To Kill A Friend (Part 1)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

The Limo had stopped at some fancy restaurant near a pond. A common occurrence, showing off displays that weren't needed, to show off their money. She could barely recognize her old self in the water. It was garbled though, with all of the water spouting above it.

"May we try talking again?"

King Atem's voice came from behind her. A part of her wanted to flip him off and run. That's what Bakura would have done, but she still begrudgingly knew . . . he wasn't a bad guy. His Visier, his advisers, and all of the others under him that made it all function back then. He didn't even have a single memory for the longest time. ///Satiah: I can't hate someone who once suffered like me.///

Yet? She did what she did for Bakura's eternal soul, and this was the result? It made no sense.

///Satiah: This just. It couldn't be./// She could feel the wind catch on her cape as she looked outward across the city. A cape. She'd never wear a cape. Seto Kaiba must have kept some unconscious desire to wrap his women like the upper class of Egypt. The only ones he might pay attention to.

Oh, Anzu's dreams of becoming a professional dancer and making it big, were all sabotaged for years, to bring her back to Japan. Back to Yuugi. Back to all of this. Now, she was even getting dragged into it.

Atem came closer. "For years, you were with Anzu. No one commanded you around or forced you to do anything that you didn't want. You've attained a miraculous gift of getting your body back like me, and in mere hours, I am trying to force you to let go of it. I understand this is not something you look forward to." He brought himself a small amount closer. "I am sorry, I am, but if you want to save Anzu. If you don't want this world to end, I need my power back. I promise, I will do my best to protect your other half."

"You just kill me," she uttered.

"If I kill you, Anzu would not be able to let that go," Atem said. "I don't want to hurt them or you. I don't kill innocents."

"You just tell them to sacrifice themselves for you? Is that supposed to be better?" She looked back toward the water. "I was actually granted this body back. I suppose I can see why it happened. If you want me to do this, I want things."

"Of course." Atem seemed to know it was coming. "I am still Pharaoh of the afterlife, and I can grant you things in life. If I promise to grant you a decent trade of treasures, you should be able to take it with you. No more outcast of a life. No more husband and several brats to take care of."

"It's a start," she agreed. "but I do owe you the date, King. I'm taking it."

"It's less of a sacrifice for me, than for the ones you treasure. Thank you," Atem said. "Please call me Atem. I know it was part of the bet for the respect of the King. You already have my respect and, the truth is, my friends call me Atem. I prefer it to Pharaoh or King."

She glanced back at him. "Atem."

"Masika."

"I don't believe anyone in this time has ever uttered my real name." At least, King Atem was trying. Well? ///Satiah: I will enjoy this body for as long as it lasts./// "I remember seeing something like this in America with Anzu as a spirit," she said. "Big and bold. It was one of those fancy places, shooting water hundreds of feet in the air." She smiled. "This one is small, tiny in comparison. Yet. It is so much more real. My own eyes can see it. My own skin can feel the humidity it causes. My ears almost burn from the sounds of it. Everything is so vivid, it borders on pain to even speak, yet I don't want it to change. I want to experience more. Let's go inside." Her fingers went up in an arch and back down with her cape as she walked off.

Inside the Restaurant

Kaiba had a small area reserved for them. There was optional music, candle light everywhere, and it didn't really make any impression on her. Kaiba wasn't coming up with things on the fly though, this was his own routine the few times he didn't feel like being alone. Instead of getting to know someone and being nice, he chose to use his material wealth to speak for him. Then they'd be gone the next day. Masika had called it right when she said 'a shining jewel for the night'.

"Your appetizers," the waiter said. "Careful, the plate is hot." Masika touched it anyway. "Ma'am, are you alright?"

"It's very hot. Almost too hot to hold onto for long." She kept her fingers on it. "Something familiar about it. Heat. Sand." She only chuckled and then lifted her hand. "Such redness though. Ouch."

"Yes, skin is very fragile." Atem looked at his own fingers. "They can be cut, bruised, and feel pain."

"Skin is a blessing and a curse." She took one of the appetizers and popped it in her mouth. "Nyah, that's hot!"

Atem laughed. "What, you can handle the hot plate but not a little heat in the mouth?" He picked one of the appetizer. "Spice. Not heat, it was the spice that got you."

"Hm." She popped another one. "Why do people butcher their mouth? They only have one."

"They get used to it. They want more challenge for it." Atem picked another one. "Life is about challenging yourself."

"If given a choice, it's better to enjoy it." She watched the waiter return with shrimp. She peeled one and popped it in her mouth. "Ooh, that's cold!"

Atem picked one up, smirking. "Best not to go straight on the teeth, Masika."

"Everything is bruising and alive," she said as she thoughtfully touched the jawline of her chin.

///Atem: Bruising and alive. That's it. Those are the perfect words right now./// He felt the cold wetness on his hands. Bruising and alive.

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

Kaiba Headquarters

"Here?" Honda didn't understand. Shizuka had started to leave the apartment in the middle of the night. He tried to get her to come back, to remind her it wasn't safe to go out alone right now, especially that late. She wouldn't let go of it though, so he agreed to come.

For what felt like hours, he had stayed up with her as she kept pointing in different directions she wanted to go. First, they went to Bakura's, but didn't go inside. She said that wasn't it though. He continued to try and follow her washy directions until they ended up in the strangest place. Kaiba Headquarters.

She got out of the car and headed forward.

"Shizuka, your cane." Honda grabbed it and closed his door as he brought it to her. There was nothing they could do there, so hopefully she would snap out of it- "uh?"

Kaiba had opened the door. "I can't believe he's so incompetent that I have to help." He was coming straight forward when he noticed Shizuka. "Can't even wait for the date, just openly asks if she can-? Shizuka Kawai, what are you doing here?"

"She's been on this instinct kick," Honda said. "Sorry." But Honda watched Kaiba take her hand. "Hey? What gives?" Shizuka was going with him too. "Hey!"

Kaiba placed her on the passenger side of his blue ferrari. He got in on the other side.

"Hey, wait, you can't just take her somewhere," Honda complained. He tried to get in, but Kaiba locked the door. "Shizuka!"

Kaiba started the car, let some paper flutter into the air, and headed out.

"What?" Honda grabbed the paper. It had an address on it. He got into his car, calling Jounouchi, hoping he would answer even though it was past 3:00 in the morning. "Of course, no answer. Think about the time. Ooh." Where did Kaiba take her to?