"Is it really that time of the year already?!" Kintsuki and Jonetsu hollered together. Even though there were a few minutes left before class began, everyone was assembled and chattering amongst themselves for reasons unknown by Kintsuki, Jonetsu, and Sensaina.
"Of course!" Meihime declared as she wrote on the whiteboard.
Sensaina double-blinked, still being out of the loop.
"What time of the year is it...?" Sensaina asked.
"It's culture festival time!" Meihime responded as she wrote those exact words onto the whiteboard.
"Sensaina, haven't you ever heard of culture festivals?" Kintsuki asked as she quickly notice of Sensaina's ignorance still here.
"Um..." Sensaina tilted her head and avoided eye contact. She somewhat remembered the culture festival at her old school but, that one ended in cancelation. At her old school, she was very reclusive and of course that lead to not even having the slightest care about the culture festival. Her friends at her old school didn't seem to mind their culture festival getting canceled either.
"Don't worry I've heard of them.." Sensaina began," It's just that, at my old school, I didn't have many friends and surprisingly the only friends I had were the popular girls at my schools but it turns out, they were just using for reasons I can't even remember why." Sensaina looked to the ground reminiscing her past and herself one year ago.
"Did you finds who Ume's crushing on?" Hoshika asked.
"She likes Atsui." A side pony tailed Sensaina responded.
"Oh! And did you tell Mr. Moriaka I can't come to school tomorrow?" Izumi asked.
"Yeah, he was mad though," Sensaina responded.
"Oh, you're the best Sensaina!" Kimiko praised as the three girls walked away.
"I'm the best…" Sensaina repeated proud of herself.
Sensaina winced as she remembered how idiotic her one year ago self. She did everything they wanted for her to praise her but was any of that praise even worth it? Of course not, and it took her a while to realize that but once she did she promised herself she'd never go back to the person she used to be.
"But a culture festival sounds really fun!" Sensaina beamed.
The girls grinned at her cheerful response and Meihime then got the entire class' attention.
"Alright, so what does everyone think we should do for the culture fest?" Meihime asked.
"A Fashion show!" One girl cried.
"No way I'd be in a dumb Fashion show!" One guy said disgust.
"Alright, so a fashion show is out of the question.." Meihime said as she put a line through the word fashion show on the whiteboard.
"What about a giant basketball game?" One guy asked.
"How are we going to do that on stage?" A girl asked.
"We should do a Maid Café!" One girl exclaimed.
"I think I'd pass on that.." Jonetsu said under her breath.
"Hm.." Meihime said she rubbed her chin," Sensaina, what do you think we should do, since this is your first culture fest?"
"Well.." Sensaina started," Let's first try and think of what we all have in common."
"Are you kidding me?" Kintsuki scoffed," No two people in this class have common interests."
"Well then, what does everyone enjoy?" Sensaina asked.
"I like baking!" One girl shouted.
"I like photography!" One guy shouted.
"I like stand-up comedy!" Another girl shouted.
Sensaina giggled as she heard everyone but one person in the front of the class response.
"What do you want like?" Sensaina asked the boy.
"It's stupid." The guy responded.
"Just tell me." Sensaina said gently.
"I like space.." The guy responded as he shrugged.
"So does that mean you want to be an astronaut?" Sensaina asked.
"Kinda.." The guy responded sheepishly.
"I think we found something we all have in common." Sensaina declared.
"What might that be?" Kintsuki asked curiously.
"We're all really big dreamers!" Sensaina said," So, how about we have a show in which we'll showcase our dreams?"
"Sensaina, that's really good!" Meihime said as she wrote on the whiteboard.
"So do we all like Sensaina's idea?" Meihime asked the class.
The class responded positively.
"Then it's settled. We're going with Sensaina dreamer's showcase!" Meihime concluded.
Sensaina blushed as the class cheered in approval of her idea.
"It'll so great to see everyone's dreams." Sensaina thought.
The next day, with Ms. Kimura's permission, the class began to think of ideas to use and the other things essential for the show, such as wardrobe and music.
