Chapter Text
Snow. Soft and gentle, frightening snow.
Snow was a…tough subject in this family. Snow meant many things. Snow meant nostalgia. Turmoil. Old wars fought and won. Desperation and pain. Separation and reunion.
All of which happened in snow.
It was snowing now, in the thick of August, of all things. How could snow happen in August? It was truly a phenomenon, during a time when the fall leaves were supposed to be falling onto the grounds of Wakaba. But now, it was oddly snowing. They had no idea what to make of it.
Certainly, not of the events that had been happening prior to this day of all days. Odd occurrences had begun over the past 10 years. Not unwelcome, no.
Unprecedented? Absolutely.
In a local medical center, a doctor read over his notepad before looking up at his colleagues.
“…and are you absolutely sure?”
“All the signs lead to it. Though, I’m not really sure how this is possible. The girl is 23, and physically speaking with the info she has given us, this is impossible.”
“And yet, just look at this monitor…” Another commented. “It’s small, but it is clear as day.”
“Look at these two!”
A nurse or two looked out the window, fawning over two girls in the waiting room - one a light ginger, and the other with raven hair. The raven girl rested on the ginger’s lap, sleeping peacefully while the other lovingly - and worriedly - stroked her hair.
“Find someone who’ll look at you like she looks at her. Aren’t they just the cutest?”
“Certainly. I just hope they take this well…”
“Well, I’ll be,” a nurse mused. “It’s not everyday this happens…the last time it happened was in religion. Should we tell them?”
The doctor paused before he sighed. “If we are certain,” he said.
The nurse smiled, exiting the small examination room and opening the door to the waiting room “Yukishiro-san? Misumi-san?”
Nagisa looked up when she heard their names. Honoka, on the other hand, rubbed her eyes tiredly as she began to sit up.
“That’s us…”
The nurse gestured the two girls in, Honoka looking down at her dress.
“How are you feeling, Yukishiro-san?” the doctor asked while sitting down.
“I’m feeling…okay…” Honoka said, biting her lip. ‘Okay’ was an overstatement.
“Any nausea?”
“I threw up this morning,” she said while sitting down on the bed, holding Nagisa’s hand. “A-And I’ve been having constant headaches, as I’ve told you before. But I’ve also told you about several other instances where I didn’t feel myself. One time I…snapped at Nagisa for no reason…” She said this with regret, to which her partner reassuringly squeezed her hand. “And another time, I just…cried for hours on end…again, for no explanation. It’s been repetitive this week…”
The nurse looked towards the doctor, and they sighed. “Yukishiro-San, there’s no easy way to say this…”
Nagisa and Honoka looked nervously at each other before both looking at the doctor, waiting to hear the news.
“…what is it?” the ginger asked, getting more and more nervous. “Is Honoka going to be okay? Is this a disease?!”
“…am I dying…?” her partner asked nervously.
Well, that certainly didn’t help Nagisa’s nerves.
“No, you’re just fine,” the doctor reassured them. “Fair warning, this will be hard to hear. Rest assured, you are well. But from the information about your personal life you’ve given us, and from the examinations we’ve done, this is impossible…”
They swallowed briefly.
“…you’re pregnant.”
There was silence that filled the room. Both girls were stunned when they heard the statement.
“…I’m…?” Honoka was about to faint.
“Look.” The doctor handed her photos of an ultrasound. “You see that tiny little thing in the center of your womb? It looks just like a pea.”
“…Oh my God…”
“This…This is…!” Nagisa wasn’t sure what to say.
…
…
“…EEEEH?!”
“WHY YOU LITTLE-”
“MEPO! Gah…Ugh…Ick…Ack…”
The moment they got home was… interesting , to say the least. The two loves and their fairies were currently in the living room. Nagisa was currently strangling her commune like Bart Simpson while Honoka sat on the couch, looking down at her stomach in shock.
So much was happening that the bookworm had been silent the whole way home with the news in her head. She wouldn’t even look at Nagisa. She was too afraid.
“You’re pregnant.”
It was like a bomb landed dead center on her chest, destroyed most of her reasoning and left nothing but pure and utter confusion.
