A/N: This Gaidenverse oneshot is the result of a trio of asks sent by one of my followers on AO3 and Tumblr, and takes place after "Makoto's First Father's Day". Please read and review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Mukuro's Redemption!

Baby Kiki yawned in her crib, her eyes fluttering open as she cooed. Makoto smiled, putting his book down as he walked over and picked up Kiki. He felt her coo against his shoulder before he patted her back.

"Hey, Kiki. Did you have a good nap? I know you probably wanna see Mama, but she has a little bit of paperwork to do. Once she's done though, she'll come in and we can all play together."

"…She really is beautiful, Makoto. You always did strike me as the doting Father type…"

Makoto gasped, shivering as a depressingly nostalgic chill enveloped his body and he thought No…no way…

Makoto nervously turned around, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the translucent form of a tall, slender, teenage girl, her grey eyes staring back at him. Freckles decorated her cheeks as her short black hair framed her face.

"Mu…Mukuro? That…that's impossible! You're…you're dead! I…I saw those spears skewer you myself!"

Mukuro nodded sadly and confirmed "Yes, I'm deceased. I'm only here as a ghost, with no corporeal body to speak of." She took a step forward, only for Makoto to step backwards, clutching his daughter protectively against him, making Mukuro frown as she sighed "I see. So…even you distrust me now…"

Makoto narrowed his eyes as he replied "Mukuro, I can understand that you were manipulated by your sister, and I can concede that you're not evil like Junko. That being said…I'm not sure I can forgive you. You helped to orchestrate a living hell that nearly killed my family! You helped to abduct us and kill Kyoko's Dad, my Father-in-law! You knocked me and Kyoko out with sleeping gas while we were grieving! And you let Junko suppress our memories the day after we got engaged! Do you really think I'm about to let you anywhere near my daughter after that?!"

A brief silence passed, reminding Makoto of those old westerns he watched with his family as a kid before Mukuro shook her head and admitted "…I can't blame you…for not trusting me anymore. I committed a lot of sins, sins I can never take back, no matter how much I want to."

"…Why are you here, Mukuro?"

"…I'm here to…to make amends. I know I don't deserve redemption, but I do want your forgiveness."

Slightly skeptical, Makoto asked "If that was the case, then why didn't you come and see our wedding with the others? Leon, Mondo, Hifumi, and Celeste all killed someone, but they still came as friends. Why didn't you then if you wanted to make amends?!"

"Someone had to keep Junko from causing havoc. You know what she's like, Makoto, and she would have gladly tried to ruin your wedding day. So I…I've been keeping her restrained from above, preventing her from trying to cause whatever havoc she can."

Shocked, Makoto breathed "You…you did that?"

Mukuro nodded, replying "It's the least I could do after what I did."

Looking down at Kiki, who simply stared curiously at Mukuro, Makoto sighed and told her "Mukuro, I appreciate that you've been keeping Junko at bay for us…but you still shouldn't be here. If I held a grudge against you, then I can assure you, Kyoko absolutely hates you, and she has every right to, redemption or no. If she walks in here and finds you…"

*Click*

Crap! Not now! Makoto panicked as the door opened, revealing a slightly fatigued, but smiling Kyoko.

"Ah, Makoto. Is Kiki a…wake…" Kyoko trailed off, freezing in her tracks as she took in the translucent spirit standing across from her husband and daughter. "Mu…Mukuro…?"

Panicking, she rushed into action, dashing over to Makoto and snatching Kiki from him, gripping her in her arms like a lifeline.

She then turned to face Mukuro, a hateful glare in her eyes as she hissed "What are you doing here, Ikusaba?"

"…Waaaaahhhhhhhh!" Kiki wailed, pained from being squeezed too tight by her Mother.

The suspicious Kyoko came to the wrong conclusion however, the former Detective and now Mom growling "Haven't you done enough? You turn the world into a living hell, murder my Father, knock me and my husband out and suppress our memories the night after our engagement, and now you invade my home and make my baby daughter cry?!"

Makoto instantly shot Mukuro a look that screamed I told you this was a bad idea! Mukuro sighed before Makoto turned to his wife and tried to coax "Honey…"

Kyoko turned her glare to her husband as she shouted "Don't honey me! I can't believe you'd let her into our home, Makoto! Have you forgotten the things she's done?!"

Now irate himself, Makoto retorted "Hey, I didn't invite her! And Kiki's only crying because you're squeezing her too tight!"

"What?!" Horrified, Kyoko looked down at her daughter, instantly relaxing her grip as she frowned in guilt when Kiki's cries subsided. I…I hurt my baby…?

Without a word, Kyoko handed Kiki back to Makoto, not trusting herself to hold her baby girl in her current state. Sighing, she then turned back to Mukuro, addressing her in a much calmer, quieter voice.

"What are you doing here, Ikusaba? You shouldn't even be here."

As he rubbed Kiki's back, Makoto explained "She said that she came to try and make amends for what she did."

Kyoko glared at Mukuro again, spitting "In that case, you can get out. There's no way in hell I can ever forgive you for what you've done."

"Kyoko, I'm not exactly eager to forgive her either, but…"

"But nothing, Makoto!" Kyoko interjected before turning back to Mukuro and continuing "For everything you've done, I can show you no mercy. You probably don't even feel an ounce of remorse, do you? You're just like your sister, spreading despair wherever you go."

