Master Of PuppetZ

Come crawling faster

Obey your Master

Your life burns faster

Obey your Master

Master

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN YGO! Nor the song, it's Metallica's…And I lack writing talent horribly. Sorry I exist.

Master Of Puppets – Chapter 8 – Eternal Sleep

"Mokuba," said Seto, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder "Are you alright? Let me see your neck." but the younger removed the worried hand lightly and made his way toward the other body on the floor. Seto bypassed, him, kneeling beside her "Crystal," he whispered, taking her body into his arms. Mokuba stood there and watched, frozen on his place. Then, his shaky voice struck a nerve deep down Seto's heart "Will she come back to herself?"

He tried not to think about this. The question whether Crystal would or would not return to her senses was burning inside his mind for the last hour of the most horrible duel he had ever have. During the game he told himself he must believe Crystal can defeat the evil lingering inside her soul, he had to be sure she could do that, because otherwise his tries to reach her soul were useless. But now, when the Orichalcos seal was gone, when Dartz seemed to be gone forever too, now he wasn't so sure…

/I saw horrible things happening around this evil seal of Orichalcos…I saw people falling dead, I saw rooms built of stones with souls sealed inside of them…And also I had a very unpleasant trip into the core of that damned whale before I luckily managed to get out. Dartz thought he had defeated me, but I was stronger than that. Yet Crystal…How can her fragile body tolerate such attack on her mind and soul? I remember some battles where my opponents lost their sanity, their ability to live. I think that's what the series tries to teach me. You have to be able to overcome your failures, to look ahead and be sure that success is waiting for you. That's what makes me get up everyday. I know I can do everything, and now I have to believe Crystal is saved. The Orichalcos seal broke, so I can be sure it didn't take her soul…But why isn't she getting up? And what about Mokuba?.../

"I…am not sure, Mokuba." said the older brother finally "But I'll tell you what we should do. We should take Crystal and you to the doctor. You are wounded, and I'm not sure how serious she is hurt. I'll call our doctor, and meanwhile we'll treat your wounds." Seto got up, holding Crystal tightly to him /Don't even think I'll let you get away once again, Crystal! You are staying here until I'm sure you are absolutely fine…But what if you…No, I KNOW you will wake up. You have to!.../

Seto was talking on the phone while he was helping Mokuba to carefully wash his open wound with hot water until the bleeding was reduced /I am not a doctor, but I think this cut is not really so deep…I think it will heal…/

Crystal was laid on the bed near them, and the brothers sent her worried glances from time to time. "The doctor is on his way," Seto said "Now that's better, right?" the boy nodded, his expression troubled and concerned. "Seto, what if…?" he started, but the older shook his head determinedly "No Mokuba, no such option. Crystal is going to be fine, trust me. You saw that the Orichalcos broke. It took neither hers nor mine soul."

"Then why is she…So silent? Why wouldn't she wake up?" asked Mokuba, looking at her worryingly. A knock was heard, and the doctor opened the door, stumbling into the room. He breathed hard just like he had run up the stairs. In his right he held his medical bag, his left grasping the wall "Where's…The wounded?" he let out interruptedly and almost fell to the floor.

Seto took a deep breath. What concerned ancient magic (Not that he really believed these stupid stories) must have been completely separated from nowadays medicine. "Well, Mokuba's neck was…" but the doctor jumped across the room, landing in front of Mokuba "Where?" he leant closer, eyeing the wound "Nice cut you got here, kid. How did you succeed in doing…Wait a second, young mister, you didn't try something…Fanatic?" Mokuba shook his head as intensively as his wound allowed him. "No?...Well, this cut isn't the deepest I saw, yet you have to treat it right. I'll give you a special cream, and you put a little on this until it is completely healed. I hope for you the scar would disappear, though you can never be sure. Wounds in this part of the body are extremely…"

"I believe you know her, already." Seto interrupted the doctor's lecture about scars, waving his hand toward Crystal. "Her? Yes I know her. But more interesting is what happened to her? Is she unconscious again? Did she eat?" asked the doctor, finally leaving Mokuba alone and approaching Crystal's silent form on the bed. He took her right hand into his, and looked at his watch. Then he left her hand alone "Well, it seems to me her heartbeat is fine, and she is breathing…Her breathing is a little shallow, but I think it is alright. She is exhausted, mister Kaiba, I think she needs some sleep now. Recovery takes time, you know. When did she fell unconscious?"

