Crystal Lights Precure

Chapter 3- What I Really Want! The Birth of Cure Hazel!

Takamura Momoka had always felt different and out of place from the rest of her classmates. And she knew why. When she was born, she was extremely sick and the doctors doubted that she would make it. She however, pushed through and was able to survive. But it didn't take long for them to realize why she was so sick. She was deaf. For the first few months of her life, she couldn't hear anything until she was given hearing aids when she was old enough. From there everything went fine, until she had to start school. The kids in her school used to constantly bully her for being deaf. They would torment her whenever they got the chance. She had to put up with it for so long, until she just couldn't take it anymore.

Her parents decided to move to a different city and Momoka was transferred to a new school. She learned that in order to gain respect from her classmates, she had to act like the rest of them. That's when she started becoming popular and well liked around the school. She kept up this social butterfly act well into middle school. Even though she is much more social now, in reality she is still nervous and self conscious. She would have liked to truly be herself, but if she did that no one would respect her. So she would just have to keep up the act a little while longer.

The weekend had ended and it was the start of another week. Natsu had been getting more and more sleep since becoming a Pretty Cure. She is now much more tired than she used to be. She struggled to keep her eyes open as she sat in her desk. She looked over at an empty desk near the front. That was Takamura Momoka's desk, one of the most popular girls in her grade. She is a very social girl who is a part of the culinary club and has lots of friends. But once you actually get to know her, she is actually very nice and sweet. And she isn't popular for her looks or her wealth, but for her social personality.

For some reason, Momoka wasn't here today. She wondered why, but she knew that it was none of her business. She had more important things to worry about anyway. But then a few minutes later, Momoka came bursting in the door. Momoka smiled and gave the teacher a slip of paper. She read it and put it into her pocket. Momoka sat down and started chatting with her friends again. About ten more minutes went by when the lunch bell rang. Momoka sat up immediately and ran to her friends group. Natsu and Aika stared at her from afar. "You know Natsu? I was thinking that maybe we could become friends with her. She seems nice." Aika suggested.

"She might be, but I'm not sure that her 'friends' are." Natsu sighed. "I've seen them do a lot of mean things to other students. I've stood up to them multiple times, but they just never learn. I just don't think Momoka is hanging out in the right crowd."
Meanwhile, just outside the darkened Crystalline Kingdom, stood the realm of the Dark Crystals. Obsidian was minding his own business, when a shadow fell over him. He looked up and saw black dressed, smaller figure standing before him. "What do you want, Onyx?" "I just talked to Lady Moonstone. She said that since you haven't found the Crystal Lights, she will be sending me to find them." He replied. "Yeah? Good luck with that." "Oh I will. Just watch and I'll show you how it's done." Then he walked away.

Lunch break arrived and Natsu and Aika sat at their usual seat on the rooftop. Just ahead of them, they saw Momoka walking to another bench alone. "What is she doing here?" Natsu asked. "Doesn't she usually eat in the courtyard?" As Momoka sat down on the bench, she took something out of her ear and sat it next to her. "What is that?" Natsu asked. "It looks like.....a hearing aid?" "What?!" Natsu and Aika stood up and walked over to her. "Momoka, what are you doing?" Momoka put the thing back in her ear and replied, "N...nothing!" "Was that a hearing aid you put in your ear?" Aika asked. "N...no, m...maybe," Momoka stuttered until she finally calmed down and admitted it.

"You see, I can't hear well at all. My parents said that I was born deaf and I couldn't hear anything for a few months. So I got hearing aids at a very young age." "I see," said Aika. "How come you never told us this?" "Because I was worried that if they found out, I would get bullied. Just like what happened back then..." Natsu and Aika gasped. "You were bullied?!" "Back in grade school I was. They bullied me, cause I was deaf and they thought I was a freak." "I'm very sorry to hear that. But I think that you should tell them the truth. You're not hanging out in the right crowd, they're not good people."

"I don't think being popular is really what you want. I think you just wanted people to accept you. But what do you really want? What is it you want to do? What do you think will make you feel happier? That's what you should think about, Momoka." Before Momoka could have anymore time to think about it, the bell rang again announcing that lunch break is over. "I'll see you at class," Momoka said as she grabbed her lunch and left. "We should get going too," said Aika. Natsu nodded and followed Aika to the doors.

