Anzu and Satiahs Dillemma (Part 3)

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

"When Horakhty comes, we'll have three hours. It's what Bastet told us." Anzu sounded depressed with anger, neither emotion edging out the other. "Kaiba wasn't too far off. The power within us, will be used to create a new god with the next man we are with." She held her finger up to Yuugi. "Since we are the same person though, and there's a good chance we could get pushed together. One. One fathered for the two of the gods."

"One father?" Yuugi asked. "So. You're supposed to bear a god?"

She nodded. "I already talked this out with Satiah. She doesn't want you, Yuugi, and I don't want what she wants. To become whole and let the whole human tear be with Bakura."

"What?!"

"We can be unbonded," Anzu explained. "Apparently. I? I don't know what any of that would be like. If either of us are pregnant though, it throws everything off. So it's an all or nothing to survive type of deal."

"And with the ability to bear a god, it's likely Set will really come after them once he knows," Atem added. "I am sorry, Anzu. I never planned on bringing you into this."

"You gotta get the god or just get through the decision?" Jounouchi asked her. "I'm trying to help here. This is a new one for me."

"Just the decision. And then. Shove the name in the box for something." She shrugged. "Something that would help you now and in the future."

"Once Set knows what they carry," Sekhmet joined in. "He'll be using a much greater power to get them, and he has many on his side."

"Oh, Set just wants to win the game. They won't make much difference in it, it's for the future," Bastet corrected her.

"You're blind, Bastet." Sekhmet licked her arms and then looked at Atem and Yuugi. "You want to win humanity's safety and a new future? New gods will bring more power to Set's position, humanity won't be worth it. Place his name in the box, and give them to Set as wives on the condition he can't destroy humanity. All of that power would only strengthen his reputation. Game over before it began." She stretched.

"Did you really just tell us to give up our friends for an easy win?" Atem could not believe it. "Never. How dare you even utter it!"

Sekhmet growled, like she really wanted to attack Atem. A lot. But instead, she gave a final hiss and disappeared.

"Nobody's giving anyone away for anything." Yuugi looked toward Anzu, then glanced at Bakura. He brought Anzu closer to him.

"Oh great." Seto Kaiba jumped back into the conversation now that Shizuka stopped bleeding. "This place is just wasting my time now. Yuugi's going to get all emotional. Come on, Shizuka Kawai. We need to go to the bank."

"Understood." Shizuka waved to Jounouchi. "Goodbye, Big Brother."

"Wait." Jounouchi pointed at her. She pointed back. "You can see?"

"Temporary side effect of the dragon. Not very long. Please don't get excited." She waved again. "I'll see you. I'll miss you." She started to walk alongside Kaiba as they started to leave.

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Between the Desert of Last Chance Residency and Last Chance Grocery

Atem walked as he tried to think. It was him, Masika, Yuugi, Anzu and Jounouchi walking together. Walking, as if that would help them reach a conclusion. Bakura had gone his own way with Mokuba, but would be back to the Game Shop soon. If they are caught, and only one is pregnant, or the father is different, they will be killed. Once Set learns of it, he will come with a full force for them. He looked toward his right. Three hours only.

Yuugi was trying to walk with Anzu. ///Atem: This is bad. He's loved Anzu for a very long time./// He noticed Masika's awkwardness, walking clear on the other side. Hmm.

Atem moved over toward Masika. He had asked the question once about her feelings for Bakura and she couldn't answer. Not that she couldn't, but that she didn't truly know. In the end, she wasn't the full human tear either that had once existed. That had once been called Rider. ///Atem: She uses Masika and Satiah, just as I use Atem./// Knowing this, it would be a good idea to get a straighter answer.

"I'm not in the mood for company, Atem." She sighed.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Atem said. "You said that you didn't know if you did love Bakura."

"I know where this is going. This is not a conversation to have." She almost seemed to wriggle away further.

Atem wouldn't let it go though. He moved back to her.

