Jun and Emika had decided to walk to school together every day following their discovery of each other's partnership. Jun would happily run up to her friend, grasp her hand, and take off in a march holding it softly. They had really started to enjoy each other's company, and it showed. Even Emika was becoming less anxious around Jun, who was excited in itself just to have her around. It was a great friendship.

"So… We're catering the Golden Faith Prestige Ball? Are you sure we can do it?" Emika asked, looking at Jun with a worried expression. Ume was the Culinary Club's treasurer/vice president and often kept Jun in check when she wanted to make an impulsive purchase, but she was out sick today with a cold. Jun nodded at Emika's question with a whole lot of enthusiasm.

"Of course we can! We'll do it, no sweat, and I'm sure your desserts will be the talk of the town for days!" she gushed, beginning to ramble about how excited she was and what she was going to cook. Emika smiled and nodded, Jun's assured nature and excitable personality rubbing off on her. It had been two days since Emika became a Precure - Cure Brave - and a Dark Land general had yet to show up. They were a little worried, but Jubilee was confident that they could win and find all of their partners. They had begun setting up their menu for the Prestige Ball when they got a knock on the club door.

"Coming! One second!" Jun called, rushing up to it. When she opened, she was greeted with a gentle smile she had seen on the day Emika became Cure Brave. "Oh, Konoko-senpai!"

"Hello, miss Izanama. I wanted to thank you for your small speech the other day. I also wanted to let you know that it would be in your best interest to try and get a new member of your club. It's fine as it is, but if anybody leaves, then it'll be a gathering, not an official club." she informed with a serious tone. Emika looked worried, but Jun thought for a moment. She smiled widely after a few moments, nodding.

"Right! I bet we can get a member soon enough. I've just gotta put the club out there! Oh, and Emika, you can leave that to Ume and I. I know you don't like public speaking and all, so you don't have to, okay?" she turned. Emika nodded with a relieved smile.

"You care for your friends, don't you miss Izanama? You're very attuned to their worries and comforts." she commented. Jun giggled and waved Yuki inside, and as she stepped inside the Culinary Club's room, she smelled a wonderful aroma. "Oh my… It smells delicious. What are you making, if I may ask?"

"We're working on our menu for the Prestige Ball while we try out new dessert recipes! Emika and I made this cake together. You're welcome to try a slice when it's done, it only has a little bit more to go." she offered, taking her seat back at the table next to Emika. Yuki sat on the other side of Jun, looking at the menu.

"It looks like it'll be a delicious night with all the food you've got planned. Are you sure only three people can make it all? It seems like a large workload." Yuki pointed out. Jun shook her head.

"Not really. These are our ideas, anyways, not the final plan. We have a two months before the ball, so we have plenty of time to plan and prepare. Since you're on the student council, you'll be attending, right senpai?" she asked curiously. Yuki nodded. "Then, is there anything you'd like to have on the menu? We can make a special exception if it's something small."

"I wouldn't want to bother, but… I do have a particular affinity for any kind of chocolate sweets. Any kind is fine." she replied. Jun thought for a moment, then grinned.

"We can do that!" she exclaimed. "How does chocolate lava cake sound?!" she asked excitedly. Emika laughed just a little.

"Jun, that's… that's a little extravagant, don't you think?" she asked. Jun paused, and Emika and Yuki giggled.

"Oh, you think so? Well then, I'll use my secret Jun Izanama-brand secret recipe chocolate fudge brownies! Super simple, but so yummy!" she declared, pointing high in the air. Her two friends laughed, and they all just went along. Jun's excitement was easily infectious.

"Well, it certainly sounds exciting. Let me know when you've got a full menu worked out, I'd love to come see it. In the meantime, I'd love to try some of that cake!" Yuki smiled, standing. Jun stood as well.

"Oh, it's done already? Nice! Only one more minute. I'll get the mitts ready, and then we can ice it after I pull it out. It's good to do the icing while it's warm so that it gets all gooey and stuff! We're trying out our own recipe for a cinnamon roll cake, after all." she explained. Yuki nodded, watching intently as Jun pulled out the cake happily. She put it on the counter, and Emika held the two icing bags with a smile. "Actually, Emika, would you mind getting a third one for Yuki? I'm sure she'd love to help,"

"Is it okay for me to? I'm not part of the club, so I don't wish to overstep my boundaries." she murmured. Jun shook her head and hugged Yuki full-force.

