The night was young. Usually he waited until much, much later, but Shadow had grown anxious and taken a stroll. He stood in front of an apartment complex, leaning on his current weapon. His stomach was sore, but not debilitating so, thanks to some pain medication. He hopped the fence that surrounded the complex and, finding the place he wanted, pried open a window and let himself in.

Mana bobbed her head up and down to the music that was playing on her CD Player, stroking Muffin and reading a book she had borrowed from the library. She heard nothing when the window was pried open, concentrating only on the lyrics vibrating through her head.

Shadow grinned. The music sounding through the apartment had a good beat. He couldn't help himself as he danced around the room he was in, taking items and placing them into his bag. He shuffled into the next room, arms twirling above his head as he grabbed objects on higher shelves. When he got all he wanted he put the bag next to the window and silently danced down the hallway. It wasn't until he was near her that he made himself known with staccato steps.

Mana tilted her head, hearing something other than the music in her apartment. Turning to look up, she saw a figure standing near her, one she had only heard described in news reports. Turning the music down so that she could hear herself think, she made a confused face. "You're....Shadow?" She asked him, still stroking her cat.

Shadow frowned when the music was turned down, but that didn't stop him from finishing his twirl and ending with a bow. "I am, I am," he said, straightening up. "And you're Mary Poppins, correct?"

Mana couldn't help it. The thought of her being connected to anyone other then herself made er laugh. "My name's Mana, actually!" She said, standing up. "Even though I shouldn't be telling you this because you were being mean and scary to my friends. Which was really bad."

"Mana? Silly name, you're Mary." Shadow crossed his arms and glared at her to show that there would be no corrections. "And it wasn't as if I was mean. They just don't know how to play well. But you do, right?" His voice hitched up into a playful tone as he took a few steps closer. The weapon he had came into full view. It was a Dark Magicians staff, well crafted. He had changed it so it wouldn't be as heavy as it had been, but it would still be effective for his purposes.

Mana bit her lip. Shadow was as scary as she had imagined, maybe even a little scarier. "Yeah...um...sure! We'll go with that name. But, where'd you get that?" Mana pointed to the Dark Magician staff, feeling Muffin grow agitated under her other hand. He pointed to the staff, tilting it every which way. "This little thing? Just at a store." He picked it up and started twirling it, gliding towards her. It was a beautiful staff. However, it was missing something, and that could easily be fixed. He stopped the staff mid-twirl and shot it out towards her like a baseball bat.

Mana had watched the staff twirl until it stopped. "Wha--" Her question was stopped short by the collision of the object with her shoulder, dropping Mana to the floor. "Ow!" She exclaimed, looking at the injured area. "That hurt! I don't think this is really a fun game to play...maybe we could try something a little less violent? I don't want to hurt you or anyone else!"

Shadow started at her in disbelief before falling to the floor in fits of laughter. "You...hurt me?" That was rich. Besides, Mary Poppins was that nice lady that traveled around with her umbrella. And he was going to be the lightening that struck her down. He picked himself up off the floor, his laughter finally subsiding. "Hey, Mary, spoon full of sugar this!" He lifted the staff high above his head and brought it down.

Her eyes wide with fear, Mana felt the staff collide with the back of her head as she ducked. Hands travelling to the spot, she felt the cold wet touch of blood drip down her neck. "That...it...wasn't very nice...." She choked out, grabbing the table behind her to hoist herself off of the floor. Scrounging for her book, she held it up in a feeble attempt to defend herself without attempting to use her magic. "Please...why..do you hurt people...they don't do anything to you..."

The top of the staff dragged across the ground as he brought it closer to him. "Oh Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? That's why I do it." He saw her blood covered hands and the dark stain on the staff. There was a tingling in his heart.

"It's not really funny to hit people....especially over..the head." Mana saw Muffin crouching behind Shadow, her hair up and ready to attack whoever was hurting it's master. Clasping onto Shadow's ankle with it's sharp teeth, Muffin bit hard before letting go. "See? Even Muffin...doesn't like you." Shadow cursed at the small wounds. Stupid cat. He kicked Muffin away, smiling as she skidded across the floor. "Well I'm not too fond of Muffin either, being as rude as she is." He turned his attention back towards Mana, the staff in front of him.

