The Never Ending Market.

(An: 2025 woooo!)

.

.

.

.

[W5, HOTD]

 [Tagaki estates, 9:45 PM]

.

Kanae groaned softly as her senses began to return, the light from a chandelier above her casting soft, hazy shapes that made her squint. The room was unfamiliar, elegant even, but lacked the cold sterility of a hospital. Her head swam as she tried to sit up, muscles protesting after what felt like hours of stillness.

"Where… where am I?" she murmured, her voice hoarse and unfamiliar to her own ears.

Before she could gather her bearings, a slow creak of the door shifted her attention. Her vision blurry without her glasses, she tried to squint her eyes to dicern the shape, only to feel a sudden rush of weight and warmth on her. Arms wrapped tightly around her midsection, making her still tired body jolt from the abrupt action.

"I thought I'd never see you again, ka-san!" The voice broke into sobs, high-pitched and trembling, and Kanae's eyes widened instantly. That voice—one she hadn't heard in what felt like a lifetime—was unmistakable. Her heart caught in her throat as she turned sharply, her arms instinctively wrapping around the small figure clutching her tightly.

"Miu," she breathed, her voice breaking. Relief, joy, and disbelief washed over her all at once. She pulled her daughter closer, her hand gently rubbing her back in soothing circles. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here now," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion as her own tears slipped free.

Miu clung to her mother desperately, her sobs muffled against Kanae's side. The highschooler small hands gripped tightly at her clothes, as if afraid that letting go would cause her to vanish again. Kanae's fingers ran through her daughter's dark hair, whispering soft reassurances as tears streaked silently down her own cheeks. The fear she had carried deep in her chest—that she would never see her daughter alive—melted away in this moment.

Minutes passed as they held onto each other, neither wanting to break the embrace. Finally, Miu loosened her grip, sniffling as she pulled back just enough to meet her mother's gaze. Her cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes puffy and red, but the relief on her face was unmistakable.

That gave her time to think on her current situation. Kanae cupped her daughter's face gently, her thumbs brushing away the lingering wetness. "Miu, sweetheart… how long have I been asleep for?" she asked gently, her voice laced with concern.

Miu sniffled again, "Ah… um, a few hours? Close to four, I think. I— I saw you sit up when I came to check on you again. I should have waited till you fully recovered but—" she stammered, wiping her nose on her sleeve, but paused as a hand stopped her, landing on her shoulder.

Kanae's smile grew, "It's alright, knowing that you are safe, it made me feel more relief than pained." She tiredly chuckled. " I can finally rest both physically and mentally after having a heavy load lifted off of me." She took the moment to truly look at her daughter, scanning her closely for any signs of injury. Miu seemed unharmed, her clothes intact, no visible cuts or bruises, though Kanae knew she would need to check more thoroughly later. Her instincts as a mother, especially in such a chaotic world, wouldn't allow her to leave anything to chance.

Kanae's momentary relief was replaced by a jolt of unease as she realized her usual grocer's attire was no longer on her. Instead, she was dressed in simple, clean garments unfamiliar to her. Her hands instinctively went to her sides, searching for the pockets that should have held her device. Panic fluttered in her chest. 'If I've lost it... will I still be able to get back?'

Her daughter's perception, noticed her mother's concerned expression and where her hands were moving. "Ah, we changed your clothes to check for injuries. Thankfully, there weren't any," Miu explained, letting out a small sigh of relief.

Kanae's shoulders relaxed slightly, but her thoughts lingered on the missing device. "Is that so…" she said softly, her voice steady but still laced with unease. "Then… did you check the pockets? Was anything left inside?"

"Not much," Miu replied, stepping over to the bedside drawer. "There was a mirror they told me to hold onto it." She opened the drawer and handed Kanae the small, familiar device issued by the market. "And this pot, too. They said you were clutching it when they found you." Her hand gestured to the pot resting atop the bed drawer, right next to her glasses.

Kanae let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. 'A mirror?' She turned the object over in her mind, curious. 'Does it only reflect its contents to me?' She made a mental note to ask about it later.

"Thank you," Kanae said, giving her daughter a warm smile before placing the device beside her, and reached out to wear her glasses, luckily they were intact but it had subtle scratches on the lenses. As she adjusting to the surroundings with a better vision, a soft knock sounded from the door. The creak of hinges followed, and a familiar voice drifted in.

"Is it our turn to say hello, or do you two need more time?" The voice was warm, with a tinge of humor Kanae recognized immediately.

Her lips curved into a soft smile. "You can come in; it's fine," she called gently.

Before the door could fully open, Miu quickly got to her feet, her face reddening. "I need to wash my face!" she blurted, clearly embarrassed by the thought of showing her tear-streaked cheeks to anyone else. She kept her head low, darting toward the door as she tried to hide her flushed face with her hands.

Kanae couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's actions. As Miu shuffled out of the room and left, that was the queue for masaru to step in, interrupted by a polite cough, drawing Kanae's attention to his.

"Good to see you awake, Sato-san," Masaru greeted, his tone both warm and relieved. His gaze briefly settled on her. "So… I'm guessing that massive plant outside was your doing judging by how you rested close to it." He paused as he silently inspected the pot on the bedside. "I wouldn't be surpised if you bought these powers from that strange market. How much did it cost you? Must be a fortune." His chuckle carried a hint of disbelief.

Kanae chuckled "It is, one of the benefits of working there." A faint smile graced her lips.

