Thanks to anyone who's still reading this and being patient with me. It's not easy being a slow, and lazy writer but all your support is keeping me motivated!
Special thanks to both Nexus Schwarz, and SaoirseParisa for beta-reading and being general sweethearts. Be sure to check out their stories too~!
"Appear, Witch Staff!" Cure Witch raised her hand high into the air, as if she were asking for a prayer from heaven. A purple light materialized from thin air before stretching into a line like shape. As the light dissipated, out came a purple staff that landed right into Cure Witch's hand. With a twirl, she pointed the staff at the Onryo in front of her and cried: ''Pretty Cure Grim Curse!''
Purple smoke appeared above the staff and shaped into a pentagram-shaped light. With a single swing of her staff, Witch launched the pentagram at the Onryo and at making contact the chains binding humanoid monster dissolved, and the victim, a middle-aged man, landed softly on the ground, unconscious.
"Booorrrriiiinng!" Kuroneko sighed, as she was busy filing her razor-sharp claws like she was in a beauty salon. Not normally the type of girl who really cared about her look, but she at least wanted her claws to be sharp and deadly. The catgirl stood just behind the unconscious man, but she ignored him completely and she disappeared in the wind.
As the catgirl had taken her leave, the two Cures rushed to the man. They slowly carried him towards the nearest bench and left the scene. Needless to say, the man was quite confused when he awoke on a bench in the park, and it was getting dark too.
"Good work today, Witch!" Cure Fang complimented with a thumbs-up as the two were just out of sight of the man.
"You too, Fang!" Witch immediately replied as she gave her comrade a high-five. "If you hadn't distracted the Onryo, I wouldn't have gotten a chance to attack~hehe!"
Cure Fang answered with a small nod. "Now, I've gotta go. My parents must be really worried."
Witch's grin grew a little. "Hehe~ Past your curfew?"
"Something like that."
"Alrighty! But don't forget about tomorrow! Our Precure Outing!"
"Huh?" Fang raised an eyebrow. ''Our what?"
Witch crossed her arms and looked at the other girl like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Searching for the third Cure, of course ~hehe!"
"And Larry, and Wisp!" Orlok added, fluttering behind Fang.
Fang nodded again and raised her hand for a little wave as the bat sat down on her shoulder. "Good night."
"Nighty night, Yui!"
Their transformations became undone and they returned to being normal civilians. But none of them had any idea that they had two spectators during their fight, and even after the fight.
"W-W-Wait-!" Suddenly, a figure emerged from its hiding place, behind the bushes, stopping the two from leaving.
Yuina, Miku, Orlok and Jacky all froze into place. Oh no.
The figure turned out to be a rather tall girl, easily towering over the two. Her deep, chocolate brown hair was tied into two little braids that hung over her shoulders in a slightly unkempt fashion. Her dark eyes noticeably avoided any kind of eye contact with either of them.
Orlok and Jacky's mouths flew wide open when they noticed the girl was holding something in her arms. It was a toy sized wolf with brown fur and a brown eyes. His fluffy fur and tail made him look rather unthreatening.
"Larry?"
Op: 'Take a Step' by ChouCho
Episode 4: Sweet Reunion
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Orlok used his wings to squeeze the wolf tightly against him.
The wolf let out a shaky laugh as his breath was pushed out of his lungs. "That's...great..."
Just then Orlok released the wolf with a small gasp. "Ah. Sorry."
"Larry, we've been...I'm so…" Relief and pure happiness filled Jacky's entire body. She couldn't even form correct sentences as tears were streaming down her face, which she desperately tried to wipe them away with her vine-like arms. She was just so happy to see another one of her friends being safe and unharmed.
"Hey, Jack. Don't cry. This wolf isn't so easily defeated!" Larry reassured the little pumpkin as he gently stroked her back with his small paw like a worried parent. His voice was surprisingly low, gruff, and unfitting for his appearance. "Besides, we haven't even been attacked or-!"
"But we have been!" Miku chimed in, her index finger raised with a grin. "'We faced dastardly villains, and we kicked their butts ~hehe!"
"Miku!" Yuina grabbed Miku's arm and dragged her back. Her tone was reminiscent of a mother scolding her misbehaving child. To Yuina, it seemed rather rude to interrupt a moment like that.
"So...we really have to rely on humans to save us," Larry said softly. At first, he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to give up his title, nor his ring, to some human. He had been a Precure for so long, he felt like it had become a part of him. Giving that away would make him lose a part of his identity and a part of himself. At least, that's what he thought.
