//TESTDRIVE.EXE

[reparator]

"I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." (CEO-SAN, NO...) "I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." (CEO-SAN, NO...)

//TESTDRIVE.EXE The lights flicker overhead, music blaring from the speakers as you step inside, every sound drowned out except for that hypnotic tune. The walls are painted in an array of hypnotic colors, saturated to the point where your attention doesn't know where to land, and all kinds of screens hang from each corner, showing flashing images of ads, gadget after gadget appearing in a second to show you the best of what Ceres has to offer. Dancing bodies flank each side of the large ballroom, bodies with eyes that look hollow and their faces too symmetrical. They'll occasionally glance at you and smile, maybe even engage and offer to take you to one of the private rooms in the back. However, their words are interrupted when the lights suddenly turn brighter and focus on the center where a raised platform sits. A man appears in the center, one hand raised to silence the music while the other holds a microphone. "It's been some time, hasn't it? As you may or may not know, I am the CEO and founder of CERES, Julius Vincere, and you can say, I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." He chuckles lightly before continuing, "For a second there, I was worried we wouldn't make it, but I placed my confidence in all of you. I knew you'd surpass my expectations when I first brought you here, and you were able to utilize our tools to perfection. As you may have suspected by the gallons of champagne being passed around at my behest-" He pauses to reach out for a glass, snatching it from one of the wait staff passing by before raising it to the crowd. "We've finally obtained our first victory here on Cerealia. The colony is ours completely and will be fully functional from this day forward. Please enjoy all the luxurious amenities we have put together, and join me in journeying towards a new and better future. Together, we will expand our territory here and reach even further horizons. And by all means, don't be shy with the staff. They're also here for your entertainment." He gestures around the room, smiling before taking a sip of his champagne. Applause echoes from the crowd while Julius steps off the stage, handing the mic to one of the staff before pausing for pictures and interviews from reporters. You stand in the crowd as the lights dim once more, lost in a sea of people and wondering where to go next.

