3116/Recon at the Spa

Recon at the Spa
Date of Scene:	27 August 2020
Location:	Joy and Relaxation Salon and Spa, Gotham
Synopsis:	The ladies of the Outsiders do some recon at a spa. Miraculously, no one bleeds and nothing blows up - except those blow outs!
Cast of Characters:	Tim Drake, Cassie Sandsmark, Laura Kinney, Hope Summers, Carrie Kelley, M'gann M'orzz, Rose Wilson

---

Tim Drake has posed:
Joy and Relaxation Salon and Spa looks normal, from the outside, as far as mid-grade spas go. It takes up the two units side by side on one end of an all-right strip mall in an okay area of Gotham. Through the glass of the display windows running the length of the front, the inside front area of the spa is visible: a half dozen manicure stations, eight pedicure stations with massage chairs, a half dozen salon chairs for cutting and coloring hair, and in the far back a hairwash station with four seats and sinks.

The decor is a mish-mash of 'generic Asian', in so much as a faux jade Buddah sits on the counter where the cash register is, the walls are covered in cheap rattan scroll 'paintings' of cherry blossoms, koi, bamboo stalks, pandas, and pagodas; there are shelves up high with Chinese dragon figurines next to Lucky Cats... in short, it's very sterotypical for a spa of this sort.

Besides the manicurists, pedicurists, makeup artist, and hairstylists, however, the spa is devoid of customers as it had been entirely reserved by a phone call from one of Gotham's affluent, who simply said 'whatever they want, on me' and promised a handful of young women would be there at this time to have spa services done: hair, manipedis, makeup. One of them has his AMEX Black card to swipe for the balance of payment (he had put down a fairly decent deposit). But other than that? The young women of the Outsiders team are on their own for a difficult mission:

Relaxing.

Well, and also seeing what they can see or overhear about the alleged drug trade the spa's owner, one Mindy Trahn, was using the spa as a cover for. Technically, this is a recon mission. Just a recon mission. Look. Listen. Don't punch anyone. Or stab them. Or shoot them. Or knock them into low earth orbit, or set the place on fire... Look, Tim had given a LONG LIST of things not to do, but he's not here, so it's quite possible his sage advice might be ignored.

After all, a grouchy Amazon, an alien, a time-travelling soldier, a dimensionally displaced Batling, and two assassins walk into a spa.

What could possibly go wrong?

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Tim, I know I said I would, but the Invisible Jet is leaving in a couple- no, I don't know how long I'll be there. It could be just a night or two, it could be I'm gone on a quest to the Underworld for weeks, or end up somewhere space and time have no meaning, I don't even know!"

Cassie's on her phone, talking from the base, as she digs through her little-used quarters there, looking for something. "Yeah I know I said I'd- yes I realize it's important, that there's lives at stake. Fine. Yeah. Oh, believe me, I know it's a mission, not fun, sitting back and getting pampered while my sister is missing is the last thing in the world I want to do. But I can fake it. Girls are /really good/ at faking, Tim."

Later, she arrives where she's supposed to meet the others, a bit before their actual appointments at the spa. Evidently, she has a quick detour planned, to test out the fancy 'Black Card' that Tim gave her. No, she doesn't try to buy a yacht (not that she'd even know how), or even a car to replace her infamous junker. With all the opportunity to run wild or just waste Batdaddy's money to punish Tim for whatever she's mad at him for this time, she sticks to the plan. However, the plan does involve a brief high pricetag spree: a couple trendy boutiques where she proceeds to buy a bunch of clothes, jewelry, shoes, and a couple fancy handbags for the whole squad. Its not even (mostly) stuff she'd ever use. But they're putting on a role, here. And that role is fancy ass rich brats.

"Ok so, cover story is, I'm some spoiled as fuck privileged rich bitch, and you're my equally vapid, useless friends," Cassie explains to them. "I know some of you don't really have much experience with the trashiest elements of human culture so uh, just follow my lead. You're all rich, and you treat people who aren't as rich as you like garbage. I've picked out stuff I thought you'd look good in, Megan you can just uh... copy these or whatever."

