Eyy, it's time for unlucky number 13, this one was definitely one of my fave episodes to write! Pls listen to roundabout on repeat for the full experience since Ray is a dumb throughout the entire thing
Anyway, if you're still here, I really appreciate you sticking with me for so long! Any kind of feedback, or just comments are always welcome and appreciated! Seriously, I will cry over it because i'm a pathethic egg.
Thanks to my betas again,Nexus_Schwarz and SugaryDiamond, and being super supportive as always. Be sure to check out their respective fanseries, Mythical Precure! and Weather Control Pretty Cure, as well!
No, she did not get lost often. Only when she actually left the castle grounds.
And here she was... lost in the mainland of Primo. Far removed from Lumo's safe castle walls, or even the kingdom.
Lucille occasionally took Radiant Lumiere with her into the kingdom, without her mother knowing. It had been scary at first. The noisiness, the people, the tight spaces. It had been very overwhelming to her. But as the visits continued, Radiant Lumiere started looking forward to them. She waited for Lucille to ask if she wanted to come with her to a local pub, or visit a friend.
Radiant Lumiere saw new faces every time. She met new people, heard new voices and new names... yet none that she bothered to remember. They would all go away eventually. It didn't matter.
Lucille would too. Radiant Lumiere knew that. She wasn't immortal like her or her mother. She would grow older, and older, and finally dim out. And, yet... she couldn't force herself to forget Lucille, or not care about her.
After a while, Lucille had actually offered to take her down to the mainland.
It was the scariest, yet most exciting thing she had ever done.
It had been literally life changing.
Radiant Lumiere didn't see many people, most signs of life hid away from her and Lucille when they passed through the vast forest.
A chill went through her body. Everything in the mainland felt... strange. She couldn't put her finger on why it felt so different. It was just... different?
Yet it felt right.
"I'm going to meet up with Terre. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Lucille had said before she had left them inside a cave. "Stay here, okay?"
Radiant Lumiere nodded, clutching the coat she was wearing. She just stood in place, looking around for a few minutes. She suddenly felt the ground shaking, and saw a gigantic figure not too far away from where she was.
Terre. That was her. The Primal Titan of Earth.
Fearfully, she went a bit deeper in the cave, not wanting to be seen.
Now she felt it again. It was more intense. It was pulling at her, dragging her away. She let it. She let that unfamiliar, yet right, feeling guide her feet deeper into the dark cave. There was some light at the end of it. Somewhat hesitant, she ran through the cave with closed eyes.
She had to go there. She had to. No doubt about it.
Opening her eyes, Radiant Lumiere found herself in what would become her favorite place to be. The trees stretched out above her, with some sunlight peeking through the leaves.
"Hello? Is anybody here?" She spoke up, looking around. Something had called her here, but there was nobody around. She narrowed her eyes to see if there was something, or someone, hidden in the more shadowy parts... but she couldn't make out any signs of life.
She didn't know what she had expected, but she actually felt really content right here.
Happy. Right. Just right.
She didn't want to leave.
Giggling to herself at the sudden feeling, she took a few more steps, inspecting the circular room once again.
That's when she noticed it.
A ten-million fireflies.
They could not believe their eyes.
Countless little dots had been sprayed on the brick wall in front of them. Seeing it had brought back pleasant memories from a far-off past.
Fireflies, oh how they had loved them. They weren't even hurt by the fact that the Titans, mostly Ignis, had referred to them as that. It fit.
It has been a while since they've been in this particular street, and were actually surprised that they managed to find this place in less than three hours.
And before you ask, no, they did not get lost often... only when they left Bright's house on their own. Which had been now. They just needed someone to talk to, and a distraction. And a regular human Earthling friend could suffice perfectly for that!
He had to be here, right? He would come. They just had to be patient. No real fireflies to count to kill time now, but the dots on the wall really reminded them of it. It filled them with a nice feeling that could almost substitute for that feeling they felt back then, even if they knew it was a bad feeling.
They didn't know how long they stood there. Just staring at the spray painted walls, adorned by flashy words and surreal imagery.
"Oh! Ray!" A familiar voice pulled them out of their trance. "It's been a while."
Ray turned around, and locked eyes with a familiar blond boy.
There he was! As expected.
Now, what was his boy's name again? It was at the tip of their tongue. Really!
No matter how hard they thought about it, they couldn't remember. They felt terrible.
"I am sorry... I... forgot your name." They whispered, averting their eyes in shame. "My first Earth friend and I cannot even be bothered to remember."
"Ah, haha, does Clyde ring a bell?" He replied with a hearty laugh as Ray stared blankly at him, then they gasped.
Clyde pulled off his headphones and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Anyway... um... perfect timing that you're here. I wanted to ask you something?" He said, growing increasingly nervous with each word. "You know, there's like this... um..." A tense pause. "There's this carnival thing going on. You like to, maybe, go with me this Tuesday? Since it's Valentine there will be a discount. So, um... if you want..."
Ray furrowed their brows thoughtfully. Carnival? Valentine? What kind of Earth events were those?
"Like... you know... um..." Clyde's face gained a red glow as he rubbed the back of his head. "A d-d-date...!?"
Blinking a few times, Ray cocked their head slightly. "That is where people go to have fun?"
