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

cafeteria

[andjerry]

[welcome fellow champion of really needing attention

Thomas already made one acquaintance a few days ago who talks to himself for others to hear constantly, so Karamatsu calling out to himself in the middle of the hallway as Thomas starts to leave is almost the most normal thing he's seen so far. Many of the titles seem to strike straight at who they are, and both of the Japanese twins have lengthy and insulting ones... so this man just had his world crashing down in front of him in public. He stops- ]

Are you- are you all right?

[karappo]

[It's even worse when you've been publicly called out and are trying to own it instead of admit to how much of a terrible person you are. So it's probably not in Karamatsu's favor when he stands up straight and puts on a smile for Thomas when he turns, tucking his wrist quickly behind the other as he folds his arms over his chest. No need to touch on that elephant in the room right now.]

Quite alright, my friend! I am just marveling at...at ah...

[He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, and then it comes to him.]

How clean this floor is! One can almost see their reflection in it!

[andjerry]

[oh. okay.]

It's very shiny. I don't think anyone's been here before us.

[karappo]

Eh, you think? I had not thought of that...

[But it would make sense, wouldn't it? Everything being so immaculate and untouched...]

Would that make this space set aside just for us to occupy, then?

[andjerry]

Maybe? I- I don't know why us, but... maybe your brother does?

[karappo]

My brother...? Oh, yes, Osomatsu!

...no, he probably does not know either. If I have no idea, then there is very little chance Osomatsu will know anything.

[Savage.]

[andjerry]

[wow harsh

what has he gotten himself into. but as someone well acquainted with firsthand embarrassment, Thomas is getting it secondhand from Karamatsu's save attempts, and it's causing an uncomfortable feeling in his chest as he tries to bring the conversation to anything but this identity crisis.]

He wouldn't know what makes the two of you special? I think my sister and I know each other better than anyone else does.

[karappo]

Hmm, no, it is not that exactly...it is more that he would probably say that there isn't really anything that makes us special. Beyond being identical, there is not much incredibly remarkable about the six of us, after all.

[He says this very plainly, like it's just...the truth.]

But that is alright! We may not be special, but we are unique in other ways.

[andjerry]

If there are six of you, you probably have to be... what makes you unique?

[karappo]

Why, our personalities, of course! If you have not met my brother yet, you will see for yourself just how different we can be.

[andjerry]

I only know he isn't you. Would he be so... cheerful about this?

[karappo]

Osomatsu? Given that we are in space at the moment, I wager he is finding it to be quite exciting. I cannot say it is a completely terrible thing myself...frightening in some regards, but still exciting.

[You know, apart from the whole kidnapping thing.]

But you will find that I am the cooler, more collected of us two.

[andjerry]

You think your way through problems. [probably not very hard, also you're really casual about this being kidnapped thing]

Should we, um, go find him? Even if he's enjoying himself, he might be worried about you.

[karappo]

Oh, that is alright! I met up with him a bit ago...he seems to be getting himself all kinds of attention from the other Champions.

[And not necessarily good attention.]

But where are my manners- I do not believe I have had the opportunity to make your acquaintance yet, have I? My name is Karamatsu Matsuno.

[andjerry]

[All right, so if he sees another one around- wait they're identical. This is going to get confusing quickly unless he can see how different their personalities are. This is the formal one, so-]

I'm Thomas MacLaine. [and your name is a tongue-twister] You're not worried at all about Osomatsu? [and that one comes out like another tongue-twister]

[karappo]

It is a pleasure then, Thomas-san.

[MacLaine-san just sounds funny.]

Osomatsu is very resilient. If he were truly upset about our situation as it is currently, it would be hard to ignore. It may be hard to believe, but this sort of thing is not...entirely uncommon to be happening to us.

[andjerry]

This is normal? [w h a t]

[karappo]

Well...I would not call it normal...but I have been kidnapped before.

[andjerry]

[and he isn't the first person to have been kidnapped that Thomas has met]

To somewhere like this?

[karappo]

Non non...to the middle of the ocean.

[Oh.]

[andjerry]

[all right he's got to grasp at straws for escape]

...and then what happened?

[karappo]

Then?

[He hesitates, like he's not sure he wants to explain the rest.]

I was alright. The person who kidnapped me was someone I know...they did it to make a point, albeit without my consent. He wanted to see if my siblings would come to my rescue.

[andjerry]

That- no, that isn't the kind of trouble you can escape on your own.

I'm glad somebody has an ally here.