"He did what?!?!" Were the cries of all of the Beast's servants as Mahad told them of their Master's change of heart.
"Yes, I'm afraid it's true."
"She's going away?" Yugi asked in shock, staring at Mahad with wide eyes while Joey groaned,
"But he was so close."
"After all this time, he's finally learned to love." Tea murmured sadly. Right at his friends words Joey's head shot up in triumph.
"Dats it, then. Dat should break da spell." But Tea only shook from side to side, a frown on her face.
"But it's not enough. She has to love him in return."
"And now it's too late. Mahad whispered in despair as all of the appliances bowed their heads in sadness, not noticing that Yugi was no longer in the room.
Meanwhile Mana had changed out of her beautiful gown and back into regular short cream dress and was now boarding everything onto Bandit's back, before hopping on herself and taking off. The Beast was up in her tower, as he watched Mana leave, letting out a roar of utter anguish and sorrow when she was out of sight. 'She's gone…'
Mana was searching everywhere for her father, calling his name frantically as she looked left and right.
"Father, Father are you there?" She wasn't looking very long when she suddenly saw a figure laying face down, in the sand. Mana felt utter fear grip at her heart.
"NO!" She cried in terror as she ran toward her fallen father. When she reached him she immediately pressed her hand to his forehead. 'Oh no, he's burning up I have got to get him home'. Mana thought in worry as she hoisted her limp father up onto Bandit and began the trek for home.
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Marik was really irritated, he had been waiting in front of Mana and Shimon's house for ages and they still hadn't shown up.
"This is such a-"But before he could finish his sentence he saw just who he was waiting for ride up.
"Oh, they're back." He chuckled darkly as he brushed the sand of himself and fled to go tell Bakura of their arrival.
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Later on that night Shimon was slowly starting to wake up, feeling better than he had in a long time, and that was mostly from who he saw as he came to.
"Mana?" He whispered in disbelief as his vision cleared, said girl couldn't hold it in any longer as she embraced her father in a tight hug.
"It's all right, Father. I'm home."
"I thought I'd never see you again." Shimon cried softly as he hugged her back just as tightly, making Mana smile.
"I missed you so much." She said as she pulled away from the warm embrace. Shimon's face then took on a horrified look as he remembered why he was out in the desert in the first place.
"But the beast. How did you escape?" He asked fearfully, hoping with all his heart his daughter wasn't harmed by the terrifying creature. Mana just gently placed her hands on top of her fathers, as she looked him in the eyes.
"I didn't escape, Father. He let me go." Shimon looked at her skeptically.
"That horrible beast?"
"No Father, he's different, changed somehow." Mana said as she stared out the window, a caring look on her face. All of a sudden there was a rustling coming from her bag, before it toppled over revealing the magic mirror and Yugi!
"Hi!" He said brightly as he hopped over to Mana who smiled softly at her friend.
"Oh, we have a stowaway." She joked as Shimon looked at Yugi in shock.
"Didn't think I'd ever see you again." He laughed as Yugi hopped into his hand and looked at Mana with a sad, questioning look in his face.
"Mana, why'd you leave?"
"Oh, Yugi. I--." But she was interrupted when a loud knock at the door echoed throughout the small home. Mana stood up and walked over, opening the door, only to see Pegasus standing there, a slight smirk on his face.
"Can I help you?" She asked in confusion as she saw all of the people that had apparently come with the white haired man has well, all eager expressions plastered on their faces.
"I've come to collect your father." Pegasus crooned to Mana, whose confused look never only strengthened.
"My father?"
"Don't worry, my dear. We'll take good care of him." Pegasus chimed as he stepped to the side, showing off his asylum workers, causing Mana to gasp in anger.
"My father's not crazy!" She cried as Marik appeared from the large crowd.
"He was raving like a lunatic. We all heard him, didn't we?" He asked to which all of the bystanders responded with enthusiastic "Yeah's!"
"No, I won't let you." Mana yelled as Shimon emerged from the house, looking utterly perplexed.
"Mana?" He asked as he noticed all of the people in his yard.
"Ah, Shimon. Tell us again, old man, just how big was the beast?" Marik asked him, grinning evilly.
"Well, he was...that is...enormous. I'd say at least eight, no more like ten feet." Shimon replied as the crowd laughed loudly at him.
"Well, you don't get much crazier than that." Marik said as he stepped away.
"It's true, I tell you!" Shimon cried as he walked down the steps into the crowd, trying to make them believe him, as Pegasus waved his arm, two huge servants came over and picked up the old man and began to drag him to the chariot.
Let go of me!" He screamed, while Bakura was watching from the sides, a smug smirk on his face. Mana ran up to Pegasus and grabbed his arm in fury.
