AN: Schools out, I got my hat on backwards, and it's time to write! I've been working on this chapter erratically throughout the semester, but like always, I'm never quite happy with how it turned out. But I'll never post it if I get hung up on making it "perfect," so here is the long awaited Chapter 7 of my little story. I hope you enjoy!
Grandpa Momota's arrival found him to be a loving and insightful man when he finally joined their little group at Branch 14's base.
Shuichi had woken up, gotten dressed, and made his way to the cafeteria like any other day at the base. He was especially happy because he was finally deemed well enough to actually start going on missions, instead of being stuck at the base filing paperwork all day.
(And wasn't that a drag? It's the end of the freaking world, and you still can't escape paperwork.)
Pushing open the doors, Shuichi was greeted by the sight of Professor Idabashi and another older gentleman conversing over a cup of tea. Scratching his head, the detective decided to satiate his curiosity by approaching the two.
"Good morning, Professor," the boy began, and the two gentlemen turned to face him. "Who is this?"
Professor Idabashi, whose glasses were foggy due to the steam from his glass, adjusted the spectacles to get a better look at Shuichi. "Ah, Shuichi, my boy. How are you this fine morning?"
"Um, I'm doing okay," once again looking at the unknown man in the room, Shuichi asked once more, "And what about you, Professor? And…"
The other man startled, seeming to have just realized what Shuichi was hinting at. "Oh, forgive me, young man. Where are my manners?" He held out his hand, grasping Shuichi's and giving it a firm shake, "You can call me Grandpa Momota! Idabashi here took his sweet time in telling us where you all were, or else I would have arrived much sooner."
Shuichi's eyebrows shot up. "Momota? Would you happen to be Kaito's grandfather?"
Grandpa Momota laughed, and Shuichi couldn't help but hear the similarities between grandfather and grandson in that laugh. "You'd be correct! I can see why Kaito took such a liking to you! His eyes were always so focused on the stars that he wouldn't see a viper right in front of him until he got bit!" Setting down his now empty cup of tea, Grandpa Momota slowly rose from his seat. "Speaking of which, where is that grandson of mine?"
Shuichi would have gotten whiplash at the sudden change in topic… if he hadn't been spending literal days watching over Maki's kids as they ran around and caused havoc when she had work to do. Spontaneity was the name of the game when it comes to children, Shuichi has come to realize.
Gesturing to the door he'd just entered from, Shuichi replied, "He's probably on his way here right now actually. I'm just typically one of the first ones awake, everyone else comes trickling in soon after."
Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear, as the saying goes, because as soon Shuichi sits down to start eating, Kaito strolls into the cafeteria. And walks right past their usual table. Looking at today's menu, Shuichi understands why. Apparently, Kaito was a bit nit picky when it comes to cereal of all things, and today just so happens to be the day of the month where the Branch cooks feel too tired to actually cook and hand out Kaito's beloved Lucky Charms and leftovers to tide the Branch members over until the next shipment of supplies. Kaito is so focused on reaching the limited bowls of cereal that he must not have noticed anything different about their table.
Grandpa Momota just chuckled, and nodded his head towards his grandson, giving Shuichi a look that said "what did I tell you?" Shuichi just shook his head, and continued eating.
Kaito, having cheerfully set down his cereal, finally took stock of the persons he was sitting with.
"Shuichi! How's my favorite sidekick doing this morning?!" He ruffled Shuichi's hair, at just the right amount of pressure that he knows will annoy Shuichi, but not enough to make the detective truly mad. "And a good morning to you, Professor! And who i-"
Kaito's eyes widen as they take in the calm form of his grandfather, who just continued to sip at his tea. "Finally noticed me, huh? Good morning to you, too, my idiot of a grandson."
Kaito let out what Shuichi could only discern as a highly suppressed squee of excitement. And then, without any regard to the cereal or other food on the table, Kaito launched himself over the table to wrap the older man in the most uncomfortable looking bear hug imaginable.
The older man took this in stride, however, and just patted Kaito's spiky hair down as Shuichi's friend cried tears of joy.
