Hotcakes Without Hearts

Yuugi was up by 6:00, but he didn't get up. He just studied Hikaru a little while before beginning his day. His hair was the same. His eyes were the same. Even his voice, though he heard mainly cries and laughs from his baby boy, that same sound had matured into words in Hikaru. I am glad you are back. I don't care if you are older, Hikaru. You are still home, where you belong. For the next two days, and one day, permanently.

He got up and headed downstairs. While he passed Atem's room, he noticed the door was wide open. Silhouette was sleeping halfway on Masika, with Atem taking the sleeping bag. He was up now too, probably just thinking. ///Yuugi: Sleep okay?///

///Atem: An interesting night. Silhouette is more attuned, we couldn't lie to her.///

///Yuugi: Yeah, Anzu told me that. Sorry.///

///Atem: It's okay. I prefer this approach. I'd rather keep things more honest. She took it well. She did miss her light side though. She came to your room last night but I brought her back.///

///Yuugi: I know, those two never separate. Even though Hikaru was comfortable he tried the same thing. We need to make sure they feel really comfortable today. I am going to make some hotcakes for breakfast. Anzu said they would like them, as long as I don't make them hearts.///

///Atem: That is probably a good start./// He got up, put on his shoes, and headed out with Yuugi. He didn't get dressed in any pajamas that night. ///Atem: I talked Masika into staying in the same room. However, her bed and mine are doubles. We'll both need singles, and eventually one for Silhouette. The sooner the better. I didn't get to sleep in my own bed.///

///Yuugi: Yeah, I saw that. It's fine. Anzu did the same thing. Kids always get the bed, and she wanted to be beside him. Did she give you the choice between who got the sleeping bag?///

///Atem: Yes. I admit that. I am not good with brats, Yuugi. So far, Silhouette has been fine.///

///Yuugi: Some kids are easier. Some go through phrases. Some will be terrors for their whole lifetime. I think we have pretty good kids. The other version of me raised him well, and Silhouette. Everyone helped raise them. I tried to give you some time with her last night. Was she okay with . . . basically feeling ignored by me and Anzu?///

////Atem: It led her to figuring out the truth. You will have to tell Hikaru the truth soon as well, now that she knows. She won't stay quiet to her light side for long. They are bonded together.////

As Yuugi started to make some hotcakes, it didn't take long for Silhouette to find her way to the kitchen. "Breakfast?" Yuugi asked. He gestured toward some hotcakes already made.

Then, any sign of a more grown up child that could have been a Pharaoh one day absolutely disappeared. "Fluffy pancakes!" Silhouette shouted and ran back up the stairs. "Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!"

Anzu whistled as she came over. "She's got a voice on her."

"Thank goodness she doesn't use it that much," Masika said as she also came down.

Hikaru and Silhouette raced to the table, easily climbing up on the chairs.

"Are we really having thick fluffy pancakes?"

"They are called hotcakes, but it's close enough." Anzu tried to adjust his shirt. "You had to sleep in your clothes last night. We need to get you guys some new clothes today."

"Right." None of his baby clothes would have fitted, and they were spirited away anyway. It would be a great way to spend the day with Hikaru. He laid down some hotcakes.

"I want some," Silhouette said.

"Please," Masika said.

"I want some please, Momma." Silhouette looked toward Anzu. "I mean, Other Momma. Annsu?"

"Anzu. That's close enough." Anzu gave her some hotcakes.

"What do you mean Other Momma?" Hikaru asked as he took a bite. "Ooh, yummy."

Atem looked toward Yuugi. He would have to tell Hikaru soon. "Silhouette, could I speak to you for a second?" She looked toward her hotcakes. "They won't disappear, I promise you that." She came over toward him. He took her hand and walked her over to another room. "Yuugi hasn't told Hikaru anything yet besides what you heard yesterday. He and Anzu will tell him soon. Please let them be the ones to explain." She nodded. Good.

He returned back with her. She swifly took her spot again.

Atem, Masika, Anzu, and Yuugi all sat down too to eat.

