A/N: Alright, here we are at the Epilogue for this fic! It's been a long journey, and thank you all for following along the past seven months! I hope you enjoyed this interpretation of Makoto and Kyoko's first two years together before the events of Trigger Happy Havoc. Please read and review, and thanks again!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: How I Met Your Mother (And How I Met Your Father)

Epilogue: Hope Keeps On Going!

Two Months Later

"Kiki…wake up, Kiki…"

Kiki groaned, sitting up as she rubbed her now open eyes with her fists. Letting out one last yawn before her vision came into focus, she saw Makoto and Kyoko staring down at her, amused smiles on their faces.

"…Daddy? Mommy?"

Makoto merely smiled and greeted cheerfully "Good Morning, Pumpkin!"

Kiki groaned "Daddy…why did you wake me up so early?!"

Kyoko chuckled and asked "Did you forget already, sweetie? You've gotta get ready or you'll be late for your first day of school!"

At the mention of school, Kiki's eyes widened, finally awake as she threw the sheets off of her, exclaiming "Alright, I'm up, I'm up!"

Once Kiki had wiggled out of bed, Kyoko took her hand and urged "Come on; let's quickly do your hair and get you dressed while your Father makes breakfast, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Makoto smiled and made way for the kitchen while Kyoko led her daughter to the bathroom to brush her hair.

XXX

Kyoko grunted as Kiki sat on her lap, brush in hand as she prepared to brush her daughter's hair.

Kiki looked over her shoulder and frowned worriedly, asking "Mommy…are you okay?"

Kyoko smiled reassuringly as she held a hand over her belly and assured her "I'm fine, Kiki; Mommy just woke up with a bit of a tummyache this morning, but I'll be okay."

Smiling in relief, Kiki nodded "Okay, Mommy…" before turning her head back in front of her and allowing Kyoko to finally start stroking the hairbrush down her long brown locks, the bristles soothing her scalp as she purred.

After a minute, and luckily encountering no knots in Kiki's hair, Kyoko put the brush down and asked "Alright, Kiki, which side do you want your braid?"

"The left! I want to look like you, Mommy!"

"Alright, alright, the left it is then." Kyoko giggled as she took two strands of Kiki's brown hair from the left side of her head, then separated them into two strands and expertly wove them around each other, forming the nostalgic braid before tying one strand in a circle around the bottom, leaving the rest of the strands to hang loosely from the knot. After taking a pink ribbon and tying it near the top of the braided strand, Kyoko announced "There; it's done. Good thing we never have to worry about that ahoge of yours."

Kiki giggled as she reached up to touch the stubborn lavender strand of hair "You're right; that thing never goes down!"

"That's a trait you inherited from your Father…" After Kiki jumped off of Kyoko's lap, Kyoko stood up and urged "Alright, go get dressed and meet us at the Kitchen table."

Kiki nodded, running off to her bedroom while Kyoko headed to meet her husband for breakfast.

XXX

"Daddy, Mommy, I'm all dressed!"

Makoto and Kyoko looked up and saw Kiki enter the Dining Room, doing a little spin to show them her outfit. Kiki was now dressed in a hot pink T-shirt, the hem tucked into a purple skirt that reminded Kyoko of her younger years at Hope's Peak Academy. On her feet, Kiki wore a pair of white socks that went up to her ankles and a pair of laced sneakers that were mostly pink, but were white in the area that covered her toes. Makoto couldn't help but smile wistfully as he was reminded of his own sneakers that he wore as a teenager.

Kyoko was a little more vocal with her emotions, gushing as Kiki sat at the table "Oh Kiki, you look so adorable!"

As Makoto chuckled at Kyoko's doting antics, Kiki asked "So what's for breakfast, Daddy? Pancakes?"

Chuckling, Makoto shook his head "Sorry, pumpkin, but we all know that if I gave you pancakes for breakfast, you'd eat too many and have a tummyache. That's fine on a weekend, but we can't have your belly aching right before school."

Seeing her daughter pout, Kyoko smiled in amusement and playfully scolded "No pouting at the table, Kiki."

"…Okay…" Kiki's pout faded into a soft smile as she asked "So what did you make me, Daddy?"

Smiling, Makoto walked over from the stove with a plate in one hand and a glass in the other, setting them down in front of his daughter and explained "Tamagoyaki on rice with apple bunnies and a glass of apple juice."

"YAY!" Kiki cheered as she dug in, grabbing her chopsticks and digging in, making her parents smile as Makoto sat down in front of his plate. He took a bite of his own breakfast before taking a look at his wife's plate, frowning in concern.

