The 78th class of Hope's Peak Academy had been spending a fair portion of the year learning English. Some, such as Mondo Oowada and Yasuriho Hagakure, struggled with the language, while others, such as Byakuya Togami, Sayaka Maizono and Chihiro Fujisaki, excelled at the classes, even managing to expertly hide their accents.
And Kyoko Kirigiri was fortunate enough to fall into the latter category.
As the final step in their lessons, the class was put on a class trip to London, to interact with people who were born with the language.
The class was in high spirits, most of the students had spent their whole lives in Japan, so traveling to somewhere else was exciting, and traveling to London really excited some of them. They had heard about the food and sights, and how London was very much a thriving country, but also was quaint and quiet at times, which would make for a nice change.
As soon as they had arrived in the foreign country, the class quickly split up to do their own thing. Sayaka found herself meeting some English speaking fans and chatting it up with them. Mondo, Taka and Leon decided to hit a restaurant. Celestia and Hifumi went to look at a tea shop. Sakura and Hina had gone for a jog.
As for Kyoko? She had opted for just exploring the town. She didn't find much that truly caught her interest, however. At least until she stumbled upon a newspaper..
Raising a brow, she picked it up and skimmed over it. What was written was... disturbing, to say the least.
"Young boy in coma. Cause unknown." She muttered, reading the headline. She felt a mix of shock and disgust swell up deep down, but she quickly suppressed it. Reading the rest of the article, she frowned at how... downright incompetent the officers seemed to be.
From what she was reading, it seemed quite clear that the officers were either idiots or paid off to keep silent. The girl's lavender eyes narrowed. Without missing a beat, she turned to make her way back to the hotel. She needed to talk with her father...
"So...you want me to get you on board this investigation?" Jin Kirigiri asked with a raised brow. "Are you...certain that's how you want to spend your trip?"
"Father, I won't sit by idly and let whoever hurt this boy get off without so much as a slap on the wrist. I mean, just read what kinds of injuries he had! Broken limbs, burns, cuts, infected wounds, and that's not even the worst of it! Justice is my job, and I will make sure that justice is served. But I can't do that without your help."
Jin went quiet thinking it over. He knew what his daughter had said was true, but more importantly, he knew there was no way he was going to talk his daughter out of doing this. He loved her more than anything, but she could be very strong headed sometimes... He guessed he got that from him if he was honest.
"Alright." He nodded. "I'll ask around and see what I can find. What are you going to do?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm...going to try and get myself a permit... I hate to say it, but I can't do anything at all if I don't have legal permission." Jin looked thoughtful. He felt confident he could convince the English police department to help his daughter out... He was very persuasive.
"Now you just leave that to your old man." He said, messing up his daughter's hair.
"Daaaad!" Kyoko protested, shielding her hair with her hands.
"What?" He asked with a smirk. "I'm just offering to help."
Kyoko huffed, annoyed, and left, deciding she needed to do two things, she needed to meet this Harry... Potter, and she needed to find any and all information she could about him and where he had been living. It should have been obvious that this wasn't an accident, but she needed proof.
She looked at the newspaper again to find what hospital the boy was staying at, then left the building and made her way over...
Kyoko entered the large building with a purpose and approached the front desk, where the worker waited patiently for someone to aid. "Excuse me." Kyoko greeted. "I'm here to see a Harry Potter." The worker looked surprised at those words. Kyoko tilted her head with a small frown.
"You're the first one to visit that boy... His own family hasn't even come to see him..."
THAT was a red flag if she'd ever seen one.
"Hm." She said, keeping her calm composure and lack of emotion. "Well, I guess I'll be the first then."
"Er. Right..." the worker muttered.
Shaking her head slightly, Kyoto made her way to the room where the tiniest boy she had ever seen was currently hooked up to several machines.
She found it difficult to maintain her composure... It was one thing to hear about it, but to see it with her own eyes...
His tiny frame, the many bruises and cuts, the odd angle his tiny arm was bent at...It was heartwrenching.
The detective stepped up to the boy, a rare expression of sadness on her features, and studied him carefully. He was clearly not well fed...One could count his ribs he was so malnourished. And it was plain to see that his injuries were caused by human hands...
She exhaled angrily through her nostrils, how could ANYONE do such a thing? Let alone allow someone to knowingly do this? She felt her fists trembling and she had to calm herself, this was not the time or place to lose her cool. She needed to remain calm. She slowly approached the bed and looked at the small boy. His shaggy black hair was covering his face partially.
