The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Mar 6, 2018 20:16:36 GMT
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Even beneath the gentle soothing haze that had settled over her, Persephone still felt a twinge of unease at Adrijana’s smile. Something that might have been fear if she’d been capable of such self-reflection at that moment – and even then it may have been buried by Persephone’s ardent desire to impress the Heiress of Spades. As it was, Persephone simply returned the smile, albeit with far less cruelty laced in her features.
The sudden brush of Adrijana’s hand against Persephone’s skin was definitely unexpected. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but Persephone appreciated it nonetheless and managed not to flinch or lose the smile from her face. Surely it was a sign of approval.
“I seem to be in capable hands,” she observed, smile twisting into a smirk. “Is there gonna be a test? Oh, also.” Persephone waved a hand at the freshly packed bong. “Does this count for extra credit?”
She was continuing to find herself really amusing, though she had enough control not to collapse into self-indulgent giggles. The last thing she wanted to do was spoil the “party”.
Adrijana seemed to still be enjoying Persephone’s marijuana. Maybe a little more than she herself had been expecting. From the sounds of it, Adrijana had had her fair share of experiences with a variety of substances – but she’d never had anything from the Duchess’ garden. That wasn’t to say that Adrijana was about to be knocked out by some super strain, but the effects could certainly creep up on her if she wasn’t careful.
The two of them giggled as Adrijana tried and failed to mimic Persephone’s position. Her eyes brightened immediately, and she slipped into a position that was far less comfortable but even more impressive. “I did a bunch of acrobatics when I was younger. Even joined the circus one summer – not my thing,” she added, letting out a gentle sigh of relief as she eased herself out of the pose.
Persephone looked down at her bare skin, a little flattered. “I think I’d like some ink, but I could never settle on what I wanted…” Her eyes searched the tattoos on Adrijana’s body, seeking inspiration. “Are yours, like… meaningful?”
Not pretending to have ever watched Sailor Moon, Persephone nonetheless stared excitedly at the screen as the opening theme blared across the room. The brightness of the show was appealing to her in her current state and it seemed the perfect companion for pizza. Maybe this was one of Adrijana’s lessons in partying. Persephone had the brief irrational compulsion to start taking notes.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
|
Feb 25, 2018 18:52:42 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 25, 2018 18:52:42 GMT
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Persephone nodded in sudden realisation, the vague details she had heard about Yennefer’s younger sister coming back to her now. Ah yes – of course she’d been in prison. That was bound to be a bit of a bummer when it came to one’s social life. The smile on Adrijana’s face had shifted a little and Persephone felt bad for unwittingly bringing the conversation around to such a topic. Still, it seemed that Adrijana’s spirits weren’t so easily brought down by simple thoughts of prison sentences.
“Right, for sure. At least you have an excuse to throw more parties for each of your friends who make it out?”
She laughed, glad that neither of them seemed keen to dwell on he subject. Persephone gazed proudly at her bong – she had a few, but this one was her favourite. It was simple, but pretty, and it did a damn good job of smoothing every hit.
“Oh, you’re gonna train me?” She looked genuinely interested, sitting up a little straighter. Persephone always responded well to attention from her superiors – no matter how stoned she was. “Sign me up.”
The proud look on Persephone’s face intensified to a broad beam that was on the borderline of smug – just toeing the line but not quite making it over the boundary – as Adrijana complimented her weed.
“Yeah, yeah! Everything I smoke is my own. Growing plants is sorta what I do, and marijuana is definitely a specialty of mine on top of that. Watch yourself on this one though, it’s pretty strong.”
The warning was sure to fall on deaf ears – and Persephone wasn’t sure she wanted Adrijana to heed it anyway. Much more fun for the two of them to get on the same level.
She obeyed Adrijana’s instructions, setting up once more while Adrijana made herself even more at home in Persephone’s flat. It was like an art, Persephone had never seen someone care so little about invading people’s personal space. And Persephone knew Cory – someone so relaxed that she’d seen fit to climb onto the balcony of Persephone’s old flat unannounced.
“Oh, I’m-” Persephone cut her apology short, not wanting to be a buzzkill. She grinned instead, settling herself onto the sofa into one of her favourite relaxing positions. It was genuinely very comfortable for Persephone, but it was also definitely a bit of a show-off move. Not many humans bent that way unless they had particularly sadistic yoga instructors.
