The only source of light in the dark sky was a glowing red moon, one that was cracked like a cookie and seeping red liquid like a jelly donut. A stream of this gooey red substance was pouring all over the ground, covering the nightmare with a strange lake. All of this bizarre scenery was twisting what should have been a normal neighborhood.
"No, stop!" Standing on the bank, which was actually a front yard of one of the houses, were Cure Faith and Ayumu Inoue. Faith yelled at Ayumu, her face twisted with concern, "You saw how dangerous this is! Don't become a Pretty Cure!"
Ayumu shook her head and smiled confidently, "It's okay, Cure Faith. You don't need to worry."
She held out her hand towards the yellow Courage Chain, which was floating in front of her. The chain wrapped around Ayumu's arm and began changing her outfit into that of Cure Light.
"Nightmares may be scary… But as long as I have courage-" There was a final pop of golden light, leaving Cure Light in the place of her counterpart, "-I'll be okay! So! Suya Seed-san!"
Cure Light held up her hand and then moved it down and to the left quickly, only to then gather both hands in front of her and point at the giant suitcase that was threatening the neighborhood.
"Cure Light is here to nurture your dreams!"
[ Courageous Hearts Precure
Episode Three:
The Best Pretty Cure and Partner There Ever Was! ]
Just five minutes earlier, Ayumu had not been quite so confident. The last thing that Ayumu remembered was the sound of Rebebe's voice, calling her name in absolute panic. Though she didn't see them touch down, she had seen Cure Faith jump to the fairy and catch her before she fell into the red liquid. Ayumu, on the other hand, had not been so lucky.
It was hot to touch. Ayumu opened her mouth to scream out in pain, but the hot liquid only got into her mouth and scorched her throat. She was screaming and crying, and none of that helped her against the nightmare fuel she was sinking into.
Ayumu closed her eyes tight. Her intention had been to try to fall asleep, so that she wouldn't be awake to find out how it felt to drown in red liquid. But the images that played across her eyelids weren't sleep aids. She remembered her older brother offering to help her get to school in the morning and catching her little sister in a hug that afternoon. They could be really rude and inconsiderate at times, but they loved her in the end. And then there was Miyoko. Her best friend had already gone missing and she had had such sad nightmares over it… How would she feel when her new friend, Ayumu, went missing as well?
That thought was cold and scary. She didn't want it, just like how she didn't want to drown. Ayumu scrunched her eyes more tightly closed, trying to block out the terrifying nightmare enveloping her senses. She tried to focus on that little light inside of her...
Her mind wandered. Once again, Ayumu Inoue was spacing out. It was nicer to let her mind wander away from the drowning and burning things. Instead, she remembered Miyoko. She thought about how Miyoko had been so upset about losing a friend that she had that awful nightmare. And she thought about the hopeful scene that nightmare had turned into at the end, with a happy picnic in what used to be a field of decay.
It changed.
She felt that thought 'click' in place in her mind. When Cure Faith defeated the nightmare, it had turned into a dream. What was once a Nightmare Garden melted into a sweet dream. The dying grass came to life, flowers bloomed, the sun shune…
Because nightmares are the same as dreams. Just opposite ends of the extremes.
Her eyes snapped open. Her vision was still tainted by the red liquid, but Ayumu could see something else much more clearly. She visualized the light again. That little light inside of her that guided her through trials and kept her safe… What if it was bigger? What if it was so big and bright that it shoved this gross red liquid aside? What if- What if-
What if I had nothing to be afraid of?
Light consumed her vision. Cure Faith held her hand out towards Ayumu Inoue, but it was too late. When the golden light faded, it was no longer Ayumu standing in front of her. Cure Light turned to face the Suya Seed Suitcase, her golden eyes narrowed. She looked stern, but not particularly angry. It was more like a mother scolding a child than a look of hatred.
"Those vines wrapping that man up… He'll get more tied up the more scared he is, right?" She asked, not looking away from Cure Faith.
The pink Cure was silent. The words bubbling in the back of her throat were of rage… or were they confusion? Sadness? She couldn't tell what she felt about seeing another Cure in front of her, but she did know that those feelings served no purpose in a battle.
So Cure Faith swallowed them, "Right. It's a downward slope once they start."