Reaching over with her gloved hand, she carefully moved the hair out of the boy's eyes to get a better look at him. Even she had to admit that this boy was completely and utterly adorable... and that fact just made the entire situation even more infuriating. Gently, she reached over and grabbed one of his tiny hands, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Don't fret little one, I'll make sure whoever did this to you faces justice..." She whispered. Harry didn't respond, not that she expected him to.
Examining the little boy now, she saw OBVIOUS signs of physical abuse, marks where he had clearly been hit and burned. She quietly took a few pictures to use as evidence. She felt like that alone could be enough, but to her, it wasn't. She wanted to make sure whoever did this didn't just go down, but that they never got back up.
Giving the boy one last glance, she turned and left the room. What she didn't notice, however, was the slight twitching of the boy's hand, or the way his arm seemed to put itself back into place...
Kyoko entered the hotel to see her classmates having a lively chat with one another. Ordinarily, she would have joined them. However, at the moment, she was a woman on a mission... And that mission was the complete and utter destruction of the one who had hurt little Harry Potter. So focused was she, that she didn't even notice her approaching friend.
"Hey Kirigiri!" Makoto called. "How was your walk?"
When he received no response, the luckster frowned, but also understood that the detective could be quiet and antisocial sometimes, and chalked this up to just that. But he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that more was going on.
Kyoko made her way to the room she shared with Celeste to plan out her next move. The ultimate gambler happened to already be there, sipping a cup of tea. Noticing her classmates' demeanour, Celeste smiled wryly.
"Oh? It seems you've stumbled upon something interesting. Might I be so bold as to assume you've stumbled upon a case?" The goth asked with vague interest.
"Yes." The detective answered simply, not saying anything else.
"Might I ask what the case is about?"
"Do you want to know? Or are you just trying to be friendly?"
"I assume you already know the answer."
Kyoko rolled her eyes in exasperation. Honestly, Celestia was downright impossible to deal with sometimes. "You're sure you want to know? It's a pretty graphic case."
"Oh, Kyoko, you know my profession very well. Gambling can be far more graphic than you realize. I've even managed to successfully win Russian Roulette." Kyoko looked at her classmate.
"That concerns me greatly. But if you really must know, someone beat a littke boy into a coma, and I want him brought to justice.
Celestia fell silent, her smile fading away into an unreadable expression. "...I see. Well then... Is there anything I can do to help?"
Kyoko was a bit taken aback by the question, but finally answered.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to help in any way I can."
"Sure." Kyoko replied flatly. She had made a habit of not believing much of that the gambler said, especially in a case like this. "And why would you want to help?"
Celestia frowned at the detective. "Kyoko, do you believe me to be completely heartless? A child is in a coma. It's only natural I would want to do something to assist."
Kyoko looked at the gambler. Thr fact that she had briefly slipped out of her persona seemed to be a clear sign that she was genuinely concerned for the boy...
"There's not much we can do at this time. My father is trying to get me a search permit so that I can get to the investigation."
"Ah yes, I see. Well, your father will no doubt come through for you." She said this with a nod of her head and a smile.
"I agree...I just hope it happens quickly..."
"So do I Kyoko... for that little boy's sake..." She sighed. "Speaking of him, did you see him?"
"Yes." The detective nodded. "While he was still in a coma, I did see him. It's obvious what's happened, and it's sickening knowing no one has done anything about it."
"Hmm, you seem rather attached to him." Celestia smirked, making Kyoko's eyes widen in slight shock and embarrassment.
"How can I be attached to a boy I only met once?" She asked. "An encounter he wasn't even awake for?"
Celeste smirked with a raised brow. "That, my dear Kirigiri, is called maternal instincts. All women have them, whether they realize it or not."
Kyoko frowned at the goth's words. "Maternal instincts? Are you implying..."
"I imagine you would make a fine mother, don't you?" Celeste took a sip of her tea.
Kyoko didn't say anything, but felt her face turning red as Celeste smirked at that.
"Well?" The gambler asked.
Kyoko stormed off, trying to hide her embaressemt. She could hear Celeste laughing as she left, how she hated her somedays...
But was she right? Was she getting attached-
No. She was helping an abused boy. That was all. Wasn't it?
She was deep in thought when she bumped into someone. "S-Sorry..." She mumbled.
"Oh, hi, Kirigiri!" Kyoko looked to see Makoto standing before her.
"Naegi. Hello. How was your time in the city?" Kyoko asked, searching for any excuse she could possibly find to get that embarrassing conversation with Celestia out of her head.
