38. Tint's Dream, Again
Once again, peace reigns over on Chalk Cliffside while everyone is at the river's loading docks. The Pretty Cure girls returned to their civilian forms, and the team is on Capt. Barny's restored steamboat. The citizens of Chalk Cliffside are on the river's loading docks, seeing the magical heroine team about to part.
"Once again, thanks for everything you've done to save us," Mayor Cliff said with a regretful face. "We're truly sorry again we deceive you and let those Blots ambush you. But…"
"Mayor, for the last time…" Rikka says with an uneasy face, "It's not your fault. Blame those Blots that threaten you, your wife, and everyone here."
"Yeah, Mayor," Honoka says, "so, don't worry about it and be happy now."
"It's a shame you Pretty Cures got to go," Clair said with little pity. "But time is of the essence. Spectrum Land depends on you girls to retrieve all the Wonder Colors before it's too late."
The monk, Channel, grins and says, "You've done very well to make it this far. Keep your chin up and those minds of yours, focused and determined, and you'll be saving our world without hesitation. I'm putting my faith and feelings for you, Pretty Cures."
"Thanks, Channel," Nozomi says, "we won't let you down." The monk smiles for the Pretty Cure team.
"Alright, gang!" Tint calls out to the team, "Let's head back to Sage Mark and find out about our next destination for the next Wonder Color."
"Right, Tint," Miyuki said. She and everyone on the team agree with Tint. Miyuki turns to Capt. Barny, who's in the steering room, signaling to part. "Let's go!"
The captain grabs his speaker and says, "Cast off!" He then puts the speaker down and then pulls down a cord. The steamboat's whistle tooted for movement. Next, the captain pushes the throttle levers to move the steamboat's paddlewheels. The steamboat moved once the wheels turned, driving up the stream and heading back to the starting dock point.
As the steamboat drives up the river, the Chalk Cliffside citizens and Channel waved farewell to the Pretty Cure team. The heroines and their allies saw the townsfolk and waved goodbye too.
"Thanks again, Pretty Cures!" Mayor Cliff shouted.
"We wish you the best of luck!" Clair cheered.
"Good luck, and never give up!" Channel yelled.
"See ya!" Hime shouted to the citizens.
"Take care! Bye!" Yayoi cheered.
The steamboat continued driving up the river, and the Chalk Cliffside's people kept waving goodbye.
Seconds later, Inori, Itsuki, and Hibiki arrived in the steering room where Capt. Barny is happily driving his boat. The captain noticed their presence.
"You know, Captain," Inori speaks, "we're sorry you got involved with us, helping pass those dangerous rapids and the waterfall."
"Yeah," Hibiki says and agrees, "It must've been very stressful for you."
Capt. Barny happily replies, "Are ye kidding, lassies? Sure it was dangerous, but it was ye blast sailing those bilging waters." The girls heard the captain and turned surprised. "It felt like sailing ye stormy seas again, back in me youthful years. I oughta thank ye for letting me tag along. You made this old sea dog remember how enjoyable it was sailing again. I am pleased, lassies."
The girls heard, and they smiled for the captain. "Gee, uh, thanks…" Itsuki said with a bit of awkwardness, "I guess…"
As every Pretty Cure girl and fairy relaxed after their exhilarating mission, the gentleman Matt Oda observes the chemical bottle the team found earlier. He analyzes and thinks about it. Then, Yuri, Alice, and Tint appeared next to the gentleman.
"Hey, Matt," Alice speaks to him. Matt heard and noticed. "Whatcha doing?"
"Hey, ladies," Matt replies and then looks back at the bottle, "I'm just thinking about this chemical bottle we've found."
The girls and Tint looked and noticed. "Oh, that?" Tint asked. "That's what caused the whole watergate to collapse."
Yuri thinks carefully and says, "If I remember correctly, Turp said it was their spy that made the giant gate collapse."
"That's right," Alice agreed, "and according to Shade, it's one of the residents of Spectrum Land that's aiding the enemy."
