A/N:

Y'all have done it again. We have reached 300 views! Yaay! I keep saying it, but I am so appreciative of this. I hope you are enjoying everything so far!

Now, in this chapter, we dive back in time. Many surprises here! Enjoy~!

Episode 2: In D Minor - I Declare War

14 Years Ago…

"COCO! GET ME SOME GODDAMN DIPPIN' DOTS BEFORE I WRECK YOUR SPINE!"

Sometimes, supporting your best friend and team leader while she was expecting was hard. At an amusement park, even.

Rin Natsuki could say this much from the start. She remembered that her best friend told everyone the news of the little one during a shift at Natts House. Nozomi was very creative in the reveal. And that was by wearing a beautiful necklace that very clearly said '#1 Mom'.

Urara nearly passed out. Komachi, screaming, instantly went to hug her while Karen was more subtle about her happiness - it was presented in the form of constant tears.

And Kurumi had the liberty of chasing a poor fairy down the street in rage.

Rin had to pretend she didn't know. Nozomi told her first after all. She was surprised at the news, but she soon got so excited, she couldn't help but hug her tightly while screaming 'I'm gonna be an Auntie!'.

That was when she was more of an Angel. She might have been Dream, but…

"I don't have all fucking day!"

…mood swings were a nightmare.

They all sat underneath the shade of a tree with their friends as Nozomi seemed to glare daggers towards the man in line. He looked like he had seen a ghost, he was shaking so much.

"Hey, Nozomi," Rin sighed and gently rubbed her back. "Cut him some slack. He's doing his best."

"B-but I just want some Dippin' Dots," Nozomi whined, suddenly almost on the verge of tears.

Karen rolled her eyes. "Nozomi, why can't you be more like Honoka? She's further along than you are."

"Karen! Now you're comparing me to my senpai!" Nozomi yelled before bawling.

"Y'know, this may come as a surprise to you, but women can't exactly speed-run pregnancy, Karen," Rin says half-jokingly and rolls her eyes.

"She's right." Urara smiled sheepishly. "Cut Nozomi a little slack, alright?"

"Look, Nozomi." Komachi smiled enthusiastically. "Here he comes now."

Coco finally rushed back to Nozomi with a bowl of Dippin' Dots. "...Here… That line was agonizing…" he pants as he nearly throws the bowl at her out of exhaustion.

Nozomi was about to happily dig in...but she looked down at the bowl blankly. "What flavor is this?"

Coco looked in frozen fear. "…R-Rocky…Road…?"

"But I wanted strawberry."

"E-eh?"

"Coco."

"Nozomi...?"

"I. wanted. STRAWBERRY! COCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Nozomi reached into her purse and revealed her CureMo.

"PRECURE, METAMO-"

"NOZOMI, NO!"

While these 4 were constantly trying to calm a hormonal Nozomi down - and restrain Karen from blowing her gasket on her - Kurumi only shook her head and stood in the corner.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree. Why can't you be more like Honoka…"

This would be an insult, if it wasn't so true. Honoka right now was about 8 and a half months pregnant. So, instead of riding the Ferris wheel or water rides, she sat underneath the tree with the others. Saaya had brought most of her gear as her doctor, and was currently pressing a stethoscope over her stomach. She hummed for a moment before smiling.

"Perfectly healthy. Honoka-san, there's nothing to worry about."

"Thank goodness…" Honoka leaned against the tree while sighing, Nagisa gently kissing her cheek teasingly in reassurance.

"I told you."

"I just wanted to make sure!" Honoka said with a nervous laugh. "They seem so still these days."

"Maybe they're taking a nap, popo!" Porun suggested as he appeared from Hikari's bag with his sister Lulun.

"Or listening to what we're saying, lulu!"

"Yumehara-san," Sayaa calls, wanting to be formal for no particular reason. "It's time for you to see me."

"Just a second!" Karen grunted as she practically dragged Nozomi up to her feet. "You need to go see your doctor!"

"But I don't wanna!"

"I know you're still mad about the Dippin' Dots, but pouting won't fix anything! Go see Saaya right now!" Karen ordered.