"They make the nightmares a bit stronger, and they get more strength as the nightmare gains strength too!" Rebebe explained, "Now that he's partially tied up, this battle will be much harder!"
"I see." Cure Light nodded slowly as she processed the information, "I've got it now. Cure Faith! I'm going to make you an opening!"
"What?" Cure Faith flinched with surprise, "Why- How- H, hold up!"
A blur of yellow flashed passed her without elaborating much further. Faith spun around to watch as Cure Light jumped into the air and over the giant suitcase. It would have been an elegant and beautiful motion, if not for how the yellow Cure had apparently forgotten about landing. She was not about to land safely on a slab of concrete, but was barreling down into the red liquid.
"You idiot!" Cure Faith shrieked, watching as- for the second time- Cure Light fell into the red liquid… No, that wasn't it. That was what she had expected. Instead of falling into the red ooze, Cure Light landed on top of it. A flash of light expanded like a ripple from under her boots, leaving pink water where it had once been red. The subtle change became more notable as Cure Light sped across the water's surface, running a circle around the suitcase monster.
Her foe howled in a mixture of confusion and anger. Matching its sound was a screech from the pink haired enemy that floated above them, watching with a bird's eye view.
"What is she doing? This is impossible!" Usagi yelled, fists balled around handfuls of her dress, "Suya Suitcase, don't just stand there! DO something!"
"Suu!" So the suitcase acted. It bodyslammed into the liquid, trying to fall on the Cure.
"Iyaaaah!" Light wailed, noticing the huge shadow as it shrunk closer, "Not part of my plan, NOT PART OF MY PLAN!"
"Cure Light!" Faith moved swiftly, jumping between some of the remaining slabs to reach her fellow Cure. Her last jumping point was a good meter or two from the suitcase, but such a jump was no problem for an experienced Pretty Cure. Without a shred of doubt in her skill, Faith leapt towards the suitcase and flung a kick at its falling side, causing it to fall in the other direction. What she did doubt was whether or not she could run on the water's surface like Cure Light, so she used the suitcase as a last minute spring board to help herself reach another safe point.
"Thank you, Cure Faith!" Cure Light called, the relief audible in her voice, "This is it! Are you watching, Rebebe?"
"Yeah!" Rebebe was giggling at the entire scene, clapping her tiny paws together with childish glee.
"Great! Because here I go!" Cure Light skedded to a stop just as a wave resulting from the Suya Suitcase's fall washed over her. The ooze was dyed a mix of pink and red now, as Cure Light's strange confidence mixed with what remained of the nightmarish liquid.
"Pretty Cure!" She sprung into the air, legs tucked under her and arms held high, then tapped the yellow jewels embedded in her hair buns as she landed, "NIGH-T LIGHT!"
The jewels lit up as one might expect a 'night light' to do. Brighter and brighter, so much so that it hurt Usagi's eyes. Even her nightmare seemed to be blinded by the white brightness that Cure Light had created.
"What- What's going on?" It was different for Cure Faith. She was dazed by the light, but it didn't burn her eyes in the same way that it did her enemy's. It was a strange sight, like a dream: Where the light touched them, the houses, damaged with their walls torn off, just looked like dollhouses. The red liquid was a pink lake, touched by a gorgeous sunset. She knew these thing weren't real yet, but they were possibilities. Cure Light's night light had done just that: Cast a new light on the nightmare.
"Go, Cure Faith!" Light the Cure called to the other girl. Cure Faith snapped out of her daze and nodded, facing the Nightmare with what confidence she had left. Somewhere, even when she felt overwhelmed by grief or confusion, the pink Cure had faith in her abilities: She had at least a shred of confidence.
"Pretty Cure!" She held her hands over her head and summoned that confidence- that faith- into a ball of light over her head. Three of her fingers sunk into it easily and she brought it down to roll across the ground, "Miracle RUSH!"
The pink ball of light smashed into the Suya Nightmare with the force of a strike. With a trademark cry of "Suyaa," the monster dissolved. As did the nightmarish scenery. The red moon became a red sun that dipped into a calm lake, painting its surface with hues of pink and yellows. The houses were now dollhouses, elaborate and full of hopes and happiness. And the man who had been covered in vines lay floating on the water's surface, his smile one of relaxation. Quickly, the scenery retreated like a fading light into his chest.