"Honey, aren't you going to eat something a little more filling? All you've got are crackers and a cup of green tea."

Kiki chimed in, telling him "Mommy said she woke up with a tummyache this morning."

"Is that so? She never told me that when we woke up."

Kyoko blushed, murmuring "I just…didn't want you to get worried over an upset stomach is all…"

Makoto stared at her suspiciously, then shrugged and continued eating, making Kyoko sigh in relief as the family of three continued to eat in silence.

XXX

Kiki gulped down the last of her apple juice before getting out of her chair and exclaiming "Alright, my plate's clean!"

Makoto smiled and replied "Good…alright, go and grab your backpack from your room. Your pencils, textbooks, and notebooks are still in it, right?"

Kiki nodded "Yep, haven't touched them since we packed them last night!"

Kyoko smiled and urged "Then go get it, Kiki, and hurry back here so you're not late for school."

"Okay, Mommy!" Kiki replied before running off to her room.

"…Alright, what's up?"

"Huh?"

Kyoko turned to face her husband, his gentle smile replaced with a scrutinizing frown. Kyoko resisted the urge to squirm in her seat, standing up instead.

"Kyoko, I know you, and while Kiki and I fit the term glutton much more aptly, you always eat a full breakfast. Even when we wake up late, you at least make sure to drink a cup of coffee, not tea. I haven't seen you eat so lightly since you had…" Makoto's eyes widened as he finished "…morning sickness…with Kiki…"

Kyoko raised her hand to rest it over her belly button, staring at her husband while silently confirming his suspicions.

Makoto gasped "…Are you…are you really…p…pregnant?!"

Smiling, she nodded, replying quietly "…I took a test a couple of weeks ago…it came back positive."

Makoto's shocked expression slowly turned into a beaming smile as he rested his hand over her own, resting over their baby in her womb as he asked "When did we…when did we…"

"…I think it was…the night we told Kiki about our interviews with Dad and our video chat with your parents and Komaru. Remember…? I was feeling so distraught…that you cheered me up…"

Makoto blushed as memories of their lovemaking came rushing back. Barely able to hold back tears of joy, Makoto settled for reaching up to cradle his wife's cheeks and pull her into a soft, loving kiss. Kyoko returned the gesture, both of them closing their eyes and melting into the kiss, their lips caressing each other with their love and joy of becoming parents a second time.

As they separated, Kyoko asked "So…when should we tell Kiki…that she's going to be a big sister?"

Grinning, Makoto suggested "…Why don't we wait until she starts to notice? Let's just enjoy this moment as long as we can. And besides…we should let Kiki enjoy her first days of school for a while…no sense overshadowing that with the news of a little sibling."

Smiling, Kyoko commented "In that case, we'll probably only have at most a month. I'll start showing in at least a couple weeks, and she's bound to suspect something."

Makoto chuckled "You're right; I remember how she was always asking Toko questions about her baby. Thank goodness we were able to get her to stop until Kawako was born."

Kyoko giggled at the memory and nodded "Indeed, though our youngest will be close enough in age that we can arrange a playdate between our little one and Kawako."

"Alright, I've got my backpack!"

Their conversation interrupted, Makoto and Kyoko turned to their daughter, who had just arrived, wearing her plain purple backpack.

"Mommy, Daddy, why are you guys smiling so much?"

Kyoko quickly covered "We're just excited for your first day of school, Kiki. In fact, why don't we get a quick photo to commemorate the occasion!"

As Makoto sighed in relief at her quick thinking, he nodded and pulled out his iPhone, activating the Camera App on it. Kiki sweatdropped, then sighed and walked over to the nearby wall and stood against it, grabbing the straps of her backpack with her hands.

Makoto handed Kyoko his phone, who then walked in Kiki's direction, holding the phone in front of her as she fiddled with the options before smiling at finding one she liked.

"Okay, smile, Kiki!"

Kiki smiled softly just before Kyoko tapped the virtual button on the screen, capturing the desired image in the phone's memory. Kyoko admired the shot before her husband snatched away the phone and chuckled at her pout.

"Alright, we have to get going now, Honey. We can develop the photo when we get back from work. Come on, Kiki; your Mom and I will drop you off on our way to work."

"Okay, Daddy!" Kiki nodded as she followed her parents out to the car.

XXX

"Alright Kiki, we're here!" Makoto announced as the car rolled to a stop in front of the school building.

Kyoko stepped out and walked around to Kiki's door, opening it and unbuckling her from her booster seat before lifting her out and onto the ground.

