Chapter Text
The day is warm with a cool breeze, butterflies fluttering about, landing on flowers as birds sing gracefully. A perfect representation of the mood that the girls are currently in. They are sitting in a circle, enjoying a calm and delicious picnic in the park. The trees cast a shade over them, as they enjoy sandwiches and various snacks and drinks, both home-cooked and store-bought. They all engage in conversation, laughing and eating, the pixies are out of hiding and sitting with the girls on the large picnic blanket, as the trees surrounding provide sufficient privacy.
Raquel sits on Rikkas shoulder, enjoying a strawberry as Rikka enjoys a smoothie. Mana enjoys herself a few sandwiches, Sharuru sitting next to her, ravenging the chocolate chip cookies. Alice poisely sips her tea, with Lance in her lap fast asleep after having devoured a whole party-sized bag of chips all by himself. Makoto and Daybi, who is in pixie form, are also enjoying tea. The atmosphere is enjoyable, and all are in a great mood.
“Man, this is so fun! I never want this day to end!” Mana exclaims with a mouth full of sandwich. Everyone giggles at her childish display, and nod their head in agreement.
“Agreed Mana, today is just wonderful!” Alice concurs, putting down her cup and reaching for a chocolate-covered strawberry.
“These sandwiches are so good Mana! You should make them more often! ~sharu”
“Thanks Sharuru!”
They all enjoy their time for a while longer, eating and chatting. Suddenly, Lance shoots upright from his slumber into the air in front if Alice’s face, such action startling everyone.
“Alice! Manger! Mark darkbeet!”
They all freeze, perplexed on what he had just said as he quickly shakes his head and repeats himself, a bit more awake this time, “I sense a dark heartbeat!”
Immediately, a crash is heard throughout the park- and the girls spring into action. The other pixies, and Mana, all groaning in disappointment, scarf down the last few bites of their food as Makoto, with a hint of annoyance at the disruption, looks around the group, “Looks like our day got interrupted, girls. Let's finish this quickly so we can come right back!”
The pixies cheer and quickly turn into lovely communes. The girls transform, ready to get this fight over with so they can continue their day.
*-*-*-*
At the hideout, a lazy Marmo lounges on a couch, watching Ira as he leans against the wall, hands around his stomach.
“What's wrong Ira?” She starts sarcastically, “You look so… pasty. You should take a sick day.” she snickers.
“Shut up you old hag! I'm fine, there's nothing wrong.”
Suddenly, he feels a sharp pain in his stomach and doubles over. The pain had started in the morning, and hadn't left since.
She snickers again, “Okay~, but you better not come back crawling after you collapse out there.”
Bel walks into the room and notices the state Ira is in. He walks up to the couch Marmo is on and leans on the back of it, “Don't push yourself too hard, Ira. Weakness in battle can lead to… unfortunate consequences.”
Ira scoffs and stands upright, the pain subsiding enough for him to leave, “I am not weak.” he declares and teleports away, determined to fight despite feeling under the weather.
*-*-*-*
Back at the park, the cures make their way through the dense trees of the park towards the pulse of the dark heartbeat. Once there, they find the jikochuu, causing havoc. Its appearance resembles a giant water fountain, spewing water everywhere and using its strong stream to catapult trees.
The girls stop before the Jikochuu, in ready stances. They spot Ira behind it, egging it on, sitting on the branch of a tree and laying against the trunk. He tells it specific trees to blast and laughs at them flying away.
“That's enough Ira! You’re ruining this beautiful park for your own selfish entertainment!” Mana clenches her fists, “We won't let you get away with it!”
They start their attack on the jikochuu, it sprays strong streams of water onto them, Cure Rosetta protecting everyone with her shield. It sprays water everywhere, and creates a muddy and slippery surface all over the ground, in which the girls often slip on, and Ira laughs at.
Annoyed, Rikka decides to leave the group effort against the jikochuu and turn to Ira at the tree, “How about you get down here and fight your own battles!”
Interested, he gets up off the branch. Cure... whatever- had never challenged him to a one on one before. As soon as his feet land on the muddy floor, he stumbles a bit- nausea hitting him like a tidal wave and he doubles over once again, clutching his stomach tightly, groaning quietly in pain.
Cure Diamond takes a step back, a bit surprised. Her first instinct was to ask Ira if he was okay and try to help, but the sounds of the battle behind her served as a reminder that he was her enemy. She got in a defensive fighting stance.
“What's wrong with him!? ~quel”
“I don't know Raquel, but we can’t leave our guard down.”
After a moment, the nausea passed slightly, and Ira slowly stood back upright. Just as he was going to say something, his mouth filled with a strong metallic taste. He had a millisecond to slap a hand over his mouth before bile rushed up his throat faster than he could’ve suppressed it. His face warmed and he teleported away into the thick forest of trees, and finished throwing up on the floor for several minutes.
Rikka stood there stunned, staring at the place Ira had just disappeared from. Did her enemy just leave to go throw up in the middle of a fight?
Is he okay?
*-*-*-*
Marmo shrieked with laughter, almost falling off the couch, “You did what!?”
Ira laid face down on a different couch, digging his face deeper into the pillow, his ears red from embarrassment.
Bel watched, amused, “You shouldn't have gone if you were feeling sick. This was very avoidable.”.
“Shut up…. the both of you.” He said, muffled.
Bel smirked, “Well,” he retreats from the couch and heads to the bar, “there's always next time. That is, if you survive this flu.”
The pain in his stomach and throat was nothing compared to the embarrassment he was feeling. Ira made a decision right then and there, a decision that would change the trajectory of his life.
He decided to go back the next day, and give the Pretty Cures his all and redeem himself, by beating them once and for all.
Even if he was still feeling sick.