18 Feb 2014

NaNoPrep 2014 - Unruly Girls

In the intro post for NaNo 2014, one of the potential stories was The Unruly Girls.  The story has been percolating for a bit.  I've already created a few notes for the story, originally working out in my head as a serial or possibly a web comic*, but could easily become a novel with some work.  I'm not quite sure what the genre is right now.  It might be Young Adult, but not all works featuring young heroes and heroines fall into the category.  Stephen King's It has pre-teens as the central characters, yet the story is definitely not YA.  Likewise, South Park, despite having kids as the main characters, isn't for kids.

For now, let's call the story YA, with elements of weird science and the supernatural tossed in.

The working title is The Unruly Girls, knocked down from The School for Unruly Girls.  Other options were Impudentes Puellae and Lascivae Puellaedr, Latin translations of "unruly girls".  The Latin titles are being held on reserve for now, "puellae" being too associated with chickens ("pullets") for me.  The school also needs a name.  For now, it's the School for Troubled Girls, but the girls aren't so much troubled as they are trouble.  The school is in Cottage Country, Ontario, near a, for now, fictional town that Oshawa could double as.  I may have to take the train to Oshawa for photography.  Or, I could just borrow Kingston instead.

The school does have the usual trappings of high school, coupled with being a private school for girls.  Officially, the school takes the young dears in and gives them the education they need to graduate and become proper citizens contributing to society.  Unofficially, the school takes the hellcats in and channels their desires so they can graduate and become the movers and shakers of the world.  There are sports teams; it's considered a good season if a team hasn't been kicked out of its league.  The mascot is the Phoenix, coming from the school's coat of arms, and represents the rebirth and return from defeat.

I've worked out the both the school's coat of arms, sanguine a bend sinister argent with phoenix displayed tawny, and achievement at arms, which is the coat of arms supported by a woman with a scroll on the right and a woman with a sword on the left.  At some point, both will need to be drawn.  The women in the achievement at arms represent knowledge and power, with the girls learning how to use both by the time they graduate.  The school's motto is "Concidimur sed resurgimus (Subjectos nos non retinebitis);" or, in English, "I get knocked down but I get up again (You're never going to keep me down)."  Indeed, the Latin does scan to the melody.  Hat tip to my Classics instructor cousin and her husband for the work there.

On to the cast of characters.  The next block is how it appears in my notes.
Main
Caitlin - 6th year student (Grade 12), leader.  Keeps her hair short, trim.  Uniform is always ironed (not necessarily by Caitlin, but ironed); skirt remains above the knee, blouse properly tucked in, jacket always worn between classes.  Military bearing, though Caitlin wouldn't look out of place in a corporate executive suite behind the big desk.  At the school for leading insurrections at previous schools.

Skye - 6th year student (Grade 12), sports girl.  Hair is short but unkempt.  Uniform usually disshevelled, with bicycle shorts underneath the skirt; jacket usually flung haphazardly across bed.  Athletic build, slouches a little.  Usually sports bruises, contusions; cf. Les Nessman.  At the school after being the only player left standing after a volleyball brawl.  Hates the nickname "Skyescraper" (height, you see).

Autumn - 6th year student (Grade 12), hacker.  Long hair, left loose.  Uniform is cut tight, accentuating her figure; skirt is mid-thigh, blouse is tucked in.  Average build.  At the school after hacking several government (foreign and domestic) databases.

"Laura" - 6th year student (Grade 12), scientist.  Shoulder-length hair, with hairband, sometimes a pony tail.  Shorter skirt than Caitlin, not as short as Gwen.  Blouses usually untucked; sometimes has lab coat on.  Average build.  At the school after turning evidence over to the Crown to have her father convicted on drug charges (not trumped up); nominally under a witness protection program, but also to keep her from replacing her father.  Real name, Ruth, to be revealed when her father's goons appear.
A quick interjection here: Laura will be the character used to introduce the audience to the setting and story.  She's the new girl.
Supporting
Flora & Fauna - 6th year students (Grade 12), coquette (Flora) and emo (Fauna).  Identical twins that are easily to tell apart.  Flora is up to date on fashion, long stockings and short skirt, hair cascading in waves over her shoulders.  Fauna keeps her hair up and dyed black; uniform shirt also black.

The Jennifers - 1st year students (Grade 7), used by the 4th years for whatever needs to be done.  No one bothers learning their real names.  Cannon fodder.  Various appearances.

Vamsi - Need anything?  Vamsi knows people who know people.  No names.  Third generation; her great-grandparents immigrated from India.
Naturally, the school has a rival, a prep school that has the edge when it comes to being accepted socially, but where its students are as ruthless.  Possibly more ruthless, since Laura's name is really Ruth.
The Rivals
Verity: Caitlin's arch-rival.  Most plots will centre on Caitlin and Verity trying to top the other.

Caroline: Verity's 2IC and Starscream.  Verity needs Caroline, but trusts her as far as she can throw her.
So far, I just have a few scenes, including one where Caitlin has to deal with an insurrection from her own ranks.  No plot yet, though if I poke at Caitlin and Verity enough, they should come up with something.


* Except I really can't draw consistantly.  /sigh/

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