V.E.: Oh boy. Going in, I know this chapter is going to be a pain to write, but it seems only right that I try and write this one. I'm sorry to say I'm getting a little bit frustrated with this story. The lack of inspiration is very off putting.

Still, I have to try and finish this one before I try and figure out which of the new vase shipping stories I should do next.

I will try and get some Atem and Mana love this chapter. Note, TRY. If not, there will be some next chapter.

Disclaimer: I own neither Yugioh nor the Mummy. Otherwise, I would have a huge pile of cash somewhere and I would be already set for college payments.

Unfortunately, this is not true.

Bakura's voice seemed like the echoing of just about everyone's mind as they had finally arrived at their destination.

"Sand, sand, and OH GEE more sand."

Sure enough, it just seemed like the rest of the surrounding desert; lots and lots and lots of sand piles. The only thing that seemed to be different was a big rock in stuck in the middle of nowhere. To the distance, there was some abandoned stone well and some left over stone pillars.

Ishizu simply sighed as she motioned to Odion to go near the rock.

Marik smirk seemed rather wide.

"Oh ye of little faith."

Bakura looked at his new friend with skepticism.

"If faith is the size of a grain of sand, I'd have to say that these are all the faiths of everyone who ever fell for you guys' tricks."

Mahad leaned his toward the white haired thief as he noticed it seemed like Odion was pulling some sort of rope.

"I wouldn't dismiss things too quickly Bakura…"

Just as he said this, the rope was pulled back far enough and the trapdoor came off, an entrance descending into the underground was revealed.

Everyone else's eyebrows lifted in surprise, Rebecca being the one to talk.

"Is it me or are all of these places we're visiting have to be underground?"

Her grandfather just smiled.

"Considering a good portion of excavation involves digging things up to get to the soil that would have been around the historical time period, it's not surprising. Most of these places would have not been underground during Ancient Egypt."

Odion nodded in response to the Professor.

"Indeed. This tunnel in particular used to be quite caved in until the Tomb Keepers cleared away the rest of the dirt. We try and keep archaeologists away from this area, just in case this place gets discovered."

Ishizu nodded as they all started down into the dark underground with stone steps.

"It wouldn't do for people to find out that we have been living next to this tomb for some time."

Atem looked curious at that, his younger brother sticking close to him in the dark.

"You live here?!"

Marik gestured with his thumb to one of the walls, in the direction of the abandoned stone well. His voice turned slightly bitter when he mentioned his father.

"Actually, we live directly adjacent to this Tomb. Normally, we're not allowed to leave the Tomb. At least, that's the way it was when my father was still alive."

Bakura met his lilac eyes.

"Daddy issues?"

Marik's voice was dead serious.

"You have no idea."

Bakura rolled his eyes in an offhand way.

"Oh I don't know. I think an archaeologist who later turned work obsessed and alcoholic after the accident that killed his wife and daughter and therefore neglecting the two remaining sons he had left, is a very good example of 'daddy issues'."

That got Atem, Yugi, Mana, and Rebecca to look at him with something akin to shock. Seto Kaiba eye's widened only for a fraction of a second before going back to its regular disdain. Ryou seemed to be reddening rather fast, as if he wanted to disappear into thin air. He seemed inclined to speak up then.

"He's been getting help and hasn't touched alcohol in a year."

Bakura sighed, shaking his head.

"You forgive too easily, Ryou."

"I don't think Mom and Amane would want us to be mad at him. Besides, it's not like you just got over it quickly."

Bakura's eyes turned hard and cold.

"I don't like to remember it, alright."

Ryou didn't seem ready to drop it.

"That being said, you were being a piece of shit back then too."

At that, Mahad covered his sister's ears, who didn't look too happy.

"Hey! Mahad, I've heard worse!"

Mahad sighed then looked to Ryou.

"I know that. I just didn't expect that out of you, Ryou."

Ryou shrugged.

"My brother is my brother. I don't think that merits an explanation."

"Harsh little bro, harsh."

Marik didn't speak at all during this exchange, but went on now.

