Yu-Gi-Oh!: Return of the Pharaoh

Chapter 24: Run, Demons, Run Part I

"Desani? Desani, wake up."

The sorceress muttered a soft groan as her eyes fluttered open. Desani gently rubbed her aching forehead as she gathered her bearings and realized that she was at the Kame Game Shop.

Sitting up, she noticed Atem and Yugi staring at her with worried frowns. These blackouts are not fun at all.

"Desani, are you alright? You passed out again," Yugi asked. Looking down, Desani realized her hand was clasped in his. "And one of your highlights have turned white."

"Yeah… I'm fine," Desani replied. "It turned white because I regained another lost memory."

Atem's eyes widened. "I assumed as much, but it seems I've been left out this time."

She nodded. "I think it was because the memory was from my perspective. I was shown an argument you were having with your father, Aknamkanon."

Yugi gasped. "The former pharaoh? The one who oversaw the shadow games that led to Duel Monsters?"

"Yes, but that's not what the memory was in regards to," Desani replied. "It was about a marriage. Atem's marriage."

Yugi gripped his chin in thought. "Atem, you were married? I didn't know that about you."

Atem's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't have any recollection of that. I don't believe I was ever married. A queen never sat on the throne during my reign."

"As far as my knowledge of the situation goes, you are correct, Atem. The memory showed me that you were very much against marrying the daughter of the Kingdom of Kush. Aknamkanon and his priests felt it was needed for the safety of Egypt, but you were resisting."

"My father and I did have differing views on leadership," Atem admitted. "I'm sure I had a good reason for being against it. I guess because you were involved, that argument was wiped from my memory."

"This new insight is great, but I don't understand how this relates to your powers being locked away," Yugi opined. "What do you make of all of this, Desani?"

She fell silent for a few moments in contemplation. Questions still swirled in her mind, but she couldn't get past the whispered confession her former self had given at the end of the memory. 'Is this information I should divulge right now?'

Desani's mind rushed back to the trigger of her memory: Atem's kiss. 'Is what he said true? Have we been running from an unspoken truth? Is that what my memory was trying to show me? But why was I so apologetic?'

"I'm not sure, Yugi," she answered, honestly. "This memory fills me with a sense of guilt, maybe because I went against Atem and sided with Aknamkanon. I don't know why, but I told Atem he needed to consider the marriage."

"Oh no, Desani," Yugi replied.

Atem listened to her revelation in veiled surprise. 'I must have felt betrayed at the time…'

"Desani, you shouldn't be too upset. Knowing my father, he probably forced you to say that because he needed a united front against me. He wanted me to give in to his demands."

Desani nodded, but she wasn't convinced. 'I honestly don't think that's why I said those words. I haven't even revealed that Atem fancied me. I feel there's another piece to this puzzle that I have yet to uncover.'

"So where do we go from here?" Yugi asked.

"I think I should report to the Millers and figure out a game plan for recovering the rest of my memories."

"Oh, that reminds me! What was the trigger for this memory?" Yugi asked in anticipation. "There must be a pattern, right?"

Desani and Atem exchanged curt glances; Desani's cheeks blushed red. 'I've become an open book in this state.'

"Atem was the trigger, Yugi," Desani finally answered. "He- well, we…"

"I kissed her," Atem revealed. Yugi's eyes widened. "I hope you won't be upset, Yugi, but I think Desani and I have a deeper connection than I first thought. These dark feelings I've been harboring for Desani may have come from a place of affection."

Stuttering, Yugi shook his head as his arms flailed in front of him. "W-why would I be upset?" Cheeks burning, he redirected the conversation. "So, it's like you were teetering on the line between love and hate, pharaoh?" Yugi questioned.

"Yes… I think that's one way of putting it."

Desani stood up and crossed her arms, clearly miffed. "You seem to act more often than you think, Atem. Why didn't you just tell me that? Why did you force a kiss on me?"

"Desani, we were arguing and I didn't think my point was getting across," Atem explained. "But I am truly sorry. I didn't know it would trigger another memory. I didn't know you'd be so against it…"

The sorceress sighed, emotions clouding her better judgment. "I'm not against doing whatever it takes to retrieve my lost memories, but we need to be in sync. The arguing needs to stop and we need to start actually listening to one another."

