Hey guys. I'm really sorry I didn't update yesterday, but I have my hands full at the moment (I'm going to Paris this monday so I'm trying to pack my suitcase at best ability, I'm trying to solve my finanses for the fall and next year, I'm doing my best to write and in the middle of all this I'm working during the days). I'm lucky time goes slowly today so that I can do more of what I'm supposed to do and add this to my "Do this" list.

Well, enough complaining from me but I want to remind you to review when you've read the chapter. It means the world to me now when I won't be writing this for much longer.

Dinner and puppets

Already the next day they got news Crow had sniffed out Yugi's baits. Mr. Scot came sweeping through the corridors towards Yugi's locker with an "A moment of your time, Atemu" and lead him to his office.

"Your highness, what are you planning?"

"Calm your nerves, Father," Yuniko said with a calming gesture. "I can not allow Crow to stay among the living anymore. The sooner I can finish him the better."

"Princess. Dear, lovely princess, you are highly underestimating your enemy. Crow is just as strong as the army you fought for Scotland's freedom, maybe even stronger."

"I am not underestimating him, Father. As long as Crow has my tears there is little he can do. Without them he loses his ability to stay in sunlight."

"Sunlight never bothered the Lord."

"The Lord was not human to begin with. Crow is, and that is his weakness. Believe me, Father Scot, I know more of him and you than you are ready to admit."

"Are you truly ready to put a thousand years at stake?"

Yuniko looked into the vampire's eyes. "We are. We always were. The first Battle Princess had to fight the vampires with only God on her side. I, the Battle Princess of the present, will never be alone, for the Past and Future is with me." She smiled sweetly. "And God has never abandoned me."

Scot sighed heavily and his cold body shivered. He was scared of Crow, more so than he had been of the lord. And Yuniko knew why. The Lord had never been able to move as freely as Crow could. It's always been easier to run from someone who can't move than from someone faster than you.

"Your majesty…" he whispered before looking up at her again, his blue eyes deep and clear. "Will you be able to do the same to me as you did to his majesty?"

"I could do it now, but I believe I will need your assistance against Crow. You see, it will not be easy for him to see me. Finding me and knowing who I am is one thing, coming to get me is another altogether."

"…He is surrounded by bodyguards and the media," Scot said slowly.

"Bodyguards?" Yuniko had not been prepared for that one, she had never allowed any to guard her. If Crow had bodyguards it could only mean one thing.

"Yes, marionette puppets he can control at will, beings with no will of their own."

"You should know better than me; can Crow see through those puppets' eyes?"

"I admit I am not strong enough to create my own and figure out. But I can tell you those people were living humans once, just as we were. They were probably men given the job as his bodyguards that he later, or immediately, what do I know, turned into what they are now."

Yuniko raised a finger to her lips. This was something she hadn't prepared for. There was a great chance there were more vampires than Crow and Scot around the earth, people killed without being able to die. She would have to check up on that.

"Are they easy to defeat or… confuse?"

"Confuse, no. But I do not know about defeating. Neither I nor his majesty ever tried."

"Those creatures that entered Scotland the night you died, are they similar to them?"

Scot quirked an eyebrow in thought. "Possible. I do not know. Those ghouls were corpses of victims that the vampires returned to the fortress."

Yuniko frowned thoughtfully and reached for Yugi and Yohim. 'What do you think?'

That we should wait, Yugi said. We don't know how Crow will contact us.

I agree. We should let Crow take the next step. We have many bites out.

Yuniko blinked when Malik's face suddenly passed her mind from Yugi, and she smiled a little. She had missed the easiest way to come near Crow. 'Thank you, Yugi.'

Anytime, Yuni.

The princess looked up into Scot's worried eyes. "I will defeat Crow, and I will free you when I am done with him. Until then, please be patient and trust me."

The old priest stared, then he straightened up and bowed deeply for his former princess. "Always, your highness."

Ryou waited outside Scot's office and fell in beside his smiling friend. "What happened? What did he want?"

"Assurance," Yugi said. "As to what happened; nothing actually. He asked some questions and I answered them. I have new information as well, does Seto have lunch the same time as we today?"

The library seemed to have become their meeting place. Seto strode in and sat at the small table with Malik on his heels, almost running to keep up with the tall teen. Yugi wasted no time, keeping his voice low.

"Crow has taken the baits," he informed.

"Is he coming?" Malik asked, still slightly out of breath.

"That is the problem it seems. He is surrounded by the media, thus making it hard for him to pop up here and have his way."

"That's a good thing," Ryou replied. "We can't fight here."