"Anzu and I are irritated enough at each other," she said. "Saying anything more will not help."

"This is a little above standard secrets." Atem looked ahead. The grocery store was closer than the bank, but it still felt a mile away. "Look around you. Is this a world where pettiness should exist right now?"

"If I tell you, then you have to keep a secret. Even from Yuugi, because she will tell him when she's ready." Masika looked ahead. "The store is still so far away. Hmph. Part of me wants to be happy I can feel the sunlight and walk. Another part would much rather crawl into the soul room and just relax to check up on progress later."

Atem found himself smirking, but tried to hide it. It was true, some of the long personal work was better left to someone else. "The walk adds more pressure to the journey by the distance." Atem had to think on what she said before the walking conversation. She was trying to distract his attention with a different subject. "As long as the secret isn't kept for long, I'll keep it," he decided.

"Anzu and I were joined together for a few seconds, to be the whole human tear. A few seconds is enough to explore an eternity of memories, and gain some others back. In other words?" She sighed. "If it came down to it, she could bond with me, and we would be most comfortable with Bakura."

"She remembers being with Bakura." Hmm. "Is that new memories for you too? You didn't answer forthcomingly when I asked about Bakura at the restaurant."

"Feelings are different than actions," she responded.

There was something hanging in the air between them. Something he'd figured out but something she never spoke of. It wasn't his business at all. It was the past, something that couldn't be changed, and a different culture. Most likely, the whole of Atem had his own culture, away from what he knew too.

Memory wise though, they were enabled to remember differently. He remembered what he could get from the Land of Memories, and he learned of his time by being in the afterlife. On the brief times he would come out.

She remembered differently. The reason for the separation, saving Bakura The Bandit King, and mostly running. She didn't even remember the afterlife, only a vision of Mahado she had assumed was the Dark Magician from seeing him used in duels.

It was time to ask. "How much of you feels like the real Masika?" He glanced at her. "From what I can tell, she would have been used to uncomfortable situations."

She crossed her arms. "I don't remember any of it, but the way I was always clinging to get away. The way my heart raced. The way I felt no sympathy or sorrow that time I saw Bakura cut out tongues from everyone. It must have been bad. But, no. I have no memories of any of what you are asking for."

"If you did, this wouldn't be a problem," Atem said. "You could be with Yuugi."

She shook her head. "Forget it, the whole does not know Yuugi, and I am not doing that as me. Forget these future gods, humanity won't need them. It'll figure itself out."

Right there. Even now, she was keeping her body so tight as she walked along the ground. "Part of me resides here. Always. Domino City is home. But, another part is also home. I am neither here nor there, and neither are you, Masika."

She stopped briefly in the sand, glanced toward Anzu, and then continued forward. "Why do you continue that? No one else calls me that. Especially now, it's all just confusing."

"Rider. Satiah. Masika. They are all better than Nameless Spirit." He yawned unexpectedly. Shoot . "That was not the right time for that."

Masika chuckled. "The body does it's functions, whether we like it or not. Last night, it wasn't easy to go to sleep." She glanced toward Jounouchi. "It will be even harder tonight for him. Maybe you should walk closer to him?"

"Jounouchi wants to be alone right now. He's also taking time with the mirror," Atem said. "Blast it. I think this is the farthest I've ever walked in sand. Camels and horses make this easier."

"Funny. It feels too familiar to me," she said. "More than sand. Walking. Walking everywhere. Walking before horses. Then again?" She shook her head.

"Anzu!"

Atem turned. Anzu looked pained. He glanced back toward Masika. She was pained too. "You suffer the same memories at the same time."

"Side effect, yes," Masika confessed. "Ever since the beginning. Long ago memories are harder on the head. Fortunately, they only seem to crop up every once in awhile. It'll be gone in a few minutes." She started to make her way up the appearance of the steeper cliff.

"Then, will you share?" Atem asked. "How far back?"