Shadow walked up to the house. Again. He hoped it would be his last time. Instead of strolling slowly and admiring the scenery of the night and how it gave an eerie presence to the surrounding houses, he focused only on getting in and getting things done. He could probably give a basic sketch of the neighborhood by memory. Once again he walked to the window he had been using to enter the house, finding it easy to open. He found he had to force himself to be quiet as he climbed inside the house and began walking from room to room to find the individual inside.

Bakura was in the kitchen of the Ishtar residence, leaning against the counter and eating a sandwich he had messily prepared for himself. As he stared out the kitchen window he quietly fingered his switchblade that rested in his pocket; a habit he'd created after Isis had been taken to hospital and he was the only one left in the house. He had nothing to do but look and listen, his senses tuned in as to notice any sound that didn't come from him or the kittens.

Room after room was empty. There was, however, a light on down the hall. Shadow smiled and shifted the weapon at his side. Though it at first had been an easily portable and much less visible weapon, his modifications left it unable to fold in on itself. The modificatios were necesariy, however, and for that he put up with the tip occasionally tapping the side of his leg. He stopped when he reached the edge of the hallway, looking first in the living room, where he saw no one, but he thought he saw a kitten, and then peered around the corner into the kitchen. There he was.

Bakura's ears caught a light tapping noise coming from down the hall and he glanced around, seeing nothing. He placed his sandwich on the counter and dared not breathe nor make a noise as he listened intently. This could be it...

Shadow watched as Bakura placed down the sorry excuse for a sandwich and froze on the spot. It seemed as if he had been found out, or at least suspected. Not wanting to keep his host in suspense for long, Shadow decided to make himself a friendly guess and slowly step from the hallway. He positioned himself so his right side could not be clearly seen. While he wanted to be nice, he didn't want to ruin his surprise that he had spent the earlier part of the night working on. He raised both hands up, showing he had no weapon at the moment. "Hi!" He said quite cheerfully and waved with both hands.

Bakura turned to face Shadow and smirked. "I've been waiting," He said, putting his thumb in his pocket to hide the switchblade. "What took you so long?" He tilted his head in mock interest, still smirking, eyeing the man.

"Just this and that," he replied. "Though it brings joy to my heart to know that you wanted me to come." Shadow took a few steps forward and pointed to the sandwich. "I hope I didn't interrupt."

"Seeing as I owe you something, I understand the best etiquette is to repay them as soon as possible. I was merely keeping that in mind." Bakura's eyes didn't leave Shadow as he pointed to the sandwich. "No, it's quite all right. Now, then... how best shall we go about this, Shadow... sama?" A smirk.

"Well aren't you just a kind soul, and so respectful to." Though Shadow spoke lightly, his hand moved over to his left side and rested on the handle of his weapon. He could quickly bring it from its resting place if the need arose, which he knew it would. And shortly, he hoped. "Since you are done with your meal I think we should start right now. I think I'll be kind and ask you to come at me first. Please do remember that I have a little bit more time to spend with you since I don't want anything from your house. There's no need to make things too gory too quickly, Gollum."

"Huh, you wish." He tightened his grip on his blade as Shadow's hand moved to his weapon. His eyes narrowed. "Fine, but that will only end the ass-kicking I'm about to give you faster." He sneered, staying still a few seconds, staring at Shadow, trying to figure out the best strategy for fighting him. It's been a while since he'd fought last, but he still remembered the basics, and that was pretty much all he needed at the moment. After minutes of silence between the two, Bakura whipped the blade from his pocket and flipped it open, lunging for Shadow's left side.

Shadow was slow to move, the blade bringing a rush of pain and energy into him all at once. It seemed that someone had also wanted to mark him, but little did he know that he was too late. Once he had finished moving, he pulled out his weapon. While it looked like a light-saber anyone could buy at the stores, he had adjusted so that the flimsy plastic saber was hard, solid plastic all the way through. He added a special touch by painting it a bright blue so if the light hit it just right it looked to glow. "It's no shining blue sword, but it'll do just fine." He brought it around to hit Bakura's back.

"FUCK," Bakura shouted, getting knocked to the tile of the kitchen floor, Pushing himself up, pain seared up his spine as he turned to face Shadow. Don't turn your back to him... hell, that was stupid, he mentally chastised himself. He went at Shadow again, making sure not to make the same mistake twice.

