''I'm serious, there really was something last night''
''Don't be ridiculous Matsushita''
''I'm serious, I saw something!...An object...an flying object like...like an UFO!''
That last word was what caught Miku's interest, peeking out the open window of her room she saw her neighbor Matsushita talking with another man outside, she didn't recognize the other man but he seemingly was a friend of the Matsushita.
''UFO? Are you serious?'' The other man laughed.
''Well, not really an UFO but something like, some strange...pancake-shaped object was hovering there! In the sky!'' Matsushita pointed upwards, the other man laughed again.
''Man, you haven't been drinking, have you?''
''Of course not!''
A simple tap on the back was enough to turn Miku's attention back, Kaori was standing in front of her with her hands on her sides.
''Eh...What's wrong?'' Miku asked her younger sister, who stared at her with a frown.
''What are you doing here? It's beautiful outside'' Kaori said, as she opened the curtains of the window of the girls' room, then she inched closer to her older sister and whispered: ''So have you found the last Cure yet?''
Miku shook her head with a sign as she instinctively grabbed her necklace.
Kaori sat down next to her sister and grinned sheepishly.
''Well...Maybe I can-''
''No No No!'' Miku snapped before Kaori could even finish, she hadn't told Kaori about the 'side-effects' and wasn't planning to.
She now did understand how Zeta must have felt when Tomoko became a Cure...
''But I actually came here to ask something else'' Noticing her older sister's troubled tone, Kaori quickly the subject.
''And that is...''
''Kurenai asked me to spend the night at her home this weekend, so...could you watch the house?''
''Oh alrighty then...''
''Really, you won't be lonely?''
''I have Jacky'' Miku grinned, said Pumpkin was in the kitchen munching on some grapes, Miku made a random hand motion but both sisters were startled when, out of nowhere, the Witch Staff appeared in Miku's hand.
The Witch Staff was once again glued to her hand, Miku was visibly surprised.
How did this happen? She didn't even try to summon it...
And as quick as the staff had appeared, it disappeared again.
Kaori didn't say anything and stared at her sister as If waiting for an explanation.
''I'm not sure what happened'' Miku confessed, scratching her nose.
Speaking of her nose...Did it became bigger?
Op: 'Halloween Night' by Aya Ikeda
Episode 22: Aah! We're Changing?! Cure Witch's New Attack!
One of the best things about the Weekend was: being able to sleep till late, Yuina often didn't awoke before noon and today was no exception.
When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was Orlok sitting in on her window, staring outside as some bright rays of sunshine shone inside her room.
Which was so irritating.
And it had become quite hot in her room.
Not being able to sleep further, Yuina jumped out of bed, notably startling the little bat.
''Well, sleepyhead is awake at last''
Yuina couldn't help but smile at Orlok's remark, she closed the curtains to prevent more light from entering the room.
''That is really annoying, How am I supposed to sleep with flashlights into my face?''
''Sleep? It's already 12 AM!'' Orlok said, crossing his arms with a sign.
Yuina didn't answer, she felt terrible as If she didn't sleep at all, which wasn't true, she had actually slept rather peacefully, she even had a dream about running through a big flowerbed while being very happy for some reason.
But now she wasn't happy at all.
She looked into the mirror, quickly noticing her somewhat pale face.
''I look sick'' She signed, inspecting her face, she was notably pale with visible bags under her eyes.
Orlok wanted to say something but seemed to hesitate.
''Well, Yuina, maybe it's because you used your powers a lot lately'' He said cautiously, setting himself down on top of the mirror, Yuina immediately shot him a strange look.
''Are these another one of those side-effects?'' She snapped at him, again turning her attention to the reflection of herself.
''No I didn't mean that, I think you're just tired, last few days have been...well, crazy to say the least''
Yuina scratched her chin for a moment and decided to make herself some tea, coming downstairs she was surprised to see her mother rush at her the moment she stepped inside the living room.
''Oh, Yuina, darling, look!'' She said, pulling one earplug out and dragging her daughter to the garden.
