It was time Ivy started making progress with her representatives.

With her newly practiced coercion abilities, and the information she’d gathered on each, she ought to be able to make the first steps. Maybe not to anything fun yet, but finish setting up the dominoes. And who knew? If things went especially well, then maybe she could make something happen sooner than expected. But Ivy didn’t keep her hopes up. Lewd things on the second day could easily be moving too fast. As Ravenwood sank into depravity and Ysulla’s Indulgence Veil gripped their minds, started making absurd situations seem normal, Ivy would be able to get away with plenty without even a batted eye – but not yet.

So, the plan: start acquainting her representative’s minds to the idea Ivy wasn’t some faceless figurehead of authority. That sex was on her mind – and maybe, even, that she wanted it from them. Subtly, of course. But it needed to be done, and sooner than later, before first impressions had time to settle in. Strict professionalism was a good starting point, had allowed her to get a sense of her representatives without risk, but it also wasn’t the best place to work from when it came to her actual goals.

So for this upcoming meeting with Roxy, Ivy had unbuttoned her top three blouse buttons. Nothing daring, obviously, but with how Roxy had commented on them the other day to Kate, Ivy knew she’d take notice. 

Small steps. Push the needle to the right, bit by bit.

A knock.

“Come in, Roxy,” Ivy said.

She’d dropped the ‘Miss’, at least when it came to Roxy, since it seemed casualness was the way forward with her.

Roxy slipped into Ivy’s office.

“Hey, Miss D,” she offered. “You called?”

Ivy gestured for Roxy to sit in the visitor’s chair. She did, sinking into the plush furniture. She didn’t try to maintain a straight back, or even any sense of elegance at all – lounged out, completely at home.

Ivy had to repress a laugh. Roxy wasn’t exactly disrespectful, not like Laura had been in their first meeting, but she held a similar lack of reverence to Ivy’s position. Which, Ivy supposed, was disrespectful by itself … just not overly so.

Ivy leaned back in her chair herself, keeping her shoulders pulled back, and chest thrust out – to help accentuate her looser form of dress than in their last meeting. To draw Roxy’s eyes. If Ivy wasn’t specifically looking for it, she might not have noticed the subtle glance, the shifting in her seat that said Roxy very much did notice, and appreciated what she saw.

Roxy was a surprisingly good actress, Ivy had found out. Though she had picked up on that from their first meeting in some small part, Ivy’s subsequent spying had revealed it went further than she’d thought. That Roxy had ‘played it up’ – which Ivy hadn’t detected. Roxy was irreverent and lazy, yes, but she wasn’t stupid by any means. She was as much playing a role here as Ivy was. A role closer to her true self than Ivy’s was … but a role nonetheless.

“So,” Roxy said. “What’s up?”

“I figured,” Ivy opened pleasantly, “that you’d want to know the uniform policy has been adjusted. Skirt requirements have been lifted to just below the knees.”

Roxy’s eyebrows shot up, and she straightened in her chair. She had, apparently, not expected Ivy to follow through, and especially not with such speed. “Really?” she asked. “Already?”

“There’s logistical issues with producing modified uniforms for so many students,” Ivy said. “So not immediately, but yes. The policy goes into effect Wednesday; there’ll be a distribution event post-academic day. Mandatory attendance.”

Amy, with her magic touch when it came to administration, had handled most of the ‘logistical issues’. But overnight had obviously been unfeasible, much as Ivy would have liked the new uniforms instated as quick as possible. Even two days was kind of incredible … but Amy had made it happen.

Not wanting to face the same time delays in the future, they’d also queued orders for even shorter skirts – and a slew of more provocative clothing that would slowly be making its way into Ravenwood’s uniform. With hope, she’d have these girls walking around in miniskirts and bras. Or less. Thongs and pasties? Ah, can you imagine?

Or nothing, eventually. Ivy wondered if she could pull that off. What a sight it would be … with how many students attended Ravenwood, and with how skinny some of the hallways were, it was commonplace to be bumping shoulders. So with an enforced no-uniform policy … well, Ivy would certainly be out wandering Ravenwood’s campus a lot more, should that come to fruition.

“Huh,” Roxy said. “That’s, uh, pretty fast.”

“I prefer to work with efficiency.” 

“Your reputation precedes you on that,” Roxy laughed. Then, hesitated. “But, and don’t take this the wrong way, just the skirts? Are the blouses still … ?”

“The blouse policy hasn’t changed, I’m afraid.”

“Ah.” She hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether to say something. Then, stood.

Walked around Ivy’s desk, coming to her side – Ivy quirked an eyebrow at the lack of decorum, that she hadn’t asked permission, but said nothing about it.

“Look,” Roxy said, having dug out her phone and held it out for Ivy to see.

Ivy looked.

It was a picture of another Valkyrie Academy. A team of students, in their academic uniform. Ivy immediately understood the point she was trying to make – compared to Ravenwood’s nearly monastic uniforms, the opposing Academy’s were nearly scandalous.

Roxy pinched and zoomed in on their chests.

