A war between the forces of order and chaos draws to a close after a decade when the forces of darkness rally for one final, desperate strike. Forced to the field of battle once more, the Precure rise up to protect the peace and harmony they fought so hard for in the past.
Per Aspera ad Astra
is a Precure fanfic series by susbox, published on AO3. Starting in the world of Soaring Sky! PreCure, the story branches out after its first two entries, Nothing Left Unsaid and Bury the Light, to form an expansive crossover with every other Precure series up to and including Soaring Sky. The series is still ongoing, with many entries currently in progress.
The series is the culmination of several years of work by the author to create a franchise-wide crossover of the entirety of Precure, and contains lore stretching back to a few of the author's original, now-deleted works from 2015. It follows the stories of every Precure team from every season (up to and including Soaring Sky) as they struggle against the forces of a primordial darkness known as Terminus. The individual universes are treated as if time has progressed normally from their finales, disregarding any canon time-skips (with one notable exception), and as such shows us glimpses into the adult lives of the Cures.
This series contains examples of the following tropes:
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Tropes present in the series in general
- Action Girl: Most of the active participants in combat are female, and some fall under the category of Action Mom due to having young children.
- Always on Duty: Spoken about frequently, particularly by the older Cures who survived previous attacks from Terminus.
- Anachronic Order: The order of events past Far Away Boys is unclear, as the subsequent entries don't take place over consistent time frames. They can span as little as 10-20 minutes (as in Heart of the Sea) or up to eight months (as in Dancing Mad).
- Another Dimension: The End, where Terminus is based, is one of these.
- Battle Couple: Several, scattered across the numerous entries in the series. Hikaru and Lala from Voyager are a prime example.
- Band of Brothers: The Precure and their allies.
- Big Damn Heroes: Frequently. Examples can be seen in Nothing Left Unsaid (when Hana saves Cure Sky and Cure Prism from the mailbox Ranborg), Bury the Light (when Emiru appears to prevent Joker from corrupting Cure Prism and saves the day with her new form), Voyager (five times: when Lala saves Hikaru from being finished off by Naru, when Yuni makes her entrance, when Yuni is saved from Naru's counterattack by a timely left hook from Madoka, when Lala returns to the battlefield after Hikaru is taken back into surgery, and lastly when Leberblume pulls Naru into a shadow to save her from Leo Blaster Tri), and Dancing Mad (when Kaoruko saves Iona from being held up by a Kaiser soldier by smashing a brick over his head).
- Bloodier and Gorier: Far more so than the source material, which has only shown a Cure bleeding on one occasion. Characters frequently suffer brutal and realistic injuries with lasting consequences, including having her hands and eye entirely replaced with cybernetics in Hikaru / Cure Star's case.
- Crossover: Several characters from Gushing Over Magical Girls are either summoned by Terminus or accidentally are pulled into the Precure universe.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Frequently. Many entries, be they individual chapters or the fics at large, are titled after various songs or lyrics from songs, with those that aren't often having other themes, such as musical terminology or television episodes. The author also has an odd habit of using the titles of sad songs (often, ones entirely unrelated to romance) within his more shipping-oriented entries. For example, Far Away Boys is a song by Flogging Molly about Irish immigrants who worked and died on the Trans-Continental Railroad.
- Multiform Balance: Many of the Cures and villains alike have multiple forms, and a new form is often shown with significant fanfare.
- Outside-Genre Foe: Terminus, the main antagonistic force of the series, is made up primarily of roughly ten thousand Lovecraftian shadow creatures known as Nobodies, supplemented by numerous villains taken from various entries in the Precure franchise (and some from outside, noted in Crossover above).
- Physical, Mystical, Technological: This trichotomy is shown to great effect given there are many, many powers to show off. While examples of the former are seen mostly in Dancing Mad (which has three bare-knuckle fighters), examples of the latter are seen all across the series, courtesy of in-universe tech giants Nanase Labs and Kaguya Corporation.
- Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer: Frequently, primarily to prevent spoilers in the tags of both characters and content. This trend is seen as early as the first entry, Nothing Left Unsaid, where Hana Nono shows up to save her juniors in the story's climax, yet the tags make no mention of her or her respective season.
- Transformation Name Announcement: It's a staple of the genre, so of course!