Cassie, it should be noted, seems 100-percent the opposite of relaxed. Tense, angry, doing everything a hundred miles a minute. And yet, once they've had a chance to put on their disguises and make her way into the spa, she switches on, faking it every bit as well as she claimed to Tim:

"Oh my gawd Trish, that is so awful," she is saying on her phone, as she leads the group in. "Sorry, I'll call you back, we just made it to that Oriental place I was telling you about? Yeah it's, ugh, it's kind of, -you know-, but that's just what Gotham's like. OK I'll talk to you later, kisses!"

She taps off the phone and then saunters her way forward and up to the counter. "Yeah um hellooooo? We're supposed to have, like, a reservation or something? Yeah it's under my daddy's name I think-" a joke funny only to her, "oh do you need the card, yeah OK."

Laura Kinney has posed:
It would be no surprised to anyone at all that Laura had, in fact, never been to a spa. She had, however, been to China and that this place was hardly anything that in China would pass for authentic. It was, as the food was here versus there, Americanized. That much she could tell.

She could also tell, easily, why they were here. Their mission was clear.

But, how to go about it? That ... was more problematic. At least, in theory. When they get through the door, she sniffs the air a few subtle times to see if there is any whiff of drug substance that she or any trained drug sniffing canine might pick up. But, it's never that easy.

She says nothing as they walk in, together, leaving it to Cassie who has assigned them each their role as 'vapid friends'. Laura, dressed the part does not curiously look uncomfortable in her present attire. She wears it well, in fact. She wears it well even as she exhanges a mildly confused glance with Hope as to some of the things she's already seeing as if looking for answers from one of her red-headed teammates. Given their dress, and attitude, however, it might come off differently to observer as more of a 'why are we even here' sort of look.

Hope Summers has posed:
Real talk: Hope has never in her life had a haircut that wasn't done out of necessity with a knife.

Real talk: Anyone who //looks// at her hair can guess that.

She managed to find a pair of jeans that didn't have holes in them and a shirt that isn't a t-shirt, so she might even manage to pass for normal for the moment, so when there's another costume change on the docket, she gives the skintight dress a long, suspicious look before shrugging over at Laura. She's definitely not the one with the answers here.

Being any form of normal teenager isn't really her strength, so she channels her best inner Emma Frost - or at least the one from //her// reality. "Darling, are you sure this place even takes reservations?" she drawls.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley clears her throat quietly when Cassie gives their apparent marching orders for how to act rich. A single eyebrow raises along with one hand holding up a finger... but Cassie was already off to go greet the workers leaving her to let out a sigh. She shifts her weight to one foot resting most of her weight on the ball of her foot. Even with the Chanel heels she wore she was able to keep her balance rather well. They matched the Van Dyne dress that showed her figure well as she hefts up the Gucci bag draped over one arm. Her hair was swept back with several decorative pins keeping it carefully coifed in a stylish yet 'casual' manner, and her makeup was... well. Impeccable.

"I really feel like I ought to point out that I *am* rich. But she's just *so* into it," she asides to Laura and Hope with a slow nod of amusement alng with a grin. Letting out a small sigh she gestures to the pair. "We should just follow in. Honestly, just smile and roll your eyes on occasion and you ought to be fine," she assures with a chuckle.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    Well...that was something. After the whirlwind that is Cassie runs out and purchases everyone clothing, M'gann just...eyes the ensembles. "You want me to actually wear these?" It isn't said out of spite. It is just, well....M'gann is her own walking closet. After Cassie clarifies that M'gann should just copy whatever she wanted, then a bright smile takes over. "Oh! Okay!"

    And, with that, it is just a quick matter before 'Megan' is ready. It is nice when a single thought can transform one's whole look. With the idea of being rich, Megan shifts to look the part. A black dress that hugs the curves that Megan decided she wanted, with matching heels and a pair of gloves. The hair remains red, but flows and styles itself accordingly, all pomp and elegance. She even takes a moment to highlight her features with makeup...that just appears at a whim.

    Megan listens to Carrie's coaching on how to act rich, smiling as she nods. "Got it. Smile and act aloof." Carrie may not have mentioned that little bit, but it seems Megan picked it up anyways. "I should be okay in there."

Tim Drake has posed:
Miss Trahn takes Tim's card and smiles at Cassie winningly. "What would you like to have done first? I suggest pedicures, and then hair, yes?" She gestures the girls towards the pedicure chairs for them to begin their day of luxurious pampering. Middle class luxury, at least.

This isn't like it's one of those spas up in New York that cater to the stupid rich, after all.

