Degretys

Givin' Up

Time: Less than a week until the end of season at Morpho West

Sleet was brooding about how to get rid of the hated dancer. Couldn't just kick him out only because he had dug up his dirt. Had to find a credible and proven reason, but how to do it when Shadow has a too good reputation? Even the director himself wouldn't easily accept that Shadow had deserved to be fired. So how should he frame the dancer?

He was woken up from the reverie by the noise of something in plural falling to the pavement, followed by quiet curses about a "useless, falling-to-pieces" bag. Found the source of the sound around the corner, towards which he was heading anyway, where searched out Barker packing his things into the aforementioned bag, of which the leather was peeling off and the handle had been ripped off. Probably would have ignored the hotel magician, because they were both off-the-job, so why bother each other on the street, if not for the fact that he noticed extra wallets. Immediately doubted that they belonged to Barker.

The magician was cursing under his breath and gathering the scattered money from the wallets, unaware of the manager's presence nearby. Cottoned on his arrival when he was standing over him, blocking the light of the setting suns. Almost took a sharp breath, and a feeling of awkwardness began to appear on his skin in the form of sweat. Sleet simply raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, a moment later noticed the dark marks of beating on the man's equally dark skin.

"Hmm... Did you have to go so down? Stealing wallets and then getting beaten up for it?" criticized curtly.

"It... It isn't what you think, sir," denied, embarrassed. "I– It's–"

"Stop shirking from answering!" he growled warningly. "I hope you stole them on the street at least. If they belong to our guests, you have a very good guarantee of being fired. I'm sick of hearing complaints about their disappearing wallets which then are found in other places. And I have to play an idiot..." paused.

His eyes followed Barker's gaze. They were both staring at the bright red ID lying between them. Sleet pretty quickly covered it with his shoe, then pulled it closer to himself before the magician could reach his whole arm out. Watching him carefully, the manager picked the card up and snorted slightly at the familiar name of the owner.

"Just as I felt... This is our guest," showed the dark-skinned man the front of the item. "The only thing that is out of keeping is your swollen mug. Unless you want to tell me the guests promised to keep their mouths shut when you let them beat you up?"

Barker fixed his gaze at the cobblestones in front of him. He was desperately trying to find an easy-to-believe lie. Except that nothing was coming to his mind as the manager had already learned the truth about the magically disappearing and reappearing wallets.

"Honestly... I doubt those pompous wimps would want to dirty their hands with you," added. "Who did this to you?"

Barker took on a face soaked in disgust and anger towards the manager and the one who did this to him. Clenched his fists and looked the man straight in the orange eyes.

"Shadow Coltrane."

"And? Did you deserve it?" asked, this time with a kind of satisfied smile.

"To tell you the truth... Yes, I deserved it. But... if he hadn't been there..." changed his tone to a hissing one, "if that bitch hadn't ruined my plan, I could have what I wanted."

"What "bitch''?" inquired, intrigued.

"That Lumi Joestar..."

"Ah, sweet Lumi... I think they both are into each other."

"But... isn't Lumi with that Argent, or whatever his name is?" Barker was surprised by moving on to this subject.

"True, I didn't hear about their breakup. The publicity about it would have to be big... but that doesn't mean she didn't dump him for our beloved dancer. After all, he and she are quite... attractive."