A/N: This time, I'm not only making up new names, I also made up a new attack. Because it has always bothered me that there's BLOSSOM SHOWER! MARINE SHOOT! and SUNSHINE FLASH! but no such attack for Moonlight. Also, this chapter is just filler, i needed an excuse to give the goofball villain a debut.
Previously on Until the Moon is Full:
Hayato, a childhood friend of Yuri's had made an effort to comfort her, same as Cologne. Though she had no intention to open her heart. Then the blatant brute of the three generals of the Desert Apostles, Kumojacky, crossed swords with Cure Moonlight. Only one of the three generals had yet to show himself, what kind of person is he?
Chapter 4: Perseverance, Inspiration and Support (頑張り、鼓舞と応援)
Yuri idly strolled down the staircase. She didn't have much to do at home today so she could relax on the way there.
Don't hide from us! Her brain had recalled Cologne's words for the sixth time today.
No! I'm not hiding. I am really fine. And that was what she kept telling her brain. I really don't need help.
Zoning out, she bumped into someone and their yelp cut her thoughts short.
"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Yuri apologized once she regained her balance.
"Oh no," the girl she crashed into said, "I'm sorry for staining your bow."
If she hadn't pointed that out, Yuri wouldn't have noticed the spilled can of drink on the floor and a few drops of it on the bow of her uniform.
"It's alright, I'm the one who bumped into you, it's my fault. I'll buy you another drink," Yuri offered, "Are you in a rush going somewhere?"
"No, just the rooftop."
"Great, the rooftop has a vending machine, let's go."
"Here you go, Maita-san," Yuri handed her a new can of soda.
"You really didn't have to, Tsukikage-san."
Yuri smiled at the girl — Maita Tori — as a reply, then continued their conversation, "So, what were you going to do on the rooftop?"
"I just wanna go somewhere without people."
Yuri asked skeptically, "Without people? Why?"
"..."
"It's alright, you don't need to tell me."
"No, no, not that! It's just..." Tori blushed lightly, "Promise that you won't laugh at me?"
"Okay...?"
Tori inhaled deeply, "I wanted to dance."
"Oh, and you didn't want people to see you."
"No, not all people! I love dancing and I love the stage. I just don't want specific people to see me dancing, and that doesn't include you. So do you wanna see?"
"Sure."
Tori put down her drink and rose from her seat, she bowed and started her dance routine.
Oh, ballet club people, Yuri quickly comprehended, not bad, she has the grace she needs.
Dancing wasn't something Yuri usually watch, but she enjoyed watching it all the same.
Unfortunately, after a few sets twirls and steps, when Tori leapt into a jété, she lost her balance when she landed, letting out a short "AH!".
"Maita-san!" Yuri immediately rushed over to help her up, "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine, I just fell, typical," Tori said, "Shouldn't have attempted the jété wearing uwabaki, heheh..."
As they sat back down, Yuri asked, "Are you in the Ballet Club?"
Tori nodded.
"I heard that you guys have a contest coming up next month."
"Yes, it's the second biggest contest for the Ballet Club in the whole school year."
"You're going?"
"Yes, I've practised hard."
"But then... why didn't you want 'some specific people' to see you dance?"
"Because they think I'm not good enough, that's what they always tell me."
"Must've been harsh on you, huh? You've practised hard and..."
"Wow, am I surprised to hear that from you, Tsukikage-san," Tori said, "I thought for sure someone like you would never understand."
"What? What does that mean?"
"Come on! We aren't in the same class but everyone in this year's 8th grade knows you're a prodigy in academics. You've aced every single test since middle school started. You don't seem like the type to know what the word 'struggling' means."
Hearing no reply, Tori added, "Sorry, I was just saying what I thought."
Yuri seemed to be spacing out, recalling something again, so Tori spoke, "Tsukikage-san?"
"Oh, oh, sorry," Yuri was pulled out of her trance, "Maybe you're right and maybe I really don't understand, but well, maybe if you tell me, I would. That is... i-if you want to."
