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]

[Yeah, that's...pretty concerning by all accounts, especially given the amount of it. Sure, there'd need to be a lot for what...over twenty people?]

I do not know about you, but I do not intend to be here forever. Just as long as it takes for this whole scenario to run its course.

[Then, he's certain they'll just wake up back home like nothing ever happened.]

[stillstands]

[Over twenty people. Yeah, there's a lot of them here, given the size of the place.]

... Which could be longer than we think.

[There is a lot of food here. Including, uh... ... pretty squashy looking package that claims to contain "chicken and mushroom pasta". What else is in this box, there's a lot of packets now she properly takes a look in there...]

But I don't think any of us want to be here permanently, even if they are offering us-- [Rustle, rustle.] ... ginger pork and rice... by the pack?

[Can she just... take this box with her when she goes? That would solve the food worries and constant list making the club had, and would be one less responsibility on Yuuri's shoulders.]

[karappo]

[Karamatsu's expression tightens slightly when he sees the package in question. It's very bland looking...not like what it claims to be at all.]

Not at all like what Mommy makes, I'm sure.

[He sighs, moving to fold his arms over his chest.]

Though I suppose the food is free...that is something to be thankful for.

[At least it better be free, he's broke.]

[stillstands]

Yes.

[She sounds... surprisingly firm on that one.]

Any food is worth being thankful for, but an abundance of it? [She turns the packet over in her hands, and things of cereal and water and nothing else for months and months.]

We may not be lucky to be here, but I'd say this is lucky.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu should feel fortunate, given that he never has to worry about food. It's always there, hot and prepared by his mother, and he and his brothers never even have to lift a finger. But this?

This is....not that, at all.]

Indeed. Are you going to prepare something?

[He asks since she's been rummaging through it all this whole time.]

[stillstands]

[Miki blinks, looking a little surprised, and look down at the food.]

No, I-- [Was taking stock. On auto-pilot, of the food they just established there is an abundance of and no need to be tallying and counting every pack and tin to see how long they have until they starve.]

... ... [She looks up again, and there's something a little more determined in her expression.]

Actually, I wonder if they have the self-heating boxes in these packs. I read somewhere armies provide non-fire or pan methods of heating food for people who use their rations in the field.

[karappo]

Um...I do not see why not?

[They are on some sort of space craft after all, presumably...assuming there isn't anything in here to properly cook with (Karamatsu hasn't looked that hard yet), then there should be something to at least heat up the food they do have.]

Here- I will help you look. There are plenty of boxes and things here as it is, so surely one of them must be used as a source of heat.

[stillstands]

[Miki shifts one of the boxes again, and starts digging through it. Inbetween packets, and bags of sundries she eventually emerges with a pack and a thin box.]

Ah--this might be it.

[It's been a long time since she read about MREs, okay? Bear with her.]

I think you add water and there's a reaction that heats up the food. I wonder if it still works?

[karappo]

[No worries, it's not like Karamatsu has a clue what he's looking at. The only time he's ever seen one of these has been in movies and such.]

There is only one way to find out, right? We should try heating something up with it!

[stillstands]

Okay, um-- [What can they heat up...? There's a pack of something that looks like apple sauce, that might be a good starting point.]

So you... add water up to the line, and ... just put the box in the bag...?

[How does this work? Chemicals? Heated smoke? Please send help.]

[karappo]

Hmmm...that seems like a strange way to heat something, but if that is what the instructions say...

[Karamatsu stands back up while Miki deals with the actual box-and-bag, moving over to the sink to grab a glass of water. Once that's acquired, he walks back over to stand next to her with the other packages surrounding them.]

Tell me when you are ready!

[stillstands]

I think it's supposed to be when you don't have access to pans and a fire?

[Miki holds the bag open, tilting it side to side... and then steadying it.]

Okay, ready! Just up to that line on the bottom.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu lifts up the glass and carefully fills up the bag to the line as instructed. This ought to be interesting.]

[stillstands]

[Look at this teamwork.]

Okay, so... [--wait, is it making a hissing noise? Isn't that supposed to happen once the food is in the--

Oh shoot. Hang on, she's scrambling for the cardboard box and trying to open it as neatly as possible because they're going to need that? She thinks?? And pull the pack of food out because that bag is gonna start heating up and smoking real quick.]

Here, quick--I think we should've put this in first!! [She's got the pack!! And boy does that ever look like a really unappealing squashy khaki monstrosity in her hands. Cue mad fumbling to get the pack in the bag??]

[karappo]

Ah! Ah, wait- here-!

[Karamatsu very nearly knocks the remaining water over as he quickly sets it aside so he can rush back and help Miki get the pack where it's supposed to be.

But uh. This whole thing is slightly alarming to witness.]

Is it supposed to be...s-smoking??

[stillstands]

[There's a little fumbling and -- ow, ow, ow that's hot now!! But after a moment it's in the cardboard box and on the counter. And yup, it's still smoking. Hardcore.]

Y-yes, it says it should. That's the, uh [vague hand wave] I think it's a chemical reaction that heats the food up.

[But wow. It sure is smoking, isn't it? More than she was expecting.]

[karappo]

[Yikes]

It is rather...dramatic, non?

[He's a little afraid to get near it, even though the reaction is kindof fascinating to see.]

How long does it take, do you know?

[stillstands]

[Just. Two people, hanging out and watching a cardboard box smoke intensely.]

About -- [Scraaaambling for those instructions now. It takes a moment for her to read it, but once she has:] ten minutes, it says.

I guess it's the same principle as heating something up in a microwave, or on a stove top so that seems right?

[karappo]

[Karamatsu breathes out a sigh, allowing himself to relax somewhat.]

So long as it does not catch on fire...that is the last thing we need right now.

[stillstands]

It shouldn't.

[But just in case... she's going to get a large cup of water. As a plan B.]

But if it does we'll be ready.

[karappo]

[It's a good thing you're the acting adult here, Miki, because Karamatsu hadn't even thought about that.]

At the very least, I would hope they would not provide us with things that could easily set this place on fire...I assume that may be in part why we only have food like this on hand.

[stillstands]

[Someone's gotta be mature and responsible and not throw random French into sentences.]

You could heat on the stove top as well, if you wanted. So I guess there's a fire hazard there, but... no more so than usual.

[karappo]

I guess you could say this is a lot more practical in that regard...the regard of not setting a fire, I mean.

[Yaknow, assuming that smoke down there doesn't turn into More.]

My name is Karamatsu, by the way.

[stillstands]

[At least with them eyeballing it, it won't get to be on fire for very long?]

Oh, right. I haven't introduced myself. It's nice to meet you, I'm Miki Naoki.

[karappo]

[VERY TRUE. They have water handy for putting out any wayward flames and everything.]

Heh, that is alright. We have been a bit distracted, here. But it is a pleasure all the same, Miki-chan.