off the tennis team as she was joined by a purple-haired girl. "Come on." Rikka motioned for Mai to follow.
Scrambling to put her supplies away, Mai got up quickly. "Hold on please." Both blue-haired girls walked over to Mana. All over the school sport students were finishing up, and bad students were being let off from their lectures. Everyone kept their distance from Mana, as if they felt they did not deserve to be in her presence.
Spotting them, Mana ran over to Rikka. "Rikka, how are you? Did you file all the forms? And who is she?" Mana still had plenty of energy despite having finished a round of tennis practice after she organized the student council's schedule for next week.
"I'm fine Mana. And yes, they're all in place. And she's Mai, one of your fans."
With blistering speed, Mana ran to Mai and shook her hands. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mana Aida, but I guess you already know me. Do you need anything? And please just refer to me as Mana. This isn't the place for formal stuff."
Mai did not know where to even start. One minute she was drawing like she usually was, and the next she was meeting the idol of the school. Not just the school, but the idol of the entire Trump Kingdom. It was surreal. "It's an honor to meet you Lady, I mean Miss Mana. I guess I was wondering what you're like. You're whole life I mean."
"Just Mana please. Well, it's really demanding. I have to organize the student council, be on the lookout for any fights, assist the clubs that need my help, and make sure everyone is happy. Then I need to finish all my homework, study for all our upcoming tests, and plan out the next festival. And I help out in my family's store sometimes. So it's a lot of work. But that's why it's great. I love being able to help out others in need, and when I see how thankful they are it's all worth it. Though I need to bug Rikka to help me sometimes. I feel kind of bad about that." Mana finally stopped to breathe.
"Just sometimes," Rikka dryly said.
Mai just blinked. She knew Mana was accomplished, but she managed all that on top of being one of the school's best students? And that didn't even take into account her duties as Cure Heart. Did she sleep? How could a person survive being that busy? "You are amazing. You manage all that on top of being Cure Heart." Mai could not imagine doing even a fraction of what Mana did. Just painting and drawing alone took up most of her free time.
Stopping to think for a second, Mana responded with just as much confidence. "To be honest, being a Pretty Cure is just a side thing for me. Cure Sword is the kingdom's main Cure, and she handles most things related to that. I just help out where I can."
"Of course," Rikka cut in. "You just have to be one of the princess's champions and help make the kingdom safer in your free time. No, that doesn't seem difficult at all."
"I couldn't do it without you and Makopi. Mai, if you're wondering how I manage, the key is to be organized and know who can help you. I need them as well. Learning how to operate on six hours of sleep helps as well, though I think being a Cure helps me with that." Mana knew what everyone thought of her, but it was unfair that she got all the credit.
"Mana, it's time to go!" the purple-haired girl called out. Rikka recognized her as Makoto Kenzaki one of Mana's student council assistants. She only transferred in earlier in the year, but apparently she had already known Mana. She was standing in front of a car. Of course Cure Heart would have access to one of the kingdom's magical vehicles. The driver, a tall deep blue-haired woman was tapping her hand on the vehicle.
Rikka was surprised. "Hold on. You didn't say you had to meet the princess today."
Mana's face had an apologetic look on it. "Sorry. I just got word of it a few minutes ago. I'll try and make it up to you tonight, alright?" She turned to Mai. "It was nice to meet you. Don't be afraid to come to me if you ever need any help. I don't bite." Finished, she ran off to Makoto, and the two got in the car. They took off to the palace, eventually leaving their sight.
Rikka sighed. "You see, she's great, but it can be hard to manage her at times."
Mai simply stared at where Mana just was, then at the hand she shook. "She really is amazing as they all say. You're lucky to be her friend."
Rikka just swayed a bit as the wind blew by them. "I suppose I am. I still can't see her operating without me. I suppose she'll find out soon though."
Mai wondered what that was about. "What do you mean?"
Silently, Rikka started to walk off. "Nothing you need to worry about. Why don't you finish your drawing? It looked nice." With that, she was gone, and Mai was all alone.
After meeting Cure Heart, Mai was not in the mood to draw something so simple, so she headed home. As she walked, people were bustling and working around her. There were some robots flying around cleaning up any messes on the ground. That was natural. The Trump Kingdom was rich and powerful after all, so they could afford the very best services, especially in the capital.
Reaching home, she found something in front of her door. Looking closer, it appeared to be a letter. It was an odd letter in the shape of a fountain. Picking it up, she headed inside. "I'm home." Her brother and father were there as well.
Kazuya was the first to greet her. "How was school today?" Her bother was looking at a map of the stars.
"Today was pretty interesting actually. I ran into Mana Aida. Cure Heart."
Her father was the first to ask the obvious question. "What was she like?"
"Energetic. Kind. Busy. I don't see how she survives with all that she does."
Kazuya looked up. "You certainly were a lucky one today. What's that?"
Mai held up the letter. "A letter that was in front of the door." Taking a look at it, she saw who it was addressed to, but no mention of who it was from. Strange. "It appears to be addressed to me."
