fandomhigh | Spying: Week 4, Period 1

Aly was relaxed and amused as the class congregated by the campfire. "Hey guys," she said with a grin for the group of them. "Hope you all had a good week. Maybe even some of you thought of ways that disguises could be integrated into everyday life at Fandom right now. Sometimes it's better to not make your identity obvious at first or second glance." She wasn't going to go into any more detail at that, but she was confident some of the students, at least, would get the reference.

"Today we're going to talk about lying. Very few people like to lie, but especially as a spy, it's a necessary skill - both to lie well yourself and to be able to tell when other people are lying.

"As probably all of you know, there are plenty of tools - drugs, magic, technology, mental tricks to detect lies or conceal them, but for today, we're going to focus on simpler methods. Observation, body language, the logic of how lies are constructed. You're not always going to have an arsenal of fancy tricks at your disposal, and, going back to earlier classes, you need to be able to trust your instincts."

"So a few of the ways to tell when someone is lying without a fancy trick is to look at their body language. Someone telling a lie usually tends to have limited physical expression, they keep their gestures and movement restrained in an unconscious attempt to be overlooked. He or she will avoid eye contact with the person questioning them. He might also try to place objects - like a book or a coffee cup between him and the person he's lying to.

"Another way to tell is simply by looking at the disconnect between a statement of emotion and the gesture that goes with it. For instance if I say I love you, then smile a beat later, there's a disconnect there that can give you a clue. Someone telling the truth - or an accomplished liar would smile saying 'I love you.'"

She grinned. "All of which is well and good, and excellent to know. So how do you avoid getting caught when you have a need to lie? Pay attention to your body language. Avoid the pitfalls we discussed here and that are on the papers I'm handing out. The absolute best way is to construct a Liar's Palace in your mind that you can escape into when being questioned. Which is sadly something that could be a course all of its own so I'm not going into it more here."

"Today, I have an interesting test for all of you to try on the laptop over there, and then I'd like everyone to pair up and lie to each other. Try to use the techniques to tell if the other person is lying, try to be aware of your body language and make your lie undetectable. And hey, it's a class on deception so change it up a bit. See if you can trick your partner into thinking you're lying when you're telling the truth." She grinned. "If you want to try it with me, feel free."

[OOC: I am so, so sorry for the lateness of this class! I had errand s to run and didn't get it done last night and it was just a comedy of errors. So my abject apologies to all of you. OCD ~~is coming~~ up]

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Because she's around and looking pleased with herself.

*sighs at her*

"Professor?" Ronan said, a bit softly. "I was wondering if I might ask you a question?"

Aly smiled at Ronan, more relaxed than earlier. "Certainly, what is it?"

His smile widened. "Hypothetically speaking," Ronan began, "if one had a way to construct... highly detailed costumes, shall we say? ...through magical means, including ones that can be used by those without magic. Might there be a use and an outlet for these in the current... political environment?"

"I suppose it would depend on how detectable the magic in the costumes were," Aly replied. "We wouldn't want just anyone being able to sense the magic present and know something was going on."

Ronan considered how best to answer that. "Last time I saw them used, it took... one of the Powers who created the universe, and thus wizardry itself, to see through them. Also, they're a differet kind of magic than others might be used to."

"Hmm, seems like it would be something to look into then at least," Aly said. "They sound useful."

Ronan nodded. "So if someone, hypothetically, were able to make these, it might be worth it for that person to start working on a few of them? Just in case a situation came up in which they could be used, such as the hostile takeover of... a school, for example."

Haku sheepishly walked up to Aly. "I hope that I didn't miss much while I was gone..?"

"I think you'll be okay," Aly said. "We talked about disguises and going undercover."

Karal was disturbed by the exchange between the Heamdaster and Aly, but he tried very hard not to let it show. "Excuse me?" he said diffidently. "I do not want to bother you, but Molly asked me to come and say hello."

Aly turned to him with a smile. "Did she?" Aly asked, looking happy. "I'm so glad. How is she enjoying LA?"

"Very well, I think," he replied, smiling shyly. "I spoke with her on the phone and she sounded quite happy. I," he paused, "or we, rather, are going to visit her this weekend."

"Oh? That should be interesting," she said. She really did try to refrain from quizzing him. There were enough people who got to do that. "Will you give her my greetings? And tell her I miss having her in my class?"

"I would be happy to do that. She asked me to give her greetings to you as well," he said, ducking his head. "Interesting may be a good word to describe it," his smile was a tad doubtful, "but I will simply be happy to see Molly again."

Aly laughed. "Have you been places other than Fandom in this world?" she asked. "It could be quite interesting. Just be glad you're not going on a road trip there."

"I have been to New York, once, and I became trapped in an evil toystore," he said ruefully. "We did drive to get there, and it was extremely disturbing. Have you ever been to a place called the Cracker Barrel?"

"I think I went to one on a roadtrip earlier in the summer," Aly said, looking amused. "They're a bit...interesting."

Re: [Spying 8/1] - Talk to Aly

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Kabuto hopped up onto Aly's desk, looking up at her with a very innocent kitty-ish look.

Aly raised an eyebrow and reached out to offer the kitty scratches behind the ears. "You a student?"

Kabuto flattened his ears and hissed at her, then nodded.

She pulled her hand back. "Which makes sense because normal kitties don't give that look and hiss."

Kabuto sortof shrugged as well as cats can, giving her a look of "of course not". Paws flaring with the pale blue glow of chakra, he eyed Aly with a sarcastic expression, as if to say "figure it out; it's not that hard".

"Ah, Kabuto," Aly said, as she only had two choices and knew it wasn't Haku. "Having fun as a feline?"

That earned her a very flat look. Kabuto licked one of his paws, then angrily set it back down. He was starting to act more and more catlike, and that bothered him. He was not, by any means, having fun.

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