Wake, to the Truth...
A/N: This is set in All Stars New Stage 3, the Cures were all trapped within their best dreams. This is my imagination of Yuri-san's dream, following the events of my other fic, Until the Moon is Full. (If you've never read it, you can go do it, or you can just know that Cologne has a human form and the two of them were a couple before he died)
She woke to a gentle breeze, and found the Great Heart Tree in front of her.
"Why am I here...?" slowly sitting up, she wondered out loud.
"Moonlight..."
A whisper, as light as the breeze, but to her, she felt as if lightning shot through her veins.
"Cologne...?"
She turned to the voice.
He stood a few metres away from her.
Her hand grasped at her chest as she took a small, tentative step at him.
"Long time no see, Moonlight," he offered her his charming smile.
"I... C-Cologne!" she shouted, and she sprinted, as if wasting one second would make him disappear into oblivion again.
But then she halted in front of him.
"It's okay," he said as he lifted her chin, "See? Tangible."
"How is this possi..." he silenced her with a firm kiss.
She let out a little gasp in alarm, but then leaned closer, grabbing hold of his left hand for nothing but assurance.
Their fingers intertwined.
They pulled away after a few moments, Yuri immediately asked, "Wha... how...?"
"It doesn't matter," he shifted his hand to her cheek, "As long as we're together..."
"...nothing else matters," they said in sync.
"Oh, Cologne... I..." she stammered, "I've... missed you..." Then she buried her head in his chest and let the tears say the rest.
"...you really are a crybaby, Moonlight," he took her into his arms gently.
"..." she looked up, lacing her hands on his shoulders and standing on tiptoes. He nodded in permission.
She initiated it this time, sealing his lips with hers.
I wonder if this is a dream?
If it is, then please don't let me wake up.
They held hands, they walked, they talked, they laughed, they hugged, they kissed. All the things she thought she would never ever have the chance to do anymore.
"Say, Cologne," she leaned on his shoulder as they sat under the Great Heart Tree, "We would never part ways again, right?" She didn't mean to say that, but it slipped out somehow.
Unfortunately, at the same moment, duty called.
She heard it. Cries, wails, screams, voices calling out to the Precures in fear.
Still...
"Of course," he replied as he squeezed her hand lightly, "we can stay like this forever."
I... I need to go...!
I want to stay.
Intertwining her fingers with those of the one she loved, all she wanted was to stay... forever...
Even so, she was needed elsewhere.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her distress.
"I..." she stared into his kind eyes, but then averted her gaze, "I need to go."
She let go of him hastily, one more moment in his warm touch and her hesitation would have prevailed.
Standing up, she started walking, but where to? It didn't matter, because he stopped her.
"Don't go," he grabbed her wrist.
She stopped.
He continued, "Aren't you happy? Didn't your dream come true? So why should you leave?"
She took a deep breath. It pained her to say this, but if she didn't, she knew she would never wake up, "Because this is indeed a dream."
"As long as you're happy," he pulled her back and reached for her cheek, "we won't ever..."
"No," she pushed his hand away gently, while fighting back the burning and stinging sensation in her eyes, "Cologne... no, you aren't even Cologne..."
"Hmm?"
"Of course, you look like him, sound like him, everything about you is exactly the same as him, because you're a projection of the Cologne in my memories, a part of a very sweet dream. But... I know you are not him..."
"Moonlight... you don't need to..."
"Lost lives cannot return... Cologne isn't here anymore. I've accepted that..." she choked on her words as she could no longer fight her tears.
He attempted to wipe away her tears with his fingers, "You don't have to wake up. Your life has been a nightmare. Stay with me."
"...some dreams aren't meant to come true..." she proved his attempt futile as her tears overflowed.
"Moonlight, that's not true, listen."
I have to leave... I have to let him go...
"Goodbye..."
Slipping her hand out from his grip, she intended to start walking again, only to clench her fist and turn back.
I can't...!
She placed a hand on his chest, just when the realm around them began to fade.
Just one last time... just give me a few more seconds to relish this surreal dream...
She met his lips one last time before the waking world hauled her back.
I still can't let him go...
"Do you best, Moonlight..."
She woke up.
Drying a few drops of tears, Yuri looked at the mirror in her room lighting up into a magic portal.
She darted out of bed and reached for her Heart Pot.
"I will... I will do my best, Cologne..."
The End
A/N: Now, if you haven't read Until the Moon is Full, I seriously recommend you to, it's way better written than this epilogue. It's about events that happened in between Yuri and Cologne's first encounter and his death.
And also, for the ones who have actually read the full fanfic, here's a reprise for the music video I made (Replace space bar with "."): youtu be/Lwr8N4XjK64