Eternal Power Pretty Cure

Chapter 30「Dawnfall」

"Hey, Zaira-chan..."

"Hm?"

"Do you... have a moment?"

It was late at night, beams of blue-violet piercing through shattered glass windows. They left prism-like patterns on the floor. Inside the grand hall of the palace stood Karin and the princess opposite of her and by the staircase. Time zipped by a couple of minutes...

"Ah... so that's what you're worried about."

"I just can't get that possibility out of my head... My friends, Felitai... everyone..." Karin was sitting on the staircase now, face buried into her hands. "Everything is supposed to be okay now... but don't they have any regrets? Like how we should have trained more so we didn't have to face defeat the way we did-"

Zaira slowly sat next to her and leaned in for a one-arm embrace. "You're not the only one. I too have my fair share of regrets. But don't push yourself away because of them! Everyone is fighting their own inner battles, you know. I know my battle has not ended yet..." She sighed.

Karin looked at her. "Really?"

"I know... pitiful for a princess destined to inherit the throne, isn't it?"

"N-No, not at all! ... In fact, I think that makes you more down-to-earth..."

"In my condition, I can only do so much to restore my home and help my people, but... I also wish I could have done more to help my mother..." Zaira began to look woeful. Her fist tightened on her lap. "That I wish I could've sacrificed more of my power if it meant fending off more of the Daiabo forces... Maybe none of this would have happened." Tears began to swirl within her only visible eye. Her shell of emotion she bottled up for so long, finally began to break. "I'm a failure of a-"

"Don't say that!" Karin grabbed Zaira by the shoulders and looked at her intently. "You... you did what you could... At least now you're on your way to restoring your kingdom. But even if we're all together again... I don't think that necessarily spells instant victory for us..."

"Karin..."

Her hands still latched onto her shoulders, Karin's gaze was drooping down.

"... If anyone's a failure around here, it's me."

Karin thought of the strange interaction last night as she walked on the sidewalk to school - this time alone, a rare sight for a girl so friendly and sociable.

"Zaira-chan..." She thought of the tears the princess shed before her. That was a side of her she had never seen before. Perhaps for everyone's sake, she was suppressing it all within only to break.

But was Karin safe to break in front of her friends? After being established as the sunshine of her team, she couldn't possibly do it without an altercation... Would they understand? They understood when they were processing their past defeat... Surely they would understand now too?

"Uh... Karin!" Felitai cried from her bag.

Suddenly, Karin bumped into a pole near the gates of the school. Her glasses fell crooked.

"Ow!" She readjusted them before noticing the flyer attached to the pole. It was for the cultural festival in less than three months, notifying classes and clubs to prepare accordingly.

Karin frowned at the reminder. This wasn't the right time to tell her troubles. Not after they reunited and decided on their club events for the-