A/N: Here's Chapter Six Deadly Life Part Eleven. Please read, review, and enjoy!

Danganronpa 4: Next Generation Killing!

Chapter Six: Goodbye Danganronpa!

Deadly Life Part Eleven: Kiki's Pep Talk From Beyond the Grave!

"Who…Who are you…?" Kiki gasped, feeling like she should remember this warm man kneeling in front of her. Why…why can't I remember who is… "Agh!" She hissed, bringing hand to her forehead in an attempt to soothe her sudden headache.

"Whoa, easy, don't strain yourself!"

The man's voice was soothing as he gently grasped her hands. Kiki took a few deep breaths, feeling her headache recede for the time being.

"Geez, Shirogane's memory suppression technology must have really done a real number on you. To think, you even forgot about Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars!"

Kiki tilted her head. "Kaito…Momota…" She grimaced and furrowed her brow. Why…why does that name sound so familiar…?

"Here, let me give you a hand with those memories of yours."

Before she could react, Kaito pressed a gentle thumb to her forehead. Kiki gasped, her eyes widening as a rush of memories flooded her mind.

I…I remember…! I remember Mister Kaito…and…Miss Maki…! They…they were my babysitters! They were like…a part of my family! I remember playing with them, laughing with them, crying with Miss Maki when Mister Kaito died…how could I have forgotten them…?!

Kaito removed his thumb, grinning at Kiki. "There, remember me now…?"

"…Mister Kaito…" Happy tears welled in Kiki's eyes before she tackled him in a hug. "Mister Kaito!"

Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed into his shoulder. Kaito's eyes softened, and he brought up a gentle hand to caress her back.

"Hey, c'mon now, no need to cry, not when the Luminary of the Stars is here! C'mon, let me help you stand up."

Kiki's knees wobbled as Kaito rose, arms still wrapped around her waist for support. Once her legs felt stable, he removed his arms to rest his hands on her shoulders. Kiki stared into his eyes, feeling the warmth and security his confident expression radiated.

"Mister Kaito…why are you here…?" Kiki breathed. "Am I…am I…dead…?"

Kaito burst into laughter. "No way, you're too young to die, Killing Game or no! You've still got your entire life ahead of you! I'm just here to help give you a pep talk so you can walk out of here with confidence! Despair doesn't suit you, Kiki!"

"B-But…" Kiki grimaced, her eyes becoming downcast at the reminder of the malicious cosplayer. "I…I don't know what to do. Tsumugi still controls all the information I have. Sure, I remember the truth about you and Miss Maki now, but…I still don't remember my life before this sick game! My parents, my school, who my friends were, who I was…I still don't remember any of that…and as long as Tsumugi's the only one who can give that kind of information…it's…it's impossible to refute her…"

Kaito sighed. "Right…I guess my help wasn't enough for you to recover all your memories…you're still missing the ones you need to remember who you are…" Kaito beamed at her, surprising the lost girl. "Good thing I'm not alone!"

"Huh…?" Kiki tilted her head. "Not…alone…?"

"That's right, even the Luminary of the Stars needs sidekicks from time to time! And once you talk to them and recover the rest of your memories…you'll be able to stick it to Shirogane!"

Kiki's eyes widened as Kaito's form seemed to turn transparent. Panicking, she reached out to his fading form.

"Mister Kaito, wait! Don't leave me alone!"

"Remember, Kiki, the impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so!"

"Mister Kaito!" She cried just before he vanished, leaving her alone in the cold darkness. "The impossible is possible…? What does that even mean…?" Kiki wondered, shivering from the chilly solitude. "And what does he mean, he's not alone? I don't see…anyone…"

Kiki heard the gentle tap of footsteps approaching her from behind. Swallowing her nervousness, she slowly turned around. Her eyes widened as a tall man with dark purple hair and matching eyes came into view. Though his expression appeared stoic and serious, his presence seemed to change the cold. Instead of attacking her warmth and chilling her to the bone, it seemed to embrace and comfort her, providing a layer of protection from outside forces.

"Kiki Naegi…it's so good to see you again…"

"A-Again…?" Kiki frowned. "I…I don't understand…" This man seems familiar too…but I can't figure out how I know him…!

