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On a fair afternoon, at the top the highest mountain, a lonely hut and woman lived there. The woman had a family, before she was forced to live in isolation because of her magic. Honoka Yukishiro, she was called, but she is now just, Honoka. Honoka placed her clasped hands on the windowsill, looking afar at the misty scenery; unable to see what lies beyond except for spires and tall trees that protrude pass the mist.
Honoka's flowing, long dark-blue hair silkily waved as the wind blew, and dark-blue eyes staring into space, yearning, longing, and lonely. All of Honoka's friends and family that she once knew never came to visit her. If they do, they would be cursed with the stares of animals on them for three months. No one wanted to have such a haunting curse, despite of knowing Honoka's kindness, gentleness, and intellect. Regardless, Honoka forgave them and understood their situation.
Although they could not visit Honoka, they could send gifts, presents, and items to her with their treasured carrier. The carrier was a family dog named, Chuutaro, who she was allowed to confide and talk to for an hour, and then he has to go after that. Chuutaro comes and goes every one month to send letters and items to Honoka, which sometimes were from her friends or family.
Honoka sighed as she recalled the letters she had read. Friends of Honoka were leaving the village one by one. They grew older, while Honoka remained as herself forever – an immortal twenty year-old woman. At this age, Honoka wanted to see the world and the new things that have influenced the world. Honoka's father and mother kept her entertained and informed with details of the technology the world used. Their stories were enlightening and interesting to tempt her to leave the mountain.
Alas, Honoka could not, because she would shirk her duties and leave the world unprotected. Honoka has trained to be a warrior with her magic for eight years, and protected the world for thirty years. Throughout the encounters and battles Honoka had gone through, she could not make lasting friends or stay after she had defeated the chaotic creature – Beur. Honoka must simply fight as long as Beurs exist, and then disappear after vanquishing Beurs.
Beurs were supposedly creatures that manifest within the deepest corners of malice. Not many could fight them with either technology or magic, but the chosen warriors such as Honoka. Legend said; The Beurs fear two magical warriors, Pretty Cures. One was the Bearer of Light – Cure White, and the other was the Bearer of Darkness – Cure Black. Only they could defeat the Beurs with fists or magic, and only they would bear the curse as Pretty Cures.
Honoka restlessly leaned to the side of her window, sighing as she wondered the reason of the curse and of the Beurs. Prophecies and legends leave not much explained or reasoned. As Honoka's mind wandered off, she smiled as she remembered talking, arguing, joking, and being Cure Black's friend. Honoka had thought that she would be resigned to loneliness in fighting the Beurs alone for eternity until she dies. Fighting and being alone took a toll on Honoka's sanity, even if she has been replying and reading letters to her friends.
"Honoka, Honoka…?" A small pink fairy gently called from behind Honoka.
Honoka blinked her eyes as she startled a step back, noticing the change of colour in the sky that it was becoming dawn. The fairy flew to Honoka's side and gently placed her tiny hand on Honoka's shoulder. Honoka turned her head to the fairy blearily, and then she softly smiled. The fairy was Honoka's mentor, emissary of the Queen, and the Princess of Hope. The fairy only comes to see Honoka when there is a mission from the Queen or a Beur was spotted. Other than that, the fairy cared for Honoka as a friend, even if a short while.
"Mipple, What is it?" Honoka asked.
"Are you ok-mipo?" Mipple sat on the offered palms of Honoka's hands and stared worriedly.
"I'm fine, Mipple. I'm just thinking of her." Honoka said and earned an amused look from Mipple's dark crimson eyes.
"Did you two fight again-mipo?" Mipple smiled as Honoka giggled.
"No, we didn't. Rather, I'm not sure if she would ever talk to me again." Honoka sighed and shook her head.
"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. So, may I know what brought you to me?" Honoka inquired.
Mipple nodded and stood up on her tiny feet with her heart-shaped tail waving side-to-side. Mipple lifted her hands above her head, pushing her big ears back and flapping as the dark pink highlights of her fur shone. A small orb appeared above Mipple's head, expanding over time to reveal the radiant face of the Queen. Then Mipple flew back as the head of the Queen hovered on Honoka's palms in place.
Honoka bowed her head and greeted, "Greetings your Majesty. How may I be of aid to you?"
The Queen warmly smiled with her eyes always closed, "Greetings Honoka, and you may drop the formalities my dear." She felt the gentle beat of Honoka's heart and the smile forming on Honoka's lips.
Although the Queen's eyes were always closed, she was able to feel and read the hearts of many with ease. Honoka guessed that the Queen was worried for her and felt the disunity between Cure White and Cure Black. Most of the time, the Queen would not intervene their quarrels, unless it was something that had unsettled each other's hearts.
The Queen giggled, "Yes I have. Would you mind telling me what has gotten Nagisa volatile? She has not been speaking with Mepple in friendly terms." She said in a friendly tone, and as a rare friend.
Honoka exhaled slowly and blushed, "It-… it's my fault. I saw something she wanted to keep secret, and I was persistent in finding out." Her face turned red as her heart sped up.
