Despite the earlier...detour, the three girls still had plenty of time to spare before the Hockey Game started, and even though Miyuki was itching to get to the school to talk to Mariposa.
Mariposa , being several years older than the other girls, was the person Miyuki went too for practically anything, and now was no different. Magic or no magic, Miyuki had to tell her, and today. Her friends however, had vastly different plans. She couldn't question Sweet Ann with Katherine around, and she still hadn't wrapped her head around the situation, so the confusion and hastiness morphed into a bit of bitterness.
"So, who are we playing today?" Katherine asked as the trio slugged along. Only when one's in a hurry does one realize how slow their friends walk and how talking makes walking that much slower.
"I don't know, how about we hurry up so we can see?" Miyuki said with a hint of sarcasm, looking for any excuse to pick up the pace. She had to get there before the team geared up, as after that Mariposa ,as the team captain, wouldn't be available until the next day, as after the game ended the team left to eat and go home, and Miyuki couldn't wait that long.
Ainsley shot down that plan however, as she didn't pick up on Miyuki's tone and answered Katherine's question instead. "Oh, it's the South Side Hornets! It's supposedly going to be the biggest game of the year!"
"The biggest game of the year in October? Pretty bold thing to say, don't ya think?" Katherine said in response.
Ainsley shook her head, "Not really! South Side is our rival, and everyone is fairly confident that we're gonna win, which'll be a first! I think th-"
"Can we stop bantering about this and find out?!" Miyuki said, finally snapping, letting out a heavy sigh. The rest of the walk was done in complete silence, until a familiar voice ripped through the air, slicing through the tension like scissors.
"STEP RIGHT UP EVERYONE! GET YOUR SEATS AND SNACKS NOW THEIR GOING FAST! TONIGHT ONLY, ITS THE BLUE FEATHER BLUE JAYS VERSUS THE SOUTH SIDE HORNETS! IT'S THE GAME OF THE YEAR YOU'RE NOT GONNA WANNA MISS IT!"
Even though the girls were still a good 5 minutes from their school, their Principal, Mr. Morris, could be heard loud and clear, and seen just as much so, as he , equipped with a megaphone, had perched himself on top of the school's concessions hut.
There was a few moments of confused silence.
"He's...really getting into it isn't he? " Said Ainsley , finally breaking it.
"That's an understatement," added Katherine.
Miyuki was ready to move on, despite the spectacle of seeing a 31-year-old man hopping on a concessions stand yelling and carrying on taking place in front of her. "Let's head to the practice fields, guys," She said without any other signal that she was leaving, just walking past the crowd and to the less-populated section of the blacktop, leaving the other two girls to follow in suit.
The marching band was using the football field and the football team was using the track as usual for a Friday, so the field hockey team had to do their warm-ups in the field in between the tennis courts and the fishing pond.
"C'mon, ladies! I can't afford to have any of you cramping up out there , not today! If we win, I'll pay for all of ya'lls dinner, your choice!"
Coach Arietta watched over the team of 15 girls , shouting her encouragements and borderline bribes as they made their laps around the field, going around the pond before coming back to slap the coach's hand before going again.
The first one to complete her 5 laps was none other than Mariposa, her dark, sweaty face, breaking into an elated smile when she saw Miyuki and Ainsley there waiting for her.
"T-there you all are! I didn't think you'd make it this time!" She said, attempting to run over and give the girls a hug but ended up leaning on Miyuki , exhausted and using her more sturdy friend as support.
"Do you seriously think we'd miss this?" chirped Katherine. "This is the Big One-! Or, er, a big one."
Miyuki scoffed, "If you listen to Mr. Morris, it'd be a crime to even think about it." she added.
"Well, you have my thanks anyways." Mariposa said as she stood up. "I do need to be getting back to practice, though. I'll see you guys after the game, before Coach sweeps me up again."
Miyuki almost shouted "No, wait!" but the words caught on her tongue and Mariposa was gone. So instead she silently stood there in regret. Great, now I have to wait until tomorrow to actually talk to her... "Let's, just head to the stands." she eventually said before leaving the practice field, not paying attention if anyone was actually following her.
