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

bathroom

[lovecolored]

[ oh, hey. someone else fiddling with their hair. Marisa runs a hand through her own. ]

...did these weirdos mess with your hair, too? Looks like they lopped my braid off. Super creepy.

[newcycle]

Yeah-- I normally have a lot longer hair than this!

[she missed her wolftails.]

What even was the point of that?

[lovecolored]

Hmm...

[ ...... ]

An arcane ritual that needs hair from its sacrifices?

[ MARISA COULD YOU MAYBE LIGHTEN UP A BIT ]

[newcycle]

... A what.

[hey, at least rituals aren't triggering to her yet.]

[lovecolored]

Y'know, like, summoning a demon or making yourself super powerful. Rituals need weird things, like blood, or the eye of a newt, or something...I've made a few potions that needed my hair, before.

[ ............. ]

But I don't remember brewing any of those recently.

[newcycle]

[ok. hold on.

she just stares at her-- and then laughs]

That-- I mean, I guess that's one way to look at it?

[lovecolored]

H-Hey, why're you laughin'? It's legitimate magic! I'm a master potions brewer.

[newcycle]

I have no clue what that is, but isn't "they cut our hair" a lot easier of an explanation?

[lovecolored]

Well yeah, but it's the why that's botherin' me. What do you think of a bunch of asshole aliens want peoples' hair for?

[newcycle]

I don't know. But it can't be as important as why they want all of us here period.

[lovecolored]

Why the buncha us specifically?

[ Marisa puts a hand up to her face and thinks. ]

I dunno. Variety? There ain't really a single connecting factor between all of us, ze.

[newcycle]

Yeah. And I don't think anyone else got a haircut.

Or else the bathrooms would be a lot more crowded, don't you think?

[lovecolored]

I dunno about that...maybe no one else cares? [ she shrugs ] I cut my hair on the regular, I think I just noticed because the braid is missin'. It's usually right there in my face.

[ motioning vaguely to the left side of her face ]

Anyway. Notice anythin' else weird you don't remember happenin'?

[newcycle]

No... just my hair. And my clothes being gone, but that's not unique to anyone else.

[honestly? The orange washes her out a little bit. It's not a good color for her.]

[lovecolored]

...scratch that, that's the creepiest part.

[ DID THEY GET CHANGED IN THEIR SLEEP. GROSS. ]

[newcycle]

You just noticed?

[lovecolored]

I tried not to think about it...!