Chapter the third. It gets weird.
"Yuugi!" Yuugi's grandpa called from downstairs. "Telephone!"
Nodding apologetically to Jonouchi, Honda, Bakura, and Anzu, Yuugi dashed down the stairs to get the phone. "Moshi-moshi?"
"Yuugi? This is Isis."
Yuugi blinked in surprise. "Isis-san? W… what's up? How is everyone?"
"Well…" Isis hesitated. "Rishid and I are fine, but…" She gave a deep sigh.
"Is something wrong with Malik?" Yuugi pressed in worry.
Slowly, Isis said, "…He hasn't spoken… for over two weeks…"
"What! He hasn't spoken? At all?"
"Exactly," Isis agreed quietly. "It was two weeks yesterday."
"That's terrible!" Yuugi said. "Why not? I mean, why isn't he…"
"I have no idea," Isis answered, sounding a little weary. "Neither does Rishid. Malik won't even write it down for us." Isis was silent for a minute. "I was hoping, if it's not too much to ask, that we could come to Domino for a visit, and you and all your friends could just…… 'h-hang out' with him… and maybe…"
"S-sure!" exclaimed Yuugi. "Would that help?"
"I don't know," Isis confessed. "I think it might be good for Malik to see that everyone's forgiven him…"
"Yeah, I see what you mean," Yuugi said eagerly. "Let's see… We've got a vacation from school next week, if you wanted to come then."
"Then it's all right?"
"Yeah, it's fine. We'll see you then." Despite the gravity of the situation, he couldn't stop a smile. "Everyone will be so happy."
"I'm glad," Isis said. "Thank you, Yuugi. Good-bye."
"Good-bye." Yuugi hung up the phone and dashed back upstairs.
"Well, what's up?" asked Jonouchi.
Yuugi looked around. "I have some good news and some bad news…"
Later that day, Malik appeared in the doorway of Rishid's room. His face was uncertain and troubled.
Rishid saw him and invited, "Come in, Malik-sama."
The boy sat down next to him and hunched over. He fidgeted with his hands and looked at Rishid. There was obviously something bothering him.
Taking his best guess at what it was, Rishid asked, "Did Isis-sama tell you about going to Japan?"
Now Malik looked down, hunching over even further. His expression changed to one of despair.
"You do not wish to go?"
Malik shook his head vehemently. He met Rishid's eyes, desperately begging for his brother to give him a way out.
"You must go, Malik-sama," Rishid answered gently.
"Why?" the boy's eyes seemed to demand. Clearly, the "conversation" was not going how he had thought it would. Doubtlessly, Malik had been hoping for salvation from the trip through Rishid.
But Rishid agreed with Isis; he thought visiting Domino and seeing that those Malik had hurt had forgiven him would help him greatly. This, however, was not the reason Rishid was supposed to give.
Isis, doubting that Malik would go along with the trip, had decided to pretend that they were going because of another Egyptian exhibit at Domino Museum. She had already told Malik this lie; it was up to Rishid to enforce it.
"Isis-sama is already going no matter what, for the exhibit. Would you rather her be there alone?"
Malik sighed heavily. He bent over again and ran his hands through his hair nervously. Rishid noticed that Malik was shaking.
Touching the boy's shoulder, he asked softly, "Are you afraid of seeing them again, Malik-sama?"
Malik nodded slightly.
"You don't need to be. They will not treat you harshly; they were kind when they came before, remember?"
Malik gave a little shrug and pulled his knees up to his chest, forming an extra barrier between himself and the world. He was still shaking; despair had returned to his face. Rishid observed the boy with pity, and finally said, "Malik-sama, if you do not think you will be able to bear everything in Domino, I will gladly help you again."
Malik looked at Rishid through his blonde hair, considering. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he shook his head wildly.
He would not stop shaking his head until Rishid said, "I am sorry—I did not mean to intrude." Malik calmed down and waved Rishid's apology away as unnecessary. Rishid added quietly, "You are brave to bear those emotions on your own, Malik-sama."
