A World of Misfit's. . .

The Circus Master's eyes narrowed with concern.
"Perhaps we should go see Vate about this. . ."

She looked at her shoulder, "Yea I know it's just. . ."

Again THe Circus Master wondered what.


"That's where my father had hurt me last year. . .I thought it would heal but everytime I use My Shadow powers. . ."

"It worsens doesn't it?" Shadow nodded her head slowly.

"I have been trying not to but. . ."

"I have been making you. . ." She cursed quitely under her breath

There was silence for a moment, finally broken by The Circus Master.

"Come. You do not have to use your Shadow powers any longer, but we must get something to help that heal swiftly."

The Circus Master led her to the Infirmary, "Vate?"

"Yes, Milady?" He called from a high perch in the room.

"Shadowstep needs assistance."

"Be right there!" Clanging could be heard, he must have climbed down because when he got there he was breathing a little hard. "Yes?"

"Have you treated a Shadow-Walker before?" Shadow asked.

"Well, for battle wounds yes."

"How about this?" She showed him the mark on her shoulder.

Vate gave a soft whistle. "I don't believe so, but that will not deterr me from trying."

He turned towards a faded medical book and began turning through their delicate pages until he found a chapter about Shadow-Walkers.
"So, how did you recieve this injury, Miss ShadowStep?"

". . . .From my Father. . . "

Vate blinked, his cat ears drooping in sorrow. "I am so sorry for you," he replied earnestly. "I can't even imagine. . ."

She smiled weakly, "It's fine. . ."

"Um, do you know what he hurt you with?" She crouched down and pulled a dagger out of her boot. She tossed it to The Circus Master.

"It's an Enchanted blade. . ." The Circus Master looked at it.

"Look closer. . ." Shadow advised.

The Circus Master did so noticeing a small ingraved curse, "He used this?"

Shadowstep nodded, "IT killed many people making it evil, he then engraved that and stabbed me. . ."

Vate delicately took the blade from the Circus Master, placing it next to his book.
He flipped through a few pages, chewing on his bottom lip before finally sighing and shaking his head.

"I have to way to permanetly fix it, as of yet. . . But in the meantime. . . "
He reached up into a cabnit, jam packed with herbs, tonics, and medicine, and drew out a small vial filled with a soft blue liquid.

He soaked a few bandages in the vial and placed them over the wound.
"Soak a few bandages in this every morning and replace them. It will be an antiseptic and help the wound heal."

Vate carefully placed the bandages on her Shoulder, "Oh and let them dry on you, so no clothing besides maybe a tank top."

"I can lend you some of mine." The Circus Master said almost after that, she didn't want shadow useing her powers.

"Oh. . .thanks. . ."

"Be sure to not use your powers, we don't need that getting worse."

"Yea. . .I know. . ." Shadow left the Infirmary and went with the Circus Master, once leaveing the Circus Master's tent with Her Tank top on and A pair of jeans with her Combat boots, everyone was staring at her again.

ShadowStep was beginning to become irritated.
Why did they have to stare? WHycouldn't they just ignore her or--

"Hey."

She stopped, realizing the person had been calling out to her. She turned to see a girl near her age with short, wavy hair, and headphones with music blaring far too loud staring at her.

"Hello. . ."
"I'm Mirage. You're ShadowStep, right?"

"Y-Yea, Mirror. Is there something you need?" Shadowstep felt akward, getting so much attention.

"Yea! Could you come here i need something transported here, like, right now. . ."

Shadowstep looked at her wound, "Don't use your powers for anything." The Circus master's words rang out in her head.
"Uh. Yea, I'll help what is it?" Mirror dragged her toward the tent, she handed the mirror to her. Told her the location and what item it was.

"Ok so you do know what to do right?"

"Yea, I have done it twice now."

"Cool! Oh, and I'm digging the outfit. Looks good on you!"

"Thanks. . ." Shadowstep did so and started the process, she sucessfully did the process and got the iem that Mirror needed. She smiled, then suddenly passed out, faling to the floor with a thud.

When Shadow awoke she was in the Circus' infirmary.
She winced, pain flowing over her.

Vate sat a few feet away, The Commader next to him.
The Commader turned his hypnotic silver eyes on ShadowStep. "Milday Masssster told you not to usssse your ssshadow abilitiesss, hm?"
ShadowStep nodded and looked down, about to speak when pain seared through her again.
"Please be careful, Miss Shadow!!" Vate rushes. "T-the wound has, is, spreading to your heart. . . "

She nodded, "I was ignorant. . .I. . .I just want the people to stop stareing. . .", a tear reached her eye. "I don't want to be the outcast of the outcast." The tear carefully slide it's way down her cheek and onto the pillow, even if she was a shadow being it was still seen when the light had hit it.

"Misss Ssssshadow, The Massster wisssshesssss to ssssssee you." The Commander spoke in a firm tone.

Shadow turned her head sideways, "Of course she does. . .Probably wanting to yell at me just like father. . ."

Vate's ears drooped back, "She probably just wants to watch you, Ya know? Make sure you don't use those powers of yours."

ShadowStep nodded forlornly and awaited her fate as Vate and The Commander left the room and The Circus Master entered.

"Hey. . ."

"Privejt. . " She responded icily.
Ouch, Shadow winced, this was not starting off well. She was about to speak again when The Circus Master sighed.
"ShadowStep, I told you not too." She said, genteler this time.
"Things will go so much better for you if you listen."