"Sure, you know, I could use someone to talk to and not judge my dancing. I feel frustrated at times, when everyone in the Club says that I'm not good enough," Tori took a deep breath and continued, "But I'll keep on moving forward, I love dancing, and I know I'll get better with time. Besides..."
Tori suddenly reached inside her bag, "When I want to give up, I have this amulet to root for me."
She took out a small velvet box and showed Yuri the silver swan headdress adorn with an blue crystal inside.
"It was the headdress from the costume of my first ever performance, though it's too small right now so I can't wear it. It saw my passion for ballet in my early years, just keeping it close refills the passion. That's why, some criticism can't hold me down. I'll train as hard as I can, because nothing can change how much I love dancing."
Yuri smiled whole-heartedly as she put a hand on Tori's shoulder, "Now, the amulet isn't the only one rooting for you."
The next day after school Yuri was wandering about again, since her librarian duty wouldn't start for another fifteen minutes. But she found herself arriving at the hall, where the ballet club is practicing.
"Why did you come here?" Cologne asked.
"I didn't even realise I came here," Yuri mumbled.
She watched from the entrance as the dancers recited their routines on the stage.
"Maita-san! That's not right!" a girl — seemingly the club president — chided.
"Sorry..." Tori peeped.
"Everyone try that part again."
"What did she do wrong?" Cologne asked Yuri.
"Honestly, I don't know. But she must've done something wrong or else the others wouldn't scold her," Yuri responded.
"I thought she was dancing fine," Cologne said.
"Me too, but I guess we don't really understand ballet so we can't challenge them."
The dance routine was going smoothly, and the song was ending.
"Just a little bit more..." the president encouraged.
Suddenly, Tori's left leg twitched. She broke out of her dance routine and fell.
"No, no, no!" the club president facepalmed, "Why can't we run the routine smoothly for just one time?! Maita-san!"
"I'm so sorry, let's try again."
The president sighed, "Take ten everybody, there's no use continuing like this. Especially you, Maita-san!"
Tori half-staggered off the stage to fetch her water bottle and heaved a very long sigh.
Suddenly, the Desert Apostle, Cobraja showed up right in front of her.
"W-who are you?" Tori gasped.
Cobraja threw her a picture of himself, "I am Cobraja, please, save the swooning, right now, show me your Heart Flower." His eyes glowed blue as he inspected her Heart Flower, "I see, beautifully wilted. Bravo! Heart Flower, come on out!"
The other dancers inside the hall screamed and ran away as Tori's Heart Flower got stolen. As soon as all the students are out of the hall, Yuri dashed inside. "Stop right there!" she yelled.
"Ah, so you're thee Cure Moonlight, I take it?"
"Give her Heart Flower back!"
"No can do," Cobraja shrugged then he proceeded to shuffle through Tori's bag. "Ooh, what's this?" he took out Tori's swan headdress, "Looks fabulous."
"Put that down this instance!"
"Heh. Desertrian! It's your cue!"
The headdress turned into a huge silver swan with an sapphire crown. It squawked as it flew outside, trashing the hall's wall in the process.
"Cologne!" Yuri called.
"Come forth! Precure Seed!"
"PRECURE OPEN MY HEART! The flower that glistens in the moon's light, Cure Moonlight!"
"My! Such a beautiful form! Surely your abilities won't disappoint me!" Cobraja smirked.
Moonlight simply rolled her eyes and followed the Desertrian.
Outside, feathers were raining down on the campus, really really sharp feathers that were made of steel.
"Why am I still not good enough?!" the Desertrian shrieked — or rather, squawked.
Moonlight fired a few random blasts at the swan. Out of the blue, it suddenly took flight and dodge all the attacks.
Moonlight launched herself at it. As soon as she reached a close enough distance, "MOONLIGHT SILVER IMPACT!" A powerful blast flew out from her palm and forced the Desertrian to back away a little. But that was all the damage she could make before gravity pulls her back to the ground.
"How can you fight without footing?" Cologne asked.
"You just read my mind," Moonlight replied bitterly while trying to contemplate.
Suddenly, Cologne's heart-shaped brooch started glowing.
"What is that?" Moonlight inquired.
