A/N: This oneshot takes place after "Kyoko's Test!" Please read, review, and enjoy!
The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: First Day of Detective Training!
"Come to my office after your last class. Once you arrive, we'll begin your official training."
Kyoko's words echoed in Kiki's ears as she stared at the nameplate hanging on the door. "I never thought I'd be coming to my mom's office, especially given the reason most teenagers find themselves summoned here."
Ever since she was a little girl, Kiki knew that only troublemakers and delinquent students were ever summoned to her mother's office. She could count on one hand how many times someone was summoned to Vice-Headmistress Naegi's office for a positive reason.
"Well, guess I'm the exception to the rule…here goes…"
"Oh, Naegi-chan."
Her fist still raised to knock on the door, Kiki turned her head to see a familiar, yet nervous detective standing nearby. Hie grey eyes betrayed his surprise as he averted his gaze.
"Saihara-kun?" Kiki exclaimed, surprised by his presence. "What are you doing here?" Her lips curlied into a smirk as she teased "Did one of your investigations get you in trouble with my mom?"
"Ah, no." Shuichi chuckled. "You see…"
"He's here for the same reason you are, Miss Naegi."
Both students turned aorund to see Kyoko smiling in amusement at them, her arms crossed over her breasts. Kiki's nerves suddenly returned, causing her to became as flustered as her father was at her age.
"M-Mom…I mean, Vice-Headmistress Naegi! I-I…"
Kyoko giggled and assured her "It's fine, no need to get nervous, Kiki."
The aspiring detective sighed in relief before her brow furrowed in contemplation. "Wait, what do you mean, Saihara-kun's here for the same reason as me?"
"Perhaps I should clarify. You see, your father and I had the idea to take on a second student as well, so you would have a partner to learn with. We remembered Saihara-kun was studying to be a detective, and at his uncle's insistence, we called him up to offer to receive training from me personally. When we made him the offer…"
"Really?" Shuichi asked, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Training with Vice-Headmistress Naegi?"
Makoto smiled and nodded. "That's right, Saihara-kun. Your uncle told us about your prior training and skill at detective work. He also told us about your…mental blocks when it comes to uncovering the truth." Shuichi winced, feeling his pessimism rear its ugly head. "That's why he asked us to help with your training so you can reach your full potential."
"…But…" Shuichi averted his gaze, feeling unworthy of the honor. "Wasn't Vice-Headmistress Naegi the Ultimate Detective? Surely she'd have better things to do than train someone who's scared of the truth."
Makoto smiled understandingly, seeing himself in the boy sitting across from him. "Shuichi, everyone starts somewhere. Yes, Kyoko was one of the best detectives in Japan in her youth, but she wasn't perfect. We all learn from our mistakes, and from those around us who are willing to teach."
"…But…still…"
"Shuichi, when I first came to this school, back when the talent system was still in effect, I felt like a tame house cat in a pride of lions. I felt like I didn't measure up, especially compared to Kyoko and the other Ultimates. But being assigned a talent doesn't mean you're worthy or not. Your actions are what determine your worth. Whether you move past your blocks and shine as a true detective in search of the truth, that's up to you. All Kyoko can do is give you the tools to make the journey a little easier. Besides, you won't be doing this alone?"
"I…won't be doing this…alone…?"
Makoto nodded, a tinkle sparkling in his eye. "That's right, you'll be learning with a second student. Someone who can help push you to search for the truth, and in turn, you can help them learn to exercise caution and prevent them from making avoidable mistakes. So…what do you say, Saihara-kun?"
"So Saihara-kun and I are gonna be training together?" Kiki asked excitedly, causing Shuichi to sweatdrop at her enthusiasm.
"Indeed." Kyoko confirmed. "I'll be training you after school daily, and come the end of your first year, if I deem you both have grown sufficiently, I'll ask the local police department to assign you to a case."
"Really?! We're gonna get to work on a case?!"
"Yes, but that's still a ways off." Kyoko reminded her enthusiastic daughter. "In the meantime, I expect the two of you to help each other grow. You both have unique strengths and weaknesses as potential detectives. Cover for each other, learn from each other, depend on each other. From this moment on, you two are partners. In that spirit, I'd advise you to become comfortable being on a first-name basis. You need to trust each other if you're going to succeed in your search for the truth. Understood?"
Kiki and Shuichi nodded, taking her words to heart before Kyoko opened the door to her office. With an encouraging smile, she gestured towards the empty room.
