//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

four | drakengard 3 | phase iii & iv

[virginous]

PHASE III
[ The only parties that Four was accustomed to were only a party of six, to be exact. But even that had gone down thanks to the circumstances back home, which she doesn't so much mind because Four actually enjoying the company of her sisters for long is a miracle in itself. Which is why she is so easily irritated with the flashing lights and music in this seemingly small room.

But what the man said early does catch her interest. She's helped save this city? And, even if not mainly towards her, she was being praised for it? She feels her heart swell up in her chest, lips immediately curving into a smile of pride at the mere thought that she was being thanked for all her hard work—

Ah, but what exactly did she do? Any memory of fighting desperately for this place is fuzzy, but the feeling of victory was so clear to her that she didn't even bother to question it any more than she already had. She'd much rather enjoy herself, after all, since she's sure that she helped out the most out of everyone here. She was the most helpful of her sisters, after all.

But her moment of bliss is short-lived when she feels a body against hers, causing her to stumble forward. ] Ugh! [ She quickly turns to whoever was unfortunate enough to bump into her of all people, brows knitted as her voice tries to equal to that of the music. Which, ultimately, silences out the sound of the vents above her for the time being. (At least for her.) ] Have you no manners? Watch where you're going!

PHASE IV
[ Yeah, Four is beginning to realize that parties like this are just not for her. Not only was it insanely crowded, but half of the people here were almost as shameless as Five, all of whom received an almost painful glare from her before she declines. And not politely, either.

So she goes off on her own in one of the less populated corners of the room, standing on her toes to gaze over the crowd in hopes of finding some exit somewhere.

But that's before something drips down and lands on her cheek, causing her to freeze and return to her heels before she looks up. Almost immediately she can feel her heart sink, staring back at the mangled corpse as another drop of blood lands on her face. She's prepared to let out a shriek, but before anything even manages to scrape out of her throat there are security approaching, the lights falling from the ceiling that she manages to clumsily dodge.

She picks herself off of the ground, just in time for the creature to appear. Immediately she breathes a heavy breath, her hands forming into fists just as the beast decides to attack; fortunately her physical strength was far above an average human, which gives her a boost of confidence and is why she brings back a fist without hesitation before knocking the beast away. ]

How foolish. [ She shakes the hand she had used. ] Evil scum like you who would take someone's life so pointlessly deserves to be completely annihilated.

[ yeah she's about to fist fight an alien ]

phase iii

[unathletic]

[ God, this is exactly what he wanted to avoid. He's not exactly the most sociable person - especially not by now, anyway - and he's not exactly intending to be social at this party either, despite feeling lighter (and more fuzzy, for that matter) than he usually does. But then again, moving through this crowd is fairly literally impossible without bumping into anyone. It's just his luck that it had to be someone who was actually going to be snappy about it. And a girl, for that matter. Those are always harder to deal with, seriously.

Heung Soo stares at the person he bumped into, giving a small nod as if it's supposed to be either an acknowledgement of the fact he bumped into her or a quick apology of sorts. But it's definitely hasty and half-hearted, as if he doesn't really care about apologizing and instead just wants to move on.

.. Except then he looks to see what Four is wearing in contrast to his own clothing or the stuff he's used to.. and he actually can't help but squint a little. Is this some weird new kind of fashion or a costume party or not.

After that moment of awkward staring he already moves to try and move past the crowd again, but you're not going to let a rude guy slip past that easily, right, Four.. ]

[virginous]

[ Four notices the nod, but she couldn't even take that as an apology. She's not like Two who can easily shake off any situation with a smile, a lady deserves a proper apology and that's exactly what she's looking for when she crosses her arms. Tapping her foot in obvious annoyance as she waits... only for him to squint, eyeing her up and down before he tries to escape. ]

Excuse me! [ The irritation is there in her voice, stomping her foot loudly before reaching out to grab onto his arm. Nope, you're not getting away from her like that. ] You took all that time staring when you could have used it to verbally apologize, don't you know now how rude that is?

[ POINT HER TO YOUR MOM SHE'S GONNA COMPLAIN. ]

[unathletic]

[ HIS MOM IS DEAD.

He just.. stares at her though, much like he did just now. Except after a moment it turns from a slight squint into something more like a frown. Maybe he should have expected she'd throw a fit, the girls in his class are exactly like that too, after all.. but maybe he was hoping she wouldn't cause such a big fuss. Especially not in those weird clothes and all.

And although Heung Soo could probably shake her off if he tried, he just.. doesn't fight girls. Guys, sure, but this is a different story altogether, so he's more or less stuck here until she decides to let go of that arm.