"Anyway, now that I'm the head of the Clan, Tomb Keepers have a lot more freedom to go to the Outside World, as most of us call it. Going through this tunnel bypasses most of the regular traps."

Ishizu nodded as it seemed that they finally reached the bottom of the dark staircase, the tunnel was lit with torches in a grand hallway. The walls were painted(still looking rather colorful) with scenes from the Book of the Dead, many people standing in line for the judgment of Anubis with Osiris supervising it and Ammit waiting to devour the deceitful hearts.

As they walked down that hallway, Mana noticed the Millennium Eye symbol seemed to find itself scattered throughout the artwork. Another thing, she thought she saw the profiles of Mahad and Professor Muto in the line. At the end near the throne, the star shaped hair was completely recognizable to her.

Her eyes went the ceiling as she noticed a beautiful golden goddess watching over them all. Beautiful lapis blue eyes connected and for some reason she felt that feeling of déjà vu coming over her.

It was just a voice, an instinct. Something was missing on this wall, or someone. But what?

Atem decided to speak up, as they all stopped by a doorway.

"So whose tomb is this exactly?"

Ishizu paused for a moment before answering.

"In a way, yours."

That stunned the whole group to silence as Ishizu and Odion entered through the stone archway. Quietly, everyone followed into a room seemed shrouded in complete darkness, save a lone ray of light near a mirror.

Mana stopped her brother and motioned to the mirror.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

A light of understanding passed on Mahad's face, as he turned to the rest of the group.

"I can't believe I'm asking this, but do any of you still have those guns on you and do they have ammo?"

Bakura pulled out a small throwing knife(not his favorite, but he kept some on him.

"Would this work?"

Mahad nodded, glancing at the mirror for point.

"Just as long as it hits the target just right."

Bakura nodded, his eyes scanning the target and the distance. Praying to whatever kind of luck or gods out there, he threw the knife swiftly.

Sure enough, it hit just as it was intended. The mirror tilted off just enough to catch the beam of light, illuminating the whole chamber full of gold. It truly was the treasury of a pharaoh's tomb; golden statues, jewelry, several vases, chairs inlaid with precious stones, a chariot that needed only the horses. And that was just to name a few.

Everyone's eyes were wide with wonder, even Kaiba though he would never admit it. For Yugi, Rebecca, and Ryou, this was the stories of fantastical adventures made real. Marik was just smirking at everyone's disbelief.

The older ones(including Mahad) were also stunned speechless, while Mana drew close to Atem(the male thinking how it was possible that all of this could have been his?).

Bakura's face was absolutely priceless.

"Oh my gods. Can you see all of…?"

Atem nodded.

"Yeah."

"Can you believe….?"

"Yeah."

"Can I just…?"

Atem shook his head definitively.

"NO."

Bakura snapped out of it into rather peeved.

"Oh, come on!"

Kaiba 'hmped', secretly amused.

'We're not here so that we can feed you kleptomania. We're here for that Egyptian God Card."

Yugi gestured to the huge piles of golden treasure.

"Ummm…that's not in here is it?"

Ishizu shook her head, a smile of amusement on her face, inclining her head to the door across the vast hoard of wealth.

"No, we keep the card in near the pharaoh's resting chamber."

Atem's face made is seem like he understood what she meant. Kaiba's eyes glanced towards him for a moment and seemed sulky again.

"So you keep a card were a mummy is?"

Ishizu remarked at that as the Ishtars guided the group through the gilded chamber.

"Actually, the card is kept in the chamber next to. Technically, this tomb has two treasure chambers. This is the one of general wealthy, what any pharaoh or rich noble would have had. The second one is of items of a more personal connection to the pharaoh."

Mahad looked up at the question.

"What do you mean by personal?"

Surprisingly, it was Professor Hawkins who answered his student's query.

"Things that had sentimental value, Mahad. Two years ago, I was at the funeral of an old colleague of mine and his wife made a great commotion with the lawyer. His will insisted he be buried in his old sweater that his older sister made for him, which was utterly ragged since it was twenty five years old, she'd been dead for twenty three. Nevertheless, it was his last wish."

Just as they were about the exit the chamber, Ryou turned back to find Bakura about to grab a golden hilt.