"Eeee-Ughhh Fiiiiine," Nozomi surrendered. "What's the good word, doc?"

"...I haven't even started the examination yet..."

"Whaaa, exam? But I didn't study! Karen, you said this would be a doctor's appointment!"

"I can't tell if Nozomi is drunk or just fucking stupid," Kurumi facepalms.

"SO YOU THINK I'M STUPID?!" Nozomi shrieks at Kurumi.

"Well, you are pregnant, so I would hope the former is false." Saaya said and put on her stethoscope again, placing her hand on her bump before listening for a heartbeat.

She smiled soon, nodding. "It sounds like they're developing well. Their heart is beating at a faster rate now, which is a good sign."

Nozomi nodded and fell back onto the grass with a thud. "I just wanna feel better already. Recently I've been feeling like crap. And I've missed my period for a few months in a row now.."

Kurumi deadpanned. "Nozomi."

"What?"

"You're PREGNANT."

"Ah, right."

"Good God, is the lack of Dip-N-Dots destroying your brain cells or something? I swear to god Coco, you better not piss her off again..."

"Noted." The prince said sitting on the bench, still trying to get over his trauma that he just witnessed.

"Honoka, Nagisa, have you thought of any names yet?" Miki asked politely.

The couple looked at each other for a moment before they giggled.

"Well, we wanted something neutral." Nagisa spoke up. "Something you can name a boy or a girl. There are plenty of guys named Nagisa after all."

"We want something that shows that our child is our entire world," Honoka explained. "They're too precious for anything less."

Everyone 'awwed' at the beautiful words Honoka said, but Nozomi was confused.

"Wait…guys are named Nagi-"

Kurumi instantly covered her mouth while forcing a smile. "…what name were you thinking of?"

"Mmmm, I don't remember anymore. I don't even know what to name my own child..."

Nagisa mused this while Honoka looked up at the bright blue sky. There wasn't a cloud in it, and it seemed like it filled the entire world.

…the sky…

"…Sora…" Honoka mumbled softly while placing a hand on her belly.

"Beautiful... It's perfect..." Nagisa whispered as she reached to grab Honoka's other hand. "They'll truly be our world..."

"Nagisa…"

All the girls practically squealed excitedly at the tender kiss the two soon-to-be mothers shared.

"So cuuute~!" Nozomi squealed, tears beading in her eyes.

For once, she was her normal self…for now.

Honoka suddenly felt a vigorous kick and was taken aback. The baby had been gentle for a while, so it came out of nowhere. She tried to stand up but felt a second harsh kick.

"…Nagisa…!"

Nagisa was instantly alarmed as she helped Honoka sit up. "Honoka, are you alright? What's wrong?"

She grit her teeth as she tried to hold in the pain. "It's…too…early!"

Nagisa's face became white. "…Someone, call an ambulance NOW."

Saaya immediately came to Honoka's side. "Honoka, concentrate on your breathing! You can do this!"

"Noka, we'll get you proper help soon!" Nagisa exclaims as Honoka squeezes her arms tight.

Karen pulled out her phone and dialed the emergency number. "Hello? My friend is in labor and it's a month early!"

Nozomi's mind went blank. She could hardly believe what was happening. She teared up and hugged her husband in fear, who was shocked that she did so. "Coco…!"

As Nozomi suddenly hugged her husband, Coco almost dropped the new strawberry Dip-N-Dots he got for her. "Here, Nozomi. These might make you feel better."

"COCO! I can't care about Dippin' Dots at a time like this! Come on!"

Coco sighed as he decided to eat them himself.

At the Hospital

It was such an agonizing wait in the waiting room.

Nozomi and Love had to try their best to keep Nagisa under control. She was nearly tearing her hair out, nearly screaming 'I want to see her!'. However, the doctors wouldn't let anyone inside.

Except Saaya. She promised she would report back to them. But so far, nothing…

"Saaya must be waiting for something major to happen, I'm sure," Love reassures Nagisa.

