Yugi POV
Téa arrange a meeting at the Game shop while Mana was swimming, everyone piled into the sitting room. Téa stood in front of us a small frown on her face.
"What's wrong Téa, you seem a little strange." I said snapping her out of her thought. She looked at me.
"I think something weird is going on with Mana,"
At the sound of my sisters name, I felt the Pharaoh become alert. His see-through form beside me, a deep frown on his face
/We don't know if anything is wrong yet./
\I know Yugi,\ he smiled before turning back to Téa.
"What'da mean Téa," Joey said.
"Well, I bumped into her last Friday and she was acting really weird."
"What after swimming?" I asked.
"Well that's the thing. Her hair wasn't wet, and she'd had lipstick on, her lips were still stained." Téa said scowling at us.
"So," Joey said.
"So, she wasn't swimming," Tristan said.
"But why would she lie, not only to you guys, but to me, and Grandpa and Dad." I said, my heart sinking a little. Why was Mana lying? What was she doing?
\I am sure whatever it is, it will not be serious.\ the Pharaoh said, putting his clear hand on my shoulder.
"I think we should have a look, see what she's hiding!" Tristan said.
"Go into her space," I gasped. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"We need to know what is happening? What if she is in trouble?" He said looking around her group, we all seemed a little deflated.
"Can't we just ask her?" Joey said.
"What if she lies, or denies it."
"But, to invade her privacy," Téa said.
Tristan walked up stairs.
"Tristan!" we called after him as he shot up the stairs. As I ran in I heard the rip of a zip.
"She has fancy clothes and make up in her bag," he said holding up the dark lipstick.
"Fine, fine I'll help you," Téa said.
"I'm still not sure," scenarios were whizzing through my head.
\She wouldn't do that.\ the Pharaoh snarled, as my mind travelled to a very dark place.
"Let's split up and try and find more information," Joey said, I had a feeling his thought had gone to the same place mine had. Did she need money? Why? We all split up into sections of her part of the room and began to search. I went into her Egyptian box and delicately searched through the ancient scrolls and paper.
"I found something," Téa said, we all turned in her direction.
"Heh? I checked over there, I couldn't find nothin'," Joey said.
"She put it with her pads," Téa said holding up a square of purple plastic in one hand and a wad of money in the other.
"That's a lot of money," I gasped. What was Mana doing!
"How she get that much cash!" Joey said taking it off Téa and waving it.
"I dunno, but I say we follow her next Friday," Tristan said darkly.
"I agree, with that much money she could be in serious trouble." Joey said.
Mana POV
I shut the door behind me, my muscles aching from my swim, and wondered into the sitting room. Yugi, Grandpa and Dad were all sitting watching something on the TV, I snuck past them into the kitchen and made myself a quick snack. Dumping my towel in the washing machine, I went up to my room to grab some clothes to put in, throwing in a full load I turned it on and walked back into the sitting room.
"Good job I am not a burglar,"
I laughed as all three of them burst into the air.
"Mana, my poor old heart," Grandpa grabbed his chest.
"I'm not much further behind you," Dad said rubbing his own chest.
"Maybe we should lock the door when we get home," I suggested still smirking at how much I had scared them. I could see the Pharaoh's amused face.
"Yug, we have an English test next Monday, you said you wanted help with Lady Macbeth?"
"Yeah, ok I'll go get my books," he said walking past me up the stairs.
I slip on the sand, stuggling to stay upright as I run. I can hear my own laughter and the laughter of a familiar voice.
"I'm catching up!" the prince calls.
"No way," I cried trying to pick up my pace.
I felt hands ghost my waist, dodging out of the way I stumble into the sand. A foot caught my side and landed on top of me.
We both laughed as he rolled off me, wrapping me into his arms and pulling me on top of him.
"Caught you," he said kissing my forehead. I smiled, snuggling into his chest, before reaching up to kiss him.
I could hear my breathing as the room became clear and the cold air hit my skin. Shivering I wrapped the blanket around me.
"Mana?" I heard the Pharaoh's voice.
"Come in," I said, trying to calm my breathing. A translucent figure came through the curtain.
"Yugi is still asleep." He said. "Did you have another dream?"
"Yes, an older one again. We were being coupley again." I mumbled, I recalled the way his lips felt on mine, and felt my cheeks warm.
"Ah," he said gesturing if he could sit on the bed. I nodded wrapping the blanket tighter around me.
"The more dreams I have the colder I get," I say gesturing to the blanket. We both looked at the blanket for a moment.
"Do, do you want me to tell you about it?" I asked still not looking at him.
