A.N: Hello again, everyone! Today is the first day of Naegiri Week 2021! I've been writing my entries for the past month or so and I'm really excited to post them! As you may know, this is my second Naegiri Week and considering how much fun I had last year, I think this will be a great week!
On another note, for those who frequently read my DR series, these prompts take place in my timeline. Still, none of them really bring any important plot point, so my entries can be read as separate oneshots entirely. Still, for my readers, I made sure not to put too many spoilers for events to come in future chapters.
Anyway, today's prompt is "Night" and it takes place a few weeks after Makoto and Kyoko have recovered their memories! Enjoy!
Day One: Together In The Dark Night
"So, are you ready, Makoto?"
"Yeah, let's do this!" the Luckster cheered with an excited smile. "It's like in comics I read as a kid! Being able to fight against the bad guys when the entire city is asleep… it's so exciting!" Just like Batman protects Gotham City! Or how Superman always defends the people of Metropolis!
Kyoko sweatdropped. The young man's enthusiasm was always contaminating, although she wished he would be a little more serious right now.
Future Foundation missions were always dangerous – and Makoto knew that more than anyone – and even more so during the night, when the already dark streets were the darkest.
"Except we're not in your childhood comics, Makoto…" she reminded him. "Please be careful, alright?"
The Former Ultimate Lucky Student nodded fervently. "Don't worry about a thing, Kyoko! I'll be extra careful! Just for you, boss!"
"Good," Kyoko said, satisfied with that answer, although she couldn't help but sigh at that last remark. It seemed her best friend was in a particularly good mood tonight. "Still, do it for your own safety, not for me. Well, let's get going. The helicopter is waiting for us. Frankly, the sooner we get back, the better. We need to sleep."
Makoto giggled. "Yeah, we do."
With this, the two colleagues left their Division Fourteen Headquarters en route to wherever their mission would lead them.
"So, where are we going, Director Kirigiri?" Makoto asked with an impatient smile as they sat inside the helicopter.
"You really are excited, aren't you?" Kyoko rhetorically asked before shaking her head in amusement and adding, "We're tasked with protecting the streets of the city center for a few hours. Also, we're supposed to help the homeless people we may find. If we don't, they might join the forces of despair."
"Oh! That's an excellent idea!" The Luckster's eyes shined with hope at this very moment.
Makoto considered himself privileged, as surprising as this might sound. First, he had enrolled at Hope's Peak Academy by chance, and then, he was offered shelter by the Future Foundation, ensuring his (relative) safety.
And while he had gone through more than anyone could ever deserve, he still thought he was being extremely lucky when compared to the people left to fend against despair on their own.
It was also no secret that the hazel-eyed boy never felt as useful as when he was helping those in need. It was almost second nature for him at this point.
Kyoko smiled. The Future Foundation was lucky to have such a wonderful individual within its ranks. And she considered herself a very lucky young woman to be his boss, and moreover that, to be his friend.
"Well, we need to protect those who have no one in their corner, don't we?" she said with a gentle smile. This was something she had learned from him. Something she actually admired him for. "And considering your social skills, it makes sense that you would come with me, don't you think?"
The young man blushed very slightly at the praise. "D-Don't say that…" he muttered embarrassedly, making Kyoko chuckle.
"I'm teasing, Makoto, but what I'm saying is true. It's well-documented that you are better at interacting with people than most," she stated, arms crossed. "This is one of the many things that make you an asset to our Division and to the Future Foundation as a whole."
"Thanks, Kyoko. I appreciate that."
They smiled at each other, waiting in comfortable silence for the helicopter to reach its destination.
"Good luck to you two, Director Kirigiri, Special Agent Naegi!"
"Thank you."
"Thanks!"
The two former classmates smiled at the agent wishing them luck before exiting the helicopter. Makoto was carrying a backpack filled with stuff they might need during the mission. Kyoko, on her hand, made sure to keep her phone on in case she received any reports.
The different agents working on the mission were beginning their patrol around the streets, making sure the civilians were relatively safe.
Emphasis on relatively, as nowhere was completely safe in these times of Tragedy, but having trained agents stopping the despair worshippers lying around sure helped.
"So, are you ready to begin, Makoto?" Kyoko asked, starting to look in a few different directions to see where their help could be needed the most.
The Special Agent nodded. "Yeah, I'm good to go. Where are we going first, Kyoko?"
"Hm…" She looked straight ahead and noticed some agents arresting a man. I think they'll be able to outnumber any more suspicious individuals over there, so… She pointed to their right. "There seems to be someone sleeping over there. Let's help them."