"It was pretty interesting, actually. Sayaka and I got to have our first date in public! Can you believe they don't have a problem with idols dating here?! But anyway, how was your day?"
"It was...very eventful. Long story short, I'll very likely be working during our stay."
"Ooh, did someone rob a store and they can't find out who did it?" Naegi asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"No, as much as I wish it was that simple, I'm afraid this is far more... excessive." The detective frowned. "I'm looking into the abuse of a small boy..."
Naegi's face fell when he heard that. "Aw man... That's terrible..." He said. "Don't think you've ever had to cover anything that intense before..."
Kyoko nodded her head. "It's my first really major case... Luckily it's an easy one... The transition from robberies to abuse will be much smoother..." Naegi bit his lip at that but nodded regardless.
"Well, I think that If anyone can bring the kid's abusers to justice, it's you." He nodded.
Kyoko allowed a small smile to grace her features. "Thank you." She replied.
Naegi rubbed the back of his head, and Kyoko caught on. "You wanna know how bad it is." Naegi was startled.
"Wha-How-" He froze at the smirk on his friend's face. "Right, right, ultimate detective... Sorry... I wasn't sure how to go about saying it..."
"It's fine, your concern is valid. It's...Well, he's..." She sighed. "He was beaten into a coma..." At that, Naegi's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh God..." He muttered.
"And I have reason to believe that he was hurt by his own family. I also believe that they paid off police to remain silent about it."
"I... Oh God..."
Kyoko nodded her head in response. "I know...I know... It's why I have to step up... If the law here can't do their jobs properly, then I'll do it myself." She all but spat.
"Yeah, no kidding... Man, this is unbelievable..." Kyoko noticed her friend looked about ready to cry.
"It's all right, Naegi..." She said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm gonna put this case to a close..."
"I...I sure hope so... Do you want me to keep it secret?"
"It doesn't matter. It's no skin off my teeth if the others find out."
"Alright, I'll keep it on the down low for now. But if you need anything, let me know."
"Of course." Kyoko smiled.
"Oh, and if the others find out... I'll try and keep them from 'helping'. Unless you need it."
Kyoko nodded her head in affirmation. "Thank you, Makoto."
And with that, the two ultimates went their separate ways.
Kyoko threw open the door to her room, and froze when she saw it on her bed. A smirk found it's way onto her face.
A search permit.
Time to get to work.
Kyoko wrote down what she knew, noting the obvious abuse the boy had suffered, and noting that she needed to talk with the boy's guardians.
Looking to the newspaper she'd found, she read through it again, hoping to find a passage mentioning the boy's relatives. A Mr. Vernon Dursley... She would need to ask around, ask if anyone in town knew the man...
According to the paper, Harry was found unconscious in a place called Privet Drive. That seemed as good a place as any to begin her investigation.
It took her about twenty minutes of walking, which the detective didn't mind, to get to the small neighbourhood Harry supposedly lived in. She leaned against a telephone pole and scanned the area. It was quite... dull. Sure, it at least looked decent and livable, but it seemed almost gray and dreary.
She looked around, then settled on asking at the first house she saw. As she approached, she saw a cat curiously walking up to her. Smiling slightly, she took a kneeling position before the cat and scratched behind it's ears, her fondness for felines shining through. Then, she knocked on the door, and an old woman opened it up.
"Oh, hello there." The old woman said kindly. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Possibly." Kyoko nodded in reply. "I was wondering if you knew anything about the boy who is currently in a coma. A young Harry Potter."
The old woman visibly frowned and seemed saddened when asked the question. Kyoko made a mental note that this woman clearly knew something.
"Yes, I know the poor dear." She said, sadness clear in her voice. "May I ask who you are?"
Kyoko held up her search permit. "My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. Ultimate detective of Hope's Peak Academy. I've taken it upon myself to handle this case, seeing as how the police are doing a...less than stellar job."
"Oh yes, I would say it's quite obvious who's responsible...My name is Arabella Figg. Please come in, I just made a pot of tea." Kyoko graciously accepted the offer and took a seat at the table. She heard the sound of multiple meows and smiled as she looked around at all the cats. From adults to kittens, it was clear this woman loved her kitties very much.
One of the kittens jumped into her lap, and she scratched it's chin gently. It reminded her of her own kitty back in her dorm, watched over by the...eccentric ultimate breeder.
Miss Figg set down some tea and a plate of cookies. "Now...My first question is, do you have any connection with Harry prior to his unfortunate condition?"
"Yes, I used to babysit him. The boy really seemed to love being around the cats." Kyoko smiled at that.