"Everybody's welcome here in the Culinary Club! Especially friends!" she grinned as she let go. Yuki had a surprised look on her face, with a small blush, but it grew into a soft, heartwarming smile that could relax anybody. She sighed and took an icing bag, happily joining the two as they iced.

"Hey, do you two remember the incident with the monster in the town square two days ago, and that second hero appearing?" Yuki asked, out of the blue. Jun and Emika froze. Emika was especially petrified, so all the speaking was left up to Jun.

"Um… Oh yeah! I, uh, bumped my knee and went to the nurse when it happened!" she lied again. She hated to do it, but it was for everyone's safety. Yuki paused as she seemed to sense this, but didn't pry into the matter. "Why do you ask…?"

"Well, you know, it's just a huge surprise. Real life heroes and such, you know? They're very cool, I imagine it must be nice to have those kinds of powers." she thought aloud with a pondering expression on her face. Jun nodded.

"Y-Yeah, definitely, uh, nice. But kind of dangerous, right?" she asked, trying to make it look unsuspicious. She still wasn't any good at keeping things secret…

"Oh, of course. Fighting monsters like that… I imagine it must be some terrifying work. But those heroes are very brave." she nodded solemnly. Emika peeped.

"Um… Brave? U-Uh, yes, very brave…" she hid behind Jun, feeling ashamed just a little. As they finished icing the cake and cutting it, the tension about heroes dissolved away as the icing did on the cake. Jun served a slice to each of the two other girls, and then to herself. They all took a bite at the same time, exclaiming "Itadakimasu!" and digging in.

"Oh my, it's really good! I'm not a huge fan of cinnamon rolls myself, to be honest, but this is wonderful!" Yuki sighed happily, digging into more of her piece. Jun and Emika smiled and watched as their newest creation went off without a hitch. Looks like they had something to add to the menu! Yuki smiled and finished her piece with vigor. She really did enjoy being in charge of clubs, sometimes, especially when she made friends through them.


"Dusk and Sable. You have both failed me. I am extremely disappointed in you two, you know. I could still punish you greatly, even from this accursed stone prison. You are lucky there is one more of you to try and fix the mess you've created." a hissing voice came from a shadowy statue. The statue was of a man, dressed in an extravagant suit, holding a large staff in his left hand and a cracked, heart-shaped stone in the other.

"Prince Shadow, I assure you, it wasn't my intention to fail. I was simply caught a bit off guard, if I may have a second chance, I promise I won't disappoint you!" Sable pleaded. Prince Shadow gave a low, eerie, snake-like laugh.

"Please. If I wanted another failure I'd send you. For now we'll have to try and rely on brute strength. If even this fails, then maybe I'll consider sending you again. Just maybe, since you begged so nicely." If he wasn't a statue, the man would probably have been smirking. Sable turned away in shame as roaring laughter came down a hallway. She knew that voice…

"YO! PRINCE SHADOW! I heard you needed me to get something done?" a man grinned, stepping into the room. He was extremely large, with bulging muscles and a suit with sleeves torn right off. His hair was a dark, murky black, almost midnight blue like the depths of the ocean. It was worn long, longer than both Sable's and Dusk's, in a single ponytail low on his head. His bangs went with his red eyes, somehow, and his eyes went with his blazing red tie. He crossed his arms, suit stretching to capacity with them.

"Yes… Ink, I want you to destroy the Precure. We must get them out of our way so we can become free to collect the Everlast Seeds ourselves. We won't get anywhere with them in our way." Prince Shadow informed. Ink nodded curtly.

"Easy-peasy! Those two squirts just aren't on my level." he spat. And with that, he was gone. Sable and Dusk could only frown and look away from the statue's stony gaze.


"Oh, you're leaving already, Yuki?" Jun asked, wrapping up their cinnamon roll cake and storing it in a box. She nodded with a sigh.

