Episode Twenty-Five: Storm of Hope! Cure Kirin!
In the end, it had all been strangely simple.
That was shocking, given how much Shahei had to improvise. She had not expected to be welcomed into the rebellion's fold. She had not expected to learn those things about herself, things that still left a horrible taste of bile in her mouth. And she had not expected to be practically handed an opportunity like this.
The Umbra Carillon… Shahei only had a basic understanding of what it was, thanks to Hinyu. But she did know that Pretty Cure needed it. And Hinyu needed those five to be brought low.
She had spent the entire trip with her heart in her throat. Some part of her feared that Shun would catch wise, and that if she didn't, the ninja girl or the boy with many eyes would. But none of them had suspected a thing. They truly believed that Kae was still with them.
Tsuyama and Hachime went down quickly, snared and silenced by vines that shot forth from the temple walls. Shun did not notice. Poor, stupid Shun, who left her back wide open as she undid the seal guarding the Umbra Carillon. She was so certain that Shahei was helping her.
What came next should have been easy. And yet, for a moment, Shahei found herself hesitating for reasons even she could not begin to explain to herself-
"Surely you won't be fool enough to disappoint me, Shahei. We both know what that'd mean."
-before the memory of Hinyu's final words to her, right before he had sent her onward, gave her that final push forward. Her disguise fell away as she laid a hand on Shun's shoulder-
"I'm sorry."
-and drove a sparking blade of light blue spirit power into Shun's back. Shahei betrayed no hint of emotion as she heard Shun gasp in pain and watched the strength slowly ebb from her body.
"Keiko?"
Keiko was not here. Shahei had seen to that. How had Shun completely failed to realize that, right until the end? Surely a worthy older sister could have told one twin from another.
"Why?"
Because she was not Keiko. Because she had no heart and no future. Because she was far past saving. Because if she failed to march to Hinyu's tune, it would end terribly for herself and for others.
Shahei stared down impassively at Shun, who now lay prone on the ground. She was clearly injured and weak, but her chest was still steadily rising and falling. Good.
"Rest well, Siegel-san."
Pretty Cure was vulnerable when not transformed. They needed to be eliminated preemptively, if at all possible. But Shun was not and would never be a Cure. This was enough.
Shahei stepped forth into the Umbra Carillon's stale and dust-ridden chamber. The sconces on the walls lit on their own as she approached the center of the room. Their light revealed a massive tableau on one wall. Ten colorful figures confronting an army of titanic beasts. It was a dead ringer for the tableau in the Lux Temple. Pretty Cure could have confirmed that for her.
Shahei would not have cared either way. This kingdom's Pretty Cure were gone. The Wellspring's Pretty Cure were in Hinyu's way. And she was here to neutralize their threat. What else did she have left?
A pedestal sprouted up from the floor in the center of the chamber, unbidden. Did the old magic that protected the place trust her? Did it think one of its princesses was here, come to grant Pretty Cure a needed boon? How ridiculous. Shahei could never become a princess.
The pedestal was topped with a glass dome. Within sat a silver jewelry box. And the Umbra Carillon surely sat within that. Shahei instinctively swept her hand over the dome, causing it to dissolve. She reached towards the jewelry box-
"Don't!"
-and wheeled around to find Keiko standing near the threshold. Her twin sister was out of breath and trembling all over - clearly, she had run some distance to get here. Shahei felt her heart sink. This wasn't supposed to happen. Keiko wasn't supposed to be here, let alone in this dimension. She was supposed to remain imprisoned until Shahei's work was done.
But of course that hadn't happened. Of course Keiko, in her infinite stubbornness, had found a way out. Of course Keiko would insist on getting involved, no matter what Shahei did.
"I dunno what this Umbra thing is or why you'd hurt Shun over it." Keiko took a tentative step towards Shahei. Shahei did not react at all. "But I'm not letting you give it to Hinyu!"
There was something funny about Keiko taking exception to Shahei hurting Shun. And there was something even funnier about Keiko acting like she could back up those words as she was now. But right now, Shahei was in no mood to laugh.
Kae… hard-headed, impulsive, childish, ignorant Kae. Why couldn't she keep her nose out of Shahei's business? Why couldn't she just let her go and move on? She was the one who wanted them to split up!
"That's what you're planning, isn't it? Why? "
Keiko was no more entitled to an answer than Shun had been. Shahei flexed a hand sparking with blue spirit power in front of her. A warning, should Keiko advance further. And of course, Keiko did just that.
"Shahei! Please answer me!"
The only answer Keiko got was a ball of concentrated light blue spirit power to the stomach. She cried out and doubled over in pain before crumpling to the floor. Shahei did not seem to notice or care. She simply retrieved the silver jewelry box, turned, and left.
Or she would have left, had Keiko not weakly reached out and grabbed her ankle.
"Shahei… please…"
Shahei did not look back at her sister. It was too late for any regrets now. It had been for some time.
"You were the best sister I could have asked for. Better than I deserved. Thank you for thirteen wonderful years together, Kae." She smiled hollowly. "I wish they meant as much to you as they did to me."
And then Shahei vanished in a burst of light blue sparkles. Keiko was left clutching at empty air and sobbing brokenly on the ground.
Something was very wrong.
Kagemera knew Pretty Cure was here. He had seen fit to give them a brutal, Shade Kingdom-style welcome seconds after they'd been thrown into his dimension. And now the five of them were standing out in the open, in front of a building that housed an item of interest to Pretty Cure, with the members of a notorious rebel group backing them up. And it was dead silent.
It wasn't like that had been subtle. Clearing the years of built-up weird, freaky tree growth had required a display of spirit power than could have been seen for miles off. And this Kagemera creep had eyes everywhere, to hear Soyokaze talk about it. His forces should have been on them like ants on sugar.
And yet, nothing had happened. No trace of activity, no sight of the enemy, no report from Kooyoo or Tobi or anyone else stationed at the outer edges of the temple grounds, no anything.
Cure Genbu shifted agitatedly from one foot to another as she and her teammates held their positions in front of the Umbra Temple. It wasn't like she wanted there to be a fight. But it would sure beat having to stand here and think. Think about what nasty surprise Kagemera and friends likely had lined up for Pretty Cure and their allies. Think about what might befall Shun without her girlfriend looking out for her.
"I'll be back in record time." Shun had told Izumi, before she and her bodyguards had disappeared into the Umbra Temple. "I'd hate to let my biggest fan down."
She had given Genbu a quick peck on the lips. And then she and the others were gone. They had yet to come back out. Genbu knew it hadn't been that long. But every second seemed endless, especially when her brain kept taunting her with an endless parade of increasingly awful what-ifs.
"Will you be alright?"
To the uninitiated, Cure Byakko looked just a bit concerned about her teammate. Genbu knew the white Cure too well. Byakko was beside herself with worry.
Genbu stopped fidgeting and shook her head. "Honestly? I'm like, thirty seconds from running in there and going after Sieg-kun. I know it's stupid, but…"
"It isn't stupid." Byakko said. "If it was Seiryuu, I'd feel the same way."
It wasn't the same. Cure Seiryuu would not be half as vulnerable to a sudden Shade Kingdom attack as Shun would be. But there was no need to point that out. Byakko was trying to help her. And Genbu was at her best when she let others help her. She'd realized that back then, back when she'd almost lost Shun.
"Thanks, Byakko." Genbu smiled. "I'd be a total mess without you guys."
Shun would be okay! She had Hachime, who was pretty handy in a fight, and Tsuyama, who was a walking armory, and… even if Keiko figured in a few of those 'what-ifs', Genbu wanted to trust her.
"I'm sure no news is good news." Seiryuu told Genbu. "But I don't blame you for being worried." The blue Cure was clearly on edge herself - she already had the Azure Wings ready. "This feels far too easy."
And as soon as Seiryuu finished saying that, a sharp sonic boom cut through the air, followed by a blinding flash of dark gray light in the sky, not far from where Pretty Cure stood.
The five Cures were instantly on high alert as Kooyoo suddenly plummeted from the sky. He dropped into a roll upon touching down on the ground before springing to his feet and tearing towards the Umbra Temple at breakneck speed. He blew past Pretty Cure in a blur of dark red before they could stop him.
Kooyoo had been holding a smaller figure in his arms, Seiryuu realized with alarm. Keiko? No, that couldn't have been right… could it?