"While you did, was there anything off about him? Any signs that he may not be safe in his current home?"
Miss Figg sighed deeply and nodded.
"Yes, he always seemed to small, he was afraid to take any food I offered him. He never said why, but he seemed to be in a constant state of terror. The only time I ever really saw him happy was when he was playing with the kittens."
Kyoko felt an aggressive knot in her gut upon hearing that.
"Okay, did he say anything about why he was so frightened? Anything that would give you pause?"
"He seemed very set on keeping these issues to himself...Though he did have a tendency to get rather panicked when I told him it was time to go home..."
"I see... And where is his home, may I ask?"
"Right next door. Number Four Privet Drive. ...Oh dear...You don't think..."
"I think I have every reason to think." Kyoko replied. "The evidence is piling up... And I have every intention of bringing who's responsible to justice."
"I never did like those Dursleys, nosey, unplesant lot...And I can certainly see them doing something like this...They never seemed happy around the poor boy, I can't think of why though. He was the kindest, most well-mannered little boy you'd ever meet."
"I don't much care for why they did what they did. But more if they were responsible, then to bring them to justice." Kyoko replied firmly.
"I understand." Miss Figg nodded. "If what you say is true, then I will do anything I can to help the poor dear."
"That's good to know." Kyoko nodded. "apparently not even his relatives came to visit him in the hospital, so if he wakes up, it may be good to have a comforting presence."
Miss Figg nodded her head slowly, quietly thinking to herself about how completely and utterly she'd failed in her mission. Kyoko, on the other hand, was deep in thought about the impending success of her own.
"...It's time I took this investigation to the next level." She rose to her feet. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I think it's time I paid the Dursleys a visit."
"Best of luck, dear. But do be careful. Vernon is a very large man, you know." Kyoko smirked slightly at the woman's words.
"Lucky for me I've trained with the ultimate martial artist, so I've picked up a few things."
Miss Figg seemed a bit confused, but recognized the determination in the woman's voice.
"May she succeed where we have all failed..." She thought. "Damn you Albus..."
Leaving the warm home, Kyoko thought about her plan of attack. One the one hand, she figured she could walk right up and demand answers, but if they had gotten this far without getting caught, they'd be smart enough to hide it (or so she thought). There was that odd feeling again when she thought about what Harry must have gone through at their hands that made her want to smash the door down and drag them to the police station and leave them there, but she knew that wouldn't work.
She decided to take the professional route and knock on the door politely, clenching her fists at her sides as she heard foosteps approaching the door. It threw open to reveal a large walrus of a man.
Junko never believed she could hate anyone as immediately as she hated this man. He looked downright unpleasan, from his grotesque appearance to his constant sneer.
"What do you want?" He demanded, prompting Kyoko to narrow her eyes and show off her permit.
"I want you to stand aside and let me in."
"On who's authority?" He scowled.
"London Police Department. Now I'll ask again, stand aside and let me enter. If you don't comply, you'll be held in contempt of an officer's work."
The door was immediately slammed in her face.
"Well, I think I can retire all worries about intelligence..." She muttered.
She decided to opt for the simple response: pulling out her phone and informing the department that the man was obstructing justice.
Ten minutes later, a squad car pulled up outside the house, and two officers stepped out to assist her. Kyoko had some choice words, but she opted not to antagonize them.
"It's about time someone took this case seriously..." One of the officers muttered.
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" She asked, trying to keep a lid on her anger. The officer frowned and shook his head.
"Well, a few of the guys on the force..." he began, but trailed off, Kyoko got the message loud and clear.
"Ah, do you know who those are?" She asked, her eye twitching slightly.
"Yes." The officer nodded. "Believe me, I'm more than willing to give you some 'helpful information' if you know what I mean."
"Thank you." Kyoko sighed.
"Would have done something myself, but the higher ups decided 'case closed'. Seriously, we're glad you stepped in. You Hope's Peak kids have a lot of influence all over."
Kyoko allowed a small smirk to cross her face. "I'm very pleased to hear that." One of the officers put a hand on her shoulder.
"Seriously, you're gonna be a great assett to the force back in Japan."
Kyoko blushed ever so slightly as she and the officers approached the door. The office banged on the door, waiting for it to be opened.
"WE ALREADY PAID YOU!" The man's voice yelled from inside. Kyoko and the Officer stared dumbfounded at one another.
"Please tell me you were recording." Was all Kyoko could think to say.
"Of course I was." The officer replied, amazed. "How dumb is this man?"
Kyoko rolled her eyes in response. "Dumb enough to slam the door in the face of the detective that came to investigate..."
