Marlowe

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @Severance

It was already a thrilling start. The wind whipped against her face as her hat remained on the top of her head. Jules kept her gaze forward, unflinching as some horses sped by her. It didn't concern her. She knew that the other horses would tire out soon enough, though she kept up a good pace nevertheless. Greasy Sand wasn't using his full power yet, and even the horse seemed a little uncaring about some other horses overtaking them. A few moments passed-- there were already some horses that were beginning to slow down because of their mad dash towards the others. These weren't machines that one could run for as long as they'd like. Even Greasy Sand knew that, and he was a horse!

Though, her ride wasn't as going as smoothly as she planned. Greasy Sand started to huff louder, his ears swiveling back in her direction. Something was clearly agitating him, though she wasn't sure what. The other horses to her sides weren't that close to him. That being said, they were more entertained with the other riders rather than with her. That was when Jules decided to peer over her shoulder... and was met with an absolute demon of a horse and its rider. The both of them were practically on top of her. Having that beast on her tail wasn't doing her any good... and she didn't think she could separate from him. No, this guy had his sights on her.

A curse left her as she slowed down slightly until she was neck to neck with the stranger. Jules sent a glare in his direction, her face one of pure annoyance. The least she could hope for was that he would overtake her and she'd find another method in getting ahead of him later on in the stage. If things went well, that was.

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy @Severance @Lord Orgasmo @NachoBachoPacho

Her chase had been unsuccessful. Just as Jules was able to catch up with Donny in order to give him a proper beating, he had entered the sights of the officials that were monitoring the other participants of the race. They glared at her as she slowed her horse to a stop. Instead of glaring back, she averted her gaze and turned it to the line of horses that were eagerly waiting the start of the race. Their riders were as gritty-faced as ever and mostly men, so that son of a bitch was easily able to slip into the crowd. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of that dreaded golden hair and boyish face. That... was currently twisted as he mocked her from afar, his tongue poking out into the air like a goddamn fish. Her brow narrowed as she stared him down, her hands curling into fists around Greasy Sand's reigns. Saddle-cloth number 0891. She would remember that.

Grunting a curse under her breath, Jules looked back out at the rest of the horizontal line that stretched over the beach. There were so many people... she had to find her grid number somehow. Right now, she was around the numbers that started with 0... so she would have to go a bit further up. Jules guided her horse into a trot again, only slowing when she saw the numbers climb upwards, above 12, 13, 14, 15... There was 17, and then there was 1728. An empty spot. Her empty spot. She grinned, bringing her horse between the two others that waited for the start of the race. One was a woman with a rather frilly costume atop a gray-speckled horse, while the other was a gray-haired man with a very long mustache that dripped down to his chest. The both of them watched her for a moment as she stood in place. Jules sighed, knowing that they were probably staring at the mess that dappled her cloak and clothing. There were no announcements being made yet, so Jules offered the girl a grin and said, "Pretty nice weather, huh?"

The girl eyed her with her crystal-clear blue eyes for a moment before her lips curled upwards only slightly. "It'll only get warmer in the desert." Her voice was smooth and like honey.

"Of course, of course, that stage is said to be about an eighteen days' journey from start to finish-- if you're smart enough."

"Oh yes, but I expect many to pull out of the race before they complete it," she murmured. "Or maybe they won't show up anywhere at all. I heard strange things about that desert."

Jules cocked her head. "Like what?"

"ATTENTION ALL PARTICIPANTS," a voice boomed from somewhere ahead of them. Jules turned to look, spotting a older man with short-cropped hair standing on a platform. There was a crowd of spectators around him, and while they were all out of the way of the desperate racers, she could still hear his voice as he continued. "THE RACE IS TO START IN FIVE MINUTES. IF YOU ARE NOT WITHIN YOUR GRID MARKER BEFORE THE TWO-MINUTE MARK, YOU WILL BE PENALIZED!"

Jules looked down at the ground again and made sure that her number matched the grid marker on the ground. Number 1728. She relaxed a bit before turning back to the girl in the frilly clothing. But the girl wasn't looking at her anymore. Her eyes were turned toward the horizon and her face had become much more cold. Jules frowned, then turned to the horizon as well. Idle chit chat was what she usually dabbled in when she was nervous. Though, she silently agreed with the girl. Now wasn't the time for talk.

