Author's Note

About 90% of this chapter is all about the fight. Well, it is a boss fight after all.

Either way, the next few chapters will be more on Aikatsu. It has been a quite character-focused chapter for a while. I think it's time to do more Aikatsu.

Chapter 17: Diva's Resolve and Cure Center

When Gyaku bombarded the ship, Elza blames herself for the lack of security.

"How could this happen? I thought everything was perfect."

Hime, who is beside her, puts her hand on her shoulder "Either way, let's get everyone to safety first."

"Yeah, let's move everyone to the lower deck. The ship won't sink from this kind of damage."

"Alright, then lets… Is that Yume and the other girls. Where are they going?"

Hime sees Yume and the girls running to a more isolated area. Hime and Elza rush over. When they find them, they witness the five girls transforming into precure.

Elza "Did they just transformed by using that device?"

Hime however, isn't so surprised "As I thought."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's leave this to the precure. We should get everyone to safety first."

Elza slowly nods "Ah… yeah, let's do that."

"Then let's hurry, I'll take care of this side."

Elza nod and go take care of another side while thinking "Yume Nijino, precure, and those devices. I don't know what is happening but I will find out everything perfectly!"

The girls got on top of the stadium.

Yume "Gyaku, what are you doing?"

He answers "What I am doing? Getting my last fight with you girls."

Hibiki asks 'Last fight? What do you mean?"

"There is no need to say anymore. Precure, prepare yourself! Hyaaah!"

A blast of a powerful wave is released from Gyaku. The precures stand firm and endure it. However, Lily and Yuzu got blown away. Melody and Rhythm immediately. To save them, Melody and Rhythm jump out. Melody grabs Yuzu and Rhythm got Lily.

Diva shouts "Yuzu! Lily!"

After Melody and Rhythm lands, Yuzu answers first "Don't worry, we are all okay!"

Diva feels relieved but Gyaku pops out beside her.

"Where are you looking?"

He kicks Diva and sents her flying towards the sky. He then dashes to where Diva is and knocks her down back to the ground while locking his fist together. Diva crash into the stadium and could hardly get up.

Beat and Muse shouts "Diva!"

The Beat and Muse jump down, trying to help Diva. However, Gyaku shows up behind them in midair. He closes his hands together and forces a blast of dark energy out of his hands. Beat looks back and quickly and puts up her beat barrier but was broken through easily.

Beat and Muse screams "Ahhh!"

The two of them crashes besides Diva. Gyaku stands on top of the stadium and looks down at the girls.

"Naive, recklessly jumps in to help only leaves you wide open."

Diva tries to get up while looking at Beat and Muse that landed beside her "You two, are you alright?"

Beat answers first "Yeah, but…"

Muse then continues "He is strong."

Diva nods as she slowly gets up. Around the same time, Melody and Rhythm regroup.

Melody looks at them and turns to Gyaku "This guy is fast."

Rhythm says "But if it is the five of us…"

Diva nods "Yeah, we can do it!"

As soon as Diva finishes saying that, the girls run slightly far apart and leap in at Gyaku. Gyaku looks at each one of them and suddenly shows up in front of Melody. Melody dodges his fist but was immediately hit from behind.

Surprised and confused "Wha?"

Melody looks back and sees Gyaku behind her. Gyaku quickly follows up with a downward kick and leap towards Muse. Gyaku goes for a punch but Muse uses her hands to lift herself up with it to avoid. Gyaku however, follows through Muse's touch and ram Muse with his shoulder.

"Ahhh!"

"Idiot!"

Beat retorts "Is that so? Beat Sonic!"

Gyaku quickly strikes down every shot from the Beat Sonic.

"Not bad, but they are weak."

"Eh?"

Rhythm then leaps in and tries to punch him. Gyaku moves his head and looks at Rhythm missing him.

"Too much…"

He grabs her arms and throws Rhythm towards Beat. Beat ended up catching Rhythm while Gyaku fires another dark shot at them.

"As I thought, opening and weakness are the same."

Gyaku then looks at Diva then taunts her "Come, let's see what you can do."