Act I
Nothing Left Unsaid
Nothing Left Unsaid is the first entry in the series, and the first entry of Act I. It was first published on September 5th, 2023 and completed on September 13th of the same year. Set in the universe of Soaring Sky Precure, it follows the team on a semi-typical day that quickly turns sour when their usual enemy, Battamonda, appears to attack them as usual with the help of an unknown (and very dangerous) blue-eyed woman.
Bury the Light
Bury the Light is the second entry in the series, and the second entry of Act I. It was first published on September 15th, 2023 and completed on October 4th of the same year. A direct sequel to Nothing Left Unsaid, it picks up a few weeks after the events of the first entry with Sora leaving the hospital. While the Soaring Sky team begins training for the fight with Terminus, the blue-eyed woman and her allies strike back against them.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: The title of the story, and those of the chapters themselves, are taken from the song Bury the Light from Devil May Cry 5.
Far Away Boys
Far Away Boys is the third entry in the series, and the third entry of Act I. It was published on October 5th, 2023. A direct sequel to Bury the Light, the story is more of a short, contemplative vignette featuring Hana reconnecting with her estranged teammate and ex-girlfriend, Saaya.
is the third entry in the series, and the third entry of Act I. It was published on October 5th, 2023. A direct sequel to Bury the Light, the story is more of a short, contemplative vignette featuring Hana reconnecting with her estranged teammate and ex-girlfriend, Saaya. Only One
Only One is the fourth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act I. It was first published on October 7th, 2023 and completed on October 17th of the same year. This entry is the first to not take place in Sorashido, and instead follows the Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure team in a sort of romantic drama scenario. The forces of Terminus don't appear in this entry, focusing instead on the budding relationship between Ran and Amane.
is the fourth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act I. It was first published on October 7th, 2023 and completed on October 17th of the same year. This entry is the first to not take place in Sorashido, and instead follows the Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure team in a sort of romantic drama scenario. The forces of Terminus don't appear in this entry, focusing instead on the budding relationship between Ran and Amane.- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Not entirely, as some titles are original, but many chapters (as well as the story itself) are titled after various songs by blink-182, Meat Loaf, Alkaline Trio, and We The Kings.
With a Wonder and a Wild Desire
With a Wonder and a Wild Desire is the fifth entry in the series, the fifth entry of Act I, and the third overall focused on the fight against Terminus. It was first published on October 6th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on October 19th, 2023. A direct sequel to Only One, it focuses on the Delicious Party team fighting off a sudden attack from Terminus with the aid of Mirai and Rico of Maho Girls Pretty Cure!.
is the fifth entry in the series, the fifth entry of Act I, and the third overall focused on the fight against Terminus. It was first published on October 6th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on October 19th, 2023. A direct sequel to Only One, it focuses on the Delicious Party team fighting off a sudden attack from Terminus with the aid of Mirai and Rico of Maho Girls Pretty Cure!.- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: The title of the story, and those of the chapters, are taken from the Flogging Molly album Within a Mile of Home.
Heavy is the Head
Heavy is the Head is the sixth entry in the series, the final entry of Act I, and the fourth overall focused on the fight against Terminus. It was first published on October 9th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on October 17th, 2023. Set in the universe of Doki Doki! PreCure, it follows the team as they investigate the sudden disappearance of their friend and the Queen of the newly-renamed Shuffle Kingdom, Regina.
is the sixth entry in the series, the final entry of Act I, and the fourth overall focused on the fight against Terminus. It was first published on October 9th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on October 17th, 2023. Set in the universe of Doki Doki! PreCure, it follows the team as they investigate the sudden disappearance of their friend and the Queen of the newly-renamed Shuffle Kingdom, Regina.- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: The title of the story, and those of the chapters, are taken from various works of Shakespeare.
Act II
Ad Libitum
Ad Libitum is the seventh entry in the series, the fifth overall focused on the fight against Terminus, and the first entry of Act II of the series. It was first published on October 17th, 2023, and is still ongoing. Set in the universe of Suite Pretty Cure ♪, it follows the team defending Kanon Town from a sudden attack by Terminus, with a secondary focus on Kanade's unwillingness to fight.
is the seventh entry in the series, the fifth overall focused on the fight against Terminus, and the first entry of Act II of the series. It was first published on October 17th, 2023, and is still ongoing. Set in the universe of Suite Pretty Cure ♪, it follows the team defending Kanon Town from a sudden attack by Terminus, with a secondary focus on Kanade's unwillingness to fight.- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: The title of the story, and those of the chapters, are various bits of musical terminology.
