As I announced on deviantart, the alternate title to this fanfiction is "worry and you die". No part of this has to do with my own emotions, except that the only reason I wrote it is I'm extremely morbid.

FINE I'll use the header for scene changes. Why can't they just use a normal double enter! Hmph. That means the scene changes I've been inserting in Choking haven't been working either, huh? Stupid things...


It's almost over.

Isis noticed that her heart was beating unnaturally hard. How odd, she thought. I don't feel frightened at all.

She had known about this for a long time, after all.

She laid a card onto her Duel Disk. "Zolga in defense mode," she announced softly. "I end my turn."

Her opponent, the demon-like personality that controlled her brother, threw back his head and laughed. "Is that the best you can do, dear sister?"

Isis stared calmly into the eyes of her enemy. "I'm not your sister," she told him.

"I see resignation in your eyes, sister!" he taunted, ignoring her statement. "Good! Accept your fate of death!" He drew a card and a Slime Token appeared on the field, joining the two that were already there. "You know what comes next, don't you? I summon the Winged Divine Dragon of Ra!"

I know what's coming better than you think. Isis could feel the heavy weight of the Millennium Necklace around her neck. I know exactly how this will end…

He was chanting, awakening Ra from its golden sphere.

It's over, isn't it? Isis thought. There's no hope left now. Her heart was pounding, but she felt strangely calm. Everything was happening just as she had seen it.

Her opponent met her eyes and his lips curled into a sneer. "You're going to die," he said, sounding very pleased.

For a brief moment, his face warped into an expression of panic and concern, but then the sneer was back. He began to chant again.

Isis closed her eyes. Her entire body was shaking, and she began to feel fear. She almost wished she had never followed the deadly vision that she was obeying right now. But she thought of the flash of panic that had appeared on her opponent's face. Malik had tried to break free and protect Isis—but he had been too weak.

You will have enough strength soon, my brother, Isis promised.

The chanting stopped. Ra's transformation into its Phoenix form was complete. Isis could feel the white-hot power radiating from the beast, could hear the monster's breath as it prepared to attack. She clenched her fists.

Then the attack hit her.

She screamed, her voice barely audible over the rush of unnatural flames. The fire danced around her, leaving burns on her skin and her soul. She fell to her hands and knees.

Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop…!

After an impossibly long time, the attack ended. There was stillness for a few moments as Isis, breathing shallowly, tried to recover. Her arms gave out and she collapsed.

"ISIS!" screamed a voice.

Though she was barely conscious, Isis recognized the voice as her brother's. It worked, she thought in relief.

Suddenly, Malik was kneeling next to her, despite shouts of protest from the duel's referee.

"Isis! Get up!" Malik cried, speaking in the Egyptian that they had learned as children. He shook her. "Get up, please!"

With great effort, Isis opened her eyes and gave her brother a smile. "You're free…" she said in the same language as he, her voice hoarse. "I'm so glad…"

She looked into Malik's eyes. They were wide with the same panic and concern as she had seen before. "Isis, are you okay?" he asked.

"Nn-nn," Isis mumbled in reply, shaking her head slightly.

Malik's eyes grew even wider. He looked around desperately. "A doctor!" he shouted in Japanese. "Someone get a doctor for my sister! Hurry!"

"It's already too late," Isis told him quietly. "They can't help me."

"You're wrong!" Malik insisted. "You'll be fine! You're going to be fine!"

"No. This is how… I saw it."

"Wh-what?" Malik asked weakly. He stared at Isis in numb disbelief. "You… you saw that you would… that you would—" He shook his head, unable to say the word. "And you came anyway? You still followed fate!"

Isis lifted her hand and placed it on Malik's lips to quiet him. "It wasn't for fate's sake… that I came this time, little brother." She watched as realization dawned in Malik's eyes.

"No," he whispered. "No! Isis, why… h-how could you… Hey!"

Almost out of strength, Isis had closed her eyes. She felt very tired. Perhaps she would go to sleep…

"Isis, no!" Malik shook her again. "You can't—!"

Slightly reluctant, Isis opened her eyes and looked at her brother. "Malik… there's something… before I…"

"Stop!" Malik interrupted her. "Don't say it. D-don't…"

Isis gave him a weak smile of pity. "I have to tell you something, Malik."

"What?"

Isis took a deep breath. It made her chest hurt. "It wasn't the Pharaoh… who killed our father."

"What?" Malik whispered in disbelief. "Then who?"

"It was your… dark personality," Isis explained softly. "Can you… remember…?"

There was silence for almost a minute. Isis tried not to look at her brother's shocked face. Finally, Malik asked in a choked voice, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"We wanted to… protect you…" Isis replied, regret evident in her voice. "Please… believe me. We wanted you to… be happy. Please forgive us… for lying…" A single tear fell from her eye. "I'm so sorry… for everything."

Malik hastily wiped her tear away. "I forgive you!" he exclaimed. "Of course I forgive you, sister!"

