A/N: Alright, after over a year of waiting, I can FINALLY post this twoshot! This is the result of an ask sent by one of my followers on AO3 and Tumblr, and takes place after Mokubo's First Words. Please read and review, and enjoy!
The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Kiki Gets Lost!
Chapter One: A Trip to Yoyogi Park
"Come on, Kiki. Time to get out of the car. We've arrived at the park."
Kyoko unbuckled her daughter's booster seat and lifted her out of their family car, placing her onto the ground next to her. Makoto then came around, holding a squirmy, chubby one-year-old boy with short, spiky, lavender hair and a brown ahoge, his left eye a deep purple color and his right eye a forest green shade. Dressed in khaki shorts and a white T-shirt, his hoodie styled after his father's, the toddler cooed at his father.
"I know, Mokubo, I know. You're eager to get moving, so am I and your mother and your sister. Is everyone ready."
"Yes, Dad!" Kiki confirmed while taking Kyoko's hand in a gentle grip.
Nodding, Makoto finished "All right, let's go check in!"
The family of four walked out of the parking lot, eager to enter the park where Makoto and Kyoko had dated and gotten married.
XXX
They didn't count on how crowded the park would be. Hundreds of families seemed to occupy almost every part of Yoyogi Park, hustling and bustling into what seemed to be one gigantic crowd.
"What the…is there a concert going on or something today?"
Shaking her head in response to Makoto's confused theory, his wife replied "There weren't any such events listed on the website when I checked yesterday. Maybe everyone just decided to come at once."
Feeling a tug at her skirt, Kyoko looked down to her daughter who asked disappointedly "Does that mean we can't see where you and Dad got married, Mom?"
Shaking her head with a smile, Kyoko assured her firstborn "No, Kiki. We can still explore the park; we just have to share it with a lot of other people today."
"…Okay, Mom. So where do we go from here, Dad?"
"Let's see…ano…oh, there's a good spot!" Makoto pointed to a currently unoccupied, grassy hill and suggested "That hill past the crowd doesn't seem to be occupied. And it has a great view, so your Mom and I can point out all the sights."
"Yay!"
Kyoko smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm before asking "Would you like me to carry you to the hill, Kiki? There are a lot of people around…"
Shaking her head in refusal, Kiki replied "No thanks, Mom. I'm a big girl now, so I can walk there!"
Chuckling as her eight-year-old daughter tried to show her independence, Kyoko acquiesced "Alright, but stay close to me, all right?"
Nodding, Kiki confirmed "I promise, Mom. So let's go!"
Chuckling at their daughter's enthusiasm, the family of four wandered into the crowd, trying to make their way through and getting elbowed, pushed, and shoved by the many people in the same boat as them.
"Excuse me? Can we get through, please?"
"Ow, sorry!"
"Humble apologies sir, we didn't mean to bump into you."
"Excuse me, can we sneak by you, sir?"
These repeated variations of questions continued until Makoto and Kyoko made it through, being expelled from the rear side of the crowd.
Dusting off his shirt, Makoto sighed in relief "Phew! I thought we'd never get through. And I thought my students could get rude sometimes." Inspecting his son for bruises Makoto concluded "Well, you don't seem to be any worse for wear. Are you okay, Mokubo?"
"Yeah." Mokubo cooed kicking his feet now that he had the room to squirm.
Smiling at her son's positive welfare, Kyoko asked "How about you, Kiki? Are you doing okay?" When silence greeted her however, Kyoko frowned in concern and called out "Kiki?"
Turning around, Kyoko's eyes widened in panic as her daughter was nowhere to be found. Scared for their daughter, Kyoko and Makoto called out for her in hopes that she would answer back.
"KIKI?"
"KIKI?"
Even Mokubo, who could tell that something was wrong and that his sister wasn't present, called out "Nee-nee?"
But no matter how many times they called, Kiki never called back, lost to her two parents. Now officially in a full panic, tears started to leak from Kyoko's eyes, the former Detective weeping for their lost daughter.
"This is all my fault! I should have insisted on carrying her. Now she's gone!"
Embracing his wife with one arm, Makoto tried to calm his wife "Now, honey, don't think like that. Kiki's just missing, she's not gone. Look, why don't we go find the Customer Service desk and see if the Park Rangers can help find her, okay?"
Nodding, Kyoko wiped her eyes, reigning in her panicked emotions and agreed "Okay. But let's go around the giant crowd this time."
Nodding in full agreement, Makoto and Kyoko power-walked their way back to the lobby of the admissions building, praying to whatever god would listen that their daughter was alright. Neither of them noticed the blue crane circling above, flying into the distance.
