oh_shiney | Entries tagged with 28

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis
fandom : Original Character
Word count :152
Topic: Do you believe in ghosts?
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta-unless agreed otherwise. She is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

You know what? I have no idea if there are ghosts. Well, I used to tell spooky stories when I was a kid to scare the bajeebus out of Mikey, but I was only teasing. I haven’t met a ghost, so I can’t say for sure. Since coming to answer these questions, I have run into a lot of “different” beings and some of then were quite scary. So, anything is possible, ‘though I can bet and probably win, that I have a better chance of seeing it snow here on the Jersey shore than actually see a ghost. Of course, I just read the weather report so, yay, it might snow tomorrow!

Then again, this is Atlantic City. It’ll be slush by noon, but who cares! If anyone wants to try and have some fun in it, I’ll see you in the morning and see where the snow day takes us.

Current Music: Louis Armstrong | On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Day four was absolutely the tops! She had made all of her money back from grateful “friends” who she had stood by in support while gambling. It didn’t mean she would overspend, but maybe she would splurge just the tiniest bit on a new dress. There was a dress that she had seen in one of the smaller shops and it was within walking distance.

Apparently, it wasn’t a good idea to haggle around here - at least for current fashions. She didn’t need a large grasp of the language to barter at he farmer’s market, which she had done on the afternoon of day two. However, in this store, the price was the price. Oh well, she thought and bought it with a good portion of yesterday‘s earnings. Bought with cash even, it was middle class blunder, but who cared. Maggie was polite and her money was as good as anyone else’s around here.

Yeah, who cared, she thought, while smoothing down a very nice blue and black, cocktail dress, made entirely of silk. Satin was her normal fetish for material, but this just screamed Maggie, the way it clung to every curve.

Putting on her heels and grabbing coat and purse, Maggie wandered over to the Monte Carlo casino. For a while, she wandered from tables to bar and back again. It was just to say hello to people that she had met since her arrival. It was early still, being only nine o’clock, so there was plenty of room and time to assess the incoming, deciding who might need her brand of luck the most.

(ooc-stop- look -listen: They chat a lot in meta only, but this is the first time they have met in game. While Maggie knows of some immortals in game, she doesn't know Kronos at all, or that he is one.)

Current Music: Andrew Sisters - Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (Means You're Grand)

The Museum of oceanography was yesterday afternoon. She had a wonderful time, checking out all the aquatic life, all on her own, as that was how she usually spent her afternoons here …usually. Today for instance, she was going to get to ride in an Aston Marten. And to think she was going to check out the cathedral today. She could do that tomorrow, during Mass. She had promised her mother that she would at least go to Mass once, during her visit and if her mother happened to mention a rabid love of Princess Grace, well Maggie didn’t mind. Hopefully, she could get souvenirs for her mother before she left; she would certainly do her best.

An hour early for the fun of it, Maggie sat down inside the Café de Paris. The sixty degrees of sunshine and heat was the best it was going to be today. Maggie checked the weather and it was going to be cloudy from Sunday until she left. Oh well, she got one hell of a tan while the weather was good. Coffee was excellent here, that was for sure, even though she was tempted to scoff at the price with the tiny phrasebook that she kept with her at all times. She chose to stay here and while she was at it, while she waited for James, she ordered another one, along with a light snack of fruit. It was so much easier to order the healthy and basic food here. She had noticed a few fast food places here, but if she wanted a Cheeseburger Royal, she’d have gone to a Burger King in Jersey.

Whenever James did arrive, it would be hard to miss the brownish-black haired woman, wearing a tan cable knit dress that went to her knees and clung to every curve. It was perfect for the weather, as long as she brought her coat.

Current Music: Sittin' On Top Of The World ~ Dean Martin

Character name: Margaret Bethany-Francis
Fandom: OC
Disclaimers warning: [ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta-unless agreed otherwise. She is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]
Challenge topic: Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them. - John Updike (1932 - )
Rating: PG

The hotel room, inside view of Maggie’s bare feet would show that they were hanging off the side of the bed with cotton balls keeping each and every toe, separate while they dried. She could have gone down and made use of their spa services, but nah, she had better uses for that money than a simple over-priced pedicure. She’d go down for a massage and facial later, but up her in the privacy of her own room, she did her own nails.

