#miyukiku

  Aoi and Aqua both simpered behind her but Aoi accepted it. Miyu had grown up somewhat from when she was child, she realised. That’s why she was the leader. Unofficially appointed, anyway.

  Miyu strode forth and in a burst of colour, so different to the grey and black and red around them, pure and shining and bright, Miyu transformed. Ribbons unfurled around her, only to tightly wrap her up in swimming suit like lyrcra and a tutu and mismatched socks and high heeled boots. All that eye cloyingly bright cyan and she was protected by it all, as scantily clad as it may seem.

  She was no longer just Sugisaki Miyu, silly schoolgirl and sports extraordinaire; she was Cure Raindrop, the energetic and refreshing Cure of Water, one of the Emissaries of the Elements.

  And she was the only person who could put out this fire because she had started it.

  With a flick of her wrist, Miyu generated a barrier of water which protected her as she fazed through the inferno which burned and all the smoke and ash and embers which it produced. Her demeanour was calm but determined as she found her dear friend in the middle of it all; on her knees, clutching her head, bawling.

  “Kiku.” Miyu called out.

  “Leave me alone.” Kiku spat.

  “D’aw, you know me, I can’t do that.” Miyu murmured.

  She knelt in front of this girl. And a girl that she didn’t know.

  She saw half of Kiku, her friend. White schoolgirl blouse, blue-black hair in a plait which wound around her neck, but she also saw someone else; her foe. Her hands had turned to claws, her arms now looked as though they were clad with lava and her eyes, once a cooled amber were now molten, colouring the whole of her eye, not just her pupil. She didn’t look human, but she still looked like Miyu.

  “Get away from me, Raindrop.” Kiku snapped. “I was sent here to kill you. To kill you and Cure Maiden, to kill the Fairy, Aqua, and to rob humanity of ever knowing a peaceful nature ever again.”

  “But is such destruction what you want?” Miyu asked.

  Kiku looked up at her. For a moment, the golden colour of her eyes turned to white. Tears dribbled down her cheeks, only to turn to steam because her body was so hot. Miyu smiled an almost despairing smile.

  “Well? Is it?” she prompted Kiku.

  “I am p-proud to be a henchperson of the all glorious Fire.” Kiku spat out a reply but it was obvious that she was lying.

  “Were you... No, are you proud to be my friend?” Miyu asked.

  Kiku whimpered. She looked up slightly, to meet Miyu’s eyes briefly, only to evade not only Miyu’s kind gaze, but her own feelings as well.

  “I was never your friend.” Kiku murmured. “I was sent here on behalf of the Empire of Fire to gain your trust... to betray you...”

  Miyu shook her head. She didn’t see it that way. She didn’t feel it that way. Miyu had always been the friendly sort of girl, playing with as many children as she could in parks as a child and even now, a decade on, she was the number one peacekeeper in her high school class. She had earned the title of Class President because of her cheerful and friendly demeanour over someone more practical or book smart. Kiku was not exempt from this warmth that Miyu felt unto those around her.

  She had been confused at first, yes, by this girl who had suddenly appeared before her. No information to her aside from her name on the whiteboard behind her and who politely refused to wear the same uniform as every other student in the class and ergo, the whole school. Miyu had been even more confused when this girl began to tail her and found a place to stay with her.

  But Miyu had welcomed Kiku into her heart. She had taken her on many adventures, to the mall and to the park and to many more, sometimes skirting secret identities and whatnot because that was just the life of a magical girl. They had spent so many nights together studying or watching movies. There were a few different extremes in their relationship, but it had become a friendship, nonetheless. A very dear and important friendship to Miyu’s heart.

  Even Kiku was who she said she was: Kuki of the Fire Empire. The very Kuki who had driven back the combined forces of Cure Raindrop and Cure Maiden to the brink, only to fumble at the last minute and then, mysteriously, disappear whilst her brethren from the Empire continued to wage their war against humanity, as defended by the Pretty Cure duo of Miyu and Aoi.

  Although, Miyu was quite certain that her and Aoi’s duo was about to change.

  It wasn’t about to become a solo act afforded by Aqua, no, it was going to become a trio. Miyu still had that spare Crystal Heart. The very one that Aqua had been afraid to give her. Miyu’s Crystal Heart was the one which represented Water and it transformed her into Cure Raindrop. Aoi’s Crystal Heart was the one of Wind and transformed her into Cure Maiden. And now, Miyu was certain, that the third Crystal Heart would be accepted by Kiku.

  She felt it beyond her heart and beyond her soul, she could feel how right this decision was in the heat around her and in the ground beneath her, in the tears that Kiku cried, and in the gusts which dangled around them in this hidden, ashy place.

  Miyu was certain. Her lips tingled. Just like that time when she and Kiku had slept next to one another on different futons but had inched together in the course of night, only to wake and find each other so perfectly irresistible in the dark and in the post dream haze of exhaustions. They hadn’t kissed but Miyu’s heart had pounded so hard and she felt a sensation in her lips which made her wish that they had, rather than breathe so quietly, awkwardly exchanging glances.

  “I really like you, Kiku, you’re my friend and I know you think of me as one also. So please, accept me into your heart.” Miyu said and she then drew forth the third Crystal Heart. “Accept this.”

  “Oh, Miyu...” Kiku warbled. “I couldn’t. I can’t.”

  “You can. I know you can.” Miyu said.

  Kiku wiped her eyes and the flames on her skin simpered. She regained control of the illusion which was her body. Save for her ears, now pointed and elfin. Miyu smiled. Kiku took a big breath and hesitantly accepted the Crystal Heart from Miyu.

  “You’re like... a living truth detector. I can’t lie to you.” Kiku mumbled. “I like you too. I want, no, I am your friend and I would much rather see the world in peace than in flames.”

  “Thank you, Kiku.” Miyu said.

  On their knees, both girls hugged. Hugged tight. Miyu all but didn’t want to let go as her very aura cooled Kiku who singed the ground beneath her. But their arms did slip away eventually and Miyu helped Kiku to her feet.

  “You can do it. You can use it.” Miyu told her, as self-assured as telling someone that the sun would rise the next morning.

  Kiku held tightly onto the Crystal Heart. She felt its power flow through her as she accepted it and all of Miyu’s love in tow. With a breath, she found her own power inside of her. She transformed. Not into a human, not into an Efreeti, nor an abomination of them both but something else.

  Ribbons and frills trailed around her, she smiled brilliantly, and she became the person that she had always wanted to be. All in gloves and socks and a lovely dress with a kindly, fiery motif woven through it all.

  “I now dub you... Cure Blaze.” Miyu decided as she took Kiku’s hands.

  Kiku tugged on Miyu’s hands and then brought her into a dear and tight embrace. Nuzzling into the crook of Miyu’s neck, thinking about how they had all the time in the world, unlike before, these surprisingly cherished past six months or so which were crooked and borrowed due to being a pretence for a failed betrayal. Kiku decided that wanted to not only see the spring and summer with this precious person of hers, but the other seasons too, autumn and winter.