"Agreed. I don't want to argue anymore," Atem said. "And I want to figure out how we were connected in our former lives."

"While listening to you, I just had a thought." Yugi turned his attention to the pharaoh. "Those feelings you mentioned, maybe you actually did love Desani in your past life. Something may have happened between the two of you, leaving you angry and Desani feeling guilty."

Atem and Desani exchanged glances again. "That… could be possible."

"It isn't just possible, it's a strong probability," Desani admitted. 'Might as well get this over with.'

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"The reason Atem didn't want to get married was because- because he wanted me to be his queen."

The pair stared at her in astonishment. "That's what happened in your memory?"

Desani nodded. "My feelings of guilt may have come from telling him no, which is why I need to know the real reason why I rejected him- why I rejected you," she replied, looking directly at Atem.

"This- this changes everything," Yugi responded after hearing her confession. "Now we know why you had to bring Atem back. He's an important part of your history, Desani."

Rubbing the nape of her neck as she nervously bit down on her bottom lip, she mulled over Yugi's thoughts. 'It sure would explain a lot, including Atem's initial infatuation with me during our first few days together.'

"I'll have to give it some thought, Yugi. I'm still processing all of this." Looking around her, she switched her attention to Atem. "Where's my bag? I should head home and report this to the others."

"I dropped it at the front door while we were carrying you inside. We'll walk you out."

Nodding, Desani rose from the couch and headed for the stairs. Yugi and Atem exchanged knowing glances that meant they would be discussing this newest revelation at a later time. The duo watched the sorceress in question pick up her duffel bag and turn to look at them again.

"I really hate to leave you two after dropping a bomb like that, but time is running out. I have no idea when the Child of the Night will make an appearance again, so I have to work harder at unlocking these memories."

"And we will," Yugi assured. "We've already got two down. Just three more to go."

Desani shot him a small smile. "Right." Eyes darting between the two of them, she offered them a small wave. "Well then, I'll catch you later."

"See you soon, Desani," Atem offered as a response. A short moment passed between them as they shared reserved yet curious glances, each of them wondering how deep their history went.

A bell jingle announced Desani's swift departure.

"Marriage? MARRIAGE? My King, have you finally lost it?!"

With puffed cheeks and balled fists planted into her sides, Mana gaped in astonishment at her pharaoh.

"No, the better question would be has Desani lost it? You were never engaged or set to be engaged!"

The young magician flopped down on her bed as she silently observed Atem. He was tense with hands clasped on his knees as he sat deep in thought on his bed in the room they shared.

"Mana," Atem started, "I understand your concern. You weren't there when Desani explained. She seemed so surprised by her memories- I mean, we were all shocked."

Mana's brow furrowed in agitation. "I just don't get how I could've forgotten something something as important as you choosing your queen!"

Slumping into a slouch, Atem burrowed his face into his hand, tempted to massage his taut temples.

"We didn't forget. Any memory involving Desani was erased, and since I was apparently in love with her, any recollection of my marriage plans was wiped."

Mana's nervously interwove her fingers. "But isn't it strange that you didn't get this memory back? Why was she the only one to regain it after your kiss?"

The pharaoh, tense again, couldn't believe how quick his closest friend picked up on one of his own suspicions.

"There are many secrets to Desani, I'm afraid, but I can no longer turn away from her and the Millers. Not when there's still so much left to uncover about my past."

"With everything that has happened, I can't help but be a bit suspicious of her. What if she's hiding something? What if her regaining these memories opens Pandora's Box and Lady Fate brings us trouble that we can't handle?"

Atem closed his eyes, biting his lower lip in thought. "We're just going to have to take that chance. It was only a few weeks ago that Desani helped free the hold that the Millennium puzzle still had on my spirit, and it's possible that I'll be able to learn what led to my entrapment."

Mana's brown irises shined with sadness at her pharaoh.

"I understand how badly you want this, but do you not see what this means? If you don't know how you became trapped, and I can't remember, then it's pretty likely it had something to do with the sorceress. The truth you seek may disappoint you, my Pharaoh, especially now that we know you once loved Desani- loved her enough to want to marry her."

