Bruises and Bitemarks (OPEN)

[Ballari O'Brian]

You're in a place for fear
Lips are for biting here
Let's make this moment worth the while
Let's kill the night and go down in style
See the magic rise
We're plotting our demise
Of perspiration and alcohol as I introduce the bedroom brawl

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It was only midnight, and already Ballari felt dirty. 

She had only been on duty for two hours and, in that sort time, had managed to gather up three customers. Two were quick and easy, but the third... The third had been quite a handful. Already she could feel the bruises forming on her hips and wrists and stomach. It made her sick. It made her sick to her very being to remember the sort of beasts (for these could never be called true men) she was selling herself to each and every night. 

Matthew had said there would be rough nights, and tonight certainly wasn't the worst night she'd ever had, but... It was enough to make her want to quit. Actually, whenever she looked at that awful pink cloak, or felt the ghost hands of mystery lovers run down her body, she wanted to quit. But then she loved over at her son, her beautiful, perect son, and knew that she had to provide for him. 

Ballari reached the corner where she was supposed to be stationed and pulled her hood down, so her black hair could tumble from its restraint. She loosened her belt a bit, so the cloak could billow and move with the wind, occasionally showing off her legs. Most of her was up for 'inspection' before her customers spent a dime. All except her face, of course. That was for paying customers, only. That, and actual touching. 

Her blue eyes searched for a lonely soul on the dark stretch of road that surrounded her. 

[Ty Smith]

Ty walked through the dark town, alone. He was in his green Shy Guy outfit. Tonight was an off-night. Middle of the week, people's drug supply was still abundant. It was so slow, he began roaming, changing areas, invading others' turf. But he didn't care.

He passed a pink Shy Guy, casting a glance. He knew what every color represented. He also knew that none did this for fun. Shy Guys had the best merchandise, sure. They also paid really well. But Ty knew far too well that attached to every Shy Guy's cloak was a story. Usually a sad story, full of regrets and obligations.

[Ballari O'Brian]

She had been standing there for only a few minutes when a fellow Shy Guy appeared. For a moment, Ballari considered turning tail and running. Even if this was her territory, she would be more than willing to give it up if the green turned his eyes on her. But then she realized how incredibly mad that would make Matthew, and held her ground. She had a right to be here.

Actually... Maybe they could both have a reason to be here. It would give her a chance to find out the identity of a Shy Guy other than Matt.

"Hey," she murmured, calling out to the other Shy Guy. "Slow night, huh?"

[Ty Smith]

"Yeah," he answered, just standing next to her. It probably looked strange, a pink and a green Shy Guy standing side by side like that. "But hey, business is business. Even on slow nights, I pull in more here than a good day on my day job."

He sighed sadly. "That's just the way of the beast, I guess. Oh, don't worry 'bout me takin' your turf or nothin. I just got bored on my own, so I started roaming. Besides, we sell different stuff, so...Like a pharmacy and a video store next to each other isn't exactly competition."

He paused. "Don't often get to speak to others. It's kinda nice."

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari's eyes saddened slightly at the mention of Shy Guy income being more than the "legal" income, and she let out a sigh. "Yeah. I can't argue about that bit. God knows my job doesn't pay worth shit, but every coin helps, I suppose." She shrugged. "And, um, I'm not too worried. It's been a really slow night. All the sinners are at church, apparently."

There was a bitter tinge to Ballari's voice at that comment, and the look in her eye showed how much she despised the thought. Most of the men that hired her often rolled out of bed and went to church, yelled their fifty Hail Maries, and then felt their soul run clean. That really pissed her off.

[Ty Smith]

"Yeah, I feel ya there. Well, sorta. I mean, you wouldn't believe the kind of people I sell to either. Most of them aren't the rough, gangster, druggie looking type. They're the business people, the so-called gentlemen. Some are even called 'heroes...'" His voice went dry at the last comment.

He'd been referring to Luigi, whom he looked up to. He still did, but watching him fall from so close a view kind of hurt.

[Ballari O'Brian]

"None of us are the people we're supposed to be," she murmured, shoving her hands into the pockets of her cloak, "But then again, none of us are living the lives we were supossed to have, and the Kingdom... The Kingdom has long since fallen from its rightful place." 

That was something she had been considering for a long time, actually. The kingdom, and the people who ran it, were supposed to protect those who lived there. They were they to keep the peace, clean the streets... And yet there Ballari was, on the corner of a street selling her body for dimes on the dollar. The kingdom had fallen farther than even its citizens. 

