//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

shinpachi nagakura | hakuouki | a little into phase i

[nostatus]

[ There's definitely something weird about all of this. But it's a kind of weird he can't put his finger on, and just that fact makes it somehow easier for the feeling to be shoved to the back of his mind. Maybe it's the music or the lights or-- well, everything combined. The party enters his mind so forcefully that somehow a lot of stuff doesn't seem to matter as much anymore. Like the fact that he isn't so keen on drinking anymore after what happened before, but the memory is so far out of his reach that it practically feels like it's almost not even there anymore.

And so Shinpachi doesn't hesitate to actually get some booze. And some food, in fact. You might find him at the buffet table camping out with said booze and slowly building a pyramid of food on his plate that's slowly becoming so big it might as well be one of the new Wonders of the World. If you happen to be at the food table too, don't be surprised if he snatches food from right in front of you since he's not paying attention to where he's taking it from.. although you're free to pipe up to him about it, of course. ]

[glided]

[ It's all a bit overwhelming as he looks around, taking in the many sights, sounds, and colors. Guan Xing doesn't know where to settle his eyes, feeling spell-bounded and confused. He wants to understand what he's seeing, but it does look like an unstoppable force of sorcery.

Fortunately, their hosts have provided food and drink, and his stomach growls at the sight, reminding him that he's even hungry at the moment, though he's hesitant to eat any of it. Who's to say what's inside? Fortunately, the man by his side is already digging well into the table without restraint, filling his mouth with everything laid out before them. If he's not getting ill from it, isn't that enough indication that he himself won't experience any bad side-effects?

At least, that's what he hopes, hand reaching out to touch a piece of meat that vanishes before his fingers can even graze it. The next time the stranger goes for another piece of meat, Guan Xing is quick to stop him, his own hand pinning the other man's to the table before glancing over at him. ]

Forgive me, but it wouldn't be right to eat it all ourselves. The other guests are probably hungry after the ordeal we went through ... although, I don't remember any of it personally.

[nostatus]

[ At least pinning down his hand is a surefire way to catch Shinpachi's attention, it's true. Even when he's glancing at his own food, it's easy to feel, and despite the dumbass he looks like, he's still on guard. So the moment he feels someone touching his hand, his eyes slide over to the source (although he's at least not really on the offensive, thanks to this party making him feel so much lighter) to see what's happening.

It doesn't seem like anything too serious, fortunately. ]

Ah, so this is about that? [ Glancing at the pinned down hand, as if he's saying "all this for just that", and then wrestles his hand from the grip to pull it back to himself. At least he stops grabbing food for a moment. ]

I figured that if they wanted to eat something, they'd get it themselves. It's all 'bout gettin' that first pick!

[ Shinpachi Nagakura's food wisdom, ladies and gentlemen.

But that last bit isn't lost on him, and it's something he's actually been wondering too, so he sobers up a little. ]

.. But you're sayin' ya don't remember it either, huh? And here I thought someone must've knocked my head around a few too many times. [ Although there's something a little stranger about it when there's multiple people who don't exactly know how they've gotten to this point. ]

[glided]

[ His hand slowly retracts back at the same time, wanting to avoid making things even more awkward for the both of them. He's only known the man for a total of a few minutes, and much of that has been spent watching him eat quietly from across the room. It had been a bit entrancing, though he wouldn't want to admit that out loud. He's just never known a human who could fit so much in his mouth. He imagines he must have chipmunk-like capabilities. ]

If you didn't remember how you arrived, why was your first concern food and not finding out why you were brought here? I think that would be the more logical path.

[ Hungry or not, it's more important to determine the situation and approach it cautiously. He ignores the fact that this own stomach is growling loudly as he looks around at all the continuous flashing lights and screens, each vying for his attention. ]

It must be some kind of sorcery. I've never seen anything like this at all in my world. We must have been taken far from Shu.

[ Well, he assumes this man might be from Shu if he's wearing so much green. Then again, Guan Xing doesn't remember him at all, either. Have they met before? ]

[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.

[glided]

[ He's surprised this man got so enchanted with the food that it surpassed any ability to be troubled by the situation at hand. Even Guan Xing, who is known to drift off from time to time when he gets lost in thought, had been able to focus well enough to understand how dire the situation is, though now that the food is free from being consumed, he manages to take a bit for himself.

A warrior must make sure he has proper sustenance, otherwise his strength in battle will dwindle quickly. It would be good to refuel before any impending battles, and it will give him a clearer head to think about the situation and plan his next movements.

