"Hey Van, I see the rumours about Viridia are true then? Or some of them at least."  Although they were at opposite ends of the school in terms of age, Dani had met the infamous Vanda Markham a time or two, mostly when they happened to be drafted into the same ritual or ran into each other in the greenhouse.  Short of the goth-turned-prefect revealing that she was none other than Lilith herself though, Dani treated her with the same cheerful semi-respect she gave anyone else older than her...when she wasn't distracted by something else.
"You're going to want more than needlework to get into a safe somewhere like that.  Paper papers say that someone is a paranoid bunny and probably has more layers of security than you can shake an athame at.  On a good day I can get us through the mechanical stuff but electronics aren't my field."  She perused both sets of sweets on the table before shrugging and circling the room to find herself a seat, either the choices were unappealing or she didn't trust the people providing them, not that she expected anyone in the room to try poisoning the other members of the group, that would be counter productive.  "With candidates, I figure if all else fails we whip up a succubus.  No question they'll win the looks portion, can probably swing any kind of personality or talent round and a couple of thousand years or more is going to give you a damn good knowledge base."  Dani finally found a beanbag that was to her liking and plopped down in it, abandoning herself to gravity and theory that the piece of furniture would still be filled with something soft.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Fri 12 Feb 2016.

Eustacia grabbed a piece of toffee, but before eating, she pondered the situation. "If the only place we can get the papers is in their office, we're going to need a decent plan. We could talk our way in, but we'd still have to break the safe, or wherever they are kept. A classic break and enter heist might be easier. I mean, I can get in easily enough, it just takes a decent suit and a pair of horn rims, and any office has an open door. But once inside, we'd still have to grab the file. Makes it too risky." She considered options. "Hayward and I - we could case the place, maybe? Then let you needlework afficianados do the sneaky stuff."

She gave a slight smile. "It'd be fun. But, you know, I think using a succubus as a contestant is probably utterly insane. I'm find with demons, not a problem usually, but controlling one all that time? Trés risky, darlings! We could ask one to put a little pep in her step, whoever we choose, but really, putting one in a tankini and letting her loose in Blackpool? Hell, no!" Literally.

She ate the toffee. She liked sweet things.

Dani pursed her lips and plucked a book out of her bag, dusty, leather bound, and titled in faded gilding...she had at least come prepared for her plan.  She grumbled something under her breath, it sounded like _{"It is Blackpool."}

Genuine surprise crossed Vanda's face. Needlework wasn't her forte, beyond the usual petty entry and basic escapology, but the concept that there could be safes that St Trinians couldn't crack seemed to be a new one for her.

"More than needlework?" she queried. "Well, if that's the case, maybe we can go back to the computer angle. I mean, those papers weren't hand-written. If we can find out who wrote them, and hack into his or her computer, it might be easier than safecracking.

"I agree with Minky, though, a succubus at a beauty pageant would be too unreliable. It would have the raw charisma to get the votes from male judges - or interested females - but it'd be like using a cutting torch to open a barrel of gunpowder!"

Angharad's fingers were tapping away again and she was muttering under her breath.

Anyone glancing at the screen could see building plans spinning around. A large red star appeared on one office, with a spider's web of lines converging upon it. Some green ones went through corridors and other conventional routes, a second set of blue lines went through the hidden accesses, crawlspaces and the like.

"I mean, Taff and I between us could probably manage it, but knowing how to get through a five pin offset tumbler lock won't help much if there are electronic alarms all over the place, or if you have to get through something digital first.  It's not like I'm saying we can't do it, just that it's not going to be a job for a stethoscope and wishful thinking."  Dani hastened to clarify what she meant, just because she wasn't the complete b&e package, she was still confident that, between them, they could handle anything thrown their way.  If all else failed they could just hex any security into submission.

The thick parchment of the book crackled softly under her fingers as she turned from reading the finer points of dealing with Hell's call girls, it was hardly as though Blackpool, or Brighton come to that, could not be improved with a bit of excitement.  The faint pout still hovering about her lips at having her idea shot down, faded further as she found something else to catch her attention.  Love spells were probably a bad idea but adapting something so that...Those who knew her would recognise the shift in posture as one of her ideas struck, it was probably a blessing that she remembered to scribble on a scrap of paper rather than the ancient tome in her lap, still, it would have been helpful if said scrap was something other than the application form pulled from Vague.

Eustacia managed to finish the very sticky toffee before speaking. A proper lady never talked with her mouth full!!!

"The school has a fine tradition of burglary, and I am sure between us we can concoct something. Disable alarms, get Taffy and the Geek into the building to work a little safecracking magic, make a copy of the questions and answers, then sneak back out without anyone being any the wiser. All over in half an hour - job done!"