A handful of minutes. The man was screaming somewhere in the distance, talking about the more notable members of the race that were gaining all of the attention from the spectators. There weren't any names that she recognized. Some sounded like they were American-- others sounded like they came from far off places, like India or China. People from both the spectator stands and the line of horses cheered a couple of times, and soon enough most of the line was encompassed by a chant of "SAN DIEGO! NEW YORK! SAN DIEGO! NEW YORK!"

Tension was building. The racers eyed each other nervously. The chants died down steadily. Jules repositioned herself in the saddle, staring ahead. For a split second, there was quiet-- and then explosions rang out behind them. Fireworks. In a rippling motion, the horses began to shoot forward. Jules slammed her heels into Greasy Sand's sides and kept gait with the others.

The Steel Ball Run had begun.

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy

The last of her laughs had finally bubbled from her lips, along with the annoyance that seethed through her blood. Jules knew that she could get a little hot-headed and immature at times, though that boy was just too amusing to her. Was he even old enough to be attending the race? He did know that people could die, right? That, and while the law protected the racers, there were bound to be some... accidents. All of them wouldn't cross the finish line. Some might get hurt-- crippled, even. Others might die due to the weather or wildlife. And then there were the more devious accidents, where man turned against man and cut each other down when no one was looking.

Jules sighed, riding at a more relaxed pace. It was a good day-- the wind blew, the sun shined, the sky was a deep azure. Today was the day she would take her first strides towards winning the race. She was sure that luck was on her si--

Something collided with her left side. At first, she thought she had been splashed with water, but what deterred her from that thought was that whatever hit her was hot. Not a burning hot, though; it was more lukewarm than anything. Jules glanced down at her arm in surprise as Donny called out to her as he trotted past.

"Now you have a reason to talk shit!"

She suddenly didn't like the brown color that covered half of her body.

This kid... had thrown horse shit at her? Her confidence ran cold. The smell of the horse shit was repugnant. A trembling hand came up to her face and hat. The crap had gotten practically everywhere. Some people snickered at her as she rode by, only adding to the chill that had encompassed her. In a panic, she tried to brush it off as much as she could, tried to at least look somewhat decent. But as her hand rushed to try to clean herself off, the shit only embedded itself deeper into her clothing and smeared across her skin. The chill became warmer and warmer until she was burning hot with anger. Her hand curled into a fist as Jules shuddered with rage.

"I'll kill you!" Her voice was shrill as she kicked her heels into Greasy Sand's sides and went after him. "You're dead, kid!"

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy @NachoBachoPacho

Another quirk of an eyebrow was directed at Donny, who had simply walked straight past her without another word. As she began to lead her horse toward the race, she was surprised to see that the boy's own horse had a number on it. Jules' eyes went wide for a moment before she turned away from Donny. Before she knew it, she was barking a full-blooded laugh. This kid... he was in the race too? And his sly remark had been in response to her statement? Her laughter came even louder and she currently guffawed as she guided her mount to a slow trot. "O-ho, kid, you're too good!" she cackled as she wiped a tear from her eye. She decided to leave Donny be for now. "Is that so? Bah."

As she led her horse to the beach, Jules caught sight of the man with the itchy trigger finger. Once again, he was on his lonesome, which made it rather easy to approach him. "Good luck! We've got real trailblazers around these parts!" she chimed towards him. She slowed down just enough in order to give the man a hefty pat on the back before once again picking speed. Greasy Sand huffed as he trotted, his ears perked up and his gait rather energetic.

"That prince of fools," she muttered. What the boy said was funny at first, but now that her laughter had run dry, she found himself pondering his words. "We'll leave him the dust. I'll make sure he won't get out of this race in one piece."

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy

After her last words, Jules continued to walk towards Greasy Sand. She was aware of the boy's presence ever existing behind her, though she didn't necessarily mind it. From what she could tell, Donny was currently the furthest thing from a threat. He was simply displaying a natural trait-- curiosity in the face of a stranger. Untying her horse from the post, she pulled herself onto her saddle and smoothly turned Greasy Sand away from the trough.

"That's right," she answered his question as she readjusted her cloak. Funny, now that she was on the back of her steed, he seemed even smaller, almost childlike. Jules offered him a cock grin and jabbed a thumb towards her. "Number 1728. Keep that number in mind, kid, because you're looking at the future first place winner of the Steel Ball Run."

