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Throwing Stones
Chapter Thirty-Four: Of Monsters and Men
Kagome glowered at the television screen as images of herself and Touya returning from the hospital were plastered everywhere. There was a close up on her resting on his chest and Touya shielding her protectively from the cameras being shoved up on the side of the bus.
She already knew that this story was meant for shock value. By painting herself as a young woman beholden to her charge's attractiveness, the media was trying to create outrage and focus that fury on her program.
"We've received reports that Miss Higurashi was briefly hospitalized for an unknown health condition. She's since been released and returned to her home." The reporter announced as more images of her town were shown on the screen. The broken welcome sign and destroyed plaque were posed dead center of the shot, creating the image that it was not suitable for anyone to live in. The reporters conveniently ignored the buildings they'd already restored and only focused on the areas still in need of renovation.
"Currently Miss Higurashi is running a rehabilitation program for convicted murderers and villains. It's believed that due to her connection to Shinigami she developed an interest in aiding convicted felons." The reporter spoke with a sneering tone. Everything they said wasn't wrong yet the way she was portrayed by their videos and photos created a false image of herself. One that reflected a rebellious attitude and disregard for the general public. The reporter pressed on, "Recently we captured exclusive footage. Shinigami was briefly brought to her facility for a few hours. He was followed by a virtual army of law enforcement officers and a few heroes, including Hawks and Endeavor."
Kagome bristled. She'd known that Endeavor had joined the force outside of the village but the way the media was reporting on it, they were making it sound as if she had purposefully wasted an absurd amount of tax dollars to see her father.
Images of her dad being led to his transport vehicle surrounded by officers only drove that point home.
"We have not received any commentary from Kagome or her lawyer about the incident. Currently she is still at home in Kanna Village and has not granted us any interviews." The reporter pushed a stack a papers out of her way as she interlaced her fingers together and sat up straighter in a commanding pose. "Our reports indicate that she's still in recovery from her health condition and will not be present to oversee the convicts for the next few days."
The host's coworker jumped into the conversation, "I think it's all a little suspicious. First she goes to the hospital for some unknown disease, then they bring that monster of a father of hers to her home despite the risk to the public's safety, now she won't even answer anyone's questions about the incident." The cohost snorted indignantly, "What exactly is she hiding? I say they should just lock her up with her dear old dad if she loves him that much."
Kagome pressed her palm to her chest as she felt the faint twinge of her heart squeezing beneath her left rib.
She could not let them get under her skin. They were just ignorant fools that didn't even deserve the title of 'journalist'.
"We can't just lock people up because of who they're related to." The third person in their panel responded with a chiding tone. "If we put everything together then does it not make more sense that whatever condition she has might be life threatening? The only reason I can fathom why they would bring her father to her location would be due to extenuating circumstances. If she contracted some fatal disease or health condition then it only stands to reason that she would want to see him one last time. Now this is all conjecture but to me, it would make more sense if her condition is far more serious than these reports are indicating."
Her shoulders relaxed some as she sank into the cushions of the couch.
Finally, at least one person with some functioning brain cells.
"Say what you will about Shinigami's crimes, but your response to lock her up for loving her father is part of the reason why villains exist today." The third host took on a commanding tone, "Regardless of what type of quirk we have, we are all human. I think it's admirable that she's reaching out and trying to make charges for people who need it the most. People say throw away the key when locking up villains but no one asks what makes a villain in the first place. I believe that what Miss Higurashi is doing right now is paving the way for changes to take place. Necessary changes at that."
The host leveled his gaze with the camera, "Be it civilian, hero or villain we are all people."
Kagome lifted the remote and shut off the television.
It'd been close to a week since she'd returned home. She wasn't ashamed to admit that when Touya returned to her room after her father was escorted away, she'd spent the next hour crying herself to sleep. She'd been so happy to finally see her dad again and yet he had been taken away just as quickly. Touya hadn't degraded her or teased her for feeling so upset. He simply held her and told her not to bottle herself up. It'd gotten easier as the days passed. Mostly because the group refused to leave her alone even for a single second of the day. They'd even arranged a schedule with each other to ensure that she wouldn't be by herself for any reason. Once the days of bed rest were up, they still refused to let her do anything too strenuous.
So now that it was day seven she'd finally managed to convince them that she would be fine on her own. She would just hang around downstairs until they came back from working the fields with the Nagakura family.