"BAKURA."

Bakura groaned, leaving the sword where it was and caught up with his brother.

Ryou didn't seem that all changed.

"Ah hem."

Grudgingly, Bakura threw away the gold items hidden on his person with a shake.

At that, his younger brother was joined in the reproachful look by Atem, Kaiba, and Mahad.

Bakura looked even more annoyed as he removed the rest of the things he tried to pilfer.

As he went to exit with the group into another hallway painted with the colorful people of Ancient Egypt, Atem decided to remark on that.

"And I thought you learned your lesson about stealing form me, Bakura."

Bakrua simply grunted.

Mana leaned near her brother in curiosity.

"What happened?"

"He tried to steal their Dark Magician. Long story short, Bakura learned his lesson about trying to steal Duel Monsters cards."

Yugi shot an annoyed look at his brother.

"Hey, it was perfectly within my rights to…"

Ryou simply shook his head at Yugi.

"Don't worry Yugi. My brother had it coming to him."

Seto's grin was less than Marik's grin, but both could be said were smirking though only the later talked about it.

"Why do I get the feeling that whatever happened was incredibly embarrassing and therefore funny?"

Bakura shot a virile glare at the blonde Egyptian.

"Shut up Marik."

Ishizu stopped by a new archway into a new room.

"It's this way."

Mana was just as prepared to follow the rest into the room when her eyes caught on a chamber right across from it. As everyone else went inside the other room, Mana crept over to the other entrance and walked inside.

It was just as decorated as the rest of the tomb was, only the all of the subjects on the walls were gods and goddesses(Mana remembered all the pictures that Mahad had shown her when she was younger. In the center of the chamber, there was a gleaming golden sarcophagus, imbedded with jewels. Next to it, was a smaller pedestal that was completely bare save a small wooden box and a golden necklace over top of it.

Passing by the pedestal, Mana stopped by the golden coffin and crouched down to look at it better.

If she hadn't have known something might have been beforehand, she would have gasped. The golden face mask was practically identically to the living and breathing spiky haired duelist just across the hall, the eyes seemed to have been carved from amethyst. Along with the nemes crown that Mana had seen from Tutankhamen's mummy mask, there was also a golden crown that was in in the shape of an eye.

Cautiously, Mana's hand went to touch the crown, as cool as anything. Then it made its way down to the eyes.

Just as her hands were about to explore the face more(something that for some reason didn't feel so strange to her), something leaned close to her ear.

"Hey."

She jumped and turned around to find Atem looking at her with an amused smile. She wasn't.

"Don't do that!"

Atem simply chuckled.

"I don't know, that was actually pretty funny."

"DON'T."

Atem smiled and was about to say more until he caught his eyes on what her attention had been previously on. He seemed just as stunned she was as his own hand touched his look alike's golden cheek.

Mana's hand followed and gripped his hand, causing the real royal violet eyes to look at Mana's green ones.

"It isn't you, you know?"

Atem looked downcast at that.

"Right now, no. Back then….."

Mana looked to the coffin then to him, laying her hand on his shoulder while drawing closer to him.

"Atem, my dad once told me, 'Don't let your past dictate who you are. Rather let it become a part of who you become.'."

Atem looked impressed at that.

"That sounds pretty insightful."

Mana laughed then.

"Of course, then I found out that he ripped that off from My Big Fat Greek Wedding'."

Atem had to laugh at that.

"Mahad mentioned that your family were pretty much movie buffs."

Mana smiled at that, finding that remembering wasn't as bittersweet as it was a while ago.

"My dad liked o think he was one, my mom pretty much indulged him. Fun fact, what do my brother and Indiana Jones have in common?"

Atem's smile went wide at that.

"Funny, Raiders of the Lost Ark is Yugi and mine's favorite movie. Okay let's see, they're obsessed over history?"

Mana shook her head.

"Nope."

"They're natural teachers."

Mana considered that for a moment.

"That could be, but it wasn't what I was thinking. Guess again."

Atem's face scrunched up in concentration, Mana resisted the urge to laugh at it.

"They….did you guys have a dog once?"

