The Singer and the Cop

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

Officer Fisch Grayson walked down the street, on patrol. He was finishing up his rounds, Lenore by his side. The Manectric was....bored. And so was he. Okay, so he was mostly tired. After all, with a high crime rate, you're always busy as a cop.

Manectric let out a yawn, ready for her turn at a piece of the action. Everyone ELSE got to help pursue someone... "Mushroom City, East Sector all clear. I'm headin' out."

With that, he walked into a small club and grabbed a drink, resting for a spell. Lenore, to her dismay, was called back.

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari was already on stage when the officer entered her bar. She had been singing for the past hour and a half, and was nearing her last few songs for the night. Normally, she wouldn't be getting off so eary, but Matthew had told her that she needed to snag a few extra customers that night, and her second job really did pay more than the first. Luckily, the manager had believed her "lost babysitter" story. 

She reached up, drawing the mic from the stand as she left her stool. Behind her, the piano started to pick up, playing a song she knew so well. It was a song she had listened to as a young teenager, despite her father's stern warnings against devil music.

It was a song that oddly fit her life now.

"You want all my love and my devotion 
You want my loving soul right on the line 
I have no doubt that I could love you forever 
The only trouble is, I really don't have the time 
I've got one night only, one night only 
That's all I have to spare 
One night only, let's not pretend to care..."

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

He sat, listening to the words. It was a good song, and the girl singing it was very talented. He decided he'd stay, taking his badge off and putting it into his pocket. He was now off-duty.

He just, relaxed for a while. It had been a while since he really relaxed. Though he'd just recently started having fun again.

[Ballari O'Brian]

After a few more oohs, ahhs, and random lines, the song ended, leaving Ballari with nothing more than her goodbyes. She cut the microphone off, placing it back in its stand, then turned around to quietly thank the band. The drummer eyed her as he mumbled his own goodbye, along with a promise to see her later that night. It sent a shiver down her spine.

She stepped down from the stage, nodding over to her manager. She had about thirty minutes before Shy Guy time. Might as well take in a drink or two. She walked over to the bar, sitting beside the officer, and tapped on the polished wood. The bartender gave her a beer, then went off to his other customers.

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

Fisch sipped his beer, kind of disappointed that the song was over. But hey, he was off, and he could still relax. Then, the singer sat next to him.

He looked over. "Nice job up there," he commented. "Not often I get to hear a voice like yours. Beautiful." He sipped his beer some more. He wasn't flirting; this was just how he gave compliments.

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari glanced over as the officer spoke to her. She nodded her head once, letting a rare smile form on her lips. "Thanks," she murmured, taking a quick sip from the beer she was nursing, "It's how I make a living, so I hope it's halfway decent." The woman halfway shrugged, one shoulder rising before falling again.

The woman quietly contemplated how she was going to go about tonight. She already had a list of "appointments," which meant she had to be on time to all of those. However, they were just far enough apart that she could squeeze one... maybe two other jobs between them. It would be risky to try two, now that she thought about it. Her customers didn't like it when she was late.

"So. What's someone who's on the right side of the law doin' hanging around here? We're not the best place, y'know."

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

"You do good," he said. "Very good." He finished his beer, and chuckled at her question. "Relaxin', really."

He looked at her. "You know, everyone has their inner demons. No one's perfect. No one's completely good. Though, I like my 'demons.' Not that I'll say what they are, but you know." He winked. In truth, he was referring to his Pokemon Battling. But no one knew Officer Fisch Grayson and Navy were one and the same. So, she could assume what she wanted.

[Ballari O'Brian]

Her smile grew slightly at his compliment, and the young woman glanced down at her beer. "Thank you," she repeated, letting her eyes slide from the mouth of her bottle to the man next to her. "It puts food on the table, so I'm thankful you approve. Every one that does is one head closer to a pay raise." Her eyes twinkled playfully, showing she was halfway kidding.

At his second comment, Ballari hesitated, unsure as to how she was supposed to answer that. She knew better than try to work out his comment; a part of her really didn't want to. She knew the ins and outs of the "demons" of the soul. She knew how deadly they could be. It was best if she just didn't even consider his.

"No," she finally murmured, "no one is completely good. That little angel that sits on your shoulder isn't always such a little angel. In fact, it's in league with the little devil sometimes."

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

He nodded. "Exactly. And those little heroes aren't always that heroic. Even the little goody-goodies have their own skeletons in the closet. Makes me sick how people try to come across as perfect sometimes. Being on the force, I see right through it. Yet, I don't act like I don't have faults."

He then realized they'd never properly introduced. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Officer Fisch Grayson. You can call me Fisch, or any variation of the name."

[Ballari O'Brian]

So she had been right. The guy was on the force, which meant she would have to be careful when going out to perform her second job. Even though many of the policemen had purchased her services at least once, Officer Grayson had never so much as seen her. It would be difficult for her to talk herself out of anything, then, should she get caught.

She would try to get caught.

Ballari put on a bright smile, placing her beer back on the table and offering out her hand, "Ballari O'Brian, though the folks around here call me Angel, sometimes. It all depends on who you're asking." She gave him a wink.

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

He shook her hand. "Nice to meet you. Angel, huh? I like it." He smiled, arms crossed on his chest, where his now pocketed badge was supposed to be.

"So, what do you do when off, if you don't mind me asking? I mean, off duty, I don't have shit to do with policin..."

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari let out a relieved sigh when he mentioned, subtly, that he was off duty. Even though she had seen the badge go into his pocket, she knew that didn't always mean they were off duty. Sometimes it meant they were going undercover. And the last thing she needed was to be arrested when Jamie's babysitter was getting paid by the hour.

When Fisch asked for her off-duty information, Ballari immediately grabbed the first thing that came to her mind, "I work two jobs; three if you count taking care of my little boy. I don't really have much off-duty time, officer." She said, lips curving upwards in a small smile.

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

"Don't have kids myself, but whether or not it's a job is debatable. I mean, I see 'em as inspiration, myself. World's goin' to hell, and they can still laugh and play and...be kids. While us adults...well, yeah."

He nodded, as if agreeing with his theory. He ran a hand through his dark hair, smiling.

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari seemed to relax, softening at his words. Jamie's smiling face appeared in her mind, along with his laugh. Even if she didn't get to see him as much as she wanted, she knew he loved her, and she prayed that he knew how much she loved him. He was her light, her life. He was the only thing she lived for in this dark world.

"Jamie's only six," she murmured, glancing down at the bottle, "He's innocence in a bottle, that one. With a side shot of energy. He's the reason I get up every morning. But I guess that's what kids do to you."

[Officer Fisch Grayson]

He nodded. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I guess Pokemon keep me going, in a sense. I was a trainer before it was outlawed. But retired after." It was honestly only half a lie; he didn't have to mention coming OUT of retirement, did he?

He looked at his watch. "It's getting late. Off-duty or not, I should get outta here before the crowd that would recognize my face shows up, if you know what I mean..." He stood up. "Again, pleasure meetin' ya."