This turkey leg is sitting there untouched. It would be a disgrace as well to leave it uneaten, so he's bringing it to his mouth and nodding at the man's words. ]

It was, but that is because it's crucial for us to protect it from invasion for Lord Liu Bei. If it is left unguarded, then it could be under-siege so it is important that I return as quickly as possible to rejoin the battle.

[ After finishing this turkey leg, of course. It really is delicious. Guan Xing's eyes focus on it for a moment, entranced as he bites into it. It really had been too long since he's eaten and never anything like this. He wonders what spices they used. They must have slowly roasted it over many nights. It's so juicy and tender... he wonders what they used to baste it as well. ]

[nostatus]

[ Shinpachi's still halfway through a bite as the guy speaks, but he completely stops for a moment once he realises what he's hearing here. More specifically that name - Liu Bei, what.. he's pretty sure that sounds familiar (maybe if everything from back home didn't feel so strangely away, right now, including the stuff Shinpachi has read in his life) but not exactly in the "oh, right, he lives around the corner" kind of way.

It's why he more or less just stares at Guan Xing with a small frown for a moment, as if he's still trying to place it but can't exactly do that. Damn, this is annoying. ]

Well, I ain't exactly in a hurry to go home.

[ He says it fairly casually, but there's an undertone of seriousness to it. Not that he doesn't miss home - he misses something familiar rather than having everything be so strange, no matter whether it's Zelien or here - but he knows what's going to happen. And if everything is going to shit anyway, then at least let him extend it for a while more and just enjoy time with his friends here. ]

You mean you haven't tried lookin' for an exit or anything yet?

kicks down your door

[regives]

[ Leanne is staying as far away from the alcohol as she can. Not because of the incident she experienced, but also because that constant itch in the back of her head bothered her so much. She hardly finds a reason to celebrate, but at the same time she does, it's all so confusing to her. But instead of wandering around in hopes of an answer, she instead moves to the buffet table once she feels her stomach growling.

Halfway through the line she reaches for a piece of food before a much larger hand abruptly takes it before her.

Immediately she changes gears, looking beside her and glaring at the individual before she speaks; ] It's really rude to just do that, y'know? [ But then it clicks almost all at once. This person was familiar to her, and she couldn't help but be silent for a brief moment as a mix of surprise and joy relieved the tension on her shoulders as she stared at him. ]

Shinpachi!

[nostatus]

[ There are a lot of people who'd scold him for that sort of thing. So it's not really surprising to him, he was already half-expecting someone to pop up sooner or later to tell him to put down the food already and stop acting like a selfish ass.

And while he might have expected some familiar voices (he's already spotted some familiar Shinsengumi faces among the crowd, if not just briefly, so he knows he's not alone) he didn't exactly expect any familiar voices from that place of all things.

So Shinpachi blinks a few times before looking over to the source. He doesn't really look happy - but it's probably just that he's not happy yet, considering he's too busy being surprised. In fact, he looks pretty dumbfounded. ]

.. Oi, Leanne-chan..! Aren't ya s'posed to be back home?!

[ Not that he isn't supposed to be back home, but he figured that maybe this was something the Shinsengumi somehow got dragged into, despite his memories being fuzzy. Leanne certainly isn't a member of the Shinsengumi, nor is she even from any world similar to theirs, but she's still in this weird place? Then is this her home? ]

[regives]

I could be asking you the same thing!

[ She's just as surprised as he is, honestly, but if someone were to compare the two of them by facial features alone, he'd certainly seem to be the one that's more surprised out of the two. Possibly because there's a sense of relief in seeing him again thanks to how everything ended back in Zelien rather than surprise, which is probably why she can't just stay mad at him over something petty like being a food hog. ]

Wait, so... you're here because of this whole 'fighting for Cerealia' thing, too?

[ Fuzzy memory plus the only few familiar faces that she's met so far all being from somewhere else separate from her world? This wasn't quite adding up to anything to be celebrating over, leaving her with only more questions and even more reason to keep her guard up. ]

[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. ]

okay i'm done joke tagging you

[regives]

[ Really he's just lucky that she can't read minds or she would find some actual offense to that. Sure she wasn't accustomed to any type of war setting, which apparently is what they had done, but Leanne is a woman who adjusts quickly no matter what the circumstances. She did so back in Zelien, and she did so back when Zephyr managed to save her—and even if her past self would have thought she couldn't have gone through with it, the woman standing before him now knew that she could practically do anything by now so long as she put her mind to it.