The tall girl stood behind him, her hands folded protectively against her chest. As usual, her eyes were glued to the ground.
"That means you really do have to take it from here, Wakaba," At the sound of her name, the girl looked up with raised eyebrows as Larry continued. The wolf's head hanging in complete and utter shame. "I want you to become a Precure in my stead, and continue my lega-"
"Ahem?" Orlok let out a fake cough and Larry rolled his eyes as he corrected himself.
Getting the message, Larry rolled his eyes as he corrected himself. "Our legacy."
The girl, Wakaba, lowered to her knees to talk to the wolf. She still didn't look directly at him though.
"M-Me? A P-P-P-Precure?" She asked. Her voice was barely a whisper, or a squeak. Finally, she looked at Yuina and Miku. Though only for a mere second before shying away again. "Like them?"
"Orlok!" Yuina whispered to the bat with a frown. She held her hands close to her face and pouted her lips. "But what about Hikaru!?"
The bat turned around, with a confused look on his face. "Uh...who?"
"Great legendary actress Hikaru Fukui!" Yuina reminded the bat, swinging her index finger like a teacher disciplining a student. "I just told you about her yesterday! She has to be our next member!"
"Ah, of course. I...remember," Orlok lied. "So, where does this human live?"
"Uh...somewhere," Yuina's face distorted into one of slight discomfort. "In Unmeigaoka."
Now it was Miku's turn to plant her face in her small hands. "Yui! That's, like, on the other side of Japan!"
Then the short girl turned her attention towards Wakaba and took a few little hops, like a lively bunny, towards the tall brunette. Wakaba timidly took a few steps backs, cowering in the presence of the strange purple girl while holding her arms up as if she was making a barrier to protect herself from intruders.
"Well, I think you're perfect to be a Precure! You're even wearing a yellow shirt!" Miku inspected the much taller girl from head to toe, like she had done with Yuina before. "I mean weren't the available colors either yellow or green?"
"Uh...that's not really how it-" Jacky started with an awkward smile but, of course, Miku didn't seem to listen.
"But...I c-can't," Wakaba protested weakly as she looked away and folding her trembling hands together. She took another step back as she was feeling that Miku was standing way too close to her. "Larry t-told me what h-happened. And about the P-Precure too."
Miku made another jump. "Great! So we don't need to explain everything! I'm Miku and you are...?"
"Wakaba T-Tsukino…"
"Nice to meet you, Waka! Oh, hey! Why don't you join us tomorrow!?" Miku suggested with a big grin and stood on her tiptoes to be at least somewhat closer to the much taller Wakaba, who was still fumbling her hands against her chest and avoiding looking at her.
"We're going to look for the third... Oh wait...We've already found you~hehe!" Miku laughed and poked her tongue out playfully. "So let's just use this as a chance to-"
"Miku!" Yuina grabbed Miku by the ear and dragged her away. "Can't you see she's uncomfortable?"
With a few blinks, Miku turned to look at Wakaba. Once she realised that Yuina was right and the taller girl was indeed very uncomfortable, she gasped and pouted sadly. "Ah! I did it again," She clasped her hands against each other and lowered her head apologetically. "Sorry, Waka. You don't have to if you don't want to."
"Yeah. Don't force her," Yuina agreed with a nod.
Wakaba shuffled around skittishly. "I'm s-s-sorry."
She turned around, ready to leave but felt a surprisingly tight grip on her arm. She stopped and turned around, having to look down to see Miku.
"Uh... here's my number," Miku handed her a little piece of paper as she let go of Wakaba. "Me and Yuina will be here around twelve tomorrow. Just so you know where to go..."
"If you want to, of course. It's alright if you don't," She quickly added. Wakaba looked down at the small piece of paper before slowly nodding.
"I'll... I'll t-t-think about it."
"I'll definitely see you guys tomorrow!" Larry assured Orlok and Jacky. "Take care, okay!?"
"Absolutely. You be careful too. Oh!" Orlok said. He grasped his paw in his bowtie and handed Larry the ring with a dull yellow crystal. "Here. You may need it."
Larry grabbed the ring with his mouth. He gave his friends one last grin as he and Wakaba started walking away, leaving the four in the park. Who almost instantly rushed back to their homes too.
"ARRRGGG!"
