"You all ready for tomorrow?" Mai asked from Cloey's door.
"Yeah, packing for two days. Just in case, since you seem to think a little card game is going to take that long," she replied with the roll of her eyes. Actually, Cloey was preparing to hide out at Seto's after the finals to better ditch Troy.
"Good, we head out an hour before we're supposed to be there."
"Wait, Seto's coming by remember?"
Mai faltered for a moment then nodded. "Right, well his limo had better be first class since I'm letting him taxi me around."
"Mai!" Cloey blurted out. "He's saving you gas money and from having to find a parking spot!"
Mai shrugged and turned to leave, she needed to finish packing herself.
"I'd better call Naki, tell her where I'll be," Cloey blinked when she realized the other didn't know. She set her packing aside as she went for the phone. It rang about six times before she heard a click. "Hi! Na--" Cloey stopped when she heard the answering machine's message. She huffed and waited for the beep. "Hey Naki, it's Cloey," she said as if the other wouldn't be able to tell. "I'm just calling to tell you I'm going with Mai to the finals tomorrow. I'm sure once everyone's been signed in they'll announce the location for others to come watch. Stop by if you want, Mai seems to think it's going to turn into some big show. I suppose that's all I have to say, hope to see you there!" she said happily before she hung up. "Wonder where she is, not like her to miss a call at this hour," Cloey muttered. "Maybe at dinner," she shrugged.

Lilith looked around carefully, she wanted to go speak to Malik and thought now was a good time. Seto hadn't recalled her yet or scolded her, so she thought he either wasn't watching or had bluffed about being all powerful. The area was still abuzz with life, she was on the fishing end and still had a ways to go before she got to the shipping and normal use docks. She didn't care who saw her, but still she wanted to avoid attention just incase word got back to Seto. It didn't matter if she submitted to his will or not, she was still tied to Malik through her lust for him. Despite her attempts, Malik never seemed to return her feelings. But at the same time, he wasn't disgusted with her advances so she thought it meant there was some hope. And that was the motive behind this visit, if she agreed to disobey Seto when he hopefully used her; she would be rewarded with what she wanted from Malik. Lilith stopped to lean against a warehouse as she thought of it, the ultimate reward in her eyes. If she played her cards right, maybe he'd indulge her a little before hand and fully give in once she had won what he wanted. The spellcaster didn't even try to hide the wide grin that crept across her face, the thought alone excited her and she began to move again. The sooner she got to him, the sooner she could get what she wanted.

The pale figure hissed as she rounded another building, Bakura was there and he had spotted her.
"So I was right to assume he was here... you wouldn't be far now would you?" he growled.
Lilith paused for a moment as she thought. "Seto is my master, what makes you think I'm not with him?"
"Because I know how much you lust for Malik, you don't hide it well at all..."
Lilith puffed her chest up in defense. "You're just jumping to conclusions!" she insisted.
"Can't fool me, wench. I can do one of two things, walk off and continue my search or sit here and wait for you to cave and lead me, unwilling or not, to him."
She snorted and flipped her hair before making a slight waving motion. "I think I know how to deal with you." As she continued, Bakura became aware of how the waves were getting higher and harder. He hissed before he turned to flee.
"It was just for show!" Lilith cackled. "I could have washed you away with the first if I had of wanted to!" To emphasis her point, she sent a stream of water for him. It struck him square in the back and bowled him over from the force. He was suddenly glad he had taken the extra trip back home to leave his duel disk behind, else he would most likely have been shocked by now. Once he was down, Lilith send more water to wash him back. She caught his glare of daggers just before he vanished over the edge of the pier and into a whirlpool. "Have a nice swim," she shrugged. Lilith quickly jogged off, if he did survive the undertow he'd be back and looking for her eventually. She didn't want to chance him following her anyway.
It was quiet, deafeningly so. But Rae couldn't blame the other, she had just been through quite an ordeal. A knock sounded and Rae looked up, Ukori was there.
"Just thought I'd stop in, meet the new..." she trailed off when she caught sight of the purple demoness. Normally what would have been a somewhat threatening sight was now pity. Seraph was curled up on her side, wings and tail wrapped tightly around her with her back to the middle of the room.
"She's not up for visitors," Rae said quickly before ushering Ukori out.
"Was she hurt?" the girl asked.
Rae simply shook her head. "Her capture wasn't expected, she's been through a lot." The feline knew what she had said was confusing and jumbled but luckily Ukori didn't question her further.
"Maybe I'll come back later then. I know how she feels," the dark haired girl said. "I hope she gets to feeling better," she said louder so Seraph could hear.

