They left the arcade and headed for Yuugi's house around four o' clock. This time it was only Yuugi, Malik, and Jonouchi who ride with Yuugi's grandfather. There was no doubt that Yuugi was trying to arrange some sort of friendship between Malik and Jonouchi. However, neither of the two seemed particularly interested in such an arrangement, so, despite Yuugi's attempts at conversation, the car was silent.

Malik stared out the car window at the ocean, watching the docks as they went by. He recognized the style they were built in, and that made him nervous. They were similar to… that one. He found his eyes focusing on the iron framework above the docks. After all, that was the part he was best acquainted with; that was the part he had studied in order to set up the—

Malik's hand twitched and he pursed his lips. It was really best not to think about that duel. The simple memory of it made him tense.

I should stop looking at the docks too, he thought wryly. So he turned his gaze forward and looked at the seat in front of him, Yuugi's seat. Yuugi's hair stuck out around it quite a bit.

Malik could feel eyes upon him. With a quick glance out of the corner of his eye, he confirmed that Jonouchi was staring at him.

Noticing the glance, Jonouchi was quick to ask, "D-did you want to say something?" Then he blinked and corrected himself, "N-no, I mean, did you… um…"

Yuugi had turned back to look too. Malik's eyes darted from Jonouchi to Yuugi and, awkwardly, he gave his normal response: a shrug. Then he turned back to the window. Maybe counting docks was safer after all.

One unfamiliar… two unfamiliar… Malik knew he should look away, before he chanced to glimpse a "one familiar." But the only other option was to look forward and endure the curious stares of Yuugi and Jonouchi.

Maybe they weren't near that area, anyway.

Three unfamiliar… four unfamiliar…

The docks were unfamiliar, but Malik recognized his surroundings. He bit his lip. They were in the area.

Five unfamiliar… He should really look away. Six unfamiliar… Suddenly Malik became aware of his heartbeat. He had passed that dock before, hadn't he? He'd passed it on that day…

Then they passed the next dock, and Malik's stomach lurched painfully. He began to shake.

There was a hole in the framework of this dock, and the metal beams were all twisted away around the hole. This was evidence of the force of the explosion—the explosion that had caused the anchor to drop…

Malik's face felt hot, and his heart was pounding at an unnatural rate. He bent over double in his seat as a burning sensation filled his abdomen.

"Malik!" he heard Yuugi's and Jonouchi's voices cry. Malik squeezed his eyes shut and leaned against the window. He knew that Yuugi and Jonouchi were probably both staring at him in worry.

"Hey, are you sick or something?" Jonouchi's voice asked. "Malik?"

Malik barely heard. We're probably past it now, he tried to tell himself. I could look again and it wouldn't be there. I wouldn't have to think about it anymore.

The car stopped, meaning that Yuugi's grandfather was probably looking back at Malik as well. "What's wrong, Malik?" the old man's voice asked.

Then Yuugi gasped. "Malik, is it because of… because you saw that dock…?"

Malik shuddered and opened his eyes slightly to look at Yuugi's face. After holding Yuugi's innocent gaze for a few seconds, Malik shut his eyes again and hunched over, turning towards the window. He was still shaking badly.

"Malik…?" Yuugi asked. "Malik, is that why?"

Malik gave no response. As soon as the car started moving again, he decided, he would open his eyes. He would watch the ocean and ignore the rest of those in the car, and he wouldn't think. Thinking meant he had to feel, and it was safer not to do that.

Rishid and Isis were on their way to pick Malik up. Isis was driving, gripping the steering wheel very tightly. She was anxious to find out how Malik's day had gone and whether or not she had made the right choice by bringing him to Japan.

Finally, the questions circling in her mind became too much to bear, and she blurted out, "Rishid, what do you think?"

Rishid looked at her curiously. "About what, Isis-sama?"

"Was this a good idea? Bringing Malik here?"

"Isis-sama, you already know what I think," Rishid reminded her. "I believe that Malik-sama's interaction with Yuugi and his friends will prove beneficial." He paused for a moment, and then added softly, "But lying is rarely beneficial to anyone."

Isis gave a deep sigh. "I know… I know," she muttered. "I shouldn't have made up the story about the exhibit. But… would he have come if he thought he had a choice?"

"Malik-sama will be upset with us when he finds out the truth."

Regretfully, Isis admitted, "You're right. He's probably going to be furious. But that's why it's too late to tell him now, when we're already here."

"Then when shall we tell him?" Rishid questioned.

"After he starts talking again, when he sees that coming here has helped him," Isis said. "He can't be angry at us then, right?"

Rishid didn't answer.

It was only a few more minutes before they arrived at the Kame game shop. Isis and Rishid entered the store, and Isis smiled at Yuugi's grandfather and said, "We're here to pick up Malik."

"Certainly." Yuugi's grandfather turned and called up the stairs, "Malik! Your siblings are here."

"He'll be right down!" Yuugi's voice answered.

Yuugi's grandfather shot a sideways glance at Isis. "So, how's the Egyptian exhibit going?" he asked with just a trace of sarcasm; he, too, knew there was no exhibit.

Isis smiled wanly. "Quite well, thank you," she said, trying to mimic his ironic tone.

Yuugi came down the stairs, followed by Malik. Isis's eyes went straight to her younger brother's face, searching eagerly for a sign of his mood. What she saw made her heart sink. Malik's expression was still guarded and withdrawn. His posture, too, suggested that he would like nothing better than to hide from those around him.

"Malik-sama…" Rishid said, his voice slightly concerned.

Malik gave Rishid a weak but sincere smile and walked past Yuugi to stand near his siblings. Softly, hesitantly, Isis inquired, "Did you have fun at the arcade?"

After a thoughtful pause, Malik nodded.

Isis smiled. "Good," she said, "I'm glad." She put her hand on Malik's shoulder, but then gasped slightly and pulled it back. "Malik, you're shaking…!" Malik jerked and looked away.

Confused and slightly suspicious, Isis looked at Yuugi for an explanation. The Japanese boy hesitated for a second. "On the way back from the arcade," he said slowly, "Malik… Something happened to Malik… He…" Yuugi trailed off uncertainly.

His grandfather picked up the explanation. "He bent over and started shaking really bad. I almost thought he was having a seizure."

Isis's eyes widened in disbelief. "A seizure…?" she breathed.

But, almost imperceptibly, Malik shook his head.

"It wasn't a seizure, Malik-sama?" Rishid was quick to ask.

Yuugi spoke up. "I… was wondering about that too," he said. "'Cause, right before it happened, we passed…" He bit his lip. "We passed the dock where, um… wh-where I dueled Jonouchi, except it wasn't really…"

As Yuugi stumbled through his description, Malik had slowly hunched further and further over. Now Rishid put a hand on Malik's shoulder and said to Yuugi, "I understand. You don't have to say any more."

Isis looked at Rishid in confusion. "I don't understand," she protested. "What duel was that?"

But Rishid shook his head. "I'll explain later, Isis-sama," he promised.

"Yeah…" Yuugi said. "S-so that's why I was wondering if Malik might've… been responding to that… somehow. Like…"

Malik didn't stay around to find out what his response was "like", though. He suddenly pushed past his two siblings and hurried towards the waiting rental car.

Aw, how sad. I didn't get any reviews on the last chapter yet XD. Anyway the next chapter is coming soon. (For real this time.) It's written and ready to be edited by SnufflesMitchan.

I have the outline for the rest of the story done. Chapter-by-chapter. Should be (relatively) smooth sailing from now on.