Forgive me for any grammar errors. I would also like to give a shout out to Ely Dreamer for reviewing my story and adding it as a favourite. Thank you :)

I hope you enjoy :D

*I promise there will be more butt-kicking action in the next episode

Episode 12: |A Cheerful Meal! Meet the Suzukawa Family!| (Part 2)

"Alright everyone!" beams Mari as she places the last dish onto the dining table. "Dig in!"

Once those simple words hit everyone's ears, Tomoka becomes as stiff as a statue as she watches the Suzukawa Family storms into the dining room and leap at the all the grub like they were a litter of pigs that hadn't seen a speck of food in weeks. At her home, if she did that, her father and mother would scold her all night long with how unladylike her actions were. However, Imari's mother didn't even lift a finger to their lack of manners.

Mari just smiles at Tomoka warmly. "Aren't you going to join in, hon?"

Tomoka nods and quietly finds a seat. She watches as everyone starts snatching up all the food and slopping it onto their plates.

"Paws off, sis," announces Imari. "That miso salmon is mine!"

"That's not far, Onee-chan!" grumbles Izumi. "You already have a piece of salmon on your place!"

Busted!

"Y-yeah," says Imari sneakily. "B-but, I want another one!"

"Imari," warns Mari. "Give your sister the salmon."

Imari pouts. "Aw! No fair."

"Be a good girl, Imari, and listen your mother," nods Osamu.

Imari frowns. "But, Otousan, don't you have three pieces of the steaks?"

Double Busted!

"T-that is not important," Osamu stumbles.

"Osamu," smirks Mari. "Obviously you were saving one of those for your loving wife, right?"

"W-well, I…" Osamu staggers nervously, "S-sure. O-of course I was, honey bear."

Like a ninja, Mari swipes one of the steaks off of her husband's place. "Thank you, pudding pop."

"M-my steak," whimpers Osamu.

"Daddy, are you crying?" points out Izumi.

Tomoka sat there silently. Puzzled by all of this and looks around in confusion. This is like a battlefield, she thinks. Where are all of the private chefs and servants?

"I'm sorry, hon," chimes in Mari snapping Tomoka out of her thoughts. "But, I don't think we didn't actually get your name."

"Uh…Tomoka," says Tomoka shakily. "Tomoka Fukumoto."

Mari eyes shimmer, "Tomoka. What a beautiful name."

"T-thank you," falters Tomoka trying to calm her nerves. "Um…it—it means wisdom flower."

"Well, your parents must be so proud to have such a beautiful and smart daughter."

Tomoka shrugs. "I guess they'll be once I become a doctor like them."

"That's cool," bursts Izumi. "Is your father, like, Doctor Frankenstein, or something?"

A laugh escapes out of Tomoka. "No! He's…Moriki Fukumoto."

"That's nice," nods Osamu.

"Uh-huh. Tuff job," agrees Mari.

Tomoka flickers in surprise at their plain reactions. Usually when she tells people that her father is thee Moriki Fukumoto, they says things like: What?! No why! Your father is Moriki-sama! Or: Oh! Oh my goodness! Your father is remarkable! Please do whatever you want since your father literally saves lives! But, all of the Suzukawas just had blank faces.

Then, it hits Tomoka. They don't care. About whom my parents are. How highly respected my father is in the high-class division. About my title. To them, my family name is like any other. Everyone is equal in their eyes. I should be angry that they don't recognize my proud family name, title, and status. But, for some reason, I feel…relieved.

"Is something wrong, Fukumoto-senpai?" asks Imari looking up from her meal. "You haven't touched anything."

"Um…" stammers Tomoka looking down at her hands. "I just…well…I don't see any servants."

Imari tips her head to the side. "Servants?" she echoes.

"Yeah," murmurs Tomoka. "You know all the servants that serve out the food."

Imari bursts into laughter.

Tomoka is utterly taken aback by this. "What? Was it something I said?"

"We don't have any servants, Fukumoto-senpai," giggles Imari. "We just serve ourselves."

