SZ: Well we're back to this..and we know we have other toku fics and the like to get back to, but we will get back to them eventually. We promise ya…

Z0: Mostly 'The Like' ones. If anything we want to have some fun with the many other fics we have in the waits.

SZ: Aye...Ahem! In the mean time..here' some good ol' detective drama with our usual crew...but before we begin. We own jack squat. Kamen Rider is owned by Toei while Danganronpa is owned by Spike Chunsoft and Nippon Ichi Software. Z0, start us off if you will?

Z0: HEADBUTT! *Slams head into the screen shattering it*

It was late at night within the city of Fuuto, the cool night air blowing through the windy city as its residents slept soundly in the night. However...not all people are asleep during this time of night as a few are conducting things...illegal things at that.

"It's this month's list," a man in an opened trench coat spoke, handing a suited figure a file with various papers in it, "This should be enough, right?"

"...hai. N-" the other man began before osme lights were flashed on them, "?!"

"That's enough..Inspector Himura," Ryu's voice spoke as he and Makura stepped into the light, brandishing their guns while showing their badges, "I'm Terui of the Extraordinary Crimes Investigation Bureau."

"And I'm Makura!" Makura added.

"We knew someone was leaking police info to the Organization distributing Gaia Memories," Ryu stated with a frown, "We have you marked."

"?!" Himura tensed up at that before he quickly knocked over some nearby junk, using it to escape as more suited men walked into the area.

=MASQUERADE=

Makura tensed as he spun around, "Y-you're all under arrest!" he shouted before his foot slipped on a pipe knocked over by Himura...sending him tripping and banging his head into the ground. He grunted before letting his head fall back as his eyes rolled back.

Ryu and the Masquerade Dopants looked down and blinked at how...cartoonish that was.

Ryu lifted his gun with a small smile, "Well...at the very least now I don't have to worry about him…" he pulled out his Driver, "As I rampage," he smirked putting it on as he held up his Memory.

=ACCEL!=

"Hen….Shin!" Ryu declared slotting the Gaia Memory and twisting the throttle.

=ACCEL!=

The pistons formed around Ryu as heat condensed the armor around him before completing ina flash of red heat. His eyes lit up as Kamen Rider Accel took his place. The Masquerade Dopants grunted as they charged at Accel, who quickly kicked away one of the leaping grunts while punching a few into some debris.

Accel grunted spinning around to punch another across the face, his amazing power sending him flying back. Accel effortlessly ducked to the side to avoid a front kick from another Masquerade before swinging his hand up and grabbing him by his face. He twisted his waist and pushed with all he had and sent the Dopant flying back and into a wall. He twisted his leg with the motion and swung his leg out to kick several of the Masquerade Dopants across the face. Accel grunted as he rolled back to a standing position before extending his right leg in a side kick to strike a Dopant rushing him from the same side and sent him tumbling back as the kick hit so hard the force could be seen rippling through his torso. The Rider raised his arm and blocked the knife of a Dopant from his left.

"This...was poorly planned…" The Masquerade Dopant muttered.

Accel said nothing as he slammed his left fist into his stomach, making him double over...before grabbing him by his belt...and tossing him into another Dopant.

"That could be said for every choice you've all made in your short pathetic lives as free men." Accel responded spinning around to land a roundhouse on another Dopant, the force of his super strong kick flipping him through the air.

Himura panted as he stopped in a nearby alleyway, leaning against a wall to catch his breath. As he caught his breath, he quickly took noticed of a figure not too far from him. In the darkness of night, he could barely tell the figure was a female, but what made him quickly tense up in fear...were those eyes. Eyes filled with no humanity...only Despair. He heard reports on people with those types of eyes, and to call in backup in case he ever encountered one of them...but now that he was found out leaking info...he was as good as dead.

The figure began to take a step towards him before whistling began to fill the area, making the figure stop.

"...This whistling…" Himura whispered with wide eyes as he recognized it, "It can't be…!"

The figure however said nothing as a fanged smile grew on their lips, almost as if...they knew this was this man's last night...and that his death would soon come as the figure began to climb up the wall and out of the area.

The new figure that entered was shadowed, their body not human though. Horns and thick armor giving the image of a monster, to someone more superstitious would assume the figure before them was an Oni. They walked forward to reveal their 'skin' as it was a pinkish shade.

"Long time no see, Himuro…" the monstrous figure replied in a deep booming masculine voice.

"Mizoguchi-kun?" Himuro asked in shock, the whistling and the voice sounding familiar, "No...you...You should be dead!"

-linebreak-

=ENGINE! MAXIMUM DRIVE!=

"HA!" Accel roared as he slashed the air, leaving a red gash each time as they formed into an 'A' that could only be seen from above, "Zetsubo ga omae-tachi no Goal da..."

The Masquerade Dopants cried out as they all exploded, leaving only bits of flames in their place. Accel then heard Himura scream nearby, prompting him to run down the path he ran off at before he noticed both the Inspector..and A Dopant.

Himura attempted to run away from the Kaijin, only to cry out as he was instantly vaporized by a purple fireball tossed by the Dopant.

"That's one down…"

"Silencing someone before they can talk?" Accel spoke up, getting the Dopant's attention.

"Out of the way. I have no business with you," the Dopant scoffed.

"Sorry. But I can't say the same." Accel aimed his sword at the Dopant.

With that Accel rushed and swung at the Dopant, only for it to side step and let his sword slam into the railing of a staircase. Accel looked up as the Dopant swung a punch to his chest...which sent him flying and slamming into a wall, leaving a Rider shaped imprint.

"Gh...damn you…" Accel grunted as he forced himself back up, stepping out of the hole to battle the Dopant..only to see no sight of it in the area, "...tch. They got away…" he frowned as he cancelled out his transformation.

Ryu walked back towards Makura and their car as his armor fell away in shards. He sighed walked over to the downed detective...and began tapping his face several times with a bored expression.

"Oi...how long do you plan to sleep?" he asked, going from tapping to light slapping.

"Ugh...I…" Makura began as he started regaining consciousness..and soon took notice of the Masquerade Dopant taking aim at Ryu with a gun, "?! LOOK OUT!"

"Wh-"

*BANG!*

The Dopant groaned as his chest smoked...before he fell over and like other Masquerade's began to disintegrate. The two police officers stared owlishly at that, before looking up to see who their savior was. Slowly stepping out from a shadowed alleyway was what seemed to be a figure, as they got closer it was clear they were a woman. She was wearing a long black coat over her profesional suit attire, and had medium length black hair. She lowered her gun before reaching for a pocket and pulling her wallet and letting it fall open to reveal an ID and police badge.

"I'm Kujou Aya," she explained, as she looked at her watch to show it was now Midnight, "Starting today I am joining Futo Police Extraordinary Crimes Investigation Bureau."

"?! What?" Ryu whispered.

"Nice to meet you." she spoke in english with a smile.

"That's...no no…" Kyoko muttered as she overlooked something through her computer.

"Something up?" Shotaro asked, looking up from his newspaper as he sat at his desk.

"I've been conducting some research into the missing 77th Class from Hope's Peak," Kyoko replied as she focused on the screen, "Alter Ego is helping me out, but so far...nothing about them comes up outside of their roles as Remnants of Despair."

=I-I'm trying my best to look on any deleted or hidden data on them, but it's almost as if..they never existed= Alter Ego added

"The deep dive to hide them…" Shotaro sighed, "Must really have worked hard on that…"

"I've been trying to break the locks...but it's no good. I need to meet them and find the key from getting to know them." Philip sighed as he and Hina sat at the table, building a tower from donuts, "It's really stressed me out...I haven't been eating my normal amount...forcing Hina-chan to eat for me."

"Hai, and right now we're making a Leaning Tower of Donuts!" Hina beamed, she and Phillip standing up to try and place one more donut on the top, "It helps to keep us distracted and less stressed out...just a few more and it should be done."

"Your insight on using glaze and frosting as mortar to help support the shift in weight was most genius. Truly to be expected of my buddy." Philip mused, "Now proves the difficult part...one misalignment or unwanted vibration...and a whole morning's work…"

"PLEASE HELP!" Makura shouted as he ran in, slamming the door open...and ended up causing the tower to fall over.

"Ahh…!" Hina and Philip gasped silently, their entire bodies turning pure white and their eyes the size of saucers.

"Ah….all our...hardwork…." Hina managed to stammer out.

"Ah…" Philip sighed out as he fainted.

"Ahh..." Hina sighed as she followed suit.

"What's going o-?!" Akiko began before Makura pushed her out of the way, "Ahh!"

"PLEASE!" Makura begged as he ran up to Shotaro's desk, "Sho-chan! I...ahem! Shotaro-san...Shotaro-sen…!"

"Mukuro?" Kyoko spoke up with a sigh.

"Hai." she spoke, appearing behind Makura and jabbing him in the neck with one finger, making him gag in pain as she seemed to be putting pressure on a nerve.

"Ah! AH!" he cried.

"Okay...talk carefully Macky...you're treading on dangerous grounds. We're in the midst of something important. You ruined something Philip and Hina worked on all morning," Shotaro stated.

"You shall be avenged!" Hina cried from the floor, raising an arm up for emphasis.

"We used all the best donuts...the waste...the shame…" Philip added, his arm weakly raising up, "Ahh…" his arm flopped back down.

"But more importantly something important we're investigating. But the innocent ones weird thing getting ruined should already warrant leaving you in a dumpster with mystery scars." Shotaro stated, making Makura gulp.

"But we might spare you...if you tell us why you're here screaming like a banshee," Kyoko added as she closed her laptop.

"I want your guys' help on an investigation!" Makura exclaimed.

"Now let's hear him out a little more." Kyoko spoke to Shotaro.

"It's Macky...also I'm still all worn out from working with cops after that asshole in the red leather biker outfit…" Shotaro sighed, "But...something tells me this is either good...or so stupid it'll make my day." he shrugged, "So tempting…"

"Frankly I could use a nice distraction." Kyoko sighed.

"For three times the usual rate~" Akiko smiled.

"Oni da…" Shotaro muttered.

"Call it payback for pushing me earlier," Akiko whispered to him.

"We may as well hear him out," Naegi offered as he walked in, "If he came to us..something must have come up that the police can't handle."

"Exactly! Exactly!" Makura rapidly nodded as Mukuro kept applying pressure, "Recently a female detective from Los Angeles joined my department!"

"Americajin?" most blinked.

"How weird we talking?" Philip asked, getting a few stares, "What…?"

"Continue…" Kyoko said slowly, wary of where this might go given Makura was kinda goofy.

"Well…" Makura began.

-Flashback-

"Hey look," Makura's sparring partner Jinno, spoke up, stopping in his spar with Makura as they looked on at Ryu and Aya sparring with one another, "That new girl is fighting on the same level as Section Chief Terui."

"...Aya-san…" Makura began, slowing down in his punches as he began to focus more on the other spar, "She sure is beautiful…"

Ryu caught a punch from Aya before putting her in an arm lock hold.

"My sources tell me, Himuro was just the 'ticket window'," Aya whispered to Ryu, "Someone else is the real insider."

"Any ideas as to who?" Ryu asked.

"I got a few." she spoke before breaking out of the hold and swinging a roundhouse Ryu ducked under. She swung to punch him as soon as he got up...only for him to catch her punch.

Ryu sighed and let go of her fist as he turned to leave, "Then get some evidence, and we'll get him."

"Got it Ryu!" she spoke making him stop, "Sorry I got used to calling people by their First name's while in America." she explained walking closer, "You don't mind if I keep calling you that right?"

Ryu just gave his normal glare, "Do as you wish." he walked off.

"Whew...did you see that?" Jinno asked Makura with a slow whistle, "People in America really have a different style. I wonder if she'll call me Mikio?" he smiled, "'Hey Mikio! Today too Very Handsome!"

"..."

"...hey. What is it?" Jinno asked Makura, pondering why he didn't laugh at the joke.

"Nothing...I…"

"OI! YOU OVER THERE!" an officer in the sparring gym shouted, he was a good deal taller and bulkier then Makura and Jinno, and he had a pompadour hairstyle for some reason, but it seemed he noticed Makura's dumb-struck exprression...and it did not please him to see someone spacing out in their training hall, "WHY ARE YOU SLACKING OFF?!"

"Huh?...wait wait! I wasn't Sl-!" Makura began in a panicked tone before he was grabbed and tossed clear across the room, "AHH!"

-flashback end-

"In other words...Macky wants to surpass Ryu-kun," Akiko noted once Makura finished in his explanation.

"To impress that female officer?" Hina added.

"Ah well…"

"What a boring predicament. Not even worth hearing out, and not good enough to replace our donut tower…" Philip added, "What a waste to our morning...now we have to replace the ruined donuts to remake the tower...hmm...maybe we can make the base out of cinnamon buns...and use the extra frosting for glue?"

"Ooh~! Good idea, Philip-kun!" Hina beamed.

"I suppose...I should have seen this coming." Kyoko sighed.

"I mean...there is no actual mystery…" Naegi muttered, "So...why ask a bunch of detectives?"

"Hmm…" Shotaro muttered, scratching his chin as he went over the story a few times.

"What are you thinking?" Kyoko asked.

"Well...two things." he whispered, "First: It seems like the police are working on an investigation into a mole in their ranks working for GaiaMemory distributors...sounds like something for you?"

"Hmm...corruption within the police force to weed out ahead of them," she mused, "A favorite of my Grandfather's honestly."

"Second: Terui could use a good trouncing. That asshole needs to be knocked down a few pegs for all his high and mighty Sheriff of the town bullshit." Shotaro grinned deviously.

"Hmm...its either this or stress over a case with 0 information or clues to begin with…" Kyoko muttered, "While I find this wholeheartedly stupid, a rat within the Police is a problem to us. Any criminals we take down or evidence we turn over could be lost or destroyed thanks to them. It's in our best interest to help solve this."

"And make Terui look slow and useless~" Shotaro smirked.

"Oh fine...and that." she sighed.

"I guess…" Naegi began as he looked over at Makura, "We'll take the case then."

"Really?!" Makura beamed.

"Of course," Shotaro nodded as he stood up, "Mukuro?"

"...hai," Mukuro sighed a bit as she released Makura, making him gasp out as he nearly lost his footing.

"To be clear, we're helping solve the bigger case at hand." Kyoko sighed, "We need you to help us and if we can't trust the police...we might as well do all of your jobs for you."

"Hey!" Makura complained.

"Try not to screw it up Macky. Don't be weird boy." Shotaro slapped his shoulder.

"Hey…"

"A mole in the police force?" Watcherman blinked as he walked down a sidewalk with Shotaro and the others, "Even I don't have such deep info!"

"Hmm…" Shotaro scratched his chin, "Ah...okay then, what about rumors?"

"Oh now that I got plenty on." Watcherman nodded, "They say they got another new iPhone...it's only difference is screen size…"

"Alright alright, what you got on Detectives of beat cops that would count as fishy or warnings from folks to avoid them?" Shotaro asked.