Mana shook her head, letting out a small laugh at the question.

"No!"

"Alright, I give up. What do the two have in common?"

Mana couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice.

"Snakes."

Atem repeated the word with an even tone.

"Snakes."

Then his eyes lit up in understanding. He looked at the brunette with a look of shock, his voice rising.

"Wait, you mean Mahad is…?!"

"WHATEVER SHE SAYS, IT'S A LIE!"

The two broke apart and turned to find Mahad, looking rather red and embarrassed, and Ishizu next to him, who only looked slightly taken a back at the young man's voice level.

Mahad fixed his eye on the two, not liking how close they were earlier.

"What got you two sidetracked?"

Atem nodded his head to the coffin.

"In a manner of speaking, me."

Mana shook her head as her brother took a double glance at the golden coffin.

"You know, not everything is about you."

"Perhaps, but in this case it's actually very true."

Mahad was marveling in the concealed mummy before his eyes found the almost empty pedestal.

"What's with this?"

Ishizu strode over and picked up the wooden box, leaving the simple golden necklace behind. The Egyptian woman slid open the box to take out a rolled scroll. Scanning the hieratic, she read aloud from the small group's benefit.

"To the Great Pharaoh, I know it would have honored my Master to honor your last wishes to buried with along with you when the time came for her to take her journey to the afterlife.

"Unfortunately, the priests of Amun declared it would have been sacrilegious to bury an absolute commoner with a great pharaoh and would not consider otherwise. Not even Pharaoh Seto could convince them. So, my Master is buried within our tunnels. I suppose as one of the elders of our clan, it is fitting she's buried there.

"However, I did bring her necklace for you. I know she treasured it most of all and I don't think she'd mind that I would give it to you.

"As for the Millennium Ring, that has been given to the Item Keeper Shadi. As her apprentice, normally I would have taken it on when she passed. But my duty is to the Necklace, not the Ring. And soon it will be to the Rod as well, I have foreseen that it will not be long for Pharaoh Seto now.

"I always wondered what my Master was to you. I suppose I will never know for certain, she took that secret to the grave. Rest in peace, Pharaoh.' Master Horus, former apprentice to Priestess Mana. Leader of the Tomb Keepers."

Mana's eyebrows were up.

"My past life had an apprentice?"

Ishizu's eyes were even wider.

"Horus?!"

Mahad looked interested at that.

"You know the name?"

"Yes, he was the first real leader of the Tomb Keepers. Marik and I are descendants of his."

Speaking of the blonde devil, Marik burst then.

"Ishizu, good news and bad news!"

Atem spoke up then.

"What's the good news?"

"We found those things in the room."

Though the other three were puzzled, Ishizu knew what he was saying. She leveled a raised eyebrow at her brother.

"And what's the bad news?"

Marik's smile was rather sheepish.

"Remember how it said there were seven buried here?"

Ishizu's look practically went out said 'Get to the point'.

"Yes?"

Marik's happy face dropped considerably.

"There's only six."

Ishizu's response was the mixture of a groan and a sigh. Mana, on the other hand, looked back at the mummy and got a crazy idea.

"I suppose we'll have to make do and….Mana, what are you doing?"

Mana was actually budging the top of the coffin off to the side. While the other three was looking puzzled, Mahad was the one who asked.

"Yes, care to explain why you're currently trying to damage a priceless piece of history?"

Mana looked at her brother head on.

"Remember when you were going over your paper out loud two months ago?"

"Yeah?"

Mana still focused on getting the lid.

"Remember that part when you were going over that there were technically Seven Great Guardians of Egypt even though there were only six priests?"

The lid slid off then with a large BANG! and Mana looked down into the inside of the coffin. Her eyes lit up as she grabbed something and held it up.

An odd golden bracelet with some odd golden feather attached to it.

"Seven, because even though he was never addressed that way, the Pharaoh was technically one too. I am really hoping this what you guys mean."

V.E.: Last chapter done on this computer. Next time, it will probably be on that new laptop of mine.

Next chapter will be awhile, anyway. Kind of drawing a blank on it.

Please just review.