Seto (Part 3)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

Yuugi tried to hook up the safety straps to the carrier, so it could become a car seat for Hikaru. ///Yuugi: It's a good thing Kaiba likes things big and flashy. There's no way we could be playing two duel monster games in a small car./// He looked toward Bakura in the front with Shizuka. ///Yuugi: Sitting is what it is with two infants too.///

"Stop staring," Bakura warned him. "If I do anything, I die too. Like Seto Kaiba said, it's a van."

Right. Yuugi tried to put it out of his mind. He needed to focus on the cards.

Yuugi had many cards, but it had still been awhile since he seriously played. ///Yuugi: If I had known that Anzu and the world would be at stake, I never would have stopped playing.///

///Atem: Then it's good you didn't. You probably needed that rest./// Atem put down a card first. "We will practice and be the best we can be. We won't lose to Zorc or Set. We'll get Anzu and Masika back. We'll get everyone back."

"This doesn't feel like the standard 'save the world' that we've had to deal with before." Yuugi placed a card down. "I don't want anyone to suffer anymore than they have to, and . . . and casting cards against the Earth? There is bound to be someone who will get hurt."

"If the casualties stay under a thousand, we will be lucky," Atem answered honestly. "Even if we get to tell the battleships where to hide, Zorc and Set could still strike everywhere."

"How the hell?!" Jounouchi's voice from the other side. He lost already? Yuugi expected to hear Kaiba gloating. Instead, all he heard was-

"That's one game. Trade spots with Bakura now."

No gloating at all? ///Yuugi: That is really strange. Kaiba must be very concerned for Mokuba.///

///Atem: Or he doesn't want to upset Shizuka. That is more likely, Yuugi. Kaiba has been his usual self with us, but his unusual mannerisms seem to happen after he speaks or whispers with Shizuka. Those two seem to be hiding something.///

///Yuugi: I don't want more secrets. I'm tired of secrets. I just want to win this.///

///Atem: Then keep your eyes on the future, Yuugi. I'll watch for the secrets in the present for you.///

They felt the car stop and Bakura came toward the back to sit with Jounouchi.

As they started to ride, Yuugi and Atem played. Yuugi won a game. Atem won a game. Bakura lost a game. The babies laughed and cried.

Then, a new update sent the idea of going to Ultimate Cards on hold.

"Surrounded by an energy bubble?" Kaiba cursed from the front of his van and stared. Not the whole of Tokyo. Just Ultimate Cards.

"It's not surprising," Atem admitted as he got out with everyone else. "The energy bubbles are Set. He probably did that before the game started." He stared out toward the energy bubble.

"How long does it take to get the bubble to pop?" Jounouchi asked.

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon isn't like bubblegum, Moron." Kaiba looked back toward Shizuka a moment as she came out. "I mean, it's tricky to say, Jounouchi. Shizuka and I need to find a tall hotel and check in. From there, it's a little easier. Right, Shizuka?"

"Right," Shizuka agreed.

"I'll drop everyone off at a regular hotel. We'll come back for you when we pop the energy bubble," Kaiba insisted. "Everyone back into the car."

"Uh?" Jounouchi looked toward Shizuka. "Don't you want us to come with?"

Shizuka looked toward Kaiba, and then toward Jounouchi. "No, it's fine. I've been fine with him."

"Come on you idiots, back into the car," Kaiba commanded. "You too, Shizuka."

"Hey!" Jounouchi yelled. "Be mean to my sister like you are everyone else!" Then Mana started to cry. "Sorry, again, Mana." He brought her up closer and nestled her. "Kaiba just really makes me mad sometimes."

"I don't get what you're sputtering," Kaiba said to him. "Just get back in the car."

Huh. Maybe Atem was right? Kaiba was acting kind of strange with her. It was almost as if . . . no. Yuugi wasn't going to focus on anything but Hikaru and Duel Monsters. ///Yuugi: Focus on the future.///

///Atem: Yes. I will handle the present, Yuugi. I'll find out what Kaiba's hiding.///

///Yuugi: Thanks, Atem.///

///Atem: It had better not have anything to do with Masika.///

///Yuugi: The whole of Masika, or just Masika?///

///Atem: Now is not the time to tease, Yuugi.///

///Yuugi: I'm not teasing, Atem./// Yuugi watched Hikaru start to fall asleep in his carseat again. ///Yuugi: I miss parts of our ancient wife too.///