Chapter 6 Time for a Plan
By the time that Lala returned to Earth with Yuni, Hana, Fuwa, and Prunce, it was already sunset. The rocket, with the team in it, gracefully floated down onto the grassy ground. When everyone stepped out, they were greeted by Madoka and Elena, who looked worried.
"Where have you guys been?" Madoka asked.
"You didn't go to the Star Palace, did you?" asked Elena. Lala took a deep breath.
"We…"
"That's exactly what we did," Yuni cut her off. "And we found out that the Ares and Taurus princesses have had their pens corrupted."
"Corrupted?" Madoka asked in shock. "But how is that possible? I mean, Hikaru is the one who has…"
Madoka's voice trailed off as she put the pieces together. Elena's mouth gawked open.
"Hana, you said that you fight this place called Criasu," Elena said. "Is it possible for them to corrupt the pens like that?"
"I'd imagine so. If they found a way to drain their power."
Elena shook her head, unwilling to believe this. The princesses were the ones responsible for keeping the stars shining. Since they were directly tied to the pens and to one another, news like this was detrimental to everyone.
"I think it goes without saying," Lala said slowly, "that we need to get the pens back lun."
"But how prunce?" Prunce cut in.
"I don't know," Lala admitted. She closed her eyes, trying to formulate a plan. Hikaru would probably have an idea. She was the one with the imagination.
"Getting into an alternate universe is no easy feat," Yuni said. "But I don't think it's impossible. We would need a device of some sort, something that could open a portal like that. And I think I might know someone who would have such a device."
Silence. Everyone stared at Yuni, all of them a little stunned.
"Are you...are you suggesting we go to Aiwarn?" Madoka asked. Yuni nodded.
"If there is anyone in our universe who would build a device like that, it would be her."
"Wait, I'm confused," Hana said. "Who is Aiwarn?"
"She is one of the notraiders," Lala said. "She is the one responsible for the loss of Planet Rainbow. Yuni's homeworld."
"Mechokku!" Hana screamed as her eyes grew wide. "Why would she help us?"
"She wouldn't; especially not if I'm with you," Yuni said. "That's why I suggest we launch an attack. I know where she is, we can get to her easily."
"But what if she doesn't have a device like that?" Madoka asked. Lala felt dread enter her soul at the mere mention of the possibility. Yuni's countenance became dark.
"She might not. But we have no other option. As much as I hate to admit it, Aiwarn is our only hope."
"Not our only hope," Hana objected. "Remember, my team is still in my universe. They can still get to Hugtan and bring her back. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they are trying right now!"
"Even so," Elena said, "we can't depend on people in another universe to solve the problems we have in this one. I agree with Yuni; finding Aiwarn isn't a good option, but it is an option."
Madoka nodded to show her support of the idea. Then she turned toward Lala.
"Lala," she said firmly but elegantly, "are you willing to use the rocket again?"
Lala closed her eyes, assessing the situation. She didn't want to go into battle, not when she had a lot of stuff piled on her plate and not when she would be pursuing a cause that could turn out to have been for nought. Nevertheless, she tightened her fist.
"I said I would do anything to get Hikaru back," she said. "And if everything includes this plan, then that's exactly what I'll do lun. Come on, everyone." She opened her eyes and faced her friends, determination in her face. "Let's go find Aiwarn."
…
Hikaru, along with the Hugtto team, walked back into Beauty Harry. Dr. Traum came out to greet them, and Harry was sitting on his shoulder in his hamster form. The doctor looked eager to find out what happened, but also a little worried.
"How did it go?" he asked. Ruru stepped forward.
"Bicine said that Criasu found a way to access the power in Hikaru's transformation devices," she explained. "He also told us that, once Hugtan is revived, they are going to use her power to bring other Precure here. Chances of their success...one hundred percent."
"Yeesh," Harry said. "Those are not good odds."
Emiru stepped toward the doctor. She looked frightened out of her mind, desperate beyond belief. She even went so far as to grab Dr. Traum's torso, seeking to find an answer.
"You've got to tell us what to do!"
Dr. Traum looked down at the frightened Cure Macherie with sadness in his eyes.
"Child," he said softly, "I'm afraid I don't know what to do."
