Duke took us to his apartment on the top floor of the store to talk away from the public, as soon as she got there he sat down putting his head in his hands.
"Yugi, I am so sorry I accused you of cheating, the better player won today. You proved you really did beat Pegasus fair and square. Argh, I was such a creep today, and thanks to those cameras' the whole world knows it. My store is ruined, no one is ever going to want to play Dungeons and Dice monsters now."
"That's not true at all. Dungeon Dice Monsters has the potential to become a huge hit." Yugi said.
"True, I haven't seen a game this exciting since Duel Monsters." Grandpa encouraged. "There is more than enough room for two game stores in this town."
"You really think so," Duke said, I smiled, Grandpa always knew how to make people feel better.
"Sure, Dungeon Dice Monsters is great. It's you I don't like." Joey said, I scowled at him.
"Joey!"
"What it's true, he's been a real sleeze today." He said defensively.
"He's right," Duke sighed. "Especially to you," Duke turned to me. "Mana I am so sorry, I don't know what was wrong with me, can we start over?"
I looked at him, he did look really guilty, I looked around the group before looking back at him.
"If I didn't believe in second chances I wouldn't be here." I said truthfully. "The one thing I can not forgive is idolising that red suit wearing, long haired low life."
"Pegasus?" Duke said surprised, I saw that he spotted all of our faces darken.
"We have an interesting history we will leave it at that," I said looking at Grandpa. He frowned, but before he could press any further the devil appeared.
"Email for Devlin boy. Email for Devlin boy."
I glanced at the laptop screen. That bloody rabbit!
"They did send a contract after all. They wanna take Dungeon Dice Monster's global!" Duke said his voice raising an octave, we all cheered.
"Congratulations, Duke," Yugi smiled.
"So er, what made yah pick Domino City?" Joey asked him.
"Partly because of Yugi, and also this is a big gaming area so it seemed like a logical place to get up the store before I headed back home."
"You're leaving?" Téaasked.
"Yeah I head back to California half way through the year. I have online classes mostly, but I thought it would be fun to go to school here. Great way to advertise the store."
"Well we are glad you're staying for a while," Téasaid warmly.
"Thanks," Duke smiled at us all…
"This is boring," I said putting my head in my hand, Mahad was scowling at me.
"You need to know the theory too, Mana," he said his tone slightly impatient.
"I want to play with the Prince, his lesion is finished and he is the Prince!"
"And one day you will may have to save his life. How can you help him if you don't know."
I slumped he had a point. I sighed.
"Fine, so how does the actual process of a silencing spell work." I surrender keeping my head rested on my hand as I wrote notes on his speech.
I woke with a start. Closing my eyes I thought back on the dream. I must have been about twelve there. I could hear Yugi rustling as he made it out of bed. After yesterday's dramatic start to the term, as I put on my uniform I hoped today would go back to normal, well as normal as it could get for a 5000 year spirit in a double of what was once her body before she died. Sighing I grabbed my bag.
"Yug, you done?"
"Yeah," he said, so I pulled back the curtain.
"Let's go,"
We caught up with the guys before class. I was excited, we had history first period. I sat up straight as Mr Bradley came into the class room.
"Now students, we are going to study something a little more interesting for this term different to the usual curriculum." Mr Bradley said. We all looked around excited.
He pulled the covering the board. "In the spirit of having the museums new exhibit we are going to learn about the newly discovered parts of ancient Egypt."
I burst out laughing.
"Something amusing Miss Muto," he said.
"No, no sir, it's just I've been studying that era independently, I live and breathe this era it's like I was there." I said, all of our group snickered.
"She isn't lying sir, it's like she was born there," Joey said. He frowned at us but pressed on.
"Very well can anyone tell me who this is?" he said holding a painting of a man.
"Pharaoh Aknamkanon," I blurted out, covering my mouth to muffle the 'he took me in after the village fire."