"True, but there seem to be one thing I almost missed." He smiled at Malik who blinked in confusion. "You said your father worked for him, right?"

"Yes he does. I'm not sure in what department though. I never asked."

"Ask your dad. Your cousin will probably catch Crow's attention, who might mention his relationship with you who is a friend of mine and through Rashid find your father and that way find you."

Malik, Ryou and Seto all stared at him in confusion, not understanding where their friend was heading.

"Don't you see. We gave Rashid some for a realist unbelievable information that, I truly hope, he can't help but mention to someone or some people and that will start a rumour, plus the little touch I gave him for protection. Crow have all eyes and ears out for me and that is a rumour he will pick up on for sure. Through Rashid Crow can find out about his cousin's friends talking bullshit, pretend to be interested in that cousin's father, invite that cousin's father to his place, or invite himself to Malik's father's place. This is information your father will be happy to share with his family, and you Malik, will tell me all about it."

Malik's eyes had grown during the entire speech, and now his jaw lay on the floor. He soon recovered and glared half-heartedly at Yugi. "It's risky."

Yugi snorted in amusement, remembering Yohim saying those exact words the day before. "There is nothing to win if you are afraid to lose," he repeated Yuniko's words softly.

"Is that really the only way?" Seto asked.

"No, but it's the way I hope for."

"Why?" Malik asked with wide eyes. Yugi bit his lip and frowned, his green eyes saying all about how worried he was under his confident shell.

"If a family member of Malik's were to disappear they have friends who would wonder where they had gone to, someone has information etc. Crow has no way to harm anybody without causing a riot. And because the other ways are through Bakura or my brother."

Ryou's eyes widened in horror. "And both of them know about the past."

"That and worse," Yugi sighed. "Crow knows both of them, and I fear they know about Crow."

When Yugi finally got home that night he found his brother in the kitchen, staring at Crow's picture.

"Brother?"

Yami jumped and spun around, a shadow still left in his eyes.

"Oh, hi Yugi. Didn't hear you come in."

"Just got inside the door. Is that today's paper?"

"No, yesterday's," Yami said and turned back. Yugi got a cold feeling in his stomach and made an effort not to let it show on his face.

"Are you all right?"

It took a while before the elder answered, not because he hadn't heard, he wanted to answer truthfully. "I don't know," he answered at last, not once taking his eyes from Crow's picture. "It's this guy. He seems to be hunting me. When I first saw him I wanted to hunt him down and kill him." He turned to his younger brother with what he visibly hoped was a cheerful smile. "Silly, huh?"

Yugi gave him a sad look. "Not at all, brother." He placed a hand lightly on the paper over Crow's face. A circle, like a ripple on water, shook through the paper and Yami's eyes widened. Yugi took his hand back and turned away. "Not at all."

As Yugi walked out of the room Yami was left staring at Crow's real face, his form sitting on the floor with the moonlight shining through the window lightning up his right side, causing his only eye to glow. It was the image Yuniko remembered from the night before her false wedding.

Things seemed to happen quickly. Evening that same day Malik's dad came home with the broadest smile ever.

"Hi dad, what's with the smile," Isis asked, her own face smiling because her father's was.

"You can never guess what happened today," the man informed proudly, his chest growing bigger. Malik felt how his stomach knotted.

"Your boss is interested in you and wants to talk about it over dinner?"

Mr. Ishtar gaped at his son. "Wow, how'd you figure that out?"

Malik fidgeted uncomfortably, not daring to answer or look at his dad.

"I see. You're in collusion with Rashid. Mr. Crow mentioned he had met him and they had talked."

"Is he coming here?" Malik asked, trying hard not to let his dismay show on his face.

"Yes, tomorrow he managed to get the evening off. I'm going to escort him here so make sure you appear at your best tomorrow. This may be my great chance."

The phone rang and Isis answered as Malik started to prepare tea for them all. Mrs. Ishtar wasn't home yet, and her husband was obviously bursting with eagerness to tell her the wonderful news.

"Malik's it's for you," Isis called. "Some Atemu."

Malik stared at his sister. "One day I'm gonna figure that guy out. Watch the tea."

Surprised at the answer Isis took over as Malik tried not to rush to the phone. "Yugi?"

"Malik? What's wrong?"

Malik sighed heavily, almost in relief. Yugi already knew him well enough to tell when he was upset. "You were right. Crow is coming. Tomorrow. Dad just got home and told us he's gonna escort him here tomorrow evening."

It was silent on the other line for some time. "Then you must come here tonight. I hoped this would take some more time but Crow is obviously eager to find me. I have something to tell you when you come here."

"I'm on my way."

"Good. See you later."