"Right, dumb question... Sir, this is your one and only warning. Open up or we will be forced to use force."
"You have no right-"
"You're gonna say the police have no right to try to uphold the law?"
Silence...then the door opened grudgingly.
"Yes?" The man asked begrudgingly.
"Kyoko Kirigiri, Detective from Hope's Peak Academy." Kyoko introduced herself. "I'm here concerning a Harry Potter."
"Who?" The man asked, feigning knowledge.
"The child who lived here who is now in a coma." She replied flatly.
Vernon's face turned purple. "That was not my fault! You have no proof! None! What happened to the freak was all on him, and that is final!"
Kyoko narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmm. I think you're protesting a bit too much, Mr. Dursley. Quite suspicious if you ask me."
"Shut up, girl! I had nothing to do with what happened to the brat! All he ever did was put us through hell and back with his constant mischief and shenanigans!"
"Is that a fact?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Because your next door neighbour told a very different story about Harry. She said he was a shy, quiet boy."
Vernon stumbled over his words and scolded again.
"That old hag is senile! She doesn't know a thing!"
"What kind of monster was Harry living with?" Kyoko mentally frowned.
"Well, regardless, we're coming in." The officer said matter-of-facty. Pushing past the large man aside and entering the home. Kyoko smirked as she entered, seeing the angered look on the man's face.
Kyoko decided to start the investigation in the most obvious place: His bedroom. She turned to look at Vernon. "Tell us where to find Harry's room."
Vernon scowled. "He didn't have one. Not enough space." He said gruffly. One look around the house was enough to tell Kyoko that that was a flat-out lie.
Sighing and rubbing her temples, the young female detectivd gave Vernon a pointed glare. "Fine then. Where did he sleep? And don't you dare try to lie to me."
Vernon didn't want to reply, but when he saw the look the officer was giving him, he addressed him.
"Listen, can I talk with your commander? I'm sure this is just a misun-"
"Don't give me that crap." The officer cut him off, his eyes narrowing. "Everything you've done, it ends. Now."
"But I've done nothing!" Vernon protested. "I'm innocent, I tell you! Haven't done one single thing wrong, there's no reason for you to be here!"
Kyoko glared at the man. "If you're finished with your suspicious protests, then tell us where he slept. And trust me, I know very well when you're lying."
Vernon still didn't seem to want to talk, so Kyoko sighed annoyed, and set to looking for herself.
There were pictures on the wall of a family, but Harry wasn't in any of them. Kyoko's scowl seeping by the second, it was becoming abundantly clear what had happened. Finally, she smelled something... disgusting from under the stairs and approached the small door.
Kyoko was desensitized to violent crime scenes. She had no choice but to be. It came with the line of work. She'd seen corpses, assault victims and kidnappings, all without losing an ounce of composure.
But this cupboard... Oh, this cupboard... Perhaps it was the knowledge that this was where a child was kept, perhaps it was the sheer brutality of the sight, but even Kyoko Kirigiri could not maintain her composure.
"How could you..." She trembled, her voice rising. "HOW COULD YOU!?"
Whiting around with fury in her eyes the officer with her looked at Kyoko then to Vernon, then back to the detective.
"Well, you're screwed." He remarked, before suddenly handcuffing the large man. "C'mon, you're under arrest, you have the right to remain silent-"
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" The man roared, shoving the officer to the ground before trying to make a run for it. However, Kyoko proved to be faster, and before he had the chance to get anywhere, she caught up and delivered a kick to his ribs that knocked him into a wall.
Breathing heavily to regain her composure, Kyoko scowled hatefully at the obese man. No...Man was not the right word. She was face to face with a complete monster!
Clenching her fists, the detective took one final deep breath, then searched for more information. She noticed something on each wall of the house... Security cameras.
Finding a laptop, she didn't hesitate inyanking it out and stuffing it into her bag, leaving the room behind her, still fuming.
"Harry... I'll make these monsters pay..." she mentally promised.
Storming to the police officers, she presented them with the laptop and the cameras. "This should be more than enough to find out what IT did to Harry."
"Whoa, she's furious." One of the officers whispered to her partner out of the corner of his mouth. Kyoko heard him and huffed in response. Who WOULDN'T be?!
"Fair." The officer coughed. As if by a Godsend, her father entered, seeming equal parts angered and disgusted.
"Kyoko, I-" He began but stopped when he saw Vernon in cuffs. "Never mind then."
"What did you find dad?" Kyoko sighed, trying to regain her composure.