The man's lips curved into a subtle smile. "Here, don't be afraid."

He pressed a finger to her forehead, causing Kiki to gasp as another rush of memories flooded her mind. I…I remember who I am now…! Makoto and Kyoko…Mom and Dad! Moku, Koto, Kiri, Hogo, Jii-chan, Baa-chan, Aunt Komaru, Uncle Hajime, Aunt Hina, Uncle Byakuya, Aunt Toko, Uncle Hiro, Kawako, Soka, Yuta, and Shinobu! And not just them; Gonta, Shuichi, Kirumi, and…even Tsumugi…were once my friends and classmates at Hope's Peak. And I…I remember you too… "…Grandpa Jin…"

Jin's smile brightened at the statement of recognition. "Do you have your memories restored now?"

Still in shock, Kiki nodded. "I…I remember now… I remember…everything…!"

"That's good to hear!" Jin rested his hands on her shoulders, eyes brimming with pride for his granddaughter. "Kiki…you've grown into a fine, young woman. I'm proud of the person you've become."

"R-Really…?" Kiki sniffled. "You're…proud of me…?"

"Always, my granddaughter. So proud…I love you so much, Kiki. That's why…I couldn't let you sink into despair…I couldn't let you die here…!"

Couldn't let me die here…what does he mean…? Kiki's eyes widened as a hazy memory flashed before her eyes. "Wait…you mean…?"

Kiki felt hazy and woozy. Her vision had blurred into a mosaic of colors, and her limbs felt heavy.

"What…what's going on…? Where…where am I…? Am I…am I dead…? Has it finally become…my time to die…?"

"It's not your time to die, Kiki!"

"Huh…?" She croaked, feeling a pair of protective arms wrap around her waist, keeping her anchored. "Who…who are…?"

She drifted in and out of consciousness, though she couldn't shake the feeling of protection enveloping her. So out of it was she that she didn't see the determined, purple eyes pleading with her not to die.

"It was…you…? You kept me tethered to my body…when I was on the brink of death…?!"

Jin nodded. "I told you…I couldn't let you die like this. So, I did everything I could to keep you from passing on while your body recovered."

"I see…wait…!" Kiki recalled "I remember hearing your voice now…but I heard others, too…and none of them were any of the other survivors. So…who were they? Who was with you when I was dying…?"

"Alright, guess that's our cue to appear!"

"Huh?"

"Not so loud, Leon, or you'll scare her!" An amused feminine voice echoed in the void.

"Sayaka's right…" A timid voice muttered. "We want to cheer her up, not scare her."

"Guess that means I gotta be quiet too…" A rough, masculine voice grumbled.

"Exactly, bro! We have to make sure to use our indoor voices!" A rather loud voice agreed.

"Honestly…" A foreign, feminine voice sighed in amusement. "You two boys have no indoor voices."

"…Rather than keep arguing where they can hear us, shouldn't we make our presence known?" A sage voice inquired.

"Well said, Miss Ogami!" An excited, male voice concurred. "Well then, let us make our grand appearance!"

Jin rolled his eyes before eight flashes of light temporarily blinded Kiki. Once it faded, her eyes widened at the sight of eight teenagers standing in a circle around her.

"Who are…wait…" Kiki gasped. "I…I remember you all…! Sayaka Maizono, Leon Kuwata, Chihiro Fujisaki, Mondo Owada, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Hifumi Yamada, Celestia Ludenberg, and Sakura Ogami!"

Sakura nodded, her lips tugging into a smile. "You have a good memory, to have recalled us after only knowing each other for a day."

"Hahaha!" Taka laughed. "It just goes to show how effective Headmaster Kirigiri's memory restoration was!"

"Ano…" Chihiro stammered. "Didn't Kaito help out, too?"

"Oh…" Mondo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "That's true…"

"E-Excuse me…" Kiki sheepishly interjected. "It's great to see you all again, but…why are you all here?"

"Ain't it obvious?" Leon tilted his head. "We're here to help give you that pep talk!"

"Leon, don't put it like that!" Sayaka elbowed her lover. "The poor girl just got her memories back, not to mention that she just barely escaped death's grasp just yesterday. I can't blame her for feeling confused."

