The Rookie Detective and the Fiery Pianist

Disclaimer:
Danganronpa is owned by Spike Chunsoft and Lerche
Kamen Rider Ex-Aid is owned by Toei Co. Ltd. and Ishimori Productions

First off, many thanks to those who reviewed this fic, I really appreciated it and this gave me inspiration to work on the next chapter and here the current story arc picks up where the last chapter left, in which after two chapters where Togami had recurring nightmares, the plot thickens as he gets kidnapped and the Togami family will slowly get in a situation the moment that the heir went missing, but something will happen that would affect the characters in this story arc, especially Naegi, so read on and enjoy!

Ch. 1: Prologue

Several years ago...

The scene shifts somewhere within Tokyo, where you can see a young girl inside a house, sitting on a bench and is sitting beside a tutor, where the tutor is shows teaching the girl on how to play a piano, and the girl seemed to be quite a fast learner as she picked up the lessons and the tutor is pleased as she saw potential in the little girl and in the weeks that followed, the little girl is slowly learning on how to make beautiful sounds and the tunes were melodic to listen, and this pleases her parents and tutor as they believe that she has found her talent.

"Look at that, dear..."

"Yes, honey...our daughter has a talent..."

"We should encourage her..."

"Yeah...she might become a famous pianist..."

"Oh...I can imagine that she would win various contests..."

"...and awards..."

"We should have her focus on the piano..."

"Right."

-x-

In the years that followed, the girl spend her childhood years perfecting her piano skills, and in doing so, her parents decided to have her enter several piano contests, and because of her skills, the girl won several contests and awards, where she is soon recognized as the first grade school girl to won several awards, in which she is recognized by her elementary school and the higher education department, who acknowledged her talents and even the mayor gave her a medal as token of appreciation.

The girl is identified as Kaede Akamatsu, and she is well-recognized as the piano prodigy, but because of her love for piano, it somewhat alienated her from other girls her age, some calling her PIANO IDIOT, yet there are some who would still befriend her despite her talent and love for piano, and one day, at the age of 10, Akamatsu is walking the streets, fiddling her fingers as if she playing the piano, and there she came across another girl her age, who seemed to be practicing in singing, while at the same time, practicing in playing a wooden guitar, and out of curiosity, Akamatsu approached the girl.

"Um, excuse me..."

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"Singing...and practicing the guitar."

"Really?"

"Yeah...coz when I grow up...I'm gonna be a rock star!"

"Really...?"

"Yeah!"

The girl, who is identified as Ibuki Mioda, and she is soon playing the wooden guitar wildly as if she is a rock star, and asks Akamatsu if she is also a musician, which she nodded, revealing that she is a well-known piano prodigy, and Ibuki smirked as she finds a kindred spirit in which she can relate to someone due to their similar interests in music. A fast friendship is formed and the two would start to get along well and eventually began to practice together, and as Akamatsu is practicing in playing the piano, Ibuki would soon purchase her own electric guitar, and despite showing her preference in heavy metal theme, it did not affect her friendship with Akamatsu, and one day they were practicing together and complemented one another.

"Wow...you sure are good with the piano!"

"Thanks...and you are good with the guitar."

"Woo-hoo! Ibuki got a compliment!"

"Ha-ha-ha..."

"Maybe one day we could do a collaboration..."

"Really, Ibuki-chan?"

"Yeah!"

"Then I look forward to it!"

-x-

Meanwhile, the scene shifts somewhere else within Tokyo, where you can see a 10-year old boy walking the streets, and he is somewhat reclusive, if not quiet, as he appeared to lack confidence in himself as he is reading a mystery novel and while reading, his cellphone rang in which he stopped by a sidewalk and picked up his cellphone to answer it, and he sighed as the conversation took place.

"Hello...?"

"Ah, Saihara-kun..."

"..."

"You don't have to be dismayed..."

"I rather be left alone..."

"You know that this is better than doing nothing..."

"..."

"Trust me on this...I know what is best for you."

The 10-year old boy is identified as Suichi Saihara, and it is shown that Saihara is under the care of a family friend who has a background in detective work and Saihara appeared hesitant, if not reluctant, to take up detective lessons, as he felt that he does not have what it takes to be a detective, but his handler gently assured to him that he will eventually get the hang of it and said this is a very crucial development for him saying that Saihara has the talent to solve cases and it would be better to have a talent like this than being a shut-in and doing nothing, though Saihara asks his handler why does he think that a young boy like him has a detective-like talent and his handler said that he SAW potential in him.

"Really...?"

"Yes, Saihara-kun...I see potential in you."

"But..."

"I am a detective myself...and I know if someone has potential...and I see potential in you."

"..."

"Have confidence in yourself, Saihara-kun."

"...fine."

"That's the spirit."

By then Saihara came across a scene where he saw a corpse hanging by a tree branch, suggesting that it was a suicide, and by then a police car came and saw the scene, and with Saihara being the only one there, the two cops deemed him a PERSON OF INTEREST and they approached him and asks some questions, and as the cop radio for back-up, the other cop asks Saihara what is he doing before this incident.

"I was talking to my guardian on my cellphone."

"Anything else?"

"Just talking...and walking...before coming across this scene."

"Hmm..."

"..."

"May I see your bag, kid?"

"...okay..."

"..."

After inspecting Saihara's belonging, and seeing that there is no one else around, the cops surveying the scene are considering that this is a suicide case, but Saihara began to glance at the corpse, and deduced that the body is that of a seven-year old girl, and he immediately untied the rope from the tree despite the cops' protests, and upon looking at the corpse's neck, Saihara pointed out that the girl did not die from intentional hanging, and instead that she was strangled by someone before using the ropes to make it appear that she died from hanging, which one of the cops appeared conflicted.

"Are you sure, kid?"

"Yes."

"How can you be so sure?"

"The evidence is there...on the body."

"Look...leave it to the coroner...you better..."

"Look carefully."

"Huh?"

"Here..."

Saihara then pointed the neck of the girl, where it showed that there were deep strangulation marks which were quite bigger than the rope used, and while the cop was somewhat doubtful, Saihara then checked the small backpack on the corpse's back and opened it, where a small diary is found, and checking the contents, it showed that the girl is suffering emotionally because she was born a girl and revealed that her parents wanted a boy from the very start because they want a male heir for the family inheritance, and there Saihara found her ID, and the cops began to consider the angle and while Saihara wanted to stay out of this, his inner conscience seemed to dictate his actions and decided to help the cops in investigating what now appeared to be a frustrated murder.

"I want to help."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay...but you need to stick with us..."

"Fine."

"And you need to follow our instructions..."

"Okay."

"Good."

Saihara then called his handler and told him the situation, and he told Saihara to help the cops in solving this case, and in a span of several days, Saihara aided the police in solving the murder case, where the girl's parents were exposed as the culprits, in which the mother is six months pregnant, and the unborn child is revealed to be male, and soon the parents are arrested, and Saihara left the scene believing his presence is not needed now that he has unintentionally solved the case.

To Be Continued...

Hope you liked the opening chapter...and though not much is shown here other than their early childhood...this is a good opener and sets up the chain of events that will connect to my other Danganronpa fic...

Preview:

The next chapter shows an incident that would change Saihara and Akamatsu's lives...and resolve to move forward...and that is where they would first meet...

See you in 2 to 3 weeks...

Reviews are welcomed...