But, once again, she's no mind reader, so fortunately he's going to miss out on her lecturing him. ]

I'm pretty sure we'd have an army of people keeping you from all the fighting if you were drunk. [ Tell her she's wrong, there's no way that she can be. ] But, you're not wrong about it being strange... I don't remember anything at all. About fighting, or even getting brought here, none of it makes sense.

[ And it makes even less sense that she's here alone without Zephyr or Vashyron. Again.

She brings up a hand to hold onto her other arm. ] It just doesn't feel right.

that's a lie your joke tagging is never done

[nostatus]

Oi, oi, I can fight plenty well even when I'm drunk! You should ask the others about that one time I beat up a few guys on the streets when they tried to start a fight with me after I went drinkin'..!

[ Please don't ask them about it.

Especially since it's highly likely Shinpachi remembers it pretty different than they do.

But he does realise there's something more serious here than whether he can fight while drunk or not, and he frowns a little bit when she moves to cling to her arm like that, as if she really is uncomfortable. He can't say the thought of it all doesn't make him a little uneasy too - despite the way this place is trying to influence him - but he's more focused on her right now.

Despite the uneasiness in the air, he smiles, as if there's nothing to worry about. ] C'mon, don't make that kinda face! I dunno what's going on here either, but we'll figure it out, 'kay? [ And since he does remember the first thing they talked about when he first found her in that literal trainwreck-- ] We gotta find a way for you to get back to your friends after all.

EXITVOID LOVE.

[glamorizes]

[ He's not sure what's happened here, nor can he make sense of why he's here. He knows they were in Zelien... Only it just seems to be so far in the past that he's not sure if that was a dream or not. Suddenly, it's like the parties he knew hold nothing to the kind of set-up this place has to offer...

Distant, though. Every memory seems to be so distant. Aside from the fact that he's got the most delicious plate of honey cake in hand, and savoring it when...

It's gone. He blinks in surprise as the hand that takes it away doesn't even hesitate to return it, and he can't help but laugh a little, not entirely friendly though. ]

I've heard of people wanting to look after other people's diets, but this is a little too much-

[ And it's when he sees who it is that the look actually does turn friendly. ]

Herr Shinpachi? Will wonders never cease!

[ Then if he's here... What about the others? Dare he hope he'll find more people he knows after all? ]

[nostatus]

[ He totally didn't know whose food he just snatched. He didn't even know he snatched food to begin with since he wasn't looking - it's not like he really steals food from strangers, anyway. From his friends, sure, that's just being friendly asses to each other, but from strangers is another story altogether.

But he recognizes that voice. And Shinpachi looks up, and his eyes widen. The memories from before now didn't feel so important, but the sight of this guy definitely makes him recall a few things, and his mouth drops open a little bit. With the cake still in it, yes, but he quickly swallows it once he gets over the initial dumbfoundedness. ]

Klavier..! [ It's hard to not recognize a guy with such weird western ways of speaking, really. Not to mention the name. ]

You're here too?!

[ He should have seen him when they were fighting for CERES then, right? But his memories of that are just.. completely missing, so he can't even recall if Klavier was there or not too. It's all so hazy, but he's at least pretty sure that he's not hallucinating the guy in front of him now. Unless he's really going nuts. ]

[glamorizes]

[ Wow Shinpachi, gross!! But Klavier is actually too happy (and relieved) to see him. He bursts into laughter as he sets his plate aside and grabs Shinpachi's to set it on the table before tackling him with both arms around him.

He's not usually the kind to hug just anyone, but hey, this gives him a little comfort in knowing he's real. ]

Sorry, sorry! Just give me a moment- you are real. Can't dream up those tight muscles of yours, ja?

[ He pulls back, grabbing him by the arms and looking him over. ]

Then it was all real. Zelien, and... this. Though I don't remember this CERES place at all. Did they rescue us? Or what? How did you get here?

[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.

[glamorizes]

[ No, it really doesn't explain it but then again- Klavier isn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or a samurai in the mouth, whatever. That answer only gets a wry smile out of him as he lifts a hand to rub the back of his neck. ]

So they're saying, but I'm no fighter. I know we technically helped these guys fight or whatever, but the only fighting I know is how to fight close range, and not very well either, ja?

[ He's a lover, not a fighter. ]

So I'm not quite sure I believe it, but we are here, and we did supposedly help... now all that's left to find out is how we actually did help. Someone should know the details, right?

