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]

[Nervous little punk boy seems less nervous now, yes, and doesn't flinch when she moves. He even laughs a little.]

It's kind of like a bow and arrow, I guess, but way more compact and easy to use for people like me. People who didn't train all their lives for fighting, I mean. I can't just pick up a sword and mow things down like my friends.

[in4apounding]

...You're not from Remnant either?

[You're like the third person she's talked to from some weird planet.]

What's your- um. Your planet called?

[photoshooter]

Aren't there meteors in space? And stars? And other planets?

[challengesfate]

[Ah, so, there's swords in his world? Okay, that makes things a lot easier.]

You're right, it isn't easy. I train constantly in swordsmanship myself. [A pause.] Though...without Falchion, I don't know how well I can keep up with it.

[When she's close enough to do so - and she's been moving pretty slow, because let's not make this guy bolt again, he's damn fast - she holds out a hand towards him.]

My name is Lucina. What is yours?

[in4apounding]

[Look, you're the one that doesn't know about Grimm here, let's not make this a contest of whose world is weirder, even if Lucina's obviously gonna lose. Or win, depending on how you define it.]

[...her world's the weird one, is the point.]

You mean like a Semblance? Because those aren't magic, that's just an application of Aura.

[Which is definitely not magic because I don't even know, thanks Rooster Teeth.]

[theundertaken]

Well, yeah. But probably not super close to here, or we’d see it. Or be dead. Prrrrrrobably mostly gotta worry about meteors.

[immaculacies]

It is possible to send humans into space, given sufficient technology. It's our lack of memory that makes me wonder.

[Hypnotism? Some technology that can alter or suppress memories? It's hard to say. She's sure that she must be separated from her original universe, but that doesn't provide her with any help intuiting what magical or technological rules this one operates by.

...Not that he has a better idea than she does, obviously.]

Ah. But I'm just thinking out loud. Do you want to come out now?

[challengesfate]

N...no. I do indeed mean magic.

[Is this really a concept so foreign that people can't wrap their heads around it?]

Though I have never heard of a Semblance before...or how one might apply an "Aura".

Hallway

[photoshooter]

[Karamatsu's the first person all day whose unfamiliar voice doesn't scare Prompto half to death at first blush, and maybe it's because he's so obviously as lost and confused as he is. He still jumps, of course, and turns to look over his shoulder, but... well, there's no way that guy's with the Empire. Prompto holds the tension in his body for a second longer, then turns to face him, clearing his throat helpfully.]

Um. You looking for someone, buddy?

[immaculacies]

That's true, too. In any case, that question is what concerns me.

[in4apounding]

Yes, it would be exceptionally difficult to make any kind of surprise attack on a moving vehicle- maybe if they used an explosive attack, but I'm certain there would be physical signs if that were the case.

[Even she would be pretty banged up. And- okay, yeah, lookin' pale there Miki.]

...are you well?

[in4apounding]

...do you think these profiles can tell the future?!

[Gasps and awe, etc.]

[photoshooter]

[Oh no, she looks so distressed.]

Well--well, if we're in outer space, on a ship, then I think... no one's technically an alien? Th-there's probably something like international waters, right? Except space.

[andjerry]

Let's- let's go. We need to know why we're really here. You might be excellent at something if you're supposed to save people, but how does being here help?

[in4apounding]

...Is that how international waters work?

[Well if she's not calmed about her possible non-human status, you've at least distracted her a little.]

I've only ever traveled by airship, not boat. The open sea can be VERY dangerous.

[immaculacies]

Not precisely. I think it's more likely that the person writing them has access to some knowledge of our futures that already exists.

[That is...a weird and fine distinction, Manaka.]

[in4apounding]

I-i-i-i think so? I definitely don't remember coming here on my own, and I'm certain my father wouldn't do something like this without telling me first.

[Um, probably. SHE'S certain, anyway.]

[photoshooter]

Beats me. I keep telling people, I don't even know how we got into space. Or how they could've caught me without me noticing. It's the kind of thing I think I'd remember, you know?

[stillstands]

Not like this. Buildings made complete of metal are uncommon. They might have parts of them built with metal, or supported by a metal frame though.

[Hmm. Isn't that the big question.]

That's why I mentioned sci-fi. It looks like futuristic stations you see on those. Ones that are drifting in... [Ah.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Hold up she's running to one of the windows to actually take a look outside.

Ah]

... space...

[in4apounding]

Oh, no! That's all right. I'm sure they're absolutely WONDERFUL, but I, um, don't really drink- milkshakes.

[challengesfate]

...Space...?

[I mean. There is...awareness of space as a concept. Personal space, open space, cramped spaces...but when you're just using the word "space", you get a young woman looking at this teenage girl in a sort of blank confusion.]

Isn't that...just the sky at night?

[in4apounding]

...Were the fish all right?

[Priorities.]

[photoshooter]

[He remembers, suddenly, someone else offering him a hand after he made a fool of himself, and the laugh he laughs is more of a breath as he takes that hand and finally stands upright instead of hiding.]

Prompto Argentum. Sorry about the whole, ah, running and screaming business. I thought I got captured by the enemy or something.

[stillstands]

[Give her a moment, she's trying not to panic.]

-- You don't... [Come on, just get it out there.] You don't think the kidnappings were possible because they just... kidnapped everyone? Do you?

[in4apounding]

[What, like this is some kind of computer simulation, that's ridiculous.]

...Oh! I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. My name is Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you!