///Yuugi: Geez, look at him go. I thought Jounouchi was messy at eating.///

///Atem: With a good breakfast apparently, all manners of politeness go out the window.///

///Yuugi: Hikaru's such a good kid. I knew he'd be the greatest kid ever.///

///Atem: Silhouette . . . is the last person in existence that should be sentenced to Zorc./// Yuugi looked toward Atem. ///Atem: I think the bonds of connections pull us down because they could not break for each other, nor could they leave her in his disgustingly vile evil hands.///

"Your hands are disgusting." Masika found a wipe and started to wipe at Silhouette. "So is your face. So is your clothes. Child, is there anywhere on you that isn't covered in sticky syrup?"

Silhouette just kept right on eating with whatever hand she could as Masika tried to clean her up.

///Atem: Never mind, apparently every child is a brat in some way. Thank goodness Masika has some skill. That would be nasty.///

///Yuugi: Yeah, no one's perfect. I better rescue Hikaru before he gets that bad./// Yuugi grabbed a few wipes too. "Let me see a hand."

"I'm eating," Hikaru said. "You can clean me up afterward."

"Hikaru," Anzu tried to help too. "You'll have your food taken until you get cleaned up."

Hikaru instantly stopped and stuck out one hand. "It's not bad, Daddy. Sil is the one who always gets pancakes all over herself and the floor."

"Oh, the floor. I didn't think to check that." Masika looked toward the floor. "It looks like an aftermath of a syrup war. I believe war is your forte, Atem."

"I better help with that one." If Masika was cleaning her, Atem would clean up the syrup war beneath her. "The food is supposed to go in your mouth, Silhouette."

"Most of it does," Silhouette said as she continued eating.

"I think it's more like half and half." Masika was in her face trying to wipe at her forehead and nose. "Two more seconds." Silhouette had a free moment and got more hotcakes in her mouth. "I am guessing I know why they don't get these as much."

Anzu laughed. "No kidding."

After the children were finally done with their hotcakes, it was time for the next task. They were going to need clothing for the next two days. Masika tried to clean up Silhouette enough to leave to start their journey.

At A Shopping Center . . .

"Do you see anything you like, Hikaru?" Yuugi asked as he watched his son barely glance at clothes. Probably not the biggest clothes shopper.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Hikaru asked Yuugi. "You always used to call me Hi. No one says our whole first name except Momma Masika."

Shoot. Well? It was an ice breaker. Hopefully, Hikaru still felt the love Anzu and he had for him. Hopefully he'd see he really did belong there. "Do you know what Hikaru means?"

HIkaru shook his head.

"It's sort of like light, bright, or shine." Anzu used three names, not knowing which one would translate back to him as just his name again. "I named you it. It's not an american name. Somehow, you ended up having the same name."

Atem stayed near in his thoughts, knowing Yuugi was telling him now. He was doing a much better job though, so he led Silhouette over to hear it better. He was touching on subjects Atem hadn't touched last night. He even included the mirror so he knew they could see them.

"So, my parents, the ones who raised me are dead," Hikaru said slowly, wiping his face. "But he is also you and he's going to be you again one day?"

"I think all of Yuugi, when he became a god, went straight to him. He's part of every Yuugi now. All but me," Yuugi insisted. "Still, I don't get the feeling that I am just watching you. You came from here. You came from us, ourselves." He reached out and hugged him. "Time doesn't matter when you were really supposed to be born, it only matters that you are mine. Mine and Anzu's. So, no, I won't ever have that version of Yuugi's memories until I pass on. But?"

"You still really love me, and I really came from here." Hikaru hugged him back.

"Gods?" Silhouette looked toward Atem. "Will Uncle Joey still believe that?"

"I believe Joey is even more likely to believe that," Atem said to her. "We will be joined later on after death, but we are here to live a life with you from now on."

"It's not something you need to dwell on," Masika added. "You just need to live the best you can. So, let's get you some clothes. What do you like to wear?" She took her hand. "I think your size is down this way."

"But, Hikaru." Silhouette pointed back at him.

"You were with him at breakfast time. You can't get clothes in the same area. He isn't far though." Literally, he was within her eyesight, they were of a similar size in clothing.