The spellcaster closed the door when she stepped back into the room. Seraph shifted slightly and Rae apologized just in case something she had done upset her. It was getting late, most of the other servants had either gone out for the night or were already asleep. Tomorrow was a big day for Malik and he wanted everyone ready, even if not all were going with him.
"Um, do you want the light on or can I turn it off?" Rae asked softly. The demoness only grunted. "I tell you what, I'll turn it off but you can turn it back on if you want."
"Wait," the figure said as she rolled over and sat up. Her wings had to be carefully drawn around her, Malik hadn't returned her clothing yet so she was left exposed. Rae's gaze shifted away but not before catching her pillow. Seraph turned back to see what she was looking at. "You want to know about the clean burn marks?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Rae said as if she had asked.
Seraph shook her head before she wiped a tear from her eye, she held up a section of the sheets and pressed her finger against them. They burned away in an area as big as the tear with a light pop and hiss. "Acid... but just my tears. No other bodily fluid."
"You, um, could maybe sit up and let them drift down to your collar. It could let you remove it possibly..." Rae said softly.
Seraph shook her head before she drew her legs up under her wings. "My skin can take the acid, but my insides cannot. I have an open wound under the collar, I would only cause more damage."
"But, if they hurt your insides... how can you shed them without pain?"
"I guess it is not until they touch the air that they become acidic," she replied with a shrug.
"My name is Rae," she said suddenly. "And I'm very sorry you have to be here..."
The demoness snorted and looked away. She was calmer than she should have been, an after effect of the sedative most likely. She couldn't even focus right or she would have called out to Bakura.
"If you need anything, just ask. I'll see what I can do."
"I can take care of myself," the demoness growled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way," Rae sighed.
"Where is the bathroom?" Seraph asked.
"Take a right when you get outside the room. It's four doors down and slides open rather than on hinges."
"Thank you," the demoness replied. She stood and quickly moved to the door before she checked the hall then dashed to the bathroom. She wanted to scrub herself, wash the filth from her body.

"I came all this way to see him and I want to, damnit!" Lilith protested when Rishid blocked her way to Malik's quarters.
"He has asked to not be disturbed. The finals are tomorrow and he wants his rest."
"And I have something about the finals he may want to know. Or have you forgotten I'm bound to the Rod and Seto now owns me?"
"I haven't," Rishid grunted.
"Oh I see now," Lilith laughed. "You think I'm here to do something to him. I'm still loyal! I want nothing to do with Seto and if I can help Malik then I will. Maybe I can even win the right to come back."
"Malik has Seraph Reaver now, she is who he plans to use tomorrow."
"He has who?" Lilith shrieked. "She's not in there with him is she?" the spellcaster demanded. Her face had turned bright red and she was shaking.
"No, she left nearly thirty minuets ago."
"Of all the," Lilith hissed. She shoved Rishid away and made a dash down the hall. Rishid grabbed onto her tail and yanked during an effort to stop her. She snarled and spun around to kick him in the jaw, it caused him to hit the wall and slide into a heap. While he took time to clear his head and stagger to his feet, Lilith had reached the door and forcefully opened it. "You had that filthy creature in here?" she hissed.
Malik sat up quickly and hissed his reply, "If you've lead that bastard Kaiba to me..."
Her face went blank as she caught his cast. "Did the demoness do that to you? I'll kill her!"
"You will do nothing but leave, Lilith! You are not mine to command and you can lead Seto right to me, leave at once!"
"Then answer me, did she do that?"
"Seto did the day he took the Rod, Obelisk nearly ground me into the pavement. Now go!" he demanded once again.
"Not before I do what I came here for! I want to betray him, I want to come back to you! If he uses me during the finals against you, I will purposely lose."
"And what makes you think I trust your word?"
"Have I not been loyal to you this whole time? Have you not trusted me with so many other tasks?"
"I have," he answered. "But you also have served Seto, his ancient self."
"My loyalty is with you!" she snapped. "Malik, I have only pleased you, have I not?"
"Lilith you have tried to gain entry into my bed. That was the motivation behind all you did. That is your motivation now. Am I correct?"
"Yes," she hissed without delay. "It is, but I only want in your bed because I want to be the one you trust. The one you have handle things for you."
"Fine then, you help me do away with Seto then I will take you back. But not into my bed, that is not part of the deal. Go. Now. If you linger any longer I may change my mind." Lilith remained steadfast in her defiance of his wish. "GO!" he hissed before making a move to get up. The sheets moved enough for Lilith to see he wore nothing under them. She gasped and turned quickly, once again the spellcaster ran into Rishid.
"Let her go," Malik growled as he tied a robe around himself. "She won't bother me further. Tomorrow at the finals she'll be given a chance to once again be in my services. If I do not defeat Seto personally, she is not to approach a single of my servants or myself again."
"Understood, Master," Rishid bowed.
"What of my little fallen angel?" Malik chuckled.
"She was up moving, when I went to check on her Rae said she was showering."
"I'd ask for her return to my chambers, but I'm in need of a decent night's rest," he smirked.
"I need to retire for the evening as well."
"You may, there are others who will make sure no one else disturbs me."