"So I could do a magic trick up on stage?" Kintsuki asked as she sat back and watched everyone work.
"Sure!" Sensaina beamed.
"Well..I might." Kintsuki said.
"I'll say Sensaina, you sure got everyone pumped about culture fest this year." Jonetsu remarked.
"I guess, it just feels good knowing everyone will have a part in culture fest." Sensaina thought.
"If everyone has a part in culture fest this year..." Jonetsu began," Sensaina, what are you doing for culture fest?"
"Hm?" Her tone was neutral and finally she turned frantic.
"I didn't realize I would need a part!" She hollered.
"But you're a part of the class.." Jonetsu pointed out.
"But I thought I already contributed with my idea.." Sensaina responded sheepishly.
"Oh, boy just what are we going to do with you?" Jonetsu asked as Sensaina remained frantic.
"I know what she could do!" Kintsuki exclaimed as she walked up to the girls.
"And what's that?" Jonetsu asked.
"Sensaina, you like singing right?" Kintsuki asked.
"Well, I suppose.." Sensaina said in a reluctant tone.
"Then you should sing for the culture fest!" Kintsuki suggested.
"Oh, that would be a great idea!" Meihime said as she wrote out ideas onto the board.
"I don't really know.." Sensaina responded.
"Oh, come on it'd be so cool having someone actually sing at the culture fest!" Kintsuki encouraged.
"We could write you a song, make you superstar outfit.." Meihime said.
"Well.." Sensaina trailed off. She surely didn't want to be the girl who had nothing to do with culture fest, not unlike herself one year ago.
"I'll do it!" Sensaina declared.
"I want to write the song! Pretty please?" Meihime begged.
"I guess you could.." Sensaina said quietly.
"Like she'd have the time to write an entire song, she's too busy setting up and helping everyone else out of 'obligation' " Kintsuki scoffed.
"She's right.." Meihime sobbed.
"I could do it." Jonetsu said.
"Hm, I doubt even the genius romantic Jonetsu could even write a song in the amount of time we have." Meihime said skeptically.
"Don't you worry, I'll have it done in no time." Jonetsu winked," I could even help with the outfit."
"Jonetsu, you're the greatest!" Meihime praised before running off to help another student.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sensaina asked.
"Why not? It'll be my part in the culture fest, and I think it'd be amazing of you..to let everyone witness your talent." Jonetsu said as a half-smile appeared onto her face.
"Everyone witnessing..my talent?" Sensaina repeated quietly as Jonetsu was an out of earshot distance away.
"My talent?"
"Sensaina, wouldn't this look cute on you?" Meihime asked as she held out a pair of black and purple glovelets. They shimmered under the room's light source and were decorated with pink ribbons.
"Only one way to find out." Sensaina said with a hint of hesitance in her voice. She slid on the glovelets as expected, they looked good on her.
"I'm going to get Jonetsu to incorporate this into your outfit!" Meihime cheered as she ran off to find Jonetsu.
It's been a few days since the announcement of the culture fest and now everyone was just brimming with excitement.
"Jonetsu, how far have you gotten on Sensaina's song?" Kintsuki asked.
"Far enough for the time being." Jonetsu stated as she read over the lyrics she had just written.
"Laying in the clouds, of our hopes at night, is where dreams reside." Kintsuki read quietly over Jonetsu's shoulder.
"Once we wish upon the star of the new day, I know that all of our dreams will come true.." Meihime read.
"Jonetsu this is so great!" The two girls praised.
"Mind not reading of my shoulders?" Jonetsu asked," Sensaina do you want to read?''
"Huh?" Sensaina asked as she was getting fitted for her outfit.
"Wow Sensaina, you're not really the bustiest in the bathhouse are you?" Dokeshi asked as she place a tape measure around Sensaina's chest.
Sensaina reddened but didn't give a timid response, she instead responded to Jonetsu.
"Not yet. I want to wait until I get home, so could you make a copy of it for me?" Sensaina asked.
"One step ahead of you." Jonetsu said as she held up a second copy.
