A/N: Just reminding you that this whole story is a Heartcatch ep33 AU, and not just the last chapter, and I don't intend to cross into events of ep34. Also, I am regarding Potpourri as a female despite what the wiki suggests. Oh, and my apologies, I'm not very good at writing cat-like personalities so Cat Noir might be a bit OOC...

Key:

Italics: thoughts

CAP LOCK: SHOUT/ TECHNIQUES

Wishes Unfulfilled 2: New Friends, New Foe

"There, there," Tsubomi assured her fairy, Chypre, who was crying on her lap after telling everyone Tsukikage Yuri's past.

It must've been a painful memory for her too, watching her senpai, Cologne perish and the warrior of Earth fall.

Itsuki was comforting her fairy too, Potpourri was left horrified by the tale, she was still just a newborn after all.

It was Erika who wanted to take action (whilst tightening her grip around her own fairy, Coffret, for assurance), "Let's go find Yuri-san! I... I feel sorry for her!"

Everyone concurred, even Kaoruko, Tsubomi's grandmother, a Precure 50 years ago, "Good luck, girls."

They nodded and were about to head out, only to be interrupted by a low-pitched howl, coming from the huge doll in the middle of the greenhouse.

The furry doll Coupe was Kaoruko's fairy partner, staying by her side even now. Their bond was so strong that if you hadn't known better, you'd think that they were communicating with telepathy at the moment.

Silence hung in the room for a while, broken by Kaoruko's gasp a few moments later.

"What happened, grandma?" Tsubomi asked.

"Yuri-chan! You need to find her, quick!" Kaoruko's face was pale with fear, "Something has happened to her half of her Precure Seed! Coupe sensed it! She might be in danger!"

"All the more reason to set out, stat," Itsuki pointed out.

"Right! We'll make sure that Yuri-san is safe!" Erika said as she ran outside.

"So, how will we find her-dechuka?" Potpourri asked her partner.

"No clue."

"We'll have to figure it out quick," Chypre said.

They heard a crash in the distance suddenly, nothing out of the usual for the trio, considering their mission.

"Oh no, we need to go there first," Tsubomi groaned.

"But we need to find Yuri-san!" Erika shouted.

"I don't want to leave her either," Itsuki put a hand on Erika's shoulder, using her calm voice, "But the civilians need us, Yuri-san is clever, she's Cure Moonlight, she'll get through danger, it's what she does."

Tsubomi nodded, "We need to believe in Yuri-san for now."

Erika agreed, "Alright, but we'll finish this quick. Let's go, Coffret!"

"Yes-desu!"

"Come forth! Precure Seed!"

"PRECURE OPEN MY HEART!"

"The flower spreading throughout the land, Cure Blossom!"

"The flower swaying to the sea breeze, Cure Marine!"

"The flower bathing in the sun's brilliance, Cure Sunshine!"

"Heartcatch Precure!"

Their fairies flew around their respective partners and turned into cape, giving them the power of flight.

When they arrived at a roof near the battlefield, however, they realized that this time it wasn't the Desertrian they were so used to fighting.

It was a silhouette so familiar yet so different, the three of them all froze in shock.

"Cure... Moonlight...?" Blossom probed in a trembling voice.

Though different from whom they had seen in their dreams, the enemy was completely identical to Cure Moonlight aside from the much darker colours.

"But why!?" Marine shouted.

"Don't fret, yet," said the levelheaded Sunshine, "She's not the Cure Moonlight we know. She must be something like Dark Precure."

"We can't sense a Heart Flower inside her," Chypre stated.

"Then it means she's a new Dark Precure?" Blossom backed two steps away, "We couldn't even hold a candle to the last one."

"Wait, look!" Potpourri called out, the Cures saw the broken purple Precure Seed inside of Dark Moonlight's brooch.

"Did... Did Yuri-san got turned into... that!?" Sunshine made a bold deduction, "Please tell me I'm wrong, the Desert Apostles can't do something like this, right?"

"It doesn't matter who did this," Marine said, "We need to save Yuri-san!"

"Marine is right," Coffret urged, "If we don't sense a Heart Flower, this could be very serious!"

"Right," Marine whined, "Oh! I don't want to fight Cure Moonlight!"

"We don't have a choice," Sunshine stated sadly as she flew into battle.

Eclipser noticed the enemy, and after a few seconds, a pink butterfly shape emerge in front of her face.

The Cures all heard a male voice, "No, Eclipser, they aren't the ones. You're looking for a female and a male in red and black costumes respectively. Deal with them quickly."

"Who was that?" Blossom peeped.

"Was it Sabaku?" Marine tended to her scared friend.

They heard a scream, and saw that Sunshine and Eclipser were engaged in battle, Sunshine just barely missed a blast to the head and fell to the ground.

"Come on, let's go help her first! MARINE IMPACT!"

A cyan beam shot at Eclipser, but she just raised her hand and put up a small barrier, reflecting the beam back at Marine.

Marine dodged, barely, and she lost her balance. Eclipser dashed in front of her, grabbed her wrist and just threw her from the building they were standing on to the ground.