Malik strode over to the door and grabbed his jacket and almost collided with his mother in the door.

"Malik! Where do you think you're going?"

"To Yugi's. Something's up and I must be there. I promise I won't be too late back. See you. And dad's home. "

Before Mrs. Ishtar had the chance to protest her son was out the door and down the stairs, leaving the building on his way to Yugi's place.

Yugi was actually waiting outside the door for his friend.

"What is it?" Malik ansked. He was out of breath for running the entire way here. He didn't know the town well enough to dare to take any shortcuts so the run had been longer than it should.

"Here."

Malik's breath caught as he saw the object his friend held out to him. Malin recognized it immediately and her first impulse was to yell and hit. "You cut yourself again."

"I don't know how much effect Yuniko's blood has to this day. I had to do it to ensure you're all safe."

"Ryou and Seto?"

"I was at Ryou's place earlier and sent one to Seto through his mother's people. I thought it could wait until tomorrow, but with Crow so obviously in hurry I doubt he will be still tonight."

Malik still glared at his shorter friend, and Yugi had the shame to break the eye contact.

"You still cut yourself."

Sad blue eyes looked up into Malik's scared and angry purple ones. "What other choice do I have? Crow will notice if I start putting up barriers everywhere. I can't let the world know. I can't let brother know."

Malik looked down and swallowed hard. "I know that." Tears burned behind Malin's eyes. "I know that. That is why I am so scared. I am scared of Crow, I am scared of the future and I am scared of the consequences of this battle. I remember so well, Yuni. I remember the feeling of watching you battle knowing I could not help you, knowing you did not even want my help. I can not even start describing the feeling of seeing you turned to stone."

Yuniko took her friend's trembling hand and placed the red pearl in her hand. "I know you are scared." She closed Malin's fingers around her blood. "I know you are suffering and that I am the cause. But please trust me. This time I really need your help to fight. All I can do until then is making sure you will stay with me."

"Yugi?"

A blink of an eye and Yugi and Malik looked up at Yami in the door.

"What are you doing out here? Why don't you come in?"

"No," Malik said, holding up his fist. "I'm just here to get something I forgot last time I was here. I'll leave right away."

Yami shrugged his shoulders as he accepted the answer. "Well then. It's getting chilly. Come on in, Yugi."

"Okay, brother." Yugi turned back to his Egyptian friend. "I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Yes, of course."

Right before Yugi entered the house though he turned around. "You remember that night when father Scot died?"

Malik blinked, a second later Malin's memory of Father Scot and the night he had died reached him. "Oh, yes. What about it?"

"The puppets that was there, he has something similar."

Evening came too quickly the next day. Malik was all but prepared for Crow's visit and it showed with extreme obviousness. Yugi, Yuniko and Yohim had all together made their best efforts to comfort and calm him, with only half as good results as they had hoped. Seto and Ryou had been told of the news and had stayed as close as they could the whole day. It was the best they could do and Malik was more than grateful for their care. But this was Crow! An almost thousand years old vampire with company was coming to his place and Malik was alone. His family was all smiles and eagerness, and that made it even harder to be calm. They had no clue who they were dealing with. '"Ignorance is a bliss" is a very good quotation,' he realized.

Right as the bell chimed to signal the food was ready the front door opened and Mr. Ishtar's voice was heard welcoming their guest into their humble home. Malik felt how the air got colder, but his family seemed not to notice as his mother asked Isis to welcome their guest into the living room turned dining room.

Isis, dressed in a simple white gown with no waistline that exposed both shoulders, walked with trained elegance towards the front door. Her black hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, but she had left two small braids to fall from behind her ears to her chest. Malik saw her bow slightly for the monster he knew stood in the doorway.

Malik had dressed in the same white material as his sister; soft pants and a shirt without buttons that was tied at his waist with a dark purple sash. Beneath the shirt he had a dark blue tank top that brought out the colour of his eyes. And around his neck hung Yugi's blood in a frozen, crimson drop.

Mrs. Ishtar was a sight in herself. Her sand coloured gown just barely hung off her slim shoulders and had embroideries of flowers and birds around the neck while the rest hugged her shapes before it fell to the floor in its simplicity. Around her delicate wrists were many bracelets that chimed when she moved. She wore her hair as the married woman she was with a golden hair clip. Had this been before Malik's experience of being a woman he would never have noticed all the small details that highlighted his mother's beauty and status.

When Crow finally stepped into the room Malik noticed two things and stared with wide eyes, but managed to keep his mouth shut. The vampire was as terrifying as ever, and that scarlet suit he wore was just awful.

"Welcome, Mr. Crow."