“You got a point, I’ll chill.”
She pulled her baggy hoodie off, a dark vest top underneath. It was slightly cropped and something she only really wore as an undershirt, but it was flattering enough. It exposed the bare skin of her arms and torso – a sharp contrast to Adrijana’s bodily décor. She dumped the hoodie on the arm of the sofa and turned her eyes to whatever choice Adrijana was making on the TV. It wasn’t really something she indulged in too much, so she was interested to see what Adrijana wanted to put on.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
|
Feb 25, 2018 18:32:49 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 25, 2018 18:32:49 GMT
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If their gifts had been the other way around, and it was Persephone who had the ability to read the thoughts on the surface of Taliah’s mind, then she would have been snorting with laughter right now. Mostly because she laughed at everything when she was high, but also because Taliah assumed that the emotions on Persephone’s face were visible out of anything but choice. If Taliah was sensing Persephone’s displeasure, it was most likely because that is exactly what Persephone intended.
Alas, Persephone could not read minds, and so she missed out on that little piece of amusement. Instead the conversation shifted to Taliah’s hunt for some food, and Persephone watched as she pulled out her phone and began searching for nearby places to eat.
“Before we move from this discreet hiding place, you wanna trade cash for stash?” Persephone hauled her bag onto her lap and pulled it open once more. “The sum we agreed on the phone still stands.”
She didn’t want to forget now and regret her entire trip to this miserable, isolated town later. The price they’d agreed before was more than fair and she wasn’t looking to negotiate. Persephone was hardly hard on cash right now anyway. The Spades kept her well.
“That’s a real gift,” Persephone said appreciatively. She lit her second joint – the comparative ease compared to her previous attempts indicating that the wind was dying down just a little. “I’m sure you accomplish a lot just off the back of that assurance – less room for unpredictability. I’d say that’s definitely worth bragging about.” And it was certainly a huge point in Taliah’s favour for her unwitting Spades job application.
“I’m impressed you get any kinda signal out here,” Persephone grinned. “Lead the way. Somewhere’s bound to catch our eye eventually.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
|
Feb 19, 2018 17:29:45 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 19, 2018 17:29:45 GMT
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“Oh, uh, thanks, I like to keep it clean… ”
Excuse the messboard, her internal dialogue supplied. Persephone cracked a smile at herself, moving over to the chessboard and beginning to slowly move the pieces back into their starting places while Adrijana took ownership of the room with each, slightly bouncy step. She watched as the blonde made herself at home on Persephone’s sofa. There was a huge grin on her face that had an ever-so-slightly terrifying tinge to it. If Persephone had been more sober, she might have picked up on it.
“You really thought of me when you wanted to party?” she laughed. “Who gave you that idea?”
Adrijana had already taken note of the unmistakeable scent in the air. Fortunately, she certainly seemed to approve. Persephone retrieved the bong from its ‘hiding’ place while Adrijana made her acquaintance with one of Persephone’s plants. It wasn’t a dangerous specimen, but Adrijana should probably learn to exercise more caution when it came to the Duchess’s garden.
“Sure you can have some,” she said, a little shyly, as she placed the bong on the coffee table before Adrijana, fresh smoking material in the bowl. She pulled her lighter from her pocket and held it out in offering.
“I could go for some pizza right now. And did you say-?” Persephone laughed and shook her head. Honestly, she wasn’t too concerned either way when it came to sexuality. Sexual attraction wasn’t exactly something she herself had experienced. “Hey, you brought the party – you lead it how you wanna, I’ll just follow.”
Persephone followed this with an overly firm nod, caught halfway between wanting to be incredibly respectful to her boss’s sister and wanting to entertain her guest. Adrijana hardly seemed uptight, but it was a tricky situation to navigate when you’d just minutes previously been giggling to yourself over a one-man game of chess.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
|
Feb 17, 2018 13:02:41 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 17, 2018 13:02:41 GMT
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Taliah’s shrug was disappointing, and Persephone’s expression said as much. She wasn’t here to spoon-feed the girl; the only reason they were here in the first place was so that Persephone could trade her product with a low-risk, unremarkable dealer. If it weren’t for the intriguing strength of Taliah’s metahuman abilities, Persephone might have stopped considering her for the Spades entirely. She needed to see more drive, more ruthlessness.
