Narrator
Last time on Accepting Diversity Precure, Masaru cheated on a pop test after being threatened by his homeroom teacher that he would be kicked out of the soccer team if he didn't pass his subsequent Japanese tests. This was an important rite of passage as Masaru makes things right with his family and friends again. Thankfully, he did in the end and passed his Japanese test!
However, more trouble is brewing at Tayoseishi Private Academy. And now, it's Reiko subjected to the trouble...!
Story
As usual, Reiko was walking to school herself since Yuu couldn't make it due to illness. However, the minute she entered, everyone stormed to her and dumped her all the defective plushies. Reiko was initially confused but when she looked down at the number of plushies she was holding, she was shocked. The plushies her little sister crocheted all had parts missing! One eye missing, one leg missing, one arm missing... and the list went on.
Looking for a place to store all the defective plushies, Reiko happened to walk into her classroom at that time. She silently dumped the plushies on Masaru's table and then opened the cupboard, before dumping all their plushies there. She put the Jewel Album on the shelf above.
After that, she realised even her table was filled with all sorts of defective plushies too, just that they were worse. There were deformed onigiri plushies, onigiri plushies with hands at the wrong place and one plushie even had just one lump of crochet material. In front of her table, there was a custom-made placard titled: We insist on a refund :(
Just as Reiko was about to gasp at that moment, the door swung open strongly. "HANADERA REIKO!" One of the boys in her class screamed. "I know you can do better than whatever you've been sewing recently! Your plushies have been of extremely poor quality recently! What happened??"
"I have been busy with midterms, so I got my siblings to see them for me," Reiko replied firmly. "And their finger strength...isn't as good as it's supposed to be."
"HAHAHA!" Everyone laughed. "Have you even taught them even the simplest concept of crotchety?"
"Of course. I mean, I want to show them what crotchety is like before they actually get into it."
"Then you're a bad teacher!"
"Haven't you seen the announcement on my website?!" Reiko screamed. Everyone froze since she was a cheerful and sweet girl that hardly shouted at others. The others looked at each other and started talking among themselves.
"Now that you mentioned it... she did say that until finals end, she would be getting her siblings to help her and even put a warning that her siblings have certain conditions limiting their motor skills. Her sister has cerebral palsy; her brother has severe autism..."
"That seems valid. I can tell this is their best, so I may take my words back on the refund."
"On second thought, your siblings are very creative!"
Reiko blushed. "They're not creative...it's just that when it comes to crotchety, their best is a different level from us. How about claiming back the special designs in the cupboards and on my desks?"
"Sure. We'd love to!"
All of a sudden, Masaru came into class and suddenly put a hand on her shoulder. "Looks like middle school life is looking up to you," Masaru remarked.
"You could tell?!" Reiko asked in shock.
"Of course, dummy. We've known each other since we were babies! You're finally getting your own influential power. Keep it up, Rei!"
"Thanks, Masa-"
"Oh, what's up with that â¨buddy buddy⨠talk?" The boy that told Reiko off asked sarcastically.
"It's not buddy buddy, it's childhood friendship!" Reiko screamed.
"Oh...knowing each other since your goo goo ga ga days? Sweet. But you know, since Masaru says you're finally getting your own influential power... I'm gonna do you a sweet favour by helping you build on it."
"Fine...but you better help me in a good way!"
(Cut to school gate, after school)
Walking out of school, Reiko was pushing Yuu's wheelchair to the bus stop while talking to Masaru and Mai when all of a sudden, the same boy from earlier that day called out, "HANADERA-SAN!"
"Guys, give me a few minutes," Reiko said quietly and ran to the boy.
The boy then told her that he was a member of the broadcast club and didn't have training that day, but stayed back in school to help her make a guide on being an influencer. Reiko thanked the boy as she looked into the guide. It was colourful, detailed and even showed examples of what being a good influencer is like. He then asked if Reiko had Instagram, to which Reiko agreed since Yuu downloaded it for her in hopes of "better business reach." He then asked her to do a livestream.
"But why?" Reiko asked.
"Just stream. I can probably help you fund for your black torn shoes."
"Not my loafers?"
"How did you even get them? I know you definitely didn't buy it. Just look at your pencil case. The paints peeling off."
"His family gave it to me as a birthday present." Reiko pointed to Masaru.
"Ahhh...so you're a peasant. Got it."
"Hey, don't call me that!"
"Sigh...just get your livestream to me. The success of it depends on how well it goes. Good luck."
Keeping the guidebook in her bag, Reiko walked back to her friends while thinking about the livestream. Should she really do it? She wasn't sure whether he was genuine about it but she had never live-streamed before so she should give it a try.
(Cut to Hanadera household-Reiko's Room)
"Reiko, are you sure you want to livestream?" Can-do asked out of concern.
"Let's do it," Reiko replied casually, starting up Instagram on the family laptop. "Souta-kun told me after all, if I wanted to expand my business, I ought to connect with my customers."
