We join the group as they wind their way through the cave. "How much further do we have to go?" Ember complains.

"Not much farther-eiko." Eika patiently assures Ember. Hinote sighs, as he has had to tolerate Ember's complaining the whole walk.

Just then, Glacier hears what sounds like a growl. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what-kori?" Kouri asks, confused.

"Something that sounded like a creature growling." Glacier explains.

Aiden listens hard as the group enters a room filled with a dazzling array of gems and crystals. "I don't hear anything."

Glacier sighs as Hikari dashes to pick up a diamond. "Must have been my imagination, I guess."

As Aiden grabs a topaz from the room, Ember leans against an emerald embedded in the wall--and gasps when it plays a low xylophone-like note and flashes. "Huh?" She gingerly lays her hand on it, but nothing happens. "Hm..." She tries hitting the emerald harder, and this time it flashes and plays the same note. Then, she notices various clumps of gems and crystals in the room. I wonder if those are tuned as well... Inspired, she runs over and tries hitting a few rubies in the same fashion, making them flash and play higher notes.

"Cool, these gems play music when you hit them!" Hikari dashes over to a clump of diamonds and joins in with the simple melody that Ember is creating with the rubies. Glacier shrugs and joins in on a clump of sapphires, creating a lower pitched rhythm part. Aiden decides to create a second rhythm part on a clump of topazes to harmonize with Glacier, and the pegasi keep the beat with a number of crystals and rocks. Utane, however, is playing the bass line with the emeralds that Ember found earlier.

[BGM: Glittering Tribe]

The vaguely African-esque melody echoes through the cave, creating waves of color and sound. Ember laughs as she continues playing her part. If making music at home was like this, I'd gladly sign up for music class!

"This is fun!" Hikari agrees.

[Cut BGM]

"YEAH!" Aiden yells as the song ends. "Shall we do another number?"

The growl from before echoes through the cave again as a huge brown bear lumbers towards the group. "I think our encore will have to wait!" Glacier gasps as she leads the mad dash from the room.

"Come on!" Ember takes Hikari by the hand. Hikari struggles to keep up with everyone else, but she slips as the others round a corner, leaving her dangling from an outcropping.

Aiden sees Hikari struggling to grip the outcropping and gasps. "Oh no!"

"HIKARI!!!!!!" Ember screams in panic.

"Aiden, help me!" Hikari yelps as she struggles to hang on to the outcropping.

Aiden sees that the bear is seconds away from Hikari--and he also knows that Homura would be devastated if she dies. He grits his teeth and holds the topaz high. "Rainbow Shield!" At this, rainbow sparkles fly from his hands just as Hikari lets go and envelope her. The bear frantically swipes at Hikari, but she is unharmed as she is guided back to safe ground.

"No way!" Ember is impressed.

"Aiden saved Hikari-tane!" Utane agrees.

Merina's voice echoes in the cave. "The Guardian and the little one are both manifestations of the magic of light."

"So if Aiden's magic is the defensive side of light..." Ember muses.

"Then I can fight with light!" Hikari smiles before forming a white ball of light and aiming at the bear. "Mystic Aurora!" The bear is surprised by the waves of aurora-like light, and quickly succumbs.

"Let's get out of here-kori!" Kouri leads the way out of the cave.

Merina is waiting as PreCure returns. "Well done--as promised, I will grant you three more spells and tell you the tale I hold." With that, she closes her eyes and begins chanting in an odd language, making Ember glow red, Glacier glow blue, Aiden glow yellow, and Hikari glow white. "You will not have access to these new spells right away--they will awaken when the time is right."

"Understood." Glacier replies.

"Thank you, Merina!" Hikari smiles. "Although the best part was finding that room with the gems that play music!"

Everyone laughs. "There are several more caves like that here--where they are is up to you to discover." Merina assures Hikari. "Now, shall I tell you the tale I hold?"

"Yes, please!" Ember is more than ready to receive the yellow Rainbow Note.

Merina composes herself, then begins. "There once was boy that cut wood to support his family. As he was returning home one day with the wood he had cut, he saw an old man fall from a bridge and into the water. The boy rushed to help the old man, and brought him safely to dry land. As thanks for his rescue, the old man gave the boy a small boat designed to look like a dragon..."

Glacier hears a female voice saying Give it some words, and.... when Merina says the word "dragon". "There it is!"

Aiden watches as the girls absorb the energy of the yellow note. "Where to next?" As if in response to his question, the yellow note displays a woodsy area that leads into a cave before flying away.

"Not another cave..." Ember groans.

"That is the lair of the wise dragon that lives in the forest to the south of here." Merina explains. "He knows many tales, and it is likely that one of them holds the green Rainbow Note."

"Thanks for the tip!" Aiden smiles.

"It is dangerous to be climbing down the mountain, so let me transport you to the forest's entrance." With that, Merina chants again, enveloping the group in rainbow light...

TO BE CONTINUED...