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ 1801 ] The screens lining the walls inside even extend into the bathrooms and the back rooms, playing commercial after commercial, all CERES themed, as you mingle with the other guests, but occasionally, the image transforms into a flash of something else. It appears for a split-second. There's the face of a woman, lips parted in a soundless cry. She looks to be in pain, fingers pressed to the screen. It's so quick that most don't register it, barely even notice it's there unless they focus. The party continues without incident, otherwise. Because it's a pretty damn good party, isn't it? There's plenty of food, strong drinks - hey, no one under seventeen is allowed to drink - and many decorative people. Just ignore that feeling of being watched! You're just so good looking, after all. PHASE II [ ???? ] A room sits in the back with several helmets characters can wear to upload themselves into ViViD, a state of the art virtual reality game, and enter one of the game stages to participate in a team mission. They can sample a few minutes of gameplay as they enter a short battle with one of the NPC creatures. They'll quickly become familiar with the state-of-the-art technology as all pain and wounds experienced inside will feel real and will appear on each character's body. But what an awesome game it is. With amazing digital quality surround, it's a world like none other... but be careful not to fall too fast! (Those monsters even smell real, don't they?) Feel free to talk to Vidia, the game host, if you need help getting things going! PHASE III [ 2134 ] The evening is wearing on, the dance floor is becoming more crowded. The music seems oppressive by now. People are feeling charged with adrenaline, or feeling the intensity rise in the mood. Maybe a new partner is the right choice to go with- or maybe you can talk to a wallflower. But one thing is for certain... The loud vibrations disguise the fact that something is moving over the vents. You can hear it in the background, the rustling sound that agitates your ears. But hey, maybe it's nothing, right? After all, it's just a party... Maybe you'll want to go into the back rooms for a bit to... explore your new friends? The rooms (and your companions) are quite pretty and cozy, and can be adjusted with holograms to create a room for your desired mood. After all, it's a little too noisy when you're not alone, but the sudden silence might get oppressive too... [ Feel free to get intimate or just get out of the party and sleep off the drinks, but remember, anything above PG stuff must go into your own journals and under NO circumstances will unwanted propositioning be allowed or any non-consensual activity lest you want to be locked in a cold box on top of a huge ice cube for the rest of the night. Naked. Please use your own discretion, the minimum age for intimacy is 15-16. ] PHASE IV [ 0243 ] In the quieter corners of the party, it becomes more ever-present until something falls on your eye. It's red. Warm... As you gaze up, you see a dead body faced down, the half-sliced face lying against the ventilation screen. The body's eyes remain open, staring down at you. Screams and sounds of shock sound, and the party halts. As the security filters in to investigate the body, the rustling only grows louder. It's then that they suspect something is in the vents. It's crawling avidly across the ceiling, and lights fall one by one, exploding against the ground. There's barely a moment to register the chaos before the last knight of CERES appears. You can choose to run. You can choose to engage. The knight won't let you leave its sight alive. But you know you have to do something. Be it protecting the innocents there, or fighting off the creature that seems to only be there to harm you and your friends, old and new. And you do want to protect this place, because it's just been won... don't you? BONUS [ whyo'clock ] There's a ball pit hidden in one of the auxiliary rooms. All invited parties are given a maximum of one hour to have fun time in the ball pit. They must not exceed their one hour or they will be forcibly removed by the security droids. Please keep all food and alcohol out of the ball pit. Do not have any genital parties in the ball pit. The ball pit is sacred to CERES. [ The party will be long, so take your time enjoying each scenario... and dreading it. At the end of it all, things will be calmed down and you're free to enjoy the night as you please. Remember to keep things PG (the FAQ below elaborates!), and absolutely no forcing any R-rated things with anyone below 15-16 (so be sure to ask their age, right?) or the droids will have a little fun chasing you around! Do enjoy the pretty views of the gorgeous digital city though. Which seems strangely quiet, but at this late hour, why not, right? ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's first test drive! Please forgive our appearance as we are going through the final stages game completion. While most pages are under development and/or hidden from the public eye, please don't feel discouraged, since knowing everything doesn't always make the experience. Your characters will know as little as you. For your convenience, we have compiled a mini-FAQ - please read it thoroughly before playing. Thank you! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HOW DID MY CHARACTER GET HERE? You may have been just been doing their day-to-day activities - be it swimming or fighting demons - but the next moment, a crack and blinding light - now you're here, in your best attire, celebrating. The memories of your at-home activities fade away like a fleeting dream, and it's replaced with the feeling of happiness. ( You haven't forgotten your past, just that anything you were doing seems far too distant to be important. ) Must be something in the air. You can't remember clearly fighting for CERES, and whatever this Julius Vincere is telling you might be complete bullshit for all you know, but something influences you to play along anyway - if you think about it long enough, perhaps you had fought for CERES after all...? WHO/WHAT IS CERES? WHAT IS CEREALIA? You mean... you don't remember? After all the help you gave it? WHAT FORMAT CAN WE USE FOR THIS TESTDRIVE? Action (brackets/prose), video/voice, and texting are all available via your CEREVICE at this moment. Most functions are currently undergoing a system update, but as long as it is still connected to the Auralia Network, it will be available for communicative uses. WHAT IS ViVID? An amazing VR game! The demo version of ViViD will be here to play, aren't you excited? It's played with headsets that immediately allow you to experience full-body simulation, without having to move out of your seat! You can enjoy the demo world, design your own, play alone, play with a team, but remember, the boss must be beaten! Please check the phase ii thread for details and interactions! SO... PHASE III? Sexy things can happen, you're getting hot and heavy on the dance floor, and there are rooms in the back that can be decorated to your mood, after all. REMEMBER, the age of consent is 15-16, please use your own discretion and don't upset people. For the test drive, any situation that goes above PG (beyond kissing/grinding/light making out... We're lenient) must go into threads in your own journals. Any creeper behavior or unwanted advances will get an IC boot into the Frozen Locker with "Let it Go" on repeat. POWER LIMITATIONS? Actually, no, the characters don't have any of their abilities locked or otherwise suppressed. More info will be i the official FAQ, but so long as you don't destroy the entire game ( and we trust you can use your powers responsibly— as does CERES! ), limitations are nonexistent. OKAY, WHAT ABOUT PREVIOUS GAME MEMORIES? It's completely acceptable to bring a character that has been in a previous game to Cerealia! THE NAME LOOKS FAMILIAR. . . Yes, a loosely related setting concept with a place called CEREALIA was pitched for an ExitVoid phase before the moderators decided to close the game for good. A few of us got together with the original pitchers of the idea since we thought it really awesome and with a lot of potential and decided to try our own thing with it! ARE THE GAMES RELATED? Nope. Not at all, it's been rehashed from the ground up and built to stand on its own as an original place and game. We'll keep coming back to this, so don't worry.

