A/N: Alright, sorry for my extended delay, but here's my return to Gaiden! This oneshot takes place during the end of Danganronpa 4 Chapter One. Please read, review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: The Pianist's Afterlife!

Vibrant purple eyes fluttered open, their owner finally rousing from her slumber. As she gingerly sat up, she brushed a hand through her blonde hair and looked around the cloudy expanse surrounding her.

"Where…where am I…?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion before she closed her eyes once more, trying to sift through her memories. She gasped once the memories came rushing forward like a horrific slideshow. She opened her eyes again, tears of guilt trickling down her cheeks and her hand rising around her throat where the metallic noose had squeezed the life out of her.

"…I'm…I'm dead, aren't I…?"

"Kaede Akamatsu…You've met with a terrible fate…"

Wiping her eyes, she looked up. Standing in front of her was a tall man with short, dark purple hair and matching eyes. His lips tugged into a sympathetic frown as he extended a hand to her. With a touch of hesitance, she accepted the gesture, allowing him to pull her up to her feet. He kept a firm grip on her as her shaky legs adjusted, allowing her to stabilize herself.

"So…is this…the afterlife?" Kaede asked. "Is this heaven or hell? And you…are you an angel? Or a demon?"

The man let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "You're not in hell, I promise you. And I'm no demon, nor angel. I'm just a deceased soul, like you, who met a terrible fate in years past."

"B-But…" Kaede bit her lip, openly wondering, "…Why aren't I in hell? I…I did something terrible! I paid for it with my life! So why…why am I not being punished in the afterlife for it too?!"

Kaede's troubled ponderings were interrupted by a firm, yet comforting grip around her shoulders. She looked up to see the man smiling warmly with sympathy at her.

"…I think there's some people you should meet. Why don't you follow me, Kaede?"

"A…movie theater?"

Kaede tilted her head in confusion. Not having anywhere else to go, Kaede opted to follow her only guide in this afterlife, and was led to what appeared to be a movie theater.

"Do…do dead people even get to watch movies?"

"…In a manner of speaking, though not the type you're probably thinking of. This is the Afterlife Theater. I'll explain what it's for once you meet everyone."

The man continued to walk ahead of her, leaving a still confused Kaede to follow him. Eventually, they reached the inside of what appeared to be a standard movie viewing room. As they went past the seats, she could make out several people occupying them, though she couldn't quite make out what they looked like.

"Ano…" Kaede muttered "So…are they…"

"Yeah…we're dead too."

"Eek!" Kaede squeaked, seeing a red-haired boy stand up and address her.

"Ow!" The red-head groaned as a blue-haired girl slapped his arm.

"Leon, you just scared the poor girl!"

"Hey, I didn't mean to!"

"Then fuckin' apologize to the chick!" A muscular man with a brown pompadour demanded, standing up with a clenched fist.

"Alright, alright!" Leon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry for scaring you…"

Finally regaining some sense of calm, Kaede stammered "Who…who are all you guys…?!"

"I suppose introductions are in order…" A woman dressed in gothic lolita clothing mused, standing up and wrapping one of her long, black braided locks around her finger.

As the remaining people stood up and made their way closer to her, Kaede felt the man rest a hand on her shoulder. He gave it a comforting squeeze before he released her and moved to stand in front of the congregation.

"Apologies for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Jin Kirigiri; I was the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy while I was still alive."

"Hope's Peak Academy…" Kaede mused, crossing her ams and humming in contemplation. "That's…where Shuichi and Kiki went to school…"

Jin smiled and nodded. "I see your memories have returned to you…if you remember my granddaughter's alma mater."

"G-Granddaughter…?!" Kaede stammered, her jaw slackened from shock. "So you're…Kiki's grandfather…?" Kaede bowed her head in shame. "I'm…sorry I couldn't do more for her…I…I put her in an untenable situation…I…I almost got her killed…"

"Ano…Miss…?" Kaede looked up, seeing the blue-haired girl frown sympathetically at her. "My name's Sayaka Maizono…"

Maizono?! Like the pop sensation from years ago?! I listened to her CDs all the time…but that's not important!

As Kaede shook the thought from her head, Sayaka continued "…All of us were trapped in a Killing Game too once…we all died in it. And I…I know what you're going through right now." Sayaka's eyes flickered in momentary shame. "I was…desperate to get out, and I…I tricked Kiki's father, Makoto Naegi, into helping me with my plan. And I…"

Her eyes flickered towards Leon for a moment. The red-haired man smiled reassuringly at her, giving her to courage to continue.

