Narrator
Last time on Accepting Diversity Precure, Reiko was invited out by her senior for a hangout. While having fun talking about their art inspiration, Reiko faced the sabetsuta without Masaru by her side. Knowing she must fight alone, Madoka helps her fight by herself and thankfully, she did it!
Story
"Yuyu, which exercise do you want us to help with?" Masaru asked.
"The one about algebra word problems," Yuu replied.
"Alright."
Narrator
You may be wondering what the accepting diversity cures are up to. They're just going to the library to do their homework. I hope they can help one another tide through their weaker subjects!
Story
As they were about to reach Tayoseishi Library, a redhead was seen pulling a girl that was about the cures' age and running to the cures. Masaru turned his head and asked, "That's Hinomori-sensei, no?"
Reiko initially didn't think much as she made an effort to forget her elementary school life altogether. However, when her surname was yelled, a sense of realisation hit her hard. That was her elementary school homeroom teacher.
"Hanadera, it's so good to see you again!" She screamed while hugging her. "Oh, how much you've grown. And lookâyou aren't just talking to Hase anymore. I just who's that though..."
"Sakurachi Yuu," Yuu replied. "And how are you three related? Long-lost relatives?"
"No." Hinomori-sensei pointed at Reiko and Masaru. "My former students." She then pointed at the girl with a similar age to Masaru and Reiko. "My older daughter."
"I see. And was her only friend Masaru actually?"
"Yes and no. Come, let's go to a family diner where I'll explain everything."
"Mum, no," her daughter insisted. "I have entrance exams to prepare for. We only went out to buy bentos."
"All you do now is study! Come, walking in the open once in a while is good for you. Won't burnout too badly."
"Your daughter grew up so much," Reiko remarked.
"I know! You two too."
(Cut to the Family Diner)
After placing their orders, Yuu asked, "So does Reiko have only one friend in elementary school?"
"You mean one real friend?" Hinomori-sensei asked her back.
"What do you mean?"
"When I mean real friend, I mean a friend made on her own accord. She hardly had a friend of her own other than Masaru and if I ever spotted Reiko talking to someone, I probably saw that person twice."
"You have a very interesting way of talking, but I didn't get the last part."
"That just means Reiko befriended that person because Masaru was that person's friend. Take it like a friend's friend."
"Oh. Now that you say it, I kind of get it."
"I mean, Masaru was in the broadcast club and student council and Reiko was in the dance club back then. Masaru definitely knew more people then. They would go up to him, start chatting with him and Reiko often had to listen in. I then advised her to join in, and she did. That lasted...until summer break started."
"Now you really made me confused. What's even going on here?"
Hinomori-sensei sighed and asked Reiko to take over, claiming Reiko should know better since she was the one that went through it all.
Flashback
Part 1
That day, 3A was asked to write an essay about what their family was like. Everyone got to work without much hesitation. On the other hand, Reiko froze when she looked at the composition paper.
She wasn't sure whether she tell the truth or lie her way out. On one hand, she was told that she shouldn't tell others what her family was like to avoid embarrassing them. On the other hand, she was reminded that honesty was the best policy and it was bad to cover up things. Hence, to save face, she wrote an essay about her siblings being academics prodigies instead.
Part 2
Masaru's friends were almost always invited to his house to play, more so the boys. They would then dote on Rina, who was then barely 1 or 2 years old. It was always lively at the Hases.
Eventually, Reiko grew envious of Masaru and begged her mother for a play date. Much to her mother's reluctance, the play date was carried out and two of Masaru's broadcast club friends/"her" friends were invited.
When the play date happened, everything was fine when the trio were playing Barbie when the sound of glass shattering could be heard. The two friends desperately ran to the source of the sound, but Reiko stopped them. As she reminisced over the memories, she clearly remembered telling them, "Don't. It's one of my brother's meltdowns again."
They believe her since they knew academic prodigies worked really hard. However, one had secretly uncovered the truth through peeking around.
Part 3
A new term
"And for the next section, Sunrise Gossips," her broadcast friend announced. "Do you know Reiko's older brother is 13 and still smashes glass on purpose? Not to mention he always cries when doing homework? And her sister can't even walk like us? Oh yes, not the academic prodigies you were thinking."
The whole 3A were in shock. Masaru bent towards her and asked in shock, "So you actually lied in your family essay?"
"I don't have a choice, Masaru," she whispered back. "It was my mother's instructions to keep the truth of my family a secret. Remember what our social studies teacher said? As Asians*, we must always save face."
"...alright. I believe you."
However, one person's words did "wonders." One by one, all her "friends" left her side except Masaru. They started to taunt her and made her life miserable with all the bullying she was subjected to. She clearly remembered, the last straw was when she deliberately ran out into the rain just to get herself sick. All because people judged her for making her team lose a game of basketball.
All she remembered after that was she got transferred. And Masaru transferred with her so she wouldn't feel too lonely.
Present day
"So what happened after that?" Hinomori-sensei asked. By then, their food has arrived so Hinomori-sensei's daughter just started eating first.
"Things were kind of better," Masaru admitted. "She made 1 other dance club friend. Just 1."
"Haha, 1 is better than 0. And I wonder if it's the same. You three are like a friend group."
"Actually, nope. She has at least 2 friends now. Don't count me. Everyone knows her name though. It's like she's surpassing me."
