Who: Annie and Jean What: Getting Lost and Striking Up Deals When: Wednesday, 16th September Where: Tent behind the big cat show Rating: Low - Bit of flirting Status: Complete
Jean had just finished up her show and was working with Kerr to get the cats back into their pens when someone caught her eye. A beautiful woman with short hair and a body full of tattoos. She watched as she came backstage from her show, fascinated by all the markings on her skin. She’d seen a tattoo or two in her day but none like this. Most of the men she’d seen with them weren’t half as pretty as her.
Once all her duties were done Jean waltzed up to the stranger, still donned in her sparkly stage get up that unfortunately was starting to come undone a bit. “Hey there.” She offered to the stranger, waving a hand to say hello. When she looked towards Jean she gasped a bit. She was quite striking.
Annie had finished in the Ten in One a bit earlier than everyone else and decided to walk around Zion for a bit seeing what else was happening. While her show wasn't as exciting as the others she felt like she was starting to get the hang of things, not to mention the men were real gentlemen compared to some of the rouse-abouts that she had met in the mess tent since her arrival.
She was kind of in her own little world when a voice broke through, a 'hey there'. She recognised the woman as the one who ran the big cat show. While she didn't know everyone by name she knew what most people did in Zion, they all (with exemption to the vampires) all visited the mess tent regularly. The sparkly outfit didn't go unnoticed either. "Good evening my dear." Annie smiled.
There was a brightness to her, like she was standing out in the sun even though they were under the shade behind the stage. Unsure of what to say she stuck her hand out for a handshake. “Name's Jean, Jean Ramsey. What are you doing here?” She wondered out loud. This was, after all, where the cat show was and not the tattooed show. She suspected there might be some mischief behind that smile.
“Last I checked only me and the animal handlers hang around these parts.” And by handlers she meant only Kerr. She was the only one who had any interactions with the cats besides Jean.
Annie's brightness had dulled somewhat in the jump back in time, although it was something she never really took notice of, it was just part of who she was, but was probably more noticeable considering her current state of dress, or maybe that should be 'undress'.
"Annie, just Annie." She shook the offered hand firmly. "And I'm sorry if I'm trespassing, I was exploring and kind of got myself a bit lost." Usually she looked into the shows from the front with the signs up so she knew what was going on, it was an unmarked one that led her to where she was now.
A smirk grew on as she shook the other woman’s hand. “Tell me Annie, do you go running around the carnival half naked for every girl, or am I just special?” She teased giving her the once over. A purr came from deep inside her that she just couldn’t help but she tried to cover it up by clearing her throat.
“You know I have a few frocks I could rustle up if it’s clothes you’re having a problem finding.” Ever the flirt, Jean just continued to smirk at the other woman unabashedly.
The question brought out a laugh from Annie, glancing down at her own outfit. She didn't mind the flirting at all and the smile turned into a grin. "Maybe you are, do you want to be?" Although really it was because Annie had completely forgotten to get changed back into her normal clothes after her show had finished.
She looked over Jean just as unabashed. "Do you always look so… glitzy?" Though she knew it was just a stage costume, just like what she was wearing was her costume, revealing as it was.
Jean chuckled at that and put a hand on her hip. “You mean this old thing? Yeah all my clothes are this sparkly. Want to borrow some?” She teased. While she did consider herself somewhat fashionable most of her clothes were plain and made to do dirty work in.
Annie reminded her of some of the girls she’d met on the road before she’d met Penny. Charming smile, witty and up for anything. She considered the fact that she wasn’t sure what she wanted with Penny but Annie was proving to be a nice distraction.
There was only three, maybe four outfits that Annie owned that she’d consider ‘good’ and that she could wear outside of Zion if the occasion arose, the rest of her clothes were for work and a lot of them had developed stains and the odd scorch mark from getting too close to a fire or some kind of flame, such was the life of a cook come performer. “Oh I don’t know… I definitely don’t have the curves like you to pull something like that off.” She said, which was true as could clearly be seen, Annie wasn’t as curvy as most of the other women she had seen around the carnival.
It was nice to be flirting with someone new, especially someone who reciprocated the playfulness of it all and didn't take it as a serious attempt to get into their undergarments. Annie didn’t want to think about how many hundreds of women she had flirted with over the decades, though few of them turned out to be more than just a pleasant distraction from other things.
“Trust me, you got enough good about you that you don’t need nothing sparkly like this.” She eyed Annie up and down again. She loved the look of a girl with a tattoo and a thought occurred to her that may have never occurred to her before. She wanted some, at least one and there weren’t many people who would do a tattoo on a girl back in 1920. She wondered what it was like now that they were in 1950.
“You know I’d love to get myself a tattoo. Does it hurt much?” Had she been around more people in 2020 then she might have realized that this was a common question but as it were she didn’t know anything.
"Honestly the sparkles suit you much more." Annie didn't do sequins, they were too busy for her with already colorful arms. Annie knew that she was pretty heavily tattooed for a woman - even in 2020 standards - but heading back in time she'd be extraordinary and seeing the was a history of tattooed ladies in circuses and freak shows she thought 'why not'.
It was definitely a question that she got asked more often than not, but still one she didn't mind answering. Reaching out she ran a fingernails over the back of Jean's lower arm, as if she was scratching at some. "Imagine that, but for a few hours on end." She smiled, it was the most honest comparison in her mind. "Doesn't really hurt to start with but your skin does get sick of it when it's four or five hours."
She watched as the deft fingernails failed against her skin and offered a smile when it was over. “That ain’t so bad. Know anyone who could do it?” She didn’t know about modern home tattoos or really anything about them in general but the idea intrigued her and she only had so much time left on this world.
