Episode Thirteen: Heart-Pounding! The Shady Boy and the Golden Crystal!
Summer had finally arrived in Kyoukai.
The sun set high in the cloudless, vivid blue sky, as the gentle buzzing of cicadas filled the air. Temperatures climbed steadily, and warm spring clothing was exchanged for light summertime finery. Mirai Academy was no exception, with students trading their gray blazers and long-sleeved dress shirts for gray waistcoats and short-sleeved button downs.
Kyoukai's shopping district was alive with activity this afternoon. Vendors were on every corner, hawking everything from handheld fans to shaved ice, and people excitedly hunted for summertime sales. The air was abuzz with cheerful conversation, and most everyone seemed to be in high spirits.
And then a teenage boy shot through the district, sending a wave of unease through the crowd.
The boy, who had short, lank black hair, fair skin, and black eyes, tore down the street like a frightened rabbit. Every now and then he'd glance over his shoulder before returning to fleeing. He seemed nearly oblivious to everything around him - he nearly bowled over an unlucky tissue salesman, narrowly crashed into a sales stall, and vaulted over an ice cream cart before the vendor could stop him.
People tried to stop the boy, either to ask what was wrong or to tell him off. He didn't seem to notice them. When he did stop, it was to duck into a nearby alleyway and catch his breath. His lungs felt like they were about to explode, and god… the air here wasn't helping. He had been warned about the barrier, but nothing could have prepared him for the sensation of being slowly… unraveled bit by bit.
Oh well. What was some temporary discomfort compared to what he'd already been through? Or what he could be put through. Kagemera was ruthless, and his dogs weren't much better. If they were to catch him, they would surely kill him.
But first, they'd have to catch him.
The boy closed his eyes and focused. And as he focused, blinking black eyes sprouted on several surfaces throughout the shopping district - a banner in front of the restaurant the next street over, the ball of a kendama a little girl was playing with a kilometer back, a mirror outside of a clothing store some distance ahead, the forehead of an enormous plush bear toted around by a man who just passed by…
…and if he wanted to see a gaggle of confused and frightened humans, he had four different angles of that. That wasn't it. Let the humans do as he understood humans did. He was more worried about-
Them. The white-haired person who could - narrowly - be spotted zipping past the girl whose kendama he had hijacked, a half-second after the child in question started screaming and threw it to the ground.
His eyes snapped open. Okay, break over, time to keep running.
That had been the plan, anyway. He had not expected to collide straight into an unlucky passerby the moment he burst out of the alleyway. And he definitely had not planned for his shoulder bag to come flying open, sending his precious cargo rolling out onto the ground.
The Ouryuu crystal. Its rightful owner attended a famous school in this city. He was the last link in the chain of the mission to steal it back from the usurper sitting on the Shade King's throne.
The woman the boy had collided with was demanding an apology. He ignored her in favor of swearing under his breath and lunging for the Ouryuu crystal. He retrieved it at lightning speed… but wasn't fast enough to evade the cloth wraith who came diving at him like an angry hawk.
Panic traveled through the shopping district in waves as the boy's eyes widened in alarm. He frantically summoned one last burst of energy-
-and Kamryou was left to dive at empty air as the traitor, the thief Kagemera had tasked them and Seimono with apprehending, vanished in a burst of ink. They bristled at the sight… and at the screaming, panicking people around them.
They shot a cold glare at the frightened onlookers. "You're annoying. Shut up."
Kamryou tore off into the sky, in the direction they knew their partner had gone off in. Seimono had to hear about this. And then… it was fine. It was fine. Pretty Cure was here which meant that thief would stay here which meant the two of them would get that crystal back, and Kagemera would calm down.
They didn't want to consider the alternative.
Haruki Fukuda wanted to be a hero.
It was a dream he had held close to his heart ever since his father had introduced him to Dragon Quest as a small child. Slaying dragons, rescuing distressed princes and princesses, giving everything he had to protect his kingdom… his imagination was consumed by the idea, and soon enough, he was filling up notebook upon notebook with stories of his imagined heroics.
Of course, it was all just a fantasy. No matter how much he dreamed, Haruki Fukuda was and would remain an ordinary boy, albeit one who was in on a very fantastic secret. But he could try to embody the spirit of a hero. Heroes were kind, always there to lend a helping hand, and strong-hearted. He could be all three.
The 'strong-hearted' part seemed like a bit of a tall order right now, though.
In fact, Haruki's heart felt like it was going to beat out of its chest as the school day came to a close, and he texted Yasu to let her know he was ready to go when she was. It only grew worse as the five of them boarded the bus that would take them to the southern end of Kyoukai for today's adventure.
"Guys! Guys! You know what today is, right?" Izumi had informed everyone over lunch the other day.
Hiroko blinked in confusion. "The start of summer?"
"Not just the start of summer, Hiroko." As Izumi spoke, she fished several brochures out of her school bag and proudly handed them to her four companions. "It's also time for Kyoukai Dreamworld to reopen! And! And they're debuting three new roller coasters this year!" She grinned. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Jun looked up from her brochure. "I think so!" She returned to scanning it, as Kichu, who could not read, studied it with grim seriousness. "So, this is an amusement park…" Her eyes were sparkling as she took it in. "So cool… I didn't know you humans had stuff like this."
"You don't have amusement parks where you're from, Jun?" Haruki asked.
"Nope!" Jun chirped. "But I'd love to try one! Have you been, Harunyan? Is it fun? What's your favorite part?"
Haruki blinked. "The enchanted castle dark ride, I guess. It's been a while since Sis and I went, though."
Yasu nodded. "We should go again. It'd be more fun with everyone." She glanced around at the others. "How does Saturday sound? I can cover the tickets."
Everyone had agreed readily - especially Hiroko, who felt it'd be a great bonding opportunity for the group. Her eyes had lingered on Haruki as she spoke, and he was still thinking about that as the bus carried everyone to Kyoukai Dreamworld, and he tried to hide his growing case of nerves.
Jun, who was sitting next to him, tapped him on the shoulder. "Um… Harunyan? Are you okay? You look a little sick."
Haruki jumped a bit. "Oh, n-no, I'm fine, really!" he said, like a liar. "I'm just really excited about today."
"Kyoukai Dreamworld, huh." Shouji Fujimoto, one of Haruki's kendo teammates, regarded Haruki curiously as the two boys got dressed for that afternoon's kendo practice. "You got a date, Fukuda-kun?"
Haruki went beet red. "No! I mean, she'll… there'll be someone I like there, but-"
Shouji gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Then go for it, dude!" Haruki opened his mouth to protest, and Shouji raised a hand. "Listen. That big ferris wheel they've got? Confess there. It's what I did." He grinned. "It's like… all my nerves were left down there, on the ground. And I just went for it!"
"Did it work?" Haruki asked.
"No." Shouji said. "But I was able to try. And hey, we still had fun together afterward." At Haruki's discouraged expression, he added "Look. You've gotta let her know, man. That's the important thing."
Shouji had a point, Haruki supposed. The longer he kept his crush on Hiroko to himself, the more he felt like a powder keg about to burst. He had to at least tell her, he told himself as the group stepped through the ornate, gilded gates leading to Kyoukai Dreamworld.
Even if the idea of being rejected was terrifying… even if he was a bundle of nerves just entertaining the idea, he had to try, as Hiroko often said. The hero had to be bold, no matter what.
Kyoukai Dreamworld was even more impressive than Haruki remembered. Everything around the group popped with color, from the fantasy-themed decor to the various rides decorating the horizon. There was everything from the legendary golden drop tower to a dragon-themed coaster Haruki didn't recognize to yes, the ferris wheel he would have to brave.
A large, multi-tiered fountain, which bore the likeness of the Four Gods, sat in the center of the square. The air buzzed with energy, as many other park guests, some of which wore Mirai Academy uniforms themselves, milled about. It was hard not to feel energized here, terrible case of nerves or none.
Jun looked like she was going to faint from happiness as she darted about the square, her eyes sparkling more than ever. Kichu, who had popped his head up from her school bag, looked no less entranced.