"Yes, as much as it breaks my heart to leave such sweet underclassmen, I've got a student council meeting in a little bit. We're discussing the budget and other boring math stuff I just don't get." she rolled her eyes. Jun nodded in understanding.

"Me too, me too. I hate math. But hey, take this with you! You can share this with the others and tell them how awesome the Culinary Club is!" she smiled, handing over the box. Yuki took it with a surprised look.

"Are you sure? You worked so hard on it… You don't want to keep it?" she asked. Jun shook her head.

"No, we've got the recipe. And besides, sharing it is what makes it good! If I keep it all to myself, then others won't know the yummy taste of our new recipe!" she explained. "My dream is to open my own restaurant… I've wanted to since my sixth birthday."

"Oh, what a wonderful dream. I really appreciate the cake, Miss Izanama." Yuki nodded.

"Oh, please, call me Jun. Well, I suppose you should get going. Good luck at the meeting!" she grinned. Emika nodded and wished the same. Yuki smiled brightly in return, and nodded as she stepped out of the clubroom. As she made her way out, Jubilee popped out from Jun's bag.

"Thank goodness I can talk-jubi! Look, there's not much time, I think there's a Dark Land General nearby-jubi!" he announced with a scared tone. "Be careful, but you've just gotta transform-jubi!"

"Right! Let's go, Emika." Jun laid a hand over the Everheart stone on her necklace. Emika took a deep breath, doing the same. They both called out at the same time, the glowing lights enveloping them.

"Pink Everheart Stone! Precure..."

"Red Everheart Stone! Precure..."

"IMMORTAL CHANGE!" and as they both began to transform, a sliding door opened.

"Hey guys, I think I left my… bag… in here…" Yuki dropped the cake as Jun transformed into Cure Hope and Emika into Cure Brave. They froze, turning around to see Yuki standing slack-jawed in the doorway. Brave freaked out, hiding behind Hope, and Jubilee went ahead of them, out the window.

"Oh no, what are we going to do?! She saw us transform! Now everyone'll know our identity and they'll be in danger!" she cried. Yuki paused her gaping for a moment and looked at the two. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then opened them again. It seemed as if she couldn't believe it, but then again, anybody would be aghast at seeing two people transform.

"I… I won't tell anybody. If it means protecting others, then I understand. I'll keep your secret, you two. Now go and save everyone, okay?" she smiled gently. She was so nice and understanding… How? If it were anybody else, they probably would've given their identity away to the media for a few quick bucks.

"Yuki… thank you for your compassion. I really appreciate it. You're a really great friend, you know?" Hope gave a smile and started to walk over to the window, Brave following. "I'll make you the best brownies you've ever had as thanks, okay? Look forward to them!"

"Y-You're welcome…!" she exclaimed as Hope and Brave leapt from the window to follow the fairy that had left before them. She almost couldn't believe what she had seen, but she'd told them that she wouldn't tell anyone and she meant it. Yuki always kept her word.


"So where is this Dark Land General, anyways?" Hope asked when they landed outside. Jubilee blushed embarrassingly.

"Well… Um… He's kind of… Gone-jubi. As in, he was here, but you know, he uh, left-jubi…" he turned away from them slightly. Hope sighed and dropped her head. Brave rested her head on Hope's shoulder.

"So we… Transformed in front of Yuki for absolutely no reason? This seems like a poorly timed plot device." Brave sighed. Hope nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm sorry-jubi! I really didn't mean for it to happen, he just left-jubi! I don't know what he was doing here, but whatever it was, it couldn't have been good so I just wanted you guys to go check it out-jubi… I promise it was an accident-jubi…" he sniffled. Hope sighed and plopped onto the ground, petting Jubilee's head.

"I forgive you, Jubilee. We've just gotta be more careful about where we transform, okay? We can't just do it anywhere, especially since TV crews are looking for us everywhere. " she explained. Brave tapped her shoulder.

"TV crews… you mean like that one…?" she pointed to a man with a microphone in hand and a woman with a camera on her shoulder running full-speed towards them. Hope stood quickly, picking Jubilee up as well.