Though one of the spa attendants is quick to bring out sodas or bottled waters from the minifridge for everyone.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
If Cassie is inadvertently parodying any of her Bat-family associaties... we'll call that acceptable collateral damage! Although there's an argument to be made that she's putting on a very different kind of persona: all of the attitude with none of the class, something that conjures reality television stars or social media figures more than actual high society. Because, precisely, this isn't -really- the sort of place the true elite would go.

"So is this, like, -everything-?" Cassie wonders, making a show of looking around as she handles things with the receptionist. "Do you have massage rooms? Body treatments?" She'll be especially indignant when she finds out they don't have mud baths. "Well we want the whole thing, you know, five star treatment, whatever your top package is," she demands, as if she's settling even to get that. And then she makes a special effort to summon the woman closer with a crooked finger. "My friend there," hi Hope! "got gum in her hair, and then tried something she read on the internet to get it out, and only made it worse. And she's like suuuuper self-conscious about it, so, you know... just do what you can."

But other than that, she's willing to take Miss Trahn's advice on things, while trying to see as much as the place as she can. And as she walks back toward her friends, she THINKS loudly back at Megan (and maybe everyone else, if she's doing that kind of relaying): << Try and scan the rest of the area, especially anywhere she doesn't want to show us. >>

Rose Wilson has posed:
Really, Rose has been here the entire time. She's not posh looking, probably missed the memo on that. But she doesn't look armed. (Spoiler: She's always armed) Otherwise she's lingering behind the group, giving the place the sort of bemused look that is...honestly at odds with her usual manner of looking at things.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura continues to let Cassie lead, afterall, it takes attention away from her, and thus some of the pressure off her to not be so noticeable. But, she'll be a good 'vapid friend' and walk up behind Cassie and look directly at Ms. Trahn with her matter-of-fact stare like a silent bodyguard, or in this case a silent affirmation of her 'leader's' statements.

She sniffs the air again, briefly and then looks back at Hope as Cassie mentions her hair debacle. Then she looks back to Ms. Trahn, then she notices Rose and nods briefly to the non-posh dressed friend.

She looks back to Ms. Trahn, her senses keyed up and focused to listen for sounds behind doors, odd smells that are more of drugs and gun oil (besides Rose's gun) and other illegal things rather than perfumes, scented oils and cucumbers for eyelids.

This was not the sort of covert-ops and infiltration she was thinking when she'd told Tim she was up for it. But, she's taking it as a learning experience and doing as little to call herself out as 'out of place' as she can for now.

Hope Summers has posed:
"Excuuuuuuse me," Hope says, looking around the public area. "I need to know that you're using //clean//, //fresh// instruments. Can you show me where you keep them in the back? I mean, otherwise how do I know you're not just...taking the ones you use out here back there and sealing them up again?"

Hope may not have had her share of manicures and pedicures, but her research game is strong.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley smiles toward Megan at her assessment of the situation. The smile was one of those that didn't really reach all the way to her eyes, but still seemed as if she were offering some sort of approval. A slight stretch of her neck swivels her gaze over to the returning Cassie, and she shifts her bag just a bit to bring it in front of her stomach so her free hand can dip inside searching for something. A small tube of lipgloss is produced which she dabs onto one finger before dotting just the center of her lip with a quick press of them together to refresh her makeup.

"Now girls," she chides in a sweetly smooth tone that can easily be heard by others. She was not attempting to talk over any of them... she was just making quite sure she could be heard by them as well as the staff. "I'm sure this establishment is entirely above board and in line with the health department regulations."

When one of the staff come by with bottles of drinks her hand snakes out to take hold of one by the top of the bottle between thumb and forefinger without even glancing at the woman. "They wouldn't want any bad reviews by doing otherwise, after all. Someone might report them. So let's just enjoy ourselves to the best of our ability. Shall we?" Eyebrows raise and she glances further in. "I could use a manicure. There's a scratch in my enamel." A glance is given to her purse-hooked hand with a sigh of disapproval.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    There is actually a bit of a wince from the redhead in the black dress as Cassie thinks really loudly at Megan. A fleeting consideration of who is a louder thinker, Tim or Cassie, floats to Megan's mind, before she shoves it out of the way and sends back to Cassie. <<Oh! Sure! Let me link everyone in!>>

    Then, moments later, M'gann's voice echoes in all of the girls' heads. <<Heya everyone! Feel free to just talk to each other with your thoughts. Just think of me as your friendly little switchboard operator.>> She replays Cassie's order through the open connection, then sets about with playing her part.

