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WHO: Peggy Carter
WHERE: #43 - The Vincennes
WHEN: December 27th - Evening
OPEN TO: All!
WARNINGS: n/a
STATUS: Open (Gathering Style)

When the gifts had arrived, Peggy had treated them at first with the same suspicion as anything else here. Things simply weren't that good to be true, but these gifts had people's names on them this time. With the exception of several that she couldn't begin to understand (such as that one from a man named Ivan, that she barely recalled interacting with), the rest were so kind and thoughtful that she soon found herself with a wealth of possessions she hadn't hoped to possess here.

The party had been borne of one single thought: I have nowhere to wear such lovely things and when she'd found the wine and liquor from others (including Tony, which didn't surprise her in the very least), she knew that she could change that. She'd posted a quick notice at the inn using some of the cardboard of a box and the lovely fountain pen Helen had given her, then did the same at many of the public buildings, inviting people to her home and inviting them to bring any food or drink they might like to provide, as well as suggesting this as an opportunity to wear their fanciest.

She set out her drinks (the ones she was willing to share) and made sure to tidy the home so that it was presentable. In her youth, back during her first engagement, she might have imagined entertaining like this on a regular basis, but that had been swept away by the war. Instead, Peggy was left hoping that such a gala would be acceptable and that she wouldn't simply be here alone tonight.

Setting her new record player (and her single record) down, she cranked it to begin playing the record that had come with it (a pressing of the Glenn Miller Band), and then she began to convince herself that there was nothing more that she could do.

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She normally wasn't, really, she avoided social events like this like the plague back home. But here, well, it was a nice distraction. Plus, she didn't have to worry so much about keeping her professional demeanor up as much here. The Amestrian military and the Colonel's political standings weren't at stake so she could 'let loose' a little. Besides, Peggy was a friend and she wasn't going to turn down a personal invitation like that.

Riza brushed her hair back, returning the smile, though dipping her chin a bit. She wasn't really used to compliments like that. "Thank you. The strangest part is I'm not even sure I know the person very well. I debated wearing it at all, but I figured there weren't going to be many other opportunities for it. I suppose if I get enough compliments on it I should figure out who they are and thank them properly." She couldn't even be certain if she'd gotten them a gift, given the strange nature of how Christmas had worked.

"Yeah, that's the only fair thing to do. Besides, when else are we going to get a chance to dress up? Might as well celebrate...whatever holiday we're deciding this is going to be."

Raleigh extends a hand to her. "Did you want to dance? I can't promise I'm any good but I still figure I ought to ask."

Riza blinked at the offered hand. She hadn't expected to actually get a dance out of this party. Actually, she'd mostly expected a little light conversation, maybe a drink for the hell out it, and then going home. Despite having dressed up she just...hadn't expected this.

Still, it seemed rude to say no, "That's okay. I'm not sure I know many dances anyway." It might have sounded like she was declining the invitation, except for the fact that she put her hand in his.

"We could probably just get away with swaying around a little," Raleigh admits. He doesn't know if he's the world's best dancer or anything himself but he wants to give it a shot, if only because this place so rarely offers anything worth celebrating.

"Come on. Nobody's going to care if we mess it up."

"I think I'm coordinated enough to manage that much," she says with a laugh. Swaying is at least a little more her speed than a full on dance -- she was probably one of the few girls growing up who hadn't been sent to schools for that kind of thing. Her father had been too busy to think of something as "frivolous" as dance lessons.

So she follows him onto the approximation of a dance floor, willing to let herself forget there terrible circumstances for the time being. "I believe it goes something like this," she says as she puts a hand on his shoulder and keeps hold of his hand with her own.

Raleigh squeezes her hand and leads her into the dance, keeping his steps simple and his movements slow. It's nothing approaching professional or anything but it's good enough for two friends at a very casual party.

"I kind of wish I had something more dressy to wear since it looks like the women all got dresses. This is the only thing I have besides what they gave us coming in."

Considering it's the most dancing Riza's done in a very long time, she is completely fine with that arrangement. She follows him and sways to the movement as they make do with the small area passing as a dance floor.

