Twilightknight1594: Hey everyone. It's kind of been a while. Well, you know the drill. I don't own Yugioh or anything associated. Also, this has a mention of stuff from one of my other stories but you don't have to have read it to understand it. That's completely up to you. Please enjoy everyone!
The sun was high in the Egyptian sky and the city was glistening as the light hit the buildings, making the quartz in the walls shine like little stars embedded in clay. The city's residents were as busy as ever trading in the stands or doing chores or just being social and having a peaceful existence. A peace that was protected by Pharaoh Atem. He too was at peace. Well, as peaceful as things can get in his position anyway. From fighting shadow creatures to dealing with a certain tomb robber things were never normal around the palace. Today was a fairly calm day and the only event planned was Hereret coming over to hang out with Mana. They were good friends and they always enjoyed when they could get together and play some pranks or go shopping in town or whatever else they felt like doing that particular day. The only thing was that if Hereret came then Bakura probably came too. Atem thought that he came more for the free food and to cause trouble than anything else but he didn't try to start an argument so it wasn't a real problem. That is, unless Bakura and Seto or Aknadin got in the same room. Then something may start, but nothing ever happened since Atem kept that in check.
"Hello! Anyone home?!" A cheerful yell came from the front of the room and Atem looked up from his thoughts to see Hereret standing in the doorway along with Bakura who was leaning against the door way to the right of Hereret. Hereret looked as cheerful as usual but if you looked in her eyes you would see a glint of something else. Some firm confidence and sneakiness that came from the fact that she was as skilled as her brother in all areas, except shadow magic. She was just as dangerous, but not as likely to use her skills for anything but self defense. She had long brown hair and brown eyes with specks of what looked like gold and she had on a tan dress that she proudly made herself. Bakura wore his usual outfit and looked a bit annoyed.
/He doesn't look too happy to be here./ Atem thought, while looking down on the scene from his throne. Then he sighed. /I hope he isn't in the mood to start something./ Atem decided to put his worries aside for now and just try to enjoy the day. He walked down from his throne to the pair standing in the doorway with a friendly smile and a small wave.
"Hello Hereret, Bakura." Atem looked over at Bakura who looked over but didn't say anything before closing his eyes again.
"Hello pharaoh. Don't mind my brother. He is just a little cranky because I popped this on him this morning. He was also out late last night doing who knows what so he didn't get much sleep."
"For your information I was out getting enough food to last through the week." Bakura snapped. He was definitely tired.
"You mean stealing food?" A voice came from behind the pharaoh and as everyone looked up they saw that Seto and Aknadin had appeared behind Atem. /Great. Bakura is exhausted and irritated as it is. We don't need this./
"Yes, I am just going to admit to a crime in the palace in front of the two most annoying guardians in the history of the world. No, I didn't steal the food. I actually bought it." Bakura said, getting increasingly annoyed and on edge with Seto staring him down. Actually, they were staring each other down with neither backing down.
"You bought it?" Aknadin asked.
"Yes. You know, with money. The little coins that you give to someone to get something in return."
"We know what money is." Seto said in a very annoyed and suspicious tone. "What we don't know is how you had any and how you actually did something honest for once in your life."
"I gave him incentive. If he starts to be a little more honest then I am going to help him out more and Mom and Dad get off his back." Hereret then turned her head. "But, how did you get the money?" Bakura looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was probably going to have to make-up a story if Mana hadn't come in at that moment.
"Hey Hereret! Glad you could make it!" Mana said as she ran up to the group.
"Like I would miss this. So, what is on the agenda for today?"
"This and that, but there is something that I have been waiting to show you guys. You, the pharaoh, and your brother if he wants to see." Mana was almost jumping up and down with excitement.
"Ok, calm down. I'd be glad to see it and I'm sure that my brother would be too, right?" Hereret turned to Bakura who didn't say anything but gave her a look that meant that he would rather eat dirt than see what this uppity girl had to show him. Thankfully, Mana didn't notice it.
"Follow me!" Mana shouted while she started to run towards the back doorway that lead to the courtyard. Hereret started walking that way too and then Atem and Bakura.
