{ we`ll make the GREAT ESCAPE

[nicholas jasper fanshaw]

Nick was determined to make this year the best ever. He was going to get a girlfriend and he was going to get laid. It shouldn't be too hard, right? Right! Things were starting to roll in his direction via his hard earned body and a cool new job. Over the summer, Nick worked day and night to tone up his body to make him more appealing to the feminine eye. What girl wanted a nerdy guy who is your next string bean. He got contacts, which was something he was just now getting used to. Morning after morning he spent poking his eyes trying to get the damned clear things in. Poking his eyes made his eyes red which made it look like he was high, which wasn't a bad thing. Nerds didn't get high, but neither did her so who cared? As long as the illusion was there then that's all that mattered. Anyways, top all that with a new hair cut and he was ready for some lady action!

Dressed in his usual jeans and a black v-neck cotton t-shirt and his torn, black combat boots; he was ready to take on the tattooed nation one ink dot at a time. It was no surprise to anyone who bothered to take their head out of their arse and saw that Nick was an artsy guy. He was always seen doodling on something or painting at home. In secret of course. It was always held in until he started frequenting the Underground and he was free to paint and doodle as he pleased. This is what led him to his current job at Renaissance Ink. Many a Rebel desired to get inked or add more to their collection. Nick had a few of his own but his real passion lies in his art on others. He's been working at RI for a good month now and had gotten a solid flow of customers requesting his unique art.

Today was no different.

He had a handful of people ready and waiting for his services today. All of them left with their blood, tears and hard earned money all in his name. A good wad of cash was sitting in his little bucket that rested by the mirror and he was excited. He actually felt cool and popular. He walked down the street and people knew his name and said it in a friendly way. Girls looked at him differently. It was going to be a good year. He could already tell. He was going to get laid and it was going to be great. Maybe he would have a girlfriend too. At this point in time, he welcomed anything with open arms.

[aric benjamin edgecumbe]

He wasn't exactly sure what had inspired him to get another tattoo permanently etched into his skin: all he did know was that he was now on his way to the tattoo parlor to get another one. He had thought about getting something that would compliment the one on his back (which was Scooby Doo). There were a lot of possibilities that could happen (one of which would have been getting a tattoo of Scooby's collar around his neck). But then he figured that that might actually cause... well, a lot of discomfort, and that's not what he wanted right now. He wanted something that would be short, sweet, funny, and to the point; and as he drove to the parlor, eating his little back of peanuts, it hit him as to what exactly he wanted.

"Scooby snacks!" He could've shot himself for not having thought of it earlier. He smiled at himself and turned the music up, bopping his head hard to the loud tones and banging on his steering wheel in time with the heavy drums. the snares popping loudly and the bass drums reverberating around the speakers. He carelessly avoided a red light by speeding up, knowing anyway that he wouldn't make it, but not caring all the same. He pulled into a parking space probably too quickly and hopped out, retying his steel-toed, torn combat boots and pulling up his 3/4 length shorts up, his torn Beatles tee showing his skin. He grabbed a cigarette before closing the door of his car and lit up as he walked to the building that would lead him underground. It was a beautiful night... too bad he'd have to spend it roaming underground just because he wasn't really allowed to have fun anywhere else.

He knew his way around here very well, and he didn't bother stopping anywhere on the way to the parlor. Every now and then he smiled in at somebody he knew working a club or something, but he was actually here with some kind of purpose for a change. Finishing the cigarette, he threw the butt on the ground and walked into one of his favorite places in all of the Underground. He knew smoking was alowed in the shop; but smoking in a building was one of the rudest things a person could do in Aric's opinion.

"Hey, y'all!" he said with a goofy smile on his face, his arms open and welcoming as if he were actually gracing the shop with his presence. H nudged a few people and nodded his head upwards at others, acknowledging just how many people he knew. He found and open seat and, after adjusting his shorts, plopped down in it, crossing his legs luxuriously. "So, who's gonna do me today?"