"Now, Kyoko, I think that's going a bit too far. You have every right to be angry, but…"

*Sob*

Makoto and Kyoko turned to face Mukuro, their eyes widened in shock as she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks like waterfalls.

She bowed her head as she cried "Y…you're right…you have every right to hate me, and I don't deserve your forgiveness for what I've done…but I'm BEGGING FOR IT!"

As Mukuro continued to sob in front of them, Makoto turned to his wife and asked "Well? Do you still think she's faking it? Do you really think that all she cares about is spreading despair?"

Kyoko sighed and reluctantly admitted "…As much as I'd like to say otherwise…no. Mukuro's not the master manipulator that Junko was. There's no way she could pull the wool over my eyes like that."

Makoto nodded, mentioning "Before you came in, she told me that she had been keeping Junko away from our wedding so she couldn't cause chaos as a ghost."

Gaspign in shock, Kyoko turned to Mukuro and asked "…Is that true?"

Sniffling as her sobs subsided, Mukuro wiped her eyes with her wrist and nodded "Yes. It's the least I could do, considering the part I played in Junko's plan."

A silence passed between them, Makoto and Kyoko unsure of how to proceed with Mukuro at this point. Kyoko felt conflicted, knowing that Mukuro's desire for forgiveness was genuine, but all the same hesitant to grant it considering all she had done to harm them and their families. Makoto on the other hand just wanted to keep the peace between the two girls who loved him and resolved to not say anything until either Kyoko or Mukuro made their next move. It wasn't until Kiki cooed and wiggled in Makoto's arms, looking straight at Mukuro, that Makoto broke the silence.

"Well, at the very least, it looks like Kiki's not afraid of her. Perhaps she's trying to tell us that we should let bygones be bygones."

She's a baby, Makoto… Kyoko deadpanned before she considered Makoto's point. I know that Makoto wouldn't want to hold a grudge, and I'm tired of feeling hate in my heart. Maybe…

Kyoko turned her gaze to Mukuro and asked "You…must have seen my Father since you died. Does he hate you for what you did?"

Mukuro shook her head, explaining "He…gave me a stern lecture when I died about how I shouldn't have trusted Junko and how she lied to me and threw me away. It was…a difficult lesson to accept. But…afterwards he said that he couldn't bring himself to hate one of his students." Mukuro smiled wistfully as she continued "As much as I can't believe it, he…he welcomed me with open arms."

I see… Kyoko sighed as she reluctantly decided "Then…if my Father was willing to forgive you…then I suppose I have no room to withhold forgiveness."

Mukuro looked up at them, standing up as she asked with disbelief "Y…you mean…?"

Makoto nodded "Yes, Mukuro. We forgive you. We don't condone what you did; it was wrong no matter how you look at it. But like I told Kyoko when she inspected your corpse, you were a victim too, so we shouldn't hate you. We forgave Sayaka, Leon, Mondo, Hifumi, Celeste, and Sakura. We can certainly forgive you too."

Tears of shocked joy streamed down her cheeks as Mukuro's lips stretched into an awe-filled smile, the former Soldier weeping "Th…thank you…thank you…"

Makoto smiled back at his deceased friend, while Kyoko merely nodded with a neutral expression, the best she could offer her. Mukuro found her eyes wandering to baby Kiki cooing and wiggling in Makoto's arms, the former Soldier finding herself entranced by the adorable baby girl.

She…she really is adorable. Makoto and Kyoko really did make a cute baby together. To think…she could have been my baby. Their future could have been my future. If only I hadn't listened to Junko, if only I had made a move before Kyoko crushed on him. If only…no…I made my choices, I have to own them. Makoto and Kyoko are married, and have a beautiful baby girl. I should be happy for them, not jealous.

"Mukuro?" Makoto asked, his voice bringing Mukuro out of her inner thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Nodding, Mukuro smiled and assured him "I'm fine, Makoto. Just…thinking about some things is all. Well…as you said, Kyoko, I shouldn't be here, so I'll go back to the others. I promise, I'll spend eternity making sure Junko doesn't interfere with your lives…or hers."

Makoto nodded "We appreciate that, Mukuro. Thank you, and good-bye."

Kyoko nodded followed by Mukuro who waved "Good-bye, everyone. Let's meet again, after you've lived long and happy lives. And maybe then, Kyoko…" Mukuro turned to Kyoko and asked "Maybe, when that day comes…we could be friends again?"

Kyoko nodded "…Perhaps. We shall see."

Mukuro nodded before at last fading away, leaving the three Naegis alone in their apartment. Makoto smiled proudly at his wife.

"I'm proud of you, honey. You had every right to hold onto your hate for Mukuro, but you chose to take the high road and forgive her."

Kyoko nodded and replied "I suppose…I just decided that I didn't want to carry that much hate and pain in my heart anymore. Speaking of which…" Kyoko walked over to Makoto, taking Kiki more gently in her arms as she cooed "I'm sorry for being so rough with you, Kiki. Mama was angry and didn't realize she was squeezing so tight. Can you forgive Mama?"

Kiki cooed, making Kyoko smile in relief as Kiki wiggled, bending her head towards her Mama's breast.

"Oh, you're hungry, aren't you? Come on, let's go to the couch and you can have some of Mama's milk, okay?"

Kiki cooed, making Kyoko giggle as they walked out the door. Makoto chuckled as he followed them to the living room, glad that things were back to normal after Mukuro's surprise visit.