Isis tried to smile one last time, but she didn't have the strength for it. So she simply whispered, "Good. I'm… glad…" Then she let her heavy, heavy eyelids fall shut.

"No…" she heard Malik say. "No, Isis, please… please don't…"

His voice sounded so far away. Isis thought she felt him take her hand, but she wasn't sure. "I love you, Malik," she whispered with the last of her strength. Then she slipped away on the blackness.


"Isis…" Malik breathed, struggling not to believe what he knew was true. "Isis… open your eyes…" He rubbed her hand, trying to bring his sister to her senses. "Please, Isis…!"

He was aware of other people for the first time since he had awoken—Yuugi, Jonouchi, Anzu, Otogi, Honda, and Shizuka were all watching him silently. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was Isis.

The doctors came to bring her to the medical room. Malik followed them like a lost dog, shaking, still trying to deny the truth. She'll be fine. The doctors will make her fine.

It was so cold in the medical room. Malik rubbed his bare arms and watched as a doctor laid Isis on a gurney and hooked her up to strange machines.

The examination took only a few minutes. Then the doctor disconnected the machines, and Malik felt as though things were going in reverse, erasing themselves. Yes… please… he thought. Erase everything that just happened… Please bring her back…

"I'm sorry," the doctor said, looking away.

The truth finally hit. Malik closed his eyes, partly to keep out the pitying face of the doctor, partly to keep in the tears that threatened to fall. Isis…

Then he remembered, and his eyes flew open. "Wh-what about my brother?"

A blank, questioning stare. "Who?"

"Rishid," Malik clarified shakily. "Duelist number two. Is… is he…" He could barely speak. What if Rishid, too, had…?

"Oh," the doctor said, finally understanding, "I'm not really sure what happened to him. Although he's fine physically, he's been in a coma since last night."

Malik's stomach clenched. "Please… can I take Isis to his room and…" And be with both at once, for the first time in so long, and for the last time…

The doctor smiled sadly at Malik. "Of course," he said softly. "Please do. Be with your siblings."

So Malik pulled the cold gurney to Rishid's room. He flinched as he saw his brother lying on the bed, breathing raggedly. Swallowing tears, he set up a stool between the bed and the gurney and sat, hunched over, flanked by his beloved siblings.

Isis is dead.

Isis is dead.

The thought came over and over again, repeating its cruel chant in Malik's mind.

Isis is dead, and it's my fault.

She had willingly gone to her death, simply to give Malik the strength to break free from his dark side. Malik shuddered.

Why would she do that for me?

And Rishid, too…

Rishid was only hurt because Malik had commanded him to play the fake God Card.

"You shouldn't do anything for me," Malik mumbled to no one in particular. "Don't… don't try to help me… I don't want to hurt you…"

Suddenly, the public address system came on.

"The final duel between Yuugi Mutou and Malik Ishtar will take place in five minutes. Will the duelists please be on the duel stage by that time. Repeat: the final duel between Yuugi Mutou and Malik Ishtar will take place in five minutes."

Malik listened but did not respond. He no longer had any desire to duel the Pharaoh. He would rather stay here, with his brother and sister.

After all, his hatred had come from a lie. Father, too, had died because of Malik. Since Malik couldn't control his own hatred and anger, it had become a separate self and rose to destroy everything Malik cared for.

But I'm doing that even better than he is. Everyone I love keeps getting hurt…

It was Malik's fault, all his fault… Soon he might be completely alone, and it would be his own fault.

Alone. Malik couldn't bear the thought. Tears came to his eyes and finally he let them fall freely. He cried like a child, his sobs filling the room for several minutes, as accusatory words danced like fire in his brain.

Everyone I love… everyone who cares about me… everyone gets hurt because of me, he thought bitterly. I have to… I have to make sure that doesn't happen again. But how…

Malik suddenly sat up straight as a solution occurred to him. Could… could I do that…?

He took the Millennium Rod out of his belt loop and looked at it. Then he twisted it slightly—very slightly—and the bottom half came off, revealing a gleaming dagger.

This is all I need.

He let the sheath drop to the floor and ran his finger lightly along the edge of the blade, testing its sharpness. The knife, though barely touching his finger, broke the skin, and he hissed quietly in pain and surprise. Blood started to fall from the thin line, and he watched it, shivering.

It would be so easy to do. A single, careful stab, perhaps a few moments of pain—pain that Malik certainly deserved—and then nothing.

So easy…

But what of Rishid? What if he woke up? Malik's face felt hot as he thought of it. He would be too ashamed to face his brother now, after almost causing his death. No, it would be better if Malik were gone by then, better if Malik had already made up for that sin.

But he could leave something for Rishid, to tell him that he was not forgotten. And Malik knew exactly what to leave. He glanced down at his Duel Disk; Ra was still on it, the hieratic long since faded to invisibility again.

Malik took the God Card off the Duel Disk and laid it next to Rishid's head. "You don't have to be my shadow anymore, big brother," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes again. "You can be the real Malik now. I bet you can do it better than I did."