Seto tried to remember "It happened about twenty minutes ago."

"I think it is nothing more than a critical tiredness. Let her sleep for now, she will wake up tomorrow. And mister Kaiba…I want to remind you to give her something to eat when she gets up…She shouldn't skip meals!" Seto nodded, feeling certain relief /She is only tired…She is going to be fine…And Mokuba is alright! His wound isn't bleeding anymore, and hopefully the sign of cutting will disappear without trace. We are surely lucky!…/

"I think there is another wounded," the doctor stated "I saw him lying in the entrance hall…A weird looking guy…I think it is too late for him though…Who was he, mister Kaiba?"

"He tried to attack my brother when I came. I think Crystal got into a fight with him," Seto lied. "I understand…" said the doctor "Well, talking about neck injures – have I told you two about that time a man with a slashed neck was hospitalized in my department? You know, his wounds were much worse than yours, and we couldn't stop the bleeding for some reason, so we…" in few seconds Mokuba's face wore a disgusted expression and Seto looked completely puzzled /I have to call the police…There's a body down here, and I have to invent another stupid story…Dartz was a psychotic maniac so it wouldn't be so hard…It is our pure luck something cracked in his plan…In any other case we would have been all dead by now, and Crystal's soul was taken away, leaving her body an empty shell…/ Seto wasn't a man of faith, but he had to admit something odd saved them for unknown reason. Yet the reason was unknown for him, Mokuba and Crystal only, because Yami no Marik knew well what he was doing.

The police officer left the Kaiba mansion after Dartz' death was stated. His data was already given the police on the previous time he tried to take over the world, and again Seto was the one to stop him. He was accused of trying to harm Mokuba and Crystal, and his body was taken away. A maid brought blue bucket with hot water and started washing over the floor of the entrance hall, mumbling to herself. Seto sent Mokuba to bed, but the child refused to go "I want to be next to Crystal when she wakes up…She needs us, Seto! I can't leave her alone like this, and she will be scared when she opens her eyes. I want to stay with her."

The older one had to agree, and allowed Mokuba to lie next to Crystal in the same room. After that he went to talk with the doctor again. The medical personality was busy on the cell phone and when he finished he looked at Seto and said "I have to go now, mister Kaiba. Take care of your brother and Crystal, and don't worry…You heard what the police said…That man was a criminal, it is so good you stopped him…" Seto nodded, thanking the doctor once again "I'm glad I could help you," he said sincerely "Now I have to go…Another call…I hope it is nothing serious…" and the doctor went away, leaving Seto in the corridor.

The doctor got inside his car, driving back to the hospital, there a patient was waiting for him. Ra granted him his wish, and this call was indeed nothing serious. Afterwards, the doctor went to check on his other patients. He walked through the corridors, getting into the rooms and checking the state of the citizens hospitalized in the hospital.

He opened the door to the last department. The room was darkened, only thin line of light could be seen on the gloomy wall. A nurse sat near the stance, reading something in the dim shadows of the dead night. The doctor approached her, his glance asking for news. "Nothing special, doctor. Bed number 33 is still in the same state, and the boy over 37 hasn't moved even an eyelid." the doctor nodded, approaching 37.

