Welcome to the Program

[airlockedmods]

Good Morning, Champions. In the interest of maintaining healthy sleep patterns, a day/night cycle is in effect. Your presence is expected in the cafeteria in exactly one hour.

[The voice comes through not a large speaker, but through the device that's attached to each Champion's arm. Further investigation of the features of the device will reveal a list of profiles, a mini-map, and a list of rules. The hallways are shiny white and silver, with running lights along the floor and lights on the ceiling, and at the junction of the hallways is a sign with a knife and fork icon and an arrow pointing down the hall.

Welcome to the Excellence Program, Champions. Time to get to know your teammates.]

Comments

[bylight]

[Panic is hardly something that a soldier does. Or at least shows on the outside. Light can be scared just like the rest of them.

The windows yielded nothing but the profound darkness of what she assumes the sky out on Pulse is supposed to look like. Her entire life has been spent in Cocoon, the only glimpses of the world outside being the huge crack in the shell of her home.

Having an artificial night sky wasn't the same as seeing this.

A voice pulls her out of her thoughts, and she turns to the young girl. Lightning wasn't the type to share things about herself, so please don't hold her tense demeanor against her.]

Only if it's about things on the profile. [Why would she reveal anything else?]

[kininaru]

A-ah! Of course, I won't overstep any boundaries if I can help it! Please excuse me if I come off as rude, though. I don't mean to ask anything too sensitive...

[ In truth, she's curious abour her age; no human can live to 521 on her own, but she won't press it for now. Instead... ]

So, what is Bodhum like? I've never heard of a place like that before...

[ She seems kind of terse...Is it a place where she had to grow up under rough circumstances? If she hates chaos, and she's a Savior, perhaps there was some strife... ]

[bylight]

[Honestly, Lightning has no idea what a Savior is. She's a soldier. Was a soldier. Kind of quite the military in order to find her sister.

Bodhum she can talk about.]

It's a town by a beach in Cocoon. It's known for its firework shows, so it's a tourist trap most of the time... you're not from Cocoon, are you. [None of the profiles have places from home on them.]

[kininaru]

Fireworks?!

[ She lights up like a Christmas tree; it sounds beautiful, even if it's crowded! ]

That sounds wonderful...A beach town with fireworks, you must have wonderful summers! I've never heard of Cocoon, either, though. I'm from, um...

[ ...Wait, they're in space, is she even from... ]

E-Earth? Is that new to you..?

[bylight]

It's always summer where I live.

[Each area is controlled by the Fal'Cie. Even during training it's always be similar climates to Bodhum.

She nods.]

Never heard of it.

[kininaru]

Wow...That must be interesting! I can't imagine...

[ It's a little sad, though, to never see the seasons change, or the cherry blossoms blooming... ]

An actual real live alien...I can't believe it. You have to tell me everything about Cocoon, if you can! A-and what your family is like!

[bylight]

[What is with this girl? Seriously. Why was she so excited to learn about Light? The 20 questions game was making her slightly uncomfortable, even if part of her feels like she does want to talk more about herself.

She sighs softly.]

You're pretty alien yourself... I'll tell you about Cocoon, but not my family. [That is not a subject ever up for discussion.]

[kininaru]

A-ah, okay! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just curious about your siblings, since you're the Champion Sister...

[ But it seems like a sore spot, so she just bows apologetically. She falters for just a second, but her smile returns, just as quickly. ]

Please, tell me all about it, if you don't mind.

[bylight]

Sibling. [It's still ridiculous to have that title. Whoever gave it to her was being cruel. She was by far not a Champion Sister. Should have been Failure of a Sister.

At least this girl, checking the PIP real fast... Chitanda, knows how to drop the subject.]

Cocoon is just what it sounds like. We live inside of it, and the Fal'Cie see to our needs. Everyone has a place in our world, including myself. [Used to have a place in her world. No need to talk about the Purge to anyone.] There's towns and cities all over just as I assume every world has. We have a set season, military, government, and anything else that the people need to live happy lives.

[This all sounds so fake to her right now. Being Purged makes everything fall into a different perspective.]

[kininaru]

[ She catches her disillusionment. And that just makes her more inclined to pry. She wants to know, she can't let it go-- ]

But you...don't like the Fal'Cie, right?

[ A predetermined place, with someone to watch over them...And there's something off about it, and she wants to know why... ]

Why don't you like them?