    Which involves taking a bottle of water and offering a slightly apologetic smile. Megan even gives a slight shrug, as if silently apologizing for some of the reactions from her friends. It seems that she is playing the nice girl card, which is really up her alley anyways. In the meantime, with her friends' minds protected by her psychic shields, M'gann herself opens a slight window to let herself peek out, listening to surface thoughts for anything that might be suspicious.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Hope is getting her hair done. Carrie is demanding a pedicure.

"I want a massage," Laura declares, and she turns, heading off towards one of the doors to other rooms in the establishment as if she knows where she is heading to. Which, in fact, she does. Though it's quite probably not the massage room. She's playing investigator, herself.

<< They have guns here. I can smell gun oil coming from within the building. >>

The richly dressed girl might seem, to Ms. Trahn, as being haughty in her social status - which is kind of what Laura is going for, to be truthful having witnessed her friends actions and 'characters'. She is emulating off them, and moving towards that door as if Cassie, with her Black Card (or Tim's) had just purchased it and it was her god-given right to go through those doors and get herself a massage.

Hope Summers has posed:
Hope at least seems accustomed to the psychic link, her thoughts neatly corralled into her own mind. X-Men training is good for some things. She sighs dramatically at Carrie's reassurance, but reluctantly follows one of the women over toward the salon area.

"It was //supposed// to be avant garde," she says in an undertone, shaking a hand through her hair. "You know. That...post-apocalyptic look." It does achieve that!

Keeping up idle chit-chat, she adds to the group: << And there's definitely space for it. Footprint here doesn't match the outside. >>

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley nods quietly to the link. She wasn't very accustomed to it, but she adapted quickly. Already she was mentally mapping the entrances, exits, and noticing if there were any areas that didn't seem to match the layout of the exterior. Was that 'outside' wall too far inside? Could it be hiding something? Every nuance she personally notices is offered up in the mental link as a potential spot to keep an eye on or otherwise verify with those who had other senses. <<Okay. Going to get a pedicure... This may tickle so I apologize for that.>>

Rose Wilson has posed:
Rose opts for nothing, and she's actually really bad at this fake rich girl thing. Maybe she's playing the role of the poor charity case friend?

It works on her dates with Tim, why can't it work here?

While the others are opting for pedicures, hair cuts, trying for massages, she's looking around before deciding on one of the younger girls that work there to approach. It doesn't matter to her if they are a nail tech or a hair stylist, or a waxer. Whatever they do, she's getting done because that gives her the very perfect chance to drop in a comment, "This reminds me of this place my mother had when I was a kid...very //special// clients."

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    <<Well, since we are in the sharing mood...>>

    Even as M'gann speaks to everyone at once, she turns to regard Ms. Trahn. "Oh, a pedicure would be just fine for starters." Even if the voice sounds pleasant, there is that certain pause and the way that Megan adds the 'for starters' at the end that hints at the idea of a person used to getting her way, even with the nice demeanor. It...is awfully easy to fall into a role, especially when the other ladies are all on the same wavelength, so to speak.

    Still, as Megan allows herself to be led to the pedicure station, there might be a hint of amusement echoed in the connection at the thought of people actually paying someone to essentially groom them. That gets tramped down as Megan shares her info.

    <<There are 4 males in the back of the shop. They don't seem like workers to me. Two of them are playing mah-jong. Did you know you could play that game as two players? I always thought it was one player but...well, nevermind that. It is definitely something going on in the back rooms, though.>>

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie is the one in the bunch without much in the way of fancy senses, other than however you want to count 'fast seeing.' It doesn't really have much of a cool ring to it.

So she sticks with the lady while her friends do their thing, which serves a couple of purposes. First, her immense Karen powers are a pretty strong distraction, as she constantly complains, asks for additional services they may or may not have, nitpicks and complains while they do her own nails and hair. "No, that color's not quite right... something a little lighter. Do you have anything like Pillow Pie or Pixie?" Of course they don't have her fancy nail polish brand colors.

Second, bothering Miss Trahn means she keeps her eyes on Miss Trahn, just in case she might decide she wants to run away or go check up on things at any point.

So, she's there in the center, holding down the main fort, albeit from a comfy chair.

