The Bandit King Saved the Day? (Part 3)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

Mana started to cry and Jounouchi came over to bop her up and down lightly. "Yuugi, it'll be okay. Gonna have to trust in this." Yuugi didn't snap out of it. "I know," Jounouchi said softly. "It wasn't even overnight, within less than an hour you just found out you're a dad. You talked about it, sort of planned on it, but now it's here. Hey, trust Jounouchi. I've been there. I didn't get the whole nine months, but I did get a decent warning. Still. It still hit really hard, especially when I saw . . . what he was doing to my Mai."

Yuugi turned toward him. He nodded. "I know. I'm sorry, Jounouchi."

"They are okay Yuugi because Set wants them." Atem's voice was slower, but filled with purpose.

"Even Atem's probably having a slight freak-out over there," Jounouchi said to Yuugi. "I mean obviously he would have kids in Ancient Egypt. Like tons, he was supposed to, for the throne." Jounouchi looked toward Atem. "So does that make it any easier?"

Yuugi looked toward Atem. No. Obviously not. "Why isn't Set back, he's the one with the magic to rush back and forth."

Set arrived in front of him, gripping the crib Yuugi was holding onto. "Why am I not rushing back and forth? They are in the process of being born. It's delicate. They aren't full gods, that's why I took them there, so my future wives will have the best chances." He looked at all of them, and then extra hard at Bandit King before glaring at Atem. "I'll bring your property back when it's safe. Unless you really can't wait a few minutes and want them to die?"

"Give them the time they need," Atem said coming closer to Yuugi, "but not a minute more. I want my property rightly returned back."

"So do I," Yuugi said, backing Atem's words. As much as that word did not fit them, it was their lifeline to them. ///Yuugi: Atem. He could be eavesdropping at any time and we wouldn't know.///

///Atem: I know. When they get back, I will make it official. To ensure their safety.///

///Yuugi: I don't want to call Anzu property.///

///Atem: You can call her wife if you prefer, Yuugi. I'm sure they are already putting the pieces together.///

///Yuugi: I wanted to be there for her though.///

///Atem: She knows in her heart you are there, Yuugi. I know she does.///

Yuugi checked the mirror again. This time, Anzu's face was right there, panicked. "Anzu?"

"Yuugi!" she called for him. "Yuugi, something terrible happened!"

"It's okay," Yuugi said, trying to calm her down. "I know now too. What's important is to just take it easy."

"That's easy for you to say, you're not here doing this. There are pixie and giant sized gods just staring at me." She bent down her head. "I don't want to be here. How can I do this? Yuugi."

"You have to be there because I've already asked for my wife back," Yuugi said thickly, "so Set has to give you back because you're my wife and property." He watched her expression, but she seemed to understand. "In that condition, it's dangerous though to return." He wanted to say that he didn't want what happened to Mai, to happen to her, but not with Jounouchi so close. Instead? "Anzu, I'm right here, I promise, and when it's all done, you are going to be brought back home. Where you belong."

"Where I belong." Her voice sounded squeezed. "Okay. I know I can do this, Yuugi. It's just birthing a part god, how hard is that?" The joke didn't carry through. "I wish you were here!"

"I wish so too. You're mine, and I should be there." Yuugi wouldn't risk letting up one second. "Atem wishes he could be there for his wife Satiah too."

Anzu looked toward her side and then looked back at the mirror. "Uh? Yes, Master Husband."

///Yuugi: That sounds like Satiah is giving her advice. Good./// She would know how to act. With that though, Yuugi watched as Atem pulled out his own mirror to Satiah.

He couldn't see a visual. "Masika?"

"Master Husband." She couldn't be seen, but he could hear her voice. "I'm sorry to have lost track of the mirror. It was shameful of me to place it haphazardly to my side. I will make amends for it."

She was a pro. It was sad to know how good she had been at it, but it only made sense. She played that part most of her life. "Forget amends, wife," Atem answered. "How is everything?"

"Anzu is getting used to her new role," she answered. "I am too. It's . . . unsettling. Many terrible changes brewing inside, with wonderful changes too. I can feel something pushing along the stomach, trying to get out. The only thing that keeps it from being nice is that because of its power, I don't know if it will explode and kill or not. It's certainly no way to go."

"Satiah!" Anzu yelled at her.

"I mean, of course it will be a smooth and simple experience," Masika said, changing her tune for Anzu. "Hopefully. I don't know what will happen."

Atem listened until he felt his mirror being swiped away. The Bandit King took it.

"Rider, what does the grand gods' realm look like over there?" He asked the mirror. "Any better? Any worse?"

"You're trying to make me describe the environment while I'm trying to deal with all of the emotions surging through me right now? Screw you, Bakura, it's like a Hawaii, what do you want me to say?"

He just smiled. "There. That's my muddy ragtag girl." He handed it back to Atem. "She's fine."

"I know how she is, she told me herself." Atem gazed back in the mirror. Still imageless. Why was hers imageless? "After you are done, you will come back."

"Nothing is certain right now, Atem," Masika said, "but I hope you are right."

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Next to the Gods Realm

"This is all Set's fault," Anzu complained as she watched more tiny gods flying around her. They weren't in the gods realm, just beside it. Many were there watching, but they couldn't 'interfere'. It was part of the rules, and since they were part of the prize, it apparently extended to them. Set had tried to say he could ask Atem and Yuugi to change their minds, but it wasn't allowed. He would lose the game.

Instead, they were kept right next to it. No god could lend their power, but the natural state of the island gave her a better chance of pulling through, after Set advanced them so far. Although, even though she saw Mai's death by what he did?

His behavior toward them, when isolated away from Yuugi and Atem, had been different. He was caring, and he swore that if he had to quit the game to use the gods realm, he would. They came first.

He had charisma, and his words felt honest, which was probably how the gods trusted him in the first place. But, as much as he sweetly said anything, neither Anzu or Satiah could be swayed.

He killed Mai and thousands of innocent people. Nothing could change that. Anzu looked at her stomach again. She was so huge. Everything felt like a dream, surreal, and way too fast. ///Anzu: Please let's just get this over with so I can get back to Yuugi./// "Would you stay out of my way?" Her words exploded toward the little gods flying around her. "If you can't help, then just stay out of the way." She had to call it out, Satiah was too honorable to call it out.

"Just breathe, you'll be okay," Satiah said from her side. "Everything will be fine."

Well? It worked a little better than her last speech about her body. "It won't bust through me."

"Honestly, I don't know what to expect," Satiah said. "If it does, know that you will be safe in the afterlife. Something wonderful will be there for you? It it doesn't, then that is so much better."

Satiah really wasn't good with some personal experiences.

"It's okay, Anzu." She heard Yuugi's voice through the mirror, comforting her. "I'm right here. Everything will be okay."

"Yuugi." How she wanted to believe that, but the image of Mai couldn't leave her head. ///Anzu: If Yuugi loses me, will he still have the will to keep going on with the game?/// "Yuugi. I have to tell you something," Anzu said. "If something happens to me, I want you to promise me you'll still do your best to win the gods game."

"Nothing's going to happen to you!" His voice was stricken with worry. "Nothing will happen. You will come home safe and sound, with a part god tagging along with you."

"Promise," Anzu warned him. "Please."

" . . . I promise," he caved. "If anything happens, which it won't, I'll still play the gods game with everything I've got."

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