"No. What about me? People shouldn't know about me."
"I have watched many magical girl shows with my little sister. The magical girl protagonists always lie about talking animals. I can always do the same."
"Fine..."
"3,2,1, start!" Reiko started live-streaming. The live stream initially went out well as Reiko greeted her fans and she even picked up Can-do, introducing him to her fans as a "talking pet she secretly adopted.""
Halfway during the interaction between the talking pet and her fans, Reiko noticed a comment reading: Oh right. The colour of your pencil case is fading, your indoor shoes are darker than the night and they look so tight on you. How can you even afford a room like this?
Reiko froze, before telling her fans to give her a second as she paused the livestream. She turned on her phone as she checked who was asking her that. As it turned out, it was one of Mai's tennis club friends who was the oldest daughter of a long-running family business...according to Mai herself. Realising people of great prestige were watching her, Reiko bit her lips and an invisible bullet. She knew she couldn't let her viewers done, since a good majority of them came from the same school as her.
"Oh you see, my family used to live in a trashy environment that only had mattresses and flies flying around the house. It so happened some rich people fled the country without even filling up forms and my parents were desperate for a better life so they begged the government to let us live here," Reiko explained, all while faking arrogance.
She then received comments of mixed feelings. Some comments read:
OMG THATS THE WAY! So maybe you weren't a poor beggar after all. Go on go on...
I never heard of such a nice government before. Maybe Tayoseishi is the most inclusive city in the world, I probably should move there.
Maybe you're writing your own rags to riches story!
Others read:
Stop Reiko stop. I know your family isn't like this.
Don't lie about your family.
Pls stop talking bad about your family. The fact you're already making up stories about your family's poverty is astonishing.
Nonetheless, Reiko ignored the comments calling her out and decided to continuing speaking about the defective plushies. "Oh you know the defective plushies you all have been delivered? Oh, my siblings that use their gadgets from the time they get home to the time sleep were forced to do it on my behalf. My mother asked them to do it so their myopia doesn't shoot up, y'know. They can't even see properly without their nerdy glasses anymore."
Soon enough, the positive comments outweighed the negative ones. Reiko was even more motivated to shame her siblings so she could be popular just like Masaru.
"My sister just can't move properly. She always wears the robot leg and needs clutches to get around. How weak. She can't even walk properly on her. And for my brother, he is just an oversized kid. All he does all day is watch Pinkfong and Hi-5 on his tablet. If you ever saw my mother buying pumpkins, it's for my stupid brother who only eats pumpkin porridge every day, three meals a day."
Little did she know, her mother was listening to her all the while. "HANADERA REIKO," her mother screamed. "Out, right now." Reiko ended her livestream abruptly and ran to the dining room.
(Cut to living/dining room)
Reiko was given a tongue lashing for abusing her social media privileges and for badmouthing her family. To make matters worse, she was reminded of all the financial problems her family was going through.
The scolding session seemed to last forever. Eventually, Reiko felt so suffocated by the scolding session she found herself covering her ears and running back to her room. Shutting down her laptop, she just packed all her valuables into a haversack and carried her school bag, dashing out of the house, all while chanting, "I hate my family! I wish I was Masaru's twin sister!"
Masaru happened to hear everything. After quickly explaining he had to take care of a personal emergency, he ran out of the house and followed her. He stopped her and quickly took away the Jewel Album from her bag.
While running like never before, Masaru struggled to open the Jewel Album. Pulling out the wireless earphones Jewel and inserting it into the phone, a pair of wireless earphones appeared in Masaru's hands. He plugged them into his ears since he saw the functions that that pair of wireless earphones had a mic. Since he saw Reiko wear wireless earpieces too, he secretly prayed that she had a mic function too. After all, he felt a Sabetsuta looming near, and decided to follow her around in case they had to transform, something he knew wouldn't be happening.
Narrator
Oh no! Reiko succumbed to the influencer's pressure and did a livestream badmouthing her siblings. Just to become even more popular?! Seriously, I think she has made more friends than me in my own first year of middle school!
Hey, at least Hitoshu-oni and Ijime-O are at least trying to lend her a helping hand! ...wait, at trying to corrupt her for popularity?!
Story
"The noble sacrifice of your beloved family so many more people can accept you..." Ijime-O mumbled. "I understand. Let me help me push that further."
(Cut to some nearby park)
Reiko continued running further and further into the park. Masaru screamed into the wireless earpiece, "HANADERA REIKO, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE WE ARE?!"
"In the midst of the wilderness," Reiko replied.
"It's Tayoseishi Park, y'know."
"HUH?!"
"Why do you even want to run away and break your family's heart?"
"Because I want to be like you."
"This has gone too far! The fact you're actually hurting the people that matter most to you just so you can be popular is unacceptable! Think about it, don't you think you have more friends to call your own now?!"