Just as the sun had completely disappeared in the night sky, and a mysterious darkness loomed around Seinarushima, a loud, frustrated cry filled the Tsukino Manor. The origin of the sound was a single, teenage girl sitting on a comfy chair, holding a video game controller in her hands and eyes glued to the screen of a big television. She frantically pressed the buttons on the controller, controlling the little pixelated character on the screen. The tips of her thumbs throbbed from spending too much time pressing the buttons on the controller, but she barely noticed. Aiding the knight in its fight against another pixilated character resembling a black, clothed ghost-like figure.
When a loud BEEP came from the game, and the knight dissolved into many smaller pixels, that was when the cry escaped her mouth. It infuriated her so much, she had to count to ten in her head to stop herself from throwing the controller through the screen in frustration.
Why did this boss have to be so annoying!? Just jumping out of reach when she launched an attack and sending a gazillions of beams her way, which were nearly impossible to dodge.
"Hey, listen!" A voice tried to bring her attention back to the real world. But the girl had no desire to speak with anyone now. She was busy! And besides, she barely heard what the voice was saying.
"Wakaba!?"
Nothing.
"This is important!"
Still nothing.
The owner of the voice decided they had to take different measures. Larry gulped softly as he walked over to the plug of the TV, as well the game-system Wakaba was playing at. He took the plug out, using his mouth. This was a very dangerous thing to do. Not only because of the danger of being electrocuted when not careful, but also the consequences and reaction of the girl.
And another cry filled the Manor. And it worried the only other resident in the house so much they decided to check up on Wakaba right away. When the door of her room opened, Larry quickly hid underneath the wide bed. In the doorway stood a man roughly in his mid-twenties.
"Wakaba? You alright?" The man asked, stepping in the room and placing a gentle hand on Wakaba's shoulder.
"Tsuyoshi!?" Wakaba squeaked as her face turned red in embarrassment. "Was I screaming too loud again?"
Her older brother, Tsuyoshi, laughed and he poked his younger sister's cheek playfully. "Too caught up in that game again?"
Wakaba shook her frantically. Her face still red. "N-No I wasn't! It's just that the game shut off by itself!"
"That's odd."
"Yeah!"
Her brother took a quick look behind the television to search for a clue. He then saw the so called reason for the abrupt end to Wakaba's play-through. The cable wasn't in the power plug anymore. How it fell out was a mystery to Tsuyoshi. He shot her a wry smile while rubbing her head like a puppy. "I know you get real excited when playing, but just be a little more careful, okay?"
Wakaba nodded slowly. "Okay."
Just as Tsuyoshi left the room, Larry carefully appeared from his hiding spot. A deep frown glued on his face. He looked dead serious.
"Sorry. I had to. I really want to talk to you."
Wakaba's eyes widened. "So, you d-did it!?"
"You won't listen to me otherwise! Just listen to what I have to say!" Larry's voice snapped as he raised his back a little. Probably to appear menacing, which surprisingly worked as Wakaba closed her mouth tightly and looked away with almost teary eyes.
It surprised Larry how two-sided this girl could be. He had only known her for roughly a week and he still had no idea how to describe his girl. Right now, and back at the park, she was a timid and almost submissive girl who stumbles upon almost every word, but a few moments ago, she was loudly and intensely screaming at the screen. It baffled the wolf every time he thought about it. If she were to use that aggression as a Cure, she could become a force to be reckoned with.
"You w-w-wanna talk about P-Precure, right?" She almost whispered and she nervously rubbed her hands together as she had reverted back to her timid self.
Larry had told her his story, and about the duties of a Cure before. Wakaba had agreed to help him look for his friends. But she hadn't really counted on being expected to become one herself. Going outside today was already a huge achievement for her, and not to mention it was just plain exhausting for someone like her.
"Wakaba, please. I truly believe you can do this!" Larry protested. "I can sense that a lot of power lies dormant inside you. It's waiting to be released. Those girls need your help! I need your help!"
"L-Larry...I...I'm s-s-sorry."
The girl lowered her head. There was no way she was ready for this. Those two girls... They were leagues above her. At least, they could talk to each other and look into each other's eyes. Like normal people could. But Wakaba couldn't. She couldn't even look at them without feeling like she was being judged for whatever reason. She couldn't speak without tripping over every word. She couldn't even raise her voice when she wanted. Or voice her feelings or opinions.
"Stop saying that! ...Urg, humans," The small wolf whispered bitterly to himself. Wakaba had just proved him right. Humans were worthless, especially teenagers. Too emotional and whiny.