"Well, a few of them men have... opened up, so to say, about several illegitimate choices made recently. It's all been sent to the higher ups, and I'll say this. They're gonna need to hire a few new people."
Kyoko nodded her head curtly and sighed softly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Good...I'm glad that everyone is getting what they deserve..."
Jin approached his daughter and pulled her into a hug. "I'm very proud of you, Kyoko... You've successfully stopped these criminals from getting away with their crimes."
Kyoko hugged back, smiling softly. "I'm glad to help... Just doing my job..." She said softly.
"Now listen, I think I can handle everything down here, maybe you should either get back to your 'squadmates' as you kids are calling one another-"
"Dad!" Kyoko exclaimed suddenly. "No one calls each other that!"
"But in all seriousness, you may want to go back to the hospital, or wherever everyone else is."
Kyoko thought it over. She could go see Harry again then again, he was still in a coma. Or she could call it quits for the night and return to the hotel where everyone was. The choice was harder than she expected, she was still trying to figure out why she felt such a pull towards Harry. Sure, he had been abused horrifically, but... there was something besides her drive for justice, Kyoko shook her head to clear it.
"I guess I'll go and see him." Kyoko finally decided. Nodding to her father and the officers, she set foot out the door, her destination being the hospital.
As she made her way to the hospital, she felt herself thinking about what she had seen in that house, and she began thinking of all the pain, fear and sadness that boy had felt...
It hurt. There was no way to get around it. She felt genuine sadness and pain for the small boy. Sure maybe he was an obnoxious kid, maybe he was a troublemaker, but nothing he could do short of attempted criminal activity could-
"What are you thinking?!" Kyoko scolded herself. "NOTHING could justify what they did."
She sighed heavily, stopping by a vending machine and getting a drink. She usually didn't drink pop, but tonight wasn't a usual night. When she finally arrived at the hospital she looked around for a doctor or a nurse, finally walking up to the receptionists' desk.
She rested her hand on the desk to get the receptionist's attention. "Hello... I'm here to visit Harry Potter?" The receptionist nodded her head.
"Do you remember the room number?" Kyoko nodded her head and thanked the receptionist before making her way to the sleeping boy's room.
There he was...Still not moving, still in his coma, still stitched up and injured, still just a tiny little toothpick... Kyoko clenched her fists and stepped forward to take a seat next to him.
She sighed deeply, before finally taking his tiny hand in hers once again. She wasn't sure why she did it, but it felt nice. Suddenly, she felt Harry's hand move. Giving a surprised gasp, she saw the tiny boy begin to move, clearly in pain and confusion.
"Wh..where am I...?" She heard the tiniest voice she had ever heard squeak. She saw two beautiful emerald eyes flutter partially open, and fear quickly fill them at the unknown surroundings.
Kyoko tightened her hold on the boy's hand to try and comfort him. "It's okay. You're in a hospital." She said as softly as she could. "Your uncle...put you to sleep for a long time. You're here to get better." Harry looked over at her nervously.
"Uncle Vernon...? But...But he's gonna be mad that I'm here... He'll take me home and he'll..." The boy gasped and tried to clap his hands over his mouth, only to cry out in pain as pain shot through his injured arm.
"Hey, hey there." Kyoko said calmly, trying to seem non-threatening. "It's okay, you're going to be okay, just please lie back down and try not to move too much."
Harry let out several pained breaths, but slowly laid back down on the hospital bed. He looked over at the new woman sitting next to him, his eyes conveyed confusion, pain and fear. Kyoko gave a gentle smile to try and defuse any tension in the air.
"Hi, Harry... My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I'm the detective that brought your uncle to justice." Harry looked confused. "I made sure he got punished for hurting you."
"Buf miss...Um...Miss K...Miss Koko...?" She couldn't help but let a small smile form, she hadn't expected him to pronounce his name properly, but she hadn't expected his attempt to be so cute...
"Yes Harry?" She spoke calmly, trying to remain as non-threatening as possible.
"Wh-Why is Uncle Vernon getting punished...? He...He didn't do anything wrong..." Kyoko stared at him sadly for several moments before sighing softly.
"No, Harry, that's wrong." She explained. "That man has done nothing but wrong. He had no right to hurt you at all, much less the way he did."
"Bu...but..." Harry tried to stammer out. "He had to... he...he...he was doi-" Harry tried to movie, and yelped in pain, Kyoko sighed sadly and helped him lay back down. "He was doing the right thing..."
"Why on earth would you ever say such a thing?" Kyoko asked puzzled. "There's no possible scenario where what he did was the right thing."