Grandpa Momota proceeds to spend the next 30 minutes calming down their resident astronaut as the boys regaled his grandfather with their time in the Neo World Program, and what they'd been up to ever since awakening. More of Shuichi's friends enter the cafeteria and join him at their table.
After Kaito had talked enough to make a verbal thesis, he finally let his grandfather go to take stock of the older man's health. "Grandpa! It's so good to see you again! I was worried you'd gotten caught up in the chaos out there and didn't make it!"
Maki just shook her head at the other ultimate's antics as she got her three kids settled at the smaller table set up next to theirs, showing off her skills as the de facto Ultimate Child Caregiver. "If you could get through most of the simulation okay with just good vibes and determination, Kaito, it makes sense that the man who helped raise you would find his way through the apocalypse."
Kaito and his grandfather just laughed, the similarities between the two of them throwing Shuichi off more than it really should have. Had Grandpa Momota been a few decades younger, Shuichi was certain he'd be Kaito's carbon copy.
"Aww, Makiroll! I take that as a complement, you know!" Kaito laughed as he ruffled Maki hair much like he did Shuichi's. Maki said nothing else, just puffed out her cheeks and set Ran Ran down in her set. Kota, however, had his own opinion on Kaito arm that was thrown around his caretaker. Kaito had no time to dodge the five well placed kicks to his shin that Kota dolled out without mercy.
Grandpa Momota just laughed at his grandson's expense. "So this is the spit-fire gal he fell for, huh?!" Grandpa gave a long, mirthful look at a blushing Maki. "I approve. Take care of him for me!"
Maki nodded, her blush slowly ebbing away despite the knowing stares she was gaining from their friends. The table filled with morning chatter as their little group slowly woke up to start another day at Branch 14.
The air around the table continued to be light and joyful for the remainder of breakfast, until their group dispersed for morning duties. It was then that Grandpa Momota pulled Kaito to the side, and told the rest of them that the younger Momota would catch up.
It was then that Shuichi recalled what he saw in the Neo World Program. A piece he didn't notice was missing.
Where was Kaito's Grandmother?
When Kaito reunited with them, with freshly red rimmed eyes, Shuichi didn't think he had to wonder anymore.
For all that their loved ones could survive this despair riddled world, casualties were bound to happen.
As each of his friends entered their various stations and rooms, Shuichi was suddenly stopped when he felt a wrinkled yet steady hand place itself on his shoulder. He turned to look into the solemn eyes of Grandpa Momota. "From what Idabashi told me, you were one of the last ones out of that program, yeah?" Shuichi nodded, not understanding the sudden change in topic. Grandpa Momota closed his eyes and made a sound of understanding, nodding.
"I can't promise you that they'll ever truly stop," he said, looking Shuichi right in the eyes, "but what I can say is that, be it months or even years down the road, you'll get back your full nights rest, Shuichi. Don't let what happens in dreams hold you down for too long, my boy." And with that, he turned around, and made his way back to the cafeteria.
Shuichi stood there silently, confused yet comforted by the older man's words. He didn't know what clued Kaito's grandfather in (maybe the excessive eye bags that he and all of his friends sport almost daily), but Shuichi felt grateful for the older man's insight. He may never meet Grandma Momota in this life, but Shuichi was glad he could meet the man that gave Kaito his kind heart.
As he continued his walk towards Togami's office to be given his first assignment, Shuichi glimpsed Maki keeping the promise she made with Grandpa Momota that very morning, pulling Kaito into a hug that she usually reserved for the three kids she cared for.
Whereas Grandpa Momota's arrival was calm, if a bit sad, the next batch to arrive was chaotic. After learning who they were coming for, however, their chaos seemed right on brand.
The day started out calm. (Or as calm as one could get while on patrol duty during the apocalypse.) It quickly became considerably less calm when, seemingly out of nowhere, a little green-haired gremlin pounced on Shuichi's patrol partner, Kim, and proceeded to try and claw his eyes out.
