Jounouchi stayed around only a little while longer before going back to looking at the care package and his mirror. Meanwhile, Anzu watched Atem and Yuugi, both looking at her. This feels eerie.

Yuugi went to holding her right hand, while Atem held her left.

"Don't worry," Atem started. "We will do our best to keep you and the future little god and goddess safe."

"For both of you," Yuugi agreed. "If that's what we all decide. I mean, because we all need to decide. You know, not just me or Atem. You matter. Of course you matter! And Satiah, she matters. This time, it's not like before, it's . . . there's no . . ."

"Forming attachments," Atem added to Yuugi's words.

"Right! It's not like forming attachments. Like physical. More like metaphysical. Immaculate? Uh, it'd just happen. I think. If we all decided on it, after we win."

I knew it. Who could resist fixing our world back to normal? Erase all this damage. My two friends. Now two fathers to one kid if they win. And if they don't, then it's the end of humanity so they have to win. And be fathers. Anzu could not describe how weird it felt. As children, she had liked Yuugi. As she grew though and first began to realize there was a different personality to Yuugi, she had crushed on him. Then, he was gone.

Life went on, she went to America and when she saw Yuugi again? The reasons she kept moving away were the same reasons she was falling so hard for him. His ability to still just want to play, no matter what life threw at him or how hard.

She was in the middle of starting a relationship with him, and now? Atem was back, yet not even a part of Yuugi. He was separate. Just as separate as Satiah had been to her. And now something she fantasized as some young teen girl, of ending up with the dark stranger and having his kids. Silly dreams of hormonal times. Was happening. They are both it.

"Don't be uneasy," Yuugi said, "it'll be okay."

"Yuugi and I are quite used to sharing anything from thoughts to our physical forms. Both of us will be here for you, Anzu," he promised. "You and Masika." His eyes darted above toward her room a moment before he paid attention to her again. "Do you have that same kind of relationship with Masika?"

Sharing. "Sharing Yuugi." She looked toward Yuugi. "She's . . . part of me still. And when we thought we had to choose, I had to deal with it." She nodded. "We share children." That was the tricky part. "I was never really into um. Children. I'll do the best I can. If that's what we do."

"I know that you will," Atem said. "Why don't you go look over the care package box with Jounouchi? Yuugi. Come." He went inside. "We need to go see our second wife."

Uh? "What did he say?" Anzu asked.

"Nothing, nevermind! Look, Jounouchi looks really happy right now. Maybe he's got some good news over there? You should go check it out." Yuugi rushed off behind Atem. "Atem? That probably wasn't the right word to use for Anzu."

"We are all living in the same family home, and we will be fathering their god children once we win. What would you call it, Yuugi?" Atem asked.

"Friends fathering friends' kids?" Yuugi guessed.

"Hey, don't know, but I got something for the both of you."

Yuugi turned and saw Jounouchi. In his hand he was carrying half the millennium . . . pendant? It was split in two. Each side had half of it with the handle where Yuugi used to put the chain broken on it. Yet, somehow both sides still had a chain.

"Don't ask me how these chains don't fall out. I found these at the bottom of the goodies." Jounouchi handed one half to Yuugi and one half to Atem. "Comes with a card."

"What do we do with half a pendant?" Yuugi put it on. The chain still didn't fall out, but as soon as Atem put his on, the puzzle was complete. On both of them? They could each physically touch it.

"It's all connected to each other, like you guys," Jounouchi said. "One half really isn't there, it's an illusion, a weird tie between them. Like you guys. In fact? Here's the card."

Yuugi took it. He wasn't in the mood for a 'sorry for ruining and killing and destroying all of humanity for our own selfish needs' card. He opened it and read it. "The luck of the millennium puzzle is shared through us. Stability is your answer." Hmm. "Stability?"

"Yeah, huh? I mean, it makes sense. You are part of the same guy," Jounouchi said, noticing the part he was reading. "Forget all the bullshit about why and how it works, just look at that last part. If you and Atem call for things at the same time, there's a better chance that huge power that could destroy planets, you know, might just destroy Set instead? That's what it sounds like to me."

"I get it." Yuugi looked at Atem. "The Dark Magician's attack will be more stable if we call him both at the same time. Apparently, we'll also have a better chance at getting a god to respond to us, if we both summon them I bet."

"It is two made one," Atem said, like he understood. "Emotional balance." He smiled. "This makes sense."

Yuugi went back though to read what was in the front. "Your emotions, Jounouchi, play a huge role on him too." The more emotional he was, the stronger the Dark Magician would be. "Mahado's emotions also affect it too." That's why they took Mai while she had Mana.