The media was still a major issue. Sesshoumaru had ended up filing multiple cease and desist letters including lawsuits claiming undue harassment. She wasn't running a public service and she was officially retired from the pro hero scene. So the locusts had gradually started to dwindle. They still kept the front door's automatic feature shut off and locked while they were gone though—just as an added safety precaution in case any reporters had the wise idea to try barging in again.
A heavy fist pounding on the glass door startled Kagome from her thoughts. She felt the dull thrum of her device pulse a shock through her system, regulating her heart once more. Her lips dipped and a scowl overtook her features.
If it was another damn reporter, she was going to chase them out herself.
Kagome marched towards the front door. Her walk gradually slowed as she took in the sight of a woman a good ten years older than herself yanking the wrist of a small child that could've been the mother's doppelgänger.
She walked up to the glass but chose not to unlatch it just yet.
"Who are you and what do you want?" She raised her voice so that they could heart her clearly.
The child was sobbing and her cheeks looked frighteningly red, as if she'd been struck multiple times.
"Take her!" The mother hissed, yanking the child even harder by her wrist.
Kagome froze at the sound of the girl's cry. Without thinking, she swiftly unlatched the door and pushed it open. She swept the young child into her arms and glowered at the older woman.
"What is wrong with you?!" She snarled at the mother. "Can't you see that you're hurting her? What is this even about?"
Why would some stranger drag her child all the way out here? Sure they were receiving a lot of media attention lately but what mother would bring their baby to a place known to be housing convicted felons? It simply didn't make any sense to her.
"You're taking in monsters, right?" The woman's voice was as sharp as glass. "So you can take her."
Kagome leveled the woman with an icy glare, "The only monster in this village is the one I'm looking at. Now you better start talking. Why is this girl covered in bruises and what are you even trying to accomplish here?"
The woman hardly spared them a glance. She simply turned on her heel and began walking away.
"She's your problem now." The stranger snapped before she took off at full speed, leaving behind her sobbing daughter.
Kagome clicked her tongue in frustration.
What exactly was she supposed to do now?
"It's alright little one," She first tried to soothe the inconsolable child. "You're safe now."
She set the girl down and took a moment to take stock of her condition. The child was thinner than most around her age. Her skin was frighteningly pale yet her cheeks were red and swollen from the amount of times she'd been hit. A dark bruise marred the young girl's wrist where her mother had been pulling on her.
"I'm Kagome, what your name sweetheart?" She softened her tone as she tried to get some basic information from the child.
The girl sniffled she she rubbed at her eyes, "Eri."
"That's a beautiful name. I actually used to have a friend with that same name." Kagome pressed her palm to the crown of Eri's head affectionately, "Was that your mama that dropped you off here, Eri?"
The girl nodded, "She said that I break people and that this was the only place I belong."
Her brows furrowed at that, "What do you mean?"
Eri lifted her hand to pat the small horn protruding from her forehead, "It's my quirk. I can't control it."
Kagome blinked as she spotted small flicks of golden light spark from the end of her horn. She had no idea what sort of power Eri held but she knew at least one person that could help her train the child.
"Well you've come to the right place because I know the perfect person to help you." Kagome then lifted her into her arms, "But first let's get you cleaned up. I bet those cheeks hurt quite a bit. We'll go ice them down." Her smile softened as Eri's tears slowly began to dry, "Are you hungry?"
Poor thing looked as if she hadn't had a proper meal in weeks. Protocol be damned, she wasn't going to turn this child over to the system until she was satisfied that Eri would be safe.
The loud growl of Eri's stomach gave Kagome the only answer she needed.
She brought the girl into her arms as she carried her towards the kitchen.
She'll give both Aizawa and Hawks a call once she had Eri settled in. For now though, she was going to take care of her.
"Welcome to your new home, Eri." Kagome swept her palm over the child's face, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "We'll help you control that quirk of yours so there's no need to fear." Her smile softened, "There are no monsters here. Not even you."
Regardless of what this child's past was, she would make sure that she would have the brightest future possible.
Eri's eyes welled with tears once more as she began to cry in earnest. Kagome pulled the girl close to her heart and soothed her.
Criminals weren't the only ones that fell through the cracks. Sometimes, it was children too.
She began to hum a soft tune that her own mother used to for her.
She would give Eri the future her father never had.