"But Noka is still in pain! I need to see her!" Nagisa shakes her head.

Finally, the door opened and out came Saaya, with a look of immense worry on her face.

"Saaya." Nagisa instantly stood up and approached her. "How is Noka? Am I allowed to see her?"

…Saaya wouldn't say anything.

Her eyes narrowed. "Saaya!"

"Nagisa-san…" she started. "Honoka-san is stable. But she won't be able to stay in labor for long. If she gives birth right now…it would be deadly…"

"What…" Nagisa's heart dropped and her hearing was failing her. "What are…you saying…"

"Natural birth...could kill both her and your child. If you choose the C-section, Honoka-san is more likely to be okay, but your child is still at risk..."

Nagisa wanted to cry, scream, blow the whole damn world up, or anything. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No way…!" Love gasped.

"That can't be!" Nozomi said with a firm voice. "Honoka and Sora have to survive!"

"THIS IS INSANE! YOU CAN'T ASK ME TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLE I LOVE THE VERY MOST!" Nagisa screamed with tears forming in her eyes.

"Nagisa-san!"

Saaya felt tears forming in her own eyes. "I don't like this either…but I didn't say there was no chance your child could survive. I said that a C-section would be…risky for your little one. But…it's still a risk…"

"The fact that there's any risk at all scares me! I can't bear to lose either of them!"

"…natural birth would be even worse…"

Love reasoned with tears in her eyes, looking to the side. God bless Hikari. She was about to break under her constant sobbing.

"…it's not my place to decide." Nozomi said while holding Nagisa close. "You have to."

"I can't put Honoka's life at risk. If natural birth will put her in more pain..." Nagisa stops and gulps. "C-section. She needs to undergo the C-section. I hope to God our child will make it."

"…As you wish." Saaya nodded, closing her eyes and exhaling.

As she was walking away, Nagisa grabbed her hand.

"I trust you, Saaya." She said without looking at her. "…take care of them."

Nagisa breaks into another sob as Sayaa disappears behind the door. "Please, Saaya..." Nagisa whispers once more.

Hana came towards Nagisa and kneeled down, wiping her cheeks. "We're all here for you. Okay? We're all gonna cheer them on…okay…?"

She tried hard not to sob herself.

"Well, well, well..." Echoed a voice through the hospital corridor. Nagisa jolted up, thinking that it was another doctor. Suddenly, a long mirror that was hanging by the door started to glow a blue light.

"…Blue?!"

Hime stood up out of surprise, seeing the God step out of it. Nozomi growled, a little out of hormones and scooted back with Nagisa in her arms.

She was always neutral to him - but she never really liked him.

"Why are you here."

"I've been observing. And I'm not liking what I'm seeing. Tell me in your own words what's going on right now."

"IF YOU SAW THE WHOLE THING THEN SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO TELL YOU SHIT!" Nozomi barks. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER?"

Blue raised his hands and Nagisa narrowed her tear filled eyes. She saw zero remorse there.

"Hey, Cure Dream. I'm just trying to be sure."

"You…" Nagisa raised a finger in a whisper. "…you wanted this to happen…didn't you…?"

Blue blinked. "…come again?"

"How long have you been watching me? And WHY? I know there's no way in hell you'd care about what I've done over the last few years. Unless you've been plotting." Nagisa says with ice in her voice.

"And what's up with that tone?" Rin said with bile in her own voice. "Honoka and Sora might not fucking make it! And you stand here looking as apathetic as a goddamn rock! Spit out what you really want, God of the Earth!"

...Blue's gaze was like a brick wall.

"If that's what you really want, then fine. I'm disappointed. In ALL of you. You brought all of this upon yourselves. None of this would have happened if you didn't fall in love."

…

The room went so quiet. Just like a pin drop. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of beeping hospital machines.

From the floor beneath them.

The room temperature suddenly dropped heavily as Reika's stone cold expression hardened with the ice on the walls.

"…what the fuck did you just say?" She whispered.

"I'm...I'm sorry?" Blue stutters.