"Ah right, you did mention you chose to work there. Still can't tell if it's good a idea. I mean we barely know how that place functions or what's it's intention." Masaru scratched his head, feeling uncomfortable to not dig deeper on the mystery.

 Sensing the need to steer the conversation away, she tilted her head and asked, "What about Miyamoto-san? I assumed he'd be with you."

Masaru's expression shifted slightly, though he kept his tone casual. "He's handling some business outside the estate. You know how he gets when things need to be done."

Kanae nodded knowingly but refrained from pressing further. She had a feeling she understood what sort of "business" he meant, but now wasn't the time to dig into it. "And your son?" she asked, her curiosity genuine. "Is he here too?"

Masaru leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms with an air of nonchalance. "Yeah, he's here. He's in another room with those his age. Honestly, I'm just glad and slightly surprised, thought he'd be more rebellious of sorts."

Knock knock...

Before Kanae could respond, a firm knock sounded at the door. Both turned their heads as the door creaked open without waiting for an invitation. Two figures stepped inside, their presence immediately shifting the atmosphere.

Kanae's eyes widened in recognition as she spotted Souichiro Takagi, the imposing politician whose reputation preceded him. His crisp, tailored suit and commanding demeanor made it impossible to mistake him for anyone else. Behind him stood a woman Kanae didn't recognize but quickly deduced that she was his partner.

"Kanae Sato, is that correct?" His voice carried a commanding authority, "I've already been informed by Komuro-san here about who you are and what brought you to this estate." He folded his arms, the weight of his words lingering. "I only need to confirm one thing. Was that giant plant your doing?"

Kanae dipped her head slightly in a respectful gesture, adjusting her posture to show deference. "Yes, sir," she answered firmly. "It was my doing. I did what I had to do to save as many people as possible."

Soichiro raised a brow at her response, studying her with calculated curiosity. "And you did that," he began, his tone sharp and probing, "because you knew your kin was taking shelter here?"

Her chest tightened at the question, the implication surprising her. She forced herself to remain calm, allowing only a slight exhale before replying, "No, sir. I didn't know my daughter was here until now."

The faintest smirk tugged at Soichiro's lips, a crack in his otherwise stoic facade. "Mindsets like yours are rare these days," he said, his words carrying an edge of both praise and caution. "However…" The smirk vanished as quickly as it appeared, his demeanor returning to its usual sternness. "We can't waste any more time than necessary. A phenomenon like this—" he gestured subtly toward where the massive tree had been visible, "—is bound to draw more of those things. If what Komuro-san says about this 'market' is true, then it is our only viable option to ensure the survival of as many people as possible. After witnessing such events, it made it a possibility that such a place can exist, how else could you gain and utilize these powers."

Kanae blinked, her mind processing his words. She thought of the market, the missions she had undertaken, and the countless survivors she had already guided through its enigmatic gates. The mission she had been assigned was clear, but even without it, she would have chosen to help.

Her eyes locked with Soichiro's unrelenting gaze. "It's possible," she began carefully, "but I'll allow it under certain conditions."

Soichiro's posture shifted slightly, his arms tightening across his chest. His eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, his tone cold and firm. "Speak."

.

.

[Australia, Uluru base]

The dimly lit room hummed faintly with the sound of machinery as the large screen illuminated the space. The slideshow projected contrasting images: one, a massive tree in Japan, its roots strangling hordes of zombies like tendrils of nature itself reclaiming the earth, and another set of images showing similar phenomena—smaller barks engulfing undead figures, these dated from an before the giant tree occured.

Morgan leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled as his eyes scanned the pictures, dissecting each detail with precision. His expression remained unreadable, stoic, but there was a spark of intrigue in his otherwise cold demeanor. Two occurrences, eerily similar, yet separated by time. This was no random anomaly. Someone or something was behind it.

The faint chime of his phone snapped him out of his reverie. The device vibrated softly on the desk beside him, the caller's name glowing on the screen. Without hesitation, he picked it up, his voice steady as he answered.

"How is it?"

The voice on the other end responded with calm. "We've secured two of the mentioned captives. They're en route to the castle as we speak. However…" there was a brief pause, "we encountered a couple of things. That weren't part of the initial target list, but after some evaluation, we believe it may have ties to that… thing."

Morgan narrowed his eyes, his focus sharpening. "Send over their profiles the moment they arrive. Ensure no detail is overlooked. I want a preliminary report ready for tomorrow's meeting. And," he added, his tone dropping to a subtle warning, "stay vigilant. I have a feeling this 'thing' won't stay hidden for long."

"I won't disappoint," the voice assured.

"You've done well, Mr. Hanamura," Morgan replied, his voice tinged with an uncharacteristic hint of approval. "Father will be pleased with your diligence." He ended the call and set the phone down on the table, his eyes drifting back to the screen.

The light flickered faintly, casting shadows that danced across the room as the slideshow transitioned to another set of images. His gaze fixed on one in particular—a tall, shadowy figure captured during the chaos at the bridge. It loomed over the scene, its form impossible to fully discern, but its presence undeniable.

Morgan's lips pressed into a thin line, his mind racing as he stared at the dark figure. Anticipation coiled tightly within him. "It's only a matter of time," he muttered under his breath. He leaned forward, tapping a button to freeze the image.

The figure remained, its void-like silhouette staring back at him, almost daring him to uncover its secrets.

.

.

.

.