Diva hesitates for a second but slowly gathers her courage.

"Hyaa!"

Diva jumps in and kicks Gyaku. Gyaku matches her attack and kicks back. The kicks hit each other and Diva was pushed back. Diva follows up with more attacks one after another. Gyaku then matches every single one and force Diva into a corner.

"Are you making fun of me? If your resolve is only this much, then quit being a precure."

"No… I'm not…"

"Yes, you are! If you are, then fight like you mean it!"

"But I…"

Muse then realizes what Diva may be thinking.

"Diva, I know how you feel. But we fight to save people."

Melody then smiles while barely standing up "That's right. We are here to save Gyaku as well."

He then retorts "Save me? Rather, you girl are the ones pushing me to the end of the road."

Rhythm refute "That's because you keep turning people into Negadol! What's wrong with idols? What wrong with trying to bring a smile to people's faces?"

Beat nods "That's right, what you are doing is just weird. All it does it making people miserable."

"Shut up shut up!" Gyaku then jumps up high into the air and starts gathering dark energy. "Let's see you girls handle this!"

The dark sphere then slowly descent. Looking at it, the girls gather into one place.

Melody "That power. If that hit the ship, won't it sink?"

Rhythm "Maybe…"

Beat "Let's try to destroy it."

Melody and Rhythm join hands while Beat and Muse do the same. Melody and Beat then extend their hand to Diva. Overjoyed, Diva quickly takes their hand.

All five together "Passionato Harmony!"

Their attack fire off a never seen before power and strikes against the dark sphere. While strong, the dark sphere is not getting destroyed. All it does is slow its descent.

"Hahaha, nice try Precure. However, with the five of you alone, there is no way to stop this!"

Then an unknown voice "If there is only five. Precure, Full Moon Shot!"

A yellowish sphere is formed from the sixth cure's module. The moon sphere she shot out collides with the dark sphere. Combine with the Passionato harmony, they destroy it together.

"What?"

The new cure joins Melody, Diva, and others. She is wearing a mostly black and silver dress. There are a few stars decoration with a yellow moon near her hip.

"I see there are five of you. However, this enemy, he seems troublesome."

Melody nods "Yeah. Wait, who are you?"

"I'm Cure Center, nice to meet the five of you. Cure Melody, Rhythm, Beat, Muse, and… Diva."

Center smile softly when she looks at Diva.

Diva tilts her head and asks "Hmm, what is it?"

Center shakes her head "No nothing. However…" She then turns to Gyaku. "Let's take him on together."

Diva wants to answer Center positively but couldn't "But I…"

"No, you got it wrong. What he said isn't just that. I'm sure you had been told similar things before."

Diva then remembers her first year at Four Star Academy. The hardships she goes through and what people say about her. However, what Diva could relate with Gyaku is actually from her fan. There are few that criticize her.

"I… want to make him understand. I want to make him feel the joy he can get from idols!"

A light shines from Diva's cure module. Soon after, a pink light shoots out and looks like a small baton while still glowing.

Melody "Is that… A belltier? No, what is that weapon?"

Diva looks at it "Weapon." Diva then grabs it. The weapon becomes pink short stick.

"This is my weapon…"

Gyaku looks at Diva "Even if you get a weapon, it won't change anything!"

He dashes behind Diva and tries to punch her. However, it was blocked by a rainbow beam.

"Rainbow Sword, this is my weapon."

Diva then jumps away. She then slow looks at Gyaku with a soft smile.

"What is with that look? Just because you stopped me once, it doesn't mean anything!"

Gyaku attacks Diva a few more times from many angles, But Diva blocks all of them as if she is dancing.

"Tsu… Fine, how about this?"

Gyaku starts gathering dark energy again. However, a shadow shows up behind him.

"That move leaves you wide open, you know."

The Center kicks Gyaku in the back and sent him towards Diva. Diva then leaps towards him.

"Hyaaaa!"

Diva cuts through Gyaku. He then falls down with a scream. He tries to stand up while holding his chest, where it was cut.

"No, how? Just some idols are able to defeat my resolve?"