Tint then turns concerned but firm about the traitor. "We must be on our guard," Tint said. "The Blots' spy may be listening and watching as we speak." Alice and Yuri heard and nodded.
Matt heard Tint's warning, and then he observed the empty acid bottle again. A thought came into his mind. "Something about this acid bottle and Turp makes me tick off my head," Matt thought. "Turp uses that thinner backpack of his to melt everything as a weapon. Turp could've used that spray gun of his to melt that gate. But… why would he need an acid bottle like this? I wonder… could this informant of theirs knows about paint thinner chemicals. If so, who has the knowledge of chemicals like that?"
Matt kept thinking about his theory. The Pretty Cure team on the steamboat continued to drive up the river, returning to Pigment Village.
Once again, back at Rainbow Castle, things aren't going smoothly at the Blot generals' resting quarters. With Turp all bandaged and bruised again, the three Blot leaders are getting a scolding from King Splat, who's very irked.
"You incompetent, lousy, second-rate imbeciles!" King Splat yelled via a communication portal. "Can't you three do anything right!? You three got beaten by those frilly, sweet-talking Pretty Cures… TWICE! You call yourselves generals!?"
"King Splat," Erass said with an uneasy feeling, "Try to understand that we thought we had the upper hand with a good strategy, but…"
"But you let your guard down and have those brats trampled you like doormats. You even let that young man from the Pretty Cures easily beat you."
"Don't you ever remind me of that pathetic gentleman," Scribbelle said in a grump. "I swear when I see him again, I will turn him into a smear of paint and scribble him on a canvas looking how miserable he'd ever messed with me."
Turp becomes a bit uneasy by Scribbelle's rage and revenge. "Yeesh… Easy there, Miss Grudge…" he said.
King Splat, still upset, continues to speak. "All three of you will be suspended until my next order. Think about the actions you've done unless you want to return back to your miserable lives again." That last statement made the three generals flinch a little. "However, while you're on standby, there's something you can do for the time being."
The Blot generals heard and blinked. "What is it?" Turp asked.
"Head into the castle's main armory stall. The Blots and I have been working on a special project that will help your success in defeating the Pretty Cures. I'll explain everything when you three arrive there. King Splat, out." King Splat's communication portal then disappears to end his call.
The suspended Blot generals then stare at each other with curiosity.
"A special project?" Scribbelle asked.
"I wonder what this special project is supposed to do?" Turp questioned.
"Well," Erass speaks up, "our king commanded the next task to us even though we're on suspension. So let's check it out." Scribbelle and Turp agree with a nod to Erass.
Meanwhile, King Splat in the throne room becomes irked from the Pretty Cures' success in retrieving six Wonder Colors. Within the shadows of the throne room is the spy, staring at King Splat's situation.
"I trust you can handle the job, my mole?" King Splat requested.
"I'm not sure," the mole replies, "but I'll do what I can to stall those meddling Pretty Cures from succeeding in your conquest. I'm also working on my own project to defeat those Pretty Cures at their own game."
"And the next Wonder Color…?"
"Already, found it."
"Queen Chroma…?"
"She hasn't realized about me… yet."
"Very well… carry on…"
The spy then slips away and disappears from King Splat. However, the Blot king is still annoyed as he has bitterness in mind.
"Spectrum Land…" the Blot king said in anger, "You think your beautiful colors and artwork are pure joy and inspiration to everyone. But you will see how I feel about what you have done to me."
In Pigment Village and Sage Mark's tree house, the elder sage reads a textbook and finds information about the enemy. While he continues to read…
Knock! Knock!
"Come in…" Sage Mark answered.
The door opens and coming inside is the eager-learning fairy Tone. "Hey, Sage Mark," Tone greeted. Mark heard, and he saw Tone.
"Tone, good to see you again. How are your studies?"
"Learning, Mark. Learning…"
"That's good to hear."
"It was a shame I left in a hurry from Pastel Square without saying goodbye to the Pretty Cures and Tint. But Hue needed me something. He said it was urgent."