"Hmm...Cops in Fuuto tend to be pretty decent...but I got a few like that in my list." Watcherman nodded as he began thinking, "I just need t-"

"WHO IS HE?!" Makura shouted, grabbing Watcherman by his shirt and began to shake him, "JUST WHO IS HE AND WHERE?!"

"Aki-chan?" Hina deadpanned, offering a slipper to Akiko with the kanji for 'Don't be impatient!' on it.

"How is he supposed to talk like that?!" Akiko snapped, rushing past Makura and swinging her slipper. After a moment, he groaned and let go while walking a few steps back...and crumpling over.

"Ooh~ The Iai slap~ Nice Aki-chan!" Hina smiled.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Naegi asked.

"He's fine. Aki-chan just hit him so hard his brain is ping-ponging around in his skull." Philip explained, "Well...obviously that's not fine...but he'll live." he corrected.

"Right…" Kyoko muttered as Shotaro helped up Watcherman, "Now...that inspector?"

"Just for what Aki-chan did to him, this one is on the house." Watcherman replied, "A-ku-tsu," he said slowly as Philip helped Makura up so he could get some of this info, "In the underground, he's infamous as a corrupt Detective. All sorts of things ranging from he's a 1 Yen-store jerk to he bullies innocent folks into admitting to things they never did. And rumor has it any good cops who have tried to oppose him end up fired...and then vanish."

"...very suspicious," Kyoko noted with a slight frown before whispering to Shotaro, "There's a chance we might find something out for our other project…"

"Hmm?"

"Considering he's infamous underground, there's a chance he might've had a hand in hiding information on the 77th class."

"If he's the mole...chances are he fudged or hid their records and case files." Shotaro nodded, "If this pans out, he might be our breakthrough."

"Do you know where Akutsu is right now?" Kyoko questioned Watcherman.

"I think I heard him being sighted near Santa-Chan's place."

"...oh no…" Hina began in worry, "He's gonna make Santa disappear?!"

"L-let's not jump to conclusions!" Naegi yelped as he and Akiko tried to calm her down, a few passing by people looking on at them in confusion by the exclamation.

"Santa-chan…" Shotaro pulled out his phone.

"Are you calling him?" Naegi asked.

"No, Santa-chan has gotten into social media...he posts where he is often." Shotaro sighed.

"He's verified already!" Watcherman laughed.

"It's easier to just check his post and see where he is." Shotaro added, "Normally he has his phone set to block all numbers as default…"

"Of course...he must have a very busy phone line. Can't be distracted." Hina nodded in misunderstanding.

"Yeah...sure...that's it, Hina-chan." Shotaro smiled, patting her head.

"Hmm…" Philip mused, "I'm going to do a look up on him, Hina…" he pulled out a leash that was linked to his hoodie, "By my eyes,"

"Ooh Philip walk time." Hina mused while taking the leash.

"Make sure to keep him away from traffic." Shotaro spoke up.

"Hai~hai!" Hina giggled as she and Philip began to walk off.

"...I can't help but worry about those two at times," Shotaro muttered.

"You and me both…" Kyoko added.

"Though...I think Philip is also trying his best to respond to Hina in his own way…" Shotaro sighed.

"His own way? Philip's ways have always confused me...but what do you mean respond? Kyoko asked.

"Philip bonded to all of you, at first like pets...but Hina was probably the first as a friend. After all is said and done...I think he just wants to take care of her as much as she takes care of him." Shotaro sighed, "In his own way he's forming another relationship."

"...that is true," Naegi muttered, "Especially after what happened with Sakura, Philip and Hina have been a lot...closer lately…"

"At the very least...we don't have to worry about that one as much. I can tell you stories of the times he suddenly vanished...I once had to track him down to Okinawa cause he got stuck on a train while reading…" Shotaro sighed.

"That sounds like him," Akiko sweatdropped.

"But it's still odd to see Philip actually accommodate someone else." Shotaro spoke, "Normally he just expects others to follow his lead."

"And yet Hina oddly…" Kyoko began before shaking her head, "We're getting off track...we need to focus on the case at hand…"

"Ugh…" Makura groaned on the ground.

"...and someone help wake Makura-san up?" Naegi offered.

"Come on Macky…" Shotaro sighed, dragging him by his leg, "Later Watcherman. I'll treat you to lunch to make up for this idiot!"

"Sweet! Thanks buddy!"

"Akutsu Ken, an Inspector for the Police Investigation Bureau," Philip spoke as they each hid around different corners to watch an older man dressed in a typical detective style of a suit with a trench coat over their clothing, "He's rather unpleasant...and has bad opinions about those who are unemployed. All in all a very annoying man to be around…"

"Probably why he wants to kidnap Santa...all that stuff would make him permanent on Santa's naughty list," Hina whispered with a frown.

"Indeed, Hina-chan." Philip smiled before jamming his fingers up Makura's nose before he could speak, "Don't you agree with Hina-chan...Macky?" He pulled him close to his face at that.

"H-hai…"

"Good boy," Philip smiled as he let him go.

"I heard you've been crying because you have no work lately," Akutsu's voice spoke up, prompting the three to look over from their hiding spot to see him standing outside a doorway.

"Well…" a voice began before Santa-chan stepped out, "I've always been a seasonal worker."

"Watcherman was right…" Shotaro whispered from his group's hiding spot.

"Let's go then," Akutsu ordered, putting a hand on Santa-Chan's shoulder as he began to walk away.

"Oh this is splendid!" Santa-chan beamed, the two unaware of Ryu and Aya watching from a nearby silver car, "This works perfectly for me!"

"Where are they going?" Akiko asked in concern as she held Hina back.

"..." Shotaro looked ahead and gently nudged Kyoko, "Terui got the same tip," he motioned to a car across the street as Ryu looked out at the same scene.

"Watcherman is indeed reliable if his minor stuff can rival a police tip." Kyoko mused, "But this is good...we have him flanked. We'll follow behind while they move to intercept."

"I don't want to leave Santa-chan in his hands, but he's more reliable than you expect. So we can tail them for a bit." Shotaro added, "No one knows how to take care of themselves on these streets better."

"True...so we m-"

"Makura-san's starting to move," Naegi spoke up.

"...oh don't tell me," Shotaro groaned as Makura ran out of his hiding spot.

"Did he do a bad?" Hina whispered.

"Lets just say...Aki-chan is gonna need the steel slipper for how bad this blunder was…" Philip whispered back.

"Akutsu!" Makura shouted.

"Inspector Makura?" Aya blinked as Ryu's eye twitched.

"What is wrong with this city…" Ryu whispered, unclicking his belt since their plan was ruined.

"You're coming with me Akutsu!" Makura declared, "We know you're the one leaking info to the Gaia Memory distributors! You're under arrest!"

Akutsu looked at Makura...before shoving Sant-chan into him knocking them both over, before he ran off as fast as he could.

"Santa-chan!" Hina panicked as she ran over and pushed Makura aside to help the holiday-ready dressed older man up.

"What are you doing?!" Aya demanded in english.

"Oh English speaking, I've been meaning to practice!" Philip smiled.

"You too?" Ryu asked, his eye twitch getting worse.

"He's escaping, go fetch Wan-chan~" Philip smiled to Ryu.

"You can't act on your own like this!" Aya complained as she ran off with Ryu.

"S-S-Sorry…" Makura spoke.

"Ryu I'll go around!" Aya shouted splitting off.

"Understood!" Ryu shouted, running at amazing speeds after Akutsu.

"...Macky?" Shotaro spoke up in a way that made Makura tense up.

"Makura-san…" Kyoko added.

"...you're gonna need to call a relative for some blood transfusion...you're gonna lose a lot…" Philip spoke up.

"Sometimes being the first to rush for the gift in the morning...ends up being the kid who gets Underpants…" Santa-chan mused.

"...mommy," Makura squeaked out before he was suddenly picked up.

"HALT!" Ryu shouted as he ran through a crowd of people, flipping over a guard railing before running up a set of stairs and quickly jumped off them to catch up with the crooked investigator.

Akutsu himself ran out a door and was about to round a corner only to stop as Ryu suddenly caught up and cut him off.

"Hah...they sure train 'em different these days…" he chuckled, "You're also a Detective…? Never seen you before...what department are you from?"

"Don't question me." Ryu glared.

"Kozo...don't act tough with me!" he grunted and rushed...only for his eyes to go wide as Ryu smacked his hand into his chest...and it was enough to knock him down the ground totally winded.

"Same to you…" Ryu replied simply as he lowered his hand. He prepared to take a step forward before he heard it...the sound of someone's whistling echoing throughout the area, "?"

"?!" Akutsu tensed up as his eyes began to widen in shock...and worry, "Th...that whistling...it can't be…"

The two quickly turned to see someone approach, Ryu frowning as he instantly recognized who it was...it was the Dopant from last night. The one that killed Himura.

It was in clearer view, its body was thick and armored with pink scaly skin, with black segments. Its armor formed a coat tail around its waist with shoulder armor decorated with golden horns jutting outwards. His head was rounded, with a frill along the back and two golden horns extending outwards around the eyes, with a mouth guard made of a clenched reptilian beak-like mouth, with what seemed to be a long tail dangling behind its head like a ponytail.

Akutsu could only stare in horror as the whistling was the very same from memories. But coming from a monster...thus making the fear of what he first thought...infinitely worse now. Ryu walked forward as he had his Driver already on. He flipped up his Gaia Memory to challenge the Dopant.

The Dopant growled as he rushed forward, he swung making Ryu flinch and duck aside before he could dock his memory into the Driver. The Dopant swung its head around, as Ryu grunted and leaned back to avoid the horns before they could scratch his face. The Dopant swung another punch as Ryu stepped back to avoid, only to flinch as he backed into a railing. The Dopant grunted and rushed with a tackle that knocked Ryu over the railing, but luck was on the Police officer's side...as he fell into a large pile of garbage the building complex they were battling outside of had left. His fall was cushioned by moderately soft and high stacked trash bags, but it cost him his grip on his memory and left him stuck.

"Long time no see…" the Dopant began as they picked up Akutsu, who was trying his best to get out of the Kaijin's grip, "Akutsu…"

"M-Mizoguchi?!" he gasped, "That's not possible! He's Dead!"

"I've come back from Hell." The Dopant brought Akutsu closer to his monstrous visage, "To drag all of you guys back down with me!" with that the Dopant tossed Akutsu, letting the man bounce and roll across the hard pavement.

The pain from the throw and landing alone was already pushing the limits of what someone like him could handle, but the fear still gripped him as the Dopant closed in. Raising their hand with two fingers as a mass of pinkish-purple flames formed.

"Philip!" Shotaro called out as he and Kyoko ran towards the scene, the belt on his body as it formed on Philip's a ways back with the other, "Henshin!"

=CYCLONE JOKER!=

Double grunted and kicked the fireball away making the Dopant flinch and stumble back.

"I can't let him be killed, even if he is a shit human." Joker spoke as Double flicked his wrist and rushed forward.

Double punched the Dopant making it stumble back. The Rider swung around and kicked his leg in a reverse roundhouse which he used to block a swing from the Dopant making him stumble again. The Dopant grunted and swung only for Double to raise his arm and block the blow...but still be pushed back.

"What good power. Scaly skin and horns...a Dinosaur Memory...how interesting~" Cyclone chuckled as Double swung around and kicked the Dopant across the face, making it stumble back.

"This will be a real brawl…" Joker muttered as Double unleashed a barrage of punches to the Dopant's chest pushing it back.

"A Dopant is after Akutsu...what info did we not get from Makura?" Kyoko sighed as she swung her leg and tripped Akutsu once he tried to run past her, "Terui?" she blinked, seeing Ryu limp up the stairs with his Memory in hand.

"A-Akutsu!" Ryu shouted as he rushed towards the crooked investigator.

The Dopant grunted and swung Double around as they grappled before pushing him into the railing, cutting Ryu off. The resulting shake distracted them enough for Akutsu to get up and run again. Kyoko flinched, but still aimed her watch and clicked it, sending a tracer out as it clasped to his pant leg.

"Sorry." Double grunted as he rushed and kicked the Dopant in the face the moment it rushed after Akutsu and towards Kyoko, "You're not going anywhere, Pinky the magic dinosaur!"

"...tch…" Ryu growled a bit, glaring at the direction Akutsu ran off in. He was about to get up before he noticed something on the ground before picking it up, seeing that it was a fairly large keychain with the name 'Catherine' on it.

Double grunted as he lead the Dopant away from the others, the Monster pulling out a great club as a weapon. Its arms held out as it slowly walked after Double. The Rider rushed and swung his right leg while charging it with wind energy causing sparks to fly upon impact like a small explosion. But it did little to actually hurt the monster compared to before. The Rider raised his left arm as he put his power into it to strengthen his arm and punch with all he had only for the same result.

"What tough armor!" Joker grunted as the Dopant smacked him away with its club, sending him rolling back as sparks came off him for a moment.

"Shotaro, I suggest HeatMetal for this type of enemy," Cyclone suggested.

"Yosha!"

=HEAT METAL!=

The Dopant swung its club only for it to be stopped by the Metal Shaft. The bo staff extended to full length as Double's Silver and Red form pushed and made the Dopant stumble back a step. Double swung his staff around and blocked another swing before swinging his weapon around to strike the Dopant across the face. Double swung his Metal Shaft and deflected another swing before twisting his torso around and swinging his right leg as it was covered in flames to hit the Dopant's back making it cough in surprise and pain as it staggered forward.

The Dopant growled and swung down with all its might as Double rushed forward...only for Double to step to the side and let the swing miss. The Dopant grunted as the Metal Shaft struck its lower back once again. The monster swung around only for Double to block the club before it could even gain any momentum. Double pushed the club back before thrusting the staff forward like a spear to strike the abdomen as a small burst of fire went off and made the Dopant gag in pain. Another jab and an even bigger burst of heat and flame exploded off making the Kaijin stumble back.

"Take this!" Double swung low, striking the Dopant's leg and sending them flipping through the air.

The Dopant grunted getting back to their feet, only for their leg to buckle...they couldn't get their balance back. It was no good, that last attack struck the ankle, their leg was no good for them anymore. Such a powerful but accurate hit to a point vital for balance and combat. The Dopant's balance, stability, power and stance had all diminished vastly. The Dopant looked as Double ignited the Metal Shaft and rushed to swing again. The Dopant grunted in desperation, quickly forming a massive fireball before shooting it at the Rider. Double swung his staff and deflected the blast...but the Dopant was able to use this distraction to escape into the shadows.

"...damn it. Got away," Metal whispered, unslotting the two Memories as Double dismissed his transformation.

"Where's Akutsu?!" Aya's voice called out as she, Ryu, and the rest of Shotaro's team ran in form different parts of the area.

"He got away…"

"Damn it!" Aya cursed in english, "And we finally had an opening to attack that organization."

"We clearly were told bare minimal…" Kyoko sighed, standing next to Shotaro, "But we can at least inform you, that he has a bug on him now."

