Goodbye Domino City (Part 1)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

Kaiba's Home

"I promise, Mai, I'm going to go look at the enemy's place with Atem, Yuugi and Anzu. I'm his backup. I got his monster," he tried to explain. "I promise, I'll come back soon." Mai was still shaken up. "We got translations that never got to the guy. Atem took care of the Dragon Cards and the guy. There isn't even a fragment left of him." There wasn't, Atem was mad. "I was fine then, and I'll be fine now. I'll be back soon."

Mai nodded. "I just want it to be over. I want it to be all over. I think I want to move to America with Anzu and Satiah."

"What?" Aw, really? "We're having this talk? Look, just quit the America talk right now. We'll discuss it after we go check this guy's house and find whatever he had." Jounouchi didn't want to go to America. "Besides, Anzu might not go. She wasn't going to."

"Yes and then stuff really happened, Jounouchi, and now she wants to. If I go, I could take my winnings and make sure she's okay. She or Satiah could translate for me until I learn the language. We'd be fine."

"I promise, I'll discuss it when I get back to you. Just eat something and I'll be back before you know it." He stole a kiss on the cheek. "Promise."

"You better." Still, she didn't look so good.

"Hey, maybe there's a movie on tonight?" He reached in his wallet. "Why don't you get something to eat while we watch something tonight?"

"A night in?" She took the money with her usual flair. She seemed to like that. "With expensive takeout when you get back."

"Plenty of takeout. A movie with yummy takeout. Your choice." He was getting her warmed up again to him.

"Okay, Jounouchi. When we get home, I'm popping in my favorite movie tonight and we'll eat good food but you better get back here soon. I don't like being just left behind. You already did it once to me."

"Australia going down and coming back up. A lot of people died, just treated like they were toys! I had to help Atem so that he could find the guy who did it. It had to come first. I came back as soon as I could. I would take you, Mai, but I don't want you to break down again. Kaiba's is the safest place right now until I get back. He's got the best security and updated it even more now."

"Fine, then we'll discuss everything when you get back. Just. I feel it now," she said.

"Feel what?" Jounouchi asked. Oh? "The baby?"

"Mana. Yeah, I feel her presence. I know she's in there now." She sighed. "It's a strange feeling, not quite feeling alone anymore."

Damn. It was time for a feely conversation, but everyone was waiting on him. "I love you, Mai. I'll love her too. Things will be fine. I gotta go." Jounouchi headed out. He would have taken her with them, he wanted to, but her head wasn't in the right frame of mind.

Having seen the double twins part come true though, it scared her too much. He would check it out with others, come get her and then go straight home. As he got into the car, he even said it. "Afterwards, straight home."

"I understand, Jounouchi," Atem answered.

"It's better this way," Yuugi encouraged him. "She's not doing so well. She'll feel better when this is behind her."

"Yeah." Jounouchi looked over Atem's shoulder where he was looking at the text. "So it's really from the millennium tome? We get that, this is over?"

"Game over," Atem assured him. "The scripts are jumbled and the translations are jumpy. There is something about a sand and a scarab. The translation still needed more time."

"Nah, 'cause the thing it's translating is about to not exist anymore," Jounouchi said assured. ///Jounouchi: Get this done. Get this book. Game over.///

---

Domino Jail

"I can't believe I have to do this." Kaiba didn't want to leave Mokuba, but his extra security force were there as well as Satiah. They were watching a movie. His brother was practically healing. However, Shizuka wanted something. Since she commanded the dragon, he had to follow her lead. After all, it could be her instinct too. "Hurry it up."

Honda came out, not looking at Kaiba at all as he paid attention to Shizuka. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Shizuka cleared her throat. "Kaiba dropped everything and he posted bail for you too. It was expensive. You should thank him."

Honda bent slightly, but he wasn't looking like he gave thanks.

"Hurry it up and let's go. I want to get back to Mokuba." Kaiba started to walk off.

"Why didn't you come with anyone else?" Honda questioned.

"They are very busy," she admitted, "and I didn't want you to be in jail anymore. So, Kaiba brought me to you. I feel strange enough. Mokuba was shot though, and Mai is restless, so we can't waste time. We have to get back."