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy @NachoBachoPacho

Well, at least the boy was alright. She didn't know if he was going to be able to stand even with her assistance, but there he was on his own two legs. The boy was short, at that-- unless she was tall. She always found herself a few inches taller than most women, though this boy was slightly shorter than most women she met. Jules peered down at him for a moment as he gave his thanks to both her and the other gunman, only to glance away as she noticed the mustachioed man slink off. She wasn't about to stop him. He seemed like he was capable of jumping at his own shadow. If she followed, she was frightened that she'd give him a heart attack.

The boy's introduction brought her attention back to him. Jules' eyes flickered over his bruised face, then at the tooth that had fallen out, then at his battered hand. She quirked an eyebrow, wrinkled her nose, tipped her head. Her right hand twitched only slightly. She was hesitant to even touch Donny, much less shake his hand. A few moments of silence passed before she conceded; she reached out her hand and took his own before giving it a hearty shake. "Jules. Pleasure," she muttered. Pulling her hand away, she wiped her palm on her pants. If God was good, this Donny wouldn't notice. "Try not to get into any more trouble. I feel like another beat down like that will keep you grounded."

She began to walk away, seeking to get away from the boy before he could say anything else. However, slight guilt began to bubble up in her, causing her to pause for a moment and look over her shoulder back at him. "Besides-- isn't it about time you get back to the crowd at the beach? Pretty sure the race is going to start soon."

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @AmpharosBoy @NachoBachoPacho

She was able to quickly get the water-skin and once again be on her way. It was a smaller skin, one that wouldn't become too heavy when it was filled with water. Which was good, because Jules thought her supplies were becoming a little on the heavy side. Humming a tune under her breath, she walked in long strides back to her horse, who seemed to be satisfied with all the water he had drank. She patted the side of his neck again and glanced over his body to see if he was in top shape. He was clean enough for the race and it wasn't like he leaned on one side of his body. Jules had checked his shoes too, just to make sure that they weren't filthy or anything of the sort. Luckily for her, everything was going to--

CRASH!

Jules blinked when the sound of a glass pane shattering reached her ears. She stood straight as she realized that someone was on the floor in the midst of broken glass. Did that guy... just get thrown out of a saloon window? She continued to watch from afar as the center of attention seemed to be a short kid that had been giving the other men a run for their money. That was, until he was on the floor and was thusly ganged up on by the others. She didn't do anything; the fight wasn't her problem, so there was no reason that she had to become involved in it. Either way, they were probably just going to rough him up a little and then leave him alone. So she watched for a small amount of time, somewhat amused, until she realized that the beating just didn't stop. Her amusement faded away into concern, turning away from Greasy Sand and eyeballing the beating warily. Maybe she should step in after all.

Jules had seen the gun glimmering in one of the men's hand, but there was little time to react before a gunshot. That was when her concern turned into fear. Did this kid really get shot in a bar fight? She sprinted over to the scuffle, only to see that it wasn't the kid that had gotten shot. One of the men was bleeding on the floor, screaming and clutching his bloody shoulder. The other men had paused in their bludgeoning as they stared at their compatriot.

"Well," she glanced at the man with the mustache. "At least someone went and did something. Good shot." The man groaned again, stirring from the floor, but Jules was upon him in an instant. In two steps, her boot was crushing the hand that still gripped his gun. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Unless you another bullet wound-- in the middle of your forehead." She glanced back at the other men, who were definitely less confident now that two other people had approached. "The same goes for you idiots."

That was enough said, it seemed. They stared at Simon and her, mouths agape, before they scampered off in fear. All that was left to do was to make sure that the boy was alright. Jules peered down at him skeptically, sniffing a bit before nudging him with the toe of her boot. From first glance, the kid was bruised and a little bloodied, but his injuries didn't seem all too bad. "Hey. Get up." she muttered. The boy didn't react fast enough. Sighing, she grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet before dusting him off from the dirt. "See? You're alright. Only a few bruises and scratches, nothing more."

Double Post Removal Please~

One of my RPers accidentally double posted in the IC tab. :) Can someone please remove it? Thanks!

Click!

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: None at the moment.