He kneeled on the floor between his two siblings, clutched the Rod's dagger with shaking hands, and offered a quick prayer to Ra.

Everything was ready.


To say that Yuugi and his friends were puzzled when Malik didn't show up to duel would be an understatement. No one could understand it—until Yuugi suggested in a tentative voice that it might have to do with Isis's death.

Everyone was silent for a minute. Then, unanimously, they decided to go check on Malik. First they went to the medical room; the doctor informed them that Malik was in room number two.

As they headed in that direction, Jonouchi found himself watching Shizuka. He couldn't imagine what Malik was going through… couldn't imagine living without his sister.

They reached room two and Yuugi pushed the door open quietly. He drew in a horrified gasp. "Malik, no!" he cried, running forward.

Malik was sitting on the floor, the Rod's dagger in his hands and pointed at his chest. When he heard Yuugi's cry, he looked up, his eyes wide and panicked. He clutched the Rod protectively. "Don't try to stop me," the Egyptian whispered. "Don't try…"

"What are you doing?" Honda asked incredulously. Everyone crowded into the room, forming a semi-circle around Malik.

"I'm tired of hurting people," Malik said shakily. "I don't want anyone else to die. Isis died to save me, when I'm not even worth saving… And Rishid… Rishid's probably going to die too, and that's my stupid fault… I m-made him play that card…"

Yuugi moved forward, hands outstretched. "Please, Malik, don't…" he said desperately. "You don't want to do this…"

"Yes I do!" the Egyptian shouted, almost hysterical. "Let me die!"

Shizuka buried her face in Jonouchi's chest, sobbing, and Jonouchi put his arms around her. He watched the scene in front of him in disbelief.

Yuugi was trying to take the Millennium Rod from Malik, but the Egyptian had a firm grip. The two were locked in a deadly tug-of-war that went on for minutes. Finally, Malik managed to push Yuugi backwards.

Looking even more panicked than before, Malik held the Rod tightly and cried, "I said let me die! If you try to stop me I'll kill you!"

He mumbled something in another language, tears forming in his eyes as he looked from his brother to Isis. Then he raised the knife again.

Suddenly, a strong voice commanded, "Stop, Malik." Every eye in the room turned towards the other Yuugi, who had emerged again. Even Malik hesitated, an odd change coming over him.

"It's you," he said quietly. He paused briefly, and then whispered, "Let me die."

"Why should I do that?" the other Yuugi asked.

"Death is what I deserve!" Malik laughed abruptly. "Go on! Tell me I don't deserve it! I tried to kill you… kidnapped your friends… turned them against you… I betrayed my family… caused my sister so much pain… let my own brother suffer in order to further my selfish plans… You can't tell me that I deserve to live!"

"Your sister thought you did," said the other Yuugi firmly.

Malik suddenly pointed the knife at him. "Don't try to tell me what my sister thought," he cried. "Don't you dare talk to me about her!"

"Does your sister's sacrifice mean nothing to you?" the other Yuugi asked scornfully.

Furiously, Malik brought the knife to his enemy's throat. "How dare you ask such a thing? You have no understanding of what she did!"

The other Yuugi pushed the knife away. "She gave her life so that you would be free," he said, "and now you're willing to completely throw away the life that she died to protect?"

Malik paused, shaken. "She d-d-died to defeat my other self," he insisted. "That's why she gave her l-life. But he's still there. He won't be gone until I'm dead. I have to…"

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" the other Yuugi challenged, his voice hard. But his eyes were a little sad. "Her sacrifice was for you. Can't you tell?"

There was a long silence. Malik stared at the ground, trembling badly. "S-so many people… so many were hurt because of me…" he protested.

"You're making excuses."

"But I don't deserve to live," Malik pleaded weakly.

"Your sister's sacrifice mandates that you must."

Finally, the Millennium Rod dropped from Malik's hands. He began to cry.

"I don't want to live on alone," he whispered.

Yuugi's face returned to normal and he put his hand on the Egyptian's shoulder. "Malik…"

Malik pushed the hand away and shook his head. He was beyond comfort. "Please go," he begged.

Yuugi glanced around for advice, still worried about Malik's safety.

"I w-won't do that again," Malik promised. His eyes scanned the ground and he picked up the Rod's lower half from where it had fallen. He slid it back onto the Rod, hesitated, and then offered it to Yuugi. "Here. Take it. I… I have to give it to you anyway. That's… part of my destiny…"

Yuugi accepted it uncertainly. After a moment, he stood. "Are you sure you don't want anyone to be here with you?"

Malik nodded. "Please go," he said again.

So everyone trailed out somberly. Yuugi was the last to leave, and before he closed the door, he said, "Malik?"

The Egyptian looked up. Yuugi was struck by how empty Malik's eyes were, how devoid of hope. He swallowed tears of pity and said quietly, "I don't think you deserve to die."


I wrote this a while ago, actually. But I've been worried about posting it. I worried that people would worry. But there's no reason for them to worry, because I'll worried if you worry. Ignore me, I had a lot of sugar.