Ainsley just stood and watched her, before diverting her attention and started picking at the ground with her feet. Normally, these games is where she was the most energetic and outgoing. However, after the events just a few moments earlier, she felt the same nervous brick in her stomach as she always did, only for a different reason. Miyuki is probably furious with me, I'm the reason she's so bitter right now, she thought. I could've helped her, but I didn't, what is wrong with me!?
The girl was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't hear Miyuki and Katherine leave without her, or the soft song that was being sung behind her.
"Spirits lost beyond the waves
Gone to wander for the rest of their days
Dreams lost to those that weep
It is their energy that I shall seep,"Not until it was too late, that is.
******************
"Ainsley!? Ainsley where are you!?"
Miyuki called her friend's name again and again as she searched the stands mere moments before the starting ball was dropped. In her blind , subtle rampage of bitterness, she forgot to make sure that her friend didn't get lost in the crowd, and now she was paying the price.
Then, before her very eyes, Miyuki saw her friend collapse on the ground, as she heard the thud, a grey, rag-doll like creature appeared before her body, its head sagging and it's echoey voice stuttering.
"I-I'm s-sorry, I-I m-mess everything up, d-don't I...?"Miyuki stood in shock, mouth gaping open. "Ainsley-! Who did this to you?!" she spat out.
"You did. I just gave her a little...push, to put it in simple terms."
Miyuki had heard that voice before, and it was far to early to hear that voice again. It was Giselle.
The girl quickly snapped back at her, "What did you do to my friend, you monster!?"
The purple haired mage chuckled, "Oh, I didn't do anything. Your friend just looked so sad, I just wanted to give her a little pick me up! I'm doing you a favor! And besides, don't you think the using the term 'monster' in this company is a little rude?"
Ainsley - or, what Ainsley had become - wailed again. "I'm sorry...! It's a-all my fault, I dragged e-everyone behind a-and I'm annoying...I'm sorry!"
Miyuki's breath caught in her chest as her entire body stiffened. She forgot how sensitive her friend was in her blind haste-induced rage. Ainsley must've thought that she was mad at her. It was her fault.
"Don't worry Ainsley, I'll save you!" said Miyuki, grabbing her key chain from within her pocket. Was it a good idea to transform at a time like this? Probably not, but there's really nothing else one could do in this situation. Pressing the jewel button on the swords hilt, Miyuki shouted the transformation mantra she had learned just shortly before.
"To Rout the enemy encounter, Pretty Cure Transformation!"
The magic light enveloped Miyuki , and this time, the transformation just felt more natural. It would still take some getting used to yes, but as opposed to the first time in which it felt like forever, Miyuki found herself in her transformed attire just as soon as she started getting into it.
"Justice clad in shining armor, Cure Knight!"Miyuki took a fighting stance after falling back to the ground. "Release Ainsley now and no one has to get hurt, Giselle!"
The mage just looked at Miyuki for a brief moment before dissolving into heinous laughter. "Gosh, you don't know anything, do you?! I can't change her back, that'd be silly! My spells don't work like that , honey! Looks like you're gonna have to show your friend here a lil lesson~! Or! Or! I have a better idea, she can wipe you off the face of this earth instead! I like that better!"
Sweet Ann decided to stop being useless and changed out of her phone charm form. "Hate to be the bearer of bad news , but Giselle's right, if you want to save Ainsley, you're going to have to purify her."
Miyuki mumbled swears under her breath as she summoned her sword. "If it's a fight you want, Giselle, its a fight you'll ge-"
"What the hell is going on here?!"
Miyuki was cut off by Mariposa, who was running off the field towards the scene unfolding before her, ignoring the screams of Coach Arietta and the crowd. "Miyuki, what's happening, who's this, and why do you look like that? !"
"There's no time to explain - Ainsley's in trouble and it's up to me to help. Just go and let me handle this!" Miyuki responded, but Mariposa wasn't going to take that for an answer.
Sweet Ann tried to speak up but was quickly cut off, "Actually I thi-"
"Like hell I'm just going to stand around and watch! There's gotta be something!"