"Do you have any idea what she is talking about?" Bakura asked, in a very annoyed tone.
"Not a clue. Whatever it is, just be nice. I know she can make a big deal out of things sometimes so I think we would all appreciate it if you keep you comments to yourself."
"Whatever. I just hope that it isn't something like a flower or something."
"She has never gone that far."
"And I'd say it's about time she crossed that line." Bakura said as they stopped by the small pool in the courtyard. Hereret was already there and the three of them were watching Mana lean over the pool and appear to be looking for something.
"Hereret, what is she doing?" Atem whispered to Hereret.
"Not a clue. She said something about it being a big part of the surprise but she didn't say exactly what or how."
"I think she's lost it."
"SSSHHH!!!" Atem and Hereret shushed Bakura loudly who in turn just looked annoyed and little caught off guard. Then the three heard a loud splash and some struggling. They looked over and saw Mana wrestling with something half in the pool and half out. That is, Mana was. What she was wrestling with was still a mystery.
"Mana, do you need any help?" Atem asked with caution.
"Nope. I got him pharaoh!" Then the splashing stopped and Mana held up what she was wrestling with pride. The three looked at the creature for a brief moment in silence and then…
"HA HA HA HA! You mean to tell me that the creature that caused that much of a mess was a frog?!" Bakura was almost in hysterics while Hereret was barely choking down her own laughter. Atem just kind of looked down at the ground either exasperated or just a bit let down after expecting something…more.
"It isn't just a frog. It is a giant frog. See?" Mana brought the frog closer to the group and they saw just how big it was. It was, in fact, as big as Mana's head. It had enormous eyes and little bumps on it in a few places along the stripes of green and brown.
"Mana, where did you get that thing?" Atem asked. /I hope she doesn't ask to keep that as a pet./
"Master Mahad got it. It is to practice spells on like the freeze spell or the shrink spell."
"Well, it is impressive. I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before. Have you, brother?" Hereret turned to face her brother who, for the first time that day, seemed to be awake and a bit interested.
"I don't recall anything of that size. I have seen some rather large snakes and things like that, but never an amphibian of any kind."
"Well, I must say that that is a very interesting sight." Atem said with a smile.
"Yes. Very." Hereret agreed.
"And that isn't even what I wanted to show you." Mana said with a smile as the three looked up at her again.
"If that isn't it then why did you waste time wrestling that thing?" Bakura asked still retaining his interested expression.
"I wanted to show you a new spell I recently mastered. You see, it is a spell that makes things younger and to show you I needed a fully grown frog and I wanted to use a big one so you could see the difference better. Normal toads don't shrink all that much but these things sure do!"
"Oh cool! Hey, I'm going to go and get something to give the little baby frog to eat after you shrink it. What do baby frogs eat?" Hereret asked, really getting excited. Her brother didn't teach her anything about magic and she never got to see anything other than him summoning the occasional monster so when she saw things like spells and amulets in action she loved it.
"They eat bugs. I don't know where you could get one though or if you would even want to." Mana shivered at the thought of bug hunting and catching them and not just squishing them.
"I can find them. Bugs don't bother me. Save for flies. Those are just annoying. Anyway, I'll be right back." She trotted off through one of the side doorways and was off bug hunting, leaving Atem, Bakura, and Mana in the courtyard with a very large, angry frog. As the seconds passed the frog began to squirm more and more till it looked like Mana wasn't going to be able to hold it.
"Do you have it Mana?" Atem asked, bracing himself to catch the frog in the event that he had to catch it or help Mana hold it.
"Oh yeah…sure do…just need to change arm positions and…oops!" Just as Mana moved her right arm up an in the frog slipped out from under her other one and landed on the ground with a thud. It quickly corrected itself and tried to make a quick getaway by hopping as fast as it could towards the closest door which happened to be right behind Atem and Bakura. Mana instantly gave chase making the frog change course slightly, unfortunately for Bakura.
"WHAT THE HECK?!" Bakura shouted as the frog literally jumped on him and knocked him over with its weight. Normally that wouldn't have happened but since he was caught off guard…well, he got frog tackled. The frog went from his landing place on Bakura's stomach to his face and then continued on his way leaving a very angry Thief King behind him. Bakura shot up while wiping his face of frog and started chasing after it too. "GET OVER HERE YOU OVERSIZED AMPHIBIAN!"