"Fine. I get it... I'll find someone else." Larry sighed as he slowly walked over to a bundle of stuffed animals lying in the corner of the room which has been his "bed" while spending his nights here. "That means this is our last night together. Good night, Wakaba."
Wakaba clenched her fist with teary eyes. She knew he was angry. He was disappointed, bitter, upset, and, most of all, frustrated with her.
But, maybe, Larry was right? Maybe she was the right fit? Wakaba didn't want him to leave. He could be scary, and grumpy, but since meeting Larry, she did manage to overstep a few of her previous boundaries. She managed to exit the house, for once, and to actually talk to someone outside of her brother.
The girl looked at the small wolf, lying between her stuffed animals like he belonged there. She wasn't sure if he was actually asleep or if he was just pretending to be. But she decided to leave him alone, for now. She wanted some time to think this through.
She noticed something lying on the table next to her bed. It was the small piece of paper that short girl had given her. Wakaba quietly inspected it more thoroughly. A series of numbers was scribbled on it with ''Miku'' written above it, and a small smiley face drawn right next to it.
Then the sound of slightly muffled music filled her ears. She instantly knew where it was coming from. She ambled out of her room and let her feet guide her downstairs in an almost hypnotized daze. Most people would get easily lost in the big manor and its many, small hallways. Wakaba, having lived here her whole life, knew the way like the back of her hand. She entered a room on the left and found her brother sitting behind a piano, gently playing a song. His expressions as serene as the music he was playing.
Wakaba silently stood in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt Tsuyoshi's song. Although, she was almost sure he knew she was there. Tsuyoshi had been playing the piano for as long as Wakaba remembered. Even as a boy he was often found sitting behind the big piano and pressing the keys. His beautiful melodies always calmed her down and soothed her worries.
A false note, and a sudden stop.
"So, what's on your mind?" He asked, as he turned around to face his younger sister. "You seem troubled."
Tsuyoshi completely turned around and invited Wakaba to sit next to him with a simple gesture. With a small smile, she accepted the invitation and sat down on the piano seat. "Wanna talk about it?"
A long sigh escaped Wakaba's mouth. She did want to talk about it, but wasn't sure how she could explain her worries properly without revealing anything about Larry and Precure.
"I...someone…" Wakaba timidly stumbled over her words. "I was invited to-"
Tsuyoshi gasped loudly and swallowed some air before the girl could finish. "A date!? Is my lil' sis finally-?"
"N-No! Not a d-d-d-date!" The girl's face grew a red hue and she covered it with her hands. "It's just... Some girls I m-m-met...they invited m-me to hang out. But I'm not sure if..."
Without warning, Tsuyoshi threw his hands in the air with a cheer and embraced his younger sister tightly.
"I know this seems a tough obstacle, but just do it!" He simply said, having trouble containing his enthusiasm. The mere thought of his timid sister making friends and actually leaving the house to hang out with said friends, made him feel so happy. His joy bubbled over, and he didn't dare try to contain it. "I'm sure those girls will like you! You're a sweet girl. You deserve this!"
With that piece of advice in mind, Wakaba returned to her room. She sat on her bed with her phone in one hand and a piece of paper in the number. Slowly and reluctantly, she typed in the number from the paper. Even more reluctantly, she forced herself to press the 'call' button and pressed the phone against her, waiting for the other girl to pick up with bated breath.
One ring. Then another. Two more. Was Miku not answering? Wakaba sighed once more. She figured she wouldn't answer. Of course. But then...
[Hiya! Miku Sumire speaking! Who is this?]
While her voice sounded slightly different over the phone, there was no doubt about it. This was definitely the purple haired girl from before.
"Uhm… Hello, Miss Miku. This is Wakaba Tsukino, from-"
[Waka! You really called~hehe!] Miku interrupted her with a joyful voice. Even without seeing her, Wakaba could almost feel the big grin on the other girl's face. [Is there something you wanna ask?]
Wakaba took a look at Larry, still sleeping between the stuffed animals. His head rested gently against a soft teddy bear with round, beady button eyes. Now that Wakaba looked closely, all of her stuffed animals stared at her with their eyes. It was almost as if they were encouraging her instead of judging or scrutinizing her.
"Yes! Yes, there is!" As her gaze turned away from the toys, she didn't notice Larry open one eye and stare at her.
"Ehm… Can I…?" Wakaba stopped mid-way her sentence and took a deep breath. "Can I still c-c-come with you guys t-tomorrow?"
