A.N: Hello again, everyone! Here is Chapter Twenty-Eight of this story. It takes place the day before the last scene of the previous chapter. I prefer to say it beforehand so you're not wondering while reading. I hope you like it!
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Kyoko's Will
"I'm glad that you're willing to help me, Kyoko, but…" Kizakura paused, looking genuinely confused. "You seemed way more disturbed by what you saw inside that file than I thought."
Kyoko sighed as she fiddled with her ponytail, the file in question resting next to her. The two Branch Leaders were headed back to Central Headquarters only a few hours after having lunch there, but this time, with a request.
"One of the names I saw on the list on the first page was one I didn't expect to see there, that's all." I still cannot believe it… But would this person really hurt the Future Foundation if they had the chance…? Could they hurt… Makoto?
She still had many questions, and she knew her answers were in the file. The young woman was hoping to have enough time to read it thoroughly during the helicopter ride.
"I see. Well, I'll let you read it before I ask for your opinion," said Koichi, relaxing on his seat. "I think a detective would rather have all the details before being asked too many questions, right?"
Kyoko nodded. "That's right."
It was only the two of them inside the helicopter, save for the pilot in their cabin. They had left for Central Headquarters very discretely so no one would come to disturb them. The Former Ultimate Detective turned to the file and took it in her hands, staring at it pensively.
What exactly do you have to tell me, file? Should I expect to see my name appear in this? How much had I investigated the Tragedy before I lost my memories? How close to figuring out Junko's role was I? What part do the Unremembered Ultimates have to play in all this? And why do they say that the Future Foundation is responsible for the Tragedy?
So many questions… Kyoko opened the file with resolution. And now, hopefully, some answers.
When Kyoko and Kizakura came out of the helicopter, the detective's head hurt. So much information in so little time was giving her a headache. And she also had the feeling that some of the things she had read were things she'd known before.
It didn't take her long to deduce what had happened to these memories.
I'll never thank you enough for taking my memories away, Junko… Kyoko deadpanned, walking behind Kizakura with the file safely tucked under her arm. But this was definitely helpful to understand a few things… Now, I have some leverage to force Munakata and Tengan to comply, although it will still be difficult.
They took the elevator to Tengan's office, not bothering with making an appointment beforehand. After all, the mission they had decided to take on could be crucial for the Future Foundation's… future, so they thought they could make an exception.
"You're the smart one, Kyoko, so I'll let you defend our case, alright?" the man asked her, crossing his arms as the elevator went up floor after floor.
"Nothing new under the sun, Kizakura," Kyoko told her fellow Division Director with a smirk. "More seriously, I will do my best to convince them. I have to."
"Good, good. With you around, I have hope that I can finally get the truth of this case. I'll sleep more soundly afterward."
The Former Ultimate Detective nodded. The elevator reached the second-to-last floor where the Chairman's office was located. She followed after her colleague to the office and realized they were there when they faced a pair of giant doors. Kizakura asked the guards to see Kazuo urgently, and a minute after, they were in.
"Oh, Directors Kirigiri and Kizakura. I didn't expect to see you again today," the old man said, sitting at his chair.
"Why are you two here?" they turned and noticed Munakata standing not far away, Chisa and Juzo close to him. "Don't your Divisions have work to do?"
Kizakura was about to speak up when Kyoko interrupted him by stepping up. She noticed the Vice-Chairman's eyes drift to the file under her arm.
"Director Kizakura and I came with a request, Vice-Chairman Munakata," Kyoko plainly said, her voice not betraying hostility. "About…" she took the file and held it for the other four to see. "This file here. Most precisely, its contents."
Tengan didn't move, and neither did Chisa. However, Juzo and Kyosuke seemed surprised, as shown by the fact that the white-haired young man reacted.
"I assume you read it, didn't you?" he asked Kyoko, stepping forward and leaving Chisa and Juzo behind. He hmphed unsurprisingly. "Of course you did."
"I am the Ultimate Detective, Vice-Chairman Munakata. It is my job to investigate suspicious cases," she reminded him, raising her head to look at him in the eyes. "I'll make it quick, so I don't waste anyone's time. I want you to grant Director Kizakura and me the right to investigate the case of the Unremembered Ultimates."
"H-Hold your horses! W-We can't let a kid like her investigate this case!" Juzo objected, looking shocked. "The longer it stays dormant, the better!"
"Well, I think the young rotten orange is really determined, Juzo," Chisa added, smiling sweetly at Kyoko. "Maybe she could solve it?"
"The day you'll be as useful as the kid, Sakakura, you'll tell me, will ya?" Koichi chipped in with a snicker. "For you've got muscles, but when it comes to the brain department…"
"W-What did you say, you punk?!"
