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

[dejabrew]

[Bolton wakes right up to the voice coming from his arm, sitting bolt upright (to pardon the phrase) when he realizes that this isn’t his room and that was definitely not his alarm clock.

He’s not particularly a fan of the footie pajamas, either, or the way that his boxers scrunch up and literally none of his business is hidden, so to speak. He adjusts himself in the mirror before he steps out of room 15, following the hallway.]

...This is like if they turned a hospital into a hotel.

[He finds his way to the cafeteria, and sighs at the sight of something familiar. It may be a parody of himself, but he roots around until he finds the pot that he’s looking for, and starts brewing a hot, strong french press, looking out the massive window at the stars outside in bemusement while he waits for it to finish brewing.]

[karappo]

[After spending way too much time agonizing over...things, Karamatsu eventually wanders over to the espresso machine himself. He does enjoy good coffee on occasion, though he really is more of a tea person. Not that anyone would ever know with how he goes on about wine and the like.]

Quite the elaborate set up for a space station, non?

[dejabrew]

It’s not quite the same as what I’m used to, but it’s not bad.

[Says the Champion Barista, focused on slowly depressing the plunger on the french press. The coffee is dark and looks almost thick, with how opaque it is. Add some stars and it’d be a dead ringer for the sky outside.]

Want some?

[karappo]

[Hey, at least there's someone here who knows how to make a decent cup of coffee. Karamatsu is decidedly not one of those people.]

I would not be opposed, if there is enough! I will take mine as dark and deep as the very space surrounding us.

[He's probably going to find it bitter as all hell but whatever, gotta keep up those cool appearances.]

[stillstands]

[Rude awakenings aside, Miki has found herself in the cafeteria with a cup of coffee of her own. It's... not fancy, by any stretch. She'd only just been able to make the machine work and not spit hot water all over her.

So she ends up watching Bolton's motions with the french press with interest, and speaks up a little hesitantly when it becomes clear he's paused while the coffee brews.]

You look quite experienced at that.

[dejabrew]

[She looks. Not nearly old enough to be drinking coffee. But the cafe he works at has always been popular with teens who needed a place to hang out after school, so he’s used to it.]

I’d hope so, I’ve been doing it for almost 20 years.

[stillstands]

[In zombie apocalypse, you drink whatever there is to drink tbh.]

Oh. [Yup, that'd do it.

Hang on a moment, she's looking up the face in front of her on the PIP profiles...]

That would explain your title then. Do you own your own shop?

[photoshooter]

[Coffee. It's a familiar smell, a comforting smell, and if Prompto finds following it doesn't lead him to Ignis and the knowledge that everything's going to be taken care of, it's at least, still, you know. Coffee.]

Ummm. Would there happen to be enough of that for everyone? Haha, I just, you know. [Sigh.] I would really like to wake up and realize this is all some crazy dream.

[dejabrew]

[Unfortunately, Bolton is nowhere as pretty as Ignis is. Fortunately, however, the coffee is at least as well made if not better.]

Maybe not everyone, but you and me? Sure.

[He pours the poor jittery boy a cup of coffee and leaves room for cream and sugar.]

...Me too. Though in my case if this is a dream, I've probably driven off the road into a fiery wreck, so... Probably a lose-lose situation for me.

[photoshooter]

[Notably, Prompto is a sugar but no cream guy. Gotta watch that boyish figure, after all.]

Uh, I guess I'd take mysterious space prison over dying in a gruesome car crash, but you're right, it's sort of a tough call.

[He's? Trying? He blows on his coffee and takes a sip.]

Oh, wow, this is pretty good! My compliments to the barista.

[playthedamncard]

[Coffee? Coffee. Even if it's virtual, they sure did program the smell right down to a T, and as such, Kaiba finds himself drifting over. Is he going to ask before helping himself? Ha, that's cute. Of course not. He'll take the first clean mug (yes he inspects it first) and take some thanks so much.]

[dejabrew]

[...Well he's got his own cup of coffee and he guesses it's a free country so... Whatever. You do you, bud.]

You're welcome, by the way.

[Said with good humor and not a hint of malice, over the top of his own coffee cup.]

[playthedamncard]

[do not talk to seto kaiba before his 4th cup of coffee plebe

He doesn't respond until he's taken a sip and finds himself savoring it in a way he normally doesn't these days. And then looks over at Bolton.]

Champion Barista. [He's cocking an eyebrow, though under those bangs it's hard to tell.] Is that accurate? [With a small raise of the mug almost like a salute.]

[in4apounding]

Really? I haven't seen any medical equipment.

[She thinks? Penny isn't exactly familiar with hospitals, except in a vaguely academic sense.]

[dejabrew]

That would be the hotel part, I guess. It's all just... way too clean and sterile.

Point is, this entire place can suck my-- [And then he turns and sees that sweet innocent face and he can't do it.] ...milkshakes.

Bolton. And you?

[in4apounding]

Huh, I suppose it would be. ...I haven't seen many hotels, either.

[It doesn't look that unusually clean, compared to Atlas.]

My name is Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you Mister Bolton! ...do you make a lot of milkshakes?

[le_mat]

[Akira follows the smell like a bloodhound. And while he certainly wasn't hoping to see Sojiro standing there, part of him was aching for something familiar.

He doesn't butt in on Bolton working, just watching quietly at first... though eventually his eyes close and his breathing makes it clear he is inhaling the scent deep into the bottom of his lungs]

[dejabrew]

[The best thing about a french press are the long, contemplative minutes while it steeps. Bolton only notices the sound of someone else's breathing because it so closely matches the deep, even rhythm of his own.]

You don't have to just stand over there smelling it. Come over here, you can have some when it's done.

[le_mat]

[He perks up, smiling]

Thank you, I'd love some.

COFFEE TIME

[challengesfate]

[...That smell is...not something Lucina can identify right off the bat, but it's lovely. She finds herself edging closer to the espresso bar as Bolton works, lingering at the edge and eyeing the machinery with unbridled curiosity. She also sniffs the air delicately every once in a while, almost imperceptible, as if trying to figure out what it is, until there's a spark of realization in her eyes.]

Is that - that's coffee, isn't it?

[dejabrew]

[He's not quite startled, but he does turn like he didn't intend to have his back to anyone.]

Sure is. Do you want some?

[theundertaken]

[Max wanders in, clearly still exploring, and stops to watch the coffee guy work for a second or two. He's in a jumpsuit, so even though he's making himself at home, he's probably also been kidnapped, right?]

....man, I'm trying to come up with a good Starbucks pun, but Starbucks by itself is kinda already space-themed.

[dejabrew]

[kill bill sirens]

Technically it's named after the first mate in Moby Dick, but they'd be doing better if they spent less time on literary allusions and more time on making coffee that was actually worth buying.

eyes emoji

[unhappylittletrees]

[Like any good college student, Jamie is drawn by the allure of fresh brewed coffee. Or even stale coffee, he's not picky.]

That smells completely amazing right now.

[dejabrew]

[Shit, another cutie. And this one's probably not fresh out of the cradle.]

Be my guest.