Again, without seeing her, Wakaba knew for sure Miku made a little jump.
[OF COURSE YOU CAN!] The girl's voice was so loud Wakaba held her phone away from her ear to prevent becoming deaf on the spot. [If you tell me where you live, I can pick you up!]
"But...if y-y-you say it like that...it s-sounds like-" Wakaba whispered, more to herself than Miku. Right then, her brother's words echoed in her mind.
"A date?" Date. Date. Date.
With that, Wakaba's face pretty much turned into a fresh tomato, and she pressed her free hand against her face in an futile attempt to hide her embarrassment.
[Waka? You still there?]
"Y-Y-YEAH! I'm here!" Wakaba squeaked abruptly. Now Miku had to hold her phone away from her ear.
Then, after calming down again, she told the other girl her address.
[Hmm. Never heard of it.] Miku mumbled softly on the other side of the line. [But we'll find it, don't worry!]
"If you w-w-want...you two could c-c-come here, and we could...uhm...hang out?" Wakaba said, starting to feel a little more comfortable with talking to the other girl. But only a little. ''I'll p-p-p-prepare some s-snacks...if you'd like."
[Hehe~! That would be great! If it's no trouble!]
"N-No. It's not."
[Alrighty. Is twelve o'clock a good time to meet? Well, see you tomorrow, Waka!]
"That's f-fine. Take c-c-care, Miss Miku."
[STOP!] Miku cried suddenly and it shocked Wakaba so much, her phone almost fell out of her hand. [I won't accept a friend to call me 'Miss Miku'!]
Wakaba's cheeks turned red again as realised that the other girl had just called her a 'friend'.
"Uhm….M-M-M-M-M-Miku?" Wakaba finally managed to sputter out.
[BINGO!] Miku squealed like a little child on the other side.
Wakaba gathered up some courage. "See you t-tomorrow, Miku!"
The next day, Yuina and Miku went to the address Wakaba had given Miku over the phone. To their surprise it was quite a long walk. Yuina continuously yawned during their trip, still not entirely awake. She had really wanted to sleep in late this time, something she hadn't been able to do since this all started.
Yuina and Miku's mouth fell open once they had arrived at Wakaba's house, or rather manor as it turned out.
The house in question was large and stood taller than anything else in the neighborhood, resembling one of those fancy European houses one would see in horror movies, only now it was daytime. The house was made entirely of stone, reaching about three stories high, with windows on almost every wall. A black metal gate guarded the house, and a small doorbell was on the right, low enough for Miku to reach.
"SHE'S RICH!?" Yuina gasped while feeling herself shrink while looking at the intimidating manor. The manor stood tall and strong, towering over them. For a moment, Yuina felt as though she were a baby ant and the manor was a giant ready to climb right over the metal gate.
Miku finally closed her gaping mouth. "I had no idea! She didn't look rich!"
"Oh god. I don't look presentable like this!" Yuina lamented, regretting putting on casual clothes. All she put on today was a hot pink shirt and skinny black jeans. Not exactly clothes befitting of going to a rich person's manor. "It's too plain!"
"You're not meeting royalty or something," Orlok reminded them with a sigh. "And it's not that big," He added with another sigh as he used one of his paws to press the bell, to the shock of both Yuina and Miku.
With a loud clank, the gate unlocking automatically and slowly opened up to the two. Orlok quickly hid in the pocket of Yuina's coat. The two girls exchanged some unsure looks for a while, until the door of the manor slowly opened and a head shyly peeked out.
"Wakaba?" Miku sheepishly waved at the girl and was the first to take a step forwards. Yuina followed her soundlessly.
Miku gushed over the beautiful architecture with shimmering eyes. "I didn't know you had such an awesome house!"
"It's nothing special, really," Larry said as he appeared next to Wakaba's feet. "Orly's house is bigger, right?"
With that, all eyes turned to the bat, who had just hopped out of his hiding place in Yuina's coat. He nodded hastily as he shot a glare towards Larry.
"You can c-come in," Wakaba forced a small smile on her lips as she motioned the others to come inside. They silently followed Wakaba and Larry through the spacious halls. Inspecting the many paintings on the walls, some portraits of presumably family members, some paintings of landmarks and even a few sculptures of various animals, like birds, bears, and deers here and there.
"Ah, I don't think I have formally introduced myself yet," Yuina started meekly, trying to sound as polite as possible as she took a bow. "I'm Yuina Akagawa."
