Through a Glass Darkly: Spies and Spying; Week 4, Period 3

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Aly was wandering around the Danger Shop, approaching each student to greet them and just happy they'd received her handwavy email informing of the location change.  As everyone took a chair, she smiled at them all and perched on the edge of the table at the front of the room.

"Good morning.  Today is the first day we're going to talk about - and practice - some of the actual tools a spy uses."  She grinned, excited.  "Lockpicking and pickpocketing aren't just used by spies, of course.  But an agent can end up in a multitude of situations where a little manual dexterity is helpful."  She winked.  "Some of you already have experience in this."  Aly nodded at Briar, Sakurazaki, Skif.  "And for you, I have something a bit more difficult planned."

"But before we get into the actual practicing, let's go over the basics of how, exactly, you pick a lock or someone's pocket."  With that she took them through a short but information-filled lecture on pickpocketing and picking locks.

She gestured them all to gather around the table.  "Now, these are all training tools for learning.  Take a turn at them, see what you can do.  A third of picking locks is the theory, the other two-thirds is practice and steady hands."  Aly smiled mischieviously around the table.  "And I don't want to hear anyone complaining this is too hard.  I learned how by the time I was four.  There are sets of lockpicks on the table.  Feel free to try out a couple different ones.  And for those of you who want or need more a challenge, I have some much more difficult locks over in that corner."  She pointed to where there was an assortment of pretty much any type of lock possible.  Including one that didn't actually look like it needed a key.

"Over here," she led them over to another part of the room that was hung with handkerchiefs plus several fitting dummies wearing many-pocketed clothes decorated with bells.  "You can practice on the dummies if you like.  Steady hands will keep the bells from ringing, though you want to remember that if you're doing this in truth, your mark will be moving more than the dummies will.  You also can practice with a partner and handkerchiefs."  She winked.  "Stealing the handkerchieves.  Other partner-related activites are for outside the class.  I also have a scenario set up in here with 'real' people if you want to try your skills out."

She came back to the main table with a smile.  "Right then, any questions before we start?"  She paused to answer any that came up.  "Now, I have one last thing for you.  Part of being aware of your surroundings at all times is knowing who's near you and what they're doing there."  Grinning, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a yo-yo, a cellphone, a deck of cards, and a pen.  Looking at the pen more closely, she chuckled.  "Ooh, a naked pen.  Nice.  These belong to four members of your class."  She looked as innocent as possible.  "You guys can come up and get these at any time.  And keep a closer eye on where someone puts their hands."

"Finally, I'll have these tools out in my office whenever I'm in there.  If you wish to get more practice, feel free to stop by."  Aly grinned.  "You don't even have to talk to me if you don't want to.  Next week we're back in the classroom, and your homework is to keep practicing.  Just don't pick-pocket your classmates."

[OOC: Trying to pick a classmate's pocket is going to make Aly cranky and she will actually give detention for it.  Ping me in the OOC thread if this is what you're looking for.  Thanks to bridge_carson, futurebucs_star, weissguy_, and socksofcool for letting Aly pick their respective pockets.  Feel free to go nuts modding the locks, lockpicks, handkerchieves, whatever.  If you want to try the DangerShop scenario, feel free to mod the people or I can play them.  OCD's up!  Play away]

Comments

SAS 9/26: Sign In

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

One on top of the other.

Re: SAS 9/26: Sign In

[http://users.livejournal.com/weissguy_/]

Eric Weiss, who totally does not feel Aly feeling him up picking his pocket.

Re: SAS 9/26: Sign In

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy Altman

SAS 9/26: Questions

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Any questions about the lecture, subject matter, price of cheese in Denmark?

SAS 9/26: During the Lecture

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Take notes, pass notes, talk like the Artful Dodger...

Re: SAS 9/26: During the Lecture

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

In between rigerously jotting down lecture notes in Japanese, Setsuna scribbled down a seperate note, folding it up carefully into the usual little bird, and sent it on a low, quick flight to the twins.

It was clearly addressed to just one of them, but it landed in between them. Sakurazaki kept a close watch in the corner of her eye to see which one picked it up.

//Hikaru,
Thank you for fixing the phone.
It seems to be working fine.
I apologize for my terrible mood yesterday.

Oh, and I still have to pay you for it? How much is the bill?
--Setsuna.//

Re: SAS 9/26: During the Lecture

[2-twin-devils-2.livejournal.com]

In the middle of listening to the lecture, both look at the birdy note that lands near them. Hikaru, sitting on the left, notices his name and unfolds it to read. Once he's done, he looks up at Setsuna, scribbling the character for "free" on the back of his hand and held it up-unnoticable to the teacher-to show her.

SAS 9/26: Picking Locks

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Don't break the lockpicks!

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks: The Beginners

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Try the easy locks or teaching tools first. Help each other or shout if you'd like Aly's help.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks: The Beginners

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders liked to think he had manual dexterity, and he definitely had steady hands, but his dexterity wasn't so much tuned to this scale of work. He went after the simplest of the basic locks with more enthusiasm than skill, tongue poking out between his teeth as he fiddled with the picks. Eventually (read: half an hour later), he got it open, but not without making enough noise to wake half a household.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks: The Beginners

[2-twin-devils-2.livejournal.com]

The twins worked separatly at a few different easy locks. They'd had a little experience back home trying to pick the locks on their mom's jewerly boxes for fun when they were little but hadn't tried again since. It wasn't very difficult for them and they went about choosing different ones to try out.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks

[http://users.livejournal.com/weissguy_/]

Weiss was actually pretty good with basic locks. It wasn't the Houdini genetics -- at least, he hoped it was hard work and practice. He did struggle a bit, but he's probably quicker on the uptake than some.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks: The Beginners

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Blushing and recalling Aly's misguided nod to her at the beginning of the lecture, Sakurazaki sets to the task of working quietly, dilegently, with extreme focus on some of the easier ones.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks: The More Advanced Locks

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

And the harder ones. If you want to try to tackle the one without a keyhole, let me know. Otherwise feel free to mod as you will.

Re: SAS 9/26: Picking Locks

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia studied the lock in front of her, very carefully she started to work the lock slowly. After about ten attempts she managed to start to turn it to hear a click.

Pick-Pocketing

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

In this world, one thing counts. In the bank. Large Amounts.

Re: Pick-Pocketing: Training Tools

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Try not to make the bells ring or pair up to steal handkerchiefs from each other.

Re: Pick-Pocketing: Danger Shop Scenario.

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

You know you want to try it. Either by yourself or try to run a partner scam.

SAS 9/26: Talk to Aly

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Questions? Concerns? Just want your stuff back? She's around.

Re: SAS 9/26: Talk to Aly

[http://users.livejournal.com/weissguy_/]

Weiss sheepishly approaches Aly. "Can I get my cards back?"

Re: SAS 9/26: Talk to Aly

[socksofcool.livejournal.com]

Looking a little pink around the ears, Seely approached Aly. "Um..."

Re: SAS 9/26: Talk to Aly

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge comes up to Aly with a grin. "Do I get my phone back now?" he asks.

Re: SAS 9/26: Talk to Aly

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders looked almost pitiful as he came up to talk to Aly. "Could I have my yo-yo back?"

There might even have been a little lip-quivering.

SAS 9/26: OOC

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Robin Hood?
What a crook!
Gave away
What he took
Charity's fine
Subscribe to mine
Get out and make an OOC or two
You've got to pick an OOC or two, boys!
Get out and make an OOC or two.

Re: SAS 9/26: OOC

[http://users.livejournal.com/weissguy_/]

Consider yourself one of us. *does a dance*