About ten minutes later, Malik came out of the bathroom. He made his way to Bakura's game room. They were all in there, sitting around the Monster World board, but they weren't playing. All eyes turned to Malik as he entered.

"You're back," Bakura said with an uncertain smile. "Good. Let's keep playing."

Malik answered with the same angry glare that he had given them earlier. He leaned on the wall, staying far away from the table.

Yuugi bit his lip and said, "Malik, we're… we're really sorry about lying to you. Right, guys?" They all nodded. Yuugi continued, "And your sister is too, you know. Please, won't you forgive her? She's been so worried about you. She brought you here because she wants to help you."

Malik scowled deeply. That feeling was beginning to return…

"Us too, Malik," Yuugi added earnestly. "We're not hanging out with you just because Isis asked. We've been worried about you too. Malik, we just want to help you… really…"

"Shut up."

The voice was so unfamiliar that it took even Malik a few moments to recognize it as his own. Then Yuugi realized. "Malik…!"

"I said 'shut up.'" Malik's voice was low and scratchy, as if rusted from lack of use, and the sudden stimulation made his throat hurt. His heart was racing. "I never asked for your help—I never wanted it! I never wanted anyone's help!" he shouted. "Do you think you're so magical that just by 'hanging out' with me, you can make everything go away? Even your power can't do that, Yuugi—even your infallible 'strength of kindness' isn't enough to change things. So stop trying to fix what you don't understand! You say you wanted to help me? Did you think lying would help! I'll never forgive you! I hate all of you—I always have, and I always will! I hate you all, and I hate the Pharaoh! That isn't going to change. It will never change. So just stop…" Malik broke off, panting. "J-just stop…" he stuttered. "I'm… I'm too…"

Too broken for you to fix.

All Malik's energy drained out of him at once. He began to shake. What… what have I said? He stood there, gasping for breath, as all the words he'd let escape echoed back to him. Oh, no… Oh, no……

They were all staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Hurt eyes. Finally, Yuugi parted his lips to say something.

But Malik didn't stay to listen. He couldn't. He turned and ran, out of the apartment and down the hallway and down the stairs.

He had to get away, now.

Rishid was just closing his suitcase when the hotel phone rang.

"Can you get that, Rishid?" Isis asked tensely. "I… I don't want to…"

Rishid nodded in understanding. After the last phone call, Isis's superstition didn't surprise him. He went to answer it. "Moshi-moshi?"

"Rishid? This is Yuugi. It's about Malik."

"Is something wrong? Is Malik-sama all right?" Rishid asked, and ironically he wondered if Isis had been right to be afraid.

"Um…" Yuugi paused for a long time. "I… I don't really think he is."

Rishid's grip on the phone tightened. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Immediately, Isis was at Rishid's side, her eyes wide.

"Um…" Yuugi muttered. "How can I say this…?"

Rishid wished Yuugi would hurry up and explain. If something had happened to Malik…

Finally Yuugi said, "You see, he… he… he started talking again, but…"

"Malik-sama spoke?"

Isis gasped, and her hand twitched as if she wanted to take the phone. "He spoke…" she breathed in disbelief.

"Y-yeah, but what he said…" Yuugi sighed. "It was almost like… like something inside of him had… exploded. He started shouting about… how he didn't want anyone's help, and how he… hates all of us, and always will… And then he sort of calmed down, but he… he looked scared, and after a few seconds he just ran out of Bakura-kun's apartment. We don't know where he is now."

Rishid took in this information silently, a sadness settling around his heart. Why would Malik-sama say such hate-filled things? he wondered. Especially after not speaking for so long, for those to be the first words he says… And now Malik had run away, and there was no way of knowing where he had gone or what he planned to do.

Malik-sama…

A minute passed. Tentatively, Yuugi asked, "Rishid? Are you still there?"

Rishid shook himself slightly. "Yes. I'm here." He twisted the phone cord. "Should we come over there?"

"Y-yeah, I think that would be best," Yuugi stuttered. "We can decide what to do then."

"In that case, we'll see you in a few minutes."

"Yeah. 'Bye."

Rishid hung up the phone and sighed.

"Rishid, what happened!" Isis asked quickly.

"I'll explain on the way there, Isis-sama," Rishid answered. "Let's go."

Isis and Rishid arrived at Bakura's apartment about thirty minutes later. Neither of them appeared to be very upset, Jonouchi noticed, but as Isis began asking tense, rapid questions, he figured their calm faces were probably an act.

"What exactly did Malik say? How did he look when he was speaking? What about after?" Isis questioned. "Do you know any places he could have gone? Is it safe for him to be out on his own?"

"Isis-sama." Rishid touched the woman's shoulder. "Give them time to answer your questions."

Jonouchi only half-listened as Yuugi replied to Isis's worried questions; he was thinking about what Malik had said.

"I hate all of you… and I always will!"

Malik hadn't been acting in hatred before today, though. He had been acting as though he wanted to be accepted by everyone. What had suddenly changed?

Maybe he decided he didn't want to be friends with liars, Jonouchi guessed ruefully. Malik's discovery of the fact that there had never been an exhibit had obviously struck him hard. It was then that the masked, guarded expression had begun to slip, letting some of his true anger show through.

Because the anger and hatred that had twisted the Egyptian's face had been his real emotions, Jonouchi realized. All the harsh words he had shouted—those had been true.

But it was when Malik's face fell into that ashamed expression that Jonouchi had been sure the mask was gone—although he couldn't say why. Maybe it was because he had never seen such an expression on Malik before.

Whatever the reason, Jonouchi found that, strangely enough, he was able to trust Malik more now. Now he knew what Malik felt, understood what Malik felt. Jonouchi could see that Malik was still filled with hatred—but also that the Egyptian was ashamed of that.

"Jonouchi-kun," Yuugi's voice said, pulling Jonouchi out of his thoughts. "Jonouchi-kun, do you have any ideas where Malik might be?"

Jonouchi considered the question, and suddenly he remembered the time that Malik's mask had slipped before, revealing…

That's it.

He stood suddenly. "I think I do have an idea," he said. "I'll go look."

"Where?" Isis and Rishid asked in perfect unison.

"I'm gonna go alone," Jonouchi said firmly.

"But we want to see him!" Isis protested.

"So I'll bring him back. But for now I'm going by myself. Besides," he added, "Malik's probably angry at all of us right now—including you two. I don't think he's ever liked me, so I'm used to it. And I don't know what it's like for you, Rishid, but Isis… I can tell it hurts you so much to have Malik angry at you. So stay here for a while. I'll bring him back, definitely."

Without waiting for an answer, he strode out the door.

It happened! It happened! He started talking again! But the story's not over yet… What could come next? Where could Malik be? Any guesses? I'm hyper! (…)

I'm probably the only one who knows what I'm talking about when I say "strength of kindness" but let me assure you it is more than just a corny line. Well, I guess it is corny, but it's a corny line based on another, very fitting, corny line.

Reviewtalk! Yayayay!

spork111: I wonder, can you tell now what Malik is hiding…? And yes, Bakura and the Pharaoh and Malik's other personality are all gone, but they all disappeared at different times, under different circumstances.

emma: You don't like cliffies? But they keep you interested, don't they :)? (evil laugh) Sorry about that. Oh dear, this one is rather cliffie too, ne…

Redemmo: Yup, Malik is so not having a good day.