Blearily Nagisa opened her eyes to... the complaining face of Mepple. She turned her head to face the pillow and mumbled, "G'way. Wanna sleep."

"NAGISA!!! I'M HUNGRY-mepo!"

That mepo was annoying. Very much so. Alas, what could she do? Nagisa got up and grabbed the annoying creature, swiping the card quickly. Her mouth watered as she saw the delectable breakfast being prepared, although her face turned annoyed as Mepple turned it down.

"Spoilt brat," she muttered under her breath.

Glancing at the alarm clock, she saw that...

She was dead. Very much so.

Swiping a piece of toast from her brother, she bolted for school, Mepple complaining in her pocket.

A routine day, that passed without any strange occurances. Well, perhaps it wasn't, as Nagisa was actually thinking about something other than the Dark Zone, sports, and Fuji-P.

Where was that place? Why was she there? Nagisa glanced at Honoka - her eyes had been so hollow and lost; and why was Pissard there? She didn't even know why she was pondering on it so much, because it was a dream, although it didn't feel like one.

"Misumi-san!"

Her attention snapped back to the present and she balked at the amused face of the English teacher.

"Since you are so kind as to join us, Misumi-san, why don't you read Chapter 4 for us?"

The class shared a collective giggle as she stumbled over the words. Nagisa didn't mind though, after all, it happened every day.

After lacrosse practice, Honoka came by and approached her with concern.

"Are you okay, Nagisa? You look kind of stressed out?"

Nagisa grinned at her and said, "I'm fine! I had a really strange dream though... I thought I was at a hospital, and Pissard was there as a nurse!"

The image of Pissard dressed in a nurse's uniform rose unbidden in Nagisa's mind, making her laugh. Honoka seemed to have had the same image, for she started giggling too, and pretty soon they were clutching each other from laughing too hard.

Just an absurd dream, she told herself happily. See, nothing to worry about.

Once home she glared at the pile of homework that materialized itself onto her desk.

I'll do it later, she thought, and collapsed onto the bed.

She woke to find Honoka's face shadowing over her.

"Honoka?" Nagisa was completely confused. Shouldn't I be at home? Unless...

Rising up to take a look around, Nagisa confirmed that she was indeed back in the hospital. She groaned. She'd never wanted to come back here.

The soft, timid voice of Honoka stirred her out of her reverie.

"H-how d-d-d-do y-y-ou know m-m-my n-n-name?"

Nagisa was more surprised to find that Honoka stuttered more than the fact that this Honoka didn't seem to recognize her.

"I'm your friend Nagisa! We fight for justice together!" A blank face stared back at her.

Frustrated, Nagisa began making the gestures that Cure Black did. "We are Cure Black and Cure White, fighting to rid the world of evil! We both have these cellphone like creatures that help us transform!"

A sudden smile broke on to Honoka's face.

"I-i-is th-th-this w-w-w-w-what y-y-y-you t-t-t-talk ab-b-b-bout a-a-a-a-ll th-th-th-th-the t-t-t-time?"

Now it was Nagisa's turn to be confused.

"What I talk about all the time?"

"Y-y-y-you w-w-w-w-would-d-d-dn't kn-kn-know. A-a-a-a-ll th-th-th-the d-d-d-d-oct-t-t-tors c-c-c-ome in a-a-a-nd w-w-watch y-y-y-you t-t-t-t-alk t-t-t-to y-y-y-yourself, taking n-n-n-n-notes."

Dumbfounded, Nagisa replied, "I don't talk to myself all day."

A smirk creased Honoka's face. "Ok."

A bit angry now, Nagisa came out of the bed and reached out a hand, yelling, "I don't talk to myself all day!"

I've gone crazy.

With a shriek Honoka recoiled from Nagisa, before Nagisa could even touch her shoulder. A man immediately rushed in, and upon spotting Nagisa pulled her back.

Her head whipped around, and upon spotting Pissard, a real, alive Pissard she began yelling too. Well, it was more a combination of yelling and laughter.

A moment later Dr. Marks rushed in, and grinned happily.

"Why, she's awake again!"

Pissard asked the doctor, "What should I do with her? She's been terrorizing Patient No. 89."

Scandalized, Nagisa replied, "I was not! I was simply trying to talk to Hon-mmmf!"

Pissard cast a disdainful look at her. "You be quiet."

Dr. Marks coughed and said, "Well, I think you should let go of her Pissard."

Nagisa was released, and fell roughly onto the other bed. Dr. Marks approached her and lightly reprimanded her.

"Now, Misumi-san, I understand that you don't know the rules, seeing as you've been out so long, but you should know better than to act roughly with other patients, right?"

"I-i-i-i-i-i-it's o-o-ok, s-s-s-s-sir. I-i-i-i-i j-j-j-j-just g-g-g-g-got s-s-s-s-sc-scared."

Nagisa thought she saw a sad look in the doctor's eyes as he looked at Honoka.

"Oh, I see. I understand."

He turned to face Nagisa once more, a bright look on his face.

"Well, then, now that you're awake and about, how are you feeling?"

Dumbly Nagisa replied, "Ok, I guess."

"Good, good! I'm going to notify your parents that you're awake, ok, Misumi-san? Pissard here will watch over you while I'm gone."

Horror must've shown itself on Nagisa's face, because Dr. Marks said, "It's ok, Misumi-san. We'll just have Pissard stand outside the door, ok? It's for both of your benefits."

"Ok..." Her eyes still wary, she watched the doctor all the way until he exited the room. Then her eyes focused nervously on the nurse in front of her that was supposed to be Pissard.

"I'll be outside," was his gruff voice, then he, too, exited the room.

Her gaze turned to the blue-haired girl sitting next to her. Honoka's eyes were casted down, her entire posture seeming as if she was expecting a punishment.

"I-i-i-i-i'm s-s-s-sorr-r-ry." Her eyes were still focused on the ground.

"Hey, it's ok. I know you didn't mean it. By the way, where are we?"

At this Honoka raised her head and stared at Nagisa disbelievingly. She pointed a finger at the plaque attached to the top of the doorway.

Ward 5, Tokyo Psychiatric Hospital. A sinking feeling began to settle in her stomach.

"I'm here because I'm... mental?"

Apparently this struck Honoka as funny, because she started giggling. The second Nagisa's gaze fell on her though, she stopped and seemed to shrink within herself again.

"Hey, I thought I told you, it's ok! I'm not going to hurt you!"

What happened here, to make Honoka so scared? Then, I don't like this dream.

Instinctively, Nagisa scooted close to Honoka and tentatively wrapped her arms around her. At first Honoka balked, but then she seemed to relax. Before long she was clinging on to Nagisa for dear life, to her bafflement.

Oh god, she's so thin and frail...

Without warning Nagisa began to feel dizzy, and her head sank forward to rest on Honoka's shoulders. The last thing she heard before blacking out was, "N-n-nagisa! Nagisa!"

Ok, well this is supposed to take place after Episode 9, but in Episode 10 they don't have school that day, so this is the day before Episode 10 of Pretty Cure.

To be honest, I'd half-forgotten about this story; it was just a little something I'd work on over the years, because I wasn't really expecting any reviews. Then I found out that people had reviewed my story, so... yeah.

The stuttering is annoying, isn't it? Someone tell me a good way to not make it seem so annoying.

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