"Ah, you're h-hurt?" Wakaba gasped as her gaze fell on Yuina's hand, which was still a little red and swollen from the fight a few days ago.
"Oh, this? Stupid accident. It's healed already. No big deal."
Orlok turned to her with a frown. His eyes avoiding hers for some reason. "You sure it's completely healed? Already?"
"Yeah. I don't feel any pain," Yuina shrugged and waved said hand around. "It's fine."
The group quietly followed Wakaba through the hallways. Each footstep echoing louder than the previous. Eventually, she stopped in front of a brown door with a silver plate on it. The plate simply read "Dining Room."
Slowly, Wakaba opened the door and the group was met with the image of a long dining table, filled with all kinds of snacks on fancy plates. From simple potato chips, to fruits, to warm pancakes, and even pudding, and various cakes in the middle to top it all off.
"You call these simple snacks!?" Jacky cried as both Yuina and Miku started drooling. Yuina closed her mouth and nudged Miku with her elbow before the girl could jump at the food.
"Don't be r-rude!" Yuina hissed, bowing down to match Miku's height. The shorter girl snorted with a frown.
"Look who's talking!" She hissed back. A grin soon appeared on her face. "You're drooling all over yourself~!"
"Am not!"
"You were~hehe!"
Yuina covered her mouth with her hand. "Not."
Orlok and Jacky exchanged some looks and smiled wryly at Larry. Wakaba, on the other hand, stared at the two girls with a sad expression plastered on her face. She looked down.
'So, they want me join them in the fight to save Larry's world? They seem to be such good friends. I'll probably only get in the way,' Wakaba thought, her eyes darting from Yuina to Miku. But, she was so deep in thought that she barely heard what the two were saying.
"You're always like this! You should learn to behave and not make a fool out of yourself!"
"Oh, but what about you then? You're scaring our potential new member away with your unlikable personality and whining!"
"Better than being annoying like you!"
'They're even good enough friends to argue like this. They'll probably make up right away, Wakaba thought, feeling less and less comfortable by the second. What if they didn't want to come here at all? What if they only came because they wanted to get their ring back? Wakaba reached in her pocket and pulled out the ring Larry had left on her bed yesterday.
Once she had returned to the real world, she saw that everyone else was already wolfing down all the snacks they could get their hands on.
Then, loud footsteps in the distance were heard as they walked in a distinct rhythm.
''Hah, time to meet the chef,'' Larry said before tackling a confused Orlok and Jacky and dragging them under the table, just as someone swung the door open rather abruptly. Both Yuina and Miku jumped a little.
"Now, ladies, is everything according to-?"
"Ah!" Miku interrupted him as she forcefully chomped down one last bite before waving at the man that had just entered the room. "Are you Wakaba's dad? Hi!"
"Uh... Hello! Actually, I'm her brother. Tsuyoshi's the name," The man said with a polite smile. Tsuyoshi looked like he was in his mid-twenties with the same brown mess of hair that Wakaba had, only without the braids. "I take it you're her friends?"
Miku could see Yuina glare daggers at her and mouth the word "Stupid!" to her. Miku let out an awkward giggle before sinking in her seat in embarrassment.
"My brother is t-t-the one who m-made all of this. He w-wants to become a chef," Wakaba explained softly, as nervous as always. She looked at her brother for approval, who nodded proudly.
"Yep. Someday, I'll get my own restaurant!"
Yuina clapped her hands together as politely smiled at Tsuyoshi. "That is admirable! I hope you succeed in fulfilling your dream, sir."
"Hahaha! You don't have to call me 'sir'. But anyway, I couldn't help myself when my lil' sis said friends would be coming over," Tsuyoshi admitted and scratched his cheek with a smile. "I kinda overdid it though. So, you don't have to eat it all."
Tsuyoshi crossed his arms proudly, before gasping and quickly adding: "But, please, give me feedback! Is it passable?"
Yuina and Miku exchanged looks as Tsuyoshi nervously awaited their verdict. They both smiled at turned to the chef himself.
"I give this cheesecake eleven out of ten points~hehe!"
"And this pancake is delicious!"
Tsuyoshi let out a loud laugh. "Thanks, kiddos. Oh, well, I'll leave you three alone for now! Have fun with...uh...girl stuff~! I guess...?"
With a grin, and a motivating thumbs up to his sister, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. But, even with the door closed, they could still hear him let out a small cheer before the loud stomps from his feet revealed he was out of earshot. Larry, Orlok, and Jacky emerged from the table.
