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

Window

[photoshooter]

[THIS IS THE MOST INTIMIDATING SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD HE'S EVER MET. Prompto gulps, though, and tries to make conversation.]

Y-yeah, like... How are we in outer space?

[Explain this, science side of Tumblr.]

[playthedamncard]

[He only barely glances at Prompto's reflection.]

That depends entirely on whether you think that's really space out there.

[photoshooter]

I mean, what else could it be? Nighttime doesn't just...

[He waves vaguely at the window.]

Go on forever all the way down like that. And I've never heard of any magic or magitek that does this.

[playthedamncard]

[There is the barest hint of a set to his jaw at the mention of magic. He really has decided to not entertain that possibility, thanks.]

I meant if you think this is reality as we know it or a simulation thereof.

[photoshooter]

What, like VR? Is that even possible? --I mean, I guess it sounds more possible than outer space, but everything feels real. You can even smell the coffee and stuff.

[playthedamncard]

It's incredibly advanced for a VR. But not out of the realm of possibility. Something like smell could even be induced by filtering a scent wherever our bodies might be, although for the sheer potential variety, it might be easier and more cost-effective to program it in.

[photoshooter]

Huh.

[Well, it's definitely a less absolutely horrifying hypothesis than YOU'RE IN OUTER SPACE.]

Okay, but I definitely didn't sign up to beta test any new VR game, as totally awesome as that sounds. Do you think someone seriously just, like, kidnapped us as lab animals for their sweet new tech?

[playthedamncard]

It's likely. But there would, obviously, be some kind of malevolent reason behind kidnappings. It's not necessarily just a test, or they would've hired beta testers and gotten them to sign numerous legal documents. Whoever designed this is getting something out of this. Something illegal.

[photoshooter]

[Prompto shivers and rubs at his arms through the jumpsuit sleeves.]

Holy crap, dude, that's creepy. And so many of the people here are kids... I guess that makes sense, in an awful way. Grabbing the people least able to fight back...

[playthedamncard]

[Normally his definition of 'kids' is...younger than him, by a couple years. But he supposes by some definitions, he might be a kid.] Nobody said anything about not fighting back.

[photoshooter]

...There's a girl here who's fourteen.

[playthedamncard]

And that's unacceptable, yes, but it doesn't mean she can't fight back against whatever this is.

[photoshooter]

She's super tiny. Kind of frail-looking? I dunno... someone like that really shouldn't have to fight, you know?

[playthedamncard]

There are more ways to fight than just physical. And it's impossible to know just what kind of person anyone is just from a snippet of a profile. She could be capable of quite a bit.

But if her safety so concerns you, perhaps you'd like to be her bodyguard.

[photoshooter]

Whoa, I'm, uh, really not bodyguard material. I guess I can more or less hold my own in a fight by now? But my training was mostly self-defense and I'm not exactly...

[He swings his arms idly, searching for the word.]

...Useful, without a gun.

[playthedamncard]

If you're convinced you need a gun for protection, then maybe you are useless. [or american]

[photoshooter]

[He steps back.]

H...hey. It's not my fault I wasn't trained to fight from birth, I'm just a normal guy!

[A normal, useless guy. Look out, the Matsunos have a new brother.]

[playthedamncard]

Apparently you're not just a normal guy, at least according to whoever brought you were.

[photoshooter]

Augh, I keep telling people, I'm not a Niff!

[Because that's totally what Kaiba was getting at.]

[playthedamncard]

What's a Niff?

[photoshooter]

The politically incorrect term for someone from the worst place on the planet.

[playthedamncard]

Is it also a politically incorrect term for being called a Champion Inner Child?

[photoshooter]

Huh? Oh. Iiii don't actually have any idea what that's about. How is anyone supposed to be a champion of that, anyway?

[playthedamncard]

A good question. Maybe you'll be showing us in time. Your information does say you're whiny.

[photoshooter]

Hey!

[He says, whining.]

Well, what does yours say about you, you... [He's already scrolling as he makes his retort, then snorts.] Champion of Denial. What's that supposed to mean, do you have a crush on someone and refuse to tell them?