That night, Sensaina was reading Jonetsu's song and even trying to sing a few verses.
"What will the world be like if our dreams were right next door?" Sensaina read," All of these hopes deep in my heart will bring a new day and surely keep all that doubt away."
Sensaina was really enjoying singing this song, but she wasn't too confident enough to sing it in front of the others. But, this was one of the only ways she had to show a different side of herself to the class. To Sensaina, her class probably thought of her as nothing much but a shy girl with indecent grades. But maybe now was the time to change all that. She then smirked, knowing herself from one year ago wouldn't do anything like this. Not only did she have to prove to her class that she had a talent, she also had to prove to herself that she was now a little more grown up and much different from herself of one year ago.
Flashing back to her surroundings, Sensaina began to walk around her room and sing more of the song.
"Hey wait! Don't tell me you've given up! We're not even halfway! I know for sure if you stay with me, we will succeed! Oh yes! With this limitless brimming hope, I know we'll get there. This world unique and true, all we need is you and dreamers everywhere. Because we all dream, and no this is no lie.." Sensaina was pretty surprised with Jonetsu's ability to create such tremendous lyrics. They really did fit the theme of the class' culture fest. Now Sensaina could only hope she could memorize and perfect her singing by the day of culture fest.
"I will sing this for culture fest, no matter what!" Sensaina promised herself.
"Meihime, are you sure I could pull this off?" Sensaina asked as she turned around.
"Without a doubt!" Meihime reassured.
"Now you're looking like a superstar Sensaina!" Kintsuki commented.
"The sleeve here feels tight." Sensaina said as she pointed to her left shoulder.
Meihime attended to her to see what was her shoulder problem. Jonetsu just walked into the room and did nothing but a whistle.
Sensaina, of course, blushed fiercely.
"Now who made this?" Jonetsu asked.
"That would be me! And mostly the girls of the fashion club..." Meihime replied with pride.
"I don't think aqua is the best color on her.." Jonetsu stated.
"Well, the only opinion that really matters is Sensaina's." Kintsuki pointed out.
"Honestly.." Sensaina chirped," I don't think this outfit looks that good on me."
"Lemme see!" A very familiar and childish voice cried as they bursted into the room.
"Haruko, get out!" Sensaina said. Usually she wouldn't be so rude to Haruko, but because of the skimpy outfit she was forced to put on and be seen in, she really wanted nobody to come in, especially Hideki.
"What's you're class doing for culture fest?" Meihime asked.
"We're doing a skit!" Haruko announced.
"Classy, now leave." Jonetsu said as she opened up her notebook to rip out a sheet of paper.
"Aw, but I want to stay!" Haruko whined," I don't even have a big part in the skit!"
Sensaina rolled her eyes and motioned at the girls to let Haruko stay.
"What's up with the dress?" Haruko asked as she gawked at Sensaina.
Sensaina blushed once more and turned her head away from Haruko.
"She'll be singing for our culture fest!" Meihime replied in her as a matter of fact tone.
"Isn't that dress a little bit dysfunctional?" Haruko asked as she arched an eyebrow.
"Just what I thought." Jonetsu said without lifting her eyes from her ripped out notebook page.
"Say Jonetsu, what are drawing?" Kintsuki asked. The blonde walked over and looked over Jonetsu's shoulders with her hands on her knees.
"Just an alternative for Sensaina's outfit." Jonetsu said as she held it up to the other girls.
"Wow, it's better than the dress she has on now!" Haruko exclaimed.
"It really is.." Meihime said quietly.
"Like Kintsuki said, the only opinion that really matters is Sensaina's,'' Jonetsu said," So Sensaina what do you think?"
"I like it." Sensaina finally said after a few moments.
"But there's only three days left until culture fest." Haruko pointed out. Silence fell onto the room and blank stares were given by the four girls.
"How could've time run out so fast?!" Meihime cried frantically.
"Don't worry, I'll try hardest to get this dress finished before the night of culture fest, I promise!" Jonetsu reassured.
"Jonetsu, there's no way we could put all that work onto to you."Meihime reasoned.
