Malik-sama

Author: Wildwolf

Genre: Angst/General

Rating: PG

Plot: Rishid angst. Ya know, I never thought I'd write the guy, but look! He's just... angsty and loveable in that way! Ya have to see him to know, but I fear what they'll do to him in the dub... **shudder**

Warnings: Maybe slight OOC... I haven't delved into his character. Set in Rishid's memories of Egypt with chibi Malik. Ano... there are spoilers for those who haven't seen Box Set 3...

I just watched this ep, but I can't remember the dialogue. It's a basic summarized thing, ok?

My fault? How is it my fault he as bitten by the snake? He's the one who nearly stepped on it! And what was a cobra doing to far underground anyway?

My grip on the hilt tightened. The boy lay in bed, sweating profusely and gasping weakly from the poison running through his system. I had been punished? Malik and I had been playing ball. He chased after it and got bit. How am I to blame? Why was I the one to get yelled at by fa- no, Malik's father?

I was to blame? How does he stepping on the damn snake justify his threats and violent action?

If only mother was still alive. She saw me as her son, her first child. She gave me the light of life when I had been abandoned at the entrance of the well. She saw me as a gift from the gods and loved me as a childless parent would. That-that man never loved me or saw me as a child of his.

I still remember when she suggested that I become his heir. I was so happy, but he... he of course didn't like the idea.

When Isis was born, he wasn't very happy either, and it seemed resolved that I would become the heir to the clan, and a full clan member, all by mother's wish.

But then... Malik was born. That man whom mother told me to call my father raised him above his head and cheered. He didn't care that his wife was dying. I held little Isis by the hand as she wept for mother. Mother spoke to me, holding her hand out and telling me to take care of her new child, her biological son. I never got to touch her hand that last time.

And still that man rejoiced.

If mother was still alive, I wouldn't have been threatened.

But she told me to take care of him...

But Malik is the one who caused all of this.

"Gomen nasai, nii-san." His soft voice asked as his eyes fluttered open slowly. Tears were forming at the corners.

I hid the knife behind my back. "You-you called me brother?"

He smiled slightly. "I've always seen you as my brother." He held his hand out slightly, wanting me to take it.

I dropped the knife with a clatter, no longer intent upon using it. I took his hand and held it in my own two. He saw me as his brother, as a member of his clan. I guess that's all that should matter.

His screams of pain echoed all the way to me. I was still upset about the candle 'father' had thrown at me for suggesting that I take the ritual instead.

Malik was only ten and scared of the pain he would have to endure. He asked me to take his place. I relayed this to 'father' and he threw a candle at me! He also threatened to cut my tongue out!

But Malik's screams... The carvings of the locations of the Pharaoh's memories were being cut into his back with a heated knife. His mouth was gagged, as I can tell. Isis had stayed in her room and I could tell that she too heard and felt the pain in Malik's voice.

I took out my own knife, the one I was about to slay Malik with, and heated it above a candle. I touched it onto my cheek before carving it in to design hieroglyphs across my left side. It hurt, so badly. But was it anything compared to what Malik had to endure?

I went to him later, my own face bandaged with my hood over my head.

"Hurts... it hurts..." He cried. His face was to his pillow and his back was wrapped in bandages.

"Rishid... tell me who I must hate!" His voice was vicious, as if he wasn't Malik at all.

He turned to me and his expression softened. "Rishid, what happened to your face?"

I took off the hood and showed him the vow I gave myself.

Six years later, on the Battle Ship, facing Jounouchi in battle.

I was struck by lightning, I remember. I can feel my mind fading. Is this what dying was like?

Malik-sama is standing there, clutching his head. I can feel his pain through our mental link. It wasn't a psychic link, but a link only brothers could have. The other him is arising.

"M-Malik-sama!" I yelled within strings of other words that faded out before reaching my own ears, reaching out before fading again.

I wake up again later, still fuzzy. I know I'm going to pass out again before this is over.

Jounouchi is holding me up. He won.

"It was an honor dueling you. You are a real duelist." I heard my own voice say weakly.

"No, it was an honor for me." He shook his head. The bond between he and his sister, like what I used to have with Malik-sama before he took the ritual.

"The other half of Malik-sama... if I die, he will arise."

And once again I fade.

Malik-sama is now at the mercy of the other half of him that was created six years ago. His hatred for his father created another being within himself. It was he who killed his own father.

Mother, I suppose I failed you. Your son is not safe.

Ra, the god I have insulted by using a fake card of, please forgive Malik-sama. It's not he's fault. We're both alone. Save him from his dark half.

Malik-sama...

Wildwolf: Oi! Too much OOC for my liking... **sigh and yawns** Too tired... late at night... want to go huggle Shadii jaguar...

Shadii jaguar: ...

Shadii: ...

Wildwolf: Huh? Shadii-sama, you have a thing about popping up everywhere, don't you?

Shadii: **nod and disappears**

Shadii jaguar: **wave-wave**

Chibi: **comes in holding Rishid the white puppy plushie** But Rishid's so angsty! I love looking back into his memories! Even if Wildwolf-chan is the angsty one of us...

Wildwolf: So?

Chibi: Neh, bye-bye minna! **holds Shadii jaguar and Rishid puppy**

Shadii jaguar: **wave-wave**

Rishid puppy: **wave-wave**