Author's Notes

Before reading this chapter, here are is Great and exciting news!

This chapter marks as a milestone chapter, meaning we've reached about the halfway point of this story according to my ideal chapter content. Hang in there folks as more chapters and excitement of the Pretty Cure's colorful adventure continues to come.

To mark this occasion, this story contains more than 245K words, and it's recognized about 50 favorites and about 40 followers fans of Pretty Cure: Color Chaos.

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With that, thank you again and enjoy the next chapter.

34. A Precure River Runs Through It

Orange Canyon, a big rocky area where tall cliffs exist and a big waterfall that starts at the top of the gorge. The falls create a huge river that runs down the canyon's deep gorge. A few plants are growing near the big river, both grass and flowers. The cliffs' walls are rocky and orange, with different color crust layers on the walls.

A painting of Pigment Village hangs on a cliff's wall, which is also a few yards away from the huge river. The painting begins to shake, and out popped the Pretty Cure team landing on the ground in one piece. Once every member arrived on the scene, the team looked at the vicinity.

"Whoa-oh-ho," Akane said in awe, "this is Orange Canyon?"

"It must be," Honoka answers. "We seemed to be at the gorge of Orange Canyon."

"Well, that's good," Rin speaks. "At least we don't have to worry about heights."

"Right," Kanade agrees, "but now…, where do we go?"

With Kanade's question, the Pretty Cure team is wondering which way do they need to start looking for the next Wonder Color. They kept looking for clues, until…

"Hey look," Tint shouted to the team.

The gang heard the butterfly fairy and turned to her. Tint spotted a wooden billboard and flies towards it. When she got a closer look, Tint sees two inscriptions on the board. She then out loud for the team to hear.

"It says here to the right: The cave entrance back to Pigment Village," Tint stated.

Everyone looked to what the text said, but only to discover that the cave is sealed by a huge pile of boulders blocking the cave entrance.

"Well, we're not going that way," Setsuna stated.

Tint looked back at the board with the inscription on it and reads the other half. "The other one says to the left: Down the river to the Temple of the Canyon Monk. Those who seek the temple must visit Chalk Cliffside first."

"The Temple of the Canyon Monk?" Megumi questions.

"Chalk Cliffside?" Mai wonders.

"I'll bet my shirt that the temple is where the next Wonder Color is being held," Matt suggested.

"You might be right, Matt," Reika agrees. "But to get to the temple, we need to visit this Chalk Cliffside place first."

"I wonder if Chalk Cliffside is the town or city that resides here in Orange Canyon?" Alice said with curiosity.

"It must be," Iona answers. "After all, we visited the past areas in Spectrum Land, and they all have a village or a city."

"Then it's settled," Nozomi said with confidence. "Let's head to Chalk Cliffside. It's decided."

Everyone agrees with Nozomi, and the whole team venture down the path along the big river.

Back in Drawville, things are grim as the whole town is in complete misery. The prisoners of the town are chained slaves as they are carrying heaving black powder and mixing black goop in huge containers. The Blots commanded all the prisoners to do the slave work and not letting them escape or have long breaks. All the poor citizens feel miserable, hoping that the heroes of Spectrum Land will come to their aid very soon.

While Blots kept a keen eye on the captive residents, three citizens managed to sneak away from the Blots and escape. A man in a smock, a woman in an apron, and a little girl with two buns in her hair see the Blots patrolling the town. The three escapees try to remain hidden from the Blots as they flee for their freedom.

Just then, Sature, the colorful parakeet, appears next to the three fugitives. The three noticed the bird's presence.

"Hey, it's Sature," the woman stated.

"But if he's here…," the man speaks, "that means…"

"Psst! Fellas!" A quiet shout alerted the trio. The three fleers heard and looked to see Hue standing next to an open door leading into a deserted house. Hue waved his arm to tell the three escapees to follow Hue.

"It's Hue!" The little girl cheered quietly.

When the coast is clear, the three escapees went over to Hue and into the house. Hue closed the door and locked it with multiple deadbolts. Once the door is securely closed, Hue looked at the concerned runaways.

"Are you guys okay?" Hue asked.

"Yeah," said the man, "thank you and the rainbow heavens for saving us."

"But now what do we do?" the woman said in fear. "We're trapped in this abandoned house with no food and water."

"Don't think too negative, Ma'am," Hue said with a grin.

Hue then walks to a carpet that's in the middle of the house and removes it off the floor. Hue then reaches to the wooden floor, and in great surprise, he opened the floor revealing a secret trap door. The trio family is awed.

