<div align="center"><strong>-= Ferret, Crime Boss &amp; Job Contact – in the back room of The Best Little Hot House in Town, negotiating with Sasha =-</strong></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/Corvus269/Characters/Ferret.jpg)</div>It’s true that time is no friend to a woman’s beauty, but to her experience, skill, reputation, and cunning it can be the most influential teacher, and the most powerful of allies. Time is an enemy to everyone’s outward appearances and physical prowess, but it is not an ally to everyone the way it had been for Ambrosia Koslov, the woman known on all of Persephone as “Ferret.” No longer in her physical prime, her beauty fading with the relentless purging of the sands of time, she now relied on her seemingly less tangible, though more respected and feared qualities to manage her ever-expanding criminal empire.<br/><br/>Ferret’s expression was that of amusement as she fixed Sasha’s eyes with her own, steely blues. Sasha covered the older woman’s hand with hers in a move intended to convey control, and dominance; it was a move that did not surprise Ferret in the least. In the many dealings she’d had with Sasha in the months since Griff had first brought her with him, Ferret had grown more and more impressed with the young woman’s knack for negotiations and maneuvering; something that Griff had recognized in her not long after the two had met.<br/><br/>While Griff was a skilled fighter, capable tactician, and a fine leader by all accounts,  to his credit, he realized early on that Sasha’s talents in the subtle arts of manipulation and her deal closing skills far surpassed his own. Being the fine leader that he was, he eventually brought Sasha with him on job meets, allowing her to speak on his behalf and that of his crew. In the countless negotiations since that ime, Sasha had proven herself time and again, having never failed to come away with the job, and often times on better terms than originally proposed. It had been a wise and lucrative move on Griff’s part.<br/><br/>Ferret played to the younger woman’s whims, openly taking in the whisper of black gossamer lace that lovingly caressed the beautiful woman’s delicate flesh with practiced subterfuge. Her expression remained disarmingly pleasant as Sasha guided the former Companion’s hand to the soft, creamy expanse of exposed thigh. She gave no indication of her intentions or emotions as the young woman began her masterful and subtle dance of seduction with those skilled and slender fingers.<br/><br/><strong>“I do love how wonderful you are with your flowers, Ferret. They are so beautiful and bring such pleasure. It’s such a shame, though, to be forced to witness their beauty fade - don’t you think? Personally, I prefer to replace a bouquet before their exquisite blooms have started to wither, before their delicious perfume has soured. To enjoy them only at their peak. There are, after all, always fresh flowers available to replace them, hmm?”</strong><br/><br/>Ferret tilted her head ever so slightly as she listened to woman across from her. Her carefully chosen words were masterfully painted with a provocative brush, stroking the words the that would form the exquisite metaphor she painted for the older woman. All the while Ferret listened with curious amusement while Sasha’s fingers brushed expertly along her arm until at last, the artist had finished with her piece. Her illustration complete, Sasha pulled Ferret’s fingers to her lips, kissing the tips with tenderness.<br/><br/>Had Ferret not been a former Companion, a master of seduction herself and well versed in the tactics in which Sasha currently engaged, she may have fallen prey to the younger woman. But Ferret had not made her swift rise to power by being so easily beguiled or subverted by pretty young flowers or masterfully painted illustrations. Impressed as she had been with Sasha, she felt the sting of the other woman’s insulting words and took them to heart.<br/><br/><strong>“But, I digress. In answer to your question, there’s certainly no need for ugliness, Ferret, especially in the presence of such beauty as yours. Of course I want to...play nice...with you.”</strong><br/><br/>Feeling the younger woman’s hands in her hair, Ferret looked again into Sasha’s eyes. But here was something different in those steely blue orbs this time; A cold harshness that hadn’t present before, a twinkle and a promise of danger. Standing upright again, she allowed Sasha to continue with her game of seduction, curious if the younger woman actually thought she could somehow seduce her. Her delicate fingers danced along Ferret’s neck before grazing lightly over her the soft fullness of her breasts where they hovered for a moment. That same, unreadable smile remained on the former Companion’s face as Sasha made a show of pulling out the chair, offering the woman her own seat.