And then Tobi unsteadily touched down a few yards away. His momentum carried him further still, and Cure Suzaku had to step in and stop him from faceplanting onto the ground. Tobi looked like he'd seen a ghost - he was panting heavily, his eyes were wide, and he was as pale as a sheet.
"It wasn't her." he gasped. His voice was barely above a whisper. "We've been compromised."
A ripple of shock and confusion traveled through the whole team.
Seiryuu felt her chest tighten. "What?"
Tobi swallowed hard. "That wasn't Kae!" This time, he was much easier to understand. "Shahei - she's with Hinyu now. She's the one who went in there!"
Unfortunately, Tobi wouldn't have the chance to explain anything further.
The ground below everyone's feet began to tremble, and cracks surfaced in the earth, as far as the eye could see. And then a multitude of large, writhing forms violently burst forth from the ground in a shower of soil and debris.
Nikuina. The six of them were surrounded on all sides with swathes of malformed Nikuina. They were smaller than usual, they weren't fused with anything, and they didn't look very tough. But there were so many of them. Pretty Cure and Tobi were now six points of color in a sea of darkness - a sea that stretched out far into the distance.
This ambush was meant to take care of all of them, after all. Not just Pretty Cure but their rebellion allies as well. How long had Hinyu been planning for their arrival? What else had Shahei told him? Was everyone who had remained behind safe? When and how had this twin switch taken place?
Genbu couldn't focus on those questions. Not when her girlfriend was in the Umbra Temple, vulnerable, unaware, and likely at the mercy of someone she thought she could trust. She couldn't stop shaking.
"Sieg-kun…"
Was Shun alright? Had Shahei done anything to her? Would Tsuyama and Hachime be able to protect her? Or was it too late? What if she had been badly injured again… or worse?
Genbu should have turned and run into the Umbra Temple, while she could. She should have trusted her gut. And now it was too late. Genbu couldn't turn and run. Not when the sea of Nikuina was closing in. Not when it would mean abandoning her friends. She had no choice but to fight. None of them did.
Pretty Cure readied their Spirit Arms. Tobi hesitated for a moment before unsheathing his sword. And together, the six of them charged forth into battle.
Seimono lay on a futon in the cramped and unfurnished room serving as Soyokaze's current private chamber, still unconscious and mildly feverish. Kamryou kept vigil at their partner's side with a basin of cold water and a wet rag, which they held to Seimono's forehead. Soyokaze stood a few feet away from the pair, worriedly watching Seimono's chest rise and fall. Kamryou would not let her come any closer.
"Seimono-sama is my partner." they had coolly informed Soyokaze. " I will take care of him."
Soyokaze had put up no resistance. But she hadn't been able to bring herself to leave the room either, despite the death glares Kamryou kept shooting her. They reminded her of a cat a human friend of hers had owned - sweet and cuddly with his owner, liable to glower and growl at her from the shadows every time she was over, until she finally got the hint and left.
She should have left. She and Seimono had not spoken for twenty-five years. And he did not deserve even a shred of her trust. He had been a member of the Dark Triumvirate. A trusted servant to Kagemera, the man who had taken everything away from her. A proper ruler would have recognized that and dealt with him accordingly, shared past be damned.
And yet, there was a part of Soyokaze that still cared about the man before her. A foolish, sentimental part of her that remembered the bright-eyed palace guard who had been one of her first and dearest friends, who had risked his safety to save her life in the end. And that foolish part of herself was winning.
Soyokaze was a terribly selfish woman, after all. Hardly worthy of the hope others invested in her.
"You should have told Seimono-sama earlier."
Soyokaze jumped a bit. She hadn't expected Kamryou, who had not looked up at all, to say a word. And she would not ask them to clarify. She knew exactly what they were talking about.
"I couldn't." she said. "He was one of Kagemera's top generals, wasn't he? I had no reason to trust him. Not when it would put so many people at risk."
Soyokaze had wept inconsolably after learning what had become of Seimono, not long after her return to the Shade Kingdom. She had spent years believing her friend was dead. And he may as well have been. The Seimono she had known would have never stooped to such lows.
"That was your fault." Kamryou was fixing her with another death glare now. "You let Seimono-sama think you were dead. You took his hope away. That's why he stayed. That's why I-!"
Kamryou was too overcome with emotion to finish that sentence. They didn't have to. Soyokaze had not failed to notice the extensive repair job they had been subjected to, especially their obvious bad eye. Kagemera had clearly put them through hell. Just as Seimono had clearly suffered at his hands.
"You have every right to begrudge me." Soyokaze said. "But please understand that-"
Soyokaze narrowly managed to dodge the contents of the water basin, which splashed onto the wall behind her, as the basin itself bounced off the wall and hit the floor with a hollow clang. Kamryou was now hovering in front of her. They clearly wanted to physically lash out at her… and were making an obvious effort to hold themself back.
" Leave." Kamryou snarled. "You're disturbing Seimono-sama."
"That's enough, Kamryou. Lady Soyokaze has every right to be here."
Seimono had regained consciousness and managed to lever himself into an unsteady sitting position. He attempted to stand up but was quickly overcome by lingering exhaustion.
Kamryou flew to their partner's side. "Seimono-sama!"
Soyokaze followed their lead. "Please, don't force yourself!"
"There's no need to worry about me, Lady Soyokaze." Seimono said. "I just need a bit more rest." Kamryou moved to object. He shook his head. "I have endured far worse. This is nothing."
The three of them sat there in silence for some time. Soyokaze stayed by Seimono's side, Kamryou clung to him like a limpet. They were obviously deeply unhappy about Soyokaze's continued presence, but they made no further attempts to chase her off. They wanted to displease Seimono less than they wanted to get Soyokaze away from him.
And finally, Seimono broke through the silence.
"I will not ask for your trust or your forgiveness, Princess. One principled act cannot erase twenty-five years of cowardice." He could not bring himself to meet Soyokaze's eyes. "All this one can offer is his loyalty and my life. It is your choice whether or not to accept."
Kamryou bristled. "Seimono-sama, don't-"
They were afraid of what she might do to him. Soyokaze could tell. And she could not judge Kamryou for that. Not when their baseline for what royalty acted like was Kagemera. And not when a princess of the Shade Kingdom could not allow her attachments to overrule her duty.
But Soyokaze was not a princess. Not at present. And her own hands were far from clean. She was not the pure-hearted and noble girl Seimono had saved twenty-five years ago. She was heavily tarnished herself.
"Fight by my side as my friend and my ally." She gently lay her hand on Seimono's own. Hers was much smaller but no less calloused. "For now, this is all I can ask of you, Seimono." Her eyes were watering again. She let it happen. What was one more moment of selfishness? "Thank you. For making the right choice."
Seimono finally met her eyes. "I simply did my duty, Princess. There's no need to thank me."
Soyokaze answered him with a tearful nod. And for a moment, it was as if those past twenty-five years had not happened. For a moment, they were young and light-hearted and hopeful again. A princess and a palace guard taking tea together, not a very tired rebel leader and a former enemy general hiding underground.
And then Soyokaze was abruptly jerked back to reality as her head started ringing violently. She cried out in pain as the ringing grew louder and more intense by the second. And then the visions started.
Soyokaze staggered to her feet, one hand held to her head as she was suddenly assailed by a rapid-fire jumble of disconnected images. Each was more distressing than the last. Every single one was a portent of death and ruin. Her followers, her daughters, Pretty Cure, all gone. Everything precious to her, destroyed.
Seimono was at her side, whispering words of comfort and assurance. The chamber doors burst open, and Momiji, Matsu, and a few other guards flooded inside. Kamryou was telling them to back off, and Soyokaze-
-could not tell them what was wrong, not easily. Stringing a sentence together was pure agony at present.
But she had to. The air was beginning to shift already. Any more hesitation would spell ruin for all of them.
"Kagemera… he knows. Everything." she rasped. "We need to go. Now."
The Nikuina that flooded the area were much frailer than usual. They might have been dauntingly vast in number, but a well-placed blast of spirit power was enough to reduce them to dust. And the five members of Pretty Cure, together with Tobi, did not hold back.