"No, you can't do this!" But he merely brushed her off as he continued to walk away. Bakura chose this as the opportunity to show himself.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor Mana. It's a shame about your father." He cooed as he came up behind the shocked girl, who grabbed him by the shirt with pleading eyes.
"You know he's not crazy, Bakura."
"I might be able to clear up this little misunderstanding, if..." Bakura trailed of, a sinister grin beginning to form.
"If what?" Mana asked curious.
Bakura chuckled as he looked down at her. "If you marry me."
"What?" Mana whispered in disbelief as she backed away from him.
"One little word, Mana. That's all it takes." He said slyly. Mana had never felt such burning anger in all her life, as she stared at the white haired man before her, how dare he!
"Never!" Mana roared her hands balled into fists as she glared at Bakura in hate.
"Have it your way." He said smugly, as she turned and began to walk away slowly, giving her time to change her mind.
"Mana?!" Shimon cried as he was finally forced into the chariot. Mana began to panic, 'What do I do? How can I show them that-THAT'S IT'! She cried as she quickly ran back into her house. It wasn't long before Mana came back out with the magic mirror in her hand as she shouted out to the crowd.
"My father's not crazy and I can prove it! Show me the beast!" She yelled to the mirror as it began to flash green producing the picture of the still depressed beast, which Mana showed to the stunned crowd.
"Is it dangerous?" One woman cried in horror as she stared at the creature.
"Oh, no," Mana tried to reassure her. "He'd never hurt anyone. Please, I know he looks vicious, but he's really kind and gentle. He's my friend." She said fondly as she looked down at the beast.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you had feelings for this monster." Bakura spat as he came up next to Mana, staring at the creature in disgust.
"He's no monster, Bakura. You are!" Mana roared, glaring at him. Bakura's faced changed to one of utter fury as he grabbed the mirror form Mana and turned to the crowd.
"She's as crazy as the old man." He yelled to them.
"The beast will make off with your children! He'll come after them in the night."
"No!" Mana implored, but she was ignored.
"We're not safe 'til his head is mounted on my wall!" Bakura screamed.
"I say we kill the beast!" He added as the mob that had been created cheered him on, repeating the words 'kill him, kill him!'
"We're not safe until he's dead"
"He'll come stalking us at night!"
"Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite!"
"He'll wreak havoc on our village
If we let him wander free!"
Were the terrified cries of the villagers while Bakura walked right up in the middle of the mob.
"So it's time to take some action, boys
It's time to follow me!"
He sang, with a torch in his hand before throwing it into a barrel of hay, which caught on fire, creating an ominous feeling as he sang, telling the crowd the horrors of the evil beast.
"Through the mist, through the woods
Through the darkness and the shadows
It's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride.
"Say a prayer, then we're there
At the drawbridge of a castle,
And there's something truly terrible inside." Bakura sang as he imitated a beast, while slinking behind Marik.
"It's a beast,
He's got fangs, razor sharp ones
Massive paws,
Killer claws for the feast"
He cried as he showed the face of the Beast to Marik.
"Hear him roar, see him foam,
But we're not coming home,
'Til he's dead, good and dead, kill the beast!"
Mana had had enough as she ran up to Bakura.
"No, I won't let you do this." Bakura only sneered at her as he grabbed her arm.
"If you're not with us, you're against us. Bring the old man." He roared as the two men brought the struggling Shimon forward.
"Get your hands off me!" He cried as Bakura threw both him and Mana into the basement, bolting the door.
"Let us out!" Mana yelled as she banged on the doors with her fists, but to no avail, meanwhile outside Bakura was still rallying up the mob to go storm the palace.
"We'll rid the village of this beast. Who's with me?" He shouted as a chorus of I am's came from the crowd.
"Light your torch, mount your horse!"
They sang as the grabbed swords, and daggers before following Bakura who was on a horse into the desert.
"Screw your courage to the sticking place"
Bakura sang as he rode on, while the mob was behind him one hundred percent.
"We're counting on Bakura to lead the way!"
"Through a mist, to a wood,
Where within a haunted palace,
Something's lurking that you don't see every day!"
Right in the middle Bakura led them to a small patch of tress where the mob started to cut down the thickest one, to prepare for their assault on the palace.
"It's a beast,
One as tall as a mountain!
We won't rest
'Til he's good and deceased!
Sally forth, tally ho,
Grab your sword, grab your bow
Praise Ra and here we go!"
"We'll lay siege to his castle and bring back his head!" Bakura assured the men as they ushered off, getting closer and closer to the palace.
New Chapter, enjoy and please review and thanks to all those who did :)