"Is everybody clear about the grouping plan?" Atem asked, his eyes scanning each face of the group assembled in front of him. He felt like he should say something – make some kind of final speech like a leader would do before battle. Maybe he should remind them of what they're risking and how he didn't really know for sure the way things would turn out. Tell them how he's just running on the faith that they would win. This might be the last change for him to tell them just how much they really meant to him.
As he made eye contact with each person, he decided against it. Each face was grave, yet focused. He didn't have to say anything. They already knew.
"What…" Ryou spoke up, fingers nervously twisting in his lap. "What if…I mean, what do we do if someone gets…killed?" He saw Atem open his mouth, so he spoke again, louder: "And don't tell me that no-one-is-going-to-die speech. You don't know that for sure." He shook his head. "I can understand if you, Marik, Bakura, and maybe even Kaiba are sure of your safety...you all have been alive for so much longer than I and have seen so much – but what about me? Or Malik and Rebecca? We're not old. We're not fighters. We've never…" He trailed off.
"I…I'm a sorceress." Rebecca stated bravely. "Yes, I'm not oldest or the most powerful, but I can still do something. It's my duty to fix what I've wronged. I can help if someon—"
"But you're with Atem's group!" Ryou interrupted. "What about the other group taking on Anzu? What if they need help? You or anyone else won't be there to—" His eyes shot over to Bakura, who stared back with a defiant look.
"I can take care of myself, Ryou." He replied roughly. "I don't need you worrying about me. What are you; my parents?"
Ryou clenched his teeth and gripped his fingers together tightly.
"You're such an asshole." He muttered.
"Save the martial drama for the bedroom." Marik teased. "Those may be the last words you say to him, you know?"
"Marik, zip it." Malik chided. "You're not helping."
"I'm not going." Ryou announced. He looked at Yugi pleadingly. "Don't get me wrong, Yugi. I love you. You're one of my best friends. I would do anything I can for you...but I can't do this. I can't fight. I don't even know how. I want to help, but at the level I'm at, I'll only slow everyone down I couldn't bear it if someone got hurt because of my ineptitude."
"It's okay. I understand." Yugi placed his hand on Ryou's shoulder. "You've always had the brains of the group, not the brawns - and that's not a bad thing."
"Wuss." Marik muttered under his breath. Ryou flinched, but said nothing in argument.
"I'll stay with Ryou." Malik decided. "I don't want him here all alone. I'd hate to miss a good fight, but…" He shrugged. "Well, I can't say I'm very brawny, either. At least, not compared to all you dark angels. Even Yugi and Rebecca are of more help than I am in this one."
"All right." Atem nodded. "You two stay here and hold down the fort until we come home, then. Anyone else have any last minute thoughts they would like to share before it's final?"
"Not me." Bakura said, stretching his arm.
"I'm good." Marik agreed, popping his knuckles.
"So it's Kaiba, Marik, and Bakura to take down Anzu." Atem announced. "Yugi, Rebecca, Jou, and I are to finish Saguaro." He paused and stole a quick look at Yugi. "I would prefer Yugi to stay here, out of danger, but…"
"No. I'm going with you." Yugi said, stubbornly leaving no room for argument.
"My king," Kaiba said, stepping forward. He placed his right hand over his heart. "Make sure you come back alive. Preferably unharmed, too."
Atem knocked Kaiba's shoulder lightly with his fist.
"Right. Same to you, Seto."
Again, Atem felt the need to say something more to everyone, but he pushed the urge down. They already knew.
Rebecca couldn't stop the smallest of grins from forming as she, Atem, Jou, and Yugi flew high over the town buildings. She knew this was a serious matter, and she shouldn't even be smiling one bit, but something about being here made her feel so much older. She had a responsibility. She had to set right her wrongs. That was what it meant to be an adult. She shifted her weight, allowing more magic to seep from her body to keep her up in the air, and had passing wish that she, too, had a pair of wings. It would be much less exhausting, she was sure. it was hard to use just enough magic to keep her up, but not so much where she'd wipe herself out.