Cure Light and Cure Faith stood on a night time sidewalk, looking at the girl floating in the sky.
"How did you- Grrr, Pretty Cure!" Usagi shrieked, "I won't forget this!"
And 'poof.' She was gone by the time Cure Light blinked next.
The man was still sleeping, so the two Pretty Cure stayed closeby to watch out for him. They stepped into the shadows of a tree, silent at first. Cure Light didn't know what to say. She knew that Cure Faith had wanted her to think hard about becoming a Pretty Cure and had probably also wanted for her to say 'no.'
"Um-! Cure Faith-!"
"Don't even start." Faith cut her off coldly. The pink cure's eyes were downcast, making it hard for Cure Light to read the other girl's expression. She heard Faith draw in a deep and shaky breath, then lift her head and glare at the yellow girl, "I'm grateful for your help… But that was absolutely reckless!"
"What…?" Cure Light flinched, "I mean- Yeah, but-"
"No 'buts'!" Cure Faith cut her off again, "You're lucky that courage chain reacted to you twice. You're really, really lucky! Don't you realize that you almost died?!"
Now it was Light's turn to hang her head and hide her expression. Cure Faith had a point. As much as she wanted to, and thought she should be, praised she also deserved a scolding. She had almost drowned in that liquid because of her clumsy and reckless decision to enter the Nightmare Garden. Light knew that. Ayumu had known that…
"You were lucky! But if things had gone any differently, you'd be dead or holding me back!" Cure Faith continued her verbal onslaught, "I'll admit you did pretty well, but that was completely luck based!"
"Faith!" Rebebe spoke up now, her voice strained by panic and sadness, "It isn't Light's fault! Taking risks is what makes you brave! It's what makes a Courage Chain react! You're not going to find a Courage Chain candidate better than Ayumu is!"
Cure Faith fell silent. She could see that her words had impacted Cure Light in a painful way. The blonde cure had her head hung and tears brimming in her eyes. It was upsetting to know that she, a Pretty Cure, had hurt someone's heart like this. Especially when Rebebe spoke the truth. The Courage Chains were the fallback plan. They reacted to courage and Cure Faith knew Ayumu Inoue was the perfect Courageous Pretty Cure. But, still…
"Then maybe I don't want any of the Courageous Pretty Cure to transform." She spoke slowly, but coldly, "If the Courage Chains are going to pick reckless fools who rely on luck to win, then I don't think we need them!"
"Cure Faith-!"
"Enough, Rebebe!" Cure Faith shot at a glare at the little fairy, causing her to shrink fearfully, "The Courage Chains are meant to replace my comrades, right? Well, as the leader, I reject that idea. If the rightful Pretty Cure couldn't win then a team of reckless fools playing hero is going to make it worse."
Cure Faith tugged the Courage Chains that were attached to her outfit. The sound of their metallic movements got Cure Light to look up again. The sound of Rebebe's wailing got her expression to harden.
"You said you would return those to Rebebe once she told me the truth." Cure Light forced the trembling out of her voice and held out her hand, "Well she told me. You can reject me all you want, but I won't let you be a liar too."
"Tch…" Cure Faith didn't hesitate when detaching the chains from her waist. It was a relief that even if Cure Faith didn't want the other Pretty Cure, she also didn't want to lie. A deal was a deal. Even a lone Pretty Cure couldn't lose her honest streak. But she showed no kindness when throwing the three remaining chains at Cure Light.
"Take them then. I don't care." Her voice was forced into a hiss, "But I warned you. You're in for nothing but trouble with that attitude, Cure Light!"
Cure Light flinched, holding the chains tightly in her trembling hands as she yelled, "Lo… Look who it is talking, or something!"
Then, before their petty swabble could get any further, Cure Faith stomped a foot and jumped high into the air. Cure Light made the mistake of blinking, and by the time her eyes were open the other cure was gone.
[ EYECATCH 1: Ayumu and Miyoko are outside having a picnic for lunch. Somewhere behind them, a translucent girl with pink hair watches with a sad smile on her face. ]
[ EYECATCH 2: Cure Light and Cure Faith stand back-to-back, with Cure Light smiling a bubbly smile and posing dramatically while Cure Faith is frowning with her arms crossed over her chest. Cure Faith begins walking to the right, out of the frame, and we see that Cure Light could only maintain this pose when leaning on her fellow Cure. Cure Light flails and falls dramatically to the ground, leaving an empty frame with the logo in the corner. ]
It was after ten when Ayumu finished her homework. The downstairs lights crept under the door and into her darkened bedroom, reminding her that her mother wasn't home yet. Her brother and sister were probably asleep already. The house was quiet.