The wind didn’t seem to be letting up, and there had been no further announcements over the crackling loudspeaker, so it seemed that Taliah still had plenty of opportunity to prove herself yet.
It was an amusing transition, and certainly not one that Persephone had expected from the dealer, but she was suitably high enough that she responded with her own chuckle. “You reckon there’s somewhere we can actually get food in this place?” As she drew to the end of her joint, Persephone immediately started rolling another. “I’m down for a food search.”
The way Taliah spoke about her power was surprisingly honest and open. The smirk suggested some pride in her gifts, and the “it has its moments” certainly seemed to be an understatement, but the cons of her power felt genuine.
“Hey, there’s no need to be squeamish about how you use your powers. I’d use it to my full advantage as well – and it’s not like I give a damn what the average person thinks of me. You must make for an excellent judge of character if you know exactly who you can trust.”
It was this particular aspect of Taliah’s power which was so interesting to Persephone. Taliah could make for the ideal information-gatherer. There were very, very few traitors among Yennefer’s ranks but it was always handy to have insurance – and she could always be used to suss out the competition as well.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 7, 2018 21:29:19 GMT
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Normally, Persephone was a very productive and focused worker whose day revolved around producing result after result. Her life was pretty much contained within the walls of the Queen of Spade’s horticulture labs these days, except for when she escaped to the solitude of her apartment for rest and recuperation. This evening was one of those moments; a moment in which Persephone was indulging in some quality alone time with her ice bong and a solo game of chess.
It didn’t take long for the moves she was making to get a little ridiculous. The more she smoked, the less interested she was in winning quickly. She entertained herself by relentlessly thwarting her own elaborate attacks – the chessboard becoming a mess of failed plays. A messboard. Hahahaha. Persephone took another hit from her bong – a firm favourite of hers – and took a moment to laugh aloud to herself. Then, as if somebody flicked a switch, she stopped and returned to her game.
Or, she would have, until there was a sudden, extremely subtle barrage of fists against Persephone’s front door.
She stood up quickly, making a useless attempt to sober herself up by taking a couple of deep breaths and moving the bong to a place out of sight from the door. It wasn’t like she was banned from smoking – that wasn’t her concern. She just knew that, from the word “Princess”, the company she was expecting was one she wanted to impress. Or, at the very least, keep on her good side. Persephone had heard a little of Yennefer’s younger sister and she was sure that somebody of Yennefer’s own flesh-and-blood was somebody you definitely didn’t want to make a bad first impression with.
Unfortunately, Persephone was really quite high, so she was just going to have to hope that Adrijana would be entertained by her at least. She wanted a good time; Persephone could probably deliver on that.
She opened the door slowly, not wanting Adrijana to tumble through with her fists wailing on thin air, and gazed at the blonde with wide eyes.
“Woah, come in, make yourself at home!” Persephone stepped back and gestured to the apartment. It was simple, minimalistic and clean – peppered with a variety of unusual plants. Unlike her old flat, this one actually even had viable options for seating. Quite the upgrade.
“You here for a party or something?”
Persephone giggled, despite herself.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 7, 2018 20:09:03 GMT
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Persephone leaned back on the bench, pulling a leg up and resting her chin on her knee as Taliah spoke. The weed was starting to kick in now and she could feel herself relaxing. Although the wind was still intense, Persephone was starting to find the low background whistle oddly calming – a sure sign that the THC was starting to make its effects known. She smiled a little in satisfaction.
The quirked eyebrow shifted the smile from satisfaction to amusement. Taliah’s curiosity was evident – as was her impatience. She was accusing Persephone of being “rather vague” as though that wasn’t Persephone’s exact intention.
“There’s a broad scope for unconventional work, it’s true.” An image of the black spade floated to the surface of Persephone’s mind, but she held back on expanding further. There was still much she needed to learn about Taliah – and even then she wasn’t just going to openly hand her Spades contact details. She would need to go through a similar recruitment process to Persephone – demonstrating sufficient drive and interest in tracking down further information based on a single black card.
“I hear ya. Survival’s a strooong motivator.”