"Yes, exactly like that one! We've gotta go!" she cried. The woman hollered 'wait!' but the two Cures began running away. The man - apparently an athlete runner or something on top of a reporter - caught up to them before they could get away. He was panting slightly but gave a thumbs up to the woman.

"Hello, Otonashi On-the Spot News reporter Hanataro Fujishima, on-site where I've encountered the two heroes who saved our town! I've got several questions for you two ladies!" he exclaimed proudly. Brave hid shyly behind Hope, but still showed her face. "First of all: what are your names? We've gotta have something to call our heroes!"

"U-Uh, no comment, thanks. We're um, secret heroes…" she mumbled. She didn't have anything to say. "B-But look, um, we'll answer you some other time. We've got work to do!" and with that, she took ahold of Brave's hand and leapt away. They couldn't just expose themselves. The man, face angry, turned away.

"I can't believe it! Another failure to report. At this point, I'll be fired…" he muttered. His partner patted his shoulder reassuringly. Above them, Ink floated menacingly, staring at the reporter with a smug expression. He seemed to think he was already victorious.

"Perfect… I can use him. That stupid fairy can't even detect me well because he's so weak. I'll crush those brats for him and become Prince Shadow's right hand." he grinned. Ink was definitely the more terrifying of the three so far, but the Cures had yet to discover this. Oh, but they would understand soon.


Yuki sat in her Student Council meeting a few days later, still amazed by her discovery of her two underclassman being superheroes. It was crazy, and she almost still couldn't believe it. But she had seen it with her own eyes, so she had to believe it. She had also seen the on-the-spot news report later that day, of the two heroes embarrassingly being caught. Since then, the reporter Hanataro, had been harassing them almost every time they went out.

Jun and Emika had explained everything afterwards, and Yuki even got to meet Jubilee. She understood their dedication and why they felt they had to do it. But that reporter… every time Jubilee sensed something, it was as if he was there on the scene, and he would not stop dogging them, and the two heroes hated it. Yuki was around sometimes, and she got the guy off their backs once, but that didn't stop him from trying over and over again. She was really starting to get bothered by that guy at this point.

"Alright, council meeting's over. If you would all attend to your duties, that would be wonderful. And Yuki, would you mind checking on the Culinary Club? They've had their VP out sick for a while now. Just go in and check on them and make sure they're doing alright." the president instructed. Yuki nodded. So she was going back to the Culinary Club, hmm… As she stepped out of the room, she thought happily about seeing the cute owl fairy again. Maybe keeping their secret wouldn't be such a bad thing.

As she stepped into the connecting glass hallway, she looked outside, noting the lovely day. She also noted… Hanataro Fujishima?! He was wandering around the school! He must've been waiting for Hope and Brave to appear. He even brought the camera all by himself, no assistant this time. She had had enough. She was going to go tell that guy off.

"Hey!" she called out, stepping outside. The reporter looked up in surprise. When he saw who it was, however, he furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. They had already come to blows once and they were not on good terms. She stomped up to him and looked him dead in the eye. The man - admittedly smaller than Yuki was - looked up and stood his ground. They were both very stubborn, as it seemed.

"Listen. Those two are protecting people. Can't you just leave them alone and let them do their heroics in peace?! They're young girls, obviously, fighting gigantic creatures, and you harassing them is making their job even more stressful." she scolded the man. He winced, as if her words seemed to hurt him. "I hope you feel bad for doing this."

"I… I do… I feel horrible, okay?! But it's either this or my job!" he lashed out back. "Aagh! My… Head, my head hurts!" He fell to his knees. A goopy black substance seemed to be forming from the back of his head. It flew off in globs towards the thick foliage surrounding the school. A man, huge and intimidating, stepped out from behind the trees. It seemed the black substance was going to him. He had a hole in his hand, and every time some of the substance flew in, Yuki could feel an ominous pulse coming from the hole.

Back at the castle, Sable and Dusk looked on in awe as Ink's portal let fly all the substance he was collecting. It attached itself to the statue of Prince Shadow, and the area of the right shoe where the toes would be became colored. A voice came from the statue as it breathed a sigh of relief and a wispy 'Finally'.