''Have I ever told you I used to be part of the Gardening Club at school? I even won a few prices'' She explained proudly while she grabbed a hold of a watering can and started watering the now empty grounds.
Yuina was a bit confused when her mother started telling her what kind of seeds she had planted where, in a few weeks time their garden would be filled with all kinds of flowers including, but not limited to, Irises, Roses in various colors and Petunias.
''That's all great, mom'' Yuina said, using her hand to shield herself from the bright sunlight. ''But why?''
It took a while before Yuina's mother answered.
''Actually it's because your dad used to love them, I gave him my first bouquet'' Then her mother would retell the same, long, romantic story how they had met and fallen in love.
While Yuina still didn't understand why, she decided to leave, getting irritated from the light.
Going back into her room, she though of a possibility and found herself standing still, without saying anything she slowly pressed her tongue against her teeth.
What followed next made her skin crawl.
They were starting to become pointy.
'...Am I...Am I already turning into a...vampire?''
''THIS CAN'T BE! NOOOOOOO!'' Miku's screams were so loud, even neighbor Matsushita was startled.
Luckily Kaori was still staying over at her friend's, she hated it when Miku screamed at the top of her lungs, well Miku was just glad she wasn't here to see the current state of her sister.
This was the worst!
With a loudly beating heart, Miku once again got the courage to face the mirror.
And again she didn't like what she saw.
Her nose!
Her nose really had turned into one of those stereotypical pointy witch-noses with a wart on it.
How disgusting it was.
She didn't even dare to touch it.
She had tried but was probably even more scared when she had seen her hands, her fingers had become long, bony and her fingernails had grown.
Her stupid fingernails, despite being frail-looking they could rival Cure Wolf's claws in sharpness.
''JACKY!'' Miku roared in a mixed emotion of fear and fury, not sure what to think, she looked for Pumpkin, running through her house while trying to keep her own hands away from her body, afraid they sharp-nails might even cut something.
Now, the pumpkin was nowhere to be found.
''JACKY!? WHERE ARE YOU, YOU...YOU...''
''She must be angry at me!'' Jacky cried, trying to catch her breath after rolling to Wakaba's trailer, she was sitting on Wakaba's lap with Larry next to her.
''Why didn't you go to Yuina then, she lives way closer'' Larry quickly commented, causing the pumpkin to go wide-eyed for a moment.
''Oh yeah, I forgot'' She said sheepishly.
Larry signed.
''Jacky? What is going on w-with Miku'' Wakaba asked worriedly, the pumpkin didn't answer, neither did the wolf causing Wakaba to become even more nervous.
''Larry? J-Jacky?''
''I didn't know she would change so fast'' Jacky sobbed, leaning against Larry.
''C-c-change?'' Trembling, Wakaba opened her closet and started searching through the mess inside it, finally finding a small mirror, she inspected her face.
Nothing out of the ordinary for her.
''But Miku? We have help h-her'' Wakaba decided, picking the two up, despite Jacky's protest and rushing to her friend's house.
''Shouldn't we tell Orlok and Zeta?'' Larry asked, holding onto Wakaba's coat with Jacky.
''Um...'' Wakaba started running slower, not wanting to tell she was a bit scared to call Tomoko yet.
Once again cursing her shyness, Wakaba started running faster as she ignored Larry's suggestion.
She first had to see If Miku was alright, calling Yuina (and Tomoko) would come later.
Arriving at a familiar house, Wakaba gathered the courage to knock on the door.
No answer.
Jacky actually pushed herself through the mailbox of the door, landing inside and somehow she managed to open the door, Wakaba could ask how the little pumpkin had done that but she was to preoccupied with worrying about Miku then that.
''Miku?''
No reply.
''M-Miku?''
''Wakaba? Is that you?'' A voice from the corner spoke softly.
''Miku'' Wakaba slowly inched closer to the corner.
''Wakaba, Look at me, I'm a monster!'' Miku said coming out of the shadows and revealing her form.
Wakaba found herself taking a few steps backwards when she saw Miku's body, her pointy nose, her long, creepy fingers and her skin, having a strange almost orange-ish tint.