"It… it's beautiful!" Jun darted to Harunyan and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Harunyan! Where should we start? I want to see the petting zoo, but I also want to try a roller coaster, but the mirror maze also looks really fun, but then there's the thing, you know, the gravity thing, and I need to see how that works, but the tower, the one where they lift you up high and then drop you down seems super awesome, but-"
Haruki was completely lost for words. Izumi laid a hand on Jun's shoulder.
"Hey, Jun? Breathe. We've got the whole afternoon, alright?" As Jun stepped away from Haruki and did just that, the blond nodded to the others. "I mean, you know what I wanna do! Ryusei Fire's got my name all over it! But-" She looked over worriedly at Yasu. "You said you don't like roller coasters, right?"
Yasu nodded reluctantly. "I… don't really care for them, no."
"And I don't know, Izumi." Haruki said. "I want to give the new coasters a try too, but…" His gaze traveled towards the ferris wheel. Had it always looked so large? "I'd like to revisit some of my old favorites first."
Hiroko hummed thoughtfully. "We could always split up for now and find something to do together later?" she suggested. "It sounds like that might be best."
Izumi flashed a thumbs-up. "Sounds like a plan to me!" She turned to Jun, her eyes gleaming. "So, what do you say? Care to join Izumi's Heart-Pounding Roller Coaster Tour?"
Jun looked beyond delighted. "Of course, Izunyan!"
Kichu pumped a tiny fist in agreement. "Chuuu!"
Yasu withdrew her sketchbook from her school bag. "I need to practice drawing animals… the petting zoo would be a great place for that."
"And I… am not sure where to start." Hiroko sighed. "I haven't been to an amusement park like this since elementary school." She turned to Haruki. "Could we go together? I don't mind if you lead the way."
It took Haruki a moment to even process what Hiroko had said. But finally, his brain stopped buffering and he managed to force out a "Sure! We haven't hung out together in a while anyway, right?"
Hiroko nodded. "I don't think we've spoken one on one since… since my first day here, really."
Maybe that was the problem here. If they were closer, maybe she wouldn't make him so nervous, Hiroko mused as the group split in three different directions. Ah well. It couldn't be that difficult to change this, right? Haruki was a pretty nice boy, and Hiroko… was pretty sure she was incapable of being intimidating.
Neither she nor Haruki noticed the blinking black eye that briefly sprouted from a nearby sign to regard the pair as they went on their way. But its owner certainly noticed them.
Hiroko was already a little bit in love with Kyoukai Dreamworld. Sure, a lot of the attractions here looked fun, but the surroundings, which were all themed after various fantasy stories, were so charming too. And the various mascot characters taking pictures with passing-by families or handing out balloons to children… they all looked so cute and cuddly, from Ryu the Golden Dragon to Tamao the Magic Fox.
She just wished Haruki wasn't so skittish. He'd always been a little shy around her, but right now, he was struggling to even make eye contact with her. Was she capable of intimidating someone?
Well, if she was, it had to stop right now, Hiroko told herself as she and Haruki walked through the Dreamworld's Kingdom of Imagination. More of the more sedate attractions were located here - everything from a dark ride themed after a visit to an enchanted castle to a mirror maze to an indoor obstacle course. And of course, there was that large ferris wheel, which likely offered an especially good view of the park.
"It sounds like you and Yasu made a lot of precious memories here." Maybe small talk would help? "I'm looking forward to making some of my own."
"Oh, uh… yeah, we did." Haruki was still struggling to make eye contact with her. Oh dear. "We had a lot of adventures in this place."
Hiroko arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of adventures?"
Haruki hesitated before taking a deep breath and going for it. "Okay, so… you know the Enchanted Castle Tour, right?" At Hiroko's nod, he continued, growing more enthusiastic as he went "That's the lair of the Dragon Lord, and only Sis and I could defeat him. But first… first, we had to brave the traps he laid before us, like his labyrinth of illusions!" He gestured towards the mirror maze. "It wasn't easy, but-"
"Heroes did their best anyway, right?" Haruki looked delighted at Hiroko's answer - she was already feeling much better about this trip. "Even if it means braving the labyrinth of illusions. Or the perilous dungeon. Or…" She frowned as she glanced towards the ferris wheel. "Hm…"
"Oh, that's the fearsome Death Mountain." Haruki stated matter of factly. "It takes courage to scale its peak - but true heroes always have plenty of it."
And he would keep reminding himself of that, as they drew closer to actually riding it, Haruki told himself. A hero without courage wasn't much of a hero at all.
Hiroko hummed thoughtfully, and then "How about one more quest, brave hero? For old times' sake?"
Haruki's eyes lit up. "Of course!" He grinned triumphantly as he pumped his fist. "The knight Haruki and the ranger Hiroko have formed an adventuring party! Together, they'll definitely win!"
And thus, the two brave heroes set off to challenge Dreamworld's elaborate mirror maze. Haruki carried himself with the seriousness of an RPG hero off to protect his kingdom. Hiroko tried to match his tone… only to dissolve into laughter the moment she caught their reflection in a nearby distortion mirror.
"I-I'm sorry, I just-" she sputtered through her laughter "We both look so ridiculous!"
"Hiroko, we mustn't fall for the Dragon Lord's ill-" Haruki started, and then he got a good look at the two's reflection, all long legs and squashed torso, and broke down into a giggle fit.
Maybe it would be okay, Haruki told himself, as the pair finally managed to stop mugging at their distorted reflections and proceeded on their way. Maybe things would work out in the end. Sure, Hiroko was cool and beautiful and smart and an actual hero, but… they weren't that different as people, were they?
For a moment, Haruki felt his spirits begin to lift… and then Hiroko abruptly stopped to look around. Her smile faded as she scanned the area, only to find nothing past the hundreds of Hirokos and Harukis that the surrounding mirrors reflected their way.
"I'm sorry." Hiroko said quietly. "I just keep feeling someone's eyes on us."
Haruki opened his mouth to respond… and then a quick glance at a mirror next to him revealed that there were eyes on them - a blinking, ink-black humanoid eye on Hiroko's school bag and another on his tie. The color drained from his face as he tapped Hiroko on the shoulder.
Hiroko looked at her reflection and then down at her bag. The eye looked back and blinked a few times.
Hiroko and Haruki looked at one another… and ran for their lives.
Haruki had never navigated the mirror maze this quickly before. It helped that Hiroko seemed to be able to instinctively feel her way to the exit. As the pair fled, her hand went for her Puricell-
-and then Haruki cried out in alarm. Hiroko came to a stop as both took in the distressing sight before them - a boy Haruki's age, who was collapsed right in the middle of the corridor.
Hiroko instinctively dove towards the boy. "Are you alright?"
The boy looked up weakly. He was clad in dark clothing and very fair skinned, with short and lank black hair, half-glazed black eyes framed by round glasses, and two unusually symmetrical beauty marks below each of his eyes.
"Yes." he muttered as he allowed Hiroko to help him to his feet… only to quickly correct that to a "No." as his legs went out from under him, forcing Haruki to steady him.
"It's okay." Haruki said. "The two of us are here to help, alright?" He looked worriedly at the boy - normally, he'd take a moment to marvel over how pretty this mysterious stranger was, but the awful shape he was in took much more priority. "There's a food stand near here, if that'd help? I don't mind."
The boy hesitated. Fraternizing with random humans wasn't a smart move… but trying to make that jump to Mirai Academy when he was too weak to even stand on his own, let alone fight Kagemera's flunkies when they came calling would have been a royally stupid one. He made a soft noise of assent.
And thus, the knight Haruki and the ranger Hiroko escorted the mysterious stranger out of the mirror maze and towards the safety of the nearest food stand. It took both a while to realize that the eyes that had been - literally - on them had long since vanished.
Well, one thing was very clear to Hachime now - human food was absolutely amazing.
The two humans, who had joined him at an outdoor table near the food stand, had presented him with something called a 'churro' and a large glass of some unknown fizzy beverage. He had taken a tentative bite of his churro… and then a moment later, it was gone, along with half of the cola he'd been given.