How? How could she be pregnant? The news surprised her and terrified her - she was a virgin , by medical standards. She had never been with anyone else but Nagisa - all she had wanted was her, and no one else.
That, and she was a lesbian. Which spoke for itself.
So how in the world...?
“Need…air…mepo…”
“NO!”
It wasn’t long until a blonde came downstairs - Hikari. “I heard yelling. Is everything alright?”
Honoka looked at the princess, her eyes full of concern and confusion. “Hikari…”
“Sit…” Nagisa said simply, staying close to Honoka. “Long story short - Honoka’s pregnant, and it’s Mepple’s fault.”
"Honoka’s pregnant?!" Hikari gasped.
The couple nodded.
Mipple came out of the card commune and looked up at her partner in worry, but something about her look…
“Did you already know about this?” Honoka inquired. Her fairy nodded. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“We weren’t sure if you would believe us~mipo. But now that we have proof that you are, we should tell you why~mipo. Also, please let go of Mepple, Nagisa~mipo.”
“He deserves his fate!”
“ Please?”
Her glare shot at the suffocating fairy before she reluctantly threw him down on the couch.
“Fine. Proceed.” Nagisa said grudgingly.
Mepple coughed heavily, released a sigh, and shuddered before he spoke ashamedly. "We told you about what Precure are destined to do, correct~mepo? The war~mepo?"
All three nodded their heads. This was a conversation that many of their fellow Precure had already had with their fairies. Over the years they had known their friends, they had overcome challenge after challenge, fought entity after entity, and deity after deity. Yet this was the most surprising news they had gotten.
It didn’t just concern one team from a certain area - it concerned everyone. From them to Sora’s team, even the Internationals and side Cures like Henri.
They were just getting used to that information alone.
“Yeah…something about kicking someone off of their pedestal?”
“What about it?”
"There’s…a catch~mipo,” Mipple took over. “Among these ranks, you two will lead as you already know. What you don’t know is that there will be someone else with you leading this war~mipo.”
“Someone else?” Honoka questioned.
Mepple and Mipple looked at each other before nodding.
“Cure Marble~mepo.”
“Cure Marble?!” Their eyes widened at the new name.
“A legendary hero that is said to be born from Black and White~mipo. You four are said to create the ultimate power that will end this never ending war against evil for good~mipo.”
“Born from…” Nagisa started saying.
“…Black and White,” Honoka finished for her.
They looked at each other before looking down at Honoka's stomach.
“…s-so did our powers just…?!”
“…make a baby?!”
“I believe so…astonishing,” Hikari mused in wonder. Fitting, how that was the only word she had .
Honoka couldn’t believe it. Nagisa and herself were having a baby. A baby . Their flesh and blood…
…and that same child was going to be in danger.
“…you’re going to leave me now…” Honoka mumbled while shaking.
Nagisa looked at Honoka, confused. “What? What are you talking about?” she asked.
“…you have a career, Nagisa…this changes… everything ,” she said while tearing up. “A-And once I have this child, then…you won’t have any time to do what you love…a-at least if you leave, you’ll be…a-able to…”
Nagisa grabbed her hands. “No, I’m not leaving you,” she said. “Lacrosse will be there any day of the week. You? You’re what’s special. Right here, right now.”
“But-”
“I’ll call tomorrow and say I’m taking my leave. All of it,” She said seriously.
“Nagi…” Honoka didn’t know what to say. She felt tears forming in her eyes.
Hikari felt tears growing in her own eyes at the scene…she had no idea she would do such a thing.
“I love you, Noka,” the leader said simply. “I’m not just going to leave the love of my life when she’s pregnant with our child. I have enough for all of us, no worries…right now, my focus is on you . And it’s not leaving you, ever. Not now. Not. Ever .”
Honoka started feeling tears form in her eyes, she smiled as she hugged her girlfriend. “Oh, Nagi~!”
Nagisa was taken back by the hug, but she sighed and hugged her back. “I’ve got you, love…”
Hikari wiped her eyes before speaking up. “I can stay home a lot more if you two need it, too. And I can tell all of our friends, too!”