"How is he, by the way?"
"All's good. But things are looking grim in Drawville. Hue just reported to me that the Blots are getting suspicious of the captives disappearing. I think they're onto them."
Mark turns a bit concerned for Hue and the captives. "Hue better watch his six. I've also heard the Blots are getting stronger every time the Pretty Cures retrieve another Wonder Color."
"Speaking of… Where are they? Have they succeeded in obtaining another Wonder Color?"
"Well, if I have to guess… By watching their progress so far, I would say they should be back here right about–"
"Hey, Mark!"
Sage Mark and Tone heard and turned to see Akane, who greeted and waved. Then, the rest of the team showed up and came from the Warp Gallery Room. The fairy and the sage smiled to see the heroines again.
"Pretty Cure!" Tone cheered.
"Tone!" Tint happily shouted.
Tint and Tone greeted each other with a handshake.
"What's shaking, Tint?" Tone asked.
"We got another Wonder Color, and that makes six total."
"Awesome! Just two more to go, and you'll save Spectrum Land for sure."
The Pretty Cure team appeared before the sage.
"So Pretty Cures," Sage Mark speaks, "What's new so far?"
"All is great," Rin replies, "but…"
After a few minutes of a brief report from the Pretty Cure team, Mark and Tone turned worried.
"Hmm… This spy of theirs…" Mark said with worry.
Tone nibbles his paw a bit and says, "It sounds like they're given the Blots the upper hand, letting them know where the Wonder Colors are and preventing you Pretty Cures from succeeding." Tone then crossed his arms and said, "Still, I want to know who this treason rat is assisting the Blots and why."
"Y'know," Ako speaks up, "the more we talk about this spy, it sounds like it's someone who knows very well about Spectrum Land and the whereabouts of the Wonder Colors. Someone with high authority might leak information to the enemy unbeknownst to security and Queen Chroma."
"My thoughts exactly as well," Yuri agreed.
Rikka then says, "Assuming that's true, who has the position to do that?" Everyone else becomes a bit more concerned.
Sage Mark then says, "Whoever this informant is, you must be on high alert of your surroundings, Pretty Cures. If this spy is hot on your tail, they'll likely find a weakness from you to give the Blots a cheating advantage to dominate you."
The Pretty Cure team heard, and Rin said, "Don't worry. We'll be on the extreme lookout."
"Especially we're getting very close to collecting all the Wonder Colors," Karen noted. "I'll bet, with their little birdie tweeting to them, the Blots and their mastermind are getting edgy for our successful progress."
"You're right, Karen," Komachi agrees with her best friend. "They are now very eager to stop us by all means. We must be careful, team." Everyone agrees with Komachi.
Tint, the butterfly fairy, looks at the six Wonder Colors out and on the table near the sage's crystal ball. She says, "Still though…, we are making good progress. We just need two more Wonder Colors to go." Tint then floats near the Wonder Colors and observes them. "At this rate will restore the Prism Diamond and save Spectrum Land's colors in no time."
After a few seconds of staring, the Wonder Colors started to glow a bright light for a moment. Tint and everyone else noticed the magical orbs' glow.
"Whoa," Tarte said in a little surprise, "what are the colors doing?"
"I'm not sure…" Sage Mark replies with curiosity.
Then the Wonder Colors stopped glowing, making everybody feel aware.
"That was odd…" Setsuna said, still feeling a bit edgy. "Why did they glow for a sec?"
Tint replies, "I'm not really su–
GASP!"
Suddenly, Tint froze midair, and her eyes' pupils shrunk. The Pretty Cure team, Tone, and Sage Mark noticed Tint's impulsive behavior.
Then once again, Tint slowly fell to the floor and became unconscious. Everyone in the room gasped and turned in shock.
"Oh, man!" Saki screamed, "Not again!"
"Tint!" Tone cried in fear, "Tint! Tint!"
"Tint!" Mark shouted, "What happened!? Tint!"