"It's good…" he muttered around a mouthful of food. "Thank you…"
Haruki grinned. "It's no problem." He broke his own churro in half and offered it to Hachime. "You can have this if you want? I'm not super-hungry anyway."
Hiroko followed suit with half of her own. "I don't mind either. It seems like you really need it." As Hachime nodded and gratefully accepted both halves, she added "I'm Hiroko Tsubasa, by the way."
"And I'm Haruki Fukuda - 'Haruki' is just fine."
Hachime washed down his mouthful of churro with a large gulp of cola. "I'm Hach-" No. He needed a decent-sounding human name. His eyes darted around the area before settling on a circular balloon carried by a passing-by child. "Madoka Hachi… mitsu. 'Madoka' is fine."
Haruki nodded. "Pleased to meet you, Madoka-san!" A pause, then "Um, if it's okay for me to ask… how did you end up back there?"
"If you don't feel safe telling us, I understand." Hiroko said. "I just can't help but worry a little, seeing someone your age in this kind of state."
Madoka didn't seem to hear either of them at first. He seemed to be deep in thought. In reality… well, he had to account for the possibility of those two hanging around. His eyes weren't finding anyone who fit that profile in the vicinity, though. Just a bunch of humans, doing whatever humans did at a place like this.
Well, except for the woman some yards away who started screaming her head off about her scoop of ice cream watching her before throwing the offending frozen dessert to the ground and making a run for it, a reaction that had the two humans on high alert.
Madoka forced some laughter. "What a strange thing to say!" This sounded real enough to keep the humans out of it, right? "The people here must have a very active imagination!"
"Ah… I suppose so." Hiroko could not have sounded stiffer if she tried. "Really, Madoka-san, if we can help in any way-"
"You've already been a massive help." Ugh, there was no way Madoka could involve a couple humans in his mess. The possibility of his comrades in arms being punished for this theft, after they'd gone to pains to make this look like his plan alone was enough. "It's not that big. I just… kind of forgot to eat for a bit."
And having food in his stomach helped, but. Now that he was free from terrible hunger pangs and the adrenaline of being chased, he had room to think. Think about the consequences of getting caught, think about what would happen if the false Shade King realized this had been a team effort, think about, well…
…even if he succeeded, even if he jumped to Mirai Academy and granted the Ouryuu crystal to its rightful owner, his old life was over. Tsune… Youmoi… Kasame… gods, every member of the palace staff he called a friend… it would be a long time before he saw them again, assuming he ever did.
The corners of his eyes felt hot. He blinked the tears back. Crying could come later. Right now-
"Madoka-san?"
Madoka answered Haruki with his best attempt at a smile. "It's o-kay! Really." And it'd be better, once he was where he needed to be. He got up… and was immediately assaulted by another wave of dizziness.
Haruki was immediately there to support him. "Please don't force yourself!"
Madoka made a soft noise of acknowledgement. The (very cute) human boy had a point. He still wasn't back to a hundred percent yet, and a thief who worked while exhausted was a thief with a short shelf life. Besides… if those two did track him down, Pretty Cure would soon follow, right? Two birds, one stone.
"Hey… could I come with?" he asked the two humans. "I promise, you won't even know I'm there."
"I don't mind." Something about the way Hiroko was regarding Madoka made him nervous, but. It probably wasn't that deep... right? "It isn't as if you're interrupting anything."
An odd expression crossed Haruki's face before he quickly recovered. "Y-yeah! The more, the merrier, right?" He pumped a fist. "Welcome to the adventuring party, Madoka-san!"
Maybe this wouldn't be all bad, Madoka told himself as the three set off on their way. Pragmatism aside, these two were keeping him from dwelling too hard on… that. He could focus on blending in with these humans and keeping a low profile for now. And keeping an eye… several eyes out for danger, that too.
Hm… figuring out what Haruki meant when he started badgering Madoka about his 'character class' also seemed important. Ah… humans were certainly much stranger than he had expected.
Roller coasters looked pretty fun to ride. That had been Jun's first thought as she and Izumi entered the line for Ryusei Fire. By the time both girls stumbled off of it, she realized that she was completely, utterly wrong. Roller coasters weren't 'pretty fun things to ride'. They were absolutely amazing experiences.
Ryusei Fire and its many inversions - the most of any park in Japan as of this year! - the steep hills and high-speed drops of the mighty Gigantes, the spinning cars and many hairpin turns of Fujin… each one seemed more fun than the last. This was definitely one of the things she would miss about Earth.
"Izunyan~! I love roller coasters! I love roller coasters so much!" Jun gushed as she and Izumi departed from Fujin, both girls visibly giddy from happiness. "They're… the most amazing things on this planet!"
Izumi looked beyond delighted. "You get it, Jun! This is the pinnacle of summer!" She pumped a fist and struck a dramatic pose. "And we're just getting started! Izumi's Heart-Pounding Roller Coaster Tour has many more thrills to offer!"
Jun burst into applause… as Kichu woozily poked his head out from her school bag. The little mouse spirit was a little wobbly, and his eyes still seemed to be spinning counterclockwise.
"Chuuuu…"
Jun immediately moved to comfort her baby brother. "Ah, maybe we should take a little break first. I wanna tell Harunyan about the new coasters too - and see when we can ride one together! It's important."
Izumi regarded Jun curiously as the other girl searched for a bench to sit down at. "Oh? And why is it important?"
"Because I like Harunyan." Jun replied, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.
Finally, the blue-haired girl spotted a good bench to sit down at and dove for it… only for Izumi to suddenly grab her wrist. Before Jun could ask what was up, Izumi pulled her behind a nearby tree… seconds before a very familiar couple passed them by.
Seimono and Kamryou, both in their human guises, were here with them. Seimono was carrying a very large cone of cotton candy, which he helped himself to ever so often, while Kamryou was clinging to him like a limpet and occasionally moving in for bites of Seimono's cotton candy.
Anyone not in the know would have mistaken the two for a normal couple on a date. And that could be the case, Izumi told herself as she and Jun trailed the pair, ducking behind trees, trashcans, a photo cutout, a sign... Those two were lovers, after all. But… judging by the tone of their conversation…
"This place is as lively as ever." Seimono sighed quietly. "If only this was a proper outing."
"That would be nice… if it was just us, Seimono-sama." Kamryou narrowed their eyes at a chatty passing-by family. "The humans here are even louder than usual." They clung just a bit more tightly to their partner. "I don't want to idle too much anyway. If that boy manages to get away…"
Izumi and Jun exchanged glances. What boy?
Seimono laid a hand on his partner's trembling shoulder. "I won't let that happen." And if it did, Kamryou would not be the one who paid for it. "He should still be in the area, judging by what you told me."
Had he any choice in the matter, Seimono would have refused to act. Hachime was not a fellow warrior. Hachime was a child who had done a very foolish but very noble thing. The Ouryuu crystal had never belonged to Kagemera. There was no honor in depriving Pretty Cure of power. But…
"No one can escape my grasp. You understand that better than anyone, don't you, Seimono?" Kagemera's fangs glinted as his face twisted into a disdainful sneer. "Teach him that."
…it did not matter what Seimono thought or what he wanted to do. The very noble, very foolish young man who lived by such principles had died twenty-five years ago, alongside Princess Soyokaze. All that remained was a hollow shell of a man who would have gladly vanished, were it not for his partner.
Seimono came to a sudden stop. So did Izumi and Jun, who ducked behind Kinoko-san, an adorable mushroom mascot who was too busy posing for a photo with a family of four to notice the two teenage girls hiding behind him.
Kamryou looked up at him with concern. "Seimono-sama?"
"You have my blessing to leave, if this becomes too much." Seimono said quietly. "Remember that."
Kamryou balked visibly. "Why are you… why are you saying that all of a sudden?!" They stumbled back a pace from their partner. "Have I displeased Seimono-sama?"
For once, Seimono looked genuinely rattled. "You're incapable of displeasing me, Kamryou. I merely meant that-"
And Kichu chose that moment to start squeaking in distress. Everyone froze up - Izumi and Jun, the very confused family, Kinoko-san, Seimono and Kamryou-
-and then Kamryou sprang towards Kinoko-san. Izumi and Jun dove out from behind the unfortunate mascot, a half-second before Kamryou collided with them and right as the photographer hit the shutter button, resulting in an absolute mess of a photo.