Clyde still seemed really nervous and avoided eye-contact entirely as he rambled on. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to... um... we barely know each other, so I can understand but... um... b-but I'd like to get to know you better!"
Ray barely registered any of his awkward ramblings but still nodded with a grin.
"I accept! That sounds lovely!"
Episode 13: Luminous Afterglow: Lovely Day
Ray cringed when they they came face-to-face with the four Tit- Cures, on their way home.
"There you are! Bright is worried sick about you because you've been gone all day." Hanan said with a scolding look.
Ray frowned. "I do not need you to tell me that, Ignis." They turned away from them and raised their nose in the air. "I will do as I please."
Hanan narrowed her eyes at the name but kept quiet.
"I got invited to a wonderful occasion! It is a... um... Valentine... carnival date? That is what he called it." Ray crossed their arms, trying to remember the exact wording. They seemed excited though. "It is what human Earthling friends do, right!?"
The four exchanged some questionable looks. "Well..."
"Ray has a date?" Connie gasped, pressing her hands on her cheeks with a smile. "With who?"
"My first Earthling friend!" Ray acclaimed proudly. "Clyde!"
They couldn't react in time to evade Morgan kicking them in the butt.
"Seriously!? I can't decide if he's the bigger idiot here or you. Probably you." Morgan said, followed by a brief pause. "Definitely you." Another kick, but Ray managed to step back just in time. "... Ugh his taste in people is, like, the worst."
"Of course, you are against this. I should have expected that." Ray rubbed their palm while they glared at Morgan, then shifted to Hanan, then Connie and finally Beryl. "After all, you never allowed me to be happy or have my happiness." They closed their eyes, reminiscing the stories they heard in the past. "Nobody was allowed to be happy, or live in peace, with you around! So many people got robbed of their friends, families, loved ones, dreams, hope..."
Hanan held Morgan back before she could kick them again. "Shut up, and stop making everything about you. You're giving him the wrong idea!" The smaller girl groaned. "You're gonna hurt him because he meant something else!"
"Uh... yeah, valentine and date mostly means..." Hanan uttered awkwardly. "You know, love."
Ray stared back her. Their eyes were blank and they stood completely still. One could almost confuse them for a statue.
Oh. There was that word again.
Love.
The books always mentioned it, but they couldn't get a good grasp of what it truly meant. From what they could gather it was something like caring a lot for someone else but... it was so vague. Obviously Lucille's love for her late husband had been different from their mother's love for them.
So vague, so vague.
Back in reality again, Ray shook their head.
"Love!? But... I am already taken!"
Everyone's jaws dropped.
"What?"
They placed a hand on their chest. "I am a holy maiden of purity. My love and heart belong to the purest of lights."
While Hanan tried to hold back a laugh, Morgan snorted out loud at that, and Beryl clapped her hands together, still keeping her distance while she happily exclaimed: "Oh, I'd love to meet them!"
"You're so dumb." Morgan commented, shooting a quick look to Beryl before turning back to Ray. "If you hurt Clyde's feelings, Eclair is gonna beat you up for sure."
Hanan let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah...she will."
"Eclair?" Ray asked. "Who is that?"
"Hanan's friend, remember? The blonde girl at the diner?"
Ray gasped and shrunk back a little. "She is a fearsome woman! She fought Ignis and won!"
"What? No! I totally won!" Hanan objected. "Why is she spreading lies? I have to punish her when I next see her... with my great Ifrit card!" She revealed a trading card from her pocket, proudly showing it off.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't they ban that one because it was too broken?"
That made Hanan shoot her a glare. "Shut up." She said through her teeth.
"It does not matter! I will go and will enjoy myself, even if you disagree with that." Ray hissed, crossing their arms again. "And if you dare to try anything, I will sure-"
Morgan shrugged. "Whatever. We ain't throwing a fit because you got a date."
Ray narrowed their eyes at her. "There have been pettier things you got angry over..." They mumbled. "But since you do not remember, I will not specify."
Sticking their nose up high and spreading their arms, as if to shove the girls away, they walked past them, not giving them another glance.
"I will make my own happiness."
They got lost on their way home and only arrived two hours later. Just in time for dinner.
"You know, that carnival sounds like fun. I suggest we all go!" Hanan suggested. "Eclair and I were gonna go anyway."
Morgan chuckled. "Heh, you were gonna go on a date? I'd hate to ruin that."
"Haha, nah~! We're enjoying that discount, baby!" Hanan laughed with a huge grin on her face. "Like, some stalls give even more discount for food if you pretend to be a couple." She whispered with a snicker. "Anyway, if anyone is short on money, I can help with that." A wink. "I've got some to spare."
Exciting, Connie and Beryl agreed right away but Morgan hesitated.
"It's been really long since I've gone..." She murmured, more to herself than the others. Hiding her hands in the pockets on her hoodie, she let out a sigh. "Fine. Let's do it. I also have money to spare, if you guys want anything."
"Oh... wait a minute... " Connie spoke up. "It's on a Tuesday... we have school and-"
"No, we don't." Morgan grinned and showed off a certain badge with Cure Splash's symbol on it. "Remember? We get special privileges because... well... heroes."
Hanan frowned. "Yes, we're heroes and we have to set a good example, and not abuse the generosity of the people we're protecting. But... " Her cheeks flushed red as she started mumbling. "... Eclair convinced me to skip class anyway..."
