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

[photoshooter]

I think so. After... after the city fell, all the newspapers reported that you and Noct died, too. Obviously, we were with Noct so we knew that wasn't right, and we got a message from you not too long after that, but at the time, it was--it was hard to hear.

[He laces his fingers together and rests his elbows on his knees, breathing out slow.]

Lucis is as much under the "protection" of the Empire as everywhere else, now.

[keepmeinyourheart]

[Insomnia fell? Luna feels a lump in her throat, eyes wide.]

.... Prompto, what happened to King Regis?

[photoshooter]

...He didn't make it.

['Entrusted it to me? Then why didn't he tell ME that? Why did he stand there smiling as I left?']

...Noct... is the king now. His Majesty gave the Ring of the Lucii to you so you could get it to Noct.

[playthedamncard]

Perhaps you're afforded powers to reclaim your future throne.

[playthedamncard]

[Oh Prompto honey. He won't correct that, because, okay, it would also be awesome in that sense, too, but c'mon.]

I prefer to deal with what I know to be true and what I know to be possible. I haven't found evidence for such a thing, but I also haven't looked for any. There's nothing I know of personally to discredit the idea of other worlds--the universe is near infinite and expanding, after all--or of alternate dimensions, though that delves into quantum mechanics I haven't spent much time with.

[playthedamncard]

Or perhaps even shambled into it.

[playthedamncard]

Not necessarily one to dismiss, but you'd need volunteers for that sort of project.

[keepmeinyourheart]

Then I would reclaim it for my brother. He is the elder. I am to wed a future king of another kingdom.

[photoshooter]

Okay, I was following that pretty well until the last part, but I'm figuring that's just a bunch of science stuff I'm not going to understand even if you explain it to me.

[Prompto shakes his head and crosses his arms, leaning back on one foot as he chews this information into bite-sized pieces he can swallow.]

So... alternate dimensions are possible because there's no evidence against them. But you're saying there's evidence against magic?

[challengesfate]

...Thank you. She...was truly a unique woman.

[Hahaha this is incredibly painful to think back on.]

Hopefully, when I return home, my efforts will make sure she remains that way.

[keepmeinyourheart]

[She looks at her hands, clenched together in a vice grip, white from the pressure. Her heart feels heavy. The tears want to spill over, they threaten to as she takes a deep breath to compose herself.

Very carefully she lets her poor hands move till she has them once again folded neatly on her lap. It's then that she dares to look at Prompto.]

Was I successful? Did Noctis receive the ring?

[challengesfate]

Alright. I will ask them. Thank you...er...I don't think I caught your name.

[photoshooter]

[Nod.]

Yeah. Um, it took a while, but eventually we all made it to Altissia. The Empire was there, but for some reason, they didn't interfere with the Rite until--oh, shoot, uh, did you know about that? Part of the reason it took so long is Noct had to go receive the blessings of the Six on the way, so you were traveling ahead of us waking them up. The Imperials kind of took issue with that and kept trying to kill them.

[challengesfate]

My name is Lucina. [But Badass Swords Lady is a cool nickname too.] I...must confess, I have never seen anyone outside of my family with blue hair before.

[theundertaken]

...wow, is that common where you're from?

[theundertaken]

What's Mon?

[theundertaken]

.....I mean, it's chocolate. So that's fine. But, uh...

[Hm.]

Texture's kinda weird.

[karappo]

N-nothing! I was just surprised, is all...I was not expecting my assumption of you fighting aliens to be the correct one.

[Though he has met someone else who has spent a hell of a lot of time in space so it probably shouldn't be all that surprising.]

[karappo]

W-well...it is what I have always called them, anyway. I have not seen any reason to change that now.

[Well, he sure did earn his title, at the very least.]

[photoshooter]

[He gestures blindly in the general direction of the bowl.]

Yeah, because you're eating rehydrated, unbaked cake batter out of a bowl. Did you even stir it? Gross, dude. So gross.

[karappo]

Wow...that is very impressive. And you were the champion at that. It is no wonder you are wanting to get back to it.

[karappo]

I am sure he would not mind either or. As you can well imagine, having the same surname...and even same sounding names got rather confusing at home.

[karappo]

E-eh?

[Karamatsu stiffens, then throws up his hands defensively.]

Non non non! Of course I am not! I know how-

[...]

Er...I mean...I have no reason to make fun of you. I do not even know your name.

[karappo]

[...AH YES, NAME

Karamatsu straightens up, then immediately bows to her slightly.]

My name is Matsuno Karamatsu. You may call me Karamatsu...since I know having my brother and I here can be a bit confusing.

[photoshooter]

Oh, sorry. Uh, Prompto Argentum.

[He rubs his face and exhales into a groan.]

Sorry. [Again.] It's just... it hasn't even been an hour yet and it feels like a really long day. What's your name?