Song: Medieval Music Instrumental - King Arthur
As Lucia von Lac and Kiriya Irizawa observed the Captain and the Cures going into the KiraPati restaurant, another voice happened to intrude upon the conversation.
"...Well, I finally found you, Lucia."
"Geh?!"
Kiriya was surprised, as he didn't sense the presence behind him. It was a contrast to Lucia who smiled knowingly, as she had yet to turn around.
"I see George has told you of the festivities as well," She looks back towards the young woman behind them. "Lady Melinoe."
Melinoe, the Greco-Roman Goddess of Ghosts and Nightmares, High Queen of Camelotgard, and Queen of the Underworld. High King George Artorius' second wife, and childhood friend. The youngest daughter of the God-King Hades and of the Dread Queen Persephone. For Lucia in particular, she was also both a best friend and sister, both of whom share their love for the man they held dear. While Lucy preferred not to be called High Queen, Melinoe embraced the title, and Lucy did thought the latter was more deserving of that title compared to her.
Using her shapeshifting power, Melinoe disguised herself as a typical normal, young teenager. Her heterochromia eyes were not present, but everything was pure emerald pupils, shining like jewels. Her skin color, usually pale, had a normal human white complexion, with slender physique. Her short hair is wheat blonde, which came from her mother. She wore an orange jacket, hiding an orange white shirt, and dark blue pants.
"Hmm," Melinoe giggled with good cheer, putting two of her fingers to her chin. "Well, as my beloved had informed me of such things, I could not help but desire to come and see for myself."
Yes, Lucia recalled Melinoe for one of her traits. An adventurous spirit. Being Queen of the Underworld, Melinoe had always never had places lacking to explore, due to the sheer complexified dimensions of her own realm. For that very reason, she often drags George into her adventures, as they explore the various trails and places.
"Having adventures in the Underworld is like trying to fight through a dungeon, if not several."
As she recalled George stating oftentimes.
"...Though, that's not all there is to it, is it?" Lucia would ask, if a little dreadfully.
At that, Melinoe made a little sad smile, as she spoke with soft concern. "No, unfortunately."
"What have you sense so far?" Lucia would ask, because she knew that Melinoe has much higher senses of danger compared to her, and she would trust her co-wife's judgment in that matter.
"Danger lurks ahead," She turns her face to the right, looking at the vast crowd that was having a good time. "It's quite silent though, like a quiet slithering snake... or a hydra that's waiting for an opportunity to manifest itself. Though from where, I could not say. I've been sensing it ever since I got here, which was more than a few hours ago."
"Then I suppose it's best that we'd keep watch for the time being," Lucia sported a serious look.
"Hmm, I suppose so," Melinoe spoke sadly.
Then Lucia would sigh, as she spoke with an exasperated yet mirth smile, putting her hands to her waist. "You want to spend time with our husband instead of just watching, aren't you?"
"Ehehehe, was I really that obvious?" Melinoe asked cheerfully, yet contritely as she placed her hand to the back of her neck.
"Well," Lucia rolled her eyes even as she maintained her smile, raising her hands above. "Not that I can blame you for wanting such. And it's quite frankly a good idea, considering it seems that the modern day PreCure teams of the Earth Dimension are slowly becoming more aware of George's presence in their life."
"Oh, I know," Melinoe nodded swiftly, putting her hands to her back. "I've eavesdropped on their conversation a little. Even I was a little surprised that Mistress Love herself is making herself very known to these girls."
Melinoe understood that there were two cosmic forces that relate with the concept of a Magical Girl. There was Mistress Love of course, the source of power for all of those concepts, but there was another source as well, the opposite side of the spectrum. His name was Sire Hate, or Master Hate, the embodiment of hate throughout the multiverse, and whose affinity, Dark Magical Girls, such as Melinoe herself, tend to be aligned.
"They've been kept from our conflict for far too long... it seems even with this, time relatively catches up with them. They must get involve anyway, especially for our high king's sake," Lucia spoke with a solemn frown.
"But would they be actually ready for it?" Melinoe would ask, not out of doubt, but due to a genuine concern. "Though what am I saying. How can they be truthfully ready, if they don't even know what kind of conflict that they would find themselves submerged in."