Looking down, he took the cold thin hand of the boy into his one. The boy's hand was so frail and pale that it could have melted in the warmth of the doctor's palm /Poor boy…What can I do to save him?…I wonder what made him fall in Coma…I never saw something like this, and seeing him withering in front of me breaks my heart…/ his heartbeats had their steady low rhythm, but he was hardly breathing by himself, and an oxygen mask was on his face, forcing the life into his almost dried lungs.

/I'll visit you again soon, poor child…/ thought the doctor as he left the boy's hand alone, walking outside. The small body on the bed didn't move, it just lay there, the trauma still written clearly into his pale features, his body still stiffened and stressed when the nerves inside were stuck so hard the minute he fell into the deepest slumber. It was the hollow body of Ryou Bakura, lying there to rust in peace.

"…The police aren't sure what was the cause of this death, but again the serial killer is appearing…" Seto turned off the damn TV, getting up into his feet. He wasn't that tired, even after the duel…He wasn't really playing back then, he was trying to gain more time…/Crystal, if I hadn't done many stupid things you would have been alright now…I should have searched for Dartz and destroyed him long time ago, yet I never did this. It is my fault…/ his legs carried him into the room where Mokuba and Crystal lay, sleeping. Mokuba made low sounds as he breathed, his eyes closed tight.

Seto picked up his blanket from the floor and covered the boy by it /Poor Mokuba…Dartz tried to hurt you, and it's my fault again./ Seto checked his neck. The wound was less red than it had been before, and there was a hope no sign would be left /It will always remind me…/ Seto thought, looking at his younger brother.

It seemed that the Kaiba brothers were always alone. Alone in the orphanage, they had to learn how to survive by themselves. Mokuba was too young, and the tragedy was too fresh in his mind. He could never do this without his older brother. It took time, so much time to bring Mokuba's joyful laugh back to his throat and the glee in his eyes back to his dark blue orbs. It was hard to get him back on his feet, yet Seto knew he would do it because he had to. Yet that was the time when they both were adopted by Gozaboru Kaiba, and then they were separated for a long time. Long enough to force Mokuba learn how to control his emotions, he had to be patient and obedient to get to only see Seto, and when his older brother decided they couldn't go on living that way he disposed of their step-father and took over the company.

It took years to ruin and destroy what his step father built, and all that time he needed to develop new ideas, be creative and never give up. Finally the greatest company in the world was in his hands. He thought nothing could take the company away when Pegasus and Dartz did it in the past. Since then Seto started to be more careful with the ways to access his private information and his security system was the most complicated in the world.

Mokuba rolled to his side, burying his head in the pillow. Seto smiled at that, thinking back to the times he tried to educate his little brother. It was very difficult since Seto wasn't the perfect living example to the normality. Yet the boy grew to be responsible and reasonable. /I never thought I will succeed with him, but it seems to me now that I did everything I could and he is just fine. He is growing up, soon he is not a child anymore. I can't seem to adjust to this idea, I know I can never leave him./ Seto fixed the blanket again, covering his younger brother, who in a way was also his son.

A movement was heard from Crystal, and Seto got up and strode towards her, sitting himself down beside her. Her eyelids fluttered, and she gasped as a headache made its way into her head. Then her grey eyes were opened, the light filling them so she let out a little whimper of pain. Seto leant over her, understanding what the problem was and trying to cast a shadow on her face. A tear run down her cheek as she finally directed her gaze toward Seto's face, disbelief and fear again reflecting in the grey pools. "What…?" she whispered, shocked to see him again so close to her. He leant back, looking at her, and said silently "Everything is fine now. Dartz is gone."

She fought to remember and more pain crawled into her already hurting head. Her hands moved to her face, closing her eyes and breathing hard. Seto got up, and was back in a minute with a glass of water "Take this for now. I'll try to find something for your head." she drank the water as noises of searching, moving boxes and closing drawers were heard; Seto was finally back with a little medicine package "That's it, I think…It says 'Drugs should not be taken in the dark' I think it's it!" Crystal smiled lightly, and took the package into her hand. Taking out one of the pills she swallowed it with some water, the burn in her throat was slightly relieved. Her breathing was steadier now, and still she looked tired.

