Marie-Ange and Topaz || Job Interview?

[xp_topaz]

Part Two - Topaz talks to Marie-Ange about a job.



Topaz wasn't exactly new to Snow Valley. She gave Clea a quick wave as she walked by the desk, heading to the stairs. As much as she was certain Marie-Ange wouldn't give her a hard time, but there was always that doubt in the back of her head.

At least there had only been one raven on the car she'd parked next to. That was the best sign she was going to get at the moment. "Marie-Ange?" she called as she knocked gently on the office door.

"Come in!" Marie-Ange called, though the door opened itself, one of her images disappearing into the tell-tale little puff of mist as it swung open.

Topaz stepped around the mist as she walked in. She had given up her usual sweatshirt and jeans in favor of something slightly more professional and slightly less "college student who clearly hadn't slept in three days" - the first sign it wasn't a casual visit. "Got a minute to talk about a possible job?" Not exactly the most conventional way to go about it but she was fairly certain Amanda had already filled Marie-Ange in.

Marie-Ange took a moment to click away from a calendar reminder, and then nodded. "I have thirty minutes on my calendar for you. Specifically." She clicked her screen, and a meeting invite chimed on Topaz's phone. "Though I will admit I had limited knowledge of why you were visiting today, I at least knew you were."

Topaz took a moment to check her phone. "Well, thirty minutes. Better get to the point." She sat across from Marie-Ange, rolling through the options for what to say. "I want to join you lot. Mostly the spy side, and I know that involves a job with Snow Valley. I have.... really good organization abilities apparently, I'm sure there's something to be done with that. Or be someone's assistant." She paused before adding, "Not Doug, though. Not if he still has one of those weird sisters working for him."

She paused, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "I know what I'm asking. I know that ethics go out the window and sometimes terrible choices have to be made - most of the time, actually - and I can handle it. Or I can pick it up fast. I'm good at that."

Marie-Ange's eyebrows shot up, the scarred one peeking over the eyepatch. "That... was the least expected of my guesses." She lowered her head for a moment, and then the little imaged imp that always handled her door appeared and shut it. "I will be absolutely blunt, because I need to know you understand the job. There is going to be a day I am going to ask you to kill someone, with your powers, or a knife, or a gun and you are going to have to do it."

The only shift in Topaz' expression was a raised eyebrow at the thought of someone trusting her with a gun. "I know. And if you don't trust me to be able to follow through then I'll leave and no one else has to know I ever said anything. But I know, and I'll listen."

"It is not about trust, but it is a long time before that will make more sense than me spouting off spy cliches." Marie-Ange replied. "You know exactly what this job can do to people. I am going to ask you to kill someone and you are going to need to not hate yourself. You are going to see one of us get shot, or stabbed, or worse, and not blame yourself, so that the next day you can keep doing the job."

"I know." Topaz repeated. Her voice was slightly softer this time. "I know there's no time for blame, or guilt, or hesitating. I know a lot of things are a one-time deal and people die when you screw up. I know that things happen that are entirely outside of anyone's control-" her eyes flicked for the briefest moment to Marie-Ange's eyepatch, "-and that you still have to keep moving because there's no time to stop and have a meltdown over it. And I can't exactly predict the future, but... I wouldn't be here if I wasn't completely sure about anything."

Marie-Ange nodded once, in approval. "I badly want to tell you to get out and that you are completely unsuited for this job. I cannot, because you are an empath, and I have personal experience with empaths. I am not hiring you for magic. I am hiring you because I am going to send you into a room of people and set them all into a rage, or weeping, or an uncontrolled orgy."

"Okay," was Topaz's simple reply. "I figured you had more than enough magic. And I know how to be terrible person with empathy."

"There is no such thing as too much magic. I am also hiring you for magic."

"Doubly useful, then."

"Efficient. If you can set people into a rage and turn guns into teacups, all the better."

Comments

[xp_jubilee]

Jubilee's all like 'So, if your cat were to ask for a small couch, what colour would they want? Also, are you one of those people who dislike people being around their stuff, or are you one of those that just likes it replaced?'