"Tint!" Erika screamed, "Wake up!"
"Not again!" Megumi shouted, "Tint!"
"Tint!" "Tint!" "TINT!"
Everyone in the room kept shouting and shouting for Tint, but the butterfly remained unconscious.
Tint remained unawake, and everything was black until…
…
…
"Tint…" "Tint…" "Tint!" "You can open your eyes now…"
Tint opens her eyes, and she sees the scenery in her view.
Her four loyal castle servants, Compass, Sketcher, Traci, and Sheeta, appear before her, grinning and staring at Tint. The four faithful servants and Tint are sitting around a dining table with delicious gourmet food.
"We're done giving our grace, Tint," Sheeta commented.
"Sorry, Sheeta," Tint replies calmly and happily, "I was thinking about the beauty of our people and our world. The ideas, the creative feelings, and the joy of our imagination of Spectrum Land. It's a glorious wonder how this world can have unlimited inspiration.
I want to ensure myself that I will keep those feelings and dreams to live forever. I want everyone in this world to have those feelings."
"That's our Tint," Compass noted with a grin. "Our compassionate, kind, caring, and loveable…
Princess."
"Oh, Princess Tint," Traci said with joy and tear in her eye, "you are destined to rule Spectrum Land with a golden heart the moment you came to our world. I can't believe Queen Chroma has you."
Sketcher calmly grins and says, "Just following your training. Soon, you'll be sitting on a throne next to our beloved majesty and watching over Spectrum Land with pride and joy." He then turns to the side. "Right, Queen Chroma?"
Tint turns and sees Queen Chroma right next to Tint. The queen smiles gracefully at Tint.
"That's right, Sketcher," Queen Chroma said with elegance. "It's so wonderful to have you and be who you are. Everyone in Spectrum Land will respect your dignity and true determination as to the princess of Spectrum Land." Queen Chroma warmly grins and says, "I love you, my dear…"
Tint happily smiles and replies, "Thank you… everyone… I am so proud to be a princess."
…
…
…
…
Then a blinding light obscured Tint's vision as the light began to twitch Tint's eyes.
When Tint wakes up, she sees the Pretty Cure team, Tone, and Sage Mark staring at the butterfly fairy in great concern. Then everyone felt relieved to see Tint awaking.
"Oh, good!" Tone cried, "She's awake!"
"Thank goodness… again!" Mana said as she caught her breath.
Tint fully awakens but becomes a bit puzzled. "Wh-What… What happened?" Tint asked. "Is everyone okay?"
"We're fine," Coco replies, "but you gave us another shock when you collapsed again-coco."
"Yeah," Syrup agrees, "and that's the second time-ropu."
"What's up with you?" Hime asked in a panic, "Do you have some sort of light-headed syndrome?"
"Uh, no," Tint said in concern, "I don't know why I kept blacking out that time again. But… I did have another dream…"
Everyone heard and blinked.
"Really?" Yayoi said in surprise.
"What is it this time-mepu?" Mepple asked.
Tint calmly replies, "Well… I was gathered around a dining table and eating dinner with Queen Chroma and her four royal loyalists: Traci, Sketcher, Compass, and Sheeta. But that wasn't the strangest thing about the dream I had."
The Pretty Cure team, including Sage Mark, becomes curious. "What was then?" Komachi asked.
"It's odd, but… Queen Chroma and her loyalists told me that…
I was already a princess since I was born in Spectrum Land.
But I don't remember being a princess when I came to Spectrum Land. I'm just a fairy in training to become a princess."
Tint's last statement made the Pretty Cure girls and their fairies turn very curious. Matt heard and made a "huh?" facial expression and raised an eyebrow. Sage Mark heard but remained calm.
"Wait," Nagisa says, "you were a princess ever since you were born? I don't believe this."
"Me neither," Kanade agrees, "I mean, the way you are right now, there's no way you're a princess if you're just a butterfly fairy."
"This just keeps getting more mysterious about you, Tint," Yuko said, making a curious tone.