Persephone chuckled lightly to herself. Not even two years ago, she had been almost exactly in Taliah’s shoes. It was elating to think how far she’d come.
She agreed completely with Taliah’s words about harder drugs. ‘Control freak’ has a good way to put it, and Persephone could definitely relate. She valued control – sought it fiercely. After spending her childhood almost completely ignored, much less disciplined or controlled, it was something that shaped much of her adult life. After all, Yennefer was the very essence of control.
“Oh, okay. That’s a pretty useful power,” Persephone said, not even trying to hide her interest. “Noted – I’ll keep all my dark and dangerous secrets deep in my subconscious.” She smiled teasingly at the other woman. “Do you use it much?”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
|
Post by Persephone Dean on Feb 2, 2018 18:54:25 GMT
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When Persephone had first left home, the kind of work Taliah was describing now had certainly appealed for a while. She had developed plenty of skills while waitressing that would have suited the role, and her history of acrobatics would have been a strong point in her application, but serving food to the occasional perverted idiot had been barely tolerable in itself. While she would probably would have done very well for herself, Persephone had decided that the costs outweighed the benefits on that one. Still, she had respect for those who could tolerate such an environment.
“Good dancers in the right clubs can make a killing,” she said in agreement. She watched Taliah’s face as she took a strong hit from her joint – pretty much confirming that her suggestion hadn’t been at all serious. “Although, I’m talking about a different kind of organisation. Going from one form of objectification for another isn’t ideal if that’s what you’re trying to escape.”
She wondered why Taliah had even brought it up if she was so reluctant to consider it as a career. She probably had the same reservations as Persephone about it. It was either a lack of imagination on her part, or some kind of probing to prompt Persephone’s response. The weed was making her feel generous, and Persephone was inclined to believe that Taliah had been digging to find out more.
It was a positive sign, at least, if that were the case.
Persephone’s comments on power seem to have hit home with Taliah who suddenly appeared far more invested in the conversation than she had previously. Her eyes were bright and alert, a sudden passion breaking through the surface.
“That’s why you’re still out here, in the game, picking up new suppliers. That’s the attitude that gets you places, I think.”
There were very few people who had to fight for everything they had – life just didn’t work in absolutes that way – but Persephone appreciated the sentiment. It seemed that Taliah was a passionate soul, who was prepared to do the hard work to get what she wanted. With the right direction and heavy guidance, she could potentially be useful.
“I stay away from that kind of thing. Weed has the monopoly when it comes to my drug intake,” she said with a laugh, only half-forcing it. She had been genuinely amused by the phrasing, after all.
What was really interesting to Persephone was finding out Taliah’s particular strengths. There were plenty that could be moulded to suit the Spades; Persephone was more interested in somebody who had a specialism – some additional value to the organisation. Taliah’s explanation was vague… but intriguing.
“Getting into people’s heads – so, you’re a meta? That must be a fun ability.”
Persephone didn’t have a firm grasp of the power from the little information Taliah had provided, but from what she could figure out, she was a little envious.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Jan 25, 2018 19:26:00 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 25, 2018 19:26:00 GMT
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Ooh boy. Persephone took an extremely long drag on her joint, closing her eyes and letting herself imagine – just for a moment – that she was back in her apartment. The one that Yennefer had provided for her; providing that final leap in cutting herself off from her old life. Selling her grandmother’s apartment had been almost bittersweet, but she had steeled herself against those feelings and left them behind as she’d locked the door one final time. She was a Spade now, and that was her purpose.
Yes, she definitely liked her apartment. It was comfortable, stylish and – most importantly – a haven of solitude. Nobody ever bothered Persephone there.
She decided to just make a small noise of agreement, wondering idly why Taliah was giving her the details of her job as though Persephone hadn’t explicitly stated that she herself had been there, done that. Still, she supposed, at least they were both on the same page when it came to the joys of waitressing. She might have had to make excuses and find another corner to hide in if Taliah had expressed any enjoyment of her work.
“Dude, just quit. There’s a load of work in California that doesn’t follow your conventional textbook career choices and trust me, it’s way more rewarding. You just need to know the right places to look.”
You never know, maybe if Taliah began seeming even a little impressive, Persephone could slip her that iconic black spade card that had started her own career change. Taliah would need to start showing a lot more ambition and promise, however, if that were the case.