"I don't mind." Jonetsu stated.
"You know, we could help." One girl of the fashion club said.
"We finished everyone else's costume, so hers should be a cinch we the amount of people we have." Another girl, also from the fashion club said.
"I guess it'd be okay if everyone helped." Jonetsu shrugged. She showed the girls the design.
"So what color do you want this? And what material?" The girl questioned.
"Definitely purple and I was thinking perhaps satin if it's available." Jonetsu responded as she pointed to the page.
"Everyone's working so hard," Sensaina thought," I've never seen them all so co-operative and excited. And just to show how big of dreamers the people in my class really are, I have to do my best!"
The night before the culture fest, Sensaina was watching TV and examining each movement the idol on her screen made, as she wanted to seem just like her.
"Mitori Kashinomoto." Sensaina exhaled as she watched the girl sing. The blond haired girl on her screen was a typical idol with everything girls liked Sensaina wished for. Fame, a voice idolized by others, beauty and everything else she didn't have was practically at hand's reach.
"Not a lot of movement's needed." Sensaina noted," At least one step at most is necessary for a sudden change in pitch."
"Reach for the stars! The sky can't even limit us now~!" Mitori sang from within Sensaina's tv. Sensaina clutched the pillow in her hands as Mitori hit the high note. If only she could be Mitori, she would've have the affection of others for her song right before her.
"I guess I'll have to work my way up." Sensaina giggled," Starting with culture fest tomorrow."
She went off to bed eventually and thought of multiple outcomes after she would sing her song for culture fest. Most of her thoughts were positive, with a minority of them involving her becoming one of the popular kids even though she knew very well that could never happen. Then, her final thought before drifting off was invetiblely a negative one. She thought of her self choking up, unable to say a single word and disgracing her class. She shook her head in a half-awake motion.
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Sensaina whispered to herself.
The next day, everyone was in high-spirits and ready for tonight. Meihime remained as frantic as ever, double-checking, even triple-checking preparations and everything else to just had to be checked.
"Do you really want to see my act one more time?" Kintsuki asked in a bland tone. At this point, the majority of the class had already got to see her trick so making a spectacle of herself was no longer of her interest.
"Yes, yes!" Meihime nodded.
Kintsuki sighed and did her trick once more. Meanwhile, Sensaina was trying on her dress. Her body was shaking like a leaf and not only because the room was terribly heated. She bit off all her nails and it felt like about a thousand butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. Oh, how terrible anxiety can get.
"Sensaina, please stop shivering for just one second!" One of the fashion club girls begged.
Sensaina then forced herself to stand still.
"Finally." The girl said. She examined how the dress looked on Sensaina and from her perspective, the dress was a perfect fit.
"Sensaina the dress looks perfect on you!" One girl exhaled.
Sensaina reddened and twisted her foot around the ground.
"As long as she doesn't screw up her singing, we're good to go!" One girl winked without realizing how much more pressure she weighed on Sensaina.
As the fashion club girls left the room to let Sensaina slip back into her school uniform, Sensaina sighed and simply shut her eyes. She knew that before the whole culture fest commotion her class probably thought her to be worthless and now the only possible reason they had to support her was to make their class look good. They didn't have any idea how anxious and pressured Sensaina felt right now.
"This is my chance to take.." Sensaina stated," So why am I so nervous?"
But after an hour or two, Sensaina soon found herself in a position in which her nervousness petrified her and rendered her unable to perform.
"I'm not as good as everyone thinks, no matter how much I practice." Sensaina stated. In the locked dressing room Sensaina was talking herself out of performing.
"But if I don't go out and perform, everyone's efforts will be wasted." Sensaina said. Hopeless was she felt right now and so she made her final decision.
"I can't go out there." She concluded. Sensaina knew very well she wasn't cut out for the spotlight. How was an introvert like her going to perform on stage? Her mind was made up, she wasn't going to leave the room until culture fest was over. She couldn't just tell her friends she wasn't going out there, and she couldn't just sing now. It wasn't worth the hope nor the effort, she realized. Ashamed with herself she hung her head and sat against the door to the room.