Then, both Lucia and Melinoe sense something. A familiar presence. Drawing near. They both smiled lovingly yet knowingly.
"Ah, our king has arrived," Melinoe spoke with a smile.
"I would let you handle our husband for the time being, Melinoe," Lucia spoke with a trusting smile. "I still have to keep an eye out for something. Our husband does need our support after all, as this would be a big moment for him."
"Yes, that I knew too well, by heart," Melinoe smiled, putting her hand to the left side of her breast. "Take care to you as well, Sir Kiriya," She would say kindly - with the young man nodding respectfully - before taking her hood to cover her hair and walk towards the crowd, blending in and disappearing.
In the past, there was a very young Melinoe, with even shorter hair that held a laurel wreath that glows like embers when on her head, and an orange dress, pale skin with heterochromatic eyes of red and green, as she races down through the flowery fields of Camelotgard. Some of the plants and flowers in fact were quite large, almost like trees, that gave a scent of oozing favor and grace.
She admired the beauty of the very earth. It was in her very blood. As the youngest daughter of the Dread Queen Persephone, who aside from being the Goddess of the very Dead, was also a Goddess connected with Earth and Underearth, and of course, Melinoe was the granddaughter of her Grandmother Demeter, who shares in the traits of agriculture, harvest, the seasons, and fertility.
She stopped, feeling something a little odd. It was a very weak signature, concealed, yet was calling forth towards her. She walks with tip toes ahead as she eventually finds herself in a place deep beneath these Forest Flowers. A young man with a kingly, crimson robe and golden crown, he can spot. Her eyes widened, as she hid herself under the shade of its branches.
She peaked, out of curiosity, as she saw someone who carefully watered this wonderful garden of flowers. The young boy was around her age, and was quite handsome, it made her heart feel fluttering, while confused a bit. What were these feelings that bud underneath the goddess of ghosts herself?
"Well, this part of the chores is done," The young boy would say. "I better start heading back to the greenhouse."
Melinoe hid automatically from the branch, but the young boy somehow already noticed her.
"Who's there?" He asked, with a clear voice. An inquiring one. Not a tone of caution nor hostility.
Melinoe became a little self-conscious or shy, with light blushes of embarrassment. She didn't know what to do. She knew of course that she can't hide here forever. She's essentially exposed, no matter what direction she runs to. And... the daughter of Hades does not run, but is stalwart in the face of adversity.
She would shyly reveal herself, her head poking out as muttered. "Umm... I... I'm sorry... I just... ummm..."
George slightly widened her eyes a little. He would softly mutter, as while he was a little mesmerized by her beauty, a thought came into his mind that made him realize something important. "Wait a minute... are you... Queen Melinoe?"
"Umm... hmhmm," Melinoe nodded slowly. "...And umm, how do you do, umm... sire... sir..." She spoke, as she puts her hands to the sides of her dress and bowed like a proper lady.
"...You...can call me George, if it's not a bother," The young man reassured. "It's like we are in a formal place for formality's sake."
"Right! Umm, yes," Melinoe felt a little dumb as she smiled a little. "Silly me... though, George?" Melinoe realized. "As in... King George Artorius? The youngest brother of High Queen Guinevere?"
"The same, yes," George nodded. "And... it is my pleasure to meet you, my fair lady of those dearly departed," He said, beating his breast in respect and bowed his head.
Melinoe felt at ease with him, as she smiled softly. "Hmm... so... what are you doing?" She would ask, in order to keep the conversation going while keeping herself from gasping for more breath.
"Watering the flowers," George answered as he looked at the flowers behind him. Then he made a look of epiphany as he looked at Melinoe. "I suppose, being the granddaughter of Lady Demeter, you probably knew something about gardening or two."
"...I suppose," Melinoe nodded. She had in fact been taught by her grandmother, and her mother, regarding the honing of her goddess-like power, to control nature from the very heart of the earth. She felt connected everything. From the chirping birds that arose to the skies. From the last leaf that fell to the ground. From the marching of the Antmorph Knights who guard its colonies.
"...It's second nature to me, I suppose," She muttered, as she would walk around and contemplate the large flowers that breeze along with her orange dress. "A goddess of nature and of the dead."
She look towards him, eventually becoming self-conscious again. "I... umm..."