Izumi pulled Jun along as she hit the ground running, trying to put as much distance between the two of them and Seimono and Kamryou as humanly possible, even as Kichu continued to squeak in distress. A silent understanding passed between the two girls - everyone else had to know about this, and soon.
Kamryou tried to give chase… only for Seimono to immediately stop them.
"Wait until they assemble." he said quietly. "It's no good unless it's a fair fight."
Kamryou nodded numbly as Seimono busied himself with helping up Kinoko-san before apologizing profusely to everyone present, none of which seemed to know what to make of the very tall man in the pink shirt. They loved Seimono with all their heart, but they were afraid they would never understand this side of him. If they were more pragmatic, the two of them could easily take out Pretty Cure.
And once they did… Kagemera would be pleased, everything would go smoothly, and nothing would happen to Seimono. Did he not recognize that? Did he not care? They had to wonder sometimes.
Madoka wasn't kidding - it was easy to forget he was there. He wasn't a very talkative boy, and every now and again, he would vanish completely, only to pop up unannounced behind Hiroko and Haruki. Haruki had almost jumped out of his skin the first time it happened, but Hiroko had… mostly taken it in stride.
Mostly, because the longer the three of them spent time together, the more suspicious Hiroko grew of Madoka. Between his odd behavior and the odd panicked park guest that seemed to pop up wherever he was… it was clear that their companion was far from a normal fourteen-year-old boy.
"I'll investigate him." Hiroko quietly informed Haruki at the start of the indoor obstacle course, moments after Madoka had disappeared on them. "He seems benign, but… I don't want to risk you getting hurt."
Haruki had quietly agreed of course, right as Madoka had popped back up… and began navigating the course with inhuman speed, leaving Hiroko and Haruki to fumble their way after him. The hero had to know his limits, after all. Know his limits and keep his focus on his goal - not the way his heart pounded every time Hiroko allowed him to help with an obstacle or cheered him on as he navigated the course.
"You know… when we first met, I didn't feel like I belonged to Mirai Academy." Hiroko said as the two emerged from the exit… again, one Madoka short. "Those days seem so far away now."
Haruki blinked in confusion. "But you're really amazing, Hiroko! You're talented and smart and strong, and…" Oh god, his face was burning. "... I really look up to you! You absolutely belong here!"
Hiroko smiled warmly. "You're a really sweet person, Haruki. I'm glad we were able to meet."
"Hm? Am I interrupting something?"
Hiroko and a beet-red Haruki turned to find Madoka, who had once again popped up behind them.
"N-no! No! It's fine!" Haruki sputtered. "We were just waiting on…" And at that moment, something seemed to click into place for the red-haired boy. "Oh! Madoka-san! I think I've figured your class out! You're a thief!"
If Madoka could have gone any paler, he would have. "Ah… I see."
"That's right!" Haruki didn't seem to have noticed Madoka's increased tension. Hiroko certainly did, though. "Your high agility, your stealth skills…" He took Madoka's hands in his, his eyes sparkling, as the other boy stared blankly at him. "You'll be a great help to our party, Madoka-san!"
Hiroko nodded in agreement. "We have a very balanced crew. We should be in great shape to climb Death Mountain - wouldn't you agree, Haruki?"
Haruki felt his heart skip a beat as he stepped away from Madoka. There was no need to read into this - he and Hiroko had been getting along wonderfully so far, but it wasn't like she… no, she was older than him, which meant she was far savvier, which meant maybe she did, which meant-
-he needed to say something, because Hiroko was waving a hand in front of his face, while Madoka, who had visibly balked at the mention of a 'Death Mountain' was staring intently at him.
"Yes!" Haruki managed to spit out. "Yes, I do!"
At this point, Yasu had filled plenty of pages in her sketchbook. The cerise-haired girl, who was seated on a bench near the Kyoukai Dreamworld petting zoo, nodded approvingly as she reviewed the many sketches of the sheep, goats, and alpacas she had made. She had a lot of room to improve when it came to drawing subjects in motion… but she was improving. For now, that was enough.
Yasu put her sketchbook away and took a moment to do a few quick hand stretches as she watched the children and their parents feeding, brushing, and petting the animals. It was weird to think of how nervous this place… all of Kyoukai Dreamworld had made her once, between the large crowds and the noise. That fear was still there, to an extent, but…
"It's scary to try and change. And if you stumble, we'll be there to catch you!"
…as long as she made small improvements, as long as she remembered that Hiroko and the others were there to catch her if she faltered, it was much easier. The girl who feared being vulnerable, the girl who believed she had lost her ability to truly feel seemed further away by the day.
A child outside the petting zoo fence was eating one of Dreamworld's signature churros, and several of the animals were crowded around the fence trying to get at it. One of the goats even reared up onto its hind legs in an effort to see over its pen-mates. The sight was so goofy that Yasu couldn't help but start laughing.
She caught herself, her hand going to her chest. When had laughter last come that easily to her?
And now some of the animals were looking in Yasu's direction. She really needed to check in with her teammates, especially Hiroko (hopefully, Haruki wasn't giving her fellow Cure too much trouble) but between the way the animals looked at her and their pitiful little bleats…
Yasu sighed in mock resignation. "Fine, if you insist."
Within a few moments, Yasu had purchased some food pellets and was giving the petting zoo animals the food and attention they wanted. A small child had even silently handed her a brush to use. Yasu answered with a small smile, and the child smiled right back before shyly running off.
For a moment, Yasu relished in how full her heart felt. And then her phone had gone off, and her stomach dropped.
Yasu quickly muttered an apology to the animals before she took off in Izumi and Jun's direction, as quickly as someone like her could manage. She regretted having to cut this short so soon, but there was no way she could leave any of her friends hanging either… especially with Haruki involved.
And soon enough, the three of them had boarded one of the many-colored, mythological-themed cabins of the enormous Dreamworld ferris wheel. Hiroko sat on one of the benches in the three's red, phoenix-themed cab, while Haruki and Madoka sat on the bench across from her.
Madoka blankly tilted his head to the side as the cab began to climb. "By 'Death Mountain', you meant…"
Hiroko nodded. "That's right. This is the treacherous Death Mountain." She smiled knowingly at Haruki, who tried not to break eye contact with her as he answered with a smile of his own. "More importantly…" She leaned forward a bit. "Madoka-san… you're from the Shade Kingdom, aren't you?"
And Madoka's blood froze. Ah, so that was it. It was a little difficult to disappear on a ride like this, not without betraying his true nature as a spirit. Well-played, human. Well-played. But… why would a human know about…?
Wait.
"Maybe." Madoka leaned in a bit. "I'll tell you - if you tell me who you are." Did this sound cool and dangerous? He hoped it sounded super cool and dangerous. "You're both Pretty Cure, aren't you?"
"I wish!" Haruki blurted out before his brain could catch up to his mouth. "I'm actually their supporter."
Hiroko briefly withdrew her Puricell from her schoolbag. "I am one, Madoka-san." She frowned, scrutinizing him. "Do you have business with us? Something tells me you're not here to fight."
Madoka nodded hesitantly. "Muse of the Hallowed Wellspring… she's an ally of yours, right? There's something I need to give to her." He tensed slightly. "Something… I'm in a lot of trouble for taking."
Before Hiroko or Haruki could ask what that something was, Madoka briefly opened the shoulder bag he carried. Hiroko gasped quietly as she took in the sight of the Ouryuu crystal or at least the missing remainder of it. It had lost most of its luster, but that was unmistakably Jun's long-lost crystal.
"I was right." Hiroko said quietly. "It was with the Shade Kingdom." And then, to Madoka "It's okay - Muse is at the park with us - and she has the rest of the crystal."
Haruki nodded. "And we'll make sure you get it to her, Madoka-san!"
"I'm sorry… I should have asked you outright earlier." Hiroko said. "But I was afraid you might run away if I seemed too suspicious of you."
