Narrator
Last time on Accepting Diversity Precure, Reiko befriended tennis-loving Mai, who was the class representative for her class and someone that loved tennis. Mai helped Reiko get better at tennis, and Reiko did get better! Let's hope Reiko gets even better at the sport as well as get better at other sports!
Another fun, or "fun story" is going to start soon, and it all starts at the courtyard at morning break again...
Story
"Welcome to the friend group, Mai!" Reiko, Yuu and Masaru chorused as they pulled party poppers. Colourful confetti fell to the bench and the grass as the trio cheered and applauded.
"Thanks guys, but you didn't have to..." Mai remarked while blushing, scratching her cheeks. "So is everyone ready for the Japanese pop test after this?"
"The grammar one, the comprehension one or the combined one?" Reiko asked. "I forgot which one."
"Combined."
The minute Masaru heard "combined," he froze. Masaru was never good at Japanese despite being Japanese himself. The comprehension section would definitely pull him down.
He pulled out the InfiniBoard at once. Looking for something to help him, he was at a loss when he realised nothing useful could help him. All of a sudden, he remembered their previous fight where Reiko gained the Paper Jewel. However, he did have to be careful about he phrased so she wouldn't be aware of his "grand plans."
"Rei," he asked. "Can you do me a favour? Can you get me the Jewel Album?"
Not suspecting anything, Reiko replied, "Sure, Masa-Kun." She then left for the class to get the paper from the Jewel Album where she carefully tucked the album in a cupboard. (While not explicitly mentioned, the Jewel earned from the previous chapter was the Paper Jewel)
Mai and Yuu looked at him suspiciously. "What do you need the paper for?" Mai asked.
"Well... just to write some story ideas for my sister's dolls," Masaru lied, but he was able to cover up his lie, perfectly. Mai, Yuu and Masaru then had a chat about Masaru's sister and her dolls, as well as their own siblings.
Not long after, Reiko gave Masaru the paper. Masaru thanked Reiko shortly after and then ran back to class.
(Cut to class 1-3)
What the girls didn't know was that the paper wasn't actually for story ideas for his sister's dolls, but to cheat. Looking at his Japanese textbook, he scribbled on that piece of paper all the grammar rules they had learnt over the past month and a half. At the end of the cheat sheet, he wrote:
For comprehension, look over Mai's shoulder. She was the top for Japanese for midterms after all, right? Unlike me, a total noob at that language...
Tucking the cheat sheet underneath his table, Masaru took out his pencil case and pretended to fiddle with the contents of it until Japanese class started.
When Japanese class started, the class greeted Abiko-sensei, their Japanese teacher. After greetings, Abiko-sensei distributed the test papers. Masaru silently tucked the cheat sheet underneath his blazer, promising himself he would take it out once the teacher gave the class the green light to go. Once Abiko-sensei gave the students the green light to go, the class turned over the test papers, and after that, it was silent.
Masaru turned over his test paper in a special way. He used his left hand to flip the test paper and right hand to take out the cheat sheet. No one suspected a thing since he quietly put the cheat sheet on his lap and the taking out of the cheat sheet was done with the flipping of paper. When he saw the first question, he just peeked at the cheat sheet and then quickly answered. Peek at cheat sheet, write down the answer, rinse and repeat. That went on... for only 10 questions.
Just as Masaru was doing his little routine like clockwork, the teacher's heels clicked closer and closer to Masaru and Reiko's table. In a panic, Masaru hastily stuffed the cheat sheet into his blazer, but that didn't go unnoticed by sharp-eyed Abiko-sensei.
"Show me that piece of paper in your blazer," Abiko-sensei instructed coldly. Forty pairs of eyes turned around to look at him, and Masaru's face turned a beetroot red.
"You better own up now. Else the consequences would be dire." Panicking, Masaru took out his blazer and once he unbuttoned all the buttons, the cheat sheet was confiscated.
"Forget about finishing this test. Come with me and pack your things." Abiko-sensei took away Masaru's pop test and Masaru packed his things, slinging his satchel. Reiko solemnly watched Masaru from a distance and her view went back to her test. She sighed as she thought: Man, I never thought Masaru was the kind to cheat.
(Cut to the discipline office)
At the discipline office, Masaru was given a tongue-lashing about the discipline master for cheating in a pop test. After interrogation, Masaru tearfully admitted it was a threat by his home room teacher and the pressure not to fail the subject that caused him to do such a thing. The discipline master was even more furious hearing his explanations, claiming his explanations were mere lies to attend soccer training and his parents were called.
The trio sat in the discipline office in silence for thirty minutes until Masaru's parents stormed into the office. "MASARU, YOU DISGRACE!" His father bellowed through the entire room. "NEVER IN MY THIRTEEN YEARS OF BEING A FATHER HAVE I THOUGHT YOU TO CHEAT TO OVERCOME STRESS."
"No words can express our disappointment in you," Masaru's mother continued. Masaru's parents were gathered around the discipline master's desk as the trio discussed the appropriate punishment for their son. Eventually, they decided to make him resit the paper after school after a week. He would also be suspended from club for two weeks. After that, the Hases left the discipline office solemnly.