Kizakura smirked as the Former Ultimate Boxer looked about to kill him. Munakata raised his arm in front of the boxer, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"I will not have a fight in this room," he calmly stated. "Now, back to Director Kirigiri's question… the answer is no. This case has been put to rest for good. I won't allow it to be reopened."
"I have to concur with Vice-Chairman Munakata. I don't see a point in reopening this case now, Ms. Kirigiri," Kazuo agreed, resting his hands on top of his crossed hands. "We already have enough on our plates with the Ultimate Despair to focus on the Unremembered Ultimates."
So far, everything is going as expected… Kyoko mused. "Except that the Future Foundation will not win a war if it has to be fighting on two fronts, Mr. Chairman. The Remnants of Despair will prove to be too much in the long run with the Unremembered Ultimates getting in the way."
Four pairs of eyes suddenly widened in surprise. Kyoko smirked. She knew that using this terminology would get them to react. This piece of information was confidential, after all.
"The students of Class 77-B might be troublesome with how talented they are, as Ms. Yukizome could probably attest to, but Junko Enoshima's been defeated, so their goddess is no more," she stopped, noticing the Former Ultimate Housekeeper shocked. "But when it comes to the Unremembered Ultimates… their motivation hasn't wavered yet. Aside from Izuru Kamukura, I would argue that they are the biggest threat to this organization."
"H-How…?"
"I've read the file, Mr. Chairman, that's how," Kyoko cut him before he could finish wording his question. "As I said: I am the Ultimate Detective. There isn't a case I won't solve, especially not one like this. But I have one question that this file didn't answer…" she brought a gloved hand to her chin in thought. "About this threatening letter sent by the Unremembered Ultimates… why do they say that the Future Foundation is responsible for the Tragedy? And why would they even care?"
After Kyoko had asked this question, the four Branch Leaders looked at each other, evidently surprised with how knowledgeable their younger colleague had become. And Kyoko could swear she saw both Juzo and Chisa panic for a second.
"I couldn't answer the first question, Kirigiri, but as to the second…" Munakata seemed genuinely unable to provide her with the truth, considering how clueless he looked. "We assume they are disappointed that their chance to enroll at Hope's Peak Academy was taken away from them. This is why they attacked Enoshima's worshippers first, before inexplicably turning their attention to us."
That does make sense. If the Unremembered Ultimates found something proving the Future Foundation's link with the Tragedy, the organization would inevitably become a target… Kyoko deduced, taking out her organizer and writing. "But you don't have any clues as to what would cause the Future Foundation to be incriminated?"
"None. Our role is to terminate despair, not to reinforce it," Kyosuke assured her, looking even colder than usual. "The ones who allowed Enoshima to begin her little play was the Steering Committee of Hope's Peak Academy when they let the Kamukura Project begin; no one else."
That was something she knew. Yes, I read that in the file… The group of men that had influence even over the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy… my father… She sighed. All along, there was nothing he could do about the Tragedy…
"What we know is that if the Headmaster had not been a failure, this never would have happened in the first place," Juzo said sneakily, glaring at Kyoko. "Had it been Vice-Chairman Munakata, for example, the Tragedy would never have begun!"
The words reached Kyoko's ears, and she immediately knew what to make of them: dismiss them.
"If you thought you would get to me with this lame taunt, Sakakura, you might want to think about it again," she assured him, her expression not showing an ounce of anger. "That being said, I read in this file that you used to be the Security Chief for Hope's Peak Academy, so you should apply the word you just used to yourself before applying it to others."
Kizakura had to hold back a laugh, and Chisa looked at her colleagues and shook her head amusingly. Tengan sighed while Munakata remained silent.
"Moving on…" Kyoko declared, not wanting to give the boxer a chance to say anything. "Something is seriously amiss with this case, and I can find out what it is. The decision is ultimately yours, Chairman Tengan, but know that if you use my detective skills, the case of the Unremembered Ultimates will be solved."
"Hm… I hear your argument, Director Kirigiri. However, I would like to know what Vice-Chairman Munakata's opinion is before I make a decision," Kazuo announced, looking split on the subject. "To weigh the pros and cons, let's just say."
The Former Ultimate Student Council President looked hesitant, although he tried his best to keep this discrete. Kyoko could see it, but she was pretty sure that only she could, thanks to her experience.
"Give her a chance, Chairman. If Director Kirigiri is as good as she claims, she'll solve it. If not, then she'll just die, and it would be good riddance," the white-haired man stated coldly. He turned in Kyoko's direction. "The Future Foundation doesn't need incompetents, so this is a good chance to prove your worth, Kirigiri."