"Wh-What's going on?! What are you doing to that man?!" Yuki cried. Hanataro groaned in pain as the black substance stopped coming from his head and he passed out. The large man laughed, seemingly uncaring - even happy - about the man's pain.

"I took his raw Negative Energy. All of his anger, jealousy, hatred, and fear… It's going to restore Prince Shadow to his former glory. This man was the perfect candidate. And you… Should I take your Negative Energy as well? You're upset about something… You're scared that your friends will get hurt. How pathetic. If you have to rely on something like friendship then you're just as weak as all the other humans." he spat. Yuki balled her fists.

"It's not… It's not pathetic to rely on somebody sometimes. Jun and Emika… They're my first friends in this school…! They care about me, so it's only natural I care about them! They protect the whole world… So I'm going to take care of them in return!" and as she called out that last sentence, a bright yellow light came flying towards them with an ecstatic 'jubiiiiii!'.

"Yuki! You're a candidate to become a Precure-jubi!" Jubilee smacked into her at full speed, Hope and Brave landing just after. Yuki looked shocked as Hope and Brave went directly into battle. She held Jubilee for a moment.

"Me, a hero like them? I, I couldn't, I'm not strong enough. Jun and Emika, they're so strong in their own ways, but me? I'm-!" she was cut off by an angry Hope.

"Absolutely not! There's no way you're weak!" she shouted, meanwhile Ink poured out his bottle of Negative Energy onto the ground. The ooze began forming a Shaori, the monsters that Jun had begun to fight already. "There's no way, because you stood up for your own kind feelings! There's no way that's weak, you know!"

"Hope…" Yuki murmured, and the Shaori roared. It was a humanoid black creature with glowing, red eyes and one of its hands was shaped like a microphone. It must've been Hanataro. Yuki took a step back. "S-Still, that thing…!"

"That's where I come in-jubi! With the Precure's power, you can fight anything-jubi!" he assured her. The Shaori began to stomp around furiously, shouting Hanataro's unhappy feelings all over the place. She listened with watery eyes.

"I'm terrible-rii! Terrible-rii! I can't provide for my family-rii!" it sobbed. Yuki looked away shamefully, clenching Jubilee tightly.

"I said such things… I must fix what I've done. I only did it in their best interest, but I had no idea… I've got to apologize. And they… My friends need my help, I've got to do this! Jubilee, make me a Precure!" Yuki agreed firmly. Jubilee gasped happily.

"Yes! I knew it, that's the spirit-jubi! Take this, and say what you feel in your heart-jubi!" he explained, a beam of yellow light shooting from the jewel on Jubilee's chest. It formed into a heart-shaped necklace just like Jun and Emika's, and she knew what to do like it was second nature to her. She held the necklace up, and called out what she had heard her friends do the other day…

"Yellow Everheart Stone! Precure… IMMORTAL CHANGE!" as she shouted her call, a sparkling, bright yellow light swirled around her in a pillar that shot into the sky. Her clothes glittered and shone and onto her chest burst a poofy yellow bow, with her Everheart stuck firmly in the center. A yellow vest was next, with golden trim and short yellow sleeves with wavy, rounded edges. A skirt in the same fashion next, with ribbons of the same golden trim color wrapping themselves snugly around her legs, making thigh high socks.

White boots with the same trim that formed little hearts at the rounded top, and white elbow-length gloves with golden trim and ruffles were last to complete the outfit as she clapped her hands and tapped her feet together. Her hair went from dusty, brownish blonde to bright and yellow like the sun itself shone from her hair. Her bangs parted, and large, clear jewels put her hair into perfect pigtails, each round and poofy. She breathed in, and did a little twirl as she hit the ground. The light dissipated with the clack of her boots hitting the concrete.

"The light of a soft heart! Cure Kind!" she pointed towards the Shaori. "I'll make sure to save you and keep everyone safe!" Hope's eyes shone and Brave gave a big smile.

"Kind! Let's fight together!" Hope called out to her. Brave nodded in agreement. Kind smiled back and Ink roared.