"I'm no different than I was one year ago.."
An hour passed and it was time for the culture fest. The three girls fretfully looked everywhere for Sensaina, but with no avail.
"We have checked everywhere!" Meihime shouted.
"Do you think she went go get something from home?" Kintsuki asked.
Meihime shook her head," Nobody saw her leave the school."
"Did you check the dressing room?" Jonetsu asked.
"It's locked." Meihime stated.
"Hm.." Jonetsu sounded. She walked off to the direction of the dressing room.
"Wait are you going to the dressing room?" Meihime asked.
"Well I'm certainly not heading to Haruko's homeroom!'' Jonetsu barked as she walked off. Within a matter of time, she approached the dressing room.
"Sensaina, I know you're in there!" Jonetsu shouted as she knocked impatiently on the door.
Sensaina stopped her sobbing just to give Jonetsu a response.
"Leave me alone!" She bawled.
"So what, you're just not going to perform?" Jonetsu asked.
"I just...can't." Sensaina said softly.
"Can't we talk about this?" Jonetsu asked.
Sensaina shook her head, even though she knew the motion wouldn't be seen by Jonetsu.
"This is just like you." Jonetsu said as she leaned against her side of the door.
"You might be right, but do you know what's just like you? Making me do things that we both know I could never do!" Sensaina shouted.
"Fine, maybe it was stupid of me to think you'd sing such a light-hearted song." Jonetsu said.
Sensaina rubbed the tears from her eyes," Light-hearted song?"
"Yeah, that wasn't the original song I wrote for you. I only wrote the song you're supposed to sing because it would fit in with the culture fest theme." Jonetsu stated. She slid a piece of paper under the door.
"Our love was a secret?" Sensaina said quietly. She then shook her head and returned to her passive helpless self.
"I'm not going out there!" Sensaina concluded.
"Fine, let everyone down!" Jonetsu shouted.
"The only reason I'm letting everyone down is because of you!" Sensaina cried. She then noticed a fire exit in the dressing room. Quickly she ran towards it and swung it open with more tears forming in her eyes. She ran as fast as her legs could take her in the direction opposite of her home. She suddenly then collided with someone while running.
"I need to stop bumping into people.." She groaned.
"I second that." A very familiar male voice said in response.
Sensaina lit up with instant realization on who this voice belonged to.
"Hideki." She said under her breath while smiling.
Hideki half-grinned as the two exchanged glances.
He helped her up and took notice of Sensaina's eccentric outfit.
"Special occasion?" Hideki asked.
"No, it's just.." Sensaina trailed off.
"Wanna take a walk? We can talk while we walk." Hideki winked.
"Alright."
Hideki let Sensaina walked in front of her but suddenly something fell from Sensaina's small bag.
Hideki went to pick it up and realized in surprise what it was. It was Cure Songstress' dreamkeeper. He slightly opened it within a split-second only to find it empty.
"You dropped this." Hideki said as he handed it to Sensaina.
"Oh, thanks." Sensaina beamed. The two began to walk and as they walked, silence fell upon them.
Hideki's thoughts were cluttering and now he couldn't even look at Sensaina.
"No, there's...there's just no way.." Hideki thought. He looked up to Sensaina from a moment and realized how much of a dead-ringer for Cure Songstress Sensaina really was.
They shared the same voice, same eyes, same smile. It was too much for Hideki's mind to currently handle.
"They must've all known too." Hideki thought. Hirutaro definitely knew, Hydra was a part of the small populace that knew Cure Songstress' identity, Sensaina of course knew too.
"So then she must've of figured out at some point too.." He thought. She must know I'm Hatred is what he thought and to him, she was manipulating and playing with him this whole time. At least that explained why she didn't have a dreamstone inside of her.
Heartbroken, Hideki lead Sensaina to his house, where everyone from Malevolent currently was.
"That also means.." Hideki thought,"...the two, are her sidekicks."
"Hideki, is this your house?" Sensaina asked as she looked around.
