I Dropped A Card and I Like Games (Part 1)

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

Bakura's Area: Grocery

"Three items. Limit one meat and one fresh vegetable. If you get raw, you have to figure out how to cook it." The guard said the phrase over and over as Shizuka stayed in line beside Kaiba. Kaiba so far hadn't been crude enough to get killed or start a fight. These people had serious power. He was also too worried about Mokuba like she was worried about Jounouchi and Honda. Were they okay? He hadn't spoken much at all, but he did keep his hand in hers. Without it, she would feel lost. The whole world felt so different, like she was on a different planet. "What for meat and vegetable?" Even though the words were simple, her voice almost cracked, emitting her feelings about everything, but Kaiba was not someone a person exposed deep feelings to.

"Just stay general. Come up with the meat and vegetable you want. Don't ask for a brand. State right away if you have allergies. You'll make them angry if they have to go back again. In the morning, we are heading toward Mokuba's direction."

It was one of the first things Kaiba said since they reached safety, and it would probably be his last. "Why's it so chilly?" She was dressed for the season, but it was getting colder than it should have been.

"Deserts are cold at night," he answered her. "Domino City's been turned into one. Wherever the water went, it's long gone. It's going to get colder. Once we get food, we have to find shelter. It could possibly get into the negatives."

She didn't expect an answer from him, but that was good to know. ///Shizuka: I hope Jounouchi and Honda are okay./// She hoped they all were.

"Are you planning on going to Hanasake's side?" She heard from behind them. "He takes money instead of panhandling us limited stuff. We'd like to make a proposition with you. That blind girl next to you? We'll make it worth your while for her." She didn't hear anything from Kaiba. "The world is ending, she's blind, people are going to pay for some companionship to forget about things. Make an offer?"

Shizuka felt herself shiver. ///Shizuka: They are trying to buy me to sell me?/// She wanted to say something, but the guards might take her for a troublemaker and kill her.

"Even if there does become some sort of law and order, she's blind, she can't say anything. Ow!"

"That wasn't nice, man, you hurt his arm with a dumb card. Look, just think about it? Everyone lives better if we come together and-"

The voice stopped. She heard strange guttural kind of noises. She heard a guard come backward.

"What's going on? Why are you raising your hand?" The sound came from the front of Kaiba.

"The guy behind me." Kaiba's voice. "He got pushed forward and accidentally stabbed himself on my sharp weapon."

"Oh. That's some stab wound."

"It's some weapon."

"They were harassing his girl!" Someone out in the crowd said. "They deserved it. They were trying to take her and sell her."

"Is that true?" The guard asked him.

"No. He stabbed himself," Kaiba's voice said repeated.

"Yeah, I can see that. He stabbed himself," the guard said.

"He did not, he killed him in cold blood!" Another voice. Shizuka didn't recognize it.

"No," Kaiba said, his voice still level. "He stabbed himself."

"He hit my friend with a card and then he stabbed him!" Too many unknown voices.

"I dropped a card and I like games. It was all an accident. He stabbed himself." Kaiba's voice was still level. Was he using the power of his rod?

"Yeah," the guard said. "That makes sense. You dropped a card, and the man stabbed himself. That's fine."

All of the footsteps and talking stopped. They walked forward again. ///Shizuka: I want to thank Kaiba, but saying thank you doesn't work. He's not good with words and I can't say more than three without cracking./// His actions were a different matter. He took care of things, but when he opened his mouth, he offended someone. He naturally kept them at a distance as soon as he spoke of them. He made her brother feel bad. He often angered the Pharaoh. ///Shizuka: Everyone is different. Maybe I can show gratitude in a different way?///

When Shizuka was younger, she had more problems than just with her eyes. Her mom taught her sign language so that she could communicate in whatever state she was in. Even though she could not read sign language back anymore, maybe it would be more meaningful than her voice. ///Shizuka: It can't crack. Like me.///

She didn't even know if he was watching her as she made the sign for thank you.

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