"Now then, shall we go?"
"Nae…Kiki, wait up!"
Shuichi chased after an embarrassed, blushing Kiki as she stormed out of her mother's office. He frowned in sympathy as he recalled the first lesson with the headmaster's daughter. Kyoko had not held back in her instruction, pointing out the flaws in Kiki's desire to take the theoretical witness's statements at face value. Though she made sure not to go as far as berating her daughter's naiveté, she did not mince words either, letting the aspiring detective know exactly how foolish that belief was.
"Kiki, Kiki, please…"
Kiki sighed, her embarrassed anger subsiding as she felt his comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, Shuichi…I just…"
"…You had a rough day, I get it." Shuichi nodded in assurance. "Kiki, there's…nothing inherently wrong with wanting to believe in others…but sometimes this line of work requires a little more skepticism, even if the truth hurts sometimes."
Kiki turned curiously to Shuichi, wondering about the forlorn tone in his voice. "Shuichi…are you…speaking from experience…?"
Shuichi sighed reluctantly, hesitant to answer Kiki's question. "Do you remember when your mother explained about how I was afraid to search for the truth?" As Kiki nodded, Shuichi continued "It…has to do with a murder case I happened to solve by accident."
"You…solved a murder case? By yourself?" Kiki asked in amazement.
"Yeah, but the truth of that case…shook me to my core, Kiki. I'll spare you the details, but it made me realize…even if I didn't take a side, the truth can hurt people as much as it can heal them. So…I've been afraid of revealing the truth, but I can't be a detective who's afraid of the truth. That's why I came to Hope's Peak Academy. I hoped that in these walls…I'd find the key to moving past my weakness."
"Shuichi…"
"Anyway, sorry to get all pessimistic. I just wanted to explain why it's not a bad idea to exercise caution and skepticism."
"I…I see…"
"Kiki. Shuichi." Both students turned around to see a worried Kyoko walking up to them. "Are you two okay?"
Shuichi smiled and nodded. "Yeah, we're fine, Vice-Headmistress. Kiki and I were just talking, that's all."
Kyoko nodded and replied "I see…alright, let's head to the car. I'll drive you both home."
The two apprentice detectives nodded and followed Kyoko. Kiki bit her lip as she mulled over Shuichi's words.
The truth…hurts…?
"Thanks for the ride, Vice-Headmistress Naegi."
Kyoko nodded at her grateful apprentice. "Don't worry about it, Saihara-kun. I'll see you tomorrow at school."
"Yeah, sayonara, Vice-Headmistress. See you tomorrow, Kiki."
"Good night, Shuichi." Kiki waved before Kyoko drove them away from the blue-haired detective's home.
The two women sat in awkward silence, watching the night sky from the car windows. At last, Kyoko sighed and glanced at her daughter.
"Kiki…I'm sorry if I was harsh during the first lesson."
"Oh…it's okay, really…" The teenage girl nervously fiddled with her braid. "I…didn't keep my mind open to every possibility. I…didn't act very detective-like during the lesson."
Kyoko nodded, agreeing "Perhaps, but I could have corrected you better." Kyoko sighed heavily before she confessed "Kiki, if I'm ever hard on you, it's only because I believe you have potential as a detective." Kiki looked at her mother with a surprised twinkle in her eyes. "You have a strong theoretical foundation, and you have the drive necessary to thrive in this field."
"You…you think so…?"
Kyoko nodded in confirmation. "I know you'll be a great detective one day, Kiki, but I need to make sure you approach your cases with the right mindset. Trust me, in this line of work, mistakes can be deadly."
Kiki glanced at her mother's scarred hands, frowning as she recalled the brief story about her mother's early scars. "So…does that mean I can't believe in people?"
Kiki felt a wave of relief wash over her as Kyoko shook her head. "Not at all, Kiki. You're your father's daughter, and you've inherited his capacity for kindness. I wouldn't dare want to change that about either of you. All I ask is that you exercise caution and keep your mind open to every possibility from the outset."
"…Okay…I'll try."
"That's my girl." Kyoko smiled as she vowed "And I''ll try to correct you more gently in future lessons."
"Okay, Mom." Kiki smiled, the air now cleared between mother and daughter as Kyoko focused on the road. Still… Kiki pondered as she bit her lip. I wonder why exactly Shuichi's afraid of the truth. And…is there more that he's afraid of…?