"Very true, very true!" Hifumi nodded. "Thanks to us, we prevented Miss Naegi from getting a permanent GAME OVER!"

Kiki gasped as her palms slapped over her lips. "Wait, so you…you guys were…?!"

Despite his best efforts, Jin couldn't keep his granddaughter's spirit tethered to her body on his own. Her soul started to separate, the translucent form starting to drift towards the heavens.

"No, stay with me, Kiki! I won't let you die, you hear me!" Jin gritted his teeth in frustration. Damn! It's too soon for you to join me and your grandmother in the afterlife! But you're fading fast! I can't do this alone! I need-!

"Need a hand, Headmaster?"

"Huh?" Jin turned his head, spotting the smile of the Ultimate Pop Sensation as she wrapped her arms around Kiki's torso. "Sayaka?"

"We can't let Kiki die either, so let us help keep her in her body too!"

"Yeah, let's do it!" Leon's voice echoed as his spirit wrapped his arms around Kiki as well. "There's no way we can let Makoto and Kyoko down by letting our honorary niece die!"

"Hell yeah!" Mondo's loud voice boomed, the biker's spirit squeezing Kiki's spirit as tightly as he could. "There's no fuckin' way we're lettin' Kiki kick the bucket!"

"Bro, language!" Taka chided, joining the group embrace. "She might be able to hear you."

"Let's do our best to keep her alive!" Chihiro encouraged, enveloping her with his small arms.

"We need to fix her plot armor right away!" Hifumi declared, his eyes narrowed as he too participated in their group effort.

"While I don't often agree with Hifumi on much of anything…" Celeste hugged Kiki's vulnerable form close. "…I will agree that we need to help Kiki survive. After all, without our help, her chances of seeing another day are essentially zero."

"I allowed myself to die so the others could escape…" Sakura mused, completing their joint embrace. "But I will never allow that to be forced on her!"

"You…you all…" Jin held his grateful tears at bay. "Thank you all…now…" Jin's eyes narrowed in determination. "Let's keep my granddaughter in the world of the living!"

As Kiki's spirit retethered to her body, each of her father's former classmates gave their own encouragement, one-by-one.

"Please, don't die, Kiki!"

"Yo! You gotta keep on living!"

"I-I'm sorry, but please…don't let your life end here!"

"You better not fuckin' give up, ya hear?"

"Your death would be completely unacceptable!"

"You must restart your consciousness! Your quest hasn't ended yet!"

"You cannot lose this game! Stop making such ugly noises!"

"Your core is strong! You have what it takes to persevere and survive! Now get up and fight!"

"You all…" Kiki gasped. "You all…saved me…together…! How…How could I ever repay you…?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Celeste huffed, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "By getting up, dusting yourself off, and showing Shirogane who she's messing with!"

Sakura's eyes softened as she saw the hesitation in Kiki's eyes. "What is it…? You look troubled, Kiki."

"What's the fuckin' problem?" Mondo interrogated. "You got your memories back, so Tsumugi doesn't control the flow of information anymore."

"Bro, language." Taka chided once more.

Kiki sighed, admitting, "Yes…I have my memories. But…that's also part of the problem. 'Cause…now I remember that Tsumugi…she wasn't just the Mastermind…she wasn't just the one behind this Killing Game. She…she was also my friend, my best friend since grade school! How can I stand up and fight my best friend like that…?"

"You think Makoto didn't feel the same way?" Kiki looked up at Leon, who rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Whenever one of us had crossed the line and killed one of our classmates…do you really think your Dad didn't have any hesitation about exposing us? I sure remember it. I remember the moment when Sayaka's trial ended. He had this regretful look in his eyes when he voted for me, knowing what it meant."

Sayaka grimaced but nodded. "All of us are here because of choices we made. We all have a choice in what we do, Kiki. Your father made the choice to push forward, because he knew it was the right thing to do. And we know you'll make the right choice, too."

"E-Even so, I…" Kiki sighed.

"Ano…" Hifumi stared in concern. "Was our Charisma stat not high enough to cheer you up?"

Kiki shook her head. "It's not that…don't get me wrong, I appreciate that you're all here and trying to cheer me on, but still-"

"Give me a break!" A whining, feminine voice echoed in the void. "Are you telling me the Ultimate Hope and Ultimate Detective who defeated me seriously gave birth to a quitter?!"

