Tycoons | Lydia

[Virginia Grace]

Genie didn't know if it was possible to truly be 'good' at Monopoly. The game itself primarily revolved around a bit of luck. You were mostly at the mercy of dice with where you landed and what pieces of property you could acquire. Still, there were strategies one could employee and as far as the game of Monopoly went Genie was fairly sure she had those strategies down to a science.

As the Hephaestus girl understood it the game was all a balancing act. You had to make sure you had enough money to pay the bills when you landed on someone else's place but you had to buy property in order to get money. The key, she had found, was making sure that you didn't overextend yourself. Don't blow all your money on every piece of property you see and force your competition to buy the ones you didn't want. It was a strategy that had allowed her to gain control of the very lucrative green and yellow corner of the game board and Genie was making bank. Now she was going in for the kill. “And that’s going to be my third hotel. I think you’re going to have a very nice stay when you come back around to this side of the board.” She grinned playfully at the girl across from her as she placed the tiny plastic hotel on the board. “And now I think it’s your turn. Let’s see if your luck holds out.”

Lydia Shepard

[Lydia Shepard]

Lydia looked down at the board as she pressed her lips together. Did she really have any luck when they started the game? She had started off pretty well, but then she came close to bankruptcy twice and now Genie was adding a third hotel. And she was now in a sticky situation. She was close to Genie’s properties and unless she rolled extremely high, she was going to land on properties and owe rent. And, of course, Lydia was closer to her third bankruptcy than she was with her other two. Either way, her luck was not looking good.

Finally, she clicked her tongue as she looked up at Genie and smirked a bit. “I think my luck had run out and you've finally managed to bankrupt me.” She chucked as she shook her head. “I never really took you as a strategist, but at least that's better than being power hungry. I guess I got ahead with myself.”

[Virginia Grace]

The game was finally over. Lydia was conceding defeat. Genie had become the sole property tycoon of Monopoly land. Now if only Monopoly money was real money but that was life she supposed. Genie giggled and spread a handful of Monopoly bills out in her hand like a fan. "I told you I was playing to win." She said as she glance at the girl over the curve of her money fan. "Don't worry though. I won't be too hard on you. I like you staying in my hotels too much."

Genie was delighted she had won but more importantly she was delighted at how much fun she had. She knew Lydia was probably examining her every move but the funny thing was she didn't really mind. In fact she was kind of curious what Lydia was thinking right now after their big game night. "So, what do you think about me based off of my game playing skills? I didn't scare you away did I?"

[Lydia Shepard]

And play to win Genie did. And Lydia wasn't upset about losing at all, especially since she wasn't really playing to win at all, but she wasn't going to tell Genie at all. It gave her a good feel of Genie and she liked what she discovered so far. She laughed a bit as she shook her head as Genie fanned herself with all the money she had from that game. "At least I have a nice place to stay since I'm evicted," Lydia said with a bit of a smirk as she reached out to start putting away the game.

"Nah," she laughed again as she shook her head. "I don't think you scared me away quite yet. But you're a planner and a very good at executing said plans, which says a lot, but in a good way."

[Virginia Grace]

"Yeah," Genie said as she mocked fanning herself with the paper money fan. "I couldn't leave you out on the streets or anything like that. It would be much better to bring you back to one of my hotels and pamper you." She watched as Lydia put the game away and thought about how much fun they had been having. How long hard she been over at the Dionysus cabin anyways? Monopoly wasn't exactly a short game and it could have been a few hours at this point. Still, Genie didn't think she minded that much. She would have just been back at the forge otherwise after all.

She giggled a little at Lydia's assessment of her. She didn't really think of herself like that but being a planner wasn't so bad was it? "That's good. I'd hate to scare you off so soon. I kinda like you." She smirked a little as she went to help Lydia with her efforts. "You really think I'm good at planning stuff? Is that what you got from studying me?"

[Lydia Shepard]

“The way you're saying it, it sounds like I should lose to you more often,” Lydia said with a bit of a giggle. “And in that case, I don't think I'd mind losing at all.” Even though Lydia would be losing, it sounded like in the end would be a complete win-win for the both of them.