"Well, you weren't wrong." Madoka's eyes were watering again. He made no attempt to stop it... until his glasses began to fog up, forcing him to frantically polish them on his shirt collar. "Really though… thank you so much!"
The cab was at its summit now. Kyoukai Dreamworld looked like a toy diorama from here, and Haruki's nerves… were completely gone. Shouji had been right all along - he really had left it all behind on the ground.
Hiroko stared rapturously at the colorful landscape below them. "What a beautiful view. It's a little romantic, isn't it?" And then, more to herself than to anyone "I wonder if Yasu would want to go."
Something caught inside Haruki when Hiroko said that. Something he couldn't quite put a name to. And once again, he found his mouth outpacing his brain.
"Do you like her, Hiroko?"
Hiroko did not answer. There was no need for her to. The way her eyes traveled to the floor, the way her hands nervously bunched her skirt as her shoulders tensed… it said more than words alone did.
"I… think I do." Hiroko's voice was barely above a whisper. "And I don't know what to do about it." A tremor had crept into her voice, and she was shaking a bit. "I don't even know if she… if she likes…"
The world seemed to slow to a stop for Haruki.
Hiroko was in love… with Yasu. And he had utterly failed to notice, despite the evidence staring him in the face all this time, he realized as the memories gradually came flooding in. The moments he had seen Yasu and Hiroko share… the way Hiroko had always looked at his sister…
…was completely different from the way Hiroko had always looked at him. There was no point in even trying to confess now. It wouldn't matter, would it? He had never had a chance to begin with.
Hiroko looked up, smiling apologetically. "Haruki… Madoka-san… I'm sorry. We have more important things to worry about right now. Just forget what I said, okay?"
Liking someone didn't mean they had to like you back. Haruki had been aware of that from the start. The hero was, above all else, selfless. The hero would smile, move on, and support his friends.
Haruki knew that. He wanted to be a hero more than anything, after all. So… why did this hurt so much?
No matter how much he fought it, tears were springing to the corners of Haruki's eyes. Hiroko was looking at him with concern, and he could see a half-formed 'is everything okay' on her lips-
-and then her phone went off. Hiroko muttered a quick apology before answering it.
"Hey, uh, Hiroko?" Izumi was loud enough for everyone in the cab to hear her. "Seimono and Kamryou are in this park, and they both know we're here. We'd better regroup, like. Pronto!"
"We'll be there soon!" Hiroko said. "Listen, we-"
Click.
Before Hiroko could at least get in some texts to Izumi and the others, Madoka suddenly reached out and grabbed her and Haruki's hands. And before she could so much as wonder what he was doing, the three teenagers suddenly vanished from their ferris wheel cab in a burst of ink.
Yasu's lungs were on fire by the time she arrived at the western end of Kyoukai Dreamworld, where the majority of the roller coasters were located. Her time with Pretty Cure may have given her a bit more stamina than she had once possessed, but that didn't make running all this way any more… any more…
…she staggered to a stop and doubled over, harshly gasping for air. If only she could have transformed, she mused bitterly as sweat beaded on her face. Increased speed and stamina aside, it didn't hurt to run when she was Cure Byakko.
"There she is! Nyasu! Stay right there!"
Jun was hurrying towards Yasu, and Izumi followed close behind. Yasu tried to say something, anything to either girl, but her chest was too tight. At least it was until Jun approached her and laid a hand glowing softly with golden light on her heart, just for a moment. Suddenly, it was far easier to breathe.
"Better?" Izumi asked, once Yasu had taken a few deep breaths.
Yasu nodded. "Thank you, Jun." She looked around, frowning slightly. "Where are Hiroko and Haruki?"
"Don't worry, Nyasu - they should be here soon!" Jun said. "I know Hironyan would never let-"
And before Jun could finish that sentence, a boy she had never seen in her life careened into her.
The blue-haired girl let out a squeak of surprise as she fell backward onto her rear end, sending Izumi scrambling to her side, and the boy let out a hiss of distress as his shoulder bag flew open once again… and the broken Ouryuu crystal rolled out onto the ground-
"Found you."
-before an off-white blur shot towards it, too quickly for anyone to properly react. Suddenly, the black-haired stranger was being yanked roughly into the air by one of Kamryou's cloth tendrils, the Ouryuu crystal was in the grasp of another, and multiple guests at Kyoukai Dreamworld were staring in confused bafflement at the strange cloth wraith, who answered them with a cold glare.
In a flash, Muse dropped her humanoid guise and shot towards Kamryou like a small bolt of blue lightning, fangs bared and claws out… only for them to snare her with another cloth tendril.
"You aren't ruining things for Seimono-sama!" Kamryou hissed as they rose further and further into the air, gradually tightening their grip on the struggling Madoka and Muse. "None of you will-!"
And then a rock came hurtling through the air, striking Kamryou squarely on the chest.
Kamryou let out a sharp cry of pain as they involuntarily dropped their prizes. Before Muse could hit the ground, Hiroko rushed towards her, easily catching the cat spirit in her arms. Izumi barely managed to catch and steady Madoka before he took a hard fall, and the Ouryuu crystal-
-was retrieved by Haruki, who dove towards it like a baseball player sliding for home base.
"Haruki, don't!"
Haruki heard Yasu shouting at him, but he didn't listen. Couldn't, rather. It was like his body didn't belong to him right now. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the desperate need to make up for how awful he had felt back on the ferris wheel, maybe it was the knowledge that someone had to act-
-not that he had the time to think about this too hard, because Kamryou had rounded on him, and Madoka had suddenly scooped him up in his arms with surprising ease for a slender boy barely taller than he was. He nimbly leapt backwards several yards, carrying him and the red-faced Haruki out of the way of the tendrils Kamryou lashed towards the pair-
-and right into the path of Seimono, who Madoka had narrowly missed careening into. The black-haired boy visibly bristled and dropped into a combat stance as he stared down Seimono, still maintaining his grip on Haruki all the while. Seimono did not budge - and it was clear he would not let Madoka through, but he made no move to attack either.
"I'm sorry, Hachime." he said solemnly as his human disguise fell away. "This is as far as you go."
Madoka responded by holding Haruki a bit more tightly and fixing Seimono with a cold glare, even as he dropped his own disguise.
Hiroko stared at Seimono in confused bafflement. "You can't seriously be here to-!"
Seimono met Hiroko's gaze for a moment before looking aside sharply. "You have your obligations. I have mine." His tone suggested stoic detachment, but Hiroko had not missed how utterly tired his eyes had looked. "There's nothing else to say." He nodded to his partner. "Now, Kamryou!"
Kamryou didn't have to be told twice. "Appear, Nikuina!" they cried, raising a fist glowing with red-black energy into the air. "Cast the world into despair!"
Screams of excitement quickly turned to screams of terror as the nearby Ryusei Fire began to glow with red-black light and increase in speed. There was a flash, and the coaster's current batch of riders were teleported to the ground below as Ryusei Fire rose higher and higher into the air, continuing to glow as its form shifted and warped. There was another flash, and a massive, serpentine dragon Nikuina made of twisted red metal and gnarled black wood was floating in the air before Pretty Cure and their allies.
The Nikuina gave a loud roar, rapidly drawing ribbons of sealing energy into its mouth, as panic broke out around Kyoukai Dreamworld. Guests frantically scattered every which way and scrambled for the exits as ride operators scrambled for their emergency stop buttons, only for all to succumb to the effects of the Nikuina's presence and collapse where they were as the color drained from their bodies.
Pretty Cure immediately readied their Puricells as Muse scrambled for a safe space to hide with Kichu.
"Pretty Cure! Spirit Unleash!"
Pretty Cure charged towards the Nikuina, which opened its mouth and rained down fire upon its opponents, singing the ground and warping the bits of amusement park structures it hit. Genbu used her water to neutralize as much of the assault as she could while Seiryuu and Byakko took evasive action.
Hachime was doing his best to take evasive action as well. He knew how to fight, but it was a little difficult to use the wakizashi he carried, let alone properly manipulate his spirit power with one hand occupied, and there was no way he was going to let go of Haruki, who was maintaining a death grip on the Ouryuu Crystal despite being devoid of color and on the edge of unconsciousness.
