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

[theundertaken]

.......so real life magic. In the real world.

[playthedamncard]

There are more ways to fight than just physical. And it's impossible to know just what kind of person anyone is just from a snippet of a profile. She could be capable of quite a bit.

But if her safety so concerns you, perhaps you'd like to be her bodyguard.

[challengesfate]

[Obviously everything will be sunshine and rainbows!]

Well...we are in a library, are we not? Perhaps there is something here that could explain something. I...do recall the voice saying we needed to be in the cafeteria, but it did not say we needed to go immediately.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu's attention is grabbed pretty immediately, and he relaxes a bit at seeing someone else here. He was almost afraid he was totally alone.]

Ah, I am, yes! My brothers...have you possibly seen any of them go by? They look just like me!

[stillstands]

[Joke's on you Chloe, she's only a little younger than your best girl. But like... four inches smaller. Sneaky of her.]

Hm? [Well, she's. Holding actual packets of food so. Yeah.]

Yeah, it... [was just automatic for her? She started doing it before she ever realised she was doing it?] was something to do. And at least we'll have an idea of what there actually is to eat here.

[challengesfate]

[. . .]

But...you can't go to the stars. They're just - in the sky, not even a bird could fly that high...

[playthedamncard]

[There's a really old fandom joke to be made about how often Mokuba gets kidnapped here, but he's not going to make it.] You'd be surprised the sort of lengths people will go to to make a point or get what they want.

[photoshooter]

[There's a minute catch, a slight hesitation at that 'just,' before Prompto answers.]

Well... There's a lot of things wrong with this picture, don't you think? I don't remember being attacked or anything, a-and these definitely aren't my clothes.

[They also definitely aren't flattering on a guy of his build. He's so skinny and awkward, couldn't they have just please given him some pants?]

It's really scary when you think about it, right? All those things that must've happened while we were out.

[challengesfate]

Sequins...?

[What is a sequin, is it like a gemstone. Can you find them in the ground like diamonds.]

I'm afraid I've never heard of such a thing, but, I would be interested in seeing them if they appear.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu lifts up the glass and carefully fills up the bag to the line as instructed. This ought to be interesting.]

[stillstands]

[... That's... fair. Miki only knows what this is from seeing them at coffee shops.]

It's an espresso machine. For making coffee.

[She'll take that as a 'no' on the "Are you alright" front.]

[challengesfate]

Is there supposed to be some other sort of magic?

[photoshooter]

Oh, he wasn't fighting the meteor, he was fighting us. He was just holding the meteor. It's like, his thing.

[stillstands]

Oh. You seemed pretty eager to find him, so I assumed--

[Hm.]

Um... what's an Eos?

[playthedamncard]

It's...unfortunate, and a little concerning. [A simulation should have safeguards for the players as well as the equipment, after all.] Someone's playing with fire here.

[theundertaken]

...would it be possible for you to just tell that whole story from the top? We can go sit, I bet there’s space food in the space kitchen.

[theundertaken]

I don’t know, where I’m from all we have is fake magic in fiction. Or magic tricks, but that’s all sleight of hand.

[photoshooter]

Can't say I do. It's just... sort of weird. Where I'm from, airships are pretty much only used by the Empire. They're the only ones with Magitek powerful enough for that.

[stillstands]

[Don't logic loop her, you're technically right...!]

Well... yes, but it looks like we're in it. There's no horizon or landmarks, just...

[She really didn't expect this. Kidnapping? That was weird enough. Worrying enough. But this is...]

Space. Outer space.

[challengesfate]

Aah.

[You know, after talking to like...a few people, she can kind of see that in some realms, magic might not be a thing.]

It is very real where I come from. My aunt is a healer...and both my mother and brother are well-versed in the usage of tomes and spells, among other things. I've never had the aptitude for it.

[challengesfate]

[No horizon, no landmarks? Hold on, we're going to look at this and then probably block out how impossible it is when Chloe comes over and tells her not to look out the window.]

That's...no, that can't be right. Surely there's some ground somewhere - unless this building is...strangely positioned.

[stillstands]

I don't mind. Surprise me?

[Oh. Sure sounds like she's getting the fancy coffee.]

Milk is fine, thank you.

[in4apounding]

What- no, they couldn't have!

[d i s t r e s s]

I wouldn't have just let someone take my father!

[andjerry]

Maybe? I- I don't know why us, but... maybe your brother does?

[newcycle]

No.

[but she has no clue where "they" are coming from, and it's grating her.]