(no subject)

[waggishhumor]

fairlytales



name; Maria
age; 20
email; screamchica at hotmail dot com
AIM; doctorkripke
past experience; compitum @ gj. theroadhouse @ gj. whtrbt @ gj. salvage @ gj. example journal ; 11121147 @ gj.



name; Bradley Thomas Knochen
nickname; Brad, just Brad.
age; 29
birthdate; April 18, 1978
occupation; ... Entrepreneur? (Small time criminal, thief)
fun facts; Brad, while a good old boy at heart, is currently on probation.
criminal record; misdemeanors - larceny (2), burglary, deception (2), assault (3 charges brought against, all dropped) felonies - being too handsome



fairytale; Brom Van Brunt (Brom Bones), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
status; Brad believes whole-heartedly that, if you can't tell who he is by the way he is, you don't deserve to know. So, aside from the people who are naturally and unnaturally lucky, as well as the particularly well-read, no one but his cousin Charlie knows about what Tale he is... and whoever Charlie has chosen to tell.
ability; None. Bradley, much like his fairytale-self is just a man with an affinity for adventure in its various forms. Prone to laugh and cause a ruckus, there still is no malice in his mischief. He does, however, have a talent for being able to tame all sorts of wild creatures.
relationship; Bradley's relationship to his fairytale is perhaps not typical as he accepts his origins completely. He stays away from judging his actions as wrong or right as Brom, because it was all he could do, as it was (and is) who he is and was meant to be. A more humble person might have the sense to be a little ashamed of his previous actions, Brad looks on the bright side, he wasn't an intellectual, but he was cunning. While he may not have been the kindest or gentlest, he had been dedicated. Bradley tries to stay true to who he was meant to be all along, but he's certain that he would have done that anyway - even if he hadn't been a Tale. In his first incarnation, Brad doesn't have a conflicting nature when it comes to Brom, which seems to indicate (at least to him) that he's as close to Brom as possible, and his choices and actions are accordingly confident because of it. To put it simply, "You can't fight who you are," as Brad has said on many occasions.



history; Born to William and Evelyn Knochen, a couple nestled comfortably in South Boston, Bradley was their first born and they knew from the beginning that he would be spoiled accordingly. When he was still a toddler, William would often boast that Brad's birth was the proudest day of his life (he was quick to add it was second only to the day Evelyn accepted his proposal if his wife was present, however) and for a long time, that was entirely true. Evelyn stayed home with her son as he grew from infancy in the troublesome toddler years, and her hobbies were few other than the sole care of her son, barring her not-so secret love of a small garden in the back of her home. Even with his father working in their family owned auto detail shop for the majority of the time, Bradley was never in want for attention, although being as his family wasn't the most affluent, he was forced to find his own entertainment from the get-go. A spirited young boy, once he was old enough to be released from his mother's sole custody, Bradley often played sportingly with the other boys on his street, and fell into the role of leader easily. When they played cowboys and indians, he was John Wayne - when they played cops and robbers, he was naturally Magnum PI, and he always lead the good old boys to victory - whether by an AMAZING shot with his plastic pistols that took down the indian chief or a particularly gifted body slam to the jewel thief.

When it came time to go to school, Bradley assimilated easily into classrooms, even if he wasn't the most studious - or even quiet - of children. Wayward behavior appeared to be his forte, but he had enough personal, child-like charm to keep him out of any real trouble with his teachers. By the time he had entered the third grade, the boys who he'd been paling around with since pre-pre-school had decided that they were all blood brothers, and being thick as thieves, every bit of mischief one was in, all the rest would follow. Bradley had always been a joker, a kid who couldn't really be caught not laughing or, at least, enjoying himself, and pranks became a signature of his, and his friends by proxy. Busy enough with his own budding social life, Bradley wasn't exactly upset when his mother gave birth to Claudia. Of course, he noticed that sure, he was getting a lot less for Christmas and not-so-much on his birthdays, but the fact that he had a sibling was almost entirely ignorable for him. Except for the crying - which there was a lot of. His mother would often say Claudia was colic-y, but Bradley usually resorted to simply saying, "I'm going over to," some random friends, "house, Ma, be back for dinner."