Seimono was pulling his punches. He had not so much as touched the enormous sword slung across his back, and the attacks he threw in Hachime's direction were clearly meant to wear him down and throw him off-balance. This man could have broken… no, shattered him if he wanted to, and yet, and yet-!
"What gives, old man?" Hachime hissed disdainfully as he narrowly avoided a right hook from Seimono. "You were sent to kill me, weren't you? You're not even gonna try?"
Seimono's gaze briefly flitted to Haruki. "There's no honor in harming those who can't fight."
And Hachime burst out laughing. "Honor?! You wanna talk about honor, old man?" He sneered disdainfully, even as he sidestepped several more deliberately pulled punches. "If you had a scrap of honor, you wouldn't serve that monster! You're nothing but a self-serving coward!"
As Pretty Cure drew near the Nikuina, Seiryuu, Genbu, and Byakko went in three separate directions. Genbu continued to charge forward, while Seiryuu veered sharply to the left and Byakko veered… straight in Seimono's direction. There was no need - or time - for Seiryuu or Genbu to ask why.
Instead, Genbu fired a concentrated ball of water from her palm, striking the Nikuina square on the nose. It let out a roar of pain before charging after her. She smirked confidently, doing multiple handsprings out of the way before nimbly ascending the now-stalled Gignates one acrobatic leap at a time, throwing in a few more blasts of water for good measure and doing her best to evade the Nikuina's flames.
Hachime couldn't get out of the way of the latest blow Seimono threw in his direction. It didn't matter - Byakko's shield had caught his punch. Most every one of Hachime's eyes widened in awe as he got a good look at the Pretty Cure standing in front of him. He had heard stories about these three, but nothing compared to actually seeing one of the legendary heroes in the flesh.
Seimono arched an eyebrow. "You aren't going to assist your friends?"
"I have faith in Seiryuu and Genbu." As Byakko spoke, she disengaged her shield and stepped back several paces, still keeping herself in front of Hachime and Haruki. "I should be enough for you anyway."
Seimono sounded genuinely impressed. "Such confidence! I wonder if you can back it up." He dropped into a combat stance - no punches would be pulled here. "Show me the results of your training, then."
Cure Byakko had no hope of defeating Seimono on her own, and she doubted it'd be any different even if Seiryuu and Genbu didn't have their hands tied. Even if she was more experienced and powerful than she had been back at the cake contest, he was no less durable and no less physically powerful.
Seimono was still holding back too - definitely not to the same degree as he had been with Hachime, but Byakko was certain he could have easily crushed her if he felt the need to do so.
Ah well. Byakko had no complaints there. She was here to draw Seimono's attention, she told herself as she intercepted most every strike he threw her way with one of her shields. They easily cracked under the force of his blows, and her return blows did almost nothing in return. That was fine. As long as she could last long enough for Haruki to get to safety-
As Genbu reached the summit of Gigantes, she came to a sudden stop, allowing the Nikuina to lunge straight at her. The moment it drew close enough, she summoned her Black Ribbon and lashed it towards her opponent. It hit its target, holding the Nikuina in place as Seiryuu, who had ascended to the peak of the Golden Spire drop tower and was visibly blazing with blue spirit power, launched herself at it.
Kamryou watched the proceedings from their vantage point high above the battlefield. At first, they had been confident in Seimono's ability to neutralize that thief and retrieve the Ouryuu crystal and their Nikuina's ability to steamroll Pretty Cure, doubly so after Byakko had unexpectedly ran off.
They hadn't expected Genbu to do… that, and they certainly hadn't expected Seiryuu to shoot towards the Nikuina like a blue meteor feet-first, sending it crashing hard into the ground, and they certainly hadn't expected that thief to just run off while Seimono traded fisticuffs with Byakko.
But it wasn't a mistake on Seimono's end. Seimono never made mistakes. Seimono was counting on Kamryou to do their job, and Kamryou would deliver.
As Hachime made a mad dash towards Muse's hiding spot, she leapt toward him, as Kichu held onto her fur for dear life. Before they could reach each other, Kamryou ambushed Hachime from above with lightning-quick speed, snaring his waist with another cloth tendril and roughly yanking him and Haruki high into the air and far out of Muse's reach.
Seimono seemed to be genuinely enjoying his sparring match with Cure Byakko. "You're clearly come a long way since we last fought. I'm genuinely impressed! Unfortunately-" Seimono easily caught the straight punch Byakko threw his way. "-you still have a long way to go!"
Byakko found herself being flipped over Seimono's shoulder and tossed high into the air. For a moment, the white Cure had a clear - if reversed - view of the fallen Nikuina… and of Kamryou, who had tossed that strange boy and her little brother into the air.
"Nikuina!" Kamryou cried.
The battered dragon Nikuina abruptly regained its second wind at the sound of Kamryou's voice. Seiryuu, who had rushed over to catch Byakko in her arms, was too far away to help, and Genbu wasn't fast enough to stop it from darting towards both boys at top speed… and swallowing them whole.
Muse stared at the sight in horror. "Harunyan!"
Kamryou hovered beside the Nikuina, staring daggers at the group. "None of you… none of you will ruin this for Seimono-sama!" The unreadable expression on Seimono's face was worrisome, but… surely he understood! Surely he had to understand. "I won't let you… I'll never let you!"
The dragon Nikuina seemed to share its summoner's sentiments as it rounded on the three Cures, who immediately dropped into a combat stance. There was no way they could let this stand!
Haruki Fukuda slowly returned to consciousness, or the closest thing he could manage in his current state. Wherever he was, it was uncomfortably stuffy and hot, and it seemed to grow warmer by the moment. It felt like being in a car with a broken AC, only dialed up to eleven.
"Haruki! Haruki!"
Madoka was calling out to him. Madoka had his hands on his shoulders. Madoka… he had been protecting Haruki the whole time, hadn't he? Haruki should have at least given him a sign he could hear him, but the weight of despair and fatigue pressing down on him made that far too difficult to manage.
"Can you hear me?"
His dream of being a hero felt so pathetic right now. Who was he kidding? Haruki Fukuda wasn't anything close to a hero. He was just a weak, selfish little boy who couldn't gracefully walk away from being rejected, couldn't be of help to his sister, couldn't properly support Jun, couldn't-
"You can hear me, can't you? So please-!"
And then Haruki felt something in his tightly-clenched hand. The Ouryuu crystal… he had held onto it this entire time, hadn't he? Despite everything, despite his own weakness, he had still managed to…
Haruki forced his uncomfortably heavy eyelids open half a crack to find himself in… oh god, this was the inside of the monster, wasn't it? The literal belly of the beast. A cramped, dimly-lit metal box that occasionally shifted around or outright jostled its occupants, as it grew hotter and hotter within.
Madoka (Hachime?) was staring down at him. Haruki had to admit, it was a little jarring to get a good look at what his new friend actually looked like (and have that many pairs of eyes regarding him at once) but it didn't change who the boy before him was at his core.
"Madoka… san?"
Hachime's eyes - the six on his face, anyway - welled with tears as he nodded shakily, before pulling Haruki into a tight hug. He was shaking like a leaf, Haruki realized. Even if Hachime was far stronger than Haruki could have ever been, he was still a kid. Just like him. Just like… all of Pretty Cure.
"I was so scared… I thought you… I knew this stuff did numbers on humans, but I didn't know-" He choked back a sob. "I'm an idiot… if I'd let somebody else go… this wouldn't happen… you wouldn't-"
Hachime was cut off by something slamming hard into the two's prison from the side, forcing him to hold onto Haruki for dear life as the force of the impact flung the two boys against the wall of their cramped prison, which grew hotter still as bursts of flame shot upward from a mechanism some distance above them.
Hachime closed the eyes on his face and took a deep breath. Several of the eyes on his body vanished completely for a moment. "Pretty Cure's really giving their all out there." he said quietly. "Especially the blue one… Tsubasa-san… she's trying to force its jaws open, but she's not having any luck."
