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

[challengesfate]

Agreed. I will have very choice words for whomever allowed Falchion to come to harm.

[Lucina pauses at the term.] No...and I am not familiar with the term. I am more...a soldier, before all else. I think the proper term is "Lord".

[hooray for unit types]

[in4apounding]

You've never heard of the Huntsmen?

[And there's the not normal.]

...Are. You from a village somewhere outside the kingdoms? ...REALLY FAR outside? How did they survive without Huntsmen?

[challengesfate]

[Lucina shakes her head.] No. I am from the Halidom of Ylisstol...or, what remains of it. And I can defend myself if need be.

[And if she has a ding-danged sword.]

What would the Huntsmen be hunting? The Risen?

[in4apounding]

I. Don't know where that is, I'm sorry. And no, they hunt the Grimm. What's a risen?

[challengesfate]

[Ah - she'd ask why someone wouldn't know what a Risen is, but they had only just appeared, from what she last remembered - the name had not even been decided on yet. So when Lucina speaks, it's with a touch of warning.]

The Risen are corpses brought back from the dead by way of dark magic. They cannot think or be reasoned with - their only drive is to fight, and to kill, for the sake of the Fell Dragon Grima. I've spent much of my life battling them just to survive.

[in4apounding]

That... sounds a LITTLE like the Grimm. They're definitely not corpses, though, people used the believe they were some sort of resurrected animal life, but there have been many types discovered that have NO relation to any known actual animals-

[And she's rambling.]

And, um. I've never heard of Grim-A, sorry. ...And I don't think there's actually such a thing as magic.

[challengesfate]

[...Okay. So. There's definitely some weird shit going on if this girl doesn't know about magic, that's pretty easily accessible in her world if you know where to look. Lucina gives Penny a considering look.]

You are...very fortunate, to live in a world without Grima. But I will argue the existence of magic - my friends and family can use it themsleves.

[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.]

[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".

[in4apounding]

Everyone has an Aura. ...Everyone with a soul, I mean. And you. Just. ...Kind of do?

[Because vague animu bullshit, thanks RT.]

[challengesfate]

Then...perhaps it is something similar, but with a different name and application.

[Gee she sure is accepting of weird anime bullshit]

The magic I know is based within elemental tomes and healing staves...and sometimes a weapon. Levin Swords and Shocksticks, mostly. They serve as conduits.

[in4apounding]

Maybe? You don't need- um, books or staffs to use a Semblance, though. Some people can focus it around their weapons, I guess? Or augment it with Dust.

...That's, um. Crystals we use as a power source. For pretty much everything.

[challengesfate]

Oh! I see. Thank you for explaining that.

[And also thank you for not making her have to ask ANOTHER question.]

If that's what it is, then...it sounds similar enough. But overall...perhaps we might be from two different realms entirely.

[in4apounding]

Other realms?

You mean like in fairytales?

[challengesfate]

Yes, that's right - just like in the fairytales. I've...been through an Outrealm Gate before, so, it's not too strange to me...

[in4apounding]

You've traveled to other worlds like that? ...that does sound more like magic than anything I've heard of.

[challengesfate]

Not...another world, per say. And not without the help of Naga. But...I had just traveled through time before waking up here.

[in4apounding]

Really?!

[Okay, that just sounds cool.]

...Backward or forward?

[challengesfate]

Yes, really. Though, if...you happen to meet a man named Chrom, I would suggest you not tell him.

[It doesn't seem like her father would be here, but let's cover all the bases, shall we?]

I went backwards in time, about twenty years. My friends came with me, but, we were all seperated.

[in4apounding]

If I see anyone named Chrom I promise I will not tell him you've gone back in time.

And oh no, that sounds terrible! Being separated from friends is one of the worst things I could think of!

[challengesfate]

[That gets a small smile out of Lucina.]

You have my gratitude for that - hopefully I can change the course of his fate without him ever realizing who I am.

[And she nods at that last bit. She was...worried, honestly, because they'd all gone in together - they were stronger together. But hopefully there was time to help set things on a brighter, better course and find them.]

[in4apounding]

...should I not tell him your name, either? ...actually, that part would be easy, I don't know your name yet.

[She thinks for another second.]

I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself either! My name is Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you!

[challengesfate]

Yes. If you see him, you can't tell him my name. [A pause.] Which...is Lucina. And it's good to meet you, Penny.