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

[discalibur]

No, nothing like that.

[It's technically classified, he supposes. But it's not like he works for ZECT right now, so what does he care?]

It has to do with the Masked Rider System. I assume you don't know what that is?

[playthedamncard]

No, I don't. [sounds like CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES to him]

[discalibur]

It's specialized technology, letting the user transform. There are different modes, but essentially it's a type of suit. And the only weapon known to work against terrible monsters known as Worms.

[When he talks about this, Tsurugi actually sounds much more serious. Which is... rare.]

Mine is visually based on a scorpion.

[playthedamncard]

Specialized transforming suits...I'm interested. Tell me more.

[discalibur]

Well, to transform you need a Zecter. In my case, it looks like a robotic scorpion.

They can be a little... picky, so they only work for those they've chosen.

[playthedamncard]

[Aaaand immediately less interested.] They have...decision-making capabilities, of a sort? [The God Cards had a bit of power not on the field, if he could admit it, but not even anything like that.]

[discalibur]

To an extent. I'm not sure exactly how intelligent they are, but I know they select their users themselves.

Some seem less picky than others. I think I heard that the TheBee Zecter has gone through three users.

[No, not the Bee Zecter, the TheBee Zecter.]

[playthedamncard]

[...Listen some cards have really fucking stupid names, who is he to really judge?]

And these suits, they're weapons in and of themselves? They have abilities, armor?

[discalibur]

Yes, they do have armor. They have two different modes. The Masked Form is bulkier and more defensive. The Rider Form, though, is much faster. Plus, it possesses the Clock Up system, which is its true power. That allows someone to move at a speed much, much faster than any human ever could.

I myself fight with a sword in addition to that.

[playthedamncard]

And you fight these worms?

[discalibur]

I do. I intend to be the one to eradicate them for good.

[playthedamncard]

What sort of enemy are they?

[discalibur]

Bipedal bug-like monsters, around human size. They're able to move at a high speed and are even capable of mimicking the appearance of humans.

They're incredibly dangerous. All they seem to care about is destruction.

[Worms are listed as one of his dislikes, but perhaps the word hatred is more accurate, considering his tone when he speaks of them.]

[playthedamncard]

[...Okay this is not a version of Japan he's familiar with.] Where did they come from? It sounds like science fiction.

[discalibur]

[Yeah, just wait.]

They came from a meteorite that struck Shibuya seven years ago. How or why that happened is a mystery.

[playthedamncard]

Shibuya? That doesn't match up to anything I've ever heard.

[discalibur]

No? It's hard to imagine someone not hearing about it...

[playthedamncard]

I hate...to even contemplate asking this, but what year is it for you?

[discalibur]

2006. With less than a month to go before the new year, to be precise.

[playthedamncard]

And everything you've told me, the suits and worms, are these common knowledge?

[discalibur]

The meteor strike is, of course.

[Can't really uh. cover that up.]

But everything else? No.

[playthedamncard]

Why not? Surely military forces from around the world would want to combat such a dangerous enemy.

[discalibur]

I don't really know the reasons for it. All I know is that a certain organization has taken it upon themselves to handle the problem.

[playthedamncard]

Are they affiliated with any known government? Company? Don't tell me they just appeared out of the blue to take control of the situation.

[discalibur]

It wouldn't surprise me if ZECT has connections to the Japanese government, but I'm not aware of all the details. They're secretive and I only worked with them on a freelance basis.

I believe their main work outside of this is technology development. But their history has never been important to me.