XXX
"Ooowwwwww…" Kiki groaned, gingerly standing up and dusting off the dirt from her dress.
She lifted the hem to see that her knees had been bruised from her fall. Touching one of her bruises, she recoiled in pain, letting go of her dress and allowing it to cover her knees.
"Oww…Mom, I hurt my knees. Can you kiss them better?" When her mother's soothing voice didn't reply, she looked around, her eyes widening in panic as she realized her mother, father, and baby brother were nowhere to be found.
"Mom? Dad? Moku?"
When nobody called back, Kiki started to hyperventilate, crying as she fell to her knees, the pain no longer registering as she lost herself in her despair.
"Mommy…Daddy…Mokubo…come back! Please…I need you!"
It was then that she felt a feathery texture tickle her cheek, wiping away her tears. Confused, Kiki looked up to see a blue-colored crane standing in front of her, its wing caressing her face in a comforting gesture.
A…crane?
As if it could hear her thoughts, the crane chirped, leaning in to nuzzle its head against her neck. Kiki giggled, gently pushing the crane away.
"St…staahaaappp! That tiiiicklesss!" Once she had calmed down, Kiki began to ask "So what are you doing here, little crane? Are you lost too? I got separated from my Mommy and Daddy and little brother, and now I can't find them. Are…are you telling me not to give up hope?"
Chirping, the crane turned around, flapping into the air before turning its head to face Kiki, staring into her eyes.
"Are you telling me…to follow you? Are you gonna take me to Mommy and Daddy?"
Chirping again, the crane continued to flap its wings, flying slowly ahead. Her legs slightly wobbly, Kiki got up, centering her balance before running to follow the crane.
"Hey! Wait for me, Crane-san!"
XXX
"Her name's Kiki Naegi. She's about four feet tall, her left eye is green and her right eye is purple, she has long, brown hair with a braid on the left side of her head, she has a purple ahoge…"
"I'm sorry, what's an ahoge, sir?"
Makoto pointed to his own strand of hair and explained "It's a bit of hair that sticks up from the head, like this. She's also wearing a purple dress and pink sneakers."
The park employee finished writing down all of Kiki's physical characteristics before clearing their throat and replying "Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Naegi. I'll compile this information into a report and alert all of our park rangers. They'll call in once they find your daughter and I'll be calling in to them periodically to ask for a status update. For now, just have a seat and try to stay calm."
Nodding and thanking the employee for their help, Makoto directed his wife to one of the benches in the lobby, sitting the both of them down and stroking her hair.
"I know you're worried and scared. I am too, but we need to stay calm. They'll find Kiki and we'll all go home together. We're not leaving without her, I promise!"
Nodding, Kyoko mumbled a thank you as they began to wait. Before long, Mokubo started to squirm, reaching for his mother.
"I think he's hungry. Why don't you spend some time feeding him? It might take your mind off things."
Taking a deep breath, Kyoko pushed down her panic and urged "Come here, Mokubo. Come to Mama."
Reaching out for her son, Kyoko embraced him before fiddling with the buttons on her blouse, exposing a perky breast in time for Mokubo to lean forward and latch on with his mouth. Suckling from her nipple, milk dribbled from his chin as he cooed contentedly. With Kyoko sufficiently distracted, Makoto looked out the window, worry clouding his usually optimistic eyes.
Kiki…please come back soon. We're all worried about you, and I don't know how much longer I can keep your mother distracted!
XXX
"Crane-san? Crane-san? Wow!"
Kiki looked around the sight in front of her; the blue crane was gone, but she was surrounded by a beautiful garden, cherry blossoms and roses and daffodils stretching as far as the eye could see. Kiki continued walking toward the center of the garden.
"Mommy? Daddy? Mokubo? Are you guys here? I followed the crane, so where are you?"
"Oh, they'll be here soon, little one."
Shrieking, Kiki jumped, turning around as she fell on her butt, her mouth agape to see a girl with long, blue hair, a blue skirt and a white blouse, and a pink ribbon covering her chest.
"Oh, I'm sorry, little one. I didn't mean to frighten you."
The mysterious young woman extended a hand, which Kiki took, slowly standing up with the woman's help before assuring her "It's nothing. I was following this crane to try and find my parents, but now it's vanished. Do you know where it is?"
"Oh, it's me. I'm that crane. Here, let me make you a cloak."
Please tell me you're joking… Kiki deadpanned as the young woman spoke with such seriousness.
Sure enough, a Cheshire grin plastered itself on the young woman's face as she giggled "Just kidding!"