<< Well, guns is no good for sure. If anything goes down we want to make sure they don't have a chance to arm themselves. Laura, can you smell the other 'goods'? >>

Then Megan's intel. << Four -goons-, probably. Don't know why you'd need a bunch of guys in the back otherwise, when they've got this many ladies working already. Can you keep them... oblivious? Or put them to sleep? >> She doesn't know how far Megan's proactive mental powers work, but she's heard of stuff like that.

Tim Drake has posed:
This is no massage room, which one of the ladies tries to politely explain to Laura while guiding her towards the salon chair (and of course with that ever-so-polite but also mortifying offer to wax her chin and upper lip while her hair is being done). The girl Rose speaks to goes white and then blushes furiously, catching the implication, and shakes her head quickly. "No no. No 'massages' here, just hair and nails. You're a pretty girl, here," and she pulls out a set of laminated cards with various hairstyles, "we should try one of these?"

Miss Trahn herself is tending to Cassie's every whim, which is probably tiring, but the spa owner is bearing it with good cheer. The girl helping M'Gann at least looks relieved not to have to be fighting. Meanwhile, Hope has been led to a salon chair and a trim is already underway, at least cleaning up the gapped portions of her hair while she's been handed a set of cards similar to the ones Rose is looking at.

Hope Summers has posed:
Hope flips through the cards, and hopefully her confused look can be read as derision rather than confusion about why so //many// different (slightly different?) hairstyles are necessary. "Oh, just do your best," she finally says, handing the cards back without actually making a choice. Rich people don't make choices, right?

"So how long have you all been in business here?" she asks, looking around the shop. "I've never heard of this place before."

Rose Wilson has posed:
"No? Probably for the best, yeah? Tends to not be as nice of a place as this." Rose agrees amicably, leaning back into her seat before she's faced with the choices of haircuts.

Someone help her? There's a few that she flips through, then she finds one and holds it out, "That one. How long have you worked here?"

Laura Kinney has posed:
<< Not yet. They may be some distance, and there are many other scents here. But I can smell gun oil. And it not Rose's, >> Laura answers Cassie.

She looks back to the girl trying to help her, "I do not have chin hair," she says, firmly. "You need your eyes checked." The logical, practical statement coming from Laura, so dressed, in her matter-of-fact voice might certainly seem condescending, and even offended to a woman in the employees position.

However, she does allow herself after seeing her friends succumb to the same torture, to one of the salon chairs where it becomes immediately noticed she has no paint or makeup on at all. How tragic.

She says to her friends aloud, "I thought we had booked this salon. Not just the front room."

When she's asked what color she wants her nails done, Laura looks confused, but only for a moment. Knowing that 'blending in' is important rather than trying to problem-solve why in the world anyone would want to paint their nails is a question better left to when they are in a more private setting. And, because she doesn't know, she tells the girl, "You pick. That is what we're paying you for." And, well. She's not wrong. At least, not exactly wrong.

As to haircuts? "Long, and straight." She does not have to look at the cards.

<< If you are sensing four men, and I am smelling gun oil it is likely that our suspicions are correct. Casual employees would have no reason for guns. And there is not a need for so many staff in this establishment. >> AT least, such is her conclusion.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    There is actually a polite giggle given, out loud, as the nail stylist works on Megan's nails. Was it because it tickled, or the fact that someone is working so hard to do something Megan can do in moments the amusement? She isn't telling, though she does offer a small apology as the beautician looks up with a curious expression. "Oh, don't mind me, just had a thought strike me as funny. Please continue." The other beauticians may be giving Megan's charge a little of side-eye as little flares of jealously may be sensed. Yes....the poor girl did luck out with Megan.

    And...as for how long the place is around? M'gann doesn't need to ask that at all. She already knows the girls are professionals. <<The poor girls you all are bossing around are legitimately stylists. I mean, apart from a few choice words for some of you that I won't repeat in good company, they are trained to do what they are doing. The men in the back though? I don't get that at all. But, I get other things from them. If...you are looking for illegal substances? Yes...yes, I am pretty sure that's what you may find in the back.>>

    A pause, then a thought towards Cassie, even as Megan watches her young stylist work. <<You want me to do what, exactly? Put them to sleep like a stage hypnotist? Make them think they are all hungry so they leave the room? I am not sure what you want. Oh...I know!>> What Megan does exactly is not known to the other girls....but, for the 4 in the room? That mah-jong game suddenly got very interesting for all four men as a little mental suggestion prompts them all to make bets on who will win. And...when men get competitive...they tend to lose focus on other things....

