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

[immaculacies]

[. . .

Manaka hadn't even noticed him. Still, she can recognize that sound as one of... Surprise? Distress? Her expression is faintly dubious when she glances in the direction that voice had come from, eyebrows arched over her level stare.]

...It's all right. I'm not about to hurt you.

[photoshooter]

[He doesn't exit the media room.]

Th-that's exactly what someone who was about to hurt me would say!

[immaculacies]

[There's a second of silence on Manaka's end. Then, she steps toward the media room door and slides it open just enough to peek her head inside. She really isn't threatening to look at, so maybe he'll calm down when he sees her.]

I'm not, though.

[photoshooter]

[He immediately ducks behind some of the theater seats, but rises enough to watch her over the back of one, easing back from utterly terrified to confused and scared. She's gotta be Iris's age. Maybe younger?]

...Just how many kids are here?

[immaculacies]

[When he relaxes, she opens the door further. Manaka doesn't step past the doorway, though, simply watching him from where she stands.

A kid... It's been a long time since anyone has thought of her that way, in any real sense.]

I don't know. At what age is someone no longer a child?

[She isn't being coy, or asking for some philosophical answer. It's a simple question.]

[photoshooter]

Uh, I dunno, like twenty?

[Anyone younger than him, basically.]

[immaculacies]

[That's fair, honestly. Completely stone-faced, she looks down at her P.I.P and begins to page through the Champion profiles.]

Then... At least nine. Probably ten.

[HELPFUL]

[photoshooter]

Whoa, that's--that's really messed up. What're they gonna do with a bunch of kids?

[Assured enough of his own safety to take his eyes off Manaka, Prompto starts swiping through his own PIP, stopping on the rules. He reads through them with pursed lips which flatten tightly when he gets to rule seven.]

The hell...? They expect us to fight with so many kids here?

[immaculacies]

No. [She says it so matter-of-factly, like the question and its conclusion are utterly normal to her.] They expect the kids to fight, too.

[photoshooter]

That's terrible! No one should be fighting here at all! Especially if it's something they want us to do!

[He can't help but think of Talcott. What would he do if Talcott were here, forced to fight for his life?]

Whoever put something like this together is seriously unhinged.

[immaculacies]

Yes, you're right. [She doesn't disagree with that much, at the very least.] I wonder why, though. What purpose could someone have for creating this scenario? For bringing us here?

[The Holy Grail War she understands, at least. There's a clear goal in sight, even if it's foolish. This, on the other hand...]

[photoshooter]

[He runs his hands back through his hair, grimacing.]

I have no idea. I don't even understand how most of this is possible, let alone what kind of sick purpose it's supposed to serve. Last I checked, there was no way to send a bunch of people to outer space, especially with them not knowing how they got there.

[immaculacies]

It is possible to send humans into space, given sufficient technology. It's our lack of memory that makes me wonder.

[Hypnotism? Some technology that can alter or suppress memories? It's hard to say. She's sure that she must be separated from her original universe, but that doesn't provide her with any help intuiting what magical or technological rules this one operates by.

...Not that he has a better idea than she does, obviously.]

Ah. But I'm just thinking out loud. Do you want to come out now?

[photoshooter]

[He considers this, and considers how ridiculous it is for a grown man to be hiding behind a table from a girl who's probably in, like, middle school.]

I guess.

[But he doesn't have to be happy about it! Embarrassed, Prompto picks himself up, brushes himself off, and tries to remember if he ever knew what dignity felt like. Signs point to no.]

Uh, hi. Sorry. I'm Prompto, I'm not... usually this jumpy.

[Prompto, stop telling lies about yourself, you easily intimidated goober.]

[immaculacies]

It's fine. That's normal, I think.

[She doesn't really understand """feelings""" and how they work, but. It seems like a normal human reaction to be on edge now. Even she feels unsettled, for as little as it shows on her face.]

My name is Manaka. ...Mm, Prompto. Are you this worried just because you woke up in a strange place?

[There's something she wants to know, but it isn't something she can ask directly. So, she hedges around the question like that, hoping that he'll make mention of something without her needing to tell him what it is.]

[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.

[immaculacies]

Of course. There's a lot about this situation that I don't like, either. But... I think people who are accustomed to having some way to defend themselves are liable to be even more scared than someone who never had any protection at all. Did I misjudge?

[photoshooter]

[Oh, is that all she's asking?]

It's kind of freaking me out that I can't find my gun anywhere, yeah. Or any of my things. Even my phone...

[immaculacies]

Just a gun? Nothing more...

[magical?]

...Intrinsic? Something that should be part of you.

[photoshooter]

...No?

[TBH, there are things that are part of him whose disappearance he wouldn't mind.]

I'm not missing any body parts or anything...? I'm just a normal guy, it's not like I've got any special powers to lose on my own.

[immaculacies]

Mm, all right. [So, not of any help to her, then. Still...] Thank you. That's all I wanted to know.

[photoshooter]

Uh, okay. [She's kind of a strange one, isn't she?] Are you sure? You don't need any help with anything?

[It doesn't feel right, just letting such a small kid go off on her own in such a terrifying situation.]

[immaculacies]

Mm-hm. Don't worry, I'll be fine on my own.

[She doesn't need any help that another captive can give her, anyway.]

[photoshooter]

Okay... but let me know if that changes, all right? I know I didn't make the greatest first impression, but I'm more reliable than I look.

[Which isn't really saying that much, but... well, he tried.]

[immaculacies]

...All right. [She answers him somewhat stiffly.] If I do need help, I'll ask you.

[She doesn't foresee it being necessary, but... It seems polite to agree. She isn't sure what else there is to do about it, seeing as she doesn't receive offers like that...ever, really.]