"Your brother seems very nice," Yuina said calmly before taking a bite of a pancake caked in powdered sugar.
"He's amazing! He can do a-a-anything!" Suddenly Wakaba seemed a lot less stiff and meek as she was busy admiring her older sibling.
Larry then cleared his throat, catching the attention of everyone present as he placed his ring on the table. "Orlok, Jacky, tell us everything that happened while I was gone!"
Orlok quietly stared back at the small wolf. He was mentally preparing himself to revisit those awful memories yet again. He took a deep breath before starting the story.
(Eyecatch 1: Yuina is holding the Pumpkin Box, with Miku, Wakaba and the mascots circling around her. The box opens and a lot of candy falls out of it, raining down and completely burying the group under a pile of candy. One by one, Yuina, Miku and Wakaba's heads pop out from candy. Orlok, Jacky and Larry also jump out of it. Larry growls and starts scolding the girls as everyone sweat-drops. The Pretty Cure Monster Mania Logo appears at the bottom.)
(Eyecatch 2: Jacky rolls around on a table with a kettle next to it. She smiles as the camera zooms out to reveal Cure Witch standing beside the kettle. She grins and throws some ashes in the kettle, causing it to explode. In the black smoke, the Pretty Cure Monster Mania Logo appears at the bottom.)
"That was...eventful, to say the least," Larry laughed with a bitter undertone after Orlok and Jacky finished their stories. He turned to Wakaba and then to the ring still on the table. He didn't say anything, but the dark expression on his face said more than enough.
Wakaba's eyes crossed Larry's just a second before they darted to the ground. She knew precisely what he wanted to say. "But...they d-d-deserve better than useless, c-cowardly m-me."
"What d'you mean?" The small wolf asked, still frowning.
"It's not like I-I'll be useful to you g-g-guys. I'll only g-get in the w-way and-"
Then, with a loud cry Miku jumped up in her chair and made a cross with her arms. Wakaba stopped mid-sentence. "S-T-O-P!" She spelled it with every syllable loud and clear, like a first grader attempting her first spelling test. "Stop that right now!"
"Eh?"
"Don't you dare bring yourself down like that!" She lectured, still standing on the chair. "I won't allow that kind of negativity in my glittery mess of magic that is Precure!"
Yuina face-palmed and let out a loud groan. "Urg...Mikuuuu..."
Wakaba looked down. "You t-two have been fighting so g h-h-hard, and for so long..."
"Not for that long actually," Yuina added, her smile formed in a half-grin.
"Even if I were to j-j-join you to save Larry's w-w-world. I would only g-get in the way. Look at m-me, I'm nothing. I c-can't do anything. I'm not smart. I'm not s-s-strong. I c-c-can't even look you in the eye right now," Wakaba whimpered, her stuttering getting worse with every word she spoke. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stop any tears from springing forth.
"Hey, I'm small and scrawny, and people don't really like me because I can be a little too hyperactive at times," Miku admitted out loud. Inside though, she was always one to find it surprisingly hard to point out a few of her flaws like that. It almost felt like rubbing salt in your own wounds. So, she turned to Yuina
"On the other hand, Yuina here is always grumpy and negative all the time! She whines like crazy, too!"
"Hey!" Yuina found herself offended by that comment.
"But that's just who she is! And she's working on it! I am too!" Miku acclaimed, as she exchanged glances with Yuina. For once, Yuina smiled and nodded in agreement.
"And with a little help, I'm sure you can change too~!" For some reason Wakaba didn't understand, Miku's simple words tug at her heartstrings, and, somehow, made her feel slightly better. No. A lot better.
Wakaba didn't get a chance to say anything because a pain-filled cry was heard, muffled by the thick walls of the room.
"W-W-What was that?" Wakaba stammered, fear growing back on her face. Yuina took the lead this time and was the first to rush out of the room.
"Oh god. It's you again..." She frowned, but something in her stomach turned. She was face to face with the image of another Onryo, and a familiar catgirl standing on the other side of the hallway, a smug smile on her face. The others quickly followed her. Wakaba grew even more pale at the sight of the Onryo.
The others quickly followed her. Wakaba grew even more pale at the sight of the Onryo.
''Tsu...Tsu...T-Tsuyoshi?''
"Don't worry, we'll turn him back to normal!" Yuina shouted.