Come to think of it, that year was the year his father began to boast a lot less about his pride and joy son, and preferred gushing over his little girl. At 8, Bradley didn't care too much and preferred running around with the neighborhood boys as they terrorized the grocery on the corner, or old Mrs. Moffett who lived three houses down - she was never too happy when one of her precious babies (cats, mind you, cats) would turn up with a indigo spray painted "meow" on their side. To put it bluntly, the new baby wasn't really why his father tended to avoid doting on his son, but more of his son's behavior. Nonplussed by the gradual shift in his household, Bradley continued to do his own thing until his behavior crossed paths with the principal of his elementary school. One too many clogged sinks in the girl's bathroom (Bradley never understood why the girl's bathrooms were so much nicer and cleaner than the boy's lav - it just didn't seem fair, they needed an even playing field!) or fake spiders put in the teacher's lounge coffeepot made a few teacher's conferences necessary. Having a new baby in the family is stressful on older children, his principal had explained to his parents as Bradley sat in the hallway outside the door - listening with all of his might, he needed an outlet - a constructive way to spend his time. His principal suggested sports, and so, it was done.

Enrolled in junior soccer and basketball teams, Bradley found he had an affinity for more than playground games of two-hand touch football, and he quickly gained a reputation for being adept at anything that required aggression - naturally, his positions were center forward and point guard, respectively. Still, even with practice after school four days out of the week and games on Saturdays and Sundays during different seasons, Bradley continued to manage enough time to get into various degrees of trouble. Of course, as boys grow into ... well, bigger boys, aggression becomes more prevalent - at least, that was the case with Brad (he dropped the ley after hitting 13) and his friends. Their mischief, while still common enough, lead to fisticuffs during their free period. For Brad, he just enjoyed 'rough-housing', as he called it - never admitting to fighting because that would require that he was being malign about it, it was fun testing your brawn against others (he wasn't the kind of kid who had the opportunity to test his brains against others as he was of entirely average intelligence). He took a few beatings, but mostly dealt them, and was always willing to lend a hand when a fellow needed the support of an extra set of fists in any scrimmage. However, the more serious the trouble Brad got into because of his various actions, the more he began to practice having all his fun on the sly - it was much less messy that way.

Training himself in the art of lying to Ma and Pa about where he got that black eye and why he showed up late to the house, or why his grades were on a steady decline from C's to D's, it wasn't too long before his parents, however well-intentioned, had to resort to simply steering their darling dearest daughter in the right ways that their son had happened to miss. For what it was worth, Brad never really could explain, even to himself, why he felt like hanging out with his friends and having a laugh was so much more important than anything else in his life - but his father would bark about how it was rebellion and disrespect. Eventually, Brad's attitude was simply, 'whatever helps you sleep at night, dad.' before slipping out to, once again, do his own thing. Gradually, however, his reputation for being a bit of a fighter paid off. Going into high school is hard for anyone, but it's particularly hard for people in Boston. As one of the most racially segregated and, simply put, racist places on the East coast - being stuck in the poorest high school (already in South Boston) was a bit of a danger for anyone who was alone or incapable of defending themselves. To put it bluntly (and unattractively, however true), Brad was a member of small, but strong faction within his school that consisted mostly of the Irish. Within the white kid faction, he was the typical high school jock; well-liked and popular. Being both of those things came with some responsibilities though, namely, behaving like a hooligan with a large crowd of boys. Clearly, this obligation was nothing that Brad was bad at, already having had years of practice.