"No, it's... it's fine..." George muttered softly, putting his right index finger to his cheek. "...So, umm, what's... what's your advice?"
"My advice?" She looked curious.
"Well... there's this... flower that's close to wilting, back at the green room," He would say.
From there, with a gentle hand, he led her towards the place where she and him often spent their days, with good cheerdom and companionship. That large green room, filled with all kinds of plants, many of which she'd recognize as long extinct within the human world. When he showed her the plant, she looked a little broken hearted, as she felt its last legs coming down before the next day dawns.
With her little hands raised, she called out to the plant, and... lo and behold, the plant lived as the pink and yellow flowers returned to its pure healthy shade.
"Ehehehe," She smiled in good cheer, just as the young king would smile in turn.
The start of a friendship between a young king and a goddess of the underealms.
Melinoe smiled softly yet brightly at the happy memory as she drew closer towards the man of her dreams.
"Wow, there's a lot of people here, and it's already started," Ageha Hijiri would say, as she looked around at the various stands and the peoples and fairies that come and go.
Having exited the SUV and parked it, George would eye out for the crowds ahead. The event was already starting, and Hana, he would think, was probably inside along with the others.
"The others are probably inside, waiting for us," Tsubasa Yuunagi said. "We should probably get going, Ageha."
"Hmm?"
"Guess who, my dear stranger?"
George felt his eyes covered by soft hands. He'd recognize the voice from anywhere. The others were surprised by the sudden voice and presence, as they looked at the stranger behind George.
"...Should I need to guess, my fair Queen, the most beautiful of the Underworld?"
The woman would let go, as he turned around, seeing her revealing her beautiful face, making the Cures look at her in with wide eyes and awe.
"Flattery is quite soothing as an ode when you sung it, my beloved," Melinoe gave a loving, affectionate smile.
Mashiro Nijigaoka would look at this scene and felt something odd. She can't quite put her finger on it, but she felt like she knew this woman from somewhere. "...Wait, George," She brought George's attention. "Do you know her?"
"Oh, umm..." George realized his current predicament. He knew that he'd had to tell everybody - all of the Cures - about this side of his life. He sighed a bit. "...Everyone," They all paid attention, as he raised his left hand formally. "I would like you to meet... my wife."
The Cures would blink a bit, trying to process what he just said.
"Umm... Umm... co... come again?" Ageha asked, blinking a bit.
"...Oh, please to finally meet your acquaintances... umm, again, I suppose," Despite not being in a dress, Melinoe bowed like a proper queen, as she instinctively touched the sides of her pants. "My name is High Queen Melinoe of Camelotgard, the Goddess of Ghosts, of Nightmares, and of the Underworld, the daughter of my father, the God-King Hades, and of my mother, the Dread Queen Persephone, and the wife of High King George Artorius of Camelotgard."
It took a few moments before...
"WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"
"Eh?"
The crowds of humans and fairies nearby would look at the Cures with confusion. And the Hirogaru Sky! PreCure team were not the only ones who exclaimed at the top of their voices.
There was of course Nodoka Hanadera, who along with her team, had just arrived, with wide open eyes and open mouth.
"...Ah? Nodoka-senpai, everyone?" Tsubasa said, noting their presence.
"Umm..." Pegitan (*1), who was on Chifyu Sawaizumi's shoulder, looking confused and concerned. "Wha-What's going on here, pepe?"
"...I ...I don't really know myself, Pegitan," Chifuyu felt like she was sweatdropping.
"...Hail to thee, High King Artorius the Great."
"...?!"
George and the others would look to find a flying fairy, accompanied by a few five others. All of them were wearing cooking attire, with various utensils strapped to their belts.
"Ah, it's Chief Citreon!" Hinata Hiramitsu spoke, pointing at the fairies.
"...Chief Citreon," George nodded, recognizing the fairy, as he's met him on more than a few couple of occasions. "I take it my grandmother has called for you and the other officers of FLED."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Citreon said respectfully. George would glance the law enforcing fairies reassuring the crowds to get back into festivities, and that everything is just fine. "If you and Her Highness Melinoe, along with the PreCures, are to please follow me and my men, as Cure Flower has been expecting all of you to arrive."