Atem's face grew hot, tears threatening to flow at how brutal, how raw, how true Mana's words rang.

"This has been difficult to work through, Mana, all of it. When it comes to Desani, my emotions just twist and turn with no end in sight. But we've come this far, and I need to know."

Mana wrapped her arms around herself, struggling with all the questions she could no longer keep bottled up.

"We know what could possibly happen to you when she regains her memories, but what about her? How is she going to feel? What if she really does become even more powerful than when we first met her? How exactly can we know for sure there's even a Neo Domino City in need of protection?"

Scratching the back of his head, Atem could only shake his head.

"Why so many new questions? You know it's difficult to get any straight answers from them."

"I-I don't know…" Mana brushed at the tears that suddenly fell from her eyes before tightening her arms across her chest, her fingernails sinking into her tanned skin. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

Concerned at the small quiver in her voice, Atem briskly walked to her side of the room and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm across her shoulder. Instinctively, Mana dipped her head into his chest.

"What's going on, Mana? Talk to me," he pleaded.

For a few seconds she went mum, and the silence seemed to linger for so long that Atem worried that she wouldn't speak to him. As he was about to tell her she did not have to force herself to open up, he heard a small sigh escape her lips.

"I haven't talked to Ryou since that day you and Desani passed out," Mana timidly confessed.

"Why? Did something happen between you two?"

"No, not at all. Ryou has been nothing but kind and understanding. The future is just uncertain, the present is confusing, everyone has been so tense… it's difficult conforming to this time and place. And all the drama has been such a headache. Sometimes I find myself wondering if returning to the afterlife wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"And that thought is driving me crazy. I can't allow myself to get close to Ryou when I don't know what's going to happen once you and Desani have regained your memories. I don't want to fall in love, only to have him- have Ryou- snatched away from me."

Atem patiently listened to Mana, softly rocking her against him as she expressed her hidden fears.

"I honestly had no idea you felt this way," he admonished. "I've been so focused on Yugi and Desani lately that I've failed to notice you were dealing with your own struggles."

Stiffening, Mana pulled away from Atem and looked at him in shock. "Pharaoh! W-Why are you apologizing to me? I didn't say that to make you feel sad or guilty. Oh, me and my big mouth! Just forget I said anything!"

Sighing, Atem took Mana's hand and clasped it between both of his. "You are my friend, Mana. Not just a magician who serves me. If I commit a wrong against my friends, then I must apologize."

His eyes watched with concern as Mana refused to return his gaze. "And enough with the formalities. We live in the 21st century now. We're not in Egypt, I'm no longer the pharaoh. You don't have to call me that anymore." A dry chuckle, hinged with a touch of sadness, escaped his lips. "When even was the last time you called me 'Atemie'? I miss that."

Mana shrugged. "Ever since we returned to this realm, to this world, I think I may have just fallen into my old habit of addressing you by your title. Out of respect, of course. I'm sure the high priests would be so proud of me." A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "But if that is what my Pharaoh wishes…"

Atem smiled back, his heart swept with the warmest feeling of déjà vu. "So let it be written, so let it be done."

Before Atem could process what was happening, Mana's arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Thanks, Atemie, for letting me vent and complain and just air everything out," she said with a giggle.

Chuckling, Atem returned her hug, cradling her head as he stroked her brown locks. "And thank you for always being there for me."

Beaming, Mana grasped Atem's hand and pulled him up from her bed. "What are friends for?" Pulling him along behind her, she continued, "Enough of this heavy atmosphere. Let's grab Yugi and check out the new playing cards his grandpa has been raving about."

Looking up in thought, Mana wondered aloud, "When was the last time you and Yugi played? Now that you two aren't sharing the same soul, maybe you two could even try dueling each other!"

Suppressing a giggle, Atem shook his head as Mana whisked him out of their room. 'If only you knew…'

The sharp sound of a whistle blasted across the track field as the athletes finished up their cool-down exercises.

"Great work today, ladies," Jin said as her teammates turned to look at her. "I think the coaches did a terrific job placing everyone in their events, and that showed today in practice."