"But... I'm a freak." Harry mumbled, looking down the best he could, trying not to move so he wouldn't hurt himself more. "And I needed to..." He trailed off and didn't finish his sentence.
Kyoko's gaze hardened very slightly, to the point where it was difficult to notice. Reaching over, she grabbed Harry's tiny hand once again.
"Listen to me, Harry... I see absolutely nothing wrong with you. When I look at you, all I see is a little boy, who's been hurt for no good reason whatsoever. There's nothing wrong with you. You're perfectly normal."
"But... I do freaky things." Harry protested weakly. "I've made things fly... and I've heard snakes talk to me... and..."
"Shh..." Kyoko said calmly, gently placing a finger to his tiny lips. "Calm down Harry. Please, just take a few breaths."
It took longer than the detective would've liked, but eventually Harry did seem to calm himself, now whimpering slightly as he looked up at the woman he still didn't know too well. Kyoko frowned slightly at his terrified expression and body language, she didn't know what to do...
She began to think about what he'd just told her. Making things fly? Talking to snakes? Surely that was just the imagination of a child...right?
Shaking her head, she squeezed the boy's hand again. "I'm sure it was all just coincidence. Or your uncle orchestrating things so he'd have an excuse to hurt you."
Harry bit his lip. He knew she was wrong, but didn't want to argue. "I...I guess maybe you're right..." He mumbled softly.
"Well your Uncle is going away for a long time, so he'll never hurt you again." Kyoko said reassuringly.
"But... what's gonna happen to me?" Harry asked.
'Good question.' Kyoko thought. What WAS going to happen to him? There was no way in hell he'd go back to his family, not after what they had put him through... Come to think of it, where were his parents? If they were... gone, than maybe Miss Figg could take care of him, or maybe he'd end up in an orphanage.
Finally, Kyoko let out a deep sigh and smiled at him. "For now, you'll stay here at the hospital until they've figured something out for you."
"Oh... I hope they put me somewhere nice..." Harry said softly, prompting Kyoko to pat his head.
"They will. I know they will." She assured him gently, smiling lightly as the boy leaned closer into her touch. It kind of reminded her of a cat. It was actually kind of...cute. After a few minutes, she rose to her feet. "I'm afraid I have to go now, Harry." The boy looked upset.
"Forever?"
"No dear, I need to go for a few hours and meet with some people." She replied, then without even noticing what she was saying, she added: "I can come back later if you'd like."
"Yes please." Harry replied, very timidly. Kyoko was surprised at her offer but now knew she didn't have much choice. Sure, she could be seen as 'cold' by some of the other students, but this wasn't someone her age, this was a little boy. She mentally sighed, knowing it wouldn't hurt too much to visit him again, and she could gather more information when he was feeling better.
"Well, then I'll be back very soon.." She replied with a nod. She saw Harry try and wave one of his bandaged hands and she waved back, finding it adorable. Then left the room.
She took a look back at the room for a moment before shaking her head and walking away. Putting her hands in her skirt pocket, the young woman made her way back to her hotel.
Gratefully, she noticed Makoto had kept his promise to keep Harry's situation under wraps, and it seemed Celestia hadn't felt the need to tell anyone either. Kyoko was able to make it to her room with no hassle. Upon arrival, she wasn't surprised to see Hifumi Yamada serving the gambler her evening tea.
"Ah, Kyoko, welcome back." Celeste greeted with a nod of acknowledgement. "Might I interest you in a cup of tea?" Kyoko shrugged and figured she might as well.
"Sure, I guess."
Sitting down next to the gambler, Kyoko looked at the drink silently until Celeste cleared her throat.
"So... I don't mean to pry, but..."
"You want to know what happened, don't you?" Kyoko said flatly.
"Oh my god yes!" Celeste said in an over exaggerated tone mixed with a groan. "I feel my heart bleed for the poor dear! Is he okay?"
Kyoko nodded her head. "I found all the evidence I need against the creature thaf did it."
Celeste nodded her head and sipped her tea. "Very good. And what of his coma?"
Kyoko smiled slightly in response. "He's awake now..."
"Thank heavens...Poor thing, put into a coma at such a young age..."
"Indeed, and he seems to believe he deserved everything that happened."
Out of the corner of her eye, Kyoko saw Celeste's eye twitch angrily. She saw the girl begin breathing aggressively to try and calm herself.
"I'll be going back to talk to him later."
Suddenly, the gambler's eyes widened and seemed to sparkle with an idea.
"Well then, might I come along?" She asked.
