longwei2go | IC Inbox for recolle

Father always said that recreational drugs cut into our pharmaceutical ventures. I guess that's why.

[She shrugs.]

You're, um... okay, right? It doesn't hurt too bad?

Yeah, it's... [ Yin frowned briefly. ] You ever read anything about "phantom limb"? I mean the real deal, not the shit they talk about on TV.

It's like. Ten times worse than people say. Hundreds, maybe. This — [ she holds out the vape pen. ] —is strong enough to take my mind off it on the good days.

And its like that all the time? I'm really sorry.

[She doesn't wait for the answer. She knows what it is.]

How long ago was the accident? If... you don't mind talking about it.

Hey. Hey, hey, hey. [ Yin waves her hand. ] Save the pity for the puppies and kittens, all right? I don't need any of that.

Besides. You should try this stuff. It's almost worth it. [ that is probably the single most sarcastic thing she's said in her life, but her tone is just dry and dull enough that it falls flat. ]

[Right, she should have known that Yin would deflect. Vera knows that strategy very well.]

You're serious. You want me to try that. Do you have any idea what that would do to my reputation if someone walked out that door and saw me?

Number one: vaping is all over the place right now.

Number two: so what, they'll think you're just going for a nicotine fix like anyone else. That's not illegal. [ Yin pulled her hand back. ] Unless of course I rat you out. Do I look like a dirty rat to you? [ not dressed like this, she doesn't. ]

[She looks at Yin, then the vape, then back at Yin. What is wrong with her that she is even considering this?]

No, you look like a very well-groomed rat today.

[Sigh.]

Ugh, fine, whatever. Show me how to use this thing and maybe I'll try one puff.

May helped with my hair. [ she said with a wink. ]

It's easy, you just breathe in and hold it for a few seconds before you exhale. It's not smoke. Just water. Very... potent water. [ Yin held the vape out. ] Make it a small puff. I don't want you wasting this since you're just gonna cough anyway.

Oh I'll be fine.

[So she'll just... put her lips to it and suck in? And the vapor is pulled into her lungs and she immediately regrets this decision. She wasn't expecting how harsh it would be, and recoils into a coughing fit.]

[ she reaches out to put her hand over Vera's own. mostly to keep her from dropping it. ] Vapor, Vera. Vapor. Breathe. Trust me, you're good. [ that doesn't keep Yin from sounding highly amused by all this. ] I'd pat you on the back but,... yeah.

[She takes a deep breath and finally calms down, taking a moment to clear her throat.]

How the hell do you do smoke that regularly? Your throat must be made of steel or something.

Well. They don't start you on this stuff. [ something she should have led with? probably. ]

So, what, is this some super-potent shit or something?

I don't even feel anything.

It doesn't just... hit you. You need to keep at it for a minute. Let it sink in. Go with the flooow. [ Yin laughed. ] Okay, nevermind, even I can't say that with a straight face.

Forgot, like, everything you've ever been told about smoking pot. You either know right when it happens, or you don't realize it at all. There's the difference between this and something you get on the street. [ not that she would know ANYTHING about that. ]

[There was something about Yin's joke. Maybe the face she made, or the way she said it, but it just gives Vera the giggles. She snorts, looking away as she leans back against the wall.]

What's the point in taking something if you don't even feel it. This is dumb. [Said with a grin.]

No, no, it's not dumb. Listen.

You will feel it, but you won't know it. Like. That experiment with the frog in boiling water. [ she takes a drag. ] Or whatever it was. The point is, it's not like shooting up.

The fuck? [She snickers.] A frog?

Also please don't tell me you know that from experience.

[She says as she puts her hand out for the vape. Puff puff pass, broski.]

[ Yin hesitates, but hands it over. ] Hell no it was something I remember from science class. You put the frog in water and slowly turn up the heat. Happens so slowly it doesn't realize something's wrong 'til it's too late.

[ sniff. ] Or maybe just think of it like aspirin. I mean, you take it, but you don't know the exact second it hits you. Later you just ... feel less pain. Ideally.

[Vera takes the vape and exhales sharply, preparing herself both mentally and physically for the next drag. She wasn't going to cough this time. She can do this.

And... she does. Mostly. This drag is longer than the first and is soon followed by some restrained gagging as the remaining vapor escapes through her nostrils.]

Ffffuck. That's crazy. Kinda like buying up a company's stock with shell companies. They don't know what's going on until you walk in on an shareholder's meeting and tell them that you run the place now.

[She pinches her nose and clears her throat.]

The look on their faces...

[ Vera's taking it hard, true, but this isn't going to destroy her mind like "real" weed will. and it's a lot less harsh on her body overall. then again, this girl doesn't strike Yin as the type to put a lot of stuff in it in the first place, so it could just be that starting her off on the best stuff wasn't the smartest idea.

but it sure is fun.

Yin cocks her head to the side. ] I think I get the idea. Sorta. Sounds pretty cutthroat.

[If all Vera gets is some loose lips and a case of the giggles, then maybe this stuff isn't so bad after all. She offers the vape back to its owner.]

Oh it's vicious, but that's how you have to be to get ahead in an industry sometimes.

[Sniff.]

One time, these guys were so excited about the attention their stocks were getting that they threw a party. Gave raises to their whole team! [Snicker.] They had no idea... that starting the next week they would be answering to their largest competitor.

That almost sounds... I dunno. Illegal. Anti-trust? Fuck if I know, I just hear this stuff on the news sometimes. [ cue one girl who is mostly informed by headlines these days and less by actual research and hard facts. like that isn't obvious. ]

[It's a plague on this society. Reaction Culture. No one wants to hear the news anymore, they just want to know how they should feel about it.]

Nah, it's totally legal. Ethical? Fuck no, but super legal. Besides its not like we liquidate the whole company, just the unneeded shit. Most everybody keeps their jobs, so win-win.

[ Yin takes a deep breath of fresh evening air. ] "Most"?

Well we usually replace the executive team with our own people, and a lot of the admin shit is redundant since we'd be taking care of it.

[She clears her throat again.]

We try to relocate whoever we can since they're usually competent, but the people who dig their heels in are shown the door.

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