Towering blue vortexes of spirit power leapt from Cure Seiryuu's palms and ripped through vast swathes of Nikuina. Those that were not shredded on impact were instead blasted sky high. Cure Byakko was ready for them. The white Cure summoned a hail of white metallic swords and threw them into Seiryuu's vortexes, turning them into enormous blenders. All Nikuina trapped within were obliterated instantly.
Cure Ouryuu darted around the battlefield, tossing sparkling golden seeds at the ground. Cure Genbu followed up by springing into the air and pelting the ground Ouryuu had seeded with multiple blasts of dark violet water. The ground shook as golden vines burst forth from the soil, growing to a titanic size and snaring multiple Nikuina, who were left open to a beatdown from the black Cure and the gold Cure.
Tobi shot into the sky and shifted his sword into its fan mode, sending razor gusts of wind towards the flames Cure Suzaku fired at the Nikuina as the red Cure did his best to navigate the crowded and chaotic battlefield. Tobi's wind gave Suzaku's fire a much-needed boost of oxygen, transforming the modestly-sized flames into massive, sweeping infernos that easily cleared out large swathes of Nikuina.
None of the six had any luck clearing a path to the Umbra Temple, despite their efforts. The hordes of Nikuina refused to give them any quarter. Every time they thought they had space to breathe, more Nikuina came flooding in, rising up in waves and cutting off their path at every turn. Even Tobi, who was perfectly capable of flight, couldn't get past them - they easily sniped him out of the air when he tried.
Or rather, they hadn't had any luck yet. The horde of Nikuina was not endless. It was thinning out little by little, thanks to the work of Pretty Cure and their allies, both here and far in the distance.
They just had to keep pushing forward, Seiryuu told herself. Despite everything, the tide would surely turn in their favor, as long as they refused to give up. They had to try, no matter what!
And then suddenly, all the Nikuina froze in place.
Pretty Cure and Tobi watched in shock as the horde of Nikuina backed away from them, as if making way for someone. And Seiryuu did not have to ask who that "someone" was. Not when the temperature around them had spiked. Not when Ouryuu looked sick. Not when Kichu was whimpering in fear.
Tobi's grip on his sword tightened. "Gods damn it. Of course he'd show up."
A column of white hot flame in the center of the clearing the Nikuina had created before breaking apart to reveal none other than a very accomplished-looking Hinyu, who instantly burst into sarcastic applause.
"I lay out a trap, and you practically fling yourselves into it. I wouldn't expect any less." Hinyu smirked as his eyes flitted to Tobi. "You even brought my refuse along for the ride. Did you want me to finish the job?"
"Oh, can it, asshole!" Genbu snapped. The only thing stopping her from throttling Hinyu was, as usual, the real threat of him frying her on the spot. "What are you pulling, and why'd you drag Shahei into it?!"
That got a laugh out of Hinyu. "I didn't drag Shahei into anything. This is what she wanted." His face twisted into a too-wide smile. "And you all opened a very important door for her. Didn't they, Shahei?"
There was a burst of light blue sparkles, and Shahei Asjun appeared next to Hinyu. Seiryuu felt her heart plummet as she saw the state Shahei was in. She was clad in red and black, just like Hinyu and his comrades, her eyes were almost completely devoid of light, and her expression was eerily blank.
Suzaku's eyes widened in alarm. "Shiori-san!"
Shahei did not react. She just kept staring ahead, doll-like.
"To think… the power I sought was under my nose, all this time." Hinyu laid a hand on Shahei's shoulder. She did not react to that either. "Would I have known, had it not been for your idiocy? I have to wonder."
That was enough for Tobi. He swore loudly before flinging himself at Hinyu sword at the ready.
Hinyu didn't react. He didn't have to. Shahei summoned her staff and unblinkingly shot a sparking bolt of spirit power at Tobi. Byakko intercepted it with her shield, leaving it to bounce off said shield, past Shahei, and towards an unlucky Nikuina, who was fried on the spot.
Suzaku had to jump in and hold Tobi back before the older boy could try again. Tobi made a half-hearted attempt at fighting the red Cure, but the fight rapidly went out of him, and he slumped sadly in defeat.
Hinyu hardly seemed to notice or care about any of this. He simply nodded to Shahei.
"Shahei, the Carillon."
Shahei nodded dutifully. "Understood, Hinyu-sama."
It appeared before her with a wave of her hands and in a flash of light blue - an elaborate dark silver bell bearing a crescent moon insignia. Its large, heart-shaped ebony handle was ornamented with gems in the Shade Cures' colors - silver, yellow, violet, teal, and pink. Shahei expressionlessly took hold of it.
The color drained from Genbu's face. "That's… Sieg-kun was supposed to-! What did you do to her?!"
Shahei answered Genbu with a mild smile. "Oh, Genbu. I'm sorry for your loss."
Genbu's pupils shrank. Her… loss? Was Shun…
…no, that was a lie. Shahei had to be lying! She could say whatever she wanted - it didn't make it true! Just because she had the Umbra Carillon, just because she was working for Hinyu, it didn't mean that…
"I'm not gonna lose you, Sieg-kun. I came way too close to that once. Never again."
…that she'd broken her promise to her girlfriend, that she was gone for real, it didn't… it didn't…
Seiryuu and Byakko were at Genbu's side, steadying the black Cure as she went weak in the knees. Ouryuu and Suzaku looked horrified at Shahei's words, and Tobi was shaking his head in stunned disbelief. Shahei did not react at all. Not to any of that and not to Hinyu patting her on the head.
"You delivered beautifully. Good girl, Shahei." he said. "Why don't you show them what you can do?"
For a moment, Shahei hesitated. For a moment, she looked genuinely apprehensive about what Hinyu had asked of her. And then that moment passed as quickly as it had come. She took a deep breath and focused. The Umbra Carillon glowed light blue and lifted into the air, hovering right above her.
And then it began to ring out on its own, sounding a mournful tune that was loud and clear enough to be heard even far off in the distance. And as it rang out, every Nikuina in the vicinity began to glow.
"Shun!"
Shun Siegel was not alone. That was her first coherent thought as she slowly regained consciousness. Someone was holding her close and calling out to her. She wanted to answer them. She wanted to give them some kind of sign. But it was a struggle to manage any kind of response.
"Prince Shun! Can you hear us?"
She could. But right now, she was more focused on trying to stay afloat. Her body felt heavy. Her head was full of fog. Even now, she was threatening to sink back into the dreamless haze of unconsciousness. And part of her didn't want to fight it. Part of her was afraid of facing the reality that waited for her.
"You've gotta wake up, Shun! You've gotta!"
But she couldn't just run away. She couldn't abandon her friends, her family, her girlfriend. That wasn't the kind of person she was. She had to fight her way to the finish line, no matter what!
It was an effort just to open her eyes. But slowly, Shun managed just that. Her vision was badly blurred, but she could recognize the girl who was staring down at her, the girl who'd been holding her in her arms.
"Keiko?"
Keiko nodded tearfully. "I'm glad… I was really worried for a second."
Shun forced a smile. "I'll be okay. I'm pretty tough, you know."
She attempted to sit up, with Keiko's assistance… and was immediately slammed with a sharp phantom pain that lanced through her abdomen, followed by a wave of stabbing pain that shot through the rest of her body. Shun tried to grit her teeth and endure it. She tried to hide how much it hurt. She couldn't..
Someone - Kooyoo - was helping to steady Shun, while someone else - Tsuyama - held out a marble-sized ball of medicine to her, once she finally caught her breath.
"Please take this, Prince Shun. It'll help you feel better."
Shun nodded shakily and accepted the medicine from Tsuyama. It was almost unbearably bitter, and she had to force herself to swallow it. But once she did, the worst of the pain faded from her body, her vision grew sharper, and it became far easier to think clearly and take stock of her situation.
She was on the floor of the Umbra Carillon's antechamber, in the Umbra Temple. Tsuyama, Keiko, and Kooyoo were here with her. Hachime was nowhere to be seen. He was standing guard right outside… and keeping several eyes on what was happening outside the temple.
Izumi… she and her teammates were out there right now. They were busy fighting for everyone's sake, weren't they? Shun could hear the distant sounds of battle even from here. A battle she should have been able to lend her strength to, both as Cure Kirin and as the bearer of the Umbra Carillon.
But Shun couldn't transform. She was still too weak to even stand on her own. And the Umbra Carillon she and Shahei had been entrusted to retrieve was…
"It's gone, isn't it?"
