Hard Prizes (Part 2)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

A Couple Minutes Earlier in Anzu's Room

Anzu and Masika both shared a bed. Not really saying anything, but feeling comforted by each other's presence.

"Now. When the world is almost destroyed. Why do I have to decide this?" Anzu tightened her grip on Satiah's hand. "Not only that, it's not even just . . . What am I . . . it's a . . . I don't know what to think, Satiah."

"I'm not Satiah. I'm not Masika. I'm not Rider." Satiah went in a different direction. "Both of us are the tear. Masika. I am what she called me, a Nameless Spirit Given A Body."

"Which makes you like me," Anzu said. "Alive."

She laid her head down. "The gods Sekhmet and Bastet are right, they aren't each other. One wasn't named Hathor. Hathor of Hathor."

Anzu nodded. This was okay. A huge weight was bearing down on them, it would be good to focus on something smaller. "What do you want?"

"I am a spirit with a body. A part of me once laid in this body, but only a part. I still feel more like a spirit. I don't think I will ever be able to forget the good or the bad of being a spirit. I can't. Ever. Just be." She shrugged. "That's okay I guess. That's?" She seemed edgy.

Hmm. "What?"

"That is distracting us from the point," she told Anzu. "He was good to us once."

" . . ." Anzu turned away. "No."

"Anzu. We were once the same. When we joined together, in just that few seconds-"

Anzu curled away. "It hurt so much-"

"-But we saw and remembered too," Satiah said. "I did. I know who Heba had been. Heba was the first wife's daughter of my last husband that I raised since almost her birth."

"I don't want to talk about it," Anzu insisted. "I don't want to remember. I'm Anzu, just Anzu. None of those memories, I don't want them! I barely remember them anyhow. So, don't. It's not me. I could feel how much it wasn't me, it's like invading a personal life against your will."

"I know. We each saw many things." Anzu refused to turn to look at her again. "We each . . . did what we had to, to survive. Thanks to Bakura, we were able to. Thanks to our first-"

"Shut up, don't! I don't want to go there." She brought her hands together and then pushed them outward. "Never."

"Fate has pushed us here, Anzu," Satiah said tenderly. "We must decide."

"No one ever gets in this position. Ever," Anzu corrected her. "I just . . ." She closed her eyes as tears started to fill them. ///Anzu: When I saw Yuugi again, everything flipped on its head. Everything I had wanted, I no longer wanted. All that time, growing and surviving and failing. Over and over and over. I was so close that one time, to just give in.///

///Satiah: I know. That is why I spoke up. I will never forget that. It's not a regret, and he was nice. But?/// "This isn't the same though, Anzu," Satiah spoke out loud. "You were with him. You were with Yuugi. I didn't have to care. I wasn't there. I was in the soul room, I let you live your life. That's what I did."

Anzu never could be fine with it. ///Anzu: Then I got adapted to everything. To the lower expectations. Then? Yuugi just came back. It was almost like a dream, his voice of light, penetrating all the darkness. He was still him. Still the Yuugi I grew up with. Still playing games. Still smiling innocently. Still an awkward boy in the weirdest situations, just older. A man. Yet . . . we did so much wrong. Not that it wasn't justified, but if he knew?///

///Satiah: Who the fuck cares?"

///Anzu: Satiah, your words.///

///Satiah: Sorry. I mean, it was a different time. I don't regret any of the decisions we had made. So? Sorry, but you must admit. You are acting like a little bitch right now.///

///Anzu: Satiah!///

///Satiah: Bakura is all I know.///

"No," Anzu stated. "I. Just. Yuugi. Not this."

"Definitely this."

Kyaaa! Anzu yelled in surprise as Grandpa Mutoh appeared right in front of her. She grabbed at her chest. Unexpected guests weren't good for her heart just then. She tried to hide it. "Grandpa Mutoh. Hello."

"I know," Grandpa said to her. "Yes indeedy, I know. You're the first tear of humanity, torn apart and dealing with this fact between you. See, it's different, because Yuugi and Atem did it differently." He pointed to Anzu. "Don't get all scrunched up in a bind."

"Sure." He didn't really know. "Thanks for the advice. It's nice to see you again," Anzu said politely. "It's been a long time."

"Nice try," Grandpa winked. "I know more than just about the tear. I know what you two are fighting about, and I am here to make sure that you two don't do anything stupid like keep it to yourself."

"I didn't plan on it, Elderly man," Satiah answered. "I'm telling Bakura." She smiled. "No matter how it goes, no matter whether we win or we lose, we will have some precious moments of love come through our hearts before it all ceases to be."

"Aww." Grandpa smiled at Satiah. "That's sweet, except not quite the right choice. But? You keep that up for Anzu. She'll need that." He looked back at Anzu. "You keep her in check too. From spirit to person, it is not an easy task to do. She is still adapting. Ah, but how I wish I could hug you two." He held out his arms. "I guess this will have to do." Then, he was gone.

They both rested there for a moment, Anzu trying to cope. They heard their kitty Destiny scratch at the door.

Satiah got up and answered the door, letting Destiny in. "Good kitty." She closed the door. Destiny jumped up on the bed between Satiah and Anzu, curling up. On the top of Destiny's head was an odd hieroglyph. "That's strange. Did a goddess leave that on her?"

Satiah and Anzu both came closer to inspect her head. Each of them felt a scratch and searing pain.

Anzu felt her head as she looked on the mark on Satiah. "Ow. Right on the forehead."

"Sorry. At least it isn't a vicious bite like Sekhmet," Destiny spoke. "First tear or not, without a god's power of protection, you wouldn't survive and I'm tired of my cats constantly watching you for me." She put her claws back. "Decisions yet?"

"What is this human tear?" Anzu asked, ignoring the subject. "I mean, I get it. We're different. We're supposed to be together. Apparently. Very much so." She was trying. "But. What is a tear?"

"When a piece of Ra shed a tear for finding it's first children, after looking for so long, you dropped. Mankind was born from Ra's tears, but you were the first tear. He is not your father, you are not a goddess, you had no original mother or father, but you are the first of all humans, so he has always kept an extra close eye on you."

Satiah held up her hand. "I'm his favorite human? Is that the final reason?"

"Oh. We are just beginning our little talk, mortals."