"I believe that it's very evident that you aren't at all sorry. I'm going to ask you kindly - exactly ONCE - to please shut the fuck up."

Finally, Nagisa snapped.

"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" She screamed in tears. "MY WIFE AND CHILD ARE ON THE LINE, AND YOU SAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I DIDN'T LOVE NOKA?! MY TRUE LOVE?! MY SNOW WHITE?! I REALLY CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE YOU!"

"Just because shit went wrong with Mirage ONCE doesn't give you any right to control other people's love lives!" Iona marched forward. "MY SISTER ALMOST DIED FOR YOUR SAKE! WE BOTH PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER BECAUSE YOU'RE AN INDECISIVE, IRRESPONSIBLE PRICK!"

"Not only that, you're just disrespectful and insensitive!" Hikari snapped, clutching Porun and Lulun to her chest. "If you don't care at ALL about this, that means that you just see Honoka and Sora as expendable. AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR!"

"How could you not cheer her on at a time like this?! How could you choose to be so blind to her suffering?!" Hana screams.

"I'm not blind at all. I see it very clearly. Your actions have consequences, Cure Black."

"LIKE YOURS DIDN'T?!" Hime harshly retorted. "YOU HAD THE FUCKING AUDACITY TO GASLIGHT ME ABOUT THE WHOLE AXIA FIASCO ALL THOSE YEARS AGO! I WAS 14! AND HAD TO DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEMS ALL WHILE WORRYING ABOUT MY KINGDOM!"

The lightbulbs in the room broke. Or at least, some started flickering.

"Call us fucking Precure all you want…" Yayoi whispered while holding Candy protectively and looked up at him. "But we were just normal fucking girls. We had normal lives at middle school, high school, goddamn university! And we made it through with all of our friends, maybe even lovers, by our side! I don't know how I would have managed all of these hard years without my friends! Love made us stronger, not weaker! For you to say something like THIS, is just downright fucking horse shit!"

"Maybe you would have a better understanding of love if you didn't spend all of your time aimlessly wallowing and recruiting teenage girls to solve your problems since you apparently can't," Seiji stands up. "I'll never forgive you for putting Megumi through all of that. You couldn't even properly explain what she meant to you when I confronted you. Unbelievable."

Nagisa was thinking through this whole shouting match. Would anyone hate her for what she was about to say? For what was on her mind…?

…No. She couldn't think like that. She could tell everyone's hearts were one.

She knew what to do.

"…I…declare…war…" she whispered under her breath.

Blue's eyes widened and was about to speak, but Reika's gaze shut him up.

"Shut up. Louder, Nagisa."

"I DECLARE WAR!" Nagisa pointed right at Blue. "HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE OUR PRIVILEGE TO LOVE?!"

Nagisa wished she could rewind time. She wished she could turn back the clock and take back her words. But she couldn't.

It was set in stone now.

Blue was speechless. Who would dare challenge him, the God of the Earth?!

"Cure Black…" he laughed a little bit like he was at a tennis match. "You really have some nerve…your friends would not like what you just…"

He trailed off as he analyzed the room - the women in there looked like lionesses ready to pounce.

No one was laughing.

"…said…?"

"For once, you're half right, Blue. We not only like that idea, we LOVE it. Who are you to decide our lives for us?" Megumi starts. "Going forward, we will no longer look to you as an ally. Prepare yourself."

"M-Megumi-!"

Seiji stood in front of her protectively, staring down the God with a fierce expression.

" 'Megumi', what, God of the Earth? What are you planning to bribe her for this time now that she clearly doesn't want to see you again? 'Megumi'. WHAT."

Blue looked around the room again for good measure. He stared hard into the mirror, now aware that the only person he could trust now was himself.

"You don't understand what you're getting yourselves into," Blue said through clenched teeth. His back faced the Precure and he slowly walked back into the mirror to retreat.

"Coward!" Akane barks just as he disappeared.

Nagisa looked into the void like she had seen a ghost. She wanted to take it back. What had she done?

What the fuck had she done…?

"What…did I do…what did I do…?" Nagisa covered her mouth as she started to shake.