At least Liah wasn’t whining over having to adjust to the new drug trade climate in California. That was a start, she supposed. “Yeah, no point sitting and complaining while your competition goes out and gets ahead of the game. It’s all about power in this world, and it belongs to those who take it.”
Taliah seemed to light up a little as they discussed Persephone’s new product. Another good sign – the dealer could spot potential when she saw it. Or, when it was thrust directly under her nose.
“This stuff is pressed, comes out like hashish but ridiculously strong so I’ve cut it into smaller, pill-sized pieces. Hey, there’s a small batch here but there’s certainly enough for you to have your own sample.”
The forced laughter was almost believable. Persephone raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Do tell me, what makes Taliah Dawson so unpleasant?”
Her eyes were alight at this point. Tread carefully, Miss Dawson. Psychoactive drugs weren’t the only substances Persephone carried with her. She was interested to see if Taliah actually had some unpleasant tendencies – it would probably help her case in Persephone’s impromptu assessment of her suitability to low-level Spades work.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Jan 23, 2018 20:34:42 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 23, 2018 20:34:42 GMT
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Persephone pursed her lips sympathetically. “Been there. I used to be a waitress – two different places in San Francisco. Neither worth a visit, by the way, unless you like bad coffee and overcooked pasta. Definitely paid the bills but,” she smiled, “I’ve progressed pretty far in my career since then. Those apron strings feel like a distant memory.”
She watched the smoke disappearing into the wind, taking a long inhale of her joint as the weather continued to spoil her day. She loved watching the smoke curl and twist in the air – but these conditions weren’t exactly ideal.
“Maybe you’ll get lucky and your boss will forgive you. Not your fault the train’s delayed. But hey, a forced career change isn’t always such a bad thing.” If Taliah had a job that was anything like Persephone’s waitressing jobs, then she probably couldn’t wait to see the back of it.
Taliah’s review was glowing – as expected – and Persephone was particularly amused by the contented sigh which escaped the girl’s lips. “I only use natural products that I grow myself. It’s pretty much the cleanest clean can get. No name, this is for my personal use only.” She hoped Taliah would understand now how much of an honour it was for Persephone to be sharing with her. “I’m not planning on producing it on a bigger scale. I guess you could say it would spoil the fun – the exclusivity of it – you know?”
She nodded, trying her best to maintain interest as the girl talked about her dealing history.
“Similar thing happened to somebody I knew. We smoked the last of her supply together when she found out.” To say that she had fond memories of that time with Cory would be a severe overstatement, but it wasn’t exactly a mark on her past. Perfect for a succinct anecdote. It was weird to think, in fact, that that day was so far in the past now. Persephone had only just developed her powers. The Doctor was nothing more than an infuriating mystery – the Event an unpredictable glimmer on the horizon. Weird.
“The product I have for you in that bag isn’t weed – it’s something new. Psychoactive substance – again, all-natural. I figured you can give it whatever name you want and just see how well it sells. There are always customers looking to try new things, right? Like it’s some badge of honour to be on the latest step in illegal pharmaceuticals.”
She rolled her eyes.
“This is just a test run. I like working with plants and creating new products. I get… inspired, and this was just one of those moments. I’d say you should give it a try right now but it kinda knocks you out for a while and I figured you’d be better company if you were conscious.” The grin on her face was hardly genuine, but it was sure to be enough to convince Taliah that Persephone considered her good company. She added a laugh. Far more convincing.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Jan 23, 2018 19:53:12 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 23, 2018 19:53:12 GMT
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Smiling broadly now, Persephone leaned in closer to the glass to admire her work that the Queen of Spades had so generously complimented.
“Of course. The laboratory conditions have enabled it to be grown and modified so quickly. We maintain something of a micro-climate within that glass for truly optimum conditions. So far, it’s paying off. The senior lab assistant has been wonderfully cooperative.”
Persephone slipped in that note of praise there, conscious to emulate her superior in giving credit where credit is due. Making those who worked for you feel valued and appreciated seemed to be key in maintaining their trust – and thus your hold over them. Certainly Yennefer had a vice-like grip on Persephone. While she didn’t gush over her poison-producing protégé, she fed Persephone constant positive feedback that only further cemented her loyalty – if that were possible. Persephone had much to learn from her Queen.