For some reason, Malik's face spread into a dry, slightly bitter smirk at those words. He looked away for a moment. Then he touched Rishid's hand lightly in affection, stood, and left the room.
A week later, the three Ishtars were sitting in an airplane, bound for Domino City. Malik was staring out the window, which served two purposes. It allowed him to look at the scenery (which, consisting mostly of clouds, was rather repetitive) and to avoid his siblings' gazes.
About halfway through the ride, Isis was unable to bear it any longer and asked, "Malik, are you mad at me?"
Malik, his body still angled towards the window, raised his shoulders and dropped them again in a cold shrug. His answer was clear.
Ignoring Malik's frostiness, Isis persisted. "You know, everyone is really excited that you're coming."
Malik turned towards her slightly and raised his eyebrows.
"Really. Yuugi said so," Isis assured him.
Malik's mind formed a snappish reply. "Then either Yuugi lied or he had no idea what he was talking about." There was no way "everyone" would be happy to see Malik. Yuugi might, but Malik couldn't imagine anyone else being particularly thrilled. The Egyptian felt certain that they only feigned trust. Either that, Malik thought, or their trust was conditional; if Malik showed anything other than perfect repentance, they would probably discard him from their group of friends.
It seemed plausible after what had happened with Jonouchi when the teens had visited Egypt before.
"So what do you think?" Jonouchi had asked Malik when the two were alone, the night after the Ceremonial Battle.
"About what?" Malik replied cautiously.
"The other Yuugi is gone now," he said as if it should have been obvious. "What does that mean to you?"
Hesitant, Malik asked, "Why… do you want to know?"
"I'm just curious as to what the former murderous psycho has to say about things," Jonouchi said, almost joking. "Why so defensive? It's not like you have anything to hide, right?"
"I…" Malik sighed and looked away. It was so hard to explain…
At Malik's hesitation, Jonouchi cocked his head suspiciously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Malik shook his head. "N-not like that…" he said. "It's not that I…" There was a pause. "I don't really… feel anything about it."
"Nothing?" Jonouchi questioned incredulously.
"Well… I suppose that isn't quite true," Malik answered thoughtfully. "Because I'm very sorry… for your loss. I know he… th-the Pharaoh… was a very good friend to all of you. I know you guys are sad…"
Jonouchi stared for a moment, then said with a hint of anger, "Stop sounding like you have to convince yourself."
"I kind of do have to convince myself," Malik answered quietly.
"What do you mean you have to convince yourself?" Jonouchi demanded, his demeanor now slightly threatening. He stood tense, almost in a fighting pose.
Malik sighed and closed his eyes. "I have to work at it, because otherwise… I would feel how I felt… before. Part of me wants to feel that way. But that's wrong. I know it is. So… I can't let myself feel that. I have to make myself… throw those feelings away. I have to… be emotionless. Or I'll feel…" He trailed off. The feelings, his natural emotions, were so clear. Triumph, fierce joy, and still his old hatred… "I have to be this way. For now, nothing is the best I can do."
They stared at each other for a moment. Then Jonouchi turned sharply and walked away.
As the seatbelt icon blinked back on, Malik flinched and the dull ache of dread settled into his stomach. He noticed that he was shaking slightly. They were almost at the airport, where Yuugi and his friends were probably waiting. Just the thought of encountering them again made Malik feel threatened. How would he be able to survive spending entire days with them?
A short half-hour later, the plane touched down at the Domino Airport. "Are you excited, Malik?" Isis asked hopefully.
Malik answered with a glare.
A/N: I warned you. Anyway... review-answering time! (Is too hooked on deviantart to go without answering reviewers)
Slifer02: Thank you I'm glad you like it!
ketaglass: Don't worry, I wouldn't have told you the ending .. Sorry for the delayed update. The next one should be up within a week, but after that... sweatdrop I'm not so sure.
The Fifth Champion: Don't apologize for slowness! I'm the one being slow. Anyway, I'm so glad you like it
Yes, like I said, the next one will be up within a week. And then... the one after that... will be up sometime. I won't give up! Not like... the last one... But this one I have plotted better. I just need to figure out what happens between now and the climax. .;;