Taking a quick swig out of her water bottle, Jin treated her team with a rare grin. "You have all been working hard and it has shown in your times. All of our sprinters beat their personal bests today. Our relay runners improved their handoffs and shaved seconds off. And with the recent addition to our team, we actually have a chance at taking home some medals for the long distance events.

"Be really proud of yourselves, ladies, and hit the showers! We have less than two hours before tonight's meet."

"Yes, captain!" chorused the ladies, applauding in excitement after hearing their accomplishments. With water bottles and towels in tow, the ladies began shuffling over to the lockers.

Jin's eyes followed the girls as they walked past her until they locked with a pair of partly glazed amber eyes.

"Hey Desani, let's chat before you head in," Jin said when her teammate grew close. Desani's eyes sharpened after hearing her name. Hands on hips, her gait slowed until she stood next to Jin.

"I'm all yours, captain."

Jin nodded in response and motioned towards the bleachers. Desani matched her gait as she followed along.

"I want to start off by congratulating you for being added to the 4x4 relay. As the new anchor, I'm sure that gold medal is ours."

"Oh. Yes. I'm ecstatic," Desani responded with a stiff smile.

"Wow. Aren't you just Miss Excitement today," Jin quipped with a stiffer laugh. "No, seriously, I thought you'd be happy. The coaches just don't put anyone on the 4x4, and you're running it on your first meet."

Desani nodded once, eyes directed towards the ground. "The coaches put me as anchor, which was your position." She aimlessly swiped at loose curls that fell out of her high ponytail. "I'm just trying to avoid causing any more friction on this team than I already have."

Jin's lips stretched into a thin line. "Is that what you're so worried over? Desani, that was the coach's decision. The two fastest runners are placed either as first or last leg. I'm first leg, you're last leg. This is what's best for the team, and I agree with the captains."

Desani turned to look at Jin. "That's how you truly feel?"

Jin nodded. "Yep. Sure, it sucks not being anchor anymore. I mean, that's where all the glory is, right?" Jin laughed. "But personal glory will always come second to the unified glory of the team. I want to help everyone win as many events as possible because scouts are out there every week looking for the best of the best. Some of these girls' only hope for college is through a track & field scholarship, and that's what's most important to me. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I'm starting to," Desani replied, this time with her most earnest smile. "And I totally get why you're the captain of this team."

"Thanks! Wasn't expecting a compliment out of you." The duo slowed to a halt after reaching the bleachers. Jin planted herself on one of the sun-baked benches; Desani continued to stand. "Speaking of, the coaches wanted me to let you know that you've been added as our second runner for the mile run. They want to see how well you do on an endurance event. But don't worry," Jin added, "The 4x4 is usually ran earlier on in the meet, so you should have enough time to recuperate by the time the mile run starts."

Looking off in the distance, Desani nodded in response. "That's fine by me."

"Great." Silence stretched between the two of them as Jin fell silent. 'She is certainly a girl of few words.' Wringing her hands, she wondered if she was brave enough to ask her next question.

"I'm assuming that wasn't the only reason you wanted to speak with me," Desani offered.

"Are you like, reading my mind?" Jin asked with an incredulous expression.

Desani shrugged. "I'm just good at reading people."

"Ahh, I see." Clearing her throat, Jin glanced up at Desani. "So, umm… will you be going to Shou's party tomorrow night? He's been wondering, but he felt like he shouldn't bother you."

Desani's eyes met Jin's. "Sure. Right." She folded her arms across her chest, exposing her wrists. "I really haven't thought much of it. There's something else I need to take care of and I don't think I'll be able to make it."

"Oh. That's too bad. I'm sure you'll understand." Jin's eyes glanced at the markings on Desani's wrists and neck. "Are you busy because of that family thing you mentioned?"

"Hmm?" Desani quickly noticed what Jin was staring at. 'Oh right. I told the team that these markings were part of an ancestral ritual when I was asked about them at my tryout.' "Uh, yes. I will be with my family for most of Saturday, which is why I don't think I can go. Can you apologize to Shou for me?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem," Jin said, deliberately picking at the lint on her socks in an effort to look completely unfazed and trying to keep the relieved smile from passing her lips. She froze at the sound of Desani's voice.