"Right!" Pumped up, Makoto began to powerwalk in the direction the lavender-haired young woman had indicated, forcing her to hurry to catch up to him.
This boy sure can be fast when he wants to… She thought. Makoto was far from being an athlete, but when it came to reaching something or someone he wanted to get to, he could outrun anybody.
"It's a young woman with a small dog…" the young man whispered, noticing the homeless young woman and her pet were asleep. "We should leave some food for her and her dog, don't you think?"
Kyoko nodded. "Yes, you're right. Still, I think it would be preferable to wake her up and get her somewhere safer." She took out her cellphone and opened the map. Let's see… After a few seconds, she looked at her subordinate again. "There is a Future Foundation shelter not too far away. Let's bring her there and give her some food then, alright?"
"Roger!" Makoto saluted playfully, squatting to gently tap the young woman on the shoulder. "Ma'am?"
She slowly woke up and rubbed the tiredness from her eyes, looking at the Former Ultimate Lucky Student confusingly. "H-Hello…? D-Do I know you…?"
"Hello, ma'am. My name is Makoto Naegi, and this is my boss, Kyoko Kirigiri. We work for the Future Foundation," he introduced, smiling at her, knowing this would make him more trustworthy. "We noticed that you and your dog were sleeping in the cold, so we thought we could lead you to a shelter a few streets away to be warm."
Suddenly, both Former Ultimates could see joy appear in the young woman's eyes. Her lips stretched into a smile.
"R-Really?! You would do that, sir?!" she wondered, obviously amazed.
"Yeah, definitely!" Makoto answered, matching her enthusiasm. Kyoko watched over the scene with a content smile. "Do you think you could come with us?"
"O-Of course! Gimme a sec! I just need to wake Lilly up!" the young woman said, turning her attention to her dog. "Lilly's the name of my dog. She keeps me company here."
"That's a cute name," Kyoko commented, not wanting to be completely out of the chat. Not that I know anything about dog names, mind you…
"You think so?" Makoto seemed to agree, making the young woman scratch the back of her head embarrassedly. "T-Thanks, folks… Lilly? Wake up, my girl!"
The dog quickly woke up and received some petting from her owner. The two Future Foundation agents smiled at the sweet scene between the two companions.
"Who's a good girl?" The dog wagged her tail before jumping in her owner's arms. "These kind people here are going to get us somewhere warm, okay? We won't have to sleep in the cold tonight!"
Lilly seemed to react positively to the news. Both Kyoko and Makoto realized that, while it was probably difficult for the owner to live outside, it must have been just as difficult for her little dog.
"Well, if you would please follow us, ma'am; we'll lead you there," Kyoko said, taking a few steps towards where the shelter was located.
"R-Right! Right behind you, Ms. Kirigiri!" the young woman said, carrying her pet dog in her arms. "O-Oh, I guess I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I…?" she realized, looking a bit embarrassed. "My name is Mitsuko."
"It's good to meet you, Mitsuko," Makoto told her, smiling.
"Likewise," Kyoko added, much more formal than her friend. "If I may ask, how long have you been living outside?"
"Since the beginning of the Tragedy…" Mitsuko replied with a sigh. "I'm honestly starting to lose hope that things will ever get better for me. Every once in a while, there are these weirdos who approach me. Luckily, I've always been able to defend myself, but who knows what will happen if they outnumber me or something one day…"
The Former Ultimate Lucky Student's eyes filled with empathy as they walked down the streets. "I'm really sorry to hear that, Mitsuko. Hopefully, all of this will be over once you get to live inside this shelter."
"Yeah…" She regained a smile. "Thanks for doing this for me, by the way. I'm really grateful."
This time, the Division Director was the one to answer. "This is our job, Mitsuko. Our role is to improve the living conditions of those whose lives were ruined by the Tragedy. If we didn't do this, we would be totally useless."
"Maybe, but… I'm still really happy. It's so rare to find anyone to help you these days, you know?"
Unfortunately, the two former classmates could only agree with that. The current mentality was more "every man for himself" than "one for all."
The trio continued to walk in the streets, eventually reaching the shelter in a few more minutes. It had the Future Foundation emblem on the door, as well as a couple of agents guarding the entrance.
They saluted at the sight of a Division Director.
"We bring this young woman and her dog to take shelter. They were sleeping in the streets," Kyoko explained. "May we come inside?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" the agents said.
As they got out of the way, the Former Ultimate Detective nodded and led the way inside, where a few tens of civilians were either resting or eating.
That's a lot of people… And considering the number of shelters in Tokyo, it means that hundreds if not thousands found themselves in the streets after the Tragedy began… She thought, crossing her arms with a sigh. "Well, you can stay here for as long as you need, Mitsuko. It might not be the best place, but it is warm, at least."
