#the disc serves as vivia's piece of evidence instead

[yakool-foolio]

Okay, now that you have survivedfinished the Yakou DLC, I can finally ask this question: do you plan to incorporate some of the elements from the DLC like the badge/pill since it seems like they can play a role in the AU?

I'd love to incorporate the badge into my Death Knight Yakou AU. I've been meaning to slightly rework how chapter 5 plays out by aligning it closer to my fix-it for the canon chapter 5. And by that, I'd like to have the NDA detectives have more involvement in the final showdown, or in this AU's case, the aftermath of it.

All the NDA detectives are knocked out by Makoto's sleeping gas and dragged over to the abandoned village to be homunculi food. Yakou is taken along with them because Makoto decided that the chief needs to learn the hard way about why Kanai Ward's greatest mystery can never be solved. A majority of the group is scattered about the area as they do their 'field research' and leave notes of their revelations as breadcrumbs for Yakou and Yuma to find so they can regroup.

Wait a minute. I just checked my watch, and would ya look at that! It's time for another Viviakou moment! As Yakou and Yuma trek through the ruins of the abyssal laboratory that housed Project Homunculus, they encounter a lone Vivia staring off into the distance. Yakou nearly trips down the stairs to get to him, Yuma worriedly following close behind. Vivia mutters something before turning to face the duo, a lining of relief in his tired eyes. As Yakou rattles off about how afraid he was of losing his detectives, Vivia quiets him down as he hands him a disc. Vivia explains that he went digging through the skeletal remains of the facility and managed to find it. But after he did, a distinct ghostly voice pulled him further down into the depths like a siren's song. As he mentions this voice, Vivia steps aside to reveal a faint violet silhouette standing before them. Yakou's eyes widen and glow in the warm light of the apparition. Yuma mumbles to himself about Vivia radiating waves of purple caused by the passive ability of the phantom detective's Forte. Vivia not only recovered the disc, he also found the wandering soul of Yakou's wife roaming the lab.

Thanks to Yakou putting her soul to rest by solving the mystery of her death, she's free to walk about as a spirit, though her communication is limited. Only Vivia can hear her. Vivia speaks her words, thanking Yakou for all he's done to avenge her and hopes her assistance will prove useful. She can't do much other than help Vivia salvage what is left unbroken from the wreckage, but she promises she'll find something of worth. Yakou's heartstrings are tugged by her caring words in Vivia's cool tone. He swore to protect anyone under his wing, so he'll continue to care for his detectives just as he did for her. His wife finishes off by saying she and Vivia will continue searching the facility for something she lost long ago. She wishes the best of luck to Yakou and the rookie Yuma, Vivia repeating the same in his own words. The two fade into the shadows, leaving Yakou and Yuma by themselves again. Yakou shoves aside his fears and doubts, determination reignited from their heartfelt talk.

In the aftermath of the final Mystery Labyrinth, Yakou, Yuma, and Makoto regain their composure as the NDA detectives burst into the bathhouse. They clamber over the chief and rookie, worried for their safety. There's a lot of explaining to go around. Vivia remains in the back of the crowd as he fidgets with something in his hand. Yakou notices his reserved nature and makes time to step aside and let Yuma and Makoto do the talking for a while. Yakou questions what Vivia is holding, and the phantom wordlessly responds as he holds up an old badge, 'Nocturnal Detective Agency' scrawled in marker along the edges. Vivia tells the story of two ghosts finding solidarity as they tread the mortal realm, both desiring to set things right with the one they love. While they seem to speak of the same person, they realize one has fallen for the past and the other the future. Both find solace in their own perspectives of their loved one; she looks back fondly while he looks ahead assuredly. After mingling together in the present, they have to return to their times. However, the ghost of the past offers the ghost of the future a parting gift. A physical reminder to carry the past with them so that the future will always be bright. He accepts her wish, carrying the torch to lighten the path laid in front of him. Her gift is this badge, or more importantly, what's inside of it. Yakou takes it in his hands and flips open the star emblem, revealing a single pill inside. Vivia doesn't need to tell him anything, as the memories of his wife's discussions of her work serve him well. With this single pill, they're one leap of faith closer to saving all of Kanai Ward.