George glances at both Mashiro and Nodoka, who looked a little... conflicted? Yes, that's probably what they are feeling just right now.
...(Sigh). At least they would be more than aware of the fact that I am married, somewhat. Though I'm a little worried as its' not over yet. Lucia, my other wife, hasn't shown her face yet, and probably for good reasons. I did told her to keep an eye out. George thought.
Then he could hear the voice and thoughts of his beloved goddess wife. Oh, she is currently keeping an eye out, beloved, along with Kiriya the Atoner. Do not fret.
Ah, I see... He spoke with a glance before looking at the restaurant where his adoptive grandmother and the Cure teams were awaiting him. So his wife had finally met up with Kiriya.
"...Umm, " Nodoka muttered hesitantly, as she drew near to George, with questioning glances, towards him as well as towards Melinoe.
"Nodoka?" Rabirin looked at her partner in worry, as she stood on the latter's shoulder.
"...I'll explain inside, you two," George spoke reassuringly, looking at both Mashiro and Nodoka. "We better not keep the chief and the others waiting."
"Eh...Ehmm," Nodoka nodded hesitantly, before eyeing at Melinoe, who smiled courtly and contritely, as she passed by. Nodoka looked at Mashiro, as they both had the common look that spoke of many questions.
There were so, so many questions, and it bothered them a whole lot more than they'd like to think.
Song: Max Payne 2 - Main Theme
It was dark...
His memory... lost in an alleyway.
...He pulled an advanced gun.
...He pulled the trigger.
He couldn't even register the sigh that left from the dead body of a Pretty Cure.
Target is neutralized. Memories matched. He couldn't register the scream of someone who saw her friend gunned down like an animal. A head shot. No less than they deserve. The Cure tried to lunge at him, but... he shot her down... quite easily...
A simple reflex. Her mind, blank. His mission. His focus. His only goal.
...Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Hail Hydra. Ha-
"Takumi!"
"Akh!"
Takumi Shinada was shaken out of his own memories, as he would see a... worried Yui Nagomi looking at him as she was touching his shoulder. In fact, a lot of the Cures gathered near him, including Captain America. What... What just happened? He looked at his hands, they were... shaking? But why?
"...Son, take it easy," Steve Rogers would say gently, as his hand was on the other shoulder. He offered a drink. "Here."
Takumi eyed at the drink. He gulped, feeling the dryness of his throat. "...Th...Thank you, Captain." He said, drinking every last drop from the glass.
All of the teams were gathered, and seated down. Through the use of the Mirai Pads from the HUGtto! PreCure team, the other Cure teams who couldn't really come due to one reason or another, would be able to listen in on the conversation as well from their end.
"...Are you ...Are you alright?" Yui asked worryingly.
She was scared. One minute to this, the Cures were just having an amicable conversation about deserts and food, and the next moment, Takumi was suffering a panic attack right out of nowhere.
"...I ...I'm fine," Takumi spoke, trying to reassure Yui and every one of the Cures. "Really, I'm-"
"No," Someone silenced him, with a sharp truth. "You're not."
The once thought dead, but clearly alive fairy, Cologne, who looked at him with a concerned and troubled expression. The other fairies around the Cures could still not believe that Cologne was truly alive, because the last time they seen him as such, he gave up his life to protect his partner, Yuri Tsukikage - Cure Moonlight.
"...Cologne," Yuri, who was right beside him, would ask. "Do you know something?"
"Not just him, Yuri-chan," Kaoruko Hanasaki's face sported a grave look. "I, and a few others, such as Captain Rogers, Chief Citreon, and the others who are not here at the moment would know of Takumi-kun's current condition."
"Condition?!" Yui asked, with her anxieties increasing further, as she looked back at Takumi. "What condition? What are you not telling me about, Takumi-kun?"
"...Like. ...Like I said, it's fine," Takumi grimaced. "Can we... Can we please just drop it?!" His voice grew louder a bit, before realizing he was... shouting at Yui. His face look horrified, as he looked at Yui and the other Cures, who grew worried for him at each passing second. "...I. I... I'm sorry." He lowered his head.
"...What's going on here?"
"...?!"
Hana Nono widened her eyes as she looked to her right, seeing a familiar young man standing before them. His face sported a concerned expression and tone.