"Well, you gotta figure out, I say!" Emiru shouted as tears started to form. "If Criasu goes through with this, then we run the risk of losing Hugtan and Hana!"
"But how am I supposed to help?" Dr. Traum asked.
"You used to work for Criasu," Saaya reminded him. "I think that you can use the knowledge you have of their headquarters."
"Yeah," Homare agreed. "You can tell us their weak points; where we can attack."
Dr. Traum shook his head.
"They are heavily guarded; we have no possibility of success if we launch a direct assault." Suddenly, he looked at Ruru, his eyes shining with an idea taking hold. He smiled. "But that doesn't mean we can't catch them by surprise."
Everyone's eyes drifted to Ruru. Ruru looked a little apprehensive, and Hikaru was ignorant to the reason why.
"What are you talking about?" Hikaru asked. Dr. Traum's smile grew brighter.
"I built Ruru specifically for Criasu's use," he explained. "She is a custom made android that the company was not at all happy to lose. I have a hunch that they will be happy to have her back."
Ruru's eyes grew wide. Fear settled in as she grasped what the doctor was saying.
"Are you suggesting," she said nervously, "what I think you are suggesting?"
Dr. Traum was grinning so brightly now that even his molars were visible. The other girls looked just as startled as Ruru.
"We take them down from within," Dr. Traum said. He turned and headed to a whiteboard on the other side of the shop. He started to draw a diagram onto it, depicting the plan. "Ruru and I will go to Criasu's headquarters. We will pretend that we want back in the company."
"Wait, hold up one second," Homare said as she raised up her hand. "The people at Criasu aren't stupid; they will see right through you if you two go up to their doorstep the day after they've revealed their plan."
"She's right," Harry chimed in. "You guys will never get in!"
"Not by ourselves," Dr. Traum agreed. "That's where she comes in."
He gestured toward Hikaru. Hikaru squirmed in her seat.
"What good will I be?" she asked.
"Criasu would never deny us if we bring them a Precure as a prisoner," Traum said. "And to make the act even more convincing, I'll have Ruru give them her PreHeart."
"WHAT!" Ruru yelled as she stood up. "Are you insane? That's exactly what they want!"
"Which is exactly the reason why we should do it," Traum responded. "They won't question our loyalty if we show them that they are our first priority."
Ruru bit her lip. It was apparent to everyone in the room that she wasn't on board with this, because nobody else was on board with it. Emiru in particular looked frightened and apprehensive.
"I can't become Cure Macherie without Ruru!" she said. "If we give them her PreHeart, I won't be able to fight! I'll be a sitting duck, I say!"
"Not for long you won't," Traum said. "We will get the PreHeart back as soon as we've rescued Hugtan."
"And how are we going to do that?" Harry asked. Traum smiled as he took him down from his shoulder and held him in the palm of his hand.
"I plan on having us sneak you into the building while you are in Hikaru's pocket. You know the place just as well as I do, and thanks to your size you can also navigate the ventilation system."
Like the others, Harry looked a little hesitant. Hikaru looked between him and Ruru. Of course, there was one thing that wasn't being said, one major elephant in the room that could be a serious flaw in the plan.
"Dr. Traum," she began, "what exactly would Criasu do to Ruru if they found out that she tried to trick them?"
Traum was silent. He placed Harry down on the ground and sighed.
"Well, seeing how she is valuable to them as a servant," he said, "they would most likely reprogram her."
Everyone in the room gasped. The air seemed to escape the shop, and the silence was so strong you could hear a pin drop.
"NO!" Emiru squealed in fright. She turned to Ruru and took her hands. "Ruru, you can't do it! It's too risky!"
Ruru closed her eyes. The desperation was strong in Emiru's voice.
"I have to do it." She looked Emiru straight in her crimson eyes. "It's high risk, but it's also high reward." She stepped toward Dr. Traum. "What time do we head out?"
"In the morning," Traum said. "We all need to rest beforehand."
Emiru was crying, her voice shaking and weak.
"Ruru…"
"Don't worry, Emiru." Ruru turned toward her partner and gave her a smile. "It'll be okay. We have exactly an eighty four percent chance that this will work. We can do it; I know we can."
