The Void ((Arbitro/Elys))

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I stood infront of the office door, waiting for it to be my turn to apply. Finally, I was allowed to enter. I sat down before the man, I kept my head down, so I didn't know what he looked like. I was terrified.

[squabbel]

The blond sat at his desk smoking his cigarette, Purgitorio was under renovations so he had to resort to this dump. His long blond hair, and his hand were the only parts each of the applicants could see, since he was turned around and looking out the window. 57 had applied already, 43 to go, only 20 audition spots, and only one job was open to fill. He sighed and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. " Number 58, it's your turn, please come in," said a young male poking his head through the door. The male offered him a seat and took his clipboard and then handed it to his boss.

"Elys, age 16, Fae, poor as hell and mother is currently suffering from brain cancer. Kid you better not have put that on there just so I'd feel bad for you and just hand you the job, I'm not that kind of man," Arbitro said coldly, obviously not in a good mood. He hadn't been since his two closest friends were forced to leave on other business. "Tell me have you ever had experience in services such as we provide? If so how were the reviews, and did you have an alias?" he asked taking a long drag from his cigarette and letting out a large puff of smoke that rose up from behind the chair.

"Hurry up kid you don't have all day…"

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I look up at the man, who I can't see due to a large chair he's sitting in.

"Sir, If you want to be able to properly judge me, you'd better turn around so you can see my face. As for my other employments, I've worked in several other strip clubs, but they couldn't pay enough for my mother's operation. I even was the star for your biggest rival, Forbidden. So I can obviously dance. I'll do whatever it takes to get this job. I don't use an alias, and the reviews for me were quite high."

[squabbel]

"It's not necessary at the moment, no one really cares about looks, I don't at least. Don't people say that it's what's on the inside that counts?" He said snuffing out his cigarette in an ashtray. "If I'm confusing you, it's normal, Indy didn't get it either at first, I simply run my club differently, anything wrong with that?" he asked hiding his hands behind the chair once more. "I will admit Forbidden is always looking to overthrow us, but they are nothing compared to us, I'm almost angry you compared us to them, but I'll let it go, I do have a short temper," he said his chair twisting a little.

"I know you want this job kid, so does everyone else here, hell they'd kill for it, I don't see why you're so set on it, you could do better, your attractive and well rounded by the looks of it, with your pink hair and blue eyes, you could be a model, or pop star [ not the singing kind ], it doesn't matter if your poor when it comes to those kinds of things," he said staring at the boy's clip board. "Why did you resort to prostitution? Hmm? I'll tell you why I did, it was because I was bored being Mr. Normal behind a desk typing his life away, it seem much more fun," he continued. "But that's just me, other people said because they needed the money, or no one else would do them, but they were all so dreadfully unattractive, and rude I might add, You're different, even though it looks like one of those simple stories like money, there has to be something interesting about your story," he said turning around for the 9th time today.

The boy next to him smiled brightly and stood up heading to the door. "Oh I just rambled didn't I? I'm dreadfully sorry, I get like that when something excites me, now answer your question."

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I looked hard into the man's eyes. He seemed normal enough, but there was something off in his eyes. They were cold and distant.

"I don't excite you. You couldn't care less about me. You don't care about anything. I've seen that before, in one other person. My father. He had everything going for him, but he felt empty. He searched despratly for something that would make him feel. He was numb. Nothing excited him. Just like nothing excites you. You can't be pleased, you can't be angry, you just don't care. And I know why. I'll tell you what and how to fix it if you hire me. Deal?"

[squabbel]

All emotion fell from his face, and his eyes grew cold as if they were going to freeze the boy's very soul, "Auditions are tomorrow at 12:00 A.M. sharp Purgitorio, don't be late," He said turning around in a huff, his blond hair flying. "If you you think it'll Be on Saturday, your wrong, 12:00 A.M. tomorrow is Friday, so technically you'll be seeing me in a few hours, you better be ready," he said lighting another cigarette as the boy asked for the next to step in to be devoured by the beast that was Arbitro.

----------------12:00 A.M. Saturday, Purgitorio----------------

A white hared man sat on a rather large pile of pillows, brown tattoos covered his features, and his silver and blacks eyes simply stared at the boys before him. He took a long drag from his Kishru and sighed letting a ring of smoke exit his lungs. 19 boys all stood in a row, and his eyes narrowed "Sora, come here, one of them is missing, did they contact you?" he asked looking up at the small boy who was more than a little uncomfortable around him.

"N-no Sir, I haven't received any information on Mr. Elys," he said with a small yelp as he was dragged to the ground to lay next to his boss, blushing as he did so.