"Stupid, stupid! They said there were two of you! Well, whatever! It doesn't matter if there are three or three hundred! I'll beat all of you! Unlike my coworkers, I don't need to transform to beat you! Shaori, attack!" Ink commanded. The Shaori seemed to yell into its microphone, creating a sonic wave that tossed Hope and Brave - who were in its path - several feet into the air. Kind flinched and got into a fighting stance.

"Hope! Brave! What do I do?!" she cried, jumping to avoid a swing by the blobby monster. Brave stumbled and got up after her fall, and gave another smile.

"You're doing it! Just get it weakened, and then purify it with your everheart!" She explained excitedly. It seemed that as Brave, she was much less shy, and more excitable. Perhaps she felt like she was able to be herself.

"Got it! I'll do my-!" she was cut off with a gasp as the Shaori swooped in and grasped Hope and Brave tightly with its free hand. Kind began running towards it. "Hey! You let go of my friends right now!"

"I told you, stupid girl, friendship is useless! Especially when your friends are as weak as this! Pathetic. My muscles are better than them! Ha!" Ink scoffed. Kind balled her hands into fists, and raised an arm. It almost seemed as if there were a wing glowing around it. She took a deep breath and swung it.

"Kind Flight!" the glowing wing shot out, smacking into the Shaori's arm. It stumbled and dropped the two other cures, wobbly and disoriented from the attack. Hope and Brave both landed safely on their feet. "I'm telling you… Friendship isn't stupid. I only came to this school last year… And I made no friends. But now… These two, who are so nice to me… They are my first friends. I will make sure nobody hurts them And if somebody does…" Kind got a terrifying expression on her face. It was so scary, Ink actually recoiled slightly.

"I'll make sure to return it 100-fold! Everheart, become my weapon!" Her Everheart separated from her bow, glowing a bright, comforting yellow. It grew and grew, morphing into a thin heart shaped band. She held her hands in a heart formation next to her chest. "A heart full of feelings, beaming brightly…"

The ring shot off, hula-hooping its way down to the middle of the Shaori. "KIND RING!" The single band separated into many, and they all tightened and tightened, glowing brighter. The rings tightened so much that the Shaori popped, and the retracted back until it formed a vial of yellow liquid.

"Gah! Pathetic weapon. At least I got some Negative Energy for Prince Shadow. I'll be back! I will, and next time I'll transform! You got that?!" he snatched his vial back, the yellow liquid morphing back into black ooze as he touched it. He left via a black hole similar to the one that was on his hand. Kind let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"I… I can't believe I did that… Oh my god. Oh my god." she fell to her knees and Hope and Brave ran up, ecstatic. "You guys… You do this all the time? Haha… Man, you guys sure are something." she joked.

"Ha… Yeah, but now you're a part of the team! You were wonderful, Kind, and I'm really happy you can be our friend. Right, Brave?" Hope grinned. Brave nodded quickly.

"Of course! Jun's right. You're a wonderful friend, senpai." she giggled. Kind smiled happily back at them, standing again. "O-Oh, um, I think the reporter's awake."

"You! There's three of you now?!" he gasped excitedly, as if he had won the lottery. He grasped the camera and turned it on and held up his microphone. It was almost as if nothing had happened! And his unhappiness seemed to have left as well. "Please, will you say a few words?"

"Yes. This time… We will." Kind spoke up. "We do indeed fight the monsters you saw. But we need to do so with the confidence that people are safe! If people keep following us, such as yourselves, then you may get hurt in the process." she seemed to grow grim remembering the scene from earlier, when he was in so much pain. "We will speak when we deem it safe to do so. Deal?" she offered her hand.

"Um… Uh, yes! Of course! And as our heroes, we've gotta have something to call you. What's your names?" he asked, prying. Kind smiled, shaking her head.

"Now, now, we're not that silly. But if you must have something to call us… What do you think?" she turned to her partners. Jun nodded that it was okay to say, having heard Jubilee whisper-yell to her from in a tree. "We are Precure."


NEXT EPISODE: Oh No! A Big Pinch!