Crystal Lights Precure

Chapter 7- Can't Move On! Natsu's Hidden Pain!

The morning after the girls big victory, Natsu awoke from her sleep, sweating violently. When she finally regained composure, she stared at the ceiling. She had just awoken from a terrible nightmare. A nightmare where everyone she loved left her, leaving her all alone in a swarm of darkness. She's been having nightmares like this ever since she was little. She didn't want to think about it now. She had to get ready for school.

"Good morning, Natsu!" Aika greeted as Natsu headed to her locker. "Morning," Natsu sighed. "Natsu? Are you okay?" "Oh yeah, I'm fine." She said. "I just didn't sleep well last night as I had a nightmare." "A nightmare?! How dreadful!" Aika gasped. "What was it about?" "I'll tell you later, we've got class." "Okay then,"

Things went normally that morning, until it was time for lunch. Natsu, Aika, Momoka and Akari sat at their usual spot on the rooftop. "So Natsu, what was that nightmare about?" Aika asked, curiously. "Well, I dreamt that everyone I loved had disappeared and I was left all alone. Trapped in an endless sea of darkness. It was awful." The others listened to her. "Oh man. That sounds awful." Akari sighed. "This isn't actually the first time I've had a dream like that. I've been having those dreams ever since I was little. I've only recently stopped having these dreams, but for some reason I've got it again."

"That is really weird." Momoka remarked. "Why did you have these dreams in the first place?" Aika asked. Natsu's face immediately darkened. "Natsu? Was it something I said?" "No. It's okay. It's just that....." Her voice dragged off. Just then the bell went off, signaling that lunchtime is over. "It's time to class." Natsu said as she ran off without the others. "Natsu! Wait!" They said as they went off after her. "What is wrong with me? Why can't I tell them? It's so simple!" Natsu thought as she sat in her desk.

The school day finally ended and Natsu began to head to her locker. "Natsu?" Aika asked as she approached her. "Do you mind if we come over to your house today?" "Sure. I don't mind." Natsu shrugged. The girls walked in silence all the way to Natsu's house. When they arrived, they followed Natsu all the way to her room and sat on the floor with her. "So, Natsu.." Aika began. "We want to know what went on at lunch today." Natsu grew silent again. "It's nothing." "It's not nothing. Something is definitely bothering you." Akari stated. "Please. Tell us what's going on." Natsu looked her in the eyes and sighed.

"Fine. You asked me before why I had started having these dreams, correct?" They nodded. "Well....I started having these dreams when I was little....after my father's death." Aika, Momoka and Akari's eyes widened upon hearing this. "WHAT?! YOUR FATHER'S DEATH?!" They exclaimed. "Yes..." "But....how....why?" "It happened a little after Akari left Kagakira. My father grew very sick. He was extremely stressed and sleep deprived. We soon learned that he had a heart disease and was really suffering. And within a few days, he....died."

"Oh my god....and all this happened after I left. I'm so sorry to hear that," said Akari. "He really was a great person." "Thank you. But anyways, after his death, I began to truly understand reality. I grew paranoid, scared and alone. That's why I started having those nightmares." Natsu explained. "That's just awful! I can't believe something like that happened to you!" Momoka exclaimed. "Yeah. Just when I thought I've finally moved on, I started having them again. I just don't know what to do anymore. Why can't these dreams go away?"

"I see what's going on. You're finding it hard to accept that he's gone. But Natsu, moving on doesn't mean forgetting and acting like he's still here. Moving on is accepting that he's gone and carrying on with your life." Aika told her. "I know." Natsu muttered. "But I can't just accept it.....I miss him....I just want him to hug me and tell me that everything will be okay." Tears started to form as Natsu began to cry. "I know. It's not easy, I know. But good things in this world don't always come easy. Like defeating that Dark Sparkle. It wasn't easy, but we kept going and we were eventually able to defeat it." "That was because we were together.." "Exactly. You don't have to go through this alone anymore. We're all here for you. We'll help you overcome your loss together."

Natsu finally managed to stop crying and looked at everyone. "Yeah! We're never going to leave you!" Momoka exclaimed. "We're here for you no matter what!" Akari added. "You guys.....thank you so much.." Later that night, Natsu walked into the backyard just after dinner. Right before her was her father's grave. It would have been placed in the Kagakira Cemetery, but her mother insisted on putting it here so that it would feel like he's still here. Every now and then, Natsu was walk to his grave and talk to him about various things. She even told him that she had became a Pretty Cure.

That day, she sat next to his grave and talked about what happened that day. "So....I finally told my friends about your death. They seemed really shocked to hear about it. I told them about my nightmare and they told me that I had to accept your death to move on. But even now, I still can't just accept it. I still have a hole in my heart since your departure and it will never be fixed. I...I miss you so much..." Natsu trailed off as she started to cry. After a while, she got up and went back inside.

The next morning, Natsu awoke to the sound of beeping. She reached her phone to turn off her alarm, but to her surprise the beeping wasn't coming from her phone, it was coming from the Gem Track. Pearl awoke too. "Uh oh! This could only mean one thing!" Pearl exclaimed. Natsu quickly ran to her window and jumped out. She quickly texted the others warning them. The two followed the Gem Track until they reached the Dark Sparkle. "It looks like a normal Dark Sparkle this time." Natsu sighed. She pulled out her locket and transformed. "The bright shine of love! Cure Crystal!"

"I was wondering when you'd show up......oh it's just you today?" Obsidian sneered. "Not for long! Everyone else is on their way!" "If that's the case, I'll have to defeat you quickly. Get her!" The Dark Sparkle began to charge at her, but she was able to dodge it. She laid a punch to its face, causing it to fall backwards. But just as she was starting to catch her breath, it got right back up and punched her back. As she tried to get back up, it pushed her back to the ground. "That's it! Crush her!" Natsu however struggled to push away its fist. "There's no point in trying! There's no future left for you!" Obsidian laughed at her.

"You're wrong! There's a bright future waiting for me! But I'm never going to get to it if I remain in the past." Aika's words echoed in her head. "I have to accept the past to move forward in the future. There's no forgetting, but I need to move beyond it and work towards the future. And it starts by defeating you all once and for all!" She gained the strength to push the Dark Sparkle back, just in time for the others to show up. "Sorry we took so long, Natsu!" Akari said. "It's okay. Let's finish this together!" The cures worked together to fight the Dark Sparkle until it was finally weakened. "Okay! Let's purify it!"

Attack Sequence
Natsu tapped the locket at her chest, which created another pink light and out came a baton with two stars attached. "Sparkle Star Baton!" She grabbed the baton and began twirling with her hand! "Let the power of the light return your sparkle! Pretty Cure! Sparkling Light Catch!" She threw her baton at the monster, trapping it in a pink loop, purifying it. "I'm sparkling....." it murmured as it purified.

"God dang it! You'll pay for this!" He yelled as he vanished. "Sorry we didn't show up sooner. We only just woke up and saw your text." Momoka apologized. "It's okay.....wait a minute." Natsu checked her phone and her eyes widened. "We're late!" She cried. She quickly ran back to her house to get dressed and rushed back to the others. "We've gotta get going or we'll all be in big trouble!" As they raced off to school, Natsu made a silent prayer to her father.

"Dad...I'll never forget you for as long as I live and I'll always love you....but at the same time I need to carry on with my life. I love you...Dad..."