"If you are comfortable with that,"
"It's your memory too, I am sorry that you can't –"
"Mana, you mustn't feel guilty." He said cutting me off. His translucent hand on mine, when he realised what he had done he pulled it away.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"It's fine, uh we were just joking around. Being teenagers, you were chasing me. You caught me and we had a cute moment," I said wrapping my arms around myself, his eyes flickered to them. I put back to the blanket.
"Cute moment?"
"Mostly cuddling a few small kisses," I said quietly.
"Are you happy in these dreams?" he said his eyes not meeting mine.
"We are happy in these dreams," I said trying to avoid talking about the butterflies that were dancing in my stomach.
"I see talking about these kinds of dreams make you uncomfortable, I will not press anymore, Mana," he said, I looked up to see the gentle smile on his face, before he stood up and walked over to the other side of the curtain. I lay back down, and closed my eyes as my eyes began to burn.
The week rushed past until Friday came back around. I grabbed my second swim bag and made my way down stairs where all three Muto's were sitting watching a documentary.
"I'm heading off, see you guys later," I said, as I kissed all three on the cheek.
"Have a good swim," Dad said, as I closed the door. I went over the song I wrote one more time in my head even though I knew it off by heart. I had to relieve these feelings for the Pharaoh somehow. I just hoped that this would work. The bus wheezed to a stop and I handed over the money.
"Thanks guys, so before I go, I have decided to sing a song that I wrote myself. It's about the exhibit in the museum and the love story between the nameless pharaoh and his love. Who I happen to share a name with. So I'll sum up the legend. Both the pharaoh and his love fought in a great battle to save the world, Mana was killed in the battle, full of grief the Pharaoh used magic to lock away the beast rampaging his kingdom, and in doing so locking himself and his memories away. The legend says that this legendary couple will reincarnate when the world needs saving again. However, due to their lack of memories from the past they are nervous around each other, not to mention other complications of the Pharaoh not having his own body. But anyway this song is their love story from Mana's point of view if they were resurrected right now, and she hasn't told him she loves him again."
I heard a round of applause, smiling I nodded to the band to play the melody we had worked on together.
As we cross the vast desert
Barefoot, laughing loud.
We don't care our feet are burning
We're playing off the grounds.
Away from the palace walls, we roam free
When we reach the river
It's splash time don't you see
One day we'll rule the empire,
The pharaoh and me his Queen
But for now, we're merely children
Burning our feet.
Best friend forever is the pact we preach
But as we grow
How were we to know
Those days of running laughing
Change to walking holding hands,
Our splashes turn to kisses above the warm sand
One day we'll be married and now we can't wait
No longer a duty
But a reason to celebrate
My pharaoh, my prince, my soul mate
Battles snatched out happy lives away
But according to the rumour
We will reawake
And when we meet again
Memories are lost
But we'll make new ones of splashing
This time hand in hand.
I smile as I hear clapping as I finish the long not, I look around the room and give a small bow. There were a group of teenagers in the corner, I focused on them…
My stomach plummeted. I was going to throw up, sound died to a muffled clap.
"Thanks you, I'm just going to take five." I forced the words out, before fleeing the stage.
The pharaoh's POV
We watched her go into the restaurant and followed her in ten minutes later. Waitressing wouldn't mean she had to dress up. Or wear makeup.
"Hi can I take your orders?" a blonde girl smiled at us.
"Fries," Joey said grinning at her.
"Same," Tristan said looking around the room.
"Salad," Téa said.
"Uh I'll have fries too,"
"Ok drinks,"
"Water," we all said together.
The lights darkened slightly.
"Hi everyone, I am Mana your singer for tonight."
I saw her and gasped. She looked beautiful, I could see all of our friends were looking in amazement too.
"Well," Yugi said to them. "I wasn't expecting this,"
"Yeah no kidding," Tristan said as she began to sing. I just watched her in awe. She hadn't noticed us in the back corner.
I hardly noticed Yugi and the others ordering small appetisers to share as we watched Mana sing.
"Thanks guys, so before I go," she spoke. Ah we could talk to her soon. "I have decided to sing a song that I wrote myself."
/The bits of paper in her room, the one she won't let us see!/ Yugi thought to me. I nodded, my attention was on Mana. "It's about the exhibit in the museum and the love story between the nameless pharaoh and his love."
I could feel everyone's gaze on the puzzle, and Yugi's on my face. I kept my face and my emotions concealed.
"Who I happen to share a name with. So I'll sum up the legend. Both the pharaoh and his love fought in a great battle to save the world, Mana was killed in the battle, full of grief the Pharaoh used magic to lock away the beast rampaging his kingdom, and in doing so locking himself and his memories away. The legend says that this legendary couple will reincarnate when the world needs saving again. However, due to their lack of memories from the past they are nervous around each other, not to mention other complications of the Pharaoh not having his own body."