If there was anything the people of Dawnbridge liked, it was making a big deal of any event or occasion. People and stores would decorate their windows and many stores would have discounts and special menus related to the occasion. Not to mention the TV channels and radios almost exclusively aired movies, commercials, and songs about said occasion.
Some loved it, some hated it.
Hanan was part of the former category.
That morning she had gotten up early and was actually in a good mood. Noticeably she was wearing a lot of pink today (another Dawnbridge thing, themed clothing related to occasions) while Eclair, walking next to her, reluctantly had decided to only wear a pink crop top. It kinda clashed with her favorite black bandana, adorned with a skull and flames, that she was always seen wearing.
Truth to be told, she actually had a dozen of that exact same type of bandanas. They were her favorite.
Beryl was a bit in front of them, singing a song with lyrics made up on the go. Most of them were about how excited she was to go to the carnival, and occasionally she got distracted by a butterfly or flower, which made her stop in her tracks.
"I can't believe you agreed to skip class so easily." Eclair said to Hanan as they watched Beryl greet a patch of flowers.
"I didn't want to miss my date with you~!" Hanan replied, returning a smirk of her own. "You're not gonna leave me for a certain blonde girl, are you?"
Eclair gave her a little punch in the shoulder. "I'm serious...! You're always the goodie-goodie and model student, or at least now. You used to try to trick your mom into having you stay home."
"I never did that." Hanan's smile disappeared.
"Oh? So you don't remember when you pretended to have a cold but you broke the thermometer?" Eclair leaned closer, grinning. "And then your mom smothered you in so many blankets that you just decided to go to school anyway so you didn't have to deal with that."
"... I d-don't remember that." Hanan looked away, clearly lying through her teeth.
Eclair's grin grew even bigger. "I sure remember you complaining about that to me."
Hanan didn't reply and the trio continued walking in silence for a while, going to pick up Connie.
While Morgan had said she would go to the carnival on her own, the others decided to go together, pick each other up, and get to the carnival by bus. They passed Connie's house to get her and she was dressed entirely in pink, even her little bag was pink.
"Wait..." Hanan spoke up, pointing at her bag. Three buttons with an angry Ember, a grinning Splash, and a smiling Terra were attached to it. "Are those the buttons from last fight?" She frowned and Connie let out a nervous chuckle before nodding.
"O-Oh, anyway! Girls, look what I found in the mail this morning." She held up a cutesy decorated box filled with chocolate-covered eclairs. "I wonder who sent it..."
"Yeah, me too." Hanan grinned, side-eying Eclair, who coughed and turned away to hide her glowing, red face. "I wonder who could have sent these chocolate eclairs. It could have been anyone!" Her grin grew. "Sure is a mystery."
Beryl gasped, almost drooling over the chocolate pastries. "Yummy..."
"They're filled with vanilla. I don't really like those..." Connie said with an apologetic tone, opening the box and offering some to the three girls. "I feel really bad for the person who sent them with the intention to give them to me... but I hope I can at least make you happy? It would be shame if it went to waste..."
Hanan declined politely but Beryl instantly took up the offer. After a moment of hesitation, Eclair grabbed one too, taking a bite with a pouty look.
"Wow, Eclair, I didn't know you were a cannibal." Hanan's grin grew even more, until Eclair punched her in the stomach.
"Shut up, Hanan."
"I can't believe you actually went to her house before meeting up with me." Hanan whispered before adding a little louder, more dramatic: "I can't believe you are cheating on meeeeee~!"
The second punch to the stomach hurt, but it was worth it.
The carnival was busy. It was bustling with life, people and music. Ray and Clyde managed to get there without any trouble. Ray's focus was instantly at the various stalls and attractions surrounding them. They had never seen anything like it. So much movement, so much screaming (of fear? or glee?). It was almost too much for them.
"Are you okay?" Clyde asked them, expression worried.
"I think? It is... I have never been to anything like this before."
Clyde blinked. "You've never been to a carnival?" His dark clothing really stood out among the colorful backdrop of the carnival and its attractions. Ray should be bothered by his style but... they weren't.
"No..." They replied with a mumble, eyes still glued to the huge ferris wheel. "My home did not have this. And, even if it did, Mother would never let me go."
Clyde gave them an odd look, followed by a somewhat sympathetic smile. "Your dad was okay with it, right?"
"My... dad?" Ray repeated, wide-eyed and confused. They didn't have a dad. They only had a mother.
With a little gasp, Clyde played with the strings of his hoodie. "Oh! I'm sorry! Um, your caretaker?" He corrected, awkwardly.
Ray nodded silently as they clutched their heart-shaped pouch. Bright had given them some spare money to use to buy food, drinks, or ride attractions. He had seemed ecstatic at the idea of Ray getting some social interactions with people aside from him and the Cures for once. He had even given Clyde an autographed picture of himself, despite the latter not even knowing who he was.
"Hey, what you wanna do first?" Clyde asked, as he noticed Ray zoning out again. "Anything you wanna try?"
Ray looked around, like a little child in a candy store. Everything looked so fun and appealing.
"Um, how about the coaster?" Clyde suggested when he noticed Ray being too entranced by everything around them. "Or you want something a little less wild first?"