''What happened to y-you?'' Wakaba cried, coming closer but Miku stepped back into the shadows.
''No'' She whispered. Miku bit her lip, at first, she had been ready for the eventual 'changes', the 'side-effects' and 'becoming a Witch', but this was way too soon.
And it just felt so terrible. Her skin itched, her fingers hurt and her face felt so...tight, for a lack of better word, like it was a mask glued to her face.
''Daddy, help me!'' She cried out, she hated his. She absolutely hated this. She wished she had gone with him instead. Abandoning all this.
''Miku, it's alright...'' Wakaba spoke, slowly approaching Miku again.
''No! It's not alright!''
Everyone in the room was surprised by Wakaba's phone ringing and an ear-piercing little sound which happened to be her ring-tone (which Larry absolutely hated), almost letting the phone fall out of her hands, Wakaba managed to pick up.
''Wakaba, it's me, can I ask you something?'' Wakaba felt some sense of relief when she heard Yuina's voice on the other line.
Yuina would know what to do, she always knew what to do.
That's why she was their leader after all.
''Yui, s-something is w-wrong with Miku''
''What?'' Yuina sounded quite worried herself yet Wakaba didn't notice it.
''Don't call Yuina!'' Miku cried from the corner, hiding herself behind the curtains.
But then she finally noticed Jacky and dashed at her, shocking both Jacky, Larry and Wakaba, so much that the latter dropped her phone.
''Jacky! What is happening? Make it stop! It hurts!'' She begged the pumpkin as she knelt down on the ground and stared at Jacky, who was visibly trembling.
''I c-can't!''
''Huh?!''
''You knew this would happen didn't you? You were okay with it, at first! Don't you remember?'' Larry snapped, quite irritated, Wakaba immediately tried to calm him down.
''I know! I KNOW! JUST GO AWAY!'' Now Miku snapped summoning her staff, somehow causing Wakaba, Larry and Jacky to be thrown out of the house by some invisible arms while Miku was erupted into a purple light.
''I don't know what happened but can you come?'' Yuina asked, holding her phone to her ear while running towards Miku's house, the light beaming down on her completely irritating her skin but she fought to ignore it.
''Okey-dokey! I'll be there in a minute!'' Was the last thing Yuina could hear Tomoko (who sounded surprisingly cheerful), on the other side of the line, say before hanging up and arriving at her destination.
Upon arriving at Miku's house, Yuina was greeted with a sight of Wakaba, Larry and Jacky lying on the ground in front of the house.
''What happened?'' Orlok flew from Yuina's shoulder to his comrades.
''It's happening, Orlok! It's happening? What should we do?'' Jacky turned to Orlok, desperation evident on her face.
Yuina helped Wakaba up, who looked quite disturbed both before she could comment or ask the tall girl anything, Wakaba took a quick look at Yuina and looked ever more scared than she already was.
''Yuina! Are you a-alright?! You l-l-look t-t-t-terrible!'' She stuttered, grabbing Yuina's shoulders.
''I...I think the transformation is already happening...'' Yuina said, putting up the hood from her coat to shield herself from that cursed sunlight.
''The sun'' Yuina took a moment to breath, trying to calm herself down ''I can't stand it, I CAN'T STAND IT, WAKABA! ARRGGGG!''
Too late, now Yuina was screaming as she dug her head into Wakaba's chest.
Seeing both her friends in these states, Wakaba herself also felt like she could have a breakdown any minute now, she started trembling, shooting pleading looks to Larry, Jacky and Orlok, who all tried to avoid her gaze.
''I have arrived'' Spoke a voice slowly, As if it was some big revelation.
Tomoko appeared, breathing heavily as If she had run quite a length, on her shoulder was Zeta and Wisp floated above her head.
Well, It wasn't a revelation but Wakaba felt a really big flood of relief going through her body from seeing her.
Yuina was biting her lip, causing some blood to appear, which made her heart beat faster upon seeing it. She quickly used her tongue to lick it up.