[bylight]

What the profile says and how I actually feel about them are different.

[She's... at this moment not sure if she hates them or just the specific ones. It might be a little of both in the end.] The only ones I don't like are the Pulse Fal'Cie, not the Cocoon Fal'Cie.

[kininaru]

Is Pulse a different world, then? What makes them different? And, if you really don't dislike all of them, why does that profile say you do? Why did someone see fit to lie about that sort of thing? I'm curious!

[ With each question, she inches closer and closer to Lightning, so, hopefully she isn't put off by Chitanda and her lack of personal space -- ]

[bylight]

[Lightning takes a step back away from this over enthusiastic girl.]

Yes. They're the bad guys. No idea. That's what I'd like to know.

[kininaru]

The bad guys...

[ Hm...She backs off for now, but, she isn't satisfied. Not yet. For now, though, it's enough. ]

Do you think they have something to do with... um, this?

[bylight]

[With a frown, she turns away from Chitanda to open her suit a bit and look in. She doesn't see a brand...]

No. We'd have what's called a Focus and a brand if they had anything to do with this.

[kininaru]

So we don't have any idea who these Overseer people are, then...or, at least, neither of us do. I wonder what they actually want from us...

[ Since there's no way it could actually be murder, can it? ]

[bylight]

We'll know in less than an hour. Come on. Let's get to the cafeteria.

[There might be something there to gets this little girls spirits up.]

[kininaru]

A-ah, yes, that's right! I should probably make you some tea; do you like matcha with milk? Actually, I wonder if they would even have any milk here, I'm not sure if it would keep in space, since it's not powdered...

[ They'll find out when they get there, but-- ]

Oh, I'm sorry I never formally introduced myself! I know my name is on the device here, but...my name is Chitanda Eru. I hope you'll take care of me while I'm here.

[ And she gives her another bow; deeper, this time. ]

[bylight]

I'm not picky.

[What is matcha?

Hm. The only people she bows to are superiors. This girl is very earnest.]

Lightning Farron. And you don't have to bow to me. We're both in the same boat.

[kininaru]

Farron-san, then...ah, I suppose you wouldn't know about it, but, where I come from, people bow quite often! When you say hello or goodbye to someone, or when you're thanking someone, or apologizing, or asking for a favor...it's a way of showing my respect for you.

[ When she straightens herself out, she can't help but give her a big smile! ]

I think you'll like the matcha, then, if we can find some! The actual tea itself is a bit strong, but the milk makes it sweet, so it's very fragrant and creamy...it's my favorite, so, please, take my word for it!

[bylight]

You can just call me Lightning. [Farron is usually only used by other soldiers.] I see. Back home we usually only bow to superior officers, and even that is rare.

[Respect? Chitanda, you barely know her. Light could be cruel and cold. Can you still respect that?

With a nod, she looks at the map on the PIP, then leads the way.]

So you don't need sugar in it?

[kininaru]

[ The profile says she's determined and caring, and so far she's been nothing but nice; it's safe to say that Chitanda trusts her. ]

Ah, Lightning-san it is, then! People in Japan also refer to each other by their family names, first; I guess I'll have to get used to the way they do things in Bodhum!

[ She seems eager enough to follow her! ]

You can put sugar in it, if you'd like to make it a bit sweeter, but, in my opinion, it doesn't need it. In fact, you can actually make ice cream from it, if you freeze it...

[bylight]

[Caring is not what she would say she is to anyone but Serah. Can you crack this soldier?]

I think a lot of people here will prefer their first names over family names.

[Please, you're making Light want to watch over you. You're way too innocent to be here.]

Tea that can be made into ice cream... sounds interesting. Let's hope they have some then.

[kininaru]

Really? I wonder why that is...people in the West often refer to people by given name, but where I come from, you introduce yourself by last name because you represent your family...especially when you come from a family like mine, it's an important thing to keep in mind. But I know that in other parts of Earth, like Europe and America, they just use their first name, and without even any honorifics at the end...it's amazing how different cultures are, really!

I hope they have some too, though! I don't like to brag, but I like to think I'm a pretty good chef. My mother has been helping me learn since I was little...

[ A-ah, her parents, she hopes they know where she is... ]

[bylight]

[So...]

So is your given name Eru?

[Chitanda sounds a lot cuter.]

My sister is the cook between us. Though most of the time she preferred to go get food from a restaurant near the beach. [Ah... why did she just talk about these things?]