The group of three girls hugged each other. Enjoying the tender moment they wanted to last forever.
Things would be different from now on. Much, much different.
14 Years Later...
Hong Kong
A teenage girl gazed down at her test paper in disdain. “Ah…46%. Oh well, I can do better. Li An, what did you get?”
Her friend, who had brown hair and blue eyes looked over at her sheepishly with a little laugh. “60%…barely made it.”
“ARIENAI!”
They both looked over to their friend on the ground, who was definitely unique. She had dark hair, dark blue eyes, and dark skin…and she was a complete mess.
“…Ju Lan, what did you get?” Li An asked with a knowing sigh.
“It’s horrible…” the dark haired girl muttered as she covered the test paper with her face. “Don’t look at it, it’s torture….”
“Let me see it.” The brunette gently offered, but her friend shook her head furiously.
“I am a disgrace! I’ve soiled my family’s unknown name! There’s nothing I can do. Just wait for the pain to end…”
Her friend snatched the paper from Ju Lan, and looked at the grade.
“…99%,” she said blankly and looked at her with a groan.
“You got a near perfect score and you’re upset?” the first girl asked.
“It’s a 0.01% chance!” Ju Lan argued.
“ Riiight , and I’m 0.01%,” Li An pressed her fingers closely together, nearly touching. “chance away from setting you straight. Get up !”
Flick!
“Ow…”
“Be a woman!”
Ju Lan nodded tearfully, standing up with her head bowed. “Haaaai...stupid negative values…” She raised her hand while whimpering. “Senseiiiiiii?”
“Yes?”
“Li An flicked me.”
“She’s upset about the 99%,” arguably, her favorite student tattled.
“Ju Lan, what have we discussed?” their teacher said smoothly as she stood up.
“…” The short girl looked down. “No one’s…perfect..?”
“And?”
“Li An is not leading a conspiracy against me?”
“And~?”
She hugged herself. “Some people need to mess up….”
“Good girl.” Their teacher smiled and ruffled her hair.
“Hahahaha…shortie…” their other friend giggled to herself.
“Ah Lam .”
She winced at the tone of voice. “…sorry.”
“Tall-y.”
“Ju Lan.”
“She started it.”
“You three are such strange children.”
Li An’s eyes sparkled in disdain. “In a good way, right? Right~?”
“…maybe.” She patted her head.
“Yes~!”
An hour later, the school bell rang and school was dismissed. The girls left the school and entered the dark, desolate, and ruined city they called home.
“I could have gotten that one right!” Ju Lan huffed. “If I had just put in that negative value…I was in such a rush…”
Li An stopped her before she continued ranting.
“Ju Lan, you still got a good grade, unlike us,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “Unlike most of our class. Be grateful for it. No one is perfect. You were bound to break your streak of 100s sooner or later. It happens.”
“Still…” she pouted.
“How about this?” Ah Lam asked. “Teach us how to do better next time? It’ll even freshen up your skills. Consider it tutoring those in need of brain cells."
Ju Lan looked at them with a sigh. “If you say so. But don’t you hate tutoring Li An?”
“I’ll make an exception for tonight.”
Li An sheepishly chuckled at that. “I want you to be happy.”
“Li An…” she trailed off before smiling. “Okay.”
“Yes!” The brunette exclaimed happily. “We’ll have a study session together! It’s decided~!”
Ju Lan couldn’t help but smile at her excitement.
Ah Lam meanwhile was waiting for them to kiss. “Any second now….any second now…”
“Hm?” Both looked at her confusedly.
“…nevermind.” She stretched and backed up. “Welp! I’m headed this way: Gotta go make sure no one raided the bakery… again…”
“Why would someone raid the bakery?”
“The reason is simple; real estate.” The snarky redhead waved. “Catch you this evening.”
“But you can’t bake,” Ju Lan said.
“Who said I was baking there?” She smiled. “It’s my house.”
Both girls heavily sweatdropped.
‘Oh…THAT kind of real estate…’
“See ya~!” The ‘baker’ ran off.