"Oh. Yeah." Jounouchi didn't sound as happy. "As angry as those cats made me and him? Yeah. Yeah, he's gonna have some power." He tried to keep himself under control. No cursing any gods. He brought out his mirror. "I never put it down for long. I hear her in my head when she wants me to see her somehow, even though I can't actually hear her. She's doing good though, they gave her a nice dress and she's eating food that's making me jealous." He smirked. "Oops. I'm kind of keeping you from your own duties. Sorry, guys." He turned and waved. "Go see your second woman."

Mokuba relaxed against Masika. She was brave so far. Not even a whole three days of being human, and she was going to be a mom when Yuugi won. He would have stayed with Anzu, but everyone was going to her. She was their number one friend.

Masika hadn't said anything about it. She went up into Anzu's room, pulled out a deck of cards and started playing solitaire. She had a pretty glow around her. They didn't even bother with the lights. Must have been part of the blessing on her.

He wanted to ask her something. Be there for her somehow because no one else had been. Anzu is getting all the attention in the world, while everyone's forgetting the other side of this. It's emotional, I get it, but this will be their kid too! I know they are going to choose it, who wouldn't? It'll help restore everything! They can clean up the world. Shouldn't someone have come up to see her by now?

"Hmm." Masika stared at her card. "Should I steal that King of Spades for the top corner, or should I leave it there and go for building on the rest of the six of spades to get the turned over four?"

"Seto would grab the King of Spades, if he had been playing," Mokuba said, knowing she really wasn't speaking to him. He still wanted to keep her company. "Seto wasn't there. It was a big moment."

"Your brother is resilient and he has Shizuka Kawai, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon keeper. He will be fine." She ended up comforting him as she grabbed the King of Spades and placed it above. She turned over the card under the King for an Ace of Hearts. "Oh, good move."

"They should be here." Mokuba couldn't help it. "If they are expecting you to go along with it, then they should be here. No one's here."

"Hmm?" Satiah looked at him and smiled. "This. Is not an easy development, Mokuba. When faced with strange situations like this, you can't just assume anything should go a certain way." She looked at her glowing stomach. "Very strange situations. These situations just call for a game by yourself, so you can think and be patient as you figure out what to do."

Sure, but there are two dads and two moms. Even Bakura, him showing up and saying something would be better. "You should say something to Bakura."

"When it's time."

She's just playing to distract herself. It's not fair. He leaned against her again. "I'm sorry no one's here for you right now."

"There is someone here. Someone precious." She touched his back. "Thank you for being by my side. Does my presence still help your pain?"

"Yeah a little, but I'm not here because of that," Mokuba admitted. "I know I'm older, but that time together with you. When you were trapped in a card. I could never forget it. Even though it was really short. You're the closest thing I ever had to a mom. You are going to be a great one."

She took a deep breath. "I hated most of the brats I knew, Mokuba," she said. "You're the only one I had ever got along with, and you know why now."

"I was part of Heba." Yeah, he remembered that. It didn't really bother him that part of him was a girl at one time. "Why though? You're such a nice person. Why aren't you fond of kids?" He watched her, hoping for an answer.

"It's a complicated thing, Mokuba. Nothing you need to worry about. This Four of Diamonds is keeping me from winning." She placed it down and regathered all of the cards. "Maybe I'll win this one."

"Mokuba. Let's go." Ryou Bakura came to the door. "I'm sure they are ready to call it a day. We will go home and get something to eat ourselves."

"I want to stay with her for longer," Mokuba said.

"Mokuba. It's best to go," Satiah answered him. "Bakura will take care of you. He's good at that." She glanced toward him. "Are you still my friend?"

"I am," Ryou Bakura said. "Bakura himself is oddly not being around right now." He sighed. "He's hurt. Not just about this god thing, his whole life was turned into shambles because of it all. I think he's still your friend though. Are you still his? Knowing that you aren't completely Masika."

"I am who I am and I feel how I feel," she said as she had all the cards laid out.

"Then who are you?" Ryou Bakura asked.

"I am someone with certain deep memories of Egypt along with life in modern times. As Atem once said, I am here nor there." She laid out a card. "Bakura will always be my friend. I hope . . . that the hatred has died down enough, that we can someday play again."

"I hope so too. I'm sorry. We have to get going," Ryou Bakura apologized. "Mokuba. The others will come soon. Atem and Yuugi aren't far. Let's go."

As Mokuba left, he could see just how far they had been. Both of them were on opposite sides of the hallway, staring at each other. Why hadn't either one gone to see her? "She's waiting, guys."