[ And with a small grin. ]

Though you look like you're up for a celebration regardless. Are you going to be nice and spare me a few scraps?

[ He might not be as vocal about not liking food stolen from him, but he still likes eating okay!! He's a growing boy. ]

[nostatus]

[ Don't worry, he'll gladly give you some, Klavier... because Klavier's at that point where he's not yet quite close enough to consider stealing his food and laughing at him a fun and not very hurtful activity, so he shoves some of his food over at the other guy. ]

Well, just this once. Don't make a habit, 'kay? [ At least it's obvious he's joking from his tone before he turns to shove some food into his own mouth as well, chewing thoughtfully before seemingly realising something as he swallows the food. ]

Besides, it's not like you're that bad of a fighter. [ Certainly nothing on his level, or any of the Shinsengumi's level, but-- ] For a guy who doesn't fight a whole lot, you sure helped me out back there in that mist in Zelien. Part of being a warrior is just also having guts, y'know? And when it came down to it, you risked yourself there to help me. That's 'nough of a warrior as far as I'm concerned.

[pure_confidence]

[ she's seen Steve Rogers eat so she's hardly surprised at the amount of food he's packing away on his plate but she is amused when he steals a raspberry tart right out of her fingers. ]

Hungry are we? I'm sure they'll bring out more if we ask.

[ y e p, definitely amused, but after all the work and toil they suffered to claim this planet, a little bit of joviality was actually welcomed. ]

[nostatus]

[ The abs probably look familiar, huh...

He's also totally not noticing that he's stealing her raspberry tart. He thought it was just somewhere on the table, not being held by someone else, and it's why he actually looks a little startled to suddenly hear someone speak up so close to him.

Shinpachi blinks and looks straight into Peggy's eyes. Oh god, it's a woman. And judging by the way she's holding her hand, that's where the tart was only a moment ago..

Crap. Crap, crap, crap. You're already messing this up, Shinpachi, and this is your first party here! ... Even if the details on everything are more than just a little fuzzy.

Looking awkward enough, he just.. tries to place the tart back between her fingers.. there, as good as new. ]

Ah-- haha.. [ Most awkward laugh ever. ] I.. uh, yeah. I guess I must've gotten really hungry from that fight, huh..

[ Even though he doesn't remember a single bit of it, which really unnerves him. He's used to missing memories while being really freaking drunk and all, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to go into battle drunk. So then how did he forget? ]

[pure_confidence]

[ Of course! Rock hard abs like those only come along once every other century, you know. Now if only he had the brains to match...

But Peggy can't help the laugh quirking her lips into an even broader smile as she turned to lay the well handled tart on a napkin, folding it up neatly to hide the used item until she could toss into it the trash later on. ]

Indeed! But no worries, I'm sure I'll find something else to sate my appetite. Should I say congratulations to our victory?

[ she spoke lightly, but there's just a hint of uncertainty in her tone, because just like him, she wasn't entirely used to forgetting the details. ]

[nostatus]

[ Yes, let's move on from the topic of how embarrassing it was that he just took some woman's food without looking.. and no Heisuke around to blame it on either, damn. Where's that guy hanging out when you need him to pin the blame on, huh?

Instead Shinpachi just sucks in a deep breath, trying to force down the embarassment before he replies. ]

.. Yeah. I mean, that's what this whole party's s'posed to be about, yeah? [ Even though everything about it is so fuzzy. Hence why he moves his hand up to rub his neck, like he's trying to recall stuff even now but just can't, for some reason or another. ] I'm sure it must've been a big battle.

[ But then why can't he remember it, nor how the Shinsengumi got roped into this to begin with? ]

[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.). ]

[nostatus]

[ So she doesn't remember either? It's a little surprising, and he raises an eyebrow in the middle of his bite from another sandwich he's holding as if he's suddenly questioning the validity of all of this too. It had felt less important only a few minutes ago, but when there's someone to question it all together with you, it's much harder to just plainly sweep suspicions under the table and call it a day. ]

Well, that part ain't so strange to me.. [ After Zelien, he'll hardly call seeing modern things weird anymore. Nothing is going to beat the lady in the skintight suit who kept laughing and was actually some kind of.. octopus.. thing... he still isn't even sure. Compared to that, Peggy looks like the most normal thing in the world, even if it's not quite like any woman from his own world. ]

But it's true that I don't really remember anything either. I thought I just hit my head or something like that, but seems it's a little more widespread, huh..