Comments

[unathletic]

[ ... god, this is just like being scolded by his older sister. Except now it's just some random strangely dressed girl during it at a party, which makes it a lot more bothersome.. and more importantly, a lot more embarrassing. Even though he's staring at her, he really does hope none of the people passing by are paying attention to this situation, the last thing he wants is to be put into a spotlight at this party like this of all ways.

It's probably why, after clicking his tongue, he does finally apologize. ]

.. Sorry. [ But it looks like it's the most bothersome thing ever for him to do even as he says it.. he's mostly hoping she'll stop drawing such a scene and actually let go of him.

But he figures he should add before she starts something like this with every single person who bumps into her-- ]

This is a party. You should expect to be bumped into. [ Not even saying it to be rude, but more as if it's something he has to teach her for her own good. Or maybe the good of people around her, really. ]

[unathletic]

No one.

[ It's with a small sigh, as if he's already resigned himself to the fact it means there's probably no one here they know. Unlike Nam Soon he didn't stop to just go nap anywhere, after all, so he's mostly been wandering across the party place to actually get an idea of whether there was anyone he recognizes unlike all the unfamiliar people. But until he found his friend here, there hadn't been anyone - enough strange people, but not his sister, not his classmates, not his teachers.

But he feels the light tickling of the other's hair against the skin of his neck. And as Heung Soo's gaze moves to the side again (without turning his head too much and upset their positions) to vaguely glance in his direction, he realises that the reason he feels so oddly calm despite circumstances is probably exactly because he found the guy here. He's aware enough of himself and the way he thinks to know that he'd be more worried about being able to find everyone else but specifically not Nam Soon than only finding Nam Soon like this and no one else. It means they'll figure something out. ]

I've been looking, so seems it's just us.

[ He sucks in a deep breath. It's not very likely they'll figure out anything more about why their memories are so hazy or why only they are here and what it's got to do with CERES' victory. At least, not in the middle of this party with the bright lights and the music that drains everything else out, and to find out anything they'd have to go out there again instead of sitting here with a little more quiet to ask people about everything.

Truthfully, he prefers to linger in the less bothersome backrooms with Nam Soon right there than going straight out there again.

So in that case, if speculating isn't going to help much anyway, he figures he might as well make the topic a little lighter. ]

You aren't just going to sleep like this again, are you? [ He can see those closed eyes from the corner of his own, okay. ] You bastard.

rly rly slow

[thirdarrow]

The blunder jolts him into action - he takes a deep breath and forces himself to focus, the details of the room becoming crystalline and painfully clear. He can't keep this up for too long, but hopefully it would buy enough time.

The spear dissolves and reforms in a rough cone with its point centred on Kaihime's sword. It takes a few precious seconds, but before the monster gets a chance to turn around the cone slams into its back, causing the armour plates to crack and ease up around the whipsword.

It comes loose - and the CERES knight spins, lashing out with its tail.

[mythopoeic]

My lady-- Ah. Kaichin... [She trails off, a tad embarrassed still to use the nickname. But it's nice to see a familiar face, and even nicer to have a familiar ally by her side,even if Kai doesn't remember her (or know her at all-- time was funny that way).]

Then, we fight. [She waves her hand and light erupts from one of the mirrors-- just one, Kaguya wanting to gauge the creature's battle prowess. It was better to start small than to go big in one go and blow it all. Unfortunately the knight manages to dodge and lunges at the girls, prompting Kaguya to quickly jump back to avoid it with a small yelp.]

[mythopoeic]

[She's just seated herself on one of the plush benches--the holograms or whatever have changed it to a pretty ornate and lush sort of room, which Kaguya can't say she minds even if it's a bit odd--when Zhao walks in. His sudden appearance startles her somewhat and she immediately rises again, bowing her head in greeting.]

My lord, I am glad to see you unharmed. [But she shakes her head at the question, mouth turned down in a frown] I do not know this place, but I am certain it is not a dream. It seems quite real, if... surreal.

