Omega19x: Dr. Malouf had already signed all the paperwork. Observation had gone well. Besides the strange amnesia, Malik Ishtar's neurological functioning wasn't impaired. He felt that it would probably help him more to be released back to a place full of memories than to stay here in the hospital.
Omega19x: And so Isis and Ryou were getting ready to take him home.
ph33r my rod: Malik was still skeptical about what he was being told. "...where am I going?"
Omega19x: "... home." Ryou whispered, holding his hand.
Omega19x: "Our home."
ph33r my rod: Malik actually looked a little scared. "Is it... underground?"
Omega19x: "No!" Ryou gasped. "It's... a house... with trees in the yard. Completely above ground. And sunny."
ph33r my rod: "...sunny? I've always wanted to see the sun..."
Omega19x: "You... see the sun all the time now." Ryou gripped Malik's hand tightly.
ph33r my rod: "I wanna see..." Malik held on tightly as well, still a little bit scared, but he was actually happy that he didn't have to go back undreground.
Omega19x: Together they walked outside. "See?"
ph33r my rod: Malik looked up. It was too bright at first, but as his eyes adjusted to the light, he smiled. "...it's pretty!"
Omega19x: "You see it all the time, now..."
Omega19x: Ryou led him to his car. "... come on... I'll take you home... And hopefully that will help you remember something."
ph33r my rod: "...okay." He really wanted to go with Isis, but she'd told him to go with Ryou because he'd be able to help him more than she would. And he wanted to remember more than anything.
Omega19x: Ryou opened the passenger side door for Malik.
ph33r my rod: Malik hesitated for a moment, but got in the car.
Omega19x: Ryou got in the other side. "Are you... okay?"
ph33r my rod: "I'm scared... w-what if daddy finds out that I'm gone and he comes to look for me?" Malik looked down at his lap.
Omega19x: "... Your daddy... He's not here anymore. It's been a long time since he was here... even as a ghost... He won't find you."
ph33r my rod: Malik curled up in his seat and sniffled. "He has his ways... I don't want him to find me 'cause he'll make me do the Initiation... and I don't wanna..."
Omega19x: "He... he won't find you, Malik... He... he's dead... He's been dead for a very long time."
Omega19x: Ryou started the car.
ph33r my rod: Malik nodded, though he didn't quite believe Ryou yet. "...don't let him get me."
Omega19x: "I... I won't."
Omega19x: And they drove home. Ryou pulled into the driveway. "This is our house, Malik. See? It's not underground at all."
ph33r my rod: "...it's pretty. I really live here?"
Omega19x: Ryou nodded. "We live here... together..."
ph33r my rod: "It's a lot better than underground."
Omega19x: Ryou opened the door, and the two kitties rushed to them. "Malik, do you remember Zahra and Aisha? They're our cats..."
ph33r my rod: At first, Malik was scared, and he hid behind Ryou a bit. But after a second, he came out from behind him and kneeled down, slowly reaching toward the cats.
Omega19x: Aisha and Zahra were certainly glad to see him, and they nuzzled up to him.
Omega19x: "... don't be scared... They love you too. Just like I do."
ph33r my rod: Malik eventually started petting them, smiling at how fluffy they were. He looked up at Ryou. "...you love me?"
Omega19x: "Of course, I love you."
ph33r my rod: Malik stood up and looked down at Ryou. "...I wish I met you sooner. You're nice." He smiled again. "And cute."
Omega19x: Ryou bit his lip. He didn't want to cry. "We... we've known each other for a couple years now... even if you don't remember." He wrapped his arms gently around Malik.
ph33r my rod: Malik tensed up for a moment, but decided he liked being hugged and relaxed. "I want to... if it's you. 'Cause I had a dream last night and you were in it."
Omega19x: "... you did? Tell me about the dream."
ph33r my rod: "You had a cut on your arm and I was helping you walk."
ph33r my rod: "And that's all I remember..."
Omega19x: "... that... that happened... That happened back in Battle City. Malik, that really happened..."
ph33r my rod: "...it did?"
Omega19x: Ryou nodded. "that's... back when we first met." He didn't want to go into any details about how Malik was really taken over by a darker half or anything like that.
ph33r my rod: Malik looked down at Ryou's arm. "It's not there now..." He lightly touched the area where it had been.
Omega19x: "It was a couple years ago... That... It's just a scar now. Maybe if you look really hard you can still see it. But... but that's all it is."
ph33r my rod: "I'm glad it's not there anymore. 'Cause in my dream it was so bad that you couldn't walk."
Omega19x: "It... it was... pretty bad... But you helped me then... Like I'm helping you now..."