An uncomfortable silence fell over the antechamber. That was answer enough for Shun.
"Shahei took it." Kooyoo looked deeply ashamed of himself. "I didn't get there fast enough."
Keiko shook her head. "I'm the one who ran ahead, Kooyoo. This was my fault. All of it was."
She explained everything to Shun, as well as she could. How she had been separated from the others as they fell towards the Shade Kingdom, how she had found herself alone in a pocket dimension, how she had learned about Shahei's deception at the last moment, how she had tried to stop her sister…
…how she had been left to watch helplessly as Shahei had absconded with the Carillon, mere moments before Kooyoo had arrived with Tsuyama and Hachime in tow. She couldn't meet Shun's eyes by the end.
Shun looked more and more bothered as Keiko's story went on, especially as she neared the end. She regarded the younger girl with concern as she finally finished recounting everything.
"Will you be alright, Keiko?" she asked worriedly. "It sounds like you've been through a hell of a lot."
Something about Shun's reaction finally hit Keiko off the top. She stared at the older girl in numb confusion before abruptly turning her back to her. Kooyoo moved to say something. Tsuyama shook her head before hurrying Kooyoo away, muttering something about needing to talk strategy.
"I don't understand… I really don't understand at all." Keiko rested her back against Shun's as she hugged her knees to her chest. "I've been treating you like garbage. I said so many awful things to you. And you still go out of your way to be nice to me. Why?"
"Because I care about you, Keiko." Shun said. "That won't change, no matter how much you tick me off."
Keiko stared down at the floor. "Even after I almost ruined your life. Even after I nearly got you killed." She sniffled a bit. "All because I was being a selfish brat. I really thought you'd hate me for that."
Shun shook her head. "I saw how Hinyu treated you guys. I couldn't let that go. Even after I got my memories back." She smiled gently. "I told you before, didn't I? You two deserved better."
"You actually stuck up for me. I'll never forget that." Keiko said. "And I threw that back in your face too." She pulled her knees closer to her chest. "I wish I'd just told Hinyu to screw off. I wish…" Her eyes welled with tears as her voice cracked.. "I wish we hadn't met like that. It should've been different."
Shun nodded as she laid a hand over Keiko's own. "It should've been a lot different."
It shouldn't have had to be this way. The four of them should have been able to grow up together on Earth. Shun and Keiko shouldn't have fought over anything more dire than who got the window seat during a family car ride or who ate the last slice of cake in the fridge. The twins should have been raised by an adult who actually loved them, not scooped up by a man who saw them as disposable tools.
But the past could not be undone. All Shun could do was help build a new future for her scattered family. Even if she felt completely helpless to do so right now. Even if she was sure Keiko felt no less helpless.
Keiko tightened her grip on Shun's hand. "Can we start over? Would that be okay? Even if I say more stupid stuff I don't mean?"
"You're family, Keiko. That's not a job you get fired from." Shun said. "Even if you don't always like your siblings, you never stop loving them, right?"
Keiko didn't get a chance to respond to that. Whatever she was going to say turned into a shriek of terror as the antechamber began to shake violently.
As the clear and mournful sounds of the Umbra Carillon continued to ring out, the Nikuina, still glowing with power, began to change. Cure Seiryuu and the others watched in horror as clumps of Nikuina began to distort and merge together, giving rise to multi-headed and vaguely serpentine monstrosities.
Shahei continued to play the Carillon expressionlessly as the effect traveled outward. The battlefield was now choked with glowing, mutated Nikuina, which loomed over their opponents and looked significantly nastier than what had come before. And then the earthquake started.
Multiple deep fissures opened in the ground as the thrashing roots of the Tree of Wrath burst forth from the ground. The landscape warped and distorted, creating yawning valleys and vast rises. The Umbra Temple remained relatively intact, but the cracks running up its foundation were impossible to miss.
Pretty Cure had to scramble to avoid being swallowed by the earth or snared by an errant root. Tobi went airborne to avoid a similar fate. And Hinyu, who now stood alongside Shahei on a sizable raised platform of earth, laughed hysterically at the sight.
"Amazing, isn't it?" he crowed. " This is the power of the fallen royals! A power that finally has a great man to make use of it!" He smirked. "And you practically handed it to me."
"Would you SHUT UP?!" Tobi snapped.
This time, nobody in Pretty Cure had any hope of stopping Tobi. He shot towards Hinyu at lightning speed - and was swiftly plucked out of the air by a massive root that erupted from the ground below him. Tobi let out a pained squawk as the root lashed around his wings before tossing him into a crowd of Nikuina.
Cure Suzaku hurried to Tobi's aid, and Cure Ouryuu followed his lead. Multiple glowing and mutated Nikuina moved in and blocked their way, forcing Suzaku and Ouryuu to fight their way past. And that was not going to be easy. They were far stronger and more durable now.
Seiryuu, Genbu, and Byakko found themselves having to fend off still more mutated Nikuina, as the Umbra Carillon's mournful tune continued to ring out. That was keeping them from making a dent in their opponents. Seiryuu knew that to be true.
But they had no hope of getting the Umbra Carillon away from Shahei. Not when the Nikuina were pressuring them from all sides. Seiryuu kept up pressure of her own, flinging gusts and gales of spirit power at her opponents as she agilely navigated the battlefield, while Byakko elegantly intercepted attacks with her shields and fended off her opponents with the White Fleuret.
The two were doing well for now. But they couldn't keep this up forever. None of them could.
To make things worse, Genbu was too worried about Shun to fight properly. There wasn't as much power or force behind her attacks as usual, her reaction times were dulled, forcing Seiryuu and Byakko to bail her out of trouble, and her spirit power had outright fizzled several times.
Shahei stoically took it in. Pretty Cure would fall soon. She did not care. She was a tool for Hinyu to use. He had reinforced that for all present. And tools were not capable of caring.
Or rather, they were not supposed to care. Hinyu had made that clear to her too, once she returned to his side with the Umbra Carillon in hand.
"Why must you look so mournful, Shahei? You've proven your use to me ten times over. Rejoice."
Rejoicing was out of the question. Even forcing a smile was beyond her. Not when seeing Hinyu so elated made her hate him more, almost as much as she hated herself.
"We both know you enjoyed hurting them. There's no shame in admitting that."
Shahei hadn't been able to argue. Some part of her did enjoy hurting others. Some part of her liked being the one causing pain for once. And that part of her was growing stronger by the day. This was why she was beyond saving.
And this was why she had to keep dancing to Hinyu's tune, even as the dull ache in her chest turned into a sharp pain that radiated throughout her body, even as her limbs grew leaden, even as her vision grew blurry. None of that mattered. She existed to endure.
But Shahei could not endure. Little by little, the Carillon's tune grew weaker, and the Nikuina's glow faded.
Suddenly, Seiryuu, Genbu, and Byakko were able to start beating back the Nikuina they had been struggling against just a moment ago. Meanwhile, Suzaku and Ouryuu were finally able to pull Tobi to safety.
And then Shahei suddenly cried out in pain.
The magic keeping the Umbra Carillon suspended in mid-air began to fade in and out along with its melody, as the light surrounding the Nikuina began to flicker. Shahei gritted her teeth as she tried to power through the pain. It wasn't working. She was fading, and quickly.
The Umbra Carillon was not meant to be used like this, not for this purpose, and not by someone who wasn't a Pretty Cure. And Shahei was paying for it. She did not expect anymore to save her.
Ouryuu looked horrified. "Shionyan! Please stop!"
She had no hope of getting to her. Nobody did. Even in their weakened state, the Nikuina cut Pretty Cure off at every turn. Tobi couldn't fly towards her, not when one of his wings was injured. Hinyu, meanwhile, did not seem to notice that Shahei was in any sort of pain.
"Shiori-san!" Suzaku cried.
Shahei looked up weakly. And then the strain finally became too much for her. The Umbra Carillon was still hovering, but it had fallen silent as its master slowly sank to the ground, trembling with pain.
Only then did Hinyu seem to notice Shahei's current condition. He snarled in annoyance as he grabbed the trembling girl by her wrist and hauled her to her feet. She went limp in his grasp.
"What are you doing?!" he hissed. "Keep going!"