So now wasn't the time to cry. She would definitely be heard if she broke this silence with her sobs. Instead, Ayumu laid on her bed and held a pillow to her chest as she stared at the ceiling.
"What a crazy day…" Ayumu moaned, "It's only been one day, but I feel like it's been eight exhausting months…"
"That's a specific number, -rebe."
"It's a specific feeling." Ayumu sighed, rolling onto her side to face Rebebe. The little fairy was curled up on a pillow next to her. The fluffy white hoodie had been replaced with a silky white nightgown to match Ayumu's own yellow starry pajamas. It was easy to tell at even a glance that Rebebe was exhausted. Poor kid had been having a crazy time before Ayumu had met her.
"You must be super tired -rebe." The fairy addressed the concern oppositely to Ayumu, "You were busy being cool at day."
"Hehe…" Ayumu blushed and laughed meekly, "Not really… You're the one who was pretty cool. You found your first Pretty Cure already."
"But I wouldn't've been able to do that without Ayumu -rebe." Rebebe pointed out.
"And I wouldn't have been able to do it with Rebebe." She giggled, "That's what it means to be a team, right?"
"Ayumu…" Rebebe grinned a small, tired smile, "Yeah! And being a team means we need to find the other Pretty Cure -rebe."
"Mm." Ayumu reached out and rubbed Rebebe behind her dark wolf-ish ears, "Let's get the team together and help Cure Faith, ne?"
"Mm-hmm." Rebebe yawned loudly and closed her eyes. The pep talk must have been convincing, since it only took a minute for the small fairy to fall asleep. It took Ayumu much longer than that. She wanted to help Rebebe, but Cure Faith's words still stung. Had she been too reckless afterall? Was she going to be a useless partner to the more experienced cure?
I can't think that way. Ayumu closed her eyes. She couldn't see it physically, but she felt the presence of the light in her heart. That light was surely what made her Cure Light. And she was sure that it couldn't be a bad thing, right?
I'll feel better in the morning… I'm just overthinking things.
The light felt brighter. It was that warm and reassuring brightness that lulled Ayumu into a relaxing sleep, where her stresses couldn't reach her. She stayed in that place for the rest of the night, reassured by a voice that confidently told her not to worry about Cure Faith. That the other cure was just scared and confused. Courage was scary and dangerous. Cure Faith was afraid of it…
It was dark in the Night Manor. Light never touched this stretch of property, even if the sun of Dreaming Land shone all around it. From an outside perspective, it was as if the manor had an invisible barrier that deflected daytime. Inside the barrier was a large mansion of two stories and two wings, with a budding garden in its center.
The sight of this garden always reminded Usagi of an old school project that she had once done. As she did most mornings, Usagi stopped in the garden and knelt down next to one of the flowers. In a school project, the class had taken pure white flowers and set them in coloured water. The stems had sucked up the colour and changed the petal colours. This garden had a similar effect: Flowers that had once been brightly coloured were now sucking up the darkness of the Night Manor grounds and turning themselves dark shades of purple and blue.
"Usagi. Come on." The pinkette lifted her head as her name was called. Waiting at the end of a long sidewalk was her older brother, Leo. The two of them were returning home after a long night of creating Nightmare Gardens and Leo was probably anxious to get to bed. So she didn't keep him waiting, instead hopping to her feet like the rabbits she was named for and bounding over to him.
"I think I counted three new flowers!" She beamed as she caught up with her brother, "Great work last night, Leonii."
"Yeah yeah." He reached out to pat her head and cracked a tired smile, "I'm pretty sure half of those were yours."
Usagi puffed her cheeks in a pout, "None of them were mine. That stupid Cure Faith and Cure Light ruined my new garden-"
"You kept them busy." Leo cut her off quickly, "Because of you, those dreamers didn't even notice my setting up a new garden. I was able to capture three people because of you."
"Leonii…" Usagi smiled weakly. It was reassuring to hear that, but still… "Right. Let's go tell Mother and Father! They'll be so excited!"