Everyone groaned in exasperation. "Please tell me that's not who I fuckin' think it is…"

"It…would appear so…" Celeste nodded in agreement with Mondo's deduction.

The group turned, and surely enough, the familiar, strawberry-blonde haired girl sauntered up to them. Though her lips stretched into a toothy grin, her eyes glowed furiously.

"Y-You're…?!" Kiki stammered.

"That's right! The one and only Junko Enoshima!" Junko made a peace sign with her right hand. "Wow, look at you…Kiki, was it?"

"Junko, what are you doing here?"

Sayaka glared at the former fashionista, causing her to sniffle. "Aw, I just wanted to join in the class pep talk!"

"Unacceptable!" Taka roared. "You were banned from setting foot anywhere near Kiki from the moment she was born!"

She was banned from me that long ago…? Kiki wondered, tilting her head.

"Wasn't Mukuro supposed to be keeping a close eye on you?" Sakura inquired, just before gasping echoed from behind them.

They turned, seeing an apologetic Mukuro catch her breath. "G-Gomen…she slipped away from me…"

Mukuro Ikusaba… Kiki realized, momentarily locking eyes with the disgraced soldier. Mukuro averted her gaze in shame before Junko spoke up.

"Anyway, now that we're all having one big, happy, class reunion, let's give our special guest the pep talk she needs, 'kay?! Don't worry, Auntie Junko will help to kick your butt into gear!"

Like I'd ever call you family! Kiki seethed, though she felt frozen by Junko's overwhelming aura as she approached.

Her eyes widened as the Ultimate Despair grabbed her by the shirt and lifted her off the floor. "Alight, you little brat. Listen up!"

"Hey! Get your hands off her!" Leon scowled.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Sakura seethed.

Junko ignored everyone's threatening glares, instead keeping her attention focused on the stunned young woman dangling in her grasp. "Listen, and listen carefully, Naegi. You're scared because the Mastermind was your friend Shirogane? That she controlled the flow of information you and the others had? Bullshit! Your old man faced far worse than that from me! He had literally nothing to stand on, and he still fought back!"

"But…" Kiki grunted. "I'm not my father! I'm not Makoto Naegi! I can't do all the things he did! I don't have the same kind of boundless optimism!"

"You stupid girl, don't you get it?! This isn't about you anymore! If you die here, if you curl up into a ball and wallow in despair, as fun as it would be for me to watch…you'll just cheapen the victory your father earned over me! He conquered despair all by himself! He defeated me using only his stubborn desire not to let me win! Are you seriously gonna spit in his face by bowing down to that cheap copycat?! No, you are not! It's your responsibility to take her down for the count!"

"My…responsibility…?!"

"That's right! I won't allow the daughter of the enemy I respect the most to be beaten by some twat who doesn't even believe in despair, who only wants to use my image and Killing Games for entertainment! If I were still alive, I'd sue the skirt off her for copyright infringement!"

A-Aren't you getting a little too worked up over this…?

"So, promise me you'll get your butt back in the game, knock everyone back to their senses, kick Shirogane to kingdom come, and get the fuck outta that second-rate school! If you don't, if you seriously die in there and make me have to watch your parents bawl their eyes out over you, I'll haunt you during every waking moment of your afterlife! Am I making myself clear?!"

Scared, Kiki's head violently bobbed. She grunted as Junko unceremoniously dropped her and stormed off.

"Honestly…having the Ultimate Despair give hope…who ever heard of such a thing?"

Everyone sweatdropped at Junko's grumbles as she disappeared from the void. "Junko, wait!" Mukuro ran after her, only turning around to bow apologetically. "Sorry about her. She can be a little…rough…"

With that, Mukuro turned around and vanished, chasing her sister back to the afterlife. Everyone sat dumbfounded by what had just transpired.

"Did…" Sayaka tilted her head in confusion. "Did Junko actually…try to be helpful…?"

"It's amazing what some people are capable of…" Celeste mused.

"…I never thought I'd say this…" Jin kneeled next to his granddaughter. "But for once, Junko's…right…you have what it takes to win, Kiki. We all believe in you. And they're not the only ones."

"KIKI!"