"A favor." Nozomi said simply.

Nagisa looked up at her in shock. "B-But..!"

"Nagisa."

Yuuko stood before Nagisa and held out her hand. "We've put up with him for far too long. We deserve the right to live our lives without those scuffed 'rules'. I'm incredibly proud of you for standing up for all of us. We can't look back now. It's time to fight for ourselves."

"Yuuko…"

"And besides," Setsuna crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "Who's to say that we can't decide who makes the rules?"

"Better yet," Kirara added. "Who's to say WE can't make the rules ourselves?"

Nagisa's eyes widened as she took Yuuko's hand. "What are you guys saying?"

"We are people with lives and aspirations, Precure or not! To dedicate our entire lives to serve prophecies and deities who can't show respect towards us is lunacy. We're going to show Blue how the powers of the Precure truly work, with all our feelings as one!" Miyuki shouts. "Who's with me?!"

Nagisa thought her friends had lost their minds.

They want to replace him…They want to replace Blue.

They want to put a stop to all of it and damn near rewrite the laws he instated. Changing destiny itself..

…if it will protect my child…and Noka…

"…I am." Nagisa said while wiping her face. "I'm with you, Miyuki!"

"Hooray, hooray, everyone! Let's go kick his ass!" Hana prompts everyone to cheer. Soon enough, the hospital corridor grew louder with motivation to show Blue what's what.

"Nagisa-san…"

She felt a tap on the shoulder which snapped her out of the war cry. She saw Saaya looking at her and her heart dropped.

"What…?"

"I'm happy to say you're allowed to see Honoka-san before the C-section. If you're lucky, they might let you in the surgery room."

"Noka!" Nagisa blurts out, ready to practically run into the room. "NOKA!"

As soon as Nagisa entered the room, she saw Honoka lying in bed keeping steady breathing and clutching onto her stomach shortly.

The contractions were getting closer together. It would be hard to ignore soon.

Yet she turned to the side and opened her eyes slightly, smiling weakly.

"N-Nana…"

The tears came back to Nagisa's eyes. She planted a kiss on Honoka's forehead and rested her own forehead against hers.

"I love you so, so much. Keep fighting, Noka. There's a lot to be fighting for."

"Nana…what was…"

She realized she must have heard a lot. If incoherently.

"It doesn't matter right now. Don't focus on that right now, okay? Just focus on yourself. Keep yourself alive. Keep your heart beating…"

Tears entered her own eyes as Nagisa's tears hit her forehead.

"Nagisa…"

Saaya stood by the doorway, feeling guilty about having to break up this moment. "Honoka-san... they're ready for you."

Nagisa looked down at Honoka in distress. However, her wife smiled sweetly and cupped her cheek.

"I'm with you always."

"Don't talk like that…"

"We're always together."

Nagisa tried to walk into the operating room. Saaya stopped her and shook her head, indicating that the doctors didn't want her present for the operation. Nagisa looked at Honoka once more before reluctantly leaving the room.

An hour had passed since Honoka was in surgery.

Everyone was still in the waiting room, supporting Nagisa in any way possible. Nozomi continued rubbing her back in comfort, Hana held her hands and prayed silently…

But the only thing on her mind was Honoka.

Noka…you can do it…

Inori closed her eyes and clenched her stomach in worry when she heard something shrill and loud down the hall.

"Guys, do you hear that?"

Hana opened her eyes. "It sounds like..."

"A baby."

Nagisa's breathing became heavy as she stared hard at the door. Several seconds passed before Saaya opened the door with a warm smile.

"It's a girl!"

The mirror cracked.

Nagisa collapsed on the ground in nothing but tears of joy and relief. Nao stood up in happiness.

"Really?!"

"Yes, it is. And she's so small, the poor thing. Only 2 pounds. But Honoka…it's a miracle. She's just fine."

"Can I...Can I go see them?"

"Of course you can! Honoka-san is calling for you!"

Nagisa ran into the room again, this time with tears of joy. Honoka cradled the tiny child and sobbed.