Rightfully spooked, Shuichi acted on instinct and grabbed what he could now recognize as a down right feral little girl wearing little more than tattered undergarments and a brown poncho made out of fur, and hefted her off Kim before the man could lose an eye.
"Midori, we told you to wait for the signal!"
Shuichi, struggling to keep a hold on the thrashing child in his arms, didn't notice the arrival of others until they were right beside him and relieving him of the now biting child.
Regaining his bearings, Shuichi took stock of the new arrivals.
Unlike the previous ones, these Shuichi recognized to some extent.
Although their white uniforms were dirty and stained, their clay masks chipped and in desperate need of repair, their checkered scarves gave away who this group had arrived at Branch 14 to find.
Standing before Shuichi were the members of the Ultimate Supreme Leader's "secret organization," DICE.
Shaking himself out of his momentary shock, Shuichi helped his partner to his feet and sent the man to inform Togami before heading to the infirmary.
(Shuichi didn't know how that little girl had fractured the man's arm so fast, but he wasn't about to make Kim stay there with him to deal with the group who'd just turned up on Branch 14's doorstep while he was so injured.)
Turning his attention back to the persons of interest, Shuichi noticed that they'd calmed the girl (who now lay tuckered out on the back of the "roundest" member's back) down, and were now looking at him. And Shuichi could feel the weight of their stares, no matter how their masks cover their eyes.
"Um," Shuichi began, trying to stave off the awkward silence, "I'm guessing you guys are here for Kokichi, yeah?"
Black and blonde hair, along with matching masks, suddenly filled his vision. The two boys looked intently at Shuichi, before addressing the rest.
"I guess, Old man Momota wasn't lying, huh, Sue?" the blond one said, the two proceeding to circle around Shuichi in a manner he just knows is meant to intimidate, because Shuichi feels really uncomfortable under their vulture-like circling.
"It would appear so." The girl wearing the magenta lipped mask, now identified as Sue, said as she put her hand to her chin, also staring intently at Shuichi.
The two boy's circling was stopped by the intervention of the tall boy with his hair swept to the left. He lifted them both up by their collars, haling their movements. "Diamond. Spade. Will you cease these theatrics? We are here for a reason, and scaring Shuichi will only result in him taking longer to tell us where the Boss is."
The two boys ducked their heads down, mimicking the emotion of shame, even though Shuichi was quite certain they felt nothing of the sort. "Sorry, Chef." They said in unison.
Just when Shuichi thought he'd get some breathing room, his vision was once again taken up by the sudden presence of a distantly familiar clown mask.
"You mean Shumai doesn't remember us?" The pigtailed girl questioned, grabbing Shuichi's face with her hands to hold his head still. "Hey, hey, Shumai. What's my name?"
Shuichi could only look at the girl in confusion, feeling a sense of deja-vu at her actions, but recalling no name. Shuichi's attention was then split in two as another clown mask joined the pigtailed girl's, directly in front of Shuichi.
"No no, Dove, I think they're right," the tall, lanky boy said, "Look, he has that look in his eyes again. Just like the first time."
The girl turned his head to fully face her again, looking even closer. "You're right, Track! Aw, and I was looking forward to hearing his response to my riddle. His answers were always so fun."
The wide boy lumbered over to them, now carrying a brown haired girl on his back along with the green haired girl who'd nearly snapped Kim's arm in half.
"You can just tell it to him again later, Dove. We came here to find the Boss and make sure he's okay," he said, kneeling a bit to allow the brown haired girl to get off his back. She quickly made her way to Shuichi , her long hair billowing behind her in her haste.
She stopped right in front of him, though her short stature only brought her up to his chest. Reaching into her back pocket, the girl pulled out something Shuichi thought he'd never see again.
His baseball cap.
Shuichi could remember the day his aunt and uncle gave it to him. After that fateful case, she and his uncle noticed Shuichi's inner turmoil, and sought to give him something to help ease his fear.