Also of note, while his grades continued to be a steady stream of C's, no change from middle school, he did switch sports in his Freshman year. Instead of soccer or basketball, Brad joined Monument High School's rugby team and eventually played the position of hooker. Rugby, like every sport before it, Brad had a talent for it and consistently performed well. In his classes, he was as lackadaisical as ever, but he was still quite happy-go-lucky, how harmless he was and extra-curricular skill compensated for his teacher's disdain for his sloth. Outside of the classroom, throughout the halls of Monument, he was known to be a bit of a bully when it came to the victims of his adolescent pranks - which were more elaborate than his former efforts of clogged sinks and spiders in coffeepots. Never really understanding why, it was the awkward boys in his grade that always seemed to fall prey to his schemes, as there was something distinctly bothersome about them - to him. They always seemed to remind him of someone, all those studious types who were always hanging on the fringes of conversations, who never seemed to be capable of non-neurotic behavior. It was during this particular time in his life, between his freshman and sophomore years, that Brad began to piece together who he was. These realizations didn't come in dreams, but rather, in deja vu - the distinct feeling of having done the exact same things before. After months of the plaguing impression, like a name on the tip of your tongue, everything fell into place in Brad's mind, and a week before the beginning of summer, he was sent a compendium and an explanation.

To be honest, the knowledge that he was the reincarnation of the hero (as he clearly saw it) Brom Bones not only made perfect sense to Brad, but it also made him a little smug, and it made him feel a little bit - well, a little bit more above the rules. Even through the entitlement, Brad maintained his behavior, such as it was, throughout high school. He picked up a job his father reluctantly gave him at the auto shop, and he continued to make a splash socially. Having always been somewhat involved with the wrong crowd (or, rather, having always been a major part of corrupting the crowd he was a part of), Brad fell into a few bad habits. The first time he broke into a car was purely for fun. Stealing the principal's brown Volvo and leaving it in the nearest cemetery wasn't a death threat (although the school's newspaper claimed it), the event was - however - possibly the single most exciting event in Brad's life. The only thing bad about the experience was that the rust-bucket Volvo topped out at 60 miles per hour on the way to aforementioned cemetery. Fortunately for Brad - he didn't get caught pulling off the stunt, although he was effectively watched like a hawk for the duration of his junior year as he was their one and only suspect (he had a perfectly concocted alibi however, and by this time, Brad had become pretty damn good at lying, thank you very much).

Over the course of the next few years, Brad finished off his education with a high school diploma (graduating without honors, a shock) and a growing list of crimes he was becoming quite experienced in. Maintaining the job at his father's car detail shop, Brad performed well and had a good repertoire, despite being less than serious on the job. At nineteen, his father requested that he move out of the home as Claudia was growing into an impressionable age and, while Brad was assured that he was welcome in his families home - but not to live. Brad was perfectly fine with it, his parents tended to cramp his style and while he'd grown accustomed to his young and spirited sister over the years - he could do without the headache. Finding his own place wasn't that hard as he had several long-time friends who were more than happy to split a monthly rent payment four ways between them. For the most part, they stayed out of one another's way when necessary, and stuck up for each other almost constantly - where one roommate was, the rest weren't too far behind. As logic goes, when one of Brad's roommates got a "job" with one of his more thuggish uncles who allegedly owned a chop shop, it wasn't too long before the other three young men fell in line.

Brad was a dab hand with cars already, thanks to his father, and he quickly gained the reputation for being able to break into and handle anything with horsepower - no matter how foreign. Stealing cars became a full-time job for Brad and he soon left his father's shop and cut most of his ties with his family until Sunday dinner rolled around where he would stop in, lie quietly about his jobs and lady-friends before excusing himself for his one night off of the week. He was caught for the first time and charged with larceny at 22 - but, luckily, that roommate's uncle hired a fairly good lawyer, and Brad only spent 3 months in jail for the offense. After getting out, Brad was reformed momentarily before resorting to other forms of trickery and thieving. Picking locks to find out and possibly steal what is behind said doors became common practice, but Brad never saw it as a bad crime... after all, it wasn't as if what he stole couldn't eventually be replaced and really, he was much worse off than everyone else anyway. Perhaps a little sadly, Brad continued his adulthood in this way, living with very few responsibilities and a growing rapsheet until he was placed on probation after yet another charge of assault brought against him (all three counts were due to barroom brawls, a past time Brad is no where near as ashamed of as some others might have been).