"I don't like him, Jin." Desani looked down at Jin's bowed head. "I'm not here to date anyone or catch anyone's fancy. It just happens." She sighed. "I don't mean to put you on the spot like this, but I hate beating around the bush."

Silence stretched between them again, but the air became charged by Desani's blunt admission.

Taking a shaky breath to calm herself, Jin slowly rose from the benches. "I have been doing my absolute best to be civil with you, but since we're being so honest with each other, let me make it clear that I don't like that you're here. I hate how you joined this team, I hate how all of the attention is on you, I hate that everything seems to be a cakewalk for you, and I hate how you're blinded to how much Shou likes you and how much of a great guy he is. I hate how you don't seem to care about any of this," she yelled, motioning her arms around her in exasperation.

"But what I hate most," she finished, "is having to feel like this every day when I see you. Like I'm inadequate or less than." Hot tears rolled over Jin's cheeks, silently dropping to the ground. "You carry yourself unlike any girl I've ever met. You dare to expose my feelings so calmly as if you know me or what I've been through. You are nothing but disrespectful to the people who are just trying to deal with you. For once in my life, I'd like to be selfish and tell you to kick rocks, but I'm team captain. I have no choice but to be better than that."

Wiping her sleeve across her face, Jin stormed off towards the lockers.

Stunned, Desani just watched her hurry away. 'I was only trying to reassure her… what exactly did I do wrong?'

"Well, you most certainly did a bang-up job with her, haven't you?"

Startled by the male voice coming from behind her, Desani turned to find herself looking at Ryou. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"It's the day of your first track meet. I'm tickled pink that the track star seems to have already forgotten," he replied.

A giggle escaped her lips before she could stop it. "Of course, sorry about that. I'm a bit rattled right now. I just got chewed out for doing something I thought was right."

"Well, my dear, I'm afraid you thought wrong." Ryou walked up to her, arms pulled back behind him. "But you being a sorceress and all, I doubt you really understand how mortal girls work."

Desani winced. "Are you suggesting you know better?"

"Absolutely not," he replied. "I'm still trying to figure them out myself. But what I do know is that any unanticipated discussion regarding the beau a girl's smitten with is off-limits. From what I caught of that little chin-wag, you overstepped."

His response earned a raised eyebrow. "I told her that I wasn't interested in him. I was trying to reassure her that I wasn't a threat."

"Ahhh, but you are a threat." Ryou shook his head. "For one, it seems that ol' bloke of hers is quite charmed by you. Doesn't matter if you don't reciprocate those feelings. To her, you're competition. In fact, you not liking him makes it worse from her point of view. Now she thinks she's fighting a losing battle.

"And second," he continued, "you confronted her about her feelings. She thought she had been concealing her secret from you quite nicely until you trotted it out in front of her like that. In a way, you've weaponized her own feelings against her. She feels more exposed than ever. And trust me, girls do not like being confronted so bluntly by their rivals."

Desani arched her head back and looked up at the expansive blue sky above her. She released a deep breath as she processed what Ryou had told her.

"Wow. It's crazy how something so nonsensical can make so much sense" was her measured response.

"And that, my friend, is the conundrum known as the human female," Ryou quipped. "But this is good. It means that you're starting to better understand us. We're still learning about ourselves, in fact. Psychology and anthropology are fields of study for a reason."

Ryou released his arms from behind him and began scratching at the back of his head. The amused gleam in his eyes slowly morphed into one of sorrow. "I don't mean to be a bother, I only came to cheer you on at your first meet, but now that we're on this subject, I wanted to know how well Mana is doing."

Surprised by the question, Desani redirected her gaze at Ryou. "I haven't spoken to Mana in a few days, actually. A lot has happened since you and I last talked." Noticing his dark expression, her curiosity piqued. "You two seemed to have hit it off the night we went to that club. Why are you asking me about Mana?"

Ryou sighed. "She hasn't been returning my calls. I think she's been avoiding me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Desani shook her head in disappointment. "But it's not too far of a leap to assume I'm the reason why. She's scared. Maybe of being hurt or left behind."