Kyoko quirked a brow at her classmate. "You want to come? Why?"
Celestia smirked wryly and took a sip from her tea. "Because I believe it would be interesting to see this boy with my own eyes." She explained.
"I see. And you have no ulterior motives?" Celeste frowned.
"Honestly, have faith in me, won't you?"
Kyoko smirked. "Kind of difficult after you convinced the entire class to play strip poker."
"And I must say, you have quite the lovely figure." Kyoko blushed and rolled her eyes.
"Regardless, I don't know if it's the best idea for Harry to meet new people right now." The detective reasoned.
"But don't you need to get more information from him?" Celeste asked. "Wouldn't it be easier if he had a few people he felt like he could talk with?"
Kyoko narrowed her eyes in thought. The gambler did have a point...
"...Fine. But don't make me regret it." She said coolly. The gothic gambler gave the detective a smile and sipped her tea once again before setting it down.
"Kirigiri, you have my word."
"Normally, That means something." Kyoko muttered, making Celeste pout.
"Now that's just unfair."
"And?"
The two gave each other flat looks before going back to their tea. It was clear there was a lot on the detective's mind right now.
She was thinking about Harry. Little damaged Harry, alone in the hospital...
Little damaged Harry, thinking no one loved him...
Little damaged Harry, thinking he deserved to be beaten and abused...
Kyoko felt a pain in her chest. She was often called an ice queen...But she had a heart.
This didn't go unnoticed by Celeste, who tilted her head before speaking.
"You really care for the little one, don't you?"
"Well..." Kyoko shook her head almost immediately. "I just feel... hurt. But who wouldn't? Harry's an innocent child, and he was subjected to such abhorrent treatment, all because they didn't like him."
Celeste remained silent, Kyoko noticed that the gambler seemed far more... real, currently. As if she wasn't trying to predict the detectives next move, but just listening, and clearly hurt as well.
"Yes, it's truly vile..." She agreed. "I certainly hope the man gets placed in a cell with a rather large fellow, if you know what I mean."
"I have a vague idea." Kyoko replied, rolling her eyes.
Celeste giggled in response. "Yes, a fitting punishment, is it not? The man who took pleasure in harming someone much smaller and weaker than himself, receiving similar treatment. True poetic justice."
"I guess that's one way to look at it." Kyoko shrugged. "One can only hope." Both girls sipped at their tea and Kyoko sighed softly. "I'm just glad I got it done quickly...
"True." The gambler nodded. "So, what's your plan now?"
"Well, I think I need some time to rest, after everything that's happened, I don't want to burn myself out." Kyoko reasoned.
"That's fair."
"And later... if you really do want to come see Harry, you can accompany me when I go to see him later. The only condition is you can't scare him, you can't ask him about his past, and I swear if you so much as mention Gambling ONCE I will-"
"Temper, temper, Kirigiri.." Celeste frowned. "I understand. He's not even your son and your acting like a mother."
Kyoko simply huffed in response.
The two girls finished their tea, then Kyoko looked at the clock. "Huh...Later than I thought...I think it's time to turn in for the night." She said coolly.
"Indeed, I'm rather worn out myself."
The two girls changed into their nightwear and crawled into their respective beds. Kyoko was tired, yet for whatever reason, she did not fall asleep right away, staring at the ceiling above her.
No, not for whatever reason...She knew the reason... She was thinking of Harry...
She sighed, still trying to figure out why this boy had made such an impact on her. Was it because of his age? Was it because of what he had been through?
"Or is it because he's adorable..." a thought danced in the back of her mind.
She frowned softly. Where in the world had that come from? Then she thought back to her first conversation with Celeste about the whole situation, and remembered the goth's words...
"That, my dear Kirigiri, is what is known as maternal instincts. Every female has them, whether they're aware or not."
"Does that mean... no, no. I'm not his mother." Kyoko shook he head to clear her thoughts. "He's just an abuse victim, who wouldn't feel bad for someone who went through that?"
However, that wasn't a good enough answer for her mind it seemed, as the thoughts didn't go away.
She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take over. As she succumbed to her exhausted state, she thought of Harry as slumber took over...
She had to protect him...
One way or another, she would.
Waking the next morning, Kyoko yawned as she looked at her case file for Harry. She sighed and blew some hair out from in front of her eyes. She knew today would be a better day, but was also nervous about what she had to do. She needed Harry's story if his Uncle was going to be locked away for a long time, and that meant she'd have to get him to talk about it...
She looked out the window, and sighed softly. Perhaps not today, but someday soon...First, she needed him to trust her...