Without trying to clean up and continuing to cause his family name to be mocked in South Boston, Brad's family was quickly becoming less forgiving of his antics. Over the years, with each arrest, with each tale proven to be a lie, the more strained their relationship was becoming. When Brad was charged with deception (having already learned the ropes of small con jobs) and on the final leg of his probation, his family - however lovingly misguided - had enough of their precious boys antics too. Evelyn ultimately called her brother, begging for some sort of help with her boy who was almost thirty, a good-for-nothing criminal who was on his way to prison, and who desperately needed some form of discipline that - Lord Jesus (as she said) she never knew how to instill in her boy. Her brother, well on in years, notified his son Charles of his new task, and Brad was given a bus ticket. Despite being as independent as they come, Brad knew that he had very little chance of staying out of the penitentiary if he stayed in Boston - at least, in New York City, he had the barest hint of chance.



first impression; "What a charmingly simple man."
personality; Much like Brad's former counterpart, he is bristling with confidence. Believing in his own abilities above all others, Brad is hardly the kind of man who willingly depends on other people for success. However, while smug in his various skills and talents, his sense of smug accomplishment is not false and he doesn't fool himself into thinking he's good at things he knows nothing about (although, if you ask him, given enough time? he'd be better than you, no doubt). Needless to say, Brad can be a teeny, tiny bit arrogant on some very, very rare occasions. While the trait itself isn't a conscious one, chosen or realized, it's a fact that many people gleam easily (perhaps it's in his aura). Still, his arrogance isn't entirely unwarranted and most of the time, people are willing to forgive him his flaws in light of his talents. Others leniency in regards to his more blatant flaws may have something to do with the fact that Brad is just plain likable - his smile is contagious, his laugh? infectious - he's a walking disease (and much of his family would agree for very different reasons). Brad knows the value of a well-placed compliment, a well-meant joke and he's never above a bit of social schmoozing.

Cunning is a virtue, at least in Brad's book, and he's got it to spare in buckets. While not traditionally intelligent, having never had skills with the written word, memorization, or anything close to academics, Brad has a certain cleverness when it comes to people. Resourceful, he is nimble enough mentally to be able to come up with lies at a moments notice as he thinks best on his feet - without the skill of foresight beyond vague, implied plans, if Brad can occasionally be accused of doing something smart - it's when he has the least amount of time to pontificate on his next step. Of course, being a liar naturally translates into being ... well, not entirely trustworthy. Now, while Brad would argue that the only kind of man you can really trust is a man who admits to being a liar, many men of stouter intellect question that kind of logic. Still, having already established that Brad doesn't wholly believe in others, perhaps partially because of his own tendency to be dishonest, he can be a rather secretive man. Where is he going this late at night? Out. What's he going to be doing? Stuff. When can you expect him back? Later. Conversations that run as such are the clearest indication that Brad is, in fact, Up To Something, but getting elaboration as to what kind of Something he's up to is much like prying money away from a miser - it's really not going to happen unless Brad has a reason for letting you in on how mysterious he's being.

Going part and parcel with being confident is being somewhat authoritative and Brad is a natural born leader, if he does say so himself. Leading, however, isn't necessary for Brad as long as he isn't being told what to do - a past time he is not so terribly fond of. Saying things with a certain gravity that doesn't allow for doubt and declaring his opinions on matters as if his opinions are resolute fact are both very common practices for Brad, and he's entirely unapologetic for it - even when he's wrong. Naturally, Brad has a tiny bit of a blind spot when it comes to his own faults and an even bigger one for his own mistakes. Being stubborn (or determined, however you wish to put it) is something that generally runs in his family, and it's managed to manifest itself in Brad quite efficiently. Resolved in every way once his mind is made up, Brad is very hard to dissuade or otherwise move, especially without hard facts (or intimidating threats) - he's a man of very few misgivings and doubts. Determination to an extreme can make Brad a bit difficult to manage, but really - it's all a part of his charm, right? Besides, he's been willful practically since the day he was born, there is very little chance of anyone making Brad change, and that is yet another sad way his headstrong way continues to manifest itself.