"Oh," revaluates Tomoka. "I didn't realize…"

Imari smiles softly and scoops some food onto Tomoka's plate. "Here. Try some of the curry rice. It's really good. I promise."

Tomoka blinks down at the food and picks up her spoon. She scoops up the curry with the rice. The curry swirls richly around the puffed rice. The smell of the earthy and sweet spice of the curry and it starts to make her mouth water. Forgetting about trying to keep her ladylike composer, Tomoka stuffs the food into her mouth.

Tomoka swallows and her eyes sparkle in amazement. "It's good. Really, really good. Even better than our private chef." Tomoka looks across the table to Imari's father and bows her head respectfully. "Your food is amazing, Suzukawa-san. Thank you very much."

Osamu chuckles, "Please, no need for thanks. Believe it or not, Imari did all the cooking tonight. I trained her well, didn't I?"

Tomoka's blue eyes widen. What?

She stares dumbfound at Imari. "I didn't know you cooked."

Imari grins sheepishly. "I guess it's just from practising in the café with Otousan."

Tomoka shakes her head by her modesty. "You known, Suzukawa, Minwa Academy has amazing cooking classes and a Baking Club. I could put a good word in for you. That club would be perfect for you."

To Tomoka's surprise, Imari frowns. "Thanks, but I don't think I want to do that."

Tomoka narrows her eyes perplexed. "But, wasn't that one of your goals? To get into a club?"

"Yeah," nods Imari gazing down at her meal. "But…"

She flicks around her food and sighs. "…I don't know. I guess it's just…I haven't had much luck with finding and staying in any clubs at school. Nobody thinks I'm good at anything. A low-class Club Flunk who taints others' statuses. Isn't that what Kashima-senpai said?"

Tomoka flinches as she remembers the argument that Masato got into with Imari. The day I abandoned Imari and the PreHeartBook refused to open.

"It's weird thought," Imari smiles gently, "But, Kashima-senpai made me realize something."

Imari puts down her utensils. "If I tried to join the Baking Club and it ends up like all my other attempts, it would make me kind of sad every time I would try to cook after that. I don't want to lose my joy for cooking just because people in clubs don't believe in me and think I'm just a joke."

Tomoka's eyes darken and she looks down at the meal solemnly. "I see."

Imari abruptly jumps up from her seat and Tomoka sees her sneak some food behind her back. "I'm going to the washroom!" she declares. "I'll be right back!"

But, Tomoka sees her slip into the kitchen instead. Tomoka quickly whips her face and gets up as well. "I got to go to the bathroom too!"

"Okay," says Mari. "But, you should probably wait here until Imari is done—!"

"—NO TIME!" announces Tomoka racing out of the dining room.

Mari twinkles. "What a unique girl."

Osamu bobs his head. "I know! And her anxious aura makes her too frigging cute!"

"I hope Ohime-sama comes over for dinner every night!" Izumi falls in with.

Thames crunches down hard on his lollipop as he flies overhead of Yūkibarano. Right behind him is his fellow Dark Charm Knight, Xoanon. However, he was flying much slowly and clumsily with distinctive dark bags under his eyes.

"TTThhhaaammmeeesss," Xoanon yawns. "If I wasn't so tired I would be yelling my face off at you. I was having such a nice dream of destroying the PreCure and taking over the world."

Thames rolls his eyes as he pops a new lollipop into his mouth. "Well, maybe if you stop being a complainin' baby maybe we can make your dream and reality today." He stops when he spots the public party nearby. "Would yah look at that. So beautiful and peaceful. The perfect place for some rampagin' Engindu!"

"Gggrrreeeaaattt," moans Xoanon half asleep. "Can we just get this over with? I have a fluffy pillow back at Desolate Castle with my name on it."

Thames reaches for one of the Endingu Dolls on a chain around his shorts. "Good. You can go back and tell Kuroizado that your sloth-attitude cast us the Prince and a change to illuminate the PreCure."

