Author's Note: I actually pretended that Michiru and Kaoru are Cures because of the last episode.

Chapter 8: Ex-villains "day" out

Season: FWPCSS, FPC, SPC

Main Characters: Michiru K. Kaoru K. Setsuna H. Ellen K.

Summary: They made a great choice in the past, which led to the great life in the present.

Bold: emphasize

*Irasshaimase means "welcome" in Japanese

At PanPaka Pan

The young helper behind the counter couldn't help but smile genuinely when she saw the familiar faces of the two purple-haired customers.

Michiru: Irasshaimase. Oh my, Setsuna, Ellen, nice to see you.

Setsuna: You too. I take it that you're and a full-fledged staff in PanPaka Pan now?

Michiru: That's far from the truth, I'm simply helping ou…

Saki's Dad: (interrupt) Michiru-chan, (walked out from the kitchen, with a baking tray) your croissants are done, they looks successful enough; oh, and you can go on break now.

Ellen: So you've learned to bake, incredible.

Michiru: It's nothing, (taking the tray) this is just a test run, want one?

Ellen: Smells yummy.

Setsuna: Don't mind if I do.

Kaoru: (walking down from Saki's bedroom) Well, well, what have we here, what an interesting duo.

The past cold and nonchalant blue-haired girl sounded gentle even when her words were rather sarcastic since it was followed by a smile.

Minori: (come out after Kaoru) Michiru-onee-chan, something smells like snacks, right?

Michiru: (taking off her apron and walking out from the counter, giving one croissant to Minori first) Yes, yes, let's go out and enjoy them, shall we? (To Setsuna and Ellen) You two as well?

Ellen: Sure, why not?

Minori: (yawn) I'm sleepy.

Kaoru: Right, it's your afternoon nap time, should I tell another story then?

Minori: But I want to hear a lullaby…

And so, Kaoru looked at Ellen with a hint of plea in her eyes.

Ellen: Alright, if you insist, I'll sing a part the one Mirai-chan always talks about, ahem…

Mabuta tojireba yume no mori
Asonde oide yoake made

Ibara no kage ni mayotte mo
Tsunagu kono te ga michishirube

Yami no kemono ni owaretemo
Kowagaranaide soba ni iru

Everyone applaud for this mini performance really softly.

Michiru: As expected from the famous songstress in the kingdom of music.

Kaoru: I don't think I've ever heard a song this good.

Setsuna: I know right? Mephisto-sama and Aphrodite-sama always ask her to go back and sing for different important occasions, including royal ones.

Ellen: I still have a long way to go, there are a lot of singers who are way better than me in this world and Major Land, for example, Hummy, Solcière, not to mention Ako too.

Kaoru: Anyway, what brings you two here?

Ellen: We were just on our monthly ex-villains outing for ones who have become a Cure, we originally planned to stop by for bread…

Setsuna: but suddenly we thought that maybe the two of you would be here (technically they are Cure Bright and Cure Windy) and we wanted to invite you to our monthly outing too, that is, if you are interested.

Kaoru: Sounds fun to me, but Michiru's schedule is more packed than mine.

Michiru: I'm sure ojisan won't mind me taking a day off. And I think we do need to get along better with someone other than Saki and Mai.

Ellen: It's settled then. (Grin)

Setsuna: At any rate, these croissants are out of this world!

She was praising Michiru's cooking but instead she earned a glower.

Setsuna: It's just a saying, calm down.

Kaoru: But her cooking skills are indeed very polished. She can make various pastries too, apart from ordinary breads and croissants, she's learned to make éclairs, cinnamon rolls, palmier, pain au chocolat, different types of pies and tarts too.

Ellen: So part of the shop's supply is provided by you?

Michiru: Of course not! I'm not that incredible yet.

Kaoru: But you haven't even asked Saki's dad.

Setsuna: Yeah, I think he'll be more than willing to put your pastries on the shop's shelf, if you let him.

Michiru: Ok, enough about me, Kaoru!

Kaoru: What?

Ellen: Speaking of which, were you drawing with Minori-chan before we arrived?

Kaoru: Yeah, every time Michiru comes here to help out, Minori asks me to teach her to draw.

Ellen: Doesn't that means you're a great painter now?

Michiru: Sure it does! Kaoru just won the second-runner-up in a drawing competition which had had more than 200 entries, impressive, right?

Kaoru: I guess it's not nothing but you know, 200 entries aren't really many, I'm aiming higher, after all, the first-runner-up was Nanase-san and the champion was Mai. Anyway, we've all talked about ourselves, except… (eyeing Setsuna)

Setsuna: Me? But I don't really have any big achievements like you all.

Ellen: What are you talking about? You are one of the three highest administrators of the People Republic of Labyrinth, I'd say that's the biggest achievement amongst us.

Setsuna: That's just a title as we're the three who actually brought up the revolution idea, but I only sometimes go back to check on the rebuilding progress and for other important events, the ones who lead the people nowadays, who take matters in their own hands are Westar and Soular.

Michiru: Well then, talk about… hmm… ah! I've got it!

At this point, the red-haired girl fell into a fit of giggles before she can say it, her twin sister immediately took the words from her.

Kaoru: I think Michiru wanted to ask: how are you and Westar going?

Setsuna's face immediately lit up.

Michiru: Yeah, Valentine's Day had just passed, what did you receive?

Setsuna: I… um… he gave me a deck of Tarot cards.

Kaoru: What are those?

Ellen: Oh, oh, re those the one that contains 52 cards, have four kinds of patterns and each have 13 cards? I've read that from Otokichi-san's book but it says those are for writing(Japanese read as "kake") something, if I recall...

Setsuna: The one you've read about is Poker cards, and they are for gambling(also kake), not writing things. Tarots are for fortune-telling.

Other three: Oh, those cards.

Kaoru: Since when did you like fortune-telling?

Setsuna: Since I was Eas actually, but after I became a Precure, life was busy and I have friends to hang out with, plus I don't have any fortune-telling tools as I don't stay in the Fortune Telling Mansion anymore, so I stopped playing.

Kaoru: But you can start playing again since your boyfriend gave you what you need.

Michiru: How nice, I want to read fortunes too, do you think you can teach me?

Ellen: Me too, I was planning to search for a tutorial about Tarots among Otokichi-san's books but if it's not too much trouble for you…

Setsuna: Sorry, I didn't bring the cards with me today, next time, I promise.

Ellen: Kaoru, you're not interested?

Michiru: She don't really believe in these things.

Kaoru: I don't believe that it can actually be accurate, it's just a deck of cards!

Setsuna: Well, I just see it as a type of entertainment or encouragement.

Michiru: Ah! I just realised something…

Ellen: What?

Michiru: If we are talking about villains who became a Precure, aren't we missing someone out?

Setsuna: Now that you mentioned it…

All: Towa-chan!

Ellen: We've gotta invite her before next time.

Kaoru: Leave it to me. Me and Mai planned to pay a visit to Noble Academy next week since Nanase-san invited us to an art exhibition nearby, I can find a chance to talk to Towa-chan.

Setsuna: We'll count on you then, thanks.

Minori: (wake up) How long have I been sleeping? (Yawn) Well, anyway, Kaoru-onee-chan, let's continue.

Kaoru: Yes, yes, let's head back. (getting pulled by Minori)

Michiru: All right, I think my break is about to end, I'd better hurry back.

Setsuna: Wait! Can we help out too?

Michiru: We won't say "no" to someone who want to help but are you sure you want to?

Ellen: Yeah, we didn't actually plan many things to do today, so let us help out, I'm sure we'll enjoy it as much as you do.

Michiru: Alright then, come on in.

End of Chapter 8