"Thanks a lot, Ms. Kirigiri. This is a wonderful opportunity for me," Mitsuko said, bowing gratefully. "Is there anything I can do to pay you back?"
"No, you don't need to do anything at all," Makoto objected, waving his hands around. "As Kyoko said earlier, we're just doing our work and what is right. And if you ever need, ask the agents running the shelter to put you in touch with Special Agent Naegi of Division Fourteen. Oh, and also…!"
Realizing he was about to forget something, Makoto took grabbed his backpack and opened it, pulling out a couple of cans of fresh food.
"There, these are for you. I think Lilly can also eat some of it. It should be enough for a few meals before you get further help!"
"Oh… You're too kind, Mr. Naegi…" She smiled with tears welling up in her eyes as she let her pet down. "Thanks a lot! You two are wonderful!"
"Bark! Bark!" Lilly barked in joy, her tail wagging back and forth and running around the Special Agent and the Division Director.
They both smiled, happy that their nighttime meeting with the homeless young woman and her companion could end on such a high note.
"This went well!"
"Indeed, it did," Kyoko agreed, happy to see her subordinate with such a broad smile on his face. "If only all missions could go so smoothly, right…?"
The irony in her voice wasn't lost on Makoto who scratched his temple, unable to come up with a response to that. Still, he couldn't exactly disagree. He had gone on far too many missions that had almost ended disastrously. He knew how it was.
"Well, still… Tonight is going well, so that's good!" he argued, looking on the bright side. Kyoko chuckled, genuinely incapable of disagreeing with him when he showed her this adorable smile of his. "So, where are we going next?"
The Division Director brought her hand to her chin in thought, looking around to see if there was anywhere they could be needed.
"Let's just patrol around the neighborhood. We're bound to find someone who needs help," she stated. "For better or for worse, I suppose."
Makoto nodded as they got going again. Damn, helping Mitsuko got me in a great mood! It feels amazing to be useful like this!
The two friends continued to chit-chat as they looked for somebody who might need their help. However, the dark streets were mostly quiet, with no one in sight.
"I guess everyone else is barricaded at home…" the Luckster deduced. "Maybe we should go look somewhere else? We're getting pretty far from where we star-"
"Hold on." Kyoko raised her hand, signaling for him to stop talking. She suddenly stopped walking and focused very deeply. "Somebody's observing us. I can feel them close by."
S-Someone's… observing us…?! Makoto's eyes widened. This can't be good!
There was total silence apart from the sound of their breathing. It was almost disturbing. The Former Ultimate Detective continued to scan their surroundings, trying to figure out where they were being observed from.
"GAAAAAAAAAH!"
Before he could even react, the Special Agent felt something heavy jump on his shoulders, making him fall.
"A-Aaaaaah!" he screamed, finding himself unable to stand up. He looked up and noticed somebody trying to keep him pinned to the ground, their hands near his throat to choke him. "K-Kyoko!"
"M-Makoto!" Seeing her best friend under attack, Kyoko saw red. "Let go of him!" she exclaimed, pushing Makoto's attacker to get them away from him.
"I-I'll kill you both!" the mysterious person swore. They were wearing a hoodie that obscured their face, but they weren't armed. "For Goddess Junko!"
J-Junko! So they're a worshipper of despair! Makoto stood up again, feeling a shiver run down his spine at the mention of his archenemy's name.
"You've just made a catastrophic mistake." The Luckster looked at Kyoko and noticed her take a deep breath. "Attacking my subordinate is a mistake you're going to regret!"
"JUST DIE! FOR DESPAIR!" Without warning, the mysterious attacker rushed towards the Former Ultimate Detective, trying to punch her, although she dodged easily. "Y-You-!"
Kyoko stayed focused and parried with a strong knee to the stomach, which made her opponent cry in pain as they were forced to let their guard down.
"I won't let anyone attack Makoto, understood?!" Not giving them a second to rest, Kyoko went at it again, packing a strong punch to their cheek, then a kick near the hip, making them fall to the ground. Her detective instincts took over as she put them on their back and tied their hands together. "Makoto! Give me some handcuffs!"
"R-Right away!" D-Damn, she's stopped them so easily… N-Not now, Naegi… You'll be impressed later! Hurrying to get the handcuffs that were inside the bag, Makoto walked over to his boss and gave them to her. "There!"
"Thank you," she said, a knee on the attacker's back so that they couldn't stand. "Well, whoever you are, you are under arrest for attacking a Future Foundation agent. I suggest you keep quiet."