Wow.
That was tasty.
''Yuina!'' Yuina's mind was brought back to the real world by Tomoko tapping onto her forehead.
''What?''
''Are you alright?'' Tomoko asked, sounding again surprisingly calm under the situation.
Before Tomoko had finished her sentence, Yuina already felt better, the sunlight was still shining, it was still a beautiful day yet the irritating feeling had completely disappeared at random.
''Tomoko, you're already here?'' She asked, only just now noticing Tomoko standing in front of her, Wakaba stood behind her with a worried expression.
''Well, Let's check on our teammate'' Tomoko said, trying to somehow lighten up the mood, Yuina turned to the door to Miku's house.
All were surprised when the door actually opened.
And Miku was standing in the doorway, she still had her pointy nose but everything else had returned to normal, no long fingers, no strange skin-color.
''Guys, I'm sorry'' She whispered, trying to hide her nose behind her hand. ''I kinda panicked when I noticed I was already changing, I decided to continue so I shouldn't be such a baby, right? Right?''
She still looked nervous and was obviously trying to find the right words to say.
''Miku!'' Wakaba immediately embraced her, startling the short who couldn't help but smile a bit.
''Sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you guys''
''It's alright! We f-forgive you!''
''I don't! You are a pathetic excuse for a Cure!'' Larry snapped at Miku ''I can't imagine how embarrassed Jacky is right now!''
He turned to the pumpkin next to him, who shook her head quickly.
''N-No! No! No, Larry! That's not true!'' She quickly cried, hopping into Miku's hands.
''I can understand how frightening it is...I mean...turning into a completely different being is really scary, isn't it guys?'' Jacky shot a quick look at her friends, who all nodded. Except Wisp who smiled and simply said; ''But I love it!''
''Are you done moping around?'' Asked a voice which caused everyone to fell quiet and search for the source of the voice.
From behind a nearby wall, Karasu appeared. A smug grin on his face and a needle in his hand.
''Catch'' Was all he said before throwing the needle into their direction, in a strange reflect Miku hid her eyes behind her goggles, she wasn't sure why she did it, she never used that thing and often forgot she had it on.
But it was suspicious coincidence that the needle drilled itself into the goggles, causing it to immediately grow (and Miku just could take it off in time that happened) and turn into a Futakuchi, even, this time, gaining two big, staring eyes.
''Not bad'' Karasu admitted, jumping behind the Futakuchi and staring at the girls with an expecting glance.
''Boo Boo Bogey! Monster Change!'' Only Wakaba and Tomoko yelled out their transformation-sentence and quickly transformed into Cure Wolf and Cure Alien.
''Howling High, Full moon in the sky! Cure Wolf!''
''Bright Grace, The being from outer space! Cure Alien!''
Yuina and Miku exchanged unsure looks whilst holding their Hollow Changer.
''What are you waiting for!?'' Larry growled, looking incredibly angry. Zeta and Orlok immediately turned to him and tried to calm him down.
''Well, we decided, let's do it'' Yuina said, sounding calmer than she was. Miku stared at her for a moment and gave her a small smile.
''Boo Boo Bogey! Monster Change!''
''Pure Blood lust, Defeating you is a must! Cure Blood!''
''Magical Spell, Potion with a strange smell! Cure Witch!''
As mostly, Wolf was the first to attack the Futakuchi, however those big eyes were really making her nervous, she attacked them but they closed before she land a hit.
Stop staring.
Growing more and more nervous by the second she tried running around the monster, only for it to follow her movements and only hers.
STOP STARING.
It was absorbing and enjoying her nervous feelings.
However this did give the other Cures some space to search for its weak point, however none of them saw anything which could be a weak point.
Witch noticed Wolf's shaky look and protected her friend from the left mouth which tried to bite her.
''Pretty Cure! Witch Curse!'' She wasn't even surprised when the Staff actually worked, it shot a stream of light at the Futakuchi, which only for a short moment seemed to be annoyed by it and quickly resumed attacking, snapping at the other Cures, trying to get a tasty bite of them.