Tearing it open she found nothing inside. After a few moments, she placed it on the table, unsure what to think of it. Suddenly, an image appeared something like a hologram of a woman or a fairy. Mai wasn't sure which it was. Her clothes were odd. For some reason, Mai felt nostalgic upon seeing her. Before anyone could do anything, the image began to speak. "Mai Mishou, I am Princess Filia of the Land of Fountains. I invite you to the Land of Fountains to partake in a ceremony only you can do. I have need of your services, so I ask you and only you to come as soon as possible. Thank you for your assistance and have a safe trip here." When the message ended the image disappeared.
All three people present just stared at where the image was a moment ago. Mai took the letter and shook it, but nothing else happened. She had no clue how to react. Eventually she said, "The Land of Fountains?"
Kazuya was the first to recover. "Isn't that all the way in the west? What would the ruler of that place want with Mai?"
Kouichirou closed his eyes. "I don't know. I don't believe we have ever been there either. Though I guess we once lived closer to there. Mai, do you have any idea?"
First she met Cure Heart, and now a strange letter had appeared calling her to a foreign location far away from home. It was inconceivable that she would actually go. She was perfectly happy here in the Trump Kingdom. She had her family, went to a good school, had some friends, and had plenty of fun with her drawings. To throw that away, even if only for a brief time, was surely madness. And yet, something called her to Filia. Maybe it was the feeling of having seen her before, or maybe it was simply the urge to see the important person that had singled her out for some reason. Whatever it was, she did not want to say no.
"What do I do?" Mai asked no one in particular. "What do I do?"
The girl was onstage in front of everyone. When she spoke, her words were heard by all. Every step she took, every tilt of the head, every movement of her hands, they were all seen by her audience. They were captivated by her performance, as she made her role appear lifelike.
At the back of the theater, a pink-haired girl listened. "She's good. Amazing actually. She really is the one we are looking for." Nodding her head, Nozomi Yumehara was certain of her declaration. "She is the kind of person we want, and even if she weren't I would still want to get to know her."
The girl right next to her shrugged her shoulders. "She may have talent at this, but that does not mean she is actually suitable. Maybe she won't even want to do it. Not everyone is going to love it as much as you do." Rin Natsuki was not going to let Nozomi get her expectations too high.
The performance continued as the girl they observed cried out in sadness, as her lover seemed to have abandoned her. Soon the play reached its climax, and one of the heroes had sacrificed his life for her. Even though the town had been saved, she was still sad. Sad for the loss of a dear one. While the rest of the town had hope for the future, all she had was despair. Then, the play ended.
The audience cheered wildly for all the actors, but most of all for the young actress who tugged at their heartstrings. Nozomi herself was crying. "That was so sad. It all felt so real."
Pinching her cheek, Rin snapped Nozomi back to reality. "Yes, I'm sure it did for you. It's time to move in. If Masuko's investigation was accurate, you'll likely have plenty of opportunities to see her performances."
As the theater emptied, the two went around to backstage. The crew was cleaning up, and the actors were all resting after their big performance. Several of them seemed to be congratulating the girl Nozomi and Rin had been observing.
Going up backstage, the two were stopped by a man. "Hold on. What are two doing? This is for official theater members only. If you want someone's autograph, you'll have to find them some other time.
Nozomi looked past him. She was still there. No need to make a spectacle. But she could still have fun. Rank had to have its privileges after all. "Ha ha. You don't recognize us? Perhaps this will change your mind." Nozomi held up the watch on her wrist.
The man blinked, not sure what she was supposed to be showing. When Nozomi realized she wasn't getting anywhere, she said, "Okay this will let us past." She rummaged through her clothes for the paper that would let her go anywhere in the Palmier Kingdom.
And she continued rummaging for a full minute without any success. Eventually she turned to Rin for help. The orange-haired girl sighed. "You forgot it didn't you." Nozomi nodded. "I should have expected that." She pulled out her own identification and showed it to him. "We're here to visit the leading lady."
Upon seeing the id, the man gasped. "My apologies mam. But what do what do you want with her?"
Nozomi strode past him. "Just an invitation. That's all." Reaching the blonde girl, she asked, "Could you come with me for a minute?" The girl looked at the man who blocked their way earlier, and he nodded. She got up, and they went into another room for privacy.
The girl turned to the man. "Washio, what do they want?" She was confused as to why she was being pulled aside by some girls barely older than her.
Her manager was sweating. "I think it's best if they introduce themselves."
Nozomi was excited. This was her chance to impress. "Urara Kasugano, my name is Nozomi Yumehara. At least, that is one of my names. My other name is Cure Dream. I am here to invite you to become a Pretty Cure beside me.
Neither Nozomi nor Rin knew exactly how big a person's eyes could get, but Urara probably set a record of how wide they got before she fainted on the spot. Washio scrambled to get her up.