"Are you on duty, or just walking around this city?"

[Ty Smith]

"Exactly. It's not what it used to be. Well, so I heard. I moved here on my own right as it was falling. All I had were two Yoshi eggs and a big dream. But we see where that went. I still raise and breed Yoshis, but...well, it's a tough business, and Yoshis aren't without their prices."

He smirked behind the mask. "Little of both, honestly. I only wear the outfit on duty, but I got bored on my turf. So here I am."

[Ballari O'Brian]

"Grew up here," she murmured, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair, pushing the black locks back from her face. "I saw it fall from glory; saw it fall from grace. It was such a sad time in everyone's lives when we finally realized the horror our city had become. But by then... By then it was far too late." She sighed quietly.

It had been around the time she had discovered she was pregnant with Jamie, actually. She had fallen from grace at the same time her kingdom had, sinking to depths she had never thought she would reach. She had a connection to this kingdom, one far greater than mere name or blood. Spiritual connection.

"I normally walk around my turf, but my direct employer told me to just patrol this neighborhood tonight. I don't know what he was thinking. No one's here..."

Well, someone was there, but she highly doubted that Shy Guys ever did that sort of business with each other. At least when it involved the trading of coin. Not to mention he didn't seem like the type of guy to need to hire someone to take care of that.

[Damia]

A loud, gravelly sound started to echo its way up the street, followed by a short, cloaked woman in red. Her face was hidden by a white mask that was flecked with crimson from the other night. She was dragging a hammer behind her slowly, stopping every few minutes to pant in exhaustion before starting up again.

She didn't want to abandon it. As stupid as it might sound, it was hers. It had been through a lot with her, and she didn't want to just leave it anywhere. But she had used her Earthshock in an earlier fight and had no energy left. She finally came into view of two other Shy Guys. One was a green Guy, the other a pink. If she wasn't so tired or, well, still in costume, she might have seen if she could hire the pink one for a lay. Or maybe the green one, 'cept he wasn't exactly a screw for hire.

[Ty Smith]

He listened thoughtfully. "Damn. So I see. But it's usually too late. Look at the other kingdoms that already fell. You never see it coming until everything's already crashed down on you."

He started to speak again, when he was interrupted by a...loud dragging sound. "What the..." He looked to see a red shy guy in the distance. "Oh. This must be a random meeting place for us tonight," he joked. "Heh...sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. 'A green Shy Guy and a Pink Shy Guy are talking on a street corner, when this red one walks up....'" He shook his head. "Sorry, that probably wasn't funny."

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari was just about to open her mouth to respond to the green Shy Guy's first comment when she heard it; the scraping sound of something heavy being dragged across the ground. She glanced up. Her eyes widened beneath her mask at the sight of a red Shy Guy walking towards them, dragging along a large hammer.

The green spoke then, and Ballari had to smile at his attempt at humor. A shoulder rose and fell in a half shrug, "It was a good try," she admitted quietly. Her eyes turned onto the red, and she took a step towards her, "Do you, um... Do you need a hand?"

[Damia]

"What? Oh...um...sure. I could use some help. I'm just a little...more tired than I thought, I guess." She looked at the green one. "And we could all use a sense of humor on this job. Even if it is a half-assed one." She let out a laugh. She leaned against her hammer. "So, what's going on around here?" she asked.

[Ty Smith]

Ty moved to help with the hammer, but not before answering the pink one. "I normally do better. Guess I'm just off tonight."

He smirked at the red one, from behind the mask so it wouldn't be seen. "Hey, I really did try," he protested. "Nothin's really going on. Business is slow, so we were just talkin. He straightened his mask and cloak a little. Unlike most, he had his nickname, 'Slick' in a lighter shade of green, on the left side of his cloak's chest. It was hard to see, but identifiable to his regulars.

[Ballari O'Brian]

Ballari started to help with the hammer, but the green one beat her to it. She stopped mid-reach, then pulled her hands back inside her cloak, shoving them in her pocket. Well, it was a man's world, after all. Might as well let them do some of the work. Especially when lifting things was part of their "job."

She then turned to Damia, nodding her head. "Business isn't the best on a Wednesday night, so... I guess bored Shy Guys tend to find each other." Ballari smiled weakly, though it was hidden behind her mask. Her voice was quiet again, as if she was really trying to avoid saying the wrong thing. Although she wasn't too sure what the wrong thing was.