Hue continues to speak, "You must be optimistic and brave to survive. That's what the Pretty Cures are always doing. Use this secret passage to get into Pigment Village. You'll be safe there for the time being." The trio family is relieved and happy with this miraculous salvation.

The woman started to go down the trapdoor first. But before she continues, she turns to Hue and says, "Bless you, Hue." The woman continues onwards in the secret passage.

The girl is about to go into the passage, but she makes one question to Hue before she leaves. "Hue?" the girl asked, "Do you think the Pretty Cures will save Spectrum Land?"

Hue smiles and replies, "Believe in them. Believe with all your heart that the Pretty Cures will win and save Spectrum Land."

The girl heard Hue, and she nodded and smiled for Hue. The girl went into the passage, and the man thanked Hue for the escape before he went into the passage.

Hue closed the trapdoor and covered it with the same carpet. Sature appeared on Hue's shoulder as Hue looks at his feathery pet.

"It won't be long, Sature," Hue said to his bird. "Soon, everything will go back to normal when the Pretty Cures return all the Wonder Colors." Sature nodded to Hue in agreement.

Back in Orange Canyon, the Pretty Cure team continued to walk down and along the big river as they travel towards Chalk Cliffside. As the team kept walking, they all observe the huge steep cliffs of the canyon.

"It's incredible how steep these cliffs are," Akane noted in awe.

"You will need rock-climbing gear to scale up those rocky walls," Rikka stated.

"I wouldn't last a minute climbing up those steep walls," Miyuki said in concern. "The next thing you know, I would fall right–"

"Miyuki! STOP!" Matt Oda shouted.

Miyuki suddenly froze from Matt's shout. She is solid as a statue as she felt jolted by Matt. "M-M-M-Matt…," Miyuki said with fear, "w-w-w-what's up?"

"Sorry Miyuki, but if you took another step, you would've fallen into the river."

Miyuki heard Matt's words, and she looked down. She sees her foot is on the edge of the path and right above the water. She gasped, and she was relieved that Matt stopped her in time. Miyuki then collapsed to the ground and sighs.

"Aahhh…Thank you, Matt."

"You're welcome."

"That was very close," Reika said with a little shock.

"Miyuki would've gotten washed away-kuru." Candy said with a little fear.

The team then approached the edge of the rocky path. But they all became concerned when they discovered it is the dead-end of the rocky path. There is nowhere else to walk down the canyon's river.

"Now what do we do?" Saki said in a troubled state.

"There isn't another way to go down this river?" Tsubomi timidly questioned.

The Pretty Cure team looked around for other ways to do down the river, but they got squat.

"I don't want to say this, but I think we're stuck," Ako sadly stated.

"But we can't get the next Wonder Color and save Spectrum Land by standing here," Tint panicked.

"I know!" Erika speaks up, "Maybe we can swim down the river. It wouldn't hurt to get wet, right?"

"Erika…, you serious-desu?" Coffret said in exasperation.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, matey." A manly voice spoke up, causing the Pretty Cure team to become wary.

"Huh? Who said that?" Rin asked as she looked around for the source.

"Over here, lads."

The team heard and turned to the guy who answered to the girls, the fairies, and Matt Oda. There the gang sees a big man wearing a sailor captain outfit. He has big, gray, and bushy facial hair, and a big round nose on his face. He has a wooden corn pipe held from his mouth and hand. He's standing on a small dock, and there's a small shack next to the dock. He also has a paddle steamboat, big enough to carry about fifty passengers, that's parked and tied to the dock.

"It's not wise to float or swim down these bilging waters," the man warned. "This river is very long, and ye has a depth of fathom, six feet, of water level. Ye be tired and rinsed out by the time ye get to Chalk Cliffside."

Erika gulps from the man's statement, but the rest of the team are quizzical about the man in the sailor outfit.

"Excuse sir," Inori speaks, "but who are you?"

"Captain Barnacle Watters is me name, mateys." He greeted as he tipped his sailor cap. "But ye can call me Capt. Barny for short."

"Nice to meet you, Capt. Barny," Hikari greeted with a bow.

"So, what ye landlubbers doing here anyways? Ye came here for delivery? Cuz I'm waiting for me oysters for dinner."

"Oysters?" Akane said in a puzzled look. But she shook her head and speaks again. "No sir, you see, we need to get to Chalk Cliffside immediately."

"Ye Chalk Cliffside? That place isn't much, mateys, but ye has wonderous chalk murals on its cliffside walls. I take passengers and shipmates down this river with me beautiful steamboat to get there. Lately, business has been slow these here waters and days ever since ye scallywag Blots appeared in Spectrum Land. But besides that, why are ye so eager to get to ye Chalk Cliffside, mates?"