Kyoko… You're so awesome! This sounds just like the detectives in movies!
The attacker tried to struggle, but it was useless against Kyoko's strong grip.
"Are you alright, Makoto?" the young lavender-haired woman asked, her voice full of concern.
"O-Oh yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me!" he assured her. It really seems like Junko's worshippers want my head… He gulped. That's not cool, folks… "So, um… What do we do with them now?"
Kyoko took a second to think. "Please call some nearby agents while I keep them restrained. We'll call it a night after they've taken him away."
Makoto nodded. "O-Okay!" He grabbed his phone and called an agent he knew was close. It rang for a couple of seconds before he got an answer.
"Hello? How may I help you?"
"This is Special Agent Makoto Naegi! Director Kirigiri has just arrested a suspicious individual who attacked us. Do you think you could come to pick them up? I'll send you our location."
"Sure! Give us a few seconds, sir! We'll be right there!"
"Alright, thanks a lot!" With this, Makoto hung up. "They should be here soon." He looked at the attacker, still pinned under Kyoko's knee. "Do you mind if I talk to them, Kyoko?"
Kyoko sighed. "I suppose it's fine. It's not like they can hurt anyone like this."
"Thank you." With his most serious expression of the night, the Ultimate Hope walked over to his attacker, kneeling, so they would be on comparable levels. "Tell me, why did you join the forces of despair? What is it that made you think that there was no hope?"
"B-Because Goddess Junko made me realize that despair was the way!" they exclaimed with force. "And this is why you must die! If I killed you… then Goddess Junko would be avenged!"
They want to avenge Junko… even though she's the reason they're in despair… It wasn't the first time somebody who had fallen to despair had told him this story. It was still not easy for Makoto to wrap his head around it. "You cannot avenge her. Junko took her own life for some despair, but she's no more. Now that she's gone, it's time for hope to shine again, don't you agree?"
The Division Director looked at her subordinate with curiosity but didn't say anything.
"By standing with despair, you'll only get into trouble. If you don't listen to me, then… Things might get ugly for you," he added, one Kyosuke Munakata flashing before his eyes. "I want this Tragedy to end without any more bloodshed. But this comes with everyone doing their part. If everyone tries to fight against the despair within themselves, then we'll win!"
"S-Shut up! I… I must kill you! I-I will!"
The two colleagues glanced at each other disappointingly.
Well… I guess it can't always work so easily…
"Special Agent Naegi! Director Kirigiri!"
The Former Ultimate Lucky Student noticed the agent he had just called as well as a few of his own subordinates arrive at the scene. "Ah, you really were fast!"
"As soon as you told me that somebody had attacked you and Director Kirigiri, we rushed to get here!" the agent explained, saluting respectfully. "We shall bring this individual back to our HQ!"
"Yes, please do," Kyoko said, finally getting a chance to stand up again. She dusted off her suit and quickly redid her ponytail. "That took a turn for the unexpected, to say the least." Makoto sweatdropped. "Well, let's just go home and get some sleep."
The young man nodded in agreement, following his boss back to the helicopter.
Makoto waited a bit before boarding the helicopter again, observing the quiet and dark streets. The next Division would arrive soon to take over for Division Fourteen, so they could leave safely.
It's a shame that Kyoko and I were attacked, but… all wasn't bad. He thought, choosing to see the glass half-full rather than half-empty. I'm probably not Batman or Superman, but I like to believe that I can have my own positive impact, as small as it might be…
"Are you coming, Makoto?" Kyoko asked, standing next to him and noticing him deep in thought. "Is something troubling you?"
"No, I'm fine, don't worry." He showed her a genuine smile. "Let's go."
Nodding, the Kirigiri Detective followed him inside the helicopter, in need of a good night's rest… or maybe a bit more than a night, actually.
As the engine started again and the two friends left the ground, Makoto stared through the window, satisfied to still be in one piece.
Looking at his boss, who was tiredly sitting on the other couch, the Luckster smiled. He could always feel safe when she was around.
"Thanks, Kyoko. For defending me back there. I don't think I could have done anything for myself on my own."
"You're welcome…" she answered with a yawn. She gave him a tired smile. "That's what friends do, right…?"
Yeah… I guess it is…
With this last thought, the boy relaxed and closed his hazel eyes, grateful that he was friends with such a wonderful girl.
The End.
A.N: I hope you enjoyed this first entry! It was a good occasion to show a positive interaction with a stranger. My readers know this doesn't happen often lol. Anyway, please leave a review, and I'll see you all tomorrow! Have a good Naegiri Week, everyone!