The seedy underbelly of Shiniko world

[CrazyAngel]

The Black Markets!

The market moves around frequently and will not be able to be found without some foreknowledge or a guide. Any dema attempting to find it would need to already be involved with it or would need someone who knew how to find it for them.

The black market is a place where some demas choose to buy, sell, or trade shiniko. Often difficult, unruly, or weak shiniko will end up here. The market sells more than shiniko, but that’s what we’ll focus on mostly. Since many demas see shiniko as tools or able bodies and not as children or family, it’s no surprise that some of them are treated as items. (I say “many” since there are still quite a few that treat their shiniko more as family.) The black market is a harsh place and shiniko there are more often than not mistreated. Almost all shiniko that are on the market end up traumatized or damaged in some way, making them increasingly less likely to be permanently homed. Any shiniko from the market will need extra care and patience.  Some pass through the market and into various houses multiple times, only to be returned again. 

Deals on the black market are generally conducted by a salesman, a spokes person that will make the sale on the part of a dema. These sales people are often either lesser demas that serve or have deals with their stronger brothers and sisters, or they are shiniko that conduct the sales on behalf of the merchant dema. Either way, any shiniko that is being sold on the market is temporarily under a dema house and can not be claimed until it is officially released to the buyer after sale.  This reduces chance of theft since the only way to steal the shiniko would be to kill the merchant dema.  Even this is kept at a minimum, since there are many shiniko and demas there to ensure that everyone follows the rules.  

These rules are simple: -Buy, sell, or trade. Don’t steal.  –Attempts at stealing or assault will result in public execution or a severe punishment in addition to being banned from the market.  –All deals are final.  –Seller makes the rules of his sale.

Prize fighting

Prize fighting is a common event in the black market or outside of it among more base and aggressive shiniko.  It’s simple. Shiniko either gather themselves and fight for prizes or money, or are pitted against one another.  Many anarchist or stray shiniko will do this on their own to make a living, but some house shiniko will also just for the thrill or challenge.  Particularly unruly shiniko on the black market will be pitted in fights that other shiniko or demas will bet on. The owner of the shiniko at the time (often the salesman) will take the prizes won as compensation for the shiniko being held there since they haven’t been compensated with the full purchase.

'Putting down' a Shiniko

“Putting down,” is a term that some demas use for expressing the difficult choice to kill a shiniko that is too unstable or powerful.  Dangerous shiniko can come about from a select few ways. If they are strong, that is when the problem arises. Weak shiniko can be as unstable and as likely to become a phantom or disobey as they want. That’s the house’s problem. When a shiniko is abnormally strong though, there’s trouble. Particularly volatile, unstable, or uncontrollable shiniko that hold unusual strength can pose a threat to demas, houses, other shiniko, and can even risk discovery by humans. Thus, when one arises like this, some dema choose to take matters into their hands when they don’t believe that the shiniko’s own house can take care of the risk.  They often hold a private dema meeting where they vote and decide. If they have a majority, then the shiniko is marked for becoming a target of demas. Not a good place to be. 

The demas that do this say that it’s for the good interest of all,  but they don’t take into consideration the desires or attempts of the dema that owns the shiniko. They see whatever shiko is marked as a lost cause and try to take it out as soon and as effectively as possible.