"Correct well done Mana," he said warmly. "Now can anyone tell me something important you had to do when meeting the Pharaoh?" He asked.
"Put your left foot before the king," I blurted again.
"Very good, why?"
"Because the heart controlled the body, you have to present your soul to the Pharaoh." I said calmly luckily that reason came to me in the last blurt.
"Yes you see in those times they thought the heart was the brain if that makes sense they thought that it controlled your movements, your emotions. Of course now we know it is the brain that does these things. Now next lesson we will get onto more facts but for this one we are going to speak of the legends based around Pharaoh Aknamkanon and his son, who's name we have yet to decipher." He glanced at Yugi. "It seems his name is literally scratched from records."
"Yugi," he said, making Yugi jump and look up nervously, he had obviously been talking to the Pharaoh.
"Yes, sir,"
"What can you tell me about the millennium items," he said smiling. "Seeing as you have one,"
"Er, there are seven all said to have different powers, for example the millennium eye is said to read your mind."
"How about your puzzle do you know the power behind that?" Mr Bradley asked.
"No I don't know," he said nervously.
"I apparently it is the key to the other items power that is why the Pharaoh wore it. So there you go royalty had worn that puzzle." he said. "It gave the Egyptians who wore it power to enter the Shadow Realm, a dark and dangerous place."
"Yeah don't we know it," I heard Téa grumble behind me.
"The puzzle has a legend around it. Legend has is Aknamkanon's son sealed the power of the shadows away in doing so locked himself within the puzzle. It shattered erasing his memory which is said to have the key of what will trap the darkness for eternity. According to legend only the chosen one can complete the puzzle and unearth the ancient pharaoh from within it. So tell me Yugi do you sense this powerful Pharaoh," Mr Bradley teased. He obviously didn't believe it.
"Sure, all the time; he's listening right now hoping you will say something about his life." He said back in a serious tone, but in a way that it also could sound like he was kidding.
"Well hello ancient Pharaoh it is a pleasure teaching you," he said putting his left leg towards Yugi. Everyone burst out laughing, our group the loudest.
They have no idea, I thought amused. I could see Yugi's frightened look, I guessed the Pharaoh was teasing him about making an appearance.
"Settle, settle now." Mr Bradley said chuckling. He pulled out photographs.
"Ok here is a hieroglyphics alphabet sheet so you can decipher these tablets that the museum allowed us to take for your class." He began to pass a photo and an alphabet sheet per person. "You have to the end of the lesson work in groups."
I turned over to Yugi so did Téa, Joey and Tristan.
"Could this get any easier, I mean we have two ancient Egyptians with us." Tristan said.
"But we have no memory of the time; I know most of that through private studying. He knows more about our history than we do," I sighed glancing at Mr Bradley.
"Come on let's find something about your past." Yugi said; I looked at the sheet.
"This is the prophecy the pharaoh and I tried to read as children!" I gasped looking at Yugi. "You know what I told you about a few days ago, this is the same one!" I said looking at it. "Thy chosen king shall return with his sorceress and thee's flesh and blood." I said.
"You can understand it!" Joey yelled making everyone else turn.
"Of course I can stupid," I hissed too quietly for anyone not on the table to hear.
"Is there a problem," Mr Bradley came over.
"No, Mana can read the text," Joey said.
"I learnt when I was little I have always been obsessed with Egypt." I said using my usual lie, kicking Joey under the table.
"So what was your favourite era before this one was discovered?"
"Er the new kingdom it is similar to how the lives of this era lived of course if you believe in the magic." I said smiling. "I know it so well I feel like I lived my first life there." I said jokily. He chuckled.
"Well then maybe you are the sorceress the prophecy predicts, she was called Mana too, and she was best friend of the Pharaoh. It would be rather odd if you were." He said.
"Why?" I asked looking at the others, why would it be? What the hell is going on now.
