I am so sorry, lovelies. I never meant to post a repeat chapter. Thanks again to all of those who pointed it out to me so that I could get it fixed. I also apologize for getting everyone excited about a new chapter only to find it was a repeat.

Here is a Mana chapter for you all!

Enjoy the real Chapter Four!

~BlainexKurtxLovex

Mana

Mana watched as Atem, now known as Yami, left through the wall. Her heart was breaking and Mana knew that she should have left it alone. She never should have admitted that she could see and talk to him. Mana should have waited. She should have been patient as Ishizu had suggested. She knew the information would be too much for him to handle. He had only awoken from his long slumber a couple weeks ago. Yami would be nowhere near ready to hear that anyone except Yugi could see him.

Now he would turn from her and it would be even harder to gain his trust. Mana collapsed to the floor as the tears began to slide down her face. They felt like cold knives slicing down her cheeks and neck. They burned and numbed across her skin, but Mana couldn't stop. The shattering of her heart wouldn't stop.

Mana hadn't anticipated the amount of heartache she would have to endure. Ishizu had impressed upon her the importance of the task ahead over and over again. But, Mana wasn't sure she would survive the abandonment and betrayal she felt. Mana may be, in a word, immortal but a broken heart would kill her.

In truth, it had been a broken heart that had brought her to her knees 5,000-years-ago too. She couldn't bear a life without Atem in it and she wouldn't marry Set, the man appointed to be Pharaoh by her husband. She had only one love, Atem. She wasn't about it contaminate her undying affections for Atem by marrying and giving Set sons of his own.

Set, luckily, had agreed that he wouldn't marry her. Everyone knew that the royal bloodline could only continue through the female line. Set still refused. He had known how much Mana had loved his cousin. Not to mention he was also in love with someone who Osiris took to the Otherworld. He wouldn't disgrace his cousin's memory or his beloved's by marrying someone else.

Yet, Set had respected Mana and her mind. He had promised to keep her as Queen Regent until he, himself, had found a suitable second wife. Their reign would be more of a partnership than an actual marriage and they were fine with that.

Mana had agreed, but as every day passed she realized that she couldn't go on. She couldn't pretend to be okay when she felt as if her life was slipping away. Her people may think her weak and that she wasn't the embodiment of a Goddess on Earth, but she didn't care. The two beings that had mattered to her were both gone. First her son had joined the ranks of the dead and then her husband had followed after.

She knew things would have been different had their son lived. If their young son hadn't succumb to disease and death Mana would have found the will to fight. Mana would have lived for her child because she knew what a lonely life a person could lead without family. But Anubis had, first, taken her son to the Otherworld and then her husband. She now believed it was time for her to join them.

Mana had begged and pleaded to join her beloved family in the afterlife. She had promised her soul in exchange for the Goddess to grant her wish. She had lamented the day away on her knees knowing that her begging and pleading would and had fallen on deaf ears. The Goddess who had granted Mana so many gifts already wasn't about to relieve Mana of her life.

As Mana rose to leave Sekhmet's temple she had heard a loud roar come from behind her. Mana had frozen for only a moment before she turned to meet the golden gaze of a beautiful lioness. Her legs had given out and her body fell backwards only to hit the stone floor hard, but she had hardly noticed. Her gaze focused on the lioness who had padded forward.

Mana hadn't moved. She hadn't breathed. She hadn't been afraid considering she had spent a majority of the day begging for death. Instead, Mana had been in awe of the beautiful creature. Sure, Atem had told her that her lioness form was beautiful. Issa, her bodyguard and best friend, had told her it was about as magnificent as her own jackal form. Yet, her form wasn't anywhere near as gorgeous as the one who came towards her.

As Mana had watched, she noticed that the lioness was changing form. She would have missed it if it hadn't been for the eyes. The molten golden eyes with hints of amber that began to change color. The gold had begun to bleed to red. They became the color of carnelian stone framed by luscious lashes.

It was then Mana had known that this lioness was the one and only Sekhmet.

Mana had scrambled to her knees and bet low in submission. Her brow pressed against the burning stone and her hands rested on either side of her head. The flesh that was touching the stone almost seemed to be burning, but Mana paid it no mind.

These events never changed when Sekhmet showed. They were Sekhmet's calling cards. She had become accustom to the scorching sun and bone-dry air that accompanied her Mother. Mana wouldn't move until her Goddess gave the word. Besides, Mana knew she couldn't escape Sekhmet's wrath no matter how far she ran.

It seemed that Sekhmet, who had been a mother to Mana, could no longer handle Mana's ridiculous need for death. Sekhmet had an anger and wrath that even the other Gods feared. Mana was in for a scolding of a lifetime and she knew there would be no escape. She could feel it in the way Sekhmet looked at her and the way the air seemed to writhe around her. Sekhmet was not only disappointed, but furious too.

"Why, Daughter of my Heart, do you beg for death? Why, Beloved of my Spirit, do you not embrace life as your husband asked of you?" Sekhmet questioned.