"Don't be too jealous. I'm not sure the outfits were given with the purest of intentions...considering I hardly know the people who gifted some of the clothes I received. I'm not sure if I should read too much into it or not." She offers him a small, yet reassuring smile, "But don't worry. I won't hold your limited wardrobe against you." After all, that was hardly fair.

Raleigh snorts a little. "Yeah, nobody felt the need to give me new clothes for Christmas so I guess I can be entitled to a little jealousy. Not too much, though. Wouldn't want to come off like sour grapes."

He extends his arm, guiding her into a turn. "When's the last time you went to a dance, Riza?"

It's probably a sign that she has to think about her answer. She spins out and replies, "Well, as strange as it may sound...probably the last time I was stuck in another world like this one and that was nearly a year ago."

Giselle had been pretty adamant about her celebrations after all. Even in a city in ruin she had wanted to make everyone happy. At Riza had found such things frivolous and unnecessary--but Giselle had helped her understand sometimes it was better for you to forget, even for a little bit, just how terrible things were. After all, it made it easier to fight if you had something or someone to fight for survival for.

"I wonder what it means, that you've been to another place like this one and I haven't. How did we get chosen?"

It's something he's talked about with Peggy numerous times but he's eager to hear Riza's opinion on the matter and see what her take is. Maybe she has a better idea.

"If we figured that out we'd have an answer to a lot more questions that just that one I think," Riza observed. After all, if they found out why they were chosen, they could probably figure out why they were here in the first place or what their purpose was.

She knows it isn't a real answer though and so she adds, "The last place didn't really have a rhyme or reason -- they were just trying to collect as many potential victims as possible. This is a much smaller group, so I imagine the plan has to be a little different as well."

"I don't think of us as victims, either," Raleigh points out. "There's no one here that is helpless. Every single one of us is a fighter in some way, shape or fashion."

He knows that to be true among the people he's formed bonds with and he feels like it extends to the population as a whole to some extent.

She smirks knowingly, "I did say potential. They thought that was what they were getting, but we fought and resisted until the end. I'd hardly say we fit the bill either and I know the people here are just as capable." Even the ones who hadn't been fighers -- Miwako, Giselle, and others -- had helped in the end in one way or another. And even prior to the final fight, their moral and skills had been key in keeping everyone positive.

"Well, if it's the same thing as before, maybe you have some insight the rest of us don't. How did you get out of there?"

That would be the million dollar question. If Riza had been in a place like this before and escaped, Raleigh wants to know how she did it and if they can apply that same escape mechanism to this new prison. It'd be hard, he assumes, or she'd already have done it and left them.

"That's a fairly complicated story," she admits. It isn't that she doesn't want to share it--but during a dance hardly seems the time. "I'd say the short version involves a lot of clues put together, some help from the outside, and a final showdown that we ultimately won."

The fact that so many different people had been involved meant trying to get out the same way would be difficult. Not to mention, that added "bonus" of having an outside group attempting to provide assistance.

"Well, hopefully we'll figure it out here eventually too," Raleigh says. He wants to crack the mystery of this place as much as anyone and he wants to be free of it - he's got shit to do back home that's important, just like everyone else.

He doesn't want to lose the people he's met here, though, or the memories he's made. That's what makes it complicated.

"I just hope we don't have any more casualties along the way."

Riza was more of a realist, she knew the chances, but at the same time she was also fairly confident that they'd figure this place out as well. They had a lot of people working on it -- even if they didn't know exactly what they were doing.

"That would be nice...but this place can be dangerous, so I'm not as hopeful," she said, it was rather dark, but that's what happened when you had seen what she had. Still, it probably wasn't the best thing to say, and she knows how hard the others were shaken by the relatively recent passing of Karen. "I think we can make it though...especially if we have gatherings like this that can help us maintain some good morale."

"I try to be as hopeful and optimistic as I can. If you lose that, you don't have anything, and I don't want to give up when there's still a chance we can fight and beat this thing."

It had worked with the kaiju and it would work here, too, Raleigh thinks. He just needs to keep believing it.

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