A little while later, the school day had just ended and Onyx stood on top the school rooftop. "Now, who would like to volunteer to hand over your sparkle?" He looked over to an orange haired girl, talking among her friends. "I choose you! Let the power of darkness dull the sparkle of your heart!" A sparkling light arose from the girl and fainted over her shocked friends. "Capture the light! Dark Sparkle!" In no time at all, another Dark Sparkle appeared, scaring off her friends. "Let's lure out those Pretty Cure shall we?" Natsu and Aika were just about to go home, when Pearl sensed the monster. "It's a Dark Sparkle!" She exclaimed. Natsu and Aika ran to a secluded spot to transform and find the Dark Sparkle.

Meanwhile, Momoka was horrified at what she saw. She was about to run away, but one of her hearing aids fell out. She had no choice but to grab it real quick. "What's this? Dropped something, missy?" He sneered at her. "This shall lure out the Pretty Cure. Get her!" The Dark Sparkle captured Momoka and held her hostage. Just then, Crystal and Misty appeared and freed Momoka. "About time! We've been waiting for you!" "How dare you hurt our friend like that! Now you're going to pay!" Natsu yelled at him. "Friend?" Her words repeated in Momoka's mind. Was that girl....Natsu? And if it is....did she really just called her their friend?

Her thoughts jerked back to reality when she saw them captured by the Dark Sparkle. "Natsu! Aika!" She exclaimed. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to save them, but she knew she couldn't do it. Suddenly, Natsu's words rushed back to her. "But what do you really want? What is it you want to do? What do you think will make you feel happier? That's what you should think about, Momoka." She suddenly understood. Being popular isn't what she wants. Being herself is what she wants. And running away isn't what she wants. Saving them is what she wants. She knew what she had to do and she wasn't afraid anymore.

She ran up to the Dark Sparkle and threw a rock at it. "Let them go!" She shouted. "M...momoka? W..what are you doing?!" Natsu exclaimed. "I finally understand what I really want! I'm not running away, I'm going to save you guys no matter what I have to do! Because, I have faith in myself that I can do it!" Right after she said that, she was immersed in a yellow light, which caused her to free Natsu and Aika. And just like that, a yellow locket appeared before Momoka. "I can do it! I know I can!" She grabbed the locket with full confidence.

Transformation Sequence
Momoka opens the locket and waves her hand around it. "Sparkle! Pretty Cure Crystallization!" She twists the sparkle arising from it with her finger. In a big gust of wind, her armbands appear along with her boots and her dress. Her short hair grows longer and is styled in a side ponytail. It also changes it to light orange color. "The warmth of the gentle breeze! Cure Hazel!"

The timid blonde haired girl, now become a Pretty Cure dressed in yellow and orange. "Cure Hazel?!" Natsu and Aika gasped. "Another Pretty Cure? How interesting!" said Onyx. Hazel swiped her arm, which caused the Dark Sparkle to fall back and free Crystal and Misty. "Hazel! Thank you!" They thanked her. "No, thank you. For helping me realize what it is I really want." They smiled and turned their attention back to the Dark Sparkle. Together, they formed a great combo to push it down. "Alright, Hazel! Can you purify it?" "Don't worry! I got it!"

Attack Sequence
Momoka taps her locket and a sparkly yellow light takes the form of her baton. "Sparkle Star Baton!" She twirls her baton and creates a ring of light. "Let the power of light return your sparkle! Pretty Cure!  Sparkling Windy Catch!" She threw her baton and traps the Dark Sparkle in a sparkly yellow ring. "I'm sparkling....."

"Hmm...looks like they have another comrade. Better report this to Moonstone." As he retreated, everything went back to normal. Momoka immediately approached Natsu and Aika. "What just happened? A giant monster appeared and you two showed up in crazy outfits and I gained a new outfit and......" "Calm down, Momoka. We'll explain everything to you soon." said Pearl. "A talking plush turtle?!" Momoka exclaimed. "I'm not a plush turtle!" Natsu and Aika smiled to each other. "Looks like we have a new friend and a new teammate!" "That's right! We're friends!" Momoka smiled. "Yes, this is what I really want. To be myself and to have true friends."