A/N: Here's the first chapter of a threeshot that takes place after "Kiki's Dog". Please read and review, and enjoy!
The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Makoto Loses His Way?
Chapter One: New Rules & A Bodyguard for Kiki!
"Kiki!" Tsumugi and Gonta cried as they hugged their homeroom classmate.
"Tsumugi, Gonta, it's so good to see you!" Kiki smiled as she returned their embrace.
Suddenly a light cough echoed in their ears and caused them to break apart. They looked up at the stern stare focused on the three of them.
"Oh, Miss Maki. It's good to see you again." Tsumugi greeted nervously.
Gonta nodded and asked "So…what are you doing here, Miss Maki?"
"Funny story…you see…" Kiki tried to explain "She's my new…bodyguard…"
"Bodyguard?!" The two exclaimed.
"Gonta doesn't understand. Why does Kiki need a bodyguard?"
"I agree, it's not like you're on a journey across Hyrule or anything." Maki pointed out.
"Alright everyone, take your seats." Yoshida's voice rang out as he entered the classroom. After the students sat in their seats, Yoshida looked up and remarked "Oh, Naegi-chan. Ano…who's this?"
Maki silently walked up to his desk and handed him a piece of paper. He scanned it and his eyes briefly widened partway through before his gaze returned to normal as he finished reading the note. He nodded in acceptance at Maki before he spoke in a hushed voice.
"Very well, Harukawa-san. Could you please stand at the back of the room so you don't disrupt my class?"
Maki nodded and made her way to the rear corner of the classroom as the other students stared curiously at her.
"So, what was it you were gonna tell us?" Tsumugi asked in a hushed whisper.
"I'll tell you after attendance and announcements." Kiki replied in an equally hushed whisper.
As Tsumugi and Gonta nodded, Yoshida announced "Alright, settle down class, and eyes on me. Aoki?"
XXX
"Oh my!" Tsumugi gasped quietly. "One of your dad's former students tried to kill you?"
As Kiki nodded, Gonta clenched his fists and apologized "Gonta sorry! Gonta wasn't there to protect Kiki from the bad man!"
"But, Gonta, you're only eight too." Tsumugi pointed out "If you had been there, he would have probably killed you too."
Gonta looked down in shame and admitted "You're right, Tsumugi. Gonta isn't strong enough to protect his friends. But it's a gentleman's duty to protect his friends. So…" Gonta grit his teeth while fire blazed in his eyes as he vowed "So…Gonta must get stronger, so Gonta can protect his friends!"
Don't you think you're being a little dramatic about this? Kiki and Tsumugi thought as they sweatdropped at the determination in Gonta's eyes.
Once his passion had died down, Tsumugi asked "So, is that why your babysitter is now your bodyguard?"
"Well…" Kiki explained "It started out simple. Mom and Dad ordered a new security system so more bad guys couldn't get in our house in the middle of the night."
"Well that doesn't sound so bad." Tsumugi commented "At least now you can sleep easy in your bed."
"If that was all, then it'd be fine, but then Dad hired Miss Maki to accompany me whenever I leave the house. I like spending time with Miss Maki and all but having her follow me around all the time is just suffocating. Plus now when I'm in my room, he makes me leave my door open at all times, even when I'm changing."
"What? That not gentlemanly at all!" Gonta exclaimed.
"I don't think he means any harm, Gonta. I'm not taking his side or anything, but I think he just wants to be sure he can hear you if you're in trouble, Kiki." As Kiki nodded in understanding, Tsumugi asked "Anyway, since you don't like the new changes, why don't you just tell your parents that you don't like them?"
"I tried that, the night he hired Maki as my bodyguard. Even Mom thought it was excessive, but when I tried to convince him I didn't need a bodyguard, he made very clear that he had changed…"
XXX
"A bodyguard?!" Kiki exclaimed as she sat at the dinner table with her parents and brother.
Makoto nodded and confirmed "Yes, Miss Maki is going to accompany you to and from school, as well as when we leave the house on family trips."
Kyoko just barely resisted the temptation to spit her drink back into her glass as her husband looked curiously at Kiki's mortified expression and asked "What's wrong? You like Miss Maki, so she's the perfect bodyguard for you."
"I like her when she spends time at home with me while I wait for you and Mom to come home from work but having her spend every waking moment with me is gonna get suffocating real fast, Dad!"
"She's right, Makoto." Kiki sighed as her mother took her side. The former detective pointed out "Besides, you never even brought this up with me. If we're going to curtail Kiki's freedom, it needs to be a mutual decision."
"I just figured you'd be all for keeping our daughter safe and sound, Kyoko."
"Safe from what, Dad? It's just school; I'll be okay there!"
"I just want to have the peace of mind that someone I trust will be there to look after you. Which is also why from now on, I'll need to request that you keep your door open at all times so that your mother and I can hear you if you call for help."
Kiki paled at the thought of not being able to keep her door closed at all as she thought Then what's the point of having a door?!
"Makoto Naegi, isn't this a little excessive? Her door isn't exactly soundproof; there's no way we wouldn't hear her if she actually screamed. Besides, Kiki needs her privacy."