"Huh?" Kiki turned her head towards the frantic, worried voices.

"KIKI!"

"KIKI!"

"KIKI!"

"KIKI!"

"NEE-CHAN!"

"Who…Mom…? Dad? Miss Maki? Moku? Koto? Kiri?"

Jin nodded. "Those are the voices of your family, reaching out to support you."

Chihiro nodded. "They want you to come home, Kiki. That's why they're cheering you on!"

Sakura nodded. "And remember, you have your memories back, and by extension, the others' memories as well. You have the power to give everyone their memories back, to remind them of their true identities."

"I…have that power…?" Kiki gasped, earning a solemn nod from Taka.

"That's correct! And remember, you won't be alone. As your parents' former classmates, we'll stand by you every step of the way."

"Hell yeah!" Mondo grinned. "We'll take Shirogane on together!"

"Yeah, let's do it!" Leon cheered, pumping his fists excitedly.

"E-Everyone…"

"The impossible is possible! All you gotta do is make it so!"

Kiki finally let out a smile, a cute giggle passing her lips. "You're right! I can't just wallow in despair anymore! I gotta make everyone realize that Tsumugi doesn't control who they are! Then we can walk out of here into the outside world!"

"Hahaha!" Taka laughed. "That's the spirit! You really do take after your father!"

Jin rolled his eyes but smiled. "I'm proud of you, my granddaughter. I know your grandmother and great-grandfather feel the same way. You have the strength to fight, to end this Killing Game you were trapped in. And we'll be there with you to make it happen."

With a simultaneous nod, the nine deceased spirits turned transparent. They then flew into Kiki's heart, making her gasp as they disappeared within her. Before she could process what just happened, she felt a bright warmth bloom within her soul. With their hope banishing the despair lingering within her, it spread like an infection to her aura. She radiated with light, which spread throughout the entire void, blinding her as her sense of consciousness faded.

"Kiki…Kiki…"

Shuichi…?

Kiki's eyes fluttered open, revealing the courtroom she had spent so much time in over the past days. She turned her head, eyes widening at the sight of an increasingly despondent Shuichi who could only repeat her name.

Shuichi?! What's…what's wrong, Shuichi…?

She subtly glanced around the rest of the podiums, realizing that the others fared much worse. Kirumi, Gonta, Ryoma, and Sokyu's heads were completely hung, while Keebo's receptors seemed to be completely off.

You all…you all lost hope…?! What happened to make you all look so…so lifeless? Is this…what happened to me…?

"Ohhhh? What's the matter? Are you in despair?"

Tsumugi… Kiki's eyes narrowed in fury, turning to see the taunting, cosplaying Mastermind.

"Ahahahaha! This pleases us! It is a despair fit for Danganronpa!"

Despair, Despair, Despair, is this all she can talk about?! This girl is really getting on my nerves! Hope, Despair, the Killing Game, Team Danganronpa, her damn show, I'm sick of hearing about it all! I just wanna shut her up for good!

"Weren't you going to ruin the Class Trial and end the Killing Game-"

"Shut up."

"…Huh?" Tsumugi turned towards Kiki and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Oh, you finally found your voice. Did you manage to claw your way out of despair? Did you finally find a scrap of hope?"

"Shut up. Quit shouting like you're Queen of the freakin' world." Kiki finally looked up, gritting her teeth and locking eyes with Tsumugi. "You're making my ears bleed, you bitch!"

Startled, Tsumugi flinched, eyes widening in surprise. "W-What's going on! What's with the classic Fruits Basket reference all of a sudden?! And such vulgarity! Neither of those are in your character details!"

"I'm not your character!" Kiki emphatically shook her head. "I am Kiki Naegi! I am the firstborn daughter of Makoto Naegi and Kyoko Kirigiri. I love my parents and siblings with all my heart, and I adore my puppy, Hogo. I'm a detective-in-training, who likes to watch anime and play video games from time-to-time. I try to be friends with everybody, and I'm a bit too trusting for my own good. I can be impulsive and emotional, and I leap without thinking sometimes. All those things make me Kiki Naegi…"

Her heterochromatic eyes glowed with hopeful fury. She raised her right hand, pointing directly at Tsumugi as she let out a deafening bellow.

"…AND NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!"