"Yes, we know," Yuugi said. "She isn't like Anzu though."

"Go ahead and get going, Mokuba." Atem continued to stare at Yuugi.

Mokuba continued walking down the hallway. At least having a little more room to move around would be nice.

Yuugi watched Mokuba and Ryou Bakura finish ascending downstairs. Are we ready now?

We are more than ready. You should at least try Masika with her. It is her true name.

Masika is . . . Yuugi stopped. Atem was the name of the Pharaoh. Yuugi had parts of the Pharaoh, but Atem was mostly him. Anzu is part of Masika, but Satiah is mostly her. I see. I'll call her Masika. To say anything else would be like Yuugi not agreeing Atem should be Atem.

Maybe it was confusing for everyone, but it was the names they identified with.

Fine. We will go and see her, but don't expect the same reaction you received from Anzu. She is a great actress. She probably learned it from Bakura in her Egyptian memories. They were the most prevalent. She can act calm and out of the way, but if you steer her in a direction she hates, she will become foul to get the point across. The faster she switches, the more she is not happy.

Understood, Atem.

Satiah continued to play solitaire as the ones she knew would show up made their presence known. Atem and Yuugi.

They both came into the room. Yuugi on the left and Atem on the right.

"Masika. Do you mind if we sit down?" Yuugi asked her.

Oh no, he was going to start that too? "It's your household." She sorted through her first cards. Nothing of use.

"How are you taking things?" Yuugi asked her.

How was she taking things? "I am sorting my thoughts by playing an isolated game." Although she was losing already. "I would rather not have people on my sides." They weren't listening right away. "It's distracting." Still nothing. "What the **** is it already?"

Yuugi just gave her a strained smile. "Um? Sorry. We don't mean to make you uncomfortable. There isn't an exact guide on what to do on these things. I don't even know you much, but a god or goddess might be able to really help. At least, give attention to the Earth? Fix it? Anzu would be okay with it because there's no forming attachments, just poof."

"Poof." She looked through her card choices again. What am I missing? She watched Atem touch the left card. A king! "How could I just leave that there?" She moved it.

"Your mind is in other places," Atem said. "You've never bore a child, let alone a god. This request isn't easy for anyone."

"So? Neither have you. I'll be fine. We have a modern day hospital with supplies." She flipped the card. Ooh! Another King. Nowhere to put it yet, but it would help the game proceed.

"I bet they can swing it." Jounouchi revealed himself right in the doorway next to Anzu. He looked toward Anzu. "Did you plan on telling before all this happened, or was Yuugi just supposed to figure it out?"

"Yes, but it wasn't even like I said officially!" Anzu went off. "It was only if something was agreed with on with Horakhty and the whole of Atem, and if all of creation just felt just right, and it made no sense. I wanted at least a day to come to terms with things." Yuugi reached out to hold her. "I'm sorry, that sentence made no sense. I just meant that I never meant for this to happen."

"It's not our fault at all," Masika agreed. She looked toward Atem. "If you had known, would you have left humanity back to your uncursed afterlife with Yuugi?"

Atem shook his head. "No, I couldn't."

"Then nothing is different or could have been done differently. Pawns of gods." Masika looked outward. "Feels quite familiar." She looked at her stomach.

"It's the power of the egyptian gods you feel, all protecting you from Set until then." Atem looked toward Anzu. "You too. Being the tear, you are the most special human to them. You might even be the only one they all care about unanimously."

"Used to be one," Anzu corrected him.

"The food in the box does look great," Yuugi said to her slowly, "so I guess we should invite Bakura and Mokuba too. Thank them for all the help they've done? For a little while longer?"

"Any conversations you need to have with him, you need to get out of the way," Atem said more clearly. "This is not a sacrifice to me. This is choice, by you and Anzu, and Yuugi and me. To give the world a second chance again."

"It still won't have the best outcome." She sighed. In order for her to get on with things, she needed to confront Bakura first.

Dinner Time

Jounouchi sat down on the small end of the table. Mokuba and Bakura were on the other side. Anzu and Yuugi sat down as well, while Atem and Masika just ate over the counter.

Ryou Bakura poked the food. "Looks great." He glanced toward Yuugi and Atem. "Thanks for inviting us."

Anzu looked toward Masika. "You're always welcome here," she said to him. "After you finish dinner, maybe you could hang around a little longer?"

"Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi looked at his mirror so quick, he could have hurt himself. "Mai?" He laughed enthusiastically. "Hey, Mai can hear me now." He waved at her. "Hi my Mai."