[mermaiding]

[Oona wrinkles her nose and looks skeptical] That? No. Not fish. Whole, like... [She spreads her hands apart, trying fruitlessly to gesture in a way that might indicate 'real, raw, live fish,' before she quickly gives up with a throw up of her hands.]

Fresh caught, still moving. These do not even get the best parts. [Despite her attempts to appear tough, her shoulders slump in defeat. She'll probably have to suck it up anyway.]

No, not like this. Food not as easy to come by where I am from. [Oona speaks a bit slower and more deliberately then, choosing her words carefully to throw together a coherent, longer sentence.] Never been to this... buffet.

[mermaiding]

[She thinks all humans are rude--it wouldn't matter what he did, really. It's not like merpeople aren't horribly blunt and honest, but... he's human. So it's totally different!!

She looks at the drink in her own hand and makes a face at it too,half-tempted to simply toss it off in a corner somewhere, but instead she puts it roughly down on the table next to his and follows.]

Could just take it off. Who cares? Annoying anyway. [Oona grumps, going to cross her arms over her chest only to hastily pull them away in a rather comical grimace, not wanting them to get wet too.]

[mermaiding]

Would be better if there was a pool. [She'd say ocean but she's seen outside. She doubts they're anywhere close to a beach.]

Back rooms, maybe? [She picks a random direction and starts to walk. Shower, shower, who's got the shower...]

[nostatus]

[ NOT HIS STEAK SANDWICHES?! He's never had them before and they're already his favourite now, you can't do this to him.. you can't take it away from him.. he'll call Hijikaa-san, okay!!! ]

O.. oi, you can just grab anything else that's left, right?! There's still some on the table over there, why do you gotta have my food?! [ He sounds so flabberghasted.. mostly since he's not used to dealing with women like this.. he's not great at dealing with girls in general, but this is the ultimate "what do" situation, really. ]

[nostatus]

Uh.. yeah.

[ But see, even with his memories being fuzzy and any uncertaincies subconsciously being repressed by this place, he can imagine the Shinsengumi getting involved in this somehow. This place is too modern, sure, but maybe Hijikata got some offer after Zelien he dragged all of them into.. although it doesn't make sense why he can't remember then, but still, it's something to go by.

Leanne, on the other hand.. even if he technically knows she can fight, the idea of her being involved in some big battle is just weird to her. It doesn't seem like the kind of place for a sweet girl like her, so of course he's going to seem more surprised to see her here. Especially after everything, and after he thought he never was going to see the people he knew in Zelien again--

It's nice though. Not a bad thing. Even if he's still a little worried about the idea of her fighting, he's glad to see someone with her smile and kind of energy. ]

I mean, I don't really remember fightin', it's sorta strange.. but these guys keep going on about it. It's not like I was drunk or anything during battle, so I should've remembered, right? [ He's assuming she does remember, after all, with the way she speaks about it too. ]

[nostatus]

...

Ah.

This is awkward. Because from everything - her face, her voice - he's definitely sure this is Yuuki. It's got to be, unless there's some weird twin business going on here too, but he even doubts that. It has to be Yuuki, but even so, she doesn't recognize him. Which should be a logical thing, considering this isn't Zelien and he thought she'd gone home, but if she ended up here too instead then she should at least recognize him after the fun they had back there, right?

Haa... he lets out a deep breath. It's a little disappointing, he has to admit to himself. Nothing he won't get over in time, he's sure, but right now.. he feels like sulking just a little bit, if it wasn't for the fact that he doesn't immediately want to look weird in front of Yuuki. He already made her cry one too many times, even if it was by accident.

".. Ah, sorry. Must've mistaken you for someone else." He tries to laugh, but there's something vaguely awkward about the sound. "My name's Shinpachi though, Nagakura Shinpachi-- I was just lookin' around a little, sorry for waking you up."

[nostatus]

[ Hey, Shinpachi's totally a guy for physical contact, just watch him with Sano.. so he doesn't entirely mind. It's not something he immediately expected out of Klavier though, so he looks a little surprised at the sudden hug, but by the time the other guy pulls away he's already put himself over it, letting out a short chuckle instead. ]

Guess that's true.. a guy like me couldn't exist even in the best of dreams! [ Don't mind if he just.. flexes a little then and there..... until Klavier grabs his arm, anyway. Totally shameless.

