Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns Yugioh and I do not.

The Best and Not So Best

A/N: I tried to hone into the young girl mentality for Mana (a little younger than when we meet her in canon). The volatile temper, the insecurities and the care-freeness. I'm not sure if I failed or succeeded in this.

For the contest season 7 round 3

From Mana's perspective.

-

The best way to kill a snake is to get at its head. Preferably with a knife or rock.

At least, that's what I think. I'm not exactly an expert at it, but I've been doing it for a long time. I'd so -oh- maybe five or six years.

At first it was just any snake I came across. I'd see the familiar way the sunlight hit the skin -you know, like how the water ripples by the bank- and wam! right before it has time to think. I got pretty good at it.

Now I make my rounds every morning and evening. It's not as scary as you think, searching for snakes. When I saw Master get bitten it was the scariest moment of my life. Nothing could top that. As the Prince sucked the poison, right then and there, I promised myself that I would protect them no matter what. So it's not so scary when I think about what happened and how I never want it to happen again.

Plus, I have a large collection of different kind of snakes and I know exactly which ones are the most dangerous. All this I've done through careful study -Master would be so proud of me! But he doesn't really take my snake hunting seriously. He seems to think I'd rather do that than study for my magic exams.

I do study for them. Honestly. But it doesn't help when all the spells get jumbled up in my head and I can't tell them apart. At least killing snakes is a one step method.

Which reminds me, the best way to ace an exam is to not be late for it in the first place. I was late for it yesterday.

Oh. You should have seen Master's face. Usually he's so composed! But he turned a shade of a color I don't quite know the name for (something between a crushed pomegranate and crushed snake brains) when I arrived at the practice area.

'Mana!'

'I know. I know. I'm sorry. It's just I didn't get any sleep last night because I was studying and-'

'Just take your place with the trainees.'

I thought he was mad, but when I got over to my spot and looked he was smiling a little.

The exam was simple. Or it was supposed to be. Just cast the right spell on the right target. I aced suspending rocks in the air. But I failed at everything else. I cast the wrong spell and set fire to a plant I was supposed to water and to top it all off I even singed the hairs off some of the other trainees' heads in the process.

This time Master didn't smile when he dismissed me. Not even half of a smile.

The best way to fail an exam, I realized as I lay on my back my room, was to not study for one, apparently.

But I couldn't just loaf around all day because I couldn't cast a few spells. If it's listlessness I'll have no part of it.

The best way to climb something is to never look down while you're doing it. Especially if it's the palace roof. I made that mistake twice. I wasn't going to do it again. I kept my feet in the footholds and held onto a few friezes too.

I can't remember a time I wasn't trying to get higher. My parents told me I learned to jump before I learned to walk.

'You silly girl. You'll jump so high you'll end up on the other side of the world.' They'd say.

Pretty soon I took to climbing. I'd climb to the roof of our house and the neighbor's houses and no one would be able to find me.

But it wasn't only my body that wanted to reach the sky. I was so curious that I thought I'd explode with all the questions inside me. So I asked and eventually my parents begged the magicians to teach me. I was apprenticed to Master Mahad even before he became a full-fledged magician. They believed in him that much. Which means they also believed in me that much.

I hadn't climbed the roof of the palace for a long time, so I was a bit surprised when I got to the top.

The best way to see the city is from the rooftop of the palace. That's the highest place unless you want to count temples and stuff. But the palace is really the way to go. Some of the houses are white and they become glaring white blurs in the noonday. The river too becomes that shiny color in the distance, but once you trace it with your eyes you start to see the greens and the blues. The places that where the deep meets the shallow, where you can catch fish with your hands. The people are out of their houses and walking about. And all around, when it's a very hot day, you can see ripples in the air. Master Mahad says it has something to do with how hot it is, but even he's not really sure.

Sitting there I took everything in. I had failed my exam. That was for certain. Master Mahad was mad at me. I'd have to train extra hard next time if I didn't want to see the upset expression on his face. And waking up earlier would probably help too.

I was so focused on my thoughts that I didn't see Master Simon on the balcony below me.

'Mana. Is that you?' He called.

'Oh. Hi, Master Simon.' I went over to greet him. Unfortunately my feet had ideas some failures of their own in store for me. When I opened my eyes the sky roof was above me and Master Simon was under me.