"It's unbecoming of a detective to fear the truth," his uncle had said, ruffling Shuichi's hair when the boy ducked his head in shame, "but you're still young." His aunt opened the cardboard box, revealing the hand sown cap. "Eyes are the window to the soul. So, until you're ready to stand strong and face the truth once again, use this to hide yours. That way, no one can hurt that light in you while you're so vulnerable."
His eyes widened in shock, Shuichi let out a quiet thanks as he grasped the ruined headwear. It'd definitely seen better days. The brim was stained blue with something, the threads frayed and slowly coming undone, but it was unmistakably his.
Shuichi was shocked out of his stupor by the feeling of a hand in his hair. Shuichi looked down at the brown haired girl as she reached up to pat his head.
"Took care of it," he heard her say in a quiet voice, "just like you said."
Shuichi nodded, rubbing at his eyes (when had he started crying?) and returning his attention to the group as a whole.
"Guess I should take you to Kokichi's room now." He said.
Sue nodded, saying, "if you would be so kind," her hands clasped behind her back in a distantly familiar pose. With all these deja-vu feelings, Shuichi was certain that he'd meet them all once before.
Diamond, Spade, Sue, Track, Dove, Chef, and the two unnamed members of Dice proceeded to follow Shuichi through the front door, heading towards their leader's hospital room.
Eight members. Something about that number bothered Shuichi, like it wasn't quite right. But before he could ponder further, the little green haired girl launched herself off the back of the boy carrying her, and began sniffing around the hall. Tables, door knobs, cups, anything she saw was scrutinized.
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot to ask. Who is this girl you have with you? It doesn't appear that she's a member of DICE."
Track and the round boy shrugged. "We don't really know. She can't speak all that well, can she, Roller?" Track said.
"Nope." was the concise reply.
Chef decided to elaborate. "We came across her when we were looking for the Boss. The only one she'll respond to is Three, and all she ever said was that her name was "Midori" and that she was lookin for her brother. Anything else she tried to say only came out in animalistic grunts and snarls."
Sounds like she was raised by animals, Shuichi thought, something about the little girl striking a cord in his mind. Was she abandoned, or something? He felt like he was forgetting a very important piece to this puzzle.
In an uncharastic strike of luck, that missing piece came jogging down the hall, an arm waving in the air to catch Shuichi's attention and Shuichi suddenly realized why the little girl's hair looked so familiar to him.
"Shuichi," Rantaro said as he caught up with the group, "Kim ran into me on his way to the infirmary. Said we had more "visitors." He gave the members of DICE a quick once over, "This them?"
Before Shuichi had a chance to reply, Rantaro was slammed into by the wild child that was Midori, and found himself sitting on the floor with an armful of crying child.
"What that-"
Rantaro's exclamation of surprise suddenly stopped, his eyes widening as he got a closer look at the girl who'd latched onto him.
"Midori?" his whispered, shock having taken his voice away, "Midori. Midori, it's really you, isn't it?" He wrapped his arms around her as she nodded furiously, whimpers and whines portraying the emotions she could not speak.
Ah, Shuichi thought, his suspicions confirmed, this is one of his sisters. One he hasn't seen since before the outbreak of Despair.
The detective couldn't help but smile, watching as Rantaro cradled Midori in his arms like she was a precious gem. Rantaro's quest, although not nearly close to finishing, is one step closer to completion.
The last visitor Branch 14 receives is one Shuichi has both wished for and dreaded since Professor Idabashi's arrival months ago.
Shuichi was never close to his parents. With their professions, the two of them never had time to raise Shuichi, leaving him in the care of his paternal Uncle and his wife. He knew, deep down, that his parents were no more. Being high profile persons, they were likely some of the first to fall during the riots as Despair ran rampant throughout the nation.
Shuichi knew that they would not be the ones looking for him. Uncle Daiki and Aunt Misato were always the ones he looked to for that parental care and love. Uncle Daiki and Aunt Misato would be the ones scouring the crumbling nation trying to find him.
Shuichi dreaded this visit. Not because he didn't want to see them, but because he knew, somewhere deep down, that he wouldn't be seeing them both like he wished so desperately.