"Ra are you incompetent or what?" Seijuu growled as he kicked Bakura. "Wake up you oaf!"
Bakura gasped and coughed, his eyes opened wide before he rolled over and spat sea water out. His breath was raspy and hard between the coughs.
"I fished you out of the water. You were floating face down out there. What the hell have you been up to?"
The Spirit of the Ring sputtered again before he managed to sit up. "Ran into Malik's former lapdog," he wheezed. "She put me through Hell underwater."
"You certainly look the part. You drowned rat," Seijuu muttered.
"Why are you out here anyway?" he coughed. Bakura was still too weak to stand, for now he'd just sit and gather his strength.
"I like to stare forlornly out at the waves as I reminisce on my life long ago in Egypt and pine the lose of my future."
"Very eloquent," Bakura snorted.
"You're right. I just glower at the waves and damn the Pharaoh for sealing me inside some trinket," Seijuu snarled. He held the necklace up around his neck. Bakura had seen it before and heard the story as well, why Seijuu felt the need to re-inform him was unknown.
"Welcome to the club, only I've been blocked from mine and have grown rather attached to it..."
"I get a chance to maim the Pharaoh and you can have them all. Though from what I understand there are three of us wanting to take a swing at him..."
"And Seto's already got him sealed inside the Puzzle. We need to figure out how to undo that before anyone can do harm to him.," Bakura reminded. He shook his head and growled. "I don't need to be sitting here discussing this with you, I need to find Seraph."
"What, she's run off on you?" Seijuu tsked. "Not pleasing her enough?"
Bakura was on his feet in no time and Seijuu on the deck. Bakura brought his fist back and rubbed his knuckles, he'd hit the other's jaw and in his weakened state it hurt him about as much.
"Moody bastard," Seijuu groaned. Tenderly he ran a slim hand over the area. "If you had of broken it, I would have terminated our partnership here and now."
"Speak poorly of Seraph again and I'll terminate it. I'm sick of you doing it every time we meet. She's at the center of so much right now and I can't handle it all!"
"Center of what, what are you keeping from me?" Seijuu demanded. He staggered to his feet, hand still rubbing the sore jaw.
"Malik's taken her, most likely to use against me to knock me out in the end. His insurance he can at least remove one threat."
"That's why your relationship should never have been formed! You wouldn't be in this situation if not."
Bakura simply ignored the other's arguments. "I won't even be there in the end if I don't get the final locator. This whole little side quest has prevented me from getting it."
"And here I had thought stealing a second would just give us one less person to worry about. You hadn't even worked your way in yet!" Seijuu spat. "Take it," he snarled while he dug for it. "You had better not fail like this again because one false move and it's over."
Bakura took the offered bit of plastic and shoved it in his wet pocket. Being reminded of his condition he took the time to wring his hair out. "How do you know we aren't expected?"
"Maybe you are. You haven't been discrete enough. I have, no one knows of me. No one knows this damned necklace is another item. Mine holds no power though, just my soul. And I will personally enjoy the look on the Pharaoh's face when he realizes what he had done to me was a mistake..."
"Everyone has their beef with him. But I wonder, in the end... who gets to take his life?"
"When one of us wins, I get his life and you get the items. That was the deal, or have you forgotten?"
"I haven't," Bakura replied.
"Good, now go home. Rest. Tomorrow we'll need all the strength and energy we can muster."
"Easier said than done, you aren't missing something," Bakura grunted.
"You know he will use her against you, don't let that be what knocks you out. Spend all night trying to think of how to use his having her to your advantage. But don't go get yourself killed before then." Seijuu stopped there and simply walked off. Bakura snorted before he followed his lead, maybe he did have a way to turn Seraph on Malik rather than the other way around.

Finals begin next chapter, promise X3;;

And I promise all this fawning over Seraph isn't the point of the fic. Things are gonna shift focus back to where they should be.