"Higashimachi Elementary School…" Kyoko read as they stared up at the plaque on the side of the school building. Kneeling next to her daughter, Kyoko put her hands on Kiki's shoulders and told her "Alright, head straight inside the Main Building and check in, okay? Miss Maki will be here to pick you up after lunch. Your Father and I still have to work at Hope's Peak, but she'll be with you until we get home, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Smiling, Kyoko hugged her daughter and replied "That's my girl. I want to hear all about your day when we get back home, okay? Mommy and Daddy love you, Kiki!"

"I love you too, Mommy! You too, Daddy!"

Seeing Makoto's smiling wave, Kiki smiled, then turned around when Kyoko released her and jogged off into the entrance and out of sight. Sighing, Kyoko walked over to the car and opened the passenger door, buckling her seatbelt as she sat inside and closed the door. With a nod, Makoto drove off, Kyoko staring longingly at the school building as it got smaller and smaller.

"Hey!" Kyoko turned to face her husband who smiled reassuringly at her and continued "I know it's hard, but she'll be fine at school. And besides…" Makoto placed one hand against her slightly curved belly, making her blush as he continued "All this fretting can't be good for the baby, so relax, alright?"

Kyoko smiled, nodding before he removed his hand from her belly and put it back on the steering wheel. Kyoko stared down at her womb, placing her own hand where his had just rested, marveling at how she was going to become a Mom for the second time.

And to think…all of this might never had happened if hope hadn't kept on going…

XXX

April 12, 2016

Mukuro strolled into the secret room adjacent to the trial room, Makoto and Kyoko's ragdoll forms slung over both of her shoulders. In front of her lay twelve human sized open pods, filled with each of their subdued classmates as strange, wired helmets were attached to each of their heads. In addition, two empty pods sat, completing the circle of devices. All fourteen pods were wired to a single computer which Junko was now tinkering with.

Mukuro coughed, causing Junko to look up at her and grin before exclaiming "Oh, you managed to get the drop on them? Well done, Muku; I guess you're not so worthless after all! Now just hook them up to the memory erasure pods, then finish hooking up the extra surveillance cameras and applying the soundproof paint in their rooms. Oh, and make sure to swap out the doorknob in Makoto's bathroom with the wonky one, okay?"

Nodding, Mukuro walked over to the remaining two pods, awkwardly sliding Kyoko into one, then Makoto into the other. With a conflicted expression on her face, she reached up and attached the helmets from the ceiling onto their heads. Mukuro turned around and started to walk back out, only stopping once to look over her shoulder at her classmates and friends one last time.

I'm sorry, everyone…Mukuro thought before she left, leaving Junko alone with her captives.

"Man, she needs to lighten up and get more excited; we're about to put the final phase of our plan for Ultimate Despair into motion after all!" Sighing, she looked at her unconscious classmates and decided "I suppose I should say some final words to you all before I wipe away your memories…it may end up being the last time I talk to some of you after all…"

Junko stepped away from the computer and approached Sayaka's pod first, monologuing "Sayaka Maizono…the biggest pop idol in all of Japan, a girl who came to Hope's Peak with the goal of securing her career. Little did you know that you would not only reconnect with the boy you were enamored with in middle school, but you found love too…"

Junko approached Leon's pod next, commenting "Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star…you came to this school with a talent you hated, only to realize how much you loved it…and despite your player reputation, you managed to snag the most famous pop idol in all of Japan as your girlfriend…away from your best friend…"

One by one, Junko approached the rest of their pods, saying some last words for each of them.

"Chihiro Fujisaki…born weak, you dressed as a girl to avoid bullies. And yet, through your friends, you disgustingly found the strength to come clean as a boy. Ohh…to think, all that progress down the drain…how despairful that must be for you…"

"Mondo Owada…the most feard biker gang leader in all of Japan…and to think, that reputation was created by a lie…a lie you told over and over again when your brother died saving you…oh, I can barely imagine the despair you felt back then…"

"Kiyotaka Ishimaru…the grandson of the disgraced Prime Minister, working hard every single day to become the success he couldn't, all at the cost of your own social life. Only to finally get a personality when a certain Class Representative showed you the importance of fun…ohh how you must have despaired when you realized what you were missing out on!"

"Hifumi Yamada…what can I say? An obese boy with no friends and no social skills whatsoever…honestly, it's a wonder you made friends here at all. I'm despairing just feeling sorry for you…"

"Celestia Ludenberg…no, Taeko Yasuhiro…disgusted with the normalcy of your own name, you took on a fake moniker and wrapped yourself in a veil of lies and gambled your own life to amass an untold fortune. It wasn't until you came to Hope's Peak that you finally learned how to value the lives of those you stepped on…and to think, you're going to forget that valuable life lesson in a heartbeat…ohh, the despair!"

"Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist, who came here in search of a partner to test her strength. Not only did you find them in that annoying Detective and my worthless sister, but you even found friends in the Detective and that energetic swimmer girl. Speaking of which…Aoi Asahina…you came here, insecure in your own femininity, only to find your confidence after making friends here at Hope's Peak Academy. And now, to think you're going to lose that self-confidence…ohh, the nostalgic despair you'll feel when you awaken…"

"Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. You came here as nothing less than a King-in-Training, viewing the rest of us as little more than steppingstones, unworthy of so much as shining your shoes. To think, that noble blood you derived your ego from…ohh, how you'll despair when you find out I killed them all!"

"Toko Fukawa…honestly, your personal life is so messed up, I envy you. Even more than mine, and that's saying something! I wish I had a split personality that I had no control of. At least then I wouldn't need despair to stave off boredom…"

"Yasuhiro Hagakure…honestly, even with my Analyst talents, I can't fathom why Hope's Peak would have let a worthless cheapskate like you in. At least Muku can prove herself in battle; all you can do is produce worthless fortunes for insane prices. It's no wonder you never had any friends…and to think you were willing to sell out your only friend's life for money…I still can't fathom why he'd forgive you…"

That brought Junko to her final two captives, Kyoko and Makoto. Junko grinned gleefully as she stared down at the biggest threat to her plan, now neutralized by Mukuro.

"Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective…as good as orphaned at the tender age of seven, abandoned by your Daddy, only to claw your way into the very school that he presided over. You came with the intention of severing him from your life…only for him to become the center of your world…well, one of two, anyway. Thanks to the boy who would become the second center of your world…you disgustingly bonded with all of us…honestly, it was a pain to turn Muku against you…of course, your choice in men made my job a lot easier."

"Not only did he love you, he gave you your family back. I swear, the joy radiating from you this past year has been so disgusting. The only silver lining is knowing the despair you'll feel when I take those happy memories away from you. Your memories of coming here, of making friends, of falling in love, of reconnecting with Daddy, and of your precious engagement to your man. Speaking of whom…I bet he's the only one who's seen your bare hands…since you never take those fuckin' gloves off…I wonder…"

Junko reached for Kyoko's fingertips and yanked her gloves off, eyes widening in shock as she took in the charred flesh covering Kyoko's bare hands. Eventually her shocked expression gave way to giggles, which transformed into mirthful cackling.

"HOLY SHIT! YOU HAVE HAMBURGER HANDS?! Haha, no wonder you didn't mention this when I tricked you guys into sharing your secrets! Oh, this is just delicious blackmail material! Imagine the despair you'll feel when this little secret becomes part of the game! Oh, but not for my embarrassing secrets motive; I'll onor your ticklish secret. No, I'll save this for when the game gets really good!"

Junko walked over to Makoto and finished "And last but not least, Makoto Naegi…the biggest potential monkey wrench in my plan. A painfully, disgustingly average boy in every way. A boy who only got into Hope's Peak Academy through sheer, dumb, unpredictable luck. A boy who had his middle school crush stolen from him in a month. And yet…not only did you manage to befriend all of us, you found a girl who loved you even after getting rejected. And not only did you get to date her, you got her to agree to marry you!"

Junko sighed and lamented "Too bad for you that is wasn't Muku; getting together with you might have been the only thing that could have convinced her to betray me. And if that had happened…man, my plan would have been over before it could really begin. But, too bad for you, you had to choose Kyoko. And now, all those friendships you made, your loving relationship and engagement with Kyoko…it's all going to go down the drain once I erase all your memories!"

Junko ran back to her computer and started fiddling with the options again, murmuring "Alright, now that that's over with, set memory erasure for two years, oh, except for Kyoko Kirigiri. Set additional erasure for all memories with the keyword Detective. If I just keep her Detective memories intact, it'll stack the Killing School Life entirely in their favor, and that's no fun!"

With the settings fixed, Junko giggled as she held her hand over the big red button next to her computer.

"Upupupupupupupupu…here we go, the Killing School Life…sixteen students enter, but how many will come out alive? And how many will taste the despair of death? Even if you survive, you'll all despair into tomorrow! Despair into your memories! Despair into nothingness! Let's give it everything we've got! LET THE KILLING GAME…BEGIN!"

*SLAM*