'Oh. Sorry about that.'

'No. No. It's all right. Just, could you move off a little please?'

'Oh. Sure.' I scooted over a bit and he sat up, cracking his back and muttering about how much I'd grown.

'Looking at the view, eh?'

'Uh. Yeah,' I uttered out like I was embarrassed. 'Sometimes I do that. You know how it is.'

'I know.' He winked. I could tell from his expression what he was referring to.

'So I guess you heard about my failure today.'

'Oh. Not just me. The whole palace heard the screams and the smell of burning hair.'

'I didn't mean to. I hope they're okay.'

'Oh I wouldn't worry about it. If you ask me some of them were overdue for hair cuts anyway.' He let out a chuckled and I couldn't help but laugh along with him.

'But really Master Simon. I can't get this new magic stuff down. Every time I try I mess something up.'

'It comes with being a magic user, my dear. Everyone's got to cast a hundred wrong spells before they cast one right one.'

'Or in my case, a thousand.'

'I wouldn't say that. Actually, I was quite impressed with the way you handled those rocks today.'

'That's because, I guess I've been using them to kill snakes all these years. If you gave me knives I could probably do the same thing- not that I'm saying the next exam materials should be knives. But any other object and I end up losing my focus.'

'Well, have you tried summoning your ka yet?'

'My ka?!' The very reflection of my soul. For a magician like Master Simon to want to see my ka when his was able to defeat an army.

'No. No. It's too embarrassing. It's hardly anything.'

'Pretty please.'

'A-alright.' I stood up and concentrated. Concentrated like I had never concentrated in my life, harder than when I was taking exams or going in for the perfect kill of a snake.

I focused all my energy into the vacant spot in front of me. Slowly something started to take shape. Something fleshy until finally it was the shape of a young girl curled up in a ball. I stared in disbelief at the form in front of me. It actually worked.

I stared at her. So this was my true self, locked up in my heart. This was the part of me that was waiting to awaken.

I tried harder to make her open her eyes, but the more I tried the more she began to dissipate. Like ripples in the air.

She finally disappeared and I slumped to the floor, exhausted.

'It's not perfect.' I sighed, completely spent.

'No. It's not. But it has potential. That's even more important.' Master Simon replied cheerfully.

'That doesn't help.' Not when I fail the test because I can't even control my magic. And when I finally do control it's not for very long.

'No, my dear girl. Everything helps.' He winked again. 'Now, I think it's time I go prepare for… well I'm sure there's something for me to do. See you.'

I nodded.

I was about to leave too when I heard Master Simon.

'Ah. The Prince and Mahad. Nice day, isn't it?'

No. Not Master. He's still mad at me. And I didn't want to face him.

'Simon. How is your work going?' The Prince asked.

'Ah. You know. The usual. Well I'll be on my way.'

I tried to climb back onto the roof and just made it in time before the pair went on the balcony.

'And how is Mana doing Mahad?'

No. Did the Prince have to bring me up?

'I'm sorry to say that she has yet to reach the level of the other trainees. It is my failure. Please accept my apologies.'

Master was always way too formal. Even when we were little. I think it annoys the Prince somewhat.

'Mahad. You don't have to act like that in front of me.'

'I'm sorry, Prince.'

'The more I tell you the more you do it. I'm starting to think I should stop telling you to act more informal around me.'

'Ah.'

'Anyway, how is Mana?'

'She…' As I had thought, from Master's tone he wasn't just mad at me. He was embarrassed.

'You can be honest with me, Mahad.'

'She cannot control her magic. Her spells are sloppy. She has complete lack of focus. She even ignores her studies in favor of hunting snakes or other bizarre hobbies. I think she does that because she is afraid one might bite me again, which is completely ridiculous. Why she would waste her time hunting snakes and not using her magic is beyond me. She is almost hopeless.'

I winced.

'I do not know what to do with her Prince.'

The Prince was silent for a time. He always just took the words in and never questioned them. I guess I was witnessing the growth of a Pharaoh.

'If that's the case then there really isn't a problem at all, is there?'

'Prince. I don't think I quite understand.'

'Magic lies in the application. It has nothing to do with one's skills. Believe me, I would choose Mana over all the trainees if my life depended on it.'

'You would?'

The Prince would?