"How?!"
Masaru pointed to Reiko. "Happy Lucky Store founder."
"Wow!! Mummy, can I get her autograph?" She asked excitedly.
"If she wants, dear. Hanadera, you ok with signing my daughter's planner?" Hinomori-sensei asked politely.
"Sure!" Reiko replied. Hinomori-senseI got her daughter's planner and a pen out and Reiko signed her planner.
Narrator
Painful as her elementary school days may have been, Reiko didn't let her past define her and became someone others could look up to. Even her former teacher's daughter!
But someone clearly hates her change. You know who? Hitoshu-oni!
Story
Pounding her fist on the cloud, Hitoshu-oni screamed, "Hanadera Reiko, why can't you be like your past self? Always relying on Masaru to make friends and not living your own life...I want to see how it's like being the female Masaru."
(Cut to outside the family diner)
"Alright everyone, how about a slow walk to let all the Hamburg steaks and fries digest?" Hinomori-sensei suggested.
"Alright!" The quartet chorused. Masaru then took ownership in pushing Yuu around...not until the quintet were trapped at the family diner. And for the three cures, a familiar face too.
"Who are you?" Hinomori-sensei asked in fear while covering her daughter. "Don't touch me or my daughter!"
"I am Hitoshu-oni. How dare you treat Reiko nicely. I think your differences suck! Go, sabetsuta!" Hitoshu-oni screamed.
"Sabetsuta!" The planner monster echoed.
Reiko, Masaru and Yuu stepped back. They pulled out their transformation devices, ready to fight for Reiko's last they were ready to protect.
Transformation
Locking the InfiniJewels into the InfiniMo, Masaru removed his glasses while Reiko took off her headband. Yuu sprung out from her wheelchair and slowly saw herself stand in the presence of gravity in the first time. She then looked up to the sky and the InfiniMo and InfiniJewel came to her hands. Tapping their shoulders next to one another, they chorused, "Precure, accept my difference!"
Waving her phone in the air, Yuu released it before curling up into a ball, gaining her green dress. She admired her feet as if taking in the fact she can walk again, before clasping her hands and closing her eyes. Masaru and Reiko then went back to each other and bumped each other's heads for their new hairstyle. The trio's InfiniMos went to the side of their outfit, their weapons were summoned and landed on their hands and the trio jumped down to pose.
"Embracing everyone for their true selves, I'm Cure Embrace!"
"Respecting others for their strengths, I'm Cure Respect!"
"Uniting love and peace once more, I'm Cure Harmony!"
"Two plus one is more than three! That's what differences do! Go, Accepting Diversity Precure!"
Story
"Go, Sabetsuta!" Hitoshu-oni demanded.
"Sabetsuâ" Sabetsuta screamed.
"Not so fast!" Reiko screamed. She was spinning a pink yo-yo at top speed. Masaru and Yuu stepped back due to the high danger involved in this prank.
"You know this isn't for show right?" Reiko said sarcastically. She then put on her game face. "Precure, Lovely Yo-yo Attack!" She whacked the yo-yo on the Sabetsuta.
Masaru saw it with certainty. It was surreal Reiko was showing quick growth as a Precure. One moment she was running around in circles not knowing how to fight. The next, she was leading her friends in defeating the villains confidently.
Not wanting to stay comfortable in his level of athleticism, Masaru decided to jump up and perform his fiery punch. However, the fiery punch only burnt part of the planner, nothing else.
"Ha," Hitoshu-oni scoffed. "So Embrace, what are you without your Respect?"
That was when Reiko lost it. She mumbled under her breath, "You don't know I just fought without Respect and I did just fine..." She then summoned her yo-yo and spun it, all while running.
"Masaru is just one of my many friends now! I'm not going to let my elementary school life define me!" Reiko screamed while tying the Sabetsuta with her yo-yo string. "Yuyu, finish it!"
"Alright!" Yuu screamed back. Yuu sprung up and spun her rod. Lightning sparks formed out of the rod. Yuu took a moment to absorb the moment before forcing herself to focus again.
"Precure, lightning attack!" She screamed, giving the villains a shock.
"That was fast," Masaru admitted, not trying to hide the fact tears were rolling down his face.
Seeing Masaru cry, Reiko broke down too. But she knew it was because she was touched by Masaru acknowledging her growth as a person. She knew just what to do next.
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!" The love overcame the villains and stunned them.
Story
Hitoshu-oni slowly got up to her feet and mumbled, "Sigh...if only that Embrace would stay the same. Can't stand her athletic nonsense." She disappeared.
The fruit candy Jewel fell from the sky. Reiko picked it up and kept it in her pocket, promising herself to install it into the Jewel Album once she gets home. The trio then detransformed and Hinomori-sensei and her daughter were freed from the cage.
"Mum, we should get going," Hinomori-sensei's daughter told her.
"True," Hinomori-sensei. "We can't rest for too long." She turned to Masaru and Reiko. "Hase, Hanadera, until we meet again. Promise me you two will keep shining ya?"
"We will, thanks!" Accepting Diversity Precure watched Hinomori-sensei leaves from a distance before making their way home too.
(2062 words)
*- in Asian culture, it is frequently believed that if one keeps his/her head down and didn't try to stand out, (s)he would succeed. Note that Accepting Diversity Precure takes place in Kyoto, Japan and Japan is a part of Asia: