Bakura's Choice (Part 1)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

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Kaiba's Home

"Watch the door," Kaiba instructed Shizuka Kawai. If Mai was having dreams of the future, her subconscious was bound to not catch all of the details. If she dreamed the same thing over and over, it'll be well rooted. With the rod, he could get in her mind in ways she wished no one could. As long as she was asleep though, it shouldn't be a problem.

Unless Jounouchi came, which was why Shizuka Kawai was watching the door.

"This won't hurt her?" Shizuka asked one more time. "You are getting permission?"

"No and yes." He used the millennium rod. He would never hear the end of it if he just watched unannounced. Besides, he'd get a better view if she allowed him in willingly. However, there's no way she'd say yes on the outside. People were more likely to give permission when he was already on the inside.

Mai's Dream

Seto Kaiba was right beside the hospital door. She was right up ahead on the bed with Atem and Yuugi. The other side would have Anzu and the other spirit. Jounouchi hadn't appeared yet. "If you're getting tired of playing this dream game, Mai Kujaku, I can end this."

She turned to look at him. "Kaiba?"

"Yep. Unlike you stuck in your bed, or only allowed to remember certain things, I have a full scale view. If you allow me in." He hadn't moved from the door. "It's your choice."

She was furious, no doubt, but? "If you can end it, fine, but you better end it!"

"Great." He walked to the window first to get a view. He stuck his head out. There was actually no glass.

The air was hot and dry. No one was out there. There wasn't any rubble, which was strange. There should have been buildings, demolished or otherwise, out there. She got the apocalypse part right. ///Seto: It's as dry as the desert.///

To the other side was a steady stream of water. ///Seto: That shouldn't be there./// He tucked his head back in and looked in front of her. There was no baby yet. Probably the next part of the dream. He noticed Atem and Yuugi on one side, trying to look happy. He looked over toward Anzu and her spirit. "Nah. Yuugi would be next to Anzu. Oh." Hmm. He moved away from the front and it all started to make sense.

He watched Jounouchi come in front of the window, holding a baby. He called her Mana.

"So you can end this?" Mai asked, unmoved by the feeling of seeing a child she knew was only in her dreams. Night after night.

"Yep."

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Outside of Mai's Dream Again

"You asshole!" Now Mai was ready to complain. "If Jounouchi knew you used that-that thing-!"

"Last time you have the dream again," Kaiba interrupted her. "I walked in your nightmare, and I got rid of it. Even now." Kaiba sighed. The sights he had seen. What was part of the scare and what was not? "How did Anzu and her spirit look each time?"

"They all had happy faces," Mai said. "They all looked happy. Sometimes it's nice outside and sometimes it's terrible. It's a nightmare and a dream. I can never decide which."

"It's just a dream. Nothing big. Not worth my time." Kaiba got up and headed out.

Shizuka followed behind him as he went back to check on Mokuba. "What is it?"

"There are a lot of details in that dream she can't pick up," Kaiba revealed. "It's better if she doesn't."

"Does . . . does she die in childbirth?" Shizuka Kawai asked timidly.

"Pretty good guess. Who knows?" It was just better to keep the details under wraps. ///Seto: Some things just shouldn't be shared./// He arrived back in Mokuba's room and found Satiah beside his bed again. ///Seto: She is way too familiar with my brother.///

They weren't the only ones. The Pharaoh, Anzu, Yuugi, and-

"Put a big dent in the whole end of the world plan today," Jounouchi said toward Shizuka. "You don't have to worry about helping Kaiba. We need to get out Honda, and you guys."

///Seto: Honda. Maybe I do have a way to make Jounouchi back off./// "Breaking into Kaiba Corporation was a serious no-no. We all know he did it."

"What?" Jounouchi was not the only one upset about the statement. "What do you mean? Honda was just worried."