"That's my working theory," Ryou agreed. "Which is why I've come to you in search of answers. Tell me, Desani, how does the future affect my relationship with Mana? Is there anything that could potentially tear us apart?"

"My family did not lie when we promised Atem and Mana would continue residing here in Domino City after my lost memories have been unearthed. We may have been deceitful, but we do not make false promises. But I cannot control the doubt everyone has shown me."

"But can you really blame us for doubting you?" Ryou countered.

Desani frowned. "No, I can't. That is why I'm working so hard to finish my mission." Her eyes darkened. "Don't worry, I won't be around for much longer."

Ryou's eyes widened. "Desani, wait. That's not what I-"

Shaking her head, she shot him a small wave as she started heading towards the lockers. "Enjoy the meet, Ryou."

"Runners, on your mark… get set… GO!"

The clapping sound of the starter pistol echoed through the crowded bleachers of Domino High. The individual sprinting events were underway and the long jump event was finishing up at the far side of the track. Cheers rang from the stands as the runners pushed closer to the finish line. A pair of brown eyes scanned the stairs with impatience until they caught sight of the blonde struggling with two arms full of concession snacks.

"Aye, Joey! Hurry up with the food, will ya!" Tristan yelled out. "We're starving over here!"

"Speak for yourself, Tristan," Ryou murmured as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm just giving him a hard time," Tristan said with a laugh. "But this is what I get for sleeping through lunchtime."

"Hold your horses!" Joey yelled back after making it back to their row. "I don't see you juggling hot dogs and nachos while trying not to trip over people's toes. Oh! Excuse me, miss," Joey said politely in passing as he maneuvered back to his friends.

"Made it!" Joey shouted gleefully with a crooked fist pump. "Now take your food, grumpy gramps," he smirked as he threw a bag of chips and two hot dogs at Tristan.

"Thanks a bunch, twinkle toes," Tristan quipped in reply.

"Popcorn and candies for Ryou."

"Thank you, Joey," Ryou said as he took the treats.

"No problemo, buddy," Joey responded as he stretched his weary arms before sitting down. He gleefully dug into his nachos as the track was reset for the next event. "Any word from Mana?"

"Not a peep," Ryou said, his voice tinged with sadness. "I'm hoping she'll show up with Atem and Yugi."

"Don't give up, man," Tristan encouraged as he clapped Ryou on the back. "She's probably just dealing with some personal stuff."

Ryou managed a weak smile as his response.

"I'm surprised they're not here yet. We told them we'd save them seats." Joey looked over and across the field. "They better hurry up if they want any snacks. The concessions line is getting long real fast."

"Yugi texted me. They're on their way from his grandpa's shop. Apparently they got busy because of the new cards that just dropped. Yugi said he's going to show us the new pieces of his deck."

"Heck yeah! We can talk strategy while we wait for Desani's first race," Joey exclaimed.

"It's weird, sometimes," Tristan said in between bites of his hot dog. "We've been through a lot because of Desani, and yet here we are, all of us cheering her on."

"Well, not all of us…" Ryou reminded him. Tristan and Joey exchanged glances.

"Ain't this crazy, though? We're at a track meet, of all places… I'm pretty sure I never went to one of these before I met her," Joey added, hoping to keep the mood light. "Our lives were all about Duel Monsters until she came along."

"Yeah… I'm gonna miss her when she leaves…" Tristan trailed off as he finished his first hot dog.

"Tristan's a wee bit sentimental today, isn't he?" Ryou opined, but went silent as his eyes landed on a gorgeous brunette heading towards the bleachers. His face softened as a small smile pulled at his lips. Though I must admit, I still have yet to thank her.

"Wow! So many people are already here!" Mana exclaimed as she looked at the transformed field she had gotten used to walking past in the evenings. "This must truly be a popular event!"

"Um... yeah…" Yugi answered in response. His eyes zoned in on a section of the bleachers with a large group of boys shouting and holding signs of Desani's name. "You could say that."

"Tristan and Joey are already here, right Yugi?" Atem asked from behind them.

"Yes," Yugi answered as he looked down at the text Tristan sent him. "They're in section D, row 6. They saved us seats."