"Atem, catch him!" Mana shouted as the frog came for Atem. Atem stretched his arms out to get the frog and almost got him, but he was to wet and slippery. Bakura and Atem continued to follow the frog around the courtyard but Mana stopped for a few seconds.
"What are you doing?! Get over here and help us!" Bakura shouted.
"I have an idea! I can make it younger so we can catch it and then when Hereret comes back we can reverse and redo it again. It should be good practice." Mana summoned her spell book and then flipped till she saw the spell she was looking for. Smiling at her success she pointed at the frog's, Atem's, and Bakura's direction and began to say the spell.
" Ancient creature from times of old, no longer show thy true age.
Return to a look of fresh from your mold.
Back to the story's beginning, only not before the fifth page." There was a flash of pink and when the light went down Mana looked to see if it had worked and the frog had been caught, but instead, she got a bit of a surprise.
"Well, did it work?" Atem asked.
"Yes, because is certainly doesn't seem like it." Bakura said, a little irritated.
"W-W-Well. I-It kind of did." Mana said with a very unusual stutter.
"What do you mean "It kind of did"?" Bakura asked.
"S-Something did get younger. I-It just wasn't the frog." Mana said with an expression that was some kind of mix of fear, shock, and the suppression of laughter. She didn't know what to do. Then Atem gave her a serious look.
"What do you mean that something besides the frog got younger?" Atem asked, getting a little impatient. Just then Hereret got back.
"Alright everyone, we can get started. Sorry it took so long, I…" She stopped mid-sentence and stared in the direction of Atem, Bakura, and the now still frog.
"What are you gawking at? Are you ok Hereret?" Bakura asked, slightly annoyed and now a little worried. /Why are they acting so strangely?/
"I'll be right back." Hereret ran off again, dropping a napkin that held a beetle. The beetle quickly ran off. Finally getting worried enough, Atem turned around to face Bakura who seemed to be the only one who could speak coherently but when he got there he too, was shocked and stared.
"What on Earth pharaoh?! Don't tell me you are doing it too! Will someone please tell me what is…" The Bakura stopped mid sentence, just like Hereret had. "Will someone please…" He clasped his hands to his mouth and got wide-eyed in disbelief. Then he turned to the pharaoh and almost went sheet white. Before he could do anything else Hereret came running back in with a mirror and shoved it in front of pharaoh and Thief King.
"This is what we are staring at." In the mirror, the two saw themselves but…there was something different. They didn't look the same. They looked like…well…children. Five year-old children.
"Mana. What did you do?!" Atem said right before he too noticed something. Then he looked at Bakura and they both had the exact same expression. /We don't even sound the same. I sound like…Yugi. And he sounds just like Ryo. Oh Ra this is not good./ Hereret looked up at Mana.
"Can't you fix this? Please say you can fix this!"
"I-I looked and well…." All three of them looked at her.
"WELL?!" They said in unison.
"I-I can't. It has to wear off on its own." Mana said sheepishly. All was silent for a moment and then Bakura broke the silence.
"What do you MEAN wear off on its own?! How long will that take?!" He said, sounding threatening even for a five year-old.
"T-Three weeks…" Mana said in a barely audible tone. The other three just stared at her and Atem just sat on the ground against the edge of the pool.
"Three weeks? That long?" He said, checking to make sure he heard right. Mana just nodded.
"Oh no." Atem just looked at the ground and then up at Bakura and his sister who were wearing the exact same expression he was. A mix of shock, worry, and just bewilderment.
"I'll get Master Mahad. He'll know what to do!" Mana ran to get Mahad wasting no time for dodging the pots in her way. Hereret just stood there for a moment and put a hand up to here head.
"This is going to be a long day."
Twilightknight1594: Well, here is chapter one. Kind of a rocky start but better than what I first planned it to be. Thanks for reading and I will be updating soon so see ya!
Bakura: You made me a five year-old!
Atem: This should be interesting.