For a moment, Shahei didn't respond. And then she shakily nodded. He huffed in contempt as he let go of her. She drew several ragged breaths as she drew on every last shred of energy she had. And finally, the Umbra Carillon began to play again. Pretty Cure was on the losing end once more.
The battle marched onward. Shahei took it in with dead eyes. Pretty Cure would burn out soon. Just like she would. It was only a question of who would go first. There was no point in hoping for anything else.
Shun and Keiko clung to each other for dear life as the Umbra Temple was rocked by violent tremors. A web of cracks ran through the antechamber ceiling as dust and small bits of debris rained down from above. For one brief, frozen moment, Shun wondered if she'd have the strength to get herself and Keiko out of the way before the ceiling collapsed completely, and then the earthquake suddenly abated.
Shun coughed harshly as she tried to regain her bearings. Everyone, herself included, was now covered in a fine layer of ceiling dust, from Tsuyama and Kooyoo, who were levering themselves off the floor, to Keiko… who was shaking like a frightened rabbit as she stared off into the distance.
Shun regarded the younger girl with concern. "Keiko?" Keiko responded by latching tightly onto her arm. "What's wrong?"
Before Keiko could answer, Hachime stumbled into the room. He was breathing heavily, and all of his eyes were wide with alarm.
"Guys, we need to go, now." he said. "Pretty Cure's seriously outmatched, and Shahei's-"
"Shahei's in a lot of pain." Keiko's voice was cracked and unusually small-sounding. "I can feel her from here. She won't last much longer if we don't help her." Her face fell. "Not that I can do anything."
"But we can, Kae!" Kooyoo said. "I can totally help Pretty Cure get the Umbra Thingy away from Shahei and get Shahei away from Hinyu and beat up any monsters he's got for us! I'm real good at that."
Hachime didn't match Kooyoo's enthusiasm. "He has a whole army of Nikuina out there. Powerful ones."
Kooyoo was not deterred. "Well, I'll just have to beat them up extra hard, then! We've got your sword and Tsuyama's ninja stuff and Shun's shield powers too! That's enough, right?"
Tsuyama's tails twitched. "Excuse me?! Prince Shun and Princess Kae are in no condition to fight! We can't ask them to risk their lives!" She crossed her arms decisively. "And that's why I, their bodyguard, shall look after them. You and Kooyoo can go ahead, Hachi."
Keiko's eyes slid to the ground. "That's not right… I should be the one who…"
She didn't have to finish the sentence. Shun understood. Keiko wanted to be the one who was there for Shahei. Just as Shun wanted to be there for Izumi, for Kimiko, for everyone she held dear, had wanted that for ten long years. And now, history was repeating itself. She was going to be left behind, while-
And at that moment, the Kirin crystal in her blazer pocket began to glow as it grew just a bit heavier.
That was right, Shun reminded herself. History wasn't repeating itself. Where there was light, there was hope - and she was carrying a precious little light with her right now. And that light would never truly shine again if she gave up here. There had to be something she could do!
And that something instantly came to Shun, like the click of an ignition switch.
"You know, I tried to transform into a spirit, once. I thought that'd let me bust into the Shade Kingdom and save you two." Shun told Keiko. "I couldn't quite pull it off… but then, I was raised as a human."
Keiko looked taken aback. "You actually tried to do something like that? For us? Even after…" And then her eyes suddenly lit up with realization. "I mean! Oho, what a shame, Shun!" She gave her hair a little flip. "If only you had my wealth of spiritual experience!"
"But you've got your wealth of spiritual experience, right, Kae?" said Kooyoo.
Keiko leapt to her feet - a bit unsteadily, given her current state. "Exactly!" she chirped as she helped a still-shaky Shun up. "Dear sister! Just tell me what you did, and I'll do it ten times better!"
Shun was clearly taken aback by Keiko's choice of address. "Ah, s-sure… I was mostly just spitballing at the time, but if it almost worked for me…"
Tsuyama looked alarmed. "Neither of you have recovered! And it's dangerous out there!"
"It'll be okay. I promise." Shun said. "Those five never give up, no matter what gets thrown at them. Keiko and I are here because of that. And right now, I want to pay it forward, however I can."
"You mean we do." Keiko said. "I know!" She took Shun's hand. "How about we pool our spirit power, so I've got more to work with! You know, like when Princess Aine helped Princess Lumine unlock Platinum State at the end of Kirakira Knight Squadron!"
"So, you want a bit of power to jump-start your engine?" Shun grinned. "I'm all for that."
Kooyoo bounded towards the pair. "Me too, me too!" He enthusiastically added his hand to the pile, almost knocking Keiko and Shun off-balance in the process. "We siblings have gotta stick together!"
"I'm also for this." Hachime stepped forward and laid a hand on Kooyoo's. "I'm sure Hinyu has a bone to pick with me - I can keep the heat off you two while you rescue Shahei."
Tsuyama laid a hand on Hachime's "And I'd be a failure as a bodyguard if I didn't pitch in, of course."
Shun looked from Keiko to Kooyoo to Hachime to Tsuyama. The five of them were about to take a huge risk. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest at the thought of throwing themselves into the center of the tempest she could hear carrying on outside even now, especially when she still couldn't transform.
But it was too late to turn back now. The track was going to be difficult to navigate, and the competition would be stiff, but Shun would make it over that finish line, no matter what!
"Alright!" Shun began to glow with teal light as she channeled her spirit power. The others followed her lead, adding their own spirit power to the mix. "Let's get this done! At top speed!"
It was only a matter of time before Pretty Cure and their allies fell. Nobody had emerged from the Umbra Temple, and no reinforcements had come along. Pretty Cure was rapidly losing steam against the powered-up Nikuina, and their allies were having an even worse time.
It was only a matter of time for Shahei too. She didn't know how she was still standing at this point, let alone keeping the Umbra Carillon going.
"That hive of vermin has been dealt with." Hinyu did not look at Shahei. "It's all thanks to you, of course."
Something twisted inside knew this was going to happen. She knew how determined Hinyu was to eradicate the Shade Kingdom rebellion. Sure, Hinyu blew smoke constantly. Sure, he could be taking another unearned victory lap. But…
Hinyu laughed dryly. "You're even more monstrous than I thought! You'll go far, Shahei."
…did it matter? Shahei had still betrayed that woman's existence to him. She had still repaid the Shade rebellion by selling them out. If Hinyu hadn't wiped them out now, he would do it soon enough. The Shade Kingdom would be robbed of a brighter future. And she would be the one to blame.
Suddenly, the air around Hinyu and Shahei's earthen platform began to crackle with spirit power. Hinyu instantly went on high alert. Shahei forced herself not to react… and then a blinding explosion of multicolored light went off in front of her, shattering her concentration.
Shahei reeled backwards as the Umbra Carillon went dead silent. She just managed to catch it and hold it close as it dropped from the air, right before-
"SHAHEI!"
-someone tackle-hugged her, knocking her flat on her back. No, not someone, she realized as the light finally dissipated. Kae. Her twin, who was glowing with soft violet light, had somehow become a spirit again. And she hadn't come alone. Shun was also with her. How? And why?
Kae's hands glowed with a more intense violet light as she laid them on Shahei's chest. Instantly, Shahei felt a bit of feeling return to her body, as her head and vision became less cloudy.
"Sorry… you know how bad I am with healing magic." Kae said apologetically as she helped Shahei to a sitting position. "I hope I helped a little."
The Nikuina had lost their glow for what Shahei knew would be the final time. Pretty Cure and their allies still had their work cut out for them, but they were definitely rebounding. And this time, Cure Genbu was leading the charge against the horde. Of course she was. Shun had been confirmed to be safe, after all.
Safe for now, Shahei mused bitterly. These two should have stayed where they were. Why hadn't they?!
"Those three can only buy us so much time. We need to get you somewhere safe, and fast." Shun said. "Can you stand? Or do you need me to carry you?"
Shahei numbly allowed Hinyu to help her to her feet. She didn't understand. Why would these two go out of their way for someone like her? And why wasn't Hinyu stopping them?
That question quickly answered itself. Hinyu couldn't stop Shun or Kae. Tsuyama had literally pinned his shadow to the ground with several of her knives, keeping him from straying far, and she, Kooyoo and Hachime were going at him with everything they had. Not that it was doing much good. Hinyu was quite skilled at dodging their blows, despite the short leash he was on. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"You're the thief from the palace, aren't you?" Hinyu asked as he casually dodged Hachime's washikazi, in between off-handedly backhanding a charging Kooyoo and reducing the shuriken Tsuyama flung his way to ash with a snap of his finger. "Come to steal something of mine, I presume?"