Grabbing something like this in a daring raid was exactly the sort of tnhing that fired the imagination of the St T's girls. She was pretty sure there would be no shortage of volunteers to provide assistance. "If they did exist on a computer we could get to remotely, I am sure Angharad would have grabbed them already. We don't need much to get into the place. Alarm off, a floor plan - it's not rocket science. It's needlework!!!"

A sherbert lemon was then devoured. Her sweet tooth was always rapacious when she was scheming.

B&E - needlework as it was politely referred to - was something Nikki had yet to learn at Ms. Carter's. In fact, it was one of the main reason's she'd been sent to St. Trinian's, as their girls were some of the best in the world at it. She definitely needed to pay attention on this mission.

"I'm not sure we need everyone to head to Vague." Nikki said, ignoring the candies that had been offered - she hadn't built up an immunity to all the poisons, yet. "Vanda, you've got sneaky down pat - how much can you use that to cover other girls, too?"

"So, we're looking at a full frontal B&E on the safe then? Well, we should think outside the box here. This is a St Trinians mission - we six are just the organizers. We don't have to do everything ourselves - if there's another girl we can recruit who is a better safecracker than any of us, let's bring her in - on a need to know basis, of course."

Vanda hesitated at Nikki's comment and query. She decided to take it as a compliment. "If there are only six or seven of us, we may need all of our talents to gain access. We have to do this without anyone knowing we've done it, remember.

"I'm not sure what you mean about covering anyone else. If there's some elephant of a fourth former stomping around in pit boots, I can't make her quiet."

Vanda pondered her own words for a moment. Could she cast some sort of Blanket of Silence spell?

OOC: It'll be up to the Headmistress whether we can recruit skilled NPCs or what spells are available, but we'll need to know in order to make a workable plan.

"I'm just saying, your level of sneak is approaching something something Jedi-like, in my book. Just wondering if your mojo just works on you, or if it can be used on a group." Nikki clarified, reclining back against the sofa.

Vanda shook her head. "It's just acrobatics, it's not like I can cast a Blanket of Silence, or anything. Magic doesn't work that way, unfortunately. I can't cast an 'Open Sesame' spell on that safe, either."

Miss Fritton watched Dani and sighed. "Good thing we can apply online. Now, I see no problem with you going to the Vague offices -  we can make it a practical field trip. You can take who you will along, but remember, large numbers are easier to spot. We'll lay on the plain school minibus, and the Tuck Shop is at your disposal. You can use the labs and the ritual circle as well. Let me know when you plan to go. At night, I presume, for obvious reasons."

She rubbed her hands. "So, ladies - who do you think should be the next face that makes a millon?"

Eustacia retrieved her tablet, and displayed a few photos that showed the sort of blonde loveliness that was bound to end up digging a lot of gold once she was unleashed onto the world outside. "I'm putting my money behind Belgravia Earheart. She's a great choice. She has a fairly poor family background, so she has the beauty queen rags to riches element. Now, I know she is at best in the middle of the bell curve for her academic results - and that's being generous. But if we are cheating the exam, it isn't an issue, and we can definitely put pep in her step when it comes to the Q and A on stage. Also, she's a smooth operator. She really will shine in a beauty contest, she can charm the pines off a hedgehog. She has half the boys at Eton frothing at the mouth. And, one last good point, is that she can be a total and utter bitch. When it comes to doing a number on the other contestants, she has the drive. We all know that those who make a success of the beauty world, in a pageant or in front of a camera, are all absolute cows. Well, she is! But dumb enough to do what we say and not get creative. I think she'd be spot on. What about you?"

She looked to Emma and Nikki, curious as to who they had been thinking of for the contestant.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:48, Mon 15 Feb 2016.

Nikki tossed a folder down on the table - it was an impressively organized and detailed dossier on one Sharon Kray - complete with some seemingly impossible to snag candid pictures of the girl when she wasn't completely covered in her usual chav attire. Honestly, the whole collection looked as if Nikki had hired a firm to do her work for her.

"Sharon Kray." she said, taking on an unusually official tone in her voice. She'd done these briefings before, it seemed. "She's directly connected to the Kray crime family which I'm sure we're all familiar with." Nikki hadn't been, but was, now. "She needs a lot of work. Chiseling, mostly, but there's enough good under the bad that I think our combined efforts can eventually get it down to a nice scalpel application of make-up. Her schoolwork isn't impeccable, but her IQ is off the charts. She just doesn't apply herself in most cases.

"That said, she brings a whole slew of skillsets and connections to the table that we can use, and are in need of. Cut her in on this piece of the action, and I think she'll willingly play ball with us." she concluded.