The Queen smirked, "My~ my~. Do tell me in detail what had set you racing and still fallen for her." She teased and earned a groan from Honoka as Mipple giggled beside Honoka.
Honoka knew the Queen would be persistent in getting the answer out of her, and her affection for Cure Black, Nagisa, was more than a friend. Still, it was comforting to talk to the Queen without prejudice of Honoka's love for Nagisa.
"I suppose so. I am at a lost on what to do if we meet again, or that we would even look each other in the eye." Honoka said and the Queen nodded as she put her palms down and stepped away.
The Queen's head floated in the air as the form of her body condensed out of nowhere. Honoka watched the majestic form of the Queen appear before her. Long blonde hair sprouted and curtained down the length of the Queen's tall body, reaching the floor. The Queen wore a radiant, plain white dress with a sash that went around her waist, crossing diagonally around the shoulder over it. The cloak and the crown were not worn on, as the Queen preferred to appear less formal when it came to being the Pretty Cure's friend.
Once the Queen full-form appeared before Honoka, she quickly moved to hug Honoka before being given the curtsy. Honoka startled in the Queen's warm and caring arms, and struggling would do no good, as the Queen would only hold her longer. The Queen does this to Nagisa too. Resigning without a struggle, Honoka warmly returned the hug with her arms around the Queen. The Queen smiled serenely and let Honoka go, and then she turned to pat Mipple's head.
"Your Highness, since you are here, please let me take care of Mepple-mipo." Mipple asked politely.
The Queen grinned, "Yes please. Do take care of yourself and the others at the castle." She said mirthfully.
Mipple giggled and waved goodbye to Honoka and the Queen, flying off speedily in an orb of pink light. As soon as Mipple left, the Queen turned around and clapped her hands.
"Now, we need cookies and tea. Onwards to the kitchen!" The Queen took Honoka's wrist and dragged her to the kitchen.
Honoka smirked amusedly and went along in the Queen's warm and friendly presence.
Meanwhile, and elsewhere at the hut of the other Pretty Cure – Cure Black; sounds of wreckage, furious and frustrated grunts and roars could be heard there. The hut was located within two tall canyons that overshadowed the hut, but was beside a beautiful gleaming river.
"Rrrraaaagghh!" Cure Black, Nagisa, roared and threw the biggest rock she found across the river.
The river split in half as the rock speared across the water, landing with a bang in the depths of it. Dust scattered and the water swallowed up the rock in a fluid motion. It did not help allay Cure Black's fury; not that it mattered anyway.
"Stupid! Stupid! Fool! …Why did I- Ghah!" Nagisa bashed her head on the wall of the canyon.
The wall instantly dented with a soundly bang, leaving a hollowed crack on the wall and not even hurting Nagisa's head. With a grunt, Nagisa bashed her head repeatedly, roaring in frustration. The hollow grew larger with each bash of her head, and eventually, far above Nagisa, a cylindrical-rock rolled over the edge and fell down onto Nagisa.
"I'm… an… iddddiiiioooootttt!" Nagisa screamed and thrust her fist towards the falling rock.
The rock stood stock-still as it met Nagisa's fist, and in time, it cracked and crumbled into explosive pieces. Dust spread everywhere around Nagisa as the pieces of rock rained around her. Resignedly, Nagisa exhaled and lie back on the ground, her arm over her eyes and hands clenched into fists. Nagisa bit on her bottom lip and resisted the urge to shout expletives that would only make her angrier and go uncontrolled. Blood was drawn as Nagisa's teeth dig into the flesh of her bottom-lip, but she was too frustrated to think of it.
If only I was born fully a girl, Nagisa thought, and she lazily threw her arm away from eyes, not caring that she made another dent on the ground. The entire canyon and around the hut was damaged and dented from Nagisa's tantrum.
Nagisa gave a long sigh and opened her eyes, staring at the sky. It was probably past around dawn, as Nagisa saw the change of colour from orange-to-yellow gradient slowly turn to purple-to-dark blue gradient. The dark blue colour reminded Nagisa of Honoka, and she smiled as she recalled how beautiful and an amazing friend Honoka was: smart, elegant, proper, and kind. Though, that was what Honoka appeared to be to people, but Nagisa saw through the loneliness in the depths of her eyes.
Whenever and after defeating a Beur, the area would be contaminated with the Beur's remains and blood. So, Honoka and Nagisa were allowed to stay and talk with one another, or interact with the people cleansing the contamination. The curse they had would not affect the people as long as the Beur was present: remains, blood, or otherwise. Obviously, it was rude to disturb and disrupt the people working to cleanse the area with Mepple and Mipple guiding them. That was how they met and began talking to each other. They shared and talked comfortably without the sense of time hounding on them, like a clock beeping on proffered time.