_{San Diego Beach, California
Thursday, September 25th, 1890
9:30 AM}

The sun was harsh, almost overwhelming. Despite it being early autumn, there was no crisp breeze that cooled the sweltering earth. The ground was dry, pale, and somewhat cracked. The Pacific was at her back, along with the sandy shores of the beach. There would be people gathered there in preparation for the beginning of the race. Something told Jules that she should have been there as well, that maybe being there early would give her an advantage, but she had a couple more things to do in the town before she went back to the beach. She had been running low on provisions for a while; the last thing she wanted to do was starve in the middle of some godforsaken desert.

Jules rode on Sandy Grease's back as she made her way through the town. Her wide-brimmed hat was enough to shield her eyes from the sunlight, though there was nothing she could do to cool herself off as of now. She needed two things: a water-skin (which she had totally forgotten to buy) and a couple of more packages of dried meat that could last her a couple of days. There were other participants of the Steel Ball Run lurching about the town as well. Horses, fitted with fancy saddles and saddle-cloths marked with 4-digit numbers, were tied to a couple of posts outside of stores. Besides the general townsfolk, there were strangers that watched her with a mixture of hostility and curiosity. They were usually men-- raggedy-looking ones at that --and God, were most of them ugly as shit. Jules didn't care much about them and when they sought to make eye contact, she simply stared straight ahead with a blank expression. She didn't have the time to be gawking.

Saddle-cloth number 1728. The number that she was assigned had a seven it, so Jules considered it twenty-five percent luckier than a number without a seven in it. It was a childish belief, but it was one that made the corners of her lips twitch with a grin. Sure, there were people with more than one seven on their saddle cloths, but this was her number seven, no one else's.

Sandy Grease sighed as Jules dismounted near a store. She dusted off her pants and straightened out her cloak before she patted her trusty steed's side. She had purchased Sandy Grease not long after arriving in America. At first, she was wary about the stallion; he seemed to be lethargic, almost ill. Though, she quickly realized that Sandy could easily overtake a horse running at full speed with a burst of energy. The icing on the cake was the fact that his seller wanted nothing more to do with the horse and thus sold him to Jules at a fairly low price. A grin finally broke over Jules' expression as she patted Sandy's flank. "Good boy," she cooed, leading him to a trough from which another horse was drinking from. She tied him to the post, making sure her knot was tight, and headed off in the direction of a store.

If one looked close enough at her, one might notice the two spheres that hung from her hip. It was a curious site indeed, for it was commonplace for one to be armed with a pistol during these times-- not something that looked like miniature cannonballs. Nevertheless, they didn't weigh her down. Jules was so used to their presence that she walked as if she didn't carry them at all. She got a few curious looks that she promptly ignored. Instead of noticing their glances, she was able to find a small store that specialized in cured and dried meats. It was even ducked underneath a wooden overhang that shielded it from the sun. Jules trotted up the small flight of stairs and approached the tender.

"Morning. I'll have a quarter pound of your best jerky," she stated before the girl behind the counter could even say anything. It took little time for the girl to pack up said amount of dried meat into a small bag, and, after Jules gave her the adequate amount of money, Jules was once again on her way. She walked towards a general store as she counted her change.

It should be about 9:30 just about now, Jules thought as she glanced up at the sun. I should have enough time to find myself a water-skin and get back to Sandy Grease before he bloats himself with water.

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Jules Zeppeli

"Fate? Destiny? Don't believe in them. I forge my own paths."

---

Name:
Julia Nero Zeppeli

Aliases:
Julia strictly goes by the fake name Jules.

Age:
23

Gender:
Female

Origin:
Naples, Italy

Abilities:
While Jules doesn't have a Stand, she believes she has something better: the Spin.

Appearance:
Jules stands at 5'10, making her a rather tall young lady. Her hair is very light blond and becomes a grayish-white as it nears the middle of her back. When riding, she keeps her hair tied up underneath a black hat bearing a large plume of colorful feathers. Her eyes are a bright blue that are almost always sparkling with either mischief or a sense of adventure.

She wears black riding trousers, a white button up shirt, a black vest, and a black cape trimmed with golden lining. While rather flamboyant, Jules is rather proud of her musketeer-looking get up.

Despite her prim choice of clothing, she lets her appearance grow shabby and unorganized at times. Her hair might be knotted or her hat might be put on backwards. Sometimes it looks like she hasn't gotten good sleep in ages.