<br/><br/><strong>”Please, make yourself comfortable. Shall we continue to discuss our mutually beneficial relationship? I’m sure you’ve got more important people to see, and I’d hate to take up too much of your time.”</strong><br/><br/>Sinking gracefully into the chair, Ferret reclined comfortably. She crossed her long, slender legs and steepled her fingers once more. Resting her elbows on the arms of her chair, she pressed her fingers against her soft, full lips, remaining quiet for what seemed like several long minutes. She shifted her now intense, piercing gaze first at Steve, then to Si, studying each man closely. Her severe stare seemed to bore into the men in turn as though daring them to make a move, tempting them to tip their hand.<br/><br/>Sasha came back to the workbench and leaned against it, as seductive as she ever was. With her elbows resting against he bench and her legs crossed at the ankles, Ferret willingly drank in the young woman’s alluring beauty. Her eyes scanned the length of her body, over the tempting hint of her panties barely concealed beneath the teasing gossamer fabric, the gentle swell of soft, tender breasts, the delicious valley at the base of her throat, those full, inviting lips, finally fixing those bright, radiant blue eyes with her own.<br/><br/><strong>“So tell me, my beautiful hu li jing, how may we be of service?”</strong><br/>At long last, Ferret pulled her fingers from her lips and gave a small chuckle before she took in a deep breath. “My darling Sasha... such a prodigious Companion you could have made, my dear. If only you had received the proper nourishments and care, as all flowers must receive if they ever hope to bloom.”  That same cutting smile that Sasha had displayed earlier now mirrored across Ferret’s lovely face. “Such a shame…” She paused again for several long seconds, watching Sasha closely for a reaction, testing for chinks in the younger woman’s armor.<br/><br/>“It’s true, time has proven to be a most… cruel adversary, Sasha… as you will no doubt discover soon enough, provided you possess the fortitude to endure.” A fleeting smile whispered over her lips. “In light of our conversations here this afternoon, my confidence that you possess such fortitude has been severely shaken.” She folded her hands gracefully in her lap, tilting her head to the side as she considered the woman across from her. “As we all well know, bao bei, weeds will always remain weeds, no matter how much they adorn themselves to appear as flowers, no matter how much they aspire to become flowers. They will always be nothing more than weeds; an undesirable and troublesome thing that grows profusely where it is not wanted, hmm?”<br/><br/>“A wilting bouquet to be replaced with fresh flowers, hmm?” She sighed deeply and shook her head with a look of disappointment. “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and curse. Bao bei Sasha, these things ought not to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” Again Ferret paused, shifting her attentions briefly to Si and Steve before finding Sasha once more. Ironic that a woman such as Ferret was quoting from the most long lived book in recorded history, a book that many still considered to be the living word of God; the bible.<br/><br/>“Do you honestly think you can you waltz in here in your sexy outfit, flaunt a little of skin and use your pretty words to mask your blatant disrespect of me, my dear Sasha? Is that how you think I run my business, by allowing people to treat me with disrespect, hmm? I'm disappointed in you, my dear.” Her expression remained as pleasant as ever, though there was certainly a much more dangerous and sinister undertone lacing her words now. Sliding her chair back up to the workbench next to Sasha, she picked up her shears again and returned her attentions to the “Apple Blossom” snapdragons, clipping off an errant bud with loving care. “How may you be of service, bao bei? I think, perhaps, our business here has concluded for the day, Sasha." She glanced up from her snapdragons, smiling sweetly up to Sasha. "Your services are no longer required. I be looking to someone who can display a little more respect." She started to turn back to her snapdragons again, but turned back to Sasha again, as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, and be doll for me Sasha; tell Griff he might wanna come see about his work status here on Persephone… soon.” Ferret smiled sweetly up to Sasha who was leaning against the workbench beside her. “You can show yourself out, yes?”<br/>