"In order to escape, I tried to kill Leon here and frame Makoto for my crime." Kaede's eyes widened in shock that a famous pop idol tried to commit murder, though she quickly reminded herself that her hands were far from clean. "Things…didn't work out like I planned, and my actions got Leon executed and kickstarted the Killing Game in earnest."

"I…I see…" Kaede muttered, trying to digest all of this. "I'm…I'm so sorry…"

Sayaka smiled gratefully. "Thank you…we've since reconciled and put it behind us. But…from what we saw, your intentions were much more pure of heart."

"Yeah…" Leon muttered. "Much as I love Babe here, I can't argue with the fact that she intended to just get herself out. You though…you tried to save everyone except yourself."

"Indeed…" The gothic girl nodded. "She is much more selfless than some of the people in this room…Oh, perhaps I should introduce myself. I am Celestia Ludenberg."

"E-Even so…" Kaede protested, Celeste's name barely even registering in her mind. "I…I still got people hurt! A man is dead because of me! I couldn't even use my life to stop the Mastermind! What does it matter if my intentions were pure if Rantaro died for nothing?! That I forced Shuichi and Kiki to send me to my death for nothing?!"

"Are you sure about that?" An extremely muscular woman with long white hair and numerous scars questioned, her quiet, low voice somehow carrying a force that make Kaede freeze. "I am Sakura Ogami…and our situations weren't so different…"

Kaede cocked her head, confused by Sakura's words. Despite her intimidating appearance, the young athlete looked at her with a gentleness and calm that Kaede wouldn't have assumed just by looking at her.

"You see, I was once blackmailed into becoming a double agent for the Mastermind of our Killing Game. And when I tried to redeem myself by taking my own life, they only used it to turn my remaining friends against each other. They almost succeeded, and they taunted my best friend by telling them my sacrifice was meaningless."

Kaede gasped, horrified at how Sakura's last acts were manipulated against her living comrades. At that moment, her own troubles seemed petty. It wasn't long, however, until Sakura cracked a surprising smile.

"But the Mastermind's machinations failed…because my friends decided for themselves that my death wasn't meaningless."

"They…decided for themselves…?"

Kaede struggled to wrap her head around Sakura's answer. The idea that they could just decide what her sacrifice was worth seemed ludicrous to her. Nevertheless, Sakura nodded.

"Yes, they refused to fall into the despair that the Mastermind created. They decided to make sure my death wouldn't be meaningless…by declaring war on the Mastermind and refusing to play along with their sick game. Akamatsu…your death…it won't be meaningless…because I'm certain that Kiki and Shuichi will carry on your will and do everything in their power to get as many people out of your Killing Game as soon as they can."

"O…Ogami…" Though grateful for the new perspective Sakura had brought, something still weighed on Kaede. "But still…I should have done more for them…left more behind to help them after my death. I tried to do something, anything during the Class Trial. But I couldn't do anything…"

"A-Ano…" A hesitant voice echoed in Kaede's ears, drawing her attention to a brown-haired boy in a skirt. "My name's Chihiro Fujisaki…sorry, that's probably not important right now…but I don't think you should just assume that you didn't leave behind anything of value."

"Huh? W-What do you mean…?"

Chihiro took a deep breath. "After I died…" Mondo winced, cluing Kaede in to his involvement. "…I managed to heave behind an AI Alter Ego on a laptop I had found a couple days prior. That AI gave the survivors information, and even saved Kiki's father's life. I don't mean to say that they wouldn't have made it out without Alter Ego…but even after I died, I was still able to help them."

That's…that's incredible…!

"So…I don't think you should presume that you didn't leave anything behind for them. Even if you can't see it now…I'm sure that eventually, they'll find something important, something that they can only find thanks to your actions."

"Fujisaki…"

"Mr. Fujisaki is correct!" A portly boy with glasses proclaimed. "Even if you can't be revived to join their party, your contributions will not go unappreciated."

"For once, I agree with Hifumi." A tall man in a white suit and short, black hair concurred. "I'm Kiyotaka Ishimaru, but you can call me Taka. Anyways, I can assure you that we've seen how much effort you put into trying to get them out safe. Even if they seem unrewarded now, I have faith that eventually, they will bear fruit for Kiki and Shuichi."

"Th-Thank you…hey, wait a minute…" Kaede realized. "You said you were able to watch what I did…but…how is that possible…?"

"Allow me to explain." Jin interjected, turning his attention to the deceased pianist. "This place is what's known as the Afterlife Theater. Instead of movies, the screen allows us to peer into the world of the living."

"It…it does? So…I could see Shuichi and Kiki again?"

Jin nodded before he walked over to one of the front row seats and sat down. He then turned his head towards Kaede and gestured to the seat next to him.

