Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Truthfully, in My Soul ❯ A New Beginning ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10: A New Beginning

 

Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi. Neferue is my character.

 

At the end of the day, Mana and Atemu stood just outside the edge of town, staring at the midnight sky, just as they have always done years before in the past.

 

Mana head rested on Atemu's left shoulder. Then, she looked up and saw Atemu's face. There seemed to be angst in it. “Ouji-sama, what's wrong?” she asked.

 

Atemu stared back at the young magician girl. “Mana,” he began, “I feel as if I do not want to return back to Egypt. It had gotten too much for me to go back.”

 

Mana stared back at Atemu. It sounded surprising to her. Yet she could almost understand why he didn't wish to return. There were too many duties, too many expectations, and perhaps the most pressuring, too many restrictions on what he can and cannot do.

 

But… running away meant that he would be all alone.

 

“Ouji-sama?” Mana began, “if you decide to stay in Riyah, won't you become lonely?”

 

“I realize that,” Atemu replied back. The he took her left hand. Mana suddenly started to blush. The heart, after all, is on the left side of the body, and it seemed that he wanted to get closer to her heart. She then looked up, and saw that his eyes were glassy, and they revealed that he was, indeed, lonely inside. “Mana,” Atemu began to say, “I know that I will be lonely all by myself…That's why I want you to be with me.”

 

Mana's eyes then opened wide in shock. Her mind began to swim in confusing thoughts again: What? Run away? I…I can't just run away from Egypt, my hometown. But…why do I feel compelled to stay here?

 

Atemu could sense the confusion on Mana's face. He wanted her to stay with him, but he did not want to force her into something she did not want. “Mana, I hate to see you distraught like this,” he said softly to her. He let go of her hand. “If you feel that you must return to Egypt, then go ahead, if it makes you happy.” He turned around and proceeded to go back to Riyah. He then turned his head to stare back at her for what may be the last time. “If, at any time, you ever need me, know that you will find me here.”

 

Mana watched as Atemu headed back in the direction of the oasis town.

 

~~~~~~~~

Atemu stood inside an empty house on a brand new morning. It was a small place, one might say it was tiny, even, but very homely. It would have been comforting even, but its bareness seemed to reflect the fact that he was alone.

 

He had managed to acquire the house on his own, but it seemed useless now, considering that he would be by himself. He decided to walk outside where he could at least be in the company of people passing by.

 

Atemu headed to the doorway. He looked and saw that there was someone there blocking the entrance. The figure was enshrouded in shadows, caused by the light of the sun shining from behind the person, whoever it may be. He squinted his eyes in a vain attempt to see who it was.

 

To his utmost surprise and joy, it was Mana!

 

Atemu almost couldn't believe she was here. “Mana!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here? I…I thought you went back to Egypt!”

 

Mana look at him with her aquamarine eyes, and they seemed as if to plead for something. “Please, tell me truthfully. I need to know if you love me,” she requested.

 

Atemu was about to answer but Mana interrupted him. “Please, I need to know in order to make up my mind.” She was horribly upset, confused, directionless. She desperately needed to know where she was going in life, and only Atemu could provide the answer she needed.

 

Atemu walked over to her and placed his hand on the side of her face, just as he did before. He already knew his answer. In fact, he already knew the answer ever since he had known her. It was an answer, a feeling suppressed for a long time because of the dictates of society. But now, he was free to tell her how he felt.

 

“Mana,” he said as he convincingly could, “I sincerely do love you. Ma'at ka (“Truthfully, in my soul”)”.

 

Mana just stared back at him, happy that she had her answer. There's no point in going back, she thought. There would be no one else who would love me as well as he can.

 

She then felt his arms wrap around her. That warm feeling now encapsulated her, and she became overjoyed to stay with him. And Atemu thought it wonderful for her to be in his arms; the loneliness began to fade away, replaced by a feeling of bliss.