Despite what you may think at first sight, this is a fic about Malik, so just give it a chance. Warning: slight yaoi in one paragraph, but nothing else.
Multiplicity
Jason once again found himself in the middle of the street. He looked around, wondering where he was now. It wasn't like the situation was unfamiliar to him, this kind of thing seemed to happen far too often to be normal, but it was quite uncomfortable. Jason sighed, and started walking purposefully in the direction he had been walking in before, not wanting to attract undue attention. He continued on, looking for an appropriate place in this unfamiliar neighborhood. Ah, a park. He made a beeline for it, and sat down under one of the trees, taking off his backpack. He pulled it open, and started digging through it. Books, books, notebooks, what a fucking waste of space. And they were all in Japanese, which he could hardly speak a damn word of, despite the fact that he had been here in Japan for some time now. Finally he found his organizer, which had his address written inside the front cover. Okay, now he knew where he was going. He snapped it shut, and shoved all the other stuff back into the backpack.
- - -
Yuko whimpered as the thugs shoved her against the wall. She never understood why these things happened to her, but she had already learned her lesson; crying or begging didn't help, it only encouraged them. It was better to just stay silent.
"Not so tough now, are you," one of them laughed at her, kneeing her hard in the stomach. Yuko doubled over in pain, or would have, if there weren't two others holding her upright. Her pale blonde hair hung into her eyes, as she fought not to cry. The gang members, frustrated at not getting a response from their victim, only beat harder, using their fists, boots, and metal bars lying in the area on the seemingly indifferent body. Taking these beatings silently had been a hard lesson for Yuko to learn; after all, she wasn't even eight years old.
- - -
Zaki knew he had to work quickly if he wanted to finish his homework. Unlike many others, the Egyptian actually enjoyed studying, and wanted to get his homework done. He knew that if he waited too long, he would be interrupted, and then there would be no one to do the homework. But it was for the good of everybody to keep up grades in school, and he usually managed to be there for the tests and enough of the classes to be known as a strange, if very intelligent student. Unlike the others, he actually had an inkling of what was going on, but there wasn't anyone he could tell. All he could do was do his best to ensure the advancement of the group, and hope to be able to contact them someday.
- - -
The sun rose, caressing the two figures lying in bed. Abruptly one of them jolted awake, his pale blonde hair mussed, as he stared around him with an expression akin to horror. Malik stared at the white haired yami lying next to him. It was obvious what the two had spent the night doing, if you saw they were both naked, and covered with many interesting cuts, scratches, and bite marks. He shuddered in disgust, but then shook his head, smiling, as if shaking a few cobwebs out of his head. A slightly feral smile made its way onto his face, as he leaned over Bakura and began kissing him, until the other woke up. "What's the matter, Bakura, you tired?" Malik asked challengingly.
"You wish!" Bakura growled, pouncing on the Egyptian once again.
- - -
Sadako returned to her apartment, pleased with her night's work. The kleptomaniac had made a nice haul at a jewelry store across town, and now she needed somewhere to hide the booty. She knew that if she didn't do a good job, it would mysteriously 'vanish' somewhere, forcing her to go steal more. Not that Sadako would stop stealing if her haul didn't vanish, of course. It was too much fun to give up; in addition to the fact that she felt she would go crazy if she didn't steal something. She wasn't lacking money or anything, but that was irrelevant, really. As long as she had the thrill of outwitting the dumb police, and engaging in her 'other' activities, she would be fairly content.
- - -
Zaki was worried. He was currently sitting in the police headquarters, accused of a theft, which he was trying to explain he hadn't done. The cops were skeptical, but Zaki was fairly optimistic. Despite his being a foreigner, he had an excellent school record, and that was supposed to be fairly important to the Japanese. Of course, he hadn't committed the crime, either. Why should he? He didn't believe in theft, only in hard work and perseverance. Finally, after a worrisome half hour, he was released for lack of evidence.
- - -
Malik stared down at the trigonometric function he was trying to graph. He must have drifted off, he didn't remember doing this problem. He finished it easily, and snapped his books shut. Why the heck was he doing homework on Saturday, he wondered. With all the work he put in during the week, it was dumb to keep working on the day he finally had off from school. He went to look at the calendar, wondering if there was anything happening today, then frowned in puzzlement. It wasn't Saturday, it was Sunday. Weird. Maybe he didn't sleep well or something.
- - -
Jason was sick and tired of Japan. He didn't particularly like the culture; it was a complete opposite from the America he remembered so fondly. He packed a bag, and ordered his tickets, almost overnight. There was nothing to really keep him in Japan, and it was high time he made for civilized waters.
- - -
Zaki considered his options. Maybe heading out of Japan was a good idea. He missed Egypt, his homeland. He missed the green Nile, the tall palm trees, and the warm wind during the day, which turned chilly in the desert nights. Besides, he had family in Egypt, which he hadn't seen for ages. Right now he was having all sorts of difficulties. Maybe they could help him.
