Chapter 1: Double Birthday Surprise? We are Pretty Cure!
June 6th
"Shizuka? Ishimori Shizuka, wake up!" a red haired girl was shaking her friend's shoulder.
Shizuka stirred. "What happened," her voice sounding dull and dazed as she slurred.
"Class is over, that's what happened," the girl replied, expressing her current state of annoyance with a cross look on her face, well complimented with her hands on her hips, "I'm totally amazed the teacher hasn't caught you sleeping through the last hour of lessons!"
Shizuka stifled a yawn, and swept her eyes across the classroom. The setting sun is unobstructed in the path of the windows, allowing the room to be bathed in a dark shade of orange; there are only four of her classmates left hanging back to chat in the corner.
"Well, it's the last day of term and it's my birthday tomorrow, she'll let it slide. More importantly, I need my rest before the badminton exhibition match tomorrow," she said, the energy returning in her voice as she took a stretch. Taking a sideway glance at the girl, she added, "Aren't you the least bit excited, Seishiro-san?"
"I keep telling you the whole of last year that the name Ayase is fine with me…" the girl sighs, before resuming her former demeanor and adding, "And of course I'm excited, but it's not like I'd be upset if I lose."
Shizuka smiles as she finished packing her bag. "It's with that mentality which allows me to reign superior over you every time." She whispers softly with a touch of smug in her tone, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Ayase shrugs. "There's no loss to me as long as I keep playing for fun and games," she said, trailing behind Shizuka out of the room. Flipping open her cellphone, she adds, "Isn't it your birthday tomorrow as well, though? You're sure you want to make the match a priority over it?"
Shizuka shook her head. "My family's setting up a night party for me at the Dream Pastries, so it won't clash with any plans made during the day." To her, Dream Pastries is a relatively new pastry shop in town that rose to fame for their creative mix of desserts and quickly earning its place as the ultimate dining restaurant.
"Huh, Dream Pastries, lucky you," said Ayase wistfully, "Oh well, when I'm done compiling my notes I'll mail it to you through the net. Maybe you should learn how to write down words shared in class for once."
"Do me a favor and let me maintain this daily activity," Shizuka said, massaging her neck with her fingers, "even if there were cases where I shouldn't have slept in."
"Oh? You have bad dreams for the first time in a year?"
"Not really," Shizuka replied, inwardly attempting to recollect what dream she had just experienced. In her mind's eye she could see various unfocused images flashing through in quick succession; A burning city, two people holding a staff, an enormous gigantic creature in the form of a-
"I don't exactly remember," she said, shuddering as she forcefully pulls herself back to reality, "and I don't feel the need to, either."
"You're just getting stressed about the exhibition match. Loosen up, girl. Tell you what, I'll…" Ayase stopped in her tracks along with her speech as she bends down to pick up a light blue wallet on the floor.
Frowning, she opens it to search for clues as to who the wallet belonged to, discovering 3000Yen and multiple cards, including a library card with the name "Yumemori Natsuki" written on it.
"Yumemori Natsuki is… that city girl who transferred in last week?" Ayase muttered, raising a brow at the card, "Should we just leave it at the counter in the general office?"
"I think it's fine if I hand it over to her myself," Shizuka said, taking the wallet from her and closing it, "her apartment is in the street across mine, if I recall."
Ayase shrugged, checking her watch and smiling. "Hey, there's still a couple hours before the restaurant closes. Let's get moving," she said, grabbing Shizuka's arm and dragging her on.
On the other side of the school, the girl named Yumemori Natsuki is slowly walking around the school courtyard in the search attempt for her missing wallet. Normally a girl full of pep and energy, she currently feels deflated as her efforts produced no result for the past hour.
"No good…" she mutters, thinking about how her parents will flip out upon knowing her wallet is gone. Birthday girl or not, she will not be forgiven for such an irresponsible mistake.
…
"Well no matter! I'm sure everything will be fine tomorrow!" she said, brightening up quickly, "Thats right, my wallet must have been picked up and handed in to the police by a kind soul already!"! I'll definitely get it back tomorrow!"
Pumping her fist to physically cement her belief, she began the trip home, sweeping her long dark hair out of her eyes while walking on the cobblestone pavement, before stopping in her tracks upon hearing a distant cry from above.
Curious, she turned around and looked upwards to track the source…only to get smacked in the face by something furry , and she fell backwards.
"Ow…" she winced, opening up one teary eye to look at her surroundings to see a pink coloured kitten rubbing its face. She could have sworn the kitten just mumbled, "That hurt-hopu…"
"Did…you just speak?" Natsuki slowly picked herself up from the ground, wide eyed. The kitten gave a start, before standing up and gave a soft meow. All of this would have been convincing enough to make her believe that it was all in her head, if the kitten was not standing on just its hind legs.