"Great. I hope we made it before Desani's run." With a slightly furrowed brow, Atem began searching through the crowd for their friends.

"I'm sorry for making us so late. Of course new Duel Monsters cards would come out the same day as Desani's first track meet. I just feel horrible," Yugi said with a deep frown.

"Oh don't worry about it, Yugi!" Mana said in hopes of cheering him up. "As long as we made it before her run, right?"

"Mmhmm…" he mumbled. "Here's hoping."

"Ahh, there they are!" Atem gasped after finally finding them waving ferociously at them. "Oh, Mana… Ryou is here."

Mana's eyes widened. "Wait, he is? I didn't know he was coming, too." Her face flushed red as her eyes dropped to the ground. "I haven't talked to him in a while. Do- do you think he's mad?"

Yugi glanced at Ryou and noted the expression on his face. "Don't worry, Mana. He looks more worried than anything." Looking over at the tepid brunette nervously bouncing from one foot to the other, Yugi softly nudged her with his elbow. "Don't be nervous. Just talk to him."

Looking up at Yugi, she nodded in agreement. "Right. I can do this," she declared as her lips upturned into a determined grin.

Mana marched her way up the stairs first, Atem and Yugi close behind.

"You handled that well, Yugi. Thanks for that," Atem said in a low voice.

"It was no big deal. I gave her the pep talk I could never give myself," Yugi replied with a small smile. "Not all of us should be losers in love."

A deep chuckle escaped Atem's lips. "Indeed."

Atem and Yugi took their seats next to Joey. Mana decided to sit next to Ryou after the duo awkwardly stumbled over a short greeting. The group felt full, but incomplete. The absence of their Juilliard-bound friend hung like an ever-present shadow around them.

"You folks made it in the nick of time," Joey assured after downing a few cheese-drenched tortilla chips. "Desani's first event should be coming up soon."

"Thanks, Joey," Yugi replied, a small sigh of relief slipping through his taut frame. "I'll show everyone my new cards after her race… and when everyone's hands are clean," he added after looking at the cheesy mess sitting on Joey's lap.

A low rumble suddenly sprang up from the far end of the bleachers. Mana looked over in shock.

"Whoa! What's going on?" Mana wondered out loud.

"Ahh, don't worry about them. It's just Desani's rowdy fanclub." Tristan shrugged as he looked wistfully at his last remaining hot dog. "It's amazing how Desani tries to keep a low profile and yet already has her own entourage."

"Desani just seems to have that effect on people," Ryou said.

"I believe 'men' is the word you were looking for," Mana countered with a giggle.

Ryou looked over at Mana, his eyes softening as he got lost in hers. "Not all of them, my dear."

Mana nervously gulped as her cheeks warmed. Her eyelids fluttered with satisfaction as she felt his sturdy hand wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to his side.

The cheers grew louder with whistles and rhythmic feet stomping as the resetting of the track finished. Runners moved to the starting line and began stretching and setting up in the starting blocks. Among them, a fiery red ponytail bobbled as the young woman began her stretches.

"Alright!" Tristan yelled as he stood up from his seat. "This is it! Desani's up next!"

The group hushed as their eyes honed in on the sorceress. She was bent over in a toe touch so they couldn't see her face, but her red hair in a sea of black was undeniable.

"So this is the 4x4 relay? It's happening much earlier than I thought," Joey opined.

"How does this competition work, exactly?" Mana asked, her curiosity piqued by the modern-day sport.

"Basically, each team has four runners who have to run exactly one lap to hand off a rod called a baton to the next runner on their team. The team to do this in the fastest time is declared the winner," Ryou explained.

"Oh. Well that's something," Mana replied.

Yugi shook his head with a grin. "It's a lot more exciting than how Ryou described it. You'll see."

The field quieted down as the first runners of each team settled into their starting positions.

"Runners, on your mark… get set… GO!" The sound of the starter pistol pierced through the bleachers as the runners blasted out of the blocks.

"Whoa… they're so fast!" Mana exclaimed, quickly jumping to her feet so she wouldn't miss a thing. The starting blocks were removed from the track as the second runners took their positions.

