Smile for Mai (Part 2)

DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)

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Outside Domino City, Tallest Hotel Building

Kaiba was at the top of the hotel building with Shizuka. If they weren't near, then nobody could figure out what it had been. They were going to try the dragon just over the tip top of the bubble to see how it reacted. Was it like dough, would it only pierce for a second, or would the whole illusion pop? "If we are off target, we are responsible for a lot of deaths," he warned her. "We don't know it's power level yet."

"I can see it," she told him. "Just off the top, just to see how it reacts." The wind blew around her, but she was unwavering in her determination. "We have to. I know they'll be okay. The Blue-Eyes won't mess up." Her eyes opened and her gorgeous blue eyes peered out again. "I won't mess up."

"I summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Kaiba yelled. The Dragon appeared right above them as he signaled for it to attack the white bubble ahead on the top.

It moved with swift speed and grace. Shizuka stayed still, but she was staying in control. Kaiba could almost seem to trace the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's path in her eyes.

When it struck, it broke, but not for long. It easily came back to it's bubble shape again even though the dragon went straight through it.

The dragon had some power, but not enough to break the bubble.

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Outside Domino City, Reserved Hotel Room

This was more like it. Room service with the best he could get. Beat the hell out of what he had to eat last night. He would have a full stomach tonight, with wine. Lots of wine to get through the rest of the hell coming.

Shizuka was on the other side, eating just fine. A couple of misfires, but nothing large, nor did he draw attention to it unless he had to. She still had some vision after all. It helped that the table and utensils contrasted each other. "Thank you for the food."

Too damn kind. "You jumped risking your life to make it out here. You risked the consequences of the dragon in the middle of a city. You don't have to thank me for a damn thing. You have the dragon, I am naturally going to take care of you." He shouldn't have to say it all the time.

"Maybe, but I remember where I grew up," she said. "I didn't always have the best food. My dad didn't always have the best upbringing for us. I was happy with Jounouchi, but it wasn't easy with him. It was better with my mom, but not at first. She had to find her own way to survive. So I will always give thanks, even if you start getting tired of it."

Well, that was interesting. Shizuka actually told him about herself. He knew about Jounouchi's father, he always made sure he knew about the people around him. It was a tactic that saved his life more than once. Her though, he never had to bother looking into her mother's side. He didn't care to.

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Domino Hospital

Yuugi, Anzu, Atem, Jounouchi, and Satiah all waited while the room was filled with the doctor and nurses.

"She had months left, those goddesses jumped her up so far. How's she even going to survive the birth?" Jounouchi was a wreck, pacing back and forth. "This isn't right. This wasn't in her vision."

"Maybe it was," Satiah said. "She's unconscious now. Maybe she'll wake up again one more time."

"Then I gotta be there. I gotta see her one more time." Jounouchi waited at the door, eagerly wanting to knock, but knowing that any distraction could make things worse. "All because some fucking Pharaoh didn't want to wait months!" He grabbed at his hair. "This is fucking bullshit!"

Then, the door came open. A nurse urged him in. "She might not wake up again. You should come say goodbye."

Jounouchi was in the room, but no one else was supposed to come in. As a few minutes passed though, they convinced them to let everyone in. The world had changed too much to follow every rule. Last goodbyes.

Jounouchi held Mana. "She got blonde hair. She would be pretty with any hair." Mai looked asleep in front of him. He came towards the end of the bed and showed her. "I don't know if you'll wake up again, but if you can? Look, Mai. Mana is here. Just like you always knew."

Mai's eyes opened up lightly once more as the Earth suddenly tremored. She looked from side to side and then toward him. She looked toward Mana.

Then fell asleep for good.

Jounouchi came over the side and gave her a final kiss. "You'll be back," he managed to say. "I promise, Mai. You'll be back." He looked at Mana. Blonde hair. She stared back at him.

His little girl was the Dark Magician Girl. He took her over to the window, looking out it. At the edge, there was now a huge river of water going through the side. He moved away and gestured his head toward the window. He couldn't speak anymore or he would just blabber. Even a word was just too much right now. Even a word.

He held Mana closer. ///Jounouchi: Monster, human, it doesn't matter. Nobody is going to hurt you. I promised your mommy that. She'll be back too. You'll see her soon, I promise./// She didn't look like a monster. She looked like a normal newborn, complete with some newborn clothes. He looked back out. ///Jounouchi: Gotta keep it together. Tell them about it./// "The Nile just started over there."

Yuugi stared out the window. Atem came over with him.

"What is up with the water?" Yuugi asked. "It cuts straight down the center."

///Atem: A twisted celebration, recreating the Nile. Set is cruel.///

Yuugi understood. Lost a wife, but about to gain much more. "Mai was brave, and we'll bring her back. We'll bring her back, Honda back, and even Hanasaki. He didn't deserve this. They probably just shoved the millennium tome in his archaeological digging."

"Yes. Hanasaki was a good person. We'll bring everyone back that we can," Atem agreed. ///Atem: Now? We should talk to the women, Yuugi. We cannot prevent him from taking them. All it will do is end our lives, and then no one will be able to play the game.///

///Yuugi: I can't believe I really can't do anything to keep Anzu away./// Yuugi looked toward her. "It's going to be okay."

"I know," she said, just in case someone was around. "Just beat this game and everything will be back as good as it can be."

"We don't have diapers, cribs, nothing at all," Jounouchi just realized. "Mai was months away, and this whole thing, what do we do?"

"The hospital can help," a nurse said as she came in to check on them. She came over and looked at Mana. "She looks good. This is the first delivery we've had since the world changed. Stay overnight, and the hospital will get you plenty of diapers and something for her to sleep in. We can surely spare it."

"Thanks. Anything you got." Jounouchi pushed Mana more up his shoulder. "What umm . . . do we need to uh . . ." Her body disappeared from under the sheets. "Oh. Guess they are on top of things."

"She will be fine, Jounouchi," Atem warned him. They would win her back, just like everyone else.

"Now we can set a time." Set appeared right beside the foot of the bed. He looked over at Mana. "Better than a sorceress now, am I right? The goddesses helped it live the only way it could."

Jounouchi was about to shout, but instead he was frozen.