Everyone agrees with Yuko's declaration as the team kept thinking about who Tint really is. Tint ponders herself, trying to understand her identity.
"I still don't understand…" Tint thought to herself. "When did I ever become a princess of Spectrum Land? All I can remember is being born and raised in Pigment Village…"
Everyone in the room becomes confused about Tint. However, Matt noticed from his side view of Mark's facial behavior.
"Mark…?" Matt asked, grabbing the sage's attention, "Something the matter?"
Mark blinked and replied, "Oh! Uh… No… It's nothing… Nothing at all."
The sage then looks to the side, but the gentleman becomes suspicious of Mark.
"Well," Tint speaks up, getting everybody's attention, "Whatever these strange dreams I'm having can wait later. Right now, let's move on to the next Wonder Color to rescue."
"I agree," Aguri said. "Time is of the essence like Clair said, and I'm sure our homeworld is desperate to be saved."
"Then let's head to the Warp Gallery Room and to the next area holding the next Wonder Color," Megumi declared. Everyone agrees Megumi.
The Pretty Cure team head downstairs to the Warp Gallery Room. Tint starts to follow them, but she is halted by her friend Tone, who is worried for her.
"Are you sure you're okay, Tint?" Tone asked in concern.
"Yeah," Tint replies with a calm grin, "don't worry about it. It's just strange dreams I'm getting, that's all."
After Tint comforts Tone, the two butterfly fairies fly downstairs to the Warp Gallery Room.
However, Sage Mark stood behind as a thought occurred in his head. "It's happening faster than I expected," he thought about Tint. "The Pretty Cures gathering those Wonder Colors and progressing so well that it's helping our fairy friend. Soon, Tint will…"
Everyone is back in the Warp Gallery Room. And once again, the Wonder Color Case is placed on the pedestal, and Tint rotates its spinner to open a gateway to the next Wonder Color. A rainbow beam appears again and shoots towards another blank painting. The blank painting then glows, and drawing lines appear, making another scenery portrait. Finally, the painting reveals tall brown rocky mountains with puffy clouds surrounding the peaks. The beam then disappears, completing the painting.
The Pretty Cure team observed the new painting.
"So, what is this place this time?" Inori asked.
"Are those mountains?" Honoka asked.
"Not just mountains," Sage Mark speaks, "but it's Brown Mountains, Spectrum Land's notable high altitude mountains. So it'll be another tough challenge for you Pretty Cures, considering you're going to do a lot of climbing."
"Oh, man…" Akane moaned, "First a hot scorching desert, next a creepy bog, and now we have to climb tall steep mountains. Man, enough is enough of these intense and hazardous missions."
"I'll say…" Erika agrees, feeling weary from her back.
Sage Mark then speaks, "Once you arrive in Brown Mountains, head to a lively town called Crayon Point and meet our fourth and last sage there. Brown Mountains has many mountains it resides in, but the sage knows where you can find the next Wonder Color in that area. Just be careful and watch your step when you start scaling up the mountains."
"Don't worry, Mark," Alice said. "We will."
"Alright, ladies," Matt said confidently, "Let's-a Go!"
The Pretty Cure team heard Matt and turned bewildered.
"…Let's-a go…?" Iona asked in confusion.
Matt heard and blinked, but he shyly smiled and said, "Uh, sorry… One of my favorite video game character catchphrases. Heard it many times that it's now in my head."
"Like I said, Matt," Hime speaks, "you need to stop playing video games and get out more."
"Anyways," Ako speaks up, "Let's go!"
Everyone agrees with Ako, and the Pretty Cure team, with Tint, dashed and jumped into the painting, warping to Brown Mountains. Matt grabs the case and puts it back into his messenger bay, and then he jumps into the painting. Tone and Mark watched the heroic team head to Brown Mountains.
"Good luck again, Pretty Cures!" Tone cheered.
Sage Mark observed, and another thought clouded his mind again. "Soon, Queen Chroma…" Mark thought. "Soon, our blessed miracle will come true…"