Xoanon curses under his breath as he grabs for his two Endingu Dolls. "YOU'RE A REAL BRAT! YOU KNOW THAT!"

Thames smirks cranking down on his candy. "Now there's the Xoanon I known and…despise." He tosses the Endingu Dolls playfully. "Now then," Thames snickers wickedly taking out another lollipop, "It's time for Hansel and Gretel to have some fun."

"SERIOUSLY! HOW MUCH CANDY DO YOU EVEN HAVE?!"

Without making a single sound, Tomoka peeks into the kitchen and, sure enough, sees Imari offering Bukku some of her food. But, the expression on his face easily proved that he didn't look happy.

"This is ridiculous~buku!" complains Bukku to Imari. "I am royalty~buku! And as royalty, I should be given an eight-course banquet, on top of a pedestal, and given the richest foods of the land~buku. Not…leftovers~buku!"

Imari sighs. "I'm sorry, oh great and wonderful Prince Bukku De La Hope Wish Von Dream Star, but this is the best I could do right now."

But, Bukku snubs the meal and lifts his nose into the air. "This will not do at all~buku! Make me something else~buku!"

"No fair," whimpers Imari as she drowns in depression lines.

Tomoka tries to tiptoe closer into the kitchen, but her elbow accidentally ends up knocking over a sauce pan. She stares in dismay as the pot starts to fall. Her mind goes into slow-motion as she dives matrix-style for the pan. Luckily, Tomoka manages to catch it just before it hits the ground.

She sighs in relief. "Jeez, that was a close one."

Not so lucky though. The ladle from inside the sauce pan tips over falls onto the floor with a clumsy clunk. Imari and Bukku snap their heads immediately to the sound. They turn around and spot Tomoka practically sprawled out of the kitchen floor with the sauce pan.

Tomoka gazes up at them gingerly, "Um…hello. What's up?"

"Well, we are~buku," grunts the fairy prince, "You, on the other hand, not so much~buku."

"So embarrassing," mumbles Tomoka to herself.

Bukku rolls his eyes at this. "Yeah, I think we got that from the other bazillion times you've said that~buku. That better not be another lame catchphrase like the one Imari uses~buku."

"What?!" jolts Imari. "You—you don't like my catchphrase!"

"Nope~buku."

"Since when?"

"Since the very first time it popped out of your mouth~buku."

"Boohoo. Supreme sorrow power," Imari snivels.

Tomoka looks back and forth between Imari and Bukku flailing on the ground. "Um…is anybody going to help me up?!"

"Oh! Right, right, right," realizes Imari bolting over to Tomoka.

She takes the sauce pan from her and puts it back on the kitchen counter with the ladle. Then, she reaches down and grabs Tomoka by both hands and hoists her back onto her feet.

"Thanks," huffs Tomoka sweeping any excess crumps or dust from the floor off her clothes. "I'm, ah…I'm usually more graceful then this."

"Well, I'm sure not," jokes Imari.

As they both drop their arms down at their sides, Tomoka forgets that her book bag was still slung over her shoulder. The bag slides her arm and collapses to the ground. Her sky blue PreHeartBook spills out along with it.

Imari looks down silently at the PreHeartBook. She picks it up. "Here. I think you dropped this."

She turns back to Tomoka and her eyes widen at what she sees. Tomoka bowing her head. A deep bow with her hair flopped over her face like when Imari bowed to Tomoka when they first met after she ran into her. But now, Imari was on the receiving end.

"I'm sorry," murmurs Tomoka in the most fragile voice Imari had ever heard. "I don't expect you to forgive me after how I abandoned you when you needed a teammate. I'm sorry. I didn't stand up for you with Kashima. I'm sorry for that too."

Tomoka hopes that Imari doesn't notice how scared she really was. If she was wearing boots, she would be shaking in them. Tomoka was waiting for Imari to yell at her and kick her out of her home.

But instead, Imari gives her a soft smile. "It's okay, Fukumoto-senpai. I understand. So please, lift up your head."