"Because the prophecy says that in this life you and the Pharaoh complete that in which you couldn't in your time, have an heir. You see, they were in love, an odd for a Pharaoh the nameless Pharaoh only wanted one wife and he wished to marry her after the war, they remained celibate, but she was killed in battle. He couldn't live without her, but her loss gave him the strength to do what had to be done lock all the magic away using his name as the key, he shattered his memory and locked his spirit within the puzzle, knowing he and his love would return. Of course they would have to fall in love all over again. The legend says that she will begin to regain her memories as she was reincarnated" He said, gesturing teasingly to Mana. "A replica of her past self like a doppelganger but it's her. Once she re-entered the shadow realm her memory would begin to piece together telling the Pharaoh where he can unlock his own memories destroying darkness forever."
We all looked at him our jaws on the floor.
"What!" I said alarmed when I snapped out of it, reading through the passage, my cheeks glowing crimson. Talk about information overload.
"Falling in love with a spirit that lives inside your brother, the movie rights itself," he joked.
I tried to laugh but it died on the way out so Téa, Tristan and Joey laughed for me.
"Yeah you could make a decent movie out of that." Joey said. Sir grinned and walked away again and everyone turned to me.
"Has he got that right?" Téa said.
"It says it right here," I said pointing at what I knew they wouldn't understand. "I'll read it out. 'The life taken before destiny could unfold this plan on these two. In the new life thee shall complete the feeling thee began before the battle of the world. A new heir of Egypt shall be born. So let it be written so let it be done.' It's here in plan engl – hieroglyphics."
"So you and the Pharaoh were in love each other back then?" Yugi said, touching the puzzle.
"I dunno I can't remember enough, I mean were kids playing tag in the palace gardens what does the Pharaoh say," I said quietly, my blush going brighter as I thought about this heir to Egypt.
"He is stunned by the prophecy, that's for sure." Yugi said. I noticed the question was avoided, my stomach flipped did this mean the Pharaoh liked me… No! Stop, this is insane!
"Mana how about you?" Yugi said. "Do you feel like that with the Pharaoh?" I blushed.
"Well they are going to have a kid apparently, now that would be interesting concept right Yug," Joey said sniggering; both Yugi and I were unable to look at each other our faces burning the skin of our face. I heard Téa whack him.
"Ouch!"
"Quiet acting like a moron," she said.
"Answer Yugi's question Mana," Téa said.
"I only see him in duels I haven't really gotten to know him properly how can I like him without truly knowing him. It's not all about appearance,"
"She's dodging the question." Tristan said grinning. "She wants the new Prince or Princess of Egypt, or trying for them anyway,"
"Tristan Taylor have you forgotten I can turn you into a toad if I want to," I hissed too quietly for anyone off the table to hear, glaring at him making him shrink.
"Nope, that's why he's teasing you cause you and the Pharaoh are going to get it –" I covered Joey's mouth before he could even finish his sentence. I was amazed that I was still conscious surely all the blood in my body had gone to my face.
"Don't even attempt to finish that sentence," I growled at him.
"Then don't dodge the question and we'll stop," Tristan said hiding behind Yugi. I went to grab him.
"No your brother and your lover are my body guard."
"That's it your practice," I snarled under my breath.
"No she isn't," Téa said before I did do something in front of everyone. "She said she doesn't know the Pharaoh well enough to like him like that." Téa said, I glared at the two idiots as though to say see. "But she mentioned she finds him attractive," Téa said smirking.
"I never said that!" I said hotly.
"So you're saying he's ugly," Joey said, pulling away from me.
"No, I said it's not all about appearances,"
"Meaning that you like his, because Yugi does change when the Pharaoh's in charge." Téa said, I blushed again.
"You can find someone good looking without liking them, for example Kaiba is, but I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole. You two as much as it pains me to say this, are attractive but I personally don't see either of you like that. Mai is beautiful and I can say that as a girl and not be attracted to her." I said but I could tell by Téa's expression she had busted me; the others were blissfully clueless. They had a Y chromosome. They wouldn't get it.