The truth he didn't want to face arrived only two days after DICE.
Shuichi froze as he caught a glimpse of familiar, long, auburn hair framing a pair of wire rimmed glasses. Paperwork forgotten (dropped to the floor without a care, Himiko exclaiming in surprise), Shuichi runs down the stairs two steps at a time.
Surrounded by his Aunt's familiar warmth, Shuichi could ignore, just for a little while longer, that his family is now one person too small.
Aunt Misato held him tightly, her hands carding through his hair like she used to do when he'd come to her after a nightmare.
"I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered, well aware why they both shook. Why their tears tasted both bitter and sweet.
Uncle Daiki was dead. He wasn't going to ruffle Shuichi's hair when he solved a case anymore. He wouldn't help Aunt Misato in the kitchen when he got home early from work.
Shuichi's uncle was dead, and there was nothing Shuichi could do to change that.
Shuichi would stand there, cradled in his Aunt's arms for the next century if he could. He was almost tempted to try.
But the world would not wait for him. There were things he needed to do, and people who needed him. So he could not spend the rest of his days crying. He would mourn. He would mourn, and then he would continue on. Uncle would not want him to waste his life stuck in the past. Shuichi had already decided to face the truth head on. He made that promise in the midst of chaos and death, and he had no plans on backing out now.
But, for these few moments, wrapped in his Aunt's arms, Shuichi allowed himself to cry. He allowed himself to cry both tears of sadness and joy, and reminded himself of all he should be grateful for.
His friends, who'd all died in some form or fashion but came back to continue living their lives. Naegi and the others, who risk their jobs daily to protect them from the higher ups. And the fact that, despite his loss, he still had his Aunt with him.
It wasn't much, but they were the reason Shuichi would continue onward.
And, looking at it that way, it was enough.
AN: Whew, chapter over. Did everyone like it? I hope so, because I'm not likely to change it now that it's posted. Also, I started killing off family members! Yay!
In all honesty, I was kinda conflicted. I wanted to give the kids a happy ending all around, but considering the world I placed them in (right in the middle of Despair's rampage throughout the world), I realized that the likelihood of all their loved one's surviving was pretty low. And despite this being a fic of pure wish fulfillment, I like a bit of realism and conflict in my stories. So yeah, Grandma Momota died on her way to Branch 14, her elderly body unable to make the journey. And, completely by accident, I came up with a plot relevant reason for Uncle Daiki to be dead and Shuichi to have a "feeling" about it. You'll have to wait for that explanation. Any loved one of the unmentioned classmates (Himiko, Tenko, Angie, Gonta, and Kirumi) are to be presumed dead, mostly because i don't have a strong enough grasp on their personalities to feel comfortable enough writing them yet…
As you probably noticed, Korekiyo, Kaede, and Tsumugi weren't included in the list above. Korekiyo was excluded due to the plot-relevant way he lost his loved one (kinda similar to Shuichi's situation). Kaede and Tsumugi, on the other hand… Well, you'll just have to wait for those two. I've been going back and forth on whether or not to include a certain headcanon revolving around those two (some of you may know the one I'm thinking about), but I've finally decided to just take the plunge and use it. So, we'll see how that goes!
I had a hard time with this chapter, mostly because of DICE. See, I'm maybe sorta writing another DRV3 fanfic right now wherein they play a more prominent role, so I took this chapter as a chance to practice their characterization. If you ever get lost on who's who in regards to those guys, I made myself a little cheat sheet. If you look at the picture presented in Kokichi's motive video in the game, from left to right, the characters are as follows: Dove, Track, Roller, Three, Chef, Kokichi, Brawl (who was not seen in this fic because reasons), Sue, Spade, and Diamond. A lot of fics name the DICE members exclusively after card suits of similar conventions, but in order to give them more personality, I made most of them up based on my initial impressions when I saw the picture.
As always, if you have any questions, leave a comment. If you don't have questions and just want to say something, leave a comment. If you want to bash on my horrendous writing, leave a comment! All comments are welcome in this household!