[OOC: She's a Fixer and I think we need that, yes? Could be an in-game solution to our problems? -Ken]

Angharad was still muttering to herself in Welsh as she dug into the alarm systems of the Vague office block. She also checked out the sewers in case a really hidden approach was required.

"Scalpel rather than a bucket full of fake tan and a trowel for the makeup you mean?"  Dani looked up briefly from whatever calculations had caught her attention.  Her lack of patience for all things chav had been publicised to the school when she added some kind of green colouring to every batch of tan that came into the grounds over the course of a full term.  It wasn't her fault that the drama group had something on that also required it.  "We don't necessarily need to choose our own judges, if we can get something from them once they're declared, we can always whammy them if it comes to it.  Or even go for plain old blackmail."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:27, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

Emma continued to sit with quiet poise, her hands folded prudently in her lap. Her attention drifted around the room as each spoke, giving the person her undivided attention. She had accepted Vanda's new role in their conclave with little more than a nod of acknowledgement, and perhaps slight deference. The two girls were familiar with one another as they shared many classes and acquaintances. While Vanda dressed the tortured soul lost in Morticia Addams' closet, Emma knew the other young woman's passions ran far deeper than the requisite 'look'. Personally, Emma never understood why black everything had to be the Gothic Uniform. It was such a drab, and frankly, tired, cliche. Still, Emma respected Vanda's talents and opinions; and for that, she was pleased to see the new prefect among their ranks.

The conversation bandied about acquiring the questions, blackmail, the usual tactics that were the foundation to any St. Trinian ladies formal education. She honestly began to feel a little ill equipped to provide support; after all, her needlework was passable but hardly her passion. The conversation briefly swirled to possible contestants. Eustacia made a compelling pitch, as did Nikki. Both girls presented had definite strengths to be employed and weaknesses that could probably be neutralized, or at least diminished.

With delicate movement, Emma retrieved her journal from her bag. She didn't have pictures, not like the other two. Instead, the anachronistic Emma had sketched the likeness of her candidate. The image seemed to stand out from the page. A new picture with notes covered several pages. "I'd like to present Miss Cinnamon Richmond." The sketch that she turned to the rest revealed a long, lean athletic form that could be a gymnast if she were not so tall. Perhaps the Hockey Girl was a dancer, or track star, either way, her physique balanced Amazonian strength with the soft fluidity of poise and grace.

"She's very average in the academic arena, but, I don't believe any of us are truly concerned with that. Her appeal is that she's not a traditional beauty; meaning that she has that 'something' that people can't quite put their finger on, but at the same point, they can't help but appreciate her statuesque, Grecian allure. I'll admit, she's hardly a contender against Bela or Sharon... but they are so..." Emma chewed her lower lip as she searched for the correct work, "Normal. All contestants are going to be Barbie-doll cutouts, it's only a question of whether they'll all show up with blond hair. The judges are going to want someone who can bridge what is with what could be. Bela looks exactly like what they have. I think we should consider putting forth a candidate that represents the future."

Emma glanced around the room before continuing. She swallowed and sighed, "Of course, there is always a concern that she may slip her poise if anyone pushes too hard. Her temper is almost legendary, and if half the rumors are to be believed, her brutality is second to none. But," a smile twitched at the corner of her mouth, "Being a 'cow', to use Eustacia's phrase, isn't the only way to unnerve or intimidate other candidates. I'd like to think that this is well within Cinnamon's wheelhouse."

Vanda listened to the others' suggestions carefully. She picked up that maybe they should all make a suggestion and then choose. For her, one candidate stood out if you wanted to make an impression.

”You were talking about recruiting a Goth. How about Lucy West? Strawberry blonde, likes dressing in virginal white and treating the boys to a ‘brides of Dracula’ experience. She could probably work the judges pretty well, giving them an innocent smile and then licking her lips with that coy, suggestive manner of hers. She’s got a brain, but she’s manageable - provided there are no young men around.”

Diverting from the alarm systems momentarily, Angharad went into the school records system like a knife into warm butter and pulled up the records for each girl proposed.

Eustacia lifted a finger to make a point. "I can appreciate that she is attractive, but really, Lucy West? Not likely! These judges are going to be looking for someone who has a little je ne sais quois, but the whole point of goth is looking most unlike the sort of thing they are going to be choosing. I have no problem with goths, many of my friends are goths, and I am not above donning the velvet and pale face look myself now and then. But trust me, darling, I know the fashion world. She could make it in an alternative journal, like Bizarre, maybe. Vague is high-end Milan and chinless West Hampstead in outlook. She's just not right for them."

She considered the other suggestions. "I am not sure that an unrepenant chav like Kray is controllable. And the press would have a field day - not that this is a bad thing, if we can get some spin working for us. Cindy's got a lot to recommend her, though. Definitely in the right figure bracket. I am not sure a borderline psychopath is necessarily a bad thing. Look at Naomi Campbell..."

