Three Winnings (Part 1)

8:00 AM

Mai stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water. Just like yesterday, it worked like everything was fine. She washed her face to prepare for a shower soon. She couldn't until she got fresh clothes. That was quite a task considering Anzu wasn't her size, but she'd make do until she could get more. She just needed something so that she could wash off the clothes from yesterday.

It wasn't a fun, simple stroll home yesterday. It was scary, and it was only going to get worse. They needed to find a clothing store. Ryou Bakura should know where one had been. She came out and went downstairs. There was no lock on the security doors no more, but anyone messing with the place would end up in trouble. Not the other way around.

She went toward the outside to see if Shizuka had found her way yet. Jounouchi knew she was okay because she was apparently part of this Game of Gods they had to play. ///Mai: If I were younger, I'd take off. I'd say 'see ya, Jounouchi, there's no way I'm going into this bet!'. If it were a different time I'd run to the airport and fully expect him to figure out where I had gone. I can't do any of that. This world isn't the same./// She looked around. The Game Shop area looked like an island of residences and then constant sand beyond an easy to see border. It only reached across the street.

The trenches of sand didn't look nearly as deep though. Maybe it was just her imagination last night. From there, she could actually see a grocery store. She couldn't make out the people, but she could see people. Breakfast isn't far. Is it three things a day or per visit? Does that count for the other stores? Ryou Bakura for now was keeping things as simple as possible. She better wait. Jounouchi would be worried, and considering what he was going through, it would be a better idea to be a good girl.

She went inside and found Ryou Bakura already up. He had the ring hanging from his neck. "Yuugi got it back to you, huh.?"

"Yep." About as social as last night. "I should have a team of people visiting soon. Do you have a name for this area?"

A name for the area? "You want me to name it?"

"I've got so much to focus on instead, but it's important," he said. "I need to have a name today. Any ideas?"

She leaned against the counter, looking at the old fake card purchases. "I don't know. Last Chance?" She chuckled. "What do you call a place like this? It's all separated but it has everything. Unlike the other side that only caters to those who can pay. That reminds me, I have money in the bank. I hope it's the one that survived. Cards don't work, do they?"

"Hard money only," Ryou Bakura insisted. "I need to actually get people to get their money out of the banks. Bury it at their homes. Put it in safes. Something, but relying on one area to store everyone's money is much worse. It will take time to get more in, just like the food."

"But it could come?" Interesting. "The big one in charge." Like she was calling him the fucking pharoah, puh-lease! "He's got a lot more than 20% for himself somewhere, doesn't he?"

"I don't know all of the details," Ryou Bakura insisted. "I know that things won't stay this nice for long. He wants to cut down many more people. All I can do . . ." He got quiet and started to look at papers. "Don't go too far outside. Stay around the front, but do get some fresh air. Staying inside all day in your condition in this heat isn't good. I'll figure out how to get everything hooked electrically soon. I don't know how it happens, I just know that certain places were already ready. Like the store. I think the scarabs are automatic, like a traveling wifi. I don't have it for the ring."

Yeah, it was hot. Humid. "Will we be able to get clothes soon?"

"Since clothes are something renewable and washable, I'm thinking about giving away so many to everyone. I had one mall survive near the grocery center. It's been locked up tight. I would have plenty for everyone."

"Do you know how many survivors there were?" she asked. He didn't seem to want to answer.

"Not. Not yet. I'm delaying the count," Ryou Bakura admitted. "When I do it, something else will have to happen. I'm not ready for that yet."

"Why? What is it?" She asked curiously.

"It's going to cut down . . . a lot of people," he said. "Now, I highly suggest you get to your bank today. Get out all your cash today. In fact? Maybe I should put a time limit. A three day limit, that way everyone will get over there and get everything. If they do that, they'll find a permanent residence, they'll have money, they can be closer to the food areas or nice resident areas to talk to others. No one should feel like it's the end of everything. It might not be. We need to keep everyone civil and happy together." He cleared his throat. "I will keep everyone as safe as I can, while Hanasake handles the entertainment."