Personality:
Cocky, quick witted, and only slightly rambunctious, Jules delights in the thrill of adventure and exploring the unknown. Upon first glance, one might consider her arrogant and aloof, but in reality she enjoys her fair share of fun; she's always up to something, whether it be coming up with games, planning songs, gossiping, and more. While she might seem like a goofball up close, Jules strives to uphold what remains of her family tradition and legacy. She will stand up for what's right and will refute what she deems wrong or immoral. Unfortunately for her, this is easier said than done. Jules cannot bring herself to believe someone is purely good or purely evil.

Jules can be overly proud and overconfident, though she is extremely loyal to the few that are close to them and will gladly lay her life on the line for their safety. She just expects some sort of payment afterwards.

Short Biography:
The eldest child of the Zeppeli family, Julia was always destined for greatness-- at least, that's how her father put it. As soon as she was of age, her father too her under his wing in order to train as a physician. Not just any physician, but one mentally and physically equipped to handle the family's most prized heirlooms: the steel balls. Years passed and, as Julia grew older and more keen with using such blessed instruments, her father began to train her how to wield them in deadlier ways. At seventeen, he told her that she was to be not only a physician but someone who was skilled in quickly and painlessly ending the lives of criminals on the death row. Now that she was a grown woman, she took part in helping her father carry out executions.

It wasn't the nicest job, though she agreed to help her father in order to uphold their bloodline's beloved tradition. Each death took a toll on her, however. These were living, breathing people with families, friends. Who were they to decide that they should die? Why did the Zeppelis have to use their powers to end lives at the behest of a king? Nevertheless, she obeyed her father's wishes; the last thing she wanted to do was bring dishonor to her family name.

Unfortunately for Julia, that day would soon come. At age 20, she was told to execute a certain individual. It was a woman who had poisoned her husband-- and said husband had political standing in Naples. The woman was distraught; hysterical, she clung to Julia's clothing, begging and pleading to be spared. Julia had seen this woman before. Her skin was always blemished with clusters of bruises and her eyes were swollen with tears. She sympathized with her entirely and turned to her father for help. Her father understood the woman's actions, but he claimed that Julia had no choice: she was to carry out the will of the king.

Julia was bewildered. Her father and her argued for hours on end with neither of them budging on their stance. Even though she threw herself at his feet in order for him to at least think about granting the woman some sort of mercy, her father shrugged her off and stated she was behaving like a child. That was when Julia decided to take matters into her own hands. In the dead of a winter night and in the midst of a rainstorm, Julia was able to help the woman escape.

If only she was able to remain unsuspected. Julia guessed that she was lucky that it was her father who found out about her betrayal first. Though it was the first time in all of her life that he looked upon her as a stranger rather than a daughter, and that alone broke her heart into two. He told her to flee Naples and never to return, for if the Neapolitan guard caught wind of her, he would do nothing to stop her own execution.

Julia left Naples with a new name, an adequate amount of money, and a few precious items, two of which being her steel balls that she was definitely not supposed to take with her. For two years, she aimlessly wandered Europe in attempts to settle down and start a quiet life. It was only when she heard of the Steel Ball Run and the absolutely massive prize for the first place winner that she decided to cross the Atlantic and set foot in America.

Equipment:
Jules' most prized possessions are her steel balls-- she keeps them at her hip at all times and grows agitated when people even look at them. They are strangely smooth and green colored. Her other possessions include a raccoon plush, hunter's knife, tinder box, string, yarn, sewing needle, a rusted pot and pan, some cheap silverware, paper, and an assortment of pencils. Some other things might be rolling around in her assortment of items, although they are unknown to others as she never lets people get close to her belongings.

Horse Information

Name:
Greasy Sand

Age:
10

Gender:
Stallion

Appearance:
Greasy Sand!

Temperament:
Greasy Sand is a timid and kind horse that will gladly do whatever he's asked. He never bites your fingers when you hand-feed him, will lie down next to Jules to sleep, and has the patience of a saint. If someone hasn't seen him before, they might think he's a lazy stallion who has a slow gait and a slightly droopy head. He's a curious steed, often sniffing others or butting them with his head.

He's not easily spooked by gunfire, though he's terrified of snakes.

Notable Traits:
There's a reason why Greasy Sand got his name. He's got the quite the slow start when he begins a gallop or trot, but is known for his incredibly fast bursts of speed that can be used to easily overtake those in front of him. As for overall stamina, Greasy Sand bears a decent amount but is prone to tiring out faster than other horses.

He has an incredibly soft nose and has longer ears than usual. Jules jokes that he's part donkey.