She looked at the others. "What do the rest of you think?"

She hadn't exactly tried to totally rubbish the other ideas, barring her anti-goth and chav bias. She must have been taking it rather seriouly.

"Belgrabbia Airhead?"  The surname was rich coming from Dani but she ploughed on, seemingly oblivious to the irony.  "She'll get snapped shagging someone's brother, or one of the judges, or get caught sticking itching powder in one of the other contestant's bras.  The girl has no sense of subtlety and her idea of pillow talk is opening her mouth and letting her brain fall out."  How the scientist knew this little piece of gossip was up for speculation but she spoke with conviction.  "Loosey isn't much better, no offense Van.  It's not about her looks, it's about the lack of ability to keep anyone else's knickers where they should be.  She'll have one half of the judging panel in bed and the other half hammering on the bedroom door.  Shazvegas might work but my vote goes for the Cinnamon bun.  If it comes to it, we can probably dope her up a little to keep the temper under control, we'll have a hell of a lot less work to do than on any of the others."
Dani clearly had opinions on the suggested candidates and seemed to know a surprising amount about the girls.  Clearly the first year spy network was as strong as ever and her unique memory was capable of retaining more than just chemical/alchemical formulae.

Vanda pouted for a moment as she contemplated Emma's suggestion, then shrugged. She'd thought the idea was to choose one of the Goths. Wasn't that why they'd drafted Vanda in the first place? Not that it really mattered who they chose as long as they won. And with any luck, that wouldn't be down to the candidate anyway.
"Sounds like we have a winner. I like the drugs idea, though." She gave Dani a quick wink. "We'll need something to keep her manageable."

Dani shook her head vehemently.  "Not drugs, just something...I don't know, a filter.  Or a sleep spell.  Maybe hypnosis."

Miss Fritton considered the options, and blew a langrous ring of smoke in a manner that would make most red blooded males bite through their spoon at dinner. "I can see what each of you is thinking. They are all very viable candidates. I only wish there was a way we could find someone who had everything in one place." She sighed, forlornly. "I don't suppose there is any way to remove twenty years from me without a demonic pact? It's so inconvenient. Beelzebub won't return my calls. And he's deleted his Twitter account. I can't get anything from him, it is darned inconvenient!"

She pondered the candidates. "We've got several problems, depending on who we select. It really comes down to who you think you can form into a winning candidate. Drugs are only one option, Danielle. There are others. Which can you fake the most convincingly? Brains? Charm? A genial manner? Poise? You'll only get one chance at this, so be sure. Be very sure. You will get whatever support you need. We have one vote for someone who eats raw meat if left unattended. Who next?"

Eustacia reached into her jacket and drew out the kind of cigar usually found between the teeth of master criminals in dubious Seventies spy thrillers. She inhaled the aroma and sighed, eyes closed. She then removed the little paper band, and bit the end off. And chewed, in a ladylike fashion. Chocolate cigars. It fulfilled both her extravagantly sweet tooth, and her distinct flair for the theatrical. She leaned back in her seat, and it only required a white persian pussy cat to complete the image.

"Well, let's be logical. Objective. I know these words may be a little rare in this environment, but we can't take sides all the time." She did not blow a smoke ring. And blowing partialy chewed chocolate across the room was simply not done. "Never mind the girls in question. Consider the options. Brains. Yes, we can simulate that fairly easily. We rig the exam, and we can feed answers to any girl at the contest, and even spice up the brainbox a little." She tipped her cigar to Dani as a sign of respect. "It wouldn't be the first time that has happened, and it won't be the last. Beauty? Let's not insult the intelligence. Of course we can fake it. We're going to a beauty contest. Every single inch of skin and hair on that stage will be fake. All we have to decide is whether or not we're going to use silicon, science, magic, or just greasepaint and highlights. And then, there's poise."

She pondered that problem. "Social graces are something we might have trouble with. It's not so easy to fake that. We can pull a Pygmalion, with enough time. Which we may well have. But once they get on that stage, they are on their own. You can't feed someone a walk. Well, not easily. Panache in a bottle is worth exploring. Emma and Marky - if that's possible, I am pretty sure you can cook it up between you. On that score, I think our best options are Belle and Cindy, if truth be told. Good raw materials and at least some general disposition towards style. I'd prefer the former, but I'm not averse to Cindy. Provided we can keep her sedated when she's not actually working her booty. Remember Roedean."

In fairness, Cinnamon had not meant to bite off that girl's ear. She just had one of her little moments. Anyone can have a lapse from time to time. It was just a shame she had been a spectator, and not one of the opposing hockey team. At least they knew what they were in for when they took the field.