"You're…not really a cat, are you," she said, trying to suppress a snicker as she suddenly found the entire idea of talking to cats as amusing.
"I am a cat-hopu! How is that I am not acting like one to you-hopu?" the kitten cried indignantly, before noticing at that point that it's standing on just 2 legs and sighing in defeat, dropping to all fours.
Natsuki gently knelt down beside the kitten, fighting the urge to stroke it, and asked, "I've never had an actual conversation with a cat. Where are you from?"
The kitten fidgeted a while with its scarf sporting an odd symbol, constantly turning around as if it's anticipating something.
"Not much of a talker, are you?" Natsuki smiled, hoping it would somehow ease the kitten's showing anxiety. Whatever it's worried about, it's certainly not the darkening sky that signifies the impending arrival of the rain.
"I shouldn't stay here any longer; they'll come after me-hopu…" the kitten said softly.
"Who's coming after you?" Natsuki asked, her smile fading away. Taking the current surroundings and atmosphere into account along with the kitten's anxious display, she's getting the idea that something terrible is going to happen around her. Regardless, she's not going to backing out now, whatever that "something" may be.
"The Reapers-hopu," the kitten whispered, keeping up her action of constant alertness, "I can't say more than this to an ordinary human, but they are very bad things for all worlds. You should run while you still can-hopu!"
Natsuki's mind is on the verge of telling herself to laugh this off as a sort of joke, but her body inexplicably felt a chill down her spine, a chill that has nothing to do with the winds that began picking up in haste along with the dark clouds hovering above them.
"We had better get moving first, the rain's going to come," she said, getting to her feet.
"It's not the rain, it's the Reapers -hopu!" was all the kitten managed to say before Natsuki picked it up gently.
"Then we'd better make sure they don't get anywhere near us, won't we?" she gave a smile, and began quickening her steps out of the courtyard.
The kitten shook its head, saying somewhat desperately, "there's no running away from the Reapers, they will destroy everything in their path just to find me-hopu!"
"Hey hey hey, it's too early to give up now, is it," Natsuki said, taking one last look at the courtyard before heading down the pathway to the exit gate. In a bid to calm down the kitten, she adds, "Anyway, my name is Yumemori Natsuki. Natsuki is fine though, what's yours?"
"I am…Hopius from the Soul Kingdom-hopu…" the kitten replied, eyes still not leaving the courtyard.
"Nice to meet you, Hopius," Natsuki smiled, "I'm sure we'll find a way to make whatever's chasing you goes away, so don't worry, okay?"
"It's no use, there's nothing an ordinary human like you can do to stop them. Only the Pretty Cures are able to fight them off-hopu" the kitten mumbled.
"Pretty Cures…" Natsuki slowed down to a halt, having clicked something in the back of her mind.
"You know them-hopu?" the kitten asked.
Natsuki shrugged. "There was an ancient legend around the world on how it was covered in black magic caused by a certain demon, but was subsequently fought off by a group of females going by that name. There are apparently artefacts that lasted till this day in that battle but I've always believed that it was a hoax…anyway."
Silence follows, as Natsuki began walking again. Then the kitten cried in terror.
"They are here-hopu!"
Natsuki, spun on the spot, expecting some form of ghost to appear behind them. She paused, momentarily confused.
"Who's here…Hopius?" she asked, sounding as casually as she could.
Hopius looks around, her fearful expression not waning, as a wail became audible.
"Kyonaaa…."
"…Oh damn," Natsuki muttered.
"Ooh, strawberry sundae with waffles and cherry is just evilly fantastic!" Ayase gave a soft squeal to contain her enthusiasm.
Shizuka smiled but said nothing, digging into her plain but equally delicious banana split.
Ayase had dragged her to a local mini restaurant near their school for a hearty meal in light of the impending event that befalls them tomorrow, chatting away about how good their pastas are. The dinner went rather peacefully aside from that.
"On the subject of evil, I don't like how the weather is looking right now; we should probably head back home quickly," she notes, upon taking the last mouthful of her dessert.
"A little rain's not going to ruin anyone's day. Why not lighten up a little?" Ayase gave a chuckle, chucking in her own last mouthful of sundae with glorious flourish.
Shizuka shook her head. "I'm not going to run the risk of catching a cold when there is an important match tomorrow."
"You should really be less of a downer, seriously," Ayase sighs, and gave a shrug, adding, "but I suppose you're right. I wouldn't want to play in a tournament sick either."