Alice answers, "Because we need the information about getting to the Orange Canyon's temple, so we can obtain the Wonder Color."

When Capt. Barny heard that specific term 'Wonder Color…,' Whoosh! Click! he pulled out his musket and aims at the Pretty Cure Team. The gang flinched in great fright by the sailor's weapon.

"After ye Wonder Color, ay?" Capt. Barny said in a firm tone. "Well, I'm not letting some landlubbers of ye Blots take it and destroy me ship. You scallywags better run or eat me powdered wee cannonballs."

"No, wait!" Chypre shouted in fright, "You got it all wrong-desu!"

"We don't work for the Blots-lapi!" Flappy panicked.

Yayoi yells, "We're looking for the Wonder Colors because we are the Pretty Cures!"

Capt. Barny blinked after hearing Yayoi's statement. He moves his musket away and makes a curious look. "Ye lassies and lads are Pretty Cures?" he asked. "Ye old sages that told tales about heroes of Spectrum Land?"

"That's us," Makoto said, still a bit wary of Capt. Barny's threat.

Capt. Barny then makes a curious look. "What proof ye young ones have that ye are heroes them matey sages say?"

"Matt…" Kurumi said and stares at the gentleman.

"You don't have to say it twice," Matt replied and noted.

Matt searches his messenger bag and pulls out the Wonder Color Case. He shows the valuable item to Capt. Barny. The sailor gasped at the magical item.

"Well, blow me down!" Capt. Barny said in shock. "Ye have the case that protects ye Wonder Colors. Sage Mark had it, but if he gave that booty device to ye lads, then ye must be heroes of Spectrum Land." The captain then disarms his weapon and puts it away. He took off his cap and express his apology. "Forgive me, lads, for almost giving ye run a shot across the bow. Things around here now have been pillaged lately since those buccaneer Blots came storming in Spectrum Land."

"Hey, we're used to this by now," Matt noted with caution.

Yuko then says, "Now that you know who we are, can you help us get to Chalk Cliffside?"

"Aye, mateys," Captain Barny saluted, "I get you down with me beautiful steamboat in no time flat."

"That's awesome," Miki said with a grin.

"Wait, how much do we have to pay?" Tarte questioned.

Captain Barny calmly replies, "Ye pulling me leg? With those landlubber Blots scurrying about, and ye Pretty Cures to appear in front of me eyes…, free of charge." The heroes feel pleased. "Now hop aboard, lads!"

"Aye, Aye, Captain!" Tint responded.

Soon, everyone, the girls, the fairies, and Matt, got near the steamboat. The team observes the steamboat that has two paddle wheels, one on each side. A steam engine inside the boat. A captain's steering room with a big wooden steering wheel. And comfortable passengers cushion seats on the deck and stern. A few of the girls went to the bow of the steamboat and spotted speaker tube cones used to contact the captain in the steering room. The team becomes a little astounded by the steamboat's style.

Matt noticed that the captain heads to a phone box that's hung a wooden pole near his shack.

"What are you doing, Captain?" Matt asked.

As the captain dials the phone, he replies, "I need to call ye mayor letting him know I'm escorting ye Pretty Cure heroes to Chalk Cliffside." Capt. Barny then makes the call as it connected to the mayor on the other phone line.

"Mayor?" the captain speaks into the phone's speaker, "This is Captain Barny, and I've got bounty news for ye."

"What is it?" said the mayor on the other end of the phone line.

"Ye heroes of Spectrum Land are here on me ship saving our world."

"What!? You mean the Pretty Cures?"

"Aye, mayor lad."

"That's great! …Send them over here. We're going to need their help."

Capt. Barny heard and smiles. "We'll be thar in a flash, Mayor Matey." The captain then hangs up his phone.

"Capt. Barny," Matt called after he witnessed the captain's firm attitude. "Everything good?"

"Aye, lad," Capt. Barny stated. "Ye Mayor is delighted to hear ye Pretty Cures arriving in Chalk Cliffside. Weigh anchors and hoist the mizzen, we're sailing towards our destination!"

With the captain's command, the Pretty Cure team quickly got on board the steamboat. The captain got onto his boat last, and he ordered the Pretty Cure team to untie the ropes attached to the dock and lift the anchor onto the deck.

Yuri and Kanade pulled the last length of rope onto the deck. "All ropes on deck!" Kanade shouted.