"Isn't that runner for Domino High the captain of the girl's team?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, looks like it," Joey replied.

"She's good. I'm just surprised they didn't have Desani start to give them a cushy lead."

Joey looked down at the field and saw Desani still doing stretches. "They probably put her as anchor to secure the win."

"Yeah, you're probably right about that." Tristan nodded in thought. "This should be a cakewalk for her."

Yugi looked down at the field as Joey and Tristan were talking. He frowned, noticing how tense Desani looked. Arms folded over her chest, her eyes were cast downward.

"As excited as she seemed about the meet, she's barely paying attention to her team," Yugi said.

The first handoff completed with Domino High in the lead.

"She does seem… underwhelmed," Atem agreed. "I hope nothing is ailing her."

Ryou, his face flashing with guilt, sighed. "Desani's spirits may be a bit down. I overheard her having an argument with the team captain."

Everyone looked at him with surprise.

"An argument?" Yugi repeated.

Ryou nodded. "It seems she's having a difficult time with some of her teammates. If I didn't know any better, I'd dare say she's somewhat bullied."

"What?" Yugi exclaimed. Next to him, Atem's eyes darkened.

Ryou sighed again. "Yes. And I probably made matters worse when I confronted her about it."

Atem looked directly at him. "You spoke with Desani before the meet?"

"Yes, shortly after their practice. I only meant to wish her well, but something was badgering me to ask her about Mana. I got a bit miffed and ended up saying some awful things to her."

Mana looked up at him, her eyes saddened by his confession. "Ryou, I chose not to reach out to you. I'm sorry about that, but now I'm even more sorry that you took it out on Desani."

"I know, love," Ryou agreed. "That wasn't a proud moment for me, and I'd do anything to take it back. I'm really sorry." He looked back at the others. "To all of you. I truly am."

"I forgive you," Mana said. "Let's just be sure to make this right as soon as we can." Mana leaned in close to Ryou's ear. "And I promise I'll explain everything later." He nodded in response.

Atem's gaze was unwavering as he stared down at Desani. She was already on the track, waiting for the baton. The gap between the runners in first and second had tightened, and now Domino High was neck and neck with Tokyo High.

'This was supposed to be an escape from her problems, not another source.' He watched Desani start jogging as the third runner approached with the baton. 'Negativity just hangs around her.' Desani smoothly completed the handoff and blasted off into the first curve of her run. 'Why must happiness always escape her?'

The cheers from the crowd grew more rambunctious as Desani regained the lead for Domino High.

She could hear the beating of her heart inside her ear as the field lights bore down on her. Her cleats dug into the ground as her strides lengthened on the straight track. She could sense the presence of all the other runners behind her, their breathing growing haggard as fatigue quickly set in for them. She tried in vain to block out everything and just focus on reaching the finish line, but her mind tortured her with replays of the events before the meet.

I hate that everything seems like a cakewalk for you.

I'm inadequate… less than…

You're competition… you are a threat.

Can you really blame us for doubting you?

Desani grimaced, and for a split-second her legs faltered. Seeing an opening, the runner from Tokyo High overtook her as they entered the second curve. Audible gasps of surprise arose from the crowd as they watched in trepidation. Six pairs of eyes stayed fixated on the sorceress.

'What is wrong with me?' Desani wondered. 'Why do I feel so heavy?' The images remained locked in place as her vision clouded. 'What is this? Guilt? Disappointment? Resentment?'

Her pacing slowed. 'Is it my own… or is it theirs?' The Tokyo High runner made incremental gains as they turned into the final straight. 'These feelings are overwhelming. I can't-'

"Don't give up!" The words left his lips before he knew he was saying them. "You can do this, Desani!" Atem yelled.

Surprised by the call of her name, Desani's head arched up, looking into the crowds for him. Her heart started pounding as she locked gazes with Atem and her friends amongst the crowd. The others quickly followed Atem's rallying cry, pumping fists and clapping with fervor.

"GO, DESANI!"

Desani's eyes returned to the track. Focused, sharp. Steely determination rushed through her, the flame in her heart reignited.

She stepped. She lunged. She flew.