Her big brother's hand slid off of her head and she caught it in her own, swinging their arms as she energetically dragged him through the dark doors of their home. Leo caught a yawn with his free hand and allowed himself to be dragged along with her. He had said that as confidently as he could, but he wasn't quite sure. That pesky fairy, Rebebe, still had three of the other Courage Chains. Sealing the other Dreaming Pretty Cure away meant nothing if they were going to be replaced. Right now, the only advantage that his sister and him had was that their strength outnumbered that of Cure Faith. Her getting allies would turn the tables again…
"We'll just have to cut their roots while they're amateurs…"
"What? Leonii?"
Leo bit the inside of his cheek to scold himself for speaking aloud, then shook his head to Usagi, "It's nothing. Come on. Let's go brag to Mother and Father."
"Yeah!" Usagi cheered, "Race you there, Leonii! Three, two, one- Hop!"
And off she went. Leo followed at a slow pace, purposefully letting her win. The sight of his pink haired younger sister hopping through the house was the inspiration that he needed. He had to stop the Pretty Cure. He couldn't let them take this simple pleasure away from him.
The pink haired girl's carefree steps continued as they entered the manor. Her red hood and cape stuck out against the darkness of the interior, as if she were a light that fended off the shadows. Leo sometimes wondered if that were really the case with Usagi or if his modified eyes were perceiving things that way. If anyone could light up a room with her smile, it was his little sister. Regardless, he followed her up the grand stairway and into the main chamber.
"We're home!" Usagi's cheery voice echoed in the darkness. She didn't bring up the fact that she had won the race verbally, but Leo sensed her childish pride as he walked closer to her. It wasn't until he was within an arm's length of his little sister that they heard a reply.
"Welcome home, children. Did you have a productive trip?" The smooth, gentle voice of a woman slipped through the darkness. It was only with his nightmarish eyes that Leo could see the form of the voice's owner as she sat on what was essentially a throne. Of the two plush, purple thrones some five feet away from him, only one was occupied. His father must have retired early.
"Yes!" Usagi answered with a chime, "Leonii and I got three whole flowers harvested! They're in our garden now!"
"Three?" Repeated the woman's sweet voice. Leo found himself holding his breathe and putting a hand on Usagi's shoulder. Was she disappointed? Was three a good number? He subconsciously stepped in front of his younger sister, ready and willing to protect her if that number was not enough.
No danger came. Instead, the woman produced a soft laugh and clapped her slender hands together. The room may have been dark, but it felt much lighter when that woman spoke in this tone, "Why, that's practically a bouquet, Usagi. You must have worked hard to get so many in one night!"
"Uh-huh!" Usagi continued pridefully, "I distracted the two Pretty Cure so that Leonii could make them! Wasn't that smart?"
Normally, Leo might have snorted a laugh at that. How quick she was to adopt his excuse as if it were her plan all along… It was very typical of his clumsy but prideful little sister. However, his reasons to relax were snatched away before he could smile-
"Two Pretty Cure? Didn't you say that we were only against one now, Usagi?"
All too quickly, the laughter in the room stopped. The light that Leo thought Usagi was inspiring was snuffed out. His hand was on his little sister's shoulder and drawing her closer to him, as the shadows around the pair seemed to close in just the same.
"What happened, Usagi? Leo? Your father is going to be most disappointed in you."
Leo grimaced at her phrasing and lowered his head, "I know. We're sorry, Mother…"
Usagi tucked closer to her big brother, watching the woman's darkened form with a worried expression, "It's not our fault! I-It's that stupid Rebebe! Yumeme's dumb sister! She used the yellow Courage Chain today!"
"Today?" The woman called Mother repeated thoughtfully "The yellow one?"
Leo nodded, "She's Cure Light. She's a rookie at best."
"I see. Then seal her as well." Said the woman is a brisk voice, "If she is really just a rookie then it should be no problem for you, right?"
"Right…" Leo grimaced, "I'll take care of her myself."
"That's my boy. Thank you, Leo." Mother's voice became relaxed again. The air around them seemed to become softer as her strict, scolding tone was replaced with the sound of a smile, "But not tonight. You've both worked so hard already. Please have some supper and let us retire to bed."
The children relaxed, with Usagi piping up with concern, "Are you going to stay up later, Mother?"