Mrs. Ishtar's voice broke through the shock and Malik bowed to hide his face. Men didn't wear their hair up, so Malik's long platinum blond hair did a great job covering his expression.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ishtar." Crow gave her a quick overlook and grinned. "And of course such a beautiful woman had to be married." Malik's mother flushed slightly but managed to cover it up with a smile.

When Crow's eyes landed on Malik the young boy couldn't look away. The right side of the vampire's face was covered with his silvery hair, and the intense green colour of his only eye burnt. There was no doubt; this was definitely the same monster from four hundred years ago, from nine hundred years ago.

"Let me introduce you to my son, Malik. He is shy, so please don't worry if he doesn't answer when you talk to him."

Crow ginned again, his only eye never leaving Malik's. "Of course."

Dinner went rather smoothly. Crow ate and prised the food like he was supposed to do and proved to have good manners a he charmed both Isis and her mother. How he managed was a mystery to Malik. He was still terrified of the man. They discussed the new position of Malik's father and Crow made a good impression of actually having had his eyes on the man for quite some time.

When Isis and Mrs. Ishtar after two hours took care of the dishes Crow suddenly turned to Malik. "That's an interesting gem you have there, son."

"He got that from Atemu, a friend of his," Isis said as she came back from the kitchen to get the last dishes. Malik hadn't been allowed to talk all evening, and for once he had been grateful for that, until now.

Malik's blood froze and his eyes widened. Why hadn't he thought of that? Atemu was the name of Yuniko's brother and now it was Yugi's last name, and Yami's too and Yami was Atemu reborn. Now it would be easy for Crow to track them both down.

"Atemu?" Crow's voice was soft, but his tone sent cold shivers down the youngest Egyptian's spine. "I had a friend by that name once. A very long time ago."

"He was never your friend," Malik hissed before he could stop himself.

"Excuse me?"

Mr. Ishtar quickly recovered from his son's tone and started laughing. "Oh my boy. Such imagination you have. Mr. Crow. Malik's friend is a teenager, a classmate. Isn't that right?"

"Of course it is," Malik answered with a straight face. "Now. It was different last week. Or should I say…" he glanced at Crow with cold eyes from under his fringe, "four hundred years ago."

Mrs. Ishtar shot in and tried to save the situation. After all, she could only see this from her greedy human point of view. "Mr. Crow, Malik returned from the hospital last Wednesday. He is still suffering from the dreams he had."

"Dreams are interesting," Crow said calmly, not at all caring about the worried looks from the boy's parents. "They can be twisted, but they are true to what we really think, because it is the own brain that makes it up." His green eye refocused on Malik. "Did Atemu appear in your dream?"

Malik noticed Crow asked for the prince, the Battle Princess's brother. "Yes."

"Who was he?"

His parents worriedly watched, unable to come up with something to say since Isis was still preparing the dessert and Crow seemed honesty interested in what Malik had to say. They only saw a powerful, rich man talk to their child, and all they could think was all the things Malik could say to ruin everything. To them Malik was the family's black sheep, someone who brought disaster wherever he went and only got into trouble.

Malik stared at Crow with a frown in place, not even trying to hide his distrust.

"You should lead him to me. That spares me the trouble of hunting him down."

Malin straightened up in the chair.

"Prince Atemu of Scotland. The man who saved me when my mother and sister was about to beat me to death."

Isis with parents paled visibly. Only Crow looked delighted, even if he tried to put on a slightly startled face. "Is that so? How terrible. What happened then?"

"I do not know much. That was the last time I ever saw them. When I regained consciousness the princess was there and she took care of me. His highness never mentioned anything, but the late king had a hot temper. I suppose they were executed."

Malik's parents and sister no longer existed in the room for the two enemies. Had they spoken they would not be heeded.

"Sad to hear that." That's what Crow's mouth said, his eyes told a different story altogether.

"Why? They only used me. I was not their child, I was their slave, I was the one they blamed and punished when anything went wrong." Malin's eyes were cold. "But you already know that, do you not?"

Crow grinned. "Interesting. Then I have only one more question for you."

"No need. She is waiting for you."

Crow stood. "Good. Then I will pay her a visit. I am positive you will see her tomorrow, so please send her majesty my regards." The vampire turned to Malik's frozen parents.

"I would if you had any to give," Malin said coldly. "But I will tell her all about this evening. I am sure she will find it as informative as you."

Crow smirked and leaned closer to hiss into her ear. "Ever the sharp-tongued bitch, are you not, Miss Malin?" Then he turned to Malik's parents. "Then I shall thank you for this wonderful evening. You have been of great help."