Rin was irritated. "Great, you scared her. Didn't I tell you we should do this slower?" Rin was still not completely sold on the idea of the actress becoming a Cure, but if she and Nozomi could become one, perhaps the standards were not as high as she thought.
Waking up, Urara saw that they were still in front of her. Maybe she just imagined what pinky had said. "Could you repeat what you just said?"
"I am Nozomi, also known as Cure Dream. Rin and I want you to become a Pretty Cure." Nozomi was still smiling. "Are you okay? This is very real. I know this may be a shock, but I think you have the potential to be one of us. I remember having the same reaction when I was asked."
Rin had to correct her there. "I don't remember you being asked. More like chosen." She helped Urara stand up. "It may be best to ignore her. Most people are not on the same wavelength as Nozomi. I'm Rin Natsuki, but you have probably heard of me as Cure Rouge."
Urara dusted herself off, slightly embarrassed at what happened. Appearances were important to keep in an interview, especially an impromptu one. "Why do you want me? I'm just an actress."
Nozomi was concentrating on Rin. "What's the difference? The end result was the same." Her attention shifted back to Urara. "Why, you ask? Well I have a question for you. Do you have a dream? Do you have something you strive for? Do you have something you wish to accomplish?
Confused, Urara did not see the significance of that or what it had to do with being a Pretty Cure. "Yes. I want to become a famous actress. I want to be adored by all. I want to give everyone a performance they will remember forever. I want to be so great that the halls of Major Land are calling for me to perform."
Nodding, Nozomi was satisfied. "Exactly. That is what you need. Something to strive for. A goal that you want. That is what being a Pretty Cure is about."
Rin interrupted before Nozomi could continue. "You're confusing her. What she means is that you have a strong, pure heart that wants to bring happiness to everyone. Someone that is willing to put everything she has into doing good."
Nobody spoke for several minutes. The air was frozen, and no one made a move. Finally, Urara stepped to the side and began to hum. Her humming went up and down, from a high pitch to a low one and back up again. It was the only sound in the air. Nozomi nodded her head to the beat of the humming.
Eventually she finished. With that, she turned to her manager. "Washio, please finish packing my things." With that she started walking off.
Nozomi did not realize what she was doing. "Hold on, what's your answer?"
Right before exiting the room, Urara turned around. To Nozomi her hair, no, her entire body seemed to be shining. A pure girl that knew what she wanted to do. "I am flattered you think so highly of me. But I cannot join you. Like you said, I have my own dream to strive for, and I don't have the time to be part of your gang." With her declaration finished she and her manager exited.
Urara wondered if that was the right response. Becoming a Pretty Cure would have its own advantages. With it she would become an instant celebrity, known by all in Palmier and possibly the entire world. No theater would refuse to let her play. It might actually make her dream easier. But she could not see herself as one of those legendary warriors. To fight off dark forces took a certain kind of bravery, and she doubted she had that. And who knew if she could find the time to act while being a Cure. No, this was the correct path.
Someone ran after her. It was Nozomi. She looked a little pained, but not sad. In her hand she held a small card. "If that is your wish, then I won't stop you. But if you change your mind, then use this to come into Arbre Castle. I still think you would be great as one."
Urara accepted the card. Indeed, it was a pass into the castle. "Thank you. I don't think I will change my mind, but I appreciate the gesture."
Smiling, Nozomi turned to leave. Before she did, she asked, "Can I come see your plays at any time? You are really good."
Looking up, Urara only knew one way to respond to that. "Of course. Urara Kasugano never wants her fans to miss her performance." Then she left.
Nozomi was down as she and Rin exited the theater. "I was so certain she would jump at the chance."
Rin was mildly surprised that she had been right. "Like I said, this isn't for everyone. If you were any pushier she probably would have run off screaming. Don't force your ideas onto others."
"I know. But she would have been perfect as one. I'm allowed to hope aren't I? And I still do. I hope she changes her mind. But I also hope she chooses what she feels is right, no matter where it leads her.
Miyuki entered home silently. What exactly could she say? She had fun with the princess of Märchenland, got rescued by a Pretty Cure, got involved in a fight against some monster, and was now invited to join their ranks. It was a bit much to take in for one day.
Looking at what was in her hand, she confirmed she still had the pass. Cure March had said it would let her into the palace. The pass would let her become a Pretty Cure.
Her mom was already cooking dinner. Had that much time already passed? She looked at Miyuki. "Welcome home. What took you so long? I was starting to worry about you. Did something happen?"
Miyuki looked at the pass in her hand. Then she looked out the window. She could see the top of the palace from her house. Over there was where the Pretty Cure of Märchenland gathered. It was the home of the Royale Queen. It was the home of Candy. If she accepted, her life would be completely changed.
Miyuki responded to her mother clearly. "I'm going to become a Pretty Cure."
A/N
Welcome to my first Pretty Cure fic. This will be incorporating just about everything from Futari wa to DokiDoki. So this is going to be large. Next chapter will have some Nagisa and Honoka. Hope you enjoy.