Narrator
What? Masaru cheated?! As far as I knew, he would be the last person to ever cheat on a test, even if he was pressured to.
Do you know what's worse? The villains are making fun of the mistake he made and there's only one way they can do that.
Story
"Wow, the regret accompanied with stress," Hitoshu-Oni mumbled before smiling gleefully. "Don't worry, I know just how you feel right now."
(Cut to Tayoseishi Private Academy gate)
Reiko walked out of the school compounds after art club, chatting with her senior along the way. When she realised Masaru was sitting at the swings, she wanted to check on him. Hence, she bade her senior farewell as she prepared to cross the road to talk to Masaru.
After crossing the road, she realised the boy sitting on the swings was Masaru indeed. Wasn't he at risk of failing Japanese again? When Masaru noticed Reiko, he asked, "What are you doing here?"
"That's my line!" Reiko replied.
"I...ran away." Reiko gasped. Masaru was usually a responsible person, so he was the last person to run away.
"But why?"
"I have to resit that test I cheated on, so my parents are making me study very hard. Besides, I have been suspended from club for two weeks. Can't you imagine how much stress I'm going to be subjected to in the next two weeks?"
"But still, can't you talk to your parents?"
"None of your business." Masaru stated at Reiko from the corner of his eye and stormed off. All of a sudden, evil laughter could be heard from the sky.
"I think your differences suck!" Hitoshu-oni declared with confidence. "Go, Sabetsuta!"
"Sabetsuta!" The Sabetsuta echoed.
Reiko gasped and prepared to transform like she usually did. However, when she locked her InfiniJewel into her InfiniMo, nothing happened.
Thinking it was the way she locked her InfiniJewel into her InfiniMo, she tried every way possible but to no avail. "Transformation denied. Reason: your partner is being turned into a Sabetsuta. You and your partner must be physically together in order to transform. A second reason is because you couldn't understand your partner's familial circumstances," the InfiniMo echoed. Reiko gasped.
All of a sudden, Reiko found that she was engulfed by fleeting wind. She winced but when she looked up, she saw a purple-haired girl with a purple costume. On her waist was the exact same device Reiko had, but purple colour.
She was a Precure?!
"Accepting the world for who they are, I'm Cure Accepting!"
All of a sudden, many "oohs" and "aahs" could be heard. After that, many cheers could be heard.
"It's Tayoseishi's top hero!" Everyone chorused.
That rang a bell to Reiko. A few days back, Reiko, Masaru and Rina were watching television programmes when they saw Cure Accepting at work. She was able to defeat the villain with her Accepting Butterfly Embrace attack.
Reiko was stunned and couldn't move a muscle as she saw Cure Accepting at work. Cure Accepting was a much better fighter than she was. Her physical moves were much stronger, she was a lot more agile and she hardly panicked. Her face expressions barely changed, which to Reiko, was a good thing for a Precure.
10 minutes became 20, and 20 became 30. By then, Cure Accepting had successfully defeated the villain. All of a sudden, the Wireless Earpiece Jewel fell from the sky.
To Reiko's surprise, Cure Accepting passed that very jewel to Reiko. "I'm supposed to be the one keeping it, but just this one time, I'm going to give it to you," she said stoically. "Just don't think you're going to be so lucky next time. Work out your issues with your partner." She then left and detransformed.
For a moment, Reiko couldn't unsee what she saw. That violet ponytail meant...?
But she had no time to think such thoughts. Masaru was freed from the cage and woke up immediately. "Where am I?" He asked in confusion.
"The playground I first met you," Reiko replied sweetly. "Let's go home. Your parents must be worried sick about you."
(Cut to the Hase household)
When the door opened, Masaru's parents jumped out in shock and hugged Masaru. Reiko flinched by the sudden movement but then smiled.
"OMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WE WERE SO WORRIED!" "I'm just so glad you're safe!"
Masaru broke down and sobbed in his parents arms. While muffled, he said, "Mum, dad, I'm so sorry for today..."
All of a sudden, the phone rang. Reiko rushed to the phone and answered the call. As it turns out, Izanagi-sensei was tearfully apologising over the phone. She took part of the blame, saying she had threatened to kick him from the soccer team if he failed the next Japanese test, regardless of whether it was graded or not. She admitted she didn't think it'll actually have such a big impact on him.
By then, Masaru has calmed down and asked Reiko what the call was about. Reiko explained everything and Masaru embraced her, breaking down but now out of happiness. "Thank goodness! I'm sorry for dismissing you earlier!" He screamed.
"I'm sorry too. Sorry for not understanding you," Reiko apologised.
"Reiko, you're so humble!" Reiko shot him a look of confusion but smiled sweetly after.
His parents looked at each other and chorused, "Oh my Masaru, you're full of emotion today."
Narrator
Seeing how everyone had faith in him, Masaru was determined not to let the people close to him down again. He studied hard for his retest and scrapped through the test with a 61. He also made an effort to read more Japanese books to improve his command of the language.
I do hope the reading will help his Japanese command! And that he'll never cheat to solve his problems again!
(1978 words)