"I've had enough of this foolishness," Kaiba snapped from the back of the class.
"Mr Kaiba?" Mr Bradley said. "What has gotten into you?"
"I've had enough of this magical Egyptian nonsense." He said and stormed from the classroom.
"What's that about?" Joey said glaring at Kaiba as he left, I stood up and read the script Kaiba's group had.
Ah, thought this is about the sacred guards of the nameless Pharaoh. I went back to my table ignoring everyone's looks.
"Yugi can you remember what I said about the sacred guards," I whisper so no one can over hear.
"Yeah," Yugi said picking up.
"I think he can read it too, like I could when I first tried, I think he can read it like it was English and stormed out before he even read his name."
"Kaiba –!" Joey began to shout, Téa quickly covered his mouth.
"Will you shut up!" she hissed. I suddenly smiled and concentrated on a spell I had been working on.
"Back to your own text you five," Mr Bradley said. I could see Joey's grin, but I smirked.
Joey mouthed moved but no sound came out, when he realised he tried again. Tristan tried and failed.
"Ha," I said, all four of them looked at me. "I knew that spell would come in handy shame I didn't look up the reversal." Their eyes widened.
"You know I could tease you," Yugi said.
"Really you're going to tease me and the person who shares your body,"
"I never said I'd tease the pharaoh, why Mana is he on your mind or something?" he said his eyes twinkling.
"Boys!" I hissed. "Let's just read the rest of the Prophecy." I grumbled.
"Sure," Téa said she looked like she was resisting something. "Queen Mana," she said obviously unable to hold it, I gave her a betrayed glare.
"Ok full thing. 'Born when the world will need them most, the Pharaoh who can summon the Egyptian Gods to protect him, shall be the king to destroy the darkness.'"
We all looked at the puzzle.
"'Three shall be born in this time, untied they all have a role in the threat that can cause destruction to the world. Not all shall be fulfilled in this life. The Pharaoh, his cousin and his love shall come again when the darkness returns and the Shadow Realm is reborn. She who loved him before shall find him and be close to the solver. The life taken before destiny could unfold this plan on these two. In the new life thee shall complete the feeling thee began before the battle of the world. A new heir of Egypt shall be born. So let it be written so let it be done.'"
We all sat in silence for a moment.
"That's how you found us," Yugi finally whispered. "You must have been drawn to the puzzle… to him…"
"To the magic," I said my cheeks tinging. "So it sounds like we made the darkness sleep for 5000 years and now we need to destroy it once and for all." I traced over the markings. I knew Pegasus was a test run and we would soon face great danger. I looked at our group hoping that we could win. For them…
I was scribbling a scene that had flashed into my memory when I practiced a spell the day before. When I heard Yugi knock on his wardrobe, a way of letting me know he wanted to come to my part of the room.
"May I enter?" I heard a familiar deep voice. That wasn't Yugi.
"Course," I said trying not to blush.
He came in and sat on my bed.
"Well school was interesting for once," I said smiling nervously. "Which reminds me I've started to draw out moments from the dreams. Here, that was us getting told off by your father," I said handing him the sketch.
"You look terrified," he said, frowning slightly as he stroked the face of the six-year-old me.
"Yeah I am frightened of him I don't know why he's always been gentle when I've spoken to him I only looked at his face because he crouched down and tilted my chin." I said showing him the rest.
"That's the first one," I said showing him, me running from him both laughing as we ran. He smiled at it stroking the picture.
"Thank you for showing me these drawings Mana," he said.
"No problem I think I am going to make a little time line try and fit the memories in the right places you know."
"It is a good idea," he agreed. "Hopefully it will help with my own memories woes." He said.
"I hope so," I smiled at him, trying to ignore the flutter in my heart.
Hey sorry it took so long to update this chapter, I have a lot more uni work as this is my last semester as an undergrad.
Sorry! Enjoy!