He couldn't hold back a laugh as he watched Bakura fall to the floor. However, he was not prepared for how the weight of the weapon threw him off balance. He hadn't done enough practicing, having just finished it not long before he came to the house. By the time he got the thing back up and himself in a good position to weild it again, Bakura was already on him, and he felt go into his arm. he winced and cursed, pulling back his arm in reflex. With his other arm he swung the weapon wildly.

Shadow's weapon came in contact with Bakura's stomach just as his knife was pulled out of Shadow's arm. He doubled over, spitting blood onto the floor, before straightening up again. A few ribs were broken, at the most. He could deal with that. Not for very long, though. He lunged at Shadow again, this time with less force than before. "This is for Ryou, you fucking bastard-!"

The weapon again caused Shadow to move slow, and this time Bakura's knife slid right into his stomach. He cried out, both in pain and frustration. His stomach seemed to get the most abuse during these nightly visits. Maybe some warm tea later that night could bring some forgiveness. He stumbled back and into the wall, leaning forward in pain. Blood fell in frequent drops to the floor. "Would Ryou really approve of this, Gollum? Would he want you to hurt me for him?"

Bakura wrapped his left arm across his ribs protectively while his opponent was temporarily incapacitated. He growled at Shadow's statement. "It is not your place to tell me what my hikari would or would not want me to do for him." He walked to the man who was hunched over against the wall and kicked him hard in the stomach, wincing at his own injuries from the movement. "I'll spare your life if you leave now and don't return. But keep in mind, if we ever meet again I will not be as merciful..."

Shadow folded into himself even more with the contact of the foot. He let out a jaring cough, blood spitting out. "Leave so soon?" He managed to get out. Though it was a struggle to get himself upright, he was finally successful. The switchblade stuck out from his stomach. He wrapped his fingers around the base and pulled it out, watching a new stream of blood come out. "But I'm not finished yet." He lunged forward and used Bakura's own knife to leave his mark on Bakura's left waist side.

Bakura clutched his side and took a few steps backwards, crimson blood flowing from his side, sticking to his fingers. If he wasn't angry before, he was now. "Get... the fuck... OUT," He growled furiously, stumbling as he reached backwards to hold himself up with the counter. He watched Shadow, now holding his knife, trying to think of a way to defend himself should he come at him again.

It seemed he had really irritated Bakura now. Shadow giggled and threw up his hands. He pretended to cower down in fear, those his eyes shone with the humor of the situation. Though maybe leaving wasn't such a bad idea. He had to get this wound taken care of soon; the pain in his stomach was starting to become unbearable. "Far be it from me to overstay my welcome. I really have no desire to stay in this house any longer then need be." He hooked his light-saber back to his side, tossed the switchblade into the living room and started heading for the front door, since it was closest.

The reaction from Bakura was nothing but a pained scowl as he watched Shadow return his weapon to his belt, dripping blood as he turned to go out the front door. "You overstayed your welcome long ago. Now leave." His voice was firm despite the searing pain in his side as he pointed in the direction of the front door. He took in the damage he'd done to the intruder, quite impressed with himself even though he himself was bleeding all over the floor...

When Shadow had rounded the corner, Bakura moved up behind him, hoping to leave him with a parting gift as he swung his arm back and thrust it forward at the back of his head.

Maybe it was the loss of blood and the pain that made him think that Bakura wouldn't do anything. He was leaving, after all. He didn't even hear him coming up, but he felt it when pain exploded in his head and he was suddenly up against the door, doing his best to grip the doorknob both to open it and to keep himself up. Everything was blurry as he struggled to open the door and get out of it without hitting anything. "Horrible host," he slurred as he stumbled down the front steps, half falling down them, doing his best to get going.

"Happy travels~" Bakura shouted after him, trying his best to mock a cheerful voice as Shadow half-walked, half-fell down the stairs. When he was far enough away from the house, Bakura slammed the door shut and locked it, now becoming quite disoriented from blood loss. He stumbled into what he thought was the living room to retrieve his switchblade, but instead fell to his hands and knees on the floor, panting as he bled. The pain from his back, side and ribs was reaching the point of unbearable. "Fuck..."

By the time the pain would've completely overcome him, he was already collapsed on the floor, unconscious.