"Noka…?!"

Honoka reached her free hand out to Nagisa to hold it and sobbed happily.

"N-Nana, Sora is here…!"

As Nagisa sobbed, Sora reached up with one of her tiny hands and wrapped it around Nagisa's ring finger.

Now both of her ring fingers held something that symbolized love, the one on her other hand bearing her wedding ring.

"She's so beautiful…" Honoka whispered and kissed her forehead. "Our whole entire world…our sky…"

A quiet knock came out the door, and some excited giggles.

Nagisa wiped her tears and spoke. "Saaya?" She whispered as best she could.

"It's the girls. They're quite eager to see her."

"They can come in." Nagisa said with a smile. "But be very quiet."

Reika and Iona lead everyone into the room. It ended up being cramped once everyone filed in, but it was full of love. Sora was lucky to have so many loving aunties.

Nozomi was lucky enough to get next to Nagisa, sitting on the chair. She smiled as the child whined and cried out shortly in distress, placing a hand on her own bump.

She couldn't wait.

"She has your temper, Nagisa." Nozomi joked a little.

"Hey!" Nagisa playfully responded, lightly bumping into Nozomi's shoulder. "And she's got Noka's eyes..."

Sora heard all the sweet compliments from her brand new family, it was certain. She fell asleep on her mother's chest contentedly after all.

That night, Saaya suggested that since Sora still needed to gain more weight to be considered healthy, that she stay in her cot. She made sure the doctors in the NICU would help her gain the nutrients she needed to go home for the first time.

The others went home, but some stayed with Nagisa and Honoka overnight. It was so peaceful and quiet…

…but Honoka suddenly woke up. Disturbed by…something.

"Nagisa…" she whispered, shaking Nagisa awake. "Wake up…"

"Sora...have you checked on her recently?"

Nagisa yawns. "Yeah, before I went to sleep? Why?"

"I have an urge to check on her again. Just to make sure she's alright..."

Nagisa blinked a little bit, but got that same uneasy feeling.

She didn't hear any crying.

"…okay."

Nervously, she got out of bed, stepping over to the cot where Hana was fast asleep next to it. She spoke in her gentlest, sweetest tone.

"Hey, little one…Mama's here-"

…!

"SORAAAAAAAAA!"

Mama was there. But the baby wasn't. Nagisa cried out so loudly that she would have woken up everyone in the hospital. Honoka caught up to her and started shaking at the sight of the empty space in the cot.

"No way..."

The girls in the room were definitely woken up by it. Hana certainly was too. She was right next to her.

"Ah! Nagisa!" Hana stood up in alert. "What the hell is-"

She covered her mouth and saw the child, a premature newborn, off of her damn health support missing from her cot. None of them have ever seen Nagisa so enraged.

Megumi knew immediately who did this and swore to herself.

"…BLUE, WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"Oh, he isn't getting away with this. Everyone! Get up! He's asking for it now!" Iona shouts out to everyone. Once everyone was up, they all moved as a unit to the hallway mirror.

"How do we even know where he went?!" Yuuko said, terrified.

Seiji thought for a moment, humming.

"Wait…if he can go through mirrors, does that mean this mirror might take us to where he is? Or at least, close to it…"

"It's worth everything we got! We want our daughter back, alive and healthy," Nagisa says, holding Honoka's hand. "Let's go!"

Megumi, Hime, Yuuko, Iona, and Seiji all held hands so their feelings could be reflected in the mirror. The mirror became a portal, ready to use.

"Sora! Your loving mothers are coming!" Nagisa calls as she and Honoka jump into the mirror after the others.

Y'all can have different opinions about Blue, but we can all agree that he was extremely problematic in Happiness Charge. Had his actions not been taken, none of this would have occurred. Yet he wants teenage girls to fix the problems HE caused.

I feel better about my life decisions, haha.

Were they able to find Sora in the end? Did our poor mamas lose their baby forever? Maybe that's why they're so resentful towards each other now...but who knows.

You'll find out soon - next chapter, it's back to the present with Ju Lan!

- Sweet