"Philip will track his location." Shotaro sighed.

"I see…" Ryu muttered.

"There are other ways to track a suspect than stamina and brute force." Kyoko replied with a small smirk.

"You and Hidari are similar…" Ryu muttered with an eye twitch.

"Tantei don't always get along with the police." Shotaro smirked.

"That at least salvages most of this…" Aya sighed.

"I also have this." Ryu held up the tag, "Another thread still connected. He dropped this in the scuffle with the Dopant."

"Ca-the-rine…" Shotaro read, "Catherine! What is that, the name of some hostess?" he asked earning an elbow to the ribs, "Ow. Wh-"

"Kono Sukebe!" Akiko snapped as she whacked him with her slipper.

"Eh?" Shotaro gawked.

"What's a hostess?" Philip whispered.

"Not important, Philip." Hina replied.

"...Kamen Rider Accel," Saeko whispered, focusing on a screen showing Accel's battle with the Masquerade Dopants, "Seems he has an unusual connection to the man with the W Memory…"

"Wah...it sounds like he has enemies…" Wakana muttered as she played with Mick.

"...Wakana," Saeko spoke, pausing from her work for a moment to look at her, "Why did you bring Mick to the company?"

"Oh?" Wakana smirked as she stood up, holding Mick in her arms, "Is that not allowed?"

*SLAP!*

"?!" Wakana flinched as she staggered back a bit, a red mark on her cheek as she looked back at Saeko in shock.

"This isn't a game," Saeko stated with a frown, "You still don't know anything…nothing about the Gaia Memories' true power...or how fearsome it is."

Sakeo then blinked as her phone began ringing. She pulled her cellphone out and saw it was an unknown number. But this was a private line...so it had to be someone she did business with.

"Hello?"

=It's me!= Akutsu's voice hissed =The police are onto me...and there's a monster after me! Please save me!=

"Hah...what else could possibly go wrong? I've been losing my rats in the police non-stop…"

Philip mused as he read his book while everyone returned to the office. He looked to the side as Ryu and Aya walked in, his eye focusing on her leg.

"And that's our secret ace in the hole, Philip. He's a brainiac...and a maniac." Akiko chuckled.

"But he's reliable in finding any info!" Hina cheered, "Right Philip-kun?"

"So this is the Philip I've been told of." Aya noted to Ryu, before turning to Philip, "Nice to meet you." she greeted in english.

"...Omae…" he spoke slowly, "Did you hurt your leg?" he asked, making her freeze up, "You seem to be favoring your left and shifting more weight on it...and covering a flinch every so often." he noted as she looked at him in silence, "You seemed fine before...so...how did that happen?" he asked, his eyes locking on with this coldness and drive for knowledge that felt unnerving to her.

"Did you twist it chasing the bad guy?" Hina asked innocently.

"Hmm...that seems likely." Philip replied, his eyes softening a bit.

"Sorry...he's a real eccentric type!" Akiko chuckled awkwardly.

"Also he has issues with trust," Mukuro spoke, making Aya jump.

"Would she stop doing that…?" Ryu complained.

"Would ya?" Shotaro asked.

"No." Mukuro replied simply.

"So it seems your united front is a shared distaste for me…" Ryu complained.

"I mean...you're also rather rude Ryu-san…" Naegi muttered.

"What was that?" Ryu began in annoyance before flinching as Mukuro stood in his line of sight and blocked his view of Naegi, "N-nevermind…"

"...there is one thing I want to confirm," Philip spoke up, earning everyone's attention, "Akutsu called that Dopant a name...Mizoguchi."

"That was the second time I think I heard that…" Ryu noted, "The other night when I first met Aya...I swore I heard the perp we chased yell that name from behind his cover where the Dopant murdered him." he turned to Makura and Aya, "You two know anything?"

"...oh I know!" Makura shouted, after a good second of thinking, as he stood up from the couch, "He's the man who was fired half a year ago for taking illegal bribes. He was pressured by society and the media...and took his own life by jumping off the cliff."

"...are you sure about that?" Kyoko questioned, earning the group's attention, "Considering the fact both Akutsu and the person the Dopant murdered seemed to be afraid of this 'Mizoguchi' being alive...perhaps that story was fabricated to throw people off the trail."

"I think I heard about this case once from Jin-san…" Shotaro added, "If I had to guess based on what we talked about over drinks...there must be more to it than just that. Especially since we are dealing with two dirty as sin cops."

"So...some type of conspiracy?" Naegi asked.

"Possibly," the two detectives answered.

"...even if this theory was true, that doesn't change the fact Mizoguchi was the worst kind of Insp-" Makura began.

"NO!"Aya snapped in english, startling Makura for a moment, "You're wrong..Mizoguchi was a fine inspector. I respected and looked up to him...he's the one who pushed me to pursue my dream of going to the Los Angeles Police Department. Everything I am now is thanks to him."

"So...why would such a fine Inspector suddenly go corrupt?" Shotaro asked.

"People can change." Kyoko stated, "But...given what is happening, maybe the truth is that's just what someone wants others to think."

"Good cop gone bad...kills himself…" Shotaro added, "Sounds...too tragic."

"...It probably was a cover up then," Naegi spoke up as he held his chin in thought, "He must've stumbled onto something with Akutsu and the other corrupt detective…maybe both of them were moles in the Police Department."

"He stumbled on something he shouldn't have...and was erased." Ryu frowned, "That would explain it, many things that didn't make sense. But...if he was murdered…"

"If he was murdered…" Shotaro countered, "We don't know how much of the suicide part is accurate. We can only assume off of the fear in Akutsu...he truly believed Mizoguchi was dead."

"If he faked his death, then his waiting for a chance to strike back is one theory." Kyoko added, "Otherwise...this could be something much more complex."

"Philip...Memories can't...bring someone who died back to life right?" Naegi asked.

"Memories...no...but...I heard a tale of something in the black market that...can make zombies…" Philip mused.

"Z….zombies…?" Hina repeated, fear in her voice as she and Akiko hugged each other while shaking like leaves.

"Nai-nai~" Philip waved off, "It's a rumor, that kind of science is too insane."

"Oh.."

"Look. Say your theories on Mizoguchi are alive are true...that still doesn't change the fact he's scum!" Makura snapped, making Aya glare at him, "A good cop would arrest the culprit on the spot. Let the law judge him! How can he be a Dopant and take revenge wh-"

*BAM!*

"Oh..!" Makura grunted, holding his nose as he staggered around a bit.

"What do you know…?" Ryu scowled as he lowered his fist.

"What did I say…?" Makura groaned as he leaned against Mukuro, taking the offered tissue as he covered his nose….before he fainted on the spot.

"Even a reasonable argument will anger your listeners." Philip mused in response, "I never thought I'd meet someone more brash than Shotaro…"

"Ryu-san is more like a burning flame...compared to the hot headed Sho-chan…" Hina nodded.

"Oi…"

"Heh...somehow I'm more reasonable…" Shotaro chuckled.

"I suppose we had no place to get mad here…" Kyoko nodded, "We are just Tantei afterall…"

"..." Ryu's eye twitched at that.

"What you do with your idiots is your business...but ours are off limits." Mukuro spoke up, suddenly appearing behind Ryu.

"What are these people...they all look like kids…" Aya whispered to herself, "But...they all seem amazing as Ryu…"

"However...this case has more secrets than we thought," Kyoko stated as she looked over at Ryu, "And in order to find any more possible info on our end, we may need that tag you found, Terui-san."

"I'll take that." Philip held his hand out.

"Hah...fine, I guess if anyone can do it better, it's the Brain…" Ryu muttered as he pulled the keychain out.

"You call me Pinky and I'm slashing your bike's tires…" Shotaro spoke up.

"...I understood that…" Aya muttered to herself, holding back a laugh, "But Ryu is just staring like an idiot...pfft…"

Ryu sighed, standing on the roof while looking at Futo Tower. He needed space from the nonsense that filled the Narumi Detective agency office/home.

"Ryu," Aya's voice spoke up, earning his attention as he turned to see her walking up to him, "Back at the Detective Agency when you punched Makura...you did that just for me, didn't you?"

"No." Ryu spoke, turning his head to acknowledge her, "I saw a fly on his cheek. That's all, Makura just can't take a slap to the face."

"Heh...So even you can make jokes like that?" Aya giggled as she moved next to him and looked out into the distance.

"...you and Mizoguchi were really that close, huh?" Ryu asked getting her full attention, "Were the two of you lovers?"

"..." she smiled, it wasn't accurate, but she can see why he'd assume so, "We would often look out at Futo Tower like we are now. During those times he would always whistle a certain song."

"That song?"

"Hai..I liked it," Aya smiled, "Both it...and his smile…demo..." she paused, looking down as a sad expression grew on her face.

"Things are no longer the same as back then." Ryu finished for her, "Revenge is a powerful feeling. It's a fire that never stops asking to be fed."

"You can understand how he feels?" Aya asked.

"There is someone whom I seek to take revenge on." Ryu explained, "The man with the W Gaia Memory."

"W Gaia Memory?"

"He is the monster that slaughtered my family." Ryu declared with intense eyes.

"Okay. I'll do the search in this order." Philip pointed to his white board, "I'll try not to get lost in related names this way. But this is a very interesting case." he then pointed to Hina, "Hina-chan shall be on bucket duty and Aki-chan will take the part of making sure I don't walk off something...again."

"Hai!" the two girls saluted.

"You got this Philip," Naegi added as he and the others watched form nearby.

"Hai," Philip nodded before opening his book," Keyword...Akutsu Ken." the books began moving, "Futo Police Investigation Bureau 1 Inspector." he muttered, "Serial Disappearance of unemployed people."

"And Catherine." Kyoko spoke as she and Shotaro sat off to the side.

"Oh...one book alone with that." Philip mused as Akiko turned his body away from the edge of the garage platform, "Hmm...Oh! I know where Akutsu is hiding!"

"So on which block is this snack bar?" Shotaro asked, earning another slipper.

"Cut that out!" Akiko hissed.

"I'm starved for attention from the opposite sex…at least the good kind…" Shotaro sighed, earning an elbow to the ribs, "See!?"

"Catharine is the name of Akutsu's cruiser." Philip smiled.

"I've seen Jin-san's paycheck...no normal cop can afford a private boat…" Shotaro gawked.

"Wait...his boat has a name?" Naegi asked.

"I heard of that before." Akiko mused, "They often name yachts and cruisers with womens' names."

"Exactly." Philip mused, "He could afford it thanks to his side business dealings as an informant or the other side of the law. But not many know of it, since he acts like a normal cop with little money. So it's a secret escape for him."

"What a shame...I like boats." Hina muttered.

"After we bust him...we can take it from police lock up." Philip whispered, "I have the key~"

"Ahh~"

"Mukuro...please find and confiscate that key…" Kyoko sighed.

"I shall try…"

"Aww~" Philip and Hina pouted.

The team of the Narumi detectives and Police officers made it to the docks where they found a rather large cruiser parked with a sign reading: Catherine. They all nodded and checked the tracker signal.

"He's here." Kyoko whispered, "It seems he must have moved it along the docks a few times. He must have parked it to rest."

"Well I guess he never thought we'd have two ways to track him down," Shotaro whispered back.

"I suggest we split up," Aya suggested, earning looks form the others before she grabbed Makura, who had some tissues stuffed up his nose, "Inspector Makura and I will go this way."

"?" Naegi raised a brow at that as Aya dragged off Makura.

"Odd…" Shotaro muttered.

"You'd think she'd stick with Terui…" Kyoko added.

"What are you whispering about?" Ryu asked.

"Adult stuff." they waved him off.

"..." Ryu's eye twitched at that.

"You get used to it…" Naegi sighed.

"I refuse to get used to this…" Ryu frowned as he walked off, "Hidari, Kirigiri, you're both with me."

"What about me?" Naegi asked before flinching as he fumbled to catch a stun-gun.

"Guard our rides!" Ryu shouted.

"...fair enough," Naegi whispered, already having a good idea on what might happen once they encounter Akutsu.

"Let's go," Kyoko whispered as she and Shotaro followed after Ryu.

The three ran down the docks quietly as they approached Akutsu's boat, stepping onto it quietly to not alert him. Shotaro was about to walk to the door before Kyoko grabbed his arm.

"It's a trap," she whispered to the two, "We know he's here...but it's possible he wanted this to happen...to take us all out at once."

"...tch.." Akutsu's voice scoffed, prompting Ryu to quickly run to the side as the corrupt inspector stepped out while aiming a gun at the two, "I should've figured a Kirigiri would see through it…"

"All this just proves is the fact you're guilty," Kyoko groaned as she and Shotaro stood ready, Ryu slightly poking out the side to wait for his chance to strike.

"Guilty?" Akutsu repeated with a grin, "I'm just trying to look out for myself…"

"Heh...that's such a cop thing to say." Shotaro smirked, "Can't even do their damn job without someone else...I bet he didn't even do his dirty work either…"

"I'm getting tired of a bunch of brats talking like big shots...I've been in this game since both your old men were green…" Akutsu frowned.

"It's not our fault most cops we've met have been...incompetent." Kyoko smirked, going with Shotaro's ploy.

"I bet you only went crooked cause you suck as an Investigator…" Shotaro chuckled, "Sure would explain a lot…"

"...in fact…" Kyoko paused as her eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't be surprised if he was paid off to hide certain files…"

"?!" Akutsu tensed up, "...I have no idea what you mean."

"The fact you tensed up proves otherwise," Kyoko retorted as she crossed her arms, "You had a hand in hiding information on Kibougamine's missing 77th class, didn't you?"

"..."

"Your silence tells us more than words…" Shotaro sighed, "If you wanted to hide it...you wouldn't have a look that says 'I just shit myself'…"

"...You don't understand what you're getting into," Akutsu scowled, "If the world learned about what became of those students and their teacher...it would cause total anarchy."

"Maybe…" Shotaro frowned.

"But we can't control what happens when the truth is learned. We just reveal it," Kyoko added.

"Y-you're insane...that's pure darkness you're diving into!" Akutsu snapped, his legs shaking as he tried to keep the gun steady.

"Then we'll dive in and find the truth!" both detectives declared.

"URUSEI!" Akutsu snapped as he took aim at Kyoko, about to pull the trigger before Ryu jumped in from the side and kicked the weapon out of his hands, "Ahh!"

"They are right about one thing...you bring shame to the Police…" Ryu frowned, "The fact you can't stand up to the same thing as two freelancers...shows you never were cut out for the Badge."

"Gh…!" Akutsu grunted as he quickly ran off.

"Oh no you don't…!" Shotaro growled as he, Ryu and Kyoko gave chase.

"Aya-san...Chief Terui hit me…" Makura mumbled, his voice a bit nasally from the tissues in his nose as he followed Aya, "But I still think revenge isn't right."

"Shh!" Aya hushed him, readying her gun as she frowned, "I just saw someone's shadow. Stay here in case the perp runs this way."

