The Mystery of Pandora
Disclaimer:
Danganronpa is owned by Spike Chunsoft and Lerche
Professor Layton is owned by Level 5
Kamen Rider Build is owned by Ishimori Productions and Toei
Hello, and welcome to another experimental fic. Normally, this is a crossover between Danganronpa and Professor Layton, but since this will be the first time I'll be using certain characters from Danganronpa V3, I decided to place it here in the Danganronpa category to see if I should keep it here or put it on the crossover section.
This is also the first time to use a supporting character in the form of Kibo, and while in the canon game he is depicted as a robot, I decided to have him portray a human who gets adopted by someone, which is directly inspired from the Capcom game Megaman Legends. That game is also themed in archeology due to Megaman Volnutt being a digger, hence the archeology subplot applies here.
Also, characters from the Professor Layton series will also appear here since the setting is mostly within London besides Japan. More on that in the later chapters.
Third, I will be using elements from the ongoing Japanese TV drama series, Kamen Rider Build, which will premiere in September 3, and since that upcoming series also have archeological themes similar to Professor Layton, expect some action here and somewhere in the upcoming chapters.
Fourth, aside from Kibo, I will also use characters from Danganronpa V3, such as Himiko Yumeno, but will also add another character from Danganronpa, in the form of Masaru Daimon. Their roles will be explained in the upcoming chapters as well.
Lastly, this fic will be AU, thus there won't be any mention about Hope's peak or the Gifted Academy for Inmates, though the villain of that game, Tsumugi Shirogane, might appear depending on the plot.
Well, that's all for now, so it's time to read on, and enjoy the story!
Ch. 1: Prologue
The scene shifts to an unspecified area, where scientists are seen inside what appeared to be a base, and a huge monitor screen is shown where a live feed is seen where several astronauts are doing some kind of expedition, and the place the astronauts are currently at turns out to be the planet Mars, and the scene shows that the scientists are observing the live feed, where they appeared to be Japanese and British, and the leader of the scientists communicated with the leader of the expedition team asking how are things there at Mars.
"How are things there at Mars?"
"Everything is okay so far."
"Have you find anything interesting?"
"Negative, sir."
"Okay, continue the search, but return to the shuttle once the time limit is up. We don't want you and your crew to get in to a face with an oncoming meteor or a comet."
"Roger that."
"Okay, carry on."
"Yes sir."
The person who is speaking to the expedition team is identified only as Professor Idabarashi, and he appeared to be a knowledgeable scientist that has interest in archeology, and through him he proposed and formed a joint team consisting of scientists and archeologists from Japan and London, and they intend to find something within Mars that would help make a milestone in benefiting mankind, and at the same time achieve recognition.
However, the scientists and archeological teams are unaware that they are being monitored by the Targent Agency, and that they too have interest in finding whatever the exploration team find at Mars, and are waiting for the right time to strike and steal whatever item is brought here, as well as to determine whether the item would be brought to London or Japan.
-x-
The scene shifts to somewhere within London, where you can see an outdoor snack bar where a lot of customers are drinking and dining, and there you can see a British citizen wearing a hat and clothing that make him look like a PERFECT GENTLEMAN. He appeared to be in his 20s, and he is identified as Herschel Layton, and he is sipping a drink when he overheard a conversation from some guys that are sitting near him and they appeared to be familiar with archeology, as they are discussing about an archeological project carried by astronauts and is being handled by both England and Japan.
Layton overhears them insinuating that it might cause complication stemming from the fact that, if ever something is found at Mars, the British and Japanese scientists might argue on who would take the credit and who would benefit from the said project.
Even one of the customers even joked that this may result in World War III, referencing the anime Code Geass.
"Believe me...Japan and the UK would get into an argument..."
"How so?"
"What made you say that?"
"If those exploration guys fund something at Mars...the two sides would argue...and if the object turns out to have something...immerse...they will fight for it. Remember the anime Code Geass? The character Charles Britannia? He wanted the power of an artifact that is within Japanese soil...so he declared war and defeated Japan and took the land and expanded Britain's territory...And I'm betting that is what's going to happen once those expedition team get their hands on whatever they find at Mars..."
"Sounds like a science fiction..."
"World War III? Fat chance!"
"Sure wish I was with the exploration team..."
"In your dreams, mate..."
After that, the men finished their meals and left the snack bar, where Layton glanced at them as he wondered what they were thinking and how they knew about the said project, as something like that is usually top secret and kept from prying ears, and that is something that the men earlier should consider keeping it private as it might jeopardize the said project.
Layton shook his head and sighed, seeing that some people are careless about certain things and are not using their heads at all. He hoped that the men's carelessness would not lead to any complication that would lead to a problem that would put London, and England, in a possible precarious position, and there the bartender came to collect the trays and Layton gave the tray to him, and the bartender began complimenting Layton's hat.
"Nice looking hat, sir."
"Oh...thank you."
"Did you bought it?"
"No...it was given to me...as a present..."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You should treasure it."
"I will."