"We'll just have to begin without him…"

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I race into the audition room, and see that the people have already started. I walk up to the assistant and tell him that I'm here, he sends me to the stage and I wait for my turn. Once it comes, I pull off my sweater and jeans, revealing my strip[per clothes, a fishnet shirt, a small pair of booty shorts, and lots of glitter. I lose myself in the dance, my body flowing like water. The dance is slow, sensual,and intoxicating. I took no notice of the other men, I just danced. I heard gasps from the other people auditioning, but I just smirked. This is what I love to do. Finally, once I'm done, I take a bow, and stand, waiting Arbitro's judgment

[squabbel]

Arbitro took a long drag from his Kishru and laid his head on the boy's lap. He let out a long sigh, savoring the taste. "And what was special about that Mr. Elys? What part of that makes me want to hire you to be the embodiment of neutrality, Beauty and Hideousness, Love and Hate, Pleasure and Pain, Life and Death? Purgitorio, or Purgitory, where the completely average go when this life is over, just like life but you're not really there," he asked twirling the long thin pipe in his long spider-like fingers, "I thought you were different, Mr. Elys, you just showed me how perfect you could be, we aren't judged by how perfect we are, just by how average we are, and how we appeal to our everyday man, that must be a heavy blow, I'd feel bad, but you know I don't, I'll give you another chance, everyone else so far has needed one," he continued. "This time don't be so slow."

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I sped up the dance. I danced like I've never danced before, keeping the tempo fast and furious. Finally, I did the only thing I could think of. I started to sing. I sung a long emotional ballad, about love, of hate and passion, of lost hope, and of death. Love so powerful, it could overcome anything. It came straight from the heart, it was my story, my song. As I sung, tears began flowing down my cheeks as I remembered my father, who had felt betrayed by my mother, and killed himself. Once I was done, I took a bow, and awaited judgment yet again.

[squabbel]

Arbitro's eyes grew cold, allot like those eyes he had back in his office. He looked like he was about to break his kishru as the boy sang and dance. When the boy was done, Arbitro took a long drag from his kishru, as if it would be the death of him otherwise. The boy tilted his head to the side, not used to seeing Arbitro act so strange. Arbitro stood up and and stared in Elys' direction as if he was studying every part of him. "Come." he barked, as he walked to his personal room, he had, which was also his office.

He plopped down, in his leather chair and faced away from the boy, his hands rubbing nervously up and down the armrests. "You're working too hard, but I have to have you here, the others are nothing but shit and will never be taught," he said taking another deep breath from his Kishru, he seemed upset, and for once in his life he couldn't tell if he was just acting or not.

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

"Thank you, sir. I'll try to do better." I try to smile, but such expressions don't come easily any more. 'I will help you feel, I swear it on my father's grave.' I think to myself, and he bids me to leave.

[squabbel]

Arbitro sighed, shaking a little, he didn't know what was going on, he never felt this way really. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, he couldn't stand it. The boy walked in with a look of concern. "Get out, go tell them to get there asses back in the unemployment line," he said, his voice shaking. The boy bit his lip but did as he was told and told the others the bad news.

Over the next few days he locked himself in his room, trying to regain his composure he said. His hair looked terrible and he tore a small chunk of gum from the inside of his mouth, making it hurt to talk.

--------------------- 12:00 A.M. Purgitro, Tuesday ------------------------

It was a busy day for Purgitorio, and Abritro had spent a good few days teaching Elys the ropes, and how they ran, the boy was still trying too hard, but Arbitro didn't complain, since the club goers weren't. Money was aways scattered across the stage, each dancer got payed with what ever stayed on the stage, so they were always careful not to knock any off. A few dancers chatted, and flirted with patrons in private booths, and poles, some even lap dancing. Room doors were all open, since most men after a day of were already had a mate and didn't want to mess with prostitutes.

Arbitro sat in his usual spot on a plush lounge chair, covered in his beautiful silken garments, his claws sharpened to a point, as his teeth, and his his hair brushed for the first time in days. His little group of workers stayed by his sides, rubbing up against him like pets. It really was just for show, though some of them really did like being Arbitro's pets. Arbitro took a long drag from his kishru, and puffed out a ring of smoke, another day in numbness.

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I was dancing on the pole when a big man came up to me.

"Hey, wanna party with a real man?" He asked. He tried to grab my wrist, I jerked away, and ran into another big man. This one wrapped his arms around me, and started dragging me out of the room. I kicked and tried to escape, but he was too strong.

[squabbel]

One of the "pet"s that was sitting in Arbitro's lap jumped when a scream entered his ears. Arbtiro's eyes narrowed, even though he felt nothing he always was protective of his workers, and tortured all those that attacked them, like the most recent man who attacked Indy. The boy removed himself and Arbitro rushed to the room they had dragged the boy into. He tried the door, knowing that they had no locks, but couldn't get it open. He cursed, and quickly sent one of the dancers to get the bouncers. He glared at the door, and ran away before turning around and running back to the door, jumping and kicking it down, landing outside the room. He glared inside, and only saw the boy laying limp on the bed.

He hissed, but didn't dare take a step forward, knowing that the brutes where hiding out of his view on either side of the door. He crouched down close to the floor and leaped into the room, narrowly missing the boards, that the men where planning to bash his head in with, and landed gracefully on the foot board of the bed. He turned around to glare at the men for only a brief moment before one of them ran towards him. He leaped up, and caught the man's head between his knees and stood on them on the man's shoulder, threatening to snap it if either one of them made a move. Each time he raised a hand, he'd scream at the pressure the demon put on his neck and head.

[Lizzy the Fluff Master]

I lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I had just been raped, and had no will to incite the pain in my ass. I heard the door burst open, but didn't look up.