'Of course. Hunting snakes is something neither of us would do. But she does. She is more fearless than us, at least in that respect.'

I love the way the Prince talks. With a wisdom beyond his years.

'She may be fearless, but she is also aimless.'

'Think of it this way. You are in a palace under siege. You can only choose one of two magicians to help you out. One of them is skilled but fickle. The other is unskilled but loyal. Which one is the better choice?'

'The skillful one is tempting, but rather than being betrayed I would go with the unskilled one and take my chances.'

'That is a good answer. You are wrong though.'

'Wrong?'

'Yes. Even if they are the most unskilled magician in the world, if they are loyal to you, they will do everything in their power to help you. That makes them a skilled magician.'

'Ah. So they are skilled in another way. Is that what you are trying to tell me?'

From my where I am I can't tell, but the Prince is probably smiling.

'Very well. But what should I do?'

The Prince looked up at Mahad. 'Aren't you going to strengthen the spells of the tombs tomorrow? Why not bring Mana along and train her that way?'

Master obliged. I don't think he would have done anything else, but the way he walked back into the palace made me think of children that just listen to their parents because they have to.

The best way to make up an exam is to have a very thoughtful Prince suggest it to your Master.

I felt the anxiety from the morning melt away. The rest of the day I studied my incantations extra hard. Although I had been given a second chance, it hardly meant I was off the hook.

I went to sleep early, words floating around my head like clouds in the sky.

That next morning I hunted snakes again.

I spotted one early and went in for the kill, using a knife to get at it. The way the snake opened its mouth wide when I cut off its head- it just made me sad for some reason. I wasn't sure why. Maybe all my disappointment was getting to me. So Master Mahad actually didn't like that I did this. Well, I do it for him- oh, and the Prince too. At least I think I do.

I used to think I did. But walking over to the tomb it felt like I was doing him more a disservice than not.

'Mana, why do you kill those poor things?' Master brought up.

'I…' Okay. So he was still mad at me. And this time I had to face him. Good thing the Prince was here.

'Yes Mana. You needn't do it for us.' So the Prince was against me too. Just whose side was he on?

'I… I just do. Okay?' Was the best I could come up with. I was the odd girl out.

'Could you ease up on the killing, there's been a lot of rats lately.' Prince said gently.

'I could do that.'

'You're being too nice. I forbid her to kill snakes at all.' Master said violently. I felt something inside me shake.

'At all!' But… but… Was Master really that mad at me? He hadn't minded it before when I went out in the garden. 'I don't even know why I have to be the one to train her. She's irresponsible and childish.'

'Mahad.'

No. I just don't want to be here if he's going to be mad at me. I backed away from the both of them. I want to- I want to- just- ugh! Something gave way and before I knew it I was surrounded by darkness.

The best way to fall down a hole is when the people around you are mad at you. That way you instantly disappear from all of them and you're just left in the cool blackness of the underground.

'Mana!' I heard their shouts from above me but I didn't respond. At least, now I was alone and calm. I heard my heavy breath and felt the heat of tears on my cheeks.

I hate what those two do to me. One day I go out to protect them with my life and then the next second I disappoint them.

'Mana.'

No. I didn't want to answer them. I just wanted them to go away.

The best way to cry is to let it all out. The sniffles came first, then the sobs. I hated making a big deal of something so little. But the thing was this deal was important to me.

I mean, how else could I possibly protect Master and the Prince. My magic was worthless and years of studying had only brought that fact to the light.

The only way was to use my strength and quickness to kill the snakes in the garden. I'm just me. That's all I can do for them.

'Mana.'

'I'm here.'

'Are you alright?' The Prince asked.

'I think so.' I moved around. No. Nothing hurt. Falling off roofs hurt more than this.

'Can you see me?' He asked.

I looked up but the light was too strong.

'Not really.'

'Mahad went to get some help.'

Oh. So I had to be a bother to him again.

'Mana. Are you really all right? You sound hurt.'

'No, I'm fine.'

I looked around me. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness. Just a bunch of rocks and broken wood. Maybe this was a worker's tunnel or something. Whatever it was they hadn't taken much consideration to hide it from anyone.

Then my eyes caught sight of something else. Something that reflected the light. Those eyes, I'd know them anywhere.

'Mana?'