"Anchors up!" Aguri called as she, Mana, and Hibiki raised the heavy object.

The captain, now in the steering room, flicks on all his devices and starts the engine, activating the steamboat. The boiler roars, the machine's cogs begin moving, the metal gears start to spin, and the gauges and dials' thin arrows quickly moved.

As the captain checks his instruments, he says, "Steam power ideal, Boiler pressure normal, Gears turning smoothly, and fuel at good capacity." The captain then turns firm and rings the bell on his steamboat.

Ding! Ding! The Pretty Cure team heard the bells.

"Alright mateys…" the captain announced on his speakerphone. Capt. Barny pulls a string… TOOOOOT! as he sounded the steamboat's whistle. "Cast off!" The captain then pushes a level activating the paddle wheels to move.

In seconds, the steamboat sails out of the captain's home and floats down the canyon's huge river. The Pretty Cure team and Capt. Barny are now heading to Chalk Cliffside.

Back in Pigment Village and in the Create-Your-Own Café, Tone, Tint's best yellow butterfly friend, reads and writes his reports he gathered during his travels in Spectrum Land. He's doing his research at a small table, and he sips on a fruity rainbow punch. Tone scratches his head with his pencil's eraser tip, trying to figure out a problem.

"It was a shame that I had to leave Pastel Square without saying goodbye to Tint and the Pretty Cures," Tone said in concern. "But something urgent came up, and I had to take the call. But I'll bet my wings that Tint and the Pretty Cures obtained the Wonder Color from Purple Bog."

Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!

Tone heard the entrance door's bell and turned to see Hue and Sage Mark coming into the café. Hue and Mark noticed Tone.

"Hue! Sage Mark!" Tone greeted with a smile.

"Well, if it isn't Tone," Hue said with a grin. "Good to see you, Buddy."

"Tone…" Sage Mark said with delight. "You're a sight for a sage's eyes."

Hue and Sage Mark got close and sit next to Tone at the table.

"So, how's it going, Hue?" Tone asked.

"No trouble at all," Hue responded. "Just rescued another family from the Blots."

"That's good to hear."

"Indeed…" Mark agrees.

"What's the word about Queen Chroma and other captives?" Tone asked.

Hue becomes concerned and replies, "Not looking so good. From what I heard from the queen, the Blot King isn't in a very good mood. Knowing that his top underlings didn't retrieve any of the Wonder Colors, the Blot King is becoming irritated and impatient. It's only a matter of time before he begins making his first aggressive move on the Pretty Cures."

"Quite so," Sage Mark agrees with worry.

Tone then speaks, "What I'm concerned most is the traitor among us. I don't understand who the gull would hate artwork and colors, and they would side the Blots for their conquest. That treason makes me sick."

"I understand how you feel, Tone," Sage Mark said with sympathy. "I've already contacted the other sages about this surprising news, and they aren't pleased about this."

Hue lifts his eyebrow and speaks, "All I can say is, we have to be extra careful whoever this informant of theirs is. They may be watching and hearing us right now."

With Hue's statement, Tone and Sage Mark are now cautious, keeping themselves aware of the spy around them.

But then, Tone makes a curious look on his face as a thought came into his mind. Hue noticed Tone's quizzical expression.

"Something bugging ya, Pal?" Hue asked.

"Well," Tone replies calmly, "I'm still wondering something else. If Tint, Shade, and I achieve our dream goals, then…" There was a pause of silence, and Sage Mark and Hue kept staring at Tone. The yellow butterfly then replies. "Is it possible that…that slight chance can really happen?"

Sage Mark and Hue heard Tone's question, and both serenely smile.

Hue replies, "If you put your true heart and effort into it, then that slight chance can become accurate."

"Yes," Sage Mark agrees, "It'll be a wonder to see that kind of miracle to happen."

Tone smiles back at the two men.

Meanwhile back Orange Canyon's gorge and river, the Pretty Cure team and Capt. Barny are cruising down the big river on the captain's passenger steamboat. The boat steams and puffs of smoke from two smoke pipes, and the two big paddle wheels kept rolling along the river's surface. All the Pretty Cure girls, the fairies, and Tint are on the deck enjoy the cruise and observing the gorge's walls.

Capt. Barny is humming a song and gladly steers his steamboat smoothly along with the river's current. The captain checks his boat's technical devices and instruments, making sure nothing's wrong or gone haywire. Capt. Barny is pleased to see his ship and passengers are doing well.

Hime, Urara, Yuko, Tint, and Matt Oda are in the steering room with the captain. Matt Oda relaxes and enjoys the sightseeing as he whistles a song.

