Chapter 36: A Dark Secret
It's Monday so that means that school starts, again. Kagome and Kikyo façade their looks because they're both hiding something that they don't want their parents and it's best that they keep it that way. On Kagome's mind, she's quite nervous what the day will be for her. As for Kikyo, she's looking forward for what Sesshomaru can tell her about what his father is going to do to file a lawsuit on the girl. For now, they need to school and fast.
The boys on the other hand aren't too worried for their day. Inuyasha is going to try to make sure he can transfer his classes and be in Kagome's classes so he can assure her that she's safe under his wing. Sesshomaru on the other hand is secretly thrilled to give Kikyo more information for what he learned so far from what his father told him and his brother. "We need to get going." Inuyasha snaps his fingers in front of him because Sesshomaru was in his own little trance. Inuyasha is back in his human disguise and heads out the door with Sesshomaru not that far from behind.
Kagome is at the corner of her road and Inuyasha's. Kikyo is on her right side. "How's your hand?" Kikyo asks her since there wasn't that much to discuss. Kagome smiles a little. "It's getting better." She shows the different cast to her sister. Kikyo nods. "That's nice to hear. How much longer will it be in its cast?" She asks curiously. Kagome thinks back from her last doctor's visit to determine for how much time is left before she is allowed to take it off for good. "I think about another 3 weeks at the least." Kagome answers the question with certainty.
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru spot the Higurashi sisters. "Hey there." Inuyasha runs up to them. Kagome with brightness in her eyes. "Morning, Inuyasha. Sesshomaru." She keeps her expression towards the older brother. She catches his eyes looking at Kikyo instead of hers. Kagome turns to see Kikyo in the same state as Sesshomaru. It'd be as if they're in their own little world that Kagome cannot be in. "I think you two should go on ahead." Kikyo speaks to Kagome.
The same thing is said to Inuyasha. Inuyasha knew that it's best to leave the two older ones alone because it's not good to let Kagome know, not just of yet. "Okay." He inly replies as he and Kagome go on ahead like what they were told earlier.
Once Inuyasha and Kagome were out of ear shot, Sesshomaru starts off. "I managed to get my father a few more details about the girl." He said as he gives the earring back to Kikyo. "And what did he do about it?" She asks as she puts the earring in its contance back into her purse. "My dad is going to do everything he can to file a lawsuit about it. Who knows how long it's going to be until it's approved." Sesshomaru explains the stuff. Kikyo nods, "I'm going to make sure Kyoko stays away from Kagome a bit further than last time." She gives away her plan to him. Sesshomaru already knows about Kikyo warning the girl from the week before. "Let's just make sure she keeps her word instead of going back on it." He comments to her. Kikyo merely rolls her eyes thinking that he said that so stupidly.
By the time they enter the building, Kikyo heads straight towards the bathroom that she and Kyoko were at last week. When she enters the room, everything appears to be the same, for now. Making sure no one knows about the visit she locks the door and only to be opened by the other girl. She gets herself comfortable until the door finally opens to let the girl in. But when she came into view, Kikyo is beyond surprised to see this scene. Kyoko is in a bad state. So far she has bruises all over her body and her legs have cuts from something like a knife or something else. "What happened to you?" Kikyo asks quite bluntly to the victim. Kyoko glares back to her. "I'm not going to give you an answer because it's none of your business." She manages to speak to Kikyo.
Kikyo knew for sure that it's too risky to injure the girl even more than she already is. But that won't stop her from finding the truth that will definitely give the answer she needs. She opens her purse and pulls out the earring. "Put it on." She commands Kyoko. Kyoko manages to catch the contance and puts the jewelry back onto her right ear. "For now, I'm going to go easy on you because of your condition." She then opens her hand and then a barrier surrounds Kyoko. "What are you going to do me?" She asks in fear.
Kikyo chants in a silent incantation. "That barrier will vanish your injures and you won't be able to feel any weaker than you already are. But when you return home, the spell will break and that pain you got over the weekend will return." Kikyo explain on how the spell works. Kyoko merely nods to show that she understands. Soon enough the barrier vanished and the door is completely unlocked to let them leave. Once Kyoko comes closes to her friends in her homeroom, one of them catches the sight, "Kyoko, where have you been?" She asks Kyoko. Kyoko knew better that she isn't to say a word about her condition. "I was in the lav. Nothing more." Kyoko simply answers as she takes her seat before class begins.
Meanwhile back in another classroom, Kikyo is so deep in thought that she was hardly paying any attention to whatever the teacher is writing on the board. 'I sensed something evil from the girl, but not directly from herself. It must've been the one who wounded her earlier. Luckily that earring has been added a new feature time projection.' She thinks to herself.
Nothing else important happened afterwards. So everyone gathered their belongings and head outside to go home. Instead of know anything about the Takahashis or the Higurashis, Kyoko is walking down the street to goes to wherever she lives. She knew that she still has the earring on her right ear and it was best that she kept it on. But she has no idea what the true purpose of the earring is. She turns a corner and spots her house, well more like an apartment building but not a pretty one like the others anywhere else. She goes into the lobby, gathering any mail with her name on it. She then heads up to her place on the 3rd floor. She pulls out her key and unlocks the door.
The door opens to reveal not much has been added, renovated, nor updates to her spot. The walls have leaks from cracks up above, the glass on the windows have broken apart so a garbage bag has been in its place. The furniture is creepy to say at the least. Not even the kitchen was good enough to make anything, and that included its appliances. Kyoko's earring pulsates when the spell breaks and the wounds she had earlier reappear and the pain she had to endure came back. She puts her backpack onto the bed in the living and goes into her bathroom. The bathroom itself is terrible because there's mold everywhere around, the tub, the sink, and even around the toilet.
Now come in the questions to ask. Why is Kyoko living in a place that isn't supposed to livable to begin with? How is she even here in the first place? And why isn't this place being professionally cleaned? For now, Kyoko has to take care of the wounds on her body. 'It's because of them that they made me live here.' She thought to herself, as in one answer for the reason why she's here. She was crying real tears. Something is definitely wrong with this place. And it's time to get to the bottom of it.