"Shahei isn't yours!" Hachime snapped. "And we're going to rescue her, no matter what!"
"Oh?" Shahei felt her blood freeze as Hinyu's eyes flitted her way. "Is that so?"
This was a test. Shahei realized that now. Hinyu could have easily incinerated those children on the spot. He wanted them to think they had him contained. He wanted Shahei to believe she was free to go. He wanted to see what she would do. And if she failed, it wouldn't just be her getting punished.
And yet, some part of Shahei wanted to take a chance. Kae had summoned her staff and was preparing to teleport herself and the others to safety. Part of her wanted to stand back and let her do it. But…
"We both know you enjoyed hurting them. There's no shame in admitting that."
…did she deserve this chance? After all the damage she had caused? After how vile she had become?
"That hive of vermin has been dealt with. It's all thanks to you, of course."
Shahei's expression darkened as she pulled away from Shun. She already knew the answer.
Kae stared in bafflement as Shahei stepped back and summoned her own staff. "Shahei?"
Kae was answered with a spherical blast of light blue spirit power. She squeaked in alarm before just barely countering it with a large sphere of violet spirit power. Her attack knocked Shahei's attack off course and into the air, where both spheres exploded harmlessly into sparkles.
"What are you doing, Shahei?!" Kae stared at Shahei in disbelief as her twin threateningly angled her staff at her with badly-shaking hands. "You can't keep pushing yourself! Please, let us help you!"
"Who said I wanted help?" Shahei's smiling mask was back up, despite the pain she was clearly in. "The road to hell is paved with faulty assumptions, Kae~"
The air around them suddenly spiked in temperature, as Hinyu began to laugh. And then-
"As I expected. Well chosen, Shahei."
Hinyu's eyes glowed red-black as his body flared with dark energy. Tsuyama, Hachime, and Kooyoo were blasted away into the waiting horde of Nikuina, as Hinyu effortlessly freed himself from his bindings. Shahei just stared mutely at the sight before her knees began to give out from underneath her.
"Shahei!"
Kae leapt towards Shahei. She wasn't fast enough. Hinyu snapped his fingers, and Shahei was suddenly trapped in a sphere of shimmering red-black light. Kae let out a cry of pain as she smacked into it, causing her to fly backward. Shun just managed to catch and steady her.
Hinyu stepped forward, one hand crackling with white-hot flame.
"You've done enough for now, Shahei." The faux concern dripping from his voice just made things worse. "Rest up in your chambers. And don't worry - I'll happily salvage your failure."
Shahei responded by using her last bit of strength to fling the Umbra Carillon towards Shun. It didn't work. Hinyu easily intercepted it before dismissively waving his hand. Shahei vanished in a burst of red-black light.
Shun placed herself defensively in front of the badly shaken Kae. She was trembling with rage as she stared Hinyu down.
"You feel really big and important right now, don't you?" The only thing keeping her from giving Hinyu a kick to the ribs was the threat of being burned. "You're disgusting."
Hinyu stared right back at Shun, clearly trying to place where he knew her from. And once he finally made that connection, he burst out into disbelieving laughter.
"Wait, the cleaning guy?!" He let out another short, barking laugh, as he shook his head. "Oh, Kae. I thought you disposed of her! Can't you do anything right?" He met Shun's eyes. "And what a defiant look! You've grown a spine since I last saw you!" He smirked. "A shame you haven't gotten any smart-"
He was cut off by a bolt of violet spirit power, courtesy of a visibly livid Kae. This one had caught him across the face, leaving a visible cut… a cut that was leaking black sap, rather than blood.
Hinyu blinked in surprise as he touched his free hand to the wound Kae had created. And then he smirked as the Umbra Carillon instantly went up in red-black flames in his hand. As Shun and Kae watched in horror, the Carillon dissolved into white ash, which was carried off by an errant gust of wind.
"Oh dear. Look what you made me do, Kae." Hinyu drawled. "I really hate wasting resources, you know." His features began to warp. "You can atone with your lives, of course!"
Hinyu shifted into fox form before springing towards Shun and Kae, fangs bared and mouth dribbling with red-black flames. Shun just managed to throw up a barrier of spirit power around her and Kae, right before Hinyu slammed into them, sending them flying high into the air.
Cure Genbu could only watch in distress as Shun and Kae went flying. "Sieg-kun!"
She wanted to punch her way through the Nikuina surrounding her and her fellow Cures. She needed to be there for her girlfriend. But she couldn't reach Shun or Kae. Nobody in Pretty Cure could. The Nikuina continued to block their path at every turn. And now the Umbra Carillon was gone too.
Tobi and Kooyoo, who was a bit banged up but none the worse for wear, had been trying to get the injured Hachime and Tsuyama to safety when they saw Kae and Shun get knocked into the air.
"Kae!" Tobi attempted to shoot into the air after her… to no avail, thanks to his injured wing. He teared up in frustration as he made another futile attempt "Damn it! Work already!"
Kooyoo had to stop Tobi from trying again. "Tobi! Stop! Kae will be sad if you hurt yourself!"
Tobi nodded numbly. He did not fight Kooyoo further. But he was clearly broken up.
Shun's shield shattered into tiny pieces as she and Kae collided with the ground in an explosion of soil and debris. Shun gritted her teeth in pain as she did her best to lever herself into a kneeling position, before attending to Kae, who was just as banged-up as she was.
"I'm sorry…" Kae said quietly. "I've really put us in it now."
Shun didn't have to ask what Kae meant. They were surrounded on all sides by mutant Nikuina. Any of them could have obliterated the pair instantly. None of them had made a move… yet. It was as if they were taunting them. Or perhaps they wanted to let Hinyu, who was padding towards them, do the honors.
Shun's stomach churned as she finally got a good look at Hinyu. He wasn't normal. She had suspected that for a while, moreso after Kae had injured him. As a humanoid, it was difficult to tell what, if anything, was up with him. As a fox? It was an entirely different story.
Chunks of Hinyu's fur had fallen out, giving way to patches of pitch-black bark. His three tails were gone, replaced by a fan of five thick and ropy black vines, three of which still sported patches of mangy off-white fur. His back paws seemed to be made of warped and gnarled black wood, terminating in hooked and rootlike claws, and his front paws were currently undergoing a similar mutation.
"Behold!" Hinyu's five "tails" fanned out proudly. "I have inherited the blessing of the Tree of Wrath. Or rather, we have become one and the same. The harbinger of despair."
Shun swallowed hard as she placed herself in front of Kae. She was in the worst possible spot. Pretty Cure couldn't help her. She couldn't transform. Both she and Kae were too hurt to do much of anything. She should have despaired or begged for mercy or braced herself for the end and instead-
-she surprised herself by bursting into laughter. Hinyu stared at her in bafflement.
"And just why are you laughing?" he asked archly. "It's over. Pretty Cure will fall soon. Your precious Umbra Carillon is no more. The vermin queen and her drones are all dead. There's nothing left for you."
Shun's grip tightened on the Kirin crystal as she shot Hinyu a defiant smirk. She swore she could feel it growing a bit warmer, a bit more weighty in her hand. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. She was terrified right now. But she wouldn't give Hinyu the satisfaction of seeing her afraid.
There was still hope, she told herself as she focused her spirit power. It didn't matter how grim things looked. It didn't matter how anxious part of her felt. There was still hope.
"You're a joke. That's why." she spat. "It doesn't matter how big you talk. They'll never come any smaller than you."
Shun's words found their mark. Hinyu sprang forth in a blind rage - and Shun immediatly flung both hands out and channeled as much spirit power as she could muster. Her gambit worked. Hinyu smacked right into the electrified barrier she had thrown up and went flying backward-
-and before he could land on his feet, a gold blur shot towards him, slamming into him with the force of a speeding bullet train. Hinyu let out a high-pitched yelp of pain as he found himself being hefted into the air, courtesy of none other than Seimono, fresh off of crushing his former teammate with a straight punch. He had exchanged his red and black longcoat for a white and blue guardsman's coat.