"Hooo hoo-hee hoo-hoo, hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ee.

Hoo-hee-hoo, hee-hee-ee-ee-ee-oo.

Hoo-hee-hoo-hoo, hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ee.

Hee-ee-ee-ee-hee-hoo-ee-hoo-hee-hoo-hoo-hooo."

"Aye, Matey," Capt. Barny said to Matt, "that's a fine catchy tune, ye whistling."

"Yeah," Hime agrees as she, Yuko, Urara, and Tint also heard Matt's tune. "Where did you hear that?"

"You don't know?" Matt said with sarcastic. "It was from a very famous cartoon that was first aired way back in 1928. A mouse sang that song. But…I should've taken note that you two don't know that show since you're from another world."

"Hmm, I gotta remember to watch that cartoon," Hime noted to herself.

"Me too," Yuko agrees with a wink. "That's a catchy song."

"Count me for another," Urara said as she raised her hand and winked.

"Capt. Barny?" Tint asks, "How much further until we get into Chalk Cliffside?"

"Come over here, me butterfly matey," the captain ordered. As Tint gets close, he shows the fairy a big map of Orange Canyon. He pointed on the map of the location of where the gang is. "Right now, we're coming to a bend. And just around the bend, we'll be passing a huge gate, and then we arrive Chalk Cliffside."

"How long will it take to arrive at our destination?" Yuko asked.

"If these here waters are smooth as sailing, I say another twenty minutes, and it's land ho."

"Then will get to Chalk Cliffside in no time flat," Kurumi stated with confidence.

"Captain, sir," Matt speaks up, "if I can ask. Your accent sounded like you've been out to sea long ago. Were you a sailor back then?"

"Aye matey," Capt. Barny replied with a grin, "I used to travel the great yonders of the Blue Ocean when I was a young lad. Me and me crew were great sea voyagers searching for new areas and discoveries that Spectrum Land never discovered. Aaahhhhh…, those were ye days."

"We didn't know you're a sailor back then," Yuko said with a little surprise.

"Aye! And ye know that I was Queen Chroma's official sea captain back then?"

"You were part of the queen's royal men!?" Hime said in surprise. She, Yuko, Urara, Matt, and Tint are also surprised.

"I didn't know that," Tint said with a little shock.

"Yep," the captain replied, "the queen appreciated me and me hearties as we and Blue Orca were the best sea-exploring team of Blue Ocean."

"Who's Blue Orca?" Urara asked.

"Why, me best ship, Lassie. She was a beautiful boat ever to sail through the vast Blue Ocean."

"But we didn't see a big ship back in Blue Ocean," Matt stated. "Whatever happened to it?"

"I thought ye might say that, lad. Why this here cog is me ship."

The girls, Matt, and Tint, gasped in shock.

"What!?" Hime said in shock, "This steamboat we're riding on!? No way!"

The captain laughs at the young teens' surprise, then he speaks again. "Now don't go blowin ye horn, landlubbers. I meant this here steamboat was made from the old parts of me o' beautiful ship."

"This steamboat was made from the same material from your voyaging ship?" Yuko said with awe.

"Aye, lassie. As years went on, me and me crew have become seadogs, and we retired. But also did me reliable and matey Blue Orca. She wasn't keepin shipshape anymore, but I've decided to turn me O' reliable into something in memory of her. So, me, me crew, and Queen Chroma decided to tear O' Blue Orca and build this lovely steamboat for Chalk Cliffside and Orange Canyon. I call ye, Little Orca."

"Wow," Tint said with amazement, "I would never imagine you can recycle something precious into something memorable."

"Aye, isn't what Spectrum Land is all about? Creativity, Mateys? And this little beauty has never failed me ever since she was built."

The girls, Matt, and Tint agree entirely with the captain, seeing how proud he is with his steamboat.

"Captain!" Aguri shouted from a speaking tube in the steering room, "We're approaching a bend of the river."

The captain heard and looks up. He, along with the girls, Matt, and Tint, see the bend that's turning to the left.

"Aye, lassie," Capt. Barny speaks up into a speakerphone. "This means we're about to come across a gate before we hit Chalk Cliffside. As soon as we pass the gate, we'll be in Chalk Cliffside in a few minutes."

"Sounds like we're going to get there before the Blots does," Hime stated.

As the steamboat reaches the bend of the river, the captain steered the boat around the corner. The once the steamboat made the turn…

"GAAAASSSSP!"

"SHIVER ME TIMBERS!"