While she waited, there was much to plan and think about. She had a busy day filled with sightseeing and then later, she would hit the casinos. She already had a date lined up, a heavy gambler who seemed down on his luck and had dreams of making it big one more time in Monte Carlo and would she kindly grace his side with her presence? After she had told him of her lucky streak, he had asked of course. Now how could she say no to that? He would win, of that, she was sure, her luck for others had never really failed and in return, he would be grateful enough to share a bit of the wealth.

If she did this every night that she was here then her money spent in coming here would be taken care of, and a nice profit would be made.

One more dream realized and now all she had to do was come up with another dream. That should take all of five minutes after landing back in Jersey. But for now, she was living her current dream and damn anybody who tried to drag her down.

Current Music: Tom Jones ~ It's Not Unusual

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom : Original Character
Topic: What song best describes your life?
Word count :189
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta-unless agreed otherwise. She is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

” I'm gonna live till I die. I'm gonna laugh stead of cry…”

In flight now, Maggie could barely contain herself. Her family had seen her off when she had taken the rental vehicle for a side trip to Alexa’s place for the all girl’s party. Now, it was just her , sitting next to some stuffy accountant, who kept hushing her when she sang along to the music playing on her headphones. Hmm, well, she even offered to let him listen to it, but he waved her headphones away.

Putting them back on, she didn’t sing this time; maybe a little humming and a lot of foot tapping. Another look and a hush – this time from the flight attendant as well. Party poopers.

Let’s see, no humming, no singing, and no feet tapping. But nobody said nothing about finger tapping!

Yet again, the hush and look, but this time, Maggie fought back. Good thing that they were the only ones in the row (which gave her pause to think—why he would even sit so darn close, hmm, she wondered); it gave her the perfect opportunity to flash the poor man.

He didn’t give her any more “grump” for the entire flight

( Listen in )

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom : Original Character
Topic: Talk about one thing you hope to do in the upcoming year that you have never done before. It could be something significant or something trivial.
Word count :400
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta-unless agreed otherwise. She is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

She was going to use that ticket Byron gave her to Monaco and by God, she was going to stay at the Hotel de Paris even if it meant draining one of her accounts of its twenty five thousand dollar balance, just about, leaving only three thousand dollars. It would take another high rolling season to fill it up again, but this was worth the effort. Would that she had a never-ending supply of funds, but she did not and there was no use bitching about the fact. She worked her ass off for every penny and it took Herculean effort to make her loosen the purse strings for any occasion.

This wasn’t just any occasion. This was Monte Carlo – the finest place in the world for any gambler or those involved in such things. Plus, it was absolutely gorgeous there!

Sometimes it really paid off to be in with Casino managers and travel agents. The gift from Byron was just the kick-start that she needed. The actual price for ten days at the Hotel De Paris; one bedroom suite with balcony , should have run at about twenty five hundred a night; US dollars, but she had talked it down to about twelve hundred. Hey, some people saved for college, Maggie saved for travel and fun. So, that was about twelve thousand total for the room and about seven thousand five hundred (after conversion) to play with. It wasn’t a lot by wealthy standards, but Maggie would survive.

There were other things to deal with as well. She had sprung for a top of the line translator on top of already knowing the basic phrases in French. Her wardrobe; she took the time as soon as Byron told her of the ticket, to update as much as she could. Little did anyone know, that Maggie kept a set of luggage filled with current fashions, in case her dream was finally realized. There was no way that she should just walk in to a store for such things. Her figure demanded attention, as most fashions were built for those stick figures. It put her back another five thousand. It wasn’t absolute haute couture, but it was acceptable.

Set back about twenty seven thousand American dollars, it would take awhile to recoup, but she would, was, and is achieving her goal of going to Monte Carlo, come hell or high water.

Current Music: Frank Sinatra | High Hopes

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom : Original Character
Topic: What’s your worst quality as a significant other?
Word count :274
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta-unless agreed otherwise. She is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

She did not stop – not ever – not once in the entire time that she had been old enough to date and or have sex, had Maggie ever waited long enough for anyone to make up their mind about her. Life was too short. Most of the time she was nice about it when they called, befuddled at her sudden decision to move on without them.

She flat out did not want to be tied down and dependent on another being for anything, or worse, them to her.

She wasn’t a know-it-all by any means and definitely could not do everything by herself, but there were limits and saying “I do” was one of them.

Well, there was also Michael Jacob-Francis to contend with – At least it was a step up from when they were younger and her companions hadn’t a chance in Hell of getting any alone time with her, if Michael knew they were about. God help the man or woman that bad-mouthed Maggie within his hearing range.