"Well, I'm sure that's not going to be cheap," Mai said. "Entertainment?"

"No, but everyone should be happy. Even one day a week having a restaurant meal or playing a dual monsters game, or having fun at the arcade. Going over there though, it might feel dangerous with such extreme cash. There's nothing cheap over there at all. Hmm."

"Hey, maybe you can collect it, write down the names and send it to the other guy?" Mai pointed out. "The names could be the cash. Then you'd also have an idea of how many are here, without doing an official head count."

"No refund policy. Tell me where you plan on going, what you are doing, and the exact amount? That's tricky," Ryou Bakura said. "Yet, if you know what your total is, then I guess it's doable. I'll have to look into that later."

"Either way, nothing's going to be the same. It's dangerous no matter where you go or who you are," Mai pointed out.

"Yes. It's best to stay with the group," Ryou Bakura insisted. "Is anyone outside?- Mokuba!" Suddenly, his interest darted away as Mokuba came downstairs. "Wonderful to see you. I would like to get you to help me. You know, saving lives with your business sense." He got up and rushed over to him with a large pad of paper. "Just put your name right there."

Mokuba looked at the notepad of names. "What are these? Are these the people wearing scarabs?"

"Yes." He was still trying to shove the large notepad at him. "Sign your name."

"I don't know." Mokuba said skeptically. "Is Yuugi up?"

"Yes, Yuugi is up. He's talking with Atem in the kitchen. If you are going to talk to them, then go talk to them right away, come back down and sign this." Mokuba went back up the stairs.

"You're way too stressed with him," Mai warned him. "Relax. I doubt you can get him to sign anything without his brother."

"Then I am wasting my time, I need to get Seto Kaiba and Shizuka. I still have other things to do. I better head toward them early." Ryou Bakura looked at the sheet, then signed something on it. "For his own good," he muttered. "I'll be back. If anyone with a scarab comes, show them the pad of paper I am working on." He gestured to the notepad. "Tell them Bakura is living here, he's just out. I've got to go."

"If it's that big of a deal, let Yuugi handle it," Mai pointed it.

"No!" He softened up. "No. Everyone should stay near the Game Shop. We'll go do things later."

"What about the fancy box?" Mai looked toward the big fancy box in the middle. "I'm not a player. Are you?"

"I need to go," he simply said. "Go find anything edible upstairs for breakfast for now."

Mai shrugged and headed upstairs to the kitchen. "Morning. Does anyone else feel as ick as me? Does Anzu have any extra clothes?"

"No." Yuugi was eating some fancy cereal. Probably something he bought for Anzu. He had it out on a plate with Atem as well as split bread and a couple pieces of fruit.

"Appetizing," Mai said as they looked at their choice of eats. "Did I mention we can actually go to stores?"

"Don't waste or assume anything," Atem told her straight up. "Everything that can be eaten in this house should also be added to it. There is no telling what is happening." He stuffed some bread in his mouth.

"If I had known, I would have had more non perishables. We tended to eat out more. I have more food options, but we need the electricity for the oven," Yuugi said. "Plenty of fruit and bread."

Oof. "Is Anzu and Satiah up?" Mai asked.

"Not yet. If they are, they haven't let us know," Yuugi said.

She watched Atem eat more bread. He must have feared more was going to happen.

"Did Ryou Bakura leave for Seto Kaiba and Shizuka yet, Mai?" Yuugi asked her as he started on his own fruit.

"Yeah." Mmm. "He said if anyone stopped by, we needed to show him this notepad he had been working on. Funny thing? He was really trying to recruit Mokuba this morning into being one of those scarab guys."

"It was weird." Mokuba came in toward them. "He was insistent. Not even a good morning, just shoved it in my face. I didn't like it." He went to the table. "I need to find my brother."

"I need to find some clothes." Mai left for now, going to knock on Anzu and Satiah's room.