Doesn't mean he can't still look vaguely bothered about it. ]

Was I supposed to apologize? [ After all, it technically wasn't his fault he bumped into her, he was just pushed along by the crowd. So he hardly feels like it's something that needs an apology or whatever - isn't it the kind of thing where you can just move on and be done with it instead of having lengthy bouts of social interaction (especially of the fussy kind) over it?

Apparently he doesn't even care all that much if he sounds rude again, although he's at least not being entirely harsh or anything either. ]

[virginous]

[ TAKE HER TO HER CORPSE THEN THAT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

He could be as bothered by as he wants, it doesn't change the fact that she's going to keep her grip on him. In fact, his reaction only causes her blood to boil underneath her skin. If this was Two or Three, this guy would apologize in a heartbeat, wouldn't he? ]

Of course! Do you think that you shouldn't? Even if you didn't purposely bump into me, you should apologize to be polite. [ She sighs heavily. Even if she's so used to scolding her sister's whenever they were being irresponsible or just lacking any manners, it still feels like a chore. But that's why she's the most mature out of all of them—or at least most of them. ]

Shouldn't someone your age know that?

[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. ]

[virginous]

[ That's better, and Four is just a second away from letting him go with a satisfied smile and sigh to match before he makes that final comment. In which, one, she does let go, but more in bewilderment and surprise more than it is accepting his apology. And really, she doesn't accept it, seeing as it felt so half-assed to begin with and his words afterward don't exactly stick well with her. ]

And people should expect themselves to apologize when they bump into someone. [ She clicks her tongue, her fingers curling into the palm of her hand (and she's at least fortunate that the gloves keep her nails from digging into her skin) as she speaks.

No. No. She breathes, distancing herself from that childish idea of throwing a tantrum in a public place. Besides, she's obviously the better person out of the two. ] Unless they're unruly mutts.

[ Is that a personal jab at him? Possibly, but she'll personally keep it vague for a number of reasons. ]

[unathletic]

[ At least there's not much of a reaction to being called an unruly mutt - when you're called a bastard even by your best friend, there's no much that can faze you anymore, really. But at least he draws his hand back the first opportunity he gets aka right after she lets go, because as if he's going to let her cling to it like that anymore, it'd look weird, okay.

In fact, he still looks pretty unconcerned despite her being on the verge of another tantrum. Or maybe he's just hard to read, who knows.

It's almost as if he's contemplating something, glancing off to the left and then the right, and then he sighs, as if he's doing something really bothersome for her here. ]

There's supposed to be rooms in the back, it's a lot more quiet there. [ Despite.. the activities.. they might be meant for.. but Heung Soo's not particularly thinking of that, anyway. ] If you don't want to be bumped into, then go there. [ This really is him trying to help, okay. To the extent that he usually does, anyway.

He just sucks at it. ]

[virginous]

[ Bastard.

Fortunately Four was observant, another trait of hers that she held highly above her other siblings, and noticed quickly that he wasn't very concerned about her temper. At least he wasn't like Five, who would constantly tease her until she's throwing whatever object she can get her hands on, but the way he looks so unconcerned reminds her of Three, and that only brings a sense of annoyance; fortunately a mild one. ]

Is there? [ But her annoyance is swept away all at once, being replaced with the curiosity similar to a child's. ] Bring me to them, [ The order comes swiftly, and she doesn't look as if she was going to take no for an answer. But she at least adds; ] please.

[unathletic]

[ ....

Did a girl just order him to take her to the rooms in the back.

It feels strangely awkward - or maybe embarrassing is more the right word, really - and for a moment he's glancing around almost as if he's trying to look for a way out of this, no matter whether it's just literally dashing away or finding some way to talk her out of this. The former seems even more embarrassing though (especially if his leg would play up) and the latter seems like it's going to be useless, judging from her tone.

So in the end, there's not much of a choice. This isn't exactly the kind of place to throw a stink with anyone anyway, or you'd be stuck in a fairly small party space with that person for the rest of the night.

It's why Heung Soo doesn't really seem to protest even when he sighs and speaks up. ]

Why is it that hard to find by yourself?

[virginous]

[ Does she need to repeat herself? He's taking so long to answer that she feels like it's such a chore bothering to ask him any questions, but what would you expect from a human when they need to have their hand held for every situation?

She reminds herself to keep those thoughts under lock, sighing almost at the same time as he did. ] It's not hard at all.

[ It's funny. ]

But would it honestly kill you to help a woman?

phase iii

[maddeninghatter]

[ He stops when he bumps into her and startles at the sound of her voice. An instant later, he rearranges his features into a bright grin and waves, wiggling his fingers. ]

Sorry, sorry!

