Chapter 456

One hundred ninety-first: The Cycle of Escape and Pursuit

“Answer me! Ash, you’re always such a rational person and good at speaking. So answer me now!”

Bitterly agitated Lily grabbed at the collar of Ash’s overcoat; her overly intense movement also brought unnecessary pain, likely due to its pull on her wound, causing the sterile bandages wrapped around her abdomen to sting sharply.

But even as sweat trickled from her hairline due to the pain, she refused to let go and maintained an angry glare towards the dark eyes facing her.

The Dark Pretty Cure lying behind furrowed her brow slightly before turning over.

After a moment of silence, the man moved his lips, offering an ambiguous response.

“If that’s what you think.”

You want me to tell you who I am… Hmph, right now even I’m not sure about myself.

“That’s not the answer I wanted!”

Furious, Lily raised her hand to strike again, but this time Ash caught it, and the persistent girl immediately began struggling fiercely.

“Let go of me! Didn’t you say you don’t need us anymore?!”

In that case, I can do things however I want!

“I never said anything like that. You should hold back a bit or risk losing the needle in your arm.”

“—”

Ash’s roar finally calmed her somewhat. Looking down her arm, she saw the medical tubing hanging from her arm, flowing with fresh blood. The tubing led up to the IV bag dripping behind her. Another tube connected from the IV to her own arm and to the Dark Pretty Cure’s limb.

“Drip—”

The life-supporting device emitted a clear sound periodically alongside the constant dripping of blood from the bag.

“You two are enemies, often fighting until both of you wound each other severely, especially you who lost a lot of blood from an abdominal injury.”

“I kept Little Dark alive just in time by using my own method, then fed you a Heart Seed to maintain your vitality, but regaining the lost portion still required real blood.”

Releasing Lily, Ash began recounting the story that preceded this scene.

“But later during surgery, they didn’t have your blood type, and as I was at a loss, I discovered something else. Can you guess who saved you?”

Turning her head to see Dark Pretty Cure peacefully sleeping, everything became clear to her.

Indeed, she could feel herself becoming less weak over time.

“Now…”

“Yes, just as you thought.”

Touching his face, which felt hot from the struggle, Ash sat back in front of Lily. He glanced briefly at Little Dark, asleep peacefully behind Lily, and continued telling his tale expressionlessly.

“More than just matching blood types, there’s no rejection between you. Despite the opposite forces within your bodies, you share the same blood. Calling Little Dark your sister is accurate.”

“So, I took her blood to save you, now you truly share the same blood.”

As these words fell, Lily instinctively touched her hand, sensing a presence flowing through her.

“The enemy fatefully sharing your blood – isn’t that quite remarkable?”

“And if I could achieve this, why not the relations we argue about constantly?”

If you still demand an answer, then here it is…

“Regardless of what others think, my bright and dark sides are both part of me. I am just who I am.”

If only I were the protagonist who could effortlessly touch hearts even an enemy’s coldness. But that’s not Ash. Lately, he himself has been the one touched, so in answering Lily’s query, exhausted as he is, this is all he can manage.

“You’re not lying… Are you?”

“I’m not lying; I know it’s hard for anyone to believe me. Even sometimes, I doubt myself too… But even with a tiny bit of faith… Hmm?”

Before Ash could finish, Lily had already hugged him, showing her resolve through action.

“Even though I don’t know much of your past, I’ve always trusted the manager who guided us. Why… couldn’t you trust us more?”

Ash, your hidden past and protective walls are too thick; what is inside your heart?

“Well, regardless, Little Dark won’t be an enemy anymore. I hope you two can get along.”

“Not just her, I also hope you can return to us!”

Lily’s words hit Ash deeply. His reply was silent.

“I can’t go back.”

You may think broken bonds can reconnect someday. But for me, those times are gone forever.

“Some things aren’t understood by mere words. If they could be, the world wouldn’t be filled with misunderstandings.”

“But if you continue acting solely for yourself, aren’t you exactly the reason behind these misunderstandings?”

Without a response, Ash gently laid Lily down, then turned away.

He fled.

Watching him leave, Lily realized she only saw the parts Ash chose to show her, and perhaps she indulged too much in her idealized view, forsaking the real truth. In doing so, she realized she might be the one clinging to her selfishness.

Where is the real Ash then?

With this realization, she stood firm.

“Don’t run away—”

Removing her needle, she gripped the transformation item beside her pillow, transformed into CureMoonlight, and headed out to chase him once more.

This time, she would not let him escape before any confrontation.

She would never abandon him!

“Lily – you really are strong!”

Seeing Lily transform into CureMoonlight in a shower of light, Ash took out his Spider Emblem.

Sure, considering my condition, better to use Timons’ power here.

“Don’t run!”

He ran.

She chased.

“Splash splash—”

With each step and each raindrop, water fell heavily in the night, drenching the long hair of Pretty Cure and soaking the web armor of Kamen Rider, as it did on their first meeting, their betrayal, and now today.