Good to know that Vice-Chairman Munakata is still as friendly as ever… The girl deadpanned, inwardly sweatdropping as she took in the not-so-backhanded insult.
"Very well, then. You have my authorization to work on this case, Director Kirigiri," Tengan decided. "Starting tomorrow, you will temporarily leave your position of Director of Division Fourteen to focus on your investigation. Your objective is to learn more about the Unremembered Ultimates' motivations and to capture them."
"Five elite agents from Division Two shall accompany you, as well as a pilot and a helicopter," Munakata added. "However, Divisions Three and Fourteen are expected to be as productive as usual. Otherwise, the two of you will simply be excluded from the Future Foundation. Organize your agents however you want; that's not my problem."
"Yes, indeed. You should know, however, Ms. Kirigiri, that this is a difficult mission you're about to go on," the old man warned her, his tone worried. "I would like for you to come back alive, so please exert caution."
"I will, sir." We risk death at every turn. I can't let it worry me now. "Thank you for your trust, Chairman, Vice-Chairman. The Unremembered Ultimates shall be brought here in the shortest delays."
She gave Sakakura a cold glare for a split second before her eyes turned back to Kizakura, who simply nodded.
If you would excuse us, we have a secret mission to prepare," she gave a quick bow and turned away. "Have a nice day."
"Goodbye, amigos!" Koichi cheered, following the Former Ultimate Detective out of the room.
The door slammed as the two Division Directors exited the Chairman's Office with a new mission. However, they still had as many questions.
The answers, whatever they were, were just waiting to be found.
"So, what's the plan, now?"
"We have a few clues in this file, so we'll follow this lead first," Kyoko explained factually, sitting inside the helicopter again. "Then, I will need the help of your Division."
"Oh, you will?" Kizakura smiled. "Whatever you need, Director Kirigiri, I'll be happy to provide. I could even go on a date with you if-"
"Thank you, but I haven't fallen this low, Kizakura," she cut him. I'm not dealing with his nonsense now. "I will need you to allocate one person in particular to my Division. If I give clear enough orders to Makoto and the others, we should be able to learn more."
Koichi grinned with excitement. "Now we're talking! And I bet I know who you're talking about, too!"
The young woman sweatdropped. There's really only one person it could be, you idiot… "I'm glad, Kizakura," she said ironically. "But more seriously, this is crucial if I want my friends to be safe. Who knows what they could do without monitoring…"
"Yeah, you're right. But wouldn't it be better to just go after that person, instead of letting them infiltrate your Division and putting your Special Agents at risk?" Kizakura wondered, finishing his bottle. "Well, I bet you have a reason for that, too."
"I actually do, yes." I will be so mad at myself if it puts anyone in harm's way, but at least, we should have a semblance of control over the potential threat… "If I want them to potentially reveal something, I need them to roam free. Besides, they could also not be our enemy. I disagree with the Future Foundation's way of sentencing people without proof, Kizakura, so I'll do things differently. If they prove to be a genuine ally, I don't see why we would go after them."
"But what do you make of the Chairman's orders…?"
"I don't care about these, Kizakura," she told him firmly, her expression hardening. "I'm a detective. My job is to figure out the truth."
She clenched her fists.
"But one thing's for sure: I won't let them hurt any of my agents." Especially not Makoto. "That is why I want to track these Unremembered Ultimates down, Kizakura. I stand as Division Fourteen's Director to fight against the forces attacking the Future Foundation. They are one of them."
The Former Ultimate Detective stared ahead, her glare showing her determination and will. Kizakura observed her with curious eyes.
"But that's not all, is it?"
The Former Talent Scout laughed when Kyoko's eyes turned towards her gloved hands.
"No, it's not. These Unremembered Ultimates shall pay… for spitting on my family name."
To be continued…
A.N: I know I usually use my notes at the end of each chapter to ask you if you liked it and all, but... This time, I really wanna thank you all for the support you've given me in the past few chapters, whether it is on FFN or AO3. You guys are just the best readers there are, and I'm so, so glad that you're here to give me feedback. Your kind words never cease to make my days. Love you all ❤
Well, you're also putting quite the pressure on me, haha! I'm glad to know that the plot about the Unremembered Ultimates (UUs for short) hypes you, but you're gonna make me worry over every little detail now! :D I'm kidding, but more seriously, I'll do my best so this can be a nice chunk of this story for you to read, and for me to write. I'm really motivated to write currently, and I hope it stays this way. That's mostly thanks to all of you.
And as usual, I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review, and I hope you have a nice day! :)