Mother shook her head, "No, I was only staying up to wait for you both. A mother cannot sleep when her precious children are not yet home safely, you know."
"Ehehe!" Usagi grinned, "Well, we're home now! Let's get a good sleep!"
"Of course. Well then, Leo. Usagi. Please sleep well."
"We will! Come on, Leo! I'm hungry!" Once again, Usagi dragged Leo along.
Mother watched until her children were out of sight, then sighed. Her smile faded and she began massaging her forehead, "Another Pretty Cure… I can't let her take our progress away. Not when things are finally looking good for us…"
"Finally! I can't believe I survived!" Ayumu exclaimed as soon as school ended for the day. She had been so worked up the night before that it was hard to sleep, resulting in a very tiring second day at school. Once her classmates had cleared out of the classroom she opened her bag and peeked inside. "Coast is clear, Rebebe."
"Bebe!" The little fairy gasped as she popped out of the bag, "Why is school so loong?"
"You're asking me?" Giggled Ayumu, "Anyway, now we can go find more Pretty Cure!"
"Yay!" Rebebe giggled, "How are we going to do that, Ayumu?"
"Um…..."
There was a long, awkward silence. Ayumu scratched her cheek thoughtfully, tilted her head, pursed her lips… and let out a defeated sigh.
"I-I have no idea. My transformation was pure luck…" She admitted.
"Hmm…" Rebebe floated up to the desk and sat in front of Ayumu, "The Courage Chains will react to courageous hearts in action. So we need to get people to be brave -rebe."
"But how? It's not like people have reasons to be super brave evey day, you know…?"
"Yeah…."
The two of them sighed again in unison. Then, quite suddenly, Rebebe snapped into focus when lifting her head.
"Ayumu! I smell a nightmare garden -rebe!" She declared.
"What? Right now?!" Ayumu stood up and pushed her chair back, making it squeak across the floor, "How close is it?"
"It has to be close enough for me to smell it!" Rebebe explained, "That, or it's super strong -rebe."
"I hope it's just close by…" Mumbled the worried Courageous Pretty Cure, "Let's not waste anytime! We can worry about the other chains later!"
"Right -rebe!"
The nightmare garden was indeed close by. A student had been returning home and dreading the reaction that her parents would have to her latest test score. At least now, Leo mused to himself, she wouldn't have to go home and face that humiliation. The girl hung in the air with vines around her arms and legs, her black hair frazzled by the protest she had attempted before the Suya Seed entered her heart. Now she was deeply asleep, and her nightmares were growing in the form of a rose garden.
"Let's capture your dream quickly." Leo spoke aloud to the sleeping girl, standing in front of her, "We don't need those Pretty Cure interfering."
"Well, you weren't fast enough!" Ayumu's voice called out before she had even come into view. She pushed roses aside as she made her way to the center of the dream, golden brown eyes narrowed to match her firm frown, "Let her go! Can't you tell that she's really scared right now?"
"Can't you tell that's the point?" Leo sighed in exasperation as he turned to face Ayumu. "Oh well. You brought this upon yourself by entering my garden."
Ayumu forced strength into her legs as she stood her ground, "Y-yeah well… You brought this upon yourself by being a meanie!"
She reached for the keychain on her bag and clicked it off, holding it as firmly as she could in trembling hands, "Pretty Cure! Dreeeam START!"
The Courage Chain began to beep a steady melody, one that suddenly burst into a full fledge orchestra. Just as she had before, Ayumu spread the infectious yellow light from the chain over her body and transformed into Cure Light. After tapping the diamond onto her neck and creating her bow, Cure Light struck a pose and forced some pep into her voice, "Nurturing the growth of dreams - I'm Cure Light!"
And was then hit in the face when a giant piece of paper blew at her.
"Eh?! EHH!"
The paper was well over six feet tall and knocked Cure Light off of her feet. As she toppled back onto her butt, Cure Light saw the sheet of paper lift into the air like a kite. It was blocking the sun and those shadows began transforming the once lush and beautiful rose garden into a true nightmare. The red roses melted and left puddles of red on the pavement, with the puddles slowly forming red X's and low test scores. 60/100. 40/100. 30/100. Each score was lower than the last and it made Cure Light feel hopeless to just look at them.