"He was still a thug who broke into my business. Mokuba won't do anything," Kaiba said. "I never said I'd drop everything. Go ahead and see if they release him if you want though. You never know. Power of friendship and all." Heh heh. He loved using that phrase against them.

"Kaiba!" That yell was from Pharaoh.

"Or maybe we can make an agreement?" Kaiba glanced at Shizuka Kawai then back to Jounouchi. She wouldn't say she would like the deal, because she was a 'good sister' and a 'good girlfriend'. But deep down? He'd be doing her a favor. It would also get Jounouchi off his back. "I'm fairly sure having you around and constantly trying to change Shizuka Kawai's mind isn't helping her. Boyfriends either."

"You scum, you lying scum!" Jounouchi was ready to fight, but like always, Yuugi tried to hold him back. "You can't keep me or Honda from seeing Shizuka!"

"I didn't say that. Come visit if she wants you to, you or Honda. But? Continue to complain?" Kaiba smirked. "For the duration of this whole saving the world time, you're going to give me peace and quiet about the issue."

"This is the guy you are supporting, Shizuka!" Jounouchi yelled at her.

"Jounouchi." Pharaoh stayed calm. "Just agree."

"But?" Jounouchi looked back toward Shizuka again. "Don't you see?"

"I've told you, Big Brother. I won't change my mind." She didn't get loud, but she stayed firm. Good. She did have some backbone.

"Fine. Going to go see Mai first anyway." He looked toward Kaiba. "You better not have done anything to her," Jounouchi warned him.

"Yeah, add that to the deal too. I walked in her dreams. No more complaints." Once again, Jounouchi tried something, but this time Atem and Yuugi and Anzu held him back. "I stopped her reoccurring nightmare. No need to say thanks." Kaiba watched them all start to leave except Satiah. She may have been quiet but she had a mind of her own. Didn't always follow the crowd.

"That hurt him, he's concerned about Mai," Shizuka Kawai said to Kaiba. "Stopping the nightmares was a good thing, you shouldn't have put it that way. Don't hurt him more than you have to. He's my brother."

Giving him orders? ///Seto: If she didn't have the dragon./// "He wouldn't have stopped. Endless annoyance. It would go on with Honda too. I cut it off before it could start. That's how you do business." He watched then as . . . "Mokuba?"

Mokuba started to get out of bed? "I have to go to the bathroom, Seto," he answered. "Sorry."

"You're moving?" He wasn't in any pain? No, his brother looked fine as he left to the bathroom. He glanced toward Satiah. ///Seto: She must have done something. Breathed on him. Kissed his forehead. Something. Mokuba's in no pain and he's moving like normal./// Okay, fine. Forget what he thought previously. She could visit his little brother whenever she wanted to. In fact? "If you want to stay longer, Satiah, I can drop you off later."

She didn't seem as fond of the dialogue. Probably because of their little squabble about her being an Egyptian whore and not being a sacrifice.

Yuugi, Jounouchi, Anzu, and Atem came back.

"Satiah, you need to stay up with us," Anzu said to her. "We need to get going."

"Kaiba said he would drop me off later," Satiah told her.

Jounouchi was standing next to Mai now having collected her, peering into the room, but he didn't say anything. Yuugi waited by the door as well.

"We should go, Anzu." Pharaoh walked in. "Kaiba will bring her back when she is ready."

Anzu looked one more time toward her. "If you're sure. Don't stay too long."

"She can stay as long as she wants," Kaiba said. "My brother left to the bathroom. Not feeling ill, numb, dizzy or hurting. She can hang out as long as she desires."

"She isn't under your control." Jounouchi barely watched his mouth.

"Hi, everybody." Mokuba waved to all of them as he came around the corner. "Wow, everybody really came today."

"Yeah, that's right. You're feeling better?" Yuugi asked.

"Yeah. I wasn't at first," Mokuba answered Yuugi. "I'm doing much better now." He looked toward Seto Kaiba. "I'm doing great, Seto. Can we watch something together?"

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