"Coaster?" Ray finally turned to him, cocking their head slightly. "Which one is that?"
After another somewhat surprised look, Clyde pointed at a metallic coaster with bright yellow tracks. Lights were on the tracks, flickering in various colors, but in the clear daylight that was barely noticeable.
"Oh... do you like those?"
"I love them! Roller coasters are my favorite!" Clyde told them, now he was like the excited child. "But I can understand if you're sca-"
"I am not scared!" Ray objected before he could finish, eyes still on the metallic roller coaster. "You do this for fun, correct? Then... why are they screaming...?"
Clyde seemed to be looking for words. "It's like... the thrill." He finally uttered. "It's a little scary, but it's fun!"
Ray furrowed their brows. They had heard those words before. They hadn't make sense back then and didn't make sense now...
"I accept. We shall ride this 'coaster'!"
"We have to wait in line!" Clyde called, gently pulling on their arm as they had wanted to walk past the people waiting. He received a glare as Ray retreated their arm hastily. "Sorry... " He muttered and casted his eyes down. "But we have to wait here, until all these other people have had their turn."
"Oh..." Ray seemed like they wanted to object but kept their tongue. Normal people, they reminded themself. This was how normal people did it.
They had patience to spare. They had all the time in the world.
Standing in line did take a long time. Clyde was rather quiet as he absentmindedly fumbled with the strings of his hoodie once again. Ray narrowed their eyes at the coaster's rails and the many circular twist and turns it made, all while they people cried in... excitement? If Clyde's words were to be believed. Most people who did come out seemed fine and even happy, but others emptied their stomach as soon as the restraints from their seats were loosened.
"See, that wasn't so long, was it?" Clyde's voice pulled them back from being distracted by their surroundings. It was their turn to go. The two and a handful of other people boarded the train themed after a dangerous looking snake, baring it fangs.
Ray flickered twice during the ride.
After getting off, they hadn't emptied their stomach like some others had done but they sure felt like everything was drained out of them. They stumbled a few steps and fell on their knees.
The harsh twist and hectic turns of the ride had been too much.
Never again.
"Are you okay!?" Clyde came over to them, kneeling down. "Are you gonna be sick? You want me to get you some-?"
"I am fine. Do not worry." They reassured him while holding up a hand. "I did... not expect that."
"We can do something more chill if you wanna?" Clyde said, slowly standing up as Ray did the same. "Oh, you like animals? I know there's a little petting zoo somewhere."
Reluctantly, Ray nodded and the two went around the carnival looking for the supposed petting zoo. They passed some food stands (Ray somehow managed to flicker by choking on a caramel apple, of all things) and even played some games. Ray didn't win anything, and claimed the games were frauds. Clyde, on the other hand, proved to be quite skilled at ring throwing and even won a decently-sized plush of a character seemingly called 'Chocowan', some kind of brown puppy. This particular plush was dressed like a cupid and wore a collar with a heart on it so it apparently went with the theme?
Clyde decided to give it to Ray, who liked the present a lot. It felt very soft as they pressed it against their chest.
Morgan was already waiting near the entrance when the group arrived. She tapped her foot impatiently while chewing on a bubble gum of sorts. It was very sweet, but the intense strawberry taste was starting to make her a little sick.
She didn't notice Beryl in time and thus couldn't escape from landing into the other girl's tight hug.
"Morgan! You're here!"
"I... said... I would so..." Morgan said with a strained voice, still locked into the redhead's tight hug. "Let go... now... you pebblebrain!"
Morgan gave her a mildly irritated look, popping a bubble with her chewing gum. She spit it out soon after. "Wait... is that me on that button?" She asked as Connie was pulling some earplugs from her bag and putting them in her ears to help her tone down the noise. The blonde nodded with a smile, showing off the buttons on her bag. Morgan, also, amusingly commented on how angry Ember looked.
"Yay! Now, let's go inside!" Beryl made a little jump of excitement. "I can smell so many good foods. Ahh~ caramel apples... chocolate bananas..." She started drooling as she let her nose guide her and the others followed right behind.
They found the indoor petting zoo at the far edge of the carnival. It was bigger than Ray had expected actually. Inside were many areas surrounded by fences to prevent the animals inside from running away. From Ray's observation, they seemed quite content just munching on their hay, food, or the snacks the people inside offered to them.
Actually, Ray felt a bit more comfortable touching animals than humans. Animals... were different.
They spotted goats, geese, chickens... a peahen!?
"Lucilleeeee!?" They cried out, climbing over the hedge (despite there being a gate to walk through), rushing up to the peahen and kneeling down. They pulled the unassuming bird close against their chest. "Thank goodness, you are alive! Are the Earthlings holding you captive?" The peahen started struggling in their grip as Ray was crying. "Are you upset because of what happened!? I am so sor-!"
The peahen slapped them in the face with her wings, causing them to let go as she ran off, almost looking offended.
"Lucille! Forgive me...!" They sobbed, stretching out their hand while lowering their head. The people around them were giving them weird looks, and parents held their children close and away from them.
Inching closer, Clyde held up a hand. "Hey...? It's just a peaco- uh... peahen."
"But..." Ray muttered, picking up their Chocowan plush they had initially dropped, only to realise a goat was munching on the leg of the plush. "Ah! Stop! I demand that you stop!" They yelled, trying to get their stuffed animal out of the goat's mouth. It fought back, not going to let go of it easily.