"I'm sorry. . I just-"
"Do not want to be rejected by rejects?"
"Yes. . "
"I understand. . . But you could have told Mirage 'nyet'. She would have understood."

The Circus Master took a seat next to the young Shadow-Walker.
ShadowStep felt a pang of sorrow, not because she had disobeyed. . .

But because sitting here, looking at the Circus' leader, she could see that despite being on twenty-one years of age. . .
Aya, The Circus Master, had suffered lifetimes of hardship.

"I just want what is best for you, Shadow."

"I know. . .but it's so hard. . .The stareing, The whispering, The rumors. . .," The air around the Young Shadow-Walker started crackling with anger and depression, "I just wish it would all go AWAY!"

"Shadowstep, you don't think i know that? How often do you think we have to hold a circus performance to pay the government to keep quite about us? To pay off food loans? How hard do you think it is for these innocent people to display their deformites to others just to watch them Laugh at them?" The Circus Master seemed angry, she was clenching her fist.

"I know it's hard but it is still. . . " Again, Shadowstep's form flickered into the tall, thin, elegant woman. The light in her shoulder was turning her human.

The Circus Master let out a heavy sigh.
"They do accept you as what they are, you must now prove to them who you are."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we have other Shadow-Walkers here, they are doing just fine. But we have had many a traitor over just this year. . "
She stopped for a moment, looking down.
"They just want to make sure you are as loyal as you seem. . ."

"If they know I'm loyal then why don't they try me?"

"Because, I have sent word for them not to."

Shadowstep leaned up, but the pain forced her back down. "You told them?" She sounded shocked.

"It. . .was the only option, Mirror feels bad. She said if she had know. . .She would have found another way. . ."

Shadowstep turned her head away, "They will know. . .," her fist clenched the blanket, "They will know i am weak and they will come after me. . ."

"Who? Who would come after you?"

"My Father's cursed servents. . . Slaves to do his bidding. . "

The Circus Master closed her eyes, this was just what she needed.
"It does not matter if they come, Shadow. You are apart of this family now, we will not let them harm you. . ."

" I know, but even if you stop them. That will just be at first. . .Anyone in his kingdom will come after me. . .he wants me dead. He wants a male as an Heir to the throne. Females are nothing but useless . . ."

The Circus Master lightly placed a hand on her un-wounded shoulder, "It's ok. We will hide you. Even if your father believes you are useless, you are of quite the use here. We could even use your Alchemy tivks in the Circus acts."

"How so?" She seemed interested.

"Perfomances. special effects, special entrances. . .just things that need. . ."

"A little Umph?"

The Circus Master laughed. "Yes, a little Umph~!"

ShadowStep felt a ghost of a smile touch her face.

"I really do believe you will love this family, Shadow, it will just take time."

Shadowstep's smiled slightly faded, "If they accept me. . ."

"Trust me i believe they will."

"Hey, could you get something for me?" Shadow asked curiously.

"Sure, What is the desired object you wish to posess?"

"I want items to make potions!" Shadow needed something to busy herself and keep her from noticeing the poeple staring at her, to keep her mind off the wound, most of all. She just wanted a friend.

The Circus Master nodded at once.
"Of course, right away."

~{*}~
A few moments later and Shadow stood at what almost seemed to be a small lab. Chemicals, magyk powders, and antcient scrolls lay everywhere.

"Will this be sufficent?"

"Sufficent? Hmm. . ."

"Will, is it?" The Circus Master asked, begining to become impatient.

"Sufficent. . .No. . ."

"I will ord-"

"IT'S FANTASIC!!!!!! I have never seen so many potions making supplies in my life!!" Shadowstep was squeaking with joy. The Circus Master decided that Yes, this would keep her busy.

"Is it because. . ."

"Yea, my father let me use household items. . .some weren't. . .that pretty. . ."

"So are you good for awhile?"

"Ve~! I love this!! Thank you so much!!" Shadow was already rumging though things.

"Excellent, I will take my leave then." She had barely walked out of the tent when an explosion was heard behind her, automatically turning around she saw Shadow.

"Duuuuddeee, that was cool!" She mixed The Sparkling Blue Fairy Powder with Crocodile Tears and cast one of the spells again, another explosion. Causeing the young Shadow-Walker to burst out laughing.

"That's different. . ." The Circus Master watched as Shadow made Lions and Bears form out of the Smoke and Explosions.

She smiled slightly. "I shall check up on her later. . ."

~{*}~
Dinner was approaching fast. The Circus Master made her way back to where she had left ShadowStep, wondering if the Shadow-Walker had stayed entertained. The Commander followed close behind her.

The Commander looked at The Circus Master, "Are you sssure ssshe isss fine?"

"I. . .Am pretty sure. . ." Laughter was heard and then another explosion. . ..
" Okay maybe not so much now. . .

The Commander and The Circus Master walked up to the tent, they steped on a pressure plate, which broke glass, which mixed chemicals, which then sent a flurry of sparks and smoke around them.

"Hey, that worked better then i origanly thought. . .Good thing your clothes didn't light on fire!"

"What!?!??!" The Circus Master was shocked.

"Chemicals are fun~!" Shadow mixed two more, causeing a small firworks display.

"Are you crazy? you could have killed usssssss!!" The Commander disliked her actions. . .

The Circus Master gentley lay her hand on his arm. "Calm down, Lynnick." she breathed softly. "Now that I know what she is capable of we will have her stationed else where."

He nodded. "Asss you wissssh, Milady."
The Circus Master smiled and caught ShadowStep by her arm. "Come along, dinner awaits! I believe tonight we are having turkey."