Voyager
Voyager is the eighth entry in the series, and the second entry of Act II. It was first published on October 13th, 2023, and completed on April 14th, 2024. Set in the universe of Star Twinkle Precure and taking place after the 15-year time skip shown in the series' final episode, it follows the story of the team scrambling to reunite and fight back against a Terminus ambush on the planet of Saman.
is the eighth entry in the series, and the second entry of Act II. It was first published on October 13th, 2023, and completed on April 14th, 2024. Set in the universe of Star Twinkle Precure and taking place after the 15-year time skip shown in the series' final episode, it follows the story of the team scrambling to reunite and fight back against a Terminus ambush on the planet of Saman.- An Arm and a Leg: Hikaru becomes a victim of this as a result of Naru ambushing her on Oboro Beach, requiring amputation and surgery due to Naru's electric attacks shredding her nerves. See Artificial Limbs below.
- Artificial Limbs: As a result of the damage she suffers from Naru's ambush on Oboro Beach, Hikaru's arms and right eye are replaced with cybernetics in the final chapter.
- Extremely Short Timespan: The events of the story take place over roughly two hours, save for the final scenes of the final chapter.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All the chapters are named after Star Trek episodes.
The Seeds We've Sown
The Seeds We've Sown is the ninth entry in the series, and the third entry of Act II. It was first published on October 17th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on April 15th, 2024. Set in the universe of HeartCatch Pretty Cure!, it follows the story of the team attempting to locate the next generation of Precure before the impending invasion from Terminus arrives.
is the ninth entry in the series, and the third entry of Act II. It was first published on October 17th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on April 15th, 2024. Set in the universe of HeartCatch Pretty Cure!, it follows the story of the team attempting to locate the next generation of Precure before the impending invasion from Terminus arrives.- Passing the Torch: A key theme of the story, as the former Heartcatch Precure (Yuri excepted) have to find the next generation of Precure before the Terminus attack.
Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is the tenth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act II. It was first published on October 19th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on November 2nd, 2023. Set in the universe of Smile PreCure!, it follows the story of Joker invading Nanairogaoka with a few of his Terminus allies to get revenge on his former nemeses...and getting more than he bargained for.
is the tenth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act II. It was first published on October 19th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on November 2nd, 2023. Set in the universe of Smile PreCure!, it follows the story of Joker invading Nanairogaoka with a few of his Terminus allies to get revenge on his former nemeses...and getting more than he bargained for. Dancing Mad
Dancing Mad is the eleventh entry in the series, and the fifth and final main-line entry of Act II. It was first published on November 14th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on March 19th, 2024. Set in the universe of HappinessCharge Pretty Cure!, the story is quite a bit more complex than previous entries, spanning several in-universe months instead of days or hours. It follows the struggles of the team and their ragtag band of allies against a fascist occupation of Pikarigaoka led by Oresky and Bad End Happy, now going by the name Yoshi (later Yves).
is the eleventh entry in the series, and the fifth and final main-line entry of Act II. It was first published on November 14th, 2023, and is still ongoing, with the most recent update being on March 19th, 2024. Set in the universe of HappinessCharge Pretty Cure!, the story is quite a bit more complex than previous entries, spanning several in-universe months instead of days or hours. It follows the struggles of the team and their ragtag band of allies against a fascist occupation of Pikarigaoka led by Oresky and Bad End Happy, now going by the name Yoshi (later Yves).- Great Escape: The third "arc" of the story.