"What do you mean get back?" Honda asked. "What's happening?"

"Uh?" Shizuka looked downward. No, she had to be strong. "I'm living with Kaiba now." She heard Honda make a weird choking sound. Not like he swallowed food, but like he couldn't breathe. "Are you okay?"

"No! No, I'm not okay." Honda looked toward Kaiba. "What's she mean?"

"Tell him the rules," Kaiba said as he got in the car with them.

"He needs me to summon the dragon. It becomes very strong." No, that was nowhere good enough. "I'm helping to save people."

"What? Save people? You're using a monster to make him happy?" Yeah, just like Jounouchi. "No. No way, Shizuka, I won't allow it."

"You have to, or you're going right back," she told him. "Kaiba posted bail, but he'll reverse everything if you push on this. We can be with each other still, but you can't try and talk to me about leaving him while I'm needed. That's all."

"That's all?" Honda's mouth just hung open."No! You are not going to get wound up with Kaiba! I mean, look at you, Shizuka. You're delicate right now."

"I'm blind. It's not changing." Delicate? She would always be delicate. "This is what I want, Honda. I promised Kaiba that I would stay and I'm not breaking it. Mokuba was shot today. Things are getting dangerous."

"So you wanna be a hero with a monster? Pretend this isn't about anything else?" Honda asked as he got into the back of the car. "It's too dangerous for you, and there's no way Jounouchi would let it happen either."

"He has to. Same rule applies. Stop trying to talk me out of it, Honda!" She warned him. "I made a promise to stay and help fight, and that's just what I'm going to do."

"You're putting your life on the line for Kaiba!" Honda didn't give up.

"Honda, Kaiba will reverse everything if you don't quit it." She took a deep breath.

"Look? You don't have to be compelled to be like Jounouchi or me. To want to save the day or risk everything for it. Just surviving life through it's own ups and downs is enough." Honda was trying to be more tender, but he still wasn't close to saying the right things. "You don't have to do this."

"I want to." Why could none of them see it?

"Just answer me truthfully. If you weren't going blind, would you still be putting your life on the line like this?" Honda asked tenderly. "I still love you no matter what."

"Nope, I'm done. I can't take it." Kaiba stopped the car and looked over at Honda. "I didn't bust you out after you tried to break into my own property just for you to start on me! A deal is a deal. Keep it or back you go. But for now? Get out. Get a cooler head before you approach me again, or you'll find yourself right back in there."

Honda didn't stop looking at Shizuka. "You didn't answer. I didn't say anything about leaving, I asked you about-"

"Maybe not or maybe so!" It didn't matter. It wasn't going to change anything whether she went with Kaiba or not.

Honda got out but looked back at her. "I'm gonna figure this out. Just one more bump in the road. Hang on, I promise. I'll find a way to set you free." He closed the door.

The car started to drive away.

///Shizuka: He'd find a way to set me free?/// Did he think she was being forced against her will? Like she had no will power of her own? ///Shizuka: I know my own mind./// "Let's go back," she said to Kaiba. "Jounouchi will be mad enough I left Mai behind."

--------------

"Mai's a big girl. She didn't want to come. I have a whole security team that I am trusting with Mokuba's life. It's good enough for her." Kaiba wasn't in the most pleasant mood. Honda knew the rules and he just walked right over them. It was burning him, but he was giving Honda time to calm down. He wasn't willing to lose the dragon over a hot-headed- "The?" He held onto the seat as the car crumpled in the road. It was changing. Breaking down. He grabbed his rod. "Shizuka, get out!"

Shizuka got out on the other side. Half the road had a crack while the other side was disintegrating like sand. She had no idea what was going on. He went over, grabbed her hand and they started to run from the road.

The buildings around them started to collapse. Everything was disintegrating. "Kaiba! What was that? What's going on?"

"Keep running." There was nothing he could do. This wasn't something he could defeat until he found the purpose of it. Mokuba. He had to try to reach home.

Kaiba heard a woman's shriek as he watched a man getting crushed to death by a building that slid on him like it was being tugged out. He held onto Shizuka's hand tighter, his rod tightly in the other hand. "Don't listen to the world around you, focus on me! Focus on just running with me!"