Appearing in a distance of the steamboat is the gate, only to discover that the whole structure had collapsed and blocked the river's path. Huge rubble of broken wood from the gate is piled up like a beaver's dam. Around the fallen gate are two shacks, one on each side of the river and on rocky ground, and two large wooden masts used for supporting the gate. Each shack has its own small dock to park boats.

"That huge mess is blocking the river's path," Honoka stated.

"Captain!" Hikari called, "What are we going to do?"

Capt. Barny observed the mess, but he becomes concerned that there is no way to get around the huge debris. "Blast this bilge-sucking moment," the captain complained. "We're going to have to dock. Me hearties, get the ropes ready."

The Pretty Cure team heard and got the ropes needed to dock and secure the steamboat. Once the steamboat reached a dock, a few girls tied the steamboat to a couple wooden mooring bollards. The captain then turned off the steamboat's engine, making his small ship immobilized.

After the steamboat is docked, everyone got off of it and observe the fallen gate up close.

"Sheesh, what a mess," Kurumi stated in disgust.

"It looks like a total disaster-mepu," Mepple noted, feeling a bit shocked.

"Hey," Nagisa heard in anger, "you don't need to criticize, you little pest."

"PEST!? Who are you calling a pest!?"

The Pretty Cure team and Capt. Barny are startled by the shout. They all became curious who made the shout. Suddenly, the gang heard a bustling sound coming from the rubble of wood. They waited for their anticipation.

In a few seconds, and coming out of the pile of broken wood, are two bugs, the size of average children. One is an ant, and the other is a bee. They are both wearing construction gear on themselves.

"Oo-kay, who'zzzz the wizzzze guy?" said the bee in upset and manly tone.

Mepple quickly pointed at Nagisa for his own protection. "Te…!?" Nagisa shouted in ire and noticed, "Why you…! I don't believe this!"

"If you got something insulting to say to us, then keep your mouth shut then," said the ant in an aggressive tone of voice. "We are very busy fixing this mess and repairing this gate."

"Yeah," the bee agrees in an angered tone, "so buzzzzz off, or I'll give you a sting you will regret."

"Whoa, those bugs are big," Ellen noted.

"And they can talk too," Miki stated.

While everyone is a bit surprised by the two big talking bugs, Matt noticed Nao shivering and hiding behind Rikka and Itsuki.

"Uh, what's wrong with Nao?" Matt wonders.

"Yeah, about that…," Reika replies to the gentleman, "She's not thrilled of having bugs around her no matter what."

"Wha…? She's got entomophobia?"

"En…to…what Matt?" Erika asked, confused about Matt's big word.

"Fear of bugs, Erika," Yuri corrected and helped.

"I can't help it…" Nao said in a great fright. "Bugs are so creepy whenever I see them."

"Hey!" the ant shouted in ire, "I heard that!" The humanoid ant jumps away from the woodpile and walks up to the frightened Nao. "Creepy, huh? Well…, I'll show you something really creepy, you…"

In an instant, the ant spotted Capt. Barny standing next to Nao, Rikka, and Itsuki.

"Eh? Capt. Barny?" the ant said and noticed the sailor's presence.

"Ahoy there, Red," the captain greeted. He also turns to the bee and greets him. "Ahoy, Bumble lad."

"Watters…," Bumble the bee said in a little surprise, "we haven't seen you since the sages warned us about the Blots invading Spectrum Land. You were alwayzzzz on this river very often. But it's good to see you again."

"Yeah, captain," Red the ant agrees. "So, what you are doing with these obnoxious brats. We are busy trying to fix this one-of-kind gate."

"Obnoxious!?" Rin, Erika, Kurumi, and Kanade said in angry.

"Now listen here, you little nuisance!" Rin speaks in anger, "For your information, we're not brats. We're young teenage girls."

"Yeah, and we are the heroes of Spectrum Land who've come to save your homeworld," Kanade stated.

"What? You girls are the foretold heroes that the world's buzzzzzing about?" Bumble asked in sarcastic. "Pardon my pun."

"Precisely, you bozzzzzzo," Kurumi mocked, which Bumble immediately did not like.

"And right now, we want to get to Chalk Cliffside immediately," Erika said in a grump.

"Now calm down, young ladies," Matt said, trying to ease the girls' temper. "Fighting and back sassing only leads to more arguments, maybe even a brawl. I'm sure these two are upset for some reason."

"The lad's right, me hearties," Capt. Barny agrees. He then turns to Red and Bumble. "It is unlike you mateys to be talking bad rum water like that."

Both Red and Bumble sighed after hearing their captain friend. They continued to talk in confession.