By a Thread of a Chance
By a Thread of a Chance is the twelfth entry in the series, and chronologically a prequel to Dancing Mad, taking place three months prior to Iona's arrival in the occupied Pikarigaoka. It was published on March 23rd, 2024, and covers Kaoruko's arrival in Pikarigaoka, her first meeting with Gray, and their first training session. It is the de facto final entry of Act II, despite being a prequel.
is the twelfth entry in the series, and chronologically a prequel to Dancing Mad, taking place three months prior to Iona's arrival in the occupied Pikarigaoka. It was published on March 23rd, 2024, and covers Kaoruko's arrival in Pikarigaoka, her first meeting with Gray, and their first training session. It is the de facto final entry of Act II, despite being a prequel.Act III
Heart of the Sea
Heart of the Sea is the thirteenth entry in the series, chronologically a prequel to the upcoming entry Cote d'Azure, and the de facto first entry of Act III. It was published on October 20th, 2023, and is a lighthearted romantic comedy set in the universe of Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure that focuses on Laura and Asuka.
is the thirteenth entry in the series, chronologically a prequel to the upcoming entry Cote d'Azure, and the de facto first entry of Act III. It was published on October 20th, 2023, and is a lighthearted romantic comedy set in the universe of Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure that focuses on Laura and Asuka. A Drop in the Bucket
A Drop in the Bucket is the fourteenth entry in the series, and the second entry of Act III. It was published on April 19th, 2024, and features the remaining cast of Gushing Over Magical Girls entering a truce for the sake of finding their friends that went missing in Act II.
is the fourteenth entry in the series, and the second entry of Act III. It was published on April 19th, 2024, and features the remaining cast of Gushing Over Magical Girls entering a truce for the sake of finding their friends that went missing in Act II. Cote d'Azure
Cote d'Azure is the fifteenth entry in the series, the third entry of Act III, and the first mainline entry of Act III. It was first published on April 20th, 2024, and is still ongoing. It follows Utena Hiiragi from Gushing Over Magical Girls after the events of A Drop in the Bucket as she joins Terminus and acquires several new powers, then travels to Kaidou Island in search of a weapon the Princess Precure have supposedly stored there in an old library. The story also features the casts of Go! Princess Pretty Cure (who have come to Kaidou Island on a vacation) and Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure (who are attending a marine biology convention on the island).
is the fifteenth entry in the series, the third entry of Act III, and the first mainline entry of Act III. It was first published on April 20th, 2024, and is still ongoing. It follows Utena Hiiragi from Gushing Over Magical Girls after the events of A Drop in the Bucket as she joins Terminus and acquires several new powers, then travels to Kaidou Island in search of a weapon the Princess Precure have supposedly stored there in an old library. The story also features the casts of Go! Princess Pretty Cure (who have come to Kaidou Island on a vacation) and Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure (who are attending a marine biology convention on the island). A Time to Love
A Time to Love is the sixteenth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act III. It was first published on April 22nd, 2024, and is still ongoing. It follows Kiwi Araga from Gushing Over Magical Girls after the events of A Drop in the Bucket as she finds herself trapped in Ichigozaka and meets the magical girls that call it home.
is the sixteenth entry in the series, and the fourth entry of Act III. It was first published on April 22nd, 2024, and is still ongoing. It follows Kiwi Araga from Gushing Over Magical Girls after the events of A Drop in the Bucket as she finds herself trapped in Ichigozaka and meets the magical girls that call it home.- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: The title of the story, and those of its chapters, are taken from works by German author Erich Maria Remarque.
Thought Contagion
Thought Contagion is the upcoming seventeenth entry in the series, and the fifth entry of Act III. It follows the casts of Yes! Pretty Cure 5 and Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash★Star as they race against time to pinpoint the cause of an insanity-inducing epidemic before they fall victim to it.
Gambler's Fallacy
Gambler's Fallacy is the upcoming eighteenth entry in the series, and the sixth entry of Act III. It follows Sayo Minakami from Gushing Over Magical Girls after the events of A Drop in the Bucket as she winds up in the universe of Healin' Good♡Pretty Cure.
Kick Back
Kick Back is the upcoming nineteenth entry in the series, and the seventh entry of Act III. It follows the cast of Fresh Pretty Cure! as they investigate strange happenings in their hometown, and their potential connections to a musician named Reo Song.
Little Light, Little Light
Little Light, Little Light is the upcoming twentieth entry in the series, the eighth and final entry of Act III, and the final entry of Part I. It follows Nagisa and Honoka, the original Precure from Futari wa Pretty Cure, as they investigate a series of murders in their hometown of Wakabadai.