"Huh? B-" Makura began before Aya ran off to the side, only for her to gasp out as the sounds of metal hitting something went off, "Aya-san!" he panicked as he ran off after her...only to be sent flying by something as he hit the floor. He tried to get up...only to end up plopping back down as the tissues shot out of his nose.

"Akutsu!" Ryu shouted, sprinting after him.

"That guy...has to be some kind of freak…" Shotaro huffed as he and Kyoko gave chase.

"No wonder...he's the Ultimate Cop," Kyoko panted a bit, "He doesn't tire out…"

"No matter how you cut it...he's some kind of freaky sub-human…" Shotaro sighed.

"I can hear you, Hidari!" Ryu snapped.

"Then you're not running fast enough, you useless beat cop!" Shotaro shouted back.

"What is wrong with these kids?" Akutsu whispered to himself, pushing past a few chairs before Ryu kicked him into a table, "Gah!"

"You tried your best...which sadly was never enough." Ryu spoke, pinning Akutsu down as Shotaro and Kyoko ran up to the two, "Now spill it! What happened to the people you promised jobs to?!"

"I honestly don't know," Akutsu grunted before grinning, "Seems they were used as test subjects…"

"You mean...Gaia Memory test subjects?" Shotaro asked with wide eyes.

"They wanted work...I just never told them what kind it was…" Akutsu grunted as Ryu pulled him up, "It was lucrative work...whether they lived or not, they were just a bunch of nobodies no one gave a shit about."

"...and Mizoguchi was one of those 'test subjects' wasn't he?" Kyoko scowled.

"...heh. Being in the police let me achieve many things I couldn't normally do, but that bastard just had to stick his head where it didn't belong," Akutsu grinned in a cruel manner, "And when he tried to run…"

"You did away with him with your currently deceased partner," Kyoko finished as her scowl grew, "Disgusting…"

"Looks like you didn't do a good job. Your friend is dead...and your next on his shit list." Shotaro pointed out, making Akutsu flinch.

"It can't be him...It can't! We threw him off the cliff ourselves!" Akutsu snapped, "Dopants and Kamen Riders are one thing...but ghosts aren't real! The Dead don't come back!"

"I suppose...I can consider that a confession." Ryu spoke, "Of your crimes and guilt. How nice of you to turn yourself in, to a superior officer."

"...One problem with that," Akutsu argued as his cocky grin grew, "I'm being protected…"

"?" Kyoko raised a brow at that before she heard something, prompting her to turn as her eyes widened, "Shotaro, Terui-san, move!"

"Nani?" Shotaro gawked as a blur shot past and slashed his jacket.

Ryu's eyes widened as his jacket sleeve was torn up by the same blur, sending both over and to the ground. The trio looked up to see the Smilodon Dopant, growling as it turned around, revealing it captured Naegi by the scruff of his jacket in his jaws before flinging him to the ground.

"The big cat she warned us about…" Naegi muttered as it jumped back and landed on all four.

"That commander Dopant…" Shotaro grunted.

"So they are using such an asset just for Akutsu...how much info does he have?" Ryu grumbled.

"Given Naegi-kun is still alive...it's not here to kill us…" Kyoko noted.

"But that doesn't mean we're gonna let it get away with that cheap shot…" Shotaro frowned, holding up his Driver.

"Consider this a declaration of war. Even if we don't get along." Ryu spoke, holding his own Driver up.

"We're not gonna let some smug bastard get away with a cheap shot like that!" both snapped putting the belts on.

=ACCEL/JOKER!=

"Ara?" Philip blinked as the belt popped up, "Seems like Shotaro is oddly in sync with Terui-san today. How odd."

"Guess they decided to put away their differences for now," Hina noted as she and Akiko put down a donut-themed beanbag chair down behind him.

"Guess I'll find out what's happening," Philip sighed, pulling out Cyclone, "Henshin." he called out, slotting his Memory...before falling over onto the chair.

"He always looks so peaceful when his soul leaves his body." Akiko joked.

"He oddly does…" Hina muttered as she looked down, "If anything it looks...cute."

"What?" Akiko blinked at that.

"Nothing!" Hina squeaked as she turned her head away to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

=CYCLONE JOKER!/ACCEL!=

The Smilodon Dopant flipped away as the two Riders of Futo rushed him. Double grunted, swinging his leg kicking up a gust of wind, only for the Smilodon to jump...and land on Double's leg.

"Nani?" Double gawked.

"Ha!" Accel roared swinging at the Dopant only for it to grab his punch...and swing him into Double knocking both riders over.

"Fast…" Joker grunted.

"And...strong?" Accel groaned.

"It's an enemy Commander...of course it has not only a Memory Driver...but a Gold class Gaia Memory...and that of a deadly extinct predator as well…" Cyclone spoke.

"So we really can only beat him…" Accel grunted getting up.

"By working together as two Kamen Riders…" Double finished.

"Grrrr…" Smilodon growled crouching down again.

With that, Smilodon rushed as Accel got in the way to tank the hit. Accel grunted and swung his arms out to grab the Dopant by its head. Smilodon growled and tried to break free, scratching at his arms. The Dopant then gasped in pain as a kick struck its stomach. It looked best it could to see Double. The Two-in-One Rider swung around and landed a kick with his left to the Dopant's back. He growled in pain before Accel suddenly lifted his knee into the Dopant's stomach making it stumble back to Double who grabbed and lifted the Dopant by its stomach. Double grunted and spun around before tossing the Dopant away and into some stacked up wooden palettes.

Smilodon grunted while getting up, only to flinch as he saw two shadows coming down on it.

=HEAT METAL!/ENGINE-JET!=

Both Riders growled and swung their burning weapons down causing a small explosion. Smilodon grunted skidding to a halt a ways away with its super speed. Accel grunted, swinging his sword as he fired out a red energy blast which struck Smilodon. Accel rushed and aimed his sword like a rifle as he kept shooting only for the Dopant to run around as a blur too fast for him to lock on to.

=LUNA TRIGGER!=

Double joined in as he began shooting, his homing bullets flying around only for Smilodon to step and jump around each one. The two riders kept shooting only for Smilodon to jump and weave around each and every shot. He stopped before scraping his claws against the ground, the two riders blinked before flinching as sparks suddenly came off their armor.

"What...what happened?" Accel grunted.

"It...shot debris from the ground at us…" Luna muttered, "It's speed and strength combined...make anything it throws a high velocity projectile…Not even LunaTrigger's homing shots can hit him."

"...then let's use this," Accel suggested.

=STEAM!=

Accel held his blade up as steam began to come off the weapon, the Smilodon Dopant hissing as he became a blur and attempted to attack the two. However, by the time the steam dissipated, the two Riders were already Dopant looked around for a moment before it looked up, seeing Accel coming at him from high up as he delivered a downward slash, causing the feline-like Kaijin to hiss out in pain as it was sent flying back.

The Riders readied to move before turning to the sound of a boat starting up as the Catherine was sailing away.

"Shit! He's getting away!" Accel cursed, seeing Akutsu looking on from the boat.

"Damn it," Kyoko frowned as she and Naegi got out of their hiding spot, the group unaware of the Smilodon Dopant running away, "Our one lead to the 77th class and Mizoguchi's murder gone…"

"Wait. What if we used the HardBoilder?" Naegi suggested, "We could use it t-"

*BOOM!*

"?!" the four tensed up as the boat exploded, parts flying about as no trace of Akutsu was seen within the flames. They then noticed what looked like an ornate staff/club flying out of the explosion, heading towards the harbor...as the Triceratops-like Dopant caught it.

"Mizoguchi…" Trigger spoke.

"No...Mizoguchi is indeed dead. What stands before us is not a ghost from hell. But rather the Triceratops Dopant." Luna countered.

"That's right…" Accel spoke.

"Huh...then…" Naegi asked.

"It's you isn't it?" Accel spoke up, "Inspector Kujou…."

"...So you knew after all, Ryu," the Dopant noted, their voice sounding more female than male as it dismissed its form, revealing that it was in fact Kujou Aya.

"Is...Is it just me...or...or are the majority of our clients bringing along someone that's already a Dopant?" Naegi asked.

"Are you really asking that?" Kyoko deadpanned, tapping on the spot Zoo had plugged into him.

"...Fair enough," Naegi muttered, a blush forming from embarrassment.

"You assholes knew...and didn't stop her?" Trigger asked.

"I confirmed it only recently...to be fair, it was easy. She's not good at hiding wounds. It's why I guided us to strike the Dopant's leg. I also noticed the pattern Naegi-kun pointed out," Luna stated, "I'm not the police officer who let someone die…"

"Mmm…" Accel responded.

"Kisama…" Trigger growled.

"It's over...her revenge is completed. She has no more need to use the Gaia Memory...Now she can turn herself in to atone for her sins…" Accel replied.

"We needed him!" Trigger snapped, "What good is revenge when there are still people who need help and truths to be revealed!? Bringing him in alive could have saved countless lives!"

"I know…"

"Do you!?" Trigger snapped.

"Don't questi-!" he flinched at the glare Double gave him from behind his mask.

"Is revenge all you can think about!? Is that all you think a Kamen Rider is good for!?" Double shouted.

"..." Accel looked away, "You're right...I also have to atone for this mistake...Hidari…but it's over."

"Something...tells me it's not over," Naegi noted, looking at Aya whose eyes were still burning with determination.

"Your friend is right…" Aya stated in a serious tone, "I can't hand it over just yet...I know now. The true enemy who drove Mizuguchi to his death is someone else…"

"You mean the ones distributing the Gaia Memories to Futo…" Trigger sighed.

"I will have my revenge…" Aya frowned as she held up a dark-crimson Gaia Memory with Triceratops-themed T on it, "...With the power of this Memory."

"I see…" Accel whispered, adjusting his grip on his sword, "Then I have no choice!" he grunted, lifting his weapon up and charging to strike her down.

Everyone flinched as a loud clang filled the air. Accel looked up to see Double in Cyclone Metal blocking Accel's sword.

"You did it again…" Metal growled, "Attacking people while untransformed...I thought you were a cop...not a thug…"

"It's for her sake!" Accel snapped as he tried to force his way through, "Now move!"

"It wouldn't matter," Kyoko spoke up, earning the two Riders' attention, "She ran while you two were distracted."

"That does happen a lot, too…" Cyclone noted, "We really have to have a talk about preventing suspects from escaping the super powered Kamen Rider in high tech almost magic battle armor…."

"...Damn it," Accel frowned as he and Double dismissed their transformations.

"Well...This is terrific…" Kyoko sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose while squeezing her eyes shut to fight off the migraine, "Because of that woman's killing, we now have no leads of finding the missing class or any information he may have held."

"Um...Did he have a house or apartment?" Naegi asked.

"You don't think that cat thing isn't already acting on that?" Shotaro sighed, "That thing moves insanely fast...and its battle sense is insane. Whoever is in that thing...is crazy smart."

"That was a powerful Dopant…" Ryu admitted.

"Tsk...regardless, now we're down to square one. And we still have to stop Aya-san," Shotaro spoke up, "Let's at least focus on what we can get done. Aya-san has to have a specific target. If anyone already has some of Akutsu's belongings...it has to be her. She must have raided the ship while we chased him."

"If she plans to track down and take revenge on the ones he worked with, she must have," Kyoko sighed in agreement, "She'd be going blind for months otherwise."

"But she'll no doubt go into hiding now that we know who she really is," Shotaro sighed.

"No...She seems far too dedicated…" Kyoko spoke up, "If she has things of Akutsu that will help her...she'll rush in blind with Revenge as her only guiding force." She looked at Ryu.

"Ooh...They are mad…" Naegi muttered as he realized he was standing too close to Ryu and getting some of the glare meant for him.

"Oi! OI! Let me in!" Makura demanded, trying to get in through the door as Akiko blocked his path, "I haven't been able to contact Aya-san since yesterday! I don't remember anything since I got hit!"

"L-Listen, Makura-san. Now's not a good t-" Naegi began.

"TANTEI!" Makura shouted to Shotaro, "You and your partners know what happened, don't you?!"

"We'll let you know...if there's any developments…!" Akiko grunted as she tried to force him back out.

"I'm a client! You can't treat m-!"

"Mukuro-chan!"

"Understood," Mukuro replied before jumping out the window.

"Eh? Oi, what are you...IIIIITEEEE~!"

Mukuro climbed back in through the window after a few moments of awkward silence, "Situation dealt with."

"...Uh...What did you…?" Naegi began to ask.

"In the recycle bin," Mukuro replied.

"Good thinking. Maybe he'll come back as something better," Shotaro snorted.

"And less stupid," Kyoko added with a slight huff, "...still, this is quite the situation…"

"Hmm?" Hina blinked as she looked over from the table she and Philip were sitting at.

"Aya has her reasons in wanting to avenge Mizoguchi, and yet…" Kyoko paused as her mind flashed back to the Killing game...mainly on the deaths caused by those affected by the Gaia Memories, "She killed two people for the sake of revenge…"

"She has a strong will," Shotaro added, "I'm sure she'll be able to overcome the Gaia Memory's power."

"...half-boiled," Philip spoke up, earning the two's attention, "I think it would have been best to let Terui take her off the board."

"Philip." Shotaro responded.

"I have no feelings of closeness to this Aya...so I could care less if she's taken in all in one piece. The fact of the matter is she's a dangerous person who has lost her sense to the dark power of a Gaia Memory. She's not exceptional like those I consider my friends...I see no prospect of her overcoming it." Philip argued, "She's just a normal woman who's lost her way and become a wild beast."

"Philip…" Hina spoke.

"I've only seen an exceptional few overcome the Gaia Memories…" Philip went on, "I have no faith in this woman being anything like my friends. So therefore it is our responsibility to stop her before any more damage is done to our city." he smirked.

"Tsk...you have a real roundabout way of inspiring people to get off their ass…" Shotaro sighed.

"Roundabouts are remarkably helpful to mitigating traffic." Philip countered.

"...He's not wrong," Kyoko noted with a small chuckle, "But for now...let's figure out where we can find Aya…"

"...you thinking what I'm thinking?" Shotaro asked his fellow detective.

"Hai," Kyoko nodded as the two got up.

"Eh?" Hina, Akiko and Naegi blinked at that.

"Where are you going?" Akiko asked.

"Going searching," Shotaro replied as he and Kyoko grabbed their respective fedoras.

"And we have a good idea where," Kyoko added as the two stepped out, "Naegi will explain."

"Wait wh-" Naegi began before the two stepped out, "Ever notice they always think I follow them when half the time I'm still trying to figure Philip out?"

"You still haven't figured me out…" Philip countered.

"That much is true…" Naegi muttered, "...still...where could they have...wait," he paused as his eyes widened a bit in realization, "...That's where…"

"Eh?"

"If they're going to look for Aya-san, they'd most likely head to where she's currently at," Naegi pointed out, "Akiko, do you have Alter Ego on you at the moment?"

"Hai." she replied as grabbed a tablet.

"Ooh~ What'd you think of?" Hina asked.