Shizuka picked up her bag and waited for Ayase to do the same, before leaving the restaurant with the waiter bowing them out.
It was at that moment in time where all hell broke loose. A cold chill instantly passed over the pair as the floor began cracking up in the position where Shizuka is currently standing. Ayase, whose attention had caught by the floor's odd reaction, quickly pushed Shizuka out of the way, stepping in the cracked line herself.
As if to respond to her actions, the floor instantly opened up, swallowing up Ayase with a menacing crunch as Shizuka fell on her back. Shizuka, seeing it all happen before her eyes, was too shocked to utter a sound as a tall figure rose up from the now empty spot where Ayase was standing seconds earlier.
His appearance was that of a human with grey skin that looks to be rotting in many areas of his body and face, and the bath robes he wears seems to be an attempt to soften the look of abomination in him. His yellow eyes darted around, before resting on Shizuka.
"Hello, did I startle you," he spoke in a mild, smooth tone that does not fit his image.
Shizuka tried to say something, but is still trying to get over her shock that she could only take a few steps backwards while staring at the "person" in front of her.
"W…what are you…" was all she could manage after a while.
The "person" turns his entire body to her, his face turning into an expression of surprise as far as his skin can allow him.
"I'm so sorry, I should have introduced myself beforehand. I am NightGhoul, a servant to the mighty Shinigami. May I know your name in return, Miss…?"
"Ishi…Ishimori Shizuka…" Shizuka shakily replied, her eyes unable to tear away from his.
"Ishimori Shizuka…" NightGhoul repeated the name to himself before smiling, "that is a nice name, pleased to make your acquaintance." He bowed.
"Wha…what happened to Seishiro-san?" Shizuka asked, as the initial shock upon the events the past couple minutes began to wear off, replaced with a rising surge of anger.
"Oh, the young girl who was with you?" NightGhoul pondered over this a while, before making a gesture towards the ground. "I had a servant swallow her up. He needs human souls to satiate his hunger, after all."
Right on cue, the floor opened up once more, and out of the crack seeped a black entity that housed a figure which looked like-
"Seishiro-san!" Shizuka cried.
Ayase appears to be unharmed, but unconscious. However, her body is bare and translucent.
Shizuka swings back towards NightGhoul, her fury imminent.
"Let her go!"
NightGhoul's expression is unreadable. "It's quite impossible, I'm afraid. If you want to release her, you'll have to destroy the entity that's housing her soul. Can you do that?" He smiled, one appearing civilised, yet full of mockery behind it.
Now truly enraged, Shizuka runs towards the dark entity with her badminton racket, her intention to hit the entity clear. At that moment a voice rang out.
"Don't touch that thing-wiru!"
She stops just short of the dark entity's presence, as all heads turn towards the source of the voice; a small white dog was standing in a corner as he fires a burst of light from his mouth.
It hit the entity squarely where Ayase's position is. The entity began wailing, a high pitched, eerie scream that forced Shizuka to create a few metres distance from it, and forcing a chill down her spine.
NightGhoul turns towards the dog. "Ah, the fairy partner of Cure Wish. It's regrettable what happened then, but alas it's too late to change things the way they are."
The dog gave a growl, "I won't let you do as you please to this world-wiru! The fight's not yet over-wiru!"
NightGhoul shook his head in pity. "But it is over. Once we locate the Light of Hearts, every soul within this world will vanish, too."
"You'll never find the Light of Hearts-wiru! Only the Pretty Cures are chosen ones to find it and defeat you-wiru!" the dog growled once more, taking an offensive stance.
Shizuka turns towards the dog, saying, "Pretty Cures actually exist?"
NightGhoul laughs, a sound resembling a person retching in the toilet. "I'm sorry," he said, resting his eyes on the dog creature once more, "but there is no Pretty Cure anywhere to be found in this world. And it seems like you have yet to locate the successors of Wish and Espoir either."
So saying, he began advancing upon the dog, the dark entity in tow. The dog began shrinking back ever so slightly, as if to consider his options. Shizuka made her decision at that point.
Stepping in to face NightGhoul, she spread out her hands in a gesture of protecting the dog behind her.
"Shizuka-san, what is the meaning of this?" NightGhoul stops in his tracks.
"I…if there is a way to bring back Seishiro-san, and this dog can do it, then I can't let you lay a finger on him!" Shizuka said, her soft voice audible in the silence of the still environment.
"Are you…" the dog mumbles, wide eyed.
NightGhoul studies Shizuka's expression for a moment, before shaking his head once more. "Regrettably, it has to come to this. For an ordinary human like you to stand before me in this manner, without a way to even touch me at that."