"Suzukawa-san," breathes Bukku in wonder of her.

Tomoka picks up her head to look at Imari.

"A monster suddenly attacks and you're supposed to transform into a magical girl and fight it. Everything just hits you all at once. It's scary and very overwhelming." Imari chuckles to herself. "You should have seen me the first time I turned into a PreCure. I was a hot mess."

"It's true~buku," chimes in Bukku.

"I forgive you, Tomoka," beams Imari. "So, you don't have to worry anymore. Now that were teammates, you don't have to hold the burden anymore."

All Tomoka can do is carry on standing there speechless.

"So what do you say, Tomoka," sparkles Imari extending her hand to her. "Let's join forces and kick some Endingu behind!"

Tomoka squeezes her hands into a fist so tightly that her nails dig into her palms. Why, she screams inside her head. Why is Imari being so nice to me? After everthing! Yell at me! Be mad at me! Don't be nice to me!

"I CAN'T!" Tomoka lets out.

She immediately wishes to take it back when she sees sadness pass through Imari's eyes.

"I don't mean it like that," swallows Tomoka. "I mean; I want to, but I can't."

"Start talking sense for crying out loud~buku!" snaps Bukku getting irritated with her.

Tomoka sighs heavily. "I don't know what happened, but ever since I…ever since that day, I haven't been able to open my PreHeartBook. It's almost as if it's locking me out."

Bukku and Imari exchange worried looks. They seem just as confused as Tomoka was.

Imari glances down at the blue PreHeartBook in her hands, "Really?"

She goes to open it…and it pops wide open.

Tomoka nearly falls in disbelief. You have got to be kidding me!

Imari blinks puzzled. "I don't know, Tomoka. It seems just fine to me."

"No way," says Tomoka astonished. "Let me see—!" But, the second Tomoka touches the PreHeartBook, it slams shut. They both of them jump back startled.

"Ohhhhh," Imari epiphanies, "Now I see what you mean."

"Give me that~buku," orders the fairy prince. "This finicky book just needs a royal touch." Bukku is also about to open the PreHeartBook with ease much to Tomoka's pure annoyance.

Even the fairy can open it, thinks Tomoka rather irritated.

"There~buku," says Bukku looking rather pleased with himself, "Now, Imari and I can keep it open while you just—!" Tomoka grabs the PreHeartBook again and it latches shut.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS~buku!" roars Bukku short-temperedly. He starts jumping on it, kicking, punching, and even biting it, "OPEN UP YOU STUPID BOOK~buku!"

It looks like he was having a heated wrestling match with it. Imari and Tomoka both look at him with sweat drops on the side of their heads.

"Um…Your Highness," Imari cautions, "You might be overdoing it just a little bit."

Bukku pauses in the middle of biting down on the book's cover. "Don't question my methods, Suzukawa-san! This book just needs a little tough love~buku."

Imari shakes her head. "No. There has to be another reason, a real reason why this is happening. Come on, Your Highness, you mustknow what is going on."

Long pause.

"Um…yes~buku," coughs Bukku. "Yes, of course I know since I—Bukku De La Hope Wish Von Dream Star—am the Prince of Fanciful Kingdom and quested to find the PreCure. I know exactly what is going on~buku."

Both Imari and Tomoka give him a blank stare. They see right through him.

"You have no clue what to do, do you," says Tomoka bluntly.

"No idea~buku," confesses Bukku, "At all~buku."

"Yeah," mutters Imari, "That's becoming a recurring theme."

Bukku fidgets with his red cape, clearly ticked off by her remark. "Well, if I must guess, it might have something to do with the fact that Fukumoto-san ran away with jerk face~buku."

"Jerk face?" echoes Tomoka.

"Kashima-senpai," answers Imari with a shrug.

Tomoka puffs, "Yyyeeeaaahhh. I can't say I blame you for that. But, he's really not that bad of a guy. I swear."

"But, what does that have to do with Tomoka's PreHeartBook?" asks Imari.