"Makura-san said that Mizoguchi fell off a cliff, which in fact he was tossed over said cliff by Akutsu and his late partner," Naegi replied as he took the tablet, "But he didn't specify which cliff."

"...Soka. You're using Alter Ego to search for it," Mukuro noted.

"Hai," Naegi nodded as he turned the tablet on.

=H-hai, Naegi-san?=

"I need you to search up any information on Mizoguchi's 'suicide' and the location of where it took place," Naegi responded.

=Ohh~ An easy one= Alter Ego smiled a bit before multiple windows popped up around them, showing different articles and screenshots =Kazefuchi Coast=

"Kazefuchi Coast again?" Jinno blinked, looking over Ryu's shoulders as he sat before a computer, "This is the place where Inspector Mizoguchi jumped from, right?"

"What do you mean 'again'?" Ryu asked.

"Ah, not too long after you went out to chase Akutsu, Shotaro's lady friend, the Kirigiri-neesan, called and asked for details on Mizoguchi's death," Jinno explained, "And just now she texted me for some location details."

"Hidari? Kirigiri?" Ryu asked in shock, "Son of a…" he realized as he got up, "I'm heading out. Inspector Jinno, you're in charge till I return!"

"Go out and chase a lunatic ghost killer with Shotaro and the scariest girl he's ever hung out with...or stay and finish the Boss's paperwork...Terui-san! Trade me jobs!" Jinno shouted, eyeing the stack of paperwork.

Ryu, however, ignored him as he began to step outside and walked towards his bike. As he walked, his conversation with Aya echoed within his mind. They were the same...they were both on a path of revenge, and he was intent on stopping her...no matter what. He was about to get on his bike before his phone went off, prompting him to pull it out.

"An unknown number…" he whispered as he answered, "Who is this?"

=Terui Ryu….do you know who I am?=

"...that depends. Who am I tal…"

=The screams of your family were great…=

"?!" Ryu's eyes shot wide open at that, "Masaka...it can't be...the owner of the W Memory?!"

=Especially your little sister...she screamed for you in the end= the voice continued to mock with a cruel laugh ='Save me, Onii-chan...Save me! Save me! Save me!'=

"You bastard….!" Ryu snarled as anger began to grow in his entire body, "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

=The construction site near the station...don't keep me waiting~=

"Onore!" Ryu growled as the voice hung up. It was him...the source of his revenge. The reason he became Accel. The man...no. The monster who took his family away from him...and he was not gonna let him get away! He quickly hopped onto his bike before driving it out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.

After a few minutes of driving, he arrived at a building currently under construction. This was the spot he told him to meet at...and yet...there was no living soul in sight.

"...It's too quiet…" Ryu scowled as he got up off his bike, "Oi! Where are you?!" he demanded as he began to search the area, "Show yourself, coward!"

A figure ran by as they knocked something over, prompting him to turn and look to see who it was. Ryu was about to give chase before he heard the sound of metal clattering, causing him to look up and see I-beams and various metal objects falling towards him, making him tense up as he began to dodge some of the falling debris.

Aya whistled as she looked out at the ocean, standing on top of a cliff as the sun began to set. She began to kneel down and place a bouquet of flowers on the ground, unaware of both Shotaro and Kyoko walking into the area as she continued to whistle.

"That tune you're whistling sure sounds nice," Shotaro complimented.

"...Hmm," Aya scoffed a bit as she turned to look at the two, "I commend you both for knowing where I'd be."

"We're quite skilled at finding missing folks," Shotaro chuckled.

"Plus we figured you'd go to pay respect to your friend," Kyoko added.

"...Hmm. To think Futo would have such good detectives," Aya noted before speaking in English, "What do you want?"

"...Please turn yourself in. Throw away that GaiaMemory. Please atone for your crimes," Shotaro replied after a moment.

"What an unexpected answer," Aya admitted, "I thought you'd support me."

"Many in the agency call him 'half-boiled,'" Kyoko noted, "Especially his primary partner in investigations."

"Ah. You mean that Philip boy?"

"Aya-san, GaiaMemories are far more dangerous than you'd expect. The forms they grant are called 'Dopants' for a reason," Kyoko warned.

"We've seen many destroyed by their power, some even engulfed in the influence of the GaiaMemory they held," Shotaro explained, his thoughts going to those lost in the Killing Game, "None of us want you to be lost to it and destroyed by the power either."

"It's not too late...you can still turn back now," Kyoko added.

"...Too late?" Aya repeated with a sigh, "I've lost everything...There's nothing left for me to go back to…"

"And yet you're still trying to help in your own way," Kyoko stated, "In fact...as we theorized, there's a chance you had raided Akutsu's boat for certain files…"

"...You mean the missing 77th class of Kibougamine, correct?" Aya asked, earning a nod from the two, "I see...To be honest, I didn't want to look in those files myself… To think...an entire classroom...teacher included became something that needed the Legendary Skull to help prevent…"

"The Remnants of Despair," Shotaro noted.

"Hai...and I'm gonna take down the organization that helped create those monsters," Aya stated as she began to walk off, "Starting with their lead commanders…"

"...And what then?" Shotaro questioned, making her stop for a moment to look at him, "What lies for people beyond the path of revenge?"

"...I'll turn myself in," Aya admitted, "After that...it'll be up to you and your friends to bring them to trial…"

"...Do you truly mean that?" Kyoko asked, earning Aya's attention, "Revenge...from what I've seen has only led people to make the wrong decision. I don't have much faith in Revenge. After all that has happened to me and my friends...and my classmates in the 77th class...I don't put faith in such things."

"Rather...you found something better to have faith in." Aya spoke, "The Kamen Rider?"

"Correct," Kyoko nodded, "In our time of need, he helped to give us something to strive for...something to keep us going during the Killing Game...Hope…"

"Ano sa…" Shotaro spoke up, "This is hard enough as is...The last time I dealt with a Gaia Memory user I wanted to save like this, we just ended up slugging each other in the face 'till he passed out. Boss always told me you shouldn't start a fight with a woman. If she wants to fight a man, let them hit first. So I'm in an awkward position…"

"Given it seems he never lost, I take it he let that be his version of: A man never hits a woman," Kyoko noted.

"He had his moments where his wisdom was...blunt…" Shotaro sighed, "Aya-san...if you're gonna go for the Head of the Snake...I won't stop you. In an ideal scenario...you succeed, give up the Memory, and we know who to take down. But...beyond that, I have another thing to ask of you. The info on the 77th...we need it."

"Need it?"

"...I have to find them...and save them too!" Shotaro declared, "The Kamen Rider isn't done with Kibogamine yet...There are still sins and the like to clean up. For Futo's sake...and their sake too."

"...You really intend on finding them, don't you?"

"Of course," Kyoko nodded.

"..." Aya sighed as she began to walk over to a nearby parked car, "...Once I share these with you, you're going into something that should've stayed hidden...even if it's to save people devoid of any Hope or humanity left."

"Heh. An unwinnable situation...it's something I haven't yet found," Shotaro replied.

"...heh," Aya gave a light chuckle as she opened up the trunk, pulling out a metal briefcase as she carried it over to them, "It's not much...but I have the school profiles for the 77th class and their teacher, and a multi-password locked USB Drive."

"That's more than we originally held," Kyoko replied.

"But it's a start at least," Shotaro added as he took the briefcase, "Thank you...just promise us you won't do anything reckless."

Aya just nodded as she began to walk back to her car, a determined look growing in her eyes as she mentally prepared herself for tonight.

"You actually got the information from her?" Akiko blinked as Shotaro placed down the briefcase.

"It's not much, but we have a lead somewhat," Shotaro pointed out as he opened the briefcase, showing multiple files and a small black USB with the symbols for Hope's Peak on them.

"Before I think we had just the teacher's name," Naegi recalled as they looked at the files, "Chisa Yukizome…"

"And now on top of that.." Kyoko paused as she picked up the USB, "We have a multi-password locked USB containing more information on them…"

"Shouldn't be hard for Ego-chan then," Hina smiled a bit.

"It would still be safe for Philip to check it over," Shotaro added, "Who knows what nasty security Akutsu might have had on this thing on account of who he worked for?"

"I shall build a computer that will deal with defenses, and defensive viruses that Ego can work out of and hop out of if something goes wrong." Philip spoke with a sigh as he put on his welding mask, "I'm gonna need new computer parts, liquid nitrogen...and peanut butter...chunky to be precise!"

"What's the peanut butter for?" Naegi asked.

"Oh...you'll find out," Philip spoke, leaning in close suddenly, "You'll find out…." he ominously said while flipping the mask down.

"...h-hai," Naegi whispered, "...Wh-Why don't we check out the files real quick before we head to bed? That way we'll have more time to look at them and go over each fact."

"Philip also demands coffee! Strong...with extra sugar!" Philip shouted from the garage.

=I can add in the exact amount of sugar he needs!= Alter Ego added from the garage.

"I can make it!" Hina called out as she hurried into the kitchen.

"That'll keep them busy," Shotaro muttered as he picked up one of the files, "And considering she was the first mentioned, let's see what this teacher looks…" Shotaro began as he opened the file, "..."

"...Shotaro?" Naegi blinked.

"...Ugh. Give me that," Kyoko groaned, realizing why he was staring in the file as she snatched it from him, letting her see a picture of a woman with a rather generous figure, her long orange hair done up into a ponytail while wearing a blue business/teaching suit...with a fluffy pink apron over it, "Chisa Yukizome, teacher of the 77th class and Former Ultimate Housemaid...hmm….No wonder my father hired her...seems she was able to keep the 77th class in control and focus on their studies."

"...By 'in control,' do you mean…" Naegi began.

"They were amongst the biggest troublemakers in the school," Kyoko added.

"They were troublemakers?" Shotaro muttered, "This place just keeps sounding like it was some Willy Wonka nuthouse…"

"Agreed…" Akiko muttered as Naegi picked up another file.

"Chiaki Nanami, Ultimate Video Gamer and Class Representative of the 77th class," Naegi read, looking at a photo of a girl with a fair complexion with pink-to-orange eyes, her mauve-colored hair ending just at her shoulders while curling outward with the exception of two front locks framing her face, "She's a calm and quiet girl, but she's excelled in all forms of video games, knowing every single thing about them."

"...Why does she remind me of Philip for some reason?" Shotaro muttered as he and Kyoko looked at the file and photo from over Naegi's shoulders.

"It seems the reason for her being the Class Representative is because she helped connect everyone through playing some video games," Kyoko raised a brow.

"No literally...my first thought is 'why is there a female Philip there?'" Shotaro continued.

"...W-We'll worry about it later," Kyoko muttered as she shook her head, "Let's see who's next."

"Fine...but this ain't over," Shotaro groaned as he took another file and opened it, "Akane Owari, the Ultimate….Gymnast?" he blinked, looking at a picture of a tanned skin girl with wild chest-nut colored hair and athletic yet curvaceous body, "..."

"...what?" Hina blinked, noticing him looking at her and the photo a few times.

"...I'm starting to call BS on these Ultimate Titles," Shotaro deadpanned.

"Eh?"

"...Is it the fact that their figures contradict their titles?" Kyoko deadpanned.

"Maybe."

"Oh, she's a big sister to a lot of little brothers and sisters," Naegi noted before frowning, "Ah...Shotaro, isn't this address…?"

"Ah. One of the rare times Boss had to leave Futo to do a case was at this spot. At least one person guaranteed to be dead every few hours in that area to the point people just don't bother remembering the names of people," Shotaro cringed before blinking a few times, "...That explains those kids with the cops when he came back. They were going into protective custody."

"Kids?"

"Real wild bunch with the oldest barely eleven," Shotaro recalled before snorting back a laugh, "...One of them set Macky's foot on fire and another bit his butt."

"...It seems the older sister is the biggest troublemaker out of them at school," Kyoko noted as she looked at the file, "She would often get into fights with people that catch her interest, and was often seen parkouring up to the top of the school."

"Seriously? How was she not expelled?" Akiko asked in surprise, recalling how all her schools made it clear that no students were allowed on the rooftop areas.

"That's what I'm wondering…" Kyoko muttered, "Seems in her spars with another student, a Nekomari Nidai...they've caused damage to the school...mostly their classroom or the gym…Thinking back on it, that would explain why the gym was closed most of the time..."

"...ugh. Moving on before this gives me a headache," Shotaro groaned as Hina brought him a cup of coffee, "Thanks…"

"...Very well," Kyoko nodded as she picked up another file, showing a young man with a rather young-looking face and dust-blonde crew cut hair, "Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Ultimate Yakuza…"

"?!" Shotaro tensed at that before he did a spit take, ending up spraying it on a yelping Akiko, "...I'm sorry but...did you say 'Kuzuryu'...?"

"I did….why?" Kyoko asked with a raised brow.

"That's the name of the Yakuza Ossan the Boss often met with," Shotaro explained, "Boss would force me to train by pushing me into a room with their thugs…while they enjoyed coffee and shot the breeze...Boss said when it came to who could kick more ass in Futo, it was a tie between them."

"Dad...ack! Dad was friends with a Yakuza…?!" Akiko questioned, grabbing the offered towel from Hina as she began to wipe herself off.

"I would say they were more….frenemies kinda," Shotaro muttered, "They had the class not to make how much they pissed each other off in public...but it's clear they respected each other."

"And his son is currently missing and is one of the students corrupted by Junko's Despair Memory," Kyoko sighed as she looked at the file, "Same could be said for his bodyguard, a Peko Pekoyama."

"I think I found her," Hina spoke up, holding a file with a picture of a young woman with fair skin and her silver long hair done up into twin braids on the sides of her head, held up by white ribbons at the base and dark-red hair ties at the ends while a pair of glasses hung over her red eyes, "Says she's the Ultimate Swordswoman."

"So the kid has a strong bodyguard," Shotaro noted.

"You met with their Gang often. How did you not know them?" Kyoko asked.

"Boss never brought me there for playdates...He'd shove me in a room with their thugs and tell them if he came back to see me standing, he'd kick their teeth in himself…" Shotaro sighed, "You don't want to know how many times he actually did that."

"Soka…" Kyoko muttered with a sweatdrop.

"My dad seems scary…" Akiko muttered, "Whenever I talked to him, he spoke in such a gentle voice...but to find out the Yakuza did what he wanted just 'cause he was scarier than them...dai-shock...D-Did Mama know? Is...Is that why she always had a dreamy look when she recalled memories of their past?"

"Okay, moving on before we traumatize her further," Kyoko quickly spoke, pulling out another, "...She even got a princess of all people infected with that Despair Memory of hers."

"Excuse me?" Shotaro asked, full interest on the profile now, "Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess…"

"And princess to the Kingdom of Novoselic," Kyoko added, the two looking at the photo of a young woman with fair skin and sea-blue eyes, her long light-blonde hair reaching down with part of it styled into a braided crown with a green-black ribbon flecked with diamonds near the braid.

"Isn't that one of the countries that Celeste listed as one of her ideal places to live in?" Naegi pondered, "The one where the royal family is trained to do a ton of things like learning thirteen different languages by the time they're eleven or something?"

