Chapter 17. Black Jack

"Thinking about it, I don't remember Houraiji being like... That. Normally she was supportive of my own being. I believe she had a backup plan back when I learned on how to use the brush, but the time I went with her to pick mushrooms, she seemed a little...distressed on my appearance. And thinking about it, back when she recruited me, she was acting normal."

"How did she recruit you?"

"Well, I turned into her, and a creepy guy cornered me-"

"Did you catch the guy?"

"Well, Uzuki froze him with a controller he had"

"But did you know what happened after they catch him?"

"Uh..."

"I imagined that..."

Mom gives me her hand

"Let's go to Sayoko's house and end this, then."

I grab her and we go.

We get to her house and head upstairs. No weird Houraiji on sight. Inside, a weird display.

"Hey lil sis, let big sister take care of you!"

"Akaza I swear if you don't stop this right now I-"

They look at me and my mother.

"I mean- sis, carry me!"

"Drop it, Uzuki. She's harmless. She's my mom."

"Y-your mom?!"

Sayuri changes her behavior again

"Oh my god, it's like that-"

"Sayuri, keep it for later. We ain't got any time."

I get them back to normal with the brush.

"Uzuki, no time to explain at all. Hikari is not Hikari. We need to stop her"

"Okay, what's your plan?"

Uh... well, that's a good point. The only person with realistic chances to beat her is Sayuri.

I try to explain everything as quick as I can to both.

"You don't have any items that can outmatch her?"

"We got a bunch, but the implications of using them is disastrous. I can bring the remote, but I really don't think we can do too much if she has more items, specifically items that huge. Besides, she could potentially steal them, so we would be on a really bad spot if something like that happens."

"How about calling another member?"

"Of the society? It's just us. And your mom, now that I know. But... there's no one else"

There must be another way.

I reach my pocket to get the brush out. I didn't notice, but there's a piece of paper in it.

'The PRISM. Shimo-Kitazawa. Performing ________'

Of course!

"How about Diana?"

"Diana? That girl? She went back to her country."

"But we can call her again here, right? It was easy to get there, so why not back?"

"...fair point"

"Besides, she was the only person that really gave us a fight. To Houraiji, even."

"Not bad, Ai. Not bad..."

Uzuki types on her phone. After a few moments, she gets a message back.

Then she takes a piece of paper and sticks it on the door.

"Hey, Ai. Look, she's using a classic item, the dimensional sheet. She can paste it on any door and go through it to get to any other place she can think of"

"How do you know all of this, mom?"

"Well... long story"

As mom said, Uzuki opens the door and walks in. After a moment, she comes back. With Diana.

"Diana! You're back!"

Sayuri hugs her, Diana hugs her back.

"So... you need help, right?"

She takes out her deck

"I absolutely hate this thing, but you guys saved me so... I guess I owe you more than just this."

Mom stares at the deck and gets close.

"Ai, we may have a problem here"

"What's it?"

"Uhm... this is the fire rat's robe"

"What?! But it's a deck, it's not even a robe!"

"I'm absolutely positive"

Uzuki steps in

"Then we got it. I'll use the remot-"

"No. Don't use it"

"Why?! It's the most fit for this!"

"If that controller came from the clone, it's very likely it was sure we were going to use it on her at one point."

I look for a controller, of course, there are 12 of them. I use my brush on one and it changes into the same type of controller.

"Here, take this. We will use it to lure her, you're going to use your dice"

I turn to Sayuri.

"Sayuri, you're insanely good at acting. So..."

Using the brush, I turn Sayuri into Diana.

"From now on, you'll act like her"

"You bet, girl!"

Diana is kind of weirded out.

"This is...scary"

"Well, if you want to stay safe, it's what we will do. "

I turn her into me.

"And with this, you'll distract them"

Uzuki is annoyed.

"Isn't this very confusing?"

"Good, that's the point"

I turn Uzuki into Sayuri, she shakes her head in disproval.

"Now, here's the plan. Hikari, or that clone, rather, is at the school library. I know this because she wants the items. That's why I..."

I use the brush and turn into Uzuki.

"... will be using this. As she will attack me, Sayuri, Uzuki and Diana will go to the front. Uzuki will be the first one to attach with the dice. Then Sayuri will attempt to use the deck and pretend it doesn't work. Improvise that. Diana, there's a brush on your pocket. Try to use it. She will attack you and you'll drop it. Uzuki, stand in front of her and protect her as if it was a sacrifice. I'll step in at the end and try to finish her. I'll turn her into something. I'll figure out later"

Uzuki stares at me, happy.

"See? Your item is not really useful, but with you using it, it's one of the most powerful"

"Thanks, Uzuki. And to all, thanks for believing in me."

We do a small rehearsal. At the end, we prepare. But mom approaches me.

"And what about me?"

"Sorry mom, but I already lost you once. And I can't afford losing you again"

She smiles at me and hugs me.

"Show her who you are. Because you're the most important person for me."

"I will, mom."

We step out to school.

It's time to finish this once and for all.