Layton smiled and nodded as he finished drinking his beverage and departed, and the scene shifts to a nearby alley where the four men were seen earlier discussing about the top secret archeological expedition on Mars, and it turns out that they were acquaintances with one of the British scientists, and despite being outsiders they were given certain access and partially contributed something, thus the four men have limited knowledge about the project.
The four men are talking about what to do next as they were told that the expedition team are still at Mars and there is no word yet on when they would return, and what artifacts they would find there. The four men are even considering asking their benefactor to let them in on the project so as to get some monetary contribution which the others agreed.
"You know...maybe we should ask our benefactor to give us some compensation...you know...to give us some money after how we contributed and all..."
"Sounds nice..."
"I liked that idea."
"Me too...I needed the cash."
"Then I'll head there tomorrow and make a proposal...and hooe that oyr benefactor would accept."
"Right."
"Go for it."
"Want money..."
However, a group of men appeared and shoved the four men towards the alley and began to hold them at gunpoint. The men with guns turn out to be members of the Targent Agency and they demanded to the four men to tell them what they know about the secret project that involves planet Mars. While shaken, the four men were defiant, and the lead man scoffed and said that the captors won't get anything from him, which the lead Targent agent glared at the man.
"You won't get anything from us!"
"What was that...?"
"You heard me! I won't say a word about that project! For my ears only!"
"You better talk if you don't want anything bad happen to you."
"You'll have to do better than that, you extortionist!"
"Do not tempt me..."
"A violent temptation do not scare me, you scoundrel!"
"You asked for it."
The Targent agent then shoots the man on his crotch and the man fell down and screamed in agony, and the three men became shaken at seeing what happened, and the Targent agent glanced at the other three men and asks them again to tell them what they know about the project. Fearing for their lives, and not wanting their MANHOOD getting shot, the three other men reluctantly told them what they knew, hoping that they would be spared.
"...and that is that!"
"Honest to goodness!"
"That is all we know!"
"Please...do not hurt us!"
"We told you what we know!"
"Just spare us!"
"We have nothing else to offer!"
"..."
Although they got the answers, the Targent agents were simply not satisfied, and ordered his fellow agents to shoot them down, and the four men became horrified and they began pleading for their lives and promised not to tell anyone about this incident if they let them live.
"Wait!"
"Don't shoot!"
"We won't tell!"
"We will keep quiet!"
"We told you everything...just spare us!"
"We beg you!"
"Let us live!"
"Please!"
Their pleas, however, went on deaf ears as the Targent agents shoots down the four men, and after making sure that the men are dead, the Targent agents placed their corpses inside body bags and put them inside the huge garbage bin before leaving.
-x-
A month later, the scene shifts at Tokyo International Airport, where Professor Idabarashi arrived after his stint at London, and after hailing a taxi, he instructs the driver to take him to his home address, and about an hour later, Idabarashi arrived, and as he went to the doorstep of his house, he noticed a basket placed in front of his door, and upon removing the cover, he is surprised to see an infant boy, crying upon being exposed to sunlight.
Idabarashi was surprised, and concerned, seeing that the baby has been abandoned and immediately he took the baby and went to the nearest hospital where doctors checked on the baby, who appeared to be two months old, and thankfully the baby is quite well and the doctors decided to observe him for now, and asks Idabarashi if he happened to see who left the infant.
"Did you happened to see who left this baby at your doorstep?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Is there any note left at the basket?"
"No...nothing."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
After hearing this, the doctor then suggested to Idabarashi that he can adopt the baby if the parents cannot be found, and Idabarashi nodded, and left the hospital to report to the child welfare services about the incident, as Idabarashi appeared receptive about adopting the baby, since he is single and unable to find a girlfriend due to the nature of his work.
About two months later, Idabarashi petitioned to adopt the baby, who is now four months old, and the child welfare department accepted, and thus the baby is given custody, and there the chairman asks Idabarashi on what name would he give to the baby boy, and Idabarashi smiled seeing that the baby seemed to give him hope of raising a family despite not having a wife.
"So...have you decided to give this baby a name?"
"Yes...he has given me hope...that I can have a family of my own..."
"Even though you are single and not having a wife?"
"Yes. I will eventually have a wife...but I want to raise this infant as if he were my own child."
"Then please give him a name."
"I already decided to give him one."
"And the name...?"
"His name will be..."
Idabarashi then gives the name of the baby he is adopting, and names him Kibo, and the papers have been processed and Kibo is officially adopted to Idabarashi, and he now hires a nursemaid to help look after Kibo as he still have a work and can only see to him once office hours ends within the day.
To Be Continued...
Hope you liked this chapter, and while there is no action showed here, the plot makes up for it since this is a prologue of sorts, and introduces Kibo as a human and how he came to be raised by Idabarashi. This will set up the events where he will one day become the main character and what role he would play in the upcoming chapters…
Preview:
Kibo spends his years under Idabarashi's care and how he would end up going to London…while side characters and villains pop up sporadically before the actual plot plays in…
See you in 3 to 4 weeks…