[video]

[assays]

[When the feed switches on, it shows what looks like a workout room. It's bright and airy, with neutral colours on the walls. The floor is lined with soft mats and there is a training dummy in the right hand corner, suitable for building upper body strength and where to land punches. After a few moments the camera pans around to show Peggy; she's dressed more casually than usual, wearing something fit for training in.]

Good morning. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Peggy Carter.

[Using Margaret appeared too formal in her opinion and she has been here for a while now.]

The government saw fit to grant me the role of a self-defence instructor and I fully intend to commit to that. I'll be offering one-to-one classes as well as groups-probably no bigger than twelve people to a class, depending on interest. Strictly eighteen years and over for the time being, I want to strongly emphasise that so please don’t try to break that rule. I won't have it.

[Peggy's expression grows serious for a moment to further emphasise her point.]

If you are willing to put some hard work in and are dedicated to learning how to defend yourself, I'd like to hear from you. Beginners are welcome of course, both men and women.

You can drop me a line here or contact me privately for further information.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

forever~

[assays]

[Upon hearing a familiar voice calling out her name she comes to inspect and appears from one of the back rooms, giving Kaneda a small wave.]

You weren't joking when you said now, were you? [A smile.] Would you like a tour?

[rassera]

[Well, with that wave, he walks in, rocking back on his heels as he gets a good look of the place. Or at least...the room he's in.]

Couldn't keep a lady waiting, right?

[Shut up, Kaneda.]

There's more than just this?

[assays]

Only a little more. It won't be a very big tour.

[His enthusiasm was appreciated.]

Would you like anything to drink?

[rassera]

...[His gaze turns up, looking at the ceiling and around the room they're in for a moment, before catching her eye.]

Tea?

[He's a man of simple tastes.]

[assays]

Yes, I have that. How do you take it?

[Peggy could say the same for herself.]

[rassera]

[His hand goes out and makes a little 'wave', palm facing down.]

Nothing in it.


[He lets his coat fall on one of the chairs as he walks over to her, stuffing those hands in his pockets.]

Your accent. You're from Europe, right?

[assays]

[Peggy nods.]

I am from Europe. More specifically, a country called England.

[There's a little tea station set up at the back of the room.]

Have you ever been?

[rassera]

[England. Man, the way he looks at her, you'd think she'd asked him if he ever visited Neverland. In fact, he has to put his fist to his mouth to hold back laughter as he leans on one of those chairs.]


Japan and England weren't too good of buddies where I come from.


[He flips some of that hair out of his eyes.]

World Wars, you know?

[assays]

[Her expression falls a little after that revelation.]

I do know. Apologising doesn't seem like it would change anything but I am.

[Peggy moves to the back of the room to start preparing the tea, needing something to busy herself with as well as tending to her guest.]

I've never been to Japan either but I have seen pictures and the countryside looks incredibly beautiful.

[rassera]

[It's consolation, at least. Kaneda wasn't alive for it, so he can't really be mad at her. He was born in the world build from it, but that's it. And that was the fault of Japan itself.]

…

[But that's not really a good conversation to leave off on, right? He perks up as he watches her prepare the tea.]


Yeah? I've never seen it. Only the streets of Neo Tokyo.

[assays]

Ah, that's a pity. Maybe you will one day upon returning home.

[She can't promise that he or anyone else would go home, but there was always hope.]

Do you work in the city, Kaneda?

[Peggy asks as she finishes preparing the tea for the both of them, allowing her own to cool a little.]

[rassera]

[There's a smile. While there was really nothing left of Neo Tokyo (or much of Japan, really), he's certainly not going to tell her that.

He takes that tea, eyes lighting up at it as he sips.]

You mean back in Neo Tokyo?

...[Let him think on that a moment.]

Well I...led a team!

[Kaneda it was a bosozoku bike gang you are bullshitting this like a resume.]

[assays]

[He was free to tell her as much or as little as he liked. Peggy didn't mind either way.]

A team? What kind of team?

[She sounds genuinely curious, taking a sip from her tea. ]

[rassera]

[A pause, surveying the situation as his back rests against that chair, leg resting on the other.]

Motorcycles.

We're kind of a...gang.

[WINNING SMILE. Because doesn't THAT just sum up everything he is.]

omg i love that icon

[assays]

[There's a bit of a pause on Peggy's end after that reveal.]

A motorcycle gang.

[Okay, taking it in. Processing. She can handle it.]

And what does this gang do exactly?

[rassera]

[Ah yep, there's the face. He knew that was coming!

But honestly, she's taking it better than expected. But at her short inhale and even shorter question, he tilts his head back, rocking on that chair slightly]

Rode motorcycles.

[It's not ilke it's wrong. They did do that. Just sometimes they fought other gangs! Or ran stoplights!]

[assays]

[She can't help being a) overprotective and b) so very unsure of gangs.]

That's all.

[Sipping from her tea, Peggy eyes him over the rim of her cup.]

Suppose it really isn't my place to judge. I'm sorry if it came off as harsh.

[rassera]

[You're not in the wrong, Peggy. Any normal person would be. And it's not a conversation he's not had with the police before.]

Yeah, I mean...we get a little wild, but no one gets hurt~

[Not usually, anyway.]

What, things not so hot on the West?

[assays]

Good to know.

[It reassures her a little, but she won't press him anymore on the issue.]

Things are fine. As fine as they could be after a conflict. [A pause.] Let's not talk about that.

Tell me more about yourself and I'll do the same.

[rassera]

About me?

[Well, that's a new one. At least, not many made it past 'so what do you do for a living']

Not much to say.

I like...cooking?

[Awkward small talk go!]

[rassera]

About me? Well...I mean, I'm just a guy from Neo Tokyo, I guess!

I'm...pretty good at...cooking.


[Is this how small talk works?]

[assays]

[Pretty much how small talk works.]

Cooking, hm? That's a good skill to have. Do you have a speciality dish?

[rassera]

Heh, not yet. Kinda just picking up things as I go.

Ken--guy who lives at the house I'm at...I make Tamagoyaki for him. But that's about all I've got down pat.

[assays]

What exactly is Tamagoyaki? I'm afraid that I haven't heard of it before.

[rassera]

Hmm?

Oh! Well--[He sits forward, setting his tea down to give a little bit of a visual reference with his hands.] Tamago means egg. So you bassssicallly take some egg and a little sugar...and whatever you want I guess, put it in a pan and roll it up, and you keep rolling until you run out.

[Basically? Like a weird kind of omelette. His hands imitate chopsticks a moment, turning the invisible piece of food over a few times.]

Ken loves it.