They finally got it loose but the goat wasn't pleased by that. It rammed itself into Ray with so much force it knocked them against the fence. They flickered once again before getting back up again. Clyde seemed to be under the impression that they shortly blacked out and gave them a worried look.
"I am fine. Do not worry." They reassured him for what seemed to be the tenth time that day.
The rest of the two's visit to the carnival's little petting zoo went considerably well, aside from Ray almost getting kicked in the face by a horse.
On a lighter note, they almost melted when they held a chick in their hands. It had been magical. Chicks were babies and very fragile, so Ray was scared to accidentally hurt them. They couldn't flicker and come back like Ray could.
They were so tiny, so soft. It warmed Ray's heart. They almost felt like crying just looking at them.
"Heh, your new friend seems to like you." Clyde commented as the chick he was holding tried to jump out off his hands. "Unlike mine."
The rest of the trip around the petting zoo went by without any troubles and the duo continued on their way through the carnival. They ate some more food along the way, played some games, and eventually decided to ride the huge ferris wheel.
Getting in the cart, Clyde seemed to be a little sad at the distance Ray was keeping. Both of them were quiet for most of the ride, until they had almost reached the top.
"You're afraid of heights?" Clyde asked, worried as he noticed them nervously keeping their wide-eyed stare outside.
"... I... have been up way higher." They murmured eventually and forced an unpleasant memory back.
"Will you be okay?"
Ray nodded hastily, while their eyes were still glued on the window of the cart.
"Oh... um..." Clyde's nervousness found its way back again. "I totally forgot but I got you a little present for... you know... as thanks for going here with me and all... you know." He sputtered, followed with a somewhat timid chuckle as he handed Ray a tiny box.
"Ah, a gift." They stated simply, not really expressing any emotions while they carefully opened the box. Inside was a fancy looking bracelet with tiny roses made of some type of crystal.
Clyde shuffled his feet nervously, trying hard to keep his gaze on them. "I'm sorry if it's silly but-"
He rambled on for a while but none of his words reached Ray. They were too busy staring at the bracelet. Too busy remembering the last time they had received a bracelet.
"TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT FROM US, RAY!"
Beryl's distressed voice made them feel... something. How were they supposed to feel? Angry? Sad? At Beryl? At themself? Were they in the right to feel resentment towards the Titans? Bright didn't seem to think so, as he had taken their side more than once. Ray didn't understand why. The four were still the same, even if they looked different. It was like putting on a new outfit, you're still the same underneath it all.
Maybe they shouldn't have... lashed out like that? But the Titans were responsible for so much despair, so much hurt, so much heartbreak...
What would Mother say if she was here? She would probably have a solution ready. She always did.
But Mother's solution... would that have made Ray happy? She had always said that everything she did was to ensure their well-being, but... then why did it hurt so much?
Growing increasingly anxious, they started rubbing the palm of their hand. They felt it now, more than ever... that emptiness. That feeling like... there was something missing. A piece to the puzzle.
It didn't make sense.
It just didn't make sense.
That particular feeling was bad.
Why couldn't they just be content with what they had?
"You look... like you're about to faint..." Clyde asked with a concerned tone. While his voice was soft, Ray still was roughly pulled out of their own tangled thoughts. "Are you...?"
"Everything is all right." It had almost become an instinct at this point. After another minute of silence Ray lowered their head slightly, before speaking up again. "Actually... it is not." They admitted with a heavy sigh. "It is just... I might be doing something bad by being here with you..."
Clyde leaned forward a little, holding up a hand. "Why would you think that?"
"I am not sure when I am allowed to be happy... who I am allowed to speak with..." They held the bracelet in one hand, while the other started to pet the plush they had seated next to them. "... Or what types of kindness I am allowed to accept."
"Well... you should always be allowed to be happy! No matter what. Don't need to be uh... 'allowed' to feel something, that's up to you." Clyde said, crossing his arms. He seemed a little unsure what to say.
He sounded just like Bright.
"Your opinions and emotions are all completely valid. You matter." Bright's face gained a warm, gentle smile. "You do what you want."
It was the "you" part.
"It sounds so easy when people say it..."
The rest of the ride was spent in more awkward silence. Ray kept the bracelet in their hands, eventually putting it on the plush's paw instead.
"Um... Hanan... can I tell you something? But don't tell anyone, it's a secret!" Beryl whispered as she inched closer to the brunette, who gave her a questioning look. "Uh... I think your friend likes Connie a lot. As in... like like."
"Oh?" Hanan's gaze glided to Eclair and Connie, the former trying to show off to the latter at the high striker. Eclair attempted to ring the bell by slamming down the mallet on the puck while sending all her strength to her arms. While she didn't get the bell to ring, and was embarrassed by her failure, Connie still seemed impressed and clapped in excitement for the other girl with a soft cheer. Eclair's face turned red and she stiffly tried again, holding the mallet with shaky hands.
"I don't see it." Hanan eventually said with a shrug. Internally she was trying her hardest not to burst into laughter.
Morgan couldn't help but laugh as she overheard the conversation. "I don't know where you would get that idea from, Beryl." She commented, wolfing down a corn dog that was entirely covered in hot sauce.