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
<< OK, so it's not a total front, >> Cassie decides. << Maybe she's run a lot of places like this, has connections to find women to employ. Probably in business with some local gangs? >>

Even in her thoughts, Cassie seems a little less than expert-level confident about these guesses. She's not the Bat-fam type, not the sleuth or master of knowledge on the local underground. Gotham's not even really her beat. But she's watched some police shows and she can make her guesses based on what everyone is feeding her!

<< I don't know, M'gann, I'm not sure what you can do- I'm just worried about the ladies out front if something goes wrong. >> Why would it? They're just here for intel!

And then, in the midst of all this thinky-talking, she stands up and starts making a big scene. "No, no, this is completely wrong, I want you to- maybe someone else can help? Here, you, come and look at this, tell me if this looks right to you?" She's waving hands around, really just making a gigantic fuss, hopefully enough of one that she might get a couple ladies helping her and someone a window to slip away by.

Tim Drake has posed:
The girl working on Laura's hair frowns and apologizes, letting her know she'll be right back as she moves to help Miss Trahn with Cassie, followed by the girl helping M'Gann. They are focused on dealing with Cassie's snit fit, while the others watch with concern as they continue to tend to their charges.

Hope Summers has posed:
<< There's no reason for anything to go wrong, >> Hope chimes in, composed and steady. << Or to worry too much about the people out here. They're running a business - they're not going to risk that for something small, especially not a group of young rich women who'd be missed if anything happened. >>

She reaches for the hand mirror on the table in front of herself, making as though to check the back of her hair. << Laura, while they're distracted. Wander past the back - just enough to get visual confirmation of contraband. >>

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura lets the girl attending her depart, waits a few moments to ensure that Cassie is being sufficiently 'Karen' to garner the attention of all the stylists or they are otherwise occupied before she begins to head back towards that door she had previously suggested was 'the massage room', where M'gann has suggested the four men are, and where in fact Laura had smelled the gun oil from.

<< That was my intention, >> Laura confirms to Hope.

Reaching said door, she opens it quite quietly, sniffs the air, looks through it slowly to ensure she's not being watched from the otherside.

Only the briefest of pauses before she closes the door again, so she isn't caught and maintains their cover.

<< Confirmed. Cocaine. >>

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
    <<Oh...so...yeah! That explains why all four of them went for the gambling suggestion so easily. They are criminals!>> Someone seems all too excited to be helping out, even as Megan's outer demeanor portrays mild confusion at Cassie's antics. Sure...she knows why Cassie went there, as it gave a window for Laura's quick check. But...there are so many other ways of doing it. <<Hmm...maybe I forgot to mention this...but I can walk through walls. Most of the time. But hey, Laura confirmed the presence of drugs! Mission accomplished!>>

    Yeah...bury the lead on the whole walking through walls bit. But, M'gann was right. The covert mission was a success. "Just relax and let the ladies do their job, okay?" That...was spoken, just for the benefit of the stylists....and to maintain cover.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
<< Call it an overabundance of caution, Hope >>.

So is this actually all going according to plan? It's a little shocking, given the normal way of doing things.

Cassie is getting intel in the midst of throwing a fit, which is a little hard to sort out, but as Laura gives her more definitive and as ever professional confirmation, that comes through loud and clear. << OK so... it sounds like we've got what we need. Guess that means we can sit back, relax, let them finish what they're doing, then get out of here. We don't want to act suspicious leaving, but there's no reason to risk things hanging around longer than we have to. >>

And suddenly brought under control by the various stylists swarming her, Cassie's 'Karen' ways cease and she sits back down. The ladies will finally have a bit of peace. Although she can't help but do a bit of a mental facepalm at M'gann's last.

<< Remind me to ask Robin why he bothered with this elaborate setup. >> Was she thinking that out loud?

Hope Summers has posed:
<< Probably just wanted to hog the hot water, >> Hope guesses, a flicker of a smile crossing her features as she sets the mirror back down. With the mission accomplished, she's ready to relax...including a nice manicure. Just because she doesn't usually //get// to be pretty doesn't mean she won't enjoy it!