"Yeesh. Betcha if the Boss hadn't intervened, that nation would've been nothing but Despair nuts ready to wage war with all other countries," Shotaro noted.

"No kidding," Kyoko muttered as she looked at another file, looking at a photo of a pale-looking young man with black hair with a light-grey streak through it, and a dark purple scarf around his neck, "Gundham Tanaka, Ultimate Breeder. It says he has a connection with animals, saving endangered species, hybridizing different breeds, and is an expert in animal research."

"Then why does he look like something out of an isekai anime?" Shotaro questioned with a raised brow.

"It seems he has Chuunibyou Syndrome," Kyoko answered as she looked at a bit of the file, "Referring to himself as the Overlord of Ice and leader of the Tanaka Empire, lead by his faithful Four Devas...which are his four pet hamsters."

"Hamsters?!" Akiko beamed at that.

"Aw~! They look so cute!" Hina cooed, managing to find four hamsters peeking out of his scarf in the picture, "That one looks like it's sleeping!"

"Ooh! Look at that chubby wittle one!" Akiko cooed as she and Hina took the file, "Kawaii~!"

"I think we just lost those two," Naegi sweatdropped.

"Right...let's move onto the next." Shotaro sighed.

"Agreed," Kyoko muttered as she picked up another file, showing a young girl with her blonde hair done up into two thick, curved pony tails held up by two yellow-green ribbons, "Hiyoko Saiyonji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer."

"She looks as young as Fujisaki," Naegi noted.

"She's heiress to the Saionji clan, who are known for their traditional Japanese dances," Kyoko stated as she read on, "She's gained the fan following due to her un-high school student-like appearance and cute voice; and, despite looking so young, she still performs for the crowd, both here and overseas."

"Soka…" Shotataro nodded, "So Akiko isn't the only girl who's body stopped growing in middle school."

*BONK!*

"ITE!"

"She wasn't even paying attention…" Naegi whispered, inching away slowly as Akiko and Hina were still focused on the hamsters in Gundham's photo.

"I don't think I deserved that for just stating facts…" Shotaro muttered before he was smacked again, "Gomen nassai…"

"...Moving on then," Kyoko muttered, opening another file to see a photo of a girl with wil-looking, thigh-length black hair with whiteh highlights in it, part of it twisted up on top of her head to resemble oni-horns," Ibuki Mioda, The Ultimate Musician...says she used to be part of a Light Music, but she left for creative differences...however, due to one of her songs becoming one of the highest grossing singles in the country, she was accepted into Kibougamine."

"Anything else?"

"It says she's very…'quirky.'"

"...Quirky how?" Shotaro asked.

"She's apparently very energetic and likes to talk...a LOT."

"Another Philip type…" Shotaro groaned.

"...Huh...that's...odd," Naegi muttered, earning the group's attention as he looked at a pair of files, "I decided to check out some more but…I don't see anything on Ryota Mitarai nor Hajime Hinata...even more so for the latter."

"Mystery guys…." Shotaro frowned, "That's never good...more so if those books are locked for Philip…"

"No it is not!" Philip called out from the garage.

"Probably best to move on then before Fang goes crazy," Naegi gulped, putting the files down before picking up another, showing a young man with hot-pink hair covered by a black beanie, "Kazuichi Soda, Ultimate Mechanic. He's known for fixing anything from kids toys to household appliances, and is very passionate about his work. However...seems he gets into trouble for modifying various things at the school or at home."

"Did he file his teeth or something?" Shotaro pondered, seeing how sharp they looked.

"That's...a good question," Naegi muttered as Kyoko picked up another file.

"Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer," Kyoko read, looking at an image of a young girl with short-red hair done into a bob cut and freckles on her face, "She's known for her many photography rewards and for being the daughter of a famous war photographer, and is famous for her skills at taking pictures of people."

"Sugoi," Shotaro noted, "It sounds less crazy, but the fact that this seems like a normal girl...it feels oddly refreshing…"

"It...It kinda does, doesn't it?" Naegi agreed.

"Such a big contrast compared to the others," Hina admitted.

"...That might end up changing with this next one," Akiko spoke as she picked up her own file, looking in it to see a rather meek-looking young girl with her plumb-color hair cut unevenly, "Mikan Tsumiki, The Ultimate Nurse...I sense this girl was bullied."

"Eh?"

"As cruel as saying it sounds…" Shotaro sighed, "That girl gives off the aura of a victim…"

"From what I'm reading here? Agreed," Akiko frowned a bit, "Says she learned how to take care of herself at an early young age because no one would treat her wounds. But...it would seem she was able to grow in her skills thanks to this, and has developed all the necessary skills of a nurse...but it seems she doubts her abilities due to all the bullying she got in the past."

"That explains why her hair looks so uneven," Kyoko noted.

"Poor girl...especially when you add to the fact that stupid Despair loving brat messed with her with that Despair Memory!" Akiko growled.

"Once we finish with these last three students, we can learn more about them tomorrow," Shotaro stated as he picked up another file, showing a skinny-looking young man with pale skin with his wavy hair being a white-color that bled out into a pale pink-ish off-white color, "Nagito Komaeda, the Ultimate...Lucky Student?"

"Eh?" Naegi blinked at that, "But...that's my….er, my former title…"

"Isn't that like a picked at random thing?" Shotaro pointed out, "Didn't you win via a raffle or something?"

"O-Oh yeah...I honestly forgot about that," Naegi sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"You and him must have the same insane random luck." Shotaro added, "Bad or good...I guess we'll find out."

"H-Hai…" Naegi muttered as he picked up one of the last two files, this one showing a tall, muscular man with short black hair...and he swore he saw lighting seemingly crackling off his eyes, "Nekomaru Nidai, the Ultimate Team Manager. It is said that thanks to him, most of the top athletes of today have reached their current status thanks to his guidance."

"Dekai…" the others muttered.

"Oh! It says here in middle school, he helped a baseball player in his school's team into accepting a role in the major leagues," Naegi noted.

"That sounds like some kind of feel good family movie plot," Shotaro noted, "What is he...some kind of miracle maker?"

"Considering he helped a figure skater perform six and a half spins on the rink, and a tennis player that won a thirty six hour long match? Looks like," Naegi added.

"This is a man who cries while reading sports manga, isn't it…?" Shotaro grumbled.

"I would not be surprised if he does…" Naegi muttered.

"Moving onto the last one. I'm getting tired a-" Kyoko began as she opened up the last file, "...Shotaro, Naegi, you read this one."

"Eh?"

"For some reason, I want to tear the picture in here up; but we need it, so I'm handing it off to you," Kyoko admitted as she shoved the file into Shotaro's hands.

"...Why?" Hina and Akiko asked.

"Just...just trust me…" Kyoko sighed.

"...ok…" Shotaro muttered as he and Naegi looked into the file, seeing an image of a short, rather budgie young man in a chef's outfit, his dark-brown hair done into a pompadour that leaned to the left, "Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Chef…"

"Huh…" Naegi blinked, "This…"

"Hentai da…" both boys blurted after a moment of reading.

"See?" Kyoko deadpanned.

"Now h-hold on. There might be something in here that's not just that," Shotaro spoke up, "Ah...ano...oh! He grew up in a diner and learned all he knows from his mother...who...oh." he shook his head, earning looks, "Passed away last year from an illness she had for years before he attended the school, making her frail and collapse at times. He managed to save the diner from being bought out by bigger chains with his abilities."

"Oh my…" Hina whispered at that.

"So to round up all we've learned from reading these for tonight…" Shotaro spoke up as he handed Naegi's Teruterus file, "We have a teacher that can keep her rambunctious students in line, a female-Philip…"

"Video Gamer…" Kyoko corrected.

"...A gymnast with a body that contradicts her title and likes to fight, the son of my boss's frenemy and his bodyguard, an animal controller, a princess, a traditional dancer, a musician, a coach, a mechanic, a photographer who seems like the normal one out of this crazy class, a nurse who was bullied a lot, a guy with the same title...er, former title as Naegi's, a chef, and two mystery guys we know nothing about," Shotaro listed.

"I like them already!" Philip shouted, "Also, where is my coffee?"

"...Ah! I got pulled into listening, I nearly forgot!" Hina gasped as she rushed back into the kitchen, "Good thing I kept it warm on the stove…"

"...This does raise a question though," Kyoko whispered, earning the others' attention as Hina hurried downstairs with a cup of coffee in hand, "Why would Junko target this class specifically with the Despair Memory? Some of the choices here make sense, but the rest...Then there's their teacher, Ms. Yukizome…"

"Pieces haven't been connected yet," Shotaro spoke, "But we should remember that going forward...There is something going on we don't fully grasp yet."

"Hai…" Naegi agreed as he looked at the files, "Also...why wouldn't there be any info on Ryota or Hajime...especially the former? No talent, no family...no anything. It's almost like someone wanted to make it so he never existed…"

"I swear this never gets simple…" Shotaro groaned.

"We'll figure out more tomorrow," Kyoko sighed as she yawned a bit, "It's starting to get late…"

"Lot happened today...sleep sounds good." Shotaro groaned before yawning, "Hina, keep an eye on Philip. If he falls asleep while working, he sleep builds, and last time he made a spider tank thing which wreaked havoc on the city…"

"Hai~" Hina replied with her own yawn.

"If you get too tired...just...shove him into the trashcan for the night…" Shotaro sighed while walking off towards his room.

"Isn't…" Naegi began before he yawned as well, "...know what...agreed. Too tired…"

"We'll see you in the morning," Kyoko muttered as she and Akiko walked off, '...and hopefully Aya-san hasn't gotten into anything serious…'

Elsewhere, outside of the DG building stood Aya as the cool night air blew past her. A determined look was seen in her eyes as she glared at the building, gripping the Triceratops Memory in her hand. She was about to take a step forward before stopping, seeing a group of suited men stepping out as they aimed their guns at her.

"...hmph."

=TRICERATOPS=

"GAH!"

"?!" Saeko and Wakana tensed as they turned to see a pair of grunts being tossed into the room.

"Sonozaki Saeko…" the Triceratops Dopant's voice spoke, making the eldest Sonozaki sibling look up to see her walking in, "You're a string puller for the organization distributing the Gaia Memories in this city, right?"

"...What a rude visitor," Saeko frowned, about to activate her personal Gaia Memory before it was shot out of her hand, "?!" the Triceratops grabbed her by the neck and slammed her onto the ground.

"Onee-sama!" Wakana exclaimed, about to run to the two.

"Don't move," the Triceratops Dopant warned, making Wakana stop before the Kaijin looked down at Saeko, "You're shocked, aren't you? By how powerful my hatred has made me…"

"...are you going to try and kill me?" Saeko questioned, "If so...you're not the first to try."

"I know…" Triceratops stated, making Saeko blink as she dismissed her form, "No...I'm here to make a deal."

"Deal?"

"I want the late Akutsu's job," Aya stated.

"?!" Wakana's eyes widened a bit at that.

"...So you want to be a police insider?" Saeko questioned with a raised brow.

"No...I want to be a commander," Aya replied with a smirk, "I've got their trust...no one will know my identity if I eliminate the key members of that detective agency…"

"...And what will you do involving the evidence of the 77th class?" Saeko countered.

"...heh…" Aya smirked as she reached into her pocket, pulling out bits of ashes, "All I gave them were names and an impossible to open USB. Even if they could get it open...they won't have anything to back up their claim they existed to begin with."

"...I see," Saeko whispered as she stood up, dusting herself off as she looked at Aya, "You were sent by them...weren't you?"

"Hmm?"

"It would stand to reason that psychopathic bitch Junko and the Remnants would recruit more 'lost souls' into their cult," Saeko stated, "Why else would you take Akutsu's place rather than trying to arrest or kill me?"

"...Let's just say after Mizoguchi died…" Aya paused as she closed her eyes, opening them to show they were filled with despair with a faint purple glow coming off them, "Hope was the last thing I needed for revenge…"

"...Well, Wakana," Saeko began as she looked over at her sister, "This line of work is pretty intense, isn't it? Though…" she paused as she looked back at Aya, "I'm going to need more proof that you're not lying."

"What must I do to gain your trust?" Aya asked.

"Let's see…" Saeko tapped her cheek in thought before smirking, "There is an useless inspector by the name of 'Jinno' in the Extraordinary Crimes Investigation Unit, right? How about tearing that guy apart?"

"...No problem…" Aya smirked as her eyes glowed faintly before taking her leave.

"Ah mou...I thought we were done with her and her nonsense~!" Wakana groaned once Aya left, "Now she goes and brings a detective she put into Despair here?! Please tell me you weren't serious about letting her be a commander, Onee-chan!"

"...Who says it was her who sent them?" Saeko countered, "Junko lost her Despair Memory when Double defeated her...and yet no one was able to find it...least...not no one normal…"

"...?! You mean…"

"They're dedicated to their 'messiah', so of course they'd want to help spread despair," Saeko explained, "Even if it means doing it from the shadows..."

"That's even worse~!" Wakana groaned, facepalming as Saeko snickered.

"Um...do we really have to hide behind this wall?" Naegi asked the next day as he, Kyoko, Shotaro, and Akiko were hiding behind a wall leading to the precinct.

"We need to make sure Aya is keeping her promise," Kyoko stated quietly.

"But do we have to hide?" Naegi asked.

"We don't want to give ourselves away," Shotaro stated before he noticed something, "?! Shh! Here she comes!"

"Eh?" Naegi looked out to see Aya walking towards the precinct, "Oh! She's going in!"

"See? Just like I told ya," Shotaro smirked.

"Oh thank goodness," Akiko sighed in relief.

"So…" Shotaro began as he adjusted his coat, "Anyone up for a bite to eat? My treat."

"Honto!?" Akiko gasped.

"Yeah. Follow me," Shotaro replied.

"I'll follow you all my life!" Akiko cheered.

"Well...guess we can enjoy ourselves then," Naegi chuckled a bit, "What do you say, Kyoko?"

"..."

"...Kyoko?"

"...You three go on ahead," Kyoko informed them, her eyes focused on the police station, "I need to check with something…"

"You sure? Aya-san promised she'd go and she did," Shotaro pointed out.

"Yes, but...there was something not right...with..." Kyoko began before she was suddenly lifted up, "Eh? What are you..."

"You're coming with us for food!" Shotaro declared.

"But...something is up...and w-" Kyoko began as Shotaro carried her off, "Oi...oi. Let go. Something…"

"Kyo-chan, relax!" Akiko smiled as she and Naegi followed.

"Don't worry…" Shotaro sighed, "It doesn't matter if something is off...I'll fix it, but you have been stressed and skipping meals. Your brain needs food."

"But…"

"You have been missing out on meals since we began our other project, Kyoko," Naegi pointed out.

"...You too, Naegi…?"

"It's settled! Let's go eat!" Shotaro declared, earning a sigh from Kyoko as the three walked off...completely unaware of the menacing aura Aya was giving off as she walked through the police station.