Mana kept her head down as she answered her Goddess. "I am alone, Mother. I cannot keep living knowing that those I love have passed on before me. I can no longer live in this world without them."

"You will never be alone as long as I watch over you. I did not grant you all that you have for you to show weakness in the aftermath of tragedy, Daughter."

"I know, Mother. I know that you have blessed me with a wonderful life. You have granted me so much, and yet…"

Mana felt a hand rest on her head. She didn't move. Sekhmet was trying to soothe her even though she was angry and Mana would not be ungrateful. Sekhmet, though the Goddess of War, was a kind immortal. She held her Children close her heart and watched over them with every bit of her being.

"I know that the Pharaoh's death has shaken you, Daughter. I knew it would, but I never expected you to end up like this. I know that you do not feel as if you can continue to live in a world where he does not exist, but you are strong. Your destiny, as it is, is not yet over."

"I do not feel strong, Mother. I do not understand. What do you mean?"

The Goddess's words had confused Mana. Atem was dead. She had ordered his mummification. She had mourned and cried until her eyes were as red as the carnelian bracelet she wore. She had watched as the builders completed her husband's final resting place. The prophecy may have predicted that the world would need him again, but he was never coming back. At least, Mana didn't believe he would.

"Look at me, my child," Sekhmet had ordered. Mana obeyed and looked up to meet her Goddess's eyes. "You will meet him again in a time much different than this one. His memory of you missing, but you are still expected to protect him."

"Do you speak of the prophecy?"

Sekhmet nodded. "I cannot grant you the death you wish, but I can give you the peace you need until the time you are again needed."

Sekhmet motioned for her to rise and Mana rushed to obey. Sekhmet had explained her plan in more detail. Shen had then instructed Mana to inform both Isis and Set about the new development. Sekhmet, with the help of Isis and Set, had placed Mana in the tomb alongside Atem's while under a deep sleep.

There was a knock on the door that brought her back to the present.

Mana reminded herself that she still had time to fix what she had broken. She wiped the tears from her eyes with a part of a blanket at the end of her bed. She was here and had confirmed Atem's spirit was awake. She had waited for 5,000 years to get back to him and she wasn't about to give up now.

Mana remembered the knock she had heard and approached the door. She opened it to find Solomon waiting for her. She smiled at him and invited him into the room. Solomon nodded and accepted her invitation. Once he was inside, Mana shut the door.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Muto?" Mana questioned. She hoped that she hadn't looked like she had been crying. She didn't want to worry Solomon or Yugi for that matter.

"Please, call me Solomon or Grandpa, Mana," Solomon stated. "This place is your home now and I want you to feel comfortable here."

"If that is what you wish."

"Good," Solomon smiled at her. "How are you holding up, Mana?"

"As good as expected, I suppose. I miss home."

Solomon's smile faded. He came forward and took Mana's hand in his. "I know that all this has been difficult for you, but I promise that everything will turn out okay. Yugi will watch out for you and so will his friends once you get to know them."

"I know, Solomon." Mana did know. She could see it the minute they walked in the door of the Game Shop that they cared about Yugi. If Yugi liked her, and it seemed he did, then his friends would too. Mana would need that if she was to gain Yami's trust as well. "It's a lot of change in a short amount of time."

"Yugi and the others will help you with that and over time you will find your place here." Mana only nodded. "Mana...Yugi mentioned something to me. He said that you seemed to know the words on the side of the Millennium Box."

Mana only nodded again. She wasn't sure if she planned on exposing herself to Solomon yet, but she felt that someone else needed to know. Mana knew she didn't have to tell the whole truth, but she didn't want to overwhelm the poor man or lie to him either. He was taking a great risk by taking Mana in and she didn't want him to think that her only aim was to lie.

"How is that possible?"

Mana slid her hand from Solomon's hold and went to sit on the chest at the foot of her bed again. "I am quite proficient in Ancient Egyptian and hieroglyphics."
"But, you are only a child, my dear."

Solomon came to join her on the chest as well and Mana prayed that their combined weight didn't break the old chest. It was one of the few possessions she still had from her time as Queen.

"The symbol of the Pharaoh, the Millennium Puzzle, holds the key to All. With it comes Godly responsibility and a destiny unlike any other. The Mighty God Ra and Wrathful Goddess Sekhmet protect it with heart." Mana whispered in her original tongue knowing Solomon would understand. "Inside a Nameless Pharaoh waits in the Darkness of Eternity to fulfill his destiny. Only the one who can restore this Item to its former glory can release the Pharaoh from his eternal silence and gain a Protector of Queenly worth."

"How do you know this?"

"I told you, Solomon. I am proficient in Ancient Egyptian and hieroglyphics."

"How is that even possible?" Solomon questioned. He ran fingers through his beard in confusion. "You are so young, Mana. It took me years to learn Ancient Egyptian and hear you are speaking it as if you were born to speak it."

Mana wanted to tell him. She wanted someone else to know. Mana needed help, but she knew that it wouldn't go over well. How do you tell someone that you are a 5,000-year-old Egyptian Queen? How do you tell someone that you have been waiting to fulfill your destiny to protect your dead husband?