The next topic though is a little more difficult. Sure, this place has somehow eased his worries to a point where he was more interested in the food than thinking about it, but Klavier's question pulls them back a little. If not just since he goes through his memories and realised the haze between leaving Zelien and getting to this point once more. ]

... Uh.. that's a pretty good question though. I guess we must both remember the same, since I have no idea either how I got here. I just assumed when we finally got outta that place, the Shinsengumi sorta got involved in helpin' out these guys somehow.

[ Time period asides. And there's one more weird thing about it-- ]

Doesn't explain why you are here either.

[envisaged]

[ She stares at him evenly as he speaks. That slight shift in tone tells her that despite the fact they've all come here for one singular reason--to celebrate their victory, that there's still differences between them all. That man did mention having brought them here.. Her eyes lower, expression concentrated.

At the mention of home, she suddenly questions where his is. Suddenly, she actually bothers to notice what he's wearing. While she looks strange to him, he looks strange to her. ]

No... [ Her voice softens, but it's still loud enough to be heard through the music. ] ...We don't. [ He's acting like it's common information, that she should already be acquainted with the machine. So does that mean what she saw was 'common'? No, that doesn't make sense... it can't. She has to scratch that idea immediately. ]

Have you watched what was on that television?

[nostatus]

[ Who do you think he is, Heisuke. Do you think his chest might not as well be a washboard?

Because his chest totally is. Snowballs are one thing, of course they don't bounce back since they're made out of snow, but that plastic ball sure does bounce back just as hard as Heisuke threw it. Might want to duck before it hits you square in the forehead instead, midgetgumi. ]

[envisaged]

[ Even if he's unsure, he knows more about them (in theory) than she does. She'll take what she can get if it means sating her curiosity. One looks at the floor, clearly in thought. She only has one question in mind: if he's never seen it before, then how does he know of it?

It takes her only a moment to think over a plausible explanation. She looks up calmly, tone inquisitive. ]

Are they fables?

[ There's a chance it could be some long forgotten myth, or perhaps a story he's read. ]

[nostatus]

[ Quite a sight, isn't it.. it's like he's a human food grinder. But at least now the chat is being diverted from Shinpachi's food skills to something else - something more serious, but also a little more uncomfortable. Because even though this place somehow made Shinpachi feel as if it didn't really matter that his memories of the battle were fuzzy at best and missing altogether at worse, not to mention the memories of how he got here to begin with are the same way. ]

I dunno. [ And he does sound genuine about it. This is not Shinpachi being a dumbass, because while he can be a dumbass at times, he's at least smart enough to usually question why he's suddenly in some random place - he just doesn't realise the influence this place has on him. ]

I mean.. I just didn't think 'bout it, and then there was all that food.. it just looked good, y'know? Don't tell me home was the first thing on your mind here.

[envisaged]

[ She closes the door behind her, looking inside the room. She's already made herself acquainted with one of these rooms, having spent her time with the holograms. However, that isn't the case with Four it seems.

She doesn't blame her, in fact, she should've expected this. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but even now, she's not sure if it's good either. Hearing Four's words, her lips become tightened, if only for a moment. ]

...A monster. [ Frankly, that's all she can call it. She's never seen a beast like that before, and it troubles her. More importantly, why was it here in the first place? ] Perhaps, this is what we fought against.

[grimmspells]

You don't think this place is creepy? I mean-- How the hell did we even get here? And why is no one acting like anything's wrong here?

[This isn't home. This isn't right.

Nico looks at her, torn between frustration and dismay. She's nice enough and she's trying to offer help. And she's Nico's age. If anything, she should trust her. But nothing good has ever come of that.

Still...]

...I guess that'd be fine.

[For now.]

Maybe it'll stop the headache, too. Lead on.

[bloodtablets]

She thinks on it a moment, wondering if it would be weird to point out that the someone else he thought she was had the exact same name. Part of her feels incredibly confused how one could make a mistake like that, but then she also feels sad. Her mind drifts off to a time when she'd been carefree, if not somewhat afraid of vampires as a child. Her mother had taken her memories away and left Kaname to care for her from a distance, Yuki herself never knowing who she was. Feeling incredibly more distressed by the second, she bows her head in apology, staring at her hands beneath the long curtain of brown hair.