"Kamryou!" Seimono looked and sounded more alive than he had before as he called to his partner, who was hovering high in the air. "Are you ready!"
"Of course, Seimono-sama!" Kamryou's one good eye was shining with sadistic glee.
Seimono spun Hinyu over his head before throwing the wounded and utterly disoriented fox towards Kamryou, who tightly snared him with multiple cloth tendrils leaving him suspended in the air by his midsection. Kamryou smiled as they tightened their grip on Hinyu.
"This is very satisfying." they told him. "I need you to know that."
Hinyu, meanwhile, was more focused on the man who had thoroughly cleaned his clock. "Seimono." he wheezed. "You're still alive. H-how?!"
"I couldn't die yet." Seimono said. "Not when men like you are running rampant."
Several bolts of teal electricity rained down from the heavens and fried the surrounding Nikuina on the spot. And then Soyokaze elegantly touched down nearby. She was clad in a flowing white and blue dress, ornamented with bits of silver armor, and she wielded a fearsome-looking glaive.
"Are you alright, you two?" Soyokaze asked. "I apologize for my lateness."
"Yeah, I'm in one piece." Shun said, as she and Kae hauled themselves to their feet.
Keiko, meanwhile, was staring at Soyokaze in disbelief. "You're… you're her, aren't you? Our mother."
Soyokaze answered with a nod and a sad smile. "At last we meet, Kae. If only my timing was better."
Hinyu shifted into humanoid form, forcing Kamryou to let go of him. He didn't quite stick the landing as he dropped to the ground. He looked awful - his hair and suit were an utter mess, he was visibly banged up, and he looked like he was about to tip over. And yet, he remained as smug as ever.
"Ah, Soyokaze. Scurrying away from death once more. You're a stubborn creature." His face twisted into a sneer. "Stubborn but hardly intelligent. You've walked right into the beast's jaws."
Soyokaze laughed softly behind her hand. "Have I now? I didn't come alone, you know."
And right on cue, a throng of masked, black-clad figures of every shape and size surfaced on the outer rims of the battlefield. Over a hundred reinforcements had shown up, and they were all flooding the battlefield.
Suddenly, Hinyu was the one on the decisive losing end. His mutated Nikuina might have been able to give Pretty Cure and their handful of allies trouble, but they were sitting ducks against this many warriors.
"Now do you see, Hinyu? The people of this kingdom still have hope." Soyokaze said. "And they'll fight to keep that light of hope alive, no matter how you fight to crush it!"
Hinyu was unmoved. "Do you really think I'm out of options? A man of my caliber? With my gifts?!"
He snapped his fingers. The ground below the group's feet glowed red-black before three titanic Nikuina made of soil and rocks rose up around them. The one on the left effortlessly snatched up Soyokaze, the one on the right snatched up Seimono and Kamryou, and the middle loomed over Shun and Kae, who wouldn't have the strength to get away in time, let alone properly defend themselves.
"What good is your hope now, Soyokaze?" Hinyu asked her as she struggled futilely in the Nikuina's grip. "All the pithy speeches in the world won't be enough to save your brood. The ones I don't need, anyway."
The Nikuina drove a massive fist towards Shun and Kae, intent on crushing them with one blow. Time seemed to slow for Shun for a moment. She felt Kae clinging to her for dear life, she heard Soyokaze screaming out for her daughters, she saw Pretty Cure and the others still fighting their hardest.
And then there was a blinding flash of teal light, as Nikuina was blasted away by an unseen force.
Shun stared in awe at the Kirin crystal, which was now floating in front of her and shining radiantly. And its radiant shine was soon joined by hundreds of tiny motes of light, which rose from the hearts of all present. This was the light of everyone's hope, wasn't it? Hundreds of small sparks, lighting the way to the future.
The crack running down the Kirin crystal vanished completely before it glowed and transformed into a teal and cream-colored Puricell. Shun plucked it from the air without hesitation. She knew what to do.
"Pretty Cure!" Shun pushed the front five buttons on the Puricell in sequence - silver, yellow, violet, teal, and pink. Her form roared with teal energy, which flowed into the device. "Spirit Unleash!"
Shun was suspended in a glimmering teal void, her clothes replaced with a robe of sparkling teal light. She held up her hand and snapped her fingers, summoning a shower of crackling teal lightning. The lightning took the form of multiple rings around Shun's torso and limbs, which spun more and more rapidly before breaking apart into showers of electric sparks, which formed pieces of her outfit.
First came a light teal tunic with frilly cream-colored trim and a dark teal belt, fitted dark teal pants, then dark teal fingerless gloves with cream-colored ornaments on the backs of the hands, and finally, shin-length teal boots with noticeably thick and solid-looking soles and cream-colored cloven tips.
Shun punched a fist into one open hand, creating another shower of electric sparks. Most gathered about her before resolving into a long-sleeved teal tailcoat with puffy shoulders and frilly, cream-colored cuffs and a cream-colored cravat with a heart-shaped teal crystal clasp. The remaining sparks took the form of a white-gold circlet tiara with kirin-like horns, which was inset in the center with a heart-shaped teal gem.
As the circlet materialized on Shun's head, her eyes turned vivid teal, and her hair tinted turquoise, grew out to her waist, and became tied into a low, wavy ponytail. She gained teal heart earrings and a teal choker as a pink and white pouch holding her Puricell appeared at her waist.
Finally, she touched down on the ground, teal electricity arcing around her and green gladiolus petals swirling about her as she struck a pose.
"Thundering verdant star! Cure Kirin!"
The three Nikuina dove towards Cure Kirin and Kae, who simply raised a hand glowing with teal spirit power above her. A sparking teal dome of spirit power sprang up around her. The Nikuina collided with it - and were all zapped with a nasty electric shock that left them reeling backward.
As Kae scrambled to safety, Kirin zipped behind the three stunned Nikuina, quickly enough to leave a series of afterimages. She knew exactly what to do next. It had popped into her mind unbidden.
Kirin came to a quick stop and snapped her fingers. Her personal Spirit Arms appeared on her legs in a flash of light - metallic teal shin guards with dark teal trim and cream-colored heart insignias. These were the Verdant Greaves - the very thing she'd need to finish the job. She instinctively understood that.
Kirin kicked off the ground and sprang high into the air, before aiming a high-speed diving kick at the three Nikuina. Her body blazed with teal spirit power, electricity sparked and danced around her, and the Verdant Greaves shined brilliantly as she shot towards her three targets like a swift shooting star.
Her attack struck true. Kirin's high-power electric flying kick tore through all three Nikuina, one after the other, with no resistance. She elegantly touched down on the ground as her three opponents, who all sported gaping holes in their midsections, collapsed into a pile of soil.
Hinyu, who looked ready to keel over, snapped his fingers again… summoning nothing beyond a few quickly-fizzling sparks of dark energy. He swore under his breath before vanishing in a burst of flames.
Soyokaze, Seimono, and Kamryou were all unharmed. Kae was being attended to on the sidelines by Tobi, who was openly shedding tears of joy, and Kooyoo, who pulled his other siblings into a tight bear hug. Kirin had a moment to catch her breath, before she found herself being pulled into a hug as well.
"You did it, Kirin!" Genbu was shedding her own tears of joy as she excitedly hugged her girlfriend. "That seriously ruled all!"
Kirin felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes as Genbu released her from the hug. The rest of Pretty Cure was here as well. Now that the Nikuina had thinned out significantly, the six of them were free to regroup. And now that Kirin had space to think, she could fully process what had just happened.
"It's thanks to all of you." Kirin said. "Everyone's light of hope created a miracle."
Kichu's ears pricked up as his eyes noticed something. Swirls of white ash dancing on the wind, towards Pretty Cure. "Chu! Chu chu chu!"
Ouryuu gasped in shock as the Lux Carillon suddenly appeared before her in a burst of light. As the group watched in awe, the swirling white ash carried towards Kirin, before resolving into a very intact Umbra Carillon. One more miracle to follow up the last. And the six of them knew just what to do next.
Ouryuu grabbed the Lux Carillon. "Are you ready to finish this, Kirin?"
Kirin took hold of the Umbra Carillon. "Of course!"
The six Cures assembled into a semicircle with Ouryuu and Kirin standing at the head.
"Harmonize, oh, heart of light!" Ouryuu cried as five circles of glowing golden runes appeared at the five Wellspring Cures' feet. "Inspire us with courage!"