“If it’s deadly you want, I have some vicious contenders for a place at your bedside. The most lethal species are kept in separate greenhouses; some of them are just strikingly beautiful. Nature’s like that, I guess,” Persephone added, her fondness for the plants completely evident in her voice. One could easily draw a parallel between the Duchess and crazy cat ladies. Not that she would be amused by such a notion in the slightest.
_____________________________________________________
Persephone’s heart had sunk a little at Yennefer’s first words to her, but they also triggered something within her that immediately surged through her veins. She pulled herself out of the curtsy and stood tall, shoulders back, eyes burning. Turning her head slowly, Persephone gradually met the gaze of each member of the room in turn before returning her eyes to Yennefer, who was standing before her.
“I brought what you asked for, your Majesty,” she said – the only thing keeping the remaining nerves from her voice being the years of practice at wearing masks. “I can guarantee its effects.”
Persephone produced a vial from a discreet pocket at her side, holding it out for Yennefer’s inspection.
“I can bring you so much more – do so much more – if that is what the Queen of Spades so desires.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Jan 14, 2018 19:31:12 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 14, 2018 19:31:12 GMT
sola dosis facit venenum
“Getting fired, huh?”
It took a couple of attempts due to the wind, partially sheltered though they were, but Persephone eventually got her joint lit. She offered the lighter to Taliah, who had rather ungratefully accepted her offer. The girl clearly didn’t understand the value of Persephone’s product – it was exquisite; her personal supply. She needed to be educated.
“This is something of my own design,” she announced, taking her first drag and closing her eyes with satisfaction as the familiar scent engulfed her. “Hits quick and hard, but it’ll lighten you up without knocking you out. It’s good shit.”
All of Persephone’s personal strains were tailored specifically to her tastes, but she knew that it was still high quality that would be appreciated by any true connoisseur. She watched Taliah carefully for her reaction.
“So, have you been dealing for a while? Gonna go full-time?”
All of Persephone’s research seemed to indicate that Taliah was small fry in the game, but it would be nice to hear it from the dealer herself. Besides, might as well get to know the person she was about to be stuck with for the foreseeable future.
“I gotta tell you, I appreciate you meeting me. It’s not just anybody who would take their chances with an experimental new product from a fresh supplier. Takes guts.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 9, 2018 20:59:59 GMT
sola dosis facit venenum
A “try-before-I-buyer”? Interesting. Persephone limited herself strictly to weed, and she knew a fair few involved with the buying, selling and production of drugs who didn’t actually take anything at all. She listened with mild half-interest as Taliah justified her choice – breaking off suddenly at the announcement that Persephone had been unable to decipher herself and turning away to focus on it. When she turned back, she looked more than a little quizzical.
“Debris?”
Persephone frowned, her eyebrows crinkling together in a way that was practically, oddly cute. It was a look she pulled sometimes if she wanted people to think she was some pretty little airhead, lull them into a false sense of security, but this time her expression was entirely genuine.
“Aw hell no,” she said suddenly, jumping to her feet. “If that debris is on the tracks stopping trains…” She didn’t finish the sentence – what exactly could she do about it after all?
She hauled her bag up with her. “Wait here,” she instructed. “I’m going to find out what that announcement said. Maybe it’s just a warning.”
Persephone strode purposefully down the platform, her stormy face quickly fading into a far more pleasant, customer-service-quality smile. She reached the ticket office and leaned over, looking sweetly at the man behind the counter.
“Hi, do you happen to know what that announcement was just now? In all this wind I couldn’t hear it!” She laughed.
He repeated it for her, apologising quickly as though it were his fault that the weather was so messed up. Hey. Maybe it was. Could be some kind of… wind meta. Persephone’s eyes widened as she realised they were trapped here. Maybe for several hours. In this piece of shit middle of nowhere nothing-town.
She was already rolling the joint as she made her way back down the platform. By the time she reached Taliah once more, it was practically complete.
“Seems like we’re stuck here for a while. You want one?”
If she was going to be trapped at some random train station with some random dealer, the least she could do was try and make the most of it.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 4, 2018 10:39:50 GMT
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Persephone noted the shrug and vague, standoffish response, doing well to keep the smile on her face. “Well, she’s found you,” she pointed out.