Joey muffled a laugh, Tristan covered his mouth and hit him to keep him quiet.
"But anyway this song is their love story from Mana's point of view if they were resurrected right now, and she hasn't told him she loves him again."
Again, I could almost feel my heart again. A warmth surged through me. She loved me. She still loved me!
The melody started and she began to sing, I drowned in her words.
As we cross the vast desert
Barefoot, laughing loud.
We don't care our feet are burning
We're playing off the grounds.
Away from the palace walls, we roam free
When we reach the river
It's splash time don't you see
One day we'll rule the empire,
The pharaoh and me his Queen
But for now, we're merely children
Burning our feet.
Best friend forever is the pact we preach
But as we grow
How were we to know
Those days of running laughing
Change to walking holding hands,
Our splashes turn to kisses above the warm sand
One day we'll be married and now we can't wait
No longer a duty
But a reason to celebrate
My pharaoh, my prince, my soul mate
Battles snatched out happy lives away
But according to the rumour
We will reawake
And when we meet again
Memories are lost
But we'll make new ones of splashing
This time hand in hand.
Our table begins to clap, I just stare at her uselessly. Though only Yugi could see me. Her eyes widened and her smile dropped. She had spotted us.
Mana POV
I saw that the Pharaoh was in Yugi's body, he gestured for me to come outside with him. I followed, my heart thumping wildly.
"Hi," I whispered, looking at my feet. I could feel my face burn despite the cold outside.
"Mana," the Pharaoh greeted.
"So. Er –"
"Mana relax," he said soothingly, he touched my face.
I snapped my head up and looked into his eyes. He stared back into mine; he leaned forward. I knew what he was about to do before it happened my heart raced in my chest. I could feel his breath.
Yugi!
I pulled back, and for the first time that I could remember he looked embarrassed.
"Forgive me," he said his cheeks flushing. " I…" words failed him, he moved back from me.
"No it's not that," I said quickly taking his hand.
"Then what is it?" he said looking at me, his cheeks returning to normal, his eyes questioning.
"Yugi," I said, his eyes widened. "I mean how does all this work? I know you can talk to each other and a spirit form of the other can walk nearby the solid one. But…" he gently pulled me closer, shutting me up.
"I understand," he said. "And we are not fully sure of how it works either do I look different in the past?"
"You're just tanned and have different clothing." I said quietly.
"Yugi's body does change when I am in control," he said. Yeah, I've been drooling over it, I thought. "But our minds are fully connected."
"So where does that leave this," I said gesturing to our linked hands.
"I am unsure, but you were right I cannot use Yugi in that way." He said.
"Ok so how about whenever we want to kiss we do this," I said blushing as I placed the pad of my thumb on his lips.
"It doesn't mean anything so we are not using Yugi, but we know what it means." I said crimson by the end of my speech my eyes never leaving his. He smiled and copied the gesture.
"It's a deal," he said, I shyly cuddled into his side.
"We should go back to the others,"
"Ok," I whisper. He removed his arms, and we walked back to the table in the corner.
"Hi guys," I said as I sat down beside The Pharaoh, Yugi appeared on his other side.
"Are you guys ok?" Téa said.
"We have some rules, we have boundaries for Yugi." I said smiling at my brother's translucent form.
"However, you can now tell Duke, you are not available to him. Or to anyone." The Pharaoh said. I laughed at him.
"So… your together," Tristan said.
"Mostly mentally, but yeah." I smiled. "How did you guys find me – Téa was it you?"
"We followed you, I knew you'd been wearing makeup and I was worried what you were doing." Téa said, I smiled at her so she knew it was ok.
"Why are you working there, Mana?"
"Why are you working the paper round. One day this weird magical journey will take us to Egypt how did you think we were going to get there, swim?
"But hasn't the store for more money now that Yugi is famous." Tristan said.
"Yes, but that should be for Grandpa's retirement we have no idea how long the craze will last."
"She right we can't ask him to pay for it," Yugi said, I looked around. The Pharaoh was standing by the side of the table. He smiled at me and took my hand in his translucent one.
"I get quite a lot, I mean mostly a couple dollars but there is this one guy who comes in and gives me 10 bucks every week"
"Isn't that a little creepy
"No he's sweet. His family were in a car crash. I remind him of his daughter. She did preforming arts in college she, and her sister and mother were driving her to the campus when they were hit by a drunk driver."
We were all silent for a moment.
"We should head back," Téa said.
"Yeah, we'll talk more about this at home, I'll just go get my tips." I shuffled out of the booth and headed over to my manager. What a day it had been.