- - -
Hello, this is the office of Isis Ishtar. I am not available now; please leave a message after the tone. BEEEEEEP.
Isis? Hi, it's Malik. I really, really need to talk to you. I think there's something wrong with me, I don't know what to do! It's like…nevermind. Just, please call me? I've been trying to catch you for ages. You probably don't have my number, 'cause I moved, but I can't give it to you because I don't um, remember it yet. Call me on my cell, okay? Bye.
- - -
Sadako flopped down on the sofa, happily. Japan rocked! This was where she was born, this was where she grew up. She would never leave, if it was up to her. And she would make sure that it was up to her.
- - -
Yuko sighed. She really would have liked to have more toys, but there was no one to buy them for her. It was sad, to be all alone all the time, but she knew that she would never find any friends. Every time she tried to be friendly, all she got was weird looks. She sighed again. Yuko went to the refrigerator, to see if there was anything to eat. There was always food, but usually not stuff she liked. There was also some beer, full cans, not like the empty ones that lay here and there in the living room. She wondered, sometimes, who brought the food for her. She had never seen anyone else come to her house. Yuko sat down, hugging her old, battered teddy bear tightly, hoping to get some comfort. It was sad to be alone all the time. Did Teddy feel alone too, she wondered.
- - -
"Malik? It's Isis."
"Oh, Isis. Hi."
"Are you okay?"
"Sure, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You sounded awfully agitated in that message, I was worried-"
"Right, the message…that was nothing, I was just going through some difficulties, that's all. But everything's fine now."
"Are you sure? I got the impression that there was really something wrong!"
"I'm positive. Just peachy."
"I don't like it that you're all alone out there, I worry about you, you know! If you won't come back, maybe Rishid or I could-"
"No, don't come. I'm fine on my own. Really. I appreciate it, but no."
"Malik-"
"I really got to go now, okay? Bye."
- - -
Zaki was mostly silent as the brunette, Anzu, chattered at him. She was nice enough, he guessed, but she was a few years older than him, and he wasn't quite sure how to behave around girls yet. He was only fourteen, and he had always been too busy with his schoolwork to take any serious interest in them. She kept on getting his name wrong, too, but he was used to that already.
- - -
Damn that bitch, Sadako, Jason thought as her nursed the bite marks on his body. Damn her and her perversions. Damn her and her kleptomania. One day, she would get them all into deep shit with her idiocies.
- - -
Zaki burned out another of Jason's marijuana stashes. The American hadn't managed to get addicted yet, and Zaki was planning on making sure that he didn't. Sheesh, didn't he know it was dangerous? Where did he get the stuff, anyway?
Zaki continued cleaning up, also getting rid of some of the stolen items. He noticed a beat-up teddy bear on the floor, and wondered who it belonged to. It obviously wasn't Jason's or Sadako's. Maybe there was someone else here? After a moment's consideration, he decided to leave it where it was. It wasn't bothering anybody.
- - -
Malik stared hollowly at his reflection in the mirror. On his cheek was a purply bruise he didn't remember getting. He was wearing clothes he didn't remember buying. The apartment was vaguely familiar, and some of his stuff was strewn around, but many things were obviously not his, such as the teddy bear lying on the floor, the small bags of jewelry secreted about the house, the beer, the marijuana, and the Mechanics books. He didn't even know what day it was. The last thing he remembered…was different, in a different place, at a different time. Weeks, months ago, he couldn't tell anymore. What had happened to his life? He ran into the kitchen, a choked sob escaping his throat. His eyes fell on the knives, and he grabbed one, slashing downwards towards his wrist.
Jason put the knife back, feeling rather sad. This was the third time Malik had tried to commit suicide.
"We can't let him out anymore," he told the others. "He might succeed sometime, and then where would we be?"
"Shouldn't we get him help?" Zaki said. "It's not right that we keep him cooped up like that."
"You wanna be arrested or something?" Sadako snapped. "Don't worry, we'll let him out sometimes, we just gotta keep him supervised."
Yuko was silent. She would let the others decide.
Jason was a sixteen year old American. He had messy, sandy, hair, which framed an open face with blue eyes. He was of tough build, and loved to get into fights, though he was actually quite a decent person at heart.
Sadako was the eldest, a kleptomaniac Japanese, of medium height, with long dark hair that partially obscured her face and fell in small waves past her shoulders. She didn't particularly care about other people, and had quite a mean streak.
Zaki was of slight build, with delicate features. Short, dark hair that was slightly spiky covered his head, that was quite in line with the prodigy's dark skin and black eyes.
Yuko was a quiet, wistful eight year old. She had been like that for quite a while.
All of them were a tall, thin teenager with platinum blonde hair and lavender eyes.
All of them were called Malik Ishtar.
.