I couldn't answer him. I was smart enough to know how to not frighten a snake. I went to ready my knife- but it wasn't there. I hadn't brought it with me.

The eyes were very still. They watched me, pupils wide in the dark.

So I would need a rock. There were plenty of rocks in here. I just needed one could carry.

The eyes approached me carefully. It had the largest eyes I had ever seen for a snake.

'Mana.' Please Prince. I wanted him to be quiet. I needed the silence to formulate a plan.

I grabbed a rock, a nice one that was just perfect for my hands.

'Mana.' The Prince called and the snake lunged forward.

No. I couldn't. It moved too fast. It was already-

'Meow.' It said.

Of course. I could have laughed at myself.

'Mana?'

'Prince.' I called up. 'I think I found a cat.'

'A cat?'

'Yeah. It's down here.' The cat crawled nuzzled my legs as if it wanted to be held. Well, I really couldn't resist.

'It's really cute.' I said. Of course, I had no idea what it looked like in the darkness. But I could feel its warmth and fur.

'Mana. Do you think you can grab my hand?'

I squinted up to the surface. Yep, there was a little shadow that I recognized as the Prince's hand. If I climbed the pile of rocks I could reach it.

'Just a second.'

I held the cat in my arms, making sure it wouldn't fall.

The best way to hold hands with a Prince to grab on with all that you've got, because if you don't give him your best he'll know it and drop you.

'Ready?'

'Ready,' I called.

And I was pulled into the light once more.

That being said, the light was way too bright. Although I hadn't been in the hole for very long I closed my eyes when I reached the top. The Prince noticed this and held me up so I wouldn't fall.

'Sorry,' I said. I could feel his arms around me and the cat struggling to get loose.

'No. It's fine.' And he placed me on the ground. When I finally opened my eyes the cat was staring at me with the same snake eyes I had seen in the darkness. But these eyes, they weren't sinister or anything. Actually, I wanted to hang onto them and never let go.

After that Master came with a bunch of people. But they soon realized they weren't needed.

'I suppose protecting the tombs is out of the question now.' Master Mahad observed.

'No. I can do it.'

'Mana.'

'I can. Please. Pretty please.'

'Meow,' the cat added.

'Fine. Let's hurry before we lose anymore light.'

And I walked between Master and the Prince with the cat following our trail.

'I guess that cat really likes you.' Master commented. For the first time since my failure I saw him smile.

'Can I keep it?' I joked.

Master smirked at my childishness while the Prince said, 'I don't see why not,' as the tomb came into view.

The best way to do protection chants is to give yourself up. Your whole body becomes a vessel for the spell and that spell melds with everyone else's. The Prince, Master and I were all together giving it all we got for the country.

As we walked back to the palace all of us reminisced on the times of our childhood. When had we all been together like this last? It was hard to tell. I felt exhausted and excited and full.

I walked in the middle. I looked side to side, at Master and the Prince. They were always taller than me, but now they were both starting to tower over me.

The best way to love someone is… well, I'm not quite sure yet. It might be trying to protect them from snakes in the garden. It might be not trying to do that. But when the Prince had lifted me out of the darkness- that was when I was really felt loved by someone. So maybe it's not complicated at all. Or maybe it is.

Like I said, I'm not quite sure yet.

So we returned to the palace. I had made up my exam and I had a cat too. Master Mahad wasn't mad at me anymore but I did have to promise him and the Prince to not hunt snakes or fall in holes anymore. I could only promise the first part, but he seemed pleased either way. Honestly, he expects way too much out of me.

The best way to kill a snake is to not kill a snake. It's better if you don't get close enough to kill them. But if you really must, make it quick.

Or you could just have, as I discovered one morning, a cat that really likes to hunt snakes and leaves them by the side of your bed.

The Prince thought it was funny but Master Mahad wasn't very amused.

'Honestly. Now your cat…'

'I guess all cats are loyal to their Masters.' The Prince said.

But as my the cat looks at the both of them I could only think of one thing.

'Now you two. You're all wrong. It's not loyalty.'

I didn't have to explain what it was. They knew.

END

-

I'll go back into this and edit it when I have the time.

Ah. I miss being an emotional and coy teenage girl. Maybe Mana's not any of those things.. but I just couldn't resist writing this story from the perspective I used to have of the world.