"You gotta be kidding me...The place is closed for renovations…" Shotaro grumbled.

"Will you please drop me already?" Kyoko fumed.

"You'll just run off," Shotaro replied.

"You don't know that…" she huffed.

"Sho-chan! Morning!"

"Hmm?" Shotaro blinked as he and the others looked over, seeing both Queen and Elizabeth running over, "Oh Queen, Elizabeth. What's up? ...Shouldn't you two be in school?"

"Today's our school's inauguration anniversary!" Queen beamed, "So we're off!"

"Oh I know! Let's go to Asa-Kara!" Elizabeth suggested.

"Asa-wha?" Naegi blinked twice in confusion.

"Karaoke!" Queen beamed.

"Asa-Kara...Asa no karaoke…" Kyoko realized.

"Hai~Hai~!" Elizabeth cheered.

"Come on~ We got all day to kill and we thought it be more fun to hang out with you guys!" Queen cheered.

"You guys went to school with the Ultimate Idol, so you must have a good ear for music~" Elizabeth added.

"It does sound like fun," Naegi noted before tapping his cheek, "In fact...I do remember Sayaka often wanting to bring us along for karaoke...though we could never get you to sing, Kyoko."

"...well…" Kyoko paused as she looked away a bit, "I didn't want it to be...awkward."

"Ah don't worry if you're not good. Half the fun is when the bad singers have a turn!" Shotaro laughed.

"Excuse you?" Kyoko frowned a bit at that.

"What...isn't that what you meant? I mean you can't be worse than me!" he chuckled, "Me and Philip really stink...but it's still fun!"

"Shotaro is talking about our Karaoke skills…" Philip suddenly sat up from the floor, "I can feel it like a disturbance in the force…"

"Well to be fair, some of us weren't aloud to have fun growing up," Kyoko retorted.

"The only one stopping you now is yourself." Shotaro chuckled, "Unless...you're scared…"

"..."

"...Ano. What about that feeling y-" Akiko began.

"Fine...then we're going," Kyoko stated as she glared a bit at Shotaro in slight determination.

"Oh~" Shotaro awed at her determination.

"Nanda kono pattern…" Naegi muttered.

"I know right…?" Akiko muttered.

"I ship it…" Queen and Elizabeth whispered.

"Can you not?" the two detectives deadpanned in unison.

"Ahh!"

"Hmm…" Philip muttered as he focused on a large blackboard with each of the 77th class' pictures hanging up on it with big question marks drawn right next to the pictures. "So much we don't know...and even still the Gaia Library refuses to just give me the answer due to locked books. But...we must save them. Hina-chan's Kohai...hmm...yes...I must save them. So they may become my new research subjects."

"Philip." Hina spoke up.

"What….I promise not to bother the cute ones you want to pamper…" Philip pouted, "But don't think the others will be safe...oh...if they are awake in any form...they should feel the fear of...the Philip Tingle."

"Please name that something else…" Mukuro complained.

"I will not be censored!" Philip declared.

"You learn to accept his weirdness." Hina smiled. She then jumped a bit when she heard something fly in with a beeping sound, making her turn to see the blue Kabuto beetle themed Gadget, "...Hey. Isn't that…"

"Ryu Terui's Gadget," Philip noted, pausing from his work for a moment as he caught it, "Why is it here…?"

"...damage," Mukuro whispered, noticing a few scratches on the Memory Gadget, "..something must've happened to him."

"Well if its anything like mine, and he built it right...without screwing up. It is able to record events on its own in case of emergency." Philip stated, "And will lock onto any living being possibly showing us the attacker!"

=Sh-should I stop then?= Alter Ego spoke up.

"Not yet. You just keep working on those passwords," Philip stated as he opened the Memory up, seeing bits of debris in the photo...and the image of Aya peeking out the corner, "?! Masaka..."

"...her eyes," Hina whispered, seeing the look in Aya's eyes, "Philip-kun...Mukuro-chan...her eyes…"

"...Despair," Mukuro frowned a bit, "She must've been exposed to sister's Despair Memory…"

"When?" Philip asked, "How…" he sighed, "Ah...this sadly means she wasn't strong enough...we'll have to save Shotaro-tachi. Mukuro-chan, you get on that."

"Me?" she blinked.

"Your faster, more athletic then mostly me…" he muttered.

"This is accurate…" Hina nodded.

"Also I am planning to do something potentially stupid, so I need Hina with me for her safety."

"You have more faith that I'm walking into a death trap don't you?" Mukuro blinked.

"Ehehe…" he chuckled, "But if any of us are smart enough to escape them it's you."

"...fair enough," Mukuro sighed, "But I'll have to be careful when I sneak into the station...chances are I'd be arrested on the spot for being a former accomplice to my sister…"

"Oh right…" Philip muttered, "Still need to deal with that…"

"I'm honestly surprised Ryu-san hasn't tried to arrest her," Hina added.

"I made it clear he can try...but I know secrets…" Philip replied, "Mukuro-chan has made some mistakes in the past...but so did I."

"...oh! What if she went in disguised?" Hina suggested, earning a look from the two, "I mean...she had us fooled when she was disguised as her sister."

"Eh?"

"Ooh! I have been wanting to study disguise techniques!" Philip spoke, "I read once that some disguise and make-up techniques are so advanced it can make someone look like a totally different person, like a different age or even a different gender!"

'...He's...technically not wrong…' Mukuro mentally admitted, "...She does make a point. If I could get the required items, I could sneak into the station to stop Kujou Aya."

"Philip do you by chance have some random stuff?" Hina paused to check.

"..." Philip looked around before tapping the wall to reveal a secret compartment, "You saw nothing…" he started walking into the secret little closet/pantry worth of space he hid from Shotaro.

"...we saw nothing," Mukuro and Hina whispered.

"Eh? Kaba in English? Kaba….hmm…" Jinno pondered, tapping his pencil against his cheek as he was playing with a crossword puzzle, "...ah. Hippopotamus…"

"Ahh...Aya-san…" Makura sighed as he sat over at his desk, hanging up the phone as he hung his head, "First Aya-san, and now I can't contact Chief Terui…"

"Stop being a baby…" Jinno sighed.

"Just what is going on…" Makura kept complaining.

"How the hell should I know? I catch the bad guys after the Kamen Rider beats them or after Shotaro tells me where to find 'em." Jinno groaned, revealing how he did most of his work pertaining to Dopants. He then pushed his chair over to the counter as he prepared to make some tea, "...ah dang it. Out of Black Tea...Oi, Makura…"

"Aya-san…" Makura sighed

Jinno's eye twitched before he grabbed his back scratcher and thwacked Makura upside the head, making him yelp and fall out of his chair, "If you're gonna fall head over heels...do it tripping down the street. Now get off your lazy butt and get some more Black Tea!"

"Hah?!"

"Black Tea! Now!" Jinno snapped.

"Ahh!" Makura yelped as he shot up and hurried out of there.

"Damn brat...its like this is the first time he's ever fallen for a girl out of his league." Jinno sighed as he went back to his crossword puzzle, "Now let's see...Ikenie in English...Ikenie…? Ikenie...that's a hard one…"

"Sacrifice."

"Oh~ Sacrifice. Thank you thank you," Jinno smiled as he wrote that down..only to blink as he turned to who said that, "Hmm? Kujou? Where have you been?"

Aya said nothing as she walked in, reaching into her pocket before pulling out the Triceratops Memory.

Jinno took a moment to process what was happening, "Oh...oh...Oh no…"

"We'll distract the front guard to Mukuro-chan can sneak in better." Philip whispered to Hina.

"Oh that should be easy...you love to attract attention." Hina smiled.

"You know me so well." Philip smirked as he put on a fake mustache.

"Ahh...god what a boring day," a policeman yawned as he stood before one of the entrances to the station, "Maybe I should go find s-" some rustling caught his attention, making him tense up as he saw some bushes shaking, "Wh-who goes there?!"

"..." Philip suddenly stood up from the bush as he wiggled his fake facial hair.

"Okay...and can I-AH!" he cried when Philip slapped him with a white glove.

"That's right...I just did that." Philip nodded before holding his hand up to reveal the officers belt, weapons and tools included in his hand, "Now you gotta chase me." he smirked, tossing the belt into the large pond/fountain just outside the building, 'Now is the chance Mukuro-chan!' he winked as he began running.

"CHOTTO! AH!" the officer cried as his pants fell down, "You bastard! This is assault of an officer!"

"Prove it!" Philip shouted.

"Why you little…!" the officer growled out as he began to chase him, unaware of a female officer walking past him as she stepped inside.

'Mission…' the female officer began before lifting the rim of her hat a bit, revealing it to be Mukuro as she had a pair of sunglasses on over her eyes, 'Start.'

"Yatta. She's in," Hina quietly cheered before blinking a bit when she saw someone running out, "Eh? Makura-san…?"

"Black tea! Black Tea! Gotta get Black T-oof!" Makura grunted when he ended up bumping into Philip.

"Ah Makura-keiji...how good to see you."

"The Tantei's partner?" Makura blinked, "What are you doing...why are you wearing that silly mustache?"

"I considered getting a Charlie Chaplin stache...but on reflection...seemed like a really bad idea." Philip admitted, "So I decided to go with Groucho Marx!"

"...ok, but why are you here?" he sighed as he held a hand up to the officer to let him know he'd handle Philip.

"...well…"

"N-now now, Kujou. Hand over the Memory! Okay?" Jinno asked as he stepped away from Aya, "D-don't make me have to bind you!"

"Ha!" Aya shouted as she kicked him in the gut, making him fall over and hit his back against the wall, "Would it matter? You're about to die anyway…"

"?!" Jinno tensed up at that.

"In the name...of D-" Aya began before a thrown combat knife knocked the Memory out of her hand, "?"

"Kujou Aya…" the two turned to see Mukuro standing in the doorway, a police baton in one hand as she glared at her, "Step away now or else…"

"Hmm….the traitor to our messiah," Aya noted as she turned towards her, "How fortunate…"

"Jinno-san, please run," Mukuro whispered to Jinno, her gaze not once turning away from Aya, "I'll hold her off as long as I can."

"You're the intense Neesan who helps Shotaro...you got it!" Jinno spoke, quickly getting up before rushing out.

"Hm...bold move of you to come into a police station," Aya noted as she and Mukuro stared each other down, "You know how wanted your sister is...and you're as guilty as her."

"...that's a part of my past..I've changed since then," Mukuro argued.

"Have you?" Aya questioned in English, "I know you were behind the Giboura massacre. He told me as much."

"?!" Mukuro tensed at that, "...th-that was Junko's orders back when she used me as a puppet..."

"It still doesn't change the fact you're a murderer," Aya retorted, eying her Gaia Memory on the floor for a moment, "Even if you claim innocent or guilty...it won't honestly matter. In the end...there is no hope for you. All you have...is despair."

"...Tch…" Mukuro gave a shaky scoff, gripping the police baton in her hand as she glared at her. She knew what she was attempting, but….she couldn't think of a rebuttal...because in a way she was right. Even if Shotaro and the others accept her...she knew these days would end someday.

"I apologize, but that is heavily wrong."

"?" Aya raised a brow before looking past Mukuro, seeing Philip, Makura and Hina in the doorway, "Oh...you lot again."

"A-Aya-san?" Makura whispered with wide eyes, "Wh-what's gotten into you? Why do your eyes look so...so…"

"Devoid of humanity?" Philip spoke with a frown, "Like I said...no one is stronger than my friends. All other people are weak and untrustworthy. They can't resist the evil of the Gaia Memories...or the holds of Despair. In the end, despite your fondness for her Makura...she is nothing special after all."

"...Hmm…" Aya frowned at that, "You say that..but in the end, Despair is what will save this world…"

"How can Despair save it?!" Hina argued, "All it's done is hurt people!"

"No..it saves them," Aya countered, "And in order to make sure I help save everyone...I need to kill Inspector Jinno…"

"?!" Makura's eyes widened further at that as Aya made a shot for the Gaia Memory, Mukuro moving to intercept her before blocking her incoming kick.

"Like I said...she was nothing special…" Philip sighed, "I've met amazing people who can overcome Despair and the Gaia Memories...she doesn't have their presence…"

"Hmm…" Aya merely scoffed at that as she clicked her Memory, a familiar tattoo appearing on her outstretched leg.

=TRICERATOPS!=

"?! When did she...?!" Mukuro tensed up as she quickly jumped back, only for her leg to be grabbed by the Triceratops Dopant as she was tossed hard into a desk, "Gah!"

"Aya-san...is a Dopant?!" Makura whispered in disbelief.

"That's old information!" Philip spoke, pushing Makura away, "Run!"

"Wh-"

"Just run!" Hina shouted.

"Ahh!" Makura panicked as he began running.

"Shotaro and Kyoko trusted you…" Philip sighed, "But I had no faith in a person like you." he looked at the Triceratops Dopant, "We should have Memory Break'd you before…"

"It seems you're the only one with any sense…"

"You misunderstand. It isn't that I see you as a threat...I just don't think of you as more than a plebian…" Philip smirked, channeling his best Byakuya, "If it takes the amazing people I know so much effort...what makes you think a Plebian like you, who can't even protect her partner...has the strength to beat a Gaia Memory~?"

"?!...Grr..." the Dopant growled at that.

"Maybe...if he had a better partner, someone with courage and conviction...he would be alive." Philip went on with a slight smirk, "I mean...you couldn't do anything till you got the Memory...hai?"

"Philip-kun?" Hina asked as she helped Mukuro up.

"Asahina-san...Philip isn't like us or Shotaro. He both understands...and doesn't understand how people work. The little he does know...is that some things can blind a person with anger. A blind enemy is easy to deal with." Mukuro whispered, "Cause she isn't paying attention to us."

Philip ducked under a swing before he rolled to the side to avoid another. He grunted as he stopped and planted his foot on the wall, he quickly rubbed his hand on the floor, before nodding and kicking off the wall, sending himself sliding under the Dopant's legs. As she blinked and looked down, Philip kicked the back of her knee, making her leg buckle and cause her to fall to one knee.

"That mistake...will cost you your life!" the Dopant snapped as she sent a fireball at Philip, only for the Fang Memory to leap in and destroy the projectile, "?!"

"...I'm gonna try and get a hold of Shotaro and the others again," Hina spoke, pulling her phone out as she looked through her contacts, "I just hope they respond this time…"

"So what should we sing next?" Akiko asked, currently holding a microphone as she sat down.

"You took up most of the songs…" Queen muttered.

"Not true...I let Naegi-kun get a chance."

"I...honestly didn't think I'd do that well," Naegi sheepishly chuckled.

"Oh! Sho-chan! You should try singing next!" Elizabeth offered, taking the microphone from Akiko as she held it out to him.

"...alright. Leave it to me," Shotaro shrugged, taking the microphone before adapting a suave tone, "I'll leave you ladies in stitches…"

"Oh brother…" Kyoko rolled her eyes a bit in amusement before she noticed her and Shotaro's phones, "...Shotaro."

"Hmm?"