"Yeah…, we're sorry about…" Red apologized. "It just…It's a total predicament we're in."

"This never happens before," Bumble stated. "This strong watergate has been standing ever since Orange Canyon has been created in Spectrum Land. We just don't know how it suddenly collapsed."

"Was this gate used for protection-sharu?" Sharuru asked.

"Mmm…More like a security checkpoint, Kid," Red answered. "Commonly, a lot of residents here in Orange Canyon use boats to float on this river to enter or leave Chalk Cliffside."

"So it's our job to make sure no one enters or exists without proper authorizzzzzation," Bumble followed up.

"Doesn't that sound boring to stay on guard here for a long time?" Ako asked.

"For right now, it is," Red replies. "But before the Blots invaded our homeworld, lots of people on their boats pass by this gate so often it's hard to count."

"Especially Capt. Barny," Bumble noted. "He's always so buzzzzy carrying passengers and travelers on this river to Chalk Cliffside that he'zzzzz become a recognizzzzzable friend."

"So we see," Setsuna said and understood.

"But right now, kids," Red speaks up, "we need to get all this rubble out of the river, or there won't be any water or people getting into Chalk Cliffside."

"Right," Bumble agrees with his gatekeeper partner, "We're wasting time. Let's continue cleaning up this mess."

"How long will it take for you guys to fix this-quel?" Raquel asked.

"Well guyzzzz," Bumble speaks, "as desperate you want to get to the town, I'm afraid it's going to take the whole day to get this cleaned up."

"Give two hours depending how much energy we got," Red said and added.

The Pretty Cure team became shocked to hear this dreadful news.

"Well, blow me down," Capt. Barny complained. "We'll be stuck here until dinner time at Chalk Cliffside."

The Pretty Cure team knows they cannot wait, thinking the Blots might have the advantage to get the Wonder Color first. They are thinking of a way to reach Chalk Cliffside, until Yayoi speaks up.

"Excuse me, Red and Bumble," Yayoi said as she got the two bugs' attention, "Perhaps that…is it okay…we can help you clean up this mess?"

The Pretty Cure team and Capt. Barny heard, but Red and Bumble blinked to hear her offer.

"Gee, never one ever told us they can lend an extra hand or two," Red said with little shock. "Usually, it's our main responsibility to watch and protect this gate at all times."

"Even if we got extra handzzzz, so to speak," Bumble stated.

The two bugs looked at each other for a moment. Then they nodded in agreement and turned to the team.

"It would be an honor for you kids to help us," Red said with a small grin.

"Yeah," Bumble agrees, "the more buzzzzzy workers and assistance to clear out this mess, the sooner you guyzzzz can get to Chalk Cliffside. You might prove yourselves that you're the foretold Pretty Cures Spectrum Land is talking about."

The team smiled and helped Red and Bumble clear out the rubble blocking the river. Capt. Barny volunteered to join in too. In a matter of minutes, everyone collected many wooden pieces of the fallen gate and placed them to the side of the river on dry land.

Some athletic Pretty Cure girls got onto the pile and started handing the chunks of wood to the other girls and Matt, who are on dry land. The team on the ground build stacks of wood in an organized structure to keep them from falling. The fairies, who are on top of the piles, made sure every piece of wood is secured and stable.

For a moment, Matt stopped and blinked.

"What's up, Matt?" Honoka asked.

"Well…, all of a sudden, I feel like that video game, now," Matt noted.

Honoka makes a curious but cheeky look. "What is it this time?"

"I don't remember the title, but it was about a spaceman with an army of human-like plants or something like that."

"Oh, Matthew Oda. Let's not stall any longer and clean up so we can go to Chalk Cliffside."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

Matt and Honoka continued cleaning up the pile of the fallen gate.

Soon the river's water slowly started to flow down the gorge again. The captain brings out a fishing net, which was from the old ship he used to catch fish, from his steamboat. He and some Pretty Cure girls used the net to catch any floating pieces of wood slipping away from the pile and drifting down the river. The Pretty Cure girls grabbed the floating pieces and placed them on dry land.

As they are on their last stretch of clearing out the messy pile, Matt Oda looks around to see any more pieces of wood that are left behind.

"I think that's that," Matt stated as he doesn't see any more pieces in the river.

Matt is about to return to the team until he double-takes and spots something shiny, not far from him. He gets a closer look at the object. He picked up the item, and it appeared to Matt is an empty green glass bottle. It shaped like a medicine bottle, and there's a label on it. When Matt reads the label, he blinked in surprise what it stated.