The five continued on their way, trying out various foods, riding attractions and mostly Hanan and Eclair wanting to compete in various games, giving the small prizes they won to their friends.
They did, however, eventually run into two familiar faces.
"Bro!" Eclair called out. She started running to Clyde and Ray, who stood in line for a haunted house attraction. "How's the date going?" She asked with a smile, and noticed Ray flinch and step back, clutching their plush tightly against their chest.
Clyde gained a somewhat devious grin. "I could ask you the same." A chuckle. "Oh, hey Morgan!" He quickly added with a wave, and Morgan returned a brief wave of her own.
"Shut up, I'm here with my friends!" Eclair defended with a pout, crossing her arms.
"... And Connie." Clyde whispered, just evading getting punched in the stomach by his younger sister.
Eclair grit her teeth at him. "Shut up, Clyde." She then punched him in the shoulder, he rubbed it with a groan as Ray took a few steps back, wide-eyed at Eclair.
"You b-b-brute...!" The blond gasped, taking all their courage to step forward again. "How dare you assault him!?"
Before any potential fight or argument could happen, Beryl made a little jump with her hands in the air. "Oh, oh! Let's all go together!" She offered, trying to hide her own fear in favor of doing something with her friends. "It's like... a maze, right?" A chuckle. "I bet it's gonna be Amazeing."
"I dunno... it's probably really dark in there..." Connie whispered, grabbing onto Beryl's shirt with one hand.
"How can you be afraid of the dark whe-?" An intimidating glare from Eclair got Ray to stop mid-sentence. "I-I am not afraid of anything. I have defeated the Titans and-" Ray stopped again from another glare, this one coming from Morgan.
The group stood in line for a couple of minutes before they were allowed into the haunted house. The doors opened and Beryl held onto Morgan, who pushed her off, causing Beryl to latch onto Hanan instead.
"You're still really warm..." The redhead muttered.
It was pitch-black inside the hallway. To show off how fearless they were, Ray walked in front, but got spooked by some mirrors almost right away, kneeling down and holding their hands over their head in fear. All life left Ray's face once an actor, dressed like a clown, jumped from behind a mirror. They flickered, falling face-first on the floor and Morgan softly kicked them a few times to get them to wake up again roughly a minute later.
"Don't mind them. They're stupid." Morgan assured Clyde with a little tap on the shoulder. "Happens all the time."
It didn't take long for the group to be split up in the maze. It started when Ray ran off in a random direction when a fake vampire doll had popped out of a coffin.
Morgan had to resist the urge to kick any actor, or animatronic, which startled her. Beryl was almost on Hanan's back, the latter being amused by the various props and costumes while the former trembled like a leaf.
Ray was the first to find the exit. They ran to the light with tears in their eyes, tripping over their own feet and falling on their knees as they exited the maze. Letting out a deep breath, they stood up again, only to be startled by one last actor in a clown costume covered in, hopefully fake, blood.
The thing that scared Ray the most was... there was no sound. The actor's mouth was wide open in a scream, but Ray couldn't hear a single thing.
The actor seemed just as confused as them and rubbed his throat, as if it would help bring back the sound.
A familiar feeling of dread caused Ray to fall on their butt, still clutching their plush. They watched in fear how Elegy silently popped up from behind the actor, dropping some Dark Ink into his shadow and dragging it out.
Nobody could hear them scream.
In another location in the maze, Clyde, Eclair, and Connie had tried to follow Ray... but had gotten lost in a hallway full of headless mannequins and covered up, and 'bloody', furniture. It was almost completely dark and the trio had tripped over the furniture more than once.
"I'm... not sure if I c-can go on..." Connie whispered. She had buried her face into Eclair's side, squeezing her eyes shut and holding onto the taller blonde tightly. "E-Eclair... please, don't leave..." She begged quietly.
Eclair, with a face as red as a tomato, choked out a shaky laugh in an reassuring attempt to sound brave. "N-Never! I will always stay by your side and make sure- AAahh!"
As an actor jumped out from under a blanket, Eclair protectively pulled Connie closer to her. The two squealed while Clyde made an attempt to calm them down, putting his hands on their shoulders.
"Hey, it's okay!" He tried to assure them, then inched closer to Eclair and added with a whisper: "Come on, sis. Be the brave hero she deserves."
"Clyde!" Eclair hissed back. The impossible happened and her face grew even more red.
The trio continued aimlessly walking around in the dark maze with Clyde in front, Eclair right behind him. She had one arm around Connie while the other grasped her brother's shirt as they stumbled in the dark.
They passed a simulated living room, with a seemingly dead body lying on a couch. Of course, the 'corpse' was just another actor and jumped at them to scare them. Connie finally let out a loud scream and waved one of her hands, causing the actor to be blown against the couch by a burst of air.
"Heh... that's Cure Gale, for ya..." Clyde said nervously as he watched the actor raise his hands to tell them he was okay.
"S-Sorry!" Connie whimpered, trying her hardest to not sink through her shaking legs.
"S-Sorry!" Connie whimpered, trying her hardest to not sink through her shaking legs. "I... feel like I'm... going to faint..." Taking in another breath and burying her face in her hands, she suddenly was lifted from the ground and flew off in a random direction.
Connie ran in the air through the maze, sometimes bumping into a wall, before shooting out of the exit and ramming right into someone. The two collided, but only Connie fell on her butt.
