A Different Sacrifice (Part 1)

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

Joey felt weird with all Kaiba's bodyguards around him, but he didn't let it show. He remained steady and watched as Mai came straight over, accompanied by a bunch of other guards. "Mai Valentine."

"How?" She asked him. "How did you get Seto Kaiba to help?" Kaiba stood right next to her and gave her a card. "What's this?"

"Your own personal hell," Kaiba said. "Enjoy."

"I don't know why he helped. Goddesses I guess," Joey said. "I'm thankful for this miracle."

"Well, I didn't get much choice." Definitely upset. Not an ounce happy as she looked at the card. "Bastard."

"Pardon me for wanting to remove you from a crime boss."

"That's not what I mean." She was gritting her teeth. "I had it all worked out, Joey, I knew what I was doing. You!" She pushed him in the chest. "You lied and kept secrets from me. You're just as bad as Skeezy."

Ooh. "So you knew before the card?"

"A freaking cat told me," she growled. "I accept that dumb things happen with alcohol. I am more flirty and more flimsy with morals, but you hiding it from me couldn't be more wrong!"

Yeah, she knew. "It wasn't us. I didn't remember either," Joey said to her. "That God's Brew, it's actually pretty close to it's name. Made by the gods, to make us mess up."

"It was stupid. Why didn't you gloat afterwards, instead of keeping it a secret?"

"Like I said, I am sorry. We still got off lighter."

"Lighter?" Still so angry. "What do you mean lighter?"

"Because at least you have your body full time."

Joey watched as Yugi or Atem (whichever, he'd figure it out pretty fast) came walking up to them. "Thanks for coming out."

"Why not?" he said. "I can be here to lend support to a friend. Friends, actually." Yugi looked toward Kaiba. "Thanks for waiting to tell him."

Yep, that was Yug. Joey gestured to Yug. "Yug has a way bigger problem, Mai. You wanna tell her?"

"Not really, you can."

"So somehow, either Yugi and Atem, or the Bakura's, are going to be trapped with Masika and Téa."

Mai looked toward Yugi. "All I can say is, I'm sorry, Yugi, to hear that. It can't be easy going through that. How's it gonna be decided?"

"Téa and Masika, when they agree," Yugi said. "That's what we think. There's no set rules on what should happen, but that seems likely. They have to choose who they want to be with forever."

"Oh. I'm sorry. That sounds rough." Still, she glared right back at Joey. "We all got rough spots."

"He was trying to make sure you didn't reject anything he could find to leave Skeezy," Yugi said toward her. "Plus, God's Brew is more wicked than you know. Joey?" He looked toward Joey. "There's another reason I wanted to come see you when you were here with Kaiba. I wanted to tell you, face to face."

More? "What is it?"

"The reason Seto Kaiba helped you. The reason he's here right now too," Yugi warned him. "He and Serenity are involved in payment too."

Joey just stared at him for a bit. "Yug. Don't say it."

"Can't escape truth, Wheeler," Kaiba spoke to him. "What else was going to make me do all this?"

"Joey. Kaiba and Serenity-"

Joey covered his ears. "Oh my gaw, don't say it!" He closed his eyes but opened one to look at Yugi. He uncovered his ears. "I'm gonna be a big baby about this, I don't care how old I am!"

"You'll piss and moan like an infant even when you're too old to eat by yourself," Kaiba said to him.

" . . . they have to have a baby too." Yug finished it, nonetheless. He glanced toward Mai. "Everyone is hurting and scarred by the payment we paid. All the details are on your card."

Joey interrupted again. "So now, I'm supposed to sit back and let Seto Kaiba have my baby sister because he . . .?" Joey's fists were tight. "He doesn't belong with her at all! She's dating Tristan anyhow! So how's he taking it?"

"Oh." Yug didn't look so keen on telling him. "Serenity has just moved in with Kaiba for you. She hasn't agreed to any marriage yet." He didn't mention Tristan at all.

"Good, 'cause he can't! That thing was a payment, it doesn't deserve to be raised by the likes of him!"

"Oh yeah, 'cause Joey Wheeler is gonna be a much finer example!" Mai let him have it right back. "I'm staying with you and them guards of Kaiba's until they pull whatever miraculous thing they've got out, and then I'm off."