"Come, sit, child."

With trepidation, Kaede slowly walked over to the former headmaster and took her seat. Hearing the others shuffle back into their seats a good couple rows behind her, she watched the screen flicker to life, showing the despair that her death had left behind.

"Shuichi…" Kaede uttered, a tear trickling down her cheek. I caused you…so much pain…!

The Afterlife Theater had gone silent in the face of Shuichi and Kiki's tears. The previously deceased, sans Sayaka and Leon, felt their memories and emotions from the first execution they witnessed come flooding back. To say it was unpleasant would be an understatement.

"Kaede…"

Jin's voice brought her out of it. The young pianist wiped her eyes and looked into the former headmaster's concerned eyes.

"…Are you alright?"

Kaede no longer had the energy to force a smile and carry on for everyone's sake. Lips tugging into a melancholy frown, she shook her head.

"…How could I be? I just saw your granddaughter and my ex get into a fight over me. I saw them cry over me. This is hell, with no end in sight!"

Jin sagely nodded. "I won't deny that it seems hopeless, at least for now. This struggle is one that won't end immediately. Still…if their decision to pay their last respects to you is any indication, it seems like they're willing to at least try to push forward…" Jin's eyes lit up and he looked down at her with a smile. "…Would you like to be there when they do?"

Kaede gasped, hope flickering in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I can…I can do that?!"

"Though we are indeed among the dead, we as spirits can still interact with the mortal world, albeit in limited ways. Given how recently you passed the mortal coil, you wouldn't have the energy required to cross over on your own…but if you consent to me being there, I could guide you there to observe them up close. Neither of us will be able to talk to them, but we could at least watch."

"…" Kaede sighed, weakly getting to her feet. "Let's do it. Even if I can't cheer them on…I want to be there for them…however I can."

Nodding, Jin offered his hand to her. Kaede hesitated for a moment before looking up at Jin's encouraging smile. Once she placed her hand in his, he squeezed it, and a pillar of light surrounded them. Kaede brought her free arm to shield her temporarily blinded eyes from the light that soon overwhelmed her soul.

"Huh…?"

Kaede blinked, her vision clearing up. She looked around the room, the familiar surroundings creating a sense of melancholy inside her.

"This is…my room…or at least…the room I stayed in while I was alive…"

"I understand you probably have a lot of conflicting emotions, being back here, but it might be best to keep them to yourself for the time being." Kaede nearly jumped at Jin's voice. "I can sense them coming."

Surely enough, the doorknob slowly turned before the door gave way. Kaede caught her first glimpse of Kiki and Shuichi in the flesh. Shuichi looked absolutely battered and beaten, like he was struggling to not just give up on life itself. Kiki meanwhile kept a comforting smile on her face to support him, though Kaede could tell it contained just as much sorrow as Shuichi's expression.

"It…doesn't look all that different from mine…" Kiki observed.

"Yeah…" Shuichi nodded. "I saw this room once, though I was just getting Kaede, so I didn't get a close look or anything. I think our rooms have the same base construction and are just slightly personalized to fit our personalities and hobbies."

"Yeah…I can see why this room might be personalized to fit Kaede…look, there's a piano over there."

That piano… Kaede mused. …One of the few sources of joy in that prison of a dorm…

"Yeah…I would have loved to watch her play…I wish I could remember one of her concerts…"

"Didn't she say there was a special song for calming someone's heart?" Kiki pondered.

"…Clair De Lune…by…Debussy." Shuichi recalled.

You remembered… Kaede couldn't help but smile at Shuichi's memory. You always did remember my favorite songs… "Hm?"

Kaede watched as Kiki started digging through her backpack all of a sudden. The young pianist had to remind herself that there was no point being embarrassed over Kiki sifting through her belongings now that she was dead. Her eyes widened as the amnesiac junior detective pulled out a familiar set of papers.

My music sheets!

"She had that exact song in her backpack! Shuichi…why don't we play it on that piano…as a tribute to her?"

You're gonna play me a song? Kaede quirked an eyebrow in surprise. While the gesture indeed warmed her heart, she was concerned about how…mangled the end product would be.

"P-Play it…?" Shuichi stammered hesitantly, feeling his nervousness spike at the prospect. "I don't know…I'm not even sure if I've ever played piano…"

You have, you just suck at it.

"So? Even if we botch it, I'm sure Kaede's spirit will appreciate the fact that we're even trying!"

"Well…alright, I'll try…"

Watching you mangle my favorite song is gonna be torture… Kaede groaned to herself before Shuichi predictably messed up the opening notes, causing the song to begin very off-note.

"…You suck at this, Shuichi." Kiki teased, causing him to pout.