Her joke was met with a blank, emotionless stare, causing the woman to sweatdrop and remark "Wow, tough crowd, huh." Just like your mother…
"Well, miss…I really need to find my Mommy and Daddy, so I should…"
Kiki groaned in pain as her bruised knees started throbbing, causing the young girl to fall on her butt again. The mystery woman rushed up to her, kneeling down to inspect her temporary charge.
"What's wrong, little one? You can trust me, I promise."
Grimacing, Kiki gave in to the stranger, confessing "My knees. I bruised them when I got separated, and they really hurrrrrt!"
The bluenette gingerly curled up the hem of Kiki's dress, exposing Kiki's purplish knees, urging "Hold still" before she held an ice pack on Kiki's knee, making the girl moan with relief.
The injured young girl failed to notice, lost in her treatment, a red crane landing on her temporary guardian's shoulder.
"Your turn. Find them."
The red crane nodded before taking off, flying into the distance as its master tended to Kiki, continuing to ice her knees as they waited.
XXX
"…Sorry, Mr. Naegi. The Park Rangers still haven't found your daughter, and the later it gets, the more of their shifts end and the less manpower we have to search."
"So you're telling me that there's a chance this search could end without my daughter sleeping in her own bed tonight?"
"…It is possible, Mr. Naegi. At that point, the most I could do is file a missing person's report with the police. I'm sorry, sir, but I can't do anything more."
Makoto somehow managed to not give in to the angry, panicking parent that he felt like he was, instead taking a deep breath and replying "Okay. Thank you for everything."
Holding his face in one palm while holding his son with the other, Makoto walked back to Kyoko, who looked at him expectantly, desperate for any news of Kiki's whereabouts.
Her heart broke when she saw Makoto shook his head and explained "They haven't found her yet, and they said that they're losing manpower by the hour as more staff goes home for the night. They promised to file a missing person's report with the police if she isn't found by close of business, but that's all I would get from them."
With the last of her restraints eliminated by Makoto's disappointing update, Kyoko's emotional typhoon burst forth; tears running down her cheeks, she put her face in her palms and sobbed, crying out "I…I just want my daughter. I want her home, where can hug her and feed her and tuck her in and sing her favorite lullaby…I MISS KIKI!"
Even Mokubo started crying, screeching "Nee-nee! NEE-NEE!"
Makoto felt like he was back at the final trial room, where everyone was forced into despair by Junko and all the burden of filling them with hope and defeating Junko had fallen on his shoulders. It was not a pressure he would wish on anyone, and he felt that same pressure now with his daughter missing. Having to keep his wife calm, take care of his toddler son, and manage his own worry and panic frayed the seams of his self-control and tempted him to break down and cry along with them.
Nonetheless, staying calm was exactly what he did; staying as their anchor to keep them grounded, he bounced his son in his arms and soothed "I know, Mokubo. I know. We all miss Nee-chan, but we'll find her, I promise!" Turning to his wife, he suggested "Kyoko, instead of sitting here and crying, why don't we go and search for ourselves. With all the staff going home, it makes sense for us to take matters into our own hands. I promised we wouldn't leave this park without out daughter, and I meant it! Besides, with your Detective skills, we can't fail!"
Sniffling, Kyoko gave a soft smile, standing up and replying with hope in her eyes "You're right. I shouldn't be sitting here; I should be searching out there for my baby girl! Never send a ranger to do a Detective's job, so let's get going already!"
Makoto walked to catch up with his wife, happy to see her spark back, commenting "Glad to have you back, Kyoko Kirigiri!"
Smiling, they opened the door and walked back into the park, only to come face-to-face with a red crane, flapping its wings in mid-air and squawking in their faces.
"What the…a red crane?"
Squawking, the crane turned around, flying forward and squawking at the two worried parents.
A spark of realization hit Makoto, making him conclude "Kyoko…I…I think it wants us to follow it."
Indignant, Kyoko hissed "Are you crazy, Makoto? We need to find our daughter not…wait…" A spark of realization hit Kyoko too as she realized "Are you saying that it's trying to lead us to Kiki?"
"Only one way to find out, besides, it's our only lead right now, so let's go!"
"Wait, Makoto!"
The former Detective rushed to catch up with her husband, chasing after the red crane in hopes that it could reunite them with their daughter.
XXX
"So um…Miss? Why are you helping me?"
Smiling as she finished applying the ice pack, the bluenette uncurled Kiki's dress so that it was back to normal as she hummed before acquiescing "I suppose there's no harm in telling you. You see, I'm actually a spirit."
Kiki gave her blank, emotionless stare, clearly not believing her story.
Sighing the stranger continued "Yeah, I figured you might not believe me. Anyways, I knew your parents when I was still alive, and I made some choices that led to my…ethereal state. I…I hurt your father in the process, and I'm trying to atone for what I did."