Poor Jack found that out right quick enough. Not that they were an item, just that he had the bad luck and timing of saying what he had said about her to Mikey. All in good fun, but try telling her brother that. On the right side, he knew that she would swat him a good one unless he was truly defending her physical self, if she caught him clocking the men in her life. Her honor did just fine without his help. Jeeze, just because he wanted to stay a virgin all his livelong life, didn’t mean… Man, he needed to get out more.

*mun disclaimer: Her itty bitty Vegas marriage quicky annulment notwithstanding, of course.

Current Music: Paradise By the Dashboard Light ~ MeatLoaf

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom : Original Character
Topic: Moral of the story
Word count :173
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta See bio sheet-a work in progress but has enough filled in to get a good idea of what she is about. Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta- but she is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

If I had a penny for every moral of the story, story, well, I would be a lot richer by now. You know that people just want to give their two cents worth in, on how you are living your life, by giving you a cautionary tale. Sometimes they even slip into the mix, that the story happened to them.

Well guess what. No one EVER listens. They never ever take them completely to heart. Oh, they enjoy the entertaining tale, take bits and pieces and then bend it to their way of thinking. But come on, tell me one person who didn’t learn the hard way, the lessons of life.

Ok, I am sure there are many, but really, they are a rare breed.

Of course, in Catholic school, it is a touch different.

Do this or you are going to be excommunicated, and or worse, going to Hell. They just skip right over the fun tales and hit you in the guts with spiritual and emotional blackmail.

At least Aesop was fun to read. Jeeze.

Current Music: Get Happy by Judy Garland

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom: Original Character
Topic: What do your ancestors mean to you?
Word count : 326
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta See bio sheet-a work in progress but has enough filled in to get a good idea of what she is about. Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta- but she is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

[Maggie: Age 13]

An antique hatbox, marked “Private: Keep Out”, sat in Maggie’s lap. In it, were various pictures of her father’s parents, along with letters and assorted mementos. Caucasian French features, fair hair, both with hazel green eye color, Maggie looked at each photo, seeing nothing but strangers before her gaze. She had never met them and she wasn’t too sure she wanted to meet them. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Sr. had disowned their son when he had decided to marry her mother Bethany. It was for no other reason than that of being French citizen of Chinese birth, It didn’t matter that she had come from a good God-fearing Catholic family that had money of their own, by inheritance (parents dead). She was Chinese – end of story.

Her parents never talked about them, but Maggie had her own ways of finding out things –like snooping. She was good at snooping as a child. When she had come across the photos, it was like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – until she read the letters. They were horrible little people that didn’t deserve the time of day. How dare they say those things about her mom! At least her parents had the sense to migrate to America and get as far away from them as possible.

To herself, Maggie made a promise, never to let Michael know of this box. To him, both sets of grandparents were dead and they would remain so. There was no reason to fill Michael’s head with what racist bastards their grandparents were.
[/Maggie: Age 13]

~

Mostly, they just mean that they did their job and reproduced the right amount of children that in turn, reproduced more children. Eventually, one of them passed on the seed that made me and that is what an ancestor is to me.

I am more interested in my immediate family. The dead have no right to my undivided attention or concern.

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom: Original Character
Topic: What keeps you up at night
Word count : 550
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game –unless agreed upon– which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta See bio sheet-a work in progress but has enough filled in to get a good idea of what she is about. Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta- but she is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

[Private] After hours spent at the Casinos:

pacing-pacing-pacing

Bills: There was Michael’s rent that she subsidized without his knowledge. A deal, she made with the landlord that he promised never to tell her brother. There’s the money that she gives her parents every month, money that she puts in savings, and let’s not forget the credit card bills. It was always something. However, she would prevail. Oh, Hell yes, she would.

pacing-pacing-pacing

She was saving every penny that didn’t go toward making more money. In several overseas accounts and one in Switzerland, the funds were tucked away with interest being earned. Forget paying taxes when it wasn’t necessary. No, that little blight on her record would never cause her to lose a second of sleep. Who really paid everything that they owed, anyway?

pacing-pacing-pacing

However, there were the thoughts of Vegas. Bright lights, big city, and some of the biggest mistakes that she ever made in her life were made there – mistakes that could cost her freedom if she were caught. Michael knew a little bit but

pacing-pacing-pacing

Maggie stared up at the ceiling and then toward the sliding glass doors. The sun was coming up and her eyes were finally getting heavy. It was a good evening altogether. She had accrued over two thousands dollars from those who had won earlier in the week. It was a small amount, for sure, but every penny counted. She wasn’t going to end up some old lady on the street without a pot to piss in – says the woman, who lives in a rent-free condominium for the next six months.