"Why? The more I study…"
A voice snuck out of the scared girl's lips. Cure Light lifted her head to look at the dark haired girl whose nightmares were filled with low test scores. Adding to her nightmare were now the sounds of loud voices. Light couldn't understand the words, but she knew they were angry. She knew they were scolding these failures printed plainly across the path that girl tried to walk.
"The worse it gets… I'm a failure…"
Cure Light bit her lip, trying to calculate the right response. Before she could speak, Rebebe screamed a loud warning, "Cure Light! Look out!"
She looked up and saw that the huge sheet of paper, the one that had been blocking out the sun, had split up into six narrow strips. The suddenly flew down on her like arrows, and Cure Light had a feeling that they would give more than a simple paper cut.
But there wasn't much time to evade them. As she rose to her feet, Cure Light placed her feet clumsily and stretched her right leg in the wrong way. A pain shot down to her foot and caused her to stumble. She curled into a somersault so that she could still dodge the paper cuts, but when she landed on her knees again she knew she wouldn't be able to stand again. Not without a lot of pain, at least.
"Quite the acrobat… Though that's just part of being a Pretty Cure, isn't it?" Leo commented from where he stood, still by the scared dreamer. Cure Light shakily got to her feet, earning a chuckle from her opponent, "Enough playing around. Test Nightmare! Finish her off!"
The six strips of paper gathered together again. It folded hamburger style, then straightened to reveal a terrifying face now drawn across its surface with red ink. Cure Light swallowed her fear, even as it bellowed angrily at her, "SUYAAA!"
It floated into the air again. Cure Light knew that she couldn't dodge that attack again. She had gotten lucky before. Just like how transforming was just a matter of luck for her.
This is it! I'm going to be sliced to death by a sheet of paper! That's not how I wanted to go!
Something clicked in the back of her mind. For a moment, Cure Light laughed. Softly at first, then more loudly. Leo looked rather alarmed. Had this nightmare driven a Pretty Cure to insanity?
"Why… Why are you laughing?" Leo asked cautiously.
"B-because!" Cure Light giggled, "Oh wow. Being killed by paper? That's so stupid! Being defeated by paper is stupid!"
"Huh…?" Leo didn't have much time to question Light's laughter. She pulled it together and pointed in his direction. More specifically, she was pointing at the student hanging next to him.
"Don't you agree? Low scores are scary, yeah… But being defeated by them? By a sheet of paper?" Cure Light huffed, "It doesn't have to be this way! I won't let it! I won't let bad grades taint your dreams, okay?"
Neither Leo nor that dreaming girl had a chance to comment. Cure Light drew in a deep breathe, then launched herself into the air at the giant paper Nightmare. She threw a kick at it with her good leg as she spun upside-down, catching herself with her arms when she landed so as to keep her weight off of her bad leg. When Cure Light flipped onto her feet again, the effect of her kick was already becoming apparent. The paper monster had indeed split into smaller pieces like before, but the crinkles left by her kick were providing wind resistance. The strips fell uselessly to the ground instead of flying at her like arrows.
"Wh-what? Oi, Nightmare! Do something effective!" Leo snapped.
The paper nightmare made a mournful, "Suyaaa" sound and wiggled itself limply. It was too sore to pull itself together again.
"Sorry not-sorry, Leo! But unless you have some Suya Tape, that Suya Test is out for the count!" Cure Light snapped, "She knows it too! Tests can't get in the way of a dreamer. They don't decide if you can succeed or not!"
"Well, that might not be entirely true." A pair of heels tapped the ground next to Cure Light. The pink solo Cure, Cure Faith, stood strong next to the other girl, "Tests are important, but not enough to derail your dreams."
"Y-you ruined my speech… " Cure Light pouted softly, "Glad you could make it, though."
"Mm. Sorry for the wait." Cure Faith mumbled back, not entirely 'sorry.' She wished that Cure Light would have stayed out of this, but by now she knew that was asking too much. That girl could get lectured, scolded, and hurt… But she still fought. Courage really was a reckless thing.
"Do what you did before." She spoke again, clearing her thoughts to focus on the battle, "We're ending this."
Cure Light beamed. 'We...' She liked that word when Cure Faith said it.
"Yeah!"
"You're not ending anything!" Leo barked, "Get rid of them, now!"