"How did you beat him?" her voice brought his thoughts back into the reality "How did you manage? Did you hear the things I said? Because I'm not sure where I was, I don't really know what Dartz did to me. He talked about ancient Egypt, he said I'm the reincarnation of some Isis or something and…"

Yet Seto stopped her sharply "Trash. I don't believe in these stupid stories of his. He is lying. I heard enough Egyptian trash, and it keeps disturbing me because Mokuba believes in it for some stupid reason. A couple of years ago a guy named Malik lost his mind and tried to make people do things for him with a Rod or something, then was Ryou Bakura…Do you remember him? That pale boy from our class, who was absent the majority of the time…Well, He was another fan of weird stories and ancient legends, and from time to time he used to go crazy believing he was a tomb robber or something like this. Rubbish, don't think about anything Dartz told you. He is dead anyway, and I think he deserved it."

"Who was he?" asked Crystal in a whisper.

"He was another psycho who believed in Atlantis and in other strange things whatsoever. He thought those stones of Orichalcos were gods who appointed him to be the one who would bring destruction over the humanity or something. He was just sick, and he tried to do this these things before, taking souls out of people and collecting them inside that whale of his. I managed to stop him in the past, yet he came back again. And this time he was acting through you. He wanted his revenge, and he wanted your soul because…Well, I don't imagine what his diabolic reason was this time, and I don't wanna know it either. It is over now. Completely and utterly over." Seto placed his hand over hers "And you must stay here until the things in the city are over. I don't want you away now, Crystal. What happened today was enough for me. No more surprises like this please. You are staying here for the entire next week with Mokuba. The holidays start soon, you know the whole Christmas ordeal…"

"But I don't want to," she murmured quietly "I want to go home, Seto. I don't want to stay here!"

"You are being stubborn again, aren't you? Well I said you stay here! I don't want things like today's show repeat ever again!" Seto's voice was getting a bit louder.

Crystal lowered her head, her eyes resting now on the blanket "But…I want to go home. I don't want to stay here Seto, and especially after what happened last time…"

"Nothing happened last time, it was just a misunderstanding. I never intended to do anything to you, and you know that, right?" he asked dryly. She didn't look at him.

"Will you be angry with me forever?" he inquired softly "Because I'm sorry. I didn't want…I wasn't…" but she lowered her head even more and said "I'm going home Seto. I have to."

"But you are going to get some sleep right now. Then do whatever you want. I'm not in the mood for arguments. So take a rest, Crystal. I'll go get Mokuba out so you can sleep quietly." Seto got up, Crystal's eyes followed him as he took his brother into his arms. She tried to catch a glimpse of the child, however, the blanket covered him all over. Seto carried his brother out carefully, closing the door behind them.

Crystal lay back on the pillow, closing her eyes as she felt the pain growing in her head. /I have to just wait here for some time. Seto will forget, he has a lot of work to do. He will sit and type somewhere on his lap top and forget the world even exists. And meanwhile I'll take myself and go away. He wouldn't notice…Poor Mokuba, I couldn't see his wounds…I know he was wounded, I saw him through Dartz' eyes. He cut Mokuba's neck, I saw him! Poor boy, and all because of me…Because I'm so stupid! I can't believe I was controlled so easily! Through Kaiba doesn't believe the ancient tells I do believe in some of them…Dartz said something about my past…He knew something…/

Crystal's computer science teacher believed in ancient tells. And if he thought there was some truth in these stories, then she had to agree. (I saw some interesting things in my life,) he would have said (And once I visited the pyramids I came to know some of their stories are true. They couldn't have survived without some help from The Heavens, and the magic of Duel-Monsters…There are some things that just have to be real.) he would type something into the computer and ask her to activate the program (Finally running! Huh, that is going to work just fine now, after all the breakdowns. Computers are good!)

