"Speaking of which, Mom," Rei said, the initial relief now giving way to confusion as she watched her mother eat. "Why are you here alone? And how are you this hungry? With your skills, I can't believe you couldn't even manage to get food."
Kiriko's expression darkened. "Don't get me started. I'm still furious about it. I originally went out with the best intentions—to find supplies for the whole neighborhood. At first, everyone worked together, and it went well. But after the power went out, everything changed… Yesterday, I saw we were almost out of food and suggested another run. Everyone was too scared to go out, so I went alone…"
She paused, took a sip of milk, and her voice grew tight with anger. "When I came back, they wouldn't let me in. Some… outsiders had gotten inside and had turned everyone against me. I shouted and pleaded, but they not only refused to open the door, they threatened me with a gun. It was pouring rain, and my shouting drew the infected. I had to fight my way clear and ended up hiding in this house. If I hadn't found some dry clothes here, I'd probably have pneumonia by now."
"How could they? That's despicable!" Rei exclaimed, her own anger flaring.
Saya adjusted her glasses, her analyst's mind clicking into gear. "Aunt Kiriko, I take it you didn't actually find any food on that trip?"
Kiriko shook her head bitterly. "No. The nearby areas were picked clean."
"So they were afraid of sharing dwindling resources and cut you out," Saya concluded. "A survival-of-the-fittest calculus."
"Hmph! After all I tried to do for them!" Kiriko growled, tearing into another piece of bread with fierce energy.
Son Goku watched her for a moment, then spoke plainly. "If that's how it is, you should come with us."
Kiriko's dramatic side surfaced instantly. She cradled her cheek in one hand, tilting her head coquettishly. "That sounds almost like a proposal to elope! So, where exactly are we eloping to, young man?" Then, just as quickly, she shifted back to a serious, pragmatic tone. "If there's no clear destination, we'll just run into more trouble. Just wanting to survive isn't enough of a plan."
"Don't worry about that, Mom!" Rei interjected, looking at Son Goku. "Goku is incredibly strong. And now, we've found almost everyone we needed to. We can go back to his world with him, right, Goku?"
Son Goku nodded. "That's the plan. Once I gather enough energy, we can leave this place for good."
"Leave this world?" Kiriko's eyes widened in theatrical shock. "You aren't planning some sort of shinjuu lovers' suicide pact, are you?"
Rei flushed. "Mom! It's nothing like that!" She sighed, shooting an exasperated look at Goku. "You'd better let me explain…"
"Go ahead," Son Goku said with a resigned shrug. "Why does this happen every time…"
After about ten minutes of explanation, Kiriko's expression settled into one of thoughtful calm. Given her resilient and adaptable nature, she took the revelation of other worlds and cosmic energy collection surprisingly well.
"In that case, I'll go with you," she stated with a firm nod. "There's nothing left for me to cling to in this world now."
"Mom…" Rei began hesitantly, her voice dropping. "Aren't you… going to ask about Dad?"
"Masaki? He wouldn't be killed by something like this," Kiriko said, her tone deliberately light, though a shadow passed behind her eyes. "And even if he was… it would have been while protecting someone. For him, that would be a worthy death. I'm sure of it."
Rei bit her lip, tears welling up. "Dad… is dead."
Kiriko's body went rigid. The casual mask shattered. "Wh-what did you say? Masaki… is really gone?"
The dam broke. Rei's tears spilled over as she buried her face against her mother. "He died… I saw him turn into one of them… I… I had to…" She couldn't finish, but the horrible implication hung in the air.
Kiriko's hand trembled as she gently stroked her daughter's hair, her voice losing all its earlier bravado, softening into raw grief. "Rei… my poor girl… It's okay… Even without your father… you still have me…"
"You have all of us, too, Rei," Saeko said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. The other girls murmured their agreement.
"That's right, Rei-neechan!" Alice chimed in with innocent wisdom. "Just cry really loud! I cried a lot when my daddy went away, and then I felt better!"
Rei took a shuddering breath, wiping her eyes. Looking at Alice, a fresh wave of perspective washed over her. She still has her mother. She's not the one who should be feeling the most pitiful here.
As she composed herself, a new, more complicated thought arose. She looked from Son Goku's impassive face to her mother's. With his…appetites… if Mom comes with us, she'll end up just like Yuriko and Saya, won't she? The idea was unsettling, yet the alternative—leaving her mother behind—was unthinkable. She sighed inwardly. It seems that rogue is about to get another prize… What can I do?
"Alright," Son Goku announced, breaking the somber mood. "We should move. We only need about two thousand more energy points, and we can leave."
Shizuka tilted her head, a practical problem occurring to her. "But the Humvee… it's already packed. We can't possibly fit another person."
She was right. The vehicle was at absolute capacity. Son Goku thought for a moment. "In that case, all of you wait here. I'll go collect the remaining energy myself and come back for you."
"That seems to be the only way," Saeko agreed, and the others nodded.
Before leaving, Son Goku prioritized their safety. He scavenged several heavy security doors from neighboring houses and used his strength to reinforce the entry points of their temporary shelter, effectively barricading them inside. Only when he was satisfied with the fortifications did he take his leave, a lone figure heading back out into the silent, dangerous streets to finish his task.