"Are you okay?" Yugi asked, slowing down so he was beside her instead of in front. "If you get tired, I can carry you." Rebecca flushed at the thought.
"Don't say that stuff to someone else in front of your boyfriend, Yugi." Jou chided. Yugi rolled his eyes at him.
"I'm fine. I'm not a child." Rebecca muttered. "It's nothing I can't handle."
Atem looked back at her, grinning a little.
"That a girl."
She blinked back, surprised. For the first time, she felt like she was part of some kind of family. She also couldn't help but think that it was a silly thing to feel when you were flying into almost certain death.
"Ah." Bakura groaned when he had unlocked and opened the dungeon door.
"What is it?" Kaiba asked. His eyes followed Bakura's gaze and fell on the empty cell. "Ah." He also groaned.
"She got out." Bakura sighed. "Good thing Atem sent more than just one of us. He must have guessed she'd—"
There was a loud scream, and Anzu suddenly appeared from the shadows in the corner of the room. She launched herself at Bakura, a blue glow emitting from her left hand. They jumped out of the way, and Kaiba noticed how she could not use the majority of the right side of her body. She hurled the blue glow at Bakura, who dodged the blast skillfully. She went to take chase, but her right leg gave out from under her and she stumbled.
"What's wrong, Anzu?" Marik teased, wearing an insane grin on his face. "You of all people should know what happens when you try to cast a spell you aren't experienced enough to conjure."
"Shut up!" She screamed. Her body surrounded itself in a red glow, and then blasts of magic resembling bullets shot away from her at every direction. All three men managed to get out of the way, but as soon as the onslaught stopped, she was again in motion. She was not going down easy.
"She's slipping completely." Kaiba said. "Mentally and physically."
"God damn it!" Bakura swore, ducking out of the way again. "Stay still!"
"She's still pretty fast for losing most of her control," Kaiba muttered. "This would be so much easier if one of us had a special power."
"Well, we don't." Bakura snapped, landing near Kaiba. "So suck it up and get moving."
"Yeah, yeah." Kaiba got to his feet.
"I hate it when your enemy won't stay in one place!" Marik seethed. Bakura and Kaiba watched as he involved Anzu in a battle that was so consistent and back-and-forth, it was almost a dance.
"Is that all you've got?" Marik called, leaping from place to place, dodging every fist and magic blast Anzu had to give. "Come on, little girl." She cried an inhuman screech, trying to hit him again. Marik spun around and ducked, laughing. As he turned, Anzu reached out and grabbed one of his wings, yanking him back.
"You should've been more careful." She seethed. "It's not pleasant when your wings get hurt, right?" She emphasized her words with a sharp twist of her arm, and Marik cried out. Bakura ran at Anzu, slamming his fist right into her gut. She stumbled back, and Bakura grabbed Marik's arm, yanking his wing from her. Marik fell forward onto his hands and knees, his breathing strained.
"Goddamn bitch..." Marik groaned, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Protect your wings, idiot!" Bakura said.
"I will not lose to this!" Anzu cried, and before either Bakura or Kaiba could stop her, she leapt forward and stabbed her purple-tipped hand into Marik's back.
Malik took in a sudden, shuddering deep breath, and Ryou glanced over at him.
"Anxious?" He guessed, reaching over to rub his friend's back.
Malik nodded, his fingers gripping the fabric of the couch.
"I just feel like…something awful is going to happen."
"I'm sure they're fine." Ryou bit his lip. "They're strong. Plus, Anzu should have already lost some control of her body by now. There's no way she can overpower all three of them. Just...there's no way."
"Yeah, I know. You're right. I'm sorry." Malik wiped some sweat off his forehead. "I just…can't get rid of the feeling, you know? Like I had seen some bad omen and no matter what I do, I can't stop it. I feel like I'm going to puke."
"You did a good job hiding your nervousness earlier in front of everyone."
"Did I? That's good." Malik gave a weak laugh.
"It's okay." Ryou took a deep breath. "I'm worried, too."