"Don't underestimate me, you monster. My determination is not easily crushed!" Shizuka said quietly. Turning around, she picked up the dog and began a dash away from NightGhoul and the dark entity.
"How regrettable. Kyona, after the two of them," NightGhoul ordered, watching the back of Shizuka's retreating figure.
Shizuka has no way of knowing where she can run to carrying a dog in her arms. She didn't think it was smart to outright challenge a person who appears to be able to tear her apart without even trying. But she has to save Ayase, and the key to do that lies with the animal in her hands.
"Hey, human. I can run on my own-wiru," the dog said.
Shizuka slowed to a halt at a corner, as the dog leapt out of her hands, standing on his two legs.
"I'm sorry, I just…without thinking…" Shizuka mumbled.
"Why didn't you run away? You can still save yourself if you didn't antagonise NightGhoul-wiru" the dog asked.
"I…couldn't," Shizuka said, "Seishiro-san…Ayase was a very important friend to me. What happened to her was my fault, if I hadn't let her drag me on this easily…"
"So you made your decision to save your friend rather than leaving her alone to protect your own life? That's pretty commendable-wiru," the dog said, "my name is Willius, thank you for saving me earlier, human-wiru."
"I should be the one thanking you, you gave me hope that my only friend could be saved," Shizuka smiled, "I wouldn't know what else to do otherwise. I'm Ishimori Shizuka, nice to meet you, Willius."
Footsteps draw closer in the silence, and Shizuka immediately quietens down to listen. Willius also followed suit, though his face lights up quickly after as he started dashing off in its direction.
"Hey, Willius- wait up!" Shizuka called in surprise, and hurried after him.
As she turned the corner, Shizuka found Willius facing a pink coloured kitten slightly smaller than him. With the kitten is a girl with long, dark hair that she recognised. The girl spoke first with enthusiasm.
"Oh thank goodness it's someone I know! Hello, Shizuka, how are you?" Natsuki asked.
"It's…not so good at the moment," Shizuka tried to find an explanation that doesn't sound too far-fetched to her ears.
"Natsuki, you know this girl-hopu?" the kitten asked.
"Shizuka, you know this girl-wiru?" the dog asked.
"Ah! The dog spoke!" Natsuki yelped.
"The kitten…spoke," Shizuka mumbled in surprise.
As the four of them stared at each other after speaking at the same time, all of them broke into smiles and giggles despite their situation now.
"Well, if the two of you know each other, this is a perfect chance-wiru," Willius hiccoughed himself back to seriousness, "There's something I want to discuss with the two of you before NightGhoul finds us-wiru"
"Aah, NightGhoul is here-hopu?" the kitten asked in fear.
"That's right Hopius," Willius replied, before turning his attention back on Natsuki and Shizuka, "Have you two heard of the name Pretty Cure-wiru?"
"We have," they replied in unison.
"That's good. Then I shall cut the long story short-wiru," Willius said, "Hopius and I have come to this world seeking the new Pretty Cure warriors to fight against the Reapers from taking away the Light of Hearts and save our world, and I think that it has chosen the two of you to do so-wiru"
"Hold on a minute," Shizuka said, as the realisation sank in, "We don't know what exactly is a Pretty Cure, we've only heard it through stories that may not even be true…"
"Also," Natsuki adds, "What do you mean that Shizuka and I are 'Chosen', what are you trying to say here?"
The pink kitten, Hopius, fidgeted for a time before answering, "Ever wondered why are you still up and about while the whole world seems to just disappear? The Light of Hearts has been protecting the two of you all this time-wiru"
Natsuki and Shizuka stared at each other, thinking about the long roads they ran along this afternoon with no disturbance whatsoever after the appearance of the dark clouds.
"That's not all
"This is all too much to take it for an afternoon," Shizuka said, burying her head in her hands.
"Well Shizuka, right now it's made simple for you-wiru," Willius said, looking up at her, "Do you want to save your friend?"
Shizuka looked at Willius, his serious expression boring into her eyes, and she nodded.
"Then that's all you should ever think about for now," Willius said, "Let's make a deal. We'll help you save your friend, Shizuka, and in return, help us drive away the Reapers from our world."
Natsuki picked up Hopius and snuggled her, who appears surprised but unexpectedly grew more comfortable. "Well, I've got no friend to save, but I've kind of bonded with little Hopius here, so I'll do what I can to help her," she said, giving her a warm smile.