She looked up right in time to see Elegy kick her in the chest. The impact was harsh and suddenly Ray's screaming voice drilled through her ears as the sound intensified. It disoriented Connie, to say the least, and her head started throbbing as screams became louder and louder, as did the maniacal cackling of the clown-themed Unbound.
"Transform, Aeris!" Ray commanded, standing right next to her. "Defeat th-"
Elegy swung around and kicked the blond in the face before they could finish. She narrowed her eyes and leaped out of view as the Unbound continued its rampage.
"Don't call me that... p-please..." Connie placed a hand on her forehead and gave Ray an uneasy look as she said that.
They felt an emotion they couldn't pin down... but they didn't like it, that was for sure.
Connie grabbed her Skyhigh Charm and slowly stood up. She stumbled a little and looked ready to fall over again any second.
Before she could even open her mouth, the Unbound let out another booming laugh which stopped her in her tracks. The Unbound used it almost comically oversized, gloved hands to tear the roof off the haunted house.
"HANAN THIS IS SCARY, WHEN IS IT OOOOOOOVEEEE-eh...?" Beryl was still clinging to Hanan's back and they all looked up in surprise at the Unbound, which was staring down at them with a toothy grin. People inside the haunted house starting panicking and scrambling to escape.
"Hell Yeah!" Morgan's expression turned from surprise to excitement as she grabbed her Primary Charm, with Beryl and Hanan following soon after. Connie also finally managed to cry out the incantation as the four all were surrounded by a barrier made of their respective elements.
"Primal Spirit Unleash! Pretty Cure Evolution!"
"The heart that burns with the warm flames, Cure Ember!"
"The heart that grows with the steadfast earth, Cure Terra!"
"The heart that dances with the rising waves, Cure Splash!"
"The heart that soars with the courageous wind, Cure Gale!"
The quartet got together for a final pose. "Embracing the past to pave a path for the future, Prime Pretty Cure!" Four colored streams of light spiraled around them.
The Cures instantly sprung into battle, all four powering up their fist (or leg, in Splash's case) to push the Unbound away.
Down below, the people who had been inside the haunted house started rushing out and getting as far away from the battle as possible.
"Seems like your crush got even more radiant just now!" Clyde poked his sister's side playfully as Eclair stared at Gale with wide, almost glowing eyes.
Ray popped up behind Clyde. "I heard someone speak my name...?"
He didn't get a chance to repl as he grabbed both Eclair and Ray's arms and dragged them away from the battle to prevent getting squished by the huge, roaming monster.
"No!" Ray protested and released themself out of Clyde's grip with a wince. "Take care of this little one for me. I will be back." They handed him the plush before running back to the battle.
They were already out of breath when they came back to the Unbound. Seeing the four Cures unleash their magical attacks onto it made them feel... something. Maybe it was because, deep inside, they wished it was them?
"You dumb lightbulb!"
Getting punched by the Unbound, Splash was sent falling in Ray's direction. Splash's feet met Ray's face and the blue Cure used them as a means to push herself back in the air again, making Ray fall over and leaving wavy marks on their face from the soles of Splash' sandals.
"E-Excuse-!?" The blond whined, rubbing their swollen face. The moment of frustration didn't last long as they shoved it aside for a feeling of determination. They summoned their Eternal Lantern. "Light Up!"
Frustration started to slid back again as nothing happened... again.
"... No... please..." They suddenly felt tears swell up in their eyes. "You cannot be serious..." They sniffed and pressed the lantern against their chest. "I want to protect this world... I will not let it meet the same fate as Primo. Not because I am... I am... still..."
There was a faint hint of reminisce is Elegy's eyes. She sat on one of the carts of the ferris wheel, cupping her chin as she watched the carnival. Sometimes she batted an eye at the Unbound destroying everything in its path, but her main focus was just... everything else.
The carnival really had changed. It seemed like it became smaller each time.
It has been so long since Elegy had gone herself. She smiled briefly underneath her mask as pleasant memories flashed through her mind.
Reality made her stop smiling.
Her head started throbbing a little from all the noises, something that normally didn't really bother her. If anything, she was used to loud sounds and screaming.
She drowned out the noise for herself and continued to stare in silence.
"Ray, what are you doing!? Get out of here!" Ember commanded, blocking the Unbound's fist with her hands when it had attempted to squish the blond. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, setting her fist on fire for another fiery punch.
In the air, Gale send a blast of wind to distract the monster. It scowled and reached for her but she managed to evade every swipe easily. With some concentration, she eventually was able to send razor sharp winds, leaving tears in the Unbound's long, white sleeves.
The Unbound roared again as it summoned a row of big, colorful balloons and, with another swipe, send them towards Ray and the Cures. Terra made a wall of rock erect in front of Ray to catch the balloon, which exploded on impact.
"Do you want to die again!?" Splash growled, shooting a stream of water at an incoming balloon.
"... I want to fight... but I cannot... not like this... " Ray muttered, followed by a louder: "You four are unneeded...!"
Terra narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. She turned back to the fight, landing a few punches in the Unbound's guts together with Splash.
Ember landed next to Ray. "What are you talking about? We went over this already!" She yelled. "You... really don't trust us, do you?" The red Cure added, much softer.
