Crush You, or Crush Your Enemies (Part 2)

DIMENSION: ANIME (The One that Pays to Save the Day)

Game Shop Some Time Later . . .

Mokuba waved at Yugi's spirit they all called Atem. "Hey, is Masika here?"

Atem gestured to the back.

That was normal. Masika didn't like to be in Atem's presence much. She was in the back counting things. "Hi, Masika."

Masika waved to him. "Mokuba, hello."

"Can you do me a huge favor?" Mokuba asked her. "It's a really big favor." He wouldn't sugarcoat it. Kaiba had tried several things with Serenity, without getting aggressive about it. None of it worked though. They would have to start getting meaner if he didn't find someone she connected to. "Please?"

Masika came toward him. "What is it?"

"Come with me in my car and head to Serenity Wheeler's with me?" he asked. "In exchange, I'll tell you a secret Kaiba's been hiding."

"More secrets?" Atem's voice wasn't far. "What I wonder are those?"

Shoot. Damn. Atem was a great guy. He really was, but every time he was around Masika, she just clammed up so fast. "Nothing to do with you," Mokuba told him. "It's a secret, and it's only for her, and only if she helps." He took her hand. "What do you say?"

Great, now she didn't want to say. Mokuba knew Atem was trying to get along. Yugi said so, he really was trying. Masika was just . . . not comfortable having a casual time with Atem. Too much past friction.

"I know that Kaiba wanted information on Serenity," Atem said to Mokuba. "I wonder if it has something to do with that?"

"I want Serenity and Masika to have a conversation," Mokuba said to him. "That's all." He better not try to use his power to make her spill secrets. "And you better not use your power over her to make her spill secrets!"

"I wouldn't use power over her." Atem seemed like he was bored over that statement. "I use nothing. If she talks, I'm The Greatest Pharaoh that cannot be Greatest Pharoah or 'Sir'."

Huh? "What do you mean?"

"Tea dictated she could not call me Greatest Pharoah," Atem said. "She couldn't accomplish that easily though. At least she is down to 'Sir' now." He leaned a little to the left from Mokuba. "Atem is still preferred, but not demanded, Masika."

Yeah. That look? Atem was a good guy. The only thing he wanted was to be treated like a normal person. To talk to Masika like a normal person. It would take a lot longer than a month though, Atem was involved in hurting her accidentally in the past. Even if he didn't know he killed her cat, and he didn't know about the curse of Kul Elna. It was hard to get past that kind of bitterness. "You'll get there, Atem," he encouraged him. "It'll just take time, don't push it."

"Oh, The Greatest Pharoah who isn't called The Greatest Pharaoh will never not push," Masika said. Almost offishly?

Yeah, that was definitely not in a nice way. "Is everything okay between you two?"

"We all have our own secrets," Atem answered. "You don't need to worry about us knowing Kaiba's secret, we already know. We saw his card."

"Really?"

"Yes. I don't know what you'd want Masika for, but your business is your business." Atem just moved away back to the front of the store.

Mokuba looked back toward her. He didn't know their secrets, but at least she could come peacefully. "Please come with me? For me?"

Masika nodded to Mokuba. "Sir, may I leave with Mokuba?"

"Of course," Atem told her. "Stay out as long as you wish."

She bowed toward Atem again and then quickly headed for the door. Mokuba was right behind her.

Atem watched them both leave, while Joey was coming back in. "A game?" Poor Joey. Without a plan, Joey tended to be more miserable lately. Today, he had an extra depressive flare.

"Nah." Joey's voice was soft. "You only got to ask questions, right? Of the gods and stuff?"

Hm. That didn't sound good. "Yes, only questions for us."

"So, they didn't volunteer anything else?" Joey asked.

"Nothing I can reveal yet to you Joey."

"Then did . . . wait, did you know?" Joey was definitely angry. "You couldn't know, you would tell me!"

His friend was very on edge. "It was not our place." The goddesses would share nothing of others.

"Screw not your place, yes it was!" he demanded. "I had the right to know about Mai!"

Mai? "What's wrong with Mai?" Atem asked.

"You mean, you don't know about that?" Joey asked. "Oh. Sorry, Atem. I jumped the gun." He closed his eyes and just hung his head. "I don't know much. Just, a cat like Ebonnee showed up when I was talking to her. I found out . . ." He wasn't speaking easily. "I'm scum."

"You found out you were scum?" That made no sense, Joey was not scum at all.

"I am. I? I had this stuff called God's Brew one time when I was talking to Mai about escaping," Joey confessed. "I woke up in her bed with her. I didn't want to frighten her away, she was already spooked enough to take a deal to get out. I crawled out of bed and acted like I slept on the ground."

God's Brew. "It's doubtful it was your fault, Joey." Bastet had used those words with Sekhmet. "Goddesses spoke of God's Brew."

"I looked the stuff up for Kaiba. It's a Duke Devlin side business."

"Duke Devlin?" What?

"He mentioned that the real owners are a familiar cat and lion goddess pair to you. I think I'm screwed," Joey admitted, "Last time I talked to her, Mai said she was pregnant. She thought it was Skeezy's. But I don't know, maybe, I mean?"

Oh, Joey! Those goddesses again! What could they have wanted from a child between him and Mai? "I don't have any doubt, Joey. I don't know why they would need something like that, but they made it happen."

"Then . . ." Joey kicked the counter. "Then Mai's got mine, but she's still caught with Skeezy!" He kicked the counter again and turned. "I gotta go before I bring this whole place down!"

Atem watched him run off. Why? Why did all of his friends have to keep hurting over this payment? They agreed to the sacrifice for them, but why did others not getting any say have to be pulled into it?

Kaiba must wield another card for Joey too.