"Why, yes it is." Hideki chuckled.
"It's really homely." Sensaina said as the two went inside.
"So, either you found out or you just decided to bring your sweetheart home." Hirutaro said from a few steps away from the doorway.
Sensaina crimsoned and whispered into Hideki's ear.
"Is that your dad?" She asked.
"Oh, goodness no." Hideki snickered. He then looked towards Hirutaro.
"Both." He said.
"Found out?" Sensaina asked quietly.
"Well then.." Hirutaro trailed off. With no more than a twisted grin and a glint in the man's eyes, the living room suddenly turned into nightmarish desolate escape.
"W-what's going on?" Sensaina asked desperately as she looked at the terrain around them.
"I've just found you out, Cure Songstress." Hideki solemnly stated.
"Hideki..?" Sensaina said.
Hideki then went through the quick transformation and became Hatred right before Sensaina's eyes.
Another secret blown, another heartbreak.
"N-no...no way." Sensaina said in her quietest tone. Looks like she's not the only who got her heart ripped out today.
"Where's Sensaina-kore?!" Doki said as caved in and decided to help the girls look for her.
"Who knows?" Haruko said hopelessly.
Jonetsu groaned and suddenly something caught her eye.
"That's Sensaina's glovelet!" Jonetsu said as she pointed to the glovelet laying on the ground.
"Really-desu?" Toki jumped from Haruko's shoulder and looked at it closely.
"No doubt about it." Jonetsu declared as she picked it up.
"Then does that way she went that way?" Haruko pointed to the sidewalk over yonder.
Jonetsu nodded and the girls ran down the sidewalk.
As they ran down the sidewalk, the two fairies among them suddenly felt shivers slide down their backs as they came across Hideki's house.
"There's something weird about that house-kore!" Doki pointed out.
"Weird as in...?" Jonetsu asked.
Toki replied," As in Malevolent weird-desu!"
"Should we go in?" Haruko asked.
"Not without transforming-kore.." Doki advised.
"Alright." Jonetsu said as she took out her dreamkeeper.
"Pretty Cure, Dream On!" The two girls shouted.
"Joining two hearts together, Cure Matchmaker!" Matchmaker announced.
"Growing everything in a lifeless land, Cure Garden!" Garden announced.
"Let's go!"
The two Cures and the fairies stormed into the house.
"Wait! Guys, please stay here, for safety." Matchmaker said as she placed the two of them on the porch of the house. The fairies reluctantly obeyed and the two went in.
"This place seems normal..." Garden said sheepishly. Suddenly the two of them were transported into the desolate terrain with Sensaina, Hatred, and Hirutaro.
"Sensaina!" Garden cried.
"It's nice that you two could drop in." Hatred cackled.
"That voice..Hideki?!" Matchmaker shouted.
"Sensaina, how long have you known?" Garden asked, thinking the two were working together.
"At least five minutes!" Sensaina cried.
Passively she took out her dreamkeeper.
"Pretty Cure, Dream on!" She shouted.
"Singing the everlasting melody, Cure Songstress!" Songstress shouted.
Seconds later, Songstress was struck with unbearable pain and dropped to the ground.
"Songstress!" Garden screamed.
"Escape, Malvoid." Hirutaro said as Hatred threw a corrupted dreamstone to him. He pointed to a nearby wine glass.
"Malvoid!" The monsterfied wine glass roared.
The two Cures threw kicks and punches with little success in damaging the Malvoid.
"I can't believe any of this." Songstress panted.
"But..I'm still a Pretty Cure, I guess." She sighed. Songstress struggled to get up and with the Destiny Casket, she received her scepter.
"Lyrics and vocals, the power of a song!" She chanted.
"Pretty Cure, Music Heaven!" Songstress shouted.
"Awake!" She cried as she purified the Malvoid.
She dropped on more and detransformed.
"Today wasn't fun." Hatred said as the house returned to normal.
"Sensaina are you ok?" Matchmaker asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sensaina said. She looked at her dreamstone only to witness the unthinkable.
A crack on her dreamstone.