No reply.
"I see. Fine, suit yourself." Ember said with a sigh, leaping back towards the Unbound as Ray tried to get something to happen with the Eternal Lantern in their hands.
They hated this.
Back then, when they had fought the Titans... that was the closest thing to 'complete' they had felt. Deep down, they had been happy, despite the circumstances being anything but.
It really was useless. They couldn't. They couldn't let go.
Ray stepped back. "I am sorry... " The lantern faded back into their chest again. They scrambled to leave and took one last look just to see Splash finishing off the Unbound with a blue torrent of water and everything return to normal.
"So? How was it?"
Elegy shrugged at Smoky's question. She started handing out the corn dogs, cotton candy, and some other snacks she managed to snatch before leaving the carnival.
"Nice!" Smoky grinned, grabbing two corn dogs while Hail helped himself to one too. Bronze didn't move at all from her spot. "Thanks, El. You're the best!"
"Ah, all this unhealthy food we keep eating." Hail chuckled, eyeing the food Elegy had brought back. "Let's hope it won't have any negative side-effects on our health."
The two males in the room exploded into laughter at that comment. Elegy briefly joined them with a soft chuckle before holding a caramel-covered apple in front of Bronze, who looked up to the other woman slowly.
"Caramel. My favorite." She said, a little smile appearing on her face. "You never forget what we like, do you?"
The door was kicked open and the four all shared quick looks of irritation as their moment of joy was ruined.
"So much darkness! Everything is looking nicer already, guys! I am pleased and- whoa! What is that!?" Shade gasped as he send his shadow to grab the cotton candy from Elegy's hands. "Is this... food?" He said, poking the pink, sugary floss. "Ew, it's so sticky!"
Smoky raised an eyebrow. "Waaaaiiiittt... you're telling me you've never seen cotton candy before?"
"... Cotton!? Cotton!? That's a plant!" Shade cried out. "You Earth people are weird!"
"Now, now, don't be such a sour puss. Candy floss is considered quite a popular and well-liked treat." Hail said, wagging his index finger akin to an all-knowing teacher.
Shade rolled his eyes and marched out of the room without saying anything else. His shadow followed behind him with the cotton candy in its oversized hand.
"Finally." Bronze hissed softly as the four continued eating their snacks.
After everything had returned to normal, the crowd had exploded in excitement and approached the four Cures before they could even undo their transformation.
Once again, Ray stood on the sidelines, watching the mass of people surround the four. Ember and Terra were all too happy to pose again, again, and again while Splash looked rather irritated, as usual, and Gale seemed quite anxious at the attention she was getting. People were praising them, asking for pictures, asking questions in general, some rather personal...
"I'm glad you're okay!" Clyde was suddenly next to Ray as he handed them the Chocowan plush back. They didn't accept it. "You scared me when you just ran off..."
They looked into his green eyes for an almost uncomfortably long time, as evident by Clyde rubbing his arm nervously and breaking eye-contact.
"I'm sorry if I made you nervous... or that you felt like you had to accept coming here." Clyde said with an apologetic look as he faced the ground. "You seemed so sad throughout the entire day and-"
"No. I am sorry."
Clyde met their gaze again, brows furrowed in worry.
"I am sorry... I hurt you... and that is unfair to you since you have not done anything wrong." Ray replied, but it left Clyde even more confused. "I keep hurting everyone... even those I care about. Those who I do not want to hurt..."
"No, no!" Clyde spoke up and placed a hand on their shoulder. They jerked away almost instantly. "... I mean, you haven't hurt me! I had fun today, didn't you? That's what matters!"
Slowly, Ray nodded. "I did have fun..." A brief pause. "But Un- Morgan said I misunderstood your intentions and it was surely going to hurt your feelings. Feelings of..." Another pause. "Love."
"Heh, yeah. She can be a little... um... blunt, at times." Clyde grinned to himself. "Oh, but... yeah, I mean... um..." He started fumbling with his hoodie again, face growing red. "I have to admit that... I do... kinda like you? Like, you know? Like love, like... I mean... I know we barely know each other but... but...!" He trailed off, having given up trying to form a coherent sentence in his awkward mumbling.
"Does loving someone... is that supposed to... make you feel complete?" Ray asked softly, carefully, and placed a hand on their chest. "I am not... feeling that..."
Clyde was slightly taken back by Ray's words, but he smiled regardless. "That's okay! I'm really glad I got to spend today with you, Ray. I had a great time." He said, smile widening slightly. "And, we can still be friends, right? Unless you don't want to because it'll be awkward or something... I can understand that."
"You... still want to be friends with me?"
"Of course! Don't be so harsh on yourself. I think... you're much kinder, and stronger, than you think you are."
He offered them the stuffed animal again, which they quietly accepted. They pulled the bracelet from the plush's paw and put it on their own wrist.
"Thank you for believing in me, Clyde... " Ray said as their eyes went to the four Cures for a quick moment. "I should really start trying harder."
Radiant Lumiere raised her hands to her chest as the fireflies fluttered around her.
Her heart felt like it was dancing. That fluttery feeling felt so right.
It was so close... something to make that empty feeling go away. That feeling that she couldn't properly name, but had been eating at her since the day she was created.
Radiant Lumiere smiled and embraced herself, hoping to savor that euphoric feeling forever.