"Muffin!" Mana shouted, taking a step toward the small cat. "You hurt her!" Eyes set on Shadow, she gave him the most ferocious glare she could muster. "It's mean to hurt cats. They're special to Egyptians! Meanie!" Taking her book, she held it as a throwing tool, sending it flying out of her blood-stained hands and- she hoped- at Shadow. The book nailed Shadow in the head and his neck whipped back, almost causing him to fall. He brought his hand up to his head, the mask hiding the fact if it was bleeding or not. His Mary was not as nice as she should be. That hurt! "I think it's time I taught you some manners!" He screamed and lunged towards her. His hands moved to the middle of the staff so he could use both ends to teach her with.

Screaming, Mana automatically ducked. "Sorry! Sorry! That's why I don't like to hurt people.....they always hurt back...!" Scrambling to hide under the desk, she cowered in fear. Hurting people was never an option in her mind- throwing things was strictly self-defense.

"One little, two little, three little Egyptians. Four little, five little, six little Egyptians. Seven little, eight little, nine little Egyptians. Ten little Egyptian girls." He poked around, knowing she had taken refuge under a desk, but enjoyed feigning ignorance. "But I don't want ten." He quieted his steps so they couldn't be heard and made his way on top of the desk. His body was silent as he slid over. Suddenly, his head peered down and he saw her frightened face. "I just want one."

"How'd you...what...That was really really scary and you're right there!" She studdered. This was too frightening to even imagine it happening in Egypt, let alone happening to her. "Why'd you come here? Why'd you hurt Muffin? Why can't you just be nice?" Mana asked in a hurry, half hoping she'd get the answers she desired.

Shadow hopped down and kneeled in front of her, staff standing at his side. "I was just walking along, trying to find my flock, when I realized I was close to Mary's house. But my sheep aren't here, only a silly cat and a silly Mary." He let his staff fall to the floor and he pulled out his knife.

Mana watched the staff fall to the floor, fear making her eyes even wider than they were before. "But you don't own any sheep, do you? I mean it's possible, really, but where would they stay? And I'm not silly, and neither is Muffin!" Mana bit her lip, hard enough to pierce the skin a tiny bit. She was worried, and tried not to show it.

"I have imaginary sheep that eat the imaginary grass and I shave their imaginary fur as they jump over my head in dreams." He crawled under the desk towards her. His knife reached out and slashed at the left side of her waist. If he couldn't have a spoon full of sugar, he'd settle for many spoons of blood.

"Ow!" Mana clutched her waist, watching in horror as blood spilled out from the wound. Looking for a place to escape to, she realized that the only way out was through the opening that, unfortunately, Shadow was blocking. "Poor...sheep...." She told him lightly, feeling light headed from the blood loss. Shadow put his knife back and reached out wish his hand, touching it to her cheek. "Poor little sheep, poor little Mary." His fingers trailed over her face, stopping to linger on her lips, before they went down and cupped her chin. The gentleness was suddenly gone as he pushed her head back onto the desk front. "You're going to be a good girl, right?"

"Yes...yes....I'll be..good.." She nodded slightly, the scared look still frozen on her face. "I just...don't want...my friends to....get hurt again...." Mana's eyes pleaded with him, asking Shadow to stop his evil trail of so called "fun".

"I'm not done playing yet." He scooted out from under the desk, grabbed his staff, and stood up. "You have a sugar filled night, Mary." The bottom of his staff thumped on the ground as he used it as a can to walk away. His stomach was a little more sore then it had been from moving around, but he could handle it. He picked up the bag and tossed it out the window, and then jumped out himself. The moon above him was a sight to see and he couldn't hold himself back from shouting: "Boys and girl, come out to play! The moon doth shine as bright as day!"

Mana sat up from under the desk, looking out the window as she felt the blood loss catching up to her. "It's not very fun...." She whispered. "It hurts..really bad...." Falling backward onto the floor, unconciousness caught her in it's shadowy grasp, just like the man who had caused all this damage.