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

[challengesfate]

Perhaps. I...get the feeling that all of us are very far away from our homes right now, but...I could be wrong.

[discalibur]

Ah... yes, it does seem like that. And you're not the first I've met her who seems to be from somewhere completely unfamiliar to me.

It makes an already strange situation all the stranger.

[challengesfate]

It does. And on top of it all...we don't even know exactly where "here" is. I've...heard the term "space" used, but, I'm still trying to reconcile that with what I see through the window.

[discalibur]

Well, even simply saying space doesn't quite clear it up. It's very large. It's like being lost at sea and being content saying you're in "the ocean".

[challengesfate]

That's not...quite what I meant. But, I think I understand.

["Space" is super big, he means. Right? Right.]

[discalibur]

Ah yes, I should... probably clarify exactly what space even is, yes?

I suppose traveling to it isn't possible yet where you are from.

[challengesfate]

No...it's certainly nothing anyone has ever imagined being possible before.

[Nobody's figured out flight yet...]

[discalibur]

It's a little hard to explain, but...

Space is... essentially the sky, I suppose. If you were to fly up so high that you left the world entirely, then you would be in space. It's where everything is. Planets, the stars, the sun, the moon.

[challengesfate]

But...why would someone want to fly that high in the first place? We can see the stars just fine from the ground...

[discalibur]

The desire to see even more, of course! There's only so much one can glimpse from the ground. Those with an explorer's soul will naturally desire to go further than their own world.

[challengesfate]

Is that so...then, that would mean one's own world was safe, wouldn't it? If the people had the time and desire to see such far away places.

[discalibur]

Generally, yes. Or relatively safe, at the very least.

...Is your world not safe, then?

[challengesfate]

No. Humanity struggles for survival every day...and they always will, if I can't return home.

[discalibur]

I see... I'm very sorry, then, and I hope you'll be able to return soon.

...No, more than that. I will do my best to assist you! I promise to help you return as soon as possible.

[Who knows how soon that is in this situation, but why think about details like that!]

[challengesfate]

Y-You needn't do that...I'm sure we'll find our way back to our homes somehow - please, don't feel obligated on my account.

[discalibur]

No, I've already decided. And I take my promises very seriously.

It wouldn't do for anything to happen to your world because of all of this.

[challengesfate]

It's not that I don't agree, I just...I wouldn't want to put those sort of expectations on someone I've only just met.

[discalibur]

[Too bad, Lucina, because Tsurugi's all about going big or going home.]

We're all going to cooperate to leave this place anyway. So really, it's perfectly fine!

[challengesfate]

Well...alright, then. I can't argue with that.

[Oh you sweet summer children.]

[discalibur]

Excellent! Then it's a promise.

[Ha ha... ha......]