He tried to stay away from her as much as he could. She easily moved her way into people's hearts, captivating them in very unique and clever ways. Finding out what their pleasures were and giving gifts to satisfy them. He watched her every day, and yet he had little evidence that her intentions were laced with evil. However, evidence be what it may he still knew there was something wrong with her and he still didn't trust her. He was the only one left who she hadn't pleased and he wouldn't give her the chance. He wasn't going to be blinded by presents or relaxed by her cleverly used and carefully placed words or smiles. No it wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to let her fool him.

He stood at the top of the clock tower scanning the zoo and watching her whenever she caught his eye, as he had been doing for the past several days. Kowalski said he was just being paranoid, that he should calm down and accept that Maria wasn't evil at all. Kowalski, who had been easily fooled by Maria's looks and gifts, had foolishly given her his trust. As had everyone else in the zoo. It was his duty, as the last one with distrust, to ensure that they weren't harmed by her.

He watched her walk around the zoo. Private had told him that Maria was asking about him a lot, but no one knew enough about him to tell her anything of use. This was to be expected. He let very few know his personal thoughts, feelings and fears. None in the zoo knew enough to even scratch the surface of his mind, even though most of them thought they did. That gave him some relief, knowing that even his closest friends couldn't squeeze their way into his head. If they couldn't, she definitely won't be able to.

It was getting dark out. The sun was setting behind the dark buildings, casting rays of purple and red out behind sticks of sparkling black figures. Night was fast approaching. Night, full of thieves and villains, waiting…watching…choosing the weakest prey to prey upon and attacking with ferocity only known to surviving victims. Night was the realm of shadows. It was the time of parties. Where mistakes were made and lives were taken. A time of vulnerability to all those who were not of the heartless. Everyone was a possible victim in the hour of darkness. Skipper stared out into the ever reaching shadows as the sun continued to hide itself ever farther under the horizon. Catching the last glimpses of daylight until the sun traded with the moon.

The moon was very bright tonight. It was a full moon tonight, giving a slight lighting to the shadowy world of darkness. In the city though, its light was not needed for there was a light pole on almost every corner and the headlights from cars aided in lighting the sidewalks.

Skipper watched the roads for a while. Everything was quiet behind him so he assumed nothing was amiss. Nothing in the zoo anyway. However in the city there was never a dull moment. Someone somewhere was either (a)dying of a stab or gunfire or other fight related incident, (b) having a heart attack or seizure, after all there were a whole lot of people in the city (c) committing a crime (theft, kidnapping, vandalism, or (c) being drunk or crashing with a drunk driver ( there seemed to be an increased amount of hooligans like that) There were of course many d's and e's and f's to add but those were th most common, where the others would've been only occasional (once every three or four days usually). The world did have its funny sick ways of giving the police officers, firemen (though fires had been dying down in occurrence lately), and ERT's (emergency response teams) a break every once in a while.

The world was less fortunate to other people. Like himself. The world seemed to get a kick out of making something happen on a regularly regular schedule. Like tonight for example, when he turned around only to be face to face with the devil herself.

He stepped back slightly startled and then proceeded to glare at Maria as she flashed him a smile. He continued to glare.

"Oh come on now you can't be that angry with me?" she said sweetly putting her arms behind her back.

Skipper crossed his arms. "I don't trust you," he walked past her, "And it's going to take a lot more than sweet voices and cutesy smiles to change that." He stopped at the edge of the tower and turned back to her. "You aren't going to gain my trust as easily as the others. Get used to it. Girls like you can't be trusted. You are too perfect to be trusted." He turned to jump off the tower.

Maria abandoned her demeanor and replaced it with her regular one. It was obvious that he wasn't going to give her a chance. He was too closed up for it. He was too suspicious and paranoid. She didn't like being cutesy herself. She didn't like having to be so perfect either, it rather disgusted her. Abandoning her sweat voice and taking on her blessed dark voice that she loved oh so much she grinned at him and said, "You're right, but you see I have everyone else under my spell and since you are a paranoid little rat they won't believe anything you say about me. Relief to me but very dangerous to you. You see I hate being so perfect. I despise it with a haunting passion. However I do enjoy games, and with you as my prey I see that it will be a very fun game indeed."

Skipper stared at her. He knew it but he had hoped that he wouldn't be so right. She was evil. There was no other way to say it; her voice was dark and luminous, filled with a sadistic joy. Her entire being had abandoned its girly costume and revealed its true horrid nature. He was right; there was something wrong with this girl. She was here on a mission. A dark twisted mission and apparently he was her target. He knew that he would have to tread lightly with her, because she was not at all like his other enemies. She was different; dangerously different and he would have to figure her out before he made his next move. The most important information though, was that he was alone to deal with her. She really did have the entire zoo under her sick spell and none of them would believe him that she was dark and dangerous because he did have a paranoia problem. They wouldn't believe him because of his paranoia. A blessing and a terrible curse as Johnson had once said, was to be paranoid, if only because you end up being just as the boy who cried wolf, written off and left to deal with your issue alone.

And he was indeed alone with this black and white demon.

She smiled at him and walked over to him. Facing opposite the way he looked standing next to him she whispered tauntingly, "this will be lots of fun no?" she burst out laughing and leaped off the tower.

Skipper kept staring out into the city, looking past the cars and light poles. Past the buildings and alleyways. Past the stars and the moon, deep into the universe beyond. For the first time in a while he was genuinely afraid to face his enemy. There was something about her that was different from all the other enemies he'd had. He couldn't get that one fact out of his head. She was far more dangerous. He could feel it. He could feel how dangerous she was. It vibrated through his bones, putting his senses on full alert and raising his level of paranoia to a new height. He was afraid, not of the pain or the torturous mind games that probably lied ahead. No, this time he was afraid for him. For his life. Not only because he had always had a small fear of dying a horrific, terrible, gut wrenching death, but also because as the only person who knew her real nature, he felt that if he did die, he would open the door to others pain and suffering and ultimately the death of everyone else. Somehow, even if he didn't kill her or end her days of evil, he would have to make her agree to never touch anyone in the zoo. Why? Because that was part of who he was. Because he was her target. For now. Because he had an urge to make sure that she couldn't toy with anyone he cared about. And he was the only one standing in her way.

He sighed and turned to look back at the zoo. He'd protect them. All of them, even if it killed him. He hoped he didn't die though. Despite all of the people who hated him and annoyed him and ultimately made his life a living hell of misery and pain, he liked his life. It wasn't half bad. He also was the only one really capable to deal with many of the issues that popped up every now and then.

So he only had one choice- to make Maria leave the zoo (or the earth whichever worked best and/or came first) before she could wreak havoc or kill him.

She was the one who wanted to play this game. She chose when to start it, all he had to do was wait his turn and learn the rules. Oh what fun.

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been such a long time since I updated everything I am trying I really am. You have no idea how frustrating this F'ing writer's block has been. But I did get through enough to write something. Maybe it's not about the story u wanted me to update but it's a start. I just hope I haven't lost everyone yet. YnY