"Go somewhere safe," Miku reassured Wakaba with a grin. She had her chest out and stood on her tiptoes to look at least slightly taller. "Let the professionals handle this ~hehe!"
Wakaba nodded reluctantly and she, along with Orlok, Jacky, and Larry, dashed back into the room they came from. Yuina and Miku took one last look at each other, they nodded and held out their hands.
"Boo Boo Bogey! Monster Change!"
"Pure blood lust, defeating you is a must! The charming vampire of the night, Cure Fang!"
"Hocus Pocus, it's time for you to focus! The magical monster of spells and curses, Cure Witch! Hehe!"
Wakaba pressed her hands against her ears, hoping to block out the noise from the fight. She stood with her back against the door and was shaking like a leaf in the rough wind.
"Wakaba, are you okay?" Jacky asked softly. Worry was written all over her. Wakaba looked at her for a moment, but averted her gaze again. She slowly inched closer to the door and carefully peeked from the doorway, seeing the fight up close. Yuina and Miku, both transformed, kicking and punching her seemingly zombie-fied brother. It hurt seeing her brother like...that. Unnatural, and unhealthy looking skin, twitching movements, and those big, heavy-looking chains wrapped around him. Once in a while, he launched one of his chains towards one of the girls, who swiftly dodged it or simply punched it away with their bare hands.
"Pretty Cure Fang Bi-Aah!" Fang attempt to dug her teeth in the chains were cancelled by a long chain slamming against her face and sending her flying to the wall. The attack left a nasty, freshly developing bruise on the right side of her face. She rubbed it painfully before standing up and landing another kick to the Onryo.
Kuroneko followed Fang with her eyes. The Cure in pink was definitely more directly offensive than the purple one, who stayed by the sidelines only aiding her teammate with a kick or punch every now and then.
"Appear! Witch Staff!" Witch was desperately trying to summon her weapon, reciting the incantation over and over as she extended her hand and tried to concentrate all her energy into it. "Appear! Witch Staff!"
But nothing happened, making her quite frustrated. Constantly having to evade attacks didn't make her any less distressed. "Come ooooonnn!"
Meanwhile, Cure Fang was grabbed by the chains once again and was thrown across the hall, landing next to where Kuroneko was observing the fight. The cat girl smirked as she stood over her. She grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and brought her close, her smirk disappearing. Once she made eye contact, the cat girl's expression turned dead serious as she stared deep into Fang's eyes.
"If I would kill you, right now...would you-?" Kuroneko whispered, sincere curiosity plastered on her face. There was not even a piece of the usual playful cruelty she usually had.
"Fang!" Witch leaped towards her comrade only for Kuroneko to pretty much throw Fang at the purple cure. The Onryo raised it arms and circled two of its chains around them, holding them firmly into place as they struggled to get free. Fang kicked her legs up and down in a futile attempt to break free, to no avail. Witch squirmed and writhed like a worm. Not even that worked. Kuroneko extended her already long claws to an even longer, sharper, length and approached the fallen cures slowly. Her smirk revealed she had every intention to follow up on her threat to destroy them. Her eyes were completely fixated on the two Cures.
And she didn't realize a newcomer running up to her before it was too late and Kuroneko was met with a surprisingly powerful and painful punch in her face, causing her fall over in recoil. She immediately jumped back up and landed on all four as hissed viciously at her attacker. She looked like a feral beast. Breathing heavily, the hair on her tail stood upward, making it fluffier than it was supposed to be, and her cat ears folded backward.
"HOW DARE YOU, HUMAN!?" She cried as she saw the identity of her attacker was nothing more than a simple human.
Witch gasped. "Wakaba!?"
"Stupid! Get away from there!"
Wakaba stood protectively in front of the two Cures. Her arms wide open and her left hand balled into a fist.
"I've made my c-choice!" Her voice cracked as she spoke. While towering over the cat girl in length, Wakaba was still very, very afraid. She closed her eyes to hold back her tears. Be strong. Be strong. Gotta save Tsuyoshi. Gotta save my...friends.
"I'm n-not running away anymore!" She declared as she opened her hand, revealing Larry's ring. "I may be awfully s-shy, not good at d-d-dealing with p-p-p-people, or with my own fears… But both Miku and Yuina are giving it t-t-their all and fighting hard for the s-sake of everyone's happiness... So I will, too!"
With that, she slid the ring on her finger and recited the chant Larry had told her before.
"Boo Boo Bogey! Monster Change!"
ED: 'Delusion Disco!' - Emiri Kato (Miku)