"Well~buku," starts Buku, "PreCure are legendary warriors of love, hope, and courage…"

There's that word again, sighs Tomoka. Courage.

Her eyes darken as she realizes where the fairy prince was going with this. "I showed no courage," understands Tomoka solemnly. "Me running away was a moment of cowardice, not courage."

"Exactly~buku," nods Bukku. "Therefore, I believe the PreHeartBook took away your power when you did not live up to the quality of a true PreCure."

Bukku bounces into the air and lands into Tomoka's arms. "Remember the first time we met, Fukumoto-san? When you jumped into the middle of danger to save me~buku? That was courage. That was the reason you were chosen. But, you lost your courage, and with that, you ability to transform~buku."

Tomoka remembers. Of course she did. She can't stop rerunning it in her mind over and over again. That day where the whole clique how-my-normal-life-changed-forever happened—and it seems that no one else wants her to forget either.

"That's ridiculous!"

Bukku and Tomoka turn around alarmed at Imari. "I don't care what anyone says, Tomoka is not a coward! She is the bravest person I know!"

Tomoka isn't sure if she can let herself believe what Imari says. After everything I did to her, how can she even say that I'm brave?

"You're wrong, Suzukawa," murmurs Tomoka. "I'm not brave."

"Yes you are!" cries Imari. "Because…"

Tomoka looks down at the floor.

"…because you came here."

Tomoka, shocked by her reply, gazes up to meet Imari's vivid pink-coloured eyes. "Regardless of everything, you had the courage to come here and apologize. You didn't have to do it. No one force you to. No one asked you to. It doesn't matter. That took courage. If that's not courage, I don't know what is."

Tomoka's eyes shine bright blue holding back tears. "Suzukawa—"

"—ENDINGU!"

No! No, no, no! Why now? Tomoka can only screams with over and over in her mind fighting over the sound of her heartbeat drumming loudly in her ears as she runs outside, bursting onto out the front door of the café and onto the patio with her PreHeartBook in hand and Imari hot on her heels. Bukku is in her arms along with her pink PreHeartBook.

"Man," groans Imari. "These Endingu sure have impeccable timing, don't they?"

Suddenly, Imari's sister explodes out from the house. "What is going on, Oneechan?" Izumi clings to her big sister's side and Tomoka could see the fear in her wide eyes.

Tomoka half expected Imari to match her little sister's terror and freak out with her, but she was slightly surprised that Imari appeared so calm as she smiles tenderly at her sister and puts her hands on Izumi's shoulders. "It's okay, Izumi. Everything is alright. Please, go back inside with Otousan and Okaasan."

"But, what about you, Imari-oneechan?" whimpers Izumi.

Imari lovingly pats her sister on the head. "I don't about me, sis. I'm going to walk Tomoka home." Tomoka frowns, knowing that Imari just told her sister and bald-faced lie, but also understands that she needs Izumi to go inside where she'd be safe with her mom and dad.

Luckily, Izumi bobs her head. "Okay." She slips back inside the house and Imari sighs in reflex that she didn't have to do a little dance to get her sister to listen to her.

"Endingu!"

Tomoka nearly jumps out of her skin when the monster flies out of nowhere and smashes into a giant sakura tree that stood just across the street from the café. But, what surprised Tomoka and Imari the most was what happened to the tree. With a single tap of the monster, the tree warps to candy! The tall trunk had become a sweet, peppermint candy cane and the petals into rainbow-coloured lollipops.

"Would it be a new low if I tried to sneak a taste of that candy," giggles Imari.

Bukku whacks her in the ear. "This isn't the time for jokes~buku." The fairy prince shoves her PreHeartBook into her face and jumps onto the ground, "Now's the time to transform and get rid of this Endingu."

"Endingu!"

The monster starts crushing cars parked on the street and chaning them into candies with gumdrop tires and chocolate drops for headlights.

Imari nods, "Get ready, Endingu. 'Cause when you scare my sis, you have to deal with me."