Cologne smiled, "Your answer." He turned into a beam of light, then he flew surrounding Moonlight's neck and shoulder, finally turned into a cape.
"A cape is my answer?" Moonlight said skeptically.
"Not just any cape, a flying cape," the cape — I mean, Cologne — spoke, "Just watch." Moonlight found that her legs were no longer touching the ground, she was flying!
"What?!" Cobraja exclaimed from the school hall, "she can fly?!"
"Incredible, right?" Cologne bragged to Moonlight.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll listen to you blowing your own trumpet later, right now we got more important business," Moonlight said as they flew up to the swan. She sent barrage of punches, aiming mostly at the swan's wings. The swan lost its balance a few times but that wasn't enough.
"I love dancing, but I'm sick of everyone telling me how incompetent I am all the time!" the Desertrian squawked again, "Why can't I be good at the things I like?!" Then it rained feathers again.
"Maita-san, the solution to the problem has always been there!" Moonlight exclaimed while retaining a silver rampart against the feather arrows.
"And just what do you know?!"
Moonlight was rendered speechless for a moment, and that was all it took for the Desertrian to break her shield and flung her into a wall of the campus.
"Hahaha," Cobraja cackled, "That's the way, Desertrian. Trying your hardest to do something you're not good at is futile and unsightly, like a filthy ant trying make a stand, waiting to be trampled on."
"Cobraja, you are mistaken!" Moonlight yelled, her voice confident now as Cologne brought her back into the battlefield. "Maita-san, yes, maybe I don't know your struggling, but what I do know is that you love dancing more than anything else, then it really shouldn't matter whether you are good at it or not! You know you've done your best, even if everyone else doesn't see it, at least you need to appreciate yourself!"
"I love... dancing..."
"Remember when you said that a little criticism can't hold you back, bring out that determination and optimism now too!"
"Grrr, Desertrian, don't listen to her!" Cobraja commanded.
"Cologne, bring me up, I'm gonna end this," Moonlight said.
"Roger, what's your plan?" Cologne asked.
"You'll see."
As soon as they were in front of the Desertrian's face, Moonlight drew a circle with her hands and yelled, "MOONLIGHT SPARK!" She struck the centre of the circle and countless tiny blasts were emitted, they surrounded the swan's head and exploded like flashbangs. The Desertrian blacked out and fell to the ground.
"What... uh...um... how?!" Cobraja freaked out.
"Any birds would be stunned for a long while after experiencing sudden bright light," Moonlight shrugged like it was nothing, "Common knowledge." She then materialised her tact, "Now, to end this. PRECURE SILVER FORTE WAVE!"
The Desertrian reverted into the Heart Flower and the headdress, which Moonlight carefully caught as not to break it.
"ARGH! Remember this!" Cobraja groaned and teleported away.
"Oh, Tsukikage-san?"
"Ah, so you've woken up."
"What happened to me...?"
"You sorta got turned into a monster but the Precure saved you."
"I see... ouch!" Tori clutched her left ankle.
"Oh, it must be that time when you were dancing on the rooftop..."
"It's fine. Just like all those disapprovals, this will heal. From now on, I'll do my best and continue dancing ballet, I don't need to be good enough to do what I love."
Yuri smiled and nodded.
"Now then, I think I'll be taking my leave," Tori said.
"Goodbye," Yuri said out loud, and added as a whisper, "and good luck."
Watching Tori walking away, Cologne flew out.
"The flower language of laurel is perseverance, it describes Maita-san perfectly."
"Yes, that girl is unstoppable."
End of Chapter 4
Behind the scenes and spoilers:
Yuri: I didn't know you can turn into a cape, Cologne. What else are you hiding from me?
Cologne: Nothing, I swear! I just couldn't find the chance to tell you, okay? It's not like I'm hiding it on purpose.
Yuri: [giggles] Okay, okay, I was just joking. Anyhow, what's next chapter going to be?
Cologne: It'll be fun, I think, and good for you too. Thank You, my Dear Friend... (心の底からありがとう… 大好きな友達…)
Yuri: I see... wait, am I supposed to say that title?
Cologne: [shrugs] We'll find out soon enough.