/Something is not right about me, something is not right about my past, and I have to find out what the Hell it is before I put Mokuba in more danger. And I have to get away from the Kaiba brothers because something else might happen…But for now I just have to wait…Soon I can go home, and I do not need Seto's permission! He has no right to tell me what to do! I am an adult; I can take care of myself! And if he doesn't like it then it's his problem! I am not staying here!.../

The bed under her was so soft and the blanket so warm that when mother sleep came to cast magical powder over Crystal's tired eyes she was already fast asleep, for the medicine included Codeine in it, causing her exhaustion take over her once again.

When she finally woke up, she rubbed her eyes from the bright light all over the room. Mischievous sun rays played the Kaleidoscope game on the walls, arranged in thousand different patterns and colorful. Soon Crystal discovered it happened because of the little crystals on the lamp, which caused the bending of the white light. She looked at them for awhile, admiring the beauty of this simple physical phenomenon, transfixed by the creatures on the walls. Yet the realization that she had to go home now penetrated into her thoughts, so Crystal got up, regret filling her heart to leave her warm blanket, and made her way toward the door.

The handle was cold when she pressed her hand to it, and moved it down. Yet the door never opened.

Crystal had always disliked elevators…She didn't like narrow places in general. Now the room seemed small and thin to her, and she tried the handle once again but to no advantage. /Did he…Lock me here? But how dare he! I have the full right to go if I want to! He can't do this to me! He can't do this!.../

Crystal knocked on the door shyly, suddenly too afraid to make too much noise, yet someone behind the door heard her because in a moment she heard Seto's voice from the other side "You will get out when you promise me you are staying here."

"What the Hell! I don't need to promise anything!" she said angrily.

"I saved your life, and now when I'm asking something so simple from you…"

"I, well, don't lock me here! Let me out, Seto, it's not a game! I want to go home!…I'm grateful to you for doing all of this for me, but I don't want to stay!"

"I'm not letting you out until you change your mind!"

"But that's unfair! I want out! Now!" she exclaimed, a single tear running down her face "Don't do this, Seto!"

"I don't want to do this Crystal, you force me to. I'm not letting you to go away, not after all the worrying for your safety. It appears some people are after you now, and the best thing you can do is to stay here for some time…Not to mention the serial killer in Domino…" he said, his voice echoing through the door.

Crystal was silent. Then she spoke, her voice offended and husky "You have no right! Let me out this instant, Seto!"

"I think I am the one to give the orders here, dear! Now promise me you will stay with Mokuba and me and I'll let you out. Otherwise you are going to be stuck in this room. And you know I won't compromise, so I am going to sit here and wait until you decide." Seto's voice explained. After this statement came the obvious and annoying sounds of typing on a lap top.

/What a jerk! How dare he?.../ thought Crystal furiously /I can't believe!.../

She wandered across the room to her bed, tears rolling from her eyes. /Oh great! Yesterday I was the slave of that damned Dartz, and today Seto Kaiba locks me in a room and he is blackmailing me without a shame!.../ another tear fell from her grey eyes that were already light blue /And after all the harm I caused…After what happened to Mokuba because of me…Is he alright, by the way? I didn't happen to see him last night…Ow! That is so stupid! I am so stupid! I want to just disappear…/

The typing sounds were driving her insane, the acoustics in the room were horrible, and every little sound struck her nerves. "Would you stop this?" she shouted, moving to her side. "When you agree," was his answer.

"Go to Hell!" she murmured to herself.

"You almost were there yourself if not me!" so he was a smart aleck?