"Resonate, oh, heart of shadow!" Kirin cried as a circle of glowing silver runes appeared at her feet, along with four more empty ones - one for each missing Shade Cure. "Guide us to victory!"
The six Cures blazed with their respective colors as a rainbow of colorful flower petals swirled and danced around them, and the air began to crackle with energy. The circles glowing at their feet were connected by a much larger one, as a massive, hovering heart made of shimmering, multicolored spirit power took shape in its center and began to gradually increase in size.
"Our radiant souls-" cried Seiryuu, Genbu, and Byakko.
"-shall light the way to the future!" cried Suzaku, Ouryuu, and Kirin.
The heart formed by everyone's spirit power had grown to truly massive proportions. The air hummed powerfully with energy. And the six Cures shined more intensely with spirit power than ever before.
"Pretty Cure!" the six cried out in unison. "Eclipse Spark!"
The six flung their arms forward, and the massive heart they had created exploded outwards in all directions, blanketing the area with a wave of rainbow light and a blizzard of colorful flower petals. The remaining Nikuina gave one last roar as they were obliterated instantly.
Pretty Cure struck a group victory pose as the light dissipated into colorful, heart-shaped bubbles, and flower petals swirled around them. Even Kichu threw in an excited fist pump for good measure.
And finally, it was over. The six members of Pretty Cure collapsed to their knees in exhaustion and lost their transformations as the bubbles of light dissipated, the flower petals coating the surroundings disappeared, and the damage to the battlefield reversed itself.
The rebellion reinforcements quietly teleported away. All that remained were the Cures and a handful of their allies - the Trio, Seimono and Kamryou, Soyokaze, Hachime, and Tsuyama.
The group allowed themselves to breathe a collective sigh of relief - and then Soyokaze suddenly clutched her hand to her temple.
Seimono was instantly on high alert. "Princess! What now?"
Before Soyokaze could answer him, the area was abruptly flooded with hundreds of armored guardsmen. Hinyu stood at the head of the group. His injuries were already healing, although he was clearly in bad shape even now.
"Oh dear. Did you use up all your energy, Pretty Cure?" he drawled. "How very unfortunate."
The armored guards flooded towards the group. Most of them were far too exhausted to put up any kind of fight. The only exceptions were Kamryou and Soyokaze, who both seemed to be in a state of blind panic, and Seimono… who stepped forth and placed himself in front of everyone else.
Seimono let out a mighty roar as he channeled his spirit power. His form flared with bronze energy as a glowing bronze circle appeared around the right of the group, Tremors rocked the ground as chunks of earth rose up around Pretty Cure and their allies, mingling with Seimono's bronze spirit power to create an impregnable barrier - one that Seimono was using all his strength to keep up as the guards rushed it.
"Princess! Send everyone back." he said through gritted teeth. "Don't worry - I'll hold them off."
Soyokaze looked taken aback… before her eyes darkened, and she nodded solemnly. "I understand." she said with the sad weariness of a woman who had made far too many sacrifices. "If that is what you wish-"
"NO!" Kamryou shot towards Seimono. "Seimono-sama! If you stay behind, you'll die! You can't! You're not supposed to go where I can't follow!" Seimono did not budge, even as Kamryou beat futilely on his chest. "Seimono-sama… If you die here, I'll despise you! I'll curse your name for the rest of my life!"
Nobody else present said a word. But it was clear that Pretty Cure and the others weren't at all happy at the thought of losing Seimono either. Jun looked especially broken up about it.
For a moment, it seemed as if Seimono hadn't heard his partner at all. He kept his eyes focused ahead as he worked to make sure the barrier held. And then-
"Kamryou."
Kamryou looked up tearfully at their partner. "Seimono-sama?"
"Thank you for five wonderful years together. I've cherished every moment of them." Tears were prickling at Seimono's eyes, even as he kept his eyes focused ahead. "There will be many more ahead. I'm not planning to die here. Not when I have promises to keep."
Kamryou didn't say a word. They just clung to Seimono a bit harder as they sobbed despondently. They would remain there until they were forced to leave. They didn't believe Seimono. Not at all.
Soyokaze, meanwhile, did her best to remain stoic. "Then I won't say goodbye, old friend." She managed a thin smile. "We'll meet again soon, won't we?"
Seimono nodded. "I won't be long, Princess. Consider that another promise." His tone was growing more strained. His barrier wouldn't hold up for much longer. "Now! DO IT!"
Soyokaze did not hesitate further. She and the others began to glow softly with teal energy, and their forms began to ripple, as she muttered a string of words in an unknown language under her breath. The guards continued to batter the barrier as Soyokaze gradually wove her spell. For a second, it seemed like they would break through before Soyokaze could finish sending everyone to safety.
And then they were gone, right as Seimono's shield broke into pieces. He effortlessly sent the guards rushing him flying with brute force alone. So many of these people were young greenhorns. He knew that from experience. And Hinyu, in his infinite wisdom, had sent the whole force here.
"I look forward to the show." Hinyu sneered. "I wonder how long you'll last, Seimono."
Seimono just smiled. "Long enough."
Long enough to waste the time of everyone assembled here. Long enough for Soyokaze to shepherd everyone to safety. Long enough to ensure that Hinyu lost, even if Seimono knew he could not win. Long enough to help keep the light of hope alive. That was enough for him.
The armored guards rushed towards Seimono in a wave. And Seimono rushed forth to meet them with everything he had.
When Shun regained her senses, she, her fellow Cures, and Keiko were sprawled awkwardly on the ground, near Kyoukai's central sealing stone. The air was calm and cool, and the sky above was just beginning to show small hints of orange and red. They were back on Earth… and it'd only been a few hours since they'd been spirited off to the Shade Kingdom, from the look of things. It felt like they'd been gone much longer.
Everyone did their best to get back on their feet, despite how fatigued they felt. Nobody else seemed to be around at this time of day. That was good. None of them were sure how they'd explain their sudden reappearance out of thin air to a bunch of civilians.
"We actually made it back." Haruki's face fell. "But…"
Jun nodded sadly. "We couldn't save Shionyan. Her or Seimono."
"That was his choice to make." Hiroko said. "And I know what he promised." She shook her head. "But it doesn't feel right at all."
"I'm sorry, Keiko." Shun said. "If I'd tried a bit harder-"
Keiko cut her off with a raised hand. "Don't even start. Please." She did her best to put on a brave face as she addressed the group. "You guys did your best, okay? So don't go beating yourselves up!" She crossed her arms and huffed a bit. "My head hurts enough, thank you~"
"Keiko, you don't have to pretend-" Haruki started.
"Who's pretending?" Keiko said. "I'm just being pragmatic. Shiori doesn't believe in you guys, you know. And she'll never believe in you if she sees you acting like this! I know that better than anyone here!"
Keiko was pretending to be alright. It was painfully obvious. But Shun wasn't going to say a word about it. Nobody here was. She would let her little sister cope in her own way.
"Then, we'll have to become heroes Shiori can believe in." Hiroko said. "We have to try."
"And you'll definitely pull it off." Keiko said. "As your rival, I should know."
Keiko let out a loud yawn. Shun laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's get you home." she said. "You've had a long day. All of us have."
Keiko nodded… and practically leapt into Shun's arms. Shun opened her mouth to protest before thinking better of it. In a matter of moments, she had parted ways with her teammates and was giving Keiko a piggyback ride back to the Yoshimoto estate.
The evening sky was beautiful, the weather was lovely, and the nature surrounding the pair had never looked more beautiful. One day, she would help return this sort of beauty to the Shade Kingdom. That was the duty she had inherited, as the last of the Shade Cures. And Shun couldn't be happier to take on that burden.
"Hey, Shun?" Keiko said sleepily as the pair continued on their way.
"Hm?"
"You were really cool back there. Wish Shiori could've seen it." She let out another yawn as she snuggled a bit closer to her. "Don't… tell Shouta I said that..."
Keiko was snoring quietly now. Shun smiled fondly as she continued onward. She knew this was only a moment of respite. The calm before the storm. She had seen the signs herself. But the six of them would be up to whatever obstacles Kagemera and his ilk threw at them. And they would keep going until the day their worlds were finally at peace. That was what it meant to be a Pretty Cure.