Kiki still stared at her, not believing one bit of her story. Before either of them could say anything more, a squawking echoed in the area, a red crane flying towards them and resting on its master's shoulder.
The bluenette smiled, stroking its head as she praised "Good work" before the bird vanished into thin air, startling Kiki again. Her eyes widened, falling onto her butt again in shock.
"…Okay. I believe you now. Who…who are you?"
Smiling, the bluenette answered "Not enough time, little one; my friend just came back, which means your parents are in hot pursuit. Take care, little one."
The young Naegi watched with amazement, standing up as the bluenette disappeared in a flash of light, the blue crane from earlier appearing in its place, squawking at the shocked Kiki.
You…you weren't joking, then…you really were the crane!
Before she could ponder more, two loud voices attracted her attention, causing Kiki to turn around.
"KIKI!"
"KIKI!"
XXX
"NO!"
Makoto and Kyoko searched frantically for the red crane that they had been following, but it had apparently vanished into thin air.
"Where is it? Makoto, where's the crane?"
Scratching at his head in frustration he exclaimed I don't…I don't know! It was here, then it van…look!"
Kyoko's gaze followed what her husband was pointing to, then gasped; standing in the middle of a beautiful garden was their missing daughter Kiki, looking no worse for wear, accompanied by a blue crane.
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kyoko dashed ahead at breakneck speed, her husband in hot pursuit, carrying their son as they yelled for their daughter.
"KIKI!"
"KIKI!"
Kiki gasped, turning around with joyful tears in her eyes as she called hesitantly "Mommy? Daddy?"
"KIKI!"
Kiki stumbled across the field in her dress, meeting her mother halfway as she found herself picked up in the air, spinning with her mother before being nestled against her breast.
"Oh, Kiki! My baby girl! Mommy was so worried about you! Mommy was so scared you wouldn't come home! Don't ever scare Mommy like that again, you hear me?!"
Before she could even respond, Kiki found her face peppered with kisses from her mother, the anguished mother's tears mixing with her saliva as she continued to kiss her daughter's face.
"Nee-nee!"
Kyoko ceased her relentless kissing, both women turning their heads to see Makoto walking next to them, holding a squirmy Mokubo in his arms.
"Even your brother was worried about you, Kiki. You really gave us all a panic attack."
Nodding as she was put down, Kiki looked to her parents sheepishly as she answered "I know, and I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean to worry you guys, honest!"
Kneeling down, Kyoko hugged her daughter close and tearfully assured her "I know, Kiki. I know. Just please, tell us what happened."
Nodding, Kiki took a deep breath and explained "Well, after I got lost in the crowd, I got pushed around and out another side. I started calling for you, but you weren't there. I started crying, but then this blue crane appeared and asked me to follow it."
…Blue crane…Makoto pondered before his daughter continued her story.
"It led me to this garden before it disappeared. I called out for it, but instead of the crane, this beautiful girl with long, blue hair appeared and assured me that you guys would show up. So we sat around for a bit and talked until this red crane came and landed on her shoulder."
Okay, that red crane must have been the one we ran into and led us here. But, blue-haired girl? Who could that have been?
Shaking the thought from his head, he listened as Kiki continued "The red crane then disappeared, and the girl said good-bye before turning into the blue crane. Then you guys came and found me."
Makoto pondered his daughter's account, his thoughts focusing on the crane and the blue-haired girl specifically.
The crane…and the girl…could she be…
Kyoko, thinking her daughter's imagination had just gone a little hyperactive from having spent so long without them, suggested "You've had a long day; let's go home and get to bed, okay, sweetie?"
The thought of curling in her nice, warm bed sounding extremely appealing to her, Kiki nodded and replied "Yeah, that sounds nice. Daddy?"
"Yes, Kiki?"
"…Can I have a piggyback ride on the way back to the car, please? My knees got bruised when I fell down, and my legs are tired from all the walking!"
Chuckling, Makoto handed Mokubo to his wife and got on all fours, consenting "Of course you can. Get on, Kiki!"
Smiling, Kiki climbed onto her father's back, crawling up his spine until she rested on his back, wrapping her legs around his torso and her arms around his neck. Holding onto her thighs, Makoto stood up as Kiki grabbed onto his ahoge for support.
"Alright, you all secure, Kiki?"
"Yes, Daddy!" Kiki confirmed as she leaned against the back of his head.
"Alright then, let's go home, Kiki!"
The family proceeded to walk back in the direction of the admissions building and the parking lot, eager to go back home and put Kiki and Mokubo to bed, their family finally whole again.
The family of four failed to notice the blue and red cranes watching them from the skies as they left.