Portrait of Jennie

If you can't be good, then be good at what you do.

[canarycaged]

"I made myself this solemn vow; I was gonna be a lady someday, though I didn't know when or how."

RULES|BIO|STORYLINE|MUN

An independent original character based in Steampunk and Space Westerns. A study in; living outside of the law, caged birds, foolish pride, complex grief, the pursuit of freedom, and defining your own worth.

Promo and icon by the lovely @nexusrot

"I couldn't see spending the rest of my life with my head hung down in shame! I might have been born just plain white trash,

But fancy was my name!"

[canarycaged]

((I'm putting together a playlist for Jennie and so far, it's mostly just music from the first half of the 20th century. Which fits, because a lot of her aesthetic and manners are an anachronistic mix of the gay 90's, the roaring 20's, and borrowing elements from the Victorian era and the Wild West, considering she's steampunk/space western.

I've actually been reading some about the old west, especially the Tombstone territory and the women who inhabited it. Gold Dollar, Big Nose Kate, Lizette the Flying Nymph, Crazy Horse Lil, China Mary, Dutch Annie, Madame Moustache. The wild west wasn't a period of rugged, white masculinity; of course it had the same problems with race and gender that the rest of the country had and still unfortunately has, but it was more often than not built and maintained by women and/or people of color.

All of this to say; Jennie looks out for the local nightflowers and respects them, even if she feels a little strange around them because of her own social awkwardness and the fact that they're pretty and that makes her nervous. Sometimes a few of the ladies will buy from her; they need a lock fixed, or someone to open a safe that got damaged, and she likes talking to them.

There's a mutual respect for another woman trying to survive a pitiless world.))

[theoriginalsupermodels]

Chanel - Spring 1985 RTW

[frostedmagnolias]

Day Dress

c. 1910

Glenbow Museum

[nodovess]

calla lily flutes

[canarycaged]

((I feel like Jennie works best being the Kim Possible to someone's Ron Stoppable, romance wise.

If you can remind her that ambition and reputation aren't the only important things in life while respecting that they're important to her, it'll be a match made in heaven. Jennie has a hard time expressing herself sincerely, and not hiding it under a layer of sarcasm and feigned indifference; if you stick around long enough and prove yourself trustworthy, she'll be genuine and soft with you.

She's a girl with a lot of quirks, but in a lot of ways, it's like having a bird. She needs consistency, safety, and the time necessary to build up an emotional connection. She lights up with people she trusts and enjoys the company of, and you get to experience a vibrant, witty and poised woman with nerves of steel and a dancer's stride. She's got the patience and dedication to care for birds and horses, so you know she's got a good heart.))

[canarycaged]

❝that outfit looks nice on you, where'd you get it?❞ - Kinger // @t-havens

"Thank you." The unexpected compliment earns a flushed face and a carefully-placed fan over her nose. Mustn't announce that we've been caught off guard. "I actually bought this from a dressmaker in Orleans...the name was Therese if I remember correctly."

[canarycaged]

(Thought I'd toss this out (feel free to ignore). He does often drink until he's buzzed, but he usually stops at that point.)

"Hmm...you seem nice. It would be preferable for us to introduce ourselves first, though, would it not?"

[canarycaged]

((BEHOLD. Bingo. NGL tho I think it's more fun to ship her with goofy loudmouths because I think they break down her walls and make her laugh.))

[canarycaged]

"Word of my death, from sources both official and unofficial, has been greatly exaggerated."

[ton-o-spuds]

@canarycaged cont.

Goddard simply stares in reply, quietly analyzing the reaction she received. The woman sounded suspiciously upset, but the machine could simply attribute it to them being strangers. She could leave, she could step forward with little regard for the warning she was given, but she ultimately decides to bargain.

"If you invite me in, I will not snoop, as I would be a guest and I would respect your property for your hospitality towards me." And because it was the right thing to do, but Goddard had to focus on the bigger issues here. "We are strangers now, but what if we became acquainted? You could ask me questions about myself in return and I would answer honestly."

[canarycaged]

"Invite you in?" The question is met with fear and skepticism. Inviting people in is entirely out of the question! Considering her side business, there was nobody she trusted in her home. Especially not ones this strange.

"I am willing to agree to a compromise; I will question you out here. Depending on what you say, I might be persuaded to allow you inside." It's a no, but she doesn't need to tell Goddard that. "First and foremost, what's your name? Or at least, what you wish to be called."

[enchantedbook]

The Grasshopper Ball, illustration by J. W. Goss, 1927.

[canarycaged]

((I know I'm not here much, but I am remembering why I created Jennie around the ~2nd anniversary of her creation.

I was watching Trigun 98 for the first time and was thinking, "this anime can just create a guy who's the best gunslinger on the planet. I could literally just do that if I wanted to. But with a girl."

Because as a little girl, my favorite thing to do was make my own characters, using the formula "It's just like xyz but they're a girl like me!"

The name Jennie Valentine comes from Jimmy Valentine, the safecracker from the O. Henry story A Retrieved Reformation; it's about a man who runs for it after getting out of prison, and how he comes to a small town and falls in love with the banker's daughter. His safecracking skills eventually come in handy when he rescues his fiance's daughters from suffocating inside of a bank vault, and his parole officer is so moved by the act of heroism that he pretends he doesn't know Jimmy and lets him go. Then it kinda just. Happened lol.))

[canarycaged]

((Do you ever think about how Jennie views locks is reminiscent to how she views herself?

A lock, a security system, a safe; something that she can take apart and put together stronger. The way she was pulled apart and put back together. Adaptable. Reliable. No surprises.

Maybe in a way, she's building herself the sense of safety that never existed for her.))

[canarycaged]

Can you tell us a random fact about Jennie? Something you may not have shared yet?

((THIS IS SO LATE HELLO.

But yes, I can absolutely do that for you!

She's really good at bird calls. It's a talent she came upon when learning to throw her voice.))

[canarycaged]

"All that I require from love is patience. It takes a long time to become close to me."

[canarycaged]

Love Sweetsona