"I'd like to see you try…"

Like you can do any better? Kaede deadpanned, remembering the time Kiki and her mother chased her all the way to France.

To her dismay, Shuichi's grumbling sparked Kiki's competitive side. "Alright, challenge accepted! Let's see…let's try…these keys!"

It's not gonna work, Kiki… Kaede thought to herself, then groaned and facepalmed when Kiki's attempt to play her favorite song backfired. "I knew this would be torture…"

"Look again, Kaede." Jin urged. "You might be surprised by the outcome."

Though skeptical, Kaede lowered her hands. Her eyes widened in shock as a low chuckle echoed in her ears.

It can't be…Shuichi…?!

Indeed, though it was subtle, Shuichi had managed to crack a smile, amused by Kiki's failed boasting. The slight positivity that had returned to the young detective's face brought an awestruck smile to the deceased pianist.

Well, I'll be…she's cheering him up…!

"Not so easy, is it?"

"Quiet, I'm trying, aren't I?" Kiki grumbled, making Kaede contemplate how cute the girl looked when she was pouting.

"Alright, let's…investigate this keyboard." Shuichi suggested. "You know…try out all the keys and see how they sound before we try and attempt the song?"

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea. Let's start with this key, shall we?"

Kaede watched and listened as the two of them experimented with the keyboard. The young pianist felt memories of her youth flow, recalling her first days trying to perfect her piano skills. Despite the fact that their attempts still sounded mangled to her, the smiles on both of their faces made Kaede no longer care about the quality of their music.

He's smiling again…all thanks to her…Kiki Naegi…you're a miracle worker, aren't you?

Eventually, their teamwork allowed the quality of their music to improve, and it wasn't long until they decided to take another shot in earnest at playing Clair De Lune. As their fingers danced across the keyboard, though it was far from the perfect melody that Kaede would have played, the song they were able to create warmed her soul, banishing the despair from her heart.

Shuichi…Kiki…thank you so much for this…!

Kaede took note of how Shuichi couldn't help but stare at his partner as she did her best to play. She quietly giggled, knowing deep down that Shuichi had already found the girl that she couldn't be.

"There, not half bad, huh, Shuichi?"

Yeah…not bad at all, you two…

Shuichi hastily shook the blush from his face before he smiled and nodded approvingly. "Yeah, it wouldn't be realistic for us to become a master like Kaede in one night…but I think she liked that we didn't botch it eventually."

Kiki giggled "Yeah." She and Shuichi looked up at the ceiling as they clasped their hands in prayer. "We hope you liked the song, Kaede, wherever you are. We promise we'll never forget you."

I loved it you two, really I did!

"Kaede…" Shuichi apologized. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to fight for the truth…but I promise…someday…I'll be the detective you believe I am…"

You will be, Shuichi, I know it!

Kiki smiled proudly at Shuichi before they both stood up. "Well, why don't we go and get some rest, Shuichi?"

"Yeah…sounds good…" Shuichi agreed.

Kiki laced her fingers with his as she picked up Kaede's backpack with the other hand. She led him outside before he closed the door behind them. Now alone with Jin, tears of pride and joy trickled down her cheeks.

"That was…beautiful…!" Kaede hiccuped, wiping her joyful tears with her hand.

Jin smiled. "It was…are you feeling better?"

Kaede nodded. "Yeah…I still wish I could have done more for them…but I believe in them to finish the job. I…guess we should go, huh?"

Jin took note of the bittersweet tone in Kaede's voice and followed her gaze. "…Would you like to play it before we go back? I think we can spare a minute or two."

Kaede grinned, nodding enthusiastically before she bounced over to the piano. Jin chuckled, shaking his head as Kaede plopped down on the bench and wiggled her fingers, eager to dance across the keys.

And dance they did. Like a proper maestro conducting an orchestra, they fluttered across the keys, applying just enough pressure on one to make the desired note before sliding to the next one. Jin hummed along to the soothing song, positive that in another life, if things had been different, she would have earned the title of Ultimate Pianist.

At last, her fingers came to a halt, the room falling into dead silence once more. She closed her eyes, a warm, hopeful smile stretching from ear to ear.

"Shuichi…Kiki…I trust you to keep your promise…survive and get out of this place! I believe in you!" Opening her eyes, she got up and walked back to Jin, taking his hand. "I'm ready to go now, Mr. Kirigiri."

Nodding, Jin closed his eyes, Kaede following suit before the same pillar of light enveloped them. This time, that pillar radiated with the hope in their hearts, knowing that sooner or later, Kiki and Shuichi would make it out alive, and Jin and Kaede would look at them from above with relief instead of hopeful worry.