"Not just some idol, I'm cure Diva, a top idol!"

Diva then readies her sword in front of her.

"Eiiii!"

Diva then spins her swords and sents out several sword waves. When each wave hits Gyaku, they become circular cuffs that pin him in place. One on each limb and a large one over his body. She then points the tip of her rainbow sword at Gyaku.

"Precure, Rainbow Dream!"

The rainbow blade disappears for a split second and the handle shoots out a rainbow-colored beam.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Gyaku cries out as he is hit. After the attack ends, he falls onto the ground. Diva then runs towards him.

"Uhmm…"

Gyaku's transformation slowly becomes undone.

"Hahaha, that was something else. Perhaps, idols are necessary after all. Even if an idol's career doesn't last long"

Diva shakes her head "An idol can last forever. I'm sure you understand, an idol will always be within our hearts."

Gyaku is surprised but such a statement "That's… No, you are right. I see, so this is what he was talking about." Gyaku then closes his eyes and slowly, his body starts to disappear.

Rest of the cures starting to gather around.

Diva questions "What is going on? I thought…"

"This is my punishment. That power I used earlier, this is what happens if I were to lose."

"But…"

"Don't worry, I think… you have saved me. You made me remember what it means to be an idol. The smiles everyone had back then were real. The joy and the light they felt were not pointless. Diva and you girls, there is a spy in the school. Be careful, she is a really crafty one."

Diva and others could not respond immediately except Center "Thank you, but I'm sure we will be fine. As long as we keep up with our Aikatsu."

Diva, melody, and other looks at Center and nods.

Diva then says "That's right, we are all idols and we love putting out the best stage for our fans. The smiles and power from it, I'm sure we can protect this world."

Gyaku nods "That's good. Then please protect this world, don't stop shining like the first star…"

With that, Gyaku completely disappears and the fight ends. A few seconds after, Noise showed up.

"Sorry, I'm here to help now."

Muse the complain "Too late! It's over now!"

"Ah… No way. If it wasn't because of that weird girl, I could've helped."

After his whine, a voice can be heard a bit far away.

"Where did that weird bird go mehh. Is it over there?"

A sheep with her "Mehhh!"

"Then let's go, Caroline!"

A girl that looks like a sheep with a sheep is running around, looking for Noise.

Diva recognizes her "Ah… Kirara."

Noise "Kirara, yeah, that girl. I was just enjoying myself at the festival but she… ahhhh!"

Center smiles and says as she turns away "This festival is great, but it is not over yet."

Melody immediately gets excited "Yeah!"

Then she undoes her transformation. One by one, they all change back. The last one to change back is Center. She smiles can undo her transformation as well.

"HIme? No way!"

"Yes, Yume. I'm a precure as well."

Kanade then asks "Hime as in… Shiratori Hime?"

Ellen is shocked as well "Seriously? To think we'll be working together with Hime."

The three of them voice their surprise. Meanwhile, Hibiki is looking like a lost child and Ako stays silent, unsure how to react to it.

Hime then says "Ah, sorry. I can't join you girls yet. I still have a lot of work and things to do. There are also other places getting attacked as well. I'll be leaving after the festival is over."

Yume feels dispirit "I see… I understand you must have an even busier schedule than me. Staying in one place is just not possible."

"It is only not possible yet. I do plan on joining you later."

While the serious conversation is happening, Hibiki couldn't wait anymore.

"Hey, let's let everyone know it is safe now and let's continue the festival!"

Kanade then remembers everyone is still in the shelter "Ah, that's right. We should let them know soon."

"Then let's go and resume the festival!"

Everyone together "Yeah!"

Off to the side, Elza was watching. She then talks to herself.

"I was trying to catch Kirara but this… Hime Shiratori, you can transform like them. The modules, is it that thing? If that's the case, I must be one too. Legging behind Hime and Yume is not perfect at all. However, this must be fate."

She grabs a cure module from her pocket and looks at it.

"Now, I just need to figure out how this thing works. I'll have to analyze this."

Elza then looks at the girls again and watch them running towards the shelter area.