She turned to Blossom, who now seemed braver than she had been thirty seconds ago.

Eclipser sent a powerful kick to Blossom's stomach, she endured the pain and fought back with random punches that didn't hurt much.

Eclipser lifted Blossom up by her hair, making her cry out in pain, then she thrashed her onto the roof and stomped on her abdomen savagely.

"Blossom!" Sunshine exclaimed, she flew up from where she fell. Using her martial arts knowledge, she aimed a throat thrust at Eclipser, throwing her off balance and dragging Blossom away from her.

"Blossom... you aren't fighting like you usually do..." Sunshine supported her by the shoulder.

"But... I can't fight Cure Moonlight."

"She isn't Yuri-san now, you know that."

"I know, but still..."

"Watch out!" Marine yelled from the ground, and they saw Eclipser flying down to send a punch, her fists charged with dark purple energy.

Blossom gasped and Sunshine held her closer. But just as she was about to set up her shield, she watched a red yo-yo finding its way onto Eclipser's wrist, restraining her. Then an extendable silver baton jabbing Eclipser in the stomach, sending her crashing into a building a few metres away.

Marine flew up to join her friends, standing opposite to the duo that just arrived, a blue-haired girl in a red suit with black spots and a blonde boy in a black suit.

Blossom spoke first, bowing, "Um... thank you very much! I am Cure Blossom, and you?"

"Ladybug," the girl said, then gestured at her partner, "This is Cat Noir." He bowed like a gentleman meeting a fair maiden at a ball. "You're very welcome. And besides, this is our job."

"Cure Sunshine, and that's Cure Marine," Sunshine stepped up and nodded, Marine waved enthusiastically, "Anyway, what did you mean this is your job? Is..."

Before anyone could say one more word, their enhanced reflexes told then to evade. Scattering onto various other buildings, they saw the roof of the original building now ravaged.

"Be careful! Eclipser is h—" Ladybug couldn't finish that sentence, Eclipser was already in front of her, she pushed her to the floor and reached for her earrings.

"M'lady!" Cat Noir exclaimed.

"Leave it to me," Marine, being the closest to the skirmish, drew a circle in the air with her palm, "MARINE SHOOT!"

Dozens of water drops launched at Eclipser, but she dodged skilfully, now in the sky, she fired continuous blasts.

"SUNFLOWER AEGIS!" Cure Sunshine flew in front of Ladybug and protected her as Cat Noir tended to his partner, "Are you alright?"

"Fine. But this time's enemy is formidable."

"'This time'? So you mean this isn't the Desert Apostles' doing after all?" Blossom shouted.

"I don't know what those are, but no. This is Hawkmoth's scheme," Cat Noir replied, "You three know this victim?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, she has been akumatized, in other words, evilized. Her negative emotions were used and she was turned into this."

"So, unlike the Desertrians, it's still her inside of this abomination?"

"Theoretically yes," Ladybug said, "Something is strange though, they aren't usually this silent for starters, and it doesn't look like the case of the Mime."

Sunshine yelled as her shield started breaking, "Guys, brace yourselves!"

They dodged the blasts, but the impacts sent them flying all over.

"How are we having so much trouble five to one?" Cat Noir questioned.

"Well, she is Cure Moonlight, I mean, was," Marine answered while engaging in battle with Eclipser, Blossom went to help.

"We need to find where the akuma is," Ladybug pointed out when they joined in the fight, "Sunshine, any ideas?"

"Her brooch!" all three Cures said together.

"Got it, let me get my claws on it and we'll be done here," Cat Noir replied.

"Wait, you mean to destroy it?!" Marine exclaimed.

"Don't worry, it'll be returned to normal after the fight, once I use my Miraculous Ladybug."

"Really?" Blossom sounded skeptical.

"Yes, trust us."

"Still one problem though," Sunshine pointed out, "Well, two, actually. That brooch isn't something you can just step on and shatter, it's magic; and, how will you even get close to her?"

Suddenly, Eclipser raised her hand into the air, from her fingertips came a dark purple aura, it spread and blocked out all lights wherever it went. Ladybug and Sunshine were fast enough to evade, but not the others.

"What is this, I can't see a thing," Marine exclaimed.

Cat Noir was paying extra attention, he had night vision after all, but not enough to keep up with Eclipser's speed, they heard Cure Marine's scream and a distant crash before Cat Noir could warn her.

"Marine!" Blossom and Sunshine both yelled.

Cat Noir saw Eclipser about to attack Blossom too, he immediately rushed in front of her and blocked a blast with his baton, "Stay here, Cure Blossom, for now, I'll fight."

"But I can illuminate..." Blossom summoned her Tact, and she willed it to glow, but the darkness engulfed the light seconds later, "What!?"

"Seems like her darkness is too powerful," Cat Noir was having a hard time against Eclipser, five against one was hard enough, "M'lady, care to shed some light on this mysterious gloom?"

"Right, LUCKY CHARM!" Ladybug threw her yo-yo up in the air, this time, it gave her a long string of light.

"What?" she pondered, "But that darkness will just engulf it again, how will I use this?"