"They can't finish it off if they can't rescue us." Haruki whispered. "And if they can't rescue us in time, we'll cook in here."
Hachime buried his face in his hands. "I screwed up." he muttered. "Why… why did I…?"
For a moment, Haruki wondered what someone like him could even say to help Hachime at a time like this. How could a boy whose biggest problem until now was confessing his silly crush possibly help someone dealing with something far bigger than he could imagine?
And then Haruki looked down at the Ouryuu crystal in his hand. Why had he dived for it? It had been partly impulse (he was the idiot here) but partly because… because…
"It had to be you, right?"
Hachime looked up, blinking in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Maybe you weren't the best person for the job… but if you didn't go, it'd be someone else getting in trouble, right?" The more Haruki spoke, the less effort it seemed to take. "So… it had to be you."
Hachime nodded. "Kagemera doesn't forgive or forget. Cross him, and your life is over." He looked down at his hands. "I couldn't let that happen to anyone else. So I volunteered myself."
Haruki's hand tightened around the Ouryuu crystal. Even if he couldn't fight, even if he didn't have any powers… if he didn't act, he couldn't protect Jun's smile, and Madoka's own mission would have been rendered useless. It had to be him. That's why he had jumped in like that.
"That's what makes a hero, right?" The strange feeling from before was welling up in Haruki's chest, as the color gradually flowed back into his body. "Stepping up and doing the right thing… even if you're not the smartest or the strongest."
The right thing… that would be getting the Ouryuu crystal back to its rightful holder, of course. But it would also be telling Hiroko how he really felt. Even if it was clear now that she would never like him back, she still deserved to know. And something told him he would keep hurting more if he just kept things to himself.
And he couldn't do either of these things if he just sat there and felt sorry for himself!
"There… there has to be something I can do!" The color had fully returned to Haruki's body, and his form was beginning to glow visibly with red spirit power. "The hero has to step up at times like this!"
And Hachime's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's-!"
Kamryou had expected Pretty Cure to react poorly to what they had done, but they had not been expecting such a strong response from Byakko. The moment their Nikuina snared those boys, the white Cure had visibly snapped. She sprang towards them like a hungry tiger, her body ablaze with white spirit power. If Kamryou had not darted out of the way just in time, she probably would have utterly flattened them.
The Nikuina gave another roar and opened its mouth, spitting out another hail of fireballs. Byakko would have been fried on impact if Seiryuu had not narrowly managed to carry her out of the way, touching down atop the nearby Fujin, as Genbu nailed it from the side with a flying kick, throwing its flames off-course.
Seiryuu gave Byakko's hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll definitely save those two." she said. "No matter what it takes… we have to try!"
Cure Byakko was still trembling with barely restrained fury, but she still managed a shaky nod as she squeezed Seiryuu's hand right back, before both Cures launched themselves back into the fray.
Kamryou, who had taken cover on the sidelines, tried to rejoin the fight as well… only for Seimono to gently grab their arm and shake his head.
"There's no need." he said. "If they value their allies' lives and the Ouryuu crystal, they can earn them back through their own strength. I still need to see how far they've come."
Kamryou did not struggle against Seimono's grasp, but they were clearly deeply unhappy. "If they win, we fail. If we fail, King Kagemera will…" Their shoulders began to tremble. "He'll definitely…"
Seimono gently pulled Kamryou a bit closer, gently ruffling their hair as they pressed against them. It was not as if he failed to recognize the sources of their concern. Kagemera was a petty, vengeful man. If that noble, foolish boy, the one who reminded him so much of how he had once been, escaped, if the Ouryuu crystal passed into the hands of Clio's daughter, there would be hell to pay.
And if there was any justice in the world, it would fall on Seimono's shoulders alone.
Genbu and Byakko were furiously raining hell upon the Nikuina, keeping it too busy to deal with Seiryuu, who ran up its length before launching herself at its jaws. Her form blazed with blue spirit power as she struggled to wrench those jaws open, to little avail.
It was pointless for someone like Seimono to hope. He had not understood that right away, even after the fall of the Shade Kingdom, even after Kagemera had announced that the last remaining member of the royal family had perished at the hands of Hinyu's father. He had not let go of the idea that Soyokaze had lived.
But… eventually, any evidence of Soyokaze's survival had dried up. Eventually, it became clear to Seimono that the one person he could have saved was dead, and his ability to hope died with her. The rumors that traveled down the streets of the Shade Kingdom even now, the tiny spark of optimism he had felt when Tamakushi had theorized about a clairvoyant on the rebellion's side… it was worthless wishful thinking.
For a moment, several blinking, ink-black eyes sprouted on one of the Nikuina's upper sections, scrutinizing their surroundings keenly before vanishing just as quickly. Ah, so Hachime was still very much alive.
Hachime had the right of it, of course. Seimono was a coward who uselessly hid behind pretensions of honor while he served a monster like Kagemera. And why? Because a tiny part of him was just as afraid to die as he had been twenty-five years ago. Because he could not leave Kamryou all alone, not yet.
And because… despite everything, a tiny part of Seimono wanted to hope for tomorrow, and that meant surviving. What a selfish man he was.
Suddenly, the Nikuina froze in place and contorted in pain, as one of the lower sections of its body began to blaze softly with red light. Seimono raised a curious eyebrow at the sight.
"Hm. Perhaps I underestimated those two."
Hachime was staring at Haruki in shock. "You can use spirit power as well?"
Haruki stared down at his hands and blinked several times. No, it wasn't the heat getting to him - he really was giving off a faint red aura, as that strange feeling from before welled up in his heart. It felt like there was a small fire in his chest, which only seemed to grow more intense the more he focused.
Spirit power… this really was spirit power, wasn't it? His spirit power!
Haruki nodded firmly, and Hachime took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. The moment he did so, Haruki felt the fire inside of him stabilize a bit, as if Hachime's own energy was keeping it from wavering.
"Hey, Haruki? Do you trust me?"
Haruki looked over at Hachime and grinned. "Of course! We're friends, aren't we?"
Hachime blinked in surprise. "Friends…" He caught himself. "I-I mean, of course we are! I'm your party member, right?" As the Nikuina was roughly jostled once again, and the temperature climbed, Hachime's grip on Haruki's hand tightened. "Listen. On the count of three, we're gonna combine our spirit power-"
"-and Magic Burst our way out of here, right?" Haruki's grip on Hachime's hand tightened a bit in return. It sounded absurd, but… right now, he felt like he could do anything. Perhaps it was the strange energy he felt as the two joined hands like this. "I'm ready if you are, Madoka-san!"
Haruki steeled himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, as Hachime followed suit alongside him. He put every last drop of his focus into nurturing his spirit power. As he concentrated, he could see it clearly - a steadily-burning red flame that grew more intense as Hachime's black energy mingled with it.
"THREE!"
Just focusing his spirit power like this was burning away at Haruki's energy reserves. But that was alright! Even if he wasn't the strongest person out there, even if just this took everything he had, he would face forward and do it… because someone had to. That was what it meant to be a hero!
"TWO!"
Even if things hadn't worked out as planned, even if the future seemed a bit scary and uncertain right now, he still wanted to continue spending time with Hiroko and the others. They were his precious friends! And he would give his all to help them, however he could!
"ONE!"
And Haruki and Hachime burst out hand-in-hand from the Nikuina like a shooting star wreathed in red and black flames. The Nikuina let out a roar of pain as it collapsed in a heap, badly weakened from the enormous exit wound the two boys' combined spirit power had inflicted upon it.
Haruki was flailing a bit as he and Hachime made their mid-air exit… but he was still steady enough to wind up a pitch the moment he saw Muse darting towards them. Haruki tossed the Ouryuu crystal towards the cat spirit with all the force he could muster, and Muse shifted into human form as she sprang to catch it-
-and Kamryou immediately shot off to intercept her. Or tried to. Once again, Seimono stopped them.
"We lost this one as well. I'm sorry, Kamryou."