But, as Imari goes off with her PreHeartBook in hand, Tomoka grabs her by the shoulder. "Wait, Suzukawa!" Imari stops instantly and turns around to look at her, but Tomoka can't get herself to look back as she squeezes her blue PreHeartBook. "I can't transform, remember? I—I can't fight. I can't do anything."

Imari hugs Tomoka. "I know," whispers Imari kindly.

"Do your best, Suzukawa-san," says Bukku.

Imari nods to him and opens up her PreHeartBook.

"Pretty Cure, Unlock My Story!"

Tomoka's eyes flicker in wonder as she watches Imari being consumed by the soft pink light and aurora-coloured sparkles. It was like magic as her short chestnut brown hair shimmering into long golden blonde pigtails with velvety pink bows and pure-white wings. Soon, she was covered in vivid pinks and bright stars. In a blink of an eye, she was no longer Imari Suzukawa.

"The Story of Dreams! Cure Fable!"

Fable winks playfully, "I'll just have to fight for both of us then." She smiles brightly.

Tomoka laughs to herself. There is it again. That smile. So full of optimism and kindness. She always smiles like this. Even when I was so cold towards her when we met. She still gave a compassionate smile. When Kashima yelled at her and was cruel to her. She gave us all an empathic smile. When she should be sad, angry, or depressed, she always manages to smile that kind-hearted and hopeful smile.

"How do you do it, Fable?" asks Tomoka breathlessly. "How are you always smiling? Don't ever get scared?"

Fable's eyes soften. "Of course I get scared. I'm scared right now believe it, or not. I can't go a whole battle without flipping out once, or twice. Who wouldn't?"

"I wouldn't~buku," butts in Bukku arrogantly.

Fable sticks out her tongue. "Okay, tuff guy. You become a PreCure and go fight an Endingu. I dare you!"

Bukku smirks. "Too bad I'm not either Pretty, or a Cure."

Tomoka shakes her head. "But, Suzu—Fable, why don't you run away? I mean, fighting monsters, saving the world. How does anyone expect you to be able to do all of that? Why not just run away and leave that entire burden behind."

"Ummmm," hums Fable in her thinking pose. "I guess because…uhhhh…Jeez! I feel like I'm back at school and the teacher is calling me out!"

"Guys~buku!" interrupts Bukku angrily. "We don't have time for this~buku."

The pink PreCure takes a deep breath to running the question over in her head. Then, she snaps her fingers as an answer finally hits her. "Don't fret, Your Highness. Actually that's an easy answer."

"Then cut to the chase already~buku!" snaps Bukku. "I you've haven't forgetten there is a monster attacking the town right now~buku!"

"I got it, I got it!" snorts Fable. "Just give me a sec, okay, Mr. Grumpy Pants."

Fable puts her hand on Tomoka's shoulder. "Why don't I run away? Because…my desire to protect everyone's happiness is far stronger than my fear."

With that, the pink warrior leaps into the sky and lands atop of a hydro pole. "Hey! You know something, Tomoka. I don't think your PreHeartBook is locking you out because you're a coward. I think it's because you stopped believing in yourself."

Tomoka's eyes widen. Imari beams like the sun down on her. "Start believing in yourself more, Tomoka. You are smart, gentle, and super cute! You have no reason to doubt yourself—!"

They weren't paying attention. Either of them was. Fable didn't see the Endingu coming until and it collides with her. She was barely about to get her bearings and stand her ground. However, she especially didn't see the second Endingu until creeps up behind her and stuck her right off the small pole she was perched on. Fable smash to the ground and is thrown against one of the candy-turned cars.

"Haha. Let's a fun play date today, Pinky."

Next Time on Fairytale PreCure!

Imari: And just when thinks couldn't get any easier.

Tomoka: Suzukawa! You can't face this on your own!

Bukku: Two Endingu. Yeah, you are sooo screwed~buku.

Tomoka: I have to try and help. Somehow.

Imari: Don't worry! Just leave it to me!

Tomoka: Double Trouble! I Believe In You!