"Momma Masika thought I looked cute in everything. I wore everything," Silhouette said.

Masika let go of her hand. "Don't explore too far. Stay where we can see you. See if you like something."

"I still see something I like."

Oh no! "Not right now," Atem insisted. "What do you want, Bakura?"

Bakura smiled. "You are still holding my Masika hostage under your royal marriage command? Haven't you given up on that yet?"

"This one." Silhouette went toward Masika. "It's pretty, Momma Masika."

"Momma Masika? Who is this . . . thing that has multi-colored hair?" Bakura was mad. "Masika?!"

"It's ours," Atem said to him.

"That's absolutley impossible, it hasn't even been a year, and you never did anything." Bakura lifted her up. "How are you possible?"

Atem didn't even yell, he just grabbed her right back out of his grimy hands.

"How is she here?" Bakura wasn't phased by his actions.

"The whole of Masika and the whole of Atem did have a child, but the gods left it unborn. They were born in another dimension. Silhouette is visiting from that dimension, but she will eventually come to live with us," Masika explained. "Calm your temper."

"I didn't hurt the child. I'd never hurt your child," Bakura said to her. "She's not from here, that makes more sense."

"Yes, so don't just senselessly grab her," Atem scolded as he put her back down.

Silhouette showed him the dress she found. Then she showed Masika.

Purple with splotches of color. Modern. It was fine, but they could do better too. Atem started looking at the belts. She is the only daughter any form of me in any dimension ever had. Her clothes should say that.

He saw Masika come over to the area. She was looking through particular little outfits. "All of these capes are too small and the wrong kind of fashion."

Exactly, they were both on the same page. Silhouette was technically royalty. Her current clothes didn't say it. Her new clothes she bought didn't say it, but he wanted something to- "Perfect." A light purple leather jacket, to balance the assorted color in her hair.

Masika left a moment with her to a different section. She came back with a collar. "Would you like this too?"

Ooh. He took the collar and put it against Silhouette. "It's rather sparkly leather."

"I don't know how to shop for royal collars. This way." Masika led him to a little area which had collars for women. There wasn't much to choose from, but royalty always wore leather. It felt natural. It felt right. He searched for it before he had even known who he had been. Silhouette should be in leather.

The bands were too big, he would need to poke holes to get them to fit. The collars held the same fate, but he did find leather. It was still sparkly, but it felt more like leather. When she stayed for good, he would invest in finer leather.

"Trying to deck her out like royalty?" Bakura was still being annoying. "She doesn't count, she was in a different time. Speaking of not counting, when are you going to end that charlatan of a marriage with Masika? Let her go already."

"Oh Bakura, now is not the time," Masika complained. "I will see you again soon for a game to play. I promise."

Bakura smiled. "He would probably like that. Sorry he is so out of control. You know how he gets around you." He waved at the little girl. "You have a mighty cute little girl."

"Bakura." Silhouette recognized him. She went toward him. "You're a different Bakura."

"You know me in your dimension?" Bakura asked. "That's nice. Pleased to meet you here." He shook her hand. "I better get going. Masika? It would probably be a good idea to come see him soon. He seems to be more edgey with another you's daughter here now."

"I will try but she is only here for two days. Plan on it being at least two days," she told him.

"Yes. At least," Atem also confirmed firmly. Getting rid of the marriage? He sounded like Yugi. That command kept them safe from anyone coming after them in the future. She had honored that command too, only playing with Bakura every once in awhile.

She also never took a ride with him, something Bakura desperately wanted. Bakura almost always brought up the marriage too. I can feel so many changes taking place, especially with this god involvement. Atem moved toward a different aisle and gave something to Masika in her size.

"We aren't shopping for me." Masika looked at the outfit he gave her.

"We should be." She didn't even wear a cape, someone didn't even need to be royalty to wear a cape.

Masika just hung it back up. "Calm down, Atem. Bakura always makes you nervous. Everything is . . ." Her eyes hung on him for longer. "Oh. I see." She picked it back up. "If you insist then."

"I insist." In fact, since she was being willing with the cape?