Crystal cried again, burying her face in the pillow /What have I done?...I am so weak. I can't tolerate myself anymore! I always get myself into such troubles, and Mokuba…Poor Mokuba…He could have died because of me! I am not responsible…I don't deserve to be here!…I should have died when I starved!…Guess what, I ate nothing since yesterday's morning again…Well, if Kaiba don't let me out, I think the Angel Of Death will…/

Crystal remembered she was in the medical room, so certainly there must have been some medicine there. /Little overdose and that's definitely it!.../ She got up and walked to search in the cupboards, opening the wooden doors and the drawers. In a minute or so she understood something was absolutely wrong there. Maybe that wasn't the medical room after all…Because all she managed to find was a package of plasters!

/Did he move me to another room when I slept? How rude! He won't let me out easily, huh? Well, I'll show him!.../ Crystal saw another door in the room and she opened it. She found herself in a bathroom. /There must be something sharp here!…Anything…/ she prayed as she frantically searched in every drawer, checking the capacity of each one. /This room is so comfortable…You can find every damned thing you want…Except penknife! I bet he set it up like this!.../

She returned to the room and thought /Well, I'll do it like in those spying books! I'll say I agree and when he enters the room he will get knocked down by something heavy, that is!.../

She found a metal candlestick on the desk and took it into her hand. Oh, it was definitely for knocking handsome AniManGa guys down! She approached the door. "Seto…" she called, her voice shaking with fear /I have never done something like this!...Does FlEsH AnD BoNeZ really think I am capable of this?.../

"What?" he asked, stopping his typing.

"I-I…I will stay here with you." she stuttered. The sound of a lap top being put down was heard, and she listened carefully when he approached the door, then a sound of key in its keyhole echoed through the wood, but the knock of the opening was mute.

"Hey, wait a minute!" she heard him saying "I know what you are planning, dear! It's like in those spying movies…You want me down on the floor with something heavy on my head! Sorry darling, think about something else! I'm not opening this door until you solemnly promise I am not going to get hurt!"

Crystal cursed and placed the candlestick on the table near her with a loud thud "I hate you!" she yelled, tears filling her eyes again "You are nasty! You are mean!"

She walked toward the bed and lay down, turning her back to the door. /Why me?.../ she thought. Outside the room Seto let out a sigh /Phew! I was saved this time!.../

He eyed the door /Why the Hell is she so stubborn? She will make me lose my mind! I mean, the most beautiful girl in this story is actually rejecting me! No way will I tolerate this! No way!.../ he sat and took his lap top again, typing nonsense intensively and thinking only about certain caramel haired girl behind one locked door.

He set on another roof, enjoying the evening wind. The city lights cast colorful patterns on his face, his left eye red from the Cola© neon and his right eye black. Marik was troubled with something concerning his hikari, so he didn't bother even blink. /I feel him somehow nervous lately…He is almost dead, but still nervous and in some way even excited. No wonders, he waited so long for his death it should excite him…But still, I feel another connection here…/

Yet Marik knew well what the whole thing was about. When he had gotten inside the girl's (or shall we say Crystal's) mind, a faint link was created. Of course it was faint just at that moment, because Marik could widen it. He felt blinks of strange feelings, mostly gloom and guilt consuming his rotten heart – and these two weren't his…Some of them were his hikari's, they were owned by Malik who had much time to regret the things he had done in his miserable life, hanging there in a cave deep inside the Shadow Realm. Yet some of them were odd and unknown. Marik was busy exploring them, trying to understand their origin, and that involved Malik's weakened subconscious.

The hikari seemed a little consoled, like the thought that maybe somebody else was connected to this string now, somebody that was suffering and regretting...Maybe it could give him a second change…A hope that someone knew when he finally died…And the death was closer than ever, because his heart lost a beat every day…

/Be patient, hikari…Everything in its time, dear…Soon, very soon…I'll do it to gain some power to take over her soul, since Isis herself is inside her body…No stupid weakling, I am not talking about that damned sister of yours! Isis – the Egyptian goddess? You've studied about her, remember? Remember the cold nights in Egypt, the eternal sweet murmurings in your ear? You have always wanted to hear me more, you knew I am your only friend because that stupid sister of yours hated you since you were born and your adopted brother was a moron…I was the only one who understood you back then…Don't you remember, hikari?.../ inquired Marik softly, feeling the slightest stir in his hikari's body.