But as they were putting away the game, Lydia continued her analysis. “Planning and kind of analytical,” she said as she glanced up at Genie. “Like you can look at a blueprint and know what exactly it is and how to go about it or even come up with one in your head, which I'm guessing you did with the strawberry picker, which is still brilliant.”

[Virginia Grace]

“Don’t worry. I’m not so good at all games.” Genie said with a chuckle. “And I don’t have to win all the time. I just liked having fun with you and playing Monopoly is fun even if I did smoke ya.” At this she reached over and playfully pushed the girl’s shoulder. There were more important things in life than winning all the time. Cute Dionysus girls were one of those things in Genie’s book and she wouldn’t begrudge Lydia her revenge in other board games especially if those games resulted in some interesting outcomes. “I can think of a few games I wouldn’t mind losing at either. Just so you know.”

Lydia wasn’t finished with her analysis though and Genie set back and listened with interest. “Yeah machines and blueprints have just always made since ya know? The same thing goes with my inventions. Sometimes an idea just pops in my head and then I wonder how I never thought of it before.” Maybe there was something to all this psychoscienceologicalism stuff. Genie didn’t understand it but it seemed to work. “I think I learned some stuff about you too Lydia. I was already getting a pretty good idea though so I’m not sure how much of it was just the game but I think I've got a little analysis of my own.”

[Lydia Shepard]

Lydia giggled to herself as Genie reached over to push her shoulder and she rocked a bit to go along with it. “I don't know,” she said with a bit of a smile. “I just might let you win if you're going to be so nice to me losing.” She was kidding, of course, but it wasn't that bad losing to Genie.

But she looked up from the game and looked at Genie attentively as she seemed to think about her assessment. But at least Lydia was right on that front. “We add creative to that list,” she said with a bit of a smirk. But what else Genie said caught her surprised. “Oh?” she asked as she raised her eyebrows inquisitively. “What's your analysis of me?”

[Virginia Grace]

Genie chuckled. "Yeah but I can be just as nice when you win too silly." Her grin grew wider. She wouldd definitely like to play some other games with Lydia but she really didn't mind losing if there was a good challenge. "Besides my mom always said winning all the time 'll give you a big head. You would spoil me if you just let me win." Granted being spoiled by Lydia might not be a bad thing but Genie liked to do a little spoiling herself every once in a while.

"Hmm...what can I say about Lydia." She said in a thoughtful tone. She could tell Lydia was interested in hearing what she had come up with but to drag the anticipation out a little longer Genie set forward on her elbows and pretended to think for a moment before finally speaking again. "Well, I think you're really smart. You'd have to be to think about all that psychology stuff all day. You're also responsible but in a good way because you're never so serious that you're afraid of a little bending of the rules. I think it's really cute when I make you laugh because I like your giggle. Oh and you don't blow me off when I start nerding out over my machines which makes me happy too so let's say patient?" There was more but that would be enough for now. She really liked Lydia and she thought that message got across.

[Lydia Shepard]

"Nah," Lydia said with a giggle as she shook her head. "I don't think you're capable of getting a bit head, but that's just what I think." She finished putting away the game and placed the lid on top before she turned her attention back to Genie as she was waiting for her own assessment. And waiting she was going to do. She giggled a bit more and bit her lower lip as Genie made a show of pretending to think on it really hard.

But she finally gave her assessment. Lydia sat there quietly as she had a thoughtful look on her face. Everything she was saying sounded like her or what her friends said it was her. But she liked what she heard, especially since it was coming from Genie. Once it was over, she laughed before she smirked at Genie. "Are you sure you don't study psychology all day like I do? Because that was some impressive assessment right there. I think from that, I can safely deduce that you like me." And that statement caused Lydia to get a goofy grin on her face.