"Kyoko, I don't see what the problem is. I'm just erring on the side of caution here. We both want to protect Kiki from people who would want to harm her, right?" Kyoko bit her lip, unable to form an immediate retort to his argument before Makoto turned to his daughter and told her "That reminds me, Kiki, if you invite anyone other than Tsumugi or Gonta over, you'll need to tell us first so we can perform a background check."
Kiki and Kyoko's eyes widened as they spit their drinks back into their cups before the exclaimed "BACKGROUND CHECK?!"
Makoto, this is going too far, and I'm the parent who frets over Kiki's safety!
"Dad, this is too much! I don't need a babysitter, I don't need to keep my door open all the time, and my friends aren't out to kill me! The new security system is just fine; nobody's gonna come after me like Shinguji did!"
Makoto's gentle smile dropped into a scowl as his gentle green eyes hardened into a stern glare before he made clear "This is not up for debate, Kiki. Maki is going to be your bodyguard, you will leave your door open at all times, and your friends will be thoroughly vetted before they set a foot in this house."
Kiki's eyes hardened into a very accurate imitation of her mother's signature glare, creating a tension that could be cut with a butter knife, and making Kyoko nervous at the unheard-of standoff between father and daughter.
"…I'm not hungry. I'm going to go take a bath." Kiki announced as she stood up and pushed her chair in before she stomped off.
"No stomping in the halls, young lady." Makoto called before Kiki disappeared around the corner.
Kyoko sighed as she awkwardly picked at her food with her chopsticks and wondered just how things had gone so wrong.
XXX
"Mom, do I really have to leave my door open all the time?" Kiki asked as Kyoko tucked her in.
Kyoko sighed and nodded, staring apologetically into Kiki's eyes as she apologized "I'm sorry Kiki. If this were a group decision, I'd say that it's unnecessary. But your father is being unusually stubborn about this, and if I fight him about it, he may just dig his heels in even more. It's not right, but for now just…try and endure it, okay?"
"I…I want my dad back, Mom. I feel like I don't even know him anymore."
Kiki's words broke Kyoko's heart as the girl seemed on the verge of tears. Kyoko kissed her daughter's cheeks as she stroked her beautiful brown bangs.
"We'll fix this, okay Kiki? I don't know when, and I don't know how, but he'll come around. For now, just…try not to start a fight with him about this. Can you promise me that, Kiki? If not for me, then to provide a good example for Mokubo as his big sister."
Fiddlesticks, the big sister card… Kiki sighed and promised "Okay Mom, I promise I'll play along for now."
"That's my girl. Good night Kiki, I love you."
"I love you too, Mom…" Kiki yawned before she fell into slumber.
Kyoko smiled apologetically as she walked out of Kiki's room and turned off the lights before she sighed and made the awkward walk back to her room where her husband laid waiting for her.
Makoto…what happened to you? All these security precautions are excessive, even for me!
XXX
"Oh my…I had no idea things were so bad!" Tsumugi exclaimed.
"That doesn't sound like Kiki's dad at all!" Gonta agreed before Kiki replied.
"Yeah. I always spent more time with Mom than Dad, but he was always the fun and cool parent. But now he makes Mom look carefree, and I don't like it." Kiki sighed as she lamented "I just want my dad back the way he was."
Tsumugi and Gonta rubbed her back in comfort as the young otaku tried to assure her "Hey, cheer up, Kiki!"
"Yeah, Gonta promise that it will get better!"
Kiki smiled in amusement and she replied "Thanks, you guys. At least I'll always have you two. I just hope…"
The bell rung before Yoshida announced "Alright everyone, homeroom's over. Time to head to your next class."
Kiki stood up and told her friends as Maki walked up to her "Alright, I'd better get to my next class. I'll see you later, guys."
"Bye Kiki." Gonta replied.
"Hang in there!" Tsumugi grinned and smiled as Kiki smiled back.
"Thanks you guys. Alright, see you at lunch!"
Kiki then turned around and walked out of the classroom as Maki kept pace with her. They walked side-by-side as the third grader tried to ignore the fact that her babysitter was accompanying her to every class against her will.
"…I understand that my presence here isn't very enjoyable for you." Kiki looked up at Maki, who without even looking at her continued "I'll do my best under the parameters of my employment to stay out of sight and out of mind."
Kiki sighed and admitted "I know this isn't your preference either, Miss Maki. I just…I'm frustrated, that's all."
Maki nodded and suggested "Hopefully your mother will be able to dissuade your father before long, and then we can return to our usual arrangement."
Kiki smiled softly as she admitted "That sounds…nice. In the meantime, at least having you around will make Coach Karita think twice about pushing us too hard in gym class!"
Kiki giggled as Maki rolled her eyes, though the former assassin smiled in amusement at her charge's improved mood.
Kyoko, I hope you're having better luck than I am with your husband. This new arrangement isn't fun for either of us.
Little did she know that Kyoko was facing her own problems at Hope's Peak Academy, brought on by none other than her own husband.