After she disappeared into the distance, the remaining two headed towards the darkened forest, Ju Lan humming a song and moving her fingers in specific motions.
Her feet lifted off the ground like a little child playing in the snow as she did so. The little song she hummed made her feel romantic, cold, hard and passionate all at once.
She liked it.
Li An smiled. “What’s that you’re humming?”
Ju Lan broke from the humming and looked at Li An. “Oh! I…I don’t know. It’s been stuck in my head for a while now, honestly. It’s like…the song is a story that I haven’t quite been able to figure out…and there’s so much to it too! It’s like a poem of sorts. There’s so many different…segments to it. That’s the best way I can put it. Segments that are so different from each other, but I can’t help but feel like it’s all the same in the end. Like everything comes together to make that song.”
Li An thought for a moment before smirking.
“Have you ever thought about taking up an instrument~?”
Ju Lan thought for a moment. “I never really thought about it much,” she admitted.
“But you’re so smart! Look at how you described music in your head! You could be the best…trombone player!” Li An offered.
“You think I would be suited for a noisy trombone?”
“I’m just judging it based on your inspiration!” Li An answered. “And you sound so good ~! Or maybe the tuba!”
Rolling her eyes, Ju Lan walked ahead until she saw a small little light near a tree. “…what’s that?”
Li An hurried up to her and saw the same thing she was seeing. “I’m not sure. Maybe someone’s flashlight or phone…” She guessed.
Her assumption should be wrong though. The light grew brighter until a dark aura spread across the tree, opening a portal. A dark, harrowing, thickening portal.
Ju Lan covered her mouth in horror as she pulled Li An back.
“Okay…okay. That’s...not a phone…”
“You can say that again…” Li An said, just as shocked.
“That’s not a phone!" The shorter girl repeated with a growing panic in her voice.
Li An hesitated, hearing a soft voice in her ear.
“Come home…”
She didn’t know why, but she started to step forward. As if she was in a dreamlike state. Her eyes glazed over, and her mind was clouded with those words.
Ju Lan looked at her friend, concerned. “Li An! What are you doing?” The brunette didn’t seem to hear her, so Ju Lan shouted more firmly. “Li An!”
The taller girl just continued her trek.
Cursing softly under her breath, Ju Lan started to follow her, taking her hand. Although…she was unsure as to whether her annoyance with her friend pulled her through, or something else did.
“Where the hell do you think you’re…”
Where they ended up next made the words fall out of her mouth.
“…going…?”
They ended up somewhere almost terrifying. The trees around them were all black and looked like they were dying, and the sky was purple that faded into black on the horizon. There were no stars or clouds in the sky, no moon or sun either. On the ground, plants looked like they were trying to grow but couldn't and looked as dead as the trees around the two girls.
“…woah…” they said in horrified sync.
Ju Lan looked behind herself and tried to go back - but the portal was gone.
“Uhm…have you been on this side of the city before?” Li An asked, half jokingly, half seriously.
“Never.”
“Then I seriously want to know what this is.”
Ju Lan took her hand as she led her through the dark forest, turning on her phone flashlight. “Come on. Maybe we can find some civilization here…”
The two friends headed through the forest, but soon heard a threatening voice.
“ … careful where you tread your feet … ~”
Ju Lan jumped up, looking at Li An. “Did you say something?”
“N-No, I didn’t-”
The sound of rustling bushes caught them both off guard.
The girls became startled at the sudden rustling and held each other tight.
“W-Who’s there…?”
Eerie, eerie laughter was heard over the bushes.
“…Li An?”
“Yeah?”
“RUN!”
The two immediately booked it through the forest as the laughter got louder.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
“THIS WAY!”
Li An couldn’t help but continuously look behind her. As if she was expecting something, and wasn’t at the same time: a sense of light familiarity ran through her heart. Like… something she had lost…
“Shadow Shooting Star!”
Li An’s breath hitched as she saw a dark pink, almost deadly moth-like platform come rushing towards them. Ju Lan hit the ground after tripping, and her companion ran in front of her.
“STOP!”
Before the fallen could react, she spread her arms in front of her. That was the last thing both girls saw before everything went black.