"Is your power always this ambiguous?" Sunshine inquired.

"The object is always useful. But it's up to me to figure out how to use the object."

"Alright, then we can deduce. Why is it a string of light and not just a torch?"

Ladybug contemplated for a moment, then exclaimed, "Length! What if that darkness would pursue the light?"

"Let's just hope these are bright enough," Sunshine carried Ladybug and flew onto the roof of a residential building, there they found a power outlet inside the cramped water storage management room.

Ladybug carried one end of the lights and leapt away, testing how far the string could go.

Meanwhile, Cat Noir was in a dilemma. He fought with his baton so that he would be out of Eclipser's reach, but she just grabbed it and flew up, yanking it out of his hands. Then she pointed it back at him like a saber.

"Uh... m'lady?" Cat Noir backed away cautiously, not knowing how far the edge of the roof was, "Whatever you're planning, I hope it's ready."

"Don't worry, kitty," he heard, "We're all done! Hit the switch, Sunshine."

The string lighted up in a straight line across the sky, and as deduced, the dark purple mist followed, floating away from Blossom and Cat Noir.

Making good use of the few seconds Eclipser's eyes adjusted to the brightness, the Cures immediately attacked.

"BLOSSOM SHOWER!"

"MARINE SHOOT!"

"SUNSHINE FLASH!"

Eclipser didn't make a sound, but she did suffer damage and plunged to the roof.

Ladybug, Marine and Sunshine joined the others on the roof, looking at the fallen Eclipser.

"So how will we break her brooch?" Blossom held out her Tact, "I'm not sure if this is even enough, and I have no love for wounding her."

"Rest assured, you won't need to," Cat Noir grinned, "CATACLYSM!" He grasped Eclipser's brooch as his hand charged with a black aura, the brooch turned black and crumbled apart with a slight touch.

The akuma flew out and Cat Noir turned to everyone, "There, now she..."

He was interrupted by shocked gasps, and when he looked at Eclipser again, he saw a purple stone, but no victims.

"W-what is the meaning of this?" Blossom fell to her knees.

"Where's Yuri-san? Where is she!?" Marine walked up to Cat Noir and demanded while standing on her tiptoe.

"I..." Cat Noir stammered, "I don't know... this doesn't usually happen, the victim would usually be right there...! Um... m'lady?"

"Uh..." Ladybug was in shock too, but she snapped out of it quickly, "I need to de-evilize the akuma first!"

She spun her yo-yo around, "Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly." Then she threw the string of lights into the air, "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!"

Everything from the damaged roof to the caved in ground was fixed in the blink of an eye, but Yuri wasn't here, nor was her Precure Seed anymore.

"What happened to her Precure Seed?" Sunshine interrogated.

"It probably returned to her."

"Then where is she?"

"I'm sorry, we can't say for sure," Cat Noir apologized.

"Look, there's no point in arguing over this," Ladybug pointed out calmly, but sounded apologetic enough, "We'll help you girls find her, we promise. Let's just discuss our next course of action."

"Yeah... you're right," Sunshine conceded as she jumped to the ground and detransformed into Itsuki, Blossom and Marine followed.

The duo stared at them in awe as they landed, "Why did you just detransform like that?"

"Uhm... we fight for the same cause so why can't we know each other's identity?"

"I'm sorry, but that's not how we do things," Cat Noir said, holding up his ring that had three pawprints left, "we need to keep our identities 'in the dark', even to each other."

Of course, no one laughed at that intended pun, Tsubomi pressed on with the matter at hand, "But then how will we discuss our next move?"

"Hawkmoth won't attack so soon anyway, we'll just have to sent you our kwamis and have them meet us up later," Ladybug said reluctantly, only one spot left on her earring.

"Your what?"

"Just think that they're our fairies, like yours but smaller," she smiled at the three capes that changed back into three fairies, "Meanwhile, me and Cat will try to do some investigation separately and mundanely, though probably won't be of much use."

"Alright, let's say we meet back here after one hour?"

"Fine by me," Ladybug said, "Please treat my kwami with a cookie if you have one."

"I'm okay with that plan as well," Cat Noir agreed, "And I'll feed Plagg myself, you needn't concern yourselves with him."

"Tell them to come back quickly after you detransformed."

The duo nodded and headed separate ways.

As they left, Potpourri flew to her partner, "Itsuki, I'm scared-dechu..."

"What will happen to Yuri-san?" Chypre asked Tsubomi.

"I don't know..." Tsubomi took her fairy into her arms, "I'm worried too. What can we possibly do when even Yuri-san couldn't?"

Coffret looked to Erika, "Will Yuri-san be okay?"

"Yes, she will," Erika gave Coffret a grin, then she walked to put a hand on Tsubomi's shoulder, "We have our strengths. We're not as strong as Cure Moonlight, but I think there are things that we can do and she can't."

"Uh-huh," Itsuki stood by them, "Cure Moonlight protected everyone for so long, we'll find her, and save her."

Tsubomi nodded, reassured. Don't worry, Yuri-san, we'll come for you! Hang in there!

End of Chapter 2