Shizuka looks at Natsuki, and back at Willius. She took a deep breath, and wondered deep inside if she's really going to fight that dark mass that is housing Ayase. There's so many doubts that is enveloping her, and yet…
Exhaling, she faced Willius and said, "I'll do it, I'll do anything to save Ayase."
Willius studied her expression, and, satisfied, hands over a bracelet to her, as Hopius does to Natsuki. The design of the bracelet was pretty peculiar, with ruby insets and an empty space in its centre.
"This is a Soul Bracelet-wiru," Willius said, "You will need to insert a Soul Sphere into this empty spot to activate its powers –wiru."
"But how do I get this Soul Sphere you mentioned?" Natsuki asked as she rotates the bracelet in her fingertips to examine every detail.
"The Soul Sphere is the essence of the Pretty Cure spirit, imbued with the powers of the Light of Hearts hidden within you-wiru, therefore you can treat the Soul Sphere as a part of yourself to summon it-wiru", Willius said, "Concentrate on your feelings, and bring them out to reality-wiru"
Shizuka, listening to Willius's explanation, closed her eyes and thought hard about Ayase. The only person who kept trying to talk to her when she shied away from the crowd, who became her friend after seven months of effort, who is now trapped within the dark entity because of her. She wants to save the most important friend to her, and will do anything to prove it.
As if to respond to her feelings, a warm sensation tingles through her arms and fingertips. Opening her eyes, she is surprised to find a gold coloured sphere glowing softly in her palm. Natsuki, a similar sphere glowing in a silver light, has her own surprise reflected back in her face.
Willius and Hopius are smiling. "That is the Soul Sphere-wiru," he said, "It is the key to your Pretty Cure powers-wiru."
"So…how do we do what we are supposed to do?" Natsuki asked, as she's now studying the silver Soul Sphere in her hands.
"Insert the Soul Sphere into the empty slot in your bracelet-hopu!" Hopius cried, her expression suddenly fearful.
Natsuki noticed it and was opening a mouth to speak when a voice cut in.
"I see…so these two are the ones whom you have chosen. How regrettable…" NightGhoul said, perching himself on top of a lamp post.
"NightGhoul-wiru/-hopu!" Willius and Hopius cried in unison.
The dark entity, Kyona draws closer. Shizuka forced herself to look at the unconscious figure of Ayase within it, and another rush of determination washed over her.
"Unfortunately, it is time to bring this act to a close…Kyona, finish them off," NightGhoul ordered, pointing a bony finger.
The Kyona wailed another scream, and Ayase began disintegrating within its body.
"Ayase…!" Shizuka cried.
As Ayase disappeared completely, the Kyona quickly assmiliated itself into a nearby car, breaking apart its mechanics and sprouting limbs in its place. Its face was imprinted in the car hood, twisted to form a symbol of a circle.
"Kyona…" the creature towered over them, hands raised menacingly.
"Shizuka!" Natsuki called. Shizuka nodded, and slipped the bracelet on her left wrist and inserted her Soul Sphere.
At that instant Shizuka lost control of her body, as does Natsuki from her expression. They both linked a hand and thrust out the other to their sides, shouting, "Dual Harmony Beam!"
Shizuka didn't have the time to comprehend what she just said, as suddenly she started floating upwards, watching all of her outfit and accessories disappear in a flash of light. Her body is covered in a white suit with gold streamlines, fitted with an external outfit of laces and frills of the same colour scheme around her waist. Her shoulders are adorned with feathery sleeves, and her hands are covered with gloves sporting a gold knuckle joint. Her feet sported a white thigh-high boots with gold linings and soles. Her hair, a dark brown colour originally, was changed into a bright gold that glitters. To complete the transformation, a red-gold heart ribbon was pinned onto her chest.
Awed, Shizuka looked towards her other partner who transformed with her. Natsuki's hair was gleaming in bright silver with a , her top half was also covered in a white jumpsuit with silver linings, her bottom half sporting a white flowy skirt with frills. Like Shizuka, Natsuki's shoulders are also adorned in feathery sleeves, and her legs are covered in a pair of silver thigh high boots. A silver blue heart ribbon was pinned to her chest.
As the light surrounding the two faded out, she landed alongside Natsuki and struck an offensive pose, her bracelet free hand outstretched, shouting, "The Soul of Will, Cure Wish!"
Natsuki, struck a defensive pose, her stance conservative and shouted, "The Soul of Hope, Cure Espoir!"
Together they shouted in unison, "Together we are Pretty Cure!"
Natsuki, now Cure Espoir, points a finger at NightGhoul and declared, "Those who target the Light of Hearts!"
Shizuka finishes with a pump of her fist as Cure Wish, "Repent for your sins at once!"