“They’re practically falling out of their shirts,” Roxy protested. “Look.” (Ivy was). “I’m not even asking for anything like that – just something that doesn’t make us look like a bunch of nuns, you know? I get it, Ravenwood is one of the oldest Academies in existence, so we have a reputation to uphold. But still.” Roxy flicked her finger up, sending the picture scrolling down, to the opposing Academy’s student’s legs: the skirts ended above mid-thigh, and some students were wearing shorts that hugged close enough she could make out the exact, squeezed-tight curves of their legs.

Pointedly, Roxy zoomed in on one student in particular. The tightfitting shorts dug into her crotch, making a hump that was lewdly inappropriate. Roxy leveled a significant look at Ivy, then tucked her phone away.

“Just saying, it’s not like Ravenwood would be treading new ground.” Roxy gestured at Ivy’s chest. “Even you agree the blouses are annoying – you have your buttons undone. We aren’t allowed to do that.”

Ivy tugged idly at the dip in her shirt. Undid another button, further revealing herself, and admitted, “The blouses are a bit stifling.”

“Exactly,” Roxy said, though she had glanced away at Ivy’s action, and a hint of pink had appeared in her cheeks.

Not a total stoic, then, Ivy grinned to herself. 

She undid another button. But not further. Fun as teasing Roxy was, she couldn’t push too hard. Slow and steady. Even what she’d already done was enough to set alarm bells ringing – with her breasts now more than slightly on display, lacy white bra showing, Ivy could see on Roxy’s face the acknowledgement of inappropriateness.

But, Ivy needed to start somewhere. She couldn’t keep things carefully chaste forever.

And if she played it off, pretended she hadn’t done anything odd – well, what was Roxy going to do? Challenge her over it?

“That’s a dangerously low neckline, Miss D,” Roxy said amusedly, despite the pink on her cheeks. “I can see your bra, you know.”

What? 

Apparently she would.

Ivy glanced down at her chest, feigning surprise. Raised her eyebrows as if she’d just realized what she’d done, like the action had been idle and not carefully planned. 

“Ah,” Ivy said, voice steady, however caught off guard she was Roxy had chosen to acknowledge it. “So it is. It gets warm in here. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can –?”

Roxy snorted. “A bit of boob doesn’t scare me.” – Ivy couldn’t help her eyebrows raising at the phrasing – “And it’s just proving my point: we should be able to let ourselves breathe, too, when we need.” Roxy chewed her lip. “I can tell you’re not some giant prude like the rest of the staff, so maybe you can help push things a bit further? The skirts are a great first step, and I mean that, but …”

“It’s not as much prudity as much as it is discipline,” Ivy clarified. “It’s modesty for some members, staff and board alike, but for most, it’s because a strict uniform code helps instill a sense of order.” Or that was what Ivy had surmised from her study of the other board members and staff of Ravenwood; she might be wrong.

Roxy wrinkled her nose.

“And that,” Ivy pointed out, “is not something I want to laxen. A sense of deference. Disciple is important, even if I may agree with your opinions on our uniforms. The hierarchy in place – the chain of command – isn’t something I intend to dissolve. For reasons even you must understand.”

“Yeah …” Roxy sighed, returning to her chair. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

“Still,” Ivy conceded, “I’ll continue working with the board on the uniform policy. I’m not one to stay burdened by precedence and tradition. I see issues, I correct them.” Ivy gave Roxy a significant look. “But with loosening certain policies, I expect I’ll be tightening others. A balance. Ravenwood will be seeing change in the coming weeks. Perhaps you could let the second-years know that. Temper expectations.”

Roxy frowned, clearly not liking the idea Ivy would be ‘tightening certain policies’. But Ivy wasn’t capitulating to her completely. Just in the ways that benefited them both.

“Like what?” she asked.

“Forms of punishment, for one,” Ivy said. “You’ll be finding the details as they come.”

Spanking, after all, was such a great disciplinary action. Ivy might have to pull some strings – lean heavily on her coercion, in the next board meeting – and even strain her reputation to instate it, but what a great segue into further devolution of morals?

Having students laid out on a desk, the instructors hiking up their skirts and ‘instilling a sense of order’. Yes, Ivy could see it working – on both recipient and provider. Start breaking down walls for everyone – ignite imaginations for ‘further activities’.

Ivy was fidgeting just thinking about it. 

“I’ll need your help in pushing the uniform policies further,” Ivy said. “I want you to collect signatures from the student base – to show the wide-spread support. It’ll make my job easier. Not by much, but I need to demonstrate that your opinion isn’t singularly personal; that the opinion is widely held.” And with that, she’d leverage the loosened uniform to the Board with stricter ‘punishment’ policies to replace it – phrase it, with the help of coercion, as a reasonable ‘this for that’. That while loosening uniform policy might be reducing the ‘sense of order’ in Ravenwood, it could easily be replaced with other policies to keep students in line. ‘Other policies’ which, of course, would also benefit Ivy. So a this-for-that for the perspective of the board … but doubled-up wins for Ivy.

“I can do that,” Roxy said. 

“Be expeditious about it,” Ivy said, inclining her head. “That’s all I had for you today, Roxy.”

“Kay,” she said, standing and heading for the door. “Thanks for being reasonable about things, Miss D. Headmaster Tance never listened to us … it’s kind of nice having someone who does.”

“It’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”