[ He directs his gaze towards her, out of habit, and thinks to himself, I'm out of practice with this. His other hand grasps the head of a cane, nearly useless in a place this crowded. The sounds are overwhelming: a wall of conversation and artificial music, and then there's that other noise that feels like an itching sensation in the back of his mind. He cannot navigate properly. ]

I was just... ah... looking for somewhere quieter.

[virginous]

[ Four looks at the man with furrowed brows, relaxing when he apologizes and gives her an odd gesture. It's better than nothing, and so she quickly smiles and breathes confidently. But his last statement does receive a lift of her brow, her eyes guiding down to the cane in his hands before looking back at his face. ]

Well that's a pretty hard place to find when you're in the middle of a crowd, don't you think? [ Fortunately he bumped into Four of all people, who claimed herself to be the most helpful of all the Intoners. ] I'm guessing you need some help finding your wait out, sir, would you like for me to lend you a hand?

[maddeninghatter]

[ His grin hardens, but doesn't leave his face. He is out of practice, to be discovered so quickly. Ah, well. He has only himself to blame. How easy it had been to depend on that little device... ]

Goodness. What a lovely offer.

[ He cuts an odd figure, dressed in a plum-colored velvet cutaway coat and silky cravat, with a top hat decorated with lavender roses at the brim. He looks like an escapee from the English Regency era, except if one looks a little closer it's clear that the fabrics are unlike anything from that time. His hatband, for instance, contains a strip that absorbs light and then releases it in a twinkling pulse of color; and the trim at his cuffs and his collar is an elaborate, intricate laser-cut lace.

He extends a gloved hand to her and holds it in the air. ]

I'm sure I won't refuse.

[virginous]

[ His clothing aren't so much strange to her as they were interesting, especially since her own set of clothing couldn't exactly be labeled as modern. Though the only people she knew who dressed anything remotely similar to him were previous lords that corrupted the land before she and her sisters fought back for it.

But those men were gone, and this one in particular didn't look like a threat, which is why she reaches out and places his hand in hers. ]

Please be careful. [ Her tone is soft, kind, which anyone familiar with Four would expect given her personality. Her ears perk slightly when she hears the sound of the ventilation above them, swallowing down any sense of fear as she began guiding the both of them out of the crowd. ] And stay close. [ A beat. ] But not too close.

[maddeninghatter]

[ He can hear the change in the noise of the crowd as they move; as it quiets, that sound... disappears entirely. It's soft and intermittent, which is part of what makes it so maddening. It's probably something obvious, something he could sort out immediately if he could see it.

He could simply ask her what it is...

Instead he disengages his hand from hers, and traces his fingertips up her forearm, to catch hold of her arm just above the elbow. This is how he prefers to be led, to avoid having his hand tugged on and inadvertently pulled off balance.

He doesn't say any of that, drawling instead: ]

Is this close enough?

[virginous]

[ Of course he has to grab her like that, making her heart skip a beat in surprise and causing her to stop and turn towards him. There's a moment of silence, eyeing him carefully as she slowly calms the heavy beating in her chest. ]

... Yes, of course. [ She wants to curse and bite back, telling him that he was a fool for touching an Intoner of all people without her permission. The hand holding was enough, and if he lost his balance she would have saw that it was what he deserved for being clumsy.

Of course, it was only a thought, if anything did happen to him she would act like the prim and proper girl she displayed. Which is why she keeps her insults to herself, continuing to move through the crowd with ease until they finally make it to the long hallway. ] There. Is that better for you, sir?

[maddeninghatter]

[ He stops when she does; because of the way he's holding her (and not being held), he's able to slow himself down without being jerked. She sounds annoyed with him — which is better than the note of pity he thought he'd detected in her voice. Yes, much better.

Happily: ]

I say, have I offended you in some way? Oh dear, I hope I'm not causing you too much trouble.

[ Knowing that she's irritated with him actually makes it easier for him to ask her questions. He otherwise would have been tempted to use Mad Hatter to explore, and even he has to admit that is not so good an idea, these days. ]

So this is some sort of a hallway, right? Lots of rooms opening off it? Or does it connect somewhere else?

[virginous]

N-No!

[ Was it that obvious? Even if she would so easily express her irritation towards her sisters, there was still an image she needed to keep up with so long as she was here. Because she was better than that; like Five, who would whine and probably just leave him there in the crowd without any hesitation. ] I'm not offended, it would be wrong of me to feel so just because I'm helping you.

[ She eyes down the hallway. ]

There seems to be only rooms to go into. [ She nods her head, looking back to him. ] Here... [ She begins walking down the hallway once again, knocking on several of the doors until she's found one that... isn't occupied. How could a few of these people do something so shameless? That's no way of celebrating, in her opinion.

But she keeps her complaints to minimum, clicking her tongue until she's finally found an empty room. ] This one is empty.