Spontaneity is almost Brad's middle name, he has a marked but slight problem with impulsiveness, if the mood strikes him just right, Brad is a prisoner of his own ideas. Breaking into the police chief's house? Sounds fun! Want to go insult the quarterbacks girlfriend? Yes, let's! Hey, do you think you can drink a gallon jello shot? No sweat, I'm on it. Of course, while Brad is known to do less than brilliant things because it's what simply pops into his head, generally, Brad's main aim is to always be enjoying himself. He loves a good time, in just about any form, whether it's roughhousing during a game of rugby or sitting around a bar, drinking and laughing riotously while reminiscing. As a general rule, Brad is very mischievous and usually has a very keen eye for trouble that he happens to find fun. As a fun-loving guy, Brad also has a good sense of humor. At least, he considers his own sense of humor as good, although others disinclined to agree and more apt to argue the point. Regardless, he is always ready to have a laugh, whether at or with his fellow companions, and isn't above chuckling at himself as he doesn't tend to take himself too seriously. With every intention of living his life to the fullest, Brad doesn't regret the things he does regularly, he only tends to regret that he gets caught. Making jokes and making other people jokes is a past time that Brad is fairly used to, and he doesn't really discriminate in any way shape or form - he can make a perfectly innocent remark or a vulgar one, he can pull a prank on his closest family member or his probation officer - it's all relative. Which is to suggest, actually, that along with having very little in the ways of impulse control, Brad also lacks a certain tact that is occasionally useful in humor - sometimes, you have to know when you're taking one step too far. For Brad? He never sees the line he's crossing.

Although shocking considering the rather shady disposition of much of Brad's character, he is actually fairly honorable, as long as you consider honor a flexible term open to certain interpretation. Brad will joke all day long, but he very rarely ever does so out of spite and never out of anger - he's not the kind of person who seeks vengeance because of some outrage. Taking much of life in stride, with a rather sunny outlook on things, it takes a lot to try his patience to the point of actual fighting (instead of simply fighting for fightings' sake, a past time he is more than guilty of), and even then, he doesn't hold a grudge. A decisive man, Brad knows what he wants, and he can become very jealously protective of whatever that may be - and he's willing to go to the ends of the earth to protect what he sees as his... or what he would like to be his. When it comes to loyalty, you have to take the word with a certain license - Brad will cause harm to those he cares for without much thought, willingly putting his family through trial after trial over the years, but when it comes down to someone else, an outside, causing those he cares for pain? There is absolutely no way Brad is going to let that slide. He can make his friends and family's lives a living hell, he's entitled to that, damn it - but no one else is permitted to encroach upon that territory.

"He was always ready for either a fight or a frolic; but had more mischief than ill-will in his composition; and, with all his overbearing roughness, there was a strong dash of waggish good humor at bottom."



height; Standing at 6'1", Brad isn't the tallest guy around and not exactly imposing, but, if it counts for anything, he carries himself with pride.
build; In sports since he was a pre-teen, his persistence in running (albeit from the police) and participating in sports in his leisure time shows in his build. Toned and by no means lean, Brad has broad shoulders that were practically made for scrumming and strong legs to boot. Hooker, anyone? (Not the sucky-sucky five dolla kind, either.)
hair; Light brown and kept cut close to his head, it is almost always never done, per se - in the morning, his fingers are put through his hair and, given a look in the mirror, Brad considers his work done.
eyes; Expressive Hazel eyes, with more of a green than brown cast, are capable of portraying Brad's merriment even if he never actually smirks, smiles, grins or laughs - a small feat.
played-by; Jensen Ackles. Voilà.



i get it [chevelle]
the remedy [jason mraz]
the perfect situation [weezer]
becoming the bull [atreyu]
feel good inc. [the gorillaz]