Taliah had no qualms with Persephone’s choice of location, so the two of them braced themselves against the wind and headed down the platform.
“Right? It feels like it’s only going to get worse, too.” She cast a scathing look at the weather, as though that would somehow improve things. She’d rather it start pouring down with rain or burn them to a crisp in relentless heat. Wind – especially this strong – was inconvenient on so many levels. Particularly when you had as much hair on your head as Persephone did.
She led the dealer around the back, relieved to find that it functioned at least somewhat as a windbreak. There was even a bench tucked into an alcove, littered by discarded cigarettes. Persephone brushed them away and sat down, gesturing for Taliah to follow. The woman was a couple of years older than Persephone, but it was clear that Persephone was leading this exchange for the moment. It was, after all, her product that was to be discussed.
Persephone swung her bag around, pulling it off her shoulder and onto her lap, and opened it slightly so that Taliah could glimpse the contents.
“This is a small sample batch,” she explained. “There’s more where that came from, of course, but I figure you don’t want to throw yourself straight into a huge investment, right?”
You could never be too careful – best not to bring out her entire supply on the off-chance Taliah was here to do her dirty. Persephone had carefully selected the dealer precisely because she hadn’t thought the girl predisposed to such dishonesty and poor business tactics, but better to be safe than sorry.
As Taliah responded, an announcement was made across the station. Its words were lost in the wind to Persephone, but the station manager was informing the seemingly empty platforms that trains had been cancelled until debris could be removed from the tracks.
If Persephone had heard this announcement, she would have sworn profusely, but the howling gale had drowned it out and so she remained blissfully ignorant …for now.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Dec 30, 2017 15:09:41 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 30, 2017 15:09:41 GMT
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While her work for the Queen of Spades certainly kept her busy, Persephone still had plenty of free time in which to indulge in her hobbies. Fortunately, her work tied in nicely with her hobbies anyway, but when she wasn’t working directly on products for the Spades she was free to explore her more recreational developments. She had long ago cultivated her own high-quality marijuana for personal use, but her abilities had opened up a new avenue in drug-making. Whilst Persephone herself stuck to weed, it was still an interesting exercise to develop other natural products with a variety of psychoactive effects.
Dealing and supplying was not something she’d been overly concerned with before - that kind of dirty work was more suited to people like Cory after all - but after one of Yennefer’s lab workers had persuaded Persephone to let him try a sample of her latest drug, she had become convinced to give it a try.
She wasn’t interested in starting an empire or anything like that. She just liked the idea of one of her substances being used by people who were looking for something new. The effects were just as she had expected - a trance-like, gentle euphoria which eventually led the user into a deep and restorative sleep - and she knew that the product had a unique appeal in its brevity and its lack of come-down.
It had seemed most sensible, then, to start with a nobody. Some small-time dealer who still thought there was any money in dealing weed illegally in California, and who could be persuaded to try something new and without the negotiating power of bigger names.
She’d arranged to meet Taliah at a train station - little more than a platform - that served a tiny town. It was perfect in its remoteness and in its lack of watchful eyes.
Persephone had been waiting for a while. The particularly windy weather was concerning; the few staff that actually appeared every now and then had been suggesting that services may be cancelled if the winds picked up any further. Still, she was safe for now to swiftly conduct her negotiations with Taliah and be on her way back to San Francisco.
She spotted the girl far more quickly than the girl recognised her - if at all. They’d only spoken on the phone and it was Persephone who’d used her Spades resources to find out what the dealer looked like. The two women were fairly similar in appearance, even down to height, but Taliah’s West Indian features were evident in contrast to Persephone’s own mixed heritage.
“You looking for the Duchess?” she asked, her tone casual. It was certainly an odd way to be speaking whilst referring to herself as a duchess in the same sentence. No need to intimidate this person however - they were a potential business partner of sorts.
“We can sit round the back of the far building,” Persephone explained, gesturing to the long-disused block that had once served as a toilet facility. “Nobody will disturb us round there, and it might keep us out of this damn wind.”
She grinned at this point, her joviality precise and convincing. Nobody would even begin suspect that the smile was false.
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