"Hi my Jounouchi." She reached out to him, touching the other side of the mirror. "Isis finally got the hint I wanted to talk to you with my own voice."

"Wish it could have happened earlier," He answered. "You doing okay?"

"Hey, I'm doing head over heels better than you losers," she said. "See this pretty dress? It's just the beginning. Some of the little gods around here actually are waiting on me. It's almost like a dream come true. Somehow overnight I just became so important."

"I'd be weary of that," Masika and Atem both said at the same time.

"Don't worry, I'm keeping my common senses," she promised. "No one's pulling anything over on me. Especially after Mai and Anzu, Jounouchi. So, you guys got a name for them?"

Masika placed her silverware down.

"No, no, ixnay on that," Jounouchi said to Mai. He looked back toward Masika with a squince of his eyes. "Sorry."

Masika stepped from her plate. While she was trying to remain strong, it was apparent that she wasn't at her strongest at that second. Telling Bakura this felt like cowardism. He already clearly knew. Ryou Bakura knew, but confronting him face to face? It was a whole other challenge.

"If you need help, I am right here," Atem insisted to her. "It will be okay."

Masika nodded, hoping he was right. Atem understood her. This would feel like a complete betrayal. As if she let herself be sacrificed for Atem. "I need to talk to Bakura."

Ryou Bakura followed her outward from the kitchen to her room. How are you doing, Bakura? Bakura wanted him to stay away from Yuugi's shop, but Ryou Bakura couldn't just ignore it. She is still your friend. Please be nice to her. He smiled. "Hello Satiah."

She didn't say anything at first. Then? "I've been blessed to have a god or goddess. Anzu and I both, after the win, with the winners. We accepted it. You know that."

"Yes, that's exciting news! Having everything restored again."

"Atem and Yuugi are the fathers. This blessing came unannounced with only a little warning, but that warning was not defining a father." She sighed. "I tried to get Anzu to join when it was revealed to us first. This blessing was supposed to ensure humankind's future, and I'd rather be whole and be with someone we were both used to until this happened."

Bakura, what?! Oh, she definitely wants to hear from you, not me! The spirit remained quiet. Bakura!

"I. I know that you were angry enough that I am civil to Atem," she said slowly. "This may feel unforgivable, but this world will need a god to undo all the pain that has been forced upon others. Will you please say something?"

"Well, what do you expect me to say, woman?!" Bakura snarled at her, fully there. No longer able to contain himself. "The son of the man who gave the order to slaughter my family. My village. My entire life. He took everything away." He gripped her. "Now, the only one . . . that I trusted . . ." His hair laid in the middle of his face and he didn't care. "Once that bastard wins you'll be pregnant with his spawn, to reward humanity."

"He's . . . he's . . ." It would not be easy to hear, but nothing had been. "Atem isn't bad! Neither is Yuugi. I know you don't want to hear that, but, he isn't evil, you were. He and his father didn't know. Do you remember what you did at all?"

"It's disappearing a little more each day," Bakura admitted. "But our past doesn't, it only gets clearer. So this betrayal is . . ." He squeezed his hands in and out.

She saved your very soul from damnation, she had no control over anything-"

"The betrayal hurts us all," Bakura settled on. "I know you have no control over the factors. I have no control over this little pinhead unless I have the ring. Which, you did give to Atem and he still hasn't bothered giving back!"

"I thought he could help," she said.

"He's a good . . . " Bakura's look. Like he was a brat who found out his favorite treat was gone. "Something. I don't know, insert something supportive because it's hard to say anything good about him." She gave him a quirky smile. Familiar. "If he hurts you, I'll kill him. Also, we aren't in Ancient Egypt, he doesn't have any control over you. If he tries anything to be royal or leader or in charge against you, he'll pay! So will that infant side of him called Yuugi. He'll die too, nice and slow."

The smile that bloomed on her face as she hugged him. "You're okay again, Bakura!"

"Yes. Don't hug." He moved her away. "You'll have to work hard on the spawn to make sure it doesn't take after him." He made a shooing motion. "Now fine, I get it. So. Go. I'm sure 'his majesty' will come looking for you soon."

"Thank you." She bowed lightly. "Could you grant me the tiniest favor?"

"Probably not."

Kitchen

"So she's chosen to have your pathetic spawn," Bakura said as he came back into the room. "Terrible. Things we do to save the world. Ooh, steak. Isn't that fancy in this new time." He sat down where Ryou Bakura had sat before.

Anzu poked at her steak, glancing toward Masika. Well?

I am lucky he understood, Anzu. I did try though. Masika went back toward her steak.

