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

[karappo]

[Karamatsu is actually pleasantly surprised by the coffee, honestly. This guy's Champion Barista after all, looks like. He'll probably need it too, given how he nearly slept through that announcement earlier.]

It would make sense, non? This is a lot of trouble to go through, so one must go the full nine yards if they are going to do it at all.

[......]

...you think the moon landing was faked?

[dejabrew]

[Bolton cups his own coffee in both hands and takes a long sip, savoring the warmth on his palate.]

No one just wakes up in space, though. I was driving back from San Fr- from visiting a friend, and then suddenly I'm here and I'm dead asleep? That doesn't sound just a little bogus to you?

[Dude, totally bogus. This is so not radical.]

Of course not. Besides, this is very clearly not the moon.

[karappo]

Mmm...well, strange things like this happen to my brothers and I quite frequently. It is a bit of a stretch, but I would not call it completely unheard of...I am more concerned that I do not know where my other siblings are at the moment.

[Perhaps it's just him and Osomatsu? Boy, that's a terrible thought.]

Ah- okay, you do have a point...but if not the moon, why not simply space itself? Clearly we do not have any particular destination in mind, either...not unless whoever put us here plans on telling us so.

[dejabrew]

Huh. How many brothers do you have? If you don't mind my asking.

[Because there's at least two of you, but it sounds like you're missing more than one.]

[karappo]

I have five brothers.

[He says that immediately and without hesitation.]

The rest should be here, somewhere...but I do not see them listed on these profiles.

[dejabrew]

Five brothers. [A low, impressed whistle.]

Maybe they're back home waiting for you.

[karappo]

Mm...that would be unusual if they were, but if they are not here, then I do hope they are home safe.

[Karamatsu looks down into his coffee.]

My brothers are all very capable of taking care of themselves, though! So I am not too worried about them. They will be alright.

[dejabrew]

Well, hopefully you'll be back home with them in no time.

[He takes a sip of his coffee.]

[karappo]

Well, I already have one of my brothers with me! So it is simply a matter of finding the rest...

[Should be simple, right...]

Is there anyone here you know? Ah...

[He pauses, looking at the profiles real quick. Champion Barista...]

Bolton-san?

[dejabrew]

Me?

[He looks through the profiles a second time, but his expression doesn't betray his feelings.]

...No, there's nobody I know here. Not sure I'd want them to be, anyway.

[karappo]

[Whatchu feelin' Mr. Barista.]

That is probably for the best...at least you can assume they are safe wherever they are. Do you have any recollection of where you were before you woke up here? I believe I was back home, and all of my family was there then, so...

[dejabrew]

[You must be level 5 social link to unlock his tragic backstory.]

I was... driving home from out of state. Alone. But there was nothing out of the ordinary, no bright Area 51 lights or flying saucers.

[karappo]

Very strange. ...you do not think they had some way to make us forget what happened, do you?

[dejabrew]

Well... I mean, the age on my profile doesn't match how old I am.

[karappo]

Eh? Really? And you believe it not to be just a typo, then?

[dejabrew]

I mean, 28 and 35 are kind of hard to typo. Now, if it said 82, then I'd think it was a typo.