Reiko gasped. But she had no time to be stunned. Even through the vibrations, she realised the Sabetsuta has come!
"I think your differences suck! Go Sabetsuta!" Ijime-O.
"Sabetsuta!" The sabetsuta echoed.
"We don't have any time to waste. Masaru, meet me near the silver statue."
"Roger." He dashed to the silver statue at the speed of lightning and soon reached Reiko's side. They fished out their InfiniMos and got into transformation position.
Transformation
Locking the InfiniJewels into the InfiniMo, Masaru removed his glasses while Reiko took off her headband. Tapping their shoulders next to each other, they chorused, "Precure, accept my difference!"
The duo then bounced off each other. Reiko gained her warrior dress while Masaru gained his warrior suit. They then went back to each other and held each other's hand, tapping their feet for shoes and bumping each other's heads for their new style. The duo's InfiniMos went to the side of their outfit, their weapons were summoned and landed on their hands and the duo jumped down to pose.
"Embracing everyone for their true selves, I'm Cure Embrace!"
"Respecting others for their strengths, I'm Cure Respect!"
"One plus one is more than two! That's what differences do! Go, Accepting Diversity Precure!"
Story
"Go Sabetsuta!" Ijime-O ordered. Reiko jumped up and kicked the Sabetsuta, before bouncing back and getting into a squat again. However, a strong pain shot up Reiko's leg. Reiko winced and fell to her knees.
"REI! Are you ok??" Masaru asked out of concern.
"I'm fine..." Reiko replied. "Just no idea why my leg hurts so much. Maybe I overworked my muscles." Masaru gasped. She was right, her athletic ability has always been lower than his. Just as she was about to get up despite the cramp, she was being shot by Ijime-O.
"REI!" Masaru's eyes shot to Ijime-O. Ijime-O shot lasers at Reiko! No wonder Reiko had supposedly passed out from the attack.
"You made my childhood friend faint during battle, when stakes are highest," Masaru muttered angrily. "You're so done."
"I am not done with you!" Masaru unknowingly activated lasers in his eyes, which shot at the speed of light. Ijime-O winced, mumbling back, "So you think you have so much audacity, huh?"
"What did you just say??" Masaru continued his screaming and told himself: I'm going to do whatever it takes to defeat him. His partner has been doing so much for him he should return the favour. Even when she wasn't awake.
Running like the wind, Masaru summoned his dagger and pointed it at Ijime-O, firmly asking for his bladed weapon. Ijime-O summoned his sword and the duo had an aggressive sword-dagger fight. At the end of it all, Masaru successfully cornered Ijime-O and pushes him down. He pinned him down with his feet and didn't leave until he fell asleep.
At that moment, Reiko got up and slowly walked to the Sabetsuta. During her 'walk' she felt pieces of her genuine self slowly but surely come back together. "I know what I did today was wrong," Reiko said with confidence. "I'm going to face the consequences of my actions head-on and learn to be who I truly am."
"Rei..." Masaru mumbled, watching his childhood friend glow with a beautiful peach pink.
At that moment, the InfiniBoard landed in her hands again. "What am I supposed to do with this?" Reiko asked. But before anyone could answer for her, a Jewel fell from the sky. "Wind and heart... I'm calling that the Overpowered Love Storm Jewel," she said.
"Nice name!" Masaru praised. "Insert your Overpowered Love Storm Jewel into the InfiniBoard for an attack only you can wield."
"Thanks."
Attack
Locking the Overpowered Love Storm Jewel into the InfiniBoard, Reiko raised her hand up, screaming, "Precure, Dress Up!" She transformed into her Accepting Form before posing while saying, "Precure, Accepting Form!"
"Summon, wand!" Reiko screamed and her wand landed in her hand. She then drew a heart on her right side. "Overflowing you meanie with my endless love! Precure, Love's Whirlwind!" Reiko fearlessly pointed the Electrically Amplified Wand at the villains and shocked them with her wind-storm.
Story
Masaru shielded himself from the wind when it stopped. "Rei...is that you?" Masaru asked, being shocked to the core. The once meek girl that was his only friend was starting to make more friends and wasn't as meek as before.
"Masa-kun, that's me, but better," Reiko replied, as the duo detransformed. "We've been out long enough, let's get home now."
(Cut to Hanadera Household)
The minute Reiko stepped foot into her house, she performed a 90 degree bow and yelled at the top of her voice, "I'M SORRY!"
Initially, her loud yet heartfelt apology shocked the entire room. Yet, her mother smiled and walked up to her, holding her hands. To her surprise, her mother said, "I know you're a very nice girl and you usually won't do that. I also watched your livestream and read the comments."
"Why??"
"I wanted to see whether you were being influenced and lo and behold, you were. Let's work on your confidence so you won't be that influenced over what others say about you."
"Thanks, mum. I love you. And I love this house too."
(2905 words)