Three Winnings (Part 2)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

"He'll be here before you know it," Yuugi assured him. "Him and Shizuka."

"Yeah. This place is going to get crowded," Mokuba noted. "It's already crowded. Seto hates living in crowded spaces. He won't be fond of staying."

"We survive. That's what is important first," Yuugi said. "We'll get everything we can done today, but Kaiba and Shizuka definitely come first. Living arrangements and such, I'm sure it'll get figured out. Don't worry about it."

"Livings a hard word right now," Jounouchi's voice floated from the hallway. His hair was a mess, but he did get dressed in his clothes from the day before. "I hope my place is still there." He yawned. "Is Mai around here?"

Then, there was a scream downstairs.

Everyone in the kitchen took off, including Mokuba and down the stairs. Even Anzu and Satiah had gone downstairs.

Mai wasn't downstairs, just a notepad with Mokuba's name on it. Jounouchi rushed outside first. "Let her go!" He didn't give a damn if they had scarab's that could kill him.

As Jounouchi approached though, Mai was gone, only the scarab wielder remained. "You. Where's Mai."

There was a loud 'mroowwrlll' that sounded at the end like 'foul'. The goddess Bastet actually appeared before him. "Frrroul," She shouted. "She was part of the winnings and losings, you cannot take her."

The scarab wielder bent down and started to bow. "Mighty god, the god Set demanded it be so." She left, but before Jounouchi could reach the kidnapper, a lion came out and attacked the scarab wielder.

Bastet came back and looked at Jounouchi. "She is the winning and losing, so she shouldn't be with you or Set is the claim. I've given her to a third neutral party."

What? "Not no third neutral party. She's having my child. Mine. You're the kitty fertility god, do something! What kind of father would I be if I didn't want to be there for her?"

"That cute concept is not going to impress the gods. She will be returned to you, if you win," she announced.

"That's not right," Yuugi shouted. "No one's collected that box yet anyhow, there's still time for more signatures."

"The last of the signatures are coming," Bastet said. "The deal is almost sealed. However." Her brow furrowed and she let out a low growl. "This reasoning is filled with discontent from me. I need more to bet to save others from third party holding."

"Whatever it takes," Jounouchi insisted, "just give her back."

"Jounouchi! What's going on?"

Yuugi looked back at Ryou Bakura, Seto Kaiba and Shizuka Kawai all darting forward. Thank goodness. He would need Shizuka right now.

"Just arrived and already missing things," Kaiba complained. Yet, he was holding Shizuka's hand. It looked like he'd taken care of her after all since last night. He looked toward Bastet and Sekhmet.

"Big Brother?" Shizuka asked as Ryou Bakura went into the Game Shop. "What's wrong? I heard you."

"Mai." Jounouchi was honest. "They took Mai."

"A third party member wants to hold those involved as winnings," Atem told her. "Unless they get something in return. Worthy collateral."

----------------------

"My new sister." Shizuka had ran into Ryou Bakura that morning, right before they went for breakfast. As soon as he told them where Mokuba was, Kaiba was ready to go. Jounouchi and everyone else would be there too. Everyone but Honda. He had apparently . . .

Honda. Honda had been with her a good two years. A nice man, and a man that she could trust. She knew he'd always be there and take care of her. He was a little hard-headed like her brother, but loving too. He did nothing ever but care for her, like she was some special prize. Even after she lost her eyesight, he stuck beside her, just like he had in Battle City all those years ago.

That must have been hurting her brother just as bad, but losing Mai. He wanted to marry her. He spent most of his time trying to gain a relationship with her, even though she was so hurt by Marik. ///Shizuka: My new sister. My unborn niece./// "What if I give up my winnings?" She tried to step forward. There was no telling if it was fine ahead. Kaiba wasn't holding her hand and she didn't have a stick. She just approached outward with her winnings card.

Bakura had brought them. Her winning and losing. If she lost, she would be given to the evil person who literally destroyed her world. He could kill her or keep her as a second wife. Apparently, he would already have a first. Considering her new big sister was four months along, she could guess who else.

Her winnings? Her winnings. Apparently, they knew what she really wanted more. It was her eyesight. Maybe they were even the ones who pulled it away to gamble with it. Her eyesight. Jounouchi gave me eyesight back for fighting in Duelist Kingdom. It should be this way. She held out her card. "Return Mai Kujaku to Jounouchi, and they can have my winnings."

"Shizuka." She heard the warning in her brother's voice, but it was more fragile than he wanted it to be.

"You can't bet that." Kaiba had agreed with her brother. "You're insane, Shizuka Kawai. You've wanted nothing but that."

"It's for my brother's future family, it's worth everything." She kept holding out the card. "If we save the world, it's a big enough win for me. Take my card."

"I need more than one of those," Bastet said, "but you are on the right track. It's going to take a lot. Things you don't have."

"She's part of my winnings card," Jounouchi said with an ache. "I'd do it if I could. Anybody?" He looked behind him. "Anzu? Satiah? You got something. Can you win, without winning?"

Anzu bit her lip while Satiah stood still.

"Yuugi? Atem?" Jounouchi tried for them. "Tell me your guy's cards are just bonuses?"

"Our cards hold our fate, and the world's," Yuugi confessed. "If we lose them, we lose already."

"Here!" Bakura came out of the shop and strolled up to Bastet. "You can't take Mokuba! He's working underneath me. See? His name was on the notepad beforehand."

Bastet glanced down. "No one wanted him." She smirked. "You're a smart man. Consider it on record. Now. Two winnings isn't enough. I can bargain with three."

"Oh, alright!" Kaiba held up his winning ticket. "Just like before isn't it, Jounouchi? I hold your key while you are drowning. Just, waiting." He wiggled the winnings ticket. "I'll give it up for the same deal. Since Honda's obviously not here, the previous deal won't work anymore."

Jounouchi didn't take long. He knew what Kaiba wanted for the deal. "Shizuka?"

"I'll be fine." She was staying strong. "I need to stay with him. We all know that. I'm still alive because of him, Jounouchi."

"Just until this whole thing is over," Jounouchi agreed.

Kaiba went over and handed over his winnings card. "I don't care, who needs it, as long as nothing happens to Mokuba."

Bastet took his card.

"Two cards. One more." Jounouchi looked back toward Anzu and Satiah. "Look. I know the winnings look good, real good. But? This is Mai. Yuugi and Atem gotta have theirs. Please?"

Anzu covered her mouth, her resolve crushing. "I . . . Jounouchi. I'm sure . . . she-she'll be okay. Right?"

"Part of the winnings," Satiah said to Bastet. She began to bow. "I cannot afford the whole, but I will sacrifice all else that I can that won't hurt it."

"No." Anzu bent down next to her. "You can't do that. It can't be like that. Mai will be fine."

"We are dealing with gods and the end of the world, nothing is certain," Satiah warned her.

///Atem: She must be sacrificing her life, whether she wins or loses.///