"What the…?" Matt said in a little shock.

"Matt!" The gentleman heard and turns to see Mana, who's on the steamboat and calling to him. "We're ready to go!"

"Coming!" Matt replied.

Matt puts the empty bottle in his messenger bag and dashes to the steamboat.

Once Matt gets onboard, the captain ordered the Pretty Cure team to untie the ropes from the mooring bollards. When the ropes are on deck, the captain turns his steamboat engine back on, getting the boat to move its mechanic gears again. Steam and smoke are puffing up, coming from the smoke pipes.

Red and Bumble are on the side of the river, seeing the Pretty Cure team and the captain before they take off.

"Thanks for everything, guys," Red said with a firm grin. "You sure made our day by aiding us."

"Yep," Bumble agrees, "We'll get this gate back up in a zzzzzip. Chalk Cliffside is just down this river up ahead. You can't miss the buildings."

"Aye, me hearties," Capt. Barny replies with a big smile. "Glad we can offer a hand for ye troubles."

"Take care yourselves," Inori said and waved goodbye to the two bugs.

Everyone else said bye to the two bugs as the steamboat started to float and move down the river again. Red and Bumble waved goodbye to the team.

Capt. Barny's steamboat continued floating down the big river, and the Pretty Cure gang is eager to find out about Chalk Cliffside. While the girls and fairies are waiting, and the captain drives smoothly along the river, Matt Oda is at the bow of the steamboat. He brings out the empty bottle he found near the fallen the watergate. He continues to analyze the bottle until Tint appeared next to Matt as she sees the bottle too.

"What you've got there, Matt?" Tint asked.

"Tint…," Matt speaks, "I think I know what caused the watergate to collapse and block the river back there. And it's not accidental."

"What is it?" Matt shows Tint the bottle only to see the label on it. When Tint reads the label… "What the…!?"

Tint's scream caused a few nearby Pretty Cure girls and fairies to hear and turned to her. The small group approaches Matt and Tint.

"Whoa, Tint," Itsuki said with a little startled, "what happened?"

"Take a look at what Matt found," Tint stated as she shows the bottle.

Setsuna grabs the bottle, and she, with Itsuki, Honoka, Kanade, Hummy, and Tarte, read what's on the label. It stated…

WARNING! Highly Toxic Acid

"Acid?" Setsuna pondered.

"Isn't that a chemical that makes things melt?" Kanade questions.

"Yes," Honoka agrees, "but also it burns your skin and make objects turn into liquid ashes, depending on the type of chemical."

"Matt," Tarte speaks up, "You found this, so where did you get it?"

"I found it not too far from the fallen gate," Matt replied. "And if Red and Bumble said that the watergate didn't collapse until now, something tells me that somebody doesn't want the Pretty Cures to get into Chalk Cliffside."

"You mean…, this bottle of acid is the cause of the fallen gate?" Mai suggested as she's with the group.

"It sounds like the Blots are trying to stop us again-nya," Hummy declared.

"You're right…," Tint agrees, "but…since when did the Blots learn how to make chemical liquid like this?"

"Probably Turp," Makoto suggested, and she's also with the group. "Turp creates those thinner chemicals to dissolve any paint. He might be responsible for the gate to collapse."

"Yeah, that is true," Itsuki agrees.

"But," Matt speaks up to the group, "If Turp is the culprit of the mess back there, then could Chalk Cliffside…"

"Might be in trouble?" Tint completed with a worried look.

With that last thought, the girls, the fairies, and Matt kept looking out towards the river, hoping they reach to Chalk Cliffside in time.

Meanwhile, from afar, a mysterious and shadowy being spies on the steamboat that contains the Pretty Cure team and Capt. Barny on it. The mysterious figure stares evilly at the gang.

"Blast it," said the mysterious spy in a complaint. "I didn't think those pathetic Pretty Cures are that strong and fast. Being the mole for the Blots, I need to report this to King Splat about the situation. I just hope I slow them down enough for Turp and his minions to reach Chalk Cliffside."

With that, the mysterious spy opened a dark portal and retreated.

Author's Notes

As you know, I love to put Easter eggs (notable references) in this fanfic. Two references are mentioned in this chapter, but the song Matt Oda whistled is most notable because it's from a very famous Disney cartoon. Take another wild guess which that is.

One last note: After looking at my Traffic Stats on this Precure fanfic, I noticed a lot of you readers and fans like the chapter "Matt Oda's Rescue Mission." Just for my curiosity, what piqued your interest in Matt's momentum chapter? Send my Private Messaging only, please.