Yami's reaction was a sign that he hadn't taken it well that she could see and touch him. He had run away and she didn't think he would be receptive to another chat anytime soon. How would he react when he realized she was one of the keys to his past? What would happen when he remembered her?

Mana didn't want to think about it.

What if Solomon acted the same way when she told him about her true intentions? Would he run away? Would he kick her out and onto the street? Would Solomon tell her that it was the long trip that had affected her mindset? Would he tell her she was crazy?

Mana didn't know and she wouldn't take the chance of being thrown out of the home that her lover now called home. She wasn't about to leave without fulfilling her destiny while he fulfilled his own. Atem had loved and trusted her once. Mana would need to find the right time to convince him that she was trustworthy.

"I learned if from my mother. She used to sing songs to me in Ancient Egyptian when I was a child," Mana replied. It wasn't a total lie. Her mother, once she remembered her, had once sang songs to her often. "I enjoyed it so much that she taught me before she died."

Solomon looked at her for a moment. Once she met his wise eyes she knew that he didn't actually believe her. He was kind enough not to admit it. He gave her another smile. "Tell me when you are ready, my dear. Everyone has secrets and you have your reasons for keeping them to yourself."

"Thank you, Solomon," Mana replied. "I promise to tell you when the time comes."

"Promise me that you won't be a threat to my grandson and we will be fine."

"I promise, Solomon. My intentions towards Yugi are anything but menacing."

"I'm glad to hear it," Solomon's smile widened making Mana smile in return. Solomon stood and made his way to the door. "Get some sleep, my dear. You have had a long journey and deserve some much needed rest."

"Good night, Solomon."

"Good night, Mana. Sleep well."

Solomon left her alone and Mana's mind wandered back to Yami. He hadn't changed much over the years. That could be a side effect of the magic of the Millennium Puzzle, though.

He looked exactly the same as he had when she had last seen him 5,000 years ago. His hair was the same spiky mess of blond, black, and magenta. His eyes were still the same vibrant shade of violet she remembered. But, they held much more maturity than they had in his previous life.

Yami was still tall with broad shoulders and a chiseled chest. She assumed anyway since she hadn't seen him without the blue uniform jacket on. The only difference was the tone of his skin. He was now pale instead of tan. He was no longer kissed by the Sun God Ra. Osiris, the God of Death, had now touched him with death and darkness.

Mana also noticed that he still held himself with the dignity of his status. The ancient royal teachings he had endured in the past hadn't faded from his consciousness. He still retained enough of his past to be confident and steadfast. That was one relief she supposed.

Well, until she had startled him. After that Yami had become almost child-like and small. His confidence had faded as he realized she knew more than she was letting on. Yami had shrunk away from her with eyes darkened with suspicion.

If Mana was being honest with herself the suspicion and doubt wounded her. Yami had never once looked at her like that before. He had always trusted her with everything and anything even before their marriage. He had trusted Mana when she was nothing more than a thief, a lowly commoner, and a vagabond.

Mana's eyes began to fill with tears again, but she wiped them away. She knew that crying wasn't going to gain either Yami or Yugi's trust. Tears weren't going to win back her husband's affections. Mana needed to gather her own strength and courage. Even though she was keeping secrets Mana needed to prove that she was an ally.

Mana had to put forth the effort of thinking with her head instead of her heart and emotions. She needed to start acting like the Queen of Egypt she still was. She had to fight to regain what she lost. She didn't want Yami's sacrifice to be in vain.

Mana got up from the ottoman and moved across the room to switch off the lights with a new determination. Darkness engulfed her and a tremor of fear shot down her if she went to sleep and didn't wake the next day?

She knew that the fear she felt was irrational. She had slept several times before her arrival in Domino City, but the fear also seemed more real now. Yami and his soul partner were both so close and so far away. Anything could happen to them while she slept and if Marik happened to….

No. Everything was fine for the time being. She had yet to hear any rumors of Marik's appearance and Ishizu had promised that she would inform Mana when she did. What Mana needed now was sleep to keep her strong and focused on her mission. If Mana wanted to protect her love from those that wished to harm him then she needed enough rest.

Mana wondered if the darkness was much like what Atem saw in the confines of his puzzle. Was he afraid of the dark or had he grown accustom to the inky blackness? Did he call out for someone to comfort him? Did he call for her?

Mana shook her head to clear it of her thoughts. Worrying about what had already passed would get her nowhere. She crossed the room to her bed and crawled under the covers. The warmth of the down comforter spread across her skin and she let out a content sigh. The warmth and comfort engulfed Mana, cradled her, and her tired body began to relax. Mana's mind finally quieted and before she knew it she was fast asleep.

End of the real Chapter Four! Thanks for reading everyone!

Kaiba will be back in Chapter Five. How will Mana handle him this time?

I'm going to try and get the next chapter out ASAP! I already have part of it written.

Please review!

~BlainexKurtxLove