Miyuki took a deep breath and snapped back at her friend. "Mariposa just let me do this its far more complicated than I can ever explain you can't do anything! "
Before Mariposa could respond, Miyuki had launched herself and attacked the rag doll monster, only to be knocked back into the earth as it flailed.
"I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I-I I.." it wailed.
As Miyuki tried and failed again and again to land on the hit on the monster, Sweet Ann floated up to Mariposa, holding a keychain, this time a wand with a red jewel at the tip.
"You, didn't let me finish but there's something you can do . I sensed it, you're one of the chosen PreCure, just like your friend! Press the jewel on this keychain and shout 'To Rout the Enemy encounter! Guild Class Pretty Cure Transformation!' Ok!" Said Sweet Ann and she dangled the keychain by Mariposa. "By the way, I'm Sweet Ann, nice to meet ya!"
Mariposa took the keychain without second thought or hesitation. "Thanks for the help, hamster guy. To Rout the Enemy Encounter, Guild Class Pretty Cure Transformation! "
Mariposa was enveloped in red light for a split second before appearing in her new form, with a dark blue blouse , the red jewel adorning the bow at her neck, and a tight wrap-around skirt. She looked near ethereal to someone who hadn't seen her before.
"Casting a spell of light and love, Cure Mage!"Giselle let out a low grumble, "There's more?! God, this is so much woooork!"
"Well, this is unconventional, but I can work with this, if only so I can smash that chick's face in!" Mariposa said , glaring at Giselle.
"Oh please, jealousy is a sin, you know!" Giselle snapped back with a coy smile.
"Can you all save the banter for another day and give me a hand here?" Miyuki said, standing to dust herself off after being slammed into the ground for the umpteenth time.
"Ah yes, of course!" Mariposa said, looking around her. "How...do I do that helping thing."
"Just go with whatever feels natural!" Sweet Ann shouted at her.
"Nothing feels natural, thanks !" Mariposa shouted back. "Uh...er...shit."
The newly awakened cure held out her hands and prayed for a reaction and fortunately enough, a long wooden staff appeared in her hand.
"Okay here goes nothing...! Mage Lighting Storm!"Spinning the staff above her head before swinging it down in the direction of the monster , Mariposa unleashed a red lightning bolt from the tip of her staff, making it keel over and rendering it unable to move.
"I, I, I-" its speech was staticy and jumbled, borderline incoherent.
Giselle was practically fuming. "What! No! Get up you useless sack of yarn! You can't let THAT get you down! GET UP!"
"Miyuki! Now!" Sweet Ann yelled, flailing her tiny fairy arms around.
"I'm working on it!" Miyuki responded as she leaped into the air once again, hoisting her sword in air before lunging towards the rag doll monster.
"Shining Knight Strike! "
The beam of light peirced through the rag doll, making it dissolve into smoke as it let out its final scream, then picked up by Giselle.
"What! No! It can't be that easy! That's not fair! Grrr, I'll get back another day, mark my words! " She growled, before mumbling something about losing twice in one day, before singing a High C and disappearing in the same smoke as the monster.
Untransforming, Miyuki dashed over to Ainsley, taking the grey Seed of Doubt off her chest and picking her up.
"Ainsley...Ainsley...I'm so sorry for ignoring you... I didn't mean too. .." She said , hugging her from the bridal carry position.
"Can you...put me down..."
Yelping , Miyuki almost dropped her friend, but let them back on the ground gently.
"I'm so sorry I.." Miyuki tried to apologize again, but stopped midway. "I think we had a misunderstanding. I didn't think you were annoying I just needed too-"
"Its ok, I overreacted." Ainsley said, staring at the ground. "I should apologize, I kinda got us in this mess."
Ainsley then found herself in a hug initiated by Miyuki, "It's ok! I forgive you,"
"Thanks...,"
Finally, Mariposa spoke up again.
"Y'know, this is sweet an all, but I have a LOT of questions that need answers, and I...think a lot of other people do too."
"Uh oh."