Crow turned and left, calmly closing the door after him. Malin sighed in relief, but Mr. Ishtar only saw his chance of promotion fly out the window.

"Malik!" Mrs. Ishtar hissed angrily. "What do you think you're doing? How dare you talk like that to Mr. Crow?"

Malin turned to them, surprised to find unfamiliar faces in the room. "Who are you?" Then Malik returned from where he had hidden in Malin's stronger mind. Just in time to feel the back of his mother's hand connect with his face.

"Idiot! How dare you?! You just ruined your father's chance of promotion. How dare you-"

"YOU'RE NOT MY FAMILY!"

At Malik's scream everything stilled. Mrs. Ishtar's stopped with raised hand and her face paled, her husband stopped breathing and Isis felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. Malik stood still, panting.

"I'm not your son," he rephrased. "I don't know what the hell I am to you. You don't love me, that's for sure. I disappeared somewhere along the line and now all you can think of is to satisfy your greed. Did you even notice how cold it got in here when that man arrived? I know the truth and am marked as the one who lies."

Mrs. Ishtar slapped Malik again in vain attempt to silence him.

"Sure, keep going." Malik glared at his mother with tears escaping his eyes. "Hitting me is the only way to control me, isn't that what you think? At least it seems to be the only way you know of. You've forgotten all about kindness. You know, you could have sold me long ago, when you felt like I was becoming a burden to you. At least then I might have known what it is like to be loved."

Malik turned on his heels to return to his room, leaving his family in cold silence. But in the door to his room he stopped.

A chocked gunshot sounded and the Ishtar son flew backwards onto the floor. His parents couldn't move, but Isis was at his side in no time.

"Malik!"

Isis's brother sat up, holding his chest where he had thought he felt the bullet, but there was no blood and it didn't hurt. Around his neck Yugi's blood was warm. "The puppets that was there, he has something similar."

Malik stared at the being standing in his window. This was the fifth floor, which could only mean one thing; Crow's puppets.

Isis stared and screamed. The puppet, a man with very pale face and black suit and glasses aimed the gun at her. But Malik would have none of that. He threw himself over his sister's back.

The bullet hit, but under the Battle Princesses' protection nothing would be able to harm the teen. Malin, due to her way longer experience of fighting, reached for her knives, only to realize Malik had never worn any.

"I need a knife!" Malin yelled as she pushed Malik's sister out of harms way.

Strong hands suddenly grabbed them both and pulled them into another room where the door was closed and locked. When Malik checked he found himself in his parents' bedroom with both of them busy pulling the double bed in front of the door.

"Now he won't get in," Mr. Ishtar said. His face was unhealthy pale and he looked like he was going to be sick at any given moment. His wife wasn't in a much better condition. There where noises on the other side of the door, and it was no human voices.

"What is that thing?" Isis asked.

"One of Crow's puppets, but there's probably more than one," Malik answered. He was petrified. Locked in here they were helpless. His own parents had just forced them into a dead end with no way out. Here there was nothing he could use to protect them with.

"Crow's what?" Isis breathed. With all his family's wide-eyed and disbelieving attention Malik avoided their stares and grabbed Yugi's blood with both hands. The noises beyond the door silenced.

"Think for yourselves for once," he almost hissed. "Crow never intended to promote anyone. He only wanted to know where the princess is. We talked to Rashid two days ago and told him about the princess and Crow's obsession of finding her. The fastest way was through me who is her friend. And to get to me he used you." Malik glared at his father. "And now when he has the information he wanted, we who know it as well must die. That monster has enough money to cover his tracks."

Suddenly, so much in fact everyone jumped away, the window broke.

'They did make it to my room,' Malik managed to think before he realized what that meant. The door broke and the Crows puppets climbed through the hole and over the bed. Their human disguise was melting away, showing what they really were; walking corpses. They were trapped like birds in a cage. If they jumped out the windows they'd be crushed against the pavement.

Mil recognized this situation. The clan leader in the other room and darkness closing in on him and his brother. But Ry wasn't here now. He was alone and the darkness threatened to choke him. He closed his eyes as tears started to burn behind them.

"Ma Yoro…"

Yugi's blood suddenly exploded with light and warmth. It was so sharp anyone would get blind by looking at it. But this was the light of God's chosen one, a saint who had once defeated the Devil's mistake. The light chased away everything that Mil was scared of and he looked up into his adoptive mother's warm brown eyes.

Hush now, she said when she took him in her arms. There is nothing to be scared of now.

As true as the sun. When the light faded there was nothing there to be afraid of. All that proved there had been something in the apartment were two broken windows and the ripped off door to the room they were in.