Kanade's fingers gracefully slid across the piano keys, and a beautiful, cheerful melody followed them. Hummy warmed up as well, until she found the right tone, and began to sing to the tune. They filled these halls with happiness, and all who passed by would stop to listen, and this was just practice. This filled Kanade's heart with joy, and she wished to share that, and with each moment she played more passionately, while Hummy tried to keep up. When the song was finally over, it seemed like the whole castle was there, clapping. No matter how many times this happened, Kanade would still tear up at the sight of such enthusiasm.

The crowd then dispersed to resume their duties, leaving Kanade and Hummy to practice in peace. Kanade had been hired to play the piano for a sick child, and she would not cease her practice until she perfect the songs she planned to perform. Even so, she knew that she did not have anything close to Hummy's reponsibility: being the one meant to sing the Melody of Happiness, the sacred song of Majorland, the greatest musical performance in the world.

Kanade was by Hummy's side when she was chosen: she remembered Hummy's anticipation, her glowing eyes when she learned that all her hard work had paid off. She had little hope at first, truth be told, as she competed with the very best, fairies renowned from all over Majorland. Above all, she competed with Siren, her closest friend, who taught her all she knows, who was chosen six times in the past six years, and was sure to be chosen a seventh time.

"We have listened to you all," said Pizzicato, an admired fairy, who quite frankly looked more like a cat than a fairy, and who had sung the Melody of Happiness many decades before, "and we have pondered discussed, and so we have chosen the fairy most fit to sing the sacred song."

Siren had such a smug expression, Kanade recalled, like she had already assumed she'd win, but then Pizzicato called forth Hummy, and congratulated her. Hummy had never looked quite as happy, yet Siren had never looked quite as furious. Kanade assumed she would soon feel better, once her wounded pride healed, but instead she remained in her human form, asked not to be called Siren, and did not sing again ever since that. Kanade could not tell if Ellen was full of anger against Hummy or disappointment in herself, but two weeks before she had set sail to the Precure Kingdom with Hibiki when Kanade could not accompany her, and did not say goodbye to anyone. Ever since then Hummy had been practicing all day, all night, and if she noticed Ellen was upset, she did not show it. Then again, with all the responsibility that Hummy had, perhaps it was for the better that she did not worry about anything.

It was odd, Kanade thought, to play the piano by herself. She had become so used to having Hibiki's hand close to hers, playing alongside her, each one helping the other correct their mistakes, growing more harmonic by the day. To think that when they first transformed, they could not understand each other at all, and now they were so close to perfect synchronicity. Kanade feared that being far away from Hibiki could ruin their progress, but Hibiki did not seem concerned; she was either very confident in their bonds, or she did not care about their harmony as much as Kanade did.

She shook off that thought. Regardless of the truth, that sort of thinking would do no good. Hibiki could make her own choices, and if Kanade could not understand and accept that, perhaps she was not so truly in accord with Hibiki as she thought.

"But I miss you so much."

Kanade blurted those words, only realizing that Hibiki was not playing by her side when she had already spoken. Kanade botched the next few notes she was supposed to play, and by the time she recovered her rhythm, she just slammed her hand on the keys. Hummy stopped singing and turned to her.

"What's wrong, Kanade? I'm here, how can you miss me?"

"Nothing's wrong," she lied, and got up. "I was just, uh, thinking of another song at the same time, a song about missing a dear friend, and I got it messed up with the song I was playing. Yes, that's what happened. Nothing more."

"That's because you're not getting enough rest!" Hummy jumped on the piano stool to get closer to Kanade, her voice filled with worry. "I know you're worried about your performance, but there's no need to be such a perfecter, er, perfecten," Hummy stuttered. "You know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"

"As if you're one to talk," Kanade said, sounding more caustic than she had intended, "you barely get any sleep. You just spend every night practicing the Melody of Happiness. You barely eat, Hummy! Do you know how much you worry me?"

Hummy sighed, and got down again. She looked so somber, it was so unlike her, Kanade thought.

"Well, I can't afford to do any less," Hummy said, serious. "The Melody of Happiness was for Siren to sing, wasn't it?" Kanade thought she could hear Hummy tear up, but couldn't tell for sure. "I stole it from her, that's why she's so sad, isn't it?"

Kanade was silent. She dared not to presume she could speak for Ellen. Even so, what else could it be? Her silence seemed to be a good enough answer for Hummy.

"I have to do my best, then, and show her that I'm worthy, that she taught me well, and make her proud. And that will make her happy again, won't it?"

"I have a feeling it's not that simple," Kanade did not want to lie to her friend by saying it was an easy matter to fix, not when it was so serious, "because maybe what she feels is envy."

Hummy did not answer. Kanade presumed that she did not even want to think that Siren could feel that towards her. She just began to sing again, and when Kanade tried to speak up, Hummy just sang louder. Resigned, she sat down and resumed her practice, but could not give it all her attention. Even Hummy is worried, the ever-cheerful Hummy, and that felt so wrong. And Hibiki and Ellen were an ocean away, on that damn kingdom. Why did they not listen to Kanade and just stay in Majorland, where it's safe, and live surrounded by beautiful music, instead of that terrible place where the Precure were more occupied with politics and war than with their duty to the greater good. Why was Hibiki not worried at all? Was she truly convinced that the Precure Kingdom was a paradise?

Paradise is being with the ones you love. And Hibiki's loved ones certainly weren't a thousand miles away.

Then Kanade realized something that ashamed her. Practice is over, she declared, and she retreated to her quarters before anyone could tell she was upset.

Am I truly worried about Hibiki, or do I simply not want her away from me? Ah, how selfish I am, she thought as she threw herself against her bed and did not move. Kanade felt their precious bond wrapping itself around her neck, squeezing, making her suffer every moment she wasn't close to Hibiki.

She looked at the empty space on the bed she shared with Hibiki, and she felt empty as well, empty and stupid. She closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to take her.

And there she was, clad in pink among a horde of faceless Precure. Melody, all alone, yet when Kanade was close to reaching her, the scenery changed. The dream moved too fast, and it was too blurry, but Kanade could see Hibiki clearly, first in the middle of an endless dark sea, and then in long corridors of pearly marble, running from something unknown, the ceiling closing in on her, the walls getting nearer and nearer one another. Soon she could not run, she could not move, and she could not breathe as the walls crushed her, as the Precure without a face watched her from a distance, and did nothing. Kanade cried out for Hibiki, to no avail, and then she disappeared.

Kanade woke up in tears. She looked outside, and it was already night, no sound to be heard other than her heavy breathing. She slammed the door open, not caring if she woke up the entire castle by doing so. Hibiki is in danger, she could feel it, and she would not stand there and do nothing.


It's a pity how Suite Precure did not make such a big deal out of Hibiki and Kanade's harmony after some episodes. That could have been interesting, I think! Also, a note: the chapters are not exactly in perfect chronology. That is, this chapter did not actually take place after Tsubomi's second chapter, for example, even though it appears later. Since there's quite a bit of travelling in Erika's and Tsubomi's current chapters, assume they all take place chronologically after the other's characters chapters. They will converge later, when the Precures are not so distant, don't worry.