"SUYAAA!"
The paper wiggled ineffectively on the ground. It was already in pieces and just looked silly at this point. Even so, Cure Light tapped the diamonds trapped in her hair buns and caused them to light up brilliantly, "Pretty Cure! Ni-ght LIGHT!"
Golden light filled the nightmare garden. It seemed to have an effect on the paper nightmare, which began wiggling more desperately. When the pieces stood up, it was not of their own free will: The wiggled and crinkled and folded until they had become origami cranes. Each crane wore a shocked and surprised expression, as this was not what the paper had planned to do.
"Now! Have a little more faith in your dreams!" Cure Faith ran towards the cranes. The six of them hopped around in a comical scramble as the pink cure lifted her arm, "Pretty Cure! Miracle Rush!"
- and tossed a ball of light towards them as if she were bowling. Just in time to catch all six cranes arranged by bowling pins and knock them out in one blow.
"STRIIIIKE!" Cure Light cheered.
The pink haired girl cracked a small smile at that. The origami cranes were now smiling. They floated into the air and hung on invisible strings, dangling over a road that was paved not with red scores, but golden light. Next to Leo, the vines on his victim began to loosen until the schoolgirl fell softly on the ground.
Leo's mouth fell open. He'd failed. All of his hard work was now wasted.
"Curse you… Pretty Cure! You've won this time, but only this once!" He yelled before disappearing into his own shadow.
"Ha!" Cure Light laughed confidently, "Joke's on you! Now that Cure Faith and I are a team, we're invincible! Right, Cure Faith?"
The yellow cure turned around, but no one was there. Only Rebebe, who looked quite apologetic as she explained, "Cure Faith left before Leo did."
"Wh-what?" Light gasped, "But she didn't even say good bye!"
"She didn't really say 'hello' either -rebe." Rebebe mused thoughtfully, "Do you really think you are a team?"
"Well… That's- But- I mean…" Cure Light rambled, then shrieked suddenly when tried to step towards Rebebe, "M-my leg!"
"Cure Light!" Rebebe squeaked in alarm, "It's okay, I'm here for you!"
It took a good deal longer to get home then Ayumu might have liked. After having her leg bandaged by Daisuke and being teased for her humiliating cover story- "I fell down the stairs or something"- Ayumu retreated to her bedroom.
"At least I got off of helping with supper." She grumbled into her bedsheets, her ears still red from all of that shameful blushing, "Didn't stop him from teasing me, though…"
"Daisuke is such a mean big brother -rebe." Two fairy cents and one fairy came out of Ayumu's school bag.
The dark haired girl cast her fairy friend a weak smile, "Yeah, but he's my brother. Sometimes family can be a bit mean, but they're still family…"
Her voice trailed off. Ayumu rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Is it the same for Pretty Cure teams -rebe?" Her fairy friend practically read her mind as she plopped down next to the other girl, "Cure Faith is mean too."
"Yeah, I know. But she's mean for the same reason Daisuke is." Ayumu closed her eyes and smiled sadly, "She just cares too much… I need to get stronger. Strong enough to not worry her anymore."
"Rebe…" The fairy yawned and snuggled up by Ayumu's cheek, "Me too. Strong enough… To be teased by my caring big sister too…"
Whump. Just like that, Rebebe was out like a light. Ayumu closed her own eyes and smiled. It had been a pretty exhausting few days… Maybe… A nap couldn't hurt. A protector of dreams could enjoy a few too, right?
But if that was the case…
Leo cursed and slammed a fist against a tree. Because if the protectors of dreams were enjoying their peace, then the bringers of nightmares… He wasn't ready for what would be in store for Usagi and him.
Next Episode Preview-!
Ayumu: Eh? I'm getting a new team member already? But I barely get along with Cure Faith!
Rebebe: That's okay! The new girl is Cure Music!
Ayumu: Music? I like music. Pop especially!
Rebebe: Ah, but see. There's a problem.
Ayumu: Eh?
Rebebe: Um, about this Cure Music…
Ayumu: Yes?
Rebebe: I don't think she wants to get along with you either…
Ayumu: E-Eeeeh? Next time on Courageous Hearts Precure! The Couragous Heart's Song! I hope this doesn't become a trend…!
note;; Thank you for being patient with me and my super slow updates! Please have a good New Year!