"No! I'm-I'm the one who should be sorry!" Why couldn't she remember? Had something happened before that would make her forget someone else? The thought made her stomach sink. "I really am sorry... that I don't remember you, Shinpachi-san." Though he can't really see it through all that hair with her head bowed, the fact that her hand now hovers closer to her face is a telltale sign she's probably going to cry. Why would such a thing happen to her again? That's what she would like to know. She doesn't mean to feel this emotional over it off the bat but couple this with the fact that she's in a strange place, her brother is no where to be found, and her growing thirst, she's a little afraid she's losing it at the seams. It doesn't hurt that she can be a bit of a cry baby on occasion.

[unpresidential]

Ah.

[he's the type of person that's of few words, but there are enough times when the subtle shift of his facial expressions can say a lot. the surprise in his eyes is definitely something that comes as a result of minor culture shock. he's just not used to adults telling him to drop any formalities. maybe it's not a bad thing, and he won't argue with her about it, either. it's just something to get used to.

and seriously, if she wants to believe that he's shy and adorable? well, he won't really stop her there either. it's probably better she think that than know some of the deeper truths, anyway.]

Not long. I don't think so, at least. [but considering the circumstances, he could be totally wrong. for a brief moment, nam soon gives peggy a quizzical look, one that seems to ask if it's similar for her.

but his gaze averts pretty quickly when she asks of his parents. he's got nothing to say on that matter, and if there's one thing nam soon is good at, it's not spilling the beans on a topic he's not interested in talking about.

whoops.]

'slow'

[bearestofthemall]

God bless you and your cute, fluffy hair, Takakage. But while she's able to suddenly jam the whipsword into its chest, the delay gives the creature enough time to lunge its head forward-

-its teeth are on her face.

Kai gives such a scream that you would think she's the monster everyone was running from. The right side of her face is completely covered in its long mouth, and she can't do anything about it other than twist her sword in a futile attempt to pull it back out, why won't it die-

[bearestofthemall]

[...Kaichin? That makes her pause for a moment, but not long enough to miss the knight lunging at them. Her first response is to break apart the segments on her whip-sword, slashing towards the knight's general direction in order to scare it off/attack it once it gets too close.]

Wait, have we met before? [Because Kai would kind of feel bad for forgetting. Even though it's not technically her fault, seeing that she hasn't even met Kaguya (yet?). First priority is still the threat in front of them, though. Kaihime doesn't jump back with Kaguya, instead standing her ground.]

[bloodtablets]

Oh.

[She does feel bad for assuming that he pushed him!! He just looks so confused.]

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to guess wrong!

[Apology complete with head bowing and all that.]

Uhm, but- you don't look like you're all that comfortable in here... have you never seen a ballpit before?

[pure_confidence]

[ Heisuke's probably passed out on the dance floor after seeing two girls go down on each other. Probably. Or he could just be passed out drunk underneath the table. ]

Yes, I'm sure... that it was.

[ she paused and then squared her shoulders, turning completely to face Shinpachi head on and with a very serious look in her eye ]

Look, I'll be honest, I don't really remember much before our host gave his speech just a few moments ago and what I do remember is rather vague.

[ she gave Shinpachi the once over ]

And judging by your fashion sense, I almost wonder if you might not be from a few years before my time. [ or a hundred, who knows! Are they even in their usual clothing? ] That would certainly call a few things into question wouldn't you agree?

[ because at the moment, she's questioning everything starting first with the strobe lights and second with the video displays and third with the androids serving as waiters and clean up crew. All things were technology far beyond her time (unless Howard had a few more projects in the work desptie the war then she had previously been lead to believe.). ]

FINALLY tagging you im sorry lmfao

[bloodtablets]

Yuki was enjoying what time left she had of her hour in the ball pit. It was a little childish maybe but she was still rather enjoying herself. She half expected Aido to come wading in through the sea of balls to reprimand her for not studying but that never happened. What did happen was someone randomly falling into the sea of balls practically next to her. Scurrying away as fast as she could when trying to wade through balls, she looks back once there is enough distance between her and him.

"Uhm, are you alright?" Wading her way back, she watches him sink a little into the balls.