Smile for Mai (Part 3)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

"I don't have time to watch children, I'd rather get to know my soon-to-be wives. After the game is settled and done though, it's mine."

"It is not." Bastet appeared over the front of the bed. "Children go with the mother. You were not granted her yet and her mother is gone. That leaves her to her father. You cannot touch her, even after the game is over. You gave up her mother for a 'quick fix'," she said mockingly. "Remember?"

Set wasn't impressed. "Damn it." He grinded his teeth. "I thought I had a good idea there, a monster that was alive and never needed to be summoned sounded so much better than a 'sorceress one day'." He shrugged. "I am still taking the others."

Anzu and Satiah instantly disappeared. There wouldn't be a chance for a confrontation about it! When Yuugi, tried to protest he was paralyzed, much in the same way Jounouchi had been to get bitten by Sekhmet.

"I want the details to this game now," Set demanded. "I didn't kill my potential wife for nothing."

Bes appeared floating beside the bed. "Isis was right, you are a greedy creep. The game takes place in one week. It will involve the players, as well as prey and allies. Both teams will be well informed of how it's played before it's time. I suggest everyone find their best cards because there is no god magic allowed. Only monsters." He gestured to the puzzle around Set's neck. "You should also remove that."

Set grabbed hold of his millennium puzzle. "This isn't from the gods."

"No, but it's from a demon, and you are about to give him great access because the gods won't hold him back. They can't be involved in it because of rules." Bes made him aware. "Also, the ones who were sacrificed for it were better people than you know. They'll defy protecting you. A demon is attached to millennium power. He will rise again, attack you and take you over. No one will help."

"I'm not afraid of some lowly demon," Set said.

"Zorc's really not that low," Bes warned him. "What was created, 'it' will cost you. Your best chances are to renounce all millennium power."

"My whole empire uses the power of the millennium tome that is set under a demon." Set just smiled. "I care not. It's not a gods power. Rules are rules. I nor my people will stop using it."

"Well, then screw you too!" Bes said to him. "You are about to shine a beacon at him for revival, you know that, so stop using the power. Of course, what do I know? I'm just an ancient god of war ." He scoffed. "Get it over with, so I don't have to keep dancing around it. Tell them before you leave."

Set shrugged. "Fine."

"Look out the window, guys," Bes said.

Yuugi was unfrozen as Jounouchi, him and Atem all looked out the window. Above the water now was a floating boat. On that boat was Anzu and Satiah.

"I have gained access to the gods' realm temporarily," Set informed them. "We are all going on a lovely cruise."

What? "What for?" Yuugi asked. "Why can you go there?"

"I have to make sure all goes well." He smiled. "You don't want them having a hard time like Mai Kujaku, do you?"

What? "I don't get it." Yuugi looked at Atem. He didn't get it either.

"Oh, you sick son of a- you planned on it!" Jounouchi seemed to understand.

"Oh no, I didn't. She was supposed to be mine! But, whatever. Her children are still my children. I mean, their children are still my children." He chuckled. "Split wives are fun, aren't they?"

"What?" Now Yuugi was . . . "What? What?!" Now Yuugi really got it. "That can't be!"

"Win, when we win, that was the deal!" Atem agreed. "This whole thing is foul."

"No, no. Horakhty said 'for the win'. Not 'to win'," Bes said. "It wasn't a reward."

"Meaning they were already?" Yuugi asked quietly.

"As soon as Horakhty said it, so Thoth wrote it, and so it had been," Bes agreed.

Yuugi covered his face. He was done. He was just done, and Atem could tell.

"Isis is a loving goddess," Bes said as he started to play a few lovely notes. "She may have played dirty, but she did it all to win the Earth. You'll probably never understand, mortal, how much it takes to set up something to save the world when it's been this lost. You've got to be willing to do anything." He finished his playing again.

"Oh, they will be great to sit on the throne next," Set told Atem himself. "Now, I have to get going," Set insisted. "I have another wife to find, and two others to take care of."

"Wait," Bes warned Set. "Isis warned you that she wanted more in the deal."

"Right, right. Go ahead. I don't really care so much, I already gave them their mirrors." Set disappeared.

Yuugi and Atem watched as mirrors showed up in front of them. Very similar to the one Jounouchi once had.

"Isis wanted you to know they were safe," Bes said. "Those mirrors connect with theirs always. You can hear and see them, and they can hear and see you."

"Anzu?" Yuugi reached out for the mirror and held it close. She smiled at him, but fear was still in her face. He hugged the mirror. At least now he could tell she was okay.

"Save her." Jounouchi looked over at Bes. "Please? His next wife, that's my little sister. I already lost someone really important." Jounouchi could barely manage it. "Please, I beg you. He cares for Anzu and Satiah, but when he doesn't care for the women . . ." He looked at the bed where Mai had once been.

Bes looked at the ground. "I'm the messenger only in this case." He looked toward Bastet. "Give the human a break? He just lost the mom of his kid. New kid. Kind of the area where we show some compassion?"

Bastet nodded. "I strengthened the dragon and your sister, but that won't be enough. While Kaiba's anger runs deep, his emotional love does not go as deep. He has no chance of destroying a planet, but there is a chance he can take out Set with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

"Then do it. As long as he can't destroy the world, let Kaiba pulverize that monster." Jounouchi looked at his daughter. "I mean that guy, not monsters. Not all monsters are bad. Not you."

"A price will be paid. A price is paid with and for everything," she warned him. "You know this."

"Anything, just make sure she's safe." Jounouchi touched Mana's nose as Bastet disappeared. "You'll be safe."

"J-Jounouchi?" Yuugi looked toward and Atem and gestured his head. Atem gestured his back. "Uh? J-Jounouchi?" Yuugi carefully came over. "Are you sure about that last part?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi said, still not hearing or seeing it. "Of course. Anything she can do to help my sister. I don't care if it gets Kaiba more power, as long as he can take out Set."

"Um? Yeah, but?" Yuugi didn't want to play with this right now. He wanted to concentrate on getting the girls and their new children back! But? "Gods tend to have heavy prices or rewards. You know, we don't get much say?" He gestured toward Mana. "On how they do things?"

Jounouchi still didn't get it. "Mana's fine." He didn't look pleased at Yuugi. "You judging my little girl for being a monster?"

"No," Yuugi said. "Of course not, I mean-"

"The gods so far have only split people up in diffusion, or pulled new lives into the mix with infusion," Atem finally took over. "There is every chance you just gave them permission to do something with Kaiba and your sister."

"And it's probably not diffusion," Yuugi warned him. " . . . they like power?"

Jounouchi haphazardly gave Mana over to Atem as he ran out of the shop. Atem held the baby out awkwardly as poor Jounouchi's far away scream still reverberated back.