Malik POV. I don't own YGO and I still don't own it in chapter two. This is FANfiction. Fiction by a FAN.

Reunion

My motorcycle screeches to a stop in front of old, seemingly abandoned warehouse, and I look up contemplatively. Tonight is the first time many of the "rare hunters" I have recruited will meet their leader. I doubt they'll be happy about a fifteen-year old boy leading them.

But… I finger the Millennium Rod, then pull it out of my belt loop. They'll have to accept it. They're not getting a choice.

I'm about to go inside when I hear a voice I recognize.

"Malik."

The tone is cold, almost scornful, a tone I've never heard in that voice before despite my familiarity with it. A pang of sadness hits me, but I push it away and shoot a half-smile over my shoulder.

"Isis," I say. "It's been a while."

Her face is expressionless. "It has, hasn't it?" she agrees, still with that cold voice.

I gesture to my right, away from the building. "Walk with me?" She nods once, and we set out.

Isis stares straight ahead without a glance at me as we walk. I, on the other hand, study her, wondering how much she's changed. Her features are the same, as is her confident, proud gait; only her style of dress has changed. She wears now a high-necked cloak with a fair amount of jewelry, quite a contrast to the plain robes we both wore as children.

Then I look again at Isis's face. Its blankness is almost painful to me. "Isis…" I start to say, hoping she'll turn towards me. But she doesn't, so I continue, "I read that you were elected to the Egyptian government in charge of archaeology. That's impressive."

Now she smirks tightly. "Trying to flatter me, Malik?" she asks. There's a hint—a tiny hint—of lightness in her voice, but I can tell her question is still a serious one.

"Can't I express congratulations to my sister?" I protest. "I haven't seen you in two years, Isis. I've missed you."

Isis pauses for a moment, and then says softly, "I've missed you as well."

I nod and we are silent. I wonder if she's as desperate as I am to avoid the subject of why we haven't seen each other for so long. But then I realize how unlikely it is that she's come simply for a reunion. It's far more probable that she's sought me out solely to discuss my "betrayal."

And anyway…

"How did you find me?" I ask suddenly.

In reply, Isis reaches up and undoes the cloak at her neck. As the cloth loosens and falls about her shoulders, I see a shine of gold and realize what it is.

"The Millennium Necklace…" I say, nodding slightly in understanding. "You've taken it for yourself."

"It was given to me," she corrects me.

"Given to you? By whom?"

"By the gods."

"Oh, I see." My mouth spreads into a casual smirk. "In order to stop me, right?" But then I wince, wishing I could take the words back, because I know without a doubt what her answer will be:

"Yes."

I sigh. There's no turning back now—we are enemies in this conversation. "It won't happen, sister," I say quietly. "You won't be able to stop me."

She doesn't answer, but her expression grows firm and I know she disagrees.

A deep sorrow fills me. I don't want to be Isis's enemy. She's my sister, my dear sister. "Why won't you join me?" I whisper. "The Pharaoh has hurt you too. Don't you want revenge? Don't you want to help free our family?"

"Malik, whatever your motivations are, what you are doing is wrong."

"Such sharp words," I say. I try to sound just as uncaring as she does and fail; I know she can tell that she's hurt me. "Is it really necessary to be so harsh on your little brother?"

"It is necessary to reprimand those who betray their destiny."

Surprisingly, I feel tears sting at my eyes. I hold them back, confused. Why should Isis's words be so hurtful? I don't regret my actions; I'm proud of them. And it's no shock that she's angry with me for what I've done.

But still…

Then Isis speaks again. "You will not be able to escape," she says with quiet disapproval. "You are bound to your destiny and you cannot change that. No one can run from fate."

"I will not be a pawn!" I exclaim. "I would rather die then let that Pharaoh control me!"

"It is not your choice."

The tears return. Again I force them away as I ask, "When did you become so cold, Isis? Sister?"

She stares forward, her expression not wavering at all.

"When did fate become so important to you? Why do you so willingly become a puppet?" Now I'm angry at her, at the cold confidence with which she speaks to me. I spit my next question at her: "Did the Necklace tell you to do this?"

Almost imperceptibly, she twitches. "So that's it," I say. "You're just a puppet, dancing on the strings of fate—which are obviously more important than your little brother's feelings."

She's trembling now. I give a thin smile, for some reason happy that I'm hurting my sister this way. "Is there anything else that stupid trinket told you to say to me?" I challenge. "Or may I go? I have an important meeting to attend."

It takes Isis only a moment to recover her self-control. Then she replies in her original tone, "I am only here to show you that nothing will hinder me from stopping you. What you are doing is evil and I will not allow you to succeed at any cost."

"Is that all?" I say with a laugh that's almost genuine.

"Isn't it enough?" she asks.

I swallow painfully. It is enough, no matter what I try to say. My sister's cruel, unfeeling loyalty to "fate" is bitter for me—but she doesn't need to know that.

"So the Necklace brought you here to tell lies?" I answer her fiercely. "I will not allow myself to fail. I won't let anyone stop me, and that includes you, big sister."

I turn sharply and start back towards the warehouse. Then I pause for a moment.

"I suppose it was stupid to assume this would be a happy reunion," I say, just loud enough so that Isis can hear me. "But I never imagined my sister would be so bound to destiny that she can inflict pain on her brother with a calm face. Isn't it normally the 'bad guys' who become cold like that?"

I let a few empty moments pass before I continue away from her. Just as I turn a corner, I hear a sob from behind me—but then there is silence again.

A/N: I wrote this a while ago, and the major reason I haven't posted it before is because it doesn't have Isis's thoughts in it at all. I'm trying to work out a companion for it. Trying and failing miserably.

Edit: companion finally up as the second chapter :D. Enjoy.

Also... if you're going to review this (and please please do!)please keep in mind that I wrote about Malik, not Marik, so if you could review accordingly... (i.e. say "Malik" rather than "Marik".) Just a pet peeve of mine. Sorry if it seems nit-picky. I know it is.