1950's Los Angeles, Annie was sure there would be someone around here that would do them, although she knew hygiene standards were more primitive now but also better than where they'd be headed.
"Let me ask around, should be someone half decent in this city." Annie said, her tattoos also attached attention from those who were also inked and she was sure she'd be able to get the name of a few places soon enough. "What are you thinking of getting done?"
She thought about this for a moment and was quiet. “A panther.” She said finally with a big grin. “They’re sort of graceful ain’t they?” She pointes that statement with a giggle and then behind Annie she noticed a man trying to get her attention. “Hold that thought, will you?” She asked and ran over to the man.
She’d gotten good at this. The men who came to her shows were aloof and easy to distract. She smiled and flirted with him, all the while she was rummaging through his pockets and slipping dollar bills from his wallet. She planted one firm kiss on his bald head before she waved him away.
A chuckle came from her lips as she counted the money she’d stolen. “Men are so predictable.” She said before stuffing the money into her pocket.
Getting a tattoo was a serious thing, even though Annie was covered in many each had a meaning and reason, she knew that they’d be on her for a lot longer than a regular human. So the silence from Jean was expected and she didn’t push the other lady to answer, instead using the time to admire the sequins on the outfit and how it really did suit Jean.
She was about to reply to the question about graceful panthers when Jean told her to hold the thought and walked off to talk to the man wanting the lion tamer’s attention. Standing back a bit Annie looked around the tent, trying to find some little thing to hold her attention while Jean was busy.
Annie hadn’t known what Jean had done til she was counting the notes and commented about men. “Oh that they are. A smile here and a giggle there and they’ll eat out of your hands.” She nodded as the money was put away. “Nice little sleight of hand you’ve got there, he didn’t notice a thing.”
She smirked at that and put a hand on her hip. “If he didn’t want his wallet ransacked then he shouldn’t have kept it in his back pocket.” She teased and really it was quite a rookie mistake. “I’d say I’m more of a master of distraction than anything. Doesn’t really take much to pinch a couple of pennies off of unsuspecting men.” And the truth was that they deserved it. How many advances did she have to fight off every single day from greedy men who thought every woman in the world was made to please him?
“Sides which, a tattoo’s probably going to cost me some money.” She teased.
“So why don’t you find me someone to tattoo me and maybe I’ll do you a favor in return.”
“Or the inside breast coat of a jacket, a bump and your hand slides in there so easily.” It wasn’t a time that Annie was really proud of but over the decades there was more than once where things had gotten tight and she had to pickpocket in order just to eat. Although her show was still only new of course it drew in the men, some were nice and more interested in her tattoos and the show but others she could see the leering looks they had on their faces because of her skimpy outfit.
“They do cost a bit, but it’s better than going with someone cheap, that’s when you get infections.” Even in 2020 that was still the case, people doing tattoos out of their homes without the training or cleanliness of parlours and studios.
“Hmm… and what kind of favor would that be?”
Maybe the two had more in common than she initially realized. Guess there weren't too many things that changed in the future. “Well, I don’t rightly know, but I do have my ways and I don’t break my promises.” Except would she, if things progressed, be breaking a promise to Penny? She didn't know, wasn’t sure what they could call themselves and the confusion was too much to bear, so she buried it as far as she could.
“Is there anything you’re desiring?” She wondered out loud, staring into that beautiful face with the bright features.
There were some more freedoms in 2020 but men still thought that they were in control of women, that much hadn’t changed over the decades. At least Annie had the advantage of those decades of knowledge and cunning in order to keep herself safe in situations that might frighten others not as experienced. An eyebrow raised as Jean talked about not breaking promises, it was still rare for her to find people who would keep their word, most of them turned back on it at some point and usually that left some kind of disappointment.
Annie thought about the question, about what she was desiring. Honestly her carnal needs were currently getting met with her strange relationship with the lovely vampire Lily but that wasn’t anything serious, well at least that’s what she thought. “Why? Is there something you’re desiring?” She asked in return.
She leaned into Annie’s ear and let out a breath before replying. “A tattoo silly, so get on it.” She teased as she leaned back to regard Annie. She’d be lying if she didn’t say the thought of bedding Annie wasn’t on her mind but she had to clear things up with Penny first, figure out what it was they actually were.
She didn’t have much time on this earth but she didn’t want to spend it breaking hearts, she wanted to do good things with her time left.
Annie chuckled at the whispered reply. “Oh that’ll have to wait until tomorrow, I think everyone’s left by now.” Well the customers at least, maybe she’d ask that guy who worked near the Coochie show, he was from this time. She licked her lips and smirked, “but be assured that I will let you know as soon as I find out something, so keep that money hidden away somewhere safe.” There was nothing wrong with a bit of a tease.
She chuckled out loud at that. “You clearly don’t know what it’s like to be a moonshiner. I’ll have it locked away safe, believe you me.” Then again, most people weren’t involved in it. Once they got back to 1920, it’d be time for her to make some more but in the meantime, she enjoyed the pleasures of the liquor that was offered.
“Come find me tomorrow and I’ll let you know what your favor is.” She teased with a smirk before walking away. She was hungry and begging to get into his regular clothes so she’d perhaps see the other woman later.
No she didn’t know what it was like to be a moonshiner, after all Annie had spent all of the Prohibition years up in Canada where it was not really an issue, especially out in Saskatchewan but she did know that they would be going back to it and that no doubt there would be moonshiners amongst them to keep everyone supplied in liquor.
“Oh I plan to!” She called out as Jean smirked and walked away, it might just be time to go and get changed out of her costume.