Kamryou said nothing in response. It wasn't as if they failed to understand. They likely wouldn't have been fast enough to stop Jun, and if they had been, Pretty Cure would have surely stopped them. But it didn't make the feeling of cold dread that shot through them as the broken Ouryuu crystal floated towards Jun's choker before rejoining its missing piece any less intense.
Byakko and Seiryuyu leapt to Haruki and Hachime's aid, saving both boys from a hard fall. The white Cure gracefully caught her younger brother in her arms, as the blue Cure caught the spirit boy before both touched down some distance away from the fallen Nikuina.
"Are you alright, Haruki?" Byakko asked.
Haruki nodded shakily. "Y-yeah. No need to worry, Sis."
"Madoka-san! Are you okay?" Seiryuu asked.
Hachime managed a shaky smile. "I've had worse."
Genbu pumped a fist into the air. "Alright! Time to finish this up, then!" She summoned her Black Ribbon and focused her spirit power as globules of water rose up and violet hyacinth petals danced around her. "Pretty Cure! Black Maelstrom!"
The Nikuina was quickly engulfed in a dark violet sphere of water. It let out one last roar as it vanished, leaving behind the intact Ryusei Fire coaster, a withered Wrath Seed pod, and a few motes of light.
Genbu collapsed to her knees as her transformation dissolved and the damage to the surroundings faded away in a soft shower of light. Jun hurried to Izumi's side… and was pulled into a tight hug by the blond girl.
"Your crystal, Jun! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you!"
Jun couldn't help but tear up a bit. "Thank you…" There was still a visible crack running through the Ouryuu crystal, and its light had not returned. But for now… for now, she could celebrate having it where it needed to be. For now, she could feel happy that this strange boy had finished what Clio's spirit had started.
Jun parted from the hug and looked up at Hachime, who was being helped to his feet by Seiryuu and Haruki, who was leaning heavily on Byakko. "I'm extra-thankful to you two, Haruynan, and-"
"Hachime. Or Madoka. Whatever works for you." Hachime's gaze couldn't help but focus on the Ouryuu crystal in Jun's choker. It definitely looked a lot nicer there than it did in Kagemera's treasury. And thus… his job here was officially done. "You wear it well, Lady Muse. Glad it's back where it needs to be."
Jun smiled tearfully. "Me too, Hachinyan! I really-!"
Whatever Jun was going to say next turned into a gasp of alarm as she noticed Hachime's right hand slowly growing translucent. And then she froze like a deer in headlights as Seimono and Kamryou approached the group. Seiryuu and Byakko immediately moved in front of Jun defensively.
"There's no need for that." Seimono said. "This round is yours, Pretty Cure."
Kamryou said nothing themself… but it was clear they vehemently disagreed and would have happily tried to pull something if Seimono hadn't obviously disapproved.
Seimono laid a hand on Kamryou's shoulder before nodding to Hachime. "Have you caught your breath?"
Hachime fixed Seimono with a withering glare. "Still playing at being honorable, huh, old man?" He looked aside sharply as Kamryou lunged forward, forcing Seimono to hold them back. "Give it a rest. It's pathetic."
Still… he did need to start running again soon. He had no choice in the matter. The barrier did not discriminate, and it would be a little difficult to get where he needed to be if he was stuck trying to pull himself back together.
And so Hachime took one last moment to gather himself before turning to Haruki and planting a quick kiss on the other boy's cheek.
"We'll definitely meet again." he told the tomato-red Haruki. "Heroes don't die that easily, right?"
With that done, Hachime shot one last defiant smirk at Seimono and Kamryou and vanished in a burst of black ink. Seimono and Kamryou exchanged glances before the pair also vanished in a burst of gold dust.
Haruki wasn't sure if he had ever been quite this tired… or this hungry. He had barely been able to move on his own after the dust of today's battle had cleared, forcing Yasu to help him over to the nearest park bench. And once Izumi brought him a large order of Dreamworld's special Phoenix Takoyaki, he found himself devouring it and downing the complimentary bottle of spring water like he hadn't eaten or drank in months.
Maybe normal humans just weren't equipped to use spirit power like that, at least not without draining themselves terribly. Not that he would be able to pull off something like that again, at least not without someone like Madoka helping him. Or a crystal of his own, but well, that was off the table, wasn't it?
For now… Haruki would keep focusing on what he could do. Strength alone did not make a hero. Character did. Things like courage, boldness, and… the willingness to follow through on the vows he'd made.
And so, once Haruki had recovered his strength, he approached Hiroko. "Hey… can we talk? There's something I really need to tell you."
Hiroko blinked a bit in surprise, before smiling warmly. "Of course, Haruki! Lead the way."
Haruki did just that, guiding Hiroko to the lake that was home to Kyoukai Dreamworld's bumper boat rides. This part of the park was fairly quiet at this time of day, making it easy for Haruki to hear the pounding of his own heart in his ears. He did his best to ignore it. After everything… this was downright possible for him.
And so, Haruki made his true feelings known. And once he began opening up to Hiroko about the crush he had nursed for some time now and the feelings he still held even now, it became easier to keep going, until everything was out in the open. And as he continued, the heaviness in his chest slowly began to abate.
Hiroko was quiet for a moment after Haruki had finished confessing. And then she approached him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder as she smiled apologetically.
"Thank you for telling me, Haruki." she said. "But… I don't feel the same way." Her gaze drifted away from him. "I've thought about it, and… I don't know if I can feel that way about any boy."
"That's alright." Haruki's eyes were beginning to well with tears, and his voice grew more strained as he spoke. "You're my friend, Hiroko. I want you to be happy. B-but… know it's selfish, but…"
And Hiroko pulled Haruki into a tight hug, as the floodgates on his heart finally burst. Even now, he felt awful and horribly self-centered for breaking down like this… but she didn't think that way of him. It was clear in the way she moved to comfort him and the warmth in her voice as she spoke.
"It isn't selfish to feel sad, Haruki. It's proof you have a heart. It's okay. I promise, it's okay."
Haruki nodded between sobs. Then… this was okay, right? No… it was definitely okay. Even if it seemed like this sadness would last forever right now, even if the sting of Hiroko's rejection still ached a bit, it would get better eventually. Even if the future was uncertain, he would be able to face it.
He was a hero, after all.
"Harunyan!" Jun was darting towards the group… only to come to a sudden, flailing stop once she realized what was going on. "I'm sorry - if I'm interrupting anything, I can-!"
Kichu popped his head up from Jun's school bag. "Chuu?"
Haruki parted from the hug and raised his hands. "N-no, it's okay!" He wiped his eyes on his tie and nodded to Hiroko. "I'll be okay." Maybe not right away, but in time, he'd be back on his feet. "What's up?"
"The roller coasters!" Jun chirped as she bounded over to him. "They're also down and round and around and-!" She grabbed his arms, staring intensely into his eyes. "Sir Knight. The golden priestess might have powered up… but she still cannot face the mighty wind god alone! Will you aid her on her quest?"
Haruki grinned. "But of course! I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, dear priestess!" Kichu chose that moment to leap out of Jun's school bag and run up Haruki's arm before nuzzling his face. "R-right… we can't forget you either, huh?" he said between barely restrained giggles.
Hiroko smiled as Haruki and Jun took off arm in arm… before Jun briefly doubled back and handed her Kichu, muttering something about roller coasters being too much for the little guy. As they took off, Hiroko felt someone laying a hand on her shoulder - Yasu, with Izumi standing nearby.
"Hiroko? Are you still interested in finding something to do together?" Yasu asked.
Hiroko went slightly pink. "Of course! My apologies… I almost forget about that."
Hiroko did not miss the wink Izumi shot her way, or how the blond gently elbowed her in the side, let alone the brief, puzzled glance Yasu answered her flustered reaction with. She tried not to react too much to either as the three Cures linked arms and set off, but something told her she was still an open book.
Right… she had her own unspoken feelings to worry about. But if Haruki could speak from the heart despite how obviously nervous it had made him, she had no excuse.
"So, Izumi, Yasu… how do you feel about braving the labyrinth of illusions?"
One day, she would lay her own feelings out plainly. One day, she would cast aside her fear and truly open her heart to Yasu. She would have to try. But for now… for now, this was fine, right?