''Why does it keep s-staring?'' For a moment Wolf felt like her human self again, afraid of staring eyes, afraid of being judged. Terribly shy.
''Wolf!'' This time Blood was one who protected the seemingly paralyzed cure from being eaten, The Futakuchi had managed to get Blood into its mouth but Blood, using her hands to hold up the teeth, prevented it from closing its mouth.
''Cure Blood! Hold on!'' Cure Alien turned her attention to the Futakuchi while Witch dragged Wolf away from the battlefield.
And while the Futakuchi was attacking Alien, as well trying to bite down Blood, it still had its eyes on Wolf.
''Oh my, Cure Wolf? You seem somewhat spooked'' Wisp whispered, appearing behind Witch and Wolf, together with the other fairies.
''What are you doing?'' Larry asked, sounding more calm than the others expected.
''I'm s-sorry but...t-t-those eyes'' Wolf answered quietly, pointing at the Futakuchi. She then started scratching her arms, they were itching so much.
And before she knew she somehow transformed back into herself.
''W-w-w-w-what?'' Wakaba stared at her hands in disbelief, she seemed to be close to crying.
''Oh no...I'm s-s-so s-s-s-s-sorry!'' She sobbed hiding her head in between her knees, instantly Orlok and Jacky tried to comfort her.
''It's alright, Wakaba, Don't worry, We'll understand'' Orlok tried to sound soothing, he quickly shot a warning look at Larry who had already opened his mouth to say something but kept quiet.
''Just stay here, We'll take care of it!'' Witch winked at her comrade, leaving her behind by the tree.
She was met with an unfortunate sight of Alien in the Futakuchi's mouth, similar to Cure Blood, both were using all the strength in their bodies to keep the mouth open yet they couldn't escape.
''Eh...Oopsy-daisy! Sorry Cure Witch'' Alien gave her a wry smile.
''Rather sad, isn't it?'' Karasu said, reminding everyone present he still was there.
''Oh I forgot about you!'' Alien commented quickly, surprised, causing Blood to sign.
''As you can see, your two friends are in quite a pinch!'' Karasu's grin grew a bit ''I can let them go, but why don't you give me your transformation-devices first?''
''Never! NeverEverNever!'' Alien cried, slowly losing her strength to keep the mouth open.
''Don't do it, Witch, we've been in worse situations!'' Blood gritted her teeth.
''Well big-nose, I can easily let the Futakuchi eat them?''
'Big-nose'.
She then remembered her nose, it was still pointy, they still was a disgusting wart on it.
''You know what, I don't care! We all decided to continue fighting, regardless of what happens to us...Blood said that the previous Cures...'' Witch turned around to look at Orlok and his friends, Wakaba was still sitting next to them. ''...They fought for our sake! So we'll do the same, that's what we do because we are Pretty Cure!''
She turned up her nose proudly ''I'm Cure Witch, and I'm a Witch in training under the great Witch Jacky! And you, Ka-ra-su!, will be defeated'' She spoke clearly, feeling a great rush of power flow through her whole body, from top to toe and even the Witch Staff, which was glowing in a violet-colored light.
''Pretty Cure! Witch Mania Finisher!'' Extending her staff with fiery determination in her eyes, a beam of light was shot at the Futakuchi, which, this time, didn't start panicking but instead relaxed, its eyes closed as it slowly returned back being goggles.
''A new attack?'' Jacky gasped, baffled by anything that just happened, she herself had never being able to use any other attack than 'Witch Curse'.
''Hehe! Not bad, eh?'' Witch grinned helping her two comrades standing up, Blood was breathing heavily, having used most of her powers and automatically transforming back, she was quickly followed by both Alien and Witch.
''That was superdupergreat!'' Tomoko complimented Witch, tapping the girl's shoulder proudly.
''Thanks'' Miku smiled, scratching her nose.
She wasn't even sure how she could explain it to her dad.
Or anyone at school for that matter.
ED: ''Delusion Disco!'' - Emiri Kato (Miku Sumire)