It felt like they had made a friend that lasted longer and memorable to them within that time. About six or eight hours then, after a full cleansing of the Beur's contamination, the Pretty Cures were to return to their isolated home with the mentors briefing on their performances. They were reluctant to leave, but Nagisa assured Honoka that they would meet again with each victory against the Beurs. The small assurance and seeing the wondrous smile and bright eyes on Honoka's face set Nagisa aflutter.
"Oi! Lazy bum!" A small lemon-yellow fairy just above Nagisa's head, tapped his star-shaped tail at her head.
Nagisa frowned, "What Mepple?" She curtly replied with a grunt, folding her arms on her chest that she was not in the mood to talk.
Mepple sighed and hovered in front and over Nagisa's face, "I'm-… Can you open your eyes-mepo?" He asked.
Nagisa refused to comply and kept her eyes shut. Mepple was about to throw a temper, but he resisted it, as he did not want Mipple to be angry with him. Mepple calmed down and heeded Mipple's advice that he should take consideration of Nagisa's feeling, even if he did not see anything wrong with Nagisa.
"Nagisa, please open your eyes and look at me-mepo." Mepple gently and politely said.
Nagisa really did not want to talk with anyone, but since Mepple was nice, she opened her eyes and kept her frown on.
"I'm sorry, for not understanding your problem-mepo. I wanted and expected only the best of you as a Pretty Cure-mepo. When you were worried about Honoka seeing your secret, I was irritated that you were worried about that over your performance as a magical warrior-mepo. I shouldn't have been inconsiderate and hurt your feelings-mepo. Please forgive me-mepo." Mepple put his tiny hands together in front of his chest and stared at Nagisa with sincerity and guilt.
Nagisa's frown turned into a thin line of her lips and said, "I forgive you Mepple. What's done is done anyway. I'm not even sure if Honoka will continue to be my friend. Guess I'll have to-"
Mepple flicked Nagisa's forehead.
"Ow! Why did you do that?" Nagisa frowned and glared at Mepple.
"You don't even know if Honoka thinks that way-mepo!" Mepple said and glared back.
Nagisa got up and the two of them angrily butted their foreheads, arguing and quarrelling. They made silly angry faces, hissing at one another with their words, and boasting with another. It was something that has happened often and how their friendship worked.
"Pfffft! You don't, or never take Mepple out on a romantic date. How do you even know that Mipple is happy enough with just that?" Nagisa put her hands on her hip and quirked a brow.
Mepple proudly puffed his chest with a hand on it, "Because every time we meet is always a romantic date-mepo. Of course, she will always be happy when it is me, The Ever-Charming, Handsome Mepple!"
"Oh really-mipo?" Said a voice a little away from the two of them.
Nagisa held back her laughter as she watched Mepple's boastful expression turn into a jittery-nervous mess, stiffly turning his head to the side. Mipple hovered beside them with a stare only aimed at Mepple and a displeased look on her face.
"I was just thinking that we should have nice date on this fine night-mipo." Mipple all but said and turned her eyes to Nagisa with a soft gaze, not bothering to look at Mipple's pale-stricken-shocked face.
"Please forgive my Ever-Charming, Handsome boyfriend for being too much sometimes-mipo." Mipple said with a (false) smile, and Nagisa fearfully smiled back.
"Now then, maybe I should take up on that date with that lovely man-mipo." Mipple said aloud and with finality, leaving without looking back at Mepple's ghostly expression.
Nagisa snickered as she watched Mipple leave, and when she turned to the ghostly, frozen friend and mentor, she felt a little bad. Nagisa sighed and slapped the back of Mepple's head.
"Mipple gonna' be in the arms of another's man, and you'll just sit there and watch? If you truly love her, be a man and take her out on a date even if she is on a date." Nagisa winked and gave a thumbs-up; she never had a date either, but she was not going to let Mepple dawdle there like a stone.
Mepple snapped his head to Nagisa and blinked his eyes. Nagisa rolled her eyes and took Mepple by the scruff of his neck. Mepple was confusedly still, until he realised that he was going to be thrown off. Before Mepple could retaliate, Nagisa throw him like an expert pitcher and send him flying into the sky in high-speed.
"Good luck!" Nagisa smirked and waved her hand as Mepple begun chasing after the pink orb.
Nagisa sighed and placed her hands on her hips, feeling a bit better and little sorry for Mepple. They'll work it out, Nagisa thought positively, and hopefully that tomorrow no Beur would be sighted or encountered. Nagisa was not ready to face Honoka yet. Nagisa needed time to figure out what to say and-
"It's cold out tonight." A voice so familiar had Nagisa's heart strung and frozen cold.
Nagisa was not ready to confront Honoka at all. Nagisa did not turn nor was she able to; she was scared to see Honoka's eyes and think what might become of them. Nagisa did not need to though, as Honoka stood beside her and looked to the stars. Nagisa swallowed a lump in her throat and resisted the urge to look at her friend, and crush.
It was a beautiful night, and Honoka had decided to eagerly meet Nagisa tonight. The talk with the Queen was enlightening and brought Honoka the words she needed to speak to Nagisa. With Nagisa not replying or responding to Honoka, Honoka kept the respected space between them and waited.