"Boy, this looks good," Bakura went on as he quickly ate the steak. "Yummy, yummy, yummy. You know what else is yummy? The south facing rock."

Anzu's fork slid off her steak to the floor.

"Oh, you dropped your fork." Yuugi looked at the floor. "I'll get you another one."

"Here." Bakura tossed his fork toward Anzu. "Not the first time I gave you a good fork, is it?"

"Nevermind that." Yuugi's voice was tense as he got up and got her a fork. "Here you go, Anzu."

"Apparently Yuugi knows how to fork too," Bakura continued. "Still, my fork came when you needed it."

"Stop it." Anzu's voice was forceful. "That wasn't me."

"Oh but it was, you are a part of my Rider too," he warned her. "Otherwise you wouldn't have dropped the fork when I said south facing rock."

"Bakura." Masika stopped eating. "Anzu is different than me. Please, don't."

"I just want to know if it could have been possible without gods?" Bakura asked. "Yuugi? What about you? You've forked your side of my Rider, haven't you? Or am I the only one in that group?"

Yuugi hit the table with his first. "She doesn't remember!"

"She was a different person back then," Jounouchi also stood up for her. "You can't judge that on Anzu. She's not yours anymore, she's got no feelings for you. Just get over it, she moved on."

"Well of course she moved on." Bakura shrugged. "Silly human. That's why I screwed her. It wasn't love, it was protection. In different angles and positions, and even inviting others to the fest." His eyes narrowed on Satiah. "I made my Rider strong enough to survive any master. Remember how?"

"You should go now!" Yuugi warned him. "Leave. Ryou Bakura, take him over and get him out."

"Sorry." Ryou Bakura stood up. "He demanded to have his peace. It was important to him." He sighed. "He wasn't in love with her or anything. Not like a boyfriend. It was out of protection. Every terrible bit of his time with her had purpose. He made it sound worse than it had been." He looked toward Masika. "You understand that." Masika nodded toward him.

"But we don't need to dwell on it." Anzu held her fork tightly in her hand. "It's just old memories. Barely there. It doesn't mean anything." She was starting to lose it. "I'm done."

"No, you aren't." Yuugi sat back down beside her. "That was someone different, you are right. I don't blame you, and I won't listen to Bakura. I love you." He smiled, held her hand with the fork. "Enjoy the steak."

"Yes. Enjoy. I'm sorry," Ryou Bakura apologized. "He's still adapting and this was unexpected. We should go now." Mokuba got up, ready to follow. Ryou Bakura reached in his pocket. "He signed these for you. Here's his losings." He placed it on the table. "Here is his winnings. Jounouchi, you can use the winnings card for her. He doesn't care about the prize. We'll go now. Come on, Mokuba."

"The winnings?" Jounouchi was on it quick, grabbing the winnings card and holding it out in triumph. "That's number three! My Mai can come back!" The delight on his face couldn't be scrubbed off with an SOS pad.

"So ask them, did they dream of anything?" Mai's voice came from the mirror. "Was it anything like my dreams?"

"No, we were just warned." Anzu took her knife and fork and started to cut into her meat again.

"Naw, nothing like yours, Mai," Jounouchi replied to her in the mirror. "No forecast for this thing at all."

"Strange. Sorry, I just thought since they were having something with so much power, they'd have something like mine," Mai said. "Anywho, no problem over here." She backed away from the mirror and twirled around in a sparkling gold dress. "Like what you see?"

"Wow." Jounouchi winked. "Sure do. Pretty nice outfit. Don't get used to it though, I'm bringing you back the next time I see one of those goddesses again."

"Sounds great, Jounouchi! It's more than the outfit here too, Sweetie." Mai picked the mirror back up to him. "It's like being catered on hand and foot. I really couldn't believe it when I first came. If I just say 'I want something to drink', then I'll get someone who will just go do it. It's like the life I always dreamed of, others serving me and granting my every wish." She laughed. "A long time ago I would have been delighted." She looked straight back at Jounouchi. Serious eyes. "Instead, I feel scared. Why are they being this nice to me, Jounouchi? I didn't do anything to warrant any of this. I'm ready to come back."

Then, Jounouchi lost connection with the mirror. He fidgeted with it for several minutes and then heard a knock on the front door. He looked out and opened it in a rush. Standing there was Bastet with Mai back in her regular clothes. "Mai!"

"Winnings." Bastet took Bakura's winning card and disappeared.

He wrapped his arms around her. "You're back. Safe and sound."

"Yeah, I didn't get to keep the ethereal dress," Mai complained to him but with a smile.

Mai was back safe.