An Ordinary Study Group
Cast:
Cure Egret / Cure Windy, Mishou Mai - age 17
Cure Mint, Akimoto Komachi - age 18
Hosshiwa, Hoshi Wako - age 17
Shirogane Hisako - age 17
March, 2009
Mai and Komachi have been in the same class at Nine Muses High School for nearly a year, but this is Mai's first time hosting a study group at her house. When Mai guides Komachi and two other girls into her room, Komachi's gaze is drawn to a photo hanging on the wall.
It is a group shot of several people in outlandish costumes, including a woman whose gown and sleeves have been made to look like waterfalls and a man whose body has been painted bright yellow. Mai is smiling next to a redhead, and they are both dressed like magical girls.
"Those are interesting costumes. The two of you look like Pretty Cure."
"We are Pretty Cure, but how did you guess? Most people assume that we cosplayed as magical girls."
"It's because I am also Pretty Cure. I'm Cure Mint. I've written a few stories where we really are magical girls."
Another girl, one with sky blue hair peers at the photo. "Must be nice, huh? I wanted to be a magical girl when I was little. I wanted to wear pretty clothes and have all the sweets for myself. Actually, I still kind of want that."
"What, you'd be a magical girl, Wako?" asks the fourth girl, who has snowy white hair.
"Hosshiwa. That's my magical girl name."
The other girl rolls her eyes. "Whatever."
"Not 'Whatever', Hisako! Hosshiwa!"
"Fine, you can be Hosshiwa," Hisako says, pointedly turning her attention to the two PreCures. "So what is Pretty Cure, exactly?"
Mai and Komachi explain.
"That sounds so weird," Hosshiwa says. "Why are they giving you all that money instead of spending it for themselves?"
"It's really not that much money!" Komachi protests.
"It's still weird!"
"What's weird is that they are both Pretty Cure and didn't know until now," Hisako says. "Don't you ever get together?"
"Cure Bloom and I are best friends, but aside from that..." Mai trails off.
"I'm good friends with the other girls who became PreCure at the same time as me, and with Milky Rose, but I haven't met any of the ones from before or after that, present company excepted."
"But that's such a waste! You should throw parties! All Star parties!"
"PreCure All Stars?" Hosshiwa makes a gagging noise. "Couldn't you think of a better name?"