theairlock | Welcome to the Program

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Welcome to the Program

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.]

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What? Huh? I-I have one of those profiles, too?

[Prompto's already in the cafeteria, sitting with his hands clasped in his lap and heel tapping anxiously against the ground. He blinks, then raises his own PIP to swipe through it until he reaches his profile, then freezes. Freezes and frowns, feeling something other than abject terror for the first time since waking up.]

Uh, no. I am not from Niflheim. And what's that even supposed to mean about my weight?

I think everyone here has one!

[Please don't sound so happy about that.]

...And it probably means you're EXCEPTIONALLY light for someone your size.

[She could probably bench you if she had to bro.]

But I'll make a note about not being from- what was it, Niflheim? Is that a village from outside the kingdoms?

[She's doing it, too. Pulling up the PIP's note-taking function and tapping it in.]

It--wait, what?

[He looks up from his profile.]

You... don't know where Niflheim is. You don't know what Niflheim is?

No? Should I?

[Geography is admittedly not her strong suit.]

Which kingdom is it a part of?

It's not part of anything, it's an empire? Like, kingdoms are part of it? You're sure you've never heard of the Niflheim Empire?

[Nani the fuck is happening?]

What?

[That just. Sounds all kinds of wrong.]

No, there haven't been any empires on Remnant in- ever, I think?

...

[Uh-oh.]

On... Remnant? [He's frowning.] On the remnant of what?

Remnant? It's- not OF anything, it's just Remnant. The planet?

...My planet's called Eos.

[Hoooooly smokes.]

Are we from different planets?

Are we? Is that something that can even happen?

[She suddenly gasps dramatically before leaning in and whispering urgently-]

Are you an alien Mister Prompto?!

Wh--no! I'm human! Obviously!

[Can't she tell by looking at him? DUH.]

[Penny gives him kind of a. Gentle little poke in the shoulder, confirming he's solid.]

But if you're from another planet, doesn't that mean-

[She goes quiet for a second, considering.]

...or does this mean I'm the alien.

[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.

...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.

Hah.

[It's the kind of laugh that's a surprise to the person laughing as anyone else. Prompto blinks, then shakes his head and runs a hand back through his hair.]

Yeah, no kidding. The ocean can be a scary place. [He pauses for a moment.] Do you... often travel by airship?

...no, just the once, actually.

[She sounds just a little embarassed.]

My father and I recently traveled to the kingdom of Vale for the Vytal Festival. ...Which I guess you probably haven't heard of either.

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.

Really? What's Magitek, a kind of power source? ...and why is it called that, I don't think magic actually exists. At least it doesn't on Remnant?

Huh? No, it totally does on Eos. Only the royal families of Lucis and Tenebrae have it, but it's still a big deal. Magitek's sort of... the Empire's attempt to copy it with science, I think? Sorry, I don't actually know too much about that kind of thing.

Okay..?

[...she'll believe you believe it, dude.]

But why would they need to copy it, it doesn't take magic to fly. I mean, not with an airship. ...on Remnant. I guess?

Well... it's a lot of power, I guess? And Niflheim's been at war with Lucis forever. They're grabbing any advantage they can get, no matter how twisted and underhanded it is.

You can get power without magic, though! On Remnant we just use Dust for everything.

[dot dot dot]

Oh- um. It's this. Crystalline power source that comes out of the ground. Once it's been refined, it can be used for- um. Anything, really.

...And I'm sorry to hear that. There hasn't been open war on Remnant in a long time now.

Crystalline--you guys have a way to share the power of the Crystal? Or, or your own Crystal, I guess, since it's not Eos. Whoa, that's crazy, isn't that super dangerous?

I. Guess?

[And they're back to having two separate conversations.]

There's a whole bunch of crystals, though, not just one.

Wow. I guess it really is different... we only have the one. That's. That's why we're at war, I guess. Basically.

(no subject)

in4apounding - 2017-10-18 16:28 (UTC) - Expand

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