[Virginia Grace]

“You haven’t seen me when I just finished an invention.” Genie said with a bit of embarrassment. If there was one thing she was proud of it was her machines and she could get a little bragy when it came to talking about them sometimes. Usually she was pretty harmless in that regard but she did hope that she wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of Lydia when the time finally game to unveil the strawberry picker. She could laugh about it now though and she did as she said. “Maybe when you’ll know why my momma warned me.”

The assessment seemed to be spot on at least in Lydia’s eyes. “Nah I don’t think I know all that much when it comes to head stuff. I just like talking to people. They’re kind of like machines you know? Really complicated and sometimes you’ve got to dig down to find what really makes em tick. It’s not so hard with you though.” Genie watched Lydia from where she sat and even got a little embarrassed when the girl followed her statements to their logical conclusion but Genie didn’t try to hide it this time. By the look of things Lydia liked her too. “Yeah. I was hoping you would get that. I really like spending time with you.

[Lydia Shepard]

Lydia giggled as she shook her head. "Nah," she said as she repeated her thought. "I don't think you're that bad. If anything, you have plenty of reasons to brag. I'm pretty sure that not everyone can come with an invention and see it entirely the way through. I think that's what makes you different and deserves a little bit of bragging." Maybe Lydia was laying it on a little too thick during that moment, but everything was going to be okay. She thought everyone was entitled to brag once in a while. They were only human after all. Or, at least, as human as demigods could get.

But Lydia still had that smile on her face on her face as Genie finished up her assessment. "It makes perfect sense," she said as she nodded her head. But she giggled a bit before she said, "And I like spending time with you too." She drummed her fingers on the Monopoly box as she glanced down at it before looking up at Genie. "Do you want to do another board game? Or do you want to do something different?"

[Virginia Grace]

Genie hoped Lydia was right because she took a lot of pride in her machines. In fact, to hear her talk about them one might think they were her children sometimes. She had put a lot of work into making them after all so they were important to her. "Maybe you're right." The Hephaestus girl said with a smile. "I just get excited when I make something work you know? That's half the fun of getting to work in the forge like I do."

Genie probably could have gone on about projects or other things she was working on but as the monopoly game was put away something seemed to change. The conversation turned to what they should do next and was Genie wrong or was there a little uncertainty in Lydia's voice. They could play another game of course, Genie wouldn't have minded at all, but there seemed to be something else on the Dionysus girl's mind. "We could play another or you know, watch a movie or something. I don't really have anywhere I have to be so really I'm all yours." She watched Lydia curiously. There seemed to be a nervousness about her now that Genie didn't like. "Of course if you have something specific in mind we can try that...What are you thinking?"

[Lydia Shepard]

Lydia was drumming her fingers on the top of the box as she tried to think. Monopoly gave her an excuse for a few good hours and she didn't want their evening to end quite yet. So she was listing through all the different options in her mind to see if any of them would buy them the longest time. She was half-listening to Genie as she listed off options, but she didn't realize that the tapping on the box was making her uneasy or something.

"Hmm?" she asked as she turned her head to look at Genie before she giggled and shook her head. "Oh it was nothing. I was just thinking, that's all. But we can watch a movie. I know the password to one of my sibling's netflix account so we have a wide range of movies we can watch from there if that's okay with you."

[Virginia Grace]

Lydia seemed to light on one of Genie's ideas as the drumming stopped. The Hephaestus girl brightened a little and before long she was staring up at Lydia with excitement in her eyes. A movie sounded like a great idea and Genie hardly ever took the time to watch them usually. "Oh yeah a movie would be cool." She said excitedly. "What's your favorite genre?"

This was going to be fun and even though Genie had no idea what was popular right now or even what Lydia liked she was sure they would find something in common. "I'm up for anything but I like funny stuff the best." She said with a giggle. It was probably no surprise that the girl's favorite movies were comedies. Genie like to laugh and when a good comedy was on she tended to laugh a lot. Of course she was pretty flexible too but given the choice of something serious or scary and a comedy she would chose to smile any day. Besides, anyone could write sad stuff but it took a genius to really make people smile. "Too bad you don't have any popcorn."