"We have some missed calls," Kyoko stated as she picked her phone up, "...both from Hina and Philip."

"Oh they are gonna be pissed for not picking up...let's see what they want." Shotaro sighed, "Angry Philip and Hina always means we gotta deal with pouty faces and sarcasm that make no sense...and non-silent silent treatment…"

"Which ends up being the worst…" Naegi added with a cringe.

"May as well see what they want," Kyoko spoke as her phone began to rang, prompting her to answer it, "Hello?"

=Oh thank Kami-sama I got a hold of you!= Hina exclaimed in relief =We need Sho-chan for Fang!=

"...why?" Kyoko cautiously asked.

=Because Kujou Aya...gh. Is infected with Despair and trying to murder Inspector Jinno= Mukuro added with a painful grunt.

"Nani…?" Shotaro asked as his and Kyoko's eyes widened.

=Please hurry! Philip-kun is trying his best to distract her with Fang-chan!= Hina begged.

=I talked too much shit!= Philip screamed in the background, =HELP!=

"I'm gonna head out as it were…" Shotaro turned to Kyoko as he put the belt on.

"Here," she sighed, sitting him down in the booth.

"Finally…" Philip sighed, hiding behind Ryu's desk as it tanked several fireballs.

"What are these made from?" Hina asked as she and Mukuro hid under Jinno's desk.

"It seems...reinforced Titanium and Tungsten…" Mukuro noted as she held her arms over Hina for extra protection, "Are these emergency bomb shelters?"

Maybe…" Hina muttered before hearing Mukuro grunt in pain, "..daijoubu?"

"I'm...fine," Mukuro assured, 'Tch...that throw must've damaged a rib or two...best I can do is keep Asahina-san out of danger…'

=FANG!=

"Henshin!" Philip called out, moving out of his hiding spot as he already had the belt around his waist before setting both Fang and Joker into place.

=FANG JOKER!=

"...It really is her," Joker noted once Double had formed in Philip's place, "Aya-san! Is this really your answer to keep on living?!"

"I realized who the true enemy is after killing Akutsu…" the Triceratops Dopant stated, "The real target of my revenge is this worm-infested city...Futo!"

"Nani?" Fang and Hina blinked in unison.

"How can someone take revenge on a whole city?" Joker asked.

"Mizoguchi loved this city with all his heart...but the city didn't protect him!" Triceratops snapped, "They tore up his pride and scorned him...any hope he had was shattered. I will never forgive this city for destroying him...this city should disappear...and be purified by despair!"

"I told you...she wasn't special." Fang sighed to his other half, "We're better off taking the Memories from people. They all act like children regardless…"

"You still have much to learn about Faith...Aibou…" Joker sighed.

"I have faith in those I consider friends. Even Mukuro-chan was able to overcome despair on her own once she found something she cared for more. If you don't have the will to defend hope itself...you can't overcome the drug that is Gaia Memories. Her Minus energy is just too much for even her to handle...she is being crushed...and isn't strong enough."

"...and add in Despair...there's little to no humanity left in her," Joker added.

"Exactly…"

"...then it's our job as the Kamen Rider to stop her," Joker sighed a bit.

"Hmph...you are welcome to try," Triceratops scoffed as she summoned her weapon, "I'll eliminate those who get in my way...like Ryu Terui."

"?!" Double tensed at that before he quickly blocked the swing form the Dopant's weapon.

"What did you do with Terui?!" Joker demanded.

"Simple...I pretended to be the one who killed his family," Triceratops answered in a cruel manner, "Heh...he was so easy to fool...even if he was well guarded, he caved into his emotions so easily!" she laughed as she put more force into her move, causing Double to grunt as he was sent flying through a wall and ended up outside.

"Ano yaro…" Double spoke in both voices as he got up, "Ya...I just can't picture it…"

"Hm?" the Dopant 'blinked' at that, hoping out of the hole she made as she began to approach the two-in-one Rider.

"Ano Terui Ryu...the only way we can see him dying is in some manly nonsense...like riding a shark...with TNT...into a volcano…" the Two-In-One Rider chuckled.

"You all talk like you know me pretty well…" a voice spoke, making the Triceratops Dopant freeze. She slowly turned to see Ryu, his jacket shredded to rags and his shirt and pants ripped here and there. His face was also covered in bruises and scratches...but it didn't hide the anger in his eyes, "...That stings...but...all these broken bones...don't hurt nearly as much as the hope you crushed when you fooled me…"

"...hm. And that's why you were fooled so easily," the Triceratops Dopant 'smirked' a bit, "You believed in hope...and it resulted in nearly killing you...a mistake I won't let happen twice."

"That's where you're wrong...I won't die," Ryu argued, throwing his jacket away as he pulled out his belt, "There's still something...I need to do." he held up his driver, and put it on, "Pitiful woman...swallowed by her own revenge. Yours is an ocean...one you can't swim or float in…" his eyes glared with rage to the point they seemed to glow solid red, "Mine is a flame...that you aren't strong enough to extinguish."

=ACCEL!=

"Hen...shin!" Ryu declared as he slotted in his personal Memory before twisting the handle.

=ACCEL!=

"Stubborn man...this time I'll be sure to bury you!" Triceratops yelled as she charged at him, swinging her staff as he quickly brought his sword up to block..only to end up grunting as he struggled to keep his guard up.

"Oi! Terui!" Fang gasped, Double about to run over before Joker forced him to stop, "Shotaro?"

"This is his fight, Philip…" Joker argued.

"But...he's severely injured."

"You talked about someone strong enough to overcome despair...ano Terui Ryu...still searches for Hope."

"Hmm...very well...we shall observe." Fang sighed.

"Gh!" Accel grunted, struck again and again.

"Why won't you fall…?!"

"Because...despair only awaits those I've left behind. All I see at my Finish line...is hope...Hope to find that monster...and avenge my family! Him and no one else...I will not harm an innocent...I will not lose sight of the man my family loved! So don't you dare question me!" He swung his sword and struck her club...before cleaving through it and slashing the Dopant across the chest, sending her flying back a few meters, her feet digging into the ground and leaving trenches in the asphalt.

"...You want to talk about hope? Fine...then I'll destroy the beacon of hope for Futo…" the Triceratops whispered, giving an oddly 'calm' chuckle as she turned to look out at Futo Tower, "Futo Tower! Watch as I tear down Futo's hope!"

Suddenly a large dinosaur-like leg slammed down, it seemed to be growing from her very shoulder...before a second one stomped down. Suddenly the rest of her Dopant form began growing into what could best be called a deformed Triceratops from someone's nightmares. It had only two legs, with three horns extending from its clavicle area. Its head had no eyes and it roared to reveal its tongue was another horn.

"Are you even going to destroy the memories of the man you loved?!" Accel demanded.

The monster roared in his face before it turned and began to run towards the direction of Futo Tower.

"So that's a thing…" Double noted while typing on the Stag Phone. The Revolgarry crashed through an alleyway before skidding to a halt.

"I'm...not gonna be sleeping well tonight," Hina whispered with wide eyes, both her and Mukuro poking out the hole the Dopant had made.

"Don't worry...I won't tell you of how bad it can get." Fang spoke, "And Terui-san left didn't he?" he looked at the girls.

"Immediately so." Mukuro nodded.

*CRASH!*

"And the Dopant knocked him out of his vehicle mode," Hina added.

"Alright well lets go he-...lp?" Fang blinked once the Revolgary opened, "Uh...what?" he blinked as the Hardboilder was completed, but its booster unit was removed from the set up and instead something blue was left in its place, it looked...like a tank with two red eyes, "Hai?"

"D-did you make this Philip?" Joker asked. The tank blinked before waving to them with what looked like a metal flap acting as a hand.

"No...I didn't," Fang replied, completely confused himself, "I would've remembered making this…"

"...did Philip make it in his sleep?" Hina pondered, Mukuro looking around a bit before tensing up...seeing Shroud looking on in the distance.

'?! Her…' Mukuro thought as she tensed up a bit, 'Why is she here?!'

"What is it?" Fang blinked before the tank suddenly forced itself out and rolled off the Revolgarry, "Whoa!" Double jumped back before it turned towards the sound of fighting.

"Gh…" Accel grunted as he laid out on the floor, some rubble near him as he struggled to get back up.

The Triceratops dopant roared out as she began to charge a sphere of energy between her horns, aiming down at Accel before firing it at the vehicle-themed Rider. Accel tensed up as he attempted to block it, only for the tank to roll right in front of him and knock the energy sphere away.

"Nande…?" Accel pondered before the Tank's treads revved up as it charged at the Dopant, its two lifts going up and flipping the monster right onto its back as it cried out, "...where…" he began before he looked out in the distance...seeing Shroud pointing right at him, "...I get it...this...is my new power."

Accel took his Driver off the buckle before he flipped up into the air and changed to his vehicle form. He lined up before backing up towards the tank as its head folded into a cannon. The tire of Accel's bike mode lifted up and rested on his back as his legs/tailpipes docked into the tank. He revved the throttle before vents on the back of the tank burst with flames as they took off down the road.

The Triceratops Dopant roared out as it got back up to its feet, shaking its head as it began to resume its run towards Futo Tower. However, a flurry of shots from behind caused it to roar in pain, making it skid to a halt as it turned to see Accel stop before it.

"Furikiruze!" Accel shouted as the cannon opened, revealing the tanks eyes set into a cartoony glare, a mass of energy charging between the two halves of the cannon, the cannon clamped closed before unleashing a giant beam of blue energy which struck the Triceratops Dopant before tearing through its body. After a deep pause...the monster exploded in a grand burst of detonated power.

"He did it…" Double whispered as he and the others caught up.

Within the flames and debris, the Triceratops Memory clattered onto the ground as it shattered into pieces, a heavily panting and bleeding Aya staggering a bit as she struggled to stand up. Her eyes sunken and dark, as if her body was exhausted to the point it seemed like she'd fall at even the gentlest of breezes. Accel stood up in his humanoid form as his Tank reset to its peaceful looking default form.

"I will live on." Accel spoke after a moment getting her attention, "I will live and carry the burden in your heart. I will avenge the man you loved, and I will take down the evil you hate. You can rest now...Aya-san. Leave the burden of revenge to me...I promise...you can let me carry it."

"...Ryu…" Aya whispered, her eyes back to normal as she gave him a weak smile, "...Save them…"

"?"

"Those children...lost….in darkness," was all Aya could say before she fell onto the ground, resting near her destroyed Gaia Memory.

"...Children lost...in darkness?" Joker repeated as he and the others overheard that.

"...She means The Remnants of Despair," Mukuro stated, earning everyone's attention, "Thanks to the Despair Memory...that's all they are. Children lost within the engulfing darkness of Despair…"

"We'll have our work cut out for us." Fang spoke, "But we won't abandon them."

"Agreed," Joker added as Double dismissed his transformation.

"'In this line of work, you get cases where you can't do anything…'" Shotaro typed onto his typewriter, "'Cases where you are shown the evil of people...or rather, how much of a pull despair can have on a person with good intentions. This was the case with Kujou Aya, who wanted to use the Triceratops Memory to avenge her fallen comrade...but in the process, she was lost to both its power...and the power of the Despair Memory...of which we've still yet to find.'"

"Ahh...I wanted to work more with Aya-san…" Makura groaned, sitting in a chair while looking at a picture of Aya.

"Because she was pretty," Philip countered, currently looking at his book while sitting on the couch.

"Even Philip can see it. You're so shallow, Macky~" Hina teased.

"Pool pun~" Philip smiled.

"That's not it!" Makura argued as he got up, "If she hadn't found that Gaia Memory...I'm sure she would've been a great inspector…"

"Eh...so not only was she your ideal...she was your Idol." Philip mused, "I guess maybe you have some depth, Makura-keiji…"

"Thanks...and that's why…" Makura paused as he took a deep breath, "I'm gonna work hard to be a great detective...for Aya-san's sake."

"Hmm…" Shotaro smiled.

"I suppose he learned something good from all this." Kyoko sighed.

"Possibly for the better," Mukuro added, her arm currently in a sling as Naegi was helping her onto a bed.

"...In fact, maybe he might be able to help us with our other project," Naegi offered.

"...explain," Kyoko spoke, holding a hand up before Akiko could stand up.

"I mean he's a member of the police force...there's a chance he could find something that Akutsu and his former partner tried to hide on the Remnants of Despair."

"Eh?" Makura blinked at that, "Woah woah...that is a highly classified case. Only very special personnel are allowed to discuss things about it!"

"And yet Akutsu and his partner tried so hard to hide all info on them...doesn't that ring any suspicions?" Naegi countered.

"Even if you're right, there are still rules…"

"Maybe this will change your mind." Akiko spoke up, handing him a bill, "This is the Triple fee for your sudden ask for help...I'd be willing to slash the price if you man up and help us." she smiled sweetly.

"Th...this high…?!" Makura whispered with wide eyes, "...I'll see what I can find for you guys."

"Thanks, that will take off Twenty-five percent." Akiko smiled, "Bring us something useful and might be Fifty~"

"H-hai!" Makura exclaimed as he shot up, quickly saluting before rushing off.

"Nice call there, Naegi," Kyoko noted as she looked at the former Ultimate Lucky Student.

"I mean...we have friends in the police force kinda," Naegi pointed out, "Aside from maybe Terui-san, I'm sure Makura or Jinno-san could help us out in finding any info."

"I'm sure we can get Ryu to spill some secrets." Shotaro smiled.

"It's getting easy to find how to manipulate him." Philip agreed.

"...actually, I kinda had a thought," Hina spoke up, tapping her cheek in thought as she tilted to the side, "Since he's the Ultimate Cop...could it be possible he knew about them before...the Tragedy of Hope's Peak?"

"Probably not. It seems he graduated before it ever began." Philip mused, "If anything by the time your tragedy started...he was already living his life...and was on his way towards his own tragic Begins Night."

"Oh…"

"Still, it wasn't a bad thought, Hina," Kyoko added, "While we're waiting on Alter Ego to finish unlocking that USB for us, it wouldn't hurt to look into anything else relating to the 77th Class or Hope's Peak itself."

"Hai," Shotaro added before going back to his typewriter, "'But...no matter what happens, at least I know there's good people out there...that's why with my friends, I'll continue this job..to protect Futo...and to save those lost in despair.'"

SZ: And the mystery grows even further on the 77th Class~

Z0; Indeed, the story goes on. The main bulk will begin soon.

SZ: Aye...be patient with us just a bit longer folks. We still have some juicy stuff to bring...speaking of...PREVIEW TIME!

Z0:*punches screen*

Jikai, Danganronpa W Trigger...!

Philip: Fuuuuuutic Idol is a show where the viewers participate…

Naegi: We're gonna take part in it, aren't we?

Kyoko: Seems like it...

Shotaro: Jimmy, there's no way your singing can win.

?-?-?: That shout isn't enough to shake peoples hearts!

Case 22: L for Lips/ Singer Song Rider

?-?-?: Even songs...can drive people to despair...