"...George," She muttered softly, automatically standing up.
"George Kurai?!" Homare Kagayaki spoke, as she and the other members of the Cures maintained a cautious look as they look at the man... who is far from the person they'd remember, as the George Kurai they knew was an adult. Not... someone who looks like he's in the same age as them.
George glanced at Hana, recognizing her. His eyes drawn to her figure. It made him recall something... A painful memory...
"Promise me..."
He could still recall the echo that came from the voice of a dying woman.
"...Promise me that you'll stay with me."
And that smile, from the woman who is now close seconds near death.
"...Promise me, George."
The woman he made a promise with.
"...Promise me... you'd be there for me... and for my daughter... Hagumi..."
George closed his eyes a bit, sighing heavily. The Cures looked at the man with complicated feelings as well as worry.
"...Are you having those daymares again?" George would ask, trying to steer the potential awkward conversation and setting the guilt away. It worried Melindoe, as she could listen to and see George's thoughts.
"...What do you think, Your Majesty?" A bitter tone came from twitching Takumi as he placed his cup hard on the table.
George breathed with a heavy sigh, as he looked at all of the Cures.
"You all have questions, so many of them, and that includes Takumi-kun's condition. I'll... try to answer as much as I can," George said, before looking at Steve Rogers, who nodded.
"You won't be alone, George," Steve nodded in reassurance. "I'll help with the explanations too."
In the past... one year ago...
As S.H.I.E.L.D. Clone Troopers passed, one after another, through the cold silver corridors, George waited in silent towards the office chair located inside an office. He was alone. He came to pay a visit to a professional medical doctor and field agent whom he knew for many years now.
"...General."
George would look at the medical doctor who was coming towards him after closing the door, and sitting down on the other chair, and giving the medical files to George. It had attached x-rays of various patterns found within the brain of Takumi Shinada.
The doctor's name was Dr. Hacisuka (*2), Nodoka Hanadera's personal doctor. Brown hair with matching eyes and a handsome face, somewhere around his forties. He had a medical lab coat with a S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle logo and inscription on the shoulder, with stethoscopes on his person, covering a white dress shirt and black pants.
"...How is he, doctor?" George would ask as he checked the files.
"At least so far, he's stable. There's no trace of any physical sign of brainwashing that HYDRA did with him. But even then..." He looked at him with worry. "...The man has all of the memories of that state. He remembers everything."
"What do you recommend?" George asked.
"Lots of therapeutic treatment... and time," the doctor stated grimly. "He needs more time away from our world, away from the PreCure. Whenever he'd see a PreCure, it would trigger his panic attack, you'd saw what had happened before bringing him here."
The thing about Takumi Shinada's condition was that... his panic attack wasn't just that. It's like... a phantom pain of sorts. An instinct. A trigger. A hypnotic suggestion, strong, tempting. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. The mission. That was the haunting thoughts that plagued his mind - and would be more so forever.
And his latest...
The urge to kill the PreCure never left him.
"His brainwashing may be gone completely, but his mental and emotional psyche is... damaged. All his thoughts ever are at this point... are people that will die, and did die," the doctor grimly stated.
"And that means he's still a threat..." George muttered, with a guilty expression. "The Winter Cape... Kamen Rider... Quinn..."
OP Song: 【 MAD】仮面ライダー555 20th - 『Identiφ's』 By ISSA {中日字幕}
Trivia Section:
(*1) - From Pretty Cure Wiki: Pegitan (ペギタン)? is one of the main fairies and Chiyu's fairy partner in Healin' Good Pretty Cure. He is a penguin like fairy who ends his sentences with "~pē" (～ペエ)?.
(*2) - From Pretty Cure Wiki: Dr. Hachisuka (蜂須賀)? appeared in episode 33, and is the doctor who looked after Nodoka when she was ill. Since he couldn't do anything but watch Nodoka suffer, he quit being a doctor and became a researcher in an overseas institute. But before he left, he visited Nodoka one last time to see how she is, and to let her know about his decision. Dr. Hachisuka has brown hair with matching eyes. He is seen wearing a white dress shirt underneath a green sweater, black pants and brown shoes. Dr. Hachisuka is voiced by Hamada Kenji.