He laughed cruelly, throwing his head to the back /You loved my stories so much! What an amusing hikari you were, what an idiot…/

He laughed again, getting up and taking his millennium Rod /And now…For tonight's victim…There are plenty of them, buying things for that stupid Christmas of theirs…Their last holiday!.../ Marik slid off down the wall, jumping as high as he could, his Rod gleaming, ready for the next murder…

The window.

She never thought about it.

This floor must be high enough…The window was the last way out. Last resort…

Crystal opened it, creating slight squeak echoing through the room. She looked down.

Yes, high enough. No way for her this time…Just no way.

She climbed up to the windowsill, kneeling and looking down.

She never thought she could do a thing like this.

She was never treated like this before.

She thought about this several times, but she never really intended to do this.

But now it was for real. It was the right thing. It was true. Tears blurred her sight.

She heard the door opening, and some curses floated to the air near her "F()()(), I never thought about this!..." Seto let out as he opened the door as fast as he could.

Then he saw it.

He saw the sky.

He saw the opened window.

She stood there.

"Don't you dare!" he shouted, running to her and pulling her down into his arms, far from the depths awaiting her. She wasn't resisting at all. He looked into her eyes and saw the tears. Light crystal drops.

"Crystal…Hey, Crystal…What was in your head? You know I won't ever hurt you, so why were you doing this?"

So many questions, and no logical answers to give. She looked up at him as the grief took over her, bringing more tears to fall down from her tormented eyes.

He hugged her to him, trying to calm her down "Don't blame yourself Crystal…I did it just for your safety…And I didn't find another way to make you stay with me…I'm sorry, another stupid mistake that might have the cost of your life…Please don't cry…"

"You are so kind to me it scares me sometimes…" she whispered into his neck, a tear sliding down her cheek. He wiped it away with his fingers "You know I never meant to…" but the sentence was interrupted by her arms around him, her body pressed against him. /Well, that's weird although that was what I wanted. Crystal has suffered enough…Poor girl…/

He put his arms around her and said "What about some lunch? I know you haven't eaten for some time once again. The doctor is going to kill me…" he whispered into her ear "He will tell me unpleasant cases until I die from the disgust…"

"I promise I'll stay…" he heard her whispering, her words barely audible "I'll stay…"

A shy knock was heard and an excited kid entered the room without waiting for permission. He stood frozen when he saw the scene in front of him. "I leave you for a moment and that's what you are doing?" he asked joyfully. Crystal freed herself from Seto's hold and approached him "Mokie!" she said, looking at his neck carefully "That mark…On your neck…My fault!" she let out with some more tears.

"You weren't yourself Crystal, don't cry now…It was Dartz' fault, and besides, the doctor said it would heal. It is not that serious, it's just a cut. It's just like I fell on the football game…" Crystal hugged him, resting her arms around him. Mokuba smiled teasingly at his older brother that seemed slightly disappointed and sent Mokuba a minor death glare.

"What about lunch?" Seto interrupted, standing up "I think it is the time to eat, especially you Crystal. Let's watch something. Mokuba, what about the episodes where I won my Grand Prix tournament? I want Crystal to see me dueling since she wasn't really presenting at my last duel…It's my luck she didn't saw the dejected lever of that game…I think I broke the record of worse playing!"

Mokuba took Crystal's hand and hurried her out of the room. They sat in the living room, eating some sandwiches when Moukba turned on the TV.

"…Three days before Christmas, and the greatest parties in Domino would be probably cancelled because of the serial killer in the city. According to the last reports we got, a young girl was killed today in a park in Domino. It happened only an hour ago, and the rescue teams couldn't…"

FAB: Well, no comments this time. Hope this chapter was fine.

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