Pick Your Poison, Thursday

[crimson_sister]

This was Lucille's last day working in the shop, and she made sure it would be left tidy, in case she needed to come back and work again. It was a pleasant place, now more than ever since it was one of the lucky places that had escaped the sharks, and thus didn't smell of fish.

Lucille had considered bribing the squirrels so that she could search for actual poisons -- Ino hadn't been completely clear on the subject -- but decided against it. Again, she might need work again.

[Open!]

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[intraspective]

Also, Ino would know. The squirrel had nothing on her when it came to what happened in her shop.

Ino breezed in, bag of cookies in hand, and said, rather over-dramatically, "I can't believe you're leaving me!"

[crimson_sister]

Perhaps it was a good thing that Lucille didn't know that Ino would know.

She smiled as her employer entered. "My home needs looking after," she said. "And perhaps my brother can come home for a visit."

[intraspective]

Ino wasn't super keen to share that with Lucille, no.

"I suppose so," Ino sighed, then grinned, offering Lucille the bag. "Family is rather important. I bring you cookies, assorted, as, I don't know, good work and all."

[crimson_sister]

"Thank you." Lucille accepted the bag, peeking inside. "It's been a pleasure working for you. Shall I put some tea on?"

[intraspective]

"Yes, please," Ino said, preening just a little at the compliment. "Can I ask what takin' care of a house entails for you? That's not just, like, cleaning, is it?"

[crimson_sister]

"Oh, it's a big house, and it hasn't been lived in for a few years. There is cleaning to be done, yes, but I also should get someone to repair the roof."

That was never going to happen.

"My friend Sparkle came to visit and helped me with the most urgent things, but there is still a lot to be done."

[intraspective]

"I hear that a roof is just a little important," Ino noted, fiddling with a bit of her hair. Honestly, she'd just move out. Still, it obviously meant something to Lucille so she didn't say that.

"Sparkle--the clothing shop one?"

[crimson_sister]

"The floor might get ruined. And the rug," Lucille said.

And yes, Allerdale Hall was important. Very much so.

She added, with a small laugh: "Yes, the clothing shop one."

[intraspective]

"He's a good boy," Ino said approvingly.

He wasn't that much younger than her, really, but she felt so much older than him that he was going to be stuck as a 'boy' for a long time.

Ino hesitated a moment, then added, "I got a present for you too. For the whole, you know, going away thing."

[crimson_sister]

"Oh," Lucille said, a little surprised. "That... is very kind of you."

It annoyed her that she was still not used to how to react properly to these kinds of situations.

[intraspective]

Lots of people were bad at it, Lucille! It was okay!

She pulled a neatly wrapped package from one of her pockets. The package was fairly flat, and not too large, and it was tied with a violently purple bow.

"It's not much," she said, "but, like, don't stab yourself with them, okay? Just don't."

[crimson_sister]

"I... stab?"

Lucille pulled the ribbon loose and unwrapped the package.

[intraspective]

"Well, you probably wouldn't stab yourself," Ino admitted. "You don't strike me as accident prone but, like, sometimes it's a good warning to give out anyway."

In the box were a neat dozen simple and elegant hair pins, with points sharp enough that stabbing really would hurt. Each of them had a hint of a purple sheen that glimmered down their lengths.

Also in the box was a small, dark vial.

[crimson_sister]

Oh. Lucille understood now.

"I don't stab anyone by accident." She smiled at Ino. "Thank you. It is a very nice gift."

If you were inclined towards poisoning people.