[maddeninghatter]

[ OKAY THEN it's that kind of party, judging from the grunts and moans coming from the "occupied" rooms they're passing.

Which... actually means that the way he's holding her arm comes across as a bit creepier than even he had intended. So he lets his hand slip away from her, and wafts carelessly inside the room. ]

Why, people seem to be enjoying themselves quite a lot, wouldn't you say?

[ The way his own voice rings off the walls gives him some information about the size of the room. Also, that much, er, "enjoyment" suggests the presence of a bed in these room, or at the very least a sofa. A surreptitious sweep of his cane, and he finds one easily enough, against where he thinks the wall should be. And then he sits, sprawling sideways across it. ]

I'm Xerxes Break, by the way. How do you do?

[virginous]

[ She's just hoping that nobody seen them, because this is just the sort of situation that looks so odd and out of place for someone like Four. And she's quite uncomfortable after walking past the other rooms. ]

Let's... just pretend we didn't hear anything. [ Just so that she can keep her sanity.

She stays close to the doorway, letting him take a seat before she even thinks about taking steps closer inside the room. ] It's a pleasure, Xerxes, please call me Four.

[ She gives the room a quick look around, giving a sigh of relief as the music from the party feels so distant now that they've made it. ]

These rooms are very strange... I've never quite seen anything like it before.

phase iii

[teasing]

My apologies.

[ honestly, he doesn't sound apologetic in the least, tone more on par with someone humoring a child in the throes of a tantrum than anything. it is not intentional, of course; his smile is good-natured, hands raised in supplication as he glances between them and moves to give her her space.

or as much space as can be allowed, given how crowded the room is. suffice to say, he does not move more than an arm's length away from her, and even that is questionable when there are bodies moving constantly at his back.

what a pain. ]

Though, having seen your face, I can't say I'm completely sorry.

[ especially when she lacks the hollow eyes and empty smiles from a number of the other occupants of the room. it's refreshing, in a sense, and enough to attract his interest in more ways than one. he had spent so much time attempting to unravel the nagging feeling of something (even he didn't know, and that was mildly frustrating), and all of his efforts thus far had proven unsuccessful. ]

[virginous]

[ Four can feel her lips curve upwards when she hears his apology; it's not so much that she's listening to his tone as much as she is the words itself, because someone actually apologizing to her was rare if they weren't Decadus or another rank and file soldier. So she takes it, embraces it—

Until she hears his last comment, which causes her heart to sink and her blood to course through her body with absolute rage. ]

E... [ The words are there on the tip of her tongue, but she quickly bites the organ and chews when she feels as if she's looking at the male equivalent of Five of all people. How dare he make such a comment! ] Excuse me? What sort of comment is that to a lady?

[ She has to mentally push away her anger from surfacing, because throwing a tantrum and breaking anything here wouldn't exactly leave a good impression on her. Especially for an Intoner. ]

You should completely apologize for that, too!

[teasing]

It is merely a comment, and nothing more.

[ he's amused; how could he not be, in the face of such profound anger? he had been accustomed to his compliments being received positively, more often than not with a coquettish smile, strategic placement of limbs and a whispered promise for more intimate affairs. he had indulged sparingly, of course, though the memory seemed so far off and hazy now, as though in a dream. had he really lived that kind of life before? his heart wasn't completely in reminiscing, so he inwardly shrugged and let that particular curiosity be for now. ]

But if it is an apology you want, then I would be more than happy to give it. [ "girl" is on the tip of his tongue but he restrains himself in an effort to pacify the situation. enjoyable though her reactions may be, this was neither the time or the place to be teasing someone with such an irate disposition.

though the thought does fill him with a thrill, moreso for the implied threat of violence than anything else. ]

Forgive me?

[virginous]

[ A comment that was completely unnecessary, she might add. But she immediately bites her tongue when he promises a proper apology, something that's still so foreign to her if the person isn't Decadus or your everyday rank and file soldiers. It brings her a sense of joy, one that she quickly latches onto in fear that it would be all taken away with a single comment; she needed it, in a sense, to keep herself from cursing herself for being so useless and allowing herself to be walked all over by a stranger. Especially when she was an Intoner. ]

Well, if you put it that way... [ Her lips curve, features softening as she can feel her heart pounding against her chest. ] It would be rude of me not to accept your apology. So yes, I will forgive you.

[ If she were Five it probably wouldn't be that easy, but Four was a lady, not some cow. ]

Though you should watch your tongue so you don't accidentally make comments like that to the wrong person.

[ Her voice is soft despite her words. Really, it was a warning to keep from saying such things towards her, but she needed to regain her presence of a refined and proper lady after losing it in that single moment. ]