Where the hell she was going to live after that was anyone’s guess. However, that was in the here and now. In the here and now, it didn’t matter so much. It was only rent free because an acquaintance decided that it would make a better form of gratuity, as she liked to call her form of payment from them for winning at the tables.

pacing-pacing-pacing

Smoking one of the few cigarettes that she had on her (she was cutting back on that), Maggie finally caved and began to prepare for sleep. There was nothing to worry about, really, honest, truly….well, maybe just a little. The fear of becoming a bag lady were on hold and unrealized for at least another day, night, or whatever.

[/private]

3pm: In bed, hair in messy disarray. All sleepy eyed with coffee in hand – nothing on but the sheets and a smile.

I assume you meant what keeps me from sleeping at night. Well, I don’t really sleep at night. I sleep during the day. I am the proverbial Night owl, yessiree. There’s so much to do and see in the city at night, how could anyone sleep? Sometimes, I do get up at the god-early hour of 1pm and go to the Steel Pier or some other city pastime. I stay out and catch some sun. But really? Tanning is overrated.

Ok, excuse me, but I gotta go and eat breakfast now. The delivery guy will be here any second with the food and you wouldn’t want me to give him heart failure. I mean, the last time, he almost did, all because I was only wearing my mid-length robe. Hey! I was covered I’ll have you know.

Bye now!

Current Music: Frank Sinatra | Call Me Irresponsible

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom: Original Character
Topic: Hidden
Word count : 245
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game—which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta See bio sheet-a work in progress but has enough filled in to get a good idea of what she is about. Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta- but she is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

Hiding something, something hidden, to hide is to lie. Hmm…wait a minute. Didn’t you put up something about lies, last week? Is this some sort of trick?

~~
It was all business, if one could call just standing by a gambler’s side, a business. It was just one of her many ways of turning a buck. It was not smiled upon by managers of the casinos, so Maggie stayed low key. She did not just waltz up to some poor shmo at the tables. It was all word of mouth and it was all put together before she even walked into the casino of choice.

Atlantic City, Vegas, Reno ~~and some day Monte Carlo~~; they all had everything that Maggie ever wanted in a city. It was bright and garish. She could hide her real self behind all the trappings of blinking lights, slot machines, and shouts of both winners and losers, never once letting on that she was smarter than most people gave her credit for. In return, Maggie didn’t ask of her friends and or acquaintances (in the casinos and outside of), too many questions that scratched below the surface their lives. Who was she to pry, anyway.

Most thought after speaking to her, that she was nothing more than fluff; a gambler's arm-piece, ditz at best, or a whore at worst. Let them. Playing stupid had its advantages both in and outside of the casinos. She enjoyed the charismatic, high-energy dynamic appeal of bright lights and deceit. People were too busy gambling or hiding their own skeletons to worry about hers.

Current Music: Mel Torme ~ Whatever Lola wants

Name : Margaret Bethany-Francis *
fandom: Original Character
Topic: Tell the truth about something you usually lie about.
Word count : 195
[ooc--All posts are for player not character knowledge only – not for your character to use in game—which is ok because all replies to challenges are meta See bio sheet-a work in progress but has enough filled in to get a good idea of what she is about. Do not call her by her real name—She has not told anybody that. ALL comments are considered meta- but she is available for specific in game rp -- if needed]

Well, all right, I really am only 5 ft - 5 1/2 inches tall and not 5 ft 9 ½ inches in big shoes and on a good hair day. Jeeze, you tell one Vegas show manager that and they laugh themselves silly. Who thought of that stupid height rule anyway?

Maggie and the art of being interrogated:

Maggie loved to talk. She could yap all day about anything and everything. It wasn’t that she was a know-it-all – not in the least. If she didn’t know something, a certain fact, or tidbit that seemed vital to understanding what was being asked of her, she’d ask one of the all-important five. Those five were: who, what, where, when, or why. Anything to keep the focus off of her.

She had a lot of skeletons in her closet but hey, if they don’t ask the right question in the right manner and weren’t on their toes for any signs of fibbing, was it really her fault if they didn’t get the answer they wanted?

It’s not what she says but what she doesn’t say. If you don’t ask the right question of her, how can you get the right answer?