What? "Naw, you can't leave again. That's mine."

"It's not a ticket to keep me, just like it ain't no ticket for Kaiba to keep your sister," Mai reminded him.

"Sorry, Joey," Yugi said to him. "I couldn't tell you this over the phone. I had to do this, face to face. Serenity wanted to, but."

"I don't blame her." He didn't blame her at all. "She don't have to worry about me like that, I don't blame her for anything." He glared at Kaiba. "I blame you!"

"He's not to blame either," Yug tried to cover, but Joey just felt! Argh! Yeah okay he wasn't, but it still felt better to pin it on him!

"You still should have told me," Mai told him again.

"I'll make it up to ya," Joey promised to her as he took her bag. "It was all the God's Brew fault."

"I told ya, I don't care about that for an excuse. It made it happen, fine, but it didn't tell you not to tell me," she came back with. "Serenity and Kaiba worked it out."

"Cards help," Kaiba just had to butt in.

Joey ignored him. "Right." Mai was right. "Sorry, for not telling you. I planned on it afterwards, once you were safe."

"I hope that's right," she said. "Otherwise, that was really cruel, Joey."

"I really did," Joey tried to convince her. "I even told Atem about it. I wouldn't have hid it and then told my friends."

"Fine." Still mad. "We'll see how things go. But don't expect nothing else special from me, Joey Wheeler. You are lucky to stay friend, and only if the Pharaoh confirms that statement."

"Never looking for a relationship, just an old friendship. It was all the brew," he insisted again.

"Okay." Mai was starting to relax until she looked at the card. Mai freaked out. "I'm having a monster?!" She looked back at the card. "What the hell does potential hybrid mean?!"

Oh. Yeah. "It's just someone who could control them, or maybe become partly one? But it's a cool one, a pretty one, the Dark Magician Girl. So, you know, not like she couldn't go to school or nothing."

"Are you kidding? The kid could destroy it's first daycare, Joey!"

"Naw, because the payment is the power. It'll be a regular baby," Joey said to her. "All it's power is leaving to aid someone else."

"So we get shoved to pay a huuuuuge bill, and all the power just goes somewhere else? It's not fair!" Mai complained.

"I know, Mai, but you really need to watch your words. Goddesses apparently like flesh, it doesn't take much to trigger them to bite."

Mai moved backwards, frightened a bit. "Thanks for the warning." She bit on the inside of her cheek as she stared at Joey. "I want my own bed and my own room. I better have those."

"Got it all cleared out," Joey insisted. "Got some guards on the outside and the parameters, and it'll be cozy and safe. We'll get rid of Skeezy and then you'll be free. To an extent," he added. "We gotta agree about the future."

She pushed past him. "I want to lie down, throw my stuff on the ground, and spend some time by myself in my own room for awhile, Wheeler. Got it?"

"Yeah. No problem." Joey looked at Yugi. "This ain't gonna be easy, Yug. She's pissed as hell."

"At least she's safe, and she's here with you now," Yugi encouraged him. "Give her time. Give Serenity some time too to adjust."

"Can't I just fight this huge old fight instead of paying for it?" Joey asked.

"No. This is all we can do to contribute to the fight for reality," Yugi insisted. "Trust me, we've asked."

"Yeah. I figured it'd be something like that." Joey held Mai's bag close. "This is just the part I guess we're stuck with. I'm right behind you, Mai!" He yelled toward her. He glared at Kaiba though. "Thanks. I needed help. I'm not a gateway to Serenity."

"Yes you are," Kaiba disagreed. "It doesn't matter how much you hate me, Wheeler. Serenity will appreciate saving your life and Mai Valentine."

"My life isn't on the line!"

"You are a reckless moron, Wheeler. You would eventually screw this up yourself."

"Just head out, Joey," Yug insisted. "Mai's getting further away."

She didn't break her stride at all as half the guards had kept up with her. For now, Joey would drop this with Kaiba. His help was keeping her safe. Hopefully he saw Tristan soon too. He knew that Tristan was upset about Mai, but he still wished he would have shown up. This was a difficult time for everybody.